Rensselaer Union, Volume 8, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 June 1876 — Page 3

TO CORBEHPONOkfm. All tommu-'U-.»ttoo« for this paper should bearronv PMleJbv the name of the ambor: not noccaanrlljr for publication, but aa an crMenen of koo«I faith on tho part of the writer. Write oiuy on one aide of the pa-1 per. Be particularly careful lniflvliiirnnmeeamldatee to hare the letter! and tlsrure* plain and dlatlnct. Proper namee are often dun cult to decipher, because of the •areleaa manner In wblch they ara written.

SERENADE IN M FLAT. . 'My Madeline—my Madeline! Mark my melodious midnight moans; Mach may my melting music mean, My modulated monotones. Mr mandolin’* mild mlnatreley, My mental mualc magazine, Mv msuth. my mind, my memory, Muat minding murmur “ Madeline/’ Muster 'mid midnight masquerade, Mark Moorish maidens, matrons, mien, 'Mongrt Murcia’s moat majestic maids, Match me my matchless Madeline. Mankind's malevolence may make Much melancholy mnslc mine. Many my motives may mistake. My modest merits much malign. Mv Madeline’s most mlrthfnl mood Much mollifies my mind's machine, Mv mournfnlness’s magnitude Melts—makes me merry, Madeline. Match-making ma’s may machinate, .J. Maueuvcring misses me mlsween. Mere money may make many mate. My magic motto’s—'• Madeline I’’ Melt most mellifluous melody 'Midst Murcia's misty mounts marine, ‘ Meet mu by moonlight—marry me, Madonna mia—Madeline! . _ -N. Y. graphic.

WORDS AND SYMBOLS.

I have here only made a nosegay of cnlled flowers, and have brought nothing of my owrn but the string which hinds them together.—Montaigne. It would almost seem as though words and symbols were as anxious to keep their age a secret as ladies are reputed to be, so youthful and jaunty do some of them appear, which really have the dnst of ages clinging to their forms, and could tell us, if we knew enough to make them impart their mystery, interesting stories of Greek or Roman customs, and curious tales of the long ago. It strikes us strangely to see a small character preserving its form, and surviving all the attacks of time, unchanged, while the generations which gave it being have passed away, their cities crumbled into dust, and their very nation become simply a remembrance. Yet the dollar-mark ($) is such an instance, the oldest symbol known to the human race in use, as a late writer in one of our magazines proves, for thousands of years. Long, long ago, before Britain was discovered, a Tyrian navigator, sailing in search of a new country and a new home, raised at Cadiz a temple to Hercules, and within it placed two pillars of gold and silver, their capitals engraved with curious characters which no one could read, but which were supposed to be the chains which bound the earth and sea together. These pillars became in time the arms of Cadiz, and upon Charles V. becoming Emperor of Germany, in the new coat of arms they became the supporters of the device. The Imperial mint was established at Seville, ana upon the standard dollar as the most prominent figure was placed the pillars with the scroll twined about them, the very device used at this day to represent the almighty dollar. Long before this time, liowever, the pillars were used by the inhabitants of Scandinavia as household gods, and it was their custom, upon emigrating to some unknown land, as they neared the shore to throw the pillars overboard, and where they landed was always the new home made. Farther back in the ages than this, even, was the first Jewish temple, and at the ‘entrance to this was placed, as we are told in 11. Rings, two pillars, which are supposed to have represented the pillars of cloud and fire. To those wko are acquainted with this history it is rather amusing to he told that the character is simply a combination of the letters U. S., intimating that our youthful America invented this, the most ancient of symbols, which was in use ages before Columbus was born. Equally mistaken is the idea tnat the symbol is a contraction of the Spanish word pesos, meaning dollars, or that the original way of writing the character was 8 8, from the dollar being a piece of eight reals. The English pound (£) owes the horizontal bars to the same symbol, for in the time of Henvy VIII., when the present pound was introduced, these pillars had come to be recognized as the established money symbol. The L came from the Latin libra, a balance, and signified a standard by which to weigh the precious metals.

The word dollar comes from the German, and means valley. Itseems that, in the early part of the sixteenth century, there lived in the little town of Joachimisthal, in Germany, a powerful noble family. From the year 1517 to 1526 the Counts of Schlick were accustomed to coin pieces of money weighing an ounce, which,from the town, were called Joachim-is-thaler, This being rather too much of a mouthful, the word was shortened to thaler, and gradually changed to dollar. The symbol of the' cross, which one naturally connects With the time of,our Savior, dates many centuries back of the Christian era, ana extehds so far in the .shadowy past that the time of its birth is lost in darkness. We find that it was an ornament among the Etruscans; that it was engraved among Assyrian hieroglyphics; used* m connection with Hindoo mythological figures, and even found in the Mexican antiquities of Central America. To the Greeks and Romans the cross was known also, not only in the common form, but in all the varieties that we have at present; so how, or where, or when it originated will probably never be known. I The exclamation “ Hurrah !” how often have we heard it shouted as the healthy, roystering school-boy rushed past, or the excited politician expressed his liking for one candidate or adothSß little dreaming of the far-off origin top woftf monly used. It seems it» really-derived from harri, which was introduced into Germany by the people who wandered into Europe from Central Asia, where it is in use to this day, as one of the names 3f the God Vishnu. When the Hindoos have anything difficult to accomplish they rry "Harri! HarrmmdTfie exclamation Is frequently heard upon the Ganges if a joat strikes upon a sand-bank, dr the current is strong and it is desirable for the joatment to use all their strength. It is used, in short, whenever the need of aid js felt, and would signify in our language, |‘ God help us.” l It is also said that the expression we tear so commonly used, “Dear me,” and vhich, when critically examined, seems o mean nothing atali, is from the Italian, f Dio Mio, My God.” | The word tumbler has a curious and ncient origin. In the old times, among he early Saxons, each one had his own I articular drinking horn or cup. Usually K was a horn beautifully carved, and Sometimes studded with precious gems, [■his drinking-horn was often disposed of Ey will, and was considered one of the ■lost important gifts to be bestowed, and K a farther instance of its value it may Be stated that before the custom of wit-

neasing by seal was introduced in the transfer of land, the drinking-horn was given as a proof of the contract. Mention is found of a Saxon family holding their estate from Canuto-sitnply by possession of his drinking-horn. The shape of the drinking born and glasses afterward was such that when filled they hail to be emptied at once, as the stem was pointed, and from their propensity to tumble over comes oar word tumbler. The word porcelain is from the Spanish, and means little pig! Think of our exquisite porcelain, dainty enough for Queen Titania herself to sup nectar and ambrosia from, and then of the disgusting hog rolling in mud and squealing far more lustily for “more” than ever poor Oliver Twist dared to. What can be the connection? It is in this wise: In 1518 the Portuguese effected at settlement at Macao and through them the finest specimens oi porcelain were brought into Europe. They had formerly applied the name porcelain to cowrie shells, which represented Oriental money, because of their resemblance to the pink backs of little pigs, and afterward, as the transparent and exquisite China ware resembled the Cowrio shell, it wag called by the same name. The word philopena comes from the German tongue, and the original word, vielliebehein, has quite a romantic story connected with it. It was the custom among the young people of Alsace and Lorraine (then as now under German rule) to betroth themselves by eating the halves of double almonds, and to greet one another, when next they met, as “well-be-loved." When these countries were united with France, they lost their own language to a great extent, and many words which they retained became corrupt, among others this old expression. It gradually changed until it became “pnilippo,” which, when properly pronounced, sounds like the o!d word, but with us it has become “philopena.” This old custom is kept up among these people to the present time, and instead of giving an ordinary present to the one who “catches” the other, nothing less satisfies them than an exchange of hearts. Quite a number of words m one language now in common use have come from the names of men who were celebrated lor certain qualities which these words now express to us. The word fudge is an instance, and according to D’lsraeli, is derived from the name of an old sea-captain whose imagination was sometimes too much for him to contend with. Mr. D’lsraeli quotes from a pamphlet entitled “ Remarks upon the Wary,” published in the eighteenth century, as follows: “ There was in one time one Captaing Fudge, who, upon his return from a voyage, how ill-fraught soever his ship was, always brought home the owners a good cargo of lies; so much so that now aboard ship, the sailors, when they hear a great lie told, cry out, “ You fudge it!” The word cant isderived from the name of a clergyman in Cromwell's time, who was conspicuous, even among the Roundheads, for his lon» prayers, nis frequent use of Scripture language, and the manner peculiar to the stern old Puritans. His name was used to the Cavaliers, and we hear it still in daily conversation to designate any whiny, hypocritical, religious conversation.

Duu is a word of similar origin, the name of a bailiff in the time of Henry •VII., so stern and severe that he neverfailed to collect a debt; so, when men grew weary of a man who never paid, they grew to exclaiming: “ I’ll have it, anyway; I’ll Dun him.” 1 have lately read of a conceited member of Congress, a Col. Buncombe, who was constantly upon his feet, making long, wordy speeches, containing nothing but his own glorification. On one occasion, when the worn-out members were leaving almost in a body, he exclaimed: “ You can all go, gentlemen. I can just as well finish what I have to say to myself. Ido not speak foryou,butfor Buncombe.” The word was adopted at once, and the expression, “it’s all for buncombe,” is heard every day. In the early ages of the Christian era lived an Arabian physician and chemist, a Dr. Geber, whose life was spent in endeavoring, by chemical processes, to turn the baser metals into gold. He was one of the very earliest writers on chemistry, but so obscure was his style of composition, that his name, Geber, has given us the word gibberish, expressing a collection of words with no meaning attached. But the little story wrapped up in the word dunce is quite a sad one, ana shows us quite convincingly that fame and honor, one century, may turn to contempt and disrespect the next. This word, so commonly used in anything but a complimentary manner, comes from the name of a man so celebrated for learning that he was termed the “subtle doctor,” and so full of genius that thegigh dying at the early age of thirty, he was known far and wide on account of the knowledge he possessed. His name was Duns Scotus, and he was OHOTff Ihe"ffcinuus''schoolmen edu-~ cated at the Cathedral schools founded by the brilliant Charlemagne. Bnt alas for famo! In after years, at the revival of learning, the works of the once famous schoolmen fell into disrepute, and men began to look with contempt upon the followers of Duns Scotus. They began to say sarcastically •“ He is a Duns man,” and finally, "He is a dunce.” ff is enough to make a man turn in his grave; but as this thing has been going on a thousand years or so, it is to be hoped poor Duns Scotus has become used to it by this time.

It is quite a curious study to trace the lineage of some words now considered very inelegant, but we find, if we carry our investigation far enough into the shadowy past, which is, however, illuminated by as brilliant lights in the realms ot Srose and poetry ag any we can produce 1 the present day, that these despised words were then in high favor, and used by the best writers. Such a word is “ bully,” used by Shakspeare, Scott, and even Irving, The use of “jolly,” in the sense of extremely, is centuries old, and we tind this expression in a theological work published in London in 1656: “ All was jolly quiet at Ephesus Wore St. Paul went thither.” We also find Katherine saying to Petrucio: Ti* like you’ll prove a Jolly surly groom. In Otway’s “ Venice Preserved,” considered by Goldsmith the finest tragedy in the language after those Shakspeare produced, we find what would now be considered an unpardonable expression, viz.: “ Pump me not for politics.” Dreadful to say, Pope and Dryden both speak familiarly of taking a mack , and such words as rile , click, aplurq*, rich, etc., were used by the very best writers. To speak of absquatulating,' and of honing in the sense of stealing, were also considered quite proper. Words, in the course of time, change their signification very materially. Wretch formerly was a word of endearment. Villain meant only a bondman in the feudal times; the goaaip was the sponsor in baptism, and idiot was a person in private life, distinguished from those who held

office. Knave meant a servant; and in an early version of the New Testament we find “ Paul, a knave of Jesus Christ." Bacon, in his “ Pathway Unto Prayer/* says: “Let us pray for the preservation of the King’s most excellent Majesty, and for the prosperous success of his entirely beloved son, Edward, our Prince, that most angelic imp.” Gascoigne, in an old hymn, has these words: O Israel, O household of the Lord I O Abraham’s brats, o word of blessed seed, O blessed flock that love the Lord Indeed!’’ And so one could easily continue ad infinitum, for as another has beautifully said, “ Words possess an endless, indefinable, tantalizing charm. They paint humanity, its thoughts, longings, aspirations, struggles, failures—paint them upon a canvas of breath, in the colors of life.” —Maria T. Woodbridge, in Cincinnati Times.

A Wonderful Flea Exhibition.

Thousands of persons have heard at various times of exhibitions of “ educated fleas,” but probably very few in this country have ever seen them. There is such an exhibition in this city at the present time, and, although not advertised, save by a placard in front of the building where it is to be seen, there is a daily attendance of 400 persons to witness this very novel sight. The proprietor calls himself Prof. Bartolotto, and claims to be the original inventor of the show, and all other exhibitors of trained fleas impostors. The professor is over sixty years old, and' has been engaged in this business for forty years. He is a quaint individual, and his discourses upon fleas are as serious upon his part as if he were reading an essay upon metaphysics. The man sits behind a small table, covered with a white cloth, and his Liliputian apparatus are marvels of mechanical skill. The fleas are larger than the lively creatures which are usually so troublesome. He manages to attach them to the performing instruments by means of infinitesimal firths of silk fiber around their bodies. hey are released from this bondage at six p. m., and placed in harness early in the morning. Upon being released Bartolotto allows them to feed upon his arm, and he seems to enjoy their feeding quite as much as they relish it. What is strange about these educated fleas is that they never strive to escape. After their feeding he picks them up one at a time and places them in a compartment of a small circular box, each space numbered, and though it requires uncommon credulity, he assures visitors he never makes a mistake in assigning his fleas to any rooms but those which belong to them. They never get into wrong rooms. It is impossible, without seeing them, to conceive of the feats performed by these educated insects. The first process of training a wild flea is to place. it in a sort of a tread-mill with ’ glass sides; it is called the preparatory school. The flea hops around, beating against the glass sides madly enough at first, but when it finds escape impossible, begins to walk on the bottom, and thus takes literally the first civilized step. The following are selected from the programme, and, writing from personal observation, I can assure you that that there is no humbug in it: 1. Coach drawn by two fleas, the coachman witn whip, two fleas inside all dressed. 2. A miniature steamer drawn by one flea, dragging 600 times its own weight. 3. A model street-car drawn by one flea (this shows the wonderful strength of the flea—the car and contents is 1,200 times the weight of the insect). 4. A ball-room with orchestra, dancers, etc., represented by fleas. Tke motion of the violin-bows and the waltzing by fleas upon the floor of the ball-room is perfect. There are various others, such as turning windmills, drawing buckets from miniature wells, and a so-cailed duel in which two fleas fence with tiny swords of real steel.— Y. Cor. Chicago Tribune.

A Curious Craft.

More than six years since a New Brunswick farmer living on the Upper St. John took it into his head to build a vessel in which to take his family to Australia. He went to St. John, and there visited a shipyard for the first time in his life, and examined the build of a schooner. Return ing home with a few tools and book on navigation, he worked all the time he could get days, and studied with the aid of his wife his “navigation book” evenings. At the end of six years his vessel was completed. During the spring freshets he floated the craft down to St. John. At that time he had expended eveiy dollar he could raise, including the proceeds of the sale of his farm. Mr. Pomeroy, an American shipper, saw the craft, and finding that it was an object of curiosity, advanced the money for an outfit, and chartered her to take to Philadelphia. The ty in point of construction, but has numerous inventions never before seen on a vessel of any kind, which Mr. Draper, the backwoods builder has studied out himself. Draper has chartered his vessel for three months in order to get the means of taking his family on a trip to Australia. The vessel is of abaut fifty tons burthen. She is expected here every day, and will remain in the harbor several days.—Portland (Me.) Press.

Sleep is the Best Stimulant.

The best possible thing for a man to do when he feels too weak to carry anything through is to go to bed and sleep for a week if he can. This is the only'recuperation of brain power, the only actual recuperation of brain force: because, during sleep, the brain is in a state of rest, in a condition to receive and appropriate particles of nutriment from the blood, which take the place of those which have teen consumed in previous labor, sincdVhe very act of thinking consumes or bums up solid particles, as every turn of the wheel or screw of the splendid steamer is the result of consumption by fire of the fuel in the furnace. The supply of consumed [brain Substance can only be had from the nutritive particles in the blood, which were obtained from the food eaten previously; and the brain is so constituted that it can best receive mid appropriate to itself those nutritive particles during a state of rest, of quiet, and stillness of sleep. Mere stimulants supply nothing in themselves; they goad the brain, ma force it to greater consumption of its Substance, until that substance has been so exhausted that there is not power enough left to receive a supply, lust as men are so near death by thirst and starvation that there is not power enough left to swallow anything, and all is over. Scientific American. ; It is said that the London brokers, taking advantage of the French yitrow of indignation over the Suez transfer, “ unloaded” some of their surplus Turkish and Egyptian stocks in Pans just before the market fell. *'->

A. Romance of Rhode Island.

In connection with Newport and piracy the “ History of Rhode Island” records a touching story which, as the author savs, seems more like fiction than fact, We give the domestic tale—which would make a much more charming and attractive theme for the poet and dramatist than “ Enoch Arden”—jn the words of the historian: Samuel Cranston, a gentleman of noble descent and who hsd highly distinguished himself as a merchant in Hewphrt. on the breaking out dr the French war of 1755, finding business completely paralyzed and being of an active tempeiament of mind, was induced to start on a voyage for Jamaica, not, however, anticipating the scenes and events which he was destined to endure in the prosecution of the voyage. When off the keys of Florida they were attacked by a piratical vesael. They defended themselves to the utmost, satisfied that, should thev fall Into their hands, no mercy would bo shown them, but all their eflorts were in vain, and they were compelled to surrender to the enemy. Such was the savage cruelty of these buccaneers that neither prayers nor expostulations had the least effect on their hard and obdurate hearts. The passengers and crew were all inhumanly butchered on the Xt with the exception of Mr. Cranston, 3 was spared in order to labor onboard the vessel as a common menial. To a mind like his it must have been deeply humiliating to be suddenly thrown from an elevated position in society and compelled to herd with brutes in human torm. In this condition he was doomed to labor tor seven years. The thoughts of home would rush on the mind, producing pain and disquietude, and anxiously looking forward to the moment of deliverance, when he should once more par-, ticipate in the enjoyment of the domestic circle. He had watched feVery moment from the time of his captivity for an opportunity to effect his escape; the propitious hour seemed now to have arrived and he availed himself of it. Having secured a boat and secreted some provisions he committed himself to the winds and waves, trusting in Divine Providence for protection. After having been tossed about for many days he was so fortunate as to fall in With an English ship bound from Jamaica to Halifax, who kindly took him on board and treated him with marked attention. On his arrival at Halifax a passage wa9 given him to Boston, and on his arrival there he was startled at the rumor lhat his wife was on the eve of being married to a Mr. Russell, of Boston. This was an additional stroke, and rendered his mind a prey to the most gloomy thoughts. Poor and penniless, he started from Boston on foot for Newport, there to await the issue. On his arrival he entered the back door of his former residence, in the character of a mendicant, and craved food from the servants, which was readily granted. After appeasing the cravings of hunger, he inquired if Mrs. Cranston was the mistress of-the house. On being answered in the affirmative, he stated that he had a message which he wished to communicate to her. On being informed that it would be entirely out of her power to comply with his wishes, as she was then making preparations for her nuptial celebration, which was to take place that evening, the heart of Cranston was seized with the most painful emotion, that his lovely, adored wife was about to espouse another. He requested the servant to tell her mistress that he had seen her husband that day at twelve o’clock crossing Howland’s Ferry. Such intelligence, so unaccountable, yet highly interesting, brought Mrs. Cranston from her toilet, to look on the bearer of such intelligence. He briefly rehearsed over the sufferings which her husband had endured, which she listened to with the deepest interest. He wished to know of Mrs. Cranston whether she had ever seen him before. Dressed in sailor’s garb, with a tarpaulin hat partially drawn over his eyes, she replied in the negative. Finding himself a stranger, ana unknown, in his own mansion, he at last raised his hat and gave her a significant look, at the same moment pointing to a scar on his forehead, and exclaiming: “ Did you, Mrs. Cranston, ever see that mark before?” She at once flung herself on his bosom, and exclaimed, in transports of joy: “You are my own, own dear, long-lost husband!” It required, as you may well imagine, some little time for the paroxysm to subside, and for Mr. Cranston to dress himself in a manner becoming his rank and station, before entering the drawing-room, where the elegant group had assembled to witness the ceremony. Mr. Russell and the officiating clergyman were already present, and nothing was wanting but the appearance of the bride. Soon, however, she entered, gracefully leaning on the arm of Mr. Cranston, whom she introduced as her long-absent husband. The scene was worthy of the chisel of the -artist, andproduced emotions of delight in the minds of the guests. Mr. Russell, with true magnanimity, insisted that the marriage ceremony should be repeated, he giving the bride to her former husband, and endowing her with the amount which he intended to settle on her as his wife.—Manhattan Monthly.

How a Man Can Get Ready to Go to Europe In Fifteen Minutes.

It has been said that it takes a woman half a day to get ready for an absence of an hour. It has also been said that a man can get ready to go to Europe in fifteen minutes. Whether it means that he will get ready to go in fifteen minutes, or will go in fifteen minutes after he is ready,can be definitely ascertained by putting the pauses where they belong. As the reader pays his money he can take his choice and just suit himself. “ Variety is the spice of life,” and some people's lives require a deal Of the aforesaid spice to make theirs endurable. But not to meander from the subject means to stay by it. One day during a speck of sleighing Jim Jones hired a horse and cutter ana went home to take Mrs. Jim out for a ride. He got home just as she was rocking the baby to sleep. The baby had the whooping cough and wouldn’t let any but her mother rock her. So Jim said he would drive around awhile and then come back. So he drove and drove, as he thought, about half an hour and went back and the baby wasn’t yet asleep, and he looked at his watch and found he had been gone just ten minutes. So he went away again and drove and drove and came back and slammed the door when he went in and awoke the baby that had just got to sleep and aether crying and coughing, and she whooped like a young Comanche Indian on the warpath. But after much rocking and singing she subsided, and poor Mrs. Jones thought she would get ready for her ride. While she was getting ready she had three calls; then after that she had to go into the kitchen and tell Bridget what to get for tea, then there was no water in the wash pitcher, then she had to get a clean towel. But she flew round pretty

briskly, and at the end of ten minutes or thereabouts she said she guessed she was ready. Then Jones found there was a button off his overcoat, and it was the top button, too, so she sewed that on and pricked her fingers, and the said emphatically that “she wished that she could ever go anywhere without first sewing on a button or rocking a baby,” and Jim said no one asked her to sew on a button, but if she hadn’t sewed it on she’d been two hours getting ready any way, and added, incidentally, that “he coula get ready to go to New York and get back wjille she was making up her mind.” She said “ probably he could if he had , three or four waiting on him, as he usually did when he got ready." a Then he said “ ’twas no such a thing," and she said it was, and as sure as you live her words were verified that night. " After they got home and had tea and were sitting comfortably by the fire, there came a ring at the door-bell, and a moment thereafter a telegram was brought in, and it was from New York, and requested Jim to “come on” on the next train, which went at 10:30, just three hours from that time. So Jim settled back to reading, remarking that there was “ plenty of time.”

So ho read the news, polltlAl, Surveying It most critically o'er— And poor Mrs. Jones fidgeted, for she knew “just how it would be.” Well, about nine o’clock Mr. Jones said he guessed he would get ready, and just then he clapped his hand on his coat pocket, after the manner of men, and says he: * • There, I’ve got to run down to the office a minute, and while I’m gone you just put a shirt and some socks in my sachel,” and he grabbed* his hat and rushed out. She went to get his shirt and couldn’t find the key to the bureau. She hunted and hunted, and scolded, but she could not find it, neither could she find any other one that would fit, except herself, and she would fit any one for half a cent. She got in an awful state of heat and vexation, goaded on by the gaping sachel that stood in the middle of the floor and a momentary expectation of hearing Jim’s hummels on the stairs, and just as it was a quarter oi ten and she had arrived at the tearful stage of the proceedings he came and opened the door and stopped and said —come to think it were better not to tell what he said, because it was dreadfully personal to Mrs. Jones, and she felt it to be so, and answered that she wasn’t, and she couldn’t pack his sachel when everything was locked up in the bureau and the key not to be found. Her tears flowed afresh when he unfeelingly remarked that “nothing could ever be found in that house after one once let go of it. So then he hunted and hunted, and turned overall her handkerchief ana collar and glove boxes, and looked in the perfumery bottles, and moved the bureau out, assisted by the whole household force, who ran hither and thither, their motions being greatly accelerated by sarcastical remarks from Mr. Jones, who managed to talk all the time, whether he was heard or not. At last, says he, “ Well, here it is”—he went to say ten o’clock:, and stuck his fingers in his vest pocket and pulled out the identical key. If Mrs. Jones hadn’t seen him he would never have told; but she did see him, and she didn’t say a word so that he could explain that he locked the drawer up because he had put some valuable business letters in it the day before, and any man is justified in taking care of business letters. She only gave him a. look that somehow reminded him of the picture of Polycarp and the lions, and she stood by meekly while he unlocked the drawer, and she put the things in his sachel while he went to black his boots, he having first, however, put the letters in his pocket. Then there was running hither and yon for his slippers, which were found under the lounge, where he kicked them in the morning, and then his dressing-case had to be forthcoming ; then his bottle of cough balsam had to be found and putln his inner overcoat pocket, and he was ready. So he kissed Mrs. Jones, who slobbered on him, and then started to run a mile in fifteen minutes. It is supposed that he succeeded, for he eventually reached New York. And such a drtfodful looking room as the one he left. The chairs were having a meeting over in the corner, the towels were distracted and the washbowl was overflowing. The soap was in the spittoon and his cast-off' clothing graced the center of the room; and oh, my, the buremit One drawer was out on the floor, the other one was half out, and the top looked very like the counter of a secondhand clothing store,so varied and conglomerated was its lay-out. And it stood out from the wall just where he left it, which would give one the impression that it had started to go somewhere, and then changed its mind and didn’t. But Mrs. Jones was avenged; he didn’t get ready in fifteen minutes, and when she wrote she told him so. She laughed tyst and laughed longest, too.—Detroit Frp Press.

A Deadly Drink.

A good story is told, which we do not think has yet found its way into print, of the evils of temperance from a bibulous point of view. Two old soakers, steadying themselves against the bar, were taking their usual beverage. “Herwaryer, Jim; whadger goin* ter take this morning?” “ Guess I’ll hev er brandy cocktail; wha’ yer goin’ tak’ yerself ?” “ Little ole rye in mine.” u Eny news ’smomin’ f! “No, northin’, ’cept papers sez Vice Prps’n’t Wilson’s dead.’” “- Yes, I heard o’ that; an’ they say he never took nothin’but water.” “ No, ver don’t say so (drinks), ah-h-h ?” ’* Never drank nothin’—here’s to you (drinks), ah-h-h. Yes, he never took nothin’ but water.” “ Well, Well, that’s what fetches ’em after a while, isn’t it* ole feller?”—if. Y. Commercial Bulletin.

The Begging-Letter Mania.

Whether the begging-letter is an Americanism or not, this deponent saith not, but it Is undoubtedly on the increase. Distinguished strangers are invariably burdened with appeals for money. Dom Pedro found twelve of them awaiting his arrival, and it is reported over sixty others have been suppressed by his private Secretary. The Duke Alexis, when he was in America, was bored by begging letters from all sources, many of them from pretended Russians. But it is the home millionaires who* are the worst bored of all. Somehow it has roused the begging letter-writers into uppsual activity that Commodore Vanderbilt has been sick nigh unto death. The letters asking for help which have been addressed to the Commodore during the last three weeks number several thousand. The number received by such well-known benevolent gentlemen as William E. Dodge, Robert Lenox Kennedy, Ribert Lenox, Theodore Roosevelt, Samuel Wood, ,Geo.

8. Coe, John Q. Jones, and others, exceed belief. One of the gentlemen lira) named is In the habit of sending SIOO checks once a year to worthy Protestant ministers throughout the country, and he is almost tamed from this practice by the begging letters received. The most remarkablrlatter-dsy Instance of begging letters lithe number received by Judge Hilton and Mrs. A. T. Stewart., They have allowed the Herald to print some of them, and this is probablv the shortest way to stop the practice. Doubtless some of these letters are from really needy persons, but the mania for writing private appeals is an nnmixed evil.— N. Y. Cor. Chicago Tribunt.

Contraction of the Currency.

It is a noticeable fact that, whilethe Inflationists are wildly clamoring tor more paper currency, as the sovereign panacea for all the ills of trade, there has been a voluntary retirement of currency by the spontaneous action of the banks ever since the passage of the Resumption Act of January 14th, 1875. The bank-notes outstanding at the time of the passage of this act amounted to $851,861,450. Between that date and May Ist, 1870, there were reaeemed and retired $24,803,700 of National Bank-notes, besides $4,685,877 of such notes surrendered: making an aggregate of redeemed and surrendered notes amounting to $29,489,588. Between the same dates there were issued $14,868,856 of new National Bank-notes. Thus the net decrease of such notes from Jan. 14th, 1875, to May Ist, 1870, has been $15,120,728; leaving the amount outstanding at the latter date to be $880,740,722, against $351,861,450 at the former date. In addition to this, there has, daring the same period, been a retirement of sll,472,124 of legal-tender notes under the Act of Jan. 14th, 1875, leaving the amount outstanding May Ist, 1876, at $370,527,879. The total decrease in the two currencies in a little more than fifteen months is, therefore, $28,592,852. Still further, the Treasurer of the United States, May Ist, 1876, held $28,083,291 in legal-tender notes, deposited with him to retire an equal amount of National Banknotes, and which will be paid out only as the latter notes are retired and destroyed. The result is an actual decrease of paper circulation since Jan. 14th, 1875, amounting to $54,676,143. Greenbacks and bank-notes outstanding Jan. 14th, 1875, amounted to $733,861,450; and on Ist ot May, 1876, their amount was $679,185,807—showing an actual contraction of $54,676,143 in the paper circulation of the country.

This has occurred not because the Government has forced the decrease upon the people, but as the result of purely spontaneous action. Tne Resumption act of Jan. 14,1875, repealed all restrictions upon the aggregate amount of bank currency that might be issued, and, in effect, pro* vided tor free banking. To the repeal was added the provision that the Secretary of the Treasury should redeem and retire legal-tender notes to the amount of eighty per cent, of the new hank notes that might be issued. The banks, by a previous law, were privileged to withdraw their bonds from the Government by depositing with the Secretary of the Treasury legal-tender notes equal to the amount of bank notes issued to them on these bonds; the former notes to be held for the purpose of redeeming the latter. By this process the hanks were enabled to reduce their own circulation; and, aa a matter of fact, we have, in a little more than fifteen months, made such a reduction to the amount of $29,489,583, against the new issue of $14,368,855 of bank notes, giving a net decrease of $15,120.728.

The laws of Congress simply provided for the possibility of these results. They made it possible for the banks to increase or decrease their circulation; and under the laws of trade the banks have chosen to do the latter, and are still continuing the process. We grant* that the motive by which they are governed is that of selfinterest; yet the fact conspicuously shows that they bad a larger paper circulation in the form of bank notes than they could profitably employ. And this fact means that, in their judgment, there was no active demand among the people for the whole volume of outstanding bank notes. Had such a demand existed, there would have been no reductipn of volume; and not only so, but there would have been an increase of bank notes in proportion to it. We present, then, to the inflationists the fact that under free banking there has been an increase of National Bank-notes to the amount of $14,868,855 in about fifteen months, and during the same period a decrease of bank-notes redeemed and surrendered to the amount of $29,' 489,583; showing a net decrease of $15,120,728. We present to them the farther fact that this decrease is still continuing, and that on the Ist of May, 1878, the United States Treasury held $28,083,291 in legal-tender notes deposited there by the banks to redeem and retire a like amount of their own notes. Does this look as if there was a deficiency of currency to “ meet the wants of trade” T Not at all. Such facta would not.exist in the Sresence of a deficiency. Currency uner free banking is a matter of supply and demand, and'is quite sure so to regulate itself as to make the supply equal to the demand. The simple truth is, there is more paper currency in the country than the business demand requires, and this is the economical reason which has led to the reduction of bank-notes during the last fifteen months.— N. Y. Independent.

In one of the Sulphur mines near Steamboat Springsa nujpber of Chinamen are employed. The mine is situated at >he foot of a hill, about a mile from Steamboat. Two perpendicular cuts are made into the hill, so that they converge at a given point. These are made for ventilation, and are kept open to permit the heat to escape. At the end of these cuts they have a face twenty feet high. The sulphur begins within seven feet of the top, and continues in rich layers all the way down, intermingled with sand and other formations. At this point the heat is very great. The other day, while working, one of the Chinamen struck his pick through into a fissure, when a column of blue flame shot up to the distance of thirty feet, filling the atmosphere with a villainous stench, and making it *o terribly .hot that the Mongolian, dropping his pick, rushed from tne place, followed by his frightened companions. It was some time before they could be induced to i* sumo their work. —Gold Hill (Nn.) Hoe*. What a Cincinnati editor doesn’t know about musical simile* could fie passed through the eye of a needle and never touch the steel. One of those editors, after bathing and annotating himself for the effort, satftlown and wrote of Wagner’s Centennial march that “through the crash of the fanfare runs a little delicate thread of the original theme like thevoioe of the nightingale above the roar of tiM cataract.'’— at. Louie Utpublican.