Rensselaer Union, Volume 9, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 December 1876 — Page 6

Broomstick Law.

Tub morning train o® the Ohio & Mhwiwippi Road was whirling along U) tte destination, Bt. Louis, when Con■duetor Maflit was seised by the buttonhole and a pair of “ innocents abroad" nought for information. "You see, mister, tne and Andrew is a-going down to East Bt. Louis on bustnets, it’s particular, and we'd like Io know if you can toll u* if there is a 'Butdrc living handy to where we get off. The truth is, mister, me and Andrew is going down to get hitched. If you can •tell us about a ’Squire down there it might save time. I’ve come away and loft the ironing, and Andrew ought to <huru to-day—for there ain't a speck of butter in the house." The conductor assured them that they -would have no difficulty in finding a •Squire; also that thia magistrate, when found, would end their troubles in no time.

She laughed at the conductor's encouragement ** That is just the man we’re looking for, ain't it, Andrew?" ** I a’poee so," was his hesitating reply. Hi* answer was not what she expected. ** Oh, you only s'pote so, do you ? Then you can s’pose ao alone." She bounced over into another seat, and commenced to study the beauties of the lakes and marshes along the American bottom. That brought him to terms.. “ Mary Jane, come back here, I want Ao tell vou something." She lookedm him scornfully; then relented, and catne back. “Thishere train o’care is goin’ awful fast, ain’t it?" " Yea. I s’pose so. But what was you going to tell me ?" “if we keep on going so fast, in less’n an hour we’ll be there. Don’t it make you led uneasy. Mary Jane?"

" No, it don’t. If you wan’l a goose, Andrew, you wouldn’t mind it either. Everybody gits parried some time or other. It ain’t no worse for us than it is for other folks. Haln't you got nothing but that to tell me?" He thought it over a moment, but •didn’t remember anything el&e. She pouted, and was about to return to her seat by the window again. Ha caught her hand,'and she was willing to be caught and remain. When the train arrived at East Bt. Louis, Andrew and his Mary Jane went at once in quest of a ’Squire who would make them one. After a little blundering they found the office and the man. He was sweeping out his court-room. When «hcv entered lie dusted off two chairs, and said if their business was not very urgent he would finish sweeping. Five minutes -would make everything tidy and nice. “ Give me that broom, ’Squire, and, Andrew, you tell the man what’s wanted.” She was not going to wait for a man’s awkward sweeping. “ He says He can’t do it, Mary Jane. It wouldn’t lie lawful without a license Ain't that rough on us?” “ Licenser’ and she dropped the broom in astonishment. “ Mister, me and Andrew wants to get married; that’s what ■we want. It’s not likely that we’ll ever adl whisky or keep a hotel. When we do. we’ll come to you first for a license.” “ But you can’t get married in Illinoy -without a license.” said the Justice, -dryly. k “ License to get married! Well, times has come to a dreadful state. Folks can’t git married here in Dlinby without a license. There’s the ironing to be done today; and Andrew’s got to churn. Anti there's Miss Witherwax to keep in good humor (she’s the woman me and Andrew '.live with, and she’s the crassest woman in Ridge Prairie), and all this has got to happen afore sundown.” “I'm sorry.” said the Justice, “but you must go to the Court-House m Belleville and get your license before I can marry you." “ 1 reckon we’ll have to go home without it, Mary Jane” remarked the groom. “ 1 reckon you're a goose if you think I'm. going home again as Mary Jane McMichael No, sir!” She picked up the broom and moved towand the Justice. He prudently fell back behind a table. He didn’t know what was coming next, but she did. “ Come here, Andrew, and stand up alongside of me." - The groom did as he was bid. “ Now', ’Squire, you go ahead and do 'this marryin’ or' there’s going to be •trouble." The prudent Justice wanted to remon■Btrate, but she wouldn’t listen to a word of it. She handled the broom in a way that was trying to a peaceable man’s nerves. He was forced to make them man and wife. “Isit a strong hitch, 'Squire? Will it hold as good as any?” she asked. “Q, yes, you’re married strong enough." “ Then pay the gentleman, Andrew, and .let’s be going home. I’m bound to finish the ironing to-day if I am a new married woman. Good-bye, ’Squire. When folks is in a hurry there ain’t no better law agoing anywhere than broom-stick Jaw. Come, Andrew." — N.Y. Mercury.

A Living- Child Shipped in a SoapBox.

Yesierdav evening, a little after eight o’clock, a discovery of a very extraordinary character was made at the Tithebarn Street railway station. When the parcels "were being taken out of the goods van of the train from Preston, which arrived at S:10, one of the porters heard the cry of a child proceeding apparently from a dseap of luggage, and he drew the attention of some of the other men to the fact. Their suspicions were, of course, aroused, and a soap-box, which was among the rest of the oarcels, was opened. Very much to the 'astonishment of the officials and othera who gathered around, it was found to contain a fine, healthy-looking female child, apparently about a month or six weeks old. A police constable was at once “called in,” and the little

stranger who had so opportunely made its presence known was given into his charge. The constable took the child and the box to the detective office in Dale street The assistance of some of the wsmen living in the neighborhood was obtained, and the child was washed and fed. Subsequently it was sent to the work-house; and, instead of suffering any ill effects from its long and dose ■confinement, it is at present tn the most Shealthy and thriving condition. The d»x in which it was “ booked” for Liverpool is an ordinary soap-box, about ‘twelve or fourteen inches long, by six "C** 6 * wide, and about eight or ten inches « pore a glaring label having ref«re®«e ? Hndsotfs dry soap” on the ,J, °* “« and a similar one on one y/”* 8 Bld< ?’ *£ ile °n the top of the lid nn °., 1 * rtl ' n £P*P er , loosely . y„* couple of pins, and T™, „- direction, writ &&

Liverpool To b Left Till Called For." At tiie bottom of the box there wee a small ilece of old carpet doubled up, but the ough wood of the sides was uncovered. The train had left Preston at 6:45 p. m an hour and a half previously—but it Is believed that the “ parcel" was booked at Preston station, and had been lying in the parcels office a considerable time before that. The child was dressed in a white chemise, some white flannel and a white cotton napkin, and it was wrapped in an old blue flannel petticoat. There were no holes in the box. and the only vent for air was the chink between the lids and the sides. It is, therefore, marvelous that the infant should have lived long, and the inhuman mother, or whoever the sender may have been, must have anticipated that it would be smothered on the Journey. There is no trace, beyond such as may arise from the bare circumstances which have been stated, as to the persons concerned, but there is no doubt the greatest exertions will be made by the police to follow up their discovery of the intended murder by something further.— Liverpool (Eng.) Fost.

Remarkable Salt Mines.

About ten miles southeast of Cracow, the former capital of Poland, are situated the famous salt mines of W’ieliczka, in Galicia. The area of this wonderful mineral deposit, as at present defined, measures two and one-half miles in length by a little more than one-half in breadth, and its solid depth Is about 690 feet. It is intercalated in strata of the tertiary formation, consisting of compact, fossiliferous clays, and rests at the base on a foundation of sandstone. The principal minerals associated with it are gypsum, bitumen, anhydrite and the sulphates of baryta, strontia and sulphur. The mines are entered by eleven separate shafts, which open, at five different levels, into galleries that branch into a perfect labyrinth of passages and chambers. It is said that the galleries which have already been excavated have an aggregate length of considerably more than 400 miles. The salt lies about 200 feet below the surface, and thence extends down to a depth of about 1,020 feet. The direction of the bed is east and west, following the trend of the Carpathian Mountains, and appearing-in small deposits at intervals until it enters Transylvania, where extensive mines exist.

The annual product of the Wieliczka mines is 1,500,000 cwt.; and at thisrate it is calculated that the yield will not be exhausted for at least 300 years. It is not known when the deposit was discovered, but it was being quarried by Poland at the beginning of the twelfth "century, and had become a source of great profit under Casimir the Great in the fourteenth century. In 1858 the yearly net income of the mine was $1,6u0,000. According to the treaty executed on the partition of Poland, Austria is compelled to furnish to Russia 800.000 cwt. of the annual product of salt, and 300,000 to Prussia, leaving 410.000 cwt. to herself. Some of the old chambers in the mine are 150 feet in height, but the more recent ones are much smaller. The most ancient of the halls is called the Chapel of St. Anthony, and is adorned with columns, statues of the saints, an altar, a crucifix, etc. —all cut out of solid salt. This is in the upper story of the mine, which is penetrated by humid air from without coming down the shafts; and the salt figures in the chapel are consequently undergoing a slow process of dissolution. Another large chamber, designated as Francis Joseph’s Hall, is fitted up as a ball-room, with large chandeliers, and statues of Vulcan and Neptune, wrought out of the universal mineral. On the occasion of the visit of any of the Royal family to the mines, and also at the occurrence of festivals, the chambers and passages are brilliantly illuminated, fireworks and guns are shot off, and the scene is altogether like a chapter from a fairy tale, or like a passage from the account of the Plutonian regions in the mythologies of the ancients.

In one part of the mine there is a lake, 650 feet long and forty feet deep, which* is formed by the accumulation of the water trickling through the strata. Visitors are paddled across in a boat—thereby enjoying an excursion, it may be presumed, quite similar in its gloomy and weird sensations to that which travelers experience in the trip over the rock bound lake in Mammoth Cave. Bayard Taylor says of the Wieliczka mine: “Itis a bewildering maze of galleries, grand halls, staircases and vaulted chambers, where one loses all sense of distance or direction, and drifts along blindly in the wake of his conductor. Everything was solid salt, except where great piers of hewn logs had been built up to support some threatening roof ; or vast chasms, left in quarrying, bad been bridged across. As we descended to lower regions, the air became more dry and agreeable, and the saline walls more pure and brilliant. One hall, 108 feet in height, resembled a Grecian theater —the traces of blocks taken out in regular layers representing the seats for the spectators. Out of this single hall 1,000,000 cwt. of salt had been taken, or enough to supply the 40,000,000 inhabitants of Austria for one year. Of the method of mining the salt, Mr. Taylor writes: ‘*The process is quite primitive—scarcely differing from that of the ancient Egyptians in quarrying granite. The blocks are first marked out on the surface by a series of grooves. One side is then deepened to the required thickness, and, wedges being inserted under the block, it is soon split off. It is then split transversely into pieces of one cwt. each, in which form it is ready for sale. Those intended for Russia are rounded on the edges and corners until they acquire the shape of large cocoons, for the convenience of transportation into the interior of the countiy. The number of workmen employed in the mines is 1,500, all of whom belong to the * upper crust ’ —that is, they live on the outside of the world. They are divided into gangs, and relieve each other every six hours.” The minei's are, as a rule, as healthy as the men who labor above ground, ana no particular form of disease is generated by their existence in an atmosphere of salt. One might fancy that at least their fleshly tissues would be preserved against all possible decay by their thorough saturation with salt.' It is noted that the wood used in ths mines never changes, except as it is worn by abrasion. 8o should the miners last, suffering merely * gradual transformation into pickled mummies.—CAt cago Tribune. _

—lt is said that two newspaper men—of the New York Sun and the Philadelphia Timet— formed a conspiracy to bum the Baron de Palm’s body in Dr. Le Moyne s furnace at one o’clock in the morning, before the other spectators could J* warned They offered the fireman at first SIOO. and afterward a gold watch and a diamond ring in addition, to start up the furnace, but he was incorruptible, and the plot fell through. The object of the conspirators was, of course, to obtain an exclusive report of the process of cremation.

Religious Reading. THIS BABB AT BETHLEHEM. Tba night swept cool o'er B-thlehem’a plain, And raided close the distant hill; Alone the weary shepherd, watched. While all their drowsy flock, were still; Above, the silent stars moved on, Hub In Its own majestic way; Who dreamed the Bon of Man bad come And in a Bethlehem manger lays No wondroua sign had filled the sky When sank the flaminv snn afar; No ominous cloud with darkness came To pale or hide the Eastern star; No tnmnlt filled the town or Inn Where travelers tarried on their way, Unconscious that the Son of Ood So near them in a manger lay. ( Along the surging streets of Rome, Through all the Empire of the West, Nor sign nor sound the hour made known In which all nations should be blessed; That night Imperial Cesar slept On regal conch his cares away, And dreamed not that the King of Kings At Bethlehem in a inanger lay. Only where simple shepherds watched In fields which Ruth of old did glean. Was the rapt song of angels heard. The sudden, mystic glory seen; And. when the heavenly song bad ceased. The heavenly light bad passed away. The shepherds en i ered Bethlehem, And found the place where Jesua lay. No marvel that they spread abroad The saying that to them was told—- “ Lo, He has cornel"—the Christ of Ood, The Savior, promised them of old; No marvel that wl’h prayer and praise Back to their flocks they took their way; The Shepherd or their souls had come— At Bethlehem in a manger lay! Since then, in all the changing yean. Where'er the home of man hath been. How few have heard the angelic song. How few the-marvelous glory seen; Still onward sweeps the restless world, Nor pauses tn its devious wav, To watch for Him. the Lord of all, Who once in Bethlehem's manger lay. Yet He. of whom the angels rang. He, whom the wandering shepherds saw, Took up the Cross at Bethlehem, And bore it thence to Golgotha; Not for Himself thia Cross He bore, Not for Himself He trod that way; O world! this la your Lord who once A babe in Bethlehem's manger layl Dear bon of Ood, Thyself reveal, Yet not as unto them of old; Let us the later anthem hear. Thy risen glory now behold; Unseal our eyets O Holy One, And lead us in the living way, So in our so .Is shall He be born Who once in Bethlemem's manger layl O King of King*! Thou Sovereign One Whose word is sure, who.-e grace is free. What are the Kingdoms of this world Compared wi h’Thine that is to beT Bring in the dav by seers foretold. For which Thy waiting people pray, ■When all shall own Him Lord and King Who once in Bethlehem's manger lay. —A. D. f. Randolph, in N. Y. Observer.

Hidden and Safe.

One morning a teacher went, as usual, to the school-room, and found many vacant seats. Two little scholars lay at their homes cold in death, and others were very sick. A fatal disease had entered the village, and the few children present that morning at school gathered around the teacher, and said, “ Oh, what shall we do? Do you think we shall be sick, and die, too?” She gently touched the bell as a signal for silence, and observed, “Children, you are all afraid of this terrible disease. You mourn for the death of our dear little friends; and you fear that you may be taken also. I only know of one way of escape, and that is to hide." The children were bewildered, and the teacher went on: “I will read to you about this hiding-place;” and read Psalm xci.: “Whoso dwelleth under the defense of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” All were hushed and composed by the sweet words of the Psalmist, and the morning lessons went on as usual. At noon a dear little girl sidled up to the desk and said,,, Teacher, are you not afraid of the diphtheria?” j No, my child,” she answered. “ Well", wouldn’t you be if you thought you would be sick and die?” “No, my dear, I trust not.” Looking at the teacher for a moment with wondering eyes, her face lighted, as she said, “Oh, I know! you are hidden under Good’s wings. What a nice place to hide!” Yes, this is the only true hiding-place for old, for young, for rich, for poor—all. Do any of vou know of a safer or a better?— Dr. Norton.

Conversion to Christ.

On a Sabbath evening in the autumn of 1821, I made up my mind that I would settle the question of my soul’s salvation at once, that if it were possible I would make mj’ peace with God. . . . But I found, when I came to face the question, that I was very unwilling to have anyone know that I was seeking the salvation of my soul. . . . During Monday and Tuesday my convictions increased; but still it seemed as if my heart grew harder. I could not shed a tear; I could not ppay. . . . Tuesday night I had become very ■nervous, and in the night a strange feeling came over me, as if I was about to die. I knew that if I did I should sink down to hell. ... In the morning it seemed as if an inward voice said to me: What are you waiting for ? Are you endeavoring to work out a righteousness of your own ?” Just at this point the whole question of Gospel salvation opened to my mind in a manner most marvelous to me at the time. I think I then saw, as ciparly as I ever have in my life, the reality and fullness of the atonement of Christ. I saw that His work was a finished work; and that instead of having or needing any righteousness of my own to recommend me to God, I had to submit myself to the righteousness of God through Christ. Gospel salvation seemed to me to be an offer of something to be acepted: and that it was full ana complete; and that all that was necessary on my part, was to get my own consent to give up my sins and accept Christ. Salva-' tion, it seemed to me. instead of being a thing to be wrought out, byrny own works, was a thing to be found entirely in the Lord Jesus Christ, who presented himself before me as my God and my Savior. . . . The question seemed to be put to me, “ Will you accept it now to-day?” I replied, “ Yes; I will accept it to-day,or I will die in the attempt.” . I felt that I must be alone, in the woods, sq that I could pour out my prayer to God. But still my pride must show itself. . . . When I attempted to pray I found that my heart would not pray I began to feel that it was too late. . . . . But right there the revelation of my ‘pride of heart, as the great difficulty that stood in the wAy, was distinctly shown to me. An overwhelming sense of my wickedness in being ashamed to have a human being see me on mv knees before Goa, took such powerful possession of me, that 1 cried at the top of my voice, and exclaimed that I would not leave that place if all the men on earth and all the devils in hell surrounded me. “What” I said, “such a

degraded sinner as I am, on my knees endeavoring to make my peace with an offended God!” The sin appeared awful. It broke me down before the Lord. Just at that point this passage seemed to sink deep into mv mind like a flood of light: “ Then shall ye go and prav unto Me, and I will hearken unto you. Then shall ye seek Me and And Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart." I instantly seized hold of this with my heart I had intellectually believed the Bible before; but never had the truth been in my mind that faith was a voluntary trust instead of an intellectual state. I was as conscious as I was of my existence, of trusting that moment in God’s veracity. ... I cried to Him, “ Lord I take Thee at Thy word Now Thou knowest that Ido search for Thee with all my heart, and that 1 have come here to pray to Thee; and Thou hast promised to hear me.” That seemed to settle the question that I could then, that day, perform my vow. The Spirit seemed to lay stress upon that idea in my text, "When you search for Me with all your heart.” ... I told the Lord that I should take Him at His word Other promises I took as infallible truth .... I seized hold of them, appropriated and fastened upon them with the grasp of a drowning man. . . . ■. I found that my mind had become wonderfully quiet and peaceful All sense of sin, all consciousness of present sin or ¥iilt had departed from me. . . . . he thought of God was sweet to my mind The Spirit of God had taken possession of my soul. . . » . I could now see and understand what was meant by the passage, “ Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” — From, Memoirs of Bn. Charles G. Finney.

A Fool-Hardy Man Goes to Sleep with a Boa-Constrictor.

Sam Johnson, of this city, formerly a Deputy Constable, came very near losing his life lately, and if he had there would have been a general, expression that he tempted his fate by an exhibition of singular fool-hardiness and a strange contempt of the mpst ordinary prudence. For some time Johnson had the care of an immense snake of the boa-constrictor species. This sweet boon was left in Johnson’s charge by the proprietor Of one of the side-shows that was with Howe’s circus on its late visit to this place. The snake had been sick, and fearing that it would die if it was carted about from place to place, its owner made an arrangement with Johnson to take care ®f it until such time as it should be sent for to again appear in the exhibition. Bam has paid all needed attention to his snakeship, and the huge boa has quite recovered from his illness under his considerate and careful attention. Johnson had tried to establish friendly relations with the snake, and flattered himself that he had succeeded very well. Two or three nights ago, when the" weather turned so suddenly and severely cold, Johnson found that the boa was benumbed with cold and apparently half dead. With a strange disregard of consequences he took the half-frozen snake from its box, and placed it in his own warm bed from which he had risen. He then returned to bed, intending when the snake should revive from its chilled and benumed condition to replace it in the box. Unfortunately Johnson fell into a doze and then into a deep sleep. From his sound slumber he was awakened by a horrible sense of suffocation about his chest. He awoke to find himself in the terrible coils of the boa constrictor, which had been warmed into life and fury in Johnson’s bed. The unfortunate man comprehended in an instant his fearful danger. Great drops of sweat started to his brow as in an agony of horror he realized the nature of his peril. With the energv of despair he grasped the snake with both hands, and with almost superhuman strength, and in a manner he can scarcely recall, succeeded at last in uncoiling its hateful folds from his body, dragged the struggling boa to its box and safely secured it m its old quarters. A severe nervous attack succeeded the fright and "horror the strange combat had occasioned, and not another wink did Johnson sleep that night. He can congratulate himself that he escaped so easily, and that his senseless temerity did not receive the fatal punishment it invited. — Kansas City (Mo.) Mail.

Rights of Passengers.

The case of George Van Houten, of Chicago, against the Pittsburg, Cincinnati A St. Louis Railway Company in the United States Circuit Court, terminated yesterday by the • jury returning a verdict of two thousand dollars for plaintiff. In this case there were but two passenger cars comprising the train, and the plaintiff, after purchasing a ticket at Logansport, entered the front car and found it pretty well filled with smote, which was offensive to him. He left it and went into the rear car, where he found the seats all occupied, a few of them with but one passenger and baggage. When the conductor came in and demanded fare, the plaintiff showed his ticket and requested a seat in the car. The conductor told him to go into the front car. The plaintiff replied that he had been in there, and that the smoke made him sick, and refused to give up his ticket unless furnished with a seat in a first-class car. The conductor, without attempting to furnish a seat, stopped the train, and, with the assistance of his brakeman, put him ofl, he resisting with all his strength. The conductor then threw his valise off on the opposite side of the train. This occurred three miles from Logansport, in the woods, and plaintiff walked back to the city and brought suit, with result as above. The case was strongly contested at every point.— lndianapolis Sentinel. The total number of vessels which entered the ports of the British Isles during the year 1874 is officially reported as 63,851," measuring 22,368,510 tons. These figures, compared with the returns of 1873, show a loss es 643 vessels, but a gain of 503,553 tons, the gain of the tonnage appearing chiefly in steam navigation. The total number of vessels that entered from the United States during the year 1874 amounted to 4,068 vessels, measuring 3,509,249 tons, and of those that cleared for this country to 2,773 vessels, measuring 2,806,251 tons, being a gain of 656 vessels and 489,091 tons in the entries, ahd a loss of 441 vessels and 228,452 tons, as compared with the shipping returns of the preceding year. —Two gentlemen at a ball at Brown’s Flat, Cal., one evening recently, cut their throats —one by showing the other how close he could draw a knife across his throat without cutting it, the second by explaining to a third party the manner in which number one had carved himself. There are now 8,000 children in Japan receiving instruction in the English Janguage.

Our Young Readers. THE TWO LITTLE STOCKINGS. Two uttlx •lockings hang aldv by aide, Cloae to the flre placa broad and wida. “Two?” aald Saint Nick, aa down be came. Loaded with toya and many a vame- “ Ho. hot" aaid he. with a faugh of fan, “ I'll have no cheating, my pretty one. I know who dwella in thia honae. my dear, There'it only one little girl Uvea here." So he crept up cloae to the chimney place. And meaanred a lock with a aober face. Joat then a wee little note fell out And flattered low like a bird about. "Aha! what's thief” raid be. In surprise, Aa he poshed hia specs up cloae to his eyee. And read the address in a child', rough plan " Dear Saint Nieholaa," ao it began: “ The other stocking you aee on the wall I have hung tor a child named Clara Hall. She’s a poor little girl, but very good. So I thought, perhaps, you kindly would Fill up her atocking, too. to-nigbt. And help to make her Cbriatmaa bright. If you've not enough for both atockinga there, Please put all in Clara's, I shall not care.” Saint Nicholas brushed a tear from bls eye, And, “ God bless you, darling,” he sala, with a sigh; Then softly he blew through the chimney high A note like a bird's, as it soars on high, When down came two of the funniest mortals That ever were seen this side earth’s portals. “ Hurry up,” said Saint Nick, “ and nicely preAll a Utile girl wants where money is rare.” Theu, O, what a scene there was in that room? Away went the elves, but down from the gloom Of the sooty old chimney comes tumbling low, A child's whole wardrobe, from head to toe. How Santa Claus laughed, as he gathered them in. And fastened each one to the sock with a pm. Right to the toe he hung a blue dress. '• She’ll think it came irom the sky, I guess,” Said Saint Nicholas, smoothing the folds of blue And tying the hood to the stocking, too. When all the warm clothes were fastened on, And both little socks were filled and done, Then Santa Claus tucked a toy here and there. And hurried away to the frosty air. Saying ‘-God pity the poor and bless the dear child Who pities them, too, on this night so wild." The wind caught the words and bore them on high Till they died away in the midnight sky; While Saint Nicholas flew through the icy air, Bringing " peace and good will ” with him everywhere. —Sara Keables Hunt, in Youth's Companion.

CLUCK-A-LUCK’S STRANGE CHILDREN.

Of course Cluck-a-luck thought r.he had been sitting on her own eggs. Why should she not think so ? There were ten of them, just as many as she had counted when she first began to sit upon them; so when her young brood turned out to be ducklings,"she was naturally surprised and distrusted. But that was the farmer’s fault. Cluck-a-luck was such a good hen-mother that he chose her to raise the brood of ducklings. For a duck-mother is such a careless creature—such a very careless creature! All she thinks of is her own toes, and how to say “Quack” amiably, and to plume herself. So Cluck-a-luck had to see her fuzzy yellow brood step into the water at a spnng-pond, and paddle away from her, while she sat on the shore and scolded at them. “You’ll take your deaths of cold!” she screamed, when she found they did not drown, as she had told them they would. “ I shall have the whole ten of you down with the croup,” moaned Cluck-a-luck, and she ran off to consult Grandpa Wattles, the great Dorking rooster. “Dear Grandpa Wattles! what shall 1 do with my children? None of our family ever acted this way before!” “ Took-a-rook-a-raw, raw,” said Grandpa Wattles, gravely; he always said that when he felt puzzled. “ You must make allowances, make allowances. Young folks are very different now-adays. You can’t always tell how they are going to turn out. Sometimes they are one thing and sometimes they are another. Don’t fret. Here’s a fine grub for you. Don’t fret.” So Cluck-a-luck ate the grub and stopped fretting. By and by the ducklings grew large and handsome, with fine purple necksand broad yellow bills. “They really do me great credit,” said Cluck-a-luck, proudly, as she bade them good-bye, ana began to hatch out another brood. This time thefarmerhad enough ducks, so he allowed Chuck-a-luck to hatch out her own eggs. A fine brood they were. Nine yellow little fuzzy balls, with a little silvery chirp put inside of each one, to make music for their mamma. Cluck-a-luck was very proud of them, and as soon as they were big enough she led them out of the hen-house into the barnyard and showed them to everybody, while she clucked delightedly. Then she took them to the pond. “Peep-peep!” said all the little ones, “ such a large water-trough!” “ Well, why don’t you go in?” asked Cluck-a-luck.

“ Peep-peep! we don’t want to,” said they. “What nonsense!” cried Cluck-a-luck. “ Not want to go in ? Why. your brothers and sisters ran in of their own accord, before they were as old as you. Go in at once, before they laugh at you.” “ What’s the matter, there?” cried Shiny Tail, one of the eldest duck-sons, coming up. “ Afraid to go in ? Give them a push, that’s all they want.” So Cluck-a-luck led the little chickens to a board that leaned out over the water, and then pushed them in, first one, then another, till all the nine were in the water. “Peep-peep! it’s very cold! It’s very wet. Peep-peep, p-e-e-p!” cried all the little ones, and then they went down under the water, and staid there. “ Why do you suppose they stay down so long?” asked Cluck-a-luck of Shiny Tail, who stood near. “ I’m sure I don’t know. I never staid down so long,” answered he, thoughtfully. But the little chickens never came up again, though Cluck-a-luek waited all day long for them, and clucked till she was quite hoarse. So she ran to Grandpa Wattles and told him about it. “Took-a-rook .’’ began Grandpa Wattles, but seeing she felt very badly indeed, he stopped before he got to “ raw, raw,” and said: “Now, don’t fret, there’s a good creature. You have made a little mistake in their education. You can’t always tell; sometimes they turn out one thing, and sometimes they ” “ But they are all drowned, gone entirely!” interrupted Cluck-a-luck. “What am 1 to do?” “Well, well! Don’t fret. Go and hatch another brood. Here’s a fine caterpillar I’ve saved for you. Don’t fret,” said Grandna Wattles, very kindly. So Cluck-a-luck ate the fine caterpillar and stopped fretting, and began to hatch another brood. While she was sitting, a weasel ate all her eggs but two. These she hatched out, saying to herself: , “It is just as well; there will be less trouble about their education, when there are so few, and I shall not go near the water with them, that’s certain.” 80, when they grew string enough, she took them up to the orchard, where there was no water, and there little Wacksy and Weepsy were good and happy for a long time. Cluck-a-luck gave them these names because one of them always said “ Wack ” and the other ouesaid “ Weep,” when he cned.

The little things were very “fond off each other, and could not bear to be part ed for a minute. One day Clnck-a-iuck missed them. She had just been taking her morning sand-bath, in a lovely dusthole under an apple-tree, and when she got up she missed both her children. She ran to the barn-yard and asked all her friends if they had seen her children. “I saw them a minute ago.” “id her cousin, Pulletta. "It seems to me they were going down to the pond." .‘The pond! Oh, dreadful!” cried Cluck-a-luck. “ Then they will surely drown!” She hurried to the pond, and so did every one else, and all the chickens and ducks and turkeys and geese stood In a great crowd on the shore. And what do you think they saw ? There was Wacksy, in the middle of the pond, swimming proudly around, while Weepsy stood near the shore, but up to his neck in the water, shrieking for her to come back and play with him! What a disgraceful sight for a proud mamma! Weepsy’s long legs and long neck were stretched out as far as possible, and he was squawking as only a young Shanghai rocster can squawk, because he coula not be a duck, like Wacksy, and swim with her. “ It seems to me you have very strange children, Cluck-a-luck,” said old Madam Brahma. “There must be something wrong in your system of education; my children never showed such dispositions." “Oh dear! oh dear!” cried poor little Cluck-a-luck. “I’m sure I don’l know what it is. I’ve done everything a mother could do, and I’m disgraced by them after all.” Everybody stood watching and laughing at Cluck-a-luck’s children. Everybody made remarks. “Who in the world but a Dorking, would think of hatching one duek and one great awkard Shanghai I” exclaimed an aristocratic Bantam. “How was I to know?” asked poor Cluck-a-luck, indignantly. “ I’m sure 1 never knew there could be so many different patterns of chickens, or I never would have hatched any!” Grandpa Wattles felt very sorry, but he could not conscientiously advise her to go and try another brood, so he only said “ Took-a-rook-a-raw, raw,” and stood gazing at Wacksy and Weepsy, who were still making themselves riaiculous. “I’ll never hatch another brood!” cried Cluck-a-luck; “I’ll never lay another egg! I’ll go somewhere all by myself, and learn to crow!” At this dreadful threat, all the other hens looked at her and drew up their wings, and nodded at each other. “ You see she’s going to crow. Ikfiew a hen who could not bring up her chickens properly would end by crowing. How very shocking!” “Oh, please don’t, there’s a good creature,” said Grandpa Wattles. “You are an excellent hen-mother; don’t be discouraged; don’t crow; hens never crow unless they’re good for nothing else.” “ But I will crow,” said Cluck-a-luck. “ I feel like doing something desperate. I can’t make my children behave, and none of you sympathize with me.” So ’she went away and got on a high fence, and crowed, and she tumbled over backward while she was crowing, and broke her neck, and her claws all curled up, and she was dead.— E. Muller, in St. Nicholas. —A Montreal advocate, at the request of Mrs. Worms, who is still residing in that city, has drawn up a petition to President,Grant praying for the release as her husband, the celebrated Dr. Worms,, who was convicted et Philadelphia of forgery, and sentenced by Judge Cadwallader to two years and ten months* im?risonment. The reasons urged for the 'resident’s clemency are. that the prisoner served as a Captain in the army during the civil war, and was for a long time a faithful servant of the cause of the Union; that he was engaged in numerous battles, and that he holds many testimonials testifying to his good character while in the service.

A Prime Remedy for a Painful Disease.

The pangs endured by the rheumatic are attributed by scientific pathologists to the contact of a certain abnormal acrid element in the blood with the sensitive covering of the muscles and joints. Hostetter’s Stomach Bitters, being a superb blood depurent, is admirably calculated to expel this Impurity, and by removing the cause to allay the pain and feverish symptoms which it produces. That it is a most successful remedy for rheumatism, neuralgia and 45°u.t, as well as a reliable means of counteracting those diseases, is a fact amply evidenced by voluntary certificates emanating from those whom it has cured, and attested by medical practitioners of high repute. It is i likewise a sovereign curative of dyspepsia, constipation, liver complaint, urinary troubles and general debility, as well as t'ie most popular and successful antidote to malaria extant.

Come Now and Let Us Beason Together.

Why do people so frequently say to Dr. Pierce, “I suppose your Golden Medical Discovery cures everything?” Because it has been the practice of knavish charlatans to manufa-ture worthless nostrums and attempt to dupe the ignorant and credulous by recommending them to cure every form of disease. To such an extent has this been practiced that it is no wonder that many have acquired prejudices against aH advertised remedies. But Dr. Pierce does not advertise his standard preparations as “curealls,” does not claim that they will perform miracles, but simply publishes the fact that they have been developed as specifics for certain forms of disease for which he recommends them, after haying tested their efficacy in many hundred cases with the most gratifying success. It is a fact known to every well infoi med physician that many single remedies possess several diflbrent properties. Quinine, for instance, has a tonic quality, which suggests its use in cases of debility; an anti-periodic, by which it is efficacious in ague; and a febrifuge property, which renders it efficacious in c 'scs of fever. The result of its administration will also vary with the quantity given and the circumstances under which it is employed. So, likewise, the Golden Medical Discovery possesse bothpectoraJ and alterative, or blood-cleansing properties of the highest order. By reason of these two prominent properties itenres two classes of diseases. First, those of the respiratory organs, as throat, bronchial and lung affections, chronic coughs and asthma, and second, diseases of the blood and glandular system, in which affections all akfi ful physicians employ alteratives, as In cases of blotches, eruptions, ulcers, swellings tifmors, abscesses and in torpor of the liver or “ biliousness.” While its use is. by .Ks combination of properties, sugge ted in cases of pulmonary consumption, yet you need not take it expecting it will cure you if your lungs are half consumed, nor. because it is recommended as a blood medicine would its proprietor advise you to take it expecting it to cure cancer. It will not perform miracles, but it will cure many grave forms of disease. Everything about Sanford’s Radical, Curb fob Catarrh Invites confidence. It is the prescription of one of our ablest physicians, it is prepared by one of he largest and most reliable drug houses ia the United States, and is prescribed by phvskians.