Rensselaer Union, Volume 9, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 March 1877 — Page 6

youths’ Department.

PREACHING WITH A SHOYEL. XT KMTLT HUNTINGTOX MHXKR. It vu ft dreary winter evening, and Laura waa snuggled up in a corner of the •ola with herbook in her lap. Just in the middle of a most delightful story. The boys were plavlng In the oorner, and now and then ahe caught a scrap of their talk; but ahe paid very little attention to it. Rob was putting his locomotive together and Fred was arranging an orphan asylum with his alphabet blocks. Twenty-seven orphans were ranged about the carpet; some of them In bed, some eating soup out of Laura's china dishes, one desperate fellow in solitary confinement behind the door, and a long row learning to read from bits of newspaper. The only trouble was that they all had such Jolly fsces; they would grin all the time; and what can you do with a boy that grins even when you whip him ? So presently the orphan asylum was turned into a gymnasium, where twentyseven little acrobats stood on th<pr beads, walked on their hands, turned somersaults, and performed all manner of wonderful feats. Then they were all convicts in State Prison, and Rob came and preached them a sermon. This was the sermon: “ My hrothern,” “People in jail aren’t hrothern,” said Laura, looking up from her book. “ Oh, yes, they are," said Rob; ” brethren is just a kind of preach word and means everybody but the minister. My brethren, folks ought to be good, and not steal things, and quarrel, and get angry. When you begin to be bad you can't tell how bad yon may get to be. The minister knows of s bay that begun by wouldn't let his brother take his skates when he didn't need ’em at ail himself; and he grew up so’t he set a house afire." "Isthat true, Robbyf" asked Fred, with veiy big eyes. “ Course not; that's a 'lustration. Sermons are true, and 'lustrations are just to make you understand ’em. Now, my brethren, you mustn’t steal, or do any more bad things, ’cause you can’t do it, anyway, and if you try to get ont, they’ll shoot you." The convicts now marched back to their cells under the sofa. Roo lay upon the carpet, with his arms under bis head, and said, very slowly: " When lam a man, I shall be a minister.” “1 thought you were agoing to be an engineer?’ said Laura. " Well, p’raps I shall. Cars don’t run on Sunday, and I could think up my sermons all the week, and then go and preach ’em.'’ "Oh, you can’t make sermons just thinking them up on an engine," said Laura, positively; "you have to do’em iu a stuuy wit# books and writing." *’ I could,” persisted Rob; " i shall say my sermons like Mr. Chaliis, and I know lots of texts." Law* looked at papa, who was smiling at them over the top of his paper, and asked, doubtfully, *• Could fie, papa?" ' “ 1 suppose he could," said papa. " But 1 thought ministers had to be just ministers, and not part something else." " I know of a boy,” said papa, “ who preaches first-rate sermons, and he does a great many other things—goes to school, brings in wood, takes care of a hone." " Me, papa?" asked Rob. Papa laughed, and shook bis head. "He preaches them to people on the street; he preached one to me to-night." " Oh!" said Laura, and Rob sat straight up and looked at papa.

“ He preaches them with a shovel.” Rob laughed heartily at this, and Laura looked more puzzled than ever. Fred came and leaned his arms on papa's knee. . "Now, papa,” he asked, “ how could anybody preach with a shovel T” “I’ll tell you,” said papa. “All through this month of snowy weather there has been one hundred feet on Beech sheet of clear, clean sidewalk. No matter how early I go down town, it is always ■the same—clean to the very edge of the walk. People pick their way through *he slush, or wade through the drifts, or .follow the narrow, crooked path the rest •of the ways but, when they come to this .place, they stamp their feet, and stand up straight, and draw a long breath. It makes you feel rested just to look at it. The boy that keeps that sidewalk clean preaches with his shovel. It Is a sermon on doing your work well,/-and not shirking; a sermon on doing things promptly without delaying; a sermon on sticking to things day after day without weaiying; a sermon on doing your own part without waiting for other people to do theirs.” “ Maybe a man does it,” said Boh. “ No, it is a boy; 1 have seen him at it. 1 saw him one day when it was snowing very fail, and i , *asuv~ : Why do-you cfean your walk now ? It will soon be as bad as ever.’ * Yes, sir,’ said he, ‘but Ihit snow will be out < i the way. 1 can brush it off now easily, but when it is tramped down it manes hard work.’ 1 call that a first-rate sermon, and everyone who does his work in his very best way preaches a sermon to all around him.” The, bell rang, ami somebody called papa away, but Rob k«. pt thinking of the litUe crooked, uneven path he had made to the barn and well, and what a stingy little pile of kindlings he had split for tne kitchen, and he made up his mind he would Uy and preach a sermon with the shovel the next day. Laura Baw that her mother had laid aside her own book to show some pictures to little Nell. “That’s what mamma is always doing," she thought, '“preaching sermons about loving other people better than yourself; 1 guess I’ll preach one about ‘Do unto others,’ ” and Laura left her story and amused her little sister uutil her oiue eyes were too sleepy even for smiles. The next day Rob widened his path and shoveled it ciear down to the firm ground, and then he called Fred to admire it. “ it’s said Fred: “1 guess it’s as nice as that sermon boy could make.” “ ’dpose’n we go and suovel a path lor Mrs. Rauney.”

“Come on,” said Rob; “that’ll be a Sermon about —about —I wonder about whutr’ "Being kind,” said Fred; “ butt don’t know what the text for it is, unless it's * Love one another.’ ” ,"~ “That’s a pretty good toy’ said Rob, Ihit fits to most anythinggood.”

Little Fannie Hayes and Her Song.

Little Fahhib Hates, a pleasant, winsome child of ten or twelve summers, assumed her part in the reception with childlike grace. Her dress of muslin was simple, with a sash ot pale blrtk'ribbon and pink boots, and her short hair was brushed back Horn an intelligent, bright face. After the President and Mrs. Hayes had ended the receptiod ahe sat at the grand piano in the Red Room, and, taking off her tiny jrhite

gloves, sang to a small audience a fhnny little rhyme, which I was to remember for my " little girl at home." As my little girl ta the world's, I told her she should leans it. And this is the nursery ditty which the little pet of tbo White House sang, and I Jotted down for my little peta of other homes: Onoe there vu a little kitty, VFUkr than snow: In the bum she used to frolic, A long time ago. And there wav a little moneey Running to and fro; And the kitty spied that mousey, A long time ago. Two black eyes had little kitty, ' Black as a sloe; And they spied that little mouaey, A long time ago. Tw6 aoft paws had little kitty, Softer than dough; And they caught that little mousey, A long time ago. Nine sharp teeth had little kitsy, All in a row; And they bit that little mousey, A long time ago. When the teeth bit little mouaey, Tbs little mouaeaaid, Oh! But ahe got away from kitty, A long time ago. " Now, you remember it," she said, and then we kissed her good night, and strolled out through the corridor into the conservatories.—Cor. Springfield Republican.

The Borrowing School-Boy.

The boys were out on tbe play-ground one day when a man came along with pencils to sell. They were a very good sort of a pencil, with a knife blade attachment, an eraser, and several other combinations, which looked very handy fe lie boTft. ■ _. .. , - Ned Archer bought one, as he always had plenty of money, and Charley Frazer took his last quarter for the purpose. Louis Meade hesitated a little, but concluded he did not need it, as he had plenty of pencils, so he declined to purchase. “ Lend me a quarter, Ned ?’’ asked Will Pine, in a great hurry; “I do want one of those pencils so bad, and I’m all out of money." Will generally was out. Nea handed out the quarter, and Will was in great delight over bis pew possession all the forenoon. He tried it in all its points, over and over again, and fully tested them all, much to his satisfaction. It was nearly noon before he was satisfied to let it rest awhile in his pocket. As he was sitting at his desk in the afternoon, he began to have a little misgiving as to how that quarter was to be paid. He had very few of them to spend on common occasions, as his parents found it pretty hard work to pay his regular bills. Then he thought, with a twinge of conscience, that he had not yet paid up the twenty cents he borrowed of James.

" I wish I had not bought the old thing," he thought, impatiently. " I had enough pencils. I wish I could sell it to some of the boys.” But he could not. All had bought of the man who cared to invest. He even offered it for twenty cents, so he could pay np James, but was not successful in making a trade. Those two debts worried bim constantly, because he saw no means of paying any more than he would if they had been twenty and twenty-five dollars. “Then I owe five cento to Bob for candy 1 bought down town one day—fifty cents in all, and I should like to know how I am ever to pay it." There was but one resource, the old one Of borrowing. He button-holed one of the day scholars, and prevailed on him to lend him a quarter, as they were walking along down to thePostoflice after school. “ I will pay the five and twenty with that.” he thought, quite restored to good spirits. He almost tell that be had earned a quarter. It was such a satisfaction to have a little money in his possession once more, he congratulated himself as he walked along on his good luck. Just then his companion bade him good night, and Willie walked on alone. A beautiful toy-shop, brilliantly fitted up for the holidays, attracted him for a long time. A tempting display of sweets in one wndow drew him almost unconsciously inside, and almost before he knew it, fifteen cents were gone, and! he was walking along munching a paper es cream chocolates.

‘ I can’t pay James, anyway, now,” he thought, “so I’ll just have a few seftshelled almonds. I never do have any of those things hardly, and other boys can get their pockets full,” and he felt himself rather hardly used by the world generally. Will ought to have gone on the plan of a young man who called at a Postoffice to get a money-order to send to a certain place. He wished it addressed to

nimseif at that distant city.^ “ Why don’t you take it yourself, if you are going there ?" he was asked. “ That is just it,” he said. “If I take it with me I shall not have it when 1 get there. If I send it, I can draw it out to use after I arrive.” As Will had found out how untrustworthy he was in money matters, he should have taken pains to circumvent himself, and place it out of his power to spend money, particularly when it waa not his own to spend. This borrowing went on all through the term, keeping him in metaphorical “hot water” about his payments, uutil at last he sold out his pretty wri.’ing-desk, a gift from his aunt, and paid off ms scores. He felt bad enough to lose his desk. He knew his folks would not like it; but the ease of mind it gave him with regard to these little borrowed sums was a luxury. He ought to have profited by the lesson, but he did not. He became known as the “ borrowing young man,” and many people would go around a block to avoid meeting him. He was almost sure to ask tor a small loan, so small they could not •veil rcluse, though it was likely to be a milier permanent investment. Will was employed in a store, and generally locked up at night. One evening, when exceedingly pressed for money, he borrowed a litue from the drawer, intend, ing to pay it back before it was missed. People always do intend that. But he did not, and the ram did not seem to be missed, so he bmrowed again. O. how easy it is to go down mil! The end of it all was a felon’s celi, and a term of years ont of the best portion of his life spent in State Prison.— Preeibyterian.

Tape-Worm.

Editor of the Jnamal of Commerce: Is there any known remedy for tapeworms It is not hereditary in this case. I have tried several doctors, hot can get no relief. Yours, etc., L. B. liaptr—Tha t»nia , or flat tapeworm, consisting of many joints and usually of Considerable length, is the most difficult to deal with of the whole family of MTOiet, and has sometimes proved fatal to life. Various vermifuges have been invented, and nbt a few specifics highly rec-

ommended aa a sovereign remedy for this affliction. The male fern, or Filim mat, has sometimes proved effectual. A Russian physician many years ago discovered that the seeds of the cctadilla (better k nown, perhaps, aa Veratrum tabadilla), which is the Indian caustic barley, a Mexican plant resembling in form and structure a barley ear, was an effectual cure. He gave to the patient half a drachm pdwdered and mixed with honey In the morning, fasting, followed the next morning by a drastic purgative. Curiously enough, while we were in the very actof hunting up this old recipe in our note-book, a friend called to tell ua of a most singular case which occurred in the family of a neighbor only two days previous. A child bad been sorely afflicted with this disease, having ground its teeth to the gums in its convulsions, and been vainly treated by several physicians, when an acquaintance recommended pumpkin-seeds, which contain a medicinal principle similar to the remedy above-mentioned. The mother bought ten cents’ worth of the seeds, and gave her child a number to eat, tbe skins being rejected, beginning about noon, when the child’s stomach was empty. An hour or two later she added two cups of water to the remainder of the seeds, and steeped them so as to make a strong decoction. This she gave in spoonfuls from hour to hour during the rest of the day, keeping the child fasting, giving it neither dinner nor supper. The next morning she administered a dose of castor oil, ana soon relieved the child of a tapeworm five yards in length. Similar instances had occurred recently in our friend’s experience, all the parties being well known and highly respectable. We cannot do better than suggest to our correKndent a repetition of this experiment. ) previous and subsequent fasting is* indispensable to success.—JlT. Y. Journal of Commerce.

Inhuman Fan.

About 2:30 d. m. yesterday, William Harrison and Michael Lattnear, brakemen on tbe Troy & Boston Railroad, and Michael Giltman entered the saloon of Thomas Harlon, at Hoosic and North Second streets, Troy, and ail drank freely. While in the saloon, Harrison pulled from his pocket what appeared to be a small tobacco box, and, laying it on the floor, began rolling a barrel over it, Damon Houghtailing inquired what Harrison was trying to do, and Harrison said that it was a trick to flatten the box, and that it could not be done even by pounding It with a hammer. Houghtailing expressed the opinion that he could hammer the thing flat, jind Harrison gave it to him, telling him to go in the street and try it on the sidewalk. A hammer was procured, and, little dreaming of the terrible nature of the infernal thing he held in bis hand, the man placed it on a stone and struck it. The next moment he was prostrated, covered with blood, suffering from no less than nine ghastly wounds on the face and head. Hi 3 left eye was blown out, the thumb and index Anger were torn off. Die palm of his hand was shattered, his skull and the bones of his face were laid bare. The “ trick-box” was a torpedo about the size of an old-fashioned tobacco box.

When Harrison saw the result of his brutal and criminal sport he fled, but was arrested. Giltman and Lattnear were also arrested for complicity in Harrison’s brutality. The lattex stated that the torpedo was one of those used for signal purposes on the railroad. They are furnished with clamps and are fastened to the track, and when exploded by the wheels of an approaching engine give warning that all is not well ahead. These destructive things are furnished at the machine shop of the Troy & Boston Read to the conductors, and are by them dealt out to the brakemen. Harrison says he has frequently carried one about m his pocket. He admitted knowing that Houghtailing, in endeavoring to flatten the torpedo, ran the risk of death, and never warned him. Neither did any of the others, although they, too, knew the infernal nature of the explosive. Their only plea was that they wanted to see a little fun. —Albany Argue.

Marvelous Mechanism.

Birr the strangest thing we ever heard of in the way of a timepiece was a clock described by a Hindu Rajah as belonging to a native Prince, andi Jealously guarded as on* of the rarest treasures of bis luxurious palace. In front of the clock’s disk waa a gong swung upon poles, and near it was a pile of artificial human limbs. The pile was made up of the full number of parts necessary to constitute twelve perfect bodies-; but all lay heaped together in apparent eoufusioa. When the hands of the clock indicated the hour of one, out from the pile crawled just the number of parts needed to form the frame of one man, part coming to part, with ouick,. mechanic clickvhw pleted, the figure sprang up, seized a mallet, and, walking up to the gong, struck one blow that sent the sound pealing through every cenridor and room in that stately palace- This done, he returned to the pile and fell to pieces again When two o'clock came, two men arose and did likewise; aad at the hours of noon and midnight the entire heap sprang up, and, marching t» the gong, struck one after the other hia blow, making tweive in all, and then, returning, fell to pieces as before. —Troy (N. T.) Timet.

A Cash Transaction.

A gentleman living on Duffiela street yesterday hired a boy to walx home beside him and carry a bundle, have first agreed to pay the lad fifteen cents. Reaching the house, the man found he had no smaller change than a quarter, and he said: “Ifyou will call at my office at two o’clock I’ll have the change.” “ But it was to be cash down,” protested the boy. “So it was; but I haven’t the change, you see. You’ll have to call at my office.” “I’ll call,” growled the boy, as he turned away, “ but I know just bow it will work. When I knock on the door a cross-eyed clerk will yank it open, ask me what I want, and when I tell him he will yell out: * That man went into bankruptcy last September, and now you git!’ That’s the way they alius play it on me, sir, and 1 druther lose the fifteen cents than to call the clerk a dodo and have to dodge coal-scuttles all the way down stgirs.” The gentleman walked with him to the nearest grocery and made change.—Detroit Free Prett.

-~Mr. Francis W. Bird, of Massachusetts, who received from Charles Sumner’s executors a lock of the Senator’s hair’ as a memento of a life-long friend•hip, has had it set in a gold locket, upon the reverse Bide of which is a miniature likeness of Mr. Sumner as he appeared just before bis death. ■ 1~7 ; | —America is a country that likes almost anything better than outside interference and suggestions.

Religious. THE LAW OF LOVB. * “ Blmbxd are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.’’— Mait. 6: 7. "Beye, therefore, merciful, aa your Father also ia merciful."— Luke 6: 86. “L*t ua, therefore, oome boldly unto the throne of gnu*, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of •aetA.—Uebrrum 4: 16. Oh thou who, at the mercy-aeat. Dost kneed God’s mercy to entreat, Without which thou woukl'st languish, Let erery pressing time of need Wake in thy heart an earnest heed For others' woe and anguish. There, at that inoenao-breaUii ng place, The covenant-guarded throne of grace. There only, help ia given, To govern sympathy and love According to His rule above. Who bletaes earth and heaven. Not in great charities alone Are tbe eweet traits of merey shown; But in ways dark and lonely,, Where heart to heart is felt the throb, 7 The hot tears dried, and hushed the sob, Witnessed by angels only. Some aay that charity is cold; It may be so, perchanoe, when gold Is given in ostentation; A noble deed ignobly done, That praise and honor may be won, That is a cold oblation. Bat mercy is not mixed with pride, It is a pore perennial tide, > The whole life fertilizing; It bringß forth nelf-denying deeds, For misery and want it pleads, No low estate despising. It has a native inborn strength. That can endue as great a length - i As are earth’s paths of weeping; No path of pain, despair, or wrung, For mercy is too rough or long, Her hold on heaven still keeping. Thou who art strong in youth and health, Love merey; thou, whose wasted wealth Might warm a hundred hovels. Scatter thy bounties near and far. Where lonesome age and sickness are, And pining penury grovels. But thou who hast no wealth to spare, Thy pity, and thy tender care, Thy helpful hands of labor, Thy gentle words of sympathy, Shall sorely one day reckoned be As mere}’ to thy neighbor. And look within thy happy home, For mercy bids thee not to roam; Perhaps some erring brother Has come up to the well-known door, To seek the sheltering roof once more Of father arid of mother. - P t Shall he be chilled by withering look, Or taunted with a proud rebuke, Because of his ill-doing? Shall loved ones leave him with disdain, When, with a deep repentant pain, He comes for mercy suing? Oh, mother, father, sisters, no! Let not this sin-soiled wanderer go* Let not his spirit harden; But soften it with heart-warm tear, With words he has ao longed to hear, Of welcome and of pardon. I< • , Let all thy conversation shed Glad sunshine; let no word he said Of cutting edge; though witty; For home-bom wit and intellect Should cheer and strengthen, not dissect Unmoved by love-or pity. There is no happiness*ao sore, So sweet, so unalloyed!, so pure, As that which love-diffuses; And rich the promise it obtains— He that gives mercy, mercy gains, Gains all the love he uses. Oh, blessed in the last great day, When books are opened to display All secret things recorded, Blessed the merciful shall be, Crowned by God's mercy full and freeAnd evermore rewarded. Lord, among all our prayers to Thee, "Jesus, have mercy,” is the plea Uplifted night and morning; But wertThou strict to mark our sins, What holy wrath at once begins Our sad entreaties scorning. Judgment, not mercy, we deserve, For oft unwittingly, we swerve From Thy dear rule of blessing; Neglecting chances Thou dost send, To soothe, to succor and befriend, The wrongs of life redressing. So, when Thy servant, Death, draws near, With messages of hope or fear, To bring ns our dismission, No other prayer, beloved Lord, Bat “mercy—mercy,” oft implored, Shall be our last petition. —Caroline May, in M. Y. Observer.

Snnday-School Lessons. SKOOND QCABTXB, 1877. " . April I—The Oil Increased 2 Kings 4:1-7 April B—The Shunammite’s Bon. —1 Kings 4:85-37 April 15—Nsaman the Leper. .2 Kings 5:1-14 April 23—Oehcri iLz - uAIH43v-jfcßß-fl3 April 29—Elisha at Dothan..—3 Kings 6: 8-18 May 6—The Famine in Samaria 2 fringe 7:12-20 May 13—Jehu the King ,2 King* 10:20-31 May 20—Jonah at Nineveh- Jonah 8: 1-10 May 27-The Death of Eliaha.2 King? 13:14-21 June 3—The Lamentation at Amos ........ - « Am* 8:1-15 June 10—The Promise of Revival Bose* M: 1-8 June 17—The Captivity of Israel... 8 Kings 17: 6-18 June 24—Review Lesson (with Nahum 1: 11ft.)

Expensive Churches.

The Bible rule for building a house is as applicable to chucches as to individuals. First sit down and count the cost. The non-observance of this rule has led many churches in all denominations into the state where all who behold them bpgin to mock. It is a good deal like those towns, and counties, and cities, which, in the enthusiasm of the occasion, vote to tax themselves to subsidize railroads or other publie enterprises. All goes “merry as a marriage bell ” anti! the time for the payment of the interest or principal comes round, when hitherto honest citizens suddenly become in favor of repudiation. So with churches. The architect’s plans look alluring and attractive, and all are inspired with an ambition to have the “ best meeting-house in town;” one that will attract the people, with the hope of bringing then! within the reach of the means of conversion, doubtless. The building of the splendid edifice is authorised; but is no sooner begun! than “ extras ” and unexpected expenditures begin to pile up, and finally the congregation finds itself swamped with a debt which it is unable to handle* This next becomes the Bource of innumerable difficulties, eating out the spiritual life of thechurch. And this thing is repeated over and over again—the warnings of experience seem to be utterly poweness to cause the abandonment of a policy which involves so much of unwisdom. , ... This subject has been invested with a new interest. by a recent, occurrence in Brooklyn. A —Congregational Church built a magnificent house, coatingorer $150,000, according to ‘he statement Jlpon this there was an indebtedness of ,$80,000; ‘ 1 t

- - y i n »il After struggling along several Jean, the church was obliged to succumb, aad yield up its property to its creditors ft! so much less than cost that it still lclt them - in debt. A council of delegates from, other Congregational Churches was held and the advice given that tne body disband and then reorganize under another nam&ftiith a view of avoiding a compliance with their obligations to the!# creditors, a/species of sharp practice of doubtfulTT-no, it is not doubtful—morality. And to such extremities, and to other acts of a rc/psfchensible, if . not dishonorable, nature does extravagance in church building lead a Christian organization. The evils of such a course are many and do jnr.cli to tying churches generally under reproach, ev*en in a business point of view. But there are higher considerations which should induce the leaders of churches to 'sit down and count the cost before they be. gin to build.— Standard (Chicago).

The Place of Safety .

My friends, there is one spot on earth ■where the fear of Death, of Sin and of Judgment, need never trouble us, the only safe spot on earth where the sinner can stand—Calvary. Out in our Western country in the autumn, when men go hunting, And there has not been rain for many months, sometimes the prairie grass catches Are. Sometimes, when the wind is strong, the flames may be seen rolling along, twenty feet high, destroying man and beast in their onward rush. When the frontiersmen see what Is coming, what do they do to escape ? They, know they cannot run as fast as the fire can run. Nor the fleetest hone can escape it. The flames sweep onward; they take their stand in the burnt district and' are safe. They hear the flames roar aa they come along; they see Death bearing down upon, them with resistless fury, but they do not fear. They do not tremble as the ocean of flame surges around them, for over the place where they stand the Are has already past and there is no danger. There is nothing for Are to burn. And there is one spot on earth that God has swept over. Eighteen hundred years ago tbe storm burst on Calvary; the Son of God took if into his own bosom, and now, if we take our stand by the Cross, we are safe for time and eternity.— D. L. Moody. x.

It is a Solemn Thing to Live.

Most people sav: “ It is a solemn thing to die.” And so*it is. Death takes ns from those we love, bears the body to the silent grave, and sends the soul ihto the unseen world. But is it not A great and solemn thing to live ? Of this we may be certain: that people generally die as they live. "Oh, if I had _ thought I should die as I do, I would not have lived as I did," cried an eastern King when dying. And if you would know what your last end may be, you are only to look at your present conduct Is sin your delight or your dread? Doe# a true repentence lead you to forsake every evil way? Under a sense of guilt and danger, are you seeking for pardon and acceptance through Him who died to save sinners ? And are you by the grace of tbe Holy Spirit showing the sincerity of your faith by a holy life ? It will come to these inquiries at last. Let them have your attention now. Learn that life is a sacred trust, and that as yo.u use it so will your eternal condition be in Heaven or hell. Be assured, that a life of faith in Christ, and of Obedience to the will of God, is the happiest life that can be spent on earth, and is the only way to a life of blessedness hereafter.—2. C. Cuyler. . ■■ , ■ , t

Fish-Culture.

At the sixth annual meeting of the American Fish-Culturists’ Association, recently held in New York, reports and papers were presented from which We ! learn that, in (he State of New York, the culture of whitefish waa begun in 1808, and, to the present date, 1,758,000- fry and twenty-six boxes of eggs have been, dis; tributed. The propogation of shad was commenced in 1869, in which year 15,000,-* 000 were hatched. Up to the present date, 49,880,000 young shad have been introduced into New York waters. The first: experiment with 1 salmon.trout was made in 1870, since which time, 5,94(1,000 fry and 456 boxes of eggs have been given out. In 1871 the culture of salmon was, begun with eggs obtained from Canada, ana about 210,000 have been distributed annually. The culture of the California salmon was commenced in 1873, and a total of 636,000 have been distributed. In 1874 the culture of blue-backed trout, from eggs brought from Maine, was . attempted ; but the effort to introduce them was unsuccessful. In 1874, 36,000 eels were placed in Buffalo Creek, above NiagMStFA&A the aim of introducing them into Lake Erie. The first experiments with sturgeon, tried four years ago, were unsuccessful; but, renewed in 1875, proved satisfactory, and 100,000 young fish were turned into the Hudson. The hatching of brook-trout was begun in 1875, and 1,220,000 fry and twenty-four boxes of eggs have been distributed. Eggs of the California brook-trout have been received, but only 260 fry. were, hatched from 1,800 eggs. Fish-culture in Canada was bpgun as' a private enterprise by Mr. Samuel Wilnct, in 1865. Two years later the Government became interested in 1 the movement, and there are now six large Sub-breeding establishments in tlie Dominion, which have at present 6,000,000 salmon |Snd 9,000,000 whitefish nearly ready to turn into the streams. Mr. Wilmot exhibited at the Convention a salmon (Salma Will rmti) weighing seventeen pounds, which had been caught In a small stream emptying into Lake Ontario, where he had placed in 1865 the first salmon-fry that ever swam in its waters: Thousands of salmon weighing from five to twenty poufils err; j tered this same stream last ahtumn. Up to the present time these have been imported into California a total of 25,000.-. 000 eggs, at an expense of about one dollar in gold per 1,000 During the last year, about 400,000 eggs of the CaJifor; nia salmon have been exported to New’ Zealand. It may be added, in this con neption, that, Feo. 5. a steamer bound for New Zealand sailed from San Fnmciscb' with a cargo of 180,000 t whitefish eggs from Lake Michigan, with; trout eggs from New Hampshire, deer from Calfornia, and twenty-seven short-'tailed grouse from Utah, The next steamer bound for the same island will convey a consignment of prairie-chickens, Oregon grouse and pheasants. —Chicago Tribune. — ■ . •’ 1 :if

A Cruel Joke.

The particulars of 'a' disgraceful 1 hoax perpetrated the other day at Alencon aregiven by a local-paper. A young clerk, in a notary’s office in that towfr took it iato his head to send a letter to tea SDQCh<backs in variour parts of the (country, whose addresses he had obtained 1 , requesting them to attend on a certain day at the

WffceMTttt tmptoyr *—■ Us y»fMftrfit atrwte named, when tbe first hunchback mode hi* appearanqe, tbe headof the flnH4va»Sm to be engaged* and W.wasgfbed W e A seat for a few minute*. The offat Hunchbacks then began to arrive to rapid succession. A second soon qntoced, .followed by a. third and a fourth. Tfaastyfaiahed clerk* could hardly keep theiroouartenancesas the four huntyihfttks glanced at each other suspiciously out tjf'ffre corners of the# eyes, and 'token, mg ftva--1 aoche of siic id Curt; hufrchbafikte descended on the office in a fatty* the powerfng. The clerks could not longer their gttfvity, and even tha-efitef clerk himself was quite unable to'criutrol his emotions. ; T]b% onlyaerioiis persons in the offle# 1 to^fo 1 the te» hobchbacks, who, seeing that there was a “ mystificattan r ” lost their Ajmpers, arid In stentorian Unusual noise,Bushed into tnqjfam and blinr at the top of, tfalftyolces, while the clerks were absolutely cfavulsi* with laughter. Paaoe being tofth dlfflcultv restored, the hunchbacks showed ffiele'tters they had received requesting tireir ptesence at the office. .‘Ttfft ooWryv with many qppiqgies, informed them that they SSSK&SmWHK!# covered would assuredly be dismissed. By latest accounts, fawpver, h 6 had%ot been detected, although 'the chief - clerk “ has suspicions. ''T-'PaUMall Gwtctte.

—You newer hear a woman sing\" I’m growing old,’! American, women never grow old. They are - oft J intimate' terms with Time, ana that susceptible veteran appears to find ♦*—l* ~1l l ‘] t " L that ha never moves- fast-enough to get out of their domphny: ’ J 10 J

Encouragement for the Feeble.

-Debility, Whether 44 bo inherent, or caused by overtaxed strength, or protracted illneoa, haa a most depressing influeaM OpoA thc mind, bleeding an abject melancholy nearly akin to despair, and enforcing the ribanrtenmeut of cherished projects and high hope*. Happily, the enfeebled system, even in extreme cases; is Rtuceptitfle of evidence that unfailing strengthener of the Vffak, and that in addition to vitalizing the physical' organization, it establishes regularity atoon* thsstofigpns upon whose efficient dkoharge or the duties imposed on them by nature, continued/ Wgorahd health depend. Thousands of, instances might be cited to show the regenerating inflUdnceorf She healthgiving agent in cases of,-debility, liver disease, dyspepsia, nervous ailments; constipation, intermittent fever, arinaty- ao.il uterine troubles, gout and rheumatism, and other maladies! * ' 1 *’ ' ! ' '■ ' * *■ z n ** V.' i J -j lT f (~ _ , /1 , Mr. Diogenes. This singular man fived in Gifeioei. He was distinguished for bis eqof otyieitice; bad manners, and bad disposition. It was his elder business to find fault. For example, lie took » hwtern one day when the 6un was shining'brightly and w«nt oot'to search for} .typxeat map, thereby insinuating that such persons’ wert Exceedingly scarce. When Alexander, a distinguish military gentleman, paid him a visit, ana inquired what he could do for him, he had titoinpudence to toll him to “ get out of his sunshine." To cap the climai of his odtßties, he drenod! like a beggar and lived in a tub! He was a sour, crabbed, crusty old bachelor.’ Vf ef Tnfer thdt 'W had no wife, first, because history does no£ mention Hlr; second, because no woman would tdke'kmdly to one of his habite, dress, or. manners, or aspire to become mistress of hip mansion. ‘ “There was an old woman whb liv*d> -In ;h in tone, bnt the woman who would live in a tub, and especially with such a eompdtwM, has nb* befn heard from. ,The misanthropic spirit whiph possessed this man was doubtlesss due 1 6 disordered digestion and ! a biliousness, one, of the. prominent symptoms of which is a morose, famt-finding disposition. The tongue id heavily 1 otytted, giving rise to a had taste, the appetite is not good, slid the patient feels doit stovpor, M dizzy, and .is apt to be fretful. Unfortunately, Mr. Diogenes'lived several centuries’! before* Bit Pierce’s Pleasant Purgative Pellets, .were invented, a few doses of which would have relisted Mil of his tragic influence, combined wtth.;ffoat of ti» Golden Medical Discovery, to cleanse his blood, he might have beeti Ira to take a muter cheerful view of lifq, to exchange hip tub fora decent ' habitatidn, to li, kpT+we rift" in personal appearance, and at last pave taken a wife to mend his clothes and his manners; Doth Of whfch were in evident need of rspaus, Aftd besom® • ty® haPpy sire of little Diogeneses who would hate handed down 1 to prosterity ihe nw< Wf of * cynio philosopher, but a cheerful, healthy, happy, virtue ‘ Out mom! I ■ ■ »!'i ■ ■

■ ' ' The NATIONAL DISEASE. * 1 1' -*. • .ftdtia.in- iii fii'j IS IT CURABLE? rpHOSR who li»ve raftered frwn-the vWIAnt And comA, nllcated forma of disease assumed hr Catarrh, and have tried raanjrbn J*iciana andnwnfife* without relief or cure, await the answer to this question with fatal affections of the In -xs follow, in many cate* acase of simple MtnairlcrUj'i i.**VTh, dthjr sympathetic affections, such as death, •s. Impaired hyMlvht and losa ot sense of smt-U, may ;« roferrod to as minor but aevcrtbcleas sfcrlous r.TUllrwdf neglected Catarrh, bad enough in themselves, bat as nothing compared with the aangergliS affection* of the throatwnji tangs likely (o follow* IT CAN BE CURED. * TT can be enred. Them 1s no ftinbt about it. The A immediate relief afforded by Sanfobd’s Radical Cube fob Cata*kh is bat aslwheevklenco of what la removed with a four applications t the ulceration and inflammation subdued and haaUd i the entire membranous linings of the head are ‘cleansed and onMfled. Constitutionally Its action is that of a powerful purifying agent, destroying id Itt course through , poison, the destructive agent In ' ‘ Each pickege contains Dr: Seafotdh Improved Inhaling Tube, with fhll directions for use In all cases. Price, SWJO. Forsale by all whotaaide aud retail drngglsts throughont the Unitod State*. WEEKS A POTTER, General Agents end Druggists, BoaTfiJ .Piaster ■a THE BEST. ASK FOR Vojtajo .'ji&u bill tit isietHtli Collins’ Voltaic Plaster *>;1l Ift (W'Lur iitijiD FA.U n»K)KI.Y Agbotton. gptoe.^ Bold by an Prtighfts. Fried » cents. Beet by mall