St. Joseph County Independent, Volume 16, Number 29, Walkerton, St. Joseph County, 24 January 1891 — Page 6

THE HAPPY NEW YEAR. BY EMILY THORNTOX. The chill air is crisp, for the Treat King discloses His tiny ice-spears, •which he hangs on the leaves; No fragrance of summer, no petals of roses, To brush as we pass; we see only dead leaves. Now, dear, merry Christmas has swiftly departed A New Year stands scanning the ghosts of the past; We gaze o’er his shoulders, and feel heavyhearted To think months and seasons are fading so fast. See! whirled in mid air tiro white snow flakes descending; Each flake seems a spirit dropped down from above. As though for the New Y'ear to earth they come, lending A promise of purity, blessing and love. The tall trumpet-creeper, whose scarlet-edged flowers Last summer made gay its beautiful dress, Stool yesterday drooping and leafless for hours. Now snow-cladlt gleams in renewed loveliness. How it piles, how it gathers, the snow in whiteness Led onward by Silence, who moves without sound! Their feet shod ia crystal and sparkling brightness, Thej- drape frosted vesture o’er tree, bush, and g.ouud. We thought with the summer all beauty was dving 1 We thought with the Old Year all joy flown away! But spirits of snow to >ur shorn world came flying, And the New Year has blessings, pernaps, for each day. Hark I wild bells ore ringing I yea, joy bells ore flinging mHMfOut welcomes of gles to another New Year. ^^^nfay each moment bo crowded with laughter and singing. And during its stay may no sorrow draw near! King on. New Year bells, let thy singing mean gladness; King nil ills away, but ring Love’s warmth within; Though the Old Year just died and wo saw it with sadness Yet happy may prove the Now Year now in. SACRIFICEDINV AIN. BY CUMBERLAND STUART.

T was midnight. The lingering moonbeams were streaming placidly over the towers of file old Russian convent. In the dis-1 - tance looming forth - like a great dark mountain was the castle of Count Groski, t now deep K in niourn- • ing for the death of

V its late master. To the left, jiaruest and gloomiest of all was the old prison in which, helpless and disconsolate, crouching in agony upon his course bed, lay the once proud form of Col. Bornoil‘, the Count’s assassin. But a single day before and he was a man whose might and power could well be feared; now a common felon accused of the ba est crime, the murder of his best friend,|the man with whom in ; earlier days he had laughed and played , and exchanged his childish confidence. ' We who live in other climes cannot ; realize how deep must be the attachinent to the principles of an organization to cause a man to thus slay his nearest friend. The Count was an earnest supporter of his Emperior, while Col. Bornoff who had always been, publicly at least, considered as eminently loyal, was in reality an ardent Nihilist. For the success of nihilism the Count’s life must be sacrificed, and upon Col. Bornoff had fallen the task of offering up this sacrifice. Detection had followed, and his life must now pay the forfeit. For him there was indeed no hope. None knew better than he how relentless was the Emperor where crimes of this nature were involved. Sad indeed must have .been the thoughts of that gray-bearded man as he lay with no company but his own thoughts. Truly is a guilty conscience its own condemnation. Not a sound was to be beard save the scampering of rats as they ran about the cells and corridor. But listen ! was that not a human footstep? His mind Hew to other scenes. His daughter Tima, his only and idolized child, could it be her? Was she'commg to set him at liberty. Ardently, earnestly he prayed that it might be true. The hope was faint and he was doomed to disappointment. The soft footfalls came nearer, nearer, like the treading of a tiger in search of prey. Then a pause, not a movement anywhere, save the anxious, fascinating glances the old man cast toward the doorway of his cell. An anxious moment thus passed when softly the huge bolt is drawn, the massive door swings silently back and a dark muffled figure stands in the opening. The pale, stuggling rays of moonlight enables the old man to distinguished the outline of his untimely -visitor. A puzzled expression was visible upon his haggard face. Did this man come as friend or foe? Had he come to aid him or was he only here to anticipate the certain fate that awaited the prisoner? It was plain that the old man was ill । at ease. “ What is it i he asked, as the figure advanced toward him. “Good news, father. You mav vet be free.” Like the sunshine bursting through 1 deep, dark clouds the old man’s face I brightened with an expression cf hope. ! “Ralph Martzy,” he whispered in a i trembling voice, “I have wronged you, j deeply wronged you, but only aid me to escape and henceforth my earnest pray- ; ers are yours. Forgive the wrong I 1 have done you in my heart.” “Not so last, old man. I cannot risk ! my life, aye, my liberty which is dearer, : for mere thanks. I must otherwise be' paid. You“Yes, yes, I forgot. You shall be richly paid. Only give me my freedom and all 1 have is freely yours, my house, money, all you shall have.” “You mistake me. Colonel. I want not your gold. You are welcome to keep it. I ask what to me is a more priceless treasure. Hitherto you have looked with scorn upon my aspirations; now, even I am so situated that my services are not to be despised.” There was a tone of triumph indhis voice as he ceased speaking to note the effect of his words. The old man replied not a word, but sat as a man struck dumb by 2 mighty revelation.

“Yon know what I seek, father,’ he continued in a more patronizing tone, “little Tirna is very dear to me, give her into my keeping and when she is safely mine you may have your much-prized freedom; if not,” and the evil face hardened, “I shall most certainly leave yon to youi fate.” What a price to pay! Asked to sacrifice the life happiness of his only child by binding her forever to a man whom she loathed and detested, and that, too, when he knew that her heart was given to another. Who can imagine the terrible struggle in that man’s mind? What wonder that great beads of perspiration stood upon his brow? “O, Ralph, Ralph!” he whispered faintly in his agony. “Is there nothing else? Will not gold tempt you? Have pity; she is not mine to give,” and the old man sank back, trembling. “No, there is no other earthly consideration that would tempt me to take the risk which I must incur in giving you your liberty. You make your own choice.” For a moment Col Bornoff sat deep in thought. His own life was the prize at slake, yet he hesitated to sacrifice the happiness of her whom he most loved. He half raised his head. “She must decide, Ralph. You must see her. I can not force her to give up so much for my sake.” , Then by the aid of the feeble moonbeams the old gray-haired Colonel wrote a hasty note to his child that she might know its bearer was not imposing upon her in the message which he was to carry. “If she accepts I will return at midnight to-morrow night. Tirna shall accompany me, and together we will leave forever this land of sorrow. If not, good-by; we shall not meet again,” and as softly and cautiously as he entered Ralph Martzv left the ceil, and the helpless victim who gazed after him with a look of intense longing which he could not hope to satisfy. In the morning Ralph sought out the house where little Tirna Bornoff lived. As he advanced to the doorway of the little morning room in winch she was seated it was plain that he loved her with all the strength of his evil villainous heart. “Nay, nay, my pretty one,” be called to her ai at sight of him she arose to leave the room; “You have no call to fly. See, I bring a message for yon. It is from your father,” and he held aloft the hastily written note which he had received some hours before. At mention of that name, Tirna stopped. What could the man mean? Then a sudden glad thought tilled her brain; with a glad little cry she rushed across the room, grasped the missive from his hands and with fingers trembI ling in their eagerness she tore it open. A smothered moan escaped her lips. How different to what she bad anticipated. Her father was still a prisoner I and she had expected to learn that by I some kind agency he had made good his j escape. Completely overcome she sank ' into a chair and tried to compose herself and to think. Ralph’s voice recalled her. Come, my lady. This is no time for tine feelings. Is the thought of being my wife ■ so terrible as this?” What could she do? a chance was given her to save her father’s life, if she did not avail herself of it, no matter at I what cost to herself, did she not become ' her father’s murderer? She looked ’ upon the man before her and then her thoughts reverted to him, now faraway, to whom she had pledged herself for life and eterntity. Her most earnest pleadings availed her nothing. He was persistently obstinate in his purpose. The die was cast. With heartrendering anguish she determined to make the sacrifice of all hope of earthly happiness tor the sake of tidal love. She knew that she could trust im to fulfill his promise, and the same means that had afforded him entrance to the prison would again safely * pass them within those terrible walls. | The stars of heaven were shining । forth as celestial-born witnesses, when I the ceremony was performed that made | those two forever one. Even the angels i must have wept to see those two, whose i hearts were so widely separated, thus ; unalterably bound together. I Faithful to his promise, Ralph p* ‘he appointed time repaired to the p >n. Cautiously did he and faithful Time make their way within those grim, dark walls. With equal care they turned the bolt and the anxious daughter beI held the door swung back, open to her I father's freedom. With a smothered j cry of gladness she sprang through the i opening and to the side of her father’s conch. The old man was quiet now. Strange that he should be thus sleeping; but his daughter's voice will waken him. But no. Oh, God! another Hand ’ad been his deliverer! Tirna’s sacufice had been r’.l in vain. Earthly judge ' should never sit in judgment on his ! case, before a higher court would he j plead his cause for mercy, for stretched I at full length upon his couch was Col. Bornoff—dead ! A Relic of Seinl-Barbarinin. Although many people have noticed I two or three button^ on the sleeves of ‘ coats, civil anil military, few know the ; reason of the custom. They were first j put upon the sleeves of soldiers in the I British army. Prior to the buttoned । sleeves soldiers had the habit of drawI ing their sleeves across their mouths i when a napkin could have been used to ■ better advantage. As a matter of | course the cuff became shiny and defaced. Punishment and reprimand ' were tried, but they failed to check the ! habit. As a last resort a board of ofti- । cers met and unanimously adopted a I plan suggested by one of their number, i which was “to sew two or three rough | beads or buttons upon the top part o-f 1 the sleeve of every military coat.” This had the desired effect. By degrees sol- , diers a< well as civilians became more I tidy. The buttons were not removed | from the sleeves however, only slid ■ around to the back or underside, where | they still linger, a relic of semi-barbar--1 I ism, an ornament, nevertheless. In the distribution vocations it is a strange fact that the man who could run a newspaper to suit every one is always in some other business than journalisu.,

RURAL READING. AGRICULTURAL TOPICS INTELLIGENTLY DISCUSSED. An Inexpensive Riot Cellar Built Wholly Above Ground-The Stoek-Ranch, Dairy, and Garden —Helpful Hints to Housekeepeis, Etc. THE FARM. An Inexpensive Hoot Cellar.

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make an excavation to the depth O&bout four feet, and a length and byadth sufficient to hold the anticipated® trop. This is easily done by tiguring^on^ s>Boo cubic inches as the space required<4*° bushel of Maws or otherw^* Lay up a good stone foundation ttone foot above the ground, using a liberal amount of mortar. The stairs of five steps may be located upon the outside, as shown in the engraving, or placed inside the cellar as desired. The superstructure may boos wood; the corner posts need not be over six feet in height. If a balloon frame, the studding should be covered with matched lumber, both outside and inside, ff’his is to be covered with heavily tarred paper, and sheathed with matched lumber. The expense of four thicknesses of matched stuff is not heavy, and a building is secured that is quite frost proof. The windows, which are placed upon the side, two feet above the wall, are double sashed, with a fourinch air chamber between. The door is double, with a space between. The ceiling should be made as impervious to cold as the side m alls. A heavy application of mortar should be applied where the sills rest upon the wall; besides. the sills should be laid in mortar. 'Die roof may be of any material desired. The interior should be divided into bins, located so L )- A-’ ; H sr pi r;A SERVICEABLE ROOT CELT AR. • ‘ that they may be reached by a long 1 wooden trough, one end of which van project out of either window, into which the roots are scooped direct frqip the wagon. Windows should L.- .ifT - ?«•*•«-•, ns to bo readily opened or closed for? ventilation. A building with a capacity of 300 ' bushels can bo substantially built at an outlay of from S4O to $75, owing to the amount of work the owner performs himself. Orchard Gruss. W. J. Beal, in his “Grasses of North America," says: Orchard grass is per-' ennlal. lasting for many years, two or i three or even live feet or more in height, • rather large, coarse, rough, of a light I green color, and grows in dense tufts. I unieSo crowded by thick seeding. The I lower leaves are sometimes two feet or more in length. The clustered spikelets ■ make dense masses on the small spread- ' ing panicle. The Howers appear with those of early red clot t. It is a native I of Europe, and is also now found in I North Africa. India, ami North America, and perhaps in other countries. Although it came to this country from Europe. it did not attract much attention in England until sent back there in lst>4 from Virginia. So far as quality is concerned, if cut ‘n good season or pastured i when young, it stands well the test of eat- | tie and the chemists. It is very nutritious, > the seeds start quickly, and makes a very vigorous growth, and if the grass is not a very valuable one it is certainly ' not from the lack of testimonials from i practical farmers. The stems are not 1 very abundant when compared with the leaves, hence the plant is mure suitable i for pasture than for meadow. It is the ’ first to furnish a bite for the cattle in ■ spring; is little affected by the droughts ' of July and August, and continues growing until the severe cold of November blocks up the sources of nourishment. When cut or grazed it starts up with great vigor. No man should sow it on , his lawn, for it would need cutting every day before breakfast. If cutbvhile in blossom, loth cattle and hW" s are i exceedingly fond of tho D*nd do; well on it. If left to stand until thej seeds are mature it becomes nlore tough I and woody than even timothy, ami cattle i will need to have their teeth sharpened to cat it in tl is stage of its growth. I Orchard grass loves a deep, rich, moist j soil. Grown on poor, dry land by a lazy farmer, it will not give satisfaction. It may be cut two or three times a year, producing large crops of the very ’best of fodder, just as long as the fertility of the land can be maintained by top-dress-ing. Use ol the Roller, The farm roller is a most important and valuable implement for those who exercise good judgment as to when it is to be used. It is just what is needed to press winter grain firmly in the ground after the surface has dried sufficiently. It is also excellent on clover in spring to press down small stones that might'be in the way of close cutting with the mower. But it should not be used on j spring grain until the latter is up three or four inches, nor on corn ground at any season if the soil be at all heavy. Corn ground needs to be light as possible, and it must be made mellow by harrowing up, not by rolling down.— New York Herald. THE HOUSEHOLD. From Field and Wood. When well arranged, dried grasses and flowers are always beautiful. As much of their beauty consists in the graceful

forms of delicate stems and tiny seedpods, that arrangement is best which allows this dainty tracery to be seen. An ornamental panel made of the treasi urcs gathared from Held and wood is something new and pretty, says the Country Gentleman. It is much to be preferred to the old-fashioned “dried bouquet,” where delicate grasses, soldierly cat-tails and everlastings were often packed tightly together, effectually destroying the distinctive beauty of each. To make a panel like the one illustrated herewith, there will be required a thin board of the desired size (board on l i ‘ I I PANEL OF DRIED GRASSES. which certain kinds of dressed gwods are wrapped answer nicely, and can be had at almost any dry-goods store for the asking), a cup of well-cooked flour paste, a sheet of wadding, enough pongee or China silk of a cream shade to cover the board, sufficient plush of a bright golden brown to make a border two or three inches wide around the panel, and a pa^er]<y srna ” cs Ksized double-pointed From the wadding cut a piece the ex- | act size of the board, and fasten it on by I {lasting along each edge; do the same with the silk; join the four plush strips at each corner with a bias seam and turn the edge under, around the inside of the oblong thus made. It is best to fasten the turn by hemming with long st itches. ; 1 he plush must be cut. large enough to ' turn over on to the l ack of the panel for i a quarter of at) inch. Carefully put I some paste on the border at each corner j and along both edges, place it riuht-sidc i down on a table ami put the panel on it, ; pressing softly in place; ; -nt a square out I of each corner of the pitish where it pro- | jects beyond the board: then turn down | the projecting edges on to the back of ' the board. A piece of heavy brewn pa- i per, cut a trifle smaller than the panel, I should bo pasted over the back to con- ' real raw edges and give a finished ap- I pearance. Drive a tack on each side of : the panel near the top, on which to tie a cord to hang the panel by. Great care ( should be taken that all edges are cut | perfectly straight and that all joinings I I arc exact. The panel is now ready for the grasses. 1 cattails, etc., which should be arranged gracefully on it and firmly fastened into position with tacks. These will not show if a leaf or full head of grass is skill»Howed to drop over them. The । panel should be humr almost flat against ; the wall, and on a level with the eye of । a jierson standing. This is the manner recommendt-d by artists for the hanging of all pictures. Hint** to HoiiHpk('('por<, Relieve pains in the sides by the application of mustard. For nose bleed, get plenty of pow- . tiered alum up into the nostrils. Sandpaper applied to the yellow keys I of the piano will re-tore the color. The best thing to clean tin ware is , ! common soda; rub on whisky with a ; i damp cloth, after which wipe dry. For coffee stains try putting thick’ I glycerine on the wrong side and wush!it out with lukewarm water. For rasp- , berry stains weak ammonia and water ! is the best. Coffee pounded in a mortar and roasted on an iron plate, sugar burned on hot coals, and vin- gar boiled with myrrh and sprinkled on the floor and furniture of a sick room, are excellent . deodorizers. To insure paste from molding, put | into it a proportion of alum and resin. A few drops of any essential oil will preserve leather from mold, ami a single I clove put into a bottle of ink will have i the same effect upon it. I’owderei) borax mixed with a little powdered sugar ami scattered about in i spots will prove certain death to cock- | roaches and to ants, and if that is not | handy, a few drops of spirits of turpen- ; tine sprinkled here and there w ill be as effective in the ease of these nuisances as it is in the ca-e of moths. When linen has turned yellow cut up a pound of line white soap into a gallon I of milk and hang it over a fire in a wash j kettle or bottle. When the soap has I complete!y melted put in the linen and j boil it half an hour, have ready a lather : of soap and water, wash the linen in it, ! after which rinse it in two cold waters j with a very little blue in the last. Do you use eggs for frosting? Don’t doit. Take five tabh-spoonfuls of milk, one cup of granulated sugar, flavor I nicely with lemon or vanilla, then boil five minutes. Beat it hard until it is cool enough to spread on the eake. The beauty of this frosting is that it is ready to cut as soon as thoroughly cold. It is very nice with cocoanut or grated chocolate stirred in it. When eggs are high it is quite a saving. THE GARDEN. Early and Late I’o’atoes. The advice is being widely copied to plant all potatoes, and especially to plant the earliest varieties, at least likely to be affected by blight and rot. There is something in the theory that the longer a variety of potatoes is maturing, the greater chance disease has to | attack it. The same principle favors early planting ami early varieties in order to escape attacks of the potato beetle. Tim old-fashioned peach-blow potato was so extremely late that it furnished food for successive crops of pctatoe larvm all through the summer until frost came. For this reason probably it was the first to run out when potato beetles b^gan to be numerous. Yet it is an unquestioned fact that the larger proportion of potatoes grown for market are of late varieties, and late planted often at that. The vert early

KOO 1 collar w holly above ground is not advisable where frosts frequently penetrate to the depth of two or three feet, says the Ainerlean AtjrieulturM. But a cellar partly underground is safer and usually cheaper. If possible, choose a 100 ati on, protected from the prevailing winter winds by a hill, or woodland i with natural drainage;

price Is often higher, and a few ar 3 planted as soon as the ground can l» to mee fthe demand about tIA 4tn of July, when $1.50 to $2 a bushel is the ruling price for a few days. Yet 1 • ?i S ? very ear ly potatoes are such light yielders that no large grower ever thinks ot planting them extensively. Tiiey usuajly sell all the early potatoes they have, not reserving even for seed, which they can obtain from more northern regions in better condition for planting next spring. What is the use of keeping over from July to April potatoes that in the first-named month will bring fancy prices for early, and which it is almost impossible to keep through the fall and winter without sprouting till their substance is wholly exhausted. If farmers j xvant to grow tin hr own seed potatoes of early varieties they should plant as late as the first to the middle of June. By , the time the potatoes are setting the i weather will be cooler, and the fall rains I will usually have begun. Late varieties of potatoes are often j better crops when planted quite late, j An early planting for them means form- | ing the tubers during the hottest and dryest season of the year. But seasons differ in this respect, and it is impossible to foreknow which planting shall be the best;but for early potatoes two plantings, the early for market at higher prices, and the later for seed and a larger crop, would seem to be advisable.

THE DAIRY. Care of Milk lor Cheese-Makintf. Prof. Jas. W. Robertson,of the Guelph, Ontario, Agricultural College, is the ’author of a valuable little pamphlet bearing the above title.' After giving a number of practical suggestions the Professor gathers their gist into the following short paragraphs, which are well worthy of a careful reading. 1. Milk from healthy cows only should be used, and not until at least four days after calving. 2. Any harsh treatment that excite? i the cow lessens the quantity and injures । the quality of her yield, 3. Cows should be allowed an abundant supply of wholesome, suitable food, and as much pure water as they will drink. 4. A supply of salt should be placed where cows have access to it every day. 5. Cows should not be permitted to drink stagnant, impure water, nor to eat cleaning from horse stables, leeks,turnip tops, nor anything that would give the j milk an offensive taint. t>. All milk vessels should be thoroughly eleaused: first being well washed, i then scalded with boiling water, and af- ' terwards Mflieiently aired to keep them i perfectly sweet. ; 7. Cows should be milked with dry i hands and only after the udders have _ been washed or well brushed. । 8. Milking should be done and milk ; should be k<q>t only where the surroundlng air is pure and free from all * objectionable ami tainting odors. Milk- ■ ing in a foul smelling stable or yard imi parts to milk an injurious taint. Sour j whey should never be fed, nor should hogs be kept in a milking yard, nor near a milk stand. j 9. Tin pails only should bo used. 10. All milk should be properly ! strained immediately after milking, and j fur that purpose a detached strainer is preferable to a strainer-pail. 11. In preparing milk for delivery to a cheese factory it should immediately after st rain imr be thoroughly aired by pouring, drippingor stirring. The treatment is as beneficial for the morning’s milk as for the evening’s, and is even more necessary when the weather is cool than when it is warm. 12. in warm weather all milk should be cooled after it has been aired, but not before. 13. Milk kept over night in small quantities say in tin pails—will be in better condit ion t han if kept in larger quantities in one vessel. It. When both messes of milk are convoyed to the factory in one can, the mixj ing of the morning with the evening's j milk should be delayed till the milk- ! wagon roaches the stand. 15. While the milk is warmer than the I surrounding air it should bo left uneov- | ered but when colder it may with advantage be covered. l'>. Milk pails and cans should bo protected from the rain, and milk stands should be constructed to shade the cans Lom the sun. THE KITCHEN. Potato Surprises. Take six largo, well-washed potatoes of uniform size. Boil until nearly tender, then cut off one end of each, reserving the ends to be used as “lids,” Scoop out the center, leaving a wall about a quarter -of an inch in thickness. Fill with cold chicken, chopped fine, and well seasoned with pepp< r, salt, and parsley. A teaspoonful of the chicken gravy, if at [ hand, may bo put into each to moisten l the meat. Put the end on each potato—securing it in place with a line threadthen put into the oven ami bake until the potatoes are brown. Almost any cold meat will do in place of chicken. Boiled bleats. Meats, whether fresh or salt, should bo placed over the lire in hot water, so as to keep the juice within the meat. Let it boil slowly, keeping the meat covered with water and skimming off all substances that may arise to the surface. After it is done put the meat in a stone jar or a well-tinned pan and cover it with the liquid it has boiled in. Allow it to cool in this liquid over night and you will have a tender and juicy piece of meat. Boilefl Clilcßan. If it is intended to serve the chicken huv with a sauce, boil it till it is well done. Remove the pot containing the chicken from the tire and keep it covered till it is ready to serve, as chicken kept in this manner will be more tender than when taken from the pot while boiling. A three-pound hen would require one and three-quarter hours slow boiling. Boiled Corn Beef. Before placing corn beef in the boiling water it should first be soaked in cold, well and thoroughly cleansed. Boil slowly until well done, and if it is to be served hot keep it in the pot over the stove for at least one-half hour before sending it to the table. During that time be sure and have the corn beef covered. CJiicken Soup. Save the broth after boiling a chicken, add to it a sliced onion, two beaten eggs, six sliced raw potatoes and a thickening of flour and water. Sponge Budding. One cup of sugar, one cup of flour, three eggs, teaspoonfruls of baking powder. Steam one hour.

USEFUL INFORMATION. The very best nourishment for invalids and children is the juice pressed from a steak or mutton chop thoroughly trimmed and broiled about five minutes. The meat for this purpese should be cut at least three-quarters of an inch thick. The juice may be extracted from the meat by a lemon squeezer or a meat press, which comes for this purpose. The little white worms which sometimes make the earth in a plant jar look as it it is alive, can be driven out by stopping the hole in the bottom of the jar, then cover the earth with water in which you have dissolved a little limo. Let this stand for several hours, and it is not likely that you will be troubled xvith the worms anv more. A i EASPOONFUL of borax, put in the । last water in which clothes are rinsed, xvill whiten them surprisingly. Pound rm 6 ' b^ax so it will dissolve easily. Ibu is especially good to remove the yellow that time gives to white garments that have been laid away for two or three years. If ink is spilled on colored goods that will not bear acids, soak them immediately in sweet milk boiled hot. Hut melted tallow poured through ink spots will also remove them.

mu movz itunuve mem. Carpets should be thorougly beaten on the wrong side first, and then on the right, after which spots may be removed, bv the use of ox gall or auimouia and water. Horseradish cut in tbin strips lengthwise and a dozen or more of the e strips placed on the top of each keg of pickles will keep them from becoming stale or moldy. For marks made by scratching matches acrossl white paint,rub with half a sour orange or lemon, then uash with I whiting, rub well and dry thoroughly. A small piece of salt pork hriled with fricasseed chicken will impart a lichness to the gravy and the flavor will be better than if nothing but butter is used. A few drops of ammonia in a cupful of rain water, carefully applied with a sponge, will remove spots from painting and chromos. Nickel silver mounts and ornaments can be kept bright by rubbing with a woolen cloth saturated with spirits of ammonia. The queen ci Roumania says man and wife should never cease to do a little courting, no matter how old they mav be. Scatter sassafras bark among dried i fruit to keep it from becoming wormy. How the Months Were Named. In looking up the peculiar names given each of the twelve months of the j year, it becomes necessary for us to go i back to the old Romans, who have imj posed upon us a set of names equally as i absurd as those which the Norsemen, j Scandinavians and Saxons applied to the week, says an exchange. January is named from Janus, the god of doors and gates, because the ; month opens the year; some say that he is a two-faced god and could mok back i on the last year and forward to the com- | ing. । February is from februo, to purify. March was originally the first month, and was named for Mars, the god of war. April is from aperire, to open, because the buds open in that month. May is Main, a goddess. June is from | Juno, the patron of marriage, and is, therefore, the favorite month lor wed- | dings. July was named for Julius Cmsar, and | August for Augustus Cieiar. Originally । August had but thirty days and Februi ary twenty-nine in the common year j and thirty in leap year. Augustus was jealous that Julius* mouth should have more days than his | own, therefore took one from February and added it to August. September, October, November, December, are so called because they ; were originally the seventh, eighth, j ninth and tenth months of the year. The names are now inappropriate and rank misnomers as now applied. I’r« cociousneAS <>f Great Musicians Nearly all the great masters of music > were precocious. Bee lioven at 15 was । one of the chief musicians under the I e’ec’.or at Cologne. At 4 Mozart could play freely on the harpsicord; at 5 he not only composed, but began to travel ‘ extensively as a virtuoso. Mendelssohn was a noted improvisator at 12; and r Chopin when only 9 played a concerto i Gyrowilz at a public concert. When . 15 Haydn Lad developed much of the - ; skill and independence for which hebeI j came famous. At that sge be happened • j to hear of a vacancy in the church at j Tell, and his circumstances made him . anxious to obtain the post. The choir I master, however, on receiving his appli- ' j cation refused to allow him to join the i chior. Nevertheless, on tLe following j Sunday, Haydn had managed to smug- । gle himself into the choir and sit next the principal soloist. Just as he rose to deliver himse f of the solo, Haydn t snatched the music from his hands and commenced to sing it himself from sight. The church authorities were so electrified that they gave him a good sum of money as scon as the church services were over. A notable exception was Richard Wagner, who, as a ; child, ilisjjlaved no very marked artistic tastes, though his ear and memory fur ' music were quite remarkable. Growing a Farm. Notice was served yesterday on Giov- , anni Podesta and Stefano Sanquinetti i to the effect that they must remove a I certain obstruction in tiie Calaveras River. It appears that the two men iwn a piece of land on the bank of that river, and, being desirous to add to their possessions, hit upon an ingenious scheme, probably borrowed from Italy. By means of wing dams they managed to catch considerable of the debris which comes down the river in flood time and increased the width of their land about sixty feet, cutting off that much of the river channel. The consequence was that in winter the channel is not broad enough to carry the water, which overflows and does great damage to the adjacent land and roads. If the men refuse to cut away the strip of made land, the only other thing is to ask for a decree ordering a removal of the obstrucion.—Stockion independent.