i
I
1
I.J
jE MACON BEACON
.,..nLlmiEU K.VKKY HATUUDAT
,J -BY-I.JKKW
c AVAlllJ.
1.1 (l
tinver: I Ml
am luoiilus
r 1,-sm of minion
hree months
t 1
10 UU
..V 15 OH
11 l
lrtl
211 (HI
an on
J on
ai ue
Oil
sj ou
i oo
six
twelve
tlncc.
six
twelve
three
.1 hlx
twelve.
Ill too
HlX
.1 IwelVO
half col. one T''
alw eiilunm. one year, change'
m m
so M
irlctl.V
1MM
morlnl not w" ."'5'....V..S.' .17
lt Inwrleu with the general news mat-
inniT netlces mill trlliutei of repit
I ,i .iinieil lor mlTtirtlwiinntii.
I .Morula" auvm-Uwmeutj will k
i Kom time must lie upwind.
t 'rt'tseiiieiil" ft lieneTolenl M
t. uM'iimlal hull pii.e.
f, niculRiK, finite prtiM
Umle rules.
J inioiiiinlioe
,,llqimile'-
nwpeclfnlly mllelied
The Formation orCuvos.
ijlifOonii'M an interesting question
1(1 lllll HOW 1 11 im nuuv'iiuiiuuu s.ys-
..I... I'.,r in Mil llinnv cnuM n
aV llllSSeS llio'tt loving, unit linn
ll.ui.imau urhioli linn
II I'llVC, linn
.l niic must have formed all. Jt
jivs Imt a cursory glance to see at
that running wnier wnsineniitin
t. 'J HP limestone is so iruverHeu
,ints niui lines oi suruiKuge uiai
juitl'l' llipl'tiy S1UKH (IOWI1 lllll) iw
4 mill collects in smnii streams,
Siiowe their direction to the dipi
J,, strata and (lie position of the
d.siri' These ciiiuiuuin nre ueing
J T. II.. l....w.ol nml niliHnno.l Ki
.UjllUIlliy im-in ..j
UiSint'rc nieciiiiiucui ihuuii me
1 r alnll.Ml mill ul 1 1 Itnl Miiu
IJnSl Hi0 nll'y Wfly wlli,h the rock
to Siuliially eroded. The llnuwtoiie
teiXiiiKWi'il in fjrent rmrt of pure ear
boito of lime, whieli is iiiHoluhlo in
P. II I". ii'i:ui( ivmiiij uin-1
finally liiiulil (Jontainlii? ear
raciil, whieli is nn essential jinrt
l'tr nt iiiom ii o ro. nnu is invnnaoiy
prri'iit in the ralii-wiiler, and Is given
ntliy nririinlo bodies. Uy this invinl
liif i'iit Ihf hard ehn-Htallne rock is
lwys lieliiK atlaoked in some form
orntlier. The very snails that take-
in iih erannies leave nn enunr-
nmrk nf their presence in a mirfaoe
i with their nelil exlialullons,
li very often pass current amont;
.jrisls for the boriiigs of pholades,
nre the innocent cause of much
in!iiliiliiiii as to the depression of the
Ilifillllllin lops iienciiiii uio ne.i in
imiiinilively modem Times. nr
mrliiiile acid taken up by thr rain is
Ml n the main irotn ino aecom-
iX vep lalile mutter which gencr
liiniis the surface of the soil on
limestone. Its cflecta are to lie
in a most marked degree in tl""
sray massiwof riM'k termed "pave-
in," tluil stnuu oui iiKe roenct
fuMiem trom the purple Iientlier,
nre worn anil lisHiired Into the
fctrfliiri'Ht iiosslliie unaiies, rsomeiniies
fchiirliice is made up of a sheaf of
f il-niailes; aioineiH mere are ro
und eaves in immature; and
rullv the strata is divided into n
nt large angular Mocks, which
wi ll lie greatest freedom. Ttic
nic fossil shells and fragments of
lids standing out In bold relief
toSty Hint the ngent which lias re-
ji!'!'!! so imicn rocu is cnemicai, noi
ihiintral. This invisible ngent is
iillvnt work lu the caves as well
jluive ground, everywhere attack-
Wllf
iinv surlaee even out ot Hie reacii
in' streums. The endk'ss varieties
iHiiliiftitcs and stalagmites are
I'Av bu much solid mutter taken bv
tut of the rock, and redeposited
ire the excess ol carbonic acid in
ajwater happens to be taken up by a
iirient ot air. To it then, as well
to the mechanical power of the
inn, the fninialion and eiilnrge
lt of caves must be assigned.
nniltiun'H J(cr.
ThcTnnnol I nder tlieScn.
no Ifrai:! project of tunneling
it the sea iVom Dover to Calaia,
rh wan necessarily suspended
ln the progress of the Franco
ssiaii war, has li0 revived, with
roved prospects of biicccss.
iniunications on the Riihlcet hare
toil between the French anil
;lili (iovernments, and it is
ij;lit that the necessary privileges
!soon be accorded, and tlio prc
naries ai ranptnd for entering in
est upon the work,
mio of the. dillletilticslwliich it
feared would defeat the enter
have been dissipated. The en-
ors who made a survey in 18(
im feared that tlie tunnel, n
tiulcted. niii'lit urovo useless for
tit of sullicient ventilation. This
jreliension has bceu disposed of
jhb opening of the Mont Conis
Inch Jt is found that the diiler
fcoftempC.ratuvo at the opposite
Is of the tuiihCl is Bufllcieut to
fee a strong draft ul kcL'P thc
aierfootlv wholcgoino. Tbe same
e would doubtless operate as
ugly in the case ot the Joer
nel. Another dilUculty appre-
ded was a rush of oca water
uerh scams in the chalk forma-
I underlying the the chaunol. In
wer to this, tbo fuct is cited that,
puiiing operations galleries nare
eucccssiuiiv carneu ir ainmi
sea. Tbo obstacle of tinio lias
larsclv overcome bv the inven-
of a machine capable of eiccavat-
a passage seven feet in diameter
lllly-four tcet long, In twonty-
r hours. J!y the use ot tins ma
no, it is estimated that tbo work
bo coDinletud within live
Irs, instead of ton, as wa at first
filiated. Those who have occa-
to make the passage on the stir
I of the water will hopo that I
Slier exorcise of liiircnuity will
der the eompletiou of tbo work
i line within a biucu snorier iiwc
in this,
t
Dooms!) Enikki'bish. The Buez
bal Is flilliur n n with sand. This
fs Bounds like the death-knell of
t grandest mouumeut of human
ri)riiul alclll nml natienoe. The
fUog sand of the desert will ke the
ruouoo of the canal. If (be n-
n 1 1 ilin I. ii nil ran
-"WIHIIfl lirUTQ 11 IIC, VI.U i.
J! ion doliara which the cutting of
f isthmus cot--wbo may compuie
cost ju human sweat ,nJ blood?
f been sunk In shifting sand indeed,
the accumulation of sand already
teai to impede navigation, there
ill 1 iTT.i Cm
MO UU NUCU IU1U J$S DUCfi v.i...'-.
few veara henca. The company
Hch carried out the euterprhnist'enis
tious to ant rid of tbecaual at
yih'ugr like a reasonable or partial
iurn of it outlay. For Ibis purpose
company baa asked the Khedive
purchase it. 'Ilia Jshedlve who
touragedthe work wbwJncouree
onstructhn, seems to have given
P as a losing speculation and al
ptigb the proposition is supported by
jiub aumonty wuiuii a recommeB
mtuu of a Biiltan to his vassal may
vy, the Khedive lias refused to
anything more to do with the
J'KRsiDENr Grant Las appointed
-'OMjr ,uv minium uu) ui iiuou.
3uayoi National inauKFgiv
i f
VOL. XXII.
Jit VI I IH I, l.i; VJ I S.
Knilin licncnth our iircwiug feet.
Strowu uiHin lwe uii'l lino nu'l'ttrei't,
Uttnutifii lt'iium!
nyiij with Iho hucp ul the Biiiinut ky
Falling in gbr? to rilontly,
Veautilul loaruii t
Never tn frr.ilicn ninilhcr Piirini,
Pievurtu knoiT wlmt tlnmuiiiiuor nmy briny;
Hi'iiutil'ul luvvoat
Wilhereil liy wintry fiiwtiunl uulil,
Buuu tu decay in thu ruiiiuiuii tmmlil.
huaalitul leuvu.il
Mil will tlis j'carn that chuugu ygur tiuti.
ilaik upyn us lliuir initunm if i.rint
llriiulilul lunvui
shall wo fall fnnn Ihiitrnu oflimu,
Fiulc liku ye, in a frusly elinm.
Bfiittlil'ul loavos I
But wlmn Iho wintnr of ilditli in ifnt,
And wo wako in i;tern;il iriiiR at la.st
Jloailtit'tll li-nvoh t
May Ho, who paintu yon ovory huo,
Form uur liven a ebaiilut new.
Oil beautiful liurca!
FIX.
Nursery ltr.y nim lor l.lllle helenlinlN.
FOU TflK I.ITTl.E IIOTAMKT.
l.lttlcno-IVcnals
fliul lONt her wpulN,
Ami wnore do you lliInK Slie ll lluU 'eiu7
In IIih Involucre,
By hoot or crook, or
bliu'll mukc up liur mind not to fluid 'cm.
KOB THK IIKMH'ALCIIll.D.
Slug abongofuclita,
Haw nml u I kill 1,
Fmir-ond-twi'iily gasou
linked inlnn pie;
When the pie was opened,
Wouderftll In sny,
Oxyile" nml nllrngeu
Ilolh flew uway!
PriRTIIK ASTUOMllMICAI. INKAN1'.
l'.y-liuliy buuUng,
FftllmrV gone slur hunting,
Molher's atlhe teloeopn
To rend the buby s huron'tipo.
Ily-Uay linntold,
T-'iitlier's found nil Hstcrnlil:
Mother makes liy rnlculuMoii.
The angle of lis incliimliou
VOUTIIR VOCNII UI'.OI.OIIIM-.
Trliohltu Uruptublle,
Naulllusplo.
Beiii were eulcarfoiiH,
oeeftiiH were dry,
E'leene, lllloi'i'iie,
I'lmcenu, lufl,
I.lus mid ti ins,
Ami thai is enough.
A SUNO Fill) SKNTIMKS TAI.ISTS.
(.Vol.. i"-r -i'"' Ihnu "tic wit lull r h"i rif lnlr!y.
II never 1 eeiu.e lo love,
Tlii'iiniiiii limy eliaiie her hill',
And 'mid the sturn aliove
The Mm no morn bum blue.
Among the woodland lii'cs,
The whale their song may cense,
And oyslers at tbrln-iiM1,
Iiluy keep their beilsln jieaco.
II nevor I eenne to love,
The cows limy cuU h the croup,
While of the turtledove,
1inl Mayors no more mnkeKoup,
The frogs may plow die main,
The llgnrshiuir fur above,
The rain lieiiinaceiise lo reign,
If never I cense tn love.
The Everglades of Florida.
The Kverglndcs nre just n submerg
ed irnirie, nnd they exhibit the li'an
ner in which the great Western prai
ries were formed. Ihniu the F.vcr
gladcs, (It could be done), and the
present islands would bo hills. JSiili
meige a prairie, anil its hills would
become Islands. No tree is found en
the Kverglndcs, because they are
constantly covered with water; no
trees are found on the prairies, be
cause they were long covered witlt
water, time will- como when this
vast plain will be clear of water, anil
then we shall have a large surface,
like the prairies, clear ol trees, ami
tilted lor cultivation by 111:111. In
these little livorglnde .islands the
palm flourishes, anil also the orange
mil every oilier tree oi i ioninu me
castor oil plant grows up to be a large
tree of several years' life. The arrow
root nml sweet potato patches merely
reipiire that stirring of the ground
necessary 111 removing tne iii.i irowii
roots to 'cause the younger ones to
grow and keep on growing. It is
reallv not necessary 10 piani. more
than once. It is a lazy man's para
disc. No wonder the Indians were
unwilling to move to the West; It was
not the graves ol their lathers tliey
were unwilling to leave, it was their
potato and pumpkin patches. Their
pumpkin is small, round and sweet;
ibev cut it onen. nut in a raccoon or
opossum, cover it with iisliesand bake
1. 1.. il.A jl.... O'l.tt l.imO.i'u IliinU II n
11 ill Hie lilt:. An' iiiiiii-v ..i
superb dish. Another plan is to take
a fish Just oft'the hook, nnd without
scaling or cleaning, wrap it up in
green leaves and bake it in the name
way, Jiuniers use a wet uenjuin 1.
It is done w hen, if you tear n niece of
the wrapping, the skin and scales
come olt with it. You tear ofr kln
and wrapping from one side, cut the
tlesh, turn 11 over iiu cm uk umn,
and throw bouenaiid insiiluuu ay.
Iinllnns In small nunipers nvo sun
found near the J-Jyerglades. J ney no
not like the white, and are not socia
ble but there Is a talisman Hint will
till iVO iiicin out of stoicism into cordi
ality there is a sesame that will open
nn 'Indian's heart and mouth, and
that s Whisky, incy nre 111 emj
savagwwlio have never invented an
l.,t,,r i.-nlllllf Hill Or Ol llll-n umi.
Ti.-ironlv idea of eliitioil is to
,et drunk. Hide into their counin
M.lrtf .rtf.i llilll Tt-limkV
Pllt UP Wll" v-im-i,
L,i .iv.it.la him more, and he nnd
I I11111T vonr
Ins are ai your wi n 1
whisky im.Miiim"w
nr .x L-A'Ti'iiu nv TKfri'H A re-
t r-w
ui..i.. ilio milliner
cent eompiiiiiii"" n.......
ofnrtificial teeth made yearly in the
F lilted WHiewwtiiree 11..........
represents, Diny mn l
least Ijfteeii million too haujics, Min
eral uetl) ro nowehlelly iniujo, prov
ing more wrviiwiihle than any (filler.
Their ingredients nre feldspar, sili.cja,
and clay, with a few metluj Pdes
to produce the natural tints of discol
oration. These substance nrn ground
to an iiupulpaPiepowuui ua..e. w.
and then mac e 11110 a p".
teeth ore cast in n
paste which forms the nmri of t he
tooth is first introduced,. then the pla-
which rornw me iui,
Nextcnsue powerful pressure, lug.
nnu Piinuu'iiuu.
wa.n i of lltfRMHWiis ui iu.
those of the tooth.
t)je gum
le-of Mli
mer nnnlies
a mim of oKide-of gold
..,.1 ntiu.r IncredientN.
Finally the
nuv. ..iiillllO.
tooth goes mtoa niw
er of crushed quart! strewed
neon. WIlCll II 1 imiiv.t ti
over a
After ex-
snu, w h Uie is
poHiiro u e wwj 1..-,.r- i.,i
akeu out and W K
to remain "beaiitlhti foievci, 9'u
pert s to be the despair of aomo fu
1 geologist who may discover it
S- 'email., of tlifiiiteteeut.
And'iiow another lvMut fiflj;
ernm W in tmul.le. Alivady we b .e
,iie 111 Tens' sod now comes
r'over nor Austin of Mi.uu'wot.i, into
co rt to sav hat M did not take a
I fTL?nmi for signing wHidp
mad Mil. as charged on the 3itli
u by be St Anthony Falls Demo-
;?,!,l for lllici stoutly iiaiffUin the
truth of bis alleged blander.
't 9ftii:U AMI TRl L i
An r Tr.ioNli.r.v olTnlllui nla l.llc.
In the ycarlsjl, there wcroamong
the ewly.sottleinenU ot Run Fmneis
co, Calil'oniin, two brothers named
Thompson, who, having como thith
er from an Eastern State at the, be
ginning of the "gold excitement,"
three years before, and labored con
jointly for the more generous iUvurs
of fort 11110 without commensurate re
sult, decided atlUst to separate for 11
a time the one to go to the mines
and work for the fraternal partner
ship there, while the other remained
in the city and improved such chan
ces ns ordinary business should oiler.
Ily su .h an arrangement two prom
ising fields would be worked at once,
and its wisdom was equally obvious
to both young 111011 but when it
mine to the question of which of
them should assume the hardships
and perils of a miner's life, neither
exhibited an alacrity to name him
self for the adventure.
To decide this delicate point they
drew lots, by which formula of fate
the cider Thompson was doomed to
become the miner, nnd accordingly
procured au 'outfit, and prepared to
leave the city, lie fore taking the
latter step, however, the miner elect
chose to tiring a little romance of his
California life to a climax; by -we l
ding a young Eastern .woman, who,
like himself, had left I101110 to who
fortune on the l'acilic const; and al
though lie could not take her with
him into the wild, comfortless life of
the mines, tlio satisfaction of feeling
that he had at least secured her tor
himself, and hud a beloved brother
lu whose care to leave her, gave him
more courage and inspiration for his
departure than might have been pos
sible to him as t bachelor. Wedded
lie was, then, and after a honey moon
of heroic brevity he consigned hie
bride to the protection of his brother,
and bravely marched away with
pick and shovel to the gold fields of
the north. Eigcr as he naturally
was to dig his prize from the earth
and hasten back to the greater pri
lelt behind, ho was yet firmly resolv
ed to deny himself wife, brother and
home, until he indeed bo the bearer
orsomo share of wealth. So when
his first essay in the mines did not
prove wholly satisfactory, he went
sturdily onward into tlio Indian
country, and, aunngst the red men,
adding hunting and trapping to his
mining pursuits. Thence still mov
ing further northward, he reached
Eraser Ifivor when the excitement
about the auriferous yield of that lo
cality wasin its height,aiid there suc
ceeded in digging 110 less than 2U0
ounces of the precious dus', which
he at ouro sent by express to his wile
and brother in sun Francisco.
From them he had thus liir heard
nothing on his travels, for il had
been agreed that they should not
write until he should he in .niiie
pkiee renehed by regular mails hut
now he was impatient to know how
theyreguided bis present, ami felt
sure that they would devise some
means of forwarding their written
congratulation. The lii iing was
vain, however; no- letter cume mid,
after months of waiting, the finally
indignant Thompson wrote to a
friend in San Francisco with enqui
ries respecting the silent ones. The
answer came that they had recently
disappeared from the city, together,
having apparently, in their posses
sion a considerable sum of. money,
obtainod no one knew exactly how.
The miner, of course, knew whence
the money came but buc.Ii intelli
gence of its seeming cll'ect upon
those he beid dearest in the world ap
pealed to his apprehension in a most
sinister sense. Ho believed that he
was doubly betrayed; that his: wife
and his brother had basely and heart
lessly practiced the blackest treach
ery against, him, finally to use the
gold he had sent to help beyond Lis
reach. Heart broken and desper
ate thc tlio poor follow thought no
more of anv goodly fortune for him
self, but cared only for such wander
ing, wild adventure and savagery, as
should divert him from all retrospec
tive and tender thoughts.
Ho joined an expedition to the
Great' Salt liukc, as it is called, nnd
remained in thc wilderness beyond
reach of mail or messenger for sev
eral years, lteturning filially to
Victoiia, or Fraser Hivcr, he went
with another expedition, to Idaho,
and there, and in Montana ho was
lost till as late as lSlid. From the
latter year until 18I1S ho was a resi
dent of Salt Lako City, going from
thence to thc once famous White
l'ine mines, of Nevada, about eigh
teen months niro. Fortune smiled
not upoo Ids generally listless efforts;
he had a me 01 comioiucss vk"u"""
dfsgc and tho twenty years of liU ab
encn from San Francisco wrought
such lines ill ids fuci) and whUeness
in bU hair as iorty happier ones
could not havo produced.
Sninn two weeks ago the broken
boneless, and embittered man, visi-i
ted a mining camp not far from the
town of Eureka, Nevada, fovthe pur
pose of Joining a pompauy titling
out for a trip to Arozonia, and there
says the F.ureka (jcntincl, telling ins
story, ho was fated to be delivered
at last from the delusfoit of twenty
miserable years. In the expedition
preparing for Ara.onia, was another
man named Thompson, who, though
neither recognized nor recognizing
at first, proved lo bo no other than
our poor minor's recreant brother.
Wbeu 1 tlio por vagabond vyandcr
crdisepvered tlus.dejipitcliis wrongs,
ho fell upon his brother's' neck and
.-inil like a child: and not only did
thatbrotluiryecoivo and return, the
purest! without sliamo, but he took
tho earliest opportunity, to reprove
the othor lor leaving m
brother to suppose, for nearly a
score of years, that he was dead.
The gold w cocj it.., u.
without addre'sB, or M W tyl'
whither it cmo ai a living man s
gift, or ft dead man's legacy, is
letter from me nunci uu
received by wifeor brother, although
the had lent many a one to hitn.
The wile Tmdtli.a oblld to
concludo that her husband Was dead j
the gold sent had been his dying
gilt, and with tho money she bought
a valuable fl''lrt r S"" 'Tose' where
wearing the weeds-of widowhood,
sho still lives, As for the brother,
be spent portions of the last fifteen
vcars in pursuit of some trace of the
L .1 lnacf 1.1 llttil Ills
miner, uop.uB r-3
....,-n nml afllic
Illy H Willi iiaimuiiiiui iruiiu tuvj i'
fear hut now thai tin wv Uio livid
If t pM
I.MACON,, MISSISSI1TT, SA'lijRDAV, DEOEMIiElt i, 1 87 1
man before him. nothing was left to
them buta lushing journey to a cer
tain valley farm near San .lose, where
the bebt, truest, ami staunches!, would
at once be the moat surprised and hap
piest little woman in the world!,
"Ere Ibis," cencluded the story,
"there hits been a meeting." The de
cline of life will pas in ease, com
fort, and happiness to 11 man who for
twenty years believed himself the
victim oi woman's perfidy.
l'liper '('lotlilng.
In civilized countries, the manufac
turing of paper Into various articles ot
clothing has only been the business
ol a very brief period, bill among bar
barous people it is tin industry I hut lias
been cultivated for years. With ui,
the employment still remuins mils
infancy, umi it has takeu us many
years lo master the djllkullies attend
ing its iiiti'oduidion. At first, our
niaiiufaoturirM cotillued Uioir produc
tion almost entirely to collars, cutis,
frills, mid similar minor articles.
Prejudice having been in a great meas
ures overcome, our inventors extended
their area of production to many fa
brics of universal u-e, but) requiring
greater strength and pliability than
those worn about the neck or arms.
The. garments made by this prociss
failed to answer the requirement of
our day, aud were not received with
general favor.
At this juncture of alluli s, it remains
for an English inventor to solve the
dilllculty, and give us a really servi
ceable paper fabric, it is 11 luixlureul.
various animal and vegetable eub-.
stances., the former being wool, silk,
aud skins; the kitten llax, jute, hemp,
and cotton. These articles are ull re
duced to a tine pulp, bleached and
then felled by machinery. The mix
tuie of these several substance pro
duces a fabric of wonderful tlexlbillty
und strength. It can be sewed to
gether with u machine us readily as
woven fain ics, and makes us strong a
seam.
This paper is of a very serviceabl na
ture, and is made into table-cloth,
napkins, haiulkercLiefs, pants, cur
tains, shirts und other articles of dress.
The petticoats made from this felted
paper ure of very elaborate design,
and wonderful beauty. They ure
either printed or stamped, aud bear so
close a resemblance lo linen or cotton
goods of like description as to almost
defy the scrutiny of the ublestexperls.
Tho stamped open-work j shins dis
play a delicacy of pattern that if
would be almost imp is.-ible to Imitate
by any ordinary skill with the needle.
Imitation blankets nnd chintz for
beds, furniture, or curtains, are also
made very cheaply. Embossed table-cloths
iiml tiguivd M'pkius made
of felted paper, so cloti'ly .resemble
the genuine damask linen as to palm
edoH'iipiiu the unsuspecting as the
genuine article.
In Ueruiuny, paper napkius have
been ii.-ed for several years. Their
cost is but a fritle, and they pay for
themselves before they are rtquired to
be cast aide. t
Felted paper is cnpible Of being
mniJeiuto lace, fringe, and trimming;
ami for them seveial purposes it is
Unequa'ed in point of cheapness and
durability. Imitation l-ather is also
made from the same material, which
Is perfectly Impervious b water. It i
soil and pliable, and is n very 11.-cu.1l
fabric for covering furniture, making
into shoes, lor belt.s, and for many
otl-er purposes.
Jn China ami Japan, paper cunning
has long Is en worn by the inhabitants.
It is very cheaply produced there, a
good paper coat costing only ten cents,
while Hie expense ot an entire sun is
limited to twenty-live iciits. t-o(
Mutes Ewjti'juiitit.
MUSllJtOOJI (WHINS.
A Fcrt .hiiUKcnlivv rued About I. lie
JllNIII'lllll'C,
According to the reports mado to
the Eil'e Insurance Supeiiutendcnt of
the Slate of New York, there are seventy-one
life Insurance companies do
ing busiuess iu the United States,
w ith aggregate assets of over lliltt,
000,0(10. Twenty-nine of these, which
were organized from two to seven years
since, show an aggregate deficit of
over $1 ,3Si!,0i.ill. And the peculiar fea
tures of the matter is that, notwith
standing this enormous deficit, they
have during the year 1K70-1 paid to
stockholders dividends amounting in
the aggregate to fl72,()UO. The ques
tion thai luiturully arises in this
connection is whj, do these compan
ies jeopardize the Interesls of policy
holders by paying these large divi
dends to stockholders, Iuitcad of al
lowing the profits to go toward mak
ing up their deficits?
There is another class of oompanies,
twenty-nine In number, which are
only able to show a surplus of premi
ums by reckoning their premium
notes as assets. Some of the best au
thorites on life insurance hold that
premium notes ure uot assets. If notes
are assets, why not take all notes und
be done with jt, charging simply the
interest? These same companies
show a deficit of over SfOOO.iKKJ in
cash. We might ask, what does the
Buperiuteuduut, Mr. Miller, proposes
to do with such companies? Does he
intend to serve them uh he has done
the Farmers' aud Mechanic' Life, the
Merchants' Life and tlie Great wes
tern Life lusuranee Companies, by
com net I in sr them to wiud up their af
fairs and c,iasp to do busineiVf" It
seems but just that lie should do so lo
protect the public generally against
imposition and probable disaster. The
remaining thirteen companies are, it
aniwara hv Mr. Miller's rcisirt: sound
and reliable, from the fad that they
i.aD miri.ii.a. over and above all lia-
have a surplus, over and above all lia
bilities, of over 10,(HHJ,lHjOU-an aver
age of nearly $800,000 each. It la not
to be presumed that tho fifty-eight
compauies referred to are hopelessly
bankrupt, royidod 110 serious epi
.teniii' -rniishnr larire losa oi life, over
takes them, they may pontinue to do
business aild pay losses indefinitely.
But si uoe tho great Chiuago disaster,
which proves fatal to so many nre in
surance compauies that couduc'.ed
their business In the same manner,
it would seem to be the part of wisdom
to inquire into the condition of all life
Insurance companies, apd to coiupell
all who show dlllclts io either quit
busiuess orplaee themselves upon a toa
slssucb as would enabletbenito weather
tho deutb.wrui mat an epidemic is at
any time liable to occasion. 4 Would
It nut Iw well for the State authorities
to look into this important matter wim
a vi-vv to protect the people by proper
legislation against imposition nnd loss?
While we shall have' ubtiug' to say
against life insurance a whole, we
shall eyer lpslRt imon the suppression
of thii bogus miishtQOMi CHuiru8,
which, from their own showing, must
Inevitably go to ..the wall wnen the
storm comes and the policy-holders
ui u ,l moHt ill neeU oi tne ueuenv
,7 i,a nai.i so liberal-
Up
A sj.-.,oyO,l)'iO Diamond.

Now 1 .eorj,'inn l.osl his I'orluue,
From a recently published Work by
Dr. Htopbetifloii ou the geology, min
eralogy, etc., of the State of Georgia,
we take the following; interesting ac
count of the Diamond mines of flail
County.' Many of tho :ild citizens of
the State, says the Atlantic New Era,
will recognize the singular adventure
related by the author, of Dr. Eoyd, in
connection wilh the ilianiond-uunt-ing
iu Unit valuable section of the
State:
Kindling parallel with the mm hie is
the immense ledge of iUcolumito, or
elastic sttiidrtuue, the matrix of the
diamond. It extends throughout the
country for thirty miles, and in every
gold deposit or nrnnch mine near It,
have lieen found splendid diamonds
by the gold washers, who, being total
ly iguoruut of their uiituie 01 value,
either losi or destroyed most of them.
Some Were sent to Europe to be cut
and set in jewelry, but most of them
were lost, Nome of them are still in
the luMmis of the finders, who keep
them as mementoes, .in their roogh
state. Jieiutf eutirely ignoiuet of their
nature or value, none were picked up
but su(!h as were without incrustation,
which lu Brazil and (ioloonda amount
to only the one-teutli pait of the
whole product. Fwur-lifibs of all the
diamonds found iu any country tire
small, and only .lit fir. mechanical
purpose lu general, being less than a
half curat,- or from one to two
trains. The carat is a fraction less
than fiftir grains (three and one-sixth),
but in all, estimates and sales in the
carat is put at four grains. It origina
ted from the use of the seed of a plant
in tiie'East Indies, in the sale of dia
monds. This berry, which grows on
ly iu ihttt region, though uot very ac
o'uratevaiiswerert tho purposes of the
setui-civilized Indians fur several thou
sand years.
Theyield in Brazil, for folly years,
from Hie labor of from thirty thousand
to sixty thousand bauds, ranged be
tween one thousand aud twelve lin"
died ounces. Of this large amount
they rarely found more than three or
four, and never more than ten, that
weighed more than thirty uaiats.
These facts strongly coiiliini the opin
ion that, when developed, Hall Coun
ty will be as rich In diamonds as Bra
zil, and contain even a larger percent
of sizable ones of the first water. In
washing for gold, all the larger ones
would, from tho construction "f tlio
machines necessarily lie lost er thrown
away with the quartz gravel with
which they are associated, and only
siicli as -passed into the reiliers, with 1
the trains of told and line mod, would
be found in the panning after the day's
work wus done. All of those found in
Hall County were thus found, weigh
ing from two to six carats, soiu 3 few
lo.s, and three were of large size. One
of theso as before staled, was broken
up to ti.elhe ci'iise of their lustre, by
the ignoran miners. Auother was
used for years, by tho boys, as 11 "middle-man"
in playing marbles; and the
largest otic by fur wus lost by Dr. Loyd,
who was employed to oversee thirly
negroes in working the Glade Gold
Mice, a deposit twelve miles northeast
of Gainsville.
During the frjui-years he was em-
ikl.iii.wl tin tiii-Uoil mil of flm sunds of
te jmiiniiigs for gold every nilit, af-
ter the day's washing wus over, about
lialf a pint of pretty stones, w hieli Ik
gave to his wife, who put them in uu
old cupboard, except such ns the chil
dren took a fs.tiey to, whl'di were gen
erally lost. When thecupbord wus full
she made a little bag, und put them
into that for future aruui-eniciit. Some
of these, from their size und ivp'.Uen
Ills I e, lliu.si nave neeu 11111 uulil
.i..,...,-.i t i!i,..ii.,,un,i,i,.i.
lars. But the "big one" was found by
hiuiself whilst working in tlie pit in
place of a sick hand. He said that
about two hours by sun (he had lin
watch), while rai-iug a gravel, he
found a stone lust like the little ones,
except that it was bright and shining
only on oue side, the other side being
covered witli a crust of brown sttill.
It wasalmut the size ofa "guinea egg."
Being hard pushed to keep the wheel
barrows filled with gold gravel, so as
to furnish grit for constant washh g,
he laid il on the bank, by a gum tree
which stood close by, until night,
when be intended to take it up to the
cabin aud give it to his wife and chil
dren, as being the largest of the pret
ty stones he had found. But when
night came the machines were empti
ed of their gold sand, and in the hurry
of I he moment he forgot all about the
pretty stone. Twelve years afterward
he was shown a rough diamond, and
at once recognized the contents of the
"mustard bottle," and the "big
one" be had laid up bv the gum-tree.
Soon after he found the "big pretty
stone," the lease expired, and the
company who employed him sent
home the bands and quit work. About
the same time Mrs. Loyd died; and
bis daughter, who had reached wo
manhood, married, ami moved away
to South western Georgia, and took the
little furniture they had, among which
was the cupboard whieli then contain
ed the fated bag. When he became
satisfied of the value of tbo stones, he
at once left Atlanta, where ho was
keeping tlie Washington Hull, and
went to his daughter; but she had 110
knowledge of the bag or mustard bot
tle. They were gone. He then
weut to the mine, and looked long
aud anxiously for the stone by the
gum tree. No tree was there. The
uroiind had been cleared and cultiva
ted in coru for ten years. He jookpd
in vain for any sign of tlio place.
None existed. He now washed the
travel from the heaps whore he
thought it wa, for weeks and months
out ne lounu 11 not. ruscourageu, anu
weary of hunting, lie returned to At
lauta to die. rom his description 0
icriptiou of
its size and character, there cm bj 110
doubt of it being a diamond; and being,
as he described it, about as largo as a
"guinea egg," must, if pure, have
been worth about twenty-five million
UOllftl'.
I3KGMSR Ol'IMOX OF ASIKllIOAS Es-
kruy. The Loudon 7Vmf ot the loth
Inst, concludes a review ol the probable
effects of the Chicago (ire upon British
Interests with the following paragraph
In the midst of all the contusion and
loss, it is necessnrv to bear hi mind the
vigor and elasticity with which the
American people meet find repair every
adversity. The conseaucrices oj the
two tires which within the past thirty-
flvo years have devastated the business
rvf V..... '1... r.ni. 1.
UlllllUllO V AVt iVIft IHlliVIlVUllillimil
with a prompt tude which soon efluee l
their traces, and at a later period a like
visitation at San Francisco caused a
st ill greater development of indouiil able
energy. Hence jt is some satWlucaliou,
In the midst of the present disaster, to
predict that, whutveriuuy be its mag
nitude, there will lie nothing more as
tonishing in conncetioii with iltnan the
way in w liloh the sufferers will cllect
the work of restoration."
And this prediction, it may be ad ded
is lu 1 ull course ol veriiioaliou.
u attached crurlo Uystor bhclls
BEAM.
Curiosities of Memory.
.lohn Keinblo used to f,y that he
could learn a whole number of thc
Morning Post iu four days; and
(.en. Christie made a similar asser
tion, but it is not known how far ei
ther of them verified this statement.
Hubert Dillon could repeat in the
I morning six columns of a newspaper
hu hud read overnight. During the
repeal debates in the hoiinc of com
mons ihirty-seven years ago one of
the members wrote out his speech,
sent it to the newspapers, and repeat
ed il to tin; house in the evening; it
was found lo be the same verbatim
aslliathe had written out. John
Fuller, a laud agent In Norfolk,
could remember every word of a ser
mon, and write it out correctly after
going home; this was tested by
comparing his written account with
the clergyman's manuscript. Scali
ger could repeat a hundred verses or
more after having read them a single
time. Seneca cou'd repeat SOW
words on hearing (hem once. Mag
liabecchi, who had a prodigious
memory, was once put to a severe
test. A geut!r.m!in lent him a uiann
script, which wai read aud returned.
The owner, some time afterward,
pretending he had lost it, begged
Magliabecclii to write out as much
as he could remember; whereupon
Iho latter, appealing to his memory,
wrote out tho whole cssny. Cjrus,
if some of the old historians are to
be credited, could remo Tiber the
name of every soldier in his immense
army. There was a Corsican boy
who could rehearse 10,flU0 words,
whether sense or nonsense, as they
were dictated, and then repeat them
in a reversed order, without m n rp
a single mistake. A phyeiciava of
Massachusetts, about half a century
ago, could repeat the whole of 'Tam
il ise Lost" without mistake, although
he had not read it lor twen'y years.
Euclcr, the great mathematician,
when he became blind, coul.l repeat
the whole of Virgil's 'Jfinid," and
could remember thc first line and the
last, line 011 every pago of ho par
ticular edition which ho had been
accustomed to read before be became
blind.
Ono kind of retentive memory
may be considered as Iho result of
sheer hard work, a determination to
wards one particular achievement,
without refeience cither to cultiva
tion or to memory on other subjects
.'bis is frequently shown by persons
in humble life in regard to the Bible.
An old bcggarnian nt Slirliug,
known sonic forty years ago as
Blind Aleck, nflbrded an instance of
this. He knew tl.o whole of tho Bi
ble by hc.ill, inasmuch as if a sen
tence were read to him, ho could
inline book, chapter ar.d verse or it
tbo book, chapter and verso were
named, ho jould givo tho exact
words. A gentleman, to tost him,
repented a voive, purposely making
one verbal inaccuracy Aleck heai
tiled, named the place where the
passage is to be found, but at the
same time pointed out the verbal er
ror 1 liesame gennemnii asKc.l him
lo repeat the ninetieth verse otvthe
seventh chapter of.thc book of Xtuu
hers. Aleck almost Jiistiuiily re.
plied, 'There 'is no such verse; that
chapter l.us only. eighty-nine verses.''
Vaccination nnd Disease.
Thc most experienced Tnc iimtors,
on (he one liaiid, ami those who have
1 -.1 .1 r
bud most to do with the treatment of
infantile ailments, on the ojher, agree
in the belief that disease is not com
municable by vaccination. Mr. Mar
son, an English physician, iu thc per
formance ot more than nlty thousand
vaccinations, has never seen other
disea-e communicated with tho vac
cine disease, nor doos he believe iu
the popular reports that they are so
communicated." Mr. Lee, whose
observations are equally extensive,
has borne similar testimony. Dr. W,
Jciiner, w ho in six years had some
thirteen thousand sick adults and
children under observation, states
"that in no case had ho reason to be
lieve or even to suspect, thatany con
stitutional taint had been conveyed
trom one person to another by vacci
nation." Duririga period of seventeen
years JDr. Wes? treated trtcnty-six
thousand infants sud children with a
liko experience and Prof. Paget, after
an extensive familiarity with the dis
eases of children, expresses the opin
ion that the worst which can be
charged upon vaccination is that, by
disturbing for a time the general
health, it may rarely give opportuni
ty for tho external manifestation aud
complete evolutiou of some constitu
tional aflection which but for it
might have remained rather longer
latent.
Where every pci son in a commu
nity has been vaccinated, thero is lit
tle cLanco for small-pox to obtain a
foot-hold and it is also very certain
that the presence of the uuvaccinatcd
is a standing invitation to the dcvcl
opciueiit and spread of epidemics.
The opponents of vaccination, and a
far larger number who from lguor-
anco or carelessness neglect tho pre
caution, thus become, so far as thc
public health is concerned, a "dan
gerous class," which like other dan
gerous classes it is for the interest of
the community at largo to remove.
Galaxy.
Irish Dulls.
The Irish, rightly or wrongly, get
credit for almost all the bulls that go
tho rounds of the papers. It was nn
Irishman who wanted !o find a place
wliue. there wns'iia death, that he
might go nnd end his days there. It
was au Irish editor that excluimed,
when speaking of the wrongs of Ire
land, "Her cup of misery has been
for ages overflowing, and is not vet
full." It was an Irish newspaper that
said of ltobospierro that "he left no
children behind him except a brother,
w ho was killed at the same time." It
was an Irish Coroner who, when ask-
ed how he accounted for tin ext" or
dinary mortality in Limerick, replied,
sudlyi 1 cannot tell. There are peo
ple 'dying this year that never died
before." It was an Irish handbill
that announced, with boundless liber
ality, iu reference to a great political
demonstration in the Hodunda, that
"Ladies, without distinction (if sex,
would he MLlcoUie," Kir Boylo Hoehe
suld; "Single misfortunes never come
alone, and the oroatest of all possible
misfortunes is generally followed by a
much greater." An eminent spirit
merchant in Dublin announces hi nn
Irish paper, that he him -.'.iii i small
uuuntityofUiCi wiiijkyQu huiid which
uu druuK'by Oeoigo 1V.1 when in
a. .ui..-
Dublin.
xo.
Arsenic in Wall IV per.
A correspondent of the British
Medical Journal writes r "Hitherto
it has been generally supposed that
papers entirely green, and of a very
bright shade of green, were arseni
cal but tin fact is, as proved by- (be
thc analysis of eminent chemists,
that every paper which contains any
green in the pattern, no matter liov,
little, or of w hat shade, as a genei sjl
rule contains arsenic, and is, there
fore, injurious to health. One shade
of green Is no safer than another, for
tho very palest green frequently con
tain largo quantities of arsenite of
copper, tho brilliput color of which
is toned down to any degree of pale
ness by the addition of lhalk, and
sometimes of whito lead; the result
being that pale green papers often
contain just as much arsenic as those
of brighter color. The quantities of
arsenic used in green papers appear
almost unlimited, varying from the
fractional part ot a grain up 'to the
frii.'hlful amounts ofiiixj nine, four
teen grains and upwards to the fnuai-e
loot. I have beside n: gome pnl?
green papers, tho analyst, of which
give these amounts, and the illness
produced by those papers proved In
some ciscs all but fatal. I have also
by mo a paper with green loaves n
a whito ground, containing no less
than eight grains to the square foot,
which caused most serious illness.
"AVhcu the atmosphero nf dwel
lings all over the kingdom, in town
and country, is thus more or less
poisoned with arsenic, tho most vol
atile and the most subtle of all puis-
ons, need wo he surprised at t lie In
creasing prevalence of varions forms
ot disease t Investigation of this
subject i earnestly called for. 1
cannot hut regard it as a matter of
great national importance, (fleeting
masses ol our population physically,
mentally, and moral'y, to an extent
little conceited of at present. There
appears good reason for believing
that ft vo -y large amount of sickness,
and mortality among all classes U
attributable to this cause, and that It
may probably account for many of
the mysterious disease! of tho pres
ent day, which so continnally b.ifllc
all medical skill.'
"Arsenic being cxci:diiigly vola
tile, its cllccts by inhalation, both of
gaseous cminntions from tbo papers,
and of tlio tine impalpable dust
thrown oil at all temperatures, are
highly dangerous, producing symp
toms both chronic and acute, which
stimulate various forms of disease.
I say utimul'tte, because I havo 6oen
cases where the symptoms of va
rious diseases wcre prodnccd by the
irritation of the entire mucous mem
brane, and consequently of the whole
system, resulting from the occupa
tion of rooms with arsenical wall
papers and on the removal of those
papers the symptoms gradually sub
bided, thus proving that .they w-cre
the result of the irritation, and not
of organic disease. But it would
scorn uot improbable that prolonged
exposure to thc same poisonous in
fluence may in time produce those
diseases which arc at first only stim
ulated. "Having witnessed the effects of
slow poisoning by arsenical papers
in my own lumily and household
during a number of years, and ha7
ing sutrcred severely myself from the
same cause, I speak from persoual
experionce. During a period of
twelve years wo were rarely free
from illness in some form or other.
No fewer than twclvo physicians,
several of eminence, were consulted
in London and elsewhere. They a'l
agreed as to the diseased conditions
which existed, but not ono succeed
ed moro than a temporary relief.
Children and ndults of both sexes,
including several servants, and num
bering altogether fourteen, all sufi'er
ed. The peculiar nature and obsti
nacy of the symptoms wore such that
I could not but think somatinics
that soino hidden cause was at work,
which analysis of the papers of rooms
occupied during those twelve years
has since proved to be indisputably
tbo case. Thc idea that ar;pnieal
papers were the cause of illness
was suggested by the perusal of a
little book not long since published,
entitled, "Tho Green of the Period,"
which gives mnch valuahlo Informv
tion on the subject, and was put into
my hands by a physician who was
attending us. The proof that such
was really thc caso lies in the fact
that on removing all the papers con
taining green, the symptoms were
greatly rolievcd."
Density of the Firth's Inte rler.
it is known that, seietilihc men
commonly assume tlmt the density of
iiiegiono increases toward nic tenrre
in arithmetical progression. Mr.
Erieeson, In n recently published pa
per on this subject, argues that such
an assumption is not sustained liy
sound reasoning. Thus, at a distauco
of only 1-20 of the earth's radius, or
1,014,0(10 feet from the surface, the
weight of a super! ncunibent mass of
nised granite would exceed nine luin
dre thousand pounds to the square
Inch, coual to six thousand atmos
pheres. Under this pressure the
weight of air would he seventy times
that of water, and thirty-five times
that of the heaviest metals. Gold, nt
the point of fusion, is seven times
heavier than fused granite, while
neither of these solids loses more than
;i-100 of specific gravity n melting
heat a fact whMi prttves conclusive
ly that hiL'li temperature nt' nietnls
I and minerals Is not incompatible with
great density, nence, tusefi imiiiite.
in the earth's interior, may be many
times heavier than the cold mImxtU
at me sunace.
Mr. Lnceson nrc-uua. therefore, in
view of the iiueiiomena thus piesent-
r,n, umi unless pnysicism are prepar
eu io uispuie me assumption mat rua-
ed granite, under a preiiri of nine
hundred thmiaawl pounds to the
sqiuirp lueh. will have Its specific
gravity doubledInvolving a density
less than oue third of fused gold not
suiiieet to compression it must be ait
mitted that the specific gravity of the
earth, at the depth ofl-8)of tfieraijUw,
is so great mat u uie uUiiy, uu scien
tific men have uwuined. increases in
arithmetical progression toward the
centre, our planet would be muny
times heavier than it Is. Mr. Erice
son, therefore, rejects the usually ac
ecpted theory on this suhjiiin, aud
even il ins grounds ftvy Wug miuppenr
not, at first tbyiigjii convincing, they
Vil'ej VJ' Uv means wauling in piausi
winy,
The question of the ho'';.tvlMlt
uuiaisu:
rhi!jrsOffarid0n, y J f
There can 1st no doubk that origin
ally chairs were not utmirs, but stools..
If Eli had lived in our time he Would
have sat in a chair and could have not
fallen back wards whetl the pad new
como linitli ark w taken.
King Alfred the Great's throDe I,
said to have lieen a three-ltKKd stool.,
A great step was takeu when stools
advanced from three legs to burr. Dntv t
chairs ought to makoK.igresis (or w
notice that they always, put their liet
f et foremost. Of couire, eveu from
the first, tho rudest1 sonM might have
tlieir nakeddesH covered by )-fch tapes-
iry aim eusnions.
An ancient French (Ji roue' which Na-
poleon L used at Boulogne, wbeu be
thought be could conquer England, 1m
made of broDze aud gilded. .Its side
are formed ot two. utrapge animals,
aud it has a canopy above. Iu ma-
ker, from a simple workman, roet to
tie such a great gun that he was can-
onized. It is usually nafa from intru
sion, having nn seat, but it is provided
with a seat of cloth or satin, when it
is used.
We really know very little about an
cient chairs so ehaTy have historians
been of information on tbsr head. It
seems that lienelies of wood and stone
were formerly used even by royal per-
sotiai(es, so that Rings and- qneena'
stood, or rather rut, on the sam foot
ing as the commonest people now do.
Some ancient epeoimens of chairs are
by no means comfortable.
They are perlcctly straight In the
lack and so high that one's feet do
not touch the floor. They are also
very hard, not even lieing mail nf
sntt wood. Those that hail arms nsed
them as. weapons of offence, Upoket t
Into thf-ir sister's rilisor rake his. tl-,
hows as high ss his shoulders-. It Is
niil that a (Hiiest invwnled them, and
it must have lieen by way of Inflicting
tienanee, or else ofkfeplnif his hearers
still while be lectured them.
To take a chair" was formely a
very serious business, especially If a
king orouepn- wss present. At the
court of Ed -vard VI., of England, tire
King s sister might not take a chair at
all, but must sit on a bench, and tho 1
Morentine ambassador said he saw
the Princess Klizalieth d-op on ont
kr.ee five times before her brother, ere
she took bet place, which by tbae
time she must have needed So the
Prince of Wales, had to souat on a
camp-stool when he visited the Queen
of France, sodetetmiued was she to tie
looked up to.
the Archduke Charles once went to
viit Catherine of Bragauze, the widow
of Charles II., in Lisbon. He sent
word that be was coming, and thotizU
she wus confined to her bed with an
attack of erysipelas, sbe replied that
she was "dying to see him." In this
interview tne uiiKe, with an ins arch
ness made a breach of Portuguese
etiquette iu leaving the room before
Ins cnair was takeu out, anil the court
was very much shocked at his bad
manners.
Louis XIV., of France, wished his
laughter-iii-law to visit ex Oifcen -1
Mary, wire of James II.,. of Kugland.
The dauphness, however, would not
go because she could not sit in au arm
chair iu the queen's presence, but In
stead went to bed, and staid there sev
eral days. The French King's brother
complained that the Queen neither
kissed him nor gave him an arm-chair.
The Queen at last gave way as far a
the kissing went. Then tlie duchesses
demanded that King James should
kiss them. They WDtild have his
arms if they oould not have those of
bis chair.
Iu thofe days If little boys happen
ed to lie princes, they were perched on
lolry aim chairs, aud if tall ladies
chanced to lie only duchesses, they
were compelled to crump themselves
on low stools. Kiug James, though
au exile, had to confer empty titles
on his attendants, in older that they
might sit down at all at the FrenoU
court. A struggle was sometimes
causid wbeu there was only one arm
chair in a room. A single cane chair-
would thus rouse the spiritof a Cain.
l'jiitn s LoiDpantDn.
A Persian Tale.
There was once a nrinca. who.
having been milch displeased with
one of bin nobles, determined to
punish him. The prince command
ed that bo should be shut up in a
high tower. In this tower thero
was only one entrance, which was
walled up immediately after the no
bleman had been placed there. Thin
all hope of escape seemed to be cut
off, and tho unhappy man was left to
perish. Inside tho tower there was
long wnidinir staircase, bv which
the prisoner reached the top. Whilo
looking down from there he observ
ed his wife, who hd como, indul
ging a faint hopo that she might bo
able, by some means or other, to aid
nerunsoand in escaping from his
place of confinement. On inquiring
if she could bo of any service to him,
ne replied: "UU, ves; go and pro
euro a blaok beetle, a little grease, a
skein of silk, a skein of twine, and a
long rope." The poor wife hastened
to obtain what her husband asked
for, wondering, no donbt, at the
strangeness of bis request. She -soon
returned, furnishod with tlie
things Her husband then directed
her to put tho grease on the beetle's
bead, to fasten tho silk to its hind
leg, the twine to tlio silk, and tha
ope to the twine, and then to nlace
thc beetle on the wall of tho tower.
On being set at liberty on the wall,
the beetle smelling the grease on itsi
head, and not being able to discover
where it was, crept up tho tower in
search of it, till it arrived at tho top.
The nobleman caught it, and taking;
tho silk trom Its hind leg, carefully
drew it up. When be came to the cull
of tho silk, be found tho twine, ami
next lie came to the rope. Fastening
this to a crook, he thus made his es
cape. Spontaneous Combustion of Rags.
In view of the recent destruction of
Chicago, it will not be a miss to speak
of some late experiments in spontane
ous eoiibustiou. A Detroit ehemhtf.
last March, took n piece of threadbare
cetton cloth, smeared it with boiled
nuseeu on, and packed it in the center
of a chest filled with paper and rags.
Although the room was not tight and
the weather was cold, there was a
sraelj of the about the trunk in eight
uay. i npacKing it tne experimenter
found the rag half charred. Ia April
he made a similar experiment with a
pair of painter's overhalls, which he
rolled up with piue shavings, ant)
crowded in next to the roof-boards of
aloft. Iu a week the smell of smoke
alarmed a wrrkman in the next room,
and the overhalls were found to be ou
fire. And during the hottest weather
a haudml of old cotton rags, not
smeared with oil, became hot enough,
wnen nuug up in a tin ox in tuesun,
to light inatche which bad been
placed among them. T bete facts show
the necessity of caution iu putting away
rags, especially thoae that may be
saturated with oil, beniiue or other in
flammable substance.
A Uatholio Union has bn organis
ed In tp. dy of Now Zcrt, usJa &8
auspices of Arohb'nop MoCloskey, to
invite the Wonl C&tholio world to
uu"tj lu the effort to reinstate the Ho
ly Father; also to controvene the teu
Jeuoy of the age to materialism, and
to neutralize the elll-ut of the dally
presa ou the miuds ot the people.