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Payne, the composer of that world- famed song ” Home, Sweet Home" first heard the tune of it from a Sicilian peasant girl while she was strolling the streets and singing as she sold her wares. It was alleged against Payne that he b'on‘owed the air of his song from some old opera. The great Addison had a daughter of whom little appeared to be known, although it is claimed that she manifested a strong dislike for her father’s writings particularly the Spectator. One writer says she was ignorant and could neither read not write, an assertion which was probably based upon the fact that her father died when she was but a. year old. At the time of her death, however. which 00. curredin 1797. a correspondent of the Gentle- man’s Magazine says of her : It is recorded that Macaulay had a singu- lar dream one night. He dreamt that his niece came to him with a penitential face, and told him she had a. great sin to confess, which was nothing other than that “Pepy’s Diary" was a. forgery, and that she had forged it. He says “ I was in the greatest dismay. ‘ What I have been quoting in reviews, and in my History, a forgery of yours as a book of the highest authority. How shall I ever held up my had again 2’ I woke with the fright, poor Alice’s supplicating voice still in my ears.” “ I have not conversed very frequently with her, but enough to be convinced that her memory, though good, was not so extraor- dinary as is represented. I have heard her repeat some of the poetical parts of the Spec- tator, which she did with considerable accur- acy of memory, and great propriety of em- phasis. But I do not believe that she could have repeated one prose paper out of all her father’s works. She could have given an ac- count of the contents of many. She read them frequently. So far is it from being true that she could not write or speak a single sentence intelligibly, that I am persuaded she could do both as well as the generality of other people. It is by no means true that she was an imbecile, or such a prodigy of memory. Her memory was strong, but not marvellous: her understanding was good, but not particularly great." Mr. Morley no doubt thinks he is doing good service to literature by the publication of his“English Men of Letters," but it is to be questioned if he is doing more then spread the pernicious doctorines of the Evolution school of philosophers in giving from the pen of Professor Hutley the life of the equally sceptical David Hume, whom he treats rather as a philosopher than a historian. He was not much of either, yet it may suit his bio- grapher to write of him as one of the pos- itivist school. It is to be regretted that Mr. Marley’s series should be marred by such productions as the one in question. _ “ Midnight Marches Tlfmugh Persia,” is the taking title of a. book to be published by Lee & Shepherd Boston, from the pen of Mr. Henry Balentine. The work is said to be of interest, and is well written. The New York Literary Magazine, is the latest periodical on the list. Its contents are made up of selections from foreign literature, and they are well done. Such a magazine is not likely to succeed in America. The ex- periment has been tried before ‘ The Ameer who fought,'then ran away. is anything but u‘lehrned or even moderately intelligent sort‘of being. An Italian gives a synopsis of‘a lecture by Mr. Hughes, an Eng- lish missionary, who says: “The Arneer can neither read nor write. ‘Whnt' is the use of reading or writing,’ he asks, ‘when one has hundreds of people to do it for one ‘1’ He is, however, well up in history, the result of con- versation with learned men, by whom he liked to be surréunded. " In public he is frugal and sober, but in private he is a drunkard. He is bellicose, and a thorough warrior; those who saw him at Umballa say he has all the qualities of a good general. His instincts are decidedly cruel; when he re- conquered his throne after the civil war, he owed his success to three personsâ€"his brother. his nephew, and his son Yekoob Khan. The first he did was to cause his brother to be strangled; to send his nephew to Lahore, where he died in captivity, and to confine his son in a prison at Kabul. The Ameer,’ concluded the lecturer, ‘is not an interesting character in any way. and II who know him personally, have no hesitation in calling him 9 savagefii .11 . Kegan Paul‘s volume of Mary Wollston- cmft's letters has craated a wonderful sen- sation in the literary world of England. The letters are ofa character to excite curiosity, and have naturally had the effect of produc- ing an excitement. The Duke of Argyle’s “History of the Eastern Question” has been delayed, and will not appear for sometime. It is said that his Grace is waiting the termination of the Afghan war to resume his historical labors. A new serial novel, appearing in a weekly journal, from the pen of a daughter of Judge Aldrich, of South Carolina, is exciting a good deal of attention just now. ~ A new Irish-American magazine has ap- peared in New York, under the title of The Capjc yoqthly. Hans Christian Andersen’s letters have ap- peared in a. volume, and no doubt they will beleryriinteresting. ‘ Amatiig the most remarkable women of any age was Madame de Steel. She was the daughter of Necker the Finance Minister of Louis XVInvho was banished from France by Napoleon Bonaparte. The daughter incurred the anger of Napoleon because she refused to flatter him. notwithstanding the authoress was not the strictest of her sex, if we may judge from the fact of her intriguing with Constant a Swiss political adventurer, and One word~I call Upon you (vou shall answer!) by All pf the past to tell me why You acted so! 0 darling, think, Before you hurl me o’er this brinkâ€" Before my blood is shed by youâ€" How I have loved you! how I do! [Thunderl youâ€"you incompos mantis, you ain’t you a nice stoic, now ain’t you, Joseph Al- bert Barlow! There, burn. will youl I won’t sendno such letter! I’ll call on her and find if she really did see me and intend that as a. cut. _That’s what I’ll do !] ~ But then within my memory-frame, Upon whose canvas is thy name, I should have liked to paint a face Upon which was no marring lace Of \muty, deceit, or pride, 0f avariceâ€"a. face, beside, Whose owner never could have done The thing which yestemnorniug’s sunâ€"- [Enâ€"Haven’t I already said somewhere that I thank her for this cut direct? It’s time I were ondfng this thing 1] Well, never mind, the dream is o’er And such a dream I care no more To dream, and wake to find it all Black bitterness andâ€" [For cool and cutting impudenca I call flmt pretty good‘ I fancy that wfll make tho madame wince.] Excuse me, madame, ifI ask Yo i te perform the trifling task Of vending back, per next express, Marked tn the uiidersigned’s addreSI, M) 1;:tbers, picture, and flying I gave to you some time 1 fipring. [That’s frigid enough. The innocent thinks she has me under her thumb. Ha !] Your property I here inclose, And 1111 return, for I an pose You’d care to have itâ€" do notâ€" Though why you should, I do not wot, Uuéess gerbil 5 you Wish to read ‘Vi‘nh w 9.1m. 0nd, impetuous greed Of honeyed weld and burning phrase, 0! 01(1de caress and partial praise, A modest maiden can indite Pink billat-doux to some poor Wight. BREAKING l’l‘ (OFF III-LETTER [Will you sign your name and stop ‘2] Respectfully, â€" [I'm getting into muddy water along here.] Miss French OUR SPECIAL COLUfllN. Perhaps my words are rather plain, But then I think that in the main You will admit they're simply just And merited. Well, dust to dust, Ashes to ashesâ€"let it be I 1 br: athe again now that I am free, And thank you for that cut direct Which gave me pretext to elect Thi: course, which I have long desired And long delayed till you grew tired. Farewell! sweet memories of the past, And Croesus for a. spouse at last. LITERARY. If skies were bluer, And fogs were fewer, And fewer the storms on land and sea; Were shiny summers Perpetual comersâ€" VVhat a. Utopia this would be I ~ If Life were longer, And Faith were stronger, If Pleasure would bide, it Care would flee; If each were brother To all otherâ€" What an Arcadia this would be I Were Greed abolish’d, And Gain demolish’d, Were Slavery chained, and Freedom tree ; If all earth’s trubles, Collapsed like bublesâ€" What an Elysium this would be l A book appeared in England a short time since under the title of “ French Pictures in English Chalk,” which has attracted much notice. It is made up of a series of brilliant sketches, the scenes of some of which are laid on the battle-fields of the Franco-Ger- man war. One sketch has for its heroine Fleur-de-Lys, who was the only daughter of the Due de Bressac, head of one of the noblest houses in France. A Prussian officer, Count Leoueizen, fell in love with Madmoiselle de Bressac. and his feeling was reciprocated. Through this attachment she was saved from peril. It appeared that the Prussiau’s grandfather had been expatriated by the French, and saved from the sentence of death by the self-sacrifice of the grand- father of Fleurâ€"de-Lys. The Germans hav- ing suffered defeat near Bressnc, attacktd the Dude chateau, and conspicuous among the assailants was Leoneizen, pressed forward who at the head of the in- vaders The Due de Bressac fell mor- tally wounded. Fleur-de-Lys, who hadbeeu fighting by his side took up the revolver as it fell from her father’s hand. The author thus describes what ensued : ‘ Pale, and with her lips set Fleur-deâ€"Lys stepped forward. She hesitated a moment. then aimed with her weapon. Frederick Leoneizen was scarcely at thirty yurds‘ dis- tance from her. Her face was flushed, but grave and sad. She pressed the trigger. He reeled in his saddle, looked, saw who had shot him, then fell. ‘ Before her cousin could stop her, or guess her intention, Fleur-de-Lys had sprung on to the window-sill, where she knelt on one knee, her hair streaming. her breast during the shower of lead. There was the remnant of a tricolour flag trailing over the ledge. She seized it, and waved it, crying, " Vive la France! They are falling back I” ' “ A Town Garland,” is the title of a volume of poetry by H. S. Leigh, who essays to rival the leading English poet, Dobson. He can hardly hope to succeed. There is something good in the following lines, however :â€". Daniel Joseph Manning, 9. less noted jour- nalist than Mr. Dallas, and editor and pro~ prietor of the Paddington, England, Times, died on the 13th of January. He was a man of high scholastic attainments, having been superior of several prominent schools in Ireland. In London he was editorially con- nected withthe Globe, and for a time was sub-editor of the Irish 1 imcs. He was some time in New York, where he wrote for the press. He died at the age of 47. ‘ The Prussian bugles were sounding the retreat. The French girl heard them as she dropped, and she breathed her last amid the triumphant cheers of her countrymen, shout- ing, “ Victory!” ’ Leaky in his new and admirable “ History of England" draws a striking picture of English marriagesin the eighteenth century. It was a common practice for clergymen confined for debt in the Fleet Prison to celebrate mar- riages, hence the term “ Fleet Marriages .” Another journalist has succumbed. W. E. Dallas, the well known English essayist and criticI and one of the editors of the London Times, died on the 17th of January. He was a native of the West Indies, born about 1820, and coming to England in early youth soon placed himself as a contributor to the London journals. He wos'the author of “Poetics ” and “The Gay Science.” He corresponded with French and American journals, and wrote for several magazines. It was proved before Parliament that there hadlbeen[§2954lof these marriages in four months. A Rev. Alexander Keith, at a Lon don chapel married 6,000 couples a year. One Fleet Prison person married 173 couples in a single day, and no wonder so many were tied in so short a. space of time, when it is recorded that between fifty and a hundred couples having been arranged for the cere- mony some confusion took place, and several got hold of the wrong hands. It being men- tioned to the person, he quietly observed : HNever mind, you are all of you married to some one, and you must sort yourselves after- wards.” 1n the days of Gretna Green mar- riages, there were some exciting occurrences. One of the most remarkable is said to have place in 1782, when an earl eloped with the daughter of a wealthy London banker, and was hotly pursued by the father, whose car- riage and four, after they crossed the English _border was in the act of heading them, when That where he diediiiweintoliâ€"nclâ€" tieâ€"try: Useless the searchâ€"for n.11 immortal 119, And those who are immortal never die.” Richard Henry Dana the American poet, died recently in Boston in the ninety-first year of his age. When Longfellow. Whittier, Holmes and Lowell were in the lap, Dana was in the height of fame. His prose writ- ings, though pretty much of 11 miscellaneous character were more numerous than his poetic effusions. He was probably best known as an essayist and magazine writer. Washington Irving wrote upon the walls of the house in which Shakespeare was born. the following lines in 1821. They can with difficulty be traced now. ‘ It mighty Shakespeare's bum tne‘roon} we see, m1“... _.L,..“ L, .1:,.,1 ,~ They seem to know how to reward editors in England. Mr. Dunckley, editor of the Manchester Examiner was recently feasted, and at the same time presented with a library of 3,000 volumes, and a service of plate, as a recognition of his services to the Liberal Pally' _ Néws must be costly in England. One single telegram from Afghanistan to the Lou- doiStgmdurd cost $3,000. The Paris Pays appeared in mourning on the 9th January, that day being the sixth anniversary of_Lquis Napoleon’s death. with whom after having obtained a separ- ation from her husband, she continued to live until deserted by him. She was an ob- ject of attachment to both Napoleon and his great Minister Talleyrand, but she had no love for either, as she preferred the Swiss lgallaut. It was under the influence of her ‘passion for Constant that she wrote that ‘greatest of all romances, “Corinne.” When deserted by Constant she returned to care for her husband who was dying. What a strange woman, yet what a genius 1 Her life was an active one, and she took an active part in the politics of France for which she suffered exile. She found a. retreat at Coppet. on the banks of the Lake of Geneva, where she wrote her“D’ L’Allemagne.” 10,000 copies of which were seized by the French Minister of police. Thus it seems that Germany even in the time of Bonaparte had terror for France, or why suppress Madame de Stael’s work ? She protested against the seizure, but the Minis- ter answered : " Your last work is not French and I have stopped its publication. Exile is a natural consequence of your con- stant behavior for years past. Ihave thought that the air of France was not suitable to you, for we are not yet reduced so low as to seek models among the nations you ad- mire.” Madamede Stacl died in Switzerland in 1817. VOL. XXI. HIS FIRST AND LAST LOVE. NEW YORK, Dec. 17, 1878. MY HEART 1 (Here is n. drawing of a heart, enclosing the letter J. F.) ‘ ‘ You are the only person in the world that gives me joy, and whom I truly love. I wonder how I can love you so. for I surely believe, Zerline, that if I did not secure you I could not endure life, and would never marry, and would go away from the city. You are truly my first love, and shall also be my last. Write a long answer, and do not forget to write Thursday, also, as you have promised to do. " ‘ " RIDING IN THE HORSE CARS T0 CALM HIS HEART NEW YORK, Jan. 8, 1878. MY DEARLY BELOVED ZEBLINE : I received your dear letter this morning, and proceed at once to answer it. When you said to me Sunday evening that you should become a bride, I cannot tell you how frightened I was, I could have sunk to the floor. When I went up stairs to supper I could only drink a cup of coffee. We closed the store at 8 o’clock, and I tell you I had an awful heart-beating, and. only to calm my heart, I rode to and fro un- till 11 o'clock, getting from one car into an- other. I also rode twice past your sister’s door. I felt so dreadfully and my heart was so heavy that I could have taken my life. Sunday and Monday I could not sleep at all. but since I received your letter I feel, thank God, easier. With the best wishes for your health, and many greetings and kisses, I re- main yours for ever and aye, NEW YORK, Feb. 4, 1878. MY DEARLY BELOVED : * * * My thoughts are of you the liveloug day. Saturday night. as I lay in bed, I thought how much you had already done for me and suffered. Therefore do I love you so. I could fall down on my knees before you and pray to you, as to God. Su_ch is rpy loverrfor you. I would-be willing-to work for you till the blood rushed from my finger nails, so do I love you. " * * N DREAM BEFORE AN INQUEST. NEW YORK, Feb. 20, 1878. MY DEAR ZEBLINE: I have received yeur letter only this afternoon, having been on the coroner‘s jury that held an inquest over the baker who was murdered on New Year’s eve. " * * Last night I dreamed of you the whole night. I dreamed that you were my (1an wife, and we lived together so happily. I would to God it were true already. As I have already often told you, I think of you the whole day, and can scarcely await the time when I shall see you again. With ten thousand kisses greeting. and best wishes, I remain yours forever and eye. Plaintiffâ€"Well, he said, “Zerline, I can’t hold it any longer. I love you. You are the only girl I ever loved. I want your hand and heart.” [Laughten] Mr. Rindskopfâ€"What reply did you make ? Plaintifiâ€"Well, I told him he might be making a mistake, and perhaps it would be I better if he would look for some other girl. I said he might regret what he was doing. l But he said he didn’t want any other girl, so at last I said yes. After that the defendant gave her numerous presents that she pro- duced in court. An industrious and lively correspondence was begun after her removal to Brooklyn, and her counsel produced a large package of the letters and read them to the jury, the spectators frequently interrupt- ing the lawyer with laughter. The following were the most important of these : ILLNESS VANISEING BEFORE JOY. NEW YORK, Feb. 19, 1877. MY Mosr BELOVED oi: EARTH: It is now 8 o’clock Monday morning, from which you can see how soon I write to you. I got home safely. * " * I must now tell you something that I forgot last night. I am always sick from Monday until Friday, but as soon as Friday evening arrives my illness vanishes before the joy that I experience when I see you. If February were not soon here I could not endure this any longer. The only happy hours I have are when I am with you, and you are the only person on earth that I truly love. * * "‘ If you write two letters every week, I also will write two. I know that if you follow your heart you will write two. Dear Zerline, do men favor, and do not go to the ball next month. I have reasons therefor. I forbid you to go I Now, I will see whether you go or not. Remember to write 1130 two letters, or I will not come Friday evening. My DEAR ZERIINE: * * * ‘ * * I assure you, dear Zerliue, that 1131 was sitting at your brother-iu-law’s, and you came in, I could have eaten you up, so overjoyed was I whenlsaw you. When anything ails me and I see you, it vanishes at once, but when llcave your company my heart is again heavy. andIthink of you until I see you again. I hope that you havenot told Mr. Hammer who you are, for you know howlitfle it pleases me when you speak to him. I do not wish you to speak to him at all. * ‘ * * * Plaintiffâ€"Yes, sir. It was about 9 o'clock one evening, and Mr. Frankenheim, Jakie‘s father“, apd Mrs. Frfinkegheinihad goge out. Mr. andskopfâ€"Wns there any Bdrticular conversation that you recollect having oc- cuged i1; Mai 1877? The plaintiff was called to the witness stand to tell of the courtship. The defend. ant, she testified, began to pay attentions to her as soon as she entered the house. He was in the habit of going to the butcher’s, baker’s, and grocer’s for her. He also carried her Coal up stairs. and helped her with the wash tubs. While she was in the kitchen, at work, he followed her about, and had long and delightful conversations with her. Zerline Vollweiler’s suit for breach of prom- ise against Jacob Frankenheim was brought to trial in New York, on Monday, before Judge Alker and a jury. Damages were laid at 010,000. Miss Vollweiler is a. tall, solidly- built maid of German birth, about 25 years of age, good looking and intelligent. Ruddy cheeks. black eyes, and an ample head of glossy black hair combine to make her attrac- tive. The defendant is twenty-six years of age, and wears a. small sandy moustache. The famous Lord Melbourne, under whose premiership our present Queen ascended the throne, was not a great orator. He had liter- ary tastes, but confined himself to reading the great authors. Milton being his favorite, from whose works he could recite whole passages. the bridegroom’s best manâ€"the eldest son of an earlâ€"seated in the rumble, drew a. pisjpl and shot one of the leaders dead. An Extraordinary Suitâ€"Amusing Epis- llcn ol the Loveâ€"sickâ€"Five Thousand liinin ll. N. Y., March 28, 1878. My DEAR PRECIOUS ZERLINE : * * ‘ Adieu‘ till Friday, my dea’r child BREACH 0F PRONIISE 0F lVlA R. RIAGE. I remain ever yours alone, NEW YORK, March 11, 1878. I remain yours alone, JEALOUSY‘ JAKE. RICHMOND HILL, THURSDAY, FEB. 27, 1879. JAKE. JAKE. JAKE A bill bf $28.38, sent from a grocery house was indorsed : “ Settled the Within for $25, 2131 had never had the sardines as charged. Paid the money the day the cook fell down stairs. Rejected Mr. B.'s offer to wed him just before the bill came in.” " Offer of marriage from Mr. . Re- spectfully declined on the ground of his stoop-shoulders ahd defective vision. Con~ tents private.”. The next paper was indorsed : “ Schedule B, showing that I have just enough to bury me.” A Hainty loéking epistle bore the indorse- ment in red ink : “ Number ‘ G.’ ~â€"Conditional ofier of mar- riagerfrom Mr. S. declined with thanks." “ Paidv the ‘within in presence of the cook the day Mr. Gâ€"culled and offered me his hand and heart ; parlor stove fell down some day.” An official envelope containing several papeffs was marked : Few men are inclined to grant women the credit of having any business tact. or of doing business in a business way, but they must come down in the case of the Detroit widow whose personal effects are now being over- hauled by an administrator. She made no will, but the private papers in her desk ex- plained all that. The first on the bundle was indorsed : “ Various epistles hinting at marriage ; orthography generally poor ; grammar terri- ble ; construction very bad. Answered each one kindly but firmly." “ Gushing ofifer of marriage from young Mr. Y. Ink very poor. and no pathos in his expressions. This is his second direct offer. Declined on the ground of his youth.” A bill of seven dollars, balance due on a cloak, was filed : ” Paid this. after a long dispute, in the presence of Sarah, who hurt her nose same day. Mr. Lâ€"was in the parlor at the time. Pmposed before he left; gently, but firmly declined offer on account of his deaf- ness.” J udg'e Alker delivered a careful charge, and the jury, after brief deliberation, gave the plaintiff a verdict for $250. A bill from a. millinery house bore the follolvipg i_n pgnpil :7 A pink-Eolored letier without envelope was marked : Pfainiifl (bursting into tears)~No ! no I That is false! There is no truth in it. Miss Vollweiler quit the witness stand solzbipg. (San Francisco Chronicle Correspondence.) The hour when the soul of the patient takes its departure to the Eternal, when the ominous word hmake” (dead) is sounded like a knell upon the ears of the survivorsâ€"â€" then suddenly all voices are united in singing or rather chanting the auwe in deep. melodie ous and pathetic tones that sound like the wailing of the sea in night time. The conta, gion, like a magnetic current,spreads through the village. Instantly all hearts are moved, and auwe is chanted from one house to an. other, until an ocean of sympathy seems to float upon the air. There is something so touching and pitiful in this wail that foreign- ers. in passing by during its continuation, will stand as if electrified and listen to it as the sweetest, saddest music ever heard on earth. It is taken up in currents, the silence intervening being solemnâ€"more solemn and impressive than any pathetic oration deliver- ed by the most famous orator at the grave of the mostillustrious man. A moment’s si- lence, and again the auwe breaks forth in its intensity, esounding throughout the village in pcals of inournful lamentation. Thus at intervals, while the corpse is laid out, the wailing is heard in all its sadness. It is not monotonous, for sadness is congenical to the human heart, or at least it is a burden we all must bear, and hence we like the echoes of our common lot. It is rather enchanting and fascinating ; it attracts with a strange, weird power. There are other customs especially M1‘.Rindskopfâ€"Isit true as he has testi- fied, that you threw your arms about his neck and said you loved him before he made any proposal? Defendantâ€"I have burned themr rail ' up. She told me to do so. She said that I ought not to keep them, because people might see them.and they had no business with our priygte affairs. _ The plaintiff was recalled to contradict some of\ 3.119 fleigndgujz’s testimopyt Plaintiff’s Counselâ€"How about the letters that she qute foyou ‘2 _ Whege _are they ? The defendant also said that some of the letters that he had written to the plaintifi were modelled upon phrases and sentences that she was in the habit of composing for him when he called to see her. Plaintiff’é Céunselâ€"Did you not help the plaintiff with her wash tubs and coal pails, and go to the baker’s and grocer’s for her ? Defendantâ€"Yes, sir, but I did that for otlgrrgirls. too. Plaifitii‘f’s Counselâ€"Out of pure good nature. Defendantâ€"Well, sir, when I came into the room she “threw her arms around my neck and said : “ Jakie, Imust say it. The words burn in my heart. I love you.” (Re- newed laughter.) Defendant’s Coun‘seIâ€":Statel what hap- peged. Defendantâ€"Well, I thought I would help them when I could. _ fiefendanfâ€"Yes sir, and it was the first girl that_eve_1: dig. (LgugpterJ The defendant, having been called to the stand, admitted that he had promised to marry the plaintiff, but said that the promise was conditional upon his going into business with his brother, and this he had not yet done. He also gave a different account of the popping of the question, saying that it was the plaintiff and not he who proposed. Defendhnt’s Counselâ€"You an} t‘hatrierhe prgpqsed to you ? - In October, 1787, the witness continued, the defendant promised to marry her in the February following, but the wedding was put off. The witness further testified that she had received seven offers of marriage during her engagement to the defendant,all of which she had rejected on his account. FIVE THOUSAND KISSES, NEW YORK, April 11, 1878. MY DEAR ZILLI AND APPLE or MY EYE: You write that you noticed last Sunday evening how joyful I was when I met you. It is true. I could have cried I was so' happy when I saw you. I shall thank God when I have you securely, and we can see each other every second. You are my only joy on earth. I must now close with the best wishes for your health, and greetings, and five thousand good kisses. THE HAWAIIAN DEATH \VAIL‘ The following are all kiss'esâ€"(here follow three lines of dots). You can return them to me to-morrow eyening: You are the only person that I truly love on earth. Of course I love my father and Maudi, bui‘notr iy‘ comparisoqrwiitrh you. a A BUSINESS \VOJIAN‘ I remain yours alone, I remain yours alone. JAKE. JAKE. Fancy balls says the Saturday Review, are institutions which probably owe their ex- istence to the vanity of men and to the hide- ousness of men's modern, dress. Mr. Dar- win and pthers have prpveé that, among the less highly developed animals, the male is the more conceited and has ltlie gaudier coat. Even among those inhabitants of sunny islands who have not yet seen the need of clothing, the men are much more conscienti- ously and elaborately tattooed than the wo- men, who have only a few decorative cuts about he corners of their mouths. The civi- lization of the nineteenth century has chang- ed this, and the dress of man, especially the dress which he wears in the evening, causes him poignant but secret sorrow. He makes many feeble efforts to console himself, and in the gaudy cricketing and boating costumes of the clerk, the under- graduate and the subaltern, the natural vani- ty and the crude barbaric taste of man may easily be recognized by the philosopher. It is a pleasant thing to go to the Lillie Bridge running grounds when the young gentlemen of someone of the monstrous shops are bold- ing their yearly athletic contest. They gleam in bright blue, they flash past you on the rapid bicycle in purple and green, before the eyes of their lady friends and of reporters. In the country, too, mem can venture to be themselvas. In “ Lothair,"Lord Beacons- field describes with symathy and admiration the costumes of noble guests. They array themselves in velvet knickerbockers, with purple stockings and scarlet necties. fastened with rings of gold. Every one remembers the Persian apparatus, the Oriental magnifi- cence of the dressing‘gowns and smoking- coats worn by Guy Livingstone’s men. They were alone by themselves in the smoking room; for in those innocent old days, when Mr. Lawrence was thought a daring writer, ladies had not invaded that sacred place. Alone they were, yet they peacocked it and flaunted for their common delight in gar- ments so fanciful and gay that it is apleasure to read about them. A man thinks of them with inward comfort on a foggy day, when he is dressed in drab and black. as he thinks of some hours of sunshine, the gift of a depart- ed summer. What men would like is mani- fest enough; they would like to vie with women in colors and stufis, in velvet and cloth of gold. We flatter ourselves we could know what are the best sorts of lace if we gave our minds to it, and that the taste of men in this matter is not dead but dormant. Oliver Goldsmith and La Fontaine, the most careless and not the cleanest of mortals, ru- ined themselves for peach-colored coats and for Venice point. The loveliest dirty ruffles fell over those inky fingers of La Fontaine, and his dubious shirt had the most exquisite collar. which duchesses envied. Men are not degenerate ; the are as vain as ever, as anx- ious to display tieir charms in what they think a proper setting. Itis the way of the world and a commercial civilization that is against them. Lace rufiies would interfere with business ; the mud and dust and smoke and soot of London would ruin the velvets and satins and embroideries of silver. Men are compelled to wear the cloth of frieze in- stead of the cloth of gold; but they do not relish the necessity. Hence come fancy balls which are mere luxuries to women, who in a harlequin age of imitations, can wear almost, any dress they please. If a lady likes, she may buy three stout pieces of merino, whirl herself into them, and appear in the costume of one of those maidens of Tanagra in Boetia whose terracota efligies are so beautiful and so expensive. The experiment perhaps has its risks, and nothing can exceed the anxiety of the spectators, who cannot imagine how the Tanagra dress is held together. The “ Dictionary of Classical Antiquities” gives the vaguest directions ; but feminine ingenu- ity can triumph over learned vagueness. A lady may dress in what she believes to be the manner of Wautteau’s models, or like a-prin- cess in a fairy tale, or after the preraphaelite manner of Mr. Rossetti’s many Beatrices ; in fact, if she is the spoiled child of clever ecv centricity, she can do just as she pleases. Her. lord, unluckily, cannot well go to an or- [Littleton obeys with alacrity. Influenza] shouts of “ Long lib our Guberdess l” are heard without as the curtain descends.] Littletonâ€"What do I see? Balsam of linseed, cough-no-more-drops, alkaram, Epps’ juj'ubes. flannel chest-protectors. Highness, we are saved ! Louiseâ€"Their sneezes grow more threat- ening ewery moment Quick! To the bal- cony! Shower down upon them these speciT flea, and promise the immediate revocation of the low-necked edict. Louiseâ€"Lorne! I myself will pacify these aggrieved women. Colonel, I have long expected this outbreak, and I am pre- pared. Behold I [Throws open door of cup- board.] Littletonâ€"It is even so. They have been parading the streets since morning, and not without rioting either ; for about noon they broke into a hosier’s and carried :13 his en- tire stock of handkerchiefs. The edict has driven them to desperation, and I tremble lest they should attack your _Highness. Mm-qfiisâ€"â€"Heard from'the balEony, a ver- sified psalni would_ sgrelyâ€" » A Littleton (peering cautiously from the window)â€"The infuriated creatures are blow- ing their noses ; nay, they are even_sneezing ~at our very gates. and a matron with a. bad bark she caught at your last drawing- rogm is coughing them on. Louiseâ€"Theyuassert, then, that they owe their colds to me 17 Louiseâ€"Silence, Lorne! Ah! the noise increases. Littletonâ€"J‘Io, your Highness. You hear the din of revolution! Half the cityâ€"the female halfâ€"has risen. Marquis (weakly) Only half, eh? Not Montreal of it? (Aside) If Albert Edward could . have heard that, we should have been good friends. flouiseâ€"I hear the ‘i‘xowling of your horrid Canadian wind. do I not? Litmlet'ofi (agitatedly)â€"Does your Royal Hi_gIm_ess h_e§,r nothing? A ' Louise (smiling faintly)-â€"â€"I see. You would read ,to them the first six cantos of " Guido and Lita,” which you have put into the Scotch dialect for use at Balmoral. My poor boy I I fear your pretty rhymes would but irritate these barbarians still further. What is that 7 [Enter the Hon. Col. Littleton, Governor’s Seggetgryj Marquis (hesitétingly)â€"Well. I was about to suggest that' the people want soothing. andâ€" Sketch [or nDrama oflhe Future. (From Funny Folks London.) Sceneâ€"Boudoir of the Princess Louise. Louise and the Marquis discovered. Louise (solilequizing)-And so my people murmur at the edict which dooms them to come bare-necked into my presence, or else stay away 1 Daily the discontent grows. The aspect of the populace is almost threatening. How will this end, Lorne 7 noticeable at the deaths of chiefs. To sing the praises of a chief in songs laseivious and accompany them with dances the most un- chaste, were the highest honors that could be paid to an alii. When Lunatillo, the pre- decessor of King Kalakeua, died, the miter witnedssed astonishing levities like those men- tione . NIEN VKEING Wl'l‘ll WofllEN. 1.0W NECKIII) CANADA. [Stevenson‘s New Annals of Edinburgh] The pair inhabited a. single room ; from the facts. it must have been double-bedded; and it may have been of some dimensions ; but when all is said it was a single room. Here our two spinsters fell outâ€"on some point of controversial divinity belike; but fell out so bitterly that there was never a word spoken between them, black or white, from that day forward. You would have thought they would separate ; but no; whether from lack of means or the Scottish fear of scandal, they continued to keep house together where they were. A chalk line drawn upon the floor separated their two do. mains; it bisected the doorway and the fire- place, so that each could go out and in to do her cooking without violating the territory of the other. So, for years, they co-existcd in a hateful silence; their meals, their ablutions, their friendly visitors. exposed to an un- friendly scrutiny ; and at night. in the dark watches. each could hear the breathing of her enemy. Never did four walls look down upon an uglier specimen than these sisters rivalling in unsistorlincss. Here is a canvas for Hawthorne to have turned into a cabinet} pictureâ€"he had a Puritanic vein which would‘ have fitted him to treat this Puritanic hon: ror; he could have shown them to us in theiri sicknesscs and at their hideous twin devo- tions, thumbing, a pair of great Bibles or pray- ' ing aloud for each otncr’s penitence with marrowy emphasis ; now each, with kilted 3 petticoat, at her own corner of the fire on some tempestuous evening ; now sitting each ‘ at her window. looking out upon the summer landscape sloping far below them towards the firth, and the field paths where they wan~ dered hand in hand ; or, as age and infirmity Professor Nordenskjold’s vessel, the Vega, having been shut in by the ice near East Cape, in Behring Strait, the Committee for Promoting Russian Trade and Industry have resolved to apply to the Governor-General of Eastern Siberia, requesting him to assist in instituting a search and obtaining more cer- tain information as to the situation of the ex- pedition. Mr. \V. H. Dall, the well-known Alaska explorer, has written a letter to an acquaintance in Stockholm, mentioning the previously-reported statement of Whalers, from which is is supposed that the Vega has been stopped by ice east of Cape East. Should this be the case, Mr. Dall entertains no fears for the fate of the expedition. If the suppositions be correct, he says, “the breaking-up of the ice next July will leave open water for the Vega to proceed to Beh- ring Strait. Vessels pass to westward of East Cape every year. There is a creek there. A river with fresh water runs into the bay, and on the coast is a native village. This is not marked in the ordinary maps and charts. and it is just here that the vessel, according to the reports of the natives, must be lying. She can safely Winter there. There is a large village, inhabited by I‘chuktchees, who would be able to supply fresh meat. This place is situated not more than 200 English miles from the white men's trading station at Plover Bay. If the Vega is lying there, the success of the operation is practically achiev- ed, because, as I said, the bay is open every year, and does not get closed by ice until October. Vessels sail there and carry on trade every summer,” The business of plants is to pump up and utilize those noxious matters, and utilize them in their structure, while at the same time they give off oxygen by their leaves. Hence marshes Whieh abound in a variety of plants are not usually deadly. The most noxious are those which dry up in the sum- mer and leave the mud exposed to the action of the sun. Hence the most potent. means of obviating its efleats is to plant the _mar.t gins with some broad-leafed ‘mmd’jsre- ferably those that are pubescent or downy, as the basswood. We have before this adâ€" vised the planting of sunflowers in misasmatie neighborhoods, and hope to see it acted ens the coming season. We also hope that those 1 who do so will make the results public. So much has been said Within the last few years of the value of the eucalyptus, or Aus- tralian gum-tree, in destroying' or neutraliz- ing the miesmu of malarial districts, that it would be well that experiments be made with various plants for this purpose, especially those having large. and particularly those having downy leaves, as well. The common sunflower is well known for its so‘ealled value in preventing the bad efiects of iniasma. There are undoubtedly many others as good, land that may as easily be grown. Marehy lands are harmless if the vegetation in decay- ing does not give off putrescent gases, for mere moisture is not unhealthy. Hence marshes become pestiferous if accumulations of vegetable matter exist, which, under the effects of sufficient heat and moisture, give off putrefying matter. In the North marshes are not deadly, for the reason that the sum- mer heat is not suflicient, as a. rule, to proâ€" duce putrid fermentation to a. degree suffi- cient to produce any but the lighter forms of ‘ malarial diseases. The wedding guests were gathered all, the minister was in the parlor, the marriage feast was piping hot, and the bride was peep- ing out of her window and blushing the while, but the bridegroom was missing. They waited two hours and then dispatched a brother of the bride to find the bridegroom ; and meanwhile, least the victuals shonld spoil, they all sat down to dinner. Now, the bridegroom was the most bashful man in Goshen Township, and possibly in Ohio. He was discovered in his room with his every-day clothes on and with one side of his face shaved. When asked why he had remained away, he replied that he had attempted to ‘ shave himself but was so scared and nervous I that he could not accomplish it. He finally i ‘ told the brother that if he would finish shav. ing him. and help to trim him up, he would go and report for duty. The brother kindly assented,and the two then started for the home of his anxious bride. When within a short distance of the house, the young man’s heart again failed him. He declared that he could not face the crowd. and reluctantly re- traced his steps. The brother went home and reported the result of his investigation, and the preacher, turning to' the lady, said, “ I’ll never tie you to such a man." On the following Saturday the father of the young lady was met with the same plea, “ I can’t stand to face such a crowd, but if you will get a ’sqire, and let us get married after night, I will try it again." The old gentle- man declared that the ceremony must be performed in the daytime. Finally, the bashful young man was led into the parlor by the arm, cooped up in a corner, and brought face to face with the minister and maiden. dinary dinner party in the becoming attire of the age of Edward IV, or in the kilt of a member of the Albion league. Thus fancy balls are found by men to be a. social neces- sity, and when once they have determined to .dress themselves up, they of course do not know how to set about it. ‘IIE Uh SIS'K‘EREI) SISTE RS. THE NQR’I‘IIE 581‘ DA SSAGE. BAfiflFULNESS RUNS RIAD WHOLE NO. 1,078â€"N0. 38; TREES AND I'll ASJIA. “ To have our rooms pleasantly illuminated with gas is to undergo a process of poisoning ~â€"the:more disastrous because, instead of directly introducing the characteristic symp- toms of life-blood oxygenation, the gas-pol- luted atmosphere insidiously lowers the tone of vitality, and establishes a condition favor- able to disease. It would be difficult to over- rate the imptrtance of this household peril. Pictures are spoiled by gas, gilt mouldings ure'tarnished, the color of decorated walls and ceilings fade, and men and women of delicate organization are enfeebled and in- jured'by the foul air in which gas is dis- charged and supposed to burn innocuously. The extent to which this evil works in the midst of families during long evenings is not adequately appreciated. After the first few unpleasant experiences are over, the physical susceptibilities become inured to the imme- diate results of breathing an atmosphere charged. more or less heavily, with the pro- ducts of combustion' and, unconsumed coal- gas. It is not creditable to the ingenuity of practical men that no method has yet been devised bywhjch theadvsntage of gas as an illuminating agent may be secured without the drawback of slow poisoning; with. the host of maladies a depressed vitality is sure to bring in its train.” There are some superstitions that never die out. Belief in the divining power of .a key placed on a Bible is still common among the humbler classes from one end of England to the other. A fortnight ago a married wo- man in the borough of Ludlow complained that while she was carrying a pail of water through the open street one of her neighbors stopped her and accused her of having stolen a sheet. It seems that the lady who lost the sheet resorted to the very ancient and super- natural test oi the “Bible and the key,” In order to discover the guilty person. Armed with a copy of the scriptures and a key, she perambulated Ludlow, “turning the key on several houses ; and it was alleged that when she came to the complaint’s house, the key, with much alacrity, began of its own volition to turn. The owner of the lost sheet then uttered the complaint‘s name aloud, Where- upon “the Bible turned completely around and fell out of her hands.” It was explained to the bench that the mode of operation was to place the key over the open Bible at the words “Whither thou goest I will go” (Ruth i, 16), the fingers of the person making the investigation being so disposed as to form a cross. The person suspected of dishonesty was then named aloud, and [if he or she were the guilty person the key would forwith begin to jump about on the open page. No person could be so foolish as to hazard the breaking of a glass by pouring hot water upon it, if he understood the simple means of accounting for the breakage. If hot water is poured into a glass with a round bottom, the expansion produced by the heat of the water will cause the bottom of the glass to enlarge, While the sides which are not heated. retain their former dimensions, and conse- quently, if the heat be sufllciently intense, the bottom will be forced from the sides, and a. crack or flaw Will surround that part of the glass by which the sides are united to the bottom. If, however. the glass be previously wetted with a little warm water, so that the whole is gradually heated and thereby ex- panded, boiling water can then be poured in without damage. If a. silver spoon is placed in a. goblet or glass jar, boiling water can then be poured in without danger, unless the article has been taken from a. frosty closet, and is very cold. After a. laborious and scrutinizing inves tigation into the cause of a. large number 0! of cases of diphtheria that have come under my care during several years past, I have almost arrived at the conclusion that the primary infection of an individual comes from the fungi which are found as spots of different colors on the exterior of fruits, par- ticularly apples. As far as the power of my microscope has shown, these fungi seem iden- tical with the fungi from a diphtheritic ulcer, and lust autumn I traced a number of cases; at one time five together in one family. back to the eating of apples picked from the ground in orchards without previously cleaning the fruit by rubbing or washing. Dr- Emil Querner in Boston Journal of Chemistry â€"â€"-Adolphe to Araminta, on their way to church: “ How I would I were aprayer- » book you clasp so lovingly.” Replyâ€"“ How Iweuld you were, for then I could shut you up.” NEW 'l‘llE “KY 0!? DIPHTHERIA. amee thatq “.re cinn‘ot forbem‘ presenting them :â€" [Good Health] Though we have often called the attention of our readers to the evil effects of illummat- ing gas, yet the facts are so well set forth in he folloxying paragraph fyogn the London Gen. SargJ, brother 5f Satsfima, the rebel leader, liaa been appointed Minister of War. Consul Mosby arrived and left for Hong Kong. . The difficulties between Japan and Cores. have been amicably adjusted. They were never serious, but magnified by parties who seek advantage in foreign complicatiqns. The American Pfof. Morse, of the Imperial College, has discovered and recorded evidence of cannibalism in the early prehxstorio race in Japan. These are believed to‘ba the first trgges of such praptice. TLe United States Legation received notice of the apprpval by the State Debartment of Minister Biugham‘s instructions to the Con- sul that the Japanese quarantine laws be recognized and obeyed. Japanese Chief of Police, Gen. Kawajai, starts next month on a. prolonged tour of inspection of the police systems, prisons. etc.. of Europe and America, accompanied by a large body of attendants. Preparations-have been commenced for the reception of Gen. Grant. Anew residence is to be built ex- pressly in the precincts of Yeddo Bayt anau. The financial condition has improved. The French Minister Geoflrey, recalled, Ienjes Japan next month. A report has been received, probably au- thentic,of the death of King Cortn. The future is doubtful. The Queen is for prog- ress. The ex-Regent, uncle of the late King, is now in retirement and is extremely hos- tile to foreign intercourse. Serious struggle for supremacy is anticipated. The southern rebellion under the military insurgent Li advances beyond expectation. The Chinese authorities . are dispatching troops to arrest his progress. Many of these desert to his standard, including high offi- cers. “'HY GLASSIS BROKEN]!!! HOT WATER. DONIE QUEE R BUPE BSTITIONS. The rebellion'on the Island of Hianian con- tinues formidable. Having routed all the government troops sent against the insur- gents, the insurrectionary contagion is spreading. 7 Henderson, late United States Consul at Amoy, has resigned to practice law at Shang- hai. It has been discovered that Canton is annu- ally defrauded out of about $1,000,000 by the smuggling of opium from Hong Kong to the mainlafid. grew upon them and prolonged their toilets, and their hands began_to tremble"litmg~ their heads to nod involuntarily, gréwing ohly the more steeled in enmity with years ; until one fine day, at a. word, a look, a. visit, or the ap- proach of ' death, their hearts would melt and the chalk boundary be overstepped for- ever; v . China. Home KONG, Jan. 16.â€"A fire occurred at Shanghai on January 3 in the commercial digtrjct. 7 Loss under $100,000. POISONING BY BURNING GAS. CHINA AND JAPAN.