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“Du. 010 mm; Saunders au’ his wife war’ obsr to see me 19m, niae,” mid Brother Gard< nerma a hush fa“ unou Mm multitude “I rock. on day didn’: {ml ‘Z'.c‘-.)y easy in deir minds. {Somebofiy in de Mum/uh hm] bneu tellin’ ’em data it- waa an awful sin to dared. When dey axed my éidvicn an u'a suhjrck I answered ’em same as I have answered all L-ihers. A tall" gun which Won‘t 3'5: 2:31am walk frew a quad- rillo to de. soun’ of musiuk am wesz immeâ€" whar’ A mhgun w :ich r0135 ofi a pueson’s shoulders de mimt he begins toluugh or sing or kick up his heels won't take him to de sort of Huaben I want to go to. “An' when da ole man axed me if playin’ keerds was gwiue $0 send his soul to perdi shun I had do same answer am; I gave you 133' y‘ar. I wouldn‘t advise any of you to take a pack at keerds in your coat tail pocket nu’ sot out to win all (19 beer you could drink‘ an’ I wouldn‘t advise a. lady to call de hostler in from de bah; [-0 try an’ beat him out of his month's wages; but when 1 am told dab relig- un forbids me to sot down In my own house and play a game of euchre wid my old woman ora naybur, I mus’ look upon it as a sort of lower deck idenh. “ When did ole mun axed me if I ‘chought he could go to de theater 811’ squeeze into Heaben too, I had (16 same answer I shall anus have. A Christian who can't 80! Law a play widout feelin‘ Satan tuggin’ at his coat- mils had better look hisaelf up in a bunk Vault 311‘ forgit de aombinaahun. I take de old woman an’ Emil down to de theater ’bout twice a momh, au’ I can’t reckoluot mm our guilt-y consciences have kept us awake or made us ashamed to walk into church nex' Sunday. “ I want a )eligun, my friends, (int kin etnn’ temptasnun. I want one dam kin meet Satan at de donh of a circus an’ knock him colder dun a wedge. I want one dat will let me play euohre an” yet keep me from cheatin’ I want one «int will go wid me to do theater an‘ injoy whai am good an’ condemn what am bad. I want a religun widont any dyspepsia or liber complaint. in ii. If it am do sort; of a religun dat a dance nm gwine to peel off I want, to know it in time to look fur a kind dut will 8‘.in by me {raw thick an' thin. A puason who am Mom-d dab do minit 1m bagina to smile his religun will begin to crack like new var» nish must. be in an uncomfortable state 0’ mind. Lat me be tempted. If my reliimn am strong nuff to resist I shall have de glory of victory If it am not, 10¢ me ax fur for~ givaneas an’ tighten up de bolts an' try again. 50 good. Respth de church. Reverence true Christianity an’ try an’ ioller de teach- ings of do good book, but be keeriul how you clothe yerselves in armor dat will be ahivered by do sounds of a fiddle nn’ fall to de ground at do sight of a circus purceshnn. Let, us now assault do reg’lar order of biz- ness.” Sir Isaac Walpole said he desired to re- mark, before passing the bean box, that there were two kinds of religion in his neighbor- hood. One sort was horrified at the idea of attending a circus, and yet would pick up a wallet on the street. and whip the children giving the feet away. The other would meet regularly once in two weeks [or amusements. and yet paid his pew rent in cash and had a bowl of chicken broth for every sick person in the neighborhood. The latter “as his sort, and he should cone- tinue to stick to it. The followmg candiimes were then elected: Plum Dufi Rogers, Allbright Smith, Also Hastings, Much David, Elder Scott and Wakeful Jones. REPORTS. The Keeper of the Sacred Relies reported the mysterious disappearance ofthe hat worn by De Soto when he discovered the Miebisrâ€" ippi River, and for three or four minutes con- sternation was depicted on every countenance. It was then learned that Pickles Smith had taken the hat to carry home some carrot»: from the market. He was given such a rak» ing down as few men have ever lived through, and was then alloved thirteen minutes in which to gallop a. mile and a. half and return with the sacred relic The Committee on Harmony reported that it had been unable to effect a reconciliation between the club and the Society of Wise Old Heads of Cincinnati. About six months ago thislatter society invited Waydown Bebee to lecture before it on the subject of aerial navi- gation, and after delivering one of the strongn est orations ever heard in that city, his pocu hat was picked of 313 and he was hit in the back with a watermelon. The Lime~Kiln club demanded, of course, an apology and indemnity, and this being refused. there has been anything but a brotherly feeling since. The lxbmriau reported that he had lately received several hieturical workmwo volumes of poetry, three pamphlets on free trade. and a hymn book. The library was now open six evenings per week. from 7 to 10 o‘clock. and the average attendance for the past month was sixtyne‘igh‘. The janitor reported that he had paid out twentyâ€"seven cents for tin to nail over rat holes. and that three new cracks hadappeared in the bottom of the stove. The committee on judiciary reported 21 pe- tition from Syracuse auking the club to use its influence to secure national legislation to make it a penal offense for any person to de~ liver 3 Fourth of July omtion within two miles of any crowd of people. PICKLES DENIES IT. A communication from Holdfast Huggins, of Norfolk, inquired if he could secure an in- surance policy on the life of his mother-in-law by joining the club, and added Ihat Pickles Smith was well known to him, having once boarded in his house and being still in dabt to him for six weeks of the highest kind of living. Pickles denied the accusation in the most emphatic terms, and will probably bring suit for slander. As to the other matter the sec- retary was instructed to reply that the club had nothing to do with the insurance husi~ ness and did not care to make a member of any man with such a. name as Huggins. ABOUT LOTTERIES. The secretary announced a communication from prominent citizens of Frankfort. Ky., asking if the Lime Kiln Club had any settled policy regarding lotteries, and Brother Gard- ner replied : “ I can say (lat we has. A few months ago, when Whalebone Howker drew $50 in a lot- tery. I made up my mind dat lotteries war” a good thing‘ Lss’ week, when I diakivered dat de 85 I had invested hadn‘t drawn nulfin ’tsll I felt dat lotteries are a delusion an’ a snare. Whar’ you am sarlin of drawin’ a. prize a lottery am a good thing. an’ you needn’t feel bad fur de company. Whar’ you have any doubts ’bout giltin’ back $50 fur 91, you’d better gin 118 money to de ole woman to buy shoes." A communication from Brother Benjamin Brewster, of Baltimore, stated that he was often naked whether the Lime Kiln Club favored Gould or Vanderbilt in the great fin- ancial moves affecting the business of the country. The President replied that the club stood entirely neutral and would prob ably remain 80. All honorary members reaching Detroit over the Gould system were allowed to ride on the roofs of freight care free of charge, and those coming by the Van- derbilt lines always found the conductors ready to direct them to Paradise Hall by the shortest cut. A letter from Kalamazoo, signea “ Many oiiizens," inquired if Brother Gardner would take a Preeidental nomination in 1900, and adding that il he would six million colored citizens would at once begin to move in the matter. “ I mus’ reply no to that queahun,” replied the old man as he drew himself up an inch taller. ” I know flat :1 President am a. sort o‘figger head who has nufiin’ to do but sign a few papers an’ walk noun ’ wid his hands under his coat- tail pockets, an’ I have no doubt det any member of dis club am perlekly qualified ; but we doan’ want 69 offis. Washington am too unhealthy, an’ it am not sich a. place as we want to bring up our ohill’en m.” THE LIME ‘KILN CLUB. NEITHER ONE. ELECTION. N0, HE WON'T “ I desire to observe," began the Rev. Pen- atock as he unlinked himselfâ€"“ I éeeire to observe dent in care »â€"” “ Brudder Penstock. am dar a moshun befo de houae ‘2" demanded the president. “ No. Bah.” “ Am Gm" a resoluahun hangin’ fire ?" “ No. Rab." " Den you drop back 1 You am severely out. 0' order, 5311 l” Facts About Botn Articles that Most Smokers Do Not Know. For the past five years the importation of crude meerschaum and amber into this coun- try has steadily increased. The crude meer- schaum comes from Kiltsohik and Esk- Schehr in Anatobia, in Asia Minor, where it is found [ocean or embodied in chalky, ser- psntine rocks. In size it varies from the dimensions of s. walnut to that of a man’s hoe-i. When it is first mined it is soft, but it becomes hard when exposed to the air. In its Virgin state it cracks very easily. The business of mining and marketing meer- schaum is entirely under the control of the Armenians. They are shrewd traders and cm discounts. vendor of wooden hams and nutmegs at his own trade. For self protec- tion buyers have insisted on the putting of the raw product into marketable shape. so that some idea of the value of the goods can be ascertained on sight. The crude blocks of meerschaum are therefore slightly waxed and polished so that the grain can be readily seen. The market is at Vienna, where the Armen- ian producers have established agencies, and wh:-, re the whole world goes to buy. In mar- ketable shape, meerschsum is assorted in four sizes. The largest size has about thirty~five pieces to the case, the second averages seventy five pieces, the third about 175 pieces, and the fourth from 300 to 500 pieces. Each size again is graded in eight or nine qualities‘ A popular notion is that meerschaum is sold by aweigbt. If such were the case the “light” pounds would be in demand. Connoisseurs prefer a block neither too light nor too heavy. If too light, the meerschaum is porous and will absorb too much nicotine. If too heavy, it will not color well. American workmen have not yet been found to successfully manipulate the raw material. All the workmen em- ployed in the industry have been brought over from Austria. They earn big wages and are secretive with their handicraft. PUT HIM IN JAIL Notice was recmved from the Hon. Wash- ingnon Koonc, of Virgmra, that a person claiming to be the Rev. Benstock was can- vusaing that state for the sale of the Lime- Kiln Club chrome. The secretary was instructed to offaar a reward of $25 for his arrest, and the genuine Penstock will hold hime m rendineas to pub the prosecution. All unfinished businéss was then carefully covered up and the meeting adjourned. The process of manufacturing meerschsum pipes rn-quiros both skill and practice. The blocks are first roughly cut into the shape of a pipe. They are dipped into wster, and While West are turned on a lathe. The eye is the only guide to produce evenness and sym- metry. After the lather has completed his work the pipes are rubbed smooth, a read found in the marshes with a fine velvety surface, being used as a file. When all the scratches are removed and a perfectly smooth surface is presented, the article is dipped into hot wax, left for a few minutes there, and then polished with a rag. Right here is a point for smokers When purchasing a meerschaum article always select one having a. yellow tinge. A yellow shadow shows that the meerschaum is sufficiently porous to absorb nicotine. A white meerschaum pipe or cigar holder shows density sufficient to resist absorption. The best article is not too yellow, but what may be termed just yellow enough. It the Government imposed a duty on amber in its crude state, the Custom House receipts would be considerably increased. The authorities, however. class amber as a chemical and admit it free of duty under the heading 0| gum. For the fiscal year ended June 30, last, $42,400 worth of amber was brought into the port- of New York. The best authorities in the trade agree in asserting that amber is fossilized rosin. In course of time, it is soid, with our immense pine forâ€" ests. it is possible that amber will be found in this country. At present the deposit of amber is slmoet wholly confined to the shores of the Baltic Sea. Some is washed up by the sea free of crust, but the majority is mined item the cliffs adjacent to Dantzic. Amber is sold by weight. The smallest size numbers about 250 pieces to the pound, and costs 31,50. When there are two tof in pieces to the pound it costs $30 to $35. Amber of greenish has is the mast valuable, and a black gem, supposed to be amber, comes next in value. The popular supposi- tion that cloudy amber is of more value than blear is not supported by fact. Cloudy amber is stronger, and it obscures nicotine stains, and is, therefore‘ to be preferred, but clear ‘ amber is prettier, and is always in demand. 1 A combination of green, black, clear, and ‘ cloudy amber in a cigar holder was exhibited ‘ to the reporter. It was beautiful and novel. Amber is roadin worked into shape with the aid of fine sand burnishing wheels. It can be softened by heat with the use of oil to keep it from burning, and when ductile can be bent as easily as horn, It is also susceptible of high polish. Amber is principally expensive on account of the waste in its manufacture for smokers’ use, and rubber, celluloid, and various other compositions have been found to be good and cheap substitutes. A prominent retailer said : “ The time was when only a capitalist could afiord to smoke a meerschaum pipe. About Christmas our trade was brisk, and occasional raffles enabled a dealer to work off a stock that otherwise would remain in his show case from year to year. Now we have no trouble in selling meerschaum pipes and holders. There is a steady and natural de- mand for them. 1 find. the greatest variance in tastes for pipes between city and country folks. As a general rule a city man purchases a pipe from motives of economy. He wants a good pipe. and doesn‘t hesitate to purchase a meerschaum. Sometimes a city man buys a pipe because it has a novel shape, but as a rule, a desire to economize leads to the abandonment of cigars and the use of a pipe. Sooner or later, however. the pipe is discard ed in favor of cigars. With a countryman things are difl'erent. He buys a pipe for daily use, and really prefers it to a. cigar.” -. Other trudesmvn said that, notwithstand- ing the enormous increase of the manufac- ture of cigars, the demand for pipes is not curtailed. One dealer said that the demand is now twentyifive per cent greeter than five years a '0, and he thought pipes would always sell, on account of economy and their Americanized shapes. The styles of pipe are legion, but the favorite style in demand with smokers is the London, a pipe with an egg bowl and straight stem. VOL. XXV. â€"A great Legitimist banquet took’, place on Oct. 22 at Roubious Corniche, under the presidency of the Marquis de Foreata. The Comte de Chamhord’s portrait was surround ed by numerous flags and flame de lia. Many speeches were made. In drinking the King’s health a violent harange against the republic was delivered. It was described as infamous and rotten. The speech was greatly applaud- ed with shouts of “ A has la Republique l" “ Vive le Roi !" MEERSCHAUM AND AMBER. Where Missionaries are Yet Needed. From the Reno Journal. 01d Winnemucce, Chief of the Pintes, died near Copperemith’e ranch in Surprise Valley last Friday. After the funeral ceremony was performed the Women returned to camp, and relieved their troubled hearts by stoning to death the young wife of the dead chief and her three year old child, both of whom have been prisoners for two months awaiting the death of the chief. The whites were kept in ignorance of this frightful business until after ithad been accomplished. On several occasions within the past two weeks the un- fortunate squaw. knowing the fate that awaited her, attempted to take her own life and that of her child, but was prevented by the guard that was constantly kept over her, Mr. McWhirter and his Goat. From the Galveston News. Thomas McWhirter of San Antonia was at work in his yard. He took off his coat and laid it across the fence, without considering the proximity of his robusn and resolute goat. Presently he turned around and be- held the coat in the mud and the goat on the roof of the chicken coop, joyously munching at what looked precisely like the red moroci co pocketbook in which Mr. McWhirter had placed $2,000 in uovernment bonds. The thought of a 34 goat eating a. $2,000 break- fest almost drove him crazy. The goat saw blood in his eye and ran, with McWhirter 1n pursuit. At last the animal was caught, killed and dissected. but almost the only thing not fouod in the oapacious stomach was the bonds. for the very good reason that they were safe at home in the pocket of an- other coat. Caught by his Own Greediness. From the Cincinnati Enquirer. Mr. Henry Jones. an old and respected cit- izen 0i Goshen. Ohio, a few days since, on entering the sitting room discovered that a fine canary bird had disappeared from the cage hanging on the wall. Approaching the cage he saw a huge house snake coiled in the bottom of the cage, and watching his move- ments as he neared the cage, the snake bee gan making frantic efforts to escape from his prison, but was unable to accomplish his purpose. The snake was killed and opened, and the mystery explained itself, for about a foot from the snake’s moulh the canary was found, dead, of course, but entirely intact. The snake bed by some means reached the cage, and being hungry and empty, passed into the cage between the wires. After swal- lowing his prey his body became so distend- ed as to prevent him passing out in the some Way as the entrance was gained. The snake measured over four feet in length. Snakes in Deadly Combat. ‘ From the Philadelphia Times. 1 At half past one o’clock on Sundry morn- l ing, as the private watchman at the Dime ‘ Museum in Baltimore was going his rounds, he had his attention attracted by unusually loud noises coming from the third story 01 the building. Upon hastening thither he found the python, the largest snake in cup- tivity, seventeen feet, in deadly combat with an anaconda twelve feet long. How long they had been fighting the watchman did not know, but he says that from the time his at- tention was attracted by the noises up stairs until half past 7. his hour for going off duty, they kept up a continuous welfare. When one would miss his aim and strike the side of the cage, the sound could be distinctly heard on the ground or auditorium floor. The py- thon, after numberless bouts with his oppo- nent, seems to have gathered. all his strength for a final attack, which was made. The an aconda was ready, and placing themselves in an almost upright position they made for each other with tearful rage. After having carried on their combat for fully six hours the python made a last desperate lungs and succeeded in getting the anaconda’s head in his mouth to the depth of at least three feet, and, holding it in this position for some time, at last commenced to coil itself around the anaconda until it actually ground and mashed the life out of it. From the Idaho World. There was a Singular case up for trial in the Justice Court the other day at Sawtooth. The question to be decided by the justice was whether a restaurant keeper is justified in shooting a man for refusing to eat codfish balls. The Judge of the law and justice decided yes. The case was as follows : The proprietor of a Sawtooth restaurant placed a plate of codfish balls on the table of a young man, and a regular boarder, who had seated himself for grubl The boarder was calmly and peacefully stowing away the victuals but didn’t take in any of the codfish balls. The restaurant keeber approached him, and said in a commanding tone of voice. “ You eat them codfish balls.” fl " Idon’t like codfish balls," replied the boarder. ‘ “ You eat them codfish bells. will you I" “ I tell you I won’t ; I don’t like them.” “ I tell you once more to eat them codfish halls. If you don’t I’ll shoot you ; ” and the restaurant keeper started for his Distal. The border saw he had to do one of the three thingsaeat the oodfish balls, refuse again and be filled with leader] balls, or skip. He skipped. Just as his coat tail was vanishing out at the door the irate restaurant keeper blazed away. but missed him. The boarder had him arrested, The Justice, in his dig- nity, decided that the proprietor of a hash house was perfectly justified in shooting at a boarder with intent to kiil for refusing to eat his codfish balls. Prof. Bell’s Rattlesnake. From the Florida Times. Prof. James Bell, the Smithsonian Insti- tute’s agent, is a source of frequent and i startling surprises to the natives. The aver~ ‘ age rural Floridian is not much afraid of snakes encountered in the wild freedom of the woods, where, if the reptile will not run, the man can ; but the Professor keeps his snakes in the room and about the yard, in boxes and crates. in a manner at once careless, familiar, and appalling. A countryman called upon Prof. Bell lately. and was a good deal discom- posed upon entering the room at seeing a huge rattlesnake throw himself from a soft pillow which, evidently for his benefit had been huug upon a chair, fall with a loud slap upon the floor, glide into a corner, coil himself up again, and, waving his head to and fro, begin that uncanny buzz of the tail dreaded of woodsmen, while the room became pervaded with the heavy perfume of the rep tile’s musk. “ Great jeeswax l” exclaimed the astonished visitor. “ Come in-â€"â€"-â€"â€"; sit down,” cried the cordial snake harder. hands ing his visitor the chair just vacated by the rattlesnake. “ Don’t mind him ; he is not i used to strangers, that’s all.” Then, ad~ l dressing the still angry snake, he cried out in l tones of indignant remonstrance. “ You suh ! hush that iuss l” The reptile hushed but he kept his weather eye on the stranger and every time the uneasy visitor moved the snake gave a warning buzz with his tail. But the visit did not last long. A Practical Test. From the Pall Mall Gazette. A case came before the Brighton County Court Judge yesterday: Oct. 22, which caused Codflsh Balls or Death BRIC~A~BRAC. RICHMOND HILL, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 23 1882. muchlamusement, and in which a dressmaker sought to recover thrrteen shillings for work done for a lady named Taylor. The defen- dant refused to pay because the plaintiff had spoiled her dress. laiatifl, in an indignant tone, said : “ I did make the dress properly, but the lady has no natural figure whatever. She said she was suffering with her liver, and could not be squeezed, and how could I make her look like 3 Venus when it was all wedding ?” Defendantâ€"I did not want you to make it tight; I like my dresses loose. Plaintiff-You should any how very deformed your arms are. Defendant, excitedlyâ€"I am not deformed. I am a better figure than you; I have no deformity. My husband is in court ; ask him. Plaintiffâ€"Will you allow me to try the dress on in court 9 Defendant â€"Yes ; before all the gentlemen. His Honor â€"You must put the dress on, andI must see. The parties then retired into the solicitor’s robing room, and after the plaintiff had put on the dress his Honor was informed by a bailiff that she refused to come into court. His Honor according entered the robing room and on his return to court he said the work wan very indiflerently done. He did not, therefore. think the plaintiff had earned the money claimed, and the verdict would be for the defendant. How Much Better, Indeed How much better off are the children stud- led into ill health from those allowed to run wild in the streets 7 How much better off is the young man who studies himself into weak eyes, dyspepsia, and possibly insanity, from the other young man who drinks himself into red eyes, a. red nose and delirium tremens ? Or how much better off is the woman who frowns when helord comes home at two p. m. drunk. While she compresses her own vital organs twelve hours daily in the clasp of tight corsets ? How much bemer ofi is the total abstainer from intoxicating drinks who takes no (men oise and eats himeelf into the dyspepsia ? How much better is a. respectable sort of sin that kills the body and degrades the soul from a disreputable lying in the gutter sin, which does the same thing ? What sort of a long life sermon does a clergyman preach who ruins his health by over application to study and disregard of the laws relating to the care and reouporavion of his own earthly pabemacle 2’ How much bet‘ter is the landlord who pois one his tenants with bad air in foul tene- mems from the landlord down stairs in the saloon who poisons them with bad rum ? How muofl better is the man who frets him self into insanity from the man who drinks himself into ditto ? If you don't take good care of yourself, can yog take good one of pthers 2‘ _ If a phfsician is sick himself, is he in a fit condition to restore others to health ‘2 Is the leaky boat the beat whereby to res- cue others from the wreck ‘Iâ€"Graphic. More About Lucy. From the Chicago Tribune, One evening Lucy’s young man did not keep his engagement to come and help her hold down the sofa, and she was very angry, because the young man generally brought along a box of candy, and Lucy could make it look tired about as easily as any girl in town. So she sat down at the piano and began to sing. After she had given the folks a. sam- ple of When uhB Roses Bloom Again, Only a Funny Flower, Emmy is the Cradle. and a. few other gems of melody that would make a. man feel like committing murder, her father said that perhaps she had batter quit, as he didn't care about having me patrol wagon making uselebf trips on such a cold night. Lucy made no reply to this remark of her father’s but only slammed the music down pretty hard, probably to show Whm she could do in case she should ever get real hot. Then she began to play the piano, starring in with The Battle of Prague. When she had fimsh- ed the piene, her papa went across the room to where his oldest son was sitting and handed him $50. “ Your brother bet me ' $50,” he replied, “ that you would knock out the piano in the first round, and I am giving up the boodle." Then Lucy began to cry, and said that her father ann brother were nasty horrid things, But they only laughed at her, and when they had gone up stairs, her papa. said to James : “ Let us open a small bottle." ” Why, papa.” said Lucy, “ what are you giving James 1311 that moneyfor Men are very curious creatures, children. They will frequently open a small bottle, and then go home and tell their wives that times are too hard to buy a new bonnet. But sometimes men loses their grip, and turn up thirteen or fourteen o’clock at night), having had to hire a hack to get home in, and then somebody gets a sealskin sacque. I thin}; i't serves them right. Don‘fi you agree with me, children ? -â€"One of the most enormous ropes in size and length ever produced in England is that recently manufactured for service in New Zealand, where it is to be employed in haulâ€" ing up ships when they run aground on the soft mud bottom there, which is occasionally the case. The rope in question is a twenty- one inch White manilla hawser, 120 fathoms long and composed of nine strands of 310 yards to the strand. Another rope, intended for the same purpose, is a fifteen inch hawser of the same material and length, and com- posed of nine strands with 164 yarns to the strand. As is well known, twelve inch ropes are the largest size ordinarily made. â€"â€"The Congress that has been sitting in Saragossa, Spain, to discuss the best means of combating the phylloxera has been most interesting. The Insect has caused extensive ravages in the north of Portugal and the pro- vinces of Estramadura, Malaga and Catalonia in Spain, despite the severe legislation which enforces tfi'e isolation of infested vineyards, the destruction of tainted plants, and other precautions. The opinion of the wine grow~ era was divided on the question of American wines and on the remedies for the phylloxera. France, since the phylloxera has ravaged the half of her vineyards, has imported since 1877 from 87,000,000 to 109,000,000 gallons of Spanish Wines, chiefly for her own home consumption. She only exports to England a little over 7,000,000 gallons, and to the rest of Europe and America hardly three times that quantity. â€"â€"The operator sat in a. cane-bottom chair, Clean was his facetand parted his hair In the middle. NOW and anon he smiled very sweet, As some young lady his vision would greet And a big Italian 5mg out on the street. Piuyiug a. fiddle. He played all the airs that he ever knew, Some that were ancient, and then a, few Thut were older; But -the operator‘s heart; was cold as stone, It couldn’t be reached with 2L Dig cyclone, He thought of moaning but himself alone ; find the italiafi grew bolder. Up to the Window the Italian want, And over yhg '11 “he grupofglly bent, A bright fantasia pluyin g. Little dreamed he 01‘ the terrible fate That under the table was lying in waitâ€"â€" TWO small wjl‘eg which ljun to u plate On which two coins were‘laying. Then there Gimme an unearthly yell, As on the sidewalk thp Ipulinn fell, Dymg a second after. But the operator sat in his cane-bottom chair, Gently brushing his fluxen hair ; Looking at lsjpaye with a vpcuyt stare, ‘Whilé I was convulsed with ldughter. Talmage has lately showed signs of tail- ing. Hie congregations have refused to laggh. V Tvlm Amelican Tract society is circulating religion}; pamplglgts in 141 languages. th6 Being of Solomon : So Eellép me gra- cious. dot coat fim you like do baper on de wallsâ€"Puck. ABOUT PREACHERS. CHURCHES AND RELIGION. The late Dr. Pusey urged the rising genera- tion of clergyman to study the Fathers, es- pecially St. Augustine, as well as the Scrip- tures. The following Sign is on a photograph galâ€" lery in Santa. Cruz, Cal. : “ And God saidlet there be lighl and there was light. We will use the light. to your advantage." Mr. Talmage says the young man who eat- ries a pistol should be spanked. A second oflence should result in his being shown a picture of Mr. Talmnge. Tfie Unitarian chchh at Duxbury has been in existence for 250 years, and a. few days ago made its first call to the pastorate in forty- eight years, the Rev. Josiah Moore having been pastor since 183 4, There seems to be a great kick, so to speak, aboutladies wearing their hats in the theater, but not a single complaint has reached us thus far inveighing against 6heir keeping them on at church. Beecher has looked over several Sunday school libraries, and it is his candid opinion that eighteen books out of every twenty are too boshy for any intelligent child to read. The church of England as a whole is the largest landowner in the kingdom,and Canon Wilberforce has called attention to the fact that it also the largest owner of public houses and pronounced it a grievous scandal. The new plan of synod organization infithe Presbyterian church, making each synod co- extensive With the estate, has proved a fail- ure in New York, for thé‘i‘eason that it was overloaded with delegates who had a legal right to he prgeent. A _ A The Rev. Timmons, of Thomason, Ga... Warned his congregation that all who attended the circus would be expected to withdraw from the church. Georgia. will have no right after this to bowl about New England Pur- itans. A very old lady on her death bed, in peni- tential mood, said : “I have been a great sinner more than eighty years, and didn’t know it.” An old colored woman who had lived with her a long time exclaimed, “Laws, I knowed it all the time," The deacon‘s son was telling th) minister about the bees stinging his pa, and the mm- lster inquired: "Stung your pa, did they 7 Well, what did your pa say “I” “Step this way a. moment,” said the boy, “I’d rather whisper it to you.” Out West they have a. new boy orator, named Frank Bingham, who is announced as the leading attraction at many church fairs and Sunday school anmversaries. Although the good die early, some of the boy oratora and boy preachers manage to live a good old age. The Rev. Dr. Reubee Jeffrey, formerly of Philadelphia. late of Brooklyn and now of Denver, some time ago accepted the presi dency of a mining company, and is said to have made a large sum of money: He is the most popular preacher in Denver and draws the lergest eqdiencee. “ thnle girl, do you know whose house this is ?” asked a solemn looking old man of a. bright child sealed on the chm-ch steps. “ Yes, sir ; It’s God‘s, but he ain’t in,” she added as the old gentleman was about to walk up the steps, " and his agent’s gone to Europe.” Minister (to Rory) â€"“ Why weren’t you at the klrk on Sunday ?” Roryâ€"“ I WiB at Mr. Dunlop’s kirk.” MiniatorwH I don’t like;you running about the strange kirks that. way. Not. that I object tae yer hearing Mr. Dunlop, but I’m sure ye widna like yer ain sheep straying away into strange pastures.” Roryâ€"â€"“ Iwidna care great, sir, if it was better. At a Buddhist meeting held lately in Ja- pan, one of the speakers said: “ Of late the progress made by Christianity has been marvelous, and may be compared to a. fire sweeping over a plain, which constantly in- creases in power.” Antiâ€"Christian literature is in such demand in India. that in Lucknow and Cawnpore there are said to be no less than fortynfivo publishing houses doing this work. There a no lost time in heaven; the angels pour A still new song. though chanted evenmore ; There’s no night following on their daylight hours, No feeding time for amamnthine flowers : No change, no death, no harp that lies unstrung, No vacant 1718.06 these hallowed bills among. The Interior laments that the practice of memorizing the Scriptures has passed away from the Sunday schools, and it is now a rare thing to find Sunday school teachers who can recxte from memory a single chapter in the life of Christ or even one of the Psalms. rI‘he ex-Rev. G. C. Miln is said to be adver tiaing himself through the country press as “ late pastor of the Unity church, Chicago, and successor to Robert Collyer.” Some of the 01d members of the church, who revere Robert and did not want George to remain, think that the coupling of the two names in a theatrical advertisement is decidedly in bad taste. The three evangelical doctrines that ought to he insisted upon as conditional to the ordination or installaton of a pastor, as stated by the Rev. Edward A. Park to the Boston Congregational ministers, and apps- ently approved by them, are that the Biblegis perfectly trustworthy as a religious guide : that the atonement of Christ is a sacrifical act. influencing the mind of God as well as sinners, and that this is only the world of probation. the future world being one of pun- ishment for those who die impenitsnt. The doctrine is held by a. few Polish Jews that a good man may sell his claim upon heaven. This belief is based on the Rabbin- ical pronerh : “ Good deeds buy a future world.” which is interpreted by most Jews to mean that by doing good one may secure for himself happy immortality. Harris Udoviteh of Troy bargained to buy Louis Cohen’s heavenly claim for $150, but 00th backed out of the agreement. and the result was a fracas which sent Udovitch to jail. An old preacher once said at a meeting of his brethren: " We ought to preach like dying men to dying men.” That sort of preaching makes dying churches. If minisâ€" ters would preach like livmg men to living men on subjects which vitally concern every- body in this world, there might be fewer empty pews and less lamentation in the churches. The synod of the Evangelical church of Basie have just arrived at a decision which may have important consequences for Swiss Protestantism. By 39 votes to 32 the synod have reierred to the consistory a proposal for an alteration in the rules of the church whereby baptism will no longer be a necessary preliminary to confirmation and patieipation in the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. It is proposed also to alter the Catechism in the same sense. Chicago has 300 churches agninat 5,242 liquor saloons; 400 clergyman, evangelists, and lay readers, and 5,000 bartenders; only a half dczen art galleries, and 350 variety theaters. Out of 100,000 buildings, 8,000 are used for immoral purposes ; $1,500,000 is spent for schools ; $15,000,000 for liquor ; $800,000 for police, perhaps a. $1,000,000 for religious worship and charity ; $15,000,000 The Kentucky mountain evangelist, the eccentric Brother Barnes, does not find his experiment in Norwich, Conn., an overwhelm- ing success. While many come to his meet- ings out of curiosity, they do not seem to be much impressed with any Gospel message that he has for them. He keeps up his practice of “unnointing with oil for the healing of the body?” but has not thus far had many patients. The clergy stand aloof from Brother Barnes about the same as in other places. A Rhode Island clergyman, not having had time during the week to write a new 391‘ man. was compelled to fall back on an old one, which he rigged up With 9. new text and application and knocked out part fourthly and fifthly. 0n announcing his text he re- marked to his hearers : “ I have an old sermon for you to day ; but it has new collar and wristbands, and I don’t believe you can tell where the stitches are set in.” The con-- gregation listened to the old discourse as patiently as if it was new for them that week. A church in Ayrshire, Scotland, being without a pastor, has nearly a hundred ap- plicants for the vacant pulpit. The elders have registered the a pplioations as they have come in, and signify their intention of giving each man his turn. as far as may be, until the congregation shall be suited With the man whom they consider to be sent from the Lord. As the work of hearing and sampling these candidates goes on, the task of choosing ben comes more and more diificult. The fact that a hundred ministers want to change their present positions for others is not a pleasant comment on Scotch Presbyterians. for that which destroys both soul and body. â€"Chicago Inter-Ocean. Moody and Sankey are valiantly at work in Paris holding two meetings daily, and the Salvation Army are also engaged in a. vigor- ous campaign against French infidelity and materalism. A materialist who went. to a meeting in the Eglise de I’Etonle the other evening came back sorely disappointed. “ Your Moody,” he said, “ was the essence of moderation. He did not say a single outâ€" rageoua thing, and your Sankey does not know how to sing.” A Brooklyn clergyman recently resigned his pulpit to accept a call from Chicago. In his letter of resignation he wrote' “ I have longed and prayed for relief, and now that it has come Iought not to decline it.” The Detroit Free Press men quotes the letter of resignation and forcibly adds : " A clergy; man who, after a long experience in Brookn lyn, looks upon a. conflict with sin in Chicago in the light of a. relief and an easier situation pays a tribute to Brooklyn’s wrekedness that surpasses in eloquence all the rhetorical re- sources of the Brooklyn pnlpit.” Money was urgently needed by a church at Blandford, Mass., and a committee, with the pastor at its head, devised a novel scheme. A challenge was sent to a number of young men at Westfield to come out and hunt squir- rels all day, and at night eat a supper in the church, the party which had killed the least game to pay $1 for all the men served. To the surprise of the church members who joined in the hunt, the marksman beat them; but the Springfield Republican is authority for the charge that, when it came to a count, 3 number of squirrels that had been shot a. several days before were fraudulently intro- duced, so that the church came out financial- ly victors. The involuntary retirement of Prof. Ezra. P. Gould from the faculty of the Newton University, a M sssachusetts Baptist institu‘ tion, gave rise to various surmises, and Pres- ident Hovey authorizes the following explan- ation : “Students made known to him and to many others the fact that their views were unsettled on vitnl doctrines by the teaching in the department of New Testament inter- pretation. Examinations for ordination gave ample proof of these unsettled opinions, and scrupulous pastors hesitate in voting for or- dination. In one case ordination was refused.” In view of the fact that students were thus being led away from orthodoxy. the trustees deemed it necessary to remove Professor Gould, A missionary steamer, whose hull and ma- chinery weigh only six tone, is now moored in the Thames in London. The vessel is named Peace, and has been built for the Baptist Missionary society, who destine it for the service of the mission in the upper reaches of the Congo River. The boat can be taken to pieces ready for transport par. prisesY and the total number of pieces, none of which would be too heavy for a man to carry. would be 800. The greatest possible use has been made of all available space, and the two cabins are admirably fitted. A kit~ chen adapted for a stove and other cooking appliances forms part of the equipment, A substantial awning covers the deck, and be" tween this and the sides 01 the V« seal a wire awning is fitted to stop arrows and other misslies ; it is intended to take the steamer to pieces. and pack the sections in boxes, which will be sent to the mouth of the Congo. From thence they will be borne by 800 men a distance of 300 miles up to Stanley Pool where the steamer will be reconstructed by missionaries. There is a great deal of very tame, dull, ineffective speaking in our pulpits. If actors spoke as listlesst and mechanically on the stage as some of our preachers do in the pul» pit, the theaters would be emptied in a month. A great deal of what is called digs nity in the pulpit is simply deadness. Most of the topics preached about are to no real or vital interest to people who are indifferent to doctrinal dis- cussion. The one question of livmg interest is how to live. All the Creed is good for is to make it easier to keep the Com- mandments. Right conduct is the end to which all else is means. But a. vast deal of our modern preaching bears no relation to life, or gets at it by beating about a (10013 trinal stump in such a roundabout manner that people get tired bofore they get to the live end of a sermon. They very soon weary of the rattling of dry peas in a tin kettle ? A novel theory concerning what is finally to become of the devil is promulgated by Dr. Weddell, a Scotch clergyman. In a recent sermon at Glasgow he expounded the states ment in the twentieth chapter oi Revelation concerning the angel from Heaven who came down with a great chain in his hand and the key of the bottomless pit. Dr. Weddell says that this means the overcoming of evil, the term for which is dragon, or devil, or Satan. The angel, he says, is the angel of electrical science, who comes direct from Heaven. If such an angel brought a chain in his hand, it was a coil of telegraph wire and submarine cable. The angel’s key was the telegraph key. Dr. Waddell holds that in exactly the proportion that electricity en circles the world, the devil will be defeated and the regeneration of mankind will progress. To him the idea of a. bottomless pit is that of one from which the 'devil can never be recovered, as he will evidently fall through without possibility of restoration. A Philadelphia clergyman named Beale has been preaching on feminine fashions, particularly as regards tight lacing. He says that men hold themselves erect without the use of bones, except such as God gave them ; and he cannot see Why women should not do the same. He asks, “ How can the depths of Divine truth reach the heart compressed and squeezed within the narrowest possible limits '2” This view of anatomy is that which was entertained by the ancients before modern medical science had shown them that the physical heart was not more than any WHOLE NO. 1,272 -â€"-NO, 26, other natural organ the seat of the immaterial and immortal soul. Mr. Beale’s theory is that Gospel, truth must enter into the part of the system which is girded about by the feminine corset, or else be excluded to the woman’s great disadvantage. He regards the corset so misohovious that he says “ No ordinary evil is doing more damage to the female sex.” At this statement it is more than likely that some of the sisters who were in the reverend gentleman’s audience quietly laughed in their sleeves and remarked within themselves. “ Men don’t know anything about women’s clothes,” or something to that eflect. When one is still young and in health it is natural that death should be an object of fear, but it is not true those who are very sick tear the grave. Dr. Griswold, an emin< ent physician, who has seen many deathbeds, declares that the dying do not fear death, but rather desire it. To pass away when the time comes is in the order of nature, and we will submit to the inevitable without a mur- mur. Nor is it true that death is attended with any superstitious terrors, for, strangely enough, all physicians agree that the dying think of the past, not of the future. Death itself is not painful ; there is no pang or men tal agony except in case of wounds or prema- ture death. There is often terrible suffering: from disease. but death is always a relief. It is idle as well as wished to make death seem horrible or painful. Indeed, to myriads of human beings it is looked upon as a deliverer from pain and care. In one of the most popular religions of the eastâ€"Buddhismâ€" Nirvana, or annihilation, takes the place of the heaven of the Christian belief.~ Ex. Dr. J. M. Reid, secretary of the Missionary society, tells a story relative to himself. Once, when editor he was invited to preach in Chicago. He was taken to the church by a good brother, who landed him there early, and no one being present but himself, he took a. seat in the church alone to meditate and rest for the evening sermon. It was just at dusk, and he heard persons engaged in a prayer service in an adjoining room. He listened. Presently a loud, zealous brother, engaged in prayer. He touched upon various matters, and invoking the Divine blessing upon them. including “the speaker of the evening,” Dr. Reid. For him he prayed very much as follows : “ O, Lord, bless him who is to speak to us this evening ; he is a poor, weak man, but make him a power. Bless the message that he shall bring. We know that he is only an editor, and that he is rusty ; but.O, Lord, rub the rust ofi'.” Dr. Reid said the man prayed earnestly, oblivious to the fact that “ the editor” was listening; and, as an emphasls to his prayer, he (the Doctor) uttered a hearty “ Amen.”â€"Metho- dist. Much concern is manifested by the minis- ters and church officials in Massachusetts on account of the decline in church attendance. This is especially true of the western part of the State. In the smaller towns and villages where in former times almost everybody went to church, there is the greatest falling 03. As an instance of this there is a place not far from Northfield where formerly sixty families attended church. Now only nine families attend, and several of them very irregular. In Deerfield, Wapping, and Whatelay not one third as many persons go to church as used to. In some large and comfortable old fash- ioned churches which formerly were well filled, the numbers of the congregations now are reduced to about fifty each, except when the summer visitors increase them. All manner of causes are assigned for this decline. Some attribute it to the fact that in some places the afternoon service has been of late years given up. This affords the young peo- ple opportunity for going to ride, which they seem to like so well that they devote the whole day to it. In some quarters it is said that a pastor who noticed the steady diminuu tion of his congregation determined to check it. He dropped his habit of reading from manuscript, and spoke right out what he had to say from the pulpit. The effect was no- ticed at once. His people waked up; Those who had absentcd themselves began to come back. Before long his church was full. Pos- sibly if sundry other Massachusetts clergy- men would take the hint from this brother’s experience, they might have less to bewail in the matter of empty pews and absent con- gregations. The Macon, Ga., Telegraph says : Our neighbor of the Albany News and Advertiser has begun the campaign against the habit that some people have of carrying dogs with them to church. As usual, he is clearly in the right. He enforces his pointed observa- tions with those two incidents, going to show that people who can’t keep their dogs from church on Sunday in any other Way should stay at home with them : “ At the Methodist church last Sunday night a pointer dog came in and curled himself up for a nap near the pulpit. The minister began to warm up in his sermon, and came down with a loud gesture upon his Bible before him. Up jumped the dog and struck a gallop to make his escape. In fact, no dog with a box to his tail ever made better time. At the Presby- terian church Monday night a ferocious bull specimen of the canine species attended, and when an attempt was made to run him out he curled himself up at his mistress‘ feet and refused to be run out. After a while, when the preacher began to warm up in his discourse, and when his voice rose to an un- usually high pitch, the dog made for the min- ister, making the church resound with his deep-mouthed barks. Until his mistress had coaxed him out he was master of the situa- tion. All this is very annoying to church at- tendants, and if the owners of these dogs cannot be induced to keep them at home the City Council should take some action in the matter.” ” On my return from Japan,” said Bishop Simpson, "I preached in California, andpro- bably overworked myself, and on the last Sunday in February, after holding divine service in my St. Louis church, I returned home. where I was immediately taken sick with a lingering feverI which the physician predicted would end fatally. At this point I seemed to fall into a kind of eostacy, when I actually did not know whether I was alive or dead. I imagined that I was on board a most magnificent ship and heard the Captain say : " Stop her i" and which I thought to be the voice of my Divine Master, when my young eighteen months old child. who had died twenty years ago, came to me and said that she had heard that I was coming and had come to meet me. After some little conversa- tion, which I do not recollect. she said : ‘ Do you not think that I have grown, papa?‘ She then rose in a form of glory which I have never before witnessed and never more expect to see until I die, and then returned to her usual state, saying that she had come in that shape to see if I should know her. She then said that many friends had asked after me and were awaiting my coming, and that an old lady and gentleman had taken her up and kissed her. saying that her papa was their boy. I then asked her where her mamma was. ‘ 0, she off, doing some- thing for the Lord, but will be at the wharf to meet us on our arrival.’ All this left an impression upon me by the magnificence of the surroundings, and it was a season of great preciousness to me. It seems to me that I have come back from the other world ; and although it is peculiar for me to say that I was dead, it seems as if I was not in the body.” ~Shorthand is a good thing, but it should be remembered that it never wins in a game of bluff. '- “ â€"â€"-Thoma.s N. Doutney, a temperance re- vivalist, has been holding meetings in a tent at Providence. Several we ks ago he held up an emaciated baby befog an audience and said that it was actually starving, its mother having neglected itI while off on a spree. This exhibit of one of the evils of intempemnce induced several persons to sign the pledge, Now comes an account of the infant’s death. None of the reformers saved it from starvation. It was left with its mother, who turned it over to a “ baby for-- mer,” and the Coroner says that it died from lack of nourishment. AN EXPERIENCE OF DEATH.