tf
MAitMJLutuLwMmmmiiaMtiKjiauMmiKi'avaiMmwimxfivjrji'
Farming in
gioiiH.
tho Arctio Ho-
.John Muir, th goologlst, wlio ac
companied tlio Corwln exploring expe
dition, writes to tlio Sun Francisco
Bulletin'.
On tlio turmlnnl moraine of tlio an
clont glacier Unit formud tlto llr.sL main
tributary of tho I'lovor Hay glnolor,
onio four miles from tho oxtrcnio hoiul
of tho bay wo noticed two small skin-
covorod huts, which guidos informed
U8 belonged to tho roindoor pooplo wo
woro Hooking. Ab we approaehod .tho
shore, a hundred yards or so from tho '
huts, a young man oamo running to I
moot us. Ho was presently joined by J
thrco others, who gazed and smiled '
curiously at tho stoam-launoh and at
ioiir pnrty, wondering suspiciously,
whou tho intorprotor had told our ob-,
.foot, f why wo should come so far and
scorn so eager to see moir door, uur
guides, wlio of course understood tholr
prejudices and suporstltions, told thorn
l hat wo wanlod a big, fat door to oat,
and that wo would pay thorn woll for
it tobacco, lead, powdor, caps, shot,
calico, knives, etc.. told ou" in tempting
ordorj but thoy said tlioy had nono to
-.. ... . .W .
soli, and it required Halt an Hour of
cautious negotiation to got thorn over '
their suspicions and alarms and consent
to sell tho carcass of ono provided wo
would leave tho skin, which thoy said
thoy wanted to keep for winter gar-(
ni on Is. Thou two young men, uno, '
strapping, .elastic follows, throw oil
tholr uppor parkas, tied Ih'oir hand-1
xomoly-ombroidcrod moccasins firmly !
across lliu tuslopatul around tlio ankle,
poisod tholr long Russian spears, whioh
thoy said thoy always carried in case
they should moot it boar or wol, and
.iway thoy npod aftor tho Hook up a
long, wide glacier valley along tho bank
of a stream.
"In the meantime wo ato luuohoou
.-and strolled about tho neighborhood
looking at tho plants, the views down
1 1 ho hay, and at tlio interior of tho huts,
otc., and ohattod with tho Tschuokohis
about tholr Hock, the wild sheep on tho
mountains, the wild roindoor, bears and I
wolves, etc. Wo found tho family to I
"Consist of father, molhnr. u nrrnwn I
daughter and tho boys that woro aftor
tho 'door. Tho old folks were ovidontly
contented and happy in their safe ro-
trout among tho lulls, with a sure sup
iport from tholr precious Hook. And
'thoy woro proud of their rod-ehookod
girl and two strapping boys, as woll
thoy might bo; for thoy seontod as
hoaithy and rosy and robust a group of
children as ovor gladdened tho heart of
H'achuokohi parents.
Tho Tschuokohis soom to bo a good
uiaturod, lively, chatty, bravo and po
ilito pooplo, fond of a jbko and, as far as
I havo Boon, fair in tlioir dealing as any
pooplo, savago or civilized. Thoy taro
not savage, however, by any moans,
but steady, industrious workers, look
ing woll ahead, providing for tho fu
vturo, and consequently soldom in want,
savo whon at long intervals dlsoaso or
-othor calamities overtake their Hocks,
or exceptionally sovoro seasons provont
'their obtaining tlio ordinary supplies of
seals, flsh, whales, walrusos, boars, otc,
-on which tho sodontary Tschuckoliis
chiolly dopond. Tho sedentary and
roindoor Tsehuckchis aro timsamo poo
plo, ami aro said to dillbr in a marked
degree both as to physical characteris
tics ami language from tho neighboring
tribes, as tliov cortainly do lrom tho
Esquimaux. Many of thorn havo light
"-complexions, hooked or aquiline noses, l
tall, sinowy, woll-knlt frames small
foot and hands, ami are not, especially
tho mon, so thick-sot, short-necked or
iflat-facod as tho Esquimaux.
""Aftor watching impatiently forsomo
rime the roindoor camo in sight, about
a hmulrod and llfty of thorn, driven
gently without any of that nolsv shout
ing and worrying that is hoard In driv
ing tlio domestic animals in civilized
countries. We left tho huts and wont
rto meot thorn up tho stream bank about
'throo-quartors of a milo, led by the
-owner and his wlfo and dauglitor, who
carried a knifo and tin cup and vessols
to savo the blood and tho entrails,
which stirrod a train of grim associa
tions that greatly marrod tho beauty of
tho picture.
"I was afraid, from what I know of
tho habits of slioop, and oattlo and
horsos, that tlio sight of strangers would
stumpodo tho Hook when wo mot, but
of this, as it provod. thero was not tho
Rclndoor
sugniosi uan;or; ior oi an mo tauiiliar, 0,gi03 Now England has 1,700. Mas
tiune animals man has gathored about i saclmsotts loads with 8. Tho Middle
mm, uiu rmuuuur is mo uimosr. mov
can hardly bo said to bo Uomestioatod.
sinco thoy aro not shut in around tho
'huts, nor put uudor sholtor winter or
iHummor. On tlioy camo, while wo
.gazed oagorly at tho novel sight a
thicket of antlers, big and little, old
and young, lod by tho strongest, hold-
ing tlioir heads low most of tho time, '
:is if conscious of tlio faot that thoy '
woro carrying very big, branching '
.horns; a straggler Jailing behind now
rind then to cull a choice mouthful of i
willow or dainty, gray lichen, then
making lmsto to join tho Hock again.
nioy wauou across too orooK, ana
canto straight toward us ifp tlio sloping
bank who.ro wo woro waiting, noaror,
ncaror, until wo could soo tlioir oyos,
Hhoir smooth, round limbs, tho volvot
on tnoir norns, mini wuuin uvo or six
. yards of us, tho drivers saying source a
word, and tho owner in iront looking
-at thoni as tliov camo up, without mak
ing any call or movomout to attract
thoni. 'After giyiug us tho bouolit of
their magnlllcout oyos and swoot
'breath thoy began to food oil---back up
the valley whon tho boys who had
boon loitering on tlio atream-sldo .to
catch a salmon trout or two wont
. round thorn and drovo thoni back to
us. Then tlioy stopped feeding and
(begun to ohow tho cud ami lio, down,
with oyos partly
0103011 ami .dreamy
4wkliiw n jj f !f til twl I tr ik-ki litttl at 11 1
wo Htniugora causing ' thoni not tho
slightest alarm whilo Htnudliig noarly
within touching distance of thorn.
Cows in a barnyard, milked and potted
ovory iay, aro not so gontlo. Yot
those beautiful animals aro allowed to
food at will, without lidding to any
groat extent. They soqm as smooth
and clean and glossy as if tlioy yoro
wild. Taming docs not scorn to' liav6
Injured thorn in any way. I saw no
mark of man Upon thorn.
After walking through the midst of
tho Hock, tho boys soleotod a rather
small spooimon to bo killed. One
caught it bv tho hind leg. hut us shcon
aro caught, and dragged It backward
out of tho Hook; then tho other boy
took it b tho horns and led it away
n few yards from tho Hock, no notico
boing taken of its struggles by Its
companions, nor was any tendency to
tuko fright observed, 'as would, under
tho circumstances, havo boon shown by
any oi tho common domestic anunais.
Tho mother alono looked aftor It eagerly,
and furthor manifested her concern and
allbction by trying to follow it and ut
tering a low, grunting sound.
Aftor it was slain thoy laid it on its
side; ono of tho wonion brought forward
! w-w va. . ..
n branch of willow about
a tool long
with tho croon leaves
groon leaves on it and put
under tho animal's hoad, then sho
throw four or five handfuls of tho blood
from tho knife wound back of tho
shoulder out over the ground to tlio
southward, making mo got out of tho
way, as if this distinction woro tlio
only proper one. Thou she took a cup
ful of water and poured a little on its
niouth
and tail and on the wound.
While this ceremony was being per
formed all the family was sorious-look-ing;
but as soon as it was over thoy be
gan to laugh and chat as before. Tho
liock all tho tinio of tho killing and
drossing woro tranquilly chewing tholr
cud, not noticing tho smell of tho blood
oven, which makes cattlo so frantic.
"Ono of our party was anxious to
procure a young onoalivo to tako homo
with him, out tlioy would not soil ono
I alivo at any price. Whon wo inquired
the reason thoy said that if tliov should
part with ono all tho rest of tlio Hook
would die, and tho samo thing would
happen if they woro to part with tho
hoad of ono. This they excitedly de
clared was truo, for thoy had seen it
provod many times, though whito mon
did not understand it and always
laughed about it. Whon wo indicated
a very largo buck and injuirod why
thoy did not kill that big ono and lot
the llttlo ones grow, thoy replied that
that big follow was strong, and know
how to pull a slod, and could run fast
ovor tho snow that would como by ana
by. and thoy noodod him too much to
kill him. I have novor bofore seer
hidf so interesting a company of tamo
animals. In some parts of Siberia roin
door Hocks numboring many thousand;
may bo soon together." In those frozen
regions tlioy supply ovory want of tlioir
owners as no other animal could possi
bly do food, warm clothing, coverings
for tholr tonts, bedding, rapid transpor
tation, and, to somo extent, fuel. 'Ihey
uro not nearly so numerous in tlio im
mediate vicinity of tho bay as thoy onco
woro a fact attributed to several live
specimens having been sold to tho
whalers."
A Curious Custom.
Monsieur X. "1 discovare ono curi
ous custom in your countroo, mad
amo!" Madame "What is that, monsieurr"
X. "Itooszis: Von a young ladoc
sho got vat you call it marriod. sho
bag nor game, 1 link I hoar you say?"
M. "Wo sometimes so" remark,
monsieur."
X. "And von a youii" ladco sho toll
a young man she no haf nooiii. you say
sho geef lioom do saokP"
M. Quito truo, mouslour."
X.- -Now, madamo, whon 1 road In
zo dio--In zo dicshuu zo vat you .call
oot? I find zo sack and zo bag aro zo
samo ting. So, madamo, I iind mo dat
it is zo gustom in zis countroo von a
young ladoo she will marry sho put zo
young man in zobag; ami von zo young
ladoo sho will not marrv sho make ot
.o bag a prosont to zo young man. 'As
is ono curious gustom I iind in vour
countroo, madamo; aiuUit mooohhUor-j ,
osts me." Oil Cilij Derrick
The Census oi tho Locomotive.
Thn ill nl nf 1nw-tw4 tirk itinvtiwu
this country is 12,700. Of this total of
stains havn H.iluO liu.nnint.lviw. Tr will
huniblo Now Yorkers a little perhaps
to know the oxaot truth, which places
l'insylvania as tlio loading State, with
2,700 niihvay motors; Now York comes
next with 'J,0u0. The young Western
States, born only yesterday, already
overtop all other'seotions oi the laud
In tho number of railway engines, tho
aggrcgato boing 7,800. ' lllindis loads
with 1,1)00. Tho Pacilic iStatos havo
1-20, California havlnir 220. '1 he South
ern States havo K800 looomolivfls.
Georgia loading with JIO.I, Virginia
( coming next with :!0l), and North Car-
oluia
1 with
and South Carolina following
I shown
1'iit oaon. i-or tia's nosit oh is
by tlio eold-bloododstatistiiilau's
i fi,m.03 of ;18 iOComoti.vos for that State
i ,.,, onuu"h for an empire.
s foi
lpin
A Small Boy ouoo saw a Pm lying
on tho sidowalk, and, picking it up. ho
placed It carofully lu his Jacket. His
action was soon by a Uii'h Banker, who
took tho Boy into his service, anil In
time ho was made Cashier of the bank
and stolo all tho Money. Aftor ho had
restored half of his plunder, 'and w.is
gottlng ready to go to Europe for Ins
Hoalth, tho Banker said to lilm: "Why
did you pick up that Pin, unless vou
wero tho honest Boy 1 took you for?''
"Because," said the wicked Cashier,
I had read that story whou a child, and
was looking for a Sucker to play the
game on." Chicago Tribune.
Youths' Department.
OUlirSTMAS.
Dnlntyllttio stocking
HiuiKinjr In a row,
, Ultio and vray nnri Konrlot,
In tba llrcllKtit'fl Blow:
Crly-patcl slcepura
Hiucly tucked in lied:
Droains of wondrous toy-flhoin
Daiiuluir tbroiiKnuiiuli hoatl:
Mothor, stnppInK lightly,
riuiiH, wltl tondorouro,
How to k vo ortoh droalnor
Jtint mi o(Uiil share.
Funny llttlo stooklnKii
lliiiijriiiir la n row,
Staill'od with swoot aurprlsoj,
Down Trom top to too
Bkntos mid hall: iind tfutnpoU,
DIhIius, tops and drums.
Hooks nud dolls and oaiidlci,
Nuts and HtiKar-pluiiH.
Llttlo sloopcrs wakln: f'
HIosh inc. what a nolsol
Wish you morry I'lnistinas,
Happy Klrls and boys!
Xmery.
miiULVS CIIKISTMAS BOX.
Mrs. Watrous had taken a great
fancy to old-fashioned furniture. Sho
already had a good deal that had boon
hor groat-grandmotiiors; and sho had
sent her modern furnituro to auction,
and had tho old brought from tho gar
rot and rubbed with linseed oil and
vinegar till it shono llko glass, and thou
had rummaged round in tho garrets of
hor cousins who did not euro for such
things, and among the second-hand
furnituro-shops, and had sent far and
noar into tlio country, whorovor sho
hoard of an artielo of tho sort, to learn
if sho could add to hor collection.
At last sho had rested from 'hor la
bors, her house equipped with a brass
knocker, with brass sconces for candles,
with llttlo mirrors in opon-work brass
frames, with straight-backed chairs and
"thousand-loggod ' tables, and every
thing, in short, except a groat chest for
tho hull, whlnh she wanted exceeding
ly, but which sho could nowhere Iind.
Sho know there had been such a chest
in tho family, all covorod with carving
that told in wood tho story of somo
Middle-Ago legend; but tho track of it
had boon lost almost a hundred years
ago. Sho would havo given anything
lor it, sho used to say; thoy woro so
very nice to stand in "tlio hall, and so
ornamental.
Sho wanlod a great ohost nearly as
tall as Matty, with panels full of carv
ing, and long shining hinges; but it was
not to bo tound. And although Mr.
Watrons would havo had ono made for
hor, that would not havo been tho
gmiuino old article, and sho would not
listen to such a thing.
But ono morning- it was . on tho
morning before Christmas--Mr. Wat
rous took Matty on his knee' and tojd
hor lie was going to havo a little secret
with her, it sho thought sho could keep
a seerot; and of course Malty a-sured
him that sho could, and bog.in to toll
him all about several that sho know in
order to prove how woll sho had kept
thorn, clapping hor hand on her little
mouth in tho middle, of each, as sho
found how nearly she had betrayed ev
ery ono of them.
'"Well," said hor father, "1 think
my little girl can koop this ono; and it
is only for a very little while. It is
about mamma's Christmas present."
"Ohyos, indeed!" cried Matty.
"I have found the chest for her"
"Papa! O papa!" cried Matty, clasp
ing hor lianas. "Oh, how happy it
will make her!"
Papa laughed and continued: "Now,
you know that this aftorno m the serv
ants will bo all gone"- -for in Mr. Wat
rous' family tho servants had the Uny
und night bofore Christmas for a holi
day, so that the rest of tho family might
havo Christmas Day itsolf for theirs -
"and thero will bo nobody but mamma
and you and tho baby in tho house.
"The cart will como with tho ohost
in it, atid will wait just round tho cor
nor; and as soon as Cousin Kato sees it
from hor window she will send across
for mamma to run in and soo hor a mo
ment, and tasto her Christmas pudding,
and toll hor if it needs anything oho be
fore boiling. And what 1 want you to
do is not to ho afraid to stay a ono about
uvo minutes"
"Of course not!" said Matty.
"And to toll mamma that you will
mind tho baby while she runs across
" t
"Oh, yes, iudeedl"
" And then tho mon will bring in tho
ohost, and you may toll them wlioro to
put it under tho stag's horns, you
know -and whon mamma comes back
n t (
" Oh, won't sho havo a happy Christ
mas Evo! She said it, was' all she
wanted!" I j '
i'apa laughed again. "Wo shall all
havo a happy Christmas Evo," said ho.
"And as for mv little Matty, I hope sho
has a rttoeking to hangup that will boar
a llttlo sirotciiingl"
And then Matty hugged her father,
and laid her head on his shoulder, to
love him a little while; and presently ho
wo'it to the oillco, ami sho wont to look
at iho turkey, as to tho monstrous size
and fatness of which there was just then
quite an outcry coming up from the
kitchen.
So tho day woro away, A short win
tor's day, but it seemed longer and
longor to Matty. ( At last it was gottlng
on towards thl'oo in tho afternoon, aim
there camo a ring at tho door, and
Cousin Kato had sont ovor for Mrs.
Watrous to como and tasto her Christ
mas pudding.
"Dear mo!' said Mrs. Watrous, "1
can't loavo tho babv."
"Ohyos, you cau, manlina!" cried
Matty. " Papa said moan- I'll stay
With him, mamma, dear, audi won' i bo
ft bit afraid."
So, leaving tho baby with Matty,
Mrs. Watrous (brow a shawl over hor
head and ran uqross to Cousin Kate's.
And Hvo minutes afto'rward, tlio mon
had loft tho groat ohost in tho hall, uu
dor the stag's horns, anil had gone, and
shut tho door behind them.
Matty could not sort tho chest plainly
as thoy carried it by - it was getting dark
in the'liall. But. she scratched a match,
and thon climbed up and lighted ono of
tho wa candles in tho llttlo sconces
just opposite the chest.
"Woll, It is a sptondtd thing," sho
said to herself. Tho groat sides, almost
up to her shoulder, woro all covered
with carving of chorubs, and harps,
and crowns, and birds, and snakes, and
loaves, and babies, in what seemed to
Matty the strangest confusion.
When sho had iullleiently admired
tho outside, Matty thought she would
like to seo the inside. The lid was
enormously heavy; but blic tugged and
tugged, and up it camo a crack, and
thon she stooped and got hor shoulder
under, and rose little by little, and at
last succeeded in, standing tlio groat lid
upright and what a wondorfulplaco it
wasTnsidot Almost big enough for a
baby-house.
Thero woro groat drawers and little
drawers, and boxos with covers, add
boxes inside these, and places liko the
berths she saw In the steamer yhcn sho
was taken to bid Susy good-by, and an
open space among them all. with a fur
robo, a now fur robo for tho sleigh,
folded and lying on the bottom.
Matty had Hot half exhausted tho do
light of her di3 'ovorios when tho baby,
who was getting s!eopy, and was qmto
tired of his rubber doll and rattle, be
gan to frot. Sho ran to got him. and
brought him out into tho mill; and it
occurred to hor that a seat on that fur
robo would bo a capital thing for the
baby while she pursued hor pleasure.
And no sooner said than done; sho
climbed in horsolf, lifted tho baby ovor
and sot him down: smoothing the fur
and saying "Poor pusay" to it.
Tho baby did just as she did, and j
patted tho fur and said "Pussh," and
cuddled down his little s'.oepy hoad .
upon it ana lot iuattv go on opouing
this tiny box, and pulling out that tiny
drawer, till all at onco tho grocer
boy's quick ring at the area boll
startled hor so that sho jumped, and,
hurriedly scrambling out. sho hit the
groat lid and down it. loll and shut fast.
Matty camo verv near screaming.
But she thought it wouldn't hurt tho
baby for a miiiuto, if he would keep
still whllosho opened it again; and sho
called out that sister was thero, and
listened to hear him cry. but. hcaid
nothing for tho baby had gono fast
asloep on tho soft fur, and oven tho
dropping of tho lid had not waked him.
So Matty stooped again to hor I ask of
opening tlio chest, and tugged and
tugged, and pushed with hor shoulders
and pulled with hor hands, and wished
with all her heart she had lot the ohost
alone.
, "Oh, he'll be smothered!" she ex
claimed. "Ilo'll bo smothered!" And
she burst out crying and ran t'o find hor
mother, screaming: "The baby! Oh,
tho baby!"
Just outside tlio vestibule hor foot
slipped on tho frozen dripping from an
ioiclo overhead, and she fell from top
to bottom of the stops and lay on tho
sidowalk senseless.
Mrs. Watrous, who had been kept
much longor than sho wished by Cousin
Kato, came running up, only to meet
her husband at tho door, hurrying for
tho doctor. For lie had turned tlio cor
ner just in season to seo Matty fall and
to piok hor up, himself almost turned
to stone with terror. And thou Mrs.
Watrous How into the house, to iind ono
chihl unconscious and tho other child
gone; and sho fainted dead away herself.-
Yon can imagine what a moment it
was for Mr. Watrous when ho oamo
back with the doetor--his wife coming'
out of hor swoon only to scream lor her
baby, and Matty still, stunned with the
fall. And this was the happy Christ
mas Evo ho had promised himself!
Thero wim nothing brokon, tho doc
tor said, at last; ho only feared con
cussion of tlio brain now, but possibly
thoy migjit avoid that only Mrs.
Watrous must control horsolf and bond
all hor strength to Marty's recovery;
and thon it was evident that. Matty
know what had happened to tho baby,
ho said, and tho sooner Mary could
speak, tho sooner thoy should know,
too. Nobody thought of the chest; no
body looked at it; nobody sawiu
But while the doctor und Cousin Kate
who had como running ovor to seo
the reception of the chest, and found it
all forgotten woro busy with Matty,
Mr. Watroiis had called a neighbor,
and had soarchod tlio house from roof
to basement, ovory room, ovory olosol,
oven tho collar; and thon ho had run to
tho nearest poiice-stadou with tho ba
by's! photograph, to call out the forco in
apubllo soaron.
His wife sat tlioro like a statue when
he oamo back. Cousin Kato was doing
ovorytliing sho could have done; for
with this fearful calamity overtaking
both hor childron at onco, Mrs. Wat
rous was so ovorcomo that sho could
hardly move; she could only sit still
and fool an unspoakablo longing for
Mattv to open her swoot oyos, to opou
hor dear lips, and whisper just one wprd
about tho baby. But no; Matty lay
stone-still.
H was cortainly an awful hour; ono
child perhaps dying; the other child
lost; tho neighborhood in a wild alarm;
tlio police bringing two, lost children to
tho door, for, whom other psuviits woro
In oqual sorrow and all in tho middle
of it the Christmas bolls rang out from
tho ohuroli towei" not far away.
Then Matty opened hor groat dark
oyos wldo, as if just waking from a
pleasant nap. "There's tho chime!"'
she ha'.d. "See if tho baby will O
intmmn!'' as it all rushed ovor her, "tho
baby! tho ohost! tho now ohost!" And
sjio foil back again into tho arms of tho
doctor, who instantly bogau to pour a
cordial dowu hor throal.
In imothor minuto hor father had
dashed'down stairs and had prossod the
rusty old spring of tho giwu chest,, and
tossed u) tlio lid, aid, thkrc, cuddled
down all rosy and warm In tho whito
fur of tho robo, lay the babv, as souud
asleep as if lio-woro in his llttlo crib
for tho moth holes hi tho roil loatlior
that was stretched undor the open work
top had given him plenty of air to
breathe. ' ;
With what an ccstaoy his father
caught him and sprang up those stairs,
to put him in his mother' a arms! And
his mother seized him, covering him
with kisses and (oars, till ho set up a
lively roar; and thou everybody laughed,
and everybody cried, ami Matty jo'ned
the chorus with hor little pipe, and her
fathor'foll on his knees ahd said: "Let
us thank (lod!" ,
And there novor was such a Chrlst
nnts Evo as that one! after till. The
neighbors camo flocking in; tlio church
bolls rang unothor chime a if in con
gratulation for tho lost that was found.
Mrs. Watrous could onlycontlnuo. to
sit still .und sob till the doctor said Mat
tv was all right if no now symptoms
should make' tholr appearance, partly
to provout whioh. Matty must on no
account bo allowed to go to eleop for
somo hours.
And thon Mrs. Watrous rose to tlio
occasion; and beforo her iuwbniid know
what had hnpponcd, and while ho was
nursing Matty in his arms, in a state of
bliss, Cousin Kate's Christmas-treo had
been brought across tho street and sot
up in the parlor, and Cousin Kate's hus
band had been sont down town for a
multitude of gifts that met the fate
thoy deserved, and wero hung on tho
instant.
And tho tapers were, lighted, and tho
neighbors' childron were brought in,
and Mattv. in a toilot whoso decora
tons consisted chiolly of brown paper
and butter and vinegar, sat up till near
ly midnight, regretting that her moth
er's host could not havo boeu hung on
tho tree, till somo ono suggested that,
with the baby, it had already played
the part of tlio Maugor and tho Christ
child. Then, a'ter distributing tho gifts to
all tho thor children iroiii her throne
oil a high chair, and laughing at ovory
fresh kiss under the bit of mistletoe, she
fell sound asleep at last, with a horn of
candy in one hand, a box of china dish-.
os in the other, and hugging to hor
breast a wax doll, and a book of fa:ry
stories', and a paint-box, and a bottle of
cologne, and
But there! what is tlio use of naming
the possessions that poured in upon
Matty til at night? Lot us sav a whole
toy-shoo full; for never had any child
such a Christmas Evo before.
And surety never was any child's
mother so happy as Mrs. Watrous was
as she hung over hor two children that
night, apd felt that, the groat chest which
had boon the desire of her heart, and
was to bo tho dolight of hor eyes.
splendid Christmas box as it wn. with
its carved cherubs and crowns, was only
tho smallest part of her Christina.
Harriet 1'rcscott Stafford, in Youths'
Companion.
A Telegraph Operator Learns
son.
a Los-
It would doubtless bo safe to say that
Fred King, tho young man who occu
pies tho position of night operator at
tho Union Depot tolograph-ollico. on
Canal Street, did not go to sleep while
on duty last night. On the night pro
vious ho slumbered whon ho should
havo been waiting for a call, and the
result was that ho awoko to iind him
self staring sleepily into the muzzlo of
a shining pistol-barrel, while at the
other end of tho pistol was a midnight
robber.
It happened in this way: Shortly be
foro ono o'clock King, who had nothing
to do just thon and was all alone,
locked the ollico door and tipped him
solf back in his chair for a snoozo. Be
foro doing this ho had lowered ono of
tho windows opening onto tlio dopot
yard, boing desirous of securing a good
ventilation. lie had beon asleep but a
few moments whon ho was awakened
by a tap on tho tihouldor. On opening
his ovos lie found asmooth-facod young
man "bf about eighteen years standing
by his side, who said ho wanted to send
a message. Ho also intimated, by the
flourishing of a revolver which ho hold
in liis right hand and in close proximi
ty to Mr. King's head, that ho was
ready on tho slightest provocation to
send a leado.i messenger whoro it would
do tho operator the most. harm. Mr.
King assumed a perpendicular, tho pis
tol covering him all tho time, and thon
discovered another young man climb
ing into tlio window that had boon
opened for voiftilation. Tho second
intruder was also armed with a pistol.
Tho robbers told the operator to hold
up ids' hands. Ho was in an obliging
mood, and at onco ' complied with the
request. Then ono of tho roboors
rilled his pockets of about eight dollars
in silver, part of whioh dropped on the
lloor. Without stopping to pick any of
tho monoy up, tho robbers, who seemed
.somewhat norvous, hurriedly took thojr
departure. Ono of thorn covorod King
with a rovolvor while tho other climbed
out of tho window, and thon tho ono
who had climbed out performed tho
same service while waiting for his pal.
After tho pair liad gopo, lung hastouod
to tho Madison-Street Station and re
ported tlio matter. Ho found that his
loss iimountod to only about six dollars,
the rest of tho monoy taken from his
pockets having dropped on tho lloor.
Chicago Tribune.
The production of the South
African diamond mines-last year was
1,410 pounds of gems, valued afr $i(i,
8I0,485. At tho ond of last year, 22,000
black and 1,700 whito pi on were em
ployed at Uiqsq luinoa
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