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About McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886 | View Entire Issue (July 31, 1884)
OUT TO OLD AUNT MARX'S. RTatm't It pleasant , 0 brother mine , LD those old days of the lost sunshine Of youth when the Saturday's chores wore through , And the Sunday's wood in the kitchen too , And we went visiting , I and you , Out to old Aunt Mary's ? It all comes back so clear to-day , Though I am as bald as you are gray , Out by the barn lot and down by the lane We patter along In the dust again , As light as the tips of the drops of the rain , Out to old Aunt Mary's. "Wo cross the pasture and through the wood "Where the oldgray snag of the poplar stood , "Where the hammering red heads hopped - away , And the buzzard raised in the open sky , And lolled and circled as we passed by , Out to old Aunt Mary's. Aud then In the dust of the road again. And the teams wo met and the countrymen , And the long highway with the sunshine spread As thick as the butter on country bread , And our cares behind and our hearts ahead. Out to old Annt Mary's. 4 I see her now in open door , "Where the little gourds grewuponthe sides and o'er The clapboard roof. And her face , oh , me , "Wasn't It good for a boy to see , And wasn't It good for a boy to be Out to old Aunt Mary'sj And oh , my brother , so faraway , This is to tell you she waits to-day To welcome us. Aunt Mary fell Asleep this morning , whispering , "Tell The boys to come. " And all is well Out to old Aunt Mary's. [ James Whitcomb Reiltey. ' CONSENTING AT LAST. "It's of co use , Delphine , " said Miss Stratton , turning around from the glass before which she had been crimp ing her dried frizzes ; "no use what ever , I'll never give my consent to your throwing yourself away upon a man who can't earn enough to support him self , much less a family. " < . ' 'But , aunt , he is clever , and will get a good practice in time. " "In time ! " repeated Miss Stratton , contemptuously. "Yes , in about twenty years or so , perhaps. And , meanwhile , what do you and he pro pose to live on ? " "The the money that grandma left me would , help us to begin with , " said Delphino , timidly. "A thousand pounds ! How ' far would that go ? And , besides , you for get that it was left to you only condi tionally. I should be false to the trust reposed in me , " said Miss Stratton , erecting her thin form with an air of moral dignity , "if I gave my consent to your wedding yourself to a life of poverty , and the wretchedness which poverty always entails. You can mar- ry-George Irving if you choose mind , I'don't say I forbid it but with my consent no hard-earned money of my deceased brother shall ever go into the pockets of an Irving. " In the last sentence Miss Stratton betrayed herself. The high moral tone vanished before the self-interested motive which was the real basis of her persistent opposi tion to Delphine's marriage. She had not forgotten that young Dr. Irving's lather had jilted her in her youth , and married her bosom friend , Mary Lane ; nor that this course had been brought about by Dr. Irving's Aunt Dorothea , who had bsen' her special rival from their very babyhood , and who had warned her favorite brother that he would not be happy with Millicent Stratton as his wife. As to the doctor himself who had as yet barely become accustomed to his new professional title it was true that he was very poor , but Delphine had been right in saying that he was clever , and would probably win a good practice. And if the girl often thought wist fully if only sne could bring him that thousand pounds to begin with , how happy they might be ! And it all rested upon a word from Aunt Millicentwhich she refused to speak. Most people said that that was a very unjust condition of old Madame Strat- ton's will by which the money wag to be Delphine's only upon the express stipulation that she did not marry against her aunt's consent. The young folks , one and all , pro- ncunced it "horrid" and "cruel , " though there were some among the elders who remembered how the old lady herself had made a most unhappy marriage against the will of her family , and how her favorite daughter , Del ' mother had followed her phine's , ex ample and had been equally wretched. And as she expressed her belief that such things "ran in families , " she had in Delphine's instance guarded against a similar recurrence by making it a ' condition that her granddaughter' should marry with the full consent and approval of her shrewd , sharp and scrupulously correct Aunt Millicent , who had been always very severe in condemnation of her sister's imprudent match. Miss Stratton loved money , and though very unwilling that the thou sand pounds should go to the various charities to which it had been be- .queathed in case of Delphine's for feiture of it , she would , in her own heart , rather have it cast into the ocean than in any way benefitting the son of John Irving andMary Lane , and the nephew of Dorothea Irving , who had recently averred that , despite Mil- licent's airs , none of the Strattons could hold a candle to the Irvings. Delphine's eyes were full of tears as she reported to her lover the conversa tion with her aunt , and that lady's de clared unalterable decision in regard to her marriage. He tried to soothe her. her."Let "Let the money go , " he said impa tiently. "It is a comfort te think that she cannot forbid our marriage , al though she may keep us apart for awhile. But we are young and can " afford to wait , can't we" darling ? " "I will wait for you all my life , George , if it is necessary , " said Del phine trustingly. Yet , though they both tried to look cheerful , their' hearts sank at the thought of the slow-rolling weeks , and months and years , perhaps , in which they must live apart , scarcely 'meeting ' except by accident , since Miss Stratton objected to her niece receiving the doc tor's visits at her oysrn house. , , . It was about this time that a sensa tion was created by the arrival of an artist no third or fourth rate professor but a genuine artist , with a mind and a fame .who , having come hither for bis health , allowed it to bo understood that he" would condescend to the light recreation pf painting a few portraits of the aristocracy ; and the aristocracy , for the most part eager to secure this proof , of their being such , hastened at once to secure h'is services/ - ' Among the first to call upon Mr. Blender was Miss Siratton. To be sure , his charges were enor mous , quite ruinous , mdeed but then , as Mrs. Goldsby , the former jeweler's wife , superciliously remarked , there was "the same difference in high and low art as in real and imitation1 diamonds mends ; if one must have the genuine , one must expect to pay accordingly ; and everybody knew what incredible prices were paid for all paintings now adays. " J " ' And Mrs. Oldborough , who had no diamonds , but boasted of her pedigree , observed that "of it course was neces sary for every old family to keep .up its family portrait gallery. " So she meant to have her own likeness taken and hung beside that of her grandfather , the judge. It required a long time for Miss Strat ton to consider in , what style she'would have her portrait taken. Finally she decided upon a full-length figure in the midst of a garden , the figure shaded and softened by a pink parasol and her hands full of roses. This would serve to display her height and the dignity of her carriage , and also allow of considerable pictur- esqueness in her dress , with the train falling gracefully about her. She gave the artist several sittings , and being then assured that he could complete the portrait with the assist ance of a photograph left'with him for the purpose , she waited in pleased an ticipation of the result. On the day appointed by Mr. Blen der Miss Stratton repaired to the studio , and the completed portrait was un veiled before her eyes. She surveyed it for some moments in silence. "You don't call this alikeness , ? " she at length demanded , very abruptly. "An excellent likeness , madam ! " returned Mr. Blender composedly. "But but" surveying it first , from one side and then another "it looks ten years older than it should do. And it's too thin and sallow. And , the smile is not at all like me ! I'm sure the corners of my mouth don't turn up like that ! Why , it's a positive smirk ! No one would ever imagine that it was in tended for me ! " ' "I beg your pardon , rnadame , but I have faithfully represented both the features and expressions , and consider the coloring unusually good and true to nature , " said Mr. Blender , politely but firmly. "It's a perfect fright , " said Miss Stratton. ' Mr. Ulender shrugged.1'his shoulders in a deprecating manner , and the lady's face became very red. "You promised me a good likeness , sir , " she said , "for which I agreed to pay you twenty pounds ! " Mr. Blender bowed. "I do not consider this a likeness at all. It must be altered ! " "To alter it would be to destroy the likeness. " "You decline to make any change , such as 1 might suggest ? " Mr. Blender replied that he was not accustomed to paint portraits after the suggestions of the sitter , but according to his own judgment ; that he allowed none but perfect likenesses to go forth from his hand and under his name , though he made a point of adding what ever softening touches could be judi ciously introduced. He had done so in this instance. Miss Stratton glared at him indig nantly. Here was insult added to in jury."All "All that I have to say is , that I do not consider the picture a likeness , and must decline to take it , " she said , res olutely. "Do you mean , madarne , that you decline to pay for it ? " "Certainly , sir ! I cannot be expected to throw away twenty pounds on a car icature suck as this ! " . she replied , in dignantly. Mr. Blender then proposed to refer the question of the likeness to any per son whom she might select ; and Miss Stratton immediately sent across the street for the grocer and his wife , with whom she had dealt for a score of years. "Now , Mr. Green , " said she , as soon as they entered , "just look at this pic ture , and tell me if you could ever have imagined that it was intended for me ? " Mr. Green smiled with a recognizing smile , but receiving an a'dmonitory nudge from his wife , looked solemn and dubtiul and shook his head. "Lor' ! " said Mrs. Green. "Whyyou don't mean to say , Miss Stratton , as it was ever intended for you ? " "Mr. Blender calls it a likeness , " said Miss Stratton , with sarcastic bit terness , "and expects me to pay 20 for it as such. I call it a caricature. Look at the smirk and the head thrown back and the long nose and hard black eyes , with no shade about them. No , Mr. Blender , I will not take this pic ture. You have heard what these good people say , and I am certain that my most intimate friends would not recog nize me. "Very good , madam , " said Mr.Blen- derwith great politeness. "You are perfectly sure that no one would recog nize the portrait as your own ? " "Perfectly. " "I am satisfied , " said the artist , stepping back and bowing , as the lady , followed by _ the grocer and his wife , passed out. And wlien the door was closed on them , he smiled to himself in a very peculiar and significant manner. . Some days after this , Miss Stratton was passing down the main street , when her attention was attracted by a , , ri i irr r ' r group of passersby , who had stopped in front of a fashionable bookseller's. Glancing at the window , her footsteps wore instantly arrested , and she stood still , breathless with surprise and dis may. There was her portrait the identical portrait which she had pronquuced a caricature one that while the figure remained'intact , the rest of the picture had undergone a complete metamor- phosis.t ' t The garden was changed to a sunny glade in a wood ; the foundation in the background hod given place'to a gipsy tent , and before the thin , smirking , be- frizzled figure in lace and velvet , stood a beautifnl dark-eyed young girl , in simple graceful gipsy costume ' , intently study ing the'palm of tb'o lady's hand , while two roguish faces peeped at them from behind a tree. The picture was labelled , "Telling Past'Fortunes. ' " "Why , it's the image of Miss MilH- cent Stratton , " said one and another of the beholders. "Did you ever see such a likeness ? He , he , he. " And in the midst of the exclamations and the laughter , Miss Stratton beheld the new minister coming up the street , evidently bent upon seeing what had attracted the crowd. Not for worlds would she have him behold her painted in this character , and she immediately rushed into the shop and confronted , the proprietor. "Take it down at once instantly ! " she exclaimed. "I I will buy it. " The man obeyed. The picture disappeared from the window just as the clergyman came up , and seeing him pass the door , Miss Stratton , reflecting upon the narrow escape , felt like fainting. However , she recovered herself , and in a state of the utmost excitement made her way to Mr. Blender's studio. "Sir , " she indignantly demanded , "how dared you exhibit my portrait as you have done , and without my per mission ? It is an insult and an out rage for which I will have legal satis faction. " And she sat down , trembling and breathless. "I madame " said beg your pardon , , Mr. Blender , with perfect composure , "but did you not assure me that it was no likeness , and that your best friends would not recognize ft as such. " Miss Stratton was silent. What reply , indeed , would she make to this ? "I shall insist upon the ' picture being destroyed ! " she said a't length. "By no means ! I have bestowed much pains and labor upon it , and have succeeded in converting into quite an original and striking design one which will be sure to please the public taste. " "I I will give you the twenty pounds , " said Miss Stratton , desper ately. Mr. Blender smiled a superior smile. "As the picture now is , I shall charge five times that sum for it. " "A hundred " he pounds , replied calmly. Her face flushed , and tears started to her eyes. "I could never afford to give that sum ; and yet to have my likeness ex posed in this way to the jeers and ridi cule of ihe public. Oh , Mr. Blender , have you no consideration for the feel ings of a lady ? " The artist took a meditative turn up and down the floor , then seated himself opposite his distressed visitor. "Perhaps , " he said mildly "perhaps we can come to terms. ' ' "What terms , " she inquired eagerly. "I will destroy the picture , madame. upon one condition : that you will have some consideration for the feelings of one who should be very dear to you your niece , Miss Delphine , and by con senting to her marriage with my es teemed young friend and relative , Dr. 'Irving , make two deserving young people ple very happy. " "They they are too poor ! " said Miss Stratton , taken very much by sur prise. "Your mother's legacy mil enable them to make a fair beginning , and I know of an opening for a young physi cian , which will do the rest. " Miss Stratton hesitated nervously and wrung her hands. "Give me a day or two to to think it over , " she said. At the end of the day or two she called Delphine to her and told her that she had been considering the matter of her marriage with Dr. Irving , and con- cludee to let her have her own way ; and that should she in the future suffer for it , not to lay the blame upon her shoulders. And the same day , Mr. Blender pre sented her with the picture of "Telling Past Fortunes , " which she with her own hands cut to pieces and burned in the privacy of her own room. And as to Delphine and her husband , they have never allowed Miss Stratton to suspect that they knew by what means her gracious consent to their marriage was brought about. The Bull-Fighting Cowboy. Dodxe City ( Kan. Letter. There were perhaps 500 cowboys in town. They wore broad-brimmed , light-colored felt hats , with leather bands and flannel shirts , and some had on leggins and spurs. They were nearly all pretty well fixed as to clothes , and some were stylishly and expensively attired. All seemed to have money , and they were very free with it. The man who had "bucked the tiger" unsuccessfully could gen erally get a stake from the first fellow herdsman he met. * Not a pistol to be seen except in the belts of the sheriff , marshal and their deputies. Not a shot fired all day. Not"a single soli tary firecracker ; not a single cowboy coursing up and down the streets as'if he owned the town. All the profane language your correspondent hsard was in the hack while going to the bull fight , and that was enunciated by something which wore a Mother Hub- bard dress. A good story is told ol Colonel San ders , a well known lawyer at Helena , Montana , who was accosted by a tramp on Main street an.d the following col loquy ensued : Tramp "Please , sir , give me enough to buy a dinner. I've had no breakfast yet. " Lawyer "Go off , pard , and work the other side of the street ; I'm working this side. " , J--t'- V9rJZk LS rC-W&- * "MTTLK BROWN HANDS. " They drive homo the cows from the pasture , Up through the long shady lane , Where the quail whistles loud in thd wheat field All yellow with ripening grain. They find , In the thick waving grasses , "Where the scarlet-lipped strawberry grows , They gather the earliest snowdrops , And the first crimson buds of the rose. They toss the hay in the meadow , They gather the elder blooms white , They find where the dusky grapes purple In the soft-tinted October light. They know where the apples hang ripest , And are sweeter than Italy's wines ; They know where the fruit. Is thickest On the long , thorny blackberry vines. They gather the delicate sea weeds , And build tiny castles of sand ; They pick up beautiful sea shells- Fairy barks that have drifted to land. They wave from the tall rocking tree-tops , Where the oriole's hammock nest swings , And at night time are folded in slumber By a song that a fond mother sings. Those who toil bravely are strongest ; The humble and poor become great ; And from those brown-handed children Shall grow mighty rulers of state. The pen of the author and statesman , The noble and wise of our land The sword and chisel and palette , Shall be held in the little brown hand. THE POP-CORN TRADE. Extent of the Uusineas in the United States. .New York Mall and Express. The high price of corn has somewhat discouraged the manufacturers of pop corn , who are compelled to pay in creased money for their product while disposing of their goods at almost the ame figures as obtained when corn was ow. One manufacturerer in New York manufactures as high as 70,000 pounds of pop-corn a year. He has now on hand a smgle contract for shipping 1,000 barrels to London. Shipments are made regularly to Hayti , France , Breslau , Berlin , Japan , China and Italy. The Italians prefer it to maca- .roni , and are heavy consumers of pop- "corn. "Many physicians , " said the pop-corn man , "are recommending their patients to use pop-corn as a cure for dyspepsia. Several parties who are passing the summer in the Catskills have shipped a quantity by direction of their medical adviser , ana now go about munching it at all hours of the day. It is easy to carry about. Ladies can car ry it in their dress pockets , and gentle men can put it in their coat tail pock ets. No danger of soiling anything , you know. Children all like it and cry for more. It is far preferable to mo lasses and other candy. " All the manufacturers of pop-corn have grown rich. There are but nine in New York. Newark , Jersey City , San Francisco and Chicago all have one. There is one in Quebec , Montreal and Toronto. Two men in Lowell , Mass. , made independent fortunes in thebu5iness. One in Springfield , Mass. , distinguished himself in the same man ner. Pop-corn was first made in this country in 1849. Oriental "Wit. A young man going a journey , en trusted a hundred denars to an old man ; when he came back the old man denied having had any money deposited with him , and he was'had up before the Kazee. "Where were you , young man , when you delivered this money ? " "Under a tree. " "Take my seal and summon that tree , " said the judge. "Go , young man , and tell the tree to come hither , and the tree will obey when you show it my seal. " The young man went in wonder. After he nad been gone some time , the Kazee said to the old man : "He is long do you think he has got there yet ? " "No , " said the old man , "it is at some distance ; he has not got there yet. " "How knowest thou , old man , " cried the Kazee , "where that free is ? " * The young man returned , and said tree would not come. "He has been here , young man , and given his evidence the money is mine. " A Woman's Work Among Sailors. Pall Mall Gazette. "Who are the best total abstainers ? " The blue jackets in her majesty's ser vice are second to none , says Miss Weston , who , on July 1 , gave an ac count of her work among the sailors afloat and ashore in the Egyptian hall , Mansion house. Ifc is now nearly twenty years since Miss Westoii , single handed , began her labors. Her work has prospered , and she speaks with cheerful , not to say enthusiastic , op timism about what is now a world-en circling work. There are twelve thousand sailors in her majesty's ser vice who belong to the temperance so ciety , and there is not a single ship in which there are not some workers among the sailors themselves. High naval officers , such as those who sup ported Miss Weston on the platform yesterday , speak in terms of eulogy of the results among the men taught and trained by her. This lady is not con tent with teaching and preaching , but gives "Jack" material assistance in the form of "sailors' rests" homes where he can put up when ashore. Five of these are at present in existence in England. One at Portsmodth , for which funds are wanted , is being en larged , and in every part of the world similar institutions are being establish ed for sailors. These "rests , " once established , are self-supporting , and , as Miss Weston says , "they ought to be self-supporting , for the sailor can pay and is willing to pay. " Besides this , "the sailor's friend" has many ways of reminding her "boys" when abroad that she still cares for them ; they receive a monthly "blueback , " a small monthly letter , in which Miss Weston holds friendly converse with them ; 240,000 copies of these were dis tributed during the last year. The sai lors' wives and friends also benefit by the work. They are visited and be friended while their sailois are afloat and hshermen also have a word to say of the kindness received from Miss Weston or a lady of her staff , for the work has long outgrown the capacity of a single woman and has become an organized society. A Maine Skipper's Ghost Story. Portland ( Me. ) Press. Captain James T , an old Port land ship master , told the following ghost story to a citizen. He said thai one night on the voyage from which he had just returned , while lying off the Battery , at New York , waiting for the crew to come on board , he heard some one on the top of the house calling : "James T , James T . " Now this was not only the Captain's name , but also that of his son , who was his mate on this voyage. Only the Cap tain , mate and steward were on board , and on hearing the voice they all went on deck , but saw no one. The stew ard's dog , which slept m front of the cabin door , lay quiet on his rug. The next day "the bark sailed tor Rio " Janeiro"and several strange occur rences took place on the passage. One morning his son , the mate , said to him : "Captain , the ship is haunted. I turned out on my watch at 4 o'clock in the morning , and as I went out of the cabiu door I saw some one in white , but before I could distinguish whether it was male or female it dis appeared around the mainmast. The steward said he saw it also , and was frightened. " Some days after this the steward called the captain , and told him the mate had not yet come on deck. The captain went to the mate's stateroom , and on opening the door saw the mate apparently laughing at him , but on taking hold of him he found he was dead. From his distort ed countenance it appeared that he had been frightened to death. Several other strange occurrences happened on board , and on arriving at Rio the steward leff the vessel on account of feeling that she was haunted. Strange noises con tinued to be heard on board , such as the working of the windlass in heaving the anchor , but on going forward no one was to be seen. Now comes t'ae strangest part of the story. During the captam'3 absence on this voyage , ano ther son of his , Samuel T , arrived home from a voyage , and remarked that he would go down for his dunnage. He came back with it and lay down for a nap. Not coming down to tea , some of the family went to call him and found him dead. This was about the time the ] mate Jand steward saw the figure in white. Study of Husbands. We hear much about the art of win ning a husband. Let us take a step fuither and make a study of keeping a husband. If he is worth winning , he is worth keeping. This is a wicked world and man is dreadfully mortal. Let us take him just as he is , not as he ought to be. In the first place , he is very weak. The wife must spend the first two years in discovering these weak nesses , count them on her fingers and them by heart. The fingers of both hands will not be too many. Then le't her study up his weaknesses , with a mesh for every one , and the secret is hers. Is he fond of a good dinner ? Let her tighten the mssh around him with fragrant coffee , light bread and good things generally , and reach his heart through his stomach. Is he fond of fluttery about his looks ? Let her study the dictionary for sweet words , if her supply gives out. Does he like to hear her talk aboat his brilliant in tellect ? Let her pour over the ency clopedia to give variety to the depth of her admiration. Flattery is a good thing to study up at all hazards in all its delicate shades , but it must be skillfully done. The harpy who may try to coax him away will not do it absurdly. Is he fond of beauty ? Here's the rub let her be bright and tidy ; that's half the victory. Next , let her bang her hair metaphorically and keep up with the times. A husband who sees his wife look like other people is not going to consider her "broken down. " Though it is a common sneer that a woman has admitted that her sex consider more , in marrying , the tastes of her friends than her own , yet it must be consider ed ludicrous that a man looks at his wife with the same eyes that other people do. Is he fond of literary mat ters ? Listen to him with wide open eyes when he talks of them. A man doesn't so much care for a literary wife if only she will be literary enough to appreciate him. If she have literary inclinations , keep them to herself. Men love to be big and great to their wives. Tnat's the reason why a help less little woman can marry three times to a sensible , self-reliaut woman's none. Cultivate happiness. Isn't he curious ? Oh , then you have a treas ure ; you can always keep him if you have a secret and keep it carefully. Is he jgalous ? Then , woman , this is not for you ; cease torturing that fretted heait ; which wants you for its own , and teach him confidence. Is he ugly in temper and faultfinding ? Give him a dose of his own medicine skillfully done. Is he deceitful ? Pity him for his weak ness ; treat him as the who is born with a physical defect , but put your wits to work it is a bad case. It is well not to be too tame. Men do not waste their powder and shot on hens and barnyard fowls ; they like the plea sure of pursuing wild game quail and grouse and deer. A quail is a good model for a wife neat and trim , with a pretty swift-way-about , and just a little capricious. Never let yourself become an old story ; be just "a little uncertain. Another important fact is , don't be too good ; it hurts his feelings end becomes monotonous. Cultivate a pleasant voice , so that this very mortal man may have his conscience prick him when he is in jeopardy ; its pleasant riii0" Miill haunt him much more than would a shrill one. It is hard to do all , besides taking care of the babies and looking after vexatious household cares and smiling when he comes home , but it seems necessary. "To be born a wo man is to be born a martyr , " says a husband who for ten yoarahad watched in amazement his wife treading the wino-press of bcr existence. It is a pitiful sight to some men. But if the wife does not make a atudy of those things the harpy will , to steal away the * honor from his silver hairs when ho is full of years and the father of sons and daughters. At the sam3 time , good wife , keep from trying any of these things on any mortal man but your own. These rales are only evolved m order to "keep a husband. " The poor , weak creature would rather bo good than bad , and it is a woman's duty to hold him by every means in her power. The Measures To Be Taken -T.o Make Government Responsible. The Contury. Congress must bo enabled to settle all questions national concern , and must have the range of the objects un der its dominion extended sufficiently to prevent any petty local legislature from being able to thwart the will and endanger the welfare of the whole people ple , it must have full power to regu late the entire question of transporta tion , in order that artificial boundaries may not be the shelter and refuge of those powerful combinations who now regulate it to suit themselves. For the reason that transportation is so inti mately allied to commerce that the two cannot in practice bo separated , as well as for other reasons hardly less cogent , the establishment of a uniform code of commerce for the whole country must be included within its province. In the second place , the separation of the executive from the legislative must be ended ; the executive must be enti tled to propose laws necessary for the preservation of the public welfare , and the legislative must be enabled to con trol the execution of all laws passed. For this purpose the chiefs of the ad- ministrrtive departments must be mem bers of Congress , ready at all times to enlighten it regarding the wants of the great depaitments of state , and to urge the passage of the laws required to meet these wants. One of them must stand out so conspicuous above his fellows , that upon him will be fixed the ultimate responsibility to the whole country for all the action and inaction of both Con gress and the administration. At the same time the tenure of the clerical force required for the administration of public affairs must be made so secure , and so thoroughly regulated that the public offices can no longer be convert ed into private patronage. Indeed , while the sense of their responsibility is developing , the public spirit of our legislators will be correspondingly de veloped , so that they will neither desire nor have cause to desire a continuation of the practice of spoils and booty. They will have something better to do. In tbe third place , and as a corollary from the foregoing , the legislature ought in no manner to be allowed to shil't its responsibility on the judiciary. The necessary and proper function of the latter is to interpret the will of the former , not to control it. Until the legislature has become the sole and re sponsible judge of the constitutionality of its acts , true liberty will be without our reach ; for uncertainty of the law , of necessity , tends to tyranny. So long as the law-abiding citizen , who has regulated his conduct in conform ity with an act of the legislature , is lia ble at any moment to be declared a law-breaker , and punished for his very obedience by a tribunal which , however eminent , is yet practically and neces sarily irresponsible for its judgments , so long laws are not the solemn declar ation of the sovereign will that they pretend to be , but partake rather of the nature of snares to entrap the unwary. Teach the Children to Think. Strength of mind is not equivalent to perfect balance of judgment , or even ness of power. As a rule , specially strong-minded persons are given to single ideas , which are held with great tenacity. Inventors represent this , as well as advocates of particular ideas. What is called strength of mind is ; he result of independent thinking. EEence its basis is real thought. The irst element toward it is inducing the young to think. Hence even incorrect ; hinkmg should not be rudely reproved , iut kindly and gently corrected. Every encouragement should be given chil dren to think. Thought stimulates ; hought , and hence living ideas put be- 'ore ' children in the home circle , at ta ble 01 * elsewhere , has its value in this direction. On the other hand , the rude 1 repression of an unguarded or incor rect thought is injurious. Encourage ment to hold fast to an idea till it is disproven is another step in this form of education. The mere circumstance , that some one does not agree with it , iroves nothing. Nor does it follow ; hat the disagreement of an older per son is to be accepted as" final. Bsfore an idea or opinion is abandoned it should be satisfactorily seen to be wrong. The moment one accepts or abandons a thought or opinion at the ? * . pse dixit of another they betray werk- ness. Leadership is one thing and dominancy another. It is well , if we lave not the qualities of leadership , to ) e willing to be led ; but to have our minds dominated and controlled is an other and entirely different thing. The mportant lesson to impart to children s that of sound , independent though t. And if it lead to strong-mindedness that is , tenacity of opinion it will be well , provided opinions be carefully and thoughtfully formed. It is estimated that $10,000,000 worth of grass is consumed annually by the prairie dogs in Northern Texas. Thomas Bell , the naturalist , tells a story of how a spider caught a tartar. A big blue bottle fly bounced into a spider's web. The spider hastily pre sented himself and threw his long arms around the fly. The fly returned the compliment , and , after tearing and bat- ering the web to pieces , flew away with the spider. v/nouf PREVENTIVE , First get a piece of chamois skin , make it like a little bib , cut out the neck and sew on tapes to tie it on with ; then melt together some tallow and pine tar ; rub some of this on the bib , and let the child wear it all the time. Re new with the tar occasionallp.