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About The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911 | View Entire Issue (May 30, 1883)
I : Chinese Letter?. "Som Toy," or Chinese lottery, Is the most complicated of all game of chance. No set values are given to the drawings, for each prize depeads upon certain mathematical calcula tions, in some cases occupying nearly an hour in computation. The player seats himself at 'a table on which are finely pointed bamboo brashes called pens, dishes of black and red Chi nese ink and piles of square paper, stamped in Chinese characters. The lottery ticket is a piece of brown paper, six inches square. The paper is divided through the centre, by a lateral line. On the upper half of the paper are four lateral rows of characters, of ten each, or forty in all, and the lowest half has & like number and arrangement, mak ing eighty characters in all. These characters are hieroglyphics, represent ing names of eighty Chinese ladies of historical renown the Elizabeths, Cath arines and Joan d'Arcs of Chinese his tory. These slips of paper are sent oat to the lottery agencies. The game con sists in hitting upon a certain combina tion or number, as the case may be, of these numbers. The player is permit ted, in consideration of $1.25 paid, to purchase and mark a ticket. The marking consists in spotting out with the black ink ten of tbe characters in whatever place or position the player may choose, either on one line, in a cluster, or scatteringly. Then the agent, with owl-like gravity, spots oat a duplicate ticket, marks your name and the price you pay upon the side of the ticket in Chinese characters, and invites the player to call around next day and see what fortune may have fa Tored him with. Drawings take place at midnight. In New York there are two great companies, each with a capital of about $50,000. They are called the Wing Hi and Hong Sing Com panies. Wing Hi has the most patrons, although many players play both tickets indifferently. "White men play Wing Hi almost exclusively. The midnight hour having arrived, the agents congregate at the company's office with books containing fac-similes of the day's drawings. The bookseller settles with the agents, paying them their commissions. Then a gong rings, and the agents, together with the presi dent and officers of the company, repair to the place set apart for the drawing. No one save the officers and agents are ever permitted to view the drawings. The writer never met a white man, even among the detectives in San Francisco, who claimed to have witnessed one of these drawings. The process of drawing is prefaced with mysterious religious exercises to propi tiate the presiding gods. Then tho President, blindfolded, inserts his hand to the elbow in a large jar and draws forth a little stick, upon which is painted one of the characters fonnd upon the tickets. The name is called out, and all the agents write the characters upon slips. There are eightvof these "Som Toy" sticks, corresponding to the num ber and names of the characters upon the tickets. Twenty in all are drawn out by the President and recorded. Then the sticks are thrown back and shaken up for the next night's drawings. The names drawn are then spotted out in red ink upon tickets by the agents. The lottery officers eagerly scan the tickets sold to ascertain if they have met with heavy losses. If an unu sually heavy series'of losses is discov ered, the company at once discards its untrustworthy patron deity, and selects another. If tho losses are light or nomi nal, the President sets out baked meats and comfits for the patrons' edification, and hangs up congratulatory prayers. In the morning the players compare their tickets. If they have caught five out of the twenty spots they receive two dollars; if six spots, they are paid twenty dollars : if seven, $140. Eight spots, which are very rarely caught, reap a golden harvest for the lucky gambler, for he collects (500, and nine and ten spots, which have on rare occa sions been drawn, but never in New York, pay $2,100 and $15,000. These are what are called "white men's" tick ets, because white men play them ex clusively. Players may buy half, quar ter and'even ouc-teuth tickets. For the latter fifteen cents is charged, and but one-thirteenth part of the prize is paid. In this city hundreds of white men play at Chinese faro. For the mo3t part they are the poor Italians who live in the vicinity, but many men, and even wo men, who employ Chinese laundrymen, deal in lottery ; the Chinaman purchas ing the tickets and collecting the prizes. In fact, many of the wash houses are branch agencies. The mania for playing at Chinese lot tery is spreading, and there is no reason why it should not get as firm a hold up on white people here as in San Francis co. There thousands play at the game. Three hundred lottery agencies are scat tered over he town. They usually make a show of selling cigars. Elegantly dressed gentlemen may be seen to dodge into the doorways where the agency is located. The Chinese house servant is an almost universal institution, and he never misses his opportunity to intro duce to his mistress the mysteries of the game. The lady will invest a dime or two bits in a ticket, just for tho novelty, and if she wins a small prize keep on playing from day to day or week to week, until she draws a large prize. In. that event she looks for another servant, for John has failed to come back with the winninjr. One lottery agency near the Palace Hotel does a large business with the ladies, many of the tickets go ing direct into the hotel. The police make constant efforts to break up the games, but as fa3t as they raid one shop another opens, and the law has been in terpreted to exempt visitors at the dens. As the main offices of the companies move weekly and are located with great secrecy, "the chief culprits can not be caught. The company always pays the agent's fine. There are seven great companies in San Francisco, with an aggregated capital of several millions. The greatest is the Fook Ti Company. In this city, as in San Francisco, the Chinese themselves play at what they call the "high-low" game, in which the prize is not a set figure, but varies with the combinations. Many more spots are marked out than in the white man's game, and the player may pay as hih as $100 for one ticket. Enormous prizes are sometimes drawn at this "high-low" lottery. Lucky combinations have been known to break the bank. The largest winning ever made in this city was about one month ago, when Wing Hi paid a Chinaman over $7,000 on a $2.50 "high-low" ticket. The largest drawing made by a white mac was made by .an Italian, who struck eight spots, drew $600, and went upon a glorious spree in celebration of the event. When he sobered up ho found that he had been robbed of all his money. The game becomes rapidly popular becauso it does not expose the votary to any dan ger of disgrace, for an accommodating Chinaman may always be found who its willing for a small consideration to act as messenger between the agency and the player. The investment is small, the drawings rapid. The companies are scrupulously hone3t in their deal ings with their patrons, and although agents sometimes swindle green players, the man who is willing to brave the loathsome surroundings and disgusting odors of a Chinese gambling den will generally obtain his prize. Any laun dryman who knows that his castomer is not in collusion with the police will in troduce him to the game; and thereia lies the danger. 2f. Y. Sun. Railroad pirates seek to transfer the checks of their own worthless baggage to trunks that they know to be of value. "Baggagemen will have to be on th Jen for them. Chicago Journal. W Seediag en Wirier Grain. The common method of sowing grass seed or winter grain, is to scatter the seed early in the spring, and trust to the rains and cracks in the ground to get it under the surface, where it may tako root. This is a hap-hazard sort of way, trusting to luck, but notwith standing its risks, it has always ,been the usual way of putting in clover and grass seed. In a wet spring this sur face seeding will do very well, as the continued wet will cause tbe seed to germinate, and keep the plants alive until they take root. In a dry season it is obvious that much of the seed would be lost, as the circumstances would not favor growths Farmers often anticipate the fact that the seed ing may not be favorable if they wait tilt the snow disappears, and so they sow grass in March, or before the win ter's snows are melted. Their theory is, that the melting snow will carry the seed, down into the ground. This is the safest way, and will insure the best seeding, taking one year with another. It does not destroy the vitality of the seed, as many suppose, by its ireezing and thawing, after it has been fully matured; hence lying in the snow and settling with it to the ground will not injure seed. The seed cuts or finds its way quite rapidly to the surface of the ground, and the weight of the snow helps to press it into the soil, and be sides, the dirt, which is more or less mixed with the snow, also settles on top 'of it, and helps to make a covering. A much better method to sow grass seed on winter grain, is to wait until the ground has settled in Ihe early spring, and then sow the seed broad cast, and follow with a harrow. Any harrow will answer the purpose. Many E refer a Thomas smoothing harrow a arrow with the points of the teeth turned backward. This harrowing will not only cover the grass-seed ana cause it to grow promptly, with no loss, but at the same time it will break the crust on the surface and mellow the earth, which'1 will be a very great ad vantage to the crop of winter grain. Many farmers shake their heads when this idea is advanced, but if they would try it, they would be satisfied that it is always an advantage to the winter grain, and secures a good seeding. These are not all the advantages to be gained by a spring harrowing of winter grain. Many of the weeds will be de stroyed, and" the surface being made light and friable, the grain will throw out new roots and tiller more. Less grass-seed will be required in seeding, as it will be better covered and hence not so much loss on this account. I always like to have seed well covered, as the plants will do better when n. dry time comes, on. A harrow with the teeth moderately apart is better than one very closely set together. In any case, the harrow should take hold of the ground and stir and cut the surface thoroughly. This is what is wanted to give freshness to the surface and loosen it up for the roots of the grain to spread out and tiller, and to send up more heads, which it will surely do. The possibilities of the harrow as an auxiliary in increasing the yield of winter grain, by using it thoroughly in the spring, are" yet to be learned by most farmers, but when practiced the results will bo most gratifying. Too little pains are taken in seeding, and on this account there is much com plaint of "poor catches." This term is condemnatory of the system practiced by most farmers to trust to the rains, which may not come, to wash seed into the crusty ground and under the hard surface. Meanwhile the hungry birds are feeding upon them, because when swollen they are readily discovered. It is good for the birds, but the system makes light "catches" and 'light meadows. Some farmers practice har rowing the winter grain first, and then sowing the grass seed, and afterward rolling.. Unless the land is very light, like a sandy soil, I should prefer to sow the grass seed first, then harrow and not roll at all. I know such a course produces good results. F. D. Curtis, in Country Gentleman. Remarkable Grass Farming. Tho grass crop is one of the most im portant crops and the most natural in our husbandry, and yet its profit and possibilities arc hardly known even by men who have farmed it all their days. A. T. Lilly, silk manufacturer, of Flor ence, has been investigating the matter, and by experiments on a tract of twelve acres has proved that the capacity of spass land for production is almost limitless. Last year, which was not particularly favorable to grass, he says, he cut sixteen tons of hay on two acres, and six tons of hay per acre on ten acres, or seventy-six tons in all. He does it by top dressing, ciuck, horse manure and ashes being the chief in gredients of his great composts. He harrows and sows grass-seed where the grass is least productive, and gives special nursing to the weakspots. Some of this land had to be under-drained to begin with, but it was not considered a very promising field by the former own ers. Considerable of it is mowed three times. Timothy, red-top and clover is the mixture of seed used, but probably a greater variet- would make better hay and give just as large results. Mr. Lilly sells hay and buys corn. He makes a specialty of hay. He has taken hind of a common sort, and simply by judicious feeding astonished himself and his neighbors. The thorough-bred farmers in the Connecticut Valley, and the scientific professors at Amherst are beaten in one of the sim plest games of agriculture by an ama teur. Mr. Lilly renews his offer of one hun dred dollars, this year, for the largest yield of hay per acre, and authorizes the old Hampshire Agricultural Society to make the awards, with the hope that somebody will "be stimulated to be a competitor. Statistics show that the average yield of hay per acre is about a ton, but when the yield can be increased six and eight fold, the profit must be greater. The same labor and expense applied to grass that is usually applied to an acre of tobacco, would give the farmers a satisfaction and a prosperity that is scarcely dreamed of. Spring field Mass.) Bepublican. A Sharp Woman. A woman dropped into a commission house on Woodbridge street to purchase a barrel of apples for family use, but she did not mean to be bitten in the purchase. " Are all the best ones on top?" she cautiously asked. " Oh, no ; the contents are alike all the wajr through." " Will vou knock the head out of the other end?" "Certainly, madame," and in two minutes the feat was accomplished and she saw the same grade of choice ap ples. This satisfied her that there was no deception, and sho paid over her money. It was not until she related the circumstance at the dinner table that anything happened to raise a doubt in her mind. Then her husband said: "My dear, I used to buy and pack and ship apples. The rule is a peek of nice ones at either end of the barrel and a bushel and a half of worm-holes in the middle.. Pass the butter." Detroit Free Press. There is a healthy married woman in Flushing, L. I., who mast certainly be called a "home-body." 8be has not been outside of her. yard for eleven years. She thinks the proper dace fox a woman is in her own house. Brook lyn Eagle. Youths' Department JACK-IN-THE-SWAMP. Crackle! crash! tbe !cc Is melting; From the west, wild showers are pelting; Swish and gurgle! splash and sputter! " Halloo, good folks! what's the matter? Seems to me the roof is leaking!" Jack from down below is speaking. Tou know little Jack? la the spring he stands up on the swampy'edge Of the hemlock-wood, looking out from the shade of the ferny ledge; But in winters he cuddles closaunder a thatch of damp leaves, Hark! the water is trickling fast in through his crarret-eaves. And he opens his eyes, and up he starts out of his earthy bed; And he carefully holds, while he climbs aloft, his umbrella over bis bead. High time for ydu to be up, Juck, when every living thing Is washing and'sunnfng itself. Jack, and get ting ready for spring! Little Jack, tbe country preacher. Thinks: " These rustics need a teacher! I shall reprimand tbe flowers Flirting with tbe rude March showers That invade my honest dwelling! What I'll tell them, there's no telling!" Tbcy call him Jnck-in-thc-pulpit, so stiff ho looks, and so queer. As ho waits on the edge of the 6wamp, for tbe flower-folks to come and hear The text and tho sermon and all tbe gravo things that ho-.has to say: But the blossoms they laugh and they dance, they aro wilder than ever to-day No hearers so never a word has tbe llttlo minister said. But there in bis pulpit he stands and holds his umbrella over nis head; And wc huve not a doubt iu our minds. Jack, you arc wisely listening To the organ-choir of tbe winds. Jack, and tbe tunes that the sweet birds sing! Lucy Lareom, in Wide-Awake. POOR KATIE. Mrs. Lovell, Katie's mother, was a seamstress; and there were many days when she had but little work to do, and the pay was always small only a few cents for a garment that she must work at the whole day long. But she strug gled hard to pay the rent and keep Tim and Katie in school. In school that was the great thing. "Plenty of money may come one day, little ones," she would say, "but it will not be worth much if you do not know how to use it. This is the most won derful country iu the world, my birdies. Tim may be President and Katie a Mrs. President, and you can't know too much of school-books. I'm sure that, when you're grown up, you can never be glad and thankful enough that your mother sent you regularly to school. So don't mind the patched clothes, but keep at the head of Vie class, if you haven't a bat for your head!" But the winter Katie was elevenyears old, the brave little mother had less money than ever before, and as the spring-time came on they grew so very poor that there was not always enough of bread left after breakfast to make a school-luncheon for Tim and Katie. "Give it all to Tim," Katie would say: " I believe I don't want anything at noon." Poor little Katie! How hard she tried to think that she was not hun gry! How empty her hands felt at first as she trudged along without her din ner! And how her heart beat, and how the blood burnt in her cheeks, when the nooning came, and she of all the girls had no luncheon to eat! Oh, if any body should notice it! she thought, and she studied how she might behave that nobody should know she was so very poor. The hunger in her stomach was not half so hard to bear as the fear that somebody would know that she had nothing to eat. But, after a few days, poor Katie be gan to think that the girls noticed that she brought no luncheon. Then she thought 'that perhaps if she brought something that looked like one, they would never think about her eating it. How she thought it all out, I can not tell; but if any of you have ever been in trouble and tried to think your way out of it, perhaps yon may remember that you thought of some very foolish and queer things, and this was the way with Katie. She might tie up a few coals in a paper, she thought, but her mother would need every coal to keep up the fire. There were some blocks in one corner of the small room Tim's blocks, that Santa Claus had brought him one Christmas, two or three winters before. She could tie up some of those in a paper for a make-believe luncheon, and nobody would know. So she tied up a few blocks neatly, and when her mother noticed it as she started for school, and asked in surprise what she had in the paper, the poor child hung her head, and then burst into tears. "Oh, Mamma!" she sobbed, "I wanted to make believe that I had some luncheon it's only Tim's blocks!" For one moment the little mother did not understand, aad then suddenly it all came into her mind how the pride of her child was wounded because she could not appear as the other school children did, and that she had fixed upon that simple device to hide her want. And how it made her heart ache more than ever that her poor little girl must go hungry! But she would not de prive Katie of the poor comfort of try ing to "keep up appearances," and her throat was too fall of choking lumps for her to trust herself to say much; so she smoothed the little girl's hair and wiped away the tears from her face, and said bravely: "Never mind, Katie! Better days will come! Mother feels sure of it!" And then Katie slipped away with her little bundle, and the poor little mother sat down and sadly wept at the hard ships that had befallen her little ones. When the nooning came, Katie sat at her desk with her make-believe dinner before her. Her teacher noticed that she kept her seat, and seeing her lunch eon, went to her and said: " Why do you not go into the lunch-room and eat your luncheon with tho other girls?" at the same time reaching out for Katie's bundle. " Oh, teacher!" cried Katie, bursting into tears, "don't touch it! and oh, teacher, don't tell, please! IPs only blocks!" " Only blocks!" softly repeated the teacher, and tears filled her eyes. "Nev er mind, Katie, I'll not tell the girls. You are a brave and a dear little girl, and one of the best in the school!" Poor, poor child! The kind words were like manna to her heart; but, longing as the teacher was to give the child a portion of her own luncheon, she would not hurt her pride by the offer before others. But during a short ses sion of the teachers when school was over, she related the incident, and spoke in such high terms of praise of the little girl, that each one resolved to do all possible to bring "better days" at once to the poor mother; and early next morning the better days began. No one touched the brave little mother's self-respect by offering her charity, but plenty of work, with good pay, was car ried to her, and enough of bread and milk, and new shoes, and coal, and all other needful things, soon came to their home through the mother's industry. And Tim's blocks went back into their corner, to stay there. Happy little Katie! Mary Wager Fisher, in St. Nicholas. The Magnetic Needle. The magnetic needle is one of the most sensitive and delicate of instru ments. It quivers like the aspen leaf at the approach of any object that re pels or attracts it. It shakes with every tremor of the earth or sea. It is seldom at rest; almost as if alive, it wanders around its limited circle. It teems: to have its likes and dislikes, its feelings, and its impulses. Sometimes a magnetic storm sweeps over it and drives it from its course. Sometimes it seems raised to a wild excitement by gome opposing influence. But soon again rest comes, and the delicate, fee ble needle points forever to the north. Upon its firmness and unchangeable nature rest the most important human it guiles the ateamero thai brlnn then safely to their harbors. Without this feeble instrument the Alaska would never venture to rush over the ocean in cloud, mist, or night, or the Servia reach her destined aim. It leads the great host of immigrants to the land of plenty; it carries back the crops of America to feed the people of Europe. Without it Columbus could never havo found the New World, and centurie might have passed before the two hem ispheres were United. Its delicate guidance leads the explorer through tropical forests and over the polar sea. No one can tell when the mafrnetic needle first came in use. It was once thought that it was invented at Amain, a famous sea-port of Italy, about the J -ear 1302, but it was known in Europe ong before. A French poet, Guyot, about 1150, sang of the wonderful needle that always pointed to the north star when the sea was dark and gloomy. It was known in Sweden in 1250. It seems to have come first from Holland. But the Chinese assert that they used the mariner's compass before the tenth century, and it may have been brought to Europe from that inventive people. The Western races took up the inven tion, and have made it the foundation of a new science. They have built upon tho magnetic needle the science of electro-magnetism. Magnetism not only guides great steamers over the seas and explorers by land; its delicate vibrations are made to carry knowledge around the world, and enable nations to converse with each other, however far apart. The system of electric tele graphs depends upon the pecidiar prop erties of the magnet. The strange, mysterious power that was first unfolded in some Eastern city by the shores of the Pacific has been turned to new uses. It lights our streets, conveys messages, writes, and may one day drive the rail car and conduct most of the operations of labor. The steam-engine has found a rival. The needle does not always point to the pole. Even Columbus discovered and was alarmed by its variations. It varies; it changes. And careful ob servers in all parts of the earth havo studied its peculiarities, and endeavored to account for them. But in vain; no one can explain the mystery of the needle. Scientific men have offered Erobable theories; careful observers ave noted its changes in different lati tudes and places. -Jt is still everywhere the same delicate, restless, variable tiling that seems often half alive. But with all its variations it is yet sufficiently true to afford a safe guidance. It re turns from every vibration to point again to tbe north. It is the symbol of constancy in all its changes. Harper's Young People. A Narrow House. The narrowest house in this city may be seen at the northwest corner of Lex ington avenue and Eighty-second street. When Lexington avenue was cut through some years ago, a strip of land five feet wide and one hundred feet deep was all 'that was left of a certain lot belonging ,to a person who did not own the next lot on the street. The strip, while of little value by itself, would be valuable to the person owning the adjoining lot on Eighty-second street, because it wonld not only enable him to build a house five feet wider, but would give him windows all along the side of his house on Lexington avenue. The two owners, however, could not agree as to terms, and a house was erected on the lot adjoining the narrow strip. The owner of the latter had nothing to do but abandon his lot, or build a house five feet wide upon it. The latter course was perhaps adopted because such a house would shut up all the side windows of the neighboring building "and considerably reduce its value. The new building, which has been finished for some months, is therefore five feet wide, one hundred feet deep, and four stories high. It is divided in to two houses, each fifty feet long, and the entrance doors are, of course, on the avenue, as there is no room for a door at either end of the building. The law allows a building at the corner of a street to have projecting bay windows along the side-walk, and taking advant age of this circumstance, the architect has managed to plan a house which, while peculiar in inside appearance, and probably very uncomfortable to live in, may find tenants. Without these bay windows or square projections running from the foundations to the roof it would not have been possible to build a house at all, for no room would have been wider than three feet. Each house has, there fore, two bay windows.in oneof which are the stairs and in the other one room about eight feet wide and about fifteen feet long, upon each floor. The long passage between the stair-well and the room is about three feet wide. Each house contains a kitchen eight by fifteen feet and four rooms, each of the same size, but on different floors. There are also ingeniously placed closets at each 'nnn rT tha Vttiilslirt ap n! utitlni 1a stairs. Both houses are unoccupied. One is offered for rent at five hundred a year. If the object of the builder of these extraordinary houses was simply to shut out the light from his neighbor's build ing, he would probably have accom plished the same end at much less ex pense by adopting Mr. George Kemp's device of si i'et-iron shields, llr. Kemp did not wish the occupants of the build in in the rear of his house at No. 720 Fifth avenue to overlook his premises, and so he built an iron scaffolding in his back-yard and placed iron shields against the obnoxious openings, shut ting out air and light as completely as a brick wall would have done. This arrangement has been for years the source of no little comment from the neighbors and passers-by. N. Y. Even ing Post. m a m Pneumonia. It will be remembered that in old age the lungs are much shriveled, less elas tic, andean not be fully inflated; the air-cells are dilated to about twice their size, many of the capillaries are oblit erated, the breathing is more feeble and shallow, and the power to get rid ol carbonic acid is greatly diminished. Hence pneumonia (inflammation of the lungs) is not only one of the most common diseases of old age, but the most fatal over three-fourths (some say nine-tenths) oi the aged dying of it. The main work of the lungs is done by the air-cells, the tiny laboratories in which the smaller branches of the air tubes terminate, as the branches of a tree terminate in the leaves. Now it is these that are the seat of pneumonia. In the aged the disease seldom com mences with well-defined symptoms. In about one-half the cases there is simply a chill or a pain in the side. In most of the other cases the main symp tom is a feeling of exhaustion. If there is already chronic bronchitis or asthma, the person may merely feel a little tired, and suddenly die. Though most persons cough, there is for a time no expectoration. When it appears it is at first scanty, gray and frothy; then yellow, and at length red dish and sticky. Patients seldom com plain of pain or difficulty of breathing. The more common exciting cause is cold, especially dry, sharp cola. Nine tenths of all cases occur between No vember and May. During this period the aged can not be too carefully protect ed from exposure. They should constant ly wear flannel. About all that can be done for the patient is to stimulate him with drinks, nourish him with concentrated fluid food, and secure him absolute rest. Youth1 $ Companion. cross the Atlantic, and - USEFUL AND SUGGESTIVE. A 'quick growth means tender veg etables. In many localities in Ohio and Pennsylvania sheep aro allowed to graze on winter wheat. Some belicvo it is beneficial to the plants. The chemist of 'the Agricultural Department at Washington says that the soil best adapted for the growth of sorghum for sugar appears to be ? sandy loam. Curry horses frequently in spring to. aid in removing their old coat. A small quantity of oil meal added to their feed will also greatly assist in its removal. Discontinue this when the working season begins. A Kentucky farmer cures fowl chol era by boiling a bushel of smartweed in ten gallons of water down to three gal lons, and mixing the decoction with their feed twice a ,day,for three days, then every other day for a week. The following is an excellent recipe for making an old-fashioned plum-pudding: Three quarts milk, foureggjs well beaten, eight crackers pounded fine, sweeten with sugar to taste, one-half pound raisins simmered in a very little water till soft, one small nutmeg, a lit tle salt, bake three hours in a moder ate oven. Sauce: One cup sugar, one fourth pound butter beaten to a cream, three teaspoons flour mixed with a lit tle water, add two cups hot water just before serving. The household. Unscrupulous venders doubtless do occasionally employ salts of copper to give a fine green color to pickles, but we incline to- the opinion that this dangerous form of food adulteration is far less commonly practiced than is generally believed. To detect the pres ence of copper we need only take one of the suspected pickles, cut it into pieces, and add some ammonia (spirits of hartshorn). If the copper is present, even in very slight traces, the addition of a few drops of ammonia will iu stantly develop a beautiful deep blue coloration. Manufacturer and Builder. Our farmers do not raise enough carrots. They make a horse's coat very sleek. They should have good depth of soil and fine tilth. Our farmers' wives do not fully appreciate the value of the carrot in cookery. Indeed, the liking for carrots is an acquired one. So is that for tomatoes. So is that for parsnips. The writer remembers that he was obliged to cultivate a liking for green peas, which, as they were the old, mushy, strong marrowfats, is not to be wondered at. . But the carrot flavor, when liked, is a valuable addi tion to meats, to gravies and to soups. iv. Y. Herald. Raising Turkeys. With the right breed and properly managed, turkeys are useful on the farm in the destruction of injurious in sects, ornamental as a bird on the prem ises, and are highly remunerative. The cause of failures generally is in letting the turkeys grow instead of raising them. They need care and attention, and that of the right kind. In the first place they must be domesticated, ren dered tame so they will not run off as soon as a human "face appears. Dogs on no account must be allowed to run or worry them, nor should they be clubbed or frightened. By kind treatment and fa miliar feeding make them feel that about the house and barn is their home. Naturally the' are wild, and by bad treatment they will hide their nests a long way from the house where the eggs and probably the turkeys will be destroyed by" wild varmints. They always desire to hide their nests, so for "their safety and conven ience of the owners they should be given a good opportunity for hiding some where near the house or barn. Select in some out of the way place where theru is a board fenee. There are gen erally a plenty of old barrels or boxes. Take out the "heads, or at least have a large hole in each end so that a large turkey can enter. Lay them down, end to the fence. Anil in the fence have a sliding board to close the barrel or box, which can be moved from the opposite side of the fence, and the nest reached in case of necessity to remove egg? or to handle the young turkeys when first hatched. Then throw brush, old boards and some coarse straw over the brush, making an effectual hide for the turkeys, but leaving holes so that they can find the nests prepared for them. When they find such good places to hide, and they do not see you watch ing them, they will use them instead of seeking nests on distant and dangerous parts of the farm. When the turkeys are hatched, they should not beallowed to run at large, as the old hen, wise about many things, does not consider the danger of taking her young brood through tall wet grass and weeds, by which they perish with wet and cold. In some nice grass plat make a pen with boards eighteen or twenty inches wide and sixteen feet square. Put the young turkeys in this, and let the old turkey go in and out at her pleasure. By the time the young turkeys are old and strong enough to jump ovpr this fence thej- will be strong enough to stand dews and rains in the grass. But teach them to come up twice a day to eat out of the pen. Allow no one to frighten them, but keep them tame and domestic in their nature, and then they will always come near the house to roost for safety. The im proved breeds of chickens are easily kept tame, but all turkej's are naturally wild, and kindness and care always pay with them. Nothing ornaments more the landscape of the farm than a large drove of healthy turkeys. And they make as good return for the good given them as any other animal. Iowa State Register. mm Kicking Heifers. All farmers know the trials of teach ing heifers to stand still, and also know that many a valuable animal is ruined in teaching. One should never be 3truck, even though they kick; for they do it in self-defense, and man is never blamed for acting in self-defense. The bag and teats are tender and sore, and should be handled with care; but, first of all, gentle or vicious heifers (I say gentle, for they ma- be before they are bandied and become vicious in one milk ing) should be safely tied in a stall; then go to the right" fore foot, take it up, double the limb :t the knees, and safely strap it, leaving it free, only dou bled. Don't speak to the creature. Let that be done further on. The crea ture will tire in standing upon three legs, and find that, after getting iu a multitude of positions, she must sur render, and will probably give a low moan as the sign. Now is the time to talk and pet her, and show yourself her best friend, handle her bag and teats, milk gently a few streams, unstrap her leg, continuing to pat and card her. Alter she has rested about five minutes, 6trap the name leg; also put a strap or soft stout rope around the hind leg, just above the "gambrel" joint; pullgeutly at first, and, if she does not struggle, tie it back to a ring back of and a Tittle higher than where attached to her leg. The ring should be on the side of stall opposite the tied leg. Unstrap the fore leg and your work is done. Jlilk slowly and gently. DonHhurry. If she should object to the strapping of the hind leg, the next time of milking strap the foro leg, for five minutes, or till the hind leg is firmly tied. Farmers who try the above will find it pays for all the trouble and will bo glad to tie back the hind leg lor weeks rather than run the risk ol being kicked over at any moment. Cor. N. Y. Independent 'FACTS AND FIGURES. The total estimated supply of red wood timber in California is 25,825, 000,000 feet. There are 272 periodicals published in St. Petersburg, 19 being dailies. The largest circulation of all is 71,000 copies. Seems as if they did nothing but declare semi-annual dividends in Boston, where they announce a total of $8,144, 776 for April. The March fires represent $7,250, 000. The New York, Commercial Bul letin says that this is $1,000,000 more than the March record of last year. There are 40,000 square milee of almost unbroken forests in North Caro lina, comprising pine, chestnut, oak, maple, beech ami hickory timber. The New Jersey law prohibiting the employment of children under four teen vears of age, will result in the dis charge of between 3,000 and 4,000 of them at Paterson alone. It is mentioned as an interesting detail of the recent grand costumes ball at Berlin that 10,200 wax candles, or 1,700 pounds of wax, were burned in various chandeliers throughout the cas tle. The countries of England and Wales spend $15,000,000; a third of it for po lice, aud $1,400,000 for roads. About half tho entire receipts are from local taxation, nearly all the rest being from the imperial treasury. A prizo type-setting contest 'took place recently in Berlin, where the win ning compositor set y,415 letters in the course of three hours, an average of about fifty-three words per minute, in ordinary newspaper type. Buffalo is rapidly becoming one of the most important coal-distributing points in the country. More than 2,000,000 tons were received there last year, and the receipts of anthracite were fifty per cent, greater than for the previous year. Antwerp, a city of 200,000, had no water supply but wells and canals, and in 1879 works were built to filter the water of the Nethe by passing them through filters of sand and spongy iron and gravel. The plan has proved suc cessful, but the supply is very small according to American ideas, being re ceived in a tank of only 340,000 gallons. No fewer than thirty-seven British peerages, or not very short of one-tenth of the entire number, became extinct or dormant iu the fifteen years 1868-82. The number of deaths of peers "during the same period was 309; of peeresses, 234. These figures are exclusive of two Archbishops and eleven Bishops. Alto gether, the Baronetcies which became extinct or dormant "during the fifteen years amount to sixty. WIT AND WISDOM. One soweth and another reapeth," is a verity that applies to evil as well as good. Ocorge Eliot. The agnostic is one who knows nothing certain, and doesn't care whether he does or not. N. O. Pica yune. A man is known by the company he keeps, but a woman is known by tho company her neighbor entertains. Boston Transcript. It is the favor of man which give3 the beauty and comeliness to women, as the stream glitters no longer when the sun ceaseth to shine. Talisman. A young mau, about to marry, asks a priest for absolution of his youthful errors. When he has finished his story, he retires perfectly absolved. An in stant after he returns and says to the priest: "You have forgotteu to give me a penance." "That is useless," replied the priest, "since you are about to marry." i lie hair ot a girl employed in an Extern cotton mill was caught in the machinery, torn oft" her head, and ground into bits. But the girl didn't mind it much. She kept rnjht on at her work, simply remarking that it only cost four dollars, anyhow. This is one of the advantages of art over Nature. Norrisloion Herald. Tragic: Was it a small, white curly dorg with a blue ribbin round his neck, yer wa lookm for, miss.'1" "Yes," gasped the young lady, in anxious suspense. "Well, Jack Adam's Newfoundland purp, he's a gone an' swallered him." They car ried her into the nearest drug store. Chicago Eye. A witty nobleman once asked a clerical gentleman at the bottom of the table why the goose, when there was one, w:is always placed next to the parson.. "Really, my lord," said the clergyman, "your question is some what difficult to answer and is so re markably odd, that I vow I shall never see a goose again without being re minded of your lordship." Use of the corset: "It's a lonely road you have to take coming home to night, John," said hi wife, with an anxious expression. "Yes," he replied, "very lonely." "And you might be attacked by assassins," .she addeu.clasp ing her arms around his neck as if sho were loath to let him go. "I might," said John. "Then," she continued, "you had better put on one of my cor sets before you start." Brooklyn Eagle. What they do not say: He "Your father must be worth at least a million and you would enable me to go through life in a style I never could hope for with out you. I do not love you, it is true, but one can not expect everything. So let us marry. If your father fails 1 can crawl outof it somehow." She "Very well! You will never amount to any thing, but you are good enough as far as you go. 1 have trilled with so many men that most of them hato me and I may not get a better offer. If I do I can break the engagement." Life. "Sassing" a Witness. If there is one privilege more than another which a lawyer enjoys, it is to "sass" a witness. He himself is entire ly protected by the court against any "sassing back," and he has the poor ma.i or woman at his mercy. No matter how decent, intelligent or respectable the witness is, he can, by his questions, so embarrass them as to make them seem like idiots or fools, who do not kuow enough to hide the fact that they are desperate liars, or that their lives have been a prolonged career of vil lainy and vice which they are vainly trying to hide from the jury. The Judge looks coolly on and generally gives the lawyer full play, with about as much sympathy for the writhing victim as a medical professor superintending a vivi section in the operating room. Natu rally, the lawyer highly esteems such an advantage, and when he is deprived of it howls with rage. The other day, in a reference case at New York, Mr. Joseph II. Choato, the eminent lawyer, said to Lawrence, President of the Stock Exchange, a witness: "Perhaps if you had been a companv of lawyers you would have steered clear of doing such a gross piece of fraud as this." To this Mr. Lawrence replied: "To speak of our action as fraud is a lie." The chances are that this is what Lawrence ought to have said, and that he had as much right to speak of Choate's accusa tion as a lie as Choate had to call his conduct a fraud. But the lawyer was helpless, and he had to take as good as he gave without pleading the baby act and asking the protection of the court. So he got as nearly even as he knew how by whining: "It's the last time I take any such case outside of the court," which is only another version of the boy's threat, "Wait till I catch you ojMur jalley." 3$trtU Fr$4 fr$t$. EASTWARD. Daily Express Trains for Omaha. Ciii rago, Kansait City, St. Louis, aud nil pninta East. Throuph cars via I'eorlu to lmtiati axUi. Elegant l'ulliiian laJac Cars and Day coacht s un nil through trains, aud Iihln 4'ivr cast of .Mit-Mjuri Ilivi-r. inrouRli Ticketa r.t tho T-owrct Haws aro on salo at ail tho important stations, and bacgnge will 1k checkeil t destination. Any information ns to ratoa, routes or tinio tables win iHi ciievrruuy xurmsmst upon apiuicaunii to any ngwit, rr to V. S. KUSTIS, General Ticket Agent. Omaha, Nob. 3STOTICE Chicago Weekly News. -AND COLUMBUS, HEB, JOURNAL FOR $2.50 a Year Postage Included. The OHIOAGO WEEKLY NEWS is recognized as a paper unsurpassed in all the requirements of American Journalism. It stands conspicuous among the metropolitan journals of the country as a complete News-paper. In the matter of telegraphic service, having the advantage of connection with the CHICAGO DAILY NEWS, it has at its com mand all the dispatches of the Western Associated Press, besides a very extensive service of Special Telegrams from all important points. As a News-paper it has no supe rior. It is INDEPENDENTS Politics, presenting all political news, free from partisan bias or coloring, and absolutely without fear or favor as to parties. It is, in the fullest sense, a FAMILY PAPER. Each issue contains several COM PLETED STORIES, a SERIAL STORY of absorbing interest, and a rich variety of condensed notes on Fashions, Art, Indus tries, Literature, Science, etc., etc. Its Market Quotations are complete, and to be relied upon. It is unsurpassed as an enterprising, pure, and trustworthy GENERAL FAMILY NEWSPAPER. Our special Clubbing Term? bring it within the reach of all. Specimen copies may be seen at this ofttcir Send subscriptions to this office. 1870. 1883. TIIK (jfealiwfbus journal Is conducted ax a FAMILY NEWSPAPER, Devoted to the best mutual titter. cst of its readers and it-.- publih. ers. I'ublihcd at Columbus. IMatli county, the centre oT the agricul tural portion of Nebraska, it is read by hundred- of people east uhoaic looking toward Nebraska as their future home. Its ub?cnberb Nebraska are the staunch, solid portion oT the community, as is evidenced by the fact that the JOURNAL, has uever coutained a "dun" against them, and by the other fact that ADVERTISING In its columns always brings its reward. Business is business, and those who wish to reach the solid people of Central Nebraska will find the columns of the Journal, a splendid medium. JOB WORK Of all kinds neatly and quickly done, at fair prices. This species of printing is nearly always want" ed in a hurry, and, knowing this fact, we have so provided for it that we can furnish envelopes, let ter heads, bill heads, circulars, posters, etc., etc., on very short notice, and promptly on time as we promise. SUBSCRIPTION. I copy perannum 2 00 " Six months 100 Three months, CO Single copy sent to any address in the United States for 0 cts. K. X. TURNER & CO., Columbus, Nebraska. EVERYBODY Can now afford A CHICAGO DAILY. THE CHICAGO HERALD, All the News ever' day on four large pages of seven column each. The Hon. Frank AV. Palmer (Postmaster of Chi cago), Editor-in-Cbier. A Republican Daily for $5 per Year, Three mouths, $1.."0. One trial iM cents. month on CHICAGrO "WEEKLY HERALD It Acknowledged by everybody who has read it lo be the best eight-page paper ever published, at the low price' of SI PER YEAR, Postage Free. Contains correct market reports, all the news, and general reading interest ing to the farmer and his family. Special terms to agents and club?" S.mijilt Copies free. Addresx, CHICAGO HERALD COMP'Y 120 and 122 Fifth-ar., 40-tf CHICAGO. ILL LYON&HEALY State A Monro StcCMcago. Will m4jmU Uu; mddnm litlr . BAND CATALOGUE, ttr 1361. XXt wa 21i tarrmnw r lutramnU. Salu, Cap. BriU, PttSMOb EfukU. Ca-lMaf. tu una Mkiw't StflL iu Sub7 Bud Oolfilfc Kpakftc :M ro AtuWsf maJa. u4 a Cal tltWUHUNSai, i avQam lYl s WESTWARD. Daily Express Trains for Denver, con necting in Union Depot for all roinin ia Colorado, Utah, California, and tho ontiro West. Tho advent of this lino exvpr Uio trav- clor a ew Route to tho West, with scenery tun uu.iujbubva uuuuiit:u ciatrit uuru. 1 TI1E- Special Announcement! REDUCTION IN PRICE. AW nnVr the .IoL'KN'ai. in combination with the American Agriculturist, the be.t farmer- maaine iu the world, for gJI a y-:ir, which include postage on both. IN ADDITION, we will em free to ev ery person who takes both papers, a Mairnilieent IMate Kugrm ingor Dl'I'IlK' last Great I'ainting. "I."V TIIK .UI'A !0V, now on exhibition in New York, aud ottered for ale at S.I.OOO. Tue eminent Arti-t. V. S. ClirUCII. writing to a friend in the country la-t October, tlin- allude- to thN 1'ieture: ' I w.i- delighted this morning to see o tiered a a Premium a reproduction of a very leautiful Picture, " I. TIIK JIKAMOW.-'by Dtipre. ThN Picture is an Educator This superb engraving y. by V inches, exclusive of wide border, is worth more than the co-t of both .Journal-. It i mouuted on hear Plate Paper, and sent securely tacked in Tubes made expressly for the pnrpo-e. When to be mailed, 10 cents extra i required for Packing, Po-t-age, etc. SSfSubscriptionx may begin at auy time, and the Agriculturist furnished in German or English. 0 YOU WANT THE BEST Illustrated Weekly Paper published? If so, sub scribe Tor The Weakly Graphic It contains four pages of illustrations and eight pagos of reading matter. It ia terse. It is vigorous. It is clean and healthy. It gives all the news. Its home department is full of choice literature. Farming interests receive spe cial and regular attention. It treats inde pendently of politics and adairs. During the year it gives over 200 pages of illustra tions, embracing every variety of subject, from the choicest art production to the customs, manners and noteworthy incidents and everyday scenes of every eopIe ; and Cartoons upon events, men and measures. Try it a year, subscription price $2.50 a year. Sample copies and termx to agents, 5 cents. Address THE WEEKLY GRAPHIC, 182 & 184 Dearuorx Sthekt, Chicago. We offer The Weekly Graphic in Club with The Columbus Journal For $.'.!0 a year iu advance. LUERS & HOEFELMANN, DKAI.KUS IN CHALLENGE WIND MILLS, AND PUMPS. Buckeye Mower, combined, Self Binder, wire or twine. Pumps Repaired on .short notice JSTOne door west of IleinUS Store, 11th Street, Columbia, Neb. Drug REST not, lif. is sweeping by, go and dare before you die. Miinething mighty ana Miomne leave beuina oinnipr time. $M i week in your own town. $. outfit free. No rik. Kvery thing new. Capital not required. AA'e will furnish you everything. 31 any are making fortunes. Ladies make as much as men, and boys and girls make great pay. Header, if you want business at which you can make yreat pav all the time, write for partirul irs to II. IIallktt .t Co.. l'ortlaud, .Maine. 31-y $72 A week made at home by the industrious. Ilest business now before the public. Capital not needed. We will start you. Men, women, boys aud girls want ed everywhere to work for us. Xow is the time. You can work in spare time, or give your whole time to the business. No other busiuess will pay you nearly as well. No one can fail to make enormous pay, by engaging at once. Costly outfit and terms free, ilouey made fast, easily and honorably. Address Truk & Co., Augusta, 3Jaine, 3i.y. D l