The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1873-08-21
Very Absent Minded.

The most absent minded man we ever
knew was our friend, Genl Mumm. He
lost one of his legs in the late war, and
he always wore patent artificial leg
full of springs and joints. Sometimes,
when he started ont in the morning, he
would get his leg on hind-part foremost,
and then he would go straddling down
the street with one set o. toes pointing
east and the other set pointing west
His right knee would head in one direc
ton and his left would bulge ont in
another, and the old man would bob up
and down like a jumping jack worked
with string. Presently he would
meet rs aud come jolting mp to say
that he wished we would pitch into the
highway department for leaving the
pay v.uv.u, III auun " I"o."'iJ U"n'hv'vn
that man couldn't walk straight.
Previous to the war, while he was down
at Cape May one summer, he took II
buf.bath early in the morning, ana
while in the water he got to mcditatlng
upon some abtruse subject, and forget
ting himself, he came walking out upon
the beach and up the street to the hotel
dressed in nothing but a sad, sweet
smile. just as the people were coming
down to breakfast. Only very short
time ago he hitched his horse to Il
sulky, with the animals nose pushed
close up against the dasher, and started
off backward without noticing the d.
rection. At the end of the first half
mile the vehicle jammed up against
n ttec, and tho general shot out over
tbe horses tail: If he doesn't get out
of his coffin at his own funeral, and III
sist upon going as pall-bearer, it will be
singular. Mac AdCter.
THE PROBLEMS BEFORE Us. What
will future discoveries do for the secrets
that are throbbing to be revealed
What influence will they have upon So
ciety law, politics, industry, philoso
ply, life? Will they give us cheaper
motive power than steam, better build
ING material than wood, brick and NOR
tar, stone and iron? Will they MAKE
land more productive, and prial navl
cation possible? Will they give breat
to the poor, check concentration o
capital and population, equalize distrl
button, make the voter more intelligent
the officer more honest, reduce taxe
and the friction OF government, d'
away with soldiers, make powder I
blasting agent and war memory
Will they alleviate the pains of sick
ness and soften the bed of death ? Will
they give us clearer vision, make the
heart beat quicker, the blood run red
der. send finer nerve-force to the
brain, diffnse more ethereal presence
through this corporal frame and reveal
the thrilling secrets of the spirits birth
We seem to be drawing nearer to the
waters for which our souls are athirst.
It may be mirage. 1t may be the
rustling of the winds, not the ripping
of the waves, that falls upon our ears.
Gov. Booth Of California.
BATHING IN LAKE TAHOE IN THE
SIERRA NEvADAs. 1t is we'll known that
it is more difficult to swim in Lake
Tahoe than in any of our lower-country
water. This is due to'its great purity
and consequent want of density of the
water. II is easy to strike out with the
arms and legs, but difficult to keep thu
body ahoat. Swimming in Tahoe an'
swimming in the river at Sacrament
are, for instance, two different exercise
altogether. In the one case, one soitl
paddles through water so mingled wit
mud as to have reached the consistenC
of thick pea-soup or Cruel of not vel
tremulous thinness while swimmir
in Lake Tahoe seems like slow hyir
through cold air, with the wings lie
off. The water of the lake is so pun
that the body and limbs while in'merse
ara as white as marble; they are, l
fact, CHASTITY in their whiteness'