The weekly Shasta courier., 1873-12-13
ANECDOTES.

! A BIG BLow.-Last evening, while
the chief engineer of lungster was ex'
patiating on the benefits to be derived
from the free use of his instrument, 6
cadaverous individual stepped out of the
crowd and remarked to him:
"Mister, do you think it would helr
me any to blow into that can?"
"Yes, sir; certainly; it would expand
your chest, give elasticity to your lungs,
and lengthen your life. Why, you'd
soon be able to blow 500 pounds and
win the S5 prize"
"Why, does fellow get S5 when he
blows that many pounds?"
"Yes, sir; wouldn't you like to make
trial?" with knowing wink to the
crowd.
81 don't care if I do" said Greens,
walking around and planking down a
dime of the greasy shinplaster sort.
Then taking the mouth piece in his
hand, he made ready. He opened his
mouth until the hole in his face looked
like dry dock for ocean steamers, and
began to take in wind. The initiation
was like that of the Graphic balloon, but
not so disastrous. That fellows chest
began to grow and distend until he re-
sembled a pouter pigeon more than a
man, at which point he put the mouth
piece to his lips and blew with such
force that his eyes came out and stood
around on his cheek bones to see what
was the matter-but that can-top went
up like flash, and the needle of the in
dicator spun around like the button on
country school-house door. until it
stood still at 500 pounds! The crowd
cheered, and the keeper of the can paid
over the S5 in stamps, with mutter of
astonishment. But Greens pocketed
them coolly, and turning to the specta-
tors, said:
Look here, gents, that amt nothing
to do at all for man who has been a
bugler in a deaf and dumb asylum for
seventeen years, like mep'-Nev Orleans
Herald.
Too MUCH.-The presiding clergyman
OF the parish of Briersport was chairman
of the committee on ornamentation OF
the new church, and it was decided that
suitable quotation of the Holy Writ
should be craven upon the cap stone of
the portal of the main entrance. In ac-
cordance Herewith the workman was di-
rected to carve upon the stone the SEN
tence,-"My House shall be called the
House of Prayer" The workman ac-
knowledged his literary deficiencies, and
in order that he might make no mistake,
he asked for an exact copy of what was
wanted. The clergyman being in some
what of hurry, and having a small
pocket Testament with him, took it out,
and opening to the twenty-frst chapter
of Matthew, and pointing to the thir-
teenth verse, he said:
There, my man, you have it just as
we want it."
The craftsman took the book, and the
clergyman went his way.
The dedication of the church was
postponed week to await the finishing
touches of the capstone. 1t was done in
time, and raised to its place, and the
CONSERVATION of the good minister and
his companions of the committee can be
better imagined than described, upon
beholding how literally with a ven
geance the workman had copied the text
OF Scripture. Commencing at the poinl
DESIGNATED by the clergyman, he had re-
produced the whole verse, so that the
stone bore upon its face the startling
sentence:
MY House shall be called the House
OF Prayer; but ye have made it Den of
| Thieves!
There was further postponement of
the dedicatory services, and in the end
the lower half of the capstone was adorn-
ed with network of chisellings and
clippings not contemplated in the origi-
nal plan.-Ledger.
LORD PALMERsroN-Gor the Scot
tlsh painter, used to tell this story of
Lord Palmerston:-"I had exhibited for
several years, but without any particu-
lar success. One year, however-the
year before painted The Corsicans'-
Lord Palmerston took sudden fancy to
my picture called Summer in the Low
lands, and bought it at high price
His lordship at the same time made in
quiries after the artist, and invited me
to call upon him. I waited upon his
lordship accordingly. He compliment
ed me upon the picture; but there was
one thing about it he could not under
stand. What is that. my lord?' I asked.
That there should be such long grass in
a field where there are so many sheep
said his lordship, promptly, and with a
merry twinkle of the eye. 1t was de-
clded hit this; and, having bought the
picture and paid for it, he was entitled
to his joke. How do you account for
it?" he went on, smiling, and looking
first at the picture, then at me. Those
sheep, my lord,' I replied, were only
turned into that field the night before 1
finished the picture His lordship
laughed heartily, and said Bravo at my
reply, and gave me commission for
two more pictures; and I have cashed
since then some very notable cheques of
his-dear old boy|
A few years since there was Presby-
terian minister at Columbus, Miss, who
had horror of shouting in church,
which fact was well known to his con-
gregation. One day, after he had preach
ed very spirited sermon, an old lady
was observed to leave the church in a
very hasty manner. Meeting her few
days after, the minister asked why she
had rushed from the church SO sudden
ly the Sunday before. ''Well," she re-
sponded, ''the fact is, I was so filed
with grace in listening to your sermon,
that found 1 could not contain myself,
so l ran over to the Methodist church
across the way and shouted"