Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1873-06-03
Old Books and Newspapers.

Not long since gentleman visiting char
ity hospital, remembering that he had some
illustrated papers in his pocket, gave them 10
an old man there who could not read. He
had not been reminded of it by one of the
physicians of the institution, whom he met
afterwards.
lie has not yet finished studying those
pictures" continued the doctor, after mems
| tioning the incident. .'Do you remember
the dull, vacant countenanca of the man p.
You would besurprised now atits sprightliness.
and when spoke to him of the change be
said /: 20, Doctor, you can't know what ioy
these papers have been to me! l have lain
on this bed week after week have counted
again and again all the squares in this couu>
terpane; can shut my eyes aud put my fin,
ger on any particular figure in it, l know
every speck on the walls of my room can
tell just how many bricks in the wall of the
| opposite building can be counted through my
window aud have been SO tired until j got
these papers
Is not such result worth the expenditure
of little trouble, postage, stamp, and a
| newspaper wrapper? Generous hearted peo-
| Pile often complain that they can give moths
Ing, because thoy have no money to bestow;
and yet there are so many tepder charities
that require very little money, aud some.
times none at ALL -,
If travellers would mail books aud Journals
to some charitable institution, instead of leav-
ing them scattered about in cars aud hotels.
the benefit conferred would be out of all pro-
portion to the small amount of trouble reoui.
site. Stay>at-home readers can take their
| discarded books to some poor unfortunate
they may chance to know. or send them to
those who are interested in public charities,
that they may dispose of them. Aud even
many invslids (who are generally great read
! ers) will, doubtless, be glad to learn that al.
though apparently able to do SO little for
themselves or any one else. they have this
| opportunity afforded them of so greatly help-
ing other invalids, more unfortunate than
themselves, to an enjoyment for which they
are too poor to pay ScriGner's Momth!!y.
YoUTu's IRREvERENcE The Chicago
| tribune relates that one of the strongest tenn.
| pcrauce men connected with the Chicago press
has Pcnchdmt for mixing up drinks" which
cheer but don't inebriate. His latest dis
covery in this line is plain soda, slightly
favored with aromatic spirits Of ammonia.
While out on Madison street, at the extreme
west end, the other night, our journalist felt
the approach of a headache, aud stepped in
at a convenient drug store to indulge in his
faVorite tippie:. boy, about knee high to
toad. was in attendance ot the fountain.
"Give me plain soda and ammonia" was
The request
The boy assumed knowing look and re-
piled, "All right, sir"
lie then placed glass under suspicious
looking tap, when The journalist, who didn't
understand his business, said, old on there!
| What are you about? / want soda aud am.
monia"
"That's all right" said the knowing urchin.
''I'm giving you little old Bourbon :; | know
what am about. That's the name they all
give it !"
SEEING IS DEcElvING.-,Iicrei is a row of
ordinary capital letters and figures:
SSSXXNZZZ333SSS ,....,
They are such are made up of two parts
of eqnal shapes. Look carefully at these and
! you will perceive that tho upper halves of
these characters are very little smaller than
the lower halves SO little that an ordinary
eye will declare them to be of equal size.-
Now turn the page upside down, and without
any careful looking you will see that the real
top half of the letter is much exaegcrated--
that the real top half of the letter is mucf-
smaller chan the bottom half 1t will be seen
by this that there is tendency of the eye to
enlarge the upper part of any object upon
which it looks. We might draw two circles
of unequal size and SO place thcm that they
will appear equal.
= AT very successful seance in Cincin-
natl the other night. a man burst into tears
when the medium described very accurately a
tall, bue-eyed spirit standing by him, with
light side whiskers aud his hair parted in the
| middle
"Do you know him 2" inquired a man a,
his side, in sympathetic whisper rf
mn him I + I a.
unhappy man, wiping his eyes. "He was
engaged to my wife. IF he hadn't died he
would have been her husband instead Of me.
o. George, GeorgeI' he murmnred in voice
choked with emotion, why, why did you peg
out?"
TOMATO PLANTs.-A market gardener of
Lake County. Illinois, says he has the most
remarkable success the use of salt upon his
tomato plants. He applied il at various times
during the season, and in every case its effect
was seen in the increased growth of both plant
and :frult. In some cases he lays the roots of
backward plants bare, sprinkles them with. a
tablespoonful of ordinary barrel salt, and
covers with soil. Plants treated in this way
take an immediate start, and develops the
fruit.
CRISP MUFPINs One pint siffed corn
meal, one pint of milk or cream, two eggs, d
teaspoonful of salt a spoonful. of butter or or
lard drop the batter in a hot, creased pan
or oven, by spoonful, taking care that your
mullins do NOT touch. Let them bake till
crisp and brown.
COFFEE CAKE.-one egg, one cup of sugar,
one of milk, one good tablespoonful of but
ter, one teaspooufui soda. two of cream of
tartar; as much -four as win make ss stiff as
pound cake. Flavor with nutmeg to suit
your taste.
= edo be frank" said young Dir. Smith
| to Miss Francis who had been onizzi,e, h;n,