South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1873-12-26
ODDS AND ENDS.

\ 10 western Pennsyivania. The guests are
compelled to appeal IN patched clothing, an
the refreshments consist of mush and milk
and baked potatoes.
OSE years record Of disasters on the
lakes shows total money loss of very near
| ly 100000. No fewer than 1918 YES
sells have been lost or damaged on the lakes
during this year, a good many having been
los. in the gales Of August.
WHEN General SIcKLEs retires from the
post Of Minister to Spain be will draw his
army pay as retired officer, which is s., 625
per year.
UNDER the head Of drunken Judge
the Salem Register aud Lynchburg Repub
Hcan demands the impeachment of Judge
MAHoop, of the Roanoke, Va, circuit, for
drunkenness.
DUaINa 1873 the Methodist Episcopal
Church has grown 100000 richer, and
gained over 5000 members, ma king to-
tai Of ,46i ,027 members and probatiouers
The number of deaths during the year is
$4,000 which is unusually large. During
the year 400 churches and 1872 parsonages
were built, IN average of over nine church
os and four parsonages week.
SUICTDE.-A young lady named Hell.
MANToLLER, aged IL years, committed su-
icide by haDging,in Allegany county, Va. on
the st inst. A telegram to tho Richmond
! Dispatch, says: She had been addressed
by young man Of eighteen. Her parents
were memorable. On Sunday tho lovers
had meeting and agreed TO hang them
selves next day. She fulfilled her part OF
the contract, but he failed, and death-not
Romeo-has taken the frail young flower
of the mountains.
! THE Graphic balloon was not such q
failure as Mt first sight il seemed. The of.
fects of its Canaan voyage to Europe have
not NIL come to light, for in Litchfield,
Connecticut, there was deaf and dumb
man who, upon seeing this immense gas
bag, uttered the word balloon for start
er, and has been glibly talking ever since
THE SEA MotsE. Tho sea mouse il
one of the prettiest creatures that lives un-
der tho waters. Il sparkles like diamond
and is radiant with all the colors of the rain.
bow, although It lives in the mud Mt th,
bottom of the ocean. Ii should not have
been called mouse, for it is larger than
big rat. Il is covered With scales that move
up and down as it breathes, and glittert
like gold shining through q focky down
from which fine silky bristles wave thai
constantly change from one brilliant tint
into another, so that, as CgvIEn, the grea,
naturalist, says the plumage of the hum
ming bird rs not more beautiful. Sea mice
are sometimes thrown up on the beach by
storms. Hearth and Home.
ONE ofthe best illustrations of what tact
pluck and energy will do for a man is given
in the history of SAMUEL BRYAN, OF Cadiz
Ohio. BRYAN enlisted at the opening oil
the war as drummer boy, being 90 year,
old. 10 short time he secured discharge
aud a little while thereafter situation a,
clerk in tho sixth auditors Office in Wash
iogton. Here he was placed in charge o.
the British mail desk. Becoming acausint
ed with the foreign mail service, be va,
struck with the fact that while Japan haG
introduced our internal revenue and aRri.
cultural systems, she had made no effor
to establish postal department. lie de.
tcrmined to make al effort toward doipe
this himself. He had an interview with
Minister DELoNG, met with encouragement
and finally having secured temporary sit.
uation on steamship plying between San
Francisco and Yokohams, left for Japan.
He arrived in the latter city with but TWEEN.
ty-fVe cents in his pocket and met with
many difficulties in bis work but finally
the government organized q postal bureau
AID made Mr.. BRYAN special commissioner
10 negotiate treaty with the United States
Great Britain, France and Germany, al a
salary Of $4,000 per snnum, ell expenses
borne, and assistants and clerks to help him
in bis work. Mr., BRYAN has accomplish.
ed bis mission, 80 far as this country il
concerned, and sailed for Hayre on Ssiur.
day last. Though not the nominal, he i:
the real, bead Of the postal department for
japan, and is very naturally and properly
elatod with his sucoess--Ib.
AT an enthusiastic missionary meeting
held some time ago, an old man was pre-
sent not distinguished for bis liberality but
who became deeply moved by the stirring
appeals for assistance. During the address.
es be was wrought up to a higher and high
er pitch Of generosity, till from IS he was
resolved 10 give s25 Bot the sddrosse,
over, and while the plate was being passed
he suddenly recovered himself, and bis ar.
dor cooled. Grssping tightly his pocket.
book, be called himself fool and resolved
to give nothing. AS the plate drew near
though, be felt the pricks Of bis awakened
conscience, aud lively was the struggle for
a moment between IL aud his hard heart.
Finally, with desperate jerk, as the plate
was put before him, he laid pocketbook and
all upon II, ezelairhiDg, "Now squearm, old
Ualur'"