The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-08-26
Literary Notices.
Scribner's Monthly.

4. The Ghostly Rental, The Voyage of III
: America, and the Princess Use, the last
!, charming fairy story from the German, wit
q dainty illustrations Col. Waring gives
;. third installment Of his account of boat rid
d down the Mosel, dealing in this number wit
+ the vineyards and folk life of this little.visite
region. There is an excellent paper on Ii
sanity, by DR.. Chas. d. Robinson, giving som
curious illustrations of the brain during III
progress of the malady, and mass of genera
information in regard 10 its prevalence an
treatment We of this country are comfor
ed with this assurance;
That insanity does not increase, pro rate
at least in the United States, is proven by tn
, census returns for the past twenty years. 1
1850 this country had populotion Of %, l91
5 $40, and total number of insane and idiot
OF 81 ,397, or in 37S. In 1860, with popu
; lation of 81 ,443,322, there were 1864 nsan
: and idiots, or in 1873. And in 1870, with
population of SO, 5G5, 9S3, there were CT 900 o
that class, or / IN 623. In England, during
the same period, there was an average o
about in 450; in Scotland, in 460; in Ire
land, in 400; in France, in 900; and II
Australia, in 524. These reports, if accu
rate, show d favorable condition in this coun
try as compared with that Of others.
The series on the leading educational in
situations of the country is continued In ar
article on Wesleyan University by Professor
Ww. North Rice. Ernest Ingersoll writes
pleasantly About Birds. Donald G. Mitchell
| tp ritao IF tho picturasn,,a aanantc IF tho Eair
and DR.. Blauvelt has discussion of Protes.
tant Vaticanism.
But the article which will most deeply in.
terest Ottawa people is that entitled Cali.
fornia Housekeepers and Chinese Servants"
by Mrs. Sarah E. Henshaw, so kindly re-
membered by many old friends in Ottawa,
which tor many years was her home. Her
experience, on the whole, with Chinese "help"
seems not to have been favorable. She tells
US:
Never shall we forget the first Chinaman
whom we employed as a house.s0rvant. The
excellent and trusted Bridget who had lived
with US so long was to married, and, after
her, we felt indeed, that mo Irish need ap-
ply" She remained beyond her time that
we might fill her place, but each aspirant to
the culinary domain seemed worse than tine
preceding and finally we asked our Chinese
laundry man II he could send US "a China.
boy" as they are called. Biddie protested
"Och | can't bear to think of yes hav-
ing Chinaman! They will stale all there
is in the house, and yes won't know where It
goes
But we made due allowance for Blddes
prejudlces, engaged n boy" and he came at
the time appointed.
A neat, rather handsome fellow, he was,
and as he disappeared into his room, bundle
in hand, we were conscious OF a great draw.
ing of the spirit toward him. In five minutes
he emerged clad in the daintiest of white
blouses and aprons, his plgrail girded around
his head as meaning business, and with the
quietest step and mien he sought us out IN
the parlor, and came and stood before u.s.
his head slightly bowed, his hands folded,
perfectly silent, awaiting orders. There was
a submissiveness in his attitude, his expires.
sion, his whole aspect, which suggested the
Old Testament and the Arabian Nights in
turn. Our heart leaped up. as Wordsworth's 81
TO rainbow. Here was a new regtme, in.
deed! How promising! How delightful!
He went to work In a way which showed
mentally planned to teach him twas he not a
heather? y, to make much of him, and to keep
him long time. 1t was nice to have such a
creature around, and how
deity he waited on door and table! About
the middle Of the afternoon, another China
man appeared on the scene, anu the two had
much cackle together. No. showed No. q
his kitchen, laundry, and closet; and We con-
cluded that he was pleased with his conven.
fences, and was receiving congratulations
lhereupon. BY five O'Clock he again "came
and stood before u.s."
My liend heap good boy; he stay you; |
,atchum place, San Francisco"
And China-boy No. l summary departed,
leaving behind him quite an inferior subs,i.
ute. And with HIM went, as we learned that
evening, all the cracked-wheat which we
Glanced to have in the flourcloset
Dr. Hoilasd illuminates Topics of the Time
with his usual radiance; Home and Society
s mainly devoted to the Exhibition; Rural
Topics deals with September work on the
arm, and the other departments are kept up
with their usual spirit.
It. Nicholas.