Smyrna times., 1882-03-29

A FIRE drill was some months ago in
troduced into one of the public schools of
Philadelphia, and last week an exhibition
was given in which seven hundred and
fifty children, attending one school, par
ticipated. In one minute and thirty-fve
seconds after the alarm was sounded all
the children had left the building without
disorder or mishap. 1t is proposed to so
arrange the alarm that the pulling of the
gong will throw open and secure every
door in the building. The scholars are
drilled once a week, and neither them
selves or the teachers know when the
signal may sound, or when they hear it
whether it is for the drill or to escape from
! fire.
THE Pennsylvania Independents are
making their State organization ready for
the conflict which now appears unavOid-
able between the bosses and the voters of
the Republican party. A committee of
fifty has been appointed to organize the
Independents in each district, and to pro-
cure the election of r. preseAtatives to the
State Convention which will be held on
the oath of May. The prospects, Charles
S. Wolfe thinks, are good for polling 10O,-
600 votes this year if they nominate candi-
dates of their own. This we b,lieve will
be done, as he sses no probability of the
regular Republicans naming an acceptable
: ticket. He does not favor seeking aid
. from the Democrats, but will not object to
their adopting the candidates of the Inde,
| pendents.
If THE decision which was approved
Friday, in the United States Circuit Cour
in Missouri, prevails as law thrOug hou
the land, the Express companies will have
. a grip on the railroad corporations tina
will not easily be released. 1t is ordered
that all passenger trains shall carry tn
, express matter Of any company that offer
it, which is perhaps only an application c
the doctrine of common carriers. A del
cate poiat now will be, probably, the basi
= of rates upon which the railroads shoul
be paid. The Importance of the decisio
may be better appreciated when it is state
:. that in 1879 four express companies hGT
died property worth over $3,000,O00,O0
2 and they paid the railroads more tha
= these corporations receive for carrying ii
United States mails.
be IN THE death of LOngfellOw, which o
cured on Friday must be recognized Il
ty loss of one more of the patriarchs
ne American literature. When Prescott, H.
in leck, Bryant, and LongfalloW have be-
'et joined by Emerson and Whittier, who W
he be left to us to challenge in anything Ii
nj an equal measure the appreciation of t
he world? Whatever shortcomings and liz
for tations may be ascribed to LongfelloV
nd verse, it is certain that no contempora
he poet, not even Tennyson, has been
universally and cordially welcomed by
Enslish-spsaking race. Nor has any
gIishman since Byron approached so ne
''n ly to a worldwide reputation, for there
~ scarcely any country of Europe VIA
''e' some acquaintance with Longfellow's W
ia ings is not aGoopnted a desirable elem
"" of culture. The faOt Of LoQgfellow's de
'Vet will come home to hundreds Of heaprts "
ant a sense of personal loss and beFeayemG
~s% The loyable quality in his writings, VIII
AM was the natHrsl and spontaneous rehe1
'"rs the gentle tenderness of his nature,
endrared him not less as q nan Il
per as a poOt. To read him was 10 -
lax him, and, as Hallsck said of Dri
'"SS to know him was to love him; SO that
we readers were, in fact, his affection
lu,y friends. The reading of Longfellow
ioii- like sitting by the fiReside of synpath
ir- companion. The atmosphere of bis W.
ons, has the refinement and elegance O
cate sumptuous and well-ordered library;
doa also it has the soft tranquility and smi
ueS, contentment of happy home.