National Republican., 1883-12-25
CURRENT GOSSIP.
NED's CHRISTMAS TREE.

The presents did look little queer
For hadn't thing but bones and bread;
But Knew that they would be far more dear
Than sleds and skates TO dog like Ned
saved up the bones for days. you know,
And tied them on with ribbon knots;
And the bread was buttcred--he liked t. so,
And had such plenty-lots and lots
And Ned, old Ned when he saw the tree
Stood still a minute thon didn't he boundl
lie was as surprised he could be,
And barked and barked, and jumped nll round,
Then gave him his presents one by one,
TIL there wasn't a bone left on the tree.
And now Ned's had Christmas and lots of fun,
just like the rest of the boys and me-"
listened and laughed at this tale of tho tree
There cleaned through it all such u human
spark;
When we have our gifts, afler nl don't we
"Just jump around and bark and batk?"
-BesSie Chandler IN Boston Transcript
MEXICAN banana planters get three crops
year. The plant is cultivated far moro easily
than any grain or tuber in the northern latitudes
and the fruit is more nutritious.
THE assessed value of Texas has increased
more than sl000000O0 within the past two years,
The products of the state this year are valued at
sll0,9O6,206 against ss5 100000 IN 1882.
THE value of dairy products in Pennsylva-
mia the past year is siO64s lOG grass CROP sS3i0-
GO; cereals, S72,3Ol,736; number of horned cattle
in the state, ST. ,227; value, 5l,oS9,1OO.
ALFRED DE RoTHscHILD, now living at
Halton, England. has had his carriage lighted by
electricity. in order that he may be able to read
during his evening drives from the station.
MISS STEMATz YAMAGAwA is the latest
Vassar girl 10 be married. She Is a native of
Qhn ratt AZ,
year ago. Her husband is Oyano Iwao the Japan
csc minister OF water.
MORAL suasion has been found to work
beautifully in Chicago school. When the boys
are bad tho teacher All extremely sour old maid,
talks to them Of their sins and then kisses them.
They reform ON thospOt.
VICTOR HUGO has been visited by dele
CATION OF Mormons, who urged him to Join their
body and cndeayored by appeals to his poetic
sense to make a convert of him. Such, at least is
the story that is going the rounds of the German
newspapers
"oH, don't care whether get anything
in my stocking or not" said Adolphgs, adding
with look OF undying devotion, "but Clara L
should like to have what is in your sockings.'
ooh, yes" replied Clara, naively, "you mean
corns. What foolish boy" Thus wus loves
young dream dispeed, and hence it is that Clara
is still called "MiSs."
SEE here, you boy, did not pay you %
| cents TO shovel the snow of my payemcnt?'
| 'Yes m" swell, what did you mean by taking
the money and then going off without doing it?'
"The snow is all off, isn't it?' "Yes but 1t melted
off," THAT'S all right. l knew it would melt
after awhile if Lett alone. I'm street contractor,
am Philadelphia Call.
NJ DE LEssEPs, on his return to Paris from
London, was very busy. lie went to three dinner
parties, 10 the OPERA 10 drive with his ten chldren
and 10 his Office, where he went through the work
which had accumulated during his absence. He
| gave editorial hints TO the journals, and wound up
| his tasks by embracing poetcss who had made
| him the hero f4UO lines.
TIE fashion for envelopes has decided on
| something exceptional winch is grand and ee-
| giant. They are made of ycllum OF the purest
| white, aud are bound round, north, south, east,
| and west, with ribbon of any color by fancy cher
| ished, which Is tied into knot and sealeu with
| wax of the same hue as the ribbon. This opera
ton takes place before the address is written that
| it may all be legible.
FROM the obseryations taken at Colon by
the engineers engaged on the Panama Inter-
oceanic canal, NJ do Lesseps finds, according to
his paper read before the academy of sciences
Paris, that the great earthquake wave caused by
the recent disturbances at Java would appear to
have made its way across the Indian and Atlantic
oceans, round the Cape of Good Hope, to the east
coast Of Central America in about thirty hours.
NEAR Blakely, Ca, yoke of oxen ran
awGy while the driver was standing behind them
lighting his pipe. Dropping the match, he started
in pursuit OF tho runaways. The pine straw took
fire. and the fire spread sweeping all before it,
Some farmers lost nearly all their fencing, and
Mr.. Davis, who was sick in bed, lost every build
Ing OH his place except his dwelling, and that was
saved with much difficulty.
THEODORE Triton is living in the quiet
Quarter Latin Paris near the School of Fine Arts,
engaged busly in literary work. 81 have not had
u vacation for many years" he says. ~ have my
portfolio full of unfinished work. It struck me
that if could get away into some quiet nook like
this should find opportunity to complete what
have begun. may remain here all the winter,
with the exception OF little visit to Rome. am
quite alone, both of my married daughters now
, being In Chicago"
, ON q railroad train nearing Troy few
days ago was a FIVE -year-old amusing herself by
, putting on one of her mothers gloves When the
operation was ended she looked inquiringly about
her and singled out min isterial- looking old gem
tleman, TO whom she threw kiss with the gloved
hand on leaving the car the gentleman passed
the little miss, with tho remark; "Good-by, little
sweetheart" The child Indignantly Strengthened
herself and replied in an impatient tone of voice:
"oh, was only flirting with you'll"
. THE colossal apartment house craze has
, broken out afresh in New York city. Thus, within
the past few days contracts have been signed ior
en.story structure of that class on the southeast
corner of second street and the Boulevard, 10
cost 1926 0OO seven four-story brown-stono private
dwellings Seventy sixth street and Ninth avenue
to cost Sl300O0 six ditto, Seventy ninth street and
. Fourth avenue, $4,000; three five.story brick
stores Greene near Houston street, $4,000 seven
five. story flats, Eighth avenue and onehundred-
3 and-thirty- fourth street. $4,000
HENRY CLAY, in his Raleigh speech in
1884, exposed the fallacy Of the free trade assump
ton that the price of an article is enhanced by the
s amount of the duty thereon, by citing the discom
a future of democratic stump speaker, who, seeing
shabbily dressed hearer just in front Of him, ar.
rested the flow of his eoquence long enough tC
II ask: my friend, do you know that these tariff
monopolsts make you pay six cents yard more
than you should for that shirt you have on ?" 81
i suppose 1t must be 80, since you say it, responded
the surprised and scared auditor "but have M
learnn and don't quite understand 1t, since onl!
gave FIVE and half cents for H."
y JUDGE LIvI NosToN, Of the Lancaster
!. county court of quarter sessions, is making al
,s effort to correct the abuses of the Pennsylvania
ra license system Before granting the renewal of