PARAGRAPHS NEW AND USEFUL. 
Metal ic, Giuifds for Pants .—A light Inil hi ill' 
brass band is inserted beiwt on two thicknesses 
0 f cloth, formed by turning up a seam at the 
bottom of the pants. Thu object of this inven¬ 
tion U to preserve the shape imparted to the 
trowsers by the tailor, and cause them to lit 
around the boot even when wet. No buckram 
or stiffening need be used. Hut we do not see 
that it protects or “guards ” the bottoms of the 
pants. The leather now used by first class 
tailors does this, and is preferable. 
Naval Hygiene. —Dr. Dutuolkati has exam¬ 
ined the eHoots of modern naval improvements 
in a hygienic point of view. Paddle-steamers 
are superior to screws as regards oscillation, but 
the atmosphere in screw steamers is rather bet¬ 
ter, the engine-room being apart from the rest 
of the vessel, and in general owing to the short 
time in which passages are effected in conse¬ 
quence of steam, most nautical diseases have 
lost their virulence. As regards these endemi- 
eal maladies which are peculiar to hot countries, 
the frequent removal of air caused by steam is 
found to be to a certain extent a preservative 
against them. 
Affinity of Iron for Sulphur. — The strong 
affinity of iron for sulphur is strikingly illustra¬ 
ted at Prof. Everett’s lead-smelting works in 
Horatio street, New York. While the sulphide 
of lead is being reduced in a reverbatory furnace, 
the charge is stirred every fifteen minutes with 
a large iron hoe, forming a thin stratum of sul¬ 
phide of iron, which crumbles off, leaving a 
fresh surface of iron exposed to the action of 
the sulphur. This action goes on so rapidly that 
a hoe an inch in thickness is destroyed in the 
course of each day. 
Distributing Petroleum in Pipes.—Le Cosmos, 
of Paris, announces in glowing terms an inven¬ 
tion of M. FOKCAir/r, for lighting houses by 
means of petroleum, in a novel manner. The oil 
is driven, by mechanism which is not described, 
through pipes precisely similar to gas pipes, and 
issues through burners of a peculiar construc¬ 
tion, arranged in tho same positions as ordinary 
gas burners. The force that drives the liquid 
through the pipes would eject it in a stream 
from the burners if the (low was not controlled 
by a regulator, which seems to be one of the 
principal features of the invention. 
Vocal Pishes. —Dr. PUFOSSE lias communica¬ 
ted to the French Academy an account of cer¬ 
tain researches into the vocal powers of certain 
fish, most of his observations being made upon 
spcciesof Trigla aud Zeus (gurnards and dories.) 
Ho slates the sounds to bo produced by the 
vibration of the muscles belonging to the air- 
bladder, and that large gurnards may be heard 
at a distance of six or seven yards. Out of live 
or six hundred individuals, of the species men¬ 
tioned, their voices were comprised between 
si-2 and re-6 inclusive. The sounds were in-tau- 
taueous. or prolonged for several minutes, some¬ 
times as loug as seven or eight minutes. The 
pitch often varies during a single "sonorious 
emission." Tho tiuest vocal performers appear 
to belong to the species Morcudv, who surpass 
all their congeners in producing a great number 
of completely distinct sounds. “They sustain 
the simple sounds better, aud modulate better 
the compound sounds; they render more dis¬ 
tinctly long successions of sounds different in 
tone and pitch; in tine, there is less dissonance 
in the sonorious vibrations they produce. Other 
species, however, beat them in Intensity.” 
TREATMENT OF THE STING OF BEES. 
The organ with which bees inlliet their sting 
consists of two barbed or rather serrated darts 
issuing from a sheath and placed back to back, 
so as to leave a groove between them. The 
sheath is encased in nine cartilaginous scales 
provided with muscles, eight of which perform 
the duty of pushing the weapon out, while the 
ninth draws it back. To increase the pain 
caused by the mechanical action of the dart, a 
poison is secreted from two bladders situated on 
both sides of the Intestines, and it is this poison 
Which causes the formation of a small pimple of 
an erysipelatous redness. This generally disap¬ 
pears in a few instants, but, sometimes when 
several -tings Iihyo been inflicted at a time, or 
when even a single one has injured a nervous 
filament, tho inflammation is rather severe. In 
such eases, Dr. Latour proposes the following 
treatment:—1. To pull out the sting which gen¬ 
erally remains iu tho wound. 2. To foment 
the place with iced water, or else extract of 
saturn or ammonia. To apply an impenetra¬ 
ble coating of collodion, rendered elastic by the 
addition of one-tenth part of castor oil, whereby 
the production of heat in the living tissue is 
prevented and inflammation avoided. 
Disinfecting Agents.—E ither of the fol¬ 
lowing will answer tho purpose, while they cost 
but a trifle. 
1. One pint of the liquor of chloride of /due, in 
one pailful of water, and one pound of chloride 
of linn* in another pailful of water. This is 
perhaps the most effective of anything that can 
be used, and when t hrown upon decayed vegeta¬ 
ble mutter of any description, will effectually 
destroy all ofiensh c odors. 
2. Three or four pounds of sulphate of iron 
(copperas) dissolved in a pailful of water will, in 
many cases, lie sufficient to remove all offensive 
odors. 
d. chloride of lime is bettor to scatter about 
damp places, in yards, in damp, cellers and upon 
heaps of filth.— Scientific American. 
1. As the fragrant, balmy dew Falls in sweet and gen-tle show’rs, Moisten - ing the dus-ty earth Gath’red round the wild-wood fiowhs,— 
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2. As the distant burning stars Cast their brilliant light a - round,— As the home fires on the hearth, Fill the heart with joy pro - found,— 
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3. Let us prize fair wisdom's lamp, With its glorious, golden light, E’en its faint-est glimmer - ings Will in-crease in strength and might; 
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So do healing waters gush From the fount of wisdom bright; Bringing joy to weary souls. With their waves of liquid light. 
1—iyZ| -IS — I ,N_1-3- i*l- | ^ - I I I s j ~ I ^ I I ~ j~ 1 ~ i N * 
So the rays from wisdom’s lamp, Lighting the be - nighted mind. Cast their cheering warmth abroad, Giving life to all mankind. 
Let us drink from wisdom’s fount, While its waters onward roll, Till their mighty influence gives Life and health to ev’- ry soul. 
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CURRENT WAR LITERATURE. 
Straw for the Heroes. 
Go into the hospitals—armless, legless men, 
wounds of every description. Men on the hard 
floor, on the hard seats of church pews, lying in 
one position all day. until the nurse going the 
rounds, comes to their aid. They must wait till 
their food comes. Some must he fed with a 
spoon as if they were little children. 
“ O, that we could gi t some straw for the 
brave fellows,’’ said Rev. Mr. Kimball of the 
Christian Commission. 1 le had wandered about 
town, searching for the articles. “There is 
none to bo had. We shall have to send to 
Washington for it.” 
“Straw! I remember two stacks, four miles 
out on the Spottsylvania road. I saw them last 
night as 1 galloped in from the front.” 
Armed with a requisition from the Provost 
Marshal to seize two stacks of straw, with two 
wagons driven by intelligent Contrabands, four 
Christian Commission delegates, aud away we 
went across the battlefield of December—ford¬ 
ing nazel Run—gained the heights and reached 
the straw stacks owned by Rev. Mr. Owen. 
“ By whose authority do you take my prop¬ 
erty ?” 
“The Provost Marshal, sir." 
Rev. Mr. Kimball was ou the stack pitching 
it down, I was pitching it in, aud the young 
men were stowing it away. 
“ Are you going to pay me for it?" 
“ You must see the Provost Marshall, sir. If 
you arc a loyal man. aud will take the oath of 
allegiance, doubtless you will get your pay." 
“ It is pretty hard. My children are just 
ready to starve. I have nothing for them to eat. 
aud you come to take my property without pay¬ 
ing for it." 
“ Yes, sir, war is hard. Y’ou must remember, 
sir, that there are thousands of wounded men— 
your wounded as well ns ours. If your children 
are on the point of starving, those men are on 
the point of dying. We must have the straw 
for them. What we don’t take to-night we will 
get in the morning. Meanwhile, sir, if anybody 
attempts to take it, please say' to them that it is 
for the hospital and they can’t have it.” 
Thus with wagons stuffed we leave Rev. Mr. 
Owens aud return to make glad the hearts of 
several thousand men. O how they thank us. 
“ Did you get it for me ? God bless you, sir.” 
A micK warm dress iu winter is a good 
Wood-economizing stove. 
Grant Finds Transportation. 
When the 21st Illinois volunteers was or¬ 
ganized, a line looking man was chosen by the 
company officers as the Colonel, but having uo 
military capacity, the regiment fell into disor¬ 
der, and became the terror of the neighborhood 
where it was encamped. The Governor refused 
to commission the nominee of the regiment, and 
asked Grant if he thought ho could bring the 
turbulent mass to order if he wore appointed 
Colonel. Grant thought he could. Half an 
hour afterwards an application was made to 
Gov. Yates to send a regiment to (Quincy—one 
hundred and twenty miles distant; but the 
trouble with the Governor was, not the want of 
men, but the lack of transportation. “ Send my 
regiment," said Grant, “and 1 will find the 
transportation.” The command was given and 
before night the regiment was under orders to 
march. On foot the regiment was transported 
‘ to Quincy, and when the men were there en- 
eamped they were reported as belonging to one 
of the best disciplined regiments of Illinois 
volunteers. 
“Her Clarence.” 
One of the Editors of the Home Journal, 
visiting the hospitals iu "Washington, gives us 
the following scene:—“ Here we observed many 
women, with eager eyes and flushed cheeks, and 
tremulous voices, inquiring after their • John,’ 
—• William ’—* Thomas.’ One pretty little lady 
(hardly old enough to bo the mother of a soldier,) 
with a basket on her arm, hastily pressed 
through the crowd, and, having ascertained the 
4 ward ’ in which her * Clarence-’ was ly¬ 
ing, with equal enthusiasm proceeded to the 
quarter in which she had been directed. Pecu¬ 
liarly impressed with the interesting appearance 
of the womau, 1 followed, in the thought that I 
might, perhaps, serve her wishes. She gained 
the doorway of the tent to which the one she 
sought had been assigned, aud quickly inquired 
of a gentle-looking hut care-worn female attend¬ 
ant, if he was under her care and custody. Your 
partner, without any desire to be obtrusive or 
super-officious, had just entered, to hear these 
sadly-spoken words —' Yes, he is vender; but— 
but just dead .'* The lady, whether wife or be¬ 
spoke, I know not, bent over the stiff) but hardly 
cold, body of a noble son, and opened wildly the 
flood-gates to her soul! Not a word came from 
her convulsed lips, simply sobs of iutensest 
agony! Sturdy fellows, alt a-eoverod with hon¬ 
orable Bears and wounds, aud innured to a tho¬ 
rough indifference to tears, raised their sore 
bodies upou their arms, and wondering, also 
icept! The scene beggars my description: I 
will uo longer inflict upon you my essay. Would 
that woman’s tears might further cease to flow, 
by reason of this internecine strife!” 
General Grant’s Coolness. 
Grant’s miraculous coolness has not only 
made itself telt lu the’army, but it has given 
steadiness of nerve and courage to the entire 
country. A friend who was with Gen. Grant 
si x days of the preseut campaigti, or was near 
enough to hiui to observe his condui t, gives me 
a picture of the Lieutenant General while the 
most trying, the most alarming of his battles 
were transpiring, which I should like to repro¬ 
duce, hut it is impossible. When Lee delivered 
his most ferocious blow, while our troops were 
not In position, but the greater portion were ou 
tho march, it was a moment to try the stoutest 
heart. There is probably not a General iu the 
service except Grant who would not have been 
profoundly agitated by the suddenness aud 
ferocity of the attack. But General Grant sat 
quietly under a tree, a map iu one hand and a 
cigar in the other, as calm as he ever was in 
his life. 
Flowers and the Soldier Boy. 
Far down the plank, where Hancock 
fought, beyond the thickest rebel dead, lay a 
bey severely wounded, perhaps not les3 a soldier 
that he was but a boy. He had fallen the day 
before when we wore fat best advanced, and 
bad remained unmolested within the rebel lines. 
They had not removed him, aud he was alone 
with the dead, when I rode. up. Tho poor fel¬ 
low was crawling about gathering violets. 
Faint with the loss of blood, unable to stand, he 
could not resist the tempting flower-, aud had 
already made a beautiful bouquet. Having 
caused a stretcher to be sent for, 1 saw him 
taken up tenderly and born© away, wearing a 
brave, sweet, touching smile. 
.tatlimi Ux tJ» fjmmg. 
THE WORTH OF COURTESY. 
A few days ago, on a radiant spring after¬ 
noon, two men, who, from their conversation, 
appeared to be foreigners, stopped betore the 
gate of one of our large workshops in Boston 
for the manufacture of locomotive engines. 
Entering a small office, the elder of the two 
men inquired of the superintendent in attendance 
if he w ould permit them to inspect the works. 
“ You can pass in and look about, if you please," 
said the superintendent, vexed, apparently, at 
being interrupted in the perusal of his news¬ 
paper, He then scanned the two strangers 
more closely. They were respectably but 
plainly dressed, aud evidently made no preten¬ 
sions to official dignity of any kiud. 
44 Is there any one w'ho can show us over 
thu establishment, and explain matters to us ? ” 
asked Mr. Wolfe, the elder of the strangers. 
“ You must pick your own way, gentlemen,'’ 
replied the superintendent; “ we are all too busy 
to attend to every party that comes along, i’ll 
thank you not to interrupt the workmen by 
asking questions." 
It was not so much the matter as the manner 
of his reply that was offensive to Mr. Wolfe and 
his companion, it was spoken with a certain 
official assumption of superiority, mingled with 
contempt for the visitors, indicating a haughty 
and selfish temper. 
“ i think we will not trouble you,” said Mr. 
Wolfe, bowing; and taking his companion's arm, 
they passed out. 
“ If there is auy thing I dislike it is incivility," 
said Mr. Wolfe to his companion, when they 
were in the street. 44 1 do not blame the man 
for not wishing to see us over his establishment; 
he is no doubt annoyed and interrupted by many 
heedless visitors; but he might have dismissed 
us with courtesy. Ho might have sent us 
away better coutent with a gracious refusal than 
with an ungracious couseut.” 
“ Perhaps we shall have better luck here," said 
the other stranger, and they stopped before 
another workshop of a similar kind. They were 
received by a brisk little man, the head clerk, 
apparently, w ho, in reply to their request to be 
shown over the establishment, answered, “ Oh, 
yes, come with me, gentlemen; this way!" So 
saying, he hurried them along the area strewn 
with iron bars, broken aud rusty wheels of iron, 
fragments of old cylinders, into the principal 
workshop. Here, without stopping to explain 
any one thing, he led the strangers along with 
the evident intention of getting rid of them as 
soon as possible. When they paused where the 
workmen were riveting the external castings 
of a boiler, the clerk looked at his watch, tapped 
his right foot agiust au lrou tube, and showed 
other signs of impatience. Whereupon Mr. 
Wolfe remarked, 44 We will not detain you any 
longer, sir," and with his friend, took leave. 
“This man Is an improvement on the other,” 
said Mr. Wolfe; “but :.l! the civility he basis 
ou the surface; it does not come from the heart. 
We must look further.” 
The strangers walked on for nearly half a 
mile in silence, when one of them pointed to a 
picture of a locomotive eugiue with a train of 
cars underneath. It overtopped a small building 
uot more than ten feet in height, communica¬ 
ting with a yard aud workshop. 
“ Look.” said the observer, 44 here is a machin¬ 
ist whose name is not on our list." 
44 Probably it was thought too small a concern 
for our purpose,” said bis companion. 
44 Nevertheless, let us try it,” said Mr. Wolfe. 
They entered, and found at the desk a middle- 
aged mau, whose somewhat grimy aspect, and 
apron round his waist, showed that he divided 
his labors between the workshop and the count¬ 
ing-room. 
“We want to look over your works, if you 
have no objection.” 
*• It will give me great pleasure to show you 
all there Is to be seen,' 4 said the mechanic, with 
a pleased alacrity, ringing a bell, aud telling the 
boy who entered to take charge of the office. 
He then led the way, aud explained to the stran¬ 
gers the whole process of constructing a loco¬ 
motive eugiue. He showed them how the vari¬ 
ous parts of the machinery were manufactured, 
and patiently auswered all their questions. He 
told them of an improved mode of tubing boil¬ 
ers, by which the power of generating steam 
was increased, aud showing with what care he 
provided for security from bursting. Two 
hours passed away. The strangers were 
delighted with the intelligence displayed by the 
mechanic, aud with his frank, attentive, and 
unsuspicious manners, 
“ Here is a man who loves his profession so 
well, that he takes pleasure in explaining its 
mysteries to all who can understand them," 
thought Mr. Wolfe. 
“lam afraid we have given you a good deal 
of trouble,” said the other stranger. 
“ Indeed, gentlemen, I have enjoyed your 
visit," said the mechanic, 44 and shall be glad to 
see you again." 
*• Perhaps you may," said Mr. Wolfe, and the 
strangers departed. 
Five mouths afterwards, as the mechanic, 
whose means were quite limited, sat in his 
office, meditating how hard it was to get busi¬ 
ness by the side of such large establishments as 
were his competitors, the two strangers entered. 
He gave them a hearty welcome, handed chairs, 
and sat down. 
“We come," said Mr. Wolfe, 44 with a prop¬ 
osition from the Emperor of Russia.” 
“ From the Emperor ? Impossible! ’’ 
“ Here are our credentials." 
“ But, gentlemen,” said the now agitated 
mechanic, “what does this mean? How have I 
earned such an honor ?” 
“Simply by vour straightforward courtesy 
and frankness, combined with professional in¬ 
telligence,” said Mr. Wolfe. “ Because we 
were strangers, you did not think it necessary to 
treat us with distrust or coldness. Y'ou saw 
we were in earnest in acquainting ourselves 
with your works, and did not ask, before extend¬ 
ing to us your civilities, what letters of intro¬ 
duction we brought. Y ou measured us by the 
spirit we showed, and not by the dignities we 
could have exhibited.” 
The mechanic visited St. Petersburg, and 
soon after moved hi- whole establishment there. 
He had Imperial orders for as many locomotive 
engines as he could construct. He has lately 
returned to his own country, and is still receiv¬ 
ing largo returns from his Russian workshop. 
And all this prosperity grew out of his unselfish 
civility to two strangers, one of whom was the 
secret agent of tho t zar of Russia. 
EARLY IMPRESSIONS. 
A cEHBr.K, in the streamlet scant, 
lias turned the course of many a river; 
A dew-drop on the infant plant, 
Has warped the giant oak forever. 
