(brands 
LOUNGINGS, 
OLOFFE THE DBEAMEB, 
III.—GOLD AND DROSS. 
At the head of a pair or two of stairs ou oue 
of the streets leading oil from the great Avenue 
of Finance, is a room of medium size, centered 
by a sparkling little fountaiu, and bounded on 
one side by a platform of one or two pulpit* 
like desks, where keen-eyed men sit, alter¬ 
nately looking and writing. Pressed close 
against an iron fencing which surrounds the 
playing water, all d*y, from nine o’clock till 
three, a crowd stand yelling to each other at 
the tops of their voices. Barely distinguishable 
in the tumult, one can catch occasionally words 
sounding like “FiRy—seven-eighths,” or “Sev¬ 
enty—three-quarters,” or “Hundred—half.” 
All sorts of appearances are congregated here, 
more than oue or two mere boys, whose shrill 
voices swell the great demon-chorus. In this 
twenty by thirty feel of space, where the little 
fountaiu ripples on unheard, and the clock shows 
not merely the hour, but three changing Arabic 
numerals and a fraction, a hundred millions of 
money may easily change owners in the six hours 
ot assembly; lor this is the great gambling sa¬ 
loon of New York—the Gold Room of the Ex¬ 
change. We cannot pass beyond the railing 
just inside the door, for the quiet man who 
stands there watchfully knows every member of 
the “Ring,'' and will not allow yon or I, un¬ 
gilded as we are, to step within the boundaries. 
Yet, outside of the charmed circle, [outside of 
the howling mass that seems almost to shake 
the floor-beams, I look on in sadness and pity 
BY KATE PUTNAM OSGOOD. 
What was it that Charlie saw, to-day, 
Down in the pool where the cattle lie? 
A shoal of the spotted trout at play? 
Or a sheeny dragon fly? 
The fly and tlio Hall were there,[indeed; 
But as for the puzzle,—guess again | 
It was neither a shell, nor flower, nor reed, 
Nor the uest of a last year’s wren. 
Some willows droop to the brooklet’s bed 
Who knows but a bee had fallen down? 
Or a spider, swung from his broken thread, 
Was learning the way to drown? 
You have not read me the riddle yet. 
Not even the wing of a wounded bee, 
Nor the wob of a spider, torn arid wet, 
Did Charlie this morning see. 
Now answer, you who have grown so wise,— 
What could the wonderful sl.jht have been, 
But the dimpled face and great blue eyes 
Of the rogue who was looking In ? 
POOR PONTO 
One of the most affecting stories [ ever heard 
about a dog was told me many years ago’, by an 
uncle of mine who once lived in Paris. My uncle 
was wallilug on oue of the quays, whenjho saw a 
man approach, holding a dog by a chain. The 
poor animal was frightened, and yet did not at¬ 
tempt to struggle aa ho was being led along. lie 
looked up piteously at hi* jailor, and every uow 
and t.hea tried to fawn about his feet,, as if plead¬ 
ing with him. “ Poor beast, he might know, 
seemingly, what was going to happen to him,” 
said the mau. 
“What is going to happen?” inquired my 
uncle. 
“Sir, I’m going to drown him; that^is what 
will happen.” 
“ But why, sir; are you his master?” 
“I am certainly his master, and he is old 
—poor Ponto I 1 am sorry, bat it must be.” 
The dog gave a low whine, and trembling, 
crouched close to his master. 
“ He does not seem so very old, and drowning 
is a hard death,” remoustrated my uncle. 
“Sir, he is quite useless.” 
While he was speaking the words, the mau un¬ 
moored a little boat, lifted the dog in, and rowed 
to the middle of the stream. When he came to 
whore the water was deepest, my uncle saw him 
lift up the dog suddenly, and throw him with 
great force Into the stream. 
If the master had thought that the dog’s age 
and iulirinities would prevent his struggling for 
life be was very much mistaken, for he rose to 
the surface, kept his head well up, and trod the 
water bravoly. Th e man then began to push the 
dog away with an oar, and at last losing all 
patience, he struck out so far to deal the dog a 
blow that he overbalanced himself and fell into 
the river. He could not awlm, and now began 
the generous animal's efforts, not to save his own 
life, but that of the master who was trying to 
drown him. The dog swam to him, and seizing 
fast hold of his coat-eollar, held him up until a 
boat put off to his rescue and brought him, half 
drowned aud wholly frightened, to the shore—his 
faithful dog harking, crying aud licking his hand 
and face In the greatest excitement of affection. 
I remember still the look with which my uncle 
used to tell how he stepped forward and asked 
the man, “ Do yon still think him useless—this 
noble, generous dog?” 
“I think he deserves a better master,” said a 
gentleman who had witnessed the incident; and 
there and then he made an offer to buy Ponto: 
but the mau, embracing the dog, said hoarsely: 
“ No, sir; uo, I was wrong; as long aa I have 
a crust, I will give half to my poor Pouto.” 
A woman who hud a basket on her arm 
came up at the time and said, “I should 
think you would, indeed, or else you ought 
to be ashamed to look him In the face,” 
and out of her basket took a piece of meat, aud 
the dog was feasted and petted and made much of, 
and from that time, as long as my uncle 3 taid in 
Paris, he often saw Ponto on the quay, and the 
story of his generosity to his master made him 
so many friends that the dog’s keep was no 
longer burdensome. No oue was suffered to 
molest him, and his old age was doubtless the 
happiest period of his life. 
In former numbers of the Rural we have given illustrations and description- ot' several groups of statuary, paintings, etc., in and about 
the National Capitol, and we now give a flue view of this imposing structure itself, as seen from a north-eastern approach to it. The Capi¬ 
tol Buildlug was constructed from plans aud desigus furnished by T. H. Walter, Esq., and is the largest and most costly public edifice on 
toe Western Continent. When completed and decorated as proposed, it will be one of the most magnificent eapitol buildings in the world. 
Everything seems adapted for the people’s 
comfort, and the gray guardians of the peace 
keep sharp watch that no advantage Is taken of 
the far-sighted, open-handed liberality, where¬ 
with through the year's seasons the great Me¬ 
tropolis is kept in the kindest of humor with 
its unsurpassable Park. 
—So the sun is beginning to disappear, aud I 
think how Eternal Nature is ever smiling on the 
wrecks of all that makes life glorious, and not 
a sun that sets not somewhere on the silenced 
music—on the faded laurel. 
lived than the single, and, above all, those who 
observe a sober and industrious conduct. Tali 
men live longer than short ones. Women have 
more chances of life in their favor, previous to 
being fifty years of uge, than men, but fewer 
afterwards. The number of marriages Is in pro¬ 
portion of seventy-five to every one hundred in¬ 
dividuals. Marriages are most frequent after 
the equinoxes; that is, during the months of 
.Tune and December. Those born in the ppring 
are generally more robuBt than others. Births 
aud deaths are more frequeut by night than by 
day. The number of men capable of bearing arms 
is calculated at oue-fourth of the population. 
THE LATE LORD GRAY 
A Paris paper relates the following anec¬ 
dote of Lord Gray, whose death has caused 
so much regret in the English society of that 
capitalLord Gray was oue evening returning 
from his club, when he perceived the loss of his 
pocket-book, containing forty bank notes of 
l,000f. eaeb, (£1,600.) Lord Gray searched the 
pockets of his great coat, but iu vuiu. lie went 
quietly home. Next morning his servant went 
to his room at an early hour, and Informed him 
that a lady iu deep mourning wished to speak 
to him. Lord Gray desired that she should be 
shown into his drawing room. “ My Lord,” 
said his visitor, “ you dropped your pocket- 
book containing 40,000f.; I bring it back to 
you.” The voice was greet and low, but so 
■cLjOilly w« lady vei M\ th*S At »«ti iarpr,*- 
sible t.o guess her uge of 1 appearauee, “ Mad¬ 
ame,” replied Lord Gray, “you have rendered 
me a service for which I heartily thank you. 
Allow me to ask if I may venture to offer you 
some remembrance of my gratitude." The lady 
then hesitatingly confessed thut she hud recently 
lost her husband, whose death had left her the 
charge of three little children, and that so utter 
was her destitution she had actually been tempt¬ 
ed to keep the pocket-book. Lord Gray returned 
it to her, merely saying, “ You are my creditor 
—you or your children will repay me later.” 
Lord Gray received a visitor five years after this 
scene occurred, who appeared a total stranger 
to him. It was a lady. She handed him ft vel¬ 
vet portemonnaie, on which his cypher aud cor¬ 
onet were embroidered In gold; within lay forty 
notes of l,000f. “ You will allow me to retain 
the old purse in memory of your munificent 
generosity,” she remarked. 
A RIDE IN THE SEWERS OF PARIS, 
But a few of the Americans who visit Paris 
know of the opportunity which may be offered 
them to visit the very extensive sewerage of Paris, 
and examine its system. Receiving cards of in¬ 
vitation, we statioued ourselves near the tower 
of St. Jacques, at an iron trap-door, und the 
party were soon called upon to doscemt. Not 
knowing of the tiio-fii.t optrhuiU ot getting Into 
WARLIKE MU3EUM 
The Museum at Springfield, Massachusetts, is 
to be made a storehouse containing articles of 
great historical value. There will be an almost 
endless variety of guns, American and foreign, 
Federal (and Confederate, muzzle and breech- 
loading. A valuable feature will be specimens 
of the scores of breech-loaders which were pre¬ 
sented to the Commission for examining 6uch 
anna which met in Springfield some time ago; 
also photographs of every part of each. Of 
course, war relics will comprise a prominent 
part of the collection. Blood-staiued guns aud 
swords from many a battle-field will be found 
there, with a large number of specimens of rebel 
gun, sword, and pike manufacture, which are 
so roughly finished as to show that the rebs were 
too hard pressed to stop for much “style” in 
mailing them, even If they had skilled workmen 
to do the work in better Bhapo. The museum 
will be enlarged as relics of various kinds are 
sent among the old guns forwarded to the arm¬ 
ory ; and it cannot fail to become a collection 
of much interest and value. 
knowing of the wt'ofv; dperauai of getting Into 
these dark regions below, we all felt as if we 
were going to “take a leap In the dark,” hut 
what was our surprise to Hurt elegantly fitted 
up carriages or cars, lighted by four large globe 
lamps on each corner. These cars contained 
twelve persons each, and there were five of them, 
making sixty persons, which Is the limit to the 
number invited at one time. Of conrse our ride 
W03 limited to the large tunnel or main sewer, 
which was about twenty feet high and fifteen 
feet wide. The cars run ou a six-foot guage 
track, and are pushed on a down-grade by two 
men for each ear. 
The water sewerage or drain Lb below, and is 
from six to eight feet deep, so that small boats 
can be towed all the way, and has down grade 
enough to make quite a current. We rode by 
this train of cars across the Boulevard Sevaster- 
pool, to the head of Rue Rlvoll, alongside of the 
palace and TuLUeries’ gardens, to the Place Con¬ 
cord, a distance of more than three miles, where 
we disembarked into boats and sailed under the 
whole length of Rue Royale, coming out by the 
side of the Church of the Madeline. All along 
this main channel, are openings or trap-doors, 
covered with gratings at the head of each cross 
street, which are marked by the names of the 
streets on the side of the tunnel, by this means 
complete ventilation is secured. On the top of 
the tunnel are two large iron pipes in which 
pass through the fresh water supply for the city, 
one from the acqueduets and artesian wells, the 
other from the water pumped up from the river 
Seine. 
There are also three lines of telegraph wires 
enclosed in lead pipes. It is well known that 
these great sewers are built for double purpose, 
and one is for the underground transportation 
of troops in the time of an insurrection or war. 
By this means, Napoleon can transport, secretly, 
troops from one part of the city to the other* 
suddenly appearing from the ground at almost 
any point, The telegraph would also be ser¬ 
viceable ou such occasions. Besides this naviga¬ 
ble sewer, which is fitted up especially for 
pleasure trips, there are smaller sewers running 
The Parsing of Life. — If we die to-day the 
sun will shine as brightly and the birds will sing 
as sweetly to-morrow. Business will not be 
suspended a moment, and the great mass will 
not bestow a thought upon our memories. “ Is 
he dead ? ” will he the solemn inquiry of a few as 
they pass to their business. But uo one will 
miss us except our immediate connections, and 
in a short time they will forget us and laugh as 
merrily as when wo eat beside them. Thus 
shall we all, now in active life, pass away. Our 
children crowd close behind us, and they will 
soon be gone. In a few years not a living being 
can say, “I remember him.” We lived in 
another age, aud did business with those who 
slumber in the grave. This is life! How rap¬ 
idly It passes 1 
THE MONT CENIS TUNNEL 
“While awaiting,” says the Italic, “for the 
piercing through of the Alps, the passage of 
Mont Cenis is of great interest, and we learn 
that a first attempt on the railway there has 
been made with success. In spite of the diffi¬ 
culties presented by the season, Mr. Fell did 
not hesitate to make a trial, and he was zealous¬ 
ly seconded by Mr. Blake, the engineer, who 
has charge of the works. The ascent was made 
on the 25th of February, Mr. Fell being accom¬ 
panied by Mr. Blake and Mr, Holland. The rails 
are only laid to the length of two kilometres 
(\% miles,) bat they pass over the most diffi¬ 
cult slopes in the Alps. Mr. Fell’s locomotive 
ascended and descended the line many times 
which goes from Liaus-le-bourg, and It answered 
in every way the most sanguine expectations of 
the inventor. We are informed that in a short 
time complete experiments will be made, and 
then will be solved thut grand problem of the 
ascent of the Alps by means of steam, a prob¬ 
lem so deeply Interesting and important to 
Turin and the whole of Italy.” 
The Bible at the Exposition. — An inter¬ 
esting sight at the International Exhibition at 
Paris is that large octagon “ Klosque,” for Bible 
distribution, near the principal entrance. Its 
design is to supply the vast numbers of people 
who daily gather at the exhibition with the 
M ord of God in their different languages. Near¬ 
ly oue million Gospels and Scripture portions 
have been issued. Since the openiag of the ex¬ 
hibition there have been days in which no less 
than three thousand are distributed, in fifteen 
different tongues, and, as a general rule, they 
are received with thankfulness by the respective 
nations. The work .is particularly among the 
Jews, Arabs, Spaniards, Italians, Russians, and 
French. 
A little boy came to me this moruing’with 
a broken arrow, and begged me to mend it for 
him. It waB a very handsome arrow, and was 
the pride of his heart Just then, so I did not 
wonder to see his lip quivering, and the tears 
come into his eyes. 
“ I’ll try to fix it, darling,” I said, “ but I’m 
afraid I can’t do it.” 
He watched me anxiously for a few moments, 
and then said, cheerfully; 
“ Never mind, mamma; if you can’t fix it, I’ll 
be just as happy without it.” 
Wasn't that a brave, sunshiny heart? And 
that made me think of a dear little girl, only 
three years old, whom I once saw bringing out 
her choicest playthings to amuse a home-sick 
cousin. Among the rest was a little trunk, 
with bunds of silk paper for straps—a* very 
pretty toy; but careless little Fred tipped the 
lid too far back, und broke it off. He burst out 
with a cry of fright, but little Minnie, witlghor 
own eyes full of tears, -aid: 
“Never mind, Freddie; just seewhat"a cun¬ 
ning little cradle the top will make.” 
Dear little Minnie went to live with the angels 
a few year.} ago, but wc have a great many such 
sweet memories to keep of her. 
Keep a happy heart, little children, and you 
will belike sunbeams, everywhere you go.— Lit¬ 
tle Corporal. 
FACTS IN HUMAN LIFE, 
The number of languages and dialects spoken 
in the world amounts to 3,064. The inhabitants 
of the globe profess more than 1,000 different 
religious. The number of men is about equal to 
the number of women. The average of human 
life Is about thirty-three years. One-quarter die 
previous to the age of seven years; one-half be¬ 
fore reaching seventeen; and those who pass 
this age enjoy a felicity refused to one-half the 
human species. To every one hundred thousand 
persons only one reaches one hundred years of 
life; to every one bunded only six reach the age 
of sixty-five; and not more than oue in five hun¬ 
dred lives to eighty years of age. There arc on 
the earth L.000,000,000 inhabitants; and of these 
33,838,833 die every year, 91,832 every day, 3,730 
every hour, aud sixty every minute, or one every 
second. These losses are about balanced by an 
equal number of births. The married are longer 
Illinois Agriculture. — An Illinois paper 
claims that that State stands Becond in the 
United States in the value of her agricultural 
productions. The aggregate of corn, wheat, 
oats, rye, barley, tobacco, potatoes, buckwheat, 
and hay, raised last year, is put dowu at $160,- 
143,794. The other unenumernted products, in¬ 
cluding fruit, poultry, live Block, and garden 
products, amount to about as much more. Much 
of the State is still unimproved. The product 
of New York amounts to 8209,886,609. Penn¬ 
sylvania figures for $139,403,*157, crop value. 
Ohio is set dowu for $141,265,754, and Indiana 
and Michigan follow these in the value of their 
products. 
DON t have AST Confidants.— Beware of in¬ 
trusting any individual with small annoyances 
between your husband aud yourself. Many 
seek to gain an ascendancy in families by win¬ 
ning the good opinion of young married women. 
Should any one presume to offer you advice with 
regard to your husband, or seek to lessen him by 
insinuations, shun that person as you would a 
serpent. Many a happy home has been rendered 
desolate by exciting coolness, or suspicion, or by 
endeavors to gain importance in an artful and 
insidious manner. 
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