no child's cheery voice welcomed her. She "My Father, thou hast knowledge, only thou! And hear the nations praising them far off!" Goethe said, "On some faces there is only a date; on others a history!" Much of conflict and victory was chiselled on Charlotte Cushman's face. None of us refuse "glory to God in the highest," few but wish "peace on earth," but she had surely learned "goodwill toward men; and these three chords of that angelic choir which nearly two thousand years ago sang "o'er the blue hills of Galilee," had toned the elements of her character into harmonious beauty. CHARLOTTE CUSHMAN. BY C. T. B. The narrow sea of death thou now hast passed; The mist is lifted from the unseen land ; The voyage ends; the shining throng, at last, Meet thee with welcome on the heavenly strand. THE GRAVE OF CHARLOTTE CUSHMAN. Those who were most intimately acquainted with Miss Cushman state that she often expressed a desire to be buried as near the place of her birth as circumstances would permit. With this view she visited Mount Auburn Cemetery during the latter part of 1874, and inspected a number of lots and tombs then for sale. Several of these occupy very prominent portions of the cemetery, and are surrounded with costly monuments; but none seemed to suit the simple taste of Miss Cushman, and she pleasantly remarked to one of the attendants, "They are all grand, but have n't you a lot for sale where one can obtain an unobstructed view of Boston?" She was informed that there were a few lots for sale back of the tower, whereupon she said, "Oh, well, let us look at them." While the lady and the official were on their way to the place designated, [Lines suggested by her request, just before she died, the graves of some of her once warmest to have Lowell's "Columbus" read to her.] FOR wast not thou, too, going forth alone To seek new land across an untried sea? New land, yet to thy soul not all unknown, Nor yet far off, was that blest shore to thee. For thou hadst felt the mighty mystery Thine was a conflict none else knew but God, vine ; friends were passed, and at each she paused for a moment and related some pleasant memories connected with their lives. Palm Avenue, situated at the eastern side of the ground, was reached, and, standing upon a little eminence, Miss Cushman exclaimed, "This is a delightful spot; see, yonder lies dear old Boston." The lot is numbered 4236, and was at once purchased and orders given by her to have it properly cared for. Last summer she again visited the place in company with a party of other ladies, and appeared to be greatly pleased with the selection she had made. Though the lot is quite a distance from the central part of Mount Auburn, its location is strikingly beautiful, being within full view of this city, and overlooking the widest part of Charles River. THE CENTENNIAL TREE. AT the meeting of the Board of Aldermen last Wednesday evening, the following communication was received from Mr. John Owen, in which he expressed his intention of presenting to the city a tree raised from seed of the old Washington Elm. Mr. Owen, in his endeavors to perpetuate the memories of Washington Elm, which is endeared to the hearts of every citizen of Cambridge, deserves the thanks of all, as the tree to be planted next Monday is the only one in existence taken from the Washington Elm, except the one in the possession of Prof. Longfellow. CAMBRIDGE, April 26, 1876. SAMUEL L. MONTAGUE, among whom were about eighteen hundred children of the public schools, the members of both branches of the city government, heads of departments, the school committee, past members of the municipal government, and others. The sapling, which, as stated in the "Transcript" last week, is an offshoot of the Washington Elm, was planted a little westerly of the Soldiers' Monument, on the Garden Street side, and within a few hundred yards of the parent tree. It was taken from the foot of the old tree twenty-two years ago, and has been carefully nurtured since by Mr. John Owen. At half-past four o'clock a circle was formed about the excavation made for its reception, and the hymn “America” was sung by the children. Alderman Montague, chairman of the Committee on Public Property, after a brief address, read a letter from Mr. Owen, vouching for the authenticity of the sapling as a scion of the traditional elm, and then in behalf of the donor and the committee formally transferred it to the city. Mayor Bradford, in a few remarks, accepted the gift, closing with the statement that it would hereafter be known as the Washington Centennial Elm, after which each member of the city government, beginning with the mayor, threw into the trench a spadeful of earth, all present joining in singing, to the tune of "Old Hundred," an original hymn written by Mr. Owen. Then a large number of prominent citizens, ladies, children, and others contributed their quota of earth around the base of the newly-planted tree, which closed the exercises of the day. DEAR SIR,- I had already the intention of presenting to the city a young tree from seed of the Washington Elm, to be planted on the Common in Ward One, when I read a report of the consideration of the subject of a Centennial Tree, to be planted by your Committee. I can fully vouch for the parentage of my tree, having transplanted it when only a yearling from its native bed under the old historic tree to my grounds on Mount Auburn Street, twenty-two years ago. Five years since, on leaving my place, it was again removed to land of Samuel Bachelder, occupied by F. W. Story, who has vigilantly cared for it to the present time. With the aid of the city forester, Mr. White, I have had the tree raised from its recent bed, and it is now awaiting the disposal of the Committee, should they do me the honor to accept it for the object proposed. The tree is a little over fifteen feet high, with an equal spread upon a nail which entered his foot. Lameof branches. Yours respectfully, NAILS IN HORSES' FEET. A horse trod ness followed, the nail was extracted, but JOHN OWEN. lockjaw supervened, resulting in death. THE planting of an offshoot of the Washington Elm upon Cambridge Common, in Ward 1, took place yesterday afternoon in the presence of a large number of spectators, An WHITTIER'S CENTENNIAL HYMN. [From the Philadelphia Times.] OUR fathers' God! from out whose hand We meet to-day, united, free, Here where of old, by thy design, Be with us while the New World greets Thou who hast here in concord furled For art and labor met in truce, Oh make thou us, through centuries long, NUMBER SEVEN IN THE BIBLE. ON the seventh day God ended his work. On the seventh month Noah's ark touched the ground. In seven days a dove was sent. Abraham pleaded seven times for Sodom. Jacob mourned seven days for Joseph. Jacob served seven years for Rachel. And yet another seven years more. Jacob was pursued a seven days' journey by Laban. A plenty of seven years and a famine of seven years were foretold in Pharaoh's dream by seven fat and seven lean beasts, and seven ears of full and seven ears of blasted corn. On the seventh day of the seventh month the children of Israel fasted seven days, and remained seven days in their tent. Every seven years the land rested. Every seventh year the law was read to the people. In the destruction of Jericho, seven persons bore seven trumpets seven days; on the seventh day they surrounded the walls seven times, and at the end of the seventh round the walls fell. Solomon was seven years building the temple, and fasted seven days at its dedication. In the tabernacle were seven lamps. The golden candlestick had seven branches. Naaman washed seven times in the river Jordan. Job's friends sat with him seven days and seven nights, and offered seven bullocks and seven rams for an atonement. Our Saviour spoke seven times from the cross, on which he hung seven hours, and after His resurrection appeared seven times. In the Revelation we read of seven churches, seven candlesticks, seven stars, seven trumpets, seven plagues, seven thunders, seven vials, seven angels, and à sevenheaded monster. WHY is the letter S like lamb? Because it is the beginning of sheep. WHY do ducks put their heads under water? To liquidate their bills. ART AND NATURE. BY JAMES FREEMAN CLARKE. I ENTERED a ducal palace, On the tables, in tender mosaic, Were marvellous fruits and flowers; On the walls were Poussin's landscapes, With their sunshine and shaded bowers. And in a vase before me Were roses, white and red; I stooped to welcome their fragrance, But found them waxen and dead. Then forth from the lofty window I stepped into living green, Where the stone-pines stood around me, With flowery shrubs between. And I said, "Take the costly splendorTake the wonderful triumphs of art! But give me living Nature Which speaks to my soul and heart." These works of man are noble, In each fair Italian town; But God's are wherever the sun goes up Or the shades of night come down. Let wise men on the anvils Of study fashion out truth; But Religion is sent to each humble soul, With its word for age and youth. God comes in silent blessings, Like dew and rain from above, In whatever place a pure heart longs For goodness, and light and love. WHICH letter in the alphabet is most useful to a deaf woman? The letter A, because it makes her hear. A WONDERFUL CLOCK. ONE of the most peculiar pieces of mechanism in Boston, if not in New England, is an eight-day clock, now in the possession of Dr. A. P. Pierce, 41 East Newton Street. It was manufactured by A. J. Van Bergh, of Rotterdam, about a hundred years ago, and has upon its face some eighteen different movements, all governed by the ordinary clock machinery. The month is represented by appropriate devices: January, for instance, by a man skating; May by a clown, who can change as often as the weather; the autumnal months by pictorial reference to the crops. The days of the week are shown by dialplates bearing the time-honored legends of the planets. A man fishes in a pool at the bottom of the dial, bringing up a fish every minute or two; two old-fashioned windmills work by the striking arrangements; while a clock in a miniature church-tower keeps time corresponding to that manifested by the large dial itself. To crown all, there is a wonderfully musical chime of silver bells, which can be set in operation at any time to play any one of six French, Prussian, and Dutch tunes, one of which gives timely warning of the striking of every hour and half-hour. The clock also strikes the quarters with a distinctive knell. The clock was imported by Messrs. Doll & Richards, and set up by Mr. George H. Elson, of Beacon Street. A PERSIAN died, leaving seventeen camels to be divided among his three sons; the eldest to have half, the second a third, and the youngest a ninth. So, in despair, the brothers submitted the case to Mohammed Ali. "Nothing easier," said the wise Ali. "I'll lend you another camel, to make eighteen, and now divide them yourselves." The consequence was each brother got from oneeighth to one-half of a camel more than he was entitled to, and Ali received his camel back again; the eldest brother getting nine camels, the second six, and the third two. BRIDGE CHARITABLE FUND. OUR older readers will remember Mr. Levi Bridge, who died in Cambridge about a year ago, leaving a sum of money for charitable purposes. At a meeting of the City Council on Monday evening, Ex-Mayor Sargent appeared in the Aldermen's room, and at the invitation of Mayor Allen spoke in reference to the Fund, and concluded by introducing Samuel J. Bridge, Esq., of California, in whose remarks the career of Mr. Bridge and the state of the Fund is sufficiently explained. We would only add that the Fund now amounts to about $1,800, and by the terms of the trust, as originally given by Mr. Levi Bridge, it is to accumulate until it reaches $2,000. Then one-third of the income is to be added annually forever to the principal, and the remaining two-thirds shall be paid over annually to the Overseers of the Poor, to be expended by them for the deserving poor of this city in such manner as they shall deem best. This is a most worthy legacy, singular in its origin, liberal in its donors, and which in time will accumulate to a large sum for the aid of the deserving poor of Cambridge. Mr. Bridge spoke substantially as follows: Mr. Mayor and Gentlemen of the City Council, I desire to add to the Bridge Charitable Fund, established by my relative, the late Levi Bridge, a sum equal to the amount devoted by him, viz.: $890.83. Mr. Bridge was the second son of Francis and Eunice Bridge: born at Winchendon, Feb. 15, 1784. A remarkable man was he, whose history will appear from the address of Hon. John Sargent to the City Council, and the inscription on his grave-stone. In 1822, becoming insane, his friends were obliged to send him to the Alms House for security, as there was no public hospital for such at that time. Soon after this his family was scattered, and he, in consequence, strangely overlooked by two generations. A few years ago I discovered, greatly to my surprise, that he was still living, and at once relieved the city of Cambridge of its charge, by paying his board, securing for him a separate and comfortable room, and having his food supplied from the Warden's own table. Even at his advanced age he was in possession of all his faculties: sight, hearing, and intellect unimpaired; and it was pleasant to visit him, for his conversation was always interesting and instructive. His self-respect restored, the last days of his life were peaceful and happy, and he died independent of the world, a citizen and a voter. It was his wish, as it is mine, that beyond a proper record there may be no unnecessary publicity in the annual distribution of the Fund, nothing that would have a tendency to wound the pride of the recipient. This donation is made in the hope and expectation that the city of Cambridge will always have a fostering care of his grave-stone, as well as those of his and my ancestors, Deacon John Bridge, and his son Mathew, erected by me, July 4th, 1876, in the Old Cambridge burial ground. I hand you a deposit book for the amount ($890.83), on the Suffolk Savings Bank, Boston. The City Council promptly adopted the following order: Ordered, that the sum contributed to the "Bridge Charitable Fund," by Samuel J. Bridge, Esq., be accepted, and the thanks of the City Council be tendered to him for the "liberal and philanthropic " spirit which has induced him to enlarge said Fund, and which will serve to perpetuate the honored name it bears. RIDDLE. MAN cannot live without my first, By day and night abused. My whole is seldom seen by day, And never used by night; 'Tis prized by friends when far away, And hated when in sight. |