It

largest annual increase yet recorded. brings the matter nearer home to be told that of every ten persons in England and Wales one is a depositor in the Post Office Savings Bank, the average amount of deposit being about $69. In Scotland and Ireland the numbers are 1 in 35 and 1 in 48 but it has often been remarked that the figures for Scotland must not be taken as indicating a less saving disposition on the part of the inhabitants, but only a superior development of private banking facilities. When the number of trustee savings banks and of friendly and benefit societies also existing is taken into account, the Times says, there seems to be some solid indication that at least the earnings of the people are being saved instead of flowing into the pockets of the brewers and publicans.

This is another strong argument in favor of Postal Savings Banks in the United States. They encourage workingmen to save their hard earnings. Money in the house or money in the pocket is sure to go-and sad experience proves that money deposited in private savings banks "takes wings" when least expected. A government depositary is stable and sure. Neither moth or rust can corrupt or thieves break through and steal moneys so laid up-but they are always at command, or payable to order when needed.

The first duty of a goverment is to protect its people, in their lives and property. This it does by a just code of laws, administered under a properly organized executive and judicial system. Another important duty of the State is to encourage industry and thrift among the people, and in no way can this better be done than by providing goverment depositaries for the savings of the people. The goverment itself, by becoming the people's banker, would be advantaged by the system. The United States has the reputation of being the model progressive nation of the world, and so it is in individual enterprise-but it must be confessed the goverment is slow in many things that would be for the public good; of which the estabishment of a postal savings bank system-introduced years ago in all parts of Europe-is one of the most important.

USELESS ANXIETY.

We borrow a great deal of trouble-have a world of anxiety about things which do not particularly concern us, or which we cannot control. This is well illustrated by the following incident:

On a certain occasion, Oliver Cromwell sent an envoy to Sweden. One night this envoy became so disturbed in his mind over the state of his country that he could not

NATURAL HISTORY STUDIES.

Dr. R. W. Shufeldt, in the course of an article contributed to the American Naturalist on the American chameleon of the Southern States (Anolis), describes the following case of protective mimicry in a grasshopper. In walking through an undergrowth of tall bright green, ribbon-like grass, a shower of grasshoppers arose, making off in every direction. By accident, however, he discovered that two species did not resort to this mode of escape. One of them was of a shade of green that nearly matched the grass in question; the other, larger, was about the shade of the grass after it was dead and dried by the sun. They both had about the same form. The head was long and pointed in front; its apparent length increased by the insect bringing its antennæ together and sticking them out straight forward. Behind, the wrinkled wings trailed out to a sharp point, like the pointed extremities of the grass blades, and the heavy pair of limbs that spring from the metathorax were long and slender, so as to assist it in the deception. These insects upon being alarmed, instead of taking to flight, as the other varieties did, simply, and with marked deliberation, shuffled down backward to the pointed ends of the leaves upon which they were resting at the time, and quietly hung there, where it demanded a pretty sharp pair of eyes to detect them, particularly if a breeze kept the grass in motion at the time. This lizard, no doubt, says Dr. Shufeldt, renders, by its constant destruction of those insects which infest the trees of our Southern cities, a great service, and that too, in a very modest and unassuming way.

How the leech applies its suckers in creeping has been studied by G Carlet by means of the graphic method. He finds that if a leech be placed on a sheet of smoked paper, it progresses by the alternate fixation of the anterior and posterior suckers. That of the hinder one is made very simply and

VOL. XL.

No. 33.

EDITED AND PUBLISHED BY AN ASSOCIATION OF FRIENDS. COMMUNICATIONS MUST BE ADDRESSED AND PAYMENTS MADE TO JOHN COMLY, AGENT,

AT PUBLICATION OFFICE, No. 1020 ARCH STREET.

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The Paper is issued every week.

The FORTIETH Volume commenced on the 17th of Second month, 1883, at Two Dollars and Fifty Cents to subscribers receiving it through mail, postage prepaid.

SINGLE NUMBERS SIX CENTS.

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REMITTANCES by mail should be in CHECKS, DRAFTS, or P. O. MONEY-ORDERS; the latter preferred. MONEY sent by mail will be at the risk of the person so sending.

AGENTS:-Edwin Blackburn, Baltimore, Md.
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Entered at the Post-Office at Philadelphia, Penna. as second-class matter

ANCIENT MINUTES.

(Concluded from page 500.)

"1656.-William Glidewell, of Newport Pagnell, was sued in the Exchequer for Tithes by Thomas Terrill, Impropriator, and by the warrant he ought to have been brought before the Barons of the Exchequer within two days after he was taken; but he was carried to the County Gaol at Alisbury, and there kept Prisoner one year and one month, and then brought before the Barons, who sent him to the Fleet prison, where he was kept Prisoner for two years wanting but three weeks, so that his imprisonment in all was above three years. And every year during his Imprisonment the said Thomas Terrill took away part of his goods, and told William's wife that he would have them all."

"1658.-John Brown, of Weston Turvill, was summoned by William Hill, lord of the manor, to appear at his Court, and serve upon the jury. And accordingly John appeared, but because, for conscience' sake, he could not swear, he was fined twenty shillings, which he refusing to pay, was a little while after arrested at the suit of the said William Hill, and cast into the gaol at Alisbury, where he was kept a prisoner about twelve weeks."

"1659.-About this time, also, and some time before, divers Friends were prosecuted for riding to meetings on the first day of the week, called Sunday. In particular, as

Friends were riding to a meeting at Wandon, they had their horses taken from them, and they were fain to go home on foot. And as Friends were riding to a meeting at Tossiter (Towcester ?), one called Justice Benson caused their horses to be taken away for riding upon · what they called their Sabbath day. Moreover he caused one of the Friends (being one in the ministry) to be set in the stocks, and kept the Friends' horses because they refused to pay ten shillings apiece."

"1660. These eleven Friends (names given) were taken by soldiers out of their peaceable meeting, in which they were assembled to worship God, and were carried before Anthony Chester, William Tirringham, Brett Norton, who tendered them the Oath of Allegiance, and because, for conscience' sake they would not swear, they were all committed to the county gaol at Alisbury, where they remained prisoners fifteen weeks."

From six other entries of a similar character in the same year, one more case may be cited.

'1660.-These five Friends, Isaac Pennington being one of them, were taken by constables out of their peaceable meeting at Isaac Pennington's house at Peters Chalfont, where they were assembled to worship God, and being carried before William Bowyer, of Denham, were by him (for meeting contrary to the King's Proclamation then newly published upon the fifth monarchy

men's rising) committed to Alisbury Gaol, where Isaac Pennington lay seventeen weeks, much of it in winter, being kept in a cold and very incommodious room, next the street door, without a chimney, and very noisome, by joining to the common room where the felons lay, from which hard usage his tender body contracted so great and violent a distemper that for several weeks he was not able to turn himself in his bed. The other four were released sooner."

"1661.-Henry Cunningham of Newport Pagnell, butcher, was committed to prison for refusing to give bonds not to kill meat in Lent."

"1662--Mary Chapman, of Sherington, had her Bible taken from her for refusing to pay to the repair of the Steeple-house."

"1663.-Richard Bernie, the younger, of Ivinghoe, son and servant to Richard Bernie the elder, was cast into prison together with his father, by the same priest, for tithes, when as the young man had nothing to pay tithes of, not being possessed of anything titheable, and when this was laid before the priest, and it was made to appear that he had nothing to pay tithes of, his answer was, that, however, he could put him in prison for not paying twopence for an Easter offering. And yet the young man had none of the Bread and Wine neither, which they use to have that give their twopence.

"1670.-Richard Hunt, of Sherington, for preaching Truth in a Meeting of Friends in the open street called Water Lane, at Sherington (being kept out of their meetinghouse) on the 6th day of 4th Month, 1670, was fined £10 by Bret Norton and Thomas Farrar, of Cold Brafield, for which fine, on the fourteenth day of the same month, the said Richard Hunt, being a wheelwright, had a new cart and as much timber taken from him by the parish officers as was worth £12 14s." 1670.- Bridgett Attlee, of Horton, near Colebrook, widow, being informed against for being at a meeting to worship God in the house of Henry Hawman, of Colebrooke, was fined eight pounds and five shillings. The eight pounds for part of the fine upon the house, and the five shillings for her own being there. Whereupon, by virtue of two warrants from one called Sir George Tash, of Iver, the constable, the steeple warden, and the overseer, having one John Moor to assist them, did take away from the said widow Attlee two great feather beds (all she had,), two feather bolsters, one coverlet, one bedstead, with various curtains and rods, one drawing table, one cupboard, a brass pot, a platter, a candlestick, a great spit, and a great iron dripping pan: all which goods were worth at least fourteen pounds."

"1668.-John Stratton, of the parish of Ivanhoe, for not going to that which is called the parish church, and receiving the Communion, as they term it there, was first excommunicated, and, afterwards, about the beginning of the 6th Month, by the prosecution of Francis Duncombe, priest of Ivanhoe, who got his own son, Henry Duncombe, to be made a baliff on that particular occasion. So this priest conveyed the Friend to the common gaol at Ailsbury, where he remained a prisoner till the 10th day of the month called March, 1681, when, finishing his testimony with his life, he was by death released, after he had suffered bonds for good conscience' sake about three years and a half."

1682.-Joseph Cooke, a poor labouring man, of the parish of Edgborough, being prosecuted by George Burrows, priest of that parish, for being married without a priest, or not according to the manner of the Church of England, was first excommunicated by the pronouncement of the said priest, and afterwards was taken from his wife, who is a very weakly woman, having one small child, and with child of another, and was cast into Alisbury Gaol, where he was kept a prisoner three years and five months, and was then released by the King's proclamation pardon."

"1683.-Upon the first day of the 5th Month, 1683, one called Sir Dennis Thompson, of Taplow, in the county of Bucks, being in the commission of the peace, and captain of the county troop, came with a party of Horse to a meeting of friends peaceably sitting together in silence; he committed 23 of the men (whose names are given) to Ailsbury Gaol for meeting, as he said, riotously."

"1683.-Upon the 12th day of the 6th Month Friends (being by officers kept out of their public meeting-house in Sherington), did peaceably assemble together, to worship God in their burying-ground, adjoining to their said meeting-house. And being so assembled, Ann Cunningham, wife of Henry Cunningham, a Friend, of Newport Pagnell, spoke a few words amongst them. And there being two informers near the meeting, though not so near as to hear what was spoken, nor to know who it was that spake but as they were told by a girl, these evil men whose names are Robert Wallis and John Cook, both of Sherrington, went and informed one Owen Norton, a Justice of the Peace, living in Sherrington, both of the meeting and the friends speaking; whereupon the said Justice Norton fined Henry Cunningham £5 for his being at ye meeting, and £8 for his wife's speaking there, and sent his warrant to the officers of Newport to levy the said fines by distress.

"Upon the receipt of the warrant John