some subject of
debate and give his open-mouthed hearers the benefit of his wisdom and
erudition. When _Scenes of Clerical Life_ first appeared in _Blackwood's
Magazine_, describing places and persons familiar to the villagers, they
naturally wondered who the author could be, and decided at last that it
could be no other than Joe Liggens. Had he not been to Oxford? Didn't he
know Latin and all sorts of things? And wasn't he acquainted with the
scenes and personages described in the new book? No one else could be
thought of combining these various and essential qualifications. When
Joe was questioned on the subject he merely smiled and said nothing--the
strongest confirmatory proof, and an exhibition of the modesty inherent
in genius. In recognition of the honor he had conferred upon his native
place, a subscription was started for the impecunious Joe, and a goodly
sum was on the point of being presented to him when the real name of
"George Eliot" was revealed, and Joe Liggens found himself treated as an
impostor by those who had thrust upon him undeserved honors.

W. B.

THE FATE OF SOUTH JERSEY.

The Camden and Atlantic, the Philadelphia and Atlantic City, the New
Jersey Southern, and some minor railroads, pass through portions of New
Jersey long known as the "Jersey Barrens." They are all new roads,
comparatively speaking, but they have wonderfully stimulated the
enterprise that has created so many flourishing villages that ten years
ago had never been heard of. Vineland, the fairest and most flourishing
village in the country, as well as the largest, is only about fifteen
years old. Its population is six thousand. Forbidding-looking swamps,
giving rise to swarming myriads of mosquitoes and to malaria through
their dank, decaying vegetation, have been converted into flourishing
cranberry-meadows, and the dry land into fine vineyards and
fruit-orchards surrounding homes of every grade of elegance, from the
simple vine-covered cottage to the costly villa with carefully-kept
evergreen hedges enclosing exquisite lawns, statues, fountains and rare
flowers. The extent of these hedges is estimated at seventy-five miles.

But this prosperous reclamation of the waste lands of South Jersey has
already received a check from an insidious but terrible enemy, destined
to undo the labor of years unless promptly and wisely attacked. This
enemy is drought, traceable directly to the destruction of the forests.
Formerly, glas