SEC. 4. The validity of the public debt of the United States authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations, and claims shall be held illegal and void.

SEC. 5. The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.

ARTICLE XV.

SECTION 1. The right of the citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States, or by any State, on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

SEC. 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

MEASURES OF TIME.

NUMEROUS persons are much annoyed by their clocks or watches not keeping correct time, often being half an hour fast or slow, thus throwing their household arrangements into confusion. Yet the remedy is very simple, and within the reach of all, especially of those residing in the country.

Almanacs are given gratis to their customers by the druggists in all country towns; and they are all tolerably correct. In most of these almanacs, on the first page, are given the twelve Signs of the Zodiac and their names; reading, Aries, the Ram -Taurus, the Bull-Gemini, the Twins, etc. On the same page there is also a column explaining the abbreviations used in the monthly calendars, and unless a person is acquainted with these signs and abbreviations he can understand but little of an almanac.

On every monthly page there is a column headed "sun fast" or "sun slow," as the case may be, as the sun corresponds with a true clock on only four days of the year, viz., on the 14th of April, 14th of June, 31st of August, and 24th of December. He attains his greatest difference at the following times, viz. : on the 11th of February he is 14 minutes, 29 seconds slow; on the 15th of May he is 3 minutes 51 seconds fast; on the 27th of July he is 6 minutes and 14 seconds slow, and on the 1st of November, 16 minutes 19 seconds fast. From this it will be seen that without knowing the irregularity in the motion of the shadow, there could be no standard of time; and this was the cause of great trouble to the ancients, before the birth of Christ. This variation being now known to astronomers, it is given to the second in most almanacs, for every day in the year, in the column of equation, or fast and slow. Therefore, to take time from a noon-mark, or a dial, you must refer to the column for that particular day, and by adding or subtracting the amount of time given in the column, from or to the sun mark, you get true time, provided always that your sun mark or dial is correct. To get that mark correct, it is well to select one of the four days alluded to above, and, when the sun is due south of your house, make a mark on the floor by driving a nail in the floor, or otherwise; this mark gives you solar time, to which add or subtract, as above, for mean or civil time, or clock time. By this simple way a clock or watch can always be kept correct.

Farmers and persons residing in the country, who have a good view of the eastern or western horizon, can always get

true time by observing sunrise or sunset, which can be done any clear morning or evening. Find the moment of sunrise or sunset, in the almanac, under the proper heading, as to the proper place or state, and then observing the instant of appearance or disappearance of the sun's upper edge, set to that moment and you are correct. From this you can lay off a noonmark, always observing to allow for sun fast or slow on that particular day. That is solar time.

Time can always be told very correctly at night by the stars crossing the meridian, or, as it is called, the southing of a star. Turn to the 19th of January in an almanac of 1876, and you will find Sirius S. (south) 10 m., 32 s., E. (evening.) There can be no mistake about Sirius, the Great Dog-Star, the largest and brightest star in the heavens. Astronomers say that if the sun were where that star is he would not appear near as bright as that star does, for the distance of Sirius from the earth is many millon times greater than that of the sun; and that, in size, that star is many times larger than the sun; and that, vast and glorious body that he is, he is one of the very least of the stars, being only 91 millions of miles from the earth. On March 2d, you will find Sirius marked S. at 7 h. 45 m., E.; by observing these points, a true south line can be obtained, and some landmark established. A knowledge of the position of the north polar star is very necessary; every person knows the constellation of the Great Bear, or the Dipper, as it is commonly called; the two front stars, as they travel round the pole from the right hand to the left, or from east to west, are called the Pointers, as a line drawn through them leads direct to the north star, a star of the second magnitude, with a space round it free from other stars.

To understand all the signs and abbreviations in an almanac is of great advantage.

METAL GLASS.-A peculiar glass has been invented in Count Solm's glass works, near Bunzlau. This glass, which the inventor calls "metal glass," is so hard that when a pane lies on the ground, and a leaden ball of two ounces weight falls upon it from an elevation of twelve feet, it receives not the slightest impression, nor is it in the least affected, when dipped, whilst red hot, into cold water. Window-panes, lampcylinders, and other articles of domestic use, made from this metal glass, can, therefore, be regarded as almost unbreakable.

A NUMBER of Hungarian ladies at Buda Pesth have founded an association whose purposes it is to use and acquire none but home products.

Industrial Savings Bank,

51 CHAMBERS STREET, NEW YORK.

OPEN DAILY FROM 10 A. M. TO 5 P. M.

Twenty-Sixth Annual Report,

JANUARY 1st, 1876.

Assets, $14,758,973.35.

Number of Depositors, 28,555.

PRESIDENT-HENRY L. HOGUET.

VICE-PRESIDENTS :-JAMES OLWELL, EUGENE KELLY.
SECRETARY: -JEREMIAH DEVLIN.

All the Profits of the Bank belong to the depositors. Such interest as the profits will allow, consistent with prudence and security, is divided among the depositors every six months, on the 1st day of January and 1st day of July ; payable on and after the third Mondays of January and July. The interest is then added to the principal, and draws interest if not withdrawn.

THE

Emigrant Savings Bank,

OF BROOKLYN.

(Corner of Court and Livingston Streets.)

Open Daily from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., & every Monday & Saturday from 5 to 8 p.m. Interest on all sums entitled thereto, free from Government tax.

OFFICERS:

ANDREW DOUGHERTY, President; H. LAMARCHE, 1st Vice-President. CHARLES MALI, 2d Vice-President; F. L. DALLON, Secretary.