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INTERNATIONAL PRE55A335CCIAT/0N
1 BY PERMISSION Of
' ' flND.1 1/ALLY & CD. .
CHAPTER .YIL-lCoxTINuru ) .
But when the 2d anu d of May had
come and gone and s:11i not a speck
was visible upon the vast expanse of
ocean around them , he took a more
serious view of the matter , and thought
it his duty to speak about it.
"Johnstone , " he said , when trie others
hat ] retired for the night , "have you
taken your bearings today Do you
know where we are ? "
- "Yes , sir ; within an easy day's sail
l of the island. "
"Then we shall have been twelve days
coming a thousand miles. How's that ? "
The other was silent.
' "I told you , " Dick continued , "that.I
should hold you answerable : now I give
. you warning that I'm not satisfied so
fat : "
F , "I'll warrant you'll be satisfied enough
by this time tomorrow , " grumbled
Johnstone , in a low voice.
Estcourt turned away , pretending not
to hear this remark , which , however ,
- in the sense in which he took it , struck
. , 1)inr as being a just enough retort ,
That night the wind rose again , and !
the sky next morning was once more
completely overcast ; about noon wet
squalls began to strike the ship.
When the rain ceased for a time , toe -
e ward sunset , Johnstone came down to
the saloon to tell them that the island
was in sight.
Dick and Camilla went up together
on deck.
"There , " he cried , as lie stepped from
the main hatch , "she's on the larboard
bow. I knew the fellow had gone wide of
his course. "
And In fact the Island , which should
have lain before them to the right , was
- visible just upon the lefthand side of
the line of the bowsprit.
Camilla scarcely heard his exclama-
. She was standing motionless ,
with one hand on the capstan to support -
port herself , gazing aloft at a small
flock of birds that were wheeling swiftly -
ly round and round the topmasts.
Dick turned to speak to her , and star ted -
ed to see the look of bewilderment upon
her face. He followed her glance up-
4' ward , and was even more amazed.
. Helena ! " he murmured "Great
' y 4 7 , heaven ! what can this mean ? ' , And lie
1 J ran downstairs to find Johnstone , shout-
' in ; : ; for him by his name.
j The voice of M. de Montaut answered
. hIm from the captain's cabin ; the door
was ajar , and he steppeu hastily in.
On one side stood Johnstone and the
colonel , on the other side lay the cap-
I , , taln's berth ; it was empty.
"Where is Worsley ? " he cried , in
hest' astonishment.
- Johnstone laughed ; the colonel held
: up his hand to rebuke him.
- "What does all this mean ? " Dick ex-
. claimed. "We are at St. Helena ! "
"My dear Estcourt , " saidthe colonel ,
"I have long owed you an explanation ;
: if you will come into the saloon I shall
be happy to give it you. "
CHAPTER VIII.
1'i .
, . '
i I o'
_
, j f ° /v v
I
coif - ' _ _ -
:
i ' %
ICK entered the
saloon with an ominous
inous foreboding
that a struggle was
at hand. lI. de
Montaut followed
close behind him ,
and after entering
locked the door and
pat the key in his
: pocket. Dick took
, no heed of this ac-
. Lion. It could not
+ have been aimed at him , for in strength
of body he was easily t e other's supe-
rior.
rior.They sat down at the table opposite to
one another. The colonel looked xedly
. into his companion's face. It was essential -
sential that he should realize exactly
the mood with which he had to deal.
Dick fronted him with an unCompromising -
, ising frown.
rCl1 ! " he said , "your explanation ,
,
sii 'r
. ' The colonel took his gravest , air of
courtesy- .
J t.- - "Some time ago , " he began , "my sis-
- - ' ter-in-law and I found ourselves in need
of a loyal friend. Chance threw- you h.
our way. I esteemed , and she cnthusi-
" ' astioally believed in , you. After caret -
i { t ful considerati.n I invited you to help
iI I us. "
. " .And you had your answer , " replied
- , Dielt , shortly.
"Par the moment , yes ; and a great
_ dicappoitment it was. But fortune has
now gI eft u another opportunity and
_ -we hope to be more successful this time
irr persuading you. "
"Never ! " said Dick. "Is that all ? "
And he rose from his seat as if to close
-the conversation.
A noise was heard at the door ; Camilla -
milla was trying the handle.
"Is M. de Montaut there ? " she cried.
"I must speak to 'him at once. "
"Certainly , " replied the colonel , from
within ; "in five minutes' time , if you
will excuse us for so long ; we have matters -
= , ' ters of importance to discuss. "
She turned away toward her own
cabin , and he 'began again , inviting
1 ' - Dick with a polite gesture to resume
_ his seat at the table.
"You may perhaps have overlooked
' - the fact , " he said , "but the situation is
entirely changed since your letter of refusal -
fusal was written. We were in safety
there in London : here , at St. Helena ,
we are in peril of our lives ; our train
is fired , we must abide by the result ; if
you fail as now we are ruined. "
Dick made an impatient gesture , but
he sat on , and his face changed. The
colonel pressed his point.
_ 'Tor myself , " lie said , " 1 trust I may.
afraid I have est -
aay that I am not ,
t -
_ -
-
ti -
- . ,
; ' 4 -
'
' a r'r
T
taped from prison more than once , and
at the worst I can face death. But the
thought of Camila's fate is more than
I can hear. "
He paused , and then went on in a low ,
agitated voice :
"My friend , " he said , "have you ever
seen a French convict-ship ? I have.
It is many years ago , but the recollection -
tion of those stifling cages and the mass
of scarcely human misery huddled behind -
hind the bars is a nightmare with mete
to this day , " Dick's breath hissed inward -
ward through his teeth.
"Silence ! " he said , sternly. "Not another -
other word , or I strike ! " The colonel
did not flinch.
"Strike , and welcome , " he replied , "if
you think that will save her. "
"No , " said Dick , "nothing that I can
do will save her ; it would take the
sacrifice of my honor , and that I can
not offer nor she accept , "
"Your honor ? " said the colonel.
"Surely it is too late to spear : of that
. ,
now.
"Why so ? Why late ? "
"Because it has long been compromised -
promised beyond retrieving. "
"What do you mean ? "
" \Iy dear Estcourt , " said the colonel ,
in his most serious and reasonable tone , s
"I see that you don't understand the
gravity of your position. Let me put it
briefly before you. You will remember
that 0110 day in March last I wrote a
letter asking you to join in this expedition -
tion of ours , and naming a place of rendezvous -
dezvous in case of y'-ur assenting to
my proposal. You kept that appointment -
ment , and were then and there introduced -
duced to your fellow-conspirators. "
"Nonsense ! " interrupted Dick. "You
know I wrote the same evening to explain -
plain that mistake. "
"indeed ? " replied the colonel , coldly.
"It is odd that my servant never
brought the note to me. "
"No ! " cried Dick , remembering the
shadow mr the blind in Bedford Square.
"No , but I saw you take It from the let-
ter'-box yourself. "
"Unfortunately , " said the colonel , "I
have rho recollection whatever of doing
so. If I ever did It , I feel sure that
nothing will recall it to "my mind , and
as no one else seems to have known
of the existence of the letter , I fear that
this part of your argument breaks down
for want of corroboration. "
"No matter , " retorter Dick , triumphantly -
antly ; "I can prove , fur all that , that I
never thought of accepting , for I didn't
bet your letter- until after- came back
from Russell Street. "
"Excuse me , " said the colonel , "but
your own servant has sworn that you
opened it before 11 o'clock that morning -
ing , "
"Sworn ? My own servant ? To
whom ? "
"To me. She mentioned the matter ;
when I called for you one day before
leaving town , and told me that you /
had scolded her and quarreled with your I
lawyer , Mr. Wickerby , about the seal
of the letter , which she is certain you
broke yourself. "
Dick was silent , and turned in his
chair with an angry and impatient
movement. He remembered too well
the overwhelming manner in which
I r. Wickerby had marshaled the evidence -
dence against him that afternoon , and
was staggered to find how fatal had
been his contemptuous disregard of that
worthy gentleman's advice. Clearly the
battle was going aga ; : . t him here , and
he fell back upon his third line of de-
fense.
"What is the use , " he cried , "of arguing -
ing about that ? If the truth were i
known , I believe you broke the seal
yourself. But what does it matter now ?
The best proof that I scorned your
treasonable offers is that 1 came away
directly afterward on business of another -
other kind. "
"I see no evidence of that , " replied
the colonel ; "you sailed without us , it
is true , but you rejoined us at Cape
, nerd , and have come with us to St.
Helena. "
"Not of my own knowledge or free
will. I saicd } for -the Cape , as every
clerk in the Admiralty knows , and as
this letter will show beyond dispute. "
And he took from his pocket the paper
containing the instructions for his voyage -
age and held it up.
The colonel did not offer to read it.
"I am very much afraid , " he said ,
"that that letter never saw the inside o _
the admiralty ; and as for hs ; majes-
ty's ship Niobe , I know that she is in
the Madras roads , sound from stem to
stern , with her full complement of officers -
ficers and men. "
"Look here , " said Dick , with ominous
calmness , "let me tell you this. I came
here innocent , and I am going back
innocent. You have , by shameful ( Ie-
ceits and devilish cunning , brought me
with you so far , but nothing you say or
do or threaten can move me a hairbreadth -
breadth farther. Without my help your
plot will fail , as you yourself know
well. And when you are in Maicolm's
hands we'll see whether he'll believe you
or me fast. "
The colonel did not betray it by so
much as the trembling of an eyelid ; but
this last stroke of Dick's was a downright -
right blow , and might , if not parried ,
mean the ruin of his whole fabric of ingenious -
genious policy. His r , tanner , accordingly -
ingly , became lighter and more indif-
ferent.
"Come , come , my dear Esteourt , " lie
said , "you are taking the matter too
seriously. I don't think you realize what
t is I am asking of you. I don't , of
course , expect you to take any responsibility -
sibility for our plan , or to do anything
which could be censured as a breach of
duty or the rules of your service. I
only ask you , in the absence of Cap-
tamn Worsley , to take command of the
Speedwell for twenty-four hours , and
bring her to anchor off the island here
until tomorrow night. On Sunday I
morning we shall be ready to sail again.
What we do in the meantime can not
be laid to your charge-if , Indeed , it
were ever discovered-for you know ,
nothing of our designs , as we would all
bear witness in case of need. "
Dick rose. "Colonel de , Montaut , " he
said , in a stern , incisive tone , "I have
.
- x ; '
_ '
r - - .
borne' with you so far , and I am
ashamed of my own patience. Every
'word you utter Is a fresh Insult , he exclaimed -
claimed , with a sudden fury ! in his eyes ;
"and if you do not leave mm instantly ,
before God I will avenge my elf ! "
The colonel unlocked the door without
a word. With great alacrity he slipped
out and locked it again on the other side.
As he did so he heard a light footstep
hastily retreating. He followed Immediately -
diately , and was in time to see the door
of Camilla's calIn softly closed. He
approached noiselessly , and listened outside -
side In his turn. She was sobbing ; and
if the colonel had not been somewhat
flustered by his late unceremonious dismissal -
missal , so keen an observer would have
noted that her sobs were the quick ,
half-laughing utterance of intense re-
i
lief. But he was not now concerned
with Camilla's feelings. He had Est-
court yet to conquer , and he went off
in search of Johnstone to help him in
the struggle.
The colonel explained the position to
i 'him from beginning to end. "Now , " he
said In conclusion , "you see the one
thing absolutely necessary. So long as
he hopes to clear himself with Malcolm -
colm he will defy us. Once let him corn-
, mit himself too far for that , and he Is
ours body and soul. "
"what do you want him to do ? " asked
Johnstone. "You give it a name , and
I I warrant I'll make 7tim do it"
"Yes , " replied the colonel , "I think
it is time that you tried your hand now.
The game of skill Is up , and we must
see what force can do for us. I want
him to write a letter to Admiral Malcolm -
colm asking for permission to anchor
the brig off Jamestown for twenty-four
hours. He needn't write the whole letter -
ter even. I can do it for him , provided
lie signs it. He can't draw back after
that. "
"That'11 do , " said Johnstone : "I'll see
to it , never fear ! "
"I'll have the letter ready after sup-
per , then , " said the colonel , as he went
below ; "and remember that if he refuses -
fuses to sign when I ask him , I shall
leave him to you at once ; but of course
you will avoid taking any irretrievable
step until the last possible moment. "
"I understand , " answered Johnstone ,
with a grin ; obstinate as ever he likes ,
he shan't meet with a fatal accident , not
till the guardboat men set foot on
board ; after that I can't answer for
what may happen. It's a long fall into
the hold , and scme folks are so careless -
less of themselves. "
The brutality of this jest displeased
the colonel , who was above all things a
man of taste ; but he could not afford
just now to be critical of his tools , so
lie let it pass without rebuke , and went
to order supper.
The meal was served to Dick in the
saloon , with Johnstone on guard at the
door ; to the colonel alone in the cap-
tain's room ; Camilla , locked in her
own , refused all persuasion to eat or
drink.
A long time passed , and silence
reigned unbroken between the decks of
the Speedweli.
It was nearly midnight when Camilla
at last heard her brother-in-law leave i
his cabin and call Johnstone. The two
men spoke together for a moment in a
low voice and then entered the saloon.
Dick started up as they came in ; he
I
looked tired and grim ; his cheeks were
I
sunken , and furrowed with lines that
told of anger and determination.
!
"Perhaps , " said the colonel , "you have
I
now thought matters over and are pr e- 1
pared to reconsider your decision. I do
not wish to be unreasonable , and I am
ready to meet you half-way ; all I now
ask is that you should demand permission -
sion to anchor from your old friend Sir
I'ulteney Malcolm. It is a most natural -
ral request to make , an'd in fact no more
than is really necessary for the safety
of the vessel in such weather as this. "
Dick kept a scornful silence.
TO BE CONTINUED. )
BICYCLE ETIQUTTE.
What. Is ltcgaraed as Good farm by '
Ixhsrts on the Sahcct.
An authority on bicycle etiquette lays
down the following rules : "In mount- I
in5 , the gentleman who is accompanyng I
a lady holds her wheel ; she stands on I
Ii
the left side of the machine and puts her i
right foot across the frame on the right
pedal , which at the time must be up ;
pushing the right pedal causes the machine -
chine to start and then , with the left
foot in place , the rider starts ahead-
slowly at , first , in. order to give her
cavalier time to mount his wheel ,
which he will do in the briefest time
possible. When the end of the ride is
reached the man quickly dismounts and
is at his companion's side to assist her ,
she , in the meantime , assisting her
self as much as possible. This is done
-that is , dismounting in the most approved -
proved style by riding slowly and when
the left pedal is on the rise the weight
of the body is thrown on it , the right i
foot is crossed over the frame of the ,
machine and with an assisting l'and' '
the rider can easily step to the ground.
In meeting a party of cyclists who are
known to each other and desire to stop
for a i arley , it is considered the prcpor
thing for the men of the party to dismount -
mount while in conversation wit" ' the
ladies. As to the furnishings of the
bicycle , to be really- swagger it must
be fitted out with a cock and a bell ,
luggafe carrier and a cyclometer , the
latter being an absolute sine qua non
to the woman who cares for records. "
Fine anti Itufnctl Lawn.
The use of fine and ruffled lawn has
extended to the skirt and some new
models are made to fall open in front
over a petticoat of flounced lawn. A
voluminous Louis sVI. berufed fiche !
of the same lawn completes a gown that
except for the large sleeves would be
characteristic of the close-shouldered
period. Certain it is that if looseness
of bodice and befrillment of skirt i re-
vail , there will be a change in sleeve : .
For fashion has , after- all , her idea of
propcrtion , and she never dictates the
swelling of more than one feature of a
gown at a time.
Malrte Claims the iiorid's Iloo hccod.
Tire world's record is claimed by tiie
Dingo hose company of Ellswertl' ,
Maine , which the other day ran 211
yards to the engine house ; then 233
yards with the hose reel , coupled the
hose to the hydrant and nozzle to the
hose , all in 1:01 : % .
t = t , . -
-
. . v - . . .
AZ t i ; SERMON.
PETTY ANNOYANCES OF
LIFE" THE SUBJECT.
Golden Tezt : "Moroovoc the Lord Thy
God Will Send the hornet Among
Them Until Thom That Hide Them-
aelvos from Thee Are Destroyed. "
sJn Iyiti
l L J
!
ASHIN GTON ; D.
C , . Dec. 15 , 1895 ,
-Dr. Talmage today -
day chose for his
discourse a theme
that will appeal to
most people , viz. :
The petty annoyances -
ances of life.
It seems as if the
InSectHe world
were determined to
extirpate the human race. It bombards
Ithe grain fields and the orchards and
the vineyards. The Colorado beetle ,
the Nebraska grasshopper , the New
Jersey locust , the universal potato-bug ,
seem to carry on the work which was
begun ages ago when the insects buzzed
out of Noah's Ark as the door was
opened.
In my text , the hornet files out on
its mission. It is a species of wasp ,
swift In its motion and violent in its
sting. Its touch is torture to man or
beast. We have all seen the cattle run
bellowing under the cut of its lancet.
In boyhood we used to stand cautiously
looking at the globular nest hung from
the tree branch , and while we were
looking at the wonderful' covering we
were struck with something that sent
us shrieking away. The hornet. goes
in swarms. It has captains over hundreds -
dreds , and twenty of them alighting on
one man will produce death.
The Persians attempted to conquer a
Christian city , but the elephants and
the beasts on which the Persians rode
were assaulted by the 'hornet , so that
the whole army was broken up , and
the besieged city was rescued. This
burning and noxious insect stung out
the Hittites and the Canaanites from
! their country. What gleaming sword
and chariot of war could not accomplish
was done by the puncture of an insect.
! The Lord sent the hornet.
My friends , when we are assaulted
by great behemoths of trouble , we become -
come chivalric , and we assault them ;
we get on the high-mettled steed of our
courage , and we make a cavalry charge
at them , and , if God be with us , we
come out stronger and better than when
we went in. But , alas , for these insec-
tile annoyances of life-these foes too
small to shoot-tliese things without
any avoirdupois weight-the gnats and
the midges and the flies and the wasps
and the hornets ! In other words , it is
the small stinging annoyances of our
life which drive us out and use us up.
In the best-conditioned life , for some
grand and glorious purpose God has
sent the hornet.
I remark in the first place , that these
small stinging annoyances may come
in the shape of a nervous organization ,
People who are prostrated under
typhoid fevers or with broken bones
get plenty of sympathy ; but who pities
anybody that is nervous ? The doctors
say , and the family say , and everybody
says , "Oh , she's only a little nervous ;
that's all ! " The sound of a heavy foot ,
the harsh clearing of a throat , a discord -
cord in music , a want of harmony between -
tween shawl and the glove on the same
person , a curt answer , a passing slight ,
the wind from the east , any one of ten
thousand annoyances opens the door
for the hornet. The fact is that the
vast majority of the people in this country -
try are overworked , and their nerves
are the first to give out A great multitude -
titude are under the strain of Leyden ,
t'ho , when ire was told by his physician
that if he did not stop working while
he was in such poor physical health he
would die , responded , "Doctor , whether
I live or die , the wheel must keep going
round. " These sensitive persons of
whom I speak have a bleeding sensitive-
ness. The flies love to light on anything -
thing raw , and these people are like
the Canaanites spoken of in the text erin
in the context-they have a very thin
covering , and are vulnerable at all
points. "And the Lord sent the hor-
net. "
Again , the small insect annoyances
may come to us in the shape of friends
and acquaintances who are always saying
ing disagreeable things. There are
sonic people you cannot be with Leh- half
an hour but you feel cheered and com-
forted. Then there are other people
you cannot be with for live minutes before -
fore you feel miserable. They do not
mean to disturb you , but they sting you
to the bone. They gather up all the
yarn which the gossips spin , and retail -
tail it. They gather up all the adverse
criticisms about your person , about
your business , about your home , about
your crunch , and they make your ear !
the funnel into which they pour it.
They laugh heartily when they tell you , I
as though it were a good joke , and you
laugh too-outside. I
These people are brought to our attention -
tention in the Bible , in the Book of ;
Rath. Naomi went forth beautiful and
with the finest of worldly prospects. and
into another land ; but , after awhile ,
she came back widowed and sick and
poor , What did her friends do when
she came to the city ? They all went
out , and , instead of giving her commonsense -
sense consolation , what did they do ?
Read the Book of Ruth and find out.
They threw up their hands and caid , I
I
"Is this Naomi ? " as much as to say ,
"How awful bad you do look ! " When I
entered the ministry I looked very pale
for years , and every year , for four or
five years , a hundred times a year , I
was asked if I had not the consumption ;
and , passing through the room I would
sometimes hear people sigh and say ,
"A-ah ! not long for this world ! " I resolved -
solved in those times that I never , in
i
cny conversation. would say anything
e
depressing , and by the help of God I
have kept the resolution. These people -
ple of whom I speak reap and bind fa
the great harvest-field of discourage-
ment. Some day you greet them with
an hilarious "good-morning , " and they
come buzzing at you with some depressing -
ing information , "The Lord sent the
hornet. "
When I see so many people in the
world who like to say disagreeable
things , and write disagreeable things ,
I come almost in my weaker moments
to believe what a man said to me in
Philadelphia one Monday morning. I
went to get the horse at the livery stable -
ble , and the hostler , a plain man , said
to me , "Mr. Talmage , I saw that you
preached to the young men yesterday. "
I said , "Yes. " He said , "No use , no use ;
man's a failure. "
Perhaps these small Insect annoyances -
ances will come in the shape of a domestic -
mestic irritation. The parlor and the
kitchen do not always harmonize. To
get good service and to keep It , is one
of the greatest questions of the country -
try , Sometimes It may be the arro-
gancy and inconsiderateness of employers -
ers , but , whatever be the fact , we all
admit there are these Insect annoyances -
ances winging their way out from the
culinary department. If the grace of
God be not in the heart of the housekeeper -
keeper , she cannot maintain her equili-
brium. The men come home at night
and hear the story of these annoyances ,
and say , "Oh , these home troubles are
very little things ! " They are small ,
small as wasps , but they sting. Martha's
nerves were all unstrung when she
rushed in , asking Christ to scold Mary ,
and there are tens of thousands of women -
en who are dying , stung to death by
these pestiferous domestic annoyances.
"The Lord sent the hornet. "
These small insect disturbances may
also come in the shape of business frri-
tations. There are men here who went
through 1857 and the 24th of September ,
1869 , without losing their balance , who
are every day unhorsed by little an-
noyauces-a clerk's ill manners , or a
blot of ink on a bill of lading , or the
extravagance of a partner who overdraws -
draws his account , or the underselling
by a business rival , or the whispering
of store confidences in the street , or
the making of some little bad debt
which was against your judgment , just
to please somebody else.
.It is not the panics that kill the
merchants. Panics come cnly once in
ten or twenty year's , It is the constant
din of these every-day annoyances
which is sending so many of our best
merchants into nervous dyspepsia and
paralysis and the grave. When our national -
tional commerce fell flat on its face ,
these men stood up and felt almost defiant -
fiant ; but their life is going away now
under the swarm of these pestiferous I
annoyances. "The Lord sent the hor-
net. " !
These annoyances are sent on us , I
think , to wake us up from our lethargy.
There is nothing that makes a man so
lively as a nest of "yellow jackets , " and
I think that these annoyances are intended -
tended to persuade us of the fact that
this is not a world for us to stop in ,
If we had a bed of everything that was
attractive and soft and easy , what
would we want of heaven ? We think
that the hollow tree sends the hornet ,
or wo may think that the devir sends
the hornet. I want to correct your
i
opinion. "The Lord sent the hornet" +
Then 1 think these annoyances come
on us to culture our patience. In the I
gymnasium , you find upright parallel
gals-upright barswi h s over each ,
other for pegs to be put in. Then the
gymnast takes a peg in each hand and
to climb inch at a time
he begins , one , i
or two inches , and getting his strength
cultured , reaches after awhile the ceil-
ing. And it seems to me that these annoyances -
noyances in life are a moral gymnasium -
sium , each worriment a peg with which
we are to climb higher and higher in
Christian attainment We all love to
see patience , but it : annot be cultured
in fair weather. Patience is a child of
the storm. If you had everything de-
sir abic and there was nothing more to
get , what would you want with patience -
tience ? The only time to culture it is
when you are lied about , and sick and
half dead.
" " "if I had the circumstances
"Oh , you say , only -
cumstances of some well-to-do man I '
would be patient , too. " You might as
well say , "If it were not for this water
I would swim ; " or , "I could shoot this
gun if it were not for the charge. "
When you. stand chin-deep in annoyances -
ances is the thuc for yea to swim out I
toward th , great headlands of Christian
attainment , so as to know Christ and
the power of his resurrection , and to
have fellowship with his sufferings.
Nothing but the furnace will ever
burn out of us the clinker and the
slag. I have formed this theory in regard -
gard to small annoyances and vexa-
tions. It takes just so m acli trouble to fit
us for usefulness and for heaven. The j
only question is , whether- shall tae
it : n the built or pulverized and granu-
lated. Here is one man who taites it
in the bulk. His back is broken , or his
eyesight put out , or some other awful
calamity befalls him ; while the vast
majority of people take the thing piece-
meal. Which way would you rather
have it ? Of course in piecemeal. Better -
ter have five aching teeth than one
broken jaw ; better ten fly-blisters than
an amputation ; better twenty squalls
than one cyclone. There may be a difference -
ference of opinion as to allopathy and
homeopathy ; but in this matter of
trouble I like homeopathicdoses - -
small pellets of annoyance rather than
some knock-down dose of calamity. Instead -
stead of the thunderbolt give us the
hornet. If you have a ban1L you would
a great deal rather that fifty men
would come in with checks less than a
hundred dollars than to have two depositors -
positors come in the same day each
wanting ten thousand dollars. In this
latter case you cough and look down
to the floor , and you look up at the
ceiling , before you look into the eafo.
S
. , . . . . , ,
t
rathee
fOe -
wottld YOU
friends ,
Now , my
annoyance
drafts of
have the se small all-
faith than some
of
bank
on your
endur - ' ,
your
demand upon
staggering
that little
. But remember
once. =
require
equally t
well as great annoyances
for succor , ,
quire you to trust in Jhrist
deliverance from impatience ;
acid for
him
" wilt keep
i and Irritability. "Thou
in perfect peace whose mind is stayed I
of Hamelin , ,
In the village
OII t11CC. of
Invasion
there was an t
tradition says ,
small treati t res almost -
rats , and these
theatened the
devoured tLe town , and
lives of the population , and the story .
d
Is that a piper came out one day an i
r
the
played a very sweet tune , and all !
him-followed him to , f
vermin followed
the banks of the Weser ; then he blew
a blast and then they dropped in and
Of course this Is
disappeared forever.
I could , on the sweet I
a fable ; but I wish
flute of the Gospel , draw forth all the 1
nibbling and burrowing annoyances
of your life , and play them down into
the depths forever. . v s l
I You know that a large fortune may
be spent In small change , and a vast
amount ofIn moral character may go
I I away in small depletions. It is the
little troubles of life that are having
I 'eat ones.
than !
' more effect upon you
A swarm of locusts will kill a grain
i field sooner than the incursion of three
i or four catt le. You say , "Since I lost
! my child , since I lost my property , I
have been a different man. " But you i
the architecture of 11
do not recognize
little annoyances , that are hewing , dig-
f shaping , splitting and in-
Bing , cutting , /
moral qualities. Rats u
terjoining your I
may sink a ship. One lucifer match
may send destruction through a block I
of store-houses. Catherine de Medicis
got her death from smelling a poisonous -
ous rose. Columbus , ' by stopping and
"skint for a piece of bread and a drink
of water at a Franciscan convent , was
led to the discovery of a new world.
And there is an intimate connection
between trifles and immensities , between - I
tween nothings and cverythings.
I Now , be careful to let none of those
annoyances go through your soul un- , .
arraigned. Compel them to administer , i
to your spiritual wealth. The scratch '
i of a sixpenny nail sometimes produces
lock-jaw , and the clip of a most infinitesimal -
finitesimal annoyance may damage you 1
forever , Do not let any annoyance or
perplexity come across your soul without -
out its malting you better. 1
Our Government does not think it
belittling to put a tax on small articles.
The individual taxes do not amount to
much , but in the aggregate to millions 1
and millions of dollars. And I would
have you , oh Christian man , put a high I
tariff on every annoyance and vexation I
that comes through your soul. This '
t 1
might not amount to much in single
cases , but in the aggregate it would be
a great revenue of spiritual strength
and satisfaction. A bee can suck honey - , j
y I
even out of a nettle ; and if you have !
the grace of God in your heart , you can '
get sweetness out of that which would '
otherwise irritate and annoy. 1
d
Poly'carP was condemned to .be i '
burned to death. The stake was , Lt , ,
planted. He was fastened to it. The 1 t
faggots were placed round him , the i
fires kindled , but history tells us that ' '
the flames bent outward like the canvas -
vas of a ship in a stout breeze , so that ' )
'I
the flames , instead of destroying Poly-
carp , were only a wall between him and ti '
his enemies. They had actually to de- l
story him with the poniard ; the flames t
woud not touch him. Well , my hearer -
er , I want you to understand that by i
Gods grace the flames of trial , instead
of consuming your soul , are only going ! , , ,
to be a wall of defense , and a canopy '
of blessing. God is going to fulfill ttc t
you the blessing and the promise , , n )
"
he did to Polycarp. "When thou
est through the fire thou shalt not' '
burned. " Now you do not understa. ;
youi shall know hereafter. In heav' ' ,
will bless God even for the hornt i ,
Not a horned Grinder.
,
The upper west side near 19Ut .1
'
street , was startled the other day b i (
the loud blowing of a tally-ho hart. +
Every housewife stopped her work anc3 ,
1
rushed to the front of the house. Head : '
popped out from windows and doors tt + j
witness the supposed unusual sight oil ,
a passing coach. The tally-ho was Lotj 1
in evidence but out in the middle oft
the street , with his modest grinding
apparatus , stood a knife-sharpener ,
smiling and bowing to the surprised
residents , and blandly asking if they
had any knives or scissors that required - ! i
quired a new edge put on them. Almost r
before they knew it frugal housewives _ L !
hastened to look over their cutlery and
within a short time the grinder was !
saying nothing but grinding hard. He ,
must have picked up a little fortune for
his first blast and after finishing everything -
thing grindable in sight he treated his ' i
customers to a parting blast and moved '
on. Ile has been there since the first i
visit-this Italian , for such he appears
to be-and his merry roundelay is
worthy of a master of the art-New i
York Herald. ,
Wise Thoughts.
The man who spends an hour alone
with God in the morning , will not be
seen at the theater that night The
heart that is trusting God
can sign as l
sweetly in the dark as in the light. The i !
man who is not doing anything to help I
take the world for Christ , is hindering )
God's work in his own heart The
surest evidence of trust in Christ , is
obedience to him. The man whose hope
is in God may be kept
waiting , but his
reward will be sure and certain. Giving -
ing respectability to any kind of a sin
gives the devil a mortgage on the '
young.-Ram's Horn.
r
Piayrrountis un the Roofs. , r
It is now proposed that the roofs o1
schoolhouses in New York City should
be utilized as PlaYgrounds , and in the
plans of a new school
10,000 feet of
space is allotted
thus on the roof for
this purpose , at an added expenditure
of X4,000. ,
.
r. i ' a ; . .
- 'i
r.
