ROMANCE f
CHAPTER IV. ( Continued. )
"You don't seem altogether happy In
here , " a cheery voice calls out at this
moment , as Shell's somewhat mocking
face appears at the open window.
"Happy ! " cries Ruby derisively.
"Would you feel happy caged up with
a couple of young bears ? The children
liave been behaving shamefully. "
"Have they ? " returns Shell in a tons
which denotes doubt , as she steps in
over the low window ledge-and gently
begins to stroke Meg's hair , which has
become disheveled through her va
rious emotions.
The child nestles up against her side ,
clasping her akirts firmly , as if for pro
tection , while Bob .indulges in a vigor
ous 'welcoming nod , for he knows he Is
not'allowed to spdak.
"Yes , they have given me qujtc a
headache , " pursues Ruby , pressing , her
hand to her brow. "I shall be fit for
nothing the rest of the day if I can't gat
rid of it. I wish you would hear the
children read for me. "
"Why should I ? " answers Shell
bluntly. "As you know , I disapprove
of their coming here ; and I told you
from the first to expect no help from
me ! "
Shell speaks in French , that the chil
dren may not understand ; but Meg
guesses with the quick instinct of
childhood that she is refusing to take
charge of them.
"You hear me read , Sell1' she licps
with a look of almost piteous entreaty
on- her baby face. "Me "will be dood. "
Shell looks down for a moment with
unrelenting eyes then she catches Meg
up'lnvher strong young arms , gives her
a resounding kiss , and turning to Ruby ,
says
"Ail right if you arc tired I don't
mind .looking after them till they are
fetched only I don't profess to be a
good hand at teaching. "
"I wish you wouldn't be so rough
with them , " says Ruby , rising from her
chair with a sigh of intense relief.
"Now us is happy ! " cries Bob , slid
ing ; down from his chair and stretching
his small arms with delight as Ruby
disappears.
' "But us must go on with , our les
sons , " , says Shell gravely.
"All right , " acquiesces Bob , as he be
gins to hunt for their reading book.
"You J sit down in the big chair and
have -Meg on 'your lapj llke you .did
last lime ; and I can stand beside you. "
"My dear children , isn't it rather hot
for that kind of arrangement ? " ex
postulates Shell , as Meg springs into
her arms , whilst Bob installs him
self with his arm around her neck.
But the children only know that
they love her. and want to be as near
her as possible ; any such minor con
sideration as the state of the thermo
meter is a matter of supreme indiffer
ence to their inexperienced anJ consequently
quently selfish little minas.
That evening , as luclc will have It ,
when the children come in to dessert ,
their father begins to question them as
to their conduct.
"I hope you were both very good
children this morning ? " he sajs , help
ing each to a plentiful supply of straw
berries.
"No , pa us wasn't berry good , " falt
ers Meg , with downcast eyes and burn
ing cheeks.
"Dear me that is very sad , Meg ! "
says Robert Champley , with a laugh
ing glance across the table at Ted.
"How did you misbehave yourselves ? "
"I didn't know tree times four. " re
plies Meg , looking deeply abashed.
-'That was extremely wicked of you , ' '
says her father smiling.
"And , now that Meg has made an
open confession of her sins , we must
hear your enormities , Mr. Bobby , "
laughs his uncle. "How did you offend
Miss Wilden ? "
Bob heaves a profound sigh.
. "I did somefink dreadful , " he says
in a low shamed voice.
"Something dreadful ? " repeats Ted ,
looking intensely amused. "Come out
with it. "
"Papa , dear , don't be angry wid Bob
he didn't know , " interposes Meg ,
suddenly , laying hold of her father's
arm and hugging it vigorously.
"Dear me , this Is getting alarm-
Ing1. What did you do , Bob ? " asks
Mr. Champley with real interest.
Bob takes a kind of gulp to swal-
* ow down his fear and then he says
in an awestruck voice
"I pulled her hair out. "
"Good gracious whose , hair ? " asks
ftis father , looking startled.
"Miss Wilden's , " explains Bob , much ,
alarmed at the sensation his announce
ment had created.
"You young villain ! " exclaims his
uncle. "What-induced you to attack
j. lady like that ? "
"Fdidn't-attack hpr , " says poor Bob.
an the verge" of sobs. "I just pulled
out' her pins for fun , wien she was
setting my copy , and then all her hair
tumbled down on the carpet. "
"Not all , " hastened to explain Meg
"only a lot of it"
Ted Champley Ms'seized with'a violent
lent fit of coughing , which sends him
over to the window for relief , whilst
his elder brother as suddenly .develops
a cold , which necessitates a vast
amount of handkerchief play before
he speaks again , then he says quietly
\o Bob
-"That was very ungentlemanly of
you , and if I hear of your being rude
again I shall punish you. "
CHAPTER V.
This threat from his usually indulg
ent father'has such a depressing effect
on Bob's spirits that he makes up'his
mind to eschew temptation for the fu
ture. -
"iMiss Wilden won't love you if you
don't behave like a gentleman , " con
tinues the father severely , as an appro
priate ending'to his reprimand.
"Us'don't Jove Miss Wilden , " here
Interrupts Meg with great dignity
"she is a nasty cross old ting. " '
"Nonsense , Meg ! " says her father ,
placing his hand under her chin and
smiling down into her eyes. "If "you
don't love Miss Wilden , I r.m afraid you
must be aliardened little wretch , for"
with a dreary sigh "alas , she is only
too devoted to you ! "
Meg shakes her head in an uncom
prehending way. and repeats , with a
determined little pout
"Us don't like her us loves Sell. "
"Yes , us loves dear Shell , " chimes
in Bob eagerly. "She tolls us lovely
stories. "
"My dear misguided children , your
afTcction for Miss Shell is decidedly
misplaced , " here interrupts their uncle ,
returning from his post at the win
dow. "She doesn't like boys and girls
at all. "
"Not like little boys and derls ? " re
peats Meg , quite taken aback by such
an extraordinary statement.
"No , indeed in fact she gave me to
understand that she almost hated
them , " repeats Ted , much amused at
the children' look of horror. "So I
strongly advise you not to waste your
young affections on such an unrespons
ive object. "
The warning , being clothed in words
beyond their understanding , makes p °
impre&slon on the children's minds ,
but their strong preference for " " the
younger'sister strikes their fathe'r forc
ibly , and he catches himself murmur
ing "more than once in a wondering
tone "Us loves Shell ; us loves- dear
Shell- !
After that it often happens that Ru-
by.'Undcr some trifling pretext or other ,
shifts the .burden of her self-imposed
task on to Shell's young shoulders
she has a headache , or is busy , or has
letters to write ; and then Shell , talcing
-pity on - the poor children who are
sure to'liave a rough time of it if Ruby
is disinclined for , tfiem :2ov.otes her
morning to their instruction and
amusement.
She bribes them to be &cocl at their
lessons by the promise of a romp in
the grounds when their task is com
pleted ; and so it happens' that Robert
Champley , chancing to drive over him
self to fetch them one late June morn
ing , comes upon an unexpected and to
him a charming sight.
On a moss-grown mound at the front
of a copper-beech sits Shell in a dark
print gown , with her bright hair coiled
around and around with daisy-chains ,
which the children's busy .fingers have
been weaving , whilst she tells them a
wonderful tale from Fairyland.
So engrossed are all three that they
do not become aware of the intruder's
approach until he has descended from
the trap and walked quietly to within
a few paces of their resting place ; then
a shout of "Papa , papa ! " from Meg
rouses them all from their ideal world
to a realistic one.
Shell starts from her lowly seat ,
crimsons to the very roots of her hair ,
and puts on as forbidding a look as she
can well assume.
"Oh , pa , it is so jolly ; you come and
listen , too ! " cries Bob , eager that his
father should participate in their en
joyment. "The princess is shut up in
a dark room , because her wicked god
mother won't allow her ever to see
the sunshine , and the prince is keeping
guard outside her tower with a carriage
and six , to carry her away to an island
blazing with light if he gets the
chance. "
"Rather trying for her eyes , won't
it be ? I should be inclined to recom
mend her a pair of spectacles till she
gets used to the glare , " laughs Robert
Champley as he shakes hands with
Shell.
But Shell has become fossilized. She
shakes hands limply , puts on a stolid
conventional expression , and , drawing
her small figure up to its ifullest fceight ,
tries to look exceedingly dignified. Her
efforts are somewhat marred by the
daisies so.proftisely twisted around her
lead ; but , as she is happily forgetful
of their presence , they do not trouble
her.
"Sell , dear , she didn't have blue spe'-
tacles , did she ? " cries Meg , shocked at
such a very unromantic suggestion.
"I don't know , I am sure , " responds
Shell , in a tone of cold indifference.
"But oo does know , " cries Meg. wax
ing impatient , and shaking Shell's
skirts In her anxiety to have tha doubt
settled.
"I am afraid my children are weary-
ng you , Miss Shell , " says their father
rather , stiflly. But I have just come
over to carry them away. "
"I find the ? easiest way to 'keep them
quiet is to tell them , stories , " says
Shell bluntly ami ungraciously.
"I am very 5orryrthatyou shoul.d be ,
put to so much trouble. particularly as
you dislike ' iidren'emarks' Mr. ' ,
Champley , with a curidus and rather
satirical fiower-deckec
glance - at - * -
head.
"Oh , it doesn't matter ! " answen
Shell condescendingly.
"Now then , young monkeys If yov
are ready we may as well' start , " hi
says , pointing to the trap which is wait-
inc in the avenue. "I am going to talce
you for a drive right around by the
sea. "
"Take Sell too , pa , " pleads Meg ,
catching her father's hand and fairlj
jumping with delight.
"With pleasure , If she will only con
sent to go , " is his ready answer , whilst
he darts an amused glance at the girl's
flushed vexed face.
"No , thanks I hate driving , " responds
spends Shell curtly.
"You seem to have a great many de
testations , Misa Shell , " says the gen
tleman sarcastically.
"I have , " is Shell's laconic answer.
"Well , then , since we can't persuade
you to accompany us , we may as wall
start. Come children ! " and , making
no effort to shake hands , he raises h'is
hat politely.
A latent fear that she has been in
hospitable assails Shell.
"Won't you go up to the house ? "
she asks almost eagerly.
"No , thank you since I have been
fortunate enough to meet with the
children here. Good morning. "
"Good morning , " answers Shell stiff
ly , and quite ignoring the two little
faces that are turned up to her for a
good-bye kiss.
"Papa , is us naughty ? " asks Meg
as she trots over to the trap beside her
father.
"I hope not. Why ? " he demands
absently.
"Cause Shell didn't kiss us , " an
swers Meg in a wondering tone.
"Kiss you ! " repeats her father ,
laughing. "She looked far more likely
to bite. "
But , all the same , as he makes the
assertion a memory of Shell as he first
came to her , with sparkling eyes and
smiling lips , and the two children
kneeling beside her , rises before his
mental vision.
"Well , have you got rid of those
little torments ? " asks Ruby languidly ,
looking up fiom her book as Shell en
ters the room.
"Their father has just come for
them , " answers Shell shortly.
"Their father oh , where is he ? "
cries Ruby , starting from her chair.
"I want to consult him about Bob's
writing ; and J must speak about the
nurse ; I am afraid she is not very
rarcful Meg's hands were quite dirty
this morning ; Where is he where did
you leave him ? "
"He is down by the sea ; I didn't
leave him he left me , " answers Shell
drily.
"Why did no one tell me he was
here ? " asks Ruby angrily.
"He didn't come to the house ; I was
in the drive with the children , and
he picked them up there. "
"How very strange ! But it is all
your fault , taking them out the fool
ish way you do. I suppose you were
romping like a torn-boy when he
came. "
"I was telling them stories. "
"Anyway you were a ridiculous ob
ject , " says Ruby , Avith such an ob
viously scornful sneer that Shell in
stinctively glances across the room at
her reflection in the mirror , then for
the first time becoming aware of her
profuse decorations. With a sudden
access of wrath she tears the daisies
firom her hair , whilst tears of mortifi
cation rise to her eyes.
"I wouldn't have had him see me so
for a hundred pounds , " she says
angrily.
"What nonsense ! I don't suppose
that he even noticed them , " observes
Ruby with cutting scorn.
"Ah , perhaps not ! " murmurs Shell
with a sigh of relief ; and yet , thinking
it over , she remembers clearly that
twice or three times during their short
interview she noticed an amused smile
flicker over his face.
( To be Continued. )
LENGTH OF MEXICAN WAR.
Continued for Two Years IJcfore Peace
Was Declarer ! .
The Mexican war is the best exam
ple and instruction in the time it takes
to fight small wars. That took two
years , and the present war is moving at
express speed by its side , as might be
expected after fifty-two years. Hos
tilities began March 18 , 1846. General
Mejia at Matamoras called out the
Mexican troops. A month later , April
26 , 184G , General Taylor called for 5,000
militia. A fortnight later , May 13 ,
congress officially recognized the war
and called for volunteers. Mexico de
clared war May 23 , 1846. Mexico had
no fleet and no army on the frontier ,
except some desultory levies. Mon
terey wag not taken until four months
later , Sept. 28. and Bueua Vista was
not foughf until eight months after the
war began , Feb. 22 , 1S17. After near
ly one year of hostilities , in which our
forces had been drilled and disciplined
in camp and by months of campaign
ing , Gen. Scott sailed for Mexico and
captured Vera Cruz , ten months after
hostilities began March 29 , 1847. It
took four and one-half months , to Sept.
14. 1847 , before the City of Mexico was
taken , sixteen months after hostilities
opened. Peace only came in two years ,
in June , 1848. Yet the Mexican war is
quoted as a great case of quick work in
fighting. Philadelphia Press.
"What's in a Name ? Letters !
Llanfairpwllgwngy.ligogcr3'chwyrndr-
opwillandisiliogogogoch appears in the
British "pcstoffice guide as the name of
a post.and telegraphojDce in. the Island
of "Anglesey. It is"sa'id lo mean , ' 'The
"THE ART OF FRIENDSHIP-
SUNDAY'S SUBJECT.
ext , Proverb * , Chapter rs , Verne 24. ai
Follows : "A Man flint Hath Krlemls
Mast Show Himself Ifrlcnclty. " Time
ly Advice.
About the sacred and divine art of
making and keeping friends I speak
a subject on which I never heard of
anyone preaching and yet Go-1
thought it of enough importance to put
it in the middle of the Bible , these
v/ritlngs of Solomon , bounded on one
: > ide by the popular Psalms of David ,
' .nd on the other by the writings of
Isaiah , tlie greatest of the prophets
it seems all a matter of haphazard how
: tany friends we have , or whether v/3
J ave any friends at all , but there is
nothing accidental about it. There is
n. law which governs the accretion
ind dispersion of friendships. They
did not "just happen so" any more
* han the tides just .happen to rise or
rall , or the sun just happens to rise
or set. It is a science , an art , a God-
liiven regulation.
Tell me how friendly you ara to
others , and I will tell you how friendly
others are to you. I do not say you
will not have enemies ; Indeed , the best
way to get ardent friends is to have
ardent enemies , if you get their en
mity in doing the right thing. Good
men and women will always have en
emies , because their goodness is a per
petual rebuke to evil ; but this antago
nism of foes will make more intense
the love of your adherents. Your
friends will gather closer around you
because of the attacks of your assail
ants. The more your enemies abuse
you the better your coadjutors will
think of you.
The best friends we have ever had
appeared at some juncture when we
were especially bombarded. There
have been times in my life when un
just assault multiplied my friends , as
near as I could calculate , about fifty
a minute. You are bound to some people
ple by many cords that neither time
nor eternity can break , and I will war
rant that many of those cords were
twisted by hands malevolent. Human
nature was shipwrecked about fifty-
nine centuries ago , the captain of that
craft , one Adam , and his first mate
running the famous cargo aground on
a snag in the river Hiddekel ; but there
was at least one good trait of human
nature that waded safely ashore from
that shipwreck , and that is the dispo
sition to take the part of those unfairly
dealt with. When it is thoroughly
demonstrated that some one is being
persecuted , although at the start slan
derous tongues were busy enough , de
fenders finally gather around as thick
as honey bees on a trellis of bruised
honeysuckle. * * *
Before you begin to show yourself
friendly you must be friendly. Gat
your heart right with God and man ,
and. this grace will become easy. You
may by your own resolution get your
nature into a semblance of this virtue ,
but the grace of Cod can subllmc-ly lift
you into it. Sailing en tne river
Thames two vessels ran aground. The
owners of one got one hundred horses ,
and pulled on the grounded ship , and
pulled it to pieces. The owners of the
other grounded vessel waited till the
tides came in , and easily floated the
ship out of all trouble. So we may
pull and haul at our grounded human
nature , and try to get into better con
dition , but there is nothing like the
oceanic tides of God's uplifting grace.
If , when under the flash of the Holy
Ghost , we see our own foibles and de
fects and depravities , we will be very
lenient , and very easy with others. We
K ll look into their characters for
things commenda/ory , and not damna
tory. If you would rub your own eye
a little more vigorously you would
find a mote in it , the extraction of
which would keep you so busy you
would not have .much time to shoulder
your broadaxe and go forth to split up
the beam in your neighbor's eye. In
a Christian spirit keep on exploring the
characters of those you meet , and I
am sure you will find something in
them fit for a foundation of friendli
ness.
You invite me to come to your countryseat
try-seat and spend a few days. Thank
you ! I arrive about noon of a beauti
ful summer day. What do you do ? As
soon as I arrive you take me out un
der the shadow of the great elms. You
take me down to the artificial lake , the
spotted trout floating in and out among
the white pillars of the pond-lilies.
You take me to tha stalls and kennels
where you keep your fine stock , ami
here are the Durham cattle and tha
Gordon setters ; and the high-stepping
steeds , by pawing and neighing , the
only language they can speak , asking
for harness or saddle , and a short turn
down the road. Then we go back to
the house , and you get me in the right
light , and show me the Kensetts and
the Bierstadts on the wall , and take
me into the music-room and show mo
the bird-cages , the canaries in the bay
window answering the robins in the
tree-tops. Thank you ! I never en
joyed myself more in the same length
of time. Now , why do we not do so
with the characters of others , and show
the bloom and the music and the bright
fountains ? No. We say , "Come along ,
and let me show you that man's char
acter. Here is a green-scummed frog-
pond , and there's a filthy cellar , ind I
guess under that hedge there must be
a black snake. Come and let us for
an hour or two regale ourselves with
the nuisances. "
Oh , mj ; jrjends , better cover up the
faults ancfextol the virtues , and this
habit once established of universal
friendliness ; will becpme as easy as itJs
for a , syringa to' flood the" air with
s'weetries3sas easy "as it will be further
ca in the'season for a quail to whistle
up from the , gras , . Whjn wo he.ar
something bad about somebody whom
we always supposed to be good , take
out your lead pencil and say , "Let ma
sec ! "Before I accept that" baleful "story
against that man's character I will
takeoff from it twcnty-flvc per cent for
the' habit of exaggeration which be
longs to the man who first told the
story ; then I will take off twenty-five
per cent for the additions which the
spirit of" gossip in every community has
put upon the original story ; then I will
take off twenty-five per cent from the
fact that the man may have been put
into circumstances of overpowering
temptation. So I have taken oft scv-
ehty-five per cent. But I have" not
lieard his side of the story at all , and
for that reason I take off the remain
ing twenty-five per cent. Excuse me.
sir , I don't believe a word of it. "
* V *
. Now- , supposing that you have , by a
Divlno regeneration , got right toward
Qed and humanity , and you start out
to practice my text. "A man that hath
friends must show himself friendly. "
Fulfil this by all forms of appropriate
salutation. Have you noticed that the
head is so poised that the easiest thing
on earth is to give a neil of recogni
tion ? To swing the head from side
to side , as when it is wagged in de
rision , is unnatural and unpleasant ;
to throw it back , invites vertigo ; butte
to drop the chin in greeting is accom
panied with so little exertion that all
day long , and every day , you might
practice it without the least semblance
of fatigue. So , also , the structure of
the hand indicates hand-shaking ; the
knuckles not made so that the fingers
.can turn out , but so made that the
fingers can turn in. as in clasping
hands , and the thumb divided from and
set aloof from the fingers , so that while
the fingers take your neighbor's hand
on one side , the thumb takes it on the
other and , pressed together , all the
faculties of the hand give emphasis to
the salutation. Five sermons in every
healthy hand urge us to hand-shaking.
Besides this , every day when you
start out , load yourself up with kind
thoughts , kind words , kind expressions
and kind greetings. When a man or
woman does well , tell him so , tell her
so. If you meet some one who is im
proved in health , and it is demon
strated in girth and color , say : "How
well you look ! " But if. on the other
hand , under the wear and tear of life
he appears pale and exhausted , do not
introduce sanitary subjects , , or say any
thing at all about physical condition.
In the case of improved health , you
liave by your words given another im
pulse towards the robust and the
jocund , while in the case of the failing
health you have arrested the decline by
your silence , by which he concludes :
"If I were really eo badly off he would
have said something about it. " We are
all , especially those of a nervous tem
perament , susceptible to kind words
and discouraging words. Form a con
spiracy against us , an.l let ten men
meet us at certain points on our Avay
over to business , and let each one say ,
"How sick you look ! " though we
should start out well , after meeting the
first and hearing his depressing salute ,
we would bfgin to examine our symp
toms. Afi'cr meeting the second
gloomy accosting , we would conclude
we did not feel quite as well as usual.
Yfter meeting the third our sensations
would be dreadful , and after meeting
he fourth , unless we suspected a con
spiracy , we v/ould go home and go to
jed , and the other six pessimists would
oe a. uselc3 surplus of discowasement.
.
* = >
We want something like that spirit
of sacrifice for others which was seen
n the English channel , where in the
storm a boat containing three men was
upset and all three were in the water
struggling for their lives. A boat came
o their relief and a rope was thrown
o one of them and he refused to take
t , saying : "First fling it to Tom ; ho
s just ready to go down. I can last
ome time longer. " A man like that ,
be he sailor or landsman , be he in up
per ranks of society or lower ranks ,
will always have plenty of friends.
What is true manward is true God-
ivard. We must be the friends of God ,
if we want him to be our friend. Wo
cannot treat Christ badly all our lives
and expect him to treat us lovingly.
I was reading of a sea fight in which
Lord Nelson captured a French officer ,
and when the French officer offereJ
Lord Nelson his hand , Nelson replied ,
"First give me your sword and then
give me your hand. " Surrender of
uur resistance to God muat precede
Sod's proffer of pardon to us. Repent-
ince before forgiveness. You must
Uive up your rebellious sword before ,
you can get a grasp of the divine hand.
Oh , what a glorious state of things .
to have the friendship of God ! Why , j
we could afford to have all the world
against us and all other worlds against
us if we had God for us. He coud ! in
a. minute blot out this univeiss , and
in another minute make a better uni
verse. I have no idea that God tried
hard when he mads all things. The i
most brilliant thing known to us is
light , and for the creation of that ho
only used a word of command. As
aut of a flint a frontiersman strikes a
spark , so out of one word God struck
the noonday sun. For the making of
the present universe I do not read th t
Sou lifted so much as a finger. The
Bible frequently speaks of God's hand
ind God's arm and God's shoulder an.l
Sod's foot ; then suppose he should put
tiand and arm and shoulder and foot
to utmost tension , cvhat could he not
make ? That God of such demonstrat
ed and undemonstrated strength , you
may have for your present and everlasting -
lasting friend , not a stately and retic-
jnt friend , hard to get at , but as ap
proachable as a country mansion on a
summer day , when all the doors and
windows are wide open."Tchrist said ,
'I am - thedoor. . " ' Andlftie is a wide
leer , a high" door , a" palace door , an
ilways open door. * * * - = - , -
. , . , M5"Jeur-jea.r-pd ) qhlliLgot .hurt and
did not cry until hours after , when her
mother came home , and then she burst
Into -weeping , and somer ' of. the doniea-
tics. " understanding' human nature ,
said lo her , "Why' did * you- not cry
before ? " She answered : "There was " *
, no , one , to.cry to. , " 9 Now , Ihave to tell
you that while human sympathy may
be absent , Divine sympapthy is always
accessible. Give God your love , and
get his love ; your service , and secure
his * help ; your repentance , and have
his pardon. God a friend ? Why. that
means all your wounds medicated , all
ydur sorrowalsobthed.rand If sonle sud
den catastrophe ? should har you'aut of
earth it would only hurl you Into
hpavcn.
If God is your friend , you cannot go
out of the world too quickly or gud-
denly , so far as your own happiness { s
concerned. There were two Christians
who entered heaven ; the one was
standing at a window in perfect health ,
watching a shower , and the lightning
instantly slew him ; but the lightning
did not flash down the sky as swiftly
as his spirit flashed upward. The Chris
tian man who died on the same day
next door had been for a year or two
falling In health , and for the last
three months had suffered from a dis
ease that had made the nights sleep
less and the days an anguish. Do you
not really think that the case of tlv
one who went instantly was more de
sirable than the one who entered the
shining gate through a long lane of
insomnia and congestion ? In the one
case it was like- your standing wearily
at a door , knocking and waiting , anl
wondering If it will ever open , and
knocking and waiting again , while in
the other case it was a swinging open
of the door at the llrst touch of your
knuckle. Give your friendship to God.
and have God's friendship for you. and
even the worst accident will be a vic
tory.
tory.How
How refreshing a human friendship :
and true friends , what priceless treas
ures ! When sickness comes , and trou
ble comes , and death comes , we serin
for our friends first of all , and their
appearance in our doorway in any
crisis is reinforcement , and when thsy
have entered , we say : "Now it is all
right ! " Oh , what would we dovith -
out personal friends , business friends ,
family friends ? But we want some
thing mightier than human friendship
in the great exigencies : When Jona
than Edwards , in his final hour , had
given the last good-bye to all his
earthly friends , he turned on his pil
low and closed his eyes , confidently
saying : "Nojv where is Jesus of Naz
areth , ray true and never-failing
Friend ? " Yes , I admire human friend
ship as seen in the case of David and
Jonathan , of Paul and Onesiphorus , ot
Herder and Goethe , of Goldsmith and
Reynolds , of Beaumont and Fletcher ,
of Cowley and Harvey , of Erasmus
and Thomas ? .Iorc. of Lessins and
Mendelssohn , of Lady Churchill : mtl
Princess Anne , of Orestes and Pyla'l'o.
each requesting that himself might
take the point of the dagger , so the
other might be spared ; of Epamin-
ondas and Pelopidas , who locked thetr
shields in battle , determined to die to
gether ; but the grandest , the might
iest , the tendercst friendship in all the
universe Is the friendship between ,
Jesus Christ and a believing soul. Yet.
after all I have said , I feel I have
only done what James Marshall , thf
miner , did in 1345 in California , be
fore its gold minns were known. H
reached in and j.ut upon the table of
his employer , Captain Putter , a. thim
bleful of gold dust. "Where did jou
get that ? " said his employer. The re
ply was : "I get it this morning from
a mill race from which the water had
been drawn off. " But that gold dust ,
which could have been taken up be
tween the finger and the thumb , was
the prophecy and specimen that re-
\ ealed California's wealth to all na
tions. And today I have only put V-
fore you a specimen of the valu ° of
divine friendship , cnly a. thimbleful
of mines inexhaustible and infinite ,
though all time and all eternity go ou
with the exploration.
Tlio Snipe n u Surgeon.
It has just been discovered that the
snipe is able to repair injuries to hs
3wii person. Whenever the snipe is
wounded about the body or his leg
broken he does not necessarily crawl
away to some quiet nook to die. Most
other bin's give themselves up as desu
when such a misfortune befalls th ni.
but the snipe dors not seem to mind a
little thing like that. He simply flie *
away to some quiet spot and tears
feather after feather from his Sid1 or
wing , or from any other part of h-a
uody than the wounded place. As
soon as the snipe has obtained thr e
ar four loose feathers he quickly str-ps
3f the downy part and allows the hard
luill to fall t.0 the groand. The down
lie places over the injured part , an-1
before an onlooking bird would have
Lime to say "Jack Robinson" the bnipe
: ias stopped the flow of blood. Ti-
crisis being over , the snipe finishes his
jUigieal operation more leisurely. Tin- ;
ie does by finding some cast-off feath
ers lying about the grass , and after
: earing out the quills he lays fold aftr
: old of the new down over the wound.
Fhe blood acts as a sort of gum to the
lov/n , so that when * hc snipe has tin-
shed his work he Is completely out oC
langer. When in a few weeks naturu
irovid'js some new cuticle for the
snipe's wound , the artificially applied
'eathers are dropped , little by little ,
mtil finally the snipe's breast looks
'very whit as well as it was before
ic was hurt. The person who discov-
: red that snipes are their own surgeons
s the famous ornithologist , Fatio ,
vho announced his interesting discov
ery to the International Physical So
ciety at their recent convention la Ge-
leva. M. Fatio "say's "snipe do not
nerely stop bleeding wounds o'n"thelr
jodies. He'has had evidence allowing
: hat they are also capable of construct-
ng a splint to nurse broken winssfand
'