S 4 4 " f f
Old Favorites
The C'omln v of Spring,
X am coming, little maiden,
With the ploawuit sunshine laden,
With the blossom for the tree,
With the honey for the boe,
With the flower and with the leaf
Till I come the time is brief.
I am coming, I am coming.
Hark I the little bee li humming J
flee, the lark in eon ring high
In the bright and tunny sky ;
And the gnats are on the wing
Little maiden, now is Spring.
See the yellow catkins cover
All the slender willows over, , '
And on mmny banks so green
Starlike primroses are seen.
And tholr clustering leaves below
White and purple violets grow.
Hark! the little lambs are bleating,
And the cawing rooks are meeting
In the elms, noisy crowd,
And all birds are staging loud,
And the first white butterfly
In the sun goes flitting by.
Little maiden, look around thee.
Green and flowery fields surround thee.
Every little stream is bright.
All the orchard trees are white,
And each small and waving shoot
lias for thee sweet flower or fruit.
Turn thy eyes to earth and heaven,
God, for thee, the Spring hntb given,
Taught the birds their melodies,
Clothed the earth and cleared the skies.
For thy pleasure or thy food
Tour thy soul in gratitude.
So mayest thou 'mid blessings dwell.
Little maiden, fare thee well.
Mary Ilowitt.
OJTE DOLLAE A WEEK.
Wage-Earners and Salaried Men
Can rrovide for Old Ajf.
To all men who. work for wages or
on salaries their only hope for a peace
ful old ago and for n life free from
racking money cares is to provide be
forehand for the future, says the New
York World. They should take no risk.
When they speculate they stake their
family's future and their own peace of
mind against a few dollars. Even weve
the chances equal and In the case of
a small man the odds are always
against him the risk which he takes
Is vastly disproportionate to any pos
sible gain.
Few men ever heard of progressive
compound Interest and still fewer know
what It does. One dollar deposited In
a savings bank which pays 4. per cent
will amount to $2.10 in twenty years.
This Is simple compound Interest. But
how many men know that if they de
posit $1 every year the value In twenty
years will not be $2.10, but $30.07?
Any niaD or woman who Is earning
wages at all can save $1 a week. That
money deposited In a savings bank for
twenty years will amount to $1,012. A
deposit of $5 a week will amount to
over $8,000. The annual Interest ou
this at 4 per cent would be $320.
Thus the man who doiwslts $." a
week In a savings bank can, after
twenty years, draw out $0 a week and
Bthl leave to his wife and children at
his death all the money that he depos
lted and more than half as much more.
There Is no paradox or catch In this.
It Is a plain, simple mathematical
statement of what any savings bank
will do.
Every wife should read these figures
and go over them for herself. They are
accurate. The only necessity Is to
make the deposits regularly. If, In
stead of discontinuing the weekly de
posits at twenty years, they are con
tiuued for ten years more, every dollar
a week will have become $."S.SS and the
$o2 a year will have become over $3,
OOO. For every dollar which had been
deposited $2 a week can be drawn out
without Impairing the principal, which
bas been doubled.
It takes time to make money this
way, but the result is certain. There
Is no secret about it, no mystery, no at
lurement, no dazzling speculation.. All
that It requires Is Industry and a little
self-denial every week. It pays better
than any gold mine, than any poolroom
' or bucket shop.
LUCKY TOWN OF LUDLOW.
lUlllons In Store for It, but It Isn't
Getting Excited.
The little town of Ludlow, not far
from Springfield, Mass., has a dazzling
future before It. After a while $10,000
Is going to be distributed to certain of
Its citizens.
After another while $317,208 will be
passed around. And finally, after a
third chance to get its breath, $10,113,
195 will be bestowed ou the Ludlow
folks.
It Is stupendous. There Is only one
trouble. It's going to be an uncommon
ly long time between chances to quaff
this golden flood. Ludlow, in fact. Is
keeping quite calm.
According to the Village, Charles D.
Hood is the man who has planned these
magnificent windfalls for his native
village, lie was born In Ludlow sixty
six years ago, and still has a suuini
home there. But at an early age he
left the place, wvnt out into the world
and proceeded to make gawhs of nioti
ey. lie decided to give four gawbs
to Ludlow. ,
The first one, amounting to $l,0m
will be placed lit Interest until the next
centennial of Ludlow's settlement uud
then be distributed among the worth
poor of the town, especially lit tin' cen
ter district. Certain sums, to be giyj
to every young man who has nhstalnt-
iroiu the use of intoxicating Honors
and tobacco until hi twenty-fust birth
day, are excepted.
Another $l,CtO nil! be placed at In
terest and used In the second centeiiiila
tu the same manlier.
A third $l.iH4i will l placed ut In
terest and used In the third coming cen
tennial under similar conditions.
Of the fourth $1.XiO, the Interest Is
to be used perpetually and onuunlly for
prises for the best pupils iu the differ
ent schools.
These gifts may look comparatively
small on their face, but when figured
out In their ultimate proportions they
.loom Urge. The next centennial of the
town will come sixty-six years from
next June. The flnit. $t,OOft, Invested
at 3',4 I1' cent Interest, cominiundr-d
semt-nniuinlly, as Is the custom with
savings I ii n Us. will amount to $.1,875
on the next centennial day.
As Ludlow 1ms only 3.SS1 Inhabl
tants, according to the census of ISXXi,
and the total number of registered vot
ers last year was less than T00, this)
sum will provide adequately for the ab
stemious young men and the worthy
poor, unless the town grows more rap
idly than It has In the last 134 years.
The second $1,000, Invested under
similar conditions, will yield $317,203
at the following centennial, 100 years
from now. With the knowledge of this
fund which doubtless will be wide
spread at that time, the number of
non-drinking and non-smoking young
men In town ought to be large enough
to give Ludlow a world-wide reputa
tion f-r the conduct of Its youth.
Hut the grand prize Is still n cen
tury off. The third $1,000 Invested at
3 Mi per cent will In June of the year
2174, when the time wines for Its dis
tribution, amount fro th stupendous
sum of $10,l3.10fi, increasing more
than ten thousand fold from the origi
nal sum. The number of virtuous
young nun and worthy oor that can
be provided for with this great fund
would be enough to make a resietta'jly
Izt-d city.
More than this, the town's benefac
tor has provided for perpetual and an
nual prizes for the licst pup's In thr.
public schools, annual roll f for the
poor of the town. Independently or the
distributions of the large funds, annual
assistance In the support, maintenance
and repair of the First Congrcg itlonal
Church of Ludlow and the payment of
the pastor's salary. i
There wMl. be also annual distribu
tions of Bibles to baptized children who
have reached the uge of 7 years, and
money prizes for Sunday school pupil?
who have had a perfect record of at
tendance for a year.
Tfin TTtTTTWFTTL. V
The placid gaze which Mrs. Asa
Holmes bent on her cousin Maria, the
only rich relative she possessed, was
Incomprehensible to the visitor. "Do
you mean to tell me there Isn't a thln.f
In the world you'd like to have me give
you for this house? she demanded,
Incredulously. .
"That's exactly what I mean, Ma
la," returned Mrs. Holmes, calmly. "I
have all I need, and Asy bns all he
needs. We decided that last year,
after we bought that Jong looking
glass from an advertisement."
"Where Is It?" Inquired Miss Maria.
That was one thing I thought of. You
don't appear to have a mirror here ol
any size or clearness. They're all wavy
or blurred and only little mirrors al
that.
'Yes, I know It." There was a tran
quil satisfaction on the face of Mrs.
Holmes. "We gave that looking-glass
to Wilhelinina Ilobbs for a wedding
present. She's young, and we reckoned
she could stand It better'n we could,
and It had a handsome frame.
"Asy an' I had wanted a looking-
glass that we could see the whole of
ourselves at once In for a long time.
Well, we got it, and we saw.
"We stood up side by side and took
a good look, and then we turned It to
the wall.
"'What shall we do with It. pa?' I
asked him, but he was too cast dowu to
answer me anything. So when Wil
helinina Ilobbs decided to take that
young man, we felt 'twas a real lend
ing-
"Of course, as I told Asy, 'twas
more'n we should have thought of pay
ing for her, but contentment comes
pretty high. And now when we look In
our wnvy, blurred mirrors, and know
that we diJn't appear quite so oue-sldcd
to other folks as we do In them, It sort
o' cheers us np ; whereas that long look
ing-glass well, I'm glad Wllholmlna
has It, that's all !"
CLEANUP ORDINANCE.
Scheme Adopted bjr a Park Commls.
Ion In Los Anitele.
Many of our California cities and
towns are adopting ordinances requir
ing vacant lots and untidy premises t
be cleaned up, says the Los Angple
Times. Iu Riverside the notification of
passage of such legislation is placed in
the hands of the park commission,
which has sent out the following no
tice to projierty owners :
"A provision In the new cleaning up
ordinance makes It the duty of the
park commissioners to lnioct the
streets and report al! such Instances of
untidy frontages, dirty vacant lots and
other premises as would come under
the provisions of the ordinance (a copy
of which is herewith inclosed) to the
superintendent of streets, whose duty
would I' to serve legal notice to prop
erty holders.
"It Is the opinion of the board that
a simple reminder In the largo majority
of cases will be all that Is ne-essary to
secure the desired results; hi-ii'-e we
take the liberty of calling your atten
tion to the neglected condition of the
frontage (description), ft sjM-otf ully re
questing that prompt attention be
given It t in: t formal legal notices to the
Hiine-lr-.tci:c'.e!it of streets may not bo
neivssarv."
An I.'. x u in r 1 u Worth I'tilliiivtnif .
The Country (iuo of Ware County
was recently organized at WayiTus-t,
(ill., for the purpose of si",uii,ig an or
ganised movement for Improvements,
says the Good Roads Magazine. Each
member of the club pledged himself tC
plant 210 trees of some sort so that
they will take rout, and have then
ready for trim-planting along the pub
lie road closist to his home next fall.
Among the uietnlier Is Judgn Warren
Lott. chairman or the Board of County
Commissioners, and he has promised
that the county will have the treel
plauted next fall by the gang and re
plant those that die each year. It U
figured that 210 trees will plunt a mlU
on both nld'-'s of tho road. John W.
Greer of Wuycross has been pushing
the movement
W0MEJT3 SENSE OF BEAUTY.
f-VU Is the Chief Tana of Their
Etrava;nnee la Dress.
Modern women are extravagant,"
says Mrs. Ellen II. Richards, "but It Is
the conditions of our modern life, with
Its loss of personal Independence, which
are to blame for this extravagance.
Mrs. Richards teaches In the Insti
tute of Technology and Is deeply Inter
ested In educational questions, particu
larly those which relate to ecenomlc
and Industrial training, bat before ev
erything else Mrs. Richards Is a gra
cious, charming lady who moves among
the glass flasks and Bnnsen hunters of
her chemical laboratory with tho same
poise and dignity which her mother
probably showed In the linen room fifty
years ago, says the Boston Herald. So
one Isn't surprised to find that while
the tech teacher realizes perfectly nil
tho temptations which the modern
woman Is heir to, her plea Is not the
overcoming of these temptations by
mannish disregard of all pretty thing,
but rather a return to the old, beauti
ful ideals of living, which recognized
primarily that things were not really
"pretty" unless they were also "good."
She compared the women of to-day
and of fifty years ago as regards the
quantity and the quality of their
dresses.
"Lid you never hear of the Judge's
wife iu ono of our Massachusetts
towns," she asked, "who had only three
gowns?"
Iler gray eyes smiled quietly as she
watched the astonishment of her twen
tieth-century listener, and she contin
ued in calm enjoyment.
'Yes, she Jind her morning gown. In
which she did her housework llnsey
woolsey, I suppose It was, spun by her
self and she had the gown which she
wore for calls and at church, and then
she had herbeautlful brocade, heavy and
rich and spleudld why, It would stand
alone I And It cost a great deal, be
cause It was such a lovely thing; but
she wore It and wore It and handed It
flown to her daughter and even now, It's
the most precious dress of the daugh
ters daughter.
But compare with that inventory the
gowns of a woman of to-day. She must
have her morning dress, which she can
never wear In the afternoon ; she must
have gowns for street wear, for dinners,
for receptions, for dances, for lectures,
And yet she hasn't one really nice
dress out of the lot how can ahe, when
she must have so many?
"It's this desire for the show of
things and not for the real goodness
underneath that is the greatest ex
trsvagance of modern women," declared
Mrs. Richards with Increasing fervor.
"Instead of getting one nice gown
which will last for years and years, we
get these slazy stuffs which pull to
pieces before the season Is over. And
the reason is that our sense of beauty
Is defective,"
ORIENTAL RUGS.
Why Those That Are Made by Hand
Work Coat So Much.
The simple apparatus is still In use
In outlying districts home dye tubs
filled with colors extruded from
sheep's blood, larkspur, indigo, tume-i
rlc, saffron, mulberry, walnut husks,
brass combs for carding and distaffs
wb.li led by hand. Between two sticks
held horizontally by supports nt the
ends are strung threads drawn taut,
harp fashion. Then worsted yarn Is
passed over and under the strings
twice. Songs are sung songs trans
lrltted from old to young, so ancient
some cf them, that they are In a lost
language and the songs tell the
weaver what colors to tie In as slv
progresses with the pnttern. Kacu
district has Its own patterns an
sotgs. After each knot the ends of
the yarn are scissored off to form the
pile.
In a close woven piece like n Kir
man, measuring a mere 5x8 feet, there
are 400 knots to the square Inch. As
the weaver's speed Is about three
knots a minute, four years of continu
ous labor would be required on such
a rug. ' Within that time some fingers
would stop weaving forever; others
would go on with It. Was it any won
der, the rug hunter asked me, that no
two old rugs, even from the same vil
lage and the same household, were
ever Just alike? A bereavement would
Induce a greater unconscious use of
white; a bridal would turn the weav
er's thought to scarlet and victories
of war to yellow. Local, environment.
family happenings, removals from
town to desert and desert to moun
tain, would each have effect. Gossip
of harems, the tinkle of silver anklets,
the alarms of brigands, the elations
of religions, all would go into the rug.
"Then," I Interrupted the hunter, "if
the.vstill dye and weave as of old,
rugs are being made now that eventu
ally will be beautiful and valuable?"
If the west were willing to say to
the east, "We will give you five or teu
years to make a rug." If It would suy
that, then age and gentle wear would
do the rest. But the west won't, it
lins mansions In Increasing numl?rs
to fit out at once. So It has Intro
duced aniline dyes and machine card
ers and spinning Jennies ami collec
tive weaving and Is otherwise hustling
production. Franklin Ciarkln In Ev
erybody's Magazine.
SUGAR AS FOOD.
I'sed With IlUcrluilnatlon, It la an
Aid to Good Health.
"There Is a prejudice against sugar
Which Is not Justified by physiological
reasoning," says the London Lancet.
"Sugar Is one of the most powen'i:'.
foods which we possess, us It is the
cheaistt or at any rate one of the
cheapest. In muscular labor no fod
OPpeurs to be able to give ttie same
powers of endurance us sugar, and
comparative practical exiierlments
have shown without the least douhl
that tfie hard physical workers, the
athlete or the soldier on the march is
much more equal to the physical stral.i
placed upon him when he has had In
cluded In his diet a llberul allowanco
of sugar than when sugar Is denied to
him.
"Trophies, prizes and cups have
undoubtedly been won on a diet jo
srnlch Msar was Intoatlonally a not-
Me constituent It has even been said
that sugar may decide a battle and
that Jam after all Is something moro
than a mere sweetmeat to .the soldier.
The fact that sugar Is a powerful
muscle food' accounts probably for the
isfavor Into which It falls, for a com
paratively small quantity amounts to
n excess, and excess is always Inimi
cal to the easy working of the dlg
tlve Processes.
"Sugar satiates; it is a concentrated
food. Where sugar does harm, there
fore. It Is Invariably duo to excess.
Taken In small quantities and distrib
uted over the dally food Intakes, sugar
contributes most usefully In health to
the supply of energy required by the
body.
nd ltv Is a curious fact that the
man who practically abstains irom
sugar or reduces his diet to one almost
free from carbohydrates In favor of
protein foods, such as meat, often
shows feeble muscular energy and nn
Indifferent capacity for physical en
durance." HE TRIED A SUIT IN CHINA.
American Lawyer Successfully Con
ducted Case Attains! a .Native.
An American lawyer In a Chinese
court, trying a case against a China
man charged with theft and winning
It before a Chinese tribunal, was the
experience of ' Wlnflcld Freeman, n
lawyer of Kansas City, Kan., and for
mer probate Judge of Wyandotte coun
ty. Judge Freeman and Mrs. Freeman
arrived recently after a trip around
the world. They were gone fifteen
months, according to the Kansas City
Times.
"Mrs. Froemnn and I were in Fo
chau preparing to makp a trip to K
Cheng to visit the temples, when we
ran across an American consul, Sam
uel Grneey." Judge Freeman explain
ed. "Mr. Grneey was preparing to
make n three days' trip to Ku Chen
to prosecute a criminal case, lie
learned that I was a lawyer, and then
he asked mo to save him the trip by
acting as prosecutor In his place. I
was pleased with the novelty of the
thing, and agreed to go in his steal.
After a three days' trip we lauded at
Ku Cheng. I went to tho courthouse
and there met the mandarin of the
province, who Is also tho Judge. He
was a well-educated man and Bixike
excellent English. I gave him a note
from the consul, saying that I would
prosecute the case. He read the note
and then gave me a day to prepare
for trial.
"I found on Inquiring Into the case
thnt a Chinese diK'tor had stolen a set
of surgical Instruments from the sur
geon In charge of the Methodist hospi
tal at Ku Cheng. When the case came
to trial I discovered that both the
Judge and myself had been provided
with Interpreters. I was surprised to
know the Judge should have an Inter
preter, since the mandarins are all
highly educated, but I found that the
thief was from another province and
siwke a tongue quite different from
that In Ka Cheng, ns English Is from
Chinese.
"Well," Judge Freeman Bald, "the
case dragged along for two days. I
cross-examined the witnesses through
an interpreter, but made my plea be
fore the Judge In English. I won the
case. The fellow was convicted of the
theft and sent to Jail. After the trial
the Judge invited Mrs. Freeman and
me to dine at his home. We had a
very enjoyable dinner, except for the
fact that Mrs. Freeman could not con
verse with the Judge's wife. I thin!'
that was the worst thing that ever
happened to Mrs. Freeman. After din
ner the Judge gave me n beautiful spec
tacle case as a compliment, as he said,
for my handling the case."
Judge Freeman and Mrs. Freeman
were well received everywhere on the
trip, Mrs. Freeman representing the
Y. W. C. A. and Mr. Freeman the
Methodist Episcopal Church of Amer
ica. Mr. and Mrs. Freeman visited
the Pope while lu Rome.
"He's the finest looking man I saw
on tho trip," ttie juuge saiu. e
talked to him about America for three
hours."
$ Wit of the Youngsters j
Small Allen's father was quite bald.
"Mamma," queried the little fellow one
day, "when my hair gets rljie will it
fall off like papa's did?"
Neighbor I o you think your sister
Is in love with Mr. Slmpkins? Little
Dora Of course not. She allows us
children to remain In the parlor when
he calls.
Little Elsie (at theater) Mamma,
Is that man on the stage crying In ear
nest? Mamma No, dear. Little Li
sle Well, I don't see how he can cry
for fun.
Little Lola Mamma, I know why
they say grandpa Is In his second child
hood? Mamma Why. dear? Llttbs
Lola 'Cause lie's bald amj has no
teeth. Just like the baby.
Small Bobby Nurse, do you know
where the dm tor lives that brought the
baby? Nurse No, Bobby. Small Bob
l,y Well, If the kid loses an arm or
leg or anything howil they know whcr.t
to get new parts?
Imlsy, aged .", dM not want her fa
vorite aunt to go to a distant city.
"Never mind, Daisy. " said the au.it,
iil bring you u nice big doll when I
return." "You needn't go so far," re
plied Daisy. "You can get one around
the corner."
It mi 111 lull of lllrlh Itute.
A government report of vital stalls
tics recently published covering the
dwade ending with the year Uamj re
veals a murkiil decline lu the birth
rate of England and Wales. In 170
the rute wus as high hh Hti.3 per l.ooo,
but at the end of 11)00 it was 28.7.
The birth rate Is falling more rapidly
than that of auy other civilized coun
try.
The more a girl likes and admire
her father and brothers, the less likely
that she will Idealise a vortfelMai lover
Into a hero.
A MADRIGAL.
Pefor me, careless lying,
Young Iaivo his ware com crying
Full soon the elf untrensurrs
ills pn'k of pains snd pleasures
With rogulrfi eye
He bids me buy
From out his pock of treasure.
His wallet's stuffed with blisses,
With tme-love-knots sad fclssi'-i,
With rings nd rosy fetters.
And sugared vows and letters
He holds them out
With boyish flout.
And bids me try the fetters.
Nay, Child (I cry), I knw '.:?':
There's little need to show them!
Too well for new believing
I know their past deceiving
I am too oil
(I say), and cold
To-day, for new believing!
Hut still the wanton presses.
With honey-sweet caresses,
And still, to my undoing,
He wins me with his wooing,
To buy his ware
With all Its care,
Its sorrow and undoing.
Austin Dobson.
mm
Dear sir." rati the letter, "owing to
the fact that we arc making consider
able reductions In our otllce staff, wp
regret to Inform you that we shall not
require your services after this day
month, the 27 prox. We shall of
course be pleased to give you any tes
timonials you may desire In the fu-
ttye, and you have our Is-st wishes for
your subsequent career."
Klmbcr rend tho note three times
before he was able to realize exactly
what It meant. At first, he had Ik1
Heved that It was a sort of Joke tin the
part of tho correspondence clerk ; the
fellows were always having what they
called a "game" with him, la-cause he
happened to be the oldest man In the
olllce. lie had reached the critical ag.'
of 43, and the Inverted values of the
twentieth century demand that tin-
last thing on earth to be respected
shall be the dignity of ng!.
But although. In the beginning, ho
had been Inclined to regard the letter
as a Jest, further observation proved
that he was quite wrong. The note
bore the signature of "James Skinner,"
the head of the firm, and even Dixon,
the correspondence clerk, would unrd
?y have had the audacity to forgo that
august gentleman's name.
"So I'm to be kicked out," he mur
mured, "and I can guess the reason.
I'm too old. That's It. Too old!
I'm punctuul, I'm quick, I'm every
thing they want, but my hair Is going
gray, and people don't r"fer to me any
longer as that 'young fellow'!"
A feeling of violent resentment
seized his s ml, shutting out the mlMcr
I seUFiitioii i)i sorrow. Hint wr.iid come
later, of course, but just now he could
only feel enraged. It was scandalous,
brutal, altogether unjustifiable, he re
flected. What tight had they to i:se
th;.' best years of a nun's lire, and
then fling hlni uway mi to t'le dust
heap when the whim seized them?
lie glanced round the d.-st-rted oilice,
whence the clerks had departed to
their Saturday afternoon football or
nmslc-hall. Jove, how attached he
had become to the place! The clock,
the dingy desks, the rlcketty rtools
11 these things were part of his life,
and had twined themselves Into te
routine of his days. Somehow, he
could not Imagine himself working In
any other room. It was true that ho
had often disliked the monotony of his
toil, but now that there was the pros
iect of something new and strange, he
shrunk back into the memory of that
happy monotony with s unetlilng like
the gratified shiver with which the dis
turbed sleeper returns to the warmth
of the sheets. '
It was Skinner's doing, of course
The manager had always Uked him
(Klniber), and would never have sug
gested his removal. Skinner, however
was prejudiced In favor of young men ;
doubtless that trip to New York last
year had developed i tils prejudices.
Often had he beard Skinner say that
young blood was what the modern
DusincHs man wuuiei. jes. it was
(Skinner's doing, runi a feeling of pas
slouate resentment agalnts the smooth
faced, brutal head of the firm ri se In
Kluibcr's soul. If Skinner had enter
ed the office at that moment, be would
not have la-en answerable for what
happened.
Suddenly he conceived the iea of
going round to bis chiefs private
house and demanding an Interview,
(tn Monday, at the oilice. It Would be
Impossible, for the stream of callers
was Incct-mnt, and at most lie would
be able to snatch a few minutes only
of the busy mans time. But If
went to the bouse, he could say
say undisturbed.
lu
ll. s
"Yes. I ll do
having brushed
ened bis tie, he
lug westwards.
It."
bis
he resolved, ai.d,
bat ti Hi 1 Htralght-
dilllbed on a 'bus g:
llis lu art bent more
swiftly than usual, but his face was
calm. He was even able to listen with
a vague Interest to the conversation
of two men who sat In front of him.
"Yes," said the cider of the two,
"it's what I've always said. Every
mun has a skeleton In his cupboard.
Pomettmcs It's the skeleton of a wom
an, sometimes of a drunken father,
sometimes of a lunatic brother. But
there It Is, and although he keeps the
key of the cupboard In bis moat care
fully buttoned pocket, somebody steals
the key at last That's what happened
to poor Bennett"
Ills companion acquiesced, and then
attempted a feeble Joke. This led the
conversation Into a lighter vein, and
the subject of skeletons was dropped.
On the brain of Khntier, however, the
chance words had made an Impression.
A gleam crime Into his eyes, and a spot
tit color glowed In his check. His mind
worketl with feverish energy.
The 'bus paused at Lancaster Gate.
He alighted, and walked swiftly to
Westbourne Terrace, where the great
man lived. He hesitated for a mo
ment at the door, asking himself
whether he should knock or ring, for
he was not used to visiting at "swag
ger" houses. Eventually, with a touch
of bravado, he resolved to do both.
A man In quiet livery opened the
door.
"Is Mr. Skinner at home?" ho asked,
boldly.
The servant stared at htm, guessing
that he was from the office, and ac
cordingly favoring him with tho con
rempt which nil Hght-mtntM flunkeys
feel for mere clerks.
Don't know, I'm sure,- lie replied,
carelessly.
"Then be good enough to Inquire,"
said Klmlier, sternly.
liie tone was brutal, nnd produced
tho desired effect. The man nsked
Mm to step Inside, and Inquired his
name.
Klmbcr took out his card, and wrote
on It : "May I see you, sir, for a few
'minutes on a very urgent matter?"
You will plcaso give this to Mr.
Skinner," he said, "I am sure he will
consent to see me If ho Is at home."
The servant went away, and return-
i-d n moment later.
Just step in hero nnd wait a bit,"
he observed, ns he pointed to a room,
the door of which was open.
KlmlK-r obeyed. There was a mlr
i-or on the mantelpiece. He walked
to It and surveyed himself. Jove!
bow wonderfully young and well he
looked. The years seemed to have
-oiled from -him during the past ten
minutes. The dominating Impulse
which had seized his brain had bright
ened his eyes, nnd brought a glow to
Ids chiH-k. He felt thnt he was ready
to achieve anything. Anything!
"Fr what do you want, Kunber?
asked a voice, rousing him from bis
reverie. Facing round abruptly, he
saw that Skinner had entered the
room.
"I took the liberty of calling, sir. In
reference to this letter," he replied, ns
he took the note from his pocket and
bunded It to his employer.
Skinner rend the letter as though
lie was uot aware of the contents.
"Well!" he snld, ns he returned it.
"Well! Whut about It?"
"I have come here to ask you to re
consider your decision, Bir," he answer
ed, "and to tell you thnt I think you
have no right to dismiss ne after my
long service."
"Indeed! Such things-are done ev
cry day. You must excuse my saying
so, but cr you are getting a llttlo
too old for us. We want younger men.
Yes, thut Is what I thought But,
all the same, sir, I dont admit the
justice of It. I cun do everything that
a younger person enn do, and perhaps
do it better. As to salary, I'm only
getting five hundred dollars a year.
and I doubt if even a man half my
age would take much less."
Skinner shuffled his feet impatient
ly.
My good fellow," he snld, "I really
can't waste time arguing with you
about the ethics of commercial efflclcn
cv. 1 suppose I have a right to do as
I choose In my own office. Now, bo
sensible and take your gruel like a
mun. Otherwise, I may ctiango u.-y
mind about furnishing testimonial
whin you wont them!"
Klmbcr realized that the hour had
struck for action. Ho pulled himself
tcgethcr, nnd approached his em
ployer.
"Mr. Skinner," he snld, "you are an
ambitious man. I know that you have
just been elected to the directorate of
a City Company, nnd I believe thnt
you contemplate running for Cougresj
at the next election."
Skinner stared at him as though be
believed his clerk had suddenly gone
mad.
"Whut the mischief has all that got
to do with you ond your dismissal?"
h? asked, abruptly.
"More than you think," replied Klm
bcr, us he fixed his eyes upon the other
man with a very acuta glance, "much
more. For you must remember, Mr.
SU inner, that I have been in your of
tl"e twenty years, and that during that
time I have kept my eyes and tars
open" -
"Well?"
There was Just a touch of uneasl
ness I u the exclamation. Skinner again
shullled his feet, but, this time, anx
lety and not Impatience Impelled the
mechanical action.
"Well, an observant man can learn
many things In twenty years. Ha can
learu other things besides matters
which coucern the office. You under
stand?"
"What do you mean?"
Skinner's hands were now engaged
with his watch-chain. He was twirl
ing It nervously. A shade of putior
deepened in his henvy face.
"I think," suld the other mau, cool
ly, "you can guess what 1 mean. I
don't want to hurt your feelings and
to go Into needless details. But I dare
say you will call to mind that there Is
a certain circumstance which you
would not like to be brought to light,
either now or In the future. This Is
a very censorious country, Mr. Skin
ner, and people Insist on their Con
gressional representatives having un
spotted records, or, at least, records
where the spots ure decently covered
up. Need I say more?"
Skinner did not reply for a moment.
Then, with a sudden unger, he burst
out :
"So you're going lu for blackmail,
are you?"
'Turdon me, but I'm doing nothing
of the sort. I'm not asklug for money.
I'm asking for mere Justice. All these
yeurs I've kept silent when, If I had
liked, I could easily have wrung from
you by hinting to you of the exposure
which a few words of mine would
bring abou
And had ron done so. I should u
sent, for a policeman,'' muttered Js8 :'i
not. .
"Hardly, for If so, why don't yoa
ring that bell now, and call In po
liceman?" observed Klmber, triumph
antly. "I can promise you ' that I
shan't try to escape. Rut, really, Mr.
Skinner, I doubt If you would have
been foolish enough to ask for pollco
assistance. There are cases where
compromise Is the best plan ind the
safest This case is one of f em."
The two men eyed each 0 her, as
though they were measuring their rel
ative strengths, Klmber stood tho
gaze of his employer unflinchingly. Un
til that hour, he had never dreamed
thnt he possessed so much courage.
The hour bad called It forth, and lo,
It hndwcome.
"Now, look here," snld Skinner,
after a pause. "All this may be mere
bluff. Where are your porofs of your
absurd statements?"
"The proofs," replied Klmber, calm
ly, "He in the mouth of the person
who confided to uie tho story."
Skinner swayed back, a slight foam
on his lips.
"Great heavens!" he gasped, "then
she "
"Yes, she Is still alive, and very.
very anxious to be kicking as well,"
returned Klmber, quickly, "but as Is -hapiens,
she does not know exactly
where to find you. I do. Now do you
understand?"
Skinner sat down, and burled his
face In his hands.
"Confound you," he snld, thickly, "I
thought It was nil over and forgot
ten." "Afost men do comfort themselves
with that belief," observed Klmber,
"but they find out their mistake soon
er or later. But believe me, Mr. Skin
ner, I have no wish to cause you any
distress. I have merely referred to
the episode to show that I speak of
what I know. The skeleton Is locked,
In your cupboard, and I happen to
huve a key as well as you. That all.'
But I don't want to use the key If I' .
can help It"
A pause followed, during which va
rious emotions throbbed through Skin
ner's poor, sordid little soul. Rage,
fear, and surprise held the high place
there, and It was easy to sea that th
words of his clerk had produced a ter
rible impression.
, The clock struck 4.
"I'm afraid," said Klmber, "that I'm
taking up too much of your time."
"No, no, wait a moment"
Klmbcr smiled, and sat down again.
Presently bis employer looked at
him intently.
Mr. Klmber," he said, and the fact
that he used the word "Mr." struck
the clerk at being significant "I sup
pose that you are not a vindictive
man,"
"I hope not."
"You cannot really have any grudgs
against me except that you think you
have received an unjust dismissal."
"That Is my only grievance."
"Suppose that the dismissal were to
be withdrawn, the grudge, I Imagine,
would be withdrawn also?"
"Of course!"
A deep sigh of relief Issued from
Mr. Skinner's throt He rose, and al
lnoat em lied.
"Then,' he said, "you may consider
yourself reinstated."
"Thank you very much, sir."
Klmber reached for his hat and um
brella, and went toward the door.
"One moment" murmured Mr. Skin
ner, "you told me Just now that you
were getting five hundred a year. That
Is certainly not an inflated salary. I
think I shall give you the charge of
an additional department and raise
tho salary to $750."
"Thank you very much, sir," he said
again.
The contemptuous-looking footman
showed him out wondering why the
caller smiled bo expansively as be
went down the steps.
"I should like to know," reflected
Klmber, as he climbed on his 'bus.
"what Skinner's skeleton really is?"
Black ond White.
A Prophet Epithet.
The troubles which are brought to
a parisn priest zor soiuuon are al
most infinite in their variety. In a
certain Prussian Tillage, says Fried-
rich August Dressier in "Moltke In
His Home," an old woman came to her
spiritual adviser and proposed a sep
aration from her husband.
"If he would beat me," she said.
"that would be all right; that would
show that be was really my mas.
But he calls me worse names ; he calls
me a 'subject V I will not stand for
thatr
"So, 'subject,' eh?" said the priest
"Yen, that is bad. It is a bad word.
I did not think he would say that
But are you sure you understood?
Did he say 'subject' or 'object?"
The old woman shook her head. She
was not certain. The priest smiled
serenely.
"Ah, I thought so," he said. "Now,
I am sure that Is what he called you.
'Subject would have been very bad.
It would be hard to forgive that but
'object,' pooh, It Is nothing. If at all,
it flatters one."
Tho woman laughed happily. "And,
then, I need not leave him? I can
still keep him for my man?" she ask
ed eagerly.
"Certainly," said her mentor, "and
rejoice. 'Object,' that Is very fine,
very ! I was sure he did not say 'sub
ject!'"
She went away entirely satisfied,'
ond th priest heard of no more db
agreements between the couple.
A Martyr.
"Mamma, have I got to take a bath
to-Light?"
"I'm afraid you have, my dear."
Tiiif t Imven't done anvthlntr all th
week to deserve It" New York Life.
A girl of 10 walks as though she
owwxl the earth, and after she has
been married a few years, she walks
as If she were carrying it on her
shoulders.
Some people's idea of being sincere
Is to show It when they dislike some
one. .
Trouble toon pines awe and Cim tZ
gleets