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TMfCS&IVING
FT
UST seven years ago
to-day
flwcot Alice mild
that Hlio
Tor butter or for
worse would give
Her winsome self
to mo.
All, welll It seems nn ago ago
That wo stood proudly there,
And people said they'd seldom see
A hotter favored pair.
Hut hitter dayH and hitter tears
Havo coma to mo since then;
Arid I, alas! can never ho
A cnrelcss hoy again!
!Far out upon the hillside stands
A slender Htone that tells
Tho story of my life and where
My altar ego dwells.
Dut stayt There falls upon my cars
Sweut sounds of baby glee,
Anil hero another Alice comes
To lavish lovo on me!
80 let mo render thanks to-day,
Although I am bereft:
Tho Lord did give and take away,
But sco what Ho has left!
Cleveland Leader.
REAfc
3;
6z.
AANK6G1VIN&
,'0 WHISKS from
t o -111 o r r o w i s
Thnnksgiving. Let
us go to Orley to
spend it."
"Go to Orley!
Why, Agntha, you
must be crazy!"
Agatha C 1 a I r
pushed back her
unfinished cup of
coffee, a decided
frown on her smooth, white forehead.
"Indeed, Eugene," there was a note of
irritation in her voice "I fall to see
'why a woman should be pronounced
crnzy because she expresses a desire to
visit her home after an absence of a
year and a half."
"Home!" he echoed the word a lit
tle reproachfully, his eyes wandering
around the neat dining-room. "This is
home, Agatha. The first real one we
have cither of us had for years."
The color deepened on the. wife's
checks. Her husband's words were
true; her girlhood's home, with an
-undo In a distant city, had not been a
Jmppy one. This uncle had been too
proud to lot liis sister's child earn her
"bread, and ns there had been more pride
than love or money in the home Agatha
had realized the bitterness of the bread
of dependence.
The cozy farmhouse, shared with the
quiet man who had won her love, had
seemed a haven of peace. Used all her
life to the bustle of a city and to a home
crowded with gay young life, Agntha
began, nftora time, to long for a change.
-Just now a letter from her cousins, tell
ing of concerts, lectures and parties,
made the uneventful winter stretching
before her look very dreary.
She sat toying with her spoon until
licr husband had finished his break
fast. Then she looked up, a coaxing
.light in her soft, gray eyes.
"Why can't we go, Eugene?"
"Can't afford it," he replied, a little
ungr: -iously, for her persistence an
noyed him. "Besides, the railroad fare,
thcro'.d be a lot. of new clothes wanted
and"
"Clothes!" Agatha wns angry now.
"iteully, 1 didn't suppose you knew that
a woman ever had to have clothes. I've
Keen nothing since 1 was your wife to
show any such knowledge on your part.
I'm tired of this scrimping and saving
and stagnating."
There was a pause. Husband and
wife, confronted each other, both with
Hushed faces and hurried breath.
"And I'm " he began, hotly. Then,
moved by home memory, he stopped.
A moment later he cried out: "Ah,
Agatha, I never dreamed that you felt
that way! It cost so much for us to
tnrt, and the crops have been poor. 1
thought you understood " and break
ing off abruptly he strode out through
the kitchen on his way to the barn.
As the heroine of a nineteenth cen
tury story, Agatha should have sat
down and burst into tears. But there
was little of the heroic about her. She
was only an ordinary woman whose
temper was aroused, although not to
such nn extent that she could entirely
forget the usual chord of pain hi her
Oiusband's voice. However, she went
about her work, setting down her pret
ty china with nn unnecessary amount
ot energy, and saying to herself: "1
think it downright mean in Eugene. I
wonder how I shall ever endure this
Jong, lonesome winter! No place to go,
4iii(l no one to see."
The matter was not referred to again.
31ut there was a cloud between husband
and wife tho Arst since their wedding
day.
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The third day after the scene at the
breakfast table, Mrs. Ferris, called and
asked Agatha to accompany her to a
meeting of the sewing society. The
young wife eagerly Accepted the invita
tion. It would enable her to forget, for
a little time, at least.
Agatha went rapidly about her toilet.
Her guest was heated in the dining
room, and by leaving the door open
conversation could be carried on dur
ing the hair brushing and dress ehang-
!"
"Where are you going to spend
Thanksgiving?" Airs. Ferris asked,
while she studied the arrangement of
the violet-strewn silkolene drape on the
shelf near her, secretly wondering if
she could not imitate it.
"Thanksgiving!" Agatha repeated,
with a hard, littU laugh. "There is to be
nosuchdayinmycalendar. I can't think
of one tiling that I am thankful for,
unless it is that this dull life will soon
kill me."
"Why, Mrs. Clair! 1 supposed that
you were thankful that you and Mr.
Clair were Bttll living in the borderland
of bliss that lovers imagine will last."
There was a moment's silence.
Agatha was busy fastening the collar
of her pretty green serge. Outside the
window, opened to admit the crisp au
tumnal air, a white-faced man leaned
against the house, the golden straw
with which he had been covering the
pansy bed blowing unheeded nbout his
feet.
"1 am thankful Hint we have merged
into the land of common sense. If we
had done it a year and a half ago life
might still mean something for me.
Now I see I have made a mistake."
Ten minutes later Eugene Clair came
forward to put his wife and Mrs. Ferris
into the waiting carriage. He replied
courteously to the question of his
neighbor, and as they were starting,
said:
"Hood-by, Agatha."
HUSBAND AND WIFE CONFRONTED EACH OTHER.
But Agatha was too busy covering her
dress with the robe to do more than
nod in reply.
The sun, red and angry-looking, was
just disappearing behind the forest
crowned hills west of Agatha's home
when Mrs. Ferris left her at the gate.
Tiie wind wailed loudly around the
house, and the young wife shivered as
she hurried up the path.
"I hope Eugene will have a lire," she
said to herself, "lie always remembers:
such things."
For once he had not remembered.
The house was empty and cold. On the
table lay a letter addressed: "Agatha."
Chilled by a nameless terror sue car
ried It to the window and, by the dim
light, read:
"Dear Agatha: I havo a chance to go
with Fowler to Chicago with a carload of
horses. Must start at oneo and be gone a
week. Harlcness Is coming In the morning
to seo about Nannie. Tell him he can havo
her for $123. Ho will pay you. Take the
money and go to Orley, you can got your
now clothes after you get there. Stay as
long us you Ilka and enjoy yourself, I'll get
along nicely, and If Fowler makes mo a
good offer I will go directly to the lumber
camps for tho winter. Ever yours,
"EUGENE."
"Sold Nannie!" Agntha gasped. "Eu
gene gone for a week and 1 am to tell
llarkncss that he can have Nannie!"
Nannie was a beautiful blnck colt.
Agatha knew how proud her husband
was of the intelligent animal's beauty
and grace. She had often heard him de
clare that money could not buy her.
And Harkness was noted for his cruelty,
the last person into whose hands Eu
gene would be willing to place Nannie.
Then that mention of the lumber
camps and the hints that he might not
return. What did it all mean? Was it
because of her words that morning that
lie was trying so hard to secure money'.'
When the hired man, who lived in the
tenant house, brought in the uulk,
Agatha .learned' thai Eugene had made
in
case he did not come
"He asked me if Margie and me would
Bleep here," Tom concluded. "Said It
would only be a few days as you was
goin' away. Margie, she'll uike the
milk then."
Instend of sleeping that nltfht,
Agntha Clair thought. One result of
her thinking was that when Ilarkntss
came in the morning she told him he
could not hnve Nannie.
"I hnrdly expected Gene would pnrt
with her," the man said, good-humored-ly.
"Would another ten be any induce
ment?" Agatha shook her brown head de
cidedly. "Nothing you can offer will
induce us to let Nannie go."
Fowler was to return Thnnksgiving
morning. Would Eugene come with
him, pr would he go north? There was
110 way of communicating with him.
There was nothing Agatha could do.
Nnv. there was one thlmr she could
pray. Sometimes she would fall upon
her knees and assail Heaven with
prayers that were demands. Again the
peace that had filled her heart when a
child at her mother's side came to her,
and she trustingly asked that Eugene
might come home to iind a different
wife from the one whose discontent had
driven him away.
Thanksgiving came. The sky was
gray and lowering, while the cast wind
brought, ever and anon, a gust of snow.
The train would reach the village a
mile awav at 11. Before that time
Agatha's arrangements were complet
ed. In the oven a turkey was brown
ing, vegetables stood in readiness for
the stove. The fable was bright In its
best array of linen, china and silver.
There were quivering molds of amber
jelly, a dish of oranges garnished with
green leaves, and at Eugene's plate, a
cluster of pink carnations.
The whole house was bright and cozy.
Agatha, in the gray dress with scarlet !
trimmings that Eugene liked so well,
was watching at the window.
Everything was done. Think as best
she could there was not one task re
maining undone with which she could
busy herself. Nothing to do but watch
that dreary road which wound around
the hill.
If he did not come Agatha's breath
came in short, quick gasps. She had
said she had nothing to be thankful for.
Ah, could she go back to that day she
would ask no choicer boon of Heaven.
Hark! the train was whistling at the
station. It would not be long now.
She resolutely turned away from her
Watch, making a tour of the house and
keeping away from the window for ten
minutes.
He was not yet in sight.
But why give these details? Those
who have kept a like vigil will under
stand, and to no others can words tell
the story. When the clock chimed 12,
Agatha threw herself on the lounge and
the tears had their own way.
"Not coining back," she cried. "O,
Eugene! How can I live without you!"
She did not hear the slow step on the
porch. At the opening of the door she
raised her head.
"Eugene! Thank God, Eugene!"
lie did not understand, but he took
her in his arms and there she sobbed
out the whole story.
"But your visit to Orley
' he hesi -
tated a little over the words, "you bet
tor go, Agatha, now we have the money.
It is dull hero for you."
Her hand was laid softly on his lips.
"Wo haven't the money. I did not let
Auniiie go. 1 knew you loved her and
was only parting with her to gratify
my foolish whims. As to its being dull,
you are here, dear. 1 tini'so gln.l to bo
with you once more. I know, for tho
first time in my life, what Thanksgiv
ing really means!" Hope Daring, in
Good Housekeeping.
arrangements
back.
SHROUDED IN MYSTERY.
Tho Origin of tho Mound Builders
of iTorth America. .
Were They J'cruhniicc One of the Lout
Tribe of Inrnel? Sonic Facta
In Support of Tliln
Theory.
Special Washington Letter.
Where did the Indians come from,
and who were the mound builders?
Men and women who read and study
the history of the continent have nb
borbed and originated all sorts of the
ories concerning the aboriginal inhab
itants of the new world.
The bureau of ethnology hns worked
on this problem for the last 20 years
with great energy and earnestness.
FINDING SKELETON OF GIANT.
The work has been thoroughly done,
nd leaves no room for doubt as to the
accuracy 01 us rcsuns. ii mis uiicny
exploded old theories as to a more an
cient race of superior civilization which
was imagined to hnve been responsible
for the creation of the monuments in
question. It has been demonstrated
that the objects yielded by the tumuli,
which are not of unmistakably Indian
manufacture, were obtained from the
whites.
Mnj. Powell, who was for many years
in charge of the geological survey, has
baid that this investigation was as much
of a blind study as the originnl efforts
to decipher the inscriptions upon the
Btone wonders of ancient Egypt.
One of the quiet students of the sur
vey says: "The most interesting works
of the mound builders nre the so-called
efligy mounds, representing birds and
many kinds of mammals, which are
confined almost wholly to Wisconsin
and a small part of Iowa. The whole
of the valley of Prairie du Chicn town
ship is dotted with these ancient ani
mals in droves, all beading to the south
west like the river. They are enduring
evidences of a dense population and
long occupancy in pnst time. Some of
the birds have a spread of 250 feet from
wing tip to wing tip."
It is n matter of official record that
in digging through a mound in Iowa
the scientists found the skeleton of a
giant, who, judging from actual meas
urement, must have stood seven feet
six inches tall when alive. The bones
crumbled to dust when exposed to the
air. Around the neck was a collar of
bear's teeth, and across the thighs were
dozens of small copper beads, which
may have once adorned a hunting skirt.
The latter were formed by rolling slen
der wire-like strips of metnl into little
rings. One skull obtained from a mound
in Alabama was completely filled with
snnll shells.
In another mound in Iowa was found
n central chamber containing 11 skele
tons, which were arranged in a circle
with their backs against the walls. In
their midst was a great sea shell, which
had been converted intoa drinking-cup.
Smaller cavities in the same tumulus
were filled with a fine copper-colored
dust, which, when first uncovered, gave
out such a sickening odor that opera
tions had to be suspended for awhile,
The dust was supposed to be the ashes
from burned flesh perhaps that of the
individuals in the central chamber.
Many tribes of Indians in ancient times
made a practice of removing the flesh
from the bones of the dead.
But nil of these studies (and discov
eries have not given us anything really
historical concerning the people who
did these things. The officials of the
geological survey, of the Smithsonian
Institution, the National museum, and
other centers of science and philosophy
at the national capital, all agree
that the question as to whence
the Indians originally enme is still
in dispute, and likely to re
main eo. There is no truth In the nt-
tractive notion that once n mighty nn
tion occupied the valley of the Mis
sissippi, with its frontier settlements
' resting on the lake shores and gulf
I const, nestling in the valleys of the
' Appalachian range and skirting the
urono plains 01 me west a nation
with Its system of government nnd re
ligion, which has disappeared, leaving
1 behind it no evidence of its glory, pow
er or extent, snvc the mounds and what
they eontnin.
One thing is certain, nnd that is that
the mound builders continued their
work for some time after the Europenn
discoverers and adventurers came to the
shores of this continent and penetrated
its terra incognita. It is officially re
corded that agents of the bureau pf
' etiiuology have explored and made ex-
cavations In more than 2,000 of these
mounds. Among the objects found in
them were pcnrls In great numbers and
some of very large size, engraved shells,
bracelets of drawn wire, silver brooches,
pins, needles, a silver plate with the
coat of arms of Spain, a gun barrel, a
Ilomau Catholic medal, a copper kettle
and a fur-covered, brass-nniled trunk.
Of course, many of these articles were
obtained from the whites. They dem
onstrate that mound building nnd burial
in mounds went on for some time nfter
the whites landed on the shores of
America. In fact, agents have seen
such mounds in process of construc
tion by Indians.
The" scientific discovery nnd disclo
sures of ancient Troy developed no
things more wonderful than these sci
entific explorers of the mounds; al
though the developments at Troy have
been of more historic value, because
they verify well-authenticated historic
datn. But some very interesting ma
terial for historic development hns been
found in caves. Tracing the Mississippi
river, six miles south of New Albln, is
a great cavity in the vertical face of
the sandstone bluff, 50 feet long and
12 feet high. The walls and ceilings
arc literally covered with rude etch
ings representing quadrupeds, birds,
bird tracks and symbolical or fanciful
objects. The floor Is spread to a depth
of two feet with the bones of fishes nnd
beasts, fragments of pottery, charcoal
and ashes. Even more remnrkable is
the cave near Guntersville, Ala. Evi
dently it was utilized for many gen
erations as a cemetery, and the num
ber of dead deposited in it must have
been very great. Though much of Its
contents hns been 'milled away in sacks,
for fertilizing land, the floor is yet cov
ered to n depth of four feet with ma
terial composed chiefly of fragments
of human bones. In Tennessee and
Kentucky the flesh of bodies stored in
enves centuries ngo is sometimes re
markably preserved.
On a farm In Bollinger county, Mo.,
is an area of considerable extent sur
rounded by nn ancient wall of earth
about three feet high in places. In
side of it, formerly, were many remark
able mounds used for burial places by
the Indians of prehistoric times, but
10 years of continued cultivation of the
soil have nearly leveled them. Plow
ing over one of the mounds a few years
ago the owner struck something, nnd,
on digging further in the earth, discov
ered two stone coffins each containing
a skeleton. In one of the coffins he
found a gourd-shaped vessel filled with
lead ore, so pure that he afterwards
turned it into bullets.
In 1879 people in the neighborhood
of a town in Mississippi discovered that
the pottery, in which the mounds of
that region were unusually rich, had
considerable commercial value. The
specimens obtained were sold to mer
chants, who in turn furnished them to
museums, scientific institutions nnd
relic hunters.
That the mound builders were great
smokers is proved by the large number
of pipes found in their mounds nnd
BRICKS WITHOUT STRAW.
graves. So numerous are these and so
widely distributed that pipemnkingnnd
pipesmoking may be considered as a
marked characteristic of that ancient
people. This will serve in a way as
supplementary evidence thnt they tvere
Indians; for the Indian is par excellence
the man who smokes, nnd the pipe is es
sential to his happiness.
The correspondent k neither a sci
entist nor a philosopher, and yet may
make a suggestion. Maybe nobody will
ever be able to correctly conjecture,
much less prove, where the mound
builders came from, nor who they were.
But is it not a singular fact that they
builded mounds just ns the ancient
Egyptians builded pyrnmids? Has
anyone eer investigated the similar
ity of the methods of the two races?
May not these mound builders hnve
been descended from or related to the
Egyptians?
What became of the lost tribes of
Israel, after they had learned to build
pyramids, making bricks without
straw?
The mound builders, by their work,
manifestly were more like the pyramid
ninkers of Egypt than like any other
people. When we wonder why pyra
mids were built, should we not at tho
same time ask why the mounds were
built, nnd whether or not they were
built upon the same scientific, supersti
tions or religious theory, nnd for a
similar purpose? SMITH D. fry.
True Worst is the name of u Mary
ville, Mo., drummer
M
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