DASHED HOPES.
" In tiie dim corners of Lady Arling
ton's big drawing-room in Grosvenor
place rose-shaded lamps were casting:
a tender plow, but near the three tall
windows and in the center of the
room there was still sufficient day
light to illuminate the faces and frocks
of the guests who were assembled for
dinner.
Lady Arlington, clad in shimmering'
white satin and wonderful pink pearls,
flitted liue a spirit from group to
group; now greeting a fresh arrival,
now pairing off her friends.
"Lady Susan, Lord Marrable will
take you down. He's awfully dull, I
know, but Bertie Fancourt is your
other side. Sir Charles, you're des
tined to the tender mercies of Dolly
Lansdown. Take care of yourself;
she's a dreadful little flirt, and boasts
of her victims. Ah! Olivia, I'm de
lighted to see you. CoL Egerton, take
cara of my friend, Mrs. Abinger, for a
few moments till her cavalier turns
up. What a nuisance your sex is,
coloneL Uere we are, twenty-three
hungry souls, all waiting for one
tiresome man. Olivia, my dear, if in
five minutes he does not turn tip I'm
afraid you'll have to go downstairs
alone.
And with a gay little laugh Lady
Arlington turned away.
Sirs. Abinger smiled after her re
treating figure, and CoL Egerton,
catching sight of her slightly-curled
mouth, thought she had the sweetest
lips he had ever seen, and so thinking,
he looked the closer.
He saw a slender woman, with a
6hapely head set upon a round, white
throat. The low-cut bodice of her
plain black gown clasped a slight
waist and made a fitting framework
for her dimpled shoulders, tier big
black fan seemed all too heavy for her
tiny wrists and small pink-tipped fin
gers. In the fast-fading light he could
scarcely distinguish her features, but
he Noticed that her hair was soft and
fair, and that her eyes were large and
just a little sad.
The gallant colonel was still won
dering what kind of a voice so charm
ing a woman could have, when the
door was flung wide and a tall man
strode into the room. Lady Arlington
heaved an audible sigh of relief,
waved rather than spoke an introduc
tion between Mrs. Abinger and the
newcomer, and then, like a multi
colored snake, her guests rustled down
the wide white staircase to dinner.
There was a momentary dragging of
silken trains under chairs and a gen
eral settling down before the last ar
rival turned to scan the woman at his
side, whom in the 6wift transit from
the drawing-room to the dining-room
he had only vaguely concluded was
slxght, and pretty, and fair-haired.
"Olivia! You?" His tone of aston
lshment was too loud for good breed
ing, but the chat about the table was
lively, and no one heard his voice save.
indeed, Mrs. Abinger.
"Yes, it is I. I knew you the mo
ment you entered, though the room
was almost dark."
"And yet we've not met for so many
years," he said; then, with the gal
lant after-thought of a man of the
world, he added: "Not that you look
one day older than when "
She finished the sentence for him:
"We parted."
There was a sigh in her voice and a
touch of pure sentiment in her sad
eyes as she spoke, and recalled, as
women love to do, the agony of that
hour, fifteen years ago. which had
torn her from Angus Ferrers' arms.
fcjhe had been so young then little
more than a child but her whole soul
had been given to her boyish lover.
and the parental edict which had sent
Angus to India and herself to
wretched marriage had nearly broken
her heart.
But the dream of the past was dis
pelled by him who had recalled it.
"And you married?" he said.
"Yes; I was obliged. Mr. Abinger
was rich in those days, and he bought
me.
"In those days! Is he not so now?"
"He died two years ago, a pauper.
Mrs. Abinger spoke quietly. She
5ad lived so long with tl-s tragedy of
existence that it had lost its most
poignant thrills, and had degenerated
into a gray monotony of misery.
Xo so Sir Angus Ferrers. A look of
unutterable pity crept into his eyes, a
note of intense sympathy into his
voice.
"And you are
"A widow, and a pauper, too."
She made a little gesture with her
small, white hands; a gesture that in
vited inspection of her poor gown, of
her lack of jewels and that told
more plainly than could a thousand
words of genteel poverty and want.
"My poor Olivia," he said, and as
she glanced at him she saw tears on
his eye-lashes.
Lady Arlington grumbled next day
to her husband of Mrs. xVbmger's dull'
aess and Sir Angus Ferrers silence.
But that long dinner was, in truth
nothing but a dream to the man and
woman who had parted with such
passionate tears fifteen years ago, and
had met once again so unexpectedly
Yet, though both dreamed, their
visions . were so different. He, rich
titled, still in the prime of manhood,
was absorbed in the dead past. If he
had been firm, if he had married
Olivia, hew much nnhappiness he
might have saved her, how much
peace it would have brought to him
self.
And Olivia dreamed only of a future
with the man whose image had been
ever in her heart, of a time of love and
joy, and freedom from sordid money
troubles, and shabby, frocks and semi
genteel lodgings. And so, except
when now and then they exchanged
some conventional phrase, there was
silence between the two who had so
much to say.
After dinner it seemed perfectly nat
cral to Olivia Abinger that Sir Angus
Ferrers should seek her, and, in
deed, f-be had chosen a quiet corner
behind one of the tall, rose-!baded
lamps for their conversation.
It was t,he who talked the most; tell
ing him of her great trials and disap
pointments, dwelling on them with
the insistence of one who is drifting
towards happier things. He 6at and
istened. and as he Listened looked;
and as he looked was conscious of a
vague thankfulness that he, still a
young man, was bound by no chain to
the woman who 6at before him. He
tried not to see the lines about her
large, dark eyes, the dragged hardness
that marred the sweetness of her
mouth. He knew instinctively that
her heart and her love were as fresh
as the first day they were given to
him, but for the life of him he could
not repress a guilty thankfulness that
she was only an old friend.
By and by he rose to go, but held her
hand long in taking leave.
"Now that we have met again.
Olivia, we must not lose sight of one
another. When may I come and see
you?"
She looked into his eyes and a happy
smile curved the corners of her lips.
"Whenever you please, Angus. Will
you come to-morrow?"
And he bowed low and left ber be
hind the glowing lamp, her heart
beating high in her "bosom with the
surety that to-morrow he would speak
and ask her to be his wife.
Lady Arlington'6 voice roused her.
"Olivia, come out of your hiding-
place at once, I want you to come to
Hurlingbam next Saturday. ill you?
Olivia smiled a "yes," thinking what
would any plans matter now. After
to-morrow her life would be Angus' to
do with as he would. Most likely he
would want her to go to some quiet
river place, where they eould be alone.
In happy, dreamful silence she drift
ed across the great drawing-room to
ward the group gathered about Lady
Arlington., who was chatting volubly
to half a dozen women at once.
"What did you think of Mira Bert
ram's hair? She changes the color
every month, I declare. Lady Susan
was qaite angry about it; but then.
you know, she thinks it quite indecent
to touch up at all. I was so awfully
vexed, by the way, that Lady Ferrers
couldn't come. She's quite pretty, and
bsr gowns all fresh, of course, for
she's onlv a bride are so very smart."
"Lady Ferrers! Is Sir Angus mar
ried?"
Olivia Abinger did not know whether
she or another asked the question. She
onlv waited for the answer.
"Oh, ves; 6ix weeks ago. She's such
a dear little thing, anu so nice, uer
father's place matches with his own in
Scotland."
Olivia Abinger did not cry out or
faint, though the shattering of her
dream and the breaking of her heart
were beyond all mortal agony. She said:
Good night," and drove in a frowsy
four-wheeler to her shabby lodgings.
Still silent, still enduring, she went
upstairs to her little sitting-room; but
when she had lit the gas it flared upon
a face marked by the anguish of a life
time.
She stood by the table, her hands
hanging at her sides, her eyes, which
could not weep, staring before her.
"Married! rich! happy! hue I,
who have hoped and longed and loved.
am "
She flung her white arms above her
head, and a great cry rent her throat
a cry of all a woman's pent-up passion.
of all a heart's bitter disappointment.
"It is too much," she cried aloud to
the shabby walls and cheap furniture;
"I cannot bear it. To-night 1 have
dreamed of other things, I cannot go
back to the old ways. My heart is
dead within me dead.
She paused; a gray shadow stole over
her drawn face, a somber fire burned
in h-?r eyes. For a moment she disap
peared into her bedroom, then returned
to where the gas flared. She looked
about her and, with the careful method
of a poor woman, picked up her cloak
from the floor and folded it away on a
chair. Then she lowered the gas to
the blue and flcng open the window.
"I want my soul to be free to go to
him if it can," t he murmured, leaning
out over the street. "This will un
loose my bond. and bring me peace
and rest, and, perhaps, a little sigh of
regret from him.
With cold white fingers, that yet did
not tremble at their task, she drew the
stopper from a tiny phial she held in
her hand. A thick, sweet odor as of
almond flowers floated through the
room. It dominated the faint per
fume that breathed from Olivia's gown
and fair hair, and even tainted with
its insidious savor the outer air. With
dilated nostril, she caught the subtle
scent and smiled a little. "Peace and
regret and remembrance," she sighed,
then raising h:r hand to her lips, with
one movement of her slender throat
she swallowed the few drops of liquid
contained in the small blue bottle.
Her hand dropped heavily on the win
dow sill and her fingers relaxed.
The tinkle of fallen glass rose from
the pavement below.
She fell upon her knees before the
open window and raised her ashen face
to the star-lit heavens.
Htr fingers twitched in agony above
her bursting heart; her pale lips strug
gled to cry but once to the man who,
for the second time, had plunged her
into the darkness of despair.
But only a whisper came from her
burning throat and poor, twisted
mouth.
"Angus my love pray for me re
member me sometime."
Her head fell forward on the win
dowsilL They found her deadat dawn. Moi
people said she couldn't bear poverty.
But one man sometimes wonders it
there was not another reason for her
suicide. Pick-Me-Up.
As are families, so is society. If
well ordered, well instructed and well
governed, they are the springs from
which go forth the streams of national
greatness and prosperity of civil or
der and public happiness. Thayer.
During the middle ages the belief
was common that insanity was a form
of demoniacal possession, and many
cruelties were practiced on the de
mented for the purpose of expelling
the supposed demons.
ECHOES OF fTHE ELECTION.
Bkuodi AHlitned bv Democratic Journals
for the Result.
. ... The stupid delays and dallyings
of a damphool democratic congress did
the business. Detroit Leader.
The worst of it all is that the re
publicans will probably now have the
assurance to turn around and assert
that the revival of industry under the
new tariff has been the result of an
anticipated republican victory at the
polls. Buffalo Courier.
The overwhelming story of the
ballots is notice to the administration
that enduring democratic principles
must no longer be ignored or sacri
ficed, and the party of the people made
& mere instrument for the satisfaction
of a few ambitions and the gratifica
tion of personal vanity in high place.
Cincinnati Enquirer.
To some extent democratic dis
asters are the direct outcome of demo
cratic dissensions and mistakes The
disastrous overturn in New York state
is a result of blundering at Washing
ton and plundering in New York city.
No party and no leadership could
stand up under such a double load.
Philadelphia Record.
The simple explanation of the
election is in the fact that with demo
cratic rule came financial disturbance
and industrial paralysis, and hungry
or distressed men are not prepared for
the refinement of argumentation that
seeks to place the responsibility any
where outside of the party in power.
Philadelphia Times.
The panic took place as soon as
the democratic party came into power
from the bankruptcy and outrageous
taxation brought about by republican
legislation. The democratic party be
ing in power had to father the results
and the people who do not stop to
think under such times went pell-mell
against the democracy because it
could not undo the evil work of thirty
years of republican legislation in a
day, and the result is what we see So
day. Burlington Gazette.
The results of the election render
unlikely the passage of any legisla
tion of a partisan character during the
next two years. Such a result is not
unfavorable to the public interest, as
far as it is likely to confine the doings
of congress to business rather than po
litical law making. We think the cur
rency will be safe from mischievous
changes in enactments, and if con
gress shall fail on this point the coun
try has still a safeguard with Presi
dent Cleveland in the wl ite house.
Boston Ileratd.
It is a triumph of c&lamitj-. The
result over the whole field of the na
tion shows that the democrats now.
as in 1S37 and lS57.are the unfortunate
legatees of a long line of republican
legislation culminating in the panic of
1S'J3, coincidently with our accession
to power, and that the unthinking
have accepted the charge of the repub
licans that it was solely due to the
change of policies decreed in 1SUU. We
are the heirs of a house undermined
by its previous occupants, that crum
bled and fell soon after we moved in.
St. Paul Globe.
By far the most effective cause
for the avalanche which has swept
away so much that the democracy
gained in was the hard times of the
last year. That the party in power
was not resjtonsible for the hard times
has been clearly demonstrated. Quite
as clearly has it been demonstrated
that they were the direct and inevita
ble result of republican extravagance
and vicious legislation, and notably of
such measures as the McKinley tariff
and the Sherman silver acts. It was
inevitable, however, that the party in
power should be held responsible, as it
always has been under similar circum
stances. Detroit Free Press.
The one great and all-pervading
cause of the slump throughout
the country may be summed up in two
words, viz.: Hard times the hard
times the country has gone through.
and from which it is now slowly but
surely recovering. These have been
brought about by republican legisla
tion, but the brunt of them has fallen
upon the country just as the democ
racy was called into power to provide
a remedy for them. As is always the
case under such circumstances, the
people have not listened to reason nor
reasoned among themselves, but have
held the party in power responsible
for the depression and for the suffer
ing it has brought upon them. Time
will demonstrate that the have made
a mistake and have gained nothing.
N. Y. Mercurv.
We remember that certain repub
lican journals professed to believe, in
August last, that the reduction of the
duty on tin plate would not be fol
lowed by a reduction of price. "We
shall see," remarked one of them, de
risively, "whether tin plate will be
cheaper." We are not aware that
these followers of McKinley are saying
anything now about the price of tin
plate. The reports of the Iron Age
show that while the price of the stan
dard grade in this city was 85.12 per
box on August 16, it was S4.12S on
October 11. Perhaps our republican
friends are unable to see this decline
of $1 per box, or nearly 20 per cent
X. Y. Times.
Closing mills and reducing wages
on the eve of an election is by no
means a new republican trick, but
fortunately the major portion of this
sort of work gets no further than the
columns of the republican newspapers.
X. Y. World.
PROMINENT PEOPLE ABROAD.
Macbus Jokai, the Hungarian novel
ist, recently tried to kill himself in a
tit of melancholy - at Budapest by in
baling the fumes of charcoaL
The emperor of Russia is said to be
the only European monarch whose life
is not insured. The companies all
rated him as a risk too hazardous to
handle.
MrsTAFA Bet, formerly private phy
sician to the sultan of Morocco, is said
to derive an income of one hundred
thousand dollars a year from his profession.
STRENGTH OF THE SWAN.
A Blow from Its Wing Will Send m Mn
Headlong.
We all know the tradition about the
power of the swan's wing that its
blow will break a man's leg. I ques
tioned a man who has much to do with
swans about the credibility of the tale
and he told me that he, for one, was
ready to believe it, and thought that
any other man who has received such
a blow from a swan's wing as he had
suffered would be likely to believe it
also.
He was summoned from his cottage
by the news that one of the cygnets
was in trouble. A boy had been amus
ing himself with the elegant sport of
giving the cygnets meat attached to a
long string. When the cygnet had
had swallowed the meat well down,
the boy would pull it up again by
means of the string. It was great fun
for the boy, and the cygnet was un
able to express its feeling intelligibly.
On the occasion in question, however,
the lump of meat stuck. It would not
come, and the boy, fearing conse
quences.had let slip the string and bolt
ed. The cygnet did its best with the
string by swallowing several yards of it
but began to choke before it got to the
end. At this juncture my friend was
summoned to its aid, and simultaneous
ly, as it appeared, the stately parent of
the cygnet, who was swimming in the
pond close by, perceived that something
was amiss with its offspring. It swam
to the bank and commenced making its
way to the young one's assistance.
But the swan's method of progression
on land is as awkward and slow as on
the water it is graceful and swift. The
swan herd was the first to reach the
cygnet, and, soon seeing the trouble,
had calculated to remove it before the
parent came up with him. But his cal
culations had underrated the length of
the string or the pedestrian speed of
the swan. Just as he had succeeded in
extricating the lump of meat from the
gullet of the distressed youngster the
aid bird caught him a blow with its
wing on that part of the person which
is most exposed to attack when a man
is stooping over and the onset is made
from behind. He was knocked over on
his face, and, continuing the impetus
received from the swan by scuttling
over the grass on his hands and knees
was able to escape from the bird's fury,
which was soon transferred to solici
tude for its little one. But the blow
had been sufficiently powerful to make
the sitting posture uninviting for sev
eral days, and to incline him to give
credence to any legends about the
strength of a swan's wing. Macmil
lan's Magazine.
MARYLAND CRABBING.
How the Hard and Soft Shelled Fellows 1
Are Canfrht. racked and Shipped.
Upon the crabbing grounds the fish
er does not wait for the crab to quit
their shelter, but sails out to the right
spot, and sets his trot-lines with tripe
for the hard shells, and his net dredge
for shedders, operating very much as
in oyster-fishing; hard crabs are hauled
up on the lines, clinging to the bait of
tripe, and taken off with the hand act.
Of course, many come up in the dredge
nets of the soft crab fishers; these are
lighter than the oj ster dredges, and
I are finished with a netted pocket,
I which drags" along the bottom, and
brings up all sorts; the soft crabs are
picked out by hand, the legs folded
slose to the body, and the crabs packed
obliquely in trays containing layers of
sea-grass and chopped ice, with the
heads to the top of the crates, so that
the moisture can not run from their
mouths.
The crates are carefully transported
by rail, the Pennsylvania railroad run
ning a special branch from Crisfield.on
the eastern shore, during the season
ind carrj'ing the crabs as far north as
Boston. Soft-shell crabs shed their
shells as often as they outgrow them,
the large ones changing only once or
twice a year. When in the take of
;rabs any are found with the shells just
iracking, they are put into "the
pound," a large box kept under water,
mtil they have "moulted, when they
re shipped to market at once, because
the shell hardens rapidly. Hard crabs,
showing the signs of "moulting," well
known to the fishermen, are always
kept in the pound or float until
they are prime for market they
are called "comers" at Chrisfield,
Md., which sends over five millions
crabs to market yearly. In warm
weather the "bluster," or moulting
crab, comes into shallow water, where
he can hide in the long grass, for he
knows that the first hard shell he en
counters will try to devour him; he
has "been there many a time" himself.
Until they attain full growth crabs
moult about every five months at flood
tide. The best time for crabbing is
just after daybreak, but the crabs can
be found all day long if the grass in
shore is hunted, in the shallows. The
inlets at Coney Island and Shark river
are fine crabbing grounds, especially
the latter. Many hard crabs are used
for crabbing; eighteen or twenty crabs
will yield about a quart of meat. This
is also sent to market freshly boiled,
for use in salads, scallops, etc. It costs
about thirty cents a quart- N. Y.
Mercury.
It Wu the
The landlady of the boarding-house
was out in the backyard when the
tramp entered and it disturbed him so
that he came near losing his usual
aplomb.
"Beg parding, ma'am," he began, "I
came to see if j'ou didn't lose a pie you
left out here yesterday to git cool."
"Yes, I did, and I'm looking for the
person who took it. Was it you?" and
she came at him threateningly.
He dodged and got over to the other
side.
"No'm, it wasn't," he replied, "but I
know who it was."
"Well, you tell me and I'll have him
arrested and punished."
"You don't have to, ma'am," he
sighed, "he's dead," and he got out the
best way he could. Detroit Free Press.
It is of eloquence as of a flame; it
require matter to feed it. and motion
to excite it, and it brightens as it
burnt. Tacit as.
RELIGIOUS MATTERS.
A STRICKEN HEART.
Keep still, my heart,
O. cease thy (rroaning.
Tho' stormv winds are round thee moaning.
j Wouldn'st thou but lend a listening ear
"My prace suffiriet" thou could'st hear;
Keep still, my heart, keep still.
Keep still, my heart,
O, cease this aching,
Tho' billows wild are round thee break Inf ;
Trust Him who notes the sparrow's tail
To choose for thee the best of all.
Keep still, my heart, keep still.
Keep still, my heart,
O, cease repining,
A father's love is thee er.twinlnp.
Lift up thy cross, t'will liphter be.
And peace, sweet peace, shall dwell with thee.
Keep still, my heart, keep still.
Ida M. Hosletler. in N. V. Observer.
SUBJECT OF PRAYER.
Some Common-Sense Reasoning on God's
Answers to Petitions.
One of the things brought against
the Christian's confidence in prayer is
the fact, as alleged, that so manj pray
ers are unanswered. We object to the
term "unanswered" as misleading.
Many of our requests are not answered
favorably. But "no'' is as much an an
swer as "yes." If your child comes to
you with home request which j'ou de
cline to grant he may be disappointed,
but he can not say that you are deaf
and impotent. The fact of our requests
being denied by God gives no right to
argue that God does not hear prayer.
There is a difference between a request
unattended to and a request denied for
sufficient reasons; between a God bound
by His own laws so that He can not
answer and a God who hears but may
deny.
Why should God give us every thing
we ask? No parent grants all the re
quests of his children. A child may
often ask things which the parent in
his wisdom anil love sees tit to refuse.
God is our Father. We arc bnt little
children before II im weak, ignorant,
foolish. Many of us will recall desires
and prayers which we afterward saw
would have brought us only unhappi
ness if they had been granted. God
exercises His wisdom and His love in
refusing to gratify all our longings.
Nor does it weaken the force of this
if we remain ignorant of His reason in
refusing. Parents often deny the re
quests of their children without giv
ing the reason. Sometimes the reason
would be beyond their comprehension,
sometimes to know it would only add
to their unhappiness. The father has
a right to expect confidence in his
judgment even where his conduct can
not be completely understood. If God
does not always make clear to'us why
we are denied certain things, what
does He differently from the loving j
earthly parent?
The conclusion to be drawn from the
fact that some requests in prayer are
denied is not that God does not and can
not answer prayer, but that there is
some defect in the prayer or in our
selves. Some seeds do not germinate
and bear fruit. But that does not lead
us to infer that the law of tin; harvest
has been abrogated. It may have been
because of some defect in the seed or
the soil, perhaps because of lack of
care on the part of the sower. Instead
of reasoning that prayer is vain be
cause a single petition has not been
met as we desire, the true reference is
to some principle of God's sovereignty
which makes it impossible or unwise
to grant as we desire. We must not
limit God by saying that He is obliged
to answer our prayers any more by
Raying that He is vitable. We must
leave Him room to act according to
His love and truth. We mav be cer
tain that He will deny us nothing with
out a wise purpose in denying.
The whole question of prayer in fact
hinges upon the existence of a personal
Father, ruling the universe. If one
believes in that he must believe that
we ma3- reach that Being with our
thoughts and Oesires and needs, and
that these will " be apprehended by
Him. Why then should this belief be
staggered because all our petitions are
not granted exactly according to our
asking? Our well authenticated be
stowment of blessing in response to
prayer is all the argument needed as
against every objection brought by un
belief. Suppose that a man says it is impos
sible for one in New York to converse
with a person in Philadelphia. And he
marshals in proof laws of sound and
laws of voice and laws of air. But
here is a man who says: "I live in
New York and I have conversed while
there with a person in Philadelphia."
Where would all the proofs of
impossibility be? Then suppose the
objector having learned about the tele
phone attempts to use it. He comes
to his informer and says: "I have
tried your telephone and I couldn't
converse with a person in Philadelphia
by means of it," The other replies:
"Well, it may be that vou failed, but I
hart done it. That show It is possible.
If j-ou failed it must have been because
of some defect in the wires, or some
condition of the atmosphere unfavor
able, or perhaps you did not know how
the telephone should be used."
There are hosts to testify that they
have had their prayers answered.
"Those who never pray, or never pray
with the humility, faith and importu
nity that wins its way to Heaven, can
not speak from experience as to the ef
ficacy of prayer; nor are they in a posi
tion to give credit to those who can."
But at least on such a subject as this
the voice of the whole company of
God's servants may be held to counter
balance a few a priori surmises and
doctrines. Christian Work.
THE POWER IS CHRIST.
It IsThrouch the Indwelling of the Spirit
That We Are Able to Iteslst Kvil and
Shoir Forth Christ to the World.
To stand up against all the social
currents that set away from God and
holiness, to resist the craze for wealth
at all hazards, to conquer fleshly appe
tites, to hold an unruly temper in
check, to keep down selfishness, to di
rect all our plans, all our talents, all
our purpostrs and influence toward the
good of others and the honor of our
Master, requires more power than any
uaaised man possesses. It requires
Jesus Christ in the soul. Christ's mas
tery of us alone can give us self-mastery,
yes, and mastery over the powers
of darkness and of hell. This is the
secret of a strong and a joyous life.
Such a life is self-evidencing. Al
though the interior union of a believer
to his Redeemer is invisible, yet the
results of it are potent to the world.
They are seen and read of all men.
Just as we know the supply of coal and
the power of the unseen engine by the
steamer's speed, so we can estimate the
fullness and strengh of a man's piety
by his daily life. Our outward lives
can never rise above the inward, he
who has not Christ in his conscience
will not have Christ in his conduct.
The churchmemlwr who does not draw
from Christ in his closet will have but
little of Christ to expend in the com
munity. The hidden life of an apple
tree comes out in bright leaves and full
baskets of golden pippins. In a thou
sand ways does the hidden life with
our Master come out before the world.
It is manifest in the man of busi
ness who measures his goods
with a Bible yardstick; in the
statesman who would rather lose his
election than lose God's smile; in the
citizen who votes with the eye of his
Master on the ballot; in the pastor
who cares more for souls than for sal
ary. The mother displays it when she
seeks first the kingdom of Heaven for
her children, and the daughter ex
hibits it when she .would rather watch
by a sick mother's bed than enjoy an
evening's gay festivities. No life is so
humble or so obscure but it can shine
when Christ shines through it. My
friend, if Christ is hidden within you,
let him not be hidden by witness. The
mightiest sermon that no skeptic can
answer is the daily sermon of a clean,
sweet, vigorous, happy and fruitful
life. If you are waiting constantly on
God He will renew your strength: you
will mount with wings like the eugic's.
Theodore L. Cuyler, in N. Y. Inde
pendent. RELIGION THAT IS HABITUAL.
It Counts More for Accomplishing
Good
Than All Special Efforts.
It is almost hopeless to expsct con
version in some families, says Dr. Cuy
ler in the Evangelist. The light that
ought to shine there has well-nigh died
in darkness. The oil has given out.
Worldliness and selfishness have almost
extinguished the love of Christ, and
vhen Christ is no longer loved. His
commandments are no longer kept.
Spiritual declension eomes-frora lack or
loss of love and loyalty to Christ in the
heart. When your soul is on fire with
the love of your Master and your fel
lowmen. you will glow and shine un
consciously. The most effective good
which the majority of genuine Chris
tians accomplish is not by occasional
"special efforts." but by the steady
daily reflection of Jesus Christ in their
ordinary walk and conversation. To
preach a sermon, to conduct a prayer
meeting, to teach a mission class, or to
visit a sick and poverty-stricken family,
is a premeditated act of lamp-learing.
But to live right straight along, every
day, reflecting the spirit of Christ dis
tinctly in the home, in the shop, in the
store, in the social life, and in the
duties of good citizenship and every
where else, is just "letting your light
shine" of its own sweet will. That is
habitual religion; it worships God not
only on Sunday, but all the week. Oh,
what an aching want there is of inre
of this in the every-tfay lives of too
many church members! However flu
ently Brother A may speak in the
prayer-meeting, or however brightly
Mrs. B may shine in the Maternal
association or the "holiness meeting,
yet, if they end in smoke at home,
there is a mischief done to their own.
souls as well as to others that neutral
izes all the good they are attempting
to do. Trim the lamp at home? A re
vival of home piety will do more for
the promotion of a revival in your
church this 3ear than any "effort" ycu,
can set on foot,"
Be Charitable.
It is a safe rule, always to put the
best possible construction upon the
conduct of others. A man saw his fel
low church member in a position that
suggested the possibility of his wrong
doing. He forgot to be charitable
jumped at a conclusion, and went off
to complain to others about the hypo
crites in the church, and to quote the
name of his brother as a supposed ex
ample. His opinion may have been
correct, and it may not have been. If
the latter were 'true, a great injustice
was done. Let us refuse to believe,
and especially to pu blish, evil of any
man, unless compeled to. United
Presbyterian.
What Constltaea m Whole Prayer.
In order to pray for ourselves, we
must pray for others." "None of us
liveth to himself," and none of us
should pray for himself alone. The:
first word of the pattern prayer taught
by our Lord is "our," and when we1
pray we should think of those who are
included in that term. A cry for per
sonal help in an emergency is at the
best but part of a prayer; a whole
prayer takes in others. S. S. Times.
GEMS OF THOUGHT.
No man's life can rise any higher
than his belief. Ram's Horn.
Power lies not in the theory, but in
the application. White.
A soft answer has often been th
means of breaking a hard heart.
Ram's Horn.
Be as gentle as possible in your
judgments; as severe as justice in your
survey of self. Chicago Interior.
You can't give a man money enough
to enable him to declare that he will
never lack for bread, but God has
promised that .he righteous shall never
come to want. Ram's Horn.
What we need to know is not the
reason for our trials, but that God is
our Father, that His power is almighty,
that His wisdom is perfect, and that
His love is infinite.
Christian experience begins with
"He is mine." After we have made
some progress, there comes to us a
fuller realization of the blessed com
panion truth: "I am His." United
Presbyterian.
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