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About The Sioux County journal. (Harrison, Nebraska) 1888-1899 | View Entire Issue (April 1, 1897)
THE FLAGS HOISTED. DR. TALMAGE PREACHES A VIVID AND APPROPRIATE SERMON. HeSijiHe Hate War-Bat He Ad- iru the Higbt Kind of -Mart at Spirit WorJa of Glowia: and Pici arewtae fcxhortation. Our Waahinjfton Pulpit. At this time, when our nutioual capital tan for ten days been ablaze with our natioi.al flag, the imagery of thin sermon of lr. Talniage seems very vivid and ap propriate. 1 lie text Is 1 'tubus ti., 5. " Id the name of God we will bet up our hau liers." I fcaie war. Ia mr boyhood we niay have read the biography of Alexander or of some Revolutionary hero until our young heart heat high and we wished we bad been bora over lm year ago. just for the glory ot striking dow n a Hessian. For rusty swonlg bung up on the rafters and bullet cut out of log bouses in w hich they were lodged during the great strife we had unbounded admiration, or on some public duy, clothed in our grandfather's soldierly a.-couterments. we felt as brave as Gari baldi or Miltiades. We are w iser now, fur we make a vast distinction between the poetry and the prose of war. The roll of drums and the call of bugles and the champing of steeds foaming and pawing for the battle. Pxi.iXM) muskets glittering among the .dancing plumes, "God Save the King" waring up from clarionets aud trumpets and rung back from deep defiles r the arches of a prostrate city, distant capitals of kingdoms illuminated at the tidings, generals returning home under naming arches and showering amaranths and the shout of empires that is poetrv, Chilled and half blanketed, lying on the wet earth; feet sore with the march and bleeding at the slightest touch; hunger pulling on every hber of flesh or attempt ing to satisfy itself with a scanty and spoiled ration; (hirst licking tip the dew or drinking out of filthy and trampled pool; thoughts of home and kindred far away while just on the eve of a deadlv strife, where death may leap on him from any one of a hundred bayonets; the closing in of two armies, now changed to BxVM) mamni's: the ground slippery with blood and shattered Mesh; fallen ones writhing under the hoofs of unbridled chargers maddened with pain; the drendfulness of night, that comes down when the strife is over; the struggle of the wounded ones crawling out over the corpses; the long, feverish agony of the crowded barracks and hospital, from whose mattresses the fragments of men send up their groans, the only music of mm age and butchery; 'desolate homes, from which fathers and husbands anil brothers and sons went off; .without giving any dying message or send ing a kins to the dear ones at home, tum bled into the soldiers' grave trench, and houst in which a few w eeks before un broken family circles rejoiced, now plung ed in the great sorrows of widowhood and orphanage. That is prose. But there is now on the earth a king dom which fans set itself up for conflicts without number. In its march it tram ples no grainfields, it sacks no cities, it impoverishes no treasuries, it fills no hos pitals, it bereaves no families. The cour age and victory of Kolferino and Ma genta without carnage. The kingdom of Christ against the kingdom of satan. That la the strife now raging. We will offer no armistices. We will make no treaty. I'n til all the revolted nations of the earth shall submit again to King no tn atj. l'n til ail the revolted nations of t!e earth shall submit again to King Fmiununel "in the name of God we mill set up our ban ners." The Knsisrn. Every army has its ensigns. Long be fore the time w hen David wro the text they were in use. The hosts of Israel dis played them, the tribe of Benjamin car ried a flag with the inscription of a wolf, the tribe of Dan a representation of cheru bim, Judah a lion wrought into the groundwork of white, purple, crimson anil blue. Such Hags from their fold shook nre into the hearts of such ninnliers as were in the lield when Abijuli fought against .lehoram, and there were 0JO soldiers, and more than .VMl.tSHi were left dead on the field. These ensigns gave heroism to such numbers as were assem bled when Asa fought against Zcrah. and there were 1,.",S0,(Hi troops in the battle. The Athenians carried an inscription of the owl. which was their emblem of wis dom. The Hags of modern nations are familiar to you all. and many of them so inappropriate for the character of the na tions they represent it would be impolitic to enumerate ihcin. These ensigns are streamers borne on the point of a lance and on the top of wooden shafts. They are carried in the front and rear of ar mies. Tl'ey unroll from the main top gal lant masthead of an admiral's flagship to distinguish it among other ships of the same squadron. They are the objects of national pride. The loss of them on the field is ignominious. The three banners of the fiord's hosts are the banner of proclamation, the ban ner of recruit and the banner of victory. When s nation feels its rights infringed or its honor insulted, when its citizens have in foreign climes been oppressed and no indemnity has been offered to the in habitant of the republic or kingdom, a proclamation of war is tittered. On the top of batteries and arsenals and custom booses and revenue offices flags are im anediatcly swung out. All who look noon tfcem realize the fact that uncompromising war is declared. Thus it is that the church f Jesus Christ, jealous for the honor of its sovereign and determined to get back those who have been carried off captive lata the bondage of satan and intent upon the destruction of those mighty wrongs which have so long cursed the earth and bat upon the extension of the Saviour's fign of mercy, In the name of God sets 9 its banner of proclamation. The -church makes no asssult npon the world. I do not believe that God ever sssde a better world than this. It is mag nificent in its ruins. Let ns stop talking lunch against the world. God pro Bounced it very good at the beginning. Tfcongh a wandering child of God, I see In It yet the great father's lineaments. Tavmgh tossed and driven by the storms f 6,0110 years, she Mil bravely yet, and a at her blanching In ths beginning to ling stars sang together and all the of God shouted for Joy, so at last, i . cooiing Into the calm harbor of CM's merVy. shf'soan' be greeted by tbe tiksaas of gtovrWd btoffoVma. It to not f waald waiast wale w etontewa. btx t tmmmmtkmJ' Waatew to watsMt VC!iJaWs( teaaa to sWaastaawpj lyaarwapai Proa tatoa awfiaatoi aw ! would tear the n:ak. l"rorn oppression he j would match the n.. I'r-iu pride he I would rend oil the pinnies. 1'rouj reei;e he w.u!d exor.-ie the .le il. While CbrM loved Hi,, world ko mil. h ti- died to save it, he bates kin so well that to era.li.ate tie last tra.-e of its pollution he will utterly consume the con'iiietits and the -caus. At the gate of Kden the declaration of Jx r Ktt'al enmity was made against the ser l nt. 'I he tumult roundaUoit Mount Sinai was only the roar and tiah of osl's artillery of wrath against sin. S.si..iu on fire was only one of God' flaming bulle tins announcing hostility. Nineveh and lyre and Jerusalem in awful ruiu mark the track of Jehovah's advancement. They show that God was terribly iu earnest when he announced himself abhorrent of all iniquity. They make us believe that though nations Iteliigereiit and revengeful may sign articles of peace and come to an amicable adjustment, there shall be no cessation ol hostilities lietweeu the forces of light and the forces of darkness until the kingdoms of this world have Ikm-ohic the kingdoms of our Ird. Affrighted by no opposition, discouraged by no tempo rary defeats, shrinking from no exposure every man to his position, while from the top of our schools and churches and seminaries and asylums ""in the name of God w e w ill wt up our banners." A Glorious standard. Again, it was the custom in ancient times for the purpow of gathering armies to lift an ensign on the top of some high hill, so that all who saw it would feel mi pelled to rally around it. In more modern times the same plan has been employed for the gathering of an army. Thus it is that the church of Christ lifts it Hag for recruits. The cross of Jesus is our stand ard, planted on the hill of Calvary. Oth er armies demand that persona desiring to enter the lists of war shall be between auch and such an age. lest the folly of ex treme youth or the infirmity of advanced age be a clog ratber than an advantage. But none is too young for Christ's regi relent; none ran be too old. The hand that is strong enough to bound a ball or trundle a hoop is skilled enough to fight for Christ, while many a hand trembling with old age has grasped the arrow of truth, and with a dim eye close to it, taking aim, has sent its sharp point right through the heart of the King's enemies. Many of you have long ago had your names written on the roll of celestial troops, and you like the service well, although you now bear the scars of multitudinous conflicts and can recount many a long march and tell of siege guns opened on you that you thought never would be spil.cd. But there mi"" lie sou., i, baw c ; yet en listed, v,,, r being bete implies that you are seriously thinking about it, and your attention makes me hoe you are only looking for the standard to be hoisted. Will you not. of you, with nil the aroused enthusiasm of your nature, come bounding into the ranks, while "in the name of iod w e set up our banners'.'" hat if arsenals and navy yards do not belong to the church? We do not want hem. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but spiritual and mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. The world and satan have no idea of the strength and heroism which God will yet let out against the forces of darkness. As yet they have had only one round fiom the first regiment. The Ijord of Hosts will soon appear in the field at the head of his troops. Depend upon it, that when God inspires the soul with a new life he puts in it the principle of never give up." In all ages of the church there have been those who have had a faith that was almost eijual to sight, look ing through persecution and reverses with as much expectation as through palpable achievements. There have been nu n for Christ who have acted as did the favorite troops of firien. attacked by Fitzpatre k if Ossory. The wounded soldiers begged that they might enter the light with the otii-rs. i'l-ey said, "let stakes be stuck in the ground and suffer each of us, tied to and suplMirtf'd by one of these stakes, to battle in the ranks by the side of a sound man." It is said that i or Hih) men. pale and emaciated from former wounds, and thus supported by the stakes, struggled through the combat. Thus has it been that multitudes of the children of (iod. though feeling themselves weak and wounded, perhaps in Itody, perhaps in es tate, perhaps in soul, supported by the staff of God's promise, have warred it up to the hilt in the subjugation of a world of wickedness. We are mighty in this cause, for we have the help of the pious beHd. Mes sengers of salvation from high heaven, they visit the fold. They stand behind us to keep us from ignominious retreat. They go before us to encourage us in the strife. The McCheyncs, the I 'ay sons, and the Mnrtyns. and the Brainerds. an uncounted multitude of the glorified, are our coadju tors. Although wp have already much to encourage us iu the work of the world's evangelization, yet we must confess that much of our time has been consumed in planting our batteries and getting ready for the conflict. We have not yet begun to preach. Wp have not yet begun to pray. We have not yet begun to work. (In the coasts of heathendom are mission ary stations. They havp scarcely yet begun to accomplish what they promise. It takes some time to dig the trenches ami elevate the standard and direct the great guns. From what I hear I think they are about ready now. It but the great Captain wave the signal and the ringing of celestial weaponry shall quake every dungeon of hell and sound tip among the thrones of heaven. Pagodas and temples shall tumble under the shock, and besot ted nations flying from their idols and superstitions, shouting like the confound ed worshipers of Baal: "The ford. he is the God! The Ird, he is the God!" We go not alone to the field. Aye, God the Father, God the Son and God (he Holy Ghost are our allies! Peeclona Seed. The Mohammedans, in their struggles to subjugate the world, had passages from ths Koran Inscribed on the blades of their scirniters, and we have nothing lo fear if, approaching the infidelity and malice that oppose the kingdom of Christ, we shall have glitterin'on our swords the words of 1 David to the giant. "I come to thee in the name of the: Iord of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast de. fled." Now the church goes forth Is-nring pre cions seed, but after awhile it will be the sheaf binding, and reaper angels shall (-boat the harvest borne. Now it Is tents and marching and exposure, but then, In the ranks of prostrate iniquity and on the very walls or heaven, "hi the name of God we wtl. set np oar banners." ' Tb aarlb asoda up Its long, deea areaa of pUn and ciaaka U-great chains ml Ita boaWtoa-e an eftaa by the vic of ast bwaiflfUar awd aky. "Haw War. O Lord, bww 4oMr - Tkara waa a 4twHttoa -tg ottof aid wf tka water that Ik aaacatar of Ur waa transformed tMa a Mt af Uto sir. and that -iie wan ler.-d for hcudreda of years over r ver and lake until u;B ar. rival of Chr .:.uii. asd that t the ! r..Le of the ! i -t lathe'.al l-ll her i-pmc I was freed I ui-ouriteii millions of ... r i raif, by the uert.f sin and satan, he ! been transformed into a stale of wretch- eduess. and they wander like the nm.r , daughter of IJr. but they shall after ; i awhile f reb awd. When the great' j church of Christ shall iu those dark' ii.nl lauils Iroiu its tower ring out the glad tid ings of the goKwl. then millions u( wan dering souls shall fin. I rest m a Saviour's aim u is.niours love, transported iroiu the kingdom of satau into the kiue- By and by you would hardly know the earth if you faw it. The world as a w hole shall be as greatly improved as the indi vidual heart by conversion. Fraud, leav- , ing its trickery, will gu to work for an j honest living. Knavery shall l g;n to make righteous bargains. I'assion shall i answer to the control of reason. Scoffer j shall te hang, d into worshipers and skep- tics into Bible lovers, t 'hrist shall liegiu his reign on earth. Whether he shaii de scend on to the earth iu person and estab lish a Government at Jerusalem, I can- i not say. But it ill I. an ,.ra of more man Augustan solelolor Tlmt is elioi'irh Know ing this, we can never air Itnt as we see the church of Christ ixittinir on her Iwautiful garments and arising to ' .ne w w ill say, w ith the enthusiasm of Oliver Cromwell, who. standing before Lis sick and famine stricken soldiers at Duni.ar, saw the sun rising out of the morning mist and, pointing to it with his sword, uttered a prayer which hurled his men upon the crushed foe like a sky full of thunderbolts: "Arise, () God! U-t thine enemies tie scattered." With the ear of faith 1 catch the sound of the latter day glory. Church of Christ, nnsheath thy sword and this mouieut into the battle! In the name of Christ, march on! I'pon every school and hospital, upon every banker's desk ami merchant's counter, upou every chemist's laboratory and as tronomer's tower, usm shepherd's hut and woodman's cabin, iis,n ship's deck aud sailor's hammock, far out on the sea and high up in the mountain, before the gaze of nations, under the applaudita of heaven, "in the name of (iod we will set up our banners." Kasicns and Colors. My subject has taught you that in this contest we are not without ensigns and colors. All we want now is men to carry them. Before 1 sit down I must pros.se to each of you this great honor, lb-coming a Christian is not so ignoble a thing a many have thought it. "It makes a man stoop," you say. I know it, but it is only the stoop of an heir of royalty, who on his knees is to receive a enwii of do minion. We want standard bearers iu all pulpits, iu all places of business -every where. 1 do not ask you how old vim are. nor how young, how weak or how strong, how dull or how sharp, nor what your home, nor who your ancestors. Without any condition, w ithout any reserve, in the name of the God of Israel, I offer vou the nor of carrying the church's ensigns. Do :iwt be afraid of the assaults of a world w hose ranks you desert, nor of devils who will oppose you with infernal might. It were u.ore blessed to fall here than stand any w here elw. It were more of an honor, engaged with Christ, to be trampled tin- dorfoot with this army of banners, than. plM.smg Christ, to be buried, like Kd- witrd I., in Kgyptian porphyry. The prophecies intimate that there shall before the destruction of the world be one great battle between truth and unright eousness. e snail not probably see it on ear h, Cod grant that we may see it, b ailing from ti e battlements of heaven, "n the side of win shall be arrayed all rta of oppr. ssion and cruelty, led on by iu'aiuous kings and generals; the votaries f paganism, loil on by their priests; the subjects of Mohammedanism, followiLg the command .t their sheiks. And irliit- tony and intemperance and iniquity of ev ery phase shall lie largely represented on the held. All i he wealth and splendor and power and gl concentrated ry ol wickedness shall be ! .:i that one decisive sjHit, i by I'i.ihs) previous defeats, ; i.tnsclves up for one last , and. mailileiieo shall gather I terrible assault. With hatred to God for their cause and blasphemy for the battl cry. they spread out over the earth in s.juarc- behind sunre and legion beyond egioii. while m some overhanging cloud of blackness foul spirits of hell watch this last struggle of sin and darkness for do minion. Scattered by the blasts of Jehovah's nostrils, plunder an I sin and Satanic force shall cu it the field. As the roar of the oiitliil sounds through the universe all worlds shall listen. The air shall be full of wings of heavenly cohort. The work is done, and in the presence of a world reclaimed for the crown of Jesus, and amid the crumbling of tyrannies and the defeat of sataiiic force, and amid the sound of heavenly acclamations, the church shall rise up in the image of onr Iord, and with the crown of victory on her head and the scepter of dominion in her hand in the name of God shall set up her banners. Then Himalaya shall 1 come Mount Zion, and the Pyrenees Mo riah, anil the oceans the walking place of him who trod the wave crests of Galilee and the great heavens become a sounding 1 .l .. I.1..1. l...ll t-iLA l,ns.b .t. .l . . ! exultation to the earth till it rebound again to the throne of the Almighty. An gel ot the Apocalypse, fly, fly! For who will stand in the way of thy might or re sist the sweep of thy wing? War. History shows war to be tise lewi. The great dynasties built on con quest have gone to ruin. Spain at one time dominated the earth, but It pro gram was conrjuest, and to-day Its last American colony in alia king off Its rule. The dominion of the Mohammedans, nctivrlred by force, la at present held together only by tbe sufferance of Eu- rope. Grant waa right when he sold there never waa a war which could not have been avoidedby settlement aorae other way. Rev. Frank Crane, Metho dist, Chicago, 111. Good and Brll. B7II la liorn in in; good tmiat be acquired. If we cheris a single evil tendency It la an re tn be come predominant, for man Is so con stituted rbat fitter good or evil rnunt alwaya be uppermost, and where evil baa the advantage of hereditament, It mvast be aortled no other encourage, ment. Hence tttere can Te do compro mise, nothing leaa than war of rater trHuaHon. Ref. g. 8. Reward, Sweden. borfUn, New Tort City. i ii . i . Tba blfbaat lata hi ted apot In tba woekl to a tuiaUofcamp Id Um A.o4aa 14198 feet above aea ktvel wbwra am 100 BUtti Ur la food beajta aj fc year roaM. V s "T'TMrVT? CLJPT ( T f (jt, 1 1 1 1 O ll Hi I Ul" I: T was iu a little bouse on a little to u treet of a l!t:!e Nebraska the Town of Bubble. The little woman was crouched up on the carpet loifa in a limp heap. She looked ill. but sanguine exhausted, but relieved. The remains of the mid day tneal were on the table. There were traces of ashes al .ut the stove. i 1 '' b 'l'.VS goH Il bibv's gown was begrimed In i Rpite of thi-se fact the niisirew of th inodi-st home sinil 1 sweetly. j "Well." exclaimed her visitor, one 'comprehensive glance embracing the unwonted tiegh-ct of the place. "I heard I you were not feeling well, but I did j not know you required assistance w ilb ! your housework. I supposed, of course, ! rolir frien.l Mrv Mys.n u-a with r.n " The little woman looki-d up with a sparkle In her eye. "O, I'm well enough. I was sick enough up to bst Tuesday. I've been get tin' better ever since. I'll have the table red o(T an' things straightened be fore Tom gets home. If I find lik it now I can let things be. There ain't ho one to notice. Mrs. Mason, she don't come over. Truth is. we've got shet of Mary Mason. We Jujt," in emphatic rejietitlon. "hud to get shet of Mary Mason." The visitor was sympathetic. The lit tle woman was confidential. "Me an' Tom," she explained, "have lived on farms all our lives. So when we reuled the farm and moved Into town. I thought the change was fine. 'MjT I nays to Tom. 'ain't It nW to live in a large place. I never before suspicion!! bow comfortable It was to live reel near to folks, an' have them rolks neighborly. Oiu'n the half -tlon we might be two weeks 'ithout see In' a lody to ssiik to. An' here we've got .'!si people In this towu, an' two trains a day-not to mention the j freight an' houses all round us. It's i awful nice," I says to Tom, 'but what's j nicest Is Mrs. Mason. Why, she comes ; In lhat often I ain't got a lilt of time to be lonesome for the stock. There's j only herself an' her husband, ho her J work don't count. She cun'l read or J write only Boliemy, an' he ain't got "o use for that language since she mnr j ried out'n bet folks. Take it altogeth- er, she's wlllin' to neighbor lots, an' I that," 1 say to Tom, 'will be mlgbiy ; perkln' for me!" " "Yes," scented her visitor, with a rising Inflection on the monosyllable, j "Tom. he didn't say much. He's kind I of slow-like. He Jest said, 'What suits 'you, Kliza. suiiji me!' Well. Mrs. Ma I son she come. She kept coiliiu'. Some- times, if ho got Kit my el off early, she come In before our breakfast. She al : Ins come iu before 1 got the dishes done i up. An' she slave.). She stayed all j morn in even wash iiioniiu's. Some- . jukui aioug ne Kept nioldin. Sometime 'twas a bit of cheese, or a couple of c rackers, or a brink of spice gingerbread, or the ton off n jar of Jell. 'I can't bear von when I'm a-riibblii'.' I'd say. That never mattered a bit to her. She'd wait till I got through rubbln' an' was a bllin'. But whether she talked or whether she didn't nlie alius come, sure as the day light did, she alius kept a nibblln", au' she alius stayed." The narrator treated lierseir to a tea spoonful of medicine- out of a bottle on the window-sill before she proceeded. "Our girls get home from school at 12," went on the prostrated chatelaine, "an' I alius have lunch for 'em then. Sometimes It's reel jr.xH. Sometimes It's only scraps. Anyhow, It's the best me an' Tom can afford." Don't you think she stayed for every one of them lunches? My, ye. She don't have to get dinner tor tsam.vel till j, an' sJie 'lowed that she most generally got K-ck-Isli about noon. So she'd wt down w ith the children rcg lar, an then go across home to get dinner. Una of times they d be Just a snag of pork, or a f u'l frled I'"1''. or as mtu li Jam leavln' as you'd mime at. 'There a la t nothiu here. Mrs. Mason, to ask you to naie a ime or,' l says to her often. '( laws,' ahe answers, 'what'a good enough for you U good enough forme!" An' she sets down." Her visitor ''ied aoftly. "Then she would stay all afternoon. She was alius here when Tom come home 10 attpper. Her husband took his supper at the hotel, ao she used to Jlne lis. Samyel never got bnck from the store before II, to aC'd suiy at our house to pass the tir. Tom, he'd go for the mall, an' cor" back, an' there she was. 'Head thg fiaos!' she'd soy. Tom, who Is natchU'.v pellte, 'ud read it. . He'd read, an' read, an' read! 'Land's sake!' Mary Mason ud put in, 'go on! I could Jest set here nil night an' listen." An' she didpretty near!" There waa a mournful silence. "On the farm." continued Mrs. Kob Inson, "me an" Tom allns went to bed at S. How waa we to go to bed even nt 10, with Mary Masnn a-alttln' thetw? 'Ijind o' the lviuT irlie'd say, seel n' roe n-patchin'. 'I'm glad I ain't got eon children to keep a-slavln' fer they do take auch a slew of work! But when I got throngh the metidln"', an' Tom fcavd 'read every -word in tbe paper, even ta advertJawatenta thera aba wasf Ton ha pmw ut yaw. 'I'd un aa kw f waa dead beat, not tartar m uaB alMf tlw aajfht batW wMb tfea baby ''UaM waa croopyi "Cta MARY MASON. ? to bear, By'm by, Tom, he'd go into our U-droom that's off the wilin'-rooiu, an' he'd haul off his shoe, an' sling 'em on the Moor real hard. That didn't stir her. It was awful provokiu'." "It must have !ecu!" her visitor ac qtileixvd. "Then they was the borryin'. Not that Mary Mason called it bony in". She said she hadn't a bit of use for folks that borryed. She said when she want e.1 anything from a perwou she neigh Imred with that she Just went in au' took it. reel friendly like. That's how our gns eries kept a tneltin", "Taln't worth while me buyin' a package 0 yeast that costs Jj cents,' she'd say 'when half a cake will make a bakin for me and Samyel. I'll take a bit of your'u.' The next time she come 'twoud be tiavorln'. 'No use of me get tin' a whole bottle of Vaniller," she'd say, when 1 only make a cake once a week. A teasrKion '111 do me.' Then there was tea. Samyel drank only cof fee, an' ' 'twould le extravagance for me," she says, "to buy half a pound of tea for myself. 'I'll take a pinch of jours.' So she took a pinch-most ev. ery day. I'lmlnn make ui!id enough of "em. Tickles." she often ob served. 'I'm mit especially fond of, but Samyel says they rust out the linen of a Insiy's stomach. So I've made up my mind I'll eat mine over here, an men tie won t know if the imin o my stomach is rusted out or not." I wish." feebly concluded Mrs. Robinson, "lhat you'd look at that row of empty Jars on top of the kitchen press!" A depressing and significant silence followed. Me an loin, said tlie protesting volte, "wanted to talk It over, but twits only between 12 at night an' (! In the mornin" we got a chance. 'Tom I says to him one night after she'd been In an' Isirryed our last half-dozen of eggs, sarin' she'd return 'em when they got ilieajMT. Join, we got to get shot of Mary Mason!' I out says, 'I don't know how we're goln' to do it unb-ss w e move back on the farm." " "But you couldn't well do that!" "Not real easy. So I begun to giv her hints. I give her all kind of bints. I said as how I'd never been Used to su-xsiety, an' that much of it made my head ache. I said ns how Tom just loved solltoisl - that the re wasn't any thing he liki-d better than sjH'tullug his evenings alone wltli me an' the chil dren. I s.ud late hours Was fearful wearin' on our eonstltootlons. an' that after ilils we was going to bed not later'n !J o'clock. I said I couldn't re turn her vlnlt because Tom hadn't no ue for women that was alius ga-blln' -an' besides it wouldn't be no use for tne to go over s.-eiu' she was never home. Them, an' lots other gentle hlri! I gave her. She only says, '(, stullln'! I ain't one to make a fuss because a body can't keep up with the rules of cttirqiiftte! I don't mind if you never come over. I Won't get mad. I ain't that pr.md sort. Gin I'll take a bit of tlmt roly-poly over for Samyel's din ner It'll save me makin' sass." It was that way right along. When she got through en tin" she was sure to want sometbln' to take home for Sittjiyel. 'You Jest put an extry tablespoon of coffee in the Kt," ehe'd say, 'an' I'll run over with Samyel's cup. That'll save me makin' some." Well, when I told Tom that thein mild say-In' of mine 'ml no more mix into her mind than yon could make sulphur blend w ith wa toT, Tom says. 'Tell her we're goln' to move back on the farm. Maybe then she'll Iwgin to neighbor with the folks that has just got married across the alley." " "That very day 'twas: a quarter 10 1, a week ago yesterday she come a-walklu' into the kitchen (she never knocked), a big plate In her hand. Like usual she had a whole big Welcome for herself. 'I knowed." she says, 'you was aimln" to have a tilled dinner to day, au' I thought I'd Jest rnn over and get enough, for Samyel an' nie out'r the pot while it was hot." Ho up she tiKirches to the stove, aud take the lid ofTn the kettle, au" begins a-apcarln' out the salt Mrk, the turnips, an' the cabbage. 'Hake's alive!" she say, prod din' round, 'there ain't no carrot. Why ain't yet got some cat rots? Me an' Samyel we're reel fond f carrots.' " '.Maybe,' says I, kind of sarcastic like, 'we'll have lota of 'em mum. That Is, If we move back on tbe farm, like w e're talk in' of doin'." "Tom thought that'll ls a knockdown blow. So did I. Hut 'twasn't. We didn't know Mary Mason. She smiled all over. " 'Gracious me!' she snys, 'If that alu't luck! I told Hatnyel this mornin' I was clean beat out bousekeepln" an' would like A chance to recooperale. Here It Wi! I'll go out to the farm with you an' elay for three months!" "Then I knew tlmt niy Inst tint had fall'n flatter'n the breakfast puffs you make from a newspaper prlae recipe. I had felt my family peace 1-10:11', I had suffered my own health a goln' an' I aeen my dinner a-goln', too. So, I ria In my wrath. I aaya, 'yon ain't comln'-for you ain't goln' to be aaked.' Kn baat out a laffln'. '"Merer mr aha aaya. 'What a mi yow artfor Ib"f f MrargW 0m Nat t you, Mai' Bob'aoa. I aia't ae awful pertickler that I wait for folks to ask inc.' "Then my temper rise. It come up like lolik a b Mis'. You rl.itl't know lt' near the top till I: runs over. 'I ain't Jokiii'.' I s,iys. 'If we more back on the farm 'twi'l ) lo get shet of you." "What's that?" she m.ivs, an' elands there a ganpin'. "'It'll be to g.-t slut of youT I re--atel reel deliberate. 'This Is the last bint I'll give ye. Mary Mason!" " "Kid she take iff" the visitor queried. A faint smile of triumph illumined the face reKsiug ou the patchwork pil low. ". es, she took It -along w ith tbe b'.Iil dinner. She said, though, that her faith in human natur' was shook. She said she'd never again try to nelgh lr with a woman who didn't appre ciate the frieiufllnew of (M'rsons moro accustomed to sassiety. She 'luwed she never hail much use nohow for folks who couldn't tell Andootilckle from sauerkraut." "So your ordeal is at an end?" "We believe so," the little woman said iniofiilly. "It's a week since we had the Idled dinner niost of which we didn't have. She ain't come over since. I'm gettin' my health back. Tom an' me is llvln' happy an' peaceful again. We go to bed at half past 8. The children gets all their share at rneal times, I red up when I feel will In'. Tom says It's too good to lust He ways she'll come back one of thee. days. Do you think she will?" "( , surely not!" "I hope not," returned the little wom an, smiling brightly. But the next In stant she cast toward the door a fur tive glance that w-ns dark with dread. "We've got shet of Mary Mason I know, but will we stay shet?" Chicago Trib une. A FREAK AMONG FLOVERS. Venus' klr Trap and Its Almost Human Action. Now ami again, In exploring Ameri can woods and swamps. Isitaiilbtx havo come across floral curiosities that al most bridge over the great gulf that divides the animal and vegetable king doms, wiys the lb-signer. One of these, to be met with nowhere ill the world save in North Carolina, la scientifical ly classified as dloiiocii musclpula, but is colloquially known as "Venus' fly trap." In appearance the extraordinary plant Is prettily but unassumingly the b-atli s flower stem, running from six to eight inches 111 height and sur mounted by a cluster of live pctallcd blossoms, rising erect like a rosotte like bed of leaves. It Is iu the edge of the leaves that the death-dealing ap paratus Is set-for this inislcst little plant, which is so delicate that It dies of the slightest Injury to root or stem, sustains its life by footing upon tbo unwary Insects that ilmnee to alight upon Its h aves, enticing them to their destruction by exuding from tbe edges of Its fata traps a viscous fluid, some- w hut resembling honey. I be traps consist of two soft, vel vety b.-ivcM, fringed w ith delicate hrls- Ib-K lilnl hinged together on one side. The unsuspecting llv lured br tbe hoj.ey. alights on these bristb s In an ticipation of u feast, but Ht the first touch of Its feet the hinges close, the two leaves come together, the bristles Interlock, ami tbe hapless Insect Is Im prisoned In a cell from which escape Is Impossible. t'ndor the stimulus of the lctlm'l struggles the tiny glands with which the Inner walls of the trap are iurnlsh- ed pour forth a secretion which Iar- win nnnl.v7.ed as n vegetable gastric Juice, resembling that which insures digestion iu anliiiiil life. L'tuler the In- flui tice of this curious fluid, the fly is actually digested alive, and lis Juices isnng extracted the trap door are re opened and the skeleton is flung out. 1 lie scieiitlsis declare that the plant unquestionably lives upon the lube. of Its victims, but otto or iw,. t.,H florists take exception to this state ment. It Is worthy f note that, al though the habit of the plunt is car nivorous, experiments have proved that it lives longer and thrive better When so Inclosed tlmt I10 Insects can reach It- 11 superabundance of Its fa vorite diet apparently rendering It even more delicate than It Is bv na ture. Jl,e w.t musci,. controlling Its leaves are said to resemble those of the human eyelids.-New York Her. aid. A Cur (tun Wooden H i U:h. The most curious timekeeper Per. Imps, that has ever U-cn made In this ountry was the work of one Ylctut Itorlot, who lived at Bristol, Term alMitit twenty years ago. This rvldltv wus nothing more or less than a vood n watch. 1 tie case waa made of briar rot and the Inside works, except three of the main wheels and the springs wiucn were 01 metal; were made from a piece or an old lsxwood rule. The face, which was polished until It look ed like H slab of finest Ivory, was Hindu from Ilia shoulder blude of an old cow that bad Is-eu killed by the cars, "Ho. riot'a queer watch," aa It waa called, was an open-faced affair, with a glass crj'atal, aud waa pronounced flne piece of work by all the wniehtu.taeri In Eaat Tennessee. . A Latch y "Spec," Several days ago tbe achooner Hob ert I. Carter alnick on Alden'a lUck, and to all appearance waa a total om. Nautical experta agreed that she would leave bar bones there, and her owners stripped ner aud sold tbe bulk t Charles Harriett, of tbla city, who bought It for f 70 on "apee." Laut nlght't wind and tide floated tbe schooner off, and, to the amacament of tne aalta, aba cam drifting- np tba harbor. Rartlett had bar to wad In.'' ftha la worth ftt.OOu and baa beaidea a oarfo of 1,300 toiia of coal,' moat af wtOea to aaiabU.-Port-la&4 Of ) apacfej Inm HaiaM.