A CALIFORNIA GIRL
A Continued Story.
SYNOPSIS.
Th tory opens up with Sir Roydon
Ou-lh. a young mining expert. In ( alifor
aua, hr he had been lent by an Englisli
avnoirate t0 develop mining properly.
In tbedlarharge of hla dutiea at Dead
Mna Gulch be had the misfortune to
hi leg. and during bla Illness Is
ared for In a rough squatter's cabin by
eta Marvel and his son La lire. Lilac, tli
Id man a niece. Is also a member of the
Id man a family. Sir Roy, Impreaaed by
beauty and gentlanesa, falls In love
with her and proposes, but she. realising
We difference In their positions, refuses
U offer. After his recovery he foolishly
ihlbiis a large sum of money which be
arrled In his belt. This aroused Lance's
upldlty and he drugs Sir Roy with the
Intention of robbing film. Lilac overhears
nd succeeds In arousing
r Roy from hla stupor, help him mount
la norm and accompanies him alone th
trail. She finally yields to his persuaslun
te marry him upon hla return from a rro.
f f proayectlng trip to Nevada. Arriv.
Ig In San Francleco he placea her in Ihn
are of Major Emmott and hi daughter,
ngllsh peoDle (ravelin In lha un.i
rrmncementa are maile that she almll ac
empany them to Kngland to m.'ke the tc
ualntanc of Sir Hoy s arlstoctatic motn
T during hia enforced absence.
CHAPTER XXII.
Although Lilac had stated to Evan
geline, who was naturally horrified and
Indlgnai.: her Intention of becoming
Mark Mowbray's wife, and also men
tioned It In the letter she had left for
Sir Roy himself. Informing him that
his cousin loved him and would make
him a better wife than she ever could,
he had no such purpose In view as
that of seeking the author or of asking
him to redeem the promise that he had
made her on board the G'-mlnl. She
had been compelled to tell a falsehood
In order to set the baronet's mind at
rest with regard to her fate, and save
him from any scruples that his un
ooutnea sense of honor would cause
him to feel If he discovered or guessed
that she still loved him. Her only Idea
when she left the hall was to take pas
age back to California, and throw
herself once more upon the hospitality
of her uncle.
She was quite sure that the old man
would be glad to have her once more
with him at the ranch, and she hoped
that by this time Lance's passion and
resentment would have cooled a little.
Whether that was the case or not, to
return to Deadman's Gulch seemed the
only course open to her, and she anx
iously counted the money still left in
ber purse, wondering whether It would
b sufficient to secure her a passage.
Her eyes were blinded with tears
when she reached Liverpool in the
evening, and she wiped them away
hurriedly, as, on getting out of a tblrd
elaaa apartment, she heard her name
poken In a very familiar vole. A
tall showily dressed man, with black
hair and little black eyes, had been
standing on the platform at the precise
pot where her carriage stopped, and
he lurched forward, with hia little eye
opened wide with astonishment and a
pleased ring In bis whining tones as
he said:
"Hallo. Lll! I knew that I should
find you!"
It was her cousin, Lance, but looking
so different In his soft slouch bat and
Inverness cape, open to reveal a white
waistcoat, from which a showy gold
watch chain dangled, that Lilac felt
he would not have rrcognlted him If
It had not been for his voice, which
he remembered only too well.
Her first feeling was one of shrink
ing fear, and she glanced round as if
meditating escape: but the friendly
' way In which he grasped her hand re
minded her that his power to do her
an Injury, even If he wished it, would
be very small In England. She was In
o lonely and miserable a frame nf
mind, however, that there was some
thing cheering In the sound of his
familiar voice, and the girl did not feel
so utterly alone as she had done when
he found hut great hand clasp her
wn. After all. he was her cousin, and
traveling alone for the first time In
her life, Lilac turned to him with a
sense of protection.
"Got any luggage?" he asked. And.
when Lilac pointed to her modest
Gladstone bag, which was all she had
brought away with her, and which
he had retained with her in the rail
way carriage, her cousin secured it at
once for her.
"Say, Lll, are you all alone?" He
aaked, as she began to walk by his
Ide down the platform.
Lilac nodded.
"He has not left you, has he?"
"Nobody ha left me," she said.
am going back home of my own free
will."
"Homer
"Yes to uncle Seth, at the ranch."
Lance burst Into a harsh, unmusical
laugh.
"Uncle Seth will be glad to see me
back, whatever you think," the girl
aid, her eyes filling with tears at
which her companion laughed all the
louder.
"Maybe he would be," he explained,
"if he wasn't dead and the ranch sold.
That I how I can afford to come over
here and dress like a gentleman. Hut
I suppose you are so used to swells now
that you did not notice my fixings."
As he spoke he glanced down admir
ingly at his white waistcoat and
seemed surprised that Lilac was not
equally Interested in his finery.
"Uncle Seth dead?" Lilac gasped,
turning pale.
"Yes; the old skinflint died the week
after you left. Sylvester had been
trying to get him to sell the ranch;
and, as soon as it was mine to sell, I let
him have It for a very tidy price, and
rame over to enjoy myself and look
you up. I did not think I should be
m lucky, and that darned baronet out
of the way, too! Why, there la noth
ing to prevent our getting married at
neel"
Lilac had only dim idea of what hr
ras saying. The news f her uncle's
aeatn nad com aa a great shock to
her, not only because she had been
fond of the hard-grained old man, ae
far as he would let her, but because the
fact of his death and the sale of the
ranch left her without a home of any
kind. When the money In her purse
was gone she would be entirely des
titute.
When she spoke her question sound
ed a mercenary one:
Did uncle Seth make any provision
for me?" she asked. "He used to say
that he would."
Lance flushed and laughed uneasily.
"He asked me, just as he was going
off he caught a chill, you know, and
went out like a candle to look after
you and see you did not want. So It
is all right, Lll. You marry me, ana
I will make a lady of you. I was sur
prised to find what a lot the old skin,
flint had put by! Why, we can live
like fighting cocks!"
"But I cannot marry you. Lance,"
"aid Lilac, with her eyes full of tears
as she thought of the poor old man,
who had derived so little enjoyment
from his money while he lived and
gained to little gratitude for it when
he was gone.
"Can't marry me? Why it Is Just the
thing! Of course It's kind of me, 1
know," drawled Lance, after the way
you have been carrying on with that
high-flown Britisher; but I always
meant to marry you and I won't draw
back Just because I have a little dust!
Come round here, where there are not
so many people, and let us talk it
over."
Lilac followed her cousin obediently
to a side-platform, which was quite de
strted, except for the presence of one
mun on a seat, hidden behind a news
paper, in which he seemed too deeply
Interested to notice any one passing by.
"But I cannot marry you. Lance, be
cause I do not love you," said Lilac
pathetically, ad to have to anger the
only friend that she seemed to have
left to her.
Lance was very angry Indeed.
"Come, Lll," he said, his voice chang
Ing "that was all very well when
there wa sanother man In the way;
but you say yourself that you have
got tired of him and were going back
to the ranch. It is lucky for him that
you did tire of him, tecause I should
not have let him stand In the way.
"I have not tired of Sir Roydon
Garth," said Lilac quietly, thinking
H best to speak quite plainly to her
cousin so that he might dismiss all
thought of marriage with her. "If I
do not marry him. It is only for his
sake; and I shall lov him aa long aa
I live."
Her companion's face grew white
with passion.
"You love the skunk still, and, after
all, he won't marry you? By heaven.
I will kill him for you!"
The girl was alarmed at the aav
agery In the his voice and did her best
to explain. Her cousin's voice changed
when he heard that the lovers had not
been together since Lilac left San
Francisco.
"You are a sensible girl, Lll," he said,
"not to marry one of those high-flown
British aristocrats. You would never
be happy. Why don't you forget all
about him and.marry me?"
"I cannot, Lance. You must not ask
me," she (aid, frightened by his ear
nestness.
"But I love you," Lance cried fierce
ly. "I have never cared for anybody
but you and never shall. And look
here, Lll I wear that. If you do not
marry me, you shall marry nobody
else! I'll kill you first!"
They had reached the farther end of
the deserted platform, and the hulking
Callfornlan put down the bag he was
carrying, as if intending to take the
girl's hands. In stepping back to avoid
him, Lilac would have fallen over the
edge of the platform if he had not
caught her. He drew her back to a
position of safety, but did not release
his grasp of her arm.
"Do you know that I could kill you
here, and nobody would be the wiser?'
he said, savagely. "See those red
lights? That Is a train coming In
What is to prevent my pushing you
over in front of it, and saying that you
fell by accident? Now tell me wheth
er you will marry me or not?"
As he spoke he pushed her back al
most to the edge of the plutform, and
there was a savage light In his little
bluck eyes which terrified her.
"Don't Lance don't!" she cried,
In alurm. "You will let me fall without
meaning to do so."
"Then say that you will marry me!'
"I cannot, Lance."
He pushed her farther back, so that
she retained her footing on the plat
form only with difficulty. The ap
proaching train was coming nearer. He
was merely trying to frighten her, but
he was so excited and so maddened by
her persistent refusal to marry him,
Just as he had been assuring himself
that the obstacle he had been fearing
In the person of Sir Roydon Garth no
longer stood in his path, that Llla's
position was a sufficiently dangerous
one. She tried to scream, but the cry
died in her throat through sheer ter
ror. "Say you will marry me!" hissed the
bully once more, but as he uttered the
words, his voice was strangled by the
drawing tight of his collar, as a strong
hand seized him from behind and flung
him backwards, reeling, , across the
platform.
Owing to hla hold of her arm, Lilac
was drawn forward a few steps, clear
of the Incoming train. The man who
had been engrossed In his newspaper
had put It down In time to notice her
danger and com to her assistance.
H stood now with his face turned
towards Lanes Marvel, so that lilac
did not see his face at ones.
"You great, hulking brut," h Mid
fiercely to th bully, who hng back
afraid now that h had a man to deal
with instead of a helpfesa girl, "you
ruffianly coward, what are you doing?"
Lilac had not recognized his flgur
in the obscure light any more than he
had recognized hers, but the moment
that he spoke she knew the voice at
once, and sprang forward with a little
cry of pleasure at finding a friend.
"Mr. Mowbray!" she cried; and the
author turned In utter astonishment
Just as two porters came up to meet
the incoming train and put an end to
any further chance of violence on
Lance's part, if he had the courage to
meditate any.
Mark Ignored him entirely In the de
light of meeting his "ledal woman"
when he so little expected It.
"My dear Miss Marvel," he said, his
musical voice full of pleasure as he
took her hand; and then he stopped
suddenly and caught her slight form
In his arms, for, overcome by all that
she had passed through, this last sur
prise had been too much for the girl's
nerves, and she had fainted.
Till now Lilac had been keenly on
the alert for her own safety. Now
that the presence of her author friend
relieved her from any such necessity
she collapsed suddenly, and If Mark
naa not caught her quickly In his
arms, she would have fallen upon the
platform.
When she recovered consciousness,
she found herself in a waiting room,
alone with her rescuer, who bent over
her with a glass of brandy in his hand
which an obliging porter had brought
him.
"Where is Lancer' she aaked, when
she opened her eyes.
"Who Is that the man who tried to
kill you, or pretended to be about to do
so?"
"Yes he Is my cousin, Lance Marvel,
from Deadman's Gulch," explained
Lilac, sitting up. "How have you got
rid of him?"
She was still full of terror, and the
author hastened to reassure her.
"Your precious cousin Is in custody,"
he said. "I had him locked up for at
tempting your life; but we need not
proceed against him unless you wish
It. I shall not give him a chance of
bullying you again. Try to drlng a
little of this brandy it will make you
feel stronger and then rest a bit. You
need not be afraid; I will take good
care of you, now that we have met
again."
Lilac obeyed, with a pleasant sense
of being cared for.
You will be wondering what I am
doing In Liverpool," she said, after a
little while; but Mark showed no curiosity.
There will be plenty cf time to talk
about that when you are feeling better.
You were not waiting for anybody,
were you?"
'No; I was alone. I do not know
where I shall go next."
"Then I will tell you. As soon as
you feel strong enough, we will get In
to a cab and drive to my mother's.
She has heard a great deal about you.
and will be delighted to welcome you."
But were you not leaving Liver
pool? Were you not at the station?"
'I was waiting for a friend who wa
traveling by the train which arrived
as you fainted. He did not expect me
to meet him, however, so It does not
matter. It is lucky, though, that 1
thought of coming to meet him, and
got here a little before the train was
due. You must have passed me with
your worthy cousin when I was deep
In my newspaper. It was a scathing
attack on my last book, and I found It
very Interesting. Do you think that
with my help you could now walk to
a cab?"
Lilac stood up at once.
"I am quite strong," she said. "I do
not know what made me so foolish as
to faint; but" she hesitated "but I
have no claim upon you that you
should take such an Interest In me,
Mr. Mowbray."
I thought that we were friends,"
he said. In his most matter-of-fact
tones; "and my mother, I need hardly
say, will be really pleased to see you,
even If you are unwilling to do more
than pay her a complimentary visit."
Lilac glanced up at him gratefully.
"Besides, I am very anxious to hear
all about you what brings you to Llv.
erpool, and what you have been doing
since we parted; and It will be pleas
anter to talk at home than here, where
we may be disturbed at any moment. 1
wonder that we have had the room to
ourselves for so long."
As he spoke he offered her his arm;
and poor Lilac felt too utterly friend
less, now that the chance of returning
to her uncle's roof was lost, to make
any further protest against his kind
ness. In five minutes more they were
seated In a cab and driving rapidly
through the streets on their way to the
author's home.
The girl felt as If she were In a
dream, from which must come an
awakening that it terrified her to think
of. She dared not consider the future.
What chance would she have, without
training or accomplishments of any
sort, to support herself In a world of
Btrangera? When the few pounds In
her purse were spent, she would be ut
terly destitute. For, although she
knew that Mr, Mowbray would offer
her the hospitality of his home as long
as she cared to accept It, Lilac was
much too proud to think of accepting It
when she could give nothing In return.
She knew well enough ' what return
Mark wa hoping she would give, but
her lov was not hers to bestow. Much
she liked th kindly young author,
her lov was all Roy's. She fait that
ahs must tall her companion as soon aa
posalbl th tni facts of th cas, and
prevent him from building upon hr
acceptance of hit hospitality, hopes
that wtr not deatlaod to b fulfilled,
h seised th Brat opportunity.
"Well," said Mark, almost as soon as
the drive had begun "have you found
me a true prophet? Finding you alone
here makes me think that you have."
"I have found only what I expected,"
Lilac said slowly. "You were wrong In
saying that Sir Roydon Garth would
not treat me honorably. He is the soul
of honor, and I care for him more than
I can ever care for anybody else in the
world. I left his home before he re
turned because I care for him so much.
I found as I expected that I should not
make a fit wife for him, that I should
only stand In the way of the marriage
which he ought to make, and so I was
going back to California. But when 1
reached Liverpool I met Lance at the
station, and he told me that I have
no longer a home to go to. Uncle Seth Is
dead and the ranch sold. I am quite
homeless!" Her voice quivered as she
spoke, and her eyes filled with tears.
"You must not say that while my
mother's house is at your service," he
said, In his low, musical voice; and
then, suddenly carried away by the
sight of the tears In her eyes, he for
got the restraint he had Imposed upon
himself, and turned towards her, his
face glowing with passionate love. "1
shall always be your friend, whutever
happens, Lilac," he said, speaking rap
Idly and earnestly. "But won't you let
me be something more? You know
that I love you. I have loved you
every moment from the first day I saw
you at sea, and every day Bince I have
thought about you and longed to make
you my wife. I do not expect you to
love me Just yet; but I will win your
love, and make you forget this man
who Is unworthy of you. You are
right, perhaps, in thinking that you
would not be happy in a crowd of
cold, proud aristocrats, who would nev
er forget that you were not one of themj
but I am a Bohemian and move in a
Bohemian circle, where brains and
beauty are everything and the acci
dents of birth meet with the contempt
they deserve. I have wealth to render
you happy; and I am sure that I should
Induce you to care for me because I
love you so much."
The tears were now streaming from
Lilac's eyes, and she made no attempt
to check them; but she shook her head
hopelessly.
"You must not ask me," she said. "I
would do anything to please you, since
you are so good to me; but how could
I make you happy if I gave you my
hand while my heart was really an
other's? You must not think of It. It
Is wrong of me to accept your hospital
ity when I can never agree to your pro
posal. I oughn't to have thought
of it. Please let the cab take me to
some cheap hotel, where I should have
gone If I had not met you."
The earnestness with which she
spoke made the man exert all his self
control to restrain his passion.
"You must not talk about going
among strangers while you have
fiends," he said, "I should be a queer
friend If I Insisted upon your marrying
me as the price of a few days' hospi
tality. Forgive me for having men
tioned my love and promise to regard
me again only as a friend! You must
see my mother, and stay with us at
least until we have thought out some
plan for your future. I shall think that
I have offended you if you do not."
"You cannot think that when you
have been so kind."
"Say that you will be our guest, then.
for a little time."
"You are too kind to me. Everybody
is so much kinder than I deserve; and
I feel as though I bring nothing but
unhapplness to everybody."
"That is foolish,' 'Mark said, In his
matter-of-fact tone. "It is a great hap
piness to be able to serve you. You
will come?"
Lilac bowed her head.
"Thank you very much!" she said.
"But perhaps your mother will not
like me?"
LEAD LONELY LIVES.
"I suppose Garth's mother did not,"
the "young author observed sagely;
"but you will find my mother very dif
ferent, as you will see for yourself
for here we are."
(To be continued.)
Bishop James Duggan, former prelate
of the diocese of Chicago, died In an
asylum at St. Louis last week, aged 74.
He was ordained priest In St. Louis In
1847, became coadjutor of the late Arch,
bishop Kenrlck and was consecrated
bishop and tranferred to Chicago In
1859. As bishop of Chicago he became
quite famous for his work In that city.
During the civil war he was an ardent
advocate of the cause of the union and
an active and energetic worker on the
plans for relief which were carried on
at home for the soldiers at the front. In
1S68 his health began to fail and he
was sent abroad, but after many month
of travel In Europe in search of health
he returned In 1869, a mental and phys
ical wreck, and on April IS of that year
was sent to St. Vincent's Institution,
St. Louis, where he has been confined j
ever since. Had he lived until the loth j
of April he would have been there Just j
thirty years. During the long term of
his confinement in the asylum he wast- j
ed away physically from the tall, hand
some figure once the admiration of all
who knew him to a feeble old man,
and his mind, once so brilliant and ac
tive, also weakened with his physical
powers, until all traces of his former
character almost completely vanished.
Bishop Duggan preached the funeral
oration of Stephen A. Douglas.
woman Who Have Achieved the
Art of Being Silent.
"When you are staying at Biarrits,
mind you walk out one day and visit
the humble retreat of the self-sacrificing
Bernardines, or, to put it more
plainly, the sisters of silence. They live
close by the convent of Notre Dame du
Rtefuge, among tle sands and the
dunes, and scattered fir trees of the
wild coast of the Bay of Biscay, half
way between Biarritz and Bayonne.
You will doubtless be staying at the
Hotel du Palais, which, as you know,
waa once the summer residence of the
Empress Eugenie, when hew now sad
dened life was all sunshine and happi
ness; and you may take It from me, fpr
I happen to know, that her majesty the
Empress of the French, took no greater
interest in any religious order than in
her favorite penitents, who are bound
to mortify the tongue and eye, ho
never speak and who never look into a
human face."
"LA SOLITUDE."
All this was whispered In my ear by
an old friend before I left London for
my winter holiday, which was to be
spent under the shadow of the Pyreness
close by the border line between Spain
and France. I confess that I had never
before heard of the Benardines or knew
that there was any religious order of
women which observed the laws of si
lence and abasement. Of course I know
the Trapplst monks, who never speak.
and who dig their own graves, and 1
have seen them at their dumb and Iso
lated work in more than one country;
but I had yet to become acquainted
with "La Solitude," near Biarrits.where,
under the very hardest and strictest
conditions of life, women rescued from
the world as In the case of the peni
tents of the Good Shepherd at Mill hill
seek pardon In self-denial and good
works.
But do not believe for a moment that,
however bitter their task, however hum
ble their dwelling in the lonely dunes,
however lowly and unadorned their
chapel, their rffectory and their "ecll
ules" which almost resemble a pris
oner's cell, with nothing but sand for
the floor these solitary and silent wo
men are never Idle. They till the bar
ren soli and make It fertile; they cul
tivate flowers and grow vegetables in
abundance, which are freely sold in
the markets of France as well as ef
Spain; they make lace, they mate
shoes, they paint cards with exquisite
taste all of which produce Is sold for
the benefit of the Convent of the Ref
uge, with its sister and adjacent heme,
"La Solitude." All they cannot do, by
the rules of the severe order to which
they have voluntarily bound themselves
for life, is to speak or to life up their
eyes to look into a human face. Speech
less and with ever downcast eyes, they
meditate hour by hour and day after
day on the life that is past and the
life that is to come, tolling, working,
praying, and doubtless reflecting on the
motto which hangs on the convent wall;
II en coute de Bien Vivre, mals
Quil sera doux de Blen Mourlr.
So, one bright, sunny morning I set
forth from the famous hotel facing the
blue Bay of Biscay, once the palace of
a luckless empress, and naturally, her
favorite home, being so near to her
native and beloved Spain, to discover
the convent of the Bernardines or Sis
ters of Solitude There was lltt si
lence as I walked along The birds In
tht air were ringing bells Jangled on
the collars of tht horses and the oxen;
the steam cars puffed away cn the road
from Biarrits to Bayonne- they were all
laughing merrily on the golf links by
the sea, and In the club house adjoin
ing, where the English residents and
visitors seem to spend the bert part ef
the day between meals, all as golf-mad
out here as we are In England.' The
blue sea dashed upon the rocks, flinging
a torrent of white spray Inte the air,
and one felt In this glorious atmosphere
bracing as a tonic, the full exhillratlon
and joy of existence. This was the ex
act contrast that was required before
visiting the retreat In the pine woods
the home of solitude and silence. I wss
evidently nearlng the spot that was t
end my little pilgrimage. As I passed
along the pasture and the fields, In
stead of rough patients and laborers 1
saw silent women in the somber habit
of black and white, hooded in black,
and with large white crosses on the
he cattle of the Convent of the Solitude
n their warm, cosy sheds, ar bet tar
tendd.
I am mt at the gate by one of the Sta
rrs of Notre Dame du Refuge, who is
oound by no laws of silence, and who
pends her day at the entrance of the
solitary convent. Our first visit Is, of
.ourse, to the chapel, appallingly plain
and bare.
Here is the first instance of the se
verity of the rules of self-denial. In
ther convents there Is comfort at least
n the chapel of the order, where all
:he religious meet to pray morning.
noon and night. Colored statues on the
iltar, painted windows, and frescoed
walls, gayly adorned "stations of the
.toss," laces, flowers, altar cloths, mu
sic, light, and brightness relieve the
convent life elsewhere from Its dreari
ness and monotony. Not so at the
Solitude. Only one patient figure on th
Har of "Our Lady cf Loneliness," and
ao more. Elsewhere, sand for the fleor.
whitewash for the wall a barn-like
3esolate and deserted place.
THE PRAYER OF AN EMPRESS!
Here, prostrate on the sand, In tklt .
very chapel, many long years ago, was
found her majesty, the empress t the
French, praying with all the earnest
ness of her beautiful nature, for a apo
dal gift from God. The good Abbe
CVtac, seeing her attitude f Intense
devotion ventured t approach kef
and whisper words of comfort and hope
n her ear. "Madame," said the gratis
priest, "1 have been praying also, and
1 have an Inner conviction, fortified! oy
ny appeal to the Mother ef Sorrow,
that your prayer will be answered."
Nothing more was said. In four months'
time, to the Joy of the empress, the em
peror and France, the prince Imperial
was born. Shall we wonder, then, that
the penitents of the Solitude, the spt,
the scene, the history of Its foundation,
md its work of mercy, appealed direet
y to the generous heart ef our own
aueen of England? Shall we be sur
prised to hear that her majesty, with
her gentle, tender nature, made ber
way also to the Convent of Solitude
(hat was so dear to her . well-love
friend, the lonely, widowed and disco,
tolate Empress Eugenie? The sister
who took me round this home or rest
kild me that she had had the honr ok
more than ene cession to escort fhsj
3ueen of England the Princess Beatrtat
ever the convent, both of whom we
deeply touched by the sentiment f tin
Solitude, and their names are held to
veneration by all whose Uvea arc
jn this remarkable refuge
Scott la Londen Sketekv
Shirt waists are losing their plain,
masculine finish, and a tucked yoke of
white, with the band In th front, also
of whit, tucked In fin tucks perpen
dicularly, Is to be seen with the lower
part and sleeves of gingham or any of
th pretty colored materials to be found
In shirt waists. Th yoke Is frequent
ly joined to th body of th gown with
a llttl open-work Insertion, and mall
peart, ball buttons fasten th walat th
full length.
j tabard-like mantles, hoeing the turnips,
tilling the soil, gathering the fir cones,
guiding the cattle, all speechless, all
with eyes cast down on the ground.
Suddenly a bell rang out of the con
vent. Down went these silent workers
on their knees; they had taught the
cattle to do the same, or, at any rate,
, to humbly stoop when the good sisters
Indulged in a few seconds of silent
1 prayer. At every quarter of each hour,
day and night, this bell on the convent
clock strikes out Its ominous message,
bringing a moment's meditation to
those sad women, who, we may hope,
after their grievous trouble, are at last
at peace with all the world.
You approach the lowly solitude by a
sandy lane, with small hedges on either
side starred with camellas, cacti, and
flowering laurustlnus. It Is nearlng ths
sunset hour and frost Is expected, so
the Bernardines are surrounding the
sender plants and vegetables with mat.
ting, and are busy at the top of th
glass conservatory neatly rolling down
preserving mats Of plaited straw. Foi
them In their humble, sanded refectory
at nightfall will be a piece of dry bread
and a jug of cold water; a prayer o
bended knees, abased In th sand; every
quarter of an hour a silent medltetlos
In the lowly chapel, bare, white-washed
and sanded, unadorned aav for tht
statu on th high altar of "Notn
Dam de la Bolttud" miraculous gift,
And then a few hours' sleep In the
plainest cell, comfortless, but speUaso
ly clean, scarcely protested, from tas
bitter, plerclag air ratal. Mima
A Feathered Wondir.
Pesslbly the rarest ef all feathered
:reatures is the "takahe" bird ef WW
Zealand. Science names tt Notaram
MantellL The first one ever see Is
white eyes was caught in 1849. A
jnd came to white hands In 1851. Like
the first, it was tracked ever snow a ad
laught with dogs, fighting stoutly and
uttering piercing screams ef rage sa
il overmastered. Both became the pro
perty of the British museum. After
that it was not seen again until 1871.
That year's specimen went to the Dres
Jen museum at the cost of $500. The
fourth, which was captured last fal
n the fiords of Lake Te Anau, In New
Zealand, has been offered to the gov
ernment there for the tidy sum of
11,250.
Thus It appears that the bird la pre-
.(ous worth very much more than Ms
weight in gold. The value, ef course.
:omes of rarity. The wise men were
beginning to set It down as extinct.
Scarcity aside, it must be worth looking
at a gorgeous creature, about the sise
of a goose, with breast, brad and neck
cf the richest dsrk blue, growing duH.
sh as it reaches the under parts. Back,
wings, and tall feathers are olive green,
nd the plumage throughout has a ass-
lallle lustre. The tail Is very short,
and has underneath It a thick patent
of soft, pure white feathers.
Having wings, the takahe Ilea aai.
The wings are not rudimentary, bat Ha
bird makes no attempt to use tkern.
The legs are Irnrish and very stett;
the feet not webbed, and furnished with
rharp, powerful clawa. The oddest feaw
ure of all Is the bill, an equilateral tri
angle of hard, pink horn. Along tb
edge, where It joins the head, then Is
strip of soft tissue much like th
rudimentary comb of a barnyard fowl.
PERSONAL AND OTHERWISE.
Sidney Webb, an English publicist,
calls Salt Lake City the purest munici
pality in America.
General Lloyd hWeaton, who cleared
the Paslg river, entered the service as
sergeant In the Eighth Illinois during
the civil war.
The residents of Alva, Okla., have de
cided to change the name of that towa
to Capron, In honor of the Rough Rid
er captain killed at Santiago.
Boston, which Is nothing if not mod
est, has undertaken to teach New Tork
how to conduct an equine exhibition,
vulgarly called a horse show.
Speaker Robert McNamee of the Flor.
Ida legislature was presented at the
opening of the session with a gavel
made from the keel of th battleship
Maine.
The statue of Isabella, former queea
of Spain, which stood for years in ths
Central park of Havana, has been tak
en down by order of Military Governs
Ludlow.
Alleged agents of Rockefeller art so
curing large hematite Iron or (IrpaadaT
In Grant County, New Mexico.
Joseph Vldal, the heavy-beards aa
long-haired Individual who baa boss
writing lov letters to Mms Bomb)
Gould, has at last beea arrssted, aaai))
ed with being Insane, H did Mt paj
any stamps ra hla letter and EaB
Gould's secretary pai4 ana paaar djj
thorn tar a nmg ttaas.
