AGRICULTURAL.
USEFUL FARM HINTS.
Is tb mower ready?
The old hen had better go.
U thou ueth a dull hoe It provet
wou art dull.
loung- man. aon t be afraid to an
her; brace up.
Speak little, rpeak truth; spend Utile
pay cssh.
Some men are prone to make Sund
ft weak day.
He that brings up hla aon to nothin
breeds a thief
If you expect the land to support you
It muat be well taken care of.
Attend to the feet of the work horn
aa carefully aa you do the feet of th
drivera.
Mind you the women folks are
'more real account than anything else
on the farm. Don't slight 'em.
Ducklings usually Mart their moult
when about eleven weeks old. Market
them before they begin.
When you give your cellar Its spring
Cleaning, add a little copperas wate
and aalt to the whitewash.
iou cannot afford to be a farmer
unless you know a great deal about It
but If you have the Impression that
you know all about It saltpeter won'
save you.
Kinaness and the use of a curry comb
and bruah will cure a kicking cow
Never tried It on a mule.
If you act the rascal with your farm
by robbing It of all its fertility you
administrator may find It difficult to
pay probate court expenses.
The sugar corn will ear better if not
too much crowded. It needs sun and
air around It to grow to perfection
A aloppy watery mess should never
be given young pigs, for by gorging
themselves with It they will become
pot-bellied, have Indigestion and the
scours.
There is honey In the comb, even in
the curry comb. It will swepeten the
temper of the horse, and, like the genu
Ine honey, it is only obtained by In
dustry,
It is said that opportunity has long
hair In front, but that the back side of
her head Is bald. He that grasps her
by the forelock can sleep well at
nighta.
Borne one has written that laziness
and labor are brothers. If this be
true one of them was surely changed
In the cradle. Labor Is wedded to In
centive. Laziness Is a rusty old bach
lor.
While we are lamenting our lost win
ter wheat In the United States, we can
console ourselves with the fact that
the crop is very large In Argentine
Dig a hole deep and wide In which to
' bury your prejudice, and after Interring
It dig up plenty of good judgment and
lay your plans with it Instead of with
prejudice.
Have a place for everything, and tee
that everything la put In its place. A
hoe left in the field and allowed to rust
may not amount to much, but a number
of hoes and a number of other tools,
especially of they Include some of the
more complicated and expensive farm
machines, often add up a bUl that is
formidable.
How many farmers keep accounts
with their crops, or knew the relation
of cost to the amount they are sold for?
On what err ps or animals a profit or
loss Is made? Without these accounts
he may have a fairly good guess at the
profit or lore on any ppeciftc crop, cow
.or heg, but he annot tell accurately,
or be In a petition to make such charge
aa will inure to his profit.
Now -off with the farm horse's shoes
and let his feet dewn en the ground.
Even If used a Utile rn the road, shoes
are not usually needed at this time of
year. At least let the hind feet go bare
and have tips on the front feet. The
idea Is to get the frog down on the
ground so It will grow and the foot ex
pand as It should. The bigger a horse's
frogs are, the fleeter he will be, and
the easier his motion. They Insure a
smooth, supple action by keeping the
heels of the hoof well spread, thus
giving room In It for the multitude of
little muscles to work naturally.
Serious Internal disturbances show
themselves In the staring colt. When a
hore's digestive organs are "upset" he
Is uneasy, pawing, stamping and acting
badly. Administer a pint of raw Un
seed oil, or. If the case is not a bod
one, begin feeding oil meal, a little at
a time. Glauber or epsom salts to the
extent of a large handful put in each
feed, until a pound or more has been
used, will regulate the system, open
the bowels and cool the blood. Tut a
little table salt with the medicine to
Induce the patient to eat It.
If the most and test hay Is desired
It Is not a good plan to pasture the
meadow in the spring of the year.
Borne farmers erroneously think they
can pasture the meadow up to a certain
time and It will do no damage, and they
expect as much hay as If they had not
pastured any of it. The meadow sel
dom does Its best when pastured In
the spring, and sometimes It la dam
aged by fall pasturing. It Is one thing
to have a good meadow and another to
know how to treat It.
Owing to the loss of so much clover It
la thought there will be a shortage In
the hay crop. In view of this It may
be an excellent plan to look up some
millet seed and arrange to aow tome
for hay. K you do, please don't aow It
Will warm weather la well established,
vcr It la ft hot weather crop. Then,
oA let It get ripe.
Thar If nothing more Inspiring In
feriaiftf tka to atfla tern work whoa
the soli works well and the weather Is
as good as If one had planned it for his
own convenience, unlets it Is being able
to reap a geed harvest. Harvest time
always has lis inccnvenlt net s. even it
the yield Is satisfactory, for there Is
always the hat and danger of treach
erous weather. In spring the long tea
son when e have been housed up
sharpens the appetite for work, which,
in turn, creates a denre for rest. As
a rule we are always glad to begin farm
wark and equally as glad to finish up
in the fall. When we get up at three
in the morning to break atalks, we feel
as If we were ready for any emergency,
and as we come in with the last load of
corn In autumn we are then ready for
Thanksgiving.
. SCIENTIFIC CORN CULTURE.
The following are the essential facts
presented by Prof. P. O. Holden, as
sistant professor of agricultural phys
ics at the Illinois university, in his
talk on "Different Kinds of Corn Cul
tivation" at the Stephenson county
(Ill.)-Farmers' Institute:
"I will give the results of some ex
periments made at the University of Ill
inois. The results of experiments will
not always be the same, as the sur
rounding conditions may not be the
same one year as the next. It is neces
sary for the farmer of all people to use
brains. These experiments were to de
termine the effect of different depths
of cultivation on the root system and
on the moisture in 'the soil, the effect
of the condition in which the ground
Is left, and the effect on the yield of
com. In root pruning a machine is
used which cuts straight down in the
ground at a distance of six Inches from
the hill of corn and on the four sides
of It. One row of corn was pruned and
the next row left. The corn not root
pruned yielded 80 bushels per acre;
hat pruned two inches deep, 78 bush-
els; four Inches deep, 63.5 bushels; six
Inches, 4S bushels. When pruned on
only two sides of the hill, two Inches
deep, the yield was 78 bushels; four
Inches, 76 bushels; six inches, 64 bush
els. The deeper the root pruning the
less the yield of corn. All this corn
was thinned out exactly alike, to four
stalks In the hill, and the pruning done
four times In the season from June 10
to July 5 The number of ears pro
duced in each of the conditions above
were respectfully 414, 400, 3C4 and 3j4
showing a uniform decrease the deeper
the root pruning.
The average of twenty-one experi
ments showed that corn ground culti
vated two Inches deep retained 21.5
moisture; 3 Inches, 22.7; 4 inches, 22.9
inches, 23 5; corn not cultivated but
cleared o weeds, 20.7, showing a grad-
ueal increase of moisture with the In
creased depth of cultivation. Th
moisture to a depth of twenty-seven
nches was actually measured. The dif
ference of about 2 per cent of mois
ture in the cultivation from two to six
nches deep means eighty tons of water
to the arre. Corn mulched with June
grass retained 26 6 moisture.
"Ordinary cultivation four Inches
deep retained 22.9 moisture; deep plow
ng early and shallow plowing late 24.1
moisture; shallow plowing early and
deep flowing late, 22.4 moisture: deep
plowing early with a smoothed surace
ater, 24. 6. Tower cultivation retained
22.3 moisture; tower ridge. 231; ridge.
22.8; harrow. 22.0. The shallower the
ultivatlon the lower the moisture.
"The yield of earn per acre at the
respective depths of 2. 3. 4 and 8 inches
f cultivation were 88. SS. 4. 90.1, 84. &
bushels; corn not cultivated. 93.1 bush
Is; corn with the weeds left In, 53.1
bushels; corn mulched, 71.7.
'These experiments show that In av
eraging up the decrease of yield with
he deeper Inference with the roots and
he Increased moisture with the deeper
ultivatlon that the best results were
obtained from cultivation three Inches
eep. In four years' cultivation we
ave found that corn not cultivated but
carefully weeded out yielded more than
11 the other methods, but It costs more
cut the weeds that the Increased
leld amounts to. We have had excel
lent results fro meultlvatlng only with
harrow and a weeder. The moisture
coming up from below by capillary at
traction I quickly passed off Into the
Ir when It strikes a shallow loosened
urface, but if the cultivation Is deeper.
irmlng a mulch, the moisture Is held
by It much better.
'The effects of different methods of
cultivation on the yield were as fol-
ws: Ordinary. 911 bushels; deep
owing early and shallow plowing
te. 8S 5; shallow plowing early and
deep plowing late, 88.9; deep plowing
early and smoothened late, 89.9; tower,
88 5; tower ridge, 90.6; ridge, 94.2, har
row, 90.9.
FARMERS' WIVES AND POULTRY.
On most farms the farmers' wives are
supposed to do the greater part of the
labor In caring for and raising the poul
try. Some of them get their pin money
In that way and some of them get
quite a bit more than that, making a
considerable sum for more substantial
expenses. It Is tafe to lay that thei
desire on the part of the wife In poul
try raising Is profit.
In view of this fact some women
have beaun to 8Bk themselves whether
they are getting much out of the bust-
nttn, and whether they are bringing
them up to the standard they should
be for the best results. It Is one thing
to be able to put a great many dosen
fowls on the market, and quite another
to get a great many dollars out of
them.
We once knew an enterprising young
boy who had ft desire to begin the poul
try buslnesa. In which he received but
little encouragement. He succeeded,
however, In borrowing hen that want,
ed to sit from on neighbor ftnd ft alt
ting of egga from another, ftnd ftll ho
bad to put Into the taWrprtat wsa hit
willingness to give It hla attention, and
he did It and succeeded. A boy of that
kind will succeed, for he Is made out
of the kind of material which means
success. There is no knowing what a
boy of that kind would do if he had
encouragement.
We believe that farmers' wives as a
rule are admirably adapted to the
poultry business, and they should have
some encouragement In It. Good build
ings should be provided for them, and
everything that will In any way add to
the convenience of the good wife in
caring for them. She may not be able
to hit one of the chickens with a stone
that she throws at It when it la scratch
ing up the garden, but she will gener
ally htlt the nail on the head oftener
than the big stout man who would not
stoop to "such small business" as that
of poultry raising. After the morning
meal is prepared and his lordship has
gone afield, she goes to the poultry
house to make the flock comfortable.
She gets recreation out of It, for the
reason that it is a change from work,
ing Indoors. Soon she has everything
In good trim and she rests by going
back to the house to take up the work
there. Then the sitting hens have to
be removed, and she keeps this up all
through the day in a merry mood, get
ting enjoyment as well as profit out of
the business.
We believe the wives ought to be en
couraged in the poultry business and
they ought to have good poultry quar
ters and a good breed of fowls to be
gin with. Never should they be chided
for the small business they are engaged
in, for it is not a small business. We
know of an instance where a woman
paid off a mortgage with chicken money
and if it had not been for her and her
chicken money it could not have been
lifted. Women are a part of the firm
and they have a skill In many things
that Is all their own, and some of them
have more skill In this line than their
husbands have In their work. We also
believe that the husband and large
boys ought to help the wife and mother
do such heavy work as may bi needed
when they can, and the potple and
poached eggs will have a much better
taste. Perhaps when hunger has full
possession of the big boy he may get
an extra egg or two If he Is helpful.
The full grown man who will eat a
plateful of potple and two or three
eggs and then complain that his wife la
doing no good with the chickens, ought
to be compelled to Join the army In Ma
nila and try shooting Filipinos, without
eggs and pot-pie. Homestead.
WHITE VC. BROWN BREAD.
The very general Impression prevails
that brown or whole wheat bread Is
more nutritious and more wholesome
than white bread made from bolted
Hour. A aeries of experiments report
ed In the current issue of the Experi
ment Station Record, however, indi
cates that this generally entertained
opinion should be modified. From these
experiments the conclusion Is drawn
that the highly nutritive value which
on purely chemical grounds, Is placed
upon brown bread made from whole
wheat, can not, except as to vegetable
fats and mineral constituents, be
maintained from the physiological view
of the question because digestion does
not find in the brown bread the ele
ments which chemistry finds. In other
words, distinctly less of the nutritive
materials actually get In to the blood
in the case of brown than of white
bread. White bread, in, weight fur
weight, more nutritive than the brown,
and where people have Irritable in
testines white bread is to be preferred.
On the other hand, with people hav
ing sluggish intestines and a tendency
to constipation, brown bread Is prefer
able to white. It is also preferable
where the other articles of food and
drink that are consumed dally are lack
ing In mineral ingredients, and especi
ally In lime salts, and If one's diet
contains insufficient fat, or if one In
bad health Is unable to digest fat in
other forms, brown bread, which con
tains a larger amount of It than white.
Is probably preferable. Homestead.
LATE INVENTIONS.
A carving knife sharpener and fork
guard are combined in a Pennsylvani
a's patent, the upper portion of the
guard having two disks carried on spin
dles to rotate as the knife Is drawn
between them.
A folding stepladder has recently
come into use In which the legs and
step supports are hlngled at the cen
ter to close up when not in use, allow
ing the ladder to be stored In about halt
the space of the old ladders.
Runners and wheels can be easily
brought into use on a new vehicle, the
runners being carried by rock-shafts
operated by levers to lower them below
the line of the wheels, or lift them and
allow the wheels to support the load.
In a new bicycle tire the resiliency la
obtained by hollowing the face of the
rim deeply and stretching a strip of
fabric across the face, with a ring of
rubber or other flexible material sus
pended in the center of the fabric,
A pneumatic axle bearing for vehl.
cles has been patented to take the
place of Inflated tires on road wagons,
beln le"1 "able to Puncture, the weight
being carried by pneumatic rings placed
Inside drums surrounding the axle.
Ice cream can be ahlpped without
melting In ft new delivery package, a
nonconducting material being used aa
filler between the Inner and outer walla,
the cream being placed In a tight recep.
tacle In the center and surrounded with
Ice.
To prevent bicycle wheela from
throwing mud and water on the rider's
bftck ft new device la formed of two
arma pivoted on tho roar axis to sup
port ft small roller .! ft position to take
before It can be throws est.
A CALIFORNIA GIRL,
CHAPTER XXVII.
When Sablna Emmott persuaded her
father that hla health would suffer if
be did not accept an inltation from
Lady Bettaby to spend a few weeks at
her hospitable country house, on the
moors, she did not do so in the expecta
tlon that she would meet Sir Koydon
Garth, any more than she did it Oat of
regard for the major's health, which
was excellent. Shea had almost dis
missed the hope of following up her ma.
neuvering on board the Gemini on ac
count of the difficulty in finding out
how her plot against Lilac had pro
gressed. The major's daughter was undoubt
edly as fond of the handsome young
baronet as the could be of anybody
but herself; and she coveted the title
of "Lady Garth." but Miss Sabina was
far too sensible to lose any opportunity
of making a good match through mere
personal preferences, and she Jumped
at the chance of visiting Westwood,
which had become quite famous for the
number of matches made there. Lady
Bettaby, a good-looking widow of forty,
with no children of her own to look
after, had a perfect mania for match
making, and Sablna counted upon meet
ing at her house at least one eligible
man, whom her ladyship would perhaps
do her best to coerce into falling in
love with her.
Sablna, who made it a point of devot
ing herself to her father when she had
no other claim upon her time, was
reading aloud to him a dull newspaper
article on army matters when Sir Roy
don's letter arrived, and, as Lady Bet
taby looked up from its perusal and
glanced out of the window, she caught
sight of father and daughter seated in
a couple of wicker chairs under a giant
cedar on the lawn.
What a devoted daughter dear Sa
bina Is!" the paid In her cousin, the
Honourable Newton Dene, with whom
she had been chatting when the tele
gram arrived.
Newton Dene, being a confirmed
bachelor of fifty, without means, had
failed in every way to aitrart Miss
Emmott, and was therefore able to crit
Iclse her freely.
uon l you think that she makes a
little too much parade of her devotion,
Declma?" he said, in his soft, spirit
less tones.
Her ladyship shrugged her shoul
ders. It was a gesture that she had
learned abroad, and executed excel
lently, as she know.
'I wonder If .Sabina has ever met
the baronet!" she went on. "I must
go and ask her."
"And lay your first mine two min
utes after the poor invalid has claimed
your protection! J than make a
mem. in my notebook never to come
here when y am 111 and unable to de
lend myself."
Her ladyship was already out In the
sunny garden. As she approached the
rcuple under the cedar. Major Emmott
sprang up and offered her his chair.
Lady Bettaty shook her head.
"I have feme only for a moment to
appeal to your good r.ature." she said
"yours especially, Miss Sablna."
Mis Emmott turned her head and
glanced up at her ladyship with her
bright little eyes.
"Anything that I can do for you, dear
Lady Bettaby, will delight me." fhe
eld; and her ladyship shrugged her
shoulders.
"But this is to be kind to a poor in
valid I have coming an old friend of
nine who is Just recovering from a
short but serious illness and wants
brightening up. Tou would certainly
succeed In doing it, Sabina dear. If you
were willing to help me."
The prospect did not sound Inviting,
so the girl raid diplomatically:
"I shall be delighted If we are still
here when your friend ccmes. But
papa was wondering whether we ought
to tres pass upon your kindness any
longer. We have been here three weeks
already. When dees this lady you rpeak
of arrive?"
It Is not a lady," corrected her
ladyship quickly, giving the Informa
tion which Far.ina had teen anxious
to obtain. "And you must not talk
about leaving us et. Major Emmott,"
ahe went on, turning to the old soldier,
ho had not thought of doing so
"Just, too, when I need dear Sablna s
services and yours! Sir Roydon Garth
has had some serious disappointment,
I bellefe, which has affected his health,
and ( have sent for him tj cheer him
up a little. Lady Garth is very anxious
about him."
'Oh, Garth and I are old rlends!"
said the major; then he glanced at his
daughter. But I do not know whether
Ir Itoydon will like to see us, dear."
"Sir Rcydcn always seemed pleased
with your tccleiy, papa," answered
the girl, demurely: "I think that you
will be able to keep him interested."
The absence on his daughter's part
of any aprarent personal Interest In
the baronet's visit suddenly reminded I
the old soldier of (he avowal she had .
made when he Informed her of Sir.
Itoydon's engagement to the Callfornlan
girl whom the baronet had confided to
his care. He waited until their hostess
had left them; then ho twirled his fierce .
military moustache.
1 am afraid, Sablna, that you do
not care for Garth, he (aid, rather .
nervously; "1 hope, however, that you
will try to feet as favorably disposed
towards him as you can. Although I i
have never let you guess tho fact, I
have always looked upon Garth as the
man I should choose for you to marry."
"But, papa. Sir Roydon would never
think of marrying me,"' said Sablna,
with demure modesty: and the Major
glanced st her proudly.
"I do not know. faMna. Tou ars In
all respects worth ct him; snd now
that he has found how mistaken he
was In that Miss Marvel, I have no
doubt he will be In a mood to appre
ciate goodness and nobility of char
acter at their true value. Tou will
treat him kindly?"
"For your sake yes, papa. Do you
think It would look kind If I drove
down to the station to meet him when
he arrives tomorrow?" she asked in
nocently. .
When Miss Emmott was alone in
her own room that night, she looked
at herself in the glass, and smiled at
the reflection.
"Fate is playing into your hands,
Sabina, dear." she said. "You Bhall
marry Sir Roydon Garth, baronet."
The next morning she dressed with
more than ordinary care, choosing a
delicate arrangement of green, with a
neat little driving hat to match, and
set out inthe dog-cart for the station,
rejoicing over the fact that she had
won her father's permission to a course
that in any other circumstances he
would have condemned. Sabina drove
smartly, and she knew that she never
looked so well as when managing a
horse.
When Roy, In accordance with Lady
GaVth's arrangement, arrived at West
wood station at noon, looking thin.
careworn and dejected, he glanced
round In vain for Lady Bettaby's
kindly face on the platform. The ma.
Jor's daughter, with due regard for
the value of first impressions, had
come down without a groom, and was
holding in the spirited mare outside
the station.
Anybody to meet me from Lady
Bettaby's?" the baronet 8Pked of the
man who was looking after his luggage.
The man touched his hat.
"Yes. sir young lady in a dog-cart."
Roy wondered who on earth it could
be.
"I suppose you will have your trunk
sent up, sir?" said the man.
"Yes, please."
Roy walked out of the station with
some little curiosity, In spite of his
apathy, as to who the young lady
could be. and a flood of bitter mem
ories came back at the sight of the
small, neat figure perched on the high
dog-cart, and holding the reins with
firm, neatly-gloved little hands.
Sabina was right in thinking that her
unexpected appearance would make an
Impression; but it was not the impres
sion she had counted upon. As Roy
glanced at her, the scene came back
to him of his parting from Lilac in the
"Golden Hotel" at San Francisco, and
he did not even notice the green cos
tume which had been put on for his
special delectation; for his thoughts
were with a sweet-faced girl in a blue
cotton dress, who had looked up into
his face as he clasped her in his arms
and made him think that she loved him.
Miss Emmott was chagrined at the
absolute indifference with which Roy
accepted the fact of her presence, and
she whipped the mare viciously as
soon as the baronet had taken his seat
by her side.
The baronet did not seem inclined
to start conversation on his own ac
count, and Sabina felt that she must
nerve herself for an effort, so In as
sympathetic a voice a9 possible she
said abruptly:
'I am so sorry about your trouble,
Sir Roydon."
"My trouble?" questioned the young
man; and his tone did not encourage
Mies Emmott to think that her sym
pathy would be appreciated. But she
kept on valiantly.
"Your disappointment with regard
to Miss Marvel."
Has Lady Bettaby told you about
It?" he asked. And Sablna shook her
head with a very vigorous and bird
like movement.
'No. I do not think that her lady
ship knows. The voyage revealed to
me that Miss Marvel did not really care
for you, and your illness explains the
rest. I know that you do not like me
to speak of It; but I cannot help tell
ing you how sorry I feel. I cannot un
derstand how she could like Mr. Mow
bray better than you. He was such an
Insignificant-looking man, while you
are" rhe paused for a moment, then
added "so different!" as if she had
been going to pay something else.
The baronet's silence did not en
courage her to rrcceed; and as she
neared the house Sabina changed the
subject by talking about her father
and the pleasure that he would feel at
meeting Sir Rcydon again. She was
not sorry when the journey was over.
"It is very hard," she fald to her
self, as the was changing her dress
for luncheon. "A man who puffers In
silence Is rather difficult to deal with;
and I wish I knew what has really be
come of Lilac. Surely she cannot have
married Mowbray, after all!"
CHAPTER XXVIH.
It did not take Evangeline long to
recover from the shock or hearing
that Lilac assuredly was to marry
Mark Mowbray, end that the Callfor
nlan girl felt herself bound In honor
not to break oft the engagement which
(he had entered into when she felt
pure that Roy did not love her. The
tone in which Lilac made her an
nouncement was sufficient to tell her
that all her love was (till Roy's. She
put her arm tenderly around the heart
broken girl's waist.
"You must not aay that It is too late,
Lilac, dear," she said gently. "It is not
as If you were married already. You
must tell Mr. Mowbray everything, and
he will release you from your promise.
It is not to be thought of that you
should ruin your own life and Roy's
Just because of a mistake."
Lilac sat cold and motionless, a pic
ture of atony despair, and did not an
swer. "I can ask you now. Lilac, dear," her
friend went on, "which of them Is it
thst you really love Roy or this Mr.
Mowbray, whom you say that you are
going to marry tomorrow T"
"No, no It Is too late to ask now!"
moaned Lilac.
Evangeline began to grow Impatient
with her.
"It is not too late until you are mar
ried. You know that it would be wrong
of you to marry Mr. Mowbray while
your heart was with Roy. I do not
bee how he can hesitate.
"But I told Mark that it was quite
certain that there was no chance of
my changing; and he has been very
kind to me," said Lilac hopelessly.
"Of course he has been kind to you!
Nobody could help being that!" said
Evangeline, with spirit. "He cannot
expect your heart in exchange for a
little kindness can he? And, when you
told him that you would not change,
it was because you were fully per
suaded that Roy was going to marry
me waBn't it? I do not know how
much of your story you have told to
Mr. Mowbray."
"He knows how much I care for Roy,
and he understands why I have prom
ised to marry him because he is my
only friend in the world and cares for
me so much."
"Then the case is very simple. Your
promise is quite conditional upon Roy's
not caring for you, and, since he is
really breaking his heart over you, the
promise does not hold. Of course, you
think that you must make Roy suffer
rather than the other. That is the
worst of us silly women! We always
Jump to the conclusion that the thing is
right which costs us most. But, thank
heaven, you have a disinterested person
to advise you; and I say most decidedly
without a shadow of a doubt, tfiat
your only right course is to tell Mr.
Mowbray that you have made a mis
take. I wish that 1 had brought Roy
with me to tell you so! He thinks that
you fell in love with Mr. Mowbray on
the Journey. Men are so blind! And I
did not like to suggest the real story
until I had made sure that it was the
right one. Of course I did not suspect
it myself unti! I saw your letter, you
silly, foolish darling!"
She stooped to kiss the girl's cold
cneek; ana, melted by the caress. Lilac
burst into tears, and, throwing her
arms around Evangeline's neck, sobbed
as if her heart would break. For ten.
minutes her friend could think of noth
ing but soothing her. Then, when at
last the overwrought girl grew calmer,
Evangeline thought it was time to look
for some return for all her exhorta
tions. "You will ask Mr. Mowbray to re
lease you won't you, Ltiac, dear?" she
said gently, as if she were talking to a
child; and Lilac nodded. "Go to him
now," said Evangeline, who was still
rather afraid of her friend's passion
for self-sacrifice, and she was sorry to
hear that the author was not in the
house, and was not expected to return
until late in the evening. He had gone
up to London to make some necessary
arrangements with his publishers be
fore leaving England on the morrow
for his honeymoon, and it would
be
several hours before his return.
"And the marriage was to take place'
tomorrow?" said Evangeline, anxious
ly. "Yes at 10 o'clock."
"Can I remain here with you until
Mr. Mowbray returns?" she asked;
and Lilac, well Fleased. agreed. She
was afraid of being left alone with her
own thoughts.
"Come, and I will introduce you to
Mrs. Mowbray," she said, rising and
leading the way into the room where
Mark's mother sat anxiously awaiting
the result of the interview, which, from
the first moment of hearing Evangel
ine's name she had feared boded no,
good for her son's happiness.
The marks of tears oo Lilae'a face
made her more nervous Btill, and there
was a pathetic anxiety in her kindly
old face as she greeted the heiress and
Indorsed Lilac's propoeal that she
should stay to dinner. Lilac herself
had run away to wash away the tell
tale traces of tears, and the old lady
seized the opportunity ts question
Evangeline.
"1 am afraid that you have brought
dear Lilac important news. Miss Garth.
I see that she has been crying."
"For happiness only, I think, Mrs.
Mowbray," said Evangeline, whs was
too full cf Roy s fate and her hopes
and fears on his account to ceaslder
the Mowbrays' view of the situation;
and she went on to explain with her
natural frankneeB. "Lilac has been
acting under a false impressioa, and
I have fortunately been able ts epea
her eyes. You have hear, I believe,
that she was engaged to my cousin.
Sir Roydon Garth, and came ts Eng
land with the view of making the ac
quaintance of his friends before their
marriage?"
"Yes. yes!" said the old lady, too Im
patient to listen to the history, with
which she was already acquainted. "I
hope that you have done nothing to
make her regret the step she has taken
In engaging herself to my son?"
For a few moments Evangelise re
flected. "She did not claim to be In love with
Mr. Mowbray," she said tentatively;
and the old lady answered with a quiv
ering voice and an anxiety that touch
ed Evangeline more than she cared to
admit to herself.
"No Lilac was quite honest with
Mark; but she has promised to marry
him, and if anything makes her draw
back r.ow, J am sure that it will break
my boy's heart."
There were tears In the old lady's
eyes as she spoke, and Evangeline felt
very uncomfortable.
"But you would not like your son to
marry Lilac if all her thoughts were
centered on somebody else?" she said
gently
"I am sure that she would love mark
In time. She could not help it, because
he Is so good, so kind, and he loves her
so passionately. He has loved her from
the moment that they first met; and
when he thought that she was unat
tainable he went about like a man who
had no hope in life. It made me mis
erable; and now. If anything occurs to
bar his happiness Just as it seems as
sured, I think that it will kill him."
To Evangeline's dismay the old lady
began to weep.
"I cannot tell you how sorry I am
to hear that Mr. Mowbray's happiness
Is so bound up in Lilac," she said, wip
ing the tears from her own eyes, "be
cause I am sure that It would not be
right for her to marry him, and I can
not help telling her so. It would
scarcely seem right If my cousin did
not care for her; but now that she
knows that she made a terrible mis
take in believing that he did not cars
for her, and that he loves her quits aa
passionately and devotedly aa your son
can, 1 do not see how she can go on
with the marrlsge, or how you caa
wish It. It seems as tf either Mr.
Mowbrsy or my cousin meat havs bio
life'a haplness ruined: im Lilac csr-
tftlnly loves my coosta, wjuca
all tho dsVeresje."
(To bo ooattaaoeV.)
