MY HALF SISTER
- , ■ .. —
XXX By ELTON HARRIS XXX
CHAPTER VIII.—(Continued.)
"Look here, Mollle, will you—won’t
you? I love you awfully. I have Jusi
run over on the chance of seeing you,
because I could not stay away any
longer. And I hate to think of you
here with these people. Won’t you
look at me? Do!"
A most persuasive voice was Reg
gie’s; but Mollle’s eyes were fixed on
the point of her shoe, and she put her
hands behind her when he attempted
to take them.
"Give me time to think,” she whis
pered In a subdued tone. ’’I can hardly
believe that you aro here. How did
you find me?”
K-. "Saw the Dubois in town, but they
S' did not see me. Rode straight on and
met the little kiddle, who brought me
here. Told her that I wanted to speak
to you very particularly alone; and she
flew off and promised to keep watch
for the return of the enemy," said Reg
gie briefly.
•’Dear little Kittle!”
"Won’t you say, ’Dear Reggie,’ too,
Mollle?” he suggested, eyeing her wist
fully. "I have come all the way from
Ireland to ask you.” Then, as she
flashed a quick, half-smiling glance at
him, ho added. " ’She who hesitates Is
lost;’ ‘Silence gives consent.’ How
usefully these ancient copybook say
m ing come in In one’s old age, don’t
W. they.”
"They certainly seem to,” allowed
Mollle hesitatingly.
And as there seemed no opposition
offered to the arm Reggie had stolen
round her, It stayed there, while, two
not being able to sit with any comfort
In an American cane chair, they re- j
fct paired to the rustic seat, and were as
^■MsnJjappy and forgetful of the world as
mortal lovers could be for the next half
hour, as they sat In the sunshine. In
the springtime of youth, hope, and
love.
Oh, Reggio—Madam Dubois!” ex
claimed the girl at length. “She will
never, never consent; she means me
to marry Henri."
* "Then we will pay Henri's country
the compliment of taking French leave,
v my dear child," he returned gaily.
But she shook her head.
"I shall be of ago in 18 months,” she
B said shyly.
“Eighteen centuries! Why, I hate
to leave you here now!"
"And I could not leave my poor lit
tle Kiltie," she exclaimed, raising her
eyes to his depreeatlngly. "By then I
hope she will bo better, stronger. Oh,
Reggie, couldn't you bargain with them
to give me Kittle? It would be so
cruel to leave her; you cannot think
how loving, how true to me the little
pet Is!" And she poured into his ear
All that she hail overheard that hot
evening at the window,
Reggie's face grew very pale as he
listened, and he gave a low whistle of
dismay; but Whatever he thought be
was too wise to make his sweetheart
more uncomfortable than she already
was. But she had to promise that on
no account would she even listen to
Henri, against whom Reggie's senti
ments were far from peaceful, and
that If matters became worse she
would lake refuge at t\»e White house,
whither his mother returned In a
week’s time. And then Kato came run
ning back to announce her aunt’s re
turn.
"Oh, Reggie!" ejaculated Mollie, ris
ing, and turning very pink.
"Sit down, child,” he said calmly,
dragging her back to hts side, and tak
ing Kate on bis knee. “Let them
come."
Kate pushed hack her curls and re
garded hint with a frown. She was
Very fond of Reggie, but— He under
stood the look, read the dawning jeal
ousy of any one coming between Mollie
and herself, in tnose sharp hazel eyes,
whtch had already discovereu the
truth; and as this tall, merry young
officer’s heart was as tender as a girl's
towards those he cared for, he hastened
to dissipate it.
f "You are tftdng to be my sister, kld
Ilng,” he said gently.
"I know," she uuNwered, with uti
ling lips. "You will take her away.** 1
"But she tells me she cannot ba
happy without you, so we shall have
to manage for you to come, too," he
continued. "Now If you think that
will be Jolly, and we shall be the best
brother and slater going, never Jeal
ous of each other, signify the same
tn the usual ntauner by a ktsa “ And
he was mors touched than he liked to
Mow when the little girl threw her
arms round hta nech In a transport nf
relief, happily unconscious of the ob
stacle# that might come tn their way.
It wm this group that madam#. Ad
towed by her son. ram# tn sight of,
and great was her wrath Nor was It
la any way molltAed when Mr. An
•trutker advanced politely, and after
the west greeting* tnfoimed h* r that
•ca *» latrist* had promised to ha
kla wife, and he Iron'ed that he should
have her euneeat; k« wee sure of mat
*4 tha trustees, who wars old friends
o( hta father's Madams waa very
soare at Aral though Motllu knew ike
effort It must kave > oat her dhe u«
derstoud the At ml? shut mouth the
half opened eyes; hut, suave or nut,
managed le «e«v*y plainly he* de
cision. She not only could not sanc
tion the engagement, but Mies
L'Estrange must he considered quite
free.
"I don't wish to be free," said Mollle
bodly, over Ills shoulder. "I have given
Mr. Anstruther my word, and will not
break It."
"My sweet child, you are young, you
do not know your own mind. Mr. An
struther has taken advantage of find
ing you alone la my absence—”
"I naturally wished to find Miss
L'Estrange alone,” answered Keggie,
haughtily.
"Oh, yes!" sneered fieri, who had
been standing biting his nails gloom
ily, In direful dismay. “It is well to
pay c^nrt to the heiress, hut she lias
protejj mi. I—"
He paused uneasily, yet Reggie had
only stooped to pick up the riding
whip which he had dropped, and then
looked at him. Hut It was enough—
he said no more, while rnadame, go
ing a shade paler as she watched the
two young men, hastened to close the
interview.
When Reggie left things were only
what he had expected. Madame ab
solutely refused her consent, and de
clined to see him at Chalfont again,
so far losing her temper as to utter
Innuendoes and insults, which she
could say with impunity, as a woman,
hut which would certainly have
brought Reggie's whip across the
shoulders of her adored son.
Reggie, for his part, courteously re
peated that the engagement was a fact,
and would he known all over Itever
ton; he was sorry for her decision, but
it would alter nothing, only cause a
little delay. Then, after a few words
with Mollle, he reluctantly tore him
self away, and she heard the gate clang
behind him and watched him down
the road until she was blinded by her
tears.
CHAPTER IX.
"Mollie, it is so bad again!”
“Is it, my pet? What can I do foi
you?” said a sleepy voice, as Mollie
roused herself from the slumber Into
which she had fallen by the side of
the bed. “Kittle, it is striking 12 by
the bail clock; I had no Idea it was so
late! I will go down to the drawing
room and get the cloves; wo left them
there, and they may ease the pain a
little.”
Kate sat up in bpd, looking as mis
erable as a child with teeth ache can
look, and Mollie slipped off for the
cloves, closing the door softly behind
her.
It was Easter eve once more; not
balmy and Boft like last time, but cold
and frosty, witn a cruel east wind
howling round the house, like the
night two years ago when Leonard
Harlowe had so mysteriously met his
death.
The months that had passed had
been full of trouble and anxiety to
Mollie L'Estrange, and she looked
paler and thinner; but the gray eyes
were as fearless and sweeter than ever,
for the trials had been bravely borne,
and if she could not Quite love her
enemies, she had at least endeavored
to follow that splendid precept and re
turn good for evil.,
Henri had been away for some weeks
now; at first much to her relief, but
latterly she had almost wished him
back, for his mother’s sake. Ever since
his departure she had seemed con
sumed with restlessness, growing dally
more morose and gloomy, and break
ing into fits of passion for the merest
trifle, while she watched Mollie with
suspicious eyes, never allowing her to
see the Anstruthors, through whom
alone she could hear from Reggie, for
both knew that the ordinary poet
would not be safe.
Stealing qutetiy down the (lark
stairs, Mollie gained the drawingroom,
and, possessing herself of the bottle
of cloves, was returning, when as she
got to the door she saw a faint light
at the top of the stairs.
Who was abroad In the house this
night of all other*, when no servant
would atlr alone, when they vowed that
the ghost of Mr. Harlowe walked in
his haunts and a light had been seen
In his study?
Drawing back against the heavy
plush curtain* in the hall, she watched
with beating heart aa It came glimmer
ing nearer, not exactly frightened, but
with a curious awe and drexd, a feel
ing that something was going to hap
pen A moment later, aud madam* -
a lamp In her hand, a at range, daaed
■ Utter In h*r ir«at black eyes ewept
noiselessly past her and went atralght
to ths study. ,
I he girl * Arat thought was to •«**)
up stairs again her n*xt to creep
across ths dark hall after madams, and
looh In at ih« half open door, sad so,
unthinkingly, eke witnessed a sight
that fvoas the bland In her Veins *nu
that she never forgot ►*“* »*• *
followed her Arst Impulse and |um
upstairs, neither she nor Kate w mid
have hewn alive when daylight dawned
that Kaster da> On *<-• h slight things
as iht* do great events hang'
Malame pot the lamp an a table
• lew by and then stole with tnt-llh*
step to the hnrk of ths chair before
the setting table, where the deleettree
eatd that Mr Harlowe mast have been
sitting asleep at the time of the at
tack. Suddenly she raised her arms,
holding them as if she had some heavy
weapon In them, and went through the
motion twice of bringing It down with
terrific force on the back of some one's
head.
It was awful to see her face as she
stood there, wild, fierce, watchful, her
features working convulsively as sh*
eyed the empty chair as If it were oc
cupied, her dark hair streaming down
the light dressing gown she wore, her
breath coming in heavy gasps. After
a minute she began muttering to her
self, and leaned over as if to examine
what was in the chair; then she went
to the table and turned over the papers
In a strange, troubled manner, her i^e
ever returning to that empty chair.
"It is only what you deserve—what
you deserve!'' she muttased In a harsh,
strained voice, addrestfag the chair.
“You are a haid, bad *»an. I begged
to you for mercy for my child—my
son, my beloved—and you only laugh
ed. What if he did forge your name?
It was not for much. You aro rolling
in wealth—your wretched wife's money
—and we are poor, and Henri is young
and extravagant. But you shall not
punish him. I helped you In the past,
but that goes for nothing with such as
you. You have only yourself to blame
that I have taken the law Into my own
hands. I would die a thousand times
rather than that you should expose my
boy. Now you cannot say a word, and
I take the proofs of his guilt and burn
them!"
She went through the motions—
phantoinwlse, yet strangely real—ot
taking papers and thrusting them Into
the grate, apparently holding them
down with the weapon she thought she
held, doing It all In a strange, dull
calm, which her twitching face belled.
For some minutes she crouched over
the empty grate moaning and wring
ing her hands; then, when she evi
dently thought the papers and weapons
destroyed, she rose, appeared to drag
what was on the chair to the window
—which she threw wide open—and,
before Mollie could move, she came
swiftly out of the room, and, lamp lu
hand, went towards the kitchen.
To describe the feelings of the hor
ror-stricken girl watching her would
be Impossible. As one act after an
other of this terrible drama was played
out before her she felt powerless to
move, almost to think. All her senses
were bound up in the effort to keep
her trembling knees from giving way
under her, for well she knew that to
make the least sound might cost her
her life! No need to ask again who
killed Leonard Barlowe. She had been
how It was done; she had seen every
thing—knew It was by bis own sister’s
band that the blow was struck.
Yet frightened as she was Mollie’S
courage did not desert her. She de
termined to see what took this wretch
ed woman, whom she felt persuaded
was mad, to the kitchen; so, with chat
tering teeth, she gathered her skirts
together, and crept silently through
the dark passages after her.
The lamplight guided her to the but
ler's pantry, and there stood madame,
holding her hands under e tap which
she had not turned on, and muttering
incessantly to herself. As she wrung
the imaginary water off them and
rubbed them on her skirt, it occurred
to Mollie, with a cold chill of fear, that
she was action by action following out
just what she must have done that
terrible night—that it was she whom
the servants took for a ghost, who had
frightened Kate by brushing past her
In the dark. Suddenly madame’s glance
fell upon some knives lying on a table,
and a gleam like fire flashed Into her
eyes, a gleam that had neither reason
nor sanity in It, only cunning and
fierce exultation.
"Why not kill them both?" she mut
tered, standing still with a meditative
look. "They are no use to Henri; the
girl will not marry him; the child had
better follow her father. Yes, yes;
that will be best!"
(To be continued.)
DISPOSAL OF IDIOTS.
Sortfljr Cannot Shirk Ita Uftpnmlblllly
for Criminal*.
Now. of course It Is the easiest
thing In the world to pick out Indi
vidual rase* where this highly effect
ive and economical plan would seem
Justifiable, but the obstacle which
must everlastingly keep all such ob
stacle* out In the renlm of purely vis
ionary and Impossible propositions is
the fact that no man, or group of men
— no, nor that of angels, probably—
could ever Ire trusted to decide thal
such and such a person could not be
reformed, but must die. There Is the
crux of the whole matter. That llttla
word "very" which Is supposed to de
scribe the kind of vicious and crimi
nal persons who are to be "gently and
painlessly" assisted out of this world,
j contains the whole range of subtle.
I unkuown and unfathomable qualities
: of chars, ter upon whose possibilities
no human wisdom Is competent to pass
the Anal word With Dr McKliu de
claring. for example, that John Jones,
aged thirty, whom he has carefully
; examined, ta Incorrigible and should
be executed, and John Junes' mother,
who. presumably, also knows some
thing about him declaring that there
la that within the buy which, had at
he Is, can and may reclaim him ta
t its*rut »»»lii«.l *C«f- jj ouf
* Jury that wuuld venture tu pass op a
; the awful Issue’ oh, not Hoc I -1j has
j tong stare passed the poiat where l|
.-an ahlrh Its share of original respoa*
ilblllty for Ita criminal* and liabeciisw
by hilling them aa matter If doing it
ta a llttla mors gentle thaa oar ear
j age forefathers' ru-t io of ttranglag
female babies be-suae they wera an
t tasumbraasa to the tribe tiuaton a
{JEWS (EASE 10 (0ME.J
! Exodus sf Roumanians has Ceased. jj
To the probable relief of the gov
ernments of Hungary, Austria, and
Holland, and to some extent the Unit
ed States also, the exodus of Jews
from Houmanla has practically ceased,
says Robert Attner In the Chicago
Record. More than 3,000 of those who
last stnrted for America got no further
than Budapest or Vienna, whence they
were promptly sent back to Houmanla.
For the present it Is believed the
movement Is over, at any rate until
next year. Beginning In the early
summer of this year the number of
these emigrants Increased so rapidly
that the governments of Hungary and
Austria, whose territories they were
crossing, became alarmed. For the
most part the travelers were without
means of subsistence and threatened
to become a burden on the local au
thorities of these countries. The Dutch
government, too, became interested,
since Houmanla, in her anxiety to rid
herself of the Jews was giving to an
many of them as space permitted free
transportation on the state steamship
line to Rotterdam, Indifferent as to
whether they bad the necessary means
to cross the Atlantic or not. Each of
these countries made strong diplomat
ic remonstrances to Roumanla on this
subject, and both Austria and Hun
gary gave notice that the refugees
would not be permitted to cross their
borders unless they were provided
with sufficient funds to reach Ham
burg, Bremen or some other port of
embarkation. These conditions were
strictly enforced, und nearly a score
of emigrant parties, numbering in all
more than 3,000 men, women und
children, were sent back to Houmanla.
Meanwhile the attention of the treas
ury authorities at Washington had
been drawn to the movement. In
nearly every case the parties going to
America elaimed that Canada was
their destination, but the officials of
the I'nited States legation in Vienna
had strong reasons to conclude that
the emigrants were going to Canada
with the Intention of crossing the bor
\AA(%fSAA^VV^AAAA^VSA^AAAAAA^.
der Into the United States and thus
evading the laws governing the ad
mission of immigrants Into that coun
try, with which they were not In a
position to conform. The Vienna le
gation promptly reported the matter
to the state department, and s'eps
were Immediately taken to strengthen
the force of immigration Inspectors
along the Canadian frontier. In ad
dition, Robert Watchorn, special Im
migration Inspector, was directed to
go to Roumanla and Investigate the
conditions there. Recently a confer
ence was held at Vienna, at which
Charles V. lierdllka, charge d'affaires
at Vienna; Arthur 8. Uardy, United
Stutes minister to Greece and Rou
manla; Mr. Watchorn from Washing
ton, and M. Take Jonesco, ex-minister
of finance, Roumanla, were present.
M. Jonesco, who seemed thoroughly
familiar with the whole situation, ex
plained the conditions leading up to
the movement. The real reason for
the attempted exodus was, ho said, the
temporary distress prevailing In Rou
manla. There hud been a run of bad
harvests and very little money was
left in the country. No classes had
suffered more keenly than the small
shopkeepers, small money lenders and
artisans, and the hulk of these were
Jews. There was, too, a permanent
overcrowding of the business in which
the Jews usually engaged, and the
situation was rapidly growing worte
through the constant Btream of Jewish
immigrants, In spite of the laws pro
hibiting their admission to the coun
try. Another reason for the emigra
tion movement, and of an entirely dif
ferent character, was to be found In
the new Jewish generation now grow
ing up. These young Jews sire ex
tremely dissatisfied with the social and
political position of their rure in Rou
manla. They resent the contemptuous
tolprution extended to them and de
mand to be put on an equality with
their neighbors. If they cannot s ic
ceed in getting these conditions alter
ed they prefer to leave the country.
Sat on ||
the Hat Ij
I WHITE WOMAN
CRUSHES COR*
CEOUS HEAD' ;
GEAR OP A
NEGRESS.
From the 8t. Ixmis Globe-Democrat:
An amusing incident, in which a while
woman, a black man and a new hat
figured, occurred in the waiting room
at Union station. The station was
crowded with in and out bound pas
sengers and seats in the waiting room
were at a premium. The colored wom
an, flashily dressed and walking with
a self-satisfied air, entered. Spying
two vacant seats in one corner, she
started toward them, sat down in one
and placed a pasteboard box contain
ing a hat, for the purchase of which
she had traveled to town, on the other.
A few minutes later a handsomely
dressed white woman entered the sta
tion. Her eyes wandered In the di
rection of the colored woman and fell
upon the seat occupied by the band
box and its owner. When she reached
the seat she looked at the bandbox
and then Inquiringly at the woman.
The latter paid no attention to her,
and she Anally pointed to the box and
asked the colored woman if it was hers.
The latter nodded in the affirmative
find the white woman requested her to I
remove It. The other refused, saying
she had paid as much fare as the white
woman and did not intend to set her
hat on the floor or hold it in her lap.
A wrathful gleam flashed into the
eyes of the white woman. She looked
the woman over for a moment and
then turned as though to walk away,
but instead dropped leisurely Into the
seat on which was the bandbox. It
was one of those lazy ways of sitting
down, where the entire weight of the
body is thrown in. The woman was
not a lightweight, and as she sat down
there was a ripping of pasteboard and
a crunching of straw, red flowers, lace
and feathers. The owner of the band
box let out a yell whic h aroused every
one in the station and pushed the
whi'e woman out of the seat. But she
was too late. The gorgeous hat was
crushed ail out of shape. The colored
woman's scream attracted the police,
but when they learned what caused the
trouble they took no action. The hat
crusher refused to give her name or
address and the colored woman was so
angry that she was unable to articu
late distinctly.
California Flower Seed Crade.
From the Washington Star: Flower |
seeds are extensively grown In Califor
nia. where there la cultivated a great
assortment of varieties, and. while j
nearly all kinds flourish, there Is so
much hard work and close application j
ne> ssary that we have not Iteen able j
to successfully compete with Kurope |
>n most things, Sweet peas, nastur- {
limns, cosmos, veiheuaa. petunias and !
istera are quite successfully grown. j
• ml the seed trade now looks to Cali
fornia for m>Mit of the sweet peas and j
i great many nasturtiums. Southern 1
"altfornla hss some very prominent
growers of fine double petunias and I
Hh<‘r plants, t he rapid advau e of the
California sweet pea seed In popular
ly la moat marvelous A beginning
gras mada In thin line In a moderate
way ahout IIU, when there was not
over a dosen varieties listed. At first
about a quarter of an acre was grown,
now one grower alone has grown from
150'to 200 acres of them each year for
the past five years, ami there are no
less than 125 varieties In his complete
list. This grower has Introduced more
than twenty varieties of great merit
In the Inst three years, among them
the famous race of ‘'Cupids." Ho im
portant a factor have the California
•wis t pea flowers become to the seed
trade that some dealers go there an
nually from the east to Inspect the
growing crops and to hunt for novel
ties tu the sweet pea line Flower seeds
are grown In a number of places
throughout the t'ntted States, hut ouly
a portion of the trade Is supplied with
home grown seed, Outside of Califor
nia limited amounts of flower seeds
are grown
WkMlaunrii I* ►»»«***■
\\ naa>lwont«-u In Kuruiw turvt wait
ndlip iltAi Mlllaa In Ituaala avarylhlng
a wu«|«<l "by of tba
tn>i rjrmng ta no a tragi Ion lu lha
ula (Mute a woman ’Aii |namw a
• brat ab« must obtain royal * > u»#ml.
tad aa Ihla ta granta^ nulla agartagly.
bar* ara but taw wbaalwuman In Mua
•la t'r«k<» ratognlaaa Ida rlgdl of
•ha duatannil to ba Ituaa. an I bafura
MAUama ■ an |>.in Ida louring flub gda
«»“•» Irat obtain a aigna<l itmUration
■f«ai dar agona# granting bar Ida
Irltllagw In floran<« woman < yttlau
I mu»t carry two U|U to warn pad**
MtMM *1 il» himHm'I approach M»a
ara only r< <401 rati to hm« oaa ball.
_ _._ ________
► in Ibk la l«a.
A rltie.i» of Mirtfurd Conn . aaa ar
n*»t*<l for »atfbtua ft**«* la a public
raaaitoir lla waa Burnt aa4 appealed
th» caac IB* Bn per lor court Baa JimI
4a* i«t«**t iBal fro«a ar* Bah witBlB IBa
j mraalua of IBa alalutaa uf IBal IBa
a* < oae*l waa. tBarafura. HaWa under
IBa law TBa rtllaaa Bail pleaded IBal
I IBa atatuta 414 *oi refer to fru«e
SHEETS OP BREAD.
Indian Womrn Hn'<e Them In tha Amer
ican Deiert.
If you wish to dine off a sheet of
bread, you must go to the great Am
erican desert and ask the women of
the Moki Indians to bake It for you.
But If you are wise, you will not In
quire too closely into the details of
the process. The preparation of the
bread, In sheets hardly thicker than
a sheet of paper, is a real art among
the Mokl women, A corner In the
principal room Is set aside for the ac
commodation of a shallow trough,
walled In with slabs of stone set on
end. The trough is divided Into three
compartments, and In these the first
process of bread-making take* place.
When bread Is to be made, a girl
kneels behind each compartment.
Shelled corn Is then put on the flat
stone in the first compartment, and
with a coarse oblong stone the first
girl proceeds to rub It. The coarse
meal thus prepared Is passed on to tho
next compartment. Hero It Is ugatn
rubbed with a stone less coarse, and
passed on to the third stage. The re
sult Is a decidedly floury moal. With
a brush which is made of dried grass
bound together with a string of cali
co, and with which the floor Is swept
between times, the meal Is then gath
ered up and mixed with water to a
thick batter. Then comes In the art
of the baker. She takes a single
handful of the baiter and spreads It
over a long, flat stone, under wtilcb a
Arc has been for some time burning.
The batter is made to cover thinly tho
entire surface. When one side Is bak
ed she takes the bread by a corner
and pulls it off dexterously, turning
It the other side up. When It Is done,
a long, flat basket receives It, and tho
baker turns the edges all around, so
that the air can get. at it. Sheet after
sheet Is baked until the basket is piled
high with the blue bread, or “piki,”
which tho baker pronounces “peka."
No salt is used in the batter, and the
plkl has a sweetish taste. It is usual
ly blue, partaking of the color of tho
corn from which It Is made. It Is eat
en dry or In u sort of soup. When tho
men go on a Journey they take plkl
made Into rolls, very much as one
would roll up a sheet of wet paper, tho
bread being of about the same thick
ness as the paper. The stones upon
which the bread Is baked are prepared
by the old women of the tribe with
great secrecy and much ceremony.
They are very valuable, and are hand
ed down as heirlooms from mother to
daughter. The first stage In the pro
cess, so says Popular 8eleneo News, Is
smoothing and filling of the surface of
the stone with hot pitch. It Is then
smoked and rubbed for many days,
with an accompaniment of rude chant
ing. As far as a white man may know
the first rubbing Is with a smooth
stone, tho next tvlth pieces of wood,
while the finishing work is done with
the bare hands. The result Is a Jet
black, smooth surface, to which the
plkl dues not stick In baking.
READING-ROOMS FOR BLIND.
¥
KI|IiIImi Mur Enjoy the 1’leasures of
K carting.
A good work never stops. Since the
Congressional library at Washington
opened a reading room for the use of
the blind—the first instance of the
kind known—Its example has been
followed by public libraries here and
there throughout the country, and the
sightless are no longer deprived of the
pleasures of reading. In Washington
itself the work has widened In Influ
ence. The afternoon reading In "The
Pavilion of the Blind,” as the reading
room Is called, have been wonderfully
successful. There authors and singers
have come to give pleasure by readings
and music, and the blind chaplain of
the house frequently devotes an after
noon to the entertainment of his com
panions In darkness. He has a softly
modulated voice, and often repeats
poetry of a religious character. When
the Epplseopal convention was In ses
sion In Washington, several of the
bishops became very much interested
in tills work for the blind. Bishop
Whipple and Bishop Whitehead read
twice during the week they were there,
and through their efforts and those of
Bishop Ullbert and Ur. Samuel Hart,
the prayer book was printed In the
New York Point system and placed In
the "Pavilion." A very encouraging
thing Is the Interest manifested In the
work by the young ladles of Washing
ton. Amidst the distractions and de
mands of society they have found time
to minister to those less fortunate than
themselves. A committee of twenty
live have taken turns In escorting tbs
Idlud people to and from the readings.
Several members of the committee
have learned the t«dlons system of
writing In New York Point and Braille,
and have volunteered to copy In It the
leading magazine articles and stories,
aud place them on the reading-tables
of the Pavilion. One girl writes halt
a dozen articles every month, and
binds them In a little volume, which
the calls "The Meteor." She Is well
repaid for her trouble by the ea«er
pleasure of the readers when the little
book appears, —Youth's Companion
?«N«l¥'( Lastly ttly Halt.
Twenty years ago the city of To
ronto. Ontario, began the erection of a
! city hall Whit'll M w*Mi# ^Wvaet A>wt
by the original eetlmate The outlay
on It to dais has been and
I It la not yst Hats bed,
■ MU ■ ■ ■ —1 weoiw. i | mg| |
Vi ¥ ¥ lark • t«*ey Ho*.
Tha prevailing gray hat has com# ta
he accepted as the la variable symbol
af tha aalusui and has maintained ite
popularity fWt a surprisingly tong
tint In Ns* York, whets faafcluftg
I Chang* so rapidly
