Nebraska Newspapers

    A.
0. W. FAIIUmOTHKK 4 CO.,FroprUtori.
CALVKItT. "i i NEBRASKA.
HKLF-nELtANOK.
When tlio clouds nro lowering o'er thco,
Ami, lit loneliness ami sorrow,
Thou mint see tin star boloro thco
Heralding ii brlRht to-morrow,
Lot no coward thought persuade thco
To resign a glorious strife
Ask not htiiuuii friend to aid thco
tiilhobutllo.lloldor I.iro;
For. In 111" oliamhors of thy mail,
Whotopori bunco they'vo slumbered long,
Thou hunt Htlll supremo control
O'er an ariny liravu and strong.
Hone and energies are then1,
High rosolvoand mighty thought:
0 brother, why with thoo despair?
Noblor allies never fought.
Onward, then, without a fear I
Host not, faint not, by tin way?
God will mako the Htar appear,
And usher In a brighter day.
Frwn the (Jermmi, fur the Ctitcaoa Tribune.
"LAL" RYDQUIST;
A Story of the Land and Sea,
By WAITHIl IlKHANT AND JAMl'.H HICK, IN AM,
TUB YKAIl HOUND.
CIlAITBir V.-Co.vtinued.
" It would bo no uso at nil," said Lai;
"and if wo nro to remain friends, Cap
tain Wattles, you will novor speak of
tills again."
' I will not," lio ropliod, "until tho
right, moment. Thou, with your littlo
savings audmino, wo will go back to the
Status. 1 know what wo will do wlion
wo gut thoro. Tli tiro's an old ship-building
yard at Portsmouth which only
wants a fuw thousand dollars put into
it. Wo will put our dollars into that
yard, and wo will build ships."
" Von had bettor givo tip thinking of
suoh nonsense," said Lai.
"Thought is free, Miss Lai. Tho
time will como. Is it in nature to go on
crying all your life for a man as dead as
Abraham 'Lincoln? Tho tlmo will
come."
"Enough said, Captain Wattles," Lai
said. It was in her own room, and sho
was busy with bur accounts. "You
can go now, and you need not como
back any more unless you have some
thing else to say. 1 thought you woro
u sunsiblo man. Most American Can
tains I know aro as sunsiblo as English
men and Norwegians."
Captain Wattles rose slowly.
" Wal," ho said, "you say so now. I
expected you would. Hut tlio tlmo will
como. I'm not afraid of tho other men.
As for Cap1 on Horlindor, ho is not tit
company for a sweet young tiling liko
you. IIo would beat his wife, alter n
while, that man would. Ho drinks nob
blers all day, and swaps lies with any
rift-rati' who will .stand in a bar anil
listen to him. You will not luworyour
solf to Cap' on Horlindor. As for
tho Nonvcogoo, ho is but n poor
soft shell; you might as well marry a
goll. I shan't ask you yot, so don't bo
afraid. When your old friends drop
away one by ono, and you fuel a bit
lonesome with no ono to talk to, and
those bills always on your mind, and
tho house over your head liko n 3iigo
and prison, shall look in again, and
you shall hold out your pretty hand,
and you will sweetly say: 'Cap'on
Wattles, you air a sailor and a tem
perance man; you subscribe to a mis
sionary society and have onco boon a
teacher in a .Sunday-school; you havo
traded Bibles with natives for coral ami
ivory and gold dust; you air smart; you
air likewise a kind-huartod man, who
will givo Ids wife hor head in every
thing, with Paris bonnets and Now
York frocks; your name is Barnabas,
tlio Son of Consolation.'
Don't run away, Miss Lai. I'vo said nil
I wanted to say, and now I am going.
Business takes mo to Liverpool to-night,
and on Thursday I sail again for Balti
more." GHAITKIt vi.
Tim mkshaok vumi Tun bka.
It was, tlion, in October, oightcon
hundred anil sovouly-nlne, that Diok,
tho Malay, mado his nppoaraneo and
told his talo. Having told it ho ro
lnaincd in tho house, attaching himself,
as by right, to Lai, whoso steward ho
beeamo, as ho hail been steward to
Box.
' Tho thing produced, naturally, a
profound sensation in tho Captains'
room, whither Dick was invited to re
peat .his performance, not onco, but
several times.
It was observed that, though sub
stantially tho same, tho action alwavs
differed in tho addition or tho withdraw
al of certain small details, tho interpre
tation of winch was obscure. Ono or
two facts remained certain, and woro
agreed upon by all; an open boat, a
long waiting, a reseuo, either by being
picked up or by finding land, and then
ono or two lights, but Avhy, nml with
whom, was a matter of speculation.
Captain Zacliariasen remained obsti
nate to his theory. Thuro was a wid
ow, thoro was a marriago, thoro was a
baby, thoro woro conjugal rows, and
finally a prison in which Bex" Armigor
still remained. How to fit tho panto
mimo into theso wonderful details was
n matter of difficulty which ho was al
ways ondoavoring to ovorcomo by tho
help of tho more obscure gestures in tho
luummickiug.
Tho general cheerfulness of tho house
was naturally much olovatod by this
ovent. It was, indeed, felt .not only
that hope- had returned, but also that
honor was conferred upon Rydqulst's
by so mysterious and oxciting a revolu
tion. This distinction bocamo more gonoral
ly recognized when the Secretary and
ono of tho Directors of tho Indian Pen
insular Lino camb ovo'rtoscritko'Malay,
linrttiirr in trot, entnn Itrrlit. tlirnwn nnnn
tho loss of their ship. W
captain .acuarinson wok. mo cmur
for tho performance, so to speak, Slid
expounded the principal parts, Inking
crotlit for such mummtcking as no other
house could oil or.
Tlio Director learned nothing delluito
from tho pantomime, but came away
profoundly impressed with tho belief
that their olllcor, Cnptaln Armiger, was
living.
Tho Malny, now domesticated at Sov-
en Houses, was frc(uenUy invited of an
evening to tho Captains' room, whero
ho went through his performance
Captain Zacliariasen always in tho chair
for every now comer, nntl was n con
tinual subject of discussion. Also thoro
woro groat studyings ol charts, nntl
mappings out of routes, with calcula
tions as to days and probable number of
knots. And those who had been In Chi
nese and Polynesian wators woro called
upon to narrate their experiences.
The routo of a steamer from Hong
Kong to Moroton Bay is well known
and easily followed. Unfortunately, tho
Malay's pantomimo left it doubtful of
what nature was the disaster. It might
have been a piratical attack, though that
was very unlikely, or n firo on board, or
tho striking on a reef.
" Hor course," 'said Captain Holstitis,
laying it down with Lai for tho fiftieth
tlmo, "would bo 80--E. S. E. from
Hon": Kong, north of Lucon horc; then
dtiob. E. between tho Pclows nntl Car
olines, through Dampior Straits, having
New Guinea to tho starboard. Look at
theso seas, Lai. Who knows what havo
happened? And how can wo search for
him over three thousand miles of sea,
among so many islands?"
How, indecil? And yet tho idea was
growing up strong In both their minds
that u search of some kind must bo
made.
And then camo help, that sort of holp
which our pious ancestors called Provi
dential. What can wo call it? Blind
chance? That seems rather a long drop
from bonovolont Providence, but it
seems to suit a good many people nowa
days almost as well moru's tho pity.
Two months after tho Malay's ap
pearance, while winter was upon us and
Christmas not far oil', when tho church
yard trees were stripped of loaf, and tho
vino about tho window was trimmed,
tho garden swept tip for tho season, and
tho parrots brought indoors, and Ryd
ouist's mado snug for bad weather,
another person called nt tho house,
bringing with him n message of another
kind. It was no other than tho doctor
of tho Aryan, Box's old shin. Ho boro
something: round, wrapped in tissue
paper. IIo carried It with groat euro,
as If it was something very procious.
Tlio time was evening, and Lai was in
hor room making up accounts. In tlio
Captains' room was a full assemblage,
numboring Captain Zacliariasen, Cap
tain Horlindor, who purposed to spend
his Christmas at Uydmiist's and to con
sume much grog, Captain Holstitis,
Captain Barnabas H. Wattles, whoso
business had again brought him to Lon
don, and two or three Captains who
have nothing to do with this history ox
copt to fill up tho group in tlio room
where presently nn important Function
Was to bo hold.
At present they were unsuspicious of
what was coming, and they sat in solemn
circle, tho Patriarch at tho head of the
table, getting through tho evening, all
too quickly, in the usual way.
"This was picked up," tlio doctor
said, still holding his treasure in his
hands as if it was a baby, " in tho Bay
of Bengal, by a country ship sailing
from Calcutta to Moulmein; it must
have drifted with tho currents and tho
wind, two thousand miles and more:
How it contrived novor to get driven
aslioro or broken ngainst some boat, or
wreck, or rock, or washed tin some
creek among th thousands ot islands
by which it honied, is a truly wonder
ful thing."
"Oh, what is it?" Lalcriod.
Ho took oil' tho handkerchief and
showed a common wide-mouthed bot
tle, such as chemists uso for cftervescin"'
things.
" It contains," ho said solemnly,
" poor Box Armiger' s last letter to you.
Tho skipper who picked it up pulled out
tho cork and road it. IIo brought it to
our office at. Calcutta, whore, though it
was written to you, wo woro obliged to
read it, becauso it told how tho Philip
pi no was cast away; for tho same reason
our otlieers road it."
" His last letter?"
"Yes; his last letter. It is dated
threo years ago. We cannot hopo no,
it Is impossible to hope that ho is still
ulivo. Wo should havo heard lonr u"o
if ho had boon picked up."
"Wo havo hoard," said Lai. Sho
went in search of tho Malay, with whom
sho presently returned. "Wo havo
hoard, doctor. Hero is Ilex's stoward,
who camo to us two months ago,"
"Good heavens! it is tho dumb Malay
stoward who was with him in tho boat.'
"Yes. Now look, and. tell me what
you read."
Sho mado a sign to Dick, who wont
through, for the doctor's Instruction, tho
now familiar pantomime.
" What do you think, doctor?"
"Think? There is only ono thin" to
think, Miss ltydqtiist. Ho has oseaped.
Ho is alive, somewhere, or was when
Dick last saw 1dm though how this
follow got away from him, and whero ho
is"
"Now give mo his letter."
It was tied round with n green rib
bon n slondor roll of paper, fookiii" as
if sea-water had discolored it, n
Tho doctor took it out of tho bottle
and gavo It to hor.
"Fwlllroad Box's letter," sho said,
quietly, "alone. Will you wait a little
for mo, doctor?"
Sho ctuuo'buok iu a quarter of an
hour. Her eyes woro heavy with tears,
but she was calm and assured; ,
"I thank God, doctor," slfo said; "I
thank God most humbly for preserving
this precious bottle and this letter of my
dour Box my poor Box and I thank
you, too, and your brother officers, whom
ho loved, ami who wcro always good to
him, for bringing It homo to mo. For
now I know whoro ho Is, and whore to
look for him, and now I understand It
all."
" If ho Is living wo will find him,"
said tho doctor. " Bo sure that wo will
find him."
"Wo will find him," sho echoed.
"Yes, wo will find him. Now, doctor,
consider. You remember how they got
Into tho boat?"
' Yes oil' tho wreck. Tho letter tells
us that."
"Dick told us that two months ago,
but wo could not altogether understand
it. How long wor6 they In tho boat?"
"Why, no ono knows."
"Yes, Dick knows, and ho has told
us. Considor. They wcro loft, whon
this boltlo was sent forth, liko tho ravon
out of tho Ark, with uo food. Thoy sat
in tho boat, waiting for death. Hut thoy
did not die. They drifted you saw
that thoy mado ,no attempt to row for
awhllo; they grow hungry and thirsty;
thoy passed two or three days with noth
ing to cat. It could not hnvo been more,
becauso thoy woro not so fnr exhausted
but that, whon land appeared In sight,
thoy still had strength to row."
"Go on," cried tho doctor. "You
nro cleverer than all of us."
"It is becauso I lovo him." she re
plied, "and becauso I have thought day
and night whoro ho can bo. You know
tho latitudo and longitude of tho wreck;
you must allow for currents and wind;
you know how many days elapsed be
tween mo wi-ock and tlio writing of tho
letter. Now let us look at tho chart and
work it all out."
Sho brought tho chart to tho tablo,
and pointed with hor linger.
" They woro wrecked," sho said,
"thoro. Now allow live days for drift
ing. Whero would thoy land? Bo
member ho says that tho wind was
S. W."
" Why," said tho doctor, "thoy may
hnvo landed on ono of tho most wester
ly of tho Cnrolino Islands, unless tho
current carried them to tho I'olows.
There aro islands enough in thoso
seas."
"Yes,' sho replied;' "If is hero that
wo shall look for him. Now como with
mo to tho Captains' room."
Sho walked in, hoad erect and paper"
in hand, followed by the doctor, and
stood at Captain Zaohariiisen's right
hor usual placo whon sho visited tho
Captains in tlio evening.
" You who aro my friends," said Lai,
bearing in ono hand a chart and in tho
other the precious letter, "will rejoice
with mo, for I havo had a letter from
Bex.'"
"When was itKroto, and whoro
from? asked CnplaiirZac'harlason.
"It is nearly threo years old. It has
been tossing on tlio sea. driven hither
and thither, and preserved by kind
Iloavon to show that Box is living still,
and whore he is."
Captain Wattles whistled gently. It
sounded liko an involuntary noto of in
credulity. Lai spread tho chart beforo Captain
Zaoliariason.
"You can follow the voyage," sho
said, "while t read you his letter. It is
on tho back of one from mu. It is
written with a lead pencil, very small,
becauso ho had a great deal to say and
not much space to say it in my Box!"
Hor voico broke down for a mo
ment, but sho steadied herself and went
on reading tho mossag-o from the sea.
" Anyone who picks this up,1 it bo
gins, 'will oblige mo by sending it to
Miss Rydquist, Seven Houses, Rotlior
hithe, becauso it tolls her of tho ship
wreck and perhaps tho death' But you
know all of you," Lai intorposed. "that
ho survived and got to land, eNo how
was Dick able to get back to England?
'of hor sweetheart, the undersigned
Box Armigor, Captain of tho steamer
Philippine, now lying a wreck on a roof
in latitude fi.ilO N. and longitude 133.25,
as near as I could calculate.'
"'.MvDraiikst Lai.: I write this In tho
Captain's gig, whoro 1 am Hunting about in or
about tho above named latitudo and longitude,
after tho most unfortunate voyage that uvor
started with (rood promise. First, I send you
my last words, dear lovo, solemnly, becauso a
man In a boat on tho open ecus with no provis
ions and no sail, cannot look for anything but
death from starvation, If not by drowning.
Uod help you, my dear, and bless .vou, and
mako you forgot mo soon, and Hud a bettor
husband than 1 should over havo made. You
will tako uiiothur map' "
" Hear, hear!" said-Captain Borl'mder
softly.
"Hush!" said Captain Wattles re
proachfully. " Captain Armigor was a
good man and a prophet."
" ' You will tako another man,1 " Lai
ropoated. "Never!" she cried, after
tho repetition, looking from ono to tlio
other. "Never! Not if ho wore dead,
instead of being alive, as ho is, and
wondering why wo do not como to ros
eue him."
"The boy had his points," said Cap
tain Znoharinsen, and a good husband
ho would havo made. Just such as I
was sixty years ago or thereabouts. Get
on to the shipwreck, Lai, my doar."
" ' It was on December tho First that wo sot
sail from Calcutta. Tim crow woro all Lascars,
o.eopt Wok, my Malay stoward. tho chlerolll
eor, who was auUngllslminn. and tho engineer.
o mado a good passago under canvass, with
auxiliary soivw, to Blngapnro, and from thence,
In ballast, except lor a tew bales of goods, to
Hong-Kong. Hero wo took In our cargo or
rice, and started all well, on January tho Four
tobntli, eighteen hundrod and sovcuty-sovon.
U ho nuito wan a good sailor as out stopped on
iibrdge.nnd tho ship well found, now, and
good iu all respects.
'"Wo hud fair woather across tjio China
Sea, and iu.thn straits north of fciuon until wo
wo camo to tho open sou. Horo a galo. which
blow us off our course to Jf. R., but not far, and
still In clear and omm sailing, with novor n
roof or an Island, on tho charu 'Wo kept mourn
up, rnnnlusr In tho tjjuthof tho wind, all sails
lurled. Whon tho wind moderated, voprlng
from b. h, to S. W. (within a point or two), wo
mado tho Polow Islands to starboard bor, no
camo well In tho track of Uio Sydney etcamors.
If you look at a chart you will find that horo
tho sea H onun.nnd cloar; not a shoal nor nn
Island laid down for n good thousand miles.
Wherefore, I make no doubt that after Inquiry
I should havo my eortifloato roturnod to mo,
In snlto of having lost so good a ship.
"'On Holiday, at noon, tho wind having
moderated, wo found wo had mado two hun
dred and twontj-soven knots In tho four-and-twonty
hourj. Wo woro. as I inudo It, in lati
tude Ji.iW N. and longltudo i:R.25, ns noar as I
could calculate. At suusnt, whloh wits nt six
twonty-flvo, wo must havo mado somo sixty
ml Ion inoro to tho ti. W., so that you can lay
down tho spot on tho map. Tho wind wan
fresh, nnd tho sea a littlo choppy, but nothing
of any consequence In open water. At eight t
turned In, going watch and watch about with
tho nip.to, and nt llvo minutes past eight I eup
poso I was fast asleep.
" It was, I think, a littlo after six bolls, that
I was awakened by tho ship striking. I rnn on
deck at onco. Wo woro on a roc f, and by tho
grating and grinding of hor bottom I guessed
that It was all over. I'm sorry to say that Iu
tho shook tho mato scorns to havo boon
knocked ovorboard nnd drowned, bo cause I
saw him no more. Tho ship rolled iromsldo
to side, grinding and tearing hor bottom upon
tho roof. Tno mon ran backward and forward
crying to ouch other. There was no discipline
with thnin, nor could I got thorn to obey or
dors. Tho onginoor went below nnd reported
water gaining fast. Ho and I did our best to
koop tho crow In hnnd, but it was no uso.
Thoy lowered tho boats nnd pushod off, leav
ing behind only tho onginoor, and Diok tho
stoward, and mysolf. Thoy woro in too groat
a hurry to put provisions on board, so that I
groatly foar thoy mttst havo perished, unload
thoy havo boon nlukd up by somo steamer.
" All that night wo stayouondeok, wo throo,
oxpectlng ovory momontthat sho would break
hor back. Tho cargo of grain was loose now,
and rolled with tho ship liko water. Hor liows
wcro high upon tho rooks, and I bollovo wo
wcro only saved bocauso sho was lodged upon
tho reef as far aft as tho englno-room. In tho
darkness tho engineer must havo slipped his
uuiu mm union uvuruoaru, i (ion l Know now.
Then thoro was only Dick und mo.
" 'In tho morning, at daybreak, tho lookout
was protty bad. Tho roof Is a shoal with noth
ing but a 1'rlngo of whlto water found it to
mark whoro it lies. It Is now, I reckon, about
seventeen feet bolow tho surfaeo Of tho water,
but I tako it to be n rising roof, so that oycry
year will mako it loss, and I hopo it will bo set
down at onco on tlio chart. My mato was gone
nnd my onginoor, tho boats and their crows
woro out of sight, or may bo capsized, not a sail
upon tho son. Hut thoro was tho Captaln'sgig.
wnon wo got nlloat, my purpose was to
keep alongside of tho poor wreck until wo had
got enough victuals to last a week or two, nnd
somo running taekio whoroby wo could hoist
somo sort of a sail. Hut, my dear, wo hadn't
tlmo, becauso no sooner had wo lowered tho
bout and put In a few tins, with a bottle half
full of brandy and a kog of wator, than sho
parted amidships, and wo had no inoro than
tlmo to Jump into tho boat and shovo off.
'"Thoro wo wcro, then, with no oars.no
mast, no sail, no rudder oven, and provisions
for two or threo days.
" ' Wo havo now boon lloating a week. We
drifted tlrst ot all in a nor'-westorly dlrootlon,
as near as I could mako out, so long as tho
poor wreck remained in sight. Slnco then I
know not what our courso has bcon. Thoro is
a strong curront hero, I suspect, from tho
shoit tlmo wo took to looso sight of hor, and
there has boon a good strong broozo blowing
from tho S. W. for throo days.
" ' Wo havo now got to tho ond of our pro
visions; tho last drop of wator has boon drunk;
tho last biscuit oaten. Poor Diok sits opposito
Jo mo till day and all night, ho cannot spoalc,
but ho refused his sharo of tho last ration for
my sake."
Horo Ltvl broke down again, nyd
Captain Zacliariasen said something
strong, which showed that his admiration
for a generous action was greater than
his religious restraint.
"'Wo spond tho day in looking for a sail; at
night wo tako watch about. Thoro remains
only a littlo brandy in tho hoot or tho bottlo.
Wo husband that lor a bust resource. Wo havo
fashioned a couple of rough oars out of two
planks of tho bout.
,".7,1i,.V0,kI)tthl8,,m' l"rof. No sail in
sight. Wo havo had two or threo drops of
brandy each. Thoy nro tho last. Now 1 must
commit this letter to tlio sea in tho bottlo. Oh,
my dear Lai, my pretty tender darling 1 1 shall
novor, never coo you any inoro. Long boloro
you get this letter I shall bo drl ftlng nbout in
tills boat, a dead man. I pray Hcavon to bloss
you '"
Hero Lai stopped and burst into tears.
" Head no more," said Captain Hol
stitis, "tho rest concerns yourself
alono."
Lai kissed hor letter, folded it tender
ly, and laid it in her bosom.
"Tho rest only concerns mo," she
repeated, and was silent a while.
Captain Zacliariasen, meantime, was
at work unon tho chart.
" I re ail this story somewhat differ
ent," ho said. "You can't always fol
low a mummickor in his antics, and I
now pcrcoivo that I was wrong about
the baby. Tho widow 1 stlnl-iif "Nr.i,
ing could bo plainer than tho widow,
uiuugii, ui umireu, u was not lO uo ox
pected that ho'd mako a clean breast of
it in that letter, which otherwise does
him credit. Lai, my dear, you aro
right. If Dick is ulivo, then his mastor
is alive. Question is, whero would ho
get to, and whoro is ho now?"
They woro all silent, waiting tho con
clusion of the Patriarch before any otlior
ventured to speak. IIo was bejidiii"
over tho chart, his right thumb as tho
position of tho reef, and his forc-iino-er
acting as a compass.
"1 calculate from the position of tho
reef, which is here, and tho run of tho
currents, and tho direction of tlio wind,
that thoy drifted toward tlio most west-
orly of tho Carolino Islands."
ft hardly required patriarchal wisdom
to surmise this fact, seeing that theso
islands aro tho nearest places northwest
of the reef.
"And next?" asked Lai.
"Next, my pretty, they wcro taken
on of that island, but I do not know by
whom, and were shipped away to somu
prison, but I don't know whero, and
there Cap'en Armigor is still lying,
though what for, as tliero was seeming
ly no baby and no chucking ovorboard,
. wo mortals, who aro but purblind, can
not say."
Then Captain Holstitis spoko again.
" I think wo might have in tho Malay
and go through tlio play-acting again.
May be, with this letter beforo us, wo
may get more light."
The doctor now showed Dick tho bot
tle. Ho seized It, grinned a recognition,
and, on a sign from tho girl, began tho
story again at that point.
l'irat, loaning over the imaginary side
of tlio boat, ho laid it gently on tho
""Thereby," said Captain Zacliariasen,
solemnly, "committing tho lotlor to tho
watery deep, to bo carried horo and
driven there while tho stormy winds do
blow, do blow. Anion!"
TO UK CONTINUni).
Ono swan will eat a gallon of iisu
spawn in a day.
RELIGIOUS AND EDUCATIONAL.
-A boll with tho inscription: "Sin-Y
nors, this boll calls you to the worship
of Christ and nothimr more," has been
presented to tho Baptist Church of Ded
Iiam, Mass.
John Wontworth says that tho first
Protestant in Chicago was a Baptist, tho
first book tliero published was written
by h Baptist, and tho first Protestant
sermon was printed by a Baptist.
Prof. W. W. Goodwin, of Harvard,
has acceptod tlio directorship of the
American School of Classical Studies
which will bo established in Athens,
Greece, next November. Tho funds
necessary to conduct tho entorpriso havo
bcon qollectcd. N. Y. Post.
At n recent meeting of the Phila
delphia School Board it was statod as
a proof of tho stupidity of tho school
systom in that city that It took twenty
minutes to road over tlio courso of In
struction authorized in primary schools
for pupils In their first four months.
A novel plan to promoto tho cul
tivation of fiowors among the poor is
being tried in Philadelphia. Mr. John
Wanamakor, of that city, President of
the Presbyterian Sunday-school Super
intendents' Association, has given notico
that ho will supply gratuitously (except
tho cost of mailing) ono hundred
packets containing four varieties of
llower seeds to every Sunday-school
Which. Will airroo to lil!lk-n a rmilsmmnini
display of Ilowors, with prizes, and send
a report of tho results to the committee.
A speaker at an educational moot
ing recently held in Chicago, insisted
that instruction in morals should be
given in tlio public schools from somo
good text-book. Ho added that schol
ars should bo mado to commit to mem
ory tho Ten Commandments, and theso
should bo explained to them so that
thoy could Understand them. Thoy
should bo taught tho existence of God,
and to recognizo Him as tho Hulor of tho
universe, as woll as a man's responsi
bility toward God, that tliero was a life
beyond this one, and tlio hopo of over
lasting life.
Bishop O'Beilly, of tho Roman
Catholic diocese of Springfield, Mass.,
has been preaching strongly against
mixed marriages of Protestants ami
Iloman Catholics. He says a Roman
Catholic woman who marries a Prot
estant ondangors her own soul and '
those of her oli'spring, as tho husband
will not bo likely to allow the children "
to bo educated as Roman Cntholi.cs,
whatever ho may promise. Never
should a Roman Catholic marry a Prot
estant woman, because in ninety-nine
cases out of a hundred tho children in
herit tlio characteristics of the mother.
Chicago Ilcruld.
4
Two Misers.
A lawyer in Troy, N. Y., states that
in tho bitter weather of last January ho
was called at midnight to make a will
for a supposed pauper named Agcr. 1
IIo found tho man dying in a wrotched
hovel, without a lire, apparently of want,
his wife besido him, dying also of hem
orrhage of tho lungs.
Ager had ono thousand five hundred
dollars m four small bags, and six hun-
dred dollars in irold in his Dockets.
which he had carried so
lornr that thov
wcro black and crensv. Gobi wo a nlcn
found secreted in iron pots and tea-pots
in tho house. IIo died before mornin"-,
and his wifp an hour or two late".
Thoy wero both educated and of frood
birth. fa
Thoy had bought no fuel all winter,
and had literally starved and frozen to
death. When asked why they had not
spoilt a fow dollars in making them
selves comfortable, thoy replied: "Mon
ey was a good thing to have." They
oould not tako it with them, however,
and at almost the last moment of life
gavo it to a charitable society.
Such instances of extreme avarice aro
very rare among native Americans. The
Nation is too well-fed and woll-clolhed;
tho general habit of life is too prodhnil:
money comes too easily to foster oveTi a
wise economy in tho character of Ameri
can children.
A certain Maior S was waii.imn.n
to tho past generation in tho Middle
States as a miser of land. Ho was
childless, and owned enormous tracts in
Pennsylvania, Now York and Ohio,
which ho only improved sufficiently to
onablo him to pay tho taxes on them,
and to buy moro land.
His wholo life was spent in traveling
on foot over his possesions, and it was
Ins boast that ho could walk from the
Hudson to tho Miami, and sleep every
night on his own ground. On these
journoys ho bogged his food from his
tenants, and woro the samo suit of
clothes, until it literally dropped off of
him. rotten with filth sind a-e.
Nothing could Indueo him to sell or
givo away a foot of land. At last tho
old man was missed, and after a couple
of months his body was found in a for
est on tho Alleghany Mountains, where,
having been tnkon ill on ono of his jour
noys, ho had crept to die. Six foot of
ground was given to him for a grave,
ami that, by a strnngo chance, as if in
derision of the old man's folly, belonged
to another man.
Tho folly of thoso two mon is ovidont
to the dullest of us. Their lives to tho
very hour of death wero spent in dis
comfort and want, that- thoy might ac
cumulate, x'iohes which thoy knew thoy
must loavo behind thorn.
But aro wo any wiser? How many of
us aro striving only to gain tho property,
famo or social position which wo must
loavo behind usP What goods havo wo
to mako comfortable and happy that
life boyond tho grave? Which of all
the things wo prizo and hoard here, will
bo of any more uso to us an hour after
death, than woro tho gold or lmd t
thoso two dying misers? Youth's Companion,
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