K
n
Jr
.
Tho Brido of Arjio Sandstrom.
by m. ii. CATimnwoon
From IInrper' Hatnr.
"Big Swede wedding over tlioro this
veiling," snld ono American to an
other by his sido. "Peter Lund's
daughter."
la she marrying a Swede?" inquired
tho second American.
"Yes; fellow by tho nanio ol Arno
; Sandstrom."
"I should think old Peter, well ofl
as ho is, would havo stood up for an
American son-in-law you or mo, for
instance," observed tho second youth,
with a laugh.
"Tho gitl's pretty as a pink, and
has had every advantage It is a
Jilty to seo her thrown awayj but old
'out has a loc of younger ones com
in on."
"That makes it less an object. I
thought she was his only. Tho Swedes
are clannish ain't they?"
"Poter Lund's is headquarters for
them, too. Hero's ono now, hunting
up tho wedding. I'll bet sho's just ar
rived from tho old country."
80 near tho truth was this surmiso
that Elsa had been off tho train only
twenty minutes, and in that time had
repeated tho nameof Arno SaudBtrom
interrogatively to overy person sho
met. Showasdascd by long riding
and partial fasting, and tho dumb
terror of finding no ono to receivo her
at tho end of her groat journoy. Tho
lottor created with much brain work
to announce her romingought to havo
been in his hands weeks ago. The in
nocent and Iriendlcsa soul did not
know she had omitted all dates and
exactness in her general caro for spell
ing and inky loopB. So. stopping ofl
thotrainintothoAmerican small town
at uusk, alio sawsti olios of summer
prairio to tho westward, perky archi
tecture, crossing railroad trackB, hur
rying citizens and lazy loungors even
tho now olectric light on its spider
work iron tower beginning to mako a
ghastly powerful star far abovo her
head. Sho saw baggago and piles of
express matter, hotel runners and
etner women starting toward their as
sured homes tucke"d laughing and
chatting under thoir husbands' arms;
but sho saw not ono faco or ono kind
hand ready to bid her welcome, who
had ventured thousands of miles alono
-across ocean, across continent to
marry her bothrothod lover, Arno
Sandstrom.
Hearing his namo spoken, sho stood
till upon the sidewalk, shrinking and
timid, but directly in front of tho
young mon, and inquired, using hands
and eyea as well as anxious inflection
of voice, "Arno Sandstrom?"
"Sho wants to know whoro ho is,"
explained ono American to tho other.
"Right over there; that big house," ho
returned, talking also with gestures,
"where, you seo it lighted up. Sho
doesn't understand. Arno Sandstrom
over there. Gottingmarriedl Yes, yes.
Arno Sandstrom. ilero, Billy, you
trot out a littlo Swodo gibborisii, can't
you? You'vo been among them more
than I havo."
"Arno Sandstrom derovcr," ex
claimed the other, pointing to Peter
Lund's house, with a lino assumption
of handling tho language well. "Arno
Sandstrom jifta to-night, you know."
"Yiftal" said Elsa, shrinking down
in stature.
"Sho's got hold of it. That's all
right. You'll bo in time for tho wed
ding." "Sho didn't understand; and she
thought wo were making fun of her,"
eaid ono of tho lads as they sauntered
qn.
"Sho did understand, and thoro
ehe goes straight across tho street.
Brush up in tho languages, young man,
and mako yourself as useful to tho
public as I am."
Whon Elsa had entered tho Lund
promises, however, sho did not ling
tho bell, but wavered around tho house,
looking up at tho lighted windows,
and shifting her littlo bundle from ono
arm to tho other. Sho had other bag
gage at tho station, but it seemed no
lontor worth while. There was a west
ern veranda, on tho lowest step of
which she sat down in 1 quiet stupor
to collect horself for some determined
movement".
Anguish and disappointment must
bo the natural lot in this world, only
eha had not lived enough years to find
it out beforo. Though summer dark
mess had come, tho after glow was
still so bright in tho west that it half
quarreled with tho abundant lamp
light. Elsa could hear tho front gate,
the crunch of coming footsteps and
frequent peals of tho door boll, as sho
Bat drawn together, and tho eternal
minutes traveled on.
Peter Lund's house was full of joy
ful stir. China and silver tinkled in
tho open dining room, whero several
women were putting last touches to
tho tables. Girls How up and down
tho back stairway, calling to ono an
other in Swedish.
"Ono thing is sure, Yonnio Yonsen,"
called a voice in tho homo tonguo,
"thoro will not boenough married wom
en to tako tho brido from us cirls in
the wedding dance; so now what will
Aino Sandstrom do?"
Throe of them conspired together by
tho western dining-room door, bobbing
their flaxen heads, all laughing and
talking at once in thoir light happiness,
far abovo tho unseen btrunger on tho
atep.
"Who told mo Arne Sandstrom loft
a betrothed girl in Svadia?" said one,
lowering her voice to grave colloquy.
"Oh, woll, sho married herself, ol
course," replied another: "and any
man who could got Lena Lund would
tako her."
"Lena's so pretty."
"Lena's rich."
"Lena can Bing nnd play better than
come Amerikanns."
"Lena has ten new dresses. Arne
will not have to put his hand in his
pocket for many a day."
"She is not spoiled therewith. I al
ways liked her."
"Ah, my mother said if this wedding
was going to bo in Svadia this St.
John's Eve, what a night wo would
make of it!"
They ran away, while Elsa repeated
to herself that this was the Eve St.
John night ol arbors and rejoicing at
home, night when thosun scarcely went
down, and everybody feasted and vis
Itod under green-leaf tents. Of what
use was St. John's Eve, or any other
portion of tlme.to a girl put to shame
and despair as she was? Why had
Arne Sandstrom sent her money to
come over with if he meant to jilt her on
her arrival? Or had ho picked anoth
er betrothed for her ns well as himself?
Sho would not believe her Arno could bo
to evil: sho would knock and ask for
him. Ho was bo kindl he loved her.
Yet not only the Amerikanns. but
those laughing girls, had said plainly
thlB was Arne Sandstrom's wedding;
any man would tako Lena Lund who
could get her; Lena was bo pretty;
Lena was rich; Lena could sing and
Elay better than somo Amerikanns;
na had ten new dresses, and she
was not spoiled.
Elsa bruised her cheek against tho
edge of tho second step abovo her.
She did not know whero to go, and
her money was all spent except the
littlo sho saved by going without food
during part of her railway journoy,
and she had saved that to buy some
little ornament for her new homo
with Arne. Sho might try to hiro hor
self out, but how cwuld she ever write
back homo wheio such happy nowB
was expected from hor, or how could
sho put uiif.ndurablo anxiety upon
those best friends by not writing at
all? Svadia was so pleasant, especial
ly in tho long nightleas summers.
Good and kind they were to Btrangera
there; hor mother always baked waf
fles and carried them with coffeo to
tho morning bedside of a guest. Sho
could seo her native meadows stretch
ing away in tho blue Northern air,
and tho iron whin, as her mother call
ed tho scythe, beating up an appetito
in those who wielded it, while sho her
self, a caroloss littlo maid, camo bear
ing tho second breakfast to tho
mowers.
A quavering but hearty voice, which
mil1' havo como from tho mouth of
her" n grandmother if it had not bo
longed to Peter Lund's mother, sung
out Lapp-Finn nurso song by an up
per window, and Elsa knew just what
syllables tho dancing baby was made
to emphasize.
"Donna liipon,
Ilophom tup an,
J.untl lira,
HopHom fttlrn:
Bprovti lupon, Itipon,
HopHom tup an, tup an,
Lanti lira, lira,
Ilopsom etlrn, Btira."
Danre and jump.
Hup like a. rooster,
" Hop like the skutnn.
Perhaps this very inBtant for Elsa
made no calculations in longitude and
time Vader's mutter danced tho baby
undor her homo roof; and nono of her
people know how faint, how outcast,
how bewildered tho eldost child felt
sitting on Bteps in a strange Ameri
kansk town.
In Elsa's box of clothing was the
finest sheepskin blanket her mother
over made, bo white in fleece, and
cured by buttering and scraping until
tho skin yielded soft liko chamois
leather. It was lined with scarlet
flannel. Sho could see tho store-room
of her father's farm-houso hung thick
ly with such fleeces, and hear her
mother say sho wished Elsa could
tako more, sinco they had so littlo
money to send hor. But Arno Sand
strom had sent tho monoy to pay her
way, because ho loved her so. They
wero children together, and ho was
held as dear as a son in her own
family. Elsa's mother never distrust
ed him. How could it therefore bo
possiblo that Arno Sandstrom, after
sending for his botrothed, could bo
marrying a Swede Amerikann tho
very evening of her arrival?
In her intensely quiet fashion tho
poor girl was wiping away tears as
fast as they dropped down her cheeks,
and now she lifted her head from tho
Btep, coining to a decision.
Slio walked up on tho veranda, her
feet sounding heavy and uncertain,
and stood at the door ready to
knock. Kcr piteous great oyes moved
from wall to wall of tho amplo dining
room, recognizing Svensk wooden
spoons and beautifully painted and
polished Russian bowls in various
sizes on tho sideboard. Hard-baked
Svensk bread, so loved by the white
and firm Scandinavian teeth, and all
known luxuries, with unheard
of Amorikann things, smiled
at her from the glitter
ing tables. This Lena Lund would bo
called a mamzello in Svadia; she was
very much abovo a pooryungfrau like
Elsa. Any man might bo glad to mar
ry her. Still Elsa would not believo
Arne Sandstrom had forgotten his
betrothed.
She could seo him from whoro sho
stood, in an inner room with a back
ground of fine f urnit mo. How beau
tiful ho looked, all in Amerikann
clothes, and with soft dark gloves on
his hands, like a very rich man! His
cheek was ruddy, his forhend whito,
and tho vory round of his car how
well Elsa remembered it! Arno Sand
Btrom was happy, and laughing aloud
with other people. Sho hoard his
voice whilo bhe stood just without,
bo wretched her whole soul seemed
numb.
In perfect silenco sho waited, and
still saw him laugh and extend his
hand to havo it shaken by ono anoth
er, until a liguro camo out of tho room
where ho was, to pass trhough tho
dining-room, and bho know in an in
stant Otto Jutberg, who camo to
America with Arne. Elsa put her foot
across tho threshold and said, to call
hisattontion. "Otto."
Otto approached tho door and
looked curiously at her. Ono rope of her
flaxen hair hung down on her breast,
and she looked travel worn.
"Otto Jutberg, I want to seo Arno
Sandstrom."
"Arno is going to bo married in a
fow minutes," said Otto.
"I know he is. But I want to see
Arno Sandbtrom. Toll him to come
here."
"Who is it?" prossed Otto, coming
nearer to her, and knitting his brows
inquiringly.
"Don't you know me, Otto, when
you have been to my father's nearly
every St. John's Eve of our lives?"
Elsa felt that sho needed only one
more drop to her cup. and that was
for some voice to raise the derisive
ong with which her countrymen
mocked Scowney'a, or inhabitants of
a region tho butt of all Svadia.'
"A Bcowen, a Seo wen"
ono bar was enough to rouse sudden
rago in any Svensk.
But instead of "A Scowon, a Scow
en" rising around Etaa's cars this en
chanted night such a din of outcries
was made by Otto Jutberg that peo
plo ran to look in the dining-room,
and then to swarm around her.
Arne Sandstrom leaped two chairs
and seriously jarred ono table, to re
ceive Elsa in his arms, when he kissed
her openly.
"Bring mo ono of tho chairs I kicked
over." ho exclaimed, "and let mo set
tho tired darling in it. I havo been
looking for tho letter which would tell
me the time you intended to start.
Yes, this is my Elsa," he said, dis
playing her; "and how did sho find
her way in hero alone? Mrs. Lund,
Elsa has cornel"
'Yes, and she has been crying,"
eaid tho plump wife of Peter Lund,
pressing her hand. "It was enough
to break any child's heart to reach
Buch a journey's end homesick and
unwelcomrd."
At this Elsa leaned aeainst the ma
tron's Bide and shook with sudden
Bobs, feeling her forehead and hair
petted by a good mother's palms,
Elsa was taken up tho back stair
way by both Mrs. Lund and Arne,
who talked rapidly across her. Sho
was put in a beautiful room, and
young girls camo in to got acquainted
with her and giggle. Arno asked her
for that piece of metal which would
redeomjier baggage, and he handed it
over to Otto at the door. Before she
understood hor position, or was quite
ablo to lift her eyes and look at all
who wanted to talk to her, tho box
which had borno her company from
Svadia was brought in, and Arno told
hor tho other wedding would bo put
oil half an hour whilo sho got ready.
Thun ho drovo tho merry company
out of tho room, nnd stood witn his
back to tho door to keep at bay that
moment all volunteering brido attend
ants. "Can you bo ready in half an hour.
nltnp vnnv Innn innmnii .,,.. ,1 -i:,.-)ll
said he.
"I can soon wash ofl tho dust and
change my dress," said Elsa. "But,
Arno, I do not know anything. Who
is going to marry Lena Lund?"
"Arno Sandstrom. And you will
be married at the same time."
"I thought that was what you and
Mrs. Lund said. But who is going to
marry mo?"
"Who! I am; Arne Sandstrom."
"I will not do it," said EIbh. "They
never have two wives in Svadia."
Arne Sandstrom gazed silently at
her, puffed and exploded his cheeks
and bent over, striking his knees with
those delicately-gloved hands Elsa
had first noted with such awo. He
roaredjin tho fervor of his laughter.
This American country had in noway
abated Arno SandBtrom as a Norse
man. "Oh, Elsa, my snowbird, if I should
tell thiB on thee they would laugh at
theo from ono end of town to tho
other. Lena Lund's bridegroom is
my cousin Arne, that camo over with
Otto Jutberg and me."
"That was Arne Petorssen," affirm
ed Elsa.
"But thero aro so many Peterssens
and Yonscns who take their names
from their fathers' Christian names
that Arne changed his to Sandstrom.
It is a vory common thing to do
here."
Elsa laughed also. It was so simple
and clear and Swedish bIio wondered
that tho news of Arno Sandstrom's
weding had caused her even a mis
giving. Sho left her chair to swing
Arne's hands whilo they both finished
laughing.
"But you ought to bo ready," he
cried, "and not keep tho others wait
ing. I got tho papers for the wedding
when Arno got his papers, so there
would be no mistake of names on the
record, and so I could marry you as
soon as you came."
Within the hour, therefore, Elsa was
the brido of Arno Sandstrom, arrayed
in her dark blue wedding dress of wool,
and not shaming by her statuo-lilce pro
portions and fairness tho lighter pret
tiness and silken rainment of Arne
Sandstrom's American-Swedish bride
Happiness and love were, after all,
the natural lot in this world, thought
Elsa, sitting by her husband in the
place ol honor at the wedding supper,
and tasting the first course of bucu a
feast the Swedish soupof lioe, prune,
ra isins, and molasses.
Kiuxlngr Description of tho Field
of Waterloo.
On an eminence lookingdown on the
duel of nations, astride his war horse,
surrounded by his staff, sits Welling,
ton, field marsh.il of England. In his
hand a glass, with which ho 6cans the
distant horizon. Now and again he
looks along the carnage -wrecked plain,
but ngain turns to tho far distance.
Hark! a bugle! tlipn a peal; then ringing
over all tho field tho notes of the
"Advance," quickening to tho charge.
Then, with a shout that fills the air,
with clash of sabre and thunder of
horsos hoof, comos sweeping tho im
perial legion. Napoleon's invincibles
hold in reserve by that marvelous
genius till this hour. Seo how all
melts beforo their onslaught. The
allied forces aro hurled back as from a
resistless storm of rushingdeath. The
eagles again sweep tho field. All seems
lost. Still tho Iron Duko sits there
and sweeps the distance. Couriers
como dabbing with dispatches; only
a word for answer wait! Then the
glass sweeps tho horizon again and
then Wellington throws it over his
head, throws his hat after it, leaps
from his horso and begins to write dis
patches. What is it? Whythatcloud
yonder, pulling now with firo and
smoke; that dark mass, defiling into
tho plain at double quick, is the Prus
sian retervo. Blucher has kept his
promise. Waterloo is decided, and
Napoleon's eagles go down lorever.
A broken car wheel on a copper train on
the Duluth, South Shoro it Atlantic rail
road tore up the ties on tho Rock river
bridue, hurled seven caw into the Ice be
low, and completely wrecked the bridge.
"ST. PETER'S CHUKCII.'
An American Trauler'i Flnt Imprtailont.
Hon. D. N. Richardson, editor of the
Denverport, Iowa, Democrt writes
from Rome:
Are you coming to Romo If you
come to see It all. to compass its pal
acesspiritual and civil; to under
stand its antiquities, to know tho
length and breath of Rome In time
and figures, come early, como to stay.
Come well bracod for disappointment
for when you have spent your dear,
short life of twenty, thirty, forty
yeare, you will know bo little, lack bo
much that you will shirk to look your
neighbor in tho face.
I envy, quite, tho man who has been
in Rome three days and tolls you ho
has seen it all! I like him for his ob
durate, blissful ignorance; that state
of hopeless mental vacancy that out
bids responsibility, and wish he would
write a book on Romo, for he could
only make a failure, as all have done
before.
You come to Romo. First thing a
hotel. You take a bit to cat, order a
vehicle. You are going out to do the
city to tako it in. Where will
you drive? Nino times out of
ten tho pilgrim says "St. Peter's
church."
"A San Peatro" speaks of your por
ter to tho whip, and off you go. Oft
through close narrow streets, well
hemmed in with tall, tawny, stuccoed
houses tho houses are stores and
shops and dwellings, all combined in
one you cross tho Bridge of Angels
in atrance, you pass tho castlo An
gelo in a daze, you squeeze in through
tho Borgo in an anxious state, and
facing great Saint Poter'a you aro
crushed. You hunt vour Btock of
words. They aro misfits. You try to
toll your thoughts. They aro too in
significant; you alight, stare at tho
collonndes, the great ambitious fount
ains; tho hieroglyphic obelisk; then
turn and on innirlp itvnn nmlan.Tniill
say no foolish thing, for you'll keep
your mouth shut. You cannot under
stand a thing you see; the distances are
great and overcome you; the heights
are lofty room in any corner to tuck
away your village church and never
miss tho space it takes; the floor a
wido spread of colored marbles; tho
piers and columns, niches, statues,
cherubs everything so out of all pro
portions that you have ever seen,
that you cannot take it in or scarcely
find your tongue.
You will join the crowd, maybe, and
you will go to tho groat bronzo canopy
and look upon tho many lighted lamps;
gaza up abovo tho clouds and find tho
heavens very high and overwrought
with rows of saints tier on tier, with
Christ and Maiy whero the sun should
bo. You hear church music somo
whero round intoned service some
where here but not a congregation in
sight tho great floor spaco is free of
Crowds. tllOIK'll snnin ImnrltWln nfnon.
pie wander about just as you do; you
find it go to hunt among tho piers,
about tho aisles and chapels find it
at last way oil ono sida mero chapel
eervico scarcely any people there.
But look you look about that
little chnpel you see hero is larger than
any chinch, perhaps, you havo over
worshipped in; its domo mounts up
two hundred feet or moro; its floor is
costly marble work; its alter golden
bronzo and p;ecious stones; jts pic
tures masters' works. Small! Yes;
but put all tho people into it that you
find in your average church at home,
and they will yet leave room for quite
as many more. Nothingissmall hero.
Stay here weeks and come here for an
hour each day, and it will grow tako
form and shape, and you will got ac
customed. It hardly seems the work
of man; moro like a vast majestic cave
arranged by supernatural hands
cathedral of the gods. The work of
man could be described so man can
understand this passes all descrip
tion passeth understanding. You
may pace it off go around its outer
wall, and those of its annexes, and ad
joined rooms of the Vatican, and the
walk is longer than that which com
passes the walls of the city of Jerusa
lem! You trudge up to tho top and
wnllc about the streets of houses thero
the great paved roof looks like a vil
lagestreet and public square homes
for the workingmen, a liberal force to
keep tilings in repair. Tho lofty chap
el domes that spring up through the
roof are so many small temples
kiosks. The grand old central dome
that mounts up thero beyond this ti
dy village, is the August cathedral
round, as was cathedral shape in later
pagan early Christian times. You
wander hero at leisure, look up along
the eighteen feot back of tho Saviour
and tho saints that from your roof
village wall look down into tho sixty
aero oponsquaro that fronts the great
Saint Peter's; stray round tho
Bturdy parapets, climb on far
ther up and up towards tho sun.
From down below you saw a littlo
ball an ornament on tho spire just
below tho top. It's bigger than your
head, and coming nearer, it grows
bigger and bigger yet; and when you
get up to it, it's big onough to let you
in you and your wifo and children
uncles, aunts, and visitors. If all are
good sized, sixteen can got in and
more of big and little.
From tho lantern railing just below
you may sit and bee tho world! Men,
below, aro mites, and palaces aro
children's playhouse toys? From
hero you look straight down into tho
Tiber down into streets and public
squares of Romo as you look upon a
map as you iook irom a oaitoou.
Ycu may count from here
tho other Roman churches one
hundred, two, three three hundred
and sixty-five all in full blast their
doors stand open every day. Full
many of these are costly miracles of
marble, fresco, bronze and painted
scene; mosaics rare and precious
stones, and gild and glint of jewelry.
In olden time's, those times of pagan
dom, the temples wero the banks in
which men of means could keep their
bank account the priests the safe
cashiers, who had not heard of Mont
real. These present fanes you may de-
posit in, as many a one has freely
done, but no checks are honored here.
These churches hero havo much of in
terest each has its private, curious
history each picture, saint and chap
el has its talo to tell, and some are
curious to find them out; but life is
too short we see within a church or
two, and leave the rest behind.
C TJ10 Lovers of the Queen,
Tho splendid pageant of tho opening
ol Parliament and tho passing of the
Queen in state from Buckingham
Palace to tho House of Lords, recalls
tho day, an men look on her, in her
Mary Stuart mourning, when sho
traveled that same route as a happy
young bride. Victoria, like all other
girls, had somo lovers beforo the lucky
ono came. Her first was the late Lord
Elphinstone, a tall, singularly hand
some young peer, who was sent to
Madras as Governor to get him out of
tho way. Her next was Lord Fitz
allan, another six-footer, a splendid
young officer of tho First Lifo Guards,
grandson of the then Duko of Norfolk,
and afterwards Duko of Norfolk him
self; but he was a Roman Catholic a
fatal objection. Fitzallan fell passion
ately in love with a pretty
barmaid, who administered beer
at a tap opposite the Horse
Guards, and wished to marry her. His
family sent him abroad to get over
bis young passion, and, falling ill at
Athens, ho married the daughter of
Admiral Lyons, British Minister there,
and sister of Lord Lyons, remembered
as Minister at Washington, who had
attended him through his sickness,
and who is still living as Dowager
Duchess. Her third lover was Lord
Alfred Paget, ono of tho Marquis of
Anglesey's splendid sons, an officer of
"tho Blues," standing about six feet
two, who is tho father of Captain Pa
get, married to our Miss Minnio Ste
vens, and who was then her equerry-in-chief,
nnd has continued as eciucrrv
over sinco.
This lovo affair was regarded ns so
dangerous that King Leopold of Bel
gium, tho Queen's uncle, brother of her
mother, tho Duchess of Kent, was sent
for. Tho result was that Princo Al
bert was sent for next. Albert was at
that time a courteous, chaste, quiet,
mild, bland, accomplished prince, but
hero and thero a keen observer might
havo detected on his round, full faco a
flush, and in his manner a flutter
which bespoke the agitation that
swelled tho heart beneath. Over the
chimney piece, too, of his student
chamber, thero hung one of Clinton's
exquisite drawings of Victoria which,
though too flatteringly graceful and
niry oven then, still when surrounded
with the interest which of itself lent
beauty to a young girl placed in such
a position gave a fairer idea of hor
than would bo imngined in her present
grosser figure and highly colored face,
as presented in tho most correct
and delightful pictures of court
life, byAdamBadeau. Albert, though
littlo noticed, had been present at Vic
toria's coronation bcene, a silent, but
not, wo fancy, an uninterested specta
tor. When Victoria was seated on
Princo Edward's tlironeand theshout
which proclaimed tho girl ho was edu
cated to look on ns his wife, queen of
theempiro on winch the sun never bets
ran nlongthe roof ot tho good old Ab
bey, and was borne on tho boom of
guns down to the City Tower, he must
have felt somo emotion; and when sho
tripped over, with ngilegracoto lift up
old Lord Rolie, who had tumbled, may
wo not fancy that emotion grow into
somo softer feeling. That cvening.too,
when on her return, tho womanwupt.ns
Grovillo tells us, becauso she feared to
bo a queen, Albert may have been
near. A woman's tears aro at all
time's touching. At such moments a
lifo of happiness or unhnppiness, as
tho case may be, is often built. Bo
this as it may, queens aro not allowed
to possess or nt 1 'ast indulge in the
feelings of other folk, and the news men
for onco did not, a few days after.con
vert n yawn into a sigh or gild a smile
with sentiment.
Well, nt all events, when Leopold
sent for Albert, quick and with luggage
light as a young American starting
for Arkansas, the appointed youth
booked himself in the small steamer
which staggers between Ostend and
Dover. The affair was vory quietly
managed by Leopold. In tho Court
Circle column tho Princess namofound
rather a mean nnd niinioned place,
and as the Princo and Queen went out
tho evening after his arrival for a
saunter in the woods, their stroll was
unobserved except by tho select few
who were in tho secret. But Victoria's
maid, Rosalie, a kind, mischievous,
merry littleelf from Longenechwalbach
and who was moro excited that even
ing than Victoi iaherself prattled, for
a littlo guilden, to tho court news
mnn of how Albert's meek eyes, when
they returned, were radiant with joy,
and Victoria looked slightly flusncd,
and wore in her girdle a small flower
tho flower ol a dove which, thiough
all tho darkness of widowhood, has
nevor lost its freshness nnd her btrnw
cottngo hat was ohritfehed back in
front. Perchance bhe cnught a branch
perchance bomo sweeter pressurp
about which I think there aro bomo
lovely young brides in Now York
could toll. Be this as it may, the club
man calling, the next morning, for his
tea and toast and Times was startled
by the announcement that "Her Maj
esty was about to lead to tho hyme
neal alter his Royal Hmhnobs Prince
Albert of Got ha and Saxo-Coburg"
and thus Victoria was wooed and
won. W. Stuart, in Town Topics.
The Ants and the Cyclone.
It is stated that about a century
sinco thero appeared on tho island of
Grenada numberless colonies of ants.
No ono know whence they came, but
they so multiplied that they became
fatal to the augar cane, and as that
was the principal industry tho gravest
results wero apprehended. All expe
dients failed lo dislodge them, and the
government, in'1778, offered a reward
ot $100,000 for any invention to de
stroy them. In 1780 nature came to
their relief in the way of a terrific
cyclone and rainfall which blew down
what cane was standing, drowned out
the ants, and new prosperity folio wod.
Toledo Blade.
A Gooil lcnr Story.
j Pnrlcereburj? Cor. Chicago Tribune.
j Rev. Dr. Webb, a minister of the
( Baptist faith, who is woll known in
tho interior counties, had a rough
time of it not very long ago while trav
' cling through tho woods. The section
of country to which his duties call him
is sparsely settled, and is full of game
' and bears, wildcats and panthers.
j The preacher had repeatedly been ad
vised to carry a revolver or otin. huh
never went armed with anything more
formidable than a pocket-knife until
after hia resent encounter,
On a recent trip over tho mountains
the preacher was quietly walking
along the top of a ridge which wa
thickly covered with heavy timber,
when he was rudely interrupted by a
pig-like gruntdirectly in front of him.
Raising his eyes, expecting to see
stay hog, he found himself face to
face with a large bear, whose snapp.
ing little eyes betrayed an intention
to discuss tho right of tho way with
tho reverend gentleman. Mr. Webb
threw up his hands and shouted at
Bruin and advanced in a threatening
manner, expecting to see tho bear am
ble away in fright. But tho unortho
dox bruto didn't run. on tho contrary,
he reared np on his hind legs and ad
vanced toward tho minister in a
thrnatening manner, with mouth open
and his black paws stretched out
ready to embrace his opponent in a
warm, if not affectionate, manner.
The preacher dodged behind a largfr
oak tree and drow his pocket-knife.
Just as the bear reached the tree
tho doctor dodged around to the other
er side but was quickly followed by
tho bear. The subsenuent nrnrp.xf.
ing interested tho doctor to
such an extent that ho forgot tho text
for tho next Sunday's sermon on
which hs had been ruminating. Round
and round they scurried; sometimes
the bear would get closo enough ta
reach the doctor's coat sleeve or skirt,
on which occasion he would eliminate
a portion of the doctor'sapparol, and
the doctor would return the compli
mont by plunging the knife-blnde into
the bear s paw, neck or noBe. In a
short time tho doctor was most coin
pletely stripped of coat sleeves and
skirt, and nad a number of severe
scratches on his arms and body,
while the bear had received a dozen
or eo of cuts and stabs from the
preacher's khife. B
It didn't tako many minutes of this
exercise to convince the prencher that
ho was not an adept in killing beara,
and ho concluded to climb a tree.
By a lucky stroke he struck
his knifo into tho eyo of
tho brute, which lay dowh and
whined pitifully. Talcing adyantnge
of the opportunity, Webb ran to the
nearest tree with low-lying branches
and scrambled up, but not too soon,
for tho bear was on his feet and after
him beforo bo reached a safe limb. A.
bear is an excellent climber, nnd in a
trice was in tho tree with Webb, who
began to crawl further out on the
limb. The bear followed him up until
he was within four of fivofeetof Webb,
when tho limb began to settle towards
the ground. Bruin hesitated a mo
ment, and then carefully advanced
until he was within leach of Webb's
arm, when the latter plunged for tho
bear's sound eye and succeeded in
plunging his knife hi the brute's head.
Tho bear lost his balanco and fell to
tho ground. Tho limb, which had
been thus bent at an auglo of forty
degrees by tho combined weight of
C readier and the bear, suddenly flew
ack to its natural position, throw
ing tho preacher into tho air. His de
scent was more rapid than graceful,
and bo landed almost on top of t uo
bear, which was by this time getting
upon his feet. Webb was not hurt by
the fall, and beforo tho bear could get
his sound eyo in proper bearing Webb
stabbed him in the neck and severed
the jugular vein. In another moment
Brum was dead at the preacher's feet.
Old Southern Homes Decay
ing. Savannah News.
A great many of the plantations in
different parts of the South, which
were once well-known for their size,
the magnificence of the residences
upon them, the hospitality of their
owners, or on account of tho promi
nence of the families which possessed
them, are now falling into ruins. The
reason of this is nerhapj that the
land has been worked so long without
being fertlized that it has become
poor, or it may ba that thoso to
whose possession it has passed lack
the energy and skill which are requir
ed to mako ft pay under the present
system of labor. One of theso famous
old places in Liberty County, in
this state, was lately sold to a color
ed man for $2,."00, only part of tho
purchase money being required at once.
It is known as Laurel View, and is
within two miles of tho historic town
of Sunbury. It was onco tile homo of
tho giited John Elliott, and a very
beautiful homo it was. John Elliott
represented Georgia in tho United
States Senate from 1820 to 1820.
The plantation contains 2,300 acres.
It was purchased during tho war of
Eecossion by Linton Stevens, and waa
sold to tho present owner by his heirs.
The district in wlrch the plantation is
situated was noted from tl.o first settle
ment of the state uucil the emancipa
tion of the slaves for tho wealth a'nd
intelligence of its citizens. It is now,
however, almost wholly abandoned
to tho colored people. Jts great plan
tations havo been divide.! into small
farms, and the suporb mansions, once
the homes of men noted for wealth
and culture and of women famous for
beauty and refinement, arefallinginto
decay nnd being rej laced by cabins nnd
huts, whoso chimneys of sticks and
mud tell more plainly than words the
marvelous change for the worse which
bas taken place in the onco rich and
prosperous district,
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