COMEDY IN COURTSHIP.
"Watch eacb other through the room ,
Hate the gaslight , love the gloom ,
Give the bonbon men a boom ;
Just engaged.
Speak of "angels without wings , "
Watch the style of wedding rings ,
Do a thousand foolish things ;
Just engaged.
Fawns around her brother Mike ,
Brings her "Dreams" by Marvel Ik
Which the maid assumes to like ;
He's engaged.
Leaves off smoke and beer from date ,
Goes to church to sit with Kate ,
Puts two dollars on the plate ;
He's engaged.
Hastens on her fricnds'to call ,
Blithe and gay announces all
Schemes for keeping "Old Maid's Hall ; "
She's engaged.
Chooses bridesmaids ten or eight ,
Baying gowns to deck her fete ;
She's engaged.
Go to play and opera ,
Sin ? the "gobble" and the "baa , "
Have a fight about "Eochat ; "
Disengaged.
Maiden weeps the long night through ,
Lover's beautifully blue ,
Life's a tragedy for two.
Not engaged.
Deep the chasm 'tween the twain ,
Morning has It come it vain ?
But to rouse despair again ?
Not engaged.
Hark ! a ringing at the door ,
And a voice , ' 'Miss Kitty Moore ? ' '
Kisses bridge the chasm o'er ;
Re-engaged.
MISS ELLISON'S "FOURTH. "
By Mrs. Harriet A. Cheever , in the Boston Trav
eller.
Miss Julie Ellison was feeling some
what disturbed and anxious. She was
a pretjy little lady , well out of the
twenties , having passed her. thirtieth
birthday.
But so busy and engrossed had been
her daily life from the time of her leav
ing school at sixteen , until now , she
had long since come to regard herself
as quite a middle-aged , settled-down ,
maiden lady.
Her parents died during her child
hood , and her home had been with an
uncle , aunt and one cousin , until , at
the age of sixteen , she became appren
ticed to a milliner , since which time
she had taken care of herself.
After serving a proper term of ap
prenticeship , sne had moved to a con
siderable distance from her former
home , having heard of a pleasant place
which was quite destitute of a milliner.
And here she was living in the pretty
village of Benville , where her skill at
her trade joined with her attractive per
son and lady-like manners , had con
duced to buUd up quite a profitable bus
iness.
But she lived alone in her little rooms
over the store , and always expected to
live alone , and if she sometimes had
day-dreams such as younger and fresher
maidens indulge in , no one was ever
wiser for it , nor did they ever do her
any harm.
Several years before the uncle with
whom she had lived died , leaving her
auntie and cousin , a person of about
her own age , in very moderate circum
stances. And now she had received a
very disturbing letter from the latter ,
telling of her aunt's death , and asking
if it would be agreeable to have her
come and assist her in business , she too
having been instructed in the secrets of
bonnet making , but not feeling the con ?
fidence requisite for .starting out for
herself.
To tell the truth , little Miss Ellison
did not exactly want her cousin to
come. Not but what she , Miss Julie
Ellison , was one of the most unselfish ,
kind-hearted persons imaginable , but
there were two reasons which would
force themselves upon her recollection.
In the first place she had become recon
ciled to regarding herself as a creature
of a past fashion , and her natural in
clination was to depreciate herself rath
er too much. "But that -was not so
bad , " * she reflected audibly , "as long as
there was only one of us , but come to
have two in the same house , I'm afraid
people will get sick and tired of us. "
And then she was forced to remem
ber , that during those days of hapless
orphanage , cousin Frances was not al
ways kind , constantly showing a jeal
ous , suspicious disposition toward poor
Julie , who was much the better scholar
of the two , which resulted frequently in
trying disturbances , entirely the result
of Frank's ill-temper.
But then her uncle and aunt had
cared for and sheltered her when there
was no one else to do so , and although
they might have been more just and
gentle on some occasions , yet they
were kindly and well-meaning in the
main.
So it never for a moment occurred to
little Miss Ellison to refuse Frank's re
quest. "But I don't remain here , "she
said , aloud to herself , following the
habit of many solitary persons of con-
versing.with themselves ; "I'll have a
little larger store and more ample
rooms on , I wonder if Mr. Dinsmore
would rent me that neat little house
with the store in front , on the Dins-
more road !
"How rich he must Be to own so
many houses and so much land , but
there ! he's as much alone , and as poor
off as to folks as I am , when it comes
to that , though it is not very becoming
of me to be making comparisons be
tween him and niyself I must say ; "
and she fairly blushed at what seemed
her audacity.
"Well , now , what shall I do ? " she
asked. "Here it is the very last day of
June , close upon the Fourth , and I
think Frank had better come right away
so as to help me move , if move I do
this summer ; but first I'll write a note
to Mr. Dinsmore asking if he can let
me have that house ; and come to think
of it , I'll write both notes to-night , so as
to start them off early in the morning
ing- "
ingShe
She took up pen and paper , first care
fully directing two envelopes , one to
Mr. Frank Dinsmore , Benville Heights ,
the other to Miss Frank Ellison , of
C .
After a while , she had written a cor
dial , almost loving invitation to
Frances , and a respectful , well-worded
note to Mr. Dinsmore.
She had just concluded both letters
when the friendly postman passed her
door bowing blandly. Thinking it would
save her a trip to the postofhce in the
morning , she asked the postman if he
would kindly mail them for her , and as
he readily 3onsented * 'with pleasure , "
shej hastily caught up her missives ,
placing Mr. Dinsmore's note in the en
velope addressed to her cousin Frank ,
and enclosing the one designed for her ,
in the envelope directed to Mr. Dins-
more.
Mr. Frank Dinsmore was a disap
pointed man. The alternate heat and
cold of over forty years had passed over
His head "without finding him altogether
a wiser , as he grew an older man. Ther
he had been an ardent lover of gain anc
his coffers wore overflowing , but their
abundance failed to satisfy him as he
had expecetd. It had been also for sev
eral years a pet dream that he woult
marry some beautiful , accomplished
lady _ , and placing her over his fine es
tablishment , would imagine himself the
envy of his neighbors and associates.
But the , different fair and haughty
creatures he had met at swell parties
and summer 'resorts would suddenly
become repugnant to him , as some
sligtit test would almost invariably re
veal their real characters selfish anc
hollow.
One afternoon upon returning from
the city a little lady had entered the
same car with himself , and something
about her winning face and lady-like
manner induced him to inquire as to
whom she might be ; and the gentle
man next to him had replied that she
was a Miss Ellison , a miller living in
the narrower part ofthe village. Mr.
Dinsmore did not-pursue his inquiries
further , but said to himself while driv
ing from the depot to his home , that he
should certainly have sought an intro
duction to that sweet-looking little lady
if she had not been a tradeswoman ; bu
as usual , there were counteracting cir
cumstances wherever any especial at
traction had seemed to present itself to
him.
him.So
So altogether , at the age of forty-two
or three , he had come to regard life as
a most vexing and unsatisfying prob
lem. And on this particular morning
of July 1 , he was sitting solitary as
usual in his elegant library , ruminating
on the annoying recollection that in a
few days would come the Fourth , when
all the merry youngsters in town would
keep up a tooting of horns , a blowing
of trumpets , and a ceaseless snapping
of fire-crackers from midnignt to mid
night again.
What should he-'do in the matter ?
He believed he would go to'the city ,
take a room at the hotel , and avoid it
all.
all.Just
Just then the postman's ring made a
little ruffle and break in his unenliven-
ing reflections , and the next moment a
servant glided over the velvet carpet
and handed him a letter. It was a
small letter , in a queer little envelope
of a bygone fashion , " and the hand
writing , neat and handsome , suggested
to him the hand of a little lady.
Breaking open the envelope and be
ginning to read , his look , which at first
was one of simple curiosity , deepened
into one of blank astonishment and dis
gust , as he read the .following remark
able epistle :
"Mr DEAR FRANK It would give me
pleasure to see you at your very earliest
opportunity. I imagine we are both of us
lonely enough at times , and it may do us
great good to meet and talk with each other.
I particularly wish you would come if pos
sible a little before the Fourth , as I am
contemplating making some changes im
mediately after that date if matters work
according to my desires , in which I would
greatly like your assistance.
It is my hope that your coming will re
sult in great profit and happiness to us
both. It surely will be my aim to further
your interests in every'way possible. Hop
ing to see you soon , I remain.
Yours very sincerely ,
JULIE M. EBLISON.
No-30 BeachSt. , Benville , June'30.18 "
"What on earth- the woman driving
at ! " exclaimed Mr. Dinsmore , as he
laid the letter on his * knee and folded
his hands before him , regarding the
note as if it was some distasteful little
monster.
"What on eartn does she mean ? " he
repeated , "addressing such a letter to
me ? I wonder what she takes me for ?
The very little lady , too , whose looks
only recently so strongly attracted me. "
He arose and going across to the win
dow continued less excitedly , "A pretty ,
modest looking little woman as ever I
saw , the very last person in the world
[ should imagine could be guilty of
ibis , " and he glanced more leniently at
ihe little sheet still held closely in his
hand.
"I don't know , " he added slowly ,
"but it would be the very best punish
ment I could inflict to march boldly
down there and ask an explanation of
tier singular communication. But no ,
that is just what she apparently wants
me to do. "
All day long Mr. Dinsmore resolved ,
wavered ana resolved , until by the
; ime the tardy twilight came slowly on
tie was in a state of mind to say the
least very unusual for a man of- gener
ally prompt and firm conclusions. To
his own surprise he discovered that
down deep in his heart was an inex
pressible desire to go and find out little
iliss Ellison's motive in addressing
him with such freedom and presump
tion. The idea of there being any mis
take in the matter never once occurred
to him , but the most tantalizing con
sideration of all was his utter inability
x > reconcile the "looks and bearing of
little Miss Ellison with a letter of that
character.
Once or twice the thought crossed his
mind that some one else might be play-
ng a mean joke on either the lady or
liimself , but that seeming unlikely , he
finally dismissed the idea as a most im
probable one.
"Well , bother it all ! " he exclaimed
impatiently , "I'll go at all events and
see what she can say to clear up this
foolish mystery ; " and ringing a bell he
ordered his carriage , and entering it
soon after , directed the coachman to
drive to No. 30 Beach street.
Looking from her window , as the
stars came slowly peeping out , little
Hiss Ellison saw Mr. Dinsmore alight
ing from his carriage.
"Why , heXcome himself to tell me
about the house ; how good of him ! "
she said to herself , and almost imme
diately upon the ringing of the bell , the
door opened and little Miss Ellison ,
modest and blushing , invited Mr. Dins-
more to walk to the sitting-room.
Once seated , without embarrassment
or the least apparent confusion , the lit
tle lady informed her * caller , she sup
posed he had been kind enough to come
personally to talk with her about the
renting of his house. And , without
waiting for a reply , she went on to
say , that her present quarters being
somewhat contracted , it was her object
to secure more comtnodious ones , and
it seemed to her the house on Dinsmore
road would exactly answer her purpose.
This was a practical turn of events
for which Mr. Dinsmore was hardly
prepared. Here was a remarkably
pleasing little lady , making a simple
business proposal , in a well-worded
speech entirely free fro.m the least approach
preach to undue freedom or. familiarity.
He noticed her small ' and well shaped
hands ; also what a'neatly slippered ,
tiny foot peeped from beneath the mus
lin ruffle of her dress. The plants
blooming in the window seemed fresher
and sweeter than the profusion ol
flowers in h'.s own ample beds , and the
trim , tarletan covered bird cage had a
look so homelike and simple , he almost
sighed at the total absence of anything
like sentiment in the little lady's yet so
dainty manner.
Poor Mr. Dinsmore. was more pleased
than ever. That she had written to
him was demonstrated beyond the
shadow of a doubt , but how could she
so apparently ignore with such cool
ease the real tone of her invitation.
. "She may be a clever actress , " he
reflected ; at all events I will sound her
somewhat'the ; letter she wrote justifies
my doing so. " Every word of that let
ter was clearly in his mind's eye , and
as a first allusion to its singular sen
tences , he suggested that she must be
lonely living all by herself.
Her fair lace flushed a little , as she
replied that she had become used to
solitude , not only because of living
alone , but her early orphanage had left
her a very lonesome child , and as the
years rolled on she had known nothing
better.
"But now , " she added cheerfully , , ,1
am contemplating making quite a
change , " unconsciously quoting the
words of her letter.
"Yes , so I understand , " he replied
dryly.
"Oh , I don't mean only as regards
" she "but I
moving , rejoined hastily ,
am anticipating having a companion
very soon , so I am particularly glad I
can have the other house. "
Then he thought he would sound'her
a little further. . "I hope the arrange-
me'nt will result in great profit and hap
piness to you both , " he remarked
gravely.
Something which sounded familiar in
his phrase , made little Miss Ellison
flush again slightly , which Mr. Dins-
more immediately charged to an awak
ening conscience , but the practical re
ply , that that of course remained to be
proved , rather nonplussed him.
"I believe you particularly wished to
see me before the Fourth , " he re
marked , still voting.
"Yes , " she replied , "but I expected
to call and see you , instead of troubling
you to come so far. You are very kind ,
and I'm ! indeed "
greatly obliged , am ,
she added demurely. , ' " "a/1
"What a sly puss a woman is ; to be
sure ! " reflected Mr. Dinsmore ; "but
I'm not quite done with you yet , my
little lady , " he added mentally.
"I suppose you would greatly like
my assistance in moving , " he observed.
Again that conscious flush , as if at
some vague recollection caused by his
words , but she hastened to assure him
there was no way in which he could
possibly do so , and her genuine look of
surprise at so strange a proposal , again
baffled and half vexed him.
"I will make a last desperate at
tempt , " he thought.
"If you should have occasion to ad
dress me again , Miss Ellison , " he said ,
"I trust you will remember that my
name is Frank. "
A puzzled look was her only answer ,
then so grieved an expression spread
over her face that Mr. Dinsmore would
have given much to recall the remark.
He feu convinced that had Miss Ellison
made any verbal reply it would have
been , "I took you for a gentleman. "
Taking as graceful a leave as possi
ble , he drove rapidly home , and stand
ing before the mirror in his own richly
furnished chamber he paid himself a
memorable compliment : "Frank Dins-
more , you're the most mistaken , ungentlemanly -
gentlemanly fellow I happen to be ac
quainted with ! "
Mr. Dinsmore's call had left little
Miss Ellison in a mixed state of mind.
She was pleased at having secured the
house desired , but was much tried at his
remark concerning her manner of ad
dressing him.
"Can it be , " she asked herself , "that
I have made a mistake ? Yet every
body calls him Frank , and it certainly
was considered proper to use a 'gentle
man's full name in writing an address
when I was taught about such things. "
The morning of the third of July Mr.
Dinsmore was slowly pacing the front
piazza , when the postman came up the
steps.
After exchanging a few friendly
words the postman remarked :
"I found a little lady in some per
plexity this morning , concerning your
name ; it was little Miss Ellison of
Beach street. She said she had ad
dressed you as Mr. Frank Dinsmore ,
but feared there was some mistake. I
told her she was all right , and I re
member , " he added , "that I mailed a
souple of letters for her a few evenings
ago , one addressed to you , and. the
jther to Miss Frank somebody. It
looked kind of funny to see the same
! ; iven name on both letters , and one
for a lady and the other for a gentle
man. Goodday , sir , " and the postman
zontinued his rounds.
Then Mr. Dinsmore's naturally acute
senses came to his assistance. The
companion little Miss Ellison-was ex
pecting was the Miss Frank somebody ,
md by mistake he had received her
letter. What a dolt and an idiot he
had made of himself , to be sure ! But
iie would go the next night , the night
jf the Fourth , and as kindly as possible
explain her mistake , and assure her it
ivas the merest mishap possible.
"I'd " he soliloquized
go to-night , ,
"only that other Frank has probably
just arrived , so instead of goingto the
: ity I'll remain here and make a Fourth
rf July call. "
He was surprised and half vexed to
find what a relief it was to discover lit
tie Miss Ellison was probably the mod
est little lady she had always appeared ,
and taking one of the piazza easy chain
he sat dreaming of how home-like and
comfortable her cosy room had looked ,
how delicate her hands were , and hall
unconsciously ho reflected on the waj
the tiny , slippered foot had peeped
from the muslin ruffle. There was un
deniably a pleasurable , sensation some
where around the heart at the anticipa
tion of making a second call on little
Miss Ellison.
Just then the crack of a small pistol
disturbed his meditations. "I declare , ' '
he said , "the boys are beginningto cel
ebrate already. " '
How long Mr. Dinsmore had beer
sleeping that night is uncertain , but lit
was suddenly awakened by the cry ol
"fire ! " Springing up he looked frorc
the window in a direction opposite , and
at quite a little distance he saw that the
flames were making rapid" headway ,
Hailing a boy who was passing , he in
quired where the fire was and the boj
called back , "They say it's some wo
man's house over on Beach street. "
In about five minutes , Mr. Frank
Dinsmore , the wealthy , easy-going
bachelor of forty-two "or three , was
hurrying along the village streets
towards the fire. Arriving at Bench
street , his worst fears were realized
little Miss Ellison's pretty tenement waa
enveloped in flames , and she was stand
ing watching it , half dressed , a shawl
thrown over her shoulders and the tar-
letan-covered bird-cage in her hands.
Aloud-voiced woman was just saying
with her crude but genuine kindness :
"You'd better a great sight come to
my house and not stand watching them
plants burn up. 'Taint no use cryin'
over spilt milk , 'specially you that's
been that kind to poor folks that doors
enough'll open for you , and I sh'd
think , lonesome asyou've been , 'twould
be pleasant like to go where there's
folk's for a change. "
Mr. Dinsmore was close enough to
see the heartsick look on the pretty
face , and stepping up to her and gently
taking the bird-cage , he said almost in
a tone of authority , "Miss Ellison , you
must come home with me immediately ;
my housekeeper will be glad to make
you comfortable , and you look tired
and worn. "
She turned like an obedient child ,
and taking his proffered arm , he real
ized that she was trembling so violently
it was with difficulty she walked or
spoke.
"I suppose this involves quite a loss
foryou , " he said kindly.
"Yes , " she answered wearily , "but
I'm used to losses , and I'm so thankful
to have saved Dickey. "
"How did it come about , I wonder , "
he said half to himself.
"They say a fire-cracker lodged on
the root , but it does not signify. I shall
have to start again , " she said , with a
dreary little laugh , "and I do not care
so much for myself , but others will
have to feel my misfortunes of to-night ;
that troubles me most. "
The housekeeper did make little Miss
Ellison very comfortable for the re
mainder of the night , but in a few
hours it was time to arise , and prepare
as best she could for breakfast. When
she entered the dining room , Mr. Dins-
more was amused and surprised to see
how differently Miss Ellison looked in
one of the housekeeper's dresses , than
that functionary did herself , for al
though 'twas "a mile too big for such a
little lady , " as kindly Mrs. Keats said ,
yet nothing seemed to set ungracefully
on little Miss Ellison's trim figure.
Mr. Dinsmore had not closed his eyes
since returning from the fire , but during
hours of careful reflection , had about
decided what he should say to his pietty
little guest in the morning.
After breakfast he led the way to the
library. By dint of a few well directed
questions he learned the simple story of
her lonely life , and noticed how un
selfishly she regretted not being longer
able to extend to "poor cousin Frank"
her needed assistance.
"But why not } , et her come and build
up the business for herself , the same as
you had done ? " he asked.
She looked at him in amazement.
"I must go this moment , " she said ,
rising with a cheery laugh , "ana see
what I can do about first biulding it up
for myself. "
"Miss Ellison ! " an expression of
such embarrassment for a moment
swept over Mr. Dinsmore's face , that
without knowing why , little Miss El
lison blushed painfully. "Miss El
lison , " he repeated , "please remain
seated while 1 tell you something. I
am convinced you recently made a slight
mistake which I hope will result in
great happiness to us both. You un
consciously mind I say unconsciously
invited me , as I supposed to visit and
help you , and what I now propose doing
is to simply reverse the style of invita
tion and beg you will remain here and
help me. "
Little Miss Ellison being utterly in
the dark as to his meaning , there was a
moment of silence.
"You evidently sent me by mistake , "
continued Mr. Dinsmore smiling , "the
letter intended for your cousin Frank ;
but never mind , " he hurried on , "I re
peat emphatically what I have already
proposed ; why not let your cousin come
and take your trade , and you stay and
be my companion ? I'm sure never was
companionship more needed , never
could a little friend be more warmly
welcomed or appreciated. "
Little Miss Ellison was not naturally
obtuse , nevertheless it took Mr. Dins-
more a long time to convince her of the
entire sincerity of his proposal.
But by the time the pale stars came
out , and they were serenely seated close
beside each other on the piazza settee ,
matters had been settled s'o beautifully
[ or the future that each knew it was the
happiest "Fourth" they had ever
dreamed of.
And a year afterwards , when Miss
Frank Ellison was doing a flourishing
business as the milliner of Benville ,
little Mrs. Frank Dinsmore , sitting with
tier one evening on the piazza settee ,
told , half seriously and half laughingly ,
of her "blessed little mistake , " which
certainly had resulted "in great benefit
and happiness" to her dear husband
and herself.
Ladies at Newport ride before break
fast with a groom "half a mile be-
aind. " Itia said to be good for the
omplexion the ride not the groom.
GEN. EAGAN IN DISGRACE.
Sad Downfall of a Man "Wlio Fought In th <
Battle ot Gettysburg.
N. I. World.
"You have indeed fallen low , " waj
the sad remark of Justice Solon B ,
Smith at the Tombs yesterday to an
aged man , who showed every indica
tion of a tramp.
"For God's sake forgive mo , Sol,1' '
pleaded the man. "Liquor has been
my curse. For ten years I have been
its slave. But from this day forth I
will be a changed man. I will quit
drinking and make a solemn vow that
not another drop of that poison will
pass my lips again. "
"It has now such a strong hold upon
you that you couldn'tstop it if you tried
ever so hard , " remarked the judge.
"And besides , where could you go 5
You have no homo , your wife won't
recognize you any more , and your
friends pass by with horror and dis
gust. "
"Well , what of it ? " said the prisoner.
"I can live on forty millions , can't I ?
What need I care for them ? "
"Forty millions ? Why , you haven't
got forty cents , " said Justice Smith.
"I tell you , Sol , I have it. "
"How did you become possessed oi
it ? "
"Why , I've earned it , to be sure.
Where else do you think ? "
"Drinking5 has somewhat unbalanced
your mind and I'll change the com
plaint against you into insanity , " said
the court. "You will be better treated
in an asylum than in the workhouse.
Offlcer , remove him. "
"Please , judge , will you let another
officer take him ? " saia Court Officer
Maurice Finn , whose eyes were filled
with tears.
"Why can't you ? " said the justice , in
a tone of surprise.
"He was my general in the war , your
honor , " saidFinn , "and he was so kind
to me that I don't like to repay him in
this way , though I know it is done for
his good. He treated the men who
fought under him as he would his
brothers. It is sad for me , sir , to see
my old , dear commander in such a posi
tion as this , and 1 and others will see
that he is properly cared for at the
asylum. "
The man was none other than Briga
dier-General Thomas Eagan , who
fought in the battle of Gettysburg under
General Meade , and was a participant
of almost every battle at that time. At
the close of the war he was made an in
ternal revenue officer.
BENEDICT AKNOLD'S YAULT.
I.iglit Let Into a Secret Chamber in the Old
Arnold House at New Haven.
New Haven Dispatch in the Boston Globe.
An interesting discovery has been
made by Thomas Ailing at the Benedict
Arnold house in Water street. In tak
ing out a portion of the garret floor he
found a vault , which is supposed to
have been used by Arnold during the
war of the revolution as a hiding place
for suspects or fugitives whom he
wished to befriend. The lifting of some
of the garret floor planking revealed
the pocket or vault underneath. It is
about four and one-half feet deep and
six feet square , and is plastered on the
sides. Two or more persons could re
main in concealment there without
being crowded.
The vault is located by the side of the
large old-fashioned chimney : On the
floor adjacent to the vault formerly
stood a large bookcase , and it is sup
posed that through this entrance was
obtained to the hiding place. Inside
the vault are plain evidences of a former
staircase extending to a small enclosed
space on another side of the chimney.
This place , which is now plastered up ,
is supposed to have been a sort of a
closet. Whether Arnold used the vault
for secreting Tories or the patriots , or
built it to afford a retreat for himself ,
no one knows. That it should have re
mained undiscovered until Mr. Ailing
accidentally found it shows that it was
well designed for the purpose which led
to its construction.
Once Upon a Time.
Burdettc in L'rooKlyn basin.
How quiet was the farm that after
noon ! Everything nodded and oozed
in the sun or rested in the shade. How
the sun streamed down on meadow and
field ! The corn blades drooped and
wilted. In the old hill field I could see
the men in the wheat , their arms sway
ing in perfect rhythm with the swing
ing cradles. And how like the silver
the bright blades flashed as theyturued !
The bees droned and drummed lazily
about the old-fashioned "cypress" un
der the sitting-room windows. We
always called it "cyprus , " you know ,
because that wasn't the name of it ; and
they buzzed in vagrant fashion up and
down the long rows of flowers that
lined the path to the front gate. The
morning-glories had closed their bright
eyes of blue and pink , but a forest of
four-o'clocks were getting ready to ,
wake up ; the hollyhocks stood up like
blossoming bean poles. I always used
to think "that Aaron's rod , when it
"brought forth buds and bloomed blos
soms , " -looked like a hollyhock ; it
yielded almonds , but it looked like a
hollyhock , I know. The breath of the
old-fashioned pinks no , dear , they
were not carnations ; he had no
carnations then ; they were just
pinks came sweetly on the air ;
and the frowsy bush of "old man"
at the corner Io9ked old and wilted in
deed ; in the blazing heat a tall group
of sunflowers stood up like a cluster of
hospitable umbrellas ; the big bunch of
"ribbon-grass" looked as seasonable as
a stripea summer silk , with the lark
spurs drooping over it on one side , and
on the other a group of "rugged
robins" standing up , cherry and blue
as the skies. As though it was not sen
sibly warm enough to sight as well as
feeling , a colony of poppies stood blaz
ing away above their pale leaves , while
the coxcomb and prince of Wales
feather , add an unnecessary touch of
warmth to the parterre. And here ,
there , everywhere and trying to get
somewhere else the "Bouncing Bets"
swarmed all over the garden , crept
through the garden-fence , and ran right
along in the corners and right by the
dusty roadside , among the disreputa
ble dog-fennel and plebeian rag-weed ,
clear down to where the big slough
crossed the road. I lay under the big
Morello cherry tree by the now well
the one near the house , you remember ,
seventy-eight feet deep , and yielded
the coldest , clearest water in America
and lazily watched a few straggling
fleecy clouds sailing aimlessly across
the blue skies , as chough they had lost
their reckoning , and were only waiting
to be picked up and set right. I could
hear the old clock tick solemnly
away in the sitting-room. It limped
a little on its way around the
dial , and always licked loudest on the > .
loft-hand swing of the pendulum ; and
it had a startling way of going off at .
unexpected times in a funny sort of
noise that sounded like a cough or
chuckle , whichever would scare yon
most. The girls had gone to' town.
Grandma sat in the open sitting room
door sewing. Grandfather stood in the
cool shade at the long work-bench at
the end of the kitchen , making a now
single-tree for the light wagon. They
could not see each other. I doubt if
they heard , or at any rate observed
each other's voices ; But I could very
plainly see and hear each one , and I
forgot my book , listening to them , and
trying to guess their thoughts from
their disjointed , changing , abrupt frag
ments of song. And the occasional
flutter of loaves stirred by a wandering
breath of wind , the shadows dimpling
the second growth of red clover , the
stray note of a restless bird , the long ,
dusty road , stretching far away past
the woods to the "high prairie , " the
flash of a butterfly's wings how it all
harmonized with the broken songs that
fall almost unconsciously at times from
the old lips , while "tho singers were
over with the business of the house , "
while the whole earth is at rest , and is
quiet , they break forth into singing. L
How Mrs. O'Harris Turned. > 1
Detroit Free Press.
The other night a laboring man V
named O'Harris was drinking beer and
playing cards in a Grand River avenue
saloon , when somebody asked him ' '
what sort of a wife ho had. " * i
"The humblest , docilest little woman -
man in all this world , " he replied.
"Doesn't she ever say anything about , '
your spending your evenings away
from home ? "
"Never a word. "
"And has she no objection to spend
ing half of your wages in beer and
cards ? " >
"If she has. she doesn't state'em. "
"But won't she turn on you some \
dry ? You know that even a worm will
turn. "
"Faith and she will that. I've been
going on in this way for the last four
teen years , and for the last two I've
been looking for a climax. A wife suf
fers about so long and then she turns
on you. "
Not more than five minutes has
passed , and the men were busy with
their cards , when a woman , opened the
door and slipped in. She stood for a
moment to get a range , and then made '
a bee line for the laborer. Off went
his hat , the hair flew in showers , and
over went the table with its glasses |
and cards. Five or six frightened men
rushed out doors in a body , the last
one helped along by a push from a ,
chair , and as the laborer took the
middle of the street and gathered himself - *
self together for some tall running he
cried out , with a lump in his throat : _ <
"It's my wife , and she's turned at
last. I'd like to see the worm which
would upset seven men and a saloon in
the elegant manner just witnessed in
side. "
Alcohol and the Heart Beats.
As a rule , it is well to let the pro
cesses of life in our bodies go on with
out noticing it , for doubtless it would
make us very nervous to have the in
ternal machinery in motion before our
eyes. But to prevent people from
abusing that delicate machinery , it of
ten becomes necessary to show it ; and
if a person adicted to wrong indulgence
is made "nervous" by the sight , it may
save him from being made something
far worse.
Dr. N.B. Richardson , of London , the
noted physician , says he was recently
able to convey a considerable amount
of convictiou to an intelligent scholar ,
by a simple experiment. The scholar
was singing the praises of the "Ruddy
Bumper , " and saying he could not get
through the day without it , when Dr.
Richardson said to him :
"Will you be good enough to feel my
pulse as I stand here ? "
He did so. I said , "Count it care
fully ; what does it say ? "
"Your . "
pulse says seventy-four.
I then sat down in a chair and asked
him to count it again. He did so , and
said , "Your pulse has gone down to
seventy. "
I then lay down on the lounge , and
said :
"Will you take it again ? "
He replied , "Why , it is only sixty-
four ; what an extraordinary thing ? "
I then said , "when you lie down at
night , that is the way nature gives your
heart rest. You know nothing about it ,
but that beating organ is resting to that
extent ; and if you reckon it up , it is a
great deal of rest , because in lying
down the heart is doing ten strokes less
a minute. Multiply that by 60 and it is
600 ; multiply it by 8 hours , and within
a fraction it is 5,000 strokes different ;
and as the heart is throwing six ounces
of blood at every stroke , it makes a dif
ference of 30,600 ounces of lifting during
the night.
"When I lie down at night without
any alcohol that is the rest my heart
gets. But when you take your wine or
pjrog you do not allow that rest , for the
influence of alcohol is to increase the
number of strokes , and instead of get
ting this rest you put on something like
15,000 extra strokes , and the result is
you rise up very seedy and unfit for the
next day's work till you have taken a
little more of the 'ruddy bumper' which
you say is the soul of man below. "
It was a Boston lobster which aston
ished New York fish dealers , after all.
The creature was two feet long , had a
tail spread out like a full grown fan
and a claw inches
measuring seven "r
"rI
across , and from tip to tip the claws I
measure forty-two inches.
Women in the like."r
Green , Ky. , have to take out boarding-
bouse licenses before they can give
charitable suppers and the like.