THE SOUTH.
g. t ,
Mygreat-Fouled woman toon to rise
And tjjvtoe up JUH ! loose her hair
Tljj-tou and taku from all the skies
God's stars and glorious moon lo wear.
The broad magnolia's blooms nre white ,
ITcr blooms are large , as if the moon
Had lost her way some lazy night
'
And'lodged there till the afternoon.
Oh , vast white bo oms , breathing love ,
White bosoms of my lady dead.
In your white heaven overhead
I look , and learu to look above.
How soft the moonlight of thc"South !
How sweet the South in sweet moonlight
I want to kiss her warm , sheet mouth
Ac she Is sleeping here to-night.
How still ! I do not hear a mouse ,
1 see some bursting buds appear ,
I hear God in his garden hear
Him trim some flowers for his house.
I hear stars singing. And the mouth
Of my vast river sings and sings ,
And pipes on reeds of pleasant things
Of promise , for God's splendid South.
JOAQUIX MILLER.
SUZE AM.
BT JULIA 1C. WETIIEUILL.
"The houn' is a mighty funny boas' , '
remarked 'Lisher Whetstone , in a slow ,
deliberate tone , as if reading aloud froii
a primer. "Ef yer kick him he'll sel
light down an' yowl fer an hour. "
This clay-colored philosopher was
seated on the front steps , his elbows or
his knees and his head between hij
hands , staring fixedly at the dog be
fore him.
"Why don't you give him sumpin tc
growl fer , then ? " remarked Spanish
Jack , who was swaggering restlessly
np and down in front of his friend and
Lost , 'Lisher Whetstone.
It was just before sunset on a chilly
autumn da } % and the locality was Sink-
cmsank , a settlement in the heart oi
the piny woods. There was not much
to be seen except brown pine ridges
nnd infertile fields , full of stumps and
broken by red washes.
The house in question was a rickety
frame building , standing on long legs ,
which gave it the air of having come
merely to pay the surrounding land
scape a morning call. A great blaze of
Emoky firelight flared through the win
dows.
A reply was prevented by the voice
of Mr. Whetstone's mother from within :
"You , 'Lisher ! hain't y' had 'nough
o' settin' on them air steps ? Git up , 'n
come in to supper , " adding with start
ling suddenness , 'Plague take th' fry-
in-'pan ! "
As the two men entered tho illumin-
nted cavern , a tall girl rose out ot the
darkness like a revelation. In the un
certain light , her countenance waver
ed between beautiful and horrible ; un
til a clearer-leaping flame disclosed a
wild , soft mass of dusk hair , and
features somewhat Egyptian in cast ,
but according well with the warm
brown of her cheeks and warm red of
her lips.
The gentlemen of Sinkemsank did
not find Suze Ann Whetstone hand
some. They 'lowed she had a mighty
fine figure ; but added that she was too
dark-complected.
"Hullo , Suze Ann ! " said Spanish
Jack , jocosery , "when'd 3011 comb your
hair las' time ? It looks like the devil
'fore da } ' . "
A remark that Suze Ann could not
altogether grasp , always turned her
sullen. She was not nimble-witted , so
she merely remarked , as she seated her
self at the table , "I dunno what you're
talking 'bout. "
She raised to his face a pair of eyes so
dark that it seemed as if they must al
most cast a shadow on airything they
regarded. They had the look like the
eyes of a person slightly under the in
fluence of an opiate , giving the impres
sion that the next stage of the trance
might prove startling.
bhe did not seem as if she belonged
to tho Whetstone family. 'Lisher him
self was toll , but of a"weedy growth ,
with an aquiline nose , and a general
Eallowness of coloring a frequently
rccurrine : type in the piny woods. He
"favored" his mother , except that her
eyes had an evil expression , while his
were merely fishy ; and she had long ,
fang-like yellow teeth that reminded
one of a row of forgotten tombstones.
"Ole Lissy Whetstone" was much
feared by her neighbors. "I met up
with Cory-don Oolam , yes'daj' , " re
marked 'Lisher , presently , " 'n' he axed
me to give him that air bridle hangin'
in the shed. I hain't no use fer't. "
"You're gittin' mighty givey in yer
ole age , 'Lisher , " was Liss3's comment.
"That Cory-don Oolam ain't never jrone
to do you no good turn. He's small po-
taters , 'n' not many o' them. But you
always was a fool , 'Lisher. "
"Well hem ! " said 'Lisher , waiving a
discussion "he tole me there's camp-
meetin' gone to be hilt nex' week. "
"Where' bouts ? " asked Spanish Jack.
"Same ole place. That's whar Bob
Hanson fit with Simon Blacksmith , ' 11'
got his jaw broke , but he went on a
fightin' , 'n' never knowed his jaw was
broke till 'twas all over. Y' can't beat
the rozzum-lieels of ole Mississip' fer
spunk ! "
"Spunk ! " echoed Spanish Jack ,
laughing contemptuously. "You folks
don t know the meanin' o' spunk.
The's a fellah up our way used to be
' ' ' ' he could
always talkin' 'n' braggin'
whip his weight in wildcats. Him 'n'
me got into a sorter fuss swappin '
bosses 'n' he sneaked up behin' me in
Kighter's saloon , 'n' stabbed me in the
side with his knife. Then we clinched ,
'n' if they hadn't pulled me oft'n him
Pd a tore him to pieces , though I didn't
have no weapon. I wish they'n 'a' let
us be. I'd 'a' liked to killed him dry
BO ! Reckon I weighed him out one too
many pounds o' wildcats that time , " he
concluded with a laugh of reminiscential
triumph.
Suze Ann's heavily-lashed eyes bright
ened as they fixed themselves upon the
hero.
Spanish Jack or , to be exact , John
Jones , ther former title being merely an
affectionate nickname was a splendid
specimen of the up-river desperado ,
with a handsome face and figure , who
had retired to the piny woods in the
evasion , of some slight difficulty n
home.
He was Suze Ann's ideal. There wa
nothing he would not dare or do aj
or brag about , afterward. Herjstrong
vivid nature luxuriated in the contras
he presented to the flaccid types tlni
surrounded her. They were narrow
chested , weak-kneed and loose-jointed
faded in color ; thin of voice. The ;
shuffled as they walked. When the ;
found an opportunity to sit down the ;
sank inertly.
Spanish Jack , on the contrary , wa
rarely quiescent. As he talked he madi
gestures and swaggered up and down
his eyes ihished , the color leaped to hi
dark cheek. The tones of his dee ]
voice were so different from their recdj
pipes. Most of the men she knew wer <
as ruffianly in Hieir way as he was , bu
it was the sneaking attack of the cui
compared with the ferocity of the blood
hound.
Nature had intended Suze Ann to b <
a robber queen or a gypsy princess.
She hated most people , especially hei
father and grandmother , because the }
had beaten her in her defenseless child
hood ; and she had a good memory. No
one kindness did she ever forget no
not one wrong. She had "learned
nothing and forgotten nothing. " There
was a blind tumult in her mind. Be
yond Sinkemsank.stretched avastplair
of conjecture , ' in the darkness of whicl
her poor imagination groped and stum
bled.
She grew among theso people as s
palmetto springs on the bare side of a
pine-hill.
Spanish Jack pushed back his ehaii
from the table , and stretched himself
like a tiger after feeding. Then he
sauntered to the fire , and drove his
spurred and booted heel into the smol
dering log to quicken the flames.
A shuflling of footsteps was heard
outside , and Eunice and William Gunn
entered. They were the children of a
local dignitary known as "Poorhouse
Ginn. " William was not ill-looking
except that his eyes and hair were too
light for his sunburnt face , and Eunice
was a buxom , fresh-colored young' wo
man , rather loosely built , with prom
inent blue eyxjs and her shining dark
hair tucked up with a gilt comb.
She betrayed a simpering conscious
ness of Spanish Jack's presence , as she
explained her errand : "Aunt Lissy ,
maw say will yon loan her your conibhi'-
cyards say she'll bring 'em back. Say
when you wan't 'cm agin. "
"Dunne's I ke.er to loan 'em , but
well , I reckon , " said Mrs. Whetstone
ungraciously , acknowledging William's
salutation by a sort of a growl.
This cold reception seemed to embar
rass William , and he backed hastily to
ward a chair with three legs , and trying
to sit in it failed signallv.
"I should 'a' thought Willyim , " Mrs.
Whetstone remarked severely ; "you'd
'a' suspici'nd that air cheer hain't ben
sot on this ten years. "
Spanish Jack's bold and wandering
glance had fixed itself upon the vulgar
preltiness of Eunice's face. He sat down
beside her. It was his fancy of the mo
ment to "devil Suze Ann , " as he ex
pressed it to himself , just as he would
have delighted in tormenting a chained
ind ferocious dog to the limit of mad
ness.
Suze Ann , while this was going on ,
sat in tho chimney corner with her
xrms sung around her knees and her
jrows depressed. Eunice was another
} f her hatreds. As children tfiey had
juarrcled and fought , always to Eu-
lice's discomfiture.
Suze Ann was a slow moving body ,
rat circumstances acted strongly upon
icr. The force of inertia might have
iiade her dangerous.
" ' " remarked W51-
"Come 'long , Sissy , -
5am , rising slowly. "Hit's gittin'
light ! " Spanish Jack followed them
mtof doors.
"Well , I got the cyards , " said Eunice.
'Didn't suppose I would , neither. I'm
nightly skeered of old Aunt Lissy.
L'heT do say she went oncet to see a
oman that had a sore foot , 'n Lissy sho
ook bolter it , 'n' the foot came right
iff in her ban. ' 'Clare to gracious !
hey do sa } ' that"
"You butter not let her get bolter
our'ii" suggested Spanish Jack.
'Hit's little 'nough. a'ready.
"Go 'way ! " remarked Eunice , coyly.
"Suze Ann , don't you forgit to fetch
hat pail o' water 'fore night , " said her
jraudrnothcr , and Suze "Ann sullenly
Hatched up the pail from the corner ,
, nd went out. Spanish Jack was lean-
ng by the bars that served for a gate ,
.nd she brushed past him.
"Where you goin' ? " he demanded ,
latching at her arm.
"Mind out ! " she cried , freeing her-
elf violently.
"Well , I reckon I'll go with you.any-
10 w. "
She said nothing , and presently he
emarked , "Eunice Ginn's a mighty
iooty gal. "
Suze Ann remained silent.
"Don't you think so ? "
"No , I don't she replied slowly.
"Ha , ha ! and he laughed a deep-
bested laugh of amusement. Then , as
bey walked down the hilly pathway he
iut his arm around her.
"Go 'way to Eunice Ginn , " she said ,
a a muffled voice , as she struggled to
reak away from" him.
"I reckon I'm a little stronger'n you
re hey , Suze Ann ? "
"Let loose ! you don't keer for me , "
he cried.
He laughed still louder , and pressed
er dusky head down upon his shoulder
rith one powerful hand.
"I keer a heap for you , " he asserted.
"No , you don't" she cried , with an-
; uish in her eyes.
"Ain't I tellin' you so ? "
"Yes.yes , " with a restless movement ,
'but not the same as me. Folks is dif-
erent. "
"That's so. I might take a turn 'n'
et up to Eunice Ginn. Where'd you
ie then hey ? "
The slumberous light in her eyes
iroke into sudden fire.
"You to talk o' goin' off to any other
; al when there's that 'tween us ; when
've got that secret o' your'n ! Kemem-
er I'm the only one that knows it. "
How the old story repeats itself ! This
ros the same wild outcry of the scorn-
d and forsaken Medea ; of her "mar-
tage solemnized in blood. "
"I ain't skeered you'll tell , " he re-
orted.
"I'd kill you , " Suze Ann went on ,
lowly. 'Td rather I'd rather than
let any other gal have you. "
"I b'lieve you would , you darn littl
wild cat ! " he said , admiringly. "Yon'r
the spuukics' thing ! " and he bcstowe
a rough caress upon her. "You'r
the only gal I ever knew that wasn't
sap-head. "
"Well , lemme git the water now ,
said Suze Ann , reassured and sudden 1
relapsing into commonplaces " 'r
don't pitch rocks in it. You're mat
ing it druggy. "
As they returned Suze Ann some
what heavily weighted and Spanis
Jack with his hands in his pockets
there was a young moon sailing in th
clear sky before them , and a red lighl
faint and distant , streamed up throng ]
the vistas of the forest.
"They've be'n burnin' bvusli , 'n' sc
the woods afire over to 'Poacum Cor
fier , " remarked Suze Ann.
" 'N' ! then fust thing you know we' ]
all have to turn out'n' save the fences , '
Spanish Jack said.
This was prophetic , for by the follow
ing evening ihe fire had crept up thi
pine hills , and thcatened the little set
tlement of which Mr. Whetstone was :
prominent member.
"Well , folks , " said Mr. Whetstone
dolorously , rumpling up his hoy-co
lored hair , "we'll have to beat it on
with pine brushes , 'n' keep it off'n tin
fences , I reckon. "
"Well , make 'aste , then , " growlce
his mother. "Hit ain't goin' towai
on you. "
They found most of their neighbor
assembled on the hillside , Eunice am
William Giun among others. Eunici
called to Spanish Jack to help her , am
after that he stayed by her side.
A wild red light flared through the
dusk , and swathed the trees in cloud ;
of lurid smoke. Narrow lines of fire
ran , serpent-wise , along the pine straw
leaping the little stream by the aid o :
its fringing grasses. Sometimes an ad
venturous flame would rush to the toj :
of a sapling , flicker there for an instanl
and go out. The canebrake beyond
was in a blaze , and the continual pop
ping of the joints sounded like volleys
of musketry. Fiery balls of pith sho !
up into the air and fell like showers oJ
tailing stars. A hum of voices arose ,
accompanying the swish swish swisli
of the pine brushes that left darkness
in their track.
Suze Ann made no pretence of help
ing. The others had passed on , follow
ing the fire , and she stood motionless in
the scared and blackened space behind
the ruined thicket , trailing her pine
brush in the ashes.
' "Look at that gal o' Whetstone's , "
whispered a neighbor. 'There's goiu'
to be veugen" , shore ! "
"I wouldn't trust none o' ole Lissy's
bree.l , " replied the other ; and then they
moved on and saw Suze Ann no more.
Toward daylight , when the fire was
nearly under control , and they were
thinking of returning home , she was
seen again. Her dress was torn by the
briars , and she drew her breath hard.
like one who has traveled far and fast.
There was blood upon her mouth , where
the sharp white teeth were set upon the
red underlip. Her eyes were wild and
bright.
When Spanish Jack saw her he called
out , "Hullo , Suze Ann ! where you be'n
hidin' y'self ? "
The words were scarcely spoken ,
when a troop of horsemen dashed upon
the scene , with pistols drawn.
"The sheriff's posse ! " cried 'Lisher
in amazement.
"Spanish Jack , you are my prisoner.
L arrest you in the name of the law , "
said the leader of the posse.
The murder Spanish Jack had com
mitted , of which Snze Ann had been
the only witness , had found him out.
Mad with jealously , she had trudged
: ill the way to the neighboring country
: own and given up his secret.
"No , you don't. By God , I'll die
fust ! " Spanish Jack cried , quickly
Irawing his revolver and firing. It
ivos-all over in a moment , and Spanish
Tack lay dead , with half-a-dozen bullets
, hrough his body.
Then a tumult of outcries and excla-
uatious arose. Willim Ginn lifted
: he dead man's hand with a cautious
novemeut , and let it fall asrain heav-
-
This was the end of his magnificent
strength and brute courage.
The sight seemed to startle Suze Ann.
"But he's dead , " she said , in a low
ihuddering voice "he's dead. "
And the murmer rose to a shriek.
she fell ujjon the ground beside him ' ,
) catingwild hands upon her breast a'nd
lead ; as the wounded snake , in the
inguish of its poison , stings and stings
tself to death. New Orleans Times-
Democrat.
The IIouse-Fly.
Flics are distinguished from most
> ther insects by having but a single pair
> f wings , what corresponds to the sec-
> nd or hinder pair in other insects be-
ng a pair of knob-like "balancers. "
The flight of the house-fly is most rapid
n warm , sultry weather. We all know
low busy and pertinacious their move-
nents are in dog-day weather.
It has been found that a common fly
'
vhen held captive moves its wing's
hree hundred and thirty times a min-
ite , whereas a honey-bee , whose pow-
irs of continued flight are much great-
ir , moves its wings one hundred and
linty times in the same period. The
vings describe a figure 8 in the air.
The buzz of the fly has been carefully
tudied by Landois. During flight the
ly's buzz or hum is in a relatively low
one ; when it is held so high that the
viugs cannot move the buzz is higher
n pitch , and it is higher still when the
ly is held so that all motion of the ex-
ernol parts is prevented. The last
nentioned is the true voice of the in-
ect ; it is produced by the breathing
tolcs of the thorax. The buzz of the
ly thus expresses the emotions of the
reature ; the low hum being one of con-
entmcnt , the shrill excited buzz , one
if alarm and disturbance. United
yrcsbyterian.
Too Busy to Argue.
Customer ( in restaurant ) "Here ,
raiter. this steak is too toujjh to eat.1'
Waiter "Sorry , sah ; Ise too busy tc
rgue 'bout dot steak now. If yo'
rants to argue wif a waiter 'bout d
oughness of steak yo' mus' come ir
rhende noon rush am ober.---Sett
Fork Times.
HERE AND THERE.
Agnvapi hmiyanna taku waskuyec ;
cgnakapi is the Sioux for pie.
About 83,000,000 worth of American
made locomotives are sent abroad ever
year.
The latest novelty announced is :
bible printed in shorthand and illus
traled.
The Jesuits have 2,500 missionaries
They have 13 popes , 4,000 archbishop ;
and bishops , and G.OOO authors.
A man was committed to Houtzdale
Pa. , because ho refused to pay 66 cent ;
a week toward supporting his mother
In New Hampshire last year 80 pei
sent of the receipts of lire insurant
companies were absorbed by the losses
The best dressed professional wo
man in New York is said to be Dr. Lo
zier , whose quiet black gowns suit he ]
and her calling.
Some Rhode Island people want ai
arbor day , but The Providence Star op
poses it. Massachusetts and Connect !
cut would get all the shade.
In round numbers of the value o :
gold in the principal countries of the
world is § 3,293,000,000 , and the valut
of silver is § 2,751,000,000.
Italians are crowding out the Chi
nese as gardeners in California , bciup
better qualified for the business , aud
being frugal and industrious.
An old man in California is just cut
ting his third set of teeth. The pro
cess is attended with all the pain and
annoyance that a child sufl'crs.
Tramps in California are reported to
be opposed to the boycotting of Chi
nese , as it takes away from them one
more excuse for not going to work.
A lover , who evidently wishes to bo
economical in time , wrote : "Not hav
ing seen you 4 a week ! am looking for
ward 2 seeing your dear face. "
An English German , and Chinese syn
dicate has made a contract with tho
Mexican government , and will send
600,000 ClJinamcn to Mexico within a
year.
year.Kid
Kid bedspreads are something new in
the alleged "house beautiful. " They
are made out of the backs of discarded
kid gloves and the gauntlets of long
ones.
The chaplain of the New Jersey sen
ate , in his prayer the other day , man
aged to work in a defense of an official
whose impeachment trial is in progress
by that body.
One man Avants wh'sky in a bar
room. Another wants soda in a drug
store. Then they arbitrate. They
both take beer in a beer-saloon.
New Orleans Picayune-
The strain on the floor of a house in
East Macon , Go. , at which a wake was
held the other' evening , was so great
that it gave way , precipitating tho
corpse and all present into the cellar.
The notorious Chatham street in New
York has been rechristcned , the alder
men having named it Park row at the
request ot one of their number who
keeps a liquor saloon in the street.
Indians , says a correspondent , do not
know what kissing is. He lived two
rears in Indian Territory among the
Greeks , and never once knew of an
[ ndiau man kissing an Indian woman.
Frederick Turner and William II.
Bailey , of particular note just now as
Knights , are both foreign-born citizens.
Turner is from Somersetshire , Eng-
land , and Bailey from Greenwich , Eng
land.
Barnum writes to England with cus-
: omary modesty : "The next thing 1
ivant from England is one of hei
Majesty's thrones , or else ex-Kimr Thee-
jaw. Either would prove a great sue-
; ess. "
An Oregon newspaper has no pa-
; ience with those who lament the dis-
ippcarance of the buffalo. It says it
vill be well when he is gone , and he
wouldn't have lasted so long cxcepl
; hat he was so tough.
The famous war-horse of Gen. Stone-
vail Jackson is being mounted in a
var-like attitude by a Washington taxi-
lermist. When prepared tiie hor-e ,
vill be placed in the Confederate Sol-
iiers' home at Richmond.
Striking bakers in New York at-
empted to boycott the bakeshop ol
Mrs. Gray , in Hudson street , but the
mblic came to the rescue , and the
ilucky woman has done a more flour-
shing business than ever.
Every Sunday the ferry-boats thai
> ly between Washington and Aloxan-
Iria are thronged with young men from
he capital , who go o\-r to the Vir
ginia city for the purpoau of gambling.
eno is Iheir favorite gune. :
The Germans have devised an ingen-
ous methou of advertising their roanu-
actures. A vessel fitted up with a
lomplele assortment of German pro-
lucts has been sent on a voyage round
he world. It serves as a floating in-
Uistrial exhibition.
It is urged that hereafter the 30th ol
lay be set aside as Decoration day in
Louisiana , and that the other southern
tates be asked to join in the move ,
.lie legislature could probably be in-
luced to declare it a legal holiday , as
t is in so many states of the union.
The New Jersey legislature will ad-
ourn until June , because it is necessa- '
y to wait for a decision of the supreme
ourt before acting upon th appropria-
ion bills ; and it is proposed to have the
.djourned session at Atlantic City tc
.void the heat at Trenton. A per dieii
.t the seashore will indeed be a ncr.f ' ,
uxury. I
A curious case of absent-minnednesi
5 that of a young married man living
icar Jonesville , Saratoga county , N
T. , who one morning milked his cow
et the pail of milk in the corner of the
table , and carried the stool to the
: ouse. This he did twice in succession ,
he third time he went to the barn tc
tiilk he took a basket of roots to the
ow. He emptied out the roots and sa ;
own and commenced to milk the con
a the basket , but found out his mistake
a. time to save enough milk for break
ast coffee *
A VISIT TO THE PYRAMIDS.
scones by tlio "Way Tho Pcrsccutlo
of Travelers Troublesome
Bedouins.
The visit to the pyramids is not mat
intler the old disadvantages , writes
jorrespondent of The San Francisc
Chronicle. Formerly the visitor had t
ind his way to them the best way h
sould over the ordinary roads of th
Delta , and always by donkey. Now hi
; an drive into their very shadows wit
i fashionable carriage , or if no prefer
she donkey as a thing of tradition an <
mite en regie , he follows the splendii
oad built by Ismail. Having expresset
i preference for the saddle , ho has o
: ourso previously made the acquaint
ince of a donkey whose gait and ami
ibility do not entail sufferings after tin
ixcrcisd. It is not hard to find an ani
ual of this discription , for in spite o
, hose maligning tourists to whom :
seat in a saddle is as untenable as tin
lorn of tho moon , they arc in genera
jatient and long-suffering. Neither ar
.he donkey boys more malicious , unles
icoldcd or otherwise maltreated. Tin
lOiirisfc will do well not to allow a dago
nan or donkey boy to be imposed upoi
nim by his hotel , but try the animal :
ind their drivers us ho meets then
ibout the city till he finds what suit :
aim. Having lixed a day ho orders hi :
3onkey-boy to be in readiness at ai
aour early enough , if the time is sum
ncr , to enable him to accomplish th (
sight miles and reach his destinatioi
before the sun is far above the horizon.
The boy and donkey wait adjacent tc
; hc hotel all night , and at an houi
; o premature that he is really quite
sure that it is the previous da }
30 is aroused and linds himsclJ
aiountcd and winding his way through
Jim and devious streets toward the
Dridgc El Khasr by which he is to cross
he Nile. lie traverses the quarter
smaiha , whose paved and shaded
streets , flanked by handsome houses ,
vhich the enterprise of the wasteful
smail rendered possible , are still in
jloom , illuminated by a few scattering
amps. The signs of life are few.
lore and there is seen the furtive shad-
> w of an Arab policeman. An English
sentinel nods near a huge building that
nay be a soldiers' barracks , or a camel
slouches along loaded with bales of hay
> r huge panniers containing vegetables
> r melons which his master is bringing
0 the early market. Having crossed
he bridge the broad , tree-bordered
Lvemic turns to the left , diverging
gradually from the bank of the river.
t is built high up above the level of
he Delta , and is hard and dry , though
lightly neglected since the rebellion of
.rabi. By this time there are signs of
laylight , and as it reddens the domes
ind minarets of Cairo stretch their fan-
astic outlines along the eastern sky.
L'he pyramids appear in advance look-
ng disappointingly small. Camels
rith hay or bursting panniers , ridden
ly savage-looking Bedouins , pass in
; rim silence. The donkey does his
itity heroically , urged by"his driver ,
rho as a luxury as well as convenience
ios mounted himself on a borrowed
nimal whose hire will have to be
dded to the day's expenses.
Occasionally a Bedouin , one of
tiose who regularly bore travelers at
be pyramids , attaches himself to the
arty , but not being able to maintain
lie rate of speed , finally gives up and
1 lost to sight. Now and then a pre-
ocious youth , speaking a little of all
lodern tongues , appears from a noigh-
orin village and attached himself to
ic escort. By the time the sun is
bove the horizon , signs of life are
2cn about the village and scattering
uts. Men going to the fields , women
rith jars of water on their heads ,
rough t from a stagnant ditch or pool ,
joking like bible pictures , and so on
11 , in the full sunshine of the early da } * ,
ic task is achieved , and the traveler
nds himself in the presence of the
lonuments of which he has dreamed
ince childhood.
The pyramids have , from time im-
icmorial , been in charge of an avarici-
us sheik , to whose tribe of hungry
cdouins has been assigned the task of
ushing and hauling the visitor up to
ic pyramids , pulling him down again ,
nd then , it he desires , shoving and
rking him up and down the inclined
lanes and along the galleries of the
iterior. Two more precede him , go-
ig up , to pull him from step to step ,
nd one to follow to push , or to pro
fit his falling backward. In deecnd-
ig , this arrangement was reversed ,
vo preceding and one following , the
st passing a shawl or strap to hold
im back. I accepted the gentle as-
stance of the wild children of the
jsert in ascending , but preferred , on
ic opposite side , to descend unassisted ,
or the service , four English shillings ,
a dollar , only were paid to the sheik
i a rule at tlfe time of my visit , if
le visitor knew his rights. That was
ie legal charge. Since then a differ-
it tariff has been arranged by the
yvernment according to the number
\ men allowed. The sheik would then
ke whatever more he could get and
iv the men nothing that is , accord-
g to their own account. Hence their
ivate efforts at extortion , which were
rocious. You were not expected to
c of thirst during the half or three-
larters of an hour you spend on the
cat pyramid , still , in the hope of
lining an extra piaster , the Egyptian
aster being worth about 5 cunts of
ir money ; and the small one two and
half you were attended by one or
ro supernumeraries , with earthen
ater bottles. You paid these persist-
it servitors or not. as you thought
. It is to be hoped the present system
better. The annoyance of the traveler
e always more numerous if he is alone ,
I was at my visit. Naturally , on the
ce of such an immense pile or monn-
in of stone , one is very much alone ,
id much more at the summit. There
really no danger , but if help were dc-
red it is far distant. So when I had
ounted one-fourth of the way and
opped to rest , there was not a person
sight below except the little knots of
rabs about the base. There was not a
; ivelcr to be seen there on donkey or
carriage.
Thy persecution began with a univer-
1 app nl to purchase' coins , said to
bo manufactured in a neighboring vil
lage , and efforts to extract promises of
money bv such formula : as the follow
ing : "If we do well by you you will do
well by us , " coupled with assertions
that if they did not receive something
extra , their services , on account of the
meanness of the sheik , would go unre
warded. The only way to end that dis
cussion was to promptly insist on con
tinuing the ascent. At every halting-
place the scene was repeated , with signs
of irritation , and at the top thero were
new devices to extort money ia thi >
form of offers to cut your name in thoi
rock , or for a stipulated sum to descend
the great pyramid and climb the second ,
bringing back a piece of tho topmost
stone . As to tho cutting of the name
it did not promise absolute immortality ,
for as the flat space at tho top is only
thirty feet square , and in the course of
time many thousand names have been
engravcd'within its area , it is now im
possible to cut a new one without
erasing some other. Of all the
persons who had climbed the pyramid
the Bedouins seemed to rejuember only
the prince of Wales and Mark Twain. f
It was Mark Twain's fancy to climb-
thc second pyramid , which is difficult. vx. ,
since it retains a portion of the old \ .
cooling of concrete. When the Nile is
high it comes to the base of the pyra
mids , and the view is of one vast sea.
At other times there is the green delta
on one side , with Ghizeh , Cairo , villages ,
and groves , and on the other the con
stantly encroaching desert. The eyo
rests on one point of modern interest ,
the village of Embabeh , half concealed
by palms , near which Napoleon fought - /
his battle with the Mamelukes , a- veritar
ble garden spot , but which , to read the
histories , one would suppose to have
been in the heart of the desert. Not
much time was left to contemplation ,
for the Bedouins were anxious to ex
ploit other travelers who were seen ar
riving. So a hasty descent , a plunge
into the heart of a pyramid , from which
I made my exit in a dangeraus state of
heat and exhaustion , hasty look at the
exhumed temple and the so-called be
nign though really ugly face of the
Sphinx , and I willingly turned my face
back along the acacia-shaded causeway
toward Cairo.
Traps for Americans.
An American gentleman , who for
many years past has been established in
business in Paris , received one day a
call from a handsomely dressed female
iu whom he recognized a notorious
American member of the demimonde of
Paris. She came , she said , to propose
to him a lucrative business transaction.
She had in her possession a list of sun
dry high-born and titled gentlemen who
wished to marry rich American girls ,
and she displayed such a list inscribed
with some of the proudest names of the
French aristocracy. If my countryman
would inform her of the arrival in Paris
of any wealthy American ladies , and ot
the presumed amount of their fortunes ,
bhc would , on the accomplishment of a
marriage between any one of these and
one of her clients , at once pay over to
him half of her stipulated percentage on
the dowry , which in her case was to
amount to 10 per cent. It is needles.s
to sav tnat the woman's offrr was re
fused. But the very fact of its being
made showed how widespread is the
system of the matrimonial agency in
L'aris , and how extensive and elaborate
must be its arrangements for obtaining
information.
There i an Austrian gentleman mov
ing in the best society of Paris whom I
strongly suspect of being one of the se-
jret and accredited agents of one of
ihese establishments. He tried hard ,
jut in vain , some years ago , to bring
ibouta match between "the daughter
ind only child of a wealthy American
gentleman then visiting this city and a
[ Vouch duke of ancient family. The
luke turned out finally to be an impos-
or , and was forced to"take flight from
L'aris. Employes of these agencies are
ilso to be found at the principal hotels
icre. They are usually women , gener-
dly bear high-sounding titles , and are
Peasant of manner and affable of bear-
ng. Their business is to make acquain-
: ance with rich Americans who have
laughters , so that the daughters afore-
aid may be presented to impecunious
idventurers on the lookout lo repair
heir fortunes by marriage. The .mat
er is very adroitly managed , an opera
> r a theater party or a little dance be-
"
ng gotten up by "the amiable French
ady to amuse her sweet , new youiif
riend. the luckless damsel whose doP --'I
ars , real or rumored , have caused her
o be selected as a fitting victim. At
he dance or at the theater the intro-
luction takes place , and the fascina-
ions of the gentleman are supposed to
lo the re t. Very often , indeed , the
iromoter of the whole series of nianeu-
ers is not connected with any agencv
whatever , but is acting on huf own ac-
ouut. Philadelphia Telegraph.
All Innocent Man.
The trial of a man for murder had
ust commenced in a Dakota court
rhen the attorney for the defense arose
nd said : \
"If the court please , we have no fear
s to the outcome of this trial. In the
BStimony we shall prove that the mur-
er wis committed four miles from
jwn at 2 o'clock in the afternoon ,
re shall also establish the Hell.'I
iiere was a circus in town that daj' . * '
"Hold on , " said the judge excitedly ,
you say there was a circus in town ? "
"Yes sir the Anti-European Con-
lomeration showed there that day. "
"Yes , I've seen it , two rings , a
potted grave-digging hyena , and seven
uly bareback riders. You say the
lan was killed about 2 o'clock ? "
"Yes , your honor. "
"Just the time of the ring parade ? "
"The same time. "
"While the elephant and double-
umped camels were going around ? "
"Yes sir. "
"The prisoner is discharged. Try-
ig to prove that a man was four miles
way from town on such an occasion is
joked upon as malicious , prosecution
y this court The unfortunate gentle-
mn who was found dead without doubt
ammitted suicide when he rolized
nit he was in that kind of a position
imaelf. " ' Eslclline ( Dakota ) Hell.
. t.
