E0 TO PEEVLHT EYDSOPHOBIA
Gen. Uctilo Ilelntcs How He Escnpci
un Attack : by Mere AV111 1'ower
, -Hi * Daughter's Kxperleiice.
Gon. Beale is visiting the Grants a
their cottage * at this place , writes a
Long Branch correspondent of 'lite
New York World. Last Sunday I hcarc
the general give an interesting account
of his once fighting oft an attack of hy
drophobia. It is the lirst case I ever
heard of a man's being able by mere
will power to throw oft' this formidable
and terrible disease. The general ap
parently believes that hydrophobia is
but a creation , to a certain extent , of
the imagination. When he was a young
man he was surveyor general in south
ern California. During his residence
there , through the purchase of land , he
Jaid the foundation for his present for
tune. His favorite sport at that time
was the hunting of wolves. Immediate
ly following the attack one wolf woult
always leave the dogs and come to at
tack the hunter. The general said one
day when a wolf came toward him the
lance , with which he could keep oil ant
destroy any wolf making an ordinary
attack , broke. As his lance broke lit
started to kick the wolf under the jaw.
His foot missed its aim , anej instead
was caught in the wolf's mouth. The
wolf bit clear through his moccasin
and wounded him severely. So grim
was the grip of the wolf that he did not
even release his hold when killed. The
muscles supporting his jaws had to be
cut before his teeth could be relaxed
from this terrible grip. When the gen
eral returned to camp , as he was alone
during his experience , he was met by a
cheerful companion , who told him the
bite of an enraged wolf was certain to
produce hydrophobia. The wolf was
undoubtedly in a condition to commu
nicate the rabies , as he had been wor
ried to a great extent by the dogs be
fore he attacked the general. Gen.
Beale says that he did not have any
opportunity of cauterizing the wounds ,
and hud attached no particular impor
tance to the bite until he hnd returned
to camp.
He said after that there was hardly a
day passed but what his companion re
ferred to oases of hydrophobia arising
from wolf-bites. The result of this con
tinued talk upon the subject was to
produce a < rreat depression in Gen.
Scale's mind. Within a short time he
began to feel symptoms of an approach
ing attack of hydrophobia. He had the
most extraordinary aversion to water.
It was with difficulty that ho could
swallow. A swelling came in his
throat which threatened to close it
whenever he sought to drink. It was
only by an extraordinary effort of the
will that he could force himself to swal
low. One day the general said to him
self that unless he combated this grow
ing feeling he felt certain he would
have an attack of hydrophobia. So
ono morning he walked deliberately to
a sin-ing and thrust his head into the
water. He said as he approached his
head to the water he felt the most in
tense desire to jump and scream and
run away from it. But he held himself
right there and moved his head up and
down in the water until he conquered
this impulse and the aversion. He fol
lowed up this practice until he felt the
'swelling in the throat going down and
his aversion to water lessening. He
felt that he was getting control , and
this encouraged him. In a short time
all symptoms of the disease had disap
peared. The general was lirmly con-
fvinced that if he had for one moment
relaxed his will power during that try
ing time he would have passed directly
Unto a iit of the wildest kind of hydro
phobia. He has never suffered from
the b'te of the wolf since that time , al
though it occurred over twenty-live
[ years ago.
It is a singular fact in this connection
'that another member of his family who
jhas been bitten by a dog which was un-
'deniably mad ha'd also escaped hydro
phobia. His daughter Mary married a
distinguished Russian , a member of the
diplomatic service of his native country.
'Several years ago they were living in
QParis. The husband"was connected
. with the Eussian legation. Gen.
Beale's daughter had at one time a
stu-honnd of unusual size and purity
of breed. It was very docile and her
favorite companion. He nearly always
went out with her. One day the dog
.disappeared. As he was a great pet
and a dog of unusual value they ad
vertised for him , and sought through
the police to recover him. One night
while the Russian diplomate and his
wife were seated about an open fire in
their salon after returning from the
, there was a knock at the door ,
Sera was so unusual at this late hour of
the night that the Russian went him
self to answer the knock. As the door
opened two men enteml having the lost
dog attached to a stout stick , which
iheld him between them , but yet kept
them at a safe distance. Gen. Scale's
son-in-law was delighted to see the dog
again. The dog's mistress was es-
pecially pleased ? The dog , however
showed no sign of pleasure or recogni
tion. He went over into an opposite
corner and would not pay any attention
to their calls. They thought that he
might feel strange and so paid no
further attention to him. Suddenly ,
without even a bark of warning , this
great dog sprang and bit his mistress
right through the upper lip , and then
on her cheek before her husband could
reach the stout collar which still en
circled the dog's neck. The Russian
succeeded in half a moment in drag
ging the dog off from his mistress and
then he had a terrific light with the in
furiated animal. If he had not been
very muscular he would not have suc
ceeded in subduing him. He succeeded
finally in dragging him into a bath
room"and locking him up. but not until
his right arm was bitten and torn from
shoulder to wrist.
The scene that followed is dramatic
enough for the most sensational of
plays. " The moment the door was lock
ed the Russian returned. He glanced
quickly at the fireplace , where he saw
the poker was imbedded in the coals
and was fortunately nearly at a white
heat He drew it once from its bed
and said to his wife : "The dog is mad.
This is our only chance to escape a
horrible death. These wounds must be
- : i *
cauterized at once. " The brave Amet
ieau woman never flinched. With th
courage of her soldier father she sub
mittcd to have the flaming iron bun
most cruelly the llesli of her fair face
A moment's delay upon her part o
cowardice would have made the opera
tion upon her husband's arm useless
The moment after cauterizing he
wounds the Russian turned to his owi
arm and thoroughly burned ever
break mado in his llesh by the dog
After this had been done as complete ! ;
as it was possible they sent for the sur
geon of the Russian legation. Ho wa.
one of the finest surgeons in Europe
He came and examined them. H
brought his irons to perform the oper
ation of cauterizing , but he said afte
he came that he had nothing to do
The young Russian diplomate nad per
formed the work as well as if he ha <
been a skillful surgeon. The surgeoi
also added that there was no danger
The dog was undoubtedly mad. I
tore everything to pieces in the roon
where it was confined , and died in hor
rible agony. Gen. Beale says tha
neither his daughter nor her husbam
have ever felt the slightest symptom :
of trouble resulting from this accident
He says that his daughter determine !
from the first that she would not allov
her mind to dwell upon it. She re
mcmbered how her father had courage
ously fought off hydrophobia , and sh <
was fully resolved that no menial dis
turbance or worry upon her part shoulc
throw open the gate to the approach o
this terrible disease. Gen. Bealo die
not mean to say that there was no sucl
thing as real hydrophobia upon tin
part of human beings , but he sincerely
believes that in the majority of cases i
results largely from fright and menta
depression.
DARK COLORED TOBACCO.
Tlio Itcsweatlnjr of tlioVoecl to 2Hcei
a Popular Craze.
One of the latest tricks in the tobaccc
trade , says The Pittsburgh Times , is the
artificial resweating of the weed to
meet the popular craze for dark-colored
cigars. The craze arises from the
false impression that , because all good
dark-colored all dark-color
cigars are - , -
ed cigars are good. The ground taken
for this latter impression is that the
dark color is an indication that the
tabocco has been naturally sweated
through about three summers , and has
thus reached perfection of flavor.
The color was formally an indication
that this was the fact , but it is so nc
longer , for the increased demand for
tobacco of the requisite age caused
manufacturers to find a way of aging
it , or giving it the appearance of age ,
artificially. This was at first done by
painting , but a speedier and more
wholesale process has been invented
within the last three or four years call
ed resweating. The fact that tobacco
sweats is well known. The lirst sum
mer after it is cut , tobacco sweats very
heavily so that it can be twisted and
tied in knot like "kill-me-quick" tobies.
The next summer it sweats much less ,
and the third summer the sweat is
hardly noticeable. After each sum
mer's sweat the leaf assumes a darker
color , until it reaches the hue of the
best Havana brands.
In order to sweat tobacco the box is
and the leaf "eased"
opened or damp
ened , one "hand" or layer at a time , by
lipping it in water. The tobacco is
then repacked in the box and the box
placed in a steam tight receptacle a
few inches from the fioor. A jet of
steam rises through the floor of
this chest , right underneath the box ,
and the steam is allowed to play inces
santly on it for seventy-two hours , pro
ducing as profuse a sweat as that of
i fat man running up hill with the
thermometer at 100 degrees in the
shade. The box is then taken out and
the tobacco shaken out and allowed to
200 ! off. It is then repacked and is
ready for use. Great care has to be
jxercised after sweating tobacco to
prevent it from becoming moldy. If
t is found to mold it is often dipped in
3eer to kill the mold. Here is a proba-
jle explanation of the inebrating
jffects of some cigars. The tobacco
nust always have passed through one
ismmers sweat before being resweated.
This process ages the tobacco three
> r four years , but whether it improves
; he quality proportionately is an open
juestion with the trade. Some say
; hat as resweating has the same effect
is the natural sweat , resweated tobacco
s perfectly equal to that which has
iged naturally , others say that it in
ures the flavor. Others , again , say
; hat it does not affect the flavor preju-
Hcially or favorably. All agree that it
nakes the leaf tender and difficult to
vork and thereby causes loss to the
nauufacturer. What is admitted by
ill judges is that a natural sweat 5n-
siriably improves the quality so that
he question remains how to distinguish
obacco naturally sweated from that
vhich has been artificially resweated.
't is a ehfiicult one to answer , the only
ruide being that artificial sweating
> ften makes the leaf almost black , and
ilways makes it a darker color than
he natural sweat produces.
The Pittsburgher's delight , the toby ,
s usually made of tobacco which has
tood one summer's sweat , but at the
resent time the crop of 1885 , which is
low undergoing that natural process ,
s being used. 'Hence the great elastic
ty and dampness of many tobies now
in sale.
Dresser on Moustaches.
"Oh , yes , " said young Miss Sniffles.
'By the way , did you notice my Chaw-
ey's moustache ? "
"No , " said Miss Sarcast , "I never
: new he had one. "
"You didn't ? Why , it's just lovely. "
"Why , I didn't think , " saidMiss Sar-
: ast , "that there was enough hair on
ds upper lip to get wet , much less to
le noticeable. "
"Huh , " said Miss Sniffles , "I wish I
tad a dollar for every hair on Chaw-
ey's upper lip. "
"A friend of Charley's told him of the
ibove conversation , and the next day
ie had it cut off , and after much fig-
iring it was dec'.ded that Miss Sniffles
vas entitled to three dollars anel a half ,
blowing all perquisities. National
Weekly.
John.
He is born , and as a baby , is the ob
ject of more attention , and causes mor
excitement , than at any other period o
his life. The little brothers and sister
are full of speculations in regard to the
little stranger.
And he is a wonderful boy ! Grand
father and grandmother say that he i
the finest boy they ever saw. Howrouh
they say otherwise ? They have said the
same thing ; of all the other grandchild
ren , and dear old souls , they are fa
too loving to slight this one.
The father is as proud as a peacock
but he tries , oh , how awkwardly , to
conceal it. Of course , the boy is the
image of his father ! It is preposterous
for anyone to suppose that he bears
the faintest resemblance to his mother
And the uncles and the aunts ! Dear
me , if there is anything ludicrous abou
a half dozen aunts and uncles hover
ing around a little nephew , an outside
person is sure to see it especially if he
has never stood in such relation him
self.
self.Of
Of course , the baby must be named.
"We'll call him John , " says the
mother ; "I have alwavs liked the name
so strong and honest ! Should he
grow to be worthy of it , I shall have no
cause for regret. "
He grows , as only a healthy child can
grow ; the years glide past , and lie is a
boy at school such a gay , careless ,
rollicking bo } ' ! Life , to him , is within
a small circuit , and it is all real.
With the same ardor of old Father
Adams but certainly in a wider fiek
he finds a center for his boyish af
fections. He is her devoted slave ; per
fection , she , though she sometimes
smiles on the other boys. Of course
she will some day be his little wife
that he never for a moment doubts ,
lie doesn't think much about it now
there will be time enough when he
reaches that acme of masculine attain
ments manhood.
Alas , in his innocence , he is ignorant
of the typical character , Joe Speck !
He passes the age of cynicism , and
breaking his vows of eternal bachelor
hood , falls a victim to the charms of
another. The old school-boy passions
lie far behind him , but , in memory ,
they come back as odors from an oasis ,
blown over the desert of life.
Five children call him father , and at
the first , and at each succeeding birth ,
he has acted quite as idiotically as his
father had done.
We all grow old , and ah ! we all
grow worse ! Life is not all that he had
pictured , but he is fairly happy , and he
bears his burdens bravely.
Death visits his little Hock and ho
strews the of
forget-me-nots on graves
his wife and two children. He is an
old man now , but John , Jr. . dear , lov
ing John , is with him John and his
wife. Grandchildren play about his
knees , and children , far and wide , hail
his presence with delight. He has
climbed to the top of life's rugged hill ,
and now , over smooth pathways , is de
scending into the vale of eternal peace.
One day there is crape on the door
of John , Jr.'s , house. Such a bright
day out , but the little ones on the street
have no heart for play , and one by one
they steal in past the weeping watchers
to gaze for the last time on the face of
their dead fr.end. How calm and
peaceful is the smile , softening the
lines about the patient mouth. Sure
ly , if this be death it has lost half its
terrors !
The funeral cortege moves slowly
out to the cemetery , and tenderly , rev
erently , he is laid beside his wife. All
is over , and to-day the great world
moves as it did yesterday and as it will
to-morrow. One , only , has been called
from the path of duty to find that the
end is rest. Detroit Free Press.
The Moscow Cathedral.
What must , without doubt , be con
ceded as the most magnificient church
edifice in the world is the great cathe
dral at Moscow , the Church of St.
Xavicr , recently completed there. The
foundations of the church are of Fin
nish granite , and the whole edifice is
faced with marble , the door being of
bronze , ornamented with biblical sub
jects , and lined with oak. The princi
pal entrance measures thirty feet high
by eighteen broad , and the two doors
weigh thirteen tons , the total cost of
all the doors being 8350,000. The
building is erected in the form of a
Greek cross , three of the broad ends of
which form the corridors , lower and
upper , surrounding three sides of and
open to the central square , or lemplp
proper , while the fourth end is occu
pied by the altar and its appurtenances.
The total cost of all the marble in the
building exceeded 82.000,000. Lifting
one's eyes , the galleries are seen to
contain thirty-six windows and the
cupola sixteen , all of which are double ,
with frames of bronze. Round the
cupola is one row of 640 candelabra ,
placed there at a cost of 8120OJO ,
with a second row of GOO , cost
ing an additional 860,000. There
are 4 hitters , weighing 4 : tons each ,
and the total number ot candles to be
lighted throughout the building is up
ward of 3,000. At the top of the cupo
la is a painting by Prof. Markoff repre
senting in colossal proportions the lirst
person of the trinity as an old man with
the Infant Jesus. The height of the
figure is 49 feet , the length of the face
7 feet , and the height of the infant 21
feet. Also below the cupola are a num
ber of figures of apostles and fathers ,
each 21 feet high. Great expense has ,
of course , been lavished on the eastern
end of the church. The cost of mater
ials and workmanship for the altar
space , apart from the icons or sacred
pictures , amounted to 8150,000. In
this pait of the church are some of its
most remarkable paintings , most , if
not all , by Bussian artists. The struct-
of the altar screen is a departure from
the traditional Russian type , for instead
of tall , ugly blank partition , half or
two-thirds of the height of the church ,
hiding the eastern end , the screen of
St. Xavier's is low and elegant , and
throws open , except for a few feet
above the floor , the whole of the sanc
tuary. This princely cathedral was
erected at a cost of 812.000,000 , and is
said to be capable of accommodating
10,000 worshipers , and from its first
conception has been built in a single
lifetime. Chicago Times.
OVERWORKED.
Prom out of the rosy land of dreams ,
She comes at early morning ;
The dew upon the meadow gleams.
Fair as a bride's adorning.
Aroma from the moanins pines ,
And fields of blooming clover ;
The noisy brook that sings and shines ,
\Vitk w illows bending over.
The eastern sky is all aflame ,
As though , to one beholding ,
The gold and sapphire clouds that camo
Were heaven's gates unfolding.
But all this glory stands apart ,
Nor charms her with its beauty ,
For care sits heavy on her brow ,
'
Where falls the'line of duty.
The cows await the milking time ,
With soft and patient lowing ,
The sturdy fanner in his prime ,
Must hasten to his mowing.
ilis wife must speed the morn's repast ,
And work with nimble flngers ,
For farmers all from lirst to last ,
Make hay \ \ hile sunshine lingers.
And whop the meal's are o'er , the palls ,
Of foaming milk arc waiting ,
With fragrance caught from sunny vales ,
To future joy relating.
The cream lies thick , like cloth of gold ,
Where shining pans are brimming ,
Their riches gathered fold on fold ,
All ready for the skimming.
Then , later , as in olden dajs ,
With much of stir and flutter ,
By weary hands the dasher pla s ,
And wins the golden butter.
And so the days go on , and on
No time for rest and pleasure ;
"A woman's work is never done , "
Is true in fullest measure.
And as the sun sinks in the west ,
And day grous into even ,
Weary and orn out she goes to rest ,
And almost longs for heaven.
. Allen in liood Housekeeping.
IN EHETTA'S GAKDEN.
It was only a little spot south of tin
house , but violets blossomed soone
than anywhere else , and great burstin *
pinks made the air spicy while othe
people's were only in bud. Then
were daffodils in the grassy border , an <
blue-bells and blue spider-lilies. Then
arc two rose-bushes , one cinnamon am
one damask , while double sweet gilb
dowers sowed themselves and came uj
every year along with mignonette am
chrj'santhemums. It was a sweet
fragrant , old-fashioned little garden
which Rhetta's mother had tended am
taken pleasure in , and now it wn :
Rhclta's. There she worked all hei
spare half hours , sowing an 1 watering
weeding and transplanting , till hei
little hands were brown , and her cheek ;
like her own cinnamon roses. Aun
Dorcas , in the kitchen , used to wondei
"how on airth that child could be st
Bontent all alone out in her posy bed ! '
But Rhetta was not so often alone o :
! atc. since they had taken a boarder.
Ralph Callender found that the pleas-
mtest path to the house lay through
: he little flower-garden , and when his
obs of copying failed to occupy his
iime , what could be more natural than
: o use his leisure helping the blushing
jarduner ? It was he who carried awaj
ill the weeds , divided the white peonj
oots and reset them , and dug more
; horoughly than Rhetta ever could
iround the dear old rose-bushes. Over
.heir work they fell talking , as young
> eople will , and already Rhetta's fathei
lad begun to watch them a little anx-
ously above his spectacles as he sat on
.he porch , while one of the neighbors
lad remarked privately to Aunt Dor-
jas that it was a pity young Callender
, vas not a man of fortune as well as of
amily.
In truth riches had taken unto them-
ielves wings and flown away from the
2allcnders a year before , so that Ralph ,
nstead of becoming junior partner in
in old and prosperous bus.ness , saw
lothing before him but what his two
lands could earn , and being totally un-
n-epared for such a prospect , he had
o take a little time to get used to it ,
ind to find out which way to turn.
Jeanwhile he had driftecl to this
iuburban town , and while waiting to
ind a situation as clerk or accountant ,
Hd copying to support himself , and
warded at Rhetta's.
It was the day they had been trans-
touch-me-nots ami had
ilanting - - , Ralph
hrown himself down under the plum-
ree for a respite , while Rhetla pulled
he faded blossoms from a. primrose.
Ie might have been in'santhropic
nongh at that moment if 1m had chos-
n , for the last line of copying lay
pon his table finished , with not so
auch as a hint for an orrl. r for any
aore. Worse than that , a clerk's
ilace he had been hoping f < > - had that
cry morning been given to another ,
f he had got it , he could have spoken
o Rhetta at once.
His glance followed her as she bent
her plants , her garclon bonnet
.rooping back from her bri Jit brown
air , and his linger sought instinctively
little ring that hid in his vc t pocket ,
"he old Callender pride hat ! come to
his , that he only waited for the barest
hance of being able to earn a living
icfore he offered heart and hand to
retty little Rhetta Wood , whose bonny
ice was all her dowry.
But he could not help letting love
olor his words a little when he said ,
ireseutly , to Rhetta , as he watched
or , "When I make my fortune j-ou
hall have greenhouses and hotbeds ,
nd gardens laid out on terraces. ' *
"Like Colonel Porter's ? " laughed
ihetta , blushing over her trowel.
'Oh ! have you ever seen his place , Mr.
lallender ? It's over on theVest
ide. "
"I think I have passed it , " answered
lie young man indifferently. "Big
rees , three terraces , ribbon beds , and
peacock on the lawn ; is that the
lace ? "
"Yes ; isn't it splendid ! " exclaimed
Ihetta. "I always go that way when
take a walk by myself ; and oh ! how
do long sometimes lor things I see
: ie gardener throwing away slips and
uttings and roots that he thins out !
erfectly lovely things !
"Why don't you ask him for them ? "
"Ask him ? " and Rhetta caught her
reath at the very idea of domir so
j audacious a thing. "Why I wouldn'l
I dare. "
"Don't you know them ? the family ,
I mean. "
"No ; how could I ? Rose Porter ant
I went to tho same school , and wher
she rides by and sees me she bows ant :
smiles , but that isn't being acquainted ,
She is as beautiful as a princess. It h
time for her to bo at home now ; she
has been in Washington all the
spring. "
Ralph Callender made no answer.
He was busy weaving a true love knot
of grass blades , and when it was done
he gave it to Rhetta. She blushed
again over it , and went on talking
about flowers.
"I wish I could get some slips ol
Col. Porter's geraniums , " she said , "he
has so many kinds , and I have onl )
this little pink one. And I want a rool
of daylily very much , and some tea-
rose cuttings , 'and a double Genoese
violet ; a blue saivia too , and Oh , Mr.
Calleader look ! There is Rose Portet
now , driving up the street in her ponj
phaeton. Isn't she lovely ? "
As the jaunty basket phaeton moved
slowly by , a pretty , bright face glanced
from it , smiling cordially at Rhetta ,
and then was overspread by a look ol
sudden recognition and pleasant sur
prise at sight of Ralph Callender , who
took hishat oft'respectfully. .
"Why , do you know her ? " askctl
Rhctta amazed.
"I find I do. She and my sister Sal
ly became good friends two years ago
at Newport or was it Nahaut ! And
Miss Porter spent the holidays at our
house the next winter. I thought it
must be she , when you described her. "
Ralph Callender paused and gazed
rcllcctively at the ground. He was re
calling that gay holiday season when
Rose Porter and his sister were the
belles of their set. He could have
counted his friends then by the hun
dred , anil now "Poverty does maka
a difference , " he thought bitterly. All
who had it in their power to aid him
had turned the cold shoulder. lie wis
simply a poor man seeking employ
ment , and he felt at odds with the
world.
Rhetta , crown suddenly sly , pulled
away the dead leaves from a pink root
and said nothing. Newport ! Nahant !
And people like the Porters for inti
mate friends. It seemed to remove
Ralph far from her quiet , even life ,
and to set him where she had no part.
The basket phaeton was now seen re
turning down the street with its pret
ty occupant , who stopped her ponies
opposite the cottage with such an evi
dent intention of speaking to Ralph
Callender that he at once went out of
the garden and stood in the road at her
side. Rhetta saw them shake hands in
the most friendly manner , heard her
musical laughter and sweet voice ,
though she could not distinguish the
worels ; and in a few momentsmore , to
her snrpribC , Ralph stepped into the
phaeton , sat down by Rose , took the
reins in his hands and drove rapidly
away , with a backward smile , which
seemed to say , "She is an old friend ,
you see ! "
But when he did not come homo for
dinner she thought it strange. Her
father and Aunt Dorcas made no com
ment , for Ralph had often been absent
at that hour when seeking for employ
ment. Rhetta did not mention that he
drove away with Rose Porter , but a
"
neighbor , "who had watched them ,
came in during the afternoon and spoke
of it with gieat interest. Aunt Dorcas
at once felt a great interest , too , and
Rhetta found it so trying to listen to
their remarks and surmises that she
slipped out of the house to her garden ,
and did hard weeding in her flower
beds without sparing herself. But she
heard every step that passed by 011 the
sidewalk , and knew tha1 ; Ralph Callen
der did not come.
The afternoon waned restlessly away.
He would surclv come back by supper-
time ; and Rhetta , in a fresh gown ,
with pansies at her belt , hummed little
songs as she moved about setting the
table for Aunt Dorcas.
"I wouldn't put on that dish of
honey , " said Aunt Dorcas "not till
you see whether he's coming. "
"Oh , he'll come , " said Rhetta ; but
she stopped singing.
Mr. Wood came in , washed his hands
at the sink and sat down in his place at
the table.Aunt Dorcas passed him a
cup of tea.
"Where's Callender ? " he asked ,
looking around.
"Why , haven't you heard ? " said
Aunt Dorcas. "He drove off with Rose
Porter and we haven't caught sight of
him since. "
"The Porters are old friends of his , "
saiel Rhetta flushing up.
"Hum ! hum ! " muttered her father ,
as he drank his tea from the saucer , in
which he had cooled it.
Aunt Dorcas now questioned the girl
as to all she knew about this oldfrieuel-
ship and at the close , said , with the
air of one who meant to do her duty
by all , no matter how mercilessly :
"Well , like as not the } ' " 11 make a match
of it. B.rds of a feather flock toeth -
er. "
Supper was over , cleared away , and
all the dishes washed , but still Ralph
Callender did not come. As it grew
dark Mr. Wood strolled off to chat with
the neigbors , and Aunt Docas , putting
on her bonnet and black silk shawl ,
went to weekly prayer meeting. Rhet
ta , left free from comment , went up
into her little garden and leaned
against the plum-tree , with a strange
dull pain gnawing at her heart. It
seemed like days and weeks since Ralph
drove away with smiling pretty Rose
Porter. And she herself had begun to
think of him as somehow her own.
That very morning , under that very
tree , there had been in his looks and in
his tones touches of tenderness that
had filled her heart with subtle happin
ess. But now it was all over , in an in
stant she had lost him. Rose Porter
had taken him away , and though he
might come back , he would never ,
never be the same Ralph again. She
felt a girlish certainty of that. The
'
little bright dream was'over.
At first she did not blame Rose.
Very probably she had loved him two
years ago , and had been influenced to
give him up on account of his pover
ty , and now , regretting the step , had
come to reclaimliim.
"Well , I can take my turn and give
him up too. " thought Rhetta with great
hot tears springing to her CMOS. "Only j
I can never drive after him and bring
back in n phaeton. "
And at that she threw herself upon ,
the dewy grass and wept unrestrained
ly. She was too young to be capable
of tho terrible , tearless , sorrow with
which an older woman may meet be
reavement and heart-break. She only
knew that everything had changed
3-uce morning , that Ralph had gono
away , that she was very , very wretched ,
and that no one must know of it.
Tho lire-flies flashed in tho grass , the
flowers were heavy with dew , the afci * "
was full of the fragrance of migno
ctte , heliotrope , and roses , but Rhetla
did not heed them. She only felt that
night was kind to make such darkness
and solitude in the garden that no one
could see her or hear her , poor miser-
able little Rhotta Wood ; crying for a
lost happiness that had never really
been hers. And now it seemed to her
that Rose was enrol , from the midst of
her luxury , and hor dozens of lovers , jj
to 7cjnj3 swooping down upon this one
chntice of bliss"in a lifetime. For
Ilhetta was sure that in all tho years to
come she should never , never marry.
That was all over from this time forth.
The crickets hummed about her , tho
nightmoths brushed by her unheeded ;
the moon rose but she did not know it.
She was thinking how she should live
all her life long in the little old house.
After awhile her aunt Dorcas woulel '
die , and she would be left alone with
her father. Then after awhile ho too
would die , and she would live on there ,
an old , lonel } ' woman.
From this reverie she was aroused
b } ' the stopping of wheels , and cheer
ful voices at the gate.
"Rhctta ! Rhetta ! " shouted some-
bod } * , in joyous manly tones. ; |
Yes , that was Ralph calling her. ; j
With girlish celerity she smoothed back J
her disordered hair and ran to the gate. M
There he stood , his arms filled with * j
flowers , which he loaded upon her , u
while Colonel Porter's coachman , who
had brought him home , was almost r
staggering under the weight of an im- , ;
mensc basket , full of bloom and fra- ' \
grance which ho made haste to deposit \t \
on the garden walk. j !
"Everything is here , " said Ralph ' \
gayly "the geraniums , the day lilies ,
the tea-rose bushes , and the double
violets. Roots , slips , cuttings , all you
wanted , you have them now , aud I'll
set them every one out for you. "
"Oh , how beautiful ! how beauti
ful ! " murmered Rhetta , very softly
and gently. She was wholl } ' overcome
by this strange ending of her passionate
grief.
The coachman departed , leaving tho
two lovers alone in the moonlit garden.
Lovers they were , for Ralph drew
Rhetta close to his heart , while he
placed upon her finger the ring that had
waited hidden in his pocket.
"You know what this moons , dar
ling ? " he said , fervently. "My way is
clear before me now. "Colonel Porter
has given me a chance in his own busi-
ncfS , beyond anything 1 dared hope.
You don't know how hard it has been
for me to wait till I had a right to ask
you to be my own little Rhutta always
always ! "
Happy Rhetta ! the moon ought to
have laughed right out to see how her , \ .
face had changed , it was so full now of T'
smiles and blushes.
Aunt Dorcas , hurrying home an hour , I
later , eager to explain how she had gone |
to sit awhile with poor old Mrs. Davis. , '
who had sciatica , was taken all aback
by hearing merry voices under the plum <
tree , and finding Ralph and Rhetta there j
at work Avitli trowels setting out roots ' t
and tying up plants. j
"Rose Porter sent me all thcsn ! " ex- {
claimed Rhutta , triumphant ! . * -all ' j
this great basketful of lovliness aud .
luxury , and we must set them every '
one out to-night , because night is the
best time , and they will get the dew. " f
"For the land sake ; , ! " ejaculated j
Aunt Dorcas. "Don't ye want the lan- '
Lern ? " ,
"Oh the moon is as bright as day , " .
said Ralph , as he paused to choose I
i place for a line blue saivia. J
"Well ! Well ! " the old lady exclaim-
jel and then , as if she dimly compre- *
liended that something in the glamour
ji youth and romance might make it a {
ihing to be desired to dig in gardens at *
unusual hours , she said no more , but I
went quietly into the house. Mary L. \
U. Brunch , in Harper's Bazar. '
Snakes in His Boots.
"Talking about snakes , " began the
) ld man , who had been sitting quietly
m a box sunning himself yesterday ,
istening to stories of marvelous escapes
'rom snakes , told by a group of young
ncn. "I have seen two or three big i
makes myself. " The younger men
cnew that something was going to I
jreak loose , and leaning up against j
: ach other , to get what little support 1
hey could , waited. \
"It was in the mountains of Ken- ;
ucky , just after the war , and I was i
> ut hunting squirrels. Coming down |
he hillside , I stepped on what I thought
vas a charred branch when I feiT it
uovc , and looking down saw that it '
vas a monster blacksnakc , not less \
han ten feet long. With a shout to I
ny companions , I ran through the /
) rush until I stumbled over a limb and \
ell just as the snake made a jump and I
) assed over me , going on down into a
iinall ravine. In less than two seconds
here were five hundred snakes roused
> y that black viper. Rattlesnakes
itarted up a chorus , while the smell
rom the copperheads was sickening.
L'hey held a jubilee for a few minutes ,
vhile I , scared almost to death and
icver expecting to come out alive ,
ainted. The next thing I knew the
ioys had picked me up and were bath-
ng my head with cold water. They
aid they had some difficulty in finding
tie , that they saw no snakes , and thai
hey had to use water instead of giving v
ne a drink of whisky because my flask ( \ " .
iras entirely empty. " \J
Got What They Asked For.
A firm here wrote to a Western pi-
no dealer who owed them money :
'Dear Sir : Will you be kind enough
o send us the amount of your bill ?
Tours truly. " To this the firm receiv-
d the following reply : "Gentlemen :
'our request is granted with pleasure.
'he amount of my bill is 8575. YOUH
cry truly. " Jlusicul Courier.