Nebraska Newspapers

    I I JHE POCKET'S ' COFFERS.
fls 'Do Witt Talmage Gives a Desbrlp-
t j tlve Sermon on tho "Wrong
B Uses of Money. "
fl • "Thousands Congregate to Hoar tho
H I Rev. Dlvlno.
H J 'The Pilthy Lnore of This Land is Expend-
fl I * * r ed in a Bank Manner.
' BnqoKLTx , March ! 10. At tho Tabcrnaclb
Hi I ' Is morning , she thousand voices BUpport-
fl J < d by organ and cornet , rolled out the hymn
m | beginning : •
fl J ' Werthlnlc the victory won ,
H T Noronco at case sit down ;
H J Thlno arduous work will not l > ed" ne
H g Till thou .hast got tliy crown.
H I Tho Eov. T. Do Witt Talmufro , D. D. ,
fl I .preached tho sermon. His subject was ,
I * * ' Wrong Uses of Money , " and his text , I
1 'Timothy vl , 0 : "Thoy that wlll.be rich fall
H I 3aCo temptation and a snare , and into many
B I ifoalish and hurtful lusts , which drown men
fl -in destruction and perdition. "
H J That is tho Niagara Falls over which
H > rush a-multitude of souls , namely thedeter-
B . ininntion to have money anyhow , right or
B wrong. Tell mo how a man gets his money
H and what he does with it , and I will toll you
H I his character , and what will bo his destiny
| § in this world and tho next. I propose to
fl I speak this morning about somo of tho ruin-
M I • ous modes of getting money. ,
| Wo recently passed through a national
1 I • -election in which it has been estimated that
B | thirty million dollars were expended. I
think about twenty million of jt were spent
B -in out and out bribery. Both parties raised
-nil they could for this purpose. But that
m was only on a large scale what has been
1 . • done on a smaller scale for fifty years and
1 .in all departments.
B ] Politics from being the science of good
1 J government has often "been bedraggled into
I the synonym for truculency and turpitude.
a -A monster sin , plausible
- , potent , pestifer-
I ous , has gone forth to do its dreadful work
a in all ages. Its two hands are rotten with
I leprosy. It keeps its right hand hidden in
a deep pocket. The left hand is clenched ,
and with its ichorous knuckle it taps at tho
- iioor of the court room , the legislative hall ,
I Sie congress and the parliament. Tho door
1 Jwingsopen and the monster enters , and
I . .elides through tho aisle of the council cham-
*
fl § oer as softly as a slippered page , and then it
I -takes its right hand from its deep pocket
m and offers it in salutation to judge or loirisln-
fl 9 -tor. If that hand be taken , and the palm of
X tho intruder cross tho pahn of the official ,
* & a * * he leprosy-crosses from palm to palm in a
m y - ' ' % round blotch , round as a gold eagle , and
m the virus spreads , and tho doom is fixed ,
I E and the victim perishes. Let bribery , ac-
1 • cursed of God and man , stand up for trial.
fj Tho Bible arraigns it again and acrain.
1 Samuel says of his two sons who became
I judges , "They took bribes and porverted
I judgment" David says of somo of his pur-
I suers , VTheir right hand is full of bribes. " .
H I Amos says of some men in his day , "They ;
1 takea bribe and turn aside the poor in the
| jrato. " Elipliaz foretells the crushing blows •
-of God's indignation , declaring , "Fire shall
-consume the tabernacles of bribery. "
" It is no light temptation. The mightiest
j "have fallenunder , it. Sir Francis Bacon , - '
J ' -lord chancellor of England , founder of our 1
anodern philosophy , author of "Novum 1
[ 'Prgaaum , " and a whole library of books , 1
i the leading thinker of his century , so prec-
- i : ious that when a little child he was asked by '
• 'Queen Elizabeth "How " !
, old are you ? he
J- "responded , "lam two years younger than !
your majesty's happy reign ; " of whoso ora- j
J .tpry > Ben Johnson wrote , "The fear of everv J
-man that heard him was lest he should
J- make an end"having ; an income which you •
Tvould suppose would have put him beyond 3
rthe temptation of bribery thirty-six thous- !
- and dollars a year , and Twickenham court J
- • a gift , and princely estates in Hertforhshire (
andGorhambury yet under this temptation \
„ -to bribery falling fiat into ruin , and on his . '
-confession of taking bribes , giving as excuse !
J " that all his predecessors took them ; he was '
. "fined two hunared thousand dollars , or what {
• correspends with our two hundred thousand '
J dollars , and imprisoned in London tower. {
So also Lord Chancellor Macclesfield fell ; ]
so also Lord Chancellor Waterbury perish- '
. cd. " The black chapter in English , Irish , :
"French and American politics is the chap1
ler of bribery. Some of you remember tho l
HKiiJlfic Mail subsidies , Most of you re-
- • member the awful tragedy of the Credit 1
' Mobilier. Under the temptation to bribery ]
j. Benedict Arnold sold the tort in the Highx
Mx lands for $31,575. For-this sin Gorgey bel
m , trayed Hungary , Ahithophel forsook David '
" . iind Judas kissed Christ. When I see so (
r many of tho illustrious going down under *
; - iiis temptation , it makes me think of tho red. :
, . "dragon spoken of in Revelation , with seven *
' . heads and ten horns and seven crowns , '
' > ( drawing a third part of the stars of heaven I
down after him. Tho lobbies of the legislaI
tures of this country control the country.
; .The land is drunk with bribery. J
• "Oh , " says some one , "there's no need of J
lalking against bribery by promise or by l
. "dollars , because every man has his price. " c
i I do not believe it Even heathenism and *
5 ; Viie dark ages have furnished . specimens of l
. * • of incorruptibility. , A cadi of Smyrna had , . |
\ a case brought before him on trial. A man.T
a - rjave him five hundred ducats in bribery. I
r ' 'The case came on. The briber had many l
? . -witnesses. The poor man on the other side " *
f ; iad no witnesses. At the close of the case
.the cadi said : "This poor man has no wit- *
C • guesses , he thinks ; I shall produce in his bec
K half five hundred witnesses against the J-
p- , other side. " And then pulling outthe bag *
% * of ducats from under the ottoman , he dash- *
§ ed it down at the feet of the briber , saying , *
f- -lI decision . " =
- give my against you. Epam-
S. ioondas , offered a bribe , said : "I will do e
fer this thing if it be right , and if it be wrong *
jt all your goods cannot persuade me. " FabJ J
p. jricKis of the Roman senate was offered a ?
fcv. ; bribe by Pyrrhus of Macedon. Fabricius *
| .answered , * Vhat an example this would be .
t ; no the Jlomaa people ; you keep your riches J
e. i-andl'willfeeepmypovertyandreputation. " *
7 Tie president of the American congress
rt- . during the American revolution , Gen. Reed ,
ft- - % vas offered ten thousand guineas by foreign J
.commissioners if he would betray his *
• country. He replied : "Gentlemen , lama
-very poor man , but tell your king he is not J
rich enough to buy me. " But why go so far , J
' • wben you and. I , if we move in honorable =
-society , know men and women who by all f
- the consecrated force of earth and hell could J
mot be bribed. They would no more be J
bribed than you would thinK of tempting an *
angel of light exchange heaven for the J
pit Toofferabribeisvilliany , but it is a
"very poor compliment to the man to whom -
1 it is offered. . J
I have not much.f aith in those people ; who '
rgo about bragging how much they could
get if they would only sell out Those ;
TOVjmen who complain that they are very *
• "often insulted need to understand that.there '
is something in their carriage to invite inf
suit There are men at Albany and HarrisJ J
Tiurgandat Washinton who would no more |
I "be approached bj' a bribe than , a pirate boat {
nvith a few cutlasses would dare to attack *
1 British man-of-war with two banks of J
-guns on each side loaded to the touch hole. '
"They areincorruptible men , and they are : '
the few men who are to save the city and
• save the land. Meanwhile , my advice is to
all people to keep out of politics unless you ' .
tare invulnerable to this style of temptation' . \
Indeed , if you are naturally strong , you.
meed religious "buttressing. Nothing but-
• the grace of God can sustain our public men '
and make them what we wish. I wish ]
there might come an old fashioned revival •
of religion , that it might break out in con- ]
: grcss and in the legislatures and bring many •
of the leading Republicans and Democrats ]
down on the anxious seat of repentance. !
• 'That day will come , or something better , '
for the Bible declares that kings and queens
. • snail become nursing fatbers and jnothers i
• to the church , and if tho greater in author- "
igj atythen certainly the less. ]
| | , . My charge also to parents is , remember
M that this evil of bribery often begins in the <
\ mj. . - home circle and in the nursery. Do not i
; H " bribe your children. Teach them to do that 1
\m \ , < -whicliis right , and not because of the ten <
H fir - -cents or tho orange you will give them. <
H ' " Tiere is a great difference between reward- 1
h | & flng virtue and making the profits thereof 1
B $1- the impelling motive. That man who is 1
H g . . Tbonest merely because "honesty is the best '
Kg ] ? ; jpolicy" is already a moral bankrupt
BPJk * - ' My charge is to you , in all departments of 1
Kgfj&-- ; ' ; ilfe , steer clear of bribery , all .of you. '
HwiftV * - Every man and woman at some time will be 1
Ki- . : " . ' -tempted to do wrontr for compensation. Tho
B | & ' ' . - bribe may not be offered In money. It may •
BF § S Tbe offered in social position. Let us remem-
Ri c ; iber that thero.is a day coming wben the
glge' jnost secret transaction of private life and
Hf Igj : ' of public life will come up lor public repro-
WgiJ ? - hension. We cannot bribe death , we cannot
liS' ' bribe sickness , we cannot bribe the grave ,
Bt " i m cannot bribo the judgments of that God
'
Mm 't' 1 who thunders against this sin.
& . . "Fie ! " said Cardinal Beaufort , "fie !
f rcan't death bo hired ! is modey nothing ?
Ml must I die , and so rich ? if tho owning of the
mYc /whole reahn would save me , I could get it
5- * * • " * > *
t - > i.r ,
CI
p
*
.
f fc.
. .
• J * < f.
by policy or Dy purchase by money. " No ,
death would not bo hired then ; ho will not
be hired now. Men of tho world often rd-
grct that thoy havo to leave their money
hero when thoy go away from the world.
You can tell from what thoy say in their
last hours that one of their chief sorrows is
that thoy havo to leave their money. I
break that delnsion. I toll that bribe taker
that.he will take his money with him. God
will wrap it up in your shround , or put it in
tho palm of your hand in resurrection , and
there it will lie , not tho cool , bright , shin
ing gold us it was on tho day when you sold
your vote and your moral principle , but
there it will lie , a hot metal ; burning and
consuming your hand forever. Or , if there
be enough of it for a chain , then it will fall
from tho wrist clanking the fetters of an
eternal captivity. Tho bribe is an ever
lasting possession. You take it for time ,
you take it for eternity. Some day in tho
next world , when you are longing for sym-
Eathy , you will feel on your cheek a kiss ,
.ookingup you will find it to bo Judas ,
who took thirty pieces of silver as a bribo
and finished the bargalu by putting an in
famous kiss on tho pure check of his divine
Master.
Another wrong use of money is seen in
tho abuse of trust funds. Everyman during
the courso of his life , on a larger or smaller
scale , has tho proportv of others committed
to his keeping. Ho is so far a safety depos
it , ho is an administrator , and holds in his
hand tho interest of tho family of a deceased
friend. Or ho is an attorney , and through
his custody goes the payment from debtor
to creditor , or ho is the collector for a busi
ness house which compensates him for tho
responsibility ; or he is a treasurer for a
charitable institution and ho holds alms con
tributed for tho suffering ; or ho is an official
of tho city or the state or tho nation , and
taxes , and subsidies , and salaries , and sup
plies are in his keeping. It is as solemn a
trust as God can make it. It is concentred
and multiplied confidences. On that man
depends tho support of a bereft household ,
or tho morals of dependents , or the right
movonient of a thousand wheels of social
mechanism. A man may do what he will
with his own , but ho who abuso3 trust
funds , in that ono act commits theft , "false
hood , perjury and becomes , in all tho in
tensity of tho word , a miscreant How
many widows and orphans there are with
nothing between them and starvation but a
sewing machine , or held up out of tho vortex
of destruction simply by the thread of a
needle , red with thoir own heart's blood ,
who a little while ago had , by father and
husband , left them a competency. What is
the matter ? The administrators or the ex
ecutors havo sacrificed it running rislcs
with it that they would not have dared to
encounter in their own private affairs. How
ofterf is it that a man will earn a livelihood
by the sweat of his brow , and then die , and
within a few mouths all the estate goes into
tho stock gambling rapids of Wall street.
How often is it that you have known men to
whom trust funds were committed taking
them out of tho savings bank. and. from
trust companies , and administrators , turn
ing old homesteads into hard cash , and then
putting the entire estate into the vortex of
speculation. Embezzlement is an easy word
to pronounce , but it has ten thousand rami
fications of horror.
There is not a city that has not suffered
from the abuse of trust funds. Where is
the court house , or tho city hall , or tho jail ,
or the postofnee , or the hospital , that in the
building of it has not had a political job ?
Long before the new court house in New
York city was completed , it cost over $12-
D0'J,000. Five million six. hundred.and sixty-
three thousand dollars for furniture ! For
plastering and repairs , § 3,370,000. For
plumbing and gas works. $1,231,817. For
awnings , $23,553. The bills for three months
jomin ? to tho nice little sum of § 13,151,193. - :
39. There was not an honest brick , or :
3tone , or lath , or nail , or foot of plumbing ,
Dr inch of plastering , or ink stand , or door
knob in the whole establishment
That bad example was followed in many
af the cities , whicli did not steal quite so
much because there was not so much to •
3teaL There ought to be a closer inspection .
ind there ought to bo lessopportunity for ,
smbezzlement Lest a man should take a , '
five cent piece that does not belong to him , ]
the conductor on the city horse car , must
jound his bell at every payment , and wo
ire very cautious about small offenses , but
nve plenty of opportunity for sinners on a .
large scale to escape. For a boy who steals ,
loaf of bread from a corner erocer tolieep ;
lis mother from starving to death , a prison ; .
but for defrauders who abscond with half a
million of dollars , a castle on the Rhine , or , ;
waiting until the offense is forgotten , then
i castle on the Hudson ! !
Another remark needs to be made , and ;
ihat is that people ought not to go into \
places , into business , or into positions , where ;
he temptation is mightier than their char- '
icter. If there be large sums of money to |
30. handled and the man is not sure of his '
) wn integrity you have ho right to run an :
mseaworthy craft into an euroclydon. A *
nan can tell by the sense of weakness or j
strength in the presence of a bad opportuni-
, y whether ho is in a safe place. How many c
jarents make an awful mistake when they '
rat their boys in banking houses and stores c
md shops and factories and places of sol- •
smn trusts , without once discussing whether
, hey can endure the temptation. You give-
he boy plenty of money and have no account *
if it , and make the way down become very
iasy , and you may put upon him a pressure \
hat be cannot stand. There are men wbo > j
jo into positions full of temptation , consideri
ng only the one fact that they are lucrative j
> ositions. I say to the young people here
his morning , dishonesty will not pay in , this ;
vorld or the world to come. '
An abbot wanted to buy a piece of ground \
ind the owner would not sell it but the owne
ir finally consented to let it to him until ho *
: ould raise one crop , and the abbot sowed
tcorns , a ' crop of two hundred years And
! tell you , young man , that the dishonesties
vhich you plant in your heart and life will
ieem to be very insignificant , but they will ]
jrow up until they will overshadow you ,
vith horrible darkness , overshadow all time *
md all eternity. It will not bo a crop for i
wo hundred years , but a crop , for everlast- (
ng age3.
I stand this morning before many who 1
lave trust funds. It is a compliment to you .
hat you have been so entrusted , but I *
sharge you , in the presence of God and tne 1
, vorldbe careful of the property of others as j
rou are careful of your own. Above all , .
ceep your own private account at the bank J
ieparate from your account as trustee of an. t
( state , or trustee of an institution. .That is .
he point at which thousands of people mako *
ihipwreck. They get the property others 1
nixed up with their own property , they put
t into investment , and away it all goes , and i
hoy cannot return that which tfiey bor ]
• owed. Then comes the explosion and the 1
noney market is shaken and the press des
tounces and the church thunders expulsion. • ,
fou have no right to use the property of
ithers except for their advantage , nor withr
> ut consent , unless they are minors. If
vith their consent you invest their property i
is well as you can , and it is. all lost , you are j
lotto blameyou did tho best you could ; c
) ut do not come into tho delusion which has ;
mined so many men , 01 thinking because a l
Mng is in their possession , therefore it is
heirs. You have a solemn trust that God j
jas given you. In this vast assemblage .
more may be some who have misappropriat-
; d trust .funds. Put them back , or , if you {
lave so" nopelessly involved them that you <
; annot " put them back , confess the 1
vhole thing to those whom you have
ivrpn ged and you will sleep better
lights , and you will have the better chance
for yourssouL What a sad thing it would
be if , after you are dead , your administra
tor should find out from the account books ,
jr from tho lack of vouchers , that you were ]
not only bankrupt in estate , but that ,
rou lost your souL If all the trust funds '
that have been misappropriated should '
suddenly fly to their owners , and all tho ,
property that has been purloined should
suddenly go back to its owners , it would j
jrash into ruin every city in America. :
A blustering young man arrived at a hotel i
in the west and he saw a man on the side
walk , and.in a rough wayj as no man has a '
right to address a laborer , said to him ,
"Carry this trunk upstairs. " Tho man
carried tho trunk up stairs and came down ,
and then the young man gave him a quarter ;
of a dollar which was marked and instead
af being twenty-five cents it was "worth ;
only twenty cents. Then the young man ]
gave his card to the laborer and said , "You •
take this up to Governor Grimes ; I want to
see him. " "Ah , " said the laborer , "I am
Governor Grimes. " "Oh , " said tho young
man , "you I excuse me. " Then the
poyernorsaid : "I was much impressed by
tho letter you wrote me asking for a certain
office in my gift , and I had made up my •
mind you should have it ; but a young man
who will cheat a laborer out of five cents
would swindle tho government of the state
if he got his hands on it I don't want you.
Good morning , sir. " It never pays. Neither
In this world nor in tho world to come will 1
itpay. . , ,
I do not suppose there over was a better
specimen of honesty than was found in tho
Duko of Wellington. Ho marched with his
army over tho JPrench frontier , and the
army was 6ufTering , and ho hardly knew
how to get along. Plenty of plunder all
about , but he commanded none of tho plunder
' '
' '
i - ' 1
. '
* ' - - '
v
to-bo taken. He writes homo tnews remark
able words : "Wo aro overwhelmed with
debts , and I can scarcely stir out of my
house on account of public creditors , wnit-
ing-to demand what is duo to them. " Yet
at that very time tho French peasantry
were bringing their valuablos to him
to keep. A celebrated writer says of
tho transaction : "Nothing can bo grander
or more nobly original than this admission.
This old soldier , after thirty years' service ,
this iron man and victorious general , estab
lished in an enemy's country at tho head of
an immense army is afraid of his creditors !
This is a kind of fear that has seldom
troubled conquerors and invaders , and I
doubt if tho unnals of war present any
thing comparable to its sublime simplicity. "
Oh ! is it not high tlmo that wo preached
the morals of the Gospel ? Mr. Froudo , the
celebrated English historian , has written of
his own country these remarkable words :
"From tho great house in tho city of Lon
don to tho village grocer , tho commercial
life of England has been saturated with
fraud. So deep has it gone that a strictly
honest tradeaman can hardly hold his ground
against competition. You can no longer
trust that any article you buy is tho thing it
pretends to be. Wo have false weights ,
false measures , cheating and shoddy every
where. And yet the clergy have seen all
this grow up in absolute indifference. Many
hundreds of sermons have I heard in Eng
land , many a dissertation on tho lnysteriis
of the faith , on tho divine mission of tho
clergy , on bishops and justification , and the
theory of good works , and verbal inspira
tion , and tho efficacy of the sacraments ;
but during all theso thirty wonderful years ,
never ono that I can recollect on common
honesty. "
Now , that may dc an exaggerated state
ment of things in England , but I am very
certain that in all parts of the earth wo
need to preach tho moralities of tho Gospel
right along beside the faith of tho Gospel.
My hearor ! What aro you doing with
that fraudulent document in your pocket *
My other hearer ! How are you getting
along with that wicked scheme you have
now on foot ? Is that a "pool ticket" you
have in your pocket ? Why , O young man ,
were you last night practicing in copying
your employer's signature ? Where were
you last night ? Are your habits as good as
when you left your father's house * You
had a Christian ancestry , perhaps , and you
have had too many prayers spent on you to
go cvorboard.
Dr. Livingstone , tho famous explorer , was
descending' from the Highlanders , and ho
said that one of his ancestors , ono of the
Highlanders , one day called his family
around him. The Highlander was dying ;
he had his children around his death bed.
He said : "Now , my lads , I havo looked all
through our history as far back as I can
find it , and I have never found a dishonest
man in all the line , and I want you to under
stand you inherit good blood. You have no
excuse for doing wrong. My lads , be hon- \
est. "
Ah , my friends , be honest before God , be
honest before your fellow men , be honest '
before your soul. If there be those here 1
who have wandered away , come back , come 1
home , come now , one and all , not one ex
ception in all the assemblage , come into the I
kingdom of God. Come back on the right j
track. The door of mercy is open and the 1
infinite heart is full of compassion. Come
homo ! Come homo ! Oh , I will be well sat- I
isfied if I could save some young man this 1
morning , some young man that has been 1
going astray and would like to get back.
I am glad some one has set to music that 1
scene in August of ISS1 , when a young girl , -
saved from death a whole rail train of pass1 1
engers. Some of you remember tnat out
west , in. that year on a stormy night , a hur
ricane blew down part of a railroad bridge. 1
A freight train came alqng and it crashed ; 1
into the ruin , and the engineer and conduc
tor perished. There was a girl living in hcr
father's cabin near the disaster , and sh. * (
heard the crash of the freight train , and sh r
knew that In a few moments- express-
tiain was due. She lighted a lantern and
clambereduponthebeam. of the wrecked i
bridge on to tho main bridge , which , was- |
trestle work , and started to-cross amid tho- .
thunder and'the lightning of ; the temoest '
and the racing of the torrent beneath. I
One misstep and it would have been-
ieath. Amid all that horror the- ,
lantern , went out. Crawling some- '
times and sometimeswalking * overI I
the slippery rails and over the trestle work , J
3be came to the other side of the river. She-
wanted to get to tho telegraph station , where '
the express train did not stOD , so that thei
ianger might be telegraphed to tho station- {
ivhere the train did stop. The train , was
lue infive minutes. She was one mile off c
from the telegraph station , but fortunately
the-train was-late. With cut and bruised c
feet she flew like thewind. . Coming up to-
; he telegraph station , panting with almost \
leathly exhaustions shehad only strength I
jo shout , "The bridge is down , " whem she
Iropped unconscious and could hardly be j
resuscitated. The-message was sent from l
; hat station to the next station and the train I
lalted , and that nierht that brave girl , saved \
; he lives of hundreds of passengers , and-
saved many homes from desolation. '
But every street is a track , andt every li
style of business-is a track , and every day \
s a track , and every night is a track , , and r
nultitudes under thepower of temptation , " -
some sweeping ont and sweeping down toV
, vard perils raging and terrific. God help f
is to go out and stop the train. Let us ; j
; hrow some signat Let us give some warnJ \ J
iig. By the throne of God let us flash somaI I
nnuence to stop , the downward progress , t
3eware ! Beware ! The bridge is down , the
and the of God v
: hasm is deep lightnings
set all the nighfc of sin on fire with this-
varning : "He * , that being oftenreproved , , t
lardeneth his neckr shall suddenly be de- . *
stroyed , and that without remedy. "
1 1-
Flies and Wolves.
When visiting a friend liist summer-
le called my attention toa curious
jlan for preventing : the pJaguo of flies
ji his house. The upper sash of ono
*
) f the windows in his sitting-room be-
ngopen for ventilation , , there was sus-
Dended outside a piece of commoa
ishing-net My Mead told me that *
iota Ily would venture to pass through 1
, t. He has watched , for an hour at a f
; ime and seen swarms fly towithin a " 1
ew inches of the net , and then * after
juzzing about fqra little , depart * He I
'
; old me the flies would pass through I
; he net if there was a thorough light '
, hat is , another window in the oppo- }
site wall. Though the day was very i
varrn , I did not see a single fly in the t
* oom during my visit , though elsej
vhere in the town they were to be seen g
n abundance. I suppose they im-
igine the net to ha a spider's web , or {
some other trap intended for their v
lestmction. r
My friend mentioned the curioua .
" act that in Russia no wolves will pas3 *
inder telegrapli wires , and that the
government are utilizing this valuable .
liscovery and already clearirijp ; dis- \
tricts of the country from thesejbrutes. |
*
Notes and Queries. lr
A Missing King. l
Whatever has become of the handl l
kerchief ring ? Of course you remem
ber them when they were all the go.
rhere was a plain gold ring , made to
fit the finger ; then a fine gold chain , =
md at tho end a larger and more fancy j
ring with an opening in it like a brace- j
let , and one or two delicate and sharp
jpikes to hold the handkerchief. J
y/ears ago no lady's toilet was complete. '
without a handkerchief ring now one J
is ever seen. In the good old days of (
tho dollar stores no list of wedding 1
presents was complete without a handj j
kerchief ring for tho bride. Whatever r
became of them ? Can any one tell ? ]
Chicago Herald. <
• g
A Good Investment. 1
"How much did you pay for your < \
horse ? " was lately asked of a Detroiter <
who lately made au investment in Ken- ]
tucky. ]
"Nothing , " was the answer. "I paid ]
$50 each for six gait3 and they threw in
the horse. I wouldn't take $2,000 for "
him , either. "
"Why not ? " ,
"Oh I've ridden him once and I count- , '
ed forty-two distinct gaits. " Detroit
Free Press.
r
1 Man ef Muscle Has fun With IHg
Gripsacks ; [
Not long" ago a drummer for u St. '
Louis hurdwure house started out.
He wns a giant in strength. He had
iwo strong grips ( or handbngs )
made , and in them lie put iron Ham-
pies weighing about 185 pounds in
ach. He would alight "from a train
• vith his two innocent-looking grips ,
md the hotel porter would mako a
rush for him.
• " 'Itight this way for the Hardcaso
House. Carry the grips up to the
hotel , boss ? "
"Yes , " Smith would say ( his name
I wns Smith ) . He would. and the two
jrips to that porter , and Jet go ns
soon as he saw the unsuspecting-
tim had hold of them. Then there
ivould be a wild flourish of feet , u
loud crash , and the porter would go
down as though he had been shot.
"What in thunder are you throw
ing my grips around in that manner
for'r Smith would yell as if mad.
The porter would jump up , think
ing he had stumbled , apologize and
make a grab at thegrips. Then he
would pull away , and his eyes would
loll out , and he would strain until his
suspender straps would break , and
lie then would' say : "B-b-boss ! what
are these things ? I can't lift 'em ! "
Smith would take tiold of them
lightly , gently lift them up , and say :
' • Oh , it you ow't want to carry
them I'll go to the other hotel. "
Then calling the1 other porter he
would give them1 tohim. . Of course
the other fellow would take hold of
them with a smileand firm grip ,
only to go down on-the platform in
defeat with a thumpThen he would
rise , look at the gripj.gaze at Smith
awhile , then leave muttering some
thing about voodooismi. Smith
would then throw themint © a wagon
and go up to a hotel.
At the door hewould'call ' abellboy ; ,
and as he pushed his way through
bhe crowd he would lm idi tbem to
bhe poor , overworked boy , , and the
crowd would be astonished" to see
liim go down with those' grips , the
( all making a. noise that sounded like
re Freight train wreck , and shook the
lioiise. Smith would pick then-nap
Inmself , and remark to the > landlord
bh t it was a shame to overwork his
lielpfn any such manner , and he
vo ld ! then walk toward the register ,
tndithe landlord would rasliTupto
liim and say ,
"Why , them boys are lazy. . Here ,
ive-meyour grip , sir , " and.he-would
jaike-them.
Of course , Smith's remarks ; at
tracted al ! eres , and as the landlord-
jotai good hold of the handles , Smith
vouidl let ' . The
go suddenl3' specfra > -
: ors would be astonished to see-the
andlord's back suddenly hump/itself
ike acat on a back fence , . his eyes-
julge-out out like marbles on'ai muil
vail : , and then see him fall full length )
jetween those grip with a era sin that
n-Qughtr people out across theway. .
ELawould get up slowly , rub his backr
valk : around the grips and : then. ga <
md1 swear , as Smith would ! take-
; hemiurjnand put them oniths-counifr-
> r : .
Tliem the fan would begihi. The-
ilerk grabbed one of them to setrit
) ff. the-counter , and it wouldn't move-
3e-looked astonished , and then , spit :
) n. 'his-hands and tried to lift it.as
lis face-turned red and knots swelled
lpon Msforehead. . But tliatgrip-
vouldh/t move. Then allithe-Gnowdi
vould : try their hand , and finally all
iweaiv ft * was some trick. Smith' ;
vouidi then lift it off'gently , audi
isked them what ailed themThis
vouidi make the crowd feel his-arms ,
md.they found outthey hadimuscles
ike'cocoanuts for size andi rocks for
lardness. Then it dawnedion , them
ihaitr Smith had heavy grigs ; feea
iell.aiid they were correct ? . .
That was the way Smitlb acrver-
iised his house , and ifr was .a * success ,
> oDx. Chicago Herald : .
The Battle of The Futxire.
Lord Wolseley's picture-of the bat"
iteof the future in. his ; re view ot Col-
snel Maurice's article on , war is re-
aarkable chiefly because-of the eon-
idence Avith whiclii he-relies upon the
xamination of noise : " ta.eremark-
ible change will ! "be- theabsence o *
learly all terrific noise wiucb. the dis
charge of 500 os 600 field guns and
; he roar of musketry saused in all
jreat battles. Weshall have
jractically no , smoketo mark the
Dosition of the enemy s-batteries and
: roops in action. . .The sennd of can-
ion will be slijrht and : will no longer
ndicate to distant troops where
iheir comrades : areengaged or the
joint upon which they should con
sequently marclK } > What with
smokeless powder and noiseless
irtillery all our old ideas of battle
vill be revolutionized. But is it not
) ossible that now and then , at the
jroper psvchological moment , a
: ommander who suddenly served
> nt some of the genuine old roar-
ng kind of powder might
lo more by the sudden out-
> reak of the battle thunder to de-
noralize the enemy than by tho un-
naskingof a whole pork of artil-
ery ? Pall Mall Gazette.
i 0-
iYho can Beat This Octogenarian !
The recent publication of a list of
smart centenarianslivinginnorthern
STew York brings out a novel chal-
enge from Col. A. D. Newman of
iledwood , a town in which the in
habitants are blessed with perennial
fouth. Col. Newman is now 82 years
jf age , and he offers to match any
nan of his age in the state in the
lerformance of the following namely :
JDo walk from the Redwood opera
louse to his wood lot , one and one-
junrter miles distant , and there cut ,
split and pile one cord of four-foot
ivood from the standing timber ; then
ivalk back to the opera house and
ilance five of the most difficult figures
known to people in this section , fin
ishing up the last dance by jumping
up and striking the feet together
twice before again touching the floor.
A. purse of § 50 and all the gate
money awaits the man who performs
this feat more quickly and graceful
ly than the colonel , and the only
provision is that he be of equal age.
New York Sun.
*
- - v * ' - -
. .
AN AfD 70 MEMORY.
, rWhilc you're In the city , Jfed ,
Won't you buy somo 80 Shread ? "
Phyllis asks , and whilffl linger ,
Taking that which in tho dale
, Of him who wins tho bread for two.
Sho tics some thread urcrand my finger ,
Adding , "dear , lest you forget ,
I'll teach you memory's alphabet
"First , the thread suggests a string ;
Any string may bo a measure ;
Wo'll say a yard tho very thing-
Remembering that * 5vlll bonplcasuro ;
A grassy yard ( what's In a name ? )
Will mako yon think of lawn with eas .
And lawn and muslin are tho same.
And muslin's cotton , if you please
JWow cotton wound , as I opine ,
Is nothing , after all but thread ,
And 50 is your ago and mine
I'm sure you , can't forget It , Ned. "
I answer her as best I may ,
But now within tho shop I linger ;
"What in tho dickens did she say
About the string around my finger.
Harper's 13uzar.
OUR JROBiN.
CHAPTER I.
"My dear Blanche , had yov ? sot bet
ter put off the writing of that letter
until to-morrow ? "
I turn my eyes from a longcontem
plation of the never ceasingraini , stop
nibblingthe end of my penholder ; , and
answer energetically
• 'Decidedly not. The sooner it goes
the-better. I shall havo no rest until
I g-et Robin/s-answer. "
"But , my love , the letter seems-to-
be suchani uncommonly difficult ono-
to writOi1T pursuesmy aunt , with most
provoking : honesty , "You have been-
sittinginfront of tiiat devonport for
tho last half houvT consultingher
watch "and. I d'onit think you havo
begun it yet. "
"You aro rightmost observant of
aunts , 'T answer ; slightly coloring as I
dip my pen forabout tlie twentieth
time into 'the ink. . " 2 wasonly think
ing what a' change- wouid make in
our lives iff I ! oould > indue © Bobin to
come. "
"You aro too'much given ; to dream
ing , my love , " rejoinsami * Louisa
placidly. ' > . > .
There is no1 ' denying-the-fact thus
crushingly stated. . My. nature is
apathetic. I' ' haveam unfortunate
habit of sitting for hours-together do
ing nothing absolutely nothingbut
dreaming , as my aunt terms it. Yet
on occasion I cambc even , more ensr-
getic and speedy than most' people ,
particularly when istung.ihto'action ' by
any allusion to my pet weakness. On
the present occasion I. shake af the
idleness which has beemrenderingrmy
wits so dull and dash * boldly into my
letter. On , on flies my pen , ' with never
a moment for thought asto > thecor
rect formation ofsentences onv on ,
till five sheets are blackened. witEs my
untidy caligraphy.
"There ! " I exclaim , pushing ? 3xiek
my chair from the devonport as I
stamp the envelope. - "Ican ; * get
through work as fast as anybody. ; , you
see , when I set about it. I shave writ
ten five sheets in
five-and-twentysmn-
utes. "
Aunt Louisa smiles. an.i inuiient
smile.
"I allow , my dear , , that : yoursquill
pen , once set in motion , is a-forasid-
able little instrument : . It makes a
great , and to my ears , . ratherr irritat
ing noise , uses a vast amounts of ink ,
and wastes a quarter ofacquire - of
paper , over a letter that , if I'were-
write it , would aboutfill' ! three Ti } g.cs.
I wonder why girls nowadajv } are
taught to write like men- ' "
"The of the " " 3
progress timesy re
turn , laughing. "You know , auntie ,
people had to write as if a spider Isad
crawled over the paper in 1 your days ,
because the postage was -lieair/J *
Aunt Louisa makes no - answeronly
tho "click , click , " of her knitting
needles is heard , which • is invery
truth as irritating to-me as the-scratch
of my quill pen cambe to hsr. . Sho
has been engaged onia.shelUp&tter-ned
quilt for thepast six months * and ii
seems to the uninitiated eye to be still
in the days of its infancy. After
watching her active-fingers for-a few
moments , I ! leavethed6venpoirt and
hunt up my own work , a cruel anti
macassar. Truth to tell , it is just
about as interminable-as-AuntlLouisa's
quilt. The only notabledifference in
our progress is this as-a rm , I sit
with mywork in my lap , rarely mak
ing a stitch , and it does not get finish
ed ; aunt Louisa * , ont thecontrary ,
works as indefatigably as any bee , he ?
fingers never weary for a moment ; and
yet thequilt apparently never gets
bigger. . This is incomprehensible to a
thinking mindJ. I' ami searching
among my wool for- necessary shade
of piak , whenAunt Louisa asks ab
ruptly
"Bo you think Miss TTo-lstencroft
will' ' come ? "
-Yes , " I answer a trifledoubtfully
- "that is , I hope she-will jand. I don't
see any reason why sheshould not.
TJTa were great friends at school. "
My aunt heaves a faint sigh.
"You know , dear cMl'd , " she says in
her gentlevoice , , "that I am always
pleased withanything that gives you
pleasure , and I dare say you particu
larly feel theneed of a young com- !
panion just now. . Of course yours has
been till lately rather an isolated life. .
At the sametime , from the description
jou have given me of your friend , . I'
imagine that she is hardly the kind of
girlto accommodate herself to our quiet
rrays. "
"Of courso she won't ! " I answer ,
laughing. "Bobin is just as full of
life and spirits as we are dull and de
pressed. Why , auntie dear , she will
zome like a fresh March wind into thc-
house , and brace us all up into a state
of activity ! "
"For my own part , I dislike th
] V5.rch wind , " replies aunt Louisa ,
with " a shiver ; "and I don't think I
appreciate restless over-energetic
aatures. "
"Yet you blame me for being lethar
gic , " I say slyly.
"There is a happy medium in all
things , " remarks aunt sagely. "A
3roung girl should strive to be cheer
ful , but not hilarious , witty , but never
vulgar , active , but not restless. "
"But wouldn't the world become a
little monotonous , auntie , if all girls
were after the same pattern ? " I query
a little mischieviously.
"I don't think there is much fear of
monotony in the present day , " returns
my aunt , with just tho faintest touch
of satire in her tones. "Girls now
have more individuality than is con \
sifltent with my idea of propriety. "
"You havo just hit on therord ,
auatifl , ' 11 say , lojjgiinjj "mdixi uaA
. . . . . . ,
,
- - ' ' " ' ' ' ' - " - " T ' - - < miij > j 'Vr.i1" ' " .t m.i ii B.ti.iJ -
* - " wra | WSWJ * „ ---i . w < ri .i.i- i. . j , 11 : } . . . .
\
' ity. YeiTlbchavd it * aaKobin'a *
dividunllty that rendered her such *
favorite at school. Sho was not in tho
least liko other girls , ; but always so
cheery and full of Bpirlts that sho got
tho namo of Bobin I appose because
a robin is the best-loved and most
spirited of our English out-of-door
pots. "
"I am afraid sho will And it very
dull , " mnses aunt Louisa doubtfplly ;
"wo havo so IHtle to offer ber-in tho
shape of gaiety , "
"Well , I have not succeeded in mak
ing you understand her character in
the very least , " I ssy , with a despair
ing shako of my head. "Bobin do
lights in country life. I don't think
she cares a pin for'society. "
• Still she will .want somo amuse : ,
ment. "
"Bobin in want of amusement ! " I
[ answer , raising my eyebrows. "No ,
i I can't fancy that. I think she is too
' light-hearted to feel dull , evon if sho
were stranded , like Kobinscwa Crusoo ,
on a desert island. Sho used to bo
first and foremost in alt the fun at
school. I think I never knew such a
hand-at j ctical jokes. "
"Practical jokes ! " repeatsaunt
Louisa- uneasily. "That is most unfor
tunate.I Icacw a poor bos * whohad
his spine-injured for lifo by having his
chair-pulled1 awny when ho was-gB'ing
to sit dbv/n - and ! another who'caught
rheumaticfever by finding a * wet
sponge-in his-lcuV
I burst - ssIqkjj and merry * fife © f
j laughter :
; "Oh , auntie ; " " 1 cry , whon my motr-
rfiment hus siabsiitSed , "of conte *
sho wottlU' not play such tricks as *
those whyyou must picturo her'iv
regular monkey ! ' 3 wiSl guarantee she *
shsill leaveifio bedb-and chairs alono ; " '
Aunt looks relHiverll , though slio-
seems scarcely tb-appreciatomy laugh-
tor. I am' anticipating somothing in
tho shape stf a < reprimand , when th' © '
door opensand - my. brother John en
ters tho room *
Ho is a young muinofsux-and-twenty
tall , and ! slightlybuilt , with a high 1
thoughtful foreheadandbig unfathom
able gray eyeslib is-voiy only brother
and I love himnvith'a Sibd of enthusi
astic warships II look up to him also
with a species af reverence , as being
tho impersonation of cleverness. Most
of his timeis spentih'his'stndy , adsirk
little den' surrounded * by fteavy book
shelves. "Wh'er not occupied in resid
ing or writing , hcis- greater dream
er even than I uxzi mysolf. . Occasion
ally I havehat shout'qadto into his
esir , to make-him-understand that his
meals are waiting. libwears his
hair rather longand is inclined to bo
neglectful of his-aypesiranccr.
Entering the room 'now , - ho saunters
idly about , fingering the ozcaments on
the various-tables-is 1 an-absent man
ner ; finally ho'-worHs ronnJB to Avherc
we are sittingand > } Sakingiip my bun- ,
die of wools , begins to play with them , ' .
idly twisting themiir andlout between
his strong brownfingers. . .
"Is it anyw-herctfabout' thahour for
tea ? " he questions-in , a'voice-which is
deep , sonorous , and a-triflo-sad.
I answer in affirmative ; and , fold- •
ing up my work , beghz tocEsit. . It is
so very seldomthat' Joliis is to be
caught in a converssitional mood that
I never neglect to" sivniiJnrjself of tho
occasion when such is-the oa& & . .
Presently the tea arrives , brought in
by our one man-servant ; Robert. After
setting the tray on the small wicker '
tea-table to his satisfaotibKi.h'e is about
(
to withdraw , when > I ! remember my j
letter , and tell hint ) to > see that it is
placed in the bag. . ,
"A truly feminine budget , . " remarks ,
John sarcastically , sis liis eye lights on 1
a well-filled envelope.
"Yes , " answers sumia Louissi , with
more than usual alacrity"I have ,
just been giving Blanche- lecture on ,
her waste of paper ? : but I sS&ubt if she
will benefit by it ! " .
" 'Tis goo&ifor-trada , - " " 1 interposo .
oracularly. "Besides , auntie , if wa .
both set about keeping- account of
our stationery , . I think yours would .
make mine look very small at the end ,
of the year. Youwrito-toreo or four 1
letters every day , , and , as a rule , I
don't get througHsone ai week ! "
Aunt Louisa ilaughs. S se is so gen
uinely good-natured ; notwithstsmding
her pet crotchets , that she never minds ,
being worsted , in.an argument.
"If my invitation , is accepted , " I
pursue , nodding • irsi auntie's direction , ,
"I probably. sha'nfc wrin © another let- ,
ter this month * ? '
John looks up quickly.from the strong . ;
cup of teaihe-is stirrings E
"Youn invitation ? " he says inter- "
rogatively. j
"Yes ; don'tzyou rems-mber I asked !
you about it a few. days since ? " i
"I cannot say that I have any clear
recolleetionjof yourtelling me anything -
of tho-sor.t > . " he acswers , slowly , a
slight frown puckeriarg his forehead. •
"What a wretched memory you. . [
have ! " I exclaim , with some pity. "I ,
certainly told ; you : that I was going , to :
ask my dearest s 2iool-friend , Bobin , .
down to-stay fora month. " r '
' 0& don * * doubt that you told me ; but- \
I could not have "been listening : at tho
time > . " replied John.
This-explanation is so very probable
that I dc > not argue the point any fur
ther ;
"Blanche , are you determined to. .
poison me ? " asks aunt Louisa at this
moment in pathetic tones , and handing
mo-back her cup of tea untouched.
I have been so frequently askodthe ( )
same question that I merely shakemy *
head in mild dissent , pour out two- , .
thirds of the cup in the-slop-baso * and I
fill up the void with wsster.
"That is better , " remarked my aunt , -
with satisfaction ; aadthen sheadd3 - ,
eream and sugar to her tasteless por ;
tion with a liberal hand.'You two ,
have spoilt your nerves already with
tea-drinking , " she continues , after a
sip of the pale fluid. .
John's eyes and minomeet in a
glance of sympathy. "Wboth drink
our tea black , strong , ik > sugar , and s
only a taste of cream.
"Tea is a very strong stimulant , " .
pursues aunt Louise solemnly. "lam .
not at all sure that it is not intoxicate
ing. I think there ought to be a leagu * v
against excessive tea-drinking , as thero
is against beer and spirits. " , j.
"A ladies' tea-loague , " laughs John ;
and his usually sad eyes light up with
such a genuine gleam of fun that I
just clasp my hand in my lap and sta-s. *
ai him.
It is so seldom , so very seldom , that
John smilcB ; and when he does } us \
smile is something worth watching. •
know woll enough why he is haMtual ,
lywrapPQd as in a cloak of sa nc
- * - - ; - - > 1 > _ ' / ,
v „ | j | | | [
%
' ' - " 'lis
f. -3f- .
and aunt Lot/hm knows too wo hav § > % :
both tlono our 1 > e t to holp and cheet .
him hi his trouble } but. apparently , ; r |
o cannot havo s'Ct about It in the g
rht way , ' for" wo have ? .not succeeded. , : *
Ju two yenrrf sinco , Jblralosthl * love. '
' Hot' death waa not oven natural. It
camo upon v $ suddenly and with an
awful shock. In tho midst ai a scene
of gaiety , with a rippling laugh on * fk
lips and tho * impress of health and
strongth in ovory limb , tho treacher
"
ous ico opened , and tho crxwl cold"
waters sucked her down tohor grave. p
John was not n' tho pond at tho tima. ' - 'y
If ho had been ho would not bo sfSting ? j
opposite to monow ; ho would olShef fl
feave rescued &eror ; died in tho at- ij
tempt. a
Ther tragedy caused' ' a commotion Ik | 1
the neighborhood , and1 many tears * fl
wero-shed over Luey's untimely end ? . JJ
yet I never saw Jolm weep , though hlr
heart was almost broken.- II
Ho stood besido tho open gravo ana fl
listened' tothe funeral service with no fl
moro emotion depicted ! on hfo features | |
Chan ns if he had boon astattwj then -1
t
3o placed' ' a fair white'lily oa tho ) |
v0ffln-li < 5 , and , turning , walked1 quickly ' 1
from'tho-spot. 'I
"Ho's got no moro 'art nor a 2vill- 1
stc-no ! " I heard a poor woiaan exclaim 1
bitterly , as-sho watched his departing , - 1
figure' with1 evidont contempt and *
such doubtlesswas tho goneral opinion v 1
in tlie * neighborhood. Only thoseofi M
his own'household ' know howfor hours fl
and hours hosougEit tho solitudb'of'hibM '
gloomy littlo 3tudyr sitting far into tho fl
night engrossed literaturo of a'dan- fl
gerous , . unwholesome , yet most * fascb- jfl
nating type. M
WhomI uso tSo-wodd unwholosomo , . jfl
1 do not mean that John indulged- > jfl
iW and ooarso vrorks- fiction ; limVhe'
rsad those authorswho , by reason o ) ' M
dbop thinking , orooked reasoninganc' fl
an ovorwK hning'faith ; in thoir own infl
faiQibility , havo xbst all faith inthefl
traditions of theJl < - fbrofathors , and fl
hsive struck out'a'now path across th jfl
desert of lif § . - - fl
la tho early day3 wo-almost trembledfl <
forlHs reasonJ . fl
"My dear Blancho- ; John is not' • * fl
roused he wifl go molancholly mad , " fl
auntie informed-mo oneevening whon > fl
we were passing up-stnins at ton o'clockfl
and sKb pointed dejectedly to his studyfl
door.firom ; beneath whicli there issued • fl
a steady light. H
On the impulse of tlie-momont , I ran _ fl
back as3 tapped at tHo door ; then my fl
hoart almost stood stilllwath a kind of fl
fear there wsis nothing. John hated so : fl
much'ii3.being dubnrbedih ; his studies. H
My first summons did not arouso him ; jfl
so , gathering courage from the silence Jfl
within , I knockedUigain. . Then came S
an impatient exclamation , tho door fl
was hsilff opened , and'Jo&n stood be- jH
forer-morlocking cold and Lard. |
"John , " I faltered , " < 3o shut up B
your books and go tO'bodI am sure it M
is verybsidforyouiBt ppingupsolatc. " |
A ssitiricsd Smile pls\yedl around his - M
lips , and , bendingthYough the open H
doorway , hkissed molightly on the fl
forehead. . fl
"Go-to bed yourself , littJo woman , " fl
ho said , iniiiis low'gentle voice. jfl
Tho unusual carcjs for we ara jfl
neither of usof a gushisg natm-o jfl
disarmed mov : . jfl
"Oh , Joh = i > " I cri-od , bursting bodily H
into his'Sanctum , and shutting the fl
door , lestanyyof - et-servantsshould be M
passing , "you-must give-up reading so M
muchiridee&iyou must ! Aunt Louisa fl
says youwiliigo matrlif you persist in M
shutting yourself up alone ; " fl
"Only one of her crntchots , Blanche , " fl
he answered wearily , drawing his fl
hand acrosshis forehead but there < fl
was no reassuring smilo m his grave M
eyes. "I should ho far-more likely to fl
go mad-if I d 5Ljnot.rcs.dillsrd , " he con- H
tinued meditatively , "for in that case M
I should not sleep.- " fl
Thon hb.dismissed- ; and I knew M
fchsit'I had es > - influenceover him. It , M
was in no very , cheerfullframe of mind M
that si-mounted , thostairs that eve- H
ling. Aunt Louisaihod informed me • fl
that John vrould go mad ! if he did read , . | |
ind he had declared that the like ca- . H
iastrophO"wuld take pJace if ho did , H
lot read itwas a.dismal prospect fon / H
However-time ; aod fortunately fl
10 change assailed'ourqaiet household " . - 1
jraduailjy John.absmdoned his nighfefl
vatches gradually h& sissumed some H
) f. his old habits ; but Ids interest in H
ife flickered : feebly. Nothing vexed - ' ' ' I
iim ; nothnlg pleased ) Jaim. H
Butenough of poor John's early 1 1
roublO suflico-ifctoisay that the cloud H
still hangs ov&nus as we sit sipping ' |
> ur toa arouud' ' thecheery firelight. ' 1
My brotherisdreamy and thoughtful. j |
S" atuxdoes not-seem to have endowed H
limwiths sufficiont energy to riseout ' 1 1
sf his troublfc. . Haiving been knocked ' |
lown.by fsit-3 homakes no effort to ' |
tiok himself up again. As tho twilight ? |
loepons , silencecreeps down upon us i H
iko-a sombremnxile. . I am.tlbc first f l
o break tilospeH' - < H
"Ugh , ; * " I exclaim suddenly , and ' |
adth.a-fiorce-touji-h of impatience , "we i H
ire as sinnt as the witches- Mac- ij H
"Tho-witches were not silcnS , " cor- ! |
rocts John , , psissing me his.empty cup. j B
"Ah. , no 1 remember they stirredi 1 1
lp.ali kinds of horrors ina pot for- t H
Jie-purposecif raising ghosis didn't : . |
John noiis assent. i H
• AVelL they had mare Gaergy than |
ve have , any way. I believe we are fl
jotting duller and d-jllor © very day ia |
ii > e home circle , " gla&eing round l H
yith a sigh. "However , xhere is hope |
n the distance ; ' Bobinwill be ! lere fl
text week. " J J
lfcIs 3he so vary sprightly ? " asks M
rohn ; and I fxney there is a little t fl
neer on his lips. . fl
• ' Yes , indeed ; she is like si tein of | f |
[ uieksilver foreveic on the move. * 5 H
"I only hope w.eshall not find her- { M
00 lively , " interpcees aunt Louisa. M
"I trust jou will keep her out ot - 1
ny study , * " * adds John , with a slight : fl
hudder. : fl
"I can't proiaise anything so utterly " ! 1
mprohable , " I say , with a wish to. f fl
ease. "Robins , you know , hop in j |
sverywherei. always being sure of a 1
velcome. " 1
"I have ' 1 , ti H
a stout key , answered John ,
n co way put out. ' fl
( to be continued. * ) > H
Black veils covered with heavy black i l
spots are worn , hanging Ioojo from the fl
xont of the hat. H
Tho practice of bleaching tho hair to a ' H
) olo yellow color is gaining ground in New i H
tfoi-k. H
Silk stockings of a shining bronze color H
ire the moat stylish. J H
be Toscsi stickgains favor alowly. |
> ! fl