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About The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 27, 1895)
- - - - - - - - - - 7------ - - - - - ---1ir- f l ' C . ) A i I1 9 t . I f 'p .L nl , G INTERNATIONAL PRE55A335CCIAT/0N 1 BY PERMISSION Of ' ' flND.1 1/ALLY & CD. . CHAPTER .YIL-lCoxTINuru ) . But when the 2d anu d of May had come and gone and s:11i not a speck was visible upon the vast expanse of ocean around them , he took a more serious view of the matter , and thought it his duty to speak about it. "Johnstone , " he said , when trie others hat ] retired for the night , "have you taken your bearings today Do you know where we are ? " - "Yes , sir ; within an easy day's sail l of the island. " "Then we shall have been twelve days coming a thousand miles. How's that ? " The other was silent. ' "I told you , " Dick continued , "that.I should hold you answerable : now I give . you warning that I'm not satisfied so fat : " F , "I'll warrant you'll be satisfied enough by this time tomorrow , " grumbled Johnstone , in a low voice. Estcourt turned away , pretending not to hear this remark , which , however , - in the sense in which he took it , struck . , 1)inr as being a just enough retort , That night the wind rose again , and ! the sky next morning was once more completely overcast ; about noon wet squalls began to strike the ship. When the rain ceased for a time , toe - e ward sunset , Johnstone came down to the saloon to tell them that the island was in sight. Dick and Camilla went up together on deck. "There , " he cried , as lie stepped from the main hatch , "she's on the larboard bow. I knew the fellow had gone wide of his course. " And In fact the Island , which should have lain before them to the right , was - visible just upon the lefthand side of the line of the bowsprit. Camilla scarcely heard his exclama- . She was standing motionless , with one hand on the capstan to support - port herself , gazing aloft at a small flock of birds that were wheeling swiftly - ly round and round the topmasts. Dick turned to speak to her , and star ted - ed to see the look of bewilderment upon her face. He followed her glance up- 4' ward , and was even more amazed. . Helena ! " he murmured "Great ' y 4 7 , heaven ! what can this mean ? ' , And lie 1 J ran downstairs to find Johnstone , shout- ' in ; : ; for him by his name. j The voice of M. de Montaut answered . hIm from the captain's cabin ; the door was ajar , and he steppeu hastily in. On one side stood Johnstone and the colonel , on the other side lay the cap- I , , taln's berth ; it was empty. "Where is Worsley ? " he cried , in hest' astonishment. - Johnstone laughed ; the colonel held : up his hand to rebuke him. - "What does all this mean ? " Dick ex- . claimed. "We are at St. Helena ! " "My dear Estcourt , " saidthe colonel , "I have long owed you an explanation ; : if you will come into the saloon I shall be happy to give it you. " CHAPTER VIII. 1'i . , . ' i I o' _ , j f ° /v v I coif - ' _ _ - : i ' % ICK entered the saloon with an ominous inous foreboding that a struggle was at hand. lI. de Montaut followed close behind him , and after entering locked the door and pat the key in his : pocket. Dick took , no heed of this ac- . Lion. It could not + have been aimed at him , for in strength of body he was easily t e other's supe- rior. rior.They sat down at the table opposite to one another. The colonel looked xedly . into his companion's face. It was essential - sential that he should realize exactly the mood with which he had to deal. Dick fronted him with an unCompromising - , ising frown. rCl1 ! " he said , "your explanation , , sii 'r . ' The colonel took his gravest , air of courtesy- . J t.- - "Some time ago , " he began , "my sis- - - ' ter-in-law and I found ourselves in need of a loyal friend. Chance threw- you h. our way. I esteemed , and she cnthusi- " ' astioally believed in , you. After caret - i { t ful considerati.n I invited you to help iI I us. " . " .And you had your answer , " replied - , Dielt , shortly. "Par the moment , yes ; and a great _ dicappoitment it was. But fortune has now gI eft u another opportunity and _ -we hope to be more successful this time irr persuading you. " "Never ! " said Dick. "Is that all ? " And he rose from his seat as if to close -the conversation. A noise was heard at the door ; Camilla - milla was trying the handle. "Is M. de Montaut there ? " she cried. "I must speak to 'him at once. " "Certainly , " replied the colonel , from within ; "in five minutes' time , if you will excuse us for so long ; we have matters - = , ' ters of importance to discuss. " She turned away toward her own cabin , and he 'began again , inviting 1 ' - Dick with a polite gesture to resume _ his seat at the table. "You may perhaps have overlooked ' - the fact , " he said , "but the situation is entirely changed since your letter of refusal - fusal was written. We were in safety there in London : here , at St. Helena , we are in peril of our lives ; our train is fired , we must abide by the result ; if you fail as now we are ruined. " Dick made an impatient gesture , but he sat on , and his face changed. The colonel pressed his point. _ 'Tor myself , " lie said , " 1 trust I may. afraid I have est - aay that I am not , t - _ - - ti - - . , ; ' 4 - ' ' a r'r T taped from prison more than once , and at the worst I can face death. But the thought of Camila's fate is more than I can hear. " He paused , and then went on in a low , agitated voice : "My friend , " he said , "have you ever seen a French convict-ship ? I have. It is many years ago , but the recollection - tion of those stifling cages and the mass of scarcely human misery huddled behind - hind the bars is a nightmare with mete to this day , " Dick's breath hissed inward - ward through his teeth. "Silence ! " he said , sternly. "Not another - other word , or I strike ! " The colonel did not flinch. "Strike , and welcome , " he replied , "if you think that will save her. " "No , " said Dick , "nothing that I can do will save her ; it would take the sacrifice of my honor , and that I can not offer nor she accept , " "Your honor ? " said the colonel. "Surely it is too late to spear : of that . , now. "Why so ? Why late ? " "Because it has long been compromised - promised beyond retrieving. " "What do you mean ? " " \Iy dear Estcourt , " said the colonel , in his most serious and reasonable tone , s "I see that you don't understand the gravity of your position. Let me put it briefly before you. You will remember that 0110 day in March last I wrote a letter asking you to join in this expedition - tion of ours , and naming a place of rendezvous - dezvous in case of y'-ur assenting to my proposal. You kept that appointment - ment , and were then and there introduced - duced to your fellow-conspirators. " "Nonsense ! " interrupted Dick. "You know I wrote the same evening to explain - plain that mistake. " "indeed ? " replied the colonel , coldly. "It is odd that my servant never brought the note to me. " "No ! " cried Dick , remembering the shadow mr the blind in Bedford Square. "No , but I saw you take It from the let- ter'-box yourself. " "Unfortunately , " said the colonel , "I have rho recollection whatever of doing so. If I ever did It , I feel sure that nothing will recall it to "my mind , and as no one else seems to have known of the existence of the letter , I fear that this part of your argument breaks down for want of corroboration. " "No matter , " retorter Dick , triumphantly - antly ; "I can prove , fur all that , that I never thought of accepting , for I didn't bet your letter- until after- came back from Russell Street. " "Excuse me , " said the colonel , "but your own servant has sworn that you opened it before 11 o'clock that morning - ing , " "Sworn ? My own servant ? To whom ? " "To me. She mentioned the matter ; when I called for you one day before leaving town , and told me that you / had scolded her and quarreled with your I lawyer , Mr. Wickerby , about the seal of the letter , which she is certain you broke yourself. " Dick was silent , and turned in his chair with an angry and impatient movement. He remembered too well the overwhelming manner in which I r. Wickerby had marshaled the evidence - dence against him that afternoon , and was staggered to find how fatal had been his contemptuous disregard of that worthy gentleman's advice. Clearly the battle was going aga ; : . t him here , and he fell back upon his third line of de- fense. "What is the use , " he cried , "of arguing - ing about that ? If the truth were i known , I believe you broke the seal yourself. But what does it matter now ? The best proof that I scorned your treasonable offers is that 1 came away directly afterward on business of another - other kind. " "I see no evidence of that , " replied the colonel ; "you sailed without us , it is true , but you rejoined us at Cape , nerd , and have come with us to St. Helena. " "Not of my own knowledge or free will. I saicd } for -the Cape , as every clerk in the Admiralty knows , and as this letter will show beyond dispute. " And he took from his pocket the paper containing the instructions for his voyage - age and held it up. The colonel did not offer to read it. "I am very much afraid , " he said , "that that letter never saw the inside o _ the admiralty ; and as for hs ; majes- ty's ship Niobe , I know that she is in the Madras roads , sound from stem to stern , with her full complement of officers - ficers and men. " "Look here , " said Dick , with ominous calmness , "let me tell you this. I came here innocent , and I am going back innocent. You have , by shameful ( Ie- ceits and devilish cunning , brought me with you so far , but nothing you say or do or threaten can move me a hairbreadth - breadth farther. Without my help your plot will fail , as you yourself know well. And when you are in Maicolm's hands we'll see whether he'll believe you or me fast. " The colonel did not betray it by so much as the trembling of an eyelid ; but this last stroke of Dick's was a downright - right blow , and might , if not parried , mean the ruin of his whole fabric of ingenious - genious policy. His r , tanner , accordingly - ingly , became lighter and more indif- ferent. "Come , come , my dear Esteourt , " lie said , "you are taking the matter too seriously. I don't think you realize what t is I am asking of you. I don't , of course , expect you to take any responsibility - sibility for our plan , or to do anything which could be censured as a breach of duty or the rules of your service. I only ask you , in the absence of Cap- tamn Worsley , to take command of the Speedwell for twenty-four hours , and bring her to anchor off the island here until tomorrow night. On Sunday I morning we shall be ready to sail again. What we do in the meantime can not be laid to your charge-if , Indeed , it were ever discovered-for you know , nothing of our designs , as we would all bear witness in case of need. " Dick rose. "Colonel de , Montaut , " he said , in a stern , incisive tone , "I have . - x ; ' _ ' r - - . borne' with you so far , and I am ashamed of my own patience. Every 'word you utter Is a fresh Insult , he exclaimed - claimed , with a sudden fury ! in his eyes ; "and if you do not leave mm instantly , before God I will avenge my elf ! " The colonel unlocked the door without a word. With great alacrity he slipped out and locked it again on the other side. As he did so he heard a light footstep hastily retreating. He followed Immediately - diately , and was in time to see the door of Camilla's calIn softly closed. He approached noiselessly , and listened outside - side In his turn. She was sobbing ; and if the colonel had not been somewhat flustered by his late unceremonious dismissal - missal , so keen an observer would have noted that her sobs were the quick , half-laughing utterance of intense re- i lief. But he was not now concerned with Camilla's feelings. He had Est- court yet to conquer , and he went off in search of Johnstone to help him in the struggle. The colonel explained the position to i 'him from beginning to end. "Now , " he said In conclusion , "you see the one thing absolutely necessary. So long as he hopes to clear himself with Malcolm - colm he will defy us. Once let him corn- , mit himself too far for that , and he Is ours body and soul. " "what do you want him to do ? " asked Johnstone. "You give it a name , and I I warrant I'll make 7tim do it" "Yes , " replied the colonel , "I think it is time that you tried your hand now. The game of skill Is up , and we must see what force can do for us. I want him to write a letter to Admiral Malcolm - colm asking for permission to anchor the brig off Jamestown for twenty-four hours. He needn't write the whole letter - ter even. I can do it for him , provided lie signs it. He can't draw back after that. " "That'11 do , " said Johnstone : "I'll see to it , never fear ! " "I'll have the letter ready after sup- per , then , " said the colonel , as he went below ; "and remember that if he refuses - fuses to sign when I ask him , I shall leave him to you at once ; but of course you will avoid taking any irretrievable step until the last possible moment. " "I understand , " answered Johnstone , with a grin ; obstinate as ever he likes , he shan't meet with a fatal accident , not till the guardboat men set foot on board ; after that I can't answer for what may happen. It's a long fall into the hold , and scme folks are so careless - less of themselves. " The brutality of this jest displeased the colonel , who was above all things a man of taste ; but he could not afford just now to be critical of his tools , so lie let it pass without rebuke , and went to order supper. The meal was served to Dick in the saloon , with Johnstone on guard at the door ; to the colonel alone in the cap- tain's room ; Camilla , locked in her own , refused all persuasion to eat or drink. A long time passed , and silence reigned unbroken between the decks of the Speedweli. It was nearly midnight when Camilla at last heard her brother-in-law leave i his cabin and call Johnstone. The two men spoke together for a moment in a low voice and then entered the saloon. Dick started up as they came in ; he I looked tired and grim ; his cheeks were I sunken , and furrowed with lines that told of anger and determination. ! "Perhaps , " said the colonel , "you have I now thought matters over and are pr e- 1 pared to reconsider your decision. I do not wish to be unreasonable , and I am ready to meet you half-way ; all I now ask is that you should demand permission - sion to anchor from your old friend Sir I'ulteney Malcolm. It is a most natural - ral request to make , an'd in fact no more than is really necessary for the safety of the vessel in such weather as this. " Dick kept a scornful silence. TO BE CONTINUED. ) BICYCLE ETIQUTTE. What. Is ltcgaraed as Good farm by ' Ixhsrts on the Sahcct. An authority on bicycle etiquette lays down the following rules : "In mount- I in5 , the gentleman who is accompanyng I a lady holds her wheel ; she stands on I Ii the left side of the machine and puts her i right foot across the frame on the right pedal , which at the time must be up ; pushing the right pedal causes the machine - chine to start and then , with the left foot in place , the rider starts ahead- slowly at , first , in. order to give her cavalier time to mount his wheel , which he will do in the briefest time possible. When the end of the ride is reached the man quickly dismounts and is at his companion's side to assist her , she , in the meantime , assisting her self as much as possible. This is done -that is , dismounting in the most approved - proved style by riding slowly and when the left pedal is on the rise the weight of the body is thrown on it , the right i foot is crossed over the frame of the , machine and with an assisting l'and' ' the rider can easily step to the ground. In meeting a party of cyclists who are known to each other and desire to stop for a i arley , it is considered the prcpor thing for the men of the party to dismount - mount while in conversation wit" ' the ladies. As to the furnishings of the bicycle , to be really- swagger it must be fitted out with a cock and a bell , luggafe carrier and a cyclometer , the latter being an absolute sine qua non to the woman who cares for records. " Fine anti Itufnctl Lawn. The use of fine and ruffled lawn has extended to the skirt and some new models are made to fall open in front over a petticoat of flounced lawn. A voluminous Louis sVI. berufed fiche ! of the same lawn completes a gown that except for the large sleeves would be characteristic of the close-shouldered period. Certain it is that if looseness of bodice and befrillment of skirt i re- vail , there will be a change in sleeve : . For fashion has , after- all , her idea of propcrtion , and she never dictates the swelling of more than one feature of a gown at a time. Malrte Claims the iiorid's Iloo hccod. Tire world's record is claimed by tiie Dingo hose company of Ellswertl' , Maine , which the other day ran 211 yards to the engine house ; then 233 yards with the hose reel , coupled the hose to the hydrant and nozzle to the hose , all in 1:01 : % . t = t , . - - . . v - . . . AZ t i ; SERMON. PETTY ANNOYANCES OF LIFE" THE SUBJECT. Golden Tezt : "Moroovoc the Lord Thy God Will Send the hornet Among Them Until Thom That Hide Them- aelvos from Thee Are Destroyed. " sJn Iyiti l L J ! ASHIN GTON ; D. C , . Dec. 15 , 1895 , -Dr. Talmage today - day chose for his discourse a theme that will appeal to most people , viz. : The petty annoyances - ances of life. It seems as if the InSectHe world were determined to extirpate the human race. It bombards Ithe grain fields and the orchards and the vineyards. The Colorado beetle , the Nebraska grasshopper , the New Jersey locust , the universal potato-bug , seem to carry on the work which was begun ages ago when the insects buzzed out of Noah's Ark as the door was opened. In my text , the hornet files out on its mission. It is a species of wasp , swift In its motion and violent in its sting. Its touch is torture to man or beast. We have all seen the cattle run bellowing under the cut of its lancet. In boyhood we used to stand cautiously looking at the globular nest hung from the tree branch , and while we were looking at the wonderful' covering we were struck with something that sent us shrieking away. The hornet. goes in swarms. It has captains over hundreds - dreds , and twenty of them alighting on one man will produce death. The Persians attempted to conquer a Christian city , but the elephants and the beasts on which the Persians rode were assaulted by the 'hornet , so that the whole army was broken up , and the besieged city was rescued. This burning and noxious insect stung out the Hittites and the Canaanites from ! their country. What gleaming sword and chariot of war could not accomplish was done by the puncture of an insect. ! The Lord sent the hornet. My friends , when we are assaulted by great behemoths of trouble , we become - come chivalric , and we assault them ; we get on the high-mettled steed of our courage , and we make a cavalry charge at them , and , if God be with us , we come out stronger and better than when we went in. But , alas , for these insec- tile annoyances of life-these foes too small to shoot-tliese things without any avoirdupois weight-the gnats and the midges and the flies and the wasps and the hornets ! In other words , it is the small stinging annoyances of our life which drive us out and use us up. In the best-conditioned life , for some grand and glorious purpose God has sent the hornet. I remark in the first place , that these small stinging annoyances may come in the shape of a nervous organization , People who are prostrated under typhoid fevers or with broken bones get plenty of sympathy ; but who pities anybody that is nervous ? The doctors say , and the family say , and everybody says , "Oh , she's only a little nervous ; that's all ! " The sound of a heavy foot , the harsh clearing of a throat , a discord - cord in music , a want of harmony between - tween shawl and the glove on the same person , a curt answer , a passing slight , the wind from the east , any one of ten thousand annoyances opens the door for the hornet. The fact is that the vast majority of the people in this country - try are overworked , and their nerves are the first to give out A great multitude - titude are under the strain of Leyden , t'ho , when ire was told by his physician that if he did not stop working while he was in such poor physical health he would die , responded , "Doctor , whether I live or die , the wheel must keep going round. " These sensitive persons of whom I speak have a bleeding sensitive- ness. The flies love to light on anything - thing raw , and these people are like the Canaanites spoken of in the text erin in the context-they have a very thin covering , and are vulnerable at all points. "And the Lord sent the hor- net. " Again , the small insect annoyances may come to us in the shape of friends and acquaintances who are always saying ing disagreeable things. There are sonic people you cannot be with Leh- half an hour but you feel cheered and com- forted. Then there are other people you cannot be with for live minutes before - fore you feel miserable. They do not mean to disturb you , but they sting you to the bone. They gather up all the yarn which the gossips spin , and retail - tail it. They gather up all the adverse criticisms about your person , about your business , about your home , about your crunch , and they make your ear ! the funnel into which they pour it. They laugh heartily when they tell you , I as though it were a good joke , and you laugh too-outside. I These people are brought to our attention - tention in the Bible , in the Book of ; Rath. Naomi went forth beautiful and with the finest of worldly prospects. and into another land ; but , after awhile , she came back widowed and sick and poor , What did her friends do when she came to the city ? They all went out , and , instead of giving her commonsense - sense consolation , what did they do ? Read the Book of Ruth and find out. They threw up their hands and caid , I I "Is this Naomi ? " as much as to say , "How awful bad you do look ! " When I entered the ministry I looked very pale for years , and every year , for four or five years , a hundred times a year , I was asked if I had not the consumption ; and , passing through the room I would sometimes hear people sigh and say , "A-ah ! not long for this world ! " I resolved - solved in those times that I never , in i cny conversation. would say anything e depressing , and by the help of God I have kept the resolution. These people - ple of whom I speak reap and bind fa the great harvest-field of discourage- ment. Some day you greet them with an hilarious "good-morning , " and they come buzzing at you with some depressing - ing information , "The Lord sent the hornet. " When I see so many people in the world who like to say disagreeable things , and write disagreeable things , I come almost in my weaker moments to believe what a man said to me in Philadelphia one Monday morning. I went to get the horse at the livery stable - ble , and the hostler , a plain man , said to me , "Mr. Talmage , I saw that you preached to the young men yesterday. " I said , "Yes. " He said , "No use , no use ; man's a failure. " Perhaps these small Insect annoyances - ances will come in the shape of a domestic - mestic irritation. The parlor and the kitchen do not always harmonize. To get good service and to keep It , is one of the greatest questions of the country - try , Sometimes It may be the arro- gancy and inconsiderateness of employers - ers , but , whatever be the fact , we all admit there are these Insect annoyances - ances winging their way out from the culinary department. If the grace of God be not in the heart of the housekeeper - keeper , she cannot maintain her equili- brium. The men come home at night and hear the story of these annoyances , and say , "Oh , these home troubles are very little things ! " They are small , small as wasps , but they sting. Martha's nerves were all unstrung when she rushed in , asking Christ to scold Mary , and there are tens of thousands of women - en who are dying , stung to death by these pestiferous domestic annoyances. "The Lord sent the hornet. " These small insect disturbances may also come in the shape of business frri- tations. There are men here who went through 1857 and the 24th of September , 1869 , without losing their balance , who are every day unhorsed by little an- noyauces-a clerk's ill manners , or a blot of ink on a bill of lading , or the extravagance of a partner who overdraws - draws his account , or the underselling by a business rival , or the whispering of store confidences in the street , or the making of some little bad debt which was against your judgment , just to please somebody else. .It is not the panics that kill the merchants. Panics come cnly once in ten or twenty year's , It is the constant din of these every-day annoyances which is sending so many of our best merchants into nervous dyspepsia and paralysis and the grave. When our national - tional commerce fell flat on its face , these men stood up and felt almost defiant - fiant ; but their life is going away now under the swarm of these pestiferous I annoyances. "The Lord sent the hor- net. " ! These annoyances are sent on us , I think , to wake us up from our lethargy. There is nothing that makes a man so lively as a nest of "yellow jackets , " and I think that these annoyances are intended - tended to persuade us of the fact that this is not a world for us to stop in , If we had a bed of everything that was attractive and soft and easy , what would we want of heaven ? We think that the hollow tree sends the hornet , or wo may think that the devir sends the hornet. I want to correct your i opinion. "The Lord sent the hornet" + Then 1 think these annoyances come on us to culture our patience. In the I gymnasium , you find upright parallel gals-upright barswi h s over each , other for pegs to be put in. Then the gymnast takes a peg in each hand and to climb inch at a time he begins , one , i or two inches , and getting his strength cultured , reaches after awhile the ceil- ing. And it seems to me that these annoyances - noyances in life are a moral gymnasium - sium , each worriment a peg with which we are to climb higher and higher in Christian attainment We all love to see patience , but it : annot be cultured in fair weather. Patience is a child of the storm. If you had everything de- sir abic and there was nothing more to get , what would you want with patience - tience ? The only time to culture it is when you are lied about , and sick and half dead. " " "if I had the circumstances "Oh , you say , only - cumstances of some well-to-do man I ' would be patient , too. " You might as well say , "If it were not for this water I would swim ; " or , "I could shoot this gun if it were not for the charge. " When you. stand chin-deep in annoyances - ances is the thuc for yea to swim out I toward th , great headlands of Christian attainment , so as to know Christ and the power of his resurrection , and to have fellowship with his sufferings. Nothing but the furnace will ever burn out of us the clinker and the slag. I have formed this theory in regard - gard to small annoyances and vexa- tions. It takes just so m acli trouble to fit us for usefulness and for heaven. The j only question is , whether- shall tae it : n the built or pulverized and granu- lated. Here is one man who taites it in the bulk. His back is broken , or his eyesight put out , or some other awful calamity befalls him ; while the vast majority of people take the thing piece- meal. Which way would you rather have it ? Of course in piecemeal. Better - ter have five aching teeth than one broken jaw ; better ten fly-blisters than an amputation ; better twenty squalls than one cyclone. There may be a difference - ference of opinion as to allopathy and homeopathy ; but in this matter of trouble I like homeopathicdoses - - small pellets of annoyance rather than some knock-down dose of calamity. Instead - stead of the thunderbolt give us the hornet. If you have a ban1L you would a great deal rather that fifty men would come in with checks less than a hundred dollars than to have two depositors - positors come in the same day each wanting ten thousand dollars. In this latter case you cough and look down to the floor , and you look up at the ceiling , before you look into the eafo. S . , . . . . , , t rathee fOe - wottld YOU friends , Now , my annoyance drafts of have the se small all- faith than some of bank on your endur - ' , your demand upon staggering that little . But remember once. = require equally t well as great annoyances for succor , , quire you to trust in Jhrist deliverance from impatience ; acid for him " wilt keep i and Irritability. "Thou in perfect peace whose mind is stayed I of Hamelin , , In the village OII t11CC. of Invasion there was an t tradition says , small treati t res almost - rats , and these theatened the devoured tLe town , and lives of the population , and the story . d Is that a piper came out one day an i r the played a very sweet tune , and all ! him-followed him to , f vermin followed the banks of the Weser ; then he blew a blast and then they dropped in and Of course this Is disappeared forever. I could , on the sweet I a fable ; but I wish flute of the Gospel , draw forth all the 1 nibbling and burrowing annoyances of your life , and play them down into the depths forever. . v s l I You know that a large fortune may be spent In small change , and a vast amount ofIn moral character may go I I away in small depletions. It is the little troubles of life that are having I 'eat ones. than ! ' more effect upon you A swarm of locusts will kill a grain i field sooner than the incursion of three i or four catt le. You say , "Since I lost ! my child , since I lost my property , I have been a different man. " But you i the architecture of 11 do not recognize little annoyances , that are hewing , dig- f shaping , splitting and in- Bing , cutting , / moral qualities. Rats u terjoining your I may sink a ship. One lucifer match may send destruction through a block I of store-houses. Catherine de Medicis got her death from smelling a poisonous - ous rose. Columbus , ' by stopping and "skint for a piece of bread and a drink of water at a Franciscan convent , was led to the discovery of a new world. And there is an intimate connection between trifles and immensities , between - I tween nothings and cverythings. I Now , be careful to let none of those annoyances go through your soul un- , . arraigned. Compel them to administer , i to your spiritual wealth. The scratch ' i of a sixpenny nail sometimes produces lock-jaw , and the clip of a most infinitesimal - finitesimal annoyance may damage you 1 forever , Do not let any annoyance or perplexity come across your soul without - out its malting you better. 1 Our Government does not think it belittling to put a tax on small articles. The individual taxes do not amount to much , but in the aggregate to millions 1 and millions of dollars. And I would have you , oh Christian man , put a high I tariff on every annoyance and vexation I that comes through your soul. This ' t 1 might not amount to much in single cases , but in the aggregate it would be a great revenue of spiritual strength and satisfaction. A bee can suck honey - , j y I even out of a nettle ; and if you have ! the grace of God in your heart , you can ' get sweetness out of that which would ' otherwise irritate and annoy. 1 d Poly'carP was condemned to .be i ' burned to death. The stake was , Lt , , planted. He was fastened to it. The 1 t faggots were placed round him , the i fires kindled , but history tells us that ' ' the flames bent outward like the canvas - vas of a ship in a stout breeze , so that ' ) 'I the flames , instead of destroying Poly- carp , were only a wall between him and ti ' his enemies. They had actually to de- l story him with the poniard ; the flames t woud not touch him. Well , my hearer - er , I want you to understand that by i Gods grace the flames of trial , instead of consuming your soul , are only going ! , , , to be a wall of defense , and a canopy ' of blessing. God is going to fulfill ttc t you the blessing and the promise , , n ) " he did to Polycarp. "When thou est through the fire thou shalt not' ' burned. " Now you do not understa. ; youi shall know hereafter. In heav' ' , will bless God even for the hornt i , Not a horned Grinder. , The upper west side near 19Ut .1 ' street , was startled the other day b i ( the loud blowing of a tally-ho hart. + Every housewife stopped her work anc3 , 1 rushed to the front of the house. Head : ' popped out from windows and doors tt + j witness the supposed unusual sight oil , a passing coach. The tally-ho was Lotj 1 in evidence but out in the middle oft the street , with his modest grinding apparatus , stood a knife-sharpener , smiling and bowing to the surprised residents , and blandly asking if they had any knives or scissors that required - ! i quired a new edge put on them. Almost r before they knew it frugal housewives _ L ! hastened to look over their cutlery and within a short time the grinder was ! saying nothing but grinding hard. He , must have picked up a little fortune for his first blast and after finishing everything - thing grindable in sight he treated his ' i customers to a parting blast and moved ' on. Ile has been there since the first i visit-this Italian , for such he appears to be-and his merry roundelay is worthy of a master of the art-New i York Herald. , Wise Thoughts. The man who spends an hour alone with God in the morning , will not be seen at the theater that night The heart that is trusting God can sign as l sweetly in the dark as in the light. The i ! man who is not doing anything to help I take the world for Christ , is hindering ) God's work in his own heart The surest evidence of trust in Christ , is obedience to him. The man whose hope is in God may be kept waiting , but his reward will be sure and certain. Giving - ing respectability to any kind of a sin gives the devil a mortgage on the ' young.-Ram's Horn. r Piayrrountis un the Roofs. , r It is now proposed that the roofs o1 schoolhouses in New York City should be utilized as PlaYgrounds , and in the plans of a new school 10,000 feet of space is allotted thus on the roof for this purpose , at an added expenditure of X4,000. , . r. i ' a ; . . - 'i r.