* ?
iI i
MY POOR WIPE. I
I
, . .
BY J P. SMITH.
CHAPTER III.
At the end of the cedar-walk I took
up my position , lighted a. cigar , and
tried to wait as patiently as I could.
It was n lovely evening in late June ,
and the drowsy hum of the been ,
mingled with the breath of roses and
syrlngas , coming from the old English
garden behind the walk , sent my
thoughts wandering back to another
evening in June , just a year ago , when
I had sat on the same bench , burning
with love and r.uspenso , waiting to
ask the fair lady who had given me
tryst today to be my wife. We had
known each other from childhood , and
during my sister's lifetime little Edith
had lived almost as much with us as
at the Hall. I remember I had pro
posed to her at the early age of four
teen and had been 'favorably answered.
"Yes , Paul , " the young lady had
said , lifting up her rosy lips for my
sheepish kiss. "I will marry you , as
you are the eldest , and have asked me
first and then , when you're dead I'll
marry Arty , if he's good. "
To which arrangement Arty at the
time being hopelessly in love with
Edith's French governess , a black-eyed
vivacious damsel of twenty-nine
cheerfully agreed.
After that I saw nothing of her for
many years. My sister beginning to
ail and being ordered to the South of
France , I spent my holidays for some
years with her and my father
at Riviera ; then I passed Into Sand
hurst , and , after that , I had five years
with my regiment in India.
In the meantime matters had not
gone smoothly at home. My handsome
brother Arthur , destined for the bar ,
and who was supposed to have all the
brains of the family , turned out to
be a desperate scamp aud an unmiti
gated fool. He disgraced himself at
Oxford ; then , throwing aside all sense
of restraint and decency , sowed the
most prolific crop of wild oats ever
chronicled In the sober and respectable
annals of the Dennyses of Colworth.
Before ho had reached his twenty-sec
end year he had squandered two con-
clderable fortunes one left him by his
mother , whose favorite child he was
another by his godfather , besides
plunging my poor father into a gulf
of debt that eventually hastened his
death. Hearing of his critical state
and heavy troubles , I resigned my com
mission and hurried home , only to find
him , alas , resting quietly in his grave ,
and my wretched brother an exile in
the wilds of Australia , whither he had
gone to evade his creditors.
It was a very dreary home-return
ing , and bitterly did I anathematize my
precipitancy in giving up my profes
sion to moon away my life at Colwarth
in solitude. Nearly all the "chums"
of my boyhood had "moved on" some
how , except my immediate neighbors
at the Hall , the old General and his
nice : and I think , but for their kindly
reception. I should have started wan
dering again. The former I found
in a very precarious state of health
and { temper , the combined influences
of gout and unlimited brandy-water
making him a trying companion to
poor Edith , who was however most
patient with him , and as devoted as
any daughter could be.
At first I did not recognize in the
beautiful and graceful young lady who
greeted me so easily and kindly the
child I had played with years ago ; but , I
by degrees , landmarks of old times
cropped up , we found we had not for
gotten each other in the least. I fell
head over heels in love with her at
once , and for weeks hovered about
her in a state of beatific suffering ,
not daring to hope , and unable to
tear myself away. Day after day I
told myself I had not the slightest
chance. Was she not the most beauti
ful , charming , angelic creature In ex
istence , besides being the presump
tive heiress of the old general's vast
wealth ? Was not every eligible
male in the country my rival ? Yet ,
I stayed , and by degrees the delight
ful , intoxicating fact became clear ,
even to my bewildered senses , that she
showed more favor to me than to any
other suitor. She had always a smile on
of welcome and a bright word for me ,
and at times , when she believed her
self unobserved , I have caught her
lovely blue eyes stealthily resting on he
me with a look of unmistakable af
fection that fired my blood , and made
me lose my head for the moment.
One day , driven to desperation by
one of those stolen glances , I resolved
to try my fate and learn the best or
worst. She had gone to spend the of
afternoqn at the Rectory , her uncle
told me , but would be back to dinner.
I went to the cedar-walk , knowing she
would return by that way , and spent
a feverish hour preparing for the at a
tack , composing heart-rendering ap
peals , declarations of eternal devotion ; luck
and yet the moment she stood before
me in her blooming beauty , with a slim that
white finger held under her nose with
in an inch of my moustache , and said way
beseechingly "Oh , Paul , dear boy , do ital
try to get this wretched thorn out for and
me ! That stupid little curate only fit.
drove it farther in , and it does hurt
so ! " all the stored up eloquence went cal
clean out of my head.
When I had successfully , though
rather clumsily , performed the opera
tion , I fell upon my knees at her feet ,
and , seizing her hand , pressed it to "
ray lips , as I stammered out laptur-
ously
Edith , Edith , my darling. I love
you I love you. Oh. say it is not
in vain ! I - "
Here I stopped In dumb dismay , for
Edith , with a look almost of horror ,
hastily dragged her hand from me ,
and , covering her crimson face with
It , cried hysterically
"Hush , hush oh , please hush ! You
you don't know what you are eay-
ing ! Oh , this is a dreadful mistake !
I I thought you knew you had
guessed I I - "
"Loved some one else ? " I prompted
fiercely.
She bent her hsa'd in assent , her face
still buried in her hands.
"No , I did not guess. " I answered
hoarsely , after a short pause ; "and I
think , Miss Stopford , if you review
your conduct to me during the last
two months , you will have to admit
you .gave me little reason for arriving
at such a conclusion. Who is he ? " I
demanded roughly.
"I I can't tell you ; don't ask me.
Oh , Paul , dear old friend , won't you
try to forgive me ? " she pleaded , lifting
her lovely tear-stained face timidly to
mine. "I am so sorry , so sorry if I
have pained you I did not mean to in-
deed. I I thought you looked upon
me only ac a sister whom you had
known : '
A sister ! " I interrupted , with a
harsh , loud laugh "a sister ! Edith ,
can you look me in the face and say
you believed such a thing ? No ! I
thought not" as she cowered away
from me instinctively. "You knew
what you were doing well well ; but
you would not spare 'your dear old
friend' one single pang you would
drag him to your feet , and let your
heartless vanity batten on his anguish -
guish ! Oh , it was shameful ! Had you
not a glut of victims already ? "
"Paul , " ehe cried impulsively and
there was a touch of decision in her
voice that silenced me "that is
enough ; I will listen to no more let
me pass , please. One day you will be
sorry for those words on your bended
knees you will ask my pardon ! "
"Now , now. my dearest , my sweetest -
est , " I interrupted impetuously , falling
down again before her , love overmae-
tering every other emotion. "I will
ask your pardon a thousand times , if
you will only give me one little word
of hope ! Oh , Edith , if you knew how
I loved you. you you would pity me a
little ! " '
I had seized her dress , and was kissing -
ing its flimsy friling | wildly , when her
cool white hand was laid on my brow , "
and she whispered tenderly
"I can't , I can't pity you , Paul ,
Don't you don't you understand you
have come too late ? "
CHAPTER IV.
With an Imprecation I sprang to my
feet , cursing her for a consummate
flirt and left her
, sobbing and re-
preaching me for my wrath and
cruelty.
That night I went to town and tried
to drown despair in dissipation. At
the end of a fortnight I had almost
persuaded myself I was cured , when ,
one night at the opera , I saw her
seated beside a young fellow of whom in
had been vaguely jealous from the the
beginning. Lord Sandmouth's sailor
son , just returned from sea.
She was smiling on him as she had tle
smiled on me , and my jealousy broke
forth as fiercely as ever. I could not of
tell whether I loved or hated her most.
The next day I determined to put the idle
sea between her and me , but could
not at once decide to which side of the the
globe I would steer whether to make
for Norway the Nile ers
or , New York or
New Jerusalem , when I remembered a
commisson. ! entrusted to me by a dying -
ing friend in India some two years before -
fore , and I decided on fulfilling it before - ner
fore starting en a longer journey.
He had died of fever in the jungle.han
and I was the only European with him who
during his illness. He had asked me for
my return home to find out if his the
mother was still alive , deliver a package -
age of letters into her hand , beg her The
forgiveness , and tell her how deeply read
regretted their long estrangement. saw
For fifteen years he had not seen or Half
heard of her , but he gave me her address -
dress at their time of parting , in a remote - The
mote village on the coast of Donegal. and
After a weary railway journey , and you
many hours' painful jolting over miles
wild barren mountain , I found my
friend's mother living in a desolate
farm-house halfway up a craggy peak
overlooking the sea , eight miles by many
road from the nearest post-town and
more disagreeable , repellent , harsh- about
toned old woman it was never my ill- where
to come across. it ,
It 7-as with a feeling of repugnance
I delivered the poor fellow's last ing
request for forgiveness , hearing the
she sought to make spiritual cap- their
to herself out of his very death ,
improve the occasion for my bene
"I
Unceremoniously cutting a pharisai- about
phrase short , I was in the act of the
rising to take my leave when a girl makes
entered , her apron full of freshly-dug
potatoes , which she held cut to Mrs.
Sasey for inspection. prize
"Mike sent you in these , and wants
to know If ho'a to go digging for the
market. "
With an imperious gesture she silenced -
lenced the girl , motioning her to the
window , where , after the first startled
glance in my direction , she sat quite
still , looking out to sea.
I resumed my seat half unconcern
edly , and stared at the new arrival
with an interest quite unaccountable
to myself ; certainly , her beauty did not
appeal to me , she did not even strike
me as being possessed of ordinary
good locks. Her face was covered with
freckles and tanned by the sun , and
her hair fell in an unkempt mass
around her neck and shoulders ; her
drees was a coarse serge , unrelieved by
the slightest attempt at trimming or
ornament. While I looked , my
thoughts ] went back to Edith , on whose
fairness I had often feasted , sitting in
the sunlight , as this girl was now , her
pretty fingers sparkling with diamonds
mends , bangles and bracelets tinkling
musically on her wrists and mingling
wit ] the soft frou frcu of lace and silk
each time she drew her needle through
the everlasting strip of oatmeal cloth.
Lace could I imagine such a texture
shadowing that child's little brown
fist fingering the clay-crusted pota
toes on her knees ! I began to wonder
ler lazily who she was servant or re
lation of the grisly chatelaine ? when
my . surmises were brought to an
abrupt close. Mrs. Casey's improving
oration had reached a rounded period ,
and I was evidently expected to say
.
"Amen" and take my departure , chas
tened and edified in spirit. I rose to
say good-by.
"You will have a charming after
noon for your walk , Mr. Dennys , " she
said , taking my hand with some
alacrity. "Situated as you behold I
anV away from all civilization , I regret
j it is i not in my power to offer you even
tae form of hospitality. " When I had
murmured a hasty disclaimer she re
sumed complacently. "But you will
have [ a charming afternoon for your
walk ; you came from Ballykillagan ,
did you not ? "
"Yes , I walked thence I could find
no car in the village ; it mirst be eight
or nine miles at the least. "
"Because you came by the road ; by
the cliffs and acrcss the Goat's Back
it's not quite five. Helen , my grand
daughter here , will put you on the
track if you like. "
I said I would like , and the next
minute Helen and I were standing out
side. I waited for a moment thinking
she would want hat. cloak , or sun
shade , but , as she seemed to consider
herself fully equipped , we started at
once across the sloping meadow that
led to the brink of the cliff , where "
she paused with shyly averted face ,
pointed to a tiny sheep-track winding
round the coast , bade me keep to that
until I had turned the third point , then
to steer inland in a southerly direction
until I came to a ruined cabin.
Here I interrupted her , somewhat
aggrievedly , explaining that I was
quite a stranger in these parts , and
'would be sure to lose myself if she did
not accompany me farther.
"Besides , " I concluded tentatively ,
"as your grandmother impressed on
me , it certainly is lovely weather for at
walking , and you have nothing par
ticular to do this afternoon , have
you ? " I
"I have nothing at all to do ; if you
wish , I'll go with you as far as you
like , " sh answered , much to my sur
prise , and starting at a break-neck
puce down the cliff.
( To be Continued. )
NONPLUSED JOKERS. ly
Ono Verso of JL'oetry Paid for Itobhlo off
Kuril's Dinner.
Here is a story told of Robert Burns
his youth. Burns was living in
town of Ayr , and though still ing
young had attained more than a local not
reputation as a poet , says the Newcas II.
( England ) Chronicle. One day he
was passing through the main street
the town and saw two strangers sit
ting at one of the inn windows. With
curiosity he stopped to look at
j161 . Seeing him and thinking that
rustic might afford them some
amusement while waiting , the strang
called him in and asked him to but
dine with them. Burns readily ac the
cepted the invitation and proved a any
merry , entertaining guest. When din "I
was nearly finished the strangers I
suggested that each should try his to
han at vcrsemaking and that the one it
failed to write a rhyme should pay
the dinner. They felt secure in
challenge , believing that their "Do
rustic guest would pay for the meal. used
rhymes were written and Burns lery
the following : "I , Johnny Peep , good
two sheep ; two sheep saw me. But
a crown apiece will pay for their go
fleece , and I , Johnny Peep , go free. " an
strangers' astonishment was great
they both exclaimed : "Who are lings
? You must be Robbie Burns. "
me
g ttie Illrd * . you
A scientist once put an automatic looks
musical box on the lawn , and spent ness
hours watching the robbins , stand
bluebirds and other birds gathering the
it. A looking glass put up
ihxS birds can see themselves in
Is also very attractive , while a com
bination of a musical box and a look
glass pleases the birds more than { they
anything else one could put out for I and
amusement. or
- ever
Ono Inception. you
know there's a good deal said tented
sandy foundations , " observed than
metaphysical boarder , "but sand had
the best foundation fCr a prize Have
fighter. " "Still , " objected the argu"m j
mentative boarder , "you can't build a j ! sand
fight on anything but rocks. " Some
Chicago Tribune. known
tune.
lALMAGE'S SEKMON.
'
"A WEDDING PRESENT , " LAST
j ' SUNDAY'S SUBJECT.
'Tlioa nst Given Me a South I.nnd ; Giro
Me AIjo Springs of Water. Ami He
| Oave Her the Upper nU JCetlier
Joshua 15 : 19.
i
The _ | city of Debir was the Boston
af antiquity a .great place for brain
and books. Caleb wanted it , and he
offered his daughter Achsah
. as a prize
to any one who would capture that
| city. , It was a strange thing for Caleb
to do ; and-yet the
man that could take
the city would have , at any rate , two
elements Of manhood bravery arid
patriotism. Besides , I do not think-
that Caleb was as foolish in offering
bis daughter to the
conqueror of De
bir , as thousands in this day who seek
alliances for their children with those
who have large means , without any
reference to rnora'l or mental acquire-
ments. Of two evils. I would rather
measure happiness by the length of
the sword than by the length of the
pocket-book. In one case there is sure
to be one good element of character ;
in the other there may be none at all.g'
With Caleb's daughter as a prize to
fight for , General Othniel rode into the
battle. The gates of Debir were thun-
dercd into the dust , and the city of
books lay at the feet of the conquerors.
The work done , Othniel comes back to
claim his bride. Having conquered the
city , it is no great job for him to conquer -
quer the girl's heart ; for however
faint-hearted a woman herself may be ,
she always loves courage in a man.
I never saw an exception to that. The
wedding festivity having gone by ,
Othniel and Achsah are about to go to
their new home. However loudly the
cymbals may clash and the laughter
ring , parents are always sad when a
fondly-cherished daughter goes off to
stay ; and Achsah. the daughter of
Caleb , knows that now is the time to
ask almost anything she wants of her
father. It seems that Caleb , the good
old man , had given as a wedding present -
ent to his daughter a piece of land that
was mountainous , and sloping southward -
ward toward the deserts of Arabia ,
swept with some very hot winds. It
was called "a south land. " But Achsah
wants an addition of property ; she
wants a piece of land that Is well
watered and fertile. Now it is no wonder -
der that Caleb , standing amidst the
bridal party , his eyes so full of tears
because she was going away that he
could hardly see her at all , gives her
more than she asks. She said to him ,
"Thou hast given me a south land ;
give me also springs of water. And
he gave her the upper springs , and the
nether springs. " "
The fact is , that as Caleb , the father ,
gave Achsah , the daughter , a south
land , so God gives to us the world. I
am very thankful he has given it to
us. But I am like Achsah in the fact
that I am not satisfied with the por- to
tion. Trees , and flowers , and grass , in
and blue skies are very well in their
places ; but he who has nothing but
this world for a portion has no portion
all. It is a mountainous land , sloping -
ing off toward the desert of sorrow ,
swept by flery siroccos ; it is "a .south
lane , " a poor portion for any man that
tries to put his trust in it. What has
been your experience ? What has been
the experience of every man , of every er
woman that has tried this world for a
portion ? Queen Elizabeth , amidst the be
surroundings of pomp , is unhappy because -
cause the painter sketches too minute-
the wrinkles on her face , and she
indignantly cries out , "You must strike
my likeness without any shadows ! "
Hogarth , at the very height of his is
artistic triumph , Is stung almost to
death with chagrin because the paint- Do
he had dedicated to the king doss on
seem to be acceptable ; for George
. cries out , "Who is this Hogarth ?
Take his trumpery out of my presence. "
Brinsley Sheridan thrilled the earth the
with his eloquence , but had for his last
words , "I am absolutely undone. " _
Walter Scott , fumbling around the inkara
stand , trying to write , says to his "
the
daughter , "Oh , take me back to my
mal
room ; there Is no rest for Sir Walter
in the grave ! " Stephen Girard , bay
of
wealthiest man in his day , or , at
Off
rate , only second in wealth , says , wat
live the life of a galley-slave ; when of
arise in the morning my one effort is coni
work so hard that I can sleep when gcol
gets to be night. " Charles Lamb , applauded - over
plauded of all the world , in the very solid
rnidst of his literary triumph , says , st.
you remember , Bridget , when we the
to laugh from the shilling gal- but
at the play ? There are now no of
plays to laugh at from the boxes. " 1S3
why go so far as that ? I need to terr
no farther than your street to find com
illustration of what I am saying. Ami
Pick me out ten successful world- the
and you know what I mean by cha
thoroughly successful worldlings pick Biz
out ten successful worldlings , and nine
can not find more than one that the
happy. Care drags him to busi- jne
; care drags him back. Take your than
at two o'clock at the corner of the
streets and see the agonized physi- then
ognomies. Your high officials , your clwi
bankers , your insurance men , your down .
imnorters , your wholesalers , and your itself .
retailers , as a class as a class , are water
happy ? No. Care dogs their steps- m °
* 3 ETC
, making no appeal to God for help ages
imals
maL
comfort , many of them arc tossed
everywhither. How has it been with L , . '
bling
my hearer ? Are
' you more con bur
in the house of fourteen rooms
Q
you were in the two rooms you Qtje
the
in a house when
you started ? the
you not had more and
care wor- Qf t
< since you won that fifty thou- Bible.
dollars than you did before ? mai
of the poorest men I have ever He
have been those of great for the
. A man of small means may be grew
put in great business straits , but the
ghastliest of all embarrassments is
that of the man who has largo estates.
The men who commit suicide because
of monetary losses are those who can
not bear the burden any more , because
they have only fifty thousand dollars
left.
left.Oj
On Bowling Green , New York , there
Is a i house where Talleyrand used to
go. He was a favored man. All the
world knew him , and he had wealth
almost unlimited ; yet at the close of
his life he says : "Behold , eighty-three
years have passed without any practical
tica result , save fatigue of body ami
fatigue of mind , great discouragement
for the i future , and great disgust for the
past " Oh , my friends , this is a "south
lane , " and it slopes off toward deserts
of sorrows i ; and the prayer which
Achsah made to her father Caleb we
make this day to our Father God :
"Thou hast given mo a south land ;
give me also springs of water. And he
gave her the upper springs , and the
nether springs. "
Blessed be God ! we have more ad
vantages given us than we can really
appreciate" ; We have spiritual bless
ings offered us in this world which I
,
shall call the nether springs , and
glories in the world to come which I
shall call the upper springs.
Where shall I find words enough
threaded with light to set forth the
pleasure of religion ? David , unable to
describe it in words , played it on a
harp. Mrs. Hemans. not finding
enough power in prose , sings that
praise in a canto. Christopher |
Wren , unable to describe it in lan
guage , sprung it into the arches of St.
Paul's. John Bunyan , unable to pre
sent it in ordinary phraseology , takes
all the fascination of allegory. Han
del , with ordinary music unable to
reach the height of the theme , rouses
it up in an oratorio. Oh , there is no
life on earth so happr as a really
Christian life ! I do not mean a sham
Christian life , but a real Christian life.
Where there is a thorn , there la a
whole garland of roses. Where there
Is one groan , there are three doxolo-
gies. Where there is one day of cloud ,
there is a whole season of sunshine.
Take the humblest Christian man that
you know angels of God canopy him
with their white wings ; the lightnings
of heaven are his armed allies ; the
Lord is his Shepherd , picking out for
him green pastures by still waters ; if
he walk forth , heaven is his body
guard ; if he lie down to sleep , ladders
of light , angel-blossoming , are let into
his dreams ; if he be thirsty , the poten
tates of heaven are his cup-bearers ; if
he sit down to food , his plain table
blooms Into the King's banquet. Men
say , "Look at that odd fellow with the
worn-out coat ; " the angels of God cry ,
"Lift up your heads , ye everlasting
gates , and let him come in ! " Fastid
ious people cry , "Get off my front
steps ! " the door-keepers of heaven
cry , "Come , ye blessed of my Father ,
inherit the kingdom ! " When he comes
die , though he may be carried out
a pine box to the potter's field , to
that potter's field the chariots of Christ
will come down , and the cavalcade to
will crowd all the boulevards of
heaven. * * *
Man of the world ! will you not to
day make a choice between these two
portions , between the "south land" ot
this world , which slopes to the des2't ,
and this glorious land , which thy Fath of
offers thee , running with eternal
water-courses ? Why let your tongue
consumed of thirst when there are
the nether springs and the upper
springs ; cornfore here and glory here
after ? [
You and I need something better
on
that it cannot give us anything h's
after a while. It is a changing world.
you know that even the mountains
the back of a thousand streams art ?
leaping into the valley. The Alla-
ghanies are dying. The dews with ens
crystalline mallet are hammering away .
rocks. Frosts , and showers , and of
lightnings are sculpturing Houn :
Washington and the Catskllls. Niag
is every year digging for itself a
quicker ' plunge. The sea all around He
earth on its shifting shores is fect
making mighty changes in bar , and
av * , and frith , and promontory. Some that
.
the old sea coasts are midland now.
Nantucket , eight feet below low-
water mark , are found now the stumps
trees t , showing that the waves are
conquering the land. Parts of Nova have
Scotia are sinking. Ships today sail And
what , only * a little while ago , was had
ground. Near the mouth of the
Croix river Is an island which , in the
movements of the earth , is slowly
certainly rotating. All the face
the I earth changing changing. In
] an Island springs up in the Medi
terranean sea. In 1S66 another island
comes up under the observation of the face.
American consul as he looks off from bers
beach. The earth all the time she
changing ; , the columns of a temple near their
Bizoli show that the water has risen this
< feet above the place it was when
columns were put down. Chang are
! ! Our Columbia river , once vaster
the Mississippi , flowing through
great American desert , which was
. ! an Eden of luxuriance , has now
dwindled to a small stream craoping "The
' through a gorge. The earth ually
, that was once vapor , afterward he
nothing but water afterward the
molten rock , cooling off through the Bible
* until plants might live , and an
might live , and men might Hv > .
changing all the while , now crum are
, now breaking off. The sun , has
burning ] down gradually- its socket. one
Changing ! changing ! an intimation of and
last great change to come over less
world even infused into the mind proper
the heathen who has never seen the to
. The Hindoos believe that Bra-
, the creator , once made all things.
created < the water , then moved over
water , out of it lifted the land. A
the plants , and animals , and food
men on It. Out of his eye went the
aun. Out of his lips went the lire.
Out of his ear went the air. Then
Eraraah laid dov/n to sleep four thou
sand three hundred and twenty million
years. After that , they say , he will
wake up , and then the world will be
destroyed , and he will make It over
again , bringing up land , bringing up
creatures upon it ; then lying down
again to sleep four thousand three
hundred and twenty million years ,
then waking up and destroying the
world again creation and demolition
following each other , until after three
hundred aud twenty sleeps , each one
of these slumbers four thousand three
hundred and twenty million years
long , Bramah will wake up and die.
aud the universe will die with him
an intimation , though very faint , of
the great change to * come upon this
physical earth spoken of in the Bible.
But while Bramah may sleep , our God
never slumbers nor sleeps ; and the
heavens shall pass away with a great
noise , and the elements shall melt with
fervent heat , and trie earth and all
things that are therein shall bo burned
up.
" "Well , " says some one. "if that Is
so ; if the world is going from ono
change : to another , tnen what is the
use of my toiling for its betterment ? "
That Is the point on which I want to
guard you. I do not want you to be
come : misanthropic. It is a great anil
glorious world. If Christ could afford
to spend thirty-three years on it for
its redemption , then you can afford to
toil and pray for the betterment of the
nations , and for the bringing on of
thai glorious time when all people
shall : see the salvation of God. While ,
therefore. I want to guard you against
misanthropic notions in respect to this
subject I have presented , I want you to
take < this thought home with you : This
world is a poor foundation to build on.
It is i a changing world , and It is a
dying ] world. The shifting scenes anU
the changing sands are only emblems
of all earthly expectation. Life is very
much like this day through which we
have passed. To many of us it is storm
and darkness , then sunshine , storm
and darkness , then afterward a little
sunshine , now again darkness and
storm. Oh , build not your hopes upon
this uncertain world ! Build on God.
Confide in Jesus. Plan for an eternal
residence at Christ's right hand. Then ,
come sickness or health , come joy or
sorrow , come life or death , all is well ,
all is i well.
IE the name of the God of Caleb ,
and his daughter. Achsah , I this day
offer you the "upper springs" of un
fading and everlasting rapture.
JIM HEARD CHARLES DICKENS.
And He Said the Audience \Taa Verjr
Still.
Jim was a student at Yale in the lat
ter ' 60s. and so was in New Haven
when Charles Dickens gave public
readings in that city from nls own.
works , says the New York Times. Jim
neglected many of the privileges the
college offered to him , but he had sense
enough to take advantage of the op
portunity to hear Dickens. The mas
ter's interpretations were a revelation
Jim and to this day he has not lost
the deep impression they made upon
him. The Young Women's Dickens-
club of Bosville somehow 'ecently
learned these facts and a cordial invi
tation was promptly sent to Jim to
meet the club and give his recollections
Mr. Dickens. The invitation was
accepted and Jim , who Is a good talker
and not a bit shy , simply delighted his
auditors with his description of Mr.
Dickens as a man and a really eloquent
estimate of him as a reader. He told
what a wonderful actor he was and
how a strange new light was shed up
his characters by { he revelation of
own conception of them. From
generalization Jim carne finally to particularization -
ticularization and was telling of the
wonderful effect produced by the rapid
changes of tone of voice as Mr. Dick
was reading from the "Christmas
C.irol. " Jim said there was a suspicion
Yuletide in the atmosphere as the
reader introduced the benevolent old
gentleman , who had come to Ebenezer
Scrooge for a Christmas contribution.
then described the tremendous ef
of the sudden transition of the
harsh , metallic voice of Scrooge , au
"clutching , grasping , covetous olrt
sinner" surlily * asked whether there
were no longer any workhouses. "The
audience was so still. " said Jim. "The
audience was so still that you might
might have picked up a pin. "
Jim. utterly unconscious how he
spoiled his climax , continued se
renely on. albeit not a little puzzled al
smiling faces before him.
P-nslnc ; of the Family Bible.
The "Decadence or Passing of the
Family Bible. " These words mean
much more than appears on the sur
. Every man and woman remem
the pleasure and pride which he or
felt in the large family Bible in
childhood days. Remembering
, have you stopped to think for a
moment how few large family Bibles
In evidence today ? My attention
having been called to this , curiosity
prompted me to make Inquiries of the-
manager of one of the most prominent
religious publishing houses in the city.
demand for the large book gra.-l-
ceased during the last decade , "
said. "It is no longer considered
thing to have a handsome family
as the principal ornament of the
parlor table. In the first place , the
records whSc-h were once made in it
now resistered. The size whicn
now taken its place is a serviceable
with good maps , flexible covers
excellent print. It is gotten up at
expense , and it is now considure-l
for every member of the family
have an individual Bible , instead of
depending upon the large ,
volume of our grandfathers. "
bare cupboard always furnishes
for thought.
