B lored her. H * meant to tell
her so , and the moment for do
ing o had coine. The fluffy
olden head was very near , a few
( rords had been spoken , when the door
Spened and Ella Slaunton entered.
A frown clouded the brow of Dr.
{ ftantoa , the eminent young physician
frho everybody declared would make
fela fortune In his profession , and
Iretty Nellie Savllle escaped , glad to
ilder tier flushed cheeks from her cou-
tfca's jealous eyes.
Mrs. Stanton threw heraelf languidly
Bto the depths of an easy chair.
"Bo I have found you at last , my
Jear Ralph. I have been seeking you
jbr the last hour. "
He bated this woman , In spite of her
Sari : , witching beauty. His uncle had
jbund that beauty irnxJstible , and by
t late marriage robbed his nephew of
She quarter of a mlHimi which he had
aught him to expect would one day
w hie.
"What did you want with me ? " ho
tefced curtly.
"You are cross. I wanted your soci-
rty nothing more. Is there anything
Itrange in that ? "
"Most flattering of you , my dear
tant , I am sure. "
Xt was Mrs. Stanton's turn to frown.
"Don't call me that hateful name.
it I did marry your uncle , you might
remember that I am not yet 25. By
the way , Nellie Saville quits the teens
&ext week. "
"Indeedl"
"Yes. Charming girl , Isn't she ? Real
ly , Ralph , i you should see the dismal
hole of a parsonage where that girl's
parents live you would feel grateful
[ o me for my compassionate generosity
In talcing her from It for a little
jyhlle. Are you going to Lady Camp
bell's this afternoon ? "
"No. I detest tea and tennis. "
"So do I. Besides , I have headache-
$7111 you prescribe for me ? "
After the majority of Mrs. Oak-
Brook's guests had departed for Camp
bell Souse Dr. Stanton was pacing
She lawn with Sir -Tohn Debby , smok
ing cigarettes and talking politics , and
fndoors his relative occupied a velvet
lounge and tried to read the lust new
feorel.
He came to her at last , but it was
frith a serious face and an open tele
gram in his luiucl.
- "My sister has met with an accident.
Levison waiits me to go at once. "
"Oh , Ralph ! Is it serious ? You will
return here ? " '
"I think uot , " he re-turned , replying
to the latter question.
"You will come to Melton Willows
* t Christmas. Ralph ? "
"I really cannot promise. Good-by ! "
She sat there until the sound of the
horse's hoofs had died away. Then
Bhe crossed the room and looked at
( he ? notes he had written. One was for
bis hostess apology and explanation ,
frf course but the other was for Miss
Baville. A moment's hesitation ; then
he lore it open.
"Dear Miss Saville : Before you see
this you will know the reason of my
sudden departure. But I cannot wait
until our next meeting for the answer
DiCTAtED A GUSHING LETTEB.
to the question I should have asked
you this morning If Mrs. Stanton's
entrance had not prevented me from
doing so. I want you to be my wife ,
Nellie ; my loved and honored wife.
Will you ? Write yes or no soon to
your loving but Impatient Ralph. "
A small fire burned in the grate. She
put the letter into her pocket and burn
ed the envelope. * * *
"Dear Ralph , " murmured the lady.
"I want you to write to him for me ,
Nellie. He promised to let me know
how his sister was , but I suppose he
has not had time. He does not know
your handwriting , I think. "
Very soon Ella Stanton had dictated
a gushing , affectionate letter , and -with
blanching cheeks Nellie had written
It"Don't
"Don't close it now , Nellie. Throw
It aside. There is ouly one other that
need be written now. "
"What is it ? " Nellie asked , a trifle
wearily.
"Why , you know , dear , Mr. Graham
wants me to open the Brixton bazzar ,
but 1 really don't feel equal to the
task. 1 must write to decline. But he
always laughs at nerves , and I do so
hate being laughed at. "
"My Dear Friend : I have thought
fully considered the subject and must
decline the honor. I am grieved be
yond expression to disappoint you ;
but , feeling as 1 do , I cannot act oth-
, erwise. However , I feel confident
that you will meet with one worthier
than T > that what I cannot grant she
will j L'ully conede. . Only one thing
I agk that this shall In no way Interfere - ,
fere with the friendly relations -which
have always existed between us. "
"L think It Is making too .inucb of n
little thing , Ella. You will sign It , ol
course. "
"No , dear. Do It-for me only ml
tlals. How singular that they should
be alike , Is It not Ella Stanton and
Elinor Savllle ? There , now , dear , jusl
run upstairs and see If Louise has
mended that lace I tore last night"
A moment more , and Ralph Stan
ton's simple , honest letter lay open be
fore her. Jealousy had quickened her
memory. She knew It by heart
Refolding it , she enclosed It wltli
that other in an envelope addressed
Jn Nellie's pretty , graceful caligraph
to "Ralph Stanton , Esq. , " and sealed II
carefully.
It was necessary to destroy the mis
sive originally Intended for Ralph ,
and to indite another one to Mr. Gra
ham if discovery was to lie avoided.
* * * * * * *
Two years later Dr. Stanton was
journeying northward. The London
season was over and the famous phy
sician had been on the point of startIng -
Ing for his holiday when he wag
summoned by telegram to Sir Chris
topher Knott , a wealthy patient brim
ming over with gout and crochets.
Thinking ? It was dreaming dream
ing of a slim , petite figure and fluffy
golden hair and gloriously blue eyes !
Yes , though she refused him he loved
her stilL Her home was at Grim-
stone.
Would he see her ? What folly !
Doubt-less she was married , and , it
not. had she not told him In the crueJ
little letter , which was even now in
the breast pocket of his coat , that it
could never be ?
"Grimstone ! Grimstone ! " shouted a
porter , and so his reflections came to
an end , but only to awaken into lively
interest. From a second-class carriage
a girl alighted a girl in a neat little
hat and gray dust cloak. Underneath
that hat was a piquant little face and
A clustering fringe of fluffy golden
curls.
* * * * * * *
Nellie was alone in the drawing-
room. Suitors had wooed in vain. She
was the orthodox clergyman's daugh
ter , with her duties to perform as they
rose fresh each day , ajid in the past
a nameless disappointment.
Her thoughts had turned on thai
visit to Oakbrook two years ago when
the waiting maid brought in a card
"Dr. Stanton. "
"This is , indeed , a pleasant sur
prise , " she said with a rosy flush that
told its own story. ' 'I am sorry that
mamma is not at home. "
"I am staying in the neighborhood
professionally and could not leave
without calling on you. It is the priv
ilege of friendship , and you desi.cd
that we continue friends , "
Nellie looked puzzled.
"I dp not understand you. What do
you nfenu ? "
"I beg your pardon for the allusion ,
Miss Saville , but you cannot have for
gotten ? The words were in your let
ter a letter I have kept because you
wrote it , in spite of its contents. "
"Indeed , you are under a mistake.
I never wrote to yon in my life. "
"Then you never wrote this or re
ceived this ? "
And he placed In her hands the two
unfortunate letters. * * *
When the primroses looked like
stars in the grass and the air was
filled with the odor of violets , a wcd-
iling took place at Grimstone church.
And three months later a society jour
nal announced that Mrs. Stanton ,
widow of the late George Stanton.
Esq. . of Melton Willows. Berks , had
bestowed heart and hand upon Count
Horenza. an impecunious Italian noble
man. Waverlev.
Birthday for Each Sex.
AVith the exception of the Emperor
[ here are no individual birthdays in
le-lightfully interesting Japan. The
people , however , make up for this
neglect by having a sort of general
birthday of everybody in common ,
which is celebrated with great re
joicing.
There are two of these general holi
days , one for each sex. The male
birthday , which is known as the "cel-
? bration of the boys , " occurs on the
third day of the third month and the
the girls celebrate the fifth day of the
fifth mouth. These days are generally
[ nit aside and boys and girls respect
ively receive presents according to
their station.
The birthday of the Emperor , or
ren-o , as he is more properly styled ,
Is also a general holiday for the Jap-
inese everywhere. The houses are all
lecoratecl with flags , and in the even
ing the streets arc gay with the lights
> f Innumerable colored lanterns. Iii
the morning the highest authorities go
[ o the palace and offer their congratu
lations in person and the lower degrees
sffer them vicariously to their supe
riors. All the Japanese would , some
how or other , congratulate their mon-
irch on having added another year to
his age.
Booties Use Saws.
Some large beetles are as good as cir
cular saws. They seize a branch or
twig with their deeply toothed jaws
tind whirl round and round until the
twig is sawed off. They have been
known to saw a twig as thick as a
walking stick in this manner.
A Chnn > ; e.
Her headgear now is strangely great ;
It tilts and veers in mad delight
She queries. "Is my hat on straight ?
For if it is it isn't right ! "
Washington Star.
BUTTONS GROW ON BUSHES.
Nuts Furnish Many of These Needful
Articles for Wearing : Apparel.
No , the ivory buttons you weur do
not represent the death of an elephan/
In the wilds of Africa ; your pearl but
tons were probably never nearer thar
you took them to the shell of a bi
valve mollusk , and the probabilities
are that no rubber tree was ever tapped -
ped to produce the hard rubber buttons -
(
| tons that adorn your overcoat , says
i Popular Mechanics. Down in Central
America there is a fruit-producing
palm that has quite metamorphosed
the button business and formed the
i
nucleus for one of the most important
industries In the United States. The
seed of this fruit contains a milk that
is sweet to the taste and relished by
the natives. The milk when allowed
to remain in the nut long enough be
comes indurated and turns Into a sub
stance as brittle and hard as the ivory
plant Most of the buttons now
used in America , whether termed
ivory , pearl , rubber , horn or bone ,
come from this ivory plant. Thus the
probabilities are that your buttons are
made from a vegetable milk and they
grow on bushes.
The ivory plant is one of the mar
vels of the age and is rewarding the
growers with vast fortunes. The nuts
are brought to the United States by
the ship load and hauled across the
continent to the big button factories ,
from which they issue forth in every
conceivable design , color , grade and
classification of button.
The ivory plant has recently been
discovered in California , but the nut
it produces in its wild state is of in
ferior quality and will not make good
buttons. It is believed , though , that
with the proper cultivation the fruit
would be as valuable as the Central
American. If so , the growing of but
tons in America would become an in
dustry of importance second only to
the growing of corn , wheat and cot
ton , for everybody wears buttons.
The best ivory nut for commercial
purposes is found on the banks of
the River Magclalena , in the United
States of Colombia , where by some it
is called the Tagua palm. The fruit
forms a globular head about twice the
size of a man's head and weighs from
twenty to twenty-eight pounds. The
head is a kind of cluster of bulbs and
in all contains from fifty to sixty
seeds. The seeds are allowed to dry
and are harvested several times a year
by the natives.
The Apparel Gazette , the great deal
ers' authority oh everything that people
ple wear , says : "The ivory nut Is
used almost solely iu the manufac
ture of buttons , though some factories
also make poker chips from them. The
nut , however , has superseded the ar
chaic mud , rubber and bone buttons in
vogue formerly. It admits of wider
and more varied treatment for this
purpose than any other known sub
stance and is easily worked. The
United States consumes more than
one-half of the world's product of
ivory nuts and nine-tenths of the vege
table ivory is manufactured into but
tons.
"When the nut reaches the button
factory it is cut into three slabs. In
the process of cutting out the button
is partially shaped. Afterward the
thread holes arc drilled and counter
sunk. The button is then sent to the
polisher , who uses the shavings and
powder made in drilling to polish
them iu their white state. Afterward
they are sent to the designer , who
traces on the buttons in indelible dyes
the designs needed to make them
match the various weaves , coloring
and textures of fabrics. After receiv
ing these outlines , if the buttons are
to remain smooth and receive another
coat of coloring , they are put into
dyes. If they are to be stamped with
a segregated pattern they are put into
a pressing machine fitted with dies
of the pattern desired. "
STORY OF A GOLD PIECE
Found in the btonmch of a Cod and
Clafmel by a Mnn in Kansas.
Some few weeks ago A. E. Levy , of
529 Broadway , New York City , went
fishing down at the Fishing Banks. His
luck was not exceptionally good , but
when he reached home and the catch
had been cleaned he found that he had
broken the record. In the stomach of
a cod was found a $10 gold piece , with
two diamonds set on one side and the
initials "P. C. E. " on the other. Mr.
Levy was so amazed that he sent the
story to the papers , and it was copied
throughout the country. This he
thought would be the end of it , and
the matter slipped from his mind and
was forgotten. But Tuesday of this
week he received a letter from Patrick
C. Evans , residing iu Kansas , who
claims the $10 piece as his own , and
Mr. Levy will surrender It to him. Mr.
Evans in his letter tells the following
story :
"I some days ago saw In a St Louis
paper an item about your catching a
codfish which when you opened It gave
up a $10 gold piece , on one side of
which was a couple of diamonds and
on the other the letters 'P. C. E. ' The
coin Is my property , Mr. Levy. The coin
Is valuable to me , for the following rea
son : I was fool enough about five
years ago to go into a 'wildcat' gold
mining scheme in Colorado. I paid the
piper to the time of $4,000 before I
found out what I was up against The
only thing I got out of the enterprise
was this same $10 piece , which I bor
rowed from the president of the com
pany , a man named Harris Colby , at
Leadville , Col. , having only a check in
my pocket at the time and being shy
of ready money. As It happened , I did
not change it , and the next day the
mine busted up. So I said I would keep
the coin as a warning to me not to
be clasped as * sucker by any man , or
CENSUS TAKING IN INDIA.
Colossal Work Accomplished De
cennially by the British.
In India census-taking Is a colossa !
accomplished decennially , witl
aoteworthy success , by the Britlsl
jovernment Even among those whc
ind descriptions of census methods
iry reading at best , Interest must b <
iwakened by the difficulties surmount
id In that land of splendor and squal
) r , vast population , and innumerabh
races , languages and religions.
The population of India is 294,260 , '
fOl a figure so vast that it Is bettei
realized by considering the fact thai
there are more than 715,000 village !
Ind towns scattered over an area ol
me and a half million square miles. Tt
nake the enumeration of this vast ter
Itory , virtually a million enumerator !
ire required.
The successive steps of census organ
zatlon are the enumerator's "block , '
: he "circle , " "the charge , " the district ,
the province , and finally the Imperial
Census Corn-mission. A charge com
prises two or more circles , a circle If
Composed of ten or fifteen blocks , and
: he block contains from thirty to fifty
bouses.
The provincial superintendents be-
jin the work of organization a year in
idvance of the census date. Officers
ire designated , the villages in each
Circle are listed , block lists are pre
pared , and every house is numbered ,
fn some provinces the census authori
ties determine In advance the Ize of
the number , and specify the proportions
tions of red ocher and oil , or other
Ingredients , forming the substance
with which the number is to be paiut
2d. Even In this simple detail , how
aver , racial difficulties are encounter
ed : In Hyderabad objection Is made to
tar because of Its color , and red ocher
is substituted ; in some other localities ,
: > n the contrary , the natives consider
red ocher unlucky , and if it is used
they carefully erase the figures. On
huts of wattled bamboo a small space
ts plastered and then whitewashed , to
form a background for the number.
In the case of huts made of leaves ,
ind also when objection is made , on
account of caste restrictions , to the
touching of houses by enumerators , the
numbers are painted on bits of tin.
tiles or pots conspicuously placed , and
are usually treated with great respect
by the natives.
In this immensely populous and re
markable empire the census schedule
is framed to meet a wide variety of
local and racial conditions. It is print
ed in no less than seventeen different
languages , and includes , in addition to
the ordinary inquiries , questions con-
"eriiing religion and caste. Century.
"Water as a Cure.
A well-known physician says that
the girl who has not a clear com
plexion and wishes one has a simple
remedy right at hand if she cares to
use it. And it is water , applied not
outwardly , but inwardly. That is not
so much outwardly as inwardly.
.This authority says that the sallow
girl should drink two quarts of water
between rising and retiring , but not a
drop at meals. More than this , the
water drunk must not be too cold.
Ice water does not help the cause of
beauty. Cool spring water , if it is to
be had , is better , or , at least , water
of the temperature of spring water.
The drinking of too little water he
believes to be the cause of many ills.
Surely here is a way to attain beau
ty of complexion that is simpler than
many of the cosmetics prescribed , but
ts very simplicity will keep it from
being much used. , for there are in the
and a number of people who believe
n complicated prescriptions that puz
zle them , but iu nothing that they
understand.
Gen. Clay's Courage.
General Cassius M. Clay fought
many duels in his-day , usually with
iis long-bladed knife , meeting pistol
or rifle equally with that trusty weap
on. His physical strength was gigan
tic. He was accustomed to the use
of weapons , and he was always cool
ind never lost his judgment For ex
ample , when an adversary shot him ,
and he supposed he was done for , he
nflated his lungs to the full , conscious
hat he would live as long as he could
aold his breath. Then he drew his
inife and. did his bloody work. That
was when he killed Turner. After all ,
speaking musingly , reviewing his life ,
ic confessed to a reporter , when he
was about 84 , that he was opposed on
principle to the duel , thinking it a
savage1 way to settle a difficulty , "but
there are some cases for which it
seems to be the only remedy. " New
York Tribune.
Only Temporary Idleness.
"I assure you , madam , " said he ,
'that I would not be begging my
bread from door to door if I could but
procure employment at my profes-
ion. "
"Poor man , " replied the good wom-
in , as she handed out a pie , "what is
your profession ? "
"I am an air ship pilot , madam. "
Tit Bits.
Bits.Not
Not Out of the Ordinary.
Cadley I must confess I was pretty
"ranky yesterday. Did the girls say
anything about it ?
Kandor Oh , no.
Cadley Strange they didn't notice
ny behavior.
Kandor I guess they didn't see any-
_ hing unusual about it. Philadelphia
Press.
Part of the Population.
Paris uses 200,000,000 snails as food
mnually. And yet the town is not so
slow. Washington Star.
Women and opportunity like to make
: alls when you are out
t
VELVETS ARE BRIGHT
INCREASE IN VIVIDNESS AS EACH
NEW ONE COMES OUT.
Solid Color Weaves and Figured Ma
terials Are All Strikingly Tinted
and Designs Are Prominent- ace Is
Much Used on Eveninc Gowns.
Xew Tork corresnon I nce :
j EW velvets in-
I crease in vivid
ness with every
addition the shops
make to their sup
plies. This ap
plies as well to
real velvet of the
finest quality and
to the various
sorts of velvet
eens , some of
which are mate
rials of decided
worth. All the
grades show bril
liant tones inthe
Bolid colorweaves ,
and the brightest
of them are dis
played in such
quantity that they plainly are intended
is the material for gowns , not merely as
trimming. This impression is corrobora-
'od by study of model dresses , in which
re velvets of the brightest possible
hade. They are handsome get-ups. made
> lainly , for the most part , but with trim-
On evening gowns and wraps the use
of luce is to be lavish. Its employment
is not characterized by the set design and
stiffness that often marked last winter's
.pplications , especially those that were in
the medallion way. Almost all of it has
a look of softness , and while the treat
ment of a year ago was handsome , the
newer arrangements seem even more
beautiful. New fashions that plainly are
an improvement on the old take hold
quickly , and this change is being effect-
il according to this rule. Valenciennes
.s much favored , but the available list is
long. It takes in mechliu , chantllly ,
point de Paris , milanese , filet , point d'es-
prit , lierre , Paraguay. Mexican and
Vruges , with many more less well known ,
' it with beauty to recommend them.
Elaborate dressers are not content with
the use of such laces in simple fashion ,
but must trim them to the end that the
whole result appear more compler. The
designs of the lace are outlined with
ruchings. This trick has an endorsement
whose cordiality amounts almost to fad-
r- V5Vll
Vll
dish interest Lace embellished
fringe is in high standing , too , some ! oi
the fringe being woven in with the mesh
of the lace. And these and other lik
tricks are indulged even iu gowns al
ready almost smothered In lace.
Bodices seem not to bear more of such
embellishment than they have of tate
but skirts are decked out with increased
liberality. Lace insertions appear os
skirts between pleats and tucks , and
bands are bestowed with a free hand.
Both bauds and insertions are wide , som
of them strikingly so. Ruffles for the fee *
of the skirt account for much of the ex
penditure for laces , though such may b
arranged in modest proportions. On tha
other hand are skirts all lace ruffles bat
for a yoke of contrasting stuff , and still
others in which the lace web extend *
away to the belt Much variety prevail *
in the arrangement of the lace. Stand
ards for dress-ups make it easier to pro
vide place for an immense amount tham
to accomplish a fine result with a scant
supply. A pretty disposal of flounces and
ruffles is shown in the small picture put
at the head of this depiction. They wer *
black chantilly on black crepe de chin * ,
The gown in the center of the next pie- >
ture had white chautilly upon white sift
net , the whole over violet silk. At th
left of this gown is shown a Iac
trimmed evening wrap guipure upon
heavy brocaded white silk. On fin *
wraps is more of the heavier laces , but
even here , in garments marked by a look
of cozy warmth , are seen laces of th
softest , most filmy sort
In the field of embroidery recent
changes have been more in the character
than in the amount of the ornamentation.
As to the amount much is left to indl-
-
\ , v W MI ' < t VNM | | iirru-i
LAV1SIINESS IN LACES AND EMBROIDERY.
. ! .nr placed wherever the goods conies
io\t the wearer's i.eck. face or arms.
. .n.i this trimming serves quite as much
o relieve the skin from too close contact
vith the vivid shndings , as it does to
riianu'iit the gown. This point is one
hat should have very careful considera-
ioa by purchasers. Few complexions
an stand contact with these brilliant col-
riutrs. and none can stand them all. So
Tie intending buyer should either choose
urely one that is safe , or else have well
n mind some jrenei'al scheme for fencing
ior < t'lf off from it. The latter process
- . ! 1)0 attained with entire success , corn-
iuinir stylishness , beauty and an out-
iv quite in harmony with the cost of the
no velvet that may be in the gown it-
elf.
vidual taste. There may be little or
much. A modest , inconspicuous design ,
little more than an edging or a narrow
band , will suffice , or the material may b
almost hidden. What is permitted in the
way of showy treatment is suggested in
the wrap at the right in the second pic
ture , whic' was white cloth embroidered
with white silk cord. At the right in the
concluding picture is another white oloth
wrap with white cord embroidery dis
tributed less lavishly. Quite as often th
embroidery is upon bands or pieces of
contrasting goods that are then applied.
Such bands or pieces may be extensive ,
or may be limited to small dimensions ,
appearing at cuffs and edges. Many
gowns include tiny jackets of the con
trasting material entirely covered with
STREET AND EVENING ATTIRE BOTH ENRICHED WITH LAGS.
the embroidery. Cords , braids and pa
sementeries in large variety , but chieflj
of the smaller sizes , are employed verj
freely in this way. Bands are often em ,
broidered with silks
and flosses of thi
heavier sorts. Much of the more attract
ive and serviceable
ornamentation of th <
winter fashions lies in such bandina
Its uses constitute one of the best ol
current chances for the home dressmab
er to attain stylish finish
without greal
Fashion Notes.
lak lace in several
shades is verj
Black , white , cream , ecru and cham
pagne are the shades in which the new
silk laces will be conspicuous.
Ermine will be favored among tha
white furs , though its scarcity has led
to a considerable advance in price
A plaited green chiffon lining is effect
ive under a white cloth garment , tha
fnua of the lining falling below the cloth.
