TELLING THE CHILD A STORY. At ton-time In the ruildy light Chrlnnnthcmutn were in their glory My baby enmo to iy Kooil-nltfht, And hfg for Jiwt "one little story." I toll) her how girl like her Cme long go, somewhere or other, And brought her doll and made a stir, And begged a story from her mother, Who, tired and listless, nlso crossed The little story-begging henuty With news of how another glossed Her trksotno story-telling duty. . Still backward was the tale rfi'rrod To weary her, but when 1 ended. As If I had not snld a word, With looks half-pleading, half-o(!cnded, She claspel n.y nock her childish trust Hud maile tho hardest hear-, compliant "A little one," she said, "plr,so Just About a fairy and a giant." I klMfd her close, and off I went; "Once on a time," low, slow and steady. She heaved a stgh of sweet content: My darling was asleep already. UihhI Words. A STRANGE "WILL It Brought Fortuno and Happines3 to Two Lovers. Yen, she wa dcml at last Mnrparpt Dcmorc&t, of Stony Lodgo nnl tho shock of her demise had shuken Hello rue from center to circumference. Kor years her numerous relatives, each with an eye to the estate, had watched her movements from a respectful dis tance, which she herself hail interposed between them, tind their hearts had (frown sick with hope) deferred Heart disease, tho doctors said, when he was found one morning1 with a smile of peaco frozen on her stern and withered features. The relatives ac cepted the verdict with due resigna tion, following tho remains of the "dear departed" to their final resting place, amid an ostentatious display of crape. But when the will was read tho excite ment of the heirs-at-law rapidly ascended to fever heat. Always eccen tric In life, Miss Demorest had retained that eccentricity to the end and woven it into her last will and testament With the exception of a few bequests to her servants, tho whole of her prop erty, landed and personal, to wit: Stony Lodge, her present residence, with its beautiful park, which was a very Eden of loveliness; Rose Villa, her winter resort on Lake Helen, Flo., to gether with a splendid house in town and money to the amount of five hun dred thousand dollars, was to pass Into the sole possession of that one among her kinsfolk who should discover tho hiding place of the twelve Demorest rabies. Should the gems remain undiscov ered after the lapse of one year from the date of death the estate was to be Bold and a home for old maids founded with the proceeds. "The old cat!" muttered fashionable Mrs. Meredith, viciously. "She hid those rubies herself, the spiteful thing!" "It is too provoking!" pouted her pretty daughter Maude. "I shall contest the will," said thin lipped Reuben Gray. "It cannot stand." Mrs. Meredith was Miss Dcmorest's niece and Keuben Gray her nephew. The two were brother and sister nnd the nearest akin to the dead woman. Next catno Marpio Vane, child of a favorite nephew, who was to have been the heir had he not displeased his ount by marrying against her will a pirl of obscure parentage "a pauper," Miss Demorest called her. Harold Vane had died some years back, closely followed by his wife, and the one daughter, Margaret, was left alone in the world and utterly penni less. . Mrs. Meredith had taken her for the old aunt had remained obdurate and she was now serving in the capacity of maid to her beautiful cousin Maude. . Margie Vane was not present at the reading of the will. Mrs. Meredith con sidered it unnecessary, and Margie her self had not the faintest hope of being remembered kindly by her father's stern old relative. When, therefore, they returned in anger and disappoint ment and gave an account of the word ing of the will Margie's hazel eyes opened wide with wonder. That afternoon and many ensuing afternoons Mrs. Meredith, Maude and Margie walked over to Stony Lodge and wandered fruitlessly about amid tho treasuresof bric-a-brac, statuary, books and rare old china. On one of these occasions Margie met Will Demorest a cousin several times removed of her father. He was a frank, handsome young fellow, with dark blue eyes and close, curling, fair hair. His was the genuine Demorest face, the index of a strong, noble char acter. Ity occupation he was an artist in glass-blowing, having learned the art in Venice. He had done considerable work for Miss Demorest with whom ho wia:i a prime favorite. "So you thought you would have a look for tho rubies with the rest of us," said Mrs. Meredith, with a sneer, na she found the young glassblower exam ining the books in the library one morning. "Vet I thought you abhorred mercenary considerations." ' "I am not in quest of the gems," Will replied, as his eyes rested in unmistak able admiration on Margie's fair, sweet face. "Humph! I hope you don't take me for a lunatic or a fool, Will Demorest," was the scathing rejoinder. "For neither, I assure you," said Will, with a bow. "Only at present I lira more interested in pearls than rubies. Cousin Margie, may I show you the house? I believe 1 know it moro thor oughly than most people," Margie shyly acquiesced, and the two went off together, leaving Mrs. Mere dith and Maude to continue their search. "Are you anxious to find the rubies also?" asked Will, as they paused in the china closet to admire the cut glass. "I have not even looked for them," answered Margie, with a bright smile. "They are magnificent gems," said '.VilL "and were never set I saw them .v.fct once, and they nearly took my ...th away." "I should like to soe them," Margie said, musingly; "but oh, Will, wero they more beautiful than these exquis ite cups? Surely' that is Impossible" The cups In question wero, indeed, exquisite. Mown of the costliest Vene tian glass, lily-shaped, with curled leaves for saucers, and glowing with rainbow tints, they resembled nothing so much as & bed of gorgeous tropical flowers. Margie's eyes sparkled as she looked at them. "How lovely! How dainty! How falry-llke!" she exclaimed, breathless ly. "See, Will; this ono is exactly lilto un opal with a touch of fire, and here is an amethyst and here a glowing emerald. Oh, Will, do look! Sue how that strange glow, os of hidden fire, flashes from each! This ono Is jacinth, this beryl, and Will Demorest, hero is a ruby! Oh, tho beauty! The real gems cannot bo more superb!" As she spoko alio took the ruby cup into her hand. Will half started for ward us If to prevent her, but drew buck again with a palo, startled face. He fore ho could frame a reply Mrs. Meredith and Maude appeared upon the scene. "Margie," cried tho former, "put down that cup and come, along. I should think you would have moro pride than to dawdle here oil day talk ing with Will Demorest" Margie's soft hazel eyes filled with tears as Lawyer I'ay entered tho room, and from under his bushy brows glanced sharply utcach of the group. "Hunting for rubles eh?" ho said, sarcastically. "Hut Miss Margio seemed to be the only successful one of tho pnrty. This is a rare bit of glass, Miss Margie, and was blown by our friend here," with a motion of his hand to ward W11L Margie's hand tightened on tho cup in her surprise; her rosy forefinger pressed a raised stamen In tho calyx of the lily bell, when, presto! change! it sank beneath her touch, and her startled eyes gazed straight into a small cavity where glowed a ruby of inestimable value, like a drop of rosy fire. "Solved!" shouted Lawyer Fay, as his eyes also beheld the gems. Will, very white, shrank back against the wall, while Mrs. Meredith and her daughter pressed closer to Margio and tho lawyer. "Tho rubles!" gasped tho avaricious woman, making a Uivo for the other cup. Hut her lawyer placed himself in her way. "I beg your pardon," he said. "Tho discovery is Miss Margie's, and, in ac cordance with the terras of the will of my deceased client she is solo heiress to the Demorest estate." Mrs. Meredith grew palo with cha grin. Maude burst into tears, and I'.eubcu Gray, who had heard all from ;lii? door, announced his intention of breaking such an unjust wilL "You may try it" was all Lawyer Fay said to tho threat Will came slowly forward and con gratulated Margie on her good fortune. "And my congratulations are uono the less sincere that with them I re sign the sweetest hope of my life," he said. "Resign a fiddlestick!" muttered the old lawyer. "Margio, that boy refused tube made Miss Dcmorest's heir in idsted that it would be un injustice to those nearer of kin. Then she made him blow these cups of tinted glass, with tho central cavity and spring. She inserted a ruby in each cup, which, combined with the different tints gave them their rich coloring. Ho watched her hide the rubies and ho has kept the secret Does he not merit some re ward?" Margio flushod and glanced timidly at WilL Then she looked around for her aunt und cousin. Both had disap peared. "Take her, Will," said the old law yer, with twinkling eyes, "and bless ye, my children." With a melodramatic gesture he, too, vanished, and I think tho young people were not long in coming to an under standing, for cards are now out for the wedding. Leeds Mercury. How He Uaugad It. A Devonshire farmer went to London to see the sights. While walking down the Strand he saw a card in a tavern window bearing the inscription: "Dev onshire cider sold here," The old man's heart warming towards his native bev erage, he entered the publio house and called for "a pint o' zl(Lr." The liquor being drawn, he placed it to his lips and half-emptied the measure, putting It on tho counter with the remark that it was "very poor stuff." A cockney standing by, thinking he could raise a joke at tho farmer's ex pense, said: "I say, mister, do yon know how that cider was made?" "N'o," said tho farmer. "Well, I'll tell you. They stuck up a barrel of water at one end of a shed, and stood buck at the other end and threw apples at it" "Did they?" said the farmer, slowly hipping tho cider. "Then they didn't hit that barrel mor'n once." Tit-lilta. Stab Ends of Thought. Wo shape our own fate quite as much as fate shapes us. I'retenso may not bo of long con tinuance but it goes while it lasts. A woman may bo no moro vain than a man is, but she will do more for van ity's sake than a man wilL Prudence is tho muzzle for zeaL Avarice is so close that ho who has It denies its possession. A woman who can love oneo can love twice. As soon as two people begin to think alike they disagree. Theologians give finite interpreta tions to infinite truths and condemn Infinite souls for refusing to accept them. True religion takes care of the body first Conservatism la a mild form of sowardice. Detroit Free Press. Best states, contentless, have a dis tracted and most wretched being, worse than worst content Shakespeare. ' Women and Weaf tier. In some parts of Xow England, and perhaps elsewhere, when Rome com mon Impulse seems to havo led all tho women to go shopping or visiting, it is eustomnry for old people to say: "Well, well, I guess it will rain to morrow." At sea, as might bo expected, tho same rule does not hold. Thus nn ex change reports a nervous lady pn-wrii-ger as saying to a deck-hand: "Have you ever seen any worse weather than this, Mr. Sailor?" "Take a word from nn old salt, mnm," says the deck-hand; "the weath er's never very bud while there's uny females on deck a-makin' henquiries about it" On the Sstita Maria. Don Alonzo I'enzon And your father was a wool-comber, Christopher? Christopher Columbus Yes, and my mother was nlso a wool-comber, Don Alonzo. Don Alonzo I'enzon Indeed? I never heard that. Christopher Columbus Yes, she fre quently combed my father's wool. And because Don Alonzo did not laugh, a coolness sprang up between these two distinguished mariners, which lusted until a sudden lurch of tho caravels threw them once moro into each other's arms. Brooklyn Life. Accounted For. "Why, yes, I have seen a great deal of Tom Robinson recently. Fact is, he's one of the most entertaining men I ever met. Heally. 1 didn't know there was so much in him. He's positively brilliant when you get him talking. Most delightful companion, and so hos pitable and " "I see. Which of Robinson's sisters is it the little ono with the block hair or the tall blonde one?" "It's the little ono with the blaclr liuir." Boston Globe. Never Out of It. "I'upa says she did it out of curios ity." "Must be a mistake." "How's that?" "Know'd her fur forty years an' never heard o' her bein' onto" curiosity u minute durin' tho hull time." Buf falo Courier. Very I'artlrnliir. Lnily Are your antiques nil genu ine? Clerk Yes, madam, and we so guar antee them. Lady Well, nil our furniture is an tique, and I wish to get a genuine an tique Louis XIV. carpet-sweeper. N. Y. Weekly. I'ortituiln. "Thnt." said the nervous citizen, "is one of the most remarkable cases of fortitude I ever saw." "What is?" "The manner in which that man listens to his own practicing on tho clarionet." Detroit Free I'ress. Not Worth Saving. Mike fining down a ladder) IlnitM on. l'nt. Don't yez come on the ladder till o'im down. It's ould und cracked. Fat 'ge'.'iiig on) Arm. be ai-y. It wi.nl.l iiv the boss ri;rlit to have to lutv a now one. X. Y. Weekly. Troof. "Are the Farvenues as fond of dis play as people say?" "Yes, indeed. V.'hv, they serve gold fish nt lunch instead of sardines." Harper's Bazar. Doubly Pint rsttfal. His berrowlmj has caused a loss To him as well as n'.o; For I have lost the money leaned, And be his memory. Puck. UOINO OrF WITH A I1AN1," Fishing. We went out Ashing yesterday, And fished with care and though U By night we had a splendid mens Which some one eSe had caught Kansas City Journal A Fair Offer. "What will you give me to fast thir ty days in your bhow?" said a profes sional faster to the proprietor of a dime museum. "I'll givo you fiftot-n dollars a week." "Make it fifteen dollars a week and board und I'll go you." Judge. A Logical Iuferanoe. In the restaurant; "The last time I ordered spring chicken hero they brought me a thor oughly matured hen. How do you sup pose I can get a real spring chicken?" "Order a fresh egg." Chicago Rec ord. In the t'onntry. "I wonder," thought Frank, as he awakened early in tho morning, "whether that rooster tells the sun when to get up, or the sun tells the rooster? I wish they'd both wait un til I was ready." Harper's Young Peo ple. How to iln Perennial Youth, Gertie How old Is Maud? Ethel She has been twenty-three ever since a fire in her house burned up the family Biblo six years ago. Chica go Herald. Ou th Ferry, Jones Smith, whBt made the bout so late? Smith Wind blowing the wrong di rection for the summer girl's sleeves. Town Topics. llllffk -Life B F. SiiARPt.ESR, Trcs. X. U. LOOMSBUR LAND IMPROVEMENT COMPANY Capital Stock, $30,0O0. Plotted property ia in the coming business centre of the town. It includes also pnrt of the factory district, and linn no equal in desirability for residence purposes. CHOICE LOTS are offered at values that will be doubled in a short time. No such opportunity can be had elsewhere to make money. Lots secured on SMALL MONTHLY PAYMENTS- Maps of the town and of plotted property furnished on ap plication. Call upon or write to the Secretary, or J. S. Woods, Sales Agent, or any member of the Board of Directors. D0A11D OF DIRECTORS. 13. F. Siiakplkps; J. L. Diu.ox. C. W. Nf.ab A. G. Rrkjgs, Dr. I. W. Willits, Dn. II. W. McReyxolds, N. I). FUNK. 5-12 6 mos. ALEXANDER BROTHERS & CO. DEALERS IS Cigars, Tobacco, Candies, Fruits and Nuts ' SOLE AGENTS FOR Henry Maillard's Fine Candies. Fresh Every Week. 2Lici--r Gooes -a. Specialty. SOLE AGENTS FOR F .F. Adams & Co's Fine Cut Chewing Tobacco ; sole ftjjents for the H2.1-7 Clay, Lcr.ircs, Normal, Indian Princess, Samson, Silver Asb Bloomsburg Pa. IF YOU ARE IN NEED OF CARPET, H1ATTBKG, or I Ij CLOTH, YOU WILL FIND A NICE LINE AT W. M. EEDWEB'S 2nd Door aoovo Court Iloime. A Jare lot of Window Curtains in stock. Shoes for a family cost more than any other article. Mv experience of over 20 years in handling shoes enables me to select my stock in such a maimer as to "ive you the most torn- lori aim service iur ine least money, uome and see me ami I win save you money on your My lines of Dry Goods, Notions, Gents' Furnishing Goods, urocenes, cic, are complete. W. The Pot called because the didn't ISHN -ANTIDOTE x S THE POSITIVE CURE. I JlM&IN .J ELY BROTHERS. M Www Bl, Npw York. Prlc60eto.L tJy Iffllll TRY IT AHD.5EET0UR.ST0RE "flEL . CUSTOMERS.. Funk, Sec, C. H. Camphbix, Trea . following brands of Clunrs- shoes. H. MOORE. the Kettle Black Housewife use DULL 1 WITrt YOU ? i 1 POR DULLNESS E58 SB B mm ILook Mere! Do you want a u Do you want an "W.' ... Do you want a t Do you want au kind of a aiUSZCAl IN. STSIUMKNT? Do you want SIIHET MUSIC? If so, do not send your mon ey away from home, but deal with a reliable dealer right here, who will make things right, if there is anything vron. For anything in this line the place to go is to 3. Ballzers, Ware-rooms, Main Street- be low Market. THE MARKETS. LLOOMSLUKG MARKETS. COKKRCTBD WBIKLT. HKTAIL PKICE9. Butter per lb $ .j6 .20 .14 .16 to .08 to .08 8S 5 .80 4.2S 16.00 7 S 1. 00 to .35 .13 .08 .14 .14 .08 s .18 .18 oj hggs per dozen Lard per lb Ham per pound Fork, whole, per pound 07 Beef, quarter, per pound, . . . 06 Wheat per bushel Oats " Rye " " Wheat flour per bbl Hay per ton Potatoes per bushel Turnips " Onions " " Sweet potatoes per peck 25 Cranberries per qt , Tallow per lb , Shoulder " " 7.7... Side meat" " 77... Vinegar, per qt Dried apples per lb Dried cherries, pitted Raspberries 7 Cow Hides per lb Steer " " Calf Skin 40 Sheep pelts to 5 .90 6S 2.00 I.2S 1.25 1.25 .12 .14 .10 .10 Shelled corn per bus Corn meal, cwt. Bran, " Choi) " Middlings Chickens per lb 1 urkeys Geese Ducks k 11 Coal. No. 6, delivered 3.50 3 5 2.25 35 " 4 and 5 " " 6 at yard '. " 4 and 5 at yard... Th Consumptive nnd Feotole n J oillo. lli urr.lliraur.lljuiiiili, Wnk l.ui.l., I Iflnlil) '.lif HINOERCORNS. Ttieonlr un.mr.fWConu. V'i'J PARKER'S HAIR BALSAM l&JSnW - 6 l rroiiiutu luur,nl -wth. 3J3n' W iver 10 Bttra Ory :!;. T lH to It Youthful Color. JQ -i V t-"" "'".p lim.t hair tiUUii MMI. . tl.