1 ® x REMINISCE NCE Through the glistening glory of moonlit air When frost through the night was steal ing. I rode to the rush of a glorious pair One night long ago, with my beautiful Claire, As the Christmas bells were pealing. The night was sparkling, sharp ar.d still, The snow held the earth in Its keeping. While under Its mantle o'er vale anil hill. By the banks of each river and Ice-bound rill The unblossomcd flowers were sleeping. Roy Griffith was out with his dappled grays, And Fanny Cremorne In his cutter, And wild Willie Ford with his blooded bays, And that dashing beauty, Miss Kate Du- Pays, A trifle too utterly utter. Now a gray grows white and a bay horse fades. But mine showed beauty arid breeding, For Ronald was black as the queen of spades. And Lais still blacker by several shades. And bred with a view to speeding. And the face by my side was the loveliest far, Like a dream, through Its fur w raps show ing. Ah, never shone sun, r.or moon, nor 'star, And never broke wave over crystalline bar \\ Ith the light in those dark eyes glowing. And never sang seraph a sweeter strain Than the song of her rippling laughter; And never a field of golden grain Followed the breeze like a soft refrain As her echoing smile followed after; And never breathed spirit of light and air With a grace so winning and tender; Hi, Ronald! Come clown from that dance in the air! Hey, Lais! Have done with your frolicking there I Come! show us your best for the Lady Claire! Gently, there! gently! Now steady! So, so! Ah, grandly, my beauties! We'll let the boys know What it means to come up with a pair that can go. Ha! Ha! Lady Claire! the bays are in air! They never could trot with the blacks, fair and square; And there go the grays off their fleet, over there. Great Scott! but they're both coming up on the run! Hold tight, little Claire, this thing's just begun; '1 hey shall have all the running they wish ere they're done. Go, Ronald ! —Go! Go, Lais ! —Away! Great heavens! Just see Willie Ford's cutter sway. Get on, my black beauties! Get on there, I say! Hi, Lais! Look out! Look out or you'll slip! As I live, Lady Claire, it's a two-minute-clip; And see! do you see? Roy's using the whip! Ah, steady there, Ronald! Cling close, little one, We're making a beautiful, beautiful run, And the blacks' blood will tell before we are done. I told you! I told you! Will's out of the race; My soul! little one ! that was a bad place ; Those bays cannot run when the blacks set the pace. Now carefully, Claire; mind, child, how you sit, I'm going to touch up the blacks just a bit. Not afraid, my brave girl? Not a whit?—not a whit? Hi! you black phantoms! Get away ! —Get away! My life! how they go! This has passed beyond play. I hope—l—yes, Claire—that this cutter —will stay! See! little one —see! Look back at that gray! He's done, and hurrah! we've carried the day. Hurrah, you wild beauties ! Hurrah, there, 1 say! • *••••• « • We had won, we had wonfwith my brain all aswlrl, But my heart most blissfully singing; For through all the desperate rush and whirl 1 knew that that dear little, sweet little girl Was close to me, close to me clinging. Of course, I was tired after the race, And my heart in a terrible flutter. So I pulled down the blacks to a moderate pace And sat, while my right hand held them In place, With my left on the back of the cutter. And then, as the heavens were not quite clear, And the chains of love were clanking. My arm crept along on the seat, by the rear, And slyly, with doubting and many a fear, Strove to capture my captor, by flanking. But Claire was awake with hervidettes out And soon had the enemy routed. 'Twas merely a whisper, 1 have no doubt, But it seemed as if earth and air about With a thousand voices shouted. "Do you think It quite safe" (in a tone very grand), "Single handed to drive with a lady? I'm sure, sir, you'd better take two—and— and I think that perhaps—l could—lend you a hand. As I see you have only one ready." As that last low whisper flew oft into space Andmydarlinggrew scared into coldness, And never dwelt soul so white and fair, With the sweetness to love and the couraff* | to dare, In a form so fragile and slender. I had loved little Claire since long ago But never a word had spoken; The dear, winsome creature, she frightened me so, For 1 feared that, perhaps, she might an swer me. No, And the charm of my life b» broken. I scarcely could fancy it really true That tlure at my side she was sitting, In my gay little cutter all fresh and new With its golden striping, and built for two, Through theChrlstmasmoonlight flitting. I was driving along In a quiet way With never a thought of speeding, Trying to think of something to say, Though the horses were fresh and full of play. And the blacks, as usual, lending. The lights shone out on the glittering snow With Christmas cheer and greeting, Giving a glimpse, In the firelight's glow. Of silvery heads and heads of tow O'er Christmas bounties meeting. We were just turning Into the Norfolk Plk« Where it joins the road to Fentlever, Where it stretches away to the Cambridge ' dike. Broad and level and arrow-like. And smooth as a frozen river. I was furtively watching the radiant flush Up into Claire's cheek come creeping, When the bays and the grays drew up with a rush, And the six all abreast, for a bit of a brush. Came Into the wide road sweeping. I read In the beautiful, blushing face, Its story of trust and of loving grace. And my heart thrilled up into boldness. "And what happened then In the soft moon light?" Well, I certainly did not borrow. Is it anyone's care it I seized that night That dear little hand by my love's strong might And kept it through Joy and through sor row? And never a one to-night shall know That those bells to my thought seem weeping. With a sobbing cry, as they swol to and fro, Ov»r the beautiful, silent snow, Where the unbloss»med souls lie sleeping Ah, me!—how I long for the years by gone! Alas! that their glory is ended— When horses were horses, and knew how to run; When the girls, pure and true, were not like a nun. By a she-dragon always attended. My Willie goes out with bis girl, goes he, And his coachman fine as a tiddle. And his footman arrayed most gorgeousli In a sleigh that was built with a seat for three, And a chaperon sits In the middle. Oh, my heart and my temperboth are wrung For the ancient days so golden, "\\ hen life was royally sweet and young. And love was never a tTio sung, \\ ith the third part cracked and olden. CAMERON COUNTY PRESS, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1901. PUZZLE PICTURE. WHERE IS THK lIOEH (iIOM.HAI.f GERMAN ARMY AND NAVY. Hulcn IIIMI Hruiil.-it IOIIM Tlint Govern OtllrerN ii II (I Mrn of That Co 11 nt ry. Army and navy officers in Germany are not allowed to marry unless they have a certain private income and must make a deposit of 30,000 marks cash ($7,500) with the government he fore the marriage can take place, writes William E. Curtis, in the Chi cago llecord-Ilerald. This is depos ited to their credit in the public treas ury, and they receive three per cent, interest a year. At the death of the officer the principal is refunded to his family. The purpose of this rule is to protect the government from the bur den of destitute officers' families, and also to protect the officer aga nst court-martial, for the regulations pro hibit him from incurring debts. When an officer gets into debt he must re sign or go before a court-martial, and if he cannot show that his misfortune was unavoidable and due to circum stances over which lie had no control, he will be dismissed from the service. If the debts have been incurred for reasons which he could not prevent, they are paid out of the deposit to his credit and the amount is deduct ed from his pay in installments. The privates in the German army get no pay at all. By the constitution of the empire every German capable of bearing arms is enrolled in the standing army or navy for six years from the twentieth to the twenty seventh year of his age, although he is liable to be called upon at the com pletion of his seventeenth year. Of these six years, two must be spent in active service in the infantry and ar tillery, and three in the cavalry, and the remaining years in the army of the reserve. During this time the sol dier receives allowances for food and clothing and the other necessaries of life. He is also given beer and tobacco from the commissary, and if he is economical can commute his rations into cash and thus acquire a little spending money. The soldiers of the United States army, who receive sl3 a month, are the best paid in the world. Those of the British army, who receive a shilling a day, are next. The pay of the officers of the Ger man army is very small, and no one can obtain a commission unless he has a sufficient private fortune to yield him an income of at least 500 marks ($125) a year. Captains re ceive about the same compensation as second lieutenants of infantry in the United States, and officers of the low er grades even less in proportion. A second lieutenant in the German army receives less than a commissary ser geant or a hospital steward in Ihe United States. The Germans get marks where our officers get dollars— a mark being 25 cents. Army officers in Germany, however, have privileges that civilians do not enjoy. They are HAD WATER IN HIS SYSTEM. Sockless Feet —Wat's de mattter wit Willie? Ilrewser—He run so hard git tin' away from a wood pile dat he sweat reel water. It almost give him a bath. Deie's de result —a lit. entitled to half fare for themselves and their families on all the railways, like clergymen in the United States; they are given half rates at most of the hotels and restaurants, and a dis count from the regular prices at the shops, usually from 10 to 30 per cent. They have half rates at the theaters and operas, but at the royal opera no officer is allowed to appear in uniform unless he occupies a box or seat in the parquet or in the first row of the first balcony. The regular garrison of Berlin is 20.000 troops, which, with the general staff and the various bureaus, gives the city a large military population, and nearly every third person you meet on the street wears a uniform. During an hour's walk on the prin cipal streets the other day I met 28 generals. MILES OF JOS-LOT BOOKS. VnM Xumlierii of Vnlnmra In I.ondon l.ilirury StorerooniN That Ar« n Drill;'. One of the most curious sights in London is that provided by the cellars and storerooms of the great circulat ing library firms, who have literally miles- —nearly 20 miles in one case — of shelves of once more or less fash ionable books that may be bought now for a few coppers apiece, says the New York Herald. To show how uncertain is the fate of any book that may be issued, it may be sain that in a vast number of cases there are often in these cata combs hundreds of copies of one book, the latter less than three years ago having been read by thousands of peo ple, though absolutely a drug in the market now. In a great number of instances, too, the books now offered at a few cop pers—published at £1 12s, (id. original ly—have never been issued by the li brary or read by a single being, al though written by a supposedly noted author. The libraries throughout the coun try, from second down to twentieth rate, having been supplied from these many miles of shelves, millions of nov els issued during the last few years remain, and tons of them are periodic ally carried off to the paper makers, to reappear as bright, virgin sheets, and very likely to revisit once again the literary dead house of one of the li braries. Sometimes, however, these catacombs yield treasures. An author, hitherto unrecognized, writes a book that goes with a swing, and that brings him fame at once, and then people discover that many unread stories by him are mouldering in library cellars'. World'* I.nrtccnt Fletnre. The largest picture in the world is "Paradise," by Tintoretto. It hangs in the Doge's palace at Venice. It is $4 feet wide and 34 feet high.—N. Y. Herald. SLOT MACHINE CHARMED HER. Slir lluil Ileen Bitterly Optioned to> UnmhliiiK till II Her lliiMbmid Won n Dollar. "One of the most decided and quickest changes from a pronounced stand that ever came to my atten tion 1 noted in the case of my wife .vhile we were on u vacation trip re cently, '' remarked a well-known lo cal official. "Ever sj»ice we have been married Mrs. (J has been unalter* ably opposed to gambling in any form. The mere mention of the word caused her to shudder. While stroll ing about a summer resort a few weeks ago we passed one of 4hose machines that bear a sign inviting all who pass lo drop a nickel in the slot. The inducement is the possibil ity of the coin dropped striking a channel that will result in the drop per receiving an amount varying from one dollar to $2..10 in nickels as a return from the investment. Hut the dropped coin follows a winning passage about once in a lifetime. ".More for the sake of witnessing my wife experience a momentary chill than for ayy other reason I suddenly halted in front of the ma chine I spoke of and parted with a five-cent piece. Vastly to my sur prise, 20 nickels slipped from the ma chine. The event of a lifetime had actually come to pass. But more re markable was the transformation of Mrs. (i . Without a word she took possession of my winnings, deposited them, and when tiiey were gone bor rowed a dollar more in sm#ll change from me and placed all of it in the slot. She next called for more. Thereupon I protested. "Hut I'll surely win $2..10 if I kuep on trying," she expostulated. " 'You won't try with my money, though," I declared. Since this little occurrence, says the Washington Star. Mrs. O has not discoursed on the evils of gambling. CELTICISMS ON THE STAND. Paint.v SnyliiKN of Irlnli WltnenHea While I iiut not in the sun, and the creases will disappear as it dries.—Washing ton Star. A (icntlo Hint. lie —1 love you more than words can tell! She (shyly)-—•Well—there are other ways.—Suminerville Journal. SCHOOL AND CHURCH. Statistics of Atchison county, Kan., show that of the 10,501 people living there 12,14:1 have never utended Sun day school. Rev. Samuel Scoville, the son-in-law of Henry Ward lleecher, has become associate pastor with Dr. Jlillis, of the Plymouth church in Hroolclyn. The bishop of London said recent ly in talking of the poverty of the clergy that 4,5GG livings average $750 a year, and no fewer than I,'UI benefices were worth only $325 per annum. Rev. Richard Lewis Howell, one of the best known Episcopal clergymen, of Washington, 1). has a project for the erection of a magnificent edi fice in that city to serve as a meeting place for the communicants of ail re ligious denominations. Nearly 1,000 men and women are employed to conduct .summer vaca tion schools and playgrounds in the boroughs of Manhattan and the lironx. Last summer more than 100,- 000 boys and girls were in more or less constant attendance. In the future Boston's public school buildings are to contain well-appoint ed bathrooms. The impulse was given two years ago, when the Paul Re vere school was erected, and now bathrooms are to become a regular adjunct of the public school system. Carrie Nation the other evening lec tured to a large audience in Marietta, ()., under the direction of 11. J. Con rath, a saloon keeper, and .Joe l'.runer, a pugilist. In answi r to crit icisms on her appearance under such management Mrs. Nation said: "Neither the W. C. T. U. nor the churches would bring me here, but these men did, and 1 am grateful to them." President Eliot, of Harvard, insists that the school-teachers spend alto gether too much time trying to teach, arithmetic to young children. In his Twentieth Century club lecture he told of a naughty boy who was toki by his mother that lie must either do as she told him or leave the room, 'i'lie boy thought for a moment and then remarked: "That's fair." "I ■would give more for that judicial comment for its effect on the boy's later life," said President Eliot, "than for any amount of accurate figuring." A WEAPONLESS HUNTER. AVootlMiiinn Who CliokeM llcnm nud AVililentM to Dentil, ami lluiitx Small (iauic with Stone*. Bob Brown, of Fox Hollow, is a woodsman who gets much game, yet. uses neither gun nor knife, nor any other weapon except occasionally a club or a stone, says the New York Sun. lie has a record of choking bears to death, and even a wildcat is among his trophies that he bagged in that way. His manner of hunting bears is to trail one to its feeding grounds, get to the windward of it, creep stealthily upon it, qnd, when near enough, throw a horse blanket or sometimes his coat, over its head. While the bear is blinded and its forepaws entangled in it, Brown jumps in, finds the bear's windpipe with his right hand, clutches it'with a grip like a vise, and actually chokes the bear to death. At least, he has succeeded in killing two in this way. One of them weighed over 200 pounds and one was a 110-pounder. The wildcat that Brown choked to death leaped at him from a hollow stump where she had kittens con cealed. Brown, who is a powerful man, seized her by the throat while she was still in the air and held her at arm's length until she was dead, with her hind legs drawn clear up to her breast. He killed a wildcat once with a sin gle blow of his list, crushing the ani mal's skull. Buffed grouse, or partridge, as they are called by the natives, will tree when flushed if they hear the barking of a dog. Brown hunts partridges by imitating the bark of a whiffet, when the birds rise. When they tree he brings them down with stones, with which his aim is almost unerring. He is said to he nble also to kill a running rabbit by stone throwing. Hunting; the Knit (Serin. The London city council have tun neled under the Thames,reconstructed bridges, demolished many streets, provided parks and music for the masses, and are anxious to add a serv ice of free steamboats and hope to buy up all the water companies whenever parliament will grant the requisite powers. Not satisfied with these enter prises, it is now suggested that the fog fiend sraould be localized, run to earth and deprived of his asphyxiating ter rors. As a commencement it is only proposed to spend £250 on an experi mental investigations. When prelim inaries are completed fogs may cease as soon as the Essex marshes are re claimed, the river diverted and smoky chimneys suppressed. These cannot be called trifling obstacles, but with ambitious councillors on the job there is sure to be a bijr effort made to over come them. —X. Y. Snn. M UNt ll ell CM of Old. Men with enormous mustaches real ly have nothing to be proud of. Rather are they to be pitied. Those of high, rank among the Gauls and Britons, ac cording to Caesar and liiodorous, shaved the chin, but wore immense forests of hair on (lie upper lip. The mustaches of the inhabitants of Corn wall and the Sicily isTes hung (Uma upon their breasts like wings.—X. V, Press. Poverty J\"ot tlie \Vor*t Thing:. Poverty may sidetrack a man, but ij never blows him lip. —Chicago Uaijjr News. 13