6 WE KNOW LITTLE WHAT WE ARE We know so little whut we are. What new unbidden self may rise, (To falsify the former life And strike the heart with wild surprise. We know so little what we are, So, doubt the self we yet may be, That linked years assume a shape Of dread and mutability. • • I Desire with its myriad mood And fate that moldeth us anew. Shall leave us but the faded wraith Of that first simple self we knew. But Honor be our shield—and Truth Defend our steps where'er we range! Whatever alter, these shall save Prom irremediable change. —Elizabeth French, in Springfield (Mass.) Republican. M A ROSE OF M NORMANDY J WILLIAM R. A. WILSON L CHAPTER V.—CONTINUED. 112 "Perchance some such chair contains my Lily of Poitou," muttered Tonii to liiinself; and as he did so, he smileu at the thought of his ever being able to give up woman in the abstract for a woman, however beautiful. While engaged thus, he did not hear the warning sound of horse's hoofs up on the paving-stones close behind him. It was only when this sound was ac companied by a harsh human voice that he turned quickly and leaped aside, as he saw a horseman riding at full speed almost upon him. He did not escape entirely, for the huge stirrup of the rider caught him a blow in the aide that nearly overthrew him, while at the same time a shower of mingled mud and water from the horse's hoofs .splashed over his new boots. He sprang forward with an angry cry, his hand on his sword, in pursuit of the man whose carelefrfsness had •caused the accident. The blow in the side did not ruffle him half as much as the ruin of the boots he had paid 200 livres for within the hour. The man turned in bis saddle, and shook his fist at him, but did not slacken his speed. Wrapped as he was in a huge cloak, with his hat pulled down over his eye.?. Tonti could not get a glimpse of his face. His cry, however, soon changed from one of anger to that of alarm \ * (y » / ' A CORNER OF THE CURTAIN WAS RAISED. and warning, for the man, still half turned in his saddle, and regarding Tonti with a menacing air, did not see that his horse was about to collide with the chair and its bearers. He turned as he heard their warning .shouts, but not in time to change hia horse's course, who the next moment plunged into I he first bearer, knocking him down, and dashed against the side of the chair with sufficient force to send it toppling over with a crash, despite the efforts of the bearer in the rear to prevent its overthrow. The horse staggered and finally stumbled, sending his rider sprawling on the pavement. He was not hurt, for he jumped up, and after his horse had risen, climbed into the saddle and was about togo on, unmindful of the damage he had already wrought. Ton ti, hearing a feminine scream from the interior of the chair as it went over, started to assist in righting it, but be fore he reached the spot the two bear ers had already succeeded in doing so; then too, the sight, of the doer of all ■this mischief about to make his es cape changed his purpose, so not stop ping at the place of Che accident, ho rushed on toward the horse and rider. He reached them just in time to seize the horse's rein, and hinder his fur t her progress. "Diamine! You insolent fellow, what mean you by running into me and overturning yonder lady's chair?" h« cried, breathless from his exertions. "Let go my rein, you flea-bitten cur," was the insulting reply. "How dare you? I ride upon the king's business;" and, raising his whip, he made a move as though to strike Tonti across the face. Tonti saw the movement and quick as thought had his sword-point •against the man's breast. "Make but, one motion with that whip or one effort to escape and I shall spit you like I would any other car rion. King's business or no. you must first return and make amends to the occupant of yon chair, and then dis • close your name and face to me, so •that if you are noi the street-scum your actio ßS indicate you to IK*. I can tiave the of ctosaina s words with you. Come, about fare;" and eo speaking, Tonti turned the horse's head and led both horse and rider back to the chair. Still keeping his sword drawn, he advanced to the window, whose curtain was down, and, bowing, said in a respectful voice: "It grieves me truly, niadame, thai this fright should have occurred to you, and I hope that you are not in jured by the overthrow. Believe m% the cause of it shall be justly punished for his insolence. As the first step in that punishment I have brought him to you to force him, at the point of my sword, if necessary, to make due repa ration to you and to uncloak his face so that I may know whether he is worthy for a soldier to meet upon the field of honor." While speaking he involuntarily lowered liis sword a trifle. The rider saw his opportunity, and suddenly digging the spurs into his horse, he jerked the rein from Tonti's hand, and as he passed struck him a stinging blow upon the cheek with his whip, saying in a voice filled with hatred: "Thus do I brand my dogs," and was gone at full gallop down the street At the first sound of the man' 3 voice, the occupant of the chair gave another little feminine shriek, and as Tonti looked after the fleeing enemy, his cheek red and tingling from the lash, choking with anger at the insult, he was vaguely conscious that a corner of the curtain was raised and a pair of eyes were regarding him furtively, lie must have been mistaken, for when he turned again the curtain was mo tionless. "The wretch has fled. I, however, marked wall his horse and shall search the city until I find it, and then its owner. I shall fight him with a great er joy now that I have his insult to you to avenge as well as mine own," he said gallantly, sheathing his sword and picking up his hat. "I thank you, sir, for your assist ance, but do not, I beg of you, fight with that man; he is an expert swords man and a person without honor, who would take any advantage of you, so as he could kill you," came in half abashed and faltering earnest tones from the interior of the chair. The voice was that of a woman, young, refined, and presumably beauti ful; at least a rare beauty should properly accompany a voice as rich in its modulations and as clear as it was. Some such thought flashed through Tonti's mind, aa he bowed his head so as to bring it near the window, and spolce in a voice low enough to escape the ears of the bearers, who stood ready to proceed with the chair. "May I not be rewarded by a sight of the fair one I found in distress, and, like a true knight, have endeavored to re lieve?" There was no reply for a moment, Ihen the curtains suddenly parted and lie saw before him the smiling face of a young girl, whose beauty seized and thrilled him. Only a glimpse, and the curtains were again closed and the word of command given to the bearers. Tonti was in ecstasy and despair, when a small white ungloved hand ap peared between the curtains. lie seized it in one of his, and, bending low, kissed it. Another instant he stood hat in hand, watching the chair disappear around a neighboring cor ner, while in his grasp he held a dainty kerchief, in one corner ot' which was embroidered the letter "R." He pressed it to his lips, and. noting the letter, exclaimed: "Mine is no iily; 'W stands for 'Rose,' and, since the fairest are found in Normandy, I shall call her my 'Rose of Normandy' for want of a better name." And all through that night a certain lodger in the Place de la Greve dreamed of many conflicts and battles, all of which ended in his being victorious and standing en a high spot somewhere, drinking the blood of his enemies to the health of his "Rose of Nor mandy." CHAPTER VI. A DARK CHATTER, UK VI.TXG WITH A PARK NIGHT, DARK MEN, AND DARK ERRANDS. The rain that had threatened during the day broke over the city at night, in an almost unparalleled tempest. The lightning played about the spires of Notre Dame and other churches, so that many beads were told and prayers offered for the safety of the city, in hope of warding off the vengeance of offended Deity. But there were many abroad that night on unholy errands who feared rather the devil and his crew of demons than the thunder-belts of Heaven. It was the age of mystery and the Black Art, and many there were who, not satisfied with offerings made within the sacred edifices, sought how they might likewise pla cate and win the power and influence of His Satanic Majesty, Monsieur Diable. Whilst the -storm was at its height, about 11 by the clock, the figure of a man carefully cloaked against the rain and recognition might have been ob served making his way along a street in that famous (or rather infamous) PO-J't of Paris known as the Quartier Bonne-Nouvelle. He fought his way inch by inch against the force of the wind and rain. At times when he reached the partial shelter of a wall or projecting corner, he halted a mo ment to gain his breath or rearrange the cloak that the wind tried to de prive him of. He finally turned into a small street, the Rue Beauregard, that was almost deserted. He came to a portion that seemed to traverse a vast vacant space, void of all habita tions save one. This one exception was a large mansion set back some dis tance from the street, its yard filled with trees and surrounded on all sides by a high stone wall. A feeble light secured from the force of the wind overlooked a narrow open ing in the wall, which was filled by a barred gateway. The man stopped be neatli the light, which was ingenioua CAMERON COUNTY PRESS, THURSDAY, JULY 13, 1905. ly arranged so as to throw a shadow on whoever stood immediately below it. He hesitated a momejit, and then pulled at a knob in the wall, which evidently communicated with a mys terious bell, for in a moment another light appeared in the hands of an ugly, cross-looking dwarf, who alter nately scowled and leered at the visitor as he let him in. The flashes of lightning rendered the services of the dwarf's torch su perfluous. so he made his way rapidly toward the house without waiting for his guide, knocked, and was immedi ately admitted. The brightness of the interior contrasted so strongly with the darkness of the night outside that the man was dazed for a moment. He was led into a small waiting-room and left to himself, amid a profusion of gorgeous furnishings that, seemed strange in this deserted part of the city. But there was reason for his finding his surroundings strange and terrible, for he was within the walls of the most infamous home of crime and vil lany in Paris. It was none other than the house of La Voisin, the celebrated sorceress, poisoner, infanticide; the Locusta of her day; the Toffana of France. Hither came the husband seeking to be rid of an aging wife by spell or poison, in order to espouse a more youthful beauty; the wife, long ing for freedom from a rich but dis tasteful husband, or finding here a rendezvous with her lover. All classes of the aristocracy came as petitioners at the shrine of this arch-priestess of hell. Officers of the army desiring the death of those outranking them; magistrates, ministers of state—all met on one common level of hideous crime. Here, too, came the first women of the court in their sedan-chairs; duch | esses, ladies-in-waiting, countesses, princesses, to gain their hearts' de- I sire, with all the faith and earnest ' ness worthy of a better cause. Now j one craved a love philter to overcome j a lover's coldness or neglect; another j some secret essence to preserve her youthfulness against the ravages I wrought by the life of fashionable de j bauchery in which all lived. In this den of infamy was celebrated j the impious Black Mass, wherein the | liturgical ceremonies of the Christian I church were travestied and degraded by devilish ingenuity; in which chil dren one and two years old were sacri ficed to Satan as at a heathen festival. I There, too, came Madame de Monte j span, and in an elaborate service, with j impious priest and desecrated altar, ! rendered full homage to the Prince of j Darkness, craving his aid to win for J her the love of the king, the confu | sion of her enemies, and the gratifica ! tion of her desires. Within a small waiting-room, the visitor awaited his turn to interview | the mistress of the establishment. He ! removed his cloak and liat, and stood j revealed to an observer as a young ! man of 25, tall, with dark hair and 1 black over-arching eyebrows which ! seemed to scowl continually. His face was smooth, save a few hairs on the i under lip, which lie pulled at nervous | ly as he stood or*walked up and down j the floor of the apartment. His eye.? | were deep-set, and gleamed with the j Tight of Ihe unquenched fires of dark ' desire within their depths. liis cheek ; bones rather accentuated the deep | seatedness of his eyes; a sensuous : mouth betrayed 1 lie voluptuary, while a receding chin gave a mixed impres sion of instability and waywardness. A finely curved aquiline nose showed good birth, and hands, white and well cared for, demonstrated a life of idle ; ness and pleasure. A certain air of ease and lack of self-consciousness in all his movements indicated associa tion and even familiarity with those in authority. On the wiiole, he seemed : a fair sample of the well-bred courtier i of his day. At length, just as a distant clock | chimed 12, a door opened and another dwarf appeared, and approaching him 1 asked for his name. "Le Comte de Miron," was the re ply made in a low voice. Again the dwarf disappeared, but returned shortly, and motioning to the young man, led the way into the ad joining room. Here were found the same rich hangings and priceless tapestries. High carved chairs, their seals banked up with varicolored silken pillows, wore arranged against the wall on three sides of the room. A dim light came through the center of the ceiling from an unknown source, and was suffused throughout the apartment by means of glass prisms, forming a soft ened yet: serviceable glow. In the mid dle of the floor stood a small foun tain of translucent marble, whose tiny jets of perfumed water rendered the air as agreeable to the nostrils as the other furnishings attracted the eye. The musical cadence of a lute, played by a hand invisible, always soft and low, but sometimes dying away to the finest attenuation of sound, greeted the ear of the newcomer. Across the fur ther end of the room were stretched silken curtains. From behind these hangings issued a soft voice command ing the young man to advance. He did so, and knelt directly in front of the mysterious drapery. From his close proximity he discovered that ihe silk was almost transparent, so that the form of a woman could be faintly discerned, yet not with sufficient clear ness to enable one to recognize her face. "What seek you of the Powers of Darkness?" demanded the voice. "I seek first, most powerful Priest ess, a charm to win the hand of one, Renee d'Oittrelaise, friend and com panion of Mademoiselle, whose lovely person I desire. Next, tlie means for a sure and speedy death of a relative whose heir 1 am. And lastly, I crave thy aid to nerve my arm and protect my body in a duel 1 shall shortly fight with a foreign soldier." "Truly, thy wants are many and great. What offering have, you to make before the devil's shrine?" "Ten thousand livres;" and, a a he spoke, he drew from his bosom a bag o£ clinking gold aud stretched it forth. A hand protruded itself through the curtains and seized it There was si lence for a moment or two, as the priestess examined the contents. All seemed satisfactory, for in a moment the hand reappeared bearing a tiny charm of silk an inch square attached to a fine gold chain. "Take this,"was the command. "Gain but a single hair from the head of her whose hand you seek to win, in close it in this silken bag, and wear it. Within a year the girl is yours." The Comte de Miron seized the chain eagerly and placed it about his neck. Again the hand appeared from be hind the curtain. This time it held a small phial containing a rose-red fluid. "Diop one drop daily into your rela tive's wine. He will soon begin to droop and weaken, and before this precious liquid is used up he will die, and no leech can save him nor dis tinguish his malady." The young man took the poison. A moment later the hand was again be fore him, this time holding two pieces of thin, strange-looking metal about the shape of a pistole. "Sew these at midnight before the duel, one on your right sleeve to giva your sword-arm strength and cunning, the other over against your heart to protect your body." So saying, the voice ceased and the bits of metal fell into his outstretched palm. A slight noise at his elbow caused the comte to start and turn in that direction, when be heheld the same dwarf that had ushered him in to the room standing with his cloak and hat ready. He quickly donned these, and after being led toward the wall by his deformed guide, a secret door sprang open and an instant later he found himself standing in the Rue de Beauregard, with the rain still fall ing in torrents about him. Through the same storm that broke about the head of the young Comte de Miron, as he went about his nefarious errand, another cloaked figure of a man might have been seen hurrying to a midnight appointment in another portion of the city. This person, too, feared neither God nor devil. As he passed Notre Dame, he stopped a mo ment in the shadows, and looked up through the murk at the massive structure in admiration of the inher ent strength and power that enabled it, inanimate though it was, to fling defiance to the lowering thunder clouds, and stand unshaken before the buffetings of wind and rain. [To Be Continued.] Favorite Card Game of Ji»pnnene. A favorite card game of the Japan ese is played as follows: One hundred well-known proverbs are selected, each divided into two parts, and each pare printed on a separate card. The host of the evening has the hundred first halves, which he reads aloud, one by one; the hundred second halves are dealt to the other players, who place their hands face upward on the "tata mi," or thick mat of rice straw, on which they sit. As the first half of the proverb is read, the holder of the second half throws it out, or if be sees it unnoticed among his neighbor's ; cards, seizes it and gives him one of | his own. The player who is first "out" I wins, it is a very simple game, but it 1 affords great entertainment to the players; for the quicksight. and kcen ! wltted are constantly seizing the cards I of their duller and slower neighbors, I and this leads to much laughter and | many good-natured sarcasms.—West- I minister Gazette. Dyins Thoughts of n Cuirlioy. One day a party of townspeople were camping in the hills beside a raging river till it should be safe to cross, says the Boston Transcript. They saw a rough man struggling amidstream with a very small chance of ever reach ing shore. It was an exhausting time, even for those who helplessly looked on. When the man at last saved him self and had been ministered unto, the psychologist of the party asked: "What were you thinking of while you were in such danger?" "I thought," said the honest cow boy, "that I had SIOO to my credit and did not want to die with all that mon ey unspent." Whereupon he forsook his job. gath ered his little fortune, made for town and blew it all in ere 36 hours were past. nabu'x "Srcret Pittuaioii." "It is with faltering penmanship that I write to have communication with you about the prospective condi tion of your damsel offspring. For some remote time past a secret passion has been firing in my bosom iniernal ly with loving for your—daughter." So begins the letter of a love-strick en Babu, quoted by the Penang Ga zette. The writer continues: "My educational capabilities have abandoned me and here I now cling to those lovely long tresses of your much coveted daughter like a mariner ship wrecked on the rock of love. As to my scholastic calibre, I was recently Rejected from the Rangoon College, and 1 am now masticating."—London Mail. Not EnodKli for Two, The recent severance of a long ex isting friendship between two titled English women of no little social prominence, but with whose names MVs. Grundy had been busy, is ex plained in this wise by Mr. George Grossmith. After they had both defied public opinion for some time, one said to the other; "Now, my dear, we must part for mer, for you have no character left, and I have nc* enough for two." —Den- ver Republican. THE LOST CHORD FOUND. Cheerfully Supplied by Long-Suffer ing Victims of a Neighbor hood Nuisance. He was a young man in lodgings nnd he ■was learning to play the cornet. There was 110 disputing the earnestness aud per severance of this embryo cornetist, relates London Tit-Bits. Every evening during the late heat wave he threw his window open and blew away at the "Lost Chord." It was ever the "Lost Chord." In tiie commercial-room of the hotel op posite the "knights of the road" nut, Scribbling off -their orders and hurling anathemas at the head of the young man player. 1' mally they h(>!d a council of war and determined on his destruction. Cutting off a window cord, they rang for the boots and ordered him to take it across to the musician, with the fol lowing note: "Dear JSir: Make no more trouble over your 'Lost t'(h)ord.' We send you a sub stitute which we hope you will tind loniz enough. "We will arrange with the coroner aud guarantee a decent burial." The doleful notes of the "Lost Chord" i were not heard in that street afterwards. Heartless Husband. Mrs. Bryde— Oh, John, this is terrible. The cat had a tit in the kitchen and ruined the pie I had ready for dinner! Mr. Bryde Haven't you gut the se quence of events turned around? "Haven't 1 —? Oh! you cruel wretch!" —Cleveland Leader. —»- Do You Use Your Own JudgmentP Lion Coffee is a package coffee that reaches the homes of the people just as it left the factory where it is roasted and packed. The beans are picked and carefully se lected at the plantation, then shipped di rect to our factories to be prepared for homo use. The most scrupulous care is taken with j every process, and the utmost cleanliness en forced in every operation. Men and ma chinery employed in making Lion Coffee ready for the market are (diosen on ac- ! count of their excellence and titniss iot the work. Some of the results of this scrupulous treatment of Lion Coffee are a delicious flavor, perfect purity, and a uniform strength and quality. All loose (or bulk) coffee is open to doubt—to put it mildly. The buyer does not know, the seller does not know, where the bean came from, or how it was roasted, or where and when; how many hands handled it, what kind of hands they were, what contamination it re ceived from dust, insects, dirt, etc. Lion Coffee is pure, fresh and clean— that much is certain. Loose coffee— there isn't anything at all certain about it except that wise housewives will not buy it! All grocers know the above to be true. There may be a very few left who will try to persuade you another way. If they do, just ask them how they ac count for the increasing popularity of Lion Coffee in millions of homes for the past quarter of a century! None are too wise to be mistaken, but few are so wisely just as to acknowledge and correct their mistakes, and especially the mistakes of prejudice.—Barrow. Don't Get Footsore! Get Foot-Ease. A wonderful powder that cures tired, hot, aching feet and makes new or tight shoes easy. Ask to-day for Allen's Foot-Ease. Accept no substitute. Trial package FREE. Address A. S. Olmsted. Le Roy, N. Y. The crosses that we make for ourselves are not the ones that win ua crowns.— The Commoner. Red Cross Ball Blue should be in every \ home. Ask your grocer for it. Large 2 [ oz. package only 5 cents. All that a man hath will be give for his automobile. Buffalo Express. Piso'sCure cannot be too highly spoken of ! as a cough cure. —J. \V. O'Brien, 322 Third : Ave., X., Minneapolis, Minn., Jan. 0, 1900. • Many a silk gown conceals a starved heart.—X. O. Picayune. SICKHEADACHE : z —l Positively cured by these Little Pills. vMJ\I kl\o They also relievo Dls- Rsg>j tres3 from Dyspepsia, In- i ITTIE digestion and Too Hearty || |\f F" Eating. A perfect reru p|S I V tißi cdyforDl2zlness,Kausea, m PILLS. Drowsiness, Bad Taste j Sg! ma In tho Mouth, Coated ; Tongue, Pain In the Side, ' regulate tho Bowels. Purely Vegetable. SMALL PILL, SMALL DOSE, SMALL PRICE. Genuine Must Bear Fac-Simib Signature REFUSE SUBSTITUTES. CARTERS IPITTLE i IVER g] PILLS. r Conviction Follows Trial 1 "When buying loose coffee or anything your grocer happens | to have in his bin, how do you know what you arc I getting ? Some queer stories about coffee that is sold in bulk, M could bo told, if tho people who handle it (grocers), cared tog speak out. Could any amount of mero talk have persuaded millions of H housekeepers to use Lion Coffee, 1 the leader of all package coffees for over a quarter | of a century, if they had not found it superior to all other brands in S Purify, Strength, Flavor and Uniiormlty? 1 This popular success of LION COFFIJB can be due only to Inherent merit. Thers | Is no stronger proof of merit ttaan con t<nue<l and Increasing popularity. 112 If the verdict ol MILLIONS OF ' HOUSEKEEPERS does not convince M you of tbe merits of LION COFFEE, twji It costs you but a trifle to buy a Rf /Ju\ package. It Is the easiest way to BL j convince yourself, and to make B I you a PERMANENT PURCHASER. H I and rnachea you at) pure anil clean as when | EVERYWHERE ' ill L ASTING RELIEF J I I intendent of Streets JL says: | "My niphtly rest was broken, owing! to irregular action of the kidneys. I wits suffering intensely from severe pains in the small of my back andl ! through the kidneys and annoyed by painful passages of abnormal secre- I tions. No a mount of doctoring relieved; this condition. I took Doan's Kidney Pills and experienced quick and lasting relief. Doan's Kjdney Pills will prov® a blessing to all sufferers from kidney ! disorders who will give theiu a fair trial." Foster-Milburn Co., Buffalo, N. proprietors. For sale by all druggists, price 50 cents per box. S !? Cream O Separator J~>Rf2s.oo wo lit II t*# bv'NDEE CREAM PARATOR, capacity, 20$ nds psr hour; 350 pounds ca tj por hour for 529.001 jouniiu capacity per nour fo# J 00. Guaranteed thai al or Separator* that RE- L EVERYWHERE at from 1.00 to 9129.00. IR OFFER. ftW 15 iron our 90 days' free trial i, with tho binding under* idin# and *grt«ment if yo\j do not find by comi>aiiaon, test and use than it will a Win* closer, sklra colder mlllc. flkim ea«i( r. run lighter ana •klm one half mora mlllc than any other Cream Sepa rator mude, you can return the Separator to u« at our expenae and we will Imme diately return any money you mayhavepaldfor freight charges er otherwise. Cut this ad. out at once and mall to us, and yon will rccelT# bv retnrn mail, fre*, postpaid, our LATEST SPECIAL CREAM SEPARATOR CATALOGUE. You will got our big offer and our free trial proposition and you will re ceive the MOST ASTONISHINGLY LIBERAL CREAM SEPARATOR OFFER EVER HEARD OF. Addnea, SEARS, ROEBUCK & CO., CHICAGO. WkBWMY means a day of hard labor to house* keepers. But there is great satisfaction in seeing the line full of clean clothes. You can always rest assured that the clothes will be snowy white if you use M CROSS BALL BLUE It is pure and is guaranteed not to injure the most delicate fabrics. Good housekeepers everywhere endorse it and one trial will be sufficient to con vince you of its merits. Sold by grocers everywhere. Large package 5a Fat The fattest landlord tn O M Philadelphia says: "Celery King 1b said to be good for thin folks, but It la good _| a for fat people too. It has jf~ IMA cured me of biliousness, 8 33 011 and I feel like a young- | 111 ster.'* All druggists sell it. their sci., used douche is marvelously «ac ccsafnl. Thoroughly cleanses, kills disease germs, •tops discharges, heals inflammation and local •oreneas, cures leucorrhcea and nasal catarrh. jpaxtine is in powder foria to be dissolved In purs water, and is far more cleansing, healing, germicidal and economical than liquid antiseptics for alt TOILET AND WOMEN'S SPECIAL USES For sale at druggists, AO cents a box. Trial Box and Book of Instructions Free. THE R. PAXTON COMPANY BOSTON, MACS. PATENTS b l IZUKKALD & CO., Ilox I£, Washington, L». U. wnisur WRITING TO ADVERTIHEU9 pleuae itnto that you taw tlie Advertise* meut In lhl« paper.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers