THE OLD FIDDLE, Wa little know the thoughts that sweep Each heaving human breast, As on life's teilsome march they hear The sounds they once loved best, The cricket with his shrill refrain, The thrush at close of day, The cowbell swinging in the lane, The bleating far away; The partridge drumming on his log, The treetoad in us tree, The yellow hammer's first spring note, The humming of the hoe; The moaning winds, the beating rain, The sift of drifting snow; All these are sounds that bring again The thoughts of long ago. But of them all each one that brings Some part of life's young riddle; While none calls back so many things As one old, well tuned fiddle. RRR INE De rm - wn OUT OF THE SEASON, “But why not?” There isn't a soul left in London-—who's to see? What harin is there in it?” : : Oh, none of course—a cup of tea is a cup of tea, and whether you drink it well, the thing 1 think of is, would Rowley mind?" “Mind his own business, I should say, rather! That's what they have to swear to do in the marriage service, haven t they?" The lady to whom this question was addressed, Mrs. Rowley Dacres, shook her head reprovingly, She was young and very pretty; and Teddy Vere was not averse to seeing her make a pretense of being angry. “Don’t let me hear you speak flippantly of matrimony, she began sev- erely; “and for your future ediiication, it is not the man but the woman who Swi ars to obey.” “Then why in heaven's name don't you do as I bid you?” “As you bid me! Come, that’s rather strong form, I must say! You're not Rowley, are yout" *No, worse luck for me, I'm not," and the good-looking fair face put on such an intensely woe-begone expression that the resolution of the beholder gave way, Poor boy! it really was dreadfully uniucky that he should be so desperate- ly in love with her, more especially since Rowley had taken to be absurdly ealops of him, as if—now that she was narried—she could ever think ser ous- y ol anybody. Ogly after you'd been brought up—to eut your teeth, as one might ray—flirting, well it was just a little bit hard to give it all up at 23 What more natural than that when she came up to town for a few days’ shopping Teddy should offer to act as escort to her?—it was such a pleasure to him poor fellow! And as there wasn’t a single foul left to see them, what harm could there be! Notwithstanding, the tady never lost sight of propriety—Garden was always near enough for her to be able {o say. “I've my maid with me.” Now it happened that on the previous evening Teddy had shown visible signs of becoming unruly, He didn't see why he should be sent away. Why could he not stop—stop and bave din- ner with hex? **Why? Because, in the first place, it ‘wouldn’t do; and in the second—I for. got though,” she said: “*being a man, 1 ought to have teversed the order— there’s nothing to give you * **That don’t matter,” said Teddy heroically—*'I don’t care what I eat.” **Oh, don’t you; but I do—you might be wanting to eat me.” Teddy threw £ look intended to con- vey that be could conceive no more delicious morsel, “There, there, say gool-by and go away, dol” ed. Teddy was $0 J 1 l do!” shes ¢ forced 10 obey her command that he should take his departure, *I must take care not to let that boy go too far,” Nina reflected when he bad gone, Her face softened with a smile that tlittered across it as she assured her- self that 10 minutes with Rowley would make her forget the very exist. ence of Teddy: Poor infatuated boy! Possibly Mrs. Dacres’s velvety brown eyes would have opened a trifle wider could she have followed the footsteps of ber devoted admirer. Teddy, wise in his generation, made the provision of a consolation a matter of principle, Matters turned out as he premised, and he only picked up his grievance against Nina the next day when he was urging her that they should go to his rooms and have tea, After that the question of the tea became a question of who should be conqueror, **1f I give in again, I'll be hanged,” eaid Teddy to himself, and he brought to bear the various resources he was master of with such effect that Nina was fairly beaten, and confessed to her. self, that it served her right-—“he's been allowed to go too far, and this is the upshot of it.” She made these reflections, however, with a face that told no tales stepped into a hansome with a pretty air of being overruled by a will stronger than her own, and only insisted on keeping up her ungainly-sized parasol because Sue sun in one's eyes is so disagree- able, Now, as chance would have it, in- stead of fishing in the country, Captain Rowley Dacres was spending that day in London, Circamstances had brought him to town early in the morning; but to his discredit do I tell it, he hated shopping, and hadn’t Nina told him in every letter she sent that she was with the dressmaker every hour of the day? Dung those few months Mey were engaged, what a purgato gone through. He was a Hh then—he was a husband now, and he whistled the air of a popular tune known ly the name of “Not for Joe,” * The first few bars had but just es. caped him, when who should he stum. ble across but an old chum, Nick Wal. cot, who gave a mysterious wink of his eye saying: “All right, old fellow, I'm going somewhere, and 11 take you.” The somewhere proved to be a small bijou residence in the neighborhood of Thurloe Square; and, arrived at the door, it suddenly struck Rowley who lived there, Oh eve, I say,’ he began, drawing -. back a step or two. “I don’t half think this’ll do, I'm married now, you see, and I’ve given up this sort of society,” Nick look at him with an aw of in. jured surprise. “What do you mean?” he asked. “There’s nothing against Miss Fisher that I know of.” Rowley hastened to disabuse any prejudice against Miss Fisher, “Only, don’t vou know, wom- en get an idea, and though my little wife’s the best sort in the world, if she got scent that 1'd been lunching with an actress instead of going straight off to her, there'd be the very deuce to pay.” “Fiddle de dee! besides, how is she to know? Who's to tell her?” And before there was time to answer, a vigorous pull was given to the bell. *Confound this fellow; I wish I'd goue straight off to Nina. What a {ool [L am!’ These wero the reflections of Capt Dacres, “Good gracious on me! Capt Dacres,? said Miss Fisher, “whata time itis since 1've seen you, to be sure; 1 took it for granted you were dead.” “Dead!” repeated Nick “Why, he's married: didn't Know?" “Oh, i's about the same to me,” langhed the lady, and then she called, “Doady 1 say, come in here surprise for you," And in answer to the young lady appeared who threw her self into a dramatic atitude, exclaim ing, “What! Captain Dacres! LS Walcot. You ing vou?” could command to the ehaff and ban- every depth between this world and the one below. . The announcement opened a more cheerful visit, 1 am, aod I must make the best of it,” HCaplain Dacres, is that you?” Bella had run out to meet him. “Whata surprise—Nina, fancy, here's your husband, dear,” and she preceded Rowley back into the dining room. “Rowley!” For Lier life Nina couldn’t say more—every atom of color had forsaken her. “My dear child, have I frightened you? I'm so sorry, but I found after all I had to come to town, Carne has made such an awful mess about the gun he was to get for me, and go I didn’t write I thought I'd snrprise you! Nina'laughed out like a boisterous child, ‘‘What a silly thing I am,” she sald. “1 was afraid something bad happened.” Rowley put his arm around her, for though she was laughing, her voice sounded like erying all the time. Under other circumstances he might have been mere struck with the little embarrassment which she could not perfectly control, but at the moment he was not quite himself either. Tha shameful hoax on him--had actually had the audacity to declare that she had seen his wife—Nina, Mrs. Dacres notion made nim furious, and—though the while that he didn't believe it—until he it n i possible to feel a y security. ying mentally, While these reflections”occupied his who was frankly saving that she liadn't a morsel of dinner to give him. “But I don’t want any: I've only luncheon,” “¥.u Al ncheon! Where??? beef, beer—you know-—veal 1 pi “Rowley! how could you! You'll be awfully ill you know." “Not ¢ t of it, not I. "bil nt Lhe with Doady, Nick Walcot and Miss Fisher, To think I feathered, this day Nipa is jealous of ber. * ue ting through. being called. Miss Fisher and Walcot got nto one, Capt Rowley and Doady Donne occupied the other “How tiresome the sun 1s; let me put this was hf é visitor! cheerily, One who is expected, I shouldn't wonder.” Mrs. Chetwode, as rose equal to the emergency. “*We may as well let the cat out of the bag. Nina, and tell Lim. We've got young man coming to take play,’ and turning to Martin she “Show boudoir | »'# another Diere W ' ad ¥% $I HW Lie said. since you've married you've grown so very respectable,” “Mr. Vere! What, Teddy! Here stop, I'll open the door!” exclaimed Rowley hastily, “Don't you go,’ wode amazedly, “Because i's awfully in your dinner. self on the emptiness of London, re- solving to keep his head well back and sit a little on one side as they went you'll see.” “I'm not going to leave them toge- wode, ‘come in here, Have you brought he's run into another hansom!” “Why, if it aint Teddy Vere. my!” ejaculated one feminine shrilly, while from under a red parasol still open, another groaned, it can’t be! Oh, Ww me?" Self-preservation is the first law of nature; the woman who hesitates is lost. Before another minute had passed Nina other close by. “Drive off as fast as you can—never mind where! I'll tell yi further on,” and five minutes later she YOiCe “$2 co baw} INOWiIeY what ill become of “i Chetwode’s house. jursting into the room she eried, occurred! Do help me.’ And her the whole story. Mrs, Chetwode said something by way of calming her, and then she rang the bell. **Tell Martin to go to Mr. Dacres’, and say she will not return to dinner, I've prevailed on her to stop with me, Now, my dar, we must trast to Provi- dence to help us through.” ‘But suppose he saw me?" “Oh, no, we'll sdppose be didn’t see you; and 1 think you may trust Teddy —he's got his head screwed on the right way.” Nina wiped away the tears which had flowed over, “I didn’t care for Teddy. What could a boy like that porsibly be to me? Why, of course I loved Rowley dearly nore than I could tell you. And to think I should risk it all in this stupid way. Oh! it's my abominable vanity, that’s what it is. Aunt Jane always said it would be my ruin, and so it will be—after this, you see, Rowley will believe anything of me. Oh, Bella, what shall I de? I shall die,” “Well, my dear it is the best thing that could happen to you if you are going to behave in this absurd manner, If I am to help you it’s not by letting you sit there and cry.” “What do you wish me to do?” “To dry your eyes and come down with me to dinner and chat away as we always do. If your husband was going home Martin will bring back word that he is there, or else he will come here and reich you.” **You took the message?’ Mrs, Chet- wode asked gs the two ladies descended to dinner, “Yes, ma'am.” “Really, Nina, I ought to have order. ed a better dinner for you.” **Oh, I'm not a bit hungry.” “But you ought to be, after going about so much as we have to-day. By- the-bye, how did you decide about that hat I saw? Do you think it will suit you? Describe it to me?" Forced to answer, Nina was trotted by Ler friend from one subject of toilet to the other, until there came a thun. dering knock at the door, “Dear bless me! What a late visitor! Who can it be? Martin, just go out and look-—never mind the door,” and Mrs, Clhetwode jumped up and stood so that she conld hear the inquiry: “Is Mrs, Dacres here?” bod the Indies are at dinner.” . : she told “Tickets, eh?” “Oh, it's no use disguising: we've’. “No, no!” broke in Rowley. “not a I know all it, old fellow; L you came lo do sapital idea 3} 4 HOS Cal began Teddy, “but do made Grid ¥ SUCH a4 1b { they aint plaving that 1 now, I hope you'll both fi “How tiresome! What 1 are!” said Bella, “N g for us to do.” “Nothing to do,” 100 A RIVE mie * $d ¥ SARE 00 y id Rowley bit of il: we aint going to be #00 5 stumped i i i 3 L i ‘Any place you like, dear, 30 long as with you,” the big brown eyes seemed to say; and Rowley, looking back again, thought. “*And I could doubt her—bless her heart, the darl ing!" while Nina kept repeating. “This will be a lesson for me as long as I Never again, no more flirtation — Later in the evening Nina and Row- ley went off together. **Are we to follow the turtle doves?" sald Teddy with sarcasm. “As you please,” said Bella, “but it doesn’t in the least matter—you know I've a scolding in store for you, Teddy?” “No, not now,” and he held up his hands pleadingly. “Yes, but you've been most impru- dent, and it's by the very greatest luck in the world that Rowley didn't see you. If he had, it would have been anything but pleasant for Nina." “Hm!” and Teddy gave his nose a screw, He was terribly tempted to tell what he looked on as the very best joke in the world—only--well—no—perhaps better not; and as Rowley had whispered at the door, “Teddy, I say, not a word about having seen me before,’ and he bad answered “Honor bright, old chap; you may trust to me,” he'd keep the matter dark; only there was one to score against Miss Doady Donne for telling him last mght at dinner that she was going to play propriety to a friend that day, He hated to lie with- out a reason; and as it seemed to him be'd gone quite far emough in that direction, this would serve asa capital peg to hang a quarrel on.’ “Shall we say good night?” said Bella, “Do you want to get rid of me?” “SN no. 1" “Oh, 1 see you do,” and he beld out his bind her, - bod” night,» she began, trying to hold herself very severely, “and lgt this little adventure be a Fe to you. All's well that ends well, but remember all doesn’t always end so.’’ “Quite free,” he said, feigning to have listened penitently, *‘Iy-the way, would you mind Meptating Sho Same little sermon to our fiend Rowley ?—it might be of service to him. What do I mean?-—oh, nothing-—only that one 800d turn deserves another.’ Stiff in opinion, always in the wrong. Stamp With Care, “There is one of the sort of letters that makes me tired, absolutely so tired that I can’t even swear,” remarked a clerk in the Post Office in Philadelphia in a tone of deep disgust as he tossed aside a pink envelope from a pile of letters on which he was canceling the stamps. The offending missive fell on 4 corner of the table among a dozen others which had all in a measure con- tributed to the clerk’s “fatigue,” and after he had concluded his task he reached over and pulled the lot toward him, “Just see here,” he said, continuing his wail; "*not one of these letters are properly stamped. Look at this, the stamp on the upper left hand corner, and this one is down atthe bottom, and this right in the centre, with a heart drawn around it, and, hang it, here's a new racket, the stamp stuck on the back,” and as he rattled on he gave each of the epistles a vicious jab with nto the mailbag, “Do you run across many of kind?" “Dol? Well, I'l pretty good pa- tured, and you wouldn't hear the kick- ing at was only onee and awhile; but they come along by dozens, and, by Jove, around Christmas and St. Valen. ting’s day about half the extra mail is stamped in some awkward way.” “*Who do it?» “Well, principally silly poople who I fancy most of the letters these queer ways are love- of Valentines or Christmas cards, at this,’ and he tished out the pink envelope before mentioned, It was | directed in a teminine hand to a man in Norristown, had the stamp in the centre | with a conventional heart drawn around it, and smell like a cake of hotel toilet “Now, I must say 1 don’t often { get "em that bad. If 1 did, I'd goun | go crazy, for you don’t know how ex- asperating it is to bave to stop and change your regular clock-like work be- ne of these things comes along up your as il that ILLS soap. Calise ¢ 1 hiraal v {rot SIE UTeaKs iy rok Wer HB 1 Young ovens Litre is some al 55 ¥4 §i4Y AIDS, ang diiiel *erthaps postage st mean diferent sentiments,” the reporter. “For I i the left corner, ‘1 ig inner, ‘Do you “Of course there stance: love:’ in the lower love? AS, just how it goes, INeAns this: The woman or child who stamped either a fool or a crank, or or wants to be smart, the conversation was cut od fia JUS tattoo | ALLeT in idiot, o1 by scribe went out into the » Lhe a——— A ——— Parrot Jokes, M. Anatole Dulac of Paris advertises { himself as the professor of a new art- that of teaching parrots, As a rue, it is the safest course to educate one's own parrot. Readyv-made elocutionists are | not always reliable, The lady president of a suburban Dorcas Society, who buys B Th¥ it viyy A fa viv Wh a prettily poll from A POOT seaianng ma 1 3 + reg rver Teg veg voy » other by the racy language and the j boar y HIAYEe an in uveient men of the fore- at has had it Es a i i a Thames baree is ot § . £3 BRITO. 0 ing on ov hitting on a remark wl pat for § aslo i : % ¥ 5a Tae #5 €Xx juste ¥ Lae + that every one i fool's “0, Lord, sir!" it will that a man might really get through life with a very few sentences indeed, and yet be considered of an average intel- lect. A parrot has only to go on saying a silly thing upon every opportnnity that offers, and the right chance is certain to come round at last, when its silly speech at once becomes the happiest possible. For instance, there was a bird that sald nothing but ‘‘Here's a pretty go!” and this was, as a rule, ne:- ther opposite nor funny. But one day the poor thing fell out of a cdb window and the wheels of another cab passing at the time erushed itscage. A specta. tor picked up the parrot, very much alarmed, but not hurt, and, hearing 1t murmur something, put the bird to his ear, when to his astonishment the thing in a dejected voice, whispered: “Here's a pretty go!” Nothing could have been more exactly in sympathy with the situ- ation or more innocent, But this isnot always the case. The respectable maiden lady who pur- chases a sailor's parrot is liable, on the slightest provocation, or none at all, to find herself addr s ven in the pre- sence of the clergy, in the gruffest and strongest language of a boatswain, Parrots have no respect for select com- pany. They scatter their nautical terms broadcast upon the just and upon the unjust. upon the butcher's boy when he calls for orders and the new curate when hie drops in for afternoon tea, Likethe Afghans, if they have a charge in their guns they must fire it off. It does not iatter what they fire at in the least; if there is nothing better they will blaze away at a blank wall, They shoot their arrows, as the prince does 1 the fairy tale, at random, and by-and-by when Le comes to pick them up he finds that one has plerced the heart of his venerable mother, So with the parrot, It ets fly its “familiar quotations" at every mark or ut none, and the time comes some day or other when it inflicts #4 mortal wound upon the susceptibilities that are slow to recover from such shocks, So, as a rule, it is the wisest plan to edweate one’s own parrot, This is not, of course, very easy to do, for young parrots of a suitable educa olonul age are not abindant in the Brit ish isles. Yet when juvenile the bird is ror mpreionubie Adult, It is liable to Me, and, like the proud Briton who refused to hi learns a new very The oid birds, show extraordin : i i : { i ary antipathies to syntax, and get whims into their heads about the construction of sentences which the utmost patience or violence, as the case may be, 1 less to dissipate, You eannot disabuse an old parrol’s name of an error that it has once cordially entertained. It has 8 own ideas of grammatical proprietics and clings to them like a limpet, You cannot shake it on a matter of English, You may teach it another phrase alto- gether, but it will not forego the first. It will tag the two together and mix them up-like the “Protestant kettle!’ of the immortal Barnaby’s raven—bub this compromise is the best terms you will make with the bird. a ————_— A Conl-pit Bomancs. I DOWEL About thirty years ago a rarmer resid. ing in Springfield township, Ohio, nam- ed Maxwell, visited a deserted coal bank in the neighborhood, attracted thither by sheer idle curiosity, Ie stood at the lope opening for a time, and then staried to walk down it. when at the entrance to this dark and gloomy place he saw a bucket, He picked it up, and soon there came from it the tender and suppressed cries of an infant, Ie carried it to the light, and then after removing the w rappings he saw a gsweel little babe looking into his ev as if it wanted to say: “Please ta pity onme, Iam a poor little outenst out and love and take care of ne?" Mr. ing then no children of his own he tool the little waif home and Mrs. Maxwell took care of 1t ane love their own child. dren. The little founding grew to be # beautiful and accomplished lady, and she repaid her fq with an abundance of affection tender Twenty years come and gone, when one day a young man called at the house of the Max- wells and declared that the babe found in the coal-bank was his sister, an had « lovnt inn 1 devotion, bad that ome from a pleasant home in 54 and if possible per- turn with him. Their d a few months ago, she told how she the coal-bank, of and all about it, and made a dying request that the {ly should hunt the child up and The Maxwells were well veared with the young man, and he with them several . reiurned to his Western home r with 1 of 3 LET, i 4 a her, emained weeks When he fas # 1 ook his sists took thin Pre ise ¢ ighters that home This promise was kept. - Matrimonial Convicts, A party of fifty Jordeaux for New Calendonia rather peculiar circumstances, were, in fact, women lengthened term of grave offences, who | to Lhe They sentenced to a imprisonment for wmve elected to zo find a husband in one of the the first class. that § their good rover nment 3 housekeeping mi a small way. was Prince Napoleon, who, when he was Minister for Algeria and the Colo- nies, introduced this system of convict marriages, which has given excellent results so far, ——— i ———— Talk With General Toombe, “Who was the greatest man you ever met in public life?’ was recently asked of Gen. Toombs, “Mr. Webster, He was a noble, genial, warm-hearted gentleman with- al.” “You knew Mr, Calhoun intimately" “Why, certainly. We messed to- gether in Washington.” “Did Mr, Calhoun have any vices?” “No, sir; not one, He never drank nor gambled. Mr. Archer, of Virginia, was once at my house to dinner, and we were speaking of Mr. Calboun, who, by the way, was no favorite of Mr. Archer, I had remarged that Mr. Calhoun never drank anything but claret, ‘Why, Mr. Tcombs,’ said Archer, ‘Mr. Calhoun never tasted wine in his life.’ ‘But, Mr. Archer, 1 have seen him drink claret.” ‘Well, 1 don’t dispute that, but he never tasted it in his fe. I smd I thought that was likely.” Ten. When tea was first introduced in England the ignorance of its prepara- tion was illinitable, and fine ladies, detegmined to tread closely on the heels of fashion, were compelled to take les. sons in the art of brewing it. One lady before consenting to become a candidate for culinary hono boiled scveral pounds and served it asa vegetable, Another, equally stupid, set forth her table with it as dried fruit, and natu- rally failed to relish it. At the tea- ties in the seventeenth century, the ves from which the tea had been drawn were handed around to be eaten, as a great delicacy, with bread and butter. To refuse was to affront the giver of this odd entertainment, and to The Toate of patil, Nore vy long . Notso very ago il was the general custom in many parts of the country to carry to tea parties one's own cup or tea-dish, The curious vessol--from eight to ten inches square and an inch deep gave, rise to the phrase. “‘a dish of astt——————— avy I iskaem growing Sus ote FOOD FOR THOUGHT. Be ily, be not wise, To know how to secret of success wisely worle worldly wail 13 the ¢ Those who can co command others. All that is buman mu it does not advance A room hung with pictures hung with thoughts, nmand themaslves The mind grows narrow i as the soul grows eon rupt. If you desire to re held wise as to hold thy tongue Be a philoso phe r. bu philosophy be still a man. To win work and good deal more than panacey walt You wail Patience is the : does it grow, or who can si Truth be solled by any outward touch as the sunbeam. Knowledge without justice ought te be called cunning rather than wisdom tL where i ogy + LIOW iL. % £89 § : is impossinie {o Better be unborn, than untanght: for ignorance is the root of misfortun He who can at all pleasure to duty, approaches Nothing be times saerific su blimity, 18 more simple than great. ness; indeed, to be simple is to be great. Even itself is but fi vation ¥ genins strengthened Wake, Every time we sin there in our knell A with a bow, as if to beg pardon for say ing it. wntila that satinds OTIS LIAL sounG compliment is usually accom r happiness and mise to our cot inet, upon it, Happiness grows at our own firesides, and is not to be picked i gardens. If you wo spoken . %. don’t do one, » $y orp ra? y strangers id never have an evil deed of in « mnnecs " ho giveth hand dispenses Of all the evil hour in the most das eS . ine two powers wal constit beam of vane Wor gerous, wule a wise man ars ing and forbearing. How many people they were forbidden ¢ speak well of of others, the less reason we we fesr God, be mule if hemselves and evil The more we fear. fear: that is, if 45 0 Always take the part of an absent things, or ow. sacred esteem as such, Never ridicule what others may To things which you bear with im- hould accustom yourself; ¥ habit, you will bear them well. When a person very last ak for it is the el 1} reiation hich it d hallow. He whose first emotion on the view of an excellent production is to under- value it will never have one of his own to show, Reflect upon your present blessings of which every man has many-—not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some, Society is composed of two great classes ~those who have more appetite than dinner, and those who have more dinper than appetite, The gratification which wealth can bestow is not in mere possession, nor in lavishing it with prodigality, but inthe wise application of it. There is no policy like politeness; and a good manner is the best thing in the world, either to get a good name or supply the want of it. Fame, as a river, is narrowest where it is bred, and broadest afar off: 50 ex- emplary writers depend not upon the gratitude of the world It 18 all very well to talk of and write long articles about the Mormons, Mormonism allows many wives at once, Divorce simply allows them in sucess. jon No man, for any considerable period, can wear one face to himself and another to the multitude without finally getting bewildesed as to which may be the truer. Our life experiences, whether sad or joyful, should be fertilizers to a larger and stronger growth of character, as the dead leaves of trees stimulate them from year to year to higher and nobler proportions, Who is great when he falls is great in his prostration, and is no more an object of contempt than when men tread on the ruins of sacred buildings, which men of piety venerate no less than if they stood. Fame confers a rank above that of
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers