THE PLAYHOUSE, ’ By Nixon Waterman, It wasn't a house at all, you see But only a big, flat stone; Yet they called it a house, did the sis ters three, As they tarvied there tea; And each wns as glad as a queen might be, ’ A queen on a golden throne. and sipped their And one was like a lily fair, And one was like a rose; And one had stolen a happy share Of blended grace from the other pair; And all were lovely beyond compare, My queens of the long agoes. by the garden The house was close gate, And under the apple trees; In whose broad branches, late, The robin sang to his happy mate As a lithe limb, feeling his happy welght, Swung low in the summer breeze, early and And many a golden afternoon The sisters chatted there, With hearts as glad as the skles of | June, With hearts as soft as a mother's croon Soon With a grief they could not bear. 1 RTS BAH OSS, Ro a ——— sake of transient pecuniary relief he had placed himself in the man's pow- er. The rich Peruvian held his notes, which must be met or which would be destroyed upon the marriage of Marie to Don Jose, “And now I desire to see Marie here; kindly tell her to come to me,” utterd the Peruvian, His imperious alr of command made the blood of the old Venezuellan boll; but choking back his anger-—for he was in this man's power-- he returned to the ball room, leaving the other to pace up and down the conservatory, filled with viel, gatly-hued tropical plants. A soft step caused him to turn, The beautiful form of Marie approached nearer. He reached out his hand, and the girl drew back as the thin, feverish. ly hot fingers almost crushed ner soft hand. The grasp of those slender fin- gers felt to her touch like the clasp of the very touch sent the from her heart, and her “Marie—~for 1 the right to call yon vour father has given his consent marriage. No, do not stert, 1 It is Come subject. Be my wife. you a queen among women, and sur of wealth unlimited. What Is your an- swer?’ “I thank you as’ before; ns before, decline the honor,” but 1 must, fell from I wandered far in the paths of men, I lingered long ana late To win the golden prize and then I set my heart for the “home” again, But the world seemed change nnd cheerless when I stood by the garden gate. In woe I sat me down to weep, For my heart was sad and lone, And my gold seemed all so poor and | cheap.- There was little left 1 eared to keep, And 1 wished 1 were wrapped in a dreamless sleep And under the biz fiat stone. -I.. A. W, Bulletin, THE STING OF THE VIPER. BY H. 8. KELLER. “Maledictions upon that white-faced | fool! The girl was interested, attracted | by me ere he came. That interest which I had taken so much pains to foster might in time have ripened into love. 1 could be patient, for I am a Peruvian, Now, the lily-fingered dandy from the North has stepped between me and the object of my love. The blood of a Pe ruvian brooks no defeat. 1 will not submit tamely to Marid's coldness. 1 have her proud old father in my grasp: | he must clear this white-faced fool from my path. If he be powerless to «lo this, then the viper's sting shall do the work for me.” Savagely, almost insanely, fell from the speaker's lips. Don Jose Le Garde had taken Car ficas by storm when he first appeared among its elegant high circles, Ru- mors of his immense wealth had pre ceded him, and when he arrived at the gay Venezuelian city the doors of the best society were opened to him-—this fabulously rich silver king of the mines of Peru. Impressionable mammas were com pletely carried off their feet by his | glitter of gold, and layd many a trap, each baited by a beautiful daughter, to capture the charming Peruvian. In the wine room. the dance hall, at the gambling table, he carried all before him. He played, not to win, so he said, but for the intoxication of the spell of | chance, He drank, not because he | was a drunkard, but for the spirit of trinmph which came to him when he | saw his boon companions drop. one after the other, while he remained clear-headed, sober as ever, He turned upon his finger ‘the tiny circle of gold once or twice: tapped it with his finger tips and smiled sar- | donically as he rung for his valet. He was quickly dressed and ready for the | ball which was ta take place at the spacious palace of the old Venezuelan | merchant, Marie's father. The rooms of the grand pile were filled with the elite of Caracas. Don Jose gritted his white teeth and smoth- | ered an oath under his Inky mustache as he entered the ball room. There, at the farther side of the brilliantly light. ed room, was seated Marie, more charming than ever, and leaning upon the back of her chair, bending over her beautiful shoulders and fauning her with a searlet-feathered fan, was the object of the Peruvian's mad hatred Leon Stevenson, of the United States, S8ir, a word with yon,” sald Don Jose touching his aged host upon the shoul- der. The old gentleman started, Finced fit the pair on the other side of the room, amd followed his guest into the conservatory, “You still permit that white-faced fool to dangle at your daughter's apron. strings.’ “Don Jose, not so loud, 1 beg of you; some guests" “And unless you relieve me of the hated presence of this rival, every guest under your roof shall know about the cloud hanging over the rich Vene zullan merchant.” “For the sake of Heaven, do not speak so loudly! You will ruin me!” interrupted the old gentleman, laying his hand upon the other's arm. “Will you, once for all, command your daughter to dismiss this Bteyven- son?" “fl-can only tr.” “You must succeed! You have prom. ised me Marie's hand in marriage. 1 have sworn to take her buck to Pern as my bride, Until this fair dandy ; North my path was or “And why? Do you love the stranger “That, sir. you have no right to ask." “And there was no need to ask it. 1 knew it! He stands in my way. I have never been defeated in my life. Stil 1 elinquish you, Marie. You see this It's sting is sudden, sure death, { zo to congratulate the more favored one.” And he bowed and passed into the ball room. Marie's eyes dilated with horror as fryer nx? Don Jose. She saw him bow to Ste- Horror of horrors! She saw their hands meet! She covered her face with her trembling bands and crouched down among the beautiful flowers to hide the fated scene from her sight. And then a scream, a man's mad ery, came to her ears. She dashed the palms ball room. writhing as though in agony, was Don and trying fair faced Upon the floor, the pangs of mortal Jose. Kneeling by his shle, to relieve him, was the Northerner. One more convulsive struggle to cateh his breath, to choke back the strange thing that was crushing his heart, numbing his brain and blinding his eyes, and the Peruvian rolled over upon his back and was dead. Pressed into the flesh of the palm of his hand was the head of a tiny gold viper attached to a ring upon the sec- ond finger. The palm was livid, and the face assumed the same horrible col- or soon after he was taken away. Ste. venson was as rich as the Peruvian, and he easily relieved Marie's father from his pecuniary difficulty. And a six months afterwards the elite of Car- who stood by the man from the fairest tropical belle, side of the fair-faced States, oD. VIEWS oF POLICE DUTY. People Who Wast Postage Stamps, lce Water, Door Keys and Money. “It's easy to criticise the police de- partment,” sald a sergeant in the back rootn of a station-house, “but the gen al public has no idea of the many different things we have to do and of the annoyances to which we are sub- When 1 was on duty in some of the south side precincts people used to come to the station and ask for the Gectest things. Hardly a day went by that some one didn’t come around and ask for postage stamps, while in jected, droves for a drink of ice water. When he remonstrated with them, they'd say: ‘Vel, don’t ve pay taxes for de jee, and shouldn't ve drink it, what? As a mgtter of fact, the ice is paid for by the policemen themselves, but yon couldn't make them understand it, “One night about 10 o'clock. when I was on the desk, a big, stout German came in and walked up to the rail “ ‘Sergeant, my vife is gone out mit der key und 1 am locked oudt,’ he said. “Well,” I sald, ‘what can I do about it? “Vy. sendt a policeman und make me get in der house, dot's vhat' 1 didn’t spend my time arguing with him. you can bet. “But that was not the worst case by any means, A poor tailor living on the top floor of a tenement down that way committed suicide after a quarrel with his wife, The man was dead when the ambulance came. A few hours later the widow sent her little girl around to the house to say that she had no money, and unless some one helped her out the man would have to be buried in the potter's field. The police are often called on in similar cases, so the boys chipped in all around and raised $19. I gave that to the child and sent her away. Soon after it was time for roll call and another gorgeant came on duty, He was busy writing up the blotter when the same girl returned, “My mudder says can 1 get any she said, “ ‘What? said the sergeant, who had been asleep and did't know about the collection. “My mudder says can I come around next month an’ git some more money,” was the reply. She didn't get any more, and that incident was somewhat of a damper on charity fu that particular station for quite a while.” Chicago Tribune, Me peice sumference at The Fague fay urn out 10 De. he suitomary handshake before time Is called for BRICKS OF MANY COLORS. Extensive Use of the Modern Light-Colored Bricks. Tke Brick Industry. purposes of the light-colored bricks about fifteen years ago. Some light colored bricks were made before that, had been in the the bul bricks of Milwaukee; but np to that time the bricks used here were almost exclusively red. For a long time there had been used In fine bulld- ings, especially for dwellings, pressed bricks of Philadelphia, Trenton and Baltimore, all red; the Philadel of brownstone, but the use of tliese hns been largely superseded by the de. mand for the modern light-colored bricks, the use of which is still increas ing. The light-colored bricks a yellow, buff, brown, gray, light red, salmon red and cream, in many shades of these colors; and light-colored bricks are also made mot- tled, In many variations of the mot things: and there are made, too, rough- faced, The tendency in the past few years has been toward still lighter shades in the lHght-colored bricks used, and there are now made many white bricks, Bricks are made any color or shade that may be desired. The clays commonly found in most regions burn red. The light eslors and the various shades of the modern light colored bricks are produced by the mixing together in suitable proportions of various clays and by the firing. Hard red bricks cost $6 to $8650 a thousand; the light-colored bricks from $25 to $40 an thousand. While the fine bricks are now so extensively used that they are everywhere and they are made In great numbers, yet the number of common red bricks used is after all a thousand times as great. The fine bricks are used for a veneer only, for the face of the wall; It would simply be wasting money to build the wall thronghout with them, and they are backed with suitable common brick. Of bricks of all kinds taken together there are used in this city every year hundreds of millions, and in the country thousands of millions. Brickmaking Is very largely a loeal industry. There are brickmaking tablishiments all over the country, and local demands in great measure supplied from nparatively near at hand modern light-colored bricks are not found, and in which red remains the prevailing near hand. The use of modern lighticolored bricks is widespread, bat there are regions in w hi h clays adapted to the making of light-colored bricks are not found. and in which red remains the of brick structures growth of the pe business has and 8 fnor. se, He are plants © The use of at prevailing color the With the country the brickmak grown to great proportions, the output of single yards mously increased. In old times from SL to J00000 bricks In a year would have been accounted a fair pro duction for a brickyard Now there are great establishments equipped with every sort of modern mechanienl appliance that can be brought into use in the processes of brickmaking. and producing bricks in great variety for building and other uses, besides mould ed and ornamental forms for archi tectaral purposes, and turning out many millions of brick annuaily. Some American bricks are exported to Canada. For many years common brick and firebric’, have been articles of exports to ports on the Gulf of Mexico and to the West Indies, and fine American bricks for fire. places are now shipped to Germany, — New York Sun, England and Fire Service The British towns seem to have the smallest number of paid firemen of any cities in Europe and America. The london fire brigade has about S00 men, about the same number as Ber lin, which bas only a fourth population, and less than one-half the size of the Paris corps. Glasgow has but 100 men to S000 population: Leeds but 33 to 400,000 people, and Sheflield 22 men to a population of 350,000, Liverpool, Bristol, Norwich, Bromley, and have no separately organized Fire De- partment, the work of suppressing fires being performed by the regular police force, protection are on a simnlarly unimpor. tant scale. Thus Leeds spends less than £5,000 a year, and Sheflicld less than $10,000 a year: Preston, with a population of 113.000, reports only £1,- S00 spent for its fire brigade, and Nor. wich, with 100.000 population, £750 a year. show a somewhat larger range of ex penditures, Glasgow and some hood of $i6.000-about 10 eens per eapita—and proportionate amounts are expended by Edicbargh, Dublin, Bel. fast, and Salford. The London brigade costs about $950,000, or 20 cents per capita. But even these exceptional in. stances are below the per capita ex: penditures for fire protection in other European cities of the same size Municipal Affairs, I Elephant Great in Crime. Few more lmpressive confidences ean be imparted than one in which a Hindoo describes how he knows his elephant intends to destroy him. It is all wo seemingly trivial, and yet in reality of such deadly significance, His story is so full of details that prove the man's profound understanding of what he is talkng About that one re. mains equally amazed at the brute's power to dissemble and its intended Not so placgble hatred often provoked aniply because a man is in attendance upon another animal (for it is the role with tuskers to detest thelr next neighbors), tellectnal gulde than all stories, true false, that have been told of thelr Nuch concentration and fixed such eareful, unre- pretense, and, when the time such desflerate, unhesitating as homicidal animals exhibit, COIMEeSX, No one ean deny that If this creature caused where merciless, These have venerate nothing but hibition of those qualities and traits described fully accounts for the formu- “My lord the ele pha aint.” Outing. High Speed 6 on French Railroads. Of late years, a few of the French rallroads, notably the Chemin de For du Nord, have been paying particular attention to thelr express train service, with the result that the last pamed now holds the leading place, running several of its crack trains at an aver- age speed, including stops, of over 54.0 miles per hour. Of the twenty-five expresses that are booked to run at a speed of over HO miles an hour there are six, including one between Amiens and Calais Ville, 10214 miles, with a speed of between 50 and 509 miles an hour; between 061.1 and 51.8 miles hour: seven between 52.0 and miles an hour, and five having respective speeds of 54.0, HMR, 55.3, BGA, and 57.7 miles an hour, in- cluding stops: the last-named run is made between Pars and Amiens, 819% miles, while the average of 0638 is maintained on a continuous ron, with- between Paris and St. Quen tin, a distance of 59%; miles. What a splendid service be understood when we bear in mind the fact that the five fastest trains ex ceed the speed of our own Empire State Express, which is timed to run from New York to Albany at the rate of 53.058 miles an hour, taongh they do not Atlantic City fiver the Philadelphia and Reading iroad. Selentific Ameri weven an Lt rd thawed out stop, this is will equal the on tal 84] Standing Up lor Oliver Cromwell Whether Cromwell actualls pressed the festival of Christ diy #5, 2185 ¥ Eup on to decide But Le is many not do, and we may perhaps jodge by anslogy. He did in all of the cathedrals, iit quest] aocused of doing things not Suppress masic nor of Westminster organist i % oo : (isimiss the organist Abbey, for ao new pointed in 1655 by order of Council fill the vacancy caussd by the Portman, had held the office since the reign of Charles 1. Cromwell, moreover, was a great lover of the or gan. Nor did he, at any rate so-called Puritanical reasons, the drama. Theatres were account of the civil wars, and the hibition was only to last snd causes’ do continue The revival commenced when Cromwell was at the his power-—not Was ap who for any iro in 1656, height of As some suppose, at the Restoration. Nor ean the patron of Milton, the greatest of our poets, of Walker and Cooper, the greatest na. tive-born painters of the century, and of Simon, the prince of coin engravers, accused with justice of either In difference or hostility to the fine arts Notes and Queries, be Quick Work on the Bible Recent events have stirred the ish and Foreign Bible prompt feats of translation, tions of the New Testament in no less than four tongues are in preparation for the Philippines. The first three Gos pels and the Acts in Tagalog, the lan. guage of the dominant native race there, are actually printed: St. Luke's Gospel in llocono is nearly finished; and the same book in Bicol is ready for issne, These renderings, It appears are largely due to the energy of the soci in Madrid, Rev. R. O. Walker, who secured the collaboration of some exiled Filipinos, Almost the whole Testament has been transiated Into Pangasinan. An Brit. to some and por Society ing of St. John's Gospel in Lusoga, for uke in those districts east of the Nile This version has been made bY Rev, F. Rowling, of the Church Missionary Ro- ciety, and Is regarded for many philo- logical reasons as an interesting addi. dialects in which the sacred books are London.— Boston Transcript. SRA NN Good Sense Talk About Health There ix it is true, as great an ine. quality in the inheritance of health as in the helrship of wealth or brains, Some are born with a fortune of vigor and soundness go large that not a life. time of eager squandering will leave them poor, and others enter the world paupers of need so dire that no char ity from medicine ean ever raise them to comfort, but most of us have just that mediocre legacy of vitality which renders us undistinguishable units in the mass, It les In the hands of each to improve or waste that property as he chooses, for there are self-made men physically as well as financially; those who, because of ancestral wasteful ness, have only a sixpence of th, and turn it into a fortune; and are spendibrifis of health who come to ns sorrowful case as spendthrifts of gold. The body Is a realm where a wise and frugal ruler brings hpapiness as surely as a foolish one insures distress, and wisdom here, as olsewhere, lies in learning o and a ven nwa. OUR FASHION COLUMN. Ladies’ Waist, This artistic conception of walst for a street dress is developed in diagonal bayadere poplin, stylish terra cotta and black, The draped vest and stock, the graceful fronts, symetrienlly cury- ing toward the vest and over the shoul der forming a deep collar in the back, together with the popular Medici col Inr make it one of the most delightful A fitted lining forms the foundation on which is adjusted the plain, but for a little fulness at the bottom of the walst, The Iming closes in the center front and the draped vest is so adjosted as to be freely fastened at the right and hook, in place on the left. The slight fulness at the bottom of the waist Is arranged in backward turning plait at either side the centre with a slight pouch effect. The are two-seamed fitting according to the latest mode, to the eves, seamless back, One sleeves close Ladies’ Eton Jacket. Never was the popularity of the Eton more clearly demonstrated than by the various forms it fnkes Season, This one is made of fawn colored broad cloth, decorated with four rows of machine stitehing. The vest and belt of & rich golden brown mirror The popular and pic- this being velvet, turesque medicl colisr with a plain stock Inside it finishes the peck. The revers, wide at the shoulder folded to a point at the waist line. The portion of the fronts from the centre to the dart are seamless and plain with a circular portion added below the waist line, THe sleeves are dart fitted and have a deep cirenlar cuff flaring slight- Iy over the hand and open at the out- side seam of the sleeve. One-quarter of a yard of velvet cut on the bias is sufficient for the vest and belt Ladies’ Shirt Waist This waist ix designed to be trimmed with insertion put on as illustrated, one on the box plait and two at each gide at equal intervals, and three in the back so arranged ss to meet at the waist line giving a V effect, in the back. The insertion should be fast. ened on the cloth, and the material afterward cut out and turned back be. neath it. The shirt waist has no yoke, the back being seamless and plain, save at the waist line, In the centre back there is a little folness arranged in gathers. The fronts are slightly full at the neck band and shoulder line and also gathered at the waist line, the gathers belng arranged near the cen. tre. A band for the attachment of a stock collar Is provided for the neck. The sleeve is oneseamed, gathered at the arm's eye and cuff, A sleeve lap Saisln Yh timting of fhe Cull Fe Tir OF TE AE Ty or Bi ( 8.000. Sixty-five dwell: THE KEYSTONE STATE, Latest News Gleaned from Various Parts. we AGED JOCKEY'S CRIME. ————— After Killing Maud Reeser, st Brock. wayville, Fred Walker Attempts Sui clde-Allsntown Tinsmith Attempts to nd His Life-West Chester Pastor Nenrly Crushed—Other Live Nows, A terrible murder aod attempt at suicide occurred at Brockwayville, a little village in Jefferson County, twelve miles porth of Dubole, Tbe perpetrator of the crime wak Fred Walker, a jockey, aged 64, who made his home at Brockwayville, He lies in a dying condition from the effects of poison, seif-loflicted., The vietlln was a Woman koown as Maud Beeser, with whom, it ls sald, Walker had bees living for some time, until within a few weeks precsdisg the tragedy. The Beoser woman finally refused to live longer with Walker snd his efforts to make ber return to him proved futile. Wal- ker drank heavily all of Saturday asd in the evaning he purchased some laudssum and walked four miles from Brockwayville to the home of a family named Blivis, with whom the Reeser woman was liviog. A rap on the door brought Slivis down and Walker asked for the woman, who appeared. Blivis retired, but was awakened a few moments later by two pistol shots, and, rushing down- stalre, be met the ghastiy eight of Mre Eeeser lying dead with two bullets in her body. Near ber lay Walker, ciutebing the empty laudapum baoitie, His expiasation of the crime was that the woman bad tried poison him. He will die Fisherman's Awful Plight, A singuinr accident, secompanied by al most Intal results, occurred on ths river uesr Chester, While bringlog 157 sbad to the Chester market in a skiff Valentine Lis- derman, of Marcus Hook, snd a colored man was thrown isto the river by the skiff capsizivg. Linderman got entangled in the net and was beipless. He would have drowned but for bis companion, who hero- leally struggled to save him. A boat put off {rom shore spd brought io the men and skiff and net, The shad were lost. The singular part of the socident is that the skiff capsized in smooth water during a light breezes, Clergymau’s Escape. Rev, W. BK Patton, pastor of the First Baptist Chureb, of Media, bad a narrow es- cape from belag crushed to death under the wheels of a trolley car. He was about 10 board a car ou the corner of Jackson and Washiogion Streets when the iron piste on the siroel culvert was tipped up by the car wheels erossiog it, trippisg Mr. Patton and throwisg bim agsiost the car asd simost under the whesls, He was caught and held in the iron culvert until reicased by the motorman. His injuries consist of bruises about the bead and shoulders and contusions of the lower limbs, Horses Perish in Barn Fire. The iarge frame barn of George M. Der- hammer, near Chestant Hill, iu Forks Towe- ship, was discovered to be on fire. The strusture was burned to the ground, Tiree Lorses perished, and several wagons, a lot of barvess, graio, bay and varius farm im- plements were burned. The loss wili reach #3000. The origin of the fire is not defi. nitely known. It Is thought that an Intoxi- coated wan crept inio the sara to sieep, and accidentally set the bay on fire while light ing bis pipe. Injared by Sulcldal Leap. Wilhelm Koons, aged about 62 years, a tissmite uy trade, attempiod to ovmmit sul- cide by jampiag out of a ihird-story win- dow of the Peters House, Allentown, Koons was badly Injured. Oae of his legs was fractured in three places and his thigh was brokes. Koons bad confided to am sc quaistesce that be bad trouble, He bas s=veral married chlidren living in Philadel phia, Wages Advanced One Third, Potts Brothers’ Iron Company, at Polts- town, bas sonounced a further increase of 5 cents per ton on puddiers wages, to take effect May 1, which will raise the rate #3 per ton, This increase makes an sdvasee of 8334 per cent. within one month. Toe Gige- gow Iron Company, which is aiso the lessees of tho Pottstown lron Company mills will, it is uaderstood, make the same advance at ace, Unknown Man Killed. An unknown man met a horrible death on the Lebigh Valley RBaliroad, near Furnace Bridge Station, Allentown, He was walking on the tracks, and in stepplog out of the way ol a freight trala, stepped in fromt of the milk train. The man's head was muti. Inted beyond recognition, and bis body was cut up. He was well dressed. Coroner aot be identified, Collision Caused Death, Daniel Werley died pear Greenawald's Station as the result of a collision, Teams driven by Morgana Levan and Mr. Werley collided at the Albany Bridge, and Mr. Wor- dey was run over, bursting a bicod vessel. He was 63 years old, Up Go Their Wages. The Dessemer Association of Mabosisg and Shenango Vaileys have decided to grant an increase in wages 10 biast {uroace em- ployees of 10 per cent, 10 take effect May 1 The advance was made voluntarily and is the second within thirty days. Between 4.000 and 5,000 men are affected in the two valleys, Meili, Kulelde Beennse of Grief, George Jones, of Harrisville, aged 40 yoars, a butcher, committed Se ering his throat with a knife, A note was foupd on which was written these words: “1 eannot longer endure the griel over the Joss of my Wife, and J go to join her,” Mm, Jones died about two months ago. a EI — oi ants A Sthekier for Facta : Tired Treadwell-—Ah, dat was tos bad! You asked fer bread and dey gives you a stone. Sauntering Sim-. Naw; it i sight. Git it right! 1 asked dem for bread and dey gives me
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers