Through the "Holy Days."
Glad the light of Christmas comes,
Merry is iho Christmas feast.
Through a thousand happy homos,
North and South anil West and East;
Blithe the song the traveler sings.
Blithe tho wish the reveler says.
Lifting hearts to happier things
Through the Christmas holidays.
Other dear desires woro oiim,
Few folUllo.l and many lost—
Though wo catch, in rarer hours.
That which wo have longed for most;
Life hath found a fuller measure,
When we tri ad forgotten ways,
In the sudden streaa of pleasure,
Through the Christmas holidays.
In tho future wo shall see
Murh to promise anil forget-
There are tendencies that be
Which wc cannot'fathom yet;
Still a song tho traveler sings,
Still a toaat tho reveler save,
Trifling with familiar things,
Through tho Christmas holidays.
for a (tOtxlsiU.
Mrs. Chester's Mistake.
A CHRISTMAS STOUT.
"Now, Bertha, road over the list,and
tell me if I have omitted any friend
whom ycu particularly wish to honor."
" I should say not. judging from
the depth and thickness of that formi
dable pile of missives !" laughed pretty
Mrs. Chester from hor coxy arm-chair,
drawn up close to the fire in the library
of e most charming house.
It . as within a week of Christmas,
and snow was falling from a leaden sky
on tho lawn and wooded park that sur
rounded Cheater ball. But tho gloom
without only served to heighten tho
luxurious comfort within. Tho fire
light danced and played upon the rows
of gay-looking volnmes that lined the
walls- upon the stately busts of bygone
poets aud authors of high repute that
appropriately filled the corners—upon
the bright-colored silks that had fallen
from Mrs. Chester's work-basket on to
the rug of valuable tiger-skin—lastly
upon tho fair faces of the two ladies
who were bonding ovor the writing
table.
In the center was a capacious card
tray, which had been emptied of its
contents; and the elder of the two
began to call over the namos, referring
at the same time to the pile of written
notes, a proceeding mnch retarded by
the comments passed npon them.
"Melvilles, Greys, Hnnts, Agnes
Lester—"
"Star, that note will have to be'
burnt. It is no use to ask Agnes. She
has declined all invitations for the last
two vears, nntil people grew so certain
of refnsal that they let her alone."
"You surprise me I" returned Mrs.
Harding. "I used to hear of her as
the liveliest girl of your set, always
ready for a frolic, and devotedly fond
of dancing. What can have changed
her so T*
"So one has any idea ; but it is a
great pity, for sho is just as charming
and as beautiful as ever."
"I must take her in hand myself and
alter snch a state of things," rejoined
the kindly widow, resuming her task.
"Boyds, Pridhams, Macleans, and here
is a name I am unacquainted with, and
lai 1 aside as 'doubtful.' Who is Hose
Davenant?" i|
"Oh! please <lS't omit her, or my
party will be a failure. The Davenants
oamo to reside in the neighborhood
aome eighteen months since. Hhe is
the bello of every ball, the men are
quite wild about her, and I believe she
might marry any one of tbem she chose,
but she is a finished coquette, and dis-1
pet.sett her favors so equally, that if ahe
has a heart it certainly cannot be
touched."
There was a moment's silence ; then
she resumed, thoughtfully :
" I can scarcely understand Hose. I
have watched her at her gayest, and
seen snch a wistful, far-away expression
mddenly shade her faco, that I question
whether her gayety is always real."
It was an unusnallly sober speech
for the lively little blonde to utter, and
betrayed more interest than she general
ly felt for her lady acquaintances.
" There I that is the last, then," said
Mrs. Harding. "I fear you will not
get answers from all the guests—the
time is so short— only the day after to
morrow."
" Yes; that is the worst of it. I shall
not know who is coming. I hope the
girls will have some sort of toilet ready
upon so short a notice."
" Tell them to put clean frills to their
best dresses—that is all you require,"
laughed the widow, sweeping the notes
into a capacious bag. "And now for
our drive to the poatofflce. Take plenty
of wraps with you, Bertha; the cold is
intent
The Ohosters of Chester hall had
been noted for generations for their hos
pitality, and the reception-rooms were
the scene of many a brilliant gathering.
The proaent occasion, when tho guests
were so hastily called together, was for
the especial honor of the young chat
elaine's only brothor, Henry Hinslair,
and his companion in traveL They
were literally birda of pasaage, and
their brief and unexpected advent waa
an opportunity too welcome to be loat;
and, furthermore, Mra. Cheater longed
o reclaim her brothor from hia nomadio
life, and aottlo hitu down with a suit
able bride to jwrform hia long-neglected
dutiea as country sqniro. She trusted
that the glimpae, tranaient though it
might be, of homo-life in ita ploosant
nat aapect, and the bright facea of the
girls, in their English youth and fresh
ness, would awaken tho wiah for ita con
stant enjoyment.
• • • •
Agnes Loater atood at tho window on
tho following day, an open letter in her
hand, and a half-sad expression upon
her fair countenance. It was an invita
tion for tho next evening to the hull,
and tho unlooked-for attention awoko a
conflict of feeling.
How loug it waa since she held a
similar missive in her hand she did not
remember ; but it was two years sinco
the tidings reached her of a heavy sor
row, all tho heavier because her maiden
pride compelled it to bo borne in secret.
Must sho coaso to mourn for tho dead ?
Must sho enter the gay world once
more? Yes. She could be as constant
to bis memory in the crowded ball
room as in her self-imposed solitude.
Sho would accept the friendship once
moro offered to her and go. Then
arose the very different, but important
question, what should Bho wear ? There
was no time to provide herself with a
new robe, so sho proceeded to inspect
the means already at her command.
Her last drees, a rich lustrous silk,
was tinally set aside as not unbecoming
the event, and one of her treasures was
a quantity of choice old lace, creamy
and elegant.
This was brought into requisition, |
and witli a white camellia for her hair, !
and silver chain and bracelets for her
nock and arms, sho trusted her toilet
would not disgrace her reappearance in
society. She went to her chamber that
night with a va ;no, nndetlned feeling
of hope, and something of the old
light-heartedncs* within hor that spoke
in pleasant anticipation of the morrow.
The day dawned bright and frosty;
the December sun shone for a brief
spaco upon tho crisp and sparkling
snow, and then sank down, to l>o suc
ceeded by a clear starlit night.
Rose Davenant drew aside the heavy
curtains when she roe from the dinner
table and looked ont. For a wonder
aho was free from any engagement,
neither ront nor concert claimed her
that evening, and she contemplated de
voting it to the fulfillment cf a duty
that of late scant leisure had obliged
her to defer, not that it was by any
means a duty devoid of pleasure, for a
visit to Mr,. Allen, the dear old invalid
lady tl at lived so near them, was al
ways a source of delight to her.
Whenever her round of engagm->enta
allowed her an hour to spare, she spent
it with her elderly friend; and in the
amiable, unaffected girl, listening so
seiiouaiy to the anecdotes and stories
of a long past youth, seasoned with
many a homely adage of counsel and
sdvice, none would have recognized
tbe brilliant, sparkling coquette, whose
sarcastic speec.es hsd sometimes a
point too keen for her admirers wholly
to relish.
It was not too far for her to ventnro
alone; so, wrapping a fur-lined cloak
tightly ronnd her, the ample hood pro
tecting her head, she stepped ont into
the still winter night.
The keen air bronght tbe roses to her
cheeks and the brightness lo her eyes,
and never had she looked more beauti
ful than when she stood in the doorway
of her friend's tiny drawing-room.
Her usual gentle tap had remained
unanswered; and dazzled by the sud
den blaze of light, sbe did not at first
discover that Mrs. Allen was absent.
The easy chair by the fire was vacant,
but leaning against the mantelpiece,
apparently in deep thought, was a gen
tleman. Ilia back was turned toward
the door nntil the sonnd of some one
entering canned him to look round.
For a moment they gazed at each
other speechless snd spellbound; then
summoning all her presence of mind,
Rose grcstod him with a dignified how,
a vivid flush of crimson dyeing her
cheek the while. It was met by an an
swering look of psin on the part of the
stranger, who held out his hand, ex
claiming;
"Is this all the greeting yon can be.
stow n pon me, Rose T Yon need not be
afraid. I have forgiven the suffering
your fckleness has caused me, although
tbo scars will remain fornvi r. It is the
penalty he must pay who loves but
once, and that too well I"
" I do not understand you," murmured
Rose, scarcely heeding what the said.
"Itis I who have to forgive; I, whose
love you won, and then threw aside,
when it was no longer a living presence
near you. Not a word 1" she gasped.
" Not a line I although I hungered for it
night and day 1"
" Rose I come to me, my darling I I
see it all now, and tho blame ia mine I
The lettera from home told me of a
lover always st your ride, of s titled
suitor those name was linked with
yotirx, and without (tiring yon a chance
of vindicating yonrself, in my hasty
prido I gavo you up to the rival whom,
aa I believed, you preferred to me. I
lost all trace of you, and in my blind
tieHH hoped never to ace you more 1
Roae, dearest 1 forgive me; the fate that
haa brought us together to night waa
aurely meant to unite oa 1"
Ho hod folded her in his artna during
this impassioned appeal—her whole
being seemed to vibrate to hia elo
quence; and when, shortly afterward,
Mrs. Allen entered Lor amall drawing
room, she found it tenanted by a pair
of betrothed lovers.
Chester hall was brilliantly lighted,
tho pretty hostess and her sister were
standing in tho principal reception
room awaiting tho arrival of the
guests; bnt the fair face of tho former
was clouded and gloomy. With all her
clever scheming she foresaw that the
evening was destined to bo a ooraplote
iuiltire. True, the expected travelers
had arrived; but ber plans for her
brother's welfare hail been set at
nought. Ho had left word with the
butler,rising from the dinner-table,
that he had gone to visit a friend, and
shonld let himself in quietly and retire
to his room. His sister had abataiui'xl
from mentioning the expected assem
blage, knowing her brother's recluse
turn of mind, and Mr. Chester could
render no further information of his
whereabouts, reducing his wife to tho
verge of tears.
The sonnd of carriage-wheels, how
ever, compelled her to wreathe her face
in smiles. The rooms wore filling fast,
when uinid tho ripple of langhter and
conversation came a slight burst of ad
miration.
"Who is thit lovely girl, Bertha,
who has just entered ? What an exquis
ite toilet!" exclaimed the widow, wav
ing her hand toward the last comer.
Mrs. Chester glanced in tho direction
of the door, and her countenance as
sumed a look of tho greatest consterna
tion.
" Why, that is Agnes fleeter! lam
delighted to see her; bnt, oh I Clara,
whose note of invitation could I hare
burned ? It is quite im possible to tell,
bnt Bomo one will be hopelessly of
fended. How could I have l>een so
stnpid as t. burn any note !" she ssid,
ready to cry with vexation.
Her brother's friend, Captain Colston
—Jack Colston, as he was familiarly
called—a handsomo man in the uniform
of a naval officer, was standing near the
door as Agavn ontorwl un perceived by
him.
She turned pale, and for a momcn
her heart stood still Could the dead
come to life again?—was it a spirit
standing beside her ? She mnst speak,
if only to assure herself that she is not
dreaming.
"Jack !" she said, softly.
Ho tnrned with a start.
••Agio* r
Their eyes met, and their hands were
clasped in |>erfect rapture of bliss and
contentment. In the tnidst of a crowded
room, with a gay company round them,
it was neither place nor opportunity for
anything beyond that ope brief excla
mation ; but shortly afterward, when
leaning upon his arm, she entered a
dimly-lit ante-room that rot even a
stray oonple had as yet eva>Kd, he said,
tenderly:
"It was my consin Jack's death that
was announced in the TVeasa. He dfcd
in his chambers in London; and on
looking over bis papers a few days
since I discovered the two laat letters I
wrote him. the inclosures to you still
in them snd unposted, snd strangely
enough I failed to connect the eirenm
stance with year sadden silence. It
was a fatality altogether, and was well
nigh ending in the wreck of two lives.
When yon ceased to write, I ceased to
hope, and resolved henceforth to live
for my profession. To morrow I should
have set sail for the East, and I tremble
to think that we might never have met
again."
" And I lisve grieved in secret for
yonr death, till life itself seemed hard
to liear. My very yonth bad passed
away. Am I altered ?" she asked, ex
changing her tone of sadnens for one of
pla.vfnl banter.
" Yes; I left a pretty girl. I come
back and find a beautiful woman I"
At this juncture their quietude was
broken by the entry of several guests, so
the reunited lovers wended their way
again toward the lighted rooms.
.s• s s •
"And to think that, after all, my un
lucky mistake in bnrning Hose Dsven
ant's invitation instead of Agnes Les
ter's should have produced such delight
ful results!" exclaimed Mra. Chester
the day after. " Fonr people made
happy for life by a chance—a mere
chance? But,"she added, aerionsly, "is
it not something more than just a lucky
chance?"
" Yea," exclaimed her brother, who
happened to overhear the remark as he
and Rose entered the room together; "I
shall never believe in what the world
is plessed to call 'chance' again. It
could have been nothing lees than a
kind Provideaoe that prompted yon to
make suoh a kcky mistake 1"
TOPICS OP THE tfAT.
Henry Clay's grandson, Henry Clay,
who went out with an Arctic expedition
a year ago and waa grounded on the
ieeberga by Howgate a failure, concluded
to go np and find the pole himaelf, but
after travoling several daya by dog
team, concluded that the pole ia well
enough when* it ia, and came home.
The Amcricun Palace hotel to be
erected on the Victoria embankment of
the Thamea in London, between the
river und the palace of Whitehall, ia to
be nine ntcrion high, accommodate
1,300 guest*, be managed by Lei and, of
the Delcvan house, Albany, the waiter*
and barkeepers American, the capital
18,000000 or 1400,000, furnished by
Englishmen with whom the idea, sug
gested by their liking hotels in this
country, originated. It will not be rnn
for American travelers exclusively, but
it ia expected that Englishmen will
patronize it.
The San Antonia (Texas) Erpre** re
ports a remarkable mortality among
a drove of sheep. Mr. Sawyer, who is
a large sheep-owner in Medina county,
drove a flock of 4,500 sheep out of
Pleasanton in apparently good con
dition. Tho drove had hardly got
thirteen miles from town before 1,915
died almost inntantly. Whether they
wer>- maliciously poisoned or not is a
question of doubt, but certainly the
vultures that devoured the carrion
dropped dead on the ground. Homo
argue that the sheep fd on the deadly
senna berry, but this is mere conjecture.
Governor Neal, of Idaho, says with
reference to Mormoniem that the gov
ernment mnst go right at it now and
cat it ont by the roots. If not it will
have to be put down at the end ortbe bay
onet He says: " Already tney think
they can defy tho United State*, and
1 have seen a mob of 20,000 Mormons
in Utah march by the Federal court when
it was in session, and hoot in derision
of its authority. I have seen the flag
borne covered with insulting mottoes,
and I have seen it dragged in the dirt.
We mnst meet this thing now or it wi'l
cost bloodshed to put it down."
The fnnd for the monument to Gar-
Held at Cleveland may very likely reach
$lOO,OOO in time. It is now abont $72,-
000, of which Ohio has given nearly
$•10,000 and the rest,of the Union abont
$12,000; auil of Ohio's portion about
$50,000 was contributed by Cleveland.
Expectations are rairt-d that the relics
oons'.rncted from the wood, cloth snd
other material nscd aronnd the cata
falque will net s handsome sum for the
bnilding fund, to which tho proceed*
are to be devoted. These relics have
lately appeared in several cities, incln<L
ing New York, and are advertised for
sale, the authenticity of each memento
being duly certified.
When the late General Kiipatrick was
in Chili daring his flrat term as United
States minister, Henry Meigs, the great
Peruvian railroad contractor, who,
while waiting to close hia contract with
Porn, had become bankrupt, asked Kii
patrick to scrape together every cent he
had and lend it to him. Against his
family's sdviee the United States min
ister drew $1,700 from tho bank, bor
rowed a hundred dollars to live on,
until his installment of salary was due.
A month later the contract with Meigs
was made and he sent Kiipatrick a
check for $15,000. He also offered
him $25,000 s year as manager, bnt an
other American accepted while he
hesitated, and. as he said, made the
greatest mistake of his life.
The Mail and Kxprt*• claims thst
before the end of tho next half century
New York city will be the best bnilt
city in the world. The space of Man
hattan island ia so amall that there is
no room for a poor structure perma
nently. Land is too valuable for any
but buildings of the flrat class. The
work of reconstructing the lower part
of the city has been begun on a grand
scale, and is moving forward with rapid
strides. Beside* the new barge office,
the new prodnce exchange and other
fine bnilding* already completed, build
ings planned or in oonrse of oonstruc
tion within five minntes* walk of the
barge office are to ooet not leas than
$4,000,000. The structures now in
course of erection on the island will
ooet $55,000,000.
The great Inrnber producing region*
of the Northwest are divided into three
distinot district*, known as the Missis
sippi ralley district, the Eastern Michi
gan and Hnron shore and the Lake
Michigao. The first named, embracing
the territory drained by the Mississippi,
St. Croix, Chippewa, Wisconsin and
other rivers, prodnoed last year 3,000,-
000,000 feel of 1 timber and 050,000,000
shingles. The second district, inc.nd
ing the Green Bay shore, Cheboygan,
Manistee, Lndington, White lake,
Mnskegon, Grand Haven end Wolf
river, yield sbont the same amonnt,
while Eastern Michigan, taking in the
Saginaw valley and Hnron shore, pro
duced about 1,100.000,000 feet. Al
though there has been an unusual cat
ting in the Hsginaw valley, the greatest
increase this year is In the Mississippi
valley. I
A sanguine and imaginative writer
predicts almost incredible marvels
which electricity is expected to accom
plish before the end of the twentieth
oentury. Chops and steaks will be
cooked by the electric s|rk. The
fruits of tho earth will be multiplied
behind colored glass. Fruits and vege
tables will be grown all the year round,
winter and summer, day and night. We
now take our air and water raw, and
through these two elements come all
disorders and txintagions which afilict
hnrnnnity. In the fntnre water will b
distilled and pnrifled from all germs
of disease, while air, cleared of
all noxions qualities, will be ad
mitted to glass-covered streets and
dwellings. Houses and places of busi
ness will be situated in immense in
closed edifices, the air of which will bo
wholesome and delightful to tho sense
of smell. Hummer and winter will be
abolished, as the temperature can be
controlled by artificial means, and all
parts of the globe will become equally
inhabitable. Day will have no attrac
tions over night, for the artificial lights
will be more pleasing than the sun.
The air will lie navigated, and the
great cities be situated on beantiful hill
toi w. With the great motors shortly to
be discovered, huge mountains can be
leveled, while the ice packs around
the two poles can be liquefied and made
navigable. Wild as this seems, it is,
as the New York Hour suggests, scarcely
more so than the present marvels of
gas and water, telegraphs and ocean
cables would have l>een to an English
man of the time of Klizaneth.
Capturing a Huge Cuttle Fifth.
In an article on thin monitor of the
00-an a New York paper earn: It i only
occasionally that these monsters venture
to attack fishermen, hut Mr Harvey tays
that on the second of November, 18711,
Stephen Hherring, a fisherman residing
in Thimble Tickle, was ont in a boat
with two others; not far from the shore
they observed some bulky object, and
supposing it might bo a portion of a
wreck rowed toward it, and to their
horror foand themselves close to a huge
fish having large glassy eyes, which was
making desperate efforts to or raj* , and
churning the water into foam by the mo
tion of its immense arrnn and tail. It
was nground, and the tide was ebbing.
From the funnel at the back of its head
it was e ecting large volume* of water
this being its method of moving back
ward. the force of the stream by the re
of the surrounding medium driv
! ing it in the required direction; at tim*
the water from the siphon was as black
as ink. Finding the monster partially
disabled, the fishermen plucked up
courage and venture.! near enough to
throw the grapm 1 of their l*at, the
sharp fluke* of which, having barbed
points, sank into the soft body.
To the grapnal they had attached a
stont rope which they carried ashore
and fastened to a tree ao as to pre
| vent the fish from going out with the
tide. It was a happy thought, for the
devil-Ash found himself effectually
moor# 1 to fhe shore. His struggles
were terrific at he flung his lea arms
about in dying agony. The fishermen
took goo.! care to keep at a respectful
distance from the long tentacles which
; ever and anon darted out like great
tonguei from the central mass. At
length it became exhausted, and as the
water went out it died. It was the
largest specimen ever taken, the body
alone measuring twenty feet from the
b*k to the extremity of the tail; one
of the long arms was thirty-five feet in
length, and the whole animal was twice
as large at the one exhibited at the
New York aquarium. From these ac
oonnts it would soo that the maximum
length of these giants of the sea, as far
( ae known, is from fifty-five to sixty feet,
i but there is no reason to doubt that they
, greatly cxeeod this living in tlie groatei
depth of the ocean.
A great number of species are known,
but most of them are extremely small
when compared to the giant squid of
the NorthAtlantie, many of tbam being
hardly overt foot in length, but in gen
eral appearance they resemble their
huge relative. Their power of throwing
ink and water from the siphon must be
great; the writer has observed a small
squid throw a stream three feet from
the water with dire effect upon an en
t h Ohi utic naturalist. The black staring
eye, nearly as large as a plate in the
large ones, presents a striking appear
ance, resembling greatly that organ in
vertebrate animals, bat the resemblance
la superficial, as the eye of the aqnid is
formed njon the same plan as that of
the snails; the bills resemble those of
a parrot, onlv larger, and ths upper one
fits into the tower. Btrange to say the
pen that supports the body of the giant
aqnid is extremely fragile, while in the
small sepia of the Mediterranean sea it
is formed of limestone and familiar as
the "cattle-fish bone" of commerce.
A book with a loose leaf should be
bound over to keep the piece.
for Oyster*.
The oyster fishery to these locsliii® -
i* carried on in two ways .either by "tong-J
ing" or "dredging." The first method, j
being confined to email area* and to a J
limited number of fisherman, and nns
oeptible of use but in aboal water, need
not be considered. The seeond
method of taking the oyster ia as fol
lows: The implement naed ia called a
dredge or scrape, and resembles a large
iron claw, the nails representing the
teeth of tbo'redge. To the back*-
this claw, or the dredge, ia fastened a
bag of iron mesh work, largo enough to
bold two or thr< e bushels. When the
dredge ia dragged along the bottom
the toeth or claws dig up the oyster*
and shells, which pass between them
and into the network behind. The
action is somewhat like that of a bar
row. The dredges vary greatly in sixe,
being from two to five feet acroaa the
mouth, and of greater or less weight,
according to the depth of the water ill
which it ia intended to use them. The
dredging vessels vary in size from five
to thirty tons, and all uso two dredges.
When on the oyster ground the dredges
are dropped, one from each side, and a
sufficient amount of line paid out to in
sure the "taking" of the teeth ; the ves
sel is then kept under easy sail and at a
moderate spaed until the dredges are
full, that being indicated by the strain
on the dredging line and by other signs
known to the fishermen The instru
ment is then hauled in bv means of a
small winch, the contents emptied on
the deck and the dredges put over
again. This is continued until the ves
sel is near the edge of the bed, when
the dredges are recovered, the vessel
put about, and dredging resumed in an
opposite course. While tho dredges
are in the water the mud, sand, sponge,
grass or other debris brought up, are
separated from the oysters, and together
with all oysters unfit for market, thrown
ba-k into the water. The limits of the
dredging ground ar<- not accurately de
fined, and the vessels frequently drag
large numbers of shells and oysters be
yond the bonndary of the beds. The
dredge, especially when full, acts as a
scrape and carries before it much that
would be collected in the network at
tached to it had that receptacle been
open. After "calling" the oysters, or
separating them from the old shells,
those shells-arc thrown back again, and
with them many young oysters.—/'n;**-
lar Scirnot Monthly.
Stuffed Kittens in Fat or.
In Boston a lady has been quite ex
tensively engaged in preparing kittens
for ths art market. She is studying for
the medical profession, and while de
riving profit from her present pnrsuit,
learns something from her work in pre
paring the little animals for ituffing.
The first stuffed kitten that she saw
was imported from Italy, and as an ex
periment she essayed the work. A
gentleman friend contrived a machine
which choke* six kittens at onoe, and
he is so tender-hearted that be tnrns
his bead during their dying struggles.
The lady prefers to leave this part of
: he work to others than herself. She
recently stated that a single firm had
purchased from her 381 stuffed kittens
and that she had prepared over 500 in
all for the market. At times kittens
of desirable sixe become so scarce that 1
it is difficult to fill orders without a'
systematic canvass of the cat popula
tion of the section in which she lives.
The favorite colors are Maltese, gray,
and black and white, but ail colors ap
pear to find admirers. It is a curious
business for a lady, but it pays, and her
work is apprecisted by those who are
in search of pretty novelties.
An Fninteiitional Thief.
A tourist was standing the other even
ing in one of the shadowy area U-s of
the Oolisenm at Rome, when he was
somewhat brusquely hustled
ing figure. With a quick insnHt he
clapped his band to his wstch pocket.
His watch was gone I He darted after
the thief, who turned sharply round, at
the same time clutching a wstch.
"Give me that wstch 1" A dash—the
stolen property was recovered. The
startled robber disappeared and the gen
tleman went home to boast of his ad
venture and his prowenft. What was
his consternation, on entering his bed
fot m, to find his own wstch, which he
had forgotten to put on, staring him in
the face from the mantelpiece 1 He
had been the thief, and %he other
wretched man had stumbled over him
in the dark, and when overtaken and
stopped was merely clutching his own
watch, which he had not the nerve to
rescue froni the tourist. That tourist is '
now known to an admiring circle of
friends as the Bandit of the Coliseum,
Weight 0 r a Million Dollar-.
In round number* the following table
represents the weight of a million dol
or* in the coins named:
Description of coin. Ton ft.
Standard gold ootn tk
dUn lsrd •lircr coin *•;
HuWtiarr silver c0in........ 34
Minor seia, tve-emt nickel MS