Life's Mirage. Sad would the suit waves be Aud oold the aiuging *ea, And daik the gulfs that echo to tbo aoven ttriuged lyre, 11' things were what they aeom, If earth had no fair dream, Ho mirage inmlu to tip the dull aou lino with Are. But on the shores of time, Ileuiing tho breakers chime, FUllng by day and night along our human Mild, The poet aits and sees, Borne on tho morning breeze, He phantom islands float a furlong from tho land. Content to know them there. Hung in the shining air, He trims no looliah suit to win the hopeless coast. His vision ia enough To teed his aoul with love, And he who graapa too much may even him telf be lost. Kdmund Gout. IF THEY HAD KNOWN. "So you've come back again, Jerome?" said old Mr. SewelL "Well, we heard you was tbinkin' of returnin' to Elm Mountain. Had pennies always come back—ha' ha! ha! And you didn't make such a big fortune as you calcu lated. eh ?" Jerome Clay leaned over the old zig zag rail fence and rubbed his eyes- Had time stood still all these years while he had been in tho South? For here w as Farmer Sew ell in t he same old blue-checked overalls, with tho same battered straw hat, the same wrinkles between his brows, driving the same old red cows home through the twilight lane, where the scent of trampled spearmint came up. and the melan choly notes of a distant whip-poor-will sounded faintly on the purple silence. And yet—and yet it was twenty odd years since he had left Elm Mountain, with all his worldly goods balanced in a bundle on his back. He had la-en a dashing lad of twenty-ono then: there were silver hairs in his black locks, now. and he had left a dead past buried under the sweet magnolia groves. And here was Moses Sewell, just the same JUS ever, only a triile yellower and more dried up. "Yes," Clay said, quietly, "I've come back. And you are right when you say fortunes don't grow on every bush." "Goin'to your uncle's house?" said Mr. Sewell, leaning over the bars. "He's dead and bttried, poor fellow. Always hail a weak chest, you know, i And the gals ain't no younger—the three old maids we call 'etn—ha, ha, ha'" And again the old farmer chuckled himself into a state of semi-suffocation. "Come in and see us," said he. "My daughter Aurilla she's come hack a widow and does tailorin' and plain sewin'. The old woman's stone deaf but she's dreadful quick at catchtn' a person's meaning!" And ofT he trudged over the bruised patches of sweet-smelling spearmint, his broad figure vanishing into the gloom like a shadow. "Three old maids, eh?" repeated Jerome Clay to himself. "Clara and Bess and little Kate, the golden-haired beauty, the soft-eyed poetess, the bright little sprite who was a mixture of I'ndine and Queen Mab. Then, surely. Father Time h:is not stood still!" The light was shining out, as of old, from the red-curtained casement, the great tire of logs was blazing on the hearth, and the three cousins greeted the returned wanderer with unaffected warmth. They were changed, of course. What else could have been expected? Tbe Beauty had grown sharp and freckled, and her lovely hair had lost its burnish, and she was not quite as tidy as she used to be in tho old days al>out her ribbons and frills. Soft eyed Bessie's sweet voire had degener ated into a whine; she had grown round-shouldered and hst one of her front teeth; and little Kate was a stout, middle-aged woman, who reminded one of I'ndine no more. But they were his cousins still the girls who had romped and flirted with hitn In due arithmetical progression. And there still existed a bond of stead fast friendship, and he told thetn the story of the southern wife who had been buried for live years under the magnolias, and they all sympathized, and Beauty even cried a little. "I have brought my three children to the North," he said. "I left them in New York, and if I can get somo gen uine, whole-souled woman to take charge of my home, I'm thinking of settling here in Elm Mountain. Clara, dear, you used to bo fond of mo in the old times! What do yon say to tinder taking this charge?" The Beauty seemed to grow smaller, ■harper, more business-like, all in a second. If Cousin Jerome had come home a millionaire, she would have jumped into his arms. But Clara N'eely was not romanti cally inclined. To ht*r, love in a cot tage possessed no charms. "I couldn't, Jerome," she answered quickly. "I'm not very strong, and I couldn't assume any responsibility of this arduous nature, llesides, I'm not fond of children. I'm greatly obliged to you, I'm sure, but I'd rather not." Jerome Clay bit his lip. "(if course," ho said, "it Is for you to decide. Hut If Hessie—" The poetess shrugged her shoulders, and laughed a light, shrill-sounding cachlnnation. "Cousin Jerome," said she, "it's just as well to be frank about these matters. I wouldn't marry a poor man—not if I loved him like Homeo and Juliet. It's bad enough to scrape along as we do here, with only half what one requires to live on decently. Hut to plunge into poverty, with two or three children belonging to another woman—no, I thank you!" For time, as may easily be perceived, had eliminated a great deal of the poetical element from Bessie Neely's soul. The quondam I 'ndine did not wait for the question, as far as she was eon- j cerned, but added, promptly, that she | quite agreed with her sisters in all these matters. "It's such a pity you didn't stay here where you were well off, Jerome," said she, in the pitying, patronizing manner which your genuine man most abhors. "Dear pa, you know, always disaje proved of your going South. And you ' might have got the situation of agent to the White Castle place, at eight hundred a year, and cottage found, if you'd only been here on the spot. I'a used to know the old agent, and could , have mmended you!" Jerome smiled. "White Castle?" said he. "That's the big house on the hill, where we children used to peep at the rosea and white grapes through the glass sides of the great green-house. A grand place, as I remember it." "And the position of agent is most responsible and Idghly considered,'' broke in Hessie. Jerome Clav went away, feeling rather depressed. It is not the lot of every man to be thrice rejected in one evening. "They think I am a failure in life," said he. half smiling, half sighing. •'Well, perhaps they are not wrong. People's ideas differ." Aurilla Haven, the old farmer's daughter, had been a wild hoyden of a , school girl when Jerome Clay went South. She was a silent, pale woman of three-and-thirty now, who did the "tailoreas" work of the neighl>orhixsl. and had hard work to get along. Hut her dark-brown eyes lighted up when Mr. Clay spoke ,f his far-off home, an<l her cheek glowed scarlet when Mr. Sew ell chuckled out: "So the three old maids wouldn't , have nothing to say to you? Ha ha, ha!" "Do you blame them?" said Jerome. "Well, no." confessed the old man. "Gals naturally want to better them selves nowadays. If you'd come back with your pockets full of gold, they'd sing a different song you'd see." Aurilla looked pityingly at Jerome : Clay. She, too, had found life a fail ure, and in her quiet way did all that she could to comfort the tall, quiet man who hail hired the spare chamber in her father's house for a few w-eks, since his cousins hail altogether omit ted to invite him to !• their guest at the old place. She was not pretty never hail been —but she had a sweet, oval fare, with dark-fringed eyes, and a mild, wistful expression which Jerome Clay liked. And one day she spoke out what was in her heart. "Mr. Clay," she said. "I can't help thinking of those poor, little, mother less children of yours. If you will bring them here, I'll take rare of them I always liked children, and it shall cost you nothing. Father w ill let ine have the big north bed-room for a nursery, and their Imard won't signify. They ran go to the public school, and I'll make their clothes, if you'll buy the material." "Aurilla, you are a genuine woman," said Mr. Clav, earnestly. "Nonoof my cousins have spoken to me like this." "Perhaps— perhaps they didn't think of it!" faltered Aurilla. "Possibly," drily remarked Mr- Clay. "But, Aurilla," gently detain ing her hand, "is It of my children only that you think? Have you no tender, pitying feeling—the sweet sen sation that is akin to love, yon know— forme? Aurilla. will you become my wife?" And Aurilla did uot refuse! "Now that you have promised to marry me," said Jerome Clay, "I will tell you all my plans, Aurilla. I have bought a house here—" "Here, Jerome?" "Yes, here. Will you come with me to look at It?" "I will go wherever you wish, •letonie," saiel the lirieliveli'ct in a sort of innocent huwiiilerinent. Mr. ('lav put tier into a little carriage at tin; door, and drove ln-r lip the inouiitain-siile, through the huge, atone gateway <>f White- Castle-, to tin velvet lawns in front <>f fin- colonnad ed portico, w here statues of (Vre-s and Proserpine stood in <lu//hng marble; on e-itiie-r siele*, anil an antique sun-dial marked tin; golden footsteps of tiio God of day. "It's a beautiful place!" saiel Aurilla, looking admiringly around. "Hut why are we stopping here, Jerome?" "lie-cause, Aurilla," lie answered, quietly, "it is our home." "You mean to tell me, dear," cried the delighted widow, "that you've he-en fortunate-enough to re-e-e-ive; the agency? I thought Mr. Wright—" "Mr Wright is the agent still," said Clay. "What I mean, is that I have bought White Castle and its grounds. This line old house is to he your home henceforwaril, Aurilla." "Hut, Jerome, I thought you wero a poor man ?" "Did i ever tell you so?" he laugh ingly rotorteel. "Did 1 ever tell any one so? If the gnoel people of Klin Mountain chose to bediove me a pauper, is it fair t<i holel 1110 responsible for the-ir ra-h jonclusions? No, Aurilla! In uione-y I am rich—rich beyond my wilde st aspirations. Hut when first I came to Elm Mountain, I believed my self bankrupt, indeed, in the sweet e-oin of love an<l human kiminess .Sweetheart, it is not so with me now*. It was your liaiui that unb cke-el the gate of happiness to me! It shall l>e your hand that is t<i reap tlie rich ro ward." ll<- bent and ki--.-d herforchwul ten de-rly. "Hut the cliihire-n ?" she cried. "The e hileln a an- with their mater nal aunt, at tin- Winil>--r hotel, in New ork," he; an-w e-ri-el. "The boy is soon to enter college-, the girl- are both en gaged to In-married to southern gentle men, and after a brii-f visit here, will return to N> w < >rl< an* with tln-lr aunt. >o, my darling, \oiir tend<-r solicituelo was not required after all!" Aurilla aigh<-d softly. She hrel somehow lunged f. r the touch of little chilelren's hanels in ii<-r own, the; sound of small, shrill voices in her ear. But she looked into .le-roine's loving eyes, ami was satisiiexl. Heloved lie-r—was not that enough? Ami the three old maids are sharper, inure- untidy and shrill-voiced than e.-ve-r since-the-y have re Ui/ed the fatal mistake- they made- in re-jecting the overtures of their cousin Jerotne. And a maneuvering, managing creature is tlie tenderest ap|eeliation tliey apply to Mrs. Jerome < lay. things would have been so wi<l<-iy <1 if ferent if they ha<l only known!— ll'll'tt Ferris'. i,'r. -c. Thnn ele r-Slorm-e. The ten<b-ney of thunih-r-storms t-e follow a comparatively narrow track is one of the-ir most characteristic I-- it urers. Every!**!}- who has lived in the country knows how those storm giants stalk across hills an'l valleys, pursuing a c ourse tiiat can be tran-l almost as easily as that <>f a tornaelo, drenching the farms in the-ir path with rain and shattering trees and hayricks with lightning, and leaving adjoining farms untouched. In any hroad rive-r valli'y skirtesl bv hill range*, affording exten sive views, the phenoim-noii of a pass ing thunder-storm moving at right angles to the oleserver's line of sight, can lie frequently witnessed in tho summer. It is like a distant view of a battle, an<l when beholding it one can hardly wonder that old Thomas Robin son. in his "Short Treatise of Metenrol* • eg)'," printe<l upward of two hunelred years ago, deseriteed a thuneler-etorm as an actual battle Ix-tween an army ol lire- anil an army of wafer. A little ol his curious description is worth quot lng: "The Battel r>y this time growing very hot the Main Resiles engage, ane! then nothing is to Ik- hcarel hut i< Thundering Noise, with continua l-dashes of Lightning, and elreaelful Showers of Rain, falling down from the broken Clouds. Anil some-tiiiu-s ran elom shots flie aleout, kill iKith Men anil Beasts,fire and throw down Houses, split great Trees and Rocks, anil tear the very Earth." Although the rhances of any partic ular man being killed by lightning are very small, yet the actual number o persona thus killed in a summer h sometimes start ling!} large. Fortunate ly, lightning can lie guarded against, and those who do not expose them selves out of doors during a thornier storm are not in much danger. Is large cities, too, with tho exception perhaps, of the suhurlis, eiisastrous ae cidenta from lightning are leas frequent than in the country.— Tfrtn York Hun, They are never alone that are ac couipanied with nolile thoughts. TOPICS OF THE DAY. Official reports show that railroad accidents are steadily incre-asing in number ami fatality In the United States. British government figures estimate; that onollfth of L'X. >o,ooo,ooo e-arnesl by the British workingmen and women yearly goes for beer ami liquor. It Is said that the Bible re-vlse-rs flml the "ravens" which fed Elijah were gypsle-s, according to tho original, an<l that the originally wonl useel was "rovers." Tho Georgia golel mining leelt ex te-nels from Virginia to Alabama and Florida, with an average; width of UK) miles. Thousand* of men are engage-el in working tin- mines. In one place in Lumpkin* county tin-re- are 21 stamp mills, each e-mploying from lo to 50 men. This statement of the extent and value; of the; go!<l mines of Geor gia will probalely surprise most North ern people. John Pearson, a trembling old man, who ha.* been a resident of Fort Smith, Ark., for forty-three- years, claims to have- been the actual lnve-n -tor of the; re-veelvcr patented by Colonel Colt. lie- says that in 1 K.J4, while lo wa* working in Baltimore with a gun smith named Ilaxt -r, C !• <nel Colt hired him to make expe-riments, which re sulted in the- pe-rff-'tesl re-volve-r, with six charge-* in the cylimler an<l e>n<- barrel. I'e-arson never rex-ejved any reward for his invention. A little-tw e-1 ve--ye-ars-old girl in Knox ville, lowa, was frightened to death during the night by a severe thund ' storm. She t ail Im-.-h fjuite we-11 t.<• day be-f-ere, hut awoke during the storm and besought lu-r mother to take her t - her 1-ed, " for she* w.t* afraid eef tliuniier." Her supplications were un he-e-desl. an I s <in the mother was areeu.-i 'l by the child'.* elitfie-ult breath ing. A|eproarhing th<- l>< I with a light she funnel her dying, an-1 in a f-w minutes she- hreatheel her last. The Japane-se authoritie-s are al-out to eie-ve te- ; ial attention to the raj a bilitie-* and j-r *j><- Uof Jajean as a tea producing country. In re-sponse to numerous aj-j-h ations from tea culti vstors. they have decided to invite del-gate-* from the various tea growing elistricts throughout the country, who will meet at Kobe next October. The Japan Moil adds that, if possible, tlie authorities will take the opportunity of holding at the same time- and j>lare an exhibition of the different varieties of Japanese tea. ami of objects con nected with their production and prej parntlon. There i a man employed in the Philadelphia gas-works whose fidelity for almost half a century deserves re-- cognition. He is a hale old man of eighty years, and Irs name i* Tim othy Keating. Forty-seven years ago he was brought fr->m Knglaml to teach the manufa-ttire of gas in Philaelel phia, and he ha* never once been al<sent from his post in working hour* during that long period of service. For twen ty year* hi* duty has le-en to regulate tho pressure of ga* according to the varying demand eluring the hour* of darkness and he goa to work every evening at six o'clock. The following is the estimated rail way mileage of the world January 1, 1088: JtfifM. JVifn Puked States, - 11V000 AnetnJu . . 3,y<o Btirope, • . 1H9.000 Afrins, ... 2.200 An .... S.OOO Mexkv>, • . 2,100 South A me- tics, 7.003 _____ Cor.s ... S 600 firs ml total, 253,000 These figures, says the Chicago liufl fpay Ayr, arc not claimeel to lee exact. It Is absolutely impossible to obtain official returns for the same perioel within a year or two after date, and so it is neee**ary to use the latest available statement. an<l Bdd the prole able increase since that time. Once in a while a dishonest man Shows the sincerity of his reformation in something more tangible than words. In Quincy, 111., a few years age I, a man occupying a position of trr.st stole 110,000 and decamped to Mexico. According to the popular be lief, his ill-gotten wealth ought to have brought nothing but disaster to him; hot on the contrary, the inveat ments that he made brought him a handsome fortune. A# he now had plenty of money, his conscience Im pelled him to restore the money which he had stolen. He did so; and having a competence, will probably bo atrictly honest in the future. A club of four teen-years-old boys in WebeSer parish. La, has been organ ised to otgnpete with 000 another In ho cultivation of one- aero of corn each. The 1;kI who produces the lar gest rroj) of corn on his aere is to receive five t>iiMh<-lH of corn from <*ach of tlie oilier ijiciiiln-: * of the club. J'.ach selecta his own a'-ro anl manures and cultivates it to suit himself. Sup there are t werity me-iuhers of the club; the lueky one will receive nine ty-five; hushe-ls of corn, which will Ix; a handsotne; pre-mium. Kve;ry member will be; Ix-iu-lit <-<1 by the; increase-d yiclel anel the; practical experience of all See; u re-el by the; conte-st. The; elaiige r of uncovering the head at the; grave-on (tie oee-asion of a fu m-ral, is causing e-onselerablediscussion in the; pape-rs here and in Englan'l. The Lomlon T<lnjraph says on this Hubje-ct: "Many of tin; distinguished and meere; elderly mourners at the in te-rrne-nt of the Puke of York died from hreinchitis within a few we eks of the- reiyal obse-quie-s; the Marquis of Loneloiielerry's funeral in Westminster abbe;y in IHJJ was equally disastrous to the age-1 eir <le-lie-.it among those who gathe-re-el around his tomh; and the- fune-ral in l'e*re La Chaise of ttie c<*iehrateel French jurisc<<nsult M, Robert <l<- St. Vine-e-nt is sa.d to have elee-imatesd tlie senior ranks of the I'aris tear, one of the victims being Ilrillat Savarin, the author of the 'Physiologic du (lout.* " Dr. Mary Howanl, an American woman doctor, is creating quite- a stir in social life- in China. .She att<-nd<-d th<- moth< r of l'rinc<- Li Hung e'hang, anil although she- diel not save- li-r Jife-, -ti<- sh<<west so much -kill that sh<; was <\iil<-1 in to tr- at tin- wife of tin- great minister. From all parts of North China letters from the wives of mar elar.ns and high oill<-lals an- |x>urlng in on he r, f-ntr<-ating In rto come-to them i<r t-> "send other wise- women from America" Fa-tern women of rank eli<- with olescure eli-i-asi-s rather tlian submit to i ; <r.it. in; j rf••rm-d by surge n-. An American j-hysu ian who sje-nt -nine- time in Turkey was called in to j re-scrilie for tlie- wife- of tin- N-y ill with typh"i<l fever. Tim pate nt was wholly <. \ e-re-d with a -lie-i-t in which one hole- was cut largo enough for him to jitit his fingers in to feel her pulse, and another through which she thrust her tongue. I)r. Howard has l*-n loaded not only with fes-s by leer grat--ful patients, but jew elry, furniture- and priceless curiosities enough to stfeck a hric-a-brack ware bouse. Go Ka-t, young women, go East! Chinese Thrift. It seems that notwithstanding the vigorous and compli<-ated anti Chinese legislation in California, and the new treaty forhiilding the emigration of < hinese ialiorers to tliis country, the Mongolians manage to prosper on the Pa iflc coast lecyond all other races. They have secured control of several manufae turns and trade-*, ami no effort ran avail to overthrow the monopoly. It is said the |>ork trade is entirely in their liamls, an<l every jeound of fresh hog me-a! eaten in San Francisco pays tribute to a Chinaman When they comjx-tc for a trade they not only secure It, but monopollre it. They enjoy a monopoly of the < lotlinsw ashing imlus try, and none can comjeete with them. The_\ monopolize the business of mak ing cigars, and in spite of their repeat e<l pledges not to smoke Chinese male cigars, the San Fram isco smokers smoke nothing else, except a few Itn ported bramls. They an- now grain al ly securing the manufacture of boots and shoes, brooms and underwear; in<h*ed, it is asserted that one half of the manufacturing business in the city is performed by the hate-<l Mongolians who, Kearney saiel, must go, but wlio never went. Tlie t'hinese population of California is not in- reasing. of course, as the new treaty forbids them to come, but those already the-n- are thriv ing in spite of the opposition to them, and will probably remain forever a part of the population. Not Always Fatal. A clinical proof of the fact that a few trirhinn can be swallowed with out fatal result is related by XL lUth ery in a French journal of medicine. He found a man with numerous nod ules (each about the sire of a pea) lev rated about his waist One of these nodules, when examined, was found to contain a trichina- parasite, which hail probably made its way from the stom ach to the surface of the leody. When but a few are taken at once, sometimes they skirmish about the beedy till they find a reeling place without causing any great distress, hut when a large number are swallowed at a meal they pierce the tissues la many directions and cause so much disturbance as to kill the subject— Dr. FooU* Health Monthly. The I)u4e. "Whet la the (lode, paj?" he Mid, With we<it end Inquiring ejM| And UJ the knowlftdgK-M—kiiix rneid Her daddy tbua r< j boa: A week rmutaciie, n urette, A thirteeii-hutlnii teat, A curled-rim hat—a minaret.— I Two watch chain* across the breaat. A fir of bags, a laay drawl, A lack-a-daisy air, For goarfp at the club r r ball Some little "peat affair." Two pointed alioea, two apindla ahanka, Complete Uie nether charma, And follow fitir in the tank*, The two bow-legged anna. . An empty head, a bajlloon'a aenae, A j.'at.ng attitude; *lJy Jotre'" ■ Kga/1!" "But aw!" "Itr.menM!" All theae make up the dude. I'htladtlfihia J'reu. PUMJKST PARAGRAPHS. The barber is a man of many scrapes. I f love is blind, the girls go to a great deal of trouble in fixing up their hair when they expect their beaux. Hens may be a little backward on eggs; but they never fail to come to the scratch where flower-beds are con- s cerned. The doctor who says it is unhealthy to sleep in feather is mistaken; look at the spring chicken and see how tough he is. A fond father boasted that his son would make a great sculptor, because he chisseled his playmates out of their playthings. A disappointed tradesman says he wishes he was a rumor, because a rumor soon g.uris currency, which he is unable to do. The <■ ndor of the Andes is said to P.ill its j rey with its bill, and the higti toned milliners are trying the same game < n the married man. I)r. Arnntage say-, "Man should always be graceful." I>id the doctor eve r have on a new suit and try to get i out of the way of a watering-cart? Guesa not "Ve," she said to the gorgeous youth who was her devoted slave, "I I k-s j this gilded new five-cent piece in my j ket, and I never see it without thinking of you. "Ik* t■ r," aske-1 Z. of a witty physi cian, "why do you and your brethren never go to funerals?" "Because we should have the air of taking our wTk home." When you see a man sit down in a barber's chair, pin the newspaper around his neck and begin to read the _ towel, you may put him down as absent-minded. Origin of Thirteen at Table. Says the Milwaukee Evening Wis. mrutin: There seems to lie a universal and widespread superstition against thirteen persons sitting down at table together. Indeed, so prevalent and string is this feeling, tha' a hostess ar ranging for guests is sure to provide against the contingency and es< hew, if possible, the fatal numlter. We have known ladies to rise panic stricken from a table where the number was inadvertently discovered, and the omen is popularly believed to denote either trouble, sorrow <r death. Few, if any, seem to know the origin of this strange and mystic superstition, which date* far back to the earliest ages of Christi anity. When good King Arthur of Britain, founded his famous round ta ble. he secured the services of the <n chanter. Merlin, to devise and arrange the seats. This famous sorcerer ac cordingly arranged among others thir teen seat* to represent the Apostles, twelve for the faithful adherents of our Lord and the thirteenth for the traitor Judas. The first were never occupied save by knights distinguished above all others for their valor and prowess, and in the event of a death occurring among them the seat re- A mained vacant until a knight surpass- ing in daring and heroic attainments his predecessor should, lie deemed worthy to fill the place If an unworthy or effeminate knight laid claim to the seat he was repelled by some secret or hidden spell cast by the powerful ma gician. The thirteenth seat was never occupied save upon one ooca&ion. as it is said, by a haughty and overhearing .Saracen knight, who, placing himself % in the fatal seat, was instantly reward ed for liis presumption by the earth, opening and swallowing him up. It , afterward bore the name of th* "pegp ous seat," and among all the adventu rous knights of King Arthdfo oourt none were so foolhardy as to risk their lives on the enchanted spot And n>w. I after 1900 years, the spell of the'magi cian Merlin still survives, and-in this nineteenth century the thirteenth seat at the table Is as greatly dreaded as in the days of the knights of the famous round table.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers