If I Should Dlo First.
If I tl© flmt, lot',
1 M thiil thittlktll IH,
for hMttD ill not !• hrnv< u
~ Vatil It'* nharnl mtth the#- •
• rnlil lt' shnrtd with th,lovt,
I'll linger at th* gate.
Or I* thy guaxlUn nn l.
a T tcJi tliee how to **lt
An<l when thine hour ehall ornir
And thtough the yielding night
I nee thy happy eplrlt
I'paoring, role<I In light
Mint filial I go garth to Die>t lltrv
And through the eternal door
i PAM In wi.h thee rejoicing,
Madeoue, firv':-imiiv.
Postage not Stated.
1 WHS tall, overgrown, and sixteen,
with a prevailing consciousness that my
hands and feet were very large, and the
added mystery, in the case of the lor
mer members, that they were always
red, and I never knew what to do with
them in company. 1 was making a visit 1
at grandmothers delightful, old-fash
ioned country home, when one morning
the dear old lady called me to her.
"Here is something for you,.litn," she
said: "an invitation to a children's
party at Mrs. Edwards'.''
"Children's party!" I repeated, pro
bably with a shade of scorn in ray voice (
as indicating that 1 was no longer to be
placed in that juvenile category.
"Not children exactly," corrected
grandmother, with a smile at my mascu
line dignity. "Young people. 1 should
f have said. Mrs. Edwards daughter
Florence i 3 fourteen, and Tom Byrne
and all the boys—young men, I should
say," with a twinkle of amusement,
"will be there."
I nad sundry misgivings that 1 should
not enjoy the party at all, being as yet
very much afraid of girls, though be
ginning to admire them as mysterious
and fascinating beings. However. Isc
copied the invitation, as I found that
all the boys 1 knew were going, and the
party was to be quite a "swell affair for
the village.
When the evening came it found me
with the rest, seated in a large parlor,
very unhappy because of my arms and
hands, which would by no means ar
range themselves in any graceful or be
| coming manner, and extremely basbful t
but full of admiration for a lovely black
_ eyed girl, about a year younger than
myself, whom I knew to be Tom Byrne's
sister.
She sat some distance from me. but
she had given me a sweet smile when I
first csme in. and now from time to
time cast glances at me which increased
at once my bliss and my confusion.
Various games were suggested and
played, but they were of a quiet charac
ter, such as "Twenty Questions," "Pro
verbs," etc., so that I had no opportu
nityof approaching any nearer to Mabel
who showed herself very brilliant in he r
questions and answers during the pro
gress of these intellectual amusements.
Then somebody suggested that we
should play "post office."
"Tost office! What is that? How
do you play it?" 1 whispered to Tom
[ Byrne, my next neighbor.
"Don't you know how to play post
office?" he asked, with a scorn at my
ignorance. "Oh, well, 1 suppose you
city fellows don't know anvthing."
"1 never heard of this," I assented
meekly.
"Well, I'll tell you how it l: A girl
asks for a letter for some boy, and then
you have to ask how much postage, and
if the says one cent you have to kiss
, her once."
"Oh r said I.
"Yes," said Tom, "and you kiss her
twice for two cents, and three times for
three cenu. It's quite fun if il's'a
pretty girl," he added judiciously.
"I suppose so," I replied vaguely.
"But I forgot to tell you," he added,
"if she says 'postage not stated.' then
you kiss her M often as you like. Husb!
they are going to begin."
To be sure one of the oldest boys wan
• appointed postmaster, and one girl after
another went out into the entry, each
presently knocking at the door, asking
for a lettre, whereon the boy called for
sheepishly followed ber into the hall,
and to judge from the sounds of scream
ing and scuffling which generally fol
lowed, paid his postage under consider
able difficulties.
I watched the game in a state of be
wildered alarm. What if a girl should
call for roe! But no one did,and I was
half disappointed, half relieved, that I
was exempt, when at last it was Mabel
Byrne's turn to go out.
She left the room with a lovely blush
on her beautiful fao*. The door was
solemnly cloaed upon her, and then,
f after a brief pause, there was a faint
knock. The postmaster opened the
door a few inches.
"What do yen want?" he asked.
"There ia a letter here," she replied.
"For whom?"
"For Mr. James Hill."
"How much to pay ?"
ji "Postage not stated," was the faint
reply.
Th*y a'l laugh--1 loudly and locked
at tae. fo; that was my name. The btrod
rushed in crimson flood* to my face. I
got on my feet somehow, and with my
heart torn between a wild desire to go
into that hull and a wish to sink utter
ly away from human kind I stumbled
out of the room.
The door was closed behind me and
I I found myself almost in darkness, as
'he hall WHS but dimly lighted. I paused
a moment and then 1 heard the faint
sound of quirk breathing; another
heart WHS heating as violently a* my
own. For once in my life 1 knew what
to do with my arms. I caught hold of
her, I scarcely know how. The dark
ness gave mo the courage and I held
her in close clasp and pressed my lips
to her cheek in three or four rapid, half
frightened kisses, before she could free
herself from my embrace.
"There, there! Mr. Hill," she said,
with a faint merry laugh, "don't be so
| bashful again. I'm sure you are bold
ienough now !" „
"Have I piid my postage?" 1 stum
I mered.
"Indeed, yes; enough and to spare-
Come, let us go to the parlor."
She led me in a willing prisoner, and
the rest of the evening I WHS her bound
slave; her partner in all games, ber
companion in the dance (wherein I ex
celled the country boys and glorified in
my accomplishment), and, at last,
crowning delight of the evening, her
escort home.
This was all. The next day I return'
ed to my home in the city, and Msble
Byrne became only a memory; strong
at first, fainter as the time went on, but
sweet always. When 1 saw other girls
1 compared them mentally with the
picture my imagination painted of
Mable, and they never seeuied b*lf *o
fair and sweet as she.
But then 1 did not see many other
girls. My bashfulness, instead of dimin.
ishing, seemed rather to increase upon
me as the years went by. I avoid) <1
society, and was so much of a recluse
from the ladies that my mother was
quite worried lest I should become a
confirmed old bachelor. I'erhnps ore
reason why I retained my diffidence
was that my pursuits were among books,
and not among people. 1 had made the
science of geology my study, and at
the age of twenty se?cn found myself
in a comfortable position as assistant
professor in one of our best colleges, the
salary of which, with my own income
added, making me so far at ease that 1
decided to devote my summer vacation
to a tour in Europe.
Equipped with bag and hamper. An
gust found me making a pedestrian tour
of Switzerland, with a special view to
the study of it* glacial sv-tem anil lith'
logy. I avoided the well trnv<-led way*,
thus escaping the society of all other
tourists, and I was therefore utterly
| amazed when one evening, as i drew
1 near the little house which was my tem
! porarv abiding place a tall form --trode
toward me out of the darkness, and a
hearty voice cried out :
"Jim ! Jim Hill!"
"What is it?" I replied, with ha!',
nervous start.
"Ah ! 1 thought it was tny old friend.
| Have you forgotten Tom Byrne?
Of course not, for I had met him <•
easionaily since we were boys, and I si
heartily glad to sec my former comrade,
always one of the best of companions
"I saw your name on the 1-onk at the
inn," he explained; "wa* sure it must
be you. At any rale, 1 thought I would
start out (o meet you."
"But how came you here ?" 1 inquired,
"in this out of the way corner of the
world ?"
"Because it is out of the way. Mable
and I are making a trip in search of the
picturesque. You know *he it quite an
artist.'*
So Mable wa* with bitn. My heart
gave acurious thump,and for a moment
! could hardly make a sensible reply.
"Yes," he went on, "she is so devoted
to her art that it seems to quite absorb
her life. She ha* not thought of mar
riage, and does not care in the least for
the ordinary run of society. She will
be glad to see you, though, a* you are
a man of science," he added, consul,
ingly.
We walked back together to the little
inn, and presently I was shaking hands
with a beautiful and stately woman,
whose bright, dark eyes flashed with
the intensity and Are that I had never
I seen in any other eye* but those of
i Mabel Byrne.
I She greeted roe very cordially, and
I after we three had taken an evening
meal together, there followed a delight
i ful evening in the little parlor which
i Tom and his sister had secured.
, For once in my life [ felt myself quite
L at ease in a lady's society. In the first
<i plsce there was Tom to keep me in
countenance by a predominance of mg
own sex in the com: my, then
did not expect me to talk of airy notkt
ing*, that 1 it foam of the ci*l wli r!
pool which t had never yet been able to
skim. She spoke first of my scientific
t puisuits; she showed so much know?
edge of the rubject that 1 really found
i myself talking with an eajrm**tne>* and
1 entho*i*m of the formation of the
country, and especially of the glacial
*ysteni and the curious murk* of its
action borne by the specimen* I had
collected.
She in turn contributed to the even
ing'* interest by telling me of the work,
and showing me her sketches, which
were really of a very high order of arti*
tic merit. There w* no school gir|
weakne** in her handling of the brush,
t>ut a force and poetic thought that had
won her honorable recognition in the
world of art.
"And you hare never heard of Mabel's
painting* until now?" said Torn.
"So," I confessed. "You know I have
been quite absorbed in my special
studies."
"Yes, unci you have not seen Mabel
for ever so long, have you
"So," 1 replied, "not since that sum
mer ten years ago, hen I was at my
grandmother's."
".lolly times we had. too," said Tom
reflectively. "Do you remember that
party at Mrs. Edward*'?"
A sudden rush of blood to my face
utterly confused rue. I stammered a re
ply, and Tom, to my relief, went on
with some rambling reminiscences. It
was some second* before 1 dared to look
at Muble. Surely she was blushing, too.
The next morning we all went on a
trip up the slope* of the mountain.
Ma We was in a short gray suit, witli al
pine hat, and stout boots, Tom carrying
her drawing materials. Thus we made
this, and many another, delightful ex
pedition.
I.ife took on new colors forme. There
was a radiance and glory about it that 1
had never dreamed of before. Every
day I found fresh reason for admiring
my lieautiful companion, and our walks
through the deep valley* and up the
rough mountain side* were to me like
enchanted journey* through a realm of
fairies. In this loveliest country in the
world, with this most glorious woman
by my aide, I was, indeed, as one trans
figured by the light of the grand pas
sion tiiat took poaesion "f my soul.
At first I knew not what had befallen
me. I thought only that my pleasure
in Mabel's society sprang from a -imil
arity of taste* and pursuits, and the
charm of her conversation ; but gradu.
ally I woke to the overwhelming fact
that 1 loved her with the one great love
of my life, that seemed to me now to
date from the day - of long ago, to have
been alway* with me and to stretch out
into the future to make it tranncen
dently glorious, or a long despair.
And yet as soon as i had learned my
own -<•< ret. my former haehfolm -- • -.mr • l
j back j>on me with tenfold intensity,
ami I found myself oft- n emb rra--d in
her presence, while *i the thought
telling her my heart's s'ory. though m.
brain wa smitten through withdmlinit
debght at the dream ot tinful n
ing, yet I was o overwhelmed that
terance would, a* 1 w.i* * ire. I ■ •
possibility.
And Mabel Her eye a,
kind to me. The turned to in
softened lu-tre that liirilh-l n.<-
hope, and vet, if I I" tempt, ! -•
compliment I blu-hel. tbein-h-i- l <•>
was lost.
One evening we w. r- talkie • fs|
manner of subject*. gr. • and •_*>. mid
so strayed 'n marring - in general, .uei ;
especially to the matrimonial lt ot
*om of our old friend*.
"You rememlier I'-oyd, don't you.
Hill?" asked Tom
"Tall, bashful fellow, like me?" i
:added.
"Yea," replied Tom. lnnghing. "He
married Mi* '"tilting, our former school
teacher. I alway* thought she proposed
to him."
"Senaible girl!" I exclaimed. "I pos
itively think it a woman"* duty some
tunes t help out. You remember that
look of the late l>r. Horace Ilushnell,
published some year* ago. called 'A
Reform Against Nature?' In it he de
nounced the whole woman's right*
movement, hut maintained that every
woman ought to have the right to pro
pose marriage to the man he liked. I
think he woa scientifically correct."
I spoke with great eagerness, looking
alway* at Tom ; but at the lost word*
my glance turned to Mattel. Her eye*
were fixed en mine, and the look 1 met
1 i there sent the blood to my heart with
> such a swift, tumultuous rush that I
1 grsw faint with confusion, and present
ly tushed out of the room ami to lied
' —though not to sleep.
The next day I went out in the after.
' noon by myself for a scramble through
1 a damp and very rough gotge, where
Tom and Mabel did not enre to accom.
' pany Ule. I waa half glad to he alone
for I was nervoua over tny audacity of
the night before ; yet at thought of Ma
1 bel'* kindly eyes, o overwhelmed with
1 blinding happiness, that I had to look
r many time at a bit of rock before I could
I* see the atrim tliat denoted glacial action.
' It wan late sunset when I reached the
inn. The last rosy light was flushing
> the distant mountain peaks with that
i marvelous beauty which is one ot the
wondrous charm* of Swiss scent tyu 1
I I made my way without pause lo Muif'.'s
• : parlor, led thete by a force that i
• to draw me bv a power beyond my (km
i
trol. The room was quite dusk and she
was alone. As 1 entered she came to
ward me with a quuntity of letters and
paper* in her bunds.
"These came while you were away," ,
she said.
Mechanically I took the papers- ■
Among them there was a large package
on which I dimly discerned the word
"Hue," followed by an illegible stamp. I
"You have paid something on this," 1
I said, "how much was it?" and looked
up.
"Postage not stated," replied Mabel. !
>
Promptly, smilingly she uttered the
word*. Then her dark eye* softened,
and faltered. The paper* and letter* !
were scattered over the floor. I had
caught her in my arm* with all the
audacity that had been once before
tnitte in boyish day*.
Only now, a* I pressed passionate;
kiises on her brow and lip*, I found j
voice at last to utter the yearning that 1
was consuming my heart.
Itoins of Interest.
The little folks of Will amsport says ,
the Timet, by each donating a potato, !
presented to the Home for the Friend
less over seventy bushel* within the
past year. This is certainly an easy way
to "raise jwitatoes," ami the home is
willing that it should be repeated
often.
1 welve million dollars worth of pro
perty was burned up in the I'nited
States in January. The losses by flood
in February will hardly fall below this
sum. If this sweeping gait of wet and
dry misfortune is to he kept up for the
balance of the year it will cut a big slice
out of our profit*.
The supreme court of lowa decides
that a wife deserted by her hu*bund
without her fault, and left with no
mean*of providing for her young chil '
dren, has authority to sell tiie personal
property of her husband to obtain 1
money.— Waihingtm Pre**.
Iloston has a religjo philosophical
society that believes that disease i
caused by the absence of (iod from the
body, and can be cured by the pa**.ige
of the divine effluence from the well to
the ick a* they sit with the r spinea in
contact. It numbers among it* adher
ents "people of influence and promin (
ence' and some whose name* are as
familiar as household words."
Treasurer Wvmsn of Washington,
I>. <'., receive,! last week, from a bank
in t'hio twoexprea* packages, each pur
p ining to contain ll.tsk) in money. < m ,
i b--iiig opened one wa* found to contain |
only $l7O and fbe other mend) i*o |
•mall p.. ce* of ordinary flannel. It i
*ap|*,-e i that the money was stolen
either l*,fore shipment or in transport#
• ie.,. liuvidson, chief clerk of the
; -ii i,ii <• department, I'nitcd States j
.. •• n.otnd at 'Tin ago in l*7'.and
*. *rre*ted lat week on the
• ihr.'!;ng $ .i-00 during the
, n clod Dsvhl* -n confessed his
.It -ii t v held in 1 .ill at f-.'ssi for
t id.
\mong the journal* recently-tarted
: in tierrnuny i* a comic paper called
M lfi llet.
t'oiirit Manski, who blew out his
brains at M<>nio('arlo recentl), v well i
known on the houlevsrds in Paris, lie '
lost a hundred thousand francs at the
gaining table in one night.
Die But lone Pnsl says; Two young
doctors were recently comparing noire t
in the office of a well-known hotel in
this city, and one of them was beard to
**y : "In u case of thai kind you use
(a certain drugi and it will have (a cer
tain effect) or ft won't, 1 am not aure
which!' "
The Syracuse .S lan.lurj relates that a
lady now living at Sodut Village, Wayne
county, at the age of GO year*, is the
mother of two tons and four daughters,
the grandmother of 18 children, and
great grandmother of two, and has bad
eight son in laws, four of whom are
living.
Senator Vest writer* on the question
of prohibition to a friend in Clay county
i Mo., thus: Where the people of any
community *r overwhelmingly in
i favor of no license dramshops, the law
i is always a success ; but in a common
ity wiiere public opinion is equally
divided or agxinst the law the result is
| always a disregard of the statute and a
mean evasion of it* provisions."
An exchange say* it i a puzzle to
1 many why on oroe piece* ofsilver money
' directly under theeagle appear* a small
* , other* an o„ others c. c„ and otliet*
' without such mark. It shows nt what
r mint the money was stamped, S. stand*
for Ran Francisco, for New Orleans, c
i c, for Carson City, and at the Philadel
phia mint the money is not marked.
I A medical man in California give* a
curious prescription as a safeguard
' againstama l|iox when he says; "Place
! one ounce of cream of tartar in sixteen
1 ounce* of water and take a tablespoon
' full three times a day, and you may
sleep with a small pox patient with per
-1 (V> t impunity. If every citizen would
> do this for fifat u days tb< re would lie
i en e id of #>t .illpox in any city.
Excelsiop. M'f'g Co.
j (xi'cat Closing Out Sale
OF
! uiDjannD J
■
AT AM) RFLO If COST. 77/ F ENTIRE STOCK MUST JiF SOLO lIF
OA K DI. ESS OF COST TO QUIT BUSINESS.
Big Bargains in Suits!
| FOR MEN FROM s'!.> UPWARDS ROYS AND YOUTH'S SUITS ALMo I
GIVEN A WAY. CHILDREN'S CLOTH INO WAY DOWN.
OVERCOATS
FROM s'l.oo UPWARDS, ALL WOOL MENS PANTS FROM $2 5" UP
WARDS. THIS STOCK OF CLOTHING MUST POSITIVELY RE
SOLI) REGARDLESS OF COST.
TAKE NOTICE,
Ky e H' tl,OO invested in purchases at our Store will be entitled to '
ANCE I ICKKT to win either of the two handoome GIFTS to
drawn by the lucky numbers which ONE AND ALL have the nam
chance to possess.
Ist. Prize.
One Handsome Bedstead, poplar wood, beautifully finished; Dou" <
Enclosed Wash Bland : Teapoy Table; one beautiful French Drc-**
German I 'late Gla>* 17x30; tbree Caue Seat (.'hairs: one Cane He:,;
R>ckiiig Chair; one Towel Rack. (Top of Dresser, Wash Htand, Ti.i
poy Htand, imitation Tennessee Marble.)
2<l Prize.
One beautiful BnweU eejrercd Walnul Frame l/ounge.
KEYSTONE CLOTHING- HOUSE,
Sign Bed Flag. Beliefoni, J'o.
HECIILER it CO., Grorrre, Ilunh Iloune Block, BeUefontc. /'<.
NEW GOODS
FOR TITE
SPRING and SUMMER TRADE!'
Wc have endeavored to get the very best of every thing in our liue. and no
have some really CHOICE GOODS.
FINE CREAM CHEESE, Extra Large FRENCH PKINEv
SEE EC T 0 VS TERS, S WEE T PO TA TOES.
LARGE RIPE CRANBERRIES, PRUNELLES, IMPERIAL EI OS.
BRIGHT NEW LEMONS, FLORIDA ORANGES,
Prlnwts Pupcr-Ma-ll Almonds. Evaporated BRIER PEACH EN
A FULL LINE OF CHOICE CANNED FRUITS.
PRESERVED PEARS, PEACHES, PLUMS and PRUNELLES.
PLAIN C ANDIES, FINE CONFECTIONERY,
—AND—
GOODIES of all Sorts and Kinds
Bar We invite the people of Centre county to call and inspect our NICK
GOODS, which cannot fail to please.
i-*f BECHLER & CO.
Doll ,f Mingle--Boot* -f I hoe*
JDS ii DDDD
Boot or Shoe
- TRY -
FOR
Style, Quality and Cheapness•
' Wc defy all competition. Wc have the largest stock—and bought for cash
and sell 10 per cent, cheaper than any store in the county.
*ny- 0V R SPEC IA L TIE S. "*•
, j
, REYNOLDS iIRO'B., Ulica and D. ARMSTRONG'S Rochester shoes for
Ladies, Misses and Children.
Ilat hit way Houle and Harrington Fine Shoes for Men.
LIEISITIEIRI IBIOIOITIS,
TUB: KING OK THE MARKET.
Wo have a Shoe Polish which will not crack the Loathe
as eood as the best and only 15c.
DOLL A MINGLE.
Belle fonto, Pa.
%
-A