A Secret f |t I I nm wcnf In th • #ll4 fl.'dvv tth l*#, n* #llilBf In tli# wmn, Anl they hil hf mi Ih nl II In m thoiHMiid <>th#r # f r* another Jaj ilowty bofrt "Oh, He I* I# •'"••id l.'jron utmll pm\l fln piti< k fh#n flr my tody w##t to t#r In th* puff of h*r mililin Umim, Th* ."nr|*l lotnrUnrn of h*f chestnut half. f told Mm In hlr •i Ih birthright of Inc* to?a "* I told the *ecret to my lot#, my l#fy , Phr hrld t*I'HM ly t fc*r darling Ireaef ! Then * f • Up#>d h#r run# * tiny whl*p r "Tli# blfdt Mid flow art told me all tbe rrt, !f'-r ihonlit'ft thou '•hide them that they pi%lie tin aw ret— Tha whole world la a cord of lorn divine. And Mrde ari l rt-wwre but fulfill their Mi*ei*'tt In rolling ee*ref* rwart a* mine and Ihlga All the Fear Round. "A WITLESS THING." "A dur jmsnt In mtdiiM ; tko'igbu snd rainrm. I ma tltmJ.--Ilsai.lT, mi. I* sc. 5. '•Now remember, Lord Orayton," said th" Doctor, solemnly, ''all I told you. You are very welcome to come to our ball, though, a* a rule, we only a-k a certain ret of wise men and maidens who know our ways and Meir ways. Still, you are good looking, humorous, and cheery, and if you are sensible you can enjoy yourse'f and, msy he, do iKrm a world of good. I believe in elec tricity as a curative agent—not the | quack non-ense of belts anil chains and | musical oxee, that only shak-- the | nervc-centers, but the real electricity o!' i animal spirits, the tonic of good health.' j "I shall do exactly a I am bid " said ! Lord fi my ton, a handsome, florid, mut j eulsr young man, strong as a horse, j buoyant a* a balloon, just back after a -•-lf-iinposed exile of five years in India j with the big game; ••but tell me of all j those confounded caution* again. I did a lot of dancing of various kinds v-ar< ago, Ix-fore I went after the tigers'' and he laughed a* mingled memories of i Vay fair and the Lotus t'lub swain back to him—"and I've tried both the t 'orro i l-oree in I theSol.inga; hut'pon honor I never danced with a lunatic girl yet." j "Aro you quite sure of that said ; the I'octor. grimily ; "they are to be j met with nutside Copswood, I . in tell \ you. "However. listen; the rule is aim- I pie. Be civil and don't contr:dirt. It j old t'rackton ask* you to play < h<—. j play, lie's a good player, ati I will !.• you fairly if he run ;if be can't he'll j make a false move and call 'checkmate.' J snd you must reaign. If poor Snohly j think*. you are the Prince. and 'S rs j you all over the place, and throws out ! liints al>out feing asked to Sandring 1 ham; if you are asked to listen to the .•hirning clock in Baker's interiors, or to avoid someone else, because he's gl and might hrenk, you must do yu | tiest to be courteous to them all, and ! .in no account laugh at their fancie "Sounds rather umpy. And the | ladies?" "I'll see to that, and introduce you'o j the nicest, ami tell you what to avoid i -peaking about; the men will make the ' talking for themselves, the women don't , talk much." "Sign of insanity. I suppose. \nd what am I to talk about? ' "Everything avo one thing—the j Kmpre>s of Austria, or the st ge or white roe*, or Mr. Mollock, or black j stockings. I'll give you the cue never i fear; only it may happen thst one of; them will ask yoti to dance, and then you mu't itesras best you can—talk society or art or chance. My own girls and their friend* get on famously with the male patients, and you must do your best. o>m, 'you are going to la our beat tonic to-night, and you must be off and dress; nine sharp, mind, * they all go to bed at midnight." "(jueer thing this,,' soliloquized Gray ton, as He completed an elaliorate dress ing, "beginning my first season afier five yeart by dancing with a lot of luna Ucs. Hope they won't wear straw in their bair ; if they do I shall bolt to the Congletons' dance." He had many strange adventures that evening as he s oiled about the pretty ball roe m at the Copawooel private asylum. lie was duly defeated at chess ha the v ncrahle Crack ton, who deliberately slid back a captured queen on the board, and performed prodigies of valor with her. He sympathizes! with the gentlemen who had swallowed a crockodile, and lie noticed the pale ca daverous man who amuses! himself by counting the lights on each side of the room And singing softly to himself, ".Sorry I csn't adroit it sir, sorry 1 can't abmit it!" He had bei-n an Acrostic Editor once upon a time. He noticed the fuzzy little man, with a pale blue •haven face, who wanted to stage man age the sixteen Lancers, ami who jet eoualy entreated the dancers to "go back over all that again, please, and try and get it crispier j" and tho erratic journalist who wrote paragraph" on his ahirtcuffs, and many other itrangMli,- tbat pasted by in the motley pagan tot iC" unsettled rein- ns. "There's King Liar," whi <| •■ t• I the I'octor, "a very foolish fond old man, ■ fourscore and tiqwsrd," pasted them muttering of "Brighton A's;' "you | know who he wasf" snd he tshi*| red a name in Ornylun's ear that rondel Iml f nobleman whistle softly. "And aro there any ttpheliss, 'who-e young maid's wit* should he as morlal at an old man's life?" asked flrsylon. showing that he knew his Mliakespeare as we'd n the Doctor. "Yes, but we keep their secret. Now go and dance;" and th Doctor took I King !-ear off lor a cup of coffee. It wa a sad, weitd sigh altogether, nnd as Drayton watched it, it reminded him of Ksulhsch's "D.mce of Death," and lie felt oddly morbid as be thought of his own lonely life. He had once loved and given his heart to a woman whom he had both idealized and idol ized ; be had youth, brains and position, and with her he felt he oould conquer the world. It was an old story ; she turned out to be as loveless as she was lovely, and so he tock to the tigers. Ho hail got owr it all now, but be shud dered as he remembered the fret of it all, and thought bow near madness he had been driven when he b-*rd o* n.-r ultimate fate, and *li' iter lib oad drifted to. So there we. >nkelis here I More like Audreys, n< i, .ought, a be watched some uncouth gamboling in a corner. His eyes wandered round the room, and rested at last on s face.J It was an exquisite oval fsoe, some what sad and wistful in expression, of that rare delicate olive color one ' "ees in the South, with the skin of so tine a texture that the red fluh spring* i up through the vein tracery at moment's excitement ; the large brown eyes wer p : soft ar.d dreamy, the chiseled mouth I waa parted, nnd tbe dark hr-e n hair, looking black at night, was worn • Deck ; fashion close to the h.-vi, sweeping in undul tin g lines pat the tiny rose tipped ears. She was seated on a low *o r a. I < vrelenly clasping one knee with both hands. She wore a simple white frock . ju.*t mysteriously friilt-1 round the little white column of a throat, and a great , black -rest rose nc-tle t in h-r br>- t. "no little h gh Arched foot, in }•a> L colored nettled llk, kept swinging to the mu-ic. No one seemed to talk to her except the Doctor, who 1 I pbasanlly -s he passed snd said some thing to which *he answered with a j nod "Ophelia at last," said tirayton to iiimtt-lf; and in melancholy vein he ! wished tie were a Hvmlt and could lie at her feat and watch the play. " 'Poor < >phe| a ' divided frota herself land her fsir judgment J'( the quota tion was irresi-tible . "I wonder what I sent her her- some brute of a man. or a soldier lover killed at Kxaaassin. (irscious 1 1 hope this terrible M<>g Mer rilies is not going t-> s-k me to dtnee !" : and he moved away. * h< s ,-.v , wild eyed woman bearing down upon him, to a seat somewhat near- r tho pale girl i with the blek red rose. For a time he watched her; then he tried to tnwgentize brr. At last ibeir ! eyea met, he stared II>T full IQ the face | She never shrank from hi* !>ok, on'v • I sort of pily 'ng light seem- d to glow in ; ihe sorrowful eyes. A moment passed, j and then she rose quietly and with per feet self-possessed grace walked ever to 'him to hi* intense astonishment sat I down quietly by' bis side, an I lid in < | soft musical voice ; j "You seem sad to-night ;1 am orry." , For a moment h-- was tongue tied , then he recollected his instruction* and pulled himself together. "\tell, I think I was sad liecjuse you were looking sad." "Was I ? I suppose 1 always do, then. Of course, being here naturally makes one fed sad. But we won't talk of that," she added quickly. "Do you care for dancing* I'll dance with you, if you like," Dance '■ w th you "O yea, if you like; many of the otli era dance, you know." ''How calmly she seem* to recognize ber sad state!" thought Drayton, a* he stood up and pawed hi* arm round poor Ophelia's slender waist, wondering how she would "jig and amble." Tbey were playing the "Dream Faces," as they swung in undulating rhythm to the pretty song he felt that few slips of sane seventeen should ecme up to her. "That't righl," said the Doctor, en couiagioglv ; "tet a good example." "Means I'm to be a tonic, I suppose," thought Orayton ; so ho carried offOphe lia for an ioe "You dance beautifully," she satd, ' No, you tit down and I'll got you the ice; there now, there'sja spoon and a wafer; now you fee! comfortable, don't you ? Isn't that a lovely valse ?" "Yes, I'm fond of Dream Faces tbe people ono meets in dreamt are genersly vastly nicer than tho real folk. I bnvo many dream friends." "Haveyou f sliesaid, look ing amused ; ''tell mo of them." "Well you know,! think I'm mar ried to a dream wife-just like Gilbert's Prioress Toto, you know, with her 9r#am husband. And she comet to me sometimes mi I • ''M* me if I're done li anything wrong In tin day ; end some I' tirn* she's T' 1 * and • i ' "Mi- nor me for wesk*." ' t He fell us if li • wn* telling u 'u'i * ♦*!• t<> a child. k "llow charming I D-i 11 • •• mote ; other. I* she beaut'fu 7 What is she i • like. ! Tim fanciful commit ffincl '•> inuu< t her, on hn went on drawing picture* of t an ideal worn n . then growing uneon >• •rinudy rlnqurni, h l>urt oui, "Mi, if one couM only rarrt her alive, what a g wife she wouhl make I A very second * self, aiding, sympathizing, helping, lov * ing —at once the ch'-erirtat of chum* * ami the niott idolized of idol* " .She had flushed a little as h< spoke. * hut she went 'in ; "What apret'y jiii-t I ure ! Where did you got your beauti v ful thought* aboui marriage?' 1 "I suppose my dream girl taught m*'." "la *he pretty ?" (irayton wondered if a delicate, bare- • fared oompliment would he a good tonic ' for a lunatic. "Yes, beautiful. She ban ' large trown eyes, wonderful hair a low ' voioe, an olive ova! face, she dances au perbly and she wear* a black red rose 1 in brr white dress." I Ophelia looked a little frightened. Forgive trie, I didn't mean to be rude, but she i—really, you are not an- ' gry with me ?" and be laid hi# hand 1 gently on Her*. 1 "O nothen tbere was a pause. "Come, and let me show you some pict J urea; '/am something of an artiat my •elfand she le the evening p.i-<- I a 1 too (tiickly, till he so Idenlr bethought ' hiinelf that tier" a en ir:j ' .fit division iri tie- I rJ '.lot n -gh. ami that he *2- 1 and to I><- i"n content I before tie- i I K-k trie k e!> -,er. an 1 ' ,fter that he wl4 In at I.vJy ' angle ! ton's ilan i "Must y.u go awav . sin iid. -woy > "Well, you aee, I'm on-- of tho>e much-abused people tha*. the Hadi- als , • !! Hereditary f --gisl.it r*. snd I am ; not abolished yet. I mut 1 e in our ' House at eleven." 'tf course *he could not have un-l young, In ' Ho rose and held his hand out. "Good tight; that k y cti f'-r a very - • harming • ver.ing.'' "Goodnight said "phelia tenderly. I should likialitth memory i f thi meeting, will you give me that ro<- I've I een longing for it all the evening ••Of course I will, why didn't you a k for it hi lore! an 1 she took it from her dress and fasten -1 it in bis : mat. "I sh >ll see you again, there will -I e another dance h- re soon. If w is it 1 n'-ver saw you bef-.re at one?'' "This is mv first d'-u e here, les.ud' grs v el v. AVljr it was tlist Ophelia's ,\ es su I denly filled with t' irs he ■ -ul lu't uu . d< rstand. but ahe left him with a quiet fiow and went back to th/dancingroom "You've liesn enjoy ing ynu-i F, | see.' -sid the linriur, as l'eu grew, Lord 'irayton. I'm stir -yo i two will g- t along capitally;" and hsr lady ship was off, leaving 'lrayton stating j vaguely at his fascinating lunatic. Lady Mary could hardly supples* a scream as she turned hc-r head and Flu-he.| as deep as the rose he still wore in his button hole. "How—how—did you get out? she ti-ke 1, awkwardly. "I never was in, Lady Mary; the fact ia, I'm afraid there has been a little mistake on both sides. I only found out fr< ui the Doctor as I left that you weren't a—" She put her feathery fan up with a warning "Hush t" then said, "What brought you there?" "< 'uriosity; and you ?" "I often go th- re and try and do some good. I cheer them sometimes: but to night' O. how wrong and stupid of me!" There was a lit tie pailre as he looked at her with hi- frank, kindly <-yes. "Let uv forget and forgive, Lady Mary, after all you were very good to j-oor Hamlet.*' "And you were very nice nnd kind to foolish Ophelia. Listen' there'* the 'Dream Face-,' ag*in; let us -ce if we can dance it in our right mirid." *he said, ss she roe with a nervous smil-- quivering in the corners of her lips. And it so happened that in a month they lioth came to their right minds, slid the D K-tor w*# at tin- wedding.— fsm7>>i W 'nrhi. 3omo CurioHttic-H trf Oovornmcut. Si \l to tin Presiibo l of the I'niti i > les the best pad l'cder-1 rib :.l is the < lcik of the >it| retL- '."ourU The St* tea of t'olora-10. Delawsre, l ior.da. Neiads. < r--gcn, Hhade Island and % i-riii iol have less thvn on half tin poj ulstion of lilinoi*. tut havi the .ime numtx r of n presentatives in < !<>u gre-s—twenty two. P.-nn-v lvania lisa larger number of j "-t (li--. • than aoy f-tli'-r :.*t . Nu! a cb-rk :n tbe Pension ' ilh< • in thi" city draws | ( , than f i,(W> ay •ar raiary, the av. rage for the 1,173 cb-rk fiemg sl,'_".l. Kven the mpjiu get ?'i a yena tors and Reprewtitatives nmotint to ah -ut 1 10.0 > a Jay. The >:te of Nevada, winch ha* two Senator* m l on Ifepre . n'stire n, in •*<-*. h • not so large a p q-uiati -n |.y '•IT rotiD s (be city of New Haven, < 'oti n. \ tun Ki ri-i the I'niWd Slat- >. n atc's employe* are put down on the records as "skill- I lshirrrs," and diaW p iv at SI,OOO a year, while thoae who are iT'-rely "tinskille-1 laborers" get s*|tt a year. The distinction list ween the two i ,n the kind of brooms they manipu late. The "•kilh I" laborer use# a com mon broi-rn to rep *t..n digging' while the "unskilled" lab"iar wields t