fc
I:
10
cone over me with addc d force, and I sprang
forward and grasped his hand.
"Welcome," welcome, old man! I am de
lighted to have you aaicng us."
He smiled rather coldly and seated him
self. I touched a butio n. lighted a cigar
and drew a chair to the opposite side of the
fireplace.
"Permit me," I began rather nervously,
"to congratulate you upo n yonr success. I
knew it must come to yon in time."
"Excuse me," he retu rned, "you knew
nothing of the kind. In fact, you had be
gun to look upon me as a permanent failure.
Stat I told you one night .last summer that
wealth was within my grasp. Tou doubted
xne then. Tou did not fullv realize that four
parts of Ampere to one of "Hamerton is the
iormula for the Philosopher's Stone."
"Great Heaven, Jtodney, you don't mean
to tell me that you have carried into
practice your strange theory regarding
electric currents? I can't believe it."
He stood up and leaned against a table,
his hands behind him.
"This is my first visit to the club," he
aid. "You just rang for a boy did you
not?"
"Yes."
"He has never seen mc, of course. "Watch
him when he comes in.
"We were alone in the smoking room, and
for a few moments there was silence, except
for the jolly jarkling of the fire.
A bov in unilorm entered the apartment.
"Two ponies of curacoa," I said to him.
He did not hear me. "With a strange
smile on his face, he was looking at ltod
ney. "Two ponies or curacoa," I repeated.
The boy paid no attention to me, but
slowly approached Eodney, like a rabbit
fascinated by an anaconda. I now believe
that Rodney reduced the forceof the current
at that instant, lor Buttons came to his
senses with a start.
"Yes, sir vou want? You want?"
He was still lookms at liodney, who re
peated my order, and again were we left
alone.
I was more amused than astonished at the
time, though since then I have pondered
day and night over the details of Rodney's
magnetic tievice. The only thing that I
ever learned regarding his methods was
that in attracting a person he always held
at least one hand behind him, while in re
pelling anyone he kept both hands before
.him. Perhaps scientists can make a better
use of these bare facts than I can.
Jtodney resumed his seat and looked into
the fire, as he calmly puffed a perfecto. He
did not seem to care whether or not X was
impressed by his power, and actually paid
so attention to my comments on his recent
performance.
I watched him closely. There was a
shadow on his face, and a strained look
about his eyes, as though his effort to attract
the waiter bad been made at the expense of a
a certain amount of nervous force.
"Well. Kodney," I said, after a time. "I snp
pose that now that you have achieved wealth
and fame vou are perfectly happy."
He looked at me and smiled rather sadly.
No, my boy. I'm not happy. I once thought
that money and glory were all that are needed
to make a man contentud. Bat, it seems, there
is always one thing required to complete our
existence. 'Alan never is, but always to be
blest.' The one thing necessary we neverget-"
He sipped his liquor musingly.
"And in your case.that one thing is,-at pres
ent T"
"A certain woman."
I was astonished. "You mean you mean
that you're in love," I faltered.
Yes, that's it. I'm in love. God help mel"
"Well, if your recent manifestation of mag.
tietie power finds co obstacle in sex, 1 am suro
I would back your chances of winning any
woman in the world."
"That's the very point." be exclaimed. "Sex
makes no difference to my device, and so I find
tnyself undergoing the most terrible tempta
tion a man ever endured."
"What do you meant-'
"Just this. When I found last summer that
1 conld make men or women love me or bate
me as I chose. 1 had no scruples about taking
advantage of my power. It made no impres
sion tiDon mv conscience that I could so im
press a capitalist that he would Invest money
in behalt of my sight for rifles. Was he not to
be a gainer in the end? 'What did I care that
by the use of my electro-magnetic apparatus I
could fascinate a man and make him engage
me to run his business? He obtained more
benefit from the arrangement than I did.
"Why, in short, should I lose my self-respect if
I obtained from the world that which was my
due? I was simply repairing the defects with
which nature had Handicapped me. And so I
went on from triumph to triumph, making
money, fascinating men, manipulating my
electric current so that it would fill my pocket.
Behold the result! From poverty I am raised
to affluence, from an insignificant individnal I
have become a famous man; I have my luxuri
ous apartments, my horses, my clubs, and I
dress and lire as well as though I bad never
known the narrow affairs of the Kast Side. All
this is the result of a simple invention which
enables me to make any man my friend."
"And yet you are not content," I suggested
as he paused.
"No, Unfortunately my scientific experi
ment has shown roe that I bave a conscience.
l)o you Margaret Durand?"
"Yes. I am going to her reception to-night."
"So am I. Well, my dear boy, I love her. I
lore ber with a purity and intensity that no
man ever yet showed for a woman. Why?
Because I have it in my power to fascinate her,
to win ber, and I will not give way to the
temptation. Do you follow me? I could in an
instant place myself above all men In her re
gard, but I scorn to take advantage of my
power. She must love me naturally, not scien
tifically. I could make ber as docile to my will
as the waiter who came to us awhile ago, but
would that be lair to ber? Would Htich a
course result in happiness to either of us?"
I puffed on in silence for a time. Never be
fore had I had such a subtle problem in ethics
presented to me. Had the temptation been
mine, I know right well that I should have em
ployed every influence in my power to win the
woman of my love, but I could not undertake
to solve snch a question for a friend. Ashe
seemed to expect me to speak, however, I said:
"You have never used the means at your dis
posal, then, to win her?"
"As 1 told you, no."
"Do you think that, laying aside the manipu
lation of currents, you could attract her?"
"No."
What makes you think sof
'.'Look at me. Am I a man that would be
likely to please such a woman?"
"Yon might affect some women." I answered
honestly, "but not Margaret Durand. As they
say in society, you are "not ber style.' "
"You are right, my boy. Thank you for re
plying to me with so much frankness. But
J lace yourself for a moment in my position,
can win ber consent to our marriage by the
slightest effort. You have no conception of
The power 1 now wield. If I was a bold, bad
man no family in the city would be safe for an
Instant if 1 chose to destroy its peace. Am X,
then, to deny myself the only thing I crave be
cause of a sentimental regard for that thread
bare m ord 'honor?1 "
He arose from his chair and walked up and
down the room in a manner which recalled to
me our last meeting.
"But," I said, "you know as well as I do that
a union under such circumstances would not be
ultimately happy. Suppose, for instance, that
some day you forgot to keep with vou your de
vice, design, invention, contrivance, or what
ever you call it. Where would you be then?"
He stopped in his walk and looked at me
earnestly.
"Thank you for those words. They bave
made a man of me. I lore ber too well to take
advantage of ber. She shall love me for my
self alone, or not at all. I am willing to tap
men with my electro-magnetic apparatus, but!
shall not trust to it for a life companion. O
Margaret, I worship you. If I win you not,
death shall be my portion. Bat I shall play a
square game. Rest content. Nature shall al
ways direct your current. I shall not tamper
with it."
I sprang up and grasped bis hand.
"There is something in you," I exclaimed,
"more than pertains to the average electrical
expert. In fact. I believe you are a man. You
are worthy a thousand Margaret Durands."
"Bather an Oriental idea, isn't it?" be re
turned, smiling. "But we must be off, if we
are going to the reception."
I shook hands with him at the corner of the
street, and went home to dress for the evening.
I felt as though I bad a cllmpso of something
unnatural. There was no doubt that Marcus
liodney had suddenly wen wealth and no
toriety. Furthermore. I had seen him dazzle a
menial and I could not deny that he possessed
the power he claimed. And Margaret Durand.
Alas, a beautiful girl ! I myself bad been fas
cinated by ber and had even gone so far as to
offer her my hand, which she bad gently and
firmly rejected. Would she fall a prey to this
terrible man. who had analyzed the world into
currents, and had profited by the analysis? I
hoped not Much as I liked Marcas Rodney I
could not honestly wish him success in his
affaire du cceur.
Hurriedly completing my toilet, I lighted a
cigarette, rushed down stairs, called a cab, and
a few momenta later drew up in front of a
brilliantly lighted house in Madison avenue, in
front of which a hundred vehicles-were stand
ing. I joined the stream of guests entering the
mansion, and finally managed to pay my re
spects to the daughter of the host, Margaret
Durand. She looked unusually beautiful that
eight. Her red lips, her clean-cut features and
her raven black hair formed a picture which
almost awakened in me the old affection.
"May I bave a moment with you later?" I
asked as I passed along with the throng.
"If you won't talk nonsense, you may," she
answered, showing a set of exquisite white
teeth.
An hour later I was seated in frost of her In x
reared corner.
"Has Mr. Rodney comer I asked.
"I really don't know." she answered indiffer
ently and looking me full in the face.
"He'll have to turn on the current to its high
est limit to win this girl," I said to myself, as I
gazed into her honest eyes.
"Good evening. Miss Durand" said a deep
voico behind me; and turning, I saw Marcus
Rodnoy. He looked remarkably well in a dress
suit. His figure seemed to have lost its un
gainliness, and his strong face looked almost
ornamental in a drawing room.
Miss Darand arose and held out her hand.
He took it crJmly, and I gave him my seat and
moved awar.
For the first time in such a gathering, I
found m.self ill at ease. Old friends spoke to
me. and t answered as though I had never
known tuem. Mv thoughts were with Marga
ret Durand and Rodney. Had he brought his
apparatus with him? Would he use it? Would
she succumb before the power of his unfair
device?
Such questions as these worried me for a
long time. Finally 1 returned to the little
room in which I had left my friend and his
beloved. Margaret had disappeared, but Rod
ney was still there. Never have 1 seen such a
look on a man's face as his countenance at
that moment held. His cheeks were pale, and
beneath his staring eyes were deep tints of
black. His white lips looked dry and feverish,
and he stared into vacancy like a man bereft of
reason,
I managed to get him out of the bouse with
out attracting attention, and we walked many
blocks in silence. He leaned upon my arm as
though he bad wholly lost his strength, and I
in pity supported him. At length he whis
pered: "Thank Heaven, I didn't turn on the current!
I'm a man yet."
"You proposed to her, then?"
"Yes. 1 asked her to be my wife. She re
fused. She said she did not care lor me. What
could I do? I had it in my power to make her
worship me. and I restrained myself. O, my
friend, never was a man so tempted. Her lips,
are so red! Her eyes are so bright! Her hair
is so black! Her current must be one of tre
mendous force. And, look you, 1 have never
even discovered which way it flows. All I know
is that she does not like me by nature. I can
not, no. I cannot take a mean a scientific
advantage of her. Good God, I wish I were
dead!"
With these rather trite words he seemed to
recover his energy, for he broke from my
grasp and rushed away in the darkness.
CHAPTER HI.
Two nights later I was sitting in a box at the
theater with Margaret Darand. The house
was crowded, and the play, a famous American
comedy, kept the audience in a tumult of,
laughter and applause. But my vis-a-vis
seemed out of spirits. She watched the play
listlessly and seemed more inclined to carry
on a whispered conversation with me than to
follow the intricacies of a most amusing piece.
Toward the end of the third act I saw her
start and turn red, as she caught sight of a tall,
imposing figure standing near the main en-,
trance. I followed her gaze and recognized
Rodney, "grand, gloomy and peculiar" as
usual.
"A great man, Rodney," X whispered.
She looked at me coldly and said:
"Yes?"
"Yes. A man of wonderful force. Every
bodv admires him."
"Not everybody," she returned quickly.
"Your statement is too sweeping."
"But is be not extremely popular? He is
called 'the success of the season"
"I grant you that." Then in a lower tone
"Everybody seems to like him. 1 wonder why
I don't."
"A case of currents." I had it on my lips to
say. but suppressed the words in time.
"Perhaps," I suggested, "you And him too
earnest."
"Much so. I wish he would not stand there.
He has seen us, and I can't bear his gaze." She
drew her chair back out of range of Rodney's
view.
Here was a mystery. Evidently the man had
a peculiar effect upon ber. She felt so strong
a repugnance for him that she bad given ex
pression to it with more frankness than good
taste.
As we left the theater our little party passed
Rodney, who was standing in the lobby. Miss
Darand bowed coldly to him. and he returned
her salutation in almost an ominous way. I
did not like the expression on his face. He
had glanced at me with an angry gleam in bis
haggard eyes, and I knew be oovled me my
present position. We returned to the Durands
to sapper, and Margaret gradually grew more
cheerful. Once in awhile, however, a cloud
would pass over her beautiful face, and I felt
intuitively that she was thinking of Rodney.
As the party broke up, she took me aside and
Earn:
"Will you do me a great favor?"
"Willingly. There is nothing I would not do
for you."
"You once asked me to marry you. I want
you to renew that offer."
I was astonished, and for a moment lost con
trol of my nerves. My body trembled, and 1
was obliged to seat myself on a sofa. The
proposition was so unexpected, so unusual,
that 1 felt a surprise which made me speech
es. Margaret seated herself beside me, and
pale and motionless, awaited my answer. We
were alone for the moment, and turning I
clasped her in my arms.
"My darling, you have made me the happiest
man in the world. Kiss me. Tell me you love
me. You love me?"
"I don't know," she answered, disengaging
herself from my embrace. "I like you better
than other men, and I want to be engaged to
you, I am tired of having men I detest pro
pose to me."
I was not thoroughly pleased with this inter
pretation of ber feelincs, but there was no
time to say more, as the guests bad gathered in
the hall and were making their adieux.
"Come to ma in the morning," whispered
Margaret, and I promised her that I would.
"Good-night, my fiance."were her last words,
and I stepped forth into the darkness a be
wildered but happy man. I wandered about
the streets for two houis in a curious state of
mind. When Margaret Durand had refused
me I had been desperate for a time, but per
haps because my current is so "adaptable," I
bad fully recovered, and had allowed onr in
tercourse to rest on the basis of friendship.
Now I was obliged to fall in love with her
again. It was not a very difficult task, but I
regretted that I did not 'have that control of
my own electric flow that Marcus Rodney pos
sessed. The light of approaching day had begun to
glimmer in the East when I threw myself upon
my bed, worn oat with the struggle of conflict
ing emotions. I was up again at 11 and hur
ried to a jeweler's. The handsomest engage
ment ring the store held was soon mine, and I
drove at once to Madison avenue. Margaret
received me with a silent pressure of the hand.
She looked pale and her eyes were heavy for
lack of sleep. She smiled sadly, almost list
lessly, as I placed the ring upon her linger and
kissed her lips, less red than usual, to seal our
betrothal.
"I am afraid." she faltered, "that you will
think I have been unwomanly."
"Don't say that, Margaret. You do yourself
a wrong. A slave who has received his free
dom would be ungenerous to harbor unkind
thoughts of his benefactor. I love you, and
you have promised to be mj wife. That one
reflection is all that my mind has room for
now."
She smiled compassionately.
'I want you to do something for me to-day,"
she said. ..
"Willingly later on." I placed my arm
around her, waist and felt no inclination to
move. I was delighted to observe that the re
adjustment of the currents was going forward
in a most satisfactory manner.
"Yes later on," she murmured. "I want you
to see Marcus Rodney and tell him that j ou
and I are engaged, will you?"
I was surprised at tho request and rather
dreaded the task she had set me.l
"Must I tell him to-day?" I asked feebly.
"Please do. I want him to know at once.
For for 1 am afraid of him. I hate bun. But
be is a peculiar man. He is one of those ob
stinate creatures who never know when they
are beaten. He would not permit the woman
he loved to become a sister to him."
I started as though my current, which was
flowing in the right direction, had snddenly
been reversed.
"What do you mean to imply?" I asked,
rising and looking at ber with offended pride
in my eyes.
"Sit down, dear." she exclaimed, springing
up and throwing ber arms around my neck.
"I bave never been anything to you but the
girl you love, have 1? And I am going to be
your wife."
Her arguments were irresistible. 1 resumed
my seat and had the eminent pleasnre of
knowing that the currents had not been per
manently disarranged by my ebulition of
temper.
How the next few hours were passed it is
needless to recount. This is not a tale of pas
sion but of science. Suffice it to say that when
I left Margaret late in the afternoon I was
willing to beard a thousand Rodneys in their
dens. There is nothing like lovo for a woman
to make a man brave.
As I was sworn to inform Rodney of our be
trothal at once I hastened to the club. He was
always tbero for afew moments before his din
ner hour. As I went up tbe steps, I saw him
standing alone at one of the windows. His
face had a gloomy, almost despairing, ex
pression, and he paid no attention to my nod.
"How are you, old man?" I asked as I joined
him.
"Not very well," he returned gruffly. "But
you look chipper enough. I suppose the market
turned yous way to-day."
not exacuy. xnavent oeen to tne street.
but a little flyer I took yesterday panned out
exceedingly well to-day."
There was something in my tone which
aroused bis suspicions. He looked at me
sharply, and the peculiar power of his queer
eyes almost made me abandon my design. "I
willprocrastinate," I said to myself.
"Have yon made any engagement for dinner,
Rodneyf
"No.''
"Well, dine here with me. Excuse me a
moment. I will go and give the order."
He bowed silently and I left him.
We had very handsome dinner. I wanted
to beret In him a condition of rood numor be.
J fore I broke to him a piece of news which I re
THE
alized would place me In an unpleasant posi
tion. By tbe time we had reached the salad
his face had begun to brighten a Wit. If a man
in lore, I reflected, can manage to preserve his
appetite he is not likely to break bis heart. A
well-filled stomxeh seems to keep tho organ of
the affections intact.
"Everything is going well with you in a busi
ness way?" I asked toward the end of tbe
dinner.
"Yes. I will be a millionaire in three
months."
"You look tired, old man. why don't you
run over to Europe for the winter?"
"You know right well wby I don't. It is un
kind of you to ask such a question."
"But," I returned, "your affaire is at an
end." There was a lump in my throat, but I
Marrarct Durand."
He burled his glass to tbe floor in a rage.
His face wasgnastly, and his eyes met mine
with a look which made me also turn pale.
"Traitor' he exclaimed, "you shall pay for
this. Am I a man to be trifled with? Do you
think I shall permit you to marry the woman I
love? Hereafter, sir, we are strangers."
He rose, drew himself up to bis full height
and stalked out of the room.
I sat for a time at the table, wondering what
would be the outcome of all this. I was afiald
of the man, not for myself, but because I
dreaded the effect of bis confounded electric
device upon Margaret, I knew that my words
had destroyed his scruples regaring the appli
cation of his scientific fascinations to the ob
ject of our mutual affection. It was evident
that Margaret harbored a vague suspicion that
Rodney could overcome her will if be tried.and
it was this fear which bad led her to take the
pecnliar step she had in my case. He must not
see her again, I argued. My only safety lies in
preventing a meeting between them. I must
go to her at once.
"Mr. Rodnpy paid for the dinner, sir, as ho
went out," I was informed when I stopped to
settle my score.
With his words "you shall pay for this."
ringing in my ears I had to laugh at tbe incon
sistency of my rival's speech and deeds. I was
annoyed, too. To have a guest pay for a meal
to which I bad invited him proved that his
hostility would stop at nothing in its search for
revenge.
I walked hastily up toward Margaret's home.
It was a cool, clear night and the bracing air
somewhat restored my equilibrium.
"Is Miss Durand in?" I asked nervously at
the door. i
"No; she has gone to agerman at the Olney's,
sir."
This was strange. She had said nothing to
me regarding such a purpose. I had pictured
her to myselt talking bver her engagement to
her mother and, perhaps, taking ber father
into the secret. Once in a while in these days
parents are informed of a girl's betrothal al
most as soon as her intimate friends. How
ever, as I had been invited to the Olney's, I
decided to seek her there and ask for an ex
planation. I stopped a passing hansom and rolled up
town. My mind was oppressed with vague
misgivings. I held Margaret by such a slight
bond for I knew that she did not love me as 1
wished to be loved that I was not pleased at
tho outlook. Now that Rodney had taken the
warpath with bis current-controllingapparatus
I felt almost helpless. All is fair in love, they
say, but this rather unprincipled dictum was
laid down before electricity was known toman.
My fevered brain employed itself in drafting a
measure to be introduced at the next session
of tbe Legislature making it a misdemeanor
for anyone to win the affections of a woman by
any machine, device or contrivance not readily
obtainable by tbe public at large. "We'll have
a nickel-in-tbe-Blot courting machine yet," I
muttered bitterly as the cab drew up in front
of the Olney's. Tbe great bouse was crowded
and the cotillion bad not yet begun. I said a
few words to the hostess, and then began my
search for Margaret. A few moments later I
caught sight of .her leaning against a door and
talking to a barmless youth of 20 who had al
ready become blase. At the same instant I saw
Marcus Rodney enter the front drawing room
and greet tne nostess.
By some strange impnlse, 1 decided to defer
my talk with Margaret, keep myself ins the
background and watch Marcus Rodney's
maneuvers.
CHAPTER IV.
Unless a man is a boor it is impossible for
him to do just as he pleases. at a social gather
ing. While I stood watching -Margaret and
Rodney, who had not yet seen each other, I
felt a light touch on my arm. Turning I met
tho smiling glance of my hostess.
"Let us find you a partner for the cotillion,"
she said. "As one of tbe best dancers in the
city, we cannot spare yon-"
I was far from 'being pleased with ber sug
gestion, but saw at once that there was no es
cape. A few meinents later, therefore, I was
seated beside a vapid young woman who seemed
to feel that she had snared a prize. She smiled
arid chattered in a way wnich chilled me and
convinced me that her current and mine would
never flow in the same direction. Margaret,
with the blase youth by her side, was seated
near tbe bead of the line. Rodney, who did not
dance, stood in the shadow of the portiere at
tbe end of tbe room.
There is going to be a delightful german,"
simpered my partner.
"I fear so if I can't prevent," I answered,
absently, looking towards Rodney.
"Wby, what do you mean?" she asked.
"0, excuse me! I didn't quite catch your
remark. Yes, yes. you are right."
I felt that tho girl was wondering at my
strange demeanor; and so drfwmyself together
and paia stricter attention to ner ceaseless
talk. But I could not get my mind off tbe
drama which was passing before my eyes. I
knew that Rodney was watching Margaret and
myself, and I could not discover whether my
fiancee had seen cither me or my rival. She
had not looked toward me. and she seemed to
be unconscious of Rodney's presence.
"What a beautiful girl is Margaret Durand,"
remarked my vis-a-vis. rather enviously.
"Yes. and he knows it!"
"He? Who?"
"He. They. Anybody. Everybody. Seer'
Again my partner gazed at me in surprise.
She had began to think that I had been taking
too much wine, I suspect, for her high spirits
suddenly deserted her.
The orchestra at that moment struck up a
waltz and the cotillion bad begun. Margaret
and ber partner sat next to the leaders, and
soon afterward I was dancing with my fiancee,
who had loyally given me ber first favor.
"Why haven't you spoken to me?'' she whis
pered. .
"Why are you-here?" I returned.
"Because I wanted just one last dance before
I was laid on the shelf." she answered rebelli
ouslv. VWon'tyou forgive me?"
"Of course I will," and I drewher a bit closer
to me than the etiquette of the waltz strictly
warrants.
At that instant we passed the portiere at the
end of the room.
"Good heaven! There's Mr. Rodney' ek
claimed Margaret in an agitated tone. "Didn't
you tell him what you promised tor
"Yes. And it wasn't an easy bit of work,
either."
As I left her at her seat I saw that she was
quite pale, and I returned to my place fore
bodingly. "Why is it that some men dance so much
.better than others?" asked my partner, who
had just been waltzing with a clumsy youth.
"Jjurrents, I suppose," was my reckless reply.
Fortunately it was our turn to dance at that
moment, and I managed to escape the worst
effects my random answer might havo pro
duced. "O, there's Mr. Rodnov at the end of the
room," exclaimed Miss Loquacious when we
were again seated. "He's snch a striking look
ing man! I bave only met him once.'' but I was
fascinated with him. It is too bad be doesn't
dance."
"He does," 1 said. "He dances on men and
women."
"What a queer man you are!" exclaimed my
puzzled partner.
As the german went on. I began to hope that
my vague rears regardingRodney's course were
groundless. I danced with Margaret several
times and found that she bad regained a thor
ough command of her nerves. Nevertheless,
Rodney did not stir from his .place near the
portiere, and tbe attention be had began to at
tract seemed to make no lmoressiou on him.
The hostess stood at his side for a few mo
ments, and several men went over and shook
bands with him. Still ho stood there, like an
avenging spirit, cold, motionless, inflexible. At
one time I caught bis eje, and in bis gaze was
no anger but contempt. This circumstance'
gave mo food for thought. Wby had his feel
ings toward me so suddenly changed?
"What did the leader say to you about the
next figure?" asked my partner.
"He thought I was lying." I remarked quick
ly, as the explanation of Rodney's change of
mood came into my mind on tbe instant
"Dance please," said the leader to us at that,
moment, and again I was able to escape the
consequences of my lapsus linguae.
The strain I was under had begun to wear
upon me. I had not bad my usualamount of
sleep tbe previous night, and I realized by tbe
ragged manner of my dancing that I was
"played out." as the saying goes. Under Such
circumstances, tbe position I was in be
came torture. I watched Margaret closely.
How beautifnl she was! I loved her more
passionately every moment. I longed to stand
up and cry out: "Move on, gentlemen. Miss
Durand belongs to me." To sit there in such a
state of mind, and see that electro-magnetic
hawk poised to swoop down on his prey was
agony. I alternated between hope and fear.
Perhaps he would not get a chance to speak to
her; perhaps be did not bave bis device with
blm; perhaps, if he thought that I had lied to
him, he would defer his experiment until a
more convenient time. On the other hand,'
why did he come to a dancing party? And
having come, why did he not "more onr' What
did he mean by standing in the shadow of a
curtain, like' a stage assassin, making himself
conspicuous, and worrying Margaret and me.
It was not until the first intermission that I
obtained any surcease from these tantalizing
questions. As I passed through the ball with
my partner on my arm, I saw Rodney going
upstairs, "Ah." thought I, "he has given up
the contest for to-nnrht. He is roinir wit."
. xeifc lute a new man. .jay spirits returned, ana
he nonsensical little creature at ay side
?s
PJTTSBUKG- DISPATCH,
seemed to feel my change of mood, for ber
voice no longer trembled when she asked me a
question.
"Rodney has taken his leave," I whispered to
Margaret, and she smiled cheerfully in return.
The joyous notes of a waltz resounded through
the house, and in my delight I grasped my
partner about the waist and whirled her to her'
seat.
I enjoyed myself Immensely for a time. I
was fond of dancing, and, being popular, re
ceived many favors. With a fickleness which
has always pertained tomydlsposition. I forgot
all about Rodney, all about fatigue and lack of
sleep, and remembered only that Margaret was
mine, that music and beauty and sweet odors
affected my senses, and, like a lotos eater. I
abandoned myself to the moment's pleasure
with an enthusiasm that threw my foolish little
partner into ecstacies.
"Stop flirting," said Margaret to me during a
figure, and I frowned playfully, as though she
bad wronged me.
O, Youth and Health and Pleasure, what
gods ye are"; my mind cried out. Whatcare I
for men with electro-magnets concealed up
their sleeves, as though they wonld cheat the
world if they could. Such men cannot dance.
Such men must skulk away as the fun grows
apace and eat out their wicked hearts in
solitude. Currents, did you say? What cur
rents do we need that tbe hot blood, the gleam
ing eyes, tbe full, flushed cheeks do not beget?
Currents! Reserve them for the telegraph, the
telephone, tbe cable, kill men with them if you
like, but come not to us and measure love by
volts and carry barred in dynamos.
Such triumphant thoughts filled my brain as
tbe mnsic ceased, and I motioned a waiter to
bring us some lemonade. The german was
well led, the favors were handsome, and I could
see by the expression on Margaret's face that
she was enjoying to the uttermost ber last ap-
Jearance in the world as a girl heart-free. As
sat sipping tbe cool drink and listening to the
gossip of tbe girl at my side, suddenly Marcus
Rodney appeared at the opposite doorway.
"Good God!" I exclaimed, and my partner
jumped as though I had struck her.
Straight across-the room strode my rival, and
I observed with dismay that he held both
bands behind him. I could not stir. To have
made a scene would have been absurd. "Per
haps be has no evil intentions," I thought.
"Perhaps bis bands are at his back from force
of habit. Perhaps but no. He makes straight
for Margaret Heavens, what shall I do? What
can I do?"
Was ever a man placed in such a position as
I held at that moment? I knew that my fiancee
was passing from me. that a power greater
than any I could bring to bear bad ber in its
grasp, and there I sat compelled to sip lemon
ade and talk nonsense to a light-headed gtrL
Rodney stopped in front of Margaret and
smiling said a few words to her. I endured the
tortures of the damned. Fori could see that
she was strangely affected, though the expres
sion on her face was one of repugnance. His
will was stronger than hers, however, for she
arose and took his arm. Then boldly down the
center of the room they walked together.
What conld I do? The apartment seemed to
be going around in a circle, and the men and
women before me seemed to dance about as
though they mocked me. I seized my partner's
lemonade and swallowed it at a gulp. Perhaps
she would have had me arrested had not a cry
of dismay at that instant rung through the
house, I recognized tho voice. It was Mar
garet's. I rushed down the room and tore back the
Eortiere behind which Rodney and Margaret
ad disappeared. As I did so my fiancee fell'
fainting into my arms. Uaid.ber upon a sofa,
ran for water, and upon my return found that
she had regained her senses.
"Mr. Rodney?" she said to me convulsively
as I came up.
"He is dead," remarked someone in the
crowd, and Margaret again fainted.
It was true. Marcus Rodney was dead, and
no one, not even Margaret Durand, ever knew,
what killed him. Do I? you ask. Perhaps,
thongh I am not a scientist Is it not well nigh
certain that by adding to his natural affection
for Margaret a scientific one produced by his
device be overtaxed tbe powers of his heart?
I leave the answer to older heads than mine.
On his monument I have bad the sculptor
carve an electro-magnet a broken heart and
tne letters "li. .E. u." ,
The End.
Copyrighted, 1889.
HOW A BEAE CAUGHT IE0DT.
Two Catsklll Hunters Failed to Capture
the Fisherman
As the Ulster and Delaware Railroad loco
motive goes puffing and snorting in its stiff
climb over the horseshoe curve just above the
village of Pine Hill. N. Y one of tbe last cot
tages seen by the .handkerchief-waving city
folks is Bonnie View. A famous Utile trout
stream gurgles along within a tew feet of the
house and nnmerous speckled beauties disport
within its limpid depths. "
Just back of Bonnie House a sort of a dam
has been'erected. in which were placed a week
or ten days ago over r. hundred good-sized
trout In visiting the dam the following morn
ing it was discovered that a raid had been
made on the fish, and that the despoller had
not only made way with over a score of the
largest trout, but that -he had discarded a
dozen or more smaller ones and left them high
and dry in the bushes near by. Further search
develcped tbe fact that the trespasser was a
four-footed rather than a two-footed desperado,
as the tracks of a large species of animal were
discovered in the soft ground near the edge of
tbe dam.
Two hunters secreted themselves behind a
pile of wood the next evening to watch for the
thief or thieves, but they waited in vain. The
next night they watched again, and this time
their perseverance was rewarded. At ahnnt in
o'clock a good-sized bear came shuffling out of
tbe woods and without a break made direct
for tbe dam. It pnt in its big paw and scooped
up a truutwbich it ate with an apparent relish,
but it did not wait for more. They became so
excited at the sight of a Catsklll Mountain bear
that both fired prematurely at the brute. It
immediately turned tail and ran for the dense
'.underbrush on the side of the mountain
near by.
EOPES FOE HANGING MEN.
The Making of Hempen Nooses nn Industry
of St. Lonls.
Et Louis Republic.
I dropped into an uptown stationery store the
other day. It was one of those stores that outfit
banks and county offices throughout tbe coun
try, a store where everything from a steel pen
up to a 40-quire blank book is kept for sale.
Tbe house has a dozen traveling salesmen on
tbe road. A clerk in the store was filling an
order just received from one of the salesmen.
Going to the elevator chute in the rear of the
store he yelled to a clerk or porter on one of
the upper floors: "Jimmy, send me down two
hangman's ropes." Jimmy responded and in a
few minutes down he came with the ropes.
"Now. those are daisies." he said, turning to
Tbe Man About Town. "Yon wouldn't have
thought that wo sold ropes to hang men, would
you ? See here," and he took ono-of the ropes
from the neat little paper box in which it was
coiled, "it has tbe regulation knot already tied
in it so that all the Sheriff has to do is to ad
just the noose to fit the neck of his victim.
These ropes are made in this city out of a
superior quality of hemp, and they are sold for
S9 each, which is a very low price for them,
considering tbe fact that they are absolutely
safe. Every one we sell has the guarantee df
tbe manufacturer on the box that it has been
tested by dropping an iron weight If the
Christian County Sheriff, who made such a dis
graceful scene at the hanging of the Bald
Knobbers, had hanged his men with ropes like
these he would have saved the State from dis
grace." THE INNOCENT LAMB.
One Who Has Stndled Him Describes His
Peculiar Ways.
Montana Wool Grower.j
About the first error the lamb makes in life
is to mistake the shepherd or his dog far its
mother, and many are the maneuvers that must
be gone through with to make the new arrival
follow the right party. His next error is likely
to be an attempt to walk on air when he comes
to a place where be should go down hllL His
ten minutes' experience in life has made him
believe that all tbe earth is a level plain, and in
broad daylight he steps off the top of a hill just
as serenely as a man steps off the top lauding of
the stairs in total darkness when be 'is certain
that the stairs are yet 20 feet away. The result
is a great surprise to man and lamb in each In
stance. The lamp picks himself up, and continues
down the bill; he soon comes to the conclusion
that everything is down bill in this life, and not
on a dead level. Upon getting to tbe foot of
tbe hill, he still tries to continue downward,
and as a result runs his nose Into the ground
and looks surprised again. He now comes to a
place to get Up bill, and goes up just as our
man starts to go upstairs in total darkness
when thinks the stairs are still 20 feet away.
'there Is only one thing that is 500 times as
funny and provoking by turns as a lamb, and
that Is GOO lambs together when they are about
a month old. The shepherd sits down and
watches the 600 lambs all in a bnach by them
selves, playing, running and frolicking, and he
laughs. When he has tried, and tried in vain,
to get the same 600 across a bridge or Into a
corral he sits down again, bat be does not
laugh this time.
He Won't Do it Again.
Akron Telegram.2
At Mansfield Mary Bitterly saw 'a man fool
ing around her chicken coop and asked him
what be was doing. He replied that be was
looking for his wife. Mary told him to move.
He didn't but he Bitterly regretted it the next
minute. Mary went into battery action and
shot him full of boles. He will live, but will
never look for bis wife again la a nilgnbor's
chicken coop, - , . " ,, ,
-v . ;-.- . ;
SUNDAY, ATJGUST 4,
THE GRAND OLD MAN.
Blakoly Hall Draws -Pen Pictures of
the Everyday Life of
WILLIAM EWAET GLADSTONE.
His Days Occupied With Partj Politics
From Morn to Eve.
THE ROUTINE OP HIS DA1LT LIFE
IcomxSFOsnxxcx or -mx pisrjLTCH.i
LouDOir, July 29. Tbe friends of a big
nosed man should never despair. 'If it is
above the average of other neses there is
always hope. I em a convert to the belief
that men with big noses have come to town
to stay. The very largest npse I ever saw
belongs to the otherwise insignificant coun
tenance of Mr. Gladstone. It is not a
drooping, sagacious nose like Evarts', nor
a heavy, majestic organ like Blaine's. Bou
langer's nose is thin all the way down the
bridge until it expands into a white and
solid looking bnlb at the end, while Gould's
begins bulkily at the eyebrows but tapers
off into a long sharp point Gould gets
money; Bonlsnger spends it It would be
interesting to know whether the noses of
financiers ran to points and spendthrifts to
knobs.
Gladstone's nose is like none of these. It
is big all over. Its bigness is its salient
point and it is of thickness, breadth and
solidity, throughout. Half way in its
length it has a wide and prominent bridge,
and when Mr. Gladstone blows- it, as he
frequentlydoes in the course of his long
speeches, it gives forth a resonant and
mighty snort.
msrntED IDIOCY.
The close and critical observation of hoses
is a habit that grows on a man with incred
itable swiftness. Some inspiredidiot once
started ont to find cab No. 1 among the 20,
000 cabs of Paris, and wrote to tbe papeis
about it as he pursued bis frantic search.
Half the people in the French capital did
nothing for weeks afterward butiook for
low numbers on cabs. I arrived in Paris
when the fever was at its height and watched
every cab that passed me, but the first day I
found none that bad a number of less than
fourteen or fifteen thousand. After six days
I saw a cab numbered as low as 80. "With
the sensation of a man who had discovered
the Northwest passage, I engaged the hack
for the day and took it around to show all
my friends, none of whom had fonnd any
thing under 100. From the universal inter
est taken in this particular form of hot
weather idiocy I am led to believe that all
mankind loves a bit of nonsense now and
then. Let me suggest a comparison of noses
to observers of human nature who are anx
ious for a mid-summer diversion.
The first time I ever thought of noses par
ticularly was at a dinner at the now defunct
but erstwhile hilarious Mohican Club. A
comedian I have iorgotton now whether it
was Nat Godwin or Francis 'Wilson made
some sort of a happy, but nevertheless
slighting remark about the large bulbous
and bluish nose, which appertained to the
person of a fiery Virginia Colonel, who sat
near me. The Colonel blushed with embar
rassment for a moment, as all eyes were
turned on him, bnt before anything else was
said tbe voice of Dr. Bichmond was heard
at the other end of the table holding forth
to tbe mau at his side on the subject of
noses.
THE DOCTOB'S STATEMENT.
"No other feature of the face indicates
greatness, except tbe nose," said the Doc
tor, emphatically, "and I defy you to show
me a really great man anywhere in the
world whose nose is not above the average
in size."
I thought at the moment that the doctor
said this tr smooth down the Southern
Colonel, and it is quite likely that such was
the case, for an expression of conscious
rectitude and suavity passed over the Vet
eran's vari-coiored features.
But the snbject ot big noses was on top
for several hours, and when I, went down
town the following morning I found myself
looking critically at- every nose I met.
When I encountered a great man in Europe
after that I looked eagerly at his nose. J
excluded royalty, for that has greatness
thrust upon it, but I was pleased to observe
that tbe pink face of Bismark was embel
lished by a big and beefy nose and that
Pasteur's proboscis was far removed from in
significance and conventionality. But I
never saw a really great nose until I met
Mi. Gladstone.
I was traveling from Dublin to London
one day innidwinter, when I was laid up
at Chester. It is not far from Gladstone's
country seat, Hawarden, and I learned that
the great Liberal leader was to take the
London mail. I was sitting in the chilly
coffee room of tbe hotel, waiting for the
train to come in, when Mr. Gladstone walked
in and stretched out a pair of wrinkled
hands to the fire. Almost nothing could be
seen of his face, except a mighty nose. His
tall and weather-beaten hat rested on his
ears, and a huge worsted scarf concealed his
neck and the lower part of his face. The
nose projected, and hung majestically over
this scarf, like the beak of an eagle, except
that it was more massive than any eagle's
beak I have ever seen. Away back from the
bridge of his nose twinkled a pair of eyes as
bright and sharp as those of a larky 10-year-old
boy. He nodded and blinked his eyes
and wagged his nose at everyone who came
into the room, and when he stepped aboard
the train he was cheered to the echo.
ONE SAT IN GLADSTONE'S LITE.
I chanced to meet Herbert Gladstone, the
eldest son of the ex-Premier, at a luncheon
one day later on, and he talked for a time
about his father.
"The history of a day in his life would
not make very exciting reading," he said,
"for in his mode of life he is the simplest
man in the world." ,
This proved to be the case, after a num
ber of inquiries. The Liberal leader a
politician first of all and forever, but he is
a politician in the higher sense of the word.
His entire time is given up to bis party.
One morning, just after tbe Kensington
victory, I called at his house as early as 7
o'clock, nnder the stress of a particular bit
of news. I found Mr. Gladstone already
fi-p, holding forth vigorously to a delegation
of British tradesmen who had waited upon
i him, for some absurd reason or other. The
BO-year-oia nost was narauguing bis visitors
withlextraordinary vigor. Nothing damps
his enthnsiasm. The last speech tbat I
heard him deliver in tbe House was simply
terrific in its force and noise. He had loos
ened His coUar.turned "up his wristbandsr
Son. William Euiart Gladstone.
'"WiPWfl
1889.
r
unbuttoned all but the lower button of his
waistcoat, and he was thumping the table in
front of him like a pile-driver gone mad.
His voice was like the roar of a lusty-lunged
young backweods stnmp speaker, and he
drove his points home with a force that was
tremendous. .
. The life of the ex-Premier is very simple,
as his son said. He rises at 6:30, or perhaps
a little later in the winter, and at once puts
on the clothes he is to wear dupng the day.
Unlike most Englishmen, he will have
nothing to do with dressing gowns, morning
robes, breakfast jackets and the like, but
puts on his heavy frock snit at once. He is
exceedingly shy of new clothes, like many
other great men, and Mrs. Gladstone uses
an amazing amount of diplomacy in getting
new garments on the spare frame of her
liege lord.
FOND OP OLD CLOTHES.
He has a fondness for a rusty coat, A
moraine is usually selected, when the ex
Premier has a very busy day Wore him, he
is called late, his 'new clothes are laid out,
and if he discovers that there is the gloss of
freshness on them he is told that the old
suit has been seat to the cleaner's. But
from the cleaner's it never comes home.
The care that is exercised in this minor de
tail of Mr. Gladstone's life, is indicative of
the continual and watchful service which
his wife alwavs renders. She lives for him
entirely, accompanies him on all his jour-
ueys, sits on tne piatiorm wnen ne speaxs
and stands by his side when he undergoes
the periods of fatigue known as "recep
tions," and shakes hands with thousands of
actual or possible Liberal voters after a
speech.
Mr. Gladstone's breakfast is simple,
nsuallv consisting of bacon and eggs or a
bit offish and a cup of tea. Immediately
after breakfast he goes to his library,
whether in town or country, and reads the
dailypapers for the greater part of an hour.
This is a matter of importance to him and
he will stand no interruption. He said, in
talking of newspapers, that it did not take
him long to run through a lot of them as he
knew exactly, where to look for the informa
tion he wanted. The foreign news was usually
nueuy set iortn ana ne was tnorougn conver
sant With what went on In Parliament. The
things that interest tbe Liberal leader most are
the ideas set forth in editorials. He does not
read criminal or social news but skims the
paper for political suggestions and views.
Then comes a correspondence that is of extra
ordinary magnitude. Mr. Gladstone sees only
a few of the letters addressed to blm. A fair
proportion of them are abusive epistles from
indignant Torlsts, blackguarding the Liberal
chieftain with every epithet known to the
dictionary of abuse. If a letter is par
ticularly amusing in its violence Her
bert Gladstone shows it to his father,
and it never fails to bring a smile.
" A GEEAT STAN'S SOK.
Nearly all of the correspondence Is managed
by the son. He is a quiet, almost plaintive
man of about 33, with a small mustache and
bushy hair brushed back from his hleh fore
head. He affects extreme simplicity in dress;
turn-over collar, cheap 6 cent black cravat,
loose-fitting and low-priced clothes and an un
obtrusive manner. He is exceedingly amiable
and is guyed a good deal by his political oppo
nents for his tendency to preside at women's
suffrage conventions and tea parties of the
weaker sex. but tbe opinion prevails among
politicians that he is a man of real and solid
ability, though be chooses to disguise it by his
affectation of extreme modesty. 1 heard Mr.
Parnell refer to young Gladstone once in very
complimentary terms, and Mr. Parnell Is not
given to the bestowal of compliments with any
pronounced degree of recklessness.
About 9 o'clock in themorningMr. Gladstone
begins to receive his callers, and from that
time on there is not a minute left to himself
till 1. This ordeal of receiving visitors and
delecatlons has arrived at an awful pitch of
Eerlection in England. The British statesmen
ave a horror to face that our politicians know
nothing of. On any and every conceivable
occasion the British voters will form a commit
tee or a delegation and send it to call on the
most notea man witnin reaco. To receive such
a band of visitors by making a little speech
and shaking all their hands Is tbe accepted idea
of the duty of a public man. Not to do it fills
the voter with amazed and startled incredulity.
The delecatlons call for no particular reason
and usually leave no better than they arrived,
but they keep on calling on eminent men, with
the persistence of lightning rod agents. Mr.
Gladstone is particularly amenable to thu
form of political persecution on account of the (
vanea interests ne represents.
He takes a light luncheon with bis family at
1 o'clock, and drives at once to the House.
With bis doines in Parliament the world is
familiar enough.. As a rule tbe ex-Premier
dines quietly at home at 730. His diet is care
fully considered. He chews every bit of meat
25 times, and drinks only light red wines. After
dinner he is hack in the House again, and
unless an important division Is expected he is
home and in bed at 11 o'clock. His day is
simply a routine of bard and persistent work.
Blakelt Hall
ALL TBE CLOCKS ALIKE.
A Strange Fact About the Jewelers Signs
In tbe Cltr of St. Loals.
St. Lonls Republic:
The Man About Town was walking down
Broadway the other day in company with a
young lady and when opposite a leading jewelry
establishment, she said, "Did you ever notice
any striking similarity between jewelers' signs
like that large clock over there?"
The Man About Town acknowledged that he
hadn't
"Well," she said, "notice now when we pass
and you will see that the hands indicate
that it's 18 minutes after 8 o'clock."
He noticed and saw that such was a fact. The
young lady informed him that all the clocks
used as signs indicated tbe same time of day
and that the reason of it was that some 20 odd
years ago these signs were all made by one
manufacturer in New York. He desired to
bave the faces of them all alike and decided to
chronicle in this manner the time of some im
portant occurrence. About thlstime President
Lincoln was shot and he died tbe following
morning at 8:18. The manufacturer adopted
this time and afterward stencilled his clock
signs in that manner. It seems that this custom
has been followed, for everyone we noticed, on
the remainder of our stroll down town, was the
same as the first one noticed. This seemed so
striking that we dropped In at a jewelry store
and asked the gentleman in charge, who con
firmed tbe young lady's explanation. We
doubt If one person in 5,000 has ever noticed
this peculiarity.
A SEEPEiNTLNE C1KCLE.
The Wonderful Problem Propounded by a
Harvard Scientist.
"We ought to be perfectly happy that we live
in this glorious age of scientific thought. We
believe there never was another age in which
the astronomer of Harvard Observatory could
propound the following problem and receive so
many perfectly reasonable answers to it: "Sup
pose," said he, "that three snakes, each 2 feet
in ieneth, should catch each other by the tip of
tbe tall, thus making a circle 6 feet In, circum
ference. Suppose that each snake should be
gin to swallow the snake in front of him. In
wbat way would the resultant figure, after each
snake had swallowed the one in front of him,
differ from the original circleT"
Tbe answers have been many and various,
some of them, we are Informed, "entering the
consideration ot the fourth dimension of
space," because anyone of the snakes would
haVe swallowed the two In front of him
ana yet have been swallowed by the two in
back of him. and, therefore, would be both in
side and outside of -his two fellows. The man
who lives in an age when men can tackle and
grasp and make so clear to others an Idea of
this sort bas no business to go about talking of
the good old times or looking hopefully forward
to anything more mllleniumlsh.
THE CANADIANS SURPRISED.
A Lumberman Svrlma From the Dominion
With 28 Horses.
Detroit News. 1
Charles Marthtnson, tho big Soo lnberman.
swam the St. Mary's river with a drove of 28
horses the other day. He did it because he
couldn't get possession of the horses any other
way, and they were his by chattel mortgage.
Tbey were stationed at Thessalon, on the
Canadian side. Half a dozen trusty men were
engaged and tbe procession started. All day
and all night they traveled until the river
was reached. Into the raoidly flowing water
tbey plunged with their horses. They stemmed
the current boldly, and In a f ow minutes were
safe on Yankee ground.
Such Napoleonic tactics staggered the Cana
dian authorities, ana they haven't vet secured
their breath. Canada may have the sawmill all
right,- but Michigan Bas the horses.
V ,
Especially If It Was a Good Apple
Detroit Jrre Frets. I
A little boy of this city, after heari.g the
story of Adam and Ere, pondered a few
moments and then said: "I don't think it would
have been polite" for Adam not to take tbe
apple when a lady offered it to him."
fWw?VUUF
A CHRISTIAN'S DUTY.
He Must Extend to Others the Help
Be Has Himself Received.
DESEET ISLAND CHRISTIANITY
Is Not Good Enough for the Man Who Lives
in the Midst of Men.
THE MORAL OP THE LEGEND BEAUTIFUL
JWEITTES TOIL THS DISrATCH. J
It is recorded that upon one occasion
Christ, having healed a man, refused the
man's'fequest that he might be one of His
followers, and sent him home. The inci
dent, rthich is a singular and notable one,
is set down in the following words: ''Now
the man out of whom the devils were de
parted, besonght Him that he might be with
Him; but Jesus sent him away, saying, re
turn to thine own house, and show how
great things God hath done unto thee."
This man had been helped, and" theLor4
wanted him to go and help somebody else.
The man had not thought of that. He had
imagined .that he could be a Christian all
alone. For him there were hut two persons
in the world one was Christ and the other
was himself. Hisheaiiwas full of a great
longing to be with .Christ. He wanted to
see His face and hear His voice just to see
and to hear every day. It had not oc
curred to this man that there was anything
for him to do to be with Christ that was
his idea of Christian discipleship.
But Jesus sent him away. He told him
to go home- He reminded him that there
was work waiting for him. He taught him
that the essential duty of a Christian is to
help his brother.
This man was a mistaken Christian. He
was a good man a devout, earnest, loyal
and loving man. But this one thing he
lacked. He had forgotten that he had any
brother. He had forgotten thattbe blessing
of help brings with it
THE DUTf OP HELPING.
If he had lived in the Middle Ages he
would have been a monk. He would bave
spent bis whole life thinking holy and lov
ing thoughts about Christ, kneeling at the
foot of the cross. His knees would have
grown as hard as a camel's, and his heart as
tender as a little child's. But his hands
would have been as tender as bis heart.
And the Lord doesn't want us to be .soft
handed. He wants hands made bard and
firm by work.
XI this man were living now and here, we
would see him constantly at service; he
would be marked among communicants for
his regularity and his reverence; he would
say his prayers and read his Bible; he
would be attentive to sermons; he would
keep his heart full of good thoughts; his
life wonld be pure and true. Men would
say, "Thereis a good Christian." But men
would be mistaken. It takes more than
that to make a good Christian. That may
be good enough Christianity for a desert
island, but it is not good enough for a man
who lives in the midst of men.
This man would be content,, as I said, to
be a Christian all alone. He would worship,
but he would not work. He would not lend
a helping hand.
There is no place for selfishness in the
Christian religion. If any kind of selfish
ness conld be commended it would he such
as this man showed. ButCbristwouldallow
no place even to that. There is no recogni
tion in the Christian religion of any division
ot devont people into two classes one medi
tating religion, and tbe other practically
religious. There is no privilege without an
accompanyingTcsponsibility.no getting with
out a consequent giving. GJhe Lord is not
pleased with any man who simply stays
with Him; He sends us all away with His
words in our ears, and His love in 'our
hearts in His nam; He sends us home
that'ns we have been taught, so we mav
teach; that as we have been helped, so we
may
HELP OTJR BEOTHEB.
The Christian religion is tbe religion of
helpfulness. Christ came, bringing into
the worM this idea of a duty of helpfulness
as almost a new revelation. He surprised
men by going about doing good, and by
teaching tbe highest truth to the simplest
people. That is, He helped the bodies, and
the souls of men, and of all men. That was
a new thing.
Take, tor example, the truth which Christ
cama to teaqh. It differs from tbe doctrine
of all other religions, not only in its pulpit
variety, but in its helpfulness. Christian
doctrine is helpful trntb. That vision
which St. Peter saw on the house-top at
Jappa is a fitting symbol of it There
above, on the house-top was the vision, and
then below at the door were three
men knocking. And the vision was for
the sake of the men, the visitation was
a visitation of duty. It was truth which
was immediately to be translated into love.
There is much theology in the epistles ot
St. Paul. All the first chapters of nearly
all the epistles are theological. But all the
last chapters are concerned with the appli
cation ot this theology to daily life. The
doctrine is laid as a loundation, that upon
it may be builded the superstructure of a
good life. Tbe theology is tor the sake of
better living, as the loundation is for the
sake of the house, God has made certain
blessed visitations of His truth in the Chris
tian religion, but we find lhat without ex
ception these visitations are not to satisfy
curiosity or to answer our wondering ques
tions, but to guide us toward better loving
and living. There is a good book called
"Applied Christianity." It is all meant to
be applied, everv article of it. Christian
doctrine is
HELFFITL TBUTH.
The Christian religion grew in the world
through the attractive power of helpfulness.
This helpful truth not only helped men, but
it made them helpful. Before Christ, men
had been for the most part like the man of
the text. They wanted truth and holiness
for themselves. It had not occurred to
them to be missionaries of holiness and
truth. "When the Lord assembled His disci
ples, the men who were learning, and out of
the heart of them chose His apostles, tbe
men who were to teach and to help, a new
impulse began. These apostles and
those who worked with them went
out among men preaching the gospel of
help. They carried this helpful doctrine
which the Lord had taught them; tbey
gave men a new law in ethics, the law of
help, the moral law, the golden rule.
Above all they told men the story of the
helpful Christ. If held upbefore the world
as an example Him who had lived
and died to help. By-and-by it was
remarked In days of pestilence when
men fled out of their houses, leaving their
own kin to die unattended it was re
marked that these strange religionists called
Christians did not run away. They stayed
to help. And when men saw that, they
began to think that there might be some
thing in this new religion after all.
There came days afterward, itis true,
when the temptations of prosperity became
strong and the church grew unhelpml.
The tables of the money changers were
moved, as one saysS into the Holy of Holies.
And the word "help" meant help yourself.
Then the church was weak. Helpfulness
and strength go together. Tbe church did
not wholly cease to be helpful. That
would be death. When the helpfulness of
tbe church shall stop then will the church
stop. To help is the very reason for the
church's being.
The church is a great help association.
There are some people, lice this men of the
text, who miss that truth. They think that
the church is a great spiritual life insurance
company a plan for saving tbe souls of all
who join it. They join it just to get their
souls saved. There are a good many who
measure'' the whole value or the church as
this man did, by the rule of
' THEIB ClWjr PERSONAL 7BOJTX.
They say, "I can be with Christ without
attending church; ' I can stay at home and
He will speak to me oat of His he ly book; 1
f
IJcan go ont Into the fields, and the sky and'
the winds will be His ministers. lean,
worship in that temple whose' roof is blue
and gold, and whose floor is green and
brown. I can get closer to Christ there than
I can at church." Tbey say, "Why need I
join the church? Whv can't I keep my
religion to myself? Whose business is it?
I can be with Christ as truly without any
connection with tbehnrch.
These people are like this mistaken man.
Thev have a vague idea about religion.
They think as be did. that to be with Christ
is the whole of 'Christian discipleship. I
am afraid that we are in a wav'responsible
for these men. We have more than half
thought that same thing ourselves. We bare
by our example permitted people to think that
prayer and preaching and propriety are the
three parte of religion, and that to be helpful
is not an essential Christian duty.
You remember the legend beautiful in the
calm of a wayside inn. You remember how
there came one day into the cell, where a monk
knelt praying, a glorious vision of the Lord
Christ, the Helper. And as he bowed in lovo
and awe before the Master, suddenly cams
sounding tbe voice mf tbe convent bell. And
that bell meant that now was the hour when
beside the convent gate gathered the daily
throng of the lame, and tbe blind and the poor,
waiting for their dish of bread. And that day
it was bis place to feed them. And the ques
tion came to him, as it came to this man in the
text, which shall I choose the Presence or the
task:
Deep distress and hesitation
Strnglcd with his adoration.
1 Should he go, or should be stayT
Should he leave tbe poor to wait
Hungry at tbe convent gate
Till tbe vision passed awayf
Should he slight his radiant guest.
Slight this visitant Celestial
For a crowd of ragged bestial
Beggars at the convent gater
That was a hard question. You remember
how he stood irresolute between the vision and
the duty on the one side the Helper, on the
other side the needy to be helped r to bs
himself the helper which? You remember
how he left the Presence for the last, and when
the act of help was done and the Master went
back, then waited sttll the vision of the Master,
blessing bim and saying, "Hadst thou stayed I
must have fled." That is a picture to set be
side this text. That is a parable of Christian
belplulness. George Hodges.
A STRANGE METAMORPHOSIS.
A Tonus Girl Who Has Fits DnrlnffWblek
She Becomes a Cat
London Globe.I
Students of Ovid bave of ten perplexed them
selves in an endeavor to find out what conld
possibly be the origin of the stories he bas told',
so well. What could possibly bave suggested I
to him or to those who furnished material for
bis tales the miraculous change'' of Io or of
DaphneT The case which is exciting so much
attention at the Salpetriere jnst now may per
haps suggest a solution. A pretty girl of 15V
fair-haired, blue-eyed and pleasant-featured, is
at Intervals transformed into a cat; that is to
say, she has a periodic fit of insanity which
takes that form. One .who has seen ber sayst
"Suddenly, as you look at ber, her whole phys
iognomy changes. She becomes hard, ber eyes
are convulsed In their sockets, a grimace de
forms her features, and ber mouth is drawn
up, and she drops to the earth as If on four
paws. She tries every opening to escape, and
with incredible agility sbe darts under chairs
and tables; It one tries to stop her she repro
duces exactly the pffft, pffft of tbe cat in
ancer."
At other times, in a less Irritated mood, she
will play like a kitten with a ball of paper, or
come to the onlooker to be caressed and
spoken to. It alarmed, she arches her back
exactly as a cat does. This lasts about 20 min
utes, after which she recovers her senses. No
recollection remains of her metamorphosis,
and she is commonly distressed to find her
hands all scratched and her dress soiled. Prof.
Charcot, who considers the case unique, is
nevertheless sanguine of being able to effect a
cure, and it will be most interesting to watch
the result of bis treatment.
TAKING" MEDICINE IN WATER,
Tbe Literal Manner In Which a Prescrip
tion Wa Followed Ont.
The Crookston, Minn., Times weaves a read
able little romance about Uncle Tim Sullivan,
ex-Chairman of the County Board, who runs a
farm in the western part of the county. Uncle
Tim is one of tbe most robust of Western
farmers, and although well advanced in
years bas never known a sick day up to a few
days ago, when feeling a little nnder the
weather, he concluded to no to Grand Forks
and consult a doctor. A prescription was com
pounded at, .a drugstore, and Uncle Tun was.
given asmall vial with instruction, to take a.
teaspoonful of the medicine in water, every
three hours. He took tbe medicine home, but
his wife had gone out to visit a neighbor, so ha
concluded to take tbe first dose daring her ab
sence. A rain barrel filled wltlJ water stood at
the comer or the house, and stripping off his
clothes. Uncle Tim got into the water up to his
chin, and was about to pour out a teaspoonful
of the medicine when his wife returned.
"For goodness sake, father, what are you do
lne there?" sbe excliamed, as she saw his head
at the top of tbe barrel.
"Snre. I'm following tho doctor's orders,"
said Tim. "He told me to take a teaspoonful
of this medicince In water, every three hours,
and I'm just going to take my first dose."
Mrs. S. saw tbe joke, and it was too good to
fcrpn. She told the boys when they cume to
snpper, and Uncle Tim will never hear tDe last
of It.
A
1,000.000 DNDER HIS ARM.
A Chlcng-o Blan Cnrriea That SnmThron,
ngW
tbe Streets In a Facknce.
Chicago Inter Ocean.
It was about 2 o'clock la3t Tuesday afternoon!
oonV
when a stolid lnokingbasincssman,amuscular,'m
bearded party, about 5 feet 10 inches in height, I
strode from LaSalle to Madison, to Adams and I
thence up into the Owings building. Under 1
his left arm, wrapped in a newspaper, were gold I
certificates and greenbacks amounting to
JLOOO.000. x
Going up Clark street he brushed through
the crowd of gamblers, loafers and cut-throats
as though unconscious of the sum be had with
him and tbe risk be was running. He actually
was unconscious of any risk; a sturdy, straight
forward business man himself, he recked
nothing of evil in others.
Tbe citizen who took these chances, this
Crmsns in broadcloth, was Gilbert B. Shaw,
President of tbe American Trust and Savings
Bank, and in parading tbe wealth he was on
bis way to comply with the very letter or the
law of Illinois concerning banks and banking.
The Batcher's Blander.
Detroit Journal.
"Yes, ma'am," said the butcher, "there's as
nice and tender a roast of lamb as you'll find in
the market. I wouldn't sell it to anybody but
an old customer like you. It was my eldest
daughter's little pet lamb. It broke ber heart
to let it go. You see, she had played with it
ever since she was a little clrl. I I mean to
say ob. you prefer some veal cutlets. Shall I
send 'em up, ma'am r"
Rheumatism,
BEING due to the presence of urio
acid in the blood, is most effectually
cured by the use of Ayer's Sarsapa
rilla. Be sure you get Ayer's and no
other, and take it till the) poisonous
acid i3 thoroughly expelled from tho -system.
We challenge attention to this
testimony:
"About two years ago, after suffering
for nearly two years from rheumatics
cout, being able to walk only with great
discomfort, and having tried various
remedies, including mineral waters,
without relief, I saw by an advertise
ment in a Chicago paper that a man had
been relieved of this distressing com
plaint, after long suffering, by taking
Ayer's Sarsaparilla. I then decided to
mako a trial of this medicine, and took;
it regularly for eight months, and am
pleased to state that it has effected a
complete enre. I have since had no re
turn of the disease." Mrs. K. Irng
Dodge, 110 West 125th st., New York.
" One year ago J was taken ill with
inflammatory rheumatism, being con
fined to my honse sir months. I cama
out of tho sickness very much debili
tated, with no appetite, and my system
disordered in, every vuy. I commenced
using Ayer's Sarsaparilla and began to
improve at once, gaining In strength
and soon recovering my usual health.
I cannot say too much in praise of this
well-known medicine." Mrs. L. A.
Stark, Nashua, N.H.
Ayer's Sarsaparilla,
TBXTl&TDXT ,
Dr. J. C Ayer & Co., Lowen," Mas. ..
Price l; six bottles, &. Worth 6 bottliM
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