M,lf B. F. SCHWEIER, TEE OOISTITIJTI0V-THS TJHOS-AJD TEE HT0E0HCEIT 0F THE LAT3. Editor and Proprietor. VOL. XXXIX. MIFFLINTOWN. JUNIATA COUNTY. PENNA., WEDNESDAY. FEBRUARY 25, 18S5. NO. 9. On a .Urk N;.verub..r raornin.r A lji.ly slowly down" Of an ancient siport tjwo. Tb P;. of bor pure yoauS la t.u- ca.,as oi a Uean!, pul ,IrMm Her et-os were fountain, of pi, And tl.9 sensitive month ixiwM A longing to et the kid thourtUtTee In tuiuio that a.led breast. Sba met, ty brigbt .hop window An urchin ti.ni.i an.l thin Who, with limb thax 8hook and , rwalDg Was mistily glancing in. At the row an.l varied clnsters Of uppers an l hoes outspread Some purple and green anl red. UispaV Up. moved and murmured; But of what, She could not hear. And oft on u. folded hands would fall 1 h round ot a bitter tear. "What troubles you, child?" she asked him. In a voice like the May-wind sweet He turned aud while p uniing dolelullv To 1m tiakr-d aud b;reding feet. " ' "I .was prayina for shoes," he answered: (Just liwk at the sp'.endi.l show!) Th pr,4y in w G 1,1 ,or 'n?l put - --..v. i aLuum uun me bol She led him, in museful ilenca, At once through the ..pen door And his hope grew bri-ht, like a fairy litflit. That rkkered and danced before! And there he r-as washed and tended And his suiall, brown feet were shod; And be rendered there on Li, childish X) raver, And the marvellous answer of God. Above them his keen gaze wandered, How :racgely from shop to .helf, Till it almost aoeuied that he fondly dreamed Of looking on God Himself. The lady bent over, and whUpered, "Are you happier now, my lad." He start d. and all his soul hashed forth In a g:;i itude swift and glad. "Happy? Oh, yea! I am happy 1" Tu-u, (wonder with reference rife, His eyes aglow, aud his vo ce sunk low,) "Pieaje tell met Are you God's wife?" Tat BR.l34-ttll"Sl lucsr. Flake of snow were hurrying through ILe air and falling ou the chrysanthe mums and faded hydrangeas in the par den at Fendall Court. Snow was a rarity in this i.umid, mild South-of-Ire-land climate, and the feathery atoms fluttered about as if all astray, and seemed as shy of lighting on the trem bling last tokens of the autumn as the frost-touched flowers were loath to re ceive them. A bright iair of eyes watched the gathering storm from a window set deep in the store wall of the house. Though Gladys Luttrell was eighteen years old, the sight of the falling suow was still fascinating to her. "I will go out and make a pile of snow-ball to attack Hex as he comes thioueh the gate I What fun I" she exclaimed, flying away to her little room to make ready for the adventure. One farewell glance in her mirror showed her bright gray-blue eyes spark ling with pleasure, the delicate color of her cheeks heightened to a rich blojm, and her gold-brown hair straying in ravishing little curls and tendrils be neath ber fur cap. With her lovely fresh face t glorify it her dress, with its many uJisuised darns, set mod the perfection of a costume. As she left the room she picked up froin the sofa a little muff made of a pheasant's breast, and pressed it to her lips. The loolUh little gill frequently wasted a kiss on this muff, for Bex had shot the pheasant to make it for her, and had had it lined with a soft white rabbit-tkin. A trimming of pheasants' feathers aiorned the tight-fitting Jacket she wore, and concealed all the shabby edges, giving her quite the ait of a Rus sian pnacefs so Gladys said. She hurried down the stairs, and out into the long winding avenue, amid the fine old trees of which she soon van ished. "Well aimed, 5 ou saucy minx '" pres ently exclaimed a clear fresh voice ; and Rex" Fendall stopped for an instant be tween the headless stone lions guarding the gateway to get ril of a liberal handful of snow which some rosy Sn eers had sent flying down the back of his neck, "l'ou shall pay a penalty for that, miss, when I have had time to think of the punishment I can innici. 'Rex. vour lauah is only ou your Hps, and your eyes are quite sad; what is the matter, dear ?" Gladys asKea. let ting the remainder of her snow-balls fall unheeded to the groun.L "Before you saw me I noticed how senous you looked." Vou are risht. Gladys. I have got the verv bluest kind of 'blues:' and, since you have surprised part of my se cret, I nuy as well tell you an." Gladys's, arm stole through her lov er's : an.l tri"pther thev began slowly retracing theirsteps to the bouse, Gladys burying both hands in her mutt ana ui inv ber erpi Riirmirhl.lv AD the TOad. "Three months ago," began Rex, "a fellow in Rockdale told me a story upon which I was fool enoueh to rebuild all my half dead hopes. He said that he had received through a friend in Amer ica news which he thought would prove to a certa nty the death of Herbert Fendall. 1 investigated the matter eagerly and jovf ullv enough, as you may imagine ; but I found the whole story as baseless and visionary as the tuou sand and one i thers which have misled us. I made a solemn vow to myself that if this last quest ended in nothing, I would abandon all hope of seeing my self righted in this country, and would seek a new career for myself. I ana go ing to Australia " -Oli, Rex !" If the young man had declared that he was going to take his own life, Gladys could not have exhibited more distress. "And you could go all that long journey away from me ?" she said re proachfully. "Gladys, don't make it harder for me than it already is 1" exclaimed Rex, with a catch in his voice. "My dar ling, it Is for your good that I go 1 can never marry on the miserable pit tance tjiat I get here, whereas in Aus tralia I could in a few years make enough to buy the dear little cottage we so often talk about ; and you ould have the pair of pouies with rough fciils and manes which you declare you dream of so fiequently." "Or perhaps, if yon made a rtu,ne' we could continue to live at Fendaii Court, restoring only a little of it, you know," said Gladys, entering Into the uut of hue lovex'a project witn ur- prislncr i.rtot . siirof themoKr8 de like to iSotfta .HW 1 8l,oulJ to it i t w llU'eof Its past elorv sigh. wan a regretful FilIV!Xdo yon kww that Xew Tear' tve is close at ... t ew cast and forlorn V i B re Qowa- ..it ' """""g uer leudeily. liecanoa I ti...,i. far acrosuhe sel Oh C ?g"n 80 dreadful J llhould ',eUveXr 'the courage to part with you when thl time came, yott dear old boy J e vJ'",rUI not 00016 for ree months on K llDS 13 t!ie time to start --n a juurnev. timTl'rtS n,1oulh;i That long P,;rluP3 meth.ng will happen before then to make you change your nn oU gray walls' whv wi you not tell your secret, and let me stay th my darling Gladys, mv nmmin. i wife? exclaimed the young man, sud denly raisag his clenched tit towards "J-grown windows of the south wmg of iendaU Court, now visible through the trees. II Uih, Rex dear I" Glad vs wh isrjerpd in awe-struck tones. "In that room where the ivy hang thickest over the window Herbert Fendall was seen for the last time. His ghost will haunt juu u you mm ana look so.'- "I wish I could see his ghost ; and tum I should know for sure that he haa deputed this life." "You couldn't make the lawyers ueiieve m your gnost story any more than in the other more piobable tales you nave loia uiem," True alas, too true 1 acknowledged 'JS ow, Rex, let us put doleful uiouguis out ot our heads for a time, nu iry ut ue cueertui lor aw l ear'a Eve for aunt Letitia's sake, aud be cause it is right," Gladys said, with an attempt at cheerfulness she was far from feeling. Tourists i Jiuntlng-cars occasionally drove through the demesne of Fendall Court in the spring and summer ; Its long sweep of avenue with overarching trees and the wilderness of greenery be yond proved a strong temptation to leave the dusty hhihway ; and old Tat bury, the gate-keeper, had orders to al low any respectable looking vehicle to enter. "What possibilities there are In the place, with proper care ; but it would take a fortune to put it in ordar 1 See that beautiful sweep of lawn a rank wilderness 1 Look at the statues. broken and weed-grown 1 And the lake is nothing but a vast green waste. It gives one the shivers to look at it." "True for you, your honor it ia but a sorry place now ; but five and twenty years ago, w eu I was a lad, there was not a finer or better kept enite in all the country round." 'The house is vacant, of course?" "Xo. your houor. S.ime of the Fen dalls still live there; but they have now only ha'pence where tl.ev once had guineas ; and th?ycan make but a sorry fight airainst the wrack aud ruin about them." "1 am sure the place has a history I" "It has. your honor." "Relate it. Patsy; sou are, without doubt, a good story-teller your tace shows as much." Conversation of this sort took place between the car-driver and his "fare," whenever a stranger was taken through the estate ; and Patsy, a renowned "whip" of the locality, wai in his ele ment when asked to tell the story of Fendall Court. Unlike most of his class, he held strictly to facts, and al lowed bis imagination no play in his simple recital. "Thirty years ago, your honor," he would begin, "yonder house was the scene of merry makings aud festivals such as are told of in fairy-siories ; every horse in the stables had a pedi gree, the taoie groaneu wnu uiuun from' foreign parts, and the ladies oad their satin gowns over from Loudon and sir Herbert Fenda'l, a bacheler of four-and-twenty, was lord of the manor then A fine handsome gentleman be was but rather strange in himself not like other folk; and they do say that the poetry he wro:e would just bring tears to your eyes. Sure every lass in the county would have given her two eves for a smile from him ; but never a one wouia ne ioo. u - mentrude Mowbray. She wai staying at the Court ; and you may wel l say she was a real beauty-looked like the young lady, Miss Luttrell. that's living at Fendall now. Molly Brady says. Their families were related, so that is not surprisiu. The housekeeper showed me once Lady Irmentrude's picture in the big drawing room-you see two of its windows over beyant. hioking to the west-am'., faith, sir, 1 never see such a shiht I Her eyes smile right down on you an! you'd think the sun itself was cauiht in her gold-brown ha.r. while her white neck, coming up out of her gen gown, looks just like one of them lUies over beyant in its green leaves. 'Well, sir! it was plain to be seen that she would marry Sir Ueibert; fond enouili Uy 'ere of eWCh flue weU notched pair they were. So ft went ou till Christmas time when li was a great foxhunt. All the StyXS fnfeourt followed the hounds, with crowds of people from all the contry round. Ah. your honor, th!t was a sight for sore eyes! It's hit of a gossoon then. Sir Herbert roae co t Lady Irmentrude's fide; and handsome fenoart they both looked on SS floe blooded horses. Not much of be hunt did they see, I "''ri ' fnr thev looked only at each other! f"WelLr. after the hunt there was dyftiTssSr. sr.; rwnand. If you'll believe me fm that time-now thirty years this he was never seen or W-?r ocb, but that was a sore ffiorFendaU! And long and weary -?tta March they made for him all th" uen the country ; but never a trace througo I, Md jjeaven 55?3S& ba fc-ma-tf the rUntrude l.e grew m-hitrt andthinner every day, til she lked 1 ke one of them ldies, thirsty K " of rain ! Many a year ahe I ut with the bitter sorrow in her gf'hJS always that Sir Herbert uid come back ; but at last she went h.to a conver.t -nd died ten years soice. Mav her sau. : v iu p?ace ! Veil, as h.j may suppose, sir, there . JrTat in the county about jElSJ&ld5o.witta. Court. They couldn't be sure that Sir Herbert was dead, and ao of course the next i-ouia not nave it ; and at last the law yers put tne case In Chancery, where it is to this dav. "Maurice Fendall he was the next heir and Sir Herbert's uncle came to live at the Court ; but he couldn't take the title, and never a penny could he ayeuu oi me rents, even to keep up the place ; so it has gone to wrack and ru'n a sore shrht after the grand old place ui long ago i "Maurice Fend ill died, and left sou Mr. Rex as flue a young gentle nun as you'll Snd anywhere. With the eip or uon, maybe he 11 come into bis rights sooner or later ; but sure it's hard on him to know that, while many s the time he has not a Gve-pound note in uis pocKet, mere are thousands belonir ing to him in the bank, if it could be provea umi s;r Herbert was dead and left no children. "Mr. Rex's aunt. Miss Letitia Fen dall, lives at the old house with one or two servants, where in old times there were twenty. She has a little bit of inouey of her ow n ; and it is well she has, for times are hard with them. There is a beautiful young lady living wim ner Missuiaays Luttrell maybe you'll remember, sir, I told you she looked like Lady Irmentrude's picture? Mr. RiX is in an office in Dublin, but comes home sometimes. They do say be is in love with Miss Gladys; but sure people cannot marry on love alone and there is not much else for them now. "But the strangest thing of all, sir, is about an old crazy woman, Rachel Bray. She lives at the Court; and mauy a one thinks that, if she was ricrht iu her head, and could tell, she knows something about Sir Herbert. She came first to Fendall as maid to Lady Irmentrude, a good-looking-enough young woman, but ao high and mighty m herself that she never had a word for the other servants. "Well, sir, the morning after Sir Herbert was lost tbey found her in her room ail doubled up like in a corner. and quite mad entirely. Tbey knew that sne bad gone to Sir Herbert s room with a message the evening before, and they do think that she saw something dreadful there that took her wits clean away ; but Heaven only knows what it was. Anyhow, she never got ovr it more's the pity ; for, if she only had her mind, who knows but what she might be ab'e to help our young master to get bis rights 1 She is very quiet ; so tbey let her stay at the Court,iu stead of sending ber to the madhouse just over at Boynton. But sure the Fendalls were ai ways good to the poor 1 "ow, our honor, that is all I can tell you about Fendall Court ; and yon der is the end of the road. Go on, Gitisy ! By the powers, I believe the beast is fast asleep I" Two days before the close of the year. Gladys, ou her knees in the attic of the old house, was busily turning over the contents ot many mouldy boxes aud trunks. Mie was searching for some bits of fur-trimming with which to adorn a red woollen jacket for the old Jewess Rachel, which was to be pre sented to her on New Year's F.ve ; the poor creature bad a childish delight in bright-colored garments, and she suf fered much from the unusual cold of the season. Gladys seemed not altogether pleased with the result of her search, for she bad ransacked box after box, till all stood open, with their contents scattered over the floor all save one a heavily- made chest covered with mildewed leather, with corners, hinges, aud bands of curiously-wrought brass. "I have looked over these rags and scraps a thousand times already," mur mured Gladys impatiently, "ana might have spared myself this trouble. These bits of beaver will have to do, moth eaten though they are. I hoped to find an old chinchilla muff of aunt Letitia's; but it seems to have disapiieared. i ou old riddle, what wouldn't I give for the key to you?" This last remark was addressed to the brass-bound chest, which, dust-cov ered, solid and invulnerable, stood in the same spot In which Gladys had re membered seeing it ever since she came, a child of five, to live with Miss Fen dall. Many and many a time, when a little girl, had she sat upon that oil chest, swinging her shabby heels against its substantial sides, ana wondering with all a child's eager curiosity what it contained it being to ber youthful imagination an exaggerated Pandora's casket, which she louged to open. Long before mauy years before Glad s was born this chest had been placed, lockel, in the attic, and Miss Fendall bad strictly forbidden its being opened. Whether it was a freak of hers to feign a mystery w'lere none ex isted, or whether the chest really con tained what was best left in obscurity, no one knew ; and, as time went on, in mates of the house learned that inqui ries on the subject were idle and useless. Xo one, not even Gladys, the pet and light of the house, could get a gleam of enlightenment from the old lady as to what the mysterious cuest contained, The fact that the youug girl was al lowed free range over all the rest of the bouse and intimate acquaintance with all else that it contained made her ex clusion from participation in this one secret doubly trying. Anything approaching a mystery gained a strong hold on ber vivid im agination ; and often of an evening she would tell Rex, t his great amusement, the conclusions she bad come to re garding the contents of this box, and the romances she had woven about it. Topics ot interest were rare at Fendall Court, which perhaps accounted for the zest with which Gladys always discussed tne brass-bound chest. "Young people," began Miss Letitia, as she, Gladys, and Rex were assembled that evening about the open fireplace in the great drawing-room, "to-morrow. 3iew lear s rve, win una as witheut any preparation for merry-making. It grieves me beyona words that such is the case, for never before, since thee walls have stood, has the old year passed away without a festival being held within tnem. During your day, chil dren, it is true, the merry-making has been simple and unpretending; but some difference has always been made. This haa been a hard year for us, as you know ; we cannot afford any outlay now, and without money it is difficult to provide a feast. The thought of the holidays passing like any other sad davs of the year has made me very unhappy; and ao, for to-morrow night, I have de cided upon something which will at least give Gladys some pleasure t this hour to morrow erening you may open the brass-bound chest I" If Miss Fendall had said, At this hour to-morrow evening toe heavens will fall." Gladys and Rex could not hart bcaa mow aitoolihed but aaaaa- ment soon gave way to delight with Gladys ; and she gave the old lady a hug and kiss which disarranged her cap-ribbons considerably. "How sweet of you. aunt Letty! The very thing in all the world that I lioild like to have happen ! Oaly ttiink of it. Rex we may open the brass-b.iund chest at last 1 I shall not sleep a wink to-night tor thinking or It I What a jolly New Year's Eve this will be ! You irive aunt Letty a hug now, R-x, for vou are just as much interested in the box as I am. though you will notconTess it for worlds." Xever mind another hug, dear," said Miss Letitia rather nervously, as a pair of strong outstretched arms ap proached her; "I will take your affec tiou for granted. You are good chil dren to be so pleased over the little an old woman can do for your amuse ment." New Year's Eve came with a cover let of snow outside and a roaring tire and merry faces within, at Feud ill Court. Gladys, in spite of tiie sleepless night she had predicted for herself, looked a lovely picture of youth, health, and happiness, a picture which Rax studied with immense satisfaction ap parently. The big drawing room still retained its Christmas decorations of holly and mistletoe; scarlet berries were masked wherever they would cling, and tin firelight cast a pleasant glow over the shabby furniture. "Do you notice bow srlkingiy the blaze illumines Lady Irmentrude's por trait to-night. Rex ? I could almost declare that she smiled down on us just then. How lovely she was I" "Very lovely and astonishingly like you." "You foolish flattering boy ! Do you suppose I am golug to believe that nonsense 1" The sweet silly nothings which the lovers addressed to each oilier during the next ten minutes were interrupted by a sound of clattering and banging in tbe hall without. "The chest ! The chest ! Tliey are bringing the chest!" cried Gladys, flylii; to the door and throwing it wi e open. Miss Letitia entered, followed by two stout peasant lads bearing the heavy box between them. "Here before the fire !" said Gladis eagerly. Twitching imaginary forelocks, tbe two young peasants departed after de positing their burden, each enr ched with a half-crown for the New Year's Eve rejoicing. "Gladys, you shall open the chest, as your patience and curiosity have leeu most sorely tried regarding it." Miss Fendall produced a quaint pol brass key from her reticule; and Gladys, trembling with excitemeut, uudid, with help from Rex, tbe various fastenings of the chest. At last the supreme moment arrived when she found herself slowly raising the lid, and the mysterious contents of the box lay revealed. At tbe top were various articles of lady's apparel of a cut and fashion quire unknown to tbe present day. Mowly aud reverently Gladys laid :h;ai aside. for she knew instinctively that these were the relics of s,jme one long dead. She next withdrew a heavy velvet dress of a delicate shade of greeu, embroi dered thickly with seed-pearls on the bodice and down the front of the skirt; rare old lace hung iu wavy frills irom the short sleeves, and a curious fan of carved mother-of-peul and painted feathers liy with the costume. Gladys glanced quickly from the dress to the portrait of .Lady irmentrude above her "Yes, dear; Lady Irmentrude was painted in that greeu velvet dress. A most becoming costume it was. I saw ber in it, for the last time, on that dreadful night thirty years ago," said Miss f entail, whose tears were falling like rain at the cad memor.es of tue past. "I packed away her clothes when she left us, half mad with grief, and iu that box 1 put the las't dress I ever saw her wear, some letters, aud a joui nal iu which the uuhappy girl coufesses all her love for oor lot Herbert. 1 could not bear to tbiuk of these things being dis turbed perhaps by irreverent straugers, so I ordered that the box should never be opened. To-night 1 have relented ; and I am not sorry. Poor Irmealruie yours was a sadtate I" While the old woman was speaking. half to herself, Gladys had gathered up tbe velvet gown in her arms and had vanished with it. When Miss Fend ill raised her eyes again, she started back with a suppressed cry of astonishment ; there, under ttie portrait of .Lady irineutrude, stooa what seemed to be tbe liyine original. It was Gladys, who, In the dress of her dead ancestress, resembled her so strik ingly that her two companions were al most speechless with surprise. You thought I was a ghost, didn't you V said Gladys,with a merry lauirii. "Child, what a wild idea 1 x ou really ' But Miss r endalrs speech was checked by another apparition still more strange in the djorway. A white haired woman, with wild restless eyes burning feverishly in ber thin pale face, came forward with steps short and tottering, like those of a young child, to where the group stood looking wonderingly at her. She wore a dark dress of ciarse woollen stuff, a warm red flaunel jacket trimmed with for, aud shabby artificial flowers stuck at random ia her hair. "Why, Rachel, what made yon think of visiting ns this evenlug ? Yon have always avoided us before." said Miss Fendall, in a kindly voice to her crazy protegee. "i saw my laay irmentruae tnrongh the open door, and came In to ask If I should sit up for her to-night, "answered tbe strange figure, curtseying before Gladys. "Marvellous I This is, I believe, the first time that the name of hery.mng mistress has been uttered bv Rvjhel since she became insane. The sight of Gladys in that dress has awakened h faint spark of reason," Mm Fendall said, half to herself, her eyes wide with astonishment. "Your ladyship will not walk on the terrace with Sir Herbert this eveulng ha, ha!" cried the crazy woman, in a quavering voice which she seemed una ble to control, looiung uuays keenly in the eyes. "For Heaven's sake. Gladys, encour age the woman in her delusion I We may lern an inkling of the truth for it rests with her, if with anyone on earth," whispered Miss Fendall, trem bling with excitement. "Where is Sir Herbert?" Bex asked huskily. "Who are yoa who try to ferret ont my secrets T" the woman asked angrily. 1 will do you no nam, no matter what you toll ma." 1 oaa mi notalaa banc mt pointing to the imaginary Lady Linen trude. 'Gladys, my dear child, leave the room." , Gladys, white and trembling, stole out of .tight behind a portier whence she could hear un-teen. "Where is Sir Herbert?" repeated R-x, clutching the back of a chair to atea ty himself. "Yonder, in the well, under the sun dial. I saw him fall in, aud then every thing was dark to me, and to him too. Ha, ha !" Miss Fendall started violently, and exchanged glances with Rex. 'Go ou explaiu further. Where were you when you saw him fall iuto the well?" said the young man, Qxing his eyes on the crazy woman's. "It was night ; mere was a little moon which made light and shadows outside. My lady had written a note to Sir Herbert, s iviug th&t she returned bis love She told me nearly ail her thoughts, aud what she did not tell I read on the sly in their letters. My lady had als at that time another lover at Fendall whom she detested. That night New Year's Eve she gave me two letters to deliver one to her heart's lover, telling tliat she belonged to him; the other a firm refusal of tbe suit of the mau who, against her will, bad made love to her. There was no name men tioned in this last letter, and my lady did not seal the notes she did not think ( was sharp euouah to read them. I w s in a rase with Sir Herbert that day, beca'ise 1 had heard him say some thing scotiiug of the Jews, my people. To punish him, I put my lady's refusal in the envelope addiesi:! to him, and destroyed the fond loving message in tended for him. I meant to say tbe next day that I bad made a m stake, and so rinlit everything. In the meantime he would have had bis punishment. Sir Herbeit read the letter tbe one refus ing forever another man and his face grew white aud set. He ran down the private stairway leading from his rooms into the shrubbery. 1 called after him ; but he did not hear me. He started towards tbe lake swiftly and blindly, I watching him, frightened Suddenly he disappeared; there was no tree or rock to hide him, aud the moon shone cle.irly on the lawn. 1 knew what had happened ; but my tongue was dead. The railing had been taken away from the old well that dreadful well, so black and deep that they said tbe Evil One used it as a passage-way from be low! A stone cover i.ad been made for the well ; but It was set in place too late to save Sir Herbert. The next morning, beioie tbe news of his disap pearance was spread abroad, the work men covered ilie well with the heavy block of stone; and no one ever thought to lift it sii.ee. Tbe l ist master of Fen dall has only a sun-dial to mark his grave odd, isn't it ?" j Here the woman burst into a wild discordant peal of laughter, and then sank swooning upon the floor. For tho three witnesses of this scene there was very little sleep that night, so intent were they upon what the next tew days would bring forth. If old R ichel's story was true and during her n,ii ration she seemed quite sane a bril. liant futuie Uy before them for Rex a recognition of his rights and the reali zation for himself and Gladys of all their fondest hopes, and for Miss Fen dall a tranquil old age, happy In the joy of her beloved ones. As quickiy as possible Rex bad the broken sun-dial removed which con cealed the forgotten well. A man lashed to a long roi, with lantern and pick-axe, was Mowly lowered through the aperture. It neeiued to Rex an in terminable time till he signalled that he bad gone deep enough, anil it was as if years elapeed betore he pulled the ro; to be drawn up. At last the workman's rough shock of hair was seen again at tbe mouth of the well, and he scrambled out as If lad to feel the grass beneath his feet once more. "There are benes down there, your houor human bones, for 1 had tbe skull in my baud. There was no water, and I picked up these bits of things lying in the clay." R-x took from the man's work-stained bands shut seemed the tarnished clasp of a purse, and some shreds of leather that might have been a pocket-book, to which a discolored silver shield stdl hung. Rex examined the bit ot silver, and then involuntarily bared bis head. The crest of the Kendalls, with the in itials "H. F." beuextli, wasstiU plainly disceri itle; almost beyond a doubt he suodover the grave of his long-lost kinsman, strange resting-place though it was. Other relics going to prove the fate of Sir Herbert were fouud in the well, and the various courts of law admitted that at last the mystery was solved. The dust of the missing Baronet was laid with his ancestors in the old village church, the funeral procession being followed by the older peasantry, who had &ited thirty years to show this last honor to their master's memory. During tbe following January the church waa opened for a very different ceremony the marriage of Sir Rex Fendall to Miss Gladys Luttrell. "Oaly think. Rex," Gladys would ofwn exclaim "we have to thank tbe brass-bound chest for all our happiness! 1 always believed there was magic in it, and I was not mistaken!" A Boy, Grc M TaM. The following incident is vouched for by parties well acquainted with the boy, now a young professor In one of our large cities. He was the son of a clergy, man, and, though only Gve yean old, bright and clear beyond his years. It was at dinner given by his mother for a few intimate friends. Master W was allowed his usual place at the table, but becoming unruly was, by way of punishment, transferred to a Bide table, whither the nurse had removed his little plate, knife and fork, by mamma's order No sooner was the little fellow seated in bis high chair again than, bowing U head and clasping bis hands on his soileJ bib, he lLsjied. with appa rent reverence and great gravity: "O, Lord, 1 thank Thee that Thou bast pre pared a table for me in the presence of mine enemies." It was with diflk-ulty that the "grown-ups" kept their smiles from becoming audible. Texas is reported overrun with tramps. New Orleans haa opened a war on gambling houses. In railway building soross sandy des frts the Freoob. engiaeers are beginning to employ iron ties. A late pattern ooniata of a wrought iron bar supported ia the nidue and at both ends by glob ular phuea 6f caafrfjon. Ia taa Ru Clreia. As to table appointments. The cloth should be scrupulously claau, though it be only coarse material; nice y starched aud ironed, and put ou st raight its folds parallel with tbe sides of tie table, and they with the. sides of the room. The napkins, of howeve- course material, must also be clean, carefully ironed and put on in phice. The ar rangement of the dishes ou the table must be uniform, regular and tasteful, each dish, plate, spoon, glass, being iu its appointed place and kept there. Any one accustomed to orderly ap pointments by habit soon learus to feel the necessity of taste and exactitude. These are fearfully neglected in many families. Table furniture ot all sorts is hustlad on without regard to appear ance or oraer, the napery is disgusting, the carelessness la disposing it equally so, and the results are only such as might be expected. As to the food. It is impossible to feel polite and -well manuered over unpalatable, coarse, ill-prepared, indi gestible food. Every mouthful ot it provokes ill humor, resentment, dissat isfaction. The house mother who in sists on good table manners most give her family good food. Tnere is no need of sour bread, muddy coffee, soxgy potatoes, heavy pie crust, leathery bat. tr cakes. Chesterfield himself would forget bis manners if compelled for any length of time to subsist on such diet. As to methods of eating. With tbe assistance of the knife aud fork ' the food may be so divided as to relieve tbe incisors of the heaviest part of their work, and make small mouthfuls a pleasure. The grinders indicate that grinding in the mouth is a part of the process of nutrition. Animals destitute of grinders bolt their food. It is not fitting that human beings should eat as dogs do, since they have each a mill" ready for use which dogs have not. Tbe lips are so constructed that (he none of tbe grinding, which is intoler able to ears polite, may be effect ually disguised. This is a point which can not be too u gently insisted on. Food, whether liquid gr solid, must be con veyed into the mouth and from the mouth downward silently. The position at table should be un constrained and easy, tbe person sitttng erect or slightly bent forward when eating, so that the mouth may be directly above the plate; the arms should be held at the side, not extended at right angles with the body The elbows should be kept off the table. Leaning back In one's chair, or dancing ou one leg of the chair, is a grievous violation of table etiquette, permitted only and wrongly to spoiled children. The mouth aud fingers must be kept, during all the process of eating, absolutely clean. The dainty eater will keep his plate in order and leave it so, with the knife aud fork laid together across the plate. Tbe use of the fork to the ex clusion of tbe knife in carrying food to the m uth is insisted on. Leave-taking is admissible only by permission of the hostess. Table talK should ba light, agreeable, general, each person present contributing bis or her quota to the general fund, and children observing the excellent rule of being "seen aud not beard," unless tbey are in such majority that the conversation la keyed to their level. Parents who will be at the pains to set their children such examples as tbey wish to see followed, aud will them selves conform to a high standard of table etiquette, will have little difficulty in attaining the results of culture th.y all desire. We have treated this sub ject with elemental simplicity, as re quested, and additional suggestions wdl find room if needed. Parents who have helpful hints are Invited to for ward them, especially if collected from successful experiment. It CrauDlel Away. It was In 1306 tliat Princess Alice at her own request, became acquainted with the famous Dtvid Frederick S.rauss. He lived at Darmstadt for four years, during which time he had frequent intercourse with the Princess, and read to ber his letters ou Voltaire. Much as it may be regretted that the influence of Strauss should have been brought to bear upon her, no one can help a Imiring the courage with which she faced the d .Acuities to which his teachings gave rise,especially when one considers with what reluctance an J distress she must have allowed bis opiu Iods to influence her mind. In the sharp conflict with the sost sacred tra ditions of her youth, she did not shrink from accepting the dedication ot bis work on Voltaire. So doubt there Is a non-fcelieving attitude which is easier to take up in the every day life than the believing one. It is far less trouble, it is more flattering to one's power of discernment, not to believe a thing than to believe It Wben Stephenson first prophesied before a committee of tbe House of Commons tbe rate at which steam could conquer time and space, the men who laughed him to scorn pro bably felt much cleverer than those who believed him. It was in no such spirit that Princess Alice listened to S'.rauss "she had to wrestle heart aud soul with theoretical doubt:" an 1 it was not until the spring ot 1373 that light came back to her through darkness. She had just returned from her Italian trip, into which she had thrown her self with true enjoymeut. and was st 11 resting after tbe fatigue of the long journey. The two little princes bail been playing by her sofa: Prince Ernst ran into the next room, followed by the Princess, and in her brief absence Prince Fritz fell out of the window up. in the stoue pavement below. One moment in the most vivid radtent life and health, the next be lay senseless aud crushed. He died a few hours later in his mother's arms. In her agony she souuded, as it w-re, for the first time the depths of skepticism. She searched in vain through tbe various systems of philosophy, but found no foothold. She d.d not speak ot tbe transformation that was going ou within, but slowly, silently, and surely faith returuel to ber, never acain to falter. "The whole evidence of philos ophical conclusions which I had built up for myself, I find to have no founda tion whatever nothing of it is left it has crumbled away like dust. What should we be, what would become of us if we had no faith if we dI not believe that thers is a God who rules the world and each one ot us?" Gass-i waa enjoying a game of cards the other day. In which, eontrary to the nanal ease, he was playing very poorly. Some one remarked that he was ,-only playing orZ." "Playing aw fully," sneered his handsome partner, trocj tcroaa the tabjef and lb garoa Aaaaaadad la .flrw4m Vtm TH. ran. WhenRufus Chot bejan his p-o-frs-ional life, he wrtmin h s j uini il. Constant writing is the parent of ripe ipeech. It has no other. But that writing mustalwaysberieioric.il wil ling; that is, scjh as mmht be utteieU jo a listening audience." It is to be ;om posed as in aud for the presence or in audience." Mr. Choate was wise In relying on ;he aid of the pen to c irreel vajuenev if thought and exprsion, and to cive force and vividness to ideas wlii.-li are .o be presented to an audience. Hd did lot me in that an orator .should write a ineech and tlieu learn a by hear , as Edward Everett did, but that he shoild labitually use his pen to secure accura cy and copiousness ot lanuae. "Al ways prepare, luestigate anl compK speech," he once sail to a studeut "pen in band. Webster always w.o.e when he could get a c auee." Our great orators na7e usually written 3ut their important passages, and tneii delivered them as if inspired at the moment. Curran was a nVry orator, whose bursts of eloquence usel to elec trify court and Jury. "My dear fellow "be said to a friend, "the day of msplratioa has gone by. Everything I have ever said wlixh Is worth remembering, was carefully pre pared." Some o raters, who write their speeches, are ambitious to be thought as extemporaneous in their utterances as an Italian improvisator. Macaul.iy had his petty vanity, aud alas re sented the criticism that in his parlia mentary speeches he "talked like a book." Yet every word of his oraajus was written and memorize.!. At tbe close ot one ot bin speeches. delivered at a public meetinz.a rentier asked him to turuish a report ot it, as be bad spoken so rapidly that no short band could do justice to it. Macaulay said he would think of it. In the evening a large package was sent to the ofhee o( the newspaper, which Contained a verbitinx report of the speech. It was, iu fact, the original manuscript, with the brilliant passages marked in pencil, and the whole bearing thumb-marks indicative of many read ings. But these Important passages must be so dove-tailed that the audience cannot discover tha joints. (Jules tne orator can so introduce a prepared paragraph th tt it lends with the impromptu pait, he has not acquired tbe art wh.cu con ceals the art Lord Brougham used to pause, as It in search of words, when about to utter a pa.-sase which be bad writteu aud memorized. But bis reated ue of this artifice at last warned the hearers to expeot a cut-anl-dried sentence. Valaattla Addition to Butory. A valuable addition to New Hamp shire history has just been unearthed iu the shape ot George IPs writ of privy seal settling tbe old boundary dispute between Massachusetts aud .New Hampshire. This parchment, dated back to 1747 whic'i had lain undisturb ed in the old client in the Pjrtsm mth Atheneum over sixty years, was recent ly found by an old antiquarian of the Bostonian society, and will soon be put in its proper place among the state arc hives. The document is cluedy im portant as marking the first step lowud the severance of the two provinces ot Massachusetts aud ew Hawpjmre, and as ell toward the establishment of .New Hampshire as a separate pro vincial government. In th s lttier les pect it is more interesting to Granite state folks tl.au to those of Massachu setts, for it recti 1. the fact that ia the final decision iu the boundary matter iu England, despite much wire pulling ou this side of the ocean In the' early stages ot the matter, New Hamp shire bad been given several bundled thousand acres more than she had eveu claimed. In Itself, too. the old paper is of interest as an example of engraver and scrivener worn, ou utlicial reco.d in those days. The well-preserved state in which it has remained leaves the text clear and legible. It is eu grossed in old Eugtish in the neatest manner, a marvel of patient executiou. The salutation, "George the second, b tbe Grace of God," extends across tne top in letters au inch in diatreter, ex cept the initial letter "G," au example of intricate scroll work, elaborate in the extreme, encircdng a line coptier-pUie engraving of George II in royal robes and decorated with the order of be George. The full t'za of the parch ment is 31 by 36 iuchej. and every inch of surface not otherwise occupied has been used by the engraver to depict lions rampant, birds of prey, serpen u, crowns, roses, thistles and a great harp of Ireland. Tall Toar TOUa. If you are In any trouble orquanlary, tell your wife, that is, if you have one. all about it at once. Ten to one her in vention will solve your d t3oulty sooner than all your logio The wit of worn tn has been praised, but her instincts are quicker and keener than hef reason. Counsel with your wife, or your motnpr, or sister, and be assured that luht wdl flash upon your darkness. Women are too commonly adjudged as verdant In all but purely womanish affairs. Xo philosophical student of the sex thus adjudges them. Their intuition, or i i sight, is the most subtle, and If they cannot see a cat in the meal, there is no cat there. Ia counselling one to tell his trouble to bis wife, we would go further, and advise him to keep none of his affairs secret from her. Many a bom has been happily saved, and mtny a fortune relieved by man's full c inti dence in his better half. Woman is far more a seer and prophet than man, if she be given a rhauce. A general rule, wives conSds tue minutest of their plans and thoughts to their husbands, having no involvements to screen from him Why not reciprocate, if but for pleasure of meeting court leuce with confidunce? We are certain that no man succeeds so well in the worid as he who. taking a partner for life, makes her the partner of alt bis purposes and hopes. What Is wrong in his impulses or judgm-nt, she will check and set right with her almost universally right instincts. "Helpmeet" was no insig nificant title, as applied to man's com pamm. She is meet help to him iu every darkness, difficulty and sorrow of life ; and what she mo-it craves and de sires is co"jld7ic without which love is never free from a sba tow. The Great Pyramid contains 8,300,. 000 stones, welshing on an average two aid a half tnna r.h Tha nmlx beams of tha kings' chambet wrh bo' awaea fifty sad aJxtv tQxa iT.V"a 1 BltlEF. Iieland's iepu!at:on Is 3,r,O),000 lesss i ban tn 1S41. Twenty theatres in Europe are In ! receipt of Stale aid. Tne exndus of colored people from South Carolina is subsiding. There re 9i0 c "irehrs In London within a radius i f 12 miles. Misouri has a law forbidding tha sale ot cigarettes to children. A mys'eri ms disea is ki!l!n? oil cows iu the vicinity or Palatka, Fla. Tiamps are overrunnii g rrany of the 'owns in the Ulterior of California. Counterfeit ten cent pi-ce are said to ba in extensive circulation in Bos. ton. fn Michigan there is a movemeit for the restora.ion ot capital punish ment. Arizona papers state that fully 2000 Moimns settled in that Territory dur ing 1S4. Strawlierries are selling on the streets of De Land, Fla., for 50 centa a quart. The wealthiest men In the U. 8. Senate are "aid to be the least iuclined to oratt'i v. An English opera company, with Mile. E iima Nevada as principal, is spoken of. There is $43,003,003 of unclaimed money now iu the vaults of the United States Treasury. Contrary to reports.General Grant's health is better now thon it has been for several day. A Boston mailen has had a pair of gold -n mined spectacles mad to order foi' her pxt pug A female resident of Gardiner, Me., has been mtie dangerously ill by the bite of a cat, Tne Temple Church (in London), part of whici is "U0 years old, is now open to vis. tors daily. Among the residents of Guadala Jtra, Mexico, is one who claims to have completed her lOSth year. There are more Idle men In London now. says the Ttlt'jrak ot that city, than for ma;iy years past. Paris hjtelkeepers and managers complain ti.at this is the dullest winter tbey have knouu for years. Vast quantities of clams have leu cast upon the beach at Atlantic City by the recent high tides. The conversion of churches into tlieat res s iil continues, Boston being about to follow i he fashion. Brooksvilie, Fia., boasts of a white turnip meaurit.g 2'i inches in circum ference and weigliiug six pounds. Xew England tobacco growers complain of lighter weight per acre this teuson than for several years. A colored resident of Barlcwcoua tv, ti t., has just l.al a pit of shoes uiade for him which are 10s in size. At Ilai.ghow. C'i;tia, a German hi erecting an arsenal with improved ma cirnery similar to that at Nanking. ll.iralet, according to tha best evi deuce obtainable, says Moy Thomas in tbe Tuulrt, was about 2J years old. A PoLv.hontas connty, Iowa, wo. man.twenty-two yeais old. is the mother of seven cli.Ulren, ail alive and hearty. The Chinese in San Fiancisco paii twentv-srven thousand dollars in fines into the p lice court revenues last year. A German botanist has given in stances of the m'Klitication of plants by insects, so as to produce nw varieties. A postal seivice b.ts ben orjan 1zd in Corel and the houses are being n-itnt'ered for the btuetit of letter car riers. Scarlet fever, in a malignant form, prevails at C ld Spring, L. 1., and in cnseiuenee the public school has been cl.ised. Craw fish are so thick m the Key West, Fla.. channel that tinner men ex P'tience no difficulty in procuring them lor bait. B Hnon races are a1 "Hit to ba star tel in Paris. The object of the con testants will be to reach a designated point. The latest ci.t down in pay l In the cae of the Mayor of Auburn. Me., who is reduced from 12 j) -o $200 per annum. There is a law m Bermuda prohib iting the removal of bodies of foreign ers who line died there until one year after death. Accidents while roller skating are becoming quite numerous throughout the country, and in soaie Instances re sult latally. A resident of Manchester, Mass., planted half a peck of peas and sowed half an acre of rye on the 13lh of Jan uary, this yeir. Bus-ia borrows money at six per cant. Gieece at live per cent., while the United Stites ptys but three per cent, per annum. Hor-racing. unknown to any ex tent in Mexico, a few years ago. is said to be gradually supplanting tbe bull fight in tnai couutry. In Cnicago wagois call at bouses for books borrowed at the public libra ry, aud return any o.her book desired, tor a nominal charge. A funeral over a man whose re mains were brought all the way from China for interment, took place tha other day in Jersey City. In Munich, a well-known art dea ler bas beeu arrested for selling spuri ous for genuine bronzes, and has been obliged to go out of business. A ihree year old hog. that is eight feet locg ami weighs loTO pounds, is among the exhibits rf Mendjcino.Cal., at the Sew O. leans Exposition. Frederick Xilte, the hlslorian.who died r. c-utly in Paris at the ag ot 31, was an Amer.cau by birth but was nat ural. 7.i u Fie" cliuian in liTX Enormous quantities of oranges are pr.xiuced iu Paraguay. Tney are bold at u) cents a busl.el.and fed to pigs and cattle, aud are used for distillation. The Monnou temple bei j erected at Salt Lake will yet require, it is as serted, more than four years f.ir its completion, and will cost S-l.O'jO.OOO. Great Britain consumes, annually, 4 UH.i 03 t.n of potatoes, of which 2-O.OuU tons are impoiled. while the remainder are raiiel ou 541,000 acres of ill J. To meet the expenditures occa sioned b the increase ia oflicUi sala ries, tbe City Council ot Los Angeles, Cal., proposes to raise tha LqucrLsecJe in that city. About &S9 COO in cash was taken ont of the letters consigned to tha Dead Letter Office in the U.S. last yeae. Mucb of it without an adt4,uata elite u to wheuce U una.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers