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BJF. SOHWEIER,
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Editor and Proprietor.
VOL. XL.
MIFFLINTOWN, JUNIATA COUNTY. PENNA.. WEDNESDAY. MARCH 10, 18S6.
NO. 11.
'WW
7Z
After AIL
.... .'nr'ini with its Miowers:
il tli wow and tempest,
jttn the ltli of the flowers.
ibt cma a,,1 Jarkness
rI rtTi.i:l .-...a faltered,
Eowicg ia sunny ways.
After a tii L"' ayisr.
Tbea the rain on ti e mound
nrstUT were grand in living,
palsc'.ess within the ground.
iftwUif sTorra and shadows,
After the rain nnd Rloom,
ntu ll duties an,i rose9 ,
iftwtiis wrarj living,
aJJi sialic nnd rest,
l,Vrear:hnvlit and darkness,
Cn the juy of the blest.
firTil (lUIVIOKirS
1)UW."
"TAKING
"tbea there's Captain Crawford. Of
him it behoves us to sp3ak with bated
jath. He is rairly good-looking, but
JUis UhTse'.f an Adonis, lias a comi
aldrvwav of saying things which
-aies you laujh, and is agreeable to a
(jrtaiii extent, but believes himself to
Ik a original ge nius who would take
ii world by storm if mark the ir
be thought it worth so taking. He is
a& rich, and is iossessed by the idea
bit every antlier wanU him for one
other daughters, and that all the
daughters are in love with him. Of
course be is a flu t. though he flirU in a
irarncrcuite peculiar to himself. It
Sajainst his principles ever to put him
self out for any thing or anybody; but,
eominz; as to-night, on a party of
strainers, he will look about, know at
i claiioe nich woman will be the most
c likely to amlr him, and, tacking him
lelfuntoher v:th slow deliberation,
will graciously permit her to do so for
u long or short a time as she may hap
pen to be e:is:'.y get-at-able"
This description of one of the guests
t country-house was given by Its
yons?et daughter to another guest, a
to pretty girl with pale yellow wavy
hair and b ;g blue eyes fringed by long
tuaek lashe Before she could answer
i third girl looked up from the flowers
tx was arranging m bouquets, and re
marked "Alice hates hiin."
"Sol perceive." replied the golden
haired damsel on the hearthrug; and.
looking up mischievously into Alice's
face, she added , "Are you one of the
victims of this hero's peculiar style of
flirtation?"
"On, dear, no!" Alice answered, with
casdor. "I don't amuse him; so he
teats me with great civility.
"I shall make it my business, as long
u I am litre, to take hln down," re
marked the owner of the blue eyes.
"I think, Miss Ethel, you bad better
leave liim alone," said Flora, still busy
with the flowers. "Alice has been
haru'y fair to blm, for he is undoubt
edly popular both with men and wc-
"Besides," chimed in Alice, '"he
won't give you the chance. You are
not his stvie."
"Pooh:" retorted Ethel. "I shall find
the chance; and, as for not being his
style, girls, before he leaves this bouse
he shail rr 'pose to me and I shall re
fuse him'."
The sisters were so scandalize 1 b
this announcement that it was some
time before they could find words to
express their Lorroi; at last Flora
said
"I hops, Ethel, you don't intend to
become fast."
''Fast? No; but 1 intend to confer a
a benefit on society by taking down
this man who thinks so much of hitr.
self." 'You will be clever if you do," mut
tered Alice.
"1 will. Oil, won't I dance upon his
feelings, Alice! You may come and
listen through the keyhole to the pro
posal." Flora's face expressed strong disap
proval; but Alice asked
"Eut tow are you going to set about
it?"
"Ob, when I have met Captain Craw
ford, and understand him a little, I
shall see! Thackeray says oh, bother,
I forget now what he does says! but
it's something about any woman leing
able to marry any man. Now I doa't
want to marry this creature; I only
Ah, fliere's t'.e d:ess;ng-bell, and I
haven't unpacked a thing!" Springing
up with astonishing alacrity, she gath
ered her wraps together, rattling on
"I'm sure I've forgotten the key of my
box? Oh. dear, I wish I could pick up
a neb. husband! I do hate unpacking."
Away sl.e went, dropping veil, gloves
and various small articles before she
even reached the door. Hut Ethel
Eaine, though she talked so recklessly
in private, was usually tolerably well
behaved in public, and nothing was
farther from her thoughts than to be
intentionally late for dinner. There
tore she was much dismayed to hear the
teUnnj before fbe was ready; and,
when she crept into the din'.ng-rooni
after every one had gone ia, it was with
s considerable heightened color and a
subdued manner that contrasted curi
ously with the bravado airs she had
given herself up stairs.
All ush that came ta Ethel's net
She was ulv.-ays ready to be amused by
anything or anybody; so she turned her
blue eyes on Tom fi ranger, and forgot
all about Captain Crawford, till, in a
Paose in her lively chatter, she found
Alice looking at her very meaningly
from the opposite si :c of the table.
Following the direction of her eyes, she
t?k a survey of the gentleman on her
nSbt, aDd it suddenly dawned on her
J-at this was the famous Captain Craw
ford, lias discovery filled her with
tue liveliest delight. II.j however took
do notice of her, so she had to oontent
herself with listening to his conversa
tion with the lady he had taken In to
toner, which she did with so much In
terest that she had veiy little attention
ft to bestow nu Tom Grainger. lie
wondered a lit!!? t her change of man
ner, but iid not altogether object to it
it gave hnu the opportunity of talk
'i'3 a little hbont himself, which Miss
Etfie! bad not hitherto allowed him to
do.
Apparently Captain Crawford fonud
the handsome widow he had taken in
to dinner decidedly amusing, for be sat
flown beside her afterwarJs in the
Jwing-room, and never stirred for
lUt"st of the evening.
A,-a Lavton followed Ethel to her
J!. night to remark inoclngkly
i : JOu "von't done much jet
itu Captain Crawford!"
fti01'' l htcn taking U'.s measure!"
Uiel replied. "I have it now on my
"leers' ends."
ua doesn't adai: rc too. I beard
him teQ mamma that you were too
small, and that blue-eyed women were
always humbugs."
"lie shall find out the truth of that
to bis cost, and admire me too before
he leaves the house."
But Alice shook her head.
"I'm afraid Mrs. Lord is already in
possession of the field. What will you
do aboat her?"
"The widow? Leave her alone to be
surel Yo don't suppose I am going to
lower myself by quarrelling over any
man with any woman. As long as Mrs.
Lord can keep him, she may: but I have
taken bis measure, as I said, and I
think recollect I have the reputation
of a beauty, and, though he may not
admire me, that goes a lon way a man
I rather think a judicious mixture of
politely-veiled indifference and a small
amount of skilfully-spread butter to
gether with a studiously-concealed ten
dre$s for somebody else, unknown, will
settle him."
Tnis struck Alice as being nonsense
but it also had a worldly ring in it that
Flora not being there to do so, she felt
it her duty to reprove.
"You talk so wildly, Ethel dear. I
don't think mamma would like to hear
you."
"Well, she doesn't bear me," replied
the Incorrigible Ethel. "And now good
night. I can't afford to lose my beauty
sleep; for I want to look my best to
morrow." And she did look her best tha next
morning, though her dress was only a
plain dark serge; for Ethel was an or
phan, without a relative In the world
except her grandfather, with whom she
lived, and who was by no means over
burdened with this world's goods:
therefore she bad not the means of
dressing smartly; but she had the knack
of making everything she wore look
nice.
Even Captain Crawford, In spite of
his professed antipathy to blu9 eyes,
could hardly have helped being pleased
with her appearance, when, on coming
out, ho found her standing on the door
step watching the party mount.
"Are not you goinj to ride, Mis3
Rain?" he asked.
"Xo; I'm afraid."
"That's a pity. You lose a great
deil of pleasure."
"Do I?" she questioned listlessly, all
her interest apparently centered on the
horses; then, glancing indifferently at
him "I see you are got up for riding.
I shouldn't have thought you were a
hunting man."
"Why not?'' a little gleam of tri
umph coming over his face at the re
flection that she must have been observ
ing him pretty closely.
But she had no idea of allowing him
to cherish this pleasing delusion, and
answered carelessly, her eyes still idly
roviusr round
"Oh, I don't know! Everybody, if
only for a moment, leaves some sort of
an impression on one's mind. I sup
pose that is the one you have left on
miue."
"That I am not a hunting man? Cu
rious, isn't it?"
"Yes;" then, as if suddenly aroused
to consciousness of what she was say
ing "Oh, dear, what am I saying? I'm
sure I don't knew!"
"Where is jour horse. Captain Craw
ford?" cried Mrs. Lord, who, mounted
on a Gne animal lent ber by a friend in
the neighborhood, and attired in an
exquisitely-fitting habit, looked remark
ably handsome.
"Coming," he said laconically, and
thn, ti Ethel, with a glance towards
the widow, "Admire her?"
He looked down at her with evident
curiosity for the answer.
"I do indeed; shs Is very handsome."
There was not a trace of reluct in cj
or pretended enthusiasm in her tone
It was simply the natural statement of
a fact. His horse being led round at
this moment, she disappeared within
doors without seeing him mount; never
theless she noted from the window that
he rode down the avenue besidts Mrs.
Eord.
The party returned very early, all
more or less cross, having had a bad
day. About five o'clock Captain Craw
ford strolled into the drawing-room, in
search of amusement. There was Mrs.
Lord ready for him, arrayed in her
most fascinating of tea-gowns; but per
haps he had had eoouzh of ber society
in the hunting-field, for he did not take
the chair beside her, and, declining tea
went on into the inner room, where he
found Ethel buried amongst the cush
ions of a huge armchair, reading a
novel, from which she merely looked
up on his entrance, and then took no
further notice of him,
"1 ou seem very comfortable," he
said at last, when he found that she
had no intention of starting a conver
sation. "I am, thank you," she replied, just
planciug at him over the top of her
book, as he leaned against the mantle
piece, and then continued to read.
Captain Crawford wa? beginning to
have a notion that this little lady,
though she was small, fair, and blue
eyed, might be able to amuse him if
she chose; but she evidently did not
choose, and be was much surprised
thereat.
"What have you been doing with
yourself all day?"
"Meditating" this time not even
raising her eyes.
".Meditating?"
"Yes on my ball-dre3s for to-morrow."
Then there was silence again, till
Ethel looked up with an impatient air
that said plainly, "I wish you would go
away and leave me in peace," which
roused a spirit of opposition in him,
determining him to stay; but be could
not make up his mind to go so far as
to offer Another observation. After the
silence had lasted about two minutes,
Mrs. Lord came in, addressed herself
to Captain Crawford.
"We are goinetoplay bi!liards;won t
you come, Captain Crawford? Indeed
yoa must; we cannot do without you."
"Can't you? Miss Haine, do you
play billiards?"
"Sometimes."
"Yo" had better come too."
"Xo, not this evening."
"Oh, you mustl" said Alice, who
had just entered. "You really can play
well."
"I can't my heroine is being pursued
by a wild bull, and the hero, who has
only one leg. is looking on. helplessly
over the hedge. I really cant leave
them in that deplorable position with
out knowing what becomes of them."
"Xo, indeed." said Mrs. Lord, with
great enthusiasm. "I never can lay
down a novel when once I get fairly
into it.
And she walked Captain Crawford
off now berore he could say another
word. Alice lingering to observe
"I don't think you will succeed at
this rate." , . . lf ,
"Indeed! That's your opinion, is it?
But, Alice, you maligned that poor
man dreadfully. I rather no, I don't;
but he is rather Dice."
"Oh, Ethel, Ethel," began Alice,
bnt hearing herself called, ran off.
The men were all oat shooting the
best part of the next, so that even Mrs.
Lord had very little opportunity of
monopolizing Captain Crawford. How
ever, when she came down dressed for
tbo ball, she was indeed arrayed for
conquest In pale yellow satin, with
diamonds sparkling in her dark hair.
Ethel was all in white, and looked her
very best; she was in exceedingly high
spirits, so much so that Mrs. Layton,
who took a motherly interest in the
lonely girl whom nobody kept in any
sort of order, deemed it best to take
her with the matrons in the landau,
sending ber own steadier girls in the
omnit is with the rest of the party.
She danced the first valse with Tom
Grainger, and saw that Captain Craw
ford had Mrs. Lord for a partner.'
Everybody who did not know was ask
ing everybody else the name of the wo
man in yellow satin and diamonds; and
all who did happen to know gave them
selves important airs in consequence.
In fact Mrs. Lord carried all before
her. and Captain Crawford did not ex
actly dance attendance on her, but fol
lowed lazily in her train of admirers.
A conviction began to force itself
en Ethel's mind that this ball would
not be the scene of unequaled pleasure
she had expected not for lack of part
nersshe always bad plenty of them;
but even a superfluity of partners is not
always sufficient for happiness. For
some time she conducted herself with
great propriety, returning to her chap
eron immediately after each dance.
Once she was rewarded, if she consid
ered it in that light, by Captain Craw
ford sitting down beside her and inquir
ing how she was enjoying herself, and
then ha strolled away to Mrs. Loid.
After this Ethel threw propriety to
the winds, and plunged into a frantic
flirtation with a weak-eyed and weaker
minded young man, whose bead she
completely turned by her smiles and
the liveliness of her conversation. Ethel
was routed out of a corner, where she
had been sitting for about a quarter of
an hour encouraging this unfortunate
youth to talk nonsense to her, by Cap
tain Crawford, who said a little satiri
cally "I'm sorry to disturb you Mws Itaine
but all our party are ready to go, and
Mrs. Layton Is looking for you."
Up jumped Ethel, and, with a cool
nod to ber victim, took Captain Craw
ford's arm, remarking gaily as they
went back to the ball room
"Now I shall get a wigging."
Ton my word. I think you deserve
it," he said dryly.
"Captain Crawford did not dance
with you at all, did he?" inquired
Flora, as she and ber sister paused at
Ethel's door to say good night.
"Of course he didn't," said Alice;
"be is a great deal too vain of his height
and bis tine Qgure to make himself ridic
ulous by (lancing with so small a per
son." "I got on very well without hiin,"
E'hel said, with a lit'le j.oss of her
head.
"He doesn't really care tor dancing,"
pursued Allcss "but be thinks he and
Mrs. Lord make such a handsome
couple that he does not object to show
ing off with ber."
"Oli, I'm sick of Mrs. Lord and her
smart gowns!" cried E .hel pettishly.
"Good night;"
Most of the party left the next day,
with the exception of Mrs, Lord, who
was going on to a bouse in the neigh
borhood on Monday, and Captain Craw
ford, who was to remain for a shooting
party on Wednesday and Thursday.
Ethel always came for an Indefinite
period. Mrs. Lord kept pretty strict
guard over Captain Crawford all day,
but went to her room to rest after tea
under the delusion that her captive was
safe in the smoking-room till dinner
time; but he appeared in the drawing
room ten minutes after she had left it.
"Will you come and play billiards
Miss lUine?"
Tea, I don't mind," Ethel said, her
tone very demure, but her eyes sparkl
ing. "Miss Alice ia coming to mark for
us. I hear you play very well."
"This is an honor unto which I was
not born," remarked Ethel, m a per
fectlv audible aside to Alice. "I fear I
shall collapse under the weight of it."
This little piece of satire reaching
his ears, Captain Crawford turned
round to look at her and laugh, as he
led the way to the hllliard-room. Ethel
could play billiards it was about the
only accomplishment she possessed
and she won the first game; but her
su cess elated her so much that her
spirits ran away with her, and she now
played so badly that her adversary took
her to task.
"Look here, Miss Itaine; next week
I'll give you a lesson every night. You
would play very well but you want bal
last in this as in everything you get
too excited."
"You are very kind. Suppose I
were to give you a lesson instead. You
would be a good player if you had a
little less ballast in that and everything
else. You are too much in the hab;t
of pretending you don't think anything
worth any trouble. The sense of your
own dignity weighs you down."
"I am greatly honored by your hav
mgstudied my character so attentive
ly," be said, much amused.
She flushed to the roots of her hair,
saying angrily
"I have never studied your character
It is written on every line of your face
It is revealed in every inflection of
your voice, in your every word or ges
ture." "It must be very unpleasant, seeing
the impression left is so bad.".
His voice was cold; and, having turn
ed away, Ethel did not see the smile on
his face. A shadow came over her
own; and, after a moments silence, she
said meekly, almost entreatingly
"I beg your pardon; I'm afraid I
was rude; I didn't mean to be."
"Oh, Ethel, yon goose!" murmured
Alice under her breath; but Captain
Crawford's somewhat cynical face
softened as it never did to Mrs. Lord,
though be only said ......
"Kudel I should think sotbutl don t
mind."
Mrs. Lord's face at dinner was rather
expressive when some allusion was
made to the billiard-p'ayiog.
"I'll give you a hint, Ethel," Alice
said, as they walked to church on Sun
day, Captain Crawford and the widow
being ever so far behind. "Mrs. Lord
is afraid of you."
"Flease don't!" said Ethel piteously.
"It is not kind of you to remind me of
the dreadful nonsense I talked the
other day. It was only a joke. 1 couldn't
cut out Mrs. Lord, and and I don't
wish to; and be really isnt so bad as
you said, at any rate," finished Ethel,
ber usual spirit suddenly regaining the
ascendency. "I couldn't be bothered
nndertaking'so hopeless a task as tak
ing him down."
Certainly, as long as Mrs. Lord wa3
in the bouse. It was a hopeless task, for
nobody got a chance of speaking to the
Captain, but whether this was the re
sult of bis admiration or her skilful
pertinacity it is not -easy to say. But
Mrs. Lord went away on the Monday,
her last words being addressed to Cap
tain Crawford.
"Yoa will be sure to come and see
me in London?"
"Oh, certainly, if I happen to find
myself there!" be replied; and then, as
she drove away, be said to Ethel, who
who had come out with the rest to see
ber depart
"I wonder bow much she spends on
her clothes?"
But Ethel would not be betrayed into
spitefulness.
"A gcod deil, I dare say and quite
right, if she has it. So much beauty
deserves a fine setting. How shad we
console you for her departure?" she
added saucily.
"If I tell you, will you undertake the
task?"
But he received no answer, for Ethel
bad followed the others in doors. The
house was full again the next day for
the shooting; but Captain Crawford did
not seem to find auy or the ladles suf
ficiently amusing to replace Mrs. Lord.
So the days slipped by. Oa Thursday
night Mrs. Layton, being late, sent
down a message that they were not to
wait dinner for her. Mr. Layton giv
ing bis arm to a dowager, requested the
others to follow as they pleased. Cap
tain Crawford, with more alarcrity
than was usual with him, immediately
offered his arm to Ethel, and even went
so far as to exert himself to be agreeable
during dinner; and Ethel made no sar
castic remarks on the honor done ber,
but listened to him with a happy smile.
"I am going away to morrow after
noon," he said presently. "May I call
on Mr. Kaino when I am in London?"
"He would be very glad to sea you,"
Ethel replied quietly.
Later in the evening she happened to
be alone in the inner drawing-rooc,
looking for some prints that somebody
wanted, when Captain Crawford fol
lowed her thither.
"Don't look for those things now.
Miss Eaine. I say; you said I might
come and see you in London,"
"I said you might come and see
grandpar-a," Ethel corrected demurely.
"I have known you ouly for ten days
but ten days in the same house together
constitutes a much more intimate ac
quaintanceship than ten years spent
within rralf a mile of each other. So
there's no good my waiting to speak.
You know me as well now as you would
after twenty years. I can't make flue
speeches; but I love you, Ethel. Will
ycube my wife?"
It ought to have touched her, a dec
laration of love so simple and straight
forward, and from a man that more
than one charming woman had tried to
captivate, in ram. For the few seconds
that be was speaking a struggle wa?
raging in her breast, though she stood
otpaujtijr with- -ttowucasi loe
demons of vanity and mischief con
quered, liaising her blue eyes won
deringly to his face, she said
"I am so sorry I How could I know
you were in earnest? I have always
heard indeed have seen for myself
you were such a flirt that it never oc
curred to me that your attentions were
serious."
He looked at her for a moment thun
derstruck, and then walked quietly out
of the room. A minute after she rush
ed out by another door, and escaped to
her room by a side-staircase. It was
late then, and everybody was saying
good night in the drawine-room; so
Ethel was not missel till Flora and
Alice, passing the door, bethought
themselves of her and went in. She
waa sitting ou the hsarthrug, with a
very woeful countenance, and was by
no means glad to see them.
"What do you want? I have a head
ache." she said petulantly,
"Have you, dear? You had better
go to bed quickly then," Flora said
kindly.
"I believe you are thinking of Cap
tain Crawford, and your failure with
regard to him," Alice laughed.
"I'm thinking of my success," Ethel
retorted, reflecting that, if she had paid
dearly for her triumph, she might as
well make the nicst of it. "He has
proposed to me, and I have refused
him."
But she rather spoilt the effect of the
announcement by bursting into tears.
Flora, who prided herself on having a
well-balanced mind and never allowing
her clear judgment to be dimmed by
foolish sentimentality, observed
"You had better have accepted blm;
you would have had your triumph just
the same in fact, a greater one; for,
as it is, I don't see how people are to
know anything about it."
Ethel continued crying, and said
nothing,
"I wouldn't distress nmelf about
it," said Alice soothingly." "He will
very soon get over it."
But this piece of consolation quite
failed.
"I dare sav he will." wailed Ethel.
"But it isn't that Oh, I am ashamed
of myself I Why did I ever make that
foolish, unwomanly resolve? Oh, why
did you allow me? What shall I dj?
What shall I do?"
"You see, wrong-doing always brings
its own punishment," said Flow sen
tentiously, thinking it an excellent op
portunity for a moral lesson.
But Ethel, far from showing her3elf
Inclined to profit by it, stopped crying
and turned on her fiercely.
'I wish you would co away; I hate
youl You are so self-righteous. You
are only fit to be the matron of a re
formatory. Do you never, never do
anything wrong?"
Alice, who was beginning to see how
the matter stood, went on another tack.
' "If yon knew Captain Craford as
well as I do, you would know that, if
be bad had the remotest, suspicion that
you were running after him, he would
never have cared for you. Besides,
though you talked so grandly, I have
never observed that you put your
schemes into practice. You were al
ways as meek as a mouse in Lis pres
ence, exactly like yourself."
"Oil, but I had the intention; it was
just as bad'."
And on this point Ethel took ber
stand, and would not be comforted; so
that Alice was obliged at last to leave
her still lamenting in a forlorn attitude
on the hearthrug, and with the appa
rent intention of continuing to do so
all night.
From her appearance, when she came
down to breakfast next morning, she
might have kept her long vigil. As
ill-luck would have it, the chair beside
her was the last one remaining vacant
when Captain Crawford appeared.
However, he was equal to the occasion
if she was not. He looked as cool and
nonchalent as ever, said "Good morn
ing" to her as if they bad been on the
easiest terms possible, looked after her
di-ring breakfast, and even occasionally
addressed his conversation to her. He
w3 so precisely the same as usual that
poor little Ethel's nervous changes
of color and ber utter inability to swal
lev a niorsal passed unnoticed.
The whole party rode or drove to the
rnest in the neighborhood. Even Cap
tain Crawford, who was going to leave
by an afternoon tram, went in for haJ
a days hunting. Alice and Ethel were
left at home the former because ber
pony was lame, the latter because she
professed to be nn willing to leave her
fraud alone all day, as everybody was
going to lunch at the house where the
meet was. In spite, however, of her
anxiety concerning her friend, Ethel
did not take much pains to make her
nfreiy agreeable to her. She was
moody, not to say sulky, scowled if
Ah ventcred to mention Captain
Crawford, and yet declined to talk of
any one else, and was, in fact, so un
pleasant that Alice resolved in her own
mind the advisibility of leaving ber to
herself and going out for a walk on
her own account. lie fleeting however
that this might be uncivil, she sugges
ted that Ethel should accompany her.
Tliat young lady according to the pro
powl with a dismal resignation that
was by no means encouraging, they
started in solemn silence soon after the
luncheon.
The exquisite peace that lay upon
everything could not fail to exercise a
soothing effect even on the most ruffled
temir, so Ethel became more amiable
If scarcely more cheerful l'resently
they spied on the top of a high bank
tLut ran along the road they were walk
in? cn, a quantity of snowdrops, the
first of the year. With an exclamation
of delight, Alice climbed up the bank,
whither Ethel followed her, aud both
set to work to pick the flowers. While
they were thus occupied, the stillness
of the air was suddenly broken by the
sound of horses' hoofs coming lapidly
along.
"Our party must be returning; they
are very early," Alice remarked.
"There is only one," Ethel said; and
then, her tone suddenly changing "It
is Captain Crawford."
The next moment be had reined up
his horse on the roal close to them.
"I am afraid I shall miss my train,'
he said. "Do you know what o'clock
it is? My watch has stopped."
While Alice waa taking out ber
watch to reply to his question, be look
ed for the first time at Ethel, and, as
his glance rested on her, all the anger
and bitterness he had been cherishing
against her died out of his heart in spite
of himself. She made an exquisite pic
tue standing there on the green bank,
wi'.a a slight background of brambles
and leafless bazel-bushej, ber hands
full of snowdrops; her golden hair aud
fair face now set off to the best advan
t5e by her little black fur cap and tip
pit. Her eyes were hidden by their
1-? '-ishM, for she bad not courage to
1.uen ' For a moment be fooktd,
and then turned resolutely away.
: "A quarter-past three, do you say?
I shall only just do it. Let me see.
My shortest way will be to jump into
that field, and so across to the farm."
"Wail a minutel" cried Alice. "The
bank is rotten just here on this side."
It was too late. The top of the bank
was reached in safety ; but, in leaving
it, the horse's bind feet caused the earth
to give way, aud, before the frightened
girls quite knew what had happened,
Captain Crawford was lying motionless
at the edge of the ditch, and the horse
having struggled to his feet, was career
ing wildly over the field. It was the
work of a moment to scramble down,
Kud Ethel flung herself down upon her
knees beside him, crying wildly
"He is dead oh, be is dead!"
Alice, though hardly less terrified,
was more collected.
"I w ll run for help; aud you, Ethel,
untie his cravat I know that is the
right thing to do and then dip your
handkerchief in the water that is In the
ditch, and bathe bis face."
With these directions, Alice hurried
away in search of assisteuce, while
Ethel, with trembling fiuiers, endeav
ored to carry them out. Having done
so without any result, she abandoned
herself to grief, and wept bitterly for
seme minutes. Suddenly Captain Craw
ford opened his eyes and regarded her
curiously.
"Pray don't distress yourself on my
account, Miss Itaine," he said a little
faintly. "I am not hurt; I was only
stunned."
Bat Ethel, who in her excited state
of mind hardly knew what siie wa3 say
ing, cried out passionately
"O i, Captain Crawford, forgive me,
for the way I treated you yesterday! I
am so sorry, and and it wasu'ttrue."
It was a rather incoherent speech;
tut Captain Crawford seemed to uu
derstanl it; for he took ter hands in
his. looked for a moment Into her little
tea; -stained face, and then leaned for
ward and kissed it.
In the capacity of bridesmaid Allc?
Layton assisted at the wedding, but
veii then could not help expressing in
most unflattering terms, her private
opinion of the bridegroom to her fellow-bridesmaids,
and regretted to the
end of her life that EUiel had so speed
ily atoned for having"taken him down."
Africa's Xcw State.
Of those who speculate on the future
of the Congo State very few realize that
they are speaking of a region more than
one-third the size of Europe. Yet such
is actually .the case. The basin of the
Congo extend3 eastward across more
than three fourths of the African con
tinent, while to the north and south it
stretches from the fifth parallel of north
ern to the tenth of southern latitude.
With a length of 1,400 miles and a
breadth of 1,200 it contains an area of
1,300,000 square miles and a population
of 40,000,000. Mere space, indeed,
counts for little in estimating the value
o f a new colony. The whole breadth
of Northern Siberia is probably worth
leu than a few square miles of Mel
bourne or Singapore. But the Congo,
flowing for 2.900 miles through one of
the most fertile regions in tha world,
where every tropical product that can
be named is" found in abundance, offers
a bounteous harvest of grain to those
who can support the trying climate of
equatorial Africa, and who are willing
to do their best in putting dowa that
baneful slave trade wherewith the
Arabs of Zanzibar on the east and the
Fortnguese of Angola on the west,
sacrificing three or four human lives
for every slave captured by them, have
so long devastated one of the finest
regions of the. whole continent.
STAGING IX THE HILLS.
Taking a Trip by Stage to the City of
Dead wood.
The name of Dead wood, a city that
Is stdl in the "will West" in pite of
rue rapid improvements thirty years
have seen west of the Mississippi, is
iamutar to many peopU who know
nothing whatever of it except that it
lies somewhere out in the mining
regions.
. Traveling from the East, it cjji be
reached within one hundred milet by
rail ; tbo remainder of the distance
must be taken by stage. The railroad
ends at Buffalo Gap Six horses, carrv
big a stage coach with three seats in it.
await the Dead wood traveler. If there
are more than six passengers and any
or triemare inclined to obesity, there is
apt to be a lack of comfort.
If it is during the spring orautum
rains, there is much loltine and rareful
driving, and perhaps some seasickness
among the passengers.
In the bitter winter weather, warm
wraps, furs and heated soapuones an
necessary. I'ertians the ride is most
delightful In the autumn, when there is
golden morn, and lazy winds and a
cloud of purple naze in the west.
The one hundred miles are traveled
in thirty-six hours or thereabout. Every
ten miles the horses are changed, and
every twenty the drivers change.
The stations are simply large barns
where tue horses are kept, lheseare
as well trained, and enter into their
task with as much spirit and seeming
ccngnt as the horses of Ore departments
in cities, iney grow to be familiar
with every step f the journey and
know their driver as children know a
parent. The coach stops for meals at
regular stations, three times a day,
Ouite an excited interest is visible at
all the towns passed through. The com
ing of the stage, with its galloping
horses, its air of mystery and restless
ness and the charm of knowing it has
come from the outside world, which,
like Rasselas in his valley, every one
envies to be in occasionally, is quite an
event in tue lives of the village people.
C'asar in his commentaries, s peaks of
the inhabitants of inner Gaul gather
ing around the merchants wheu they
came to trade, and asking questions in
numerable. The merchants were often
tempted to exaggerate and sometimes
to invent stories of the outside world,
which temptation they often yielded to.
and were eagerly believed by the Gauls.
So the stage coach driver after answer
ing many questions to suit himself amid
the admiring gaze of the populace, with
a flourish of his whip, a word to his
horses, is gone. Gone for a wild ride
over dangerous roads, now wind
iug along a mountaiu path, low be
tweeu rocks, now along a river bank.
and again out iuto the level mesa-like
stretch, that seems to reach in infinite
distances on every baud. The drivers
find their work to possess a strange fas
cination. Xo stage driver ever feels
content to go back to the tame life of a
town dweller. Each one of them has
bis reputation aud is known by his
peculiar craracteri5tics all along the
route, in me lower part Mine stage,
under the seats, is a place for baggage,
much like the hold in a ship. . The trip
is worth taking, especially in spring or
autumn, when the driver u glad to
give a share of his seat for at least a
few hours each day or night.
Deadwood is a very pretty town hem
med in by mountains. It is in the ex
treme western part of Dakota, not far
from its boundary Hue. It U only 230
miles from the Yellowstone Park, and
is surrounded by mountains upon every
baud. Some valuable gold and silver
mines are located near the town.
The engineer's Story.
They were gathered in the office tell
ing railroad yarns. Colonel Bob Leach
was one of the party. "Gentlemen,"
said he, "I don't know how fast an
engine can travel, but I'll give you an
idea of how fast one did go. During
the war I ran a scouting engine for the
Confederate Government. It was my
duty to carry a telegraph operator, who
at different points would cut the wires
and seud dispatches. We were running
at a rapid rate ono day, when upon
rounding a curve I saw a thousand gun-
ban els blaze in the sunlight. I also saw
that a number of cross ties had been
piled on the track. To stop in time was
an impossibility; to go on seemed cer
tain death, for even if we escaped being
killed by the wrecking of the engine we
would be shot to death, for we were re
garded as spies. 1 decided in a second
what to do. Telling my companion to
lie down in the tender, I seized the
throttle, and, in locomotive parlance,
threw ber whleopon. The engine jump
ed like a rabbit. 1 threw myself flat in
the tender, expecting every second to be
burled to an awful death. Bang, bang,
bang went the guns. Then all was si
lent, save the whir, whir of the wheels.
Could it be possible that the engine bad
knocked off the obstructions? 1 arcse
and looked out. We had passed the
enemy and bad scattered the ties. My
companion, as much astonished as my
self, got up. I looked back, and just
above the tender I saw what I took to
he a swarm of big black flies. I reached
out and took hold of one. Gracious! I
then discovered what they were. They
were a shower of bullets that the ene
my bad fired after us. Well, we ran
along at this rate until the bullets all
fell behind. Then we slacked up." The
gentlemen looked at one another, but
no one disputed the statement.
Millions of Acres Involved.
A very important land suit has been
decided by the District Court of (Bexar)
county, Texas which establishes the
title to several million acres of land in
Texas. The suit, a test case, was
brought to recover lands embraced In
what is known as the "Eleven League
Grant," This was one of the smallest
cf ever fifty grants of large sections of
land made Ly the state or Loahuiia
and Texas while Texas was a part of
the Mexican Republic. The Texas
Mexican Railroad Company located its
subsidy certificates on land claimed by
he defendants and asked for a writ of
mandamus to have the land surveyed.
This brought the question of title to a
direct issue ani every land bolder in
half a dozen counties was interested,
as the combined grants aggregate an
area beside which the famous Cali
fornia-Spanish grants are Insignificant
in extent. Judge Xoonan decided in
favor of the defendants, thus confirm
ing the Coahuila grants.
Street obstructions in London, it ia
said, are not tolerated at all. Even
drinking fountains and letter boxes at
tached to lamp posts being opposed.
A QUEER WISH.
A Dying Man Asks for Cabbage, Eats
It Raw, and Recovers.
Mrs. Rose Terrr Cook tells a storv oi
a hospital patient whose life was saved
after be bad lain, apparently, ac Pie
point of death for soma tima. He
could not speak above a whisper and
the doctor, pitiful of bis helpless condv
tion, stooped over him and said:
"Patrick, is there anything you want
that I can get you?"
In a whisper so weak and hoarse as
to be inaudible unless the doctor put
bis ear down to the trembling lips, the
dying man answered:
"Cabbage."
The doctor could not believe bis ears.
"Did you say cabbage?" be asked, in-
creauLousiy.
"I did," was the faint whisper.
"Cooked or raw?" asked the aston
ished doctor.
"Raw," murmured Patrick.
The doctor stood agliast. However,
he reflected that Pat was dying, and
that nothing could kill or cure him
now; it seemed a kindly thing to f ultil
his last wishes, so he went out into the
garden, and cutting a large, fresh cab
bage, divided it into quarters and laid
one of the sections close to Patrick's
lips, guided his helpless hand into a
place that propped the cabbage up
against his mouth, and then Dr. C. sat
down to watch this extraordinary
patient. Slowly Ihe cabbage disap
peared; the Irishman's eyes brightened
during the process, and a shade more of
lire pervaded his countenance. As the
last fragment was swallowed he said;
"morel" in quite an audible toue. but
the doctor made him wait a few
moments before the second quarter was
laid in position and eatrerlv received.
To curtail my story, in the course of
the day Patrick ate all the good part of
a large cabbage, began to get well from
that time, and In a week or two left the
hospital and went to work.
Traveling in Persia.
It one bad plenty of time at one's
disposal, and wished to thoroughly
explore the country, and could travel
with one's tents, servants, horses, etc..
no doubt caravan traveling would offer
the pleasanter mode of progression. But
as these rarely obtain, "chupper" travel
ing is adopted all but universally, and
is the method we followed from one end
cf Persia to the other. It would be
distinctly false to say that "chupper-
ing" in 1'ersla is a delightful occupa
tion. Let me take a sample day: You
are up at six, with an eigbty-miie ride
in three stages before you. The horses
are brought out, and you see their
backs covered with sores to a detrree
that makes you feel quite sick. Xever
theless, the saddles are put on, and off
you go. The poor beasts go pretty
wen, pernapa, ror tue first few miles;
men yoa una that your saddle has
shifted, and you have to get off to put it
right, liv that time the animals begin
to be tired, and whip and spur have to be
runuessiy apphed, for you must get on.
The Persian whip is a fearful instru
ment of torture. It has a short bandie
like a dog whip, with a long throng, at
tue end or which are great leather flaps.
It Is used much as a flail would be, and
resounds mercilessly and incessantly on
the horses' flanks. One canters on over
a bad road covered with loose stones.
uddenly there is a cry, and oue of the
party is down, the horse going over like
a log. We halt, dismouut. and pick
him up. Xo bones are broken, and a
stiff glass of whiskey counteracts the
shaking. We go ou, but each with the
conviction, hanging like a sword of
Damocles over his head, that It will hi
his turn next; and so we reach the end
of our first stage. There we find that
the horses to take us on have only just
come in from a twenty-five-mile stage.
and arter feeding them we have per
force to mount their tired backs. If
the begihning was bad, what thus
remains behind is much worse. And
so eventually we get to our journey's
end for the day, late and tired, with
the feelings of a savage and the temper
of a bear. Our lodging is in a chupptr-
kbana, inferior in cleanliness to an
Irish cabin; our bed is a bag stuffed for
the night with straw, on which we
sleep as best we can. haunted by the
nightmare of many similar days to fol
low. Foreign Lit"? at Washington.
It is a curious thing that the capital
of the United States should be more like
a foreign city than any other town in
this country. It is a great place for
people who have lived in Europe for a
great many years to set up their house
holds. It is a kind of brake which
geny lets them down from the Intoxi
cation of European life to the dead level
of an American commercial city. This
class of returned tourists make up
much of the winter population of Wash
ington and being as a rule both rich
and idle, they add much to its charm.
nowhere on this continent is there so
much leisure as in Washington. Every
thing like work begins at 0 o'clock and
ends at 4. Then, unlike other great
cities, the workers do not have to tra
verse the whole length and breadth of
the town to get to their homes. The
publk workshops are all central it U
not far from man s work to bis home.
The shorter hours of work which pre
vail in foreign cities are a continual
marvel to the American. Thehdea of a
man of business making his first appear
ance at bis office at 19 o'clock in the
morning, then taking a big slice off at
noon just the most valuable part of the
working day and then quitting about
the time the American gets fairly
warmed up to hi? work, is certainly
very surprising. But It becomes more
so when be goes to Washington and
finds that after 4 o'clock all the town Is
at leisure. It is true that the higher
cff.cia!t have longer working hours and
the cabinet officers are driven to death
f they mind their business, but the
average worker 'ices bis eight hours
work, and then leaves off. with two
hours of daylight before him even in
winter.
Then for that fraction of the world
known as "society,' the hours are fixed
and invariable, and this, too, conduces
to the economy of tune. One is in no
danger of having a whole day, from
noon to twilight, monopolized by a
string of inconsequential visitors. Xo
body visits before 2, and nobody versed
in Washington society before J, ana at
5:30 it is ali over. All oEcial houses
and nearly all private ones have a day
for receiving, so that each individual
has six days in which to labor and do
all be or she has to do. Is it a wonder
that this easy, well-ordered life charms
people to Washington, and, getticg
them there, keepj them?
NEWS IX BRIEF.
A College cf Music is about to be
built in Paris.
Thieves have recently been trouble
some at Xewport.
Silver is scarcer than gold in the
Xevada mining camps.
Cincinnati makes two-thirds of the
coffins used in the South.
A railroad is to be built to the top
of Pike's Peak, Colorado.
The late L. M. Hill, of Georgia,
made $700,000 by farming.
President Darling, of namilton
Collego has recovered his health.
Ex-Senator Tabor has bought 525o
000 worth of copper lands in Texas.
By law in Atkansas no saloon can
be built within 010 rods of a church.
There are twice as many sheep In
the United States as in Great britain
Nine Cherokee Indians have estab
lished a national bank in the territory.
It is probable that women will
soon le granted the franchise in
Canada.
A house built entirely of petrified
logs is among the curiosities of Southern
Nevada.
The trade dollar has turned np in
Cincinnati, and is now in circulation
iu that city.
Mackerel fishing has improved
wonderfully of late around Prince
Edward Island.
The United Stales has 113.940
miles of the 550,000 miles of telegraph
bnes in the world.
It is stated that three times around
an elephant's front hoot is exactly the
measure of his height.
Each man, woman and child in
Tans last year, is credited with having
drank 47 gallons of wine.
In Louisiana rum is made from
sweet potatoes. Seveu barrels of pota
toes yield a b.irrel of nun,
The prospect of having yi street
railway has made the people of Bur
lington, VL, quite jubilant.
Mluuie Hank, says a correspondent
flies the American flag daily, rain or
shine, over her castle iu Switzerland.
Gas has lcn found in Buffalo at a
depth f J O feet. The quantity is not
si Hi -ient for manufacturing purposes.
The Italian tiobiemau wiio wagered
that he would cover 31,050 miles on
French mil ways In l0 days has won his
wager.
Swinging signs, uuder a recently
enforced ordinance, have pretty well
disappeared from the streets of Dallas,
Texas.
The Massachusetts Democratic
Slate Committee has issued a consola
tory address to the faithful who voted
for Butler.
In one year Troy, X. Y., manu
factures thirty-six million linen collars
besides nearly three and one-lialf mil
lion shiit-4.
There aie ouly twenty-five Repub
licans and Independents in the Mis
sissippi Legislature. There are 130
Demociats.
Wheat shiar-venls from California,
Oregon and Washington Territory give
employment annually to more thau 400
sailing vessels.
The sugar crop iu Germany accord
ing to private advices is 3 per cent
larger than List year, which was the
greatest on record.
Piiiice Xapoleon's oldest son has
been suddenly called to France from
his studies at Cheltenham College by
the conscription.
The government stamped envelope
woiks at Hartford are running thirteen
hours a day, and made over 00,000,000
envelopes last mmth.
Over 700 different works have thus
far been published in Germany on
vegetarianism, in addition to a monthly
magazine On the subject.
A one-hundreJ-year-oid carriage in
which President Monroe once rode,
went for J7.2. at a Vergennes, Ver
mont, auction the other day.
There i3 great excitement at and
about Lisbon, R insoui county, Dakota,
over reported gold discoveries in the
alley of tte Cheyenne river.
A Xewburg, X. Y. man. has 200
different rort of apples grafted upon one
tree. One hundred and thirty-seven of
them were In bearing last year.
The authorities of Boston have
begun enforcing a law of many years'
standing, requiring the closing of bake
t hops at uine o'clock on Sundays.
A leading society lady at the Cat-
skills ia tbe happy possessor of 177 dif
ferent costumes, 11 trunks, two poodles
and three maids; also a husband.
Tandem racing Is becoming popu
lar among the young English sporting
nieu. une or the nurses is ridden and
the other driven from the saddle.
The enormous ranche in Mexico
recently purchased for 200,000 by a
syndicate of English and Scotch
siiecnlators, extends over 1,000 squar
miles.
Covington, La is said to be with
out a single Hebrew resident, and the
.furmr, published in that county.
thinks few other towns can say the
sune thine. '
After an absence of several years
the buffaloes are returning to the plains
ut Xorth Texas again aud will likely
remain if protected Horn wanton de
struction. Between 2000 and 3000 Chinamen
t is estimated, and a large number of
Indians from the surrounding country.
are engaged in picking bops in Sacra
mento couuty, Cal.
Owing to the frequent publications
on the subject in the newspapers, that
class of confidence game swindlers
known as "bunko sharps" have met
with numerous defeats lately.
The Piute Indians of Xevada com
plain of the new railroad regulations,
which require that they should pay
freight for the game they catch and
kill. The roads have been carrying
their game without charge.
Senators Morgan, of Alabama,
M.iler, of California, and Logan, and
Gen. Diaz and others, have organized a
company for the use of petroleum as
fuel In metallurgy, Mr. Morgan having
invented a men as ot doing so.
London papers, at tbe request of
the High Commissioner for Canada, are
giving publicity to a notice stating that
"female domes'. ic3 are wanted in ail
parts cf tbe Dominion," and that
enough navvies' caunot be obtained
for railroad work.
Rev. Dr. Alexander Maclaren. the
famous Baptist preacher of Manchester,
Eng.. is tall and thin. His hair is gray.
his voice high and sharp, but plaintive.
und his manner nervous. He wears
spectacles, but dresses in most nn
ecclesiastical garb, disdaining even a
white cravau
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