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f 1 I ! M 111 111 1 III I M 1 14
B. F. SCHWEIER,
THE OOXSTITUnOI-THE UHOI AID TIE EH0E0EME3T OP TEE LAYS.
Editor and Proprietor.
VOL. XL.
MIFFLINTOAVN, JUNIATA COUNTY. PENNA.. WEDNESDAY. MARCH 17, ISSG.
NO. 12.
J
hInt, Koy.s Make Men.
,. r.. -i" rafd urchin
.':s:m!iutl.i- T1.
vr t lan hire r.d fort,
U' '! hv tut cMM unhealing:
M-uk,:.,, when
npov-u ! ":
B .,, if' lvs u:ake lueu.
M the -'t -y-";tl!f'1 "I'iriU
Owrfcwi!! l.vwi freak,
rronrcliua in s" accent.
lin-ait wr ia y.a-.h.u. bosoms
Ssl,of teii.'.n uierci.-s, then
, will prow an 1 hear goc-l fruitage
1 VUen ilif erring l"--y.s are m,-n.
0. WTca ?ver -rn a sran-lsiw
ttitii kis as'.-w h joy.
p-e -o mini s,-:ue act of kin.lucsi
"ietkins to liim a lo?
nr'rrV iac "r .dnesa.
Witha'bwa- all ctoiide.1. hen
.jai tLcy were two thoughtless
Tieai-m'.KT lya make men?
trtiutrv Ma.I.t TJe fVasirei
rotke'ilf" Y .
r,rMolii'!iiM t-n-lr-r merest
In i:ss rros an.! rs i y
Call your ll'-vs 1 y ,:s ljri-lltUfSS:
ThVll aroi't a slo-miy 'len,
1. JhU I'.t .-..:!.: elsewhere
r I'1'. make men.
THE ??T0I:V OF A SUMMER.
I WOiluC'i
ly tvio iu the world w.is
.r.ruliii i'vaj I wosou the day that
ttz"h ?-.vm ;'s'i;t'J me t0 lie nis wite?
Foralong I::!'' 1 had known that he
'oveJ me at lea-a had allowed mjself
tow.mler sometime if such supreme
jjjj-juisos could In? in store far ni; but
on'tliis day my vague hopes !;ad all
teen n-alifil. :;:i:l I the proud c in
soiouies of knowing that out of all
tW oi'it ho had !. mo. Ma'gi
Acair. 1 knew th..t it would be a grand
Mto'dforuie, that he was the owner
cf a ur-v prosily, and was the yotinj
sj!,i:euftl'.e jieigiiburhood; but, if lie
Lid Keu H.'nniU'S3 and unknown, 1
think U3' love for liim would have been
just as great and my triumph in having
,n liiia as perfeot
It ;.s :iisiit, and I had gone up to
my own room, nud was leaning out of
Bt wit-low, looking up at the far
bn';i:t stats, while the wind of the soft
spring night I 'ew into myface. 1 think
ilere is souieihi;!g solemn in a great
joy; and I felt almo-t depressed as I
stod there quite still, with the scent of
tie Cowers coming up from the garden
beneath, and the moon shining down
on tlie r,ui;-t scene. What if anything
shouM hapisen t J Hugh or nie, anyth"uii
teat stou'.J separate us? The tlio.uht
struck me like a knife; anl just then
an owl Hew past, hooting dismallv, and
I turned away shuddering. Was it
an paen f evil?
Ah, that was a happy time, those
lorut bright spring days, when Hugh
asd 1 v.eie always togetberl We neith
er of us had many rel Hives to whom to
itUthe i:es. lie had only an aunt
and two cousins, and I had only my
mother. Since I was a little child she
asd I had lived at Feruside Cottage.
How heartily she rejoiced with me!
" Haw loving'y he entered into all our
plan? for the future, and with what
tecderr.efs she advised me as to how I
was to act when no longer under her
control! Xo one can ever be to me
wLat she was; and now, when I have
lost her, J feel more keenly every day
that her place can never be filled up.
But I never thought then of the pos
sibility of any sorrow coming to me;
my who'.e soul was given up to the joy
of the n-.ouient.
Every uioruing I watched from the
window the approach of the tall gal
lant figure and handsome face of my
lover; and then our days were spent in
in a delicious dreamy idleness, some
times wandering through the fields and
woods, or sitting under a tree while he
read to me and I worked.
His chief pleasure was to take me to
his own home and show me the stately
house where I was soon to reign as mis
tress. I never felt so insignificant as
in the, grand old jooms 'and in the
cloomy picture-gallery, where the por
traits of the Seymours of long ago look
ed down in haughty disapproval, it al
ways seemed to me; on Hugh's choice.
'Iluuh, are you ever sorry that I am
such a little thing?" I asked him one
day, as we stood before a painting of a
court beauty of the reign of Charles II,
whose proud dark eyes seemed to look
at me with unutterable disdain; and
his only answer was to draw mo to him
fondly and whisper
"My Matrgie, to me you are more
beautiful than any other woman in the
world;" and I was content.
It was about a week after this that
Ilujh told us his aunt, Mrs. IILUiard,
and her daughter Blanche were com
ing to stay with him for a few days.
"I did not know you expected them,"
I said rather reproachfully, for I felt
hurt that he had not told me.
"Xor did I," he answered, laughing.
"In fact, they asked themselves; but
of course my aunt know3 she is wel
come." lie tried to speak unconcernedly;but
I, who knew him so well, saw that be
was not pleased, and felt a secret satis
faction knowing it.
I was beginning to find out what I
had not discovered before that I was
horribly jealous, that the Idea of any
other woman's sharing Hugh's society
or re:eiving any of the sunny glances
of his gray eyes except myself was tor
ture to me. ilow bitterly 1 repented of
icy overweening jealousy when it was
too late no one can ever know but my
self. The guests were to arrive on Satur
day evening; and I first saw them in
church on the following day. It was a
glowing day in June, tiie rich foliage
of the trees standing out distinct and
still, without a breeze to ruffle it,
against the dazzling blue of the sky,
and the chrniss of the Sabbath bells
sounding clear and sweet in the dis
tance. The church was a small old
fashioned building covered with ivy
hut with a glorious stained-glass win
now that I had loved lrom a child, aud
that even now tilled me with a wonder
ful peace whenever I looked at it.
Ti-.e organist was playing as wo en
tered, and the lema music stole into
niy he at like balm and drove out all
the jealous tears that had been troub
ling me. As I rose from my knees, I
turned my eyes towards Hugh's seat,
and almost started at the dazzling
Tisioa that met my view.
Standing beside him was the most
beautiful girl I had ever seen; her tall
supple figure was dressed in white, and
the robes swept round fcer like the
robes of a queen. Her dark clear-cat
face was turned to me. and the bril
liant eyes seemed to pierce me through
and through. For a minute wb gazed
at each other, as if fascinated. I saw
that she recognized me, and I noticed
that a wave of conflicting emotion pass
ed over her race; but so quickly did she
regain her self-p.ssession that I had
hardly time to notice it when her face
assumed an air of indolent hmrmtr
which I judged to be its habitual ex
pression and greate.-t charm. I did
uoi meet ner eyes again during the
service; but a sine instinct told me that
in iiauc!ie lii.iiard 1 had au impl
caiieenemy;ati.l a jealous pang shot
uiroui;ii me as I saw her whisper fa-
imiiariy w M:r Hugh, while he smiled
down ou her with that look I knew so
wen, which I considered should be be
stowed only on me.
l lie sermon came to an end at last
and we all uioved out of church with
the dignity of mast congregations
vyu.iue mis" au i uis guesu were
waning lor us, and he introduced Mrs,
Hilliard and lier daughter to mv moth
er and me. I felt my own deBcieucies
lerrimy as 1 stood there, an msimifi
cant little figure m blue musiin, beside
uiancue iiiinard's stately height and
lauiuesa autre. iut uugirs eyes
gated down on me with the love-light
shining in them, and once more I was
happy.
A tortitight passed away and thev
showed no signs of going yet; and I was
s.riiggiing nara to make myself be
lieve that I was happy, that I had no
cause to b otherwise. But it would
not do. Day by day I saw that mv
love was g ing from me, that Ulanche
UiHiard's beauty had fascinated him.
and that my brief dream of happiness
w;is over. When we were alone, he
wa-i just the same as he had always
been; but we were seldom together now
though I was constantly at the Chase.
Mr. II illiard professed to have taken
a great fancy to me, and would send
for me every da ; aad it was her cus
tom to seat heiself beside me after din
nerand engage me in conversation.
while Ulanche strolled through the
open window t the broad terrace and
was joined by Hugh.
hat torture I endured, sittini
there cutwardly so calm, with the sound
cf the voices outside striking on my
ear, Blanche's sott laugniiKe the chime
of silver bells blending with Hugh's
deep tones! I rarely listened to Mrs,
Ililliard'a conversation, but on this
evening she said something that rivet
ed ray attention. We were speaking
of B'anche, and I had forced myself to
praise her beauty for she did look
beautiful on that night in a flowing
black dress and massive gold orna
ments. Ves. poor child," her mother said,
sighing, "she Is very handsome; but
her life lias been blighted.'
'In what way?'' I asked absently.
"Well. I know I may confide In you,"
was her anwer. "Hut the fact is that
some years ago she and dear Hugh was
very fond of each other, and were en-
-gazed t) be married; but, owing to
some foolish quarrel, it was broken off,
and she has never cared for any one
since."
The words startled me terribly; aud
just then the pair we were speaking
or passd the window, and I saw
Tranche's fair face turned up to Hugh's
with an expression on it that a woman's
face wears only when she looks at the
man she loves. -Was it possible that
he loved her. that I was the barrier be
t ween them? I turned faint at the
thought; but I was determined that no
sign of my emotion should appear; par
ticularly as I saw the old lady watch
ing me with sharp inquisitive eyes.
"It was very unfortunate that any
thing should have separated them," 1
managed to say coldly.
"Very indeed," she answered sharp
ly. "You have no Idea how attached
to her Hugh was; he was quite beside
himself when she broke it oft for it
was all her doing. I never thought he
would have looked at any one again;
but I was mistaken, a? he is to marry
you."
"Yes," I answered quietly.
I could say no more; my head was
reeling, my heart was bursting. It was
all quite clear to me now; he had only
fancied himself In love with me, while
all the time his heart was given to
Blanche; and now he was too honorable
to tell me so.
"How they must both hate me!" I
thought bitterly. But I would be no
bar to their happiness. On the mor
row I would tell Hugh that 1 had dis
covered his secret, and release him
from his engagement; but this evening
I must think it all over, and try to re
alize my misery and force myself to
calmness. I told Mrs. Hilliard that I
did not feel well, and would go home
with one of the servants, without say
ing anything to the others; and, after
a few feeble remonstrances from her, I
managed to get away, and hurried
swiftly across the wide park, flooded
with moonlight, which cast weird
shadows of the trees upon the grass,
and invested the scene with a mysteri
ous unreal charm that would have d
lighted me at any other time; but now
I had no thought for anything but the
misery that overwhelmed me.
In the Eolitude of my room I sat down
to think it all . out and plan what I
should do. Hugh had arranged to
meet me at our favorite haunt in the
weod on the following day; and I de
termined to tell him then what I had
discovered and release him from his
promise to me. I planned how I would
act, how brave and firm I would be,
how calmly I would utter the words
that were to part us for ever; and, even
while I thought, a vision cf my love in
all the pride of his strength and beauty
rose up before me, and I could do noth
ing but fling myself down and sob mis
erably till sleep came to my relief.
The morning broke brilliant and still
the whole earth rejoicing in the beauty
of the new day. .... ,. .
It was July now, and. while we lived
at home in peace, a deadly struggle was
being fought out in the fair land or
France. And still the sun shone as
brightly, and all nature smiled In beauty
and plenty, as if nothing but peace was
in the laud. I was not thinking of
these things as I took my way to the
wood through the summer warmth and
stillness. With the seWshnesa i that is
part of our nature, all troubles and
sorrows seemed to me as nothing com-
wiffi mv turn
I walked on swiftly, and reached the
meeting-place, a lovely shady spot m
3? depths of the wood.
dreaded to raise my eyes, lest I should
see Hugh standing waitingfor me, as I
tod often seen him, and my resolu
tions might fail. But, for the first
time he was not there before myself
and I thought, with a bitter pang, that
?n the charm of -Blanche's
had forgotten the hour IseaW my
self on the fallen trunk of a tree ana
Prepared to wait patiently for his com-
lDI had not sat there very long when I
heard footsteps approaching; and. look
in! upY saw to my surprise Blanche
HuUard coming towards me. She bad
taken off her hat,' and was swinging it
in her hand. She showed no surprise
at seeing me there, but sat down lie
side me and began to talk on indtffer
eut subjects. I could not listen to her
I was in a fever of anxiety for Hugh's
arrival, and, aft r a little time I saw
that she was lit at ease, that she evi
dently had something of importance to
say.
"I know you expected to meet Hugh"
she said at length; "but he was obliged
to go to London this morning on busi
ness." "Did he leave no message for me?"
I asked, quite unable to control the un
steadiness of my voice.
"Oh, yes!" she answered carelessly.
He told me to tell you he bad gone."
"lint, he should have told me him
self f I said passionately, and then
stopped short, for I was determined
not to give her the satisfaction of see
ing that I cared; and I knew she was
watching me keenly.
"Well, I suppose he knew that best
himself," she replied coldly. "I can
ottly give you the" message he left with
m:" and then we both sat silent.
I knew she had come there Tor a pur
pose, and 1 waited to hear what It was.
Ky no word or look of mine should she
receive any encouragement. She mov
ed restlessly two or t'tree times, and,
turning her head away from me, began
In a low unsteady voice, strangely un
like her usual dear full tones.
"My mother told me," she said,
"t'.iat she spoke to you last night about
au engagement that once existed be
tween Hugh aud me."
'"Yes," I answered quietly. I knew
now what was coming, and bad braced
myself to bear it without flinching.
Mie went on hurriedly, after a pause,
as if she wanted to get her task over
quickly.
"I suppose she told you how it was
broken off; and of course, when we
came here, we knew he was to marry
you."
"Yes," I said again it was the only
word I could utter. My brain was
reeling, and her voice sounded a long
way off; but I sat calm and still, wail
ing for what I well knew was coming.
1 was not prepared for her next move.
She suddenly threw herself upon her
knees before me, and, raising her eyes
streaming witn tears, shesoooed out
"Oil, Maggie, ve love each other
still! You will release him Trom his
promise you will let him come back to
me? ou can't lore him as I do, as I
have done for years!"
Not love him as she did! The words
made me almost smile in my misery.
"Do you think," I said proudly,
"that I would not marry any man who
did not love mer If so, you are mis
taken; you need uot bo the least afraid
of my being a bar to your happiness.
1 ou can tell your lover that I release
him freely from Lis engagement, and I
wish him all the success he deserves "
She still crouched at my feet, and, as
I looked down on her, I acknowledged
'her to be a beautiful woman and a
finished actress, and, as such. I admir
ed her. Bur I felt I could have slain
her as she knelt there, so unlike her
usual proud salt, so humble and tear
ful aud passionate, . .
Maggie you are not ang-sr?" bo
asked. "Will you forgive me ior what
I have done? 'Remember be loved me
before he saw you."
"I am not likely t3 forget it," I said
bitterly. "Of course I am not angry
with you; you are perfectly right to act
as you are doing. It would have been
endless misery for both him and me If
I had married him in ignorance and
discovered the truth afterwards."
As I spoke I rase to go. My strength
was failing, and I wauted to be alone
before I gave way. But she caught my
hand, and said eagerly
1 ou have been so good, Maggie, so
unlike what I expected, that I know
you will do one more thing for me,
and that is, that jou will write to
Hugh to tell him you have changed
your mind, instead of having an inter
view with him.'
Whatever you like," I said indiffer
ently.
It never struck me that tne request
was a strange one; the one idea that
my mind could grasp was that I had
lost Hugh for ever, and I no more
doubted the truth of ber story than if
he had told it to me himself.
At last I got away, and hurried home
through the shady beauty of the wood,
like a hunted creature seeking a refuge
I knew that there, at least, I was sure
of love and sympathy, that there was
no fear of my being in the way or hin
dering any one's happiness.
Of the days that followed I can write
nothing; it was a dark time in my life
which 1 cannot recall witnout a suuu-
der. I wrote to Hugh as I had prom
ised, and received in answer a few for
mal lines thanking me for my gener
osity and saying that he should always
take an interest in my welfare, but
making not the slightest allusion to his
own prospects.
After that, my lire settled aown 10 a
drear? routine, which seemed as if It
would never be interrupted. Hugh did
not return to the chase: and I was glad
cf it, for I dreaded having to meet him
again. But Mrs." Hilliard and her
daughter remained there; and it some
times struck me as oeing Birange uiab
Blanche's lover did not hasten back to
her side. However she said nothing
about it herself, and I was only too
thankful that the subject was avoided.
It mav have been fancy on my pari;
hut I certainly thouaht that she was
thinner and paler than when I first saw
her. aud that her face baa oiten an
anxious restless expression that was
foreign to it. But again l usea 10
think that it was only my own imagi
nation, and that surely she could not
be unhappy when Hugh loved her. I
seldom saw her, as we mutually avoid
ed each other, and, if by accident we
met, our demeanor was constrained and
formal. A vivid remembrance of the
interview in the wood seemed present
to both of us.
And so the long hot summer aays
nronr slnwlv bv. and I never dreamed
of what was coming had. no idea but
that my present life would continue to
its end in the dull uneventful routine
in which it was now passed.
In the gray of the early dawn one
morning 1 was roused from sleep by a
summons to Blanche Hllliard's death
bed. After she had gone to her" room
on the previous night, her dress had in
some way caught fire, and before the
flames could be extinguished she had
sustained such injuries that no hope
m Pntertained for her lire; ana me
doctor said a few hours must end it all.
All this I learnt from tne maia wno
had been despatched at Blanohe's ear
nest request.
"She has never ceasea asking ior
you, miss,' said the girL "Mrs. Hil
liard thought it belter that she should
not see you, she was in such terrible
pain; but that is over now, and the
doctor said it would do Iter no harm to
see you, though she i. sinking fast."
We were driving rapidly along the
familiar road, which yet looked strange
and unfamiliar in the gray stillness of
the coming day. When the carriace
stopped at the door, I stepped from it,
and followed the doctor, who was
waiting for me, without a word. Silent
ly we went up the stairs, and along the
corridor of the house where I had once
thought to reign as mistress, to see her
who had taken my place, and whose
happiness had been dashed from her it!
such an awful way.
At the door of the room I paused,
and a violent shudder shook me from
head to foot.
"You need not fear," Uta doctor
said gently, for he evidently saw what
made me hesitate. "Her face has es
caped.' I hardly knew her. Could those hol
low pathetic eyes, those features
pinched and drawn with pain, be
Blanche's? All my feelings of bit to
ness and resentment against her van
ished forever, and I think some of the
yearning pity that I felt must have
shown Itself in my face, for she looked
up at me and said
"Don't pit me, Maggie; you would
not if you knew all."
"Oh, Blanche, if you knew how I
feel for you!" I answered, tears forcing
their way in spite of my efforts to keep
them back. "My poor girl, if I could
do anything for you!"
"You can do nothing," she said qui
etly. I know that I am dying; and
that is why I sent for you, Maggie.
There is something I must say to you.
and there is no time to be lost. Send
every one out of the room; we must ba
alone."
The doctor wai the only one present
and, as Blanche spoke, he quietly took
his departure.
' Poor girl!" he said gently, as he
turned to go. "I can do nothing for
her."
I came back to the lied, aud, kneel
ing down beside her, I ventured to
st roke her wau cheek with my hand,
and waited for what she had to say.
"'Maggie," she be;an after a pause,
"u ill you try to prepare yourself for
the hearing of a great wrong that has
been done you? Will you promise to
try to forgive the person who did it,
and to believe that that person has
never ceased to regret the act, and has
never ei. joyed otic moments peace since
it was done?"
Her words bewildered me. What
did she mean? Or had the terrible suf
feriug she had , gone through affected
her brain? I feared so, bat thought it
better to humor her, and listen with
attention to anything she l.ked to say.
Her voice was hoarse and broken, and
she spoke with evident pain and difli
culty.
"Will vou promise?" she repeated
eagerly, and I promised.
Her next words -startled me.
"Do you rememqer that day in the
woods," she asked, "when I came to
you while you waited for Hugh?"
Did I remember it? As if the recol
lection was ever absent from my mind!
Bat I only said quietly that I did.
"Would you believe me," she wem
on, "If I told you that crerr w
said to you that day was a lie?"
I could not answer her a new light
seemed suddenly to break in on me and
took my breath away. There was a
ring of truth in her voice which I could
not doubt; and 1 knelt there, gazing
into the sad dark eyes that were fixed
on me with such pathetic wistf ulness,
"Yes. it was a lie." she went on.
' Oli, Maggie, if you knew what my life
has been ever since.you would pity me:
For vou must hate me. How could
you help it when I have robbed you of
vour happiness? From the first time
that I saw your sweet face in church
and Hugh told me you were to be his
wife. I determined thj t it should never
be; for Maggie, I loved him that part
or mv storv is no lie l loveu mm wuu
all ray heart and soul, though I knew
well he never returned my love, that
his whole heart was given to you; but
still I hoped desperately that I could
win him, and did all in my power to
fascinate him. But in vain; he had
neither eyes nor ears for any one but
vou: and seeinz that maddened me,
and I did not care what I did. I was
determined to senarate you."
As she uttered the lat work, she fell
back exhausted, and lay like one dead.
I was going for assistance; but she
managed to call me back, and whis
nered brokenly
"Do not call any one; I shall be bet
ter presently; and I must tell ltali now.
There will never be another opportu
tuuity." I waited silently until she was more
composed; aud then she told me of the
deep laid plot that naa Deen arrangeu
and carried out against me how she
and her mother had determined, when
they first heard of Hugh's engagement
to prevent his marrying me, ana ior
that purpose she had come to stay at
the Chase: how liiancne naa usea an
her arts to attract him, while her mother
skillfully engrossed my attention and
gave them opportunities of being alone
how at the same time nicy nau cau
tiously contrived to poison his mind
against me, and how on the very even-
ins that Mrs. liuiiaru naa una me oi
his love for Blanche she had, after my
departure, told him a similar tale about
myself, saying tnai i naa conuueu 10
her the secret of my love for another,
and Implored her to ask Hugh to for
give me for my deception, but to im
press upon him that I had never loved
him, and could never marry him; how
Hugh had been like one stunned, and
had left home the next morning vow
ing that he would never look on my
face again; and the last news they bad
of him was that he had joined the
French armv. and. for ali they knew to
the contrary, might be even then lymj
stark and dead among the hundreds
that fell almost daily.
"And he loved me all the timer'
They were the only words X could sob
out as Blanche's voice ceased. The
wild triumphant joy that filled me at
that fact for a time made me careless
of everything else.
'Yes, Maggie, he loved you oniy
you," Uiancne-s noarse voice answerea
All my plotting ana lying uia me no
rood: he never thought cf me. I think
he hated me," she added bitterly. "Oh
Maggie, when you think or me alter i
am gone, do not be too hard on me I
Remember that for one loving iook or
word from him I would have perilled,
my soul, and that I never got it,"
Hard on her i as it i couia reel any
thing but the deepest compassion tor
her. In spite of all the misery she bad
caused me! I was so infinitely better
off than she I who possessed the treas
ure of Hugh's love that my only leei
ing to her was one of yearning pity and
tenderness. Something of this I tried
to tell her a3 1 knelt at her side, with
her head on my arm and the light of
the early morning stealing in through
the closed curtains and touching us
com. Eue turned ner haggard eyes
towards the light, aud said falutly
"Maggie, the end Is very near; and I
am glad. Heaven will pardon even
such sins as mine; I shall have peace
now. Draw back the curtains: I should
like to see the sun once mere."
I obeyed and a flood of glowing crim
son light filled the room and illumina
ted the dying face on the pillow. A
radiant smile lit up her features.
"I am not afraid now, Maggie,
she said, iu clear full tones; and, al
most as the words left her lips, her
head fell back, and, without a struggle
liiancl'.e laniard was dead.
After her daughter's death, Mrs.
Hilliard left the Chase, and the house
was Uiut up. 'o tidings have been
received of its absent master, and peo
pie began to wonder what had become
of him, and if he ever intended to re
turn.
1 1 was now for the first time that I
began tp realise that I was utterly
se pirated from Hugh as when I be
lieved he loved the dead girl who had
come between us, and that lie must
still think what he had beard of me
was true. There was no way of uude
ceivlng him, no way by which I could
d scover him. I must only wait and
how hard it wa to do that!
I do not know now, when I look back
upon them, how 1 got through the days
days that were like years to me.
With what sickening dread I read the
daily history of blood and death in the
newspapers, not knowing whether I
should see the name that was so dear
to me in the fatal list! And at last news
came but uot in the way I expected.
A letter reached me, dated from Sedan
written by a French officer to tell me
that Hugh Seymour was dying. Ha
had been fearfully wounded in the
fierce struggle that decided the fate of
France, lie had told his friend, who
wrote lor him, that he must see me be
fore the end; and the writer implored
me to lose no time in going out to him.
"I cave the letter to my mother.
"Won't you come with me?" I asked
anxiously,
'"My poor darling, do you think I
would let you go alone?" was l.er
answer.
I saw by the date of the letter that
it had been w ritten some days before,
and t-ven now all might be over, and
our Journey of no avail. Hut I would
not Ut myself think of that; I felt
should go mad if I dii.
At last we were there, at the very
floor of the hospital where Hugh was
lying. And now my strength broke
down. I dif-aded letting my mother
make the nti.-essary inquiries, for fear
of hearing tie fatal words that would
tell ma ail hope was over. I clung to
her, helpless and trembling; darkuess
came before my eyes, and her voice
sounded a long way off when I heard
her sneakini!. aud then a woman's voice
! saying In answer
"lie still lives, madam; but that is
all."
The nurse for it was she who spoke
led the wav ; and we followed her
1 remember entering a large white
washed room, and passing by a row of
beJs, each occupied bv a wounded suf
ferer, and one where a sheet was drawn
over a figure that lay quite still. I heard
one golden-haired boy moan piteously
for his mother, as he tossed in the un
rest of fever; and at hist we stopped
Le.-i'le a bed at the end or the room,
ai.d once more I saw Hugh Seymour.
lie did not recognize-us. He lay in
a hi -.ivy stupor, almost like one dead.
except for the labored breathiDg that
was sj painful to hear. A doctor was
btndiug over him, and a nurse stood at
bis side; but I pushed them both away,
He was mine as long as he was on earth.
and I would let no one else be near
him. I put my arm round his neck,
and drew his head close to me,
"Hugh," I said, "my darling, I have
come to you; only speak to me only
oiw word my own lover
I forgot everything else but him. He
and I seemed alone together in the
world and he was dying. I spoke to him
imploringly; I prayed desperately for
the boon cf even a conscious look from
him; and I think the very agony of my
entreaty had some mysterious influ
ence over him, for the heavy eyes slow
ly onencd and met mine, a faint smile
flitted over the wan face, making it
look almost as of old, and he softly
whispered
"My Maggie!"
It was the day after my arrival, and
I was still at Hugh's bedside. His
consciousness had returned, and I had
been able to tell him all. The wretched
misunderstanding that had caused us
so much misery was cleared up now,
and nothing could separate us any
more, except death, and that was com
ing near; but, as long as there was life
I clung obstinately to hope, and refus
ed to thick of what was before me. -
He toy very still, with closed eyes,
for he was fearfully wea-, and could
speak to me only occasionally in broken
whispers. As 1 sat there, holding his
hc.-.d in perfect silence, he suddenly
oiened bis eyes, and, turning them
towards me, said quietly
"Maggie, will you marry me?'1
"Yes, dear," I f aid, smiling, while a
bitter pang shot through me, as I felt
how idle the words were.
"But I mean now to-day," he said
eagerly. "My darling, I know that I
am dying, that the end is very near
now; but it will be a comfort to me to
think that after I am gone you will
bear my name and live In the dear old
home where we have been so happy."
And so I married him. I do not re
member my wedding distinctly; it was
like a dream. I stood beside his dying
bed, and repeated the solemn words
after the clergyman, without realizing
them. J heard Hugh whisper bis re
sponse, and felt him place the ring on
mv hand while the doctor held his
steady.. I heard him call me bis wife.
and stretch out bis arm reebly towards
me; and then a terrible change came
over his face, and his bead fell bask on
the pillow. With a cry I sprang towards
him; and then a great darkness came
before my eyes, and I remember noth
ing more.
I bad written thus far when J was
interrupted by my husband coming into
the room.
What have you been doing, Mag
gie?" he said, laughing, "lou look
as solemn as an undertaker,"
"I have been thinking of my wedding-
day," I answered laughing too.
You thought you had got ria or me
that lime; but you see I disappointed
you. Was it that made you look so
sober?"
"Yes, it was that," I answered as he
clasped me close; and I looked up into
' his face, almost wondering at my own'
happiness. I
'Wll tret nn ivinr fliinrru linl wx. I
man; the horses are coming round, and ;
it aoes not do to keep them waiting.'
But I clung to him still. Somehow
the remembrance of the time when I
thought that I had lost him was very
vivid to me, and I was afraid to let
him go.
"Oh, Hugh," I murmured brokenly,
"thank Heaven, my darling, that 1
have you still!"
"Yes; thank Heaven!" he whispered
reverently; and for a time we were
silent, and then, with hearts full ol
a deep and lastiug joy, passed out to
gether into the summer sunlight.
five nouns ix xassau.
A Reporter': Visit Ashore at new Pro.
vidence.
Xew Providence contains eighty-five
square miles of land, three towns and
a score of more of curious features not
to be missed by a visitor. To see all
these In five hours was a tremendous
feat, and the accomplishment of it
shocked the community to the same
degree that the earth quake startled
this city last summer. The horse that
did the work wore an expression of as
tonishment and pained surprise at find
ing himself whipped into the first hurry
ever known in the West Indies. The
mahogany colored soldiers came lang
uidly out of her majesty's barracks,
the halt nude negro babies rolled to
one side of the roadway, the English
merchants and clerks came to the doors
and windows, and there were signs, as
the team passed through the African
hamlet of Grantstown, tnat the popula
tion was so stirred that it would surely
turn out of the houses within an hour
or two to tee what was the matter. And
yet the nag did not make more than
six miles an hour when it was walioped
the hardest.
What a buggy ride that was to a man
who had embarked at the foot of H all
street, shivering in a heavy beaver over
coat, and at the end of the journey i.o
further than fromXew lorkto C hi
cago, had turned out ot bed to hud
himself in a land ot perpetual summer
and strangely beautiful tropical scenery,
The while town on the sloping hill-ide
shone in a setting ot tropic verdure
like a pearl in a bed of green plush.
Here was no end of novelty ; cargoes
of pineapples, boat loads of spoilt s,
holds full of singular lobsters, crabs,
and grotesque-looking fishes, decks
heaped with singular fruits of uninvit
ing appearances, but with names that
called up visions of oriental feast in,
aud other heaps of loots that looked
like peppers, aud yet were not exactly
like them either.
Over all the decks and on the wiVarf
and down the main stieet and uu all
the side streets and far away into the
country were swarms of negrses, not
flat-nosed, thick lipped Congo men and
women, but darkies with regular feat
ures, straight noses, and mouths with
in reason. Their bare feet, colored
cotton shirts, the dissolute straw hats
of Oaesex and gorgeous bandanna tur
bans of the other, the thin flapping
trousers of the men, and the jumbie of
colors m the women's dresses demon
strated that the poor were as cool as
the white merchants and clerks who
wear summer silks or suits cf thin dr. 11
goods, and cooler man the black police
men uniformed ::i heavy and still white
duck. Xass-Ti has about 14,1X0 in
habitants, ana is said to be the cleanest
city in the world. This is partly lie
cause nearly everything in it except tiie
people aud vegetation Is made of u
white rock, part coral and limestone.
The streets, are simply smooth beds oi"
it, the houses are big boxes of it, t he
wharves are solid cubes of it, ami the
fences are slices of it set ou end. The
city looks white, and as it is built on a
hillside sloping down to the s.a, it
keeps itself clean.
A ride through the Iilt.e capital takes
you past square alter square or low,
light colored square houses, many ot
them shielded on one or more sides by
additions enclosed in walls made of
shutters that will admit the air aud
exclude the sun. The gardens and
farms, if you can call them so, are also
made of solid rock. To plant any
thing it is only necessary to punch a
soft spot In the stone with a crowbar
and plant or sow the seed in the pow
der. What little sou there is rest m
the cracks and pockets of the rock, but
vegetation thrives as well in a hole
made for the purpose as in an old one.
A thousand and one ties.s. bushes,
plants, and shrubs brandish their leaves
In every band. Palms, cocoauuts, ban
anas, and pineapples ornament every
view. Oleanders as higb as the houses
and gorgeous with blossoms, roses that
never cease to b oom, jasmines, shell
flowers, cacti without number, geran
iums, and an interminable list of flow
ers illumine the scenery and weight the
air with perfume.
Iu wild profusion and In trained
good order are the fruits of this land ot
incessant June cocanuts, lemons, or
anges, bananas, pineapples, sapodillas,
guavas, breadfruit, citron, mulberry.
plantains, grapes, tamarinds, and a
double score of fruits wholly unknown
to this country. All this on a soilless
rock in the sea. Over the tree tops the
red flamingo floats, the wild pigeon
coos in the branches, partridges, qurdl,
ducks, snip, and pigeons are credited
to the woods and beaches. Invalids
and those who dislike or have reason to
dread a northern winter find there a
climate which between November and
May does not vary more than ten de
grees from about 70 degrees to about
SO degrees.
The negroes have Orantstown foi
their capital. It begins a little beyond
where Nassau ends, and consists of a
most interesting collection cf wooden
shanties without fireplaces or chimneys.
with thatched palmetto leaf roofs, and
no glass or shades in the windows.
These houses peep outside the white
roadsides from a beautiful confusion of
fruits, flowers, and tropic trees and
black women and children abound in
such numbers that tree such cities as
Nassau could not provide work for ail
of them."
A stbasoeb. journeying in France, i
fell sick unto death; his friend called in 1
a medical man, who demurred about '
his professional services, fearing the'
erewithal might not be forthcoming i
to settle bis bill. The friend, produc-.
t n u..au rMnA Kill :
or cure him, this ta jours." The cU
IUK w uuuuicuiauii lull, caiu ikt.i uiim
man died and was ounea; ana tae uoc- ,,,
tor, finding his aoney slow to appear, I
reminded the survivor or the dew, -
Did yon cure him?" he asked, "No,
sir." "Dia you Kill nimr" "uexiainiy
not." "Then you have no claimW
me, sir; I wish you good-day,
CAUSE OP SXOW-BUN'DKESS.
KxiM-rVnee of a Coloradan Whose
r.jm n ere Once Seriously Affected.
"What is snow-blindness?"
asked of an old mountaineer.
was
"Why don't you go to a doctor?" re
plied that worthy, "l don't know any
thing about the science of the business.
A physician would give you a scientific
explanation or the phenomenon."
'Were you ever snow-blind yourself?
"Yes indeed. I was living in Central
once, and there came a great suow-
stofa. Ihe day preceduig it, of course.
had b.tn very cloudy, and when I went
or.t the next morning after the storm.
rue sun seemed to be sliming more
brightly then I had ever seen it before.
".Everything was one great dazzling
sheet or whiteness. 1 remember blink
ing considerably but I staid out most
of the day, and when I went into the
house the Limits were lighted, but
could not see them, nor could I distin
guish objects. I could not seeanything
cut wnat seemed to be a great round
giooe or light, iTetty soon my eves
began to smart and burn, and
i "cut and sat down m a dark room.
where I staid for a week, putting cool
ing applications to my eyes, and never
seeing the light once in all that time.
1 lie iain was a severe itching and burn
ing, and did not abate for the space of
several days. 1 ou can depend upon it
I was careful to avoid exposing myself
again. '
"How did you arrange to avoid it?"
"By wearing snioke-colored glasses.
green goggles, or by blacking the skin
under my eyes with cliarcoaL"
"Do you think it Ls the color or quali
ty of the snow that produces blind
uess?"
"Oh, the color, by all means. I think
if the ground were covered with white
paper the effect on the eyes would be
the same. So far as I understand it
snow-blindness is produced by the irrita
ting effect of the sun s ravs reflected
from the snow."
'How do you account for the intensi
ty of your suffering?"
"Well-the violence of the attack is
proportionate to the amount of expos
ure, which in my case had been pro
longed and aggravated. Slight attacks
are likely to occur from a few hours' ex-
Iosurp, and these may be cured by giv
ing the eyes a day or so rest. Severe
attacks may require many dav's rest in
a dark room, aud cooling applications to
reduce the violent inflammation which
exists should alwavs be used."
"It would be well then for persons go
ing into snowy countries to provide
themselves for these emergencies."
"Yes, considering that the protection
jielded by the snioke-colored glasses,
goggles, or even blacking round the eyes
is sutlieient to prevent snow-blindness.
it would be well for all persons likely to
travel over snow to remember these un
pleasant effects, and provide themselves
with suitable appliances, thus avoiding
the painful result of this complaint."
"Is eyesight ever seriously affected bv
snow-blindness?"
'Yes. Perfect recovery is not always
attained in these cases. Many sufferers
retain a weakness of the eyes for life.
,Yon will fiud that the inhabitants of
northern countries are very carerul la
this particular. Too much care can not
be exercised where the eyes are con
cerned."
Two Moats a Day.
The word meal is so old that it is un
certain just what our Saxon fatliers
meant bv'it. Possibly it dates back to
i time when grain, pounded and cooked.
was the chief article of food.
The Orientals generally had only two
meals, littween which intervened the
lalMirs of the day, and it is largely their
custom now. This causes confusion in
t ia iiMat ing Bible terms relating to meals.
For instance, Christ is represented as
saying to the disciples at early dawn,
''Come and dine.'" and the Jews had no
light meal after the principal one.
Even in cold countries, where threo
meals a day are the rule, the first was
looked on as a slight breaking of the
f:ist, while the last was a mere sup, or
sip, later of tea, thus giving us tea-time
as an equivalent of supper. The meal
cf the day was the dinner; hence among
the Greeks and Jews the word for din
ner and a feast was one and the same.
Where, among the higher classes in
England, the dinner occurs quite late in
the day, no need is felt for another
meal.
Iu the rural districts and the small
towns of our own country the original
custom of three meals is well nigh uni
versal, and the dinner divides the day
into two nearly equal parts, and so con
trols the social and, to some extent, the
religious customs of the people. Dom
estic cares belong to the ferenoon, and
social calls to the afternoon. So, too,
whereas the synagogue worship of the
Jews has but a single service, we gener
ally iu the country at least, have two,
the one in the afternoon being simply a
duplicate of the one hi the forenoon.
In our large cities, however, where
otliee business is transacted mainly be
tween U A. M. and 5 P. M., or where
business men reside miles away from
their work, the tendency is toward the
earlier custom of two meals. Such a
change can hardly become general. But
where it is convenient, there are two
solid reasons in its favor, i. r., of two
principal meals, with a slight lunch be
tween: (1) It gives time for a complete
digestiou before again filling the stom
ach a matter of no little importance to
high health. (2) It transfers the princi
pal n.eal from the time when the nerve
force ls in special demand for the brain,
to a time when it is set free for the
stomach.
But there is a large class everywhere
who would be greatly benefited by hav
ing only two meals a day, it being un
derstood that they eat as much in two
meals as would ordinarily be needed in
three. They are the neuralgic, those
whose digestion is feeble and slow, and.
the victims of many chronic complaints.
In such cases the first meal should be
somewhat tote, and the second some
what early.
A Rcouantic Traveler.
Colonel Prejevalsky's facts
throw
I Jules Verne's fancies into the
shade.
This famous Itussian traveler has fought
his way through Mongolia and Thibet
with a party of seventeen, so'diers and a
host of other attendants, spent 43,000
roubles, killed 400 people who barred
I : .
wav. given a number or Itusstan
. . c . . ' h of
V." 5 ruTtZn ZdTr
hi.
Yalo College is enjoying s
boom.
chess
NEWS IN BRIEF.
There are 223 submarine telegraph
cables, all told.
Lincoln's tomb, at Springfield, 111.,
is going to ruin.
Wyoming Territory has but eight
organized counties. 2
No quarters or halves haye been
coined since 1S7S.
The Iowa prohibitory liquor law is
to be tested In court.
The grave of the celebrated Kit
Carson is at Taos, N. M.
The cattle now owned in Colorado
are valued at $40,000,000.
The value of the Canadian fisheries
for 1&33 was J17,2ol,675.
The dividends payable ia Boston In
April aggregate f 7,970,S0i
Brick masons are gettiug SO a day
in some parts of the South.
A carload of Mormon converts left
Knoxville, Tenn., for Utah.
There are about 50,000 Northern
tourists in Florida at this time.
The Komau Catholic clergy no
longer oppose cremation In Italy.
Chicago butchers killed 1,132,003
cattle and 3,911,792 hogs last year.
A Newbern, N. C, firm shipped m
one order 4S.0U0 cans of oysters.
The sugar crop of Columbia county,
Fla., will be an average one this year.
An industrial exposision will be
held at Raleigh, N. C next September.
Atlanta, Ga., cotton mills will re
quire 70,000 bales of cotton this year.
For the year 13S3 the South spent
J.OOO.OOO for new railroad locomotives
Mrs. Quincy Shaw, of Boston, is
said to spend J2o0,000 a year in charity.
Eighteen colored teachers aie em
ployed in the Nashville, Tenn., schools.
Nearly five million boxes of "sar
dines" were packed in Lubec, Me., last
year.
A medical journal states that the
average Chinese baby weighs but five
rounds.
One firm in Salisbury, North Caro
lina, advertised for 1,003,000 pounds of
dried fruit.
A Chicago widow ordered her
funeral outfit before death, paying
10,000 for It,
During last year 100 manufacturing
and mining corporations were formed
in Tennessee.
Sixty million pounds of copper
were produced by the Lake Superior
mines last year.
There have been 1S.0SC homestead
entries in Florida siuce the passage of
the act in May, 1802.
The Brooklyn Aldermen appro
priated $3,000 for the reception of the
Army of the Potomac.
The milk inspectors of Boston
have found in some recent examinations
40 per cent, of water.
The corn crop in Kansas this year
exceeds last year's by 5,000,000 bushels.
It will reach 200,000,000.
It is understood that Kev. II. W.
Beecher has netted about $13,000 by
hi present lecturing tour. j
Traynor, who once crossed tho
Atlantic in a dory, now proposes to
make the trip in a rowboat.
A man in Clyd. N. Y.. has a flint
lock pocket pistol that was used by his
grandfather in the war of 1S12.
A 17-inch snake was drawn from a
hydrant in Floyd street. Brooklyn, ac
cording to the face of the returns.
Spurgeon, the famous London
minister, has only two children twin
sons and they are Baptist clergymen.
It is said that Shanghai shipped to
this country last year not less than 500.-
OuO pounds of willow leaves disguis.d
is tea.
The highest rate of postage from
this country is to Patagonia and the
Island of sr. Helena fifty-four cents
an ounce.
There has been more snow this
winter in London than for fourteen
years, and there is great distress in cou-
cquence.
At St. Helena, California, a few
days ago, several thousand gallons of
ten-year-old California wine sold for
three cents a gallon.
Fresno Connty, California, is mak
ing a canal 100 feet wide from King's
River to irrigate 30,000,000 acres of
dry and worthless desert.
A druggist at Louisville advertised
his store as a "free warming place" for
the public during the very severe
weather of a few days ago.
The valuo of the contents of a
barrel of crude petroleum ranges from
SO cents to $1 dollar, while trie value of
the barrel Itself ia 2.50.
A railroad station is to be erected
on the site of ancient Babylon, and
patent medicine advertisements will be
the handwriting on the wall.
A needle that entered the left hand
of a Southboro', Mass., lady thirteen
years ago, worked out recently at a
point just above her right knee.
A veteran New York clubber
gives it as his opinion that the club
mau who keeps his club expenses under
five dollars a day his a marked genius
for finance.
A few days ago a dealer in Lowell
was selling two fifty-cent flannel under
shirts for one cent, and his next door
neighbor was giving away shirts of tho
same quality.
Kecent experiments conducted by
Professor Kojuig, of Beilin, show that
within the range of the normal spect
rum a healthy eyo can perceive about
300 differences of colors.
There are S13 cotton mills in tho
Southern States, against 10 four years
ago.
A silver box, shut at a wedding in
Hartford, Conn., the other day, is to
ba kept under sea!, like that of Pan
dora, till the time for the silver anni
versary, twenty-five years hence.
-In Southwest Virginia there are
thirteen counties where the roar of the
railroad has never yet been heard, and
the people live in ignorance of the
events of the outside world-
According to the report of tho
Surgeon General, there were only two
cases of varioloid and one of small-pox
in the United fetates army last year.
Vaccination was carried out with great
regularity. .
In London the policemen aro cot
allowed to carry revolvers lest the7
might be tempted to use them too care
lessly. A recent and somewhat pro
tracted discussion o the question of
arming the police has ended in pro
viding for them no mere formidable
weapon than" a new and approved
whistle.