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Editor ad Xroprltor.
VOL. X I.I I.
MIFFMXIOWN. JUNIATA COUNTY. FEXNA.. WEDNESDAY. FEHKUAUY 15, ISS
NO.
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in i !"W n porch small wlxite
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i- ,t ;.t in' ThT ii onW one.
W IU'LM.'S SI MMONS-
"Vli: y Te 1 ou ;i story of my life
.it Hit l :x ii.? ;i, 1 ltut know
tliiit I r-i:.r:..l)f r ny stories, ami if I
tlit-y'il t e r.i'.liT rouh ones."
iicvtr uiiiH tlifir linjT rouh,
Ht-rt.r; itwou'. l ui.tkp tl.eui aoiiuj iili
"Woui.l it, !:i.ie.l. Miaj K;te! I
reooiifi't sdiuf'.liiiii' tlKit L.i5;fne4 to
n.f ..t lea.st, umier my uwn eyes b
fore I pot to the U eaiiirfa. You m pht
like tl.ut. i .rtieulur.y if jou have bwt:
in the siiiniA'ur.il. It is iiKileni.ib'.y
true, an 1 it is quite apviroirlate to tlie
il.iy; t'.i.-t il.iv, I mean, wtierj we are j
Ciw s ttn.i t'i;etlier. ' j
' Oh, tea i;;.!.te 1 it, Kertle."
It was New Ve.ir's l'ay. I and Kate,
brrthei an. I itrr, ami Lxtures ia the
M ln'UK", had welcomed tlie wanderer,
Kol eit, c-iiy to days betore, alter lil-t
lull,: roviiis It seemed tliat we could
in t make t'Uoiih of lilui, and that Kate
would evr cease ilyiaiz lilm with ijues
t;i:s. We two hi others were older ly
ceveial Jeais than f-he was. All the
uncles ami the erusms and the aunts
weie eoiii i.ii to dinner in the evening:
hut this was only terroou, and we
had gathered round the bluzlnj tire lu
the dark .larm iry day. after ihe luncli-eoi'.-tray
was leuioved.
"lea--e ted it, IVrtie! AVtiat are
yon wai: iiiii for? '
S Bertie In'an his tale.
"I was for some time in the pine
fore-.s of Maine, if you reruenibe:-,
sharuifr in t!ie r.eisures and pains, the
good and bad iuek, of a clearmjt sar
veors camp. One afteinoou it was
the last day of the year when the
labor of the day was over, darkness
came swifliydowu upou ua, surrounded
as we were with toweritij; mountains
and mighty tiees. Tlie tires wer?
lighted, and we sat beneath the over
hai:;u r o o the rude hut which
Jul in-d the nucleus of tlie cauii. lu
tr.n.t or us the treat lire of hemlock
loys and blanches roared and blazed
a:,d ciackl.'d, as Us hu.e tongues of
tlauie h aped upwaids toward the leaden
.-kv and uiailelhe d.irknessof the fore.-t
set m yet more awful and Impenetrable.
Tl.e iinldy hht that s'.ume iijHin our
fa.es us we Bat motionitrs.s Illumtnated
another ai.d more active roup close at
hand, three or four who were pre,arin
the tame which had been Shot for sup
per. In front "
"A dull, dark afternoon, just such
another as this one; and you were bit
t'.n around the lire as we are,'' i:iter
r'.i t-d Kate, whocou'.d never be adeut
very lo'.) together.
' t Hi, vrry much like this," acswere-I
Irtio, with a queer stride. After
whit li I.h went on with U:s narrative
"In trout ot and below us lay the
river, its sw lit curient chained by the
lee, and its white s in face slretchin far
out uutd it rjs lot lu the gloom lie
oud. No sound came to break the
stillness of that vast solitude, save our
own voices, t.':e pihin or tlie wind
uv-rhead amon.: the pine cones, which '
announced that a stor.n was getting up.
the intermittent howl or the woif, and
now and then the shr.ll cry of some
ills: ant loon."
"Wolves!" Jelled Kate ia a wh.l.ter.
"I should not have !:kid that. Why
do inn stop, Ueitiu''"
'My chief ineud in t! camp, nay,
my -u:t cue, was Jamts Wilding. lie
!.u 1 come from the od country, to
uost.ikii.g that, nor that he was an
ed.icated man and a jT 'iitleman. Otteu
I w.ii.ileird what brmiuht him out to a
place t-o little suited t his rerinemeni ;
t nt he oIiiuteered uo in 'mmatton, and
1 d.d not like to a.-l; questions. Au
otl.er Krgliahruttu tin le was ca:le-I
(iri-ijiTv ; t s.e le.d were of various breeil-,
cl. a il v ' V ankt is. 1 1 at 1 rerory had
teen a solvent to Wilding, and mdeed.
was so st.li in a degree, we kuew; but
In the camp all tanked pictly nearly as
eq ials. liregory wa a hearty, houest
man, much attached to Ills master."
"Wds he iood looking'r" demanded
Kale.
"Who?" aked Itertie, when he and
I had had our l.iuh out. Uregorj?"
' No, no; .1 ini.-s Wii.iiiiir."
"Verv Lnod-lookini?, indeed, sister
m'ne. 1 . .,i a hero ot rouiauce.
I to g on':"
Am
"'A hy, vou kuo v you are."
"Yrs, Wihilnu was good looking;
even jmi youn. ladies would have
tliuug.it hku so; but he was worn and
sad and wasted. The man had some
great rare upon him 1 had always
seen that. Sometimes I would catch
(ireg iry's eyes tixed upon him with a
strange jearuintr. This afternoon of
which I am speaking Wilding seemed
quite buried in gloom, scarcely replied
to remarks, aud hardly ate any supper
when we sat round to it. For a man
sharing camp life out in those wild aud
desolate regions to be off his food to
the exteut of refulu supper is a re
markabl fact.''
"1 dare say it w.n not well cooked,"
said Kate; "jou should have had
me there I'd have made Ltni an ome
let." "Without eirgs; my dear?"
"iunf t vou net anv eggs? Goodness
gracloud li o'i, Kertla.''
"Mipii rwas h.df through, the rest
of us e.utiiir like wolves, when I spoke
to hiui. What's amiss. Wilding, this
tvenm-'f You seem i.o have a Ot ot the
blues U1.011 you."
"Wildixu did not answer for a mln
t. "T " W t "i t-. u In.
"It ' 1 rprrt. 7h larl
ta. t.rTiict'. I I a lu d!
t,K h aj'. r
"WW it"
'Rut k did rt Mf. Il aril nia'
t head upnn hi Kn I, tl B( out at I
i.h tr,m' VI .. h if h wr,'M
( to ar through 1 1 da. t. ,e ti. lij.
an 1 I T. m.-r m fru-hed ipp-r
od fcosl of the twg were strvtc'ifd
mind tn Itrceii Or at a dislanc.
It,r,rry Caa to lhlei.t for something
! l. wante-L It s uia-trr ldted up tls
I tie! and .p-4.e t I na.
' "ireitof a4 I was
i down at that lower Oarinz t.-day ni
i yoi were tear tue. UhI y u rer ariy-
i boly i-aJi to m-!""
I "N o, tir," v J t.resory. In a sharp,
quick tone.
I shad never Torcet 'he strtl look
that erjiBed Gre.y'a countenanco.
but ha auawerri carelessly; "There
waa Doboty' voice near, Mr. Wiidmt,
but Jours and mine. The rest of Ym
were ou the other s.Je of the swamp.
I heard nothiuz at all, sir.1'
'It wasjusi before 1 tell."
I was quite close to you. sir, when
you fell. You Crst dropped the ax you
were holding and theu dropjvd yourself
right ou to the handle. I thought
you'd got hurt m xonie way. but when
I came to pick you up 1 saw it was a
faint.
"Yes, a famt," answered WUdinz,
in a low toue. You were close to me,
and yet you heard nothing. "
"Nolhinti at all out of the way, ?tr.
Just before, there hail been a bird
screaruinir in the pines."
"It Is strange," murmured Wilding
to himself as the ina-a weut away
"very strance, liut 1 could not have
been mistaken."
"What did you think you heard,
Wildiuir?" I a--ked, after a minute or
two. "Any alarming souud?" For
my own ideas hit flown to the sup
pressed jrrowl of :ua lieasr. of prey,
which miht havu Hacked our Camp,
and ba tracking us.
"Not alai'iaiim:." said Wildinir;
"somethius? on the contrary, very
sweet and gentle."
"Sweet and gentle?"
Ay! sweet ana ne.it'.e."
"And yet you you fainted at it!" I
went on with hesitation, not sure of
my ground, an I somewhat puzzle 1.
"Yes, I filuted at it. I'm not
strong. Krriugton, as you must have
observed. "
Won't you explain the mystery to
me? '
"Youve given it Its ri?ht name
mystery. A mystery never to be solved
In this worl 1.'
"lie spoke so ilreaminaly, in so weird
a toue, gazing the wmle at the sky
above us. now black with the shades of
I uignt, that I held my eace.
, "I'erhaps I had tetter tell you the
whole story, Etrnijton," he said, after
a long pause. "I should like to tell
I some one before I die. and there's no
o:.e but you I could tell it to you, or
1 fireory. Failing you, it must have
' leen him; he knows something of It
j already."
I "fell away, Wlidin;; I shall like to
; hear it; but dou't talk about dying."
I ".No," said he, "the fact will be I
sufficient, without talking of it." I
J "Now, what do you me.ui by that?" !
; ".S.mi'ly that I h.ive this day, as I
behave, nceived my datU summons."
"I.00K I ere, old man," 1 said, as a '
creepv teel ug stole over me, "we have I
' plenty i f troubles and difficulties to !
tiht aiid ist out here; dou't let us add j
i supelai it.ous fears and fancies to i
! them." j
1 "Listen," sa: 1 I.e. beiiudng his uar-
; rative without further cemmeut. "I :
' was ja.st foiir-and-twenty years of ajje j
when I came out I rum the oil country
to Amer.ta, to yes, I suppose 1 may
say it seek my toituue. I had pro-
1 lrty which brought mu lu lour hun
dred a year; but to a young fellow who
had exprcted that his paliiinouy w.nen j
; he came into it would bo five or s.x
times as mucn, and who had, moreover,
i been brought up m accordance with the j
expectation, it sevml a very small In-
' come. Ho.v unjustiuably extravagant i
' my fatlier had Ik-en we kuew nothing ,
I vi until he d.ed; and we three sous i
I w.i3 only the third of them resolved j
to pay up liabil.ties, and save our good
, came. 1 came to America wuu my
tdiare, all that remained to me, indulg
: imj m golden ho;e. tiregory.the son of
our gamekeeisjr, a.sked to come with
me as uiy servant; uo wudlim io o-c
new places. 1 told him he might come
and welcome, but not a my servant.
I was not rich eaougli to keep one. e
came toae.her; 1 paid his excuses, and
he persisted in acting as my servant.
All the way on board ship we kept
calling this country, he and I. the laud
of Ooldeu IKies." added Wlld.iig in a
different tone, '-reakiug off to laugh a
little.
And did it prove so?" I asked.
"Yes In a leute. My golden hopes
were leal.zed in tue snapj of love.
Love. Kobert Krriugtoii."
"I see."
"Never was there a sweeter woman
in this world than Mary Offrey. She
was a native ot" lie-ton, weil reared,
reliie'd and gentle. Ot money she pos
sessed aoout as mucii in 1, and our love
was mutual. We married, and were
happy. It isagieal thing to be able
t. say in this world."
"True for you, i.a.ng.
"Mary's money was invested in one i
of the most prosperous banks ot the
United States It brought in a high
rate of interest, and 1 withdrew iniue
fioui the Fuuds at home to place it in
the same El LKrado. We bad a lovely
house lUBt outside Bostou, and lived in
good stvle. lireory was still my serv-
ant, for lie hml uever leu me. -"Any
chilJrea?"
"One. a girl. A little fairy beauty
Jane. We named her after my wiie's
mother aud my mother at home, for
they both chauced to bear the same
name. Janey was, I'm afiail, our
idol. She wis sweet in temper, and
she was lovely in form; her hair was
golden, her blue eyes had heaven's
li-ht iu them. All a fond father's
ravings you will call this. Emngton,
so we'll let it pass. Seven years weut
on- seven years of wonderful happiness;
and if one little cloud ot thought
would now and again come to mar it. I
drove it away airaln. It on the
score of my w ire's health, she looked
at times suspiciously delicate, and one
croaking ol t doctor I called him that
had whispered a caution that her
heart was not strong. Jauey grew lo
be a bright. Intelligent girl, her manners
sweetly aiaipl. her disposition loviDg
I can't help repealing this. Etrlngton;
servants and all were utterly devoted
to her; and Gregory would, I believe,
have given his Me for her. everthe
less simple though la ordinary she
wasl the child had strange ways about
her? which I failed to understand. She
wVJ ta.k ta hr-lf ia a ornlar man- j
nr.aaJ u-.l w f r ti.n.is ul
" bad 4.-VSJVBW.1. Tbry r aurti 1
lroa a. 1 vrily bDev, wvr-r di- .
"i'l-l ts rt of any child lfnn. j
at.thr Uuc'it at them, yt :
i.ulAfuL "TVbt ran poINy I t' e
aaran.Dg of It. Jam? h once aai J
lo oj. "tni!" 1 aoaertl rly, too,
"the child must have rorne direct from 1
th" fAirws." Oue dav. It was tl.e last
dy of the old year are you following
nM. rov friend?"
"Iraleed I am."
'It was Ui last day of the old year,
just as this day is the last of the Tear
now rawing from us," coutmued Wild
ing. "Jauey had been born on New
Year's l'ay, and some children were to
come the next evening to keep Iter
birthday, she would be 7 years old.
After tea she Iiegan talking of die
morrow's party, skipping gay ly about,
with bappy chatter. l'reently she
seemed to tire, sat down ou a footstool
and became silent. Suddenly she
turned round aud looked at me. Her
mother had left her seat to search In a
cabinet at the end of the room, and
was standing; with her liack to us."
"Papa, why did you say we should
be twelve to-morrow evening?"
Why, so we shall te, Jney."
No," said she, shaking her little
head. "It's only eleveu; I've Been
counting."
"There are to be nine little guests,
you know, my dear; yourself will make
ten, and your loamnia and I twelve."
"But mamma will not Tue there."
"You quaint little reasoner. Where
else will mamma be?"
"I spoke in a jesting tone; Janey was
looking at me almost doubtingly, as if
she did not understand my last ques
tion; her blue eyes, a world of serious
depth In them, were fixed upon mine.
"Not mamma," she repeated; "she
won't be here. So it will be eleveu;
you count, papa."
"I laughed, and let her have her
way. Mary came back with what she
had been getting from the cabinet it
was a picture album, 1 remember, and
I don't think she bail heard Jauey's
logic, Kobert Errlngtonl before mid
dav the next day she was dead."
"Who was?" I cried, startled. "The
child?"
"No, no; Mary, my dear wile. She
had an hour's illness iu the morning,
and then died," he added, iu a tremu
lous whisper.
"Good heavensl What was it?"
"That croaker, the old doctor, had
the cruelty to say we ought to have
been looking out for it: that he hud
warned me," rejoined Wilding, hi a
voice so low I could hardly catch It.
"It seemed like cruelty to me; I sui
po'C he did not mean it so. She took
with her the best part of my life; all
that wis worth having in it, except
Janey."
"For a few minutes there was a
silence, deep as that amid the pine
trees when the wind is still. Then
Wilding went on.
"Telling all this In words, though
it's rarely absent from my thoughts. Is
so painful to me that I must end it
Listen yet:
Another birthday of Janey's came
round; or, rather, was coming, when I
she would be 10 years old; three years j
had elapsed since tlmt dreadful time, i
There's not much to record of their 1
passing; the world was half a blank to !
me, leaving little remembrance behind ;
it. The last day of the old year, in j
the morning, Janey was with me in the
study at her lessons. It was a fair, i
sunny day, and when the last lesson
book was closed. I began talking
brightly of the little treat 1 had planned
for the morrow for I did not inflict
any gloom upon the child. We were
to take a short journey of pleasure, and
I painted to her in glowing colors the
features of the trip, saying in this
place we should see some magnificent
scenery, and In that place we should
dine a sumptuous dinner with Jam
tarts and sweetmeats. Another little
girl was to go with us. Janey, sitting
clo;e to me, bad bent from her chair
sideways to lay her head upon my arm
while she listened, her pretty golden
curls falling over it. "And we three,"
I wound up with, "Latty and Janey
aud I, will be happier than all the t la
nes," "Hut, papa," she suddenly said, lift
ing her head to face me, "I shall not
be there."
"A cold shiver passed through me.
Just the words she had said of her
mother three years before.
"What do you mean child?"
Why. papa. I shall not be with you
on that New Year's journey; it will be
only you and Lotty."
"Jauey, why do you say this? Who
told you you would not?"
"Mamma," she promptly answered;
"m.iaima came to my room lu the
night, aud said that I was going lo Le
w i; h her tomorrow. She woke me up,
I think, for 1 opened my eyes all in a
minute, and she was standing t y U:?
lied, and then she said it."
"The child repeated this as calmly
as she would repeat a story out of a
book, without the slighest appearance
of discomfort. A wild terror tilled my
heart; I could not control it, and I
caught her to me and stroked hergoldeu
ii.ur."
'Janey Janey! Don't you know
what you are saying? If you go to be
with your mother you will leave me
ail alone. All alone!"
"Janey burst Into sobs. But yet she
did not seem to realize the situation
1 swallowed my own emotion; I soothe '
her with loving words which brought
to my soul none of the comfort they
were meant to bring to hers. Alas,
alas!
"And the result?" I breathed, hardly
daring lo put the question.
"Need you ask It?" returned Wild
ing, with a bitter smile. 'That same
morning, close upon the conversation
in the study, Janey was seized with a
dangerous disorder which was going
about Boston, and died the next day-
her birthday."
"I'm going to mamma in the strange
land," she strove lo say to me in dying.
"I know she will be there to meet me.
Dou't cry, papa yes, yes, mamma,
I'm coming," she added a minute
afterward, striving to rise from the
pillow aud stretching out her hands
apparently to somebody In the distance,
and then fell back lifeless upon the pil
low. Wilding bent his face on his bands,
toars trickling through his fingers.
Thus there was a long silence.
"And that's my past history, Erring
ton," he said, looking up.
"How long is It since?"
"Two years ago Janey left me, I've
not much to tell of them. The wealthy
bank broke and swallowed up all my
money and Mary's In its ruins. But
that 1 had inherited a slender income
from my Uncle James, In England, 1
should have bad nothing left and 1
dnit kitow that 1 KhoiilJ have Carrd.
Win'. kno kn.f ut, aiUiiex. with
Grnry, who would r.ig lo or, I fell
In with tint surveyor's clearing eoto
Iiit we jo.iml it. Tual's ail.
If rr -ntm. It brings u d wa to U.is
.! "
"T this day, jt-a, but have you not
o.iif thing t lr'1 of that?"
"Janie Wilding ij.hI led. This after
noon, when I -siav at work at the lowtr
Clearing, busy enough, and thinking of
nothing but my duties. 1 heard a soft
voice close to nie. l'tpa," it said,
papa." It was the voice of my child,
if 1 ever heard it. I l.eaid it as clearly
and distinctly as you hear mine now.
Turning qu ckly around, thinking I
must have beeu mistaken iu the sound,
1 saw no one was near me but CTi-egoiy,
and I waited in a sort of startled sur
prise. "Papa, you are coming to us;
we want you," said the voice again,
and I remember no more. Why 1
should have fainted I know not; cer
tainly not from tenor 1 suppose it is
all a part and portion of that which
cannot be understood In this world.
When I came to, Gregory was support
ing my head. "Did you stumble and
hurt yaurself, sir?" he asked, aud I let
him think it. That was my summons,
Ei rim; ton, and to-morrow will be New
Year's Day."
"It sounded mysterious and solemn.
"Let us hope that you may be in some
way mistaken. Wilding," I said, with
lame words.
"liow can I ue remembering the
past?'' he rejoinwi. "I am not a super
stitious man never was that; yet 1
believe I shall not see the settinz of
to-morrow's sua. Possibly I may see
It iu a more glorious form in the other
land. But that my brief life of saduesa
and Forrow is at its close I am as sure
or a mortal man can be." -
'A brief life, indeed. It this be Its
eudi'ig. "How old are you?"
"Thirty seven," he answered. "I
shoulJ be US it I lived until next Feb
m.i:y." "I was some years under 30, but it
sfcniel too young to Ule. '
"Wildiug rose. I think I shall turn
into my biaukets,' h said; 'I'm tired
somehow; done over.'
Why have jou not lighted your
pilH'?"
lis shook his head. "1 shall never
light that again, Errinirton."
"He disappeared within the hut. I
bee an walking about in mental discom
fort. Gregory came'' up to me and
spoke.
"What is it that is worrying him,
Mr. EiTington? What was it that he
heard to-day by the lower clearing?
Has he been telling you?"
Ue has been telling me a good deal
of his past life, Gregory. Aud yes
he sjxike of to-day."
'Did he hear a voice that's dead?"
"He thought so. His child's voice;
she said he was coming to them."
"Ay, I feared it," said the man, lu a
tone of despair. "To see lnra taint
like that, a thing he never did le:ore,
and t hear him question me es to what
I had heard, told it me. The child
foietold her motor's donth, Mr. Er
ringtou. aud foretold her own."
"You kuew that much?"
"Oh. yes. She was an angel, that
little one, ir ever there was an angel
upon earth, aud i've often fancied that
the angels must have whispered the
secret to her. And now It 13 his turn!
Gjd bless iimil God reward him for
the good man and master he has beeu."
"When the rest of us turned lu, the
lurid sky, with the rapid rising of the
wind, srxriued to give near warning of
the coming stoi m, but we heaped high
tlie lozs ou the hies outside, and drew
the blankets close about us beneath the
snug roof of the aleepmg-huts, defying
the blast and rain. And so we got
to sleep, though tlie storm was soon
upon tlie forest iu all Its fury. Almut
an hour after midnight a terrific crash
disturbed m; in an instant every man
was upon his feet, rushing out to see
the cause. A mighty piue tree h id
lieen hurled by the gale to the earth.
It fell athwart the largest of the fires,
aud as we went forward a torrent of
sparks swirled upward and swept away
out into the forest. Some of us uttered
an exclamation of thankfulness that
the tree had failed to touch the sleep- i
ing-huts; but Gregory, who was the
first to iidvauce. gave a cry of horror.
There lay Wilding by the lire, wan the
huge trunk across his breast. Unable
to sleep, he had risen and stolen out lo
sit by the large lire. Thus fate ha I
overtaken h:m.
"Gregory kntit down, distressing
tears falling liom his face. His mas
ter, who had not lcs; consciousness,
looked up at him v.ltti a faint, happy
smile.
"it is all as it fchould be, Gregory,"
he panted; "I am going to them in the
b-'.ter land."
I spoke to him. but l.e did not seem
to hear me. Ut) was gazing upward at
the orange sky, whicu almost seemed
a!lsme; bin eyes had a tur-away look.
di it ser ng leyoni n. Thus he lay
for some miuutes, his hnuds joined iu
the attitude of on who pi ays. his lips
silently moving. Tncn a change passed
ov.t Ins fase
"Yes, yes. I see them," he whispered
iu a sort of joyous eagerness; "a goodly
company all angels of brightness. My
dear ones, I am coming."
"Very gradually his eyes closed.
There was a long-drawn s.gh, and all
was over.
"And so, through the vast and un
known gate of death l.e passed into
1'aradUe. The storm spent Us fury,
aud the dawn came, gray and gloomy,
Willi a creary mini and driving rain,
which t-hrouded forest and river and
mountain from our view, blotting from
our vision the fair face of nature. But
James Wilding had awakened amid the
splendors of eternal morning, there to
enter into ihe new year In sweet com
munion with those he loved; the new
year of immortality."
Kate drew a deep breath, "Oh, Ber
tie, what a solemn story. Can it be
true?"
"Undeniably true, Kate, so far as
my portion in it is concerned. And I
think 1 can answer for the part of it
which I did not wLuess."
Well, it is very strange, very sol-
emni"
Solemn enough. Kale, to have kept
you a silent listener. 1 put in.
"Now, Tom, don't begin to lecture
me. Bertie, what became of Gregory?
I like that Qregory."
"What became of him, immediately
afterward. I don't know, for I left the
camp. Three or four years later,
when I was at the Diggings in Callfor
nia, I came across Gregory, honest and
k.ndly as ever. He was keening a
.store, Kate, and growing rich."
In the agricultural districts around
the city of Zecatecas a laborer gets
37 1-2 cents dally. The hours of labor
are from sunrise to sunset.
A TKrtTUBI.r. TKOPHT.
T Twi( laidr Who Tainted
Mgbt of a Cucmoac.
at
Tlie United States naval officers who
ail about the world gather and send
home many remarkable bits of bric-a-brac
Those who have bad homes lu
Washington for mauy years have stored
their parlors with quaint things that
make you feel on an afternoon call as
if you were in a museum. It, of course,
affords something besides the weather
to talk about, and, when tastefully ar
ranged, a collection of boomerangs,
bows, blankets, arrows, scalp-locks,
bowls, war clubs, skulls, lion skins,
tropical birds and such things may
render house furnishing very artistic.
' The daughter of an old naval offlcr
has her boudoir decked out with curi
osities from Australia and the South
Seu Islands. Her largest rug is made
of half a dozn kangaroo skins. An
other is that of a tine, large panther.
Last winter the young lady, who had
betn oue of the fast set in society, de
cided to hold up, and took the pledge
in a quiet way. As soon as her sire off
in the Pacific heard of It he set an old
tar in his crew at work on a motto to
be hung In the young lady's bed room.
A more ghastly thing was never de
vised. It ia made entirely of teeth
baby's teeth said to have been picked
up after an orgie held by one of the
cannibalistic tribes in the South
Pacific. The motto reads:
At the punch bowl's gi'.iled brink
Let my ttiirxty Mollie think
What they Kay iu Japan:
"Fir.tt the uimi takes m tlrluk;
TUn drink laki-n a drink;
Tiieu the driuk take the man."
This wise and witty saying stands
oat In letters about an inch long all
made of gleaming white teeth sewed ou
a velvet background. When the young
lady received it she at once hung it
over her dressing bureau, where it is
the last thing she sees at night and the
first on waking.
But the most terrible thing in this
queer dormitory is what seems to be a
human head, pierced by three or four
arrows. The hideous object hangs by
an invisible fine wire in the middle of
the window, where the light gives it a
ghastly relief. The man it is plainly
the head of a man. probably some
island chief has a shaggy mane of
hair and most repulsive features. The
ttr.ck lips on the broad mouth are
slightly parted, showing a row of big
white teeth and a lolling red tongue.
Tue big ears are slit after the man
ner of some barbarious tribes, and
there are what appear to be slits aud
scars cut in the cheeks. Passing up
through the neck and emerging from'
the top of the skull at different points
are long, finely made arrows, pointed
with sheet Iron filed off sharp and'
nliu.li. f-. .ll.nr...l . V. n. .... - Till
white gulls' plumes. j
- i.ue shocking in pny naa not uung
long In the window before a cousin of
It ouug lady came home from-
Chicago to visit her.
The visitor was about the same age
as the Washington girl and the two
occupied the same room.
The lirst evening after the Chicago
girl's arrival, being quite at home in
the bouse, she ran i'p stairs alone to
make her toilet for dinner.
She had hardly reached the threshold
of the bed chamber before thfere was an
ear-splitting shriek. The family below
rushed to the stairs. The big brother
of the family went up four steps at a
bound. The matronly old aunt came
puliing, holding hersklrts in each hand.
The Washington cousin, half suspect
ing the cause of the alarm, followed.
When the room wai reached the
Chicaga cousin was found lyiug at full
length on the door, unconscious aud as
white as death.
Kestoratives brought the young lady
to in few minutes, when everyone was
eager for au explanation of her fright.
Her first remark as she opened her eyes
hardly served to clear up ihe mystery.
Shuddering and gasping, sho loaned
about from one t y another and said,
"D.d he get in?"
"Get in? Who? What?"
"The man! the man! That hoi rid
hiileous nero."
The big brother and the reformed
young society woman exchanged
glances; the fond aunt looked from one
face to the other and back to the poor,
trembling Chicago girl.
"There was no man." said the big
brother.
"It was only a cocoauut," said the
Washington cousin. Just a cocoanut
carved by oue of papa's sailors to look
like the head of a savage. Didn't you
see the arrows?"'
The Chicago girl had fainted too
soon to take in details, and an hour
later she examined the "savage" and
the arrows with a good deal of in
terest.
Sine that Crst scare she has slept
eveiy night within ten feet of the co
coanut man. but always on the further
i.:ue of the bed from him.
Recently she became engaged to the
big brother, and she now teeis com
paratively safe in the house.
In Itccelpt of SIO a Week.
Now, It stands to reason that I? a
stenographer or tyie writer is worth 53
a week this year she ought to be worth
(10 a week next year, aud it seeni3 to
me that any considerate employer
would recognize the enormous improve
ment in the work done, and on the
general principle of equity aud honesty
see that the compensation was also in
creased. The moment a girl finds herself In
the regular receipt of $10 a week,
where does she stand?
She has a certain income of 523 a
year, which is at least iloO more than
the average clergyman, in this country
or any other country, receives. She
has as big pay as three-filths of the
bookkeepers in tbe big commercial
houses of New York. Her Income is
quite as large as thousands of salemen
and clerks upon whom are dependent
families, and if, as many of them do,
she becomes so expert, and therefore
so useful, I might also say so necessary
to her employer's success, and assured
ly to his comfort, as to earn $15 a week,
she bas it in her power to defy tbe
world, to dress well, to stmt herself in
nothing that one in her position should
desire.
A gold thimble, with the owner's
monogram in diamonds, is a fashion
able birthday or wedding gift.
Postmaster Vilas bas decided that
female clerks may marry and still re
tain their clerkships. A wise and just
decision.
tiik ih kirn uiici:i.KTS;
Or. tler Many Yearn.
I was quite a big girl of twelve whei
we came to Mil ton to live. Papa had
lett the village a young man and re
turned old aud broken down, but pos
sessed of a large fortune.
There was any number of servants
in the house, and I had my governess.
Miss Cjlton, but I felt very lonely
without a companion of my own age.
One day while out walking in search
of interest, 1 fell in coming down a
lull and sprained my ankle. As I lay
there groaning 1 suddenly heard a voice
say, "Have yau hurt yourself, dear?"
An old woman was standing over
me. I shuddered at the sight of her
face, which was seamed with livid
scars and puckered with horrible Hues.
.Her kindly voice reassured me as she
helped me into a tiny little cottage
near by and sent for a doctor.
"What is your name?" she asked, as
she bathed the sprain. "I must let your
mamma know where you are."
I told her It was Myrtle Cresnou,
and that my mother- was dead. She
seemed interested to know all about
my family, and 1 told her freely. So
began my friendship with Miss Smith,
who proved. In spite of her terrible
lace, tbe dearest womau in the world.
One day I heard her story. She bad
fallen in love at eighteen with a young
man in her own village. Being ambi
tious, he went to Loudon to llnd a sit
uation and often wrote home to his be
trothed. One night the cottage where she lived j
took fire, and in attempting to save her 1
step-father, who was an invalid, her
face was terribly burnt. She wrote to 1
l.er lover releasing him, and, before she j
had time to receive an answer, was on
her way to her grandmother's where !
she lived twenty years.
"And your lover?" I asked.
1 have seen him since. He manitd
and became a rich man."
I weut home saddened. Not only did
I feel all the romance of youth stirred
by the pitiful story, but I knew that
my dear old friend was gradually fal
ling In health, and would probably soon
be called away from earth.
she was not confined to the house,
but she had some pulmonary disease
and every change of atmosphere took
something from her strength.
It was in October that the quiet,
happy routine of my life was broken.
My dear father, who had never dropped
his active habits, was thrown from his
horse and dangerously injured. Day
after day he lay upon his bed suffering
intensely and I would not leave him.
It was in one of the long night
watches, when he was free from pain,
but wakeful, that I noticed In some
restless movemeut a narrow band of
gold upon his arm. about half way be
tween the wrist and the elbow.
"Why, papa," I said, "what a pretty
braceletl You ought to have given It to
me years ago."
He smiled as he said, "it will not
coma oil, deai-. You must bury it with
me."
I shuddered at the idea suggested,
but he spoke again presently: "It is
forty-five years. Myrtle, since this
bracelet aud its companion were
locked and the key thrown Into the
river. It was put upon my arm by
your namesake, my little Myrtle, with
vows of eternal constancy. I had
bought the two for a gift of betrothal.
and when mine w as clasped and locked I
I took the tiny key to fasten the one
clasped ujion Myrtle's arm. My dear
little love! How sweet her face was as
she looked up at me, promising to wear
my gift till death."
"Did she die, papa?"
"No, darling. C.rcuaiSlaiicea sep
arated us and I never paw her after
that day. I lived a lonely life for her
sake Tor many long years, but I loved
your mother aud she knew the story of
the bracelet when she marrie 1 me. Yet.
after she died I tried once again to find
Myrtle Carpenter, but in vain. She
must be old, rbaps she has beeu dead
for years. I know nothing of her."
I examined the bracelet with all a
girl's interest. It was a band ot gold.
chased in a pretty design, with the
word "coustaucy" upon a scroll sur
rounded by leaves aud flowers. The
tir y key hole was delicately chased, and
held the clasp firmly.
It was the eighth day of such watch;
lug, when every hope was gone, and
when we only looked for the end,
when Miss Smith oam into the room
just before the night watch.
I have been here every day," she
said iu a low voice, "but I would riot
have called you down sta rs. To-night
you must let me share your watch."
"You you know" 1 said.
'I know, dear, that probably before
morning there will be a released spirit,
aud the peaceful end of all suffering for
your dear father. The doctor tells me
there will be no more pain."
"Will he be conscious? Oh," I cried,
lie has not known me for a week!"
Wiil he speak to me to night?"
"Darling, we cannot tell. But you
must rest now, and let me watch."
"I cannot rest," I said, "and you
ought to be nursed yourself."
For looking into her face I was
shocked to see how dreadfully she had
changed in the trying time that 1 had
been shut up in my father's room."
,To-morrow I will rest," she said,
gently. But you will need your
sirciigih. If you will lie down here
upon the sofa, I promise to call you if
your fatlier wakens or moves."
'You promise?"
Yes, dear, if there is any change."
So, conscious of how unlit I was to
bear added sorrow, I lay down and
slept soundly In sheer exhaustion.
When I wakened it was dawn, and
the gray light was creeping into the
rot mi.
Frightened at my long sleep, I hast
ened to the bedside.
' My father was dead, and upon his
lips rested the sweetest smile I had ever
seen there. Close beiide him. her head
a little thrown back upon an easy
chair, was my dear old friend sleeping
that last long sleep that knows no
waking, while thrown across my fatb:
er's breast was her arm, bared to the
elbow, and gleaming upon it the com:
panlou to his locked bracelet.
A Valiant
Lover; or.
Cure.
Tlie Nabob's
v "ooever rrequented the Parisian
Opera lately must have noticed a
young iady ot rare beauty who was
present at every performance and who
seemed to take a keen delight in the
mtisi and the singing. This girl had
eyes iiis pausiea aud brown hair of a
goid-red hue and attracted as much at
tention as acy one on the stage,
i She was always accompauii by a
little, dned-up old man, who resein-
Mel a rnnrarry, so eIoly did hi akin
stick to his hrp bouet.
How old Le was no one coul l tell,
but he might have been either thirty
five or ninety. They were father and
daughter and came from Calcutta.
The many diamonds of great brilliancy
which lie wore made a contrast to the
simplicity of his daughter's costume,
who was attired in plain white muslin,
her only ornaments some roses.
The nabob was enormously rich and
dying with Asiatic spleen. He wa3
gradually sinking away with languor
and his doctors in India had ordered
him to Europe in the hopes of saving
his life. But. his chance was a poor
one; for Europe is stale, aud her civil
ization monotonous, to a man sated
with the splendors and eccentricities
of India. In truth, nothing aston
ished him, nothing moved him at
Paris; an astonishment would have re
freshed him, au emotion might have
saved him.
He would have paid for an astonish
ment a hundred thousaud crowns; for
an emotion the half of Ins fortune. Alter
Paris the nabob and his daughter weie
goiujr to London. At first the young
and beautiful Last Indiau had man
ifested a desire not to remain longer lu
Paris, but to depart immediately for
London.
But soon this eagerness to depart
waxed faint, and flually disappeared
altogether. England and the wonders
of London were forgotten, uud the so
journ at Taris indefinitely prolonged,
'This is a charming city," said she.
"and I am told that London is far from
possessing so many and so great at
tractions." What she did rot mention among
the attractions of Paris was a certain
young gentleman who had found the
road to her heart, for the young girl
was not as insensible as the father;
a kind look, a tender speech had suf
liced to awaken emotion in her bosom.
Nevertheless, the nabob, more aud
more disgusted, resolved to try change
of country, and issued his orders to
prepare their departure for London.
The day before the departure a
young man presented himseif to the
opulent East Indian aud said, without
preamble, "I come to ask the hand of
your daughter!"
The nabob scarcely raised his eye
brows, but fixing on the suitor a dull
aud inanimate look, asked, "What is
your fortuue?"
"I have uonc.''
" Weil that is not of much import
ance." the nabob said; "my daughter
has millions. What is your position,
your rank in the world?"
"1 am nothing yet, but hope to dis
tinguish myself hereafter."
"What is your name, your title,"
continued tbe impassive nabob.
"I have no aristocratic title." giving
his name a common and vulgar one.
"So," said the Indian, "you have
neither fortuue, rank nor title, and de
mand the hand of my daughter?"
"Yes, sir."
The nabob had no idea cf such un
paralleled Impudence, aud for tue lirst
time in an immemorial period, lie felt
astonished but not excited. After en
joying his astonishment for a few mo
ments, he said to the young man, with
all his habitual indifference, ":-ir. If
you were In India, I should probably
have you thrown out of the window,
or, perhaps, placed in a lunatic asy
lum; at Paris, I have only the right to
turn you out of doors, and I request
you to get out."
"I comprehend; my presence irritates
you."
"No sir, it annoys me."
The young man left the room; but
scatcely had he passed the door-sill
when a white hand clasped his, aud a
sweet voice said; "Well done! you
have repeated the lesson exactly; now
you must write the letter I am about
to dictate to yon."
The astonishment had a happy effect
on the nabob's health, and that day he
wai much better than usual.
The next day, at breakfast time, his
daughter not having uppeared, he gave
orders to the servants to go aud call
her.
At the same moment a letter was
handed him. w Inch he opened with in
dolent fingers aud cast upon it a look
which, at first absent, became rlvited
as soon as he had read the lirst word of
the missive. The letter was very
laconic and ran thus:
MoNSiKfn: t love your
lov- ine. Vim wouM nut
hue currW'ii h'-r tilt.
-l..UIltiT UM'i hll(?
iri f hi'r to tae-i
These lines were signed with a vul
gar uame which had beeu pronounced
so humbly the day before. The do
mestic who had been directed to in
form his daughter that the nabob was
awaiting her, returned with the infor
mation that Mademolst'lla was riot iu
her apparitneut, that she had left that
morning In a carriage, as if for a jour
ney, for she had takeu with her her
trunks and band-boxes.
The nabob remained a moment mo
tionless, then, all at once, he uttered a
sort of terrible roar and, springing
from his easy-chair, with one kick of
his foot he overturned the breakfast
table. The domestics rushed in at the
noise, he threw himself upon them,
beating and striking them right ami
left; then, left alone, smashed all the
furniture in the apartment and never
stopped until exhausted, with rage and
fatigue, he fell senseless upon the car
pet of the devastated room.
When he came to himself the most
healthy reaction had taken place in his
system; the crisis had produced au in
stantaneous and immense result.
It was the emotiou so long prayed
for which had come at last to save
him.
A messenger arrived from his daugh
ter to open negotiations for a reconcil
iation. "Let her come! Let her come, and
I'll marry her to the man she lovts!"
The couple were not far off, and
soon made their appearance.
"Monsieur." said the nabob to the
young man, "you have neither for
tune, rank nor title; but yesterday you
caused me astonishment, and to-day
you have given me an emotion; in
other words, you have saved my life,
and that is a favor in which well de
serves one In return. Thanks to you.
My heart is so kindled within me that
I who was but now Indifferent to
every earthly thing, exiierience delight
at the thought of procuring my daugu-
! ter's happiness by giving her the hus
! band of her choice. Thanks, my dear
son. and it is I who am still your
debtor."
If this story has an air of romance
it is not our fault; it is none tlie less
true as a whole and in all its details.
The latest Idea in pungents Is an
oxidized silver alligator with detach
able Lead.
NEWS IN ISUIKP.
The census
Wales records
of Lu;.ii.I and
.O'j.OM woicru as
wage earners.
The l ecuhar odor of Ilussia leather
is produced by birch barl: tar.the use of
which is a professional secret.
Beiiin lias a technical high school,
built by the city tit a cost of 4.hJU.A'U,
and maintained at a cost of Sl'.uiA).
Mary Anders :u wi N-rn In Sac
ramento, Cal., July 23, at:d made
her first appearance upon the stage at
Louisville, Ky., as Juliet, Nov. lT,
1S75.
London women of fashion have
apparently settled the theatre bonnet
question by adopting a crush hat, w ith
out which, it Is said, few ladies attend
places of auiusenitut.
America, with the rest of tlie en
lightened world, is profoundly Indebted
to the Teuton lor his devotion to good
music. In this respect America's Ger
manization cannot go too far.
The Drst recorded photograp'i or
a rainbow has been exhibited to the
Photographs Association of London.
The arch has the appearance ol some
thing solid like an arch of wood.
W. K. Vanderbilt, It is slated,
will take up his permanent abode in
Europe, probably in England, visiting
America only at occasional iierlods, as
liis interests or pleasure may dictate.
The raven wears his mourning
coat because he was once guilty of re
Ieating a slanderous story. In the be
ginning his plumage was white as snow,
but for the transgression the heathen
tod Apollo changed it into black.
The principal theater in France
has been provided with a novelty lu
the way of a cuitaTn. It is composed
of sheet iron and ascends iu a solid
sheet when raised. This idea was the
outcome of the great fire there recently.
Many jiersons who have seen pic
tures of Louis XVI of France m the
powdered wig of that period are accus
tomed to look upon him as either ;t
man past rriddle age or an old man.
When he was executed he was .'N years
old.
One thousand two hundred au 1
forty divorces were granted in France
In lt'S.'i, the first year of the existence
of the divorce law in Franc e. The las'
twelve mouths produced 4 Parisians
divorced, the most leing in the rich
quarters.
A Fhiladelphlan recently cut his
great toe while trimming the nail and
claimed compensation from au accident
insurance association for one week's
total disability. The association re
fused to ray until suit was brought,
and then it paid up.
TheCtmaid line steamers are the
largest and fastest transatlantic
steamers afloat, aud Consequently burn
much more coal on a trip than the
vessels of competing lines. Their
daily average is about 2.r0 tons, w hile
that ot the Ameiic.tn line boats, for in
stance, tiou'ii-xettd 75 tons.
The face of the c.ir Is neither
hard nor mean, yet there is a firmness
always visible behind the handsome
ness aud the iudifietence which would
be called a line of ciueity by his ene
mies, but an honest deiermlnatlon to
rule or die by those who know him
best,
The keel for the new steamship foi
the Ocean .-steamship Company has
been laid at Iljach's shipyard, Chester,
and work ou the vessel is progi easing
as rapidly as the weather will permit.
She will be 231 U-et ionz, 4-'i feet
beam and 17 feet depth of hold, and
will be named the City of Birming
ham. The lord mayor elect of London is a
foreigner by birth, and a curious Brit
isher has looked through the records and
found that iu 1713 the hud mayor was
of Italian birth; in 1710, a Fleming; m
1724 a Frankforter; In 17.Y1, a Swede;
in 17'12, a Jamaican, mid in 17UH, a'
sou of the governor of the island of
Alderney was lord mayor.
The Queen Regent of Spain is
gaining a great hold on tne affection
of her subjects, and is to be a Wonder
ful womau, chaimlng In manner and
possessing great administrative ability.
It is claimed by many that she w.'l
rank as oue of the great women sover
eigns of history. Some may doubt a. I
this from the lact that she cannot keep
the baby king quiet in public.
The Cid was the title given to a
celebrated Spanish knight and hero of
the Eleventh century by Cve Moorish
chieftaiBS whom he van.iulshed in
battle. Cid is au A tabiu word, which
means lord. The CMS lamily name
was Don ltodiigo L.-y i-, and he is re
garded as the model ol tl e heroic vir
tues of his age and the Howe: ol Span
ish chivalry.
On June "n, lS-',. the amount ef
currency in the hands of national
banks was $2ro.3titJ,; 1H.4'J; j,, other
banks and individual hands, SOVJ ijlill,.
o-jo.15. The American Almanac"
bearing date lSa", states the amount
of money actually In the hands of the
people Nov. 1, 1 to be approxi
mately tfy,7a2,777 aud adds: 'W'.i
later estimate than this has been made
at the treasury."
Gas engines are supplanting s'eaiu
engines in Geruauy and luss:a. They
are being run iu connection with a
special gah-makmg plant, and it is also
stated that whereas tl.e average cou
sumptlon of the ordinary steam engine
is three and one-fouith pounds of coal
per horse-power, the corresponding
consumption of the gas engine, is oi.ly
two and one-rourth pounds, a
difference in resect to economy which
haslndu'-ef several establishments to
replace their steam engines by large
gas engines.
Japan's foreign trade last year was
greater than ever before, and that with
the United States and t 'auada was
greater than with any other counti.
But the balance was all against us; lot
while we exported to that couutry
about S3,KXJ.0O0 worth of poods, we
imported from there n 3 less than J7u,
000,000. Great Britain's tiade with
China was just the reverse of this.
We bought their tea, rice and silks,
and paid cash, and the cash drifted tin
ally into English pioducls to pay tor
cottou and woolen.
A good imitation of silk is mad in
Honduras of pita libra, a plant indige
nous to Mexico. It grows in canes
from five to twelve feet Llth aud from
two to three inches in diameter.
Efforts are being made by the Mexican
Government to encourage Its cultiva
tion. The Indians use It for the di.iu
ufactare of boots and shoes, nets, lis'i
iug lines, halters and canes. Ma' s oi
great beauty, some of them valued ai
high a3 150 each, are made from it.
I
muuasiiff.JiTi,: . . : .... . ...,.-r .l