los'im-j Sims.,
B. p. rohweieh;
THE CONSTITUTION THE UNION AND THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAWS.
VOL. L
MIFFLINTOWIS, JUNIATA COUNTY. PENNA.. WEDNESDAY. DECEMBER 25. 1895.
N O. L
Thar won't be any Chrl'mus fun- i
Eround car house this year,
Fer Sandy Claws. In passln' by, I
'I'll Jest lean down bis ear.
An" w'en be feels the chlmbley's cold.
He'll grunt: "I'll put right on:
No need o' stoppln' In to Clay's.
The chlllern's all gone."
An' ylt I've seed the time when h
Td hey to hump hlsse'f
To fill the storkln's bangln' up
Er I in' our cbinibley she'f.
An' me an' maw'd be up till twelve.
Er one. a-poppln' eo'n
No use o acch-like doln's now;
ine cnuiern a all gone.
I uster feel nlumn like a bov.
To see them young 'uns sit i
An' talk o' Chri'mua beln' nigh.
An' wonder whut they'd git.
An' fix thelrse'vea to stay awake
Till Sandy kem alon"!
Thar's no one watches fer him now.
The chlllern's all gone.
They're all grow'd np an' married off
Exceptln' little Joe.
They spoke for III in np yander.
An' we had to leave him go.
Twnz po'rful rough to lose him.
But now we're glad thar'a on.
Thet's still a little shaver.
Though the cbillern's all gone.
An' set 1 In' yere this Chrls'mua night,
I sez to maw. It seemed
Ea If I sensed his rsy face
Right whnr tiie firelight gleamed.
An' maw. she 'lowed that mebbe b.
Had lent us back our own.
Cuz Chri'mus an't a smeller w'en
The cbllleru's all gone.
It kinder mnde my bones tbaw out
To Jedgo thet w'en we die
We'll find our little tad ag'in.
Not grow'd a smiten more high.
I want htm like be uster be.
Jest big enough to run.
I won't stay up thar ef I And
The chlllern's all gone.
-New York Ledger.
'It
mmm
mi
T
HE city editor sat at his table bard
at work, when the green-sundod
electric lamp revealed Billy Me-
Guffy, the youngest reporter, approach
ing, embarrassed and apologetic in de
ftiennor.
"Mr. Banwell." he began, "could I have
two passes for the theater to-night?"
"Passes for two?" responded Banwell,
staring hard. "Two! Oh, Jonesey, come
here, quick! Billy's gone wrong. He
wants theater tickets for two!" chuckled
the editor, throwing out the coveted
pasteboards, and Billy, blushing like a
girl, fled from the oflice, followed by
Jones' solemn warning:
"Billy, my son. pause and reflect."
Billy made his way down the street till
"IT WAS EVIDENT SHE HAD
le reached a tall building that rose from
i corner, entered it, took the elevator to
le top floor, and paused at the open door
t a great brilliantly-lighted room. Facing
lie wall, on high stools, sat some dozens
f girls, aparently playing games with
egs on a continuous brass checker board
bat extended around the room. Ths
:irls had small round discs fastened to
heir ears, but hands free to place the
egs or ring up a subscriber. It was ths
ity telephone exchange.
Perhaps it was the free magnetism of
Jectricity of the place, or Billy's hypnotlo
;lance that made one girl turn her bead,
anile and gracefully slipping from the tall
itool come quickly into the halt
Billy narrated how he bad just got
tester tickets, and exhibited them. Ths
telephone girl took them to look at
hy, Billy, she said, after a Dause.
ticjuit. axa fat h 24tsu"-
"Of course. Christmas ere; that's all
right, isn't it?"
"I'm on duty. Why didn't yon tele
phone to me, and ask what night I could
go? You knew I was at the end of youi
wire, and you would have done it, if you
cared anything for me," and down went
the tickets to the floor. It was evident
that pretty Sadie had a temper of bet
own.
She turned with dignity, and left Billy
standing there. The quarrel had coma
on so suddenly that he hardly realised it
was all over. Then, feeling as if all ths
world had suddenly turned to ice and ink
he mournfully regained the street.
Sadie sat at her work, as the night went
on, listening to calls from people who
wisned "Merry Christmas" oyer lh
wires, and wondered why hers did not
come. Then, about 1 o'clock, a sharp
ring came in. No, it was not Billy's
voieei
"Give me one-naught-six-four, quick!'
Now, it invariably irritates a telephone
girl to be told to be quick. She is alwayi
quick. The "quick" aroused Miss Sadie'i
temper, but she said nothing; 1,004 wai
the number of the Blade editorial rooms,
the rival of Billy s paper.
"Hello! that you. Barker?" continued
the voice. "Say, there's the biggest thing
on to-night, and we've got the deadwood
on the Argus, if we work it right. There'a
been a Christmas eve tragedy in the Ital
lan quarter at 768 Bremer street. Two
men are dead, and one's so bad he'll die
before morning."
"Who's on that beat for the Argus T
came the breathless inquiry.
"Oh, I've fixed that Billy McGnffy,
ana i ve got hi in out the way. 1 had a
fellow tell him there was a frightful aeci
dent out at Bloomfield, and he thinks he's
got a scoop on it. Take the murder case;
Here s the details.
Sadie had made np her mind what to do.
She knew she was wrong, but poor
Billy I She had been on the newspaper
wires long enough to know the value of
time to a morning paper. She listened
carefully to the message, then she rang
np the Argus.
"Hello, Banwell, city editor," she said.
"Take a frightful tragedy in the Italian
juarter. Billy Billy McGnffy."
"All right; hurry it along. Say, Billy,
you're scared you talk like a girl."
"It's enough to scare anybody two
men dead and another on the way."
Sadie gave the full particulars, rang
off abruptly, and sat back looking scared
herself at what she had dared to do.
About 4 o'clock a call came from the
Argus office, and Sadie's answer had a
tremble in it.
"Hello," sounded Billy's voice. "Is
that you? Merry Christmas. I just got
back from running down a rumor. Do
we make up, Sadie?"
"Well, I'll be free at 6 o'clock, and then
yon may come over and see me home."
At the Argus office, Billy just arrived
from his bootless errand, stayed all alone
till daylight. As he started after Sadie
the watchman banded him a copy of th
paper damp from the press. He read the
startling headlines:
AWFUL CHRISTMAS TRAGEDY.
Two Men Instantly Killed In a Brawl,
and a Third Dies This
Morning.
"Oh, dear! oh. dear!" wailed Billy. "I'm
s goner! Right in my district, too! Her
I was fooling about the suburbs, and
Banwell so short-handed. Well, it's all
op with Bill McGnffy."
He hurried to the telephone exchange
building, where he found Sadie at thf
door waiting for him.
"Oh. Billy!" she cried; "I've done thf
most dreadful thing."
"So have I."
"But I'll lose my situation if I'm found
out."
"I'm found out now," sighed Billy, "an1?
my situation is as good as gone. But tell
me alMnit vonr tmnhlp first." and Sadif
I told him as they walked along.
"les, Billy, she said, as Billy accused
himself of being a fool (they were stand'
Ing in the porch of her home now); "yes,
Billy, you're green. You never know
enough to do the right thing at the right
time."
"Oh, don't I?" said Billy, and he kissed
her as they stood there.
"Oh, Billy," she cried, catching het
breath, "I did not think you had the
lourage."
All of which shows that a young man
jn a daily paper learns many things ai
time goes on. which thought passe1
A TEMPER OF HEB OWN."
throngh Billy's mind as he modestly anO
silently listened to Mr. Banwell a compli
ments that afternoon on his enterprise
nd wide-awakeness on Christinas eve.
Shoe or Stocking.
Some little French-Canadian children
were discussing a very Important matte!
with some of their Yankee neighbor!
from "over the line."
The French children are In the hsbil
of potting their shoes on the hearth In
stead of hanging np their stockings, oi
the night before Christmas, and the littlt
Vennonters naturally thought this a
strange custom.
"Any way," said one of the Canadiai
girls, "shoes are a great deal nicer thai
stockings to get bottles of perfumery im
because If it breaks and spills It cna'j
rua out." ' -
' ' 1
IT was Christmas eve, snd the wind
blew keen
Across the prairies that He between
Fort Dodge, on the Arkansaw, under
the bill.
lnd the straggling hamlet of I'urdyvllle,
iVbere dwelt Mies Nelson, who rode that
day
rom his home to the northward, far away.
Over the bunch grass, hare and brown.
Into the bustling frontier town.
The night was dark not a star on high
And a blizzard brewing up there In the sky,
Mies Nelson stepped out Into the street;
The wind was driving a blinding sheet
Of powdery snow right Into his face. .
ltut Nlles was happy; he left the place
With a glow In his heart, for little Moll,
Ills baby daughter, wonld get her doll.
The Christmas gift he had promised long.
Nlles Nelson, trolling a Christmas song.
And facing the north wind, sturdily rode,
While past him the Storm. Fiend's coursers
strode.
The snow grows deeper, the night mors
wild.
When he bears the wall of a little child.
filfNU
5Mml
Iftma
Rhode
Lost on the prairie and floomed to dls
If heaven prove deaf to Its feeble cry.
lie leapa from bis pony, be searches long;
He feels It; he has It within his strong.
Rough hands; he presses It to his breast
A place ef shelter, a place of rest.
"Don't cry, little honey, you'll catch more
cold."
And he wrapped the child In many a fold
Of bla blanket coarse, and he bugged It
tight
To his big, broad breast, but the blizzard's
blight
Still strove to wither Its tender life.
He mounted bis pony, and then ths strife
With the wolfish wind, and the blinding
now.
And the biting cold (that the plainsmen
know
When the Storm Fiend flies) began once
more.
And under bis breath Nlles Nelson swore.
Then s silence fell In the tumult wild.
And he heard the voice of the little child:
"Now I lay ma down to sleep;
I pray the Lord my soul to keep;
Patent New Year's Resolves.
I will get up and dress when the break
fast bell rings.
I will not complain when everything
goes to suit me.
I will treat my wife as politely as
thnnah she was a perfect stranger.
I will strive to be more thoughtful for
my own comfort, thst others, seeing me
happy, may also endeavor to be con
tented. I will not spend so much money this
year on the nseless frivolities of life.
I will endeavor to impress upon my
family the duty of greeting, with cheerful
voices and laughing faces, the father of
a family when he returns home, wearied
with the depressing cares and labors of
a long business day.
I will go out by myself oftener, in or
der that my family may enjoy the tran
quil and improving pleasure of a long,
uninterrupted evening in the quiet sanctity
of a happy home.
I must be more unselfish, and take let
ter care of myself that I may long be
spared to be the joy and light of the
home which it has pleased an apprecia
tive Providence to bestow upon me.
I will pay my pew rent this year, if I
have to deny myself a new overcoat, and
my children have to go without shoes. I
feel that we have not heretofore snf-1
ficientlv denied ourselves In little luxuries I
If 1 should die Derore 1 wake.
I pray the Lord my soul to take."
Nlles Nelson paused, at the sound dismayed.
And then and then Nlles Nelson prayed;
"Lord save," was all he could think of then.
"Lord save," ha muttered, "Lord save,
amen."
Then staring to northward, and Into ths
night,
"I see It!" he shouted. "Thank God. a light."
'Twas a beam from a lamp on the window
sill
Of his own ard cabin. With right good will
Ills pony quickened its lagging pace.
And soon In that dear, familiar place.
Ills cosy cabin. Nilea Nelson stands;
lie kisses his wife and he holds her hands.
Where's MollleT" he cries; "where's little
Poll?
I've brought her a wonderful Christmas
doll:"
Then he points to the bed where the blanket
lies
In a queer little bundle: "That's my surprise.
Why don't you answer? You're deadly pale;
Von tremble and ahlver. you sob and wall.
Answer! Where's MollleT" "Oh. Nlles,"
sh. said.
era:
Prlifcs M.rmifS,St Jmfs V
'Ocsjn of ArtichoKes ' noclt&itnne
Boiled Pompno. Moulin A4ur
r,& t Slmon a. la, "Deris,
0rp. ScwxdlnfvWn style. 3meir 6 UMfiba,
Hothouse cucumbers
Celery Ro.di9r.4S, Olives. Soiled Almonds
FELLVE
Saddle of Mutton. Plcmontolse v
Trn?&P,JfJie'l larded. With Green Past
5mitriieiOJl64n, m Supreme, b-1 Amen coin e
EMTItMA '
SwectbrcMS Ide&Ustique e,1Crfcnd
ChickWl
& i cieopMr,..
of woodcock. AvjinonnaJse nef Of Psrfri
rfri'jf&i &
CUtlefj alACKv4irr Ttrrfcpin. o la-rlolloxx)
itOI
ROASTS
Island Turkeys luffed w"ith ckesfnurs
SucWinp Pip. .lo Dourpeois with Apple iuc.
BoVed Sweet Fbro.to
- . j. - VEGETABLES
Coiled white fWofoei Slewed murv, SrewedTurnipf
Celery Stewed In Creiym, Tried EooPi&nr Creentorr.
enplishflumPuddind MimceflTe CNftrfreu dOnrpes'
I oesstRT
??'P0nP"-Orn?" wtl If Moth iceOf&m
Nuts end Ro.1 sins. Tbosted CrecHers -Cheese
Coffee-
oonca onions
My God, how can 17 Ob, Nlles, shs's dead.
"Dead?" "Yes, Nlles, she's lost In tht
snow;
To-day was pleasant, and Mollis would go
Ju the prairie to play, sod she didn't com
back.
When the night shut down, sll stormy snd
black,
( set the lamp on the window sill.
Rushed Into the storm snd sought ber until
rtie blizzard drifted me back to the door,
rbat shall open for Mollle, our Mollis, no
Klles Nelson stood like s statre of stone;
fhen he raised bis bsnd snd said, with s
groan:
la theie a God that will kill a child
And bring Its father across the wild
Of wintry plains to save from death -Hie
child of another?" He drew bis breath
With a savags hiss, as be snatched away
The blanket In which the baby lay.
The blue eyes open; the rose Hps call:
"Oh. papa, you're home I Now I want my
doll."
for the sake of maintaining a good ap
pearance at church.
I will be, in all things, an affectionate
husband, a loving father, a good provider;
and I will rear np a family that will love
and respect me, and render to me prompt
and cheerful obedience, with perfcet de
ference to my comfort, or I will break
their backs in the attempt Bnrdette, In
Ladies' Home Journal.
An Ocular Demonstration.
CANDIES' FOR CHRISTMAS'
Bweetsasats for, the Delectation of the
Bore end Qirla.
It wonld not seem Christmas to the lit
tle people without candy, any more than
It would without dolls, and even older
ones would have the same feeling if
something sweet were missing. There ard
many pretty waya of serving bon-bons
with the Christmas dinner. Pretty dish
es filled with them can be placed upon
the table. Dainty bags of various col
ored silks, with sprays of flowers painted
upon them and filled with bon-bons, either
with dinner card attached or name paint
ed upon them, are pleasing souvenirs.
The variety of candies that can be made
st home is infinite as to color, shape and
flavor. The purity and cheapness of
these manufactures are worthy of con
sideration, also. Here are a few good
recipes:"
French vanilla cream Break Into n
bowl the white of one or more eggs, as is
required by the quantity you wish to
make and add to it an equal quantity of
cold water; then stir in the finest pow
dered or confectioners' sugar until it is
stiff enough to mold into shape with the
fingers. Flavor with vanilla to taste.
After it is formed into balls, cubes or
lozenges, place upon plates to dry. Can
dies made without cooking are not as good
the first day. This cream is the founda
tion of all the French creams.
Nut creams Chop almonds, hickory
nuts, butternuts or Kngliah walnuts quite
fine. Make the French cream, and be
fore adding all the sugar while the cream
is still quite soft, stir into it the nuts, and
then form into balls, bars or squares.
Three or fonr kinds of nuts may be mixed
together.
Maple sugar creams Grate maple su
gnr. mix it in quantities to suit the taste.
with 1- reneh cream, adding enough con
fectioners' sugar to mold into any shape
desired. Walnut creams are sometimes
made with maple sugar, and are deli
.CIOIIS.
Orauge drops Grate the rind of one
ran co and squeeze the juice, taking care
to reject the seeds. Add to this a pinch
of tartaric acid; stir in confectioners
l sugar until it is sun enougn to torm into
tou3
nnall balls the size of a small marble.
These are declicious.
Stirred cream walnnts Take two cup
Tuls of sugar, two-thirds of a cupful of
toiling water and one-half aalt teaspoon
ful of cream of tartar. Boll nntil It be
gins to thicken. Stir In chopped walnuts
snd drop on tins.
The Day In Richmond.
The following extract from the "Diary
ef a Refugee," describing a Christmas
In Richmond in 1S04, portrays graphically
the meager provision for Christmas fes
tivities it was possible to make in the
capital of the Confederacy:
"Iec. 20, 1SC4. The sad Christmas
has passed away. J. and C. were with
as. and very cheerful. We exerted our
selves to be so, too. The church ser
vices in the morning were sweet and
&
J
J. -
comforting. St. Taul's was dressed most j gesture, and effectually effaced any dls
elaborately and beautifnlly with ever- j agreeable impression he might have re
greens; all looked as usual, but there is ceived during his interview with her
much sadness on account of the failure . mother.
of the South to keep Sherman back. I And in reminiscences and the sweet
"When we got home our family circle I feeling of happy lovers, the morning
was small but pleasant. We bad aspired aped. It was two o'clock before either
to a turkey, but finding the prices range '
from $50 to $100 in the market on Sat
urday we contented ourselves with roast
beef, and the various little dishes which
Confederate times made ns believe are
tolerable substitutes for the viands of bet
ter days.
"At night I treated our little party to
tea and ginger cakes, two very rare In
dulgences, and but for the sorghum
grown in our own fields the cakes would
have been an impossible indulgence.
Nothing but the fact that Christmas
comes but once a year would make such
extravagance at all excusable.
mvagnDcv m ail excusaoie. i
Poor fellows, how they enjoy our plain
dlnners when they come. Two meals a
day has become the rule among refugees j
snd many citizens from dire necessity.
The want of our accustomed tea
coffee is very much felt by the leaders.
The rule with us is only to have tea when
sickness makes it necessary. A
country ,
lady from one of the few ipoU in Vir-
lni. where the enemy h.. ,
lnd where they retain comforts: I
lmZTJTf7bTaZ: MnK 'St I
stitute milk for tea. She could hardly
teh?d mlirJ Lbad
not had milk more than twice In eighteen
months, and then it was sent by a country,
rrland. It ia now S4 a auart."
CHAPTER XX.
When, early on the morrow, Stephen
Prinsep received a note from Jane con
taining only the word "Come," it may
be believed he lost no time In answering
the summons.
As he entered the compound, he saw
Jane standing under the veranda, and
going up to her with hasty, swinging
strides, he caught her in his arms.
Her red lips quivered beneath the fierce
admiration his eyes expressed, but he
stooped and kissed them into quietude,
"My little love, my own sweetheart,"
he murmured, fondly.
In all his intercourse with her he had
never been able to speak or act as he
would hare chosen. But bis promise to
Mrs. Dene had bound him, and then the
knowledge of her promise to Sergeant
Lynn; but now all neei for self -repression
was at an end, and he could put hi
jassion Into words.
For more than an hour they strolled op
and down, and then a servant interrupt
ed them with a salam for the Colonel
from Mrs. Knox. Telling Jane to wait
for him there, he at once obeyed the
summons.
To his surprise the lady was neither
so elated nor pleased as he had expected
to find her. She was pain and discom
posed, and the smile with which she tried
to welcome him faded away at once.
"You may congratulate me," said the
Colonel. "Jane has accepted me, and I
only want your consent now and the
Quartermaster's."
"She Is the most willful child that ever
was!" cried Mrs. Knox. Irrelevantly, as
It seemed. "I believe that if a man with
all the fortune of a Rothschild had wished
to marry her, she would still have kept
to her promise to that drunken sergeant."
"But now she Is mine," said Stephen
l'rinsep, proudly.
"Then mind you keep her."
"Why? You don't think"
She put her hand upon his arm, and
met his glance of surprise with one of
solemn warning.
"I'll tell you what I think. If Jscob
Lynn sees her again, he will persuade
her to marry him In spite of what ha
passed.
"But he has released her from her en
gagement ; at least I suppose be has.
Mrs. Knox remained silent; but the firm
compression of her Hps seemed to de
clare that she could say something If she
Uked
Will you tell me what ISerseant Lynn
aid in reply to your daughter's letter?'
'I here was a. touch of authority in bis
tone wnicb Mrs. Knox Immediately de
tected and resented.
1 on had better ask my daughter." she
replied, sullenly.
"Of course 1 can do that, but I would
rather henr from von. Jane has suf
fered so much that I should like her to
forget everything connected with that un
happy man."
lie waited for her to speak, and at last
she said, hesitatingly
"You wish me to tell yon what Jans
told me? '
He bowed gravely in assent.
"Then," she answered, hurriedly. "Jane
ald she only received her letter torn In
hair, with nothing whatever in renlv.
"Whlch was tantamount to giving her
up, of course, though one might have
wished he had released her in a more
courteous fashion.
He had said "good-by" and crossed ta
threshold, when a sudden suspicion struck
him, and he came back.
"You really believe that Sergeant Lmn
meant to release jane?- lie asked, look
ing ssarchingly into her face.
She crimsoned to the temples, but her
voice never taitered as she renlled. de
cisively :
" mere could be no other meanhur t
such an act.
And this appeared so IncontmverHbla
that the Colonel s doubts were aatiaflaii.
He changed the subject to a pleaaanter
one.
By the bye, Mrs. Knox, now that
everything is settled. Is there any reason
why the wedding should not take place
at once r Anotner tortnight will see near
ly every one away from here could It
not be before the fifteenth?'
She looked up, delighted at this eola
tion of a dilliculty which oppressed her.
"I think it is the very wisest thins.
People will talk, of course: but the soon
er you are married, the sooner gosslpplng
will cease.
"I am glad you consider It practicable.'
be rejoined. "Will the Quartermaster
"I will answer for my husband: only
win Jane's consent, and the thing la set
tled." He went out and found Jane where he
bad left her. She ran toward him and
put her hands in his with a little familiar
thought about the time, and then the Col
onel recollected that he had not yet visit
ed his ottice. lie bad to tear himself
way.
"I was just coming up to your bungalow
with these papers," said Valentine
I Graeme, meeting him as he rode tip to
the door oi the orderly-room and dis
mounted. "I am sorry I am so late. Ia there
much for me to sign?"
"Rather more than usual, and some
must go by to-night's post. There hi
sergeant wanted immediately at Hattiav
bad. Lynn is next on the roster: but I
, ' "
thought you would rather that he re-
FJ,nea nere' ??aer ?UT WB for
W3B ?d him on detachment."
Why do they want another sergeant?"
j iuv vuiuuei, nun King ix a. trmnffv
viuviu : u i-v lum r svnct9 smxioqiq occur
or fettm? rid of Sergeant Iraa fof
ssYWhilsV sirs asisiM 4f as hi as mmmwammMm
ttK xr.. rr tt- u-j m
www x"u, ":?w v "-JT:
winpiy M uer request, out
f Tl. handr "
u HaTln di8P,,ed of all the papers thai
had anything to do with Sergeant Lynn,
Colonel to otter b'ZW
soon forgot the whol .(fair.
But before he left he had to tell hit
adjutant the news about Mm if.
"What should you say waa the moat
MUkjlJLthjn to iMJjen. "innsT H
asked, pnsning aside the official papen
ana leaning back in his chair, smiling.
"You are going to be married. Colonel 7'
was the quick reply, and an accent of
nign aisdatn crept into the divination.
The Colonel nodded his head.
"Miss Knollys, I suppose?"
fsnawi l would as soon marry an
Icicle! was the contemptuous reiily.
"Then I am afraid you will have to tell
me who it Is for I cannot guess.
"It is Miss Knox."
the Adjutant waa too duiafsenjdad to
nuer uie usual congratulations. Me was
standing with one hand resting on the
table, and now placed the other on it
also, turning sideways, and prevented the
ioionei irom seeing his fsce. The Col
onel, too proud to ask for the good wishes
which were not forthcoming, would not
oe tne nrst to speak.
Mr. Graeme felt compelled to say some
thing. "After what I said at Cawnpore about
a married colonel, you cannot expect me
to snow exuberant delight," be observed,
with rather a forced smile.
The Colonel looked disappointed at this
laca or warmth.
"I thought you wonld have been mors
more enthnsiastic, Yal. I wanted you
for my best man, but "
Valentine tried hard to look gratified by
this mark of favor from his colonel, but
isniD iiw enort at cneerfulness was
lugubrious failure.
"It is very kind of you to ask me rv,l.
onel," he answered, with the solemnity of
a mute at a funeral; It seemed such a
entire upon his hopes that he should be
asEed to take the part of first walking
gentleman when he had hoped to play the
wue roie. "Congratulations," he went
on. "are very atnnld thtnira In ni.ini...
but you may be sure I wish you every
prosperity, aiiss ivnox Is " He stop-
pea snort, ana concluded rapidly: "But
you know what she Is, sir."
"Yes, I know," laughed the Colonel
"And we will talk about your suDDortins
me on the great occasion another time."
Though he spoke carelessly he had dis
covered from Valentine's manner that he
was, or thought himself, hard hit, and
understood why he had been so unready
to respond.
He rallied Jane about It that a
evening.
"You are a regular little fire-brand In
the regiment," he told her, smiling; "not
content with having me at your feet, yon
nave leu your mam at intervals all down
the list, from Major Larron and the Adju
tant ite Drone on abruptly.
"Down to Sergeant Lynn." she finished.
quietly. "Don't let us have any subject
between us that we are afraid to men
tion, Stephen."
He had taught her to call him by his
Christian name, and the slight pause be
fore pronouncing it seemed to make ths
sound the sweeter when at last It fell up
on his ears.
"My darling, nothing shall come be
tween us cither now or ever!" he assever
ated, boldly; and even to himself the
speech seemed a boastful one, for how
could he tell what the future had in
store?
Some doubt must have returned to him
later on, as they sat together after dinner
in the veranda, for he asked, anxiouslyt
And 11 sergeant l.ynn bad not given
yon up, could you still have sacrificed m
to your love of truth?
"I must have kept my word If I died,"
she answered, firmly.
"Then, Jenny, your love must be less
than mine for you; I think I could have
given np all, even honor, for your sake."
She looked distressed at his remark and
Slipped her hand in his as gentle pro
test against nis seir-aeprecation.
"You should not speak so, even In jest
I should not love you as I do If I did not
think you nobler and truer than any on
else In the world." Then, feeling that
she had said more than the occasion de
manded, she added, in a lighter tonei
"In India i think one must hate false
hood more than in any other country)
It Is so humiliating to share a meanness
with the natives."
"And not be able to beat them at It
either," he finished, gayly.
CHAPTER XXL
Mrs. Knox was much relieved to bear
Sergeant Lynn was off to Hattlabad, and
Indeed had good cause for satisfaction.
She had played a very bold game, and
though just now it promised to be suc
cessful, the slightest contretemps might
render futile all her scheming, and mat
ters would be worse than if she had
never Interfered to mend them. As she
had stood that Sunday afternoon with
her letter In her hand, a sodden temntn-
tlon hsd assailed her, whose promptings
ho had not been able to resist. It seemed
such a simple thing to cut off the one
short sentence at the bottom of the page;
and to tear the letter in half was an
after-thought which seemed to irive em
phasis to the implied meaning of the re
turn. Mrs. Knox would not have resorted tn
such an expedient had not her daughter'!
happiness as well as worldly welfare
been concerned. However unwilling, sht
wonld have eventually resigned herself
to the failure of her ambitious plans had
Jane really cared for Jacob Lynn.
It was pronable the Sergeant might
write to Jane again, she thought. nd fie
she had perforce to be on the alert lorn
the lettor might fall Into other hands thar
her own. She was glad that she had con
templated the possibility when a day oi
two later the letter came. It happened
that she was alone in the house when it
arrived; but so afraid was she of deteo
on that she carried it away to her owh
room and locked the door. Then she tore
pen the envelope and read the letter.
My own dear one, It began. "I have
been wretched since your letter came, and
hoped yon might out of your great good
ness, which I know well I have never de
served, write to me again a fuller explan
ation. I like your noble frankness in hav
ing confessed that yon love some one else:
and perhaps I ought to have released yon
at yonr request, only I could not, Jane I
could not! And whatever you may fancy
now, I cannot but think that yon will turn
to me at last, loving me, nearly if not
quite so dearly aa I love you. They say
women always forgive crimes committed
for their sake, then surely you will look
leniently on my fault of selfishness. You
see, I admit it; I know that I am selfish,
and yet cannot muster up the courage to
try to live without you. If I lost you, I
should lose hope and drift I know not,
'care not where. You hold my future In
your hands. I am ordered to Hattlabad
At first I thought of applying for another
to go In my stead; but then again I
thought that a short absence would do
me no harm might, in fact, help me to
win the only thing in the world that I
care to have. I won't ask you to maary
me soon, after what you have said. Yon
shall take your own time; but write only
a line to tell me that my case Is not so
hopeless as sometimes I think it Is. Uood
by, my own dear love, and that we may
meet soon is the prayer of your devoted
lover. JACOB LY.VN."
A very weak letter, worthy of the
writer, thought Mrs. Knox; but it might
have been all-powerful bad it fallen into
any other hands but her own. She shud
dered as he pictured what would have
happened had she been less watchful.
The downward course must be a very
easy one, for she felt not a twinge of com
punction as she destroyed this letter; nor
did she give one backward thought to
the teachings of the village school In
Somersetshire, nor the high, If somewhat
narrow-minded, principles she had im
bibed from the village curate.
And so for the while all went well. Mrs.
Dene wrote immedistely upon receipt of
the news a letter full of delightful con
gratulations, and indeed everybody ex
pressed pleasure at hearing of the Col
onel's engagement Mesalliance though
it undoubtedly was, the Quartermaster's
daughter was so sweet and fair that most
people forgot that fact and thought only
of the romance of it
The wedding was to take place on the
fourteenth. It was to be very quiet; only
the father and mother, and Valentine
Graeme, who. after all, was to act as
best man. Jane had only stipulated that
she shonld be married In white.
"It wonld not seem like a marriage If
I wore my traveling dress," she had aald,
pouting; and Stephen Prinsep, to whom
her slightest word was law. a (treed with
ker directly.
"You will only want a bit of orange
eloasom in your bonnet to be as like a
bride as any one could wish," observed
her mother.
But here the Colonel made a difficulty.
"Jenny, you promised me you would
rear, white roses," he Interposed, re
proachfully. "And so I will," said Jane, smiling
lack.
(To be continued.)
Economy In Fuel.
Prof. Carpenter, a writer and author
ity on the economy of fuel In present
engineering methods, states that a
study of the tests of boilers which have
been made in this line shows, definitely.
that a larger percentage of the value
of the coal can be utilized when using
anthracite and that bituminous coal
and even oil can only be burned with
large wastes of heat Many who have
Intimately studied the subject are of
the opinion that a large portion of the
hydro-carbon gas contained In bitumin
ous coal la given off when the coal Is
first fired and is carried away un con
sumed with large volume of fresh air
before the furnace doors are closed.
Whether or not there la absolute proof
of this being so. Prof. Carpenter thinks
there Is little doubt that, to successfully
fire bituminous coals they should first
be gradually heated In the presence of
a small amount of air, which will drive
off the gas, and the gas liberated should
then be passed over a body of Incan
descent coals In the presence of suffi
cient air to produce combustion. Men
tion la made of the scheme, favored by
some, of drawing the gas downward
through a body of incandescent coal,
but no automatic device will replace
an Intelligent fireman, though It Is ad
mitted that no slight difference exists
In the quality of these various ma
chines, and novae of them are of prac
tical help. New York Sun.
Fancy Diving;.
Capital exhibitions of fancy diving
are often given from the pier at One
Hundred and fifty-fifth street and the
Hudson River, New Y'ork. Dives from
the top of piers fifteen or eighteen, feet
above the water are gracefully accom
plished, varied by back-hand springs,
somersaults and "twist" A daring
dire was made the other day by a
yonng man from a toll pier. The cable
of a steamer stretched to the pier, pass
ing about eight feet in front of where
the athlete stood. Yet be cleared It
nicely In bis dive. Excellent long-distance
swimmers are to be seen here
also. Some of them think nothing of a
Jaunt to the New Jersey side, although
the Hudson la a broad river at this
point One young woman has crossed
several times. It takes her about aa
hour to swim across. .
Cushions for Verandas.
group of veranda cushions, which
are very affective, are of white un
bleached muslin, each one having a
windmill sketch painted In Prussian
blue oil colors, after a design on the
delft plate. The paint should be used
very sparingly to obtain the rljrlit
hade, a nearly dry brush being neces
sary for the soft clouds and back
ground. Another group of cushions
covered wltb apple green and pale sky
blue denim have designs printed upon
them In pure white.
The Land of Snlcides.
Switzerland, with a population of
0,000,000, averages 650 suicides annual-
Only Denmark and Saxony make
more extensive use of what Is sup
posed to be the right to die. -
Wluit He Thought of Him.
"lo yon think Skinner tan make t
vinj out tlieiv?"
".M.il;e a living? Why. he'd make a
vin on a rock in the middle of tin;
i-eau if tin-re was another iiiau on tli
oi:k." Dallas (Texas) Visitor.
One on the Miller.
The man at the little mountain grist
uill wait Ins for hi turn became im-
.-itit-iit, and growled at the miller.
"Now, did you ever," said the miller,
sec anything solnd-istriousasthisinill
j? It no sootier gets one pram crushed
ban it hops on to another one."
Pshaw," retorted the man. "I could
at It faster tlmn your mill grinds it.'
"You could, could you?" snapped the
niller. "Well, bow long could you?"
"Oh. till I starved to death, I reckon,"
plied the customer aud weiiton growl
ng. Detroit Free Press.
Weather or Coffee?
I-audlady Is it cold enough for you?
Hoarder (vindictively) Do you uieau
Jui coffee?
Andreas Hrler, the Tyrolese pa
triot, is to have a colossal statue er so
red, to bis memory on the top of the
Kuchelborg.;