V
me
B. F. RCHWEIER,
THE OONBTITDTION-THE UNIONAND THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAW8.
Kdtter
VOL. LI.
MIFFLINTOWIS. JUNIATA COUNTY. PENNA.. WEDNESDAY. MAY 6.1897.
NO. 21.
CHAPTER XI.
"And now it is all over. Bud done with,"
Muriel nays steadily to herself, as she
Hands on the doorsteps the following
afteruoou, and watches the dog cart driv
ing away to Itathuiore with Eric Llewel
lyn and Miles, who is going to see him
ttf. He is pone now. quite gone, away
out of her life, and she sits alone by the
wiudow. looking out at the gathering
clouds of night, and wondering as young
souls will wonder at their tirst draught of
"the bitterness that the heart knoweth"
w hat she shall do with all the rest of her
days.
"I shall not return at the end of the
week. Miles," Eric says quietly as he and
Miles pace up and down the platform of
the quiet little station in Rathmore wait
ing for the trniu which is signaled.
"Not ret'.irn? I don't understand,"
stammers Miles.
"Easy enough," smiles Erie. "Muriel
has refused me. I thought that injudi
cious speech of youra yesterday morning
would spoil my luck. So it has. I was
rejected, decidedly and unconditionally,
yesterday evening."
Be does not know that Miles heart hat
almost stopped beating in his surprise
and bitter regret, and displeasure. He is
quiet in the intensity of his feelings, and
with the sensation of "All is lost but
honor," feels for the present a pride
through his misery that Muriel has prov
ed she is not to be lightly woo, even by
Erie Llewellyn.
"I am very sorry," he says slowly, once
more, as the train rushes thundering be
side them, and Eric steps into an empty
"nrst-class smoking." "Especially as you
ay it is quite settled, and there is no hope
of her changing her mind. 1 was so pleas
ed yesterduy," he says hoarsely, forcing
smile on his pale, twitching lips. "I
Was as glad as as if 1 bad come into a
splendid fortune. Nothing on earth could
hav. given me greater pleasure, and now.
to think it is all at an end!" And with
the spasmodic, miserable smile, his blue
.yes till with tears, in spite of himself,
as he wring Eric's baud.
"Tush. Miles!" Eric rejoins earnestly
and affectionately, returning the pressure
of Miles' liii ml.
"J uit keep silence, and treat the nffuii
as settled and done with, as I have done,"
Eric says, succinctly. "She is going to
tell you, she says. Don't be surprised, or
vexed, or anything unusual. Say you are
Sorry and let the matter drop, and let
Muriel have time to think and make up
her mind, and unmake it, and be lonely.
or sorry, or cross, or auyuilag sue likes
tot a while; and then, when yoo send -f0
me without ber knowledge she wmildj,- - p-4," says gently and despondingty ;
never send for me if life and death were.''bij-t all events, 1 must aea Eric before
In the balance. 1 suppose" he laughs a I die. 1 must try and writ to him, if yon
little sarcastically, "then I will come, and won't."
1 will be Muriel's husband within twenty- He does not notice Muriel slipping out
four hours if you wish. There's my hand I tf the room a few minutes after, but he
en it. Miles!" j does notice her on her return som. ten
"And 1 will do just as you wish, Eric." minutes later, for a crimson spot burns
Miles says, fervently; "there is my baud hotly on each pale cheek aud her eyes glit
on it, too! I will not be the obstacle any j r like jewels.
more." I "Miles, darling!" she whispers In an
It wants a quarter to ten when Muriel, ' odd. uneven voice, coming at the back
sitting at her bedroom window still, aux- of the sofa and stooping over to curl his
lously watching for Miles, hears the ft bair around her finger, "make your
wheels crashing ou the graveled drive,
, . i til i . i i
ueurs lue uuil ooor uuieuy upeueu,
Hud
the quick, heavy step across the hall into
the sitting room, aud the poor little sis
ter runs down stairs lightly aud smilingly
to sit with Miles whilst he has his sup
per aud then by and by. If he seems in
clined to talk, perhaps-if courage fail
her not perhaps she will tell him.
But on the lower step she pauses, her
heart leupiug wildly at what she hears.
Miles voice hoarse, tierce, unnatural,
with pent-up rage furiously questioning,
and Sylvester's voice, shrill with excite
meut. defiant and insolent, answering!
And then a scuttling, a chair fallen with
a crash, a shrill scream and curse in the
boy's voice, and a horrible "swishing,"
cuttiug sound of a stroke of a w hip.
CHAPTER XII.
Muriel has rushed iuto the room and
sprung between them she scarcely knows
how in her horror at the scene that is
before her of Miles, white as death, his
very likeness changed with raging pas
sion, his blue eyes glittering with a lurid
light, and Sylvester, with a livid face,
struggling to escape from the grip of
Miles' hand on his shoulder, whilst the
tout new riding whip in Miles' hand
wishes through the air aud falls again
and again ere Muriel can clutch at the de
scending band, and Sylvester writhes and
kicks, and curses horribly.
"Whatever he has done!" shouts Miles
hoarsely, holding Muriel off and pointing
at hk. step-brother, with the whip still
In his hand. "He has slandered and villi-
ul 1 11., haa o .1
ni.. m ,,., uL !.....!
set, the Suttons, of Kathmore! Aud 1
heard it this evening my sister's name
and affairs made the town talk through'
that malicious scoundrel's tongue! Let u.ei
go, Muriel! I'll thrash him within au inch I
of his life!" I
A'nd he flings off her detaining hold
-l.h . Hidden movement end leu... '
ar Sylvester again, clutches him in spite
of the boy's frantic struggles and shouts,
and another merciless stroke comes down,
not on Sylvester's arm, but on Muriel's,
as she tries to shield him.
And then a sudden hush falls on tht
room, for Miles is lying in an easy chair,
in a curious helpless-looking position; hit
handkerchief is pressed to his face with
both hands, and on the handkerchief is a
great stain of wet blood. Muriel, seized
with a strange sinking of deadly fear,
runs to her brother.
"Miles! Why, Miles, darling brother T
he cries, and then tries to pull away tht
handkerchief with a shriek.
It to six o'clock the next morning ere
Muriel ventures to leave her brother't
bedside, where she has watched through
the night. The doctor has just gone, as
suring her "there is no immediate dan
' gee," and Hannah has taken her place.
. Muriel creep away sick, and faint, and
cold, with backward fearful glances at
oor Miles' wan, sharpened features as he
ies in a deep sleep of exhaustion, after
the terrible attack of hemorrhage which
che fierce excitement of the night before
had brought on him.
"I'm done for this time, Clarke," he
ays, with a feeble smile, addressing the
toctor; "you'll never pull me through
ttffain, old fellow."
"I can't say anything decisive yet for
a few days, old fellow," the doctor an
swers gently. "You might pall through
this time. Miles, but you've gone down
kill since last summer, old man, there
M denying." , - - - -
The doctor goes out then, and Muriel
some In noiselessly, spirit-like, with bar
(lender, dark-robed figure, her white face
ind great wistful eyes, and aits down by
the bedside, and lays her soft, warm
cheek to her brother's cold, clammy
stow.
A sob from those pale Hps answers her.
"Heaven be merciful to me. sinner!"
oor Miles O'Hara says, with heartfelt
fervor. "Oh, Murrie! I wish Eric waa
lere! Eric la a good man. I heard him
ray once for a dying soldier. Aye! pray
'Hitter than I ever beard a parson pray!
I wish be was here now. He's coming to
i week coming back isn't he? That
was the bargain, wasn't it? My bead
s so confused, send for him, ha said"
nd then the weakened brain lose, hold
if the tangled thread of thought alto
tether. And Muriel, kneeling down by the bed
ide to pray for the soul of her dying
srother, thinks wildly. In an agony of
lonely longing, how her cruel words, her
false words, have banished Miles' faith
ful friend, insulted him, driven him away
forever, and left both Miles and her alone
ind friendless in this, their extremity.
Two weary days go by, and then there
comes a letter of a few courteous lines,
written from Eric to Miles, referring to
Muriel merely as his late hostess, and tell
ing of his arrival in London, where he
purposes to stay for a few days, he says.
She reads the letter to Miles, who does
aot seem to notice anything odd In its
it le or tenor, aud she creeps away out of
the room, trembling with nervous uncer
tainty and suspense. I -ate that aame
rvenlng, however, as Muriel sits by his
pillow as usual. Miles says, sorrowfully:
"We miss Eric, don't we, Muriel?"
"Yes," Muriel answers, faintly; "you
miss him, I suppose. Miles, dear, very
much."
Another and another day passes away
five days now. and the end of the week is
here. Miles Is going going, visibly with
racb sun rising and setting. At last, on
the eighth day after Eric has gone, as the
afternoon Is closing In with a still, gray,
hazy atmosphere sunless and lifeless.
Miles speaks suddenly, addressing his sis
ter: -
"Have yon written to Eric, Muriel?"
"Written to Eric?" ah falters. "No,
aot yet"
Miles stirs restlessly and sighs.
"I can't think how it la yon don't care
for him, Muriel." he says, wearily. "He
is a man any woman might be proud of."
Muriel answers never a word. - "I don't
lte J"tUi" vloUnca to your feelings.
uiiua easy; tnc win oe ner. to-morrow
r. r null duir Imrha nn
'r next day, perhaps.1
CHAPTER XIII.
Major Llewellyn waa on the point of
leaving Loudon when Muriel's letter
reaches him. So eager is he to return to
Ireland that he finds the forty miles an
hour slow, aud couslders there are an
unusual number of minutes to each pass
ing hour, and finds it impossible to sleep
comfortably In the corner of the railway
carriage as usual, and paces the deck of
the steamer restlessly until It comes to
Kingstown pier. In the afternoon he is
in Rathmore. He has telegraphed from
Euston the message, "I am coming by
night express;" but has hardly expected
to find the Curragbdene groom, Kirwin,
and poor Miles' dog cart and bay mare
waiting for him. Once more, for about
the tenth time, he reads that hastily pen
led letter:
"Dear Major Llewellyn: Will yoo
come back to us? I am in great trouble,
for Miles is ill dangerously ill through
the breaking of a blood vessel eight days
since. I fear he Is dying, unless heaven
le merciful to spare him a little longer to
me, and he wants to see you again. He
is longing for you, and I feel sure that If
Kssible you will not fail me; even If I
displeased you, you will forgive me now,
and come to rue, in my sorrow for Miles'
take, if not for mine. Yours very truly,
"MURIEL O'HARA."
A nd as he reads over anew the piteous
little letter, the dove of promise seems to
nestle warmly in his heart, and the ser
pent of doubt glides away. An hour later.
In the chill, bitterly cold winter evening,
the, "f bla- la, " Jadin d'"ht.
and the lake a atretch of stormy, slate-
colored water, he reches the door, of
Curraghdene and she la standing before
hlm- ..' ie face with wordless
Bu.uisu ui uiuiu pieauiug tuu uervvuv
,,etT . , . ,, . . .
ajor leweiiyu. .ne wuisper. i-iui-
ly, wondering in her girlish dread if he
is too much offended or surprised at ber
audacious, imperative summon to speak
even In friendly fashion.
"Muriel!" he exclaims, and he cannot
quite control the eager delight in his
voice, even though poor Miles may be
dying. "I did not know you for a mo
ment, my darling! Say you are glad to
see me, Muriel," he whispers passionate
Iv witb arm around her.
"1 am very glad to see yon tnr-t
thankful to you for your kindness in com
ing; you must know that," she says, earn
estly and gratefully; but he knows that
it is all for Miles' sake
He sighs involuntarily and draw his
arm away, and Muriel intuitively reads
the meaning of the action.
"I am most grateful to yon; it is so good
if you to come so quickly," she falters,
looking up at him with eye starry
through tears. "1 wish I knew how to
thank you."
He does not see the changing color, and
iie trembling lips and heaving breast witb
which she makes this last little speech.
He does not see the timid wtotfulaess in
her eyes, or read the meaning of the pure,
fond soul that crushes back its womanly
love for Muriel's trembling word mean
this.
If he could hut hav seen! If he couKk
but have known and understood!
"I need no thank I wish no thank!"
he says, coldly. "I would go willingly to
the other aide of the world to do Mile a
service, much lea to take a few bear'
iournsy to see him when he tf UL
CHAPTER XIV,
Muriel feels utterly silenced by Bis re
Joinder, and the grateful tenderness and
shy girlish adoration of her heart for him,
which have been blossoming into passion
ate love, are suddenly crushed back from
nil expression or revealing. She con
ducts hi ap stairs to a little sitting room
which sS has used since Miles' illness.
There is a bright fire burning, aud the
lamp light and candle light makes the
cozy little room look exceedingly com
fortable, not to mention the fact that a
little round table, covered with snowy
dauiaBk, is daintily laid for dinner din
uer for one in front of the bright fire.
There is even a pretty bouquet of pale
pink monthly roses, white chrysanthe
mums aud scented geranium leaves in the
center of the little round table.
"Your' room Is quite ready for you,"
51 uriel says, gravely, "and dinner will be
ready In about a quarter of an hour, and
I hope you won't mind dining alone, un
der the circumstances."
The dinner passes over In rather con
strained silence and formal talk, as he
doe not wish to begin on the distressing
topic of Miles' illness. When Hannah
has put the wine and brandy and dessert
on the crimson cloth, Muriel rises to re
turn to her brother's room.
"Wait a minute, Muriel I am coming
with you," Eric says, smiling, and as he
rises from the table be pours out a glass
of port, aud comes beside Muriel with it.
"You must drink this." he says, witb
geutle authority, which first makes Mu
riel's eyes flash, and then droop, and then
she obediently takes the iue aud tries to
drink.
"I must go to Miles I have been away
so long." she says, confusedly, her heart
fluttering wildly; for she knows that Erie
Llewellyu'a arm is around her lissome
waist, aud Eric's chestnut browu uius
tuchea are touching her brow.
"lu a minute we will both go." be says,
teuderly drawing her closer, "and then I
rwill stay with htm for the remainder of
the evening, and let you rest you must
le tired out, my darling! My poor little
darling) Tell me you are glad to see me
glad for my owu sake, Muriel."
"1 am glad, very glad," Muriel says, iu
the lowest of whispers.
"Do you care a little for me," he per
sists. " 'even if you would rather die than
marry ineV What au odious monster I
must be!"
"You don't think yon are at all events,"
Muriel says, instantly, witb a satirical
glauce which somehow startles him a lit
tle: it implies much more than the jest,
and reveala to hiui a glimpse of Muriel's
deeper and keener perception of his true
character than he perhaps quite knows
aiuiseif.
"Would you 'rather die than marry me,"
dearest?" be asks, and laughs softly at
her girlish confusion, and ber struggle be
tween yielding and resistance. "You must
tell me, Muriel," and the other strong arm
eufolda ber, and locks ber in hiaeuibrace.
"I will not let you go until you tell me
truly. Sweet, don't you care a little for
me?"
Yes," Muriel says, timidly but clearly.
"More than a little. Muriel?"
"Yes," rather indistinctly.
"And, are you willing to marry me with
out much reluctance?" be questions, and
Muriel hear the irony in hi tones.
"Why do you want to marry me?" she
demands, quickly and sharply, trying to
wrench herself . away, unsuccessfully,
however. "You must have seen girls a
hundred times better suited to you than I
am! Is it for Miles sake, and because
you pity me, and think I shall be left
alone?"
And her words end In a spasm of bitter
weeping, subdued, restrained, but as if the
depths of her heart's sadness are touched,
and ar flowing out in tears.
(To be continued.
The Cse of Chopsticks.
We are very apt to think that the use
of chopsticks is a heathen custom and
should be left to the Chinese. Bat if we
only knew It the despised little sticks
are of great service la everyday work
and play, and. the boys and girls can
not do better than learn to handle
them.
The first thing in the use of chop
sticks le to hold one of tbem very firm
ly in the right hand, just as an awk
ward boy holds bla pen, and to get the
trick of holding It so it will not slip.
The other stick is held in the left band
aud Is placed in the finger as if It were
a pen held properly, so it will elide and
move with the motion of the fingers.
A little practice with two pointed
sticks will soon give the necessary ex
perience, so that any boy or giti can
use the chopsticks nicely.
Now. when you have learned the use
of the sticks, you will soon find now ser
viceable the knowledge will be to you.
Suppose you want to pick up eome
tbiuk which U very hot or sticky or
dirty, and do not want it to couie In con
tact with your fingers. Why, you can
quickly make a pair of chopsticks and
gut what you waut without any trouble.
Or If anything falls into a small crack
you can get it easily with tbc sticks.
And by and by. when you go to Japan,
you will be able to eat at the Japanese
tables without any trouble and p'.ck up
the rice as If you were a Japanese.
New York Ledger.
Bicycles are taxoi in France.
A proposition to reorganize forty
counties in We tern Kansas in tnnr
larce ones is bsing agitated in that
State
St. Loni. Ma, is the largest street
car mann factoring city in the wnrlu
Tho output last year was about 3,000
car.
Light rrqnirrn eight minutes and
eighteen seconds to pass from the snn
to the earth wben at it means dis
tance. A Riissi in Hndowner at Batonm
during the big- oil strine there bad an
income of about (30, ( 00 a dav from
hi wel.'s.
Spain' agricultural iwp'ements ate
the same as those used in the time of
Cser. This i. one reason to aoconnt
oi that country '4 wretched condition.
A man in Ks.ns.is Citv make him
self (-quart with the world onoe a year.
He bnrrni his account hooks .n the
first of J u 11 try, pays none of bi debts
due and refuse lo eollect those tb.it are
due him.
The highest village in Switzerland
is Inf, in tbo valley of tho Avers,
2,133 metres alicve the sen. But ou the
Italian side there, is the village of
Kery, which lies twenty metres higher.
la the opinion of Crispf, former
prime minister of Italy, Aniericin are
working to prepare a fntnre for the
peoples of the O d World whict is not
ma agreeable one.
tJaJiovlio acid, boric aeid ,borax and
formaldehyde are some of the chemi
cals ad :d to prevent milk from sour-ing.
f-UH A MODEL KIT OMEN.
o.ie Practical f wsceatlon. Are Mad.
tO UCBHWiVM,
Very little attention to given to the
furnishing of tbe kitchen, even lu the
Host particular households. If a new
liouse Is being built, the careful house
wife may charge tbe architect witb
ertain conveniences for tbe room, but
feuerally tbe matter Is left wholly to
his directions, and unless he Is a tyro
lielsuot apt to disappoint expectations.
Modern Improvements Id pluiubiug
uid In ranges provide tbe most couvc
uleut of iernianent fixtures. It I
carcoly necessary to warn one against
the old style of shut lu plumbing, that
left Innumerable crevices and crannies
to give lodgment to dirt and vermin.
The very best results are obtained from
(be use of iron pipes instead of lead,
and If this be used there is much less
?huuce of sweating, and tbe conse-
FBHapccrrva rm,
queut rotting of tbe adjacent wood,
particularly If the pipes be painted.
Tbe wood work of tbe kitchen to fully
as important as that of any of tbe rest
of the house. I'lue Is generally chos
en, and is as good as any other wood.
It should be oiled and given several
coats of bard varnish, or else painted
iu yellow or buff.
The drain pipe and trap below
should clear the floor, so that one may
easily cleuu around them. The coping
should go close to the wall and rising
from it should be a high splash board,
while a quarter round beading should
cover the jolut between tbe two. Tbe
hot water boiler should not be Jammed
tightly iutu the corner, but should
stand a few laches from the wall. This
will permit It to lie cleaned on all sides,
a u liupotatit couslderatlou If the boiler
be of copper.
A very common mistake Is made in
putting in a sink that Is too kiuuII ami
iu providing no place for tbe draining
of dishes; a sink Is never too large,
even for the smallest family, and if
space will permit. It to well to put In
one that is a couple of sizes larger
than needed; at both ends should be
wide draining shelves. As to furnish
ing proper, this to a very simple matter,
although many people seem to thipk
tliat It Is sufllcleat to tramp Into tbe
kitchen any delapldated and broken
down furniture from ottMr? parts of the
house. There 1 really no excuse for
thl course, as the cost of excelleut new
kitchen furniture to nearly nominal.
There should be two plain deal tables,
a large one and a small one, tbe latter
just about tbe height of the range or
stove. This will be found extremely
convenient In cooking. If drawn close
to the range, to hold utensils. Tbe
chairs should be of tbe kind that have
solid wooden seats, but there should
also be at least one comfortable rock
ing chair anything that to In tbe na
ture of an ornament, and that has no
utilitarian use Is wholly out of place
and should be banished from the
kitchen.
Tbe design presented bos a kitchen
arraned in accord with tbe question
contained iu this article. A descrip
tion of cut: A, movable table; B, boil
er; C, closet; E, low table; F, counter
shelf; II, chairs; M, dresser; N, towel
rack; P, puntry; R, range; S, sink; T,
hinged table; V. veranda.
1'opyrlglit. 17. by the Co-operative Build
tu FIhu Associativa.
I'uinnvoua Plant.
When we take 'nto consideration tho
poisonous qualities of the vegetables
ind plants with which we are surrouud
hI, we are led to wonder bow It is that
-hildren and heedless persons go about
1 ud escape with their lives. Little cli 11
Iren especially who have the habit of
.tutting so many things Into their
aioutbs ought to be carefully watched.
It will surprise macy person to be
rold that old potatoes which hare
-piouted contain a definitely recognized
toison known as solanine. New pota
oes, which are eo eagerly sought after
arly in tbe season, would be poisonous
f eaten raw. The Leat of cooking de
troys their toxic qualities. The root
f the common kidney bean to a most
owerful uarcotic. Tbe Jlinsonweed is
langerous to life. Tbe bark of the
oiuiuon elder Is a deadly poison, which
act was never suspected until five boy
tear Tarrytown. N. Y.. chewed the
talks, supposing they were sassafras,
i'hey all died within a few hours. The
iulb of the narcissus is deadly poison.
small bit chewed may cause death,
bile to chew the loaves is to put one
lf in danger of tbe most violent at
icka of vomiting. Yew-berries arc
eadly; peach-pits and cherry-kernels
ontain prussic acid, and any quantity
.f them eaten may prove fatal. Wild
inrsnip has ninny Ills laid at its door.
1 lthoiib families claim thrt they have
:.ired tbe seeds of the wild parsnip and
-ultivated therefrom roots that we-'
sed ajfood without any injurious er.
ecta. Tt would be well for the Agri
uiturnl Department to publish a bulle
n containing the names and descrlp
lons of Injurious plants, and scatter
pies of It broadcast through tbe coun
ry. Who knows how many children
p of diseases Induced by eating some
.miliar plant? New York Ledger.
Weaving waa lirst practice la
VARIATIONS IN ACORNS.
No Tw Seed. Nr Kna Two Loaves
Hxmetlr Alike,
It Is said that In Individual tree
scarcely two leaves can be found .ex
actly alike. What to true of leave la
true of seeds, and. Indeed, of every
part of a tree. It to also true of the
behavior of tree during their life ca
reer. In acorn especial y one may note
a remarkable difference in their beha
vior. Some species of scorn will pre
serve their vital power without much
difficulty for a couple of year, while
other can rarely be found with life
after a few moot1 a. 8ome when put
into the earth will remain months be
fore sprouting, while other will sprout
before they are fairly ou: of their cup
ou the tree.
Tbe acorn of the live oak of th
South often sprout before they falL
Tbe process of germinating Is among
the most remarkable of all American
trees. The root pusf out from tbe
acora tt a distance vf many Inches be
fore it enter tbe ground, tbe root then
goes Into the earth while the bud or
plumule ascends to form the Incipient
tree trunk. The young tree of the live
oak will frequently be i. distance of six
iucbes from tbe acorn. In this respect
tbe behavior of this specie of oak cor
responds nearly witb what I almost
universal In monocotyledonous seeds.
Another early sprouter I tbe com
mon white oak. These have cot been
known to sprout on the tree, but they
scarcely reach the ground before the
little radicile prepares to enter tbe
earth. It dues not wait to get to the
s race of the earth before doing this.
Ou shelves or boxes where there Is
some number of them together the
whole will be a mass of root before a
few weeks after gathering. Ou the
other band the not of the burr oak will
remain a long time before showing any
disposition to sprout. It Is these vary
ing characteristics which make rules
for the transportation of seeds difficult,
each kind has to h--e a method of Its
own. So far as th two oaks are con
cerned, tt has been found better to
send young plants long distances than
tbe acorns them -lves. Meehau't
Monthly.
Corsets.
It Is a fact well authenticated that
corsets were originally adopted, not
for health or comfort, but to conceal
physical defects that fruitful source
of numberless oddities of fashion.
When or by whom the first corset was
worn la buried deep under the cobwebs
of time. It Is safe, however, to con
clude that they had their beginning iu
stiffened bnuds of cloth that Grecian
and lluuiau women wound round their
bodies. The physical beauty of these
women was a paramount consideration
both to themselves aud their liege lords.
They called these swathing band fas
cia and zona. The former waa made of
heavy linen or kid, and ws worn next
the kin,-tetwee the WAM and th
bust The Bomana greatly admired an
undeveloped figure, and resorted to
measures to retard nature's growth.
These heavy bands were frequently
bound about the chests of growing girls.
The zoua waa also a flat band, but
worn over the tunic; It was generally
red in color, and, though ordinarily sim
ple in design, women of rank frequently
made their aooa gorgeous with bright
colored embroidery and studding ot
jewels. The fourteenth century eaw
the Introduction of a garment that bore
the first semblance to the corset of to
day. It waa cut to conform to the fig
ure, and waa laced, sometimes In front,
sometimes at the back. It was made
of various materials, and was often fur
bordered, which was excusable, since
it was laced over the skirts.
ConBdeaoe tho Keynote to Baccei.
"Doubt and unbelief mean desttuc
tion to any business, and a man who
loses confidence In hi own affairs finds
failure awaiting him In a short time,"
writes Evangelist Moody to his Bible
Class In the Ladies' Home Journal.
"Uncertainty disqualifies for work and
usefulness and doubt that caused tl.c
recent state of depression In our busi
ness Interests. Financiers and econo
mists differed in their views regarding
the political causes of this feeling of
Insecurity, but they generally agreed In
directly attributing the reverses to th
lack of assurance In business circles.
Confidence Is essential to success in
every pursuit of life. And this self
same truth Is no less evident In Spirit
ual things than it la in temporal affairs.
The only Christian life that to useful
to the church of God aud to fellowmon
Is tbe one which is assured of its own
salvation. Distrust and unbelief mean
sadness and care to any soul; but Joy
and rest come with tbe certain knowl
edge" of forgiveness and favor with
God."
A 1oom Talker.
Mr. Bellefleld I don't like 8pifflns.
He ha wheels In his bead.
Mr. Bloomfield Don't you think that
to an expression to be condemned?
Mr. Bellenfleld Indeed I don't. I
know that SpifBn has wheels In his
head.
Mr. Bloomfield How do yon know?
Mr. Bellefleld By tbe spokes tint
come out of his mouth. Pittsburg
Chronicle-Telegraph.
Oat of the Boagisg,
Watts 1 suppose when one takes Ad
i til's conduct iu that fruit deal Into con
sideration that be can hardly be called
j gentleman.
Potts He could not have been a gen
tleman anyway. How could a ma a lx
1 gentleman without any ancestors ?
'ndianapolis Journal
fit Costly Little Joke.
Finding a purse containing 33 cents
on the sidewalk in front of a Calais
(Maiue) store, a woman picked it up
and took it to the storekeeper. He hung
It in the window above a sign reading,
"Found this purse, containing a largo
sum of money." When he came down
tbe next morning the parse was gone,
and there was a big hole In his plate
glass window.
Elsie Tea, dear, my husband Is a
doctor, and a lovely fellow, bnt be Is
awfully absent-minded.
Ada Indeed!
Elsie Only fancy. Daring th max
rtage ceremony, when he gave me the
ring, he felt my pulse and asked me to
put oat my tongae.
Ada Wen, he west dsj s Utter
f gfl -iTlt XMtaW -
The Plaa-ae Viraa.
Such scientific authorities In England
as Lord Lister and Professor Frank
land apeak with approval of Dr. Yer
siu' anti-toxin for tbe plague. They
are convinced that be ha discovered
tbe true virus of tbe disease, and that
hi method of prevention and cor by
vaccination to effective.
The Meat Precioaa Ora.
Prof. J. W. Judd, in a recent lecture
In London, gave some facts not gener
ally known concerning the comparative
value of diamonds and rubles. He had
the best authority, be said, for stating
that a ruby weighing as much as five
carats to worth ten to twelve times as
much as a diamond of the same weight,
even though the latter wight be of tbe
"first water." The ruby, therefore, in
stead of the diamond, to the material
which embodies the highest money
value In the smallest compass.
Pr rtaoe froai Atlaattc to Paclae.
Mr. F. C. Nicholas recently described
the gold fields of Western Colombia for
the geological section of tbe New York
Academy of Sciences, and incidentally
pointed out a route by which. In th
wet season, a man might go In a canoe
from the Atlantic to tbe Pacific across
the northwestern corner of South
America. The proposed route follows
tbe River Atrato to the divide, which
lies In a series of swamps, aud then,
by way of one or two smaller streams,
reaches the River San Juan, which
empties Into the Pacific
Spiral Arrow Hesdo.
Several chalcedony arrow-head ar
reported to have been found In New
Jersey which are so peculiar In form
that. If they are genuine relics of In
dian times, they seem to indicate that
the red men may have sought. In som.
cases, to give their arrows a twisting
motion, like that or a rifle-ball. The
arrow-heads In question are cat In s
spiral shape, and one of them makes a
fifth of a turn in Its length of two and
a half Inches. Dropped point down In
water, it Is said, it will perform a com
plete revolution in a space of about
thirty Inches.
- ' Arsae aad Lesra. '
According to the result of many
measurements made at the Anthropo
logical Laboratory In London, the right
arm in human beings Is. In a majority
of cases, longer than the left arm,
while, on tbe contrary, the left leg I
longer than the right leg. Sometime,
however, tbe relative proportions are
exactly 'reversed, but very seldom doe
perfect equality exist between the two
sides. The tendency of the right arm
to exceed the left arm In strength Is
somewhat greater In men than In wom
en, while equality of strength In the
two arms occurs almost twice as fre
quently witb women as witb men.
The Playe of Animals.
A German professor, Karl Groos, has
written a book on tbe "plays" of ani
mals, la which he undertakes to show
that the desire to indulge In play to a
true Instinct among the lower crea
tures. As In man, tbe tendency to play
Is strouger in young animals. Professor
Groos divides animal sports Into a
number of classes. Among them are:
Play-hunting." In which the prey Is
sometimes such as the animal natural
ly chases, and sometimes a "make-believe;"
"play-fight Ing," "building-play,"
"uursing-play," "piays of imitation,"
aud others.
History on a Watch Face,
Almost the last work of the Belgian
astronomer. Houzeau. recently deceas
ed, was an article In which, while argu
ing iu favor of a decimal division of
rime, he ioiuted out the origin of th
double set of twelve hours represented
on our watch and clock faces. The an
cient Inhabitants of Mesoitotaruto
chose the number twelve as an arith
metical base because It has four divis
ors, viz.. while ten bas only two divis
ors, viz.. two and live. Tliey counted
twelve hours In tbe day And twelve lu
the night, measuring thp day by the
progress of tbe siut, acd the ulght by
the progress of the stars across tbe
sky. This pysicir.. prevailing over all
others, has come down to us, and so
our walrtaes bear on their faces a sou
venir fjt those ancient days when tbe
sou 'jerved for a clock-band half of th
time, and tbe stars the other half.
M.ktnir Ratlroade Oanootaer.
The fact that within tbe past fifteen
years two-thirds of the unevenness In
railroad tracks bas been done away with
on oertaiu lines was discussed at a re
cent meeting of the New York Acad
emy of Sciences. The Improvement bas
been brought about priuelpally through
new designs and methods of manufac
ture of rails. A "track Indicator" car,
traveling twenty or thirty miles an
hour, sums up the inequalities, the
"nps and downs," in tbc rails for each
mile traversed. Formerly the "total
in.-malirv' rwr mita n mounted tn six
or seven feet, even for the best roads;
now It has b-en reduced to only elgh-1
teen or twenty Inches, and this rem
nant is said to be due to dents in tbe
rails. It was pointed out that the im
provement, which may be carried far
ther, brings with It heavier locot)
tives and cars, longer trains and higher
"Deed.
Paris Executioner.
Delbler, the "Monsieur de Paris, ha
resumed his post as executioner, if re
ports are to be credited. Formerly
France had a head cutter for every
department, but of late years, nntll
his recent resignation. Delbler filled
the office for the entire country, hav
ing 400 executions to his credit Be
nsed to be something of a daady, but
more recently avoids puhUcrry as much.
REV, DR. TALMAGE.
1 Eminent Divine's Sunday
Discourse.
tfnb'ect: ' Hoax and Bath.
Tbxt ' Anl she went and cam. and
aieaued iu thu fluid alter the reapers, and
her hap was to light on a part of th. Held
brtlonlnr unto Bass, who was of thn kin
dr. 1 oi Eitineleob. "a-Jtath IL, S.
The tlm i that Ruth and Naomi arrive at
B-thlehem is harvest tims. It was th. eu
torn when a sheaf fell from a load in th
harvest uhl for th. reapers to refus. tc
gather it up. That wai to be left tor th
poor who might happen t- com. along that
way. If ther wen handful, of frnin scat
lerrfJ acro8s th Held after the main harvest
hail been reaped, instead of raking tt, at
farmers do now, it was, by the custom ol
th. land, left in its placo so that th. poor,
oomln that Vav. raieht Rlen It and gel
their brex.i. But you sav, "What is th
nof all these harvest fields to Roth and
Nai'iDi? Kao ni is too old and feeble to go
out an I toil in the nn, and oan yon expeot
that Ruth, the young and the beautiful,
rhoutd tan her rhek and blister her haadi.
In the h inr-st field?"
Boas owns a large farm, and ho goes out
to seethe reapers gather in the Krain. Com
ing there, r.ijht bnhin t th swarthy, sun
brownad re ipers. he bell ld a beautiful
woman gienniog a woman more fit to bend
to a harp or sit npon a throne than to stoop
among the she tv s. Ah, that was au event
ful day!
It wai lova at first sight. Biaz forms an
attachment for the womanly gleaner an
attachment full of undying interest to the
church of On 1 in nil agos, while Ruth, witb
an ephah. or n-nrly a bushel of barley, goes
home to Ntowi to tell ber the sucpessea and
atventures of the day. That Ruth, who left
her nativ land of Hoab in darkness, and
traveled through an undying niTectlon for
her mother-tn-lH -. is in the harvest field ol
Boaz. is Hfflnntvd to one of the b-st families
lu Ju lab, and bwom9 tu after time the au
cesrress of Jesus Christ, the Lor 1 of glory.
Out of so dark a nii-ht did thero ever dawn
so brig-tit a morning?
I learn in the first plane from this subject
how trouble develops character. It was t
revement,poverty and exile that developed,
llinfttrated and announced to all ages the
sublimity of ICiuh'.s ohanuiter. That is a very
unfortunate ra m who has no trouble. It war
sorrow that mad John lluiiyai thn better
dreamer, and Ir. Young the belter poet, aud
O'Conoell the better orator, aud Bishop Hall
the better prnfher, and Hvetoi;k the better
soldier, and Kitto the oetior encyclopaedist,
and Rutb the better daughter-in-law.
I once asked an aged man In regard to his
pastor, who was a very hrillinnt m m, "Why
is it that your pastor, so v-ry brilliant, seems
to hav- so little heart and tenderness in his
sermons?" "Well," he replied, "ihe reason
is our p:istor has never had anv trouble.
When misfortune comes uooc him, his sivlf
will be ditTi-rent." After awhile the Lord
took a chdd out of that pastor's house, and
though the prenrrher was just as brilliant nf
he was before, oh, the warmth, the tender
ness of hi.s discourses! The fa?t is that
trouble is a greHt educator. You see some
times a musician sit down lit an instrument
and his execution is codl aud formal ana un
feeling. The reason is thnt all hts life ht
bas been prospered. But let misfortune 01
bereavement om to that man, and he sits
down at the instrument, and you iliscovet
the pathos in the Hist sweep of the keys.
Misfortune and trials are great educators.
A young doctor comes into a sickroom where
there is a dying child. Perhaps he is very
rough in his prescription and very rough in
his manner and rough in the feeling of tbe
pules aadr reag.aisi.hi answer to tkuiasetsxsr
anxious "qtiestiou. But years roll ou, and
ther. has been one dead in. his on house,
and now he comes into the -sickroom, and
with tearful eyes toe looks at tbe dying child,
and h. says, "Ob. how this reminds me of
my Charlie!" Trouble, the great educator.
Sorrow I see its touch in the grandest
painting, I h- ar its tremor in the sweetest
song, I feel its power in tbe mightiest argu
ment. Grecian mythology said that the fountain
of Hippocrene was siruek out by tbe fooc of
the winged horse Pegasus. I have often
notice I in life that the brightest and most
beautiful fountains of Christian comfort and
spiritual life have been struck out by the iron
sbod hoof of til-aster and calamity. I see
Daniel's courage best by tbe Hash of Nebu
chadnezzar's furnace. I see Paul's prowess
best when i fln l him on the foundering ship
under the glare of the lightning in the
breakers of Meltta. Go! crowus his chil
dren amid the howling of wild beasts and
the chopping of blood splashed guillotine
and the crackling tires of martyrdom. It
took the pr cut ions of M ireus aurelius 10
develop Polycarp and Justin Martyr. It
took all the hostilities against the Scotch
Oovenauters an l tbe fury of Lord Clavor
house to develop James Kenwick aud An
drew Melville nnd Hugb McKail, the glori
ous martyrs of Scotch history. It took the
stormy sea and the December blast and the
desolate New Knglaud coast aud the war
WDoop of savages to show tottb the prowess
of the pilgrim inthcra.
When amid the storms they s ing.
And the slurs heard, and the sea.
And thesouuding aisles of tbe dim wood
Bang to the anthems of the free.
It took all our past national distresses, and
it taks all our present national sorrows to
lift up our nation on that high career where
it will march long after the foreign aristoc
racies have mocked and tyrannies that have
jeered, shall be wept down under Ihe om
nipotent wrath of God, who hates despotism
and who, by the strength of his own red
right arm, will make all men free. And so
It is Individually, and in the family, and in
the church and in the world, that through
darkness ami storm nd trouble men,
women, churches, nations, are developed.
Again, I see in my text the beauty of un
faltering friendship. I suppose there were
plenty of fri-u ls for Naomi while she was in
prosperity, but of ail her acquaintances how
many were will'ng to trudge off with her to
ward Juilah, when she had to make thai
lone y jouniejV One the heroine of mv
text. One absolutely ona I suppose when
Naomi s husband was living, and they had
plenty of money, and all things went well,
they bad a gn at many callers, but I suppose
tht after her husband died, and her prop
erty went, aud she got old and poor, she was
not troubled very much witb callers. All the
bltds that sung iu the bower while the sun
shone bave gone to their nests now the night
has fallen.
Oh, these beautiiul sunflowers that spread
out their color in the morning hour! Sir.
they are always asleep wh-n the sun is
going down. Job bad plmty of fneuds
when h. was the richest man iu Cz, but
when his property went and the trials came
tUen ther wera nune so much that pt-stered
as Elipbaz thn 'iYmaoit-, aud bildud the
Shubite, and Zopbiir tbe Naatnathite.
Life often seema to be a mere game,
where the sucoi-ssfiil player pulls down all
th. other men into his own lap. Let sus
picions arise about a mm's character, and
he becomes like a bank in a panic, nnd all
the imputations rush 011 him and breHk down
in a day th-it character which in due time
would have had strength to defend itself.
There are reputations that have b. en half a
century in bulldiug which go down under
one push, as a vat t mple is consumed by
the touch of a sulphurous match. A hog
can uproot a century plant.
in tnis world, 30 tun of neartlcssness nnd
hypocrisy, how tl rilling it is to find wina
friend as fait if ul iu days of adversity as in
days of prosperity? Iuvid trid sutih a friend
in flusbai; the Jews had such a friend in
Mordecui, who never forgot tneir cause
Paul had such a friend iu Ouesipliorus, wno
visited him in jni'; c'hrist ha 1 such iu the
Marys, who adhere 1 to Him on the ero-s:
Naomi hint meluoon in Ruth, who cried
out: "Entreat me not to leave thee, or to re
turn from loliowii.g after tbee, for whither
thou goest 1 will go, and whither thou
lodget 1 will lodge. Thy people shall b
my people, au I tby Go I my God. When
ibou dii-si n id I die, au I ther. will 1 ti
hnrie-t. The Lord do so to me,- and mora
ilso. if nncht but death part vou end me.
Again. I learn from Ibis subject that paths
which open fn hnr-lship and darkness often
come nut In rdnces 01 oy. When Ruth started
from ilonrj toward Jerusalem to go along
with br moi'ier-ln-law, I suppose the peo
ple said: "Oh. w'lat a foolish creature to
go away from her father's house; to go off
with a poor old woman, toward the land of
Judah! Th.y won't live to (ret across the
desert. They will be djowosd in Uia sea. of
the jackals of the wilderness wilt destroy
them." It was a vrv dark morning when
Ruth started off with Naomi. But behold her
In my text in the harvest field of Boaz, to be
affianced to one of tbe lords of tbe land and
become ope of the grandmothers of Jesus
Christ, the Lord of glory. Aud so tt often
Is that a path which often starts very darkly
snds very br ghtly.
When you started out for heaven, oh, how
lark was the hour of conviction; how Sinai
thundered and the devils tormented and th.
darkness thickened! Alt the sins of your life
pounced upon you an 1 It was the darkest
hour you ever saw when you lirst found out
your sins. After awhile you went Into tho
harvest field of God's meroy. You be ran to
glean in the fields of divine promise and you
had more sheaves than you oould carry as
the voles of Go t addressed you saying.
"Blessed is the man whose transgressions are
forgiven and whos sins are covered." A
very dark starting in conviolion, a very
bright en ling in the pardon and the hop.
and the triumnh of the gospel!
80, very often In our worldly business or
In our spiritual career we start off on a very
iark path. We must go. The flesh may
ihrink back, but there Is a voioe within, or a
voice from above, saving. "You must go."
An I we have to drink thn gal1, and we have
to carry the cross, nnd we have to traverse
the desert, and we are pounded and flailed
)f misrepresentation and abue, and w. have
:o urge our wav through 10,fi00 olistacles
that have been slain hv our own right arm.
We have to f.rd thn river, we have to climb
the mountain, we have to storm the castle,
but, blessed be God, the day of rest and re
ward will come. On the tin top of the cap
ture 1 battlements we will shout the victory;
if not in this world, then In that world where
there is no gall todr nk, no burdens to carry,
no battles to fight How do I know It? Know
il! I know it bnc.mse God says so: "They
jhall hunger no more, neither thirst any
more, neither "hall the sun light on them,
nor any heat, for the Lamb which is in tbe
midst of the throne shall lead them to living
fountains of witer. and God shall wipe ail
tears from their eyes "
Itwisverv hard for Noah to endure the
scoffing of the people In his dny, while ha
was trying to hmld the ark and waa everv
morniug fiii7.2a I about his old boat that
would never be of any practical use; but
when the deluge came and the tops of th.
mountains disapne-ire 1 like the backs of sea
mousters, nnd tho elements, lashed up In
fury, clapped their hands over a drowned
world then Noah in the nrk rejoiced in his
own safety and in the safety of his family
and looked out on the wreck of a ruined
earth.
Again. I see In my subject an illustration
of 'he beauty of female industry.
Behold Ruth toiling in tho harvest Held
under the hot sun or at noon Inking plain
bread wtlh tbe reapers or eating the parched
corn which Boaz handed to h'-r. The cus
toms of society, of course, h ive changed,
and without the hardships and exposure to
which Ruth was subjected every intelligent
woram will find something to do.
I know there is a sickly sentimentality on
this subject. In some families there ar.
persons of no practical service to the houses
holder community, nnd, though there are so
many woes all nround aiiout them in tho
world,' hevsp'-nd tht-ir time languishing over
a new pattrn or bursting into tears at mid
night over th-t story of some lover who shot
himsel'. They would not deicn to look at
Ruth carrying ba"k the barley on her way
home to her mother-in-law. Naomi, All
this fastidiousness may seem to do very well
while they are under the shelter of their
father's house, btit when the sharp winter of
misfortune cornea, what of these butterflies?
Persons under in dnlgent parentage may get
upon themselves habits of indolence, but
when they come out into practical life their
soul will recoil with disgust nnd cha.-rin.
Ttaey will feel in their hearts what tbe poet
so severely satirized when he said:
Folks are so awkwar 1, things so Impolite,
I'bey'je elegantly pained from morning until
nighr. -
' Through that gat. of indolence how many
men and women have marched, useless on
earth, to a destroved eternity! 8plnola said
to Sir Horace Vere, 'Of what did your
brother die?" "Of hnving nothing to do,"
was the answer. "Ah." said Splnola, "that's
enough to kill anv general of us!" Oh, cau
it be possible in this world, where there is so
much suffering to be allev.nted, so much
darkness to be enlightenet and so many bur
dens to be carrot, that there Is any person
who cannot find nnything to do?
Mme. de Htael did a world of work In her
time, and one day, while she was s-'ated
amid instruments of music, nil of which she
had mastered, und amid tnauuscript books
which she bad wr tten, some one said to ber,
'How do you find time to attend to all these
things?" "Oh," she replied, "these are not
tbe things I am proud of. My chief boast is
in the fact that 1 have seventeen trades, by
any one of which 1 could make a livelihood if
necessary." And, if in secular spheres there
is so much to be done, in spiritual work how
v-st the Held! How many dying all around
about us without one word of comfort! Wa
want more Abigails, more Hannahs, more
Rebeccas, more Marys, more lleborahs, con
secrated, body, mind, soul, to the Lord who
bought them.
Once more I leurn from my subject the
value of gleaning.
Ruib go ng into that harvest field might
bave said : "Tbere is a straw, and there Is a
stiaw, but what is a straw? I cau t get any
arley for myself or mv mother-in-law out
of these separate straws." Not so said
beiutiful Rutb. She gathered two straws,
and she put them together, and more straws,
until sho got enough to make a sheaf. Put
ting that down, she went and gatbered morn
straws, until she bad another sheaf, and
another, and nuothr, an I another, nnd then
she brought them togi-ther, and she threshed
them out, and she ha 1 un ephtih of barley,
nigh a bushel. Oh, that we might all be
gleauefr!
El'hu Burritt learne I many things while
toiliug In a blacksmith shop. Abeicro.nbie,
the world renowned philosopher, was a
philosopher in gcoilaud, aud he got hi phil
osophy, or the chief part of It, while as a
physician he was waitiug for tbe tioor o tbe
siektoofn to open. Yet how many there are
in this day who say ibey are so busy they
have no time for meutal or spiritual im
provement. Tbe grat duties of life cross
the Hold like strong renpere aud carry off all
the hours, an I there is only here and there
a fragment left that is not worth gleaning.
Ah, my friends, )ou could no into 1 he busiest
day aud busiest we -k of your life and find
golden opportunities, which, gathered,
might at lust make a whole sheaf for the
Lord's garner, it is tbe stray opportunities
and the stray privileges which, taken up and
bound together and beaten out, will at la.-t
till you with much joy.
There are a lew moments left worth the
gleaning. Now, Ruth, to the Hold! May each
one have a measure lull and ruuning over!
Oh, you gleaners, to the Held! And if tbere
be in your household au aged one or a sick
relative that i.s not sttong enough to come
forth nnd toil in this Held, then let Ruth take
home to feeble Naomi this sheaf of gleaning.
'He that goeth forth nnd wecpeth, beariug
precious seed, shall doubtless eotue again
with reiolcing. bringing his sheaves with
bltn." Mav the Lord tlod of Ruth
and
N.iotni be our portion forever!
Indian Relics.
An interesting tlod was made last
Sunday by two young geologists from
Allegheny, near the old log-house ou
the McMulioti place, Junt sout li of town.
The iiud consisted of three flint hatch
ets, or tomahawks, twenty-two arrow
til'S, one large and one small clay mor
tar (supposed to have been used for the
grinding and mixing of maize) and a
nmnlicr of small stone dishes.
These stone dishes were likely used
by the medicine man of the tribe for
inixliitrmedleine.or probably were used
for mixing war paint, as they were all
stained with a red substance that very
much resembled ochre. These young
men are the same that made the iiitcr
esting discovery at I'ugau's run last
summer, ami although they were not
looking for Indian relics, they value
their tind highly. lieaver Falls Repub
lican. Prosperity and prudence are spelled
differently, but they generally nieau
about tbe same thing.
"""a .r - , v
fS'J..f
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1