IfiiiSa
m. r. hohweier,
THE CONSTITUTION THE UNION AND THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAWH.
VOI . LI.
MIFFLINTOWN. JUNIATA COUNTY. PENNA.. WEDNESDAY. MAY 2G. 1897.
NO. 24
CHAPTER XIX-Continued.)
"Who is dead? And who ia married?"
Hester demands, with fierce impatience,
clutching his coat sleeve. "Are you mar
ried?" "Yea, I am married. Hettie, he an
swers, trying to amile, and fairly quilling
at the look of rage and acorn, hate and
despair. Id the rigid face that at area at
Mm. "I am married, mother, and this ia
my wife," he aaya, trying again to amile
and not to notice Hettle, who ha a ahrank
back against the arm of the sofa, and
to introduce Muriel easily and gracefully,
and finding all three efforts utterly and
equally Impossible.
"Your wife. Eric!" hie mother repeats,
breathless with surprise. "You will par
don my aatonlshment, I hope, my dear,"
ahe adda, courteously, addressing Muriel;
"but Eric haa kept bla marriage a secret"
this very primly and coldly "otherwise
I ahould hare been pleaaed to welcome
you as I ahould wish."
"We have only been married a week,
mother, Eric Interposes stiffly, watching
the cool preaaure of the hand with which
hla mother receives her daughter-in-law,
'and It ia not my fault," he adds resent
fully, "that you have not been made fully
aware two days ago of my marriage with
Muriel O'Hara."
"Indeed!" Mrs. Llewellyn aaya. with a
fresh accession of surprise, and an arch
ing of the eyebrows, and lowering of the
eyelida and the corners of the lipa, which
betoken that the enlightenment is not a
pleasant one. She knowa now that her
sou's bride is very poor and very young
a soon as ahe hears distinctly who she is
the sinter of Eric's Irish friend. Cap
tain O'Hara.
"I am ao sorry to have come on you as
a aurprise. It i very unfortunate," Mu
riel says, smiling coldly as she addresses
her, for she reads the eldest lady's
thoughts correctly enough. Indeed, ahe
perceives quite clearly that both ladies
are astonished and disappointed.
"It ia very unfortunate and unpleasant
for you!" Hester retorta, with a shrill
laugh. "If we had had the least idea of
the pleasure Eric was preparing for n
we should have had our countenancea in
better order! Shouldn't we, auntie?'
And she remains staring with a set smile
on her lips and that mcrcileaa glare in her
eyea at Muriel's fair face, which she is
glad to see haa winced at the veiled tauut
lu ber speech, .
"It has been a aurprise indeed we had
do Idea. I am are 8r jsaajerstoe thai
Eric so surprised " Mrs. Lrewellyu,
senior, aaya nervously, and in a fragment
ary speech, which Muriel decisively cuts
short.
"Don't you think," she says, addressing
Eric, but speaking quite clearly and calm
ly, with the slightest of those cold little
scornful smiles he is beginning to know
so well, "don't you think if I were to go
away, back to our rooms In New Caven
dish street for an hour or ao, while you ex
plain matters, it would be more agreeable
to every one? I think I shall certainly be
de trop," Muriel aaya, with an airy little
laugh, "while you are relating why and
wherefore you married me."
"You cannot be de trop where I am,
Muriel!" Eric says, sternly, but with a
look of passionate fondness and an under
tone of reproach and tenderness that al
most overwhelms all the composure and
coldness of the poor little aching heart
" that leape up in answering love ana grati
tude to his protecting authority; and at
the look and tone Heater Stapleton's
vengeful eves and falae-amiling lipa turn
their baleful regard on him. She sees
and kuowa that Eric dearly loves this
ntrane. r girl whom he has married.
"You jade," ahe aaya, volcelessly, to the
demons that are warring within her. "If
I wasu't afraid of being hanged I ahould
wring that white neck of yours that
tempted him!"
CHAPTER XX.
"Well, we have a bit of news for you,"
Miss Hettie begins, archly, aa they ait
at the tea table, and Eric knowa by the
lines around her mouth that her news
Is sure to be flavored with malice. "You
are not the only one to give us surprises,
Eric! Edith ia home again with us!"
"Home again with you?" he says, sharp
ly and suddenly, and his eyes involunta
rily and awiftly glance about the room
"What do you mean?"
He speaks roughly "nd angrily In his
agitation, and Muriel w ho has looked up
inquiringly at the mention of "Edith "
whose very name and existence ttre alike
unknown to her hitherto averta her eye.
Inatantly, frightened and shocked to dis
cover that Eric Llewellyn can speak in
that tone. And Hester Stapleton sees the
startled fear in the girl-bride's face, and
resolves to punish Eric to the uttermost.
Don't eat me. Eric, dear!" she says,
mildly reproachful. "I mean just what I
say Edith Cameron la home again with
ua ' No. not here. She ia staying with
aome friends of her own in Brighton."
"And la her engagement broken off
be asks alowly. .
. "Well yes, I believe the marnaje if
put off,' Eric." his mother saya briefly,
darting an uneasy glance at Muriel, who
crimsons with a sudden sense of st ffoca
tion and dixzinesa that cornea over aer.
"How did it happen, then, that Edith
changed her mind?" Eric Llewellyn a.k
quietly.
"Goodness gracious, Eric! Don't ask
me!" Hettie saya mirthfully. "You know
more about Edith'a mind, and her reasons
or no reasons for altering it, and making
It up, and unmaking it, than anybody else.
I should say."
"Of her flirtatione and ambitioua co
quetry, and love of admiration, you mean.
I auppose?" be aaya, pushing bis chair
away as he notices something in Muriel
attitude and the rigid look of the profile
of the fair face that ia turned away a
little. He moves away to the fire after
placing a chair for his young wife, whom
nobody else seems to notice, and who
takes it in silence with a wan little amile
of noliteness on her face, aa she affects
ao -fv calm ana very rouru", -moves
u.e tootstooi lor ner mouier-m-law'a
feet, and then site gaiiug at the
blazing f.re with a dreadful look on her
young face the forlorn look of a heart
broken child with an odd, piteooa quiver
la her pale lipa. but with tearless eyea.
"We are under ordera for the Cape,
mother. Do you know?" he aska, leaning
on the mantel ahelf and trying to see Mu
riel's expression distinctly. "On the TtD
of January. My leave doea not expire un
til the 28th; but I think .fil going out with
the troops, unless Muriei would li'ie to
stay in England longer?
He puts his senteuce In the form of a
question, but she hardly hears or under
stands In the tumult of misery that la
rakiug her breast.
"Oh. Eric, going to lose yon again T
his mother aaya, bewailingly. "I thought
you were not going until late in the
Iriug. you said! I quite understood yon
were not going for another three months!"
"I could get extension of leave. I dare
say." he says, looking at Muriel still;
"but I thought Muriel would be better
a-ay from everything In a new life."
She looks up at him then, with no pleas
ure or eagerness, only fear and dismay
In her distended eyes.
"She is going with you, of coorset" the
mother saya, heaving a algh. "How do
you like that, Mrs. Llewellyn?
"I don't like it at all!" Muriel aaya. rle
Ing from her chair with a sort of terror
and defiance in her face aa ahe gazea at
Eric "I did not know you were going
out of England! Yon did not tell me!"
ahe says, with an irrepressible outburst
of reproach in her tones and her flashing
eyes.
"I thought bad newa waa told soon
enough, Muriel." Eric saya, soothingly,
confounded at thia scene. For, aa his
feelings have altered within the last hour
to the extent of making him earnestly
desire her society, which he had meant to
forsake, be forgets that hers may have al
tered in another way.
"I should much prefer to stay at home,"
she answers, sharply, with panting breath,
and old Mrs. Llewellyn coughs dryly.
"Very good, my dear, we will arrange
that you ahall atay at home," Eric says,
-urtly.
CHAPTER XXI.
In utter ailence Eric Llewellyn and Mu
riel walk back to their room. In New
Cavendish street, and while each one is
siieechless In deep and painful musing,
the fire of anger and grief burns flerce
and high In the hearts of each. She has
deeply offended his pride and wounded his
passionate love for her. He haa aroused
a very teniest of jealous angnish and de
spair in her girlish, undisciplined heart.
- "I know now why you married me!"
exclaims Muriel as soon aa they euter the
sitting room. "I know now! I could not
imagine why you decided on marrying me
aa aoon aa you aaw me. why 70a Insisted
on such a hasty, hurried marriage, even
while Miles was dying."
"If you Imagine beyond the truth, so
much the worse for yon," Eric answers.
"I wanted to marry you because I loved
you."
"So. but because you wanted to be re
venged on Edith Cameron, whose lover
you were," Muriel retorta.
- "You are speaking unkindly, discourte
ously and untruthfully, Muriel. I repeat.
I married you because I loved you enough
to hope you could fill my heart entirely.
nd. by your love entirely blot out thi
memory of another woman'a falseness.
Recollect. I have a longer past than you.
who are only In your girlhood; and you
ran hardly Imagine that a man'a life be
fore his marriage is like a woman'a."
"I want to know nothing of your past,"
poor Muriel saya, illogical as every wom
an, when her heart's deepest feelings are
concerned, always ia; "I only know that
yon loved that other woman, and not me,
and yon married me hastily, and now ahe
la free and you are not, and for myself.
I can only wish I waa dead and buried
with my brother!"
"Hu.hr' Erie aaya, sternly, stamping
his foot in his agitation. "How dare you
say such a wicked thing! Please to re
member before yon hurl accusations of
falsehood, cruelty and treachery in the
unmeasured terms you have been using."
he saya sternly, with a darkened brow,
"that I have done you no wrong beyond
not informing you of a certain story of my
pnst life with which you have no concern
whatever, lou marnea me to serve your
awn ends," he continues, and the galling,
torturing belief be shrinks from, and yet
cannot get rid of, is like Hercules' poi
soned tunic to him. "You deceived me
with pretenses of the utmost maidenly
pride and unwillingness, to enhance the
value of your consent, when all the time
you meant and Intended that I ahould be
your husband, and had plotted Indeed be
forehand to bring things to the desired
issue. This is a discovery which a man
'ike me finds it hard to forgive."
"You say I 'plotted?" " Muriel aska, and
.-here is an ominous quiet in her tones.
"With whom did I plot? There are usu
ally two in a plot."
"Not necessarily," anawers Eric curtly.
"And I deceived you with "pretense of
the utmost maidenly pride and unwilling
ness, to enhance the value of my con
eut,' " Muriel saya, repeating hla words
exactly to order, "'when all the time 1
meant and intended that yon ahould be
oiy husband?' "
"Yea, you did," Eric aaya fiercely, "and
it waa base and false of you."
"Of me and my brother Miles? she
jnestions, still as calmly aa ever. "Yon
tare evidently been well informed by an
neniy and an eavesdropper of confidential
,-onversatlons between Miles and myaelf,
h I know all you muat have heard, and 1
inow now when yon heard it it ia all
;luin and clear to me now: and I know,
00, that there was not even then so much
iking or loyalty to your dead friend who
oved you as a brother, to make you be
ieve the best, and not the worst of him
iud of me. And you may, and you shall,
'or any word I ahall ever utter!" Muriel
lays abandoning the control ahe haa kept
ver' herself for so long. "My darling
brother wronged you ao rar mat it was
the wish of hia life that you ahould marry
bis sister, and I promised obedience to hia
wlshee, with the reserve of disliking you
when I met yon. And he died happy be
cause he thought we were both happy,
and did not dream how foul a wrong he
had done to your honor and pride, and
how fatal a bar he had helped to place
between you and the lady who waa wor
thy of your lova and esteem! So now, as
we know each other's minds ao well," aha
goea on, with the aama reckless amile,
"nothing more need be said, or explained,
or hoped, or feared and It la much the bet
ter way; and as aa It ia Impossible, of
that we could continue to live
j together, yon will not think of my going
with you to the Cape or anywhere elser
"It la a matter entirely for your own
decision, Mrs. Llewellyn," Eric answers,
with a frigid amile and a alight bow, to
conceal by sarcasm hla real feelings.
And then they retired to their respec
tive room to dreaa iot dinner, though
the iron bonds of polite conventionalities
are aa iralllnv fnttoM A 1.1 l. . -
of each, and they come down to the din-
uoi -me amner of herbs." to
the newly married lovers, for Jealous mis
understanding and proud misery are the
vis-a-vis of the bridegroom and the bride
CHAPTER XXII.
The "ten days or so" to which Major
Llewellyn has alluded aa the probable
time of hia atay have dwindled down to
three; and on thia evening the third be
fore he .ail. from Southampton m-ith the
detachment for the Cape be and Muriel
are going down to Danefield Priory to a
dinner party.
It is forty miles from London, certainly,
but they intend returning to town by the
ten o'clock express the same night.
Murnel enters the Danefield drawing
room with the tips of her fingers touching
Erie's arm, cold, and fair, and aelf-poa-aeaaed
aa the haughtleat married belle of
a London aeaaon. She is naturally grace
ful, naturally well-bred, thia Irish coun
try girl, and aa ahe bpwa to one and an
other aa they are Introduced to her by her
mother-in-law, or by Eric, people are a
good deal amased to see In the girlish
bride of Major Llewellyn's romantic mar
riage respecting which clever Miaa Het
tie Stapleton has set a dozen rumors afloat
thia lovely creature who haa the grace
of a yonng princess.
But all at once, Muriel hears a name
uttered that sends all the blood to her
heart with a rush, and her feet teem
rooted to the floor, and all the faces
around her seem to fade away In mist,
leaving one only one which photograph
itself on her brain, as her eyes blaze with
a Jealous fire on the face of her rival. Her
fingers clench themselves involuntarily on
Eric's arm with a grip of which she ia all
unconscious, but of wiich he is quite cog
nizant, as well aa of the cause, and it in
creases his embarrassment tenfold as he
introduces them.
"Muriel, this Is my cousin," he empha
sizes these laat two worda "Miaa Cam
eron. Edith, thia la my wife."
And Muriel, with a chill sickness ot
jealous despair gathering over her spirit,
perceives, in a moment, in Edith Cam
eron the moat beautiful woman ahe has
ever seen.
"I waa so glad to hear of your marriage,
Eric," ahe aaya, in a scarcely lowered tone,
while ahe plays with her fan; "ouly yon
needn't have taken ua all by surprise, need
he, Muriel? May I call you Muriel?"
"You may," Muriel says, very coldly,
and the smiling radiance of the bright co
quette's face fades a little.
And then the evening goes on and the
dinner is over, and there is music, and
Hester Stapleton sings well. as ahe does
everything, in a cultivated contralto voice
song after song, until she absorb, moat
of the Interest of the evening.
Not once for the rest of the evening
Joes Eric address hia wife beyond the
briefest question on their journey back
to town: and then the next day he Is out
from morning until night, and on the next
his mother and cousins come up to take
their leave of him, as he la to travel down
to Southampton by the night express.
And the evening cornea, and Muriel's
last chance la gone. Hr last hour with
her husband haa coma, dwindling down
minute by minute to the moment of part
ing. Parting for years, "for evermore"
perhaps. She and Eric, ner wedded lover,
her one only love, ber only hope 00 earth,
and they are alienated; they will part a
t ranger, amidst the group of strangers-
part aud say, "Adieu for evermore!"
(To be continued.)
Ohsaaoey Depew'a Newest Story.
Some of the bet stories that are told
at Lotoa Club dinners reach ouly the
small audience that gathers In the cafe
downstairs, after the toasts have been
spoken to, for a more Informal enter
tainment as a conclusion. To such an
audience a few evenings ago Dr. De
pew. In speaking of the many requests
that he received for passes, said: "A
man whom I bare not seen since we
were boys together called on me this
morning and Introduced himself. He
looked rather seedy, and he told me he
wasn't prosperous. We talked about the
days when we were boys together, and
the little red schoolhouse, and bow the
years bad dealt with each of us. 'I am
glad to see you are getting along nicely,
Chauneey,' he said. Thank you,' I re
plied, 'and how have you prospered? 'I
have not prospered at all,' he said, wip
ing a tear from the corner of his eye;
'but I am on the eve of success If yon
will give me a little aid. 'What can I
do for you?
" 'Well, Chauneey, I want a pass to
Wapplnger'8 Falls.'
" 'What are you going to do there to
bring you success Y I asked.
" 'I'm going to deliver a lecture. It's
a good lecture, and it will bring me
fame and money.'
" 'And what are yon going to lecture
about? I asked.
" 'I'll tell you, Chauneey, after I get
the pass.'
"I wanted to aid my old friend, and I
had a pass made out for blm. Giving it
to him, I said with some curiosity:
" 'Now, John, what is the subject of
this lecture of yours?'
"John braced up, threw back his
shoulders, and proudly answered:
" 'I am going to lecture on how to
make money. "New York Sun.
When an old man was asked how he
aad attained to an old age so serene and
lovely, he said: "I have never re
Jolced at any evil which happened to
vi v neighbor."
Portland, Me., claims a cat able to say
"papa" and "mamma."
More than one-third of Great Britain
U owned ly member of the House of
Lords.
It is estimated that 2,(hm),ihm tons of
pure silver are held iu solution by all the
waters ol tne eai in
Two bites into an apple picked up in a
store cost a resident of I ortlun.l, Me
three front teeth.
A French florist has offered 1200 to
any one who cau produce a pluut which
will yield blue roses.
A doctor savs that probably half the
deafness prevalent at the present time is
the result of children having their ears
boxed.
Within the last fifty years the rate of
speed of ocean steamers has trebled, and
the usual horse power increased from 700
to 10,000.
Philadelphia has a greater mileace of
electric railways than the whole 01 tier
many, according to the Electrical World
A well known artist declares that in
ninety-nine cases out of a hundred the
left side of the human face is the more
perfect in outline.
One of Edison's latest patents is a two
pointed receiver for the phonograph,
which will give two records at once from
the same cylinder.
In the deserts of Arizona there is a spe
cies of woodpecker which necks the tele
graph poles to pieces. The bird hears the
humming sonnet and imagines that insects!
are beneath the surface. j
1
,a(XPCiaxxxxocKxaocKjr
i o-THE OTHER BOX.-
A;
well-brought-up boy learus at a
very early age mat practical
lokes are dangerous things.
Sometimes be learns it at his mother's
knee, sometimes on his father's face
down. Otherwise he receives physical
demonstration from a bigger boy.
From which it would appear that the
youngsters gazetted to the Irrepressi
bles were not well brought up. At all
events, they had the reputation of be
ing the most rowdy crew In the army
list. Now, In India, a reputation is ouly
gained by being deserved. And It was
in a bill-station that the subalterns ot
the Irrepressibles reached the loftiest
pinnacle of their folly. The affair was
hushed np afterward, for the honor of
the regiment, as such things should be.
The Irrepressibles were unlucky In
their quarters that year. They were
fixed on the plains at a time when there
was nothing to do, no game, no society,
no anything. In a case like that they
were thrown back on themselves, and
the result was unfortunate. Men's tem
pers began to give way uuder the strain,
aud. from the commanding ollicei
down to the smallest boy capable of
beating a drum, there was not one who
did not curse the hour he was born at
least seven times a day.
The trouble came. It all arose out of
the Junior Subaltern going out fishing
one day, or out of the fact that he
caught nothing. Coming back, bow
ever, he must needs run across a cobra,
which, with bis usual foolliardin8,
he duly forked and transferred alivs
aud wriggling into his creel. Tlieuce,
on arrival at quarters, it was removed
to a perforated box and tenderly fed.
Two of the subalterns began to de
velop a most astonishing degree of ha
tred the one for the other. They wer
two men sufficiently alike In cbaractei
and capabilities to be either the firmest
of friends or the bitterest of enemies
As a matter of choice they were the
latter. Jealousy was at the bottom ol
the trouble, no doubt. In the natural
order of things, this little feeling didn't
make life any the pleasanter for tint
rest. At first It was treated as a wel
come diversion, and for a time the oth
er youngsters used to take an artistic
pleasure In fanning the quarrel, fore
most being the Junior Subaltern.
What was originally a variation of
the monotony of life, however, soon
came to be a nuisance, and the Irrepres
sibles began to feel very sick. Then
they got to wishing that one or both of
the men would die. This Is not a nice
sentiment to entertain toward any
man, especially if he Is a brother-officer.
But, moat of all, each of the men
wished that the other would go out, and
this was even worse.
At last matters came to a head. The
two subalterns had a regular row one
nlgbt after mess. They would have
come to blows if It hadn't beeu for the
Interference of the older men. There
were six men present, all subalterns
except one, and it would have been bet
ter If they had let the two fight it out
then and there. Probably the dllliculty
might hare been settled finally. But
peace was patched up for about three
days, aud then they broke out worse
than ever, aud said things that half a
century ago would have led to pistols
next morning. In the meantime, the
Junior Subaltern and four other Imps
of mischief bad matured a plan by
which they hoped to fix up the matter
ouce for all. And In this plan, natural
ly enough, the snake took some part.
It was a grim enough practical joke at
the best, and they ought to have ios
sessed more sense between the five of
them tbun to think of such a thing.
The idea was nothing more or less
than to projiose to the two men to
spend a night together, and with the
cobra, in a disused room in quarters.
They were to tie locked in and left to
settle the matter among themselves
duriug the night, and in the morning
the rest of the party would release the
survivors. If any. Of course there was
no thought, -even for a moment, of let
ting loose the corba In that way, but
as the Junior Subaltern said: "It won't
do them any barm to think it out, nud
perhaps with reflection will come an
Increase of wisdom."
While the two men were still in the
heat of anger, the Junior Subaltern pro
pounded to them his Idea of settling
their difficulty by means of the snake.
The affair being thus decided, a dis
used room was chosen as the scene of
the ordeal, and was hastily cleared of
what furniture was in It. This being
done, the two men, who had not
changed color during the scene, were
stationed at opposite corners of the
room, propped up In silting positions.
with a clear space between them of
something like fifteen feet.
All preliminaries having been ar
ranged, the boy brought In the fatal
box and deposited it In the center of the
room. In such a manner that the lid
should open sideways. Here again hi
ingenuity came into play. It was ob
vious that the box must be opened
when all except the principals were
outside the door. Luckily, the box had
a sliding lid, and the Junior Subaltern
was able to arrange It so that, by at
taching a piece of string, any one
standing outside the door would be able
to slide back the lid and so release the
presumed occupant of the box.
During all those arrangements the
five conspirators had felt very serious.
They began to realize that It was
rather a grim joke they were having,
and it is probable That the two men
who weren't behind tbe scenes, who
each doubted whether he might be
alive In the morning, were less nervous.
Bnt then thev were atill verv anirrv.
nd hadn't had time yet to think out
all the details
At last all' the arrangements had
been settled with due exactness. The
Junior Subaltern had been an uncon-
tcionable Use vavrk. It la probable
that he was getting very sick of bis
hoax, and would have been glad enough
to show it up if anyone bad given him
the lead. After all, he knew that there
was an ugly aide to the farce, and as
bis first boyish enthusiasm died away
be wanted to throw the thing up. But
no one helped him out of It, and for
very shame he could scarcely give him
self away. Besides, the two principals
wouldn't have thanked blm.
Nothing more remained to be dona.
There was solemn enough leave-taking
on all sides as the five youngsters filed
out of the room and locked the door,
leaving the two men In their corners
and the box In the center of the room.
For a moment or two tbe five stood in
silence out in the passage, the Junior
Subaltern holding the end of tbe string .
and shaking like an aspen leaf with
suppressed exciietneuu lora ue bkti
It a sharp tug, and they could hear the
box-lid sliding back until It dropped to
the floor with a slight smack.
It was a bushed and rather conscience-stricken
band that dispersed to
the various rooms in quarters, and the
hours of that night hung heavily. It is
a fact that the five youngsters did not
average an hour of sleep between them.
This was proved by the alacrity with
which they all turned out at tbe first
break of dawn, and assembled, shiver
ing and drawn-looking and haggard,
reaily to go and release their voluntary
prisoners.
They were. In fact, so disturbed that
they took no notice of tbe Senior Cap
tain, who, for some reason best known
to himself, had turned out, too, and fol
lowed them as they trod softly along to
tbe door of the disused room. He was
still unnoticed as they reached It, and
there made a marked halt; and hla
curiosity to see their little game pre
vented niui from announcing himself.
They stood for a moment In breathless
silence, showing a strange, sudden dis
inclination to stir.
Then, as was the case the night be
fore, tbe Junior Subaltern took the
lead. There was a faint murmur as he
turned the key in the lock and stepped
boldly iuto the room tbe rest following
In a crowd. Tbe Senior Captain stood
for a moment outside, wondering and
trying to make out what It all meant.
But a sudden, stifled cry caused him to
step quickly after them.
lie was a man who bad been In sev
eral actions. He had seen men killed
uuder all sorts of ghastly circum
stances. He had commanded burial
parties sent out offer the Afghan wo
men had been at their devilish work,
and bad seen sights that, hardened as
he was. had made him feel sick and
full of horror. But those scenes were
In no way comparable with what met
his eyes as he entered the room behind
his Juniors.
The two men were no longer propped
up in the position in which they bad
been left. Their swollen, distorted
bodies were huddled on the floor In at
titudes that showed the awful manner
In which they bad met their doom. But
the figures, almost grotesque In tbe
contortions which had attended the
last death agony, were as nothing. In
each case the face was upturned,
livid, with distended cheeks and crack
ed skin, with flecks of blood oozing
from mouth and nose, and with eyes
widely open and a fear and horror In
them past all description. It was not
so much tbe physical agony as the ex
pression of terror In the fixed faces that
rendered these corpses so dreadful to
contemplate. Yet the two men, while
alive, were as brave, with all their
faults, as any men should be.
As he looked In, the Captain was
glued to the ground by the nameless
horror of that death-stare. He seemed
forgetful of his companions, of where
he was, all bis faculties concentrated
on the two huddled masses on the Bo jr.
A ghastly Incident aroused htm. The
Junior Subaltern burst Into a laugh,
faint at first, and then swelling into
peal after peal of uproarious mirth.
"Ha! ha!" he shouted, reeling from
foot to foot, and holding his shaking
sides. "Look at them! Don't they
sham well? Aren't they first-rate ac
tors?" The Senior Captain stepped up to
him, and laid a hand rouguly on his
shoulder.
Then the boy turned, and they could
all see In his eyes that he was mad.
But the touch had quieted him.
"They act beautifully, don't they?"
he whispered confidentially to bis
senior officer. "I wonder when they
first found out the Joke."
"What do you mean? asked the
other, soothingly.
"Mean?" the maniac replied. "Why,
don't you see? I had two boxes just
alike, and I put the empty box in here.
The snake is still in my own room.
It seemed something like a grim con
tradiction that, almost at the same mo
mot, a flat, spectacled head reared
Itself under one of the bodies, and two
baleful eyes surveyed the awe-struck
group. San Fraii4aco Argonaut.
His Ruling Passion.
A nold Lancashire miller, noted for
his keenness in matters financial, was
once In a boat trying his best to get
across the stream which drove his mill.
The stream was flooded, and he was
taken past the point at which he want
ed to land, while farther on, misfor
tune still further overtook him. to tbe
extent that the boat got upset. His
wife, realizing the danger be was In,
ran frantically along tbe side of the
. ateamer crying for help In - pitiful
' voloe. when- to ner neer amazement,
ne was ndclenly brought to a atand-
atlU by her husband yelling out: "If
m drowned. Mo"y. dnnnot forget that
our, "P tw nUUn aackl"-
Xli-BIt
CAPTURING AN EAGLE.
A Isnag Bird Caught tar
at Pet la
Foatlera Arizona.
In St. Nicholas. Wolcott Le Cleat
Beard writes of "Moses: A Tame Ea
gle," cue of his pets while be was en
gaged la engineering in southern Ari
zona. Mr, Beard gives the following
account of its capture:
I saw on the rounded top of one ot
the giant cacti with which these des
erts are thickly studded an eagle the
like of which, though familiar with thai
fowls of that region, I had never before
seen; and I may here add that we nev
er did with any certainty discover the
species to which she belonged. I rode
near to get a better view, but she de
sired no closer acquaintance; for, aftel
unfolding her wings once or twice In s
hesitating sort of manner as I ap
proached, she finally spread them and
flew heavll7 away, a couple of pistol
shots from the wagon having only tha
effect of Increasing her speed. The cac
tus on which she had beeu resting wat
a very fair sample of tbe largest vari
ety Iil tbe world of that Interesting
plant Of the thickness of a man'a
body. It rose straight from the ground,
a beautiful fluted column of vivid apple-green,
to a height of twenty-flva
feet, where a cluster of branches near
ly as thick as the parent stem grew
out from It and turned upward, while
the main trunk, without a bend, rose
several feet higher.
Between two of these branches and
the trunk there was built a nest of
good-sized sticks, about twice as large
as a bushel basket; and on this my eyes
happened to be resting when the noise
of the shots brought above its edge a
little head covered with grayish-yellow
fuzz, out of which peered two big round
eyes with an air of anxious Inquiry.
In that desert country, far from rail
ways and towns, we led rather dull
lives; so the several pets we possessed
in the big permanent camp miles away
served In no small measure to amuse
us; and to these we wished to add out
young friend of tbe cactus. But how
to get him down was a problem.
Somebody suggested that a volun
teer climb the cactus, but no one thrust
himself forward to do so. The Spanish
name by which It Is known is Sujuarro,
which, put Into English, means "that
which scratches;" aud as the spines
which thickly cover the outer edges of
the ridges are from one to four luches
long, and as sharp as needles. It will
be seen that the name gives a good ides
of that plant.
We did not like to cut It down, fof
fear the fall might Injure the fledglingj
but after some debate no better method
presented itself, so the town axuien set
to work. As the first blows made tbs
green shaft tremble, the head appeared
once more, trying, with an expression
of concern, to see what was going on
below; but this the thick sides of the
nest prevented. Then It looked at me
and said. "Jark!" This was the first
remark "Moses" ever made to us, and
there was no time for more then; for
the axes had eaten through the pulpy
mass, which now began to bend to its
fall.
As the nest tilted we could see the
thick body belonging to the head, with
two big claws clutching wildly, while
the weak, featherless wings flapped
madly in an Instinctive effort to support
their owner.
The cactus came down with a crash,
and running up we looked for our bird;
but ouly a little gray down was visible,
with one leg helplessly extended fsom
under a big branch which, broken by
the shock, had fallen across and almost
hid him. We feared he was killed; but
when, by means of an ax-head booked
around tbe prickly stuff. It was pulled
aside, he gathered himself together,
quite unhurt, and then, surveying the
strange beings who surrounded him,
made up his mind to them with that
philosophy we later learned to be one
of his traits, and opening his great
mouth to Its fullest extent, hinted that
he was hungry and wanted something
to eat.
He Wanted Little.
Representative Ellis, of Oregon, had
an amusing visitor at the Capitol the
other day. A young man from Eastern
Ohio called to see tbe Representative,
and after sending in a picturesque lit
tle card managed to corner Mr. Ellis in
the lobby, says the Washington Star.
"What can I do for you to-day?" said
Mr. Ellis, smilingly.
"Mr. Ellis," said he, "I've come a
good distance to see you and ask a
small favor; my family is well con
nected In Ohio; we are friends of Maj.
McKinley and personally acquainted
with Mr. Hanna," proceeded tbe young
man, with a serious air about him,
which aroused Mr. Ellis' curiosity.
"Now, I thought that as I am anxious
to go to Oregon to begin building up
my own fortunes I would ask for a
helping hand.
"I will help you all I can," said Mt,
Ellis.
"Well," said the Ohloan, "I thought
perhaps you would recommend me for
the postmastership at either Portland
or Astoria, which are la your district,
as a starter. I think I could make out
with such a start."
Mr. Ellis' mouth opened at least two
Inches, his eyes watered, he put hia
hands across his head In a bridge fash-
Ion and looked at the young man for
fully five minutes without uttering a
syllable, so great was his amazement,
and tbe young man walked off won
dering at Mr. Ellis' silence.
Mr. Ellis' district contains but two
postmasterships of great prominence
In the State, and tbey are Portland and
( Astoria, and tbe scramble of his con
1 stituents after the places is something
terrific when there is a vacancy at
either; In fact, coupled with the Ohlo
an's request, was more than he could
stand, and be was too dumfounded to
alk.
The Old Brote.
"I Just hate that old Mr. Browne,'
said tbe Newest Girt,
"Really?"
"Really. We girls are going In for
hunting, you know, and when I told
him how I had killed a dozen birds he
only said, Oh, that wasn't so bad, but
I've got a dog that killed thirty rats In
thirty minutes.' Hateful old fogyr
Cincinnati Enquirer.
Tailing coal killed A dan Pitroskle at
the Neilaon shaft. Shamckia.
111:1'. ins. muni'.
The Em'nent D vine's fun Jay
Discours
. Sermii That Mostly Concern. Thl. Life,
Yet Spiritual ami Phynlca.1 Condition.
Arj Largely ltendent ITpon Each
Other A Warning Against liaipatttm.
Text:
"Till a dart strikes through his
Proverbs vii., 23.
liver."
Holomon's anatomieal and physiological
Usjoveries were so very great that he vu
nearly 3000 year ahead of the scientist. of
hi day. H, nmrrt than 1000 years before
Christ, seemed to know a'mut the circula
tion of tbe lilood, which Harvey discovered
loltf years after (JurLst, for when Solomon
in Eecleniasteit, describing the human body.
speakH of the pitcher at the fountain he
evidently uieana the three canals leading
from the heart that receive the blood like
pitcher. When he ppeak.- in Eeclesiastes
of the silver cord of life, he evidently means
the spinal marrow, about which iu our day
L)r. Mayo and Carpenter and DaltoS anil
Flint aud lirown-Sequard have experiment
ed. Aud Solomon recorded in the iiible,
thousands of years before scientists discov
ered it. that in his time the spinal cord re
laxed iu old age, producing the tremors of
hand and head, "or the silver cord be
loosed."
In the text he reveal." the fact that he had
Studied that largest gland of the human
system, the liver, not by the electric liht
of the modern disserting room, but by the
dim light of a comparatively dark age, uud
yet had seen its important functions iu the
Uod built castle of the human body, its se
lecting and secrctiug power, its curious
cells, its elongated branching tubes, a di
vine workmanship in central and right and
left lote aud the hepatic artery through
which flow the crimson tides. Oh, this
vital organ is like tbe eye of Uod iu that it
never sleeps!
Solomon knew of it and had noticed
either iu vivisection or post mortem what
awful attacks sin and dissipation make
upon it, until the Hat of Almighty Ood bids
the body aud soul separate, and the one it
commends to the grave aud the other it
sends to judgment. A javelin of retribu
tion, not glauciug off or making a slight
wound, but piercing It from side to side
"till a dart strike through hi liver."
Galen and Hippocrates ascribe to the
liver the most of the world's moral depres
sion, and the word melancholy means black
bile.
I preach to you the gospel of health. In
taking a diagnosis of disease of the soul
you must also take a diagnosis of diseases
of the body. As if to recognize this, one
whole book of the New Testament was
written by a physician. Luke was a
medical doctor, and he discourses much of
the physical conditions, and he tells of the
good Samaritan's medication of the
wounds by pouring iu oil and wine, and
recoguizes hunger as a hiudrance to hear
ing the gospel, so that the 500(1 were fed.
He also records the sparse diet of the
prodigal away from home and the extin
guished eyesight of the beggar by the way
side, aud lets us know of the hemorrhage
of the wounds of the dying Christ and the
miraculous post mortem resuscitation. Any
estimate ol the spiritual condition that
does not include also the physical condition
is incomplete.
When the doorkeeper of Congress fell
dead from excessive joy heeaus' liurioyue
had surrendered at Saratoga, aud i'hilip
V., of Spain, dropped dead at the news of
his country s defeat iu battle, and Caroinal
Wolsey faded away as the result of Henry
VLXl.'s anathema, it was demonstrated that
the body ami soul are Siamese twins, and
when you thrill the one with joy or sorrow
you thrill the other. We may as well recog
nise the tremendous fact that there are two
mighty fortresses iu the human body, the
heart and the liver, the heart the fortress
of the graces, tiie liver the fortress of the
furies. You may have the head tilled witii
all intellectualities, and the ear with all
musical appreciation, and the mouth with
all eloquence, and the hands with ail in
dustries, ami the heart with all generosities
aud yet "a dart strike through the liver."
First, let Christian people avoid the mis
take that tht-yare all wrong with io;l he
cause they suiTer from depression of spirits.
Many a consecrated man has found his
spiritual sky befogged and his hope ol
heaven blotted out and plunged chin deep
in the slough of despond ami has said: "My
heart is not right with (iod. and I think
1 must have made a mistake and in
stead of being a child of light I am a child
of darkness. No one can feel as gloomy as
I feel ami be a Christian." And he ha
gone to his master for consolation, and lie
has collected Flavel s books and Cecil's
books aud Baxters books anu read aud
read and reaJ aud prayed and prayed and
prayed aud wept and wept and wept
and groaned and groaned aud groaned. My
brother, your trouble is not with the heart;
it Is a gastric disorder or a rebellion of the
liver. You need a physician more than you
do a clergyman. It is not sin thut blot
out your nope of heaveu, but bile. It uot
only yellows your eyeballs, and furs
your tongue, and makes your head ache,
but swoops upou your soul in dejections
and forebodings, the devil is after you.
He has failed to despoil your character,
and he does the next best thing for him -he
ruflles your peace of mind. When he
says that you are not a forgiven soul, when
he says you are not right with Clod, when
be says that you will never get to heaven,
he lies. If you are in Christ you arajust as
sure of heaveu as though you were there
already, liut satan,. finding that hecaunot
keep you out of the promised land of
Canaan, has determined that the spies shall
not bring you any of the Eschol grapes be
forehand, and that you shall have nothing
but prickly pear and crabapple. You are
Just as much a Christiun now under the
cloud as you were when you were accus
tomed to rise iu the morning at 5 o'clock to
pray and sing "Halleluiah, 'tis done!"
My friend. Rev. Dr. Joseph F. Jones, of
Philadelphia, a translated spirit now, wrote
a book entitled, "Man, Moral and Physi
cal," in which he shows how different the
same things may appear to different peo
ple. He says: "After the great battle on
the Mill' io in 1S59. between the French aud
the Sardinians on the one side and the Aus
trian on the other, so disastrous to the
latter, the defeated army retreated, fol
lowed by the victors. A description of the
march of each army is given by two corre
spondents of the London Times, one ol
whom traveled with the successful host, the
other with the defeated. The difference iu
views and statements of the same place,
scenes and events is remarkable. The for
mer are said to be marching through a
beautiful and luxuriant country during the
day and at night encamping where they are
supplied with an abundance of the best
provisions and all sorts of rural dainties.
There is nothing of war about the proceed
ing except its stimulus aud excitement.
On the side of the poor Austrians it is just
the reverse. In his letter of the same date,
describing the same places aud a march
over the same road, the writer ean seareely
And words to set forth the suffering, im
patience and disgust existing around him.
What was pleasant to the former was in
tolerable to the latter. What made all this
difference? asks the author. 'One condi
tion ouly. Tbe French are victorious, the
Austrians have been defeated.' "
Ho, my dear brother, the road vou are I
traveling is the same you have been travel
ing a long while, but the diiTerenee in your
pnysieai conditions makes it look uitlerent,
and therefore the two reports you have
Kiven of yourself are as widely dillerent as
the reports in the London Times from the
'.wo correspondents, tdwar.l I'ayson, some-
itnes so I.'ii up on the mount that it seemed
is if the centripetal lorce 01 earth could
no longer hold him, sometimes through a
physical disorder was so far down that
it seemed as if the nether world would
lutch him. I'oor William Cowper wasn
most excellent Christian and will be lov? 1
in tha Christian church as long as it sing.
its hymns beginning, "There is a fountain
tilled witU blood," "Oh, for a closer walk
sritii Go.l." "Wuat various hindrances w
neet" an I "(iod uiove.i in a mysterious
-av." Y'et wa-; he so overcome of melan
rhoiy or bl i -k bile that it was only through
he mistake of the ca'i driver who took him
to a wronr plae, instead of the river bank,
that ho did uot commit suicide.
Spiritual condition so mightily affected
by the physical state, what a great oppor
tunity this gives to the Christian physician,
he can feel at the same time both th
luise ol the body and the pulse ot the soul,
aud he can administer to both at once, and
if medicine is needed he can give that, and
if spiritual counsel is needed he eau giv
that an earthly aud a divine prescription
at the same time and cull on uot -ouly thn
apothecary of earth, but the pharmacy of
heaven. Ah, that is the kind of doc-tor I
want at my bedside, one that cannot only
count out the right number of drops, but
who ean also pray. That is the kind of
doctor I have had In my house when sick
ness or death came. I do not want any of
your profligate or atheistic doctors around
my loved ones when the balances of life aro
trembling. A doctor who has gone through
the medical college and iu dissecting room
has traversed the wouders of the human
mechanism and fouud no God iu auy ot the
labyrinths is a fool and cannot doctor me
or mine, but, oh, the Christian doctors!
What a comfort they have beeu in mauy of
our households! Aud tbey ought to have a
warm place in our prayers as well as praiw.
on our tongues.
Another pra.-tii'il use of this subject is
for the young. The theory Is abroad that
they must first sow their wild oats aud af
terward Michigan wheat. Let me break
the delusion. Wild oats are generally sown
iu the liver, aud they ean never lie pulled
up. They so preoccupy that orgau that
there is no room for the implantation of a
righteous crop. You see aged meu about
us at eighty erect, agile, -splendid, graud
old men. How much wild oats did they
sow between eighteen years ana linnyr
Noue, absolutely none. Uod does not very
often houor with old age those who have in
early life sacrificed swine on the altar ot
the 'bodily temple. Keuicm!er, O young
man, that, while in after life and after
years of dissipation you may perhaps have
your heart changed, religion does not
change the liver. Trembling and stagger
iug along these streets to-day are men. all
bent and decayed aud prematurely old for
the reason that they are paying for lines
they put upon their physical estate before
they were thirty. Hy early dissipation they
put on their body a first mortgage and a
second mortgage and a third mortgage to
the devil, and tiles" mortgages are now be
ing foreclosed, and all that remains of their
earttiiy estate the undertaker will soon put
out of sight. Many years ago, in fulfill
ment of my text, a dart struck through
their liver, aud it is there yet. God for
gives, but outraged physical law never,
never, uever. Solomon in my text knew
what he was talking about, and he rises up
on his throne of worldly splendor to shriek
out a warning to all the centuries.
Oh, my young brother, d ) not niakitho
mistake that thousands ar mating iu
opening the battle ag.tinst sia ti: late, for
this world too late, and for tiiewrldt'i
eo:ne too late! Whnt brings t;i:t express
train from St. I.ouls into Jersey City three
hours late? They lost fifteen miuutes early
on the r 'ute, and that affected thm all tje
way, and they hi 1 to be switched off her
an d switched off ta.-r and detained hare
an 1 d'-trtined there, a'ld t man w'.io lose.
time a:iii str.mgth in tiie earlier part of the
journey of life will yufTer for it a'l the way
through, the first twenty yean of life dam
aging the following llfty years.
So.ne years ago a s -ientiti.- lee'.urjr weai.
through the country exhibiting oj great
canvas different parts of the human body
when hvalthy and the sa:u:' parts when
diseased. And what th world wints now
is some eloquent scientist to go thrjugu
th'- country, showing to our young people
on blazing canvas the drunkard's liver, the
idler's liver, the libertine's liver, the
gambler's liver. T-riiaps tie spectacle
might stop sjtir young man h:-fore ue
co nes to the catastr j:ih an 1 the dart
strides thrjugj his liver.
My hearer, this is th.) llr.it s '.ruion you
have heard on the gospel health, and it
may be the last you will ev.;r hear on that
subject, and I charge you in th.? name ot
God and Carist an 1 usefulness and eternal
d -stiny take better car of your health.
When some of you die, if your friends put
011 your tombstone a truthful epitaph. It
w-iil read, H:?re lies the victim of late sup
pers," or it wiii be, "Behold what lobstez
salad at midnight will d f r a man," or it
will be, "Ten cigars a day c!o.ed my earth
ly existence, " or it will be, "Thought I
eouid do at seventy whit I di.l at twenty,
and I am hare, ' or it will be, "Hera ii the
consequence of sitting a luilf day with W9t
f3Jt," or it will b, " T.iis i.; where I have
sta'-Ued my harve.u of wild oats." or in
stead of words the stone cutter will chisal
for au epitaph 01 th- tombstone two 3rT
ures namely, a dart and a liver.
There is a uind of sickness that is beauti
ful wnen it comes from overwork for God,
or o.ie's country, or one's own family. 1
h.ive seen wounds that were glorious. I
have seen an empty sleevs tnat wu mora
beautiful than toe most mus-uiar firearm.
I have seen a green shad-? over tne eye, shot
out in battle, that was more beautiful than
auy two eyes that had passed without in
jury. I have se-jn an old missiona.y, worn
out with th malaria of African jungleu.
who looked to me more radiant than a rubi
cund gymnast. I have 3 -en a mothar, aftei
si weeks' watching over a fa-nily of chil
dren down with scarlet f-?ver, with a glory
around her pale and win fajj that sur-pa-oed
the augelic. It ail depends on how
you got your sickness and in wji: battle
your wounds.
If we must get sick and worn out, let it
be in God's service aud in the eTort to .naka
the world good. Not ia thsservi "! of sin.
No, no! One of the most pathetic seenas
that I ever witness, and I often see it, is
that of men or women converted in the
fifties or sixties or seventies wanting to be
useful, but they so served th3 world and
satan in the earlier part of their life that
they have no physical energy left for the
service of God. They sacrificed nerve.,
muscles, lungs, heart and liver on the
wrong altar. They fought on tho wrong
side, aud now. when thcirsword is all hack
ed up and their ammunition ail gone, they,
enlist for Emmanuel. When the higa 111 :t-
tied cavalry hone, which that man spurred
into many a cuvatry charge with cha ft -nig
bit aud Hunting eye aud neck clothed with
thunder, is worn out and spavined and
ring boued and springhalt, lie rides
up to the great Captain of our sal
vation 011 the white horse and offers
his services. When such persons might
have been, through tile good hab
its of a lifetime, crashing their battle-axa
through the heimeted iuijuitied, they aro
spending their days and nights U discuss
ing the best way of curing their indiges
tion, and quieting their jangling nerves,
and rousing their laggard appetite, aud
trying to extract the dart from their out
raged liver. Better converted late than
never. Oh, yes, for they will get to heaven,
liut they will go afoot when they might
have wheeled up the steep hills of the sky
iu Elijah's chariot. There is an old hymn
that we useil to sing iu the country meet
ing house when I was a hoy, ami I remem
ber how the "Id (oik-' voices trembled with
emotion while they .-a-" it. I have for
gotten all but two lines, but those lines ar
the peroration of my sermon.
'Twill save us from a thousand suares
To mind religion young.
If a man lias kin it ii equivalent to
having tuoubles.
Hermetically sealed wine flasks have
been found in l'ouieii.
It betokens as great a soul to be capa
ble of curing a fault, as to be incapable of
o ininitting it.
Rigid justice toward men is the great
est injustice.
Misfortune and imprudence are often
twins.
A dollar never buys much for a
stingy man.
A man's head is lus citadel, and his
heart is his worst enemy lie has to fear.
For with all our pretentions to en
ligbtcnmcnt.are we uot now a talking.des
ullory, rather than a meditative genera
tion? Unless the heart first fcives, what tbe
hand bestows is not a Rift.
You cun argue a man out of bis opin
ions, aud even out of his religion; but
you cuu't out of the color of his necktie,
or the squeeze of his boots.
People ruth around on Monday as
though they were avhanc-d of having
beeu idle on Sunday.
Every man must pay his own tuition
in the school of exfK-rieuce.
In proportion as man i-eis back tho
spirit of manliness, which is sell-sacrifice,
aficction, loyalty to an idea beyond
himself, a Uod above himself, so far will
he rise above circumstances, and wield
thera at his will.