w . .. h, P- B THE COWSTlTUTIOn THE UNION AND THE ENFORCEUEKV OF THE LAWS. Editor and Proprietor. VOL. LIU- MIFFLINTOWK, JUNIATA COUNTY, PENN., WEDNESDAY, MAY 31, 1899. NO. 25. caret. CHAPTER II. (Continued.) flush' hushT' cries Delia imploringly, she rises to her feet with the child in ier amis. . "Huld your tongue, you ' vixen jommenced Janus Moray, but his brother tops him. , . W QU''t- J- uml let us go PBtair8 loure not in a fit state to speak to any ' jo that Vs not. nor ever is," replies Mrs. Tinisnn. witheringly; "take 'iin np irith you. do, sir, and a precious bargain ron'Te pot. And if you don't mean to rtay here all nitfht yourself you'll be good .noueh to turn out again sharp, for I've iraited np too long for you already, and ion't mean to trust my 'ouse to a drunken Kt like that 'ere." James Moray here makes a futile dash it the landlady's cap, but nearly nonets Big balance in the attempt, and his broth er with some difficulty guides his totter ing feet np to the comfortless sitting room, where lelia has already preceded them irith the boy. ! When at last they reach It they find her kneeling before the fire, taking off Willy's! ret garments and chafing his feet and lands, which are as cold as ice. The iook of anxiety and reproach upon her face is quite sufficient to raise her hus band's cholcr. "Leave that brat alone," he says, au thoritatively, "and let him put himself to bed as best he may. I require your ser rioes." But lelia can be angry, too. The meek ipirit with whirh she bears his Insult to herself does not extend to his behavior to her child. "I cannot leave Lira yet." she answers, determinedly. "He is wet through to the ikin. and heaven only knows what harm rou may not have clone him by taking him jut at night in such weather. If I do not K-e that he is thoroughly warmed and jried he wiil have an attack of inflamma tion before the morning." "Io you mean to disobey meT cries James Moray, as he advances toward her threateningly. lie is a slight, effeminate specimen of his race, with pale blue eyes and reddish hair; but even an effeminate man is an ilarming antagonist for a woman when he approaches her intoxicated and with uplifted arm. A sudden resolution seized Delia to Ap peal to the protection of her brother-in-law. She has never been intimate with William Moray, for though he constantly visits her apartments it is generally dur ing the evening, when she is away from home. Delia dislikes him heartily, with his burly, well-fed manner and pompous peech, but surely, she thinks, he can nev ?r stand smilingly by and listen to her husband's abuse of her. "Mr. Moray, I beg you to interfere with your brother on my behalf. This child is exceedingly delicate, and most subject to violent attacks of cold that endanger his life. lie ought never to have been taken out to-night; no father who had the least consideration for his health would have done so; but since the error has been com mitted I will not be deprived of applying the remedy. Pray reason with James ind show him that I am right." "Well really " stammers her broth- rr-in-law, "I scarcely feel justified in in opposing your that is, my brother's claim to what he thinks best with his own child."' "Of course not," interposes her hus band, loudly. "One would imagine, to hear you sieak, that the boy didn't be long to me. Drop those clothes, I say! Drop them! Leave the brat to himself!" "I shall not leave him!" replies Delia, also raising her voice, as she resumes her occupation. The men are equally amazed. "What!" exclaims Mr. William Moray. "Were you speaking to me7" demands the other. "I spoke to both of you!" she answers, rising and folding her arms closely round the child, as though to protect him. "It Is I that work for this child. All the money that comes to this house comes through my labor, and I do it for Willy's sake no one else's. Therefore I refuse to give up the right to attend to his wants the common right that every mother has." "I'll be whipped if you shall attend to him now." says James Moray, as he seiieg the child by the arm and twists him out of her embrace. The action is violent and makes the boy seretim. and the sound of his voice in pain runddons his mother. "Mr. Moray!" she exclaims vehemently, "if you stand by and let your brother treat us in this way I will never forgive you. You don't know the tyranny he ex ercises over me and my poor child. Only yesterday he beat Willy cruelly look at his ba k and judge for yourself and threw rue from the top of the stairs to the Is t torn -" "It-ally, my dear lady, these little do mestic differences can have no interest for third party. They are so much better kept to one's self." "Little domestic differences!" she echoes scornfully. "Would your wife call it a 'little domestic difference' if her arm was bruised as mine is?" "1 should much prefer Mrs. Moiay's name being kept out of the conversation altogether!" " l. yes! I suppose her name Is too good in your estimation to be mixed up with such a disgraceful affair as a tipsy man beating his wife. But my name is Mrs. Moray, too and I have not only to hear of it. but to liear it." "I think, James," says William Moray, turning to his brother, "it would be as well if I wished you good-night." "All right," replies James, in a half Miipcried manner. 11c is still leaning up against the wall, with the partially undressed and weeping boy In his grasp. And William Moray, the well-fed, re aiiectable city man, who can visit and en murage Ms dissipated brother In his vices, but never ask him to his own home or "retch out a helping hand to aid him to better life, prepares to return to his mlr Pir, thriving home at Brixton. But Delia will not let him pass. Shs places herself before the door and glares " him like a tigress. "You shall nn m nnHl ron have heard e speak," she says. "Ton come here ind encourage this. xon.i& Ate djjnkj'tf and his idleness; you know that he livex upou my earnings and ill-treats me in return; you know that you are ashamed to ask him to your own house or intro duce him to your friends and yet when I -n woman appeal to you for protection and help against him, you smile and turn the subject, and say you'll take your ieavo. WelL then. I defy yon both there! Keep your drunken brother, since you are so fond of his company; support him yourself, for I am sick of It, My money is my own not his and I refuse any lower, to keenhjm tat Jdleneaa and t ne. while I toil and slave. Uo home and tell that to your wife, or I may take it Into my head some day to tell her myself. Between you both you have made me des perate V She looks so as she stands there, with the fire of indignation gleaming from her eyes. "Moat extraordinary never heard of inch a thing!" mutters William Moray, as he slips past her down the stairs. Then she is left alone with her hus band, and fear succeeds to desperation. Her vehemence haa almost sobered him. lie looks as though he were about to tpeak. She puts her boy into his little bed with many a fervent kiss, and returns to the fitting room, inwardly trembling, though autwardly calm, to collect his scattered clothes. Poor little Willy has but one suit. If she does not hang it before the lire to dry he will have nothing to wear upon the morrow. Delia glances round suddenly and meets her husband's eyes. The semi-intoxicated look has faded from them; her daring has dispelled it. She knows now that she has I iangerous, and sufficiently strengthened by liquor to feel his power. Her first im pulse is to secure the weapon nearest at band, and that is a chair. She puts it in front of her and grasps it tightly, as James Moray, with his effeminate, puny face and evil eye, advances toward her. CHAPTER ni. "Well," he commences insolently, "and so you have chosen to insult my best friend, have you? and in my presence, too." "Tour best friend, is he? For my part, I should be ashamed to be able to call no better man friend' than one who pander ed to my vices, and yet did not consider me good enough to associate with "his family." :. She is crying bitterly now, with her face hidden in her hands, but her tears have no more effect upon James Moray than they have upon the table. "I won't have this sniveling," he says, coarsely; "stop it! do you hear? It's all put on. An actress can pretend anything ahe chooses. Whether I struck yon or not, you had no right to tell William of it. What concern is it of his? And you've spoilt, maybe, the best day's busi ness I ever did in my life, by blabbing ot one in that way." All this time it has never occurred to Delia to ask why her husband and his brother took the unusual trouble to drag nut ber delicate child, in such inclement weather, to accompany them on their round of pleasure. And she catches at the last words of her husband's address agerly. They seem to contain a glimmer at hope for her. "How? by what mean? haa your broth er offered to help you get work?" "Work! work I I'm sick of the word rou never seem to have an Idea beyond it. I'd have you know that my family were not brought up to labor, whatever yours were." "The more shame for them, if they leave their wives and children to starve. And I may slave on forever to keep you In drunken idleness, while your brother itands and looks on and sneers at my par .tage and my profession. But he shall aot have the opportunity to do so much longer." "What do you mean by that insinua tion?" ' "I refuse to say. Ton will find out in time for yourself." "By Jove! she shall tell meP exclaims lames Moray, striding across the apart nent to her side and grasping her by -he wrist. "Now, what is it?' But Delia clinches her teeth and is si- ent. . "Then take the consequence of your tu nniiftpd hand comes down heavily anon the side of her head, but she does aoi resent it further than by closing her yes as it descends. But when she re vives It sne arawn - wringing up from her seat, confronts her husband. .... . , "What do you taini ui iubi uc Jeeringly. ,kM.M .i,.. I think, as a u " -a . -il IhiIIt I Think ,ou area --y- - -what l was . r-.;- when it was suggesieu i u.r .. .... best thing you can do is to drink yoursell fLth and that the sooner it happens he better for all connected with you. At this moment there comes a cough a .ingle hollow cough-f rom the next room Delia hears it and makes a spring foi rn? door. But it is locked, and the ke, a in Moray's pocket. "Unlock the door, JamesI I must gc to Willy" , , MrrH.f Hi reply is given iu . " ri ness, although a look of hi. eyes be wys that he knows his power "I Drefer your remaining herei Bhe cornea up behind him as dose as sn. ean as he unlocks the bedroom door. "Janies-dear James, do let me come. "lite answer Is to throw her rronThim in the center of the room. Her hands prevent her being able to save SeeK to t. -latest degree and she keTiuraed again on the opposite s.de of iamesmesames-for the love hnome back and take me to m, ""but all the answer she receive, is con rS ly Se sound of the summing and kX or the 'jgfr& that further appeals to hl pity wou. "Shears Will ask for her again, and the same order to him tn tt silent reiterated by his father, accom panied by a threat ef punishment If he is not obedient. The mother's suspense becomes agonis ing; her brain seem almost to turn with the dreadful fear that oppresses her. Sh beats her body against the wall that di vides them, and screams to her husband to administer the remedies for the chlld'i relief. The effect of her vehemence if that Mr. Moray, In a loud voice, threat ens to thrash the boy If he disturbs him again. The feeble complaint la neverthe less repeated, and what sound is that 7 The inhuman monster is beating hia sick maybe hia dying child. Delia's senses seem to forsake her. Sh beats, with her pinioned arms, against thi wall, the door, the window, in her mad, indignant horror, until, desperate at hei impotence, and worn out with conflicting emotions, she sinks unconscious on tht floor. CHAPTER IV. The next morning dawns npon a bright cold day. Mrs. Hephzibah Horton risei with the lark. This morning, however, she intends to devote to the interests ol her friend. Among the most ardent admirers of hei freedom of thonght and action is her legal adviser, Mr. Bond. This little man and Mrs. Horton are always quarreling, and yet neither of them is happy without the other. Mrs. Hephzibah, armed to the teeth with an umbrella, boots and water proof, steps into the office in Holborn and asks for Mr. Bond. The clerk in attend ance, having given her a dusty seat, Hiet to inform his principal that this welt known client seeks an interview. "Well, my dear Mrs. Horton, this is an unexpected pleasure," commences the so licitor as she is ushered Into his pre ence. "Don't talk nonsense! Why shouldn't yon expect me one day as well as an other r And here Mrs. Horton details as much as is necessary of Delia Moray's circum stances and history, to which Mr. Bond listens attentively, lying back in his of fice chair, with his eyes closed, and hia hands slowly rubbing one over the other. "Yon wish me to understand," sayi Mr. Bond, when she has concluded, "that your friend is desirous to separate from ber husband and to maintain herself V" "That's it. She wants to get rid of a brute who ill-treats herself and her child and squanders all her earnings." "There is a family, then?" "There is one child." "Well, it seems to me that the best plan would be for your friend to establish herself in a home of her own, and if het husband persecutes her, then to take out a protection order against him. But if he can and will support herself and the child, there is no law by which she can leave his protection." "AH she wants is permission to support herself and her child away from that man." "Of course your friend is aware that if her husband chooses to claim the child she will have no power to oppose him?" . "What! Can't she keep her own child T "Not if it is above seven years old, and the father will not consent to her doina OW I I ' ' ran THrfl- snouid Mrs. Moray take out a protection order against him, she won't be able to claim the boy as part of her right?" "Certainly not. The child belongs tc her husband." Mrs. Hephzibah Horton doea not speak for a few moments. If she were a man she would swear horribly as she is t woman, she bites her lip and is silent But the same choleric indignntion thai produces oaths is rising in her breast the while, and as soon as she thinks she hat obtained sufficient command over herself to speak It bursts forth. "So this is your law is It?" she ex claims, rising from her seat. "I wondei an honest man like yourself is not asham ed to sit sniggling in your chair ani weighing it out as a grocer does his sand, pretending to think it sugar all the while. You must know what a horrid cheat and fraud it is. What! You tell me there ii no chance of redress for this unfortunate woman, unless she consents to part with her child the only creature for whom she longs to burst these unnatural bonds, and live in peace! But if she had been frail Instead of honest she would at thit moment have been free to quit her task master and take ber boy out of hie clutches, nere! let me go do! I must tell poor Delia the upshot of this as soon as possible, for I'm afraid I raised hei hopes last night for nothing. I'll come and see you again, some day, when I've got over this, and feel in a better tem !er; or, perhaps I'll run out to Ilainp- ?tead next Sunday anil nave tea wren you and the boys. But let me go now, for the air of your room stifles me. Injustice and robbery! Bobbery end injustice! That'l what the whole system amounts to." Saying which, in no inaudible tone, Mrs. Hephzibah stalks through the outer office into the street, leaving the clerks in s -tate of bewilderment as to what particu r wrong she alludes to. CHAPTER V. Mr. WHliam Moray, knocking at tht door of his brother's lodgings, at about eight o'clock the same evening, is receiv ed by Mrs. Timson with a face of such portentous gravity that he is fain to ob serve It. "Anything the matter?" he inquires, curiously. "Matter enough," is the answer. ' "I've kept a lodging 'ouse now, on and off, for the last two-acd-thirty year, but never in all my borned days did I 'ave such a disgraceful scene on my premises as took place 'ere Inst night." Then she tells him the whole story, winding up with the statement that De lia's left her husband. Almost before she finishes Mr. Moray has reached the third landing. He turns the handle of his brother's door and walks in. James is seated at the table, only partially sober, with his head bowed down upon his out stretched arms. "Hulloa!" exclaims William Moray, "why, what's the matter now, Jem? Tht old woman down stairs has been giving me a garbled account of your wife having run away from you but it isn't true, surely?" "Cursed if I know," rejoins the other. "She ain't here that's very certain." "How did It happen? Tell me all about R." "I don't know how it happened. She aggravated me to that extent last night that she drove me to take a drop more than was good for me, I suppose, and I didn't wake till this afternoon, and then she had been gone for hours so the old cat tells me. "She can't intend to remain away "Can't say, I'm sure! I think she threatened me with something of the kind last night. Didn t you hear her?" "Yea; bnt I never imagined she was in earnest. Women say so many things they don't mean when they are in a passion. She's gone off, probably, to try and fright en you. She's sure to come back again, If it's only to see the chUd " "But she has taken the child with her nd ever one of his clothes and all her own. besides every shining we had In the house. It's cruel of her." says James, re lapsing Into the tearful state which so often succeeds drunkenness, "to leave mt Jl alone here without a blessed coin in my pocket, and no one to see after me. 1 didn't think she could be so cruel!" William Moray whistles suggestively. "Listen to me, Jem," he then says; "I want to speak seriously to you. Tell me the truth. Is that woman your wife or not?" "Of course she's my wife!" "I see- no 'of course' in the matter. After that terrible scrape you got into at Glasgow you disappeared altogether from society, and never communicated with your family for four or five years. Then you suddenly turn up In London, and I find you living with a lady who you say la married to you, but who is not in the position from which men of onr standing usually choose their wives." "Well! how could I help It?" grumbles James. "I couldn't get any employment after that cursed business in Glasgow, and Delia can make money, and how are we to live else? You wouldn't have me starve, would you? or break stones? If the governor hadn't been so beastly un forgiving, and cut me out of his will, I suppose we should have been living like other people. But anyway we were mar ried fast enough at Chilton, in Berwick shire, and we've got the certificate of it at least, Delia has, for I suppose the jade has taken it with her." "Do you think that she can have get an Inkling of where we took the boy butt night, and carried him off in conse quence?" "How can I tell? These women have ears all round, in my experience." "Because that isather an important matter to decide, xou see, the case is. James, you can't afford to part with thit woman just yet." "How do you mean?" "Well, to speak plainly you won't sup port yourself, and I can't support yon. Therefore you must use every possible means to make her come back to you." "But suppose she won't come back?" whines James. "How can I make her? Bhe earns enough money to support her self, and she knows how ill I am. that I am unable to do any work or to stand any fatigue; and if she stays away and you won't make me an allowance, I shall starve or go to the workhouse, for there's nothing else left for me!" "Hush! don't talk such nonsense," in terrupts his brother, authoritatively. "We must force Mrs. Moray to return to you and we must do it by means of the child.' "But she's got the child." "She has no claim to him. I think yon told me he was seven years old on bis last birthday. You can legally take him from her again." "But then I shall have to support him and how am I to support myself?" "I do wish you would hear me to the end, and not keep on interrupting so. The first thing we mnst do is to find out youi wife's present address. That Is easily ac complished by having her followed borne from the theater. Then you must claim and take away the child. The mother is certain to follow it." "But suppose she doesn't follow it?" "Then I am prepared to carry out what I proposed- to you last night,' though" I cannot say that my wife fell in very read ily with my views. She considers the boy so plain. And I am sure she would never consent to receive him if she knew hit mother waa an actress, or even alive. I have represented him to her, therefore, as a motherless child of yours by an early and imprudent marriage, whom I am de sirous, in the event of your death, of adopting as my son; and if she allows me to carry out my own views concerning him, it is as much as she will do. She's a good woman, but her opinions are de cided; and as she has no children of hei own, she is aot to be a little jealous of my approaching the subject. But it Is ver premature to talk of these things. Your wife appears fond of the child, and I be lieve you have only to claim him to se cure her return to you." "Well, what am I to do till she comet back? She's taken an the money she had with her, and she'll draw her salary to morrow evening, but not a cursed half penny of it shall I see. It's cruel of her to leave a fellow in such a plight!" "Here! hold up, man! Don't snivel! 1 am going to settle the rent for you this week, and there's a sovereign to go on with," throwing it down on the table. "But for heaven's sake, Jem, don't go and get drunk again to-night; for the woman of the house declared she'd turn yon out Into the street if you did, and 'she looks every inch as if she'd keep her word!" The poor wretch makes some sort of promise to do as he is advised, and sub sides again into his old despondent atti tude. As William crosses the threshold and looks back at him, he thinks he has seldom seen a more pitiable object. CHAPTER VI. On the fourth day after Mrs. Moray left her husband, she rushes suddenly intc Mrs. Horton's room, and without preface or apology for the intrusion, gasps out: "They have stolen my boy from me! They have come by night and stolen away my boy out of his very bed! Tell me bow I can get him back again, or be revenged npon them, for mercy's sake, or I shall go mad!" The woman looks as if she were going mad, as she paces up and down the apart ment, choking with anger and emotion; her hair hanging down her back, her hat half off her bead, and the rest of her clothes thrown on anyhow. "Delia Moray, how can I or anybody else understand what you have to say. while you keep trotting up and down the room in that fashion ? Come and sit down like a good child, and tell me all about it, and then perhaps I may be able to advise you on the subject." I can t sit down. I have not sat down since I went home last night and found he waa gone. The cruel, heartiest wretches! After all I have suffered, couldn't they have left me my poor sickly child? Oh, Mrs. Horton! I wish I could die! I wish I could fall down on the car pet this moment and remember nothing, and nobody ever again!" "That's a sensible sort of wish to have when you know your boy wants a mother more than most boys. You're talking in riddles to me, my dear, and it seems likely I shall have to unravel them as I best may. However, I know so far that you maae an enort to free yourself from thai man, for as you didn't come here to learn what news I had for you from my solici tor, I walked round to your place on Fri day and heard the whole story from youi landlady." The mention of the solicitor arrests De lia's attention. "Oh, what did he say?" she inquires, eagerly. "Is there any hope for me? ShaD I be allowed to live in peace with my boy?" "He's over seven years old. and that old ! fool Bond tells me that after that age you have no legal claim to him." "No legal claim to my own child that I new German specific against seasick I brought Into the world! No claim! 1 ness- -his mother. No right to supply him , lT5?. S2?f??ed T1Juatlon ,of Boston with the neceasarie. f lift. wMM. M. tl.038.690,578, and the value of the father won't work to de. Oh, Mrs. Hor - ton! It cannot cannot be truer - "It Is tSSfk Moray, sad. a more Infamous law was never enacted. But! Mr. nana was plea n. l ject. He says no law in the calendar ia more stringent or binding in its effects. A married woman has no right to the cus tody of her child after it ia seven vmm old." . 'A married woman V Why a marrtml woman?" cried Delia, quickly. . .Because, IT you were not marrll tn that inhuman brute you might take your child away from him to-morrow, and nn one would dare to say you nay; because. If you were not married, you would have tne sole rlgnt to keep, and love, and nrn- tect him, and you might Imprison the father for not contributing to his support. Thst's the law of England, Delia Moray, and you may take Jt and make what you like of It, for I am sure that no one with any sense would desire to dispute the pos session with you. When that old fool Bond made it plain to me, I could have torn every hair out of his head with the greatest pleasure." Meanwhile Delia Moray, havinc sank Into a chair, is repeating In a stupefied manner to herself: 'Not mine! My Willy not mine." 'Mrs. Timson told me that from what she could gather of the conversation that took place between that drunken husband of yours and his brother, the day you left home, she thinks when they took Willy out with them the evening before, it was to William Moray's bouse and I expect that is where you win find him now." "At Brixton r "Yes, at Brixton if that is where the man Uvea. What is the address?" 'I don't know. I have never been there. The William Morays don't think me good enough to visit them." 'It is easily found! Just hand me down that postoffice directory. Here it is: "William Moray, Esq. the Firs, Go dalming Park, West borough road, Brix ton, S. BV " "But do you really think I can so there r asks Delia, looking half alarmed at the idea, 'Go there! Of course! What is to m-e- vent you? You're not afraid of the wool merchant's wife? Go there boldly and demand your child, and if you don't get him, you wiU at all events get the chance of telling your own story." But you say my husband has the law on bis side." "tiuite; true; but you have a greater power on your side unless, which I strong ly disbelieve. Mr. William Moray intends to charge himself with hia brother's fu ture support. He has the law. my dear but you, have the money!" 1 CHAPTER VII. As Delia, fortified by her friend's lust words, speeds upon her way to Brixton, she feels a different creature. After many inquiries and several wrong turnings, she crrives at hist before the large stuccc building: standing back from the road, with a carriage sweep in front of it. on the gates of which are inscribed, in bold characters, "The Firs." It is Sunday, and there are not man shabbily dressed people about. Delia fancies she sees the lace curtain at tht wiudow of one of the lower rooms move, as though somebody were watching bet approach from within , iiut soe.marchei bravely up the steps, and gives a bold, determined double knock. A footman an swers it, and she asks for Mrs. Moray. The man examines her inquisitively and ushers her into the drawing room, which is on the same floor. An interval of five .or ten minntes oc curs while Mrs. William Moray is arrang ing her laces and ribbons and wiping the effects of luncheon from her ample bust where the crumbs will settle, and the mother In the drawing room is wondering Low much longer she is to be kept in sus pense. But then the dining room door opens and closes, and iu auother minute the drawing room door haa followed its example, and the ladr of the house, array ed in a plain colored satin and velvet dress, enters. Delia glances nt her sister-in-law and h' her henrt sink and her hopes of sym pathy vcnlsli. There is uothing in Mrs. Moray's face but hardness and vulgarity. She is a woman of about five-und-thirty. stout mid ungraceful, with small eyes, onrse features and limbs and a complete absence of good breeding. The elder Mrs. Moray is completely tak en aback as Delia tells who she is. "I don't know in the least what you're talking about," she says, looking Delia steadfastly to the face. "There hain't auch a person as Mrs. James Moray leastways, not connected with hour fam ily." "Have they dared to tell you that story, then!" exclaims Delia, excitedly; "dared to say I am not married to him? Oh. Mrs. Moray, It Is a falsehood a wicked, cruel falsehood! I have my marriage cer tificate at home, and can prove to you that I am James' wife. Where Is your hus band? He knows me well enough. Let him come and say to my face that I am not his brother's wife." "Oh, thnt is heasily settled, young wom an," says the other, edging toward the door, and trying not to look uncomforta ble; "for Mr. James Moray's wife has lieen dead for hever so long, as I can tes tify. However, if you wish to see my husband, I think it will be the best for hall parties, for I am quite hunequa) my self to contending with so hextraordinnry a hinterruption. And hon the Sabbath too." 'I am sorry I should have had to disturb you on Sunday; but how could I be ex pected to wait? I am in the greatest dis tress of mind about my boy. I came home from the theater last night to find him gone from my lodgings taken awny stolen Hnd not a word even to let me know where he is." "Yon came home from where?" de mands Mrs. William Moray, horrified. "From the theater where I play the Corinthian. I am an actress. I support myself and Willy, and have supported my husband for years past by my own labor. It is hard that the only requital he can make me ia to steal my child, and that his brother helps him In the robbery!" "Will gum; Willgum!" calls Mrs. Moray from the open door. She has drawn her purple satin skirts closer around her as the awful truth of Delia's profession is made patent to her sensitive understanding, and now she summons her husband at once to her aid. Her ears must have deceived her. It can not be true. The mother of the child now Bitting at her luncheon table, and the wife of her husband'a brother, an actress! and actually standing within a few yards of her. If Mrs. Moray were good at faint ing, which she is not, she would certainly drop down now. But ahe grows red as a peony in the face Instead, and bawls. "Willgum!" at the top of her voice, and in another moment illiam Moray an swers the summons. (To be continued.! I Bright red spectacles accompanied i by internal doses of calomel, form a ' exempt ,rom tlon is 1172. '- CHINESE JEWS. a. Gpleadld Taberaaael la the Flowery Kiacdoaa, The Biblical prophecy that th Jews hould be scattered ahroad over the face qf the earth Is eartalnly a true sne, (or there Is no country la the world which does not contain Its pert ion of these thrifty people, Een la China they have long been known. Early in the seventeenth century, and shortly after the Italian missionaries hod come to Peking, one of them, Matthew Ricd, received a morning calL Ills visitor wore the gorgeous Chinese dress, in cluding the queue, but the figure and face were net Mongolian, and the smil ing countenance was not In keeping with the dignified solemnity of a Chi oaman. The gentleman's name was Ngal, and he had heard of the arrival f some foreigners who worshiped one Lord of heaven and earth, and yet who were not Mohammedans; be belonged to the same religion, be explained, and bad called to make their acquaintance. Now, Master Ngal made it clear that be was an Israelite, a native of Kae-Fung-Foo, the capital of Honnu. He ind come to Peking to pass an examina tion for a mandarin degree, and bad been led by cariosity and brotherly feeling to calnt the mission house. In his native city, he said, there were ten or twelve families of Israelites, and a synagogue, which they had recently restored at ' the expense of 10.000 crowns, and Ihey had a roll of the law 400 or 600 years old. The missionary's letetrs described this synagogue. It occupied a space between 300 and 400 feet in length by about 150 feet in breadth, and was divided into four courts. It bad borrowed some decora tive splendor from China. The In scription In Hebrew, "Hear. O Israel; the Lord our God Is one Lord, blessed be the name of the glory of His king dom for ever and ever," and the Ten Commandments were emblazoned In gold. Silken curtains Inclosed the "Bethel" which enshrined the sacred books, and which only the rabbi might enter during the time of prayer. Ev ery detail of this place, with Its in cense. Its furniture and all Its types of good things yet to come, is Interesting. There, In the Inst ccutury, the children of Israel at Kae-Fung-Foo worshiped the God of their fathers with the rites that pointed to the Messiah, of whose advent, as far as It can be ascertained, they never heard until the arrival of the Italian missionaries. Learned men have entered into dia etisslou as to whether these people were Jews or Israelites, whether they come to China from the Assyrian cap tivity or the Roman disperclon. They themselves say that their forefathers came from the West, and it Is prob able that the settlers arrived by way ol Eborasaan arrl Samarcand. They must have been numerous In the ninth century.' for'two" Mohammedan trav tiers of that period describe a rebel, named Bae-Choo. taking Canton by storm In A. D. 877 and slaughtering 120,000 Jews, Mohammedans, Chris tians and Parsees. More than one Jew of Kae-Fung-Foo Is known to have gained the right to wear the little, round button on the top of his cap so dear to the ambition of a Cbiuui.ian. The Taiplng rebellion dispersed the settlement, and the remnant who re main faithful to the memory of old traditions are chiefly poor and dis tressed. Eccentricities Not S sens of Insat-I.y. An Eastern physician has broach; d a theory In regard to some noticeable ecentricltiea. Many of the foremost men of the world at present and In the post have had queer little habits which make them a laughing-stock, some times behind their backs only, to their Friends and acquaintances. The great Samuel Johnson, for Instance, never r-ould pass a lamp-post without touch ing It, and always kept a collection of lemon and orange peels under his pil low. Emlle Zola has many little hu mors, the gratification of which form the basis of his daily happiness. These, lays the psychologist, are not signs of Insanity, but of overwork. The tired brain feels impelled to do certain things. The human mind is a most implicated machine, and although a alee exposition of the causes of these really Insignificant matters Is Impossi ble to a general public, it can be con fidently stated that the healthy mind, when fatigued by a day's bard workj Is none the less sound for the queer things it may Impel the hand to do. Chioem-oans wltb Short Name. The Chicago directory contains hun dreds of thousands of names. The fact that there are but ten names of two let ters in the book shows how rare such names are among the nations. It would seem that nearly every man born with i name of two letters promptly tacks n another. The directory contains hundreds of three-lettered names. Those who boast but two letters and apparently have enough arc Maurice ax. Emily Eg. Axel Ek. David Ex. Ed ward Ey. William Gy, Sawg Po. George J. Py, Nicholas Re and Einil Ru. Op posed to them Is William Kwlerzykow- kL Chicago Chronicle. Groom Absent from Wedding A Polynesian bridegroom is consplc jous by his absence during the wed ding festivities.- As soon as negotia tions are opened with the family of the bride the young man is "sent into the bush," and there be Is obliged to stay until the wedding ceremonies are com pleted. Ijeo's ISspeotal Honor. The Pope Is the only ruler of the Vatican who has' ever strolled down Pall MalL It was early In his career, when he was simply Monslgnor Peici. He was mentioned in the London pa pers as having attended a reception jf the Queen. Tlostfrlas: by Machine. Flogging has become so indispensable In Russia that some Inventor has per fected a machine which saves the hu man arm. Under the flagellation of the machine taxes and arrears are to be come speedily!, collected. - Half Cent. Of the 800.000 half-cent pieces put ii circulation years ago not one has beeu returned to the government for enla ar or la bald by the treasury- Preach cd by Rev. Dr. Talmage. Copyright, Louis Klopsch 1899 Subject: "Yom Can't Cheat God"-Hii WIU Welch Oar Acta With Perfect Balances Opportunities Measured Against Sine Personal Responsibility For Errors. Copyright. Louis Klopsch. ism Wasbinoton, D. C. In these days ot Coral awakening this pointed sermon by Dr. Talmafre on personal responsibility be fore God will be read with a deep and sol emn interest; text, Daniel v., 27, "Thou art weighed In the balance and found trantlng." Babylon was tbe paradise of architecture, and driven out from tbenee the grandest buildings ot modern times are only the evidence of her fall. Tbe site having been selected for the city, 2,000,000 men were employed In the rearing ot her walls and tbe building ot her works. It was a city Jixty miles in circumference. Tbere was a trench all around tbe city, from which tbe material tor tbe bnilding of the city bad been digged. There were twenty-five gates on each side ot tbe city; between every two gates a tower of defense spring ing Into tbe skies; from each gate on the one side, a street running straight tbrongh to the corresponding gate on the other side, so that tbere were fifty streets fifteen miles long. Through the city ran a branch of the river Euphrates. This river sometimes overflowed its banks, and, to keep it from ruining the city, a lake was constructed into which tbe surplus water of the river would run daring the time ot freshets, and the water was kept in this artificial lake until time of drought, and then this water would stream down over the city. At either end of tbe bridge span ning this Euphrates there was a palace the one palace a mile and a bait around, the other palace seven and a halt miles around. Tbe wife of Nebuchadnezzar had been born and brought up in the country, and In a mountainous region, and she could not bear this flat district of Babylon, and so, to please bis wife, Nebuchadnezzar built In tbe midst of tbe city a mountain 400 feet high. This mountain was built out Into terraces supported on arches. On the top of these arches a layer ot flat stones, on the top of that a layer of roods and bi tumen, on the top of that two layers of bricks closely cemented, on the top ot that a heavy sheet of lead, and on the top ot that the soil placed the soil so deep that a Lebanon cedar had room to anchor its roots. Tbere were pumps worked by mighty machinery, fetching up the water from the Euphrates to this hanging garden, as It was called, so that there were icuntains spouting into the sky. Htandtng below and looking up. It must have seemed as if the clouds were In blossom, or as though tbe sky loaned on the shoulder of a cedar. All this Nebuchad nezzar did to please bis wife. Well, she , ought to bave been pleased. I suppose she wns pinasea. ii mat would not please her, nothing would. There, whs in the city also tbe temple of Belus, with tower one tower the eighth of a mile high, in which there was an observatory where astrono mers talked to the stars There was In that temple an image, just one imaue, which would cost what would be our 50, 000.000. Oil, what a cltyt The earth never saw anything like It. never will see anything like it, and yet I bave to tell you that it is going to be destroyed. The king and his princes are at a feast. They are all intoxi cated. Ponr out the rich wine Into tbe ehalicesl Drink to the health ot tbe king' Drink to the glory of Babylonl Drink to s great futurel Athousand lords reel intoxi cated. Tbe king seated upon a chair, wltb vacant look, as Intoxicated men will with vacant look stared at the wall. Bnt soon that vacant look takes on intensity, and It Is an affrighted look, and all the princes begin to look and wonder what is the matter, and they look at the same point on the wall, and then there drops a darkness Into tbe room that puts out the blaze ol the golden plate, and out of tbe sleeve ol tbe darkness there comes a finger a finger of tbe fiery terror circling around and cir cling around as tbough it would write, and then it comes up and with sharp tip of flame it inscribes on tbe plastering on tbe wall the doom of the king: "Weighed in tbe balances and fonnd wanting." The bang of heavy fists against the gates of tbe palace Is followed by tbe breaking in cl tbe doors. A thousand gleaming knlvef strike Into 1000 quivering hearts. Nou t death is king, and be is seated on a throne of corpses. In that hall tbere is a balance lifted. Ood swung it. On one side of th balance are pnt Belshazznr's opportunities on the other side of the balance are put Belshazzar's sins. Tbe sins come down Bis opportunities go up. Weighed in tht balances found wanting. Tbere has been a great deal of cheating In onr country with false weights ant measures and balances, and the Govern ment, to change tbat state of things, an pointed Commissioners, whose business II was to stamp weights and measures anc balances, and a great deal of tbe wrouo bas been corrected. But still, alter all, tbere is no such thing as a perfect balance on earth. Tbe chain may break or some of tbe metal may be clipped or in some way tbe equipoise may be disturbed. You can not always depend npon earthly balances. A pound is not always a pound, and you may pay for one thing and get another, bnt. in the balance which Is suspended tc the throne ot Ood, a pound is a pound and right is right and wrong is wrong and a soul Is a soul and eternity is eternity. Ood has a perfect bushel and a per fect peck and a perfect gallon. Wben merchants weigh their goods in the wrong way, then the Lord weighs the goods again. If from tbe Imperfect measure tbe merchant pours out what pre tends to be a gallon of oil, and there is less than a gallon, Ood knows It, and He calls npon His recording angel to mark it, "Sc much wanting In that measure of oil." Tht farmer comes In from tbe country. He has apples to sell. He bas an imperfect measure. Ho pours out tbe apples from this Imported measure. God recognizes it. He says to tbe recording angel, "Mark down so many apples too few an imper fect measure." We may cheat ourselves, and we may cheat the world, but we can not cheat God, "and In the great day o: judgment It will be found out tbat what we learned in boyhood at school Is correct: tbat twenty hundredweight makes a ton, and 120 solid feet make a cord of wood. Nc more, no less, and a religion which does not take bold ot this life, as wall as tbe life to come, is no religion at all. But, my friends, tbat is not the style ol balances! am to speak ot to-day; that is not the kind of weights and measures. I am to speak of that kind ot balances which weigh .principles, weigh churches, weigh men, weigh nations and weigh worlds. "Whatl" you say. "Is it possible that out world Is to be weighed?" Yes. Why, you would think If Ood put on one side of the balances suspended from the throoe tbe Alps and tbe Pyrenees and the Himalayas and Mount Washington and all the cities of tbe earth they would crush it. No, no! The time will come wben Ood will sit down on the white throne to see the world weighed, and on one side will be tbe world's opportunities and on the other side the world's sins. Down will go tbe sine and away will go the opportunities and Ood wiil say to the messengers with tbe torch: "Burn tbat world! Weighed and found wanting!" So Ood will weigh churches. He takes a great church. Tbat church, great accord ing to the worldly estimate, must be weighed. He puts it on one side tbe bal ances and the minister and the choir and the building tbat cost Its hundreds of thou sands of dollars. He puts them on one side the balances. On tbe other side of the scale He puts what that church ought tc De, wbat its consecration ougbt to be, what Its sympathy for the poor ougbt to be, What its devotion to all good ought to bet That Is on one side. That side comes down, and tbe church, not being able tc tand the test, rises In the balances. It does not make any difference about yont magnlfleent machinery. A church is built for one tting to save souls. I! It saves a I few souls when It might save a multitude of souls, Ood will spew It out of His mouth. I weigneaanu lounu wantingi 8o ws perceive that Ood estimates na tions. How many times He has put tne Spanish monarchy into the scales and found it Insufficient and eondemned Itl The French empire was placed on one side ot tbe scales, and Ood weighed tbe French empire, and Napoleon said: "Have I not enlarged the boulevards? Did I not kin dle the glories of tbe Champs Elyees? Have t not adorned the Tnilerlos? Have I not built tbe gilded opera bouse? Then God weighed tbe nation, and He put on one side tbe Kales the emperor and the boulevards and the Tnlleries and tbe Champs Elysees and the gilded opera house, and on the other ?lde He puts that man's abominations, tbat man's libertinism, that man's selfish ness, that man's godless ambition. This last came down, and all the brilliancv of the scene vanished. What is that voice coming up from Sedan? Weighed and found wanting! But I must become more Individual and more personal in my address. Some people say tbey do not tblnk clergymen ougbt to be personal in their religious address, bnt ongbt to deal with subjects in tbe abstract. I do not think that way. Wbat would you think of a hunter who should go to the Adlrondacks to shoot deer In tbe abstract? Ah, no! He loads the gun; he puts the butt of It against bis breast, be runs hie eye along the barrel, he takes sure aim, and then crash go the antlers on the rocks! And so, if we want to be hunters for the Lord, we must take sure aim and fire. Not in the abstract are we to treat things In religious discussions. If a physician comes Into a sickroom, does he treat disease in tbe abstract? No. He feols the pulse, takes the diagnosis, then he writes the prescription. And if we want to heal souls tor this life and the life to come, we do not want to treat them la the abstract. Tbe fact Is, you and I have a malady which, it uncured by grace, will kill us forever. Now, I want no abstraction. Where is tbe balm? Where Is the physician? People say there Is a day of judgment Soming. My friends, every day is a day ot Judgment, and you and I to-day are being canvassed, 'inspected, weighed. Here are the balancesof the sanctuary. They are lifted and we must all be weighed. Who wie." come and be weighed first. Hrt Is a " moralist who volunteers. Ha is one o; t ie most upright men In the country. He comes. "Well, my brother, get in get into tne oaliinces now and be weigheo." But as be gets into the balances I ntv. "Wbat Is that bundle you hnve along with you" "un," ne says, "that is my reputa tion for goodness and kindness and charity and generosity and kindliness gT'rally!" "Oh, my brother, we cannot wei-li thnt! We lire going to weigb you yon. Now stand in the scales you, the mora ist. Paid your debts?" "Yes," you say, "paid all my debts." "Have you acted in an upright way in the community?" "Yes, yes." "Have you been kind to the poor? Are you faithful in a thousand relations in life?" "Yes." "So far, so good. Hut now, before you get out of this scale I want to ask you two or three questions. Have your thoughts always been right?" "No," you say; "do. Put down oue mark. "Have you loved the Lorrl with all your heart and soul and mind and strength?" "No," you say. Make another mark. "Come uow, be frank and confess tbat in 10,000 tilings you have come short, have yon not?" "Yes." Make 10,000 marks. Come now, get me a book large enough to make the record of the moralist's deficits. My brother, Man 1 in the scales, do not fly away I rom them. I put on your side the scales all the good deeds you ever did, all the kind words you ever uttered. But on the other side the scales I put this weight which God says I must put there on theother sMethe scales and opposite to yours I put this weight, "By the deeds of the law shall no flesh liv ing be justified." Weighed aud found want ingi Still, tbe balances of the sanctuary are suspended and we are ready to weigh anv who come. Who shall b tbe next. Well, here is a formalist. He comes and he gets Into the balances, and as he gets in I see that all his religion Is in genuflection and In eutward observances. As he gets into the scale3 I say, "What is tbat you have iu this pocket?" "Oh!" he says, "that is a Westminster assembly catechism." I say: "Very good. What have you in the other Socket?" 'Ohl,' he says, "that is the eidelberg catechism." "Very good. What is that you have nn ier your arm. standing in this balance of the sanctuary?" "Ohl" he says, "that is a church record." "Very good. What are those books on your side the balances?" "Oh!" he says, "those are 'Calvin's Institutes.' " "My brother, we are not weighing books, we are weigh ing you. It cannot be thnt you are de pending for your salvation upon your orthodoxy. Do you not know that the creeds and the forms of religion are merely the scaffolding for tbe building? You cer tainly are not going to mistake the scaf- loiuing tor tne temple, uo you not Know that men have gone to perdition with a catechism in their pocket?" "But," says the man, "I cross myself often." "Alii that will not save you." "But," snys tbe man, "I am sympathetic for the poor." r'Tbat will not save yon." Says the man, "I sat at tbe communion table." "That will not save you." "But,! says the man, "I have bad my name on the obnrch record." "That will not save you." "But I have been a professor of religion forty years." "That will not save you. Stand there on your side the balances, and I will give you tbe advantage I will let you hare all the creeds, all tbe church rec ords, all the Christian conventions that were ever held, all tbe communion tables tbat were ever built, on your side the bal ances. On the other side the balances I must put wbat God says I must put there. I put this 1,000,000 pound weight on the other side tbe balances, 'Having the form of godliness, but denying tbe power there of.' " Weighed and found wanting! Still the balances are suspended. Are tbere any others who would like to be weighed or who will be weighed? Yes; here comes a worldling. He gets Into tbe scales. I can very easily see what his whole life is made up of. Stocks, dividends, percentages, "buyer ten days," "buyer thirty days." "Get in my friend, get liito these balances and be weighed weighed for this life and weighed for the life to some." He gets in. I find that the two zreat questions in bis life are, "How cheaply can I buy these goods?" aud "How dearly can I sell them?" I And he ad- tuires heaven because it is a l:in I : gold, and money must be "eusy." 1 !lnl, from talking with bim, that religion aud the Sabbath are an interruption, a vuignr in terruption, and be hopes on the way to church to drum up a new customeil All the week he has been weighing fruits, weighing meats, weig ing ice, weighing coals, weighing confections, weighing worldly and perishable commodi ties, not realizing the fact that He himself bas been weigned. "On your stile the balances, O worldly! I will give vo l full advantage. I put on your side all the banking houses, all the storehouse-, all the cargoes, all the iosurauee compa-iius, all the factories, all the silver, all the gold, all the money vaults, all the safe deposits all on your side. But it does not i.l 1 one ounce, for at the very rsotneut we are congratulating you on your line house aud upon your princely inco.ne God nil I the angels are writing In regard Ix your soul: 'Weighed and found wanting!' " A LaBnch For Gospel Service. A launch beiring the name ot Christian Endeavor, built of steel, was recently ile.li cated by the Golden Gate Christian En deavor Union at t-au Francisco. The launch has a seating capacity for ftity per sons, and a speed of twelve miles au hour. It Is to be used iu visiting vessels in the bay, carrying persons to hold religious ser vices. The blonde type will have disap peared from Europe in two centuries, according to an English physician.who declares that of 100 blondes onlv 55 marry, whfle of 100 brunettes 75 mar ry. In Germany and Scandinavia also the blonde type is much less predomin ant than it used to be. Production of Bessemer steel in gots in the United States during 189S was more than four times as great as the years production in Great Britain. An artificial sandstone is now made In Belgium' which has many advan tages over the natural stone, being better able to resist climatic influences and susceptible of manufacture at small expense. It takes a crocodile 80 seconds to turn completely round. i 1 1 i ' ,'.-'