'
B. F. SCHWEIER,
THE CONSTITUTIONTHE UNION AND THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAWS.
Editor and Proprietor.
T5"
J J
r
VOL. L.IV.
CHAPTER XVIL
Wh.it the Sharpness people had been
varim.-- us about we were by-and-by to
dis. .iv.-r. "The Shoots," as they are call-
H. formed by the sudden contraction
ot tin- Severn estuary between North
n i Ii ji i- I I'ortskewet, and consist of a
rfrii 'f races and whirlpools not unlike
tli. .- in the neighborhood of Corriever-
h;in nvt-r ly the Corra Islands and the
l..n: Mur. When we found these cur-r.-i.t-
-trong enough to grip the pilot boat
I, v i l"vs and yaw her about, it is to
In iiiia'-'int'il that our poor old Noab's
kik. lumbering up in the rear, had any
i i. ; n.r l ilt a "daisy time" of it. Morv
c. .r. tin- water became more and more
lutniiv what with the swirling currents
them-clves. and the breeze blowing
u-ainst the tide, the "Nameless Barge"
., -.wi to forsake her heavy gambolings
tor all kinds of mystical and nnezpected
k rations, and again and again ominous
uises told of catastrophes within.
It was blowing hard, and looking very
dirty iu the south; and one of as, at least,
U umii to wish that the two women could
l.o transferred to the other boat. The
pilots themselves no longer seemed to rc
u.ir.l this performance os a joke; they
l't :m eye ou our un wieldly craft, as aha
liiiiii.'i '1 through the heavily running sea.
lml.i.l. it was almost ludicrous to watch
tin- iui--h:ipeu thing dipping her nose in
Hi.- w;, t. r und springing forward again.
ai I dashing the foam from her bows just
us if he were a real yacht; and the only
ijiiixtiou was, how long she was likely
to keep up the pretense by remaining si
lent. Presently a new and startling discovery
was m ule. As there was no calculating
what time we should get to Bristol, with
this head win J driving against us, the
steersman desired Jack luncombe to go
inside and bring forth a handful of bis
cuits; and the young man cheerfully obey
ed. The next instant he came out again,
without any biscuits.
"I say." be exclaimed, with a curious
expression of face, "this blessed boat is
full of water!"
In a moment, from the look of the wom
en, lie perceived the mistake he had
niilde.
"Oh. nu; not that," he protested, "but
a little water has come in and it's slop
ping all about the Boor of the saloon.
Here, yutAl better let me take the tiller
for a minute, and you can go and look
for yourself-"
Of course, we all of ns instantly made
for the door of the saloon; and there a
most unpleasant spectacle met our eyes;
for if there was not as yet much water
Visible, it was" washing from side to side
as the vessel lurched; and, of course, no
oue could tell at what rate the leakage
was coming in.
"Is she going to sinkT" said Miss Peg
gy, rather breathlessly; it was Sir ttweu
Cameron she addressed.
"1 won't stay another moment in this
boat," Mrs. Threepenny-bit exclaimed.
"You must call to the pilots tell them
tq stop and take us on board."
"On, be quiet!" one had to say to her.
"This is nothing of a leakage it only
means that there's nowhere for the water
lo go to."
"And how fast is it coming in?' she
asket).
"IIow can- anybody tell? We'll have to
wait and watch. Or, rather, Columbus
must' come inside and watch; and if the
water should rise in any quantity, then
we may have to get on board the pilot
boat; that's all. It isn't doing any harm
it's only washing the floor."
Here a violent pitch of the boat flung
ns all together; and then we could see
through, the forward window her bows
shaking off a great mass of foam.
!'Io you see that now? She isn't used
to dipping her nose like that."
Well, it has to be conceded to Col.
Cameron that he was the only one who
cared to wet his ankles in order to make
an examination- He boldly splashed
through the lurching water and got to
the further end of the saloon, and. stoop
ing down, strove to reach with his long
arm the circular pieces of glass set in
the bows of the boat. But neither there
nor anvwhore else could we find out the
source of the leakage; and when Uapt.
Columbus was summoned from bis post
and shown the state of affairs t was gen
erally agreed that the water must be
coming in through defective seams.
Our gallant convoy continued to cut
her wav through those swift-running seas
like a racer; and we laboriously plunged
and rolled and struggled after. It must
be said for the women that they were
very brave over it; after that first fright
about the water in the saloon they had
hardly a word tq say; they merely looked
Sn in sUepce-sitting close to each other.
And now that long, dark spur ot land
I'ortishcod I'oint, was it called r was
oraw ng sensibly nearer. The shipping
That was gradually becoming risible no
doubt marked the whereabouts of the
King. or . King's, road; and that, we
knew was just off the mouth of the
A on' Then the sea grew a little .calm
er Cant Columbus was provided with
h,,. snonee to help him in bis bailing.
Ve'co6,, Murdoch at the bow - a
ASdk;ntVngth .and, at STSE
S fveT.t'.-hor In
a comparably
water, ana near or nere
- ,f const, the topmasts of vesse -u. o
and there a little of
scape, appearing above steep
mud- ... nd 1 expect
"Now. Mistr reggj, j- -7 , of this
to be waited upon by the wbow o
rtip'a crew and Pssfief "gt two, and
been on duty "Ukin'g for
now it is ten. " that j 1
0e's breakfast, what is? M
I'm sure I m nuuM Tita was
Mils regCy. aadly: "ihVshe ber-
so touched with -ad,.
self bocaO to Kei
Murdoch was in the pantry. busy wl
h.im and eggs and tea. .... k fast.
"Now. we had just 'ave Vlook
and had gone out again to fraya
fit' our uuXrry 'containing three
proached by a fe"' consideration, to
h,en, who vrTrtS? compels the
tow us to Bristol. r"lilor. of Brie
admission that these three sailor, v
" -
" N ." BB!S?,gM??"gnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnsnnn
JH-AOL,
lti ' were bont th "ot Tillainous
looking set of scoundrel. OM
thJxtt -I'" n: ,nd Proved
Ihei, 1 I Weff c"PWe cttag up f
wai .t? , "tiU' KeWa to Brirtol
I!" J " we agreed to their
lw,lnt 're them
way they went, we following.
f0?n w fcad entered the river Aron.
7al.M p"bb" "ther full rirer at
ilLi but W" now' low water,
showing long mad bank, that were far
f.n? "UactiT- A. we got further in
land, however, we passed through beau
tiful woods, now almost in full summer
foliage; and, whatever had become of
me storm w had wen gathering in tie
south, there were clear bine skies over
head, and a warm sunlight Ailing the riT
er valley.
As we were leisurely getting along to
our hotel on the College Green CoL Cam
eron hung back a little, allowing Jack
Ouucombe to go oa with the women folk.
Look here, my friend." said InTerfask,
in something of an undertone; "now ifa
all over, I suppose you ought to be con
gratulated on having come down the Sev
ern in houseboat, and in the face of
half a gale of wind. Well, you've done
it successfully for once. But, if I were
Ton. I wouldn't try it again."
CHAPTEE"XVIII.
Next Bkoming is a Sunday calm aad
dear and atUl; a placid sunlight faUs on
the tree, la the College Green, on the
pavements, and the closed shoo windows:
a soft sound of church bells fills aU the I
tranquil air. And then, when our wom
en folk, accompanied by Col. Cameron,
have gone away to the cathedral a kind
of hush fall, over this great hotel; the
spacious rooms look preternaturally emp
ty; one wonders when .Jack luncombe
will have finished his letter writing, and
be ready to set forth on a hunt for the
whereabout, of the "Nameless Barge."
Presently be cornea along into the hall.
"Sorry to have kept you waiting," he
says, a. he lighta a cijjyr at the top of
the steps. "Fact is, I had rather an im
portant letter to write."
But after a long hunting we at length
discovered the "Nameless Barge," in a
kind of cul-de-sac, lying outside some
empty coal boats; and, having clambered
over these and got on board, we found
Murdoch in sole possession.
"Well, Murdoch," one naturally inquir
ed, "I suppose yon saw nothing more of
those rascals yesterday?"
"Iadeed, yes, sir," Murdoch answered,
with a grin. "They came- back to th
boat."
"What for?"
"Well, air, they Mid yon had telled
them they were to come and get a bottle
of champagne."
"And yon gave it to them?"
"Not me. sir I I chist telled them they
were liars, and to go aweh." "j ,
- "And then?" 5
"Well, then, ah-, they three pit and bet
ter threepit; and I said 1 would not give
them a bottle of champagne, or a bottle
of anything else; and I was thinking one
o' them was for coming info the boat,
so I took- up an oar." Hera Murdoch
grinned again. "On, ay, air, they sab
I was ready.
"Ready for what? for his coming on
board r
"Chist that. air. If he had tried to come
on board I would have splut his skull,"
said Murdoch, coolly. "And they sah 1
was ready far them; and then there was
a good dale of aweering, and they went
aweh."
We ef full instructions about our de
parture on th morrow, and made our
Way ashore again. Now. as those other
people would pot be back from the cathe
dral till pear lunch time, we set forth on
a Ions ramble to fill in the Interval wan
dering along the old-fashioned streets and
admiring here and there an ancient gable
or latticed window, visiting a church or
two aad generally finding ourselves be
ing brought up sharply oy tno iwisung
and impassable harbor. It was daring
this aimless perambulation that Jack
Puncambe made a confession.
"J shall be glad when we get away
from these towns into the quiet, pastoral
districts again," be said. "Uving on
board ia ever so much better fun than
putting up at a hotel- It used to be so
delightful to have merely to choose out
a meadow and a few willow stumps and
pass the night where you pleased- I m
looking forward to the Kennet and Avon,
and I don't mind telling yon that 1 hope
to enjoy this last part of the trip a great
deal more than any tnai came oeioie.
The truth is. when I had to legve you at
Warwick, I was in a little bit of a
scrape."
"We suessed as mucn.
"And it threatened to become a ratner
serious scrape. I suppose 1 may J
the story, pow that it'a ail over. 4on
see, there is a young lady -
Yes. there generally Is, but this one
ia a. warn in i.ut
. ji i .a.nnn " ha romirEI. Cftim
....
iA ward in chancery; that Is where the
trouble comes in. Her mother is a wasp
ish old vinegar cruet; tremendously proud
pf her ancestry; tb. family have been
Settled in Wilt, aince the time of Ed
ward IH.- esi o uvj " -
course, she hate, we like poison. I can
fancy the old cat crying: 'Imagine Maud
parrying tk son of a man who hasnt
even a coat-ot-annson his carnage!' And
r.up!oTrwM she who set the guar-
AnS'the guardians?" one say. to him.
"Ob. they declared that the young lady
should remain perfectly free and unbiased
untU shTcame of age. Well, neither of
awmad to see the fun of that arrange
mentnd then the guardians proceeded
Jo extremities; yes. they did their little
lest, or shabbiest, a. one might say; they
.nnlied to the vice-chancellor, and he
fssueT an order directing that ... com
munition should cease between her and
C f, wea hard-and it was hard
.-.i. n. Then one naturally began to
nrof how to mltif .f these cruel at-
ea?TTJ means. I suppose, that you com
. . k .11 the same"
nu"caK" r."",:; think so."
. 1DC' v-"i ;iowiy. - -you .
the young
KverV d7ffl7ulttO define wbt corn
It h WJI " J.Tery dimcult; and you
l1"'? TawtS-V have' large and
fan ."fEL- In fact.' the Court of
libera views. humor wh.t-
Chancery has no ne( o
ever. If they '"V Well 1 tell you.
? "r2 inrt. the vice-cbanceuor wu.
scene in court, 'in .knot m
fwS.Syr-T liahtnipj all bfiot T
ling -ending off t0
. head, and finajlynoing And
Jeway prison iw t- r
MIFFLINTOWN, JUNIATA COUNTY, PENNM WEDNESDAY,
the trouble I had to explain and apolo
gise and give assurance, by th; yard 1
assure you It required a great d .al of tact
to appear very penitential, and yet main
tain that there was nothing for you to be
penitential about."
"So yon are engaged to be married, are
youT one saya to him.
"We've been engaged these two years,"
he make, answer, "but it haa been kept
very quiet, owing to that absurd opposi
tion. However, that will aooa be over.
Mis. Wrexham I may aa well teU you
her name will be of age in about alx
months. And then," he adds, in a hesi
tating kind of way. "I should like your
wife to we her. And nd we shall be
oing by Derixes, yon know."
"Year
"Well, the fact Is, Miss Wrexham has
plenty of pluck, you understand; and if
your wife were so awfully good-natured
aa to aend her a little bit of a note she'd
dive over to some appointed place she
and her sister drive all about the country
in a little pony chaise of their own; and
then Murdoch could hold the pony, and
the two girls pop into the saloon, and
you'd give them a anack of lunch. 1 think
it would be very Jolly r they're rattling
nice girls; plenty of fun In them."
"And this ia what yon call obeying the
vice-chancellor's orders, is it?" one de
mand, of him.
"Oh, I should have nothing to do with
It. If your wife asks two young ladies
to come and look at a house boat, how
can I help it? 1'U sit dumb all the time
If you like."
"What kind of treatment do they give
you fat Holloway?"
"Not at all bad, if you're a first-class
misdemeanant."
"Do they crop your hair?"
"Certainly not!"
"Books?"
"Oh, yes."
"All right) we'll consider that project
When we fit along into Wiltshire."
Jnst aa we arrived at the entrance of
the hotel we could see the other mem
bers of our party coming across the Col
lege Green, through the dappled sun and
shade beneath the trees. Notwitbstand
ing her partly veiled face, it was clear
that Miss Peggy was laughing merrily;
and Col. Cameron, who was apparently
responsible for this breach of Sabbath
decorum, had his eyes fixed on the
ground; Queen Tita was looking else
where. "What a handsome girl that is!" said
Jack Duncombe, involuntarily, as he, too,
caught sight of the tall young lady.
"Haa that never struck you before?"
"Oh, yes, of course; but somehow, in
the open sunlight, when you see ber at
a distance, her figure tells so well."
"Now that one thinks of it. my young
friend, for a person engaged to be mar
tied, you seemed to pay a good deal of
attention to Miss Kosslyn at one time,
and that not so long ago. One might
have been excused for thinking that you
had serious views."
"About Miss Kosslyn?" said he, with
evident surprise. "No, surely not! 1 have
cheek for most things, but not for that!"
Well, this was a modest speech, at any
rate.
"Of course, being so much with her on
the boat," he said, "there were plenty of
chance, of becoming very friendly; and, 1
dare say, being shut off from the rest of
the world like that, ja kind of mutual con
fidence aprang np; besides, when a girl
Is exceedingly pretty and very good-natured,
and full of high spirits and enjoy
ment, you want to make yourself as
agreeable a. you can."
"Oh, you do, do you?"
"Why, naturally."
"But without prejudice to the young
lady under the guardianship of the vice
chancellor?" "I am quite sure of this, that Miss
Bosslyn baa perfectly understood our re
lations all the way through," he answer
ed. "I am quite certain of that. Why,
If I had been quite free from any en
gagement, I could not have presumed,
I would not have presumed, to regard her
with any ambitious hopes of that kind."
"Really!" In truth the young man'a
humility was quite touching.
"Besides," he said. In a lower voice
"it is as clear as noonday who absorb
all her interest now. A precious luck,
fellow be is: that is ray opinion."
CHAPTEB XIX.
"The top of the morning to your says
Miss Peggy, coming marching into the
coffee room, and twirling her bonnet by
the atrings. There ia a gay audacity in
her face, and health and youth and high
apirits are in ber shining eyes.
"The same to you and many of them,
one answers, humbly.
"I do believe," she continues, in tones
of traeie vexation, "that your tnglish
bootmakers are the immediate descend
anta of the people who lived in the Age
of Iron. Why. French and uerman uooi-
makers nse leather! But your English
bootmakers fix your feet with Iron
clamps,"
"So vour racln and chasing on Durd
ham and Clifton Downs has found you
put Is that it? Well, you'll have to come
better provided to the Highlands boots
with broad toes, double-soled, and with
plenty of nails in them to get a grip of
the heather."
"I am not so sure about my ever going
to the Highlands." she says,, with some
hin of rhanee of manner; and she
walks nlona to the window and looks out.
Then she returns. "Wou't you go for a
littlo .troll until they come down? It
ia quite pretty out there."
This ia a command rather than an In-
ritation; one fetches hat and stick; Miss
TWirv whiDs on her bonnet aud ties the
strings; and presently we are lounging
about the College Green, which looks
yery well in the early sunlight. And the
aunlight aults Miss Teggy, brightening
the clear rose of her complexion, and
lending a mystery to ner snaaoweu eyes,
and making a wonder and glory of her
hair.
"Has Mr. Duncombe's parcel of books
come?" she asks presently.
"J don't know."
"Do you think he will succeed as a
writer?" again she asks, in her careless
way.
"How can one tell? He basn t got very
far yet."
"He la very modest about it," she says.
"His simplicity is almost amusing. He
doesn't aim at much, does he? Bather
a small ambition, wouldn't you call it.
. to be writing these little things, and mak
ing up plots for farces l v ny, 11 1 were
a man, I'd win the Victoria Cross or die!"
she adds, with superfluous energy.
"Good gracious! if everybody wanted
the V. C. how would the worlda busl-
heits go ou!
"I'm talking abou myself perspnally,"
: he says,' resolutely.
To begin with, you would have to be
a soldier."
' "I would be a soldier."
1 "You would want an sppqrtunitjf r"
VI would make aq p.("portun,jty,"
. fWell. J iope you vi hear a pihroch
or two in the Highlands this year; what
makes you think you won't be able o
go
Oh, as. for .that," shejjys, wiUj rath
er a proud and hurt air. i am sure I am
at liberty to go, for anything my people
at home seem to care about me. They
don't appear to be much concerned as to
whether I go or stay."
"No letter, this morning?"
"Oh, it isn't this morning or many a
morning back. I don't believe. I've heard
from home aince I left London, and I've
written regularly to my aister Emily ev
ery Sunday, aometime. oftener." -
"Don't yon think they assume that you
have withdrawn altogether into the wilds,
and that It ia no use trying to find you?
Or Isn't it just a. likely that there haa
been some mistake about forwarding your
letters, and that you will find them all in
a bundle when you get back to town?
We shall soon be making a bee-line for
London now."
"Those people have come down," she
aaya, discreetly glancing over to the win
dows of the hotel; "we must go In."
It was now for the first time that a
foreshadowing of the breaking up of our
party began to weigh upon the spirits of
one or two of these good folk particu
larly upon Col. Cameron, who became re
markably glum and silent when we were
counting up the days it would take lu
to reach the Thames.
In the afternoon it began to get clear.
The clouds gradually lifted; and there
were gleams of yellow among the bo ft
purples and grays. The still waters of
the winding Avon mirrored every feature
of the bank; and further off the skies
were reflected, too a shimmer of silver
here and there, a breadth of liquid lilac
darkening almost to black nnder the
trees; while over the glassy surface dart
ed Innumerable swifts and martens, busy
In the still, warm, moist air. By this
time, of course, waterproofs had been
thrown aside; and as we came to a con
venient landing place the boat was stop
ped as we got ashore all but Jack Dun
combe; who was eager to get at his books.
Now It was Sir Ewen Cameron who
assisted Miss Peggy to step along the
gang board: and when she had reached
the bank these two naturally went to
gether at first walking pretty smartly
so as to get ahead of the horse. Queen
Tita was in no such hurry.
"What is taking that girl back to Amer
ica?" he asks, presently, looking away
along the tow-path toward those two.
"Who can tell? She doesn't seem to
know herself."
"But perhaps she Is right," this small
person continues, rather wistfully. "Yes;
even if it is only some vague kind of feel
ine. And if she was once over there, and
were to come back, then we couldn't be
held responsible for anything that might
happen. Of course, I hope she will come
back. - It Is very curious what a hold
that girl gets over one. England wouldn't
be half England to me if I didn't know
that, sooner or later, I could look for
ward to seeing my Peggy again."
"Your Peggy 1"
"Yes, Indeed," she continued, boldly.
"Ob, any one could see bow all you men
have been fighting for ber good graces,
lor a word or a smile or a look; but aha
tias kept to me all the time. lo you
think she doesn't know what men are?"
Poor Peggy! She seemed most uuusu
ally grave when we bad all to get on
board again,' for we were now drawing
near to. Bath. Not only tit, but she ap
peared to be at once absent, minded and
apprehensive;, subsiding into a deep rev
erie from time to time, and yet anxiously
responding to any remark addressed tc
her, so that her thoughtfulness might no
be noticed. She had no further quips and
questions about Jack Duncouibo'a bundle
of books. She took some tea in silence.
And then these two women-folk bad tc
be left to themselves; for we were now
getting to the eud of the day's voyage.
The approach of the beautiful Queen ot
the West, by the valley of the Avon, is
disappointing in the extreme; indeed, the
slums here are about as bad as those ol
the Totterdown suburb of Bristol. It was
abundantly manifest that here was a
biding place for us; again, and for tlfc
last time on this trip, we should have U
sleep ashore; and so, when a few thing!
had been put into the various hand-bags,
we set off, a small procession, through tb
streets of Bath, putting up at a hotel
where, notwithstanding our suspicioui
want of luggage, we were made fairly
welcome and furnished with rooms.
That night, before we separated, tbt
humble chronicler nf those events had a
small folded note covertly handed to him:
and, on subsequently opening it, he found
it to contain these words:
"Shall you be down early to-morrow
morning? I want to say something very
particular to you In private. PEGGY."
Poor Peggy! Was it the thought ol
going away across the wide Atlantic
again that was pressing heavily on hei
heart?
CHAPTER XX.
This day begun with glooms and disap
pointments; then blossomed forth into a
summer-like luxuriance of all beautiful
things; and finally ended In joy and calm
content. Perhaps it was our general im
patience of towns, and our anxiety to be
away in the wilderness again, that led ui
to form so poor an opinion of the appear
ance of Bath; but, anyhow, the morning
was wet and lowering; the window!
seemed dingy; and the spectacle of a
crowd of people hurrying along muddy
pavements, most of them with umbrellas
up, to their respective shops and offices
was modern and commonplace and de
pressing. This was not what we had ex
pected of the famous Queen of the West.
All her former glories seemed to have
vanished away behind the mournful pal)
of rain.
And then, again, the appointment that
had been planned the evening before did
not take place. Everybody seemed to
come Into the little sitting room about
the same moment; and Miss Peggy had
no opportunity of saying a word. During
breakfast she was quite silent; and there
after, when there was a general hunt fot
waterproofs and umbrellas, she set about
getting ready in a mechanical way. At
the door of the hotel she merely said, in
an undertone:
"Some other time I will speak to you,"
and then went out.
Hunting for curiosities proved to be an
engrossing occupation with onr party; aa
that Miss Peggy was enabled to lag
tittle behind without being observed,
while a slight finger touch on the arm
secured ber the listener she wanted. The
young lady seemed at once shy and anx
ious; there was more color In her face
than usual; and when she spoke It was in
a hurried and low undertone.
"I want your advice," said she: "per
haps you may think I should, speak tc
your ty-ife but but would rather fcave
a man s advice. Your wife has very ex
alted, Ideas she might be a little too un
compromising; and I would rather you
j Would, tejl me what ordinary people would
say ana, tain."
, There was a moment of hesitation; then
she began to speak, rather slowly, and
.with downcast eyes.
"Tell me what you think I should be
justified in doing. I am involved at home
in a half-and-half kind of engagement
Both families were anxious for it and
tnd I liked him ajiulg; ofe. ICS, fefijs v-
amusing, and makes the time pass; and I
dare say he liked me well enough when
everything wa. going prosperously. Then
you know bow my father's affairs went
wrong," ahe continued, with an occasion
al glance toward those other people, to
make sure they were not observing her;
"and there was a change after that. Yes,
he is very sensible, and prides himself on
it. Oh, I know what his ambition, are.
He wants to get among the millionaires;
he wants to run the biggest yacht afloat,
and to have paragraphs about himself in
the papers. That is why he has never
come to Europe; he nfver will come to
Europe until he has money enough to get
himself talked about. And then, when
my father's affair, went wrong, I sup
pose It was but natural he should begin
to think twice; and although he has never
said he wanted the engagement broken
off no, for he ia afraid of quarreling
with hia own people he haa left me pret
ty free to imagine that I can go if 1
choose. Oh. I am not vexed." she ron
tlntjed. "Of course, a girl does not like
to be thrown over."
"You thrown over?"
"It ia not quite so bad as that, for he
writes me from time to time in a kind of
a way and I am left to understand that
he considers the engagement binding if
I wish it. Well, a girl doesn't quite like
that," ahe added, with just the least
passing tremor in her voice; but doubt
less it was pride rather than any sense
of Injury that wa. driving her to speak. .
"So I want you to tell me what 1
should be justified in doing," she resum
ed. "Oh, Miss Rosslyn, come along here for
a minute 1" a third person broke In; it was
Jack Duncombe. "I have discovered the
tablet put up to commemorate the illus
trious virtues of Beau Nash. It's beau
tiful. Come along, and I will translate
It for you."
So Miss Rosslyn was holed away, some
what to the relief of the person whom
she had been consulting. For It was
not so easy as It looked to say off-hand
what Mis. Peggy should do in these cir
cumstances. The beautiful valley increased in love
llness and loneliness as we followed the
slow windings of our galieried waterway,
high up on this hillside. We had all this
world of sunlight aud green leaves and
sweet-blowlug winds entirely to ourselves.
We met with no oue. Miss Peggy wa
up at the bow, her throat bare to the
warm breeze, her hair, unshielded by any
bonnet, showing threads of burnished
gold in the sunlight. Jack Duncombe
was standing beside ber, with an ord
nance map spread out on the roof of the
house.
Then we came to the Dunda. Aque
duct, which spans the wide vale, and here
the spacious view was more extensive
than ever the landscape disappearing in
to tender distances of rose-gray and light
est green until, at the far horizon line
and melting into the silvery sky, there
were touches of psle, translucent blue.
But this aqueduct carried us across the
valley and very aoon we had left the
wide, open country behind us, and were
plunged into umbrageous woods. It was
much hotter here; there was hardly a
breath of air to stir the shelving branches
that felt their way out into the aunlight;
and it waa but rarely that the interven
ing foliage afforded any shelter. Never,
theless, these good people would insist on
going for a stroll along the towpath all
except Miss Peggy, who, at the last mo
ment, abruptly changed her mind and
decided to remain with the steersman, to
cheer him with her company.
"This might be a river in a Brazilian
forest," said she, "for the beauty of it
and the solitude."
It was not of any river in Brazil she
was thinking; she was but waiting until
those people on the bank were out of
earshot.
Then she said presently:
"Have you thought that over?"
"Yes."
Her next question was not put into
words; it was a nervous flash of inquiry
that appeared In her eyea. Then she look
ed down again, as if awaiting judgment.
She had a bit of red hawthorn in her
hand, and her finger, were pulling into
small shreds one or two of the dark
green leaves.
"Well, you see, Miss Peggy, If your de
scription of the situation is literally cor
rectliterally and absolutely correct
then you would be amply justified in tell
ing that young gentleman in New York
to go and be banged. That is what any
man would say off-hand and at once.
There may be some explanation. Letters
may have been delayed. You may get
them when you go back to London."
"And if there were a hundred letters,
do you think I don't know what would
be in them ?" she demanded, rather proud
ly. "And as for drifting and driftine. I
have grown a litue urea 01 that, it is
no great compliment to a girl to pnt hei
in such a position. I dare say, now, il
I were over in America if I were to gc
to America for even a fortnight, I could
get the whole matter settled."
"You really and honestly mean that you
want to have it broken off?"
"Broken off!" she exclaimed, with just
a touch of indignation in her voice. "It
is he who wants to have it broken off
and hasn't the courage to say so. He
won't own it to me; he won't own it to
his family; but do you think 1 don't un
derstand? I am not blind. And how
ever stupid a woman may be at other
times, in an affair of thia kind ahe can
see clearly enough."
"That is tme. But oa the other hand,
if you think that this half-and-half en
gagement should come to an end, why
not let it gradually die a natural death?
It seems pretty moribund at present,
doesn't it? Cease writing to him."
"He hasn't written to me for nearly
two months!"
"Very well. Stop altogether. If that
doesn't force him to ask for an explana
tion if he asks for no explanation, then
the matter is at an end. You go your
way, and he his."
"I I suppose that is good advice; and
thank you," she said, in rather a low
voice.
(To be continued.)
An American lady who had labo
riously acquired a very scant knowl
edge of French, tried to show her pro
ficiency in the language by using It in
the dining room of a Parisian hotel.
Although she was fully awar that
most of the waiters spoke Engliph, she
insisted upon giving her orders in
French., One day she paralyzed tne
waiter by directing htm to bring her
"a bottle of embonpoint." She wanted
a bottle of stout.
It Is stated that there are made in
England for home ues and exportation
more than 20,000,000 pins daily.
A petrified forest in a sandstone
f 01 mat ion has been discovered in Routt
county. California.
Colored elobea in drug store win
dow's were first displayed by the Moor
ish druggists of Arabia and Spain.
A vagrant lad was arrested in Phil
adelphia the other day for some mis
demeanor, and in response to the ques
tions of the police justice, he declared
that he was fourteen years of age and
an orphan. "How long have your par
ents been dead?" asked the sympathet
ic justice. uver twenty years, was
the prompt reply of the little ).'r.
JULY 25, 1900
M J. GfcN. WESLKV M ERR ITT.
tolAtes- WktM Honorable Service with
Uncle San ! Ended.
MaJ. Gen. Wesley Merrltt has been
retired from active service owing to his
saving reached the age limit. He waa
born la New York in 1830 and waa
graduated from West Point In 1860. Ho
entered the regular service and had at
tained to the rank of colonel at the out
break of the civil war. Hia career in
'die war was marked by several acts
f gallantry, in consequence of which
ao waa made a brigadier general of
rolaataera la June, 1862. and was
afterward appointed to succeed Qen.
Buford la command of the First Di
vision of Cavalry. Later he waa ad
vanced to lieutenant colonel In the reg
ular army. Ha waa made a brigadier
general In April, 1887. and a KUJor
general three year, ago, at which x)ca
be was stationed at Governor's IaLhid.
Soon after the new. of Dewey's vic
tory at Manila Gen. Merrltt was up
pointed military goreruor of the Philip
pine Islands, and assigned to the com
mand of the Eighth Army Corps, with
Headquarters at San Francisco. Uen.
Uerritt sailed for the Philippines with
the third expedition and arrived in the
..lands Inte In July. 1808. Later Gen.
Uerritt relinquished the military com
mand to Gen. Otl. and assumed the
lutlea of military governor.
As be had been appointed a member
)f the Peace Commission at Paris, the
general left Manila on Aug. 30 on the
Ueanisbip China. After the conference
n Pari, he went to London and mar
ried Miss Laura Williams, of Chicago.
n Oct. 24, 1848. The general and hi.
wife returned to New York on Dec.
17. 1898, and from that time until hia
ieparture for Europe he waa stationed
it Governor'. Island.
Kate Maateraoa's First Poena.
Kate Masterson, the poet and humor
at, thus describe, the beginning of her
iterary career.:
"I waa at school In Brooklyn when
first sent a poem to Judge, signing it
Kittle K. It wa. accepted and pun
ished with an Illustration, and my cup
f joy was brimming. When I got a
:beck for $2 I effervesced. 1 then sent
10 tne verses to Puck, which was then
Kilted by H. C. Bunner. They were
ilso signed Kittle K., but were written
'rom a masculine point of view, and as
( wrote a very gentlemanly band Bun
der evidently came to the conclusion
'.hat I was a boy. He sent me some
very funny letters, and I replied, keep
ing up the Idea that I was a very fresh,
tlangy boy. He accepted the verses,
She Stood on the Stair,' and they were
published In a Christmas number with
1 picture. As this was only the second
poem I had sold in my life, you can
magine how wildly anxious I was to
aave It appear. I bothered Bunner with
inquiries, for, of course, that was the
inly poem on earth to me just then. I
recollect finally writing him, 'Do you
think my poem will be published during
my lifetime r
"He wrote me: 'My dear boy, 1 can
not say If your poem will be published
luring your lifetime, as 1 do not know
when you are going to die.' "Philadel
phia Post
Vainlly Lived In Hallow Tree.
A family named Hopgood, consisting
jf father, mother and two daughters.
Has been discovered near Richmond liv
ing In a hollow oak tree. The tree waa
not large enough to accommodate the
whole family, and they seemed to have
been taking turns, some sleeping under
the tree and others Inside its decayed
trunk. They made their living by for
aging and begging about the country.
The county authorities have taken
them In band. Richmond (Va.) Cor
New York Sun.
Mohammedans.
The number of Mohammedans has
been estimated at liXj.5UO,000. Of these
18,000,000 re under the rule of the
Turkish Government. 23.000,000 are
ruled by other Musseluiau sovereigns,
3li.5O0.000 are subject to African
Princes. 20,000.000 live In China, and
99.000.000 are under other rulers. Of
these last about 58.000.000 belong to
India and Beloocbistan.
Temptation Resisted.
St. Peter Editor, eh? What
good
things have you ever done?
New Arrival I once took the blame
for one of my own mistakes. Instead
of throwing it on to the Intelligent com
positor. St. Peter Go up bead. New York
Weekly.
Extinct Gianta of Gum.
Were there giants In the old days in
our latest possessions, Guam? The
present ra.ces are Meloncslan and Ma
lay, with occasional Negritos. But
these men could never have built the
massive forts that dot the Isles forts
as massive aa those of Yucatan. The
walls range In height from S feet to 40
feet In one wall a cornerstone 10 feet
by 2 by 6 was found twenty feet
above the ground. How did the na
tives, who have left no trace of skill
beyond a stone axe or two and an Iron
spearhead, rear those mighty walls?
St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Every one must do just so much
weeping; those who are spanked often-
j est when young, have least cauae for
I crying wbta grown up.
MAJ. ACS. WIILIT MEHBITT.
SERMON
ftp. Dr. Calmagc
abject I Practical Chsrlty The Benevo
lence of Dorcas Kllolled Her Work
Contrasted With Present Day Hctboda
Wonu God's Handmaiden.
Oopyrtebt lwo.1
WASHINGTON, D. C Dr. Talmage,
who is still traveling in Northern Europe,,
has forwarded the following report ot aj
sermon in which he utters helpful words
to all who are engaged in alleviating hu
man distresses and snows how such work
will be crowned at the last; text, Acta
ix, 30, "And all the widows stood by him
weeping and showing him the coats and
garments which Dorcas made while she
was with them."
Joppa is a most absorbing city of the
Orient. Into her harbor once floated the
rafts of Lebanon cedar from which the
temp's of Jerusalem were builded, Solo-j
mon's oxen drawing the logs through the
town. Here Napoleon had SOU prisoners
massacred. One of the most magnificent
charities of the centuries was started in
this seaport by Dorcas, a woman with her
needle embroidering her name ineffaceably
into the beneficence of the world. I see
her sitting in yonder home. In the door
way and around about the building and in
the room where she sits are the pale faces
of the poor. She listens to their pliant,
she pities their woe, she makes garmants
for them, she adjusts the manufactured
articles to suit the bent form of this inva
lid woman and to the cripple that cornea,
crawling on his bands and knees. She
gives a coat to this one; she gives sandals
to that one. With the gifts she mingles
prayers and tears and Christian encourage
ment. Then she goes out to be greeted on
the street corners by those whom she has
blessed, and all through the street the cry
is heard. "Dorcas is coming!" The sick
look up gratefully in her face as she puts
her hand on the burning brow, and the
lost and the abandoned start up with liopo
as they hear her gentle voice, as though
an angel had addressed them, and as slia
goes out the lane eyes half put out with
sin think they see a halo of light about
her brow and a trail of clory in her path
way. That night a halt paid shipwright
climbs the hil! and reaches home and sees
his little boy well clad and says, "W here
did these clothes come from?" And they
tell him, "Dorcas has beeu here." In an
other place a woman is trimming a lamp;
Dorcas bought the oil. In another place
a family that had not been at table for
many a week are gathered now, for Dorcas
has brought bread.
But there is a sudden pause in that wom
an's ministry. They say: "Where is Dor
cas? Why, we haven't seen her for many
a day. Where is Dorcas?" And one oi
these poor people goes up and knocks at
the door ana finds the mystery solved. All
through the haunts of wretchedness the
news comes, "Dorcas is sick!" No bulletin
flashing from the palace gate teliiug the
stages of a king's disease is more anxiousi
waited for than the news from this bene
f actress. Alas, for Joppa there is wailing
wailing! That voice which has uttered t
many cheerful words is hushed; that hand
which has made so many garments for the
poor is cold and still; the star which had
poured light into the midnight of wretch
edness is dimmed by the blinding mists
that go up from the river of death. In
every forsaken place in that town, wher
ever there is a sick child and no balm,
wherever there is hunger and no bread
wherever there is guilt and no commisera
tion, wherever there is a broken heart and
no comfort, there are despairing looks
and streaming eyes and frantic gesticula
tions as they cry, "Dorcas is dead!"
They send for the apostle Peter, whe
happens to be in the suburbs of the place,
stopping with a tanner of the name of Si
mon. Peter urges his way through t lie
crowd around the door and stands in tha
presence of the dead. What demonstra.
tion of grief all about him! Here stand
some of the poor people, who show tha
garments wmcn mis poor woman na
made for them. Their grief cannot be ap
peased. The apostle Peter wants to per
form a miracle. He will not do it amid the
excited crowd, so he orders that the whole
room be cleared. The apostle stands now
with the dead. Oh, it is a serious mo.
nient, you know, when you are alone with
a lifeless body! Tiie apostle gets down on
his knees and prays, and then he conies tq
the lifeless form of this one all ready for
the sepulcher, and in the strength of Him
who is the resurrection he cries: "Tabitha,
arise!" There is a stir in the fountains
of life, the heart flutters, the nerves thrill,
the cheek flushes, the eye opens, she aits
up.
We see in this subject Dorcas, the disci
ple, Dorcas the benefactress, Dorcas the
lamented, Dorcas the resurrected.
if I had not seen that word disciple in
my text, I would have known this woman
was a Christian. Such music as that never
came from a heart which is not choriled
and strung by divine grace. Before 1 show
you the needlework of this woman I want
to show you her regenerated heart,- the
source of a pure life and of all Christian
charities. I wish that the wives and moth
ers and daughters and sisters of all the
earth would imitate Dorcas in her disciple
ship. Before you cross the threshold ol
the hospital, before you enter upon the
temptations and trials of to-morrow, I
charge you in the name of God aud by the
turmoil and tumult of the judgment day,
O woman, that you attend to the first, last
and greatest duty of your life the seeking
for God and being at peace with Him!
When the trumpet shall sound there will
be an uproar and a wreck of mountain
and continent, and no human arm can help
you. Amid the rising of the (lend and
amid the boiling of yonder sea aud amid
the live, leaping thunders of the flying
heavens calm and placid will be every
woman's heart who hath put her trust in
Christ calm notwithstanding all the tu
mult, as though the fire in the heavens
were onlv the gildings of an autumnal sun
set, as though the awful voices of the sl:y
were but a group of friends bursting
through a gateway at even time with
laughter anu shouting. "Dorcas the disci
ple!" Would God that every Mary and
every Martha would this day sit down at
the feet of Jesus!
Further, we see Dorcas, the benefactress.
History has told the story of the crown,
epic poet has sung of the sword; the pas
toral poet, with his versos full of the redo
lence of clover tons and a-rustle with the
silk ot the corn, has sung the praises of
the plow. I tell you the praises of thfl
needle. From the fig leaf robe preparer)
in the garden of Eden to the last stitch
taken on the garment for the poor thd
needle has wrought wonders of kindness,
generosity and benefaction. It adorned
the girdle of the high priest, it fashioned
the curtains in the ancient tabernacle, it
cushioned the chariots of King Solomon,
it provided the robes of Queen E'.izabeth,
and in high places and in low- places, by
the fire or the pioneer's back log and un
der the flash of the cha.idelier every
where it has clothed nakedness, it has
preached the gospel, it has overcome hosts
of penury and want with the war cry of
"Stitch, stitch, stitch!" The operatives
have found a livelihood by it, and through
it the mansions of the employer are con
structed. Amid the greatest triumphs in all ages
and lands I set down the conquests of the
needle. I admit its crimes; I admit its
cruelties. It has had more martyrs than
the fire; it has punctured the eye; it has
pierced the side; it has struck weaknee
into the lungs; it has sent madness intc
the brain; it has filled the potter's field;
it has pitched whole armies of the sutTcr
ing into crime and wretchedness and woe.
But now that I am talking of Dorcas and
her ministries to the poor I shall speak
only of the charities of the needle. J hi:
woman was a representative of all those
who make garments for the destitute, who
knit socks For the barefooted, who prepnre
bandages for the lacerated, who fix up
boxes of clothing for missionaries, who go
into the asylums of the sutf ring and desti
tute bearing that gospel which is sight for
the blind and hearing for the draf, and
which makes the lame man lean like a hart
NO. 33
and brings the dead ' to7" life, immortal
health bounding in their pulses.
What a contrast between the practical
benevolence of this woman and a great
deal of the charity of this day! Thia
woman -did not spend ber time idly plan-"
ning how the poor of the city of Jopp-i
were to be relieved. She took her needle
and relieved them. She was not like those
persona who sympathize with imaginary
sorrows and go out in the street and laugh?
at the boy who has upset his basket of
cold victuals, or like that charity which
makes a rousing speech on the benevolent
platform and goes out to kick the beggar
from the step, crying, "Hush your miser
able howling!" Sufferers of the world
want not so much theory are practice; not
30 much tears as dollars; not so much kind
wishes as loaves of bread; not so mucla
smiles as shoes; not so much "God bles
you," aa jackets and frocks. I will put
ane earnest Christian man, hard-working,
tgainst 5000 mere theorists on the subject
jf charity. There are a great many who
have fine ideas about church architecture
ivho never in their lives helped to build al
:hurch. There are men who can give you
the history of Buddhism and Mohamme
danism who never sent a farthing for
1 vangeiization. There are women wnp talk
beautifully about the suffering of the world
who never had the courage, like Dorcas,
to take the needle and assault it.
I am glad that there is not a page of the
world's history which is not a record of
female benevolence. Cod says to all lands
nd people. "Come, now, and hear the
widow's mite rattle down into the poor
box." The Princess of C'onti sold all her
jewels that she might help the famine
stricken. Queen Blanche, the wife ol
Louis VIII. of France, heariug that there
were some persons unjustly incarcerated
in the prisons, went out amid the rabbla
and took a stick and struck the door as a
signal that they might all strike it, and
down went the prison door, and out came
the prisoners. Queen Maud, the wife of
Henry I., went down amid the poor and
washed their sores and administered to
them cordials. Mrs. Ketson, at Matagor
da, appeared on the battlefield while the
missiles of death were flying around and
cared for the wounded. Is there a man
or woman who has ever heard of the civil
war in America who has not heard of the
women of the sanitarv and Christian com
missions or the fact that before the smoke
tiad gone up from CJetiy-iburg and South
dountain the women of the north met the
Women of the south on the battlefield, for
getting all their animosities, while they
bound up the wounded and closed the eyes
of the slain? Dorcas the benefactress.
I come now to speak of Dorcas the la
mented. When death strur-k down that
good woman, oh, how much sorrow there
was in the town of Joppa! I suppose there
were women there with larger fortunes,
women perhaps with handsomer faces, but
there was not grief at their departure like
this at the death of Dorcas. There were
hot more turmoil and upturning in the
KFediterranean Sea dashing against the
wharves at that seaport than there were
Surgings to and fro of grief because Dorca?
was dead. There are a great many who
jgo out of life and are unmisscd. There
(may be a very large funeral, there miiy be
a great manv carriages and a phiinrd
hearse, there may be high sounding euio
giums, the bell may toll at the cemetery
gate, there may be a very fine marble
shaft reared over the resting place, but
the whole thing may be a falsehood and a
sham.
The church of God has lost nothing;,
the world has lost nothing. It is only a
nuisance abated. It is ouly a grutiihltT
ceasing to find fault. It is only an idler
stopped yawning. It is ouly a dissipated
fashionable parted from his wine cellar,
while on the other hand no useful Chris
tian leaves this world without bfing
missed.
The chiTrch of God cries out, like the
prophet, "Howl, fir tree, for the cedar has
fallen!" Widowhood comes and shows
the garments which the departed had
made. Orphans are lifted up to look into
the calm face of the sleeping benefactress.
Keclaimed vagrancy comes and kisses the
cold brow of her who charmed it away
from sin, and all through the streets of
Joppa there is mourning mourning be
cause Dorcas is dead.
Has that Christian woman who went
away fifteen years ago nothing to do with
these things? I si-e the flowering out of
her noble heart. 1 hear the echo of her
footsteps iu nil the songs over sins for
given, in all the prosperity of the church.
The good that seemed to be buried haa
come up again. !rcas is resurrected!
After awhile all these womanly friend
of Christ will put down their needle for
ever. After making garments for other
some one will make a garment for them;
the last robe we ever wear the robe for
the grave. You will have heard the last
cry of pain. You will have witnessed the
last orphanage. You will have come in
worn out from your last round of mercy.
I do not know where you will sleep nor
what vour epitaph will lie, but there wilt
be a lamp burning at that tomb anil an
angel of God guarding it, and through all
the long night no rude foot will disturb
the dust. Sleep on, sleep on! Soft bed,
pleasant shadows, undisturbed repose!
Sleep on!
Asleep in Jesus! Ulessed sleep
From which none ever wake to weep!
Then one day there will lie a sky rend
ing and a whirl of wheels aud the flash of
a pageant, armies marching, chillis clank
ing banners waving, thunders booming,
ana that Christian woman will arise trout
the dust, and she will be suddenly sur
rounded surrounded by the wunderers of
the street whom she reclaimed, surround
ed by the wounded souls to whom she had
administered!
Daughter of God, so strangely surround
ed, what means this? It means that re
ward has come; that the victory is won;
that the crown is ready; that the banquet
is spread. Shout it through all the crumb
ling earth! Sing it through all the flying
heavens! Dorcas is resurrected!
In IHoo, when some of the soldiers came
back I rom the Crimean war to London,
the Queen of England distributed among
them beautiful medals, called Cnmeau
medals. Galleries were erected for the two
houses of 1'ai'hainciit and the royal family
to sit lu. There was u great audience to
witness the distribution of the medals. A
colonel who hail lost both feet iu the bat
tie of Inkeruiaiiii was pulled in on a wheel
chair; others came in limping on their
crutches. Then the tiicen of England arose
before them in the name of her Govern
ment and uttered words of commendation
to the officers and men and distributed
those medals, inscribed with the four great
battlefields Alma. Ualaklava, lukeriiianti
and Sevastopol. As the t.ltieen gave tln-se
to the wounded men nnd the wounded olii
cers the bands of music struck up the na
tional air., anil the people, with streaming
eyes, joined in the song:
God save our fn'acious queen!
Long live our noble queen!
Jod save tlie queen !
And thpn they shouted liii7a! Huzza!""
Ob, it was a proud day for those returned
warriors! Hut a brighter. Iietter and glad
der day will come when Chri.-t i-hal! path
er those who have toiled in His service
good soldiers of .lesus ( 'hri:;t. lie shall rise
before them, and in the presinic of all th
glorified of heaven lie will ay. "Well
done, good and faithful servant!" And
then He will distribute the medals of eter
nal victory, not insenned with works of
righteousness which we have done, but
with those four great battlefields, dear to
earth and dear to heaven Hethlehem,
Nazareth, Gethsemane and Calvary!
Among the lights which lie thieugh
the shadows of life, the brightest ia .
love.
For every foolish thing in law there
Is a wise reason. -
But very few persons add dignity to
the office they fill.
No man can expect to be happy whose
thoughts ail centre In himself.
With averted eye we let the irolden
in omenta pass us bv. Time's foolish:
I spendthrifts, searching wide and far,
Tor what liei rlnso at hand
As a streak of lean and a streak of
fat make the most palatable meats, so
do good and bad luck, mixed in proper
pioportlons, give the best zest to 111.
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St. J.- :