.V - r , - r-' j. ... -- ... ...... . ... . v . ... . , ...... - . Its B. F. SCHWEIER, THE CONSTITUTION THE UNIONAND THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAWS. Editor and Proprietor. VOL. X.IV. MIFFLiINTOWN, JUNIATA COUNTY, MINK., WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 29, 1900 NO. 38 '1 -A. I aptaiti BY B. M. .nilitapy.omance.of-goutt.irmcA CHAPTER V.-Coutinned.) , "Oh. Esine!" exclaimed her sister, in a rhnked voice, "you will be the death ol After your saying you would only l.iv to him; after bearing that he waa M deadly shy. Oh oh oh!" holding bet Miles, ni-d rocking herself backward and f'lrnanl in absolute convulsions of laugh ter, while the unlucky heroine of thia, t Ciissii-. killiug adventure, stood in th middle of the room, a tall, tragic-lookini figure, and surveyed her with tony-eyed resentment. "And and vhat am I to say?" panted Gussie. recovering her breath at last, ant! drying ber eyes as she spoke. "How to our absence to be accounted for, pray Am I to tell Mrs. B. that having aJreadj embraced "Has," with an indignant gesture, pan iug in her walk "say that 1 am extreme ly ill: and so I am, in mind." "If I give her that message she will immediately send for Dr. Goggin, and your last state will be worse than yoni first." r . . . -Then say anything you like," irritably. "Say that I'm not going down; no, not if she came and carried me herself. In deed, Gussie, you must think of some ex cuse. You know very well," stammering with excitement, "that yon yourself would not go ins public after such a frightful disgrace; and I think," now re commencing to cry, "that I shall nevet be able to look anyone in the face again." "Did be recognize you, do yon thinkl Did he return your embrace with equal ardor?" "Not he; he rather held back, whici naturally surprised me. He was too muck astonished to speak, Sand 1 never gavt hito time to open his mouth. I was sc sur.' and certain it was Teddy; only, it 1 h ill not been an idiot. I might have re tnemliercd that Ted would lie iu uuiform; but I never gave myself time to think, and just sprang on biui like a tigress." "Aud did he see jour faceV" "I'm Lot sure," slowly. "1 think not. 1 need scarcely tell you that one glance was enough for me. and 1 ran. I believe you are enjoying the whole thing, and thiukiug it a splendid joke," said she, an grily; "and it's very uufet-ling of you. You may tell Nokes to send me a cup of lea. I'm going straight to bed. And now be sure and give a proper, probable account of my illness. Impress upon them that it wilt be tedious. 1 have it a bad headache. 1 kuow I'm going to have one." ruuuing after ber sister to the head of the -stairs, and gesticulating eagerly over the balusters. "Be sure you say a headache, aud remember that I'm very . bad. To all this Gussie nodded a con fidential, smiling acquiescence, as she tripped hurriedly downstairs. "Where is Esrae?" demanded Mrs. lira bazou. iu a tone of sharp surprise, aa her eldest stepdaughter entered the drawing room alone. "She is not feeling very well, Mrs. Bra bpzun, and begs you will excuse her," returned Gussie, avoiding, as she spoke, three pairs of inquisitive eyes. "Esme ill rubbish!" ejaculated Flo rian. "I saw her in the avenue an hour ago." Brothers are sometimes brutal. "She won't be able to come down to dinner," protested Gussie. "Sbe has a bad toothache no, I mean to say a sfilit tiug headache," becoming very red, and floundering about in a sea of vague ex cuses, while her mother and brother vol lied exclamations and cross-questioned, aud Miles sat by, pulling Waggy's ears, with a command of countenance that would have reflected credit on a North American Indian. CHAPTER VI. "What fine old timber you have. Splen did trees." remarked Miles, who, under the escort of the sprightly Augusta, was sauntering through the pleasure ground the morning after his arrival, Esme be ing still in retirement. "We could hard ly beat you, even in Burmah." ' "Yes, we rather pride ourselves on onr Oid oaks, all but Flo," rejoined Gussie, (complacently. "He considers them SO kiiuch suukeu capital, and would give any 'thiug to cut down the timber, melt the silver and sell the place." "Sell the place!" eehoed her companion, in a tone of iudiguaut amazement, "that has been in the family since the time of James the First or was it Elizabeth" "Oh, pray don't ask me. Esme could tell you, but my knowledge of history is on a par with the woman's who, pointing out a castle, remarked that "one of the Johns hnd died there, " opening the gar den gate as she concluded, and tripping through in her well-starched pink cotton. "1 wish you could see Esme!" "I wish I could." he replied, for I m going away to-morrow morning." "Oh, nonsense!" aghast. "No; I'm quite serious. Is your alstei like you?" "Ob, dear, no! Far, far better looking. Sbe is lovely. The prettiest girl in Thorn shire. Very tall, and slight, and active. Dances beautiruiiy; ana you J see ber run!" He could testify to that, he said to him self, with a smile. "She is younger thai you a re, I believe?" ...... "Yes three years; but she Is faf more like the eldest. She takes the lead in everything, she has such a strong will, ,d what Mr. Bell calls 'great force ol character.' I hope." laughing, "that yon hiveo't a strong will and a great for of character, for two of a trade nevei agree." "Oh dear no; nothing to speak or, shaking his bead. "And I suooose youi sister has lots of admirers, too," he add ed without raising his eyes from a verj striking, almost speaking sketch of Mrs Brabazon, which he was almost uncon sciously touching off, with his cane, ii the fine gravel before him. ' "No, not one," triumphantly; "nor eve had " "Oh, I say eome," he expostulate with a vivid recollection of the gat scene. , " M j I know what yon are thinking or, replied Gussie, mysteriously, "but 1 as sure you," lucidly, "that that was no """And vlfu say that she is the prettiest girl In Thornshire." observed Miles, not wishing to enter upon a discussion of the little episode of the previous evening with the loquacious Augusta. "I don't say it alone; everybody says It. -When we go into room everybody looks at her; shejs what you womld call grabajofijl CROKBR the cynosure of every eye. And so far so good; but once men begin to talk to her their enthusiasm cools. She la so -stiff and cold aud stand-off; and It they pre sume, in spite of this, to pay ber compli ments, or to make sweet little speeches, sbe smites them so unmercifully that they go away nearly crying, and, 1 need scarcely remark, never wore return. Oh, never, never more." "A lively lookout for me. isn't it?" ex pressively. "Ob, you mast not mind .her. Don't seem to notice ber or admire ber. and treat her qnite Id la every-day manuer, aa if sbe were nothing at all out of the common, and abe will be aa pleasant aa possible. Sbe aays herself that the mo ment any man seems disposed to be extra civil you know what 1 mean?" nodding her bead expressively "she can't help taking the most violent dislike to him. But it' nearly all shyness, nothing else. Sbe haa been to one or two amall par ties: scry alow affairs the were: and do you know that the hrst time she was go ing she waa just trembling all over, aud cold with fright? Now, I'm quite differ ent, I delight in society from first to last. I love dressiug. driving, dunciug. etc." "Etc., I suppose, means Uirting?" slight ly elevating bis eyebrows. "Never mind what it means. I can go into a room with' my head in the air. a kind of female Coeur de lion." "Exclaiming, come one, come all!" add ed ber companion with a quiet suggest! ve ness. "Now, Miles, I won't have you chaff me yet; and you must not interrupt. But Esme's courage is of a different descrip tion. She's awfully brave iu accideuls, aud would face a tramp or a savage dog just like a man; while I would be cow ering behiud ber, my kueea literally auockiug together and my teeth chuUer ing in my head. And she is the ouly one of us that dares brave Mrs. B. uow." The last word was suggestive, aud sud denly recalled to Miles the gap iu the family circle. "Oh, by the way. Gussie," be said. "1 waa very sorry to hear about your young est brother. I never knew of it till last uigbt. Annie never told me. - 1 suppose it happened some time ago?" "Yes." she erturned. looking rather red and embarrassed; but to her cousin's dis gust there was not a trace of regret in ber little rouud face, "i 'lease don't talk about him; above all to Esme or Mrs. B." "What bad this youug fellow done," Miles asked himself, "that bis name was thus tabooed, bis memory cousigued to oblivion V During the afternoon Miles paid a for mal visit to his Aunt Jane. The three youug people set out for the village to gether, Gussie and Florian being eu route to a "tennis party" at the Rectory, and the former impressing most eagerly on her cousin that he was not to stay long it the White House, but to be sure and follow tbeni iu a quarter of an hour, "which will give you five minutes for the weather, five minutes for Burmah and five for Esme. Mind you come. I will never forgive you if you don't turn up!"" Miles resolved to go for a long walk to sort his ideas and to make up bis mind which at present was in a some what chaotic condition, lie was not, it must be confessed,' in a particularly ur bane or genial humor as he strolled through the fields that lovely August af ternoon, cane in hand, viciously decapi tating harmless meadow sweets. After walking for some time along a deeply rutted, aandy, ahady bridle path, a sud den turn in the lane brought him in aight of a closed wooden gate right across his present track, at the other side of which he beheld, with a thrill of unaccountable recognition, the figure of a girl, in a blue habit, riding a large dun pony. He could see, even at a distance, by the gestures of the young lady, and the shape of the pony's back, that they were having a serious difference of opinion. The human being wished to open the gate from the saddle, without dismounting, and the dumb animal positively declined to euter tain the idea for one second.. They had been contending tbua for quite ten min utes, and Esme was getting hot and atiH gry; and the words, "hideous beast, hate ful imp of a pony," were borne to Miles' ears by a gentle little afternoon breeze that daintily rustled the ash trees and the hedgerows. In ber all-absorbing struggle with Jacky. Esme bad never noticed that sbe and be were not alone, that there was a spectator on the scene a .slight, dark young man. in a tweed suit, with s daisy in bis buttonhole, rapidly coming to her assistance. No, the stiff-necked quadrii ped occupied her whole attention. Sbe relinquished the struggle, and juuiwd nil his back, aud waa hastily proceeding tc unfasten tbe hasp, when her obstinate, nnraly animal backed suddenly, threw bit bead with a violent jerk, and. wreni-hius the bride out of his mistress' band, lash ed out playfully, and galloped down I lit field, a loose and triumphant pouy. "Oh, yon demon of the deepest dye!" cried Esme passions tely. Theu suddenly catching aight of a geutlemau at the oth er side of the bone of contention, she ex claimed eagerly: "Ob, do please help me to catch him. He will knock tbe saddle all to pieces, and perhaps break - bis knees;" and gathering up ber skirt, with out waiting for an answer, set a laudable example by starting off at once iu hot pursuit. i Of all the cunning, tiresome animals that ever waa shod, Jacky must have tbe precedence. They would succeed in bunt ing him into a corner, and he would panse. and leisurely crop the grass, with streaming reins and one malicious wbitey- blue eye cocked iu their 'direction, and just as tbey fondly imagined they bad bim. he would give one contemptuous kick, accompanied by a squeal of derision, and thunder past them forty miles an hour. At last Miles captured Jacky by dint of sheer pertinacity, and brought bim tri umphantly back to bla mistress, who stood nuder a tree, with ber bat off and a amall branch of horse chestnut in ber band, with wbicb sbe bad been fanning herself, in tbe vain hope of cooling ber hot cheeks. - The prettiest girl in Thornshire. there could be no doubt about that, said Miles to himself aa he approached her. with the bridle of tbe captive over bis arm. - The recent chase had looses ed various stray, little locks and curls about her temples: ber cbeeks were an exquisite rose color, her eyes like two sapphires, but both defiant and bashful; and, bad he known tbe truth, sbe was on the brink of running away; for. now that the excitement of tbe pony bunt was at aa end. she began to realize that at last she waa really face to face with bee much-dreaded cousin Miles. And now came the critical moment; why was not Gussie there to see? "I've got bim at last," be cried cheer fully, while still at some distance. "What a cunning old beggar be Is. 1 think," now being quite close to her and dolling bia hat, "that you must be my Cousin Esme. I," coloring a little, but looking at her steadily, "am Milea Brabazon." "I suppose so," sbe returned, becom ing crimson, tossing away her impromptu fan, but making no attempt whatever te shake hands. "Just lead bim up to thai atone, will you; and bold him tight or h will bite," ahe added, rather cavalierly. tie had fancied that a smile, a word of thanks, would have rewarded bis success. But, no, her eyes did not even meet his; all he beheld was an averted, disdainful face. "May I not put yon op?" be asked hum bly. , "Oh," no, "So. thanks," impatiently, mounting as she spoke with nimble ease, and settling herself in the saddle. "Does be often play you these tricks?' he ventured to ask, taking, as be spoke, wisp of grass out of Jacky's reluctant month, and putting tbe reins in hei hands. "Yes, often," snapplsury. . "And yet it does not cool your ardot for riding him?" "No!" very shortly. "And now, if yon will be so good as to open tbe gate, I shall be much obliged," ahe added, with ostentatious politeness. The gate was duly opeued. and Jacky condescended to pace through. Miss Esmt bestowing on ber cousin a stately little bow. evidently meaning to part company with bim tben and there. Hut no such idea was iu Jat-ky's miud. He planted his feet tirmly together, as it were, rooted himself iu the soil ot tbe next field, and positively declined to stir one step fur ther, merely shaking bis ears disapprov ingly, and at last showing a strong desire to lie down. ' It was a humiliating situa tion for Esme, and ludicrous iu the ex treme. Sbe could not honestly say, if sbe had been asked on oath at tbe mo ment, which of tbe two she hated most, ber cousin or the pony. There was s twinkle in Miles' eye that bad uot escap ed her; and, indeed, it was only by put ting a atrong restraint upon himself that be bad been able to command bis coun tenance. After a time a compromise wa effected Jacky waa satisfied to proceed, provided that be was gently aud indul gently led by tbe bridle. And in this way tbe trio slowly left the fields and pro ceeded along the narrow lanes leading to Mr. Hogben's farm. Miles struggled bravely to make con versation, about the weather, the beauty of tbe country, and tbe lovely wild flow ers in the hedges; but bis well-meant ef forts resembled a monologue, until, by a brilliant inspiration, be touched up tbe delinquencies of Jacky, and then Esme found speech; ber pent-up indignation broke forth. "Odious, ungrateful, ngly little wretcbl Would you believe that be ia twenty-four years old. and baa hardly a tooth in his bead?" "No, indeed, I would not; be seems to be as lively as a two-year-old," delighted that this fair and disdainful divinity bad found voice at last. ' "Yes, that he is; and bis temper is get ting worse every year. Wonld anyone imagine that ages and ages ago,, when be was being led out to be shot, along witb the old carriage horses and another pony, I actually went down on my knees to Mrs. Brabazon, I groveled to her, to spare Jacky I" "And did she?" inquired Miles, thought lessly, esger to keep tbe ball of coover aation rolling at any price. "Did she? Wbat a stupid question!" lifting her eyebrows contemptuously. "If be bad been shot, how could be be here now? But be was spared because Ja cobs said be had a lot of work in bim, and be would' do very well for carting. You may let him loose now, thanks; he knows there is no help for it, aud that he is going to Mrs. Hogben's." To be continued.! WHAT THE CHINESE WORSHIP. Their Religion Ia a !:.rc f-vm-, Ylr . Hetties Are Indefinite. The only religious worship tbe ar ige Chinaman performs, aside from an cestral rites, ' Is a prostration and an offering "to heaven and earth" on the first and fifteenth of each moon, or In some cases on tbe beginning of each new year. No prayer .Is uttered, and after a time the offering Is removed, aud, as In other cases, eaten. What Is It that at such times the Chi nese people worship? Sometimes they affirm that the object of worship is "heaven and earth." - Sometimes tbey say that it Is "heaven," and again they call it "the Old Man of the Sky," (lato tl'len yell). Tbe latter term has led to an Inference that the Chinese do have a real perception of. a personal deity. But when it Is ascertained that this supposed "person" Is frequently match ed by another called "Grandmother Firth" (tl mu nal nal) the correctness of the Inference Is open to serious ques tion. Tbe word "heaven" Is, It is true, often used in the Chinese classics Iu such a way as to convey the Idea of personality and will. But It Is like wise employed In a manner which sug gests very little of either. "Heaven is n principle" tbe vagueness of the term Is obvious. To this ambiguity in clas sical use corresponds the looseness of meaning given to It In every-day 11e. The Chinaman who has been worship ing heaven upon being pressed to know wbat he means by "heaven" will fre quently reply that It Is tbe blue ex panse above. His worship is, theie fore. In harmony with nature, either in dividually, or collectively. His creed may be described iu Emersonian phra ses as "one with tbe blowing clover and the falling rain." In other words,.he is a pantheist. Not I'nrticnlar. ' "She has never ceased to hope." ' "For the return of the man who Jilt ed her?" "No." Any man." Cleveland IMain Dealer. Where Isnsrsnce Is Bliva. Jack The ingenuity of woman is be yond the comprehension of ui:in. - Tom What's wrong now? Jack Young Black's fiancee sent him an elaborately constructed 'pen Wiper for a birthday present and be wore It. to church, thinking it was a new-fangled cravat. The f)eath CTjO HE bey leaned against the bul Mr wark rails, watching the llghti . aa tbey came up one by one 9 the coast The plunging of the Bhlf itHl made his bead reel, and he wai weak from want of food. He seemed utoftetfier apart from the stir and Ufa that three hundred emigrants on board treated. Ills whole soul waa filled with i dumb and Impotent protest against his fate, and the life before him. Old Dapt. Malcolm had shown little wisdom irhen he sent his only seat to sea to have lome pteek knaeked Into htm. The ship's doctor came put of th laloon in the poop to go bla evening round below. With him waa bla wife, t slight, gltilah figure, wrapped In a heavy cloak. She turned at the ladder which led to the lower deck, and waa boat to go back, when her eyes fell on tbe boy. - Sbe bad noticed bim once before, and his white face and lonely tlr roused tbe womanly sympathy In Iter. Sbe touched bim lightly on tbi ihoulder and said. "Ton are leaving home, like me." "Yea, ma'am," be replied. "You must feel lonely," sbe said, "but rou will soon be back, and tben every ne wttl think so much of you." Her voice had something caressing and Inviting about it; and so his confl lence, overcoming bis shyness and re serve, broke bounds. He told ber cvery thlnc how be would hate this life, how ' ill filled him with fonr and disgust, tbe sold and darkness, the chaff and horse play of his fellow-apprentices, tbe ln Jlfference of everyone around him. ne told bow impossible It waa to come up to bis father's standard, bow be felt be was a born coward, and. that be would always be one, shrinking Instinctively from the danger and excitement that bolder natures took pleasure In. She listened . sympathetically. Her hand bad patted him once or twice, and incouraged him to go on. When be tnded, she said: "Yon mnst not be too bard on yourself. - It Is not always tnose who fear the least that are bravest In the end. When the time comes, I am sure you will do your duty." In a few minutes the second mate passed along the deck and told the boy to go below. Tben all was quiet. Ar few hours later the Pride of Asia was steaming at "slow," with her whis tle going every few minutes. The chan nel fog girt the ship Bke a shroud. The captain walked the bridge uneasily. No tempest or rock-bound shore gives the anxiety that a fog on this waterway of the nation does. Danger is Imminent verywhere and the most careful sea manship Is no guarantee of safety. So It Is now. A hoarse shout came from the man on tbe lookout , Tbe captain sprang to the telegraph, and as "Full speed astern" rang.out, a large sailing ship took form In the fog, and In a few seconds crashed Into the steamer in front of the bridge. . The Frlde of Asia shook from stem to stern, heeled over to starboard, and then began to forge ahead, while tbe other went pounding along her side, wrenching the port boats from ber davits and staving them In with her bowsprit Then sbe passed away as a ghost In tbe fog. The Pride of Asia had met ber death wound. At once all was noise and con fusion. The emigrants came pouring up on 'dock, screaming and shouting with terror. Some of the sailors rushed to clear the boats, but a sharp order from tbe captain stopped them. In a few seconds the captain had de cided on his course. The remaining boats would not carry a hundred and fifty people. There were more than twice that number on board. On the other band, the land was about three miles off, and a sandy and protected bench meant safety. But could It be done with that hole In ber side. He would try. ' He changed his course, rang "Full speed ahead," and shouted to the mate: "Go down snd shut thf for'ard bulkheads, Mr. Jones." The mate ran forward and with tht help of the carpenter tore off part of the hatch covering and sprang to the ladder. As he climbed down young Malcolm peered aimlessly -over the hatch. "Bring down a lantern." cried tbe mate, and Malcolm, galvanized Into activity by fear, seized a lantern from tbe alleyways and clambered down Into the hold. ' The mate ran towards the Iron doni In tbe bulkhead, which had been left open, and pushed It to. "The light here quick." And the boy brought It, "Blast them I oh, blast them!" roared tbe mate. "They've put the bolts on the wrong side. In five minutes we'll all be in kingdom come." " He stumbled for the ladder, and Mal colm followed, wild with terror.- Yes, every ooe would be drowned, and be, te, with the cruel, cold water sucking i down. Ho droDDed tbe lantern and WITH FEVERISH HASTE HE SHOT THE GREAT IRON BOLTS. of d oWdfd. began to pun himself tip the ladder. Suddenly he stopped. Ah Idea bad been born In his brain; a hideous, un thinkable thought the door could be closed from the other side. He bnng limply on tbe ladder, and In bla mind raged a tornado of conflict. Oh, to be out of this awful ship, safe once again at home! But tbe mace bad said that all were lost. Tba meant him, too. And If only that door were hut, all could be saved. Great beads of sweat broke out on his forehead. He groaned and wrRhed about like one on the rack. Tben be began to descend lowly. He stopped again on tbe but rung. He clung to the ladder aa a drowning man to a rope. He could never let go. - Why was he not going up tbe ladder? There were boats left. He had seen that He could fight for a place, and be saved. He was so young, not old, like the mate and captain. They must give bim a place. All at once he loosened his bold and ran blindly for the door. On tbe wlty he tripped and fell heavily on bis bands and face, cutting and bruising them. He lay half stunned for a minute, moaning from the pain, then raised himself and crawled tbe rest of the way. He passed through the door, and with feverish haste shot the great Iron bolts. Tbe boy was alone In bis tomb. He leaned against the bulkhead, sick. lick to death. Why had he done this? Ue did not know. They would be laved now, but he O! God, no more light or life for him! His poor dry lips moved convulsively, and his bands beat aimlessly on the iron wall. He would go back. Hope returned with a rush. He would die In the open with others around him. It would be good to die thus, not in this hell of darkness and desolateness. He unshot one bolt and fumbled for the other. Then, with a low moan, he cast himself from It, driving his tcoth Into bis Hps In bis agony. It was not to be. He was too great a coward to live, ne could only die. He would pray. But he could think of nothtng nothing but the "This night when I He down to sleep" he bad learned at his mother's knee. To sleep oh, he would sleep long! There waa to be no waking this time. How the water was creeping up! Long shuddering fits shook bis frame as he felt the Icy fingers of death rising inch by Inch, He screamed and raved, dashing his bead against the Iron, that death might come quickly. He plunged beneath the water, only to come op again, fighting madly for life. Then there was a long drawn sob, and then silence. The captain stood on the bridge, a fig ure of stony despair. The land could never be reached with water pouring like a torrent Into the forward hold. He cursed his negligence In overlooking such a frightful blunder. It was going to cost 200 lives, and he must not be among the saved. The Pride of Asia was getting low in the water, but be could not understand why sbe was not sinking more by tbe bow. Sbe was vibrating from tbe engines, pushed to their highest pressure, for the firemen stuck gallantly to their posts. Five minutes went and ten, and then, with a sudden shock, she took ground, and all were safe. Next morning young Malcolm was missing, and tbe sorrowful news- were sent to his father. A week afterward, the divers entered the forward hold, and found to their astonishment that the bulkhead door, which they had expected to find open, was closed. Tbey forced it open, and against It was floating the body of a boy. Old Capt Malcolm comes often to the little graveyard by the sea. In It stands i cross on which are inscribed the words, "Here Lies a Hero." Pall Mai' Magazine. Winter Home of Bong; Birds. Captain G. E. Shelley, an English ornithologist who has devoted special attention to African birds, says tha Africa may fairly claim to be "the metropollc of song birds." It Is tbe winter home of a large proportion of the - most attractive small birds of Northern Europe, Including the night ingale, the swallow and many of the warblers, and the bush resounds with their melody.' Africa also possesses a great number of remarkable and beau tiful birds of Its own. How the Justice Sit. Tbe seat on the right of the Chief Jus tice is always occupied by tbe associ ate justice who has been longest on the bench; that on the left by the next In order of seniority, and so on alternate ly from right to left One of China's Superstition. . . Black dogs and black cats are the fa vorites In China In the line of food, be cause when eaten In midsummer they will Insure health and strength. . HAD TWENTY-FIVE BABIES Hra. Bwartwood, Married 27 Year, Haa 20 Living Children. Mrs. Samuel Swartwood of Wilkes barre. Pa, ia the mother of tbe largest family In the United States. Although a comparatively young woman, being only 41 years old, sbe Is tbe mother ot twenty-five children, twenty of whom sre living. ' Tbe youngest Is only a few weeks old, and gives promise of being, I ke his brothers and slaters, kale and hearty. Mrs. Swartwood Is a remarkably well preserved woman. She was married when very young, and ber first baby was born fourteen months after ber marriage. There bar been but five years since during wblcb tbe house hold has failed to be blessed with a baby. Tbese years were 1874, 1883, 1887, 18S8, and 189ft. But two of them were In succession, and In the succeed ing years twins were born. Of the entire twenty-five children there were but the two sets of twins, which were born In 1S88 and 1893. One of each set of twins Is dead. Mrs Swartwood can recite the hour and day each child was born. Regarding ber married life,. Mrs. Swartwood talked freely. "I was mar ried when I was 14 years old. I loved Will when I was a girl and I wanted to be married. Ever since we have been very happy, and I would not change places with any rich woman. Look at thcsecblldren! Ain't they rlcbes enough, and every one living at borne except the two girls that got married. It's nice for father and me to have them all here, although It does crowd as a bX We bavent got a big bouse, as you cun see, and every bit of tbe space Is used. Walk Into the dining-room there and look at the table." - It was a table to look at, of generous width and very long. It bore plates and knives and forks for twenty-two peop'e At Intervals were great piles of bread "It keeps me and tbe girls pret;y busy looking after tbe at ng it i d washing for onr big family," resuii.i-d Mrs. Swartwood when I came out of the dining-room. "Father makes a o .t $70 a month, and tbe boys bring lu about (90 a month, and while we get along nicely we have nothing to spare. We've given all the children as gooJ schooling as they can get around here." "What do you think of married lifer" I ventured to ask. "Well, I ought to know, I guess. Who was it said married life waa one lo.i. sweet dream? Grover Clevelau I. wasn't it?. Well. I agree with bim. It has been to me. Every woman shou!.l get married. I think. 1 don't kn much about the new woman, bat If sue don't believe In married life I don't want to know anything about , br. What's aa nappy as having children to love you and yon loving them? .- .7. "None at rpassri.f f of grlesvswvblbv' or 4inkiety" fi me, and I think God baa been espccl.il y kind to give me so-many. Yes, sir. y.m can put me down as believing In the married woman who believes In bav n.i children." Mr. Swartwood, Is an engineer on the Jersey Central railroad. POOR PICKINGS OF AUTHORS. aan Came in Moat Cases After Pub lisher Gets It In Hand. In a brief chat with one of our lend ing booksellers the other day It was rery curious to hear him speak In a purely commercial way of books which We have all read and enjoyed, discuss ing the sales of this or that volume iu the same way that a wholesale grocer or commission merchant wou'd d su-s barrels of flour or bags of potatoes. Every now and tben a rumor becomes current that some writer has received vast sums for his work. As a matte; of fact there Is a certain regular per centage which is all that ever reaches even the most successful. When any one who is not entirely unknown, aud may even, perhaps, already have some literary reputation, brings his man uscript to a publisher, the writer usual ly Is given an advance ranging from (1,000 to $10,000, the largest In recent years, having been given to an English author within the past three months. When the novel Is finally published the writer will receive 15 per cent of the actual selling price of each copy. In cluding the advance money, which on a book selling at $1.50 would amount to 2216 cents for esch copy sold. Let us suppose that the author had received $10,000 It would be necessary for the i puoiisner io seu snout zz,uuu copies De- fore he got bis money back, because It costs him about $1.05 to put the book on the market Tben for the next 22, 000 Issued he would make about 45 cents on each book, until tbe author's total royalties had equaled the advance copyright at which point the publisher would again be obliged to pay the writer the 22 cents for each of the books sold. It will be readily seen from tbe above figures that even the greatest selling books do not make their authors and publishers millionaires at one Jump. Of course, only a very few and fortunate of the many writers ever receive any advance on their copyrights, as no pub lishers are going to take tbe risk of paying out money without feeling very certain that they will eventually get It back. Occasionally some well-written story remains unprlnted for a long time, but all publishing houses are eag erly keeping watch for novelties and the possibility of discovering new au thors Is ever In their thoughts; there fore when one hears young writers complaining that they cannot get a bearing It Is safe to surmise that their wares are not of any value. Philadel phia North American. Canada's Area. The seven provinces of Canada have a total area of 1,078, (XX) square miles, and the nine territories 2,331,000 square miles, while tbe great lakes of the St Lawrence system have an area of 47. 000 square miles. One of the wonderful attractions of the Paris Exposition is a collection of glass flowers, representing over a thous and varieties. Tbey were made by a Dresden firm, and closely resemble, natural flowers In tint and form. ' " " ; 11 ' '' ' '' 1 '" '","" ',7' r"' " y" WSw'" t.'.wa'?;w.w-Ajy.-.-..i SERMON $0. Brlmage Babml: Spirit asl Talasa Earlhlv Rlettaf in Traasltorr, Bat tha Olories Ucavaa'Ars Kvarlasllns; Cnmparas tht rrteelcs Saal With tha Valueless Bod) Copyright lsuat Washington, D. C. From Berlin, where he preached in the American church to a congregation comprising many of his countrymen who are traveling through Europe, Dr. Talmage sends this discourse, in which, by original methods, he calcu lates spiritual values and urges higher ap preciation of things religious. The text is Mark viii, 30: "What shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?" - Men of all occupations are to be found In the assemblies of the house of God, but in these days of extensive business opera tions a large proportion are engaged from Monday morning to Saturday night in bar gain making. In many ot the families across the breakfast table and the tea table are discussed questions of losa and gain. You are every day asking yourself: ''What is the value of this? What is the value of that?" You would not think of giving something of greater value for that which is of lesser value. You would not think of selling that which cost you $10 lor $5. If you had a property that was worth tfl5,000, you would not sell it for I40UO. You are intelligent in all matters of bargain making. Are you as wise in the things that )rtain to the matters of the soul? Christ adapted His instruc tions to the circumstances of those to whom He spoke. When He talked to fishermen. He spoke of the gospel net. When He talked to the farmers, lie said: "A sower went forth to. sow." When He talked to the shepherds. He told the para ble of the lost sheep. And am I not right when sieaking to an audience made un of ie a- ht 1 of i bargain makers that I address them in the words of my text, asking, What shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?" I propose, as far as possible, to estimate and compare the value of the two proper ties. First, I have to say that the world is a very grand property. Its flowers are God's thoughts in bloom. Its rocks are God's thoughts in stone. Its dewdrops are God's thoughts in pearl. This world is God's cmld a wayward child, indeed; it has wandered off throueh the heavens. But about 190) years ago, one Christmas night. God sent out a sister world to call that wanderer back, and it hung over Bethlehem only long enough to get the promise of the wanderer's return, and now that lost world, with soft feet ol light, comes treading back through the heavens. The hills, how beautiful they billow up, the edge of the wave white with the foam of crocuses! How beautiful the rainbow, the arched bridge on which heaven and earth come and talk to each other in tears after the storm is over! How nimble the feet of lamplighters that in a few minutes set all the dome of the night ablaze with -brackets of tire! How bright the oar of the saffron cloud that rows across the deep sea of heaven! How beautiful the spring, with bridal blossom; in her hair! I wonder who it is that bean time on a June morning for the bird or chestra. 'How gently the harebell tolls iti fragrance on the air! There may be grander- worlds, jarrer-' worm tnan tnis,ris perpetnai ong it menses oi neaveu bat I thmk that this ;a a most exquisite VT"arw:-osHttsea the bosom 4 h BMnaitjr! rkyaa say, "take' nignul; give me that world! I ant willing to take it in exchange. -1 am ready now for the bargain. It ia so beautiful a world, so sweet a world, so grand a world!" But let us look more minutely into the value of this world. You will not buy property unless you can get a good title to ft. After you have looked at the property and found but that it suits you you send hn attorney to the public otiice, and he Examines the book of deeds and the book tf mortgages ana the book of judgment ind the book of liens, and he decides n-hether the title is good before you will lave anything to do with it. There might te a splendid property and in every way xactly suited to your want, but if you annot get a good title you will not take it. Now, I am here to say that it is im- Jiossible to get a good title to this world, f 1 settle down unon it, in the very year I so settle down uon it as a pemiaiTent possession, I may be driven away from it. Aye, in tjve minutes afterward I give up my soul for the world 1 may have to part with the world, ami what kind of a title do you call that? There is only one way in which I can hold an earthly possession, and that is through the senses. All beau tiful sights through the eye, but the eye may be blotted out; all captivating sounds through the ear, but my ear may be deaf ened; all lusciousness of fruits and viands through my taste, but my taste may be de stroyed; all appreciation of culture and of art through my mind, but I may lose my mind. - What a frail hold, then, I have upon anv earthly possession! in courts of law, if .you want to get a man off a property you must serve upon him a writ of ejectment, giving him a cer tain time to vacate the premises, but when death comes to us and serves a writ of ejectment he does not give us one sec ond of forewarning. He says: "Off of this place! You have no right any longer to the possession." We might cry out, "1 gave you $100,000 for that property;" the plea would be of no avail. H e might say, We have a warrantee deed for that prop erty;" the plea would be of no avail. We might say, "We have a lien on that storehouse;" that would do us no good. Death is blind, and he cannot see a seal and cannot read an indenture. So that, when you propose that I give up my sou first and last, I want to tell you that for the world you cannot give me the first item of title. Having examine, the title of n property your next question is about insurance. ou would not be silly enough to buy a large warehouse that could not possibly be in sured. You would not have anything to do with such a property. Now, I ask you what assurance can you give me that tins world is not going to be burned up! Absolutely none. Ideologists tell ns that it is already on fire; that the heart of the world is on; great living coal; that it is just like a ship on fire at sea, the Haines not b'li-sting out because the hatches are kept down. And yet you propose to palm off on me, iu return for my soul, a world for which, in the first place, you give no title, and, in the second place, for whirb you can give no insurance. 'Oil, you I sav, "the water of the oceans will wash over all the land and put out the fire." Oh, no. There are inflammable elements in the water, hydrogen and oxygen, '"all off the hydrogen, and then th Atlantic and the Pacific oceans would bla-e like heaps of shavings. You want me to take this world, for which you can give no pos sible insurance. Astronomers have swept their telencoies through the sky and have found out that there have been fifteen worlds, in the last two centuries, that have disappeared. At first they looked just like other worlds. Then they got deeply red they were on fire. Then they got ashen, showing they were burned down. Then they disap peared, showing that even the ashes were scattered. And, if the geologist be right in his prophecy, then our world is to go in the same way. And yet you want me te exchange my soul tor it. Ah, no; it is a world mat ia burning now. Suppose you brought an insurance agent to look at your property for the purpose of giving you a policy upon it and while he stood in front of tbe house he should say, "That house is on tire now in' the basement," you could not get anv incurance upon it. Yet yon talk about this world as though it wera a safe investment, aa though too . could get some insurance upon it, when down in tbe basement it is on fire. I Here is a man who has had a large es tate for forty or fifty rears. He lies down to die. Yon sav: "That man is worth millions and millions of dollars." Is he? Yon call up a surveyor, with his eotnnass and chains, and yon say: "There is a property extending three miles in one di- rection and three miles in another direc tion." Is that thp way to measure thati man's property? No! You do not want any surveyor, with compass' and chains. That is not .the way to measure that man's property now. It is an undertaker you need, who will come and put his ifiiger in his vest pocket and tarke out a tape line, and he will measure five feet nine inches one way and two feet and a half the other way. That it the man's pi-opertv. Oh. no. I forgot. Not so much aa that, for he does not own even the place in whw-h he lies in the cemetery. The deed to that belongs to the executors and heirs. Oh. what a property you pro pose to give me for my soul! If you sell a bill of roods you go into the counting room snd sav to your partner: "Do you think that man is good for this bill? Can he give proper security? Will he meet thia pavment?" Now, when you are of fered this world as a possession I want you to test the mitter. I do not want you to go into this bargain blindly. I want you to ask about the title, about the in surance, aliont whether men have ever bad any trouble with it. about whether you can keep it. about whether you can get all or the ten thousandth or one hun dred thonsamll ll part of it. There is the world now. 1 shall say no more about it. Make up your mind for yourself, as I shall, before (Jod. have to make un mv mind for myself, alwvit the value of this wr'd. I cannot afford to make a mistake 'or my soul, and yon can not afford to make a mistake for your soul. I Christ is glorious to our souls now, but iow much grander onr appreciation after awhile! A eonnuerf.r comes bark after the battle. He has been fighting for'us. He comes upon the platform. He has one arm in a s!ini. and the other arm holds a crutch. As he mounts the platform, oh, the enthusiasm of the audience! They sav. "That man fought for us and im periled his life for us." and how wild tbe hii7j, that follows huzza. When the Lord Jesus Christ shill at last stand out before the multitudes of the redeemed of heaven and we meet Him Dt f n " 'ace to face and feel that He was wounded the head and wounded in the Hands d wounded in the feet and wounded in the side for ns, methinks we will be over whelmed. We will sit some time razing in silence until some leader amid the white rolled rhoir shall lift the baton of light and give the signal that it is time to wake the song of jubilee, and all heaven then will breik forth into "Hosanna! hosanna! Worthy is the Lamb that was slain." I calculate further the value of the sou! by the price that has been paid for it. In St. Petersburg there is a diamond that the Government paid $201,000 for. "Well." you say. "it must have been verv valuable or the Cov-emment would not have paid $200,000 for it." j I want to see what the soul is worth and what your soul is worth by seeing What has been paia for it. For that im mortal soul the riohest blood that was ever shed, the deepest groan that was ever ut tered, all the griefs of earth compressed into one tear, all the sufferings of earth gathered into one rapier of pain and stuck through His holy heart. Does it not im- Pl.v tremendous value? I argue, also, the value of the soul from the home that has been fitted up for it in the future. One would have thought that a street of adamant would have done. No, it is a street of gold. One would have thought that a wall of granite would have done. No, it is the flame cf sar tlonyx, mingling with the green of emer- rld. ' v - One would have thought that an occa- nonal doxology would nave done, ivo, it r. 1 1 nhspched in a strains t raiWt line, same dii4 the liSht pass ou of ightr, '" of heaven. do tot nlarch . last rerimenjm7ttt ; Rirt -no. tha auies of he in a straight Tine, but in a circle around about the throne of God, fdrever, forever, tramp, tramp! A soul so bought, so equipped, so provided for must be a price less soul, a majestic soul, a tremendous soul. If a man sell a bill of goods worth $3000, and he is cheated out of it, he may get $5000 somewhere else, but a man who in vests his soul invests all. Saving that, he saves all. In th li;!it of my text, it seems to me as if you were offering your soul to the hiuhest bidder, ami 1 hear you say, "What is bid for it, my deathless spirit? What is bid for it?" Satan says, "I will bid the world." You say, "licgone, that is no equivalent! Sell my soul for the world? No! liegone!" Well, there are a great many people who say, "I will not sell my soul for the world. 1 find the world is an unsatisfying por tion." What, then, will yon do with your soul? Son.e one whispers here, "I will give my soul to Christ.' Will you? That is the wisest resolution you ever made. Will you give it to Christ? When? To morrow? No, now. I congratulate y?u if vou have come to such a derision. Oh, if the eternal Spirit of God would now come down upon vou and show you the vanity of this world and the immense importance of Christ's religion and the in finite value of your own immortal souls, what an hour this would lie! What a moment this would be! Do you know that Christ has bought your soul? Do you know that lie has paid an infinite price for it? Do you know that lie ia worthy of it? vVifl you give it to Him now? I was reading lately of a sailor who had i'ust got ashore and was telling about his ast experience at sea. He said: "The last time 1 crossed the ocean we had a terrific time. After we had been out three or four days the machinery got disarranged, and the steam began to escape, and the cap tain, gathering the people and the crew on deck, said, '1'iiless some one will go down and shut off that steam and arrange that machinery at the peril of his life we must all be destroyed.' ile was not will ing to go down himself. No one seemed willing to go. The passengers gathered at one end of the steam. -r waiting for their fate. Tbe captain said: "I give you a last, warning. If there is no one here willing to imperil his life and go down and fix that machinery we must all le lost.' A plain sailor laid, 'I'll go, sir,' and he wrapped himself in a coarse piece of can vas and went down ami was gone but a few moments when the escaping steam stopped. The captain cried out to the passengers: 'All saved! Iet us go down below and see what has lieeome of the Eoor fellow.' ,They went dawn. There he iv dead." Vicarious suffering! Died for all! Oh, dj you'supiKise that those iH-ople on the si p ever forgot, ever can forget, that poor fellow? "No," they say. "It was through his sacrifice that I got ashore." The time came when our whole race must die unless some one should en dure torture and sorrow and shame. Who shall come to the rescue? Shall it be one of the seraphim? Not one. Shall it le one ot the e-lieriinim : P.ot one. Shall it be an inhabitant of some pure and unfall tn world? Not one. Then Christ said, Lo, I come to do Thy will, (I (JimI!" and lo went down the dark stairs of our Bin and wretchedness and misery - anil woe. and He stopiied the peril, and He died that you and I miiclit be free.. Oh, the love: oh, the endurance; oh, the horrors of the sacrifice! Shall not our soul, go out toward Him, saying: "Lord Jesiis Christ take mv sa- '. Thou are worthy to have it. Thou h.i " died to save it." God help you rightly to cipher out this itim in gospel arithmetic: "What shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole arorld and lose his on soul?" Primitive Mcltitxis in Corea. Individual missionaries and lucc-h:. u ics have trained Conan carpenters iu the use of America u touU, but as a rule they prefer their old-style planes, which they draw toward them In plan ing, and like best to use their own saws, wblcb necessitate the employ ment of two men sitting opposite each other on the ground and operating the saw on the. stick or timber, whic-b Is held In place by the feet of the opera tors. In spite of these apparently clumsy methods the Corea n carpenters do very fair work. In warning there Is strength. v.?..".5:
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers