VOL* xxxiv MRS. J. E ZIMMERMAN. 1897. PALI ANNOUNCEMENT. 1897. We take pleasure in announcing that we have already received our first shipment of new Fall Dress Goods, new Fell St; les in Fan :y Silks, ami alsj the tact that our orders were all placed before the new tariff became a law. We have cur Winter Wraps, Blankets and Yarns and Woolen Dres< Goods. Styles and quality guaranteed at lower prices than ever. Attention, Teachers, and also Visitors to the Butler County Fair. We invite you to make our store your visiting place whilst attending the Teachers' Institute and the Fair. You will receive a cordial welcjm.' and have the opportunity 1o inspect one of the finest, most carefully selected up-to-date stock of Goods, Wraps, Millinery .ind Ladies' Tailor-made Suits ever brought to Butler, A FEW SPECIALS. 25c All-Wool Novelty Dress Goods 39c 39c " " " " " 50-inch, " 50c 50c " " " " " 40-inch, " 75c AH-Wuol Country Blankets in plain white, scarlet and plaid, at $2 49 to $8 00 per pair. 69c New Fall styles in Fancy Silks value 85c 75C " " " " " " " 00 Space forbids our mention of all the money-saving baigains tJiat await you here Come in and see for yourself. Mrs. J- E Zimmerman. T.~H. BURTON. * T. H BURTON SSTYLE.f Style is Everything Now-a-days And we are glad thai jt appertains to every article in our stock, for correctness j and elegance are sure concomitants to artistic development. It Celts Yon no More to be in Harmony With The Best Expressed Styles of The Season, Than to Constitute "A BACK NUMBER," By taking anything and everything irresponsible dealers may offer you. This es tablishment intends always to keep up with the times and you pre sure of that basis yourse'f if you will trust us to serve you. T. H. BURTON, 120 SOUTH MAIN ST.. BUTLER, PA. I C. F. T. Pape & Bro., 1 £ 122 S. MAIN ST., BUTLER, PA. | 30 DAYS SALE FOR CASH | jB This means the Lowest Prices for WATCHES, CLOCKS, tn jR JEWELRY and SILVERWARE Ever « Offered to the Public. I ,#**>.**>. XXt ***** $3.00 hu y* a Goodj \ $4.00 Hainden ors $ll.OO buys a ladies 20* ) [Watch. movement male] [Elgin movement, withsyear, 14 k, diamond case.f i tby Elgin Watch Co..with: :best Silvcrine £with movement made bvl ■ fSilverine case j jcase. ¥Elgin Watch Co. '* j [ $14.50 buys a gents P ,$2.35 buys a.i- 8 da\xThe best Alarm i; 1, ii 4 k, 20 year case, withjtclock, with ajarn —walnutjfeClock made % i [Hamden or Elgin move-j for oak finish. Former** for \ [ment j [price #4.00. M 65cts.il ii ii * ** * * yk All Goods are Warranted to be just as we say they are, a or MONEY REFUNDED. X + -> fffn I G. F. KECK, EE wJU | MERCHANT TAILOR. ii|lw j# 142 North Main St.. Butler. Pa. gzS-====<==^=^x- ~ '• When we make you a garment—or a suit " l »ryvSC_ 4-"'.' —you may be sure that every st'tch in it _r "fr perfectly mmle. Our especial pride is ft- 1 ' w.' in the quality of our tailoring, we paj- high \ v ft .V[' wages and employ first-class tailors, so we V U2j -f o get the highest grade of garments and you *+ know our prices are lower than others, * £f- aud we keep the largest stock of goods to V 1 ♦ 1 /•} ',,4. select from. Call and examine for your- Vrn\l\ *C° self, FITS GUARANTEED, remember the li )1 1 U place. G. F. KECK Merchant Tailor " " ' 142 N. MAIN ST.. BUTLER, PA. J. S. YOUNG. ~ Tailor, flatter and Gents Furnishing Goods. Summer heat makes the problem of looking dressy and keepiiig'tool a hard one But we've solved it; and for once economy, comfort and fashion go; fcer.d in Land Our summer suits are finer in fabric, nobbier in pattern ai d more stylish in cut haD ever before, they f.t jour cuivu &rd yet they're net sweat 1 ;.th outfits. The prices may surprise you. J. S. YOUNG. Tailor. 101 S. MAIN St., • - - IIL'TLER, FA WHILE YOU ARE WAITING For your prescription don't fail to look over our line of perfumes, we have re- . ceived some very fine ones lately, and *IJ/A r,,tS will be pleased to have you examine ) if/jw them * iTll We also have a very la. >je asaortnu nt of tootb brushes made expressly for us ' ' wt»i' h l>ear our stamp, these brushes \V^yrt we gutrantee and request the return of f-\' any thit prove unsatisfactory. You may need something for your . *.V. "^1 chapped hands and face, and if so we -—, ''j/, recommend Cydoninm as a fine toilet preparation. REDICK& GROHMANN DRUGGISTS. PiiOPLES PHONE. 114. BUTLER i'AI _ -THE BUTLER CITIZEN. Ea »y to Take a ;y to Operate Are features f 'fuliar to Ilood's Pills. Small in size, tasteless effiei-nt, tliorouc'i. As or.r man Hood's said: '• Youni .-er know you m m harp taken a , ill t'il it is all _ 1 | over." 25c. C. . H 'il&Co., I I I Proprietors. 1 owe!!, Mass. ■ ■ ■ Tu« oulypilla o Uko v'.th liood's Sarsaparilla. Tliii* Is Your Opportnnlty. On receipt of tea cents, rash or stamps, ft penerotiH sample will be mailed of th« most popular C»;n r rh and Hay Fever Cure (Ely's Cream T!a!,i. , snEcient to demon strate the grt 1 merits of the remedy. ELY BROTHERS, 5o Warren St, New York City. Rev. John Reid. Jr.. of Great Falls, Mont., recommended Eij's Cream Balm to me. I e*n emphasize his s'atement, ' It is a posi tive cure for catarrh if Used as directed. Rev. Francis W. Poole, Pastor Central Pres. Church, HtlenS; ilont ElyM Cream Balm is the acknowledged cure for catarrh and contains no mercury Cor any injuri'j'js dniz Price, 50 cents, RAILROAD TIME TABLES. i». is. & i I-;, K. ir. Sfhednli* 'n 7'. n-zer Trains : n effect. May ;W, lLsiitier time Trains leave i''-;'.>-r a» follows: ('• u neaat LaL<* Eb. ■BB T ri?> si. in.. Erie Mail 9:05 a. in : : .' (ireenville Aeei m modation j ; Tra:ns arrive as j follows? C'oi.iic: ■ ; Lake Expr»->< «:.>"» p. 111., Erie >l. il •'.<) p. m. and Grt en- ] vilie AeeOinmcc on .1 u: Corfneaut iExpress leaves at 7:35 a. Hi snd arrive r >p. m. Train leaving at . .z.j niiker, eon net I tion with ine fiv nr Shenntifjo. we-.; j tuin ?! ; v !■ » innln neeii ■>. | with N. Y. f. re r • wiri j Erie at Slienar f.ut; tr:;io leavinz a* I 5:05 makes con . on with V. «V I °.r Mercer, n< l .id south. A. H C'KOUCH, Ticket Agent pITTSBUKG & W .STEi<N R?:i!v\nj iicd-.iS< I'as set Traiiik rlect M'v ;6, 1 St,;. liUil. k I'IMK. ~i! Khtny AreammodM ' i *.•*' '• IT > VI,-: 1 v "Kl .r" ... St" ■ 1- - Vow Mi AenaaßW* I « rji -17 - ;ron Mail... Hi i 7 ' '» »• *; Al ' I • 1" «5 • IS 1* • Mkglicir Kx| i M 4 -V» •• in giM n «*& • i hk«;o KaPßms. 3 40 u 12 ** \ ' . . M .*» 40 •• M! _■;» ny a fl • 7 ♦»; •• Kliwvm' A 11. . :» 40 " i n ■ K.i.i" r>u■: i:.;i n :i2 A.m r »-mi p.m < i A •mm ' ■' 15 P.M !» A.M ! ibarg \ mm i . 7 • .. .t*. " i \IiAY Tlx..: * . A ny Expre* SIA M 9 32 u A' •iiili l I M ! r.M N- % < An i ii ■ ; H 1"» A.M 7 44 • .. j :{ 40 V.M 4 <VS 44 Ailt'gncny Am-m/ii.-i..:ion i 7 iki 44 Trail*- iiif' iiwrth i«f ;• -i a. m. »IK; 3;li |j. ni. ni;»k«' at f<>r on Alleghcnv Vullfv fty. 1 »i thi »t ;:h ti '. :i points ii! the we 4, north *i-ft «>r aj j'l\ to A. It. CBOI'CII, Agent, P. J: pi. Itu:!.-r, Pa. iA.xf.ur/. ht. r. \v. BAKSI;TT, A <». P. A.. Allegheny, Pa. PENMLVaNIa f iL. WFSTEN PENNSYLVANIA DIVISION. Sciii.m LC IN KIH.'.T Mir 17,1897. S*>rTlf. WKKK DAYS A. M. A. M A. M. P. M P. M itl'TLl:k !.•••• «HV'll Ir. jr. , o:, Hitxiiiiliurg. .. 4 H 2*» II .'I «ni Jiutici • 727M4« 12 2". i \ Butlrr ' ii.titi-. .A.'n. : ::«» 81a1217 :j 2. • ' Natror ..A:;i\f 7 8 50 12 2- :i. r » »; Tare; «,m. j7 42 !l 02'12 30 4j «. i-7 Sjirlnvialc 7 !l II 12 -111 :t 52 t l if *11101)t 'J 1 uOj 4 IN. | »» 27 j Alleghon* l' 7 Ii 4:; 1 'Si\ 1 z?,' li 4:; i A >l. jA. M.jP. M.J P. M-jP. M SI'NDAY TKAlX&—L#«ave Butler for Allegl»ci»> City aiifl loin, ijul int 'iiie' liate :t* 7v>A a. M.. au'l S:fJO ]•. in. ViIUTII. WKEK DAYS A M. \ M. A. M P. 3W. P. M Alleglii-I.v t'itv 7 U U •!! J-. '1 r, , •; Jo »:i:i-i-:.;,rg. 7 11 ;• 12 11 :;7 . ... Cli.i eniont ...» Pi II l» i 1 : .. Spiii.;-.ialr ..1 !* .:<» II 5:» 3 •• 'i .7 »4 'j 12 " v •$ 4'tj i. ; ! N itrotm .•», «» 4.» u l .",i; «; :,} j J.'Utl'l JIIIK'Ii« . ... rt ,l». i !l />'» 12 _'■/ 1 '»•'»' 7 « ' j lit.ll . Juii. tie .. t\« 7 4'i! !• 50 12 • ' l'»; 7•» 1 Saxonbnrj;... « l- ,Jo 15 I'J l.t 4 ./.| 7 :'l Bl ILLH .i r;v 1" 381 I 17 SOA 7 o \ 'l \. M.jP. 'I M.JP. M ! SINDAY TUAIN" 4 :• All-ltci v<hy | r Is.it - I l'-ra'"' |»f in- i)ml in*. lit< . i .» a 7:2.* a. in. a.. ! i Wkik D.Wft. FOB Tlli! KAST. Win. lu, j P. >1 A.:I P. M P. M i - 36 6 ajjlr Brri ... I 17 I 3 :«» 7 T«. »V p.iitler : • . . . . « •12 't- ' .. 7 y.l .r. I JIOI .!\ 8 I : i loiß2l j'• Pan it ' .*.- 7. I i j 1 .... hAS | - S.uiiji.f!! . *■ 7 11 *. It so] " lii.iii 11! ••• tioo!. »»to Id H :.'i it 3j '• Altuc.t • " ' 8 <«> I I •»> :S ln| '• llarri... in ** ' . ' < »> <i •■£;< •• I'hiu.i.r i. -.... ii P.M.IJ . M.( ,A. M.,r. SI. | On > III«!UV, train I * .LI-V :• i.. •••.i.ne t t ; llurri-tm;K, Alt««»i« l.nlrl; . . Through train.■» tor !. I am: Pi*t>- 'irg (1 ..i . .Station), an Ml Atmiili'- Ex|.r«--, . m \.\ [ Pe:iii-v«vaiiia Li mi toil 7.1". " ! Pay Kxjirews 7: ' 44 I Main Line Kxpr« »* j»» •• I Line,"" ' !!!!..!!! «10 44 Phitail a Mail, Bum!iiyH < ,! s ! . • Mli ; nif. i dm lib ' W. Pom Agt. Western l)i.-» i> t, (. ■ 1.. » Av. .. a;.. 1 Sinltli f M Street. Pitu! •" Pa. J !J J I:. V. M.lv General M . ■ (jeit'l i'.-tHui. A;;ent. JM I%' -2&~- -A "7 ; - ! '' "' i' The Place to Bay I \G AND Hl.A'i INGSTOVES, GaS BURNERS AND FIX TURES, HOSIi, MATH TUISS, KNAMEL AND IMPROVE WfLSHfiACH 6AS •%. f- uHKFR, Si.'3. W H O'BRIEN (ON 107 I 4 r-.t J< flcrsori St. BEE KEEPER S SUPPLIES SUCH AS Hires, Smokem Bi « Fmom, Sect Sons, S«Ttion Box* s, lir« H nt! Surplus Founda tiorui. The goods 1 Uic lowest poi.sihle prlcxi*. James 3. Murphy. Mcrtci- St.. I>l I 1 Cutlr. I'.-i N< a: rcrtst'i cart ore. 1 BUTLER, P.A.. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER O. 18t>7 Houttie(ie|d ll)eKi^ ICOPTRIGHTEIJ.I CHAPTER 111. "You burled him alive?" For a mo ment I was too stunned to act. Then I hurled myself upon the man. as he sat. with that placid smile of his upon his lips, and I would have torn his throat out had the three wretches not dragged ice away from him. Ajfain and apfaln I made for him. pan-.inf,' and cursing, shaking off this mau and that, strain ing and wrenching, hut never quite free. At last, with my jacket nearly torn off my back and the blood dripping from my wrists, I was hauled back wards in the bight of a rope au<l cords passed around my ankles and my arms. "You sleek hound." I cried. "If ever I have you at my swortlspoint I will teach you to maltreat one of my lads. You will find, you bloodthirsty beast, that my emperor has long arms, and, though you lie here like a rat in its hole, the time will come when he will tear you out of it. and you and your vermin Will perish toj[>-*her." My faith. I have a rough side to my tongue, and there was cot a hard word that 1 had learned In fourteen campaigns which I did not let fly at him. hut he sat with the han dle of his pen tapping against his fore head and his eyes squinting up at the roof as if he had conceived the idea of some new stanza. - It was this occupa tion of his which showed me how I might get my point into him. "You spawn," said I, "you think that you are tafe here, but your life may be as short as that of your absurd verses, and God knows it could not be shorter than that." Oh, you should have seen him bound from his chair when I had said the words. This vile monster, who dis pensed death and torture as a grocer serves out figs, had one raw nerve which I could prod at pleasure. His face now grew livid and those little bourgeois side whiskers quivered and thrilled with his passion. "Very good, colonel. You have said enough."' he cried, in a choking voice. "You say that you hava had a very dis tinguished career; I promise you also a very distinguished ending. Col. Eti enne Gerard, of the Third hussars, shall have a death of his own." "And I only beg," said I, "that you do not commemorate it in verse." I had one or two other little ironies to utter, but he cut me short with a fu rious gesture which caused my three guards to drag me from the cave. Our interview, which I have told you as nearly as I can remember it, must have lasted some time, for it was quite dark when we came out, and the moon Was shining very clearly in the heav ens. The brigand -, had lighted a great fire of the dried branches of the fir trees; not of course for warmth, since the night was already very sultry, but to cook thoir evening meal. A hujre cepper pot hung over the blaze, and the rascals were lyinj? all around in the yellow glare, so that the scene looked like one of those pictures which Junot stole out of Madrid. There are some soldiers who profess to care noth ing for art ;.nd the like, but I have al wavs been drawn toward it myself, in Which respect I show my good taste and my breeding. I remember, for ex ample, that when they were selling the plunder after the fall of I.anzig, I bought a very fine picture called "Nymphs Surprised in a Wood," and I carried it with mo through two cam paigns until my charger had the mis fortune to put his hoof through it. I only tell you this, however, to show you that I was never a lm-re rough sol dier like Itapp or Lefebvre. As 1 lay in that brigands' camp I had little tiinu or inelination to think about such mat ters. They had thrown me down un der a tree, the three villains squatting round and smoking their cigarettes within hand's touch of me. What to do I could not imagine. In my whole career I do not suppose that I have ten times been in as hopeless a situation, "liut couragw," thought I, "courage, my brave boy, you were not made a colonel of hussars at twenty-eight be cause you could dance a cotillon. You are a picked man, Etienne, a man who has come through more than two hun dred affairs aud this little one is surely not going to be the last." 1 began eagerly to glance about for some chance of escape, and as I did so I saw something which filled me with great astonishment. I have already told you that a large fire was burning in the center of the glade. What with its glare and what With its moonlight everything was as clear as possible. On the other side of the glado there was a single tall fir tree which attracted my attention because its trunk and lower branches were dis colored, as if a large fire had recently been lit underneath it. A clump of bushes grew in front of it which concealed the base. Well, as I looked towards it I was surprised to see projecting above the bush, and fastened apparently to the tree, a pair of fine riding boots with the toes upwards. At first I thought that they were tied there, but as I looked harder I saw that they were secured by a great nail which was hammered through the foot of each. And then suddenly, with a thrill of horror, I understood that they were not empty boots, and, moving my head a little to the right, I was able to see who it was that had been fastened there and why a fire had been lit be neath the tree. It is not pleasant to bpeak or think of horrors, my friends, and I do not wish to give any of you bad dreams to-night, but I cannot take you among the Spanish guerrillas with out showing you what kind of men they were and the sort of warfare that they waged. I will only say that I un derstood why Monsieur Vidal's horse was waiting masterless in the grove, and that I hoped that he had met this terrible fate with sprightliness and courage, as a good Frenchman ought. It was not a very ehceriug sight for me, as you can imagine. When I had been with their chief in the grotto I had been so (tarried away by my rago at the cruel death of young Soul/iron, who was on«i of the brightest lads who ever threw his thigh over a charger, that I had never given a thought to my own position. Perhaps it would have been more politic had I spoken the ruflian fair, but it was too late now. The cork was drawn and I must drain the wine. Besides, if the harmless commissariat man was put to such a death, what hope was there for me, who had snapped the spine of their lieutenant? No, I was doomed in any ease, so it was as well, perhaps, that L should have put the best face on the matter. This beast could bear witness that Etienne Gerard had died as he had lived, and that one prisoner at least had not quailed before him. I lay there thinking of the various tfirls who A. 4 /n aJ mi "COL. GERARD SHALL HAVE A DEATH OF nis OWN." would mourn for me, and of my dear old mother, and of the deplorable loss that. I should be both to my regiment and to the emper-r. and I am not ashamed to eonf< you that I shed tears as I thought o tie- general con \ stcrnation which my premature end . would (rive rise to. But all the time I was taking the I very ke< nc.t notice of everything which might possibly help inc. I am | not a man who would lie like a sick horse waiting for the farriar sergeant and the pole ax. First 1 would give n • little at my ankle cords, and then another at those that were around my I wrists, and all the time I was trying to i loosen them I was peering round to j see if I could find something which was in my favor. Titers was one thing : which was very evident. A hussar is | but half formed without a horse, and i there was my other half quietly graz ing within thirty yards of me. Then I observed yet another thing. The path by which we had come; over the moun tains was so steep that a horse could only be led across it slowly and with difficulty, but in the other direction the ground appeared to be more open, and to lead straight down into a gently sloping valley. Had I but my feet in yonder stirrups and my saber in rny hand, a single bold dash might take me out of the power of these vermin of the rocks. I was still thinking it over and strain ing with my wrists and my ankles when their chief came out from his grotto and after some talk with his lieutenant, whe lay groaning near the fire, they both nodded their heads ind looked across at me He then tome few words to" the band, who clapped their hands and laughed up roariously. Things looked ominous, and I was delighted to feel that my hands were so far free that I could easily slip them through the cords if I wished. But with my ankles I feared that I pould do nothing, for when I strained It brought such pain into my lanco wound that I had to gnaw my mustache to keep from crying out. I could only lie still, half free and half bound, and see what turn things were likely to tako. For a little I could not sec what they were after. One of the rascals climbed up to the top of a well-grown fir HE SAID A FEW WORDS TO THE BAUD. tree up on one side of the glade, and tied a rope around the top of the trunk. Ho then fastened another rope in the same fashion to a similar tree on the other side. The two loose ends were now dangling down, and I waited with some curiosity and just a little trepida tion to see what they would do next. The whole band pulled upon one of the ropes until they had bent the strong young tree down into a semi-circle, and they then fastened it to a stump, so as to hold it so. When they had bent the other tree down in a similar fashion, the two summits were within a few feet of each other, though, as you understand, thoy would each spring back to their original position the instant that they were released. I already saw the diabolical plan which those miscreants had formed. "I presume that you area strong man, colonel," said the chief, coming toward ' me with his hateful smile. "If you will have the kindness to loosen these cords," I answered, "I will show you how strong I am." "We were all interested to see wheth er you were as strong as these two young saplings," said he. "It is our in tention, you see. to tie one end of each rope round your ankles and then to let the trees go. If you are stronger than the trees, then, of course, no harm would be done. If on the other hand the trees are stronger than you—why, in that case, colonel, we may have a souvenir of you upon each side of our little glade." He laughed as he spoke, and at the sight of It the whole forty of them laughed also. Even now if lamin my darker humor, or if I have a touch of my old Lithuanian ague, I see in my sleep that ring of dark savage faces with their cruel eyes and the firelight flashing upon their strong white teeth. CHAPTKR IV. It is astonishing—and I have heard many make the same remark—how acute one's senses become at such a crisis as this. lam convinced that at no moment is one living- so vividly, m> acutely, as at tho Instant when a vio lent and foreseen death overtakes one. I could smell the resinous fagots, I could see every twig upon the ground, I could hear every rustle of the branches, as I have never smelled, or seen, or heard, save at such times of danger. And so it was that, long be- ! fore anyone else, before oven the time when the chief had addressed me, I had heard a low, monotonous sound, fa* away, indeed, and yet coming nearer at every instant. At first it was but a murmur, a rumble, but by the time he had finished speaking, while the assas sins were untying my ankles in ord«r to lead me to the scene of my murder, I heard, as plainly as ever I heard any thing in tpy lift), v f shoes, and the jin'gli - f brl.l'e ha ins. with the clank of sab «rs iu.-t stirrup irons. Is it likely that I. w'.io had lived with the iicrht cavalry sin ■ the first hair shaded try lip. would r:.i "ake the sound of troopers on the march? "Help, comrades, help!" I shrieked, and though they struck n;e across the mouth and tried to me r.p to the tree. I kept on yelling: "Help me. my brave boys! Help me, my children! They are mur dering your colonel!" For the moment my wounds and ray troubleshad bromrht « on a delirium, and I look, d f..r nothing less than my five hundred hussars, kettle-drums and all, to appear at the opening of the glade. But that which reall3 - appeared was very different to anything which I had conceived. Into the clear space there came galloping a fine young man Upvji; a most beautiful roan horse. He was fresh faced and pleasant looking, with the most debonnaire bearing in the world and the most gallant way of carrying himself, a way which re minded me somewhat of my own. He wore a singular coat which had once been red all over, but which was now stained to the color of a withered oak leaf wherever the weather could reach "HELP, COMRADES, HELP!" It. lliu shoulder straps, however, were of golden laee, and he had a bright metal helmet upon his head with a coquettish white plume upon one side of its crest. He trotted his horse up the glade, while behind him there rode four j eaveliers in the same dress —all clean Bhaven, with round comely faces, look ing to me more like monks than dragoons. At a short gruff order they halted with a rattleof arms, while their leader cantered forward, the lire beat ing upon his eager face and the beauti ful head of his charger. I knew of course by the strange coats that they were English. It was the first sight that I had ever had of them, but from their stout"beuring and their masterful way I could see at a glance that what I had always been told was true, and that they were excellent people to fight against. "Well, well, well!" cried the young officer, in sufficiently bad French: "What devil's game are you up to here? Who was that who was yelling for help, and what are you trying to do to him?" It was at that moment that I learned to bless those months which Obriant, the descendant of the Irish kings, had spent in teaching me the tongue of the English. My ankles had just been freed, so that I had only to slip my hands out of tho cords, and with a single rush I had flown across, picked up my saber where it lay by the fire, and hurled myself onto the saddle of poor Vidal's horse. Yes, for all my Vvounded ankle, I never put foot to stirrup, but was in the seat in a single bound. I tore the halter from the tree, and before those villains could so much as snap a pistol at me I was be pide the English officer. "I surrender to you, sir," I cried, though I dare say my English was not much better than his French. "If you will look at that tree to the left you will see what these villains do to the honorable gentlemen who fall into their hands." Tho fire had flared up at the mo meat, and there was poor Vidal exposed THERfc WAS POOR VIDAL BEFORE THEM. before them, as horrible an object as one could see in a nightmare, "(lodam!" cried the officer, and "(rodam!" cried each of the four troopers, which is the same as with us when we cry "Mon Dieu!" Out rasped the five swords and the four men closed up. One who wore a sergeant's chevron langhed and clapped me on the shoulder. "Fight for your skin, froggy," said he. Ah! it was so fine to have a horse be tween my thighs and a weapon in •my grip. I waved it above my head and shouted in my exultation. Tho chief had come forward, with that odious smiling face of his. "Your excellency will observe that this Frenchman is our prisoner," he said. , "You are a rascally robber," said tho Englishman, shaking his sword at him. "It is a disgrace to us to have such allies. By the Lord, if the general were j of my mind we would swing you up to j the nearest tree." "But my prisoner?" said the brigand, in his suave voice. "He shall come with us to Lord Wel lington's camp." "Just a word in your ear before you take him." He approached the young officer, and then, turning as quick as a Hash, ho fired his pistol in my face. Tin- bullet scored its way through my hair and burst a hole on each side of my busby. Seeing that he had missed me, lie raised the pistol and was about to hurl it at me, when the English sergeant, with a single backhanded cut, nearly severed his head from his hotly. Ilis blood had not reached the ground, nor the last "isWlfclafc f JW'#lf- UK SEA 111. V SEVERED UIB IIEAl) FROM HIS SHOULDERS. curse died on his lips, before the whole Jjo£(JU; were up.iji u*£ btjJ with a doz<yj b.nindsanil as many slashes >o were all safely oct of the glade. and galloping down tho winding track which led to valley. It was not until we hail left the ra vine far behind us and were right out in the open fields that we ventured to halt and to see what injuries we had sustained. For me, weary and wound ed as I was, my heart was beating 1 proudly and my chest was nearly burst ing my tunic to think taut I, Etienne Gerard, had left this gang of murderers so much by which to remember me. My faith, they would think twice be fore they ventured again to lay hand* | upon one of the Third hussars. So car ried away was I that I made a small oration to these brave Englishmen and told them who it was that they had helped to rescue. I would have spoken of glory also and of tho sympathies of brave men. but the officer cut me short. "That's all right," said he, "any in juries, sergeant?" 1 "Trooper Jones' horse hit with a pistol bullet on the fetlock." "Trooper Jones to go with us. Ser geant Halliday with troopers Harvey and Smith to keep to the right until they touch the videttes of the German hussars." So these three jingled away together, while the otlieer and I, followed at some distance bv the trooper whose charger had been wounded, rode straight down in the direction of the English camp. Very soon we had opened our hearts, for we each liked the look of the other from the begin ning. He was of the nobility, this brave lad. and he had been sent out scouting by Lord Wellington to see if there were any signs of our advancing through the mountains. It is one advantage of a wandering life like mine, that you learn to pick up those bits of knowledge which distinguish the man of the world. I have, for example, hardly ever met a Frenchman who could repeat an Eng lish title correctly. If I had not trav eled I should not be able to say with confidence that this young man's real name was Milor Hon. Sir Russell Bart, this last being an honorable dis tinction, so that it was as the Bart that I usually addressed him, just as In Spanish one might say "the Don." As we rode beneath the moonlight in the lovely Spanish night we spoke our minds to each other, as if we were brothers. We were both of an age, you see, both of the light cavalry also (the Sixteenth light dragoons was his regiment) and both with the same hopes and ambitions. Never have I learned to know a man so quickly as I did the Bart. He gave me the name of a girl whom he had loved at a garden called Vattxhall and for my part I spoke to him of little C'aralic of the opera. He took a lock of hair from his bosom, and I a garter. Then we near ly quarreled over hussar and dragoon, for he was absurdly proud of his regiment, and you should have seen him curl his lip and clap his hand to his hilt when I said that I hoped it might never be its misfortune to come in the way of the Third. CHA.PTEB V. Finally he began to speak of what the English call sport, and he told such stories of the money which he had lost over which of two cocks could kill the other, or which of two men could strike the other the most In a fight for a prize, that I was filled with astonish ment. He was ready to bet upon any thing in the most wonderful manner, and when I chanced to see a shooting utar he was anxious to bet that he would see more than me, twenty-five francs a star, and it was only when I explained that my purse was in the hands of the brigands that he would give over the idea. Well, we chatted away in this very amiable fashion until the day began to break, when suddenly we heard a great volley of musketry from somewhere in the front of us. It was very rocky and SUDDENLY WE HEARD A GREAT VOLLEY OF MfSKETRV. broken ground, and 1 thought, al- | though I could see nothing, that a gen- | eral engagement had broken out. The ] Bart laughed at my idea, however, and explained that the sound came from the English camp, where every man emptied his piece each morning so as to make sure of having a dry priming. "In another mile we shall be up with ! the outposts," said he. I glanced around at this and 1 per ceived that we had trotted along at so good a pace dnring the time that we were keeping up our pleasant chat that the dragoon with the lame horse was altogether out of sight. I looked on every side, but in the whole of that vast rooky valley there was no one save only the Bart and I —both of us armed, . you understand, anil both of us well mounted. I began to ask myself whether after all it was quite neces- i sarv that I should ride that mile which j would bring me to the British out- ; posts. Now I wi ih to be very clear with you i on this point, my friends, for I would j not have you think that 1 was acting ! J dishonorably or ungratefully to the I ! man who had helped me away from the j 1 brigands. You must remember that of I all duties the strongest is that which a 1 commanding officer owes to his men. j You must at o bear in mind that war is j a game which is played under fixed j rules, and when these rules are broken one must at once claim the forfeit. If, | for example. I had give n u parole, then j I should have been an infamous wretch | had 1 dreamed of escaping. But no j parole had been asked of me. Out of overconfident and tho chance of the lame hors • dropping behind, the Bart had permitted the to get upon equal terms with him. Had it been 1 who had taken him 1 should have used him as courteously as he hud me, but at the same time I should have respe crted his enterprise so far as to have deprived him of his sword, and seen that I had at least one guard besides myself. I reined up my horse and explained this to him. asking him at the same whether he saw any breach of honor in my leav ing him. He thought about it, and several times repeated that which the English sav when they mean "Mon Dieu." "You would give me the slip, would you?" taid he. "If you can give no reason against it." "The only reason that 1 can think of," said tire Bart, "is that I should in stantly cut your head off if you should attempt it." "Two can play at that game, my dear Bart," said I. "Then we'll see who can play It best," he cried, pulling out his sword. I had drawn mine also, but 1 was quite determined not to hurt this ad mirable young 1 man who had been my benefactor. "Consider!" 1 "Vmi so" tfcot T im your prisoner. I might with equal I WAS DETERMINED NOT TO HTTBT THIS TOCKG MAN. reason sar that you ure mine. We are alone hero, and though I have no doubt that you are an excellent swordsman, you would hardly hope to hold your own against the best blade in the six light cavalry brigade*." His an ,ivcr was a cut at my head. I parried and shore off half of his white plume. He thrust at my breast.'' I turned his point and cut away theother half of his cockade. "Curse your monkey tricks!" h-? cried, as I wheeled my horse away from him. "Why should you strike at me," Raid 1. "You see that I will not strike back." "That's all very well," said he. "But you've got to come along with me to the camp." "I shall never see the camp," said I. "I'll lay you nine to four you do," he cried, as he made at me. sword in hand. But those words of his put something new into my head. Could we not de cide the matter in borne better way than by fighting? The Bart was placing me in such K position that I should have to hurt him, or he would certainly hurt me. I avoided his rush, though his sword point was within un inch of my neck. "I have a proposal," I cried. "We shall throw dice as to which is the pris oner of the otbor." He smiled at this. It appealed to his love of sport. VWhere are your -e?" he cried. "I have none." "Nor I, but I have cards." "Cards let it be," said I. "And the game?" "I leave it to you." 'Eearte, then — the best of three." I could not help smiling as I agreed, for I dj not suppose that there were three men ia France who were my mas ters at the game. I told the Bart as much as we dismounted. lie smiled also as he listened. "I was counted the best player at Watier's," said he. "With even luck you deserve to get off if you beat me." So we tethered our two horses and sat down, one on either side of the great flat rock. The Bart took a pack of cards out of his tunic and I had only to see him shuffle them to convince me that I had no novice to deal with. We cut and tho deal fell to him. My faith.it was a stake worth playing for. He wished to add a hundred gold pieces a game, but what was money when the fate of Col. Etienne Gerard hung upon the cards? I felt as though all those who had reason to be inter ested in the game, my mother, my hussars, the Sixth corps d'armee, Ney, Messena, even the emperor himself, were forming a ring around us in that desolate valley, neavens, what a blow to one and all of them should the cards go against me. But I was confident, for my ecarte play was as famous as my 6wordsmauship, and, save old I "I HAVE A PROPOSAL," I CRIED. Rouvet, of the hussare, who won sev i enty-six out of one hundred and fifty g-arnes off me, I have always had the j beat of a scries. pro Br ooimxrwj.] Wholly I nnaatatrd. Mrs. Kidder —Now, darling, 1 hope you will relish these tea biscuits. 1 worked so hard over them, and made them entirely with my own hands. Kidder —Yes; 1 can see that very pl/Jn ly, dear. Mrs. K.—Why, how so, love? Kiddor —lieoause the yeast doesn't appeal' to have worked at all.—Up-to- Date. A Musi.nl Treat. Gus De Smith—Miss Nellie, how did you like iny serenade last night? Nellie CLatlie —I didn't like your posi tion. "My position? My attitude, you mean." "No, j our position. You weren't far enough off for ine to hear you, and you weren't close enough for me to scald you."—Tammany Times. Cauifht for Life. Crimsonbetik —Did you hear about Benedict? Yeast—No; what's the matter with him? "(iot caught in a bureau." "What kind of a bureau?" "A matrimonial bureau." —Yoikkecrs Statesman. lie Waa a liaol Lawyer. "Good lawyer?" repeated the man who iiad been acquitted in answer to a question. "Well, 1 should say so. Ever since 1 heard him plead my case I've had such n good opinion of myself that I keep looking round to see if the wings are sprouting And before that 1 thought I guilty."—Chicago Post. Out of Date. "That Fifth street church choir ninst be all run down ami no good now." "What has led you up to that opin ion ?" "They haven't had a row or a scandal in it for over seven years."—Cleveland Leader. final a of the fteport. "I hear that you have been engaging m literary pursuits, Hampack," said one Chicago pork dealer to another. "Rata!" was his polite reply. "Well, didn't you chase away a novel fst who wanted to pay attentions to your daughter?"— Town Topics. One Thing tn Common. Dinks —Did it ever strike you that ;>oet.s, dressmakers and absinthe have one thing In common ? Uotte —No; what? Dinks—They all manufacture dreams. —N. Y. Journal. W» Do. We may praise the great new woman tVUh her strong, developed mind; But wo like to have our mothers I Btlll the good, kjnd. WAr/frV WWW AW. S (Vtrvwa* Teaptruntl BevtasOlHl ■tralacC The pathetic recital of (be experience of the engineer « how reason was shat tered by his train running over and kill ing two men, leads thoughtful persons to the contemplation of the exceeding frailty of humanity and the awful consequences to tbe sensitive mind ot such an accident as that which warn the real cause of the collision of two trains. Of a highly nervous temperament,the engineer, .vhile he felt himself guiltless of murder, was yet so overcome with the knowledge that he had taken twa ■ lives that he was wholly unbalanoed, and probably in tbe most mechanical way, with his hand on the lever, sent • his train along the tracks, completely oblivious of the danger that threatened him. The piteous appeal to his fellows, asking them if he really was to blame, is one of the most pitiful incidents in •the affair. Experts say that an en gineer can only pass through a given amount of strain, and that once having passed this point he is scarcely ao 'countable for what he may do, says the New York Ledger. There is a great difference hi people, however, as to the effect which such calamities have upon them. People of stolid and unirapressible temperaments may pass through such experiences and be but slightly overcome by them, but it is a dangerous thing for the sensitive, highly organized mind to be placed in such an awful position. ALL BIRDS NOT QEESE. Decoy* Do Not Always Work t«ee«M< tally. Despite the success with Which de coys are 6ometieies used by skillful hunters, birds, in the wild state at least, ore not easily deceived, says an ex change. Their sense of hearing is pe culiarly acute, and their instinct en ables them iußt&ntly to detect the slightest variation in the song of one of their own kind —as is laughably i'lustrated in the following true story: A bird catcher, wishing to increase his stock of bullfinches, took out his limed twigs— i. e., twigs covered witli a strongly adhesive preparation, by alighting on which the poor birds were caught like files on sticky fly-paper— and arranged them In what he consid ered a promising place. For a decoy he took along a tame bullfinch in a cage. Now it happened that this bird was, for a bullfinch, highly educated— overeducated, in fact. At finst the de coy uttered a few natural noites, and its cry attracted several of its kindred, who posted themselves at a little dis tance, wa.tching the bird In the aage with much curiosity. Presently they began to approach, hopping, inch by inch, toward the fatal twigs. But just at this critical moment the trained bull linch, carried away by the excitement ot so interesting an occasion, began to pipe the old country dance known as "Nancy Dawson," ond away flew all the intended victims as test as their wings could carry them. A GIRL'S SHREWD PLAN. H»w She Find* Oat a Maa'i Traa Nature. A captivating girl who carried a lor gnette was talking recently to a party of her friends and her words must have borne weight, for the other girls were listening. When girls are not all talk ing at once it's a pretty good indica tion that the one who is thus permit ted to monopolize the conversation is saying something worth while. "When I feel that a man Is becoming interest ed in me to the exclusion of other girls," said she of the lorgnette, "I at once put him to a test which is calculated to bring his true nature to the surface. Of course, you all know what posers men are, and how they are on dress pa rade when the girls are about. Well, my test is this: I make an engagement with him to go off somewhere at eight In the morning. Nine men out of ten will be late. At that hour of the morn ing a man is usually disagreeable and hutefuL He will be unshaven. His breath will be leminlsoeat of stale to bacco smoke, and possibly of last night's libations. His conversational powers, usually so scintillating art night, you will fiixl to be shorn of theli attractions. If you want to look be hind the screen of a man's conventional ity, put him to this test. If he oomes through it under favorable conditions, he w ill make a good husband. But I've never seen one that eould stand the test to my satisfaction, and I've tried it often." SALOON STRAWS ARE COSTLY. Particular Care Repaired ia Pleklsi and Shipment. "The straws through which we im- I hi be mint juleps and other 6upposably cooling decoctions in summer cost the saloon men about as much as do tixeir free lunches," said a red-faced man who sat at a table in the St. Nicholas cafe slowly sipping a julep through • couple of straws, savs the St. Louis Republic. "I just found this out the other day and I have felt sorry for the saloon men ever since, because every fellow who uses a straw feels that it is his duty to destroy it with his drink. The s®- loou men get t<heir supply of straw® from the big glass houses, and the most of these establishments keep a regular force of hands employed all through the summer season cutting and prepar ing the straws for use. Usually some body lias to be sent to the country to select the straw from the farmer, and then it has to be handled with great care in getting it to the city. This, of course, is an item of expense which must be made out of the saloon men." Dtamantlta* Miycae*. It is stated that the German military authorities have decided to demolish the fortifications and the walls of Mayence, the most strongly fortified city of Germany, which has witnessed bo many fierce struggles and historical tragedies. Carloaa National Cutoa. "I was so mad," said the vivacious yoning American lady, "that 1 could J-.ave eaten a pound of nails." The listening Englishman made a note in his commonplace book that even anger is so well recognized ns anervoua complaint in this country that tbe na tive* aire in the habit of taking iron to counteract it.—Cincinnati Enquirer. Lonklag After Trade. "I see," remarked Mrs. Shooter, "that thej' are going to put all those danger ous trolleys under ground; why is that, George?" Cieorge (gruffly)—l suppose because they want to get some of their old pat rons back.—Brooklyn Life. Homebody Hhanld Tell Iter. Mr. Wildes—Who told your daughter she could sing? Mr. Howell —No one; she dreamt it. "Well, doesn't she know that dreams ulways go by contraries?" Yonkers Statesman. No Dlffreace. Teacluer —What is the difference be tween an ex-prize fighter and a philos opher? Ilright. Scholar—There ia no differ ence. They are both expounder*.—Up- N0.35
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers