VOL. XX XXI H CAR LOADS OF I Furniture and Carpets, p L Everything Nece sary to Furnish a Hons to be rj round i i this Store. pj 9 POLISHED OAK SIDEBOARDS AND BUFFERS. Latest designs in either Buffet or Sideboard at p g prices from S2O to SBO. _____ if / NEW PARLOR GOODS AND ROCKERS 1£ i Adjustable Sofas—Odd Divans and small pieces p j > —three and five piece Suits in dependabfe makes a § at lowest prices. Many styles in Rockers of all kinus > —at any price you wish to pay —depends on what < you want. pj _ GO-CARTS ; I We handle the HEYWCOD iine. No better i cart on the market, as the Heywcod leads ail others ft j > in style, strength and beauty—and then the prices A are an inducement here. ' J CARPETS, RUGS, &r Decoration Day -Just in. I Specials in Millinery This Weeks || See Our Trimmed Hats at $2.68 and $3 69. P Special all uver the Store |EISLEK-MARDORF COMPANY, | '8 roßToiw»Mx^ T I bend in Your Mail Orders, jo IR OPPOSITE HOTEL ARLINGTON. BUTLER. F\\. June oatiDgs find added pleasure where yonr feet enjoy perfect comfort Whether at sea-shore or mountains—on trap or traiu—woods, fields,lake side or links, a pair of Patrician Shoes will be found to possess every require- j ment the fastidious woman demands. An infinite variety of styles-all one quality—the best- Price *8 50. YOURS FOR SHOES. j DAUBENSPECK & TURNER. I People's Phone 633. 108 S. Main St., Butler, Pa. || K E C K [7 Merchant Tailor. g Spring & Summer Suitings *I - ( ! f JUST ARRIVED. ( 1 vy 14-2 North Main St. Vy K E ,Q K | 1 % . j I 1 B particular] y to the Young S| I AH the nobby dressers will turn in S I For any price NEW LASTS! 1 ■ You wish to pay. THE NEW TOES! I I All the style a shoe cap Ease! B I We make a specialty of Men's heavy shoes. Just S I what you want for your early plowing. Give us a trial. || I HU3 ELTON'ST R^ ry . J -THE BUTLER CITIZEN. Drying 1 preparations simply devel op dry catarrh; they dry up tlio secretio:.!-, which adhere to the membrane and decom pose, causing ft far more serious trouble than the ordinary form of catarrh. Avoid all dry ■ ing inhalants, fumes, smokes ami sxni£a and use that which cleanses, soothes ai-d heals. Elv's Cream Balm is such a remedy and will cure catarrh or cold in tho head easily and pleasantly. A trial size will ba mailed for 10 cent 3. Ail druggists sell the 50c. size. Ely Brothers 5G Warren St., N.Y. The Balm cures without pain, does not irritate or cause sneezing. It spreads itself over an irritated and angTy surface, reliev ing immediately the painful inflammation. With Ely's Cream Balm you are armed against Nasal Catarrh and Hay Fever. A Cold Wave has struck our soda fountain and we are serving trie finest pure fruit juice soda in town. Boiled Water only is used in our fountain so you can drink v/ilh as much pleasure as at your own table. B*ef, iron and Wine The best spring tonic known. We manufacture cur own and guarantee its purity. Pale faces, slow steps and tired soon leave when this preparation is .taken. Full Pine 50\ Prescription" Work Our First nlleiiiion Everything in the drug line at The Crystal R. M. LOGAN. Ph. G, SU(H:KSS->« TO Johnston's Crystal Ptanna y, ROTH PHONES. 106 N Main St. Sutler. Fa.! JjrAIlN 11 ?o tit KINDS tit & BUT ALL # ||sHEBWIN-WiLLIAMS Co's|| A PAINT F0 ft if* # EVERY & & PURPOSE & H Redick Si Gi ohrnan it; N. Main St., t|t BUTLEH PA. 8! v n? HUGH L. CONNELLY, Wholesale Dealer in Fine Whiskies For Medicinal Purposes, Bell Pnone 278 People's Phone 578. 316 East Jefferson Street SUTLER, PjO W S. & K WICk. UKAI.F.Rf U >ugh aiiij Worked I.jrubwr of ? I Kb.'!» D xirs, i'ash aafJ Mouliilnirs Oil Well KIKS a Specialty. Office anil Yard f.-UiiDnhizham and Monroe Sis <£*«• P« = r. r-u.it, Binding of Books Is our OvCJpation. We jnn our entire time to studying the best and latest of doing our work. If you are thinking of having some work done in this line I am sure you will be u-el! p'eased if you have it done at The Bailer Boot Binder;, W. \V. Prop. Or>n Conrt Honse. The Deiight of the Flashlight. Portraits, Grcup Piiturcs, interiors. Most occupation these long winter evenings. OUR FLASS SHEETS Make flash pictures that haven't the ordinary "flashlight look." Economical Convenient. : Per pkg. 25c, 40c, 60c, Kodak Developing Machines in different sizes, $2 to $lO. We will gladly show you how they work. DOUGLASS' BOOK STORE, 241 S. Main St, Bntler, Pa. Peoples Phone 307 BUTLER, PA., THURSDAY, MAY 20, 1904. tliM By MAURICE THOMPSON ±x: % IS'*": Ccpjright.lSOC. by tKi to«x:;r:Ei-?.;LL COM?AMT -'4 '.Z:.■ : -.. v '•: . . ... . ... •- v*! .-T - - \ >v CIIAPTER VIII. TTTE DILEiIJIA OF CAI'TAIN HELM. 0 NCI. 13 J AXON, feeling like a fisli returned to the wat-r aft er a lons and torturing captiv ity in the open #tir, l'lim.—«'«l in to the forest with anticipations of lively adventure .and made his way toward the Wea plains. It was liis purpose to get n boat at tlie village of Ouiafcuon and pull thence up the Wabash unti: ■ fiml out what tho English were doi«g. He chose for his companions this dangerous expedition two ex pert courettrs tie bols, Dutreiuble ai.d Jacques Bailoup. Fifty miles up the rivw they fell in with some friendly Indians, well known to them all, who were returning from the portage. The savages informed them that there were no signs of an English ad vance in that quarter. Some of them had been as far as the St. Joseph river and to within a short distance of De troit without s«eing a white man or hearing of any suspicious movements on the part of Hamilton. So back came Oncle Jazon with his pleasing re port. much disappointed that he had not been able to stir up some sort of trouble. It was Helm's turn to laugh. "What did I tell you?" he cried, in a jolly mood, slapping Beverley on the shoulder. "I knew mighty well that it was all a big story with nothing in it. What on earth would the English be thinking about to march an army away cf? down here ouly to capture a rotten stockade and a lot of gabbling parly voos ?" Beverley, while he did not feel quite as confident as his chief, was not sorry that things looked a little brighter than be had feared they would turn out to b,-. Secretly and without acknowledg ing it to himself he was delighted with the life ho was living. He began to like walking about aim lessly in the town's narrow streets, with the mud daubed cabins on either hand. This simple life under low, thatched roofs had a charm. Every body cried cheerily. "Bon jour, mon siuur, comment allez-vous?" as he went by, always accompanying the verbal salute with a graceful wave of the hand. But it was always a glimpse of Alice that must count for everything in Bev erley's reckonings, albeit lie would Have strenuously denied it. True ha went to Boussillon place almost every day. it being a fixed part of liis well ordered h.ibu. ana tiaa . ,k with her. Sbmetimes, when Dame IlousMllon was very busy and so quite off her "puaru, they read together in a novel or in cer tain parts of the odd volume of Mon taigne. This was done more for the sweetness of disobedience than to en joy the already familiar pages. Now and again they repeated their fencing bout, but never with the result which followed the first. Beverley soon mastered Alice's tricks and showed her that, after all, masculine muscle is not to be discounted at its own ■ ;.me by even the most wonderful womanly strength and suppleness. She struggled bravely to hold her vantage ground onee gained so easily, but the inevita ble was not to be avoided. At last one howling winter day ho disarmed her by the very trick that she had shown him. That ended the play, and they tan, shivering, into the house. "Ah," she cried, "it isn't fair. You are so much bigger than I. You have so much longer arms, so much more, weight and power. It all counts against me! You ought to bo ashamed of your self!" She was rosy with tlip oxhilauit lng exercise and trie biting of the fros ty breeze. ITer beauty gave forth a new ray. Keep in her heart she was pleased to have him master her so superbly: but as the days passed she never said so, never gave over trying to make him feel the touch of her foil. She did not know that her eyes -were getting through his guard, that her dimples were stabbing his heart to its middle. "You have other advantages," he re plied, "which far overbalance my greater stature and "stronger muscles." Then after a pause he added, "After all a girl must be a girl." Something In his face, something in her heart, startled her so that she made lililij move like that of a rest less bird. "You are beautiful, and that make 3 my eyes and my hand uncertain," he went on. "Were I fencing with a man ihere would be glamour." He spoke iu English, which he did Kot often do In conversation with her. It was a sign that he was somewhat wrought upon. She followed his rapid words with difficulty, but she caught fiOVU tiu-iii a new note of feeling. He saw a little pale flare shoot across her face and thought she was angry. "You should not use your dimples to distract my vision." he quickly added, with a light laugh. "It wouli\ be nq ftortse for u«« to iny hat in your face." His attempt at levity was obviously weak. She looked straight into his eyes with the steady gaze of a simple, earnest nature shocked by a current quite btrangg to it. 'did pot uq.- Uerstaiid Ulm, and she did. Jler tine lutuition gathered swiftly together a hundred shreds of received from him during their recent growing intimacy. He was a patrician, as she vaguely made hin. ;i tuan til wraltll; whose family was great. He belonged among people of gentle birth and high attainments. She magnified hiin so that he was diffused in her im agination, as difficult lo comprehend ns a mist ir» miquitr-; ait and u have m;s :i:;! :s:o >d me," :~lie repli *.:.ln.-;. ou have treated me kindly and with beau tiful friendliness. Vou have no: «;•«:: • or said a thing that Father Bent or any'. ody el.;e could criticise, a::.i if I have said or done tlic- least t;'.:u;_ r to trouble you I repudiate it I did not mean It. Now you believe me, don t you. Miss Rousslilon?" He seemed to be filling Into the hab it of spea-iug to li r in Ku- She understood it somewhat iiupcrt-'oily. > <- pecially when in an earnest moment he rushed his words together as if had been Soldiers he was leading r.t the charge step against an enemy. His maimer convinced lier even though his diction fell short. "Then we'll talk cbout something else," she said, laughing naturally now and retreating to a chair by the hearth side. "I want you to tell me nil a'.iout yourself and your family, your heme and everything." She seated herself with an air of con scious aplomb and motioned him to take a distant stcol. There was a great heap of dry logs in the fireplace, with pointed flames shoot ing out of its crevices and leaping into the gloomy, cave like throat of the flue. Outside a wind passed heavily across the roof aud bellowed in the chimney top. Beverley drew the stool near Alice, who with a charred stick used as a poker was thrusting at the glowing crevices and sending showers of sparks aloft. "Why. there wouldn't be much to tell," he said, gi.ul to feel secure again. "Our homo ia a bijj old mansion named Beverley Hall, on a hill among trees and half surrounded with slave cabins. It overlooks the plantation in the val . -\ ''Turlctun, Tarlctun," he rcpailnl. ley wiiere a little river goes wandering on its way." 110 was speaking !*«>nclt. and s(ie followed him easily :i tf eyes beginning to fling ort a;-;ai:i their natural sunny beams of Interest. "I was born there twenty-six years ago and haven't done much of anything since. You see before you. nui sister," ha said, "no brothers. We vrero a happy little group. But my sister married and lives in Baltimore. lam here. Father mm mother arc alone in the old house. Sometimes I am terribly horaesic'j." lie was silent a moment, then added: "But you nre selfish. You make me. do all the telling. N'jnv I want you to fc'Ou ntu a little of your story, made moiselle, beginning, as I did, at the first." "But I can't," she replied, with child like frankness, "for I don't Unau where T viis uor my parents' names nor who 1 am. You see how different it is with me. I am called Alice Roussil lon, but I suppose that my name is Alice Tarleton. It is not certain, liow ever. There is vera; tu help out vJiii theuiy. Here js all tile proof there is. I don't know that it is worth any thing." She took off her locket and handed it to him. He handled it rather inditfeeently, for lie just then studying the fine lines of her face. But iu n moment he was Interested. "Tarleton, Tarleton." he repeated. Then he turned the little disk of gold over and saw the enameled drawing on the hack, £t«&t clearly outlined, 'lie started. The crest was quite fa miliar. "Where did you get this?" he de manded in English and with such blunt suddenness that she \ya-> startled. "Where vikt come from?"- -•f have always had It." "Always? It's the Tarleton crest. Do you belong to that family?" "Indeed I do not know. Papa Bous sillon says he thinks I d- " "AVell, this U, and interest ing, 1 ' «iid lievoilcy, rather to himself than addressing her. lie looked from the miniature to the crest nnd back to the miniature again, then at Alice. "I tell you this is strange," he repoi\s; ed, with emphasfcj. yxevedi'ugiy Her cheeks flushed quickly under their soft brown, and her eyes flashed with excitement. "Yes, I know." Her voice fluttered; her hands were v lu&i>cU in her lap. She leaned toward him eagerly. "It is Strange. I've thought about it a great deal." "Alice Tarleton; that la yighi. Alice is i\ 14JUUU ok tho family. Lady Alice Tarleton was the mother of the lirst Sir Garnett Tarleton who came over In tiie time of Yardley. It's a groat faiu ginia." He l«..::e t? You >1 a t know who was your father, y. r.r mother?" •"I do not know anythiujr." "And what do«'s M. Uoussillon know?" "Just as little." "But how came he to be taking you trid caring for you? He must know how he got you, where he got you, of whom he got you. Surely he knows"— "Ob, I know all that. I was twelve years old when I'apa Uoussillon took me, eight years ago. I had been hav ing a hard life, and but for him I must have died. I was a captive among the Indians. lie took me and his cared for me and taught me. lie has been very, very good to ine. I love him dearly." "And don't you remember anything at al! when, where, how, the In dians sot you?" "No." She shook her head and seem ed to be trying to recollect something. "So. 1 just can't remember. And yet th -re has always been something like a dr -aiu in my mind which I could not quite get hold of. I know that I am not a Catholic. I vaguely remember a sweet woman who taught me to pray like this: 'Our Father who art in heav en, hallowed be thy name." " And Alice went on through the beau tiful and perfect prayer, which she re pented in English with intiulte sweet ness and solemnity, her eyes uplifted, her har.ds clasped before her. Bever ley could have sworn that she was a shining saint and that he saw an au reole. "I know," she continued, "that some time, somewhere, to a very dear per son,! promised that I never.never, never would pray any prayer tut that, and 1 remember almost nothing else about that other life, which is far off back yonder in the past. I don't know where —sweet, peaceful, shadowy, a dream that I have al! but lost from my mind." Beverley's sympathy was deeply moved. He sat for some minutes look ing at her without speaking. S!:o, too, was pensive and silent, while the tire sputtered and sang, the great logs slowly melting, the flames tossing wisps of smoke into the chimney still booming to the wind. "1 know, too, that 1 am not French." she presently resumed, "but I djn't know just how I know it. My first words must have been English, for I have always dreamed of talking in that language, and my dimmest half recol lections of the old days are cf a large, white house and n sott voiced blue woman, who sang to me in that lan guage the very sweetest songs in the world." Beverley listened as one who bears a clever reader Intoning a strange and captivating poem. To his mind It was clear that she belonged tQ the Tarlo» ton family of Virginia, Youth always concludes a matter at once. Ho knew some of the Tarletons. But it was a widely scattered family, its members living in almost every colony In Amer ica. The crest he recognized at a glance by the dragon on the helmet with three stars. It was not for a wo man to bear. But doubtless-it had been enameled on the locket merely as a family mark, a3 was often doa* lu America. "The black wociau wt'.s your r.urso, /our uiammy," lie said. "I know by that quel liy your prayer In English as well as by your locket that you are of a good old family." Like most nouthemors. lie had siro-is Taiili in genealogy, and lie lu.' l at liU tongue's tip the names of all tlio old families. The farter*, tlie Blairs, the Fitzhugiis, the Hansons, the Ran dolphs, the Lees, the I.udwells, the Joneses, the Beverleys, the Tarletons— a whole catalogue of them stretched back iu his memory, Jltf knew tlio poat pf artus displayed by each bouse, tie could repeat their legends. "I wish yoy could tell me more," he went on. "Can't you recollect any thing further about your early child; hood, your first impressions iliy house, the woman who taught you to pray, the old black mammy? Any little thing might be of priceless value as evi dence." "There is absolutely inrre to tell," she said-. ''All suy life I have tri"d to remember more, but it's im possible; I can't get any further jback or call up another thing. There's no use trying. It's all like a dream; prob ably it is one. Ido have sqch dreams. In my sleep J |in myself into tho air just as easy and fly back to the aame big white house that I seem to remember. When you told me about your home it was like something that I had often seen before. I shall ho dreaming about it next Bevejlpy »n\'x» t|Uestioned her from every possible point of view. He was! fascinated with the mystery, but she gave him nothing out of which the least further light could be wi(. X half hroed JI seemed, had been \ier. Indian foster mother, a silent, grave, watchful guardian from whom not a hint of disclosure ever fell. She was moreover a Christian who had received her from nil English si».aMti£i Protestant mission ary. She pray«d with Alice, thus keep ing In the child's mind a perfect mem ory of the Lord's prayer. "Well," said Beverloy at (as», "you ard more of u mystery to ute tho lon j#r I know you," "Then I must grow every day more distasteful to you." "No; I love mystery." He went away feeling a new. vyeb of interest binding hin» to this inscrutable w hus« life steenied to him at once so full of idyllic happiness and so enshrouded in tantalizing doubt. At the first opportunity he frankly ques tioned M. Boussillon, with n<> helpful result. The big moan told the same ray-agc-r »tory. The woman was Uying it) the t!m« of a great epidemic which killed most of her tribe. She gave Alice to M. Roussillon, but told him not a word about her ancestry or previous life, That w«(» a". A wisa old man when he finds liiui fccif in a blind alley no sooner touches the terminal wall than he faces about and goes back the way he came. Un der like circumstances a young man must needs try to batter ',he wall down with his bead In Beverley's case the was profoundly disturbing. And now Ue elutehed the thought that Alice was not a mere child of the woods, but a daughter of an old family of cavaliers! With coat buttoned close against the driving wind he toward the fort ftnu ut- tliose melodramatic moods >o which youth In all climes and times is subject. It was like a slap in the face when Captain Helm met him at the stockade gate and said: "Well, sir, you arc go»ii at hiding." What do you mean, Cap tain Helm?" he demanded, not in the mildest tone. "I mean, sU\ that I've been hunting fpr J head of st>» or O«i soldiers nnd Indians, was only three or four tuilo.s up th" river. "Where are all the men?" Helm re peated. "liiilTalo hunting, most of them." said Beverley. "What in thunder are they off hunt ing l>tiff:i!o's for?" ra;,'«Ml the e-;«.-ited captaiu. "You might go to thunder and see," Hi'verley said, and they both laughed in sheer masculine contempt of a prc- Jii-ament too grave for anything but grim mirth. What could they do? Even Oncle Ja zon and lifne de Itonville were o£f with the 'maters, llel'.n s;-nt fur M. Itous fiiiW -. in the desperate hope that he could suggest something, but he lost his head and hustivd off to hide his money and valuables. Indeed the French people all felt that, so far as they were concerned, the chief thing was to sine what they had. They wi-H knew that it mattered little which of the two masters held over theni—they must shift for themselves. In the'r hearts they were true to France and America; but France and America could not now protect th in against Hamilton, therefore It would %«> like suicide to magnify patriotism % any other sentiment objectionable to the English. So they acted upon M. Kous sillon's advice and offered no resistance when the new army approached. "My poor people are not disloyal to your tiag and your cause," said good Father Beret next morning to Captain Helm, "hut they are powerless. Win ter is upon us. What would you have us do? This rickety fort is not availa ble for defense. The men are nearly a'.l far away on the plains. Isn't it the part of prudence and common sense to make the best of a desperate situation? Should we resist, the Bgtish and their savage allies would destroy the town and commit outrages too horrible to think aikiut. In this ease diplomacy promises much more than a hopeless fight against an overwhelming force." "I'll fight 'nt, li. Iu» ground wit bo* #,-ecn his teeth. ' i;' 1 have to do it sin- I e handed and alone! I'll tijJtt 'em!" Father Beret smihd grimly, as if he, too, would enjoy a lively skirmish, and feii id: "I admire your courage, my son. Fighting is perfectly proper upon fair occasion. But think of the poor women and children. These old eyes of mine have sen some terrible things done by enraged savages. Men can die lighting, but their poor wives and daughters alt, 1 have seen, I have seen!" Beverley felt a pang of terror shoot through his heart as Father Beret's simple words made him think of Alice in connection with the Indian massacre, "Of course, of course it's horrible to think of," said Helm, "but my duty is clear, and that flag" —he pointed to where la banniere d'Alice Uoussillon i "That Jlti'j nt 4 eowic down save in , full honor." was almost blowing away in the cold j wind—"that flag shall not come down save iu full honor," Ilis speech sounded preposterously j boastful and hollow, but he was man- j fully in earnest. Every word came : from his brave heart. Father Beret's grim- sutilo returned, j lighting up his strongly marked face with the strongest expression imagina "We will get all the women inside the fort," Helm began to say. "Where the Indians will find them ready penned up and at their mercy," quickly interpolate*! the priest. "That will not do." ♦'Well, then, what can be done?" Bev erley demanded, turning with a fierce stare upon Father Beret. "Don't stand there objecting to everything, with not 6 a suggestion at your own to offer." c "i know what is best foV my people," ' the old man replied softly, still smil ing. "I have advised them to stay in' ' side their houses aud take no part iu the military event, tt is the only hope of aytmiug au Indiscriminate massacre and things worse." The curt phrase, "things worse," went like a bullet stroke through Bev erley's heart. It flashed au awful pic ture upau hrs vision. Father Beret saw his face whiten and his lips set them selves to resist a great emotion. "Do not be angry with me, my son," he said. laying a hand on the young man's arm. "I may IK> wrong, but I act upon long and convincing experi ence." 1 "Experience or no experience." Helm exclaimed, with an oath, "this fort must be manned and defended. I am commanding here;" "Yes. I recognize your authority," re sponded the priest in a firm yet defer ential tone, "and I heartily wish you had a garrison. But where is your com mand, Captain Helm?" "Where js, my garrison, you ask! Yes, and I can tell you. It's where you »U'ght expect a gang of dad blasted jabbering French #ood for nothings to be, off high gannieking around shooting buffaloes instead oi staying here and defending their wives, chil dren, homes and country! The few I have in tho fort will sneak off, I sup pose." "The French gave you this post ou easy terms, captain," blandly retorted Father Beret. "Yes, and they'll hand it over to Hamilton, you think, on the same baUs," cried Helm, "but I'll show you! I'll show you, Mr. Priest!" "Pardon me, captain. The French are loyal to you and to the flag yonder. They have sworn it. Time will prove it. But in the present desperate dilem- UIH \\v must choose the safer horn." Saying this Father Beret turned about and went his way. lie was chuckling heartily as he passed out of the gate. "He Is right," said Beverley after a few moments of reflection, during which he was wholly occupied with Alice, whose terrified face In his an ticipation appealed to him fr•»>»" chilled his blood. AH the sweet ro mance fell away from Vlncennes. "Well, sir, right or wrong, your duty Is to oliey onlers." said lleliu with bru tal severity. "We had better not quarrel, cap tain." Beverley replied. "I have not signified any unwillingness to obey your commnods. Give them, and you will have i>o cause to grumble." "Forgive me, old fellow I" cried the Impulsive tvainiander. "I know you are true as steel. I s'pose I'm wound up too tight lo be polite. But the time is coming 13 do something. Here we are with bu' five or six men"— He was Interrupted by the arrival of two more lif.'f breed scouts. Only thre» miles away was a large flotilla of txTjts and canoes with can a force cf Indians on land aD«J the British flag flying—that was the rei>ort. "They arc moving rapidly," said the spokesman, "and will lie here very toon. They are at least COO strong, ell well armed." "Push that gun to the gate and load it to the muzzle, Lieutenant Beverley," Helm ordered with admirable firm ness, the purple flush in his face giving way to a grayish pallor. "We are go ing to die right here or have the hon ors of war." Beverley obeyed without n word. He even loaded two puns instead of one, charging each so heavily that the last wad looked as if ready to leap from the grimy mouth. Helm had already begun, on receiv ing the lirst report, a hasty letter to Colonel Clark at Kaskaskla. He now added a few words and at the last mo ment sent it out by a trusted man. who was promptly captured by Hamilton's advance guard. The missive, evident ly written in installments during the slow approach of the British, is still in the Cunadlan archives, and runs thus: Dear Sir—At this time there Is an army within three miles of this place; I heard of their coming several Jays beforehand. I sent spies to find the certainty—the spies being taken prisoner I never got intelli gence till they got within three miles of town. As I had called the militia and had 411 assurances of their Integrity I ordered at the firing of a cannon every man to appear, but I saw but few. Captain Buseron behaved much to his honor and credit, but I doubt the conduct of a cer tain gent. Excuse haste, as the army is in sight. My determination is to defend the garrison, (sic) though I have but twenty-one men but what has left me. I refer you to Mr. Wmea (sic) for the rest. The army Is within three hundred yards of tho village. You must think how I feci; not four men that I really depend upon; but am determined to act brave think of my condition. I know it U out of my power to defend the town, as not one of the militia will tako arms, though bo fore sight of th« »rmy no braver men. There la u (lag at a small distance, I must conclude. Tour humble servant, LEO D HELM. Must stop. To Colonel Clark. Having completed this task, the let ter shows under what a nervous strain. Helm turned to his lieutenant and "Fire a swivel with a blank charge. We'll give these weak kneed parlvvoos one more call to duty. Of course not a frog eater of them all will come. But I said that a gun aliould be the signal. Possibly they didn't hear the first one, the deaf, cowardly hounds!" Beverley wheeled forth tlie swivel and rammed a charge of powder home. But when he fired it the effect was fur from what it should have been. In stead of calling U> a fresh body of mili tia it actually drove out the few who up to that moment had remained as a garrison, so that Captain Helm antl his lieutenant found themselves quite alone in the fort, whilo out I; 'fore the gate, deployed ttne open order, a strong U»e of British soldiers ap proached with sturdy steps, led by a tall, erect, ruddy faced young ofilcer. [TO BE COXTVTVSD.] Boutin With Purrbaie an Old New Orleans Custom. "Lagniappe" Is a purely local lustltu> tlon, and the word Itself Is a localized one, signifying a bonus, generally In kind, given to a customer with each purchase, name trifling article added gratuitously to a purchase in the retail shops of the city or the public markets. For the origin of the custom of giv ing "lagniappe" ucd the history of the word one must go back to the early colonial traditions of Louisiana. The tkld ereole legend runs that when Lou isiana was ceded to Spain the Spanish venders opened their shops in the French quarter side by side with the old French marchands. A great rivalry sprang up between them. In the quarter lived an old Spanish gentleman who had a pet monkey. Whenever he went to make his pur chases of groceries or provisions he took his monkey with him. Joco, as the monkey was called, was a great thief. While his master would be making his purchases he would quickly seize upon the nearest articles that suit ed his fancy, nuts, fruits, candy or the like, and eagerly devour them. lie was so quick and dextrous that he would have the article between his teeth before his master or the vender would be aware. Now, the colonial Spanish had a "provincial word, "el uiape," signifying one who Is skillful or dextrous. Joco became so well knowu in the stores for his great dexterity In grasping whatever came In his reach that the Spanish, like the French, fond of giving nicknames, called him "El Niape." Whenever the old Spaniard, who was very liberal in buying, would appear with his monkey, as he would conclude his purchases the marchands would hand him a stick of candy, a handful of nuts or the like, saying, "This Is for El Niape." The little children, seeing the monkey get a bonus of candy, fruit, etc., thought they ought to have some, too, and would hold out their hands nfter every purchnse for "el niape." The custom s-ew, and as the two French and Spanish, amalgamat ed the Creoles softened the old term "el niape" in the half French, half Span ish, "Ingniappe," the term used today. The pleasant institution of this petty • gratuity was looked upon as such a gracious and kindly custom that It took firm root among the various nationali ties that poured Into New Orleans aft er the American occupation. Bold must be the vender who would refuse In New- Orleans to give "lagniappe" to the lit tle child who holds out its hand in con fident expectation. In many shops it is ysed to encourage custom. To such atrextent had this gone some years ago that a bill was Introduced into the leg islature to abolish "lagniappe." There was such a hue and cry In fa vor of the old custom that the bill was postponed indefinitely. It was declared "lagniappe" was one of our own Loui siana institutions, peculiar to ourselves, a generous old time custom that iu Its open henrtedness had nothing in com mon with the mercenary spirit of the age. Other things might go. but "lagnl appe" must stay. And so it did, a kind ly relic of a day that is gone, a custom that often puzzles the stranger, but which has only to be explained to make him more than ever pleased with the warmth and the glow that come from the heart of this Franco-Spanish city in the bend of the crescent.—New Or leans I'lcayune. No. 20. THE REICHSTAG GASPED. #aru II lluarrd After Hommien Called lliamarrk to Order. Mommsea's absent mindedness led liiui into* nil sorts of predicaments. One of the most amusing of these was ( concerned with his first—and last—ap p< v. ranee in tl; • relchstag. While Bis marck was chancellor of the empire Mommsen v\as elected to the lower branch of the imperial parliament by the Social Democrats. The student body escorted him from the university to the relchstagsgebaude and through the galleries, prepared to give their fa vorite professor's maiden speech "a good sendoff." What happened is thus described: "After he had taken his seat Momm sen was observed to fumble in his pockets and draw out a paper thirt the students supposed was the speech In question. No sooner had he done this than Bismarck arose to address the house. As usual, silence the most pro found reigned until the chancellor had begun to till the chamber with his resonant and powerful voice. But not the slightest attention did Mommsen pay to the great Bismarck. The emi nent historian sat absorbed in his pa per, which he held close up to his nose after his usual manner. "Suddenly, without warning, a most amazing thing happened, liismarck, he who ruled Germany with a rod of iron, was in the middle of one of his most earnest addresses, when up Jumped a member of the reichstag and cried: " 'Stop! Stop! Stop!' "It was Mommsen. The spectators were horror struds. Bismarck stood aghast. But Mowinsen, peering ex citedly about him with his almost sightless eyes, ag»ln raised his voice and shouted: " 'That foolish student! That foolish student! Is he going to talk all day? What foolish student is it that talks, talks, talks, tts If we had nothing to do but listen to his talk? If he is not quiet at onee I shall call the attendant and have him removed.' And Momm sen resumed his seat. "For perhaps a minute tbe stillness was like unto that which abides in the grave. Then a great burst of laughter awoke the echoes and rolled up to the roof, and in it Bismarck had to Join, for the explanation of the great his torian's outburst was evident to all. The paper he had been examining was one connected with his duties as a pro fessor, and he thought be still was at the university. With his mind intent upon the paper, in which he was deep ly interested, undoubtedly Bismarck's powerful voice sounded in his ears like the monotonous buzz, buzz, buzz of a bee. When he awoke to the nature of his surroundings and learned who It was that he had commanded to keep still, 'Old Mommsen the Orphan' was overcome, and never again could ho be induced to enter the reichstagsge baude."—Frank Barkley Copley In Critic. Our Calendar. It was not until the date we now should term 532 A. D. that a monk named Dlonyslus Exlguus, a Scythian by birth, suggested that ail Christiane should adopt the epoch of the birth of ChHst as a starting point for counting time. At that time the precise date of the Dirth of Christ had actually been forgotten. Dlonyslus made researches and eventually decided that it oc-" curred on the 25th day of Decem ber, in the seven hundred and fifty third year from the foundation of Borne, aud to this date the Christian world has ever since adhered, though It Is now well known to be Incorrect. At first it was suggested that the Christian year should commence from tliat day—Dec. 25. But this was found inconvenient, and eventually the ordinary Roman usage of commencing the year on Jan. 1 was adopted, so that our calendar dates from New Year's day of the seven hundred and fifty-fourth year from the founding of Rome. Dead D«r> and Corlca. The Parisian ragpicker is a well known character to all who have trav ersed the streets of that capital at night, but he has a colleague concern ing whom little is said or known, the "dead dog" and "old cork" collector. Why these two Industries should go together Is Inexplicable, but such is the case. Dead dogs are by no means bad property. The skin fetches from twopence to threepence when it has not become deteriorated by long res idence in the water. The fat la worth fivepence the two and one third pounds, and the bones also sell for a trifle. The corks are by no means so valuable, as after they have been cleaned and pared they will only sell for fivepence per hundred. The profession is only sufficiently lucra tive to maintain a few members (2 francs a day being the average gain), who reside for the most part in that chiffonier quarter, the Rue Petit, Cite Globe. Cardinal Wolaey. If Quentin Matsys had a picture on the easel Wolsey was ready to pur chase It. If there was n curious clock it was secured for him. His fondness for tapestry amounted to a passion- Trusty agents ransacked the conti nent to procure choice sets of arras,' new and old. for the rising palace. If| the owner generally preferred Scrip tural subjects, as became a prince ofi the church, he also collected many hangings wrought with scenes from ! classic or mediaeval story. Thus, while! the walls of one chamber set forth! the history of Samuel or David or Es ther, those of another glowed with the ( labors of Hercules, the woes of Priamj or the "Romaunte of the Rose." In thej rooms where he received visitors the tapestries were changed once a week.' —Macraillan's Magazine. THE SCIENCE OF A LIGHT. Cheap Acetylene Gin Warn Dl»coT*r ed by an Accident. Cheap commercial acetylene gas was discovered by accident. Willson, a sci entific experimenter, belleYed that near ly all metallic oxides could be reduced to a metallic state by heating them to an extremely high temperature by the voltaic arc in the presence of free car bon. Aluminium had been successfully reduced in this way. Mr. Willson ■wished to obtain metallic calcium. He therefore mixed a quantity of quick lime with pulverized coke and brought the mixture to a high temperature by the action of the voltaic arc. He ex pected to obtain a white metal, but In stead he appeared to produce nothing but slag. This was thrown into the yard, and one day at noon while the boys were having their luncheon they picked up these bits of slag and threw them at each other. One piece fell into a pail of water and produced a bub bling effect and a strong odor. This at tracted Mr. Willson's attention, and upon investigation lie found that the strong smelling gas was extremely In flammable. Further investigation re vealed that it was pure acetylene gat.— Sir Hiram Maxim in Harper's Weekly.