THE FLAC Up with tho banner of the free! Its stars nnd stripes unfurl. Ami let the battle beauty blaze Above the startled world. No more around ly* towering staff The folds shall twine again Till falls beneath Its righteous wratU The gonfalon of Spain. That nag with constellated stars Shines ever in the van! And. like the rainbow in the storra l'resages peace lo man. For still amid the cannons' roar It sanctifies the light, And Haines along the battle lines, The emblem of the Right. It c~-ok* no conquest—knows no fear; Cares not for pomp of state; As pliant as the atmosphere, As resolute as Fate. ' Where'er it iloats, on land or soa. No stain its honor mars, And Freedom smiles, her fate secure Beneath its steadfast stars. —Henry Lynden Flash, in New Orleans IV-iei-Democrat. | aBE" m It's an awkward thing when master and man are in love with the same girl. One must give way, you see! And if the master is that one* it's apt to be bad for the man. Knowing this, John Adams and Emily Bolton re solved to keep their engagement to themselves for a bit, until they could start in life 011 their own account. Why the girl had fallen in love with the man instead of his master it would puzzle a conjurer to tell. I'm sure she couldn't have said herself. It was he, John Adams, who suggested secrecy, and Emily, after a little dis pute, agreed. Emily accepted John about Christ mastime, and he urged that it would be ruin to be discharged in the slack time. "We'll keep it to ourselves till the spring, my girl, and then we can snap cur fingers at him," said John. But Emily had 110 desire to snap her fingers at Reuben Saunders. She was not built that way. She felt sorry for him, and wished hint all manner j of good things. Still she was in love ! with John, and conse pieutly did as : he told her. But long before the spring came— j in fact, it was the middle of February ! —it began to bo rumored about that John and Emily were engaged. Reuben j heard the report, and went straight way to her father's cottage and asked to see Emily. Mrs. Bolton opene 1 the door. She stepped back and called up the stairs: «•' "Em'ly, Em'ly! Here's Mr. Saun ders wants to see yer." And then she went about her work flit 1 left him standing at the open door. She for her part preferred Reuben to ' John as a husband for her pretty '• daughter. That she was the girl's j mother and knew the value of money 1 by its lack may account for her pre- j ference. Moreover, Reuben was as 1 good a man as John, though not so ! handsome. "I've only come to ask you a ques- 1 4ion, Emily," sail Rueben humbly I when at last the girl appeared. "Say on," said Emily, not quite at Jier ease, for there had been a time when she h»;l given Reuben encour- I ngeinent. "I hear that you and John Adams /re going to be married. " And Rueben lifted his honest eyes and looked the girl straight in the face. "I don't see what business that is j>f yours! I suppose we'vea right"— began the girl angrily. But before she could finish her sen- 1 lence Rueben said sadly, "I've got my answer," A -, .d turned away. The girl's heart smote her. "Stay, Rueben, stay! It's not my /ault. I did not want to keep it from you. But—John said " Emily stopped. The meanness of it all ashamed her. "I know, x know! Adams judged jne by himself, and thought I should Mirn him off as soon as 1 heard of it," aaid Saunders, bitterly. Of course, John's sweetheart fired TP at that. "If you've got anything to say 4gainst John, you can say it to some one elfo, Mr. Saunders," she cried out. "I haven't!" lie shouted back,strid ing off down the little path to the front gate as Emily slammed the door. "I'll give him a week's wages and turn him off," Reuben told himself passionately. Then Emily's sweet face rose before him. "I can't do it —I can't do it!" he muttered as he strode 011, his hands deep down in his trousers pockets, his head bent for ward 011 his chest, a nobler man than he thought himself. 11. It was with a heavy heart that Emily went to meet her lover the next day, which was Saturday, and there fore a half holiday. She hail not seen him since she had told Reuben of their engagement, and was afraid to hear what Reuben might have said to John about it. , Tho first sight of John's face when they met reassured her. As I said be fore, lie wus a handsome young man, and as he came smilingly np to her "Emily felt certain that she loved him dearly, and that he was in every way a more desirable man than Saunders. Which, strange to say, was not what she always thought about him in his absence. After their usual greeting they turned and walked on together. "The boss has been very civil to me this morning," said John, "called me into that little office of his and said he thought as he'd heard of a place as'd suit me. Kind of foreman's place down in the shires; a place called Bur dock, I think he said." "Oh, John, how good of him!" ex claimed the girl. "H'm," said John, with a conceited •mile: "don't vou see he wants to get rid of me wants me out o' the way so be can come after you." "No—no; be knows better." "He's a precious sigbt conceited to know better. Lor' I did laugh in my sleeve as I thanked him, and said as I'd be glad if he'd speak a word for me. If I get it we'll be married right away. Now you see how wise it was of me to insist on you saying nothing about our being engaged." "You're quite wrong!" crie l Emily, who had in vain tried to interrupt the flow of her sweetheart's words. "It's because he knows. He came nnd asked me yesterday and I told him!" "l'ou told him we was going to be married?" •.*. -■»»—* " "Yes, I told him," repeated Emily. "Well, I'm blowed!" And John looked as if after that nothing would surprise him any more. Then after a few minutes' consideration: "He must be a fool!" be exclaimed. To this Emily vouchsafed no reply, ! so John, not exactly understanding her silence, changed the subject by j saying: "E'm, you've often wanted togo ! over the old Manor House, and you won't have many more chances if I get this place. Shall we go now?" Emily agreed. She knew the care taker, so there would be uo difficulty in getting in. 111. They hud wandered about the old place for twenty minutes, and had been everywhere except up in the towers, which was the oldest part of the house. It had been shut up from the public, as dangerous, for the last two years. John proposed that they should go up to the top and see the view. Emily was frightened, but he laughed her out of her fears, or out of the expres- 1 sion of them. So they went up, and John, who was in a teasing mood, in- , sisted on their gettiugout on the roof, which was done by means of a short ladder, leading through a trap door. Though the day was warm for the time of year, Emily soon felt bitterly cold, and said she must go down. John led the way, but had hardly got bis foot off the la*t rung of the ladder , when he felt the tower begin to rock. With the impulse of a coward, sca'rce staying to give a hasty shout to Emily to follow, he rushed down the stone stairs nnd out of the place. A ma ment later there was a series of creak ing reports, and three sides of the building tell with a crash to the ground,, leaving Emily crouching down in a corner of the roof, which still hung to the remaining side. Adams run into the road shouting for a ladder. Soon a crowd was col lected and the ladder was fetched. Too short! Another tvas found, and while willing hands were lashiag tli * ladder together Reuben drove up in his cart. When he heard what hail happened he took John's place in binding the ladders together, saying: "You. go and tell her whait we're doing. I'll see to this." Reuben had the habit of authority, so John went. When the ladders were firmly bound Reuben and two others carried them through the iron gates«into the little park where the crowd stood. A mixed crowd of men, ami women and chil dren stood breathlessly gazing up at , the corner where Emily crouched, her face covered, not seeming to hear the i encouraging words her lover was shouting up to her. Reuben looked at the wall. "We must be quick," said he to the man next to him, "or it'll be down before we can get her off." Then after a moment he added: "It won't bear the weight of the ladder. Run and fetch the one off my cart." This was done,and in a few minutes the third ladder was pushed through the rungs of the first about four feet from the top, making an isosceles triangle. Two men were placed at the foot of each ladder to steady it,and the whole i reared sideways against the wall, the apex almost touching Emily and the upright leaching up above her head. John hadn't been of much help —he was like one distraugh', but when all was ready Reuben turned to him and said: "Now tell her to get on the ladder. Tell her too look up and catch hold of the frame above her head. Tell her she is quite safe." John shouted up these instructions, but without more result than making Emily half stretch out her hand and sliudderingly cover up her face again. The demon Funk possessed the girl. Then Reuben: "It's all right, Miss Bolton. You just get on the ladder—quick, and you'll be safe enough. There's half a dozen of us holding it at the bottom," he shouted, encouragingly. No answer. No movement. IV. Reuben turned to John ouce more. "Look here, man,"he said, "you must go up and fetch her." "Go np that ladder? It wouldn't beat - the weight of both of us." "Some one must fetch her down. If you won't. I must." "I'll hold the ladder." "Pshaw!" And Reuben turned away. Then suddenly turning back: "Mind you, if I get her down safe I try my luck again." And, shouting to the men to hold the ladder firm, he cautiously went up. "Emily,"said he,as he touched her, "We must change places, my girl." She looked at him, her eyes wild with fright. "That's right! You keep looking at me and doing as I tell you, and you'll be as safe as a trivet," said he, cheerfully, though his heart was working like a steam engine. How he managed to change places with Emily he never knew. He always said it was her trust in him that did it. When she was safe on the ladder and he clinging to the fragment of wall he said, impressively: *'Go down the ladder as quickly as you can I'll follow. In two minutes the whole place'll be down." Emily gave him one swift look that sent the blood tingling through his veins, and in less than a minute she was on the ground. John, who had not beeu allowed to hold the ladders, tried to put his arm round her, but | she pushed him from her as she j breathlessly watched Eeuben's de i scent. Then, turning on him: "Go!" she cried. "Go! When I marry, I'll marry—l'll marry a man!" After that she fainted. She did marry a man. His name was Eeuben Saunders. John Adams ! got the foreman's place in the shires, j —Brooklyn Standard-Union. j WHITE HOUSE WAR CHAMBER. ! The President'* Facilities for Obtaining News From the Front, A war chamber has been established at the White House. A force of work men, including electricians, have beeu j employed transforming the room for \ merly occupied by Private Secretary | Porter into a presidential war cham ber. The room faces south and it is j contiguous to the president's business , office and the cabinet-room. War maps of Cuba, the West Indies, and the eu ; tire eastern and western hemispheres ; have been arranged upon the walls for | the convenience of the president. I Three sets of telegraphic instruments have been placed in the room for the transmission of information to the president direct from all points of the globe. While the war is going on a new set of rules will be in force at the execu tive mansion. The "war chamber" will be locked from the inside, so that the doorway through which visiting statesmen have hitherto passed en route to the president's room is block aded until further orders. Arthur Simmons, the sable messenger who guards Private Secretary Porter's door, is to be moved down to the president's door, ou which a puss key and lock has been placed. Captain Loeffier will continue as outside guardian to the cabinet room as of old. A spring lock will also be placed upon the cab inet door, so that senators, represen tatives and other privileged callers, who have previously hail free access to these rooms, will have to be an nounced or wait until the latch is lifted before they are allowed to reach the president. The reason given £<»• this new rule of practice and the precautions, which .**vor of exclusiveness, is that the president, desires every reasonable facility for obtaining information from the front. The cabinet room, his pri vate office, and the "'war chamber" are a consecutive suit. It is not always convenient for the president to cross the corridor to visit the executive tele- j graph office. As a matter of conven ience to the president and tlxe mem bers of the cabinet, Private Secretary 1 Porter vacated his office and moved over to the room formerly used as the telegraph office. Now the president will have free and unobstructed access to the rooms running along the south ern front of the mansion. The re strictions temporarily placed on offi cial visitors will prevent the president and his callers from eml>arrassineut at periods when it may lie necessary for the president to deny himself to even bis best friends. Hitherto it has been the practice for senators and repre sentatives to walk right into the pres ident's room without knocking. The new arrangement may prove a little irritating at first, but it is believed that reasonable men will appreciate the necessity for the change under ex isting circumstances. Washington Correspondence Charlestun News and Courier. Honor* for Three Dora. In i.u editorial notice of the death of Joo, a dog, the Charleston (S. C.) News and Courier says:"He was a dog, but he was a gentleman. He gave ofl'ense to no one, he was ad mired by all. His manners wore charming, his disposition perfect. He was the delight of wompn and little children, and his master loved him—he was so beautiful, so patient, so faithful, so true." Tho rather unusual scene of a funeral for a dog and mourners who shed real tears was witnessed in Wooster, Ohio, recently. The dog was a fox-terrier, the property of Dr. W. F. Derr, an animal highly prized by the ladies of the household and the children. A coffin was prepared, and as neatly made and covered as though it held the body of an infant. The casket lay instate for some hours, and with its flower-laden top was viewed by many. Wheu the time came to lower the coffin into the ground four boys acted as pallbearers and a few appropriate words were spoken as the box was lowered into the earth. A. J. Chevalier, a Frenchman, and residing in Columbus, Ohio, is griev ing over the death of a favorite dog called Diana. Out of respect for its decease he placed crape appeared. Ohl you do not lcnr much pood your medicine hp me. I shall recommend it to • ing women. —Mrs. Rosa C Wall St., Los Angeles, Cal. The great and unvarying Lydia E. Pinkham's Veg pound in relieving every t of the female organs, de it to be the modern safegi. man's happiness and bodily . More than a million women have been benefited by it. Every woman who needs advice about her health is invited to write to Mrs. Pinkham. at Lynn, Mass.