A crisis:
g By Hester A. Benedict. gj
TV JT ART K
l I one wl
I I Y I room, 1
, child i
AUY KLLET stood at tlic
ludow of her pretty
looking clown upon a
In the urea a blue-
red, flaxen-haired baby of four yenrs,
as fair, and tweet, nnd bright a study
& even an artist could desire.
iBut Mnry Eliot was no artist at
liaat not oue who puts beautiful fan
cies Into words, or on canvas. She
wis only one of thirty saleswomen In
a (Broadway dry goods house, and a
boarder with the owners of the baby,
who was having n'splendld time with
her dog and her dolly. In the sunshine
of tho late spring that everybody was
rejoicing over.
"Eight o'clock," said Mary, as the
Striking of a clock below came up,
with a deep admonishing tone to
where she stood. "What can keep him,
I wonder? A half hour past time al
ready, and I wns never tardy before In
all the years I've been with Blake &
Hlllman. I shall lose my place, Just
as likely as not, for I cannot give a
satisfactory excuse, except I tell tho
truth, which Is quite out of the ques
tion; so I must keep silent. and trust
to luck."
She turned from the window, then,
and there was n tired look In her great
gray eyes, as she put on her hat and
went hastily down stairs.
At the street door she met Lehind
Forsyth, a tall, handsome young
man, who tucked her under his arm
forthwith with an assurance that was
unrebuked, because It hung Itself to a
cable-of-a-promlse, and together they
started down the street.
"You are late, Lee," the girl said,
speaking In a more serious tone than
she had ever yet used to her lover.
"Am I?" he queried, shading his eyes
and looking up at the sun. "Not very,
I guess."
"Enough to risk the loss of my
place," Mary answered, quietly,
though the tardiness and Indifference
of her lover piqued her.
"Oh, pshaw! Blake & Hlllmnn are
no such fellows. Besides, Blake's in
love with you!" the young man said,
coarsely. "I've known that these three
mouths. Of course, his love don't
mcun what mine does. These rich fel
lows" "Lee!"
The girl drew her arm from hol
dover's, nnd stoppiug stone-still In her
walk, she looked at him with wild,
frightened eyes, and lips from which
every atom of color had departed.
lie had been drinking heavily, and
the knowledge of that, anil the low, In
sulting words, had well-nigh crushed
her.
"Yes, I took a little," lie said, an
swering her unspoken thoughts. "Men
do that, you know, Mollle, when they
Got Into tight places, nnd things go
wrong every way."
It was by no means the first time
that Lelaud Forsyth had taken "a
little." He had never been a strong
man, never n very good man; and all
who knew Mary Ellet wondered nt her
choice for her engagement and the
prospect of her marriage in the fall
were things well understood by her
coterie of friends, who counseled, nnd
pitied, and blamed, and ended by wish
ing her Tar better than they could
hope, nud that her influence over the
man she loved might keep him
strnighter thin his own self-respect
could, save for her sake.
"Are tilings very wrong, Lee?" she
asked, making his trouble her own at
once, after the manner of women who
love, and half-forgetting her Indigna
tion before the sorrow in his eyes.
"Yes, very; nnd If I don't got help at
once, I'm gone! That's nil!"
The girl forgot all about the lace
department in the house of Blake &
Ililliunu, nnd sinking Into oue of the
seats close by for they were in Wash
ington Square-she dropped her hands
Idly In her lap, ns If there was no more
work to do, saying:
"Tell ma all about It, Lee. I don't
suppose I can help you women cnu't
do thnt ofleu but I want to know."
"You can help me, Mollle you can
save me you nud you only."
"I?" under her brenth, and opening
her eyes to their widest.
"Yes, you! and you must. There Is
no. alternative. If your love for me
Is anything more than a profession,
you will!"
He looked so determined nnd so
hard! Ills voice was thick and hoarse.
He twitched his watehguard nervous
ly, keeping his eyes on the ground.
"Kurcly I 'will If I can," Mary said,
softly. "Only tell mo how, Lee only
tell me how!"
"I want money, girl, aud I must have
It."
"Much, Lee?"
"Three hundred dollars."
The girl drew her breath In sudden
ly. Khe stared for n moment, almost
vacantly. Into the face of her lover
then her chin settled upon her bosom,
and a sigh that meant more than nny
words Buttered through the pallor of
her lips.
"You have something nt Blake &
Hlllinun's, I know. How much Is It,
Mary?"
"it's only a llttln, dear?" the girl nn
awered, brightening; "and I've been
saving It up for-for some things In the
little home, Loe-,tho hnppy little homo
that Is to be ours In the autumu. But
of course, It Is yours, every cent, this
Tory day, to use Just as you will. I
only wish there were more to give."
She looked so ueuutif ul und so pure!
Blin was making her first sacrifice
upon the ultar of her young heart's
love; aud though the Idol of her wor
"hip was only clay, as too many Idols
are, she seemed. In her trustful' Iguor
nnce, to have climbed to the beati
tudes. Ha did not, lift his eyes from the
tround-h had not even tho grace to
thank her.
"You did not say how much, Mary?"
"I, ""Wweuted. In uu off-haud way.
And you did not ask me," she said,
Utighlng o little.
"There U no time for evasion or tor
sentiment,- he said, hurshlv. "I u.,.
Vose you have hundred or
i &
"A hundred and fifty, Lee."
"Just half enough to satisfy me; but
yon can easily get the balance."
"How, Leland, how?" she ashed,
looking puzzled nnd anxious.
"How? You Innocent little thing!
Don't you know that Geoffrey Blake
would give you anything you asked
for, even to tho half of his kingdom.
A man In love can be led anywhere by
the face thnt has his fancy."
The girl rose, staggering a little, but
stnndlng straight and proud, at last,
before the man whose every word was
au Insult.
"I I guess I understand you." she
said. "You wish me to borrow for
you, of Mr. Blake, the sum of one
hundred and fifty dollars. Am I
right?"
'Tartly right and partly wrong. You
must borrow for yourself nnd for me."
"But I have no security to offer, Lee.
Men don't Ionn money lu that way, do
thoy?"
"Sometimes. Blake would to you."
"And why to me, Lelnnd?"
He turned away. Impatiently, some
thing on his lips thnt sounded like an
oath. He was fast falling lu the girl's
esteem, nnd when thnt is lost, love
cannot live.
"One moment, Mr. Forsyth," she
said. "Let us understand each other.
You are In great need of money, you
say, and I believe you."
"Believe mcV" ho sneered. "That's
strange!"
"I have one hundred nnd fifty dol
lars," she continued, without seeming
to notice, "the snvings of months and
the fruits of denials that men know
nothing of. That amount I will give
you lu nn hour a half hour If you
wish. But when you ask me for more
when you are willing even to accept
more, and In that way oh, Lee! Lee!
I would die for you, but I cannot do
that! Y'ou would not respect me If I
did."
And sinking to her sent again, slio
covered her face nnd sobbled bitterly.
"It's all very romantic, and sounds
large to talk of dying for a fellow. But
In my opinion It's a deuced sight bet
ter to prove your love If you have any
to prove by helping mo out of this
tight pinch that a miserable misfor
tune has got me Into. You can do It
you can do It Just as easy as to turn
your hand, nnd you ought. If you love
me, you will."
A silence fell there then a slleuce
broken only by the splash of the fouu
taiu, the chirp of the sparrows nnd the
whistle of the wind.
"Suppose I could do thnt, Lee," tho
girl said, lifting her face after n long,
long thought "suppose I could, nnd
you should fall to pay the sum when
due, what then?"
"1 shall not full; but If I do, Bluke'll
never push It. He'd never ask for it,
even."
"Aud you wish me," she said, rising,
nnd speaking very distinctly "you
wish me to believe that, nnd believing
it, to carry my pretty face iuto the
presence of my employer nnd ask him
to take it ns security for money to be
returned or uot returned as the case
may be?"
"You put it queerly. But such things
are done every day."
"And poor girls are sold every day to
tho devil;" she retorted, fiercely. "But
the girl who promised to be your wife
Is made of no such materia). Pure as
biiow she has preserved her life pure
ns snow she will preserve her acts. I
will go to Geoffrey Blake will hum
ble myself enough to do thnt nud I
will toll him the truth. Will you wait
here till I return?"
"You'd better not mnko a fool of
yourself," he said. Then, noting the
look on her face, he added: "You're
a good girl, Siollle. I'll wait here. But
you'll only make mutters worse by
puttiug me In."
She did uot answer. She only turned
and fled away toward the house she
had left so lately; and It seemed to her
she bad grown old a hundred years
since thou.
She gained her room' unnoticed, nnd
taking from her trunk a wntch with
her mother's monogram lu diamonds
on Its case, she hurried with It to the
well known house down tho street, and
to the private oftlce of tho firm.
Geoffrey Blake snt there alone when
she entered. He was a stately, well
built, well-bred gentleman, with clour,
brown, honest eyes, and soft, fine hnlr,
where one white hnud was; for Geof
frey Blake was thinking very earnest
ly; nnd It was not sirango that be
should start and flush when, without
warning, the object of his thoughts
entered and stood before hlni. -
Aud Alullle told her story from be
ginning to end told It with quivering
lips, and hiding her siiy, wet eyes un
der their pallid lids; and lier usteuer
won a great battle whou no refrained
from taking the poor little fluttering
thing to his heart. Just then and there
telling her how 1 mg nud how truly
be hud loved her, and begglug for his
reward.
He crushed back something that
seemed choking him a great lump
thnt would not lot him breathe or a
minute, then ho said:
"I honor you, Miss Ellet, as I honor
my mother's memory. For you, aud
for any dear to you, I would do any
thing!" He would uot hurt her by refusing
to keep tho watch "as security," aud
she could not see how tenderly he
kissed It before locking It lu the safe
In his desk fur she was standing by
Leland Forsyth, and looking him quiet
ly in the face, as she said:
"Here is the money, Lee. As for the
hnlf of It thnt was mine, I never wish
It aguln. Tho balance you will pay
some time. I must go now Good-by,
Lee!"
She meant somethlug more tliau uu
everyday good-by, nnd the young man
knew It.
He took eagerly the hand she extend
ed, and drew her a little nearer to him.
But she released herself presently, und
stood looklug at the spray of the fouu
taln, seeing only the splendor of a
dreurn, aud the vastnens of It all.
"It was a sweet, sweet life, but It U
over now," she snld, nn If talking to
her heart.
"Whaf Is over, Mollle?" asked For
syth. "Everything between you and me,"
she answered, lifting her eyes that had
only sorrow In them sorrow, nnd n
deep, drop pnln.
Forsyth's face blazed with nnger.
"So!" he hissed, seizing her by the
shoulder and pressing bis fingers hard
Into the tender flesh. "It means thnt,
does It? I might have known hotter
than lo have trusted n beautiful face.
But really, he got you cheap."
If Leland Forsyth could hnve had
his words back by the loss of his right
hand, he would hnve suffered thnt loss
glndly. Half-drunken though he was,
he knew thnt nothing could henceforth
bridge tho nwful gulf he himself had
fixed between his life nnd hers; nnd
tho knowledge took his strength away.
He snnk upon the basin's rim nnd
bowed his bend In his hands, shiverlug
from bond to feet.
She looked at him for a moment, the
"saint's scorn" on her face fading out,
nnd leaving only pity there. Then she
turned, nnd v ent through the sunshine
and the Blngliig of birds to her work,
that had In It now no hope of anything
fair nnd sweet no conleur de rose of
love no anything but the pence thnt
must go band-ln-hand with duty.
Six months later she redeemed her
wntch.
She lmd worked so hard to do this!
She had gone without the actual com
forts of life, thnt she might meet the
obligation when It became duerfor she
guessed rightly that no help would
come to her from Forsyth, and bIio had
grown thin nnd pale, nnd weak.
Geoffrey Blake had noted nil this,
but a seal was on his Hps. He could
not tell his love to the promised wlfo
of another, though It wrung his heart
to see the chnnges wrought by a few
brief months; and his voice was
choked with tears when he said:
"And when am I to congrntulute
Forsyth?" He did not say "you." He
could not be false to his convictions
even In so slight n thing; nnd he knew
thnt Mnry Kllet's marriage with For
syth would be, so far as she was con
cerned, no subject for congratulation.
"When he mnkes himself worthy the
love of a good woman's life!" she sold,
quietly.
"Do you mean " be began, eager
ly. "I mean that for six months I have
not seen him. I shall never see him
again! The old dream Is ended! Do
not mention It nny more; but do uot
blame him!"
Her voice was low and even; her
eyelids were drooped. She did not see
the man cover his face with his hands
to hid his Joy, nor the light there when
the hands had sought her own.
"Mollle!" he said, and something In
his voice assured her of what she was
to hoar. "Mollle!
'If It might be
Appointed unto me
God knows how sweet to me!
To plunge Into the sharp surprise
Of burning battles, blood nnd cries,
And face the bitterest lire for you.
And fight the deadly tight for two!'
I think I should be happier than any
other man on earth! I hnve loved you
a long time, Mollle, but I could uot say
so until now, becuuse you were uot
free, I thought. Look up, dear one, nnd
tell me I may make all your life
smooth and sweet henceforth! Look
up. and say you will bo my wife my
honored, worshiped wife?"
She did "look up" how could she
help it? and In an Instunt her bend
was hold close to the bosom that wns
to be Its refuge evermore, and her hap
py tears were falling like, the quick
rain outside; nnd all her life was
budded for Its blossoming; and a rain
bow spanned the heaven of her uew
born hope; and God hud not forgotten
to be gracious!
So she snld, when she grew quiet nnd
could talk nt all; aud her lover was
content.
There Is a new clerk in tho luce de
partment at Blake & Ilillimin's tu-dny.
aud somebody I shall never tell vou
who Is to be married to-night, lu "the
church around the corner." Saturday
.Mglll.
A UevMonmant la Stoning.
In the upper framework of a large
factory building now belug erected ou
the East Itiver somewhere in the For
ties there stands out a huge steel bin
or hopper which attracts the attention
of every curious passer-by. It looks
like an immense vat, and the proxim
ity of a number of breweries lends
many to believe that the uew structure
is to be another of them, nnd that the
Immense vat, set up at the top of the
building. Is concerned some wuy In the
brewing process.
As u matter of fact the building is
for ui: electric manufacturing coin
puuy. und tho big bin Is a new labor
saving e::perimeut designed to reduce
one-luilf tlie cost of operating the fac
tory's furuiices. The biu Is to hold
coal. Fuel will bo taken up to It ou
nn endless hucket-chnlu Just as grain
Is taken up Into n grain elevator, and
hen it will in u down through chutes
directly to the furnaces. Automatic
devices will manage the grates and
uxhos of the furnace, und It Is ex
pected that one man or, nt most, two
or three, will be nble to take care of
the tires. The usual corps of stoker
und ushmeu will be done uway witli.
New York Sun.
Cruelly, Thy Name U Mm!
IIo had cstublished her comfortubly
lu the sleeper, told her to be sure to
dreiis with suttlcleut wuruiih,.nud hud
In turn promised to see 'Willi hist own
eyes" that the dog was properly fed,
and that the plunts shdud not suffer
when the "all aboard" period was
reached.
It was to he her first visit to liei
loved ottett since she hud left them to
"love, houor and obey" the villain ol
this little poem without rhyme, sort ol
"sweet bells Jauglod" you see.
Furthermore, she had received hei
good-bye kiss, along with some advlct
as to any attoutiou "that loud-look'ug
drummer two seats ahead" might of
for, when she, lu her turn, followed till
her parting salute with:
"Now you'll be u good boy."
"Yes; If you don't stuy loo long,''
was his reply. Philadelphia Itecord.
UniUi- EUctrle I.IkIiI.
The growing of lettuce for salads le
spacious greenhouses with the nld ol
electric light Is already a profltabli
Industrial pursuit lu the United Slaw
near Chicago aud elsewhere.
HERDING WILD GEESE
N IMPORTANT OCCUPATION IN CAU.
IFORNIA'S CRAIN DISTRICT.
Hnni-hrr ry floomOierrin Forty Tiollnri
Month nnil Tliflr Bmrit and Furnltih
Them With Klflfin nnd Monnli-lloit
the Heritor l)o HI Work.
During early winter and spring wild
geese are so numerous In the grain
producing sections of California thnt
thoy must be driven from the grow
ing wheat. Consequently,' goose-herding
has there become an occupation as
distinct nnd Important ns hunting or
trapping.
The wild goose soouis nlways insati
ably hungry; or If It over has enough
to ent, It Is not nt such times seen by
man. Settling down In hordes, the big
birds will utterly ruin hundreds of
acres of young wheat lu n single night,
pulling some of the grain up by the
roots and destroying the rest by nib
bling. A goose's mouth is rough, with
ridges like n file; whatever It bites It
bruises and mashes; and goose-bitten
wheat Invnrlubly dies.
California has frequent fogs during
the winter, and while thoy lust the
geese are most troublesome. Being
themselves tumble lo see very for
through the fog. they take It for grant
ed that all others ore equally blind.
and they become very bold.
Settling down In flocks Dint look, lu
the dimness of tire fog, like vast grny
blankets, they go to work voraciously
While feeding thoy are not quite so
noisy ns in flight, but still thoy main
tain a conversational gabble that be
trays them to seekers.
Mounted on a sure-footed .horse that
will not stumble In soft plowed
ground, nnd armed with u repenting
rifle, the goosehord gallops swiftly
through the fog In the direction of the
gabbling geese. His mission Is to
frighten. Should he do no more than
kill a few of the flock, the remaining
thotisniulH would lie ns greedy ns ever
for the grain; but If ho frightens off
the flock entirely, he frees the field
from the pest for the rest of that sea
son. Goose Invariably move soulhwnrd
when disturbed, not to return till
spring, nnd then they fly high and in
too much haste to stop nnd rob the
fields.
As soon ns the herder spies I lie grent
blanket-like spot of goose on the
wheat, he spurs his horse and gallops
down upon them. It is not until the
flock has risen into the air that, he be
gins to fire; then h keef npn fusillade
ns long as they are lu sight.
To fire nt them while they ore ou
the ground would be dangerous, ns the
rltles used nre of such calibre nud
range that the bullet might ricochet,
or "skip-puck," along the eiirih, nnd
wound or kill human beings or domes
tic uuiiuuls n mile away.
Tin unties of the wild geese when
thoy huur the bullets whistling among
I hem are remarkable. Thoy dodge and
squawk and "bnck-wntor" wlili their
wings and "trend air" with their foot,
it ml do nil sorts of aerial gymnastics.
But they never got too badly scared to
follow tne old gander who "honks" to
t In-in. nnd leads thein off southward to
rob some other grain-field.
Goose-hording Is exciting you go nt
n gallop to set the geese moving; It Is
dangerous the horse may stumble
and full with you; and In the fog that
lies over those vast, fenceless Holds,
you can't toll whore you lire going,
and you may get lost and chilled to
death; or you may accidentally shoot
somebody, or be shot yourself by some
other goosehord.
When last I was in California, grain
ranchers paid gooseherils forty dollars
a mouth nud t licit' hoard, furnished
tlioiu with rifles, cartridges and
mounts, and thougln the work was
Well worth tho price.
On clear days gooso-herding is not
such bard work. The "Honk! bonk!
honk!" of the old gander In the lead
tells of the approach of a flock from
the norih. As they pass, overhead, one
goosehord after another salutes them.
until, thoroughly "rut l led," they not
; ily keep off the grain, but rising high
above the fusillade of riflolmlls, flap
their swift way at least a hundred
miles farther south.
When the wind is strong und steady
from tin. northwest and the day is
fair. Ii Is comparatively easy to "stir
up the geese" aud move llioin off
"down the wind," but In rainy went her
they stubbornly keep on flying up and
settling ou the wheat until literary
forced off. Perhaps this is because the
tender young wlieut, fresh und damp
with fog or rain, muy taste bet tor to
the geese I linn at oilier times.
The geese concerned 111 the mischief
tiro of several kinds. the big f'unn
illilll goose, l lie blunt and the arctic
goose, but the herders refer to them
as of iwo kinds only, "big gray bonk
ers' and "nasty little while goose."
In Cullfornlu there are some big
grain ranches. One lu Colusa County
is about twelve square miles lu nreu,
end embraces about seventy-five thou
sand acres. On that ranch during
some winters from .on lo twelve
Uiousinid dollar. have been spent for
hording wild geese off the grnlu. It
was the usual thing there to lay in n
supply of a quarter of a million rllle
curl ridges for the goosoherds, and the
owuor, Mil eminently practical and suc
cessful man, said that ho saved money
by the outlay.
Sometimes a hluck bank of clouds,
with high wind and heavy ruin, coiiioh
rolling In from the north. The whole
llrmunicut seems full of fliillerlug bits
of paper blown before the storm.
Thoy are wild geese fleeing southward.
Their noise of frightened squawk, gab
ble und honk Is so nlnrmUjg, that
horses and cuttle often take 'fright
from it, diisli agnliisl barbed-wire
fences, und are wounded ami maimed.
Dogs run about In exleienient and add
tlieir yelp lo the hubbub. Young clilll
dreu run to shelter, scroainlug with
terror at tho uoise uf the storm-drlvou
goose. At such times the birds appear
lu legion, nud seem to be us countless
us vast swurms of glials.
Northern California suffers most
fropi J he depredations or wild goose.
Hutilh of tho Sucrauiento Itlvev they
spread out over the San .loaqulii,
Tulare aud Kern valleys und do not
move lu such large flocks. In Kern
County they do much damage to alfal
fa clover. Awny down in southern
Cnllfotula they do not tarry long, but
hurry ou Into Mexico and doubtless
much farther south. W. w. Davis, lu
the Youth's Companion.
RATTLESNAKE BITES.
Chicago I'rofenitor Claims They Ar
Itarely Fatal.
Apropos of this srbjoct of rattle
snakes, tite roninrknblo statement may
be quoted, recently made by Professor
Edmund ,T. .Tamos, of the University of
Chlcngo. to the effect thnt death froln
rattlesnake bite Is n great rarity. He
has been working for twenty years,
he says, to obtain a well-nutlientlcnted
case of death from such n cause. Many
stories of people dying from rntlle
suake poison had boon found, upon In
vestigation, to be without, foundation.
One genuine ense discovered recently
In Georgia was considered by Profes
sor James suftieleiitly remarkable to
warrant him In obtaining n sworn af
fidavit to the fact from the attending
physician. Tin? ense wns that of a
ninn, a "snnke charmer," who was
bitten by n largo rattlesnake of the
variety known In the South ns tho
"diamond rattler." The man died from
paralysis of the heart caused by the
bite, nftor lingering In grent agony
for eighteen hours.
Referring to Professor James's state
ment. Dr. Monger says thnt his own
experience nnd thnt. of ninny of his
professional associates In Texas Indi
cates that death from rattlesnake bite
Is not so rare a tiling ns the Chicago
professor would have the world be
lieve. "Rattlesnakes." says Dr. Monger,
"nre not In all Instances deadly, do
ponding upon the parts injured, tho
amount of poison injected, suscepti
bility, etc. Often the snake's tooth
breaks off In striking, or It penetrates
thick clothing, the boot or shoe, "etc.,
before the fung roaches the flesh, nnd
in these-eases only painful nnd super
ficial wounds nre Inflicted, with per
haps only slight symptoms of the pois
on. When, though, the. poison fang
strikes n vital part, especially blood
vessels, the. poisoning symptoms are
at once nlormlug. and in most of these
Instances death generally occurs.
Fright, during the sudden meeting of a
rattlesnake, with the blood-curdling
"hiss" of Its rattles nnd the consequent
shock ttpou the nervous system, especi
ally the heart centres, undoubtedly has
also produced suddou death." Leslie's
Weekly.
CtffllOUS FACTS.
A peach tree in Kent County. Md.. Is
twenty-six Inches in diameter nt the
ground, nud has borne fruit for twenty-eight
years.
Libel onco meant any little book, but
ns ninny smnll tracts In the early days
of printing were personal nud offeu
slve in chnracter the word acquired
its present significance.
It has boon discovered that the na
tive African chiefs In tho diamond re
gions hnve grent quantities of valuable
diamonds which were accumulated
years ago. Thoy treasure them as
charms and are unwilling to sell thetu.
Probably the smallest monarch lu
the world reigns over the Hindu vas
sal state of Bhopnul, aud governs n
people of more than a million souls.
This dwarf is a woman, Djiliiiu-Beguni
by name, but although she Is about fif
ty years old, she does uot nppeur larg
er than a child of ten.
Various beautiful colors arc of ani
mal origin for exnmple, Indlnn-.vel-low.
which Is derived from the caniel.
Sopia is tlie Inky secretion of the cut
tlefish, carmine is derived from the
cochineal iusect, Prussian blue is ob
tained from homes' hoofs, and Ivory
black Is Hindi! by burning ivory chips.
Tho wonderful endurance of red
cedar was recently demonstrated nt
Bethlehem, Peun. That city hns the
oldest wilier system in tlie 1'nited
States. The original mains wore inudo
of cedar logs, aud In making repairs
some of these logs were taken up and
found to bo in n perfect state of preser
vation. Yerill' Advice to Voting Coiniior em.
Vordl bus loft lu bis will n legacy
of wise, and bore und there sarcastic,
musical advice to young composers:
"1 would have placed, so to speak,
one foot ou the past and the other ou
tlu future, because me music of tlie
future causes nie no ularni. I would
have said lo young disciples: Practice
the art of fugue constantly, stubborn
ly until your hand is sufficiently stroll.;
and free to bend tlie notes to your will.
Address yoursctr to composition Willi
conllih'ucc: see lo It that your pint
writing is good, that your modulations
are free from alTeclalioii. Study Pal
cstrliin and some of his contemporar
ies, thou pass ou to Murccllo, and pay
special attention to recitative. Go ami
hear a few performances of modern
works, but do Hot be dazzled by the
numberless harmonic ami iustruiueniiil
effects,' nor by the chord of the dimin
ished seventh, a danger, also the
refuge of those who cannot 'Without
Its aid compose four consecutive bars
of music. To these studies add strong
literary culture. Put your haud'ou
your heart, set your pen In motion,
and -grained uu artistic temperament
you will be a composer." London
Atheuaouiii.
Kufmeil the Crown of Spoilt
The ' remarkable romance of Elsie
I lousier. 1 lie Boston girl, who unified
Klug Ferdinand of Portugal, is re
culled by Ma del Percy Haskell, lu the
Ladies' Home .lotiriiul. At her mar
riage Miss Hciisle;- was created tho
Connies of Edln. and wilh her royal
husband took up her home, iu the beau
tiful Palace of Cintra. "Had she
wished It tlie Countess of Edln might
have been guecu of Spain, for King
Ferdinand declined the crown of Spain
lu ISilt. soon after his iiiarilage to the
bountiful American girl. "It was of
fered to him by General Prim aud
General Serrano, und both the King
and his lovely wife decided (hut their
quiet life so five from cures of state
wns Infinitely to be preferred to the
worry and fret of h great. European
Court. Ferdlmiud died In SNT, and
since then the Countess has lived lu
retirement lu the Puluce of Clntr.i.
She Is visited by members of the
present royal family and is greully
beloved by iliem, for thoy never can
forgot how line und good was hor ge,t
tie Influence ovir lite King, and thoy
shared his admiration for hor. She
is t routed as If she hud boon boru to
the ptirplo instead of far across the
sea.
THE SABBATH SCHOOL
International Lesson Comments For
March 24.
Subject: Jesus Crucified and Burled, Luke
xxlll., 35-M--Ooldea Text, I. Cor. xv., I -Memory
Verses, 46-47"Cominentsry
OB the Day's Lesson.
33. "Derided Him." The crowd mocked
Him from 0 till 12 o'clock. But there
were also friendly watchers at the crons
(John 19: 25-27). Jesus was not wholly
deserted in this sad hour. The women
Were last at the cross and first at the.
grave. The three Marys were there: Mary,
the mother of Jesus; Mary, the wife of
Cleopas, and Mary Magdalene, with sev
eral other friend (v. 40). "Pave Him
self." They thought that if Jesus were
the Messiah, surely He could deliver
Himself from the Bnman cross.
30. "Vinegar." It wa about the time
f( the mid-day meal of the soldiers, and
they in mockery offered Him their sour
wine to drink with them. The soldiers
pretend to treat Jesus as a king, to whom
the festive cup is preaentcd. The first
drink of vinegar and gall Jeaus refuned,
but this, unmixed with any drug, was ac
cepted. 88. "A superwription." The white tab
let nailed upon the crons, above the head
of the victim, to declare the crime for
which He wns crucified. It was a common
custom to affix a label to the cross Riving
a statement of the crime for which the
person suffered. "Was written." Pilnto
wrote this superscription evidently in dp
riaion. "King of the Jews." The words
are somewhat different in tho different
gospels, probably because Borne of the
writers copied from one language and some
from another. The truth was proclaimed
in jest; Jesus is in fact a "King with
many crowns." vl
30. "Roiled on Him." The two thieves
crucified with Him may have belonged to
the bond with Barabbas; they evidently
knew something about the Christ. One
mocked, tho other prayed.
40. "Dost thou not fear God?" What
ever the reckless crowd may do, thou art
near death; does this have no effect upon
you?
41. "We justly." He is a true peni
tent, confessing his sins. "Nothing
amiss." He may have beard and seen
much of Jesus at the trial. It is more
than likely that at various times he may
have joined the crowd where Jesus wag
speaking, and have known of Hia miracles.
42. "Lord." The very use of the word
implies faith. "Thy kingdom." Ho thus
recognized Christ as a real King. His
prayer shows that he believed that Jesus
was the Son ol God; that He had power to
save, and that they would continue to ex
ist in a future state.
43. "To-day." This waa the second say
ing of Christ on the crosa. This verse is a
strong proof of the immortality of the
soul. "Paradise." This is a word of Per
sian origin, denoting a beautiful park,
garden or orchard. It designates the
abode of the righteous in the unseen
world, the home of repose and joy beyond
the grave.
44. "The sixth hour" Noon. Christ's
third saying on the cross waa spoken just
before this to His mother and to John:
"Woman, behold thy Son." "Behold Thy
mother." John 10 : 28, 27. Jesua in the
midst of Hia sufferings waa thinking ot
others, and while on the cross made pro
vision for His mother. "Darkness." This
darkness continued three hours, from
noon till 3 o'clock. "Over the whole land"
(R. V.) Of Palestine. This darknesa was
typical of the morul blackness that filled
the land. During the darknesa occurred
Christ's fourth utterance op the cross:
"My (Sod, My God, whv hast Thou for
aaken Me?" Matt. 27: 48. The fifth say
ing was: "I thirst."
45. "The veil was rent." Tho great
veil of the temple that hung between the
IlolyPlaee and the Holv of Holies, forty
cubits (sixty feet) long, ond twenty (thirty
feet) wide, of the thickness of the palm
of the hand, and wrought in seventy-two
squares, which were joined together.
48. "With a loud voice." As it were
the triumphant note of a conqueror.
What He said first at this time is re
corded in John 10: 30, and wag His sixth
saying on the cross: "It is finished."
"Futher," etc. This was His seventh say
ing. "The word 'Father' shows that His
soul has recovered full serenity." Not
long before this when struggling in the
darkness He called to His "God;" now
the darkness is gone and He sees His
Father's face. "I commend My spirit."
I deposit My soul in Thy hands. Here is
another proof of the immortality of the
soul, ana of its separate existence after
death. "Gave up the ghost." Ho dis
missed the spirit. Ho Himself willingly
gave up that life which it was impossible
for man to take away; He thus became,
not a forced eucrifice, but a free-will offer
ing for sin.
47. "The centurion." The Roman offi
cer who had charge of the crucifixion.
"Glorified God." When he saw "what
was done" he acknowledged that God
Himself was showing His approval of
Jesus. "A righteous mon." An innocent
man. According to Matthew ho confessed
Jesus to be the Son of God.
48. "Smote their breasts." In token ol
alarm and penitence. They were to some
extent penitent for their actions. Awe
and consternation seized upon the Jews.
49. "All his acquaintance." They be
held him with the deepest sorrow ovet
their irrevocable loss, which wns not yet
softened by the joyful hope of the resur
rection. CO. "A councilor" (R. V.) That is, he
was a member of the Sanhedrin. He was
also a rich man.
61. "Ilud not consented." He had
either voted against their action in the
council, or, what is far more probable
had absented himself and taken no part
in the proceedings. "Arimathaea." Some
identify this with Rama in Benjamin, or
.ma!n KPn"m, the birthplace of Sam
uel. Ihe form of the name is more like
the latter. "Himself waited " w ... .
secret disciple (John 19: 38), and "waited
for the manifestation of the Messiah's
kingdom.
62. "Went to Pllnt. " rr .. n.i.n
t,y'j iT ok Kreat courage to do this. He
had been a secret disciple and afraid of
public sentiment, but he is fearless now.
1 regard Josenh a nn i .i n...
characters referred to in the New Testa
ment; he befriended Christ in this hour of
f . b d"." hen even the disciple,
forsook Him and fled.
63. "Ho took it iWn " t i.
, , . . . -- uubi; in was as-
asted by Nieodemus (John 10: 39 421
they wrapped the body in linen with
apices, and placed it in a new sepulchre,
lu a garden near by Calvary, jsa. 53 9
Lloanses liaud to Children.
Nearly twelve hundred boys and
girls are licensed by the city council o.'
Liverpool to sell matches, newspapers,
bootlaces, etc., upon the streets. Be
fore the licenses are granted consent
must be obtained of parents and guard
ians, as well as of the local school of
ficials. The age limit for girls Is from
eleven to sixteen years, and for boys
from eleven to fourteen years. No child
Is allowed to peddle In the streets ar
ter 9 o'clock lu the evening. All must
be decently clad and free from physical
defects. No business must be done dur
ing school hours.
- framing the frioaa.
"The ways of the female shopper are
beyond the ordinary salesman's ken,"
said a disgusted optician, who Is in
business In the shopplug district of the
city. "A woman came In bere the
other day and asked the prices of all
hinds aud styles of spectacles and eye
glasses known to those In the trade.
Finally, after a half hours' quisling,
she rustled out with the remark:
'Thank you. 1 expect to receive a pair
of glasses for a birthday present, an 1
I Just wanted to know about the price
of tfcsio ' "
EPW0RTH LEAGUE MEETING TOPICS.
March 24-What I Owe to Christ." 2 Cr.
vllL, ; I Peter II., 21-25.
Study the Great Sacrifice of Christ
For Us.
When all power, wealth and greatness,
earthly and divine, were his he consent
ed to lead a life of poverty, not merely
lor the world in general, but for you.
In the incarnation Christ laid aside the
riches which he had with the Father,
subjected himself to hitman limitations,
became conscious of human dependence
and need, underwent suffering and want,
and allowed himself to be tested in all
points like as we are (Read Hcb. ii.
14-18; v. 7-9). He did not "take hold
i.poti the nature of angels," because it
was men lie came to redeem. In spite
of all man's weakness and sin he w.is
pot ashamed to call him brother. Med
itate upon the greatness of this sacrifice
and sec if you can grasp it. What does
it mean?
Study the Rcncfits We Have Deried
Itoiii This Sacrifice.
"That ye through his poverty might
become rich." How has Jesus enrich
ed all life, as far as the human mind ca'i
understand God? Jesus represents him
for us. He shows us what truth, beau
ty, love, sympathy, and brotherhood
.ire, and what they can accomplish. In
the effort to develop industry, art. lov.?,
liberty and all that man holds dearest
the nineteenth century has been a great
advance over every other century, main
ly because Jesus has been the inspira
tion of these things as in no other era.
He has turned us from wickedness
into holiness. "Ye were as sheep go
ing astray." A striking picture of the
ignorant, innocent lamb, wandering aim
lessly about, not knowing whither its
wav led, brought into the comfortable
fold. So Jesus has drawn us back, has
saved us by his death, and has pointed
us to the heavenly fold.
Who can tell what we owe Jesus?
Certainly, we owe him our love. What
does that mean? Pharaoh's daughter
found Moses, and took him to her pal
ace, but his mother consented to become
a hireling to take wages for nursing her
own child, because she loved him. So
love can deny itself and take up the
cross. The great question underlying
all service is a question of love, of heart
devotion. Should we not show our
gratitude to Jesus by a love which will
gladly serve him?
"God is love; his purpose is love. He
sent his Son to seek and to save his lost.
Why? Bccaue lie grieves over human
sin and pities human misery. And
therefore to remedy evil, to strive fot
good not to neglect the little daily
duties and bcnificcnces of life, the gra
cious acts, the tender courtesies, the tol
erant appreciations, the public magnan
imities, the social efforts, the rational
aims of a nobler manhood, either in sel
fish absorption in the effort to save out
own souls or in fury against others be
cause they will not save their souls in
our way in one word, to love God and
our neighbor, and to love one another as
he gave us commandment this is to
live as Christ lived on earth."
CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR TOPICS.
March 24-"Wiut I Owe to Christ" 2 Cor.
vllL, 9; I Peter II., 21-24.
Scripture Verses. Ps. vi. 5; xviii. 49
xxii 22, 25; xxx. 4, 12; xxxv. 18; xlviii.
1; lxiii. 3; ixv. 1; lxxv. 1; c. 1; ciii. 5;
Matt. xi. 25; Mark viii, 6; Rom. i. 8; I
Cor. i. 4.
Lesson Thoughts.
All of God's gifts to us, even the su
preme gift of his only and well beloved
Sou, arc freely given; he requires no re
turn from us, and will accept none that
is not prompted alone by loving grati
tude. Without the spirit of Christ bchinJ
them the world would have none of the
blessings ot charitable, educational, or
social reform institutions. Though the
world often refuses to acknowledge it,
we can not fail to recognize our debt to
God for these benefits.
Selections.
Ah, Lord, how carelessly we go I
Unmindful of thee quite,
Using each gracious gift as though
It were our own by right.
Yea, and with thankless murmuring
For other boons denied,
Despising many a precious thing
In blind and reckless oridc.
Give us, O thou whose gifts are free,
The grace to heed thy call.
That in thy gifts we may find thee,
ine sweetest gilt of all.
All we have we owe to God. and e
are dishonest if we avoid paying our
debts in order that wc may selfishly en
joy what really belongs to another. A
defaulting bank cashier is no more dis
honest than miserly, selfish professors of
Christianity.
.inzendorff once saw the mcture .ril
Christ crucified hanging on the wall of
a hotel parlor, and he wrote these words
above the picture: "This I did for thee";
and beneath, "What wilt thou do for
rnc?" The family had been careless
ibout religion, but thev were so deeDiv
impressed by this that they resolved to
begin a new lite, and when Zinzcndorff
came again they thanked him, as the in
urnment in tne hand ot God, for their
conversion.
RAM'S HORN BLASTS.
-OtJy I harmless sins,
j & - Deceit nt last de
ceives itself.
Crookedness can
not be consecrat
ed. A double minded
man is but halt
wit; e.l.
A troubled con
science makes a
(iV-E? ' hard pillow.
1 ' "Measure, for me
asure" applies to legislatures.
Tact is not policy.
He who Injures bis brother draws his
own blosd.
Tho social card table Is the col'es
of gambling.
The yoke of Chrtst U made for two
Himself and you.
God's showers can bring no blesslnj
to seedless sail.
One can do what he cannot do If bt
does what ! fan.
There Is more puliv In practicing
brotherhood than In preaching aJut
It.
If Cod gives yon ha id taHs be proud
thai He has so nnr-'ti confUence lo
you.
With scmie life is a scheme of cheat
ing lhe Lord and death of cheating the
devil.
The church ran not save the w:irld
as long as she deoends on the suppoit
of the world.
It U not wise to cut down the this
tles lu such a way as to scatter the
seeds. .