"NOTHING USELESS IS OR LOW.
No pitted toad behind a atone
I But hoards lomt aecret grace,
! The meaneat alug with midnight gone
Has left a silver trace.
A
f
No dulleat eyes, to beauty blind,
Uplifted to the beaat
But prove aome kin with angel kind,
Though lowliest and leaat.
Ralph Hodgson.
THE
i:h"Second's"LoveAffaird:i
A h ttltlll 2 A
. By Bernard Masters,
I M i M
Ransomn ramn up to me when wo
were two days out of port with a
look of suppressed excitement on his
face.
"I say, Ned," ho began, "have you
een that pretty girl the skipper has
under his charge? She's a regular
tunneiu. Fair hair, sky blue eyes,
pearly teeth and a complexion
like "
I stopped him there. Dick simply
couldn't help falling In love with
every pretty woman he saw.
Dick was second officer of the Al
lahbad, and I was the first. He was
tall, slim and good-looking, and, to
own the truth, the girls were as bad
over him as he was over them.
Wo were bound for Australia, and
during the first few days of the voy
age I noticed, and, in fact, I wonder
everybody didn't notice, the open
manner those two young beggars
flirted at every opportunity. The
kipper noticed it, I know; but he
didn't care, for he had a beautiful
way of relieving himself of all re
sponsibility. He would come to me
and say: "Now, Mr. Grey, I place this
matter In your hands. You must see
it Is done correctly. I leave It en
tirely to your care."
Then, If anyone bothered him about
It, be would simply observe:
"Oh! you must see my first officer.
He has the matter in hand. I have
nothing to do with It," and, in conse
quence, I had some lively times.
We were about half way through
Suez when one morning the skipper
came to me as I was taking my watch
on the bridge.
"I wish to place the young lady.
Miss Desmond, under your charge,"
he began, "and, as I have other
things to attend to, I wish you to
look after her until we arrive at Mel
bourne, when she will be met by her
future husband, Mr. Goldwln. I no
tice young Rausome,' the second,
spends much of his spare time with
her. Please Bee to it, Mr. Grey. I
leave the affair entirely In your
hands."
Then, after asking one or two
questions abont tho business of the
ship, he left me.
As soon as my watch was over I
determined to seek out both Dick
and Miss Desmond (Alice her name
was), and tell them straight the way
that they were going on would have
to be stopped.
It was fast growing dusk when I
left the bridge, and just as I passed
a shaded corner of the deck-house I
heard voices. I didn't mean to stop
and listen, but I recognized Dick's
voice and turned to speak to him.
There they both sat, with their arms
around each other's necks, like any
boy and girl, and kissing each other.
"It is almost too good to be true,
darling," Dick was saying. "We'll
be married when we get to Mel
bourne. You do love me, don't you,
dear?"
The girl gave a very satisfactory
answer from Dick's point of view,
and I stepped forward.
"And what about Mr. Goldwln?" I
exclaimed. "Aren't you both
ashamed of yourselves?"
They both started up and ejacu
lated: "Hang Mr. Goldwlu!" At least
Dick did, and the girl thought It If
she didn't say it.
"Now, look here," I continued;
"this sort of thing will have to stop,
or I will have you, Dick, clapped in
Irons." The girl gave a startled cry
of fear at this, and, I believe, put her
arm around Dick: but the light was
bad. I continued, grimly: "And I
shall have you, mist,, confined to your
cabin."
"Look here," began Dick.
"The skipper," I added, "has placed
this matter entirely in my hands, as
per usual, and I have to take what
steps I like. You are now in my
charge, Miss Desmond," and I looked
grim and savage. The next moment
they both jumped ut me.
"Good, old Ned!" cried Dick, In a
stentorian whisper; "now wo shall be
all right."
"Oh, you dear Mr. First," ex
claimed the girl, nearly hugging mo
"You will help us, won't you?"
I Intimated to thom both that
certainly should not help them to
make fools of themselves; and I tried
A I- ' . .
iu ue very severe, anu said many
nasty things of love and lovers In
general for which, I regret to say,
tney dldn t Beem to care a bit.
!' . , , a
no weio a any out 01 Aden when
I wout below and found Dick sitting
In our cabin with his hands thrust
deep Into his pockets, and looking as
pleased as if he had lost a sovereign
and found a co-op. check instead.
"What's up?" 1 asked. "You do
look pleased.
"Pleased!" he exclaimed, Bavagely;
"I am pleased. Haven't I a perfect
right and just cause to be pleased?
Am I not engaged to the best and
sweetest girl in tho world? And
and oh, hang it, Ned! you might
help a fellow."
"Yes, I know I might," I answered.
"I might help you to collar another
chap's girl, but I won't. I am
ashamed of you, Dick. She, being a
woman, can't help being fickle, I sup
pose. But you well, I didn't think
you'd do It. Just think of the other
chap waiting in Melbourne for the
girl he loves. Perhaps he's been
laving for yoars to make a home for
her, and now you go and "
"Oh, stow it!" growled Dick.
"Slaving to mako a home for her, in
deed! Why, the beggar's a million
aire. Alice had only seen the man
once in her life, and that whes she
was a girl of fifteen. You see, It is
some daft, fat-headed family arrange
ment. Her futher is a mean, grasp
ing Yorkshire manufacturer, whu
thinks money Is the axle of the uni
verse. He couldn't even spare Urns
from his money-grubbing to bring
his daughter out himself, but sends
her alone to meet this Mr. Goldwln,
a man of over forty 'ears of age. It's
abominable! Wh Isn't there a
blessed parson on the ship! We'd be
married straight away."
After I had thought over the mat
ter a bit and got a few more particu
lars from Dick, It came to my mind
that the matter was a very unfair
one, and I determined to give these
two youngsters what help I could.
"Are you sure you are quite serious
this time, Dick?" I asked. "Serious!"
he cried. "Ned, old chap, I can't tell
you, nor even Alice herself, how
much I love her."
It's a funny thing," he added,
"but If she were as ugly as sin I
should love her just the same. I
have told her all about myself."
I am glad of that," I answered.
"I am sure she would be pleased to
hear about your lovo affair with the
harbormaster's daughter at Brlndlsl
and the little Spanish girl at Malta
and that almond-oyed Japaneso girl
you were going to marry."
I'm not quite so Idiotic," replied
Dick.
And she s told you how many
times she's been engaged, and how
many chaps have kissed her besides
raut" I asked.
"She!" exclaimed Dick, with with
ering scorn. "You you idiot, she's
an angel! And, If you cannot think
of anything else but abuse you had
better shut up," and he rose to leave
the cabin.
Stop!" said I. "I have one little
suggestion to make. Directly we ar
rive In Aden I will give you leave
to go ashore. Procure a special 11
cense, get married at once, and then
why, then Mr. Millionaire Goldwln
can go and hang himself."
"Ned, you're a brick!" said Dick
wringing my hand. "I knew you'd
see us through. I ll go and tell
Alice."
A little later on I was on deck
taking an altitude when Miss Des
mond came up to me.
"I think you are a perfect dear,
Mr. 'First," she exclaimed. "And next
to Dick I love you better than any one
In the world. It Is good of you to
promise to help us."
I was not in a particular good
Humor just tnen. Trying to get a
correct altltnde with your sea horizon
In a strong haze is no joke, especially
when some one is talking twaddle to
you at the samo time, and I hinted
as much to her.
"Yes, I am going to help you two
to make tools of yourself, I an
swered. "You thank me now, but
after twelve months of cat-and-dog
married life, you won't thank me, I'll
be bound. Dick has an awful tem
per, and I should say yours Is Just as
bad."
"Well, I think you are very hor
rid," replied the girl, "and I don't
like you one little bit, so there."
Then she tossed up her head and
started to valk away; but swung
round again, and stamping her foot,
she exclaimed:
"I've not got a nasty temper, and
I think you're a poor sailor, and I
don't think you know anything about
ships and things at all, so there!"
That's the way In life. Make up
your mind to help people, and they
will ever afterward be your enemies.
Directly we arrived at Aden I
packed Dick off ashore to procure a
license, and sent Alice with him.
Then I went to the skipper and told
him how matterB stood.
He took the affair as I knew he
would, and hardly seemed surprised.
"Well, It has nothing to do with
me, Mr. Grey," said he. "You have
the affair in hand and must do as you
think best in the matter."
At this moment I observed a man
hurrying along the quay In the di
rection of the ship. Ho was a great,
big, florid-faced man, dresBed in white
ducks and a large Panama hat on
his head. He crossed tho gangway
In short, nervous strides and seemed
in a state of suppressed excitement.
"This Is the Desmond, I believe,"
he began. "I mean the er Alice,
that's to say the Allahbad, of course,
to bo Bure; how absurd of me. You're
the captain, I believe," turning to
me.
I disclaimed the honor, and pointed
out the skipper, while a strange mis
giving came over me.
"Oh, how do you do, captain," he
began. "Pleased to meet you. My
name's Goldwln. I'm from Mel
bourne, don't you know. Couldn't
wait. Thought I'd come and join
the ship here. By Jove, Isn't It cold
I mean hot?" And, removing his
hat, he violently mopped his brow.
Save us Goldwln! What a mess!
I felt like hooking it ashore myself.
I can tell you, but the next moment
the captain's words cooked my goose
for me.
"Pleased to meet you, air," began
the Bklpper, rather awkwardly. "We
didn't expect you Just yet. You've
come to meet Miss Desmond, a very
charming young lady. She's under
the care of my first officer. Mr. Grey.
Mr. Grey, kindly step this way. This
gentleman has the matter in his
hands; I have nothing to do with it
whatever. Please talk to him about
It. Borry I must leave you now. Af
ralrs of the ship, you know. Good
day, sir."
Then he left us, left me standing
there like a stuffed doll, and wishing
tor what 1 had never wished before
or sluce a violent shipwreck.
After sU.ndlug thore looking at
each other lu silence for what seemed
to me several hours, I ventured to
remark that It was a very fine day,
to which my companion responded,
und the enthusiastic way he agreed
with my reiuutk gave me the com
forting assurance that he felt as ner
vous us I did. In lact, he said it was
the finest day he had ever seen in his
life.
Then I inquired if he bad ever
visited Aden before, and he solemnly
assured me ho never nad except on
the occasions when he had chanced to
be there. I could see the man was
terribly embarrassed, and wore a very
worried look on his face.
"Miss Desmond has gone rshore,"
I blurted out.
"Oh. she has!" he exclaimed, with
what sounded like a sigh of relief.
"She's gone with the second offi
cer," I added, determined to get tho
matter out as soon as possible.
As I spoke the worried look faded
away and ho was positively smiling
all over his genlal-looklng face.
"Ah, Indeed! The second officer,
you say? I always liked second offi
cers, Mr. Grey. Shake hands, sir.
You should encourage that young
man, Mr. Grey; I am sure he will ho
a credit to his profession."
And as he shook my handllke a
pump handle I wondered whether he
was mad or I.
"Have a cigar?" he exclaimed.
"Can always talk better when smok
ing. Look here, shall we go ashore
and have a drink?"
I couldn't leave the ship, but took
him Into my cabin and gave him a
drink and had one myself. I folt I
needed It.
"Now, Mr. Grey," he Megan, "I
want your help. You, of course,
know all about Miss Desmond and
myself, and all that sort of thing.
Well, I'm already married. Now,
then, It's out, thank heaven, and I
can talk like a rational being.".
I gasped with astonishment and
relief, but said nothing.
"Yes," he continued, "married a
year ago. Married my typewriter
girl, but daren't write home and let
'em know. You see, I've only seen
MIbb Desmond onco In my life. All
a silly. Idiotic family arrangement.
Her father Is rather a poor sort ot
chap. Worships money and all that
sort of thing. But look here, Mr.
Grey, I'm prr pared to compensate the
young lady tj any amount."
"You needn't worry another min
ute," I cried. "Miss Desmond and
my chum, Dick Ransome, tho second,
havo fallen violently In love at sight,
and he 1b oft Just now to procure a
special license to bo married."
"Bless you, my dear sir, bless you,1,
he exclaimed, and gulped my drink
down in mistake for his own. "And
here have I been for dayB and week?
In a perfect stew."
Then the absurdity of the whole
business struck us and we both
leaned back and laughed till the tears
came to our eyes; and It was thus
Dick .found us as he came blundering
Into the cabin with the license In his
hand a few minutes later.
Well, I needn't tell you any more.
Matters were explained to Alice and
Dick, greatly to their overwhelming
Joy, I can assure you. Mr. Goldwln
wanted them to wait and get married
at Melbourne, which they did. Ha
presented thom with a check for a
thousand pounds to start with and
mado me accept a very substantial
check for the finger I had had In the
pie.
I have since been a frequent visitor
at Mr. and Mrs. Dick Ransome's
home, and I am glad to say they have
no more quarrels than the generality
of married folks. Pearson Weekly.
NATURE the ARTIST I
1
Corn OH.
Within comparatively few years a
considerable Industry has been devel
oped In extracting oil from corn and
placing it on the market. In answer
to a question from a subscriber who
wishes to know to what extent oil is
extracted from corn and sold for com
mercial purposes, it may be stated
that 3,000,000 gallons to 5,000,000
gallons represent the annual product.
Corn oil Is used to some extent for
culinary purposes, is manufactured
into a substitute for India rubber, Is
used us a lubricating oil and in the
mixing of paints. The last Federal
census report contains the statement
that seventy-five per cent, or eighty
per cent, of the amount of oil manu
factured in this country is exported.
Writing us Bpeclflcally on this sub
ject, C. P. Hartley, In charge of corn
Investigations, Department of Agri
culture at Washington, says for the
year 1906 the exports of corn oil
reached a value of $1,172,206. The
exports in the fiscal year 1905 were
3,108.917 gallons, valued at a little
less than $900,000. In 1904. the
business was about the same propor
tions. In 1903 there was exported
from tho United States a total of
3,778,000 gallons of corn oil, valued
at $1,467,493. Orange Judd Farmer.
She Paints the Peacock and (IS
Leopard Not For Art's Sake
A Wonderful Fruit.
The Pensacola News contains an
Item about a wonderful fruit which
has been discovered in Africa. We
should be Inclined to think It a crea
tion of some reporter who had an
ambition to rival Baron Munchausen,
if we had not seen an account of the
same fruit In the travels of some
African explorer, whose name we do
not remember at this time. Accord
ing to his statement, it was a very
useful fruit at tlmeB, enabling them
to eat bout fruit which otherwise they
could not swallow. It is also Inter
esting as showing what strange fruits
are yet unknown to civilized na
tions. A wonderful fruit has been found
In the neighborhood ot the coast of
the Gulf of Guinea, In Africa. It has
the power, says a reporter, to
"change tho flavor of the most acid
substance Into a delicious sweetness. "
An official has found it effective after
a dose ot quinine, and adds that "It
a lemon be sucked within two or
three hours of eating one of the
frulta Its acid flavor Is entirely coun
teracted." The fruit resembles a
small plum, with the seed Invested
In a thin, soft pulp, wherein Ilea the
peculiar sweetening property.
Where Gems Are Plentiful.
"When a Kansas farmer loses a
diamond be sends his chauffeur to
town In a sixty horse-power automo
bile and has his loss reported to the
police," says tho Birmingham Age
Herald. Dou't believe It; he simply
goes out to tin' barn and picks out
another diamond from the pile.
Washington Herald.
For rushing onto a railway track
to save his daughter from being
crushed beneath a freight train, a
man at Dunslg, Germany, was prose
cuted for trespass by the railway .u
thorltiei and fined.
It Is probable that tho ancestors of
the peacock were completely clothed
In dull-colored feathers. Just as are
certain species of grouse and turkey
at tho present day. But nature willed
that the peacock should become of all
birds the most magnificent. Thus, In
the second and third feathers of tho
series we can traco dimly a small col
ored spot In the centre of each. This
spot Is the commencement of the eye
spot, and If we continue to pass the
feathers In review, we see this spot
grow larger and more brilliant. Tho
colors settle themselves, as It were.
Into rings, the feather itself Increas
ing In size with every Improvement
until, by closely linked stages, each
of which Is represented by an actual
feather In the peacock's train, the
triumph of the perfect eye-spot is
reached.
Now If, as seems highly probable,
we have Just been treated toa glimpse
of the Innumerable stages of gradual
Improvement through which this
wonderful ornament was brought to
perfection, we are Justified In assert
ing that tho eye-spot is far from be
ing a thing of chance. It Is obviously
the outcome of Intention. Some mys
terious power has been constantly at
work, age after age, with the definite
object, of producing a thing of superb
beauty. So far as our present knowl
edge enables us to Judge, this power
consists In what we may call the In
nerent tendency to vary which Is
evinced by all living things. This Is
as It were, tho motive force, but It Is
harnessed, restrained and driven
along a definite channel by what Dar
win called "natural selection."
So much for the production of the
peacock's eye-spot; nor is there any
reason for doubt that the other re
currences of the eye-spot in nature
are all the outcome of a similar evo
lutionary process. For, be it noted,
the distinction of tha ocellus does not
belong only to birds. The mark la
present In a crude form on the hides
of certain mammals, such as the ja
guar, the leopard and the ocelot. Two
or three kinds of fish also show it.
The North American eared sunflsh,
for instance, has In the breeding sea
son a beautiful and very perfect eye
spot just where one would expect to
find the ear of a higher animal. It
Is from this mark that the fish takes
Its popular name. Further, among
Insects, especially among certain
groupB of butterflies and moths, the
eye-spot Is extremely common; while
It Is again recognizable on several
shells of the pretty cowrie group.
In every case of Its recurrence the
eye-spot Is not solely a thing of beau
ty, but It also has some definite and
utilitarian connection with the life
histories of those creatures which
possess It.
Take first tho mammals. It may
be said at once that the crude eye
markings on tho hides of these big
cats are certainly protective. To those
who know the leopard and the Jaguar
only as captives In zoological collec
tion this may not bo obvious. But all
hunters and naturalists who have ob
served theBe creatures at home In for
est or junglo agree that the eye-spots
resemble closely patches of shade and
sunlight, cast upon the ground
through a screen of foliage. It only
remains to be said that the jaguar
and the leopard are both frequenters
of forest land, and the protective
value of their spotted hides becomes
obvious. Moreover, besides hiding
them from possible enemies, the eye
spots are of assistance to these beasts
when they are lying in wait for their
prey. Among the branches of a tree
the jaguar Is unobserved by Its vic
tim, which wanders unsuspectingly to
Its doom.
With birds there can be little
doubt that the eye-spot is an orna
ment pure and simple, albeit an orna
ment with a very definite use. It
bears a most Important part in bird
courtship. Birds are particularly
punctilious in all matters In connec
tion with love-making, and It Is Inva
riably the male who makes the first
advances. The female, especially lu
the case of species where the male Is
resplendontly colored. Is genorally
:oy and watchful. She makes It
clear to her suitor that she will not
turrendor her liberty at once, and the
Leock bird must make UBe of all the
rnurms wun wnicn nature nas en
dowed him ere he may possess him
self of his bride. Indeed, It may be
laid that as a general rule the most
gorgeous and sprightly cock will find
the least difficulty In providing him
self with a hen. These facts doubt
less account lu great measure for the
brilliant colors and extraordinary or
naments which are so often tho ex
clusive characteristic of cock birds.
They account, also, tor tho eye-spot,
which Is borne only by the male birds
and discarded by them at the molt
which succeeds the breeding season.
Those who have watched peafowl at
the period of their courting will know
well what an Important part is played
by tho wonderful tall of eye-spotted
feathers. The peacock struts and
dances before the indifferent hen, and
manifests an absorbing desire to buow
himself off to the best possible advan
tage. The peacock pheasant from Ceylon
is said to make use ot its eye-spots to
attract a mate lumucb the same man
ner. Moreover, in this Instance the
eye-spots constitute the only orna
meuts possessed by the bird the
groundwork ot the feathers being a
uniform mottled brown, upon which
th colored eye-spots stand out con
spicuously. The recurrence of the eye-spot upon
several fishes has probably the same
significance as in the jase of birds.
The males of many fishes assume bril
liant colors for the breeding season,
hai.i the ocelli are probably a highly
specialised form of ornament pro
duced with a like object. The facts
that the eye-spots are small, or en
tirely absent, iu the case of the fe
males, and that thoy appear upon the
males only during tho breeding sea
son, lend strong suppuit to this the
ory. The eye-spots which are so com
monly seen upon certain kinds oi In
aects ure particularly interesting, in
the case of certain kinds of caterpil
lars and beetles there Is little doubt
that they are protective rendering
their possessors terrifying In the eyes
of possible enemies. This theory is
materially strengthened by the fact
that such Insects usually have some
trick or device at their disposal, by
means of which tho eye-spots become
more obvious and striking when dan
ger threatens. Bates, for example,
mentions a case In which a South
American caterpillar startled every
one to whom it was shown by Its
snake-like appearance an aspect, do
pendent almost entirely upon Its pos
session of eye-like markings, coupled
with the peculiar pose of Its body
when at rest. The same Is the esse
with certain Old World hawk moth
larvae belonging to the family Chaer
ocampedae. Several species which
possess eye-spots upon the anterior
segments of the body have a habit of
withdrawing tho head and flrst three
body segments Into the fourth nnd
fifth segments when alarmed. The
front portion of tho body Is thus ab
normally swollen, looking like the
head of an animal, and upon It enor
mous, terrible looking eyes arc prom
inent. The effect Is greatly height
ened by the suddenness of the trans
formation nn Innocent nnd incon
spicuous . nnlmal being suddenly
turned Into what appears to be an
awful monster. These caterpillar?
are, of course, perfectly harmless, but
as they are sufficiently snake-like to
startle human beings. It Is not un
reasonable to suppose that birds and
other Insectivorous creatures are of
ten equally alarmed, and pass on
their way without molesting what
they judge to be some dangerous rep
tile. The fact that the eye-spots of these
caterpillars do not, as a rule, attract
especial notice while the Insects are
quietly feeding will bear emphasiz
ing. But as soon as the "terrifying
attltudo" Is assumed In response to a
danger signal, the eye-spots owing
to the swelling of the body segments
become enormous and prominent.
Very striking eye-spots are seen
upon the thoraces of beetles belong
ing to the Central American genus
Alaus. These ocelli are delineated
actually upon the hard Integument
and cannot therefore be really more
prominent at one time than another.
Yet their power to terrify is much
heightened when the beetle assumes
the attitude with which It Is accus
tomed to respond to signs of danger.
It belongs to the great "click beetle"
family, and has the power of hurling
itself Into the air when frightened,
and falling to the ground with legs
and antennae tucked tightly beneath
it. In this position it will remain,
seeming to feign death, for an indefi
nite period.
When surprised by a hungry bird
then the beetle not only hurls itself
out of Immediate danger, but prepares
a surprise for Its enemy In the event
of pursuit and discovery. For, with
Its legs and antennae tucked out of
sight, It has all the appearance of a
dangerous und uncanny looking rep
tile, and the hungry but now thor
oughly disconcerted bird turns away
In search of some more appetizing ob
ject. Then the beetle, after waiting
a few seconds to mako sure that tho
bird has really decamped, puts out Its
feet and feelers and goes merrily
about Its business. Its strange eye
spots have been Its salvation.
By far the most numerous recur
rences of the eye-spot In the insect
world are seen, upon the wings of but
terflies and moths. In some Instances
the distinctive mark Is small and oft
repeated; In others It Is large, soli
tary and staring. Moreover, the color
and "make-up" vary as much as the
size, the most curious variety being
tho eye-spot with t perfectly trann
parent centre, which looks Just as
though a small piece of glass or mica
had been let Into the Insect's wing.
Now, such very striking and com
plicated markings cannot have be
come characteristic of large families
of butterflies and moths without some
Important meaning attaching to tho
circumstance, and It has been sug
gested as possible that the "eye"
possesses some protective value In
that It would be likely to attract
birds as a point at which to strike.
If a bird, when In chase of a butter
fly or moth, were to pierce one of Its
eye-spots, little damage would be
done to tho insect, which would gain
time to evade Its pursuer. On tho
other hand, the fate ot an Insect
would be sealed It a bird onco struck
and injured its body. This sugges
tion was flrst made by Darwin.
Scientific American.
DEACON HKORIE.
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL,
How Tom C'orwln Got an Education.
His father felt that he was too
poor to make a scholar of more than
one child of his largo family, and so
thu older brother, Matthias, was kept
at school and Thomas placed at bard
work on the farm.
The breaking of a leg proved a
happy Incident In the life ot the boy,
as the enforced confinement gave him
time for devotion to his beloved
books, and he committed a Latin
grammar to memory. Upon his re
covery he again Importuned his
father to Bend him to school, and,
meeting a refusal, deliberately broke
his leg the second time, that he might
have more leisure for study. His
heroic determination to learn result
ed In his being placed in the same
institution attended by his brother,
where uIb natural ability and great
Industry gathered a thorough knowl
edge of the best English literature
and a fair acquaintance with the
Latin classics. Ohio Magatlne.
The Original of in Joky II ami Mr.
Hyde.
Deacon V -odle, whoso singular
story Is said to have Inspired Stev
enson with the Immortal tale of Dr.
Jekyll and Mr. Hydo. was a substan
tial wrlght and cabinet maker In the
Lawnmarket ot Edinburgh. He was
a burgess and Guild Brother of his
native town, and so high did he stand
In the estimation of his fellow-craftsmen
that for four yearB they elected
him a member of the Town Council
as Deacon of the Incorporation ol
Wrights. Success In public life helped
the Deacon In his business as s
wrlght, and few men appearod tc
have less ground to quarrel with the
conventional conception of meum and
tuum. Nevertheless tho Deacon wan
always In want of money. Ho was
an Inveterate gamester, a gay and
much Involved bachelor, and he had
a passion for the fashionable sport
of cock fighting. All this brought
the respected burgess Into bad com
pany, particularly at a certain disrep
utable tavern In the Fleshmarket
Close frequented by sharpers. In
1788 Brodle was even accused ol
himself using loaded dice. Th
charge was very likely true, but II
nvr came up for trial, for the Dea
con meanwhile had been convicted of
a hanging matter.
Brodle, In fact, had for several
years been living n double life. In
the daytime he was an honest crafts
man, but at night he exchanged his
chisel for a Jlmmyand a dark lantern.
The Deacon was a humorist, and the
situation doubtless appealed to him.
Tho friend ho had robbed over nlghl
he would condyle with in the morn
ing, and after some particularly In
geniuous burglary he would bo th
flrst In the Council Chamber to sug
gest offering a reward for disco verins
tho perpetrator. For twenty yean
this prince of cracksmen remained
unsuspected, and he was only brought
to book at last by the treachery of a
confederate. Tho Deacon was sen
tenced to be hanged on the new
drop gallows ho had suggested him
self to the City Fathers and hanged
he was. though not without a char
acteristic attempt to cheat the gal
lows. A French qunck, Dr. Petej
Delgravers, so tho story goes, came
to him in prison and undertook to re
store him ;o life after he had hung
tho usual time. To the last his fel
low citizens loved to cherish a belle!
that he had boon resuscitated and
had escaped. London Dally News.
When "Mrs. Markham" Was History.
To those of us who are not so old
as the Archbishop of Canterbury the
Primate's allusion to the school his
tories of Mrs. Markham may prove
puzzling, for Mrs. Markham has long
ceased to -be a favorite with the
young. The day of her power dawned
In 1826, whenJohn Murray published
an enlarged and Illustrated edition of
her "History of England, with con
versations at the end of each chapter
for the use of young persons." This
work, under tho house of Murray, be
gan a dominion over the schools of
England that was to last undisputed
tor a period of forty years.
Before the middle of the reign of
Queen Victoria more than 100,000
copies of her history were sold. The
history of France she similarly adapt
ed to the needs of the Immature mind,
meeting with remarkable success, al
though not on the generous scale that
rewarded the "History of England."
Mrs. Elizabeth Penrose "Mrs. Mark
ham" was a pseudonym was a
daughter of Cartwright, the Inventor
of the power loom. She chose the
name of "Markham" from the Not
tinghamshire village where sho lived
as a girl with her aunts. She refused
to sully her pages with narratives of
cruelty and deceit, and party politics
she banned as beneath the compre
hension of the young. Loudon Dally
Chronicle.
The Greatest Library.
The library at tho British Museum,
which now contains between 3,000,
000 and 4,000,000,000 volumes, is
without exception tho largest In the
world, the only one which approaches
it In size being the Blbllotheque. Na
tional, Paris; and It la Interesting
to note that for the accommodation
of this Immense number of books tip
wards of forty-three miles ot shelve
are rsqulred. Chambers' Journal.
Money in Circulation.
In this country tho amount on Oc
tober 1 of gold and Bllver coins and
certificates and of United States and
national bank notes was $3,148,732,
562. Not all of this by about $337,
000,000 was in circulation, although,
s we know from tho controversies
which have been frequent between
Secretary Shaw and some of the bank
ers, that more of It was needed now
and then and here and there. The
sum of $337,000,000 was In the
Treasury, and In Its depository banks
was $126,000,000. The official de
scription of "monoy in circulation"
means monoy lying about and money
In the banks. It means money that is
passing from hand to hand, as well as
money that is lying in banks to se
cure circulation and deposits. Be
sides the actual money In the coun
try there was in tho banks individual
deposits to the amount ot $4,199,
938,310. If wo add to this amount,
against which checks could be drawn
and checks constitute currency as
well as nation..! bank notes we had
In the country In the fall of last year
nearly $7,500,000,000 available for
all the transactions of thu people, less
tho $337,000,000 in the Treasury.
VVe had a per capita circulation ot
$33.08, or nearly $8 more 'than the
abundant circulation of 1896, Har
per's Weekly.
Passing of Two Friends.
Walter Appleton Clark, the artist
and Illustrator, who died recently at
the early ago of thirty-one, had at
tracted wide attention by the beauty
and distinction ot his work. Prob
ably his best, and certainly by far the
beBt known, of his pictures were the
fino illustrations which he made for
the awakening ot Helena Richie.
Ills death at so early an age Is a
great loss to American art, and it re
calls the early death, two years ago,
ot Guy Wetmore Carryl, the brilliant
writer, tor the two men were not far
from the same age, and were close
friends. In fact, tor quite a while
theft lived together, aud once ut least
they worked together, ono preparing
the text and the other the. Illustra
tions for an article on old Provlnca
tbwu tor Harper's Magazine.
The I'n ion Pacific Is revealed ma
Investing during the last six months
$103,000,000 In tho stocks of other
corporations.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM.
MENTS FOR MARCH 17 BZ i
THE REV.I.W. HENDERSON. J
I A
Subject: Jacob and Esau. Gen. 1ST:
lB-2!, 41-45 Golden Text,
Prov. 12:22 Memory Verses,
21, 23 Cnmmrntary,
This Is a lesson concerning Fte
bekah, the partial mother; Isaac, tha
partial father; Jacob, the liar; tho
consequences of their sin; and thfi
folly of trying to help the plans of
God by committing sin.
Jacob and Esau were twins. Jacob
was prophesied as the successor to
God's promise to Abraham and Isaac
Isaac's heart was bound up in Esau.
In spite of God's declaration he do
ctded to place his blessing on Esau.
But Rebekah loved Jacob more than
she did Esau. In her lineage and In
her partiality lay the secret of much
trouble that befell tho houso of Isaac
Rebekah was of the same parentage
as Laban. the man who deceived
Jacob and who treated him so shab
bily. Laban was tho brother ot Re
bekah and afterward became tha
father-in-law of Jacob, through tho
marriage of Jacob to Leah and
Rachel. Tho partiality and decep
tion, which the lesson shows to havo
been characteristic of Rebekah, waa
the source of the unholy He which
Jacob both told and acted befora
Isaac and of the vicious enmity which
was engendered In the heart of Esau
against his brother Jacob. If Re
bekah had been a sensible woman sho
never would have shown her partial
ity for one of her sons over the other,
no matter how much she may havo
felt It In her heart. In her desire to
secure the supremacy of Jacob sho
taught him his flrst lessons in decep
tion, sho planned for him plausible
and easily contrived deceits. 8ho
even went to the length of promising
to bear upon her own shoulders what
ever condemnation might be visited
upon Jacob for the evil she had
planned for him to do. If she had
maintained a position of strict Im
partiality in her family life the story
of Jacob's sin might never have been
written. If her unwise love for Jacob
had not overruled her wisdom, Esau
might never have threatened to take
his brother's life. But Rebekah waa
foollBh rather than fair. Therefore,
when Isaac planned to bless hlB firs
born, ESau, she contrived, knowing
the age and tho visual infirmity of tho
old man, to secure, by fraud, for
Jacob, the blessing which was tho
portion of Esau.
Let us glance for a moment at tho
circumstances surrounding the lie
that Jacob, at his mother's bidding,
told to Isaac. Isaac was aged. Be
fore his days should be ended he
wishes to tnste the fresh venison and
bestow his blessing upon bis first
born. He sends Esau to secure the
provision. Rebekah dresses Jacob
with the skins of young goats, that.
In handling Jacob, Isaac might be led
more readily to believe that he waa
Indeed Esau the hairy. Isaac la sur
prised at the speed with which the
venison is secured. He makes in
quiries by word of mouth and by tho
sense of touch. His suspicions are
aroused. "The voice Is Jacob's voice,"
he says, "but the hands are the handa
of Esau." With no thought of de
ception he trusts hit hands rather
than his ears. And tbe sin ot Jacob
Is completed.
Naturally, Esau was angry when
ho descovered the low trick that had
been played at his expense. It would
have been surprising If he had not felt
some resentment. There was no ex
cuse for the crime that had been com
mitted against him. His mother had
forgotten her dignity and his brother
had forgotten the obligations of his
close relationship. The pair had con
trived to rob him. And he would not
have been human had he not resented
It. But Esau In his rage also forgot
himself. He forgot that Jacob, thief
and liar that he was, was still his
brother. He swears vengeance
against him, even the vengeance of
death. And that his father's Inherit
ance may without question fall to hint
he plans to kill Jacob after Isaac Is
dead. Had he killed him before tho
death of Isaac much sorrow would
have been brought Into the life of the
old man and his own plans might
have gone awry.
i The lesson shows us that It is not
wise to allow partiality In family life.
That Bin leaves a trail ot evil behind
It. That Hob and deceit never do ono
any good, In tho long run. That no
matter what Is done against us wo
ought not to permit ourselves to seek
revenge. God hod designated Jacob
us the successor of Isaac. Isaac loved
Esau. Rebekah loved Jacob. Pre
maturely Isaac decided to bless Esau.
This aroused the fires of Rebekah'a
partiality for Jacob. She tricks Isaao
and secures his blessing upon Jacob.
When Isaac finds out what ho has
done he sees that In spite of his own
sin and Rebekah's, the plan and tho
prediction of Jehovah has been con
summated. Therefore he lets his
blessing stand. God's will Is secured
in spite of human sin. Neither Isaac
nor Rebekah nor Esau nor Jacob se
cured any Immediate satisfaction
from this unholy family fight. It
brought sorrow to Isaac, tho loss of
hor two sons to Rebekah, suffering .to
Esau, banishment from friends and
family and his father's house to
Jacob.
Vs. 15. "Goodlv ralmont " n..ct
clothes.
Vs. 20. "Quickly." They had to
run the risk of being premature In
order to escape Esau. "God." This
was a blasphemous falsehood. But It
is uaeiy mat Jacob believed be did
God favor by uttering It. Worse
things have been done In the name ot
urn lor me suae or religion.
The Original "Calendar."
To the modern world a "calendar"
Is merely a harmless necossary re
minder of weeks and days, to be hung
up on New Year's Day and consulted
in dating lettors throughout the year.
It has no such mournful sound aa
"calendarlum" had for the ancient
Romans. The original "calendar" of
th:lr time was the money lender'
account book, so called because In
terest was due from the debtor on
the calends, or first day of each
month. That Is why Ssueca speasra
ot "calendar" as a word Invented
outside the course' bt nature on ao
count of human graed. It Is a word
which may help to persuade us that
the world has grown kindlier. Lou
don Chronicle.
NpT ALL BAD.
"Bililugs Is not altogether a had
fellow. 1 have 8u him unconscious
ly do several very pretty things."
"Yes, that's just It. He always
does them when he Isn't himself."--
Clnriuuati Commercial Trluuu. '"