CAPRICE.
6ha hang tbe cage it 1 h windosf
ff he goes .y." Alio said.
"Ha will bear my robin singing.
And wlieu he his head
I hall I sitting hers to aw.
An.l he v.- 1 1 Ihw to me, I know.
Th robin sing n love-aweet aou-,
The yn man rtiael hi head ,
Tli- tn.tid-ii turn- I iwiv and hluslie !,
"I am n fn " n.i.
An I went on broi.leriug Hi il'
A n:i.-i-y. I 1 1'iiiit. w.tit.. .aa m i I lc.
The i II III III i.i:tr, s'nWiy
Hv t hi iiotia t'ir time that dar .
tli- f i h-r i.-.r I (r )iii tli- w.n low
II-' ti'd ii. il lv; Ihia way.''
fvie nt li-r .. . i Ian,.;.
All I iifll" I. Ill I pi IV' a .l!'.4t
II I' w!l"il iliw.lnv ya till" a'r. aai!
' I H'.i 1 1 Iril It- t . ;.l -o u- (
I . ij , ... . , ,
T..':-i;.. Tin n .t it a.. ,: ."
fo .vii-ii i rii;,- sh w-i'. t o'f,
t i- v. i-ii' in I I ! iii a in h.r.:,-.
'J .ley lull l.ni .,j .t:i..r
TiiMn- .!,: ,. . i
'.". r '.-. 'x i ; :-1 n 'n,Min,i1r
Vi I I- in; ..r .'-, in u. , ,
V v . ' ' , . . (, I f
An I Iii l v -1 In i . .. . ,;iv.,
II- i.i , t'i.. r i I I, l,r .( ,r,
'Mm:-. . .. i a i .in ,n V ,i.. n ' ,
!! -.i !i.t tin I v Ii liin rt .,,,
i wliil !i.t . -mn- fori i-.
Jl-r wi t w i .1.. -,.., .) :B .
' inn tit toy.. n . t.
.. . iv ii i-j.ir. in iv i.i. i. (. ,i i
MA
TYPEWRITTEN.
imii
1 tli
In,
11
!, 1.
J V
1. 1.;
I.
'iv ail
t. r.
III.l!
n& ifll U ''"", I" thn.ttl.',
10V Mill vet .ift-l'iiu
!ViC
all the tmI.' th,
tM'iriii; .if tii'-tiiif
"I1.11 it nuiM
Rifii ! Ii ni.!
xrli-u Hii-h a
ry and tlir.iitl.' nm -11111
' t .11 th it Ii- in
n.Mi it iniiii I,, iimin.l ,,. u.ml.l
n-reitf th. H(iii.i.ii,.,.-ii,.tit wi'h liiln,
ity. NVIicii I li.-hrt r I Ii..-H II reali,.
tlmt In- hh -a!tliv h- , ,..!(, 1,. ,.4,.,,
more Nolii-r.-l th in n,m!. mi l drw n
lul' lufiit Ii n if H I14
11 rit-c .id 1 v.iii it
Kvti tuutiiu
When Mi Mmhaiu l-'t I.i-a ..Iii
and xv-nt out i:it tba itr-.-t rvvry
timiii im I mi nun vil appear.miM to
h.uj. He uaUed aloiij; liiih-edinv the
dinvlioti. H-l i .K l nt th" tin-.,.,;.
deiKVi and r. alied tuxt h.- niipht have
11 tine re.''IK' if h- wuuted It.
A he ti wiilkm thro'iijh tU- pi'k
and away ft. mi tli- tm,v trtt he
took off highlit and rait I.ih fmera'
thr..u-h hi K'ri.l-d Imr, lookup at
hl huad when he hi I ,.!i.' i n it
theray, like wet piiut. In I e.ii-.i:l
11.. I -I.. I 1 . .B
iu"umu qi 11 niri in mi' unci
who perhapa w.ir' iv rn
ie.1 him 1
t.r- I I l.
or'
tempted
;n the
to. Kut
that in jiwai
inittike .( th- Meuliatiia! ;..
all uinrrie 1 yo-i;i - v.";t bin. . ni'
iu H'.iuW Jeep-r int. 1 th- mire 'J '
.rty, prewtt I ...n l,v d ri,
crea4iu- pro-nv. ' ' .
Vh- g.rl ha 1 nurn-d a 1 -l'-r, h- r
me.nS.-rd. Y-. tiat i a iou tnu
K . Th- el.-rk wai :j.t lm r .11,'
wh-n Li- r.l!? I hnii a 1 l I innn. Sitd
.l?iily anoth-r KMrl nr. li-tor- Ins
Ui-titl i-i!..u .1 iimlcni nirl -very
ililT-reUi, iride-d. to til-mi- Ahoinitr-ri-d
th' linker Sli- m th- only w,,
ma:i in th- w.itl I with whom h 1,
on ip-akin; terms, an I lie knew her
lueiely Im-l-jiiv. hr liht Hil l lil'iil.le
iiiii-ri mu;, e.i iii- insiii-.,s s..nnta of
one note on hia o!li typewriter.
Mini tittle wii pretty, of coin-He
lyp-wriTen Kirla ur- and it -n-erally
und-r-itoo I m tli- ..lliee that nhe
In-loured to 11 ood l.iiuilv who I111 I
eouie down in th- world. li-r Men-,
what independent air ilf-peiied this
flollVli'tioU mid kept tli- elerlta Ml 11
distanen. She wii u seiml.l,. ,rir ,v,,,
iciilird that the typewriter paid Ivt
terthau the piano, and irvor lin-ly
turned the vt.-r t :j.-ss nf h,.r white
liii!,'.'rs to the form r itistru'n-nt.
Itiehard Metihaiii sat down upon a purli
lietieh "Whyiiot?" h- usl, ., him
a.df. Tin-re was 110 reason ii-umst it,
rxiept that h- felt h- ha I n..t th
roiuae. Ni-verthel-.ss he foriu-d h
d.--.errtt reaolnttoti.
Net day luisiiiess wrut on as Usual.
I.ett-ra were niisw -re I nud the tune
ait iVv'-l whi.'ll Miss dale rauie in to s-
if h-had any further e..:n:u 1:1 U that
day. IVuhaui h t-it it -I H- felt
viin dv that a l.iisii:c. .,rli-e v.as 11.1t
the proper pla-- f .r a pr .p.isa,'. yet he
ku-w he would 1- m a tisa lvant.iK
els. In th- iirst pla--. h-: ha I 110
pla-isi'ile ex-'M- f..r rallin.' up.iti th-
)'"'i:i voliati at horn-, and u, tj:
arc :i 1
ot t li
lt in'i-:
U-e h- kir-w t'nat if h- onre
- h- w .nl I I,, stri.-k.-n duml..
I.e elth-r at ht- ..'tii - .,r U 1
W ll'-re
Sr. doTu a tuorn
he said ut last. I
you about a matter -
tit. Miss O.ii ..."
w:it to i'...-jsilit
about a business
malt.-:-.
Miss (iii,. a- it-l herself
liiatn-illy pla.'.-1 on h-r
hiiolthaul writing pad r-a
down hia instriieti !,. she
and auto-
ktie- the
iy to take
looked IJ,
at him expectantly,
einb.il raised 111 a lilier
through his hair.
"I am thinking," h
ing a partner. 'flu
prosperous. Iu fa.-t.
M.'iihaui
ran Lis
u an
fl libera
began, "..f t '
bunities.a is v. rv
it has b-.-u fur
aollie tun-.
"Yes?" aaid Misa (iale, interro-i
tiv.lv.
"Yea. I thi-ak I should have a
partner. It is about that I wanted to
soeak to you. "
"Mou t you think it would b better
to consult with Mr. I'e.er-. lieUno
more atut busirieta than I do. But
perbaM it is Mr. Kog-u who is i-j I
the partner
"Mo. it i not Rogprs. Roger In a
good man. lint it is not Rogers."
"Then t think in an important mut
ter like this Mr. Rogers, or some one
who knows the business a thorough!?
as he does, would be able to give vo'tt
a lvice tbat would lie of mm taliio."
"I don't want Kicc ctnotl.v. Tln-e
ma le up nir mim! to lia-e a partner if
the partner in willing
Penlm.ii inojine.l hi lirnw. Tt waa
K-.irin w. in eve-i more .lilTidi : :iian tie
had antioiim'-d.
'N if, th: u. a iieitioti of the c. - .pi -
fnl the partner in to tr inqr in?" aked
M ma dale, nuxioiia to heln him
"No. no. Idnn'twinh any capital.
' have eii iiiili for Imth. Ami the
Seaineas ii very prosperous. Miaa (iale
--and - -and hna lieeli."
The vonnif womau raineil her eve
Ii'owk in niirpri.si.
"Yo:i Ntiielv don't Intend tonliare
he i:olita with a partner who drinks
no eiiinl into th- leiNinessV"
"Yes yet, I d . You nee. nx T naid
I have tio need for more eamta!."
"Oil, if tint i l'ii ease I think you
alionld conaii't Me. Itiier before you
i'i en in it yourself."
"Kut l!o-jei-s wouldn't utid-r-itand. '
"I'm afraid I don't nndei stand.
; eitiir. It see. us to me s, foi.lish thin?
jt. 1 .to that i, if yon waut tny ad-
ie".
"Oil, y.-a. I want it. W, :t isn't aa
foolish as ym think. I should have
iiud .1 partner lotn aii. That is
v. here ( imide tli- mistalie. I've made
up 'ii nun I 011 that."
"l'li 'li I don't set' t iiFt I ran lie of
my use:.' vo-tr mind is nli-iid- made
up."
"Oh, y.'. yo-.i en;i. m 11 little
afr-ud tleit my offer nmy uot he ae
repted." "It is an,-. t lie if th nun has anv
sense. No f, ar
r-liis.,1. Oler-
.f t,...l. .
1 "uii;
lu that :ir not tolie
h 1 I every day. l! will Pe a-eept-d. "
"M .yo.i really think so. Miss (iale?
I iitn (im I that is yieir opinio:i. Now,
wli.it 1 want to eoiisiilt yon Hliont is
the for-il of tile off-r. I would like to
put It well -del irately, yon know, ho
that tt would not hr refused or (live
offeliae."
"I sen. You want me to wrte nl-t-t.r
to him?''
.! .1.. a .
r.ii( u v, n.icnr. rri-i i h ull im.
with Horn- relief. lie had 110 thought
ifaetidiiikt a letter lie,re. Now he
won lete.l w Ii v II- Il ltd not thought of
it. It w.is so evi.l-ntly the li-st aav
out of 11 situation tha! was yitri-uirl v
diaeoU--ltttii(.
"Have you apo'.;eu Ij hitti aliotit
it?"
' To him !
"I'o your
proposal ?"
"No, 110.
Sliokell to II"
' "Atld l.i'l
YIut him? '
futuie pann-r nli.vit the
No, t.o. That ia I have
lody l.iil you."
are determined nut to
l.i - n.i 1-. ft.
;rrs lie fore vou write?"
"I rriamiy uot. It's none of l!oj-r'e
uoaiuess."
"Oi, very well," naid Misa C.ile
shortlv,' lieudiuj; over h-r writiu"
It was Evident that her opinion of
Menhani',, v - - - lower-
' ah 1 iked up.
1
.11 ,1:
ill av the annual
1... ...i.i; eitvOr
do vou waut that
.1:111
'1 - 1
.-ir;
think I would mention
1 1
.lit. l ou ee. 1 don'i wish this ar
rangement to lie rarri-.l out uu a
monetary hais -imt altogether."
"On what Imsis, then'.'"
"Well - I run hurd.y nay. On a
p Taonal liusis, perhaps. I rnlii-i hop
that th- pel. son that 111 v partner
would, ymi know, like to iie .issoriated
Mth nie."
"On a friendly I.H.iis, do vor. tueaii?"
iiAe l Miss dale, mei-.-ilensv.
'Certainly. Kriendlv, of course -
j and perhaps more than that."
j 1 Miss (iale looked Up l!t him with a
rettain In pelessness ol rpii'rsiou.
"Wiiy no) write 11 not- inviting
your future partu-r to rail upon you
here, or llllVtt ll -l e else that would lie
eoiivenieiit, and then disiuiss thu met
ter?" I ).'lilnitn looked friw'h'.ened.
"I tlio .,-hl of tbat. Ii it it wouldn't
d 1. No. it wouldn't do. I Would
tniieli rutb.-r settle everything by cor-respoiid-'iee.
" 1
"l nui afraid I shall not l.e aide to 1
eoiiipose a l-tter tbat will .suit you.
There seem to l.e so 111 any ilifti ?iil ties. '
It is very unusual. "
'I'liiit is true, and that is why I,
knew 11., one hut yo i r Mil l help me.
Miss (iale. It' it pleasis you it will
pl":ise 111-. "
Miss dale shoo!' her heal
but aTter
JIo v will
a f.
luo'iicutl su : sal I,
this d
"Hear Sir
"Wait a moment," crie I
Mr. Men-
iiaui. "Ibat k ins ratn-r
opening, doKsu't it? How-
a formal
would it
read to put it 'iJ .ur rriend -'"
"If vol nidi it si." Sh" crossed
out the "si:- nud substituted the word
'.1 guested. 'I hen she real the letter:
"Dear friend, 1 have for some time
pa-t Lei-11 d.-Mi ous of taking a partner,
and would b-'la t if you would run
aider th- "JUestluU nrid -''Ijs.-ht to join
111'.' Ill tll.s business. The busmi SS is,
an 1 has b-eu for several years, very
prosperous, and aa 1 shsll re. pure no
capital from y..u I think you will had
mv 11 Ili-t 1 very advantageous one. I
will-"
"I - I don't think I would put it
piite that way," .aid D.-nhaoj, with
K.,rno hesitation. '-It reals as if 1
wet,. offering everythiu, and that my
rtn.-r -well, yjii vr what I meau.'i
"It's th.- truth," .aid Misa (iale, do
lisi.tly. "I-lter put it on the frieniJy basis,
us you suggete l a moment ajjo. "
"I didn't suggest anything, Mr.
M-nhatu. IVrhapa it would be better
if y.u would dictate the lett-r exa'tlv
aa you want it. I Lne 1 could not
writ one that would please you."
, "It doea pleae me, but I'm think-
tug 01 my imure partner, ion are
, doing first ratat letter than I could ,
tlo. Bat jaat pat it on the friendly
baaia."
A moment later ahe aaij ;
"-7 - - join nie in fiia lminosa.
I make jo. thia offer entirely from a
friendly, and not from a financial,
Mtandpoint, hoping that ynxi like ma
well enough to lie atoiatet with rue."
"AnTthins elae, Mr. Den hum?"
"Xo; I think that oovere the whole;
Rronnd. It 7ill look rather ahort
typewritten, won t it? Porhapa .tou
rniht add aomthiiK t ahow that I
j ahall lie exc-eedinglr dinappointeJ il
' tny offer in not aesepted.'
rear." aid Misa Gale. "I ll add
that, though. 'Youra truly,' or 'Your
very truly?' "
"Vosi niialit end it 'your friend."
The rapid oliek of the typewrite!
wa heard for a fear moment in tin
next room, and thf-n Misa (tale cam
out with the completed letter in h?r
1 1 ii 1 1 1 .
'.Shall I hy the hoy copy it?" h
askt'd.
"Oh. hle yoi. no!" answered Mr.
DctiLinii, with evident trepidation.
The vonn woman aaid to herself:
"He dot'iii't want Mr. I!oer to know,
and no wonder. It wai a 111 st itn-liiiaitn-M-likc
proposal."
Then Hhe aid alouil : "Shall vou
want me aniu to-day?"
"No. MisatJa'.e; and thank rou verj
linifh."
Next morning Miaa Da1 came into
Mr. Denhaiua uftlc) with a mi!j on
hee fai-e.
"Von made a funny miatiike last
niirlit. Mr. Denham," ah aaid, at n'ae
took nff hr wrnp.
"Mid 1?" he asked, in alarm.
"Yen. Yon aent that letter to my
addre.. I j;ot it thit niornintr. J
ojiened it, for thotht it was for me.
and that lieriiHoa Volt did not need nit
a . i- . . '
1 lo imv. iui 1 naw at onre tbat you j
put it in the w ronir env!.i ili.l 1
you waut nie to-day ?"
It waa on his totiirue to aar, "I want
vo;i every day," luif he merely held
..! 1,ia b.n.l'r... .1. 1 ...... 1 i . .1 1
..... ...... .,. , n-i in nuii looKen
at it as if he could Uot uecouut for its
having rone astrav.
The next day Miss dale eatne in latt
and ah- looked frightened. It wnev
id-nt that Menhiuii was loainir hit
mind. She put the letter dowu Itefor
him and said .
Ymi addressed that to nie the seo
! mid time. Mr. Meiiham."
mer" waa a loon 0 Uasjard anietv
atismeiuja. lie re It that it waa now ol
n-ver. I
'Then, wliT don't Toil answer it I
t;.- 11 1 1 -i ' ... 1
M.aa dale he said . urutlly. .
Mm lmekeil away rroui him.
"Answer it?' she repeated faintly !
"I'ertaiulv. If 1 got a letter twii- i
1 would an i..r it
. ,., r
"What do you meau?" she cried,!
with her hand on the doorkuoh. I
"Kxiirtly what the letter Bays
want you for my partner. I want tc
many you, and tiuaucial considera
tions '
"Oh! rried Misa Oale. in a Ion it
I drawn, quivering .igh. She waa doubt-
leaa Khocked i .li.H
to U-t type '., clo.
' in the door behind her.
Un-hird Meiiham pared up and down
the floor for a few momenta, then
rapped .'inntly at her door, lmt there
1 WHS-J.O response. He put on hia hat
and then went out into the street.
Alter a lo.'ij- nud aimless walkheagaiu
j found himself at hia place of luniue-ui.
I When he went in Holers said to him .
"Miss (iale has left, air."
"Has she?"
'Yes, and she has Riven notice. Savi
she is nut coming hack, air."
' Very well."
Me went into his own room ant'i
found :l lett-r uiarKed "peraonal" on
, his desk. He tore it open aud read it
1 neatly typewritten ehar:i-ters.
"I Imve resign-'.! mv pla- as typewritei
g rl. having been offered a better mtuation.
I a n offered 11 partn-p!ilp u the lious-i ol
II -li.iri li-uhikfii. 1 have il.:id. to ae-ent
in- position, uot s.i inueh on aeenunt of it j
tln iii nal atirii-tioiia as Ikv.his- I hall l J
t glad, on a friendly basis, to be assoeiate.1
with the gentleman I have tunned. Wnydld !
vou put in- to all that worry writiug that
Idlotie leller when a few w.i.-Js wjiil.i have
s-n- t ever so 11.11. I1 bother? Vou evidi-ntlt
ii-d h partner. My mother will lie pleased I
0 rii-ei ..a any tmi you .-all. Vjh havt
tli a l-lr.-ss, V.i.ir frieud. 1
M VRU IBET Gut.."
"llogcrs
fully.
bbouted D.'uham, joy
"Yes, sir," utiswc-reil that estimable
man, puttiux his head into the door.
"Advertise for unother typewriter
jiirl. Holers."
"ies, sir," said Rogers. London
Idler.
The Ileal Ity ol tVar.
"Speaking of low water in the
Ohio," said nu old resilient of Ohio
and of Ciu-innati, "1 remember dur
ing the war when the Ohio was very
low. I was living at Prortorvillc,
I.a.vreuce County, when the news
came by wire or boat that the Union
(ieti-ral Morgan, who lately died, waa
co.-muj,' to (iteenup, Ky., having
marched throush Kentucky from Cum
berland (iap. 1 was a half-grown boy
then, and v. as cra.y to see au army.
I 'tit Let- told nu- to ride down ami see
the rrosniiig. It was a ride of forty
miles, but I had a coiuiu in Ironton,
aud the iiiht before I aturted on
horseba-k, ridinx through to Ironton.
Here I met and staved with my roll sin.
The ne-.t morning by daybreak we
rode to dreeuup, about ten miles, and
for the first time I saw au army, aud
that army fording tha Ohio Kivor.
Aud I'll never forget it. All the. ro
manre of war was oiie in a minute.
I list -ad of bright uniformed aoldiera
aud gayly capirisoned charger, I saw
a tiled aud a dusty lot of men, worn
out aud lame mules and horses with
out number, broken wagouw aud crip
pled cannon, all getting across the
river the best way they could. But
the river was shallow, and horses,
men and wagons crossed easily enough.
Then I kuer war waa a serious busi
ness, aud not fun,"- Cincinnati Tri
bauo.
THE W ORD IF TDRNS HISTORY
A MtOHTY WORD.
Dr. Talma Drawa Bamarkabta Lasiont
' From an Old Bubjaot.
Tut: "V Thtv ei7f forqirr thrir in
anl if 11V, hlol m. I priy f W, out of Thy
boot. ' Ku-Jtt stall.. 32.
Thure la in our English laoiniava a amall
eonjunetion whleh, I propo. Iv Ood'a bnln,
to haul mil of ita prewnt lnalt,-olneinef n
t upon ih throos whra It iwloiiira. ami
that la the eon junction '-If." Thnuah male
of only two lmtra, It I ton pivot on whl-h
ftverylhinirturn. AH time aoi all etfroitf
mi- m us .iis.i.,s.,.. n a iur it in our utts-r-ans-.
w lituor It In our appreciation, and
nons of ti reonlf:s It aa tb most tromen
ilous wrrlioall Ilia vo:abulnrv outaiiln of
thus- woisls whl-h ilen-rilm .Inlty.
If!" Why. that wort w- tak aa a Iratip
ntnon- wnr l. now sDie-nrins hr. now n.
par.in mere. Diit tiavuiif o valus (If lis
own. when It r'ally has a mlllionairalom of
words, and In Its triln walk all plamtary.
atalUr, luii ir. solar dwstinli's. if trie boat of
lavea ma la wrflil)f. In whl-n the Infant
Moss aalle.l tha Mle. hal s in wiio wuld
hiv l"l Isr.il out of Evp'V If th Ui
Men h.vl not pnia. for tii t-aap of one
host Hti.l then eonirt toetiier tor tha sub.
iwrj'l " o' Knottier. wouM t!i tiook of
Kno'lus av-r Invn bi'i-u written'.' If the ship
on willed (loiiimliua aalle.l for Anieriea hal
Konedown in nu Atlinti-.vlnnc. how nui-h
lonu-r woul I It hava tiliru for the Jla-ov-erv
of tins eo.nin-nl
If liron.i'.iy ha I eoms iii w.th rainfor.
tiienta Ie tima to ive tha t- ri-n-li tha vietory
at W.nerloo, what would liavf been tha late
ofKunip-.' If thaSpinlih Armada ha I not
been wra-'k I off tli" emat. how dlffarnt
would Iiii.i been many ehaptera In Knllsli
hiatory! ht j- Lit tin of Ilaatin.a or lb
lattt of Puli iw 1. or tha bittle of Valmy. or
lh hutils of Mnta-.inia, or iIih ba'.tla of .Vr
tiela. or tli- battle of lUiulooa. en-h ona of
wnien turn Hie world a il.-stmv, had been
lie-Ida I tlia othor way 1
If HlmkiMpaarn hail nver ln born for
the ilrauiii, or Handel had n-ver lieau born
lor niiial-, orl'itlau ha I nsverliemi liorn for
jisintlnif. or Tiiorwilda-n had naver been
Isirii tora' ilptnre. or r.dmuiid liurka had
never b'sii born for eloiieii-e. or Soeralaa
had nav-r len born for philosophy, or
tlla-kstoim hail n vr been born for lha Uw,
or 1 opernleiis ha I 11 ver been lioro for a a
1 "'""""' "f Luther had nsver lie.'ii lioru for
I the reformatio.! :
Uh. that eonimi-tioii if:" oW niu-h has
lepnd"d on II ! Tha height of It. the depth
of it, ih l-iiulh of It. the breadth 01 it. t lie
Iniiii-nsllv ol It. the lnilnilv of It -who ran
tneasiii-e It would swamp anything but
omnlpoimi-. Hut I nriaf eontlne myself to
il iy to the Ifs" of tlm Dili!-, uiid In dolnio
1 shall sneak of tha "if" of overpowering
enrn-atneaa, th if of in-radulity, tha "if
of threat, the "if" of argumentation, the "If"
of eternal sinif.,au ,(, or so many of the"
"ifs" (i I ean ...nip ass In the time' that mai
""ri.' mai id puipu uiaeoarse.
lieen worslnplnK Uu Idol, notwithstanding
a'l thatliot had done for thru, and now
' otT"; the most vehmnt praverof all
biaiory. and It turus upou an "if '' "If
, Wllt forirt, lhr,(au,t If not. blot
me. I prayThne. out of Thy book." oh.
wba' ""overwhelming if!' It was aa
IV'1 "h V ,0 . "" 'I'ho" ,wiif not ,ftr', m
J'T1"' U l,1,r,,m n'"' Tiloil Wllt not
I'" tliem to the promisa.l laad. let ma
uever sea tha promiaa.1 land. IftU-yinuat
f',r'nh- m" parish with tham. In that
. 1 i.w.a. wuem inou reeornes: ineiriloom re-
I . lor:l InV .loom 1 Ihm mp ul.i.f
tny doom. I tbev ar ahut out of
heavdn. let ma lie shut out of heaven. If
they go down Into darkness, let nia go down
Into darkness." What voliemen-a aud holy
re-klessness of prayer !
Yet there are ihoau here who. 1 havs no
doubt, have, lutbeir all absoroing desire to
havaiUQsra silted. risked tha time prayar.
for il Is a risk. Vou must not make it aulas
you ar willing to balao-" your etaraal sal
vation nu sueb an '-If." Yet thera have been
eaaas whera a mother has baen so anxiojs
for the recovery of a wayward 0n tbat her
pray.'r has swung aud traaibl-d an 1 poise 1
on an "it" Ilka that of the text. ''If not,
blot me. I pray thee, out of thy book. Writs
liia uiiuii lu ttie Lamb's Rook of Life, orturo
to tha psg whera my uama was written ten
or t waul. v or forty or sixty years ago, and
with t ie Mark Ink of everlaatiug nildulgb'.'
erase my I'.rst name, nud tny lust name, and
nil my name. If be is to go Into sbipwreek,
let tna be toasad amid tuesaina breakers. If
ha oaonot l a partner in my bliss. let uiabea
psnuariu his woe. I havi for many years loved
l liee. O (i j 1. and It has baeu my exps-ta-tlontoait
with Uhriat and all that-adeemed
at tua bampiet of thj skies but I now give
up my promts 1 pla-e at the feast, aud my
promised rolie, and my promised erown, and
my promised tbrona unless John, uulesa
t.eorge, unless Henry, unless tny darling son
eun share ilium with me. Ilnaven will ba no
heaven without him. O (od. save my lioy,
or eoiint ma among the lost !"
I'list is a terrill- prayer, and yet there la a
young mau sitting in tha pew on the maiu
lloor, or in the lower gallery, or inthetop
gallery, who has ali 'K.ly erustied u -li a
prayer from bis mother's heart. Ha hardly
ever writeii home, or. living at home, what
does be rare bow much trouble he givs her !
Her tears are no more to III 111 than Hie r.iiu
that drops trom the eaves ou a dark night.
'"H 'll''t 'b' tl' does not sleep ha-ausa of
w-ati-hing for hiareturu late at night doesnot
fboWa hislaiighter or hasten bisstep forwa'd.
HUe has triad eoanlUR aud klnduess and
self saeritlee aud all tlior.llnury prayers that
mothers tnuka for their ehildrau, and all have
failed. Hbu is coming toward the vivid and
venturesome and terrltle prayer of my text.
Kh Is going to lift her owu eternity and set
It upon that ou if,1' by whl-h she exos-ts
to ueeide whether you will go up with her or
she down with you. Hhe may Im thia mo
ment looking beaveuw ird aud sayiug'-O Lord
raelatm him by thy griiee," and then adding
that lieiirt-reudenug "it'-of my text "if uot,
blot me, I pray Thee, out of Thy book.',
After three years of absanea a son wrote
bis mother iu one of the New F.ugluud
whaling villages that lis was eo-niug home
lu a eurtaiu ship. Motherlika. she stood
wat-liing. aud the ship was In the ofttng, but
a fearful storm stru-k it aud dashad tha ship
on the rocks that night. All that night tha
mother prayed for the safety of tha sou, and
Just at dawu there was a knock at tha cotu
door, aud tha son entered, crying out,
Mother. I knawyou would pray ma borne!
If I would ask nil those lu this assemblage
who have been praved home to tlo I by pious
mothers to staud up. there would be aeon's
that would stand, nud If I should ask tlieui
to give tastlrnony it would lai the testimony
of that New Kugland sou coming ashore
from tha split timbers of the whaling ship,
"My mother prayed nie home!"
Another llible'"li" is the "it'' of Incredu
lity. Hat a 11 used it when Christ's vitality
was depressed by forty days' abstlueu-a Iroin
food, aud the tempter polnt J to some atones,
lu color aud shapa like i.t,-s of breai, and
said, "If thou ue tnt Hou of Ood. uom
iiianl tiiat these stones ha made bread."
That was appropriate, forSatun lathe father
of that "if ' of Imiredulity. l"iiter used the
same "il ' when, standing on the wet aud
slippery daek of a tlshlug smack off Luke
llslilee, he saw ( brtst walking ou the saa as
though It wars as solid ns a pavement of
basalt from thendjolulng volcanic hills, aril
Pater cried, ''If It be Thou, let me come to
T'ua on the water."
What a preposterous "if!' What human
foot was aver so constructed as to walk ou
water In what part of tha earth did law of
gravitstlon make exception to the ruts that a
man will sink to the elbows when be touches
tha wave of river or laka and will sink still
farther uuless ha cao swim Uut bar Tatar
looks out upou the form In tha sbspe of a
man defying tha mightiest law of the uni
verse, the law of gravitation, and standing
erect on the top of the liquid. Vat tha In
credulous Peter cries uat to the Lord. "U
It ba Than." Ala, for that Inerwdulona "If r
It la working aa power billy in tha latter part
of this nineteenth Christian ee--f.ury aa It did
In tha early part of tha Drat Christian cen
tnrv. Thongh aamalteonlnnetloa, Il la tha Mr
fast block to-dajr In the wav of tfca gospel
ehartot. "If r "ir W bare theological
aaminarlea which spend most of their Urss
and employ their learning and thalr ganiua
n inn manutactaring or "lla" With that
weaponry are assailed the Pentateueb. and
miraoies. ana ttia.iivlnlty of Jesua Christ
Almost everybody Is chewing on an "If.'
many a man nows tor prayer, he nuts
Ilia b r .,,.. Tl . . . . ....
.... ... uu au ,,. 1 imuoorinrongn Whlcn
neopla Dasa Into Infldalilr and aihuUm n
all linmoralitlea has two doorpoeta, an-l tha
one Is made of the letter "1" and the oih-
01 mn letter "1.
1 hare are only four steps hatween strong
faith and complete iinbeliel Firar mrri,.i
the Idea of the rertMl Inanlrailnn nf th.
neripiurea ami ailopt the Idea that they ware
all generally supervised by the Lord. Hen
ond. surrender the Idea that they were alt
generally suprvlsed by the Lord and adopt
the theory tbat they were not all. hut partly,
supervised by the Lord. Third, belle-e Mat
nmy ere tne grauun evolution of tha ges,
and men wrote according to the wisd m of
tha times In whin.i they lived. Fourth, be
lieve that the nible is a bad book and not
only unworthy of cndeu-e, but pernbjlous
and debasing and ernal.
Only four stepa from tha stout faftb In
which the martyrs died to the blatant car
icature nf Christianity aa the greatest sham
of tha een'nrca. pltr the door to nil that
precipitation nod horror is made out of an
"if. ' Tae mother of unrest a in the minds of
Christian people and to thoae who regard
ai -ra.l things Is the "if of Incredulity. In
171. In Heotland. I saw a letter which had
been written many years ago by Thomas
Carlyle to Thomas Chalmers. Car'lyta at the
tlms of writing the tter was a young man.
The letter waa not to be published until nrter
the death of Carlyle. His death having takeu
place, the letter ought to be published.
It waa a letter In which Thomss Carlvte
expresses the tortures of his own mind white
renting bis faith in Chr.stlanlty, while at
th sa-ne time express his admiration for
nr. t haimers, and lu which Carlyle wishen
that he had the same faith that the great
Seo'eh minister evidently exrela.t. Nothing
that Thomas Carlyle ever wrote in "Hsrtor
It-sarnis. or the "French. Revolution.' or
ms -i.iie 01 Cromwell." or bia Immortal
"Kaasvs." had lu It more wondrous power
than that l-tter which bewailed bis own
doubts and extolled the strong fnitb of
another.
( made an exact copy of that letter, with
tha understanding that it should uH lie pub
lished until altar the death of Thomas.
Cirly.e. but returning to uiy hotel In Kdln
burgh I felt uneasy lent somehow tbat letter
should g-t out of my possession and la pub
lished liefore Its time. 8 I took it back to
the perssn by whose permission I had
copied It. All reasons for Its privacy having
vanished, I wish It might tie published.
Perhaps this sermon, rinding Its way Into
a Scottish home, may suggest Its priuting,
for that letter shows more mightily than any
thing I have ever read the difference bet ween
the "I know" of Paul, and the "I know" of
Job. and tha "I know" of Thomas Chalmers,
and the "I know" or all those who hold with
a Mr in grip the gospel, on the one band, and
inn unmooring, iiestormlng aud torturl.ig
"if ' of Incredulity on the other. I like the
positive faith of tbat sailor bov that Cantaln
Judkins of tha steamship Scotia picked up In
a hurricane. "Oo aloft," sai l Captain Jutl
kin to bis mat", "and look out for wrecks."
Before the mats had gone far up the rat
lines he shouted : "A wreck ! A wreck !"
"Whera away!" all Captaiu Judkln. "Off
tha port bow," was the answer. Lifeboats
were lowered, and forty men volunteered to
put out across the angry sea lor the wreck.
They came back wllh a dor.sn sbipwreckttd,
aud among them a boy of twelve years.
"Who are you?'' said Captain Judkins.
The answer waa 1 "I am a Seoteti boy. My
father and mother are dead, and I am on mv
wav to Amariea." "What have you here?''
said Captain Judkins aa he opened the hoy's
jacket aud look hold of a rope around tha
ooys pour. "It is a rope, said the boy.
But what Is that tied by this rope under
your arm?" "That, sir. Is my mother's
Bible. Hhe told nie never to loss that."
"Could you not have saved something else?"
"Not and saved that." "Did you expect to
go down?" "Ves, sir. but I meant to take
my mother's Biblsdowu with tua." '-Brav!"
said Captaiu Judkiua. '1 will take care of
you."
That boy demonstrated a certainty ind a
eotilldenee that 1 Ilk-. Just iu proportion
as you have few "Ifs" of incredulity lu your
religion will you tin t It a comfortable re
ligion. My full and uniueslloued faith iu it
ia founded ou tha fact that it sooths and sus
tains in time of trouble. I do not believe
that any mnn wiio aver lived had more bless
iugs and prosperity thau I have reeolved
from tiod and tha world. But I have had
trouble enough to allow m opportuuity for
finding out whether our religion la ot any
use lu such exigency, I have had fourteeu
great bereavements, to say nothing of lesser
bereavements, for I was tha youuger of a
large family, I bave hud aa much persecu
tion aa comes to most people. I have had
ull kinds of trial, nx-'ept severe and pro
longed sickness, aud I would have been dead
long ago but for the consolatory power of
our rollgion.
Any religion will do In time of prosperity.
Buddhism will do, Coufuciauiaiu will do.
Theosophy will do. No religion at ail will
do. But when the world gets after you and
defames your best deeds, when bankruptcy
takes the place of large dividends, whau you
fold for the last sle.-ip, the still hands over
tha stilt heart of your old father, who has
been plnunlng for your welfare all these
years, or you close the eyes of your mother,
who has lived lu your life ever siune bafora
you were born, removing her spaotacles be
cause she will huve clear vision lu the home
to which sue has gone, or you give tha Inst
kiss to tha child reclining amid the flowers
that pile tba casket and looking as natural
aud lifelike as she ever did raellniug in ths
cradle, then the ouly religion worth anything
Is tha old fishiou religion of the gospel of
Jesus Christ.
I would give mora In suo'i a crisis for one
of the promises expressed lu half averse of
the old book thau for a whole library cou -taming
all the produ ctions of all tha other
religions of nil the ages. The other religious
are a sort of cocaine 10 benumb and .leaden
tlm soul wblle bereavement and misfortune
do their work, but our religiou is Inspira
tion, Illumination, imparndissttou. It is a
mixture of suulight and hallelujah. Do uot
:el u It -rate It Willi one drop of the tiuctura of
incredulity.
Another Bible "It" Is the "ir of eternal
sigulrbt.iuce. Kolomon given us that "it"
twice iu one sentence when he says, "If thou
be wise, thou stiult be wise for ttiysslf, but If
thou a-ornest thou alone stiult bsar It. '
Christ gives us that "If" when he siys, "If
thou hadst known lu this thv day the things
which belong uuto thy peace, hut now they
are hlddeu from thins eyas." Paul gives us
tbat "It" when he says, "If tuey shall enter
Into my rest." All then "ifs" and a score
more that 1 might r.acail put the whole re
sponsibility of our salvation ou ourselves.
Christ's williugn-ssto pardon n "if" almut
that. Ilea I in a of glory awaltiug the right
eousno "it" about that.
Tbn ouly "If" In all the ca.aa worth a mo
ment's consideration Is the "it" that attaches
itself to the iiietiou as to whether we will
accept, whether we will repent, whether we
will believe, whether we will rise forever. Is
it not time tbat wa take our eternal future
off that swivel? Is It not time tbat we ex
tirpate that "if," that miserable "if," that
hazardous "IfV" We would not allow this
uncertain "if" to stay long lu uuythlngelsa
of importance. Let some ona say In regard
to a railroad bridge, "I bave reasons lor ask
lug If that bridge Is safe," and you would not
arose It. Let some one say, "I bave reasons
to ask If tbat steamer is trust worthy," and
you would not tsks passage on It.
Let soma ona suggest lu regard to a prop
erly that you are about to purchase, "1 hss
reason to ask If tkey oaa glva a good title,"
and you would not pay a dollar tlowa uutll
you had soma skillful real aetata lawyer ex
amine the title. But I allowed for rsa
my lifetime, nn, oma rl rou have
for f KM At rnn, llUlm. ...,
tossing up and down nuexiona of -II'
destiny. Oh. deelde! Perhaps yourZ
her to.dar mat dadde. Mrn T7?
than that bare ot ,o flight lorey., ,b, "J
of uncertainty. " 'I
A few Rabbatb t.ghta ago In this ehi.-,
man Ttu.in a, . I. . . u.. . . . r
., . r in p.ngianu.- arnttkJ
he pushed laxck his coat sleeve and said
yow see that sesr on my arm?" I said 'Wj
you must have had an awful wo..a
soma time-" He said : "Yea 1 It nearly I
me my Ufa. I was In a mine Id England J
feet underground and three miles fro-,J
sh a tt nf the mln, n.l ..L. ... i ' 1
nu- m l vi .ri, ,j ntm
mv fellow lalmnip n.ll ne- .k. . . ' "1
paper from around his luncheon and bnu
If around my wound and then heipnt mmZ
the three roll-s underground to thsah.i
where I was lifted to the top. and when "
newspa;ier was taken off my wound I rw.
...j eoni, and
was one of your sermons, floo.1 nii..
said aa be passed on. leaving me trana'it..
with grateful emotion.
And who knows but t he words I now ariMi
Weened of tlod, may reach some wound,
sonl deep down In the black mine nf .1. ..
I... .1. . . .. "nf
..i-snw.ir i.umjr oe oiesaen lOtneslsnrlj
UK "i ine wouni an i ine eternal r ... ..i
soul? Hettle. this matter Instantly. poatiivJ
n .rovr. may ine ias --ir. Burr iU
the Isst If." How to do It? Khng l
mind and soul In a nraver as esrneui
or Mosea In the text. Cau Vim doula id
a .... ....... . . 1. ..... 1
n,ui-miini, .11 uu, iirAyfrri laeiexi II
A., HtaMW with t. . I . ... ..
- ....... .... ,.,.rl ,., ,.r, ,ow
in the middle. It waa so earnest n.n. ...
translators In the modern copies of the Hit.
were .loiigeii 10 put a marie, straight Itn
a dash, for an omission that will n .
filled up. Hueh nn abrupt nans', such ...
den snapping off of the sentence :
1 011 cannot pars my text. It Is am.
muse 01 grammatical construct on u.
that dash put In by th- typesetters is nilghtr
suggeatlve. "If thou wilt forgive Itieir ,
(then comes tb 1 dash) -"and If not ,.
m, 1 pray i nee. out or Tiiy book. ' s.,
of the moat earut prav-rs ever utter.
could not lie parse ! and were poor sue..
mens or isngiisge. They halted, they l,n,t
down, they ias.l Into sobs or gtoana.i
silences. lod cares nothing for tha aynta
of prayers, untbing for the rhetoric
prayers. Oh. the worl.lless prayers! If th..
were nnen up. tney would reh to tne rti
miwinai areoes ine mrone ol (lo.l. A
sign may mean more than a whole llinry
Out of the 1I6.IMII words of the l:ni,.
language there may not be a word em(Utt
expressive for tbe soul.
The most effective prayers I bave bear
nec imra prayers inai nrone uowu will
emotion tbe young mail for tha Mrsl tin.
rising in a prayer meeting .an l saying, '-(iij
Lord Jesus
us: 11111 men ailttug Uowu. l,iJrv
Ing his face in the handkerchief, the ...
tent In the Inquiry room kneeling and ss.
Ing, "(Jod belp me." and getting no fun hr
tbe broken prayer that started a great d
vivai in my cnur-in in Philadelphia,
prayer may have in stvle the irr.i.-efiiinva
an Addisou. and the sublimity of a M1I1J
ami me epigrammatic torce or an l.m-rsoi
nu , vr n inuur. Illivillir 11 llori7,,ni.J
power but no perilen ticular nower. imrJ
opiai power reaening tne ear of man, Im
no perpenuicuiar power reaching tlm ear
(iod.
Between the first and the last sentences n
my text mere was a paroxysm of enruwlnss.
too mignty for words. It will take half of a
eternity to tell of all the auswers of earneJ
and faithful prayer. In his last journJ
uavto i.iviugstoue, in Africa, recor-la th
prayer so soou to be nnswerad : "19 March
ray birthday. My Jesus, my (lol, my life
my an, i again uouicate my Whole aoir
l nee. A-eept me, aud grsnt. O gradon
rather, tbat etethis vear is gone 1 may lints
my task. In Jesus' name I ask it. Amen '
When tbe dusky servant looked into Lit-
Ingstones tent and found bim dead ou h
knees, bs saw that the prayer had been an
swered. But notwithstanding the eartuwl
ness of tbe prayer of Moses in tbe text, I
was a defeated prayer aud waa not si.
swered. I think tbe two "ifs" in tbe vyj
defeated It, and one ''if Is enough to ifefeali
any prayer, whatever other good eharactei
isttce it may have. "If Thou wilt forgiv
meir sins una ir nor. mot me, I pray Tb.
out of I by book. (iod did neither. Astl
followiug verses show. He punished Dim
sins, but ( am sure did not blot out one let
ter of tbe name of Moses from the Book
Life.
Tuere is only one kind of prayer In wlilrJ
you need to put the "if." aud tbat Is tl.i
prayer for temporal blessings. Pray f
rlehea, and they may engulf us ; or for fnm
nud It may bewitch us ; or tor worldly su
cess, and It may destroy us. B-ttter say, "
it. be best," "If I can milks proper use of it,
"If Thou seest I need It." A wife praying f.
tbe recovery of her hiwbsnd from Jtln.sU
stamped her foot and said witb friglitliJ
empnusts: -i will not nave lilin die. tin
shall not take him." Her prayer waa an
swered, but In a few years alter ilie commit
nity was snocae-i Dytlis lact that be bad iu
moment of auger slain her.
A mother, praying lor a son's recover Iran
illuess, told Ihe Lord be bad no right total
bim. aud the boy re-overed, but plunged in
to all abominations and ill -id a renegail.j
B-tter In all such prayers und ull nravsn
pertaining to our temporal welfare to put ni
-ii. saying, -it it no i ny win. tint in pri)
ing tor spiritual good an l the salvation
our soul wa ueed never insert au "If." Onl
siilrituul welfare is sure to be for the best
aud awav with the "lis. '
Abraham's prayer for tha rescue of Hod.iiJ
was a graud prayer lu some respects, hu
there were six "ifs" in it, or "peradveu
lures, wniuli mean the same thing. "I'srj
adventure there may be llfty righteous lu th
city, pfradveuiure forty-ttve, peradveutunl-
torty. iieral venture tblrty, iieradveutun
twenty, per.idventure ten." Those six psr
adventures, thoie six "it's" killed the prayer
and Hojom went iloeu and went un.lm
Nearly all the prayers that weri auswerisj
bad no "ifs" In them the prayer of KlijaS
t uut cnaugeu ary want her to wet weatbnri
the prayer that changed Hexekiah from
sick man to a well man, tba prayer th.i
halted sun and moou without shaklug tl
universe to pieces.
Ob, rally your soul for a prayer with w
"its" in it! Hiyiusubstanco: "Lord, Tim
hast promised pardon, and 1 take it. Hen
ar my wounds i beat them. Here Is m
bliuduess i irradiate It. - Hire are my chain
of bondage; ny the gospel Hammer sink
Ibem offf 1 am fleeing t ithe Cityof Itefiis"-
and I am sum this is the right way. Ttmull
be to Hod, 1 am Iree !"
Dace, by ths law. my hopes were slslu
bui so, in ihrlat, I live ksid.
With tha. Mosal-J earnestness ot my lev
aim wituout us siosiiie "lis, let us ery oi
for (lod. Aye, if words fail us, let us tak
the suggestion of that primer s dash of tt
text, and with a wordless silence implorj
paruon ami comtort una lite and lienvm
r'or this agseuiblugn, all of wbon 1 aim
meet lu tba lust judgment. I dare uot off.
the prayer of my text, aud so 1 change it an
ssy, "Lord (Iod, forgive our sins and writ
our uames iutbe liook of Thy loving reuieu
brnuce, from which they shall never be biua
teJ out.
Most IVrait Ioui l Wlud,.
The most pernicioua winds are tl
sainiela or hot wiuds of Kgypt. The
Dome from the deserts to the aoutiJ
west, and bring with them iutinit
tpintitities of flue ilunt, which peinj
t rates eveu the minutest crevice. Tl
thermometer oftuu rises to 125 duriui
their ooutintiance, aud thousands
human beings have bceu known t
perish from suffocation in the tier
blast. It was one of those aamielathM
destroyed the army of Senuaoheril
Alexander the (Ireat uearly lost hi
whole force in auother, and the arinf,
of Cambyaea waa utterly annihilate
(Juicago Herald.
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