NtC.HTtNGALEA
QAtitiful miMt b" th mountain whense ye
otiie,
ko l bright in the iriiitl.J valleysthe strra-n.
w!i'Ti'irtn
e learn your song ?
Where are those starry woods'.' () might I
Wllllder there, ,
Among the flower, which, in Hint heavenly
air,
r.onm the year Inns.
'Sav. barren nif those mountains an I spht
tin" r.'n n ;
Our s 'tig is tlit voi. i' of desire, tli.it haunts
niir dreams.
A Mime of heart.
Whose pining vn .ens illin, forbidden hopes
profound.
No thing .'ii. I. 'ii.' imr lone sigli '"in sound,
l or nil our art.
"s.lon nlou I In tli- raptured ear of men
Wi i ur niir ilar nocturnal .isn'l : mi l then,
S night i withdrawn
Frvnthct'wec -springing iii"a!an, hurt
ing houghs or May,
l'r".i;ii wliii"' the iiiiiiitix r ilil" choir of I ; i y
Welcome tile 'III Wit. "
Sliort !'o"ms ol l!nliirt Itridgcg.
An Old Daguerreotype,
A I, KM SIT. P. 1)
pushcil liiick his
chair frcm tin- tit u -ner-tslile
with anger
ami disgust in hm
fuee. 'i'h iloor hml
just Imugcil lit-liiuil
a liig. hcartr liov of
seventeen, whotll he
omilil still see through th" narrow
window trudging ntTtowaril the linru.
'I'ht lively whistle that Miiimlcil
tlirollgll till' floseil WllllloW seemed to
aggravate tho iiihii'h ill I .'in per. Ho
walked over to the fireplace, hikI
kickeil the smolilermg logs with hit
lien TV liont.
'If there's any one thin that rili'H
me nil over." he claimeil, angrily,
"it's luiviug thnt hoy always setting
himself ii to le iu the right, ami
everybody else in the wrong!"
"Well, he 'most generally is in the
right." answercil Catch's wife, clear
nig the talilc. It'n remarkable whut
a memory Jerry linn, 'specially for
ilateH. At the quilting here hint week
the women folk were trying to settle
when 'twiin ohl Mia' I.ookett dietl, nuil
lerry knew to the day. He said 'twas
two .lays after Ih'aoon Stone's cows
were killeil liy lightning, and that
happened un the. thirteenth of Sep
tember, just a hundred years to the
very day alter Wolfe captured (Jue
lce. You can't trip Jerry up iu his
tory." "Well," aiinwered her husband, i in
patient ly, "he needn't lie ho hussy
aliout it. We had a dispute over them
naiiiu eow. 1 was telling the new
minister about the storm, mid I hap
pened to say they was standing under
a pine-tree. lie chippy in, 'Why,
no, it wasn't, uncle; it was an oak.'
'It waa a iue !' says 1. 'So, it wasn't ;
n waa mi oak,' says he.
"Just then Hiram Stone rarae by,
and Jerry yelled to know which 'twas.
Hiram said, 'Oak.' Then Jerry grinned
as malicious, aud said, 'I told you ho !
I knew 1 was right !' If ho hadn't
lieen in v d hd sister's only child and
the iiiniNter looking on " Caleb
Mopped iu auger.
.Mis. Speed niaile no comment. Shu
was loud of her husband's nephew.
He had grown to be almost like a son
in the live years he had lived with
tlietn. They were not old not many
yearn older than Jerry; for Caleb's
sister had been older than he.
Mrs. Speed only Isughed at tho
patronizing manners which he some
times assumed, to the great iwitioy
nnee ol his youug uncle. llut Caleb
Speed ! too dogmatic himself to
tolerate Mich a spirit iu any one else.
"He shan't sit up and contradict me
l my own tuble!" Caleb declared.
"I'll thrash him first! lie's got to
show ine proper respect. He needn't
think becHiisc I've given him ad
vantages that I couldn't have myself,
that he knows it all, and I duu't kuow
nytltiiiK !"
"Now, Cult b, what's the use? It's
only Jerry's way," said Mrs. Sneed,
tootiuugly.
"Pear me!" she. sighed, us Caleb j
went to Ins work. "It's a pity they !
can't get along as they used to.
Caleb's so touchy he can't stand any- !
Hung. 1 in '1st tell Jerry to bu more
careful." I
llut w hen Jerry came into supper I
Slid begun Ills lively joking, she tor-
got the little lecture she had planned, j
" 1 he Sneiie- rt are going to move
West uel ',.;, reii-illked Mr. Speed.
"Land's cli.-itp, and I gu-ssth 'y need
more elbow-room lor s.ic'u a big i
Uuiily. (ireeiiville is a mighty thtiv- j
nig plsee. t hey sn v. ' I
"Von mean I ii sudville, don't you,
ll'iele'.'" suggested .It ITV.
"I geiierslly my wiiut I mesu,
young iiiiin !" was the curt replv.
"Well, it's ( iraiidrille, nuyway, per
sisted Jerry, feeling iu ll.s pockets.
"Jack Spencer is out theru now. I
got a letter Iron" him yesterday beg
gmv me to go out them to him. Oh,
here it is! Look nt the postmark. It
is t iraudville ! 1 kuew 1 was rtht
about it. ''
.Nettled by the tone and his own!
mistake, Mr. Speed took his supper iu i
inoodv silence. Tho boy had Uo idea i
how Ins habit had grown, or how '
sensitive his uucle had become in re
gard to it. ''Why, Auut Lucy," he I
insisted, wheu she remoustrated with '
him, "I uever coutradict people uuless
I know positively that they ure
wrong !"
"Maybe," she auswired. "But
what real dift'ereuce does it make
whet her the weasel kilied live chickens
or sit. or that it waa the black pig
ami uot the spotted one that rooted
up the gardeu? Those are such little
things to bicker about, just for the
tistisiactiou of Haying, '1 told you
Hue imitated Jerry V tone n(t man
ner so well that he" laughed httle
iieepishly.
"Well, I'll Inrn over a new loaf," he
promised, "just to please you."
Caleb Speed's farm waa in southern
Maine, near the co4st. Jerry had
grown up with the sound of the sea in
bin ears. It had long (ting only a
meant nglena monotone to the boy, but
it had begtiu to fill him with aome
thing of its ow n restless spirit. And
about this time the Hp.jncer lwys wore
urging him to go West.
"No," lie answered; "I owe it to
Uncle Caleb to stay here. He was too
good to mc when I was little shaver
for me so luave him now, when he
needs mc. He shall have the beat ser
vice I can give him until I am twenty
one; then I'll be free to follow you."
llut there came a cr ins. Uncle Caleb
gave Jerry a sum of money to pay a
lull iu town. There waa a five-dollar
piece in R roll of bills, aud the gold
piece had disappeared.
Jerry insisted that he could not hare
had the money. "I know. Aunt Lucy,
Uncle Cale handed me the roll of bills,
and 1 put it down in this pocket, and
never touched it till I got to town.
Wheu 1 took it out there were the bills
just as he had handed theui to me, and
md a thing more."
"Maybe there's ft hole in your
pocket," she suggested.
She turned it wrong aide out, but
found no place w here a coin could have
slipped through.
"Well, it's a mystery where it went,"
she said. "I can't understand it."
"Pooh ! It's no mystery," answered
Jerry contemptuously. "Uncle sim
ply didn't give it to me. "I thought
he had it rolled up in the bills, but
was mistaken. That's all !"
"What do you mean by that?" cried
Caleb, jumping up white with auger.
"I tell you it waa wrapped up in the
bills ami if you eau't account for it,
you've either lost it or spent it!"
Jerry bounded up stairs to his room,
st u lied his best suit of clothes into a
little brown carpet bag, and then
Hiiired out the contents of an old,
long necked blue vase. He had thirty
dollars s:ived toward buying a horse
of hisowu. Then he marched defiantly
down stairs to his uncle.
"I never saw or touched your gold
piece," he declared, "but I'll not go
away leaving you to say that I took
any of your mouey!"
He threw down a rivs-dollsr bill and
stin ted to the door. As he turned the
knoli, he looked back at the woman
by the fireplace, with her face in her
nprou,
"Ciood by, Auut Lucr," he said,
with a choke in his voice. "You've
been aw ful good to me I'll never for
get that !"
Then he shut the door abruptly,
went out into the night. Jt lacked
ouly live minutes of train-time when
he reached the statiou, determined to
go to a cousin ot his father's who
lived in Vermont, and write from
Vucie U Jack opeuoer tiia be would
work his way out West at soon as he
could.
Tingling with the recollection of
uncle's reproaches, the boy sat up
very straight and wide awake in the
traiu lor a long time. Then his ten
sion relaxed, aud for lack of something
else to do, he felt iu his pocket for
Jack Spencer's letter. As he pulled
it from its envelope something else
fell into his baud. It was a gold-piece.
He could scarcely believe hia eyes
as ho sat dropping it from one hand
into another. How had tne coin got
into tln letter? For a time he could
not guess; then the truth suddenly
became clear to him,
The letter had been iu his breast
pocket w hen he stuffed the roll of bills
into if, aud the coin must have slipped
into tue open end of the envelope as
he pushed tho bills down. Wheu he
began to search for the money he had
changed the letter to another pocket,
never dreaming that it contained any
thing except Jack's glowing descrip
tion of prtme life.
Jerry had been keeping his anger
warm all the way by tilling himself
that his uncle hud been harsh and uu
just. He had even pictured to him
self with grim satisfaction how shame
faced Caleb would look some time
w lieu he should come across the coin
among hisowu possessions. Aud now
he had to think of himself aa the blun
derer and the unjust, foolish person.
llut now no apology could be too
humble. He would get oft' at the next
station and take the first train home.
Th.' case called for ati iinoie liate
reconciliation.
Then he reasoned that as he had
paid for 1 1 i h ticket, he might as well go
mi to his journey's cud and have a
short visit. It would be easier, per
haps. t write than ti speak his
apol.igy.
Jerry soon found his elderly cousin,
Tim llailey, w ho happened to be work
ing just then iu a new store a com
bination of a bookstore and an old
fashioned daguerreotype gallery; not
old-fashioned then, for it waa before
the photograph had penetrated to the
rural regions. Tim's rigorous cross
ipiestiouiug soon drew the whole story
from the boy.
"Well, that's easily settled," said
Tim. "Just you write to 'em and own
up, ffim say you're going to stop with
me over Christmas, but that you'll be
along about New Year to tum over a
new leaf. They'll bring ont the fatted
calf when you get back. I know Ca
leb like a book. He can't hold spite."
Jerry settled himself to write the
letter, llut he found himself hard to
please, and tore up several drafts.
Writing apologies waa not such easy
work, after all ! Then Tim put his
grizzled head iu at the door, with a
beaming smite. '
"Look here, boy, I're got an idee I
The picture business ia dull this morn
ing, do up aud get yours took. You
can seud it along for a Christmas gift.
yUa'nt cunt you a cent, either ? gat
all my work done gratis, for sending
him so ranch trade."
Three days after, Jerry dropped in
to the potttoflice a little package ad
dressed to hia uncle, containing, be
side a letter, an excellent likeness of
himself. Jerry made in the letter a
straightforward acknowledgment of his
mistake, and accompanied this manly
apology with an earnest jquest to bo
allowed to retnrn home.
He had grown so homesick for a
sight of the old place that he could
scarcely see the lines on hia paper.
And Aunt Lucy well, he almost broke
itown at the thought of all her moth
erly kindncKS to him.
"Now Ml surely get an answer by
Wednesday," he thought, but Wednes
day went by, and another week passed,
and although he called regularly at
the txistofllcr, no word came.
"Well. I've done all I could." he
said. "It's plain they don't want me
back."
Tim's sympathetic old heart ached
for the boy's distress. He even offered
to go up to the farm and intercede in
his behalf.
"No, indeed !" Jerry answered, defi
antly. "I'll never beg my way back.
I'm not the kind to go where I'm not
wanted."
"Maybe they never got your letter."
Jerry hootod at. the idea. "No, they
don't want to make up. That's the
long and the short of it."
When he finally started West, Tim
Bailey wout with him. Out on the far
Western prairies, Jerry struck deep
root in the favorable soil, and aa the
years passed on, became as much of a
fixture as the new towu that bore his
name. Year after year he worked on,
widening hia fields, improving hia
buildings, working early and late,
solely for the pleasure of accumulat
ing. Tim Uailey had grown old and rheu
matic, almost childish, but he still as
sumed a sort of guardianship over
Jerry. One day he put down his news
paper, wiped hisspectacles and scanned
the rough, burly-looking man ou the
other side of the stove, as if he had
been a stranger.
"Look here, Jerry," he said, pres
ently, "you're getting to look old.snd
your hair's alt a turning gray. Now
you've got to quit pegging away ho
hard and take a holiday, before you
get like me, so stiff and I heumatic you
can't get away. Why don't you go to
the World's Fair? It 'ml be a burniug
shame Tor the richest man in Trigg
County to miss such a show."
Thus it came about that one day
Jerry rubbed his eyes in a bewildered
way to find himself iu the midst of a
surging crowd that thronged the en
trances of the r air.
He plodded along the Midway Plais
ance, his umbrella under bis arm, and
his bauds u his pockets; he walked
aud stared till late iu the alteruoon.
It waa late in May, the spring plowing
hail been a good preparation in pedes
triauism, but the long farrows, en
livened ty by tha pips of a r,nail or
the cry of a catbird, had never brought
such wesrinexs as Jerry felt now.
Ho did not rtali.e lie was so tired
until he dropped iuto a seat iu one of
the gondolas on the lagoon, and re
marked confidentially to tho gondolier
that be was "clean beat out."
It was the first time Jerry had spoken
since he entered the grounds. The
man made no reply.
He studied the fellow keenly a mo
ment, aud then turned to the crowds,
surgiug along the bauks in every di
rection. Not a soul in all that multi
tude even knew his name.
A feeling of utter loneliness crept
over him, and when the boat lauded
he was taying to himself that he would
give the liuest colt in his pastures for
the sight n a fimiliar face.
A few steps farther, an ! he saw one.
It was in thj ( lovernntsui building,
where an amused crowd were exclaim
ing over tlm Deal Letter Kxhibit.
Jerry edged along in frout of the case,
wondering at tha variety of ship
wrecked c.irg.js that had drifted iuto
this (Jovcrament haven.
A vague pity stirred in him for all
th hopes that ha 1 gone iuto the grave
of the de.t I letter oftice rins that
had never found the fingers tiiey were
to have clasped, gifts that might have
unlocked loig sileneiM, tokens of
frieudship that were never received,
uever nckiMw-Iedg? I .ill caught in this
snorUd web t!iat no human skill could
possibly unravel.
Then h saw the familiar face. It
smiled out at him from the cas of an
old da-uerre itype, till his heart bo
gun t i beat .i lur l that ho glanced
guiltily arauti !, to see if any one else
hear I it. Til t blood rushed to his
head, nn I li t ieit dizzy.
It was that picture of himself. Ukon
so lo;itr ago up in Vermont! He w.ia
not likely tt be mistaken iu it tho
only picture he ha I ever hd taken in
hia life.
He chuckled as he recalled the anx
ious oiling he ha I given the curly hair
to make it lie fiat, the hat rowing hesi
tation over his ne.;ktie, the borrowing
of the watch-chain that stood out i t
such bold relief against hia brocaded
vest. How quaint and old-fashioned
it looked !
He passed his hand over his grizzled
beard with a sigh, for the smooth,
boyish face was uot all ho saw. It
brought back the whole faded past mo
overwhelmingly tht for awhile he
torgot where he was.
Thirty-three years since he had
dropped that little package iu the of
fice ! He did not question why the
letter had gone astray. He hail lost
his boyish faith in his own infalli
bility. He had probably mailed it
with only half the address, perhaps
none.
Now he was a boy agaiu, back in
Maine. Auut Lucy's knitting needles
clicked in the firelight. Uuole Caleb
was making him a sled. How warm
and comfortable the kitchen felt, aud
how good Auut Lucy's donghuuU
tasted 1
The crowd jostled him. lie stooJ
aa if grow a to the spot, until a sharp
nosed woman elbowed her way in
front of him, to ace what interested
him. She looked inquisitively from
the picture to the westber-beaten face
above her, and passed nn, none th
wiser. There was little likeness be
tween the two.
Her penetrating glance aronsed
him. He came to himself with
start, looked hastily around, and thea
se'. out fnm tho building, heedless of
direction. A kten, raw wiud struck
hint as he strode along the lake shore.
He shivered and turned up his coat
collar.
A drizzling mist of rain began U
fall. People going by with their un
hrellns up looked At him curiously at
he plodded along with his own una
broils nnder hia arm.
Hoon a heavy dash of rain aroused
him to the necessity of finding imme
diate shelter. A group of Htat
buildings was just ahead. 01nncin
up he saw the name of his native StaU
on one. and hurried in
A t.,l..... l vi.i
in the huge fireplace, filling the roots
with a glowiag comfort that warmec
him, soul and body. He drew a chaii
close np to it, and spread hia chill;
fingers to the flames.
Yi l 5 'A... """r"1'""
The sticks against the forelogt
burut to embers, and fell into thi
ashes. The crane seemed to swinf
backward like a great finger, poiatin
to the past, as he sat and atared inU
the fire.
Teople parsing through the rootx
saw only a rough old farmer, bit
clumsy boots stretched out on thi
hearth. They uever dreamed of tht
scenes thst passed before him in tht
fire. There were glimpses of snow
covered pine woods, ot aparklinf
trout-streams gurgling in the Jun
suLahine, of long stretches of leve
s's-ssud where the tide crawled in.
The old homeaickness waked again
What had they thought of him througl
all these silent years? He wondered
how they would receive his long-de
layed apology. He must write as soon
as he got back to the hotel.
The raiu had stopped. He stood up
and shook himself, then went outdoor
again, pulling his beard meditatively,
as he wallked toward the gate. It
seemed a week since he had entered it.
Outside, while he waited for a car,
he kept poking the end of his urn
brella savagelv into a crack in tht
pavement. As ho swung himself to tht
platform of a passing car, he turnec
ba'.tk for another look at the domei
and towers inside the gate.
It w as his last look. He had seel
enough. He was going back to Unclt
Caleb and Aunt Lucy. Youth's Com
panion.
The Princess sJ the Skoeaiaker.
Home time ao there were storiei
around that Prinoess Maud, ilaughtei
of the Trince of Wales, was not as ro
bust as she might bu. In fot it wa
hinted thai she inherited a good deal
of tha trouble which eventually cul
minuted iu the death of her ttucie, tb
late Duke of Albany. Home color wai
given to these rumors by the fact thai
I'rincess Maud was permitted to so
cept invitations without her sisters ot
mother at seaside houses of certaic
members of tho nobility.
Medical specialint from Germany
have also at times been summoned U
atteud upon her I'.oyal Highness, aud
for oue season since her debut she diii
uot appear st any of the great Cotiti
functious. During her visits at som
of the seaside country houses th
l'rinces-4 has more than once been dis
covered in the act of takiug a walk by
herself in th neighboring town. On
oue occasion, at llourueiuoiitb, sb
went into a shoe store and purchased
a pair of rubbers, or, as the Kuglisl
call them, "goloshes." The store
keeper was a little abrupt, atul as tht
rubbers wero inexpensive, he declined
to sen I tuem home.
The I'riiK'i'ss accordingly carried
the parcel herself, but within a few
minutes sir.; was met by one of hot
suite iu search of her, and the dismay
of the churlish tradesman wheu he
heard who his customer ha I been can
well be imagined. He 'iaJ, however,
the cool unpcrtiiieiuL t. place tut
royal arms with the crest of the Prince
of Wales's feathers ubove the shop
window, snd inscribed iu larje letter
on the plate glass, "i'atroiiizeJ by het
Itoyal Highness, the Princess Maud.'
This so disgusted her little llighuesi
tint she hit I a special injunction
served ou the man, which resulted it
hi takiug the aruii', eU, ilonu. New
York Mail nu I Kxpi;ess.
The Fivii;!i .,irr.
The French Navy, while it .leiei not
embrace as ni -ny vessels in thi ntvy
ofOriat Britain, is stronger iu men.
The Kritish Navy includes eighty-two
armored ships, as against titty-eight
for France, aud I'M un armored ships,
as against sixty-live fur Frauce. It is
also stronger iu gunboats, but the
Freuch Navy has more torpedo boats.
The total active list in ofUeers and
men is: Great Britaiu, 03,4-j'J j I'rauoe,
7rt,2J0. Additional to this are tht
Naval Reserves, aggregating 7ti,7(H
for Great Uritaiu, as against 01,170
for l'rauce. New York Suu.
A (jiteci' and Oualnt Hook,
PtiidyarJ Kipling is still seeking th
queer and quaint. He is now studying
a plan to produce n book divisible iu
the middle, like the old-fashioned
hymn books, which had the words on
the top pago aud the inusio ou tht
bottom. Kiplings idea is to have three
separate stories iu the one book. The
top page will complete one, the bot
tom page another, aud the two to
gether the third story. While thej
will, of course, bear a resemblance tc
each other, the plots will be actirelj
different, one from the other. New
York Mail aud Et press.
REV. DR. TALHAGE.
rnn Brooklyn divtne's bun
DAY SERMON.
Subject: "The
Bplrltuat
Life "
Conflicts of
Text: "Ai-t Jtwnh trnt Irfl alnnr. nn
tfierr trntlM a mnn trilh hint unlil Ihr hrrnk
'H.7 it lUr Iny, Ami trb'it hp nmr that hr ;ir-
miHii mil n fninrl nitu tir tmirhnl the hnllntr
Kfhm thigh, nwl th hnllmr of ,timh'n thinh
"1S on ii jtiimt nt lr trrrftfrH trilh him, A ml
e wivt. I si i
'W V. fnr Ihr any brrnkrth. A ml
Ii until, I trill mot
Irl Ihrr tn rrrriit Hum iHrm
"e."- Wetimla Xtxll., i-'2H.
The itu rose tntm a traveling herd of eat
tin and sheep and goat aint camels. They
lire the pnwnt that Jacob sends to gain the
trood will nf M- nfl'MnW brother. That nlifht
Jacob halts liy the brrtc JaMk. Hut thcr"
U no rri dr th wnrv titan, no shluinir lad
d"r to let the atiiHs down Into his iln'sm.liiit
a lleree nsnlist, that lasts until the mnrnlmr,
wnu an unknown vl-ltor. Ihev each trv to
t'irowthe other. Tho unknown visitor, to
rwenl hlssuimrtor iKwr,bvs touch wrenches
Jamli s thhrll honn from Its socket
iierhnrx
niaimin him for life. As on the
morntnir
I y the dieters of purple cloud IhIii to ripen
Jaiesltlsnnanri'l with whom h has
'0 iunt 'ndlnL'. Slid nut one of his ln!i
ft s coadjutor. "I-el Din go," cries tin" miiji'l
lifting himself up Into isereasing light
in any nreaketh!
lou see. in the llrst tilaiv. thst fjod allows
good '0il sometimes to net Into a terrible
smiKtflo. Jacob was a good man, but here
he Is left alone In the midnight to wrestle
wnn a iremennnoiis inntienen hv the bmk
Jabljok. Kor Joseph, a pit: for Daniel, wild
lieant den: for David, dethronement and
evlle. frtP Jithn tltu lta..lut m .il.ti....Hia tl..
sod the executioner's ax: or Peter, a prison:
tor I'sttl, a shipwreck: for John, desolate
Patnios; for Vsilitl, miwt insulting eruelty;for
Josephine, banishment; for Mrs. Wifonrney,
tho ngony of n drunkard's wife: for JohnV-s-ly.
stones hurled by an Infuriated mob: for
Catherine, the Hcoteh girl, the drowning
surges oi tne sea: ror air. Hums, the lmnvi.
Inir of the Montreal xinuls'';for John Itrown
of Ldlubiirg, the pMol shot of I.nrd t'laver
hotise: tor Huh McKail. !the scaffold; for
iJitliiMT. the stake; (or Christ, the eres. Kor
whom the rs'kH, tin gibbets, the guillotines,
tns tnumtiscrewsr ror the sons and daught
era of the Lord bd Almltfhtv. Koine one
said to a Christian reformer. "The world Is
against vou." "Then." he replied, "I Hin
again! ins worm.
I will go further and sav that every Chris
tian has his simple. This man had hiscom
imt Iu Wall street, this one on Ilroad stnit
this one on Fulton street, this one nn Chest
nut street, this oue on htate street, this one
on Lombard street, this one on the bourse
With fluancittl misfortune you have had the
muiuignt wrestle. iiiHtiiot disasters have
Implied into your store I run loft to cellar.
What you hnuitht you could not sell. Whom
you trusted Hod. The help you expected
would not come. Homo Riant panic, with
long arms und Krip like death, took hold of
you in an awful wrestle from which you have,
not yet (tscsiieil, and it Is iineiTtaln' whether
it will throw you or vou will throw It
Here Is another soul In strtiKirle with some
bad apetlti. He knew not how stealthilv it
was growing upon Illin. One hour he woke
up. He said. I-or the sake of mv soul, tnv
family, of my children, and of my (loil,
I must stop this:" And, behold, he found
himself alone by the brook Jahbok. and It
Was mldnik'ht. That evil mipotlte sclzl up
nu him and he selrd upon It, und, oh, the
horror of the conflict! Wheu once a bad
balt bus aroused Itself up to destroy a man
and tho man has sworn that, by the holp of
inn eiernui noil, lie will destroy it. all Heaven
draws Itself out in a lonir line of Unlit to look
from above, and hell stretches Itself in mvr-
mldons of spite to look up from beneath. I
've "n men rally themselves for such, s
struggle, and they have bitten their llw and
clinched their lists sad cried, with a blood
red eurni-stiii's and a rHlu of scaldiug tears,
won nmp mo ;
From a wrestle with habit I hnvs soen men
rail back defeated. Calling for no help, but
relying on their own resolutions, they have
couiD into ine struggle, una lor a time It
Beemed they were getting the upper hand of
their habit, but that habit rallied again its
inferual power and llitml a soul (mm its
staudlug, aud Willi a force borrowed from
the pit hurl it into utter darkness, first t
saw the auctioneer's mullet (nil on the pic
tures sii i musical instruments and rlen up.
holstery of his faniil.f parlor. After awhile 1
saw him fall Into the dtlcli. Then, in the
midnight, when the children were ilieamlng
their sweetest dreams und Christian house
holds are silent with slumber. angel wab'hed.
I beard hltn give the sharp shriek that fol-
iowi.'u in sian ot ins own poniard. Mm fell
from an honored social position, he Ml from
a family circle f whieh once he was the
grandest attraction, he fell rmm the house of
(Jod.st whose alters he had been consecrated
he full foievxr! Hut. thank Ood. 1 have
olten seeu a letter termination than that.
I have seen men prepare themselves for
such a wrestling. They laid hold of (imt's
help when thu wenf Inl coni'iat. Th')
giant mini, rcgaieri i,y mc cup of many
I temptations, ca.ue out strong and delimit.
I They clinched. There were the writhing
ami iii.iiunioiiH 01 a cariui struggle. n il
the old giant beg in to waver, and. at last
iu tint moonlight alone, with none but iod to
witness, by the brook Jnbhuk. the giant tell
and the triumpaut wrestler broke the dark
ness with the cry: " I'll. inks Iw unto lio.l who
ijlveth us th-j victory through our Lord Jesus
ChrlHt, I here Is a widow s heart that first
was desolated by bereavement mid since hv
the anxietias and trials that i-ount In the sup
port of a f,.inllv.
It iss sad thing tosce a uinucontc ndlng for
s llveunooil uuder disauvantsgi's. buttos'e a
delicate woman, with helpless little ones at
her ha "k, lighting the giants of povertvaud
sorrow. i most afls-ting. It was a Ini'inhl.i
home, and passtrsby knew not that within
those four walls were displays of courage
more a .bilirubin than tltus.t' of ItatMiibal
crossing the Alps, or tho pas of Tliermopyhe
or lialaklava. where "iuto the Jaws of de'ath
rode the six hundred."
These heroes had the whole world to cheer
them on, but there were none to upplauil
the ntnlggle In tic humble home, she
fought tor Invad. for i-lothiiig, tor lire,
for shelter, with nehli.g head, and wak side,
mid exhausted strength, through the long
night by the tiro ik Jahbok. Could it lie thai
noun would give her hclpc Had Hod fur
gotten to be graeious? No, contending soul!
The midnight air is full ot wings coming to
the rescue, she hears it now in the sough of
the night wind, in the ripple ol the brook
Jablsik thd promise made so long ugo ring
ing down the sky, "Thy fatherless children,
I will preserve tiiem ulive, and Ltt thy widow
trust la Me."
Some ou' said to a poor woman, "How islt
that iu such distress you keep cheerful" Hhu
said: "I do it by what I call cross prayers.
When I had my rent to pay and nothing to
pay it with, aud bread to buy and u othlug to
buy it with. I usitd to ait down and cry. but
now I do not get discouraged. If I go along
tha Htreot, when I count to a corner of the
streut I say :"The Lord help me." 1 then go
ou until I come to another crossing of the
street, and I again say: "Tbu Lord help me!"
And so I utter a prayer at every ero.nlug.aad
since I have got into the habit uf suyiug
thus- "cross pru.vers" I have henii uldu to
keep up my courage."
Learn agaiu from this subject that peoiilu
sometimes urn suppried to Hud out that
what they have been struggling with in the
durkneM Is reallv un "angel of blessing."
Jauoh found in the inornlug that this strange
(lersouae was uot au enemy, but a Ood dis-
Catch ed messenger to promise prosperity fur
iin aud bis uhildreu. And so many a man.
at the oloso of his trial, bos found out that be
has been trylug to throw dowu his owu bless
ing. ' If you are a I'bristiun mau, I will go
back iu your history aud Und that the gruud
ast things that have ever buppeail to
vou bavsheea your trials. Nothing short of
mivtrging. Imprisonment an t sliinw-.
have mid Paul what he was
w lien Dsvtd wi
was fleeing through th.
y hts own son. I..
nni ntirsiiiisl In- iti wn . ...
prepiimd to Isvome the sweet sin,f,?,.
. .... . n" m witw inchrs..
at whleh Joseph ever graduated t '
........ ........ . i . . ... ' n
mm- iiiiiv ii.s.-, n,.- t.-m aim Klllw Jjl,.
rert prepared the man of Cr to
- . f-s-Flll',.-l, l. atTM
ik no wv io g"l ine wueat out of ik.
lhiil.l luil M l,n l r. i. i
Mil i-r nirivii ii. ll.'n- is no Wflv t-
who hsvn had thefr own way. -j-JT
brisiil. discontented nfttmi,f "..'..i.-
you want to find cheerful f,R ?V
ter KiMstnl li ail rendered "W lln t...
- - -' ill m. .
eit him. They put ur'tl his hmw , .
rmsn or laurel leav. uf ami.l
i i'-ii'i iiii.i mini, i wimnigive authh,r
w-in' nir a tew anvn 01 voiltli Hll
Contrast the melare-'holv feeMnir nt "
....... .... 's,n. t ,. ,-sa- M lllla -
mi.siuxitiu(-a wnn- iiinnmi-nftiue, wtca b
The hilt nt r.inn rleM
A thoumnit mereri mwmmi.
IWure we rwh tin" henvnnW n..
Or wslk the (nlden slrxi-M
Thi let nnr sonirs stwimi I
And eri.rrti'sr ii ilr
w are man-nuts inroiisti im.nnuiiMi .
It Is prosperity Hint kills aud tr..ii!,'.
saves. Whilethe Isrneliteswcreonthein,,
amid great privations and hardships, this,
ha v well. After awhile they prnvi
meat, and the sk v ilsrkene.1 with agri'ti
11.. ..A il. II. ... "
.miii. nun iit-- .iiiniis it-ii in la-irs s
.!....! II m. 1 . .
iiiiiu.st nu limine mem, anil ne isrsi'htis
aim ate ana sriinen tnemsuives until k
ille.1. t)n. my mends, tt Is not hnrdshu
trial or starvation that Iniures th
niiuiiiiant supply, it Is not the vtiltur
trotilile that eats up the Christian's r
ine nuai is. it is tne unal s Ynu will .
out that your midnight wrestle by thi It
.laiamk is wit It tne angel of (tod. coiimi
to mess ami save.
tnrn again that while wrest ling wilii tm
mar i iriumpnani we must expect th
win leave its mark upon us. Jacob pre ai
but the angel touched him, and his ih
"ii-7 i-riaiiH hi. i, i iin wn-ipi, nnil ins ft
man went limping on nts way. ws
CHrrv throilill tills wnrltl IhA murk U
bat. WtiHt whitened your hair Isifore It
time for frost What silenced forevsr
niii-ii ni I nn ni iitrir v ni vimi nmiuh.. .r.
ir is iiiii.aiisn iiih nniriu ni im.i.i huih . ...
eu you mat you goiinuilngonvourwav. t
nueil hut Iia uiiri.ildMl thul flu.s 1... L.
(a-ssivi tttrougli tnu tir.) do not feel as tfny
thev once did!
I it. nor iia mil ni tiuti.tmn, uriii. iim...
nillTIM tint nut nf thai. ilAmininliuiAii 'PI.
snilll leu vou fllaf f nev iin lMiin tp.-...
toiteheil Im vn tttud'h ilmt io.i
eii, se our cradle r I tied of the bright eysiv
sweet lips.' t an we stand unmoved ao l
iii jesus, wno wept Himseir, lie angry wr
us ii we pour our tears Into the irrave th,
"l"-u 'w ns ii ui, ii., nu w.iiti. wr. 11, vif Mr
was Lazarus more dear to Him than our
loved dead to us'.' No We have a right
weep, uur icars must come, ton snail d
ilrlia Ihain . . 1. 1... . tl
fall Into (bids bottle. Aftlleted Olieii hi
died liecii'iio they could not weep. Thui
loil for the sweet, the mysterious Hi
that conies to us in tears'. Under th
gentle rain the (lowers of com put forth the
bloom, (tod pity that drv. withered. wirelM
all aoiisiiuiliig grief that wrings its hands hoi
ipiickhut cannot weep! We may have fouuil th,
commit of the cross, and vet ever after sh,n
ffllf.t In l.n ,l,,b l..ri, an. I 1... II. a l.. n I. , ,
bok we were trouble touched.
and aunounco the approach of the day da wo
No one was ever more a lad to see the mom
Ing than was Jacob after that night of strug
gle. It Is appropriate for pUUf bropieb
iiuu i urinuHim 10 cry.oui wnn taw. i
the text: "The day breaketb." The worl
prospects are brislitenlng. The church
I nrisr is nsinir nnin irs slreneiniocrn inn
imr as iuv -tj"j. v vnr ns tnu suu buu le
hie as an anny of bnnno;.
Chip your hands, all ve rsoiils the ibi
iireanetn. I ne iiigoines nt tne rami art
perishing. The time was when wa were tol
that it we wanted to go to heaven we mu
be Immersed or sprinkled, or we musthelieJ
in tue perseverance of the saints, or in fsl
ing away from grace, or a liturgy or no
liturgy, or they must l Calviuists
Armiiiians In order to reach heavii. W
have nil come to eonf't-s now that these ar
nonessentials in rullgiou.
During my vaeatiou one summer I was in
a rresbyterian audience, and it was Hacrs
mental day, and with greatful heart I receiv
ed the Holy Communion. Ou the next Hali
but 111 was In a Methodist church und sat at
love fast. On the following hahhath I wns
iu an Kpiscopal church nnd kuHt at thealtr
and received thi) consecrated bread. I da
not know which services I enjoyed the must
l believe in tne communion of saints and In
the life everlasting." " The dav hrenkelh.'
As I look upou this audience 1 see manv
who have passed through waves of trouble
that came up higher than tu"ir girdle. In
(iod's name I tir x'lnlm ress-itlou of hostili
ties. Vou shall not go away saddened ami
broken-hi'nrted.Ood will lift your burden, (tod
will bring your il"ud to life. ' Ood will statl.'h
the heart's bleeding. I know lie will. I.Ik
as a father pities his children, so the Lord
ptTies vou. I no pains ot earth will end. 1 Its
tomb will burst. The dead will rise. Tho
morning star trembles on a bright. ming skr.
The gati-s of the oat b'gin t swiug open.
1 he day tir tnk:th.
I.utiier and Mlaneiitiion were talking !
gi'thcr gle ittilly aliout the prospts'ts of the
h irch. 1 hey could sec no hope of deliver
ance. Alter awhile Luther got up aud sail
to Melanehthon: "Come. Phillip, l t us suu
the (orty-"ith psalm of David, 'Ood is our
refuge and strength, a very pleasant help m
trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though
the earth 1st removed and the mountain h
arrie 1 Into the nildsl nf the .sea, though th
waters thereof roa' and be troubled, though
the mountains shuke witll tlx' swelling there-
it. M'latt.
D 'ath to niiinv, nav to all. Is ustnigglean l
a wrestle. We have ninny friends that it will
be hard to leave, I care uot how blight our
future hope is. It is a bitt.ir thing to look
upon this fair world und know that wa shut.
never again we its blossoming spring. Its fall
ing iritlts, Its sparkling springs, mid to sav
farewell to those wPh whom we plaved in
hiidli ood or eouiis.iliii in manhood. In that
night, like Jacob, we may have to wnsll,
but Oixl will not leave us unblessed. It shall
not be told iu heaven that a dying soul cried
uiiio won tor ueip, pin was not ueiivereo.
The lattlc ) may lie turned to keepout thosun.
or a hook set to dim the light of the midnight
taper, or the room may Ik) tilled withthecrius
of orphanage and widowhood, or the church
of Christ may mourn over our goiug, but II
Jesus culls all is well. The s'.roug wrestling
by the brook will cease; the hour of death's
night will puss along - 1 o'clock iu tho morn
ing: i o'clock in tla morning: 4 o'clock In
the morning, Tho day hreaketb.
Ho I would have It when 1 die. I am in no
grudge against thU world. The only fault I
have to llut with the world Is thnt it treats
tue too well, but when tbu time comes to go I
trust to lie ready, my worldly affairs all set
tled. If I huve wronged others, I wnut then
o im sure of their forgiveness. ' la the hist
wrestle, ntv arm enfeebled with sickness und
my lies I faint, I want Jesus beside uie. If
there lie bauds ou this side of tho flood
stretched nut to hold mo back, I want the
heavenly baud st rote lied out to draw me for
ward. I'heu, oh, Jesus, help me ou aud help
tue up. t niearliig, un doubting, may I step
right out into the light and 1st able to look
back to my kin J red and friends who would
detaiunie here, exclaiming. ''Let ma go ; let
me go. The duy breuketb !"
-t
Over 00,000,000 eoplo Muk French.
Chlc.uro has 344 eliurchiM ami I OSS tne ml
society loilgea.