IN THE VALLEY OF SILENCE. Far and dim lip the Vall7 of Sil"nce, Pr-ep In the borders of Hhmlowlnnil. Warier mountain kwp grim surveillance. An I the Dusk and the Daa-oln go bonJ In html. Riesling wnter with nev.'r a rm'iMe, Wind of rose with nver a sigh i Not a rrn linvf roar In the rlouly MuM.lo Whm I ho lightning rvipt in a stormy sky. Never n si i r In tho utaiw awnylnp, Sorer a drone when tho boo files through, Not a fairy not-j from tho wood, whore, atr.iyini?. Tim ol of tho rov: meets tho soul of tho ili'W. Never n nonij a tho tiir I win? over The silver rnf h where the lllle Mow Or "ptnirl'"! turf whero tho rlnuntlejg clover lrirt hlvh In tho miushlno tier scented now. In tiill (mli pnpplo tho lot th.it piko not No l nil your Ions' through a ilrnamful drowie. From Sleep mi l from Death tbelr ryes shall wnkn not Who crown with u.:h blossom their gin mouro'l lirow. Dim anil fur li-a tlio Valley of Silenen, Deep In tho border of Hlmlowlnti.l. Warier mountains keep stvrn surveillance. An I tho Dunk an l tho Ditwuing go hanJ in hiin.l. Martha M. Williams, In H.irper's Il.-uir, The Two Silver Bullets. tlY W. I1F.IIT FOHTEK. HE long, narrow room, tin; only en trance to which was by a tortuous pasa sge behind olil Lo Cop's tolmiTo shop, was hut dimly light ed by the flaring bluze or tho filth j candle wit into a thrco pronged oan dli'stick in tho mid dle of the table. But although tho light only vaguely outlined tho figures of fourteen men about the board, it shone full upuii our faces, ami showed each hia neighbor's countenance in tho pallid yellow glow. At the head of th! talilo Hat Pulaski, hia burly form making tho rickety chair in which ho hut creuk und groan. 1 1 in itaturo seemed almost gigantio be iile that of tho other, for we were all of Hunny Franco hut he. At the other end of the table hat I, the leant of them in stature petit garcon, they called mo once hut I wan tough and wiry ah, yes, for huvo I uot lived to Lo an old, old lunu? How often hud wo met in that dingy apartment ere Puhuki came, and, with buted breath yet Hashing eyes, talked of tho unredressed wrouga of tho poor, and tho arrogauco an J pride of the rich and powerful! Hut Pu '"Vi '! mnn-Kf action. Ho wai not content iuy , -avotuna tho people's sufferings, ut proposed A,i do some thing to perform some gV.Bt work for the emancipation of tho trodden down, and the raising of tho red Una of liberty. Pulaski was of that land where they are over fighting, and dyin", and he ing beaten and exiled, lor tho sake of Jilierty, and he threw himself, body and soul, into our cause. Ilo organ ized us and taught us tin? fierce prin ciples of his own hloody religion, and fired our hearts with something of his hatred of the ricli and nolile. Then ho iiaid wo must do more than talk wo must strike ! And now the fatal hour had come. IVe hud chosen our saerilice. Ho was Suited of the people und must die. He hud done luileli iigaiu-d the cuilsn of liberty, on 1 we all echoed Pilluski's lierri) declaration tliut he must suffer for his crimes. Uesi.les, wus ho not rich, uinl arrogant, uud powerful in the State? Now we were to draw lots to sco who should perform the work, and to us this meant much. Whoever drew tho fatal lot should compass th' task to w hich we had agreed, uu 1 in that sumo hour he should also die. We trusted each other, but iiiun is weul; ; aud long brooding on death, or perhaps tho torture, might, if he lived to be tried, wring from the most faithful tho names of his companions in the con spiracy. Tins was perfectly under stood. "We nre ull here," said Pulaski, raising In, massive head, and his deep voice filling the room. "Jo must die. Are we ull iirreed A hoarse "Aye !" ro.se from tho group about the taliiu. "And we are firm upon that mutter of the future course ot tho messenger uho bears death to him'.'" Another murmur of sullen Celiee followed. ucquies- l'ulu-ki nlmeel slowly about tho boar. I, his tiertv gaze it sting upon each luce in turn longer. I thought, on mine than mi the others. 'Then, are foiirtoeu of us," he said. From the drawer ut his end of tho tsbbs he produced a handful of small, white beans, thirteen of which he counted uj,i, the fiblo in our sight. Th 'ti from another compartment in the same drawer he brought lorth ono black one, uu 1 plae.sl it with tho white. "There are fourteen," he snid ugain. A hat served in want of a better re ceptacle, and into it the fourteen beans were .liopp.;l. Pulaski shook them together, uud passed tho hat to tho limn at his right huud. It was too dark in tlie room to K,.0 M 0oor 0( the beuuH in tho hat, had o:io wished ; but tho lirst man looked straight uhead ns he plunged his hand within and brought it slowly forth again, closed .tighly over the bean ho hud delected. His hand remaiucd closed us ho passed tho hat to his uuishbor, uud thus it weut iiowu the table. A strange, odd feeliug of terror came rfrep urn an I watched tbo progress of tho hat along tbo board, I Am not a coward ; but something seemed to be stifling mer. and I could scarcely re friin from cryin? ont I felt that tho black bean would fall to mo; yet I know not why. I looked about upon the faces of my companions ; but all wore so grave and stern that 1 was ashamed of my fear. Wan I, Fran cois Duerct, to be a child in tho su premo hour of trial? Then the hat was passed to me. A mist roso before my eyos, and tho dingy, stuffy room teemed to reel in my vision; yet through it nil I saw Pulaski's stern, set face, his thin lips drawn back over his white teeth, and his eyes fairly blazing. I groped for the hat liko a blind person, and thrust my hand within. Perhaps I occupied no more time in drawing my lot than hail the others; but it seemed an eternity to me. Ah, yes; tim is not rightly measured by hours and min utes, but by event. It t kes ages to do some things, though the hour glass may tell you but a few minutes have pBSiod. Ueforo my fingers clutched tho lit tlo bean I had been terrified by a cer tain knowledge that I should draw the fatal lot. When it was firmly in my clasp, however, and I had passed the hat along the board, that feeling left me. I felt relieved almost happy; tho lerrible ordeal was over, and I was impressed now so strongly by a feel ing of exultant relief so great a re action from my previous morbid fear that I was willing to swear that I had been lucky, and that tho fatal lot had fallen, or would fall, to some other. I should not have to diol Ah, I wi s young, and life was sweet to too then. I sat back in my chair, and my eyes followed tho con r so of the hat about the table, while there was almost a smilo upon my lips. My hand re mained tightly closed over the bean, however, and the others did likewise I could feel the small, hard particle pressing against my palm, yet I had no feeling of fear as to its color. Then tho hat came back to Pulaski, and almost feverishly he seized it and clutched the remaining bean, turning the hat tumido down upon the tabic, and rapping it smartly to show that it was ei.-ipty. Tho noise startled us all into more upright positions; still, for several seconds, none sought to view what ho held lb his hand. then Pu laski opened his palm outward that wo might see, aud displayed a white beau. . I looked from ono to another of mv comrades as their hands slowly opened, that strange feeling of safety still in my heart, and tbo half smile upon my lips. Who had drawn tho fatal lot? Who among my companions men whom I had known in the university, meu whom I had known from child hood who among them all was doomed to perform the bloody work, and in the same hour end his own ex istence? ,' t r (Suddenly, with the amazement that a peal of tnumler from a cloar skv might causo one, 1 saw that the eyes of thorn all were bent on me I I glanced swiftly about the table; each iiud lay open, and in tho palms thus lisfluyed were tho thirteen white beans: It took a minute, perhaps, for tho fullvsignitlcauco of this fact to dawn upon mo. Then I opened my own hand. "The lot has been drawn." Pulaski's deep voice reached my ear faintly, us though from a great dis tance. I still sat ut the dirty table; tho candles still sputtered in their sockets; I ho pule, set faces of my comrades were all about me. Hut I hud lived over mv whole life uaiu. and its end wus now ut hand. "According to our agreement," our leailer said, moro distinct ly than before, "the messenger of death is to take this weanon" he drew a pistol from tho table drawer and laid it before him "aud with it do his work. It is load ed with two silver bullets; ono is for his heart, tho other for the messenger himself. Is it understood?" I bowed mechanically uud received tho pistol. 'Ono barrel for him, tho other for you, repeated Puiu,ki, "for it is agreed that he shall die." "Aye, he must die, chorused the others; but my parched lips gave forth no sound. Then, ono by one, my friends came and embraced mo uud went out ; but Pulaski passed 1110 without a word. Only hia lleroo glauco seemed to burn into my very soul. "One barrel for him, ono barrel for mc!" I muttered. Staggering to my feet, I hid tho pistol in my bosom and walked through tho passage into the tobacconist's shop. Old Lecop was behind the little counter, us usual, but I pa&.iod him without a word. "Wilt thou not have one to-day, Francois?" ho asked, pushing the box towurd mo. Ho was un old man, and blear-eyed ; but ho wus poor, and the purchases of tho littlo company who met so fre quently in that back room meant much to him. I threw hiin a frano, und, selecting a cheroot mechanically, went out without my cbungo. Ou the walk I began to tear off mouthful of the strong tobacco uud eat it as a hun gry man would bread. Then my brain became clearer, and I was able to think, and pluu, uud remember, once more. It was dark when I made my way into his garden. It was a beautiful garden, but gardens are only for the rich. A great wall was built all about it, that tbo poor might not evn see its beauty. All things are denied the poor but labor; thut they hare in plenty. He was in tho habit of walking in his garden early it) the morning. We all knew that ; everybody knew it, in fact, so I concealed myself beside the path and waited. Tho pistol was in my bosom my hand npon it. I could not fail to hit the mark, for he would pass within a yard of me. "Ono barrel for him, tho other for me I" I kept repeating, and thus tho night wore away and the gray dawn broke at Inst. First a liveried servitor ai haughty as his master marched down the walk and unbarred the massive gate. Then other tokens of life appeared about tho villa. A maid was singing about her work ; she had a clear, sweet voice. Somehow it sounded like my mother's, though in what manner I could not tell. Perhaps she snug tho same ditty that I had heard her sing to my littlo sister. These recollections brought tho tears to my eyes, but I gripped the pistol all the more firmly. At last I f aw him come from the hall and pass down tho marblo steps into the garden. Ho was a handsome, im posing old man, and hearty looking, as though ho had yet many years of life before him. I alouo knew that he had but a few moments. I would let him enjoy the sweet morning air for a little while, and then "Ono barrel for him; tho other for you !" I could almost have sworn that it was Pulaski's voico in my ear, yet a startled glauco around assured mo that I was nlono in the shrubbery. And ho was coming down the path to ward mo. On his breast wero several decorations, for ho was never seen abroadnot even in his garden without being fully dressed. How the baubles glittered in tho sunlight I In a few moments his life blood would blot out their brightness, for he wa coming nearer, and tho pistol was iu my hand now. My finger trembhid on tho trigger; yet I would wait a moment. He would bp nearer ; and, besides, the air was sweet, and how beautifully tho sun light sparkled through tho spray of the fountain ! Suddenly tuero was an eager, child ish shout from the villa, aud a littlo figure dashed out over tho portal and down tho path with a cry of "fSran pere!" Such a lovely, fairy-like crea ture as she was! She was liko my little sister, and he swung her up into his arms and kissed her just ns I had often kissed Joan ere she died. Hj went to tho garden seat near by and drew her to his knoe. How lov ingly she threw her arms about his neck and patted his check with her tiny hands! Ah, how sho would feel when they found him lying dead in tho garden! One might easily see that her loving little heart was wholly given over to him. 'Twouldbe a pity to break that littlo heart, yet even then tbo pistol was turned full upon him. And wbilo sho prattled on, and ho listened, and I watched the two, a sudden tumult arose outside the gar den. There were hoarso cries, and tho trampling -'..-"ay feet, itl :ct the garden iXV tto of which the porter had f1 ' all covered with foam and f .c, aud with the froth 1 r.(, driveling from his savage jaws, dashed a huge, shaggy brute, and rushed up the path toward those two on tho scat. "Mon Dieu !" he cried, and put her quickly behii. 1 htm, facing the mad dened beast empty handed as ho wus. "For her sake!" I muttered, and rising from the covert I tiro J the first barrel of tho pistol. Tho brut. sprung high into the air, and then fell back to the dust, dead. While tho people crowded in, I escaped. There was still a little money iu my purse, aud I left I'aris and hastened to Havre, thero to take pussugo for America. I crept about tbo dark streets ut night until I could find an opportunity to embark frou. my na tive laud, aud thero Pulaski found me. I knew he would come ; I ha 1 seen it in his cruel eyes when ho left mo that day in tho room behind the to bacconist's, i hail uot been a traitor, but tho child had shielded him with her inuoceuei). Pulaski sprang upon mo in a lonely plucj perhaps ho had been dogging me for days ; I know not. "I have found you," ho said, in his deep, rumbling voice. " Traitor 1 You wero tho chosen messenger of death; you drew tho lot ; why did you not keep your oath?" 1 could ay uiuht. "Self accuse 1, you die by my baud !" ho hissed, and 1 saw tho tlasb of tho steel uliovo my head; but I hu 1 tho pisiol still. "Ono barrel for him," I shouted, "this ono for you!" I fired and ns I ran from the spot I looked back aud saw his huge body sway forward, and fall, a dead thing, upon tho pavement. Then I cumo to America. I am an old man now; but can 1 ever forget? -Muusey's Magazine. A Folded Unltl Vein. narold Y. Fairbanks describes in the Engineering aud Mining Journal a peculiar formation iu the Julian and Manner gold districts of San Diego County, California : The vein takes the form of a succes sion ot rolls, desceudiug at a somewhat less angle than the slate. Tbo dip of the mica slate is seventy degrees to the northeast, while tho vein us a whole has a dip of sixty degrees. Each roll or fold has tho same dip us the slates, but the successive folds fol low each other into tho hanging wall. Each succeeding fold is, as a rule, lower than the precudiug; that is, each downward beud is longer than the upward one. As far as has been observed in this mine the slates are not folded to correspond with the vein. . The poroapine is called so because his name comes from two Latin words meaning a thoroj pig. 1 LADIES OF THE CABINET. Mrs. Otnty. Mrs. Ore "hum. Mm. Hmith. CHILDREN'S COLUMN. DEPARTMENT FOR LITTLE BOYS AND GIRLS. lomethlns; that Will Interest the Juvenile 1 Member of Eery Iloaneholit Qaaln Ae- tlnns end Drlfht flaying of Many Cat nd Canning Children. Wishing. I'll wl.h to bs a trlncent and To bavo a hoMe to ride. Anil haro some footmen, bravo and tall. l lo walk eloto liy my a Me. ! To bo a prlnoe, really, true, j With long, long Knl.len hair, 1 With forty malri. all dressed In white. To it sod around my cliulr. ' Ami have a park a mile around. ; Wlib treus and path and llownr. : Ami birds' nettt full of eiut and things, And catties and toino towers. And I will live forover thoro I t'ntll a prince will mine i Wltb Innir black hair, mid look Quito fierce. And t.ikn mo to his home. i A IommI Iteannn. 1 Vby did vou tumblii down, my boy?" the kindly teacher cried. 'Because I couldn't tumble up!" tho weep Idk youth replied. Old llronxe. "It's the Btrangest thing," said Jessie, with wide-open eyes. "And my (lowers will never grow," ; aid Iluth, shaking her head rue fully. It was strange. Out la a corner of the garden was a rockery. Un tho rockery was an Iron basket made to hold flowers. Ruth had planted In tho middle of It a white Illy bulb. All around the edges hhe had put morn dig glory seeds. She wanted the vines to droop over the sides of the basket and run down the stones. Every day the children visited It nd found that something was doing mischief. It was very plain that the leeds and bulb were trying to do their duty, for many and many a tiny ihoot cauin peeping above ground. But the earth about them wai cratrhed and tho tender green stalks broke down and withered. And it kept on day after day. "It must be rats," said Jack. But nothing else in the garden was iver touched. "Couldn't be frost, could it? asked tittle Nan. Mrs. tllMtll. Him Morton. Mrs. ClTlanJ. Mrs. Cirllsla. Mrs. Lamont. They all laughed, for the geranium and pansles were smiling up in the sunshine. One day the children came home early from school. Out Into the garden they ran, and then there was a shout: If it Isn't old Hronzc!" Old Bronze was the largest cat they bad. Jack had named him long ugo, not because ho was bronze colored, but because Jack knew that bronze was ome kind of a color, and thought it sounded well. There lay old Bronze on the bas ket. It was Just the time when the afternoon sun shone on It. Ilo prob ably found the warm earth a very comfortable bed. They all laughed, and Jack said: "I'll fix him:" He got the watering hose and aimed at old Bronze, while Harry ran to turn on the water. 'Oh. don't." cried Ruth. "Boor old fellow! Ho did not know any better." "But ho must be taught a lesson," said Jack, very firmly. "Now scoot:" The cold water came with a dash, and old Bronze "scooted." With one long, dreadful ml-aw-w-w-w-w! he sprang off the basket, flew over the flower-beds, and did not stop until he whs in the top of tho tallest tree, "1'oor old Bronze!" The little girls petted and coaxed and fondled him when ho came down. He had learned his lesson well, for he never so much us looked at the basket again. And the lily grew, and was soon looking around her like a queen. The morn ing glories crept down and wandered jinw scoot!" softly over tho stones until, hefort summer was gone, tho rockery looked like a bank of llowers. Chicago Led Kcr. The tit mi or Ku neuron. In this odd game of chanco a toj kangaroo operates the balls and Is re sponsible for the winning and losing. Tho kangaroo Is a mechanical toy sc constructed that with three Jumps it knocks against the bulls on the in cl.n.'d cover of tho game box, and KANOAnOO scuds them spinning down Into the box, where they skirmish around un til they fall Into a cavltj.. All the cavities aro provided with numbers, and the highest total number covered by the balls of a player wins tht game. Itamltoit Culture In F lorida, "Successful experiments have been made In raising bamboo In Flor ida," said Abo Walthen, at the Grand. "There are several patches near Fort Myers, and the plants aic all growing rapidly, sometimes at much as a foot in a single night. The importance of this new industry can not be overestimated. For tho build ing of light summer houses, or foi certain kinds of furniture, bam too cannot be surpassed. Boad vehicles can be made out of It, and many other things too numerous to men tion. Clothing ran be made from Its fiber, as can paper, and a portion of It is most excellent as food. It li the only plant known that furnishes sholter, clothing and sustenance to mankind, and its Introduction here will be of great public benefit." Cincinnati Knoulrer. mm TumnFr nt? ttttva HUMOROUS SAYINGS AND DO INGU HERE AND THERE. Joke and .lakelet that Are Rnpponed ta Have Beea Recently Itoro flay Ins and Doing rtiat Are Odd, Carina, end Langh vble The Week' Humor, Let r Alt Lencn. "Don't forget, then Ann. thafc your master is a colonel." "Oh, I adore soldiers, ma'am." Tld-Bits. Youth (defiantly) Mine is no idle biast Maid It Isn't liko anythlDg elso of jours, then. Detroit Ireo Tress. 'I)n you ever go to Bins, the tailor?" "Yes. Got two suits from him. One dress suit. One law suit Very expensive man." Clkijk "Are you going to dis charge mc, then?" Druggist "Yes; I think we can dispense without fou." Harvard Lampoon. Wtowo referred to a conversation he had had with two female 1 eaf mutes as ".1 littlo exerclso with the dumb belles." Philadelphia Record. Wife "Don't you believe tho gas meter U defective in somo way?" Husband "It may be. but I notice that it Is able to fill the bill every month." She "You are awfully young to be called colonel." He "Well, I have been In eighteen engagements and the girl and I fought In every one." New York News. Easteuly "I suppose the cyclones you have out here often lift every thing right off of a farm." Westerly "Kr yes; everything except the mortgage." Buffalo Courier. Smith Jones "How do you man age to keep up your mental energy so well?" Smith-Brown "My wife gives mo a piece of hnr mind every morn ing before I start to work." Harlem Life. Tommy "Paw, I heard a man say that Mr. Batts was a self-made man. What U a self-made man?" Mr. Tinkle "A man who knows how to buy a dollar's worth, of work fcr 50 cents." Love In a cottage Is becoming a board of health affair. Although bread has thus far been exempt, diphtheria bacilli have been found In the cheese and kisses. Philadelphia Ledger. Sti lm nqfleet "What would you do with a tailor who never has your trousers done at the time he has con tracted to deliver them?" Wlcn blddle "Sue him for breeches of promise." The sarcastic girl always says lots 01 Driiuant tnings in the course of her career, but she doesn't usually get married as youDjf jis (ho majority of her high school classmates ilo.. . Somcrville Journal. Mns. Skeleton Bang "What new dishes have you had since you have your new cook?" Mrs. Tinkle "A whole new dinner set and several ex tra pieces besides, and she's only been here a week." XuitsK "Luke at the awkward little rascal! Tryln' to put his t ith In' ring in his eve." Fond Mother "It Is not awkwardness at all, Mary Jane; It Is Instinct. He takes it for a monocle." Indianapolis Journal. "Kuai'sk will have it that he made a speech of two hours' duration at the meeting, but I see it only takes up the space of half a column In the papers." "Ah; but, you know, Krause stammers." Humorlstlcher Blaettcr. Studious Boy "What Is the mean. Ing of 'market value' and 'Intrinsic value?' " Father "The 'market val. ue' is the price you pay for a thing; intrinsic value' is what you get when you sell It to a second-dealer." Tld Bits. Amy "1 remember your friend Clare married Mr. Nicotine so as to reform him. He was such an Intem perate smoker. How did she suc ceed?" Joe "Perfectly. Ho gave up tobacco entirely and took to drink." Arkansaw Traveler. "Hot!" he exclaimed. "Well, I should say so. And the least exer tion wears me all out." And while his wife toted a crying baby around' he wandered downtown and walked eight miles and forty two laps around a billiard table. Minneapolis Jour nal. Wiies a young man returns from a picnic and says he had a good time, after rowing boats and pulling lilies for summer girls, and eating lunch In a pasture with the bugs, It Is Just as much a lie as though he said he caught thrco hundred fish or killed a bear. Atchison Globe. Glasseatek An' wot's do trouble now? Manager Do two-headed man's more bodder den he's wort'. I came around to-night wld do week's salary, an' do right head said It was his turn tcr get de swag; den up pops do left an' calls de right head a liar; an' dere scrappln' yet! Syracuse, Post To Keep liuttcr n-om tiettlniiHirong, A UrUtol farmer who, having boon a tllior of the soil thirty-two years, might bo expected to know a thing or two by this time, remains as unsophis cutod in tho ways of tin de sicclo rogues as if he lived ooyond the bounds of civilization, and never read the news papers. Ho does not got any Philadil phla newspaper, butonauce brought a copy of a Now York journal under hid eye recently, and ho eagerly noted the tempting olfer of an advertiser to dis close upon receipt of $10 the boo ret of "How to keep butter, from getting itrong." Visions of largely Increased profit from his dairy prompted him to mail the money, for which he ha re clved the advice: "Eat it" PhtladeU phia Record. 1
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers