loooooooeooooo; 1 Eiack o ock i at By RALPH CONNOR CHAPTER XIII. HOW NKI SON CAME HOME. Hl!Ol'i;fI the lout? summer the motintntns uml the pines wire with me, and through the winter, to, busy as I was in lUng In my i'.lack Kock sketches for Tb railway pe.iplo who would still persist In ordering them by the dozen. She nienmiy f that stirring life would owe over me. ii ml once more I would W auioiiK the Kilent pines and the ifhty snow pcakcil mountains, and sWoru me would ap r the red shirt- C shanty men or dark faced miners, Treat, free, hold fellows, driving me al aiost mad with the desire to seize and 3x those swiftly changing groups of )lrtures.iie llgures. At such times I would drop my sketch uml with eager IrufiU sei.e a group, a face, a figure, nd that is how my studio comes to he 41ed with the men of lllaek Rock. Inure they are about me Craeme and ti men from the woods, Sandy, Hap tJBf. the Cuiniiliells and. in mmiv attl- R ods and groups, old man Nelson; ! ov" llour Graeme met a companion of Fraig, too. and his miners, Shaw, (Jeor ! ""'r nml ev" aml it wn9 not Nixon. V'or old Hilly and the keep- ! fl" 01,1 fevp" came P"n him. tf the league hu loon. j 1,1 valn Nelson warned and pleaded. It seemed as if I lived among them. T,ie ro"tI,m f"om the monotony and nd the illusion was greatly helped by l,ov,'r,y of cnmP Ilf-' to the excitement 4h vivid letters Craeme sent mo from ! nml Uixw? of tIie Sll Francisco gam Jiwe to time. Itrief notes riunu now ! ing I,n,n,'p "wiine; Graeme quite off and then from Craig, too, to whom I ' ,"s f,H't' n',', 0,1 tllllt Nelson could do wd sent a faithful account of how I wns to foIlow 'rom place to place and ad brought Mrs. Mavor to her aliln 1 k,,p" wn,,'h- an.l f ii,,u- i i..,. i ,..,i..i,.i i.... - . ...... . ,, 1.1. iiii null away with none too brave a face us hoc held up her hand that bore the miners' ring and smiled with that deep Jght in her eyes. Ah, those eyes have driven me to despair and made mo fear that I am no great painter after ill, iu spite of what my friends tell lie who come in to smoke my good Jigars and praise my brush! I can get rttie brow and hair and mouth and Jose-, but the eyes-the eyes elude me. 4nd the faces of Mrs. Mavor my "tII, that the men praise and rave iv:t, are not such as 1 could show to any of the men from the mount, litis. Graeme's Mtors tell me chielly about Cral: and his doings and about old j :ii;ui .W'snn, while from Craig I hear: about Graeme and how he uml Nelson : re standing at his back and doing I .bat they can to till the gap that nev ' rcan be tilled. The three are much logether, 1 can see, and 1 am glad for them nil, but chiefly for Craig, whose Jace, grief stricken, but resolute and ften grutlo as a woman's, will not i jave mo or let me rest in peace. The note of thanks he sent mo was entirely characteristic. There w re no heroics, much less pining or soli' j lty. ?X was simple and manly, not igu... ..; the pain, but making much of the j y. j And then they bad their work to do. That note, so clear, so manly, so nobly sensible, stiffens my back yet at times. In the spring came the startling news miii macK hock wo::: t soon lie no .Tiore. The mines were to close down n April 1. The company, having al itired the confiding public with entic ing descriptions of marvelous drifts, veins, assays and prospects and having upended vast sums of the public's TOoney in developing the initios till the assurance of their reliability was ab Jolutely final, calmly shut down and vanished. Willi their vanishing vau ahes Itla. I; Uoek. not without loss and liuch deep cursing on the part of the aien brought some hundreds of miles Am in- company in its extraordina ry anil wholly inexplicable Kume. Vvrsoiiaily it grieved me to think :that my pn of returning to Ulack 8iX'it could never be carried out. It n$ n great compensation, however, Aat the three men most representative tu Hie of that life were soon to visit .Be actually in my own home and den. Srneme's letter said that in one month they might he expecti il to appear. At 'fist he and Nelson were soon to come, iind Craig would soon follow. On receiving the great news I at once iioked up young Nelson and his sister, .rrd we proceeded to celebrate the Joy nl prospect with a specially good din Mr. 1 found the greatest delight In jiotunng the Joy and pride of the old linn In his children, whom he had not ven for 11 f teen or sixteen years. The xotlier had died some five years be--Vr. Then the farm was sold, and the ttitli. r and sisbr i .hmc Into the city, ail any father might be proud of them. The om was well made young fellow, bctidsoiue enough, thoughtful and solid Aoi-i::g. '1 he girl reminded me of her lilijer. "'1 ! sau.e resolution was seen tv iiiout1, i.nd Jaw. ii ud the same pas tun slubbered 1 the dark gray eyes. 0 was not beautiful, but she carrle Vrself will, and one would always Vti:. at tu r twice. It would he worth wjrnethlng to see the meeting between bther and daughter. But fate, the greatest artist of us all, ''!''? count of the careful draw tg Md the bright coloring of our fan iy's picn-res, but with rude hand de anges all and with one swift sweep fiunts out tlie bright uml paints lu the iurk, and this trick he served me when one June night, after long and anxious lilting for some word from the west, ny door suddenly opened and Graeme walked in upon me like a specter, gray and voiceless. My shout of welcome was choked back by the look In his face, and I could only ga.e at hliu and wait fur his word. lie gripped my Blind, tried to speak, but failed to make words come. "tsit down, old man," I said, pushing him Into m chair, "and take your Umf." , He obeyed, looking op at me with burning, aWpless eyes. My heart ii ore for hi misery, and I said: "Don't nilud, old ebap. It can't be so awfully bad. You're here safe and sound at any rate." And so I weut on to (rive him time, but be shuddered and looked " "X..W. l.H.t hore. firnpmo. 1..f. hr. It. When did you laud here? Where U Nflsin? Why dldu't you bring him uir "lie is at the station In his coffin." he answered slowly. "lu liis cotlin''" I echoed, my beauti ful ii Hires all vaulhln. "How was it?" "Thronli my cursed folly," he groan, ed bitterly. "What happened?" I asked. Itut, ltKiriiiK my (lUPHtlon, he said: "I must see. his children. I have not slept for four nights. I hardly know what I am doing, hut I can't rest till I see Ms children. I promised him. (Jet them for me." 'Tomorrow will do. Go to seep now, i i...o and we shall arrange everything to morrow," I urged. No." he said fiercely; "tonight, now!" In half an hour they were listening, pale and grief stricken, to the story of their father's death. 1'oor Graeme wag relentless in his self condemnation as he told how, through his "cursed folly," old Nelson was killed. The three Craig, Graeme and Nelson had come as far as Victo ria together. There they left Craig and came on to San Francisco. In an "And there he would sit." paid Graeme In a hard, bitter voice, "wait ing and watching often till the gray morning light, while my madness held me fast to the table, tine night" here he paused a moment, put bis face in his hands and shuddered, but ipiick ly he was master of himself again and went on Iu the same hard voice "one night my partner and I were playing two men who had done us up before. I knew they were cheating, but could not detect them. Game after game tiny won till I was furious at my MupMity In not being able to catch them. Happening to glance at Nelson in the corner. I caught a meaning look, and, looking again, he threw me a signal. I knew at once what thi fraud was ari l next game charged tho fellow with i He gave me the lie. I struck hi .loutli, but before I could draw my gun his partner bad me by the arms. v.". at followed I hardly know. V 'j ' l was struggling to get free I saw ' ".a reach for his weapon, but as he (i:vw it Nelson sprung across the table und bore hi in down. When th- row was over, three men lay on t' floor. One was Nelson. He took lae shot meant for me." Again the story paused. "And the man that shot him?" I started lit the intense fierceness in the voice and, looking upon the girl, saw her eyes blaziug with a terrible light. "lie is dead," answered Graeme In differently. . "You killed him?" she asked eagerly. Graeme looked at her curiously and answered slowly: "I did not mean to. He came at me. I struck him harder than I knew, ne never moved." She drew a sigh of satisfaction and waited. "I got him to a private ward, had the best doctor in the city and sent for Craig to Victoria, l'or lliree days wo thought lie would live he was keen to get home but by the time Craig came we had given up hope. Oh, but 1 was thankful to see Craig come in, mid the Joy in the old man's eyes was beautiful to see! There was no pain at last and no fear. He would not allow me to re proach myself, saying over and over, 'You would have done the same for Hie,' us 1 would, fast enough, 'and it is better me thuu you. I am old and done. You will do much good yet for the boys.' And he kept looking at me till I could only promise to do my best. "Hut I am glad I told him bow much pood he bad done me during the last year, for be seemed to think that too good to be true, and when Craig told him bow be bad helped tho boys in the eiiuip and bow Sandy and Haptistu nd the Campbells would always be better men for his life among them the old man's face actually 6hono as if light were coming through, and with surprise and Joy he kept on saying: Oo you think so? Lo you think 80? IVrhaps so, perhaps so.' At the last he talked of Christmas night at the camp. You were there, you remember. Craig hud been holding a service, and some thing happened, I don't know what, tut they both knew." "I know," I said, and I saw again the picture of the old man under the plno, upon his knees in the snow, with his face turned up to the stars. "Whatever it was, it was in his mind at tho rery last, and I can never forget lils face as lie turned it to Craig. One hoars of such things. I had often, but hud never put much fnlth In them. Hut Joy, rapture, triumph these are what were In his face as be said, his breutb coming short: '"You said hewouldn't fall me you were right not once not once hestuck to me I'm glad he told me thank God for you you showed me I'll sec him and tell him' And Craig, kneeling beside him so steady I was behaving like a fool smiled down through his streaming tears Into tho dim eyes so brightly till they could see no more. Thank him for that! Ho help ed tho old man through, and he helped me, toot that night, thank God!" And Graeme's voice, bard till now, broke in a sob. lie bad forgotten us and was back beside his passing friend, and all his self control could not keep back the flowing tears. , "It was his life for mine," he said huskily. . I i I ho rtiwrnasf nn1 m ota naa nnlatl ' I tt-Mi.tTllT lint tfiL-a nr wnnl triniinh T I . . 6 knew Graeme was waiting for them. I took up the word and told of what I had known of Nelson and his Influ ence upon the men of Black Rock. They listened eagerly enough, but still without speaking. There seemed noth ing to say till I suggested to Graeme that be must get some rest. Then the girl turned to him and. Impulsively put ting out her hand, said: "Oh, It is nil so sad, but how can we ever thank you':" "Thank me?" gasped Graeme. "Can (',.:.... " "No. no! You must not say so!" she nnswcivil liurrUdl.v. 'You would have , , ,, , , ,,otl knows I would," said Graeme earnestly, "and God bless you for your words!' And I was thankful to see the teara start In his dry, burning eyes. We carried hi in to the old home In the country, that he might lie by the side of the wife lie bad loved and wronged. A few friends met us at the wayside station and followed In sad procession along the country road that wound past farms and through woods and at last up to the ascent where the quaint old wooden church, black with the rains and snows of many years, stood among Its silent graves. The lit tle graveyard sloped gently toward the setting sun, and from it one could see, far on every side, the fields of grain and meadowland that wandered off over softly undulating hills to meet the maple woods at the horizon, dark, green and cool. Here and there white farmhouses, with great barns standing near, looked out from clustering or chards. L'p the grass grown walk and through the crowding mounds, over which waves uncut the long, tangling grass, we bear our friend and let him gently down into the kindly bosom of Mother Karth, dark, moist and warm. The Bound of a distant cowbell mingles with the voice of the last prayer; the ?lods drop heavily with heart startling echo; the mound is heaped nnd shaped by kindly friends, sharing with one another the task; the long, rough sods lire laid over and putted Into plucc; the old minister takes farewell in a few words of gentle sympathy; the brother and sister, with lingering looks at the t-.vo graves side by side, the old and the new, step Into the farmer's car riage and drive away; tho sexton locks the gate and goes home, aud we are left outside alone. Then we went buck and stood by Nelson's grave. After a long silence Graeme spoke. "Connor, he did not grudge bis life to me, aud I think," and here the words came slowly, "I understand now what that means, 'Who loved me and gave himself for me.' " Then, taking off his bat, he said ref erent ly: "Hy God's help, Nelson's life shall not end, but shall go on. Yes, old man." looking down upou the grave, "I'm with you." and, lifting up his face to the culm sky, "God help me to he .true!" I Theu he turned and walked briskly I away, ns one might who had pressing business or as soldiers march from a comrade's grave to n merry tune, not that they have forgotten, but they have to tight. .:.d this was the way old man Nel kjii came home. 'I'll UK i n.v riM'I'li NKXT WKKK. He Wan Much Oltliueil. Tramp I'm cry much obliged for that piece uf froh bread you gave me, mil m. Young Housekeeper You are wel come. Tramp Yes, mum. It was a little too doughy to eat, mum, but it tight ened my leaky shoes up elegant. N. Y. Weekly. A Modern ( neirnr. Caesar fur the third time declined the proffered crown. "Darn it!" be exclaimed, angrily. "That tiling is not at all in style. If you can't give me a decent l'anauia, I don't vtant anything .Inst lllln Y!l'Mlll- tll,f,l,ol nnA 1 , .....s.... ..,.. mere is only out- reference to me off to sharpen his stiletto.-N.Y. Times, chanical voting in the 13 reports on The Hint Direct. "I don't believe you love me a bit!" Fobbed his wife. "Hut I do, darling! I" "Don't tell me! It's unnatural you should. No man conhl love a woman who wears such old hats us I do." London Answers. VVIiern Keen A fur. "Is matrimony un ideal condition?" Silked the little one. "Jn perspective it is," answered her mother, with a quick glance in the di rection of the man who was reading a newspaper at the breakfast table. Chicago Tost. She Win MmrpenlnK Tp. "You've had some acquaintance with Miss Withers; is she really as dull as most people seem to think her?" "Dull? Well. I should ay not. She ruts me every time we chance to meet." Minneapolis Tribune. A Merc Hepeater. Clergyman (lately come to parish) Y'our neighbor Smith says my ser mons are rubbish. Farmer Ah, you needn't mind 'im, sir; 'e's merely a mouthpiece tot other folks. Tit-Bits. What's the laef Tha aevll take the hindmost!" Why this unklndnesa, prayT Tha devil neeO no urging . . He'll take him anyway, ,.r Chtcaco Tribune. ut: I Only 50 Cents I to make your baby strong and walk A fifty cent bottle of Scott's Emulsion wlll change a sickly baby to I m plump, romping child. Only one cent a day, think ettt Its as nice as cream. 4-. fiend for a free sample, and try 1L . SCOTT ft BOWNK. Chemists. I 409415 Pearl Street, New York. EdoeateTour linnets With Cascarets. Cnu Ottinriic, cure ronslipution forever "Oe.irM. It C. C. C. ilriirsTtsts r ind no SCOTCH FARE LAUDED. Oatmeal, Srnno nml lliiuula Serve aa I'reveulU of Ht-nUni Hnd l) ai-iilu. Defenders of the ScottUh national fare of oatmeal, scones and haggis have been few. To the ordinary hill of fare nearly every nation save the Scotch has contributed something, hut Boot'.'h diahes, except at distiuctively Caledouian f unct ions, are generally es chewed, says the New York Sun. A Scotch physician has, however, come forward recently with arguments in favor of Scottish cooking. He says, for instance, that dyspepsia und den tists are practically unknown in Scot land outkide of the large cities, in which the national cooking- of Scotland is discarded for foreign dishes and for eign ways. It is a fact that though distinguished in the field of medicine, the Scotch as dentists are litMe known, and wlie the details of cases of dyspepsia are less easily procurable, it' is certainly not a national ailment in Scotland. The Scotch show no partiality for pies and pastry, and in the highlands they are much out of doors two reasons which might be taken to account for the absence of dyspepsia, apart from the wbolesonietiet-s of their diet. The Scotch are a hardy race, nnd in one particular at least thev have been able in recent years to impress their views upon the people of other coun tries, namely, in the moral general use of cereals. The popularity of cereal food has vastlv increased in the United States in the lin-t ten years, ond if the advocates of Scotch et, liking, or rather of Scotch fare. hae been unable to get recoiMiit ion for their views at. the dinner table, thev have been more fortunate nt the lir.'.-il-fnst board. CHANGES IN OCEAN'S BED. i n,,rrn ' Snrveya show ew rotiflillona Near the lunil of St. Vincent, Weal Indies. The volcunie eruptions nnd other disturbing causes have recently pro duced some material changes in the bed of the ocean off the coast of St. Vincent. These will necessitate a careful resurvey to make navigation Rate in that neighborhood, accord ing to Dr. Jaggiir, of Harvard uni versity, who, us one of the party of scientists sent to the West Indies to investigate the recent volcanic erup tions, haslnade u special study of the vicinity or tlie llntish island. Where before the outbreak of La Sofriere and Mont I'elee there existed Kllltll land is now deep water, as vet ud- Bounded, which extends to the base of high cliffs, bare and vertical, for merly a considerable distance from the shore. It is erroneous, Dr. Jaggar says, to state that there has been no change in soundings as a result of the erup tions. Tremendous submarine dis turbances occurred, be asserts, and the breaking of the cables after the first eruption of May 8 was probably due to landslides along the bed of the ocean, the extent of which cannot be determined. Tlie cables in all probability were snapped asunder iinderthe weight of enormous masses thrown upon them from the higher portions of tlie ocean's bed. VOTING BY TELEGRAPH. Aa lilectrlcHl Device Once I'liinoed fur I e In the l.eulolut urea of (jcriiiniiy. . foreign parliaments which have lately l :.. i Ti.i. ucc ii msucu. tins occurs in u memo- random on the subject of divisions iu the reichstag and 1'russiau hind tag. As long ago us 1S.G9 a motion was in troduced in the Prussian lower house in favor of establishing a system called the voting telegraph, an electric in vention. Kaeh member was to have at his place a handle to turn to right or left ns he wished to vote "yes" or "no," and this handle could be turned only by the member to whom the seat belonged, each member being provided with a special key. The time for tak ing the votes of the lower house would, according to thisscheme.have occupied less than two minutes. There were no practical objections made to the machine, says the Lon don Chronicle, but it was rejected, partly because no pressing need exist ed for shortening the division and partly on account of the advantages of an oral process of voting. CCC Never teld In bulk. WMal Itti fcaicr whs tries to 11 HiaiitMa; hat mood." yfSb CANDY CATHARTIC. aM GiMllM fSaM4 M)0ULTPyS gap a-sS?& t POULTRY FEEDING BOX. fha One Here D-crlhed, Aeeordlaat ! lis Uealaxner, la mm Perfect a H Cam Be Mad. Please find within a drawing of my improved poultry feeding box, which has many points of importance. A box of this kind is made very cheaply; it is easy to keep clean, and at the same time ketps the birds' from getting into uml soiling the food. At the same time ench ben cannot push away her neighbor in eating a meal, so that the different ones can have a fair share of the hot mush at the morning meal. To construct a feed box of this kind, all one needs is a board ten or twelve inches wide, one inch or more thick and four feet long; six or seven plastering laths ami it handful of wire shingle nails, which nre to be driven through the top ends of the laths and clinched. It Is well not to have the upper sides of IMPROVED FEED! NO BOX. the frame, where the feed is put In, more than three or four inches, so that a hen cannot get in. The openings at the sides I have about three inches between 1 he laths. I have used und have seen a large variety of box feeders and 1 ti ml that this plan is nbout as near perfect as anything in use. I must not omit to say that in putting on the upright laths it is well to let them into the side of the four foot board, ns a box made in this manner will last for years with proper care. It is not easily tipped over, nnd will hold grain or mush food by letting the laths come up an inch above the bottom board. Charles E. Kussell, in N. Y. Tribune. I rfTlTK-iTv K sT ""'l " Mrs. Martyr I must say, Jane, that I am not altogether pleased with your cooking. Cook It ain't to be expected you should be at furst, mum; hut you'll get hedicated up to it in time. Ally Sloper. Strnnnf, Hut True. O' deynlr.'t no controvertln" Of dl.i simple pnng I sing; Dey ain't nothln' to uncertain As a tiV;ul-siire O.lriK. Philadelphia Press. ' lie Knew. She I never saw a married mini. who. got on so well together as Mr. and Mrs. liigby. He Humph! I know! Kaeh of them does exact lyns she like. P.rook lyn Life. Canvasser - WANTED - to Hull PKIXTKS' INK a journal for advertisers published weekly at five dollars a year. It tenches the science and practice of 'Advertising, and is highly esteemed, by the most suc cessful advertisers in this country nnd Great Britain. Liberal commission allow ed. Address PllINTEliS' INK, 10 Spruce St., New York. 4-24-30t. DR. HALL'S MEBVO Nearly all the ills of life are caused by the excessive furmatiun and deposits in the IiIikhI of Uric Acid, that deadly, )mlsonous fue to iure blood. Like all oUiiis Uric Acid bss sn antidote. Dr. Hall's Nervo is The Sure and Speedy Remedy that goes strslght to the root of the trouble and not merely alleviates but ersdlcstes the eanw aud cures any d Incase even remotely caused by Uric Acid, lucludluj. Kidney and Liver Complaints, Stomach Disorder, Rheumatism, Dyspepsia, Constipation, Indigestion, Nervousness, Loss of Sleep and Appetite. Dr. Hall's Nervo is a purely vegetable prep aration and a most eflective tonic that builds up debilitated systems, sud is an Incomparable blood maker, blood builder and blood purifier. Price 50 Cents a Bottle and Worth a Dollar a Drop Accept no substitute for there Is none other Just as good. Insist tiat your druggist get Dr. Hall's Nervo for you. If he refuses, send us his name and 50 cents and we will forward a liottle by express, prepaid. THE THYMON DRUG CO,HARRISBURG,PA. E?'8BJ8 ! MMI MM o UM KUM mtlmr J CASCARETS. Thl. 1 m ur. k. "" J 1th tor the mm threa - aouce by aeullile people." w w-ii uau. rr. oowLas, Bum u. --Mall Plea-ant, Palatable. Baud. Na,Un.i. IV .. . - K. cum CONSTIPATION. 1 "--. "Ir-H. 1.. , ' KO-TO-BAC Sold and en-rnnte-ii tit .iuTI luuwtVaiiTutJi' Some Reasons Why You Should Insist on Havinj EUREKA HARNESS OIL Uneaualed by any other. ,fc Renders hard leather soft. Especially prepared. Keeps out water. A heavy bodied oil. Harness An excellent preservative. Reduces cost of your harness. Never burns the leather ; its Efficiency is increased. fecures best service, titches kept from breaking. OIL s sold in all Localities Manufacture,) .f Staadard Oil ( ompm. On Silver Ptnte enn oulv lw determined after lontf years of Hctuut service unless you tiurchnsewnre bearing a v.t1! ;nown tnele-inark. For over hnlf a century Spoons, Forks, etc., stamped mm Have tieen Iu use and Riven perfect R:itisl"ncliou. They are sold hy leading dealers everywhere. Kir catnloeue No. foi.of newdesigus seudto the makers INTERNATIONAL - SILVER CO., Merlden, Conn. DON'T TOBACCO SPfl and 5 MOKE Your Ufofluml You can be cured of inr form of inhipm ' KIm n",de we"i 'roiiu, magnetic, fnllol new life and vigor by taking NO-TO-BAO, mat makes weak men strong. Many srt ten pounds In tea davs. Over Knn nni cured. All druggists. Cure 7uaratitr.,l ' ii! teL.,nl dvico fr'RKE. Address STHKLINl i. iii.Ux- CO, Chicago or Is rv, tfjis, 'X Reduced to FIFTY CENTS A YEAR New Idea Woman's Magazine Formirlr One Dollar 'THIS Is tha cheapest and best Fashion Magazine now be fore the American public, ltshows N-w Ideas In Fashions, In Millinery, In Embroidery, In Cooking, In Woman's Work and In Reading: beautifully Illustrated In colors and In black and white. Above all, II shows the very fashionable New Icea Snots, made from New Idea Pat terns, which cost only lOc. each. Send Five Cents To-day loratlreta eoprcs tha Nrw IdbaWomasI Maoazih. and sea whst fast Talus lor the raooer U can give you. s : : TBI MSW XSIA FCBLUHIHO CO. e Broadway, Siw Tork. K. I.