THE rilOFIT OP TEARS.
Is It raining, little flower?
Be glad of ruin.
The aun that veils itself from thet
Will shine again.
The clouds are very black, 'tis true;
But just behind them shines the blue
Art thou weary, tender heart?
.) Be glad of pain.
In sorrow sweeteat things will grow,
As flowers in rain.
Ooa watches, and thou wilt hare sun
(When clouds their perfect work have done,
Mary F. Butte.
fig W W V V W j)g w u Kf 0 w sux
sir n n i
i n mis a n n as
1 TRIP ACROSS NIAGARA FALLS
' ABOVE THE SEETHING WATERS.
(Two Bold Boys In a Basket )
w w w a sur. b a
as as
Alex Lee and George Frost were
boy when General Roebling under
took to build the great suspension
bridge across Niagara Falls. This
was more than fifty years ago. The
boys lived on the American sldf of
the river, within sight of the falls,
and very near the spot upon which
the bridge was to be built.
There was great interest In the
project, for the plan was regarded
as one of the most remarkable that
bad ever been attempted by engi
neering skill.
The workmen were divided Into
two parties, one . working on the
(American and the other upon the
Canadian side. There was no means
of getting across except by taking
frowboats several miles below the
falls.
The chief engineer, under General
Roebling, took up his residence very
near to the homes of these two boys,
and they were so constantly on hand
whenever he went to the river that
he could not escape an acquaintance
with them.
He wag n rather silent man, Rnd
they were both surprised, therefore,
when he turned one day and said to
tbeni: "Here, boys! Can you fly a
kite?"
' "Ves. Blr," they promptly re
sponded. "Can you fly one well?" he con
tinued, looking at them keenly.
"Pretty well, sir," replied Alex
- tnodestly.
"If yon can fly one well." replied
the engineer, "you will help me to
build the great suspension bridge."
Alex's eyes grew big and so did
George's. Help- build the suspension
bridge.
i The engineer saw the effect of his
Words and added: "Come down this
afternoon with the best kite you have
and we shall see if you can send It to
the Canadian shore. If you can, you
will be the lads to carry across the
first cable for one of the most re
markable bridges in the world.'
Then for the first time the boys
saw what he meant. They looked at
ac.h other a moment and then set
oft for home as fast as their bare feet
would carry them.
They said nothing to the family,
bnt betook themselves to the wood
shed, where they set to work with a
will. Kite-dying had always been
one of their greatest sports, and they
bad nuide dozens of kites as season
followed season. The frame of one
that had been a favorite still hung
, In the shed. They got it down and
covered it with the strongest but
lightest paper they could secure. It
was nothing but an ordinary home
made Kite, but they felt sure of its
flyin? qualities when It was ready to
be taken down to the river.
Upon their arrival the engineer
examined the kite, while they looked
on with mingled hope and fear. At
length he said, taking tip a ball of
twine: "Put this on in place of the
tring you have. It Is light, but very
strong. The wind Is In the right di
rection and blowing well. You ought
to succeed."
They quickly tied on the new cord,
and then Alei took the ball, while
George went to a short distance with
the kite, ready to give it a push. It
started well. Then there came a
suddet. puff of wind, followed by a
lull; the kite veered, staggered and
rame to the ground with a flop.
George picked it up quickly. Some
small boys standing about shouted
derisively, but the engineer said:
"Never mind, boys, you are not the
ouly people who have failed the first
time. Try again."
Once more George held the kite as
blgh as he could. Alex got a good
start, and in a moment more the kite
,was Bailing away in a steady course
toward the river. Alex ran to the
bank, then began to play out his line
as eveuly as his excitement would
permit. It was a glorious sight, and
all watched with keen Interest as the
kite grew smaller and Boared stead
ily. At last a shout went up from the
opposite bank, and everyone knew
the kite was over the Canadian shore.
Unrolling the remainder of the cord
upon the ground, Alex suddenly let
the line slack. The kite wavered,
made a wild dive and dropped.
"Well done, boys," exclaimed Gen
eral Koebling. as a great cheer arose
from both sides of the river. Two
prouder boys than George and Alex
yu can scarcely imagine. "It is
lwr sailing now," added the engl
SKHsr. as he fastened a heavier cord
to the kite string, and then signaled
the men on the opposite shore to
draw It over. Each successive line
was heavier and stronger than the
last, and Anally a one-Inch cable was
pnlled, beneath which roared the
mighty river.
The rable was made secure by
drawing it over a wooden tower on
each bank, embedding the ends in the
solid rock and fastening them with a
key or melted lead. After the cable
was laid the men were instructed to
I build an Immense Iron basket wbtcb
I could be drawn from shore to shore
over ma came, Dy means 01 ropes ana
a windlass on each bank. This was
Intended to carry the tools, and even
the men themselves, to and fro.
The boys hardly found time to eat
their meals during these days. The
afternoon the basket was being fin
ished George was obliged to pile a
cord of wood, and Alex volunteered
to help him. It was late when they
finished, but the next morning found
them again at the bridge
"Now, boys," said the engineer, as
he showed the completed basket,
"since you helped us so well with our
cable, I think you should be allowed
to make the first trip across the
river. Would you like to?"
Without stopping to consider, they
both exclaimed, 'Yes, Indeed!" think
ing only of the glory of the feat.
"All right, jump In," was the re
sponse, and the workmen drew the
basket close to the shore.
If their hearts misgave them noth
ing could have Induced them to show
it now.
They settled themselves in the bas
ket, which was deep and large
enough to hold both comfortably.
Then the signal was given and the
men on the farther shore began to
turn ' the windlass. The basket
moved slowly forward and the boys
waved their caps to the men.
At first the excitement of the ad
venture kept their spirits at a blgh
pitch. The basket went forward
steadily, but It swayed back and
forth below the cable with a motion
which was not altogether agreeable.
The boys bad lived near the falls all
their lives and Its noise was a famil
iar sound, but now. for the first time,
the terrific roar of the water Im
pressed them with Its mighty force
and power.
George looked off to the falls.
Never before had they seemed of
such immense height The view was
a new one. Then he looked down.
One hundred and sixty feet below
him waB the roaring, seething mass
of water, and he felt suddenly faint
and sick. He glanced at the cable;
It seemed like a thread, measured by
the space beneath, and it was ail that
held them over that awful chasm. He
could hear the water churn and surge
below him, but he dared not look
down again. Alex was as whl e as a
ghost. George glanced ahead at the
farther shore; they had not gone one-
third of the distance, and It was
twelve hundred feet from shore to
shore. The distance was appalling.
He grew dizzy again and curled down
in the bottom of the basket. It
seemed hours that be lay there. At
last he looked up; the sky seemed
nearer than the water, and so he kept
his eyes on the floating clouds. Giad
ually he began to feel better.
"Alex, he said, "we must be
brave. We are nearly to shore, and
we don't want to show the white
feather. Keep your eyes on the sky.
but sit up."
Alex did as be suggested, and
when they finally neared the shore
they were able to respond to the
cheers and greetings of the men. But
the Joy of landing was completely
swallowed np by the thought of the
return trip. Still, there was no al
ternative, and pride made them try
to hide their feelings from the men.
After a rest of about ten minutes
the workmen made ready to start the
basket back. The boys stepping In,.
setting their teeth hard, and shout
ing a farewell which stuck bard In
their throats.
The basket swung off again, but,
though the motion was as unpleasant
as ever, and the roar of the water
was as great, they had- learned to
look skyward, and the giddiness was
not so great. At last they heard
voices from the shore, and bracing
themselves they looked forward.
They were so near that they could
see among the throng on the bank
the white faces of George's father
and mother, looking stern and anx
ious. But so limp and white did the
boys look, as they rtepped ashore,
that It was thought they bad been
punished enough.
The crowd of boys shouted and
never tired of having Alex and
George tell of their wonderful trip.
Washington Star.
First Stage Conch Into Denver.
On the 17th of May. 1859. Denver
turned out to welcome the first
through coach of what was destined
to grow into the "Overland Mail,"
an enterprise which, for sheer Ameri
can pluck and daring, must be for
ever linked with the fame of the
Pony Express."
Red shirts drifted to the 'outskirts
of the bamlet and dotted the hills
around. Hard-faced bartenders made
ready for the "hottest night that ever
tore the camp loose." The artillery
of holster and saddle-boot was on-
limbered for sn ecstatic fusilade.
There was lively betting in dust and
nuggets tbst the first through stage
naa oeen garnered In by Indians, with
takers as eager to stake their faith
that the scalps of driver snd suard
would come through intact.
At length a swirl of dust showed
far down the trail. It grew Into a
yellow cloud that crept toward the
eager hamlet. Then six mules,
stretched out on the gallop emerged
from this curtain and behind them
was the lumbering, swaying stage,
come safely through, on time, and
Denver was in touch with the world
where men wore white shirts aud
lived In real bouses. The cheers that
roared a welcome to this beroic enter
prise were echoed In every Western
town which bopd and longed for a
link of its own with the home coun
try, " 'way back East." "The Story
of the Overland Mail." la th Outing
Magazine,
PRESENTIMENTS.
What Is a presentiment In distinction from similar modes of
perception ? Are presentiments of frequent occurrence, and
are there some authentic cases of fulfilled presentiments?
Why are there no presentiments of good as well as
of evil? Is it possible, with any known principle
of the human mind, to offer any satisfactory
explanation of this mysterious phenomenon?
From the New York Tribune-
A presentiment (from the Latin
praesentlre, focil or perceive before
hand) in the broadest sense is a di
rect, though vague, perception of a
future event or a feeling which seems
to be such a perception. Specifically,
It Is an antecedent impression or con
viction, produced instinctively and
without any known cause, of some
thing about to happen. Though pre
sentiments of good are common and
often fulfilled, as their results are
not tragjcal they are seldom remem
bered or confounded with hope, and
for this reason the word presenti
ment is confined almost exclusively
to the anticipation of Impending evil,
and is practically the equivalent of
foreboding. Dreams often afford
similar materials for erroneous reas
onings, but as they originate In the
mind, they are sometimes so similar
to presentiments that It is impossible
to decide whether a presentiment
caused the dream or the dream the
presentiment.
Novelists, poets, and even histori
ans, have so often told us of present
iments, have so often attributed them
to their real or fictitious personages,
that we have come to regard this sort
of obscure vision of the future as a
common and natural phenomenon.
The historian tells us of Captain So-and-So,
who, overwhelmed on the eve
of battle with the fatal presentiment
that he should not survive the com
bat, actually met his death; the nov
elist attributes to his heroine the pre
sentiment of a catastrophe Impend
ing over her soldier lover, which hap
pens in realization of her gloomy
forebodings, and they speak of these
things as constantly recurring, well
established facts of which there are
numerous examples that could not
well be disputed. Even animals are
said to be gifted with a presentiment
of danger. Thus, according to But
ton, birds of passage have been ob
served to stay away from their nests
at the approach of an earthquake;
according to Raynal. dogs by contin
ual long howling manifested their
presentiment of an approaching
earthquake, and it is a generally pre
vailing belief that rats will, a few
days before the occurrence, leave a
house that is about to fall down or a
ship that is about to sink.
But, while in animals this phe
nomenon admits of an explanation
by the assumption of instinct, which
seems to be given them by nature for
their preservation, ' this convenient
apology for our ignorance cannot be
made in the case of man, because he
has reason, Instead of Instinct, for
his guide. Yet it has been contend
ed, and by persons of no mean under
standing, that fatal presentiments are
conveyed to the mind by means, if
not supernatural, at all events mys
terious and wonderful, and numerous
examples, as we shall presently see,
have been adduced in proof of the
certainty of the warning, as well as
of its mysterious occurrence.
Plutarch, in his tragic account of
Julius Caesar's assassination, men
tions the foreboding dream of Cao
sar's wire, Calpurnia, in the night
preceding the fatal event. In her
dream she first saw blood flowing
from her husband's statue, and then
she dreamed that the root of her
house was falling down and that Cae
sar, his body all covered with blood,
expired in her arms. Terrified by
these dreams she related thera to
Caesar, imploring him not to go out
on that day. Caesar, however,
laughed at her fears, went to the Sen
ate, and was stabbed to death by his
assassins. It is related that not only
did Henry IV himself have a present
iment of his death, but also Maria de
Medtcis was forewarned in a dream
of the danger threatening the king.
One night she started from her sleep
with a shriek and her eyes bathed in
tears. Asked by Henry IV for the
cause of her terror, she replied, "I
dreamed you were murdered!" To
remove her fears the king said smil
ing: 'Fortunately, dreams, accord
ing to the saying, are but fumes of
the stomach." A few days later the
dagger of a fanatic robbed France of
the best of her kings. It must, how
ever, be added that to-day the queen
is much suspected of having plotted
with d'Epernon the king's assassina
tion, or at least of having had some
knowledge of the plot, her vague
terror, therefore, only expressed her
own part in the matter. Mozart's
premonition of his death is even
mure wonderful. A stranger having
called on him to order a requiem, he
lit ouce felt the presentiment that
this requiem was destined to serve
for hit own funeral, contracted an
incurable disease and died immedi
ately after composing It. President
Lincoln, as Is well known, had a pre
sentiment of Impending death. As
numerous, mostly amplified, versions
exiet of this Incident, we give it here
as published by Gideon Welles in an
article printed in The Galaxy for
April, 1872: "In the last cabinet
meeting In the Executive Mansion of
Friday, April 14, which was also at
tended by Mr. Welles, General Grant
expressed his anxiety as to the news
from Sherman. The President re
marked that the news would come
soon and come favorably, he had no
doubt, for he had last night bis nsual
dream which bad preceded nearly ev
ery event of the war. Welles in
quired tbs particulars of this remark
able dream. The President said It
was In Welles' department It relat
ed to water; that he seemed to be In
a singular and indescribable vessel,
but always the same, and that he was
moving with great rapidity toward a
dark and Indefinite shore; that he
had had this singular dream preced
ing the firing on Sumter, the battles
of Bull Run, Antletam, Gettysburg,
Stone River, Vicksburg, etc. General
Grant answered With some emphasis
and asperity that Stone River was no
victory that a few such victories
would have ruined the country, and
he knew of no Important results
from It. The President said that per
haps he should not altogether agree
with him, but whatever might be the
facts his singular dream preceded
that fight, Victory did not always
follow the dream, but the event and
results were very Important. Greal
events did Indeed follow. Within a
few hours the man who narrated his
dream was assassinated, and the
murder which closed forever his
earthly career affected for years, and
perhaps forever, the welfare of the
country.
In this etample It Is not difficult
to account for the modus operandi of
the presentiment. From the very be
ginning of his Presidency Mr. Lin
coln had been constantly subjected
to the threats of his enemies and the
warnings of his friends. The threats
came in every form; his mail was in
fested with brutal and vulgar men
aces, most anonymous. The warn
ings were not less numerous. He
knew, Indeed, that incitements to
murder him were not uncommon.
What wonder, then, that his dreams
should be haunted by gloomy pic
tures, generally interpreted as fore
bodings of death.
There are also presentiments of
good, but we hear less of them, be
cause, as a rule, they are disappoint
ed. The reader will find no difficulty
to charge the memory with abundant
proofs of the prevalence but also the
unreliability of such presentiments.
Who has not some time In his life
felt, without any apparent cause,
arise In his heart a hope bordering
on conviction of getting rich by one
of those sudden fortunes that aston
ish the world, or of obtaining the po
sition craved for, or having his salary
raised by his employer, or similar
foolish hopes, to be doomed to disap
pointment? To give only one histor
ical example of a good though unful
filled presentiment: The great T11
renne exclaimed: "I do not mean to
be killed to-day," but a few moments
afterward he was struck down by a
cannon ball.
Supposing, then the occurrence of
presentiments be firmly established
and the cases as adduced by the au
thors proven beyond doubt, we can
Etill discount by a good deal the part
played by divination and the super
natural In the phenomenon. Thus,
with regard to the extraordinary
tales told of presentiments on the eve
of battle, It Is not wonderful at all
that soldiers and sailors, proverbially
superstitious, should sometimes in
moments of depression conclude that
they would die In the next battle,
and that under the given circum
stances their presentiment should
sometimes also happen to come true.
Nor does the explanation of numer
ous other fatal presentiments require
the Intervention of some so far un
discovered mysterious power and fac
ulty of the mind. The human mind
is a strange machine, and when ex
cited by Intense anxiety and wound
up to its highest pitch by despair or
fear it is no hard matfer to conjure
up those "signs and tokens" which
are now considered as sure and fatal
prognostications of the worst human
calamities. In such a state the or
dering of a requiem by a stranger
may easily become to a Mozart an
omen of sufficient magnitude to cause
his dissolution. And as evil over
takes the majority of mankind, suc'a
general forebodings are pretty cer
tain of fulfilment. And it may also
be urged that a person thus fatally
possessed may become so careless of
existence as thereby to insure his de
struction. However this be, the divination of
future events, in one's own or anoth
er's life, that makes some presenti
ments so remarkable is ultimately,
nothing but the result of instinctive
reasoning applied to probable events,
a deduction drawn from known facts,
from the motives to be feared or
hoped for. Some temperaments, es
pecially among women, are capable
of discerning the slightest indications
that would pass unnoticed by others.
Thus. In a great number of cases th
presentiment is but a foresight based
upon a nice Intuition of the circum
stances; what Is taken for an internal
voice is but a well done calculation.
The other cases must be ranged
among the superstitions. The great
est calamities which have befallen
most persons have come without any
warning whatever, etcept such as
could be Inferred from existing situa
tions. AH mankind has had to rely
upon experience, foresight and guid
ance by ordinary sagacity. The oc
casional fulfilment of dreams, pre
monitions, visions and so-called inner
voices are at best coincidences, and
the only Inner voice which, when fol
lowed, will always lead us right l
the voice of reason. .
On Being Obvious.
By Randolph Forbsa.
N a recent magazine article, a'oertaJa clever writer i-okes sons
Innocent fun at the commonplace people of this commonplao)
world who are prone to make what one might call "ol vlous re
marks." The man Is laughed at, who, when he takes a glasa of
water at a gulp, says to you; "After all. old man, there's notHing
like a good cold fciass of water to quench one's thirst!"
But Is It-Just to laugh at him? Tains now simpie uo .
your share' In the conversauion. All you have to reply is, "Yes," and he is
wholly satisfied, and you are saved the exertion of trying to make a clever
reply to what might have been from him a brilliant epigram.
There lies the whole trouble. If you mingle constantly with Inordinately
clever people you will soon find yourself endeavoring to be as witty and bright
as they; and unless you have been endowed by Nature with a gift for the light
quip and Jest, you are apt to become an awful bore and from all bores, good
Lord deliver us!
Personally, I am fond of the steady, easy-going people who tell me that
they prefer comedy to tragedy because there Is so much tragedy In real life;
or those who Invariably tell you that "anyhow, education Is something that no
one can take away from you;" or, "How time files!" or "You wouldn't enjoy
your meals at hotels so much If you could have a peep at some of the kitch
ens." They save me my breath, and they are very restful If I do not stay
with them too long. They certainly keen me from attempting to be too clever;
and with all my heart nnd soul I loathe people who are too clever. I com
Puck.
Miscalled English
Conservatism
By Louise Imogen
HE most slneular circumstances alout this modern national Inertia,
I I miscalled conservatism
I I thing), Is that it proves
S. I ,
KICguOm wnicu una cviuiJittteunjr uuwa .... ... r
as "English" that is, it means dignity, safety, uioildiallou, pesos.
That it means provincialism, that it means death, ii patent to no
body but some upstart bonnet rouge 01 a cnuu. u 13 ua.u i
people to see that as in the world of thought doubt is cheap and belief the
intellectual thing, eo In the world of action perfunctorlness Is cheap nnd
enthusiasm the Intellectual thing. Whenever a man of genius lj bred In Eng
land, endowed necessarily with faiths and ardors of one sort cr another, he
usually stands out from bis racial envlrocmant In an absolutaly bewildering
way. In the United Btates the man of genius is a far less frequent phenomenon,
for Nature uses her phosphorus freely there on divers and sundry, and has no
surplusage and arrears of brains to make him out of; but when he does appear,
is he not curiously like Americans In general? The man of genius overseas
Is not so homogeneous. Would it be rash to hint that lie, too, is often curious
ly 'like Americans in general? This is Eimply because Ideas and their pur
veyors have no standing to speak of In one country, and are the very life, of
the other. An Idea arriving In New York harbor Is recognized instantly, and
to Its own dismay, as a prince travelling in disguise, who must be interviewed
before the gangway Is fixed at the dock; whereas In England every idea la
de facto a pauper and vagrant, repeatedly hauled before the magistrates and
accused of brawling in churches, or else (only too accurately!) of having no
visible means of support From "English Reserve," in the Scrlbner's Maga-zlne.
Chinese Opinion
Kindly lb
By Chester Holcombe.
HE Chinese Imperial Government has recently despatched two
T
commissions, composed of officials of high rank and a numerous
staff, to visit and study various Important subjects In America
and Europe. When arrangements were being made for the visit
of the first of these commissions to Boston, and a long list of
points In or near the city which they might wish to see was sub
m.i in ihmn imnm (tin first npilfx-tpH wfrfi the offices of the
UlLLH.ll w mjdiu, t.vo ..... -
American Board, the parent of all foreign missionary organizations in the
United States and having large interests in that work in China. The selection
of Uils active centre of foreign evangelistic effort was ungulded and entirely
spontaneous. In their addresses and Informal remarks during the vls.it to those
offices the commissioners expressed in unqualified terms their appreciation and
strong approval ot the missionary enterprise in China and their gratitude for
what had been and was being done there. "We know who are our friends,'
said they again and again. Yet neither of the Chinese commissioners was a
convert to Christianity; they were under no obligation to visit one of the head
quarters of American missionary effort In China or, being there, to go beyond
polite and non-committal remarks. Hence, and all the more, their declarations
must In all fairness be taken as strong official Indorsement and approval.
With much the Bame feelings they expressed their delight at what they
saw at Wellosley College and recognized in it the grander development of
what American women were attempting to do for the women of China.
To speak quite frankly and to the fact, for many years more unfriendly
criticism and complaint of the presence ot missionaries and their work in
China has been heard -from foreigners, either, like them, alien residents in the
Far East, or at home Ulna from Chinese officials or people. Atlantic Monthly.
Too Many Destructive Laws
By Profiisoor Jeremlali V. Jenka, of
Cornoll University.
E have had many laws merely destructive In their nature. Expe
W
rience shows, first, that these laws have not been generally and
Impartially enforced. Had they been so enforced In some In
stances practically every trade unionist, every member of a
grocers' association, even every clerk or salesman who agreed
to devote his business energies solely to the Interests of his
employer during the period of contract, would now be occupying
a felon's cell. Usually such laws have been ignored in small places, and in,
reference to smaller combinations, and have' been enforced only against some
of the larger, although quite possibly in some instances, at least, against soma
of the more grasping and unscrupulous of the combinations. But even when
these laws have been enforced they have at times led to higher prices for the
consumers, and In other Instances, alvhough effective in form, they have been
non-effective In fact. Though the corporations have nominally been dissolved,
practically their members have worked together as efficiently as before. It
may Indeed be said that this exaggerated attack upon agreements of all kinds,
reasonable and unreasonable, has bcen one factor, perhaps the most promi
nent factor, in driving together Into a rigid, single organization establish
ments that without this pressure of an unwise law would have remained In
great part competitive, although acting under agreements in certain particu
lars. People who complain moat loudly against the concentration of our rail
ways and the growth of our giant corporations have largely to thank the bale
ful Influence of destructive legislation.
Stability, Calmness,
Reason Versus Passion
By Oov. Chaa. E. Hitches.
SVNFIDENCE depends upon
a
c
EH
Is not meant fixity ot things or relations, but steadiness. It may
bo steadiness in motion. Paradoxical as it may seem, human
society cannot be stable unless It Is progressive. That la because
growth and progress are the law of our nature.
Reason demands the tacts. By the requirement of 'publicity
Is not meant sensationalism or distorted emphasis.
Reason In Its rule of governmental activities demands even, impartial and
consistent enforcement of the Jaw. Stability and confidence can never be as
sured save by strength and firmness.
It is an egregious 'blunder to suppose Inst to make the administration of
government snd the enforcement of law a matter ot caprice involves danger
only as to the subject directly concerned. The evil cannot be so confined, but
poisons the whole governmental system.
Oulney,
(true conservatism being a most militant
to be a source of prodigious pride to too
, n tnu It T t a !'':! il unnn
Missionaries
the assurance of stability. By stability