urricm. I lit on a cloud fn the sunshine. Just over the changing scene, Watching; old Ume roll onward, from Autumn to Springtime green, And 1 ee with my eagle vision, ami 1 note with my keen-tlpptd pen. The things that go on below me on the battletleld of men. I see some In greedy striving they seek tor the thing called Gold And the woe or their wretched doings from the tongues of the poor Is told. I see some In throes of envy they strain for the thing called Power And the weak are soon crushed beneath them, aye, trampled within an hourl I see some with wily cunning they prey on both rich and poor And there In the motley scrlmmnRe I watch both the scamp and boor. The world seems a place of carnage; I look with a heart of stone, For I know that 1 I am Justice, and 1 rule all the world alonel Then the light of the orb above me falls clear on the distant path Ami 1 look on the end of sorrow the end of distress and wrath. I see In the far-off future the calm that shall surely be When I, with mighty sceptre, have brought forth my victory. I see all the tangles straightened, the wrongs of the poor made right The rich to their level humbled, the weak with their meed of might. Bo I sit on mv cloud In the sunlight, looking down on life's battle strong, And 1 smile, for 1 know that Justice shall conquer the world ere long! l,urana W. Bheldon, In the New York Times. An AwRward Situation. Ambition to get leading' parts Induc ed me to throw up a good position In the North of England to Join a man ager starting at Salisbury. The busi ness turned out lilraKlioua, the tlioi tre closing in a fortnight. I, an utter stranger to the pl:u e, with u wife and babe, was taken ill, ami could hurt'ly Btlr for days. Hut for a gaid-henrted landlady, I do not know what would tare become of us. One morning, bowover, over a mel ancholy pipe in the grassy hollow be low Old Sa.ru ni, a ray of hope dawned upon me. In my anxiety and depres aoln one old acquaintance had alto gether slipped my memory. This wa3 a Mr. Atherstone, an art dealer of Bond street. Ho first knew mo when I had become assistant to a well known engraver, and watched my pro gress with great Interest. I wrote telling1 him the whole story of my misfortune. A prompt reply followed. Apart from proof of Mr. Atherstone's good feeling for me his letter contained news that I read with surprise and pleasure not without reason, as the following extract will show: "I want you to undertake a commis sion that requires tact and discrimina tion. It Is private Inquiry, and has V be carried through at Shrewton j)urt, Merivale, the seat of Lord Jbuntfalcon, within a few miles from Salisbury. Obtain permJssflon .from the owner to see his art treasures. I shall forward to you a jewelled minia ture of Lord Monntfalcon, and want you to ascertain If It Is a facsimile of ene In the collection. That Is the least Important point of the Inquiry lth which I entrust you. Find out, Xt any trouble, and with all the skill you can command, the circumstances tinder which the fac-simile came to be painted. There Is a keeper of the galleries; try and make friends with him. Keep the object of your visit as dark as possible." On again hearing from the art deal er I wrote to Lord Montfalcon asking permission to visit his picture gal leries. By next post I had the most courteous of replies, acceding to my request. One thing puzzled me, the kandwriting of the note signed by the nobleman was famlliatr to me. Where I had before seen it I could not recollect Next morning I went over to- Merivale. Shrewton Court sit uated In a spacious park, commands many picturesque objects. One Is a graceful Ionic temple, half hidden in a mass of firs and white elms. So much did it strike my fancy that I left the pathway to obtain a close view. It fraa prevented, however, by a singular Incident. As I approached a young girl In white bounded down the marble steps. Her melancholy, yet beautiful face, and sunny tresses decked with pansles and lilies, might have been Ophelia's. To my perplexity she ad vanced and courtesled three times. Di rectly afterward a matronly woman ran out of the building. She quietly took the girl by the hand and led her away. The Shrewton collection would be famous if only for its Florentine and (Venetian masterpieces. While absorb ed before them a light footfall behind aroused me. I turned and saw Lord Mountfalcon. His open, handsome face would have been an excellent let ter of Introduction anywhere. He said, "I have seen you before; was it not Charles Surface at Exeter? From theatricals Lord Mountfalcon's talk glided Into matters of pictorial art, in which he was .evidently an enthusiast Halt an hour passed, and his lordship remarked: "I must now leave you. On no ac count miss the small blue galleries. There is a portfolio of Rembrandt etchings that must have special value In the eyes of a practised draughts man. Perhaps you might also like to look at my bronzes, cameos and min iatures?'' "I should, my lord." I answered, "very much. Are there many?" "Yes, a large number," replied his lordship, "very representative, from HilHard and Cooper to Ross and Moule. Vy portrait by Moule I regard as fine as anything painted by Cosway. The keeper shall now attend to you. He will have orders to let you see any thing in whidh you may- take an in terest" When the keeper entered the mys tery vanished about the handwriting sent to me the day bovjre. I had known Mr. Samuel Cracken thorpe, and we were no longer on peaking terms. We had become inti mate at Exeter, where he was then a lawyer's clerk and a smaU money lender. It was not long before I found oat he was a mean, wily, Intriguing, treacherous fellow, and on discovering fcim grossly dlFbonest I angrily cut tils acquaintance. We met, of course, like perfect strangers, but -Cracken- tliorpe's manner was polite, even to obsequiousness. I had looked at water colors, bronzes and prints and now asked for the min iatures. They were contained In three large cases, placed upon a table In the smaller chamber of the blue gallery, and unlocked at my request. Just as I was preparing to examine the works of art a footman entered and in formed me it was his master's wish I should take luncheon. I could either sit down with Mr. CrncUenthorpe or be attended separately. Dut I excused my self on the score of wanting to leave almost immediately, Intending to re sume my visit next day. Left alone I examined several of the miniatures. At last I unhooked the Monntfalcon picture. It represented the nobleman In court dress. I satisfied myself on every point. After the closest serut Inq I was convinced the miniature I carried in my breast pocket differed In nothing from the original. It was perfect In similarity of jewels, arms and setting. It struck me that I would compare the pictures. The light being less strong In the northern than southern division of the gallery, I entered the brighter cham ber. There I looked at the miniatures side by side. I was aghast for a mo ment lest they should become dis placed. To tell which from which would have been Impossible. Putting the copy in my pocket I returned, plac ing the original on a small table near the cases. Some feeling' Impelled me to again visit the south apartment, where I once more examined every point In the picture Mr. Atherstone had sent My all absorbing thought was to get a clew to the history of that picture. My mediation was broken by a faint sigh-like sound from the inner apartment. I looked around; it was perfectly solitary and silent Dut on returning to replace Lord Mountfal con's miniature, it had disappeared. My feelings can be conceived. I searched In vain. Everything else had been untouched. Amid bewilderment, a terrible Idea occurred to me. I knew Crackenthorpe's malevolent nature. Had he, I thought, found an opportun ity to pay off his grudge against me? It was time, however, to meet the dif ficulty. Stating what had happened, I requested Crackenthorpe to at once summon his master, If at hand. Lord Mountfalcon listened to my statement with the greatest calmness and patience. In reply, he said most likely I must have Inadvertently drop- THE SWEETNESS OF LIFE. Truly The Light is Sweet and a Pleasant Thing it is for the Eyea to Behold the Sun. Eccles. XI :T. Life is sweet, brother." "Do you think so?" 1 "Think so! There's night and day, brother, both sweet things; suu, moon and stars, brother, all sweet things; there's likewise a wind on the heath. Life Is very sweet, brother. Who would wish to die? A Romany child would wish to live forever." ' "In sickness, Jasper?" "There's the sun and the stars, brother." "In blindness, Jasper?" "There's the wind on the heath, brother, and If I could only feel that I would gladly live forever." From "Lavengro," a story of the Gypsies, by George Borrow. ped the picture anfong the prints or other things on the tables. The keep er and a footman were then ordered to make a search through everything. It was perfectly fruitless. The noble man, whose eyes had never left me, said: "What explanation have you? I learn that you have been alone with the works of art more than half an hour, and during the time no one has bene near the gallery. "It is a matter of opinion, my lord," I returned, looking hard at the keeper, "a noise I heard warrants my belief that some one secretly did enter." "Do you want to throw suspicion on me?" exclaimed Crackenthorpe. "It would not be the first time you have falsely charged me with dlahonesty." The nobleman waved his hand and said to me: "It is very painful to me, but I have no alternative. You must bo search ed." "Forbear, my lord," I calmly replied; "spare me such humiliation." "Hear me for a moment only," cried the keeper. "I assure you he Is a man of disreputable character," and creep ing closer to me, Crackenthorpe struck my breast pocket and hissed out, "What have you there?" 1 knew full well, Heaven knows, but what could I do? "I have no property of Lord Motot falcon," I said, "and Mr. Cracken thorpe knows that perfectly well." "Dlsprave his charge, then, by pro ducing what your pocket contains," was the answer. "I can have no more delay. If you again refuse what is de manded one of my servants must ride off to Salisbury for a constable.' Surveying the whole situation, I an swered: "Allow me a private Interview, Lord Mountfalcon, and I can give you such an explanation that must remove all suspicion." What the nobleman's answer might have been I know not. At that mo ment a wild, mocking cry came from the garden. "What is that?" exclaimed Lord Mountfalcon, anxiously; "surely I know that sound." In an Instant he had quitted the gallery. Soon confused voices, Inter mingled with the angry tones of the master of the mnnslon arose In the corridor. Something unusual had tak en place. In a few minutes Lord Mountfalcon, strangely pale, entered and lnid the missing miniature on the table. He said to me, with ex tended hand: "I deeply regret we have caused you so much anxiety. Hear my explana tion. A niece of mine, unfortunately of weak Intellect, gained admission In some inexplicable manner to the gal lery. The noise you heard doubtless came from her entrance or departure. A gardener observed her unattended and following the young lady saw her cast something Into the rosary. It was the portrait taken from the table wher9 you had deposited It. I deeply regret you should have been placed In such an awkward situation. I bowed and prepared to depart. Lord Mountfalcon would not hear of it, stat ing he wished to see me In private. "By the way," he added to Cracken thorpe, "It Is a mystery to me how Lady Hester could have obtained en trance here. By means of that locked door she Is entirely cut off from this side of the mansion. Has the door been unlocked since my orders?" "I have no knowledge of it," faltered the keeper, turning pale. Lord Mountfalcon crossed to the door, and It opened on the handle be ing turned. What transpired I e-.d not learn until an hour later. As I sat over my luncheon I began to see my way to the possibility of ob taining a clew to the history of the miniature In my pocket. Atherstone had given me some facts, but I bad been sensitive about disclosing them. It was not long before I was closeted with the owner of Shrewton Court. In the lull of conversation his lordship observed In a quiet tone: "Was It solely an Interest In art which brought you to Merivale?'' I answered In the negative. "I thought so," was the reply. "Now we 'have established friendly relations, may I ask why you at first so firmly resisted my demand of your being searched?" "Because, my lord," I answered, "1 have such a terrible witness of guilt In my pocket" "What was It?" observed the noble man. , "Only this!" I replied, handing over the replica. Silence In the room was only broken by the faint ticking of a small French clock. "I am astonished," cried the noble man. "Surely this Is my miniature. Yet, no! My own is slightly stained by the wet grass of the rosary. To whom does it belong?" "I am Ignorant," was the answer. "It has been In the hands of a dealer for sale," and one of his clients is eager to ascertain how It came to be paint ed." "Who Is that?" was the Inquiry. "I have no knowledge," I replied. "Well," observed the nobleman, " I would pay a handsome reward, to find out the history of the thing. Have you any key to unlock the mystery?" "No,", I said; "but most likely Crackenthorpe has. May I put him through a cross-examination In your presence?" "By all means," returned Lord Mountfalcon; "it may prevent his be ing lodged in jail. That unlocked door In the blue gallery has revealed what a grossly dishonest fellow he Is. Ask him what you please." Sam Crackenthorpo, fearful of be ing prosecuted by his master, answered every question I put The examina tion, as near as I recollect, was as follows: "Well, Mr. Crackenthorpe, you know this fac-simile of the miniature ytm asserted I had la my pocket?" "Yes." "Who painted It?" "Mr. Moule." "Where?" "In my sitting room." "Who obtained his services?" "I did." "At whose request?" "A lady came to see thegallerles af ter Lord Mountfalcon went off to the Mediterranean." "Her name." "Miss Wlnoaunton." "Where did she see the original min iature?" "At Moslem, the Jeweller's, in Picca dilly." "What story was told the miniature painter to blind him?" "That his lordship's sister secretly wanted a copy." "How came Mlsg Wlncaunton to wish for a copy?" "Because she so admired the like ness." Three months afterward Mr. Ather stone and I witnessed the ceremony of the marriage at St. George's, Hanover Square, between Lord Mountfahyi and the beautiful Lady Susan Brewster. A rival, Miss Wlncaunton, had Insinuat ed the nobleman was in love with her, producing1 as proof the miniature she had obtained under such mean and crafty circumstances. Lady Brewster returned Lord Mountfalcon's picture In a fit of anger, believing the falsehood, and broke off the engagement. On Mr. Atherstone communicating the facts of the case Lady Susan became reconciled to her old lover. After the ceremonial was over Mr. Atherstone took me out for luncheon. Later on, dallying with a cigar and a bottle of claret, the art dealer said: "I think we are in duty bound to drink to the health of the bride and groom." We did It in bumpers. "By the by," continued my old friend, "I shall run down the week af ter next to Shrewton Court, for Lord Mountfalcon told me he had fitted you up capital quarters as the new keeper of his art galleries." Waverley Magazine. QUAINT AND CURI0U3. Japan has few millionaires and practically no multi millionaires. Steamship working hours are four on and eight off to the end of the voy age. The German army Is nsing paper kettles which are said to be of Japan ese invention. Duluth, at the head of Lake Super lor, has the greatest mineral tonnage of any port in the world. Some steamships serve broken bits of butter-scotch candy along with the afternoon tea aboard ship. The first national English Thanks giving was on Sept. 8, 1588, for the defeat of the Spanish Armada. The Japanese "Hello!" at the tele phone Is "Moshi moshl!" or "Ano ne!" with the accent on the "nny." Iceboats have long been In use, and now a German inventor has patented a simple sail vehicle which makes fair progress over good roads. Counterfeiting is still a consider able Industry in Calabria. It is good fort in Naples to bite all silver coin before accepting it in payment or In change. Oil well machinery and supplies dis tributed from Los Angeles, a large amount of it being manufactured there, reaches the sum of over one million dollars a month. The development of the water pow ers In California has helped boom the state by bringing In new industries and helping old Industries with plenty of cheap electric power available. The Virginian railway has ordered 1000 50-ton steel gondola cars from the Pressed Steel Car company, and the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Is In the market for 2200 cars of various types. An 11,000-ton ship running 15 miles an hour will consume 150 tons of coal per day. A 30,000-ton ship going 30 miles per hour will use up 1100 tons. Haste makes waste at sea as well as elsewhere. Travellers at eea like to talk of the steadiness of ships other than the one tbey are on board of and to give remarkable examples of freedom from shake and sickness. One fact remains: When the sea kicks up the voyages on any craft, however large, soon learn that they are not navigating on a bil liard table. In a turbine eteamer ithe rhythmic thumping uf the pistons disappears and instead the engines give out a thin soprano song that rises or falls In key with the speed, snmetimes sug gesting a continuous squeal from the struggling giants of steam striving to escape from their close confinement Insldo the big Iron jacketa which of themselves give no hint of power. His Challenge. The Judge. "Now, prisoner, do you wish to challenge the jury?" The Prisoner. "Well, guv-nor. . I don't mind taking on little four-eyes over there." The Tatler. A ten-year-old clove tree will pro duce about twenty puunds annually. A LADY'S MAN. On Monday I was Julia's knight. On Tuesday Stella's cavalier, On Wednesday I with deep delight Gave all my time to Uulnevere; On Thursday eagerly I gave Attention to the wants of May, On Friday I was Clara's slave And Adeline's on Saturday. And now I have no doubt you'll say, (I'm sorry to be 'neath your ban) That my affections sadly stray That I'm a very fickle man. Oh nol that's not the truth at all And you misjudge me every way! I Just respond to duty's call I'm In an escort bureau's pay! -Nathan M. Love, In the New York Sun. "Do you ever meet your wire In town?y "Sometimes, when I don't see her coming." Houston Post "Does he go out between every act? No; Just merely comes In be tween every drink." Boston Herald. Mrs. Benham "You have torn my train!" Benham "That's all right; your train Is long enough to be in two eeotions." Judge. Blobbs "That girl has a beautiful foot; such a high instep." Slobbs "Yes, but she can come down on a fellow pretty flat-footed. Record. "Why do people read the advertis ing section in the magazines?" "Say, I guess you never tried to read tne other seotlon!" Cleveland Plain Dealer. Bobble (to Featherstone) "Did you know that you were a relative of ours?" Featherstone "Since 'when?" "Mother says that you are uur weak brother." Life. "Those two statesmen are so an gry they won't speak." "Well," an swered Senator Sorghum, "that's bet ter than starting a controversy." Washington Star. Tho girl (rather weary, at 11.30 p. m.) "I don't knowi a thing about baseball." The Beau "Let me ex plain It to you." The Girl "Very well, give me an illustration of a home run." Life. Daughter "Mamma, can't I have a little money for shopping this morn ing?" Mrs. Malaprop "No, dear; there's the taxes to pay, and I expect the taxidermist around any moment" Boston Transcript "Instead of boycotting beef why don't you accustom yourself to eat ing the cheaper cuts?" "There are no cheaper cuts. There are only the ex pensive, the more expensive, and the unattainable." Chicago Tribune. "Dlngley is awfully out of sorts since the Administration turned him down." "What does he say about it?" "He says he wishes the waters of ob livion could roll over him." "Then why doesn't he run for Vice Presi dent?" Cleveland Plain Dealer. Aunt Hetty "What's the matter, Eben?" "Uncle Eben "Well, of all the brazen things I ever saw. This city paper has deliberately copied that patent medicine ad. about SI Hosklns being cured of lnfiuenzy by using Judge Dopeman's Pills that was In last week's 'Hardscrabble Clar ion" " Judge. Mrs. A. "I do love lobster, but I never have them at home, because It seems so Inhuman to kill them by putting them In a kettle of boiling water." Mrs. B. "Gracious! I never kill them that way. It would be too horrible. I always put them on In cold water and lot them come to a boll." Boston Transcript. Lady (to commltteemau-room cierk, who hands her a small bill announc ing a forthcoming political meeting in England) "But Is it pasaiole for la dles to go to these meetings?" Clerk "Why not?" Lady "I vhougNt They were nioro or less of a rough nature." Clerk "Well, madam, we've taken every possible precaution to keep out the suffragettes." Punch. Decidedly Mean. The Rev. William H. Leslie, a Kon go missionary, was talking in the sa loon of the Vatedand, about a mean Belgian Ivory trader. "The man was so mean," said Mr. Leslie, "that I can only compare him with Saunders MacPherson of Pee bles. "Saunders visited his rich cousin, Frazer, in New York, staying seven months. Frazer one day led him into a cigar shop, siying: " 'Come in and have a cigar, Sandy, "Frazer bought two ten-cent cigars, gave one to Saunders, and proceeded to light up. As he did so, Saunders said to the salesman: " 'These cigar3 sell at three for a quarter, I believe?' "Yes, sir," eald the salesman. " 'Then,' said Saunders, laying down a nickel and at the same time open ing his cigar case, 'I'll take the third one, if you please.' " Washington Star. The Legs Scared Him. "There,' said a commuter In the Grand Central station, pointing to a robust colorel man, "is a good rail road porter spoiled. "You see; he was on a Pullman car and was doing well until a man with two wooden legs became a passenger In his coach. That night the traveler put his artificial underpinning be neath the berth he occupied. When Sam came along to collect the shoes he pulled out not only footwear, but also three feet of leather tops and steel springs, together with metal joints and ball beao-ings. The sight so worked upon the superstitious fel low that he fled in terror. He re signed his place. Now he Is handling baggage." New York Press. ' XKIAL&xlAe NEEDS' RESOLVED 'HM NOTHING LOOKS GOOD TO mUlObMIONURCON' STIPATIOI PAW PAW PILU MAKE, LIFE WORTH TOO. 10 BILLS 10 Kunyon's Paw Paw Pills con. the liver Into activity hy gentle method. They do not scour, gripe or weaken. They are a touic to the stomach, liver and nerves luvlgnrnto Instead of weaken. They en rich the blood ami ennble the stomach to get all the nourishment from food that Is put Into It. These pills contain do calo mel; they are soothing, healing- and stim ulating. For solo hy all druggists In Wo and 'Ke sizes. If you need medical ad vice, wrlti Mnynnfs Doctors. They will advise to the hest of tholr nhlllty abso lutely free of ("liarge. MIWYON'S, 63d nd Jefferson Sts., Philadelphia, Pa. Weary of Womanhood. '"I wish I had been born a man; it is the one regret of my life," declared Mrs. Lillian Dnncanson, president of the Political Equality league, before the members of the literary round table of the Chicago Culture club re cently. "I am tired of being a woman, of being told to put on a pretty gown and smile in order to influence some alderman to see things in the light he should see them as women see them." Chicago Tribune. Piles Cured In 6 to 14 Days. Paso Ointment is guaranteed to cure any caseofltching, Blind, bleeding or Protruding Piles in 6 to 14 days or money refunded, (SOo 11 Women Hunters. It Is hard to say how far Roose velt's African hunting trip and the notoriety that has surrounded it are responsible, but big game hunting in Africa seems to be enjoying a boom, and women as well as men have fallen under the spell. Mrs. Maldwin Drum mond, formerly Mrs. Marshall Field, of Chicago, is ohe of the most recent recruits to the jungle. Her husband Is rated one of the wealthiest of all the South African millionaires, and In former seasons Mrs. Drummond'a beautiful residence in Carlton House Terrace has been a center of the see son's gayetles. But now Mrs. Drum mond has turned her 'back on the drawing rooms and the ball rooms and set her face toward the veldt, and already she is on her way to South Africa. She and her husband will start In from the south, trekking from Rhodesia up to the Victoria falls and thence, if all goes well, pushing for ward through country almost unex plored until they reach British Central Africa and Uganda, the hunting grounds of Roosevelt. New York Press. Why There Are No Fresh Eggs. We are aware that when fresh eggs come rushing from the farms in enor mous quantities they are as promptly shot Into cold storage just as they come, while the stale eggs, already in storage, are put out to the customers. The fresh eggs are whisked out of sight, so as not to 'break the market." There is an abundant natural supply for the season, but because It Is with drawn from the consumers the arti ficial shortage Is maintained, with re latively high prices and for i stale esgs in the fresh egg season. New York Press. WHAT'S THE USB Sticking to a Habit When It Mean Discomfort? Old King Coffee knocks subjects out tolerably flat at times, and there Is no possible doubt of what did It A Mich, woman gives her experience: "I used to have liver trouble near ly all of the time and took medicine which relieved me only for a little while. Then every once In a while I would be suddenly doubled up with an awful agony in my stomach. It seemed as though every time I took a breath I would die. No one could suffer any more and live. "Finally I got down so sick with catarrh of the stomach that I could not turn over In bed, and my stomach did not digest even milk. The doctor finally told me that if I did not give up drinking coffee I would surely die, but I felt I could not give It up. "However, Husband brought home a package of Postum and It was made strictly according to directions. It was the only thing that would stay on my stomach, and I soon got so I liked It very much. "Gradually I began to get better, and week by week gained In strength and health. Now I am in perfect con dition, and I am convinced that the whole cause of my trouble was coffee drinking, and my getting better was due to leaving off coffee and taking Postum. "A short time ago I tasted some coffee and found, to my astonishment, that I did not care anything about it. I never have to take medicine any more. I hope you will use this letter for the benefit of those suffering from the poisonous effects of coffee." Read the little book, "The Road to WellvtUe," in pkgs. "There's a Rea son." Ever rend the above letter? A new one appears from time to time. They are genuine, true, and full of human Interest.