THE COST OF A SONC. Over anil over and over, the songs of our life are sung, The same today as in ages gray when first the lute was strung. The same today as in ages gray, the singer's highest urt Id to sing of man and the soul of man from the depths of tho human heart. To sing the song that lingers in his heart from that far day, "When men were brave and women fair and life was in its May, Is the singer's part of gladness when he gives his soul to man, In a song that lives because sweet Tain has changed his earlier plan. Tho husk, the harvest and the bin and all Life's spreading plain To the singer must be singing if he man's soul would gain. Man in his soul unsatisfied strives for what cannot be ; He grasps at a star, and holds in his hand a drop from the sounding sea Over and over and over, slnoe the towers of Time were old, Over and over and over, since tho cloud gave the suu its gold, Over and over and over, since the line 9 of our lives began, Has man gone out from the marching host to sing of the oul of man. The singer who sang of the pyramid's prime has gone the ways of men ; But the sun and moon and human heart are just the same as then. The heart of man is a restless sea of varied stur and clime, And only when its depths are stirred oomes Song on the shores of Time. Over and over and over, since Wrong had realm and state, Over and over and over, since the Shades on the Living wait, Over and over and over, singing of sun in the rain, The chosen of God are bringing the voice of song from pain. —By James Riley, in New England Magazine. AN UNEXPECTED DISCOVERY. 4 BY I. R. ARMSTRONG. Something over forty years ago Gaius Eaton and I became students of a popular school in the State of New York, which he had long wished to attend, although up to within a mouth of our entrance we might, it seemed, as reasonably have wished tor seats in Congress. But unexpected circumstances made it possble for my father to send not only me hut Gaius, whose widowed mother was father's beloved sister. In the unfamiliar city we wert* com fortably established near the top ol a large, square-built house standing on high ground. Our room overloked a long stretch of the river Which flows past the town, and a wide tract of open country beyond. This view across the river was broken by certain tain buildings scattered on high ground on our side of the river, and by a corresponding bluff-like eminence on the other shore, perhaps a mile and a half away. We prepared our own meals, and patronized a convenient little variety store, owned and managed by an in quisitive old gentleman named ilason, where we purchased bakers' goods, milk, fruits, and so forth. His only helper was a young man of twenty or thereabouts, who had sleeping rooms on the floor above, hut boarded with a private family,—dis tant relatives, he said,— with whom he frequently stayed overnight wheu taking an evening "off." They were botfi friendly to us—Sir. Sfason especially so, after learning that we had come from his native county. He was well preserved physically, except that he was very deaf, which did not prevent him being an attractive, cheery old gentle man. Of course his infirmity obliged him to rely much upon his clerk, George How—a bright, wide-awake young man who lead been in his em ploy upward of two years. Dow's cordial, pleasant ways at tracted Gaius, with whom he was soon on intimate terms. As for my self, I liked him in a general way, as one likes all agreeable people, and no more. Gaius, noticing what he chose to call my "indifference," inquired what I had against Dow. I replied, "I can't think of anything I have against him." Still, an indefinable feeling—not ex actly suspicion of him, but rather a sense of inability to estimate him satisfactorily—was constantly with me when in his presence. Months of our school-days passed uneventfully, nothing varying the mo notony but a street arrest or a runaway Yet we frequently heard of the doings of what was supposed to lie an or ganized gang of local roughs, the daily lengthening story of whose petty villainies caused much curbstone dis cussion and unsparing criticism of the police. These novel experiences did not dis tract our attention from study, and we advanced satisfactorily, although we sometimes had to burn the mid night oil in order to keep up with our classes. Often on these occasions we ob served across the river a light—mere ly a lamp in somebody's window, ap parently—which continued to shine brilliantly after the neighboring lights Were extinguished. This persistence attracted our attention at the outset, and after a while we curiously looked for the light when darkness came. Sometimes it was missing. "How many lights can you see over there in that vicinity?" asked Gaius one evening. "Eight," said I, counting. "I counted eight last evening," he replied, "hut a good many times 1 can make only seven." "Oh, well," said I, "I don't suppose the people living there are setting np lamps for us to count." "No; but most likely they put their lights, as we and others do, in certain places every night, and so we ought—" He left bis remark unfinished and hastily resumed bis book, while 1 he took myself to Mason's store on my customary trip for our next day s bread. I found Mr. Mason, George Dow and two women customers In some excite ment, for the store had been robbed the ulglit before—George's night otr. Mr. Mason's story was Interrupted and rendered nearly unintelligible by his nervous additions and corrections. Apparently, after a lapse of twelve hours or more since his discovery of the robbery tils agitation had not ab ated. although lie declared the loss of silglit importance—thirty dollarstaken from the til), and jewelry, cigars, to bacco and bakers' goods enough to make a total value of one hundred dollars. "I don't care for the money," he repeatedly insisted. "What makes me mud, though, is their taking advan tage of my deafness and coming in here during George's absence—that's meanness! I'd give twice its value to see them well settled where they be long." Gaius and I, upon my return with the news, became so absorbed in dis cussing it that what he was to tell me was forgotten until the following evening, when he callled my atten tion to the lights and a diagram he had made, illustrating their relative positions. Kneeling at the window, the sill of which was very high, he said, "This straight horizontal line represents the level of the window-ledge, and these little circles at different heights above the line and scattered along the paper are the thirteen houses visible in the daytime on the other side of the river. You see some of the circles contain each a dot inside; they are the houses where lights are commonly seen evenings. "I saw only seven lights when l drew this, and they are so widely separated I think they can all be lo cated by daylight; but now I can see eight lights—the new one is pretty near those two farthest down-stream. If that proves to be the one we have often seen at midnight, I would like to know just where it is." "Probably it is in the room of some invalid," said I; "perhaps the house where we saw that consumptive young man the first time we were across the river. Don't you remem ber the fellow who tried to sell us the fancy pigeons?" "Yes; and by daylight I can make out the farmhouse. I should not be surprised if it were the same place." Sticking a pin into the window sash, he took from the stand a strip of pasteboard, made a pinhole through one end, and looked through it at the pin and the distant light. "That's all light," said he, pulling the stand under the window. Upon it he piled books, in such a position as to hold the pasteboard strip perpen dicularly. Then he peeped through the pinhole as if it were a gun-sight, and carefully adjusted it at the right elevation. Turning to me, he said, "Look through it." I did so, and saw that pinhole, angle and light were exactly on the line. "Now let it remain there till day light, and we'll see then what house we're aiming at," said he. "Say, Elbert," called Gaius, early next morning, "have you been med dling with this?" "Why, no, of course not!" I replied, with a touch of indignation. "What's the matter?" "It doesn't point at any house this morning," lie said. "What does it point at?" I asked. "Why, there's nothing in range ex cept that old pile of rubbish on the farther hank of the river! There isn't much to be seen but part of a roof, and that seems to be flat on the ground. One thing is certain, any how; the light is not at the house where we saw the sick man." I went down-stairs and returned with a field-glass borrowed of a board er. It disclosed very little, and so 1 said, "When we can got the time, Gay, let's go over there and inspect the premises; my curiosity is roused about this business." "I'll go," Gaius replied. "Let's say Saturday afternoon, if it does not rain." We saw the light as usual on Thurs day and Friday evenings, and Satur daj- afternoon found us early on the opposite side of the river, which we reached la a rowhoat. With the sluggish current we moved slowly toward a point opposite the rubbish heap. There we pulled ashore in shallow water. The rubbish-heap appeared to lie the ruins of a house, little of which re mained except the roof, which, upon the collapse of the supporting tim bers, had fallen and split apart. One half stood on edge on the cellar bot tom, the other half lodged on the first and on the wall in such a manner as to enclose and re-roof about a third of the cellar. There was no entrance discoverable, no holes through which anything ex cept impenetrable gloom could IK- dis tinguished, and nothing In surround ings on the outside mass of rubbish broken hoards, rotten straw, sawdust and so forth—to indicate the presence of human kind since It bocamo a ruill i m bound to look Inside before 1 leave," I said. "That's right," replied Gains. "Hut they say 'there's a better way to get into a jug than by cracking it.' Let's tuke a look down the bank," he con tinued, going to tile corner of the foundation and peeping down the deep slope to the water's edge some twenty feet below. "Look there! Seo those chicken bones!" lie cried. Sure enough, there were many bones on the bank, besides other olTai in the water's edge. "Somebody boards pretty near here," said 1. "Those things must have been thrown out of the cellar." But we could not examine on that side, for the bank broke away abruptly, so near the foundation that pasaige round it was impossible. Returning, Uaius said, "I am going into the open cellar uguin to look undiir tile rubbish. Help metakethls olddoor around the other side to climb out on." Stooping, he raised one end of the floor from the ground, where it had been lying flat. As he raised it l caught sight of a large hole in the ground underneath. "Eureka!" 1 shouted, and together we threw the door over, so us to ex pose an entrance through the wall big enough to admit a man. Without a thought of mooting any occupants, wo entered iiuinediately. The little liglit admitted througii the opening enabled us to discern a lamp on u small shelf, and this when light ed, disclosed a room about ten by thirty feet in area and a little higher than our heads. On one side were several bunks tilled with straw, against the other was a long bench, with brackets for lamps above. Upon the beueh and ground were boxes and bugs, some of which we examined, tinding masks, dark lanterns, and everything else belonging to burglars' outlits, stolen goods in great quantity and variety, including a number of boxes of Mr. Mason's cigars—a private brand readily recog nized—and numerous specimens of counterfeit coins aud the dies with which they were made. We said little until our amazement had In a measure abated, when 1 broke out with, "What do you think, Gay?" "I think it will show good judg ment if we move out of this vicinity before anybody drops in," he said; anil with his opionln 1 readily agreed. Very carefully we replaced every thing us found, went at once to police headquarters, related our experiences, and readily secured the co-operation of the authorities in a plan to capture the gang that very evening. The chief proposed that if the usual light was observed, we should present our selves before him at 11 p. in., aud guide a posse to the den. This arranged, we went home, stopping at Mason's store by the way to inform our friends of what was in the wind. Mr. Mason had gone to supper, and George was so busy with customers there was no opi>ortu nity to tell him of our discoveries, so on our return to l'ulUl our appoint ment we called again. This time we fuiind Mr. Mason, who showed an excited Interest in our story; but George was absent. It was bis night off. Mr. Mason did not expect his re turn before the next morning's open ing liour. A sergeant and four men crossial tlic river under the guidance of Gnius at the liour agreed upon, and went down its opiiosite bank to a designated point, while another policeman accompanied me in a row boat on the route taken by Gaius aud myself in the afternoon. At the ruin, dimly distinguished in the darkness, we eagerly awaited the signal announcing the arrival of our party. It soon appeared—merely a matclillglit, to wbieli we replied by another. Then we took a jiosition opposite the window, a few feet from the bank, and the men above stealth ily lifted the old door. One after an other. the sergeant first, they 6lipped rapidly down into the cellar. It was very nearly a complete sur prise, for three of the scamps were taken in their hunks. Tile fourth, dexterously eluding the officers, bailed nimbly upon a bench, thence to the window, and like a shot went through it feet foremost, down the bank into the water. There lie stuck in the mud! My companion, the policeman, clapped the handcuffs on him in the dntkness, collared him and pulled him ashore. With the remark, "Now we'll see what we've got," lie opened his lantern and turned its light on his tnud-bedragged prisoner. I might have been knockai down with a feather! It was George Dow! He did not say a word; neither did I. and truly, I think 1 could not have spoken had 1 tried. The suddeti realization of his du plicity and black rascality simply stunned me, and Gaius was even more astounded, more deeply shocked than myself, by the unexpected ex posure of ids friend's villainy. He said to me later, "Your suspi cions of George were correct, uftei nil." "No," I replied, "that would tie claiming too much. I did not suspect him, I simply did not know what to think of him. Now 1 know, hut I can not tell now any better than before, the reason of my antipathy." Of the trial and conviction of the captured gang, it is unnecessary to speak. The papers and people praised Gains and me highly, and foolishly, we thought, for we knew that our dis covery of the gang's haunt was due to "fool luck," as Gaius tersely stated It—it was the surprising outcome of a' childish curiosity, and not gained by any particular shrewdness ou our part. But of this we said little, ex cept to Mr. Mason, whose extrava gant praise we vainly tried to modify. On the evening of our departure for home ut the end of the school year, we called at his store to say good by. As usual at that hour he was very busy, and consequently said little, but shaking hands with each and wishing us a pleasant Journey, he handed me a sealed envelope, bear ing the inscription, "Messrs. Croft and Eaton—to lie read after reaching your destination." We refrained frcm opening it until we reached home, and then its con tents surprised us greatly. This is what we read: I'., N. Y., Nov. 5, IStio. Messrs. Croft and Eaton. My Young Friends: At the time my store was robbed I said I would give twice the value of the property taken to see the rascals who took it placed where they should be. Per haps you heard me say so. If you did, quite likely you thought 1 had as little intention of fulfilling oiy agree ment In ease of their capture as you had at the tune of capturing them. 1 meant what I said, however, and as a practical demonstration of my sincerity and appreciation ot your efforts lu the matter, 1 herewith enclose check—made payable to you jointly—for two hundred dollars. Very cordially yours, Ephraim A. Mason. Moreover, he was a steady friend to both of us as long as we attended school in I'., and indeed, as long as he lived.—Youth's Companion. A FREEZE-OUT. It Show* That a Private Secretary May Make Himself Too Valuable. "What I want to remark is that the private secretary of an important ottl elnl is a good thing until lie begins to think he is tile important official." This was from a man past middle life, who sat with a knowing bunch I of politicians at the hotel. "Now," lie continued, "I was once elected mayor of a small city down east, in the race for the honor 1 heat a very line old gentleman, simply because lie thought it undignified to solicit votes, while l got out and hustled as though my life was at stake. "No sooner was I elected than a del egation of my friends called upon me. They informed me that 1 had shown myself the most popular young man in the community. 1 had made friends right and left, and there was no limit to my future prospects. But 1 was" a novice, so 1 needed an old hand at the business for my guide and counsellor. They had file man and 1 took him. "I was just like a tender plant try ing to grow under a great, overshadow ing tree. My secretary was paternal with paternal sterness. lie wrote proclamations, jumped on the council, prepared speeches that did not suit my ideas at all, had himself interviewed' every time he could hold up a reporter, and, Urst tiling I knew, people on the street were addressing him as "Mr. Mayor.' "1 was in line for congress, ail right enough, if I had not submitted to the indignity of playing figurehead, but when it came to the convention some fellow got up and lauded my admin istration to the skies. It was something beyond adverse criti cism. But justice must lie done though the heavens fell. My private secretary had furnished the brains and generalship, and lie was placed in nomination. I was simply frozen out, and there never was a cold er political frost. 1 was out of politics anil 1 have never been able to break in since. If you must have a private sec retary, pay hint a stipulated amount to keep bis mouth shut."—Detroit Free Press. Pockethonkft Spelled "Empty.•• Initial pocketliooksthat were carried by five women caused a lot of fun in a street ear the other day.When three women entered the ear and became seated it was noticed that their purses contained the lntials E, Si and P, in the order given. At the next square ; two more women entered, and tioth | carried similar purses, the letter on one having been T andthatoii theotliei I Y. When the new passengers sat j down alongside the other three women i the initials in the five purses, as tliey 1 were hold in a row, formed the word | E-M-P-T-Y. The smiles of passengers who sat on the opposite side of the ear ] as they looked at the quintet of women j caused the latter some euib irrass j ment until one of them, noticing the combination of letters on the purses, laughingly informed the others. After all had laughed and turned the initials to the wall, the conductor approached, seeking fares. Each one of the five ! women offered a note in payment of her fare, probably just to show that | the purses were uot empty.—Philadel phia llecord. Growing Young HI IHC AP or ion. Norman Ballings of Deer Isle is lot ' years old. He exhibits indications oi returning vigor that are considered marvelous. His eyesight for years was so feeble that he had to use the strongest of glasses, and now he does not use spectacles oven to read, lie goes about without the use of any 1 d of nothing else whatever, except the small circle of white inarcelline silk, which does duty as a crown lining. The toque is simply a straw how with tulle decoration. Plav LOMOM for Children. Many enjoyable half hours may be spent by children in playing at "nouns and verbs," and a good deal of Learn ing unconsciously impressed upon tbe young mind. "A noun is the name of anything" Is definition enough for a beginner. Then with her l>ox of letters shu makes a whole list of nouns which of course are names of the things she sees around her. The mottoes and the names are printed carefully on checkered paix'r or eardb>urd. When tlie latter is used the words are afterward picked with a course needle and reproduced in bright-colored silks in kindergarten fashion. Tb New Oofffume Trunk. Tlie care needed to keep the be longings of tlie well-dressed woman in good condition has brought out all sorts of inventions for her con venience. Tray trunks succeeded the Saratogas int.) which an entire sum mer's wardrolx? went, solidly, and now ooMume trunks are rivalling tlie tray-boxes. The costume trunks stand cn end, the rounded top making tt inri>ossihle to staixl it upside down. In&> these trunks a dozen gowns inay go, each suspended as if in tlie limine closet; and, best of all, the sides of the ti*unk open, the box thus Ixx-omlng a wardrobe, of servloe in the limited and usually closetless room of the summer boarder. It pays to make tlx* rounds of tho shops lx*fore select ing ixrw luggage-box OR, their improve ment through even tlx? last year, being remarkable. for niibwwMMi. Some of the Don'ts of Mrs. Hanger's address will bp suggestive in other club circles. This Is a family pat bor ing. six- said, ami as such would not be a typical one without a few ad monitory don'ts. Don't join a club Just txxuo there Is a vacancy. Don't join a club expecting to attend only when there is nothing else to ost becoming and eomfortable out ing gowns, and keep fresh and clean longer than do duck or pique, the blues and pinks washing as well as white. For yachting dresses much em broklery in black or white adorns these costumes, am] pipings of white or of a contrasting color are some times used with pleasing effect Elaborate costumes are also made of linen in lxige tint ooveml with thick lace from neck to hem, made either tn simple stylo with a l>ooehed Ixxliee and narrow Ixfit or wttli a bolero, a vest of tine net or lace and a cravat threaded with narrow velvet ribbon. For thin shirtwaists ami airy frocks quaintly striped and flowered India muslins and lawns are shown in the linen shops. Many of these come from Ireland and France, and the de signs are none the loss charming be cause they suggest delicate brocades and even oldtime chintzes and cre tonnes. Both soft aud bright colors are shown in these patterns. One is striped with a wreath design, with delicate sprays tied with lover's knots, another shows French stripes with pink buds, and a third has a white ground powdered with sprays tied with blue bows. A white India mus- lia is edged with tiny trails of b!o soma and foliage meandering on a pale blue ground wltli n handful of Da France roses and forget-nie-aots here and there. noiun'i Cltib. In Japnn. "Women's organizations in Japan are called societies rather than clubs," said Uine Tsuda of Toklo, in a re cent letter to a clubwoman of Mew York city. "The word club prejudices many people, and so we prefer the other term, society. Our work In these societies la not much -like club work In America, partially because our women are retiring and partially because there Is little social life of any kind for our Women, or tor men and women together. The Women's Educations 1 society, wlych meets onoe a month, has for its prekkieut Princess Mori. Its member ship is about 500. The Sanitary association also meets monthly. Both organizations have lecturers, who occupy from one to two hours at each session. The latter society has between 300 and 400 members, Tbe character of the Interroga tion society Is more like that of an American club. Its object is to bring up useful topics for discussion. At eaeli meeting an original paper is read by one of the members, aud this is followed by a discussion. This society lias alxmt 50 active members. 'The Monday Club," which was formed during the last year by a number of foreign residents with some prominent native women, lias for its purpose Instruction and social enjoyment. This meets every two weeks during the season. A sho:# lecture in either Japanese or Englisn, interpreted so that all may under stand. is given at each meeting. The membership of this society is limited to 80. "Our women, of course, need ox perienee, and our work in these lines is a mere beginning. We are not used to going about as American women do, and for tills reason it is difficult to get the members to be regular in attendance, even when they wish to do their part faithfully. In my opin ion the old social customs hinder the progress of such work. I believe much more can tie done now to foster a taste for intellectual pursuits alio for social life through school work and life among the young girls." Summer Fnlirlrn. Printed liberty foulards in all colors. ITcturo stylos for thin summer dress es. Figured silk poplins in all oolors and shades. Foulards, voiles am] eropes tie Chine rank Urst in dress goods. Fancy jetted net ami applique In all colors will lxi used for boleros. liark blue, white polka dotted foulard, the ixipular summer utility gown. AeolUui cloth combines tbe charac teristics of voile and crepe tie Chine. Exquisite old-rose anil black China figured silks arc among the novelties. Dressy fans eitlxir spangled Or paint ed with exquisitely carved ivory sticks. Fancy straw sailors with vetvet hand, chiffon pompon and quill, new and jaunty. Colored lawn skirts, in Dolly Varden, very brilliant in effect, the lutcst in lingerie. Chenille dots arranged in scrolls on finely meshed grounds among tbe lat est veilings. Swisses, dainty muslins, linens, or gandies and nainsook tbe prominent tbin fal tries. Tuektngs in vertical, horizontal, or waved lines, on many of tbe ready made shirtwaists. Barege is shown In Persian patterns blossom and foliage designs, stripes, silk or velvet dots, etc. Printed patterns in mercerized cotton foulards so eloeely resembling the silk ones as hardly to Ix* distinguishable. Unfiles banded with one or more rows of black velvet ribbon prominent on dainty aud thin summer fabric gowns. Short capos rntely Jetted and finished with frills of chiffon and long so-rf ends, for summer evening wear. Platte. Normandy, Valenciennes, and Point do Paris effects among the fine cotton laces for trimming wash gowns. Excellent imitations of the baud-made kinds, too. Leghorn hats tn picture shape, flower, fruit and feather trimmed, short in the hack and broad scoop in front, Uaina through tyle, the sine qua non of ta.si* ion for midsummer head covering. A Ptnuiaf. Way at Let