TO© TM> RAVOMRES n QImT THE CHAMBERED NAUTILUS. Bj Oliver Wendell Holmes. r "" Of Hie life of the late Oliver Wendell Holmes (1809 1894) R. W. Griswold, the ttitic, says: "Dr. Holmes was a poet of wit and hunror and genial sentiment, with a •tyle remarkable for its purity, terseness and point, and for an exquisite finish and grace. His lyrics ring and sparkle like cataracts of silver, and his serious pieces ar rest the attention by touches of the most genuine pathos and tenderness. This is the ship of pearls, which, poets feign, Sails the unshadowed main— The venturous bark that flings On the Sweet Summer wind its purpled wings In gulfs enchanted, where the Siren sings. And coral reefs lie hare, When the cold sea-maids rise to sun Their streaming hair. Its webs of living gauze no more unftirly Wrecked is the ship of pearl! And every chambered cell, Where its dim dreaming life was wont to dwell, As the frail tenant shaped his growing shell. Before thee lies revealed— Its irised ceiling rent, its sunless qrypt unsealed! Year after year beheld the sile nt toil That spread his lustrous coil; Still, as the spiral grew. He left the past year's dwelling for the ntfw, Stole with soft step its shining archway through". Built up its idle door, Stretched in his last found home, and knew the old no more. Thanks for the heavenly message brought by thee. Child of the wandering sea, Cast from her lap forlorn! From thy dead lips a clearer note is borne Than ever Triton blew from wreathed born! While on mine ear it rings, • Through the deep caves of thought I hear a voice that sings:— A voice that sings:— Build thee more stately mansions, O my soul* As the swift seasons roll! Leave thy low-vaulted past! Let each new temple, nobler than the last, Shut thee from heaven with a dome more vast, Till thou at length art free, Leaving thine outgrown shell by life's unresting sea! •••••#••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• • j A String of Beads } and a Queen of the Adriatic. # • S A Charming Love Story of Old Venice, a Pledge * and the Falling of a House of Cards. • TIT HE whirr of a lathe fell upon \I t " 10 c^ose ' n ' r °' t ' le nar " I row Venetian street, the Via Bardo, while the sharp click of hammer on chisel marked a stronger note In the Industrial symphony. Away toward the Grand Canal a blue-blouscd fisherman cried his wares, and Mere ltlcordo's shrill and kindly chntter rose and fell as children stopped and bought her cherries and apricots. "The mother Is In good spirits," said Pletro in the carpenter's .shop, as he fleftly Inserted his sharp chisel between a cupld's wing, and carved a 6lired away to make the feathers still more downy. The lathe hummed on, for Nelo, his comrade, Worked by the piece, and wanted to earn enough to buy those corals which hung in Zeno's little shop across the bridge; he did not care to stop his wheel and gossip. "She Is In good spirits," continued Pletro, "because the American slgnora has taken a fancy to the little one, and declares she will take her to Paris and train her as her maid." The lathe ceased turlng so suddenly that the banister which was being carved was almost jerked out; then, with a touch on the Iron clamp to see all was right, Nello bent to his work again. "Little Rosa herself is delighted; she was to have been put to the Venetian lace school, but prefers to see the World." "The child Is but sixteen," said an other worker. "The slgnora will scarce have a maid so young as that" "Have I not told you," said Pletro, getting up and strolling toward the door, "that the signora has taken a fancy to Rosa? And when these Amer icans take Ideas into their head 9 they carry them through. Rosa has a pretty face, and the handsome eyes of the true Venetian." He rolled a cigarette with the air ofn connoisseur. "Mad ame likes handsome faces about her, therefore the pretty Rosa is to accom pany the slgnora to Paris." "How soon?" It was Nello who spoke now. "In a fortnight—in a week—in three days—l do not know! Bah! what does It matter? There is the clock of San Marco striking! Good night, Nello. You work as if the evil one turned your wheel!" The merry Pletro passed out into the street. Other workers rose, stretched their wearied arms, shook their blue washed blouses free of chips and turned homeward. Ouly Nello worked on, bis lathe humming steadily now! that no disturbing tongue voiced news which Interrupted the regularity of the guiding hand. Then followed two days when the hum of the lathe sounded for longer hours in succession than ever before. Dare he offer the gift? But he had not bought it yet—could not, until the four liras were saved out of the scanty Wage. A fortnight—a week—three days —which? The idle words were full of torturing uncertainty. "The little Rosa will come back a rich woman; her wages will be a thou sand liras, I hear," said the gossiping Pletro. "She will save a fine dot while away, and come back when she is thirty." "Thirty! When a woman is not worth looking at!" "True, but then you must look at the aot!" And the workers laughed, all except Nello, from whose lips came no sound. At last the day came when the four liras were in his hand. He hurried to the little shop where those red beads bung so temptingly, and bis heart beat high with hopes ns he touched their smooth surface lovingly. How they Would become the little Rosa! How her great eyes would sparkle with pleasure when Nello told her they were for- her very own! A hundred times he rehearsed the scene as he sat at his work. He would watch her face as she opened the little parcel. Perhaps she would let him clasp them round her throat ne had never told Rosa of his love except In a dumb, faithful way, as a dog may who serves his mistress and guards her always, satisfied with a careless word of approval or*a passing smllo. Bnt to-night he would tell her, for he would soon be earning good wages, and was not he his uncle's heir to the huslness at the carpenter shop? Nello thought himself lucky Indeed to find the little Rosa at home in her grannie's tlpy room. Come out on the canal? Of course she would. Her laughter sounded softly as an accompaniment to the swish of the oar in the water. Nello, from his place as gondolier on the graceful craft, lopked down on the little figure enveloped in the thin, black-fringed Venetian shawl. The night wus warm and she tossed It aside. "I shall bnve done with this when I an in Paris with the slgnora." "Nothing will ever become you so well, Rosa, as your snawl." Her laughter rippled again. "No, It is black and ugly; I love bright colors." They had reached the Rio Santa Maria della Salute. He guided the gondola to the low steps, and came down from the poppe. "See, Rosa," he repeated, dangling the corals before her eyes, "they are the color of your llpfe; and you will wear them as a pledge." She held out her hand. "SI, I will wear them " Her eyes were sparkling. But had Nello been less in love himself he would have questioned the light that shone there. He gave the beads to her, murmur ing again: "As a pledge. And you will come to me when I write that your home Is ready for you?" "Yes, yes." She leaned over the boat's side to see the effect In the reflecting water. It was evidently satisfactory, for she turned to him with adorable candor. < "I shall wear them often," she said; "that is, if the signora will nllow me. And if sip; will not, I shall tnke them out of my little trunk, and look at them when I am alone, because " "Because?" said Nello, hungrily. "Because," she added, airily, "they are so pretty." He was sitting by her side now on the great black leather-cushioned seat. "My uncle has promised to give me a share in the carpenter's shop whdn I [ am twenty-five," he said; "and then I • shall write. Afid you will come to me, ■ little one?" i "Yes, yes!" she assented, eagerly. ' She longed to be alone with her new treasure. His Insistence annoyed her. I• • • The short, sharp Venetian winter ; enme and passed; the months sped on, ? rounded their circle and commenced i nnother year. The year that was born was to be full of happiness for Nello 1 Liscouraz. Was not his uncle dead, and he the owner of his shop, the en i ployer of three workmen? But more 1 than all, was he not even now awaiting 5 the crown of his Joy, Rosa Ricordo? For once the hum of his busy lathe r was silent; the merry Pletro npdged 3 his fellow, and whispered that the mas s ter was moonstruck, his head turned t since the good fortune had come to r him. • s y Nello heeded then not; he was look r ing out toward the Grated Canal, and listening -with love-sharpened ears for a sound above the lively ehrtter of Mere Rlcordo, for the cry of the post man who was to bring him the answer from the girl lie loved. It was a sound that came but seldom In that narrow way. The simple folk, whose horizon was bounded by those sunbaked walls, held little commerce with the outside world, whose mes sages of love, or life, or death were flashed across wide seas or carried in the bosoms of snorting trains. She had written him once—a gay, careless letter—to tell him how happy she was, what brave sights she saw! The signora was kind to her, she her self was becoming a signora—she wore a hat! Now her answer tarried. He hardly dared to think how many suns had risen, burned and died, and given way to the paler beauties of the moon, since he had sent her the good news, had told her of the home that awaited her, and reminded her of her promise. With a stifled sigh he turned back Into the shop, and bent to his work again. "She Is still but a child," he told him self, "and lam a dull fellow. Perhaps she has forgotten." • He checked the thought as unworthy, and in the days that followed the whirr of his wheel was the busiest in the shop, till the people wondered and whispered among themselves that it was strange the master should work at the lathe early and late. Had Nello, then, the making of a miser in himV Lizette Ricordo looked at him with tender, blue Venetian eyes. They reminded him of another pair that had laughed into his own in the moonlight on the canal, but they awoke no tender light in his own. He waited and trusted. Rosa must write soon. Every morning he rose expectant, every night he looked for the morrow with unquenched hope. Pletro stood in the doorway, rolling a cigarette in his strong brown fingers. His merry heart was saddened, for he alone of all the workers guessed the secret that hung heavy on Nello's heart, the cloud that cast its shadow on his gentle face. "The American signora has turned the child's head; she will not return,'.' he sighed. And as he sighed the cry of "La postal" sounded hoarse and long drawn-out above the babel of voices. The letter had come; he handed it to Nello, and ieft him. Nello turned into the darkness of the shop. The flimsy pink envelope bore a number of postmarks. He tore It apart, and It fell unheeded to the floor. No one henrd the cry that was wrung from his heart. They had left him alone with sorrow! She wrote lightly. He had thought too much of a moonlit night on the canal. There were maid ens In plenty in the Calle to solace him. As for her, she was in no haste to return to dull Venice. The chatter of Mere Ricordo as she bartered her fruits to the brown-eyed urchins floated in and cut his heart. Rosa and he had played out there together, and one day he had bought her promise to be his little wife with a handful of cherries, he thought bit terly, as later he had bought it with a string of brightly colored bends. He bent his head on his arms across the rough table, and two large tears fell down nud mingled with the shav ings and the sawdust How suddenly his house of cards liad fallen! He would forget—he must forget but the dry sob that racked him showed that the wound would be ill to heal. It drowned the sound of a light, soft step. He did not see the girl who en tered and picked up the envelope, its gayness marred with the delaying postmarks. The first he knew of her presence was the pressure of a soft, warm arm, a whisper that was a caress. " 'Tis I, thy naughty Rosa. Canst forgive me, Nello? 1 did not know my heart." And Nello's Joy was crowned.—New York News. • Dolpe Hid Washing. X messenger boy, whose blue uni form had more than the usual number of grease spots, to say nothing of a few torn places, came Into the rear car of the "L" train and threw himself Into one of the cross seats. Opposite' was a woman old enough to have been his grandmother, though the idea of such a grandson would have shocked her. The boy whistled a baT or two of the latest Rinlto success, but stopped when he noticed the loek of pain on her face. He took off his cap, nnd, pull ing out a dirty handkerchief, began to PQllsh the brass sign which snld that he was No. 3114. The old woman was ■watching him closely. Presently It shone to his satisfaction and the cap was replaced on his curly head. For a short time he Was content with doing nothing. Then he loosened his faded red necktie and took off his col lar. He moistened his handkerchief with his lips and began to scrub the piece of celluloid. As his handkerchief was as dirty as It well could be, the operation was hardly successful. "What are you trying to do, boy?" asked the old woman, when she could no longer contain herself. "This is Monday, so I'm doln' me washln'," he answered, smiling. "You object any?"— New York Tribune. Cheaply and Effectively. 'An observing writer considers It In evitable that with experience adver tisers should place newspaper adver tising above all other forms of pub licity. "In no other way," he says, "can the merchant reach the people so quickly, cheaply nnd effectively. The newspaper of character nnd circu lation goes Into the homes of the peo ple, where all the members of the fami!#, read the, advertisements." ONE FOR THE CHIPMUNK. The little chipmunk has no soul Such as resides in noble man; Poor thing, its home is just a hole No architect was called to plan. Tts richer brothers will not need, When winter dims the distant sun, To take thingß from their stores to feed Its cold and hungry little one. Ere "blizzards howl across the hill The soulless chipmunk takes good care To stock his larder and to fill The home with all that gladdens there. Nor does the chipmunk pile nway More than it needs ten thousand fold, Or fight its brothers so that they Must starve when nights are long and cold. Poor soulless chipmunk! Ah, how wide The gulf 'twixt. it and noble man! With what it needs 'tis satisfied, And quits at last where it began. —Chicago Record-Herald. "Has she an expressive face?" "Well, part of it Is." "Which part?" "The tongue."—Philadelphia Bulletin. Philosopher—"No man is too old to learn." Cynic—"And no man is too young to think he's too old to learn." —Cassell's Journal. Patience—"What's in a name, any way?" Patrice—"l once knew a fam ily who had two hyphens in theirs." —Yonkers Statesman. Montmorency -- "rather thinks it would be a good thing if I should travel." Caroline—"Do you mean for bim or for you?"—ruck. Let no chance get away _While you're youthful. Forsooth, Now's the time to make hay In the heyday of youth. —Philadelphia Record. "Goodness, Henry! How queer baby looks! I think he Is going to have a lit." "By George! I believe you arc right. Where is my t\.mora?"—Tit- Bits. "What wore you about to remark?" she asked. "Oh. it's of no conse quence," he returned. "I know that," she retorted, "but what was it?"— Ch icago Post. "But, you see. I only want the teapot and the sugar-basin. Don't you break sets?" "No. madam. We generally leave that to the servants of our cus tomers."—Punch. Kind Old Lady—"You're the daintiest little boy In the whole crowd. How is it you keep your face so clean?" Nibsy Murphy—"lf I didn't, :ie mudder'd wash it."—Judge. Rodney—"Nothing can he more dan gerous to public safety than the auto mobile." Sidney—"Pooh! Just you wait until flying machines get to drop ping on us!"— Puck. The Father —"My daughter, sir, must have the same amount of money after she is married that she had before." The Suitor—"l wouldn't deprive her of it for anything."—Brooklyn Life. Mrs. Jones—"Do your cooks stay with you long?" Mrs. Brown—"Well, no. I tried to get a snap-shot at the last one with my camera, but she was too quick for the instrument."—Judge. Man ranges, lest his life grow tame, Through snorts of every clime, But Cupid plnys just one old game, And wins it every time. —Detroit Free Press. She—"He didn't succeed in convinc ing her, after all his argument." lie— "No; lie merely made her mad." "But his explanation was clear." "Yes; and that's where he made his mistake. He told her it was as 'plain as the nose on her face.' "-Tit-Bits. College of Dialect.—Young men from universities who have only classical educations taught Dialect in from two to six weeks. Those who intend to become magazine writers would do well to take a term with us. Any quantity of professors and nil sorts of Dialect.—Atlanta Constitution. Prosporoiis Criminals. Not a few of the prisoners who were transported in eonvict ships from Eng land to Australia in the first half of the nineteenth centruy, often for triv ial offenses now punishable by small fines, prospered in a new and progres sive country. They attained wealth and position, and even secured admis sion to the annual registers of British nristocraey through the marriages of their sons and daughters. But some were never able to throw off the asso ciations of the convict ship, and be came a constant curse to their new land instead of reformed and steady going colonists. A survivor of this sec ond class, Frederick Clarke, aged eighty-five, stood in the dock of the Melbourne Criminal Court the other day and received a long sentence—the last of a long series—of four years for being concerened in a burglary. He was transported from England In the forties, and since then his Australian sentences have aggregated sixty-eight years. Horse stealing and burglary are the little weaknesses he has never been able to control. The Common wealth might very fairly send a bill to the Imperial treasury for the board and lodging of this gentleman for half a :entury.—London Chronicle. Hint* to Sniibbert. Don't snub a boy because of the Ig norance of his parents. Shakespeare, the world's poet, was the son of a man who was unable to write his own name. Don't snnb n boy beenuse he chooses a humble trade. The author of "Pil grim's Progress" was a tinker. Don't snub a boy because of his physical disability. Milton was blind. Don't snnb a boy because of his dull ness in lessons. Hogarth, the cele brated painter and engraver, was a stupid boy at his books. Don't snub any one, not alone be cause some day they may outstrip you In the race of life, but because it Is neither kind nor right.—New York New* of | IMPROVED BALLAST FOR RAILWAYS. Millions of dollars are being expend ed In Improvements on tlie large rail ways of the country, tending toward the final end of increase in speed and reducing the time occupied in travers ing the distance between different sec tions of the country, ltecent experi ments with high-speed cars in Germany have shown that the roadbed Itself must be greatly Improved over the av erage condition now maintained before trains could be run Si much faster speed. It is not sufficient to remove the curves and lessen- the gradients, but the tracks must be ballasted to the point of perfect rigidity before the rails and trucks can stand the high speed. To this end the improved method of ballasting the tracks illustrated in the accompanying drawing has been intro duced by William Goldit. While the introduction of liquid cement beneath the ties has already been practiced with some success, it has the disad- RUNNING CEMENT BENEATH THE TIRES. vantage of liability to displacement should a heavy train pass over the rails before the mixture laid entirely hard ened. This new process overcomes this defect by introducing the cement in a practically dry state, nud at the same time spraying over it sufficient moisture to insure the setting of the cement, but not sufficient to render it plastic or fluid, so that, after having been packed solidly under the tie it cannot become displaced by a passing train, but will remain in that position and set by reason of the moisture im parted to It. The cement is placed In the funnel nnd is driven Into the pocket beneath the tie by steam from a loco motive, a small stream of water being Introduced at the same instant to mois ten the cement. A CLEVER KNOT. For the man in a hurry to get to work in the morning or for the man who oversleeps nnd has to rush to make up lost time inventions which CU TTING THE KNOT FASTENS THE SHOE. able him to dress quickly have a pecu liar Interest, nnd there is uo doubt that many a person would like to utilize an apparatus similar to that which is em ployed by fire companies for harness ing the horses, if it could be applied to the clothing of a human being.- At present, however, the shoe is about the qnly article of apparel which the in ventor has sought to Improve on, and in our illustration we show a new fast ening device which can,be applied to a shoe which has laces to draw the edges together. Located just above the top lacing eyelet ou each meeting edge of the upper is a short lacing loop, preferably of leather, with a metallic tube section inside to give the lace free movement. Located above the short loops is a pnir of long loops extending almost to the top of the upper, with slightly curved metallic tubes inside. The lacing is inserted in the eyelets in the usual manner, and is then passed through the short and long tubes. When the shoe is on the foot It is only necessary to give a pull on the lace ends nnd tie the knot, drawing the edges of the upper close enough to gether to fit snugly on the ankle, the slight curve In the tubes causing the lace to exert its pressure along the whole length. Milton S. Brown Is the Inventor. SUPPORT FOR UNLOADING WAGONS. The Invention shown In the accom panying Illustration has been designed by James Baker to provide means for supporting a shovel or other similar implement in such a manner as to ma terially assist a workman In raising and delivering the material from the box of a wagon. The device consists BPBINO BELIEVES PORTION OF WEIGHT. of a couple of sockets secured in the corners of the box, in which supports are placed in such a manner as to bring a horizontal bar over the centre of the load. From this bar is suspend ed a coiled spring of such tension strength aB will permit a movement of the shovel attached to the lower end when force is applied by the man un loading the contents of the wagon. An ordinary scoop or fork may be used, ar rangement being made to clamp the implement to n bar as shown in the drawing. The central portion of this bar has a number of perforations, which permit of the attachment of the spring connection in several different positions, thus supporting a greater or less portion of the load. It is intended by the inventor that the manipulator of the fork or shovel shall bring a por tion of his weight to bear on it when inserting it in the material to be nn-, loaded, and on elevating the load the spring will exert its strength to reduce the nmount of force required to be put forth by the man. POULTRY ROASTING RACK. A rack on which to roast a turkey or other bird of this character has been recently Invented. The device consists of a ten-inch square metal rod, upon which is one stationary nnd one ad justable rest, the latter sliding on the rod to accommodate the length of the ROASTING AND CARVING BACK. roast. After the meat has been roastpd the rack and meat are lifted togeti.i-rW and pined on a platter. The use of the' . rack admits of perfect roasting in all parts, and when placed on the platter enrvlng is done with ease and comfort, the roast being held firmly, allowing the use of the fork to hold and distrib ute the pieces cut off. COMFORT FOR THE COOK. The little kitchen device here shown has been very appropriately named the "cook's comfort," as it is used for boil ing, nnd, it is clnimed, boiling over with it is impossible. This dish has a perforated rim, which causes the fluid THE COOK'S COMFORT. to return again after It reaches a cer tain height. It may be had in various shapes and sizes. The dish is of Eng lish origin, but no doubt will' find a warm welcome among American house keepers. A Kitchener Story. In the current number of Black wood's the following characteristic an : ecdote is told of Lord Kitchener: Once i a general officer was inspecting a post ■ on the line of communications, and ■ duly arrived at the little Jiut which i represented the headquarters of the majesty of the army in some wind . swept hole. Enter X., and, looking ■ round, espies an office table and two I trays, one full of papers. Interested, he reads the label attached to each, i The empty one was ticketed "Busi ■ ness,""and the other "Bosh." "Exetflf -1 lent officer," purrs X.—"thoroughly un : derstands his work and Kitchener's , methods." But when lie went further : nnd proceeded to examine the papers • in the "Bosh" tray, his feelings may t be better Imagined than described on ; finding that the documents consisted i exclusively of his own voluminous or ders and memoranda. I A Jewel of n Servant. The name of Barbara Kolb should be engraved on a block of purest white marble. At a recent meeting of the Old Settlers' Association In Chicago she received a gold medal as a reward for having lived as a servunt in the same family for forty years, nnd with the medal she got a certificate grant ing her the degree of M. D.—master domestic. Her employer is the daugh ter of Mrs. E. O. Steele, of Barbara made a speech. In which shet gave much good advice to both tresses nnd maids. She said as a glfri ' in Wurtcmberg she lind studied the allied arts of sweeping, scrubbing, dust ing and arranging furniture, so that 1 when she reached Chicago, In 1862, 1 she was prepared for anything In those 1 lines. Her most notable boast Is that in the forty years she has worked for this family she has never gossiped over the back fence. Cupid and HI. Humor, Once upon a time an old maid went to Cupid and chlded him. "You have forgotten me," she said. And then, lowering her voice, she con tinued. "Remember that my fortieth birthday is next month. I will ex pect a present from you." I "You slinll have it," answered Cupi^4_, When the birthday came a package from the little god came with It, and it was found to contain one of Cupid's worn-out last generation bows. The woman threw it angrily to the floor. Moral.—There are bows and beaux.— New York Herald.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers