HomeMy WebLinkAboutExeter Advocate, 1901-5-2, Page 2A WICKED GIRL
IlY MARY Ca:OIL IIAY.
(opletregeore)
,
aumption, •and his tone so gentle M
its careleesoese, that she could not.
lidp smiling after all, smiling was so
111...,
ie natural to Derry! Ile had been, cool-
ly critica.1 before fully alive to a
ereeme.„ Pretty chin fait as a white rose pe-
• tal; to sensitive lips; whiee regular
teeth, anti glorious rehtian tmts; but
now calm criticism. wee at an end, .:try to remember lvlietbev he eversain
suddert Warm smile broke on anything to you vhioh could give'e-a
him as a gleani of summer sunshine
to go 'to the Pines, or' where will,
You come to me ogeten" '
''Oh, Derry, you 'ea11ytutist go,
been- to town. 1 Iheist you will. ' It
is wretched. her you here, and 'indeed
came to -day almost solely to en-
'trea't you to return, and not. make
yourself so unhappy, ---and me. 1 real-
ly meant not 1,6 ceacie urging this,
but it is so nice to be 'with you,. thet
I forgot." ,
"That's good dear. But I am riot
going, so 'when -will you, come again?
"Not at all if you speak to me of
Miles."
"May I not aSk you to •think—to
breaks before we know that we have
spring, and gave him the same sensa-
tion --- a gladness that can not be
descrilied, or named, or held,
But Derry had made now a move-.
meat preparatory to going, and so
he spoke, in the old cool tones: "For
a young and delicate girl, how well
Your Bleier manages thoae ponies.
;And 1 have seen her in the saddle,
nie.stering a, horse with as much
Strenk,-th and ,qui et determination as
.---her late lover could have shown,
iYet how very geatle she is and--
fantinine, if you will not laugh at
Silch a ridiculous word. It expresses
exactlY what I Mean."
11 "You know she is charming ' de-
clared Derry,
; ''ledeed she is. Unchangeably 80.
X WOUder if you have ever felt the in-
tense weariness of watching a gas -
'fire; whether you have ever grown
sick .to death of seeing the Mune:al-
ways in the same spot."
"No," she said, while she calculat-
ed how many minutes she must take
in descending the slope, so as to meet
Ella exactly at the door. "I suppose
you hurled that at me as a bit of
(London. I was thinking of my sis-
ter."
"go was I," he answered, coolly.
,"Fitz," to the dachshund who had
been lying; at his feet --"go down
and welcome Miss Hope. He declines
''You have his cousin near,, ask
hint," said Ella, with a look as if
the tears were very near, though, to
Derry's delight, they were kept back.
"Ile must surely have plenty to 'say,
for he hated Miles."
"But if I am to win help," ,eaid
Derry, in deep earnest, "it will etire-
ly be from pome one who loved
"Pehaps," continued Ella, looking
dreamily into the fire, "Steven "bene-
fited lay his death. I don't sane he
did—.I don't.know—but perhaps it
was so. Oh, leave it all as , is,"
she broke off, meeting her sister's
startled gaze.
''I can not leave it as it is," said
Derry, dazedly. "I can not 'think how
you can. You niust be an angel,
Ella; I irtean it is so far beyond rac
to understand .your resignation. I
may go to the Tower, ,for :Primrose
and I have met, you. know? May
go at once?"
"Of course, if you desire it. But I
really do wish" (quite perceptibly
shrinking from what she was making
an effort to say), "you need not go
there, Derry. P-1 have a fear of
Primrose,"
"A fear of Primrose?" The elder sis-
ter could only repeat the words.
"Yes, a fear. She was devoted to
Oliver, aad Miles was in Oliver's
way. , Oliver owns the property now,
the honor," as the hound, having ris-
and no one is in his way, but I can
en, stood close against his master's not forget that Miles was. What
it, Derry?" for the lone gaze of boo -
leg, looking up with an entreaty al- it,
had forced Ella's , eyes to • her
sister's face.
"You have given me a cruel
thought," gasped Derry', "Primrose is
a girl like ourselves.:
•` Yes," returned Ella, taking her
sister's hand and carit'ssing it, "but
most hutnan. "Fitz was my cousin's
dog, Miss Hope. I bought him from
Miles, only a few clays before his —
end. Ie he not beautiful'?"
, "Beautiful? • With those crooked
legs and ugly splay feet?"
"Wait," observed the young man,
as he sauntered coolly at her side loving sisters --as I learned yesterday
—will do daring things for those they
from the cluster of firs, "till you see
love. I have onlY told you that
him dig for badgers."
"I believe I may without anxit:ty 1•in
Prrose adoredeher brother Oliver,
a
consent to wait," said Derry, laugh- and never cared for Miles. I had not
ing as she ran down the slope.
He did not laugh, but his eyes
dosed at the corners rather comical-
ly as he watched her meet her sister;
then he turned and strolled with Fitz
away from Ilarra,ck's Beacon.
CHAPTER II.
"Derry, did I see some one with
,ou'?" asked Ella, drawing off a
sealskin gauntlet, and laying one
:firtri little white hand in her sistee's,
"when you first came in stght?"
°1 don't know when I first came
in sight," replied Derry gently, "for
you were in sight of me a mile
away"
"Was it Steven Basset?"
"Yes, dear, but I did not want to
disturb you with that name the :first
minute you came to me. I fear the
likeness distresses you."
''The likeness?" repeated the young-
er sister, evith a start. "Why, Derry,
you never saw Miles."
"Oh, no, but there's always a like-
ness betwen. brothers, and I know
Oliver Basset."
"Do you?" indifferently, °But Miles
and Oliver were not really like. No
one was like Miles."
''Not to you, dear, of course," ex-
plained Derry, pitifully aware of
tears gathering.
''But this Mr. Basset ie a very dif-
ferent looking man, though indeed
don't dislike him, as Aunt Crystal
'does, alwayswmfind him well Inform-
ed when he converses with inc'
even told you that she had been ut-
terly changed since that night. She is
more broken-hearted than even I have
'the right to be. Besides, why does
Oliver, who was supposed to love
her so, stay away from her now?"
"I made a mistake," said Derry,
with a new comprehension of the
full pretty lips, in thhiking -there
was no stuepictons at work. Does not
suspicion --seemingly so, busy ainong
Miles's relatives—touch Oliver'?"
"I clOn't know," sigliecl Efla, weari-
ly. "I have scarcely evetwseen Oli-
ver. But I always -knew he was his
sister's favorite, ,and that they both
felt Miles in the way. I suppose," in
tired tones,' "they ha.d both a sort
of right to do so. But this eousin
never had."
"Ella, Why did so many people dis-
like Miles? It has been a great
shock.to 211C, for your love for him
had lifted him high in my thoughts."
"Do you ketow," in a pained half -
whisper, "what jealooey will do?"
"And Primrose loved Oliver best?
Well,'' with uncharacteristic irony,
"there is no accounting for a sister's
taste."
''Then you did' not admire Oliver?
He is haodsonie like his brother,"
said Ella, speaking as one who knew,
"but I did not mean to mention
them. You will not force it upon me
again, Derry? Oh, how I wish you
would go back and be happy. There
is nothing in the world to keep you
''Yes, there is. Didn't I tell Mrs.
Tarte: I had come to spend my
wealth? I began this morning at
it 18 °Penh% ail old wooed."
"Not ao old one."
"No, too new a one indeed to 'bear
a touch. l'einuese, 1 wanted to tell
you that eaY sister Derry has come
to Ilesering. She says she is going
to seay. and devote herself to solving
the myStet'y of Isliles's death.- She
can do nothing, of course. What,
coulii a girl do? But she persists in
apeeing this wound for me." '
letitorose 13aese1's wan face had
'briehteeeci at her companion's first
Word,'" but now it eves paler even
than nefore, and she was so silent
Llott presently Ella event, oio—"She
is coming here, Primrose. She is so
bent upon questioning everybody,
and she will speak of it to you act
she has done to nee. It is cruel to
you.'i
"No, why should it be?" cried
Primrose, holly. "I mean ---I do not
think your sister would ever wish to
be cruel."
".No, but she has no right to trou-
ble us all with, the painful subject.
She should not forgot that we have
had 'to live through it. She ought
to ktiow that everything,tht
can be done will be done—or has
been-- by those who were nearest to
"But she thinks she is helping, and
she knows that we ought'none of us
to rest until, or rather she feels sure
that ticne of us can, rest. until the
murderer is found."
"''Come and stay with me," sog-
gesteil Ella, kindly, "and you will
esen.Pe theie Painful questions, for,
Mr, Martin will not, have 'Derry at
the Fines.'' • '
"No, oh no," was the swift an.
sever. "1 must learn to speak of wee
brother's death. It is time.' And
never leave poor grandmother now."
"How good you are to heri"
slgh-
eri Ella. 'elind to Oliver,for you
never reproach him for not coming,
to ,you."
"Oliver will come," said Prim-
rose, in jaded tones; and Ella, mov-
ed, with compassion to see a curious
hauriling fear on the pale face, rose
Ito leave. ,
As 1-)rinirose turned, she found that
Sarah Eales had come into the hall,'
and 1V13f., standing, there awaiting lier
young mistress. "The ponies are
restive, Miss Hope," she • explained,
in her respectful monotonous Way,
and then stood back for the girls to
pass; looking first at Ella with anx-
dous soliirmde, then at Priinrose
with an .Lent, uneasy suspicion.
,
PART IVe
, "And I do believe." said Derry, her r the village shoP."
eyes warm with a laugh of which. she "Yett always jest when I am in
was instantly ashamed, he is just earnest," fretted Ella. "Of course,
as well informed_ when lie converses soinething different freak. -that keeps
with me -- though I can not. get him you
to inform Die." "Yes, I have not heard 'yet ---and
'1 As .garali nal -es had aee°1-nPaii`ed shall be'ta long time before have
her young iniseresse and was standing , heard. I 'assure 'You—one \thous -
now waiting for orders' perry felt` I and th porta-of what 'Mrs. FraY'd has
a little evaltevarcl, having only one it on her Mind to mention.'' •'a.
'-i°Cini int° ':\Viliell to invite allY1?°' ' "leothing ever troubles you, - Sant
sP. she asked her sister whether' she Ella,- struggling after a smile., ''t
evoteld preier.t.o -coolie about or ge.in. e
. ., remember how father used te ,it
'Go 'in," eeturned Ella, giving ,...tne . 4. ',.' - - ' • - I
i ola t-mes, that you weft as eaey as
reins to her small diveried groom.
1 an old shoe.-
*
"Sarah can sit with Mrs': I'"ra 1 -
nil w as this all that Ella rernent-
til I summon her. It .5NOIS very stop- I
id," Ella went on, in a. whisper, as
ithe girl entered the house, "of Sarah
to beg to come witlienie this rnorn-
ing; very, unkiricl, too, as she has
'found that '1 seldom refuse her any-
thing." '
• "Sim will enjoy Mrs. Fraycl," '
ob-
served.I)erry, peosively.
Thougb Ella would not remain to
:lunch Ltd would not have the ponies
'
mut up, she, threw off her sealskin,
iwith the appearance of intending to
izt.a.y a long titre, and seated hereelf
before the fire, looking very comfort-
able and pretty in the mourning,
which, except for the Absence of a,
(cap, and the geeeral enlivenment of.
ijet glistening wherever it was possi-
pole, was as deep as that of a widow.
"Derry," she said, with a smile
and -eigh together, "I ant 50 relieved
;to see you in your ordinary dress
tagoAn., That affectation of mourning
ecesterday was 'a greet mistake.", •
1 "Yee," said Derry, simplY, "tbut I
(had felt, unlike wearing colors since
iney own sister--"
bored of the braye efforte.eof thoso
old times? c
From Harrack's Beacon Mess Hope
drove to the Tower, and again Sarah
Ea,lee pleaded to accompany her.
Vexed es she wasi she kindly gave
way as she hail done in tthe morning
but left Sarah in the phaeton out-
side tile Tower when the old butler
admitted her. In the hall she -found
Primrose Basset, sitting deep_ in
thought before- the tire in the. great
open grate, her Skye terrier lying
opposite her on the rug, looking un-
winlorigly up into her face thr.ough
his sillten tresses.
Want to disturb .eithei of
you,' soniled Ella, deprecating the
troubro Miss Basset took to bring
another of' the ,hee,yy, old, oak chairs,
up to the hearth, and the coneequent'
uneettling 'of the dog.
,.''I like to he disturlaed," said Prim-
,
rose, simply., t'and jess be . the
better for a run- Oh, she has gone
already! That is right,"
CHAPTER 1.
-
It was 4 Februarys morning; - and
Derry 'sat gazing into her fire \ohne
he made ,strenuotie efforts to pur-
sue a, direct train of thought; to go
back 'step ' by step over the three
weeks of her stay in Dewring, 'that;
she might discover tot what lid:Stoke
or ielioeance'her failure hitherte had -
been . due, and then if possible 1,o;
niap out a mere'auspioions 'line Of
-
action .' for the future, * But though
she resolutely set, herself to keep
thought to this one track; the veri-
est trifle would 'disperse it, at.,1 she
had still no definite project •Thiened,
-when, at the end of two long hours
the silence of her rooni was broken
by the noisy flapping of wings; 'It
was the involuntary.memory of the
legeeds she had heard which made
her start from her seat; in momen-
tary alarm. ,
"Where's Miles then?'
'rho sharp question came from un-
der the table, and Derry smiled dis-
dainfully , at her own childish fear.
"It is you, George, is it?" she said,
as site went ,for a limip of sugar for
Ella's parrot. "This is a call I
didoet expect, sir.; why couldn't you
bring your mistress?" '
Tho bird was not to be lured from
his leireat, and Derry was still
fruitlessly enticing him, -when Sarah
Eales came hurriedly throogh Alm
open glass -door, calm in her demean-
or, though Derry saw that her hand
shook when she extended it to catch
the itarrcit. • ,
"Conte, George!: come, George!"
she crooned, as if to a child. "Ella
wants you."
But George 'remained, unmoved un-
til by a skillful swoop Sarah cap-
tured him. "I won't stay, Miss
Derry," she said then, folding her
shawl • 'about -him' arid leaVing , the
rOom. "Miss Ella will be uneasy."
But outside the door, George, hav-
ing craftily won confidence by his
wary. quietude, suddenly dived, unclee,
Sarah'e. arm, and with ,a Emilieh
laugh flevv. to. the top of the old mill,
from. which 'unalleCt.tecl seclusion he
looked clown with a dolemn pensive-
ness ,rather exasperating to his baf-
fled captor.
"If Ella would not be uneastew,
observed Derry, regarding the parrot
wit]; admiration, ''how much better
he looks,up there than eei a arm!
he looks up there than in a rocan!
Leave etini, Sarah."
"I lutist have him," fretted Sarah,
,
potntenly raising her voice when she
saw that Mr.. DasSet was withii,
hearing._ o "Could, you get it doevii,
sir?-"chervotigiy accostieg'hhn as he
stood gazing up at the soleitm bird,
"It will go home presently."'
- "T. !cot: 'not,' sir:" .
' "Oho well, it will ' do the best for
itself, you otay depend," he returnee
with an ,indifference Derry thought
ineketieable though' she herself had
offered similar' advice , to -Sarah. Ae
soon ae the evoman had unwillingly
departed,. 'SfeVen 'Basset 'returned'
lazily to Derry's • side. "The , min -
ring fellow will go into your 1'00111
agate.' probably, Miss Hope,if he
'does not fly boom. Therefore, as the
Wind is very cold for youout here,
will you ask me in, that I may lie
able to capture him for you ---your
sister? If there were any luxuries in
my silting-roe/tot' he added, coolie',
in her rather dubious pause, "or
anything to look at, I would invite
you -in most humbly. But there .is
note' ,
"'neve is Mre. Ftayd's photo-
graph," corrected Derry, but could
not hesitate to len(1 the way,
Bottle: following her in lie took off
his, bet elite]. boos' cie on one of tem,
1 nails among the nye, n.)1 , when
,
I know, clear, that ,you felt ,,, all ; used 10 find you always play -
that wa,s kin.de Now let us talk of dig'" '°bserved Ella" 1°°1"ng vainly
zomeeemg eisee. for the, violin cape.
'The girls had had an hour' of Inc ..1 have never Pla3fed since that
loving, wandering sister talk (which ni!6t.'
Derry had not the, heart to break 'I don't wonder," said Miss HoPe
with any of the questions which bar- gently- In her glance round, She had
assert her), , when Sarah Ea,Ies ap- let Inc eYes' re8t for a n'°1-nent on
petteed, and asked if tee peniee had the door of that room which used to
not stood as long as it was Wise for belong to the maSter, and she locked
teem to stand. She 'walked away, her fingers toget,her and set her lips,
when she had asked this, and Elia not allowing herself to .ere,
ease 'Lo bid farewell. "It Is hard for you, dear' Ella
"Dear, etety a little," cried Derry, said Basset her manner strange-
,
'draw nee tree back with a plea,cling
tooid "I'llave so mtieh to ;tele yeuoI
t k
dectot,—leit must speakto You, Ain
den want o pain YOL --.77.",k 0 IpYVV
ly reserved for all its softness
eIttet )ehould have spared yoeiree
titie yiett--Yet.'"
TOLD TO TAKE THEIR LIFE
A VERY STRANGE CUStT0111 IN
VOGUE IN CHINA.
EMperer Orten Orders Many or Ms Lead-
SilbJeCiS Contualt SIllt01110--touth
Them Poisoned Wine or o suord, Too,
11 is an immemorial custom in the
Cninese Empire that evhen a person of
very high rank or birth has offended,
to invite Ilan to commit suicide. We
have often heard of the custom in
Japan under the name of "haei-lcari,"
hut, 11 15 much older and more highly
developed in .Claina. Obinese Em-
peror have left immortal examples
of delicacy and courtesy in their let-
ters inviting their friend e and rela-
tives to kill themselves.
Mr. ChoW-Tsz-Chi, the Chinese Con-
sul in New York, who speaks English
admirably, explains the principal fea-
tures of thie singular custom.
''Only very great. persons said Mr.
Chow-Tsz-Chi, "are invited by the
Emperor to commit suicide. It ie real-
ly an honer._ When it becornes de-
sirable on account of some offence or
for some other good reason that one
of, these great men should leave the
world, the Emperor Sends him a
courteous command to do so.
The reason for, • thiS method is
plain. It avoids subjecting a man of
great rank to the humiliation of a
publiC execution, and also avoids the
disgrace that it would bring upon hire
family. It is inconceivable that one
of the Emperor's blood should be
publicly executed. He who kills
himself by imperial canon:land dies in
honor, surrounded by his family.
TO KILL HIMSE.LF.
'It is usual, although not, I think,
invariable, for the Emperor to send
his correspondent something with
which to kill himself. This may be a
bottle of wine, a silken girdle or cord,
or a sword The wine is to poison
fele.1 mostoeome to -c azekatt.e;11 TO BR CONT1,251/101;
him, the rope to. hang him, and the
sword to stab him.
"There have been many leistiarical
cases where great personages have
been invited to kill themselves, and
never to my knowledge, has any one
refused to obey the command. Ordi-
narily it is a crime to commit sui-
cide, but when the Emperor come
mends it becomes a duty and an hon-
or. If the man were to refuse to
obey the order I presume he would_
be executed. - The mere fact that he
disobeyed the Ereperor ,would, Make
him liable to the death penaltyn" -
A prominent Chinese official, who
would not allow. his name, to -be.
quoted, -wrote dui in Chinese' cherac-
ters the form of imperial order which
would be sent to Prince Cliwang. In
English this reads; "
"My Dear Cousin:
-
"11 is our pleasure that you depart
as speedily as possible from this life
for the glory of our throne and the
peaete of our subjects. To make easy
your departure we send you a bottle
of wine.
"Your. dear Cousin,
"EMPEROR KWANG-SU."
A -NOTE OE AFFECTION.
The officio.' explained the affection-
ate wording of the message. In pri-
vate life the Emperor treats those
relatives who are older than himself
not only with 'affection but with re-
spect, althoughein public they must
'Make the profoundest obeisance to
him. A communication ordering his
cousin to commit suicide would be of
a private character, and therefore
couched in affectionate and.intimate
language.
A messenger of rank is appointed
to take the imperial order to the
doomed official. Upon receipt of it
he kowtows, i.e., touches his forehead
to the ground nine times. Then he
summons his wife and the principal
members of his -family and announces
the news to them in these terms;
'It -had pleased' HIS Celestial Ma--
jesty to hasten my departure ' for
Heaven. Let us honour and thank
His Celestial ll/ajesty and pray that
his reign may be long and glorious,"
All the family kowtow nine times
on hearing this pleasing news.'
, A DIGNIFIED_ DEPARTURE: ,
,
by his pious desceralants. He will
be laicl at rest in the splendid tenet)
of his family,
in China who invites people to sui-
cide, 11 seems that many promin-
ent, Chinamen are in the habit of
tieing this method to get rid of de-
pendents of whom --they are tired.
This, of course,' is contrary to law
and religian.
ORDERS SUICIDE OF BOXERS.
'the terrible old lady, the Dowager
Empress, has ordered an appalling
number of suicides. It is assumed in
the case cif Prince Chwang that the
Emperor will order the suicide be-
cause of his importance and because
the powers are interested in him.
The Dowager, however, receives their
messages, and is really the one who
decides what action shall be taken.
It is agourions fact that the Dow-
ager is nciw ordering the suicide of
leading Boxers, whereas, a few
months ago, she was promoting the
suicide of those who failed to carry
the Boixer movement to success.
On the road to Sian Fu during the
flight of the court, the Dowager de-
graded one of her officials and ord.-
ered him not to follow the court.
• Some weeks after the arrival of the
royal party at the present capital,
this official, whose offence had been
a comparatively small ,one, thought
that she had probably forgotten all
about it and 80 he went on to SianFu
and appeared in his usual place. When.
h 1 inied
The Emperor is not the only man
The candidate for Heayen then -eon;
sults-all his lawyer, sets hise-WOrlde
. .
ly affairs in order and hidS good,b,t,
to his family. All this is done 'with
extreme dignitY and 'a, complete
absence of emotion, but not tvithout
tenderness, for the China:then is al -
meet invariablyoeffectionate in his
family relation. , Heprays at great
'length to his gods. and, 'to his ances-
.„.„
.ters, And then commits suieide by the
method oecomraencled to him by, the
Enloe ror. -
As a rule he will kill himself 'with-
. .
in twenty-four ...hours .of the, receipt
'of the message. .1.1 is considered good
forte to be prompt in carrying out,
thesEmperor's wishes. To delay sui-
cide manyaidaye_weold be 'regarded as
co,wardice. • ,, •
, 411 Chinese who have been consult.:
ed agree that if the man failed to.
kill himself he twould--be executed,
but such a step has never been nec-
essary.
A SUBSTITUTE A DISGRACE.
, It is iMPortant to kriowtthat'a man
ordered to commit suicide by the
Emperor would ,be disgraced ,if ,he
perldi.rned 1 • the act by 811bStitlIte,
whereme, if he were condemned to he
executed, he wotild regard it as
merely h sensible act to provide a
vicarious victim. The powers are
thereforeemore certain of vengeance
through the soicide rescripts than if
they depended on' Chinese officials to
execute the offenders.
When Prince Chevang commits sui-
cide he will atone for whatever mis-
deeds he may have committed by a.
supeeme act of piety and devotion to
the Emperor. That is the official and
religious Chitese view of the matter.
Tlaerefo-e he will receive a grand
funeral with ceenplete rc•ligiousrites
like e,r_e who has died full of years
cool, honour's. Fires will be kept .beirra
trig' ulirialtais'mniibttJ to mem:"
the Dowager saw la s exc a
Way with dynamite --you never know
"What, are yon alive yet?"
The official went off in a corner at
once and drank the contents of a
bottle of poison that he carried with
him.
PRINTING BY DYNAMITE.
An Engineer's Experience With the Deadly
Explosive.
I once saw a man drop a dynamite
cartridge from his hand, said an
engineer the .oither day. There was
Go exPlosion and the m,an was blown
to pieces. On another occa.sion I saw
a case of 4,00 ca-rtridgee fall down a
mine -.shaft - a distance of 1,200ft.,
with,out exploding. But that is the
way with dyn.aimite— you'n,ever know
what it will do. Sometimes the
sligh,teet jar will explode it, and at
others it can be thrown about in the
most carele,ss manner.
I have seen a whole cartridge of
dynamite thrown into the furnace of
a steam-enotioe, and the stuff flared
up without doin,g any damage. I saw
a m,a.n who.had become excited at a
burning cartridge throw, it to the
ground and trample on it, trying to
tramp oat the flames,, and the man
lived to tell the tale. It is of fre-
quent oecurrence that dynamite is
necide.nitally set alight. •-
'This happens .inostly in winter. The
Cartilages then freeze. In that cone
dition they are useless as far as blast-
ing is ocinceroed, for, whether con-
fined or not, they simply burn. To
thaw 'then it is nec.eesary either to
immerse them in -hot water or to place
them near a fire.
I once made a number of experi-
ments,to prrave the downward _action
of dynamite. . A number of blocks of
iron, six inches in diameter, and three
Laches thick, were practised upon. An
ordinary newspaper was spread over
one of the bloeks. A cartridge of
dynamite was placed on top of the
paper, and, after being connected
with a fuse and cove,red-with a heap
of dirt, th,e charge was set off.
When the block was examined after
the explosion, the print of the paper
was dietinotly impressed into the
surface of the iron. The reason was
that the paper where the printers' ink
had tonehed it was haaider .then the
rest of the paper, and by the incredi-
bly hard and sudden blow struck bY
the dynamite the imprint of the shape
of the letters was made as plainly c,n
the iron as if it had been, cheese.
THE SAFEST COUNTRY. -
'Why England Keeps the Jewels of Reign-
ing Monarchs.
England is looked upon by most
European monarclas as the safest
country innehich to keep their jewels.
One of the no.ost vela:able collections'
theewcpeld isthat ,of the Russian
, . , o
Imperial Family. A large portion of
this collection is guarded in „a forti-
fied castle, -Watched over by a speeial
detail 'of 180 retired officers and a
body of soldiers: For this service they
-are well paid.....No offic,er who his
days of active service was addictedto
gambling or to , extr,avaganee, can
ever hope to be selected as one of the
custodians of the Imperial jewels. But
very large portion of the Czar's jeweLs,
is always' left in London ,banke; so
that, in case a revolution should
loreak out in St. I?eter.sletirg, he
wteuld hove an' "anchor to Windward".
in England.- "
The Prince of Bulgaria is possessed
of precious stones to the value of L1,-
000,000, and many of these are always
stored in the youlte of_Lonido,n banks.
King Milan al Servia kept many of
late jewels in London and Paris banks;
and many of the jewels belonging to
the German Imperial Family ,are in
the .same safe keeping.
,
OULD .T AKE NO, CHANCES.
An old lady went to a station a
little way Gut of ,the eity an,d asked
when the next train would go to Glas-
gow. Twelve -fifteen , said ,the tic-
ket clerk. It was then i a.m. Shortly
afterwarde the woman came again and
asked the eame quest ion. - Same reply,
At ten o'clock the Sanie,question,
anewer, and so on ,cit intervals of thir-
ty minutes, until 11.3D. Then the man
was veXed.
Madam, he said, no train will pass
this station—express, passenger or
goods—to Glasgow, or from Glasgow,
until12.15.
'Oh 'responded, the 'old ladY, ratich
orY,for almonth. They will be, light- -retteved,.; then•I,thinit „I'll be sefe, to
ed again 'at tite•same time _every year 1. gang steroee e
ROW TO PROPOSE,
1SnaYthe was about to propose to
the girl of lihe choice and s t • '
was tying
to decide how he ehould do it. First he
thought of the knightly proposal, in
the etyle of the Mtildle Ages ;
BY nay halidome, fair maid, tette' thou
sviit, be mine, and the holy friar titian
unite Us ere another sun gilds the
turrets of gender castle 1
Then he considered the theatrical
style:
I have long loved you in Secret, je-
u-wil, and though I am not rich,
cart offer gou the true and unselthen
devotion of my whole ha-aer-ret °
He thought perhape the easy con-
versational style might dp
Well, Alicia—I may 'call you "Ali-
cia," mayn't I ?—everyone 'rect
are going to be married. Suppose we
do get married, jut to etop 'ene
think -
But When the fateful moment aro
rived he (lid it something like this.;
CEr--Alicia—er—excuse the familiar-
ity, but-7er-oer—will you—er--- oh;
by'Anjdovteh—en she came to the rescue,
anTtlhasta'ildl d: o, TommY, my boy. It's all
serene, and I know the old people will
be delighted. ,
„„,
I MISTAKEN' IDENTITYl
At a certain function, presided ore!
by a very short -Sighted bisholi, a
young Man arrived teee'Y late and exei
pliiiined that he lied been detained in
attendance on Ilia mother.
Quite right, said the bishop, no,
need to apologize. A man's first duty,
is to hie parents. I hope the clear old
lady is very well? Remetnber nae very
kindly to her, and tell her I shall
drop in to tea next Sunday if I can
manage it.
When the young man had passed
on the bishop turned to a bystander
and eaid: That was iyoung Jack Sey-
mour was it not?
No, my lord, was the reply; that gen- .
tleman was the Duke of Connaught.
SHE DID NOT GO.
The following is an exact copy
a letter received by a young lady
who wished to spend a holiday in a
small country town, and advertised '
for a room:—
''Dear Miss,—We think we kin sute,
you with, room and bard, if you pre-
fer to be where there is musick. I,
play the fiddell, my wife the orgin,
my dotter Jule the akordion, my deb,
,
ter 'Mary 'the leakigo, My son Hen the
gietar, tay: eon Jim the Iloot , and,.
kornet, and my son Clem the base -
drum', while all of us sings hims, in
which we would be glad to have you
take part, both vocal or instrumen-
tal, if you play on anything, „. We
play by ear, ari' when we all gib.,
started there is real Musick in the
air. Let us know if you want to
come here to bord." •
YA11VIOU12H'S HANDY MAN.
, -
'Yarmouth, England, guardians ape,
pointed a man at a salary of 25s. a
week to discharge the folowing dut-o,
ies:--SuPerintendent pauper funerals,'
attend beard and committee meetings
serve as general assistant to the
staff, attend the guardians' office
daily, act under the instructions of
the clerk, temporarily do duty as de-
puty porter, take charge of the men's
dining room at the workhouse, assist
the relieving officers in removing -
the effects of paupers who became in-
mates, act as assistant in removing
lunatics to the asylum, give the boys
swimming , lessons, and render. help
When necessary at the children's
home.
THE FRIEND I HATE.
I bought a clock not .long ago-,
A friend to give due ,warning -
That I must rise in time to go
To buSiness in the morning.
rounded horror ,nickled, 'bright 1
"'I'dscanier take a licking,
Thanwaken in thedead eafenight,
• And' hear the thing -a -ticking.
I wrap it in a coverlet,
. And in nay closet etow it;
Then try, my best to sleep—mad .yet,
It's -tick,in,g—and 1 know it. '
Worn out -at length, my eyeltde closet._
Then; with a sudden tcla.nging,
It proves itself my worst of foes,,
lA-whirring and a -banging.
IP the 'teeth are to get but one.
thorough cleansing during the day,
just before retiring is the best time
to give it .to them, as there are six or
eight bourn during sleep that the
salivary glands are inactive and fatty
and starchy • foods that may be lodged
between and around the teeth, ere
bathed in saliva.. a partial digestive
fluid, undergo decomposition, forming
aeicle, which act more or less readily
on 'the tooth structure at the tint°
of formation; the salivary glands not
being active during sleep, acid e are „
not diluted, as during the day a free
flow of saliva prevents to a great de-
gree, the deleterious effects of acoll
thus formed.
The teeth and gums should be care-
fully brushed after each meal with
a, medium soft brush, using as a
wash on a damp 'brush alcohol rose-
water and listerine equal parts. ,
The average depth of coaI-mines
750±t. to 85011. The lowest paving work-
ings ere 2,,e00ft.
n Ocean eteanierearrles 'foe
'age 21 fiancee her,,ownhtontta, rnt
01 a year '
e