HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times, 1889-2-21, Page 6n
ignWmLIAMr AIT
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lee Min.
"Aa'll go no yurtece, gentlemer,"
The tpeaker WS% an elderly Tuetie of the
neighborhood, acting aft guide to myself and
another yeueg Londoner. The time wee
many years mace, and the scene an English
seanide country, at that time in great part
uncultivated. Indeed, though time and ad-
vencirg Qivlllztlo home not failed to make
many a ohauge, rock and Tnountain, moes and
shingle, must ever in certain districts folesid
the plough. Of such a district, as clarknets
fell, we had reached the border— an expanse
of land utterly waste not in any part be -
Vend hearing the rota- Of the breakers, which,
in three winds put of four rose over the jag-
ged rocks of its coast line—a region, which,
in addition to the difeeulty of faint and pre-
cipitous paths, bore, it seemed, the extra
weight ot superstitioue dread.
" Why not V asked my companion, "i8
the road dangerous ?"
"There be hills to break yan's neck a
dozen thnea over; but net not they, if yau
knows the road."
" Is it thieves?'
"Noa, too vew travellers. It be neither
earth nor zea, nor living man; but that that
oomee o' none o' th' three. What's there
dealt zay nowt on; zome do my there's nowt
there. But if 'ee like to stop at Joe Mor-
dent, place near by over night, Aa'll take ee
through in mornin ; but AMU not oross Nom -
Ian by night vor all the money ee everzaw."
"Is the road. worse than we've travelled
to -day ?"
"Nay, Aa'll not zay it's worm. For that
matter, the dark's the main trouble,"
"1 vote we go on," said Thomson. "If
we lose the track we can light a fire ; there's
plenty of fallen branches ; and sleep by. it
"Ased light no night -res in Nomlan. Queer
yolk comes to un. But Aa've warned 'ee, and
Aa'll be goiog back. Best come back. Tell
'ee, As veel un now," rend the peasant.
"Well, well," said I, impatiently, tired
of what seemed to me nonsense, "what is
the next village along the road V
"Dorton be the next, six miles on; there
be never a house WI theere. That's called
past Noralan."
"Well, will you go there to -morrow and
wait for us if we should atop a bib on the
road?"
"Aa will, vor zure ; but miud Aa. tell 'ee
Yuma"
"Yee, yes; all right." And we saw his
form presently disappear along the cliff -
bordered road we had come, into the deep
ening shadows of the fast -coming night.
I could never tell why, on that occasion,
we should have so anxiously desired to push
on by night, in direct controvention of the
very object of our journey, namely, to see
the rugged scenery of theme then little
known, localities. There seemed to be in
the air we bteethed something persuading
us to advance, an inaudible Circean song
which drew us onward. This was the mean-
ing, as I afterwards heard, of the peasant's
then incomprehensible "1 vein un now."
A feverish desire of iinmediate exploration
oppressed as, and we moved forward.
My companion, Frank Thomson, B. A.,
by the way, a tall and handsome young
gentleman mat leaving college, was not ac-
customed to be afraid of anything intangible
at all events, and only wished, as he said,
if there were any supernatural humbugs
around, he had a jolly good hold of one by
the neck. He would try what it was made
of. However, we moved along the path,
which led at first apparently towards a
very precipitous descent, as far as, in the
gloom, we could judge.
"Jones," said Thompson, "are you good
ior six miles befon supper ? Surely we can
reach Dorton, six miles, as the fellow called
it, in a couple of hours."
" That depends," said I, "on whether
these miles be princIpally horizontal or per.
pendicular. Give me the level, and I will
do them in eighty minutes."
"Give me a prop for my lever, and I will
move the world," answered my friend,
"That observation is more common than
correct," said L "1 don't think Archi-
medes ever used it. If you count up, you
will find, I believe that a man would need,
moving at the epeed of a cannon ball, to
change the pooition of his end of the lever to
a distance which would require him to keep
moving for some trillions ot years betore he
could move the world an inch."
Ala," said Thompson, "your correction
will never obeck the currency ot the fallacy.
Speaking of fallacies, I mean to expose that
of the silly belief in the supernatural, and
shall commence with that ignorantly tast-
ened bn this gloomy tract of country.'
" To commence, responded; " will you
just make plain the mystery of the road, I
can see mine beyond, none even here. Have
we lost it ft'
W cat wtstrange, we had got naddenly
away from the hills. I seintd but a mo-
ment before that, precipices frowned oil all
sides now, a beeutiful diversified country
expanded before us, in the moonlight its
wealth of alternate grove and meadow. A
low ridge of hills stood batik on the way
whence we came, but that was all.
"Confound it!" said my friend, "we are
out of the way altogether, and have wand-
ered inland. This place is no doubt inhabit-
ed, though I Hee no houses. And the road;
is there a track at all here ? '
We lighted 'vetches and examined the
grcund. There were hoof -marks, but more
like those of horses crossing a field than the
appearance of a travelled highway. "Horses
do sometimes pass here," said I.
"Lister," mild my friend, "Homos are
coming now."
"No, replied I, "it is the sound of the
sea,"
"11 is both," said he. ' "Then we canna
be inland. Yet that is tot the country des-
oribed to us. There is something wrong.
But see to your arms; no knowing who
these may be. At that time in doubtful
districts, most travellers carried the single.
arrelled pistole of that day, and we had
but time to see that these were in reedinese
when two ridere came up with, it seemed to
me afterwards, remarkable rapidity, and
had dtewn rein by our sides almost a Soon
as e heard the hoof etrokes plainly. There
Was, however, nothing startlieg in their an -
Allow me to intradnee mesele. Miss
Bertrenee-the Hon. Mies Bertram, if you are,
partiouler admen e— daughter of Sir
learry. Bertram, C, et cetera, whose
house is just beyond, that next grove, end
where, it you will so far honour us, I am.
happy to promise you more agreeable and
perhape safer quarters than you might find
on the road to Dorton. In the rnornirg, if
you ohooee, you will find it easy to get
there, To night you cannot, You will ben
ter understand my self introduction when I
explain that we are relatives of your own,
sir, (bowing to Thompson) and hacl heard
that you were traveling near, and would
be in this vicinity to -night. It is a difficult
country to a stranger, and I took my home,
and came to see after you,"
The effect of her voice and manner I can-
not deeoribe othetwise than am enehanting,
Yet there' was a subdued mockery in some
of its tones. The "perhaps safer quarters"
had an inflection which will ring sometimes
in my ears, I think, for life. But the tone,
the look, drew you to her as the song of the
Lurlei. We were delighted all desire of
immediate travel had vanished, and, guided
by our fair hostess, to whom Thompson had,
of course introduced me, and who rode slow•
ly beside us, the groom following, we pro-
ceeded in the direotion she had indicated.
" I had no idea, Miss Bertram," I remark-
ed, "that this stretch of sea -coast, Nomlan,
I tbiele they call it, was inhabited, or, in-
deed, habitable."
" Nomlen 3" answered the lady, and her
features seemed at the moment to grow
darker—or it might be the shadow thrown
by the moon. " Oh, thatis a Dame given to
a ruder part of the country, further on, by
the common people. Here we use simply
the name of the shire—this is, in local
phrase, the west -riding. Just here all ie in-
cluded in the name et Bertram Hall, our
house, as the estate comprises all the land
within eight. As you see, our road inland
is very different to the rough footway you
travelled."
• We could, in fact, looking in that direc-
tion, see the broad turnpike road, wind-
ing, far and level, a bright ribbon in the
moonlight, through a beautiful and
picturesque country; dotted, here and
there, with farmhouses and cottages. The
moonlight, now superb, lighted up the
scene, and rested brilliantly on a mass of
white clouds which inland banked across the
whole horizon.
"Excuse Mr. Jones' having had no idea,
Miss Bertram," said Thompson, " that is
characteristic with him. Now I had an
idea that we should certainly find, some
charniing country here, though not," he said
bowing to our conductors, "that we eheuld
obtain so charming a guide."
"No compliments by moonlight," said the
lady, "one deception at a time." And her
smile showed a set of excellent teeth, which,
somehow, seemed slightly long, giving a
somewhat tusk -like expression. They were
however, very straight and regular.
"I am glad Thompson gave his idea liber-
ty as soon as he got it," said I. ".Its future
loneliness would otherwise have been piti-
able. But what a. magnificent castle 1"
"Bertram Hall, our place," said the young
lady.
The groom opened the gate, and, palming
under a winding avenue of immense oaks,
we gained an eminence where spread before
us a wide lawn of velvet turf, beyond
which arose, high, niassive and four-square,
with great turrets at each angle, Bertram
Castle, a noble specimen of the architecture
of ancient, relieved and modernized in some
parts by the improvements of recent days.
VVhen the servant led the horses through the
great archway, Miss Bertram, whom my
friend had carefully assisted to dismount,
ooneucted us to Et species of piiyillion built
against the original wall. The door opened
ere we reached it, and a spruce footman in
brown and gold livery, appeared. "You
are fatigued, gentlemen, ' said the lady. "1
am unavoidably engaged this evening, but
you will, I trust, make yourselves as com-
fortable as circumstances will admit of.
You must not think of leaving us for a day
or two. People often stay with us longer
than they intend." Again that odd darken-
ing expression crossed her face. "John, gee
that everything is attended to for the coin -
tort of these gentlemen." And with a smile
and a bow, she was gone.
The footman full of bows and complete.
•
ance, preceded us to bedrooms supplied with
all lavatory accommodations, and presently,
thereafter, to a neat dining room, where
supper was already served, with a profusion
of brilliant plate, clean linen, and. newly out
flowers moseagmeable to belated sojourners
from a'barren heath.
"This is something like. We will wait
on ourselves," said Thompeon to myself and
tho footman in a breath. The man left the
room.
"1 am astonished you never mentioned
your relatives living so near our route," said
I. "You have more reticence than you get
credit for."
" DOI191 credit my reticence but my 'gar -
awe," said he. "Mr father had, I knew,
relatiene of these names in the county,
though we have not met for years. In fact
our long abeence from England till three
years ago prevented it. But I neither knew
that we were so near them, or that they lived
in such smile. There is surely something
strange.
" Come," said 1, "if there's nothing
strange about that pigeon pie, will you cut
it up 7"
"Smells strangely good," answered Jones.''
Pats those potatoes; what fine floury me-
mo 1"
"A potato boiled," moralized I between
mouthfuls, may be good. But it is not a
potato at its best. For that you must bake
it. So done, and well done, by a cook skil-
ful to evaporate the moisture, then a potato,
when lying in its subdivided shell of slightly
toughened golden btown, itself two hemi-
apherea of purest white then, my boy, eou
have a flevout superior ,t,o' any other which
every vegetarian loved, or—
"Don't periodizs, but try Mile sherry."
"By jingo 1"
"It's as good as my father's '95, which
one only totes once a year,"
"Thank your stem that they led you to
your fair reletive."
" Led her to nie, Confound it! Does
anything make yeti ohiver ebout here ?"
"Yes, slightly, Some chill we've got in
peeraraces. It was a young lady, apparently that deep glen." had noticed in, fat, an
of much grace and beauty, followed by a occasional chilly feeling. Bet just now it
groom. Both were mounted on splendid
black home, whose eyes seemed to flab, lite
with desire of movement, as, restrained by
their riders, they curetted arid pawed
the ground.
"?nu have lost your way, gentlemen,
was an odd one. It seemed just as (/ a Old
warning hand had tonohed me.
I fancy to. Mat be, Qaeer feeling,
thottele Pam that wine even."
"ere you 810," (The door opened)
There s rAin. Why, What. Oh it's the
have you not ?'' asked the lady, in a voice paseage shadow, His °yea looked on fire."
singularly sereet and clear. "You are , Nothing *could heve looked Mee on fire than
travelleret 1 -think at leatt I do nob rennin* the reseeetful orbs of the attentive John,
ber fleeing you in our teighborhood, as he pineal our bedrfnini dandles on a stand,
We—at least I—tcld Who we were, and of and boated himself out,
our intexition ot reaching Dorton to sleep, el Didn't notice," said L elcepity, "Shall
"You would, sleep tioundly enough before we go?
reaching it," she Paid. "Phe road, well He nodded, and we Went to our rooms,
enough on foot by day, ie abseAutely his cheery " good night 1" retiounding doWn
bripasettble With preciptoe and bog in the the panelled ootridor, hung With many an
dark, and the moon sets in less than an hour, andienti ehield and partied; and, had r
There is but a couple Of miles �f country beeh foes drowsy) 1 sheuld head Brent hours
Ike thin No, teje is 4 muck hotter way, delimiting the Splendid oatelegii intermix,.
ed. These were German. and, mostly, dealm saw thatt'ney unfortunate,friend was atretohed
mg of fantastic and weird subjects ; nights
and ladies, wizards and gnomes, elves and
faries, were shown in mauy ecene, and in
all of them tliere was danger depioted—in
all of them, I afterward e rememneredi
some one win entrapped. I entered my
room, looked the door (pot by my usual,
practice) and Wept long and heavily,
Morning, when I awoke, had long filled
the room with light ; and first softly tap.
ping, like Mr. Poe's raven, entered. the ob-
sequitus John with my hot water, Mies
Bertraran compliments, and a intimation
that breakfast would be ready in half, an
hour. While dressing, I had ocoasion to
admire the eplendid prospect from the great
bey-vvinciow, which, in accordance with a
near me, But how changed. Every drop
of blood appeared to !me° left hirotioaomeeh
that no more flowed from a wound In hie
Om*, which seemed to have drained
all ,life away. Butt there vvas uo blood
on the ground. A Bort of horror as
when one bas by a great ()hence escaped
hem a deadly serpent overcame me, and an-
soioneness fled. VVhen I next regained it
it) was morning, and I found myself on beC1
in the elergyroan's house. He sat by its
side.
My first thought was of my friend. "How
is Thompson; how was he wounded how
came he there ?" I asked, feebly, and the
very sound of my voioe shocked rne, so weak
was its tone
side of ray bedroom. From beneath me to
charming modern onemin, ormed the Koutn ho"rYopolufrodf.rien,idyisoubewttaeirketdhaelowollgl trhecoorvoeore
the far horizon undulated a sea of gram of
brilliant green, dotted with mansions, seine
farm houses, many of pavilion form, while
right and left great forests bounded the
view, their trees a graceful wall -
after leaving your guide, to the place where
vee found you. When he returned here last
night, certain of the neighbours, fearing you
were fn peril, ventured in a body where
nothing would have tempted any of them
uriously appointed breakfast table which
I found Miss Bertram presiding at a lux-
halonunrekrionmil7wWeenYnhneahnaddflnenftinlyyounn, within an
• • e, luckily in
I observed, to my surpriee, was only laid for time, h ho'ur.2„ said, What hour?
sleeping yet ?"
two. "Surely," I aaid, "Thompson is not
leaving hiln we Esperenfrtamthoe twhainodh, alt
next morning After
" By no means," replied my leesteam
course you know, is in the level country b
" He was up muoh earlier than yourself;
hut, I am sorry M say, a memenger arrived Yend the range of Mlle*" be -
but, he replied, " it may give you some
here, despatohed from your lase stopping
plain, whom he was obliged; en preesing busi-
ness, to accompany thither, meaning to stay
overnight, and return here to -morrow. In the
meantime I promise myself the pleasure of
showing you some scenery worth as tourist's
examination."
• "I was about to acquiesce, when a extra-
ordinary thing 000urred. / could have sworn
that the cold, warning finger again touched
my face, and seemed earnestly for one second
to press me towards the door. 1 started
slightly.
"What was that ?" asked the lady, in a
careless tone, gentle and pleasing, as her
voice was ever. But never voice and face
expressed such different feeling. I had
glanced behind me, when fn the mirror at
niy back caught:sight of herlook, regarding
with extreme anger something there, which
I could not see. I turned towards her; she
was placid as a lamb, merely evincing a
slight curiosity as to my sudden move -
Idea of the ternble deception You have ex-
perienced, when I explain to you. that in all
the actuary you were found in there is no
oa,stle and no home), nor any level laud
whatever, being all barren ravines and rooky
preeipioes. It is a place well known to
be the haunt of vampires and of demons, of
whose powers we know too much. What-
ever time appeared to you to gem, be tier-
tain that you were less than an hour in tint
haunted wilderness, and that whatever be-
ings you saw were neither mortals, nor in
any respect sth tt they seemed to be. Be
sure, too, that had wetnot arrived speeding
you would both have ceased to exist. The
region is thus known among us as Nomlan,
a corruption of Onomeland. You are both
welcome here till you are aufficiiently recov-
ered to proceed on your journey; but we
will, if you please, mention the subjeob of
your adventure no more. It is held, and for
good reason, that silence is best on the sub-
ject."
In a few daya we Leib his house, but not
to prooged as we intended; the horror whioh
oppressed us concerning the place was too
strong. Thompson had known nothing after
we apparently separated. He would say no
more, nor did I experience any wish to dis-
ones the subject. We each, in fact, appear-
ed to fear that the other would broach it,
and I believe it was really this dread which
terminated our companionship. • He never
fully recovered his health, and is now many
years deed. • I cannot say if what here/nem
bared of the delusion, or what you please to
oall it, corresponded with mine. Such is
the story; is was never told till of late;
and LIONV, it may be, even the 'very neighbor-
hood where the events occurred or seemed
to occur, may be destitute of all memory of or
belief in such possibilities. It has been sug-
gested that it might have been a dream;
the wound to have been produced bya Vaginal
rock, bat no one then, near there would have
accepted any such explanation.
"Nothing," aaid I, "1 thought something
touched me ; but it was fancy." Yet I
knew it WM not fancy; nor was the look 1
had seen. Caution, in spite of myself, seem-
ed to pervade me; and irapreased"nowwith an
idea of extreme danger, I thought of
nothing but refusing all further civilities,
and leaving the place. The touoh had seem-
ed,—I oan state it no otherwise than the ex-
pression that it had seemed to say to me—
' Fly for your life!" A feeling of some dan-
ger most vivid and terrible poseessed me,
and I at once added " Howev er, you must
excuse me at once following my friend.
There are reasons why we must not road
company—reasons he may nob know. But
we will, if you permit us, again ask your
hospitality on our return.'
"Too happy," she replied. As she spoke,
•she was sitting at a magnificent piano. Run-
ning her hand lightly over the keys, "Do
you like music ?"
"Very much."
"Then rest yourself yet a few minutes,
and tell me how you like this.- It is a fairy
song."
Tell me now, and tell me tru
Whence my being came.
Life tf from ocean drew
Or from burning flame?
Flashed I here from moonbeam light,
Through the starry way?
Sprang I with the sunburst bright
To the lower day?
Rose on dark volcano smoke
First my living form?
Came I when the lightning broke
Through the nsountain storm?
What my name and what my race
Tell me now to -day,
Or to my appointed plaoe
Come with me away.
The voice and execution of the player
appeared perfect; but there was more ; a
A Cause for Bore Throat.
"A novel incident resulting from a habit
of very .common prevalence among nervous
people was brought to my notice recently,"
said, a leading physician of Philadelphia.
"A young lady presented herself at my
office and complained of a constant irritation
in her throat. Two weeks previously she
had been taken with a very severe attack of
sore throat, whioh was treated by the levelly
physician. Under his oare, she said, the
inflammation quickly subsided, but there
still remained a sensation of irritation.
Examination revealed a s-nall fleshy -looking
object about the size of a kernel of wheat
adherent to the tissue posterior to tlin left
tonsil by the one end. The other parts of
the throat were normal. The little MOS
could not be detached by a cotton covered
probe, but by the use of forceps it was
strange enchanting languor seemed to fill easily removed, and, on examination, proved
tbe air, and I found myself, despite my to be a piece of finger nail, which had be-
at come ernbedded in a cheesy deposit. A
former suspicion, losing determination
b
depart. "I did not expect," I said, "10 50 broken niece of the nail was also removed
secluded a place to find so excellent a per. from under the mucous membrane ar the
forp, it.ieria,
." that is from
your point of view.
We are not so secluded as it must appear to
one who came by that gloomy semside path.
Excellent roads branch off here inland, and
we see many people. As somebody says (von
may remember the writer —I don't) it is not
so long since.
" Courtiers galloped o'er four counties,
The ball's fair partner to behold
And hombly hope she caught no cold..
same spot by a sharp -pointed probe.
"The lady then confessed to the habit of
biting her floger nails, and, moreover, could
remember that a day or twd previous to
her throat trouble a piece of 'nail she had
bitten off had become lost in her mouth,
but, after it had caused a fit of coughing,
she had forgotten all about it until reminded
by the discovery."
Think Over Thig.
There are no less than four assize towns There is food for reflection in a couple of
within easy distance. You e ance, of course." advertisements which appear aide by side
I was obliged to own that I did not. in a contemporary, which read, with the
" What a loss to you 1" • omission of address, as follows :—
"You enjoy 11 80 much, then ?" WANTED.—Young lady in publishing
"01 all life's pleasures it is chief," she officse ; quick writer ; $4 a week.
said. WANTED—An experienced girl for gen-
"1 have often looked on, and wondered eral hoasework in a family of seven; aissist-
ed with witehing ; wages $4 a week.
It will be observed that the rate of com-
pensation is the same in both these oases,
but that while the "lady." redeives simply
$4 per week the " experienced girl" gets in
addition her board and lodging: Whether
gentility—the word most beautifully ex-
presses the thing I—is worth what ib casts
must seem at least an open cinestion when
the rate is so high.—[Boston Conner.
The Chinese Question.
what they could find in it."
•" You were not a part of it. Did any one
ever drive you in a carriage over a rough
rood? Of course, and you have taken the
reins yourself, and then found no jolting ;
you were in harmony with the movement.
Or you have, no doubt, found the greater
ease in walking if keeping step with a band.
When one is accustomed to it, the exhilara-
tion of rapid, easy, and graceful motion, in
harmony with pleasing music; the natural
excitement of the scene, the company, the
Contagion, so to speak, of enjoyment, alto.
gether iinpart3 sensations of delight, I, at
least, fin in nothing else. 'You should try
it. But 1 must int detain you, if indeed,
you are determined to go."
• I went, and it seemed to me by a great
effort, to my room in order to make some
preparations for departure, when very
strange feelings appeared to oppress tne.
I heard voices which seemed to call
from a distance, I cannot say 1 seemed
to awoke; but seddenly I appeared to be
in another place. I wail lying prone on
the rooky deolivity of a mountain gorge, in a
place I seemed to remember, and siitround-
ed. by a crowd of countrymen. But what
anted me MOH was thin a moment beform
it seemed, in the emelt), it was broad day.
light, and now all Was dark night, save
that the moon showed gloomily through
heavy clouds overhead. One thing won der-
tain and equally strange. I was weak as a "Hubble" sweetly geed Mrs. Phunnypun.
Child, said fell beck whea I attempted to as he drove into the yard after 80 socidene,
rise." Why is that broken wheel like Florence
" Where am 1?" I inked of the neatest. Gadabout V
.How came I here from the male ?" 13001We itruu� around moat of the
,, No one atutwered mthey looked at One time"
another and shook their heads. A gentle- " No, that's not it, Because it mane a
man appatently a clergyman, stepped for, new Wien."
Ward. He nevet imoke in reply, he vras ao tired,
"Sir," he said, "ask 00 qtleatioes at pre- and Mrs, P. becenee a little sulky.
sent, What may be near ue here we know
not, "Zoil have been saved from death, and
I truet so has your companion, though he Prof, James johontiot in the Vebrnary
has received SetiOeS injury, Take them "Popular Science Monthly" has a papi!r
both up, mon, and lot 118 return as soon as called V The Story of a Senor' which is
possible." well tvetthy of pertiaal, eapeelally by them
My cemptiaiion ? I looked around, and attained in teelagoittais,
The appeal of the Chinese Government to
Great Britain omelette the infraction of treaty
rights, growing out of the proposed exclu-
sion of Chinese immigrants to Australia and
Canada, has behind it a strong commercial
as well as a moral backing. The position of
the British Government is eniberreesing. 11
can hardly steer a middleeiourse, so ail to
pacify China, without offending the colonies
The people of the United ntates are epeoielly
interested for the reason that unrestricted
Chinese immigration to Canada would 'pram
dimity eullify our etolioy of exclusion. It
would be impossible to prevent Canaelan
Chinese from crossing a libe that extends
the whole breadth of the continent.---[Phin
adelphia Retard.
Ifer Little lint.
maliamaaaa
.1
The BarrInz of the Door.
11 1. not generally known that the inol
dent whiole forme the subject of the droll
Soottish song The Barring of the Door,"
which else occurs in the " Nights" of
Straparola is of Eastern origin. en an
Arabian ;ale a blockhead, having mar.
ried his pretty cousin, gave the cum
tomery feast to their relations and friends.
Whou the festivities were over he con-
ducted his guests to the door, and
from abeenoe,of mind negleoted to shut it
before returning to his wife. Dear coum
in, "said his wife to him when they wsre
alone, "go and shut the street door." "11
would be strange indeed," he replied, "if
1 did Ruch a thing. Am 1 jun made a bride-
groom, olotbed in silk,wearing a shawl and
a dagger set with diamonds, and am r to go
and shut the door? Why, my dear, you are
orazy. Go and shut it yourself," "Oh, in-
deed 1" exclaimed the wife. "Am 1, young,
robed in a clrees withlace and preceomi
stones, am 1 to go and shut the etreet door?
No, indeed 1 It is you who are become
crazy, and not I. Come, let us make a
bargain," she continued ; "and let the firet
who speaks go and festen the door."
"Agreed,'. maid the husband, and immedi-
ately he became mute, and the wife too was
silent, while theyboth sat down, dressed as
they were in' their nuptial attire looking at
eaoh other, and mated on opp4ite sofas.
Thus they remained for two hours. • Some
thieves happened to pass by, and geeing the
door open entered, and laid hold of whateve
came to their hands. The silent wept°
heard footsteps in the house, but ope.ned not
their mouths. The thieve e ciente into the
room, and saw them seated motionlessi'and
apparently indifferent to all that inight take
plaoe. They continued the pillage, therefore,.
collecting together every valuable, and even
dragging away the oarpets beneath them;
they laid their hands on the noodle and
his wife, taking from their persons every
article of jewellery, while they, in fear of
twang the wager, said not a word. Having
thus cleared the house, the thieves departed
quietly, but the pair continued to sib, utter -
tug, nota syllable. Towards morning a. po-
lice officer came past on hie tour of inspeo•
tion, and, seeing the door open, walked in.
After searching all the rooms and finding no
person, he entered their apartment, and
inquired the meaning of what he saw.
Neither of 'them would condescend to reply.
The officer became angry, and ordered their
heads to be out off., The executioner's sword
was about to perform its office when the
wife cried out, "Sir, he is my husband. Do
not kill him!" "Oh, oh," exclaimed the hus-
band, overjoyed, and clapping his' hands,
you have lost the wager; go and shut the
door." He then explained the whole affair
to the police officer, who shrugged his
shoulders and went away.
Banjos as Ornaments.
Banjos are artistic but costly. I suppose
every one has seen them in terra-cotta,
prepared for painting. They are moderate-
ly pretty, but, as L think the ground
should be white or some light color, it
seems a pity to buy terramotta, to cover
entirely. The cardboard onee ,are effective
and easily made. Cat a piece of cream or
white board the shape of the banjo, shade
slightly to imitate the real thing; fib a strip
round the edge (this can be tied with nar-
row bows of ribbon, as it is difficult to ar-
range otherwise); paint the strings and ,
bridge; and a spray of flowers, or better ,
still, a lightly panted landscape, with a
scarf of velvet or silk arranged halt round 1
makes thia a pretty deooration. Bin Ithink •
the most attractive' are made of cream plush
—the cardboard covered with it entirely;
no strip round the edge, but mounted on a j
draped scarf of velvet; a bold spray ofj
flowers, painted, and the strings worked !
with etrands of coarse silk, stretching tip '
from beneath the flowers, with a light spray
trailing among them. The decoration may
be varied by cutting the shape of a violin or
mandoline, but these are more difficult% and
scarcely so pretty. The colours can be ar-
ranged according to taste, and for flowers,
guelder roses, autumn leaves, berries, pop
ies, °hoopoe, white oonvolvuli, creamy lilies,
and La France roses are lovely.
An Evil Omen.
The astrologers of the Emperor of China's
Court, seventy-eight in number, have made
the weird discovery, that the recent fire in
the Imperial Palace at Pekin was an evil
omen, intended as a warning against the in-
roads of Western inventions. The Emperor
has therefore prohibited the further eaten.
sion of the Tientsin railway. Not einoe the
days when, as Charles Lamb relates, the
GOIJAN TgOTTOEETS.
Ability Is a'poor mann wealth.--EM4ktheve
Wren.
E3110MY ill of iteelf a great revenue.—
E°11.1werw°.as a bold man that first ate an oys
ter.—[Dean Swift.
Nothing is denied to Well -directed labor,.
—[Sir Jeshua Reynaldo.
The great duty of life is not to gime
pain.—Frecierika Bremer.
Every one has a fair barn to be as greab
as he pleases.--[Jererny Collier.
If yo a make money your' god it will pla-
gue you like the devil.— [Fielding,
They are never alone that are antompanten,
with noble thoughts,—[Sir Philip Sidney.'
Common sense in an encommon degree is
what the world calls wisdom. --[Coleridge.
Let prayer be the key of the 'morning and
the bolt of the evening.— [Matthew Henry.
Good Emanuele! is the art' of n;king those
people easy with whom vvecouvre.—[Swift.
• Narrow minds think nothing right that is.
above thelr own capaoity.—[Rooliefouoauld.
Beauty is worse than wine, it intoxioittes,
both the holder and the beholder.— [Zimmer-
man.
It is a way of calling it man a fool When
no heed is given to what he says.--MenEst-
range.
Discretion is the perfection of reason,
and, 'a guide to win ;all the duties of life.—
[Addison.
• Wit ahould be used BEI a shield for defense,
rather than as a sword to wound others,
A miser grows rich by seeming poor; an
extravagant men grows poor by imeraing
richm-iShenstone.
Whilst you are prosperous you have Many
friends; but when the storm collies, you
are left alone.—(Ovid.
We seldom find people ungrateful as long
as we are in a condition to render them sem
vices.—Roohefoucauld.
He who cures a disease ratty be the skill -
fullest, but he that prevents it is the safest
physiman.—[T. Fuller,
Every mann life lies within the present;
for the past is spent and done with, and the
future is uneertain.--1Antonius.
'Mid pleasures and palaces though we may
roara, be it ever so humble there's no place
like home.—[J. Howard Payne.
The way to wealth is as plain as the way
to market. It depends on two creeds— lite
dustry and frugality. --[Franklin,
The wise prove, and. the fodlish confess,
by their conduct that a life of mployment 18
the only life worth leading,—[naley.
The first ingredient in convereation is
tenth, the next good sense, the third good
humor, and the fourth wit.—(Sir prlf -A4,
Few ever lived to a great age, aft
still ever beceme efetinguishecl, :ye
not in the habit of rising early. -4
Todd.
Nothing in reconciles tis to thee.,
of our own death as the prospeot
friend after another droppingaround
tSengeeca
Amakes us most fondly hug and rota
the good things of this life, when we have,
the least prospect of enjoying them.-: At- t
terbury.
He is happy whose circumstances sui
temper ; but he is the more excellent who
can snit his temper to any circumstances.
—(Hume.
Laughing, if loud, ends, in a deep sigh;
and all pleasures have a sting in the tail,
though they carry beauty OS theface.—[Jeire
emy Taylor.
Men With grey eyes are generally keen,
energetic, and ab first cold, but you may de-
leinDr. L
de-
pendupon their m
eir sypathy with real sorrow.,
No school is more necessary to children
than patience, because either the will must
abesb._roEltRenishit.
nerchildhoed, or the heart in old
gEveryhis
e m
a
n,
powers,hnweveeer nhumblee is einh ai auteina one
or f e
on those who are about him foraiddroldier mt,
evil.—[Prof. A. Sedwick,
Never shrink from doing anything which
your business calls you to do. The man who
is above hie business may one day find his
business above him—[Drew.
The Atmosphere of Love.
Chinese roasted pigs by burning private A phyeklian found a patient shut up in a
houses, has the Celeatial mird formulated damp, chilly room. He goad to him, "No
anything in the line of undesigned humour wonder that you are siok in such a place.
so funny as the Emperorerdecree.—N.
World.
Too Miich for the Lawyer.
A fellow was on trial before a police
magistrate for stealing chickens., The proof
was circumstantial, the main thing seeming
to be that footmarks were found in the enow
near the roost exactly corresponding with
the prisoner's boots --patches, nails, and all.
The prisoner's counsel thought he had a
green one in the prosecutor's vntnees, who
was apparently all that fancy painted him.
Council put this question: "Now, how do
you know that my client had on these boots
est night? How do you know I hadn't
them on ?" The witness demurely answer.
ed 'Cause you didn't know they's any
ehickene there."—[Texas Siftinge.
They Didn't Remember.
"You all remember the words of Web-
ster," shouted the orator. "No, we don't,"
interrupted a man in the gallery. "He has
so many words I can'tremember more than
half of ' em."—" Harper's Mapazine.
THE AfABER,
Beheading Three Hundred ;Versant Daily
—Russia not Threatened by HIS FOreeti.
PETERStatRai Fob. 20—It is alleged
that the Airieer of Afghanistan b. beheading
300 permute daily for interfering with fron-
tiet traffic.
A Celoutta despatch SOO :—No credence
is given to the reports that ithe Ammer has
hostile designs upon Rtimia. He is simply
paeifying the ftontier provinces, He will
return to Cabin in the spring and spend the
summer at Clandahar.
Their Polite Hope.
At the Aoademy.—Mr. troadbtish (a pro-
mblim paintet)— "Good -morning, Mrs, Bud -
robe; goodetorning, Mies Vielet, 'You
meat °reuse Me, ladies, bee I have been
watching you admire my picture," Both
ladiee Mitddenly and without ehoughte—MO,
11r. 13roadbteem I hope you didn't hear what
we maid 1"
You don'b need medicine, but fresh am, sun-
shine and exercise." He took that hypo-
ohondriao out of doors. He made him walk
and ride about. Soon he was well again,
and the doctor left him. Bub in a little
while he was sent for. His morbid and
perverse patient was lying in the Close,
damp chamber as before, shivering and
moaning. " Oh doctor," he cried thee
sure euro of yours has failed, and I am just
as bad as ever." " Did you keep youraelf
in the sunshine ?" "No,.I thought that
I had taken enough of it not only to make
me well, but to keep me so, and then I came
back to bed again.
jurt like this imaginary invalid are many
(alas 1 how many!) of the patients of the
Great Physician. Theyread of his wondm
roue love; they i
ey believe n it; they rejoice in, ,
in It kindles in their souls a hope that is
full of glory. Bub, having "tasted the good
Word of God and the powers of the world
to come," they return to the beggarly ele-
ments of thie world. Hence they lose that
blerised hope. They become cold and sad,
and then they wonder why God doom not
"keep them in perfect peace." Alas!' they
forget that God cannot make evil good and
good evil. Ho has created an atmosphere of
love. He offers it freely to all who will live
in in But if we fail to do so—if we shut
oimeelvett up in mime or cellars of selflehisese
refusing .to enjoy What God has provided
for sustaining the new life—can we 'wonder
that we are weak and sickly? '
But how than we keen oureelves in thee love
of God? By study, by meditation, by
Chrisian communion, and abeve alb, by
prayer. We don't read the Bible winitgh ;
we don't think enough about what we read
in it; we don't talk enough with each other
about our heavenly Father, our Elder Bre-
ther end our celestial home; we don't work
enough for Christ to keep our hearts in a
glow ; we don't °Orman, enough With Godi
Our reading, thinking, toiling, talking and
praying will not create the atmosphere that
our spirits nem!, but they will keep a
in it. They will enable ha to climb up out
of the clampnese and the gloom of unbelief.
They Will help us to almond the mount' "
of faith. On it we Wili find the land of Beu.
lah from which we mai See the walls and
gates, and almost hear the wilted of the golden
eitY.
BitteAdiplitlieria is eaging at &tit Bridge,
near Witidiler •
4