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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times, 1890-6-5, Page 6A. STRANGE COURTSHIP" CHAPTER V. PAL.MONTOLOSMeAL DISCOVBRY. The mane by which Mr Miles Winthrop (ler each was the full name of the elder of the two "new anrivels" at+ the Grand) be- came personally =painted with two geode - mem both a whom, but 411 hour ago, Awned totally uelteown to him, need, some eeplauetion ; for the fact was that Mr Frede- riot Penuant, though an agreeable, pleasant fellow enough among his own family and ineads, was one of them young Englishmen wile oppose to the appxoach of strangers ei Afield ot ice, which (whatever their genial e enrith) it tekee eorae time to thaw. He wtis not by auy means one of those solemn swells limintioe wearily Piccadilly and the Park in the season, who affect 4 hostile in- difference to their fellow.creatures, lest their 4.01FIL stupidity should be discovered by con- Mt—jut as, for an opposite reason, mon- keys are said to appear dumb, lest man Should discover their intelligence, and see them to work. Frederick Was neither a SWell nor stupid; but it was characteristic in netwitbstanding that he bad a feel* arel genial nature, to regard every man su.epieion who chanced to be out of the • of ins own acquaintance; and this was espetially the ease when, as at pees-. wit, lie wee in cherge of ladies, concerning wito.m it isuot too inueb to my that hegrudee rad strange men the opportunity of liftieg their ayee tothem, 4inted their minute Wiest inselt. The eilvanced years of Itibit had in his ease mitigated this etioietg maittemann \eaten -dog zeal, and am muumeneethip had advauced so far that he hel iveu beeu nitroluteel by her husband to Atm. Peneaet, Jut then Ma "inn was a teen that eue keen, soniethiug about to ament wt.' He had more letters after his =:741.4 than a prime of the bleoe.royal has inume- it. He was acquainted, or hed the re- prattethei efbeing so, with "all the (Ammo) n ;aril was aeknowledgen to be the very great- ese ma'am it V 111)011 stone eists" ia al ti met firiaain. Tim rumoured discovery of 4 ieW • bones in Lapland would, have " fetchor hi a --to use a signifivant phrase, with whiell thieleareten mart was probably nut acquanit- ed—more certainly thau the ripe tiharitts beauty ; and the sight of a pre - historic t -- some bit of gristle with a We throunitit —wouldraakehisheartbeat quicker 1,BPAI en,y loviesoug. Every Wt of earth ou -which he set hit eves hail its etory for him; and even from underneath the earth he Led dragged many 3 eeeret out, whieh had been Itiddennactording to the chrouology vf more simple folks—before the earth was meek. In teen the only quarrel which :M- oiety bad with Ma Flint was upon tide tinbjeennof whitie however, it wauit be con. few(' she knew very little indeed, namely, the duration a the littillan race. Man's an- tieuity was dearerto Mr. Flint than woman's yi.nth and for it, or rather for the theory ei it, he had eve:titled more than most 13QX) naceifice for women. He had left the ancient Weise of learning where he bad first won tzinews, alia laying down high honors exam Ca+ ititar if what he deemed Seientitit: ruth, had mem forth into the world a. COM- pa.ratively obi 13411, to make his livingafresh. College mils, though of finest wheat, were bitter in Ii t ',math, since they were given to bun (+ay mon conditions, and he had exam:et-a, teem for the black bread of iu- &pew:ream, .611 title had happened years ago; itIr. Flint wile the protomartyr of science; and Ind been lor g einipsed by those who had put nuch martynium to better me, He had made no capital out of it, as they .had done; but bad quietly slipped ant of Ins college stall, undtaken up the profession of 4 man of let. tars. Hehad never written a syllable against that ehureh with which he had no lend, arid 'which he had quitted only because he nould no longer be her minister. It was re- membered by but a very few that Professor Flint (who was be 210 means proud, bytthe- By, of that ambitious designation) had at one timebeen the Rev. Christopher Flint, M.A., tutor of $t. Ermengardn, Oxford. There "rem two or three old Heads of Houses at whose "lodges" be was always a 'welcome guest, and with whom he would gladly %elk over thatold time; they and he as differ- ent as the poles, yet mutually conlial: but for the most part he was silent about it. There was only one thing which ever ruffled the Professor, even in connection with his hob'by. Ordinary opponents, the mere ortho- dox, never angered him ; the wits never .cot a rise out of him, in the shape even of a flushed cheek; but if he met an advo- eate of the Ape theory—of the idea that man and monkey were once on 'terms synonymous—then be flamed out at -white heat. He grew positively danger- ous. His epithets had to be taken in the Pickwickian sense, or the peace must have been sworn against him. It is needless to say that notwithstanding this, Society at large credited Mr. Flint with a belief in the Ake theory, which, she said, "was such a pity,"in this " nice oldma,n." One unfortun- ate young gentleman hadonce even endeavou- red to make acquaintance with him on the groand of holding the like heretical view, "I, too, Professor, hold the same opinion withyourself that we are all descended from .be ape. The ground for that belief appears to me both solid and sufficient." et At all events my good young friend," ,vms the quiet reply, "there are occasional reproductions of type which appear to war - vat that theory.' For Mr. Flint had a ready wit, and was indeed, notwithstanding his learning, almost amen of genius. His manners were said to lee original, because they were natural, and ',folks were a little afraid of him on that account; but upon the whole he was a pcpular man at The Grand, whither he had come for a few weeks' change of air and scene. He was comparatively a rich man, having been lately left sole heir to an old lady of Matlock., who kept pet monkeys, and had understood that he had advocated the -claims of her favorite animals to be con- sidered as intelligent companions of man. ale had had no relatives nor connections, -mu the Professor had pocketed the legacy • without a scruple, though not without a -wry face. It was not the flrst time that a tool bad done good service to a wise MAD. It was to Mr Flint's sitting -room, which had adjoined. his own, that Mr Frederick Pennant had been invited to coffee and TS after the table-d'hote, and it was there -tut the introduction took place which we were about to describe. The two friends had scarcely seated them- selves,and were in the act of lighting their lavanas, when the waiter brought up ea card, with the message that the gentleman _whose name it bore woad be glad to have two minutes' conversation, 'if tenvenient, with Professor Flint on a matter of import- .ance. "Mn"Mites WTST33.302, , Wapshot ltitin" was the mime and address' which • Mr. Flint was now regarding with raised eyebrows. "Winthrop, Winthrop; I seem to know the name, Well, PH' see the gentleman, of eourse.—Nay, "beg youwon'tmove, Pennant. He has eertainly no private business with me; or if be has, it's a swindle. I daresay he's MIA of my Perkin Warbecks." "Your Perkin Warbecks ?" "Yes ; that's what I call the pretenders to l'efiss Mellesham's estate, of whom I have seen at least helf-a.dozen. She was the old lady who made me her heir, you know. She lived for eighty years withone a relaxive in the world; but now she's dead, there bas sprung up a. crop of cousins."' The Profeesor always spoke of his legacy in this airy way ; but, AS we have hinted, it was rather a sore subject with him, and the only one where he was amid of ridicule. 'But this man lives at a Hall," said Pe unau t gravely ; it is impossible be can be a ewind- ea" The dry lauell of the Professor rang (-et like a watelnuan's rattle, "With your permission, I will make a. note of that sentiment, and convey it m my friend Mex O'Relly, who is compiling a work upon our national characteristics. But hush! here comes our friend." The door op.euedt and the waiter ushered in their late noa.rte of the 4h:tier-table. The Professer's aetonislimeut was so great, that be exclaimed meehanieally; "Mr. etiarbeche I believe I" "Winthrop is my name," observed The new Come; in a smooth soft tone. "I Imire to apologise for intruding on your privaey, Professor, siece 1 eau hardly hope that I seem to you otherwise than; aper• felt stranger, I WAS, however, your pupil at St Ermengardn twenty years ago, and though 1 onto profited. by our comiecuon for a, brief epee, I assureyou I have $3(4 forgotten my kintl tutor." “To be sure, to be sure," said the Pro - lessor, shaking his hand warmly. "I re. member uow —you left us early; but for the best of reesous—to be inarned, 1 nem Moe Winthrop"— . "Ales, sir, abeia AO more :" e.id the strnugor, tom:inns the narrow rim of crape round the bat he earned in hie band. "I little knew, wilco I left your college halm what trouble was in store for nie ; rot only with reepeet to death, the conmen lot, but of all kinds. I lost my wife ice 'ears twig before"— "Pategotila!" exclaimed the Prefeseer (-e- dit.% "Why, blest; my soul, I remember it 11 now deer Pennant, penate w intrnluee you to Mr. Winthrop a Winn rolcrick inclined his he with sif'ae';- Ile d been far from preposseseed, 4;S- We saw nt the ta.blied'hote, with the younger Whe damp, mid his antipathy exteraed waif to . the elder. Fortnuately, however, for be ! common harmony, he was moltinga Cigar. ft1 Whidl 0111 WA manners, and. prevents , them from being ferment+, more than the etudy of all the arts combined. "You smoke,of coursenyourselft" mid the Protesear, offering his ogamease. "1 do little else," eeid Mr. Winthrop languidly. "These are IP nry ilaeq, are they not ? When I was in the Havana, 1 bought three chests of them, and nearly killed myself ; they are uo Seductive. HI had known you had them, and not knoti n you, I should have made your acquairitunce Arm:tight at all hazards. My murtlerere-1 eay my man my murderer, because he is the wickedest of his a ecies, and min very likely murder me some day—forgot to pack up my cigars, so I shall not get them till teener - row, and I cannot smoke what they have in the hotel.—This it; niagnificent—divine thenme, Professor, how our dear old warden —he was so good as to stay with me for a week this summer at Wapshot—enjoys his ,cigar, and indeed everything What a eom stitution he has, and need a noble appetite ! Dear me !" "But why do you sigh, Mr. Winthrop t Your own constitution ought to be a good one, You are a child in years compared with the warden ; and you look even young- er Cum, you are. Now, if you were my age, you might have some cause for despond- ency." " My dear Professor, you are a man of iron, I watched you at dinner to -day, and it was quite a treat to see you eat, Sueb things as they give you here for dinner too ! I was quite delighted. I observed to my son, there is a great man opposite, end, thank Heaven, he will live long." The Professor smiled somewhat uneasily. Flattery of all kinds was unpalatable to him. "That well -grown young gentleman who sat beside you was your son, was he?' Mr Winthrop delicately brushed the collar of his coat with his fingers, as though to remove some imaginary specks of dust. "Yes, that is Horn Winthrop ; iny 'little encumbrance,' as I call him. He is at pre sent in the army—an idle school; but .then most schools are so. Perhaps the only sub- stantial use of school is to prevent one's boys hanging about at home, and getting into mischief. lify belief is that education is a marvellously over -rated advantage, if indeed it is an advantage at all; and, by - the -bye, that reminds me of, the cause of iny intrusion upon your privacy, which, in your pleesant and friendly welcome, I had quite forgotten. I honestly think I had some excuse for it, but it is quite possible I may have been mistaken. My ignorance maim all subjects is stupendous, and ovum ignotum pro magnifies. But just cast your eye on this, Professor; it came in my way this afternoon in a manner that augurs well for its authenticity • and seeing you at table to -night, I determined to ask your opinion." Mr. Winthrop took out of his pocket a small parcel enclosed in fine white paper, and handed it to Mr. Flint. That gentleman opened it tenderly, like a man who is accus- tomed to handle frail and valuable articles. and then, though the setting sun was filling the room with crimson light, walked hastily with his burden to the open window. The opject disclosed was a triangular piece of black bone'with a jagged end. "Where did you find this !" inquired the Professor slowly. "At a spot about nine miles from Shingle - ton, and between it and Burwell. We were riding home by the side of a stream, when, on a little hill above us, we saw some men apparently in eager talk over some object on She ground. I rode up to them and they showed me d great hole, which lied •sudden- ly discovered itself upon their digging out the stump of an old tree. This hole gave access to a, cave of considerable size, in which, however, there was nothing to gratify their curiosity. The men complained to me—as though it was my feat—that some mates of theirhad. lately discovered a ca.Vern "all a- glitter with diamonds like," which had been worth a matter of sixpence a head to them for shewing it to the quality ever since; but as for themselves, it -was just like their luck to come upon an old pigsty such as that, with nothing in it but a few old bones. This was one Of the bones." "There are more, then ?" inquired Mr. Flint, his keen eyes fleshing with eager- eess "There seemed to be a good many; but I 0 thought it best for all reasons to depreciate their little discovery, They were disposed to attach some importance to that particular specimen, and wanted to sell it to me for a shilling. "My good friends," said I, "you would surely never sell thet for a shilling. It is an invaluable retie. Don't you know what it is?" " Noa, we (Joann," was their inconsiderate reply. "Well, then, I'll tell you. It's the self -same and identical weapon with which Samson—of whom you have doubtless heard talk—destroyed the lion. It is the jawbone of an as,s." Then I gave them a shilling to buy beer with ; and. after A few miloatie remarks upon the weather, pocketed the bone, and rode away. That was how Horn and 1 eame to be at the table - abate." "But what in this bone ?" inquired Mr. Pennant a little peevishly, for the new -corn- er's languid air and rammer were intedereble to him.' "It, is part of the lower jaw of the Cave Bear," said the Professor deeisively ; "per- haps the earliest weapon ever fashioned by man. The bone formed the handle; and thin =Me tooth, as you may imagine, must have made a considerable hole wherever it "Then this gentleman little knew how near he was to the truth," said Frederick, "wben he instanced Samson to the rustics." did not know, sir, it is true," answered Mr, Winthrop haughtily; "but if I had not had very stone suspielons that therelie was oue of iumortauce, 1 sbouln not have trent- Wed Professor Flint with the matter," "Yes, yes; the discovery lamest neterest- ing and valuarle, my. dear Penumit," said Nr. Flint, regarding this old bone with all the admitatton thet a beauty beatowe untie balledress. "There is no traced theCavo Bear to be fouud in the dirt twinin. He was probably the first a the extinet animals to disappear. He wore no black ; he wore his white; He wore no black; he were his blue He nevermourned anothern flight; lie was himself the first that flew. Came, let us lieve our cane brought oue to as on the belesuy." rapreapaprope. CHAPTER. YL Tinr: INT4=1,71=1) S0,147, iThir,n MO mem dislike one another, it i enitte urielees lor a third mem to attempt to htal their ailltrenees, though a woinaa wil sometimes ementel in doing so. A fixed idea So for the morrow the expedition was settled.. Amongtbe furniture in the Pennants' sit. ting -room was a piano, to which Miss Mabel: was invited by the Professor to sit down. She consented at once, affeetation she had none and in 4 fine rich voice—of which her slender frame scarcely gave promise—sang AlMie -Dundee, Itfr Flint stood beside her, softly beating time with his fingers ; Mr Winthrop, with his areas folded, watched her from the open window, his handsome but, fretful features lit, for once, with A Siiii14 Frederick, with his band la ,bis bride's, listened, in rapt admiration, and Mrs. Pennant with sisterly pride. The last verse was drawing to its conalusion,and eye aud era' were still enchained by the charms of the performer, when a house voice was 'heerd • without, •exelahning "Breve ! bravo I young 1V03143 r followed by a clapping of hands. Crimson with in- dignation, Frederick ensiled to the window; but Mr Winthitap, who Old not seemtocom- prehend his purpose, Was standing in the way; and When- he slowly moved, aside to pennit his passage, - tbe erequet ground beneath, front which the .iliterruption bad proceeded, WAS vacant, or seemed to be so in She gathering gloom. • "Do You know who it was?" said Fred- erick sharply, as he strained his eyes over the shadowy space. "My deer sir, e Flow should I? It is doubtless some young gentleman Who has taken too lurch wine." "Wine !" •cried Frederick, who did pet perceive that, notwitbstendieg ins ow Mr„ Winthrop's feet) was Wad with rage, "A man must be a savage, druuk or sober, to behave like that, ring the bell, and have this seen to at once," "My dear Mr. Pennant, I implore you not to do so," pleaded the other, laying Ids hand upon his arm. "Consider your sister. itolew ; you would enrely net mix her name up with this foolish jest,'" "Sir, I think I am the best judge of my own affairs and hers"— "Not just at present," interposed the quiet tones of Mr. Flint, who ban stepped out to join thena "Mr. Winthrop is quite right, Pennant ; the matter is beneath your notice. It was Meetly a mere druekeit 5 frolic! ; but it 114$ alarmed Miss Mabel a little. , Winthrop and I will leave you. Good. night.' "Pram make my compliments," began had taken poesession of Ma Frederick Wen wet that Mr. 'Winthrop was inelined to give himself :tits upon the strengli of his pamintony, and he was uot theman toadinit sueli pretensione, or to give way to thou In so melt as a imirbruidth. If his edema) bad been a ewer of the ream, be would bate: snienitted, and even done homage. for he was Briton to the backbone; but below that rank be deemed. no man to be Ids impeder. Mr. Winthrep, on the other hand, whose antagonism had at first been of A negative elueraeter, audo»ly exhibited itself in ignor- ing Ma Pennant's existence, resented ex- ceedingly that puttee:an% suggestion that lite nature of the relic he hail discovered hail been really unknown to him, for to affect ignorance one's Fell is a very different mato to having imputed by others ami he did this young man the honour of hoeing him very heartily from that moment. Ma Mint, notwithstanding his excitement over his paleontological "find," was quite aware how rnatteni stood between his two compauions, and was by no TOMAS displeased When, on the adjournment of all three to the balcony, Mrs. Marsliali's VOite had greeted thein in the manner with which we are acquainted, ancl cempelled A movement towards the ad. joiniug apartment, and a general introduc- tion. Mnu r. Peant thereby beeatne host, and Mr, Winthrop guest, so that they were bound to be eivil to one another; while he (the Profeesor) felt Itimeelf at liberty to withdraw at bis own convenience, and gloat over his bone. In the meantime this valuable relic, of course, formed the topic ef conversation -with the ladies. They were set to guess as to what it was, and Fomo very ingenious speculations were hazarded. Mrs. Marshall, who belonged to alt eta before anatomy had been proposed as a breath of female education, was convinced that it was the jawbone of a inau, furnished with a particularly fine eye-tooth. The in- telligence that it belonged to a Cave Bear alarmed her; and notwithstanding a bio- graphical sketch of that animal from the Professor, she thought there might be more of the same species in the neighborhood, and privately resolved not to venture upon any excursion in an open carriage. Mrs. Pen- nant and. Mabel, on the other hand, were really interested in the great discovery, the details el which were once more narrated by Mr. Winthrop. "But you have not told the ladies bow cleverly you put the rustics off the scout," observed Frederick mischievously ; which hiatus had accordingly to be supplied. "I hope you will know the poor men again," said Mrs. Pennant gravely. "Aly dear madam, it is certain they will know mze," returned Mr. Winthrop; "and if I am acquainted with the character of the British peasant—his country's pride—they will not be backward to remind me of our acquaintance,—Miss Denham, who is last from Berkshire, and knows our agricultural friends, will, I think, bear me out in that opinion." And he turned to the young girl with a continental bow and smile. "Our people are very poor, but they are not beggars," said Mabel quietly. "I must say I agree with my sister in hoping that you may meet with these men again, to whom you owe so interesting a discovery." "Then I am sure I hope so too," said Mr. Winthrop gallantly. "I have promised to take our friend, the Professor, to this cave to -morrow morning.—Can we not pereuade these ladies, Mr. Pennant, to accompany us?" "What do you say, Frederick?" inquired the bride doubtfully. Frederick was framing an unmistakable "No," when Mrs. Marshall struck in. "Oh, of course we'll go," cried she; "he would not be so cruel as to forbid it. This cave will be the very place to spend a happy day in, as the advertisement says, this broiling weather, and, at the same time, to improve our minds, which all the newspapers tell us has become so necessary for us ladies, We three can go in a fly, you know; I am sure I should be delighted to pay my share of the expense—and the gentlemen can ride. We are none of us enpension here, so we may just as welt lunch out. It is the very thing which Miss Mabel here would enjoy.—Is it not, my love ?" "I should like to see the cave, of all things," said Mabel excitedly; then catch- ing sight of an expression in her sister's face, reflected from the displeasure in her hus- band's, she blushed, and added hastily, at least, if Fred. has no other ,plans for us to- enerrow." "The Cave Boar can wait," said Mr. Winthrop gaily; "s he has not been called upon for the last ten thousand years, the delay of a few hours cannot Make much dif- ference to him. If to -morrow is inconven- ient, let us say the .day after." , "To -morrow will suit us as well as any ther day," observed Mr. Pennant eet very graciously, it must be confessed. !: Mr. Wintliropi in his softeet tone, but Fred- sttyped tastily width', and closed the m , “An unfortunate coAlt. Vlint, nclusion to very , charming evening," said "Yes, indeed," anewered the other thonghtfully. "I could not quite catch the • the ladies' Mimes, What are they" "Mrs. Pennant and Met Denham." "Yes, yes; but what, was it they called , one needier t" "May and du." "Dear me. Pointers 1" ejaculated. Mr. Winthrop, This gentleman's gallantry and Politeness were provernial aim% the ladies ; but when exiled from their presence, the fair Fe -X. was by no means a sacred subject with him. Mr. Fliot looked grave; he was annoyed with the other's freedom, but he vouln not afford to quarrel with the only man who knew the address of the Cave Bear. "We threw our eigers away half finished, Mr. Winthrop ; will you take another of your favorites 1 ' "No, I thankyou : I mustseemyman,and mane arrangements for to-iuorrow 1 limo two horses here, and I hope you will permit me to give yon a mount ?" "You aro very kind, but I am an old fogy, and, prefer wheels tc hoofs ; besides, I should be robbing your son of his nage" "My son will not come with us," returned the other decidedly. "He has no taste for cave bears. Goonight, my dear sir, and many thanks." The professor liked his smoke, and was not to be balked of it for witet of a eompara ioxi ;and, taking a chair into the lxticony, he puffed imam until the moon arose. "Pointers !" mused he. "That fellow thinks he ha.s hoodwinked me by his jest on my fair neighbors; but he was in no humor for jesting, I'll warrant. Ho is smitten with the charms of Miss Mabel ; that's what made Pennant in such a. raga with him. But he'll buy her just as though he was at Zanzibar. Her sister will persuade her -- they always do. I hope he'll treat her bet- ter than his first wile—if what Pre heard is true—that's Why, what's that I" At the door of a summer -house that stood at the further end of the croquet lawn, there was a little burst of light, and then a gleam- ing spot such as a glowworm shows. This was a man lighting a cigar. With a glance up at the balcony, where the lightlens win- dows of the Pennants' room showed that its tenants had retired, the individual in ques- tion came swiftly across the lawn ; as he he did so, his foot caught in a croquet hoop, and a hoarse execration burst from his lips. " You are too impulsive, my young friend, for an eavesdropper," was Ala Flint's mut- tered reflection. "1 recognize the silvery tones wbich cried out : Bravo ! bravo ! young woman !' By Jupiter Tonans, it's the Carib !" It was certainly Mr. Hem Winthrop who limped into the house beneath, as this ejacula- tion was made ; and as no one else had visit- ed the croquet ground in the interim, it must have been he whose barbarous homage had been extorted by Miss Denham's song. "Winthrop must have known it was his son," mused the Professor. "It's clear to me that he's ashamed of him. I don't woe - der a it. His voice is like the war -whoop of an Ojibbeway, compared to his father's satin note. He drinks, that's certain; and he has no taste for cave bears. That young man is altogether a bad lot." With 'which fixed conclusion the Professor retired to bed. (To BB COZI-TINUED,) His Terms. Mrs. De Faehion—"Igive a little recep- tion next Thursday evening and I would like some music, piano solos particularly. What would be your terms ?" Prof. Pianissimo---" Eef I go •zere simply as a musician, und blay my selections und leave, I gharge twenty -fife toilers; but eef I must go as a guest und spend ze whole evenings taking to von pack of fools, I gharge vifty toilers." Knew He was an Artist. Miss Lakeside (of Chicago)—" The gentle- man you just bowed to is an artist, isn't he?" Miss Gotham—" Yes, a great artist. You divined his profession from his finely chisel- ed features, I presume." Miss Lakeside--" No, I smelled the tur- pentine." When lovely woman stoops to folly, And tries to bake her daily bread, What power can sooth her melancholy When her husband calls it chunks of lead? • be has completed his self.imposed task of The Rev. HiPriRBSiOnNglinam$an. announces that translating the Bible into the language of the netireeof the Gilbert Islands, He began it in the fifties, dues Home the young Jap who was grad - noted at Victoria, University, Coburg, tak- ing a gold, medal for genera proficiency, is She first Asiatie ever presented for gradua- tion at a Canadian institution, -- Miss Nellie Arthur, daughter of the late President Arthur, ha e become a picturesque young lady, with a larilliant complexion, large, soft brown eyes, a graceful figure, and an original and effeetiee taste in dress. Walt Whitetail, who has never fullerre. covered from a serious attack of la grippe, lete selected a place for his grave in l'ar- leigh cemetery. near Ceraden. It is a pic- turesque place, beneath majestic oaks and chestnut trees. The story goes that the wife of a well- known member of Parliament keeps a. scrap - Wok in which she pastes all the uncompin molter), paragraphs Finted about her Imsnend. These come m bandy for quota- tion at titnes of domestic unpleasantness. Mr, James Gordon Bennet, who intro, (limed the game of polo in the Settee, has been hunting up its pedigree, nun finds that it was a fevarite sport at the court of the Mikado (whose "object" even thee 6peuvto have been the cultivation 4 f inert riment") mere than a thouniud years ago. Constantine Cmisteutanowitz, the Grand D uke, reeeinlye riveted and imprisoned by the (knee cominitedfor publishing .N revolution - ;try poem, i4•4 nepliew of .1144$WS. antOgrat, He is thirty.two years of age, and pehlislied hie fleet volume of poems in 1 8Sti. This is not the first time 4 poet has been shabbily treated by an unele. Nape daughter of the Russian painter Monism, is mon to be married, and nil wear one of the most marvellous brula dresses ever seen. Her father's friends um fellow -artists have each painted an allegori eal compeeition on the dress, wl whe the beautiful owner is inside of it, will lie perfeet Walking art gallery. A pring leme-song Gold-beiMd bees are humming Their sweet song, low and clear, The goldext sununer's coming,. The sitery spring is here; 'Tis spring•thne of my heart, dear My lave, my love is ttear ; ,And spring -time is the ring -time, The ring -tine the year. Gay butterflies are dancing And flirting with the flowers, The mirthful suulight glancing Upon their happy hours; 'Tis spring -time ef my heart, love. For thou, for thou art near, And epringnime is the ring -tune, The ring.time o' the year. The pale green Chestnuts peoudly Wave leaflets in the breeze, Red robins carol loudly Front many tinted trees; 'Tit( springitime of my heart, dear, Fax thou, my love, art near, And spring -time is the ring.time, The ring.time o' the year. Skies that are of eloiniless Shall banish far the past, Soul greets soul in welcome true, For toy is tome et last ! 'Tis summer in our hearts, love, The glad time a' the year, For spring -time is the ring -time, Ante thou, my love, art Imre ! .3sTQUA 'AMIE% After Death. All night long the dead men lay Under the leaves and reinewasben elay. All night long in ber dwelliugdim The wife of his bosom wept for him, And "my levels buried with him," "For I loved Wm living --.I love him dead." And the dead man dreamed in his lonely place That he felt her totes fall over hie face. And no dreams of theilead could sweetorlen " Dawn to death she was true to ma !" But when o'er his grave in the shine aud rain 4 The roses withered and blossomed again ; When the leaves fell brown on the cold. earth's cruet • 15 a: It is mid that Ledy Patincefote, wife of th British Minister at WashingUm, was mewl amazed when, in answer to an informal an nouncement that she would be at home on certain Saturday afternoon from four to six 1,400 visitors preeented themselves, most o whom insisted onshakinghands.although sh had never before beard of their existence. And his faithful heart was but rosy (lust ; The woman he loved to another said " I love you better than I loved the deed 1» nt bloomed olon a grave MI eve'* * * ! And inl‘t,.lhiet knows 11 the only rose Ti If the dead cart feel5 * * but howe'er it be,. e Sweet ! with this love that you have for me ; Love me uoW, while I draw my breath, - Love inc down to the gates of death ! a This is all that I aele or crave • Love thrives ill on a voiceless grave? The memorial of Wilkie Collins, for which over $1,500 has already been sub. scribed by his admirers, will take the form of a library of fiction to be placell in tb aleeoplen Palace," itself a benefaetion tin to another SOVenSt, Mn Walter Boson, tit heroine of whose All Sorts and Centlition of Men dreams of a "Palace of Delight" fo the poor in the East_Et.i! of London, The emperor has recently deserib ed Frederick the Great as his "ancestor,' thereby committing the mute inietake xis di* the queen when she talked to Macaulay. o "my ancestor, James II.," and the Mete= reminded her majesty, that James IL wa merely her "preeleeessor," The emperor le another oceasion has referred to Frederick as "my relative," a sufficiently absurd man- ner of describing a man who has been in his grave for more than u century. SLEEPING IN THE WOODS. .1/••••••••• W. MIL Murray laves the Poetical Si 1 or it. Imagine yourbeinchamber of odorous berk, 0 and your bed of pungent boughs. Your e couch made under murmuring trees ;inil e within a few yards of tlie bazily inovina wat. s er, wh ze motions caress rather thatu.ehafe r the shore. Stretehed your full length on such a couch, spread Mauch apiece, the pro- eede falliug asleep becomes MI experience. „ You lie and watch yourself to olmomtt the gradual departureof your senses. Ir.,' e by lit be you feel youreelt passing away: , f and easily as an ebbing tideyou begin to pass into the tlifzi and insensible realm beyond a His Mujesty of Dahomy, with whom the French are at war, was militated et Paris but on returning to bis naive land declare( that he preferred its manners and Customs to those ot Fra.nce. This exhibition of bad taste, not to mention ingratitude, was pro belly the secret cause of the invasion of his dommions, for the French agree with the English midshiprimn that of manners the Dahomians have none, and their customsare beastly. His Majesty is now suing for peace. The Dahomian Amazons have sur- rended, not to the superior arms, but to the charms, of the invaders ! the line of feeling. At last a moment comes in which you know you are passing over the my verge of consciousness. You are aware • that you are about to fall asleep, Your++ cheek but partially interprets the cool pres- sure of the Meat wind ; your ears irowsily surrender thelingering murmur of Wien and ine ; your eyes nroop their lids little by little ; your uose slightly scents the odors of , the piny air, as you mechanically draw it 1 thechest 'alms itpasses as inechanicallyoun and then—you are asleep. The hours passe and still you sleep on. The body, in obedi- • once to some occult law of force within the insensible frame still keeps up its respira- tions ; but yen? are somewh.ere—sleepum. At last the pine above you in the deep hush -which precedes the coming of dawn stills its monotone, and. silence weaves its airy web amid the motionless stems. The water falls asleep. The loon's bead is under its spotted wing, and -the owl becomes mute. The deer has -left the shore and lies curved ie. its. 'mossy bed. The rats no longer draw their ' tiny wake across the creek and the frogs 4 have ceased their croaking. All is quiet. In the profound quiet, and unconscious of , ,all,the ale per sleeps. What sleep such sleeping is ! And what a ministry is being ministered into mind and body through the cool, pure air, pungent with gummy odors and strong with the smell of the sod and root -laced mound of the underlying earth Human 8aOrifi08 in Savage Africa. Here is a thrillingaccount of the methods i of human sacrifice n savage Africa,. The 'victim is placed on a block of wood, with his lee stretched out in front of him. Beside each ankle a small stake is driven firmly into the ground, the same at the knees and at the s. i ides, runtung up intothe armpits. His head is then placed n a kind of cage formed by a ring of cane fastened round the neck with !numerous strings attached to it which are *drawn up over the head and are tied together in the loop. A pliant young sapling is now stuck in the ground about twelve feet from the victim and bent over toward him until the extreme end is caught in the loop, alt , the strings round the ring are drawn tight and the neck stretched stiff by the strain. The exeoutioner then makes his appearanoe escortedby the young men and womeo of the village, each holding over 'him a pelt leaf, formin a kind of canopy. On reit; M. Emile Corm, in his review in the Evenement of Renan's History of Israel, says: "It is to the Jews, as much as to the Arabs, that we owe; during the Middle Ages, the preservation the transmission and progress of all ancient science,of mathe- matics, astronomy, natural science and medicine; it is. again, the Jews who were the most prolific agents intim development of agriculture, of the great industries, of international commerce and finance; in fact, it is they who at the same period main- tained with most fruitful results the study of ancient languages, and whohave preserved for us in their perfect integrity the oldest monuments of human thought. Mr. Vanderbilt's failure to purchase Meissonier'm famous picture, "La Rixe," from Queen Victoria has broughtaut in the Revue Bleue the whole etory of the manner in which it came into the possession of her Ma- jesty. Meissonier, who had been a Captain In the artillery of the Garde Nationale re- mained a staunch republican ; but he Le a warm friend in Emile Augier, an ardent im- perialist. Angier, for a long time, tried in ram to get Meissonier to consent to be pre- sented at the Turneries, and it {I as only after a dinner with Prince Napoleon as the guest that thepainter yielded. He received a special invitation to be present at the rel. ception to the Queen of England and the Prince Consort. Meissonier went to the Turneries and was welcomed with all hen - ors. Shortly before her Majesty and her husband, Prince Albert, prepared to leave for England the Emperor asked the Prince what picture in the Salon interested him most. "The Rixe," by Meissonier, sire," replied the tatter. "It is an extraordinary production, full of movement, color, an.d life, admirably finished and splenclidlywork- ed out. It is a chef d'ceuvre. 1 never saw anything more beautiful." At the close of the conversation Napoleon sent for Meisson- ier, but he could not be found. . He had left with his friend, Augier, shortly after his presentation. Then the Chamberlain. and Director of Fine Arts, M. Nieuwerkerke, was sent for. "Find Meissonier," said the Emperor: "Prince Albert has just spoken to me of the %bre' I mean to make him it present of it. Buy it at any cost, and see to it that it gets into the Prince's hands be- fore 12 o'clock to -day." The Chamberlain startedout in pursuit ef the artist, and, after a long chase, found him, andpurchased the picture for 25,000 francs taking Meiss- order s order for its removal from the Salon; and at 11 o'clock it was y.sented to Prince Albert, It is • still, ateairty-five years, the inost conspichous one. _ant in Salon of his widow, the victim tTiey fall 'back and leave him are alone. He wears a cap formed of large black cocks' tails. • His face is blackened with charcoal down to the neck; his hands and arms are also blackened up to the elbows, and the same with his legs down to the knees. !Until just before the execution the whole I village is wild in expectation of the 'event. Groups of dancers are teebe seen, drummers at work, and every kind of musical instru- ment to add to the tumult. The head, after being severed, is jerked up in the air by the released tension of the pole. Then, upon the sight of the blood, their vilest and most in- human passions are aroused. They act like wild beasts, clutch at the head, smear each other in the face with the blood, and a general scrimmage always ensues, resulting, more often than not, fatally. • Jealous 'Husbands. ".He mtist be a dreadfully jealous man who objects to his wife's conains." ' "Wife's cousins 1 Why, Man, I know husbands who object to their wives' bro. there." "Impossible !" " /t is a fact. Object to the brothers their wives promised to be sisters to before they were maned."