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HomeMy WebLinkAboutExeter Times, 1897-6-10, Page 6WNNING H C,ECAPTER S. The windows were opened noiseless- ly ; the soft, caressing spring breeze played upon a woman's youthful face which lay strangely pale and still PP- M the snowy pillows of a bed; it fan- ned the fair curls upon the pallid brow and stirred the delicate draperies of •a cradle which had been relegated to the farthest corner of the room, as if it were in ,everybody's way. "Rise, H.egebach," said a full voice. °'God gives and takes away, and we must be. resigned." With those words a tall, well-devel- oped woman of tarty approached the Man who kneeled motionless beside the bed, his arms encircling the rigid form in bitterest anguish. He did not stir; the speaker hastily brushed the tears from her bright intelligent eyes. "Hegeback, you cannot remain here all day without any food. Come," she added., suppressing a sob, "come, Hegebach, you have other duties; think of your child!" He sighed deeply and rose. He was not a young man, and sorrow made shim appear still older. His eyes rested almost wildly upon the sweet, peaceful face so calmly slumbering upon its pillow; then turning abruptly, he left the room. not like a. grief-stricken man, but like asst every one. The woman, who remained behind, gently rearranged the white napkin over the features of the dead; as she did so, sake caressingly stroked the chil.d-like face; then she took the era- die from its corner and bore it away. From the room opposite the one she had just left, issued a wail; she hastily opened the door and entered a .small chamber lighted by a single window. to all appearances that of the deceased, infinitely pretty, but almost too sim- ple for a lady of rank. There was no one in the room, but upon the sofa lay a small, white bundle, from which protruded a couple of tiny red. fists. The tall, stately lady fell upon her knees beside the sofa. and buried her face in the cushions. "A9.," rhe murmured, "your pros- pects are not very bright, you poor thing! No another 1 And your father acts as if God bad afflicted him because you are a girl. Why were you not a boy.? And they have all left you of course! They le s;eta scream here and 1 rid with Onagers. 1 She paused and for amoment gazed refleetively'at the wee, red face which was again puckered up into a hunr dred wrinkles, ready for another cryl "Wait, just wait," said she, quickly seizing the child, "I will take you with me to the castle- What can be do with such a baby?" Two days thereafter, Captain Hege-• bath's young wife was buried. Her short life %vas the talk of the entire vil- lage, and he who was ignorant of the details, soon learned that she was a very poor girl, 'who bad only mar- ried the man, who was likewise poor, and many years her senior, in order to have someone to care for her. No one had looked for his marriage. for he was an old bachelor. It was just a year since he had brought that sunbeam Into his house to gladden it --what brief happiness i ER WAY. "My cousin is to be married next month, madame." "Well, let him marry," was the re- ply. If he has. the wished -for son, the inheritance will be his; we knew that long ago." "And the child!" he exclaimed with infinite bitterness. "A poor girl! -- you know what that is, in aur position as well as I1"' "It is bad enough. of course!. but she will get on like other girls; she must learn to work; she has two strong little hands and two bright eyes. What shall we tail her?" she continued calmly. "Shall we name her 'Eliza- beth,' after her mother?" He nodded resent and turned to the wwin:low again. "Good-bye, Hegeleaole; - 'would you not like to see the baby?" He pressed his brow against the panes and made a gesture as if to ward her off. "Well, Ihane she will prove a bless- ing to you, Hegehaclh; that you will leh.nnk God upon your knees for the comfort• sent you by Him in your old days. May that be your reward." With a flush of anger unon her cheeks. rife entered the be�hroom- "Take the bahv, Eiethenann ; we are going 110W," And followed by the wo- man carrying the infant, she entered ince carriage. The drive area not a long one. The carriage drew ftp at a fin mansion. and a tall, young re... 4pparea'tly in traveling -dress, rushed down, the stet's opened the door and kissed the lady's hands. "Had 1 only known it, m,otherl" he said, "But I could net roactbiy have gone to the funeral !n this dress. (xreat Heavens! what is' hat?" he cried. Jointing to the woman who had just alighted with the infant in her arms. "Lisa.",s elhild, !]Tori#z. For God's sake! you 'will let. lies But the ,,Dung' man. with the open countenance, had already taken tee tiny bundle in are arms, ant bore it into the house, followed by his mother and the nurse. '"Oh. Heavens!" be exclaimed, as, he reached the si#ting-room and examin- ed the anaall face tonrler1v. bow wee it is!—Pocr, dear Lipa]," ,awl be turn- ed hastily to the wwin'iow in order to hide the tears which sprang to bis eyes. "You see. moteer,'• •ie a hied. after a pause. "if you had tint persuaded Tisa. when that morose old cant^in proposed to her. ah, wnula 4.1111 be alive" ""For shame. Moritz." returned Frau van R tteno'w. taking the ABA from eit.is arms. "For whom should the girl 1 ave whited ?"—Tbe young man's eyes filled with tears— "T will hear M re- ii+roaetes. Lisa fulfill' 41 ler duties as a wife; now Iet the euhjeet rest.,' "Will the little one remain with us?"" '"f 'rtain1v ; 'where shoule silo gn?" "That is kind of you" sena 1-e, twm- in' tris arms ahnut the stately 'woman. Mons erase. 3lorit z ; n know that I am not sentimental. Your father was inclined to sentimentality. and you have inherited it from. him." She triefl to a,+pear contemptuous:. hut she wee unsuccessful ; maternal love sparkled in her eves) as she gazed h ;ut"In her Now . roe. FM we must rrovide for Ital. babe ! What do you tht eec, shall I Wee, ?lar un to Aunt T,ott?" "Waal?" he cried in surprise; then he added gayly ; "Glen mr the ycnnf! lain; T will carry her up! I must be there!" ' Aunt Lott wee Fran von Rn,tenove's foster -sister and cousin. and the own- er of a small e,etat.e at Z—; butt with the excention of eight weeks which he ;spent at Z—annually. file lived at tbe .raeele. She was gentle. nuiete not over- in#eilig?nt ereatnre. the exact onpnsite l of Frau von Rai -enter a1 I'ong+h they ahael hewn reared together. Aunt Lott lived in tee world of Poe- try—in tee higher Reheree; she rend everything she could lav her hands ;neon. and the more touching and heart- rending flee etorv, the more beautiful sm,e ronsidered It. When leer practical cousin married Herr von Hatennnw. Lott remained et 'some swi+.h the lonely parents; after • llesir demise Crile repaired to the cattle and took possession of two pleasant rooms on the urner fluor, which rooms ,she kert painfully neat. A )furring rat sat unon the window - ledge. on this particular day, and Aun'# Lott her'aelf rat by the winder**. reading a nealm; the. ware a Mark dress and Mack arron. for safe had dearly Ioved young Frau von liege. - bath.. Tn that very roam. scarcely a pear before. t?i" g+rl hod tearfully and timidly dared h.er hand in that of her middle-aged enitor. And now into that -Same room Moritz von Retenow bore cher little daughter, and ia.id her with- out a word on Aunt Lott's lap. "There. auntie, now you have some- thing for the cat to be jealous of 1" "Great heavens!" she cried. and her eyes wandered from the child to the pale. grave faces of Frau von Ratenow, "You have the meet. time, Lott ; take the. child ; I brought her nurse. Sieth- lemma, with me ; you shell not have much trouble with her. She could not stay with her father for she does not smoke cigars. and T. you know, can- not take care of 'her with all my house- hold duties." The old maid clasrsed the tinv bundle tenderly in her arms. She did not :speak—sale could not ; but she nodded energetically and wiped her eyes, and that was Ru.fficiemt. Moritz brought the cradle upstairs, and as day was drawing in, they seat- ed themselves beside it—Ment Lott in a chair with her knitting young Herr von Ratenow on a footstool—and they talked so earnestly of the dead that they did not hear Frau von Ba.tenow open the door and look in upon them. "A strange boy,"'murmured the mother ; "a man with the heart of a ohild—just. like his father ; of course he is not like mel" So the child grew un in the old lin- den-csibaded house. When at two years of age she looked out of its windows, over the roofs and towers, across the village. and when the question: "Who lives over there ?" . was put to her, sale would take her fingers from her mouth, and pointing in the direction of the City Hall, reply with sparkling eyes: "Papal" Papa, indeed—a father who scarcely knew bis child—who only occasionally paid a visit of duty to the caetle, and looked So gloomily at the fair little one who joyfully ran to meet him, and reacb,ed longingly for the bright but- tan•s on bis uniform. She was a stra- it gly beautiful child, the pet of the entire household. Of Aunt R•atentaw only did she stand in awe; her rosy cheeks would turn as white as marble at a .single reproving glance frown icer. "She music soon go to school," said Frau von Ratenow one day as she sat by the window, and her eyes followed the ohild as elle flitted across tbe court; "she will be five years old. in April." Captain von Selcbow, however, told l.is younger comrades, on the way to the house of mourning, that he knew from authentic sources ivat Hegebach's marriage had been made in sheer des- peration. The .latter 'had, fifteen months before. received a letter from his uncle informing 'ram that he did not wish: to leave his fortune to a couple of old bact,i.elors, such as his nephews were. Whichever of the two could in- form bim first of the birth of a legi- timate heir should be the preferred one —daughters would not be considered. Hegebaoh"s cousin did not answer the leiter, and it was rumoured that he had formed conneotions which he could not sever at once. Hegebadlh, replied eight days later with the announce- ment of his engagement. That is all. The rest you know. Little Hegebaeb was a charming wo- man ; it is said," he concluded patheti- cally. Frau von Rateno'v had nursed the young mother during her illness, and after her death she did the honors in the house of mourning; the two wo- men were distantly related. Frau von Hegehaah had no parents to follow her to the grave, but her Husband's brother -officers came to pay their tribute of respect to the dead, and the regimental band preceded the flowel=Qaden eofffin, playing, "Teams. Refuge of my Soul." The widower fol- lowed the hearse in full uniform ; his set face expressed not grief, but dis- dain. and a scornful smile played abnut 'his liave The ceremony was over. The throng had disr,ersed; a netwi mound was added to the number in the churchyard, and the street in the neighborhood of the bowie of mourning was almost de- setr'ted ; only one carriage w'it'h two magnificent horses stood at the. Hege- haeh;s' door. In the bedroom which had so recent- ly been occupied by the frail young wife, Flood a cradle in which lay the sleeping child • an old servant. her bands lying idly in her Iap, sat beside it with eyes swollen from weeping. Frau von, Ratenow entered the cap- tain's dreary Fitting' -room; she wore her hat and shawl. "Goorl-bye HegebaC.h„" l .id. she, "I must go home ; they have just sent for me. Moritz has come. That the little girl will he well takeni care of, I need not assure you " He was standing at the window as she spoke. he turned and looked in aston- ishment at the resolute still handsome woman. - Yes," she Continued, "Heggebarh, she is here, and she must have attention. No baby could thrive in these smoky roams. I elhall tae her for her mo- ther's sake, for I am no longer accus- tomed to little ones. Moritz is twenty." "Thank you, madame;" he murmured, "indeed I did not think—" "Don't mention it, dear Hegebach, I only wished to ask you not to dis- like the child beoause you will not ob- fa.i,n the 13ennewitz estate. Man pro- poees, God disposes 1 Who knows what good may come of it?" THE EXETER TIMES "To school?" asked Moritz, who was home for the Easter vacation, as he paced two and fro in a ligiht gray sum- mer suit, an incipient mustache upon his upper lip and his complexion as rosy a5 ever. "TO school?" he repeated, pausing in front of his mother. Frau von Rat.enow looked at hien in astoll�is�binent. I know, dear mother, that she must learn to read and write, but why not at home? There are plenty of gov- ern esses.'" Her work dropped into her lap: and her bri.�•ht eyes assumed au astonished exporession. Moritz, I do not know how you can think of such a thing. If I had daugh- ters of my own, I should, perhaps—I say 'perhaps,' have chosen that ex- ; elusive anode of instruction; but the ,ahh1 would only be .spoiled by it, and she is unfortunately spoiled enough now!" ""Is the little creature to trudge such ` a distance in all kinds of weather? Let her, at least in the winter, ride in—" She replied calmly "If you can guaranty her a carriage later on, very well; from April on, Elsie will go to school." "You. Lave the right to decide, mo- ther "Yes, my boy. Now, let us talk of your plans; when you return from Vi-. enna tli the autumn, shall we keep i bause here together?" t He laughed and 'kissed the hand she held toward Kinn. ; "Steely you are not thinking of get- ting married?" elle said suddenly, look-' ing sharply at the young man. , "Yes, I am, dear mother" he replied.? drawing nearer her side, 'T will con fess honestly, I have thought of it." "Whom have you chorea, Moritz'?" "An old flame, little mother; but do. Sint. worry ; she has just gone to boarding• -school." "Is that so?" What will she learn there? She will grow pale and thin; she will become a nervous: puppet: she will never be a. healthy wife and mo- ther; and have you thought of what she will unlearn: all love of a peaceful, domestic life will fly out of the window. You should not have let her go away, Moritz. if you want her to remainin- nocent.•" (To Be Continued.) FADS OF FAMOUS WOMEN. Queen Victoria, whose special hobby is music has educated her daughters to be useful as well as accomplished woman. and they may all be said to be efficient and artistic. They have their fads, however, like other queen- ly celebrities. The queen likes, her- self to study Hindustnnee, and to see her favorite dogs and ponies. The Princess Beatrice has a fad for col- lecting lace and studying the subject and another pleasure is gardening. The Princess Louise loves to collect old silver. All the queen's daughters are good needle wameen and excellent cooks, and to -day the Princess Louise often invents a dish prepared by her fingers, and beasts that she would leave been a good chef. The Empress Elizabeth delights en her fame as a pastry cook and her daughter, the - Archduchess Valerie, is proud of her accomplishments in the methods of the 1 ancient ane maaaern cuisine.. The queen of the Belgians is a clever nurse and a good doctor, having not only studied medicine, but baying fre- quently applied her knowledge in emer- gencies. The queen of Greece is at the head of an association of women whose ob- ject is the moral regeneration of crim- inals. They frequently visit the in- mates of a prison in Athens, giving them religious instruction and a sympathetic attention. to their woes. She is also famous for her skill in fancy needlework and creates the most curious and beautiful articles. The queen of Portugal is more fri- volous, having the reputation of being the "mast dressy" lady in. Europe. The f queen. or amassing boots, boots, sho sea d glliar oves worn by historical persons. A,mong other treasures of this nature she owns a pair of white slippers and a fan that belonged to 'Mary, Queen of Scots, and shoes worn by the Empress Josephine and Queen Anne of England. The daughter of Osman Pasha is believ- ed to be the only poetess in Turkey. She lives in a white marble palace ov- erlooking the Bosporus, and dines ev- ery day in the conservatory from a . service of golden plate. This undoubt- : edly is her insoiration. ? The ex -Empress of Russia is fond of cooking salmon, and when the Czar was out on his fishing expedition at his favorite resort—the Langi3la sal- . moa. fishery in Finland—she used to acccmparny him and assist in cooking the fish in the spacious villa built espe- cially for the purpose. The queen of ; Dememavk is a 1'ine muscian and likes to play duets with her daughters. The i Empress of Germany is a charming knitter and makes 'wonderful things with her huge wooden needles. The Empress of Japan plays the koto, an instrument like the either, very beau- tifully. A HAMILTON FIREMAN KILLED. A despatch from Hamilton says:—Mr. Thos. Wilson, assistant chief of the fire department, whose skull was frac- tured in a. fall he received, at the Gart- shore foundry fire on Wednesday night, died from his injuries at 3.45 on Friday afternoon at his home. He was about 44 years of age and left a widow and several children. He was an efficient fireman and had been in the service a good many years. Fireman Wil- - son left three children. He was afire- auan 25 or 26 years, and a member of the old volunteer force, and one of the first paid firemen in the city. He also was a member of the L 0.0. F. PAPER MADE FROM GRASS. a Among e materials which have been ? the substituted for rags in the making of paper is esparto grass, which was form- erly obtained for this purpose from Spain, but is now largely imported by English manufacturers from the north of Africa. It is a tvery hardy plant„ flourishing in deserts where oth- er vegetable life is unable to exist; and the suggestion has recently been made that, by cultivating esparto grass in the Sahara. that great region of deserts might be partially reclaimed, and turned into a source of profit for , mankind. TRUE TO 133 5 ORDER. i The Lady—I'll give you a good meal if you will out up, some of that wood. i The [Cramp—Sorry, but I can't ac- commodate you, madam. • Too lazy to work, I suppose? - Not that, madam, not that. I would be false to my trust. You see, I'm a member of the Society for the Preser- vation of the Forests,, and we never cut THE PILOT'S CLOCK. OEAPTIEIi V. At another time, Dolly would have enjoyed the rapid drive; but now her only sensation was one of terror at the ordeal before her. At the end of a two boors' drive they began to ap- proach the city. Country seats chang- ed into villa residences, these again gave place to terraces, which in their turn merged into streets. At length they readied the heart of the city, and pulled up at the door of the court- lhouee. :Making their way into the close crowded court, Martin, after a good deal of argument with a police- man, succeeded in sending a message to the prisoners solicitor, which brought that gentleman to them with- out delay. After a few hurried ques- tions, be desired Doily to follow him; and in a few minutes sae found her- self upon the witness table, her limbs trembling so that she could scarcely stand, judge, jury, and barristers be- ing visible only through a mist. A few skillfully put questions from the prisoner's counsel elicited the whole story. This comparatively easy business, was; however, followed by a searching cross-examination from the council for the Crown, who insisted on sifting her motives for tampering with the clock, and her reasons for concealing the fact until now, The ter- rible truth concerning the clock once known, however, she had nothing to hide, and so came successfully through the ordeal, the fact that she bad nev- er even seen the prisoner, telling in her favour as a disinterested witness. When at length ,she was allowed to go down, her uncle, who was waiting for her, took her out of court; and Mrs. Lynch, whom nothing short of the judge's presence could have restrained hitherto, began to give Dolly what she called a piece of her mind. "Well, Dolly, I wouldn't have be- lieved in such wickedness even from you," "Don't scold her now, Mrs, Lynch," said Martin authoritatively. "She's very tired, and she has eaten nothing since morning.--:'Phere are you going to dine sir?" turning to old Lynch. "With ith the Missus's cousin, Mrs. Burke—her that keeps a grocer shop in the New Street." "Then you had dt`,:xc take Dolly there at once, sir. I'll wait and bring you word bow the trial ends—not that there's much doubt of it now." Mrs, Burke was a stout, kind -.heart- ed old woman, somewhat higher in the social scale than her cousin, the pilot's wife. Knowing nothing of Dolly's in- icuities and perceiving that she was tired`and upset, she made a great fuss about her, and insisted on her resting ou the sofa in the parlour behind the shop. As Dolly lay there sipping her tea, and watching the elaborate manner in which Mrs. Burke's servant, under n rt e the supervision of her mistress, was laying the cloth for dinner, a. con- fused sound of cheering was heard in the srteet outside, and old Lynch went to see what it was about. "It's the foreign onap," he said, coming back in a few minutes. "Tlhey've acquitted bit, and the people are fol- lowing him down the street. I'm glad he's not to be hanged anyway." 1 Martin came in soon after, bringing particulars of the verdict. "The judge charged in bis favour; he told the jury that if they believed Dolly's evidence, ' they had no choice but to acquit the man; and they brought in a verdict of "Not Guilty" without leaving th' box.—He may thank Dolly for that." "He may thank Dolly for being six weeks in jail. If she had not meddled with the clock that day, me and her uncle would have known that he didn't leave the house till after two, and we'd have said so at the inquest; and he'd have been let off tben and there." 'I hardly think he would. Mrs. Lynch. The coron.er'sury would have sent him for trial all the same." "Anyhow, Dolly's had a lesson that she won't forget in a hurry," said her uncle. "She'll never tell a lie again." "I didn't tell a lie, uncle," extaimed Dolly. "You made the clock tell one for you, my lass, and that was just the same, according to my reckoning." Dolly turned scarlet. "She didn't think of it in that light, sir," said Martin kindly. "No I don't think she did. What- ever her faults may be—and I'm not denying perhaps that she has as many as other people.—.she always tells the truth.—What became of the poor for- eignchap, Martin? He'll be dazed like, getting his liberty all of a sudden." "He's all right, sir ; the Italian con- sul was in court, and 'lue's looking after On the way home that evening Dolly made an effort to express her grati- tude to Martin for the kindness he had shown her. "Don't bink of it, Dolly," was the answer. "Any onewould have done the same under the circumstances; and you know well that I'd do ten times as much any day only to give you a moment's pleasure." "I never knew till to -day how good you were," said Dolly ; and Mar- tin went home that night feeling hap- pier than be had done for months. A fortnight later Dolly came to her unlce to tell bit that she had promised to marry Martin. "I'm right glad to hear it, my girl," said Lynch ; "you couldn't have a better or a kinder bnsband. All I'm afeared of is that you don't really know how to value him." "I think I do, uncle," said Dolly. (The End.) any wood. HOW THE CUBAN DRINKS. The manner in which they quench' thirst is a Cuban. art. Elevating the Olay bottle on his wrist until it is slightly above the top of his head, the native turns the watelr Loose at a dis- tance of 10 to 12 inches from his mouth. The stream", about the size of a lead pe'neil falls by a pr'etty curve in full view until it passes between' the lips. Thus the Cubaar quenohes his thirst wiehout spilling a droop. Me accom- pleshanent has . its utility. As the wa- ter passes in. this continuous pouring from the bottle to the mouth it is be - fare the eyes of the drinker, and any foreign matter is seen. RECENT RAILROAD STATISTICS, Number of Titles tnthe Dlaerent Countries of the World. The railway mileage of the world has, during the last sixteen years increased at an average annual rate of 14,000 miles, and now stands at about 440,000 miles, say the London Pall Mail Gaz- ette. It will readily be inferred that, in regard to length of traok, the Un- ited States is first. At the and of last year it possessed 182,500 miles of steam railway, as compared with 170,229 miles in 1894. For the whole American con- tinent the total is approximately 230,- 370 miles, South America, boasting a trifle in excess of 24,000 miles, Canada and Newfoundland 16,230 and Mexico and Central America the rest—a mat -1 ter of 7,640 miles. In the whole of Eur-' ope there are 161,500 miles, Germany leading with 29,240 miles, France com- ing second with 26,450 miles, and Rus- ` sia third with 2$,630 miles. The place of Great Britain and Ireland is fourth on the list. Our actual mileage in op -1 eration, according to the latest ree turn of the Board. of Trade, was 21,174 miles at the beginning of last year. Next after this country ranks Austria- Hungary with 18,960. miles, Asia, as a consequence of activity on the Trans Siberian Railroad in British India, and in Japan (which has recently bad its railway mania), has in the last three years seen a remarkable increase, and the total naw works out at 28,490 miles, against 26,070 miles in 1893. .0f this total 19,700 miles must be credited to , rndia, 2,950 miles to Japan, and 2,300 miles to Russia, the others being Dutch India (1,260 miles), Asia Minor (1,100 ' miles), Ceylon, Siam, Malay, and Port India, Cochin China, Tonquin, China, ' and Persia. In the whole of Africa,' which has an area of about 11,950,000 ' square miles, or a round 4,000,000 miles less than either Asia or America, there I are about 8,500 miles of railway; while; Australia, with an area of 2,954417 square miles, now possesses close upon 16,000 miles. In regard to railway mil- eage per 100 square miles of territory, neither of the three great continents of Asia, Africa or America shows well beside Europe. There are ten coup- ? tries in which the State doe: not control the railways, namely, Great Britain, Colombia, Mexico, Paraguay,; Peru, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, the + United States, and Uruguay. Eighteen Governments own and operate some of', their raihvays. These are Argentina, Australia, Austria-Hungary, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, South Africa, Chili,! Denmark, France, Germany, Guatem- ala, India, Japan, Norway, Portugal, Russia and Sweden, Egypt and Nicera- gus own and control practically all their railways, while Greece, holland, and Italy own part of their several sys- tems, but do not work any, leasing all the present mileage to joint stook com- bhanies.total In milCanadaeageis about one-tenthownedand conof e- trolled by the Government, which loses something like £100,000 per annum on its proportion. THE LARGEST IN THE WORLD. Launching of the Balser William the Great at the Stettin Duel( yards. Of signal interest, not only to all who are engaged in shipbuilding, but also to all Germans, was the launching of the new double screw steamer Kaiser William the Great, which took 'place re- cently near Stettin. This splendid steamer• is at present the biggest ves- sel of the kind in the world, and Ger- mans are naturally elated at the thought that their country holds the palm in this respect. The dimensions of the monster craft are as follows :—She is about 190 metres in Length on the water line and 198 metres aver deck. Her breadth is about 20 metres and her depth is 13 metres. Her gross tonnage is registered at 18,800 and her displace; ment is 20,000 tons. She has been built under the supervision of the North German Lloyds and the German Lloyds, and she ranks as a first class steam- er. For the safety of the passengers, the freight and the vessel herself, all pos- sible precautionary measures have been taken. There are fifteen watertight bulkheads, and by means of these and of other appliances the vessel is divid- ed into eighteen separate watertight campartments. Furthermore, there is a double floor over the entire length of the vessel There are two triple expansion engines, each of which has four cranks and four steam cylinders. Besides these there are not less than 68 auxiliary engines, for the electric lights, the pumps, etc., which are provided with 124 steam cyle hiders. The two main engines are of 30,000 horse power, and the daily con- sumption of coal is from 450 to 500 tons. The average rate of speed is set down as 22 miles an hour. The steamer contains accommodations for 400 first class passengers, 340 second class passengers, and 800 third class pas- sengers. The cabins of the first class passengers are amidships or over the promenade deck, those of the second class are toward the stern and those of the third class are in the front part of the vessel. The various saloons and reception rooms are elegantly furnish- ed and decorated, the, first saloon being ornamented in early Renaissance Ital- ian style. Some fine paintings are to be seen, among them being those of the Emper- or of Germany's residences from the earliest times down to the present day. Decorations in rocco and in , Queen Anne style are also to be seen. Espe- cially tasteful in this respect are the reading room, music room and smoking room. The cabins are designed to ac- commodate from two to three passen- gers each, but there are also several state cabins for special occasions. The number of men employed on the steamer is 450, of 'whom 208 form the engineers- corps. There are 'twenty- four steel boats; and the vessel is fur- ther provided with the best modern safeguards against fire. On the whole, the Kaiser William the Great is a not- able vessel, and it is no wonder that the Germans are proud of her. A. SHORW POET. The manwho brought this in, re- marked the editor's assistant, as he unrolled half a yard of manusorWt, told me confidentially that b,e needed the money for it. Yes, was the melancholy' answer ; it's a strange fact that the longest poems seem - almost invariably to be written by the shortest poets: A NICE, CHATTY BURGLAR, MISS NICHOLS'S TALK WITH THE ROBBER WHO TIED HER. Site Never Thought to Lock the Moor When She Iieard 11111. Downstairs, and she Told Hite BOW Murk Money Iter Father Had stud Where It 'Was --Amenities 10 iturglary. The robbery of John B: Nichols, of Nichols village, Bridgeport, Conn., Fri- day tiighlt by mashed robbers of over $500 is one of the most peculiar cases with which thie authorities of tbat country have ever had to deal. The stories told by Mr. Niohois and his daughter are most remarkable. Never woe such consideration shown to vic- tims in these pasts by men desperate enough to anter a .house at midnight to rob and plunder bh,e inmates. The authorities say it is almost too good to be true. Investigation blows that the rob- bers entered through the cellar door, which was unlocked. From the cellar they went Straight to an old bureau in Mr. Nichols room, in the bottom drawer of which was the money which they took away. It was in bills of large denominations, and was between the leaves of an old book. Mr. Nichols was bound without difficulty or outcry. Mies Nichols's story of her chat with the burglars is even more peculiar. She heard the men downstairs in her fa- ther's room, but did not get up and lock the door, nor did she put her head out of the window and call for help, She simply remained quietly in bed. The burglar - came upstairs into her room, lit hive lamp, pulled down the window stades and began to SEA1wH HER, POG 'I�.ET1B00K. She was lying as if asleep. When she saw dim take her Witney she said: "What are you taking my money for? I have to work hard for that." The burglar looked toward her and said, pleasantly: 1 won't take It, then." He put It back. liben be walked over alai placing his hand on her throat, choked her, not hard, and said: "Keep quiet or 1'll kill you," Then, he tied her wrists and made her fast to the lied with a small cord. "Where's your fa'ther's money?" he demanded. "Dowanseairs in an old book in the lower bureau drawer 'in his room," she replied. The burglar went downstairs, and re- turning in a minute with. the book, sat down upon her bed and began to. take the money from between the leaves. He asked how much there was, and she 'replied that when she counted it a few days before there was about $500. After he bad completed the count she asked: "How much Le there?" "!live hundred and twenty dollars," the burglar answered. As be turned to go she asked hien how she was going to get loose. The burglar replied that Ler brother would be up Lo the house in tbe morning and he would set her free. She said some- times be did net come there at all dur- ing the day. "Then write a note and I'll take it to the neighbor's," the obliging bur- glar said. Hie handed her an old. en- velope Which he took from the hook, and also a pencil. Her fingers were free, the cord being tied about her ,wrists. She wrote: Mrs. Derwood : Came immediately, 1 arm tied by burglars." "Take this to the next house and leave it angler the door," :she said. "There are dogs there, and I think I'll pin it on the, tree," he said. "No one would see it there," she con- tained. "Then I'll put it an the steps and place a stone on it," the burglar ans- wered. They had. some further conversation' en watch the man assured her that he' WOULD NOT HURT HER or her father. He also said that he would not take her watch or any of ]lea' trinkets, and be did not, He then dleipaxted. "I waited about five minutes after' he had gone," Miss Nichols told a re - [porter. I worked, at the knots with my teeth, and after a few moment' ;had them untied. After freeing my- self, I welet downstairs and released my father. Then I went out and across the lots to my brother's house. The rest od the story has been told." There are very many odd features about the burglary story. A queer one is that the burglars were informed sa thoroughly as to the conditions. They knew all the members of the family, they knew just wtho was in the house and the matchers they struck, as shown! by the buanst ones which have been, picked up by the detectives, were the ,same ae, those in the house. They knew that the money ways in the old bureau. Not a lock barred their entrance to botb rooms, and the girl, hearing the men downstairs, made no attempt to secure the door of her room. and summon aid by shouting out of the window. Miss Nichols's none was not left at the neighbor's by the chatty burglar. AN EXTRAORDINARY MIGRATION. One of the greatest mysteries to sci- entists, one for which there seems to be no reasonable explanation, is that concerning the migration of the lem- ming, or Norway rat. Instead of tak- ing place once a year, these migrations occur only once in every eleven years. When the time comes for the exodus, the little animals journey westward from Scandinavia, allowing nothing to stop their movements„ which virtually amount to a headlong flight. They swim the lakes and rivers and climb the highest mountains in incalculable numbers, devastating the whole coun- try through which they travel. Na- turalists .attribute the movement to some inherited memory of a flight to escape an expected cataclysm, but this seems somewhat farfetched.. NEW MARINE INVENTION. One of the recent marine inventions is a n.ulbtl-keel vessel, a foam of ship with a flat bottom, provided with five or seven keels. !The inventor claims greater carrying capacity and - in- creased floating power, with higher speed, than any other form of ship. The bow and stern are spoon -shaped, table vessel has two sternposts and two rudder's linked together so as to move simultaneously, and two to opellers. It is also olaianed for this model that it. can be turned in its own lengthy and wall; bit sanootlh, waiter, steel equally as well Whether running ahead or as- tern. TOOK ROUGH ON RATS. Aurelia Townsend, of Toronto, Tires of Lire and Sulellies, ;A despatch from Toronto says:—Am- elia Townsend, the wife of Henry Town- send, a woman 50 years. of age, com- mitted suicide au Wednesday ., aftee- noon, by taking a dose of rough on rats, at her home, 185 .Eaetsrn Ave, lA.t a quarter to. ane Wednesday af- ternoon her bust/and, l;e(it her to re- turn to his work, and at that time he says she was in the bleat of health. and spirits. Shortly after three o'clook one of the children, a little girl, went to the next door neighbor, a Mrs. Rowe, and told her that "mamma was awful sick." Mrs. Rowe went to tbe Meanie and found the wlolnan in bed suffering intense agony. Rh:FUS,ED AK. EMVT3 c7. Not knowing what was wrong, Mrs. Rowe hastily called Dr. ]Ferguson, of King street .east, who found every trace of arsenal poisoning. The wo- man refused to take melees, and so the doctor bad. the ambulantee called and removed bar to the Genera,]. host vital. here the stomach pump was applied, hut nothing Gould save ,the woman and aha died inside 01 two hours. At the ha -vital she made a statement to the. eifietat that she was tired of life and took the.' poison with[ eery intention oa committing suicide. liar 'husband, Henry Townsend, is utterly at a lass to understand why she should do such a desperate deed. "I left her at a quarter to atte,"he said; "she was nut ;al the back yard westing clothes and as happy as could be." It is stated by some of the weigh,. hours that the wtoman drank rather heavily, and it is possible that her state of melanriboly might have been caused by too much whislky. Shell leaves a family of two small children. TORTURED TO DEATH. Inhuman Treatweit of a Little Child — Beaten and Cut 'With Waives—glade to Stand on a Iced Ilot Stove. A despatoh from Paris says: The celebrated Gregoire case ended in the Assize Court on Thursday evening in the conviction of the accused persona. Pierre Gregoire was sentenced to penal servitude for life, and his mother and his mistress, Louise Deshayes, were each condemned to five years' impri- sonment.. 'Ilk prisoners were tried. on the oharge of having caused the death in December last of Gregoire's son, who was only three years old. Since the facts showing the incredible brutality of the three prisoners became known the little fellow has been called. the " infant martyr." He was made to stand on a red-hot stove, and to struggle for his food with a dog. He was beaten frequently and at times bis tormentors would cut him with knt'ves. The father would place a luxap of sugar on the child's head and bid the dog jump for it. In doing so the animal would scratch the boy's face, which afforded amusement to the inhuman parent. Finally, the helpless child was aban- doned in the street on a freezing cold night. When found he was uncon- scious. He was taken to a hoepital, where he died. The police made an investigation, which led. to the arrest of those responsible for his death, a clue being furnished them by a few words the boy muttered in his de- lirium. The evidence presented at th'e trial created a sensation. The court -room was crowded, and when some particu- larly damaging point was brought out the audience would about:— "A mort 1" "A mort 1" When Gregoire -was sentenced, he said:—"I ask society to pardon me tor the crime I ,committed. WITH BLOODHOUNDS. Fri The Murderers of a young Fanner Being Hotly Pursued. Sterling, I11. Ju)ie 2.. -,Robbed, mur- dered, urdered, and cremated—that tells the awful fate of George Kauffm'unn, a young farmer. He stood guard oven his father's granary to protect it from thieves, who killed him at his post and. sought to witpe out the evidence of their fiendish cruelty with fire. There is'no club to the murderers, but blood- hounds are on the trail, George Kauffmann began his vigils two weeks ago. He was unsuccessful and reggu- larly went back to las father's home for his breakfast. On Tutesday he did not come at the usual hour. The family waited for some time without concern. Then his father became alarmed, and started for the barn, ac- companied by C'thaales Schrader, the hired man. They noticed that the straw stack had been nearly burned down and was still smouldering, and went to examine it. They were horri- fied to field on the tap of the smok- ing stark the body of young Kauff mann, burned to a crisp, and with. the clothing all consumed. The victim had been clubbed and his skull crush- ed. His throat had been cut and the head was nearly severed - from the body. 8. bullet -bole showed that the mutrderer bed shot the young man. TROUBLE IN AFRICA. An Outbreak 111 Malcibcleland—The Wa Ex prditton Safe—Gips lri•oni Chief&unary. A despatch from Cape Coast Castle, West Coast of Africa, says:—Lieuten- ant Henderson, and other members of the expedition attacked early in April at Wa, where they were making treat- ies with the chiefs of the Hinterland, have been released and are returning to Coomassie, bearing presents from Chief Samory to th'e Governor. It was at first feared that the mission had been massacred by the followers of Chief Samory, who is very powerful, and who has hitherto professed friend- ship for the Briitsh. Wa is consider- ed to be within the sphere of British influence, and preparations were being made to send an expedition to Wa with instructions to ascertain the fate of. the Henderson expedition and punish` Chief Sammy if disaster had befallen it. Alarming news has reached at Sal- isbury, Matabeleland, of the movements of the insurgent Mashonas. The town of Ballyhooly, twelve miles from here, is surrounded by armed natives. TT•1'! i ONE ABOVE ALL OTHERS,. Who is accepted as the head of your household, Easer, you or your wife? The cook.