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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1909-7-1, Page 61 +c++aFc?+oi-to+o ;o 0+04.0-/'01 AT IEi CA,LL . OF LOVE " Whitt about the clanger? Does the operation imperil the life of the patient?" asked Castle, g'lanoing keenly at his friend. Though ho could have answered the. question off -hand, Dr. Ormond hesitated. Should he say yes or . no? Once before Castle had lost a woman's love through an act of quixotic gallantry, and be wonder- ed whether it would not be best to tell a lie now, and so prevent him committing a •second foolishly noble. deed. "There is the danger of the anae- sthetic, of course, But from a, sur- gical point of view it cannot be re- garded even as a serious opera- tion," said the doctor? truthfully. "And the cases are similar - the oases of Gladys and the woman you treated at the hospital?" "They are identical," "The operation on the woman's eyes was quite a success?" "Yes." Castle sat low in his chair, gaz- ing across at the distant hills with an unseeing stare, his chin sunk up- on, his breast. "Why are you asking all these questions?" inquired the doctor, looking straight into his compan- ion's scarred face, "There can be but one reason," came the reply, in a deep, tender voice. "You see what all this may mean fur Gladys?" "A successful operation would mean that she would regain some- thing to the loss of which she has become reconciled." Then, reach- ing out to him, he swiftly demand- ' ed, "And what might it mean for you 7" "Heaven knows!" ejaculated Castle, and the hand on the table twitched in response to its owner's agitation. "Might it not shatter into dull, grey dust the golden future on which you have dwelt daily for months past?" asked the brilliant young surgeon, in hard pitiless tones. "Why not leave things as they are, Vic? Why not let well alone 7" 'Because there is a probability, on your own confession, of making it still better." "May not the knowledge which would come to Gladys after a ,sue - tassel] operation make for misery rather than happiness?" "But am I so very ugly, Phil—so very ugly?" asked Castle, spring- ing to his feet and standing before his friend, a picture of splendidly - proportioned manhood. A love rare among men existed between these two, and a nod was the only answer Dr. Ormond could trust himself to give. Castle sank again into his chair. "It seems hard that a fellow should have suffered so much and that a woman shank] have cared so little," he complained. "It was well to know how little she oared." "Yes, but the price—the price! Look at mel" As he spoke he thrust his face forward into the sunlight, so that his sears showed ftp with brutal frankness. The doctor could say nothing. They dropped into silence again, the disfigured man resuming his contemplation of the far, blue hills. "At times I've imagined, when looking in the glass, that I am not so ugly as I had feared. But the glance of the first stranger I met soon dispelled the idea, and con- vinced me that my opinion was the, outcome of familiarity, he present-; ly said, more in the manner of one • thinking aloud than speaking to bis friend. At ]est Ormond arose and went 1,4) the back of Castle's chair. Lean- ing over, ho placed a hand on each of his shoulders, as though to give emphasis to his words. "Vic, old man, you remember the lonely little girl she was when first you made her acquaintance?" he said. "Yes." "Now, I put it to you fairly — isn't she a hundred times happier to -day through your kindness?" he asked, "1 think she is happier," agreed Castle. "You know she 18," was the em- phatic rejoinder, "And as your wife she would be happier still." "Perhaps." "There's no 'perhaps' about it. Your kindness and tenderness would then enter her life more fully and intimately, so it's a foregone conclusion. Why risk this certain happiness 1" "There is a chance of winning a greater," "Anda greater chance of losing all," snapped the doctor, "Gladys is sentimental acid imaginative. She may be treasuring a mental picture of you rivalling te Greek god for beauty. A girl of her temperament, blind as she is, wouldnaturally give a free rein to her fancy, If you destroy this illusion, it's a thou- sand to one yois involve herlove in the ruin." "V'onr surmises are wide of the facts. She, is a victim to ceaseless • day -dreams, 1 knew," said Castle, "but she is *dear little worths her questimas saleo m teeth on flan- pl appearances; her curiosity seeme centred instead in probing the dis- positions of the people with whore sha comes in c toc t, Dr. Ormond found his attacks ef- feotively oountered at every point; he oauid awake no headway against the ether. He stepped to the edge ohif the veranda, and Castle joined m, Just beyond them were great tulip -bele, aa peewee mot of gor- geous oolor banked by budding shrubs, Farther on was an orchard, billow on billow of pink :and white and white blossom rolling away in- to the distance over green grounds, across which moved cloud -shadows of a darker hue. A sky of pearl - flecked blue arched down to the far hills, along whose crest ran the •sombre green of the pine woods, "You see that?" asked Castle, waving his arm outwards, "All that is an unrelieved blank to her, Phil. How can 1, who love her, let it remain so? What .should she think of me if she knew? Oh, I can't do itI If I win the prize 1 must be worthy. She must have her chance," he concluded, in a voice tense with emotion. "And if she turns from. you?" It was a cruel question. The blood left Castle's face, and his grip on the iron upright of the veranda tightened. "Then 1 hope she will meet some- one who will be as—as good to her as I would have been," he said,. softly. "Vic, old boy," said the doctor, grasping Castle's band, but looking away over the valley, "there are not many men like you—not very many.' * * IF * * The next morning Dr. Ormond returned to town, and Victor Castle called on Mrs. Revell. "Gladys and Lil are just gone out," she said, greeting him with a smile as he entered the gate. "My business is -chiefly with you/' he replied. "I've had Dr, Oormond, the great sight specialist, staying with me, as you know. I spoke to biro about Gladys, explaining her case as minutely as I could, and be is of the opinion that her sight can be restored." "Oh, Victor !" cried Mrs. Re- vell. "If it could—if it could !" "He had a similar ease at St. Paul's Hospital quite lately. The sight had been lost through injury to the head. They operated---" "Operated l" repeated the wo- man, recoiling at the thought of the knife, "It is not at all a dangerous op- eration," Castle assured her. "The knowledge has come to me after ilong and continued inquiry, and I Ihave lost no time in passing it on to you. It remains, of course, for you to decide whether you will act upon it." "I trust you fully in everything ,regarding her welfcre,' declared Mrs. Revell. "You will advise mei" "Certainly. I should put the matter calmly and plainly before Gladys and let her choose." "She would sacrificemueh to re- gain her sight. Before she was He started the engine, then blind .her love of beautiful things •lsblked round the car critically. ranged' from flowers to human bee Everything was in apple-pie order. Tugs, and she often painted both. Again he consulted his watch. I know the course she will choose." Twenty-nine minutes to eleven. He "I know and appreciate her love fumbled awkwardly in putting it of beauty, so perhaps you can un- back. Gladys might be, at that derstand my desire for her to see very moment examining the photo bofer we are married?" he had left for her, "My•boy—my boy!" the exclaim- He brushed his hand impatiently cd, for his words conveyed a world across his eyes and looked up the of meaning. "You're not afraid of road. How much longer would this that, are you ?" suspense last? The Bevel's' place "1 am—afraid," her confessed,was about a mile awe '. 3 Would walking to the window. "But she; anyone ever come round that bend, must have her chance, whatever theins would he have to wait in vain? price and whoever pays. If she is He had turned once more to his to ever going see—things as—they car when the violent ringing of a I are, it had better I e now than when bicycle -bell struck rudely into his it is too late. Yet, if I lose her—{ refiectionss. Starting up, he saw "You know yea would never he that to me—blind or seeing," he in tempted, literally. "Don't he cross," she begged "One can't help feeling a burden I want you to he one of the first I . see, Do wait—please?" "I can't," he said, half turning from her, but still belling hes hand, "Bow could I stand it i the operation had—failed 1" "Failed! You're very strange this mo'ninte, Vie; Something is troubling you. What is it1" Though he must answer, he could not telpher the truth, "Nothing that need worry yon,' le parried. "When we know the result eef your operation I shallbe myself again, I don't thiels you realize all it means to me." There was a swift movement, and the girl found Castle's arms around her in a tight embrace. "You do love me, don't you, Glad?" he burst out, passionately "J1'or Heaven's sake, tell me—tel mel" "I can't help loving you," she answered, simply. "You'll send to me immediately you know?" I should so have liked you with me," she said, wistfully, holding an entreating face up to him, There swept back upon him the memory of an incident of which he dare not risk a reception. He could still •see the look ef eversion with which another girl he had loved greeted him on their first meeting after his spill. The glance had stung him like a whip -lash. lee had of- fered her her freedom and she bad accepted it. Such a look in the eyes of Gladys Revell would have out still deeper into his soul, and in his anxiety to evade the possi- bility of this crowning pain he had resolved to return home and await the course of events. "Selfish as I appear, dear," be said, "I'm sure you will forgive me when you know all." For a second or two he held her close, his lips on hers, then he re- solutely turned and left her. Outside he found Mrs. Revell and gave her a photo. "If all goes well, 1 want you to show this t+..Gladys before you let her send far me," he explained, hurriedly. She glanced down at it and saw that it was a faithful likeness of Castle as he steed. She bowed her head, for words seemed somehow inadequate, and the next moment he was gone, the door closing soft- ly behind him. He walked rapidly home and got out his car, pointing its nose to- wards the Revell's residence, then paced restlessly to and fro beside it. The golden glory of the spring day was lost upon him. Fixed indeli- bly on his mental vision was a dark- ened ehamber—a pale complexioned girl, bandaged across the eyes, and two grave surgeons in attendance. He went into the house, but the sound of a clock slowly ticking away the seconds irritated him, and he came out again. He .pulled out his watch, Twenty-eight minutes past tease At half -past the bandages wain' be removed, and thea—ah! whet then ? if I lose her !'' "Don't talk like that, Victor, Yeu're not fair to her. Her love for you is deeper than you suppose, I'm confident you need not fear." "Well, don't let her know any- thing about my fears," he begged, pulling himself together. I'll come up this afternoon and take her and Lil for a spin in the car. Good morning." Mrs, Revell's heart ached for him as she watched him down the path. "lf people in Heaven know any- thing of those on earth, your mo- ther must be a proud woman, lad- die," she said to herself, I1. The operation had been perform- ed and Dr. Ormond said there was every indieation that the desired result had been attained, though a definite verdict could not be pro- nounced till the bandages were removed and the girl's sight actu- ally tested. That was to take place at half - past ten. Castle had run up to see Gladys for a few minutes, and when he spoke of geing again she displayed considerable disappoint- ment, "Yon might wait, Vic," she pleaded. "Yon must know I want to --see you," "Yon feel that you will be able to see?" he asked, bending down till his lips touched her hair. "Yes, And Ido want to, for your sake " "For my sake?" `I shan't be a burden then, shall To all, excepting him, this was the most important t p0 in t, Hawant- ed to hear more, and waited with highly -strung nerves for a message. The impetuous youngster threw herself off her machine, "Gladys wants you at once, Vic!" she cried. Castle's throat swelled choking- ly, and the words drummed trium- phantly in his ears, but he was still doubtful. "Has she seen my photo 7" he ached. "Yes. And isn't she silly? 1 think she's crying for you," was the breathless and slightly contemptu- ous answer. Suddenly Castle snatched the child up in his arms. "Look at me kiddy!" lee exclaim- ed. "Am 1 very, very ugly?" "I don't know, ingenuously re- plied she. "I was afraid when I saw yon first, but I like you better than anybody now." Cantle kissed her and seated her in the car, tossed the bicycle in be- hind, then sprang in himself, * * 5 * * Three minutes later Castle en- tered the haunteiugly familiar c!arke.ned room. He halted en in- stant, linable to penetrate the gioorn. "Vie—Vic l" said an unsteady voice. "Glad!" ha cried. "You can—" "As well as ever," she answered. "And you ---know of my---disfig- uromont?" "I've known all the time, Mother told me at the beginning, Bet you never spoke of it, so why should 11 Draw the blind end let ane see ori, Y drew •1Aside a trifle Be r the blind a da trifle, then dame book to her, keeping his twee averted, Be found it Aimed impossible to conquer the shame of his ugliness. Sse reached up and turnehis head, looking straight luta his eyes as she stood with her heels to tae window, "They're just whet I expected, Via," she said, after regarding trim intently for a while. e "What?" he asked "Your eyes—bright blue fighting oyes—they're grand!„ "And the soars 7" he inquired, bitterly. "When I look at them, 1 see, in imagination, a bridge aver a rail- way, she replied, speaking In quick, low tones, "On it, standing right across the rears, is a gover- ness -car full of children, drawn by a donkey which has developed a fit of stubbornness, "A great racing -ear flashes into view at the top of the long- steep road leading down to the bridge. The brakes must be defective, for it tears down the hill at a terrific speed, the horn hooting•hoarsely all the way. The bridge is so narrow that, when clear, considerable skill is required to negotiate it. In the present sir enstences it is a sheer impossibility. "The girl in charge of the little party makes frantic efforts to whip the donkey into life, but it is im- movable as stone. The children, supremely ignorant of the appalling danger, clap their hands delighted- ly at the destruction rushing to- wards them. "The car is within thirty yards of the bridge. The few onlookers are awaiting, with horrified fascin- ation, the apparently inevitable tragedy, when the great car gives a violent jerk, skids half round with two wheels in the air, then crashes through the loosely built stone wall down on to the railway below. It was a heroic deed." "Or a fortunate accident," com- mented Castle. Li] pedalling towards him as though a life depended on her speed. "She can see—she can see!" the girl shouted, long before she reach- ed Castle. "It wasn't an accident," she Con- tradicted. "I was there. You were driving the car. I saw you give the steering -wheel a determin- ed twist in the direction of the wall.." "Well, what could I do ? There were the kiddies, you see, sweet- heart," he urged, apologetically, pushing the wave of hair from her forehead, and lifting the shade so that he could look into her eyes. "Yes, there were the kiddies," she agreed, slowly and thoughtful- ly. "And you'll love me in spite—" "In spite and because of it. No girl could care for you less on ac- count of that." Castle shook his head dubiously. "It's right, Vic, whatever you may think," she murmured. "I love you, dear; so I do know."— London Tit -Bits. -+!---- FAMOUS ENGLISH. GARDENS. Fortunes Spent Annually to Main- tain Thole Magniileence. As regards size, the gardens of the Duke of Devonshire at Chats- worth stand first amongst the gar- dens of English noblemen. The Chatsworth gardens altogether are eighty acres in extent, the orna- mental flower -gardens alone cover- ing twelve acres. The grand con- servatory stands unrivalled in Europe, both as regards size and magnificence. It covers nearly an acre of ground, measuring 300 feet by 146 feet, is 65 feet high, and has a carriageway through it. The gardens of the Duke of Sutherland at Trentham Hall, Lord Rosebery's at Mentmore, and the Marquis of Bute's at Cardiff Castle, are among the most costly in the country, their owners expending something like $50,000 to $75,000 a year on them. In the aggregate it is estimated that the noblemen and gentlemen of Great Britain expend a sum of not less than $20,0J0,000 every year on their gardens. In the case of the Duke of Portland, for instance, his yearly wages bill for the garden- ers at Welbeck Abbey leaves him very little change out of $30,000, while the Duke of Devonshire, who employs in all about 100 skilled gardeners at Chatsworth and his other country seats, spends consid- erably over double that amount, paying as much as $1,500 a year to three or four of his head garden- ers, The salaries of . gardeners, however, by no means form the greater part of the expense entailed ie keeping up to a proper standard the gardens of many of the English noblemen. There is the purchase of fresh plants and seeds, the gen- eral upkeep of the garden, repair of greenhouses --of which there are as nsany as fifty or sixty in some noblemen's gardens—and a hen - dyed and one other costly items, which go to swell the grand total. In fact, a score or more names of wealthy men could be mentioned who spend not less than $30,000 a year on their gardens. - Smart Lady : "I want a hat, but ib must he in the latest style," Fashion able Costumier: "Kindly take e chair, madam, and wait a few minutes; the fashion is just changing," 4icr+p-4,o+ a+o- o•! u+o4o+a cn ABOUT THE HOUSE g4.0^4.0 lSa SEASONABLE SALADS, ` Salmon Soled, -- Equal parts flaked salmon and chopped celery, Dash prepared cocoanut to extract sugar and add same in layers, Serve in green pepper shells with mayonnaise dressing, Irish Salad—.Ohop together five ,crisp celery sticks, two bananas,;, and two apples. Do not ehop fine, For dressing use juice of two le- mons and thicken with ono eup- ful of powdered sugar. Mash one banana in this, Serve on lettuce leaves, For four persona, Stuffed Tomatoes, -Cut the tops from large firm tomatoes and with a small spoon scoop out the insides, To half ef this pulp chopped add as much minced boiled ham and two tablespoonfuls of bread crumbs; season to taste and fill the toma- toes with this mixture. Set in a baking pan and bake for twenty minutes. Cucumber'Salad,—Six cold boiled potatoes cut in small pieces, two large cucumbers, one large onion. Slide cucumbers and onion thin and lay in salt water twenty min- utes, Dressing—One-half cupful of malt vinegar, one-half cupful water,. two tablespoonfuls of sugar, one egg, one teacupfulcream, sour or•. sweet. Boil about five minutes. Surprise Salad.—Mix in about any vegetables you have leftover —boiled potatoes, canned peas or beans, corn (if there is no milk with it), celery, even apples or walnuts, After all is well mixed pour the following dressing on, which must he- not, and stir until all has come in contact with the dressing, which. must be cold, before serving on let- tuce leaves. Dressing—Half cup- ful vinegar, one tablespoonful but- ter, one teaspoonful sugar, one teaspoonful celery salt, one level teaspoonful flour, half teaspoonful dry mustard, one egg, salt and pep- per. CARE OF SUMMER THINGS. To Clean Fine Lace.—Lay a newspaper . on a flat surface. Sprinkle thickly with fine magnesia. Place lace on magnesia, then an- other thick coat of magnesia. Cover with paper, place heavy weight on top of lace. Leave for several days and laze will be like new. To Renovate Leghorn Hat. — A black Leghorn hat grown greenish- biaek, but otherwise perfectly good, was made new by thoroughly brush- ing with soft brush, then applying one coat of good dye (hot, and of course black) mixed with a little shellac. The shellac was used to give the glossy appearance, but gum arabic will do just as well. To Clean Black Silk.—Black silk can be cleaned by means of hot vinegar or black coffee. When thoroughly cleaned it should be pressed on wrong side. Be sure to use cloth between iron and silk. To remove the "shine" from a dark wool material sponge it with a so- lution of common washing blue and water and press it while still damp under a thin cloth. When Cleaning Parasols,—Place !parasol in the bathtub, turn on enough clean lukewarm water to cover it well. Rub parasol all over with white soap and let soak for iten minutes. Then take a small hand brush, scrub well, especially in soiled creases, and rinse in a couple of waters. If parasol is linen use a little blueing in last rinse water. Open parasol and hang in the sun, until perfectly dry and your parasol will look as pret- ty and fresh as the day you bought it. Restoring Veils to Freshness. — First, shake free from dust, and if it is not torn anywhere but simply limp and stringy from stretcning and tying, wind it smoothly on a wooden roller. A towel roller or broom handle will do. Then pin securely in several places to keep it tight. Saturate the whole with alcohol, and allow to dry before re- moving. CURTAIN CHAT. To Make Ecru Curtains.—Dis- solve tumeric powder, one table- spoonful to a ballon of water, After white curtains are 'thoroughly. cleansed boil in this solution a fete minutes. To Prevent Curtains Blowing. -- The time of year is here when one wants the windows open and does not want the fresh muslin curtains tits•blow out and become soiled. Take a piere of tape six inches long and put a snap fastener on so as to hook the two ends together. Fasten the centre of the tape by a small brass headed tack to the irindow casing so that the tape, when not in use, hangs hidden by the curtain. When the window is oxen and you wish the curtain pro- tected, simply snap the tape around it. To Do Tip Lace Curtains, — A good way to do up lace curtains that are badly worn out and will net stand strretehing: After care- fully amending all holes wash and starch. Then instead of putting on i stretchers measure on finny line the length you want your ,,irtains and tie a cord so curtains will net slip aver mark; then put your curtains <n andIOW 'u so through the ears xo 6 t that the edges are oven. Pull out each scallop .and =teeth the curtain with your hands, The smoothing will bring out the pattern and the ai will ?attain r vi dry while you oxo work, ing at it, Be earcful to keep the ends square. Your curtains will look like new, TO AVOID MOTHS, Packing Away Furs,—Furs eho; ld be beaten lightly, wrapped in news- paper with bits of camphor laid about them, In packing they should not be rolled so tightly as to orush or damage, rues Safe from 14ieths,--Get a large empty lard. ean from your grocer, brush your furs well, put them in the can, put the lid on se- cure, and . your furs will besafe from moths. Inexpensive Moth Bags.—A bag for Sur coats requires about two yards each of unbleached muslin and common tar paper. Lay tar paper over muelite, fold over, thus forming -a-bag; stitch up the sides on the machine, insert coat or furs, and stitch up top. Lope for hang- ing may be stitched in top seam. ELDERBERRY RECIPES. Elderberry Blossom Wine. — To esery four quarts of blossoms picked from the stem pour on one gallon of lukewarm water; let it stand three days, stirring occasion- ally, then atrain through a sieve or cloth and add one cake compressed yeast,three pounds of white sugar, one lemon sliced; pour all in an eartheujar, stir well, and let stand until it is through fermenting, then strain well and bottle. This wine is healthy and good. Elderberry 'Wine.—Pour two gal- lons of wasps water en every seven pounds of berries, then to every two gallons of this juice add seven. pounds of white sugar. Stem, mash berries in earthen jar, pour. en the water, let stand three days, stirring every day; then strain or press, add the -sugar, and let stand over night; in morning skim off; put in a large jug or keg to fer- ment; when through, cork jug tight es bottle, i' THE EARLIEST "TERRIERS." Tice First Volunteer Forel In Great Britain. The wave of patriotism that is just now sweeping over .Britain in connection with the new Territorial Army, had its counterpart in 1859, when the volunteer force which last- ed up ail March 31st, 1908, first came into existence. This owed its inception to a cer- tain Colonel. Jonathan Peel, who is- sued a stirring call to arras through the public Press. The idea VW eagerly taken up, Government lent its .support, and Queen Vic- toria reviewed in Hyde Park the first 20,000 enlisted men amid scenes of tremendous enthusiasm. True, the new citizen soldiers came in for a good deal of ill-na- tured chaff, due largely to the hos- tile view of the movement taken by certain papere. At oue of the early reviews, too, a young recruit had the misfortune to accidentally kill a stray mongrel, and tor years af- terwards "Who shot the dog?" was a stook phrase, wherewith to irri- tate and belittle individual Volun- teers wherever seen. Nevertheless, the movement grew and prospered. The 20,000 men that marched past the Queen at its commencement had increased in a few months to 70,000, and to 180,- 000 in a little more than a year. l'ennyson's stirring poem, "Torre riflemen, form," first published in The Times, which was sung and re- cited everywhere, did much to sti- mulate the ardor of the youth of the nation, and so help forward re- cruiting. I nwbicls The earlier Volunteer feel force, e e was disbanded after Waterloo, owed its inception to a similar patri- otic boom, which in its turn was due to the dread of invasion foster- ed by the presence of Napoleon's great camp at Boulogne. A quar- ter of a million men enrolled them- selves in the first few weeks, and by the middle of 1803 no fewer than 463,000 were under arms, and ready for ally emergency. The martial ardor of the popu- lace showed itself in many odd ways. Thus, on Hampstead Heath a vast permanent camp was formed, a city of canvas, which on Sundays took on the appearance of a gigantic pleasure -fair, and became the fav-' orite.reeort of all classes. Similar ramps also sprang up on the Sus- sex downs, and elsewhere. t BREAKING THE NEWS. Marion, who had been taught to report her misdeeds promptly, came to her mother one day, sobbing penitently. "Mother, I -I broke a brick in. the fireplace." "Well, that is not very hard to remedy, But how on earth did you do it, Child?" ' "I pounded it ' with father's watch." CATCHING ON. "I'm glad to hens that your boy s getting a foothold as a doctor in hat new town out West." 'Foothold? He's got a toehold. IIe's the only doctor these." TRIALS OF CELEBRITIE', TIMUS WHEN THEY A011 TO 11XUOIi iISS13U. adorewsid's Experience In Austr Ila �nlarlc llanbourg and the OItI Lady, At a recital given by Paderewski et the Sydney' Towel Hall, an extra oedfnery scene pceurred, To the a pitch was the eudienee wrought thee, at the conclusion of the p1 net's rendering of the Polish Fag taste, mon and women in o hod sprang from their seats and ruslie the platform. The musician boa a 'hasty retreat to Isis dressing rooms where he was followed by erantie orush ,of over 200 women from whose forcible' endearment ho with much difficulty escaped Mark ,Hambourg, another pi• nisi, had a similar experience year or so back, when his playia at Mendelssohn Hall, New York, s aroused the enthusiasm of an elder, ly lady that she' sprang forever', and clasped him in a vigorous esu brace. From this he at length re leased himself, only to be pouncr upon by a posse of women, fro whose osculatory importunities le hardly escaped, panting and ex ;haueted, into the anteroom. KISSED. BY LOVELY Cp.11,, ER When Mr. Gran, the Covent Gar den (London) manager, was in ee lebration of hie being made a Che tether of the legion of Honor, to timonalized by the operatic artis tes,he was suddenly surrounded b the prima donne present, who lite ally fell upon him—kissing him u on forehead, cheeks, and hands u til, entirely lost to view . amid straggling masa of delicate mil cry, he was rescued by Mr. Dyck from his imminent peril. Three years since, en the oc sion of Washington Braesels, Ippso Dixit, winning a race Sheepshead Bay, an extraordina demonstration took place. T jockey, who was but nine years o and weighed' barely sixty-eigh pounds, was surrounded .by.hun dreds of women, who pulled hi front the saddle and alnsoet suffo- cated him with kisses. BERAi1GER'S COLLAPSE Accompanied by his housekeeper Mlle. Judith, Beranger, the pope lar French poet, was one eveningg Whiling away a pleasant hour' at that favorite resort of Parisian Bo- hemia, the Closerie des Liles. Sud- denly one of the dancers recogniz- ed the old man and exclaimed to his partner : "There's Beranger 1 Run and kiss him!" The girlw promptly acted on the suggestion, and the next minute the veteran poet was lost to view amid a crowd of excited women each and all en- deavoring Co follow the example' that had beau set. Beneath this frantic onslaught of lips Beranger collapsed—his hat was lost, hie era,., vat displaced, his (oat torn—and it would have gone hard with him 'luso not his faithful housekeeper rust ed to his rescue and see -tolled lsim from his admirers. Even Royalty is not exempt from such worship. A year or two back little Prince Olaf, son of King Ha- akon and Queen Maud, was taken by his nurse for a run in the Queen's Park, Christiania, at ass' hour when it was thronged with ,people. These, at a sight of the young Prince, could not restrain , their loyalty. A crowd of ladies pressed round the child, sell° at once became the object of a perfect fusillade of kisses. 1 THE USEFUL SWALLOWS. Cavalry of the Arian Army ander Friends of the Farmer. ' From the standpoint of the farmer and the orchardist perhaps no birds/ more useful than the swallows ex- ist. They have been described as the light cavalry of the avian army, Specially adapted for flight and. unexcelled in aerial evolutions, they have few rivals in the art of cap- turing insects in midair. They eat nothing of value to man except ar' few predaceous wasps and bugs, and m- return r fortheir services in destroying vast numbers of noxi- ous insects ask only for harborage and protection. It is to the fact that they cap- ture their prey on the wing that their peculiar value to the cotton ; grower is due. Orioles do royal` service in watching weevils on th0 bolls, and blackbirds, wrens, catchers and others contribute to the good work, but when swallows are migrating over the cotton fields they find the weevils flying in the open and wage active war against, them, As many as forty-seven adult weevils have been found in the stomach of a single• cliff mai- low, '0' Clarence; "You're looking wor- ried, old ahappie—buck up, What's the mattah 1" Percival ; "I ' am worried, my boy, towibly, Mc valet • says I'm getting so careless that se's sure I must be in love. lie's right, I suppose—but for the life of me I Dawn t think who she can he!" A:ryway, the ventilation of an ai castle is perfect. 1