Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1899-4-28, Page 2TH ,BRUSSELS POST, Diamond Cut Diamond OR, THE ROUT OF THE ENEMY. CHAP1111t XXlit,—Continued, if not emlirely of love were yet wholly Sometimes, as she came along the of usefulness and goounesal Wbat, lam that wound beneath the woods in which the old house lay, ahs Would look up a little doubtfully at the brok- en-down gateway, which was all that could be seen of it front the road, and elle would latch herself wondering why that beautiful and mysterious wo- man and leer old father had so sudden- ly vanished, leaving no trace of their existence. Was it because of what She .hod said to her about Geoffrey?" And it is quite eartale that Miss Daus would not have taken any blame to herself bad she been assured that it was so. Madame de Brefour was a bad women undoubtedly, she said to herself with decision. Women who are mysterious and can't give an open account of their past lives, and have not got respectable relations to prop up their position and vouoh for their antecedents, always are bad. Besides, she was a Papist, and a designing per- son, and no doubt Coddisham was very well rid of her. Yet, where and who was shel she wondered. And why had Geoffrey never been home for ao long? '—never once since she had so suddenly disappeared, see and all her belong- ings, from the house which he used to visit with such indecorous frequenoy, Was Geoffrey running after her still —was she laying her spells upon him', striving to ruin him body and soul, in some other place where his sister's wholesome and restraining influence was not present to drag h.m back from this iniquituous intercourse? And then, indeed, as so awful a possibility presented itself to her mind, Miss Dane did occasionally experience a qualm of compunction. Perhaps it was an error of judg- ment to have driven her away," she owned to leerself once or twice when haunted by these terrible suggestions. "Perhaps 1 had better have kept her here under my own eye, so as to ael- nmeish them both ; and yet I acted for the best and trom the highest mutivee. It was a scandal in the parish, and as ley too easy-going father would not in- terfere, it fell upon my shoulders to remove a public evil for the sake of the examine, even at the risk of my brother falling tato deeper disrepute elsewhere. e'er his sake 1. might, per- haps, have acted more wisely, but for the sake of what is right, surely 1 could not have acted otherwise, and my conscience reproaches me with no - thus Florence consoled herself, and fortified by pious self -approbation honestly believed herself to be blame- less in the matter. Perhaps from the strict moralist's point of view, aha may theoretically have had right and justice on her side, bat how much practical mischief do nut these uncompromising Christian per- sons, with their unalterable rude of laws, do to their weaker Mathieu in Chia hard temptest-tossed world! Well, the summer was well nigh over, and the first of the autumn months nigh at hand, when someLhiug wince may be culled an event iu Flor- ence bane's monotonous existence came to pass. 'this was nothing crura wonderful than an invitatiun trim some trtends near London to pay them a visit. :tile Vicar of St. Steven's Dis- trict Church, Riverside, had, two years ago, married a wife, and this wife had at one time been a friend of Flureude Dane. Mrs. Greathead wrote one day, heaven knows upon what sudden im- pulse ox trtenminess and huspitality, and asked Niorenoe to come and stay with her. "Come now," she wrote, "at once, dear h'lorence, before the summer is quite over. I .am lunging to show you my new husband, my new home, and my new baby. The garden is still full 01 flowers, and we have a capital tennis ground. The river, too, is but two minutes' walk from the house, and I am sure you will enjoy the boating. We have a boat of our own, and Cy- prian will have time to row us out ev- ery evening after service, so do not delay your visit until the days get short and chilly." This letter h?lorenee Dane flung across tee breakfast table tuwards her father's plate, with a little snort of derision. "Very kind o1 Carry Greathead, but quite impossible." ter. Dame read the letter, and looked up mildly over his spectacles. "Why is it 00p0ssible, my love? I think you bad must 'certainly better accept the invitation." "11dy dear father, how can I leave home just now?" 1 see no difficulty, Florence; all the school treats are over, there is noth- ing of any importance in the pariah to keep you, nothing that your sisters and Mies Jones cannot do for you. It will muke a pleasant change for you." Florence shook her head. "1 can't see much pleasure in it. A indeed, would beoome of him, what would beoome of Coddlsham without her 1 And so, because he was ashamed of the unworthy feeling, he dissembled, as men are wise to dissemble towards the domestic tyrant whom they value yet fear, and whilst owning to the loss see would beto him, pressed her gently withal, as'if from purely disinterested motives, to accept tee invitation from her friend. It was so long since she left home, be urged. Change was good for ev- erybody. A little rest after all her hard work would be certainly bene- rivial. She would come back all the fresher. It was certainly his wish, unselfishly speaking, that she should go. Perhaps she only needed to be press- ed. Perhtips she was secretly longing, like any other weak and mortal young woman, to see fresh fares and fresh scenes. lie that as it may, in the end Florence Dane oonsented, and an ans- wer was duly written and posted to Mrs. Greathead, naming an early day for her departure from home. Thus it came to pass that early in the ensuing week Miss Dane found her- self, somewhat to her own surprise, located in ¥r. Greathead's pretty new vicarage souse in the suburban town of Riverside, with a dainty bed -room and sitting -room set apart for her own use, will no younger sisters to look after, and nobody to admonish or ex- hort, and nothing on earth to do from morning till night, but to be amused and talk pleasantly to her friend and her husband and their acquaintances. It was a novel sensation to her, and not an unbeneficial one, inasmuch as it made her feel herself to be a smaller and more insignificant individual in the world than she had ever supposed before, for Coddisham apparently got on very well without her, and nothing as yet proved to her that she had been summoned to Riverside by art Almighty Providence for the furthering of some great scheme for the benefit of her fel- low -creatures. Nothing needed refox ring or remod- elling here. OLr'. and Mrs. Greathead were a domestic couple, much attached to one another. the baby was under the care of a clever nurse, who was in no doubt as to the uorrete management of infants in arms. 1he olnu'dh ser- vices were frequent and will attended. There were schools, clubs, reading - roams, all after the newest systems, and all iu good working order. Flor- ence, who was something of a fatal- ist, could not understand why fate had taken her to Riverside, where, upper - there was no opening for her talents, and no opportunity of setting Um people to rights, such as her soul delighted in. "1t is impossible," she said to her- self, "that 1 can have been meant to leuvo my great sphere of usotulness and activity at home, and simply and solely to walk up and down the lawn with Curry's baby, to sit and do needles work ra the drawing -roma and to re - mine in the stern of the boat whilst her husband pulls up both as far as the luck and Wok." For the Reverend Cyprian never went beyond the luck, and tor the very best of reasons. He was quite sure he w ould never get back through it And then tel at once, whilat she yet doubted and repined, the truth was re- vealed to 1'iw'euce bane, and she knew why an All -seeing Provi- dence had decreed t hat lees. Great - head should revue her to Riverside; for one afternoon, as she was strolling leisurely down to the Thames—Mrs. Greathead beving asked her to go on and order the boat, whilst she ante her hatband lingered to, see to the wants at a pariahiuner—suddenly, at the cor- ner of the road, just where the high brick wall, with its heavy ivy penthouse eloped away, so that: the silver river came into view like a sheet of glass, veileotiug its green banks line for line upon its bosom, she ran straight up against Aladarwe de Brefourl 1'lurence gasped. Madame de JIrefuur smiled, and made a little inclination u1 her head, a little gesture of het head, as though she would have reached it forth—wh,1..t her lovely twee opened themselves wide with astonishment and her lips half framed a word ot` surprise at the unexpected meeting — for Hose was one of those who remem- bered a benefit very long, but forget an. injury very soon. But by this time bliss Dane had, as she would say, recollected herself. Re- collected what was due to the daugh- ter of a clergyman, and the sister of an innocent young man inveigled ihto the paths of vitro. She drew herself up and flung back her head, grasping her hands the while tightly together, with a grand air which would have be- fitted aqueen, but which sat somewhat through the door and fly across the Platform tuwards the train. "Geoffrey, Geuffreyl" sbe cried loud- ly after !time but though be passed close to her, so close that she eaught at his arm as be went by, and her band actually brushed agafuet bis sleeve, yet he never palmed nor turned. Hie eye* met here, but there wee no glance of redognitiou in them, no smile of broth- erly greeting upon his lipa -- he only stared at hermutely, dumbly, with a dazed, lost look in his face, and as if he had neither seen nor heard her he plunged into an epee cortege. The guard slammed to tee door, and the train began, to move on, and there in the shadow, as he was carried away, Florence could see Ibe fixed white features, and mieera,blu fat' -away eyea, stilt looking out blindly, vacantly into space—likej:the eyes of one who has said good-bye to hie last hope on earth, CHAPTER XXIV. How Lull of hope be bad set forth that dayl As he took his place in the train, more than a quarter of an hour tot aeon, it seemed to him that the time would never pass, that the short juurney would never come to an end. Alt the way down he read and re- read the little note by which she had summoned him, read it till he knew every line, every stroke of it, by heart, dwelling fondly upon every word and trying to draw hidden meanings out of every simple expression. This was the letter which the morning post had brought him: "10, Lwegway Road, 'Riverside! "My Dear Geoffrey, - "I have not hitherto written to you or let you know my direction, because I did not think it well that youshould visit me. But now I want to see you, and you must come to me at once—to- morrow, afternoon, if you will. You will find me at home and waiting for you. 1 have something to say to you. "Always your friend, "ROSE DE B.RE.FOIJR." All his love, all hie de'-otion to her, had sprung up afresh within his heart at the sight of her handwriting, and at the thought of seeing her again— life seemed another thing to -day. A11 the coldness and bitterness that her desertion of him had engendered with- in him melted away beneath the sun- shine of her gracious summons to him. He would see her again, his queen, his love! For a brief space, perhaps, he had watered in his allegiance, but when the test of temptation had come he had withstood it, and bad oast away the good things of this world for her dear sake, and so now he was going to meet her with a clear heart, with a joy in which there would be no drawback, and with no cloud to mar the perfect- ness of his happiness. And this time, he told himself, nothing should part them—nothing on earth, No false humility, no, nor yet any fears of ber displeasure, should bold nim back from speaking of his love, from asking from her the best that she could give to him. He remembered that his uncle, moved, no doubt, by an unreasonable anger against him for his rebellion, bad told him that Madame de Brefour bad a husband living, but Geoffrey did not believe it. Had' not she herself given him to understand that she was a widow, and wly should he not Lake her word against the whale world? He put away the awful suggestion Irani him with a passionate determina- tion to disbelieve in it, I1 could not bo true. Then what else in the face of bis great lova for her could be strong enough to divide him from her? Geof- frey went over the whole case in his mind, just as he had gone over it lean - deeds of times to himself—her differ- ent ifferent creed, her few years of seniority her own admission of mysteries and complications in her life, with which she was anxious not to entrammel him; and then be thought of the dirnay of his family, and the fatal displeasure of his uncle—he weighed it all, andeame to the eoaolusion that, one and all, thesis ohjeotions were not worth a man's while Lo oonsider, when the love of such a one as Rosa de Brefour was in the balance." "If she will have ms," he said tohim- self, "I will brave all, risk all, give up ail, for her sake. I will devote my whole life to her—work for her, die for her, if needs bel" And then the train slopped at Riverside, and in an incredibly short space of time Geoffrey had Sound his way to Longway Road, and was ring- ing the ball at, No. 10. • It was like a glimpse of Paradise to see Martine's face once more as she opened the door to him—he seized both ber hands with impetuosity, and shook them hard. "Ah, Martine, how glad I am to see you. again! How is Madame? Where is the Take me to her at onoe!" "All Mon Dieu, Monsieur Geoffrey!" said the old Frenchwoman smiling at him, but though she smiled she sighed too. We11, too well, did Mar- tine know how hopeless was the suit of the beau, jeune whom her lady lov- ed too dearly far her own welfare. "Madame is in the garden — she bade good tennis ground, she says, and you poorly on four' foot one, and a little ma ick you,toeher kyeaor know I never play tennis! A baby dumpy woman, with no natural aids toQuickly she led the way across the too, as if I wasn't worn out with look- di uit either of Moe or figure, and hall,pn dot at, the door beyond, that g y g + opened e, to the lawn. ing after babies, at home; The river 1 ignoring altogether the lovely smile "There, Monsieur Geoffrey — you I am alwaya nervous in boats, people and the proffered hand of peace, she will find her on the seat beneath the will fidget up and down in them, and passed on with her nose nigh in the mulberry tree—she is reading as I don't know how to swine; and besides, air, and ber eyes fixed immovably upon usunil' she added and even to Genf - really, my dear father, I do not see i the waters of the Thames. Bug from trey, in that moment of excitement, how you could possibly gel on without that moment, she knew—knew why it seemed that there wets a tinge of 00- 100." Providence had sent ber to Riverside ret to her voice, oa a lookpitying v e Tool fsa - Jifi'. Dane was sorting hie own !attars and what was the work that had naso to her eyes.' d and circulars, and he smiled—a little I been designed for her to accomplish quiet smile all to himself—whilst h- p looked down at them. A gay, al- 1 "If f wait long enough I shall sea though altogether a guilty, sensation • my pour, lust; misguided brother," she of dope suddenly awoke within him', said to herself end sure enough ane Hew utterly delightful it would be to did. er be for once quite, quite free. To have 1 Ona evening she and Mrs. Great - nobody to egg him on, and Set elm go - t But Rose was not reading, Vol- taire, old cynic as he is, had not been able to chain ber miserable thoughts to -day. Ile lay open bat unheeded upon her lap, her olaeped hands upon his mimed page, her sad eyes, filled with an unspeakable sorrow, fixed up - ng, nobody to drag iniquities out of heed went up to the Station to in- 0n the door though which dark corners and lay them out before quire after eertarn parcels which were he would came to her — the young Eton in the broad glare of day, so that .001180104 from town. It was about lover Whom God and man bade hex re - he' Was forced to tees notice et them; seven o'olook, and the days were now 000088 to -day for ever. She sail' him nobody to mime bustling into bis study C drawing in so that it was almost dusk l0,,the wasgaad joy tn, his eager eyee, just when ho was dozing off comfort- , the lamps on the platform were great delight in his hurry- ably over his book and his pipe, to make alight as the two ladies passed through ing footsteps, and a flush of hope upon startling revelations concerning de-, tJie door on their; way to the parcels his face. She diel not rise 60 meet tested sinners, or to warn hint against office, and an up train was just Meanie him, the orale locked at him with pain somoihing ha had much rather have re-, ing slowly into the Stallone 0:here was unutterable in the heaven -blue eyes, maimed in ignnrnnde airuut, or to open hlittle crowd of persona waiting, and ad - his eyes to that which he infinitely; a porter; were shouting out the ad- profnr'red to wCnk at 1 Oh i what a ideals, of ale London train, whin sud- prefety he would have at it I w t a ideals, *hut as the people ware taking titre a,srhoolbe i AndHe Pelle their places and the carriage doors y A tion bo pu 1 g ad li.mself up with shame at thio un- ,'were being opened and shut, Florence holy glee. Per bow good and bard )taw a alight young man, with bat well working was,Plorenoa, how indefatig- wawa down over cavernous dark eyed, ably she toiled, how sinooroty she gave and -a face as hale as the dawning las, 8188, how she loved html In one moment he was beside her, had fallen upon hie knees before her, "Oh, my love--niy level" he cried Ineek001y, and burled his free in ber lap. (11p be Continued.), In the Ge man [tray nearly 10,000 up her life to all three :labors. that mo0i1 behind him, o0me dashing carrier lege ns are "sod, O'a, .. e Oh the Faxen. SPRING MANU1liNlt, One of the old time praotices in farming is the fall application of ma- nures, being confined almost wholly to winter wheat, This is sail a good plan so fat' as it goes !hough not coon - mime, but spring applications are coming rapidly in favor, especially for clean cultivation orops. Coarse manure wild clean cultivation, frequent til- lage, rapidly becomes available as plant food. It no longer pays to use manures merely to enrich the soil, but It doe,s pay to use them to grow immediate crops. Manure which stays in the soil two or three years before be- coming fully available as plant food, is worth muoh less than the same amount in a quickly available form. Spring manuring has Its disadvan- tages, notwithoLunding. In all farm- yard manures the ammonia is first to beoome available, and unless potash and phosphates have been used freely pre- viously, there is much risk that the ready supply of ammonia will encour- age a rank growth of leaf at the ex- pense of the stalk and grain. Another point la that with many orops a rank growth of foliage at tee expense 01 other parts of the ple.nL is not prac- ticable; rayticable; in this case the free ammonia is simply lost, it goes to waste. Farm- ers should eunslantly bear in mind that all manures or iertilizers, wheel are the same thing, are merely just su muck ammonia, potash and phos- phates; nut any one, nor any two, but all three taken together. With clean cultivation crops such as corn, potatues, oto., where farmyard manure is used potash and phosphates should always be applied at the same time, or even earlier in the spring, ..They will not waste except on very roll- ing ground where any form of manure would wash away. L'rom 100 to 200 pounds of muriate of potash and from 200 to 400 pounds of acid phosphate should be used per acre, broadcasted or used is the drill as may suit individ- ual preference. The object is to have the mineral fertilizer there ready for the ammonia as fast as the latter be- comes available as plant food. Much time and trouble is given to securing catches of clovers or other legumes, merely for the nitrogen fertilizer stored up by such plants. A somewhdt wiser plan is to take good care of the ammonia we already have on hand. To supply a sol, with ammonia without at the same time ensuring the potash and phosphates to go with it is to invite the loss of the ammonia. It is wiser to be on the safe side, especially as there is very little danger of loss through drainage. APPLE TREE WOOD IS VALUABLE. We never advise cutting down a healthy apple tree, even though it be long unproductive. So long as it la sound in the trunk it may be made to produce profitable orops. But there are many old trees' too far gone to be worth saving, and thousands such are cut up and burned for firewood every winter. Apple tree wood is worth too much to be put to such uses, though apple wood makes a hot fire and an ash rich in potash. It is a very tough wood, and even when full of knots its value far snanufaoturing purposes is rather enhanced than lessened. The factories will drive as hard a bargain with the farmer as they can, but sound apple wood cut in suitable shapes is worth many times its value as firewood and the farmers who have such wood should know the fact. SAVING BRUSH FOR, KINDLING. In pruning orchards the branches cut out aro often piled in heaps and when dried are burned, often injur- ing the trees in their vicinity. There is a much better way than this. Apple, pear or peach wood makes, when dried, a very hot fire, and should be saved for the stove when the branches are too large to out rapidly. Even the twigs have theta' value. They make the very best of kindlings when dried, and if they are somewhat crooked they are all the better, because they will not pack closely together as the straight sticks are pretty sure to do. An old story is told of a farmer who once boasted among 111s companions what a good, patient wife he had. She never complained of anything he did, One of {hem suggested that the next time he drew up wood for the house, be should make a load of the crookedest sticks he could find, He did so, and as he drew up the load to the house laic wile came out smiling to meet him, " Mary, how do you like this load of wood?" was the inquiry, while the far'mer's companions stood by expect- ing a storm' of abuse. Instead the re- ply was given in the sweetest tones, " Oh, John 1 that is capital wood, We always used it at home when I was a girl, and mother used to say that the rounded pieces made the hottest fire because they fitted so nieely around th.: kettles° HEAVY OATS BEST FOR SEED. The fact that oats in our climate fall off in weight per bushel or "rue out," as farmers eay, is probably ow- ing to the hot, dry weather, which usually conies about the time the oat crop is filling and ripening. That can- nel be helped, as olimatio (Menges are boyond human control. But the evil may be lessened by sawing only the heavieet eats, and .sowing these early, in the spring on fall -plowed ground. Then they will probably ripen before filo hottest and dryest weather comes. We Itaew ewe old farmer who always attributed the decline is weight doses to threshing by machines instead of by hand. The threshing machine takes out every oat; light or heavy. When they are flailed out many o1 tate light oats. 40 not fall out of their hull. They are probably worth more to make the oat straw bitter than to go with tee larg- e', heavier oats, Vile farmer used to beat out oats kn as to get not more than one-half of these. Thein would be no light oats in them. He Lound that with these heavy oats two bush- els of seeds was sufficient. So it may be if the oats are sown early, for then the oats will Maxi and send up many shoots from a single seed. But if the seeding is delayed so that the oats can not stool much, we shnuld advise sow- ing the usual amount, which is about three bushels per acre. CURIOUS HOBBY. t --,t Thirty' 'cars era lraeal nee Lite spent in Ltvetiticoltag Prisons of the {ful•td. An English paper tells of the bobby of Count Ricoo Dianwitch, a Russian nobleman, for spending time in vari- ous prisons in order to learn the meth- ods in vogue at tee institutions, 11, is claimed that he has spent more than 80 years in jails all over the world, to which he has himself volunteered for the purpose of learning, for some rea- son not quite clear, the different sys- tems of the world. For the furtherance of itis extraor- dinary object he has made it his prac- tice to visit different countries, and, while there, commit such offenses as will INVOLVE HIS IMPRISONMENT. For sufficient time to enable him to pursue his investigations at the pris- ons w'hioh he most desires to visit. In this manner he has found his way into most of the prisons of Russia, Germany, Poland, France. Spain and Belgium, which are open to oriminals sentenced to short periods of Imprisonment. Ha bas also been incarcerated In some English prisons, and In Ireland, Am- erica, Australia, Italy, Egypt, China and Japan, so that he may well be con- sidered as quite an expert jail bird, and few persons will envy him his self- imposed investigations, especially since he has been in some of the vilest prisons in existence. Horrible, Indeed, were some of his experiences in China, Austria and Poland, particularly the former, and we venture to predict that hie biography would form intensely in- teresting, as well as instructive read- ing. There are soma four or five men in the employ of the Russian Secret Po- lice, whose duty it is to spend ten mouths of each year in just such a manner as that adopted by Count nie- ce, io-ce, except that they are only required to suffer imprisonment in the prisons of Russia and Poland. All these are gentlemen of undoubted integrity; it is demanded by the work they have to do that they should be absolutely in- corruptibie, for their duty in mixing with the criminal classes in prison and getting at their secrets, which, it is believed, enables the Chief of Secret Police to keep better in touch with the plots and schemes of the evily-intend- ed oriminals titan any other plan will do. Probably not one person in 5,000 is aware that our awn Home Office em- ployes PROFESSIONAL JAIL BIRDS now and again. But such is the case. The object with which they are seat to prison like common felons is to de- tect, if possible, any irregularities sus - panted to be going on within the pris- ons to which they are sent—such ir- regularities as bribing the warders for favors, the passing of letters, messages and such matters. No one, sometimes excepting the governor and deputy governor of the prison, is aware of the spy's presence, or, of oourse, their ob- ject would be thwarted. They pass before the warders and convicts as genuine evil -doers, and on more than one occasion they have actually ap- peared in the dock on some trumped- up charge, and formally sentenced by a Judge who has not been cognisant with the secret. This oourse has been taken to make suspicion by the warders quite impossible. But generally those prison spies, who are mostly army and navy officers anxious for any employment under Government which will give them op- portunities of distinguishing them - solves to their superiors, are slipped into the cells of the oeurthouse just before the prison -van comesinto the yard to convey the prisoners sentenced, committed, or remanded to their desti- nation. The occupation is not, of course, an ideal one, and i$ very irregular; but there are always plenty of able men ready to undertake the work, and re- sults tend to show that they must be fairly successful. Doubtless the re. munevation is good; but personally, we should rather direct envelopes or clean boots than become a professional gaol- bird. A $80,000 HANDKERCHIEF. The most beautiful handkerchief in all the European courts belongs to Queen Margherita of Italy, and it is at the same time the most costly, being valued at 1380,000. In making this mar- vel three artists worked constantly for more than twenty years. It is so fine that were the eyes closed and the handkerchief passed across the Mand a person of the moat acute sensibilities would find it impossible to feel any- thing. The Queen keeps it religiously in a tiny jewel case of gold in the form and just the size of an ordinary bean pod. The Queen of Englund owns a dress whiob almost equals this. It owas a wedding gift from India, and is so fine and light that the whole dress can be placed in small taut box. Cin this nine persons worked during ten years. The Queen's collection of lanes Is worth $,375,000, and that of the Prindeea of Wales is not far behind, as it la now valued at 3250,000, her stock baying been increased by the legaoy of her mother, the late Queen of Denmark, Though ex -Empress Eugenie lost many pieces of great value on her flight from Lite Tuileries, still she bas con. settleable, and what she has is beauti- ful, One piece alone cost about 025,- 000 a yard. Phe laces of the Vatican are fated at 0875,000, Interesting for Women. There ie n general but mistaken bo- llof that Prance is the only country where marriage is orrauged by parents with little or no regard for the child- ren's feelings or witihee. As a matter of feet, this condition of effuire obtains to a much greater extent in Greece, "'hero sued a tbing as a love womb is praatioally unknown. The Greek fath- er is particular teat the inteeded hus- band has ample wealth to support a wife and family. P01' a girl a dowry Is not so impo.r'tant as in France, but a certain amount aline)) and house- hold furniture is generally required. The whole training and education of a Greek girl is simply a preparation to render bee brilliant in society, The German middle-class girl avow- edly gives herself up to housekeeping, knitting, sewing and cookery, Her sober brown gowns are so much like one another as are so many peas, and tee majority are put together by bei' own hands. Site knows and gets the full value of every kreutzer she spends, and her coffee and cakes are unsurpassable. For recreation she goon with her family to the "gardens" on summer evenings and knits while elle listens to the music. Everybody in Germany who lives within reach of concerts and theatres walks to them, and, as they begin early in the even- ing, late hours and extra suppers ere not usual, Dwellers in the country nee contented with tee daily round and common task, and restlessness seems unknown. The German girl is not, asa rule, ambitious. A clever woman physician says that she believes that the first and most important step in education should be n knowledge of fundamental physiolog- ical laws, ignorance and disregard of which bring about conditions of body which hinder or prevent entirely a perfect performance of the duties of life or an enjoyment of its pleasures. Theca is really .nothing new in the suggestion, but it is always timely. It is the doctrine of Herbert Spender, and his precepts are being more or less foilowed by school children. Rules for health and self-preservation are given out by workers in many lines of sociological work among the poor. Sucb physiology, the doctor believes, should be taught thoroughly—not the num- ber of bones in the human body but a general knowledge of the laws by which it is governed. A recent article in a French magazine upon famous diplomats and their wives relates a suggestive little ancedote of how Prince Clemons Metternich, when Austrian chancellor of state, slipped out of a diffioulty that threatened to be quite a formidable one. His wife, the erratic Princess Melaine, had grie- vously offended the French' ambassad- or, the Count de llahault, by the ab- ruptness and discourtesy with which, in one of her moods of whimsical ill temper, she had chosen to treat him. Iter tongue was notably sharp, and some of her remarks stung so deeply that the aggrieved official went form- ally to her husband to complain of her, asserting that he could not, in hie quality of ambassador, submit, to such insulting treatment. Prince Metter- nich was not at all disconcerted. With a generally apologetic shrug but in a tone of voice expressive of the most gallant devotion to hie consort, he exolaimed: "What would have, my dear orient? I mat the princess; I loved her; I have married her; but it was not 1 who brought her up." The latest court gossip insinuates that Queen Wilbaimina of Holland ie about to be proeented with that most exclusive of all decorations — the anci- ent and honorable Order of the Garter. Sho will be the first woman thus hon- ored by an English sovereign in two centuries, and the only woman, with the exoaption of Queen Victoria, who has the honor to wear this garter about her left arm. There are fifty- four Knights of the Garter, not includ- ing the queen. Wlllieltniva will make the fifty-fifth. The order was founded, it will be rememberea, to 1341) by Ed- ward Ili., and whether it owes its origin to an armour, or to an accident is still a mooted question. Some 547 years since the lovely Countess of Sal- isbury dropped ber garter in the pre- sence of her sovereign. Tee courtiers and grsndc dames accused the fair countess of a look o1 modesty. The king, however, picked up the dainty garter, end, handing it to the countess, said: "Hon' Boit qui mal y pause" "Evil 60 him who evil thinks." Of late years Queen Victoria has abandoned wear- ing the garter, as her arm has become too stout. The young Queen of Hol- land has a beautiful arm which will serve as tt charming setting for the decoration. In the heraldry of birth, if a man is bore in October be will he handsome, but will be poor in this world's goods. A woman born on• October will be en- dowed with coquetry and beauty, but she is likely to be unhappy unless she wears an opal. The opal is therefore the birthday stone for Ootobee. Many people have a curious superstition that the opal is an unlucky stone, The ancients venerated it, however, as a stone of good omen, and invested it with power to banish evil spirits, to inspire pure thoughts and to induce sweet dreams. They called it the "love ,stone." Pliny tells of a Roman seeetor who possessed a beautiful opal, whiob was coveted by Marcus Anton - has, who wished to present it to Cleo- patra. The senator refused to part with the jewel, and, was finally exiled in consequence. Sir Walter Scott, in "Anne of • GelrrsLoin," end the opal and its uncanny element to heighten his weird story. In foot, the realisti.e effect of this story was such that the jewelers of the eighteenth century, who had invested, largely in opals, wore forced into bankruptcy, Moat of Lhe precious opals mime froth Czonow- ilz, in Hungary. Opals of Jess' value arc found in Mexseo and Colorado, The Australian opal is almost black. Ton - gum; of flame shoot out from them, making then at times very brilliant, et will be remeinbemod the tha supers titteus Spaniards believe that the mis- fortunes of the present dynttsty have been caused by tin ill-oine0ed opal, given by a neglected honuiy and ad- venturess to Alfonso 3111., less than It quarter ot a century ago. AA ��{ f� Amu, 28, 18991SAL �% -WEA THE DOCTORS SAL A WONDERFUL DISCOVERY MADE. BY MR. ALTBAUS, 001111e 51,111 30, 1111113med to ho Checked er Iitl'aeed 11x' OM Nervous Conifers —Floe I'respeet for e'Wu'gtputa, One of the (thief aspiratione of malt has always been to live long and pre serve the atia'ibutee of youth, Henna ho has, iteoor'ding to do particular epoch, placed his faith in the virtue' o£ certain beverages brewed by witob- es, in the miraculous properties of the femme elixirs prepared by the alobem- Lets, in the strange methods compris- ing absorption of einem! tissue and bathe of bland, In all cit'ownatancesho has displayed a tondenoy to myetieism. for the realization of this dream. At the present day it fa not La the block arts, bat to science that people turn, believing that among the many mar- vels it accomplishes it will also succeed in adding this one to its contributions to human happiness. In vain science points out that tltet'e le no remedy for old age, it being attended by a defin- ite organic decline; the human mine continues to hope for the discovery which is to satisfy its eternal longing. Is this discovery to take eleotro- therapia form? Mr. Althaus published the one of the recent numbers of the Lancet a eurioue article on old age and rejuvenescence, in which he claims that nacre galvanization of the nervous eon, lees suffices to check or efface senile decline. According to the purely hypothetic- al arguments of Air. Althaus, there are TWO DISTINCT FORMS of senility—old age, properly speaking, and premature old age resulting from distinct modification of the nervone tiseue. The precocious senility, which occurs between the ages of thirty and fifty, is attended by symptoms strong- ly resembling those of neurasthenia. Alt the troubles observed are said to disappear after four or six weeks of galvanic treatment. But that ire not all. Mr. Althaus claims to obtain marvellous results in old age properly speaking, espeetallyi8 the treatment be taken et the initial Period of senile involution. The gal- vanic current is concentrated on the brain, and especially on the motor ewe tra, and in a week or ten days the individual undergoes an entire trans- formation. Decrepitude gives place to aotivity, and the aged person looks five or ten years yuunger. The move, meats become so supple, says Mr. Al- thaus, that one patieat was beard to exclaim, "1 do not walk; I fly." Later on, it is said, even gray hairs revert to a certain extent to their primitive hue. By means of these electrical ap- plications, repeated daily or every other day, Mr. Althaus undertakes to maintain the integrity of the mental tunutious up to the age of oigllty, and even ninety. Su we find electricity, that. hypothe- tical fluid whose effects savor of the marvellous, being claim: d by 11'Ir. Ale them; as the powerful factor in or - genie regeneration. The results ob- tained by him in the cases designated as. p PREMATURE OLD AGE. and which aro really nothing else but the morbid conditions resulting from neurasthenia or organic exhaustion in general, must be classed among the ranks of ordinary methods of treat. meat. For these oases there can be no claim of rejuvensoenoe; otherwise it would be possible to attribute every ailment to sensibility and describe every cure as a rojuvenesceat. Far otherwise is the question of old age, bat even here we must distinguish be- tween true organic decline and the alterations whirl sometimes attend it, but which are not a necessary aaeom. paninteitt, being met with in ordinary ailments Admitting that eleotrie galvanization tends to remove these alterations, that does not imply that it carr restore what no longer is. Hence, without wishing to question the state- ments made by Mr. Althaus, it is per- missible to suppose that both he and Me patient have labored under a mei- taken impression. The most palpable result of lis writ- ings will be to bring a crowd of people to the consulting rooms of eleotrothe- rapealist's seeking otter youth. There would not bet much harm done if the practitioners were in till oases as well versed in the subject as Mr. Althaus, but it is Lo be feared that the method wilt tall into the hands of inuumer able charlatans who work on the ore. dulity of the publics for treatments is which electricity plays a real '0r floti, tions role. The doctor may be prodigal of sug' geettone intended ice console the ire curable, but he should take care not to give the sl'ghtest enootuttgemenl to erroneuos conceptions regarding tht healing art_ A LAWYERLIZB REMEDY. A man whose sleep has been disturb, ed nightly by the bowling, on'his own back fence, of his neighbor's eat, came tit last; in despair to a lawyer'. An exchange reports ibe: interview. Tbore the. cat sits every night on our fence, the sufferer 'explained, and be yowls and yowls end yowls. Now, I don't want to get into any trouble with my neighbor, but 1 would like to know if I ant not justified in putting a stop to it. Certainly, replied the lawyer.. I am well within my rights if 1 shoot the cat, then? Thtt, well, .I would hardly say that, answered the lawyer. The cat dons not being to you, as 1 understand 11? No. And the fence does? Yes. Well, then I think I miry safely say that you have a perfect right to tear down. tiro fusee,