Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1894-11-9, Page 213 'r '0 $T. NO rz,MIiUII 9, 1894 UNUER A CI,.OL.TD. s TR ILLIISG I OF al; '4N Lint CHAPTER YL QUEST 2'Ilriilrs 2'111. wonS'r. "Myra ! My own darllug l" sobbed "flush ! No, T moat teak. If I think an sileoee I shall go mad," "0 Myra, Myra, are you never to be really married after all?" The bride made a hurried motion with her hande, then pressed them to her temples and throe book her hair, "It makes me think of two years ago, dear," whispered ;'.die, "and all the horrors of that day." "Yes; is it fate?" said Myra hoarsely, as she sat gazing at vaonnoy. "But 111 never believe that Malcolm Stratton could do wrong," whispered Edie, oareestng and trying to soothe the sufferer as she clung to her side. "It couldn't have beeu that this time, or oleo Perot' would not be such friends." Myra bent forward with her eyes dilated as if she were gazing at something across the room, "Your poor hands are so cold and damp, and your forehead burniug hot. 0 Myra, Myra! I did r.00 think that two such 'terrible days could come in one poor girl's life." "Edie," said Myra, hi a husky whisper, "you naw Malcolm last night?" "Yea, dear, of course.' "You did not see anything strange in his manner?" "No; only that ho waahalf mad with joy, and when he kissed me end said good -night -you remember 0" "Yes, yes." "He said he was the happiest man alive," "Yes ; I remember the exact words." "And he hoped that soon Edie stopped with u faint flush in her cheeks. Myra nodded quickly, but without ceasing to gaze straight away into vacancy. "But there was nothing atravge—he waa quite well—he said nothing else to you?" "No, dear ; nothing that I can recall." "Are you sure be dropped no hint? Nothing the. could make you think he did not when So marry me?" "No, no, no, dear. He was longing to °allycu his very own. He said so—tome. But don't look like that, darling; you frighten ine. What are you thinking?" Myra was silent, and her aspect was so strange that Edie shook her excitedly. "Myra darling—don't !"she cried. "I was thinking was it possible that, after all, be could repent," said Myra in low, measured tones. "Whether, knowing all, he shrank from me at the moment when a few words would have made it irrevocable." "But why—why, darling?" cried Edie in alarm. "You cannot grasp it as he would. I— marrted, and under such circumstances. Love is blind, Edie, and he, poor fellow, may have beeu blinded in his love—his old love for me. But what if the veil dropped away from hie eyes at last, and he could not, he dare not face it—the sacrifice for him! ,:die, it was that, and I forgive him, for 1 loved him with all my heart " Startled by her cousin's looks and words, Edie now caught her hands and stood over her, speaking impetuously, almost angrily. "For shame!" she cried. "Malcolm Stratton would never hews acted like that. ()Myra ; how could you think it of him? So manly and open and frank in everything. Oh, no, no, no, ; it could not be that." \lyra turned to her quickly and clung to the hands whielr greened here, us it sinking fn herdeepair, and olutchillg at one more chance for We. "Say—say that again," she whispered hnakily. I'll say it a bemired rimae, but there is no need. Meleelmm could not trent you like this of his own free will. He must be —he is ill, and that is all." "If I could only think so," said Myra as if to herself. "If 1 could only believe it was that ; but no, no," she wailed now, breaking down utterly, and snatching away Iter hands to cover her convulsed face; "the truth has been too strong 0.0 last, and he has gone," "Myra 1" cried Edie. "Hush ! You shall not give way like this. How can you be so weak? It is madness. If he had treated you so shamefully, and turned away, you could not—you should act, take it to heart. Where is your woman's pride? To give way, believing such an infamy, is ureadful. But I tell you it isn't—it can't be true. There,there, be calm, my darling. Be patieut till they come hack. He has studied 'oo hard lately —thee's it 1've noticed how pale ant worried ne looked at times, and with this excitement—you heard what Percy said — he has broken down. There, that's the truth. He's fll,amd will soon be bet:er,and all will come right, Myra! my darling ooz. Don't turn like that. Oh—help! help!" She thrust her cousin back so that her bead rested on the lounge, for a deathly look had come over the beautiful fade, the eyes ware half closed,sendingaohill of horror through the startled girl, who now tore frantically at the bell. "A doctor—they must fetch a doctor. No; Percy must come back to tell her the simple truth, for I am right t blahs= Stratton could not treat her as she thinks," And Percy Guest was on the way to put it to the test. For some little distance not a word was poken in the carriage,each of its occupants being full of his or her own thoughts. Miss Jerrold was the first to break the silence. For, as she sat there stern and uncompromising, thinking of the duty she had voluntarily undertaken in answer to the appeal in ber niece's eyes, which plafn- ly asked that ehe would stand between Whet. and lover in any encounter win= ;night take place, site noted that she was still holding the. bought of exotics she had borne to the church. A look of annoyance and disgust crossed her face. " Here, Mfr. Ghat," she said sharply "let down the window and throw these stupid d were away." Guest star Led, and hesitated about taking the bouquet, but it was pressed into his hand, anti he was about to lower the win - clow when the lady interposed. "No; it would be waste," she cried. '1Weib till we see seme poor flower girl,and give it to her," The window on her right was lot down ebarpiy.' then the flowers were snatch, ed- from her hand and thrown out alto the road by Sir Mark, who dragged the window up again with an angry frown. "As you please, Maric," said the lady quietly ; "but the flowers alight have been worth shillings to some poor soul," Silence reigned once more as the Whole spun round. Oxford Street woo reaolied and crossed, the coachman turning down intoaud across Grosvenor Square, and then In and out,avoiding the mttiustteebe,till the last, when the thou busy thoroughfare was reached near its eastern end, and the car- riage was drawn up et the narrow, court• like entrance to the quiet, eeoiuded inn. Benda were turned directly, among those whose attention was taken being a barrister in wig and gown, just on hie way to the court, where Mr. Justice Blank was giving his attention to a divorce ease. Miss Jerrold saw the legal gentleman's smile, and guessed its meauimg. "How stupid!" she muttered. Then, as the footman came to the door: "1$d - ward," she whispered hurriedly, "take that stupid satin bow from your breast. Tell Johnson, too." The favor disappeared as the door was thrown onen, and Sir Mark sprung out Co go straight on toward the inn; then, recol- b00ting himself, he turned to help his sister alight. But he was too late. Percy Guest had performed that duty, and the lady took his arm and followed the admiral on into the cairn silence of the old inn, past the porter's lodge, unnoticed by its ocoupnnt; than on across the square, under its shady plane trees, toward the flue old red brick rnaneion in the corner, with its iron lamp support and carious old link extinguishers =either side. The place was utterly deserted, and so still that the creaking of the admiral's naw boots sounded loud and strange, while as they mounted the worn steps and entered the gloomy hall of the old place it etruok chilly and damp, while the great stone staircase had a look that seemed ferbiddiog and strange. "You have brought us here," said Sir dark, stopping short at the foot of the stairs. "Go tiret." He gave place to Guest, who led Miss Jerrold on and up the two flights to the broad landing, upon which the doors of Brettison's and Stratton's chambers open- ed. "One moment while I get my breath," panted .Vias Jerrold ; "I'm not so youug as I used to be, Mr. Guest." The admiral frowned, and stood scowl- ing at the legend on the door, but it seem- ed cold and blank now, for there was no ray of sunshine to make the letters stand out clear. All looked murky and grim, and the utter silence of the place was impressive tie that of a tomb. As they stood there on the landing Guest hesitated for to moment or two, an undefin- able feeling of dread having attacked him ; there was a curious ringing in the ears, and his heart bear with a heavy throb. He was brought back to his duty by the cold, stern voice of the admiral. "Well, 111r. Guest," he said again with a cold formality of toes, "you have brought us hare"—and he waved his band toward the door. Guest sprang forward, knocked sharply, and stood back to wait, while Miss ,Jerrold drew a long, hissing breath, perfectly audible in the silence. There was no response, and the chirping of the inn sparrows Caine painfully loud through an open window somewhere above. "What a diamal place for a man to choose," muttered Miss Jerrold. "Had you not batter knock egaie?" (=nest repeated the summons, and the ad- miral loaned forward,licteuing attentively. Still there was no reply; and, growing agitated now, finest once more knocked loudly, with the repetition of the knocker, telling plaiuly of the trembling hand of him who raised it and let it fall. He drew baok,to stand listening intently till Miss Jerrold spoke. "He 1nust be out,"said the lady quietly. Knock again lir Guest." The knocker once more raised the echoes of the weird -looking old staircase, and then died ant above with a peculiar wide - per, while Guest's heart sank within his breast as a dozen fancies now took pos- session of him, and horror prevailed. "We cannot stay here," said .hiss Jerrold, "Mr. Guest, will you see me to my carriage again? 101r. Stratton must be out. Gone to Bourne Square, and we have passed hila on the way.,' "No !"thundered the admiral; "he is within there, hiding, like the cur he is, and afraid to face me I" Guest turned upon him angrily. "Come away, dieter," growled the old man • "Iain right." "No, sir; I swear you are wrong," cried Guest. "What ? 00hy, I saw the change in your face, man, when Iheard a rustling noise in there. You heard it too. Deny it if you can." Guest was silent for a moment, and he stood with his oyes fixed upon the letter box, as if expecting to see the cover of the slit hove. "1 am not going to deny it, sir ; 1 did hear a sound," he said. "If he is here he shall come out and faro you, and tell tate truth and reason of his absence. It is illness, I am sure." As he spoke he once more seised the knocker and beat out a heavy roulade. But still. there was =reply, and, taking lila eieter's hand, the admiral drew it through his arm. "lltuesa?" Ile said in a low growl, "Yee, the shivering fit of a onward or cur." "It is not trite)" cried (Fleet excitedly as a thought flashed acroes his begin. "1 remember now, ho had a heavy sum of money on the table when I was here, and-- (treat Heavens! is 10 that?" His manner was contagious, and his face conveyed hie terrible thoughts to his con - pardons. Mies ,Jerrold clung to her brother, and turned ghastly pale, while a look of horror eonttacted the old man's fano. "Yost—you don't think--•" he i stammered. "I think the worst, or my poor friend would have been with us." " yi an—for (;all's sakn don't say that,•' t l gasped the admiral, as Guest, stepper] batik i a to the full extent of the landing. " There is some mystery hero." " Stop 1 What are you going 00 do 0" oriod Sir Mark, catching at his arm. " Stand aside. air; I am goltlia to boyar open that deer," O1lAPTEO 'tivo 11140s Memel, Blue eery,the bier*of blue water, margined with groan and gold; gloriously rugged, steeply sloping pastnrealps, dotted with picturesquely carved ohalets,weatltar• worn by Ann and rain to a. riot, warm brown: higher up, the sehn butte—tire summer farmsteads of the peasants, round and about whloh graze gentle, trek -fumed vows, eaolt bearing its sweet -toned, musical bell, Again, Itigiter et[11, gray oreg and lightning.blastedgranite, hate, repellant, and strange; upward still, and inuook and cranny patches of a dingy white, like the sweepings up of 'a great hailstorm;' another thousand feet up, and the aching eyes dazzled by peels, fold, cushion, and plain of white—,the eternal ice;tend, above all, the glorious sun beaming clown, melting from the mows to million tiny rivers, which whisper and sing as they carve channels for their courses and meat and coalesce to flow amicably down, or quarrel and rage and rush together, till, with a mighty, echoing roar, they plunge headlong down the rift in some; mighty glacier,: flow on for miles, and reappear at the foot turbid, milky, and with stone,, to hurry headlong to their purification in the lovely lake below. Two hundred feet above that lake, on a broad shelf, stood the Hotel des Cerfe, a magnified chalet, and in the wooden bal- cony, leaning upon the carved rail, and gas. ing at thewondrous view =rose lake and meadow, up and away 00 the enow•oovered mountains till they blended with the flew), oloads,. stood Myra Jerrold and Edie Perrin —cousins by birth, sisters by habit—revel- ing in their first visit to the lend of ice peak, valley, and lake. "1 could stand here, I think,forover,and never tire of drinking in the beauties of such a scene, Edie. It makes me so happy ; and the tears yet comeOTeintoto mymoms= eyes,and t I feel sad." "Yee, I know, dear," replied Edie. "That's when you want your lunch or din. ner. Ono feels faint." ."How can you be so absurd ?" cried Myra half reproachfully. "Then it's indigestion, from eating old goat." ,:die 1" "1t is, dear," said the merry, fair-haired girl, awingle% her straw hat by one string over the balcony. "Pin sure they save up the goats when they're too old to give milk, to cook up for the visitors, and then they call it chamois. I wish Aunt Jerrold had been here to have some of that dish last night. I say, ahe wants to know when we are coating back to Bourne Senate." " I don't know," said islyra thoughtfully. "I am ru no hurry. It is very beautiful here." lIum, yes. You like it—as well as 5t. Malo, the boating, and that quaint Breton woman where we lodged?" "0f course. The flowers and the pine woods—it is one glorious garden. Papa liked the yatohing, though." "Yes; but after three months out here I shall be glad to see smoky old London again." "Yes," said Myra meaningly, "I suppose so." Edie glanced at her sidewise in a quick, sharp way,but was silent for a few minutes. When her cousin spoke: "Let's go and coax papa out fora good ramble till dinner—I mean till supper time." "No good; he would not come. Piquet, coffee, and cigars. Do you like this Mr. Barron, Myra?" "Oh, yes, well enough. He is very clever and web informed. He eau talk pleasantly about anythiug,especially about yachting and the sea, and, of course, papa likes that." "Talks too much, I think. I'd rather sit and listen to quiet, thoughful Mr. Strat- ton." I suppose so," said Myra rather dryly ; and then hastened to add,"aud Mr. Guest." "Yes, and to Mr. Guest," said icor roue fn, again looking at her sharply, and as if the words had stung. Myra mat her glance, and hurriedly changed the conversation. "Look what a change there is eo the lake, dear," site said. "How glowing the water is." "Yes, and yet some people prefer playing cards to studying nature." "Papa isnoloneer young. He has en- joyed seonery all over the world and likes rest now, and a game of cards." "1 was not talking about uncle, dear." "About Ma Barron, then? Dear me, what a sagacious nod. Edie dear, don't think out romances. Let's enjoy the matter of fact and real. Ready for a walk?" Edie held u her hat by one stein • and t, put it on ready to descend with her cousin to a lower balcony, on another frontage of the house, where, seated at a table, with coffee, cigars and a pack of cards, was the admiral, and, hoeing him, a rather heavily built man, with some pretensions to being handsome. Be was plainly and well-dress- ed, of the easy manners of one aooustomed to all kinds of society, and apparently rather proud of his white, carefully tended hands. As he turned a little more to the light in bending to remove the ash from his cigar, streaks of gray allowed in his closely cut beard and crisp, dark hair. fn addition there was a suggestion of wrinkling about the corners and be - beneath his eyes, the work more of an ard• noun life than age. As he rose to replace the cigar between his lips he smiled carelessly. • "Luck's with you today, admiral," he said ; and ha was in the act of ohufliing his cards when he caught eight of his compan- ion's daughter and niece. In an instant the cards were thrown down, and the cigar jerked out of the win- dow. '•What's the matter?" said the admiral. "Ah, girls 1" We've Done to ask you to go for a walk with us, papa, but if—" blyra's eyes rented for a monen on the admiral'soompanion, inti then dropped to the cards, "Our game ?" said the younger plan quickly. "Oh that's nothing ; we can play c y timo, Miss Jerrold, mid the weather la lovely now, Why not accompany the lathes, sir?" "No, thanks; I get more walking than I care for. Don't go far, gide ; the emu's - Mine are fell of goblins anti dragons, which devour pretty maidens. Be back soon, and I'll go and cit down with you by the lake. asow, .Barron, your deal." The gentleman addreseed looked at the adios, and shrugged his shoulders slightly n much an to say, "You see I have no alternative," "Then yon will snob come, papa ?'' said Myra as ahe rented her halide on his shouldere, THE LATE CZAR OF RUSSIA, "No, my dear; too tired. Don't spoil my luck by stopping ; run along." "Uncle talks to us as if we.wero two little' tots of things, Myry, "said Edie se they evoaeed the hotel garden. "Well, why should we not always be to him like the girls he loves and pets?" James Barron thought the same toe Edie as he dealt the cards, and he added to him- self; "She resents it ;I ceued sea her brow wrinkle. Thee settles it ; I'll change the throw." "Ha 1 Now we can be at peace again," cried the admiral as he settled himself to his hand, which he played out, and ended by winning the game. James Barron took up the pack again nervously, tl'rew it down, thrust his hand into his pocket, and then passed a couple of Louis across the table. "Cut," said the admiral. His vim, vie shook hie head, tnok out a ease, and carefully selected a cigar, which he proceeded to out and light. "011, nonsense,. man 1 The luck will change ; my tom to -day, youi's to -morrow." "Pooh 1 10 isn't that, Sir Mark," said Barron, throwing himself back in his chair. "I can afford to lose a few Ionia. I'm a bit hipped—out of amts." "Hotel living." "No, sir; brain. There, I'll speak plain- ly, even at bhe risk of your laughing at me for we have been friends now at eovera l places during the last three months—since I met you at St. Malo." "Pleasant acquaintances, sir," said the admiral, metaphorically drawing himself beneath the shell of his English reserve. ".Mutual tastes—yatchiug. Acquaintances sir." "I beg your pardon; acquaintances, then." There was a pause, during which the admiral oleo lit a fresh cigar, and hie brows twitched a little. (TO BE CONTINUED.) NICHOLAS IL IS EIPEROR. THE CZAR OF RUSSIA BREATHES HIS LAST IN LIVADIA. .iffier a Long and Gallant Fight for Tire Alexander 111. t.nceuntbc to tt Com- plication of Diseases. Alexander III., Czar of Russia, died in Livadia at 2.10 o'clock on Thursday after- noon. At noon the ,.tion of the Czar's heart began to enfeebfe rapidly. About 1.30 o'clock unconsciousness supervened, and the nation of the heart became intermit. tent, until its pulsations ceased alto- gether, He calmly awaited the end, with his consciousness broken only occasionally with short periods of coma. On Thursday morn- ing ha looked for the Last time from the windows of the pa:ace. Re was long silent, then he said it was pleasant to feel that he could pass his last hours on Russian coli, Wednesday night he bad no sleep. He was racked constant. ly with violent coughing and hemorrhage. His heart grew so weak that it often seemed to have stopped beagle. Therm albatross• ing symptoms became more accentuated at 10 o'clock in the morning, but shortly after- ward the Czar rattled siiglutly. lie was fully oonscious. Re wished the sacrament to be given him in the presence of the family, and he received the viaticum with grateful fervor. An hour and a half later he was seized with violent opnems. It seemed as if death had come, but he rallied again, and at 12.3J le,appeared to be free from pain. But the weakening heart beats and s breathing told his physician that the end was coming fast. He was colleeioos almost to thelastmoment. At 2,15 hie mute closed slowly and he ceased breathing. The body o will be embalmed in Livadia and will be i exposed in the palace chapel for a day or two. • Several state officials left St. Peters- burg for Livadia in the evening. THE IMMIGRANTS WE WANT. Farmer lnreulgtvtnta Are the Only Men Wanted In Canada at the Present Time. In this country we have plenty of room for immigrants, but it is at the bobtom, not at the top. We could easily make use of a million or so in the grounclwork of our material prosperity. We have still a great western expanse on which to build that out, and can eband some filling-in in the crust. People who are the right stuff 1.0 put into the foundations of an industrial society are in demand. Wo have more material than we are quite ready to use, however, for carrying our development further up- wards, In the trades, manufactures, and light employments, wo have labour enough and to spare. To pile more on our unfin- ished and comparatively narrow agricul- tural.basis would be to make our commun. ity top-heavy. It is lateral construction we must uow busy ourselves with. Bence the intimation of the Dominion Govern. ment to the Mansion House, Committee iu London, that the only immigraette we want are laud -workers, was to the point. Even if all the people sent out by these Omit - ebbs organizations were able-bodied, hon. eat, skilled, and induatious workers, they could get work here only by DISPLACING AN EQUAL NU.1bOEn of our own people, unless they were capable and desirous of making their living directly off the soil. Every division of labour in the towns and cities is more than fully manned. Williugnese to co-operate with the philanthropists of the old countries should not carry us to the point of mjuriug our own wage-earners. If more of our im- migrants had gone to the farms instead of staying in the cities, the stories they sent back home would not have been so unjust to this country. More instead of fewer farmers and farm labourers would have fol- lowed them. It may be said that the re- turns from Canadian agriculture were not inviting to outsiders. But in what country were they more so, or even as much so? The severe effects of low prices for wheat were felt in all the countries where that cereal is produced. In few countries were there equal allevietioue of those effects. We grow reaoeuably large crops, are usu- ally assured of a good quality, and raise many other farm precincts for which good prices are paid. Those who aortic to farm here do not return to the Old Country to resume farming there. The conditions of agricultural life are much more favourable here than they are in any European conn. try. The country beside us has ceased to be mistaken by intending agrioultural emi- grants from the Old. Country as a land of superior attractiveness. This year's his- tory of farming in Southern Dakota, in other Western and in South -Western States, will set a good many people right who previously were wrong in their con - pennon between the North-West of Can- ada and that of the United States. TEE 040001IIPS OI` GA1 t0RS in Dakota and fn emne of the corn States this yt-ar were feorfub. If those farmers had the means of moving across the border and taking up land in our new country they would undoubtedly bo glad to do so. The returns from farming bit Ohba country must continue to improve both absolutely and relatively. Soon the stress of competition will be felt in its full force in Argentina, a country Whose production of wheat continues to increase rapidly despite the drop in price. This increase is fostered by an inflated currency but when the internal purchasing power of tlteirmoney fells to its gold parity, or to a- bout one-third of what itis how,there will bee check to the presentprogreee of wheat growing in Argentina. The fall cannot belong delayed.. Wheat exports from the United States cannot be kept up on the este of the past decade for any long time. This country must continue to improve, by comparison with bout those named, as a land for farmers to live 11). If it were once oevered with a good agriottltttrul tratum of popaiatfon it woult] be a grand no for every other sort of people to live n. t+UNEIIAL AIt0LANGEt1E\Te. According to the tentative arrangements made rho body will be conveyodaboard the Imperial yacht Polar Star to Odessa. 10 will bo escorted by the whole Black Sea feet, which has orders to assemble at 01100 olf Yalta. From Odessa the body will bo taken on a spacial train to St. Petersburg and will be placed in the Cathedral of Saints Pater and Pau], Tho final oeremonios will be held in shout two weeks, The New German Pistol. The now German revolver is not really a revolver rot all, but itis a wendoiful re• peatiog pistol all the same, All yon have to do is to atop eight eartridgee into o I magazine in the stock and then pull the trigger ne ofieu as you want to shoot util the ammoi thi onis0xl tausti0d. The recoil 011 Bal ROUND THE RUE li'ORLD WNAI' I$ GOING ON IN THE FOUR OORN$RS OF THE GL0$I',. Old and New World Events of llyfet'o'•. Otarenlulell llrletly—tuteresifug Ila Dentugs or lteuent pate. TTheapan, I01e of G4uernaoy exaots.a tax front. afeuo. Tea in out every 40 days the year round in l'iuropeaue Platy' ay $1,320,000,000 taxes per an0hm, Tho salary of the infant king oft3pain fs "�750,000- St,1'aul's'Oathedrat, London, ie insured forltr475,000: Sri. Helena, it fe announced, fa to become a heabbh resort, The Khedive of Egypb has a gorgeous bicycle almost entirely" plated with silver. The rate of, growthof the Ohristiane in India is mora than double that: of the; population. The consumption of seine in Nimee,France, averages a bottle a day for every man, woman and child in the city. Princess Alix of Hesse, the flame of the Csarowitz, has completed her course of euition inthe doctrines of the Greek church A walking etiok, formerly the property. of Pontius Pilate, is advertieed forsale in Paarihafrds,forGresa,er'e000 frwfudowanca. in La Borbouto,- An iron box containing a metalplato has been unearthed among the -ruined temples of upper Egypt which scientists declare was a camera and lens. Sir Frederick Leighton is a linguist, reading and speaking Frennit, German, Italiau,Spanish and Russian, while he had some considerable knowledge of Turkish. A committee of French women has been formed for the purpose of foundinga home for widows of workingmen, which is to be established iu memory .of M.Oatmot. Sir Wtn. Areal recently laid the memo- rial stove of the first consumptive hospital for Scotland, which is being erected on the new farm of Careemeodow, at Bridge of WThe estate of Thomas Coats, the thread manufacturer,ltas built in Paisley, Scot. land, an edifice which is described as "the most magnificent non -conformist church in Europe." Tho smalloat republic in the world is Francieville, one of the Iolanda in the New Hebrides. The inhabitants oonsitb of 40 Europeans and 50 bleak workmen employed by a French company. The longest ocean cable is the one be- tween France and the coast of Massaoltu- setts. The largest cable ever made is now on the steamer Faraday, and will be laid between Ireland and Nova Scotia. Metal furniture is coming much into vogue is many parts of Australia, as it proven an effectual foil to the laborious efforts of that insidious and persistent doelrnyer of furniture wood—the white ant. The Countess Aleeio, of Turin, Italy, who celebrated her one hundredth birth• day recently, accompanied her husband through all the hardships of the Moscow campaign, while she was a bride of eight- een. The mother-in-lawof the Mikado of Japan was recently ill, aud though having 423 pleeiciansin attendance, yet she recovered. A Buddhist priest said that the cause of her illness was the introduction of railways. Rear Admiral Tchaikoweki, commander of the Russian. ironclad Simpoe, who was recently appointed chief of staff of the Russian fleet in the Black Sea, ie one of the most esteemed officers in the Rueoit.n navy. John Sealy, a hero of the Crimean war, and who bad the Crimean and Turkish meddle,died lately at Birrningham,En land. He and his wife, who is over 70, had been living for year's on his pension of eight pence a clay. It ie announced from Panama that a new steamship line, the vessels to be built in England and to sail under the Mexican flag, is to be established between Panama and San Francisco to connect with the Tehuan. tepee Railway. The Duchess d'Uzes, the greab grand daughter of iliac. Clicquot of champagne fame, has between 12,000,000 and 14,000, 000 bottles of champagne in her Paris cel- lars in Rue du Temple and as much more in her vaults at Reims. At Schiligalleu, iu Germany,lately,an old gentleman of 73 named Jufklies, who bad already buried three wivet, proposed to a fourth. She told him he was too old, whereupon he went into the neighboring forest and hanged himself, " Wood's Hotel," one of the lew remain- ing buildings in London that are associated closely with Charles Dickens, is about to be demolished. In one suite of is in the building Dickens passed through some of the many vicissitudes of his life. The grave of Eve is visited by 400,000 pilgrims oath year. It is to be seen ab Jeddah, in a cemetery outsidethe city walls. The tomb is fifty cubits long and twelve wide. The Arabs entertain a be lief that Eve was the tallest woman who ever lived. The house in which Martin Luther diad at Eleloben, Germany, bore no mark to in • - dictate this fact until a few weeks ago. The lemons house, however, has been repaired and restored in to worthy fashion. It con- tains many relics of the great reformer, Abergeldie Castle le the seat of Mr. H. M. Gordon, and the place, with its hone f,rnt, moors, woods, deer forest, and salmon iiettittge, has been leased by the Queen for more than 40 years, her Maj- esty's offers for the purchase of the estate having always been declined. Rnesia proposes to connect the 13altie With the Black Sea, according to relenb report. The rivers Dueiper anis Dwina aro to be joined by a canal ;surveying hoe been begun at both ends of the route, and Cher• son Is spoken of as the harbor forth canal oh the Black Sea. Heat holidays have now been established by law in the public whole of tiwitzerheud. Rouogeizing the well known foot that the brain oauuct work properly when the Beat s oxceseive, the ,hdarenaredismissod front their maks whenever the 'thermometer Boos above a certaiu:point. the shot when the pistol is first fired ecte in motion mechanism which ejects the shell just fired, brings rip a urw one 00 the bar- rel, cootie the pistol and locks the moveable; parts. Another touch e" the trigger repeats the oparatioe, and the eight charges have I 1. min fired in two eocouds, A Wise Little Head. Little Girl—." Won't you please; have an ambulanae sent tothabempty barn?" Policeman—" Certainly, mien, who's ha urt?" Libtledirt---"Nobody yob, But theboya.-" is going to 1 ut p ay 010000, 1' dr,