HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1894-11-23, Page 2t1NpR
THRILLING TAU OF HVMA 1'
CHAPTER, IX.
"wee Mile 1"
"Sir Mark at home, Andrews 2" paid
Stratton as the door woo opened bythe
butler,
,,Yoe, air. Me, Barron's with him, but
of couree he'll sec you. Will youstep up
in the drawing 'room ? Only the young
1adiee there,"
"No, thanks," fetid Stratton hurriedly,
"Ask Sir Mark if he will see ,no or inako
ao.no appointment. Where lo ho?"
Tn the binary, sir."
"Mr. Barron with him," thought Strat•
ton as the butler showed him into the din.
fug room and closed the door. '"Wonder
wbathe ie like. Oh impossible. How
easily a rasa oat, be jealous."
As he stood looking up at the portrait of
a lady—Myra's mother—he fancied he
heard atepa in the hall, and directly after
the butler entered,
"Sir Mark will see you, sir," said the
butler,
"But Mr. Barron is there ?"
"No, sir, just gone up to join the ladies,"
Stratton winced, and the next moment
was shown into the lib: ary.
"All, Maloolm Stratton," oried the
admiral bluntly. "Come in, my dear boy.
How are you? Glad you've called. My
friend Mr. Barron was here. I wanted to
introduce you two. Traveled much, but
he's chary of making new friends. You'll
like hila: though, I'm sure, Wonderful
fellow at the management of a yacht, and
magnificent swimmer, Why, I believe that
man, 00, could swim for miles."
'Indeed, Sir Mark."
"Oh, yes; but sit down, Sbratton; you
aro quite a atrauger. Went to see me on
business 2"
"Yes; I---"
But before he could get any further the
admiral, who seemed in high spirits, inter.
related. him.
"Pity you were not ten minutes sooner.
Barron was telling me a moatamusingetory
of slave lite in Trinidad in the oTd days.
Wonderful fund of anecdote. But you
said bueineas or en appointment, my' dear
boy. Bad man to come to unless its about
sea. What is it ?"
Stratton made no answer for a few mom -
eats, The difficulty was how to begin. It
wasnotthat he was strange with the ad•
miral, for, eonesqueat upon the friendship
formerly existing between Miss Jerrold
and his mother, Sir Mark's house had been
open to him times enough. Seeing his
hesitation the old sailor smiled encourage -
meet.
"Come, my lad," he said. "out with it.
Is something wrong ? Stant help ?"
"Yes, sir, yours," said Stratton, making
his plunge, and now speaking quiokly.
"The fact is, Sir Mark, I hove had news
this morning—glortous news for me."
"Glad of it, my dear boy. Bayou look-
ed just now as if you were goiug to court.
martial for running your ship aground."
"I suppose itwas natural, sir, Yesterday
I was a poor struggling man, today I have
had the letter announcing my appointment
to the Headley Museum, and it is not only
thestipened—a liberal ono—but the posi-
tion that is so valuable for on n who is fight-
ing to make his way in the scientific rank."
The admiral stretched out Itis hand, and
shook Stratton's warmly.
"Glad of it, my dear boy. My' congratu-
lations on your promotion. I shall see you
anadmiral among the scientific bigwigsyat,
To be sure ; of course. I hare been so
taken up with other things—being abroad
—and so muoh worried and occupied since
I came back, thee I had forgotten all about
it. But my sister told me she was moving
heaven and earth, and going down on her
knees to all kinds of greet guns to beg
them to salute you."
"Then it has been her doing," cried
Stratton excitedly.
"Oh, yes ; I think the has done some.
thine in it. Do the eirie know ?"
"No, eir ; not yet," said Stratton hast-
ily. "I felt that it was my duty to come
to you first."
"Eh ? Very good of you I'm sate. Pll
send for them. They'll bo delighted."
Bo rose to ring,but Stratton interposed.
"Not yet, sir, please," he cried ; "I have
something else to say."
"Wants to borrow a hundred for his out-
fit," thought the admiral. "Well, I like
the fellow ; he shall have it. Now, my
lad," he said aloud as he resumed his seat,
'What is it?"
Stratton hesitated fora few moments,
and then acid hurriedly :
"I have met Miss Myro Jerreld and Miss
Perrin frequently at their aunt's, Sir Mark,
and to a great extent you have made me
free of your house. You will grant, I hope,
that feelings such as have grown up in me
were quite natural. It was impossible for
to be in their society without forming
an attachment, but I gne you my word, air,
as a man, that never by word or look have
I trespassed upon the kindness you have
accorded me; and had I remained poor, as I
believed myself yesterday, I should never
have uttered a word."
"Humph 1" ejaculated the admiral, gazing
at him sternly.
"But now that I do know my position,
my firet step is to 00100 to you and ex.
plain."
"And the young lady? You have not
spoken to her on the subject?"
"Never, Sir Mark, I swear."
A gentleman's word is enough, sir.
Well, I will not profess ignorance. My
Water did ono drop mea kind of hint about
my duties, and I have noticed a little thing
now and then."
"You have noticed, sir 2" cried Stratton,
being startled.
Oh, yes,'" said the admiral, smiling.
"Pm not an observant man over such mat.
tete; in f act,I woke up only three months ago
to find how blind I could be; but in your
ease I did have a few ouepieions ; for you
young men are very transparent."
"Really, Sir Mark, I assure you," fa1.
tared' Stratton, "1 have been moat guard.
ed-"
!'Of course you have, my lad. Well, I
am a poor pilot in love matters, but. I don't
see here why we should not go straight
ahead. You are both young and suitable
for each other; Rebecca swears by you,
and I confess that 1 rather lika you whop
7011080 net eo ocpfouudodly loathed,"
"Sir Mack 1"
cried Stratton, hie voice
husky with emotion, in my wildest
Momenta I never thought• --"
""Thee 1 should be such an easygoing
fallow, oh? But we are running tea feet,
boy, There is the young lady to thick
about•." •
"•0f course --of comae, Sir."
"Not the oastout to 00110118 the Bid
about her oaptaiu, but we will here," cried
Sir Mark' with a 'laugh ; "they generally,
appoint the captain right oil: We'll have
bet down, bless her. A good girl, Stratton,
and I congratulate you.
"But one moment, air," faltered the
young 10001 "fade kind -so suddenly—givo
me leave to speak to her firth"
"Ne," said the old sailer abruptly; "she
shall (mine down, and it shall be yes or no
right oil,"
He rang the bell sharply, and thea cross..
ed bank t8 Stratton, and shook hie hand
again.
You've behaved very well indeed, my
lad," be said; "and I like you for it. Inver
knew your father, but he must have been a
gentleman. Your mother, Becky's friend,
was as sweet a lady as I ever met."
The butler entered.
"Mr. Barron gone?"
"No, Sir Mark."
"Don't matter. Go and ask Min Perrin
to atop down here."
The butler bowed, and left the room,
Stratton started from his seat with 1119
face ghastly.
"Hullo, my lad; what's the matter? Time
for action, and afraid iu meet the saucy
libtle thing. I ray, you scientific fellows
make poor lovers, Holdup, man, or she'll
1,ugh at you."
Sir lvtarhl" gasped Stanton. "Ring
again—a horrible mistake on your part.
"What the deuce do you mean,eir? You
come and propose for my niece's hand--"
"No; no, Sir Mark," cried the young
man wildly.
"What! Why I've seen you attentive to
her a score of times, I say again, what
the deuce do you mean? Why—why—you
were bot talking about my own child?"
"My words all related to Mies Jerrold,'
Sir Mark," said Stratton, now speaking in
a voice full of despair. "I never imagined
that you could possibly misunder: tend tae."
"But, confound you,I did, sir, What
the devil do you mean .hy blundering 0s,
suet, a lame tale as that?"
"Want me, uncle dear?" said Edie, enters
ing the room.
"No, no, my dear, Run along upstairs,.
You're not wanted. I have business with
Mr. Stratton here."
Edie darted a frightened ,;lance from the
choleric flushed countenance of her uncle to
Stratton's, which was almost white.
"Oh, poor Mr. Stratton." she thought as
she drew back. "Then he did notknow
before."
The door closed, and Sir Mark burned.
upon Stratton fiercely.
"Why, confound you, air!" he began; but
the despairing face before him was dtearm•
ing. "No, no, he cried," calming down; "no
use to get in a passion about it. Poor fad!
poor lad!" he muttered. Then aloud: "You
were speaking, then, co Myra—my daugh•
ter—all the time?"
"Yea." Only that word in a despondent
tone, for he could road rejeoblon in every
line of the old sailor's face.
"But I always thought—eh, what e
confounded angle. This is notmen s worke.
Why isn't Rebecca here? Mr. Stratton,
tt is is all a horrible blunder. Surely
Myra—my daughter—never encouraged
you to hope?"
"Never, sit; but I did hope and believe.
Let me see her,Sir Mark. I thought 1
was explicit, but we have been playing at
ones po,poses. Yea; ask bliss Jerrold to
see me here—in your presence. Surely it
is not tom late to remedy suoh a terrible
mistake,"
But it is too late, Mr. Stratton; and
really I don't think I could ever have
agreed to such an engaement, even if my
child had been willing."
"50 Markt" pleaded Stratton.
"For Heaven's sake, let's bring it to a"
end, sir. I never imagined such a thing.
Why, Man, then all the ti , e yen were
making friends with one cousin, so as to
get her on your aide,"
"I don't know—was I?" said Stratton
dejectedly.
" Of course, sir. Acting the timid lover
with the old result 1" cried Sir Mark align.
lyStratton gazed excitedly in hie face; there
was so mooh meaning in his words.
"There," continued the admiral; "out it
Must come, sir, and you must bear it like a
man. My child, Myra, has accepted my
friend ido, Barron, and the marriage is to
take place almost at muse.".
Stratton stood fir a few momenta gazing
in Sir Mark's face, as if he failed so grasp
the full tenor of his words. Then, turning
slowly, and without a word, he left the
room, walked beak to his quaint, paneled
chambers, and hid his despair trom the
eyes of man.
CHAPTER X.
Alt 0000E1'E0 nen,
Myra Jerrold stood looking very calm
and statuesque, with James Barron holding
her hand.
"Yes," he raid, "I am going now, but
only for a few hours. I cannot live away
from you. Only a fortnight now, Myra,
and then good-bye to cold England. 1 take
you to a land of beauty, of sunny skies,and
jny and love,"
"Can any land be es beautiful as that
which holds one's home?" she said.
"No," replied Barron quickly, "but that
will he your home,"
"Trinidad," said Myra thoughtfully; so
many thousand miles away."
"Bah 1 what are a few thousand miles
now A journey in a floating hotel to a
plane where you can telegraph to your
father's door -instantaneous messages, and
receive hank the replies.
"But still so far," Raid Myra dreamily.
"'Pry and driveway suoh thoughts, dear-
est," whispered Barron. "I shall he there.
And. besides, Sir Mark will, run over and
see us ; and Edith, too, with her husband."
D7yra's manner changed. The dreami-
neaa passml away and she looked tiuiekly in
her betrothed's eyes.
"Yes, I always thought 80," he said
merrily. "'T1s love that makes the world
go round. That Mr. Sbrattoe, your old
friend, is below. Don't yet nnder0tand ?
"No," amid Myra quietly, "net quite,"
"1 think you do, dearest," lays,.g to
peas ilia arta round her, but she shrank
gently sway.
"Very we}1'' hos Lid, hissing her hind,
"I mall waft. You will 110t always COO cold.
Mr. Stratton came to the year father on
Th18 1,0811) 110A101t 0
business, looking the lover from head to
foot, I was Hent lip to you, and soon after
our dear little Edie is enminened to the
library Come, don't look so 'liniment,
darling, You do underatand .'t
"That 918, Stratton was come to p o.
pose for Bdie's hand?"
"Of course,"
Ilyra's brow contracted it little, and as
there wits a punted look in hoe eyes
he said gently:
"Yea be has been very attentive '0 her
often. Well, I like Mr. Stratton very
much, Mr. Barron."
"J aures," be said reproachfully.
"James,"she said, as 0 repealing lesson,
M a dreamy tone, and her eyes ware direct•
ed toward the door.
•'1 like him, too, now that I am quite
safe. There was a time, dear, when I first
(same here, and had my doubts, I fancied
a rival in Mr, Stratton."
"A rival ?" she said, starting and color-
ing. .
"Yes ; but ao I did in any man who
approached you, dearest. But there never.
was anything—the eliehtest flirtation 2"
"No, never," elm said quiokly.
"0f course cot ; and I so happy, Myra.
You, so young and beautiful, to awaken
first to love at my words. But you are
not cruel and Gold to me still ? Our mar-
riage so soon, and you treat hie only kindly,
as if 1 wore a friend, instead of as the man
so soon to be your husband,"
Myra with drawbar hand, for the door
opened, anal Edith entered the room, look-
ing troubled and disturbed.
"Good.hy, 11000, once more, dearest,"
said Barron, taking Myra's hand, "till
dinner time. Alt, Edie 1" he said
asthearosoed to the door, which she was
in the act of ole:iug, Then, in a whisper;
"Anil 00 congrstulal' you? My present
will be a suite of pea -is."
Edie started, and Barron smiled,nadded,
and passed out. As ha descended the
stairs his ears twitohed,and his whole at.
tootle , e erred to be fixed upon the library
door, bat he could hear no sound, and, tak=
ing his hat and gloves from the table, he
passed out of the great hall, erect, hand.
soma, and with a self.satisfied smile, before
the butler could reach it in answer to the
drawing room bell.
"Wedding a statue," he said to
himself. "But the statue is thickly.
gilt, and the marble underneath may be
made co glow without a West Indian sun.
So it was little Edie, then. fle hasn't bad
taste. The dark horse was not dangerous
after all, and was not run for coin."
Re was so intent upon his thoughts that
he did not notice a hansom cab drawn
up abort a hundred yards from the house,
in which a man was seated, watching him
intently, and leaning forward more and.
more till he was about eo pass, when there
was a sharp fist -fist, which made him turn
and scowl at the utterer of the signal.
"Ili 1 What a while you've been."
"What the devil brings you here?" said
Barron,
"To find you, of course," said bhe man
sourly. "Thought you'd be there,"
Barron looked quickly toward Sir M'ark's
house, turned, and said sharply
"What is it ?"
"Jump in, and P11 tell you," whispered
the man. "Getting hot.'
Barron jumped into the cab, which was
rapidly driven off after instructions had
been given through the trap to the
driver, and the next minute it was out of
sight.
Meana hile, N,die fad stood Listening till
she heard the hall door closed, and thea
turned to where her omen was gazing
thoughtfully at, the window, not having
moved since Barron left the room.
"Listening to his beloved footsteps, My-
ra?" said Iidie, sarcastically.
Myra turned upou her with her eyes
Bashing, but a smile Dame upon her lips,
and she said;
Well, Edie, am I to congratulate you,
too?"
"What about ?" flashed out the girl, bit-
terly mortified by the position in which aha
had been placed. "Being made ',laughing
stock for you?"
"What do you mean, dear?" said Myra
startled by the girl's angry way; but there
wasne answer, and, full of eagerness cow,
Myra caught her hands. "Mr. Barron Bald
juatnow that Mr. Stratton came to propose
foryou."
"For For me?" cried Edith bitterly. "Ab-
surd 1"
"But I always thought he was so atten•
tive to you, dear. I always felt that you
were enecuragiug him."
"Oh, how can people bo so ethnicity
blind 1" cried Edie, snatching herself away.
"Ib is ridiculous."
"But, Edie, he was always with yon.
When be came here, or we met him and his
friend at anotites---"
" Leave his friend alone, please," raged
the girl. Then trembling at her sudden
outburst, she ooutineed seriously
"Always with me 1 Of course he WAS :
to sit and pour into my ears praises of you
to talk about your playing and singing, and
ask my opinion of this and that which you
had said and done, till 1 wee aiek of the
man, Do you hear? Siok of him 1"
A mist began to form before iMyra'e les,
gradually shutting her in as she sank beck
in her chair, till all around was derkoess,
and she could not see the unwonted excite-
ment of her cousin, who, wit h her fingers
tightly onlaeed, kept on moving from plane
to plans and talking rapidly.
But, there was a bright light beginning
to flash out, in Myra's inner consciousness
and growing moment by moment, till the
maiden. calm within leer breast wail agitat•
lid by the first breathings—the tororennors
of a tompest--and she saw little thoughts
of the past, whiolt elm had crushed out at
mute us silly eiri(0h fancies, rising again
thinking, bub suppressed at once as follies,
now coning book to be illumined by this
wondrous light, till, in the full awaken-
ing that had come, she grasped the sides
of the their anti began to tremble, as Bdie's.
voice came out from beyond the darkness
in which externals were shrouded, the
essence of all coating home to her in ono
terrible reproach, as she told herself that
she itad been blind, and that the awaken.
ing to th8 truth had Dome too late,
"Hove could you—how could you 1" oried
Edie in a low voice, full of the emotion
which stirred her. "You thought, I loved
Maloohu'1 0 Myry, as if I should have
kepb it from you if I had. 'Like
him? Yes, always as the deerest, best
fellow I ever Diet. I didn't mean 11, dear.
I never was sick of him ; but he used to
make me angry,booause 11018 that he almost
worshiped you, and was making me a
stepping -stone to get neater. Well, why
don't you ask me why I did not speak ?"
There was no reply, and Edie went on as
if she had been answered.
"Of course l could not say a word. One
day I felt sure that he loved you, and would
confide in me; the next time we met be was
so quiet and strange that I told myself it
Wes all fanoy, and that I should be a silly,
matchmaking creature if I said a word.
Besides, how could I? What would uncle,
who luta mien so good to me, have thought
if I had seemed to encourage it? And you,.
all the time,like a horrid, oold,marble
statue ea aot exhibition, with ne more heart.
or care, or else you would have seen."
Edie relieved her feelings by unlacing
her fingers, taking out her bankorohief
from her pocket and beginning to tear it.
" And now," she went on, " you tell me
you believed that he cared for me, and
suggest that but for this idea things
might have been different, But they would
not have been, You are a hard, cold,
heartless oreetere,Myra, He was too poor
for you, and not likely to buy you dia-
onds and pearls like Mr. Barron does.
Promise me pearls, would he ! Insulting
,no as he did this morning 1 Why, I would
rather have Malcolm Stratton without a
penny than Mr. Barron with all the West
Indies and East Indies, too, for a portion.
Malcolm is worth a hundred millions of
him, and I hope you ere happy now, for I
shnuldn't wonder if you've broken the poor
fellow's heart."
Myra could bear no more, .and turning
sharply 'towards her cousin she stretched
out her hands imploringly, as her pale
face and dilated eyes seemed to ask forhelp.
But the look was not seen, far bursting
into a fit of weeping, Edie cried:
"But it's too late now 1 I hope you'll
be happy, dear, and uncle satisfied; but
you will repent it, I am sure, for I don't
believe you lova Mr. Barron the slightest
bit."
Ail she spoke those last words she left
the room, and Myra was alone with
thoughts which grew and swelled till she
felt half suit'ooand, while, like some vibrat-
ing, echoing stroke of distant knell, came
the repetttion of those two words, quiver-
ing through every nerve and fiber of her
being
Too late—too late—too late 1"
For the burl of love had been lying dor
meat in her breast, welting to expand, and
0 was opening Mat now, as she felt, but
only to be withered ao its petals fell apart.
Hurried on by Barron's impetuous ad-
vances, approved as a suitor by her father,
her betrothed'scourtship had carried all be.
fore it. Hie attentions had pleased her, and
the had reproached herself at timed after he
had cemplained that showascold. One even.
ing, whoa asaailed by doubts of herself,
she had applied to her father and asked
him if he wished her to marry Mr. Barron,
and site recalled his words when she had
dreamily said that she did not think she
loved him.
" Why, of course I wish it, my darling,"
he cried; "aud as to the love—oh, that
will come, Don't let schoolgirl females and
romances witch you have read influence
you my child. You esteem Mr. Barron, do
you not?"
See had said that she did, and let herself
aubaide into a dreamy state, principally
taken up by thoughts of the change, the
preparations for that ohango and visions
of the glorious country—all sunshine, lan•
guor, and delights—which Barron never
seemed to tire of painting.
But now the awakohing his come—now
the.t it was too late !
That nightts�,, hollow-eyed, and as if he had
risen from alitok bed, Maloolm sat writing
in Isis chambers 'by the light -of his shaded
lamp. The old paneled rdeni looked
weird and strange, and dark shadows
larked in the corners and wore cast by the
flickering flames of the fire on his left.
Since his return from the J errolds' he had
gone through aphraee of agony and despair
so terrible that his actions, hidden from all
within that solitary room, had resembled
those of the insane ; bub at last the calm
had come, and after sitting for some timo
looking his position in theface, he had set
to work writing two er three lettere, and
then, commenced one full of instruction to
Percy Guest, telling hlm how to act when
he received that letter, asking his forgive.
nen, and ended by saying;
1 cannot Moo it. You will gall ma a
coward, perhaps, but you would not if you
could grasp all. I am perfectly calm now,
sensible of the awful responsibilities of my
act, but after what I have gone through
eine( I have been here alone to•d,ty I
know porfeobly well that my reason is
failing, and that fn a few hours the par-
oxyam will return, finding me weaker that
before. lletter'tho end at ranee than after
a few months' or years' living death, con.
fined among otherserablos like myself.'
It was my sill --my one olio, Guest, for
whioh I toiled so herd, fighting for seems.
And the good fortune 11)80 tome in company
1090tt•ps',
IID read his letter over ae calmly fie if it
contained memoranda tc end to a friend
prior to his departure on 1c 011088 Jont'tr0y,
1h04, folding it, hulloing it in all envelope,
ho dlreeted it, and laid it oarefell7 beside
the 08110re 018 the Gable before sinking beak
in hie chair,
'there anything glee?" leo said
quietly,
(x0 nit OltxTjxTllen, )
SIIIOTCERS ,AND SMOKING:
"firealasse 'Telemark" 14001 SOW of Its, Num
crena Un1tt01)a Devotees.
Tho Mormons having recently condemned
heir head patrierolt for tieing Wham, the
Ong ebendiug questions of the wisdom or
unwledom, the helpfulness or hurtfulnees,
the goodueee or Iambuses of 'smoking are
again on their travels as topica of general
dieemeeiou. We do not propose to try and
settle them, beoonse, after all, it fa very
much a matter of individual teeth, temper -
meat and opinion—or eoesoienee,' if you
prefer that word -but merely to contribute
a few interesting historical data to the de.
bate,
Sir Teeth Newton was in the habit of
taking nothing but stale bread and drink•
ing nothing bee water while at work upon
hie greatsolentifio experiments, so that •lie'
might keep hie mind oloar, but he always
supplemented this meagre diet with a pipe
of tobaoco. 'Wo know this from the testi•
minty of the Jody who thought he was about
to propose to her one day when he took her
hand in his, whereas he simply proceeded
in sheer abeent,mindedness to use her tore.
finger as a stopper to prase down the
tobacco in his pipe.: Lord Brougham, .the
reformerof,Bngland'e savage old penal code,
the founder of the Lyceum and the friend
of all the humanities, loved a common Olay
pipe,il he was
ninety earand s f regularly
e. Si Walter Scott
not only amoked�himself, but advised his
son, who was an officer hi the army, as to
the kind of pipe be would find most enjoy-
able. George Makepeaoe Thackeray, Alfred
Tennyson, Charles ;Dickena,ThomasCarlyle,
Charles H. Darwin and Wilkie Collins were
all lovers of the weed.
England's greatest preaoher, the late
Chariots Haddon Spurgeon, declared from
his pulpit that 1)e enjoyed good clears and
smoked them "to the glory of God." One
of our greatest preachers, the late Bishop
Brookes, of Massaohnsetbs, also found cont.
fort in a fragrant Havana. Addison and
Steele found great comfort in their pipes.
Ben Johnsonlovedhis long clay, 'oommon-
ly called "the churchwarden." Beaumont
and Flatcher were partnere in smoke as
well as in authorship. The famous Dr.
Isaac Barrow called hispipehis pharmacon•
cure for everything. The celebrated Mr.
Congreve found great solace in tobacco.
Wilkie Collins has left .us his testimony
that tobacco was the best friend his irrit-
able. nerves over had, and that whenever
he read learned attacks upon it he "turned
to his next cigar with a uew relish." M,
Taine, the witty Frenchman, declared that
he found a smoke " useful between two
ideas—when he had the first and had not
arrived at the second."
Let no be fair, however. L+minent,
authorities have declared that tobacco
smoking 10 provocative of bronchitis and
catarrh, and is a deadly poison to the vecy
young ; that it tends to stupefy the brain
and weaken the nerves, and is an enemy to
concentration of thought upon work is
hand. The poets Shelly, Moore and our
own Poe were all anti•smokers. Not oo
Byron, however, who writes :
Sublime tobacco! which from East to Wast
Cheers the tar'siabor or the Turkman's rest.
Allibooe, the famous compiler, indorses
tobacco as en after-dinner aid to digestion.
Robert Buchanan pronounces it to bo an
invaluable comfort. Mark Twain is on re-
cord to the effect, that he writes with much
greater ease with the aid of about three
hundred cigars a month. With a few em..
inont exceptions, among whom Mr, Glad-
stone, Lord Salisbury and the late Lord
Beaconsfield, England's three latest prime
Ministers, are all to be countod,hard brain -
workers have quite generally used tobaoco.
It meat de essumed that they have found
some good in it, or they would not
do so. Bulwer the celebrated author,
declares that "a man who smokes thinks
like a sage and auto like a Samaritan."
That cannot be maintained, though, with-
out qualification. There are smokers and
other smokers, almost as many brands as
there are of tobacco.
PREDICT A COLD WINTER.
Tied Same 01,1 Weather crank at Pork
Again.
The country prophets are practically
unanimous in announcing that this will be
an uncommonly severe winter, and they
say that all the signs agree with their pre -
illation. A Manitoba farmer, who says that
he has closely observedthe doings of the
weather for more than forty years, has
issued a statement which reads as tol
lows :
Coons and 'possums have a heavy growth
of our coming on. The chipmunk and the
squirrel are the busiest little animals in the
world. Tho ineeots have left the north side
of the trees in the woods, as you will no•
rice, and the feathers of the geese are
hoavierthan ever before. My young lambs
are growing wool that seems marvatens,
and sheep that have been shearer). are rapid.
1y regaining their fleece. Those signs were
visible in 1857 or 1858. Another sign of
hard winter is the largo hazelnut crop,
This means also that lots of hey babies will
be born to take the place of those who will
be killed in the coming war.
A Quebec man comes to the front with
the announcement that cern husks are
thinker this fall than usual, which, he flays,
is anenfallible sign that there will be cold
weather during January and February.
Toronto's most famous unofficial prophet
says that he has been a close observer of the
l'nglislt sparrow for years, and that the
birds which abound in the vicinity of
Queen's Park, are growing feathers on their
loge. There IS no doubt in 1110 mind that is
a sign of an extremely cold winter.
Clear moon,
Frost soon,
is a saying that may be heard frequently.
Au old-time weather Bien wan the a 611011,
displayed by the beavers in laying ha an
.0xt.ra large supply of winter food a month
earlier than usual when a 0014 season was.
at hand. Similar activity mi the part of
boars gave warniug, of a sevmre season to
the huuters in the early days. Beer Creeks
alter the first fail of snow indicated a mild
winter. In the fall before' a cold and only
winter chipmunks are unusually abundant.
They are alway0 housed by Oct. L' Before
and taking solid shape. Looks that had with a failure so great that the 0nedeae 0 a mild winter; howevc••, they aro to be Seen
in re than once startled her and sot her nothing. - l 00 late os, Dee. L
NOVR4111)3HR 20; 189
HE WAS A GENTEEL THIEF
"QEN'TLIi1LAN JOD" WAS TIM DVDB
OF ROAD .AUNTS,
A.l(eyatia neither eine When; siren ale i'lc-
tittle 0,117 Is 470011 Weed t0 Bei' -17114 ii,t-
1nlr1rl1o1od beat or'RloldIng Alp Two
ataaes ut the Santo lame,
Joe Quhle was neither a terror nor IN dee*
miracle in the days before the two
great railroads oroseed the weal, Be wee tt
gambler, aproapeotor, a miner, a man who
ecoid and did shoot when oeoaoiethrequired,
but not one to be warned away by a vigil
sues eomini8tee because he was worse than
the average, Joe went broke on garde, got
cheated out of a rich "find" of silver,. and st
one day left Virginia City' to piok up a new
oo0upatlor. I had known him personally
for two or three years,, and from his sou
vereatlon and general bearing I had no
doubt,. that !to wee well educated and had
been brought up as a gentleman, He left
Virginia City to blossom out as a road
agent, and he had no, paetnor. I had ,the
honor i r ,misfortune to bo a passenger in
the first stage he tried his hand on, The
spot was between Virginia City and Silver
Olty, and the Mine 11 o'olook in the fore-
n0011. Ther° WAS seven men of us besides
the driver, and while the four horses were
being watered at a oreek crossing the road
Joe stopped nut with a gun in either hand
and galled for the passengers to descend, 1
had a seat with the driver, and Joe called
me by name as he called mo down, 11 was
thefirst holdup for a year, and no one
was prepared for it. Aa fast as we dropped
to the road he Looked to hoe that ell weap-
ons had been left behind, and as wit " lifted
up" he took position between us cud the
vehicle. He had a clear, mellow voioe,and
there was no menace in his speeeh as he
said :
"Gentlemen, d have failed at gambling,
prospecting and digging. I am now going
to try this profesaion for a while. I want
your money. I propose to rob you Ina
genteel way. Theme as a gentleman and
I will respect your feelings le return. Mr.
Blank here is my friend, but under the
circumstances ho will shell our with the
rest of yon. I idjll'now eek him to intro-
duce me to each one of you in rotation."
0380018 HANDS O'ITtl EACH VICTItr.
• Joe took from me fourteen twenty -dollar
gold piocee,and then I introduced him to a
Mr. Bascomb, who happened to stand next
to him. They shook hands and said they
were glad to see each other, and air. Bas -
comb handed out 5130 in gold. So it went
clear down the line, the robber trusting to
every man's integrity to hand over his en-
tire boodle, In this instance I believe
every one of undid, as he got about 51,300
from the crowd, Ho did not ask for watch-
es or jewelry, and when some one told bin
that be had forgotten the stage driver, who
stood holding the leaders by the bite, lie
laughed and called out:
"How much cash have you got about you.
Sam 7"
"About 530," replied the driver as he
produced the cotes.
"Von are too small piokings,and I know
you have a wife and child to support. Now
gentlemen, I don't want your firearms, and
I don't believe any of you will be fool
enough no fire on ma when you get holdof
thein. File into the coach end drive ahead.
Should you meet with another gentleman
in the same profession it will console you
to realize that you have no cash to be rob-
bed of,"
00 week later, thoughthere were fifty
men out looking for him, "Gentleman J'oe,'
as we had titled him from the first hold-up,
stopped anotherstage on thatline,
MELD 111' T0'O STAGES AT ON00.
After his second robbery he was so vig-
orously pursued that he had to abandon
the Silver City route, but in the course of
a couple of weeks he was heard of up in
the Humboldt Valley. Ilia advent was
characterized by a feat whioh has no peer
in stage -robbing. He caught the up -stage
and the down -stage just AS they were about
to pass each other at 3 o'olock in the after-
noon. One had five men and a woman and
the other font men, a woman and a boy.
With the drivers there wore eleyen men
and all well armed and yet he appeared so
suddenly and moved aboat so swiftly that
it was at first supposed there were four or
five robbers in the attack, The drivers he
paid no attention to, but he lined up the
nine passengers, searched the first and
made him go through the others. It was
said that his haul, amounted to S5,000 and
au it was sit in gold coin he had it lying
on a blanket in the road when the pas•
stingers re•mnbarked and the stage rolled
away.
By never interfering with the moils or
entrees /natter Gentleman Joe escaped
making official enemies. Neither Uncle
Sam nor the express officials were much
oonoerned about hunting down a man who ..
did 2101 interfere with their property, and
auoh pursuit as was made by sheriffs ended
in smoke. In one year the robber held up
thirteen different stages and made a gross
haul of at least 520,000. •He was never
known to enter a town, and probably lived
alone in the thickets and mountains. Ho
had a good horse and two revolvers, and
occasionally appearedat a mill or country
store to make purchases of provisions. At
the end of a year the rewards' oilfired for
trim amounted to 57,000. His last hold.up
had been on the Yuba River, iu California,
and seven men set out to capture him. They
hired a regular coach, dressed ono of 8180118
number up as a driver and hid another in
the boot, and all were of "surae armed to
the teeth. It may be that Joe in seine way
got word of what was up, for he caught the
008011 in a rocky pass, shot the driver off
his seat and wounded two meu riding with-
in before the crowd were really aware of •
his preeenne. When he commanded the
rewerd•seekers to get down they lost no
tfmofu tuinbling out. Ho that the four
unwounded man buck tip the road, strip
ped of everything, spent half an hour in
making the wounded comfortable as poss.
ble, and thou drove the stage into the
mountains and turned the horses loose,
Ilo Reform Likely Now.
Little Ethel—"Mrs. Nexdoor told magi -
ma that site ought to put her. jellies. and
prescreen in a dark closet."
Little Johnny— eta' all right. There's
only one dark elohet in this h0000,.and
that s the one mamma locks m0 in When Flu
ma
mu
Several live frogs and toads and 0 great'';
lnauy email, round pebbles;#elf during the
great hail storm which recently visited
Prussia.
ii
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Id
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