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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1895-8-16, Page 2ART TO HEA -IT AR, ,OYg'S'.UL"7EBRIRG. O OIC1", • , MAKER Xt too, like her molter, had gone suddenly mad, nu x. zV sM A A 'maple e of 'mereu ralater erRogerR ag efound u d , Mho Under or rather the thief who stale Pelf in Mx. Sm1x4tt prier, 1 1G would be tedious) to r0capitulaGO ull. the will, Walt seated hi the book parlor of low "puhlioi" in Camden Town, With a congenial "pel," busily reading the document 11; question. end planning the beet way to make something oat of hie treeaure trove, He did not eleerly sae hie Way for some tim0, when a happy thought Came to his aid, and jumping up, he excited, ly exclaimed: "By jingo! 1 have it. Pll go to my unele, Detective, Sfnart, end see what he'll Bay to it. If anything's to be got out of it be's the man to do it." On the following morning be was olds• eted with, that gentleman, who quickly decided upon a course of action. He rightly judged thot the person most in- terested was the young lady named as heiress, and the midday rail to Marham carried the neat person of the detective to that *entity. Ab the ion be learned the particulars of the disappearance of the ci devant Mise Deloreine, and the long low whistle which escaped from his lips reveal• ed a history of suspicion that foul play had been at work, as the attorney who drew the will must have known a groes iujus• tine was being perpetrated, as he could have borneteatimony that Miss Deloroine was the rightful summer of her father's •property. AB he bad not done ao, he must be inter eeted in the fraude therefore he wee the last person to inter, iew. But then, would Isnot give a heavy sum to re -possess the will? But would not Miss Determine outbid him.? He resolved, as he said, to set "on the square," because, perhaps, he thought by so doing he would be likely to equally well fill his pocket and satisfy his conscience for a detective hag a oonscienee which can be—paoified. He boldly advertised in the "agony" oolumn01 the Standard and other papers for the address -of Miss Hilda Deloraine,but was unsuccessful in getting anyreply. He then put the wits of his professional breth- ren to work, and aucoeeded in tracing the young lady to her then domicile. It was a cheerless afternoon in February, but Mrs. Grey's cheerful little sitting -room was ruddy and bright with theglow of the fire which flickered and sparkled in the brightly polished grate. Seated at the table, with a parchment deed in his hand, was a gentleman. He was middle-aged, and his closely cropped hair and carefully brimmed whiskers were fast turning gray ; but no sign of age was apparent hi his tell, erect figure, keen, bright, dark eyes slid ruddy complexion. A creamy rosebud in the buttonhole of bis faultlessly fitting blue morning coat and hie whole attire bespoke one whose lines had fallen in pleasant places. By and by he rose from his seat, and putting his memorandum book into the pocket ofhie coat, he naked Mrs. Grey to call Miss 0 Conner, as he had something of importance to communicate to that lady.; in fact, he had come there that day especially to see her. In a few minutes Hilda made her appearance more than • astonished that any one wished to see her. She thought she was quite blotted out from the world's remembrance, and wished to remain -so. The detective cautiously and slowly unwound the thread of his story, much tO Hilda and her kind nurse's aebcnieh- anent. Hilda could only murmur " Rog- er," and seemed ready to faint from sur- prise and excitement. Mrs. Grey soon enlightened the detective as to this same Roger, and giving his address to Mr. Smart, advised that official to see him with- out loss ith-outloss of time. * A clear, bright morning in February. The beams of the sun, glinting upon the hoar frost with which every Leaf and blade of grass was covered, and turning them to diamonds, while it shone cheerfully into the pleasant breakfast -room et the Temple, gleaming on the sparkling silver and price - leas china of the breakfast table which was laid for Roger Montaoute's solitary meal. It was yet early when the young man, in hischeeping dress, entered theroomand rang the bell for his coffee. " Your letters, sir," said the butler, as he brought in the coffee and took the covers off the hot dishes, causing an appetizing odor to fill the apartment, pled. ing, as he spoke, a pile of letters by Roger's elbow. " Thanks, William," rejoined the young man, and then he asked, me he proceeded to open his letters : "Is Markham in the kitchen? If so, give him some breakfast and tell him I shell be ready in half an hour." "Very well, air," replied the man, as he left the room, leaving Moutacute to peruse his -lettere and finish his breakfast ere he started on his day's shooting. "Now, 1 wonder who that's from ?" said Boger, as he took up a letter in a blue. envelope, addressed in legal handwriting. "It can't be a bill ; labia see whet it's about." The letter was as follows : "22 West street, Camden road, "London, February 19. I8—. "Sir : I trust you will excuse a parted Wenger like myself addressing you on o private matter of business, but I have been given to understand that you area friend of Miss Hilda O'Cotiner, ,otherwise Deloreine, and if so, 1 shall be glad 11 yon could favor me with a call at the aboveaddrees, to con- sider whether any steps could be taken to preside the young lady with the means of support she is at prevententirely destitute of. I remain, air, your obedient serv- ant, "En than SMART." "To Roger Montaoute, Esq." To thrust the letter into his pocket, vio. lently pull the bell and hastily swallow his coffee was with Roger but the work of a moment, and when the butler entered he hastily exclaimed : "Tell Markham I shall not ehoetto-day, end order Wilkins to put.Blaolx Bess into the cart, I must go to London this morning and went to oatoh the 9.30 express," And before the astonished Williwm could reply his master rushed from the room and upstairs two steps at a Mine to change his sheeting dress for a costume more suited to the London orate. "Give my lore to my aunt, Willlatee, and say I shall return to dinner,' he said the story which lair. Smart told Roger of the unhappy Hildo'e so eriDge clod ?rive, tions, and the hot blood of the young mau boiled ha bio volas as he listened to the tale of his derling'e misfortunes, As Roger afterward expressed it, he "' oottoned" to the kindly detective at once, end poured into hie sympathizing ears all the history of the interrupted marriage and' the un- availing search for the squires will, .CHAPTER XII, IN TLR GbOAMINO, On the evening of the day wbioh wham, ed the interview between Mr, Smart and Roger Moutacute Hilde was sitting at a small table, drawn close to' the pleetant, flower -decked window, taking advantage of the fading February . daylight to finish a sketch she was miming of the Easter meet of the Queen's etaghoundo upon the wide thicket neer her old home, ;She wee utterly alone in the great empty mansion, Mre. Carey having gone to spend the after. noon with her daughter and to make the acquaintance of a new grandson, and by and by she began to find the silence opera: sive and to wish for something to break the stillness. Her wish was soon gratified, a loud double knock at the great ball door, which was so seldom opened, causing her 00start from her seat and hurry up the short flight of stone steps which led to the empty deserted hall. ' Who could it be 1" she wondered, as her little fingers sought to undo the heavy bolts and bare of the ponderous doors. She looked out nervously as, the faotenings'at: leugth undone, she opened the great door, A cry of surprise broke from her lips. Ah 1 not even the gathering gloom of the February night could blind her to the fact that it was Roger Montaoute who stood before her. "My darling 1 My little love 1" exclaim- ed the young rellow, gathering her fragile form to his broad breast and pressing fond, impassioned kisses upon the cheeks and lips whose lovely bloom had fled. "How cruel you have been to me 1 Where have you hidden yourself for the last year ? But I have found you now, `Hilda, and I swear that no power on earth shall part us again, Smart has told me a11. It's a miracle—a direct interposition of Providence. Silently—for her heart was too fall tor speech—Hilda led the way downstairs to Mrs. Grey's cheerful little sitting. room, and, baying stirred the &re into a blaze, permitted her lover to draw her down beside him on the sofa, where, her golden head pillowed upon Roger's breast, ehe sat in bliss too deep for worde,while he unfolded all the plane for the future. " And, my darling," he added tenderly, taking the girl's round chin in his band and lifting up her face to his, while his glances of passionate love were reflected in the sweet eyes of the woman he adored, "if we had failed' in establishing your right to inherit your father's estate we would have been married quietly in London and sought a home in another hemisphere. I have saved money during the past year,and the saleof my horeea would have been enough to give us a start in another country, but," he added gravely "you must pledge me your word, Hilda, that you will not leave thie shelter, which, if a humble, is still a safe one, until I return to olaim your hand." ' The long months of separation, with all the privations and sorrows of that hitter time, had broken down Iiilda's pride, and now Roger's tender words found an oche in her breast, and she realized,beeidee,how cruel a thing had been her desertion of the man who loved her, even though she had doneit from a mistaken sense of duty; and looking up in her lover's grave, earnest face, her violet eyes swimming in teare,she laid he little hand in his broad palm and promised all he wished. A fond, lingering caress, heart to heart and Hp pressed to Hp, and the lovers parted, Roger with hope beating in his heart, to take his way to his hotel, while Hilda, hardly able to realize the joy which had come to her, returned to her wonted vocation, and busied herself in preparing tea for her kind old friend, whose return she expected every moment. „ Liar an;d ,traitor ,1" he ex eleitned in- iiigeently, "You allay share yoOtel1 any felehor vuin aseertiane, The will emeeted by Mr. llelereiee, with your name en 111.1 proof that it wee dreamt up in /mar offline has been disoevered, end is in the p0ss005Io1 of lletootivv Smart, who Will see that jeetioe is done 00 tho child of the generous friend whose trust you se Wally Isbrayed. I wonder Mark Delar- sine's spirit could rest m its grave while you were causing his unhappy deughter to suffer privations and be exposed to dangers almost unheard of to satisfy your revenge, "Take oare whet you say, Mr. Mosta- outer" replied the lawyer, " You have no prof of what you choose to assert; the lout that Mr. Doloraine a. wi)1 wae•oxeeuted in m; Oleo doee not prove that I was privy to its concealment." "Why, just now you denied that Afr. Deleraine made any, provision foe hie daughter, although you are the solicitor who drew the will leaving her everything. What a boundless, scoundrel you must be. What is your object?" "Pm not supposed t0 recollect the eentente of every dooitmsnt drawn in my office," replied Wentworth, bis face ashy pelt, end 'hie whole body trembling as 1f affected with palsy. But even while he spoke Nigel knew that the gamewee up, and bitter despair and, rege filled his heart as he thought of the oonsequences of his rash action and knew that he had sinned in vain, Roger leughe(I a bitter, scornful laugh as he re. plied ae he sprang into the cart and gave the CHAPTER XIII. np.ovno T TO BAY. The bright Spring afternoon was waning, and the clerks in the offices of Nigel Wentworth, in Gray's Inn, where oongrat• ulating themselves that their day's work was nearly over, when a gentleman, springing rp the wide, echoing stair case, entered the outer office and asked one of the busy clerks if Mr. Wentworth was disengaged. "I believe so, air," was the reply. "Whet.. name shall I say 1" "Give Mr. Wentworth this card, and say I shall not detain him long." In a minutia or two the clerk returned and asked Mr. Montaeube to follow nim into his master's presence. Boger found Nigel Wentworth seated at his teble busily engaged in writing letters. Much as Roger hadreason to dislike the lawyer, he could not but be struck with the marked change in his appearance which had taken place during the padt year. His dark hair was thickly streaked with silver, his eyes were sunk and burnt with a fever. ieh lustre, while the deep lines graven upon his brow end around his mouth told their owe tale of a heart ill at ease with the World and itself. "This is an unexpected pleasure, 'Air. Montaoute." said Nigel, rising ane holding out his hand, The yotmg mau, however, was putting his hat and gloves upon o side table, and took no notice of the other's offered hand, A sarcaeticemile curved theiawyer's lips as he drew a chair to the fire and naked his visitor to sit down. Roger took the seat, and then looking keenly at Wentworth's worn face, asked : "' Have you ever discovered any traces of Mr. Deloraino's will ?" The lawyer gazed at hie questioner in unbounded surprise, "Mr. Deloraino'a will 1" he exolaimed, " What makes you ask so strange a Cues•, tion ? Surely you know that no pains were wantingg on our part to find any traceeof snob a doeument 1 It is quite other to my mind thetthe sudden death of the poor squire prevented his Making any provislan for --•hie daughter. Nigel brought out the lest word With difficulty, and Roger leaped from his chair as he spoke, oonfrontiug him with ,,his "Those paltry excuses will avail you nothing ; you may be quite sure that no mercy will be shown to you, and you must be well aware exactly what punishment the law will mete out to you. Whet have you gained by your cruel treachery? You have wrought your own ruin, and the in- jury you have done to your dead friend's child has recoiled upon your own bead." And without another word Roger Monte. cute turned and left the room, closing the beery door behind him with a clang, leav- ing. Wentworth to his own bitter re&eo• time. How long he eat there he knew note The office hours were over and one by one the clerks clattered down the stone steps and departed to: their several homes, and still the wretched man sat in his desolate offioe,musing over the ruin of his proepeate, a bitter pang rending 'his soul as he thought of the disgrace and theme which would rest upon the name he had always striven to keep untarnished, But worst of all was the thought that his sin was unavailing, and a bitter, despairing sigh broke from his heart as he thought of Hilda's soft dainty beauty once more folded in her lover's arms. Aforning broke clear and cold, and the chill breezes came in through the open window, fluttering -the papers on the table, but Nigel never stirred,but leaned forward on his desk, his head resting on hie arm. In this position the housekeeper found him when, at 8 o'clock, she came fn to arrange the dices for the day. She was an old and trusted servant,' and ventured to touch her master and try to rouse him from what she thought wee an uneasy elesp. Ay 1 call as loudly ae you like, ohafethe ioe•cold hands, try to forge brandy between the pallid lips, but it is all to no purpose, and, frightened at last, the good woman hurriedly departed to seek a doctor. "He has been dead for hours," said the medical man, as, His brief examination over, he turned to those :about him, "and, see," forcing, as be spoke, a little bottle, from which proceeded a strong, subtle odor of peaches, from the stiffened hand; '"here is the cause of hie death ; he has poisoned himself with prussic acid." An inquest was held over Nigel Went• worth's body, and, in mercy to fife dead foe, Roger Montaoute forbore to speak of that last interview between himself and the Iawyer,and as his grieving housekeeper and bewildered clerks gave evidence as to their master's strange ways and abstracted manner, the merciful verdict was recorded, "That Nigel Wentworth had destroyed himself in afitof temporary insanity," And sd respected and honored by hie many friends and .acquaintances he was laid to rest, and the secret of his wrongdoing was buried with him. (To BB CONTINCBD.) BIRDS THAT DANCE. A scientist Says that the American Grouse Gives Quadrille Parties. Birds have takes to dancing, or rather they have recently been detected in the enjoyment of this gay and festive practice. in this month's magazine of the Selbourne PRACTICAL FARING. Teathl'(nt Horses aIle Cattle. It le often doeircd to tether n horns, cow or calf In the field, To keep them Irani winding the rope about the bar or stake to width ,they are 'Weaned ieimpartant« Two motbode are shown herewith, A long stout, iron hook may be pressed down into the turf, there beingjusbanree 00000 in the part in the ground to keep it from pulling out, but not too much to peeventt the book from being turned about in the soil, as shown in figure 1. The hook must be long enough and etoutenough go that ie will not pull out through the. turf. The devise illustrated in k'fg 2 needs lfbtle ex. planation. The wooden affair that slips down over the iron bar, and that turtle mare her head, who started off as if she bright, he el eyes flashing with rage. MIG 1, )10011nalennR PIG 2.110V OLV INOTLTaten freely about it, must be of hardwood land short enough to atand the strain upon it. The pieoss of plank may be bound with hoop iron around • the edges for added strength: Even if the rope gets wound about this it will rewind when the animal pulls upon it. -- Don't Sell Good Breeding Stock for Meat. The outlook for ive stook ie encouraging and more especially for animals of the meat making classes. For a long time these branokes of live stook industry have lan- guished, but now they promise to flourish like the green bay tree. Men are waking up to the fact that, notwithstanding the fmporbanco of dairying,other kinds of stock are wanted, and it will pay to keep them. It is important, therefore, in view of the good demand for meat producing animals at the present time, and of the probable continuance of the same, thea every one who has good' breeding females, young or old, should be careful of the dis- posal which he makes of them. "0f course, there is a elaee of animple from which we should never breed When meat is low, such animals are not likely to beeretainedfor breeding. The daugerthat they oball be so kept only exists when meat is 'dear; hence, when we urge our farmers to be careful not to hastily dispose. of good breeding stocks et the present time, we have no reference to inferior animals. At no time should they be spared to breed from, The temptation is very strong to sell good animals when meat is dear. The butcher does not want the inferior so much as he wants the good, and it is the good animals whioh he wishes to buy. It ie for those that the tempting offer is made, and it ie to withstand the pressure which he brings to get suoh animals that the farmer should be ready with a resolute No. If the best are sold at anytime, lmprovemee t ie impossible ; therefore, except when the very strongest reasons are offered for the step, the beet should not be sold. There has been & strong tendency during recent years to out down the size of the Rooke of sheep on the part of many breeders, and naturally so. It is always so when prices fall. But sheep are likely to improve. They are almost certain to improve. Par• tioular care should be exercised, therefore, with reference to thedisppooal of ewe lambs. In the near future this class of stock should bring fair prices, so far as we can judge by present indications • Itis somewhat surprising how high and low prices for different kinds of stook work, as it, were, in cycles. For a number of years one line of produce will be low, and there fano accounting for the fact. It will then quite suddenly take a spurt up- ward when people are least expecting it, and the reasons will not be any more apparent for the sudden rise in price than for the sudden fall. A year ago no one had the courage to prediob that beef would rise so quickly, but it has risen, and judging by the present indications, it will continue up for some time. It may be that these changes are the outcome of decreased pro. duction caused by the continuance of low prioos,for a time. If so, the priges for beef are likely to continue good for some time to come, as the supply of beef can not be increased in ane year as can the supply of some other products. • The mistake should be shunned by pur chesere of investing in animals of inferior development becausethe prices which rule for the best of that particular class of stook are high. The danger here is always con. siderable. When meat sells low many people will not invest in meat producing sires at all, but when mania dear they will have sires, even though they have to take poor 0005. Such a desire, however, should not be pandered to by the breeders of purebred stock. It ono only react against the busi- ness in the end. They should not sell such animals to any save those who will turn them into meat. The meat•makinginterests have suffered immensely in thisway iu the past ; berme, when we advise farmers to be careful, in view of the brightening future, me to the disposal which they Omar make,of their breeding stooke, we also urge upon them to retain no animals for breeding not up to a certain standard. Society, "Nature Notes," evidence on the subject is collated which seems to plane this entertaining feature beyond doubt. Dr. Jappdeclares that the bower -bird' of America is notorious for these dissipations ; the American grouse and prairie fowl are equally given to this form of gayety, "and people who have seen the performance say it ie one of the most amusingsights, in the world," "The Americtiu grease first prepares its ballroom by beating down the grass floor with its wings, the hall being left surrounded by rustling grass and golden aetere. Morning and evening- a party' es. semblee here, with pirouettes and curtseys. By twos and fours they advance, bowing their heeds and dropping their wings ; then they recede and then advance: again, and turn on their toes, swelling their feathers and clucking gently, Surely they must haven dancing master." Mr. Lord gives a description of a dance of prairie fowls that he eaw of ata equally. astonishing kind.m All which ekes ue Wish that some of these lively .bir ds could h be imported to teach the Englie sparrow a reel or a waltz. He wouldus, become me mach More note resting. Hundred Perfumes. know gathered Over Four Hund f es. It is an interesting thing to that 4,200 species of planta are and r, 308, Paper Telegraph Poles. Tho latest novelty in the paper world is a telegraph pole made of that very useful material. These poles are composed of paper pulp; in which borax, tallow and other ingredients are mixed. This is oast in a meld in such a manner as to give it a hollow Oentro throughout its ehtire length, with n close•Rabieg cap tarred on the top. These poles are sail to be lighten and etrongor then similar sized poles of wood, and to beunaffeoted by sen, rain or damp. neer, in fsp nanufa Ther lathered Of these extraordinarily order Dome thorn her 82 Rower perfumed, used for commercial purpoate Europe Of these 420 have a perfume thatleas. ing and enter largely into the t cture of scente, soaps and sachets• a are more species 01 white flowers g than of any other color -1,104. 0 187 have anagreeable scent, en ext arily large proportion. Next in ore yel• loavblossoms, with 051, 77 of, being perfumed, Red Rowers num 3, of which 85 are scented. The blues aro of 504 variebiee, 34 of which are and the violet blossome numbs 13 of which aro pleasantly odoriferous. 'oaltee of many dlseauOs mn sheep, and they ehould`not be put in a field where thou is the only water of which they eon .avail thamsolvee, We aro not eure whether 11 would 1196 be better to put sheep into fielde without water than to put them whero their only drinkisfoul water, Both practicee'are deoidedly wrong, Sheep must hare water, the purest to a aoa. to h a th Omuta hove alta and o water only, ANDREWS P1A ANS ARE APPROirgO 11W0illalt Aerennut ]gal"eela Ao,ltena, .North role 851 FOrtl••Elght flours, Chief 01vm1 Engineer Andreo, the diatin. guished Swedish aeronaut, who proposes to jeuroey00 the north pole id'aballoon, has now had hie plans approved by the higtleet soienbifio Authority in the world,tbe French Academy of Science. At a recent meeting of the academy the oommiseion appointed to examine- Mr, AD. dreo'e plane, M, Daubree, Blanchord and Faye, all with a world wide reputation as soientifio.experte,reported fevorebll}' on the plans submitted.. The total amount needed, 130,000 crowns, SOLOMON ADODST ANDRyt [The Swedish aeronaut who expects to reach the north pole in a balloon.] bas already been subscribed by Xing Oscar, of Sweden; Baron Dickson and Dr., Alfred Noble,the Swedish member of the Standerd Oil Company. Mr. Andree is a skilful engineer and one of the chiefs of the Royal Swedish Bureau of Patents. He is one of the most experi- enced aeronauts of Europe,and haoalready, by his successful aerial journeys, gained a world wide reputation, The balloon Mr Andrea will use on hie polar journey will be steered by sails, and the distance from the earth will be regulat- ed by drag lines. With a favorable wind the north pole will be reached from' the Norwegian coast in leas than fortyeight horns, and the return wily be by Behring Straits. Photographs of the earth es bhe balloon pewee over it will be taken, and Mr. Andrea will be accompanied by a scientific erpert. MONEY MARKS. The World Max a. Way Or Dern» .Things Baclravard. Did it ever strike you se being at al peculiar Bast we should use the dollar mark (13) before instead of after the figures in expressing the sum of 5, 10, 20 or any other Dumber of dollars? We may say " twl:ntyfive dollars" plain enough for any one to understand, but as soon as we pate the expression into figures and characters it is "donate twenty-five" ($25) instead of 25S, as it should be. Nor is this all that is peculiar in this connection. In every oountry' which has a written language and a system of coinage Keep the Lambs Growing. The lambs should not be neglected during the summer season, even if haying and liar vesting do call for most of our attention during that period. If we want to push ourla;nbe along,ft will pay us to fend them a little grain every day. At Rret, they may be fed along with the ewes, if they do not seem inclined to oat the grain ; but once they have taken to it, they can be fed alone: In order to keep Jamba growing; both hey and their dams should be keptoh'good pasture, and 'they ehould bo changed from one field to another from time to time. 13y good pasture we do not mean tall,luxuriant gra50, for sheep do not care for it, A short, thick pasture is what they prefer and do beet on. Remember to keep a Lump of rock salt alwaye in the natures for the eheop. Sheep will take salt regularly, and are the better for it. We have found rook salt far better and cheaper than nommen salt in the pas. three, as it will not Waste and the sheep can not take too Mail of it at a time. Another importantroquisiteis good"olern water, foul water from a plough 10 the AA7ClIIST 16, 1890 AND MRS. BOWSER, NOW AN UMBRELLA DISTURBS THE DO1<IESTWC PEACE, 11 r, ht, Didn`t Have it When itaugbt In The fbtibs -11re, 1t, Held ltcaponefhie for Ile 1Pr'eto:nin—Otller '1'rflllug incl dente That Broom the Hormml*y of j 108' It was pouring rain when Air, Bowser, lame home the other evening, and Mrs, Bowser, who wanwatehing for hien from a front window, caw that he woe soaking wet and realized that a 50000 wan at hand. bhe opened the front door for him with the remark: "I'm 80 aorry 1 Get into some dry olotheit right away." Mr. Bowser made no reply, Be hong up hie bat, walked into the eibting.room with his feet all muddy and the wet drip ping from his clothes, and then turned on her with: "Mrs. Bowser, what did I say to yon as Deft the house this morning? Don't Attempt any evasion, now, bub toll ane what I said 1" "Why, I remember you said it looked 1 bit like rain," she answered, "I said it would ramp before night, and it bast I'm web to the hide 1" "That's too bad 1" "Too bad I Andwbose fault is it? My mind watt occupied with business elflike, and you knew it was, and yet yon saw- me walk off without an umbrella 1 Mrs. Bow- ser, I-- 1" "Why, you took yo'w umbrella along," she interrupted. "Never !" "Of course you did 1 Don't you remem- ber dropping it at the gate '1 You walked right out of the office and left it there." "I did, eh? Why don't you call me a first elan idiot and be done with it ?" "You must have done so, for you surely carried it away with you." That's exsetly what he did do, and he k'foew it, but he equirmed out of it by offer• ing to bet her a million dollars to a oebb that the front door had been left wide open all the afternoon, and that a hall -thief bad; carried off half the things down stairs. One morning there was a smell of gas down cellar, and Mr. Bowser went down to see if he could discover a leak. He put on an old hat kept for " poking around," and when he left the house he wore it away, ft ' was rusty and spotted and broken, but it was only when the boys down town began to "eboot that hat" that he tumbled to it. Then he flew back with hie eyeo hanging out. and bis face plum•colored, end he was no sooner inside the house than be shouted "Look at it, Mrs. Bowser—look at that infernal old junk -shop which you deliber- ately eaw me wear away on my head and never said a word about tt 1" "Did you wear that hat down town?" "Did I ! Did 11" he shouted, as he banged it on the floor and jumped on it. "But I didn't see you go. I was up stairs when you went. Mr. Bowser, you are cer- tainly very absent-minded: "I am, eh I It's -a wonder that 1 don't forget to come home, isn't it 1 Mrs. Bow. ser,if there is another house in the United States as badly (mismanaged es dila I'd like to 505 101" "But can you blame me because you wore your old hat away?" she protested. the abbreviation for the unit of value precedes the figura. In Eogland'the pound mark(B)is need in the same manner that the dollar mark ie used in this country, while the same peoul iarity is noticeable in Germany, where the abbreviation m. (for ,nark) appears prated• tug the nuniber,jusbas the French abbrevia- tion fr. (for frano) is used in France. if abbreviations are not used the legend is more apt to be correot. • We find that in istexieo they have a " pesos" instead of " p 2#," as one might expect, end in Newfoundland they have a plain two- dollar piece. So, too, in France, .where the` abbreviatioc is not used we find such pieces as "10 francs," " 20 franca" and " 40 thanes." In Germany thoyhave a piece marked "X thaler," whioh fs &iivery plein,but the moment a clerk, bookkeeper or other per• son makes an entry or jots down a mem- orandum he tells you that it is a '1 th. X." The English pound sign, which is believ ed to be the oldest monetary ,abbreviation now in use, is the old initial letter by which the 1Lemana expressed "pounds," just as we use the "lbs." It has been suggested that wo use our money abbrevia• tion backward bemuse -lee Romans in expressing "poundo"-always said "'Libre deoem" instead' of " decem Libra," the first being "pounds ten" and the latter "" ten pounds. W hen their initial letter or character was used . it always preceded the figures thus : " X10" instead of the reverse. Thus the whole world has got in the habit of doing these things backward. "That's it -that's it l Shoulder it off on me I Tho papers talk about the startling number of divorcee. It's' a wonder to me there are not five times as many 1' One day Mr. Bowser brought home a pat- entcork-anew, which some fakir had sold - him, and sirs. Bowser eaw him drop ft into a wail-pooket. A week later, after wan- dering around .the house for half en hour one evening, he halted before her and said: "I'll be hanged if I don't get some chains and padlocks and see if I can't have thinge left where I put them 1" "What is it now?" "1 brought home aoan•openerafew days ago and left it on a braeket in the dining- room. iningroom. It's gone, of course -probably given away to some big, lazy tramp 1 It's a won- der we have a thing left in this house 11 " A oan•opener?" "Yes, a can+opener. If you never heard of aoan.opooer 1'l1 hire some one to write you out a history of it. It was invented to open cans." " Why, wo have two or three in the kitchen, Do you mean a cen.opener?"' "'1 don't mean wind -mills or thrashing machines." You had it in a pink paper?" "Yes, ma'am." "It was the day the man fixed the gate?" "It wee." " Well, I saw you drop it in that wall- pooket, and itis a corkscrew and not a can opener. It is, eh? ;Perhaps I don't know a )iitching•post from the city hall'!" he growl• ed as be recoiled for the parcel and unroll- ed ft. It wee a corkscrew. It could only be used as a corkscrew. It was made and sold for a corksorew." " Did'nt I tell you ?"' queried Mrs. Bow - tier. " Tell me what 1 You told me it was a corkscrew, and it'e a oan.opener, just as I said it was I" "It's a corkscrew, Mr. Boweer, as every body will tell you," "I say it's a oan•opener, and if ail the world was to say to the contrary 11 would still be a can -opener. Mrs. Bowser, I don't like your demeanor. 140 wife should stand up and dispute with her husband. When I don't know how to run this house Tll step down and out, While we are on the subject let me ask where that serew•driven is'I wee using upstairs a week' ago? I hunted for it two whole hours last evening. Perhaps you'll sell that a corkscrew, too ?" "You were boring a hole to put up a hook i" "Yea'm-baring it ]tole." "And you used a gimlet and left it lying on the windowsill 10 "Woman I" shouted Mr. Bowser as he ppranced around, "don't I know a gimlet frotn a screw -driver 1" "Done any one bore holes with a screw. driver ?" she queried in reply, Then there was deep silence for a minute, during which Mr. Bowser turned red and • white and breathed like a foundered horse. "Mrs. Boweer 1" he said at length, and in a broken voice, "this is the limit—the last straw 1 • Our lawyers will get together to•morroW and (ix thingo up, and you can return to vont. mother, I don't want any dinner, and I shall be very busy thie erne - hag. .Good -night 1" Shoe Superstitions. When you buy a pair of new shoes never put them on a ehelt higher than your head, unless you want to bring bad luck; and if you blackenthem' before you hove had both shoes on,.you may meet with an acct. (tent or eveu have sudden death. 'Chia is an old Irish superstition. The Soottiah girls believe that if they drop their shoes' before they are worn trouble will ensue, while a Brooch lady lotting her heel is auuo of some disappoinbmeut in love, and a German mother in the same predicament, feels that she will soon lose one of her children. You must not put your right shoe on your left foot or your )alt on your right, nor Mimi, you put your left shoe on before your right, unless you want bad luck. This superstition Woe back to ono of the emperors of Rome, who, it le recorded, pat on hie left shoe filet one morning, and oamo MAC being aseamsinated during the day. Ae a sign of reepeob, the Japaneee take off their slippers when they meet in the Meet, and the Jews used to pinok off one of theirs to confirm a bargain. Through. out the East when an inferior enters the presence of his superior he leaven his shoos or alippere'at the door, A*100,000company is talking of building a dry stook at Windsor,,