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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1896-1-24, Page 2FT VICAR'S GOVERNESS CHAPTL"R ohidi4sb fashion, et the Singer of the cr s sweet and: musical nonlenb 1 and then he docent speak A' Apollo's lute, stran8 with avail HereeeoitfinitohweIW' asks Plea- AS bright heir s ossa present! . Plea - /ea hair; the voice of And when Love speaks, Quite well, He always 1s, you all the gods with the ha?" know. .RaWh�ot—who ie the girl next Oakes heaven y y u many,' "Ibat ism friend, Georgie Brough- -Love's Labor's Lest, ton, I think I told youabout h z, It is ni ht. and the 4th of >;ebruary She is governess at the vicarage,tnow. w. Already is Pullingham turning out, Is she not lovely, lou e Clarissa, eagoviy, dressed in its very Sunday best. -and IS But Mr. llraugoombe door not an- wending its way towards the aohoel- ewer her. He is call staring at the house, where the concert Le to be eeld. con deafofous ClarGiss�i ailiraaLea of meralm st her the last week It has boon deep this Miss Peyton is somewhat die- m the mysteries of solos, duets, and gusted, and declines any further at trios, Indeed, tbere ia, hardly a fain tempt at laudation,e sa s, at eon th. it in the whole village ,flat door not A governess t y g raising his brows, but without rsmov- know by heart every mortal thing ing his eyes from the fair and perfect or a daughter en- es without its equal. Rpssgseing a son g Yes, She is none the less sweet gaged in the common work, and be- for that,' soya Clarissa, rather coldly. longing to, the. choir; yet neverthe- She tells herself it is: unlike Dorian to less it now goes in a body to the school look down upon any one because ho house, as possessed with curiosity as lines may be m a worse position than though music is an art unknown to "They are going to sing again,"she them and the piping of small trebles says, in a tone she seldom uses to him; a thing unheard oP. we must not talk, you know." She Nothing can exceed the excitement had some, faint idea of introducing him to Georgie, but she abandons it, and and jealousy that reign everywhere,— gives him to understand that she has principally in the hearts of Mr. Leath- at,present nothing more to say to him. am's followers, who hope wildly, but ether he gmto compprehends all a b6 the only she Intends to convey, I know not; Th 1 ht then the secretly, that failure may hut, raising himself slowly from his alight, childish figure, in its gown of aropa their rivals may reap• thin filmy black, comes forward, and that is goiagg, o be sung, gob family face, that even now, he tells himse , TE of inutile; but !:hen he heel never heard her ng.. #Murine her fortnight's stay at tee vicarage the has nearer suite one !note, este neater betrayed' the fag that elle le le true daughter of ?fay- "1 cly- hY,miiia, . I eau, indeed, -^really I .I can sing very well," sayg Georgi, , in her little earnest fashion, " and witho. -t the vol;y faintest su tpioioal of sonnaaeit , Peeving only eager reassure Ilion of the fast that She is worthy to eons to lea relief, But tee Song h 'i sees 11xr. Redmond, still hesitating, and alluding to the seeend solo chosen by the defaulter. 'It is an old Trish song ; I know It, It is 'Shuler Agra,` incl it begins, 'Aly Mary with the curling hal'" says Georgie, with a slight nod, "I used to singt� it long ago, and it ie very pretty," ° \'Tall, come," says the vicar, though with trepidation, and leads ber on to the latform, and up to Mrs. Redmond, to that good woman's intense surprise,, Lady Mary bas nearly brought her little vague,whisper o an end, She has ab last disclosed to a listening and, ince that she has discovered the real dwelling -place of the lost "Alice,"— who is uncomfortably ensconced amidst the etarshine," if all aaeounts be true,—and is, now quavering feebly on a last, and dying note. "Tbis is the song," says Mrs. Red- mond, putting Sarah's rejected solo into her hand. Thank you." says MissBroughon, She looks neither frightened nor con earned, only a little pale, and with a great gleam in her eyes,, born, as it were, of an earnest desire to achieve victory for the vicar's sake. Then Lady Mary's final quaver dies, and she moves to one side, leaving the space before the piano quite clear. There is a slight pause ; anden It is a heavenly night, for whieh the Vicar is devoutly thankful. The moon is riding high in the dark -blue dome; the stars are all alight; the air, swift and keen, rushes along the high- roads sweeping all before it. There is no sign of rain ; the sky above, "star- inwrought," shows promise of many fair to -morrows. "There is no excuse for their non-attendance;" murmurs the vicar to himself, as he stands inside the schoolhouse door, wording his thought, as he might, were he think- ing of the collecting together of his flock on Easter Sunday or to the Holy Communion. "Vast, night comes noiselessly up the eastern slope, And so the eternal chase goes round the world." But for the soughing wind, the world is still. One by one, or two by two, or sometimes as a whole family, the villagers drop in, arranging them- selves modestly in the bask rows, and exchanging greetings with each other in a subdued and whispered fashion. A little while after the door is open- ed, the lower half of the hall is crowd- ed rowded to excess. The vicar is well belov- ed by his parishioners; but above and beyond all is the desire to see Maria and Susan and Ezekiel upon theboards, "a singing for the polity!" The room itself is what reporters would term "a blaze of light,"Mucb ingenuity hasbeen exercised in the i decoration of t; and certainly the de- signs in laurels, and the designs in moss, and the one grand design in paper roses, at the far end of the room, are all that heart can desire. To Clarissa, I think, this lest out- burst on the part of the village is a heart -break; but, if so, she represses her grief valiantly, and even, with her ownforgiving fingers, condes- cends to brighten the monstrosity with some bot -house flowers. But, when all is told, it remains an eye- sore,—a regretable blot, not to be eradicated under pain of bringing down the rage of the entire village u on the devoted head of him or her who should interfere. Mrs. Redmond, seated on the small platform, with the piano before her, and the choir arranged, with careful regard to its different sizes, on each, side of her, waits patiently the coming of the county. She is looking thinner, more miserable than usual, and has a general air about her of being chilled to the bone: Her fingers, lying idly in her lap, clutch and unclutoh sac other aimlessly, as though vainly searching for the accustomed sock. Miss Broughton, who is taking no part in the performance, having sup pressed the fact of her having a very beautiful voice, ever since her arrival at Pullineham,—is sitting on a side - seat longing eagerly for Clarissa's ar- rival. The children have wandered a little way from her, and are gazing, as lost in admiration, at the huge rose - construction on the wall before them. Presently; the Greys of Greymount come in, with a little shudder of dis- gust at finding themselves almost the first • followed closely by Lady Mary and 'Lady Patricia Hort, who do not shudder at all, but go straight up the small passage between the seats, with their patrician noses high in the air, and penile and nod cheerfully, and not at all condescendingly, at Mrs, Redmond, who, poor soul, is deeply re- lieved at sight of them. Lady Mary goes on, to the platform; Lady Patricia sinks into a front seat specially provided for her, whilst Lord Alfred, their brother, who has been inveigled into coming, sorelyagainst his will,—having conversed with Lady Patricia for a few minutes, and told her several lies about the arrange- ments for the evening,—not inten- tionally, but through ignorance, being under the Paste impression that a con- cert in a village is the same as a con- cert in own,—goes over to one side of the building, and plants himself list- lessly with his back against a wall, from which position he gazes in a gloomy fashion at everything inen eral, but Miss Brouhgton in particugler. Then comes everybody, and makes a great fuss about its place,—Clarissa Pey- ton and ber father excepbedi who go straight o where Georgie is sitting, and gtay with her all the evening. Dorian Bransedmbe, who has come • down expressly for the concert, atggreal trouble to himself, and simplyn obthe lige the vicar, saunters leisurely p room toward the middle of the evening, and looks round himdubiously, as though uncertain,where te put in his time, Seeing Clarissa, be goes upeto her, and, with a faint sigh of relief, leans over the back of her chair and says, " Good -evening,' in a languid one. Ah 1 you, Dorian?" says Clarissa, eery •pleased. "Now, it is good of you to come.' "I am always gond;" says Dorian, "I'm a model boy. It is so strange that people won't recognize the fag. They sort of give me to understand I'm quite the other thing, whatever that may be. Very full' house, don't you think, and awfully swagger? What's Lady Pa- tricia got on er? She is slightly ter- rifying, don't You think ?" "She isn't very well got" up certain- ly," says ,Clarissa, relucantly. "She's anyhow," says Branacambe, freely; and then his eyes fall upor lounging position on the back of ber chair, be takes a last look at Georgic's Profile, and moves into the background. Good -evening, Bransoombe,' says Lord Alfred, presently; and. Dorian, finding himself beside him, returns the stands, before the audience. She is quite self-possessed, but rather white, which has the edfeet of rendering her large plaintive eyes darker and more lustrous than usual. Her arms are greeting, and props himself up in bis turn half bare; her 'throat and part of her against the friendly wall, that shows neck can be seen gleaming white its appreciation of them by giving them against the blackness of her dress. She finely wbitewashed coats. is utterly unadorned. No brooch or The concert is getting on swimming ear -rings, or bracelets, or jewels of ly, As yet no flaw has occurred to any kind, can be seen. Yet she stands mark the brilliancyof its success. The there before them a perfect pioture, opening chorus has been applauded to. the echo, especially by Lord Alfred, who feels it his duty te do, something, and who keeps on applauding, in the most open-hearted manner, each thing and everything, until he discovers he has split his right glove all up the palm, when he caves' in, and, having said something impossible, puts his hands. behind his bank and refuses to applaud again. Lady Mary hascome forward, and entreated her audience to "Love not," in the faintest and most plaintive of voices. The country is delighted with her, and smiles unrestrainedly behind its fans. 'Dear Lady Maryisso funny, don't you Imow," says Miss Grey of Groymount, in an indescribable tone. Then comes a solo on the violin, that charms all the back benches, and reduces the farmers' wives and daugh- ters to tears, as it tells them how that the poor players' "lodging is on the cold ground." Lord Alfred, who has not yet re- covered bis temper, says this is dis- gusting," and wonders what the— so-and-so—brought him here at all." ' I suppose the night brougham," says Dorian, equably, who is now en- gaged in a minute examination of Miss Broughton's head, round which her soft yellow hair is twisted in a loose artistic coil. He is in quits a happy mood, if some- what silent, and says the solo isn't half bad; and now Mr. Hastings, the curate, reads something from tee."In- goldsby Legends," that seems to dis- please Cissy Redmond extremely, as she will not lift her head during the reading, or even look at him, and ex- presses herself as quite charmed when it is at an end. And now 'comes the event of the evening the thing that is to eon - Vince the county of the necessity for a good organ, and to show them the rare excellence of the Pullingham choir. 'Sarah Martin, the leading soprano— all muslin and blue bows—comes for- ward, and begins the solo upon which all the vicar's hopes are centered. "The shades of night are falling fast," begins Sarah nobly, and goes on 1n a hopeful manner to the end of the first verse. The vicar draws a deep sigh of re- lief 1 more sweet than words can te . She holds her small shapely bead erect, and seems unconscious of the manyeyes fixed upon her. Rarely has so fair a vision graced the dull daily life of Pullingham. Even the sturdy, phlegmatic farmers stir upon their seats and nudge the partners of their joys and wonder, in a stage whisper, who "you can be?" Mrs. Redmond plays a few faint chords, and then Georgie begins the plaintive Irish air Sarah should have sung, and sings it as, perhaps she never sang before. During the second verse, borne away by her passionate desire to please, she forgets the musicesheet she holds, so that it flutters away from ber down to the floor, and lies there; while her heads, seeking eaoh other, grow en- twined, and han loosely � before her, showing like little flakes of snow against the darkness of her gown. Her voice is beautiful, sweet, and full, and quick with passion,—one of those exquisite voices that sink into the soul, and linger there forever. even when the actual earthly sound has died away. She carries, the listeners with her, hold- ing them as by a spell, and leaving them silent, almost breathless, when she has finished her "sweet song." " His brow was sad, his eye beneath," goes on Sarah, victoriously, her whole soul in the safe fulfillment of her task. She gets through to the end of the second verse as successfully as she did to the end of the first, and then pauses to draw breath. The vicar exchanges a triumphant glance with Miss Peyton. "In happy homes they saw the light," continues Sarah. And then—than ! something horrible happens. A sound, very terrible to the vicar, smites upon his ear—a sound that fills his clerical bos- om with dismay. Sarahs' voice—the voice of his chief prop -bas proved false. It bas given way ; it has cracked upon a high note; and the solo of the evening has proved a dead failure! Talk of failine for a million; talk of Isaa.dula or Mamuba Hill; talk of Mr. Parnell and the Coercion Bill But' was ever defeat so disastrous as this? The vicar, but for his sex, and the publicity of the thing, could thankfully have given way to tears. Miss Pey- ton flushes to her temples, and feels as if she herself has been guilty of the miserable fiasco. Of courts it is hushed up. The piano comes out quite strong again under Mrs. Redmond's bony fingers' the de- faulter is generally pushed into the background, and a chorus introduced. Nevertheless, after the breakdown, things somehow seem oo wrong. The other singers are disheartened, and will not do their best; while Sarah, who is dissolved in tears in the cloakroom, and who bas another song on the pro- gramme, obstinately refuses te try her powers again, The vicar is in despair, although he walks about valiantly among the end - " er.0, gone conclusions .seem tar. be In s�our ilea " returns Marian, with a sbr0g, "1:t seems a legalese thing to telt yon again I have not lost my heart toy Flies Bronghton. name!" says his lordship, dryly. Meantime the concert has reasserted itself, and things are onee more going on smoothly, the vicar, all emilesead smashing, is going about accepting eon* gratulation on all sides "Snell a eharming evening," says Mrs, Grey ; "end such MI MI° I Really, Lon- don could not surpass it. And what a delicious face that girl bas got—like Spring, or, May, or—or—Morning" or ,iV that. I quite envy her to you, ow, all my governesses are so unpleasant, --freckled you know, or with a squint, or a crooked nose er that, Some ppso- iaafrhusk hlwndus oall Gey, with this saga, who has ten thouand a year and no earthly care, and who always speaks in italics whenever ale gets the slightest chance, "So glad. you are pleased," says the vicar genially. "Yes she is as beauti- I� as her voice. After all I think the concert will prove a success." "It has proved itself one," says Mrs. Grey, who adores the vicar, and would flirt with hila if she dared. 'But when de you fail in anything you undertakes Really, dear Mr, Redmond, you should not let the idea die out. You should give us a good time like this at least once in every month, and then see what deliciouu s windows yocould bays. I for one'—coquettishly—"will promise to tomo to every one of them.' "At that rate I should soon have no peterto look after," said the gratified near,ayly. "And a good thing too. The poor are always so oppressive, and—er—so dirty, but still"—seeing a change jobb face—"very interesting,—very 1" And the the concert comes to an end, and adieux are said, and fresb con- gratulations poured out, so to speak. upon the Redmonds; and then every one goes home, Dorian Branscombe climbs into his dog -cart, and drives swiftly homeward, under the glistening gars, whose "beauty makes unhappy,"—hes mind filled with manly thoughts. My love, my pearl l' "—the words of Georgie'a song haunt him incessantly, and ring their changes on bis brain. 'What words could be mors appropriate, more suited to her?" (Alas, when we come to pronouns it is generally all over with use A pearll so fair! so ppu�rel.so solitary! It just expressed her. 13y, what rate has Fae east that pretty child upon the gruel world to take her ohance,to live or die in it? "How large her eyesare, and what a heavenly blue, and what a sad expres- sion lies within them! Grandmamma, grandmamma, what big eyes you have!' " Hero he rouses himself, and laughs a little, and wishes, with some petulance; that he could put ber out of his head. 'Oh, so yon, have remembered her Now she bas come to the end of "Shule, agree and turns away some- what abruptly o Mrs. Redmond, as though hall frightened at the storm' of applause that greets her. Did I really sing so well?" she asked the vicar, presently, when he has sought her out to thank her. "Well?" repeats, he. "What a word to use I It was divine ; the whole room was spell -bound. What a gift you pos- sess! My dear, you have saved, the evening, and my honor, and the organ, and everything. I am deeply grateful to you." "How glad I am!" says the, girl soft- ly • "and don't thank me. I liked it,-• the singing, the applause, the feeling that I was doing well. I will sing for you again later 011, if you wish it." "It es too much o ask,',' says the vicar; "but, if you really; don't mind? Lady Patricia is in ecstasies, and says she could listen to you forever." Georgie laughs. Well, at least she shall listen to me once more," she says, gayly. Lady Patricia is not the only one ,en- thralledbythe beautiful singer. Dorian Branscombe has never once removed his eyes from her face • he is at once be- witched, and, even at this early moment wonders vaguely within himself what can be the meaning of the strange pleas- ure, that is so near akin to pain, that is tugging at his heart strings. Lord Alfred, too, is plainly impressed, and stares at the pretty creature with the black gownand the snowy arms, until speech becomes anecessity. "Well, I never in all my life," he be- gins, emphatically, and then stops, "ho is she, Branscembe?" "Don't know, I'm sure; says Brans - combs, rather shortly. What right has Hort—what right has any fellow—o see beauty in her, except himself? The words of her song are still running in his ears,—' My love. my pearl!" How well they suit ber 1 What a little baby face she has, so pure and sweet 1 yet how, full of feeling1 "What's her name? asks Lord Al- fred, nothing daunted. "I have quite forgotten," .returns Branscombe, even more coldly. His second answer hardly tallies with the first; but of this he is quite oblivious. Lord Alfred raises his brows. "She has a magnificent voice, and is very beautiful," he says, evenly. "Yet— do you know? she reminds me somewhat of Harriet" Harriet isa third and a favorite els- ter of Lord Alfred's,—a very estimable young'tvoman, much given to the refor- mation of drunkards, who, rather de- fioient in nose, makes up for it in pro- digality of mouth. I can't say I see the likeness," says Dorian, with as little die est as he can ience, trying, most unsuccessfully, to manage at so short a notice, appear unconcerned' whilst the cosgb- My dear fellow," expostulates Lord ing and sneezing, that generwlly Itis -1 Alfred, shifting his glass from one tinguisb every place where silence is eye to the other and looking palpably the thing most to be desired, seem !amused, there is no reason in the now on the increase, to an alarming, world why you should be grumpy degree, and threaten to drown Lady ' because you are in love with the girl, Mary's second effort, ' I don't want o interfere with you." " Who is that bipwing his nose?" "In love I" says Branscombe. "Non - demands the poor vicar, testily, look- Sense! I never spoke a word to her in ing daggersin the direction of the my life." sound. Clarissa, who is the nearest to 'Well, it is uncommon like it," says him as ha makes this observation, just Lord Alfred. saves herself from laughing aloud,. Is it? Well, I can't help that, you Things have taken a had turn," know. Nevertheless, I am not in love says the vicar, regarding her reproach- with any one." fully. I am afraid my first attempt Then you ought to take that look will only be remembered as a wretch- off your fare," persists hos lordship, ed failure; and that girl hag another song, and she will not venture again, and there is no one to take her place." Mr. Redmond, I will sing for you, if you wish it," says a clear, childish vols?, that has always Something pa- keep him to this rash proratse,_asprob- ibetic about it, Georgie has overheard ably the Pullmmggham folk, beingpre- his haat: speech, and has turned her Adamitos, might' object to the literal soft, fair little faro to bis, and is speak- fulfillment of 11, Lag to him, with a flush and a smile. But she is a' very lovely girl, and But, my dear, can you sing? says I dont wonder ab your infatuation,' he Georgie, who is gazing, in ler rapt,car, anxiously, Her face is full says, mildly. the ` vi 10117y I'll' take• off anything you. like," replies Dorian, somewhat nettled. At this Lord Alfred laughs' beneath his breath, and tells him lie` will not (To be Continued.) CAPT. BOYCOTT IN NEW YORYORK. Rion Whose Same is Known the .ror11 JoANY 2&, 18$6.. BRITISR .J,YAI1 STATIONS JOHN SWAM 00A141NG lll:PO'iS, 1114' CIRCL11 THS WQRI,), , A Colliprelisneiyo ecce or lareltt 100,101n04 Slrongtli In Meyer aetie(er or the allelic -411 Trade Homes liiileteriliy Protected 'f inrelOar Inlll tllallq ,Are lntprsgu4Ule +-llalUax 48 Strongly l'oi'WIed, Great Britain bas already tbree 1U1 Portant naval stations on the i.,nmediato eastern coast of the North Amerioen continent, two of whieh lie within a few hours' sail at the United States—Hali- fax and Bermuda—while the third is on the Island of ,7amaoia, just to the south- ward of Cuba, At the same time, and within easy mobilizing distance front thesethree important station, 18 tbat. Of St, Lucia, in the Windward Islands, This is the key of the British naval pith: ation'as regards the overlook of Vene- zuela. On the Paeifie tido of the continent Great Britain is not so well off, her points of supply and defense being re- stricted to New Westminster, in British Columbia, with a Possible supply sta- tion at Taboga, on the Isthmus of Pana- ma, and a remote, still useful, station for coaling at the Fiji Islands of the Polynesian group, 8,000 miles from Ta-. bogs an d about 8,400 miles from New Westminster. Off the coast of Patagonia is also a station on the Falkland Islands. But while Great Britain is at present restricted to four points of base supply and defense on the eastern side of the North American Continent, that coun- try .has within comparatively easy reach of them, and from which strong advances could be made, the two great naval depots of Plymouth, England, and Gibraltar, at the entrance to the Medi- terranean Sea, while further along in that inland sea, on the road to India, lies the fortress of'Malta,.the point of rendezvous of the great fleet that con- stantly patrols those " waters with watchful eyes upon the maneuvers of the Eastern powers in the never -ceasing game of territorial expansion. Between the equatorial region of Africa—from the Sierra Leon on the north to Cape Town on the south—are fivestationsunder the control of Great Britain, these being, with the two al- ready named, Elmina and Lagos, on the gold coast. At the same time, midway between the African coast and the shores of Brazil, lie Ascension and St. Helena Islands, in the line of the Cape trade, and each provided with ample resources to be made serious obstacles Over. to the successful continuation of corn- He was grizzled, square -set, and a martial . relations' with South America trifle under -sized: When the horse In case oEwar, show opened in New York he was there. ADEN; BOMBAY AND MAURTTIS But nobody recognized the man says Passing again to the road to India, the New York Journal. And yet his name is known wherever the English language is spoken. More than that, it is a component part of our speech. As noun or verb, it is equally virile and significant. It is identified with the struggles that have. before now shaken the social structure to its center. The strong arm of the law has smitten it. It has provoked the maledictions of the rich. The poor have appealed to it for aid against their task -masters. Capt. Boycott—for the man in ques- tion was he and no other—Was a middle- aged man when he first Billed the public eye in 1879-'80. But he is hale and wholesome looking still. Whatever his faults, ho was not lacking in faithful- ness to his employer, Lord Erne. And the men who inaugurated the first boy- cott admitted his bulldog pluck. That pluck failed not during the trying times at Lough maser, when redcoats, peas- antry, potheen, buckshot, and landlords were mingledinthe pleasing confusion peculiar to the popular Irish drama. The Captain has not been to his coun- try before since 1881. He is now visit- ing friends who are identified with horse -breeding interests m New York State and in Canada. The square shoulders, the deeply -set. shrewd eyes and the long, thin lips are the features of'Boycott's physical make- up that impress themselves on an obser- ver. His beard 1s short, closely woven,. and a reddish brown grizzle. Both it and the mustache grow sparsely around the lips, so that the lines and contour of the mouth are visible. Boycott has a knack of drawing in those bps of his that makes him look the very incarna- tion of will power. His facial angle is good, but his nose is blunt and coarse. Tho head is small and straight from nape to crown. It is the head of a soldier. The ears are flat, large -lobed, and hairy. The jaw, curiously enough, is pointed and retreating. A thin growth of crisp, grayish hair covers the lower half of the skull. Boycott talks but little. Aaki him a question and he scans your face for a moment before replying, as if seeking a hidden meaning to your query. Then he shifts his shoulders, turns from you a trifle, and replies, hes eyes fixed, on some distant object. He has a low and indeed pleasant voice. His accent is distinctly English. As he speaks he keeps his left hand hidden in his trous- ers pocket. The thumb of his right hand is used to flick away imaginary specks from his vest and coat. This flicking is manifestly the outcome of nervousness. , • A Birthday Greeting. Time is ever on the wing, Fast our moments fly away ; Let es prize them, though they bring Joy and sorrow mixed alway! Ilad we joy alone, my friend, We would seek no other: sphere ; Did God only sorrow send, We would wish the end was near 1 God is wiser far than we, And lie knoweth what is best ; Let us in his wisdom see 'Cleat be seeks our ram, to lest; Ma yy we live as though this hour ere our last on earthto spend;. And, conte sunshiny shade, or show'r, God's best blessing will attend I Let the years toll on apace, Beavon is nearer than before ; Let us bravely trials face, • Waves break loudest near tho'sliare! Stunnier, Autumn, Winter, Spring, All within one year are bound Let us through each season sing Songs of praise the whole year round. gum of various caliber, rogniring a IOU force of 1.4,000 tn_en to operate thsna at oaeh point, his Ie ,nearly twice the: strength of tape enure garr>500, auoituding infantry, lxtilierY, and do- partmeis al corps, Aden is, wg11 steeled with 010540- loaaial g. rifled lune ae wail as with relgrd-nrmg guns, The Trincomalee fortification on the Island of Ceylon tire' =et fernfdahlo, containing many seven and mice Mob; guns, The forts have recently been thoroughly remodeled. Tee Singapore fortifications have been strengthened by the addition of several important batteries containing nine -mph and ten -Inch steel, breech- loading guns, together with a large number' of tine -pounder and three -pound- er rapidfiring Hotchkiss guns. The i fortress s certainly one et the strongest out of Euro e, Hence, es Lord Braggy observes, "aingaporo can afford to snap its fingers at the ma'ority of forCign cruisers which are likely to come wlth- in range of its armor -piercing guns." Hongkong is a port with an anchorage liks that of Spitbead, England, and ie scoured from all possibility of being seized bya coupde main or shelled from a distance by the fact that the island lies right across the anchorage in its front, like the positicn of the Isle of Wight fn theSolent, England. Hong- kong is the bestpossesses, defended coaling eta- on England OTHER BRITISH POSSESSIONS. an important station for the controiof the shipping from the Orient to Medi terranean ports, by way of the Red. Sea, is Aden, a rocky point on the southwest nub of Arabia, where the thermometer rarely records less than 115 degrees in the shade, and life is almost unbearable to the European. Within easy reach of Aden is Bombay, while off to the east- ward of Madagascar, already under con- trol of the French, is the British sta- tion of Mauritis. Of course. Calcutta is to be reckoned as one of the most important of Great Britain's Indian depots upon which draft can be made at any time for men or supplies. At the entrance' to the Bay of Bengal, on the Island of Ceylon, is Trincomalee, a naval station with a series of forts, while another is close at hand at Point de Salle, on the south- ern point of the island. Passing down the Malacca Straits Singapore is found, where Great Brit- ain is amply provided with naval faci- lities, while about 700 miles away an the route to China, on the northern coast of Borneo, is Sarawak. From Singapore to Hongkong is about 1,600 miles, and Great Britain has noth- ing in the line of naval stations along the'" route which passes Cochin China and Siam. Hongkong, however, is am- ply equipped to take care of British in- terests m China's waters. The remotest station and fortifiedo- sition to the southeast is Sydney, New South Wales, which is within 2,300 mile of the remotest southwestern station, Fiji, as reckoned from the Pacific lit- toral of North America. Of all colonies of the British Empire the cape possessions are those which are most capable of easy defense. Owing to their iron bound coasts they are only approachable at certain defined places; yet singular to sag tintil a recent date the home or colonial departments did not appear to realize the defenseless con- dition of all those approachable spots beyond the limits of what is known as Simon's Bay, which bas been fortified with numerous batteries 'mounting many large steel gun, as well as quick - firing Hotchkiss guns. While Ascension Inland is practically abandoned as a fortified naval station, St. Helena is one of great importance, and has had its batteries strengthened the last few years.It is thought these works will be sufficiently strong to de- ter any stray cruisers exam attempting to force an entrance into . at. Tames Bay for the purpose of destroying the coal depots. Jamaica• possesses the finest harbor. and the only dockyard in the West In- dies, but the dockyard, although ex- travagant'sums have been expended upon 11, is only suited for obsolete and diminutive vessels. The supervision of repair there, writes an English author- ity, costs ten times annually the, value of the the executed. The beginning of operations in the Panama Canal de- veloped features of interest hitherto non-existent in the position of Kingston Harbor, in Jamaica. It is only two days' steaming to the harbor of Aspin- wall. Thus Kingston would certainly be selected far an observing station in the event of complications involving the new canal route. The same may be said as to the relations between the same point and Greytown, the en- trance port to the Nicaragua Canal, The approaches to the anchorage at Kings- ton, Jamaica, are commanded by Port` Royal, defended by several important works. They are provided with ten- inch guns. No modern rifle guns are yet mounted. An enemy's fleet of battle ships and cruisers, with long range guna, could be off the eastern arm of Kingston Harbor and shell that town, togetherwith the naval estab- lishment of Port Royal, without any particular defense being possible, as it is not possible for guns on the fort to get range at that distance. Jamaica, of all the British stations, is in the poor- est condition of any one of them. Halifax at the north, is the strongest fortified position Great Britain has in the Western Hemisphere. Its citadel is now splendidly provided with most mod- ern armament, and 1.1 is susceptible of strengthening to a remarkable degree, both m the citadel itself and in the neighboring headlands. The Bermuda station is an infantry post, and is provided with floating docks for repass to small vessels. Venezuela ln;Paragraphs. Eight states ars in the union. Population of Venezuela is 2,121,998. Venezuela contains 500,000 square miles: Fifteen per cent. of the population are pure-blooded Indians. The territory in dispute is about the size of the State of Maine. British Guiana was acquired by Eng- land through treaty in 1814. In 1893 the amount of gold mined in Venezuela was 47,900 ounces, Slavery in the republic was abolish- ed by the decree of March 24, 1854. Venezuela's export trade with New York reaches $6,000,000 a year. Difficulties between Venezuela and Great Britain first arose in 1830. It is estimated that seventy-five re- volutions have occurred since the es- tablishment of the republic. An absolute separation of church and elate has been affected civil marriage is insisted on, and other arlrnirableand progressive 'institutions haves. been es- tablished. The constitution makes presidents in- eligible for rte -election, and it is the ,earnest endeavor of Venezuelan states- men to establish the polities of the country on a firm footing of peace and order. The financial system of Venezuela is the admiration and envy of all South American countries, the single gold standard being in force, and the pub lie debt being of quite insignificant pro- portions. United States Minister, Mr. Pile, onceventured to present himself TO the president on ono occasion mins,: a necktie, President Blanco very sharp- ly reminded him of hislorgotfulneas. of etiquette, and shortly afterward sent him about his business. TO PROTECT TRADE ROUTES. From the scheme, so to speak, of Great Britain's naval stations through- out the world will be seen at aglance. how tactful has been that government so o distribute its points of supply and defense as to be able to protect trade routes efficiently. In case of war Great Britain would concentrate its ships in proper positions until the natures of the enemy's movements developed itself. These positions would be selected as near as might be to the groat trade routes, regard being had to the news - gay facilities for coaling. To show how closely this hos been followed out a com- parison of the stations and the import- ant junctions of the various 'lines of British trade will show. These junta- tions uno-tions are: . 1. At the entrance of the British Channel, where all these lines oar trade unite, 2. To the west of the, entrance to the Straits of Gibraltar, where the Mediter- ranean and the Atlantic linea meet. 3. At the Cape de Verde Islands, where the line from South America falls in with that from the Cape of Good Hope. 4. Off the Cape ofGood Hope where the line from India, China, and the East fall in with that of the outward- bound utwardbound Austeelian trade. 5, The neethern entrance of the Straits of Malacca, where the eastern trade divides. 0, Off Alien, where the trade of India and China meets the Australian steam England -bound trade, 7, Off Melbourne, where the main branches of Australian trade join. 8. Off the Falkland Islands, where the various trades rounding Cape Horn and traversing the Straits uE Magellan meet, And it may lee added, from Nova Scotia to St. Lucia, to look after the multitudinous line sof trading centering in the North American and West In- dian por.ts, and between the isthmus and the northern republics of South America. GellItALTA12 AND MALTA. A 'tow of the greatest of the coaling stations of Great Britain may.. be brief- ly reviewed. Gibraltar and Molter aro impregnablee. Each fortress has two 100 -ton guns. Thereis also a battery of 38 -ton guns at Gibraltar, and a num- ber of similar woappane in the "dookyard defenses" et. Malta. Each of these fortresses has an aggregate of 500 Vienna Bicycle Riders: In Vienna all bicycle riders, before obtaining permission to ride on the pale. tic streets, must pass an official exam- ination. They are required to ride be- tween boards laid onthe floor without touching the sides or edges of the boards. At the Word of command they must be able to dismount either right, lett or backward. Until the rider ease - es this strict examination satisfactorily a license to ride on the pablie highway is 'refused. That is all Very well, in its way. For a Government to take such parental caro of its people is re- garded by many as evidence of a high state of civilization, but the fact is the the most serious accidents, those 0008 - kg los* of life, have nearly all befallen experienced. riders. It is bete croons wha aro killed -those' who take great risks, "This is a sad occasion for 'you, tee- the," essayed the comforter. "I allo`v it is," assented the Widow, But it is sad- der for Bill.