HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1890-10-17, Page 2THE BRUSSELS POST. O. 17, 1690.
STRANGELY WEDDED..
A Thrilling Story of Romano() and Adventure',
I cannot think," mho wttt 011 W011t1olli11141Y1
"S1'lly (Semite minted 10 lite in camp- He
CHAVTER VII. has ;altar.: set hie fate against anything of
A (MOST OF Tlig 1A41, the kind, 1,,.4.rc Ills alWo,SS oil hay.
"Irk% awaiting remains to be explained !
tOthel; a furnished 11011,0."
. tolltOSA igeorance, thee otter - •
out ncsetia aim get one in Climes:es." 1
tion melt explains nothing. etti
Th•- Pet witielt hail been occuplea by ; 1 here is it Mee little Ileum.
Major Lawieles• I:appear:a to lie :k porde- itt lett Cesne, Ivor 1,1 not hear of it. lie saya
Wetly -nod oa• met alajor Dennis set • I shall ; njoy emits-v.10c sena se I aurmay I
• •
about lamella, it well eleaned anal detotate, :kite k et :011111lb%
•at owe."./ think it will be glorione to have you in
"Alt wife has it fancy to live in camp, vamp," Ja,•Is declared. "And do you know,
bit es; cdained ta Jack, "Alla AR we shall be Ethel, I de think it ia so awfully good, of
here for nearly two years, sve may AS Well tittu Maier t I:0 to open and jolly thout our
have it made as comfortable as- possible. ,,Itt friendship. Seine men in his place
. Wake had furnished houses latfoire, but might have said, Oh !Pm not goiugto 'wee
there :lona seem to be any decent once itt any ola playfellows hanging aroumP and
Chertsey tool 1 ,letest hvittg in an hotel- that would have made jest tti1 the aifferonce
One oever k woes how one may be annoyed or in our friendship, wouldn't it ?"
V7110 is stayieg lu the house.' "Yes- that is so, Mrs, Dennis assented.
" Oh, its nitwit more comfortable in camp, It must he wised that Jack Trevor took
Sir," said Jaek, who hati not been long full aavienage of the Major's permission
• enough in the service to hate a barrack- that he should make himself useful to Mrs.
" it's so muelt handier in every way; and Dennis ; he went with her that ofternoth
the Major's but is such all exceptionally from one ehop to another, helped her in the
good one, and the garden quite a little paw, choice of various things, carried her smaller
&se. Major Lawrence took infiuite pains pitrcels, those at least that she wished to take
PS with it.' , with her, and finally escorted hely bath to
"Yes, and my wife is very fond of a, bit the hotel and gravefully accepted her offer
of garden," Major Dennis replied. "bit I I of it cap as tea.
san having the place papered and painted I And over that cup of tea. and a plate of
and made as eomfortable as possible, and 1 hot buttered muffled, they haa ti delightul
you must help my wife to get settled. I m helf-hour s chatbeforeanyonecameto almonds
told goutre it great hand at anything of that them -a half-hour Caning which Crumulles
sat on the sofa beside his mistress aud Jack
" Well, Sir, I do try to make myself use. took charm of the tea•tray ttna ministered to
her comfort. They went back to old tunes, of ,
comae, and Ethel took off her sailor hat and I
flung it down on the bank of the river
which ran at the bottom of the Cliffe gardens.
But no time, however delightful, lasts for
ever -the half hour came to an end and
visitors were shown in -Mr. and Mrs.
Stratton, Mrs. Dennis jmnped up, upsetting
Crummles in her haste, and Jack sot on to
his feet likewise, and than there followed a
few minutes of somewhat formal conversa-
tion which in turn was interrupted by the
entrance of Major Dennis himself. He gave
the Strattone a very loud welcome with
that kind of mauler which had made
Lathe's describe lum as blatant, and Jack
Trevor somehow beeme impressed with an
idea that he was aunoyed to find anyone
there aud was wishing them all at perdition.
His words, however, contradicted this.
" It's so good of you to COMO and see my
wife," he saul to Mrs. Stratton. " Ethel,
have yon no tea?"
"I have ordered some fresh tea, what we
had here was almost cold," she answered,
then looked at him in an anxious way, and
presently Jack heard her whisper, "Is any-
thing the matter ?Aro you not well 1"
"Oh ! yes -yes," be replied impatiently,
" don't worry me. I'm all right."
Yet presently, when Jack carried hint a
cup of tea, he noticed that his hand was
trembling and that he set it on the corner of
the chimney -shelf where he left it untested.
Ha kept on talking however, fast and loud
until the Strattons had betaken themselves
away -then Mrs. Dennis's anxiety would
be restrained no longer.
" Cosmo, I am sure something is the mat.
ter," she said.
" Not at all," he answered, "but the fact
fol sometimes," returned Jack modestly -
scree been helping -Mos. Steatton--"
"Oh, yea Site showed us herfurniture,"
$aid the major taking the words out of Jack's
mouths - "awl though Mrs. Denuis won't
exactly want you to do that sort of thins,
eltresay elwal be very pleased. if you'll ad -
Vise her about otte or two little things, her
her at..tures aud plants and so on."
" I ettall be only too delighted, Sir," said
;Tank In all geoa faith.
"Taut really out of all that sort of thing,"
the Major continue(' with an air of great
-good humor -"and. when I get into any.
kind of a shim, except it's a saddler's or a
hoot -shop, I always feel like the proverbial
hall among the chem. I daresay I look like
it too -ha, ha."
He walked away laughing heartily and
jack Trevor stood lookiug curiously after
dm.
"Well, you're a queer fish, upou my word
ou are. And to think you married my
ttlo friend, Ethel Mordannt Poor little
:al. no wonder the looks so miserable every
ets and then and talks about Blankhamp-
on awl the Cliffe, as if the old days were
anodise."
Then he, too, turned on his heel and went
• alartt his own business, which at that mom-
ent, happened to be something concerniug
one of his horses. While he WAS talking to
the groom, Monty Carlton passed the door
and -seeing him came in, and as men do,
they looked at the sleek satin -coated horses
together.
" You've heard the news," said Carlton,
as they walked towards the Mess together,
" No -I've heard nothing except that the
3Demlises are going toilets in camp," Jack an-
swered.
" Olt, I've heard that, too. You knew her
when she was a child, didn't you ?"
-1. What did she marry him for 1"
ae Oh ! I don't fancy she had much choice
about it," Jack said carelessly. "Her inother
was the sort of woman who does not give
an.yone Nvichin her range too much rope. As
a little girl, Mrs. Dennis was let to go her
own way pretty much, but ELS a young lady
• believe she bad the devil's own time. You
see the title weighed a good deal with her."
"With the mother, 'suppose."
"sOf course."
What an odd thing it is that titles
,a0 weigh so heavily with women as they do.
I should have thought that all the titles
-tender the sun would. never have gilded it
%latent la7ute like that, let alone it's being
only a title in prospective."
"Yea. It's rough on her anyway," said
amok seith it sigh. "By the bye, what was
naming the twomajors-' "Jervia you're an
ass.'
Bsttttii Mal you'ro drunk,'
Yes, I know 1 am,' (wavered Duthie,
• but I shan't be drunk to.mmow, and
you'll ahvoys be Or foul. Jervis,'
Trever burst net Inghing. " Did you
Item- that yoarself 1"
"Yes, I heard it fsont Quin."
"Ilatt you didn't Ilear Donnie aml
Jervis?"
"Well it, I didn't," Carlton aamittea,
"hut it has it great air of probability
about it."
"Oh ! it's it good story, I'll allow," Trevor
returnea With W laugh,
"Ilv the bye," tail Carlton, "I'm going
lwer to Hightlight to -day to see a mare
Hutton has for sale. Will you go with
nut "
"Why does Hutton 'want to sell her ?"
Jack asked.
"Not quite up to his weight," Carlton
answered carelessly, "he has put on titadi
awfully the last six months, but he says the
mare is just as clever tts daylight and as
handsome os paint."
"'The usual thiug," Jack laughed.
"Well L am going to have a look at
her anyway," said Carlton decidedly, "Will
yoa go or not ?"
" lilts afternoon ?"
" going over directly after
hulcil, I'm awfully sorry, old chap. I
should have liked to go inummeely but I
can't to -day."
'' Why not?'
" BeeS.1140 I've promieed to go somewhere
else," said Jack
" Ugh 1" grimted Carlton in disgust,
" Where 9"
T111 glib% to Mrs, Dennis's," returned
: Jack. "She's got an afternoon on. Didn't
she ask you 1'
" 01, yes, she asked tne right enough,"
said Carlton crossly, " but Poe got more
sense than to go to what is euphoniously
caned- an afternoon' in a stuffy hut
with fifteen women all waMing tea and only
two drivelling idiots of men to give it toieta."
"What an old hear you are," cried Jack
with a gay laugh.
"Yes, I know -but I'd rather be a, bear
than a cata-pow ana day," the other gsowl.
ea, "You look out what you're tieing my
friend. I've seen a good many of these tre-
mendous friendshipshetween subalterns and
field officers' wives befoin,but I never knew
one that didn't come to a bad end sooner or
later."
"Oh, pooh -Monty, old man, you're sane
enough on some points but you're as mad as
it March hare on certain others, and on wo.
men yourun maddest of all." •
" You murk my words," Carlton per-
sisted--" and when anything happens, don't
forgot that I warned you.
"All right," carelessly. "Only I wish T-
wos as SUM of thc command of the Fifteenth
as I am that eothing of that sort will hap.
pen at all. Why man alive, Mrs. Dennis
and I were children together, babies almost.
I've known her my 11e ; we couldn't get
up au 'affair' if we tried, and I'm sure Wo
shall uot try."
"Irm-sof course not -of course not-•
they navel: do -I've seen plenty of that sort
of thing," retool ea Carlton gloomily,
jade Trevor, however, beluga young man
of decided views, not to say exceedingly
strong.willed, was not to be growled out of
his friendship with the Major's wife. In-
deed if it had effect of any kind, Carlton's
opposition only fanned the flame and made
-•--
airs. Dennis shook hue llelkti, No -my
mother and I get on very well when we aro
apart, but but -well, I dolt% etlre 10 go.
home inttelo- I am best, hew." •
" 1., t her, I don't care for trajet• Dennis,"
• she wailed in her deeetur -" I never
stint awe fer hiln, Sever eontil cere, Da is
wieked to marry a man 3•uu loathe
" Ethele-oried 111.8. -" yOU
really quite iedeliettte, ean listen to
no more of this raving you Are llel'Vellkkk
IlyStOrielll, unstrung, but I isbould uot be
doing my duty as your mothet, it I allowed
you to say any more. If you felt this
it and Captain Dennia.you were very wrong
indeed to am el hint• smdeed,I do not ander.
stand yous doing so. As it is, everything
has gone too far to draw beck now -the
110VOr Meek &Rh-- and your
fathes would be the first to blame you if
you diegraced kith like that, Pray, let ine
hear no more of this -you had better go to
your room aud ey to forget that suah words
have ever passed your lipm,"
Ethel got 01) from her kitties without a
word, with no more than one long eeprormh-
ful look at her tuothev, a look whush saw all
too plainly through hoe asaemption of sham
indignation. And in that moment, all her
girlhood seemed to shrivel tip and die, all
her love of home seemed to fade into nett'.
ing the oppressive magnitude of her de-
spise,
How well she eementbered it pal that bright
summer aftethoon as she tout :fools Travel,
walked clown Le the Recreation Ground to•
gether. She and Jack, just as they had hoer.
used to go down to the river's bank itt, home,
there to sit matching for fish that they sel-
dein caught the best of friends, the most
faithful ana entertainieg of companions.
Well, well, it was all *ouo by for ever and,
after all, they were friends still -that was
tomething•-it was more than something to
her, indeed although she hardly owned as
ninth to herself, it was nevertheless true,
that their friendship wos almost everything
to her.
However, as elm reminded hesself bitterly,
it was no use thinking about that now -the
paat WAS past and what was done could not
be undone. After all, her life might have
been more unenclurable than it mats, her bus.
band let has go her own way pretty nmch,
if be neglectial her and lad her tit some senses
it dog's life, treating her as an incident, a
chattel to mamma, his house, feeding her
and clothing her, letwimg her behind when he
did not want her with hum intimating that
she might go with him when her presence
woula not actually annoy hhn-at all events
he did not trouble her with jealousy, and she
was, on the whole, free to take het amuse.
ment how and when she liked.
So she decided in her own mind that sho
would make the best of hoe life and enjoy
herself as well as she could, and since Jack
Trevor was now in the same regiment and
Major Dennis did not seem to mina her
fi iendship with him, why life might not be
to dull a business, after all.
was, saw -I We something that turned me him the more determined to see no much of
completely over --that was all." his old playfellow as tho circumstances of
" accident ?" she asked, their lives permitted.
"No -a ghost !" he answered. And it must be admitted from the vary
"eosin° r she cried. begiening that the circumstances of their
Major Dennis began to laugh noisily. lives allowed of a good deal of intercourse.
" There, I dictua quite mean that -but I Jack very soon found that Major Dennis aid
did see a woman so like a woman I knew uot the smallest degree permit the fact of
years ago, that -well, it give me to turn." his wife's existence to hamper his move-
" And was she dead ?" moots. Within the boundaries of her own
" The woman I saw in the street just now hut Mrs. Dennis was apparently supeemo-
was alive enough -that is to all outward ap- that is to say she staked whom she chose
pearances. The woman I knew years ago- theta, she went out when she liked, and came
I don't know whether she is alive or dead," in to suit her own pleasure. She had her
" Perhaps it was the same woman." own carriages, a neat single brougham and
"Perhaps, but I think not. I----" and a very smart victoria, and •teey seldom in -
then a violent shiver took possession of him cleed was Major Dennis to be seen in either
and the sentence remained uefinished. of them,
" Como, you are ill," Mrs. Dennis cried. Bet outside their hut Major Dennis seemed
" I ean sure of it." to consider that his wife had no claim upon
"Oh no -but---" him whatever -he frequently went up to
London, but beyond telegraphing his ad-
dress to the orderltaroom, he slid not often
trouble to communwate with his wife during
his absences.
" The Majot- gone to London again," re-
marked jack Trevor one day, 'in accents of
involuntary surpriee-" but -but how is it
you are not going, Ethel? Don't you Else
London?"
" Yes -I am very fond of London," she
replied, "but eosin° did not suggest my
gnonitiothg.-„and-ana-I like Chertsey very
" Well, I dare say London is obit hot. and
dusty at this time of year," Jack rejoined
feeling that he had trodden on what, must
be painful .groinal to her. " And after all,
Chertsey len't half bad, is it ? Supposing
we go down to the Remotion Ground and
wateh the people -the band is playing, you
know."
" Oh 1 I should like it iminensely," she
cried, brightening up in a momenta " Shall
we walk down ?"
"Just. as you like. I'll go and get out of
my paha and 001110 back for you, eh ?"
'Yes -that tvill be quite thatening."
Therefore, about Mat an hoer afterwards,
Na, Montagu Carlton who Wait =eking a
haat pipe betel% thing otit soinewhetea bmti
the gratification of seeing his great friend
and chum, Jaok Trevor, fatiltlesely arrayed
in an exceedingly light twit, a white hat,
flower in his hattonthole and a jaunty air of
enjoyment &Wallis whole bearing, go across
the open sperm between the officers' touters
and the married officers' huts and open' the
little gate which led into Mrs. Dennis's tiny
garden. Then after it few minutes he SSAV
them come out together and go happily off
in the direction of the gates.
Carlton followea them with disgusted
eyes until they turned the comer of the
mass,hut and were out of sight. "Pretty
business brewing," ho muttered. "The
Major off to Town -leaves his wife behind --
Trevor consoles her, old friend, and. all that
humbug. Ugh I hope they woe% want me
to condole with any of 'cm, whatever hap-
pens ; atid something will hammer before long
mark my words, I euppose he's tolling her
this moment that heti, never go to Londou
rola leave her in Chertsey einem all by her
little self, Ugh 1 it's disgusting, disgusting.
And to think it should be pool, oldlrevor,
of all othets, thatat over given a women a
second thought, sine° he's been in the regi.
ment. Bala it'a etexply sickening,"
However, as it happened, Jack TIOVO1'
WAS raying nothingmf the kind to Mrs. Den.
niat At that ;weenie moment ba was say;
in -"Awl hOW iN y011 go home so seldom':
Deneis blushed a little, "Camino
doesn't, care for Illankhampton and since
Lord Frothiugham married he does itot got
on so well with my mothee as he did. Ani
really, ea I tell her, he couldn't help his
uncle meaning again and having cloldree
and all that."
"(11 course not. Then why don't you go
bt, yourself ?"
" Have & stroll:, brandy and soda, Sir "
y suggested Jack, ;Ito had jumped at once to
"Oh 1-Crachlock is going to 1)e married." the conclusion that the Major had unexpeot-
"Craddeck-you don't say so 1 And Nebo is edly fallen in with an old love, whose pre -
he going to marry ?" , sence might prove to be exceedingly wk.
• 'Angela Druminonilesaid Carlton, look- ward for him,
mg straight in front of him, "Yes, ring Ow bell, will you please," said
" An -gela-Di tun -mond 1 Nonsense," the Major, with an air of relief, then turned
tried Jack.
"Nonsense or no nonsense. It's true,'
tlalton asserted positively. "I had it from
Craddock himself this morning."
"And adult did yon say to him?"
"I said he was an ass -or something like
it. And then, of course, I had to apologise
and say that 'didn't mean anything personal,
only that I thought it a pity that soldiers
should marry at all till they're out of the
Service."
“And. old Craddock, what did he say ?"
'Oh, he laughed -said I was a jolly old.
sock that had gone wrong altogothes and
woulcl never be hotter till I'd fallen in love
myself. in leve -ME 1 Ugh -just think of
It," he ended itt ineffable disgust.
Jack laughed aloud. "My dear chap, I
can't think of it -1 eat% iinagine anywoman
ever giving ybu the chance of tenowing her
tvell enough to he in love tvitli her,"
"They'd give me the °hence fast enough,
no fear," said Carlton grinfitt
"Yes. 1 daresay they would. But,
Monty, old chap," laughed Jack -'1 you
may take my word for this -you'll ..go
ort for it time well enongh, and then one of
these fine days yon'll get bitten before you
know where you are ; and oh 1 by Jove,
won't you Imve it bad, AO mistake about
'Yes, my friend," returned Carlton as
they reached the door of the mess -room,
"when I do have it, I shall have it badly.
, You are quite right about that -quite
right,"
Well, about two hours after Ode, Jack
never was walkiug briskly along tlw nar-
row High Street in which the wrincipal shops
of Chertsey may be found, when he literally
ran against Mrs.Dennis who mono out of
a asbop attended Dilly by the majestic)
"My dear Ethel, I ask a thonsana pardons
ke cried. I had no idea, that you or anyone
oleo was coming out of that shop -I didn't
bort you, slid I ?"
"Not titit, JACIt," she said laughing. "And
•fyou bad it wouldn't Ill1A101/0011 your fault.
Where are you going 9"
"With yea, if I may," be thswered
promptly.
"01) ! yea, indeed you may -X am going
te the florist's rout then to A ssveetlittleshep
Where they have odds and ends, to make tny
drawing -room look pretty,"
• "The Major tells me that you are going to
bp tramenaously grana in your new quart.
ars," Jath said as they walked althg to-
ter rate,
"Oh 1 1 doe't think so -I have cherien
eery cheep eimple furniture -iota wo are
, t eliged to -have the lust papered and painted.
romul to his wife, " I hope I didn't frighten
you, Ethel, but I woe reminded suddenly of
a most horrible episode in my life and -and
it tamed me over a bit."
His tone brought something very like
tears into Mrs. Dennis's eyes. -" What was
it ?" she asked in at shaking voice.
"Well, 1 WAS spending a long leave
abroad -on the Riviera to be particular.
It was a deuce of a while ago. I was only
about twcoandetwenty in fact, Alla ono
day I was with some people when tho
conversation turned on fortune-telling. I
happened to sny I didn't believe in it -I
didn't -I don't now, it's all the most utter
rot imaginable. However, a young lady of
the party asked me to show her my hand
and said that she would tell me my fortune,
and that whether I believed it or not,. it,
would come true nal the same."
"And what did she toll you?" Ethel asks
ed.
That I liad the devil's OW11 Impel: for
ono thing," he answered shortly, "which
was true enough."
"Bot there's nothing very wonderful in
her telling you that," cried his wife won
deringly, taunking thata woman who couldn't
see that would indeed be a poor hand at for -
"She told me a lot more, and the last
thing was titabi should die by the hand of a
woman before I was fifty."
"Cosine I" Ethel cried. "And you saw
that woman to day?"
"Or soma one voey much liko here the
Major replied. "And silly as it may seeni,
I would rather have SC011 '010 Devil him.
self.".ttae
He tossed off the bramly and soda which
the waiter hronght him and declared himself
better, "1 feet like an ass now. I wish I
had not told you," be saia with it glance at
his wifo's scared face. "1 daresay it wasn't
the woman at all, only soma ono a bit like
her. IT trust, you, Trevor, not to pay to
word about it,"
CHAPTER VIII.
A PLAiroxie PniglInsIttn.
"Tho road of love itt t Wiliell has no begin.
ning /tor end t take teed to thyself, man, ere
thou plane foot on it .
"'hack," raid Carlton a fow cloys after.
wards, " come mid sit by me, I've got some-
thing to tell you."
The officers were all streaming loth the
mess.room for luncheon, and Jack Trevor
tank his stet boaide Carlton smiling already
in antieipation of something good to coin°.
What is it, Monty 2" ho asked,
" Dethis said to Jervis s esterslay,"-
teeent,hut settreely mote Own thatrosonance
9,f the 'which marks the English spoken
011 OW11 Court,
Theta were live tiliniaturea upon the' tray
width the little woman took out of • the
window,' and she eet IL clowns:on thes,glase
cestoter at front of the ittrangeis. "Will yoe
leek at these, Madam, whilst 1 attond to
this holy ?" she said,
The stranger Mint her head, and began to
OSI011ille till, little portroite tareftilly, bit's.
Dennis held up a plate tO4 ite owner returned
to her.
" I will have this ones stud those tsvo
and I think that one, Idiot How much will
they be?"
" Tweettalive shillinge, Aladatn," the
little woman aninvered-" I will send them
this evening.'
" No, clo thentatp in paper anti I will take
them," Mrs. Dennis returned, iota in a tone
which admittua of no Nettles argument.
They went away in lose than hve minutes,
jack Trevor carrying the parcel by the
string.
" Do you know who that lady is V asked
the steanger,
" Oh 1 yes, that is Mrs. Dennis."
"Dennis Olt 1 She is very pretty. Is
that her husband?"
"Oh I no, that is ono of the officers -
I don't know his name. No, Major
intlek older -very much older."
"Al I 7Sitsjoe Dennis Irm 1Yell• -now
tell me the price of those miniatures. What
ore they ?'
"They are ttventy-five shillings each,
Madam, except that oue which is not so well
painted, can let you have that for twelve
"I thank you, no. I will have these two,"
picking out the two best on the tray.
"I see you understand miniatures," said
the little curioelealer with it smile.
"1 unilerstaml many things," said the
stranger quietly.
ere 101
For ti loug time they sat upon a gtualen
seat under the shade of a group of big trees
in the Recreation Ground, listening to tlte
music, watching the people and chatting on
all thinner of subjects.
" I wonder who that strange -looking
woman with the starls eyes is," she said at
lad, as a middle-sized dark.complexioned
woman passed them for the third time.
"1 don't know -I scarcely know it soul in
Chertsey," Jack replied.
"And you have been here— ?"
" Oh ! not two months before you came -
and I never make calls, except very occas
sionally est our own ladies •, and es I don't
go about mach, of course I dou't get to know
people vary mud either. I don't fumy
that holy belongs to the place."
" Why ?"
"Because I've been watching her all the
timo we've been here and I :Imola seen her
speak to a sold yet. I ham% seen any.
one take off his hat to her either."
"Then I clew:nay she is a stranger, or per.
haps tho wife of someone on the staff and
only just come here -like ourselves, infect."
"Very likoly-oh, very likely," but all
the same, Jatek did not think that she looked
tomb like All officer's wife and was uot
sorry when Ethel Dennis rose declaring
that it was time for them to go home.
Strangely enough, the dark -eyed lady
was leaving the Ground just as they wore
mid twice they passed ana re.passed each
other during tho time they were traversing
the length of High Street.
"She seems way much interested in you,
Jack," Ethel whispered teasingly when she
passed them for the second tune. I sup•
pose all soldiers have tho most wonder-
fully romantic affairs every now and then -
at least so Cosmo always tolls me."
"Don't know, Pm sure," returned Jaok
rather shortly "some follows may, but I
never had an affair of any kind in my life. I
never saw the woman before -and it isn't a
hit of good hes starting anything romantio
with me, I'm no good at that sort of thing."
Mrs. Dennis laughed inerrily. "What It
disappointment you must be whenevee you
go to a fresh town -why, you ore a perfect
detrimental, to be reckoned out of the lam.
'ling always, There, now she is looking in
that window. She wants us to pass her
again."
"Then let us look iu this window uetil
she is bound to go on -she can't stand look-
ing in a window foe long."
"Neither con we,"
"No, but we can talk and put lit a much
longer time than she can-innoli longer," he
answered.
Already they had stopped before the win.
dosv of a very old-fashioued shop filled with
old pictures, ehina, and other ouriosities.
The dark lady was looking at a jewel-
ler's and was apparently deeply inteeested
in what sho saw there.
"Oh 1 there is thole a lovely old plate -t
should so like it " Lthal °tied, "don't 'you
see, the old Lowestoft -1 must have that -I
really must,"
"Then come in and gob it," Jack replied.
"It will give oue mysterious friend a ahanoe
of coming Mater us to look at, old althea"
They went in to the shop and lies. Dennis
wos soon lost in admiration over half -a -death
°1st plates which were quickly broaght out
for her inspoetion. Jack was interested too,
not in the old plates for he had no eye for
stub things except as they hung on the dainty
wells of Mrs. Dennis's little drawing.romn,
but in Ethel bersolf, Who was tviklly onthe-
aiastia over all manner of quatint things and
was then softly feeling the old plates With
the tips of her delicate angels very =etas a
blind man passes his fingera over Um fade of
t parson whose lineamente he wishes to be
entailer with. And just then the little bell
above the okbfashithed dam" went tinkle.
tinkle said the two looked ep et the same
moment to 000 the slark-oomplexioned lady
enter the thop.
"What is your pleasure, litadusun 1" aeiuecl
the little woman who ruled over this quaint
amnain of antiqeitiee.
" Will you be so obliging as to show me
those 'miniature% which aro in the window.,"
the lady replica,
Cortatioly, Madam -pray, take it seat,"
stenvered the tnistrems of the shop.
Mot. Mollie and clack lookea ttt obe
•thothor involuntarily. 1.1, was 0 refined
voice, clear and awed, and there was it fore
oign rieg about it- not a markedly foreign
The Luxuries Possible on the Pam.
'There is it large Het of such things as two
everywhere regarded, ae luxuries, which it i
net:Limbic to !IAN it Up011 L110 1'141111 tit the eX -
piece of little moncay but, of Rome ettre 11.11 d
lather ; and it ie pertinent to inquire wit y
them lattoe should not be given itt retAVA1
fOt some of thoata Gauge width told refill 0.
meet rout pleasure to the somewhat, retie col
life of 1.11l1 etIVIlltr.' 1 Others ;oboe la the la W,
itt Inedieino, In trade, for money, so me
of which may be expended for things 0 ut•
;Sae the bare tomer:shoes of life. It is to 1, ho
favieer's great advantage that he can ha va
these thinge 111l1,1111101.0 emit). than ()there ca ti,
and have them toe, in musk bettearoonditio it,
as it rule, What are some of these 111 xurie sI
Why, in the lira place, fruit of all kinds,so
faras t he climate of one's particularu'egiout
will admit. The only taste of fruit that. 15
meltitude of farmers' familial) gel from o ne
year's end to another, is of apples and it fa w
wild bet't'ies the children pick in annum
Nothing that can be said will probably
roach that purtion of this class who are too
thriftless to make provision tar table luxur.
leg $o long as there is at hand to aupply of
bread, pork, bacon, potatoes and salt fish.
But there are many who do uot seem to real.
ize, but ea:mow:haps, be led to realize, how
easy it wouldlre to cultivate a suitioient sup.
ply of strawberries, raspberries, blackber r
plums, cherries and pears to vary and sup-
plement the use et Otto nommonly•grown
apple. A house supply of small fruits ought
to be grosvo on every farm. .A few grape
vines ana peer trees will uot call for any
very gseat additional effort. Goosebeeries
and ciwrants will well repay the eaten tion
4hrigLritrate
ltll variety of Arlen vegetables
;meld well be grown, afforaing a welcome
change during the winter season, Com ing
to the mattee cif meats, there is no reason
wIty poultry should not be found on country
tables every week in the year, and not, as
now is often the ease, on two or Bine oc-
casions in the twelve months. In many
eaees only it couple dozen chicks are hat:abed,
tnd of snob of these as come to eating size
the cockerels arca sold to the poultry carts for
a fete cants a pound, and the pullets kept to
replaces the few old hens that are also sold
for a trilling stint. Why not raise a lot of
chickens -anal then eat them 9 it is a plea-
santer and more sensible diet then pork,
If sheep are kept, plans ought re lie nuule
Joe 0 'Hewett supply of mitten. It is 1110St
excellent footl, but a great rarity on the table
of the average fanner.
Where a pond or eever-failing stream, of
considerable size, is convenient to a settle-
ment of farmers, concerted action on the
part of these could secure from their State
or the National Fish Commissioners young
ft•y sufficient to stock these writers with
snch food fishes as would be suitea to the
surroundings, Trout, salmon, bass and shaa
elm often be seemed in this way, whicls will
ittford inany agreeable changes from other
kinds of foods, besides affording excellent
sport for such as take pleasure in fishing.
Cream'so often heard of in rhapsodies on
country life, too frequently goes bodily to
tho charm while its place on the table ill
taken by its paler relative ef the pan. If
cream ;amulet be afforded under existing eon.
dairies, it would be the parl of wisdom to
keep better cows, and so be able to IMMO
some enjoyment from the extra, creatts thus
obtained,
Again, the dainty and wholesome dieltes
that can be formed frotn the innumerable
preparations of oats, wheat, barley and
kindred eereals are bUt little lillOW11 ill the
farni-houee kitcheo, where they should be
specially welcome since they can hese easily
made ready for use, being in many iustanees
already steam -cooked.
The diet of laymen' familios is too largely
made up of heavy foods -morning, noon tuld
night ibis :teemed necessary to have "hearty"
diehos on the table. These lighter cereal
preparations contain abundant nourishment
and have the addect merit of being easily
digested, which cannot be said of the greasy
combinatious of potatoes and meat that are
to be found to often. If the older members
of the family will have, foe all their meale,
the hearty food to which they have boon ac.
customea, let the children, at least, have it,
planer bill of fere, that will nourish them,
but not prove disastrous to their digestive
powers. For their sakes, 0 not for other
reasous, fruit and it variety of °areal footi
should have ti prominent and abiaing place
upon the table -Webb Donnell, in The
Cullirator.
Condition of Dakota Formal
Mr. 1V, A. 1Vebster of Leeds, Ont., Who
has been acting as the ;Tent of the Domin-
ion Department of Agriculture during the
past Bone years for the purpose of eoporting
on the coadition of Cantolians settled in the
western United States, and furnishing in-
formation to them as to the facilities for
homesteading in Manitoba and the tervitor-
ies, returned to Ottawa the other day. In
conversation he said he went out to Dakota
towards tho end of last month and since that
time had travelled for several hundred miles
in South Dakota. The condition of the
farmers there, he said, could not well be
worse. The crops have been alnsost a total
failure, caused by drought, and in July by a
hot wind in particular. Tito farmers told
me that at the beginning of July the crops
lookeil as if they might prachtee something
in the shape of a crop, but a hot wind -a
kind of shiocco-eame about the 20111 and
burnt up everything. You must bear in
mind, however, that what they call a fair
crop our tartness in Manitoba; wonld consider
barely half a crop. Li Dakota, they would
be well satisfied trith eight bushels of wheat
to the acre. South Dakota, has been settled
for seven years, and during that time the
fanners have had one or Otto hie crops, but
matters have taradeally been getting worse.
Last year their erop produced nothing, and
this year is simply a repetition of last. In
South Dakota I saw hundreds of farms and,
having stood around the threshing mach tees,
I am satisfied that the wheat crop in that
state cammt possibly exceed on all average
five buthels to the acre. Dozens of the
farmers told me that they had finished
threshing, and that their yield in many cases
would not, exceed one bushel to the acre.
Not a. mem reported to pleas high an average
as four bushels. Scores told tne that the
time had corn° when they must get out. I
atonal:al it meeting of farmers held at West.
port, Brown eounty, South 'Dakota, at which
the following resolution wtts unanimously
adopted :
"Whereas the crops in this section have
been failing for years, and for the past two
years have proved almost a total failure, we
have decided that the time has arrived that
sve must emigrate somewhere, and having
now heath . A. Webster's description of
Manitoba's agrioultural resources ; resolved
that Mr. George Lounsberry be, and he is
hereby appointed a delegate to accompany
51r. Webster to Manitoba and the western
territories, end carefully examine their PO-
SOUSOSS and the opportunities they poseass
for formers and thew families to settle, and
repast the facts to the farmers of this die -
tract on his realm. Carriedunaulmoesly.
(Signed) J. DA31 OM, Secretary.
H. A. JusTnit. Chairman,
"The gathering was A large and repre-
sentative oue and consisted of farmers drawn
from all parts of Brown and Macpherson
counties. The resolution shows just what
the feeling of the settlers is, and I could
substantiate it if necessary by a score of
clippings, from the Dakota newspapers, and
Mr. Lounsberry, I should say, is a Canaaian
by birth. Ho comes hens Elgin °may,
Ontario. He went with me to Manitoba,
and I can tell you he was more than pleased
with what he saw there, From what I saw
and heard hundreds would willingly leave
the country 0 only they had the means to
got out. Many of them have their farms
mortgaged up to the very lard dollar, the
rote of interest on reel estate averaging 15
per cent., while oe goods end chattels it
runs all the way up from 20 to 60 and ovon
1 00 por cent. I tell you it makes one's heart
bleed to see the way 'they have suffered.
No wonder that many of them, loaded down
with debt, am skipping out. Men Whom
you tnight See to.rlay are gone to.morrow.
The committee of five which wrote from
Leola, Macpherson county, to the Toronto
board of trade last year asking for aid are
aU gonot I could not find a tram of one of
them this year,"
' TELEGRAPHIC TIOXS.'
. —
Tho boilermakers at Newport and 5ton.
moath, Wales, have strack.
Lightermen at Hall, England, and area.
mon at Liveepool have struck for higher
wages.
Jobe Cord, it Noptunee man, thole it bad
path in his thimat itt ttn attempt to commit
suicide.
The suit of the Tindson Bay Railway Co,
against eontrautors Mann naulliolt hes been
set issed.
The little steamer Dixon, plying between
Port Arthur tool Duluth, has gone ashore in
Ciitivago ila3X.'
Itltsville, in the County of Glen.
gam, James MeNoughlen and a little girl
wore burned to death in their dwelling.
IL 1.2. Richter, of itiontecia, nod his
twelve.yeargald boy aro missing, mid ib is
feared the father killed his child and hitn.
self;lannie.-" 1 mulerstand, Mario, tit,
you brain your engagement with Alt. Earth.
leigh." Marie -"011, en, I alishat dear. It
jttat mune apart, aorta 1010 know, after the
season closea."
81)0 (who has promiaed So ask kw Ito
wore jewelry this yoat)--"" wish 1 were you
for to little While." Hes-"Why, my dear?'
Sho-"Beestiao then I would buy my wife it
pearl necklace,"
Russians at the Holy Sepulchre.
Russian pilgrims thronged the great build-
ing everywhere ; peasants in fttr cap, mid
cattan, ttud heavy boots, just as they had
trudged from the steppe and the wilds;
homely little women, with shawls or ker.
chiefs covering their heads, Their intent
faues, full of worship mid awe, their tut -
doubting, untroubled devotion, the rapture
in some, the ovetwhehning emotion in
others, tho passion of entreaty in which
some of them were pouring out their hearts,
were half as impeessive to behold • as if tho
pilgrim of mother sort had been as sure as
they were of everything 110 SAW. Ono fol-
lows these poor peasants with wondering
admivation and sympatby ; there are per-
haps some lookers•on who pity their all -
belief, hub there are many others .who
will find in tho faces •of those simple
brethren the best inspiration and conifort
that this groat shrme can give Gloms
When I penetrated into the stroit ohapel
of the holy tomb, on an occasion when the
erowd was • less than useal, there was one
womon with a basketful of books, pictures,
menses, and other little sacred theme,
meant, one could not doubt, to fill it feta
diriattut village with holy memorials, at
once tokene of human lovo and symbola of
the deoptht mystesies, whioh tttit wts plata;
Mg to hallow them upon the adione of the
sepulchre ; While anothet on hot knees was
praying, unciansciooa of all about hoe, in au
ogony ef supplication, with moving handa
mnrodee'odillitillii?Otr8nderstatial the half -audible
od
flood of broken words, but the eloquence of
the honds, now hold out in entreaty as if to
t visible listeees, now pressed upon the
beating breast, now chteped in beseeching
eathesthess, could not be mistalsen. What
Was hor prayer ? Fos tho pardon of her own
sins, oe foe some ono dearer than her-
self, -whose soul oe whose life hung in the
balance ? He alono know to whom, in fond
human aonfidetwo of being nearer to Him in
that spat whore he had lain in death, she
was pouring out her heart. That God might,
grant to her the answer and the consolation
.110 granting of her petition, was the echo
that rose from the soul of the lookers-on 1
We steal away. in the gloom with only this
inti no more individnal sentiment in oue
imart, She has gone homo by this time, te-
tt-Rehm tho weary stops of her pilgrimage to
the farolistant baths of the VoTgrt, or tho
Nova, ovet• leagues itorl leagues of uolanown
rotols, footsore and extuutsteit with the long,
Sew, terrible journey. Perhapa ammo time
et, other, bit the ages to come, see shall hear
wlawtehr she got the thing for which the
tuy
They who have light, in • ihenwelves Will
hot revolve as satellites,