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The Herald, 1912-07-19, Page 5A LliilE C ILD'S PRYR OR, THE DUI3L. IN THE GLEN. CHAPTER XXXVI. But I do mind," declared Ruby, "for w the. sharp acgrn tops and the sticks d stones hurt my foot just awfully." neatly as her arms ached, Nannette aid not stop to consider that, again delight Ruby up in hsr arms, etriv- with might and main to reach the ce from whence the sound of voices oeeeded, lowly but surely she neared them, at gth to her great joy she found she s emerging from the wood; a bend in r path soon brought her to a clearing, td looking ahead, to her great canister - tion, she found herself in the very glen om' which she had fled so precipitately little while since; he had taken a cur. ritous route=and -found herself in ,the ry spot she bad been warned to flee om, and the sight that met her gaze raight ahead, she never forgot while er life lasted. On the same forenoon on which the doe- r had taken his departure, Irene also ade the farmer's- wife farewell. "If you would but stay until Jack comes eek " said Mrs. Clyde, holding the slim hite hand, "he will be very angry at pie r letting you go without giving him the portunity of bidding you good-bye." Tell your son good-bye for me," re- 'aned Irene. She pressed a roll of bills tis the rough, toil -worn hand of the far- e's wife. i;ou have been very kind to a help- er," she said. "Let me repay ur;as best I can; every kind action to thelplese meets its reward in God's Di ':good time, you will one day meet 0. Mb. way do you go?" Mrs. Clyde d sympathizingly. must confess I have not quite made Lev mind," returned Irene. There never was a creature more for- i—and snore hopelessly adrift on the id," muttered Mrs. Clyde, gazing af- the slim figure, with tears in her eyes. he watched her out of sight, and she er saw again the girl whom she knew y as Twee. ene's ay led through one of the most uresque parts of the valley of Kent. was quite tbree miles to the station, 'although weak from her recent M- ahe concluded to walk there; she d rest by the wayside if she felt faint fatigued. ddenly, in turning an abrupt curve he wooded road, she came to an open e with a stream of pure, clear, pur- water, running through it, and a tiful miniature cascade leaping and king in the morning sunlight -ah, a cool, restful place. party of merry youths and maidens gathered in the glen, and Irene saw a picnic was in progress. ne watched the scene with faseinat- yes. "Was I ever young and gay like ?" she murmured, vaguely; "it seems ough centuries of sorrow had passed my head, light, airy costumes of the young blended with the rainbow hues of ilken scarfs of the May -polo around h they were dancing. ' • happy ab it rollicking young void unded, hose bright their faces, How. enjoyed the simple music, of an old very rem& out of tune, and a ban- ite as much so, to which their flying kept time. a little distance a bevy of pretty were spreading a long, snowy cloth, aring for the lunch, and a little fur - on. two young men were putting up Ing. ne watched the scene wistfully. Weak exhausted she had sunk down on a y log, around which scarlet creep - grew in rich luxuriance. m her position she could see and yet be seen through the. intervening ches of the trees. ddenly the Bound of horse's hoofs fell her ear, and a moment later Jack e sprang from bis horse and dashed ng the "roup of merry -makers. h," cried the girls in a chorus, "it's Clyde rushing among us in this mary fashion.—Look! his face is as e as though he had seen a ghost." ell, you wouldn't be laughing and ing like this if you knew what was g to happen hereabouts, mighty he retorted. h, what is it, Jack, do tell us about on't keep us in suspense," the young cried, crowding curiously about ell, it's a first class duel," returned ng Clyde, adding: "if you want to set rself up as targets for a stray pistol , I'd advise you to stay here." ere was a loud chorus of soroams, the frightened young girls scurried in all directions, like a covey of part - Oyoung men remained behind, ding around tbeir informant, breath- y inquiring: ow do you know there's going to be uel, Jack?" hen is it to take place, Jack?" e are the men, and what's it all ut Jack?" One question at a time, if you please, tlemen," 'says Jack Clyde, throwing self clown full length on the green tg. he duel is to take place in this exact , twenty yards from the cascade yon - and it's two swell Londoners who are gl ea da the . whole other. quarrel between aud a mighty fierce ono it was, too, n; tell you, and," he added, with a I, laugh, "as you can always depend DD FOR HOT WEATHER you are among those whose body s nursing along, eitheron account portant work to be done or on nt of waste of strength from past regent sickness, — Bovril should an important part of your summer Not only does it build and gthen but it adda materially to power to absorb the nutriment fined in ordinary food, Bovril is ntrated beef in its belt form. tle spread on thin bread and butter fiches, or on hot buttered toast, both appetizing and nutritious. imple cup ,of Bovril makes an izing and strengthening bouillon: for. ter booklet •which givee much information to any mother, it Limited, 17 St, peter St, •.1, upon—it was about a woman, fair of faoe and false at heart—such a fair woman as was especially born to break the hearts of men and befool them." 'Let's hear all about it, Jack?" "How did you happen to find it out, Jack?" Give ns the facts, Jack?" they all cried out, exaltedly, in a cliorous again:* "One question at a time, if you please, gentlemen," repeated Jack with exasper- atingslowness, and emphasizing the last four words. "Well, to give you the whole story. As I was waiting at the London depot to take the train, the Liverpool ex- press steamed in, and from one of the for- ward coaches a tall and remarkably hand- some man alighted. But hold—I am a little ahead of my story—I 'had forgotten to state, that, as I stood on the platform waiting, a gentioman, accompanied by a valet and another servant. His face was pale and he seemed to be laboring under some great excitement. "'From this hour I shake the duet of London from my feet forever,' he. said,. huskily. 'I shall travel about the face of the earth knowing no rest until I have found him,' he added, fairly grinding his teeth with impotent rage. 'And when I do, I—' "Tho sentence never was finished; a cry that sounded like nothing human, broke from the gentleman's lipe; his eyes had at that moment rested on the man alighting from the train. "With one single bound he had reached his side, had caught hini in a grip like steel, and had almost shaken the breath from hie body. 'Where is .my wife!' he thundered, in an awful voice. "Speak, or I'll murder you! Speak, Dr. Ross!' "'Unhand me,' exclaimed the man, ang• rily, haughtily; 'How should I know the whereabouts of your wife?' "'Liar! scoundrel! you do know!' screamed the other. 'You left the city with her, Victor Rose. You are the attrac- tion that took Irene visiting the hospital, curse you!' You do me too much honor, I assure you," sneered the man, twisting nonebal- antly at his thick, dark mustache with white hand, on which a fiery diamond set in a serpent's head, "representing an eye, gleamed, glowed, and scintillated like a thing of life. "'Out with it, where is she?' foamed his antagonist. 'Speak, or by the Heaven that bends above us I will have your life!' "'I refuse to be questioned,' Dried the doctor, defiantly. "'I ask you for the first and last time: what was it that passed between you and Irene at the hospital on the day she fled from me?' cried the infuriated husband. 'You see . I have unearthed that, and I have been like a sleuth -hound on your track ever since. Will you speak?' and the 'steel grip tightened about the doc- tor's neck, who was trying in vain to shake himself free. "'I refuse to answer you,' repeated the doctor. 'That .is my reply.' "There and then there was a challenge to a duel and it was as quickly accept- ed, and when the friends who had ,_ga"h- red about them daring •: the: melee; talked the affair: over, I heard them 'say—twenty miles down the country, in Cascade Glen, Piney Woods—at once. "This appeared to be satisfactory to both parties concerned. They made a strange compact, however, and that was that one should reach Piney Woods by one train, and the other go by another route. Both trains reach the station at about the same time. As the parties lair. ried away, I heard one of the by-standers say: 'Dr. Ross is a villain. He will reach the station first and he will shoot his an- tagonist on sight as he steps from the train. His bullet 'will be unerring—he is a dead shot, and the man of all others to take an ignoble advantage of friend or foe. He will not wait to meet him in a duel if he can get a lead on him.'" ' There was a loud crashing in the bush- es near, like'' the sound of a heavy falling body. "What is that?" they echoed, turning hastily about. ' "Probably an elk crashing tin ough the underbrneb," said Clyde, adding: "Well, boys. I'm off. I'm sorry I cannot stay and see the 'affair of honor,' as the French- men phrase it. Let me know which gets the best of the fracas." "When did you say it was to take place?" asked one of the excited group. "As soon as they can reanh this spot from the, depot," returned Clyde. "That is, as I said before, if the doctor does not pop the other one over as he steps from the train. Every one has a sort of pre- sentiment that that is elactly what will occur," Clyde moved off and his friends started across lots in a body to watch the two trains come in; and even at that mo- ment they could hear tbe shrill, far-off whistle of a locomotive. CHAPTER XXXVII. Clearly through the solemn stillness of the summer day the words that had fal- len from Clyde's lips, fell upon the heart of the beautiful solitary figure crouching among the wild lilac branches. The swaying figure had sunk down among tbe sharp thorns and the bram- bles, but she did not even feel the pain of them. The earth seemed to rock under her feet, the leaves of the trees above her head to moan with each passing breeze. If the hand of God had stricken Irene -dead, the beautiful white face upturned to the sunlit sky could not have been whiter. No pen can describe the awful agony of that moment. Terrible cries fell freely on the air, startling the timid birds from their nests in the trees over- head. Ah! God pity me and have mercy," she sobbed, wildly; "it is Frederick my—my husband who s to' fight tbis duel with Dr. Ross, I must save him, I will save him or die in the attempt." • It was two good miles yet to the sta- tion; ah, how should she ever make it. It must have been Providence that turn- ed her dazed eyes to the road, for sbe saw at that moment a hansom -cab passing: She hailed the driver, and the man looked in wonder at the beautiful young woman standing there in the dust of the way. side. "Can you take me to the .railway sta- tion quick?" eke cried; "L Will give you double you? fee—aye, quadruple it," The man hesitated. "It is out of my way, miss," he replied; "I am sorry to refuse you,.but 1 cannot tarn back." YYOu must—oh, sir, you must," she cried, holding out her hands supplicatingly, "a human life depends 00 it. I will pay you any price you ask—only take me to the station." "1 couldn't go for less than a pound," declared' the man. The money was in- stantly placed in his hand, The drive 'to the station was quickly made, though Au round -about route }vagi obliged to be taken, owing to one of the. bridges that ant?nned a deep creek have ing been washed away by an overflow the day previous, When Irene xeaobed the 'station, ehe, found to her terror the train had arriee'd some time .ago, and that e•'party of men-• tiemen had come in on it; they had tele- graphed in advance for two coaches to meet them at the station, and they p'tuve: the order to the glen in Piney woods, "A surgeon attended tike party, carry: ie,:; a little black case. I imagined that a duels. must be on the tapis," deolarod the lo- giraoious station master, and if that is the case, the affair must be pretty nigh. over by this tine," Be never forgot athe terrible cry that fell from the white-faced lady regarding'. him; without a word she turned aud flea' and was just -in time to intetcept the driver who had 'brought her ther'bbs :as he had gathered up his zeins to depart. "You must take me back to the glen in Piney woods," she gasped. "'It took us three quarters of an hour to get hero; pot back in half of that time an I will give you three pounds." 'Get into the cab; miss, said the drive or; "I will do my best to earn 'am' money. but you see for yourself how bad the roads are," Another instant and the cab was whirl- ing along with lightning -like rapidity over the uneven road. • It was a ride nover to be forgo ton. A strong hand held the reins and -urged the'. frightened animals to do their best, the vehicle whirling and dashing along with its occupant swayed to and ,Pro like a leaf in the gale. In after years when Irene looked back" at that perilous ride, she- wondered that she had not died in the, terrible excitement of that awful moment, the horses rearing and plunging down, the grade of the steep Hill—the white- faced driver, spurred on by her frantic appeals to drive faster—they were but creeping along -plied the whip with a steady hand, making each stroke tell up- on the quivering, panting beasts. "Oh God, let me be in time to save my love," was- the constant prayer that broke with a moan over Irene's white lips; would she reach the glen in time to prevent it? How peaceful the hells and valet looked in the golden glow of the sunlight. Alas!' that their tranquility should be broken by the means of the dying, and the blood of a human heart lave the modest violets and tender grasses. Five minutes more and we shall reach the glen," said the driver; "see, there is the cascade ahead." He saw her white lips move, but no sound came from them. Three—four—min- utes passed. Irene, watching breathlessly ahead, sees two dark forms facing each other: stand- in- ten paces apart on the green sward. Both seconds, as well as the principals, hear that sound of crashing wheels, but neither pay the least heed. It comes near- er—so near that Irene can distinguish the voices -she tries to cry out, but her lips seem stricken dumb. Ah! God have mercy. She hears the query: "Are you ready, gentlemen ?"• Both incline their heads,, and aha hears the death -knoll in the command uttered: one--two—three—ready—fire! And with the command, two sharp re- ports ring out simultaneously on the air. But neither are destined to reach their mark. The dust -covered cab has dashed between, hiding the combatants from each other's view, and the two bullets are buri- ed deep in the wood -work of the vehicle,. And. through the smoke and, confusion which ensues, both of the combatants hear a woman's voice, which both recognize, crying out: For the love of Heaven, dont .fire again." - - The: smoke cleared awayand the Nan- som-cab from which Irenhas sprung has dashed on some distance. She holds out her white hands to Es - mend, crying again, "Don't fire again,— don't l—I—" A bitter smile curls. Esmond's lips, he looks at her with wrathy, blazing oyes. "Have you followed your lover here to Plead with me not to wreak my outraged vengeance upon him?" he asked. sneer- ingly. She looks at him, but she could not grow paler •than she already is, for those words have cut her to the very soul. "Hear me. my husband," she cried, "he," pointing to Dr. Ross—"he is not my lover, yon must not say that." "Will you tell me what this ecrat be- tween you two is?" cried Esmond, in a terrible voiire. "Speak—I command you. Prove if you• can that be is nothing to you. Has he a secret of yours to keep?" "She cewvered from the terrible glance he bent upon ,her ands he noticed that, and be laughed aloud, she would rather have heard any sound on earth. than that terrible laughter. "See she will not answer, I turn to you, giving you a last chance, Dr. Ross,—will you reveal what there is between yourself and—her?" A sneering smile carved Ross' lips. "I refuse to speak," be replied, "I pledged her my solemn oath that my lips should be sealed through life, aye, even on my death.bed,',anloas she bade me—con- fess all." A deathlike silonee fell upon the. little group. 'No more need be said," returned Es- mond, grimly. "Stand aside, madam," he said., coolly turning to Irene, "and per- mit this man and myself, to proceed to business." Oh, not no! nol" cried Irene, falling on her knees with a+• piercing cry, "this 'duel must not go ore -you shall not risk your life for me, Dr. Ross, oven to spare ne she sobbed, desperately. At that moment the shrill treble of a child's voice bilike in upon their startled ears. I told you, Nanuette, that was my papa—oh, -paga, papal' she cried, joyful- Iy, as she ran toward him. She had not as yet caught sight of the face of the kneeling figure, but as Irene heard her V0/00, she forgot all else, springing to her feet cryiug out with her whole soul in her anguished ory: "011, Ruby—my child —my child!" Esmond sprung between them, his face white as death. "Do not dare to touch my child," he Dried. "X will not permit it." Again Irene shrunk back. "Frederick," she murmured, "your eruel- ty is killing me." The scene' was all the more affecting when Ruby recognized her mother and struggled with piercing cries to break from her father's arms to the embrace of her mother. It was a scene that would. have brought tears to eyes leas; used to them. Like a, beautiful hunted deer brought t; bay, Irene turned slowly and faced them. "Rush, my darling," she sobbed, "papa will not let you come to mamma just now." I will spare the truthno longer," ehe cried, "I will tell you the terrible secret which Dr, Ross by chance disdovered, and which he pledged himself never to reveal, I' and which has driven me mad. It is this , --I—Oh, Godt how shall Futter the wordsI: and live, but they must be spoken. amu not- your lawful wedded wife, Fred- erica." A thunderbolt, falling from a clear skv --the -earth suddenly opening under his'', feet could not have astounded Frecherielt' Esmond more. He could not credit tl evidence of his own rouge&. Extra Granulate o • Sugar c ntafa s-' pounds full weir. of Canada **-left su ar Oki best. A•sk , Dux r 'cer tor the 1(9///.0//'/// Fv � ////////!!O�/��a �U 5—Pound Package. CANADA SUGAR REFINING CO., Limited, Montreal. ca 11 .run "si,k; :t.eg_, es•- �s r' "What," he cried, "I am not sure that I have beard aright" With a piteous. sob, Irene sunk on her knees before him, repeating in a hushed, awful voice: "I am not your lawful wed- ded wife,. Frederick." CHAPTER. XXXVIII. "Listen, Frederick," she pleaded, "and as you are strong, be merciful. 'I will tell y"ou the whole story from beginning to end, and you shall judge then whether I have been more sinned against than sin- ning." .. All subterfuge- was at an end now—she might as well tall him the whole truth, just as matters stood. She broke at once into her subject by saying:— "Before I ever learned to love you, Fred- erick. I was persuaded into wedding an- other." Shesaw the horrible words strike him as lightning strikes a mighty forest oak; he trembled from head to foot; those startling words seemed to have fairly left him lifeless, incapable of speech or mo- tion. "On the day that I was wed," continued Irene, : "aye, the very hour—my husband was taken from me. arrested and thrown into prison. Soon after I heard that he died,, that he perished in the fire of the London prison. His name headed the list of the prisoners who were killed. "Then-you-you—asked me to be your wife; :Frederick. I loved you, and, think - lea I could,kbep the skeleton of the past from you forevermore, and that you would never find Meat, I married You. And oh! ' a eriol,__*e Were so happy." , This with amoatea";a itifia to hear. • "7.30ryGoal" 'The words break from. h's- mend's ashen lips. Be leans heavily back against the trunk of an adjacent tree, still holding' his child in, his arms. He wnuld have spoken, but Irene held up her white right hand with a gesture command- ing silence. Hear me through," she said, continu- ing: "You know how happy we were: it is useless to refer to that. No cloud dark- ened my life; forever and anon I assur- ed myself the past was buried, its ghost would nover rise to confront me. It grew to seem more like a bideous dream — a nightmare than a reality. "The day I went to visit the patients at the hospital was the beginning of the cruel end. In passing through one of the wards I made a discovery so horrible I wonder it did not kill me on the spot. 'I —ah'!' how shall I tell it—I saw him --the man whom I had wedded and had believed dead all these years. Ile was blind, and therefore could not recognize me. In the hour of my terrible discovery, I uttered that which revealed the whole truth to Dr. Ross, who had come upon the scene unnoticed by me and bad therefore heard all. I begged him on my knees to keep my cruel eeoret, and he gave me his sol- emn vow that he would do this if I left yott land your child forevermore. I went —but. not with him. I went alone!" "The lady whom you have so repeated- ly deferred to as having accompanied me from London, on the night in question, was sny'mother," said Dr. Ross, haught- ily. "Forgive me. ' I have blterly wronged YOU, Dr. Boss," said Esmond. Then ho turned to Irene, addressing her, forget- ful,of every other presence—oven that of a man and woman, dusty and travel - stained who had come upon the scene unnoticed, as Irene commenced her na.r- rative„and' had stood quite still listening latently to every word that fell from her lige. "God pity us both, Irene,” Dried Es- mond, hdarsoly, as she ceased speaking. "Speak," he added, in -a voice tremulous with mighty emotion, "who is the man who—who has the right to claim you?" "The man whom I then imagined was my cousin, Karl 13eathcliff. I—I wedded— Leon Forrester!" she replied. "He of all men, Great Heaven!" groaned Esmond. "It is farewell here—now and forever!"' he added, huskily. "Hold! Let me speak," broke in an eager voice in a decided English accent. "I came in search of Dr. Ross, and it appears as if I am here in the nick of time." They all looked and beheld Dr. Lennox. "I have heard all. Now listen all to what I have to say. The man Leon For- rester died two hours since in the St. Thomas hospital, It was occasioned by hearing suddenly the voice of a new nurse we had just employed. The reason her voice affected him so was, because she was his wife whom he had deserted years ago." "You know me, lady," said the woman, holding out her hand to Irene. Irene looked; yes, she remembered the thin white face and haunting eyes. She was the creature whom she had saved that night a few weeks since from thro slag herself from London Bridge, at midnight, down into the deep, dark waters rolling swiftly below. "On his death -bed, Forrester mark• a full and complete confession of all Mrs. Es- mond has said, and in the presence of a notary who took his dying deposition, ad- ded—'Irene Middleton believed she was my wife, poor girl; but, dying, I solemnly swear that she was not. The marriage was null and void, because at that time I bad a living wife. I meant to wed the heiress because I had learned to love her with all the love of my passionate heart, defying God and man as to the conse- quences, hut "Man proposes, and God disposes." My fate overtook me on the very threshold of my happiness and foiled me. On my death -bed I have set matters aright' " "Frederick i oh, Frederiek 1' sobbed Irene. Frederick Esmond held out bis arms to his wife, and she flew into them like a wounded bird. He clasped his strong arms close about her, holding her tightly as those strong arms would hold and shield her forevermore, kissing the pale face, the lovely lips and dark, curling hair that lay on the white forebead. Aren't you and mamma going to kiss me too?" cried Ruby, rather nonplussed at this extraordinary scene, and so glad to see her "mamma and papa pleased with each other again," as she whisper- ed to Nannette. Esmond caught up the child and placed her in Irene's arms, straining them both in his arms, murmuring:—',Irene, nay wife, mine—thank God!—Prom first to last!" and tears shone in his eyes as he spoke. "I think I may as well leave this scene of domestic felicity," said Dr. Ross, turn- ing with a sneer to his second. "I am not needed here." (To be continued.) SHE KNEW. Little Grace—"My father works in a bank, what does yours do 7" Little Jessie—"Whatever Mamma says!' If you can't lay up something for a rainy day, salt it clown. Take A Handful Of "St. Lawrence" Sugar Out To The Stare Door —out where the light can fall on it—and see the brilliant, diamond - like sparkle the pure white color, of every grain. That's the way to test any sugar — th.t's the way we hope you will test Sugar op1 " with any other sugary --compare its pure, white • .+A It sparkle—its evengrain—its matchless sweetness. eater Still, get a ao pound or zoo pound bag at your grocer's and ',Si. Lawrence Sugar" in your home. WXiENCE SVGA REFINERIES L*MtTED, '. MONTREAL. ,r' wf ON"I' FOR THE. MILKERS, One—Don't put the can under the cow until her udder is clean.. Two—Don't begin to milk the cow with a wet tail until you have tied it. Three -Don't tie it too short. Four—Don't put your fingers in the milk. If you want to soften the teats milk a drop into the palm of your hand and rub them with this. Five -Don't let .your pail get too full when you are milking a young cow. Six—Don't crack the seat of your stool on the cow's back, if her tail goes in your eye. Seven—Don't . strap a heifer if you can help it. She is generally restive because the milking hurts her. Eight—Don't fodder the cows un- til the milking is finished or you will have a lot of dust in the milk. Nine—Don't talk while you are milking: Ten—Don't on any account milk any curd, blood or rope into your milk can. I•f you find any slime in- side the sieve find out where it. comes from. Eleven—Don't have your nails long. Twelve—Don't half do the job un- less you want to dry the cow. IN THE CHICKEN YARD. . The average chicken does not pay for his keep and he should be sent. to the block as soon as he weighs. four pounds, unless he is to be kept for breeding. Let a strange dog rush through the poultry yard and the excitement will affect the egg supply for that day. When hens have no sentiment there is no doubt they are extreme- ly nervous at times—particularly during the breeding season—and. should be so placed that they can- not be disturbed. It does not matter so much about, the breed as it does about the kind of treatment your hens receive. Of course, if you are going in for poultry to sell on the market you must .select the fowl that will pro- duce the most meat, and if for eggs the breed that will produce more eggs than meat. Then it i33:91.13 to you" to get the most out of them, as the slang dors. NOTES OF THE HOG LOT. Sometimes a week's chill rains or cold weather will set the pigs back a month in their growth. After all that may be said in fa- vor of other pastures, clover stands at the head when it comes to the right thing for pigs. A great many farmers do not rea- lize that grass supplies a feed en- tirely different from corn. and that it is a bad practice to change en- tirely and suddenly from one to the other. When the pigs are taken out of the pasture this fall they should not be turned suddenly into the corn fields or fed all the new corn they can eat. Make the change gradually. If a hog dies on the farm, no mat- ter from what cause, take no chanc- es, but remove the body a long dis- tance from the 'reeding lots and burn it. ORCHARD NOTES. Many growers say that weeds are as valuable as fertilizer as clover and cow peas if they are turned under every year. The grower who will sort his ap- ples into two or more grades, packed well, will get more money for his fruit than the one who throws all kinds together in a bar- rel and places a layer of the best Ones 011 top. The city dealer profits by the lazi- ness of the grower by grading and repacking his badly assorted fruit. That corky old apple, the Ben Davis, still holds a high price in the city markets because its fine ap- pearance deceives the ignorant buyer. "Gent" is an abbreviation which has never been accepted by polite society, as a witness appearing be- fore Justice Wxightman once found to his cost. He was testifying to the excellent charaeter of the de- fendant, and among points in his favor remarked that he was "an independent gent." ,'.&n indepen- dent what?" interrupted Judge Wrightman, "A gent, my Lord," repeated the witness, "Oh, 1 un- derstand," replied the Judge. "That's something short of a gentle- , isn't it']"