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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe East Huron Gazette, 1892-01-07, Page 2Theft e Story of a Year. A little Child in raiment white toes sent to me one day With message from the King of Light: °• Ihy care I will repay, If thou wilt keep her garment bright Along the narrow way.' We wandered forth, the Child and I : But poll, ail careless grown. I heed'ud n t her plaintive sigh, As. hurt by thorns and stone, Or chilled by snowdrifts piled on high, She uttered weary moan. We wandered on ; more fair the land, Sweeter the fragrance round. 1 clasped again her little hand, And sped o'er dewy ground, Heedless of clouds the sky that spanned, Or wild beasts lurking round. Still on we vent, through gorgeous ways, O'er sunny isle and hill, While all too taiviiftly passed my days By gleaming brook and rill, And I forgot us noontide's blaze To guard the Ladd from ill. Still on we went. Cold blew the blast In autumn's morning gray ; My longing gaze behind was cast Where floweryo'er meadows broods �nvanished past, I took my careless way. ° Farewell. farewell ; I e'en must go,' A voice said in my ear; The distant hills are white with snow ; My last dawn draweth near. With garments torn and brow of woe 1 go—a wasted Year.' Startled, T turned, and looked around : No Child's form met my gaze ; But one, low bending to thepground, Weth weht of da Whosepscou d utter forth no sound Of thankfulness or praise. Ah me! how could I meet the King Who gave her to my care Lost were the gifts she came to bring, And soiled her raiment fair. Here with the Old Year vanishing, I could but kne I in prayer. JESSIE C. DENT. A STORY TOLD ON NEW YEAR'S EVE. Christmas evergreens still hang on the walls of my home, a brigh b fire burns cheer- ily in the polished grate, and peace and happiness brighten each dear face gathered around me. Outside, the snow lies cold and white ; the bitter north-east wind is wail- ing and moaning with strange, weird cries, that rise above the music of the pealing bells. My heart is full of grateful joy as I sit this New Year's Eve in the warmth and shelter of home. My wife's beautiful countenance smiles at me ; little children climb my knee and= ask me to tell them the story of Uncle Lance, whose picture hangs on the wall, with a wreath of green ivy round it. The firelight falls upon a noble face—the face of a brave and chivalrous young man ; upon a broad brow- and a careless wave of fair brown hair ; upon clear eyes, with some mysterious shadow in their depths ; upon erm, well -closed lips, with a shade of melan- choly in them. My gaze follows the children's glances, and a rush of tears makes all dire ; the drawing -room with its Christmas evergreens en_tehe bright glow of the lamps, all fades ; and stand once more hand in hand with the dearest and truest friend ever given to man. He will never be with us on New Year's Eve again ; the brave, eindly face will never more brighten at words of mine ; but his memory lives with us, and will never die. Taking my children in my arms, I tell them the story of Lancelot Eyrle's love and life. My uncle, Sir Marmaduke Eyrie, adopted me at my mother's death. My mother, his only sister, married, it was thought, much beneath her, My father was a poor, strug- gling artist, who had nothing but his tal- ents, his handsome face, and gifted mind to depend upon. Miss Eyrie, of Lipton Hall, might have married well ; as it was she gave the rich dowry of her love and beauty to Gerald Leige. As might be expected, misery and poverty followed the unequal marriage, and in a few years Gerald Leigh died, less of actual disease, than of a broken heart.. Even then, my mother was not,allowed to return home. A small annuity was settled upon her, which she expended principally in my education. But when her father died, and her brother, Sir Marmaduke, suc- ceeded, he sent for us both to Lipton Hall, and said I should take his name and be his heir. Sir Marmaduke had another brother away in India, reputed be to a millionaire. I am glad to look down the long vista of years, and know that my mother was happy before she died—happy in the love of her brother, in the enjoyment of her home— happy above all, in the thought that her son would one day be master of Lipton Hall. She had been dead more than five years when a letter came from Philip Eyrie, writ- ten on his death -bed, telling Sir Marma- duke his once large fortune was all lost ; and beseeching him to adopt and bring up as his own child, Lancelot, his only son. My uncle read the letter with an expres- sion of deep gravity. " What shall I do with two adopted nephews?" he said. "Mind, Rupert, I shall keep my word to yen. I will do my best for your cousin Lance but you must be heir of Lipton, My sister_ was dearer to me than all the world. Besides, my brother never cared much for me, or I for him. My sister's eon must succeed me, although, in the eyes of the law, Lancelot Eyrie is my heir." I did not think much of those matters then. It was pleasant enough to be welcom- ed and feted as the heir of Lipton Hall; but if my uncle had changed his mind, it would not have been a very great trouble to met Lancelot Eyrie came ; and from that day until the day he died, I loved him better than any other person on earth, save one. Sir Marmaduke thought highly of him, too. " Let there be no mistake, Lance,' 'he used to say ; " Rupert must be my- heir. You shall have the same education, go to the same college, and, when of age, I will give � vee you your commission and five thousand There never was any rivalry between us. No brothers were ever more truly or sin- cerely attached to each other. Time passed on. We left college, and both came home to live, for a time, with Sir Marmaduke. Lance kept up a correspondence with some Indian friends. From them he learned that the children of Mr. and Mr's. Arle, old friends of his father's,, were in. England for their education. Edgar Arle I may dismiss in a few words. 13e nevercame into our story, but retuned tolndia=when his college career ended, and lives there now. Of his sister, Beatrice Arle, 1 have more to tell. When her echoer days were ended, ehe-game-to Denby, a town three miles from CTafi, to stay with a relative of her in -other's. She was to remain there two Sears, before returning to India. When ir:Marmaduke heard this,_ he,_ ted upon La i%e_ andsme-going over to Denby, and mite respects to the young lady in I can see again the gentle, tender eyes, so clear and true ; the sweet pure counten- ance, and fair hair ; the graceful, girlish figure ; the pretty blush that crimsoned the white brow, as we advanced into the room, and welcomed us with half -wistful smiles., In that moment, children, I laid my heart at her feet. I gave her the love that has never failed, never grown weak or cold— the love that, in death, will not change. I could not say much—her grace and -beauty awed me ; but Lance talked like one inspir- ed. During our ride home, he spoke of noth- ing else. " Beatrice Arle " was the one sole theme. " I have seen her, uncle," he cried, when we caught sight of Sir Marmaduke, " and she is so beautiful ! I mean to be a hero, and fight until I win -her." The Baronet smiled grimly ; but there was no mistake about it, Lance had lost his heart. I wonder if you can guess the rest; how, day by day, I loved her more dearly, until life was all blank to me, except it could be shared with her; how, in silence and sorrow, I worshipped the pure, beautiful maiden, letting my hungry, craving heart feed upon words and smiles that were all the world to me. It is given to every man, once in life, to know such love ; some trifle with the treas- ure, others fling it away. I garnered mine in my heart, and it lives there now. When I was twenty-three, and Lance a few months older, a terrible tragedy happened at Lip- ton Hall. Our uncle, the good, kind old Baronet, died suddenly ° One afternoon he bade me take a note to Mr. Burton, his=oliciter, telling him to come over on the day following, as he wished par- ticularly to see him. He sat all the evening over the fire in his old dressing -gown, refus- ing, for the first time, tc dress for dinner ; talking incoherently about Lance's commis- sion, and my succeeding him. In the night his valet found him dead, with a smile upon his face. We were heartily grieved ; no unkind word had ever crossed his lips ; in him, we lost our best friend. I need not tell you all the details of that most sorrowful week when Lipton Hall was in darkness and mourning for its kind and indulgent master. When the funeral was over, and we assembled in the library for the reading of the will, there was great con- sternation and distress. No will could be found. Mr, Burton said he had made it; my uncle's old friends Squire Thornbury and Mr. Dale, had both signed it. The dismay was uniyersal, for every old servant had been remembered, Mr Burton said. All search was in vain. Lawyers,friends, servants, every one joined in it ; no nook or corner of the old Hall was forgotten, but there was no trace of Sir Marmaduke's will. The belief that the. Baronet had changed his mind, and destroyed hes will, grew upon us; my note, written at his request, strengthen- ed the impression. The end of the matter was that, as heir at law, Lance succeeded to Sir Marmaduke's estate and fortune ; the title was not hereditary,and I was left with- out one shilling to call my own. Lance resolutely refused to agree to anything of the kind ; his fair face flushed crimsom, and he spoke eloquently but of what avail ? He stoutly maintained his resolution for many days, until Mr. Burton declared the whole estate would get into chancery ; then unwillingly enough, he took possession. Honestly speaking, I did not care very much about it. My loss was Lance's gain. He was my -other self. I took, willingly enough, the money set aside as his portion. After all, we had merely changed places. It was arranged that I should continue to live at Lipton Hall for a year or two at least. Every one roved the fair-haired, Handsome stripling who took the old Baronet'. place— I best of ell I have known no other so true or so brave. That chivalrous, close friendship between men, is, perhaps, out of date now. I re- member no other instance of it. I know that boy's honour, happiness, and fair name were dearer to me than my own. Everything went on as usual ; only one change came—that was in Lance. He took me out one day for a stroll through the shrubbery ; in reality, it was to open his heart to me on the subject of his love. What bright, beautiful, poetical love ! What pictures he drew of the sun -lit future ? 1 was always in them. Only, at times, would a halt -shadow fall over his countenance, as he said, " You think she cares for me. Do you not, Rubert?" - What could I say? Calmly and deliber- ately I gave up my own hopes .to him, trampled then under foot, as I could do again, if his face were looking into mine. I could not influence her. He drew all the hope possible from her manner. She was al- ways kind and gentle ; She talked more to Lance than to me. Her eyes met his frank- ly, and she gave him her kindest smiles. She rarely met my glance, avoided me, seemed unusually quiet and timid with me ; therefore I, in my blindness, concluded she loved Lance best. Seven months . after Sir Marmaduke's death, he resolved to try his fate. Shall I ever forget the bright spring morning when he came to me in his affectionate way, and said, " Rupert wish me God speed ; I am going to ask Beatrice Arle if she will be my wife." Though his words pierced my heart like a sharp sword, I bade him God speed," and watched him as he walked dawn the broad avenue of chesnut trees. Think how. I lovedhim, wheel I could hear from his own lips that he wished to make the girl I loved, his wife ? He never knew my treasured secret. - He was gone many hours and my sore, jealous heart wore itselfhalf away; I pictured Beatrice and Lance together. both so young and beautiful. For the first and only time, something like envy came into my mind. He had erery- thing; I nothing. Dinner hour came and went but it brought no Lancelot. The bright summer day gave place to the evening glooming, and there was no sign of him. I stood watching at the library window, when he suddenly laid one hand upon my shoulder. When I turned and saw his face I knew his story, without any need of words. He was white even to the very lips, with a shadow in his clear, honest eyes, that never left them again. "Rupert," he said, gently, she does not love me. I believe she loves some one, but it is not me." " Is there no hope ?" I asked. "No," he replied, wistfully. " She was kind ; but she does not love -me, and never will." He went away from me then, and sat mus- ing for some time. " I must always love her," he said "She is the noblest and truest, as she is the fair- est maiden that ever lived. It was like a death -blow to me Rupert, when she said she did not love me. It was many minutes before 1 could"e again. And I have trfor t the -t t>fir g we -been :in the µPower - since,. trying to u ndes ng hear at " „{ �� _x�tlg=-. ' 2 {tidy -then, and Ieaning hands lie wept pas__ stool ave him, too . erieved„ for words. I would have laid down my lite to have given him his love. " I am ashamed of myself," he said, pre - sently ; " but I thought she loved me. I shall.go away,Rnpert ; I°will go.toemor'row. and not look into her sweet face again until I have forgotten its charm." That very evening he began packing and arranging. As it seemed to divert his thoughts, I raised no objection. " I wish to heaven,Rupert the place were yours !" he said. " I do not know what to do with it. I shall never live in it now. Stay here while I am away, and manage it for me." • I promised to do so ; it seems to me now like a dream. We went together into the room that had been Sir Marmaduke's. Lance opened the presses, that were still full of clothes. " Give these away, " he said. " Beep anything you like." Just as he spoke, the old dressing -gown fell from the wardrobe to the floor. " I shall keep this myself," he added ; and folding it over his arm, carried it away. It was long after midnight, when I heard a rap at my door, "Let me in Rupert," said Lance ; "I want you at once." " So it seems," was my reply but when the door opened, and my cousin stood. before me, I saw that no light matter had brought him. " ft is not every one who loses his love and his fortune on the same day !" he said. "See what I have found, Rupert ! God bless you, and make you happier than I am !" " What do you mean?" I asked. But for all answer, he held out to me a large parchment, tied and sealed. On it was written, " The last will and testiment of Sir Marmaduke Eyrle, Knight, of Lipton Hall, Masley." °` This is the lost will," said Lance ; " and of course it gives you back what was always to have been yours. We looked in desks, cup- boards, and bureau : no one ever thought of the old dressing -gown pocket. That is where I found it." I stood, too surprised for speech. "I understand how it happened," he cot:- tinued. " Poor Sir Marmaduke intended having some little alteration made took the will from the safe where Mr. Burton says it was kept, and and put it in the pocket of his dressing -gown, meaning to have it ready when Barton came in compliance with your note. It is strange none of us ever thought of that !" "How did you find it?" I asked. " I was packing up. When it came to the turn of the dressing -gown, I rolled it up, and then felt something hard in the pocket. At first, I passed it over ; but a few minutes afterwards a feeling of wonder came over me as to what it could be. Imagine my sur- prise when the lost will appeared ! We will not open it until Mr. Burton comes tomor- row ; then you will have your own again ; and I am heartily glad, Rupert. Lipton could never give me any pleesure now." He gave the will carelessly into my hand —carelessly as he would have passed a newspaper. It is not every man who volun- tarily yields three thousand per annum; and a fine estate, with cheerful words. Lance wept when Beatrice sent him away, but he had no tears for the loss of Lipton. I cried out to him that I would never take it, but he laughed, and said it was a relief to him. On the day following, Mr. Burt -n and the two friends who had witnessed the signing of the will were summoned : the servants were ali assembled. Little surprise was expressed ; every one expected thee. sooner or later, something of the kind must happen. The legacies were alt satis- factory, and I was formally installed master of Lipton Hall. Despite all that Lance could say, I make the five thousand ten ; and a few days after- wards be went riot abroad: as originally in- tended, but with a college friend to Scot- land, where he remained more than a year. I tried to forget those words of his— "She loves some one, but it is not me." Yet at times, a gleam of hope came to my heart. Could it be that she, so beautiful, so fair and true, loved me ? The very day on which I made up my mind to try my fate, there came a note and parcel from Denby. The parcel contained some books I had lent Beatrice Arle and the note was a few kind words of farewell. In consequence of her mother's illness, her father had.writ- ten to request her immediate return ; and she was leaving England by the mail, which went so soon, there was no time to see me. It seemed like a gloomy dream—Lance and Beatrice both gone ! My days were one long dream of pain : everything was dreary and distasteful. At length, 1 slim- mon'-' up courage and wrote to Miss Arte. Her reply was kind and friendly. At brief intervals, we exchanged letters but there was nothing in hers which gave me any hope. Lance had been gone more than a year when I resolved to go to India, and ask the question I dare not write. He returned to Lipton; and I, who loved him so well, was startled at the change. The bright young features bad grown white and haggard ; the music had gone from his voice. Almost the first words he said were, " I musto to India, Rupert. gp t, I cannot rest. If love and truth can win her, she may yet e mine. Do not try to stop me, old friend. I most look upon her face once more, and listen to her voice, even if to hear my hope estroyed again." I would have remonstrated; but he looked so worn and dispirited, I could not. Once again I yielded the dearest wish of my heart, and bade him God speed He left Lipton one bright June morning. As I saw him then, I see him now—with a faint glimmer of hope in his eyes, and a smile tender as a woman's on his lips. "Good-bye, Rupert,"he said. "Yon have been the truest and best of friends to me!" I am always happy when I' think of those his last words. I must tell you briefly all that passed when he reached India ; it was to find the terrible mutiny at its height, and English- men flying for life. The Arles lived near the town of Bunder- bad, on . the Ganges ; they had a pretty dwelling -place, built more after the fashion of an English house than an Indian bunga- low. Mrs. Arle died soon after Beatrice reached home ; and she was mistress, then, of the establishment. Lancelot Eyrie reached their house only just in time to hear of the terrible uprising of a cruel race. It was no time to speak of love. The old merchant clung to him, im- ploring of him to devise some means of sav- ing his daughter. It was not for thelives of the ladies they loved and honoured that Englishmen cared in those fearful days ; death was -a boon and blessing compared to what delicate and refined, pure; and noble women endured at the hands of those for whom death was too mild a punishment. The mutiny had not reached Bunderbad ; bat the few English scattered here and there lived in mortal periL When Lancelot Eyrie enc _ hed_the home se soon to be desolate, he found all confusion and dismay. As they sat together that evening, talking of England, Mr. Arle said he had resolved upon leaving his house on the day following, and taking his daughter to Bunderbad. The English residents were all assembled in the fort, and watched over by a few of those brave soldiers to whom England owes so much. There she would be safe—nowhere else. Even as he spoke, the old man grew pale with fear as he thought what would happen if that beautiful, graceful girl fell into the hand of the Sepoys. His plans were made. Early on the morrow he was to start, taking Beatrice with him, and Lance promised his escort. - - I wish it were a different story to tell. As they sat there, Lance gazing with loving worship on the one being he ever loved, there came on the quiet evening air a long, horrible cry. Even as it broke the silence, three terrified servants rushed in, saying, The Sepoys were coming !" For one moment, Mr. Arle seemed para- lyzed ; then a cry, such as comes at times from a dying man, came from him. He held Beatrice in his arms, and hid her face on his breast. Lance went to the window. It was true. Coming down the road -yelling, screaming, frantic with cruelty, and the prospect of an- other English home to destroy—he saw a crowd of Sepoys. With the rapidit y of lightning, a plan suggested itself to his mind by which she could be saved. The only means of entrance was through a long, narrow passage that led to what might be called the front of the house. If those men bent on massacre could be brought to bay there while father and daughter, fav- oured by the darkness of night, escaped from one of the lower windows at the back of the house, all would be well. They might hide in the jungle for a time, then make their escape to Bunderbad. To resolve with him was to do. In few clear words he ex- plained to Mr. Arle his plan. " If they could be kept at bay for ten minutes," he said, " we might escape. If we should be caught in the jungle, Beatrice, my loved child, I would almost rather slay you myself, than let you fall into their bands." There was no faltering in the clear voice that said, in reply to him, " I am not afraid of death, father i" " Let it be done, then," said Lance. " I will take those pistols, and stand at the entrance of the passage. They can only assail me one at a time. Surely an English- man, armed, can keep that passage for ten minutes ?" " But," said Beatrice Arle, turning her sweet, but anxious face towards him, " you will lose your life !" " Yes," he replied, quietly. " I shall give it for you !" "Oh ! reflect for a moment upon what you would do !" she urged. "I have reflected," he calmly replied ; "my purpose is unalterable." Then he went to her, and for one half - minute held her in his arms. "I love you so dearly," he said, "that life has no charms without you. Let me die for you Beatrice !" Tears started to her eyes, and her lips quivered. " Time presses," said Lancelot. " Bea- trice, touch my face once with your lips— kiss me in death, beloved. She bent over him for a moment, and kiss- ed his noble brow. " God reward you, Lance," she said. "You are a brave man." With the yells of the Sepoys drawing nearer, the three descended into the lower rooms ; cautiously and silently the window was opened, and Mr. Arle with Beatrice, left the house so soon to be destroyed. They had but to cross a tangled wilderness of garden ; the jungle ran close by. Once there, they were safe. There was no time for words. When the window was closed and the two figures had vanished into the night -darkness, Lance- lot Eyrle went to his post, to fight for the honour and life of her be loved. They had drawn near now, and stood in more orderly array before the house. Something like a shout of derision arose from that ferocious crowd, as suddenly be- fore the narrow entrance there stood the slight figure of the young Englishman. The lurid light from many torches fell upon his calm face. The first who attemped to enter the nar- row door -way fell dead ; another and an- other followed. Those who had laughed in derision, now shouted in anger. Never did hero fight as Lance fought then for the life and honour of his love. They hurled themselves against him, wild with rage. One aimed at the fair, dauntless brow, and where Beatrice Arle's lips had so recently pressed, was a deep, crimson wound. Still he fought on, like a lion at bay—fought, knowing that each minute was priceless : and they who wished him slain, could not help admiring his courage. No one knows how he died ; they over- powered him at last, and wreaked foul ven- geance on the young hero, who saved his lady's life and honour. As he lay there, they trampled him under -foot : but even then his soul was bright with the beauty angels wear. His purpose was fulfilled ; Beatrice Arle was saved. She, with her father, lay hidden in theark d depths of the jungle Ie for one whole night and day. When the house was destroyed, they saw the reflection of the flames in the sky. During the second night they escaped to Bunderbad. It is many years since,_ but the sorrow and pain are with us still. Beatrice Arle and her father escaped the mutiny, and were among the few who returned home. Then I found courage to ask the question I I would never ask while Lancelot Eyrie lived. 1 knew all then. Beatrice loved nie, and had loved me alone from the first day she had seen me, just as I loved her. We were married after a time, and came to live at Lipton Hall. See, children ; there are tears in your mother's eyes. Even now at times, she dreams that she is lying in the dark, damp jungle, while Lancelot Eyrie stands alone, fighting for her deliverance from a terrible fate. No wonder we value his picture, and love his memory better than the memory of any other man. Whoever did a deed more gal- lant and brave than his? I can wish nothing better for you,children, on New Year's Eve than that you maybe as heroic, as noble, and brave as Lancelot Eyrie. - Plenty of Time to R3psnt. He—And you won't marry me? She—Well, I—but just think, I've scarce- ly known you three weeks, and am hardly acquainted with you yet. - He -0, that's all right ! Think of - the opportunity to $et better acquainted with me you'll have when we get married. A man is never so on trialin as the- mo- ment - -of excessive good fortune.—[Lew Wallace. Winter. —Widow(meditating over the late lamented •)—" The poor, dear man! How he did like good fires. I hope 'he's .gone where they keep good fires." RUSSIAN ATROCITIES. How the Jews Were Cleared Muscovite Town. The story of the clearing of Marina Rost- scha is perhaps the most cruel and repellant episode in the whole record of last spring's barbarities, says a London correspondent. As I have said, the Jews living here were of the lowest class=artisans, petty traders, and street hawkers, porters, and day laborers. They had congregated here, it is true, to avoid the police, but this involves no sug- gestion of wrongdoing on their part. Their object in getting as far away as possible from the police was not that they were criminals, but that they could not raise the money to pay them for permission to live unmolested in the town. There is no record of an arrest ever having been made among the Jews of Marina Rostscha for a criminal offence. The beads of families—all the men in fact—went daily to Moscow to work, re- turning in' the evening to their hones. Some of their children came into the technical or handicraft school maintained by the Jewish community of Moscow. Most of them, how- ever, studied their primers and elementary books at home. Of a sudden, without warning, on an in- clement wintry night, a troop of police and Cossacks surrounded this out-of-the-way country suburb, and, forming an engirding cordon, proceeded to carry out Prince Go- litzyn's written order to expel the entire community. This order was executed with what even Russians regarded as incredible brutality. The lights had been extinguished in almost every house, and the unsuspecting people were asleep. They were wakened by the crash of their doors being broken open, and the boisterous entrance of Cossacks with torches and drawn swords. The terrified inmates were routed out, and driven with blows and curses into the night, without he- ing given time even to dress. They snatch- ed such garments as they could and ran. The tales that are told are too harrow- ing to dwell upon. At least 300 famil- ies were thus dragged from their beds and chased out into the wintry dark- ness on this first night's raid. Bare- footed, half -naked, frightened out of their. senses, these outcasts wandered helplessly through the black woods, moaning in their misery or raising shouts in the effort to keep together. Some of theta, at least, were able to build fires in the forest, and gather around these the old and the infirm, and the women with nursing babies at their breasts, or little children, who had made their way thus far with bare feet over the snow and frozen ground. The soldiers pur- sued them hither and stamped out these fires. Others did not stop in their flight until they reached the cemeteries lying just outside the town. Here they found refu h f h l Out of a ge, an , crouc mg or e e ter among the tombstones, waited for morning. No allusion to this amazing event has ever appeared in any Russian paper. There was no editor who dared so much as to mention it. Although many deaths result- ed, directly and indirectly, from the terrible shock and exposure of that night, there were no inquests, no investigations, no of- ffeial reports. Curious Showers - Showers of snow and earth have been nu merous ; but showers of flesh, fish , frogs &c., of which every sailor can tell stories, are worth noticing, as being of more infre- quent occurrence. The flesh was recognized as a distinct substance by Schenchezer, about the beginning of the last century, and its true animal nature was shewii by Lemounier, in 1747. It is said to have borne a greater resemblance to mucus than to gelatine or tannin ; but it does not ex- actly agree with any of these. It is unctu- ous, greyish,white, and when cold, inodor- ous and tasteless ; it is soluble in warm water, and toren resembles thin beef -tea. In South A.nerica an area of country forty-three miles square was, on one occa- sion, found strewed with fish ; and on an- other occasion, in England, at a considera- ble distance from the sea, a pasture field was found scattered over with about a bushel of small fish. Herrings fell in 1828 in Kinross -shire ; and instances of other similar falls are legion. At Ham, in France, a M. Peltier, after a heavy rain had fallen, found the square be- fore him covered with toads. "Astonished at this," he tells us, " I stretched out my hand, which was struck by many of tbese animals as they fell. The yard of the house was also full of them. I saw them fall on the roof of a house, and rebound from thence o the pavement. They all went off by the channels which the rain formed, and were carried out of the town." There is something of an apocryphal air about the latter part of this experience ; but the phenomena of flesh, fish and fishbone showers are reasonable enough. The fish are taken up into the air in a waterspout, borne alonbthe currents, and di ropped g y tmay be, some hundreds of miles away, just as dust, containing small animals and plants, is gathered up near the Amazon and dropp- ed on some vessel passing the Madeira or the Cape de Verde Islands. In the Orkney Islands, in 1878, hailstones were gathered as large as a goose's egg; and in 1823 men and animals were killed by them on the banks of the Rhine. The most extraordinary hailstone on re- cord, however, is that said by Heyde to have descended nen Serigapatam, towards the close of Tipoo Sultan' s reign ; it was as large as an elephannt. Uses For 1,3 mons. After paring the lemon very thin (as the white part is bitter), and extracting the juice, there are many ways for using the "remains." Have you a tin, copper, o brass sauce -pan? Do not waste your time and muscle scouring it. Fill with cold water, drop in some of that discarded pulp, set it on the back of the stove, and let it boil about ten or fifteen minutes ; then wash, and it will be as bright as new. If any spots remain, take some of the lemon, dip it in salt, and rub thoroughly ; all stains will disappear as by magic. Copper boilers can be cleaned by rubbing with the lemon and salt, in lesstime than by the old process, and one is less liable to be poisoned. . For those long, dark scratches which reveal that some one has tried to light a matchby draw- ing it aeioss the paint, take half a lemon and rub briskly, then wash off with a cloth moistened in water, then dipped in whiting Rub well with this cloth, and in nine cases out of ten the mark will vanish. These marks defy soap and water; of Course,sometimes they are burneMnso deeply that they can notbe eras- ed. he pulp of lemon rubbed on the hands will remove all stains. Drop a few drops of lemon juice on a rust spot, sprinkle with salt, and lay in the sun. The rust will dis- appear. The meanest man on record has now cer tainly been discovered. ove red. Dr. Crai gen a Maryland county: physician, yesterday sew- ed up a gash on ; the leg of a man wounded in a railroad accident, and because the poor fellow couldn't pays -him $2, he cut the stitches out again: 'The matter will be called to -the attention of the state's attorney. Some One known. The gale had blown int with the night, and seethe si ea out of the g an still heaving we down to the beach to see what had happened to the old wreck, • whose bones had been lying a stone's -throw away for many a month, There, -high up "on the sands, where a great wave had flung, it just as the tide changed, lay a body—the-body of a girl seventeen or eighteen years old. We stood in awe for a long time, and when we adsanced we stepped as softly as if we feared to awaken the dead. There she was, poor girl, her fingers locked together, her eves half open, her hair down about her shoulders, and on her white face a look to call forth all your pity. The waters had been kind to her even in their savage fury. Whilebeams and planks had been wrench- ed from the old wreck and dashed in splin- ters on the shore, she was not even bruised. With tender hands we lifted the body higher up on the sands, and, by and by, when the Coroner came and the fishermen gathered, we hoped to find out who she was. Never a line nor a scrap to identify her had she. carried with her to her death. She had a face which must have been win- some in life. She had a figure which had brought her flattery. Her wealth of chest- nut hair was alone enough to make her proud. She had worn earrings but they were missing ; she had worn rings on her slender fingers, but t'iey had disappeared. It was plain that she had gone about it in a deliberate way to conceal the identity of her corpse should the sea ever give it up. - " The body of a girl to us unknown," was our verdict, and the body was taken away across to the mainland, to be buried in the village cemetery. And yet someone knows. There's a father somewhere, who is searching—a mother weeping and praying for her who will never return. That was not the face of a wicked girl. She had friends somewhere who loved her. One night, three or four days before the sea gave up the body, that girl leaped to her death because she could no longer face the world. There is a man somewhere who drove her to the awful step—a roan who knows that she is dead and who feels safer for it. She cannot rise up to accuse him—the law will not lay its hand upon him' He may go about smiling and laughing. He may even make himself believe that he had nothing to do with her death. But there is a hereafter, and some day that _dead girl is to rise from her grave, though it he over- grown and forgotten for generations, and she will stand again in tl,e garments she wore as the sea cast her up, her child -face wearing that pitiful, despairing look which filled our eyes with tears—and what word can that man utter in defense? A Futile. Mr. Algernon Blancos was an exceptional young man. In the comparative solitude of his own soul he had thought out many things, among others a life policy, which he intended to pursue with the gravity befit- ting a pian of high aims, serious convictions` and twenty-two years, Foremost among the " maxims " of this modern Rochefoucauld was the following : " To love is to be abject ; to marry is to in- vite ennui ! " These sentiments enjoyed the distinguished regard of their author, who was a man of his word. Her friends considered Elizabeth Fonueil to be a unique young woman. The subject of an expensive education and a cultured environment, her acts were supposed to be the result off cool reason and correct deduc- tion. In the journal intime of this maiden was written, in a chirography as chastens the sentiment : " Love Man—not men ! " This was at once her standard and her re- ward. t Social obligations called Mr. Algernon Blancose to Bar Harbor, whither he went reluctantly, with a copy of " The Kreutzer Sonata " in his pocket. Hither also had fled Miss Elizabeth Fan- ueil, whose devotion tc a Volapuk grammar necessitated the restoration of her roses by worldly recreation. The exceptional young man and the unique young woman sat on a narrow shelf of rock, their faces toward the East. " Dearest ! " exclaimed' the man. " Mr. Blancos," answered the maiden, " what have I ever done to be addressed so —80—" Algernon interrupted the adjective. " Nothing ; but make me love you. Say you will marry me and make me happy ! " " If you really think I could, I guess, perhaps,. I ought to try," the maiden mur- mured. Algernon Blancose said it was Destiny ; Elizabeth said it was 3iumenity. They were both wrong. It was Propinquity. — [ Dorthea Lummis in Puck. - London's Day Oensus. The report of the day census of the city of London was published to -day. The Int - penial census shows a population of 37,694 only, and of inhabited houses 5,819. This method of counting only the sleeping in- habitants is not satisfactory to the civic authorities who prefer to know the number of persons actually carrying on business during the day: These are found to be 301,- 384, of whom 29,520 are employers. In 1866 the number was 170,133, so that there is an increase in twenty-five years of over 131,000. No less than 27,827 separate tenancies were found of the ratable value of £3,872,088. Vehicles to the number of 92,372, and 1,186,- 094 passengers, either riding or on foot, en- tered the city within twenty-four hours. As regards population _the city has nearly as many as the three largest metropolitan con- stituencies added together, and it has more people than twenty-six counties in England and Wales. It has increased more rapidly than any, of them with the exception of Monmouthshire. Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, and Sheffield stand be- fore it among the incorporated cities and boroughs. Liverpool with £3,259,366 is second in ratable value, but while the city is only, 650 acres in extent, Liverpo of is 5,210 acres. - How Alcohol Affects the Lungs. Habitual • drinkers of ardent spirits are always making vain efforts to obtain more oxygen for their lungs. They frequently take deep inspirations, in the form of sigh- ing are apt to throw windows open on the coldest days, and sleep with the chest thinly covered, and with their hands clasp- ed above their heads, in order to give more play for the lungs. The reason of this lies in the fact that the constant presence of more or less alco- hol in the system delays the conversion of venous into arterial blood by interfering with its power of absorbing oxygen. Thus tissue degenerations are invited, as there is insufficient oxygen to dissolve out the insoluble substances, and their accumulation causes mischief,. a t Reversible -carpets, -which eau'be turned first on one side and then 011 the other, will outlast two of the ordinary 2 bad. immommerali SUM 11 b BY MP ' • Tie, bea. a place calle history of J who, knowi session.:, to the lowliest if they were teach their He is the 1: Himself ail people how He is the deepest grie rise out of i. teaches how while being other word If he, bei sions to the urc. If he, healed a fr lightened a a failure as condescends Napes. A poor peope and medicin: him that th rive in pied and nearly Humbert w like one of t sick and lei touched h was richer t This was diflerenoe o Now, if Km! they might a: fold more p explained it powerful an. have been so did. He bore y you the exa. was offered and kingdon way of getti able a finana a ruler he w.. appear as a world's wa Cxsars. He saw th ers : that he tricks of leg et. It had was wonder� delicate pea diamonds, a All this wa- young Jesus. Fut he sai, ness that wa ledge of spi• from (,od in and not till Father is in of men will earth. " I believ: do all things think. I do poor people pie. I belie is not good ance. I do believe in d not necessar tory way of I monstrate creature can j And he di affairs that d bore and sal overcome." " The devil "Keep m R " My words first the kno things shall l� sire." He said Gd was and is in, each of us is - wonderful wi Him. He e: common -plat and get aid ii He said he stratian of Gc upon the fact as he did (bei; him and -his p A very pool she heard the within her Christ." Sh need help so me pay my mind never s. own mind an. same word ca she had Iet th her lips her ni was blasphen� said again, you aie the h able to do all ply my rent ? And again station strop of her own that she had ask what ve According have to ask a tion to help y it. Nut the omnipotent J uuud. Jesus Chri.� ust to listen pens within y It is not ri not right for for you to fai unhappy. \\ Christ says : all things. N not look afar spoken with] in Me." You esu do is your chief will not seem Atlas with th Jesus with th whole busin or to learn thought wit thought that noblest thou keep saying son kept repe: as 1f he were • tics kept re J esus Christ you will of wi not as if the work' will not beton° ing my nam inheritance of The plaee of cified Him. I be located witl is a great enen aatura\rs' n re