HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron News-Record, 1892-07-13, Page 7.••••,.••••••.••,•••••-••-•-•••thrAmdarlrMn.Infirlr^e„ t •
.••tarn ,.
•
Benson, a well known and respect
libju lawyer, only laughter and the
reply, ''fleet won't work here,' was
returned to flint, and be accordingly
found himself in a very narrow cell.
with every prospect of a night to be
vont in it.
Mrs. Benson waited for her bus
band's return that uight with in.
ward dismay, hat a brave determine',
tion to tell him the whole story.
Dinnertime camp and passed with-
out biro. She ate her loucly meal
and waited. Niue o'olook mime,
ton, and still he did not• conte.
Visions of possible ulurdere, acci-
(lento, or elopements haunted hor,
and she started with a little eorealu
as the dour bell suddenly rang.
Old Jenuiug's face appeared in
the frame. 'Is ho dead ?' she cried ;
'where ie h ?' 'He gave orders that
he was nit to be disturbed, so 1
waited all the afternoon, suet when
olosing up time cattle he hadn't
Dome out still, so I trot une'1sy, .and
when he didn't an oar I got help,
and we broke in the door—and he
was gone.'
!41rs. Benson gasped. 'Be calm,
ma'am, for 1 fear I've worse to tell.
Shortly ufter he had given his
orders not to be disturbed, there
was a roan catne from the Police
Station asking for Mr. Benson, but
I told him Mr. Bensou miser gaged,
He said there was a man just arrest•
ed, as a peddler, who claimed to be
Mi'. Benson, but—'
He stopped with astynishment,
t'or Mrs. Bsnsou was half way up
the stubs after her hornet and
cloak.
'Polido Station—take me—quick!'
she gasped, incoherently' 'Oh, my
poor John !'
ivir. Penson was sitting discon
sol:ately on the edge of a very hard
bunk, wondering what poor Mary
was thinking of his absence, when
there was a murm'Ir of voices, a
souud of feet, a jingle ot keys, and
in another UIJlnetlt peddler and
victim were ih each other's arms.
'I'll never buy another thing of
a peddler again as long as I live,
John, if you'll only forgive rue!'
cried VIrs. Benson, tearfully.
And it is safe to say she never
did.
r•'
he'll urQn N"ews-.?ec or!
+iX.li4a► Xaal.ss In Advasue,
11PodMtus4tIY,,iltiy' ut:t. 18J'�•
f
ups, EEN9Q.1'$ PIWPL1 1Z.
.4,4444444
roTaryp' said Mr, 13ensop from the
ef►tlla of .the u.loaat,'whyre is that
Qltl choked goat of wine 1'
'�Yhy, J`ulid,' began Mrs. Benson,
tt„» i,• ly,
4Mary, have yon given that away 1'
c;4,1;ed Mr. Bandon, opining into
s1Vit�:,--yes, John, I -did. You
I ttd'ytt't had that coat on your back
,'there years, and—cud the men
etch—tovelye -' here pour Mrs.
uei relapsed in the 'safe refuge
stens.
'Peddlers,' exclaimed M r. Benson,
wens �ue tu0lialy, 'why can't a wo
nen be satisfied with buying whit
• site warps at a decent shop, and nut
•.',be, picking up a lot of worthless
• tertictes from sueah; thieves, because
:they ere cheap ? You'll bo sorry
'tor it some day, Mary, you mat : my
Bsnson went oat and abet
the door vigorously He • waisted
•down the str,•et with•a pteocoupied
,frown upou his face. '1 meat cure
M.ury of that,' he thought, seriously.
JiI10 fills she will nava sooatlliug
vtilnable stolen . I've got it, !' -he
exclaitned,'atter a pause. ale fitted
jais key to the door of his private
office, opeoe.i the door and then
' Itteieel back. `Jenniug,' he said, 'I
shall bo very busy for au hour or
two, possibly rill the afternoon.,
See that I am not disturbed by any
one.' He eutered his office, lucked
the door after him.
It wars a very easy matter to open
a beck window, drop into the alley
end 'hasten to an obscure customer's,
where, detectives and jailbirds were
itnpertielly disguised to play at
hide -and seek with oue another.
Lrfh, alines, \ars. Batson cried a
little while repentantly to herself,
and then remembered, thiat elle had
intended to wash the delicate hr•ic a -
brae that was hor pride and joy"
To do this she must got her dainty
white -apron and her dear tittle uew
pan that she had bought of the last
• peddler—here she sighed a little.
She slipped off her rings,Inoverl out
a little table and left the room for
the necessary articles. Little mat-
ters detained her, and it was fitly au
hour before she again entered the'
rootu, Sewing the pan, Just as she
set it'down a peal at the bell start!,"
ed her. '1 ;yowler who it eau he—
and Jenny is irouing.' she thought.
She opetwd the doot•• herself, and
then almost shut it again, in her
momentary dismay. Cortaiuly, it
disreputable looking object,
even 'fur a'"t7eadler, ghat; stood oils the
door elep.
'I've come,' mum, ter see if ye
did'a want t' exchange some old
clo'es fer somethin' rale vallyble.'
He edged his way past her and 'hello,' I cried,halting my hors.. AN IMPALITIAL OPINION.
established himself on a hall chair. 'what's the•metter here." The Detroit News, re a recent
'What h" ve you, my man?' Mrs. 'Matter with what 1' drawled a article on the subject of discritna-
Benson asked, hesitatingly. voice, as the epeakor turned towards tion, states that "opinion among
!I've some of the handsomest lace a pair of languid eyes. the intelligent vesselmer, of. Detroit
ye ever saw.' He produced a piece 'Why, with this farm. Running doss not take kindly to President
as a sample. It was just what she
dem), isn't it ?' Harrison's message, and in' couiee—
was wanting to cutnplote the dainty tion therewith it publishes an in -
spring coetuwne s110 had jest ftuish He shrugged his shoulders] and terview with Capt.J. W. Millen, a
sod, atnuked ou iu silence. well known Detroiter, whosaya
'Mr. Benson doesn't like to have 'Do you live !tore ?' "No such discrimination exists.
me buy of peddlers,' she said, heli• 'Uh•h uh.' A Canadian vessel pays precisely
tatingly. 'Married." the same tolls as an American 'es-
' 'I'm sure 'eed say 'twas all right, 'Gosh -a -mighty!' ., seas passing through the Welland
mum, of he was here. Just look 'Why don't you fix things up ? Canal. No toile aro changed
• around an' see of thar ain't au old Look at that wagon there. How thorough that canal on either Amenis
coat you can spare.' '- do you get to town?' can or Canadian vessels, with
e.
• Mrs. Beasonhesitated a few mo• • 'Ride horseback.' through cargoes to European ports.
meets longer, then rose and went
I looked rewards his shadow of n •No tolls are charged vessels carryslowly from the room after a long hoDieted!
se and remarked
ago east -off coat that she remember- pointedly ' ing cargoes destined to European
ports discharged at Kingston for tram'
ed. The temptation had proved •too'Thistle a are poor fodder.' sportation by barges through tl.e St.
much for her.. ,1i 'Sho! I wonder.' LawrenceRiver. Tolls arecharged all
At the foot of the stairs she 'Why don't you picket your horae vessels with cargoes destined for the
paused. 'John wouldn't like it,' on the long grass down yonder in final delivery at either Canadian or
she thought. 'No, I'll go without the bottom." American ports, tied the semecharges
the lace till I can afford to bu it.' are made at the canal alike upon both
Y Puff, puff, puff—and a wreath of
She turned.back just al the sound srnuok was my only answer. Canadian and American vessels.
of `a Closing door caught her ear.Dopt you ltooly, 1 went on "The rebate system is in use at
The peddler was gone i Instinctive -
severely, 'that horse will die if you the canal, by whish all vessels pass-
ly her eyes flew to the table where don't take care of Sim 1 then how ing through are charged the regular
she had left her rings; they, too, but upon showing that the car -
would you get to town?
were gone. Without a Moment's goes have been shipped through to
thought she malted to the door and `Hoof, I recicon.' European ports such tolls arerefund•
screamed 'police' at the top of her 'If I were you I'd have some ed making it practically no charge at
lungs. Strange to say, her call was snap about me. 'I'd plow up all all on through consignments.
immediately answered, for around these wends and got this farm into "A Canadian vessel taking cargo
the corner of the square appeared a some kind of condition.' from one Canadian port to another
blee•coatea guardian, dragging the 'Fate's ag'inst it,' he said shaking pays the same toll through the Wel-
unwilling person of the identical his head ominously. land (:anal that an American vessel
peddler. Knocking the ashes out of his does when using the canal from ona
'He's stolen my rings !' screamed pipe, he put it away and hooked up American port to another. I do
Mrs. Benson. 'Don't let him come one of his knees with both hands. not see how the law could be applied
near me!' 'Look here, stranger, this here more equitably,"
`I thought he'd stole something claim's &huts: full of wild mustard. This is the testimony of a man
when I see him come away on the Do you know how many seeds there who is fully acquainted with the
dead jump,' said the policeman, 'an' is iu one o' them plants.' facts, end it abundantly serves to
I thought I'd just run him in and `No.' show how little ground President
see about it.' During this speech'\Nell I spent all last summer Harrison has lead for atternpting to
he had been rapidly emptying the finding out an' averagin' up the find favor with the would-be British
peddler's pockets despite his vehe- lion tail twister.
Orr relent struggles. chances. They's 31,000 seeds in
one of then tarnation little plants,
'e•• 'Here they be, ma'am. They'll That means 31,000 plants to raise Consumption Cared.
give them toat ou the police eta -
Y 31,000 more seeds next year, an' An one physician, retired from practice, having
tion when I've sworn to them .had planed in his hands by an East India mission•
I! ileum many billion planta d+ yon ary the formals of a simple vegetable remedy for
Come along here, my bea•3ty a pose there is on this place anyhow the speedy and permanent once of Consumption,
Bronchitis, Catarrh, Asthma and an throat and
'Mary ! screamed the peddler, Just guess and multiply that by Lung Affectionsaleo a positive and radical euro
when he could free himself enough 31,000—why stranger, yon couldn't for Nervous Debility and all Nervone Complaints
to speak, but Mrs. Benson had sunk get all the figures on an ordinaryafter having tested its wonderful11 Derail power,
in thousands of eases, has felt it hie dnty to make
in a heap on the hall floor with the slate. I ain'ttho' no fool, Ido it known to his anffering fellows. Actuated by thiemotive and a desire to relieve human suffering, s
door between them, and the peddler brag a might on filosofy an' I tell will send froe of charge, to all who desire it thi
,• recipe, in Gorman, French or English, with Ant
was dragged off with a motley pro- you, I ain't goin to struggle ag'in directione for preparing and tieing. Sent by mat
cession following. fate. I've been white•ca ed in by addressing with stamp, naming thio parer.
g 1 p W.A. NOYEC, 920 Powerx' Bieck, Rochester, N.1'.
Tu the statementthathe was John Kentucky, grasshoppers in Kan. era—y
A fIOPELE - S CASE
A claim,. beautifully situated on
upland prairie, but waist high with
weeds, a • dilapidated sod shack
whose thatched roof, as in the old
song "let in the sunshine and the
rain," whose cubby hole' windows
were broken here and there, and
stuffed with wmssiut, apparel of
various bees, and whose settle were
so storm worn that they barely hold
together; an ancient wagon here
with ono wheel oar and a hopeless
stagger in the 'othet• 'three; a ghost
of a horse thersa, grazing in a patch
of thistles and a man in the Rhode of
the shack smoking and complacent-
ly eyeing the desolation about him.
sas,'hailed out of D tko.tY, ,and now
if this blamed tuuetard's goire+'to
drive Ins Qui c1' here I chant tly in
the face o' 'r'syideuce--. en that's
what.' •
Then he took his pipe out of his
pocket and a handful of tobacco out
of the ether, and proceeded to fix
hitueeif for another smoke.
I looked at him a moment, resign-
ed hint mentally and then rode
away, ^.
'But, I'rn glad that mustard }ain't
bu.rdoek,' he celled after me, 'cause
every dented burdock is responsible
fur 400,000 more, au'—'
I lost the 'rest,I h heard enough,
however, to set me thinking.
A BROOM SPECULATION.
tr
}Pa #Uetnr,•
I# rave kfl W the• batay Anvers,
I'r'osties trgaitxtt; She wiudoyr
Would ba geld.uud stiff to.-mertO
l' •t
Nov.
el' us again ; . r
Would the l,righb eyes of ourdei
Catch the frown upon Der
would ,tile prints of rosy ettere ,
''eat us then as they de show'!
h, these little ice gold ringers,
How they point our moanutlelt i7glQk
'ethe hasty words and aotlint{
Strewn alongg our back,vard •erg k !
How those. little hands remind tail,'
As in snowy grace they lie, ! '
Not to scatter thorns—but rospis+»:b
For our reaping by and by 1 C
Strange we never prize the muai4..f'
Till the sweet voiced bird bas flown :
Strange that wo should blight the,yiolets•
Till the lovely flowers aro goge +.ate
Strange that summer skies and ife7{.hshine
Never seem one-half so fait
As whoa winter's snowy pinious .
Shake their white down in titer lir
Lips from which the seal of silonee
A six foot Yaukee, aeated upon a None but God can roll away, '«
load of brooms, drove his team a Never btoesoured in such beautyij
P As adorns the mouth to -da) i
before the dour of an ostablishMont And sweet words that freight;iir memory
where he espeeted to find a custom- 14 i.th their• beuutlful peia'nts r
Curve to ua iu sweeter accents
er, Juiopiug front his seat he en- Through the portals of the tomb..
toyed the store, and the following Let us gather up the sunbeams
colloquy took place : Lying all along our path ;
Yankee—Can't I sell you a load Let us keep the wheat and roses,
Casting out the,thorns mad chef!' ;
or brooms to day, mister Lot us find our sweetestconlforti
In the blessiuss of to -day ; 0
Dealer—No, don't want any. With a patient hand removing
• Yankee—Better take 'ora—sell All the briers from our way.
—May Riley Smith.
'ern dog cheap.
Dealer—Don't want 'em; gut
enough broorne.
Yu.ukeo—I'll, tell you what
do. if you'll tato thetn,I'll let'em-
go for $l a dozen. You kuow they
are worth double that.
The dealer stroked his chin for a
moment, as if in deep thought, and
thele replied
']Nell, I don't wtnt any brooms,
as I told you, but I don't mind .
malting a trade with you.
Yaukee—What sort of a trade?
Dealer—Well, I'll take tho whole
load,at $1 a dozen, and pay you one
half cash, yeti take the other hull
iu trade, ..
Yankee—No you don't mister,
you'll charge me with each an all -
fired profit ou the other halt' that I
might come out ou the little eusl of
the horn.
Dealer—Oh, no, I promise you
that yon shall have the goods just
at what teey cost Ilse.
Yankee --Nall, mister, that's
what I cell square ddcaliu.' It's a
bargain.
And he commenced to unload the
brooms in a pile on the sidewalk.
When he got through/he walked in
to the store.
'there you are mister; 14 dozan,
which I calculate makes just cy'7
cowrie to me.' •
•e •
Deshler—Yes, t.hs•t's sigh'; tliere's
the money. Now whet 'mods do
you want for the other $7 ?
Yankee—Wall, I dunno. You
see mister, I haint much posted in
your other truck, so I guess 1,'11. telt()
brooms!
CURRENT 'TOPICS
A PERILOUS SITUATION,
tipples in two oa the tl(ini.et a man's halgid,
Feld then off ekes tttliestelt head, Alt take a
pluoky devil to haldtthem ter him."
klie ma esty seemed iu a brad homer. The superstition tho algsociatea,
He ,cast'his yyes' Doose, the if OUP of. moi\ t.Whg ilora:.asllpe with good Wel; le -
nonfat to hire anal said, with a Spanish very old. It its said to preyail not
accent t
..F0408, 'my assistant has, as you say,' Daly among Engiieh speaking people;.
struck. I cannot perform fhe moat inter- but in all the races of Europe and
eating of the sworn feats unless soma one in Southern 'Asia, Antiquarians
will volunteer to bold the apples. I will
give.(] to whoever' will do it.' are undecided whether its origin
• Tore was ie commotion around me, but has to do with the material from
1 so thrilling bad boon the descriptions of which the horseshoe is made or
the dangers intending the feat and such with its shape. The anelents be-
' the reports of the dsiebolieul temper of the !levee that iron as a noel,! I
sordsrnau that no one responded. His ,pad great
glance fastened on. mo. I supposed it secret powers, and they ,.rove voile •
n
would be said nowadays that he hypnotized into their wallsas a proleatioagainst
ruew• pestili nae. The Aral.s, whet) over.
Why shouldn't I do it, I thangght. I was taken bysevere' atm ms u1 time de -
in) the, ,,point of taking my own life, and if
Senor Lspada should save me the trouble, sett cry out "Iron, iron," which
so noobter.. What matmu if they think wile propitiate the evil
the swordrho shouetlst po an eighth ter of to nn inch spirts who hetet raised tee trot ill.
too faar n !
"I'm your tnaa,pard!"I cried starting up. '1 h0 Sear�dtilavian ruoea think t.but
"Ah, very good!" he exelaimed with a spirits can I e drivers away and
bow of thanks and an insinuating smile. witches lc' pt at bay by a knife
"1 will call yew up when I sono out." stuck in the house+ or nails driven
The show began. It was a sot•t of country
circus, dime museum and Buffalo hill per- u!'• These races have !fete from
formanee on a small scale. tin,• immemorial the idea. that. it Wee
I waited the advent of the swordstnan lucky to lit.d a piece of iron. As
with the utmost itimel•turbability. At last
he upt�o�red and summoned rya horseshova are the form in which
I advanced and nonchalantly faced the iron is most fru qui -1111y foued, . it 18'
spectators. He glanced at me approvingly naturally the fon at to which the
and a little curiously as Ile told me to ex- superstition hes longest clung, As
tend my right arra and open my hand.
regards the. forum of the horseshoe
1 did so. He set the apple upon it. His t,+
sword was a beautiful weapon, with jewel- there is 310 doubt that among the
oil hilt and a glittering blade inscribed with ancients the crexaeut form was, much •
Arabic characters. ,;He uwcie a few rapid favored as havitat; lucky or preeerva-
passes with it. 'Twas as if forked limit -
Mug played about. me. Iuvoluutarily I live powers. Uruanrt uta were shhp.
•shivered, but Iirersuasie,l myself that dui' -ed in this wayltp drive away evil
shudder was caused by the chilliness of the sp}rte. Tile Chinese have their
air, since 1 (lid not care what the result of tonba built it, a eetnicircular from,,
the adventure might be. like a horseshoe and 11 e Moors use
Then the lightning seemed to smite ate. +
My arra fell to my side, a darkness came the some forum in their architecture.
before my eyes, but, by the applause, I It Ivey Ise rensarked that. in the
knew the apple had been cut in twain. mythology of Europe bursas. were
The senor beamed upon me.
"Bravo !" he whispered. also regarded as luck bringers,. aid
."Now kneel." snperstition• once supposed that a.
1 did so, and bent my head. • horse's hoof placed under the ltd.
He put another apple on my neck.
would cure Certain complaints.. I}Finis. The
?Fly situation was terribly perilous, for if i
his hand should slip or tremble in the least 'horseshoe, therefore, may be said to
degree, or if I should shrink or stir I could write within its« If three Imo ky
hardly escape decapitation.' elNineu1a : l t is in t1,e tela} e of a
At that meusent nay insane despair left
111e. 1 saw how precious life is. 1 heeanAa'. crescent, it is made of lean, and it
possessed with a fierce desire to live ; bus been til., n from a lissrse. oose
livo even if abandoned by ad the world, if rites oar thi, s object Isacr+ sorosis
bereft of everything but the blessed sun- ed that the Inc•ky quality of the
shine and the sweet air of heaven. A fear -
fol conviction forced itself upon me that horse -hoe was clerk oil from 'its re -
the swordsman's daring experiment would semI•las,ce in forte to the !rain pica
prove my death. Only the dress' of being toren] 01.01 o i lie head., of sniuts, but
branded a coward preveute1 me from cry• this connection is iusprob-ahit•, winces
ing out, from springing up and deelau•ing Ise
should not proceed. The effort tb reseal„ the superstition certainly amstidates
motionless was a frightful strain upon los. Christianity.
nerves. Never shall I forget the orcle.al.
A few seconds passed. They seemed au
eternity to Inc. Then I felt a thin, cold
lino touch my necks—there was a tumult ot
cheers. • As a means of protection
The swordsman put his hand upon my from the sunlight the umbrella
shoulder and blade rrw' rise. I (lid so enc• isof great euliquity. Representa-
ehsusioally. I could hardly see, but I was bolls of these articles ars found in
dimly conscious that a crowd of excited
people were calling and stamping and wav-
ing
sculptures of Egypt, N illeveh, and
in" bandana hansltt•.rchieis. Half -dazed I Persepolis. Evidently their use
followed the senor behind the curtain. My dated far previous l0 the Christian
neck was wet. 1 put up my hand expects era. In oriental counties the use
ing to find blood. 1 was sure it must be
cut, so plaint) bad I felt the horn Nadu. of the umbrella seems to have been
No, the moisture was but the clamtna Confined 10 kings and-glleCns, or
•went caused by the mental autguish through persons of grout •wealth,, but in
which I had passed. A cracked mirror 1u Groece and Pomo it was quite c0ln-
tlre dressing -room assurecl me there, avis
not even a scratch. An attendant poured ln011 among the rases of the people.
"something trorn.•a flask oslO; ,,,,. •o ar,_i.Q1d chivaww•aye shows that the um -
me in a small glass. Della was used!• by the Chinese many
I drank it down. It was a strange hirer, centuries ago. Wo read that the
but it revived the palsied pulses of my
heart. The senor put a twenty dollar gold Romans used the umbrella in their
piece into my (land, My impulse was to open•air theaters as a protection
toss it back to him. I had not thought of from both sun and rain. Its use
the paltrybribe when I agreed t( hes
p Was cUI11m0n enough in Europe
him, and 1 would not go through tiro ex• ,aurins+'ahs middle apes �robabl
per.ience again for a thousand such. On o c , _ y
second thought -I pocketed the coo, derived from Italy, but it was not
I got back to the tavern. Having reach- known in England uutil some time
ed my romp, I fell on my knees, as I had during the seventeenth century.
been wont to do in childhood and early At Neat It was used as a sunshade,
youth. "sly God," I cries!, "how wicked
1 'lave been to think of lightly uastingaway and only by the Queen and wealthy
the priceless boon of existence which Thou ladies. Gradually, women came
dost grant ore !" - to use umbrellas generally as a pro -
I prayed as I had not prayed in years, lection from rain. It is said that
Then I flung thyself upon the bed and
sank into a deep sleep. The draught which the first man who had the courage
the senor had ordered for me must hive to carry an umbrella n the streets of
contained a sedative, for I did not awake London,, was Jonas Hanway, the
till late in the morning. founder of a bus tical who had just
I sprang up with a new energy. Had I 1 +
not youth and strength and the world be• returned at that time front a jour -
fore the ? All day I strove to devise a plan ney to the East, and vas 1n delicate
for going on to the,tnines. The- landlord health. It was considered a sign of
was obsequious again. 1 had the where•
effeminacy fora man to use an
with to pay for my present entertainment,
and. tlfe fame of my exploit had mado a umbrella, and one who did so was
hero of me. jeered and scoffed at in the streets.
It seemed the swordsman seldom actually Indeed, the use of umbrellas by
performed the last feat, since only at rare men did not become common Until
intervals could be found a dare -devil like
myself willing to run the risk of being be some time after the beginning Of
headed, The &tory of the insubordinate the present century. At first umbrel-
assistant osis a fiction. las were exported, chiefly from
The morning fellowhag that which I had India, Spain and Prance, but their
rashly determiusd should be my last an ex-
press rider got in. To my surprise he mauufacturo in Geeat Britain was
brought a package for me. It container) a begun about 1820.
letter and $300 in pound notes One of m)'
investments had turned out well after nil,•
and my attorneys for•varded my share of SUMMER CCOMPLAINT AND
the dividend. It was fortunate, therefore, (IIARRH(EA.
that I had returned to town. Otherwise I can recommend Dr. Fowler's Extract
the pacldnge might have laid there waiting of Wild Strawberry for summer com-
for me for moltlse.laint and di arrha+ as I have used it in
"Well, I went on, hada lucky find, and my family, both for children and adults,
have prospered ever since. with the gest results'.And to think I had nearly done away
with myself just when relief violaat hand! F. E. Dt;vs, Clear Crest, Ont;
How often it happens so. A man blows his
brains out just at the hoar which brings the
turn of fortune's tide.—M. D. Crowley, in
Detroit Free Press.
SL'P it °l Gf
TUE fsIJQRX 1IQftig4IQla,
. M•y opinion is, if a suicide docs not kill
himself outright, as soon as he realizes that
his self-inflicted injuries aro mortal, hebe-
comes possessed by a despairing wish that
his rash deed were undene, and piteously
longs to live.
I feel that I understand what x am talk•
ing about, for I was once within an ace of
taking my own life.
When the silver fever began I was un-
married and bout upon picking up a for-
tune sisnlewhere around the globe. I had
lied ill -luck so fur, and the speculations in
which I had risked not only my own money,
but some thousands belonging ,to my
widowed mother, had turned out badly.
Having just enough cash left to pay the
expenses ot the journey and lstly a horse, I
went out to Nevada and joined a party of
the boys bound for the mines. We started
over the mountains, but I soon became
mighty glum. After some days I was
obliged to call a halt. My old enemy,
asthma, got a grip on ane, and one night
when wo reached a str•aggiise town on the
trail, 1 said : "Boys, you'll }cave to go on
without me ; l'n1 all bruise up I''. The next
morning they reluctantly started oil',
charging me to catch up with these the fol•
lowing dray at a point where they intended
prospecting for are.
I was too ill to do so, and it was a week
before I set out again, more low-spirited
than ever. When I reached the pla•ie there
was 00 trace of thous. They had evidently
been disappointed in their expectatious
and gone 00, no doubt concluding that their
silent eonsrade had abaudone(.' the enter-
prise.
At dusk,' however, I came uron a camp.
Around the fire were a group of men, who
with rough cordiality welcomed me to their
evening meal. The slapper was w•ashesi
down with plenty of strong drink, and
under its influence the blue devils which
had basut me departed. I grew genial, and
when later a little game ot poker Willi pro-
posed I readily assented, for 1 prided my-
self upon my skill in that lino.
\\-ell, sir, I played as it the fiend was
} rgjng me on. The.luck was dead against
ane, but I bacaine reckless. '-'I m elfed• every ,
dollar I owned, toad 'saw all takes! in by
the sharpers.. I put up my horse and any
watch, Faire lost ahem.
Convinced that I had nothing more of
value, the gong stopped playing, and left
nae to sleep off the effects of the wretched
liquor. When I awoke, the sun had been
up several hours. My head ached tremend-
ously, and seemed to be swollen to twice
its normal size. I had a confused notion
that something had gone wrong, but what
was it? Gradually the events of the night
before came back to me. I started up.
Where were my jolly companions ?
Gone ! The canip was deserted. My
horse had vanished, likewise my money.
The dreadful truth confronted me. The
villians had left me alone in the wilderness,
penniless and without the means of over•
taking my friends.
I cast myself on the ground again, buried
my face in my hands, and gave vent td any
despair. Long after the first paroxysm of
rage and despondeucy had spent itself, I
lay there. Finally, feeling the need of.
food, I got up and foraged about. Amid
the debris neer the place where the fire•
had been, I found some crusts of bread and
a canteen half fall of water. In 1ny neces-
sity, I was thankful for evop this beggarly
fare.
As it would be foolhardy to continue the
journey afoot, I decided to return , by the'
way I had come. At nightfall 1 reached
the town.iI had left the atternoon before. It
was all astir. A travelling show was to
give a performance that evening. By
chalice there remained in she depths of one
of any pockets .a Mexican gold piece which
I had carried for years as a hansiel. "nits
paid for my supper and lodging at the log
house tavern. The landlord insisted upon
payment in advance, although I had ex-
pended a round sum upon all the extras at
his command during my recent sojourn
there. He listened callously to the story
of my misfortunes and made use understand
that he could not accommodate the after
the next. morning.
"Such is the way of the world ! 'At
least the next twelve hours are provided
for !•" I soliloquized bitterly. ` And to-
morrow? Well, to -morrow I will shoot
myself I'
1 reached this determination quite calm-
ly. f cursed myself for not having dole so
amid the wilds, instead of struggling back
to the semi -civilization of the miserable
town. Yon say my troubles had begun to
affect my brain. Very probably ; no man
can be in his tight mind who seriously med-
itates suicide'.
I could not stay in my cheerless room
alone with my gloomy thoughts. I went
out and found myself following the motley
throng that made its way to the show. 'It
was moonlight and for some time I hong
around the tent watching the people as
they came up to the entrance.
Soddenly I thought. "Why not go in?"
I had half a dollar's change from the Mex-
ican piece. It was all I possessed in the
world; but I reflected with a kind of savage
triumph I should not need money tomor-
row and why not seek distraction during
the intervening hours.
I paid the admission fee of two bits and
passed in. It was early and 1 selected a
place not far from the curtain frdm behind
which the performers were to enter the
ring.
Presently the curtain was pushed aside
and a Mephistolean•looking personage ap-
peared. The man next to me said it was
Senor Pspada, the king of swordsmen, add-
ing : "It•s down rat the bill that he'll cut
A
U MB1iELLAS.
Buddhism for the Day.
He who when Prov eked to wrath,
Refrains therefrom,
Ansi stomas serene,
Unruffled both in face and spirit,
Hath won a triumph
Lasting as the soul.
—T7danavarga (ch. 20, v. 17)
The victor will be hated.
—Dhanunapada (v. 201).
Corgnest by evil means or ways
Is shame more than defeat.
—Rock Inscriptions of Asoka (edict 131.
A Tour .Around tho World.
A large "official" envelope containing a
blotter, two paper American flags and a
picture of Morgan Backus, cashier of the
San Francisco postoffice, has just finished
its tour amend. the world. The envelope
was addressed to Backus at Calcutta, with
instructions to the postal officials there to
forward the letter to Nice if it could not
be delivered. From Nice it made a tour
through Europe, going as far east as Tur-
key. It finally crossed the channel to Lon-
don. It next turned up in New York,
and from there it was dispatched to its
starting place. It is now kept as a postal
curiosity.
—Cholera has gained a foothold
in European Russia and there aro
fears that the province that suffered
from famine will also be visited by
cholera. Tho Russian govermnent
is making efforts to stop the pro-
grose of thedisease, but it is obliged
to deal with an ignorant and sus-
perstitious people who yield only
to force. Armies are not very use-
ful in combating disease. Well
devised sanitary measures alpne can
prevail. Although cholera is yet
far away it is proper for the g-Oer-
mnent to exercise precautions. The
meteorological conditione this sum-
mer are peculiar, and apparently
tend to develop oholeairc disor-
ders.
isor-
ders.
Mrs. John McLean writes, from Bar-
rie Island, Oat., Match 4, 1889, as fol -
1 ova : "I have been a great sufferer from
neuralgia for the last nine years, but.
Woo advised to try St. Jacobs Oil, can
now heartily endorse it as being a most
excellent remedy for this complaint, as
I have been greatly benefited by use."
sir
er
1