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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron News-Record, 1893-05-31, Page 3it L1$ t, 4, THJRF TI3TO ,Tao on- dNmptl . rn s, of gltt cold; 'with your 5y ten is the gcr'ofvl• oils condition that3 see"— °aused byp impure blood rte-- is enoegll to fasten it "., upon yoµ. That is the Unto when neglect and delay are full of .danger, Consumption is Lung tfuln. You can prevent it and you can cura..lt, if • you haven t waited too long, with I]r, #'ielree's Golden Medical Discovery.. That is the .most potent blood -cleanser, strength• iestoeor, anti flesh -builder that's known to medical gefenco. For every disease that bas ter be t'ot}ebed through the blood, like Con - gumption, for Scrofula in all its torma, Weak Lung§, Bronchitis, Asthma, and all severe Xingering Coughs, it is the only guaranteed remedy,, If it doesn't benefit or cure, you bait a your ,money back, he proprietors of Dr. Sage's Catarrh Itemedy know tbat their medicine perfectly and permanently cures Catarrh. To prove it to you, they make this coffer: If they can't yore your Catarrh, no matter what your gaga is, they'll poly you 1b00'in caahe The Huron News -Record 1.60 a Year -$1.26 in Advance. Wednesday, May 3lst, 1893. MAY -TIME THOUGHTS. "0 Christ the simple story Of all the day is told, And now a little lamb of thine Is going to its fold. 1 pray thee through the shadows dark That thou with me will stay, Nor leave me lord till I awake In thy pure light of day. And when the simple story Of all my life is told, And thou, 0 Christ, art calling me To enter in thy told • I pray thee through the shadows dark That thou with me wilt stay, Nor leave me Lord till I awake In thine eternal day. THE PARODY OF "BOB." EY IIIA DOGOEnzL roET. D03ioated to A. tfeL. Maephairson Clonglocherty A. MeL. Was a rough sort of chap but the pick of that crowd ; You've guessed him a Scotehutan, shrewd reader, at sight ; But hold on, shrewd reader, I dou't think your right. From Huron's curved raid to the Lakes ebb- ing tide, By Coxes and Proctors and Harrisons side, There was not a woman, a child or a man Could thresh with big Angie, the chief of his clan. No other could fill the machine to the drum, Or yet with his ease the carriers bung, When threshing was done he'd clean up the fluor, And help the old farmer hang on his barn door. But some in the district with jealousy fired, The aid of the libellous Grit newsntongers hired, Who wrote wicked stories about the MeL. And had them all printed and heralded aloud. Boil'd over the blood of the celebrated 11lcL., He swore by his concave the printer should tell The names of the parties who wrote the vile lies ; And then ho would blacken the whole of their eyes. Olt ! great was the fear in that syndicate, when They saw all the trouble they'd caused by their pen ; It might beat the sword in marry a way, But for hard close in fighting a pen would'nt Day. So they called a big meeting and swore one and all— Tho oldest, and youngest, the great and the small- That nevermore, never ! would ono of that crowd Write anything wicked about the McL. But confine their attentions to old maids and old men Too weak to resent their vitrol tipped pens ; So the smile has returned to Clonglocherty's mug— It's dry work, this writing, just hand us that jug. BURIED IN ITER CRADLE. "Tho cherry -wood cradle in which Mrs. Ruth Hall, of Willingtord, Connecticut, was rocked in when a baby, has, by her own special request,been made into a coffin for that good lady."—Am.erican Exchange.] She had cross'd the line of three -score and ten For her last birthday was seventy•four, Yet she thought of her childhood's days, and when, As a babe she was rocked to sleep once more ! And it seem'd to soothe her, the very thought That she still had the cradle used of yore, So out from the lumber-roorn it was brought, AmI-sheri1ayfully rock'd it on the floor ! The "style" of this cradle was "out of date"— Nigh a hundred years had it service scen-- It was deep and wide, and its size was great, As the cribs of the olden time have been ! But many a handsome babe had slept there, As cosy and warm as infant could be ; While mothers had rocked, oft a fervent prayer Had been breath', beside it on bended knee ! Sae I a big tear drops from her sad blue eye, As she thinks ef -the children once she bore, Who slept in that cradle in years gone by, But now "rest in peace" on the other shore ! A glow of affection swept ove: her heart, As she ponders' on years of motherly care, 'And she felt as if she never could part With that cherry•wood cradle standing there. She looted on the cradle and feebly said : "We both have grown old together, you . 500, I wish from my heart that when I am dead, A coffin from this might be made for Inc ; I think I could rest more peacefully there, Tho long sleep of death would bo sweet to mo; And 'mother' would wake me in heaven so fair With kisses and smiles as it used to be. Her wish was granted ; her coffin was made From the cherry -wood Crib that used to be ; And in it a pillow of down was laid, For tbo head from worry and caro set free ! There she looked so calm, and so sweet, and still,— 'Mong the flowers and the lilies her children brought; / She seemed so content, for she had her will,— To sleep in her cherry -wood cradle cot ! Toronto, Can, JOHN IMRIL. "AST 1 -Ci WEST." • lewletserne Writes an tide Suggested by the Bras Eayr, Swinburne, who since Tennysou died is considered by many to be tie best of living Euglish poets, hats bean inspired by the forthcoming Chicago Exposition to write an ode. It has been set to music by Pro- fessor Stanford and is soon to be published in this couutry in appropriate form. It is entitled "East to West," and is as fol- lows : Sunset smiles on sunrise, East and west are one ;, Fate to Nee in heaven before the sovereign sun. From the springs of the dawn everlasting a glory renews and trmisflgures the west ; Front the depths of the sunset a light as of morn. Ing enkindles the broad sea's breast, And the lauds and the skies and the waters are glad of the day's and the right's work done. ' u. Child of dawn and regent on the world wide sea, England smiles on Europe fair as dawn and tree. Not the waters that gird her are purer, nor might- ier the winds that her waters know ; nut America, daughter and sister of England, is praised of them[ far as they flow ; Atlantic responds to Pacific the praise of her days that have been and shall he. nt. So from England westward let the watchword fly, So for Ea Medd eastward let the seas reply ; Praise, moue. anti love everlasting be sent on the wind's wings westward and east, That the pride of the past and the pride of the future may mingle as friends at feast, • A113 the songs of the lords of the world wide seas be one till the world's life die. —A. C. Swinburne. THE SALVATION LASS. Captain Grace threw open the window of her tiny room and looked out at the bright sunshine, the b ue sky, the drifting, fleecy clouds. "Glory to God," she murmured, "what a perfect day 1" Then she sat the coffee on to•boil, toasted some bits of bread and boiled an egg. Before partaking of this simple breakfast she bent her shapely brown head and whispered : "Give the strength, Father, for to -day." That was Captain Grace's daily morning prayer. Strength to sustain her through each day's :rork; to help her bear the taunt- ing words, the insulting laughs, the profanity and vile language hurled at her on her rounds; strength to uphold her in her visits to the slums and to push open the swinging doors of saloons and attack the devil in his very stronghold. Captain Grace was a beauty, and that tact made her life all the harder. The face that looked out from under the ugly army bonnet was the face of an angel, with its ivory like complexion, in which roses came and went ; with its clear, resolute turquoise eyes, its ditripled chin, straight little nose cud soft red lips. The piaiu uniform of the Salvation Army which renders •t homely woman an absoiute fright by its very severity only emphasized the loveliness of the girl's face and figure. Too well did the young wearier know her charms. She heard them discussed by men on the street corners, in cars, before the up town hotels and in the down town saloons. "What a bloomin' little daisy!" said the Fourth ward bum. "What a little darling!" said the Broad- way connoisseur. Captain Grace often wished she were 83 ugly as Ensign Jeruslia, who was pock marked and squint eyed, and thus escaped many of Satan's javelins. But a r.gular life, constant exercise and occupation and high, pure thoughts combined to ptoducea beauty which grew from day to day, and front whieh the earthly elements were fast, being eliminated. The girl was gentle, refined and intelli- gent. She had sacrificed many of the sweets and joys of lite to lead this curious existence. She was very reticent about her past, lived only for her work and to lay up treasure where moth and rust do not corrupt. In the slums she was known, loved and blessed. Her small red hands had pressed the aching head of the suffering and scrubbed the floors of the slatternly. Her smiles and tears had mingled with those of the unfortunate of earth. Her cheer ing words, gracious deeds and prayers were a sweet savor in the nostrils of the despairing. And yet Captain Grace was a girl, with a girl's love of pleasure, pretty things, ease and comfort. She battled fiercely at times with these temptations, faint and weary with warfar'o,,slonging to yield, to leave the strife, to taste happiness and human' joy. But her conscience ever sounded a trumpet call, and Captain Grace, obeying, sprang again to the conflict. Just as she took down her dark blue bon• net from the wall there canto a knock at the dont. She opened it. Miss Francesca Fadd stood there. Miss Francesca Fadd was rich, pretty, kind-hearted, generous and always .had a nice hobby horse to ride. Just now her hobby horse was the Salva- tion Army. She had attended the meetings, wept in her lace handkerchief, subscribed liberally and confided to her dear Four Hundred that she felt herself chastened and comfort- ed. She had hunted up the pretty captain, whose face had attracted her, and had made as great a pet of the giriM the young devotee would permit. "Good morning, dearest," said the caller. "Good morning, dear Francesca," replied the captain. "Came in." Francesca seated hetself and took a long survey of iter friend. The two girls formed is curious contrast. Miss Fadd was a study in brown velvet and sable. Big diamonds quivered in her pink ears, and a huge cluster of violets shook out their perfume from her breast. Her great brown eyes flashed questioningly on the other, who stood pale, serious, a trifle sad, but resolute. "Have, you decided, Grace??" "Yes, Francesca." "Well, you will come with me—give over this bard life, live with me, be my com- panion au,l sister. You know I pin alone, rich, my own rnistress. You shall have every luxury. We will travel." Captain Grace lifted her little red, rough- ened hand. "No more, no more, I beg," she' said, quietly, "it cannot be." Miss Francesca Fadd burst into tears. She was honestly disappointed. She was fond of tiro girl. And site fancied the idea of playing Lady Bountiful. Moreover, she liked to have her own Way. But Captain Grace would not surrender. She had marked out her path in life, and, though it was rough and stony and might lead to a place of skulls, yet would site fol- low it. An hour after this little scene Captain (trace reported for duty at headquarters. Her sweet face was like a ray of sunshine }ti the gloomy barracks. "Good morning, Captain," said e, black- eyed girl in a big gingham apron, gray shawl and back hat—the regulation slum brigade uniform. "Gond morning, Lieoteuant," returning the 1nlute, "do you feel like fighting to- day e" "Yes, Captain," was the quick rosesesa 9 I epuld dove the devil sail, ell his angelic. Olio morning." "That's right 1" eaie Captain Grace cheerily. lcieutentnt Sally wits. ,ane of C.eeetaiu Urace's proteges. Sbe was a brand pluck' ed from the butning. Captain Grace had reached her from it life of frightful misery and sin, and Sally's devotion to her friend war unbounded. The two received orders to sell the War Cry until 2 u'elook ; after that they were to go about their regular alma dulled. Up and down the streets, in and out et build- ings, went the fate. They were repulsed and chaffed by turns. Door's wore banged in -their faces and coarse jokes cracked at their expense But they did not uppear to mind. They chatted animatedly, compar- ed sales, encouraged each other; once Cap- tain Grace helped a feeble, tottering old woman across the street under the very noses of the horses, and once Lieutenant Sally wiped the tears from a dirty little child's face and gave it a Duke. It was just as they were about to make their final call in u Chryatie street saloon that its doors wore violently dashed open and a dreadful old tramp, sodden, filthy. bedraggled was kicked out on the pave- ment. Here was a pitiful sight. Shaking and trembling, he stood gazing vacantly about, then eudtlenly buret into tears. Captain Grace hesitated one moment. "Lieutenant," she said calmly, "I will meet you at the Norfolk Street tenement as soon as possible. I have something to do here." Lieutenant Sally saluted and departed. Then, with a face pale as death, but glow- ing with sublime oompaesion,Captain Grace approached the poor old wayfarer standing there alone and wiped the tears from his wrinkled cheeks with a trembling hand. "Come, brother," slie said, goutly;"coma with me." And holding him by hie ragged sleeve, Captain Grace steered him along street after street until she had landed him safely in one of the refuges established and main- tained by the army for such as he. Then unwittingly she set her face toward her Golgotha. It was nearly 4 o'clock when she entered the Norfolk street tenement. Up the black, creaking stairs she picked her way to the fourth story, pausing at a rickety door. The r"om she entered was quite fresh and neat from its recent scrubbing. There was a pot of scraggly gereniuut in the window. A little girl of 6 was playing with some battered toys upon the floor. A pale face, white as the flabby pillow on which it lay, looked up with a wan smile as she entered. "How are you to -day, my dear?" asked Captain Grace as she bent over the sick woman. 'Better? Ah ! that's good. Has Lieutenant Sally been here?" "Yes, she went down stairs about fifteen minutes since. See how uiee she has trade everything look " "Yes, the Lieutenant is a hard worker," said"Captain(;race, trying to mend a dis- jointed doll fur the clued, who exhibited her treasure with pride. '1'liere were various other little services her quick 'eyes noted, and time slipped away in their performance. Suddenly there was a commotion. Sounds of hurrying feet and confused murmurs deepened to a sullen swell of voices were heard. Across the threshold, in through the keynote, 0 every cranny of the tumble- down door, something grey and ghastly carne drifting and creeping in little wreaths and pails. And on the instant a terrible voice somewhere shrieked the awful word, "Fire 1" The engines came leaping like live things clown the narrow street. There were frenzied shouts, cries, prayers, tumult, chaos. Like tiles, the wretched inhabitants of the wtetchedtenement clung to the walls, the windows, the narrow tire escapes. There was the clatter of horses' hoofs, the bung ot the ladders as the firemen flung them in place, and. above all, the heavy drone and hum of the ponderous engines. "Take her first," said Captain Grace, in- dicating- the sick woman, as a big, brawny firemen, his eyes blazing with heroic ex- citement, plunged through the crashing window into the roorn. Be gave the Salva- tion Army girl is look of sturdy admiration, and went down the ladder with the woman in his arms. The child was clinging about Captain Grace's neck, her little face buried on her shoulder. "Don't be frightened, darling," said the girl, patting her gently; "the good man will come back." "He came, stretching his arms for the child. "Keep a stiff upper lip," he shouted to her amid the smoke, the falling of timbers, the wavering of the floor under her feet. It was just then that the billows of smoke rolled apart for a moment and the crowd saw the Salvation Army girl. She was kneeling in prayer. Through that maddened, cursing crowd, made up of toughs, loafers and bruisers, ran a groan. Men old in crime turned their hardened faces away as the block smoke shut her again from sight. Then came the last fear- ful crash and Captain Grace—steadfast, brave, faithful unto death --was promoted. EDITH SESSIONS TUPPER. STRANGERS .AND TAKEN IN The Open Air Hotel has a fine antique flavor about it. %Vo liked the name, so Bopper and I lounged wearily in at the dilapidated coach entrance. "Do the gentlemen wish to sleep here?" asked a female antique, who evidently went with the building. "Yes, the gentlemen had thought of such a thing." Sho-t'egretted that the hotel no longer put up travellers. One could drink there, but not. sleep. "Doubtless the gentlemen can read ?" Her tong was not so hopeful as her words, so Bopper hastened to assure her that we were not so bad as all that. He was a little touchy on the point. He knew that our appearance did not improve as we went on. But this was only our fifth night on the tramp, and it, was really too soon to leegin remarks of this kind. "Then, if the gentlemen will have the goodness to leave by this door, and take the first turning to the left, they will see before thein a very suitable hotel, and not too dear." The Open Air Hotel was evidently one of those delightfully confusing places that you enter by one street and leave by another— doubtless a most convenient arrangement in the good old days when the hotel was in fie prime. 'The first turning to the left brought us to the Three Travelers, a good third•rate hotel. We knew from the size of Glen that there was bound to be a Hotel de Franco somewhere, but too tired to move a step further, we dropped our knapsack—it was Bopper's turn to carry it that day—and clamored for food. Sipping his preliminary absinthe, Bopper reviled the Open Ale antique for her low esteem in selecting ouch a humble house for us distinguished foreigners. )l.inier„•..our tetorna metope/led the linnet,— put inue -put HAW life WO Me, WO strolicel out to gee the .own, Sure epouglt, there watt the usual 001)8' tenable hotel Rte lrr:t lee, Passing by it withontcomment,- aids heat Is too full far words—we acme 14the Mait•ie, in flout of which wase warlik, settee. Beteg new to that )art of the country, we ball actually.,sk the name of the figure. We were just on the border of tke Verciugetorix country. Fur weeks after we never had to usi, aho name of a statue. Whenever we saw .e figure with a weapon in its hand of any kited front a horsewhip to it patent eonlbivaiion of mace still battle• axe we knew it was Veroutgutorix. In that district they purse Vereutgeierix tie a oetfi: mon noun. At any rate, Bopper told to suhoolinaster ea with a point of interrogation, and the schoolmaster did net deny it. After admiring our first Vercingetorix we wandered on to the bridge. The set- ting sun was cermet; the Loire into blood.. Even Hopper, the Philistine, acid it was fine. We sat down in one of the embrasures of the bridge to admire the town. Up on the hill behind the houses was a very fine old chateau—a sort of compound of the Norman Castle and the old Scotch baronial. Stopping a pnaser-by I asked whose the castle was. The man seemed astonished at our ignorance. "But, to Mr. the Commandant," was the reply. Hopper never liked to be ou•done in hunting for information. He stopped a gendarme, and asked if he could get iu to see the chateau. "But yes, perfeotly, if the Commandant orders." From his grim smile we inferred that the order was not likely to be given. But gendarmes' jokes are hard to com- prehend. When we got to our hotel we tried to find out more about the chateau, ouly to be met by gruff and evasive answers. The crowning insult carne. Never before in France, and never since, have we been asked to pay our bi l in advance. Bopper stormed ; my milder counsels prevaited. We paid. Then we saw our bedroom. It contained fifty square feet and two beds. There was 0 fourteen -inch latae between the two beds. I thought of the last scene in the "Sentimental Journey ;''Bopper thought of going to the Hotel de !''ranee. Bopper was right. Once we passed a worse night. Bot our night with the Tht'oe Travelers was bad enough to encourage early rising. We shook the dust of (lieu from our feet at 3.50 a.m. Oh, the delight of that fresh morning walk alcng the Loire to Briure ! The ten kilometres spun past witttut our noticing them. Our morning coffee ! But I have promised Bopper to use no exclamation points in anything that he is concerned in, and he had coffee. After a delightful morning's walk of nearly fourteen miles, we came to the dainty little village of Bonny, at about 10 o'clock. If you happen to be passing that tray, don't torget to have breakfast at the Green Oak. If you hurry, you may even have the good fortune to be served 1)v the same dainty maiden that Bopper himself had to praise. He exercises very freely his married man's right to run down all womankind but his own. This morning he was graciously pleased to approve. "Well, liuppord, we've had a glorious tuck -in," said Bopper as he filled his pipe, while passing out of the twain street of Bonny, "though we should never get another." The. last house in the village toward the south is 0 long, one -storied building with a little, double -storied portion at the end nearest the village. It is particularly clean. At the time we saw it the whitewash was quite fresh. A tricolor, wlticlt was war- ranted always to wave in the breeze by flue simple expedient of being made of iron, gave a hint, which u long signboard made explicit with the word "Gendarmerie." As we approached, the postern of the courtyard gate was thrown open and a little man sprang out. He had a pair of dark blue trousers, with a darker stripe of blue down the side, a pair of spurs, a huge white apron, his shirt s.eeves and a bald head. "Halt there !" We halted there. For though the little roan looked insignificant enough, he spoke authoritatively, and we noticed at the same time that two burly gendarmes in full uni- torrn—(except 'that they had the peaked cap instead of the genuina full-dress cock- ed hat) stepped out of the postern after him. "You are English aren't you?" "As you say, sir." "You come from Glen?" "Perfectly." "Will you have the goodness to enter?" lVe had the goodness to eater. We passed through the court to a stone - floored sort of office. As we entered, the door was shat behind us, and the thud of a musket butt hinted that one of the two out - aide had been told off'to mount guard over tra. "Your papers." The little man held out his hand. Up till now Bopper had been delighted. It was his first arrest, I had gone through it twice before, and I dare say I had crowed just a little snore than I ought to over his inexperience. He thought we were getting equal at last, but ho did not like to, be bullied Ey a man in an apron. Besides, the gendarmes were outside now. "Permit me to ask by what right you stop travelers on the high road?" Thus Bopper, with touch dignity. "Your papers," repented the little moan sternly. "May I ask whom I have the honor of addressing?" Bopper was severely scare. "But, the Brigadier Dupont, sir." The genuine astonishment of the good brigadier was enough to ,hake us laugh. Bopper only added sarcastically. "You haven't much the air ot it." Stung by the sneer, the officer van ah' through an inner door, to reappear a fee - stent after in full uniform. Taking his seat at the desk, he began. "Without papers, 1 preaume !" Bopper was busy looking for a seat. Ho did not relish standing while the examiner sat. We had to pocket the affront., how- ever, through lack of oven a form. Bopper angrily retorted that "papers" were no longer required, that we hadn'tpapers, and that WP would like to know what this de- tention meant, . Dupont merely took up a huge yellow paper form and solemnly ask- ed : - "Your surnames and Christian names?" We gave these, and a great many more items as he asked them, and gravely wrote them down. Suddenly he turned upon us with a "Now I've got you" air and ask- ed: "Your resources, if you please?" At this veritable "stand an deliver" Bopper, with some pride, produced his purse, containing some 700 francs. "You didn't look like it, you, know," murmured the thunderstruck brigadier. When I flourished over 1000 francs beforr him, he could only add: "Nor pelt ether." Pleased at the favorable impression our resources had maple upon the poor brigadier, who had probably never seen so much money at one time in his life before, Bopper deigned to produce our railway return tipkcte front 1'i ! to 1 opden. Dupont nd- ntitted this as evi;tl tncs. ilea lliy g'xt qut'a- tdon shirttail us. "Can you epeek Spgoisir?" Thio finished ten exs:snln•ttion. He would give no explanation, 1)n the sound - hog of a little bail 0 gendarme entered and saluted. He pats nut our keeper, whom we saw grimly keeping gautrd at the floor. The brigadier handsel' his big tepert to the man, who withdrew. Nipper retur:ed to, the charge that the police had no right to step, us un the high- way. The brigadter etiolated tient papers were no longer ueueeeary,bwt— "I run instruoted to areeet yon on a ape- efio charge." "What chtu•ge?" we demanded together. He only smiled slyly, sank told rte that tut aid hand like hint was ROL no easily caught as all titan. The only hint he wetted. gave ns was that it would be twenty years at the hulks if prevail .against es. We felt secretly pleased at the obvious enormity of our offence. "English spies, of course;.' Oneeveri Bop - r. "English pickpockets more probably," retorted the brigadier, who,eertnin y scor- ed there ; "but no, geutlemene it is neither. 1 may be able to tell you when, I get a reply to nay telegram." "Do you mean to say you telegraphed all that sheet about tea?" naked Ripper with a pride he could hardly conceal.. "But yes, perfectly; We the rule." "Where :lid you telegraph to?" "Ah ! gentlemen make questions. Par- don me.' Our conceit in our own importance was seriously damaged by the intetnm reply. "Commandant at breakfast. Beep prison- ers till further notice." Dupont was annoyed. Bopper was furious. I am a philosopher:. The heli rang again. We were conducted' to a sort of cell, where we had a form to, sit on. We were locked in. We both feet secretly ag- grieved at not being put into irons. Even the cell was a fraud. The window was very high up, it is true ; but there was only one iron bar across it—a vertical one. We had no pallet of straw, or any of the regule• tion cell furniture. Instead, there was quite a collection of rifling boots and spurs and belts hanging round the walls. On a shelf there were several brown -paper bundles. Standing upon otnr bench we could reach the shelf ; but self-respect forbade. The pleasant feeling soon wore oft. It was intolerably hot. We were not in the least hungry, but we were very thirsty. I ventured to kick at the door. A man at once asked what was the matter. Our petition was immediately granted in the form of a pitcher of Peuu de vigne. Two hours aftorwasds Dupont came him- self to take us out. Our examination seem- ed perfectly satisfactory. Besides, the police at Gien had a clue. Only we were to be kept 011 5 o'clock in case of accidents. If no word to the contrary came before then, we were to be set free. Meanwhile, we were kept in 0 very mild state of bond. 'age. Iu fact, our cell was the kitchen. alms,. Dupont wanted to converse with the terrible Englishmen. Dupont had again put on bis apron, - and was busy dandling a little girl of four. Madame was preparing the beans for din- ner. Bopper soon made his way into the parental hearts by undoing a bandage round the ears of the eldest—a boy of about nine —and after examination prescribing some specific. His home experience gave him au immense advantage over me in the good graces of the family. Soon he began to worm out of the father the charge upon which we were detained It was no less than "Aiding u Spanish prisoner to escape from the State prison at 6"R:reasoning was conclusive. He had escaped during the very night we had been at Gielt. We were foreigners. He was a foreigner. Therefore, we aided him to escape. The thing was as plain as a pike- staff. Dupont, however, put it in a some- what Letter light for the authorities. We had been making careful inquiries about the prison. (So that miserable chateau we so much admired was the State prison. Little wonder the gend- armes smiled at our desire to get into it?) We had sat for an hour on the bridge care- fully examining it. In our hotel we continu- ed our investigations so as to arose the aus- picious of our landlady. We had started at an unearthly hour in the morning. What would you have? Put that way we had to admit that our case did not look quite so well. After judiciously submitting to a little Instruction from madame in the art of pre- serving beans. Bopper ventured to pump Dupont again. "What was the Spanish prisoner's crime ?" My opinion now is that Dupont did not know. Ho asserted that duty forbade him to tell. "Only 1 may let you know that he has only been in prison for a fortnight (his terns was fourteen years), and that he escaped during the night in his shirt." We wets getting along splendidly. Bop - per and I were quite sure we were going to be asked to share the dinner we were help- ing to prepare, when hey, presto ! another telegram from the Commandant spoiled everytlting. That wire must have conveyed a snub of some kind to Dupont, for he at mace stiff- ened up in the most disagreeable style, and snapped out to us—he did not' even put in the "Messieurs" -- "You may put yourself en route." 'Ve took him at his word, and were soon swinging along the high"fvay. As we passed the big stone making the boundary be. tween the Loiret and the Nievre, we heav- ed a united sigh at being out of the Conn - menden t's beat. We began quite to understand the easy descent into the criminal classes. For days after our arrest we honestly preferred to keep out of tho way of gendarmes, and not infrequently we made little detours to miss the iron flog and the signboard "Gendarm- erie." I know th's sketch is incomplete. As soon as we got home Bopper and I tried to get the details filled in. We wrote to the brigadier, enclosing a stamped and directed envelope, asking what was the Spaniard's crime, and whether he was caught again. No answer ever came. Either the briga- dier never got over that final wire or police regulations made it dangerous to answer such letters as ours. For myself, I would bo quite willing to stake all the untold wealth I possess that the prisoner was retaken. The Spaniard who is able to escape in his shirt from a State prison in the middle of France, and get clean away, will give St. I'eter his own work to prevent him escaping the roll call after the last trump,—Cornhill. FINDING AFFINITIES, Scone : A wood. Springtime. Leonard Beauchamp and Marto Fairlight are walking through the wood. Leonard—All good things must come to an end, and the beat of friends must part, I suppose. But the last wook has been the shortest and the happiest I can recall in my life. Marie—Yes. 1t has been delightful. It frnn+refre�ltittg to meet. 001114r00#1that 4 9 emit talk to oat 001119•ether *0005,hap blit wPtt°thrr. Leonitrd. (reflectively)oeWje have' hg4 some very nice Crile, How .» if halt RINI thrnt ! ` r tilarie..-The Squire alway..e manages .to bring to charming set of people together, 1 eau biut an ideal Most, -and i lingi hie wife, too, though she's a little too matter of feet* perh Leoutaps.a'd--Yes. She will porsistein,eahing me Adelaide's you ug ratan, Marie—Nell., are you not? Leonard—Yes, oh yea. That's right cough, but the aeeident of my befnfi ngttged to her niece scarcely, warrants[ such grotesque familiarity—eft a first visite too. Marie—Accident do you call it ? What a queer expression for au euguged mast to use. Leonard—Are not most engagements as cideuts ? Sometimes fatal ones. Marie—When are they fatal ? Leonard—When they end in matrimony, Mane—I was always under the impres- sion that the sole objeut of au engagement was marriage. Leonard—Yes, and that is why there -age, so many unhappy ones. Marie—But, dear me ; what other end. would you Neve to an engagement ?' Leonard—I would have a natural end. According to my idea a man and a woman should be engaged to each other on,—wells. to put it bluntly, on trial. Yes, yot4 laugh, but it's common sense. Let theta see how the closer intimacy works before - they're tied together for life. In nine caans- out of ten it doesn't work, but neither has the pluck to face the situation, and they go to the altar doomed to a life• of mutual boredom, or something worse. Marie—That's all very fine, my frientd,. but supposing only one of them gets tired' of the other ? Leonard (admiringly)—How you spot the weak place in my theory! But don't yon understand that a man needs something more than mere loving admiration. Marie—Yes, I understand you. Leonard—And—and you sympathise with roe? Marie --About what? Leonard—Come. We are friends, yon know, and friends should be frank. Marie—And prudent. Leonard—Oh, it isn't as if Adelaide had any real love for me. Then your reproof might be deserved. Besides, you must have seen how she has carried on with young Sebright since we have been here. Marie — Oh, harmless fun ; nothing snore, She is of a lively temperament. You shouldn't be too hard on her. She in so y ouug. Leonard—We are utterly unsuited to each other, and you know it. • I see it so strongly ever since 1 met you. Mat ie --Hush! We cannot be friends if you talk to me like that. Leonard -ll -hat a ghastly farce life is! We have lived all these years uuconscioue of each other's existence, and we meet now—now, when it is ton late. That's so like the "cussedness" of things generally. Marie—You forgot we have only known each other a week. A week hence we might bore each other Mau ffeably. Leonard—Never. Some natures seem to have known each other always, the very first time they meet. Alaa•ic--You believe in affinities, then? Leonard—Most certainly. If there are ch ethical affinities why not human affini- ties ? Marie—The theory of affinities doesn't seem to adapt itself quite so well to human nature as to chemistry. Leonard—No ; there again is the general cussedness I was speaking of. Marie --But surely a true friend -hip atones to some extent for what you call the cussedness of things generally. Leonard (gloomily)—I thought so a day or two ago, but now, on the eve of parting with you, 1 feel diSIereltly. Mat ie—How differently ? We can be friends just the same when absent or pre- sent. Leonard—But don't friends feel—feel sad at parting from each other? Marie—Of course they do—in a way. Leonard—In what way ? Marie—Oh, it's difficult to explain. Leonard—Is it? Do you know I should very touch like to hear your definition of frle11dship. Alarie—Friendship generally or friendship between men and woolen? Leonard—Between [nen and women, of course. Marie—Well, I hardly know how to define it, but— Leonard—For instance, does friendship make parting an aneeaish? Marie—"Anguish" is a strong word. • Leonard—Well—grief ? Marie—Say regret., Leonard—"ttegret" is a weak, expression- less word. Maa•ie—It is strong enough for friends. Leonard—Ah 1 Then if a roan and a woman feel more then regret at parting they are not friends, but something inure. Is that what you mean ? ilurie—Yes. Leonard—What are they ? (A pause.) I am not your friend, Marie, for my heart feels anguish at the thought of parting with you,_and the micettainty of moetieg you again. Maric—Huish ! Wo can and must be nothing but friends. If you say any more it means parting forever. Leonard—Marie,, you are cruel—unmer- ciful. biotic—Believe me, it is kinder to say this to you now than to let you go further. It is for you to choose. Speak to me of love and I am your friend no more. Be worthy of yourself and I will bo your true frid alwa (Tenhey ways,lk on in silence for some mo- tpents. ) Leonard—Yes. Yon are right. There's my hand on it. We will be friends. 1 cannot spare your friendship. It is the only joy of my life. Hark! There are voices in the wood to the right. They' talk low. Who can they he? Why, that's young Sehright's voice. Look, look, he's got his arnt round some girl's waist! Who is it? lVe ought not to spy—what shall we do? They're going to cross the path we are on. Shall we turn buck? Marie—I will, but. I think you had better roma}n. I.eonard—I remain? Why? I've no more right to spy nn them than you. Did you see? he kissed her. I say, I do 'fool mean, seeing them without their knowing. Marie—I think you may spare your scru- ples. Leonard —Why? Marie—Don't von recognize the girt? Leonard—The girl! Why, what --good heavens! It's Ade'aide! Marie (quietly)—She has come in contact with her affinity, Leonard (inking her han'l)—Oh, Marie, and so have I. --Black and White, !lremorv. Before a man stows away a fact in itis brain he should have on understanding with that fact that it will respond when called for. In ether words, every fact should be disciplined. That it what, 1e called "mem( ry." 1 • •a