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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Clinton New Era, 1880-07-01, Page 6The Itehearen • There, AO we stand, and when Tow "pay love; VII to yotir side Istria° closer, so. flooa Now I out my arm uremia your "waist Your cue to what/ter 'Ernest aear, aou, kuow trhatat right, I think. Ah, what is that you say 2 The stage directione only say 'a kiss?' Let's see the book. 'Upon my word, you're right, Zook two, which clearly was amiss. ^ I'm glad yob. called attention to the slat Wait till Icon the book a moment -then 'or fear itly treacherous -memory play 2U0 060$ Sep13050 \re Just run through tins scene again The Colder' Ide. 'here is Inouya rose in the road of life, . if we would only stop to take It: And many atone from the bettor land, If the querulous heart would make it; To the sunny soul that is full of h000, And those beautiful trusts uo'or fanoth, • The grass is green math° dowers. are bright, hough the winter atorm orovailetli.- . . flatter to weave in the web of life A bright and golden fining, . Ana to do ood's will with a ready heart, Ant hands that aro ready end wining, Than to salty the delicate, minute threads of our curious lives asunder, And then blame Lovett for tangled ends, Auci it aria grieve and wonder. Tux vilmsr or A 'CillAlatiVE., The whole affair sounds like the -wildest romance. Granted. It is not for Me Wee. • into the question of its probability. *I • simply ' record 'certain facts which' have come under my notice. • . . Here is a young follow, like scores of zithers, with just enough property to live .on and to deprive him of the•epur' to exer- tion. A barrister, quite.briefless, dabbling in art, literature aud music, and doing • ncithingwitli either. Amongst other tastes • he has one for quaint javvellerY—na, forhis own aderamentabut he collects it; and pee- . uesses many curaths saeciraena, anaient ;mil modem. I knew him very well, and he has °Riau .allowo me these treasures. -One.. day .1 0411 on Idin, after a long vacua -tion, and Ana hirn throwing off slip after Blip of entuaectipt. . "Excuse me for five minutes,' licasays, 'and 1 shalt have finished. I have.mado a wonderfolacIdition to my collection and in the oddest meaner. I am. writing a story about it and, there, that's the end of the first part.' .1Ie lias been scribbling away while sfma.kine and now lays down his pen, 'You shall read for yourself,' he goes on, gathering up his manuscript, 'how it CS;MO 4tbalit Ond you will uuderstend, Why 1 an rather excatectat recalling this, the nar- rowest escape, and the 'Strangest adventure' I ever had in - my life?' Then, lighting a . cigar and giving inc auother, he settleme in amertsy chair by the fire and begins pee- ing the room, while I read assfollow.s : I left King's Cross by the night Moll oil _ the 16th oi last August. I was -old Of health, tired and wanted tO sleep, so, • settling my . traps on the seat to my eatisfaction, I suddenly rethelnberect that . I had nothing; to read and I ealled the . guard to the window that he might get me -e, book.. ,Returning M: a minute, he, put into my Lauda Buliver's "Strange_. Story ;' and as I 'gave him the money, he seal, . 'Now, .tve're off .in one minutei•eir • Tamp° ti yeallalike mychalcea...Leisurely:turning_ • <wet the leaves it,y,the' light of the -carriage learip, I verreoon found that the arerk my friend had [selected. was Utterly distasteful to me, and L regretted ;having wasted my „money -upon: it. It wee a story, • as. most a.a.reeplealantee.atzeating;Of . isaitithel . anima . owes, -a subjeof on whieh.I.wasilibicaiglily• - , ,-.:seeptical"...-v.1.-7:Sibollr,•• att-tired,-01-•.--tt l: but :4t and sound aeleep, emained till: the train ..,:... sorted its piirPtia, „and Sent me teaeleep,, • stetted. at Peterbfirough. • a• . • • • . . :.. • : Only partly: awake, l• reinember letting dowiette -Window, and that several persons i it the crosad'on :tho. platform . tried to get intothe carriage; one fellow, just as we avere starting, theast his head'so fat in that I thought he was .going, to make -a barite- • tplin's leap for it Drowsily congratulating myself on having had the door ticked; I Was dropping off to sleep aginwhenI suddenly cliscoVerea 1.Whenotatlone: --Whoas-that neater' in the opposite cotner of the oar- - tia,ge ? .. A young, lady,. assuredly. The aim light from the -lamp ,enabled me to discern that•she wasin evening drew.; with • the teed of her. dpera cloak over her -tend, She appeared to be busy fastening her eat- ring.into her left eat, , , • " • • 4 Iloty oda,' I thought,' 4 that. I shotild.. .. not lutve eteenbeaget in: la- Here wersaaray legs still-etretchediverass the Seat :with -my • rug over therit, • And surely I mast have' • known if she had passed me a arid the door . hadcertainly never been opened. Very iingry and puzzled, .I. deteinnial. te remou: ,, strut° with -the. guard At • the nett statioia ' what an pdcl costume, too,' for travelling; 1 • thought alCouldn't ,Baalte" it out.. The a-oung lady Was very quiet and still, and,. ye she appeared not to noticeartea-I hardly liked to begin any conversation, se I. sat. v.-eh:lam her till sleep, again . overtook me. :All at ones the•slaptening of speect and Pee slitill, horribletholleW danger whistle of the engiad agiart disturliecl my .noinfort- able nap, and; lazily • looking out, I• f mind , to my • surprise wo: Were not stopping at any station,and that • outside. • nothing couldbe seen'," - A'darkness . ' that might . . le felt wasall that metthe ea`e when. ., turned. to the open windoW,Whilst the fresh • &Map air anitounced-that we *ere in Vie .naidat of country, and the sighing of the alight breeze told- of. woods not far off. • Neither station, lights, nor dwellings were. , to be discerned in the upper gloom.A furtive glance •across the earriageshosied the young lady still quietly Sitting there. '• fidgeting -with her ear -ting, and not tho. • least..alatmcd at this interruptioa to 'oar • journey. ' .Icalled to. the • guard:6,e he ran by the moment we, stopped; and, patting my head Out of the window, inquired. what wasthe matter. - . .. . 'Nothing, sir,' lie said, cheerily; 'no dem ger, ; only theline's blocked, and we are wait- • ing till they signal us togo on...I expect it's a goods that's acing stunted. It'll be alright; ail', in a few minlitlaS*, I then said, in ealove tone, 1 'What .possesaea you to place this :Mug lady in my carriage, when I so espe- cially enjoined •;,. on to keep it eMpty 2' '1 never let anybody in,' protiisted the man, with surprise. • ' A.. young leak, 'de ,you say?' Sprineing on the step as 'drew my . head beck, he lookea into the carriage and . axelaimed, a aVily, there's no tear there, sir r .•. . . a turned, and irna,.qino my confusion— ho was gone!' ; This 110:SSOEC my wider- standinga-said I, ' for though rn SirOar elm 'was -there before I. spoke to you, there is • tortainly auibodyallfore flow ; elle -must have gone outa .1 crossed to the further door,amid. tried lt ; it Wa1oc.mc, s 1 1 ... 'Sure onongli: I het downthe glass and looked' out, but iti the darkness, of course,' could flee nothiug. 'Why, you've boon (kenning, sir ' said the guard, as ',looking soineWhat 'sniall, remitted my seat.. ' Don't tell Me,' cried I, indignantly, Ana angusted at the absurdity of the peeitiori. • 'I'm perfectly convinced. that she was in the earriage 1 Why, hereis positiire proof,' ;C wont on, as rpoideivedivid immediately picked ttp it gold,ear-ring from the floor be-, taut her seat and mine. Amazement, minglea:with doubt and dietrust,Was plainly depicted CA the guard's handsome colutto. mance, as,. regarding mo with a puzzled,half comical expression, he said, after a minute,. 'Well, sir, if you teallyabolieve,, you saw her, I ehould advise your ehatigunt, your .carriage.'' ,. . .• • , ,Why so?' ',demanded, in surprise, 'o - cause it's well to be ozz the eafe side, sirsfer I've heard,eomething of this kind before. Young ladies are dangerous customers ixi trains sometimes, sir,' he added, with the twinkle coming into his eyfingain. As I drew myself up somewhat, indignantly be continued; They say an aceident is almost certain to occur when an apparition lias • boon seem' So, opeuing the door, lie began to collect ray bageandtrans, while I, perplexed, and net without sortie feeling ot alarm, alighted, • awl followed him hastily alma; the side of the line. • You might have seen some ladies and gentlemen, all dressed for it party, got into the compartment in front of yours at Peterborough, resumed the man, as Jae steered me by the light of his lantern over • the rough ground: 'and fi,ue and merry they were; -they were going to a hall at Grantham, I fancy you mast have been dreaming, sir, for certainly none of them got into your carriage, though.one did try; and as to apparitions, well—' He did not finish the sentence, for just then we found aut empty compartmeut at the rear of the train; and the engine's whistle at the same moment announcing the line clear; with but few more words I was very S0011 again locked in and 'left to myself. My first act when the train was once • more in motion was to examine carefally the oar-ripg so unaccountably found. The shape struok me as curious. It was a wheel suspeuded from it bird's claw which turned when touched. Surely, as I told the guard, this trinket was it proof that I had not been deceived or dreaming; at least, this was not the apparition of an ear -ring, at any rate. What could it mean? Tile more I thought of it the Moro I was perplexed, and finally put it away in my portemonuaie ; and, with mind wearied with puzzling Over the strange oceurrence,1 at length fell asleep once mote—but not long. Saddettly, ely awe:hefted by o terrific crash and a 'shack Which threw. me violently for- ward; while the carriape lurched over ,and nearly capsized. I knew at once an imeident had happened —the accident half prophoeied by the guard. As soon as 1 COOla collecb. my scattered senses and found myself unhurt, I clambered -out of " the carriage and ran clotan tho linto the front of the ttain, to ascertain the extent of the catastrophe. A was difficult to make one's way in the derkness aud confusion; but whet Were in: feelings of horror and amazement, jeined to intense thankfulness whenI discoveredaifter some light hadbedii obtained from abastily kindled bonfire,' that the carriage I had previously occupied was lying it complete wreck 1 I knew it by its color and the number, which I had remaraed, still visi- ble on the battered patrol. •Then I learned that several passongete in the other &im- partments of it had suffered fearfully, and 1 was so overcome that I felt quite dizzy. Here was a vsondettal and miraculous eseape indeed,. All tho events of .the last • half hour rushed through my.. troubled brain. On that smashed and. • splintered •seat I had sat; and but for thapresence of my mysterious companion there I sliould •be-lyiageacaushecl, maimed, porhaps.detid ! _Horrible -I The bead brolte,out.onnly.binw- as I thoueht Of it. "%Vile]] nay nerves had 'recovered a little ought out the guard, who, pale and grave, was endeavoring' to reetesere the frightened passengers as- sembled on the bank. He was coamfortiog •them -with the -intelligence. thattaa, -special 'ttnalii-Wduldattriegarellortlylitritsattrantharrie -ancl-takeethemafrom ..„the _wale-414Am • My good fellewe Said I, you Must ex- plain to ine iNgiat yoU meant respecting that young lady -41'a• apparition; I mean, as'You'chose to call it. You said an 'mei.- dent—' bless' you, sir,' he interrupted -sadly, !lama only my chaff. I neverheard anything about a youtiglady ; but I thought as you seemea a bit scared it Would reak'e your Mind easier like, and that's why I sbifted you. -.I can't give, any reason. why suck a fancy • came into rny bead; but it's wdlit did-rsiry for it just •saYecl your ' life, saved it by the ghost of n, chancea•as ono may say;' diid there was n faint return of the oldhuniorroue twinkle in the man's eye as heathus aptlymade it .play upon the words. ',Lt was the ea -triage' you were in that •suffered roust? a Well, there's many trueivord spoken in jest,' teturitect I. 'Are there many hart?' .• • ' • 4. About seveo; Libor , sir; and, fear or more killed. We don't knowthe- cause at pres-• • ent, sir ; twasn't a collisioii, and don't hp-, pear to have anything to do with the step= ping of the train awhile ago:.• Thesdthings• • do turn upaorie more than a bit„j3ir4' added the man as he was called away: The lamps of the special train were now sighted and , we, the unscathed, were speedily in .cur places, artIltarriVeci at our destination With- out.ferther hurt or 'hiricleraned ;but What; 'perplexed -ideas Whirled in repid aucceaaion• thtotigh my Mind as we wete hurried airing. :Here avas I, seated from it dreadful ana uns • timely death by-Lwhat? Not a. clrearxr, cer- tainly; but whether it wo,s,,by Moat marvel - Ions interposition, or,. perpaps, the guard said, by the'ghost of a chance.' How aould I call it it dream or entertainthe notion of ghostly influenou, whenthe earaiiag picked • up,by own' own.liand was now safe in my pocket ? Wes it safe? I lOoked. Yes,- eafo enouapli1the Wheel suspended froin the bird's chtw. Atylieel of f ortuneindeed itliaa proved to • Inc. • ' . . a And de you mean to tell me this is a fact?' I asked" ironicalla, as I finished by friend's manuscript: 'Every word -of it, as I am a livipg man,' he answered. ' See, here is. the ear -ring,' and he •handed me, the trinket. • L continued„, after eltamiliiag' it; What are you going to do? How are you • going to eisli -the story 01141de:ill know Can you gave ine a notion?' He knews nave an eye for dramatic aitaatioua. 'Not ind eed; you will bey° tc) invent, I suspect.' Anclave • talked it good 0541 more; of °corm about the • 'strange Offair beforel left him ; and equal- ly, of course; :at the 'end of two yearsthe story was not fluishd, kiy frierid hi only it dabbler, and "%Achim brings any of efforts iii art or literature to a fruitful lash°. little thought that it would d.evolvo on me to take tip the thread of this one and finial/ it for him. • , Before parting, however, I asked, Did • you see the girl's face?' Not very clearly. The light was dim, 1 could not aistinguish her featurcts precisely, nor:the color of het eyea, nor any details exaotly, you under- stand ; yet there weir a look '—ho went on ' after a panse—''whieba remindedme of •sornehocly, or I thought it did, I eould tot telr whom, that 1 had seen before. • It wag- e -mere improsaion, quite -Unformed, vague to it degree.. I had forgotten, QVQ12, that • anything of the kind crossed. My mind until you asked the question.' 4 WOUld you know her again?' Thimph I' he hesitated hardly- - know. think 1e11011141 if she were simi- larly dressed and posed.' Then he said good-bye; and for two years 1 clO not think we have mentioned the eubject above twice ; aloe, when. Tinquired if he had fira idled the story, and once tato on, When, if IL not clear it up, 1 at least threw a weird light upon the mystery ; the light by whieli I am enabled to make s Siert of second part bo tho fitst which 1 found him writing. My frieedaroerns agate; .1catating., Muth as usuttasatethat he is at his easel instead of at bus desk.' Again, as usual, keen for the time being upon what he is doing, ho &ea not rise wbw 1 enter, and I stand talking to him for a while behind hie chair. We have not seen each other lately, aud he rallies me good-humoredly about dropping the acquaintance of metes° bachelors like Inn:wolf since my marriage—for that mo- taentous event has happened within the tut six months. He wee abroa4 at the time, aud does not know my wife yet. SOOn we passed from this luteresting tome, and I said something about the water- color drawing h9,was working at, as I still stood watching its progress over his shoul- der. It was a small study, done the previ- ous evening at a life -school, as he told me, from what artists call the draped rnodea_a rustic figure of a girl seated on a stile. 'But stay,' he °ma, 'you should see it under a white mount. 1 Wive one hero cut out to the size. Wait, let me got it.' He rose and went to the other end of the room, An idea struck me, and taking from, ray pocket a certain cabinet -sized photograph Lad brought to show hint, I stood it on the wet in front dins picture, which, it exactly covered. Returning with the mount and talking volubly about what he was going to do in paiuting, he automatically put the hollow centre of the white ca•rdloard just over the photograph, but without for a moment neticing.the change I had made. Suddenly he saw it and with an exclama- tion of wonder, started back. How came that here ? he wont on, pale and agitated, as lie looked inquiringly from the picture to me- 'Did you put it there? s Do you, know the lady? ' You recognize it?' 'Yes, certainly. I haven't seen her for, some years now, but . should know that likeness any- where." He bit his lip and paused, and then added, 4 I aidn't know you knew laer.', 0 I don't,' I answered, I never knew that such a, person had ever lived till yesterday,' Then liosa do you come by 'het nortrait, and why do you bring it to me t? ' To ascorthin if it really was.the Seine rierS011.! Satne person as who ?—what? X clorat understand! ' Why, whether, by any. . strange coin- cidence, this lady—nlywife'sold friend and schoolfellow ---Might happen to be the lady you one--awell, shalt I say once knew , under very peeuliar. circ'emstances ? ' He' •leokedat me somewhat angrily as he.said : See hero, old fellow, there are matters sonietimes in a man's life that he &Ant care 'about having raked up again. I tell • yciu honestly that this in ono of them,•and talent quite like this kind- of joke.' No joke, on my wail,' r continued. ";•' and if I am totaling on anythingunpfeasant, please forgive me, for I have a purpoae. Not that I imagined you were so sensitive on the subject„ eapecially its yea contemplated turning it to literary acconnt.' • "12—litertyry account? What do you moan?' lie asked indignantly. I should as lief think of turning cannibal as of turning anything con/meted with- that young lady to account, as you call it.' I was a little puzzled now '• se I said: 'Welk but who do you say the young lady is?'". ' Her naane-aif you mean that—wag Miss Naug,h- toe; Rosa Naughton „wheil I knew her; but I confess I deot Bee that because she happen .to be a.friend of your wife's, you, -areavaratiattea-frareleriang thus abruptly to - my acquaintance with- her.' 1111 de fellow,' I cried,' '1 -had no idea of, this; believe me. I luicln't a notion that you. knew her namea end we are evidently a little at .cross purposes; but bear with ma, little. -linger.-- Admitting: that this -is -ce -pertrait-of the Miss Rose Naughton whono: .you seen:J.4044o- :knewn, . though Lnemer, 'could .have gueseed that, just leek at it again carefully, and seeif it &Rail :110 remind you of some one efsesoMe One whom you °rico saw, I repeat,under very 'manlier circumstances. "- Re bends forward to exainine the photo- graph:, and presently flays, 'No.'' Then I say, Will his help yotir memory ? ' and "while he is still looking at the portrait, I put down; on the • ledge of the easel, just under his eyes, an ear -ring,. • Good God! he What are.. you up to?' What. have -yeti takea thiaout of the eabinet for?' have not been near the cabinet, if you Mean the place where you keep yeurjewels.' Then what on earth—' He hesitates, and, taking up the,. ear-ring,•tivalks with it across the room to his treasure store: • I cannot belp, with my.draanatic Melinda watching him eagerly ; aiid it is as good -as a play to see his sutprise and viender,whea, opening the cabinet, be takes forth the ear•ring he piCkedup in the' railway carriage, and finds le, has the fellow todt in his other • , • Yes; there they aye, clearly the pair— two birds' claws, (amp_ holding a retotytig :wheel. 'Now leek at the- portrait again,' I say, when he had stood for it minute regarding ixte with blank antazement. '1 don't say that yea will, "because itis mere .specillation ; but do --you not see in" the portrait et- Miss Naughtoit something to remind you Of the young lady, your myete- alone travelling corapanion?' I:le is ex- aminieg • the,photograph again. 'Well,' it is very absurd, but realty, new you put it to me, there might be something mat, and —' o panders. Was it she, then -a Bose—after all, that I in a measure was reinioded.of thatnight ? On my honor I seem to think it muet have been.' Then turning -to nao, he asks But what is the meaning of all this? • "Why do yokavant to know whether I can see anyresemblance in this photograph to that girl, and Where; above all, did you get this other ear -ring from? Explain yourself, for God's Bake V . • 'Because, as I say,' I replied, it seems" to me just possible that,- if there be Such it thing as glioetla influence, or spiritualism, or clmrtoyance, or whatever ono may choose toacall sach mysteries—becauSe, ratty, if such things exist, you may have received the warningto leave your seat as you did through the mysterious influence of •Miss Nit -tighten herself, for she was in that rail- way train that same •night, and those -.ear. • rings beloriged to hen' Apia the Wonder in ins face would•Iiitve been atausing had it not been' mingled with an- expression of pain, Incredible; prepesterous ' he said at length. 'Yoe say that Miss Naughton is a, friend of your wife's?' • • ' Yes ; end 1 will extilain hoW Came upon the fact forthwith. Yeaferday as my wife was dressing she asked mo to fetch her it •brooch frona the drawer ill het dtessing•ease. . On opening it ,the first thziuig, which, • might ity eye amongst a let of •little- trinkete wae that ent-rieg and a momett's examination showed it to bo the coanternart of tho one you had so mysteriously come by. The device was not easily to be forgottom You may judge of my attrpriee and how it led to tny tolling her about your sttango adven- ture. Then. we wont into the neater, and she on hor part' told me how the oar -ring had belonged to a schoolfellowof hors,Ilese Naughton by nein°, Who had lately gone 'abroad; and hoW, two years art°, she had been ip a,fottrfulrailwo,yaccidela ono even- ing on her way from Peterborough tO a ball itt Graethant—how two of het party baa. been killed riffle sitting beside her ; how she escaped, by it miracle, uninjured; and how, tutiongst,the trifling events connectecl with tho- eirouniatance, she had, lost one of lior ear-VIngs—one of it pair that had boon given to her that night by the mail to Whom sho was Ongaged,and who was hanself killed.' a, • My friend's face, With it Strange per- versity, seemed for it moment to lose its pained expression, as I tittered these last' words. Ireourned ; 'When Miss Naughton went abroa4 be gave nay wife her photo- graph—that on the easel—and„ amongst other souvenirs that odd ear -ring; for it appears the tragicelaccideut brought about one good result for her—it out short an engagement entirelY distastetul to and into which ate had been forced—well. I didn't hear exactly bow; at any rate Slue never loved the roau—disliked him in feet, my wife says, and so had no compunction about giving the ear -ring to ray wife, who was str tick with the quaintness of the device. You will readily understand, how this story instantly associated itself with you in my mind. A.conmarieon of dates and otter cir- cumstances left no doubt. I was bound to come and tell you, moat hope, my deatfellow, ydu will acquit me now of au idle intrusion upon your affairs. I assure you I hadn't the faintest idea that you knew Miss Naughton by name. 1 thought you might have seen her, as I believe you dill; for • assuredly her presence—either in the flesh or in the spirit, which ever it was—saved your life,' 'My friend, full of arnazerneut, had out his hand, and, in shaking mine warmly, evinced xnore feeling than I had over given him credit for. Of course, of course, old merit' he said, I know you didn't mean anything; only I was taken by surprise, as well I might bo, for I was tremendously fond of Rose Naughton once -am so etill for the matter of that—and the sight of herface rather took me aback. We were half engaged once, only her old mother broke it Off, and I was angry and hasty, and—and I dropped them, and have been sorry over since; and then, I was too proud, and, in eliort, hey° -Made • an ass of myself. Do yea know' where she is now? Do you .kuow where she has gone ?' . but I cau And out..' • I WiBil you would; foxafter all you tell me, 'lave a • i strong nclination to follow het and try my luck—try if fortune will turnher wheel for my benefit.' - 'Mst certaiely do so you would be flying in her face if you aid not; for really this is the Most astounding thing, on the whole, that over „bappened to a fel- low. There must have beeu some myste- rious ageney at work when you were thrown SQ close together that night without either of you knowing it. Say that the appear- ance was but it vapor of the brain; partly due to ill health and uneasy sleep, still its aspeet and nature aro clearly traeeable to Miss Naughton's aresence hazel. by 'and mere coincidence is not sufficieut to account for v.11 that happened.' 'Very marvellous, tralya :wad ho, and we'can only call it as the "'guard did, the ghost•of a chance.' , Still, whatever it was, it hardly accounts for the ear -ring being in my compartment; 'that, as I originally wtote, was not the ghost. of an oar -ring; how do we got over that?' 4Aha I answer - 'we a,re as far off in the solution of that as ever. Never mind; be thankful that things are as they aro, will ateertaiti from my wife Miss Naughton's present ad- dress„and alo you go and see if sae earl ex: plain tilt, mystery,' He followed my advaSe. and he finally inarried Rose-- Naughton, • of courso ; but , still it • was . limo thne alefete hify. light Was' tilt:Own ou a'elit-tiria- iclA, of -themystery. •This eventually mune, liowever,"thuswise : In the Ours° of the ;whirligig of society in which my friend and hie wife move,,there has turned up- a young man, who sees:one of the' ball party. on that fatal night, and, he tiara- explains -the ettigrna; He sayslewaslate,- and was luttaying aloag the. plitt clatafie-----arlaiterbo- rower when MisaaNaugliton and her friend's were trying to find seats: ' They were a lit- tle ahead. of him, andi the- confusion she Must hate dropped one of her ean:rioga; for Ite.picked it up, and fearing to • be left he- hinda-for the whistle was sounding—he made it dash at the nearest carriage. • • 'The window was open, but the door wee locked, and on precipitately.thrusting in his. head to see if there was room his , elbow -struck ageinst the edge oath° data and the • blow -jerked th,e trinket ottt dins lend te• t1M further side of the eartiage and .ricroris the. legs of it recumbent passenger half • asleep. • There was n� time to arouse the passenger. or 'cell the guard, the train being actually in Motion -; and it was only ,by -jumping Mai the next -compartment that he made:pet to.save hilnaelf froth. being left. behind. Ofcourse he concluded that he should recover the .• ear -ring when they stopped at Grantham ; but then came the accident, and the loss of •the ear -ring wits held • of late; account—albeitit was a. potent•feater an saving my friend's life: . ^ TIME 'TORNADO'S WALNUT, Ron' a Weather Prophet Accounts Wor Before the day of Vernier,or, rather, before thea day of Veonor's 'renown, the favorite weather sharp was Prof. J. H. . Tice, of St: Louie, Siyil0 made, some famous prophetic hits, but did it once ontwice too often, and fell a victim to his ander:city.' Tice ,emerges from partial obscurity on the timely tope of tornadoes, which, he dis- coVered, have it surprising affeotion for Metals. They seize on foofs covered with tin, . copper, zinc; or iron in preference to roofs covered with shingles"; they- hunt out ploughs • and all other agricultural implements -in part made of iron, and wreck them they prefer 'railroad towns to other towns, and tear up • the tracks, especially near stations, where there aro tae inost tracks ; they like to ruin niachine flops mote than othetshops ; thoy swoop on wells, ponds and streams, and drink them dry. .Waiving the facts; what is the iiaference? Plainly an electric charge in the tamale, which aeeks iron ana water, rails, wet fences . and trees,. and the "varibas metellie 'substances spoken -of., Prof. Tice's theora df an elec- •tric origin oractorapaniment of tornadoes is ingeoious and interesting ; if the facts should fail to support it, eo =oh the worse for facts. . • . • ' • IlltesiCal and Dramatic. • The Boston museum has been torn down and is being rebuilt.. " • Lawrence Barrett WM 0110 Of the first.to • telegraph congratulations to Mr. Garfield.. John McCullough, john T. Ilaymond and Sothern sailed for Europe last week. If business isageod Bap:need will remain for an indefinite period. The others go for fun. , -lltwcrly ni now said to have ongeged Blandin, the tight -repo Walker, for catour of the United States,next sermon.' Bloraliii is now in Pesth, Hungary, perforraine at the public garderi. Mr. Edwin BoOth's last appearance be- fore his departure for Europe wilt be made about Juno 24th, ab tho Mattison square theatte, Now York, as 'Potruchio,' in aid of 3, shaft raernerial to the wife of Edgar Allen Poe, whose romaius are abont to be transferred to Battling° and plaaea beside those of hex; husband. john Ilabborton has just completed it BBNV play, of whioh itn eeporienced critic speaks hiighuby The first and last acts aro stipposed betake plaeo in Now Euglend, itiad aro fetid to be very poetic, almost idyllic in their Character. The scene in the second and third Acta is laid. in Virginia city, Nevada, and the action:As 'bustling and melodratiaatie somewhat after tho manner of 'tho Danitos.' A F.A.T,IILL A Warmer Fatally Poisoned by Entil,ng Roots — Narrow Etelitpe of tsoverai other *croons - On Wednesday six persons were poison- ed* York to wnehip by the eatingof a, root dug up in the woods in mistake for Sweet ,Cicoley, a plant much prized and partaken of by young people in the country. Mr. Jacob finider, a farmer, aged about 50 years, and his son Jahn, a youth of 19, living on, lot 20, 3rd concession, in the morning came acrosif what, they supposed to be the favorite plant, dug it up,and nee some of • it, retaining a quantity for the future use of them- selves and their friends. In the evening, before tea, they partook of more of it, also after tea again, giving some to a family living near thena, composed of Mr. Ross, a. scbool teacher, his wife and two children, all of wham ate of it, though more spar- ingly than did the Sniders. About 0 o'clock Mr. Snider and hisson were taken violently ill, the younger vomiting very freely, which was the saving of Welke. Tbe lad partook freely of milk and continued vomiting for it length of time, till be was completely re- lieved t- of the contents of the stomach. The father was taken witk con- vulsions, and the spasms 'were both rapid and violent, Tile family became alarmed, warned the Ross family of thdir danger, and they, by the, prompt use of emetics, • threw oft the poison, then bat lately taken. Attempts to relieve 'Mr. Snider bcingtm- availing, it doctor was sent for to Thornhill, but be did not arrive till about 10 o'clock, by which time the chief victim.of -tha poison was past all human ell, The -Con- vulsions had completely exhausted Ids strong frame; pulsationhad ceased. to be appaterat, and breathing was fitful and stertorous, mulles soon died in great agony, the body turning blaek. Tlie other vietims of the poison were prenounced out of danger, olm Snider having had :themost seVere. symptoms. The teacher and his family had no illness beyond that caused by the emetics they had taken. The deceased was an old settler. Ile leaves a wife and six children, A specimen of the poisonous plant was team to Toronto for ideritifica- tion. So far as, from its withered etate, it could be identified, it was found to be Ciente maculate, or watenhemlock, a plant growing in marstiy places„ butamt comment in, Canada,: • „The root of the ,Cienta, is ex- tyomely poisonous. 1± 18 a,nlimbelliferous plant, as is also the Cismorrhiza tongisty- lis, or Sweet Cliceley, which it somewhat resembles in loaf and etem. The plants differ in the shape of their roots, the Ciceley Wing longer and of it more tapered shape. The Clout& root ie knotted and irregular in shape: The Ciceley grows in wet meadows, *bile the pureot0iceleygrowsin the woods. Prices of Iron and Steel Rails. The report of the 'secretary of the Ameri- can Iron and Steel Association contains the following interesting statements relating to fluptuationa in the price of iron and steel rails The average . yearly prices at which iron rails heve been sold in this Country during the past nine year]] are givep below, atlidatentattitafe ben-airafeatabotitaTidnaallata-tit. I-'hiladelphia per gross ton: ' . • . 988 85 1877, 852,5" 187:372 . 70 ' .1878 33 75 .1874 ..... ... . . 5$ 75 1879 41 25 1875........:,,....4%74 • • :•, The .loweat caMted prictt at eihieh iron -rails hate • been solaant Ala eouotry was: thattimetii0itAdilApTilt,Qb1e8ri9;8t7117.erae. saPra°m sa steady advance 'to ,a35.40, and -from April until the olds) of the year there was as rapid advance to:54. InJanuary of this year there was a sudden jump. to 665; And. in February sales wore made at t 68. .Since February the price has fallen to 050 at the Middle of May. The averdge yearly prices at which Bessemer steel • rails have been sold in this country, since 1868, ate asfob bowtha sPrreersagit°8fletatteric°1"lifiejaa'fig.R.uttsuegyiLeitnabiaeling ic '15850 41874 604 25 .1888708 1871 166 75 , 1876 59 25 13215 1875 68 75 102 50 1877 45 50 187t • 112108 5880 • 1188770 48 25 8 The lowest.qUoted price at which Be4s2se25 1873 - iner ateel rails have ever been seta in this country Was 140 it ton in Novmber and De- aenther„1877. Frem this price there *DB gradual advance to a43,50 in May, 18.78; but thin price was -not rattiiitaihed through-. out the year, sales 'benig made in December at 041. But Iran this time forward the pricesteadily advanced until September, 1879, when it touched 65Q. From Septem- ber, 1879, to February,- 1880, there was it rapid advance to 185, from -which price there his since -been an equally rapid decline to a65 at the. middle,. of • May. ---Railway World. , T.Iiiteg8 Everybody Ought ell 7iiiknow: An iriventive.gehtue filled n, small tarlton sack with a:spoonful of cayenne pepper and tacted it ever the rat -hole. When the rat bounced out, his eyes, were peppered by the siftingfrom the shaken sack. He squealed like a pig and escaped.- The whole tribe have since migrated. Decaying vegetables in dwelling -house "cellars, with defective ventilation and drainage,provide employ- ment fertile doctor aocl grave -digger. •Rub- ber makes it serviceable covering for the bit of a tender -mouthed horse. Each side of the bit should bo protected with it stiff, 'sir- cular*Piece of leather. Kerosene oil ana. Ivanaiblack make the best paintfor lettering packages for shipment, drying quickly. Koeosene should be used to renaove gum from axle -trees before oiling. Bones suffi- cient to fertilize ten acres are scattered about most terms. Our plasteranills can grind them. Throw thio n e house slops' o the eompost heap. Is there any other safe place.for them on the farm grounds? Tho value of the:Joe/iliac& in a large family, for rtilizing, is considerable. Milk and eggs o palatable, healthful and ecouomical articles of food, They &role() common with tutaliste for just appreciatiom Hoop iron and edgings from the lumber yard, of tariona °lees, n,ccomplisli wouderful results in re- pair and construction on the tuna in in- genious hands. Supplies from the luird- ware stems aro often worth • many times then! vale°. A five cent bolt is client; 54±54 dollar -when needed for repairing sudden 'breaks; No nurseryman can dispense with willows for tying bundles. • They aro ovally valuable to farmers, and may be grown as readily' as elders. in any inoist 11y horseshoer says the hoof should not be paired at tile heel. Being meet) easily bet than tIM toe, it is often the point of attnek, resulting. in tenderness of foot. Bueltwlieat flour islinproved by adding say one-third Graham fiour. Wo experimented with harrowlea wheat fields this spring tnefOloini to sowing clover seed—Con N. Y. Tribune. • narkooPoro, Attention! On and after the 1st day of July limit you must remove all ttacos of the excise stamp feom empty cigar boxes. Vise you will break the law, and be liable to heavy polialty. The A.cton Free Press man premiseslx send hi paper for ten oonts a 'week to ' per- sons gouig 4/into the country!' Great .Citesart 110V7 a follow Mud enjoy the quiet of country life after a prolonged resi- donee in metropeliten Acton! IRISH NOTES* The remains of the late Bev, T. O'Reilly wore removed front the late residence, of Dr, McCabe, Archbishop .of PUblin„ iu liwgstown, to the cathedral, in Dublin, where high Wasu . was celebrated, after which interment took place, the remains being placed in the cathedral vaults. One night recently it large party of onen. entered the bouse of it man named.Thosa Padden, at Glenbaon, coontyMayo, dragged him out of, becl and carried him to aarver four miles off, whore they dilated him in the water until tife was ahricatt extinct.. They then departed, leaving him to to borne as best he might. The reason alleged. for the outrage is that Padden had /ately taken a, SMBli farm against the wish of the inhabitants of the locality. An apparently very poor pedler died lately at Kihnimow, eounty Kilkenny. On searchi ng his cloth es bank receipts for X2,000 ,were found concealed in them. As he died without making is will, claimants are crop- ping up in abundance in the shape -of 'next of kin' from the neighborhood. of Tocnna,va- rya near Nenagla The mime of the wan was John Egan. Ile was born in theparish of Toonaavara, which place he left sixty years ago 'to seek hut fortune by ped- dling, . The Loudon Tablet (Roman Catholic), reviewing the evidence laid before the laccIesivatical • Commission appointed by Archbishop Mellale, of Thum, to examine into the apparitions alleged to hay° taken place at Knock, in Ireland, and the miracu- lous cures averred to have followed, says: We must of course reserve our judement a - until ecolesluetical ituthoritphas prey:min- ced. Ron the character of tho phenomena, bait is difficult to ;eget the force of the • depoeitions ; and while the apparitions appear to be well attested, there connot be a doubt that remarkable cures have been obtained.' • Among the regretted of the late Parlia- ment stands foremost li.tajor WGotnian, who,, both socially andphysically, will leave it large vacant space, The major leaped into fame with a bound. His first. „ speech encliainea the rfouse, and he never lost his asceuclancy. With the exception of Gladstone and Lowe, he was the only mom. her who dare quote Horace. He trolled forth the hexarneterain, it voice o1-thundera the deg:Ince of the ;lain receiving a fresh grace • from a, slight touch of the brogue. When about to make e quotation he pulled himself together, ati if be were about to take a five-foot wall, and then went over it with a rush, the thunder of his voice being lost in the uproarious applause that hailed the aecomplishment of the feat. A singular action has been tried in Dub - lie, in which a Dublin car owner and. driver claimed £23 from a young gentle- man from county Wealord, pamed. Lett, for car fare. He cleponed that he wasketit driving Mr. Lett about town sometimes for , seven hours et a stretch. The defendant said he had already given him,a great deal of money and now offered him £10, whieh 4116.eiaarettakesd_patai. atBalarthounp,D_woleiet,4:ns:ahtargiiviz_.• the jaryasaid a famousliterary Indy once a__,„„„;_aa est city in the -world, but after this Case Wexford: hadit right to claim, part of this -NV-rattail "pia" yaldt L ett-w-oar certainly —a the cardrivingist young man in his expo- , rience. According to the 'evidence, for• fironty-two days inceisantly, Morn, nooria and night, he. was driving aleut on this ' ..- .Cart like a areat. many . other young, Meltaa hearing tlfe chimes at Midnight, and get- • ting very little benefit by them except the ieraixider of the timei they had; misapplied. • 'Teachers- and Scholars. .• . ' There are sixt.'y students in attendance • at the Guelph Agricultural College, and. more aro to arrive. ' • ' • ' Prize Of a100 has been offered by the Royal College of Physicians, Leaden,. for the beet essey onhydrophobia. • The Othaese have had a unifornt series of text -books, for as.e in Cahoots, unchanged for More than 3,000 years:. • '• • Several gentlemen in Huddersfield, Eng;- land, have guaranteed 210,000 towards the erection :of new *technical schools in that town. Another £10,000 . is said tie be re- quired for the porpose, ' ' ' Milwaukee will establish .shortly lafree• kindergarten, upon the plan of the St. Louis kindergarten. The an Francisco Board of Education has appointed it dome mittee to consider the whole eysterat •of ; - kindergarten instruCtion,. and "to • consider the advisability of adoptingit in °mote, tion with the public wheel eye's= of California. • • • • , The 'University of itTatiitoba, has in affillation,with it three colleges, one Reinert Catholic (St, Boniface), one Church a England (St. John's) and. one Presbyterian, Manitoba, College.. Each of these colleges elects 7 aeprosentratives, Convocation. elects. 3 andthe Board of. Pliblic &hoots elect 2. These, with it vice-ehancellor elected by themselves and a chancellor appointed by the Provincial Government, make up the University Connell of 27 members. , Tte Fruit Growers' Association hate oh' tained permission from the .Government te conduct la stories of experiraents at the Model Farrn With:a large variety of fruit, and fewest trees. An arboretum has also been formed where every kind of tree and shrub will be gradually introduceli as. Lound Imitable -to-the climate, both from 'Various parte of te Dominica:1 and of the world. The jam]: is to teet every sett of tree °tally practical value, have them pro- perly labelled for reference vaid teport an- nually as may be required: Lieut. Landsberg, whose muide of his friend Vlasoff ,for mercenary. motives caused a paiefill frensation sometinie ago, Its he was engaged to one of the daughters Of General Todleben, has been recently despatched, in ;company with a• number of other, conaiets, to tho 'fortress of Eskoff, whore he will remain pending the comple- tion of the arrangements for his transporta- tion to Saghalien. Ilia -confinement in prisonat Sti, Petersburg has add greatly on his health and it ire doubtful whether lie will 'survive his fifteen years' 'exile. lie 19 only twenty-fiv,e. Whoa his term is up he will be sot free from coufinments but only then oh condition that he "never quits the Jaritaliction et Siberia: Thb daughter 04 Todloben to whonitio was engaged, •is. in a decliee, induced by grief... Tho 'World chfelares that London seciety has hem rather startled by the announce- ment of the approaching marriage of the Eari of Malmosbury with Mrs. Lorene. The noble bridegroom is in his 72nd year Ana the bride, whose first huehand was one of the vietinni of the Zulti war, is about half that age, The Countess of ,Malittosbury was the sister of the Bari ef Tankerville raid. died .without leaving any • children. Muoli sympathy is, therefore, felt with the heir presumptive amnia family at the fin - pending but unexpected change in their rS°Sti:itiE,Ii's said to be explosive. It causes ixplosions ill tho family,When the old man finds it has boon left Out of his collars. In the Salt Lake City flate appeare *Ina sign Bing the OD hell for the oldest h "