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The Exeter Advocate, 1892-10-20, Page 6LADY CARAVEN • Or Married Abone Her Station. CHAPTER 1. HE time wan noon a 0,brilliant June day, the places a gloomy office in a London °court valueh belonged to Arley Ransom—a equere room that contained tables coeered with deeds and pepere, iron eafell seettrelyfastened, shelve' s filled with werke on. the Britisll law and constitution, bill.files that could literally hold no more, maps of different estates lying carelessly open, large ink- stands, pone,sheets of blotting-piaper. There was a mingled oclor of parchment and sealing wax. The gun, bright as it was, :mulct not manage to shine into the room— the grim, gloomy windown absolutely re- fused to admit, hie rays ; yet, dark and gloomy as the place appeared, there was a prosperous look aboet it—an atmosphere of business warned to prevade it. Pen in hand, his keen, shrewd •face lull of deep thought, the owner and occupier, Arli y Ransom°, sat at the square table, a tarns parchment deed spread open before htzn. Be was oblivious of everything ex - cent the sheet at which he was looking. Drowsy flies hummed and buzzed in the wiedow-pienes and he never heard them; they committed suloide in the great ink - steads, and he never saw them. To the shining sun and the bright aummer morning he was equally indifferent. He read on and on the lines of his face relaxing until a cold satirical smile curled his lips. He started as though half alarmed when his clerk, opening the door of his room, sud- denly announced-- " The Earl of Oaraven, sir." "1 am reedy to see him," was the reply. But, before the Earl entered, the lawyer quickly folded up and put away the deed that had engrossed his attention. "Am I too soon 2" asked a mellow, indo- lent voice. Arley Ransome looked upiwith a smile at the speaker. "To, my lord; I was expecting you." "It is something after the fashion in Which a spider expects a fly," said the young nobleman. "There is one thing to be said, lam a perfectly resigned fly. I know that evil hours await me, and I am prepared for them." The clerk placed a ohair, and at a signal from his master, quitted the room but the Earl of Caraven d.eclined. the proffered seat. He stood by the mantelpiece leaning with voteless grace upon it. "It is not the thing to smoke in a law- yer's office," he said, " but I must ask per- mission to do so. I shall derive some sort of comfort from .Arley Ransome bowed, and the Earl of Caraven applied himself to the task of selecting and lighting a cigar. "I suppose," he said, "that I should furnish an excellent moral as a lesson for all bad boys." "You would form an excellent warning, my lord," was the grave reply. "It is the same thing. And now I am prepared for the worst. What is it ?" Arley Ransome looked at the speaker. There was something of admiration, of pity and of contempt in the long -lingering glance of those shrewd eyes; yet he could not have looked at a coznelier face or figure than those of the young Earl. Handsome, with a worn, haggard kind of beauty that told its own story—that told of days and nights spent in wild dissipation, told oE prodigal habits of an utter absence nign,--aff selitcontrol, • dean dam idle, useless, pur. poseless life, of a nature spoiled and vitiated —the face might have been a noble one but for the lines that self indulgence had • marked there. The head was well shaped and proudly set; it was covered with clus- ters of fair hair, waving in lines of perfect beauty from a broad white brow. The face self was clearly out, with handsome features, dark -blue eyes, clear, straight brows ; the lips were well shaped, and half hidden by a fair, drooping moustache. The figure was tall, well knit, finely formed, • with a certain careless, met, grace. The Earl of Caraven, as he stood awaiting his sentence, was a handsome and comely young Englishman in the apriugtide of life, retain- • ing much of his natural strength and vigor, although ho had done his best to destroy them. There was no trembling, no hesitation in his manner; his easy grace and no2zeha4znce did not desert him even while he listened to words that must have been terrible to him. "Now, Mr. Ransome," he eaid at last, with haughty impatience, "there is no need, figuratively speaking, to keep the axe suspended over my head; tell me the worst at once," " The worst, my lord, is utter, irretriev- able ruin—ruin so ecnrplete and so entire that I do not see a chance of saving even one shilling from the wreck." The Earl listened quite calmly; his lips, half hidden by the fair moustache, grew a trifle paler—but there was no flinching in the handsome, haggard face. " Utter ruin," he repeated. "Well, as • they say in bonnie -Scotland, you cannot both eat your cake tend have it.' " True, my lord;" assented the lawyer. "1 have eaten my cake," contiinted the younger man—" and I do not deny that the taste of it is bitter enough in my mouth—it has turned to ashes, like Dead Sea Fruit. Still, it is eaten, and there is an end of it." "iIt is eaten indeed," said the lawyer. "Won see no loophole-- you eau suggest nothing ?" said the Earl. "Every loophole is closed, my lord," was the brief reply. "And yeti are quite sure, Ransome, that there is nothing left on which I can borrow money—nothing more that I can mortgage 2" "I believe honestly that the only object belongirg to the Rievensinere estates which remains unmortgaged, my lord, is yourself," 'replied Arley Ransome. "It is equally euro that no one will lend money on me," said Lord Caravan laugh- ngly. "Give me—not the details, but a resutne ; give me some faint idea of how I etand." • Arley Ramoine, lawyer and money -lender, the calm, immutable man of business, looked at the young Earl—perhaps he wondered at his perfect calmnees then he glanced at a • sheet of paper lying on the deals. "It will not be pleaeant to hear, Lord araven," he 'laid slowly; "bub you aek or it. To begin. Al the age of 21 you .succeeded to the Ravensmere estates and title ; the estatee were clear of all debte and encumbrance ; the rent -roll was thirty thousand per annum ; there was besides a sum of fifty thousand pounds in the funds, the savings of the late Earl—that ia cor. eet, I believe?" "Quito em," Was the curt reply. " You are now 28 years of age, my lord, and in eeveit years you have run through a • ortune." • "Keep to fade no comments—plain • actin"' said the Esti:, "The 'plain facts are Owed," continuect the lanayet—" the fifty theumnd Went, elieve, to pay the first yeat'a 1000es On the erby." • "Yet my horse won," interrupted Lord Oaraven." "The winning of that Derby Was yonr ruin, nay lotd, After that you ciontintrally •forestalled your inmime by borrowing money ; then your losses on the turf and the gaintrigtable were BO great that you Were oempelled to raise a heavy mortgage on the estate; then yoe borrowed money on the Octaves, the plate, and the furniture at Rawousmere. In fact, my lord, bliefly told, your situaii situation is this—.you in you ie hopelessly, helplessly ruined. You owe warty thousand pounds mortgageonouey ; you owe forty thousand pounds borrowed naoney—and you have nothing to pay it with. You received notice front me six months eiuce that the Mortnageonouey was called in. Ualesa it is paid in six weeks from now, the estate— Ravon,smere Castle, with all its belongings —paws from. yea ; it will be edited with all it contaiaan • "And you aro quite pure that I can borrow uo more 2" asked the Earl. "Quite sure, my lord ; you have sold all the timber that you could sell, as I told you —the only thing left is yourself." "Then unless 1 repay sixty thousand • Pounds in six weeks, Ravenamere becomes the property of the men who lout the mousy?' "Precisely so," replied Atley Ransoms. "Then I hope he may live to enjoy it, for I have not eixty shillings. Hush, he °entitled, seeing that the lawyer was about to speak--" DO comments 1 1 ant a ruined mean as you any ; but I will not submit to criticism. I say frankly that I have been a wicked epeudthrifti—a prodigal; I san frankly that if I could begin life again I would live differently. I have been worse than a fool—I have been a dupe. It is all over now, and I have the price of my folly to yens." It is a bitter price, too, my lord. May I ask what you think of doing ?" "You may aak—I know iao answer. In six weeks I lox Ravensmere, and with it all sources of income; and besides that I am forty thouee.nd pounds in delen and I have not forty shilliogs to pay in with. It seems to me there is but one thing to be done." Arley Rau:mine looked up anxiously. " What is that ?" he asked. "1 had better invest the trifle I have remaining in the purolasee of a revolver— you ran imagine for what purpose ; it will be but a atting end to such a career as mine. I really do not think, Ransome, that I have had a hundred thousand pounds' worth of pleasure. What comments the news -papers will make upon me ! They will head their paragraphs, Suicide of a Spendthrift Earl '—they will draw excellent morals and warnings from my fate. Men of my age will read it, and think what a dupe I must have been; it will not be a noble ending for the last of the Caravens." "Ib will not indeed," said Arley Ran - some. "1 remember that on the day I came of age I meant to 'do better than this—Ran- some, before heaven 1 did. They called me the handsome, the hospitable .Eael ; now my title is the spendthrift, the ruined Earl. I cannot beg, I cannot work, I cannot live without money and luxury and pleasure; without these I must die. He spoke calmly, as though he were arranging some plan of travel. Arley Rau - some looked admiringly at him. "How this blue blood 'tells 1" thought the lawyer. " f3ome men would have cried and moaned, would have asked for time and pity. He faces ruin Much as his ancestors faced death on the battlefield." Then, seeing the Earns eyes fixed on him, he said. " It is a. sorry ending, my lord." "Yes ; a sorry ending for the last of the Caravens. My poor father called me Ulric, after one of our ancestors who savedaling's life by his bravery. I have not been a worthy descendant of the Ulrio Caravan who received in • hie own breast the sword • meant for his liege lord. There is nothing for it, Ransome, but the revolver. • I have lived like a king, I have spent royalty—I have given royalty, too, but that does not matter ; I have done good, as I believed; I have lavished thousands; I have gambled and betted; I have poured out wealth like water under my feet. New it is over; it has been a short life, but a merry one. I could not live in poverty; I. could not count shillings and pounds, measure, weigh and calculate. I loathe the name and • thought of poverty. Awl have lived, so I must d,e. I deserve no better fate." Arley Ransome looted en the calm, hand- some face. "You do not seriously mean that you will take your own life, my lord ?" he inter- rogated. "Ib seems to be the only thing left for me to take," replied thei Earl; "I have lost everything else.' "Will you listen to me, Lord Caraven —listen in patience? I have something to say.", • The Earl laid down his cigar. The lawyer was so earnest, so intent, that he carried the other's weaker will with him. "I have worked hard all any life," said Arley Ransome—" Worked as few men have ever done before --from sunrise to unset, and often through the long, silent night. • I have worked because I kve money—because I am ambitious; bee:ease I have had an end in view. You know, my lord, that besides pracnising as a lawyer I have been, and am now, a money -lender; it is no news to you thatI advanced the mortgage -money on Ravensmere, and that, unless you can pay it the estate becomes mine." The Earl's pale handsome face flushed hotly. It was hard to picture bis grand ancestral home in the plebian hands of a money -lender. "There is, aa Milton says, a lower depth,' and Ravenamere will fall into it," he said. "It becomes mine," continued Arley Ransome. "The castle, the estate, the plate, the pictures—they are all mine. Now listen, my lord. I have made a for- tune; you inherited one, I have made ene." "Yon might well do so, lending money at a hundred per cent." "Never mind how it has been made - 1 have it," said the lawyer ; "and my fortune amounts to two hundred thowie,nd pounds." "Heaven help those by whom you have made it." "Ib has been honestly made. You have gambled, my lord ; I have speculated—. and my speculations home all turned out well. • I have two hundred thousand pounds, and—I have a daughter." His voice sank, as though he were somewhat ashamed of hip words; then he continued, "1 have made money because I love ib; want to make a position bents° I am am- bitious. Would to 'Heaven that I had a eon ! I have spent roy life toiling in these gloomy offices; hope has brightened them. Would to heaven that I had aeon to carry out my dreams, my hopes, my plans. If I had a Son to succeed ole, my lord, / would foreckee at once, and make him minter of Revensinere," "Thank you," interposed Lord Caraven. "1 have a daughter, ant elle must take the place I would fain have given to my bey. My lord, nmake you thia offer. You ate a ruined Man—you tell me there reMains for you no 'lope, nothing but death. Now, I will give you life, liberty, wealth. I will make you greater than any of the Earls of Caraven have been yet. I will give my daughter a dowry of two hundred thotisand potinde if you will marry her" Lord Caravon lost hid seligmeinnglion for one nelfoninute ; he literally looked as he felt, bewildered. "I do nob underetand," he said, slowly, "hon I will wake my meaning even plainer," remarked Arley Ransom°. "Make nty daughter ()outings of Oaravem and 1, in returnA will make you a doh men." The End langhed a little incredulous laugh that made the lawyer's face flush., " Listen, my lord," he said ; " wait be. fore you speak. I am ambitious—I am ambitious for my daughter. Make her Countess a Ceram, and hear what 1 will do for you. I will first pay the mortgage money, the gixty thousand pounds; 1 will clear the estate of all incumbraume, and you shall have your renttoll free. I will elso.pay the forty thousand that you owe, leaving you a free man. The rest of the money 1 shah settle on any daughter for her own use and benefit. Think before you answer me." "1• am not a slave dealer," was the quiet reply. "Nor aml, my lord. I am speaking of my daughter, who is no slave." Yet you are selling her as a Southern" planter might have bold his servant," re- plied the Earl. "Nothing of the kind, Lord Caraven. I want rank—you want money. Give me rank -1 will give you money. It ie a fair, honest bargain." "1 have been a spendthrift and a prodi- gal, but I have not fallen so low -as than, Mr. Ranaome. I do not • think that I shall purchase my life, .my safety, my fortune with a woraarne gold. " It is not a woman's gold ; it is mine, my lord," said the lawyer. ' " Marry my daughter, and you will not have another care in the world. She will be happy, you will be free and wealthy, I shall be coin tent." " I have known the time," remarked Lord Caravan, "when I should have horse -whipped any man who dared to make such a proposition to me. I imagine all fine feeling has beemne extinct in me. Can you not manageall this for me without aelt- ing me to marry your daughter 2" " No," replied the lawyer, quietly. "As I have told you, if I hada aon, he should have been master of Ravensmere ; failing than my daughter must be it mistress." "Web with my coneent," said the Earl, haughtily. "Your refusal to marry her makes her more certainly so. If you refuse—if you prefer ruin, disgrace, dishonor, shame and death to marrying an innocent girl, whose fortune would set you straight in the world —it is at your own option. If you refuse o make my daughter Countess of Caraven, in two months' time she will be known over the land as Miss Ransome, of Ravensmere, you will have gained nothing by your refusal." The earl saw it, and for the first time dui ing the interview the calmness of his face and manner was broken. "1 have never seen the girl—I do not know if I oould endure her. I tell you, Ransom°, this affair of yours outrivals tho bids in the slaveonarkets." "Nonsense, my lord; I have only copied a French custom, Ail that nonsense about love is but a relic of barbarism. The French are the most civilized of matrons. How do they arrange their marriages ? Just as I wish to arrange this. Who hears of love before marriage with them? You want money—I offer you a certain sum, with a fair young wife." "You must know that, although I am a ruined man, there ia an immense difference between the Earl of Caravan and the daughter of a money -lender," said the young nobleman. "There ran be no hap- piness in marriage where there is so great, an inequality." "The advantages and the losses are equal, in replied Arley. There are men who, many place, would not act as I am doing, who wouli think twice before offering wife and fortune to one—pardon Ine—so little deserving them." "You cannot care much for your daughter, to be willing to sacrifice her to a spend- thrift," said the Earl. "My lord, each one amongst us has his price. I want title, rank and position for my daughter. You can give them to her. You want wealth—she will bring that to you. Will you give me an answer ?" "I should not purchase a picture without looking at inn said the Earl. "1 cannot promise no marry a lady whom I have never seen."' "You shall Enie, her, my lord—at once, if you will." The Earl looked around him. "Where?" he asked briefly. The lawyer's' face flushed. "I do not keep my daughter here, Lord Caravan, amongst deeds and papers. She is a lady by education, and lives at her old home." "Where is that?" linked the Earl care- lessly. "At the Rolla:in near Kew, my lord. If you please we will drive down there." "I do not know—it is not right—I do not "care to save myself in such a fashion. Even if I married your daugh- ter, I ani quite sure that I should not like her." • " Every one likes Hildred," said Mr. Ransome. " Hildred 1 That is a pretty, quaint name," said the Earl. "1 do not mind going to the Hollies with you, but I make no promise. If I should not like your daughter she would be very miser- able." "As you will, my lord; I shall urge no more. I am determined that my daughter shall marry into the peerage; my whole heart is set upon it. You are not the only nobleman on my books. I will say no more about it. You will have the money for inc or give up Ravensmere at the appointed time. While the lawyer urged him Lord Caraven had been firm in his refuel. Now that he stood face to face with bitter black ruin, shame and disgrace, with ignominy and death, now that the urgent pleading ceased, he nt once began to waver. "1 will go down to yourplace with you," he said. ' As you please, my lord," was the cau- tious answer. • Mr. Ransome began to perceive that the lesa he said the better it would be for his Mime. "My cab in at the door," contintied the Eatl. "We can go in that" Without another word they atarted. Lord Caranen feeling more decidedly ashatned of himself than he had felt yet. It was one thing to be considered' the " faiiteit" man, the greeted Spendthrift of the day, and another to purchase his safety by such a marriage aothie„ "A moneynender'S daughter! I cannot do It,” he said to himself More than once. "She is sure to be velgar she Will have red hair, and will be highly clelighted at the idea of 'tieing a eounteas. What should I do with such a wife—I who have worshipped a hundred beautiful women?" CHAPTER IL The Earl of Caraven was on the .Whole rather surprised when the cab stopped. The llolliee wag of far greater extent than he had thought—a pretty villa standing in ite grounds, those same groundst beautifully raid out. On this bright June morning he a fountain, the nrooping branches of a grand old cedar ; and he owned to himself that it weis a far better etyle of placo than he had expected to me. He mid so to Ma Ran. Berne, Who answered ouietly than he might be as agrembly surprised about him da,ugh- ter as he had been abeut his house. • Lord Caravenns facie fell. "1)o you know, I had almoat forgotten why I was hem," he tsaid. "1 have the grace left to feel etihkried of myself." ' Without anothewsfrord the lawyer en- tered the hogs:watt% Earl following him. " Whore isninriss Ransome 7" aeked the master of the place. " nay that, I want her at ones," Again, when they entered the drawing. room, Lord Caraven was agreeably sur- prised, Whatever else it might be, it was not a vulgar room ; there was no new gttilding, no tawdry cotoring ; in was all harmouy—a room filled with soft rose.light and the odor of fragrant flowers—a room that gave one the unpreseiou that a lady used ib; no vulgar woman, no would.be fine lady would have given so refined a character to a room. , He was pleased without knowing why. The day was warm and sultry; he was tired, and the fragrance, the silence, tho plea,sant (bade of the room'poothed There was a wind of footsteps. Mr. Ransome rose hurriedly. , "Hero is my daughter," he said, Lord Caraven looked up with some faint gleam of enelosity. He had elected a vulgar schoolgirl, a pert, aaleoted miss," who would smile and blush, and exercise all the arts of coquetry that she had learned an some third-rate boardingaohool. He was quite wrong. He saw before him a tall, slender girl, with beautiful dark eyes and a pale face, a girl graceful and self.porisessed, grave and earnest—not beautiful yet, although there was promise of a magnificent womanhood. No, certainly she was not beautiful ; her figure was tall and slender, but it lacked roundness and grace. The hands were beautiful, but the arms were thia ; there was something too nauch of the child, withoub sufficient of the gram ot the woman. "She is not vulgar at 'wan" he said to himself, as the grave dark eyes matins own. "1 should really have run away had she been what my fancy painted her—thank heaven she is not 1 Unformen, shy, inex- perienced, half frightened, what a wife kr me—what a mistress for Ravensmere ! I have no fault to find with her, but I shall never like her." So he thought, as in few, brief words the money.lender introduced his client to his daughter. There was nothing awkward in her manner, but she was shy --frightened. She answered the few questions he asked— her voice was sweet and clear, with a true ring about it that he liked—and then re- lapsed into silence. Her father asked her for mi set of engrav- ings, and, as she crosred the room, Lord Caravan eaw that she had a queenly head, crowned with a profusion of beautiful dark hair '• she also had a pleasant grace 'of move- mentthat for an unformed school girl was rare. "Is it to be Yes' or No ?' " asked ‘Arley Ransome as his daughter passed for a , minute or two out of sight. You have Eeen Hildred now—you can judge for your- self give me your answer." With a sudden smile—and it was wonder- ful how that smile changed his face—Lord Caraven turtle& to his host. "1 really think," he said, "that she is emphatically a nice girl—too nice to be Bae- z' VI's' no sacrifice—she will be happy," replied her father. "Do you say 'Yes' or 'No,' myLord ? Time is moneysto me." You give me less time for consideration than you would give to a man buying a pie. tare, he replied. "I see no hope in any other way; if I did I should refuse. I tell you frankly that I shall never like your daughter; you thrust her upon mo, you make her the only plank between my miserable self and the dark -waters of death. I shall never like her—firsb of all, becauae she is your daughter ; secondly, because she is not at all the style of girl that I do ad- mire." "You are very frank, my lord. Will you answer me one question Do you love any- one else?" • .The young Earl looked puzzled. "The fact ia," he said, "that I have loved so many, I really—" " What I mean is, you are not betrothed —you have never made an offer of marriage to anyone else?" "1 have not had time even to think o marriage—that is why I dislike the idea o it "Then that settles the 'natter. You say Yee,' and I say 'Yes'; Hildred will be willing --girls love position, and she ia very proud." Something akin to pity stirred in the Earl's heart. • "What is Miss Ransome's age?" he asked. ' "She will soon be 18," replied the lawyer. "And," said Lord Cazaven, "so yeuug as that, do you feel no reluctance at giving her to a man who tells you honestly than he will never like her ?" "You will like her well enough in time," replied the lawyer. "Some of the happiest marriages in the world have begun with a , little averaion." . "There might be more hope if mine were a little aversion," said Lord Caraven. "It is something worse. It is profound fatal indifference. Your daughter may be Countess of Caraven, if that be your ambi- tion, but she will never be loved wife of mina. She is not the style of girl that I admire, She is shy, unformed. I like graceful, lovely, radiant woman; that she Will never be." "She heal the clearest sense, the soundesb judgment, and the beat disposition of any one I know." "Possibly," said the Earl carelessly. " Now you know the terms, it regains for you to say 'Yes.' Your daughter shall be Countess of Caravan'she shall go to court; she shall be leading lady of the country; she will have the family diamontia and all the vain women most desire—liut I shall never love her, and, what is More, I shall never even pretend to do go." Arley Batisome laughed. Hildred will do very well without than" he replied. "Then the bargain is Ant* my lord. We will say nothing to my daughter to -day to -morrow I will speak to her rayselL Allow me to congratu- late yon; you are a free man no*, Lord Caraven, and a wealthy ozie." "1 should have been a wiser one ha n I taken the revolver," he replied ; and thdri Miss Ransome returned with the engrav- ings. After a few courteotia words he went away, leaving Arley Ransoms' in a etate of great delight and elation. The Earl of Caraventhotight more of him- self than of the girl, He was ashamed of the bargain although it wan to save him from rttiti and death. " Every thne I look at her," he said to himself "18 will he a perpetatiel reminder cif the Most oowarnly action of my life. had rather a respect for myself as a thoroughgoing Opendthrift ; I 'despises My- self toi being the chief partner in such a Amu bargain. I ask pardon of all the dead and gone °mavens kr bringing se money - a* flowers and trees, the silver spray of towline, daughter as, Itaanniannate He was ashamed of hiinsolf. Ho had lived without restraint ; but, as his flatterere eatd, " his vices vrere those of a gentleman." He had doue nothing then they considered unworthy of one. He had no broken heart, no ruined honie laid to hie charge. Iu hie way he had always reapeoted innocence and purity. His knits lay in another direetion, It had been the misfortune of Utio, Earl of Ceram', to be born in the purple. All the good qualities innate in him had been carefully etified and stamped out by the most foolish indulgence of parents who auled ineolence and tyranny high spirits, who considered mini:hues clever, who foe- tered his faults instead of correcting them, Ile grew up with the idea% that the world was made for hint—that he, by 40100 wipe- ial privilege, was better than any one else— that everything and everyone meat give way to him. His weak, foolish mother dicd first ; and. as she lay dyin.g some doubt of the wisdom ef her behavior evidently came over her, for the last, words she whis- pered to her Inn:band were "1 am so sorely afraid of the boy." Bat Ulrie'e father had no feer ; he con- tinued the ruinous eystem—the child did as he liked, said what he liked. Azi for restraint of any kind, it never incurred to his parent to exercise it; the boy was de- nied nothing that he wished. He grew up to have ne thought but of himself, So, when the old Earl died, and he sum ceeded, he thought the world was at his feet for him to use as he would ; hie estate was to be burdened end mortgaged to give him money, the tenants were to be die - tressed and hard worked to pay him extra rents. When he disoovered that matters were going wrong, he made them worse by engaging an agent, fl Mr. Blantyre, who was to opprMs more thearlae himself dared to do. There was no restraint on the Earl as a man; he was surroundsd by flatkrers, by bad comnanions ; he soon became a pro- ficient in all fashionable sins, It was an unfortunate day for him when the turf mania seized him. His flatterera-- thom who intended to win Ma mezniy, and who did win it—pereuaden him that he was the best judge of horses in England ; in reality he knew nothing about them. But when he once began betting his career was a short one, In seven years he was a ruined man • still in the spring of his life, he had run 'through a noble fortune. In despair at the prospect before him, he placed all his affairs in the hands of Arley Ransom°, one of the shrewdest and.cleverest men in London. Guided by hint in all things, he had gone steadily to ruin ; and on this bright June day, when the sunshine bade the whole world be gay, he stood is ruined, hopeless, help- less man. Ho was quite serious in saying that he preferred death to life and poverty. He had lived in luxury from the day of hie birth ; death had less horror for him than the ennui, the misery, the loathsomeness of poverty. The day 04MS when he wanted twenty pounds and could not raise it— when Mr. Blantyre threw up hia hands, deelaring the estate had been drained to its last farthing. Then the Earl, suddenly brought to his seriscsi,wrote**todinyley Rau- sonteoasining hroi TA k.nowIlie exact state of his affair,. ' Tte result a as his knowledge of le_ enable ruin. (ro be continued). ffithstonary Work in India. The power of Christian song was eingu larly illustrated in Indite, not long aince, on an occasion when a wealthy Hindu gentle- r:Ian gave is great feast in honor of their god Kirshna. As usual on such occasions dancing girls were employed to give eolat to the entertainment. The' presence and mugs of these danoers aro such as would not be tolerated in a Christian assembly. Yet., to the astonishment of the gentlemen present, when these girls were asked to sing they sang " Wtat a Friend We Have in Jesus 1" aad "Come to Jesus." These hymns had been taught them by a mission- ary lady, and as a result of this strange occurrence the giver of the feaat subse- quently sent his two daughters to be taught hymns like these. In this way entrance was gained into the house of a wealthy family. Hot Water for the Public. The " hot-water fountains" which the Municipal Council of Paris determined last year to establish are in operation on the Boulevard St. Germain, on the south side of • the Seine. The fountain is an elegan t circu- lar column provided with a button, which, being pressed, after placing a sou in the slot, causes about eight quarts of water to be almost instantaneously heated by gas to 65 degrees Reaumur, and passed through a tap into the recipient's pail or can. When this operation is completed an inner weigbt rises and the gas is automatically turned off. The small householders and shop- keepers of the neighborhood are stated to be availing themaelves eagerly of this privilege, which is eventually to be extended to every quarter of the city and suburbs. Lees for a Low Table. One is to put a tray of light refreshments oa the two -foot high table for 5 o'clock tea, but there are: many other uses to whick these little tables lend themselver with grace. The chess player finds sudh a low table, which he Can look down upon, much better suited to his needs than a higher one. It finds an excellent use as a child's study table, and it is a delightful reading table. The Turka, who of all people consult their convenience 'and understand the art. of com- fortably furnishing a room, make general uso of low tables of this kind, which they call coffee tables. It is a fancy of the hour to have therm low tables scattered about one's drawing.roons, and many are copied from the Turkish coffee Mble, .Funny Foote. ' Foote was one day taken into White's Club by a Mend who wanted to write a note. Standing in a room among strangers, he did not appear to feel .quite at ease; when Lord Carinarthen, wiehing to relieve hi a einbarramment, went up to ; but, himself, feeling rather shy, merely aid: Mr. Foote, your handkerehief 40 hang- ing ont of your pocket." Whereupon Foote, looking round aus- piciously, and hurriedly thrusting the hand. - kerchief back into his pocket, replied: " Thank you, my lord, thank you; you know the company better than I do."• ' The honey harvest in Sentland this year is expected to be less plenteous than usual. When a young man pawns his winter overcoat to obtain a bouquet for a young lady friend it is ne sign that he is very meth in love. He may be just an ordinary 16f :to?, isahscoee manyhaildot.whmedeinwd ialinter ahl iesprt lit et t)p rallinTtme dR4 Tros gnelt the back bi the cards she sent out ntE firm ot Blake, Lash & Ciassela has atibacribed $1,000 to the Home 'Rule .funcl. This bringa tho• total to $6,000. Winch more is needed, "1 doubt the genuineness of Smith's con, version." " You do? Why "Hs neve.t saye anything about what a werthlesel Char. Iteter and mieterable sinner he toed tsti be." GASTRONOMIC DAINTIES. Tested geolpea for Oakes, Salad and. 1;4,7 77:6arc:;?),,....1::::stEtidoh::::::avafeottrivei:iranrec‘gshtsiilepogubaElatore: , es!,,,,st !reaper as to find componncled a va- riety cif good ina.- terus1s and waited much time and labor, the dish Whiell she hestipre- ?4 pared in careful conformity to the directions in the "cook book" or na. ehh o:arwsar 3t:laoarPtinleeurdar et . o%e:V°: imPh time Or other had this experience e Tnere aro quacks in the culinary as males in the medical line, and it is as hard to guard against them in one as in the other, . Of course if a doctor preecribed iron., with a vegetable astringent a very little cheinical skill would enable us to see that an error hal been made. So when a professed cook gravely tells us to use buttermilk and baking powder in one cake wo hmitate. Ent there are many mixturee where cbluatildofmera et:rriea only discovered at the o ls, labor and disappointment. Sometimes a typographical error retaken trouble, but oftener,I think, the " failures'? are the concoctions of those who never coacpkeerbd,apehroebioarbly some conceited old newe- pl am going to offer a few recipes which I have thoroughly tested and which may be relied upon. if my readers have not used them, they will find them worth clipping The firsb ie ' snanwsw. Duna It is made as follows : 4 eggs; 2 cupa brown sugar; n cup of butter; 1 cup sweet milk ; ;3. heaping teaspoons baking powder oue teaspoon cinnamon; oE a nutmeg; 2 cups flour. Beat the sugar and. butter to a cream; add the eggs, well beaten (keeping oat the whites of two) ; then add the milk. Add the baking powder and spices to the flour and sift into the mixture. Bake in a moderate oven. Use the whiter' of the two eggs and a cup of powdered sugar for heating. A noon rnuiT omen. Christmas is coming, and a fruit cake made nova will not have tco long to season, if it is a good one. I have in the house now pai t of a cake, made by the recipe I am about to give, that is nearly a year old, and it is better than it was last Christmas. To keep well this cako should be placed in a tin cake box iu a cool, dry room. You will find it delicious. Take 3 lbs. raisins (weighed a.fter they are storied); 3 lbs. currants; 1 lb. butter; lb. brown sugar; ij lb. flour ; 10 eggs; wine glass of brandy; 1 tablespoonful cloves; 1 tablespoonful al:spice ; 2 tablespoonfals cinnamon ; 1 nutmeg ; Si lb. (twieht after preparatioe) SA eet alms , eienched arid sliced ; 4 on. candied lemon; 4 ow. citron.; 1 cupful molasses; teaspoon soda or if preferred, 1 teaspoonful baking powder. Beat the eggs cream the butter and sugar and mix with the beaten eggs; add the brandy, molasses and spices. Have the currants _ washed thoroughly and dried. Flour the fruit, using flour out of that weighed out for the cake; taut the soda (or baking powder) with the flour used on the fluit. Add the flour to the mixture and lastly add the fruit. Bake in a slow oven 3 to 1 hours according to size of loaf. If ' you have not fruit cake tins with separable bottom° it will be better to line the dishes used with buttered paper to prevent scorching. sow OlarGERBREAD. If you are fond of soft gingerbread you. will find this a very palatable one: Take 2 eggs; 1 cup brown sugar; n cup molasses; n cup butter; 1 tablespoonful ginger; 1 teaspoonful each of allspice, cin- namon and nutmeg. Next put 1 teaspoon- ful of soda into a cup three parts full of boiling water and add it to the mixture; sift in 2 cups of flour. Bake in a slow oven. A CABBAGE SALAD. Salads are alvvaya in in season. They are staples, or should be, with every good cook. Here is a good one: • One quart cabbage, chopped fine; one small tumbler vinegar ; two eggs, beaten; one tablespoonful sugar; one tablespoonful butter ; one teaspoonful mustard; half a teaspoonful salt. 13911 the dressing until it reaches the consistency of cream. Allow it to cool and pour it over the cabbage. 11011B•BEADE PICKLES. If you have not tried makingiyour win- ter's supply of pickles, now s the times to begin. You need fear no failure if you ad- here to the directions I give. I make pickles every year and find SO difficultyha i securing the best results, My favorite s a mustard pickle, whkh is made as follows: White wine vinegar, 3 quarts; mustard, ln Ib,; Turmeric and bruised ginger of each 2 ozs.; chillies, 1 oz. Boil the vinegar v.nda - mustard 30 minutes ; remove from the stove and add the other ingredients:. Be- fore being put in this pickle, cucumbers and onions should be packed in salt over night, and in the morning they should be washed in clean water and wiped dry. Cauliflower should be scalded in weak vineger and allowed to cool before being put fa the One advantage this pinkie mixture has it may be prepared early in the season. and the several vegetables may be added from time to time as they come in or as op- portunity. A,few horseradish leaves laid on top Will effectually prevent mold g If you try this mustard pickle you will. not trade your own f or Croak° &131ackwell's beat,. Etrankrik M. a Looking Ahead. Kind lady—Here's an old dress shirt on my huebandn, which is the beet I can do for you. Tramp—Yeu haven't a pair of plain pearl etude', have you? Kind lady— Why, what do you want etude for? The shirt dowel% open in front. Tramp—I know it madame. But I may be invited to a musicale or a hop to -night, and I always like to be prepared. The following is the inscription of a label of a Japanese beer bottle, lately brought by a viaitor from the east. "Hinodefuji Beer. The efficiency of this beer la to give the health and eapecially the strength for Stomach. The flavor is so sweet and simpte that not injure for much drink." Are nier rasYko 0,ed 341 nagwmugsone horf e atdhien silityh-ilsootkuintng. girl, just for A joke. "Not much, ' she "A little Kant, tome Schopenhauer, Btowning and William Morrie. What de you think of Morris?" And MSWBOD had to admit he'd never read Morris. Dunn-Brown—I should like to feel when I die I leave the world batter than I found ino. .tejaelmon—My dear fellow, I am quite euro the world will be hatter when you are g A"