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Exeter Times, 1898-3-17, Page 2'METER XIV. `Go levely rose, be' that Wastes her thee and me ; That, new ehe knows. When I resemble her to thee, gew sweet lead fair elle seeeas to me.-",- Diamer hae come -hes gone. An& to he jut to it, it wats a most dismal an fate, In spite ot sanding jecalarite, which in deeper, et the end, took a rather pronouncecj turn, this one meal beneath The McDermons roof basprov- eel a complete failure. Mies McDermat bed refused to help xn an wayjust before dinner, as she entered the drawing -room there haa beeas a little flush upon her white elleeks,e. egeous yet hopeful sparkle in her dark blue eyes. The tell, child - ! eh figure has beeaa quite drawn up, .-even the nut -brown hair coiled on the tOP of the shepatiy head had helped to give her the conquerbag air that she bad vainly dreamth might be hers. That old frock 1 -it eras old, a course, but she loiektea-eshe knew she looked well it it. Once a long tesae ago he root.). door, 00110 it reaela the balcony. " Dulen 1 1.teUshaeely- as sharpiy a he had Been a, ghost. „ese, thine eyes, "Driak to pe, 'watts mine; And I w i in theou • Or leve a kt for wine, Ana VII m the soul death rise, The thirst Irkdivine . , , Doth annne's nectar sup, But naigabange for thine." •I 1`1"1.,'" saes she, regardless " Yes, ,II: have come to tell you of grams all alent V' " Aboow as white as her own, His eying a great deal for it. anni qw-- Teat isdo you " , she, that old 'doubt re- kno ture I do, don't let 'ie talk aut • ' miserably cold. Come in." / he . Let !me tell you here. leIa, can't see me," she would Vn had, she dared. , u .will, of course, but it is . It is the coldest night we •d vet. and there is a fire with- hact saed he liked her le it; perhaps u did not seem to feel it too now. when lea eew her again in it-Ylso come out a, few hemitau.tes ago," reisebt-- . , . •nhe. now do you kinow I came out?" the threshol Ake! r labnes even she er 00 sssei kiln t f "Air "'MI. 1 Wee loo g out o threshold fell aeni. Sir ''alP.tr window.And. . . I have want - :talking to her eseer,lifted efs eV ale dee to see you aloae. . • ." ,ra came forward:-relu"To see rae alone? For the first time glanced SA' ''' seemed tcnher--sitook he,a your life. sure1v1" with sudden - tlaernese. bit - ay, and aeetmea eacheaathrug beside to The MeDernaot "Oh -never mind an that now,"eays . 0 t much 5.8. the appreciative The poor child huddled herse to an armchair eomeseherfe told herself it sees all aver. Wan didn't care for him, he carede Akar that she has to late wade elle fact that she levee' him, es toot love her. .As for Anketell, to see be; go oreteso bee to take her hand and arde ever it -has been tortuae. ook so eesixable as eel' when he so fully rese5 haS lost in her-se'nuch but .not for hionl sha`b moment, . that he 'wellness, mak ie - deed! poor nen frock, ut 'id ever womae yet we a frock lo etogeth- er becoming ?Such a. shibbe gown, and withou: ornament of my kind, but what ernements could compare with tear sweet, soft neck, eith those enowee slender arras? lleaat jewels anneftevie those gleaming eyes? Oh, wen a pale, but perfect .fa.ce 1 and the bead -it seemed born to wear a crown! How sad she tooke-how sad I Remem- bering, no doubt. She had thought his glance cold. She could tot see that his heart -----11- nigh broken. She could not know, see - isle him there talking platitudes to his host, with his eyes determinedly turn- ed away from hers, that yet in his soul he is looking at her, seeing each ourve of her gown. It has come to eine that it she can look so charming in tlaat indifferent garraent how beauteous she might be. made th look ixt something better ! Oh, teat he might be allowed to give her such things as might deck her dainty beauty to its • utmost that he might give bar all he possesses! Some part of him she has already, a pure gift of his, that she will canry to leer grave whether she will or not -his neert 1 The dinner is over at last, and the dreary half hour afterward. in the -drawittgerown. The snow is still fall - lag, felling, and The Mclaexmot haw elected that his greet shall spe.nd the eight beneate his roof. No going home until morning. Deck had gladly left them to see a chamber warmed, and sheeted, and prepared, and sick at heart end seeing no chance of 'a tete-a-tete with her betrothed in which to betray • to him her one emael act of folly, has • refused to come deem again, • She has gone to her own room, and. :still dressed, sits cowering miserably tever tbe huge fire that the old nurse • has built for her. • Ten -eleven -twelve has struck. Ris- ing at last, she goes to the window, and, putting aside the blind, looks out upon the silent night. The snow has ceased! There is no wind. Wheel -not awn rein? She opens the vvinclove and, leaning out, looks first up at the heav- ens bedecked with stars, then down at the earth beneath • The latter proves, infinitely more in- teresting I she, with a touoh of ungatienee that is full of deanair. "At all events, / did watt to see you, to -to tell you the truth about. . . . . " • " Don't go on -don't, if it hurts you!" says he. hoarsely. 'Hurts me l' Oh! it is more than that," says she. in a stifled tone. It is so bad that I can't live until I tell you." 'Tell it. then." says he, • freezing again. • Her grief. her misery! And such strong grief that it seeras to shake her slender fralme to its very soul. And all for that other 1 • And thus bidden. she tells it. ' A most halting, woeful tare. but true. In every point. So true. indeed. that it defeats itself. It does not lay clear the fact that love for hist, and want of love for his renal. had been the motive power that •worked her return. . There is a dead silence when she has nested her forlorn confession. So you were afraid to go in the Iset:rgil.run ?" says he. at last, his voice " Afraid 1 no—yes.'' She had begun boldly. but how breaks down. • I was afraid." " end. why have you told me this?" "Oh I must I answer that ?" says she clasping her cold hands in front of her. "Surely veu know. Do you think I have .not seen enouga to-- Do you - • think I am without all feeling? I spoke to set you. free!" "So anxious for your own free- dom?" says he. with a. sneer. He flings the .now cold clear over the balcony, away into the dark beyond. "You are 'ingenuousness itself 1 To put it upon me is a amid move. Well! And .so i am to consider our engagement at an encfl" Of course," saes she, very bravely, and in another moment, to her inteese discomfiture. finds that she is crying bitterly -silently -desperately. no sil- ent is her crying that in the darkness, he is not aware of it. '1 thenk YOU could heve found an easeir, not to say more graceful wax out of your difficulty," says he, con- tetneptuouster. " A word to me would have been enough. But I suppose 1 wets not worth even so much trouble to the alai whb bad, promised to marry me? You had promised, you know "- tryeng to see her fate, and speaking with mercitess persistency. "Did you imagine" bitterly -"that I was so en- amored of you that I would force you into a marriage with me ? Did. you be- lieve me "---nassioaatelyee" so mean a hotted that I would marry .you against your will ? Great, Heaven, what a werld it is?" He tures suddenly away from her stricken figure and begins to pace ve- heraently up arid down the balcony. "Here! come in," says he at last, roughly. "Come it out of this cold. Faithless and worthless as I think you and know you 1-etill. you must live, I suppose, to the undoing of other men." He has laid his ha.nd on her arm, and drawn her to the open casement. The lights from within falling more distinctly on her face, wakens him to the fact that the tears are running deem her cheeks " Yoa are cryisag 1" says he, fiercely. lie lets lier go. Crying -for Byre! He curbs his passion by a, supreme effort and once again addresses her. His voice now' is under control, though his eyes still show the angry grief that is con- surnieg him. "If eon are crying for Eyre," says he, •"thet can soon be set right. To judge by his uta,nner lase niaht-----" He has betrayed himself 1 As if struck the girl starts back from him. " You were there 1 -You saw 1 -You beard!" "I new; I did not heae." "You knew, and let me speak I• Ohne" "Why should I not be silent? I wait- ed--" "Waited ? For .whet? Could not you," wildly, "have broken our engage- ment, instead of leaving me to do it ?" "1 gonad Ina." If elle had not been so overeowered •with this fresh knowledge, that meant ao much fresh shame, siae might eave ree(l between the lines of his shoat ateaver. "Oh, YOU 81101.06 -YOU. should I" saes she, Weeeleg openly now, "Don't ery.i says Anketell, catch - bag hold ef her. "Don't t em I not inner:able enough f It can all soft be set right' "Oh, sieves' / Never." "I tell 'ou, yea You knoW his pen n lextg time pereaps a whole awful in- dreae?" I terminable week, lent 0. elaallee of " MO' .gearing herself with her conscience. "nEyren." She must tett eine Then why not "NO.." now? " It ate canine be ellealivered, ho 11 takee but ts little Minute to run eireri" finere the *Me, aeon the tamoknige "1 Slen't Waht to diedover it," nate Below runs a balcony from -which The McDermone den, that in other richer houses would be called the smok- ing -room, opens. To her surprise, a • lamp shines through the window, cast- • tug a dull balf-shadowed light upon the • night outside. Not gone to bed yet? Surely her father--- If any one is them, she mune from where he .now is, hear them talking. Leaning a little faxther out, she strains her ears; but no sound comes. No voices float out • upon the chtlly air. They must beve Mane to bed and forgotten to put out •the lamps. She had better run down and extin- • guish them. She is about to draw in her head • with a view to accomplishing this pur- pose, 'when the window beneeth her leading from the emoking-roorrn to the bakery• le threwn open, and a man deemed in evening clothes steps onto it, He has a cigar In his mouth, and the red tip of it shown through the mirk of his surrourtairigs. To mistake this man for any other than Sir Ralph would be imposeible 1 Duleinea, dra,sving backhurriedly, leans against the ehuttere oe her win- dow. The fleet impulse was not to be eeen the second compels ber to stand ;rennet tied face a situation, although it be with besteked. cheeks. Now -now • is her time -to speak. Ile is edema She fe Aare o•f that, eha hesitates bow she tatty grot for THE EXETER, • TIMES she, covering. her face withber hands. "erne why axe you erYing silks tes. coldly. "Let us, now that the) trails nee bare betwee.n us, cease from deception, Tell inc this," hits tope teroWnig almost frozen, "when you px°- Pesed to leave your tome with him, where were von going?' Co his sister, Lady Steering, "Ste had arranged to receive your “Oh•po ! He -.--he only settled about oar geese. the morning before 1-1— left. 119:bilI'tv,,Twlaoligit evwearily." It se I dare Vt.geesray. e net tele- gram will b - him to you in no time. "i.; a Well, and litayon were to go to Lady Sta,nnieg. in.ae middle of the night, without previces arrangement with her of any sort's, "So he said," "Did it never teeter to you that Lady Steaming might we be exaetly pleased to receive an makneen young ledy at aa hour approaching midnight?" "I did not think -t-....." "And he," with growleg wrath, "this precious "toyer, of yoereedid he never think, either? Did it neves dawn upon his vacant braiaa what a cu, de sae he was leaning you into? PaleMr. Eyre may be the model of all virtue all gee- iue in your eyes ; in mine he mere- ly a first-cla,ss idiot 1" "Oh, yes!" agrees she, with ester. Anketell stops is if struck. He had expected vituperation -tears -abuse - support of Eyre. But this -this• opal agreement with the verdict against hint -is more them he had prepared himself to receive! "But he was very kind -very," says Duleie, hurriedly. "He was kind. to me when you -when every one was against me. If -if Iliad liked him a little bit more, I should have been glad to go with him; but----" She lifts her earnest, half -drowned eyes to his. "But,—" questions he, sternly. "But -.I didn't I" returns she, gent- ly. To disbelieve her would be to be a fool! Anketell's face pales for amo- meet, and then, slowly, slowly a health- ier, happier hue returns to it. "Come in," says he gently. He does not wait for her to obey hips this time, however. He draws her with a strong if tender arm to the shelter of the warm room within. "See here, Delete." says he, standing before her. and taking her bands gent- ly in his own. "Shall we begin all over again, you and I?" You and I?" "Why not? Look? I set you free - 1 release you "-pressing her bank from him. Not very far, but still far en- ough for him to know that Decinean fingers have tightened over his, as if In fear or protest, or both. Even such a little distance has frightened her. Oh, the glad thrill of dawning hope that heats his veins, as he feels the nervous clasping of her hands! " You are free. Dulcie. I have no smallest claim upen you. You can go your way, and I mine. You "--unstead- ly-" you quite understand that ?" " Yets."-faintly. "Well -now "-he Pauses xis if afraid to go on. After all, it is only 541 experiment. Who knows how it vill end? "Now I propose to you all ver again. I beg, I entreat you to anny me! You bave your freedom; ou can keep i me, or let me go, as you will, but," passionately-" I beseech ou to keep me 1" " Oh, no I" Her pretty head is hang - ng down. her voice has sunk into a vinsper. "Not after -after -that ?" " After that -after everything!" Miss areDerraot raised her head Blow- y, and looks at him. Reproach is in er glance. " Who. were you not like this al- -eye ?" asks she. "How could I he?" The reproach is 11 on his side now, and strong enough o dwarf hers. "Do you know how you reated me? What icicle was ever cold, r? Why, I was afraid to go neer you) ee kissed ydu. Do you remember ? do; and your look after it. Once nly 1 This "-stooping and pressing his ps lightly to her cheekee" is the [sec- nd tixne. And," sadly, "1 do not call at kissing you at all." "And whet do you can it ?" asks she, gleam of mischievous fun creeping to her face ha spite of her. Then dde.nly she flings her arms around a neck. "w], I'll kiss you," says e. "Because. I love you, Ralph. I I I do indeed!" 0 n i 1 a. On . li th a in su hi eh do • • • • "You are sure of it?" asks he, five minutes later. "Quite, quite sure." "I wish you had been sure a little earlier." "1 ehoulant. The waiting has made it ever so much surer." "And you are happy. darling?". "I never felt so happy I" "Not even one regret?" "Well," nervously. "there is some- the:tie-something," fidgeting awkward- ly with the flower in his coat. "Yes. something? Go on," says he, anxiously. Can it be about Eyre. "It's-- He seemed very uneasy about it." ''So he very well might I" indignant- ly. "Oh, but it was all for me!" "A.1.1 for himself, in my opinion!" " You wrong him, warmly. "You do indeed 1' To hear her stick ug for Eyre is gall and wormwood; but to shake the.good feeling established between them now is not to be thought of for a moment. " WeD, don't let as quarrel about laira," says be, his tOne lightness itself -Ins heart as heavy as lead. "What was he uneasy about it especial ?" "About the -the lies he told you 1" "He? Who?" "Why, poor Arley, of course! Whom were you thiaaking of ?" "Of Eyre. Forgive me that." "Nonsense," says Mies Mcieermot. trine "I've forgotten him, No it is, Andy! You know he told you last night that he had brought, me to the elation, and. as t told you, 1--" " Is that an ?" " Yes. ft. was a greet deal, And. An - der is greatly put out about it. You -eft are eure you cloran think badly of hire. ?" "1' think "-enthusiasticatly-" very' higlity of eira 1" "Oh, do you reelly?" "Why, hew elee should 1 think 4f him? Was he not trying in help you ?" "And you will glow something lovely to him the Very, tirst thing in the morning ?" "No; I shall seer setiaetelag lovely to you theren I "Oh, Ralph good -night„ . • . need -eight again, . • . need - night, mealy, thie time 1" elan HINTS IN CASE OF FIRE, " WHAT TO DO WREN YOU DISCOVER A BLAZE AT HOME. Duch Destruction of reoperty and Lozo 0 Life Doi be Averted lOY SlinDle Pre • cautions. Th aninber of fires this winter has been unusually large. Those in great builinengs have been telegraphed all over the country, but the small fires, more [numerous aud which heve caus- ed neora, serious loss because the suf- ferers were less able to bear them, have passed comparatively un- noticed, And yet it is utmost always possible •to put a. fire out at the start if you do not lose, your head, An outbreak of fire, hpwever, it nua3' ocour, or erbeee, ie one of the most al - emetics experiences in life, one erhere paaic seems ustent, not to say natural. At the same time there is no ernes.... geincr 15 whieh presence of rated is 1:110re absolutely essential to safety. The proprietors of places of publie amusement, the heads of factories, ho- telekeeeers, are obliged be lase to pro- vide safe and sufficient means of fire escape. The teachers of public schools ere required to drill their pupils in 01- 6sely and speedy exit at the tap ,of tin fire bell, but it Is the raxe excee- tioa that in a private dwelling- the simPleet precautions are taken or the least proyision made as what is to be done in the not improbable event of a fire. USUALLY ARE UNPREPARED. Therefore, when the emergency ar- ises everyone in thafamily is probably frantic with fright, and should the fire occur in the eight the family are like- ly to owe theirnives to the cooler cour- age of their neighbors or to the intre- pid bravery of the nue department. There is not the least excuse for this. Every occupant of a ;house should make himself or herself f'nenilier with the easiest means of escape trem every part of the house, through al,t trap door, along the edge of a rammed root over a portico or bans buildings Sown a wa- ter spoilt ; there is seareele adwelling which does not furnish one or more suoh perilous paths to safety. ) • It is title that when the danger arises the knowledge may be forgotten but even then one is no wean for baying known, and a is sceroele Possible that everyone will forget. One of the boarders in a fashionable boarding-house one winter had a posi- tive raania on the subject of fire, and always kept a stout rope tied to her bed head and coiled on the floor. When at last the cry of "Fire!" came at midnight she forgot the rope and stood at the window, with a veranda Mof ten feet below -a roof which ran along a -whole row of houees-screaming and wringing her heads. But a fellow boarder, a roan with a cool, head, re- membered tlae rope, which was a jest la the house, and sa,ved not only her but half a dozen others by its use. TWO THINGS TO REMEMBER. There are two important things to remember when ordinary means of es- cape seem cut off before the last re- sort of jumping from a window. The first is that you may break your fall by throwing mattresses and pil- lows to the pane:cue:it below, second that a rope, strong enough to bear any- one of ordinary weight, may be made by tearing sheets end counterpane in- to tesninota strips and tying them te- ther. To do thie put the ends of the • strips together, double and tie in one knot, together, not across; the harder you pull on a knot such as this the tighter it is. Two sheets end one coun- terpane should make a rope long en- bugh to reach from a. fourth story win- dow very nearly to the ground. If it must be longer use the double blanket also. Tie one end of this rope around the bed leg, ox semethisag equally heayy remembering that your life depends on the strength of your knots, then tie thc other eaacl to your waist, and your leap mae be med.° in comparative saf- ety. • Another thing. If you are forced. to try tee descent of a smoke filled hall remember that the smoke is •less dense at the floor, and crawl, instead of trying to stand upright. • TO EXTINGUISH A FIRE. The fire may generally be extinguish- ed without difficulty if it is detected in time, provided one has presence of mind ancl is quick. To tear down a blazing curtain which has bloaert ag- ainst a lighted gas jet, or to smother the flames in a heavy curtain if one hangs near it, to dash a pitcher of wa- ter instantly into a waste basket or a drawer where a lighted match has been cerelessly let; fall -to do this without delete is to conquer the fixe fiend at once. 'Teach everyone in your hoasehold thee the beet sva,y to put out a fire is to stifle it -air is as essential as fuel. Keep doors atacl windows tight shut. Ill one of those fruitful sources of fire, hearp, be upset, don't pour Water on in that spreads the blazing oil, throw something heavy over, it, a ehawl, a sons cushion, or a. woolen dram skirt, and you will find it blotted out. Damage by waiter is likely to do as much or more harm than destruction by fire. Telephime of course ; if yeti have no beleplafte bf your owe sena to the nearest; your small boy can de that, IN AN EMERGENCY. Orgaeize a bucket brigade to the bath -room, paseing pails from hand to hand along the line to where the straegeet, reembee of the feta* stands ready to empty them on the blaze thus) upleets the fire is elreane beyond yeer control before being disco -leered, you eata leseally keep It under until help eemee, it la a wise plan to gather up cloth - 1 cg from wardeebte an( bureau deaW. ers, :gut tie then up' in bleakets or shawls to throw from the Wittelow, tele. leg ooze that siothing bittakabie Ls in the package. Aelear-beaded•woman once saved all her elethee at a fire in a betel by tale Meats, though she lost be traek. She tea beard, the aterea, dreseed quiehle, and rapidly made everything into two bueclies, tying teem into the sheets of her bed, A frieed maned at the door. " Come, inetantly," ire said, " there is no time to salve anything." " Not to throw them out," she asked, with one bun& alreany on the window sill, • It was dote in aen.inute, and when they reached the street, half strangled with etnaoke, end scorched by the flames on the lower floors, the clothing was there ail safe. • FREPA.RE AN INVENTORY. It is safe to assert that not one householder a hundred hes an in- ventory of the contents of his house for tee use of the insuranoe company when it comes to settling damages. The whole thing Lae to be done by guess ahd memory, And who can possibly re- member all the contentof a single •r00,111, Much less the whole house. If you do not keep valuable papers itn a, safe, or at pour banker's, by all means keep them all together in a tin box with a Yale look, and the box on a wardrobe or closet seelf, where it will be easily accessible in case of fire. Keep jewelry the setae way. It is well to train the children, ae least to Some extent, telling them what to ewe first and Irene each ought to do, the older to look out for the young- er, for instance, while each is to re- gard something precious as his or her espeolen charge. •There are certain precautions, so self- evidetnt that were they not constattly neglected, it would seem superfluous le mention them. The chief of these is insarance, It costs comperatively lit- tle, yet how efte,n is there no insur- ance, or absurdly little, and how often whe,n the fire takes place people hare failed to renew through careless- ness or forgetfulness. • OIL AND MATCHES. Next to the foolhardiness \tenni neg- laces to insure, comes that which el - lows cerelesaness 'with kerosene oil and with matches. Tee statistics of the fire inspector's office in any, large city will prove that the majority of fires in private houses cense from one oe other of these causes, Next to them come defective Hues. Explosive matches dropped on the floor and trodden on have caused uncounted numbers of deaths. A woman steps on one and sets her skirts ablaze. Moan if she has common sense enough to sit flat on the floor and creela out the flames, all mey be well, beyond a more or less bad- ly searched skirt. Very probably, how - Ver, she loses all presence of mind aind runs screaming out of the room, and in.suring her own destruction. fanning the flames, breathing the fire If a, WOX132.12 ever catches fire when you axe present take the nearest heavy wrap, shawl or rug and throw it around her, keeping the flames away from the head as much as possible. It es internal injury from breathing the fire which is most to be dreaded. If no wrap is nests, you may put the' fire out by throwing the person flat on the floor and crushing out the flames against the carpet. Never let children play with matches, The mother who, finding her 2 -year-old gleefully amusing itself with a, box of matethes, struck one of them and de- liberately burned •the little finger, showing the danger in the strongest light, was wise, though few of us might be able to copy her Spartan firmness. As for the people who start. fixes with kerosene and fin. lighted lames, there seems nothing to do but to leave them to work their own destruction. Nevertheless, they are so many that insurance companies have been forced in their OFV31 defense, to declare all policies void wben caused by the ex- plosion of a lamp filled after dark. LIFE IN THE SEA DEPTHS. Imo An 'Unending War Is Being Waged Between Denizens ol the Deep. Placid and reposeful, tempest -tossed or current -whirled, the unchangeable yet unreeting surface of the ocean re veals to the voyager no inkling of What is going on below its mobile mask,. and even when farrowed deepest by the mighty but invisible ploughshare of the storm, how slight, is the effect felt twenty feet deep. Yet in those sound- less abysses of shade beneath the "WaV- es a wax is being incessantly waged which knows no tierce, ruthless, un- ereling, and universals On earth the struggle for existence is a terrible one, exciting all our sym- pathies when we witness its pitiless- ness, being oars:ayes by some happy accident outside the arena. Nature, "red in tooth and claw," weeding out the went by the operation of her in- exorable laws, raises many a doubt- ing question in gentle tsouls as to why all this suffering should, be necessary. They see but a portion of the revers- ed pattern woven by the eternal looms. But the fauna of the land are by an enormous majority herbivorous, mild in their habits, and terrified at the sight of blood. Even the. carnivora„ fierce and ravenous as are their in- stincts, do not devour one another ex- cept in a few insignificant and ab- noznaa,1 cases, seeh as wolves driven man by starvation. Mena less do they eat their own offspring, although there are many instances of this HIDEoup APPETITE Among the herbivores, which are fa- naillar to most of as. In etriking con- trast to the conditions the tribee of ornan are all devourers of each oth- er, and with the exeeption of the MULL^ ihaiia and the sharks, make no distine- Lion in favor of their own fruit. Oe tingle instance aroortg the inhabitants of the sea furnishee us with a varia- tien, The halicone, clugong, and man- atee, how nearly extinct, are .without aoubt eaters of herbage only, This they gather along the hores whose seaters are their habitat, or cull/ from the shalloW sea-beta:Iran For all the ret, they are mutually dependent upon eaeb other's flesh for life, ungerupulouge unsatisfied, and vigorous beyond. belief, "Vae Victis" le their motto, and the essence of all other food their gee and sufficient ee- culni, Viewed dispassionately, this law of iliterdeeendente dieect is a Innen- eclat one in spite at its apperent cruel- ty. Vast as is the Pea, the fecundity of most of its aftimis is well known to he gto great ellat withiest effeetive elflifes always in operation it west beawe putrid and pestilential from the liallnedae aeOhl,Mulation of de - :melte anneal Matter. As things are, the life of a fish from first to last is a series of mieaculous waves, As ova, their enemies are so nettlesome even their ceve parents greedily de- vouring the quickening spawn, that it is hard to 'understand how elan are overlooked and allowed to become fish. Yet, as fry, after providing food for countless hordes of hungry foes,they are still sufficiently numerous to ina- press the imagination as being in num- ber like the sands of the sea. And Sol always being devoured by millions, the progress towards meturity, at which' perhaps one -billionth of those de- posited as ova arrive. This infinitesi- mal remnant is a mighty host requir- ing such supplies of living organisms for its daily food as would make an 'astronomer dizzy to enumerate. FOR RIGHT'S SAKE. ipm.4 now Good 0141 John Kant Got Even Willa Viand of Robbers. One of the most convincing sermons ever known was preaeheet by a man who, at •the in,oment, had no tbought of preaching. Very little was said,and that little was in fear and. trembling. The "sermon" 'VMS realty more in deed. than in word; but it struck home. John Kant, a professor and. doctor of divinity of Cracow, was an old man weed he found an opportunity to re- visit his native country of Silesia. It was a dangerous journey, and a great undertaking for one of his years. His way lay through. the gloomy for- ests of Poland. One evening, while seeing a place in Weide to spend the night, he was suddenly surrounded by armed men, some on horseback and some on foot. Knives and swords glit- tered in 'the moonligiat, and the old man knew that he'rwas at the raerey of a bend of robbers. Frightened and confused, he alight- ed from his horse and offered all his property to the gang. He gave them a purse filled with silver coins, unclasp- ed e gold ceain from his neck, took the gold lace from his cap, drew a ring froni his finger, and. took from •his pocket a book of prayer, which was clasped with silver. Not till all had been given up, and his home had been led away, did Kant beg that his life might: be spared. "Have you given us all?" demand- eci the robber chief. "A,11," replied the old man, and with this assurance he was allowed to go on les way. GLAD TO ESCAPE Vieth his life, be hurried onward, but when well oat of sight of the robbers his hand touched something hard In the h.eru of his robe. His heart gave a throb of joy. The hard. su.bstance was his gold, sewn into the lining of his •dress for safety. In bis fear and con- fusion he had forgotten it. • Now he would not be obliged to beg his way. Was it aprovidence? He was in the act of giving thanks for his good. fortune, when he remem- bered what be hai said to the robber chief. He had told the man what was not true, and le ramst correct the er- ror. • Comfort and safety were forgotten as the old man hurried back. Trembling with excitement and fear, he - foetid himself again in the midst of the rob- ber band. • "1 eave told you what was not true," be said, meekly. "Pardon me; It was unintentional, e was too terrified to to think." With this ha held ferth the glitter- ing gold. He did not guess that his candor and humility were teaching those bad. men the most elonuent les- son of righteousness they had ever • heard. It touched their hearts, and surprised them into something like shame, if not contrition. To the old man's astonishraent, no- body offered to take Lis geld. Present- ly one man went and brought him back his purse, another ,restored the book of prayer, while still another led •his horse toward him end helped him to mount. They then unitedly entreat- ed his blessing, and 'Watched hita slowly ride away. It was the triumph of good over evil. ;Taft Kant was only' a sincere and faithful follower of Him to Whom truth was native, and uprightness the very life of His heart, COST OF ROYAL GOWNS. . Royalty, with °are or two -notorious exceptions, is singularly economical in dress. Thais, the Germain Empress, who obtains her best robes itn Vienne, pays from. n40 upsva,rds. The Empress of Austria rarel?r goes beyond n20. Queen Victoria, is also economically disposed, and has never paid a really extravag- ant price at any tame The young Queen of Holland usually gimes n11) for a stress in Paris, but never more ellen £15. Inenselexing tlae number of gale costumes seine)), royal ladies have to wear, their moderation is wonderful,. Mhz Germain Emperor is said to be the most extravagosest main in Europe for clothing, and, ,the Prince of Wailes, wthile the best -dressed to be the most economical. ANSWERED. Jones -I startedto ask Newlywed whether two could live on whet one could, but - Brown -But lehat ? Jones -Bet be struck me for a ten before I 'could finish. • TWO GOOD REVORMS, Curoiso-1 am 15 favor of the move- ment for more artistic) coins. nawker-So am I, and more of them. WInLING TO CHANCE IT. And, if I marry you, what then' she asked. Obi cense said he earnestly, let's net borrow trou.ble. $0 THEY lrELL 1.1S, First 13oarder-T.hey say that there's tu eeientist who claims the the henna elyte:ax:ohosiievt3alistuo;:tikatreIl,y unnecessary, neeolul Iloarder-[f So, it ie a :Molded - • FUNNIGIIAMS. He -What en ugly man! 1 never San anybody so ugly 1 She-Xusla, dear! You forget youreelf Erielecie, They Say -AMY-- fSn't that felotraltlbeRhfMtlear ? Maud -Yes, dear • Piret Friend -So he married la hastel Did he reeent at leisexs Second, Frien.de-No; Ole repented in haste, too. Shop -Walker -She complains that yen Aldan show her contmon is Shops gle-1-1 stowed her everything in =el department, sir, Papa, dear, wily are thesevvaters proof soles called "gutta perolia V" Be.. [rause, my, lad, they enable you to perch en the gutter without gettieg wet. Little Tedclie-Pa, What [loos "infra dig" meats? • Pa -Infra dig• 0)ii that's Klondike slang. Don't ever let me hear yout use them words again. Mr. • Youinnbud-Why 50 • PonSige dear? Mrs. Youj ingbud-I was ust) • trying to decide, lorey, wince I would like you to rescue first in a shipwreel MN or my clear Little Fiche This Real Reason -Clearwater Cal What was Nuggit Nuggies arrested for? Pentaandle Pete-Fer not oar. ryise concealed weapons -when de sheriff tapped him oni de shoulder hei wuz totally helpless, Little Boy -Papa, wben the preach:4n talked about wicked people he didn't look at the congregation, he looked tfpt ini the air. Why was thee? Papa-, He was probably lookenig at the ehoir.) • Putting Into Practice,- • Memena-; Dorothy, do n ou kinlow who ate tat raisins ? Dorothe, turning over the • olefatvaekuels of her book more rapidly,-Mana, &met brecmittetr°11defrat euoyseasitde.rdarattsotmtehatetielong: Cook, On the day after her arrival,-. Please mum, I'm a bit fiery at times, end wthen. I am fiery, I'm apt to be el bit rouge spoken; but you needn't lee that put you about -with a little press eat you can alsvays bring nes round agailni. A Source of Comfort --Summer Visa, tor -You. must take lots of comfort in wider from that great fireplace. Green Mountain -Wal, you see we don't he• much time; rm busy choppien wood fon it moat of. the. tune, acf Johany busy luggene it in, an' ma alte,'s bust puttee' it on the .fire. • A,nxious Mother -I think you should! interfere, Edward. There is young Stull:Lips sitteng for the last half hour with Mabel,. holding her hand. Yon know that he's not in & position to marry! Father, comp1acen0y-Trtut but let him hold. her hand., Mertha ; will keep her from the plane 1 Cotienubial Cruelty- Young Husband -What's the matter, Ethel? Young Wife -Nothing, sir! Nothing. If youl choose to cut the pages of the maga- zines with the same old penknife yob: use to cut off the ends of your olgara with, when I gave you a nice peal-l- ean:lied paper -cutter for a Christmas present, it's nothing to me. TRYING HARD TO BE GOOD. But the Butler Started In to "Swear Or* • Too literally. The Irish butler had a statuesque presence and a good pair of calves, bue he could smash more china, in a given tiro.e thaxi any other butler in the busi- ness. • His name was Bulle-Michael and whenever destruction was noisily • wasting at noonday in the butler's pan- try, andMrs Debenture cried: "What's that ?" her lord and master would, merely moan: "Only the Ball in OA china &bop, my dear:" , The butter 'WEIS wholly without pse. judice in kis specialty. • With' equal thoroughness he would. smash ordinary china, Dresden, Wedgewoodor any "old blue" thin,g. New 'Yea x morning came, and. Mr, Debenture deoided that it was time the butler turned: oveaa new leaf. "Michael," he said, as he presented the butler with a substantial New Year present, you are breaking too eaucei ebina. • To -day is New Year. Yon' must turn over a new leaf -swear off, Do you underetancl?" • "Yes; sor; I will, eor," was •the re - Ply. • "Very well; be sure you do," said Mr. Debenture, as he left the din- ing-rofte An hour later there was a loed crash somewhere in the rear of the house, and with a look of :Apprehension on her face, 'Vire. Debetture hurriedly opened the dining-roota door a tern() and list- ened. A second later she turned a shocked countenance to her hdsba,nd. • "What's Jae break,ing now?' Deben- ture growled. "Breaking," gasped. the horrified wo- man. "Judging from what 3 hear he is breaking one of the commandments Debenture stepped to her side, lien erred a moment and then harried out to the butler's pantry, • A broken dish lay on the floor. "Such language I" cried Debenture. "What do you mean, Miehaet?" "Shure, sor," the butler said, coolly, "rut only swearin' off, sir. That's THE PROPER CLASSIFICATION. See here! exclaimed tbe custom house' official as he held up a half dozen bleck bottles, I thought you sent this trinik contained nothing but wearing ap- parel.? That's what 1 and, answered the tourist, , Well, whet do you call these ? asked the offiCial. Night caps, was the cairn reply. LOST AND FOUND, Mrs. 1)e Shopper (breathlessly) Dia I leave my purse hem? I've lost it somewhere, - Clerk (wee had Nvorked an hour ethow- ing Mrs. De Shopper g 0011S NO (.110U,t be- ing able to sell her anyShing) - will i aquim, madarn, Cash Cashl I-Iere a minute! Die any of you bora find an enipty parse anywhere amend hers tine meeniag ?