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The Brussels Post, 1898-4-29, Page 2II SOW SHE WON. • OHAdT 3L IIIc a(Continued,l She looks so fair and fragile sitting f there, the firelight flickering on her sweet, pule face, that Colonel Dare's heart heats in such sympathy as he has never before accorded to any liv- ing woman, Surely, he thinks, Lord T./sigh must have been a worse man even than rumor has mode him to have ill treated ber. Slat looks so young, too—scarcely three -and -twenty, though In the Peerage her age is put' down as twenty-seven and she must have been a mere cbild when she became a wife. Little Rollo is coiled up in her Ion now, having faithlessly deserted Li, new friend; and mother and son make s picture which any painter, however spoiled by fame, might be proud 't portray. "Have I interrupted you4" she ask` presently. "You. Were telling )toll' some stories. Won't you go on with them 4' For a moment be feels aggrieved, that, like Othello, be cannot strive to win this other Desden0ona with stories of his prowess. He bas been the hero of many a warlike anecdote and not far nothing was the V. C. awarded him when the mutiny was at an end. "Tell us about India," says the boy, eagerly, edging closer to his mother, and composing bimself to listen coln- fortably, "India I Have you ever been in In- dia, Mr.—" She stops in some confusion, remem- bering that he has been in her house a week, and yet she does not' know his name. " My name (s Dare," be puts in quickly, trying to evade the question. and not noticing until be has spoken that in the hurry of the moment he has forgotten to gime the false name he had invented for the occasion. However, the subject is successfully changed. "You will think me sadly nnbtusi- nesslike," she begins, with a half smile, "but—" ".But ladies are never expected to be amateur detectives," he finishes for her. Detectives 1" she echoes, with J, tle startled cry. "Lawyers, if you. like the term Let ter. It is the same thing." "Oh, no. Lawyers transact business detectives discover fraud." It is bis turn to start now and turn Pale, and sbe, noticing it, adds, quickly: "It was your word, not mine. 1 did not mean anything by it." " Would you like to write to ant ad- dress I can gyve you, and ask fora a re- ference'." She shakes ber head, with a little sweet, sad smile, " I may have been wrong in not doing so at first, but there is nd longer any occasion. I bave heard and seen en- ough to trust you thoroughly." The tutor's eyes droop, and he feels marc abashed at the confidence she has expressed than he would have done bad ebe discovered all and overwhelmed him with reproaches. Mother, ask him to tell the story," persisted little Rollo. Lady Leigh, bovever, shakes ber bead, and does not urge the request. Perhaps she feels that she has condes- cended sufficiently for once in coming there et all, and does not wish to awak- en the familiarity that breeds con- tempt. Or perhaps she, tno, is thinking of Desdemona and Othello, and knows -to what such story telling might lead. And yet this tall, thin, professor - looking man is surely old and ugly en- ough for there to he an utter immunity from danger, Half -laughing at the fears that had arisen, she lifts Rollo from ber lap and rises to herr feet. I " It is getting late, and Rollo, it will be your bedtime soon," The boy pouts, and would rebel, hat Colonel Dare, whose first lesson to bis pupil had—military-like—been obedi- ence is there, so he only looks• his dis- aontent, " My boy, these who have been taught to ohey 1 earn soonest how to command," is the grave admonLtion he receives, and then tbe speaker stoops and kisses the child, so that all sternness is taken out of the rebuke, Lady Leigh bolds out her hand im- pulsively. "7f I could believe there was good in any man, 1 should believe it of you," she says, quickly. Then, ashamed of her words, she turns to leave the room, But the tutor so far forgets himself as to follow her and take hold of the handle of the door, " Believe that there is good in every roan, be says gently, " and that only in some the evil predominates." ' Prove your words. Train my boy so that in the future I may never have cause to blush for him, and 1 1ci11 bless and prey for you as long as 1 live 1" she exclaims, excitedly. "indeed, it will not be se difficult: a task, Rollo is e. dear little fellow, and think be will grow up a noble man, fit for tbe high station be is destined to fill," But Lady Leigh Is gone. 7t is tbe Bent time sines she bas given up the world that she has permitted herself to talk on the subject which drove her into retirement, and she finds she can- not bear it yet; the old wound still winces at a touch. Rol lo runs after ber, and Colonel Dore is left alone, More than ever be is attracted to- ward this woman, whe had evidentiy suffered much before she became so bitter,, She bad looked so lovely, too, in herruffled. calm, with her big, trou- bled eyes and tremulous lips; se that, guilty as he feels in having deceived her, he cannot gottc regret what ho has done, For such women men have died, gone mad, or committed far worse sins than this of his. Besides, he can make atonement. Sure- ly, if he devotes himself to the educe, tion of her boy, caring for him' a5 no mere hireling could, the wrong done will not be tin greet. Already the child is growingstronger and les dream, nothat e has a naw interest in life, • * * ' What had you been saying to my lady to make bar cry so this after - moon 4" asks Tabitha, sternly, when she brings in dinner that evening, stand- ing before the tutor, gaunt and grim. "Lady Leigh I Was she crying 4 "Cf 100050 she was, 01' i would not have mentioned 11. But there—don't feel] yolxreelf; I dare say it wa8 none oe your delete "—a little mollified by hie evident; distress "Indeed, C bottle e,ot. Maven knows, would not willingly add to her suf- eeing.' The worda are so low she does not hear thorn, " Likely enough she was worrying about the boy," she goes on, musingly, She turns to the sideboard to cut some bread, and so does not notice/ the undue excitement he is betraying. Then as she comes back to the table, she sees for the first time how pale hei is. and, with the privilege of an old servant, comments upon it at once. " You are not looking well yourself, sir,' she says, with some concern. " It is nothing. 1 have a little head- ache, perhaps. Want of fresh air, I suppose," he answers lightly. " There's the park, Why don't you walk out sometimes?" " Would Duly Leigh care about that 3 (here would always be the chance of our meeting, and 1 do not wish to be' 'n annoyance to her." "I forgot that," says Tabitha, but in - %lewdly resolved to spook to her lady on the subject at onee. • • • • Colonel Dare is just putting down the lamp preparatory to retiring for the night, when the good-natured but blunt -spoken *omen servant puts her head in at the door. "My lady hopes you will walk in the grounds as often as you feel inclined, and there's a library downstairs, if you ears to go sometimes." Tho tutor gives a pleased smile as the door closes behind her. No long- er shut up be his own suite of rooms, be may possibly, by a little maneuv- ering, manage to see her again. This concession gained, it will depend upon himself whether he wins the day or loses it by the very means be has adopt- ed to succeed. The deceit which has given him so much pain may in the end cause his greater discomfiture. BRUSSELS POST. Ai'RI1, 429, 7891 and half begged, half commanded me t.o invite her to our house. But wily do I telly u o all this) " Because you know 1 syml'athime, and because it is good sometimes to un- burden one's heart, lest it should be- come over -full and break." The shawl bas fallen back from her head in her excitement, and the moon- light streams over her uncovered hair, encircling it like a bale. Her eyes are glittering and hard, but she smiles a smil5 80 hitter sweet that it is more 1111(101 than tears, "If my heart had been breakable it would have broken long ago," she ain- swers sadly. " I was too hardened from the first. Six months after our mar- riage 500 were separated; he to follow up the attachment to whicb he had so long been a slave, and I to wander about the Continent striving in vain lo hide mye if frorn the sight of men, Nearly evt . town I visited contained somebody .Lad known before. '1'ha best -informed and least censorious pit- ied me as the woman whose husband had left her without a given reason; others, not so' merciful, condemned. me , as a faithless wife—for my case had not, come before the public, and where there M mystery the woman is always blam- ed. 0111 it was very, very hard to hoaxe• You bave indeed suffered," he whis- pers gently, and it is well that his eyes are hidden by sim+otaeles, for they are burning with an indignation which might have betrayed bis secret. The worst was yet to come. It was at Rome, in the papers I had seen that she was there with her husband, al- ways admired and sought after. And further down the column I read of Lord Leigh's presence in the city. T meant to leave at once, but thab same afternoon 7 met them drivin_. He lift- ed his hat with a defiant, mocking' l smile, and sbe—out me dead; 1, the in- nocent, injured `3118, and she, the guil- ty woman, only countenanced by the world because her husband was still with her, blind or callous to what should have been les shame. I could bear no more ).ben. That night my child was born, and directly 1. could travel, 7 came to Leigh Park, and baro never loft it since, Yes, 1 guess what you would say; society no longer blames me; it knows all the truth at last. When my husband died so suddenly he had not prepared for death, end papers left undestroyed had rendered further concealment of hes sins impossible. A reaction set in, and 1 was besieged with letters and cards of condolence, but can you Wen- der that I did not again trust aworld which had once treated me so i111 My parents were dead; I was an orphan when I married, and in all my life I have only know none true friend—Tab- itha." " And me 1" he answers rapidly. "For Rollo's sake, Lady Leigh, count me, too. I would do much to serve you." " You are very good," is the rather stiff reply, as Lady Leigh suddenly awakens to a sense of her indiscretion in having said so much to a mere out- sider. "Or very resuming; which 4" be asks, a little sadly, She is at once repentant, feeling that it may seem aa though she had twitted 11in1 with Isis position as dependent in ber house, "No, I mean what /say. It bas not been my lot to meet with so much kindness that I can afford to refuse it when offered," "Even from me," bitterly. " Least of all from you. You bave been so good to Rollo ; that alone should make me grateful," "1 did not ask your gratitude, Lady Leigh, only your fiends hip,Taein" care of Rollo has been a very pleasant task." "And he is looking so well now, so well and strong. Before yon came be rvas getting sensitive and delicate, im- perious, too, as all women -bred child - Iran will, not now--" The mother's words fail her in des- cribing all that bar boy has become under his new guerdinnship, how manly and yet gentle, how intelligent, but always ready for play, 01 to listen to those stories which the tutor often tells him in the twilight. "Then your ladyship is satisfied with me: "Quite," is the cordial reply, and she bolds out her hand, Then suddenly it strikes her how sel- dom lie addresses her by that title ; not that be is disrespectful ever, only in- dependent, and perhaps unconsciously speaking, as thougb they were equals, not employer and employed, 'ro be Continued CHAPTER. IV. It is sone days before Colonel Dare sees Lady Leigh again. Whether it is that she guesses at what time Ile will be out, and so avoids him, or whe- ther she has ceased to care for out- door exercise. it is difficult to de- termine, but certain it is that neith- er in the park nor on the stairs does he meet her. Not the less does he think of her, however, and Rollo forms a strong link between them, the little fellow repeat- ing to eacb what the other has said in childish ignorance of the interest that one at least takes in the recital. It Ls evening when ebance brings them together again. Tho tutor is walking up and down before the house, looking u little w'istfally at the window, where a subdued light is shin- ing, as he smokes his after-dinner. cigarette. His gaze is still directed upward, when a slight sh,xik runs through his frame, and he finds that Lady Leigh is almost in bis arms. Coming sud- denly round tbe corner of the noose, she had not seem him until too late. For so elderly and staid -looking a man, he is singularly confused by this encounter, and by the half -amused smile that flickers on her lips as sbe notes what it is which so attracts his gaze. Hastily flinging away the cigarette, he raises his hat and murmurs some inarticulate apology. "You were looking at. the stars, Mr. Dare 4" "Yee, I eves looking at the stars," Lady Leigh smiles a little conscious- ly; she is too beautiful not to know of her beauty, and to guess at least a dart of his presumption, yet too gramme not to forgive it. She has wrapped a shawl round her and come out directly her solitary meal is ended. In the clear moonlight Colonel Dare can note the soft, silken robe, the glit- ter of jewels, and the gleam of the snow-white throat and arms. In spite of sorrow, even of despair, she has re- tained sufficient womanliness to love 'n•etty things for their own sake, and to caro to look well even if there is 00 one to admire her. "What a lovely night l" she says sighing. Colonel Dare acquiesces. and, turn- ing round, walks by her side. Tabitha tells me that you have been keeping in o 11 this time for fear of annoying ale," she says again, pres- ently ; I am very sorry that you should have done se." "Is it a false report, then, that re- presents you es being wedded to se - Muslin, so averse to meal.uig--" "No; it is true. Mr, Dare, if you knew my story, you would not wonder that 0 should hate all men for the sake of one." He does not answer, being amazed at the audacity of his own question and the. warmth of her reply; hut, somehow, she seems to know his silence is from sympathy, not coldness, and does net resent it. They 13:eve come to s. rustle seat, and Lady Leigh, with a gesture of faLlgue, sinks down on it and motions her corn- panion to do the same. Nothing loath, he complies. "It is the anniversary of my wed- ding day," she says, presently, in a , dreamy voice, only half aloud. "It is nearly s0;rn years since I came to this gloomy prison." "You do not like the place," he asks, in acme surprise. "Other places are worse. Here at least 1 am free from the insults of pitying orntempt and curiosity." "And you fled bare nn your trou- ble?" he hazards, half doubtfully, us though fairing to give her pain. "Yes, it ons the first time I had seen my husband's Hone. Leigh Park WAS too dull a retreat for bim—even —oven during par honeymoon, iia. had not been here since he was re boy.' Ile left his mother to die alone," Always impulsive in words or deeds, Lady Leigh's lips are ripened now by the unexpected, encounter; her econfis dence is won by the tutor's gentle voice and evident admiration for herself, and perhaps not a little by the half-elertcal girth he las adopted—wonen are se prone to rellgioua influence --besides, to -night the print seems so near that she feels ale must speak. She goes on Alter a pause. ":l was nineteen when I married, pee - haps younger than my years, and be- fore I had been a wife three months mer husband told me, with cruel oa.n- dor, that he had never loved me, only Married me from pique. With e40a1 5hle—Re married beneath him, franitness, he informed me of the nameate—Well all men have to, daft'!( they 7 ;A PRACTICAL PAINING. ORCHARDS FOR FARMERS. In diseessing a farmer's orchard from f ebony, I would plant, three dozen or • even four dozen, commencing with the earliest'• varieties like Dyolouse or Early Itiollmond, following with Large Montmorency, Ostllelm, Englt.sh Mor- eno, and Wragg, These should give mit for six weeks and if properly ear - the standpolut of erratt, we shall in- e elude the tattle and health, as well as a surplus to sometimes sell on the mar- ket, the same as the housewife ditties- 1 es of ber enrolee poultry and dairy pruduets. The farmer's orchard should have fruit enough for all domestic needs in the poorest years; and a etas Plus for profitable sale iu abundant• c seasons. Its arca should be two acres i of fruit trees and half an acre for small fruits, writes 31. F. Stephens. The location should be convenient to the buildings, 1 would regard conven- ience of recess front the house and to protection as being of more import- ance than elevation or slope. While northerly slopes have a slight per - ' d for should give fruit enough for the boys, the birds and the family. In trimming c her'1y trees preparatory to 'Muting, shorten the branches of last season's growth to four or five buds. Use low -beaded trees, aim to grow a very full head with many branches, since it is impossible to secure the maxihmum yield from a tree with law branches, Of plums, 7 would plant two lozen trees, wring the Americana foxi- ly. The European varieties are rare- ly long lived, not often, bandy, The Japanese varieties give largo fruit and slioutd bo planted sparLngly, Varieties like Forest Garden, 31 elf•, DeSoto, and Hawkeye and Wyant will please, If de- siring to plant Japanese varieties,plant Abundanee, Burbank, Ogen, Red June, Viri'lard and Satsuma, If European varieties are desired probably the Lombard is as safe as any, eentage of advantage in retardng blooming in spring and ripening in au- tumn, yet the difference is not so marked as to lead the planter to select ground at any considerable distance from the bone. In our experience, orchards do well on all slopes, when suitably cultivated and given proper att mitten. If within reach, better results are us- ually obtained by purchasing from the nearest re'iable nursery, Even if this nurseryman grows but asmall part of what be sells he is more likely to ad- vise with care and caution, and to deal honorably and fairly with bis custom- ' ens than is the traveling man repre- senting some distant nuseery, who may make extravagant claims for the nur- I serer he represents. Very few farm- ers will go in person to a nursery, They can not take the time, They can cor- I respond in advance with nurserymen ' of their acquaintance or of good re- pu.tetion, or they Tari purchase of tra- , veling men representing known nur- series, being careful to absolutely know that these traveling men repro - sent some reputable nursery, of whose. standing they know something. Prob- ably if nurseries did not send out ' agents and press on the farmer the importance of growing fruit, not half ; as many orcleards would be planted, If located in neighborhoods where fruit is already being grown. purchase the same varieties which are succeed - ,Lag in that immediate neighborhood. ' Purchase new rare.ties with cau- tion. Let the nurseryman and the ex - 1 perionont stations do the major por- I tion of the experimenting with new varieties of unknown, untried fruits. Standard varieties of long standing can be purchased at reasonable prices, , and are more likely to give satisfaction i and an abundance of fruit for family use thanvarieties of more recent intro- du.e'thon, which may or :lay not be ! adapted to the peculiar conditions sur- ' rounding the .,)anter. Having purchased trees and plants, i on receiving them, carefully protect them from sun and drying winds, Open 'the bundles and half bury the roots in moist soil., so they may be fresh wn- tit planted, If by any accident trees ;have become frosted they should he thawed away from the air. That is, if a case of trees should be frozen it should be )heavily covered to exolude the air, and the frost) allowed to come out slowly. If the trees bave been 'exposed to drying winds or are shriv- eled when received, bury them forty- eigbt hours in a hank of moist soil, l This will usually bring them out in fresh, plump condition, insuring fair ' anocess. I In planting trees in heavy soils put them tevo inches deeper than they grew in file nursery. In light 00(114 plant them four to six inches deeper. In very light soil, still deeper to planting, lean the trees (toward the' one or two o'clock sun, that the rays of the sun may strike the ,trunk wit111 less power. Use low -headed trees in order that the trunk of the trees inns be less ex -posed to the son, the aridity of the wind, and to destructive hail storms. fn planting, set solid. After planting and tramping the earth' firmly to the roots, should the soil be deficient in moisture, add two or three pane of water for earth tree, and after it has soaked away. fill the ground level with loose soil, This is to guard against baking. Protect trees recently plant- ed, by wrapping trunks with cern stalks, slough grass, eloth, brown ph - per, or even newspaper. These lessen the evaporation of sap from,'the trunk during the trying tinge of replanting. Shorten the branches, cutting them away two-thirds or three-fourths of t111 preceding season's growth. Not by cutting off threat -fourths of the limbs, text by shortening back all of them and removing the weaker limbs, Cultivation should be at least week- ly from early spring, soon after plant- ing, until the first of August, Avoid late cultivation, since unripe hood may be caught by the first severe freeze in autumn or early winter and trees would become blallthearted,l We no- ticed recently drat trees kept growing too late suffered from1 the first freeze wheal came in early winter. Plant apple trees fourteen by twen- ,ty-eight feet avert, 111: trees to the acre, Varieties of apples — a narrow list would Lnaiude .Early Harvest, Red June, Duchess of Oldenbur5h', Cole's Quince, Wealthy, Utter's Red, Grimes' Golden Pippin, Jonetban,Winesap, Mis- souri Pippin, Ben Davis and Sonet. I would suggest fifty perish trees, occu- pying not quite one-fourth acre, Var- reties in order of ripening, Alexander, Early Rivers, Hate's Early, C1lampion, Wager, Wrights, Crosby, Hill's Chilli, and Heath's Cling, In planting the peach, invariably use ono -year trees. Remove all branches, it back to twen- ty -tour to thirty inches in height, since it is imperative that the trees should be grown as a low, stocky tree, and not to be run up as rapidly as it would if left to nature, shwa the' tree i5 to be cut book, it is not as important to buy the strongest trees a1C peachas o f apple or cherry, Trees four feet n height answer ver well, and even two to three foot trews arouickl estab- lished and will give 58tisfaetion, Of FAMOUS TOY MAKERS. new the' )'rade Es 5(11101(1 and Ilept 111 Ilse I'aen113, for den(I'a04011',. In plying their trade, the tnymak- et's of Austria, confine themselves to the manufacture of the particular ar- ticles in which they excel. L'o1• exam- ple, one worker—an old woman—carves eats, dogs, wolves, sheep, goats and ele- phants. Sha bas made tbese six ani- mals her whole life long, and sbe has no idea oI how to Out anything else. Sho makes then( in two sizes, and she turns out as nearly as possible ane thousand of them ac year. i3he bas no modal or drawing of any kind to work by, but goes on steadily, unerringly, using guages 01 different sizes and shaping the animals outwith AU ease and an axn0uset of truth to nee Lure that would be clever if it were not utterly mechanical, She learned from her mother how to make these six animals, andher another had learn- ed, in like manner from her grand- mother. The old dame has taught the art to her own granddaughter, and so it will go on being transmitted for generatien5, in some houses there are families that carve rocking horses or dolls or other toys, anal, in other houses there are families of painters. In one bouso there are a dozen girls painting brown horses with black points, In another bouso they paint only red horses with white points. It is a separate branch of the trade to :saint saddles and head- gear, A good )'and will paint twelve dozen horses a day, each horse being about a foot in length, and for these she is paid: sixty sold(, or about a half dol lar, of the 11 omen for whom alone ho eared, TIE FIRES IN A.USTItA.LIAI The Fate of Babies SOME STRIKING INCIDENTS OF THE RECENT HOT SEASON. Many IL1tr.11re'adtll Escaper; -- Fr4l5IWralla I►I',triels 'Parsed Inco a 'it'ilalrrness 01 A5110s-1551 Engineer's Thrilling )(aper)•. enia', 'the Australian mail brings details of nbe bush fires in Victoria, the oectu'- rence of which 10 January +roe cabled from Ha011.oa411r, The telegrams gave no idea ref the appalling 1,11a1•acter and proportion„ of the disaster, which lone full of dramatic intensity of horror, and attended by incidents of thrilling interest hair-breuelth ea apes, and hero- ic courage and 'noun -rye, 0111 the coun- ty of 1301n 11u1n, which contains large tracts of forest. was eve mighty confla- gration, and hue been clanged from one of the most prosperous and contented dairying districts in Victoria into a vast wilderness of ashes, Excepting foo' the )all, gaunt tree stinks charred from rout to oro+vl. the fare of the oon0try foo' miles around has been swept so clean„ says the Argus, that one would t'hink a blade of grass had neversgrowu on it, 01 the nume5teuds, only the chimneys remain, like tombstones in a cemetery. Here and there lie the friz- zled up bodies of mice valuable stack —curia, pigs, and, printery; and now and teen as you canter through the sooty desolation you come across a large evil - smelling cinder, which is all that re- mains of some once serviceable horse, How the fire eeriginated is not: known, but whore a crmtinenL is a tinder -bar, such catastrophes need no explanation. And "when a bush fine has erre taken hold of a timbered acuntmy it scums;" as the Australasian explains. "all ef- forts to emtbaguish it; fanned by the bot wind: it swoops along the grass with TONGUES OF FLAME flares among the scrub, and leaps with prodigious bounds from tree to tree. Such on a vest scale was the scene of terror and of grandeur which the re- sidents of the devastated district Lowe witnessed. lVonlcing in heat like the blast from a furnace, bounded ley vel- umes of pungent smoke, and with the roars of flames in their ears. they PLOWING "LINDERI, RYE, The longer we let rye stand, the greater will be the bulk, and the more moisture it will contain, up to the time when it begins to gee woody, or after it heads out, It should then be got into the soil as quickly as possible, says Mr. Woodward, and the, soil com- pacted over it, and the surface made fine, so as to hold; all the molt/tare it contained. We, last spring, had a field which had grown corn in 1806, on one part of it, crimson clover had been sown, and rye on the other, The fall proving dry and the winter bad, the clover did not make a very large growth, but the rye did finely. This field was plowed when the clover was in full bloom and the rye just begin- ning to show where the beads were; and there was about four or five times the bulk of rye to put under, as there was of clover. A obain was used on tbe plows so as to put everything into the ground, and as fast as it was plowed(, a roller followed; this was followed whit a harrow, end the land again rolled, so as to get the ground as com- pact as possible above the, green stuff, The field was fitted and planted to potatoes, all treo.ted alike/ and we ex- pected, of course, that that part fol- lowing the clover would 511010 much tbo better crop. But last summer was about the driest I ever saw; for weeks and weeks, we did not have a drop of rain, and the field was well worked to conserve all the moisture tbere was. Soon it began to chew, to the row, where the rye was plowed under; the potatoes did not seem to mind the drought at all, but grew right on, ;while those after the clover were bad- ly pinched for water. I accounted for the difference, and I ho leve it was the true reason, by the fact that the large hurthen of rye plowed under fill- ed with juice and compactly held in the soil, furnished the needed mois- ture for the continuance of growth, and that the smaller bulk of clover, while most likely containing much more fertility, looked the necessary moisture to carry tee crop through. When the crop was dug, there was a marked difference in favor of the rye. I (rave not the least doubt that, had we left the rye a little longer before plowing, it would ;have become woody, and in doing so would have lost so mulch succulence, that it would bave held the soil loose,would have lacked moisture, would not have let t:he soil water up from below, and instead of being a benefit, would lave greatly injured the crop. So I nm convinced that to get the most good out of a rye -cover crop, we should lop it get es much bulk and as much; juice as pos- sible, but not leave it long enough to have it become so woody: as not to rot gnti.ckly, and so Bold, up' the soil as to have it suffer more• from a drought, I1 might be different in a wet season, but o -e get ;those only as an excel- teen. CANADA'S POPULATION SHIFTING. The Majority of the house of P'0111141ans moving from the East to the West. Tule shifting of the majority- of the DI minion House of Commons from the eastern bo the western portion of Can- ada, which has been: going on slowly since the union of the provinces, is likely to be greatly accelerated now. In the first Parliament alter the union there was only 82 members for all of Canada west of the Ottawa, and 00 for the portion east of the Ottawa Rivera In the present House there aro 104 members from the oust and 100 from the west, The expectation among those who watch the drift of population is that the redistribution of the Perlia- mentary representation, following 'up- on tie census of 3001, will add materi- ally not• 0n13' to the western conting- ent at the expense of the east, but al- so to the total mamba of the west's re- Ipresent;ativos. Tele Previews of Quehec is holding its population much better than during the last census period. This means that thorn will be several thousands More of populal:Lon to each of the sixty- five members to wbom she is entitled, ,As 1'esudt, the population unit, per member, in the other provinces must be increased also, 'fn the Maritime Provinces, where the natural increase of population still drifts largely to the western portion of the Dominion, or to the United 5tetes, a reduction in the representation 1vi11 be inevitable. Moe increase of population in the west will more than make up foe this slrtnka:ge, r Ilnless western prophets are entirely too sanguine, there will be a population of at least 800,000 be- tween Lake Superior and the Pacific by the end of the century. The fact that the west will in 0, few years hold the control of political pewee in the Dominion is becoming mere and more repparent to public men, , SP.RAR :ENGLISH, In 1794 Ibe habitual users of the Eng- lish language /lad not number more than 801000,000; iia 1807 theirnutnlean was 6513mated at 110.0004000, ; fought for thele lives and the lives of those densest to them." An eye -1r 11 - nese declares that the flames jumped from branch to branch and from tree- top to Lrce-Lop, sometimes o:e.r as 11111011 as fifty yards of intervening space. k^Lila .the whole atmelsehere seemed to lie ablaze, "It Looked as if the smoke was hcarged with Kruse 'kind of gas, for us it travelled before the wind, it seem- ed to breads out into great 5heete of flame, igniting by its toil ii everything it came in contact with," And the sun and sky were (dotted out by tele dense black pall of smoke 1na1 almost blind- ed a:od suffocated 2.11 whom it over- took. T1ae destruction of living animals and all sorts of property was of course en- ormous, and only devices of ready promptitude and pluck averted terrible loss of human life. Salvation lay in the extraor'dinar'y rapidity with which the fire passed on its amerces et devasta- tion. One woman made her young80 (11114a'en lie down on the ground end covered them over with seeks, whicb were kept constantly saturated with water, so teat they could breathe with- out inhaling the pungent, suffocating smoke, Then the husband dug a small hole in the ground, and in it they plac- ed the baby covering it over with saciks, which the eldest boy was deputized to keep well watered, "and in this strange cradle the sturdy infant of this cour- ageous couple went PEACEFULLY 1''O SLEEP, lulled by the roaring of the conflagra- tion and the thunder of fulling trees." Many women kept their children in creeks, and held them under the water while the flames passed over tbern, 'J"he most thrilling experience was that of the driver of a train from floe to '.1lhorpdale, 19110 thee relates it bim- self: "Tile sun was Wellhead; it ons as dark as night.. Immediately in front of us the flames were tearing like a beamed* 80russ the line, jumping from tree to tree. 'Dhe railway fence vanished in a whiff, and then 1 began to feel hopeless et getting through— there seetned to be no passing tb'rough that mass ea flame, elaugor Williams came in on his railway cycle to say that the bridge ahead was o31 fire, and then we knew )low ci.esperate was the position. But we took for granted that the bridges, though still burning, would hold out., To make sure we ran the wetter track out first and extin- gulehed the fire of the first bridge, ,and tied saved it. In a minute I threw open the valve and off Ivo went. It eves ora' only ebanoe—full steam ahead, In an instant ave were in it, 'J''he fire was all around us, The srneko clouded us, and as the flames roared up around us we thought the last day was come. Were we to be roasted aleve d It looked like it, The engine seemed to jump forward and quiver and shake with the vibration. My mato and I huddled close up to the furnace doors, for even that spot was cool by comparison, Long tongues of flame were now shooting up under Ole boiler end mound the wboels, and once ar twice our clothes took light, brut We 110.31. water at hand and used it well. .13y and by daylight; showed named, and in a few minutes we were in lfkoa'p fele—sefo 1" WATER 'JACKETS. In 'Berlin the firemen wear water Jackets, with e, tloutee skin, which they are aide to fill with: water from the hose. If the space between tbo two layers becomes overfilled the water es- canes through a valve at the top of the helmet, Raphael is an English prophet, livery year he gets out a "Prophetic Messeng- er and Weather Guide," which °Peoples 1110 slime place In England as our pcpu- 1a1' alutanao5 do 11080, Dat in addition to weather prophec- les and advice to farmers to kill pigs ebbing the first quarter and full of the moon, Raphael gives startling pre- dictions of a personal character. Tao tells you just what to do and what not. to do every day in the year, and 11e also prophesies the fate of any child born on any day. The morning of January 1 appears lo be an extremely lucky period of the year, for you are told to "court, marry, arils favors and push thy business be- fore noon," Whether the young lady would say nay 11 you popped in the afternoon, does not appear.. But that deduction may be made from the l,re- mise5. It seams that women's society will be dangerous on Sunday, February 27, for sun are 1011 to be very care- fai on that day and to "avoid female company" Sunday, March 27, is what aIle mixed clay. "The a, m, may be rolled a m y is favorable, the p. m. and evening very obnoxious," says Raphael. D0N".1' POP ON '1'1115 DAY. Directions like this run through the' whole year, and 1f you want to know whether you hill succeed or fall on any part.ieular day all you have to do is to turn to that day and read wbat Raphael has to say, (thus 11, when 3011e 13 conies, you are thinking of pro- posing In a fair damsel, you will doubt- less refrain from doing so until the ev- ening, for the prophet toils you to "avoid women 11(1 keep quiet unlit 6 then ask favors." But the most startling informative is that which relates to the fate of any chill born during the year. Though we are warned that the information must not be taken as correct In every case, es the hour of birth will. some- times make agreat difference eithez for better or worse, and in accordance with the nature of the hour, whether it be a fortunate or unfortunate one. However, Raphael realms that the in- formation given is such as will occur in about. nine cases out of ten, but he chebirtehrfully, adds that he cannot tell ;whether a child will live or die, as that depends entirely upon the hour of its WERE YOU A MORNING BABY. The best hour in a 501181131 way for INCOMES OP ,BRITISH F./MILUF,S. 'Me number of families in the Unit- ed 1Lingdom is just over 7,700,000, For the United Ringdom we get eve income of 550,000 in every 2,500 families, one in- come of over 55,000 to every 180 1am1- lies, ono Income of over 52,500 00 to every 75 !ninnies, and one income 01 over 0(1,000 fox every 19 families, a child to be horn Ls said to bo from 11 a, m. until noon, "for at that time the Sun, Mercury and Venus must be well elevated or near the meridian." Children born in the morning are gen- erally more fortunate than those horn in the evening. Morning children use u.ally become their own masters; af- ternoon or evening ehlldrcn'ar0 gen- erally content to work for others. Sun- riso is also a favorable hour for male ehlldren to to boy, Pram two 111 1110 morning up to roan is a favorable time, and the horst time is from sunset 10 midnight. Yet lessons leers there are usually fortunate in the employ of oth- ers, and will stay for years with the same master; in short, they have not: a very ambitious turn of mind, and are content to pane their lives Ln ob- scurity, whereas the ehild born in the morning is of a restless, ambitious na- ture, courting responsibility, and not content fn holding an inferior position. The prophet, However, hedges on these general prognoseicatiuns and states that they are liable to exceptions as the "planetary ronditiuus are sone - times snob that an afternoon or even- ing ehild will have arnuc'h Netter ca- rter than a morning child." January 1 of this year seems to have leen a lucky day to have been born on, Gtr the children horn on that day wi1I, it is claimed, be "active, well conducted and grow up to be prosper- ous in their undertakings," January 4, on the other hand, seems to have been an unlucky day. (Aln0ng other pleasant idiosyncrasies, 1t child • horn on that day will be "very headstrong, turbulent and unruly." WEDLOCK AND DIVORCE. Raphael's prophecies are not, howev- er, confined to behavior and character traits, for be informs us that if the child born on that day i.s a fomale,sbo will be unfortunate in wetllock. In flat, wedlock, is a favorite Welt in pro- pbeey with him, Tints he tolls 1114 that a girl born on February 27, will get "a very bad and erne) husband," and, in fact, any child horn on that day will have a "very unfortunate career, and generally be in tears a11(1 trouble. Pleasant, isn't it? Of course, in these days of divorce, oar prophet could not confine his fore- en118 to only one marriage. So he tlleerftitly in101111s us that if a child horn on Vlarch 2, 1x4 a female, "8110 will gat a had. husband nttd will rilerry more than once" 'Whether or not the 8uer'easiVc husbands will all be hal, de- ponent sayeth not. Our temperance friends would probably object to the prophecy solemely promulgated und- er date of March 25, "A child born' on 'this day should avoid water." Our Prophetic fricald evidently dos not be- lieve in. the union of spring andau- tumn, for .he tells us that a girl laaby born on March 81 "will marry an eld- erly, man and be unhappy with him,' A girl born on 'May. '31 appears to be out out for a heroine in melodrama, for Raphael says she will loo "in dang- er of, diegeaco, yet mom, well and happily, VOICE OG .PTIPS HEAVENS. 'Under oath month is a division call. cd she "Voice of the Heavens," in which general prophecies are given according to the position of the "starry rulers" Thus, according to Raphael, the stars Tru'tteel that in May Queen Victoria's health 11111.1 not bogood,and that Spain, Paris, Landon and the tInited States will ie very unfortunate, in ,Inly the close opposition of 1An.rt1 and Uranus denotes many terrible accidents and great lass of fife, and, among other countries, the United States will be troubled with a host of untoward o0- eurrences, But the "passage, of Su• piton through Libra" will benefit Aus- tria, Bosnia and China, 'which last country, goodness knows, l occas all the benefits liaeha01 Can WOW'. for 111