The Brussels Post, 1896-9-11, Page 2.FATES' IN `RUNE
1 l OHAPTETt '[l,—(Oolitiened),
"Poor little Lally 1" said Mr. Peek
lington, Then be aat and pondered
r`77t. Le an absteole," he said at last,
"Ali J" said his wife,
"He trust pat himself'. right,'
"Do ycan ort revs what be mile?"
'"Well, at any zeta, Allow be had
good. excuse for saying it,"
"I think it's a little hard, Bat it's
few yon to decide."
Mr. Pocklington nodded;
"Than, that's rattled," said Mr's:
Pocklington. "It's a great comfort,
Robert, to have a man who known bis
Xnind an the premises."
"Be gentle with her," said he, and
returned to the strike.
Tae other parties to the encounter
over George's merits had by a natural
impulse taken themselves to Neaera
iW$.tt's, with the hope of being thanked
for their holy zeal, They ware disap-
pointed, for, on arriving at Albert
Mansions, they were informed that.
Neaera, although returned from Liver-
pool, was not visible. "Mr, Nestonhas
been waiting over an hour to see her,
miss," said Neaera's highly respectable
maid, "but she won't leave her room."
Gerald heard their voices, and came
out.
"I can't think what's the matter,"
he said,
"OIL I suppose the journey lies
7moaked her up," suggested Isabel.
"Are you going to wait, Gerald?" ask-
ed Maud.
"Well, no. The fact is, she sent me
a message to go away."
"Then come home with me," said
Isabel, "and we will try to console you."
Gerald would enjoy their tale quite as
much as Neaera.
Low spirits are excusable in persona
who are camping on an active volcano,
and Neaera felt that this was very much
her position. At any moment she might
be blown into spars, her pleasant
dreams shattered, bar champions put to
shame, and herself driven forever from
the only place in life shs cared to oc-
aupy. Her abasement was pitiful, and
her penitence, being born merely of
defeat, offers no basis of edification. She
had serious thoughts of running away;
for she did not think she could face
Gerald's wrath, or, worse still, his
grief. He would cast her off, and
society would cast her off, and those
dreadful papers would turn their thun-
ders against her. Sbe miglet have con-
soled herself for banishment from so-
ciety with Gerald's love, or, perhaps,
for lass of his love with the triumphs
of saoiety; but she would lose both,
and have not a soul in the whole world
to speak 'to except that hateful Mrs.
Bort. So she sat and dolefully mused,
with the tailless cat, that gift of a
friendly gaoler at Peakton prison, pur-
ring on the rug before her, unconscious
ly personifying an irrevocable past and
future emptied of delight, ,
taaaa
CHAPTER 5;T'lT•
It was fortunate that Dir. Blodwell
was not very .busy on Saturday morn-
ing; or be might have resented the
choice of his chambers for a council,
and not been mollified by being asked
to take part in the deliberations. At
eleven o'clock in the morning, Gerald
Neston arrived, accompanied by Sid-
mouth
idmouth Vane and Mr. Lionel Fitzderham
;mho was, in the first place, Mrs. Pock-
lingtorl s brother, and, in the second
place, chairman of the committee of. the
Themis Club.
We have come, air," said Gerald, "to
ask you to use your influence with
George. His conduct is past endur-
ance."
Anything new?" asked Mr. Blod-
well.
• • No, that's just it. This is Satur-
day. I'm to be married on Monday
Week • and George doesnothing."
"What do you want him to do?"
"Why, to acknowledge himself wrong,
ars he can't prove himself right."
Mr. Blodwell looked at Fitzderham.
Yes," said the latter. "It can't stay
as it is. The lady must be cleared, if
she can't be proved guilty. We arriv-
ed clearly at that conclusion.",
"We?"
"The committee of the Themis."
"Oh, ah, yea. And you, Vane ?"
"I concur," said Vane, briefly. "I've'
backed George up to now; but I agree
he must do one thing or the other." d
"Well, gentlemen, I suppose you're
right. Only, if he won't?"
Then we shall take action," said
Fitzderham.
"So shall I," said Gerald,
Vane shrugged his shoulders.
Mr. Blodwell rang• the bell.
Ts Mr. George in. Timms?" . he
asked.
"Yes, air ; just arrived."
"Ask him to step in to me, if he will.
1 don't see," he continued, "why you
shouldn't settle it with him. I've no-
thing to do with it, thank God."
George entered, He was surprised to
Nee the deputation, but addressed him -
pelf exclusively to Blodwell,
"Hera I am, sir. What is it?"
"These gentlemen," said Mr. Blod-
well, `think that the time has come
for you to withdraw your allegations or
to prove them."
You see, George," said Vane, "it's
not fair to leave Mars. Witt under this
indefinite stigma."
Far from it,' said Fitzderham.
George stood with his baok against
the mantel -piece. "I quite agree," he
said, 'Let's see—to-day's Saturday.
When is the wedding, if there --4"
Monday weak," said Blodwell, hasti-
ly, fearing an explosion from Gerald,
"Very well. On Tuesday—"
"A telegram for you, sir," said Timms,
entering.
Excuse me," said George..
He opened and read bis telegram. It
ran, "Yes -.my handwriting. Will re-
turn by next post registered—Horne,
Bournemoutb,"
"On Monday," continued George, "at
five o'clock in the afteriibon, I will
prove all 1 said, or withdraw it."
Gerald looked aneaey, ' but he tried
to think, Or at least to appear to think,
that George's delay was only to make
his surrender less abrupt.
• 'Very well! Shall we meet here?"
"No," said Gerald. "Mrs. Witt ought
to be prceent.
"Is that desirable?" asked George.
"Of course it is.
"As you please. I should Say not. Bat
askher, and be guided by her wishes.
"Well,;gthen, at Lord Tottlebury'a?"
a'I By all;means," said George. And,
mvith. a slight nod, he left the room
bti a," said Mr, 131odvr:ell, '`that
r
TS,
tangled looks before she enters the dock,
Who can doubt, Omega it be not re-
corded, that the bur,gglars of Calais;
eraeUy restricted to thole skirts, dons-
ed them finest linea to face King galeward and his Queen, or that the 4n -
tee bave (lone well in ferning ;smatters gutsiters were privileged to behold
co an eutrenulty,u : A Many a robe born to triom-pb on a 4e -
"Oouldn't help it, eald Vane, briefly, forent One? And so Neaera Witt
:And the eolinail broke up, . adorned hermit to meet George Nestor.
this. Horn's telegram made George's Wall subtle simplicity. Ilei own iii-
Fositian aomplote. Tt svgs in3possitlle obastened taste, fed upon Popular en -
or Neaera to etru gee against such gravipgs, hankered alter black vafvet,
amidases, and 'bis triumph was assured Plainly made clinging folds;bat the
om
frthe memont when he produced an, ed that the motive woultl be as
the original document and contrasted obvious for en eye so ruse as George's,
it with Neaereas deetered copy. lie- and reluctantly surrendered ber pie -
sides, airs. Bort was in the background, tare of a second Queen of Soots, White
if necessary,' and although an im- would be better; white could cling as
pulse of pff had led him to shield well as bleak, and would so mingle
Neaera at Lyiverpaol, he was in no suggestions of remorse and innocence
way debarred by that from summon- that surely he Gould not bo hard-beart-
ing Niro. Bort to his assistanee if be ed enougb to draw the distiuotion, ,l
knot of flowers, destined to be Placated
to pieces by agitated bands—so mush
conventional emotion she could not
dopy herself,—a dress Gut low,- and open
sleeves made to fall back when the
white arms were up stretobed for pity,
—all this should make a combined as-
sault on. George's higher nature and on
his lower. Neaera thought .that, if
only she bad been granted time .and
money to dress properly, she migg�ht
never have semi the inside of Peokoon
gaps, at all; for even lawyers are . hu-
man, or, if that be disputed, lot us say
not superhuman.
George came in with all the awkward-
ness of an Englishmen who hates a
scene and feels himself a fool for his
awkwardness. Neaera motionad bim
to a chair, and they sat silent for a
moment,
"You sent for me, Mrs, Witt?"
"Yes," said. Neaera, looking at the
fire. Then, with a sudden turn of her
eyes upon him, she added, "It way
only—to thank you."
I'm afraid you have little enough'
to thank me for."
"Yes; your kindness at Liverpool.
"Oh, it seemed the best way out. I
hope
e you pardon the liberty I took?"
yours."
Afor an earlier kindness of
I really—"
"Yes, yes, When they gave nee
that money you sent, I cried, I could
not cry in prison, but I cried then. It
was the first time any one had ever
been kind to mo."
George was embarrassed. He had
an uneasy feeling that the sentiment
was trite; but, then, many of the sad-
dest things are the tritest.
It is good of you," he said,stum-
bling in his words, "to remember it, in
face of . all I have done against you."
You pitied me then."
"With all my heart."
"How, dill I do it? How did ac? I
wish I had starved; and seen my fa-
ther starve firsts"
George wondered whether it was food
that the late Mr. Gale so urgently need-
ed,
"But I did it. T Was a thief; and
once a thee£ always a thief." And
Neaera smiled a sad smile.
You must not suppose," he said, as
hemake had onceallowances," before, "that I do pot
Allowances?" she cried, starting up.
"Allowances—always allowances! never
pity! never mercy! never forgetfulness!"'
"You did not ask for mercy," said.
George.
No, I didn't. I know what you mean
—I lied."
"Yes, you lied, if you choose that
word. You garbled documents, and,
when the truth was told, you called it
slander."
Neaera had sunk back in her seat
again, 'Yes," she moaned. "I couldn't
let it all go—I eouldn'tl"
sible."
You yourself have made pity impos-
"Oh no, not impossible! I loved him
so, and he—he was so trustful."
"The more reason for not deceiving
him," said George, grimly.
"What is it, after all?" she ex-
claimesay?"d, changing her tone, "What ie
it, I
"Well, if you ask me, Mrs. Witt, it's
an awkwlrd. record."
"An awkward record! Yes, but for a
man in love?"
That's Gerald's look -out. He can do
as he pleases."
"What, after you have put me to
open shams? And for what? Because
I loved my father most, and loved
my—the man who loved me—most!"
George shook his head,
wanted ber. The Heston honor wee
safe, au imposter exposed, and the cause
of morality, respectability, truth and
decency powerfully
forwarded. Above
all, George hineseltwas enabled to rout.
leis enemies, to bring a blush to the
unblusbing obeek of the Bull'e-eye,
and to meet his friends without tail -
lug - that perhaps they Ivoro ashamed
to be 0000 talking to hem.
The delights of the last-mentioned
prospect were so great, that George
could not make up his mind to poet -
pone them, and, in the afternoon,, he
set out to cell on the Pocklingtons,
There could be no harm in giving them
at least a hint of the altered state of
his fortunes, due, as. it was in reality,
to Mrs. Pooklington's kindnesa in pre-
senting Sim to Lord Mapleclurham, It
would certainly be very pleasant to
prove to the Pooklin tons, especially to
Laura Pocklington, that they had been
justified in standing by him, and that
he was entitled, nate the good-natured
tolerance accorded to honesty, but to
the admiration due to success.
In matters of love, at least, George
Neston cannot be presented as an ideal
hero. Heroes unite the discordant at-
tributes of violence and constancy
George bad displayed naithex. Isabel
Bourne had satisfied his judgment
without stirring his blood, When she
presumed to be so ill-advised es to
side against him, he resigned, without
a pang, a prospeot that .had become
almost a habit. Easily and insensibly
the pretty image of Laura Pockling-
ton had felled the vacant space. ds he
wended bis way to Mre. Pockhngton's,
he smiled to flunk that a month or two
ago he bad looked forward to a life
spent with Isabel Bourne with acquies-
cence, though not, it is true, with rap-
ture. Had the rapture existed before,
it is sad to think that perhaps the smile
would have been broader now; for love,
when born in trepidation and nursed
in joy, is often buried without lamenta-
tion and remembered with amusement
kindly, even tender amusement, but
still amusement. An easy-going fancy
Iike George's for Isabel cannot . claim
even the tribute of a tear behind the
smile—a tear which, by its presence,
causes yet another smile. George was
not even grateful to Isabel for a pleas-
ant dream and aentle awakening. She
was gone' and, what is more, she ought
never to have come; and there was an
end of it.
George, having buried Isabel, rang
the bell with a. composed mind. He
migbt ask Laura Pocklington to marry
him to -day, or be might not,. He would
be guided by circumstances m that mat-
ter; but at any rate he would ask her,
and that soon; for she was the only
girl he could ever be happy with, and,
if be dawdled, his chance might be gone.
Of course there was a crowd of suit-
ors at her feet, and, although George
had no unduly modest view of his own
claim's, he felt it behoved him to be
up and doing. Itis true that the crowd
of suitors was not very much in evi-
dence, but who could doubt its exis-
tence without questioning the sanity
and eyesight of mankind?
As it so chanced, however, George did
not see Laura. He saw Mrs, Pockling-
ton, and that lady at once led the con-
versation to the insisteht topic of Nea-
rer Witt. Georgy could not help let-
ting iaA a hint of his approaching vie -
tor
Peer woman I" said Mrs. Pockling-
ton. But, for your sake, I'm very
glad."
Yes, it gets me out of an awkward
position,"
Just what my husband said. Ha
thought that you were absolutely bound
to prove what you said, or at least to
give a good excuse for it." ,
Absolutely bound?"
"Well, I mean if you ewers to keep
your place in society."
And in yoor house ?"
"Oh, he did not go so fax as that.
Everybody comes to my house,"
Yes; but, Mrs. Pocklington, I don't
want Co come in the capacity of 'every-
body."
"Then, I think he did mean that you
must do what I say, before' you went
073 conning in any other capacity."
George looked at Mrs. Pocklington.
Mrs. Pocklington smiled diplomatically,
"Is Miss Pocklington out?" asked
Geo�rge,
Yes," said Mrs. Pocklington, "she
is out."
"Not back soon 0" asked George,
smiling in his,turn.
"Not yet."
"Not until -0"
"Well, Mr. Neston, I ;dare say you
know what I mean,"
-I think so. Fortunately, there is
no difficulty. Shall we say Tuesday 7"
"When Tuesday comes, we will see
if we say Tuesday."
"And, otherwise, I am—=4"
"Otherwise, my dear 'George, you
have no one to persuade except—"
Ale, that is the Most diffieult task
of all,"
"I don't know anything about that,
Only I hope you believe what you say.
Young men are so conceited nowadays.'
"When Miss Pocklington comes in,
you will tell her how sorry I rose not
to sea her?"
"Ceratinly."
"And that I'Iook forward to Tues -
y0„
No; 'I shall say nothing about that,
You. are hot out of the wood yet."
'Oh yes, I am,•'
But Mrs. Pocklington stood firm; and
George departed, feeling that the last
possibility of mercy for Neaera Witt
Lad vanished. Thera is a limit to un-
selfishness; nay, what place is there for
pity when public duty and private in-
terest unite in demanding jolt severi-
ty?
CHAPI;•ir1lt XIV.
Neaera Witt had one Yost card to play,
Alas, how great the stake, and how
slight the chancel Still she would pia
it. If it failed., she would only drink
a little deeper of humiliation, and be
trampled a little more contemptuous -
1y under foot. What did that matter?
"You will not condemn a woman
unheard," she wrote, with a touch of
melodrama, "I expect you here on
Sunday evening at nine. You cannot
be so hard its not to come."
George had written that he Would
come, but that his determination was
unchangeable. I roust come, as you
ask .mc," ha said: 'but it is Useless—
Worse than useless." Still he would
coma,
Bill Sykes likes to be tried in a black
coat„ and draggle -tailed Sal smooths her
"If you were in love—in love, I say
with a girl—yes, if you were in lova
with me, would this thing stop you0"
And she stood before him proudly and
scornfully.
George looked at her, "I don't think
it would," be said.
"Then," she asked' advancing a step,
and stretching out her clasped hands,
" yourself? 'why ask more for another than for
"Gerald will be the head of the fam-
ily, to begin with—"
The family4"
"Certainly; the Neston family"
"Who are they? Are they famous? I
never heard of them till the other day."
"1 daresay not; we moved in rather
different oireles."
"Do you take pleasure in being brut-
al?„
'1 take pleasure in nothing connect-
ed with this confounded affair,' said
George, impatiently.
"Then why not drop it?" "
George shook his head.,
"Too late," he said.
"It's mere selfishness. You are only
thinking of evhat people will say of
you."
I have a right to oonsider that,"
"It's mean—mean and heartlesat"
George rose. Really, it's no use go-
ing on with this," said he. And, mak-
ing a slight bow, he turned towards
the door.
I didn't mean it ---I didn't mean it,"
cried Neaera. "Bat `I am oat of my
mind. Ah, have, pity on me!" And she
flung herself on the floor, right in his
path.
George felt very absurd. He stood, his
hat be one band, his stick and gloves
in the other, while Neaera clasped hes
legs below the knee, and, he feared,
was about to bedew his boots with her
team. his is tragedy, I suppose," he
thought, "How the devil am I to get
aeviay? '
I have never had a chance," Neaera
went on, "never. Ah it is hard! And
when at last—" Her voice choked,
and George, to hie horror, beard her.
sob.
He nervously shifted his feet about,
as well as Neaera's eager clutehas would
allow him. How he wished he bad not
comet
I cannot bear al" she cried. "They
will all write about me, and jeer at me;
and Gerald will east nee off. Where.
shall I hide?—where shall I hide?
What was it to your
Then she was silent, but George
heard her stifled weeping. Her clasp re-
laxed, and she 'fell forward, with her
face on the floor, in front of him, :Io
did not seize his (Lance of escape,
(To be continued,)
The Microbiological Institute at Ma-
drid
adrid bas published statistics that allow
that only ten per cant. of diphtheria
patients treated with serum died where-
as previously (from 1882 to 1891, the
mortality had been 80 per cent,
PRACTICAL FARMING,..
'WiRT.EIl WHEAT AFTER POTATOES.
"Since wheat has become tee law in
RICO to make 11 profitable to summer
fallow,
farmers have sought to acono-
mise by growing sortie crop which can
lie got off in fling to prepara the field
for fall seeding,'" says an Nastox'll ('X-
change. "On a large Beale the small
grains, ' oats and barley are most gen-
orally used as fallow crops, But they
have the disadvantage of exhausting
the soil of precisely the kind of plant
food that the wheat plant requires.
Besides, after harvest the ground ie
hard, and when plaweli Ilia grain stab-
bie under the furrow makes the soil
light,
00 that it .dries out too quickly
and does not make a good seed bed.
This dryness of soil makes its mineral
Plant food insoluble, and as the avail-
able nitrogen in the soil has been used
up by the grain crop, the wheat which
follows can ,only make a weakly fall
growth',
"From' all these objections the po-
tato orop as d fallow drop. ,forwheat
is. wh' e•
bauetiweolly exceptfree. to somPotatoese exartentnet of potex-
as1, The thorough cultivation they re-
quire develops in" the soil a large
amount of available nitrogsu whish
the potato ,in its late growth is wholly
unable to use. This is seen its the im-
mense Drop of weeds which starts just
LIS soon as cultivation ceases, If no win-
ter grain is sown after the potatoes,
weeds use this fertility, not oulv,with-
out advantage to the farmer but to
bis injury. It makes one of the great
advantagee of sowing wheat on potato
ground that the grain crop needs no
nitrogenous manure. Tbe brigbt green
of the young wheat shoots shows.plain-
ly that the plant is supplied with
Plenty of nitrates. Witha dressing
of 150 to 200 pounds of commercial
phosphate, a (tell wheat crop can be
grown after potatoes,
"The potato orop in a heavy one to
handle, and the difficulty of harvesting
the crop and clearing the land in a
large acreage in time tor sowing wheat
is ono reasorf why wheat is not more
generally preceded by potatoes. Yet
the cost of harvesting the potato orop
is not increased, but rather lessened,
by doing the work early. Potato dig-
gers are now so improved that a' large
field can be speedily cleared of this
crop. When the potatoes are off the
field and the potato stalks raked no
and lmrned, little more preparation is
needed for sowing. A light cultivation
of the surface for, three or four inches
is better for the wheat crop .than
lowing deeper would be. It is also
better for the clover seeding next
spring, keeping at the surface the soil
which has been enriched by the sum-
mer's cultivation. It has alwaya been
noted that the finest clover catches
with winter wheat are got where the
grain crop has been sown after pot -
toes,
"One of the advantages of succeed-
ing potatoes with wheat is that' it
makes a shorter rotation and does.
away withthe necessity for sowing
spring grain, which is now every year
so cheap that in the eastern states it
is grown at a loss. If a winter grain
Drop follows that of spring grain it
makes a four years' rotation, wbich is
not less profitable but more exhaustive
of fertility than a rotation in which
clover or grass seeding comes every
third year, and above all, with a high-
ly cultivated crop in this rotation to
keep 411e land free from weeds."
ABOUT POULTRY RAISING.
We often hear the question asked:
"Is there any profit in poultry 1"
writes a farmer's daughter. I have al-
ways found it to be a profitable as well
as a most pleasurable occupation. If
you will allow me the room in your
poultry cohere, I will give my short
experience in that line of business.
When but a small child, my greatest
desire was to possess a flack of chick-
ens, and to gratify my wish, my father
bought me a few old hens, in the fall
of W. It is needless to say that when
out of school I was kept very busy
caring for my biddies. Since that time
my flock has gradually increased until
now I have the care of all our fowls.
Two years ago, thinking I would
Motto raise Leghorns, I procured six
settings of eggs from thoroughbred
fowls. I raised about twenty hens
from them. During the first winter
only about eight of them laid—cud they
lay in the field—dead. It took but a
very short time to decide that they
were not the kind of fowls wanted.
But to give them a thorough trial, eve
kept them until spring, when they laid
exceedingly well, fwd would have given
better satisfaction had they not oaten
two eggs for every one they deposited
in the neat. Seeing it took two bens
to keep one, we sold them and said
mentally "good riddance."
Having given a number of broads a
thorough trial, we have depicted tri keep'
none but the Barred Plymouth Rook,
believing them to be the best all-pur-
pose glares fowl. If you wish a fowl
tor the table, a good, fat P. R. would
satisfy the most Fastidious, and for egg
producers, none excel them. Last win -
tar we kept a flock of 120 hens. Dur-
ing the three winter months we re-
ceived (125,40 cash for our eggs, and
considering the very low price received
per dozen, we think it paid very well.
As my father is quite an extensive
farmer, we raise all the grain we feed,
and as the fowls have a large area of
ground over which to roam, they can
pick the most of their living in sum-
men.
We use the old way of hatching and
raising our chicks—the old sitting hen.
Although it is a slower way than b
the incubator and brooder, we ;think
the chicks are more healthy when oared
for by the mother. We are scarcely
ever troubled with any kind of disease,
The little red lice annoy us In the sume
mer by getting in our homes. We
shut our chickensout of the houses
entirely, and as then are not disturbed
by yermin I think they aro better
off in the pure out-of-door air.
I will give a simple and infallible
cure for the gapes. When you ace a
chick gapping catch it and drop a few
drops of lamp oil in its throat and wind
pipe. I have had old hens sick with
what looked very much like diphtheria,
and after applying a law doses of oil
in this way, they bave been entirely
cured, Wo expect ,to keep about a
hundred good fowls the coming win-
ter, andudging the future by the
pat, we fefeel we shell be more than
paid for our'la r and attention, Tak-
ing it all in all, I aousider it a very
good ocoupatlen.
LOSS 13'X' SLOW I4ILIIING,
Ur, Babcock found in some elcperi-
rants he tried regarding this matter
that slow mincing had a vary decided
effect in reduoing the butter fat in
, henru rla
ofrnlikavert11
re psi'beicongt•,i1,'naveitisage trialis asolina at
result of slow mincing,, while also there
was a deokled diminntton in the 40100-'
1317' Ihough in a prolonged trial With
cows naturally going .dry the differ-
ences tended to disappear, The total re•
suit over a season, however, is bene-
ficial to the milk yield in the case of
quick milking, 'not to speak of the
saving of time. We do not know all
about the secretion of the milk in the
udder, but we aro getting on that way.
TH31 DUELS OF FAME.
1'a::ts mita ineldeeta or liarehean
Coothahh
limas in Germany the popularity a£
the duel is open to some doubt, Its
existence is due not so much to a de-
sire for combat as of fear of what
people will say It there is no fight,
There have been noted duellists who
were always ready for a fray, and when
they catered a drawing -room women
quailed cud.! hoped it would not be
their husbands or lovers who would
ba so unlucky as to excite the ha or
the, nen of blood.
During the occupation of Paris by the
allies there \mere duels every clay, lbs
Frenolimen usually being tlio ehalleng-
ors and the victors, as they were very
skilful smith the small sword. Some-
times, however, they made a mistake as
when they jeered at an English officer
over losing his leg at "Waterloo. The
jeerer discovered that the loss of his
leg did not interfere in the least with
the Englishman's aim.
There have been. 'exceptionsto the
mania for fighting at any price, An
English captam, cballenged by a Lrenob-
man, had the choles of weapons and
chose pistols.The Frenchman dealer -
ed he would tight with nothing but the
sword, and interested friends finally
compromised on lances, a -horseback,
The combat naturally attracted much
attention. A great crowd witnessed the
duel. One man received throe ugly
prods, but finally killed his antagonist.
No duellist could ever be made to
smile over the famous story of the Eng-
lishman and Frenchman who were to
fight a duel in a pitch-dark room, Not
wishing to kill this man, the English-
man fired up the chimney when the
word was given, and to itis surprise
brought down the Prenebman, who had
hidden there. When this story is told
in France it is always the Englishman
who was up the chimney.
Fighting Fitzgerald was successful in
eighteen duels before it was discovered
that he always wore a coat of mail,
For years his fame in society had rest-
ed on his invariable success as a duel-
list, and this discovery was his undo-
ing. A certain major in fighting him
objected when his sword snapped on .a
Jieert-thrust and demanded an investi-
gation, He was afterwards banged in
Ireland for murdering a neighbor.
The moat tragic duel in England was
between Lord Byron, granduncle of the
poet, and a kinsman. It was fought in
a tavern room by,the light of one tallow
candle. Lord Byron was tried for mur-
der, but got off on manslaughter, from
the penalties of which he escaped be-
cause he was a peer of the realm.. This
safeguard of peers was done away with
only during the present reign,
CHINESE DETECTIVES.
They ,ire Said to be the Shrewdest 10 the
`Fend.
Your true Frenchman thinks the
Parisian detectives are best. English:
men swear by Scotland Yard men, In
Aemrica every great city regards with
pride its local "sleuth hounds." A
writer, after three years' residence in
China, .says he does not think either
of the three countries are entitled to
the credit given them. The Chinese beat
them all,
They are at one time the most ex-
pert thieves, and at another the most
skilled detectives in the world. A
Chinaman can steal your watch while
you are looking at it, and he can catch
the man who stole it, if it happens to
be some other uian than himself,
when a French detective cou lel not.
The writer has seen evidences of de-
tective abilityamong the Chinese which
would startle even Lecooct, It is im-
possible for an evil -door to long elude
the Chinese detectives. They scent a
=line and follow it to the last before
civilized detectives would know of it.
The Chinese detective force is a se-
erat body, and the best organized in
the world. They have an eye upon
every man,• woman and child, foreign
or native, m China, and in addition
watch over each other.
Informers are encouraged, and col-
lusion is impossible. The head of the
Chinese police is not known, but there
is one, and a very active one, too. It is
reported tbat the present head was
once an Ambassador to a European
country, but really no one knows who
he is, There dee, said to be over 00,-
000
0;000 men under him and his assistants
who control the various districts.
BLOWN FROM A TRAIN.
"I do not suppose that once in a bun;
deed times we ever learn the real cause
of a railroad acoident," said a man who
la always well posted on such matters,
"when any one of the principals con-
cerned its killed. In individual eases,
where a man is •lost from a train,
and his body is found later beside the
track, suloide is the brat thing suggest-
ed; butyou can .never tell, a peculiar
accident•bappened to a friend of mine.
He was traveling Eastward with some
friends, He left them for a few mom-
ents to go to the =eking car. As he
crossed from one car to the other—that
was before the time of the vestibule
trains --•a strong wind that was blowing
struck: him: and blew him to the ground.
He was wearing a large circular coat,
whieh acted as a balloon inflated with
wind, and it was 'responsibia for hie
boing blownoff the train, as' well as
for the feet that he landed on his
feet unhurt. He walked sortie distance.
to the nearest station and telegraphed
ahead' to .hie friends tbat ho was all
right, and would come on 'by the next
train. If he had been killed every tone
aquy hova mdn sbeundeblowr rem poxa
train would aeon to be an absurd
idea.'? , i I tsilii lialttiairlift/ RC
II ALTI-1 .
A, PBQPEIt IHI',T.
The nature and guantlty of an approe
Pilate diet trust depend 1ar5017 upas .
0no'e age, individual constitution, oe-
aupation, habits of lite, rand to some
extent upon the climate in whlob one
lives, An aotive eb11d twelve or fit -
teen years 01(1, who is growing fast
and exeralaing freely, play require ,and
assin3Jlate as much food 115 a Alan past
middle , age.
In health, the appetite may he taken
es a fair guide, and the ebild will seldom
eat too much if be is taught to eat
very slowly, and thoroughly to obew
each moatJoful,
Throughout the school years ' the
growth of the body is eontluu,ally going
on, and, therefore, if a proper develop-
mast isto be maintained, the , food
must by abundantand of a character
to furnish new tissue and to yield in
the form of heat and muscular ae-
tivity,
The full adult weight, Ls not usually
attained before the twenty-fifth year,
although in some instances it is reach-
ed earlier,
'When the growth of the body and
the development of the vital organs
are completed,, the use o£ food cap-
lets simply in maincaluiug the prpper
equilibrium of the tissues by replacing
waste with new material, and in furn-
ishing fuel for tile development of
force,
As men advance in life, become pros-
perous, and perhaps acgiu a more lux-
urious habits of living, they are apt
to take less exercise and, at the same
time, to be constantly tempted to in-
dulge in food which is not needed and
which is imperfectly consumed iu tae
body.
On the ether hand quite as much ill
may result from dating 'too little as
from. overindulgence. In either case
the difficulty Ls made serious by long
continuance.
So great is the force of habit over,
the different organs of the body that
the stomach incl intestines will usu-
ally reject undigested the contents of
an occasional excessive "meal; whereas
with habitual overeating. they become
accustomed to appropriating large'
quantities of food, which are absorbed,
but which cannot be eliminated without
severely taxing the organsof excretion.
i
Frequently the excess s stored up
in the body and goes on accumulating
until the system rebels, and a violent
bilious attack, by vomiting and purg-
ing, brings relief.
.16 is no exaggeration to say that
avoidable errors in diet are responsible.
for mdre than half the disease which
embitters the middle and latter part
of life.
S HSTANFS ABOUT HEART DISEASE.
The changes which go to make up
heart disease take place siowly, and go
ort fel-years 'without making them -
elves known to the victim; and in nob
a few cases death oecurs suddenly from
such disease without its existence bav-
ing been suspected. Oa the other hand;
there are persons who think they have
heart disease, when the construction of
that organ is perfectly healthy. They
complain of bad feelings iu the cardiac
regions, palpitation, irregular breath-
ing, etc„ and such symptoms would na- e
to ally suggest disease. In these- cases
the trouble is purely nervous Ju char-
aet.er ; that is tha nerves which control
the workings of the heart are some-
what deranged. And very generally
this derangement is the result of dys-
peptio trouble. Those who exhibit the
signs described should turn their at-
tention to the stomach and try and
overcome them by careful attention to
diet. The quantity of food taken should
be no greater than health and strength
demand, and only substances easily di-
gestible should be eaten. In some peo-
ple, even with fairly strong digestive
powers, tea and coffee cause palpita-
tion of the heart, hence their use is for-
bidden. Tobacco also gives rise to the
same symptoms. Of course, this habit,
and all others which tend to produce
nerve weakness, should be discontinued.
Where trouble with the heart is purely
functional, the remedy lies with the
victim, and by Wise restraint a cure is
generally effected. In fact, medical
treatment is rarely needed, except it
be to tone up the system.
CLEVER GEESE.
They Are Emea ill Chien to Taste the Place
or Watch flogs.
China still uses two birds for special
purposes, and shows nu disposition to
part with them. Duck breeding on a
large scale is one of the industries of
the rivorine population. The owners live
in houseboats, and every night the
flocks of ducks are driven Home into
floating pees for safety. In place of
dogs, the white Chinese goose, a do-
mestic breed, not unlike an English
goose, is kept as a swatch near the
ducts pens, It is one of the most wide-
awvake and vociferous of birds, appar-
ently never .sleeping, and uttering its
loud cull when any person or animal
approaches it. Mrs. Atkinson, when
visiting the northern frontier of China
Sound the mandarin in charge of the
guard post 'playing" smith lois watch
goose as if it were a dog, {
At Hampton Court, where a pair is
kept, the gander mounts guard over
all the ducks' nest on the side of :the
semi -circle canal, and if any one comes:
neat' the bank sounds its, alarm inces-
sandy,
AN ARMY OF STREi9T A11ABS.
Dr, Barnacle, the hondon worker
among the street arabs, and his homes•
ase described by Editor Stead in the
current "Review of Reviews," "One
day he brings 3,700 of bis children from
all his homes to the heart of the West
End. 41 is a small army—a larger
army than that with which Britain has.
won many of her moat brilliant vic-
tories. Tinder his able direction they
concentrate at the Albert. Hall to moot
the Prince and Princess of 'Wales, bring-
ing with them a paraphernalia illustra-
tiveof alltleoir enterprises, their works.
and their sports. With a skill the late Sir
Augustus Harris eould not have ex-
celled, he puts his gigantic Croup
through a programme lasting nearly
four hours, a programme that goes
without a hitch, that keeps' every one
from the Prince to pressman, enthrallor
in unflagging interest, and that fasoin
aces and delights every one, with on
of the prettiest spectacles ever seen J
London. And the Croup, what is if
One and all they aro children, sar
Mere babies, but all, whether old
young,perishing fragments of airWreckd hamanity, snatched one;
one from the maelstrom of our cifir