The Brussels Post, 1892-11-11, Page 2THE BRUSSELS POST.
NOY. 11, 1802.
BEYOND RECALL
C1IAPTI 11 Xt,
A r9Oel't;r•T Ol' Ithrltv?va.
At flrst I was too bewildered by the
crowd of ;Mae that had boom forced epos
1,o to feel the terror of my situation. When
Itried .to tix my thoughts upon me o'eject
and distinguish it from tate rest 1 foetel it
impossible. It leas as if n host of people
sworeshoutinget me situeltaneously: as it
a uumbor of pieturts wore being passed
.Tepidly before my eyes ; ae ii 1 bol fallen
from a great height, and was called n sot to
give an intelligible recount of all 1 lend
heard and seen.
With a strange feeding of apathy 1
sat down on the edge of my bed, and
set myself to went, the 'riche in the
wall under the ooati:tg of whitewnsb be-
tween tho door and the side. After awhile,
any eyes dazzled with the bright re-
ileotion of the gas upon the limo, a feeling of
sickness came neer me, and I sank my heal
in my hands. Then, just as the figure of
the sun will present itself when you shut
yon0 eyes after louping at it, dlobe's white
Imo, as she dropped beck into the major's
' arms, came before me. 1 trio it 1001 as 1
WAR it thou—the white upturned face and
parted lips, standing out in strong relief
against the majors black coat,
"\What has she done that she should
suffer?" I asked myeelf, eonseious for the
first time of the injustice of this punish.
reent. " What crime have 1 done that 1
should be here'!"
With this a feeling of savage rebellion fired
my heart—a feeling of bitter hatred to
heaven and earth and all mankind. 1 ours.
ed the judge whose impartiality had forcibly
won upon me during the trial. it w as the
lurious instinct of u trapped beast who will
snap in his pain even at the band that would
unbend the spring.
I was in this mond when the chaplain
came to visit me. I did not raise my head
when the door opened. I only knew
be was present when he laid his hind
on my arm, and sitting beside etc
an the plank began to speak. Then
I looked ap quickly with the sudden con-
ception that Bele might have found herr
way hither to bid tee " god -bye" Inc cool..
Seeing his black mat anti shaven lip I buried
any feet again.
It was only a jail raHcer, paid like the
warders to administer what humanity
could not deny. 1-lanlauity : 11'lsat had
imrnanity to do with mo?
Iie spoke to me of god's love and mercy.
I turned away with a brutal laugh. Where
were the love and mercy of that onveipo•
tome which suffered two innocent time -
tures to be plunged into shame said misery?
Then he told of the Divine partlotaccord-
ed to repentant sinners, and L,e,fnd me to
pray with him for 1 rgieeuees while there
was yet time,
"I have nothing to pray for," I cried ;
"least of all for forgiveness. I atm inno-
cent."
Ile showed no surprise, Many ^pother
found guilty, may lee, had professed inno-
cence in that very 0011.
" Which of Ila can say lie is blunt less 1"
he said, gently. " Though you are inno-
cent of this crime, yet surely there ere other
sins for which you'wnuld ask grime before
your tips arc closed for °Ter."
to
Tthought of
Hole • of the last meeting
her room of the s
uliariug L had then intlit:"-
ail upon her by tho brtttolity into which I
•,
' •al shock the, pal
had su 1,k ; of the len.
dl 1
in the
her down before to
struck w
Y
eyes
,
s- a 1,
n soram and .ane
- • of1 lifelong rt
tour. the
S
a' manly
' had doomed her for want t 1,t
which I la 1 00
r
oourage to cut my way through file meeies
.of misfortune that bed fallen upon me.
" \Vbieh of us is blameless?" 1 asked.
"Good God, not I 1"
The chaplain spoke on, and I listened
patiently. It was 1101 his we tele I listened
to—my thoughts were too bum to take in
their reuse; it was the tone that appealed
to my heart, reviving memories of the past.
Something "in the clerical aocent, may be,
called back to my mind that morning when
e first brought Bebe to see my carving. I
seemed to hear him moralizing upon art and
the proper use to be made of those gifts
with which Providence endows a chosen
few—pointing his homely bonily with in•
stances of great men risen from esteteslow-
lier than mote, while Hebe steed over my
work with bent head, m the evening glow,
her face catching its tender flush, her
dark -fringed oyes fixed wonderingly on the
carving. I realised it all—the log workshop
that had been my father's, now mine, with
its low, latticed windows the hollyhocks
in the garden ; the swallows surilly whistle
ing as they swept in wide circles above the
dwelling ]mouse ; the shavings on the floor,
the chips on the bench, the resinous smell
of the pine freshly laid eep to season on the
cross beams overhead, and myself standing
against the bench, toying with a chisel, lfs-
toning to the simple old man, and taking in
all he said as a gospel, applying his illustra-
tions to myself, with an eager longing, a
feverish impatience to have done with press
making, and to be rising through my art to
fame; theu forgetting him and myself as I
glanced at Hebe, whose beauty was a new
revelation. Hobe 1 I saw her again and
again. Picture after ploture carte before
me—our first meeting alone, and those that
followed. I felt once more that delirium of
joy when I know that she loved ma, the ex•
ultaut prude with which we built high can
ties in the air, palaces of art in which she
was to reign prinoess, and inspire me with
never ending subjects for carvings that
could never cease to reflect her beauty and
sweetness.
The chaplain paused ; the charm was
broken. I awoke from the dream of love
and happiness and palaces to see the gas
with a dim halo burning against the blind.
ing wall. All was gone—all, all I—every
hope of joy, every memory of hope. Yet as
I drew my fingers over may eyes, Hebe's
white face came back to my sigh', no longer
pink with the glow of the summer sun, but
White and ghastly—her wide eyee fixed on
me in a Iast look of agony and despair.
Where was she mow? Stretohled upon
her bed, asking what was to become of her,
the widow of a man hanged on a gallows ?
No, no I Her soul aohed not forhorself,but
for me; no oelf pity flooded those dear eyes
with tears. If she wept it was for my losb
life.
My heart broke clown, and tears trickling
through my fingers fell upon the stone
floor,
Then the chaplain arming me softened
begged me to follow hie prayer.
Yes," said I moelcly ; I will pray."
And so I dropped upon my knees, and
laying my arms on the bed, buried my face
in them to hide the working of my face,and
with grief nod remorse anti pity ail tearing at
my heart I prayed as well as I woad that
God would havo moroy upon my wife.
Ah 1 my next visitor wag of another tort,
Illeoly the next morning in bustled 'Mr,
Bowan, the solicitor; his eyelids up, his
tightly closed lips down. Without e. word
be eboolf hands with me.
"Bad job, bad job 1" geld he, preeently.
"I Said 00—'1101 to you, of course, Ivy ver
door to VD 0. roan 1,p 611' trial with despair
in his f;. •c t Int I told hint. The moment
1 sow tt•e limier% nttiuvl.) 1 said to bite,
"It you del'1 10( 001,E the country int' tete
days, uq• client will ge to petiel sm•eilnde,
Inc 111e. Yel. Ito a2-tveol--,1 -,l old fool 1"
he muttered under iii0 breath, a0 lie set
down Ire 101g. "All ns if," he added,
utrniee roman to ate, hie brews overlapping;
Willi tow Int0t:01131 0111' cosper(tion—' 00
if not emit eta will' shoe ieg off i,is ein'aim;y
—ilea's yew word fnr it—ehowior„ ell' lits
chi ail y t00 palate admin, t ion, bo meet go
toad 1,0:1t what you snit/ to him in the
toelliewe, with the e0u•tructiuuheput epee
it, hee01 was the terming point. lip to
then every thing was all our hide ; it
With to mural certainty that ae shcntl,l go
vett (111 eenvietisll Un the (01,1e;e0 as
11 ..e,ol wag nit of am r(u:1tia11. Ile
ruined no—dripped 110 e ,a tan the hands
of the 011010y with Itis t:metre-al r(tavenro
and I:!': !';.•:treat dieplev. it woe ae if he
had pate e l it all rt tt Ief„relr,nd---Ion if he
lied dn!•O it all on perp".e. Deno 1111 1011
111/140 : he repeated hone: '10 a0 he regarded
the fi, ter, Aim Iced on one code, ono brow up,
tho ot!u•r down.
1 wae>urerieed at the solicitor a chanced
demeanor. • Previously le had shown seine
Tort of sesame, 00011 eertitin deference, in
epoakieg to me; now all that Writ Lineup
1111: 11 ,e„11104 to me only too sigultic:u t.
What. nrr,l 10a$ there Or the 22811 to observe
respet or attempt nom -velment in the pree-
euco of nue condemned to end his life 111 n
few Clays on tho gallows?
"As if le had done it on purpose !” he
repeated once more, reelect ivrly; then sud-
denly casting one eye at me he asked,
" What relation is he to Miss plebe
Thane?'
Nene whatever."
" Neve 1" he said in a tone of surprise.
1 thought lie was her mete,"
I turned Away impetioutly without re.
spending. Why had he conte here to
troallc my last hoer., and exoite me
i with n feeling of (animosity at a time wheel
ooishel only to make peace with all mem?
1Ir Becton took vw
o nntie0 of me—hy
(should he?—but stood drawing his basil
down 1141 long face as he studied t1, floor,
lvhilsi I, taking the Bible from its shelf,
seated myself on the plank bed to tread.
"Well," seed he, suddenly, recovering his
j brisk, energetic macner, "we mnsn't Lose
I time. Never mind about reading just 0010.
Yo11'11 met he hanged this line,'
"10'ha; do you mean?" I gasped.
"01, 1'011r sentence will be aumneted, of
I comm. That's what I've come about. If
we don't meddle it yon will get off with
petal eer1•itud , for life ; that in ordinary
1 eases tomes s twenty year' impriammmelit.
'1'i:at's not insnpportnblc. Yon will come
mttat fatty, and at that age a man may
yet hope fu,• Ieme enjoyment of life. If we
. 110 merino it, you'll get iniprieonntent .for
tee whole term of your mama' Life. That
is, intolerable, and 111 my 010:o noidcrably
words thew being banged ea once, for you
have unthing to live for ----nothing to hope
fur. e -on will never loose sight of your
prieou walls till body anti mind are worn
, out, and you die."
' H„w can that bo avoided ?"Iflaked with
breathless anxiety.
-n about to sbow yen. If W0 call
make e t'te Home Soereaury believe, est thick
we raw, that yon were convicted upon the
mt 0enecptiml of certain words, uttered
the IIt :
1 e.sy
i in the excitement of t. 1
le
nett that 1
e those v is�reurent0 fartnn l
dot el tilt CO 'n_ rt L tL`'Ltn u, mud that there was
not subici
enL motive to /earl to the per•
petratieit of anch a crime, he will certainly
remit your penalty to the utmost."
"Do you think 1t possible to convince
him of that ?”
"f do. Thanks to the pressen tor, 1tswag
made evident at the trial that your wife was
u servant in air. Thane's house. Now, no
sane tom, as one of the papers has pointed
out this morning, eau believe that a young
fellow, hearing the character for honest liv-
ing and sober ways that your landlady
gave you, would commit a murder meso'
ly toseve his wife from losing her situation."
"But—" He checked me with a motion
of his stand:
"I know what you would say ; your
wife is net asere ant. That fact must be con -
coaled. It is perfootly nnueeessary to reveal
that feet. Te forgo this chance of escape
will be suicide on your part ; and worse
than that, Inc it is not only your life that
is at stake, but the welfare of your wife,
Now will yon second mo in this elfort?"
"0f course I will."
I heard this with a mingled thrill of joy
and regret—joy in this testimony of her
constant love ; regret in the Conviction
that I must not see ben. Yet to go away
without seeing her once more—without a
look or word of farewell—i ootlld not
reconcile myself. to that. Mr. Becton,
With his shrewd, experienced eyes, saw well
enough what was passing in my mind as I
sat there grinding my palms together in
the desperate struggle to overcome the
longing of my heart.
IIUnderstand fully," said lie, "what you
expose us to by suffering your wife to come
here. You betray the one tact on which the
happiness of half a lifetime depends. If itis
made known to the Home Secretary what
your wife's station is, he will sec et once a
full and adequate motive for the murder,
Theloss of edtuetion by n servant is compara-
Lively talking ; the loss of station and her
father's love by a young woman of beauty
and gentle breeding-"
" Enough," I muttere.i. " I forbid her
to come to me, Toll her so."
" 1 will," he seed, cheerfully. " I'll put
your command so strongly that she shall
not bo overruled by the impulse of ler
own heart. You've done what is sensible
and right," he repeated going toward the
door, " Always supposing," lie added,
soddenly stopping and turning round, so
the warder turned the key—" always sup-
posing that our friend, the major, does not
intervene.
CHAPTER XII.
'01.10 tmeree n elm &won,"
In tho afternoon a warder told me I was
to go with him to the eoneulting room,
where a visitor wished to see me. This
room stands alone in et corridor. It is clos-
ed on all aides with thick plate glass, im•
pervious to sound, but open to the observa-
tion of the warders without. Here eh
prisoner usually consults with hie solicitor
mine preferred the cehl, his clients feeling
"mora at home "there, as he told Foe, with
cynical frankness,
I mW that my visitor use the kind-heart-
ed old vioar, Mr. Buller', Ho hastily blew
hie nose, and put his handkerchief away as
I approached ; but the ai gee of emotion were
yet in his face whon I entered, his eyes
were red and not; his lips trembled as he
tried to spook, and failed; he could only
stretch out hie two hands to me with alook
of umltterabfe sorrow.
The warder went outside, leaving the
door open, as is customary when the
prisoner is condemned and his visitor a
personal friend.
I grasped the 'etude of my old friend, and
we set. Clown in silence. HIe looked in my
feet for a minute, nod then I know not
what ho saw there that overcame hint, but.
hebruke down completely, turning away to
halo the !cera that fad/ down his t'lteehs.
The sight of the dear olio fellow's grief
nem:owed nut; Inc sympatlty with us in
our misfortune Is sometimes herder to bear
than the misfortune Itself, 'rho words 1
would have spoken choked nm ; ami for 0
little while we sot there mute, :hasping
roc' other's hands tightly. 201011,' the relioc-
licei occurred to 1110 that 1 hie might be the
last friendly grip I eltntll ever feel.
•' Tell no., Kit," he meld, smdeuly feeing
ole—" tell Int, any hey, that you are into•
cent,
, By (lot, I am innocent 1" 1 replied.
.1 Thank Heaven for that," mid ho, glee
woody. " No one eau command sincerity
from misfortune, but the knowledge the;
yen oro Mumma meet give yon strength
to meet it with resignation and Sewer the
bittereslblow with fort it nolo. 1 has light.
erred !1,•y hetet, and will lighten one still
more nearly bound tr, you then l au."
"1 !tope it may," 1 murmured,
"11 ,till• Kit ; it will r" he protested,
stoutly, "The heart that loves you now
motet love you ever, and in that love tint/ a
of;tweet ,m -io •, so •
eoustan4s spring !alit tt n and 1
t 1,
ace, But I've not conte to pplay the pert of
a spiritual comforter, my /toy ; nn doubt
the chaplain of this greet ai.,t.: ' •• rut 10
far more able tutu 111 that rorpeet than 3 ; I
ant here to render yet practical 50.1100 if I
can. We knew about it last night, he
continued, niter a panne. ":1 neighbor had
been to London, and brought us the oven•
lug paper with abrief necouut of the trial.
It was the first we had heard of it. As a
rule, 1 avoid that kind of reading. I need
not tell you how we felt—how 110 regretted
that you hal not sett for me. 1 might
have done something for you, Kit. 1 oonld
have told them 111l 1 knew aba01 you ; what
an admirable workman you were ; how
well you conducted yonrsolf in) all
things ; how you stood by your old
mother to the last, plodding on in the
workshop when you were tempted to go
where your genius would obtain better
recegnttion. That must Novo counted for
something, for surely a good son is never n
bad Ivan. And all that I had to say in your
favor amid have been suggested by Miss
Tome, who donbtiees would limo teen as
willing as I to go into tllo witness box. For
she always took the deepest interest in all
that concerned you, though you, of course,
know nothing about it, albeit ales. Millen
will have it that some romantic attaolvneot
existed hetween 3.011 of 10111011 Ivo were kapt
in ignorance, You know what ladies are,
Kit, 1011011 they get nations of this kind into
thole head ; there's no - disabusing their
minds of error. I name e p by the first train,
and as it 10as too early to sea you, I went
to Richmond, hoping to learn something
from ley dear Veba about your poor wife."
" Did you Tee her?" I asked.
" No, The house is shut up ; the family
gone away, That was a necessity, for I
hear that Mr. 1'h:uio dismissed all hie
se" (ants,"
This woo a relief.
" I knew, my deter fellow, that your wife's
11•eIfare utast Me yntu•elder cnnsi,leratlen,
ami 1 hoped that I'.lobo could tell me some•
thing about her. Indeed, I thought it
alight be one of her own plaids who she
tondo trout^—that you had marled."
I shook my head.
" You are married Kit ?" ho asked with
some anxiety,.
" Yes—unfortunately for t
n wife."
Y
"Then that tattles arra. 13n11on "geld he
t
with a slight accent of triumph. "The
poor son] sticking to her absurd hypothesis
coutcnls that you were visiting Robe that
dreadful night, end duds an explanation of
your reticence in thefact that you feared
to involve her in your misfortune."
I tried to laugh, as 0 ole notion 1001'0 ri-
diculous.
You may assure airs. Bullet positively
that I was at the Cedars not to visit Miss
Thane, but my wife."
"I will put an end to that nonsense,"
said he decisively, striking the floor with
his stick, Then looking at one, his
manner changed in an instant to its
former tenderness, be exclaimed, in a
tone of self-reproach, "God forgive me;
this is no time for such trifles I Cone
Kit, we have to talk about your poor wife,
Our first care must be to provide for her,
and she shall be provided for, I premise you.
There's a home in the Vicarage for her as
long as we live, and I shall take acre that
she does nob want after Ivo are gone. You
know ate, my boy, and you know Mrs.
Hallen—the beet woman 1n the world at
heart, but susceptible to errors of judgment
like any other. 2271.1 us your wife shall
never know want, nor hear a word of re.
preach against you ; for her sooret, if she
!would guard it, shall be seared in your keep-
ing. She shall bo our daughter as truly as
if it had pleased Heaven to make you our
eon."
1 can but write his words as I remember
them; ibis impossil to to describe the pathet-
ic tenderness that made them eloquent, I
briod to express the gratitude that I felt.
" Not a word of that, hooded, interrupt•
ing me as he slid Ills arm within mine and
preened it to his side; "not a word. What
has I'rovidenoe given 1)0 all the good things
of lifo for but to use them to advantage,
and how can I more profitably employ them
than in providing for the welfare of ono
who, I doubt not, will love us in return,
and bo to eanfort to us for the rest of our
days?
"God bless you for this kindness," I
murmured, overdone by his goccrosl0y.
"Be sure, air, that ii ever my poor wife is
in need of help she will coma to you. At
present, thank Heaven, she is well oared for
and will nob suffer want in addition to this
blow so long as she is not known for the
wife of the (*evicted criminal, I would tell
you more—all indeed, but—"
" I know, I itnow," he interrupted, give
ing my arm another affectionate squeeze.
"You have told me enough, Your wife's
wishes must be considered before anything
else, Far be it from oto to take her from ler
friends for the gretifioetiot of my desires ;
and If ole knows oltat at any moment she
will find a home and a home—u, cheerful
home—as bright and happy as we can
maks it—"
' Oh, ahoalready knows that sir,"
" I am glad you told her that, Kit—glad
you gave me credit for Sympathy and o true
affection, Now lot us think abet%! yourself,
Sur ething mast be done to obtain a re.
peteve--a respite,.
" My solicitor is doing everything that ie
possible iu that way.
" Does bo give you any hope of etceeed-
ng?
Yes ; ho imams oonfident of obtaining
the fullostpossible remission of my sentence.
1511811 bo let off with twenty years of penal
servibnde."
"Why this 1 comforting newe Mcleod,
Kit ; itis ahnost 21., 1 /toped for, You
will still be a ye+, twenty years,"
I buried my 1::: : te toetifletho
Dry of despair' that.oee tvrom my very heart,
as I thought of the twenty yenrs that wore
gone, and compared them with those that
wore to conte. in moment all the bright•
31000 of the past flashed neon me --the long
day's of cargoes happiness, tlu, clays of keen
delight and buoyant hope all these ley be.
hind me, lost for ever 1 Before mo wee
nothing but the impeneerublc gloom of
blank despair,
" Flaw you no (tope of mercy ?" hake/ the
vicar, laying his hmI on my ehonlder,
"Do yon call it teem), to 0paru the life of
such a hopeless 1remelt Cts 1 ? 'fleet robe me
of my last hope. 1 can only wish that 1
were dead.'
" Is that your wife's hope, Kit? asked
0ly old friend, gravely. ' Think of her,
Kit—think that at Ole retry moment oho is
praying God to spare you to her. Think
how her heart is melting with tho feta that
slit tray, nowt!' see your face again,
"\\'uubh,'t it he better FM? Degraded
below the level of a sieve; horded with the
vilest of ,colon 11 ulna shall 1 bo at the
end of twenty years?"
"Whatever you choose to make yourself,
Kit Wyndham, replied the vicar, with
1ni1•e sternness than 1 had ever soon lam 0x•
hibit, "If you give way to evil influences
you must ho.onte a brute: if you resist them
you will be to man -a butter, a stronger
man, more worthy of a woman's levo than
iron are lo•daty, (Courage, Kit, courage!
lie a man, for the sake of your wife, 'Think
of her love; wear it about your heart like a
talisman, that will giro you atreugth to
overcome the enemy', and briete you out tri•
elephant the struggle. Think of her
enunung the days and hours Inc your roe
lease, anppo.'ting the weary days, with the
confident lope of bappless to come, and,
believe ate, you will not have the heart to
do ill. This weakness will pass away—ay,"
said he, his voice trembling as the tears
dropped through my fingers, "it is past
already. Yon will cone out well from this
ordeal, end amply compensate that loving
wife for all her patient suffering."
" I will he a neat," I said to 11i111 as WO
parted.
I was tench happier when I went bank to
m • cell. Over and over again I repeater/
what the good old vicar had said to ate,
It gave me new life. I saw something
nowta live for. Hopeshono bri1,•fitly oven
through the long vista that lay before mo.
I1vas In this better stood the next morning
when Mr. Beeton again visited ate,
"It's all right," he said, cheerfully;
" we've pati tinned the Home Secretory, and
you'll got your commutation in afew clays.
it's a moral certainty"
"1 am glad of it."
"llaveu't sou 11 a major?"
„No."
"Ashamed to show his face. No wonder.
Gootljab if he continues to keep out of tie
1var.'
But the major was not ashamed to show
his face. I was taken up into the commit -
room to meet lifm met utter air. Boston left
oto, Ile looked anxious and ill ; but there
eves no sign of sham oe regret even ole his
thin, hat,isome face..
"We have made a great mistake, el'.
et yudhalt, " he said, giving one Isis baud,
"and I /wish to undo it 111100 1101 ton late.."
I was silent, n01 knowing to what mis-
take tie referred.
"Yon behaved like a man of honor," lm
continued, taking to scat; "and you most
not be stung 1,p like a blackguard felon.
We have made mistakes all round. It was
a mistake to employ that fellow Beam—
roman,I am told who is a disgrace to his
profession, and whose ver 1ameiesufileiont
P Y1
to damn the client who employs hint. Mrs,
\iyndham of course, knew nothing of him;;
in Iter terrible anxiety she naturally sought
the first legal beluga n seed ,• -' sergeant
help l,ttos0„
at then, he next miatak ollee stettio t T t el
was to follow his direction at the trial. No
good end was over yet achieved by wrong
0102000."
"\'hat /wrong moans were employed?" I
asked.
"Well, to begin with, the evidence ou
our side was used to mislead the jury, and
certainly succeeded in throwing suspicion of
complicity on some one of theservaots, with
the result that all the poor devils were dig -
Merged the next day, and their character
seriously damaged, We may look upon it
as a trifle; but they don't, it's certain.
And the last mistake is to suffer
that rascal Beaten to petition the Home
Secretary. 1 hoard of that, this 2110.11
ing. I have just come from Brighton.
That must ruin your chance of escape, as
surely as Beeton is a rascal and the Hoene
Secretary iaagentlemen. Now, Mr. Wynd-
ham, I wish Co ludo this mischief, as I tell
you, if I can,"
" What do yon propose?" I asked
"I propose to go to the Home Secretary
myself. I am personallyacquai n ted with hien.
He is a mean of tine utmost integrity, I neap
not tell you, and I am certain that, when
die hears the whole truth, he will exeroiso
his power to the utmost in your favor."
" Is this my wife's wish ?" I asked.
"She is too ill -too overwhelmed with
trouble to form a dcoision ; she referred
me to you, that is why I atm here,"
" You will roveal ell.'
"All—tu the Home Secretary only. I
shall tell him of your tlandostino marriage,
of your misfortune, and the position of
your wife. HC will see, then, that you
worn in some measure justified in the des-
perate 111011115 yet took,"
'1 Major," said I, "do you believe that I
shot that mat "
His hands were o'ossod on one knee,
and his Oyes fixed on the gonna mho spoke
He lifted his head turd looked me in silence
for a moment or two after I had put that
question. He looked et me ie porploxlty,
till suddenly a movement et the door drew
his attention to the warder standing there.
Then a ray of intelligence passed over his
face, and gave plate to an expression of con
tempt and disdain ae ire once more fixed hie
oyes on me,
He thought I was pleading innocence by
that question from the font of the gallows,
Rising from his chair he came oloso to me
and mid, in a low tone—
"I stn sure of it ; - though for the first
Limo I doubt the manliness of your motive.
I shall go to the Home Soeretary and toll
him what I believe to bo the truth, be the
eon50quence5 what they mey."
And without again offering me hie band
he left mo.
Two clays after, tate order came dor my
removal ; ley oettente being oommuLad to
penal servitude for term of my natural life.
The major laci soon the Hone Secretary ;
and I was fettered for life 1
(TO Ale CONTINUED)
Not the Music.
"Aro you fond of music 2" asked estrang-
er of the young man at the concert, Wito
was applauding vigorously after a pretty
girl had song in a very pelnful way.
"Not pertioulalv," replied ileo youngloan, !Neely "bat •Tam exooediugly fetid
of the musician."
1'. .,t 1100 organ -grinders arrive in Lon-
don every June from Italy, and leave again
in October.
HOUSEHOLD,
Treatment of the Aged.
The condition of hot /loss old age angels
etre/ugly to the sympathies of allright•mtinl-
od temple, It 18 100 often the case that the
8071 or daughter tremor whose roof the aged
parent is melding makes no secret of the
/not that father or mother fa in the way. It
is sad but, true, that a large proportion et
our people lock upon old ago with lege.
1i0nee, 1'lm old man of woman lop' odunl
on elle county's charity is more to 1,1 envied
than the ago,' parent of wealthy cllildr,u
wb'o provide for hint unwillingly, To lov-
ing eons and daughter's it:,nems almost in -
erodible that, there exists a (Inge of people
who wilfully mistreat the ell ; lent even a
001,001 nbservor et hum•tn oaltire can testify
to Itr: truth. Fatal error, have been male
by parents who, trusting their rbihlren im-
pllritly, pelvo Item i1,010 es1 to transfer their
property 10 one or more of themf for enrol 00
lung as they shall live, ami in the majority
of e'aseg 1i:evs r'e'ek%Oil the error when too
late to remedy it.
There was a dear old lathy who arae a
grandma to the whole uonmunity in %teach
she lived. She always had n, dread of be-
coming a burden. She loot her htsbatd,
mrd to• a number of years ,:hose to life alone
in the old home. But two of hersous,lvish•
ing to obtain her little property, induecd
her to lrevlsfor it to thou, promising to caro
for her the remainder of her life, Not, wish -
lug to appear obstinate to the sons who
seethed to thr1,111 only Of her goal, elle tried
to believe as they did and wove her consent.
For several yea's she stayed by turns with
these two sons; each of whom exacted pay
from the other for her " keep" if, from Ill-
ness or other cause, she overstayed the
stated length of time. The poor old mother
wag fully aware of their differing, and very
unhappy over thous, but powerless to help
herself. There were other sons anddeugbtcrs,
but they,awa'e of the business arrangement
made by 1nese two, declined to give her a
home. The year preceding her death she
was very feeble, and her daughters-in-law
constantly complained in For presence of
the trouble she caused them. Wort out
with so unroll wrangling, she asked if she
!night visit one of bier daughters, and 1%'0565
pleased as a child at the thought of a change.
But, alas 1 her daughter., informed the
brothers, in the presence of ler motler,t hat
she would not take pother even for a few
weeps unless paid for the trouble.
This is by no moans ten unusual case,
pages could be filled in enume•atimg the
sufferings brought about by the unkindness
and injustice to the aged. It is gratifying
to note that parents aro becoming more
eon vinced of providing for their own future.
A hove for the aged should be an institu-
tion in every .tato. Everyone should bo
taxed for its support, nod should be willing
to pay the tax, knowing that lie tmght
oonetituo need a place in the Immo. and
provisions should bo made that it shn1ld bo
to home in every sense of the word, and not
a charitable institution._
Bitten tee.
We have just finished a handsome one ;
loge, light, bright and a treasure in il0
way. It, is called the lleylight and Dark-
ness pattern, but in reality is another pre-
senting of the famous "log cabin."
h1 (his corner -stone, or center -atone, of
mob patchwork square or"cabin" 19 a two-
inch square of turkey -red, upon two sides
s ht P
ow strips of light riot the other two dark
c S
till fico strips of each are used. They
should be one inch wid0 01 one-half center
eq
lre. Thus a pettern is veryeasily me
rived at.
'1tirt •.six squares will make a very en -
93 1 01
fnrtablo-siredwilt. It larger is desired
four strips may be used and sixty-four sow.
ed, as this pattern requires a regular square.
Forty -trine will not bring the light and
dark sides to the proper angle,
There aro various advantages in this
pattern. Beetles the pleasure of hearing
your friends excitant, "Oh haw pretty I"
when you unfold it, it is economical. Small
pieces and large may be utilized, for it is
not, "no two alike." In Towing squares
together the light must be placed by light,
and dark against dark. This holds the
Daylight and Darknese good. Once upon
the quilting -bars, itis easily quilted. Hach
ett•ip runs tear or at the seam,
In the tumblor.tleeign quilt, one has op-
portunity to beg of one's friends, for this
pattern calls foe "no two alike." Every
variety of color, light, dark std between,
which has wide latitude, is used. It is
probty, and quite a triumph when ono can
truthfully say, "The tumblers are all differ -
e"
It is week to maleo it, and nice work, for
every part moot be exact. A littlo "ekow"
hero or pucker there will not be tolerated
as in some patterns. The basket quilt is a
favorite of mine, made of two colors, white
bleached cotton, and pink, green, blue, red,
or yellow in plain or nearly plaits print. I.
prefer pink, but other solid colors are
pretty.
Thirty-six aro necessary with strips be-
tween, two inches wide, of the color. It
should he lined with the same color and
bound. This pattern is sometimes chosen
for a society quilt, with autographs upon
plain white, though I like it better without
the autographs.
It requires some patience and persever-
ance to got it jest right ; bolo baskets will
bother a little at first, std a little "taking
out" may have to be done. In quilting the
seams mast bo sewed around, enol as there
are many, the sewing is quite a little.
In modern Clays one is inclined to curl the
lip a 'bile scornfully at the old-fashioned
art of Patchwork. "Ousting calioo an d
sowing ib together again I Whore's the
sense?"
And another question, replete with naive
tersenoes, comes to the front, "Does it pay ?"
When one has out and pieced the squares,
quilted and bound and finished the artiolo,
spread it upon her bed,and tucked niooly and
neatlyy the sides ; when she stands with
satisfied smile viewing the work of her
hands, for work brings its own reward,
thinking of the dross like this bit, and the
pleasure she knew the day it was bought,
the apron or soak like this bright 00rner,
and the joy oho had in wearing it, this
center square mato from her gowns before
she was six years old, this side stripe from
the little am --bonnet site worn to school in
the old district; schoolhouse, this square
from pieces of her grandmother's dresses,
that from print given by felonde Of For
youth moved to the "far west" many years
ago, almoeb every Otjnaro teeming with en
ioiterosb all its own, she will bell you, with
the earnestness of a Puritan ancestor,
"It pays i"
The Cook's Sorap Book.
Suvatt CAtta,—One•11a1t cup of butter,
two mops powdered sugar, three cups of
flour, one cup of cold water, whites of tour
eggs, ono matt teaspoonful of soda and two
heaping of cream of tenter or three rounded
teaspoonfuls of baking.powder.
0011) OAlt14-0no•third of a cup of Ma-
ted two tape of powdered sugar, one 0up of
oold water, throe cups of floury yolks of
lour eggs with ono whalo egg well beaten.
Sone nmomnt of soda and 0100m of tartar as
dlrmlr foo' rho silver take,
elrti C oouo,—Onepotuulnf rotund steal[
nbosp"d very, lion 1,e the lntcher's, Mix
with it half a teaspoonful of onion juice,
ono -fourth of p(i,per and ono of salt, and
make it 011t iwo small thin cakes 0$ sausage
is made. Broil in a deulde wire broiler
that bus been ruhb:•d with butter, 1f it. is
More eonit/ Ivey throe, fry first tn•o
saws of fat perk 1,011 it they tuts brnwu 111,11
orbgl, 1 hen take thein nal noel put the tanto
in the hot fat, Cook them till done, then
tilieken thogravy and poo' Il around, not
00 e 1110111,
Ac Arrm.0 t'1181aerrn11,—l'eel ten good -
8i,'"21"1 apples, cote and alio, !hero and stow
them to a pulp with sugar anent// to sweate
!holo ; moan ti thdv1-ly 1,111101' 110 oi,leo
and Motion of telt oval baking /lisle, then
limes all around the crumbs Prem the inside
of It molls bmf hasher themeneatly all melt
!hide. When the apple is done, mix with
it a tablespoonful of Motley and one Matsu
egg. l'ut the apple into the dish witbont
el,'+ltirirng tltn e•oittb8 ; Over the :outlaw pmt
eremite until tut inch thick, ami dot theta
with a few bitsef 111 tet', Bake the pudding
until the eremite at the aide are brown
turn a platter over the inn of the dish then
quickly torn it lipoid° down. The pudding
having been removed mnbrekou, dust it with
powdered sugar f ud 00 00 Imo,
AN itctisowtr.tr, Pt-ow:m-0m pint of
water, one half pint of milk, two
tablespoonfuls of corn starch, two
eggs, ono tablespoonful of trhito sugar
and a little stilt. Dissolve the corn sterols
in a lathe mad orator and stir it into the
boiling pint of water, then add the whiten
of the two eggs beaten lightly, the salt and
the sugar. Cook over hot water till it thiok-
ens, thou pen' into to mould and sot away
to cool. Make a custard of the half pint of
milk and the yolks of two eggs, sweeten
and flavor to taste. Servo the pudding very
cold.
W1Inee WncAT lirrroxs.—Ona pint of
whole wheat flour, two teaspoonfuls of bak-
ing powder, ono tablespoon of shortening,
ono even spoon of sugar, a little salt. Mix
balling powder with the lietr, rub the
shortening through it, and stir with milk
till it is 0E1 e enough to drop from a spoon.
Some cook. like to add an egg. The iron
pans Alum Id lee bot and thoroughly greased,
and should atnnd on the stove while they
aro filler/, and 0 moment longer, until the
mnlpins begin to rise, then they 10000 be
pet on the tipper grate of the oven. They
will bake in fifteen minutes if the oven is
lot.
lioxun 'F"wr.,—Moil a fowl until the
bones drop out; chop fine and put back
into the same water it Was boiled in and
add one half box of gelatine, dissolved in
water; 0000011 with pepper, celery, melt or
Itny other /levering p001010bie, anti. boil for
a few minutes. Mould iu a dish and when
cell it will be jellied, and will fern an ap-
petizing dish,
THE RUFFED GROUSE,
('anr;trleristies endue lard—Wlee'e Tic Is
07,121110,
The ruifwl grouse is a goo,/ game bird,
koeu-witted, strong -/lying, and beautiful
alike in the hand or on tho table. The
bird is wary and hard to 1011, and that is
its beet reeomneudtuiuu, Satisfactory for
working with dog it is not, and never will
be except in sonic u fee fortunate spots,oto and
then our before the aotve s are broken
and disbanded. Pinunted grouse
pack to-
gether asthey ra01rOlder. Tho ruffed gratin
allows that he is hire to star, and dwells
1
apart lie has no fixed and regulartabi
P
habits,
stdy oa run across him when you dont ex-
pect to, the only thing to go by being your
best knowledge of the local feed. Agood dog
for ruffed grouse mist be very steady and
careful and not work up too close. Train-
ed to do this wont well he would find a con-
vey of prairie chickens in the open aboub
once in five years. Dogs aro nut built like
telescopes, unfortunately, and do not adjust
at will, long for chickens and short for ruff-
ed grouse, dough if you listen to some
dog owners petiently you must believe
their dogs are so arranged, and endowed,
moreover, with qualities of super -human
intelligence and prescience.
The (light of the ruffed grouse is commonly
direct and his trail, or body scent, can be
naught up by the dog's following carefully
along Ills I.ne of flight. Sometimes the bird
will take to ion around hi a half (trolo after
he alights, and will then " flush wild" as the
hunter domes up. Usually he will make for
thick °over, the top of a fallen tree ora brush
pile. Ile will sit there and figure onto how
he is going to fly when he starts, and when
yet come along be pulls his freight around
the nearest tree and aline out of sight behind
it, leaving your gun smoking and you swear-
ing. A grouse pub ap by a yelping cooker
spaniel orcurwill frequcn By take ton tree and
will then be so intent on watching tho dog
Mot the shooter can come up and blow a
long-tailed wad out of his anatomy. This
is the easiest way to get grease, bub no•
eportsman will shoot bird from a tree. That
10 0 custom followed largely by farmer boys
and by gentlemanly fishing tourists, who
knew before they started for the woods that
they, wenn going to be out of !neat, and we
took along a shotgun for 5111010 illegal shoot-
ing in the summer.
The habitat of the ruffed grouse is a wide
ono, though nob so wide as that of the quail,
It still clings to the bit -oh -shot woods of
Canada, New England and the middle.
states. Ib lives further north than the
quail, and you will fiurl ,t scattered pretty
mucin all over 1'lichigen and Wisconsin,
There are a few of these birds in the groves.
and woods of Illinois, end they aro more
abundant in the ecrob•oale country of north-
ern Indiana. Usually there are not vory
many ruffed grouse in any one locality.
But then or few good healthy ones will go a.
long way toward affording shooting for a
whole communityy. One wise old Gook
grouse would be thebosb thing I could thinly ,
of to put in a game preserve It would bo
aboub as useful and obliging as the steffod
ohamois of the Swiss inn -keeper, only in it
different sort of tray, There are many ways
in 10101011 te cock grouse is not like a staffed
chamois,
David's Answer.
There lived in the Highlands, some fifty
years ago, a minister who was rather lax in
paying Fla !/three
Un aSaturdey night he sent his 'hnan"
aoroes the river fora pair of shoes, whloh
he had previously loft with David, bole shoo-
maker, to be mended.
There happened to be a spate in the river,
so that Donald could not get bank till al,
most mid-day un Sunday,
When he returned the minister was eon.
ducting service in the church, whence his
man repaired, The parson happened to bo
preaching about David, and 'last as Donald
made his appearance at rho door, the miler
Mor said:
"But what did David any?"
"David said," ehautedout Donald, to
the surpri0e of the omegregabion, "that he
will send you the shoes when you send rho
money to him."
R