IHD I.IKD OF MY HKA15T.
MAIDEN S SOLILOQUY.
Somebody to love!
If I only knew
Where somebody lived
That would love me too,
Somebody whose heart
Was warm and strong;
Somebody to watch me
And help mo along
Thejourney of life,
And stand beside
My form at the altar,
And I it bride.
Somebody to love!
If I could but daro
To think of a lover.
My love to share,
To go with me
Adown the glade.
And through life's troubles
With me to wade;
Somebody to share
The bitter and sweet;
Somebody with smiles
My face to greet.
Somebody to love!
If on life's way
A lover beside my path
Would stray,
And drop in my ear
The tender word
Of love, like the whispering
Of a bird;
New life, new beauties
Would come to me,
And the bird of my heart
Would be set free.
Frank Myiitle.
LITTLE MITTS.
all crvmg, 'bar! bar!' ' - workmen engaged in it learned the art
--"She thought the "baa of thesheep , i Europe, and they are still few in
was the cry of "bar! bar! which fret- ; number. There are only from seven-
Tolrt by an English Toll-Gnte Keeper.
There is one night, a winter night, I
shall never forget.
It was wild and clatter y, and the win
dows of my little house by the toll
gate shook and shuddered with the
weather-ague.
After midnight there came in a hand
some man with a soft voice. He want
ed to wait for the early morning mail
coach, he said.
He was showily dressed, with a great
glossy plume on his peaked hat. On
his velvet cloak, with cherry-ripe lin
ing, was silvery lace. He was very
easy and frank, and he pleased me
much.
"You must be lonesome here, old
gentleman," he said, in a musical
voice, "since you say you have no
wife or child. If you had a little prat
tler here, I guess you would be good
to it?"
"Of course I would," I returned, and
then we both drojiped into a drowsy
silence, and listened to the low wood-chuck-like
singing of the greenwood
sap.
I was the first to speak. "Mister,"
said I, "It isMone of my business, but
excuse me Si ask what is your occu
pation?" "Oh, certainly," he replied. "I am
a travelling wizzard, a conjurer a tra
gedian at times. I live upon the
whims of the public."
Soon after I stretched out, and was
just going off to sleep, when! heard a
queer noise, a noise like the cry of a
child, where my filagreed gentleman
saf.
"What is that, sir?" I inquired.
"I am doing it for my own diver
sion," he explained, so I won't drop'
to sleep and losethe coach. I am also
a ventriloquist. I can imitate a pee
vish child to perfection."
"Go ahead," said I.
"Soon," said he; and presently; if I
ever heard a tired child, it seemed as
if I hear one then, and the last I re
memberbefore I fell asleep, was hearing
faint cries, growing fainter, of "lather!"
"mother!"
When I opened my eyes again, the
gray face' of dawn was at the window,
the snow was clicking upon the door,
the coac-hhadeomeandgone, and gone
too wasrmy fantastic gentlemae!
But there was something strangely
warm near my face and neck.
' ' ScatT' ' I cried . thinking o I d ptiss h ad
crept near, as the room grew colder
towards un orning.
But instead of a cat, there lay the
brightest! little girl, in a blue hood and
mink wraps, thelittlegirl my finegen
tlemanliad all the while under his
cloak, w&en he was pretending ijo be a
ventriloquist.
"Hooray!". I shouted, nervous and
bewildered.
"What, door name?" demanded. Blue
Hood. "Caleb ''Mittens, "I replied, as -meek
before this babe as if it hadbeenPresi
dent to the Turnpike Company.
"Caleb Mittens, Caleb Mittens" lisped
the little thing. "Then I must be
Little Mittens Little Mitts; doo must
call me Little Mitts."
"All right'! Little Mitts it is," nsaid
"Doo ifl'doing to:be dood?" fcrrther
inquired Little Mitts.
I promised to"be dood," and from
that moment and tihis promise the
child clung to ijue like a slender vine
with creepers.
one went nearly wilb. over the 'a- j
dities of the old toll-house; the smuff- I
colored cat,the brass-headed andirons,
and particularly the. tall, moon-faced,
old-tashioned.clotk.
"I know," she chipped, "w'ydo
make that clock -stand qp and fold its
ihands intheeorner. It a'vnt been nice,
and it's got to stay there and count
.ever so many before it can come down
and play."
I held her to the Window, to see the
snowflakes sifting steadily down.
A0 Mittens!" ehe exclaimed, laying
her pink palms together like mated
sea-shells. "See! see! Tike world is fill
ing up with white flies .and milters!"
In the window iight I had a fairer
view other pretty faee.
Upon the matter of eyes, nature
seemed to have been undecided, for one
eye was sky-blue and the other a good
black. One day I asked her about it,
" 'Tos," explained Little Mitts, "my
mamma has blue eyes, and my papa
black, and I was my mamma's and
papa's girl both."
But beyond the color of the eyes,
and "a great big, ever so big, house
among high trees," her memory did not
go in the recall of the events of her
mysterious babyhood.
From the first time she saw the toll
bar swung, it became to her a source
of boundless delight, causing her often
to shout and dance with a glee that
was almost a rapture.
Every passer through the gate, hu
man or animal, interested her, and was
interviewed by her. Once a sheep
herder came up, with several hundred
heads, whereupon she ran to me, ra
diant with surprise, and shouting,
"0 Mittens, come out! come out,
quick! There's whole big lots of great
poodle dogs at the gate, and they are
all in a hurrv to get doo, 'tos they are
CUTTING DIAMONDS.
FOKTESCUE'S SOKE THBOAT.
From the New York Times.
Within the last few years the art 01
cutting and polishing diamonds has
greatly advanced in America. Not
many years ago few uncut stones of
considerable size were imported, and
in proportion to the number of gems
brought here diamonds in the rough
were few and almost always small.
There seemed little to gain in introduc
ing an industry which could apparently
be prosecuted at much less cost and
therefore more profit in Eurojie, where
i1; was solidly established.
The growth of the industry here has
been very gradual. Nearly all the
ful people make when they are anx-
lou to get through.
Well, the rest is sad enough, and I
can but make it short, for it is too
dreadful to dwell upon.
Little Mitts grew yearly taller and
handsomer. Everybody said she would
make a splendid woman, ven if one
eye was black and the other blue. 1
could never wean her from tending the
toll-bar.
"Young ladies," have no business
tending toll-gates."
"I'm not ayounglady," she declared,
laughing until both eyes became the
same color, and that color the jolliest
blue. "I'm your Little Mitts for life
and in death."
But darkness was nigh. One fearful
night Little Mitts sat up with me later
than was her wont. There had been
robberies in the neighborhood.
"Mittens, dear," she inquired, "aint
you afraid of robbers? You have no
heln at hand but slender me, and it is
generally known that you have saved I
money", and that it is in the house,"
"I have not the least fear, Little
Mitts," said I, reassuringly, and then
she kissed me good-night and clung to
me with a tenderness unusual even for
her, before she went to her bedroom
out of the toll-house.
Later than midnight I let in two
powerful-built mendetectives, they ;
said they were, searching for soldiers.
They had crape drops over their
faces, "to keep the sleet from their j
eyes," one of them explained.
" I turned to give the fire a jog, at
which one of them thundered,
Now, then, old man, pass over all
yon ready cash!''
I turned and looked at them. Each !
was covering me with a revolver.
"Never!" was my reply. "I had j
rather die than lose all I have, in my
old nge and feebleness."
"Click! click! went their pistols, as
they slowly pronounced,
"One!"
A gust down the chimney drove the
smoke into the room.
"Two!" There was a light step.
Some one entered.
"Three!" Isawaflash, I heardaloud
report, an oath, and a wild cry, and
then there came a swift roll of smoke, i
The smoke of the chimney and guns
was lifted by a gust of wind from the
door. I saw a white figure falling. It
was lit tle Mitts, shot through her bless
ed body. She had come to save her
old, worthless foster-father's life!
Then the fire flared, and the room
was still. The ruffans must have fled, 1
for I saw them no more.
Kegardless of all else, I carried her to
the bed, and bent over her. No one
hot God who knows the vast depths
there are in stricken human nature,
knew how I felt.
"Kiss me, Mittens, dear, she gasped;
"and have no heart of fear, for the
road I am going to stretches out fairer i
and brighter before me and oh, the j
golden gates are opening! Kiss me
farewell, dear old father and" the I
golden gates fead opened.
She was dead.
I have never been able to unravel the
mystery of her abandonment in her ;
early childhood, but I still try to keep
the promise I made her "to be dood," j
hoping some 'day her little hands may
open the golden gates and let the old
gate-keeper pass through into that
world she saw in her vision. Youth's
Companion.
Origin of he "Winchester Rifle.
New Haven Palladium.
A pistol of -decidedly clumsy ajpcar.
ance, and with fully as much brass as
steel in its .composition, was left for a
few minutes at Klock's drugstore, with
several other articles, by a gentleman
who had some errands to do before
taking a horse-car from the corner, and
who asked permission to temporarily
relieve himself of the load. During bis
absence several visitors in the store
handled the weapon, which, although
it wasnot loaded, didnodamage. The
peculiar make was the subject for con
jecture for some time, until the pistel
was shown to a leading military man,
who immediately recognized it as onef
the Tyler Henry patent. "This pistol,"
said he, "works on theeame principle
as the Winchester magazine gun. Oi
course many improvements have been
made since this.pistol was manufactur
ed, but the principal features are the
same. Thousands upon thousands of
dollars have been anadefram the inven
tion, but the inventor rejeived little
benefit from it. 'The late O.F. Winches
ter began the ehirt:business many years
ty-five to one hundred diamond cut
ters in the country. With the excep
tion of a few in Philadelphia, and pos
sibly a couple in Chicago, the diamond
cutters in this country are confinedto
Boston and New York. The work
pays well, though not so well as might
be imagined. In Europe an apprentice
to a diamond cutter serves from five
to seven years. At the end of his
term of service he may be a mechanic,
but often he is not. The work requires
keenness of sight and delicacy of touch,
as well as what is termed a correct eye.
It is only within a short time that the
work of the eye has been lessened by
the introduction af a gauge invented
by Mr. Morse, of Boston, and called
the Morse gauge. This, according to
diamond cutters here, has not been
introduced, or at least adopted, in
Europe, where they still depend upon
the eye for accurate measurement.
The strain on the visual organs in
cutting stones of small size must be
very great, yet comparatively few of
the cutters use artificial aids to the
eye. A cutter who had been working
at his trade for nearly fifteen years
was rash enough to boast recently
that he could cut a diamond one sixty
fourth of a carat in weight without
any artificial aid to his natural sight.
In America apprentices serve for
three years, but like their brethern in
Europe only a moderate percentage
becomes skilled workmen. When the
African diamond fields were discover
ed the market value of the gems drop
ped suddenly, and there was a large
demand for stones of all kinds and
sizes. In Europe cut ters were in such
a demand that from 200 to 500 guld
ens a week were offered for their ser
vices. When the market steadied
wages droppsd, and European work
men now receive from $20 to $i0 per
week, though but few receive the lat
ter rate. Wages here range from $52
to $60 per week.
The rules which govern a diamond
cutting shop are much the same as
those in force in jewelry manufactor
ies. In the morning the men receive a
certain number of stones. Before they
leave the shops, even for a minute,
they must account for everything en
trusted to them. A diamond cutting
establishment is a hive of industry.
The cutter works by hand. The pol
isher is aided by machinery. The cut
ter kills two birds with one stone by
cutting one diamond with another.
The stones in the rough are unsightly
looking objects. The ordinary pebble
is quite as pretty, and to the unini
tiated a lot of uncut diamonds looks
as much like bits' of gum arabic as
anything. But even the uninitiated
are likely to observe that most of the
stones are octahedron in form. Color
less spinels, pieces of quartz, topaz,
etc., have the same form, so that
much care and knowledge is re
quired in buying rough diamonds.
Hard as the diamonds are an unex
perienced workman can cut and polish
from two to four carats in a day.
Much depends upon the quality of the
stone. If it has a knob or a cavity in
it much time .is lost itsurmountingthe
difficulty. Sometimes this is impossi
ble, and a fair sized stone may become
almost valueless from some imper
fection other than color.
Diamonds of less than a carat are
seldom or never cut here, and in a
majority of shops nothing less than
two-carat stones are handled. As
labor is cheaper in Europe than here,
it is most profitable to buy small stones
already cut and polished. They think
nothing on the other side of the water
of cutting diamonds which weigh ten
to the carat. Diamonds so infinitesi
mal that it required 1,500 to weigh a
carat have been cut in Europe. When
the number of facets on each are con
sidered some idea can be obtained of
the delicacy of the work. A breath
would scatter a package of swob, di
minutive sparklers. They are some
times used for jeweling watches, though
rubies are preferred.
The implements of the cutter are few
and simple. He has a little brass
bound box, sabout four inches square,
open at the top. It is furnished with
two small uprights, against which he
rests his hands when at work. He
takes two diamonds and fastens them
on to two "sticks." The head of the
stick is hollow and resembles an in
verted bowl. The bowl is filled with
cement. It is heated until it becomes
soft. The diamond is inserted into
the cement, with one of the covers ex
posed. When the cement has cooled j
each "stick" is furnished with a dia- I
mond. The cutter dons leather half- j
gloves, and oaa his right thumb he
wears a stall. Taking a stick in each
the garments, which his wlfe.and other j rd, he brings the exposed points to- j
women put together. The business
gradually increased jmtil Winchester
& Davies built for flh'irt manufacturing
gtther and rub" them, one against the
o&her, until he has produced a flat
sun-face, a facet. By this means a fac-
fih. l.arfre factors n Court street. The ! etihas been cut on each stone. Hence
-i -t i m i tt i ! SirfdRP t.riA PYnrpecinn ' Tti inr.ii.1
iirai prospered, and when Tyler Henry
produced his magazine- pistol, tie went
. IT' ' 1 1 , 3 "
raw. wincuesier, as a leauing capi
ta'list and manufacturer., and propos
posed to sell him the patent for $ 1 5,- j
000, Mr. Winchester offered himsSSO,
000, brat tine offer was xehieed. ftsnry
afterward offered to sell for $40000 j
and Winchester offered hint $25,000.
No sale was made then; nor Safer when S
the invention was offered for 20,0&0
arose the expression,
jJi&saond.
The associated press was formed in
1855 :bj the daily papers of New York,
in order to distribute the telegraphic
news most expeditiously. It gradually
extended to other cities, until now it
embraces every city of importance.
The association has agents and re-
to the capitalist, who fenced hi j K''tran tby teleaph I
X?ZlJU?S i to all its members. In this way III j
ter bought the patent, paying Henry
1 think, only 9, oOO. The hrst guns
were made on the moel known as
1866. Other models have been mace
since but all conform very nearly tc
the original Henry model."
members of the association receive the
aame news abont the same time. It ;
costs a great deal of money to ktepup J
the organization, and each paper be- i
longing to it must pay its share or for- t
feit the franchise.
' It was a delightful morning in early
spring; a gentle wind baressed the ten
der leaves which had burst forth in the
night; a bird twittered now and again
' with that peculiar clearness of sound
that only the first birds of the season
seem to possess, and the sun had sent
his heralds of the dawn far in advance
long lines of yellow, purple and crim
1 son, with tender pink and blue still
higher in the sky.
i Mr. Fortescue had risen early on pur
pose to feast his eyes and mind on the
beauty of the landscape, and stood lost
in thought at his dressing-room win
dow. A plain business man,a thorough
going man, his neighbors called Ned
Fortescue; but he had an artist's eye
and a keen poetic instinct.
But suddenly his face clouded he
had heard a sound that he understood
only too well. A harmless noise you
would have thought it merely a slight
! jar of iron against wood as Mrs. Fostes
cue turned the bed-key.
"She's taking down our bed, as I'm
! alive!" soliloquized Mr. Fostescue.
I "That means house-cleaning, and no
! peace for a week at least. What can
be done? Is there no way out of it?
I'm sure every carpet in the house was
lifted last fall." The husband stood
looking out of the window, but no
longer heeding the sunrise he was re
i volving a plan. "I'll risk it!" he said
' at last, and proceeded to hunt up
some strips of flannel. Just as he was
swathing his throat in a long strip of
I red flannel Mrs. Fortescue came to the
door.
I "I've taken the bed down, Ned, and
; shall set to work at once. Hear the
birds! it's high time we were through
house-cleaning. But, my dear Ned,
j what is the matter? Don't tell me
j you've a sore throat!"
Mr. Fortescue nodded, pointed to
his throat, and shook his head, as if
solemnly to itadic'ate that speech was
an impossibility.
"Dear me! how very unfortunate. I
1 can't possibly clean house with you
ill!"
Mr. Fortesque turned suddenly to
the window lest his delight should be-
tray him.
"We must send for Dr. Horton,"
continued his wife, "and you must not
; leave these rooms. I don't wish to
alarm you, my dear, but you know
diphtheria is so catching, and the chil
. dren -"
For a moment our hero wavered; he
had not any idea of being quarantined.
Besides, the doctor would see through
i his deception. If only his wife had
held her tongue for a few minutes he
would have confessed his wickedness,
' and thrown himself upon her mercy;
but she, foolish woman, did not know
: when to keep still. "I'll tell you, Ned,
I what I'll do," she went on, "if it's not
i clear diphtheria, I'll just run off with
the children up to Aunt Maria's, and
! then, if you are not better, I'll leave
; them there and come back. To be
sure, I want to nurse you."
Here was a respite! No house-clean-;
ing, and a house all to himself at that
I loveliest time of the year. Annie was
: such a slave to her house and her chil
j dren that he couldn't be blamed if she
seemed tiresome once in a while! So
! Mr. Fortescue (speaking as hoarsely
I as he could, and so over-acting that
Annie began to fear pneumonia, and
was thoroughly frightened) agreed to
J take his breakfast apart from his fam
ily and see the doctor as soon as pos
sible. i "You'll be able to swallow a soffc-
boiled egg, dear, and a cup of coffee,
, won't you?" said Mrs. Fortescue: and
Ned, who could have eaten three or
four mutton chops with a relish, had
to look ill and nod acquiescence.
Dr. Horton was sent for, and came
round very promptly, and, as Mrs.
Fortescue was washing the breakfast
china, she sent him up to see her hus
band, intending to follow soon.
"I'm in a pickle, and I must talk
fast," said the patient, in a remark
ably clear, smooth voice, "for my wife
will be up in a moment. To tell the
truth, Horton, I've shammed sick to
get rid of the house-cleaning, and you
must help me out. Your bill would
have come in a month later if I had
not, for Annie is always sick after a
spring cleaning. Now, tell her I've got
a diph theritic throat nothing serious,
but that it would be safer for her to
take the children to Aunt Maria's."
"I know your wife too well to im
agine she'd leave you," said the doc
tor, "for all her devotion to the young
ones."
"But she'd take them there, and
then I'll telegraph that I'm better, and
perhaps they'll stay a few days. This
lovely weather won't last a week, and
then she'll be glad the cleaning is put
off."
Mrs. Fortescue's voice was heard
giving some directions to the servant;
there was onlv time for an assenting
nod from the doctor, and she was in
the room, anxious to learn his opinion
of the patient.
"Adiphtheritic throat, ma'am; there
is no cause for alarm none whatever,
yet what is a light attack for the fath
er might prove fatal to a child."
"I'll take them away at once at
once! Ned, you don't think I'll neg
lect you? I'll be back to-morrow, and
you must telegraph to-night. Doctor,
you must telegraph, and let me know
the truth."
The two men felt guilty as they saw
that Mrs. Fortescue was really trou
bled. It was only the vivid recollection
of the last spring cleaning, and the
belief that a few days at Aunt Maria's
"would really do Annie good," that
enabled Mr. Fortescue to carry out
his part. As for the doctor, he assur
ed her that Ned was perfectly well
except for a few spots on his throat;
that the quiet, and a few days rest
from business, would quite set him up;
and urged her to stay with the children
for a day or two if he could conscien
tiously telegraph "All's well."
Two or three hours later Mrs. For
tescue and the two children drove off
to the depot, waving a good-by to
"oor Papa," who stood at his win
dow, the red flannel still about his
throat. Dr. Horton had telegraphed
to two or three of Ned's chums, and
was to make his next call about din
ner time, when they hoped the gentle
men in question would have arrived.
Meanwhile the cook and waitress were
quite relieved as to master's throat
by he hearty lunch he had ordered
and enjoyed.
It chanced that all three of the
chums were able to accept the invita
tion. Jack Downing could never re
sist the country in such weather, and
felt he could combine business with
pleasure; for Fortescue had told him
of the scenery about his place, and he
was sure of making some skethes.
Tom Bascomb was a medical student,
one who often spent his Sundays at
the Hennery (as the Forfcescues called
their place) , and Mr. Driscombe, a
hard-working man of business, was
fairly shoved off by his wife, who knew
how much the poor man needed a
breath of real country air.
"I'm on the sick list," exclaimed
their host. "Nothing worth mention
ing except that it gave me a chance of
a holiday, and as my wife is off with
the children I thought I would enjoy
keeping bachelor's hall for a few days."
And they did enjoy it! Jack sketched,
talked and smoked; Tom refused to
think of medicine or disease, kept
them all laughing, and amused him
self at the piano, while "dear old Dris
combe," as Ned called his friend, who
was a few, and seemed ten, years older
than Ned, rested body, soul and spir
it, enjoyingthe good cooking, the clear
air, the scenery, the young man's jolli
ty and his wife's letters, which arrived
twice a day.
"Throat doing splendidly," was the
telegram that relieved Annie Fortescue
on the evening of her arrival. Aunt
Maria wa3 delighted to see thechildren,
and made so much of Annie herself
that the little woman decided not to
go the next morning if the news was
good.
"Your husband almost well no
need of nursing," was the telegram
received at 10 o'clock, and then all
insisted that since she had come she
might as well stay.
"Just telegraph to Ned that you'll
stay a week now you have left home,"
coaxed her aunt. "You are such a
slave to your house, husband and
children that I began to despair of a
visit. I said to Thomas only the oth
er day: 'Annie'll be sure to be house
cleaning if this warm spell holds
good.'"
"Why, queerly enough, I had be
gun," said Annie. "My bed was down;
Ned always knows I mean business
when I unscrew that great bed of ours.
How the dear old fellow hates house
cleaning. No, I can't promise a week,
but I'll stay on from day to day.
Ned can't do without me."
If she could have trat seen Ned at
that moment! He was trying his
hand at a water-color under Jack's
tuition, while Tom told story after
story that made Ned laugh so hearti
ly he could not keep his hand steady.
Then followed a song, Ned singing the
solo, and all joining in the chorus
singing is so good for a sore throat!
The weather grew warmer each day.
Annie's housewifely instincts co uld not
resists such opportunity. Ned was,
by his own account, quite well; the
children could stay at Aur.t Maria's.
What a splendid chance to do the
cleaning!
"I never knew such a succession of
spring days. The weather is hea enly.
It is inspiring. Why, before the rest
of you thought of getting out of yoi.r
beds Ned and I took a stroll, and see
these sketches!" and Jack showed his
studies.
"Do you know, a woman only thinks
of "Ned began; but he was interrupt
ed; he never finished the sentence, for
a figure stood in the doorway; and, as
all four gentlemen turned, Annie look
ed from one to the other, in very evi
dent amazement, and not with evident
delight. Any woman who enjoys
housekeeping more than homemaking
can enter into her feelings. Never had
the pretty sitting-room look
ed so homelike; but Annie
saw only the disorder. A box of
water-colors here, the portfolio of
sketches there; a branch of cat kins was
pinned above a picture, and in two
saucers Mr. Driscombe had started
some delicate ferns. "Messes," one
and all, housewifely Annie called them;
yet as she looked shecouldnotbeblind
to the fact that "Ned" was brighter
and happier than he had seemed for a
year past. Even his astonishment at
her sudden appearance did not bring
back the clouded, repressed expressed
expression so familiar to his wife; for
Ned knew that, though the woman he
had. chosen as his wife was a trifle too
much devoted to mere externals, she
was a true lady, and would notbe rude
to any guest, no matter how unwel
come. In far less time it has taken to write
this Annie recovered herself, shook
hands with thetwogentlemensheknew
and was introduced to Jack Downing,
of whom she had often heard. Noth
ing was said of the throat, but after
a private interview with Mary, the
waitress, Annie, who was no fool and
quick enough to learn a lesson, made
a resolution She pressed her hus
band's friends to stay a few days lon
ger, watered the ferns, hunted up a few
more catkins, and when she had Ned
to herself said, very demurly, "You
needn't play sick another spring, dear.
I'll wait till you've enjoyed the first
lovely weather before I house-clean.
Ned, I do like a tidy house, but I be
live I love you even better!"
"Annie, I'm ashamed of myself, but
I can't say I'm sorry sine eyou're so
good about it. So you do see some
thing good in a lovely spring day be
sides an inspiration for a thorough
cleaning?"
"I see what these spring days have
done for you, Ned; I believe you've
been cleaning out the cobwebs from
your brain. You must keep Jack
Downing here a week or two. After all,
the house need not be pulled to pieces
every spring, and I'll try to put up
with a few messes in the sitting room,
since they make you so happy."
And Annie let the bed-key rest until
the following September.
MYSTERIOUS INFLUENCESL
Massachusetts prohibitionists will place
a state ticket in the field.
Dreams and Premonitions Which Io
Coin to Pass Are Forgotten.
"I'm going to tell you something
T t j JJ ' .3 T U
Llliajl D 11 Lie. oaiu Oi ILUV&IJU llltu vu
other day to a New York Sun repor
ter. "Yc. an believe it or not, but
it's true. - have a cousin who went
to Europe for her health last year.
While in France she died. Comparing
time between France and America, it
must have been within an hour of her
death that her mother, who was knit
ting in the sitting-room at home laid
her knitting-work in her lap and look
ed up with a sort of stunned expres
sion. 'Why! Alice is dead!' she said.
Next day we got a dispatch by cable
saying she was dead."
"There was," said another member
of the party, "a curious illustration of
mind-reading, or spiritual telegraphy,
or whatever you like to call it, during
the war. You remember that thebat
tle of Gettysburg was settled on the
3d of July, though Lee lay on his arms
expecting another attack on the 4th,.
and began his retreat that night. The
surrender of Vicksburg occurred on the
4th. Gettysburg and Vicksburg are
800 miles apart, or perhaps more, and
no telegraph message had been re
ceived at Gettysburg announcing the
surrender of Vicksburg at least, it
there had been, it could hardly have
reached headquarters before sundown
on the 4th. The 12th corps had been
drawn up in line on the afternoon at
the 4th with a view to changing posi
tion, and was standing at 'in place,
rest,' when one of the soldiers ex
claimed: 'Vicksburg's taken! " The', word
passed down the line, and a cheer broke
from the troops. That news and the
certainty that Lee had sustained a
severe defeat put new life into them
But when an attempt was made to
trace the news to official sources it
couldn't be done. That soldier 'felt it
in his bones,' and had spoken right
out. Next day dispatches arrived that,
proved that thesoldierhad spoken th.
truth."
"Yes, those things are unaccounta
ble," said a third speaker. "The in-
be so very important, either. I re
member that my father was sitting sn i
his library one afternoon, when he
-,aIj- Atif Ilia ,tor.l- Ir-,trQI c. 'rt anil
said: "E will be here in ten min
utes. E was his brother-in-law,
who lived in a neighboring town. and.
though hecalled frequently he was not
expected that day. After he had.
spoken, my father seemed rather sur
prised at himself, and laughed a lit
tle awkwardly. My mother asked
how he knew t hatE would be there.,
and he said he didn't know, he hav,
spoken on the impulse of t he moment..
Sure enough,in ten minutes the bell
rang. E was at the door. He liad
only come to dinner, and his visit was
not important; but he had somehow.
projected his personality ahead oi
him."
fioil ei frtm-flr CirTVt or-o rno lTr ia V rxfl:
a thing as seeing beyond the limsfc oi
human vision. I'll tell you a littio
circumstance that I can swear to, and
then let's talk about something else.
r i . i-j tt a ,
x was ju years oiu iittu no tswr
idea of going to .London than L ad ot
going to Nova Zembla. I knew prac
tically nothing about the eity. One
night I dreamed that I was there in a.
park facing some public buildings,
and over the trees and roofs at
the right were the tower of
Westminster abbey and parlia
ment buildings. That night an im
portant letter was on its way sum
moning me to London. I went there,
arriving just as the man who had writ
ten the letter was leaving his housefor
a walk. I saw my trunk safely stow'S-d,.
and then went along with him. We
strolled out to St. James' park tohcar
a band play. At one point in thepark
I looked behind me, and there was the.
picture Iliad seen in my drsam3 tree?5
towers, public buildings, and aH.
Before Iwent there Ihadn't the slight
est iiiea, how the ratv was rruilt. iPar
aught I knew St. Paul's Westminster
abby, Temple Bar, ar.ri the British
museum stood in a row on one stireefc.
How did I manage in a dream to see-
. i i : i .1 : . ' r oi t T i
niose DuiKunua l'JjSL oi ou. .James nm
just in the position and size, shapo.,
and color that they really haya?."'
A GOOD HORSE STORY.
A Story Abont Argyle, the Lively 1'acer
From the Spirit of the Times.
"Pilgrim," who picks up many a.
good story in the course of his peram
bulations, writes from Chicago."
"One morning not long ago Isat on--the
steps of the club house and lis
tened to the entertaining chat of the
owners and drivers: Part of it I will
tell you. One of the party, who is
usually a very quiet man, edged np Ux
me and said:
" 'I'll teli you a goodstory about Ahr
derson and his pacer, Argyle.'
I braced my feet firmly, and with
both ears wide open, lest I should Jose
anything, 1 patiently waited the com
ing of the storm.
" 'You must know,' continued the
orator, 'that Argyle had shown some
pretty slick work, and was cocsiderocl
by his party as a sure winner,and was -backed
right well in the pools. The -big,
ungainly New Hope nailed him to
the mast in an easy shape, though
Argyle was second. Well, when the
second place was put upon the boards,
two days afterward, Argyle wasdrawn.
That was funny to me, so I just sa?r
Anderson shout it. It would have kif!--ed
you to have heard him talk. "You
want to know why I drew my horse,"'
said he, "and I'll tell you. During that
fast heat the ot her day , just as we were -at
the three-quarter mile pole and going
a 2:12 clip, I said to a young man
driving that black gelding. 'We are -going
some, my boy.' That young fel
low looked at me over the wheel, as
cool as you ever saw ice, and answer
ed. 'Oh! no we ain't. When I turn
this whip around in my hand and give -him
the butt, then we'll begoing some.'
Now, when a country lad can uncoil; -cernedly
give me that sort of talk in a
red-hot race, and beat me at that, I
have had enough of him. and won't
start against him." And he didn't. .
either.