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About The Eugene City guard. (Eugene City, Or.) 1870-1899 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 13, 1880)
I'ACLE TEBSC8 3IEFIIETT. Hie belle of the season at Atlantio City this rear u Adrienne Veil. A dark eyed beauty, with one of those rich, wme-warm complexion that re mind one of Egyptian Cleopatra, lovely red lips, and white arms iparUing with cordons of precious stones aid bands of dead-gold; and, in the purple light of the setting sun, as she sat there in Major Brsbazons barouche, with the foam fringe of the sea on ono side and the yel low sand on the other, she was as beauti ful as a dream. Nor was she unobserved by the stream of gay promenaders along the shore, "It's a foregone conclusion, said old Dr. Ponnce. "Shell marry Brabazon, of course," said Mrs, Alleyne, "Shell marry the richest man who presents himself, no matter who he is," observed captain isagon, spiteiuiiy. "The 13rabazons are a wealthy family," remarked Dr. Pounce. ".Not that this Youncr fellow has much of his own, bnt his uncle, old Barney Erabazon, is the richest planter in Louisiana, without chick or child to inherit his wealth." "You may depend npon it Miss ail has taken all this into consideration, re marked Mrs. Alleyne, with the quiet malice which one woman often exhibits when speaking of another. "She's the moot mercenary creature on the ftco of clobe!" Mrs. Alleyne Lad spoken, if vindic tively, still truly. Adrienne ail, with her angel face and yoice of low-toned music, was rather inclined to view man- kind through the dollar and cent me dium. Her face was her fortune. She had been educated by a scheming mother, who, with herself pinched and cramped by perpetual want, bad resolved that Ad nenne should bring tier radiant beauty to the best possible market, and thus re deem the low estate of the family for tunes. Adricnne's girlhood had not been like that of other children; she had tasted poverty, and been trained in tbo belief that happiness could only be attainod by means of a golden spell. "You must marry, and you must mar ry rich," was the precept which her mother was continually dinning into her ears nor was sbo likely to forget the battle-cry, now that she was on the actual field of action. "And I suppose," said Mrs. Allyne, biting her lips, as she saw her own red haired, sandy-complex ionod daughter walking without any escort on the beach, "Erabazon's fool enough to boliove that fca really loves him for himself." Yes; Erabazon was just such a fool. Ue was madly in love with the beautiful brunette: he was in paradise of bliss as long as she sat by his side and smilod on him with those wonderful eyes of hers, and he firmly believed that, with the magnetism of true love, she shared his every emotion. They wore engaged that is, subject to old Barnabas Erabazon approval; for Adrienne knew that her young suitor had no patrimony of his own, and she had no mind to ruk "love in a cottage," even for the sako of handsome Allan Erabazon. ' "lie stands in a father's place to yon, Allan," she said, "and my standard of filial dutj is high." "He cannot help admiring you when he comes," doclared Allan Erabazon, who had already written to his uncle upon tho subject. Old Earnulias arrived st last a yellow-skinned, billious-looking man, with iron-gtay hair, rumpled in a crest on the top of ins head, and a pair of black eves that glowed liko coals of fire beneath his shaggy pent-houses of brows. His dress was coarse browu tweed; his boots thick; his hat a flapping Panama, which half ooncealod his blunt features. But his linen was exquisitely fine, but toned with diamond sparks, and on his finger ho woro an emerald ring which represented almost the value of a king's ransom. "Well?" quoth old Barnabas, fixing an inquiring eye on his ncphow. "Undo," criod the young man enthusi astically, "she is an angel I" "I'll liave to look at her beforo I mako up my mind on the subject," said Undo Barnabas, Uo was taken to call on Miss Vail, and like most other gontlomon he "wont down" at the first sparklo of her liquid, dark eyes. "By Jupiter, Allan, you're right!" said Uncle Barnabas. "Who's the prettiest girl I ever saw in my life." Ho the gay season went on. Tho clash of the vioW, cornets and trombonos, niodo musical answer to tho diapson of tho waves; grim old dowagers played cards; batterod beaux smoked thoir cigars, and strove to rejuvinate themselves once moro in the fragrauce of the sea air; pret ty girls flirted; huudsome cavaliers hold fans and bouquets, and newspapor cor respondents invented all sorts of facts for tho New York and Philadelphia daily riress. And as time went ly, rumor ol tained credenco to the effect that Uncle Barnabas Erabazon was ousting his ncphow from tho affections of tho beau lif ill Miss Vail. 1 "There!" said Mrs. Vail, her witch like countenance assuming a radiant ex pression, "llere it is in black and white. An offer of marriage! My dear, you 11 be the richest woman south of Ala sou and Dixon's line. Adrienne, in a lovoly dishabille of white coshmore and rosopink ribbons, aat looking at the letter, with something of dismay upon hor countenance. "W rite and accept him at onoe," urged Airs. Vail. "What (that old man?" "Old man!" acreamod Mrs. Vail. "The richest planter in Louisiana! Why, child, every diamond that he wears is "But I don't love him," pleaded Adri enne in a low voico. "Love bah!" shrieked the old lady. "What does love amount to? A little sugar and honey, a few sweetmeats and starvation for the rest of your life. I made a love match, and see what a drudging career mine has been. Adri enne, don't be a fool! You will never have another such a chance as this." u Still Adrienne hesitated. "Mamma," she said, "I am engsgfd to Allan, and I love him. And I will be Li wife." I "But. child, don't yon sae what ruin that will bring npon s?" Breathless cried Mrs. Vail. "Allan hasn't a penny Ol Ul UWU, BUU It 11Q VUOUIU U HUVN "Ue can work for a living, mamma hie other men "Work work for a living!" snarled the old lady, displaying a set of yellow teeth that would nave done credit to a hyena. "And you live in a flat, and do up your own laoes in a wash bowl to save the laundress bill, ana turn your own silk dresses, and darn your husband's stockings, to lighten the expenses you, that have the chance to button your gown with diamonds, and live in a palace! "Mamma," cried Adrienne, "what would life in a palace bo worth without the man yon love? I won't marry old Mr. Erabazon, and I will marry Allan, if 1 nave to live m nmcu wiui mm, ur nuo around the world in a baggage wagon And this was the end of Miss ail's mercenary" career. She wrote a reso - lute little note to Mr. Erabazon, while her mother indulged in a good, old fashioned fit of hysterics. The note was worded as follows: I like you Terr much, bnt I loved Allan long before I ever taw you, and 1 don't think I can be happy with any one . - -l . mm but Allan: so. if you please, Mr. Braba zon. I must decline your kind offer. And pray pray don't be any more angry with me than you can help. ' Mr. Erabazon read the ntue, tear stained note,and, folding it grimly up.went across to the hotel where bis nephew was staving. "Well. lad. said he, "1 Lave offered myself myself, mind, the richest man in . - . . . i T. :i m Louisiana 10 Auncuue mi. "Under Allan started to his feet, taming alter nately red and pale. "And she hasrefused me: The youncr msn was deadly white now, He scarcely knew what he bad feared or hoped he only felt the intense relief of knowing that Adrienne was still true to him. My own true love! he muttered be- ween his teeth "My dark-eyed jewel I If she had played me false, uncle, I should have been tempted to commit suicide!" Umph nmphr grunted Uncle Bar ney. ".Love love: now tnese young people talk! And what may I venture to ask. do vou expect to live on? lean work, inclo uarney, lor her sake said Allen, bravely. "Very well! said Uncle Barney. ".Let us go and tell her so. , Adrienne was looking lovelier than over, flushed cheeks, eyes guttering wuu excitoment and rose-red lips. How ib this, young woman! de manded Uncle Barnabas. "Everyone at Atlantio City told me you were a for tune seeker. And yet I have offered you fortune and you have up and down do clinod it." "Because I loved Allen better than all the gold of California." said Adrienne with drooping eyelashes. "Come here and kiss me, my dear, said Undo Barnnbas. "No, you need't be afraid I shall not mako love to you any more. I've lived to be sixty years old without marrying, and I wouldn't wed the finest woman alive. If you hadn't refused mo, I should have run off to the Sandwich Islands to escape matri mony Adrienne openod her lovoly eyes very wide. "Then why did you ask me?" said she. "Simply, my dear, to make certain that you loved Allan for himself alone, not becauso he was the nephew of his rich nnclo. And I'm satisfied now!" "I do love him." said Adrienne, with tears in her eves. "And I love you too, Uncle Barney only in a different sort of way. "I'm quito satisfied, my dear," said Undo Barnabas. "And I shall take it upon uivsolf to seo that neither of you perish of want. So Adrionno Vail "married rich" after all. ltich. not only in monoy and sugar plantations, but rich, in love and true affection. Happy littlo Adrienne! Proscribed Words. It is known thot tho lute Mr. Brennt drew up a list of words and phrases which ho held to bo indefensible, and which writers for his journal, tho Evening Pust, wero enjoined to ovoid. The correctness of this index eximrouturiut has been somotiines questioned on this side of tho Atlantic, but, so far as wo know, it has not been subjected, until very recently, to a rigorous scrutiny on the part of any English critio. That lias now lieon dono, however, in the Nineteenth Century by Mr. Fitzedward Hall, who disputes, In tho most peremptory way, Mr. Bryant's competence as a judge of good English. Asido, however, from the inquiry whether Mr. Bryant's own diction did or did not sworvo widely from tho accepted English model, we aro all of us concern ed to know whether the words and phrases stigmatized in his well known schedule aro really open to objection. On this head the judgment of an Eng lishman whose opinions are clothed with somo authority in tho eyes of his fellow countrymen is of obvious momont when we consider that Mr. Bryant sup posed himsolf to be snpplunt- in if American tuikiFwuih uy up- proved English idioms, "-f -i-. UI Vljuik 1 Ery prosenbod. for instance, such words as as "afterwards." "aggregate," "average, "aspirant," commerce," "conclusion," 'nominee," "notice," "portion," "state," "alove." in tho sense of "more than and some thirty other words, every ono of which, it is aflirmod by Mr. Hall, was used by Mr, Maeawloy, together with such prases as "would seem," "to be mistaken in," and "try an experiment," w hich were specially obnoxious to the American critic. Going over these words in detail, Mr. Hall points out that to displace "telegram" by "dispatch" would bo to prefer indistinctness to neol ogy, since dispatch may be of many sorts, besides telegraphic. lue same exception may be taktn to Mr, Bryant's rejection of "nominee iniavoroi "can didate." for obviously there may be sev eral candidates before a convention, only oue of whom can be the nominee. Again, if such words as "state," "repudiate," and "locate." are unendurable, which by the way. is denied why M. Hall inquires, should not "statement," and "repudiation," and "location" be dismissed along with them? And may one, he adds, no longer "ivpudiate a Sife?" He suggests, fur ther that "interment," "disinterment, "misstate" and "unnoticed," would have to go out with "inter," "interment. "state" and "notice. The use of In adverbial "prior to," instead of "be fore," which Mr. Bryant condemned, is said to be supported by respectable au thority in England; and the phrase "we are mistaken in, is pronounced lar bel ter than the substitute "we mistake in. As to the demurrer to "conclusion," in the sense of "close, this, it u averred, implies a restriction of "conclude" to the sense of "infer." Passing to other items in Mr. Bryant list, Mr. Hall as serts that "quite large," unqualified by a negative, is in many contexts goou i " " v e 17 i:.,U l..'!. mnt. an rr.H..;in u "not quite large enough" is manifestly correct in any collocation of words, J . . . .... Another interdicted adjective, "ma' terial." is shown to be not only proper, bnt indispensable, in such a phrase as 'a mate rial difference. A to Air. Err ant's "preference for "seems. over "would seem." embodied in one 1 of his prohibitory mandates, this, Mr, Hall thinks, evinces "an almost wcredit- able contempt for the sanction of the best English writers;" and be adds that "a man must be dreaming" who does dot at once feel the difference between seems" and "would seem. Indeed, manr ol the wows lorouiaen oy Air, wr Bryant are adjudged by this critic to be far more legitimate than the title of his best known poem. "Synopsis is right, and so is "autopsy, but "ruanatop&is is declared just as indefensible a forma tion a "telWram " which Mr. Bryant would not tolerate in his newspaper, The title of the poem, we are told, should have been "Tbanatopia, or "Thaaatopsy." We haTe said that Mr. Bryant s posi five assertions as to correct ui-ge are not to be overruled merely because other so lecisms to which he was himself addicted may have escaped recuse at m own hands. Another part of Mr. Hall's crit icisms seems decidedly more pertinent. It may, perhaps, be fairly questioned hether Mr. Bryant was jn-4ined m putting forth his prohibitory Us:, hen we find that his own wrung of a subsequent date were pretty thickly strown with the forbidden words and phrases. Mr. Hall shows that a letter written during the poet's last visit to Europe would, under the litter's own rules, have been entirely inadmissible to the columns of the .cenng rent, in one short paragraph, for instance, we find such words and idioms as "tele trram." "aeirreeate" "materially." "re- alized." " repudiate," "authoresses, poetess, "conclusion, i average, "vi- cinity," "afterwards," "it is stated," are mistaken in. "experiments nave been tried." and "would seem." And it is certainly curious, when wo remember that "oration was one of tho words pro hibited, to observe that as lately as 1873 Mr. Bryant brought out a volume of his own composition entitled "Urations and Address. In the same book we find "parties" in the sense of "persons," tho substantiative "progress, tho verb state." "spent" in the sense of "passed." "toriff" with the meaning of "rate," also "telecram" and "party record." It is suggested that the reviewer oi the Eveninn Post would have been in an awkward quandary had he boen asked to make this volume tiie suoject oi a nonce, Mr. Hall regards wbut ho terms Mr, Bryant's "fantastic and parcel-learned affectation" of purity of speech as morely a salient exhibition of the misplaced pre cisionism which he has observed in many educated Americans. Ho attributes their frequent and sometimes ludicrous failures in the effort to employ immacu late English to ignorance, or at least misappropriation of thoso precedents of goou usage oy wnicu iugnsuuieu uru content to abide. Dwelling in a conimu nitv in which there is a constant ten dency to divergence from English stand' ards, the would-be purists among us are in the habit of deferring witli too abso lute submission to the decision of sun- brv English and Sootch solf-appointed arbiters touching what is and what is not good English. These professed experts in idiom, whoso writings Americans are nut to accept as the utterances of pro found philologists. Mr. Hall dooms for the most part shallow pretenders and criticasters, whoso brazen self-assertion is their main qualification for the role of Aristarchns, Milk as Food. Unadulterated, undiluted, unskimmed and properly treated milk, taken from a healthy cow in a good condition, ond produced by the consumption of healthy and nutritious grasses and other kinds of of food, contains within itsolf, in propor proportions, all the eloments nocossary to Bustaiu human lifo through a consid erable period of time, bcareely any othor single article of food will do this. When we eat broad and drink milk we eat bread, butter and choose and drink water all of thorn in the best combina nation and condition to nourish the hu man system. All tilings considered good milk is the cheapest kind of food we have for three pints of it, weighing Z pounds and costing S) cents, contain as much nu triment as one pound of beef, which costs 18 cents. There is no loss in cook ing milk, as thcro is in bcof , and there is no bono in it that cannot be eaten; it is simple, palatable, nutritious, health ful, cheap and always reodv for use, with iui. cnean anu always reouv lor use, wiia tvitlmtifr nrnnnrnnnn Tina ia frt Da V I r'"' '. l,V o n .7 ;I.:Ti. tuat, euemicaiiy, pouuu m rail tho equivalent of one pound of beef in flesh -forming or nitrogenous constituents and 3.17 pounds of milk is the equiva lent of one pound of beef in heat-producing elemonts or carbo-hydrates. We must thereforo assume, from the data offered, that the relative values of beef and milk as human food are as 3'i to 121,, or as (in round numbers) 1 to V,. If milk is 8 cents per quart, then it is the equal in food value to beef at V1V, cents per pound; and vice versa, when beef is at 2o cents per pound, tben milk should be IU cts. per quart, calculated on its food value. e thus see that, at any eoQ pft8aion8, thronged its ghastly ruling prices, milk is certainly one of 4, littered ite blood the cheapest, if not the cheapest, food on other that. can be furnished to the family, while all experience healthy qualities. is in favor of its When you see an article in a newspa per headed "The Political Outlook," look at the bottom line, and if it say . l- . .. 1 sold by all druggists, don't read it. There is such an article going the round which is the advertisement of a patent medicine, la ted to decei Don't read a political article unless in tha bottle. owner a name is Diown .a v Clerks. TTow difficult it is to distinguish them from proprietors until you are used to them! Then it is easy. Proprietors wear clothes that clerk wouldn't be seen wMrinff to shift ashea in. At the start clerks always speak of themselves as "salesmen." They have a faint idea that the latter is a dictionary word and means something. The kinir clerk is the "floor-walker. He's a drum major without bearskin cap or baton, and nils an important position i - -- i.- in ID BIDflraDI BlIBBer. 1 WI uuuuuiuj always feel it knees quake beforo hi awful presence, until he says, Show 1.1 1.1 M 1,AM 1... an,1 it is nmvo.1 these ladies them hose," and it is proved that he is mortal. The active clerk shows all the good in his department, talks a steady stream and wears a customer out. lie makes few sales and does not stay long in place. The listless clerk, with drooping eyes and pale necktie, drops the goods on the counter in a don t-care-a-uve sort o( a way. wearied by the exertion, and the customer trades with him because ho is so refreshingly lazy. The average clerk comes up town in the morning the very ideal of spick-span newness, lie it fresh every day, his collar and shirt front are just from the smoothing iron, his clothes are molded to his form and bis hair looks as if his good, kind grandmother had slicked it down with bear grease, lie is daisv. The poorly dressed clerk: There are no facts in regard to this nonentity. The "masher as a clerk: He is en (raged because of his superlative attrac tions to silly women, who call on' him everyday and buy some little knick knack in order to bask in the sunshine of his radiant and charming smile, A genul clerk, a man who is too good for his position and a positive addition to a well-rcgalated establishment. One clerk of this sort is worth a whole store fall of average clerks. He sells goods before you know yon have bought them The genuine bnsmess man sometimes twriss life as a clerk, but he pushes out of the position in an amazing hurry, The ladv clerk: bo would be so un- gallant as to say she is not interesting? She is. Gentlemen always like to trade at the counter where she presides, and she is usually assigned to a department where thev are sure to como on little errands. Ladies, on the contrary, do not like to purchase of her, and it is noticeable tliat she ia seldom in the dress goods department There are a great many varieties of clerks drug clerks, grocory clerks, and ten thousand others. They are the orna mental and somewhat useful mile-post on the highway of business. Ihey seem to be a necessity, but why they should carry the world in its entirety on their shoulders, and superintend the progress of tho planets in their orbits, is a mys terp. But they all do it; or, at least, think they do. New Haven Register. Sedan In IS SO. Sedan, as a battlefield, may be said to be alieadv obliterated. The wide region over which the straggle raged still re mains, but already in these few years have disappeared almost all traces of the tragedy of which it was the theater. The plow has passed over the countless gioves whose monnds studded the strangoly diversified terrain from Ba- zeilles tor lenoux, xrom uivonno to no- i r i i ing. The visitor to oeuan can una now no guide' to the battlefield. Tho English resident who for the first year or two after the battle offered himself in that capacity has abandoned the rolo for lack of employment, and concentrates him self on his original avocation. I have spoken of the visitors to Sedan, but, in deed, thore are now no visitors. "They camo very thick for a year or two after the battle," so testifies the hotel waiter, but now we have not once in six months a stranger who desires to seo tho field of battle." Sedan itself is fast altering so as scarcely to be rocognized by one familiar with it during the .war time. Its forti fications are undergoing demolition, and Sedan is now in name, as in effect it had been ever since the introduction of rifled artillery, an open town. auban s bastions and curtains wero very massive, and thoir wrought stone faces and ce mented backings yield reluctantly; but thev are gradually being effaced, and Se dan is opening its lungs and stretching itself beyond tho trammels that were wont toinolose it. Ditches are being filled up, and tho boulevards are being luid out on their site. As one enters from the railway station through the suburb of Toroy, formerly inclosed within the line of circunivallation, he passes stately side streets lined with fine now buildings. Where the German sol diers used to fish in the stagnant moats for chassepots, cuirasses and other spoils of war, solid earth has taken the placo of water, and long stretches of black woolen cloths are now lying on the snoce where once were ranged, row up on row, the hundreds of field guns that he vanqished had surrendered to tiie vac- tors. The gate from under whose arch way the bearer of the flag of truce emerged from the distracted city is gone ...... !. ; identified. In the little place inside tue r . . J .. . - . .... . rf , over tha Menge Turenno. ,n his coat of verdigris, still stands in that un comfortable attitude on the cannon balls; but the nickaxe of the destroyer is laid at the foundation of the citadel in which the great general was born. There is a new landlord in the Hotel Croix d'Or, a man who nonchalantly tells you that the war was before bis timo here, and he takes ni interest in anything concerning it, The streets swarm with French sol diers: but soldiers smart, natty and con sequential, in Terr different case from the broken miserables who, wolfish with hunger, distracted with horror, mad with teniber day when De Wimpfcn sullenly put his hand to the articles 01 capuuia' tion. "But you can t get home if the wind 1 dead against us, can your inauireu uio nearest tunanfffr. "(Jh. ves. replied . ih vai " van Oil the Nantucket skipper. "Oh. yes. I had the boat made with two sides, so that rhen she couldn't sail on one tack she I oould on the other. It is the only boat in these waters that is built that way. And the passenger was reassured and the I Clara got in on time. THE BITTERTILLE HYSTERT. "Wife, come here, quickly and see if wnM Mn .1,- ... .. . . ... jvu w wo uiiu?r Willi Nancy Perkins," exclaimed John Ponsby wuo uaa oeeu gazing curiously lor sey era! seconds through a window that overlooked the front yard of hi next neighbor. "Sell, I never!" ejaculated Mrs Ponsby, upon seeing the familiar figure of Miss Nancy Perkins, a maiden of forty . .1 . . -. 1 . - or tuerenoouia, iianuing npon her own doorstep, dressed in an old gray ulster, which was partly concealed by a faded woolen shawl, and her well-known sun bonnet drooping like a mask over her face. She wo swaying around and bending forward and backward. though convulsed by some powerful emotion "Is she laughing or crying, or what in mercy ia tho matter with her? I'd go rigut over ana see. out sue such aqueer reserved sort of a body; like as not she'd tell you to mind your own business. Sho is always more civel to you, John, won't you go "Not I, indeed! Just look there! She has certainly gone crazy, for see, she is hitting her head against the front door. Has Peter spoken to her since he came home.' "Not that I know of; but John, if ho is your brother, lie hasn t a spark of man hood if he doesn't marry Miss Nancy J " "jiut she is rather old now. "So is he ten years the older, "Well, they would have married twenty years ago if it had not been for your senseless chatter, and that of a few others of your kind, telling her he went twice a week to see Squire Aesbit daughter, when he was only posting the old gentleman books doing night work to increase bis earnings." "ow, John, don t go raking over the past! I am sorry enough, and told him about it last night; but , you know didn't find out the truth until he had gone to California. Dear me! to think that's twenty years ago, and now he's come back well off! Bless my soul! John, now I know what's the matter with Nancy; she is dong that to attract Peter's attention." "Oh, no! It's only a littlo after six. and I don't think he's up yet." "1 11 warrant be up and watching her from his window. "Well, it doesn't seem to me that she wonld rig up in that kind of a style and make such a fool of herself. I think a girl, no matter how old she is, will try to look respectable and act decently if she wonts to gain an honest man s heart. "But don't vou see that she has the very old shawl on she used to go sleigh riding with him?" 'Well she is making a pretty show of herself to others as well, for see that crowd of boys climbing on the fence, and yonder goes a cloud of women, some of them buII in nightcaps. "Yes. there s Mrs. 1 risbee, and Airs. Snyder and Sallie Yeomans, and Aunt Betsy Ely. I'll just run out and see what thev think of such antics." And uneasy but good natured gossip was gone to join a crowd of her kindred spirits hurry toward Miss Nancy's gate. In a few minutes nearly the entire pop ulation of the village had gathered around the neatly-kept door yard where the odd looking figure was swoymg, now gently, then vehemently, and again standing motionless, but never glancing around, and seemingly unconscious of the curious gaze of the villagers. Miss Nancy had lived loug alone, tak ing no interest in tue gossip ana tea drinking of the neighborhood, devoting her leisure time to birds and flowers, while she earned her living by fancy knitting, sewing and embroidery, which she did for a firm in Boston. Her well known habits of seclusion made the fast swelling crowd at the gate dislike to intrude further upon her while she seemed convulsed with such parox- ysnis 01 gnei or mirui, wnicn 11 was they could not tell. Curiosity had reached a degreo that was absolutely painful, when Tom Jones, the bad boy of the village, sang out "1 11 bet a nickel I can go up and hug the old girl, and she won't slap my face nuther.' Tom was a reckless, mischievous lad of sixteen, and he set attride the fence, holding a five cent piece between his soiled thumb and forefinger, eagerly scanning the faces of his companions, to see if any one of them was willing to cover his stake. "I dare you to do it, said one, pro ducing a similar coin. Here. Bill Kerr, you hold them, it s all I've got or I'd make it dollars instead of cents, said Tom, as he vaulted over tho fence. Sure enough, the audacious yonng rascal mounted the steps and placed one arm tenderly around the swaying figure. To the utter amazement of the giggling crowd, she did not repulse him, but stood motionless, with his arm encircling her lank shoulder. Now the old bachelor, Peter Ponsby, had been watching the curious specta cle, as his sister-in-law suspected, and when he saw the audacity of the young vagabond, Tom Jones, he dashed down stairs without his hat, elbowed his way through the crowd, his round face Eurple with rage, and his bare, bald ead shining. With as much alacrity as Peter could boast ho leaped the low fence, disdaining the little wicket gate, and reached the interesting pair with three long strides. With his open palm he struck Tom a stinging blow on the ear that sent the yonng rascal half way across the yard. At this critical mo ment who should open the door but Miss Nancy herself, in a neat morning wrapper, with an expression of surprise on her still handsome face. The look of horror with which the old bachelor regarded first her and then her double was ludicrous in the extreme. Good morning, Mr. Ponsby!" she said, with dignity. Then noticing the queer looking figure that confronted her, she raised both hands in surprise, "My sunbonnet!" she exclaimed, "Who has dared to put it on the top of my olean der?" And with deft fingers she untied the fastenings of the three garments and threw them aside, disclosing to view a beautiful oleander tree exactly her own height. "Ah, Tom Jones this has been your work," she said espying that crest lallen individual Blowly picking himself tin mm & htvl nf fnhna The minarbntr of shrill laughter at tne era (a rtl)a.l Miu NtnPv'a Attention tO the fact that the villagers had called npon her in Kvi. ir. .. . 2;.damUe,but.LeSCiS log them about to disperse .he " ." f parting thrust: "I am S been the innocent cauae.li0 worT added, without looking at him . welcome back to ffitterVilta bnt di,? know the town a weU 1 1 Z Jon would not share it idle curiosity - ' 700 Tt was not curiosity that brought m. herC stammered the old UchZfJ But Tom Jones stepped forwsrd hohl ing hu brimless hat with both & while he made his best bow. "Look here, Miss Nancy, it , that put that jobuponyer. mean no harm. I jest wanted a lark r seen that funny lookin thing ,ia(riA around every time the wind blowed 1 knowed what it was, for I seen ,'0I1 wrappin' it up lost night, and cotj? thinks I to myself, all it needs is a b neiromauea woman out n it: and . good luck or bad luck would have it I spotted your'n a hangin' on the bad poroh. So I jest hoPd over about u hour ago, got it, and chucked it on C the shawl, jest for a lark. Then sein how well it took, thinkin" I a little spec, I bet my last nickle that I could come up and hug yer, meanin' the bush, beggin' yer pardon. Sam Dunlin he took me up, and when I was squeezin it gentle like, so's not to press it out o' shape, Mr. Ponsby he come up and knocked me down for my impn. dence as a gentleman should." During this recital Miss Nancy's coun tenance changed considerably, and at iU conclusion a rare smile broke over her thin lips. "Well, Tom," said she, "I am much obliged to you for your honesty if fn. nothing else. I know it must Iisva M. ed very odd, but it was dark when I cov ered it first with the cloak, then fearing the top leaves might be exposed, I threw the shawl over as an extra protection. I thought if it was well wrapped up I could risk it outside, for it has heavy for me to lift it in and out alone." There was a plaintive dropping of her voice on the last word, and she glanced up shyly at Peter Ponsby. and held out ono slim, labor-stained hand. "As for you, sir," she said. "I thank you for your courtesy, and wish yon t very good morning." But when Peter Ponsby held in his two big, strong ones the little hands that he hod coveted so many years, the hand that had repelled and yet held him, and was true to him by withholding itself from any other, he would not let it go. "Uh, Aanl he said in a broken voice. 'Let me keep this now and forever. I will lift the oleander and all your other burdens. I know now our estrangement was caused by idle gossip. We were not to blame. Wo have wasted twenty yesit of the better part of our lives; shall ve throw away the balance?" Miss Nancy stood with dowcast eyes and flushing cheeks, nntil a low whistle called her attention 'to the gaping mouth and quizzical eyes of Tom Jones. "Tom," she said, suddenly, "did yon get your stakes?" "No, by thunder. That sneakin' Bill Kerr has gone off with both tickets." And taking the hint, Tom was out of sight in a few seconds. But, before hunting up the miscreant, he went from house to house in the vil lage, announcing the fact that he had "loft tho old boy and gal in a confidence confab." The result of that confidence was made known four weeks from that day. when s bride and groom, no longer in the hey. dey of youth, stood up in the village church, and repeated the vows they had lighted and broken twenty years ueiore. Scarcely Half Married. m . -1 - ..An n fv man vk lue rouiauco ui a jjwi jvuuj u. - was only partially married in Lyons, is . , . ' 1 U lin. told oy a rrencu jourmu. iio trothed to a young Frenchwoman, whose o give her the right to be called an heiress. The contract hod been signed at the family lawyer s olhce.tlio mni d been published in tho church, and ha on the rin witli t.hftir friends and relations, met at the Mario. The Mayo asks the bride and bridegroom the fatal questions: "Do you take so-and-so or wife?" "Do you take so-and-so for husband?" Both answer "les. 1M iUm. mnrrlPll &QH Aiayor pronouuees mew ....... offers his congratulations. ThehuabaM 41. nra ia ml DOW anu wuo o iucj - . proceed to sign the register, W so do their friends; the juy - just about to sign when gram is put into nis nau, P .. . .1-. ,1 i,a oirpadv been ing that me ormegiuuiu , married in a foreign country, and w neediui papers 10 pruvo mo , .v .f rriT rvnr lipsitates. an ineir way. xucu.iv" , . in afortnignt irom mat - . 1 nothing more is heard from the sender 01 the telegram, ana, assu .- been sent oy some bnt olent ; person, the Mayor "v ,j. ,lv married couple that he is resu, alrea to sign the register. But the lady changed her mind. She decl res Bhe believes the Btory 01 w. sends back her presenw, "". n . Mayor Mayor on no accouns -e- . bridegroom, on the other an groom, on the ower u"";,u &( V sign. The Mayor consul the him Juge- ae-pnix, wno auv." - - what the girl tens mm. ,tf 1 nd at mesent the heiress and t vice, f... 1 I admirer are esirang. He cracefully accepted: 1 you, upon gontlcmen " sa.d I m entering the pnsuu, . f has sought mo, and now r .flairs really " place place. LJlUUtj XlX J w " . .a manded all my time and atten and I may truly say -"'.,, tion to fill this position was.- - surprise. Had 1 consul -v ., interests, I ehonld have Pf" declined to serve, out htf hands of my inenas, but to submit." And be course mitted An ingeniou. pnaonex in a iail contrived to make a wen oroom I DrOOm to him 1