Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Eugene City guard. (Eugene City, Or.) 1870-1899 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 26, 1892)
0 THE UNREDEEMED. h aa (Irffwit meem-aaura pip am I, ajy eoucb I velvet cane cuoidIm, kai aiany compenlona round oi 116 Al v udily Mara at the Hony Kraut for ("'' unkind, and tba month have flaw sMooe the aaered Ore on my altar gleamed Ko fraud ban U tot I'm Ml aloaa ' Along i!b the rest of tb unredeemed. fhrrr'a volume there, a birthday (in ifuat a ntnther bnatowed on ber only ma; gut he' Ion own out on tbe world adrift, And hi parent' rme on earth la run. To Mr Darling- Boy," ao Ule erntmce gore You may read Inaide, and she doubUeaa dreamed Of a future bright for the lad-wbo knoei? But the book lie here with the unredeemed. TVre'i a dlamoud ring that was often worn tr a handsome pink tip dnirrred belle, And many ow woe duly sworn Wh-n It fimt placed where It looked ao well; But the faithless jade bad a atony heart; tihe wan false when fortune frowning aermed, go the ring went back, and their wayi apart. And the bauluV come to the unredeemed. A peitk-ont yonder's up fur aala , flat has long been left for a paltry sum, But the wouinu that pledged it looked ao pal, Aa though by weariness overcome; gbe'd a tiny child, and It cried for bread. Hi motherly heart bad planned and schemed, X ,11 ahe hod to come to the shop, ahe aaid; Aud the garment la here with the unredeemed Aye, we are a'most myaterloua crowd Uf pledges, the algu of cold neglect; gome of iu once were woodroua proud, .Some of ua claimed the world a respect jiow we are ticketed, all may apy, Time our appearance baa scarred and seamed, Iieer a purchaser come to buy: uo will Invest in an unredeemed? -Scrap THE WEB OF LACE. Some little while ago a young Italian couple who had come to Paris In search of fashionable life became customers of mine io my capacity us a broker and banker. The husband was of very high blrtb, and had resigned his commission aa a captain of cavalry at bias murriage. Tbe wife was very pretty, very rich aud tbe daughter of a irreat railway contractor. Tbeir estab li.Hbmt'Ut was luxurious, sober and serious. The husband used to speculate on tbe Stock Exchange, but witb prudence. I met them at Troiiville. dined with them In the winter and bunted with tbe count on bin grounds near Uoetz. One day about two mouths ago I was returning to my office after the last board wbeu my clerk stopped me and told me, with a stringe look, that a lady was wailing to see me. A lady I could not guess who she was. My clerk said she was young, eleganllydressed and apH'Hiv I v: :? ly agitated and afraid the police uuiuti come. I was startled, but would not let my clerk suspect It. 1 walked boldly forward and found my charming Italian countess. She rose quick ly, and, w ith her eyes filled with tears, al retched out her bunds to me. "Here you are at last," she said. "I bave been here so long I was so afraid you would not come." "lint, luadame, what is tbe matter? What procures me the pleasure" She made a feverish gesture and said In I tense voice: "Do not speak listen to me. What 1 have to say is so terrible that if I delay an iustant I shall never have the courage to tell you. Yes, it is cruel, but I must speak. Only you enn save niel" "Save you!" "Yes. Do not look at me I shall have more force to tell you what you must be told." We exchanged alarmed looks. I listened in horror. Wbatcould this woman, proud, intelligent, accustomed to every situation aud protected by all possible safeguards, have done to be placed In so terrible a pre dicament? "Oh, mon Dicu!" I beard ber murmur. "How can I make such a confession? 1 would rat her die. And yet my husband my son!" She wrung her hands, and her convulsed fenturcsexpressedthe most com plete despair. "Hut niadame," I cried with emotion "tell me at once, since you see in me a pos sible savior. Do not leave me in doubt. What has happened? What bave they done to you?" She grew deadly pale, and from her trem bling lips fell tbe avowal: "Two hours ago at the Magasins at the lace counter of the Paradis ilea Dame I was arrested for stealing!" "For stealing!" I repeated mechanically, to absurd did the Idea seem to me. "Yes, for stealing a piece of lace!" "And that piece of, lace" "Was fouud on mel" "Why, some shoplifter, fearing to be caught herself, must have slipped It Into your jacket without your knowing it" "No!" The word fell like a stone on my head. 1 looked witb stupefaction at this well born, carefully nurtured girl, delicate Bnd re fined, who sat before me overwhelmed at having to acknowledge that it waa not by chance that the lace was found ou her per son. "Why why" 1 stammered. "Why, it was I, of course, who took It I stole it don't you understand?" she cried, almost beside herself. "You, madinne?" "Yes, I! How did It happen? I don t know; but yet it is so. "I bad already made several purchases, paving for them all, when I saw an exhi bition of laces they bad at the Magasins. There were some marvelously beautiful ones, particularly a point d'Alenoon, re markably fine und high, of a royal design, and I stopped to admire it. Seeing this the clerk forced it on my notice, aud spread it before me, and carried away by an In comprehensible impulse I sat down. He unrolled it, twisted and turned it about, showed It off against tbe velvet, and I, uiy eyes fixed on the fine meanderings of the harmonious design, gazed as if fascinated. I no longer heard tbe houeyed and stupid voice of the clerk; 1 waa absorbed by the adorable lace. My reason was abolished, nothing remained of my instincts, tastes and ways, aud in the vacuum of my mind 1 found nothing but an intense desire to possess the precious tissue. 1 would bave doneauythiugtogetit I felt that I must have it. no matter how, aud that wituou delay. Tbe clerk talked on and on. 1 heard him saving that it was an extraor dinary bargain: that the design was unique and would never be reproduced; that we m, .w. . c.nl- that last price was oniy v -- , year it would bave been 2.000; that on T queens wore such lace! There seemed to be an accent of scorn in his voice, a if be were saying, 'Such marvels are not for ao ordinary woman like you. "He added, 'We have oti 'WP Valenciennes.' With a turn of M he rolled up tbe point d'AJencon.and leav ing it before me rummaged in the nig . , . , , j .! knmrr nt a num- anejvea oeoiuu mm, , ,, ber of rery pleasing patterns, and I ah played them witb as insinua'" - -when be had been showing the masUJr- v. a . hr fonrotten. piece woico am to" ' - . but which I devoured, letting my eye i. K,nt being distracted ,by anything, like a wild beast P"ent'7 watching its prey. Just uien u , by a fellow clerk, to whom be replied im patiently. 'Don't you see that I am busy. ..l. ,k.in.;.tinir. after excusing UUk IliD Vllici - himself to me he quitted hia place for a a -n fhrtwi mt. moment That momeun -; - Wk. k. .nrrrl the D of point j . , i . U w iarktf- u Ateucon waa ururam r- - . .... jt tn Hi themselves l lis ere arrncu w , on my visaee witb sarcastic iMUf the tone of hi voice cbangeo. " i . i v jiiA that I was a niuereoce. uu nw . thief? He could not Uw " took tbe point d'AJencon from ormrw ---j the Valenctennet, aodr h Ul' ll) flU. if 1.. .i . , , . ""! n.v.i,,,.. Th Z? " 1 ""'-r. She steal.' 'An iniiniHirtal,U ..... ,1111 I . I ' -'III I my f.u a. a mi itt 'lit I llWl Villi itl in I I , ,,,1,,,,,,.,.,, m,, .(1.llwo Brrl(lll, h!'k v '"I'os.ible for ou to give then, bark. You ,u,t have them, you adore hem, they are ,,rt of j our Heb an.l bloo-i. t would he torture to tear them away hT.ny0,v ??Bu! (:.h"y away. carry Ihem ir with vou" And I could not re is' I was no longer nivwlf. I . w riii"awav hv a nUilltal ft II I. lii.li-.. I I prcbended nothing of what was going on in my maddened hmin n,i i - . . . .. . .... ;n t mijiin V a a l the step of my moral fall with atrot- on p.ecUion. 1 rose and aaid, 'De cidedly you have nothing to tempt me.' 1 Inclined my Uead to the clerk and walked slowly away through the crowd, longing that I could dure i.. ... k. dead I wiu with fear. My heart brat aa if it would break, my leg trembled, the per piratiou rolled down my forehead, aud 1 io .ie, uiiniiing that all the people who surrounde.1 and pu.he.1 against me were ou the alert to discover me. At that moment, and when onlv ten .t,.t- .i.. door, a gleam of reason illumined mv brain. It was as if a curtaiu separating me from the ligin hud been suddenly torn away. 1 saw my conduct clearly. I fell Into a horror of myself, and turned to put back tbe piece of lace on the counter. A secoud terror more inteuse tbau thai which had preceded overcame me. Sup pose that in the iustant uiy conscience wua saving me from myself 1 should lose all by attempting to repair my fault? No, I could m turn oaxit. l must go, I must escai quickly, but without taking the stolen treasure, without remaiuiug a thief. 1 loosened the lace luaide my jacket and let it full ou tbe floor. Instantly voice be hl:nl me said, 'Madame, you have lust something.' "1 raised my eyes and stood rooted to the spot. The clerk who had served me waa by my side. He still smiled. I summered. 'This is not my buudle.' 'Yes, pardon me. It is yours, it dropd out of your Jacket.' Curious faces werealrcady gathered round. eager for a scandal. I cried, 'Kor pity's sake, not bi rel' "The clerk understood, bowed, aud mak lug me walk before him ushered me iulo a corridor. A door opened. 1 waa lu the ollice of an inspector. How shall 1 tell you of my fright aud despair? What supplies tiou did I not pour out to this mau who held iu his hands my houor, my life and the future of those dearest to me? He list ened coldly, und to all uiy prayers aud tears auswered in the harshest terms: Yes, yes, we kuow all that It's the old story, we bear it every day. I'ray be assured that it no longer deceives us. Kvery mouth thousands of francs' worth of goods are stolen from us, aud if we do uot take severe measures we shall lie ruiueil. Who are you, niadame? Kindly give me your name and address.' I cried out. 'Never! 'Theu I must give you In charge of the commissary of police.' 'Hut your head partner take me to see M. Hontemps.' 'Impossible! That is expressly forbid den. M. lioutemtM cannot lone his time listening to tbe ridiculous stories of all tbe shoplifters whom we catch. This happens here ten times a day. Come, niadame, de cide. Y'our name and address or the police ofllce. Then I saw that I could obtain nothing from this hardened slave of duty. I could not speak to pronounce my name, hitherto honored, but when tbe inspector pushed pen anil paper to me I wrote with one movement what he asked for. He looked at the signature, and in his eyes 1 read tbe suspicion of a false name. And I had not even thought that he would doubt me! In dignantly 1 drew out my card case and al most flung a card in bis face. He smiled to see himself so well understood, and bending down wrote under my name, iu (he lame and regular band of a veteran lieutenant, 'Arrested for stealing lace.' "I felt the blood rush to my face like a flame, and throwing myself on the door I fled from the magasin?" Listening to this story from the lips of its shuddering heroine made my blood run cold. I looked at this woman, pale aud overwhelmed by ber misfortune, aud asked mvself if I were not the sport of a pbau torn. I have assisted at many touching urenes duriutf my financial career. Those whom I bave helped have lieen ungrateiui, none of those whom I bave refused to as kf. has killed himself, as he threatened to, so that I am littlo Inclined to soften. But this Italian girt was so beautiful In her distress and aliandoned herself with such sincerity that I warmed in her cause and .loiput In her desnair. What did I do when out or uoorsr sue said. "I felt that I had utterly tnrown nusfilf awav. I should not nave yieiueu. That man could not have given me up to the police, and If he bad tne commissary wnulit llHV listened, and if not he, then the Drefcct. Those men bave power, have ti.or not? They can take It upon them u.ii-to save the honor of a family, or else what la authority worth? Oh, If 1 had been led Into his presence I snouiu have found words-1 should have thrown myself at his feet-he would have saved im Whereas now-now there exists In it. l. nf a llviim being a material, Iu lirnnininiuus proof of my guilt, which maysjme tiayreveai .u u done. I saw the Seine oeiore u.o . thought of this, and tbe desire to throw ....,lMnti the river came iumj mj I repulsed it with horror, uot from the fear of death, but from disgust at tne scan ,i..i i,i..i. .11. h an iL'noble end would uui - , . I lomtened away tnrougu mo iui leries garden, talking aloud to myself, weeping and so wild looking that every one turned to look at me. At the Rue de Uivoli 1 took a carriage to go home, but on the way the impossibility of facing niy husband came upon me so strongly that 1 shuddered. To whom could I turuF I hay. 1 . J.i. n, eelstious here; my father is in Italy When the carriage passed before your 'door the sight of your name was Ilk . .. from heaven. I remeuiuer l."Tne,. the delicacy of your char acter. tbe exceptional probity of yonrrepu-,lon-whatmoreu.Isay? I came here m wait for you. I have told you all. and . ,1 nfawvion VOU Cll UnU-- - . . .. M.n .irwieir . j.i...i ..v nnlv hnno hell ID TOU You save the honor and bapp nesa of tbe beings I love, tbeir life and mine .all that is most precious, mosi ur. . .. .,i r "i do not know. You must And a means. .. . . ,h. end of mr strength, loll sew me "v - - . . ... . -:.k. i,iiini or courage. Do WltnOUl eiliirr . . ,-il I...I ..v mt " Iu the diwrfer of my own ideas I sought . ' k, .h.r meHiia. if any. I could ,hs charming little humbug, who STupright waiting, ber eye. fixed on my . . LA . ..ninn of unmlsuUble '""k V her tuition. That .be . . I Hid not doubt foramo- . . .... t romrstwoon. told me so strong endeavoring to bring M J '.yL.-i .t.nii,i.ra. But nothing could pf against th. singular aem.nt produced in n.e by lb. terrified took out ci r. , .:..i. .i ,.n'. eves and the wild curv- ... o her lips. Itwa..he,berIf.afur . who auggested tbe plan I " for in spite of ber prolouno w . itirul than L -f-.inn. fora eonfeasionlt is. which I have .igned. must not remain for In hour in tbe bands of tbow. pp" aba , : i ...tknritaoivelr. If rou are give me back my aaietji r - nil Mt r rij.r I ... . . b'-t l cry out, I was mi thep..,,t of mi .' ,,'!"lJr",,"J " yU would in'" It. liutthrnavou-e r. i . M. lUinten,,. -ne will receive you -tell hltu what you think neceasary and bring me bark that accurwd paper." 1 said timidly: "Bui it la nearly 5 o'clock aud today i the last of tbe mouth. I have niy liquidation still to make." Mi waved the plea to one aide, and I saw clearly that my .'Uldalio waa nothing to ber. Aud compared to her own It waa nothing. Without resisting further Itook up my hat and said: "1 am off then. Wait for me here." She stretched out her hand to me and pressed mine with extraordinary force. Breathing a deep sigh ahe let herself fall into au armchair. I went down the ataire fnuratepa at a tune aud drove hastily lo the magasins. I aaw M. BoutemiM at once. When I named myself the rich man deigned to raise hU brad with condescending famil iarity. Tula displeased me, and 1 opeued the conversation brusquely enough. .Monsieur, a few hour atro a hu r. on of my friends, through an unfortunate train of circumstances which I cannot ex plain here, waa arrested iu your establish ment by an lni'tor. M. BouteitiM' liMt parted In a smile. "A shoplifter?" "A sick woman, a mad woman, surely irresHUisible; for ber education, ber fami ly, ber social posit loll" "A shoplifter," he repeated, with cold tranquillity. 'Be it so. a shoplifter. Iu whose behalf I bave come to ask. One of your Inspect ors has mode her sign a declaration." "1 hat ia the custom." "Ye., for tbe professional delinquents. But 1 fancy that you will make a distinc tion betwivu tbe case of a creature whose sole occupation is theft aud that of a wom an ll niler a hallucination, and who, besides, at the very moment ahe waa surprised waa ridding herself of the lace she bail taken. If you only knew who this lady is" I bave not yet seen the paH-rs." He rang. Au employe aiqH-ared, lsiwliig low as If to a sovereign. lkintemia aaid: "Send me the chief !usei-tr. ' The employe dis appeared, and the old Inspector came iu al most instantly, saluted iu military fasblou and stood at attention. Today," aaid Hoiitempa, "au elegautly dressed lady waa brought before you who bad been surprised iu appropriating our goods?" "Yes, monsieur, the Countess of Bontemps Interrupted him. "The name I of no imiHirtance. Of what uature were the goods'" Point d'Alcncnti lace." Very good. What Impression did the lady make ou you?" "Mou Uien, monsieur, uo particular Im pression, it is always tbe same thing, al most the same word. You know bow cunning women are. As soou as they are caught they have only one Idea to get around us, and they cry, they beg, they wring tbeir hands, they talk aliout tbeir husband and their children and their mothers! Aud If we believe tbein they would laugh at us. If we didn't watch them they would carry your store away bodily, monsieur. 'Still how did this lady apHar to you? "Better educated, better dressed, more acute than the rest; but they are all alike." BontemiM turned toward me. "Y'ou hear, monsieur?" "I hear." The inspector threw me a look. "Mon sieur comes from the prefecture of police without a doubt then you ought to know" I stood petrified, unable to say a word. As a proof of the sagacity of tbe man be took me for a ixilice spy! The merchant rut short the folly of his employe and with a superb gesture sent him away. N-nrcely had he gone when 1 broke out: "What confidence can you place, monsieur, in the jiidgtiieut and tact of a man who just now in your very presence supjioscs that I am an agent of tbe police? I admit th:.! my title of baron Is not writ ten on my face, but good heavens! I do not resemble a hired detective. hy, your man fees nothing but thieves, und so sees a thief in every one. lie has simplyabused the terror of an unhappy woman. The whole thing Is nothing but a misunder standing." Bontemiis did not budge. His eye was veiled, bis mouth mocking. Ho replied simply enough by reading from the paper which lay before him: confess to having been arrested while stealing" I interrupted hi brutal answer. Knough, we know what hi written there. But it is just this paper that we must de stroy." Tbe great merchant drew nimseu np aghast "Hut it Is our only safeguard. Thanks to this iaer, we are assured thst the culprit will not attempt a second theft It is ouly for thst reason that we are satis fied to proceed no further on a first at tempt If I give it back to you" "You admit, then, mat you win give u back?" Oil, I argue tbe point to be agreeable to you- . . . I breathed again, i ne oaiue was gameo. But the couditious were yet to be settled, aod I sow that tbe overblown shopkeeper who was parrJiug himself before me was not tbe sort to capitulate for nothiug. "It shall never be suid," Mr. Uoiitemp eoutinued, "that so honorable a man as vou. M. le Uaron, should come to me aud 1 unable to obtain what he desired. But say for yourself what reparation you think ought not to be due us for such an Impo sition upon our gmsl nature." Ib-narat on The word was pronounceu. "If I understand you, you indicate that tbis little paper can be purchased?" "As an exceptional piece oi couueeosuu euce on our part." "You are b kind. But how mucbf" "You tell me the family Is noble?" "They are foreigners!" I cried quickly. "Then I should charge you less, no Joubt. But are they rich?" "Well off; no more." "Do thev keen a carriage?" "Yes. with two horses. I don't wish to deceive vou." Y'ou understand, we are lust as wen as generous, snd the amends ought to be pro- isirtioned to "The anjenus wen, you ihuubh iui It?" "Kiftv thousaud francs." I leaped to my feet "Fifty thousand francs! Impossible!" 'I only state the sum so as not to nave to disoblige you. Keluse 11 you cnoose. The naner shall remain in my drawer. 1 shall never use it, unless" Hot I must have It. Then you must pay. And be assured that none of the money shall find Its way Into our treasury. It shall be distributed among the poor, M. I Baron among the noor. I mold scam-lv believe my ears. I lifted my eyes toward Bontemps, and he seemed transit mi red. His vulgar countenance ennobled, and betook on the propor tions of a St Vincent de Paul. He smiled as he looked at me. "Well. M. le Baron, do Tou accept?' "I accept." I took out my check book and wrote a check on the Bank of I ranee Then we made tbe x bange, one bit of naiier for tbe other. I hastened back to my ofliie, and again went up tbe ataira four i-leps at a time. I had on. one thouifht-to irive safety and happiness back to tbe poor woman who waited for me, a prey to such cruel sgony. I threw open the door of my ollii-e. Tb lovely Italian girl was there in tbe same attitude; ahe seemed not to bave stirred in ber horrible waiting. She saw me and leaped to ber feet Never aball I forget t he look with wbkn ahe Interrogated me. With a gesture I held out to ber the paper. She aeixed it aa if ahe had been an animal, If tb inatinct of self preservation. awakened In ber for tbe first tune, bad rubbnl ber ol all brr chsrtn of manner and hail brought her back to the stale of nalure. She read the pas-r twice, louchtil it, scanned it w It h burning eyes to aure herself lhat it was the same, and then wtlh a cry of joy threw it in the lire. She wall-bed it burn w ilb inexpressible happi nesa, aud then turning Inward me, her hands outstretched and all her grace re turned, she cried: "Oh, thank you from tbe depth nf my aoul." Her voice still shook wilh emo lion, "f ml an be gave ll bark." "He sold It," 1 aanl. She recoiled. "Soldll? I low-he dared?" "Yes, and I did nut hesitate." "What did you give him'" "Kifty thousand francs." She grew extremely pale. The day was aluiixt gone, and in the dusk her cvea glit tered like slurs. Mechanically I held mil my band. She took it. Her own was burning. She drew a profound sigh and fell fainting Into my nrma. She went away a she had come, and I remained, Vi.nk) fi-Hiics Icssat mylmi ker's, but wilh the recollection of her gratitude In my heart I bad taken up the ordinary I current of my life again when, ten dais later, on (qs'iiiiig my rigaro at breakfast, my eyes fell iisui the following reporto rial echo of the alTuir: M. MS r i:llV sn.KMUl) lillT. Vestenlat M. Iloutetni. the well kimsn ill rectorof Ihe iiMsaiiMof I lie 1'anidi ilea lnies, banded to the tvs tHy for the lii lli-f uf (he s aerriiif I 'is th amil of SO.un tiamx lo be di Iritmled aiiHu; the poor of the tuenty armu duenuiilaif Pasta. This remsrkaMM and uc- cewfui man of hutineaia. III llmkihic so ifeiicnsls a use of hia lumiense, fortune, prutes llial he has Dot forirotien Ins own early )e.irm devoU-J lo Ihe uhmi laborious toil I was stllellisl. Then a sudden ll:u-ll of Inspiration made daylight wilhiu my thick bead. But it was with my money that the rascal was ls-iug so generous! Hut up to tbe present moment 1 was I he generous philanthropic, for I bad not Inch reini bunted, and probably never should Is-! Hut what a hideous si ul.itioii this cession of the ias r signed by the lovely Italian for my AIM) francs bad Isvu! Hut it was pure cheating! Thus exciting myself with one "but" after another, I dually worked my self into such a state of deadly auger that I could no longer contain mvx-lf, mid Jumping to my desk wrote to llonlemps as follows: Sin - If you had 1,'ivcn the Ml.ftM frsucs In churl I) anonymously aiiou,.! lime had noililna hut eoniplliiielits f.ir )ou llul 111 lul.iuK ertslll to yiHii-self for a charily which h.is eu-.t oii iiishiint yisi hare done a eoiiieinpulile thinif I'lilesstn day .vou do not seinl me. a reis'iis fur a second Sn.iuii francs, Kiv ii hy .m Hot nine to Ihe ss.r of laris, you shall find the hole story of our lit Ue ualisacliou in lo lisirrow's .:ii-r I'aho.n ua Titrsoiuca Bontemps replitsl with these wonl: SlK If Ion (.-11 the stoiy I ahull le forced lo usuie Ihe Lnly lli.Mses. To this I responded by a delinitu dis patch: hin - If you name the lutv I shall n to nsM-row nrierniNin lo vmr olilo. i-ull you out of It by Ihe ears aud box tlieiu for yisi U'ior will yoiireli-rks IUiion na Tnksokils He l.elieved me, nml I bill evening I had my receipt. The week lifter the countess' adventure she left for Italy. At the end of a month I received her father's check for .Vi,tJ francs, accompanied by vague expressions of thanks, which showed lhat he wits igno rant under what circumstances my aer vices had Ism rendered to her. I thought uo more of my young Italian friends until one dnv I received a letter bordered with black, III which tbe alllii ted husband In formed me that be had had tbe unbappi nesa to lose bis wife under the most tragic circumstances. After their departure from Paris she bad fallen into a melancholy, the more Inexplicable as It had Ihsmi she who had desired to return to Italy. To the most affect innate inquiries she remained deaf, aud though from time to time she seemed to make an etlort to throw off her somls-r apathy, and would I for a day or so charming and graceful as la-fore, she soon fell back into ber former slate. At last, during an excursion to Capri, after a breakfast during which she bad rallied from her torpor, a promenade brought them to tbe cliffs. She begau to walk toward the ris ks so fast that they could scarcely follow her. They called her back, but in vain. Her silhouette stood out against the blue skv as If she had been a spirit, and she seemi . ready to fly away. All at once ber light uress uisappeareu. They rushed forward, but when they reached the spot where she had ueen last seen the clllTs were deserted and the aea murmured In silence, beating against the reefs. Tbnt eveuing the waves brought ber to the beach. She seemed to be asleep and smiled witb a calm face, aa iu the dus when she had breu happy. The letter fell from my hands. I saw sgaiii the young woman with her beauti ful, supplicating eyes aud her trembling lips; my heart ached for her, aud a tear of pity and regret stole down my check. Adapted for l'hlladelphla Times troiu tue Kreuch ot (jeorge Oh net Curiosities uf superalltlnn. When Egvpt was in the height of her power, when she was most highly civi lized and delighted in being called the mistress of thu land nnd sea, ber leo- ple worshiped a black bull. There was some discrimination, however, even in this form of worship. In order to Is) an ohjnct of mad adoration it was neces sary that the- bull cair be born wtin a circular white sjsit in the exact center of hia forehead, and the advent of such a creature in any herd was the signal of wild demonstrations from the Mediter ranean to the border ot the Lybian des ert Even as lute as the time of Cleo patra, "star eyed giKldess, glorious sor ceress of the Nile," such animals were shod with gold and had their horns tipped with the same metal. Herodotus tells of a man who died with grief be cause he sold a cow that soon after be came the mother of a Murk bull calf marked with the sacred white circle in his forehead. St. Louis Republic preliminary to th llsptlain. When Bishop Ooe, of Melbourne, was a curate a fuiuotis pugilist iu the parish, who went by the name of Jim the Slog- ger and who had never darkened a church door, called at the parsonage asking biui to baptize the baby. Ac cordingly the bishop repaired to Jim's honse, but was surprised on being ad mitted to see Jim lock the door and pocket the key. "Be you tbe parson come to soriiikle my kid?' he asked. On the bishop asoenting, he continued, "Ytr rant itirinkle that kid till you and me has had a fight, parson.' The unfortunate parson protested, bnt finding protest useless "stood np" to Jim. The battle went for the bishop, and Jim, pulling himself from the floor, muttered, "He's the parson for me." The baptism was proceeded with and, as the story goes, Jim took to rhnrrh going from that day. Pall Mall Oaiett. At a rat. There is new shape for the dinner table a triangle. The host is seated tn the middle of the shortest side and the hostess at the meeting of the two longer ones. This arrangement brings the en tertainers and the entertained nearer together than at tbe ordinary square or round table. A single cloth is not naed on these triangular tables, but rathr narrow scarf s of hearjr open work. Be tween tbe scarf and the center piece tbe space is filled with bonbon and salted almond dishes. Food. AHKMAKKAULIMUMI' AN INCIDENT IN THE LIFE OF EMPRESS OF AUSTRIA. THE llr Hon Took tin Teelh and Hade a Aluioal Mlraciilnua lilt llrtwe III Terrll.U Kun-Aa Leap Over au Opn lirswnrld- A I'lnrky Wutuan. .Many years ago I was an eyewitness to an Hicnlciit w liirli Is fell the empress (if Aii'M ia, and which was so terrible that her esca fnun death sec mx to mo even now a miracle. tlizats'th of Austria, ns slit) liked to rail herself, was at that time lint only thu most daring but also the Wt rider in the world. Ni man or woman ever knew better how to take an ulwtai'lti t"iuu this must charming of all crowned women. Though her majesty was thru already a grandmother, mi horse hark she could give odds to tlio U'st Hun gariaii and F.uglish riders. The uirty at the event of which I am writing con sisted of the empress and a largo num ber of Austrian mid foreign gentlemen riders, who acomed to bavo gathered to- gctticr from all parts nf KlirnH. Most uf them wero known as prominent horsemen. This was not surprising con sidering that tho empress would never take the field iu company of ssir riders. tin this occasion the empress rule a very spirited young horse, which she had obtained iu Lancashire when on a visit to England, and to the training of which t he hud crsoii;illy attended for nearly a year. Everything went well after t lit) start until we crossed a high way leading to a small Hungarian country town a short distance nlT. Toss ing a white aiiited milestone tho em press horse shied, and suddenly be coming uncontrollable it dashed down the road iu the direction of tho town. From apeuraiife it was evident that the animal had succeeded iu taking thu bit between his teeth and that uo earth ly power could stop it on its mad run away. Although we all followed the empress, none of us seemed to gum upon her. Flying we passed through the littlo town, much to the amazement and the terror of tho few people in the streets. A short distance Wyoml the town was a shipping canal, and to our horror we saw that tho dntwbridge spanning the canal was o;c n so as to permit the pas sage of some boat. In a moment we realized that the empress was running Mrai'.jht into the jaws of certain death. Faster au.l fiester we went ou in pur suit, but faster and faster also seemed the empress' horse to fly. Now it had reached the ojien bridge. Would it stop? Before wo had timo to thil'k we saw tho animal dash up the incline of the open bridge like a Hash of lightning. For a moment we could not but close our eyes and a ahuildor convulsed every man iu the cavalcade-. It was a terrible moment momuut during which fear and horror alternately kept us merci lessly in their pangs. When we opened our eyes again, still riding as fast as our horses could go, the fair rider and her runaway had disappeared. We hud uo doubt that the inevitable; hud lmpMnod and that Elizabeth of Austria was drowned in tho slow and turbid waters of the canal. I The idea was a terrible one. My pen is too weak to describe, tho confuston among us and tho ngony of suspense that followed nnd seemed to make each rider quiver in his saddle. Almost nn consciously we had stopped our horses just More reaching thu incline tn tho open draw. As a mutter of fact our ex citoment was so great that we did not even notice that one of our number, Count Kzepuny, if 1 remember well, was also missing. All our faculties natural ly hod followed the empress only. 1 There we were, halting before that terrible bridge like a pack of cowards, with nobody among us plucky enough to ride into death with nn empress. A few seconds luter the inclines of the bridge were lowered nguin. but nolxxly of our company seemed to even attempt to pass it. From the pangs of fear nnd horror we had passed into those of amazement Several hundred yards beyond the bridge we beheld riding toward us a lady on foaming steed. It was the empress, and at her side the only gallant man of the crowd, Count Szepuny. Her majesty firmly sat her horso, and appeared as cool and collected as if nothing bad hap- tuned I Smilingly did she muke fun of us and bur anxiety. Her line raillery was Just as much justitied as it was inoffensive when she saw the pitiable figure we cut in her exulted presence, The empress horso was very lame. nd closer examination showed that it had dislocated its right hind fetlock. In lumping the otien draw between tho wings of the bridge the hum feet or tne empress' horse had caught one of the iron ruils at the edge and torn off one of its bind shoes. The most extraordinary feature of the accident was how the horse ever could have gone down the Incline without breaking its own and the rider's nock. The only expluuution for this small miracle, however, might be fouud in the fact that the empress never lost her presence of mind for tuinute when on horseback, aud that, hough the animal was uncontrollable, she must have sat it to perfection. With regard to Count Szepany, he was unable to give any account or his escape, more over, be did not even remeiiilier whether his horse made tbe jump tiefore or arte the empress'. He simply said thut dur ing the jump he closed his eyes for second, and that ho then experienced sensation as though the water were bub bling over his bead.-Harper's Voting People. A Rrylh Old aa Mom An Egyptian scythe, dug up on the banks of the Nile in 1HU0. is eihibited among the antiquities in the private museum of Flinders Peine, London. The shaft of the instrument Is of wood set with a row of fine Hint saws, whic are securely cemented in a groove. This discovery answers the oft asked ques tion How did the stone age man uar vest his crojw; St. Louis Republic. Mot I'rtifauliy- Pcaeybiiy-I sin afraid I aball have to rtop calling on yw, alias Travis. VnaTravla-WhV. ITavf P,..rh., I hi account of rour pnrrot. 11' j j is very profane. Mia TrsvisTbat Isn't profanity, yoo goose. I am simply teaching him tl nan" of tbe latt German opera. - liurhngU' I Free Pm. Wanted II Kept Unlet. Mrs. Jon I--K the pie alone, you little scamp, or 111 give you a sound thrashing. Johnny-Don't mak such a fuss, or tb neighbors will find out what bad raising J've bd,-Jsas BliUfijfs. A METROPOLITAN WILDCAT. A Oily Woman' lleuiarkabl CiparUs allli a Strain Puaay. A New York woman had an experi ence a few nights ago which she will not sishi forget one which, considering her environment, was very surprising. Her home is a ground apartment, occu pying two rlisirs, however, In one of the high class apartment bouses in Fifty ninth street overlooking the park. The library is ou the second flisr, and in this room she was seated one night when a (Kvuliar noise, from the family parrot, who was in his cage in an oppo site room, attracted her attention. Thinking the bird was merely rest less and wanted his cage covtred, she picked up a soft woolen couch cover and started across the hall. At the threshold of tbe second nsiiii she saw crouching on the top of tho parrot's cage a grav cut. which hud succeeded v his weight mid clawing in inclining the cage almost to the lipping angle, sir Poll meanwhile traveling up and wn tbe upper side in a frenr.y of ight. The iiuetiial struggle could not uive lasted mauv seconds longer, and, rged by the crisis, though really alarmed at tbe unusual size, and fierce ppcurance of the cat. Poll's mistress Ivaticed into the room shaking the ouch cover nnd attempting, after the manner of women, tn slnsj" the cat away. She had half crossed thu upartmeut hen thu animal made, a spring at her, and but for her quick movement in covering her head w ith the couch cover hich she held her face would have re 'iveil thu brunt of tho uttack. As it us, me cat ciaweu violently lor an in stant at the mass of wisillv material in hich he was enmeshed; then, aided by the desperate push which the now ter rified woman gave him, leaped to the sir and dashed into the library. Mrs. recovered her senses and Inscd the door Is'tweeti herself and the tit. then violently rang thu bell for as sistance. Ihe maids resimuileil and, fter earning Poll to a place of safely iu a remote nsuii, an attempt was made to disliHlgu the cat from thu library. At ght of her pursuers the creature U'gaii lo rush about, jumping through a brass reeu with force enough to break it, nocking over uric-a-iiriio biui loose Issiks, and ending by scaling the will ow casing s if it were a tree and run ning out on the bare curtain polu, From this high Mrch he glared down at those beneath him until Mr, s arrival shortly afterward. He was then prod- ed down and leamnl through a window oioncd for him to the pavement below, iirting oil to the park as soon as he reached the ground. Policemen and others familiar with Central park say that stray city cats ften find homes in its sequestered nooks, growing wild and raising prog eny tliat bocomo almost as fierce and terrible as a genuine wildcat In this instance tho animal was doubtless driven from its haunts by hunger, and, getting in on the ground floor, was attracted up stairs to the parrot's cage by the scent of the bird and its final. Her Point of View in New York Times. Animal VA'lidnnl. In moving to a new place of residence we round on tne premises a largo cat which had Iwen left thore by the former occupant She was not of the real do- uipstiu kind, but lived principally in tho burn, occasionally venturing into the louse to obtain her Total. On one oc casion, much to the surprise of my wife, she came tip to her and mewed several times, turning each time toward the door leading to the barn. This she re iieatcd until Mrs. N was induced by curiosity to follow her, whon she led the way to a barrel hair full or straw, up tho side of which sho climboiL all the time mewing and looking at thy wifo, and there were five kittens, cold aud dead. Mrs. N remarked, "They are cold and dead, pussy," and tho cat went away satisfied. She would sometimes scratch the clnl dren. and we wero fearful she wou' seriously injure them, and ono day 1 said in her presence that "1 would shoot her." She was missing for about si weeks, and of course 1 bad then "got off the notion." Forest and Stream, Why Ills i:ya(-lil Failed. Dr. Optycuss You are standing at eighteen feet Can yon reud these letters? Patient No, sir. Dr. Optycuss Approach two feet nearer, fiowr Putient No, sir. Dr. Ontycuss This is strange! Come four foot nearer. Now? Patient No, sir. Dr. Optycuss Most remarkablo case I ever met. Stand four feet away from the churt. Can you read now? Patient-No. sir. Dr. Optycuss O rent Plslstratusl am 1 mad? Young man, you are the most re markable case that has come within my experience. You conquer me. You can kuow more about yourself than I uo. Have you any idea why you can't read these letters? Patient 1 never learned to read. London Tit-Hit. Ta Tall Hat la Kuflaud. No one ever says a good word for the tail hat It is reviled and abused on all sides, aud yet it holds iu own against all coiners with an immobility worthy of a better cause. Nearly all the syn onymsand they are many adopted to designate the tall hat are or a disrespect ful character. Men liken It to a stove pipe or chimney pot; the name "topper" itself is decidedly locking in dignity. But thongh we are told that nothing kills like ridicule, ridicule has wholly failed to overthrow the dominion of the toll bat. If the lost man be au English man, we can well imagine that bis im pavid frout will face the ruin of the universe beneath the shelter of a silken tile. London (tlobe. Aa lrrprlll Coalllrt. "What's the troublo between you ml Widgelvl You were friends while vou lived in the city." "Yen, but you we we bought ad joining properties in the suburbs. "What of that?" "Whv. he's a crank on fine poultry I . ' t and I'm growing- a garden i viu- cago isews nexxiru. Oast With lbs Tile. The hat that is won on a political vent mav look do better than any other, but the man who wears it mmitanrJv labors under the delusion that his Duutieal sagacity has neither mete nor bound. Baltimore Amer- A FLOOD MYSTERY. TRAGIC FATE OF A COUPLE ABOUT WHOM LITTLE WAS KNOWN. Ou Inrldrnl Only uf the Terrible De struction of Property and Loa of Life by th Ills of M atcr In IVnlars stiver, llarulam ami Daatli. During the floods of the Mississippi aud Missouri rivers and tbeir tributa ries the daily papers chronicled hun dreds of cases, humorous, tragic and pathetic, which occurred along the banks of these streams from the junc tion of the two great bodies of water to points below St. Louis. But while hun dreds of cases have been described, there liavo liccu also hundreds of coses that have not been mentioned. Homes have been swept away, pros jierous men made paupers within a few hours and poor dumb brutes drowned while pleading in their pitiful way for aid. Among the incidents of the flood, too, have been a few instances of gen uine heroism which stand out aa a wel come relief to the usual somber hues of life. Among tho strangers receutly located in this locality just above St. Louis was a man from Iowa. He bad settled in little cabin near the river, aud knowing no ono was unaware of his danger till bo found himself in the center of a sheet f water five mile wide and rapidly ris ing. I uulile to escape, ne was step uy i'i) driven with his few effects to the flat roof of his cabin, and prepared his frugal meals there for two days. Two uien who saw lilin finally risked their lives to save him, and succeeded iu bringing him safe to dry land. Other similar cases have occurred, in striking contrast with those numerous instances where the possessors of small boats and skiffs have compelled un happy wretches to give them almost their entire possessions for merely pas- sago to land. V pathetic and mysterious incideut occurred in a southern suburb ot St Louis, known as Happy Hollow, where poverty and squalor usually reign, which embodied in itself very evidently the elements of an interesting romance. Happy Hollow on one side of the Btroet or alley or creek (River Du Puros) doesn't know Happy Hollow ou the other side, aud doesn't desire to. The poverty and misery, and usually the crime, of each individual is surly and desires no ooinjianionship. Hence when a aTmy haired gentleman and young girl moved into the neighbor hood and took a little shanty down ou the levee no one asked any questions, for no one cared anything about ihem. They attracted no attention except for their ueat appearance. Their clothes were clean iu spite of their manifest poverty, as were also their hands aud faces. After Happy Hollow recovered from its shock ot surprise at this phe nomenal cleanliness, it went its way without another thought of the strangers. The new reeidents of Happy Hollow had uot been there long whon the flood came. By the end of a second day they are cut off from escape and on the third their little shanty was swaying to and fro. The few rough spectators who ared enough to note their distress were indifferent Ono or two who had boats called over and asked how much money he had, and when the old man shook his head sadly, they turned off with a laugh and went to the nearest saloon- One man, less bmtal than the others, sprang Into a skiff and started over, bnt he was drunk and, capsizing the little boat, he went to the bottom like a lump of lead. The skiff righted itself and floated along on the water, and the old man saw the only chance for escape drifting away. Springing into the mud dy, seething waters, be succeeded by al most superhuman efforts In reaching the little boat, only to find that the oars bad been lost out J ust as he became aware of this fact he turned and saw the little shanty, washed from its foundations, come drifting down the resistless stream, while the young girl stood tn the door way. Casting a look of regret behind ruin, he sprang from his bout, which was a haven of safety, into the water ones more and caught the edge of his shanty as it came past Climbing into the rick ety doorway, he had just clasped his companion in his arms when a pile of driftwood struck the little building, tore it to pieces like a child's playhouse and the muddy, roaring waters swallowed ap forever two human lives, . A reporter for a morning paper round among the debris washed ashore next day several books witb other things from the little shanty. Among theut were "Hlstoirede la Poesie Provencale," by Fauricl; Kant's "Kritik dor Keinen Vernunft," and well thumbed copies of Homer and Shakespeare. Each work was lu its original tongue, and had evi dently been read before. The name of the owner on the fly leaves or inner cover hail been carefully cut ont, and the secret of their lives, if there was one, was buried with the owners in the muddy and turbulent waters of the great Mississippi. Detroit Free Press. Sltlnf tb Vrdle Arlgbt Years ago sn elderly and brusque Jurist from Sandusky used to hold dis trict court here, ana on one or nis vunis s beautiful young woman was tried be fore him and a jury on a charge oi steal ing eighty-five dollars from a man. She was clearly proved guilty, but the jury, Impressed by her yonth and beauty, fonnd a verdict of not guilty. "Mr. Clerk," remarked the old Judge, "par the eighty-five dollars to the pros ecuting witness, it having been clearly proved in this court that tbe defendant stole it from him, and you may also pay these twelve fools their fees and let them go." Cleveland Plain Dealer. A Caa Beralng Orate. In a boose stove introduced in Eng land the grate ia swnng on trunnions and can be reversed. After fresh coal has been added at the top the reversal is made, and the green coal is thus brought to the bottom in an easy manner. By this means the gases from the coal, pass ing upward through the red portion of the fire, previously at the bottom, ore almost entirely consumed before reach ing the chimney. New York JouruaL Eighty-six designs In competition were submitted for the great iron tower in Lor don which is to surpass that of Eiffel ia Paris. A suggestion Is made by an engi neering Journal that some spectacle at tractive lo tbe public- should be held at a noint not leas than 6U0 feet from the ground. out of reach ot fogs and ordinary raia I clouds. . mum i