7
I
OLD YEAR, FAHEWELL I
t.S ARKWKI.L. f re-
-Ai,vn,vii V'. .,UB ,,,t '
UaiMj rrlua must purt,
A hnd of roso
from check ami
Up, ami there
Sprinkle touch of
now before juu
go.
Old Year, before you
go.
flnnd-br. Godspeed.
.11 onr'lilr things mut Hid,
. i , k into y'-mr fueling my fr end,
00 J', , ,d and dear, ol.l Venr. old oar.
Tr,f:!,"ld regret wlll.lu my bear, In
AU 'ii'l'" In the. ahall once
'"ry live and make t..e
Jj j ear; Ui- u why be and?
t . that n-'r- purling. I'm Impelled to nay.
J". , , ' in secret thought f..r many a day
W "v i III I lore '' Avar Old Vear.
y always .urn a .omewbat aomber
f.o
Vnu't''
'never had the wlnaomc aprlghtly
T.,f 'l remember In your foregone kin.
i'li '.ir. Ibal I bavu ushered In.
r , en win ahorter. too. It seems to
me.
be.
nr,
m',;'i, -ipf -r :- """ ,,,:,,r r-",""."
1 ' 1 . .,.1 cin'm halt Ulllg
lo.
with
A4l, t Mlirn ii'i-
T,,,f no longer stny.
Sill I Ve!.r. go wy'
The prairie,
A
laioia
wrappcu " ,
f r nwny to the south ami van
" .i -i t1.. mtar Til Pit 111?!1
I'd In mysterious snauo.
Throunb
ikui ' " " . .
the niltf
m . . L I... nlielit w ill i1
tilk' Ilt 111 lira ii iub ui"
t.tiK llllilii.v. nu iw
.i... (IiT,. atul Miff If
. . It... I in tlll7M irillll I Ut'l I
r-nlir liiiiuila. trunk a Uoarae aeeom
,aK',r 'li'ins nrrnjiilaon, amoklng la the
dir f bia "hIiiu k," mid looking out over
.i, ,,,,.,,,,111 nbiin and cotvaux, there l
lilt one word in the heart, oue eong oo
the lipH of nature.
I jriMiuu.
Well, indeed, did Mane remember her
I -aids of g il.len binr Her Bmritiiii.' eyea
, , m 1 .
ttie Itlir iieiiuiy ui ner uuiiueiu iuht,
They Ikii) purled hut that wn loug ago,
.v..., .. Ill ,,iLi rmif. fi,t.tntin In A ,mr
ten 11. in, lie bravo. 1 will come when
jou want me. Uud be with you, my
dear olio!'
V . . .1.- . ,1 I. . . t V. ... n'..l.
MH a Nil pnar.ru uui uirac
leaped from the memory to the henrt of
liana lir.v iijiiInoii. They were ofteuer ou
liia lipa tliuii were lna prayers.
The tirt year, the dreadeJ louthweat
u....r..,..,l uii.l u-!tlu.,.wl fi..l,l nl.
iikihI ready for the reaper, but liana
aveii enoiign grinii to plain the mini
again. The ncrnnd year, crop were
baiknunl, mid the whent wns "nipped"
br front and shriveled anil blackened in
the hack. The third year crop were
Dialeii to the ground hy hull.
llniv ll:lil ll.'llltt rolltrivoil In Lflnn
and soul together during these yenra of
trial.' ny niortgnging ins possessions.
1. a ehiilii. his horses, his fnrtiiiiiL' iimtl.,.
nn nts-everything had been laid under
eoiitnliiitiou to tide bun over the bnrd
times.
Iii liis hands he hnd a letter. It was
dark ami lie eould nut rend it but this
was iimieei-s-:ii'y. He hnrl conned it
Word for word until he eould have reeited
II by nolo, i he letter Mils from Chris
tina. She l.il, I her lover, in uion.ln u,,r.U
that she could not remain away from him
longer. A longer absence, for her, was
ore than death. Surely, her willing
hands would prove a mighty factor in
h;s hard life. The meanest drudgery at
hu side and for him would be happiness
hit. i ne .-MocKiiolm sailed on the 1st
of December for New York ',.., I, I l,
lend her money to pay her pnssnge?
.o, ,. nUUJ c,mie tiurj-dnss all the
way. Hod bless him for the faithful
lover that he was!
IW Mans! He had never written
n,ui in ot i, .rlc gtriiBBle with fate.
uat should he do now? Tell her all?
..o. ins nenrt rebelled against inch
- wit i inr, loyal t'hristiua!
Would send her tlm
.i , ' iii,iiii-j. inn
"liereunshetoget it? He slarted ,1-
-""'"" t. lhe moonbeams, strik
ing his haggard fuce, wreathed it with a
trange benutr.
t,.iy 'e" ,le murmured in his
... ..i.uiiMi; -ny akall 8e Measer
- "'ii in ua niornin I
"Say il T0, kllow wnat t,lnt ,orp
mzy Swede from j.ony UlU,n hag fa
tip to ;
Chris I.nrkin, the blacksmith, dripped
head f .iM hn,,,,. ,i. ' i
.. ' 1 oo- ronii nun
iipirte( himself on the handle with Ma
"'. iinewy anna as he addressed this
ten ..nee to C',,1 WKKn, a farmer.
""'me an' tnortgnged blingelf to Law
J't Johnson for $1ih)."
"Tain't possible!" "
" Tis, loo-hut It can't be legal."
- ixise the Swede can't pay up when
the mortgage is due?"
Miisnn'U foreclose, I g'pose."
1 1 hen heM ow n the S ede, hev?"
More n likely. Then he c'd hire him
by the day, ye ,POi git hi8
" In that way."
'lien', the mortgage due?"
Vw dear's Day."
fury.nt di'J ,h' Swede wnnt the money
fffic)"n'"- "P WQnt 0Tr ,0 po,t"
', bought n money order on' sent
") I'la gued cent!"
l,"M that bent all!" exclaimed Hig
disgustedly; "thHt'i jest .ike them
nipper "t"J'"e f0' 8'l'kt,rla" j;1' nl bet
''' Christinas Day.
je nook, and crannlea cf Wells
bare uggistlon of
k,M ," lli,e ,I"k were iii.su.i!ly
V W--'ria bow dear thou art.
. - P-i '"'"I "J l'f.
V' ar. Old
v V I H V VrP.
I ,u V Here ink glint of
l"" L gold ttum out my
--4 -"VVS?: hair.
V '
l0, vk
r'lt MTTt.C rilRISTIXA.
'ta ' T''r, in taking p ieskm
Ui.l, d the icttlen tak tlielr
Vn I , "1;uKljr they ipoke of a
hM- vuri'uiai" aUd a -f,,, church-
fctula'". ' Chria," remarked the
or " Psenger traia that had
tlmndereil tip to the tatiou,
o the tatlou, "we'll have
o-jumr neniler
W hell the stiow
iu a heap see
luntter, my man
The last won
nryiijiiu,,!,, wh bad
oucior on the uriii.
Ay been 1,,'ki,,' fr ,;, iMlll
tma by dee. train, but Ay can't see her
I,., pll(., t hh ,r n,1M
All, went on the conductor, with s
laugh, some girl fr, . s,., (
you re gii,w lllrryj ,, ..tlu ri. W( ..
no pasNcngi-rs for Sjkesion."
llaus turned wit ll a Tli t.
master wns walking off with tl, ,.
pouch, mid i!. frl.,rii Swede follow ,
He had n vague thought that th,. mail-
pouch might contain s,,i ,eVV fr llilp)
Half an hoi.r Inter the ,,:i,.rs .,, ,,;ir.
els had been assorted a, the p.im,, er
began distributing them to il. waiting
throng. There were t'liristmas pi-fkeuis
ninl loing tidini;, r,,m ,i,al. ,,,. i ,,.
Kiist mo I ni:iti a pioneer's In,-,, wicilh - l
ivilh happiness ns the letters wi r - rend
or the present tucked niug'.y uwny in
warm breast pockets.
"Here's Hoiuelbiiig f,r yon, ll.ini."
called the postmaster. , .i,,, .,.(..
mini who liad been lingering ninr tlu-i
door, doubtful but cNpectuut, Kliirtcd for- i
ward with u smile an, I an outstretched i
hand. That handwriting! The letter I
was from Christina j
The envelope was hastily torn open ,
and a pair of happy blue' eves In l-.ui !
perusing the text. Suddenly, the hnpny
light vanished from t. face. Unit's
Mryiijulson's limbs grew rigid and lie
lurched over against the counter with a
moiiu of anguish.
Knglish words, even In n free transla
tion, are powerless to catch the pathetic
vein that run through Hans liryiijulson's
letter, but here are Its contents, done
Into our own language:
On board 8. 8 Stockholm. Dec. 10.
My Dear One:
When vou read tins, my union
who writes It will be with yon-hut In the
i.lrlt I am to ile. ttie snips uoeior kiij".
and 1 thank io,l that I have the strength to
send you tins nisi worn. i.
Heavenly Father had spared me to work for
you, till 1 . since mis is iT""""'",, -
l.ly hard for yourself. He brave, dear aiis.
fo my sake, lie patient and you will ho
..rrniite. (Joil tempers the wind tii Ills
stricken children and he will not forget thee,
inv dnrlli g. My strength ebbs fast a last
farewell. UIIUM1NA.
A the shade, of evening crept oor me
sky
nnd brought out, one by one, ttie
cold, clear-cut stilts, the worn, oi a
Chriftuins carol floated through the doors
of the little Sykestoti church and settled,
like so many spirits of peace, over the
qi' t village. l , . .
A man, reeling tnrougn nn- nenu-u...
. .. I u,..,.,....l to till.
ness, rtennl me song mm ninn.. '" ',
ten. As the Inst bar of the smig died
away. It. cadence was broken by a dis
cordant groan. A moment later as i.
ver Johnson with his wife and little
a,,wl,i..r cnine out of the chun h. he near
ly stumbled over the form of a man lying
prone upon the grouno.
Why, ne exciaiiiieo, ,i a ii.no. --
julsoiil"
Let him lie where he is. sanl .mis.
Johnson; "he's drunk. lm dount.
"Well, drunk or sober, n ne if
he'll freeze. It menus n liun.ireu no, ,i.s
to me." said tl.f lawyer, grimly; "ah. he
reviving, dune, cme, my man, "oil i
you know where you are.
Mcsser Vonson; reiurueu ii-""
rogatirely.
Yes. yes; get up and follow us. io j' i
freeze to death lying mere. jo
freeze, vou know. It wouldn't be fruit
ing me fair. You ui.d. r-'and why, c.i .'
on can sl.-ep in my barn lo-ingm.
" !
The ,.-iv after New Year's dawned with
,-nlui that would have 1 n foreboding ,
had tiot unusual weather so i.ir u,...-
the W inter III M e!is . o'llil.
Little llessie Johnson went to s. no " ;
the morning ami "h' 11:1,1 '"'''n ,K"",e i
from home nn hour when a ni.n '
rlfte
J with wind, nppiar.d in in- if"'" ,
-4Sr Mil
ktyfrM lkl'-J Wl t'hW " V I ' twVW' J 'iH mvsteiy to ber ncu.,ln.an.,H,. The
Vrv5.AN''i&iri yt V ix-m lbrJ- 'AA U for,, her rehulv... had recoveriMl from
west.
Like great yiuiuou. uanuer,
.
i
battle scarrid and brushing its ragged
streamers m ross the sky, the cloud came
on with racehorse speed. And then came
the blast in ail its fury. Heller-skelter,
here ami there, blew the wild while
Hakes; rushing around the corner of Law
cr Johnson's house with an angry roar,
the bits of mi.iiv played hide and seek
among the eavis and then skurried away
in the mad tanileds of a whirlwind.
"li.Kidness me, Silas," said Mrs. John
son, turning from the window, "I can't
see a yard away. What will become of
Hesse."
"She'll be nil right - don't worry. The
teacher will not let the scholars leave the
sclioolhittise until the bliz.ard is over."
I'ears, however, if long enough persist-
e, in, w ill shake the stoutest confidence.
Thus it was with the lawyer, nud when,
s e moments later, his wife suggested
that Hans be sent to the si hoolhotise to
see if Hcssie were there, he consented.
Hans was culled in from the shed nnd
ciii.n bis commission. Ho bowed hi.
head, buttoned his thin coat, tightly
nroiind him nud laid his liuini on the
1 V1'-'. ''3lt
V. ? 5 S I. Vt"
HANS IIIIVXJI I.SON
d,.,r kn ,h. The lawyer wa
holding in
his hands a great fur coat.
"I'ul this on," he said.
K.aeliiiig the ,hoolhoiise in
I ).,,. f 1 it IM'CIIIMI',1 by the
safety,
tea. her
and a few fn.l.teii.sl pupils,
. .. .I,,1imsoI1 was lot there.
lillt lies-
At the hrsi
,,po. aratc e of the cloud iu the northwest
the girl had persisted III a determination
to start home. The t. a. h. r hnd not
made a verv serious attempt to thwart
that resolve, feeling, perhaps, that she
would have ample lime t.Oj'.ver tin- d.s-taio-e
before the storm came Huns
Hrwijulson received the Information
w ithout comment and once more vauished
Into the storm.
Of what d'J fu'r ,ul bsolutely
NTsy 1 : -t: fr;;;,)?
frrV ,i3k
, i
1 U-v V -
1- I
i
l;.! ..'tff'ri
nothing is known. The lawei's daugh
ter could not tell. She sl.irtcl home, she
said, was overtaken by the storm and
liually grew bewildered. Struggling vain
ly f,,r what seemed an interminably long
lime she had liually sunk si-useless and
exhausted into the snow.
Win n found she was snugly wrapped in
the l:iuer's fur coat while a pair of
I thin, rigid nrms folded her close as
j though to protect In r from ihe drifting
l Hikes. And when Ihe snow was brushed
ir. on nans Hrj njiiNoii icy t.i. e, con
gealed tears were found in the eje lashes,
and about the mouth mystery uiisolva-ble-
there hovered a mule. Happiness
crow tied w ith tears!
Perhaps they were tears of Joy; per-
Imps the boisterous winter winds I nine
summer zephyr, in the ear. of llaus
ItrynjuUoii and whispered to hi in the
word, "Christian, Christina;" perhaps
this also was Ihe burden of the snow
flakes ns tln-y rustled down over him nnd
wove their spotless woof into the weft
of hi. life.
Lawyer Johnson caused It lo be duly
known that Hans lirynjiilsoii hnd can
celled hi. mortgage and it was Mr..
Johnson's own hand I hat gave the docu
ment to the fire. W. W. Cook, iu Detroit
Tree Press.
A. Christina) Si lieiiie.
A lady who was shopping saw her hus
band examining poekeibooks nt a show
ease in another part of the store. Wbe.i
lie had gone she nppr ached the sales
woman in that dfpnrtmi lit,
"Mill he get the otic I wall'isl?"
"Yea, the one with the silver horse
shoe. I told him it was the best and
would just suit."
"You're a Jewel. I fen red he would
get something I didn't mint. Thank you
ever so much."
The husband had gone to hi. favorite
Jrng store, when he asked;
"Has my wife been here?"
"Yes," said the clerk, with a gr,n.
"Hid she get a toothbrush or a hot of
:igars for my Christmas present i"
"She looked nt cigars."
"I In ! I know the brand 'i a hun
dred. Well, If she buys a box change
tlniii to my regular bra 'id, an I I'll pay 'he
difference see?"
And the druggist -saw.
A .New Year Song
ornes d-ineliig omt the snoi
Who
Ills llltle s,,ft feet 11,1 I, urn Slid rosy T
up. -n Hie ilo'-r. tlioug'i I Iim hIhI In, Is l,uw;
I like the eltli'l 1. 1 Mel Icske mill cuxj,
'I. ike l.llo III. so, I hoi, I Mill U.nr.
lie is t lie xoieii-rfol New iut.
nj-i-n your henrt. b. It smt or gsy.
'.,,' Mm tlc-re sml use him kindly;
-'(.r y ,a must esrr.i him. y.-s or tiny,
I'nrrj Mil: ltli sio.t eyes so blindly.
Hut i,e'l,er he brii (fi t Ii Joy or fenr.
Take loin' (i"d sen 'Is him- Ihls (Hd New
U.r.
A Might fu-lnjr.
Mrs. I'ink.rly The l.y hai Just couie
with that lovely Christmas pre. cut I got
for you toJay, 6er. 11 i. waiting :
ball i.uiv.
Tinker!) w k nd ik,..-.) mi l III ili;bl.
fid of you, dear. (Wins, k I .iu j i ,t
lxing to see what it is, 1 1 iup.it i , 1 1 1 ! v I
Why d'.ti't )oii l,:,ir the boy br n.- ii o;,','
Mrs. I i ti k-t I ictiibnrrassedi T.i tit
is , r darling, it h.is ,oii,e C I. 1 1 -Life.
'I'.) tlic ( liililrcu.
Hear Krla Krlnc ulilt b . t-lls-
i in i inns bi r'
Wb.it a wor d of merriment llieir uieloly
f .! l. lis:
lieu i:,, y tltikt
III II e I. i,
While Hie sl.M.
All llo lie:iili
W II tl ll elr si
hi. pll.g tl.l I
Iii a no rl i
lll.l.'f. tlllklf.
..f n.iit.i
th.it frr-lt:k!
..in t.i t it li.k-i.
kllitf tf 1 1 ( Hi,'it;
, ItiiM-, l.lin'.
!irM 'n:i th tin.
lt the III, lltill.it, l.llllloa lli.lt so IliastcSi!)
I i, l.s
I , HI bet's, l.elts. be!l. ..-,
;e,'-. Pi l.s. bells
l'r,,.ii tin- J. iilni4 ii ii. I Ihe tinkling of hli
In lis
Mciisiire Inr Measure.
"It's lint tl'.e ll-lll S OI of fei lillg. per
Imps, but at Christmas I l.ke to g.e Just
n valuable presents as I recciic"
"So ,lo I. My wife is going lo give me
a liiiudi. d dollar dressing gow ii. and I
ll in going to i:,e her a hundred dollai
chei k to pay f..r it." Life.
N or Arc,
All. Siintit I Maun, h'Iih in, itiin in,
YtHir clt iiii' i It'-yiiti l nil tncnnn,
v'n lili l IlilVC .Ml iMtlll ti nl otiv,
Vouk hiLsiiius l;' .ic.,.u.e.
A Hiotill I ))' Ciimpl tint.
1 don't I ke It,,1 iiMOiiti of iii-c itilicr
As liuleli hs I possllil) mIi-.iimI.
llei-SI-si wllell I hr, slums Is coining
Hiuull boj muni lu hu fully g.io..
And while long dltlslon slu't easy.
And snellli.g Is poky nnd slow,
This behaving for hree week, 'fore Christ-
mas
I tlio hnrdest old tnsk that I know.
Harper's llitr.nr
New Year Advice.
Iloii't wit it for the wagon while thv
walking la good. .
liou't grieve over split milk while
there's one cow left In the pasture.
Don't say the world is growing worse
when you are doing nothing to make it
better.
i Don't tell the world your troubles. You
can't borrow ten dollar, on tlu-iti.
Don't let Ihe grass grow under your
feet. The cow s can't get nt it there.
A Christina. Surprise.
Khe tiskcd lu-r eiperleueed father,
"lunr pajill, tell me, I pray,
What slnifr I give my bust, an. I
To surprise him on Christmas finy7"
"A pres. nt for ri'irence)" he murmured,
Ills lulu, I with past years nny.
As lie Ihoukdit of Mi! wife's dear present.
Kn' which be tin, I luol to pity.
"This Is sure to surprise him. daughter,
If there's nn thing Hint w lll-
A got, I nleh mid chain In give Itltu
And Tuelude a reeelptnl bill,"
- Judge. i
WiitcMiig Tor S.iita Cl.u.
I jf. 0St
l i4d m w vmi III U) f
THE : NEW
i s i t V. Mary. I bnve miokeii!"
r. I'icI threw Itlinsclf back
III bis i bair ns If that nettled
the matter once for all.
"I beard you. dear." NwevMy nupond
oil Mis. I'icI; 'nil, I How, listen to me.
I have incepted llel'f Schmidt 'a offer,
and he will ciili T the adjoining house
iim ten nit to no, now."
"Not If I know It, ma, lain!" shouted
I'bliicas, Jumping from bis chair and
bringing bis list down on the table.
"Pii you think I am going lo have Uhyd
collage mi ti. d into a menagerie, mid
ti garden Into a howling wilderness?
The b ins, may remain ti'iiauilco for
ever, but Hcit Si'liinldt nud hi. moii
Kiios'.tli shall not enter there."
"Hei r Si liinldt, my clear, I. merely a
naturalist."
"I know Ii!" stunned I'blticna. "I've
heard of tin so plagin-y iialutallsta be
fore. I've tin dittiic to come dow uslalr
some Hue iinuiiliig to Hud n ring t.ulisl
monkey islttlng oil the w indow tdll, act
lug as referee while the kangaroos and
ciMcoililcs play leap-frog over the Mower
beds. No, ma, lain! No naturalist, for
I'hiiun. IVel!"
I'lelly Mrs. W never allowed her
temper to get the licller of her. Sh-j
liuigliisl softly at her htisUind'a fears,
and did not alter her dclcniilniilloii iu
the least.
"Ha. It slipped your memory, I'liln
ens," she asked, "tlmt Uhyd cottage la
n port Ion of my property? If I i'Iioom
to let It to it nalitrallst-even though lie
In' it foreigner-1 am K rfis lly Just.lUil
In doing so."
Till, was true enough, and 1'hliiena
calmed dow n.
"Heir Scbmldt'i colbvtlou of 'moti
Klrosllles,' na yon cull It," went on Mrs.
l'ccl, "probably conlalns notliliig more
daiigeroii. than a death', head moth In
n bottle. Anyhow, 1 have uo Intention
to ihsapHilnt lilm."
"Hut I "
"Vou will treat him with the respect
due from one gentleman to another,
Diluent." broke III Mr.. I'eel. "And
now, dear, we'll dksmlsa the siibjivt."
Iilinas l'ccl was-tlioiigli at times
be iloiiliicd It n lucky fellow, lie bad
carried off a young and handsome wom-
i nn from n hint of .ultum.
I'hliieas, tnkeu na a whole, was
a bad soil of fellow. Ile was Jeul-
oils. that was true, but hi. wife en un
to regard that ua nn cilia proof of hi.
devotion.
Had the proiisssl tenant of Kim! cot
tage been an Hged, decrepit, broken
down old uui ii, Phiiii iti. would have
retched out the right liiiml of fellow-
bliip. nut iiiiim: hcit iscuinuit wum
young and handsome far loo liiind
Botue, Phlncii. thought.
"Very well, Mary," said I'liltiens. tak
ing hi. hat from the peg nnd making
for Ihe diKir, "you have overruled me ua
usual, and must be prepared for the
coiisoiiloiioiis. In 1cm. 1 1 1 ii tl a week we
ahull have the bouse nnd garden over
run with every conceivable variety of
reptile- from the benxlly lizard to the
bun iiin.slrli.tor."
And I'lilncu atnlkiil Indignantly
forth with the merry laughter of hi.
wife ringing In hi. cur..
A month or more had pnascd, nnd on
far the fear, of I'hlticn. proved to be
groiiiidbsss. Ilcrr Schiuldt'. "iniinstriw
Itlea" hud been kept well within bound.,
nud ua yet Mr. Peel had not seen an
much iim a et range cnterplllnr In hi.
garden, which never looked belter.
However, be was Hot happy. He hnd
taken an aversion tu the new tenant
from the llisl, nnd would never be aal
bslbsl until he hud got rid of him.
"Confound the fellow," muttered
Plilneas one evening, na he .at on un
uptiirnisl bucket lu'lilnil the pcaxllcks,
"he's prowling nlHitit on Die other able
,i... i,.ui.. n....i ii ,
I vi iii iioihi- iif,iiiii. ii"n.- ne won i
cut Hi night of me, for I'm nlxiut tired
of bl. oily tongue nnd eternal win lie.
Hullo! what the deuce la the menuliig
of this."
Down Ihe garden path tripped Mra.
I Peel. The liatiirnllut waa evidently ex
pecting her, nud grcetisl her with a
hiii I li' that nliiusst brought tear. Into the
ryes of the furl, ill. Phluena,
"tiood cfevlng," he aald. "You voa
1 Jiiost n leetle bite!"
It wn. hooii evident that till, wna not
j Hie first chat Indulged In over the boun
dary hedge. Though Phlnena .t nil mil
hi. cars, be could not catch the drift of
the conversation. Like a ll.ili be re-iiii-iii
licml that Mary had often of late
taken h .troll in the garden at diuk
I Wa. thl. the explanation?
! Phlui-ii. bad been glaring nt the cou
ple from In-hind the peaNtli-ka for ten
1 minutes or so, when he saw his wife
i lake n rosebud from hi. favorite tree
mid tin I ) I It over Ihe bulge with A
charming .mile to the ilellghted Ilcrr
Schmidt. Then, with a pleasant "good
; night!" Mr.. Peel tripped lightly Into
. the house.
! "You villain:" IiImi Phlnen., aav
agcly, Jumping from his sent mid sliak
lii his list after the retreating figure
! In I be next garden, "I'll pay you for
Hi's."
1 The rage of Mr. Peel wn. something
lo be relnclliliered. Nothing but blood,
be vou, ,0 would obliterate hi. wrongs.
; I'.u! lie would smile and smile and iniir-
1 iii r c Irle In- sullied. Sel.lllg a pcllMtlrk
be tragl-iilly buihil It Iu the heart of
nn uiiurl , mliiig cabbage, nud played
! haviH- w ith a stately row of aunttowcra.
Half an hour later Mary .aw hlni
take down an old fashioned duck gun
from lb' hook lu Ihe ball.
: TENANT. g
"There', a rum u vulture In the
111-lgliboilio.iil," lp. volunteered, lluprei
si ely, "and I'm going to tag hlui at the
Hist opMirtiinily."
Howi-M-r, a. nothing short of nn
earth, liiuke would have linluinl the old
gun lo goolT In any clrc unmtnucc and
I'hllifUM had intiile assuraiici-H doubly
sure by dropping In the .hot II rat and
powder afterward - the "vulture" lu
luesilon wa. hot likely to lie seriously
damage, I, and Mary conlentiil herself
with i-xprmsslug n In-pe that her hus
band would not hurt himself.
tu the following evening Phlnen.
took up Ills old position lu the garden,
w lih murder lu hla lu-art. Uerr Schmidt,
however, did not put In an nppcaniinv.
Aflcr waiting some time, Phitiea. re
entered the house and rcaml hi. duck
gnu up In the ball lu u conspicuous po
Kltion. He had almost decided to run up to
town nud coiiMtilt bks brother John, the
dcws-tlvr, with a view lo having the
movement, of ilcrr Schmidt watched,
when he wa. startled by the click of
the letter box.
A .crap of pniM-r Injr on the mat
Picking It up, PhliieaH glanced at It,
turuiil ilciully pale, then hurrliil Into
the garden. Scrilililnl lu lend pencil
oil dirty paper was the following:
"Peel haa discovered everything. W
have not n moment to lose nnd must
clear out to-night. The front door U
unsafe. Will meet you nt the buck-
10:,Ul ahnrp."
There wn. tin algnnttire.
"lii.Ht grncloua!" cjaculnkil Phlnena,
after rending the note for the third
time. "I'd no idea mutters had gone
iso far. Oh, ye.. Mr. Schmidt," he add
ed grimly, "I'll meet you at 10:30
hluirp."
It wa. nbout 10:-I5, and rnlnlng heav
ily. Phlnena Peel, aeati-d on a well
overlooking the back of Uhyd cottnge,
w llh hi. duck gun laid ncromi hi. knee.,
wn. beginning to feel uncomfortable.
"The note anid 10:3(1," be muttered.
"It must be after that time uow. What',
thai?"
Phlneaa had caught the sound of
heavy feet moving cautloiialy over the
gravel, lie gra.pcd hi. gun nnd pen' red
Into the gloom, but could distinguish
nothing.
Suddenly he heard voice, evidently
nt the front of the bourn-, lie wns alsout
to quit bla position under the Impres
sion that llerr Schmidt wns leaving by
the front door after nil, when one of
the hack w indow, was cautiously rais
ed nud the lithe form of the naturalist
di-opixil lightly to the ground.
Creeping along the side of Ihe wall on
w lilch Phlnena lay, be prcm-utcd nn ex
cellent murk. Mr. Pud, however, could
not bring himself to .hoot a man down
lu cold blood, lie would give hi in a
chance.
"Stop, yon miiundrel!" he .honied.
The effect of the challenge wns
scarcely what Phlneaa had nnticlpntcO.
Ilcrr Schmidt darted forwurd nnd nc la
id ihe barrel of the gun.
"Keep your tongue still, you fool," he
hlssiil, "or I'll brain you. Now, quick,
help me over the Willi."
I'll ilK-il H hesitated, but the threaten
ing attitude of the other Induced hliu
to rUe. However, be had no Inteuilou
of giving lu.
obeying bis Inst ructions, he caught
hold of Schmidt's foot to give Ii 1 in "n
leg up." Itefore the naturalist could
grip the top of Ihe wall, however, Phln
en s saw hi. opportunity.
Hrai-liig himself for the effort, he ex
erted all bis Htrcngtli nud piillnl
Schmidt ImhIII.v from the wall, lie fell
Hut on hla face, nnd before he could re
cover himself liiinea. Jiimpiil on his
buck nnd seized lilm nrotind the throat,
emitting n yell that would have done in
finite crulit lo n Sioux Indian.
The next moment Phlnen. was drag
ged off from behind nnd found himself
In the clutchoM of a burly member of
Ihe police force.
Four or five other, seized Schmidt,
who struggled lu vain to free himself.
"What urn I nrreMted for?" gasped
Phlneaa. "There's your ninn."
Phlneaa would no doubt have been
hil off with the other prisoner but fur
the timely nrrlvnl on the scene of the
last person lu the world be had expect
ed to see bis brother Johu!
"Here, what on earth Is the meaning
of ull this?" he ill-inn nihil when, us the
result of John Peel's Interference, he
found himself free.
John stayed behind a minute or two
to explain Unit llerr Schmidt, the "nat
uralist," nnd Kdward Harper the no
torious forger, who hnd defied new
Scotland yard for the past six weeks
were one and the same.
"It was a smart dodge of Harper's,"
said John Peel, "and he might have got
clear away but for that clever wife of
yours, Phlneaa, Mary suspected the
man from the first and supplied me
from time to time with valuable Infor
mation. It In to her entirely that the
credit of the capture Is due. Tell her
I'll call around nnd thank her myself to
morrow. Ily-the-bye, the gang of which
he I. the head, gut wind of our Inten
tions, nnd a man wns dl.patchcd with
a warning. Harper docu't appear to
have reii-lved It."
Then Phlni-a. began to understand
thing, n llltle more clearly.
"I supiHwe this will be It," he re
inarkul, producing the note nnd hand
ing It to his brother. "You see, the mes
senger left It at the wrong door, and I
er-1 thought I might as well see the
fun."
l or some little time after Phlneas
was of the opinion that he had made a
Tool of himself. Lately, however, he
has taken a different view of the mat
ter, and Is never tired of relating how
he literally "dropped on" Harper, the
forger, alias Schmidt, the naturalist,
ucxt door. CajueU'a Saturday Journal