XpjMMf n Beg
ill u
A 'I'T'll I) ) I. . i nIlTn
M. a A. - -4 A M. .a 4 w M. M. A
111
ill k
"If there Is anything especially oh
noxious ti me." avowed Miss Murphy,
In solemn conclusion, " It is interfer
ence Willi 1 Ik- affairs of others: but in
tliis rune I sulil to niysi'lf, 'Duly, Mary
Anno Murpliy, duty !' "
')!" gasped Jessica. Slic liail sunk
back In llit- roso-heribboned ratlan
rooki-r in iilli a tremor of dismay.
A very chiirinlug room, this suburban
parlor, inin which gold liars of sun
shine slnnlcd through tlx' half-closed
Venetians. Worlliy even of pretty
Jessica- II, Willi lis tiled hardwood
Hour. Us silver-fox and bearskin rugs,
its .Madras-draped windows. Its qiiuint
ly inodi-ru mantel of polished nak, its
eoccnlrle chairs, lis grotesque tables,
lis dainty aquarelles, Its Chinese cabi
nets, lis slelii.'er but admirably chosen
collection of bisque and Limoges.
And surely eye, however critical,
could crave no sweeler picture than
little Miss Hay made 'n her pale-blue
surah lea gown, cascaded with Valen
ciennes, and all her bronze-bright rip
ply hair braided In childish fashion
down her back. Hut Just now the love
ly face was curiously colorless, the purple-blue
eyes wide and startled under
their loll),' lashes.
There was silence after that sharp
exclamation of Jessica's. Miss Murphy
could all'ord to be silent. She hail
dropped her small shell and it had ex
ploded willi n most satisfactory report.
Mm- sal rigidly erect in the conscious
ness of duty done, every fold of her
black silk visit hit; costume stiff with
propriety, every pompon on the brown
biogo bonnet bristling will) respoetn
liilily. "1 don't believe a word of it!" de
clared Jessica, slowly.
If liupolllo, the remark was In no de
gree Insolent. It wils simply the utter
mice of a conviction. Miss Murpliy
was not offended. She removed her
Kline from a gem of Van Elton's on the
opposlie wall to fasten It on the ngl
tnied little lady In the rocker. It took
home endurance on Jessica's part to sit
meekly iiuiler the scrutiny of those fnd-
1,11 y'S -eyes tolerant, placid.
lien mill-;, as those of a benignant old
cow.
"It is true, my ,1ear. lie said it. I
heard him with my own ears!"
This really was unanswerable.
"They were In the front parlor," pur
sued Miss Murphy. folding her plump,
Ian-gloved hands with aggravating
leisure ami serenity. "1 sat sewing
Just behind I he porlicro. never would
have slaid could only have foretold
what was coming. They hud been
talking aboiii other things, and w. n
fcllont for aw hlli-. Suddenly my Ned
blirsi out laughing. 'So you've seen
her.' he said, 'ami you dou'i fun.-y r!i
'hV 'Fancy her,' echoed Jack.
1 should say not!' "
'Well':" urged Jessica, siondi!;,'.
She would hear it out. she told herself-
she would every word of It!
"Well, then," slowly, to lielu'hlen by
suspense the effort of lier iia'Ta-ive.
"Ned said. 'The boys around here nil
like her immensely, ltoy Pates says
nhe's a daisy!' "
"Or moaned Jessica. "Veil must ex
cuse Hint nephew of mine, niy d ar:
you really must. Ned but repeats w hit
he hears, ltesldes, you know, he Is
only a boy yet -Just IS. What N, ,1
Mild Is of no importance. Pleas uo
on." h
She sat erect again, very pale nrd
Imperative, Indeed.
"If you Insist on heiirlnir" h,n.
ugly. "Jack replied, 'Well. 1 don't. I
lld Just nl Hint. 1 confess for awiitlo
ulie deceived me. lint a few days gave
ine enough of her." Xed said: 'Why,
we all thought you were In (treat luck
to got her.1 i.uck!' cried Jack In an
swor. so loud my dear, 1 fairly Jump
cd. 'l.uck! Yes. the most coiifomoie.i
pleeo of bad luck 1 ever struck!' I am
nslmnicd to say, my dear, but to be
veracious I must say that hero Neil,
unite carried away by his youthfui
sympathies, inquired: 'Can't you tret
out or It?' And Jack said: 'Confound It.
no! That's the worst of It. 1 can't
break such n contract with any honor
to myself. Hut I only wish some other
fellow stood In my shoes Just now. I've
promised to take her, and I've got to do
it, but it' a deuced bad bargain' oh,
my dear Jessica, you're not going to
faint!"
Jessica put out her hand with a
slight, repressing gesture.
".No, Miss Murphy, I am not going to
faint. Is that all?"
Miss Murpliy was rather disconcert
ed. Her shell had not exploded noisily.
It is true. Hut now that the smoke was
clearing away she. nt whose feet it
had been Hung, was nol dead not even
wounded.
"Yes. 1 believe that was all. for just
then some one summoned Jack. Hut
as lie went out he called hack to Ned:
'I'll see you at Hryant's to-morrow
night and talk this unfortunate blun
der over again. He In my study at 10.
I'll meet you there.' "
"And that really is all?" queried Jes
sica, quite her own possessed self
again.
Miss Murphy started. To once more
drop into similes, her balloon, which
had sailed up so stralghtly and secure
ly at lirst, had suddenly collapsed and
was falling with startling rapidity.
"I should think." severely, "it would
lie quite enough."
"F.noughV" airily. "That's It! it's too
much! You know an overdose of poi
son occasionally counteracts the effect
of a lesser quantity, and I think," witli
a smile charmingly conlldentlal, "it is
something the same way with gossip
don't you?"
It was Miss Murphy's turn to gasp.
Such a girl! Hut then one never could
understand Jessica Kay. Miss Murphy
thought It was time to go. With the
cessation of conversation concerning
personal affairs her interest died a nat
ural death. She was averse to wading
in foreign waters. The Inodorous khj1
scummed over w ith village scandal suf
ficed her. She feared aught else.
"tiood-by, my dear." with a bewil
dered shake of the tinseled tmunet. "I
am so sorry I had to tell you. Life Is
full of unpleasant duties. I never like
to Interfere In oUier people's affairs.
Charity.' I always say; 'chnrilv and
silence.' If there Is anything l partic
ularly detest It is talebearing. Well,
as I said, 1 must be going, (lood-by!
niy dear. I'm so glad you don't mind."
"Cood-by," cordially.
"We all thought," pausing at the door
for a parting thrust, "that It wus to be
not only a marriage de couvenance,
but a genuine love affair on both sides."
"Indeed!" said Jessica, brlglitlv arch
ing her pretty brows.
And then at last the door i.,i
hev visitor's broad, black-silk back. The
mmieucss born of bravado died out of
Utile Miss Kay's face. She went slow
ly back to the roso-horlbbouod rocker
and sat down therein for a good, heart
sick, discontented, mortitied, miserable
cry. When she had beeti very, very
young and charming, and Jack Suther
land an awkward lad of 10, their lath
ers had planned a marriage In the fu
ture. The planning stood, by the way,
upon an agreeably substantial basis!
looking at the affair from a fmanclai
point of view.
Soon after .lack's father had died and
Jack had gone to live with his mother's
relatives in Kngland. lie carried with
him the memory of a nalr of uwm.t
eyes, for all the world like big, blue,
dew-wot forget-me-nots, for wee Jes
sica had imnod from her playmate witli
a particularly tender and protesting
farewell. Twelve year passed. Neith
er ehafed-as In novellstie traditions
hound-flgalnst the paternal dec! sioll nr
their childhood. No fair Kuglish maid
en displaced his tlrst love lu Jack's
loyal heart. As for Jessica, she had
grown to think of Jack as a hero who
was coming across the sea to claim her.
When she anticipated that coming be
fore her mind's eye forth pranced a
snowy charger bearing a plumed
knight.
Hue day. Just two weeks ago It was,
she went down to the drawing-room hi
response to the servant's aunouuee
ment. A gentleman standing In the
window turned at her entrance. Ho
came swiftly forward, both hands ex
tended, his face brlghtenlug with gay
udmlratlon.
"It Is It Is Uttle Jessica!"
She knew him then. Without cur
veted no splendid steed, lty his elde
wuu uo jeweled scabbard. Around
his .neck swung no mandolin. From
his shoulder fell no cloak of ruby vel
vet. Not stalwart statured was he, iior
raven haired, nor flashing eyed. Not
the grand creation of her girlhood's
sweet foolish dreams, In truth, his riv
als would have said, a very ordinary
young man. But he had come! Jessica's
heart gave a great throb. A true wom
an, though, ego, an arch-hypocrite, she
put her hand In his with an air of cool
surprise, a touch of wellbred reproof
in her greeting.
"And you are Mr. Sutherland!"
Neither had In any way suggested the
odd relation in which they tucltly stood
to each other. Both felt the chain that
bound them, for all its massive golden
links a very frail and brittle one in the
passionate strength of youthful im
pulse. Neither would be slow to fling
it off If the bandage proved oppressive,
However, it did not. The childish, Ig
norant, romantic affection which hnd
been smoldering In their hearts since
th(! sorrowful parting of the playmates,
at a word, a touch, a look, blazed up
into a pure and strong and steady
llame. Of his courtship Jack Suther
land made short work. 1'nttlni nsld"
the understanding between their fath
ers like the man he was he wooed her
for her own sweet sake.
Just two nights ago he had told her
In his own direct fashion how dearly
he loved her. And Jessica well, last
evening had come the sapphire ring
Unit only lust evening and to-day this.
If Miss Murphy's neat little shell
had not brought death it had caused
pulu aklu to It.
"It's the money!" 'moaned Jessica.
"It's the horrid detestable money he
wants. It isn't me!" And then i face
with clear brown eyes and a kind,
grave smile arose before her and she
broke dow n crying afresh.
But after awhile- she sprang up. rub
bing two very small resolute lists In
two very pink eyes. "I won't see him
to-night. And I'll be In the library at
10. And I'll hear what else lie lias to
ne. I won't! I won't eavesdrop. Hut
I'll look my very loveliest 1 will I
will!"
And she did.
As she came up the parlors at Mrs.
Bryant's "small and early" Miss Mur
phyalways lirst on the fieldlooked
at her in amazement. Quite a bewitch
ing vision little Miss Ray to-night, rose
lipped, star-eyed, smiling, her slim,
dusk draperies of lace trailing softly
behind her, a huge cluster of violets at
her bosom. It was after 10 before she
could escape from her companion and
make her way to the library. Her
hand on the portiere dividing that
apartment from the morning room, she
paused.
Voices. She didn't intend to eaves
drop. Of course, It was unintentional
all was said and over so quickly.
Kqually of course It was dishonorable,
but I think as a rule we are not apt to
consider questions of honor with ex
treme nicety when our hearts are very
sore.
"I've decided to take her," Jack's
quiet voice was saying, wearily. "It's
the only thing I can do now."
Ned spoke.
"She's .skittish, I know, but (by way
of consolation) she may outgrow that."
Jessica groaned Involuntarily. Jack
glanced toward the curtain.
"Well, drop the subject." In a lower
voice: "Keep It dark, like a good boy.
I don't waut people to know 1 am such
a young fool as to be taken- In by a
bag of bones, all paint and drugs."
Jessica was plump ns a partridge,
and her complexion was a "bloom" pat
ented by nature's self. The morning
room was unlit save from the hall.
Thank goodness' for that! She felt her
self growing faint and dizzy. Was that
Jack who talked so could It be her
Jack?
"O. come now!" laughed Ned, "you
know you are exaggerating. She's not
quite as bad as that!"
"Pretty nearly!" ruefully. "I don't
so much mind her skittlshuess I could
break her of that, I flatter myself but
she has a terrible temper!"
She must not faint, Jessica told her
self frantically. O. she must not! Was
that dark thing beside ber in the shad
ow of the portiere a fauteuil. She sank
down on It heavily, weakly, exhausted
ly. Horror of horrors! It at first suc
cumbed a second to her weight, then
moved, protested with vigorous ener
gy, shrieked.
All faintness banished. Jessica lenped
to her feet, ber soft, quick cry of alarm
mingling with that uiuUled roar of
rheumatic agony.
"That's aunt!" gasped Ned.
"Jessica!" cried Jack. He strode
forward and flung aside the iwrtlore.
The light from the library poured Into
the shadowy morning room. It fell on
Jessica standing Just within, very
white and trembling, and It showed on
the floor a large and ungrnceful heap
of crushed drab silk and bugles, dis
ordered "front." and grewsome groans.
For a moment they stood and stared
-speechless. But Miss Murphy kept
on groaning.
"What is it nil about V queried Ned
bewllderedly. helping bis aunt to rise.
"I I," faltered Jessica, "sat down on
Miss Murphy!"
"What?" cried Ned.
"We were eavesdropping." confessed
Miss Murphy, with venomous candor,
"and Jessica took me for a footatooi
ami "
"My dnrllngr whispered Jack (no
not to Miss Murphy) "I thought vbi
I heard your voice you were hurt
or '
Jessica flamed up,
"How dare you? Stand back, sir!
Here's your ring." She tugged brave
i ly. but it fitted well. "I have heard in
I what manner you speak of me. No,"
I disgustedly, "don't appear astonished!
Koeall your conversation of yesterday
I morning with Ned Sales."
Ned stared at being thus abruptly
referred to. Jack looked dazed. "1 did
not intend to hear such another con
versation as that which had been re
peated to me. but I did. If I'm I'm,"
the rose crimsoning in her cheeks,
"skittish," bringing out the hateful
word with a jerk, "and and a deuced
bad bargain," slowly, "and If I've
got a terter here's your ring!"
She had wrenched It off at last.
But Jack did not take it. His dumb
dismay had turned to uproarious mirth.
It was well a noisy polonaise was in
progress in the drawing-room. He
laughed. He kept oil laughing. Sud
denly the whole ludicrous misunder
stnudiu.t bursting on Ned lie struck in
with a very howl of delight, and they
f"l! into each other's anus like a couple
of crazy boys and supported each other
and laughed. "
But, recollecting Jessica standing
there, Sutherland explained, between
shameful reluse8 Into laughter: "It
was a horse. I thought I knew all
nbout horseflesh. I knew nothing. I
have to take her- the Idiocy Is mine. I
fondly fancied I had found a Maud S.
Jim Smlley's famous nag could beat
her. I gave a thousand for her. She's
worth and, now you understand!"
For Jessica had sprung forward,
mouth and eyes three sweet, remorse
ful "O's!"
"Jack Jack! And how I talked just
now!" all riotous blushes. "I must
have, after all, a a the kind of a tem
per you said the horse had."
"I'll risk It," laughed Jack.
Heedless of Mrs. Bryant's small
nephew who had entered and stood
stock still, an exclamation point of In
quisitive delight; heedless of Ned, who
clung lu silent, spasmodic convulsions
to the portiere: heedless even, this rash
young man, of Miss Murphy, that an
cient virgin, who. rigid and frigid,
glowered at him in an access of scan
dalized modesty, he took his sweet
heart In his arms with a good, long,
loving kiss, und thus adoringly address
ed her:
"Doubted me, did you? You con
temptible little wretch!" New York
Dispatch.
Longevity and Weeping by Compass
A Magdeburg physician, according to
the Lyon Medical, who died recently at
tie age of 109, attributed his remark
able longevity to his constant practice
of Bleeping with his head to the north
and his feet to the south. He consider
ed this iKisltlou most favorable to the
magnetic currents which ruu constant
ly toward the uortli pole, and Increase
the energy of the vital principle. A
correspondent of Dr. Felix Bremond
"found Unit a kind of nervous Irrita
tion to which he was subject ceased
when he placed the head of ids bed a
little east of north. This position of
the head of the bed brought him more
sound and peaceful slumber, and with
such regularity that when he wished
to rise earlier than usual In the morn
ing, all he had to do was to change the
direction of the head of his bed, when
his sleep became lighter nud of shorter
duration. Dr. Bremoud himself, how
ever, found that the direction of his
body made no difference to the sound
ness of his slumbers, provided he went
to sleep lu a comfortuble bed, at the
usual hour and nt the end of a day of
active work." Boston Medical and
Surgical Journal. ,
Where the President Are Burled.
The burial places of our Presidents
are widely scattered. Waslilugtou lies
at Mount Vernon; the two Adamses
are burled uuder the old church at
Quincy, Mass.; Jefferson rests nt Mon
tlcello; Madison's grave Is at Montpe
ller, not far from Montlcello; Monroe's
remains lie in the Richmond Cemetery;
Jackson's grave is lu front of his old
residence, "The Hermitage;" Van Bu
ren was burled at Klnderhook; Harri
son, at North Bend, near Cincinnati;
Polk, at Nashville; Taylor's remains are
near Louisville; Fillmore lies lfl For
est Lawn Cemetery, Buffalo; Pierce
wns burled In Concord, New Hamp
shire, and Buchanan at Lancaster
Pennsylvania; Lincoln's grave Is neat
pnngnem, Illinois; Johnson's at
(Jreeuvllle; Gnrtleld's at Cleveland !
Ohio; Grant's at Riverside, and Ari
thur'a at Albany.-Washlngton letter.!
" Unanswerable.
Tat 1 tell you the ould f rinds are al-1
ways the best, after all, and I can '
prove it. i
Dennis How T I
Pat-Where'll you find a new frlnd '
that has shtood by you as long as the I
ould ones baveT Cleveland Leader.
'Orae than Crime. !
Fuddy-Football was a crime In En-1
gland In the reign of Henry VIII " '
Duddy-The way they play it now ls '
a blunder, which ls worse than a crime '
dosiod i ranscript.
Couldn't Help it.
TrlWet HOW lllrt nr.n,HI. iL
j ..... 1 1 u c l toe
reputation of being such a liar?
Dicer-He usl to be the United '
States weather forecaster uere.-New i
York World. ew
She "What ifo you think of the waj
I speak German?" He "Oh, It Ucau
the Dutch." Yonkers Statesman.
Cynic I can't see why n man wholi
happy when single should ever mar
ry. Friend He never does. Ptu-k.
He You girls seem to be awtullj
fond of sweets. She And you men
seem to be awfully fond of sours.-0or.
uell Widow.
Steru father I hear you were out
gambling last night. Is it true? Oaj
youth No. sir; 1 was aheud.-Nt
York Journal.
Beggar Please, sir, I'm so exhausted
I cuu t gel my breath and (ientle-
man Here's five cents; go and buj
one. Harlem Life.
Mr. New Hub What does It mean
when a bride promises to obey? Mm
New Hub Simply that she prefers not
to make a scene. Puck.
"Treddle is jealous of his prerop
tives, isn't he?" "What makes jou
say so?" "He got angry the other uiglit
and told me not to be a fool." New
York Sun.
"Do you think Skinner can make i
living out there?" "Make a living!
Why, he'd make a living on a rock In
the middle of the ocean if there was
another man on the rock." Tit-Kits.
Mrs. Spat Your husband is au in
ventor, I believe? Mrs. Spotter-Yen.
Some of his excuses for coming home
late at night are in use nil over the
country. Philadelphia North Ameri
can. "Won't you take this seat?" said the
gentleman In the cur, rising and lifting
bis hat. "No, thank yon," said the girl
with tlie skates on her arm; "I've biien
skating, and I'm tired sitting dowu."
Yonkers Statesman.
"If I didn't love my husband, I'd stnb
him to death!" exclaimed the warm
blooded lady from New Orleans. "I
wouldn't," said the Chicago woman;
"I'd get a divorce and stick lilin for
alimony." Town Topics.
"And how did he die?" asked the lady
who bad come West to Inquire after
the husband she had lost. "Kr by re
quest, ma'am," said the gentle cow
boy, as mildly and regretfully ns possi
ble. Indianapolis Journal.
"Who Is that young woman near the
other end of the table talking about
correct tnste lu art?" "Which young
woman? There are several." "The one
with the wooden toothpick In her
mouth." Chicago Tribune.
"Do you see anything coming our
way?" asked the morning star of a
companion. "Not yet," was the reply;
"but I see a servant below there who
Is about to light her kitchen Are with
kerosene." Yonkers Statesman.
"It's perfectly absurd, this clamor
about our hats. People who can't see
over them would better not go to the
theater." "1 know; that's what I told
my husband, and he said, 'All right, we
won't go'; and we don't." Bazar.
Simonsby I have u chance to marry
two girls; one Is pretty, but a mere but
terfly, as It were, and the other, though
plain, is an excellent housekeeper.
Mr. Kussell of Chicago Take the pret
ty one first Indianapolis Journal.
"How long have you been on this
route?" usked the drummer of the
conductor on a primitive Southern
railroad. "Ten yeahs, suh." "Indeed?
You must have gotten on several miles
south of where I did." Detroit Free
Press.
He "Now that our engagement Is
ended, 1 suppose we should return
each other's letters?" She "I suppose
so. And, George, while we are about
It, why not return each other's kisses?"
Engagement renewed on the spot.
Boston Transcript.
A young student lately presented
himself for examination and Ignomin
lously failed. To his family, anxious
to hear of his success, he telegraphed
thus: "Examination splendid; profes
sors enthusiastic. They wish for a sec
ond lu October." Tlt-Blts.
He "Do you remember when first we
met? The dew was on the grass, the
air was full of summer scents, and "
She "Yes; and now there's no summer,
no dew, no grass and no sense. By the
way, have you beard of my engage
ment?" Detroit Free Tress.
Ethel "Oh, dear me! I don't know
what to think! Algy Rsked me last
night if I wouldn't like to have some
thing around the house that I could
love, and that would love me." Edith
"Well?" Ethel-"Well, I don't know
whether he means himself or whether
he ls thinking of buying me a dog!"
Puck.
Mrs. Yeast "I wish I could think of
something to keep my husbnud at home
at nights.'" Mrs. Puncheon "Get him
a bicycle." Mrs. Yenst-"That would
take him out more than ever." Mrs.
Puncheon-"Oh, no, It wouldn't! My
husband got one the day before yester
day and the doctor says he won't be ouf
for a month." Household Worda