-
i $
"Carson," I said, involuntarily, stoop
ing to knock the ash from my cigar,
"perhaps I ought not to ask, although
I have known you for nearly three
years, lint is it usual for a w ife to wear
two wedding rings?"
Dead silence. He had Just lowered
his violin, after a very soft solo for it
was considerable past midnight when
I ventured that curious uestion.
There had been an evening party,
and, as I was to stay at the house till
morning, Carson's wife had said "Good
night," and left us to finish our inevita
ble smoke and talk. His mouth twitch
ed a little, hut it was some time before
ho retorted in a low tone:
"Is is usual for a man well under 40
to have hair as white as mine?"
"Well, perhaps not but I thought
you attributed that to some shock or
other. What has that to do with with
the-two rings?"
"Everything." He listened at the
door for a moment, turned down the
lights, and then came and sat down,
spreading his hands over the tire.
"Two rings? Exactly, one is the ring
I put on her linger when I married her;
the second was put there by another
man and will slay there as long aa the
ilrst."
".Never mind now," I said. His voice
had trailed off huskily. "I had no idea
there was any tragic element behind
tho fact."
"Tragic? Heavens! It was more
than that, Arthur," he whispered, turn
ing up a drawn face.
"I never meant to touch upon It, but
when you spoke it came back with a
rush as vivid as If I bad been standing
at the mouth of the old north shaft
again. And that was six years ago.
"You've heard me speak, at least, of
the mine Itself the I.angley mine, in
Derbyshire. I had only been assistant
surveyor at the pits there for about
nine months when it happened.
"At 0 o'clock that morning. Arthur,
three of us stepped Into the cage oM
Jim Halllday. the foreman, bis son
Jim, and myself; the men had gone
dowu nn hour before.
"I shall never forget that young
Jim's sweetheart had walked over to
the pit with him, as she occasionally
did.
"They were to be married In n week
or two, and she and site had on her
linger the ring he had bought In Derby
the day before-Just for safety'!! sake,
or perhaps out of womanly pride.
"I recollect that Just as the chain
clanked and the winter sunshine was
disappearing overhead, he shouted out
a third 'Good-by!' to hcr-lfttle dream
lug that It was to be good-by. I,ttle
enough old Halllday and I thought that
days would elapse before we emerged
into God's sunlight again!
"A new vein had been bored the year
lxi'oro, and then abandoned because It
ran in the direction of th, river. We
three had had Instructions to widen it
for a space of :iiM) yards a piece of
work that had occupied us nearly a
month.
"Did Jim picked and young ,11m
wheeled the coal away to the nearest
gallery, from when It was carried over
mils to the lMittotn of the main shaft.
"Well, by 4 o'clock that afternoon we
c-nlculatcd roughly that we had reach
ed the limit laid down.
" 'I think It's as near as possible.
Mr. Carson,' old Halllday said. Mini,
give another count, we don't want the
water coining In.'
"Jim went back. We could hear him
nlnglng out the pact's In ills light-hearted
fashion as he returned, his voice
echoing through the long galleries.
Two-slxty-nlne pooh! you're miles off
It, dad!" He was only a score of years
iff, though. 'Two-slxty-nlne two-sev-enty-four.
It'll allow a full twenty yet,
I reckon.'
"He had Just tlulshed his count when
hut there, no mau could properly de.
w-rihe it. It was something one had to
realize for himself before he could un
derstand a bare halt of the suddeu
terror tlint whlteued our lips and seem
ed to bring our hearts to n standstill.
"There was a rumbling In one of the
distant galleries, and a sickening trem
Me of the ground underneath us; then
then the most paralyzing sound. I do
believe, that U to be heard In this
world.
"How or why it happened Is some
thing to be placed among the host of
unsolved mysteries; but there was one
grinding, splintering roar, as though
the earth had split lu two pieces.
"Before we could stir hand or foot to
wave ourselves, before we could even
tai-n In that an explosion had occurred
while we were guarding against an
other sort of danger, down thundered a
mass of coal, tons upon tons of It. that
blocked up the ouly passage leading to
the shaft.
"It Just reached young Jim; standing
where he did, he was struck down
ire hes.0 his screech stilled beneath
RINGS.-a
the debris. For about five more sec
onds the earth seemed to be heaving
and threatening universal chaos; then
all became still as a tomb.
"A tomb! We had our lamps, old
Jim and I looked, and saw that we
were cut off from the rest of the world.
"What happened next, I hardly
know; I was stupefied with the shock,
sick with u mortal fear of death. He
and I stood staring mutely at each
other. The one tiling I recollect is that
his face was gray as marble, and that
a fine of troth stood on his lips.
"He was the first to come back to
sense. He gave one choking cry of
Mini!' and staggered back to that black
pile. The hoy's hand was sticking out
from the bottom of it. clutching con
vulsively at nothing. I sat down and
watched, in a sort of dreary fascina
tion, as old Jim, uttering strange cries.
j tore at the mass in a mad frenzy. God
netp linn : .inn was the only thing he
bad In the world to love. In less than
live minutes he had dragged liiin out,
ami sat down to hug him in his arms.
"Dead? No; he could Just open his
poor dust filled eyes in answer to his
father's whispers: but we knew at
once that he would never again make
the galleries echo his piercing whistle.
"I''or whole hours. I suppose, neither
of us attempted to realize our situation.
We sat on in the dead silence, waiting
for something to happen.
"(dice or twice we saw young Jim's
blackened lips move feebly, and each
time his father would mutter brokenly,
'Ay, my precious boy, we'll look after
her!'
"Once the old man broke out. qulver
Ingly, Into the hymn. 'Abide with Me!'
but he got no further than the third
line. That, perhaps, was about 8
o'clock, but we could keep no count of
the time, as my watch had stopped.
"Hour after hour must have gone by,
nud still old Jim sat, with rigid face
and staring eyes, clasping his burden.
In all probability It was morning above
ground before at last -he spoke.
" ilow long can we hold out. Mr. Car
son? I'm feared to go. I've been a
godless man all my time.'
"That aroused me. I examined our
position carefully. The passage was
about eight yards wide at this point,
and measured about twenty paces from
the end to where that solid wall of coal
blocked our path to the outer world.
As the bore ran level Willi the foot of
the north shaft, we were about forty
feet below the clear surface. We had
no food, and our lamps would burn,
say, another five or six hours; while
the breathing air, hot and gaseous al
ready, would probably become unen
durable before the evening came. That
was our situation, and let any man con
ceive a worse, If he can. One slender
chance of escape at the best left; per
haps the entire passage was not block
ed, and we might force our way to the
main gallery. I was not afraid of
death lu the way that It comes to most
people, but I was afraid to meet nud
struggle with it there. We sprang to
the task, wild at the thought that those
few hours of stupor might have made
all the difference.
"You can guess what happened, and
why, after a long spell of lighting to
break through that horrible wall, old
Jim threw himself down with a groan
and refused to go on.
"As fast as we loosened one mass.
another crashed down in Its place: at
the end of our desperate attempt we
were half choked and blinded with
dust, our hands were raw and we had
made scarce any headway.
"Handy, too, had we given up the
work as hopeless when my lamp flick
ered out; half an hour later old Jim's
followed suit.
"Total oblivion! As I sat and con
templated our fate, a falntuess of niln
gled hunger and despair crept over me.
Young Jim, quite still, was propped up
against the wall close by.
"Within a few feet of nip sat his
father; at times he would start up and
shriek out In nameless terror at others
he would catch up his pick and hack
at the walls with the fury of a maniac.
And worse was to come.
"l think I must have fainted. I do
not seem to recollect any more until the
moment when I became conscious of
my mate's hard breathing over me. and
of the fact that his hand was feeling
or, so it seeuieu tor my throat. I
dashed away, panting uuder the shock
of this new horror.
"'Jim,' 1 gasped, 'for heaven's sake,
keep sane! If we're to go, let us die
like men!
"No answer; I heard him crawling
away, and that was all. The dead
silence was ouly broken by a faint
trickling sound. Trickling!
"Yes; 1 put my hand to the level, and
found half an inch of water and hot
ter and more stifling grew the atmos
phere. Fraying hard to myself, I re-
Uied now that, should no help come,
only a few hours could live betwixt us
and the end. And then old Jim might
go first, and I should be left. Nay, I
was already practically alone; the fear
that was slowly whitening my hair and
turned old Jim's brain
"He suddenly sent up a peal of de
lirious laughter. 'Water! Who says
water? Why, mates. I'm swimming in
It! Here's a go!'
"Presently he began creeping round
j find me. I could hear him coming,
by his labored respiration, and swish
ing of the ooze as he moved.
"Round and round the space we went
stealthily, until at last he made a cun
ning rush and caught me by the ankle.
'Got him!' He yelled it with a glee that
was unmistakable.
"Mere words could never convey the
sensation of that moment. Half suf
focated, past all ordinary fear, I closed
with my poor old mate, and we went
staggering to and fro across our prison,
until at last I managed to throw him
so that his head struck heavily against
the wall.
"After that he lay quite still. I be
lieved at the time that I had killed him,
but we knew afterward that It was
that blow which preserved his reason.
"The rest can be told in a few words.
After that I lay there like one in a
dream, while the pestilential air slowly
did its work.
"Sometimes I fancied I could feel
cool breezes blowing down on me. ami
at others heard some one telling me x)
wake up, for t lie whistle had sounded
at the pits.
"How long I lay so. I can only con
jecture. I really knew nothing more
until I was roused by the sound of that
coal barrier crashing down before the
Iilcks and spnries of a dozen rescuers,
and the hubbub from a dozen throats
as they broke Into our tomb.
"Only Just time. Old Jim's face was
only Just out of the water, and they
said that no human being could have
lived in that atmosphere for another
two hours. And young Jim? well,
there was Just enough life left in him
to last three days.
"Till the end of that third day, I
kept to my bed: and then they sent to
say that he was going, but that he
wished to see me Ilrst. I reached the
house In time to catch his last whis
per. "You you'll take her, mate! Marry
her no one else! Only only, you'll let
uiy ring stay there. Promise me
that."
"What could I do but promise? I
had no thought then of marrying his
sweetheart but It was his dying wish,
and for years Jim nud I had been like
brothers.
"Just a year later I asked her If there
was any room In her heart for me, and
and well, that's enough. Now you
know why my wife wears two wedding
rings. 'Saturday Evening Post.
When Grant Visited Japan.
"There was no pageant in General
Grant's Journey round the world more
Imposing than the reception given by
the .Mikado at Japuu's capital,
Writon
WHICH
John Rus'ell Young lu the Ladies'
Home Journal. "The United States
steamer 'Hlcumond,' bearing General
Grant and his party, steamed Into Yo
kohama, the harbor of Tokyo, escorted
by the 'Ashuelot' and a Japanese man-of-war,
on July 3, 187!). There was as
sembled a fleet of war ships of other
powers. At noon the Admiral's barge,
flying General Grant's flag as ex-Pres-Ident,
and conveying the General and
his wife. Prince Dati. Minister Bing
ham mid Minister Y'oshldu. slowly
pushed for the shore, nud ou the instant
every naval vessel manned yards and
tired the American national salute. The
day was as beautiful as days of which
we dream a blue, cloudless sky, n
soothing, lapping sea. The sudden
transformation from this sleepy, lazy,
silent summer day. Into the turbulence
and danger of wur; the roar of cannon,
the music every band playing nu
American air the manned yards, the
officers on deck lu full dress and Bnlut-
Ing the barge as it passed, the cheers
or the multitude thronging the shore,
the fantastic day lire-works, the can
non smoke banking Into clouds, the
Iwrge moving with slow, steady stroke,
all formed a brilliant and extraordinary
scene. As the Admiralty steps were
approached there In waiting stood the
Imperial Princes, the Ministers and
the high officials of the realm. In the
splendor of their rnuk and station. As
the Getieral stepped on shore the Jap
anese guns thundered their greeting,
the bands played 'The Star-Spangled
Banner,' and Mr. Iwakurn. the vener
able Prime Minister, advanced, aud,
tnklug the General's hand, In the name
of the Emperor welcomed him to Jap
an. Reaching Tokyo after an hour In
the train, the city authorities met us
with an address, and the Mikado's stntf
carriage, through a continuous, double
Hue of Infantry standing at 'present,'
conveyed the General to the Imperial
i muce or r.unoKwan,
Japan's Navy
Japan is going to spend $40,000 in
puttlug twelve young Japanese stu
dents through a three years' course
of study of naval architecture and ma
rine engineering In England. They
will work as gentlemen apprentices
with the great shipbuilding Anns,
As you grow older, strawberries taste
mors watery.
JOHN W. KEELEY.
Man Who Invented a Motor that
Didn't Mote.
John AV". Keeley has dug up his mo
tor njiain, and PlUladelpliians smile
when they are told that soon the ele
vated trains in New York will lie ope
rated altogether by iower furnished
by the Inventor's wonderful mechan
ism. W. J. Fransiioli, the general man
ager of the ManJuit.tan Koad, has seen
Mr. Keeley's motor turn n big engine
at very high speed, and is quite sure
his cars can be operated by it. This is
probably the fifth or sixth time that
Mr. Keeley litis convinced capitalists
that he has discovered a wonderful se
cret. He liegau years go In his labor
atory In Philadelphia to find some way
of applying his "vibration" to machin
ery, and every now and then a grand
announcement Is made that the motor
JOHN W. KF.F.I.EV.
Is certain to mote, but thus far these
announcements have never been real
ized. Mr. Keeley is now growing old.
He Is past tit), and his motor has been
before the public since 1872. At least
It was In that year that he announced
his discovery of a new force, and the
motor Itself was put ou public exhibi
tion In 1874. Capitalists who saw it
were so Impressed with It that If 100,000
was raised to enable him to proceed.
Since then nearly $500.(1(10 has been ex
pended in exierinieuts, but without
tangible results, lu 18N8 Mr. Keeley
was confined in Jail for contempt of
court for refusing to tell the secret
process by which he produced ninny
most remarkable results lu the pres
ence of experts, but up to the present
time tliat secret is known to no one but
himself. The motor which he exhibited
i to the New York men is no larger than
a man's tovepJie hat.
ALBERT G. PORTER.
Distinguished Hooaier Who Recently
hied ut Indianapolin.
Hon. Albert G. Porter, one of Indi
ana's distinguished sons, who had
served his country faithfully In high
places, passed away ut Indianapolis
recently.
I Born at Iawivnceburg, Ind., In 1824,
! he graduated from Asbury University
a n1 luu.utim l.i..-.-,. t,. t...ll.. II..
i "-"" ill imilUUHJlUllH
I M-,i.,.i r ...
iii ii. ii.iiiu ii iew years lie was a
leader In Republican politics and held
various municipal positions. Next lie
became Supreme Court reiiorter and lu
18.1S was sent to Congress, holding his
seat two terms. Then he returned to
Indiana and became eminent as n law
yer. After the war Gen. Reujninia
Harrison was his partner for ninny
years. In 1878 he was appointed comp
troller of the treasury by President
Hayes and lu 1SX0 was elected Gov
ernor of Indiana by 7.0U0 plurality, al
though Indiana was ordinarily account
ed Democratic by 14.000. He tilled the
office with distinction.
It was Gov. Porter who nominated
Gen. Harrison for President In the Chi
cago convention of 188H and one of
Albert o. porter.
President Harrison's first acts was to
appoint his learned friend minister to
Italy. Since his return in 1803 he had
lived in retirement.
A Relio of Captain Kldd.
An ancient quadrant tieartng the
name of Robert Kldd, the celebrated
pirate. Is in possession of a family at
Rockland, Me. It Is more tluui 200
years old and It mounted with ivory
which has now turned dark-brown
with age.
Fiction 1'npopnlar in Japan.
The Japanese do not take to fiction
Of 27,000 books published In the MU
kado's empire last year, only 402 be
longed to that class. Works on phil
osophy, the arts and science, and r
Uglon stood the highest Id the list.
Graham and rye bread and 'j
fruit in plenty, particularly oranges,
fore breakfast, are of great benefit t
persons of constipated habits.
The most painful corn Is amenable
to a wash of salicylic acid, tlnetuwof
Indian hemp and flexible collod' , ap.
plied for three nights with a lesior
cork. ."
Never continue keeping the bark n
posed to the heat after it lias become
comfortably warm, it is debilitation
to do otherwise than merely warm lie
luck by the fire.
Jinny children, even to seven year,
of age, have a habit of grinding their
teeth in their sleep. A teaspoonful 0
rhubarb and soda given 'night and
morning will alleviate this tendency.
When the btindi have become Mi
and hard from housework, a wash wit!
turpentine, followed by a rubbing with
colJ cream and a night's sleep lit glovw,
will do much to restore them to their
natural condition.
Very often the hair conies out rapidly
after continued malarial and otliet
fevers. In such .cases the following
mixture will check the tendency: Fluid
extract of Jaliorandi, two ounces; tinc
ture of caiithnrides, three drams; sul
phate of quinine, one dram; West In
dia bay rum up to one pint.
If a child is afflicted with loud
wheezing from the chest, indicative of
bronchitis and asthma, great relief may
be otalned by taking four times dally i
teaspoonful of a mixture composed of
one und one half grains of codeine and
three ounces of compound syrup of
hypophosphites.
A great many people are alarmed it
occasional sticking pains under tie
heart, or a pain under the left shoulder
blade, running dowu to the hand. The
same will usually yield to the follow
ing remedy, a teaspoonful as a dose:
Iodide of potash, three drams; fluid ex
tract of stillingia, sixteen drams; wine
of colchlcuiu seed, eight drams; com
pound fluid extract of sarsaparilla up
to four ounces.
CONSUL AT BORDEAUX.
Albion W. Tnnrgee, the Man WhoRw
Keen Apnolnted to Thnt Position,
Albion W. Tourgee, the new consul
general at Bordeaux, France, is one
of the foremost literary men in Amer
lea. T!te titles of many of his booto
are as household words. He Is a law-
ALBION W. TOUR OKR.
yer, too, and has written much on po
litical mutters. But his chief claim to
fame Is that of the novelist. Mr. Tout
gee's most widely read aud widely com
mented UM)U books are "A Fool's Er
rand," "Figs and Thistles," "Ilrk
Without Straw" and "Hot No
shares." His career has been that of
a very versatile man. A brave soldlf
who fought for the Union, he was ?
verely wounded at Bull Run. He w
a member of the constitutional conven
tion of North Carolina in 1807 ui
again In 1875. He has been a Superior
Court Judge, aud has practiced law &
a successful way. In 1889 he beef
professor In the Buffalo law school, s"1
since that time, wlille filling his fiutf
tiou as a teacher of law, he has use!
his ien with good effect. His Uu
books have been for the student of
law and the Jurbtt. Since his reraoTtl
from the South he linn lived In Ne
York, near Chautauqua. Mr. Tourg
is uu years OKI.
Bones in a Silver Vein.
If the find of a Colorado silver mi
er, made lialf a dozen years ago, 1
taken Into account, there la but Ut
doilht MlHt tha Imniiin .... AVt.1 A
"-i.iiill.l iikd cjiKnv
tills continent as long ago as the th
ueu me silver veins were In procw
of formation. In the Rocky Po"1
mine, at Gilman. 400 foot below IK
surface, a number of lutvi.nn bone
were found Imbedded In the nllW
bearing ores. When taken out oW
S10O wnrt-.h nf rvr-., aolt .,1...... n tlx
, - uic r. . i viiutft i'
bones. An arrowhead made of te
perea copper and four Inches long, f
also found with the remains.
A Prize in Either Can; (
"I'm sure," said the girl l
gaged, "that Herbert Is a prU"
"You " rartlliwf 1 1 n . . iiKni B
. --1 . tuog VUdlUC,
a case of this kind It's so dlfflcuM
teu whether you've won a first prist
booby orisa,"
7