ready nnd the law objects to our mar
rying two, you know!" And thereupon
Miss Graham huighcd again as if .t
were immensely funny.
sorrows, i hcv .,i.i .,
unil sensitiveness Tor
They think tendera,,,,,,,; hn,
For the life of him Oscar could nut
"1 l I Mil t. ...
see the point.
u iiaiuen iil' nr r..,.i!...
... limn. h
"How long have you been engaged ?'
ci
""'K "1 ones h,..,,.. nf ,...' '
i.i . : i- rail . .,
stammered Oscar, feeling cold and hot,
ami. to use a handy old phrase which
is very expressive if not strictly ele
life't
very
v,1l '""Il
.... ,"""!fK
most W Uiing i 7
J
gant, "decided.' streaked.
harden tlipmselvcTvMTTn
Fur as much as let me see" cool
i -n1 h .Ik i , ,' 'f Ml il
mmmmmmBmmmmmmmmmmm
1 A MALE FLIRT. 1
Ffi Hi
If ''i 7 O,
l HI;! ,
SCAR EDSOX was
n male tllrt. There
wasn't it irl In
I Kayton who hadn't
received atti'iitlon
from him, nnd Just
f those attentions
il which. when n
voiiinrlndv receives
'I them from n geatle
niaii, are generally
considered to
"iih'jmi siinthiinr.M
Itut the Diiytou girls or 11 11 of them
lint one, at least found out that such
attention's, when they came from Oscar
Kdson, Instead of "meaning some
thing" meant precisely nothing at all.
I.ucy Brown couldn't believe that all
Oscar's pretty speeches and fine com
pliments meant nothing. lie had
wnl'ied with her more than with any
thr girl In Dayton, and she had be
gun to think a good deal of him. lie
wr.s so devoted ami kind, and all that
sort of thing, that she had faith in him.
"Better lie careful," said Maria
Kpooner, warniugly. "He's the biggest
flirt In Christendom. He don't mean
lia'.f what he says."
"1 don't believe all I hear about him,"
said I.ucy, stoutly. "He's not a flirt."
"Yes, he Is," ald Maria, In a tone
that Indicated that no arguments
would change her opinion on the sub
ject. "Isn't he always paying atten
tion 1o every girl that comes along,
I.ucy V Isn't he always ready to make
love to a new face? You kuow he is."
"No: 1 don't know any such thing,"
iisserted I.ucy. "He's genteel aud po
lite, and If the girls will Insist ou tak
ing the intentions which re prompted
by politeness for attentions of another
nature, he Isn't to blame, Is lie?"
"Hddlestlcks!" exclaimed Maria, In
disgust. "Talk to uie about it all be
ing prompted by Oscar Kdson' s. polite
ness! Humph!" anil Miss Spooner gave
her nose an upward turn, thereby ex
pressing her opinion of Lucy's argu
ment. If not adding very much to her
beauty.
When Oscnr came to London to live
lie kissed Lucy after a very lover-like
fashion and made her promise to write
Hl'leu. which Lucy, putting Implicit
fa 'th In him, was quite ready to do.
'lie couldn't help feeling a little dis
appointed to think he hadn't "spoken
out." He had known her n year, but
in ver hud said a word about marriage
in all Unit fine; and If he lindn't had
I he Idea of marriage In his head, what
li id he been so devoted and so lover
I ke for?
"I'erhaps he wants to get started in
business before he settles down,"
thought Lucy, and thin thought com
forted her.
Oscar hadn't been In Imdon n week
before he struck up an acquaintance
with Miss (iruut.
Miss ('rant was tolerably good look
ing and had a rich father.
Oscar began to be serious in his nt
lentlons at once. Those attentions
Miss (Irant received cordially.
"Business la business," thought Os
i'ar. "A few thousands won't come
amiss to me, and If I can get a good
wile and a snug banking account at
the mime time, I ought to think myself
lucky. 1 say, Oscar Kdsou, old fellow,
go In and win!"
And Oscar Kdson did "go in" accord
ingly, ami for a month devoted him
self wholly and unreservedly to Miss
Orant.
Then fate, or accident, or some other
menus, threw him Into a dilemma by
getting him acquainted with Belle Gra
ham. Miss Belle Ornham was a Tory pretty
young lady, with bold black eyes and a
mlsehlef-mnklng disposition! and as
Oscar had not flirted for some time, he
proceeded, after his old fashion, to lay
hi heart at Miss Graham's feet,
metaphorically speaking, and for a
mouth was her most devoted cavalier.
Miss Graham liked a flirtation as
well as Oscar did, ami was In nowise
backward In playing her part.
Oscar was always looking for and
expecting sincerity in others, and con
cluded at once that Miss Graham had
found his fascination irresistible, and
was ready to capitulate aud surrender
whenever be chose to speak the word.
Uy-and-by Miss Graham went out of
town to visit, and then he packed up
his devotion and neceNsaries of love
making and returned, like n prodigal
son, to Miss (Irant.
He had been so busy! Work had been
unusually driving for Hie last mouth.
He couldn't get away from the oltice.
Oscar invented a score of excuses ro
account for his absence, n ml Ml km
Grant graciously accepted them all.
and reinstated Oscar in her good
graces, n:id "Richard was himself
again."
In August Miss Grant went out of
town and Oscar had a sorry time of It
for want of some one to pay ntteut Ion
to. While she was gone he thought
over the matter seriously.
Herehewas. young, good-looking, nnd
making a nice sum of money, but in
need of a home. The first step toward
securing a home was to secure a wife.
Why didut lie get married? Sure
enough, why didn't he?
The more he thought of It Hie mnr
firmly he iiuule up his mind to take the
decisive step, ami, accordingly he cast
about In his mind as to whom he should
honor by giving the privilege of becom
ing Mrs. Oscar Kdsou.
Oscar knew of three who would lie
glad to have him Miss Grant. Miss
Graham, and Lucy Brown. All he had
to do to get one of them to be his "for
better, for worse," was to give her half
a chance to say yes.
"I like Lucy," he soliloquized; "but
she's a plain little couutry girl, and her
father isn't worth much, ami I don't
think I'll throw myself away on her.
There's Miss Graham; she's smart and
handsome, aud her father's worth i
great deal; but she's got too much tem
per for me. rm afraid I don't want
any of these hlgh-Uyers! Miss Grant's
the most desirable persou after nil. Old
Grant's bank account is one very satis
factory feature about the traiusactiou.
When she gets back I'll speak to her
about It aud have the thing off my
mind."
Miss Grant came back the next wool.
and Oscar wended his way to her home
shortly after her return to Inform her
of the decision he had arrived at dur
ing her absence.
Miss Grant was rather cool.
"She's milted to think 1 haven't
spoken on the Important subject be
fore," thought Oscar.
A good chance presenting Itself, Os
car proceeded to offer his heart an:,
hand to Miss Grant after the most
genteel manner possible.
He expected her to burst Into a flood
of thankful tears or perform some other
equally original feat to demonstrate
the gladness of her emotions, but she
did not do anything of the kind.
"You do me a great deal of honor, I
suppose." said she. In n tnna .iii,.t,
seemed to Imply that she hardly con
sidered that she was speaking truth
fully, "but I don't feel like accepting It.
I would refer you to Miss Graham."
Oscar was thunderstruck.
He had never dreamed of anvthln?
like this. It flustered his wits up ter
ribly for a minute or two. Then !.
rallied them and tried to exnlni n mnt.
tors, but Miss Grant was obstinate as
a woman ever was. and wrni,i
listen to a word from hlra.
"Go to Miss Graham." wna all .!.
said, nnd Oscar at last withdrew from
the field, discomfited.
It's plain as the nose on mv fnnA hnt
she's ltcard something about my flirt
ing with Miss Graham, and she's mad
about it. Confound Miss Grnhnm!"
But after sober second thought on the
matter he concluded to awonf t i,
iwrnni g advice ami go to Miss Rnh.n,
Accordingly he set off to Inform Miss
uraiuim mat ne bad concluded t(
marry her.
Miss Graham was all smile And nio
ty words, and Oscar felt that he had
Dut to say the word and the thing was
semeti.
And by and by he nrocentmt t in.
form her of tho honor he had deoldtd
to courer uion tier.
"Marry you!" exclaimed Miss Gra
ham, "why. I couldn't think
thing!" and she laughed as If It was the
Dcst joke or the season.
Oscar began to feel scared.
"Why notr he demanded.
"Because I'm engaged to one man ai
ly "as much as a year, I fancy. Yes.
It was in October that it happened.
Just about a year ago."
"And you never told me!" groaned
Oscar.
"Y'ou never asked me," said Miss
Graham.
Poor Oscar! He gathered up his lac
erated heart and withdrew from Ins
second battlefield completely routed.
"I won't give It up!" he decided.
"There's Lucy Brown. She'll have me
and jump at the chance, and she's
worth forty Miss Grants and a train
load of .Miss Grahams! I'll write to lier
and ask her this very afternoon."
And write to her he did.
He had not answered her last letter,
received three months before, but he
put in a page of excuses for his negli
gence and smoothed the matter over to
his satisfaction, if uot to Lucy's.
The letter was sent, nnd he awaited
a reply with considerably anxiety.
At last it came.
"It's favorable, of course!" he said,
as he tore open Hie letter, "i.ticy's al
ways thought her eyes of me."
But his opinion as to its lieing favoi
able changed somewhat as he read it.
".Mr. Oscar Kdson: I am very thank
ful for the honor, etc., but I don't take
up wjlh second-hand articles when I
can get them at tirst-hand. John Smith
says: 'Tell blni 1 have something to
say about It now, and I'm not go.:ni to
forego my claim on Lucy Brown for aM
the Oscar Kdsoihs in the world, and it
ii.u't quite the thinig down In Dayton
to propose to other men's wives.'
"Love to Miss Grant; also Miss Gra
ham. Yours,
"LUCY BROWN SMITH."
"Good gracious! Lucy married!"
Oscar's eyes were like saucers when
he read that name.
Then he suddenly dropped Into th.
nearest chair.
"Well, I've gone and done :t fils
time!" he groaned. "Oscar Kdsou,
you're a fool!"
Poor Oscar! He is In the market yeiJ
Who bids? Spare Moments.
A Misguided Burglar.
Scar-faced Sikes. Hip hnnriur u,o
operating on the ground floor of a'house
oi aieeum sireet tue oniier uiglit, mak
ing judicious selections from the ar
ticles of silver and alleged silver which
he found In the diulnir.i-non wh i
Inadvertently made a noise, which dis-
iiiiueii souieootiy upstairs.
He heard that somebody cautiously
open a door, and then all was still, as tf
me Miint-uuuy were listening. Theu a
oice noatea down the staircase;
"William, is that you?"
Without a second's l
burglar replied, "Yes, darling," and be
u to move toward the ilnnr iw.i.in..
that his renlv had sntisti...! th i..
qulrer, who would then go back to bed,
nuu wan ior -wiiuani to come up
stairs. But he was disappointed.
ine voice immediately let loose some
piercing screams, and n.x Mm i,i..
rushed out Into the street, he said to
iiiiiiscii:
"That comes of my Inexperience with
the ways of husbands. I nsteu.i nt im
plying 'Yes, darling, I should havo
said, 'Of course It's tne; shut up and go
to bed.' That would have been more
natural and soothing, and I could have
got away without giving myself a
nervous tit." Harper's Bazar.
Prolongation of Human Life.
Statistics tending to prove that Uie
average of man's life has been increas
ed through modern Improvements in
medicine and hygletie are always In
teresting. Among the most recent In
stances Is a table prepared by a corre
spondent of Nature, showing a steady
increase In the proportion of sexagen-in-lain
among the population of Cana
da. In 18.-.1, out of every 100 persons
living In Canada, 3.70 were do years or
age or over. In 1801 the percentage of
sexagenarians In the population had In-
r'Tf J-48, In 1871 11 ,',l' hom
5.10; In 1881, 0.32, and In 1891, 7.01.
Time Resisting Cedar
Cedar-wood Is famous among farmers
for Its lusting qualities, when used for
fence-posts. An Interesting proof of
the power of this wood to resist the ef
fects of time Is furnished by the EgvtL
tlan boats made of cedar which were
found burled near the banks of the
Mle, nnd which, accordlug to recent ,
tlmates of their age. were proStTn
use 4.Bt years ago! The fact must not
be overlooked, however, that these
:eacoTeredbrtbedryof
Rose-Eating Wa.pg.
It s asserted by a correspondent of
the Gardener's Chronicle that wusns
not only devour ripe fruits, such L
apricots, grapes and pears, but : that
Flat Levels. We live too much on
tl.O ll.lt l..,',.l .Ml,' 11,'AU ,1,1,1 .1,, fl.lt
rlse to the elevation of the beautiful
tilings ntiotit us. kov. s. A. JillOt, uui
turian, Brooklyn, N. Y.
Worldly Hopes. Our worldly hopes
must die. The sup must all run out of
them nnd leave them worthless and
empty before our ambition iind nspirtt
tion shall be fixed upon truth and right
eousness. llev. Frank Crane, Method
ist, Chicago, 111.
The Faith Cure. It Is light and help
ful to use prayer In the treatment of
disease. But along with that and going
linf,.,.,. if ....t....l ....... n ...... In In, tlu.,,1
uciviU ll. ll.lllll.il llll (lllil lll ll. i.v: um i
If medicine Is useless, why was the
earth made a vast pharmacy or "ma
teria meUica? " Rev. Wulkcr Lewis,
Methodist, Atlanta, Gil.
Masks. We may musk for n season
the inner man, we may still the heart's
struggle so effectually that the world
hears it not, but by and by nature as
serts herself, and all the world know
what we have fett and thought nnd
ll,,ll.. C,. will. . l,rn,l linu.l .1,.., f!,.,l
Almighty write in each face a life's
histoi v. Rev. If. 1 Conk Rnntlst Chi
cago, 111.
Happy W'orklngmen. Abundance
(iocs uot and cannot produce happiness.
The workingmau who has a good job
and a fair wage, thrifty habits, a happy
home and n conscience void of offense
toward God and man is the most Inde
pendent man In the community. Rev.
W. II. Carwardiue, Methodist, Chicago,
111.
The Ministry. The ministry Is not a
profession at all, not for the natural
man at nil, uot of natural origin nor to
secure natural results. The ministry
Is not one of any class of employment.
It Is a class by itself unique, peculiar,
a sacred calling of divine appointment.
-Rev. W. F. Paddock, Episcopalian,
Philadelphia, Pa.
Klondike Visions. We look at the
grains of gold In Klondike with a mi
croscope, and at treasures within our
reach nnd those laid up in heaven with
an Inverted telescope. Hold your posi
tion, spend less than your Income, and
some of your relatives will return from
Klondike to slinre your bounty. Rev.
J. II. O. Smith, Christian, Chicago, III.
Mob Law. Do we wonder at lynch
ings nnd mob law? Were the people
assured that the criminal would meet
the penalty of the law and that justice
would not miscarry, they would be con
tent to rest the matter with the courts.
But justice and judgment having fail
ed, our hands are defiled with blood.
Rev. Albion W. Knight, Episcopalian,
Atlanta, Ga.
Thoughts that Burn. A word is only
a form, but It may contain a thought
that burns. A number is only a form,
but he who will not use the form will
never weigh the stars nnd measure
their orbits. A letter Is only a form,
but he who will not learn the alphabet
will never read the world's noblest and
best literature. Rev. C. F. WInbigler,
Baptist, Philadelphia, Pa.
Quiet Forces. In this world it is the
quiet forces that are the most power
ful ones, and this Is true In all of the
wonderful forces of nature. The morn
ing sun is not heralded by any loud or
forcible demonstration. Reformations
that changed the forms of Christianity
have had their beginnings In the inlnil
of a single person.-Rev. A. S. Vantes,
Episcopalian, Brooklyn, N. Y.
Men for Sale.-In very truth, every
man, unless the divine life abides in
him, has his selfish price. The Word
tells of only one who could benr all
temptations, outward and Inward, of
the flesh, of the intellect nnd of the
heart, and even he continually ac
knowledged that of himself, or by Ills
nature, Inherited from man, he could
do no.thlng.-Rev. John Goddard Swe
denborglan, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Rich nnd Poor.-Sometlmes strikes
are not Justified, but at other times I
believe they are. All rich men are uot
Christians, and It Is Just as true to-dav
as In the time of Christ that it is hard
for a rich man to enter the kingdom of
heaven. Rich men have the power to
oppress and to slay, and too often they
use It. If a man becomes a money
making machine, he will, as the Scrip
tures say, grind the face of the poor.
Rev. John Stephens, Methodist. San
Francisco, Cal.
The Family of Man.-It is as true of
the vl.ole family of man as of the
Chinch of Christ that they have com
niunlty of Interests, oneness of life and
a mutual Interdependence. We are un
der the law of solidarity. We rise or
fall together. Whatever affects the
financial or moral or spiritual welfare
of on to felt by all. If there be dls
trust the capitalist banks his money
and labor is unemployed; thus capital
Ists, laborers and the community all
Manhood.-No manhood can be truly
autlful which 1, not gentle! Yet
there Is a tendency in man, men tl
d misanthropy. They strlv. To
JAMES SIlEAKI.tT.
Former Governor of aii
Kind Wordn for the KS,1
Jam... Sheaklev. Jl r""r''
from a ten years' residTJ
be las four of which (.Wi IHJN
il i mm (in .tni'i- i. .
. , , " --i'1'iiiis iii terms tf,
highest praise of .He coumry a '
.great no l '
ih ; .: . ,e
, , """'. "in i urnisii tlie cnn
with gold fur a
.bodies of low grade .,.. L.,
t ble lhe most Important ifrtl
tion brought back by th, ronJ
ernor . however, is to the effect tliatu,
American territory contains rosioj.,
irlch In L'nljl iii ii... u..t.it .?
the necessity of an early "start ulJT
.......es. v nen tne Yukon freezes m-
said Mr. Shealvley. "it fi. ..
depth of six and seven feet r,au.A
of ice pile up so that no boat lcttli J
river could possibly be saved. Alasb'i
resources are her mines and herMft
les. The fur business Is a passlnguv
dustry that will disappear with all lit
seals in a few years unless the strirt
est protection be accorded the aninuii.'
.Mr. Sheakley says that Alaska tun
agricultural possibilities and will if
er have any. There Is no soil, he lit
and no climate. It never gets win
enough for crops to mature. Wlw
and oats, even if they could be pon
would stay green until Christmas ir!
would not mature. At present ttat
Is hardily any government in JU
There are no taxes, no Legislature, ul
no multiplicity of laws. There irti
United tSates district court, a W
States marshal, with seven de
a district attorney and seven con
sioners or judges. But, according j
the recent governor, the terntorpi
.mineral prospects are unlimited.
HEAVING THE LEAD.
Electric Sounding; Outfit with '
It Is Fronoscd to Kqnlp VeM
The Lloyds, In estimating the ciw
from which all kinds of ocean flit
have met their fate In the last Uw
years, assign 44 per cent of such caw
to strandines. because of rog,
ness, etc., In unknown depths o(
ter. but at a time, of course, when
craft's officers Imagined that their ro.
A.V ELECTRIC 8OUNDW0 OUTFIT
sel had plenty of water under Its '
Tn nlneo tn th hands of marine"
apparatus which will enable ti
. ni ntT
ascertain witn ease auu re-..-
tnth nf w. .1 n.i. r their vessel"
1 ... h.a tt
3. F. Babcock of .Bangor, Me.,
cently devised the electric soun
outfit Illustrated In the accompiw
sketch. j:
An iron ball, with a rod or stJ
attached, is suspended at tneMtw"
a cylinder by the rod passing ww
a hole In the bottom of the W
Which is rendered watertle"
rubber cap that moves with the w
! iniiHothecTli'
Wliu li spiral Byiiirg - - a
When" the ball is suspended tw-
a. cmace of about one-sixu" ,
Inch between the upper end of
nnd th kiuIh of the conducums
and, when the ball and rod are P
nn thmiMrh that BDace, the enl
., . A mnlotlM
wire are Luiiutv.L-i,, v
trie circuit and ringing aa c.s
on board the ship.
. . . . v.Tvtt
me neaviest man
recorded authentically
den. of Tennessee. He wei"
tie less than 1,000 pounds,
a