If "A OFF.SCOUIUXG." "Well, yes, ma'am, I have stole!" "Why, John!" You asked me didn't you?" res. I asked vOu!" the mission teacher replied; a sad, alntbst disgusted expression on her sweet young face. "What did you ask me for, if you didn't want me to tell vou. I could 'a' lied!" the boy went on in a stolid sort of a way, and yet with a ring of feeling in his voico. "No, you couldn't, Johnny," the teacher answered with a smile, "because you promised, you remember, that you would always tell the truth to me." "Well. I didn't go back on it, did I?" "Xo, Johnny. Have you any objec tions to telling me how often you have taken things that didn't belong to you ?" "Mebee I couldn't remember them all," the boy replied, "but I never lifted anything very partickeler. Once when the old woman where I hang out got sick, and cried a blue streak for oranges, and nobody had the money to buy 'em, I asked the old cove that kept the grocery store to trust me for a couple till' the next day. Ho -wouldn't do it, and that night I stole six from liini. "Why, Johnny?" "Why didn't ho let me have 'em, then?" theb oy went on doggedly. "I'd a' him, 'cause I said I would. Anyhow, the old woman got well off them or anges." "Then you are not sorry you took them ?" the teacher inquired. "Well, the old woman had to have them oranges, and somebody had to got 'em for her." The teacher's face was very grave, and as her companion looked up he saw the tears in her eyes, a sight which had a curious effect upon him. Don t make me tell 3011 any more, please, ma'am,'' he said, dropping his eyes, while his face Hushed scarlet. "I ain't nothing but a oifscouring anyhow, and it ain't no good to fret about what I do. I was kinder dragged into this place, else I'd never a bothered 3011." inauaee the business which his teacher had provided moue3 for. For instance the grocer from whom he had "lifted' oranges had sola out to anotner man, and Johnu3 was obliged to hunt him up He was at last found, poor and ill, and the bo3 without a moment's hesitation confessed the theft and produced the money. "I guess lean make it thirty cents," he said, "and that'll be a little interest. If I wouldn't like to give 3011 hvo dollars, tnen 3011 may shoot me lor a crow." The ex-grocer was so surprised at Johnn3's confession and subsequent generosity that he shook the boy s hand heartily and invited him to stop in again soon, which the lad promised as heartily to do. ny nigntiau tnese oacic aeots, as Johnny naively called them, were all settled, and then, after a scant3 meal, the boy started out with his papers. About a quarter to eight he had sold out, and then, as fast as his feet would carry him, ho hurried to the neighborhood of the Academy of Music to watch the people go into the building It was opera night, and this was one of Johni-'s greatest pleasures; and so, with his back to a lamp-post, he gave himself up to the delight of Avatching the ga3 throng. Jolmnv wondered what it would bo like to drive around in luxuri ous carriages and have plent of monc3 to spend on fine clothes. He thought of the bread and herring he had eaten for his supper, and tried to imagine what it would be like to have turko3 and cran beny sauce every da3. Every Christ mas Johnny had turkey and cranberry sauce for his dinner, and he knew from experience how nice the3 were. Ho had once ridden in an ambulance with a newsboy who had by an express was tho nearest carriage ride that enjoyed. Ho won dered, as he watched these happ3, gaily dressed people, win it was that some people had all the3 wanted, while oth ers were cold and hungry and some times starved to death. This was not the first time that Johnny had been per- friend of his a been run over wagon, and this approach to a Johnny had ever "What name did 3011 call 3'oursclf?" jdexed with such thoughts, but they had J. llllli-l U U11U12J.' the teacher inquired. stand 3ou." "Granny Leeds said I was offscouring, and so I am." "What is an offscouring, John?" "Oh! the lcavin's of something that ain't no good." "Grainy Leeds, as 3011 call her, was t 1 t 1 very niucn uiisraKen, anu 3011 are very never made him feel quite so uncomfort able as on this occasion. He called to mind the warm underclothing and tidy jacket and pants which Miss Lee had given him that da3, and tried to comfort himself with the thought that there was one person in the worid who cared for him. Thero had been a heavy fall of snow much mistaken about yourself, Jolmnv ," that day, and as Johnny, still absorbed the teacher replied. "You are not an off- with his thoughts, started to cross the scouring, but God's own child, and He is street, he saw something sparkle in the giving you a chance to make something snow at the side oi the crossing. There of 3'ourself. How much do you think had been a rush of carriages, and a few the things are worth that 3011 have taken had not been able to pull up to the curb. in all, Johnny?" As he picked it up he saw that it was an Them oranges were worth four cents ornament in the shape of a cross and apiece when I took 'em; that's twent- studded with diamonds. r nil 1 1 1 -r- I T" 1 1 1 e lour, and them two loaves 01 oread l jonnny Knew uiey were "sinners, as Granny will be right and Miss Lee'll be wrong. She said the Lord was giving me a chance to make something of my- sen. en, now, the question is, am I, or am I not an oifscouring. If I keep these shiners I am, if I give them up I ain't. Well, I ain't" and with these words on his lips, Jolmnv started for the gentleman's office. Nothing daunted, he entered and presented himself at the desk. borne of you folks have lost some thins, ain't you?" he asked. "W ill your honor tell me what it is like?" "It is a gold cross set with diamonds," and the gentleman described the relative position of the stones. "It was lost either inthe Academy of Music last night, or 011 the way to or from that place. "Johnny's coat was off in a twinkling: and, with a ra at the stitches which con fined his treasure, he took it out and put on nis coat again. "1 s pose this is it, he said, handing it to the gentleman. "I wanted to keep them shiners awful bad," he continued. "They d a set me up in business, them shiners would, but 3011 seo I couldn't get to be such a oifscour ing as Unit, though I have been trying to be a thief all night long. If I was vour folks," he went on, "I'd get a stronger string to hold them shiners, lor fear they'd be gone for good and all next time." "What is your name?" the gentleman inquired, us the lad, with his cap in his hand, stood modesty before him. "'John Itesnev, the boy replied. "Have 3ou a father and mother?" the next question. "Nobody, yer honor, but 1113'self." "Which would you prefer to Johnny," tho gentleman next inquired; "go into business or go to school?" "I13', I should rather go to school, ten to one,' said Johnny, "but there ain't no show for that." will see," said the gentleman. "Will 3011 come into my office, Johnu3', until I see what is best to bo done?" "Yos, sir," replied Johnnv, the tears starting to his eves. 'I shall want 3011 to go home with me in an hour, or two, and give 1113 wife her diamonds, and see what she thinks of you." "All right, said Johnny, brushing awny the tears. "Aii3thing to do now, was do, A Memorable Riilc. Twenty-five years ago tho favorite social festivity of the autumn months in tho Delaware valley was the "apple-cut." The dried apple entered largely into the store of things laid up for winter, and from time out of mind, the custom of inviting a party of young persons to come on a certain evening and aid in preparing the fruit, had prevailed among the farmers of the yalley. There was one rule at the apple cuts which met the warm approval of every eountry beau. The girl who "pared and quar tered" the smallest quantity of apples in a given time was bound to give a kiss to every swain present. The "old folks" used to say that the rule was a bad one because every girl seemed to strive to see how little she could do. After the evening task was ended came the feast, and after that the tiddler. Then was merriment till the. small hours, to the lively measure of the "Arkansas Trav eler" "Money Musk " "Fisher's Horn pipe," "Downfall of Water Street,' "Whoa !" Her only response was a sav age kick, without lessening her spejed a particle. "Bang !" went Frank's heels against the hearse door. "Wh-o a-a, Tearer," said Bub, beseech ingly. "Spat!" came the Tearer's heels against the dashboard of tho hearse. By the time the horse had reached the top of the hill Frank had burst the door open and had got his legs out of the hearse. The mare was going so fast that he was afraid to drop to the ground, and he was unable to draw himself back into the hearse. "Whoa!" shouted Bub, fiercely, as though to frighten the mare into obedi ence. "Whiz! bang!" she replied with her heels, and the dashboard cracked. Bub crept up on the roof o! tho hearse, and got astride of tho narrow vehicle. Half wa3 down the hill the mare gave a kick and put both hind feet through the dash board of tho hearse. But she went right ahead on two feet, and Bub reined her "McLeof's Reed," and kindred favorites. in tlmfc COulition before the .farmer's It was seldom that these rural routs ended before the cocks were crowing in the barn and da3light came admonish ing over tho eastern hills. Once, in the rare age referred to, a gram cut was to be criveu bv a rich farmer. who lived eight miles down the valley from Mil ford. He had several charm ing daughters, and his house was at all times a center of attraction. Among those invited to the apple-cut were Frank and "Bud' Wells, of Milford. Bob was afterward a prominent member of the Penns3lvania Legislature. Both "laid out' to attend. The day came, and when the boys began to make their prepara tion to start, they were unable to obtain horse or wagon in the village. Every horse and wagon was engaged. Frank and Bub were in a dilemma. Eisht miles over a hillv road was a long way o walk, and to miss the apple-cut would be something they would never cease to regret. The father of the boys was an undertaker who had a one-horse hearse with a seat in front with iust room one, and room inside suffi cient to receive a oofhn snugly. The torse that tho old gentleman drove to this vehicle was out of town. There was onty one horse in the vil- that was available, and that was a This She of in -1 mi. - l .1 1 - tioor. ine gins ami uoys eiime ruuuiug out. Tho lights from the house were full upon the uw coiners. Frank dropped from the inside of the hearse and Bub climbed down from the top. The Tearer stood still, with two legs on the ground, and two fastened in the front of the hearse. The bo3s cut the dashboard away from heels, and led her under the shed. They had a pleasant night, but Frank went home in the stage on the next da3. Bub got the hearse home and housed safely before daylight. On the following morning his father said, inno cent like: "I didn't hear an3 thunder last night, but somehow lightning played hob with that hearse o' mine after I went to bed." lage being the highest that region. lifted, for two fellers that froze their feet last winter; and a mackerel to make the bread go down. It's awful to eat bread without nothing with it; and then a base-ball that was worth fifty cents, and all them things would make near hand to a dollar. I don't remember else now." he called them, as soon as he looked at them, so with his heart in t .1 il 1 1 1 il 111s turoat ne tucKed the precious jewel into his pocket, still hold ing it firmlv in his hand. Johnny's am bition had been to start a coffee and cake anything establishment where newsboys could be entertained at low rates. For more than "Well, John, I shall give 3011 a dollar, a year he had nursed this project, and and I want 3011 to go to those places and here was a chance to carry it into execu pay for all those things. "Then I'll have to own up," the bo3 interrupted in his bewilderment, re lapsing at once into slang. "Wouldn't you feel bettor to confess Johnny V" the young lad3 inquired, not a little troubled at the effect of her words. For a moment the boy seemed lost in thought, and then, lifting a frank face to his companion, said: "I ain't never felt pcrtikeler bad about any of them things 'cept the base ball, and that I could 'a done without, but if 3011 siry so. Miss Lee, 1 11 give the whole thing awaj; only as I ain't lifted anything late ly, and don't never mean to again, they tion. There were nine stones in the cross. Disposing of one at a time, so as to avoid suspicion, there was money enough to last him for ''3'ears and 3rears" he told himself. It puzzled him to know where he could keep the shiners, for there wasn't a soul among his ac quaintances whom he dare trust with the secret. Not until ho crept into his pov-ert3-strickon bed, with his treasure care fully hidden among the straw, did the thought occur that he ought to try to find an owner for it. Then followed a hard battlo between the natural honesty of the lad and his very natural desire for creature comforts. The person who could would always suspicion me and make me wear a gold thing like that, "chock full 1 thing. out a thief when I ain't 110 such Don t you think twould do, ma'am, if I dropped the mono3 in them places so the3'd be sure to find it? If vou don't think so I'll blow the whole thing, if it takes me to the Island." "What will 3011 do, Johnny, if some body needs bread and oranges, and 3011 havn't any mone3 to buy them with ?'" "That's a sticker, ma'am. I dunno." "And it wouldn't be strange if some thing of that kind were to happen any day." "No, ma'am. That's something putty gcn'rally to pay with the folks I know." "Well, Johnny, I will tell you what to "1 Mil i 1 i i 1 1 t r 110, uie leacner repneu. "Here is mv card, and when any of ances are in trouble I come directly to me, and if ainthing is amiss with 3011 at any time, be sure and send a messenger. You had better com "must more up to-morrow, airway, Johnn3, for of shiners," he said to himself. have money enough ty bin shienrs." Here he was, cold and hungry half tho time, with no prospect before him but to be alwa3s hungry, if not al- ways cold; and hero were these shiners, which would set him up in business and give him a chance to help tho boys Johnny honestly wanted to help the bo3s. Wl)3 should he find the owner of this cross when he had nothing and the owner every thing ? This light continued until it was tune for tho lad to start out for his morning papers. All through the business part of the forenoon the bat tle still raged, and the newsbo3's thoughts were so occupied with his new- VOUl aCnUaillt- "-'uiiu. miia umiu iiiiuuau luijuu lu iit- wish vou would tGIK-to "1S customers. At about ten, as he crossed Uit3 Hall Tark, he noticed a gentleman in earnest conversation with another gentleman, as he passed he heard the words diamond cross spoken. Johnny ver honorr' . i - i. . .i. i The following Sunday Johnny went to Sy ueionging 10 a uuiguuor. the Mission school for the last time, and mo was known as "The Tearer. n such good clothes that Miss Lee hardly --lul uie repiuuuon new him. The grateful boy told his autI strongest kicker teacher what had happened, and con cluded as follows: "I am going away to school to-morrow, and it I've got tho learning stuff in me I can go to college; but, Miss Lee, if it hadn't been for you and God I should have been a oifscouring all the days of my life.' To The King of Burundi The nows that the King of Burmah has made a military demonstration on our frontier with a view to frightening Great Britain into certain acts of reparation seems rather ludicrous. The King's arm3 is said to consist of two bodies, the one 750, the other 300 strong, and the attitude of the trooi)s is represented as harness her it was necessarv to get in the haymow above her and drop the harness on her with a pitchfork. The harness once on her, it was comparatively safe for a person to climb over the and buckle it. Then the mare submit to being hitched to the But there was no telling at what moment she would think it incumbent on her to lift her heels in the air. C "V ' manager would wagon. A Man in a Thousand. A stoiy is told of Hon. Charles B Farwell, Congressman-elect from the Third district, which goes to prove that there is such a thing as gratitude and that even in politics all is not utter selfishness and lust for power." This will strike the average worldling in the light of a revelation, and doubts may arise as to the accuracy of the statement, which, however, will be removed on learning the fact upon which tho extraordnary assertion is made. Several yers ago, when !Mr. Farwell was serving a Chicago constituenc3 in Washington, a seed3 young man called on him one bitterly cold and windy morning He was thinly clad, and tho pinched expression on his face betokened privation, pain or suffering. The visi tor introduced himself as Herman Hansen. He said he was a Swede that he was out of employment, and that unless he could obtain as sistance he and his wife must starve. ItY'inl.- " um'il P.hli "wo VP ornf. fn hook the' Tearer tov our hearse, or stay He said they had pawned all their cloth- homo. "Tearer and hearse Frank, "for I'm going it is, then," said to that apple cut!" Bv a back door they got into tho barn where the Tearer was kept. Before they rnn.nhn1 flin mnw wif.li flin lmrnns xhn arrogant and insolent in the extreme. It Jmd kicked SGVeral boards off the side of is easy, however to understand that the the barn. After they dropped the bar- Burmese may think otherwise. The nn i,m. h-)t sI.p. r-onlnrl rWn. Government at Mandahry has no practi- j"iiey jcd ier around to the shed where uot ,m impostor he stated the real object UiU UXPUriUUCU CU Ulir Jl'UraS UllU IS , mown .B l.ftf nn,1 li'fMmrl hoi iti I OI HIS VISIS. WUJUI1 VUa LU USh. 1XT. JL'iU c.ifniv wen to use ma lummuuu iu utsi jiiui um- "I'll drive " said Bob ployment as sail-maker in the navy de- There was no placo left for Frank ex- partment. This Mr. F. did, and soon iiif. iiiC;io ti.n i,.i.,i.eA MMinvn u-.i mm afterward Hansen was transferred to the only for him to lie at full length. Away African squadron or some other far dis thev started for the apple-cut. As they tant post of duty. The circumstance ing excepting what was on their backs, and had sold all of the household effects upon which money could be raised. Evei'3'thing was gone and the3 wore en tirely destitute. The young man's ap peal"toucbed Mr. Far well's heart and he gave him 50. Hansen was overwhelmed with gratitude. He had not expected aii3 such amount and was astonished be yond measure. To prove that he was hearse along the Ding When thev I P 11 I I l L vanity oi uie Droops reached the Baymondskill bridge, three millos from Milford, Frank, unable to change his position inside called out: "Bu-u-u-ub, ain't you tired o' driv- want to give you some warm clothes, and slackened his pace and listened ihenitwillbe easy for you to find the "The diamonds were all ol place next time." ' water," the gentleman said. " Pi Johnny hung his head. This kindness had overpowered him, and not a word could he sa3. "I didn't mean to hurt 3ou, Johnny," the tender-hearted teacher hurried to sa3. "You are willing I should help you, are you not?'' "T eruess vou had better let me git the first It was a present to 1113 wife from her father, and she is terribly cut up at the loss. I don't suppose we shall ever.iind it." "lrou will advertiso it, won't 3011?" his companion inquired. "Of course," the gentleman replied, "but more than likely it has fallen into dishonest hands, and unless the reward now Miss Lee," the boy replied huskily.' is mA C(lal to the value of the dia "You could knock me down with an eye- winker. You needn t worry about my remembering all you've said, but just now I'm all broke up." "And I can trust you, Johnny?" the lad3 inquired. "It's a go, ma'cm," the boy answered simply. Miss Leo tucked a dollar bill in his the hand, and Johnny hurried out oi building, It took considerable tact and skill as well as time, for the boy to satisfactorily nionds we shall probably never see them." "When the gentlemen separated the one who was interested in the diamonds entered the Cit3 Hall and after little in quiry J ohun3 discovered that this gen tleman held a very honorable office in the city department. After finding this out the lad took a turn around the Park to think it over again. "Grann3 Leeds said I was a offscour ing and Miss Lee said I ain't," he aruged to himself. "If I keep these shiners 1 1 1 M "I notorously ni-iniormed as to our re sources. or a long time past our most important representatives have been the steamers which for purposes of trade have plied the Irrawaddy. On almost the last occasion of the reception of Englishmen by Thcebaw he dwelt ui)on the commercial advantages thus afforded in a manner which showed that them as our chief titles to his consideration. Then the abortive attempt of Prince Nyouugoke, while it has llattored the which overthrew him, has correspond mgry lowered us in his esteem. lior it was generally believed in Burmah, ab surd as it may seem, that the Prince escaped from our territory not only with our connivance, but 1)3 our assistance; and further, that we look to him to ac complish that conquest of Thcebaw, which we dared not attempt. With all these considerations in view it is eas3 to seo that the so-called insolent atti tude of the Burmese troops may ap pear to them quite justified 13 farts. Yhether 11103 will proceed to blows is another matter. The report that when Thcebaw has got up his re-enforcements he will send a messenger to demand an indemnit3 from the British Government is reassuring, for it points to no imme diate outbreak of hostilities. Our answer will probably be in the negative, under tho circumstances of the threats which accompaii3' the demand, though it is not pleasaut to reflect that in several re spects Thcebaw is in the right and we are in the wrong. We saved N3oungoke from tho exterminating wrath of the King, and then we allowed him to escape from our Territoiy and raise an insur rection in Burmah. At this moment he is a prisoner in Calcutta, so that we have twice balked Theebaw of his revenge. Had tho request for an indemnity been preferred diplomaticall3 it would per haps have been polite to have acceded to it. I Pall Mall Gazetto. Hot Beaiungs. It has long been known that sulphur cools a hot bearing, but the reason win is doubtful. Yon Heeren states that tho fine metal dust formed when a journal runs hot, and drove out of town people wondered who was dead, that took Bub Wells and the hearse out of town at that time of da3 The old mare was a good "goer, and she rattled the man ror.d at a lively m "Not a bit," Bub shouted back, foil vmi Hin Tourer if? ji riimor. (r'lii.ncr And awa3 she "went, faster than ever Frank was jolted up and down with evciy had passed entirely from Mr. Farwell 's recollection, but one day, while thecam imign was in progress, he received a let ter from the person in question, in which the writer, who was then into a theologi- school a hundred or two miles distant, volunteered to come to Chicago, his home, and work among his Sweedish the hearse acquaintances for the election of his iormer oeneiacror. iur. Harwell wroie him that his services would not be I T needed, and thanking him for the inter est he was taking in the election, thought no more about it. Two or three days after the election Mr. Farwell was met at the door of his motion of the hearse, until he hardly had storG by a smiling young man, who ex breath or strength to make Bub hear him as he called out a mile further on: "S-a-a-a-ay, Bu-u-u-b, ain't you 'fraid the mare'll k-i-i-i-ck vou? Better let me drive a while, ha-a-a-dn't vou?' "There ain't no danger," replied Bub. "Don't feel anxious about me, for I un derstand the Tearer. Besides, it's cliilly out here, and 3'011'd better sta3 where vou're comfortable. Get out o' this, Tearer!" And she did. Up hill aud down, smooth stretches of highway and rocky places, were all the same to her. B3 the time tho3 reached; the foot of the long hill this side of Dingmau's ferry, two miles from their destination, Frank was almost in the last stages of suffocation, and nearly pummoled to a jelly. "B-u-u-u-b," said he, through tho front window of the hoarse, "it's too cussed mean to let that h-o-o-rse pull me up this hil I. I want to walk. Let me o-u-u-ut." But the mare went up the hill like a shot. Seeing that Bub didn't intend to stop, Frank begaii to kick the door of the hearse out, so that he could back himself out and drop to the ground. When Bub heard the work of demolition going on behind, he thought it would be which acts strongly upon both journal best to stop aud give Frank a rest. A and bearing, forms a sulphide with the half-mile or so this side of Dingman's, sulphur. This compound, which grows where the apple-cut was to be held, the soft and greas3, does not cause an3 ap- road begins a very decided down grade preciable amount of friction. Sulphur going toward that village. When Frank and grease, in combination, are in regu- began to kick at the hoarse door the lar use on board the steamers of the Tearer was rapidly tqyproaching this hill. 2? orth German Loyd's. Bob began to pull upon her and cry tended his hand and shook the proffered congressional digits warmly "I sup pose you do not Know mer said the stranger. "Yes, I do though," replied Charley, after a monWt's sera tiny. "lour name is Hansen."" I remember you very well." I received your Tetter " continued Hansen, "concludedto come up an3way and work for 3011 among my conntiy men. I have been in the city for two or three weeks, and, am on the point of re turning to my school. I merely called to extend to you my heart' congratula tions, thank you aguin for the great favor ou once conferred upon me and mine. With tins the warm hearted bweed again shook Mr. Farwell's hand and bidding good-bye went off. It is difficult to saj which was the luippiest of the two at that moment, Hansen at the opportune he had eujo3ed of proving his gratitude in a substantial manner, or. jTr. Farwell at the unexpected and unusual exhibition of unsolicited friendship on the part of one for whom he had years before done a kindness. Such little episodes do much to light up the pathway of the men of .the world. There was a large boiler of scalding water over a fire in the yard and several black imps pla3iug near it. Suddenly a shrill voice was heard from inside the shanty: "You Gawge Washington keep away from dat ar biler. D'rectly you is gwine ter upset de biler all over yerself, and yez will be fust one to sa ' 'Twant me, mammy.