WHICH ONE?
You don't mean it"
"Bat I do. though." ;
"Isn't it a rather sudden condomon?"
"On the contrary, my dear boy, I have
fceoa thinking of it for some time."
Fred Bent gave a low whistle.
Well, 1 must 'say you have kept; it
anighty private."
"The best policy. If I had told you
ta the first place you might have per
Mutded me out of the notion. 'Now it is
jaiTVWKihln "
uui you saia you snonia never
"All blow, my dear fellow. When a
wan is young, a mere boy, he does well
to rail at marriage and! declare that he
will never wed. When a man arrives
at my years and gray haira he will think
tatter of it"
Bat Laurie, honest old fellow, were
yoa never in love?"
"Me neverP And Laurence Weston
laughed scornfully at the idea as he
-lighted a fresh cigar.
"Then yon are not going to marry for
Save?" inquired Bent
"No."
. -What for. then?"
"Oh, a variety of things, I suppose."-
"Money, for one thing, I fancy," he
wat on, "and then 1 am growing older;
aay chances to marry well to my liking
will not always be as fair as they are
stow, and I always intended to marry
anally."
"Oh, did you?"
"Yes, though I would never own it;
Wat I am in earnest now, and I mean to
ry before this year is out"
"Have you selected the lady?"
"There are two of them."
"Oh, you are going over to the Mor-
"No, but you know a reserve force
i handy. 'If one won't' you know
the rest Now, my dear Fred, all this
amiaense about falling in love is bosh
pare humbug. I never could love one
woman any better than another, unless
1 knew her better and discovered in her
- mature more lovable qualities. I think
it Is much better to select a woman
-whom yon think in every way likely to
ait you, and then set about learning to
fike her. When a man is head over ears
in love his judgment is warped and his
yeedght proverbially poor."
Fred Bent laughed good natnredly.
"I don't know, Laurie. 1 am always
is love, so of course my advice is. worth
less to you."
"Exactly," said his friend: -Now these
two young ladies"
."Would you object to telling me their
win en?" interrupted Bent
"Not in the least They are both called
vuncne.
"What, the two Blanches?"
"Yes, Miss Stnrtevant and Miss Well
ington both very suitable in everyway.
and, as far as I know, 'heart whole and
Jaacy free.' " '
"Well, you ought to win," said Bent
"You are good looking, and, by Jove, you
kue plenty of assurance. "But I must be
Xang," and he arose. .
At the door he turned and called back:
I t .1 T 3 I .
sorrow night?"
"Yes, 1 shall be there."
' The next night found him, fantlessly
attired, at Mrs. Leonard's reception.
A shimmer of peach bloom satin in
the moving mass of humanity attracted
aim, and taking a pair of sparkling
Imwu eyes as guiding stars he made his
way to the side of Blanche Stnrtevant
As she made room for him beside her
he said:
"I thought you didn't like receptions."
"I do not as a general thing," he re
plied, "but this had a peculiar attraction
for me."
The meaning be threw into the glance
be bestowed on her sent the delicate rose
bloom to her cheeks, and she looked ten
times as lovely to his fastidious eyes.
-. But suddenly, while he gazed at her
pretty flushed face, a queer sensation
seized him. He felt actually timid about
asking this beautiful girl to be his wife,
even though he had been for years a man
of the world. Somehow he felt as though
ahe could read his very thoughts with
those bright eyes.
"Do I look very badly?"
Her musical voice recalled him to his
"I beg your pardon. Was I staring at
you? Your dress is beautiful and you."
"Thank you," she said hurriedly,
"I fancied from the intentness of your
gaze you had not quite decided whether
I would do or not," and she laughed.
"I was in a brown study," he returned.
The crowd surged around them, and
two or three men looked anxiously at
the seat occupied by Weston.
Some music was playing in another
room, and when the strain had ended
be spoke again.
"Miss Stnrtevant," he said, "1" wanted
to ask you a question tonight, but the
crowd is bo great that there is not much
opportunity for confidential talks. If
X write to you tomorrow will you favor
me with a reply?"
"Certainly 1" and the brown eyes
availed sweetly, and perhaps uncon
sciously at him, as he rose to relinquish
bis seat to another admirer.
"There that was neatly done," was
bis mental comrfient; "no fus?, no love
making to undergo, nothing disagree
able, and if the fates are kind I shall
have one of the finest looking and one of
the richest women in C for my wife."
He threaded his way carefully among
the crowd, replying to a kindly greeting
here and there, and presently found him
aelf in the conservatory.
Bui it was occupied.
Standing-under a tall palm, a radiant
-vision in blue and gold, stood Blanche
"Wellington.
His face brightened as he approached
ber, for anything beautiful always ap
pealed strongly to the artistic side of his
nature, and what could be more beauti
ful than this tall, queenly woman, with
crown of golden hair and the deep
blue of a violet lurking in the cool
depths of her evest
What an opportunity there was to win
for his own this lovely girl!
His conversation with Miss Stnrte
vant, a iVw moments ago, crossed hi
mind, but be , dismissed it with . a
thought . ,
He conM easily explain to her his re
quest. Thank heaven, he had sot com
mitted himself!
Miss Wellington turned to him with a
smile.
"So you are here this evening. , Do
you enjo5' it?"
. "I have not until now."
What did it matter if that sweet
speech was false, it was very neat At
any rate, it brought a beautiful color
to the soft cheek of the maiden before
him.
"Is it not beautiful in here?" she said.
"Yes, it is a fit setting for you."
"Now you are flattering me."
"Indeed I am not; I am always truth
ful," andhe threw a world of counterfeit
tenderness into the dark eyes he turned
uporj her.
It was ' only a step from that to some
thing more and he took it
Holding her soft, white hand in his,
he began:
"Miss Blanche, I am growing very
tired of a lonely life. I want some one
to share my griefs and joys. Will you
be my wife?"
"Really I hardly know," she began.
At that moment gay voices were heard
coming in their direction, and she drew
her hand away from his clacp.
In another moment the lively party
were in sight, and he had only time to
murmur, "I will write tomorrow will
you reply?"
"."Yes," and presently the cool, retired
place was invaded by the merrymakers,
and Laurence Weston beat a hasty re
treat The next day be wrote the two letters
he had promised for he was a man of
his word.
To Miss Stnrtevant he wrote this:
Dbak Miss Blanchk I wish to apolo
gize to you fur soma remarks I made to you
last night, and to say that I have changed my
mind concerning the matter I spoke of. It was
really of no consequence, and I beg yon will
not give it any thought. It was only an idle
question, which merely amounted to ytip,
and in fact the cause which existed for my re
quest no longer exists. Please treat the whole
affair as a Joke, and oblige. Yours,
li Weston.
On another sheet of the fine cream
note paper he always used he wrote to
Miss Wellington thus-.
Dear Miss Blanch-Bad time permitted
last night 1 should have urged you to accept
my hand and heart. But the crowd was so
great and the opportunity for private conver
sation so limited that it was impossible. You
promised to write to me may I hope for a fa
vorable answer? If so, please appoint a time for
me to call and tell you all I would say more
fully than I can commit it to paper. Yours.
L. Weston.
'There," as he folded both letters and
placed them in their envelopes, "I feel
sure of her reply."
This was in the morning, and in the
evening Fred Bent dropped in, as was
hie custom. -
For a few momenta the two men
smoked in silence. -
Then there was a knock on the door,
which Mr. Weston answered.
When be came back into the room he
held in his hand two letters.
"If yon will excuse me. Fred, I will
read these," he said.
"Oh, certainly go ahead. From the
fair charmers, I suppose."
Laurence Weston opened the letters at
random.
The first read like this:
Drak MiL Weston Although your proposal
was a great surprise to me, for I always thought
you were not a marrying man, I can say that I
am inclined to regard it and you favorably.
If you will call tomorrow at 10 I shall be glad
to receive you. Yours,
Blanche Stubtevant.
Blank dismay was pictured on his
features as he opened the other, and
read:
Mr. Weston:
Deab Sik It is entirely immaterial to me
whether your language of last night was a joke
or not, and no apologies are necessary. Allow
me to advise you, though, that in well regu
lated society such jokes are considered insults
to a woman. Yours,
Blanche Wellington.
"What's the matter, Laurie? ' Yon
look as though you had had a shock,"
said Bent '
"So I have. Here, read these," and he
pushed the letters toward his friend
Bent read them. "
' Then he burst into hearty laughter.
"What are you laughing at?" asked
Weston.
"Ha, hal Because really, old fellow,
I can't help it It's too good well, if it
isn't rich. Did you mean to do it?"
. "Mean to do what?"
"Can you ask me?" said Bert, tragic
ally, waving the two sheets of scented
note paper in the air.
"What have I done? For heaven's
sake tell me if you can, Fred."
"Is it possible that yon don't know?
You are not very shrewd, Laurie, or else
you are in love, and love, yon know, is
'proverbially blind.' "
"Go on," said Laurence impatiently.
"Why, man alive, you put your letters
in the wrong envelopes, as near as I can
see."
A sudden ray of intelligence darted
over Weston's face.
"I believe I did," he said ruefully,
"and see what a scrape I have drawn my
devoted head into."
"Could you make it up "with Misa
Wellington?"
"I feel sure 1 could. But Miss Stnrte
vant has practically accepted me. and
sea how I must inRult her.
"And yet," mused Fred, "you ought
to explain to Miss Wellington,
"I know it," distractedly, "but if I do
I must also explain to Miss Stnrtevant"
"Now, honestly, Laurie, do you care
anything for either one?"
"No, honestly, Fred, I like and admire
one as much as the other." . .
"Why not give them both up?" .
"And get into the mire deeper than 1
am? Besides, I am determined to marry
one of them."
"Well," said Bent, rising to go, "I am
sorry for you, Laurie. This is what
Sour assurance and sound common sense
ave brought you to. For my part, I pre
fer romance. Goodby, old fellow."
"Goodby," came mournfully from the
depths of the easy chair.
At the door Bent halted.
"I say, Laurie, I might help you out
I might marry one of them."
"If you only would; but which one?"
. "Aye, that's it," echoed Bent as he
dosed the door and went down the hall;
and the evening breezes wafted his
words back, "Thafs the rub which
one?" Agnes L. Pratt in Boston Globe.
TWO DAYS.-
t era d a aaiiiisrt flald; the skies' wea
The tasty trees stretched green ai
head;
The sun shook go4 dust thro the April air.
And a glad brook leaped down its pebbled bed.
The meadow lark flung oat such liquid notes.
My happy soul stood still and leaned to hear;
The wild canaries fluffed their yellow coats.
And turned their restless heads in Jealous
fear.
And, oh, my heart was glad, for it was spring;
Blue, blue the dappled skies that swung
above! -
Bat still more glad my soul, remembering
The world was sweet to me because of love.
I crossed a lonely field; the skies were gray:
The winds crept in from sea with sullen
moans;
tee locked, ice bound, the -brook grieoi night
and day
Above the hollow sound of fulling cones.
With drumming wings the mottled pheasant
flew; . .
The ghostly trees reached barren arms across;
And, oh, my heart was sad so well I knew
The winter world was dull because of loss.
Ella Higginson in West Shore.
Aa Amualng Scene la Court.
One of the most amusing yet unex
pected sensation scenes ever witnessed
in a theatre occurred at the Theatre
Royal, Manchester. ' The curtain drew
np for Mr. Toole to address the court in
re Bardell vs. Pickwick, when the whole
of the jury mysteriously disappeared,
their "box" suddenly giving way and
ingulfing the "good men and true."
At first the vast audience who crowded
every part of the theatre were silent,
fearing some dreadful accident had oc
curred, but as the unlucky jurymen
rapidly reappeared, unhurt, though look
ing very foolish, they' broke out into a
perfect hurricane af laughter, which
lasted several minutes.
The curtain had to be dropped to allow
the jury to be "boxed" again, and when
Mr. Toole began his address he provoked
another burst of risibility by alluding to
the jury as "that worthy body of stead
fast and immovable men."
A peculiarly amusing feature of this
novel scene was the fact that the. major
ity of the "jury" were stage carpenters,
whose duty it was to erect the "court,"
and they suffered in this case for their
own carelessness. London Tit-Bits.
Biding- the Wooden Horse.
Torture on a grand . scale went out
with Felton, the assassin of Bucking
ham, but torture on a small scale con
tinued to be practiced on military of
fenders down to the Eighteenth century.
The form most frequently resorted to
was that known as the "wooden horse, to
ride which was the punishment accorded
for petty thefts, insubordination, and so
on. The wooden horse was made, of
planks nailed together so as to form a
sharp ridge or angle, about eight or nine
feet long. This ridge represented the
back of the horse, and was supported by
four posts or legs about five feet high,
placed on a stand made movable by
truckles. To complete the resemblance
with the noblest s-Tiimal in creation a
head and tail were added.
When a soldier was sentenced, either
by court martial or by his commanding
officer, to ride the horse, he was placed
on the brute's back, with his hands tied
behind him, and frequently enough, in
order to increase the pain, muskets were
fastened to his legs to weigh them down
or, as was jocularly said, to prevent the
fiery, untamed, barebacked steed from
kicking him off. London Graphic.
A New Glove Mender.
It is quite a difficult matter to repair
one's gloves so neatly and perfectly that
it cannot be detected as an nonprofes
sional's vork, . but there is a little in
vention which facilitates this work to
such a degree that even untrained hands
can do it with neatness and dispatch.
The apparatus is made of nickel, and
consists of two parts, which press against
each other by means of a spring. Part
of the top edge is provided with small
teeth in close range to each other. The
seam of the glove to be mended is care
fully pressed between these teeth, and
the needle passed in and out at every
opening. Repairing done in this man
ner is so perfect that it cannot be no
ticed. New York Journal
As the fly glides rapidly over a smooth
surface every step presses out a supply
of gum strong enough to give him a
sure footing and to sustain him in safety
if he halts. So strong is the cement that
that upon one of his six feet is quite suf
ficient to sustain the weight of his whole
body. But if he stands still the gum
may dry np and harden quickly, and so
securely fasten the traveler's foot as to
make a sudden step snap the leg itself.
The sponge reproduces its kind mainly
by eggs. In each animal are contained
both the male and the female elements,
and it throws out the ova to be hatched
in the water. At first the young are free
swimming, and afterward they attach
themselves to convenient spots and grow.
Primarily, sagacious dogs seemed to
have had their origin in southern Europe,
the fighting dogs in Asia and the swift
running dogs, like the greyhound, among
the Celtic nations. Nevertheless, there
is no doubt that the mastiff, which is a
fighter, is of British origin.
When a blood vessel is severed or cut
in the arm or leg a tourniquet should be
made of a handkerchief with a knot in
it, tightly twisted so that the knot covers
the artery or main blood veeseL When
the blood stops flowing the pressure
should cease.
For nearly two centuries in England
only the kings were allowed to use forks.
Their subjects had to keep on pie
with their fingers. Queen Elizabeth had
a jeweled fork, and we are told that ber
favorite breakfast was "a pie of goose."
"If a man pulls np a mandrake," says
an old time writer, "he, will surely die
soon thereafter. In common prudence
it is best to tie a dog to the plant, and
thus escape the evil thyself.''
Kossuth usually finishes the day with
a game of billiards, and, though be at fe3
years old, be plays with ' a steady hand
and usually wins
WMesalc aid Retail Dmipsts.
-DEALERS 1N-
Fina Imported, Key West and Domestic
OIGhAIES.
PAINT
Now is the time to paint your house
and if you wish to get the best quality
and a fine color use the
Sherwin, Williams Co.'s Faint.
For those wishing to see the quality
and color of the above paint we call their
attention to the residence of . L. Brooks,
Judge Bennett, Smith French and others
painted by Paul Kreft.
Snipes & Kinersly are agents for the
above paint for The Dalles. Or.
Don't Forget the
EP P 8P0)1,
- MacDonali Bros., Props.
THE BEST OF
Wines, Lipors and Cigars
ALWAYS ON HAND.
(I.E. BiYAI(D (JD.,
Real Estate,
Insurance,
and Loan
AGENCY.
Opera House Bloek,3d St.
Chas. Stubling,
PROPRIETOR OP THK
ERTI,
New Vogt Block, Second St.
WHOLESALE AND RETAIL
Liquor v Dealer,
MILWAUKEE BEER ON DRAUGHT.
Dr. E. C. West's Nerve and Brain Treat
ment, s guaranteed specific for Hysteria, Dizzi
ness, Convulsions, Fits, Kervous Neuralgia,
Headache, Nervous Prostration caused by the use
of alcohol or tobacco, Wakefulness, Mental De
pression, Softening of theifrain. resulting in in
sanity and leading to misery, decay and death,
Premature Old Age, Barrenness, Loss of Power
In either sex. Involuntary Losses and Spermat
orrhoea caused by over exertion oftthe brain, self
abuse or over indulgence. Each box contains
one month's treatment. 1 1 .00 a box, or six boxes
for $5.00, sent by mail prepaid on receipt of price.
WB GUARANTEE SIX BOXES
To cure any case. With each order received by
us for six boxes, accompanied by $5.00, we will
send the purchaser our written guarantee to re
fund the money if the treatment does not effect
s cure. Guarantees issued only by
BLAKELEY & HOCGHTON,
Prescription Druggists.
175 Second St. The Dalles, Or.
YOU
NEED
BUT ASK
The 8. B. Headache and Liver Cure taken
according to directions will keep your Blood,
liver and Kidneys In good order.
The 8. B. Cough Curb for Colds, Coughs
and Croup, in connection with the Headache
Care, is ss near perfect as anything known.
The 8. B. Alpha Pain Cube for internal snd
external use, in Neuralgia, Toothache, Cramp
Colic snd Cholera Morbus, is unsurpassed. They
are well liked wherever known. Manufactured
it Dufur, Oregon. For sale by all druggists
Health is Wealth !
THe Dalles Clpnicie
' ill " v-: :
is here and has come to stay. It hopes
to win its way to public favor by ener
gy, industry and merit; and to this end
we ask that you give it a fair trial, and
if satisfied with its course a generous
support.
The Daily . v
four pages of six columns each, will be
issued every evening, except Sunday,
and will be delivered in the city, or sent
oy mail tor tne moderate sum of fifty
cents a month.
Its Objects
will be to advertise
city, and adjacent country, to assist in
developing our industries, in extending
and opening up new channels for our
trade, in securing an open river, and in
helping THE DALLES to take her prop
er position as the
-.'
Leading City of
The paper, both daily and weekly, will
kjvj liiuc jJCJ-LU.CJ-L b XJJL JJU11U.US, tlllU ILL 1XS
criticism of political matters, as in its
handling of local affairs, it will be
JUST, FAIR AND IMPARTIAL.
"We will endeavor to give all the lo
cal news, and we ask that your criticism
of our object and course, be formed from
the contents of the paper, and not from:
rash assertions of outside parties.
THE WEEKLY,
sent to any address for $1.50 per year.
It will contain from four to six eight
column pages, and we shall endeavor
to make it the equal of the best. Ask
your Postmaster for a copy, or address.
THE CHRONICLE PUB. GO.
Office, N. W. Cor. Washington and Second Sts.
THE DALLES.
The Grate City of the Inland Empire is situated at
the head of navigation on the Middle Columbia, and
is a thriving, prosperous city.
ITS TERRITORY.
It is the supply city for an extensive and rich agri
cultural an grazing country, its trade reaching as
far south as Summer Lake, a distance of over twe
hundred miles.
THE LARGEST WOOL MARKET.
The rich grazing country along the eastern slope
of the the Cascades furnishes pasture for thousands
of sheep, the -wool from -which finds market here.
The Dalles is the largest original -wool shipping
point in .America, about 5,000,000 pounds being
shipped last year.
ITS PRODUCTS.
The salmon fisheries are the finest on the Columbia,,
yielding this year a revenue of $1,500,000 which can
and will be more than doubled in the near future.
The products-of the beautiful Elickital valley find
market here, and the country south and east has this
year filled the "warehouses, and all available storage
places to overflowing -with their products.
ITS WEALTH
It is the richest city of its size on the coast, and its
money is scattered over and is being used to develop,
more farming country than is tributary to any other
city in Eastern Oregon.
Its situation is unsurpassed! Its climate delight
ful! Its possibilities incalculable! Its resources un
limited! And on these corner stones she stands.
the resources of the
Eastern Oregon.