AN "ELECTRIC" AFFINITY.
My dearest Invc when last you paid
That telegraphic bill
The touch of thy soft hand gave mo
A strong electric thrill.
A spark flashed from thy burning eye,
Thy voice with music vocal,
I thought how great a bliss If I
Could have thee for my "local."
And when through hours of toll wo bent,
How sweet n boon t'would be
To know of your kind, tender heart,
That I retained the "key."
Should Cupid's current e'er grow weak,
I say nor mean't as flatter',
I'd turn me to the rosy check
And just renew my "battery."
And If perchance our hearts grow cold,
Here Is the way we'd work It:
With hand In hand and lip to lip,
Wc would thus close Love's "circuit."
Then murmuring some soft nonsense o'er
And quailing klscs sweet,
Quick versed In telegraphic lore,
You'd whisper, "love, 'repeat' "
At last when asked by stirpliccd priest
To honor, love, obey,
I'd be content to hear thee lisp
Those magic words "O. K."
Doctor An tekirtL
A SEQUEL TO MATHIAS SANDORF.
JEZy X nlcs Verwe,
Atrrnon op "jodiiney to tiif. centjih
OP Tim EARTH,
' TRIP TO THE MOON,
"AROUND THE WORLD JN EIOIITX
DAYS," " MICHAEIi STROOOrP,"
" TWENTY THOUSAND IiEAOUEa
UNDER THE SEA," ETC., ETC
Xtantlation copyrighted by a. IT. llanna, 1SSA
CHAPTER IX.
COMPIJOATION.S.
Fourteen years had elapsed sinco Silas
Torontlml had loft Trieste- to lako up
residence at Ragusa. Being of Dalma
tian birth nothing could ho moro natural
tlian that when lie rotirod from business
ho should return to his native land.
Tho traitors kept their scerot well.
Tho prico of their trenehory had boon
duly paid. And thereby a handsomo
fortune foil to tho bunker and his old
Tripolitan correspondent.
After tho execution of tho prisoners
In tho fortress of l'isino, after tho 1 light
of Count Mat bias Sandorf, who had
found his deatli in the waves of tho
Adriatio, the sentences had boon com
pleted by tho seizure of their posses
sions. Of tho house and cstato belong
ing to Lndislas Zathmar nothing
remained not even enough to yield a
living to his old servant. Of Stophen
Bathory's possessions nothing remained,
for ho had no fortune and tho lessons
lio gave produced his only ineoino. But
tho castlo of Artenak and its rich
dopondoneies, tho neighboring mines
and tho forests on tho northerly slopes
of tho Carpathians wore of considerable
value. They were divided into two
parts, ono of which was sold to pay tho
informers and tho other was placed
under sequestration to bo restored to tho
Count's heiress when slio had attained
her eighteenth year, If the child died
boforo than her share was to revert to
tho estate.
The two quarters givon to tho inform
ers amounted to a little over 1,500,000
ilorins, and with this hugo sum they
could do as they pleased.
At tho outset tho accomplices made
tip their minds to separate. Sareany
did not care to remain with Toronthai,
and tho banker had no wish to contiuuo
his businossrelutions with him. And so
Sareany left Trieste with Zirono, who
not having left him in adversity, was
not tho man to leave him in prosperity.
Both disappeared and tho banker heard
nothing about them for somo time.
Vhoro had they gone? Probably to
eomo largo European city, where people
do not botlmr themselves about a man's
origin, providing ho was rich, and
cared nothing of how a man had gained
liis wealth, providing ho spent it among
them.
Tho banker breathed more freely whon
tlioy loft him. lie thought he had no
moro fear from a man who to a certain
extent hold him in his power. Never
theless, although Sareany was rich it
was never safe to trust to prodigals of
Ilia species, and if ho ran through his
raonoy what was to prevent him coming
back to his old accomplice?
Six months afterwards Toronthai,
having cleared oft" his dilllculties, sold
his business and dellnatoly abandoned
Triosto for Ragusa Although thorn
wan nothing to fear from tho indiscre
tion of the governor, who was tho only
person that knew tho part he had played
iu tho discovery of tho conspiracy, this
Boomed tho safest course for a man who
did not wish to lose reputation, and
whom an ample fortune assured an easy
life wherever lie wenL
This resolution to leavo Triosto waa
probably further encouraged by a pecu
liar oircuinstanoe whioh will bo men
tioned later on. This circumstance waa
known only to himself and his wife,
and had but ono occasion only brought
him into connection with Nanur, whom
wo have seen us acquainted with Sar
eany. It was nt Ragusa that the banker had
Bottled dowu. Ho had loft it very
youug without friends or relatives, llo
had quito dropped out of recollection,
and it was as a stranger that ho returned
to tho town which ho had not revisited
for forty years.
To a rich man appearing under such
circumstances llugusan society gavo
hearty welcome. Only one thiug was
known about him and that was that ho
had wCd a high 'xwition at Trieste,
Tho banker sought and found a mansion
in tho most nristooiatio quarter of tho
town. Ho started a largo ostahliihmi'ut,
and engaged a fresh statf of servants to
what he had at Triosto. Ho visited and
was visited. As no ono know any thiug of
his past life, was ho not ono of those
privileged beings who iu this world aro
called happy ?
Torouihal did not suffer much from
remorse Had it not been for tho fear
that somo day his abominablo treachery
would bo discovered, there would appar
ently havo been nothing to troublo his
existence except his wifo who remained
a silent but living reproach to him.
For that unhappy woman, honest and
straightforward as alio was, know of tho
hatclul scheme that had scut tho threo
patriots to their deaths. A word escaped
from her husband when his affairs wero
in jeopardy, a hopo imprudently
expressed that Bomo of Sandorf's monoy
might help him out of his difficulties,
somo signatures ho had had to obtain
from his wife had drawn from him tho
confession of his sharo in tho Triosto
conspiracy.
Au insurmountable aversion for tho
man who was bound to her was tho
feeling sho thereupon experienced
and tho fecli'jg was all the keener from
her being ol Hungarian birth. But as
wo havo said, sho was a woman of no
moral energy. Tho blow fell on her,
and sho could not recover from it.
Ilonceforth at Trieste and afterwards nt
Ragusa sho lived apart from her bus
baud, as muoli as Jier position per
mitted. Sho appeared at tho receptions
in tho houso in tho Strndoiio : it was
necessary for her to do so, and her hus
band insisted on it j but when sho had
played her part as n woman of tho
world sho rotired to her apartments.
There sho dovotcd herself entirely to tho
education of her daughter, on whom
sho had concentrated all her affection,
and endeavored to forget what sho know.
To forgot, when tho man who had acted
in this way was living undor tho samo
roof with her I
Two years after their removal to .Rag
nsa tho state of things became still
moro complicated. And if tho compli
cation was an annoyance to tho banker
it was a subject of further grief to his
wifo.
Madamo Bathory, hor son and Borik,
had also loft Trieste to tako up their
quarters at Ragusa, where they had a
few relatives. Stophen Buthorv's widow
know nothing of Silas Toronthai; sho
did not oven know that ho and Count
Sandorf had overbad business together.
But if Madamo Bathory did not know
the banker ho know her. To find him
self in tho samo town, to moot her as ho
passed by poor, working to oduoato her
child was anything but agreeable to
him. Had Madamo Bathory conio to
Ragusa before ho had made up his
mind to live thero ho would probably
havo chosen otherwise. But when tho
widow camo to livo at her humble house
in Kuo Marinolla his mansion had
already been bought, he had occupied
it and tho position had boon dellnatoly
accepted. Jt would not havo done to
change his residence for tho third time.
" Wo get accustomed to everything,"
ho said to himself. And ho resolved
to shut his eyes to this permanent wit
ness to his treachery.
But what was only au unpleasantness
for the banker was an innocent cause of
grief and remorse to Madamo Toron
thai. Secretly on several occasions sho
had triod to send help to this widow
who had no other wealth than her work ;
but tho holp was always refused like
that of other unknown friends.
Then the position becamo almost
insupportablo owing to an occurrence,
most unforeseen, almost improbablo,
and even terrible by the complications
it might bring about.
Madame Toronthai had concentrated
all hor affections on her daughter, who
was two and a half years old when at tho
end of 1807 hor husband camo to livo at
Bagusa.
Sava was now sevonteen a beautiful
girl, more of the Hungarian than tho
Dalmatian type. With her dark abund
ant hair, and bright glowing eyes sot
deep beneath a somewhat lofty forehead
of " psychic form" if wo can appropri
ately use tho term that ehirognomists
apply moro particularly to the hand
with her well curved mouth and sweot
complexion and her graceful llguro
rather above tho middle height, she was
at least certain of never being passed by
with indifference.
But that which was most striking
about her was the pensive, serious mien
that soonied to show sho was ever in
search of somo long-faded remembrance
of something, sho know not what, that
at once allured and saddened her. On
this account it was that she treated with
extreme reservoall those sho mot in her
father's houso or out of doors.
She was supposed to bo the lioness of
an enormous fortune which one day
would be entirely her own, and was of
oourso much sought after. But
although many eligible individuals wero
introduced iu which all tho social pro
prieties were duly found, sho had always
refused under her mother's advice to
give them tho slightest encouragement.
Toronthai himself had never alluded
to the subject of her marriage. Prob
ably the sou-in law he wanted -moro for
himself thau Sava -had not yet eomo
forward.
To finish this portrait of Sava Toron
thai wo should note a very marked ten
dency to admire such acts of virtue or
courage as wore due to patriotism. Not
that sho took much interest in polities,
but in tho recital of all that affected her
country, in the sacrifices made for it,
and iu recent examples by which its his
tory has been made illustrious, sho
took deep interest. And these sonti
niontswero hardly owing to the aeoi
dent of her birth for assuredly sho did
not inherit them from Silas To'ronthal
but seemed to have arisen spontaneously
iu her own noble, generous heart.
What would explain tho sympathetic
attraction between her and Pierre?
Yea 1 A stroke of ill luck had intervened
in the banker's game, and brought these
two young people together. S.iva was
only twelve yearn old when ono day
Homebody had said in hor presence ;
"There goes the sou of the man who
died for Humrary ! ' And that was never
effaced from her memory.
Both grew up. Saw thought of
Pierro long boforo ho had noticed her.
She saw him. looking so serious, so
thoughtful 1 But if ho was poor ho
could at least work to be worthy of his
father's name nud alio did not know
tho whole story.
"Wo knew tho rest, woknowhowPicrro
Bathory was iu his turn attracted and
won by a nature which sympathized com
pletely with his own, and how when tho
girl know not her own feelings towards
him, the young man already loved her
with a profound nffection that sho was
soon to share. All that concorns Sava
will havo been said when wo havo
described her position in tho family.
Towards her father sho had always
been most reserved. Isovor had tho
banker betrayed tho slightest feeling of
kindness towards her, never had ho
greeted his daughter with n cares3.
This coolness between them aroso from
a completo want of nccord on every sub
ject. Sava had for Toronthai tho
respect n daughtor should havo for her
father nothing moro. Ho let her do as
sho liked, ho did not intorfero with any
of her tastes, ho placed no limit on her
works of charity which his natural osten
tation willingly encouraged. In short,
on his part thero was indilferenco ; on
hers thero was, it must bo confessed,
antipathy or rather aversion.
For Madamo Toronthai, Sava had
quito a different feeling. Tho banker's
wife submitted to her husband's control.
although ho showed her but littlo defer
ence, but sho was kind nnd good and
worth a thousand times moro in tho
honesty of her lifo and tho caro of her
personal dignity. Sho was very fond of
Sava. Beneath tho young girl's shy
ness sho had discovered her real worth,
niu tno niieciion sno leu ior nor was
rather artificial and modified by a kind
of admiration, of respect nnd oven of
fear. Tho elevation of Suva's character,
her straightforwardness, and at certain
times her inflexibility might perhaps
explain this strange form of maternal
love. However, tho girl returned lovo
for love, and even without tho ties of
relationship tho two would havo beou
deeply attached to each other.
Thero is therefore nothing to bo aston
ished at iu Madame Toronthai being tho
first to discover what was passing in tho
mind and heart of Sava Frequently
had the girl spoken of Pierro Bathory
and his family without noticing tho sor
rowful imprcs-iou that tho name mado
on her mother. And when Madamo
Toronthai dsscovered that Sava was in
lovo with tho young man
"Heaven wills it thou!" was all sho
murmured.
Wo may imagino what theso words
meant, but it is somewhat difficult to
understand how tho lovo of Sava for
Pierro could make amends for tho injury
ttouo to tno liatfi'iry family.
Madamo Toronthai having, however,
satisfied herself that it was all in accord
ance with tho designs of Providence,
had brought herself to think in hor pious,
trustful heart that hor husband would
consent to this union of tho families.
and so without saying anything to Sava
she resolved to consult him on the
subject.
At tho first words his wifo uttered
Toronthai flow into a towering rage
which ho mado no effort to control, and
sho had to retreat to her apartment with
the following threat ringing in her ears.
"Tako care, madamo ! Jf over you
dare speak to mo again on that subject
I will make you repetit it."
And so what Silas Toronthai called
"destiny" had not only brought tho
Bathory family to livo in tho samo town,
but had even brought Sava and Pierro
to meet and love one another.
Why, it may bo asked, so much irrita
tion on tho banker's part? Had ho
formed any secret design on Sava, on
hor future, that wore prejudio -d by this
complication ? In tho ovent of his
treachery being one day exposed, was it
not to his interest that the consequences
should bo atoned for as much as possible ?
"What would Pierre say when he had
become Sava Toronthal's husband?
What could Madamo Bathory do?
Assuredly it would bo a horrible situ
ation, the victim's son married to tho
murderer's daughter, but it would bo
horrible for them, not for him, Silas
Toronthai 1
Yes, but thero was Sareany, of whom
thens was no news, but whoso return
was alwayB possible, a return that might
lead to further engagements botweon
the accomplices, lie was not the man
to forget if fortuno turned against him.
Toronthai was, it need scarcely bo
said, not without anxiety at what was to
become of his old Tripolitan agent. Ho
had had no news from lilm slnco ho left
Trieste, lifteon years ago. Even in
Sicily where Sareany was most likoly to
bo heard of all inquiries had proved in
win. But ho might come back any day,
and hence a constant state of terror foi
the banker until tho adventurer waa
dead. And the news of his death Toron
thai would havo received with easily
intelligible satisfaction. Perhaps then
he would havo looked upon tho possi
bility of a marriage with Pierre in a
somewhat different light ; but at pres
ent it was not to bo dreamed of.
Toronthai never alluded to tho way in
whioh he received his wifo when she had
ppoken to him about Pierro Bathory.
Ho offered her no explanation of his
conduct. What ho did was to keep a
strict watch on Sava, and oven to sot
ppies to look after her ; and with regard
to the young engineer to behave towards
him as haughtily as possible, to turn
his head wliou lie met, and to aot in
every way so as to crush out all hope.
And he succeeded only too well iu show
ing that every attempt ou his part would
bo useless.
If under these circumstances that on
tho evening of the 10th of Juno tho
name of Sareany was heard across tho
room iu the mansion iu tho Stradone as
tho door opened and that individual
entered. Iu the morning Sareany and
Namir had taken the train at Cattaro
for Ragusa. Sareany had gone to ono
of tho chief hotels iu the town, dressed
himself iu the height of fashion, and
without losing an hour had hurried
round to visit his old friend.
Toronthai weloomod him and gavo
orders that tlioy wore not to bo disturbed.
How did ho tako this visit ? Was ho
master enough of himself to conceal his
true feelings at tho roappoanuioo ?
Was Sarcauy as imperious and insolent
as formerly ? Did ho remind tho bankor
of promises mado nn.i engagements
entered into years lcforo? Did they
speak of tho past, tho present or tho
f uturo ? What thev said wo know not,
for their interview was secret
But this was its result.
Twenty-four hours afterwards o rumor
was afloat which might well etertlo
society at Rigus.i. Every ono was talk
ing of tho marriago of Sareany a wealth
Tripolitan with bava ToronthaL
TO HE CONTINUED.)
FANCIED AILMENTS.
Imnfrlnnry Dlscnses of Unocuplcd Wo
men nnd Morbid Men.
A well-known physician several years
ago was spending his summer vacation
at tho country-scat of a leader in pub
lie affairs, a man noted for his moral
courngo and powerful intellect. Ho
was shocked on the evening of his arri
val to sco his host turn pale, stagger to
a soia, aim gasp louuiy lor breatti,
liiowiiooi me minting man, a worn.
wan little woman, quietly brought a
glass of water, and stood by him until
lie recovered.
He rose presently. "It is my heart,
doctor. Agonizing pains! I am confi
dent that it is angina pectoris. My
cnu win uo a suiioon one.
"Does your physician?" began his
guest, shocked and sympathetic.
"N-no. But I know. Tho pain is
simpiy intolerable.
Professional etiquclto kept tho visitor
silent, though ho shrewdly suspected
uio pain was rcicrauie to natuiency.
His host speedily recovered his spirits,
and the eveninir nasscd rtlcasantlv.
The next morning, however, the great
statesman appeared at the brenktast-ta-
ble, in a gloomy, irritable mood. Tho
doors and windows wero all shut, tho
teniporaturo of tho houo was kept nt
lever-neat, aim servants wero scolded
because, "knowing tho condition of his
lungs, they permitted draughts to civ
ter."
"I am convinced that I havo all tho
premonitory symptoms of pneumonia,"
he insisted, ins wife appeared, pale
and heavy-eyed, having been tip all
night in attendance on him. As ho
really had only an ordinary slight cold,
he forgot it about noon. Almost every
day brought somo new symptom of
pneumonia, Heart trouble or Bright a
disease, which were his favorite ail
ments. When his guest left him, ho
bade him a solemn farewell, saying: "I
shall mako a sudden end, doctor.
You'll see my deatli in the paper somo
morning, and I sii pose you'll say:
'Poor Blank! I wonih ho held out so
long!'. "
"Tho man," said th doctor, in tell
ing the story lately, is living yet, and
promises to. reach a hale, hearty old
age. But his wifo K dead. Sho was
not strong, and ncith. r body nor mind
could stand the wear i...d tear of his in
cessant complaints."
J Ins Is not so extreme a case as mav
at first appear. Jt is o common a ono
that an eminent phys eian, who makes
a specialty of nervous complaints, wroto
a book descriptive of tiie patient with
imaginary ailments, : nd his "victims,"
or nurses and family. Unoccupied
women, and men wh m large interests
in tho world niaki- them especially
dread death, are mo t apt to exaggerate
slight symptoms in j dangerous dis
eases. One of the hi a vest of American
soldiers would make liis family wretch
ed if he tore his (in rer with a pin oi
suffered from toothacne.
"Human courage," said General Lee,
should rise to the height of human
calamity." It slioul I also, if it be gen
uine, sink to the h . A of sea-sickness
or a bce-sting. Yon is Companion.
Daniel Webster
Though WobstorV
nd the Bible.
fame rests chiefly
lowers, ho was re
's familiarity with
is colleagues onco
upon his oratorical
inarkable, too, for !
the bible, in fact. '
nicknamed him tli . lliblo Concordance
of the United Stat' Senate. How ho
earned this title, and how tlto biblo in
fluenced his literary style, is told by tho
louth s Companion.
hue a mere bo;, ho read with such
power and express on that tlie passing
teamsters, who stopped to water their
horses, used to get "Webster's boy" to
eomo out beneath th shade of tho trees
and read the bible t thoni.
Those who heard Mr. Webster, in la
ter life, recito pas.- ijes from tho He
brew prophets and psalms, say that he
held them spcllbou id, while each pas
sage, oven tno most laminar, camo
home to them in a new meaning. Ono
gentleman says that ho never received
such ideas of tho majesty of God and
the dignity of man us hodid ono clear
night when Mr. W ister, standing in
the open air, recited i!io eighth psalm.
Webster's mother observed another
old fashion of New J 'gland in training
her son. Sho encou igeil him to mem
orize such vcripturn! passages as im
pressed him. The bo . 's retentive mem
ory, and his sensitiveness to biblo meta
phors and to the rhythm of tho English
version, stored his in nd with scripture.
On ono occasion tho teacher of the
district school offered a jack-knife to
the boy who could recito tho greatest
number of verses from tho bible. When
Webster's turn came, ho aroso nnd
reeled oft" so many verses that the mas
ter was forced to cry, "Enough!" It
was tho mother's training and tho boy's
delight iu the idioms andinusio of King
.rallies' version that made him tho "Bib
ical Concordance of tho Senate."
But these two factors mado him moro
than a "concordance." Tho Hebrew
prophets inspired him to eloquent uttor
anctvs. Ho listened to them, until their
vocabulary and idioms, as expressed iu
King James' translations became his
mother tongue. Of his lofty utterances
it may bo said, as Wndswo'rth said of
Milton's poetry, they are "Hebrew in
soul." Therefore they project them
selves into tho future.
The young man who would be a wri
tor that shall bo read, or an orator whom
poonle will hear, should study the En
glish bible. Its singular beauty and
great jwwer as literature, the thousand
sentiments ami associations which use
has attached to it, havo made it a might
ier force than any other book &r.
About 1&0,000 coplas of Hawthorne's "Scnrlot
Letter" have been issued. The "House ol
Sereu GaMns" did not retch more thau half
that number,
PE-NCILLSGS FROM LIFE
"What makes you think ho's a smart
man?"
i "Why, bless your soul, boy, ho can
whittlo with both hands, play tho fid
dle, talk Dutch, and go homo with tho
best-looking girl from n party every
time." -
"IIo's a nice man, isn't ho?"
"Well, ho may be, but I don't just
liko him."
Whv?"
"Web", I don't exactly know; but I
rockon it's because ho says Chowsday,
and cats pie with his knife."
"Bill, if you could mako a wish and
have it gratified, what, would it be?
Just onowish, mind you?"
"Well, I believe I'd say give mo
about as much of everything as a wo
man can sco at a glance."
"Heavens! do vou want tho wholo
earth?"
"You're not afraid of tho dog, nro
you bub?"
"No, ina'ain."
"Well, then, why don't 3011 eomo
right in? ho won't hurt you."
"I'm too timid, ma'am that's what
ails me. I'm always bashful when
thcro's dogs about."
"I've hoard them sa3 that Mosbo3's
wife is a very studious woman."
"Well, I guess 3'ou'd think so 3'our
self if you had boarded with 'em as
long ns I have."
"Why so?"
"WI13, she stews about everything
that goes on to tho table, and keeps
him in a stow all tho timo besides."
"Tho conversation wandered to
fruit.
"Somo peoplo can tell by tho feeling
of a watermelon whothorit is ripe or
not, butl never could," said one.
"I have a test that never fails," said
Mockabec; "and I can tell to a dead
certainty cvor3 timo whetlior tho mol
011 is ripe or green."
"How in the world do you do it?"
"Plug it."
"Hub," said a man to a small boy
"I heard somo of tho children in 3our
school had tho itch. How is it?"
"Well, us bo3s thinks tho Gible)'s
has got it."
"What makes 3011 think so?"
"WI13, 3-011 sco"the3''vo got sores all
over their hands."
"Do they scratch?"
"Yes, sir; U103' scratch their heads."
"Drockley's wifo is a mirhtv neat
housekeeper, now, isn't she?"
"lcs."
"He ought to bo, happy." .
"Perhaps so, lint ho can't be."
"Why not?"
"Sho don't give him time, for when-
over ho gets near the house sho keeps
him so busy cleaning his boots that tho
bird of J03' escapes mm.
"In mv opinion, animals aro color
blind."
"I don't believe it."
"I do. 1 havo been tn'ing somo ex
periments which convinced 1110 that
110110 of our domestic animals can dis
tinguish colors."
"Try another, and you'll change
your mind."
" liat s that:"'
"Kobe yourself in a red shawl and
walk through a field wliero a bull is
grazing."
A minister was remonstrating with
a drunkard about the evil of
his wa3. and trying to persuade him
to reiorm.
"It's no ('ic) use: I can't doit," said
tho sot.
"Yes, j-ou can, and vou must, or you
win 00 lorevor lost."
"Won't I know
whoro I (Mo)
know that you
lire and briiu-
am ?"
"Yes;" you will
are 111 the lake ot
stono."
"Firo 'n brimstono?"
"Yes."
"Well, if you'll Ca) ins' mako it
brimstono '11 molasses I'll eat iu wa3
out. Zee if 1 don' fie)."
"Papa, 1 saw a poor littlo boy to-day
that I felt awful sorry for."
"That's right, my boy. Wo should
always pity tho poor. Did you divido
your pennies with him?"
"Ao, no, papa; it wasn't that kind
poor I mean. Ho didn't need no
money.
"Oh, l sec; tho littlo follow was sick,
mav be.'
"No, not that, oithor, nana."
"Then what ailed him?"
"Wli3, nothing, only tho poor 1103
hadn't never been to a circus in his
wholo life. Wasn't it a shame?"
Chicago Ledger.
A Short Study in Misery.
Iviy friend sa3-s ho is "porfecth mis
erable." llo formulates his boliot from
certain promises of a deranged stomach
a reverse in forlude, and an aff'airc ilu
citur. it will at once appear that his
claim is ill-founded, sinco stomachs,
fortunes, and hearts aro rarely boyond
repair if treated as iu lining duty thoy
should bo.
Hut his remark brings us to tho
question: What is it to bo "porfeetly"
misorablo? What is tho supremo mis
ery of human life? A certain molo
drainatist, thinking to move b3 a spec
tacle of surpassing sufl'ering, 'has used
a means something liko this: Picturo
to yoursolf (says ho) tho scono of tho
wording night". Tho guests havo do
parted, and up tho lighted stairway
passes the bridegroom and his brido.
Thoy roach tho top of the stairwa3.
With all lovo, all rovorenco, ho turns
toher, and at that instant an armed
nssassin springs out of tho darkness
and strikes her dead at his feet! That,
thinks tho uielodrainntist, is ver3 near
tho height of human miser). And
truly wo do pity tho victim of nn of
theso sudden shocks. But perhaps in
this case tho.er) assassin, by reason
of tho malignant motives which im
pelled him, was tho greater sufferer
and tho moro miserable man. Him
wo do not pit).
Of these two, which is it? Tho
pitied, or tho unpitiablo?
If wo roarch among tho characters
of tragody for 0110 so depraved as to
bo boyond tho reach of sympatic, wo
light upon Iago, demon of heartless
vicj-cd.uess, Ho is an unnatural char
acter, but does for our purpose. So
repugnant is ho to our feelings that
wo aro glad when with demoniac
laughter he has vanished into tho
darkness, wherein ho was begotten.
Givo Iago remorse (whereby wo
should lose Iago, of course); let him
bo kccnl) alive to his life-long sins of
bod) and soul; lot him realize tho ul
timate anguish of a lifo spent in wast
ing opportunities and in totall)' neg
lecting all self-development; put linn
on the edgo of Life, unpitied unpitia
blo, expecting nothing of Justice, and
daring to hope nothing of Merc) and
perhaps we have ono typo of human
miser).
Upon the other hand, although it is
said by somo philosophers (and is
finely- sliadowed 111 the tragedy of tho
Ccnci) that man cannot be'dishonorcd
by the act of another against him, it is
truo beyond doubt that there may bo
misery without dishonor; and, indeed,
I am half inclined to think that tho
bitterness of spirit experienced by
that being who feels that his worst
hurts wero got not at his own hand,
but at tho hand of Fate by tho sins
of his fathers, by tho ghastlv irony of
Life, by tho random blows of utter
chance ma) well question with any
other the right to wear the cypress
crown.
Tito character of John Randolph is
irescnted to us. A man who was a
iving riddle. Scctliiiur hell locked up
in his breast a half lago-liko hate,
and wrath, and scorn, widen neverthe
less rested themselves upon very uu-
I lago-liko reasons. John Randolph is
dead. Maria ward, tno woman wliom
ho loved (and who loved him although
sho married another), and who doubt
less shared with him liis secret, is also
dead. No ono knows tho full history
of tho troublo which thoy alono un
derstood. Rut wo know" enough to
pity, and to call most miserable, the
man who rushed away from her ono
day with a man's tears in his eyes, too
proud to die, too sick at heart to live;
who dragged out his lifo with an agony
at his heart which he did not put thero
and which he could not reach.
Here aro two types of human woe.
Tno ono unpitiable; tho other, pitiful.
Nor can I in my owii mind drop any
factor from tho one without canceling
as much 111 the other.
It is a matter of joy for my discon
solate friend to reflect that God's un
seen balances hang in eternal equation.
For tho 0110 they show tho equipoise
of joy and sorrow, sulfering and gain,
hero and hereafter. To tho other,
tlioy present in counter-balance tho
groat sun of an infinite Mercy. With
out Mercy, this lifo would be, in somo
pluase, unbalanced. With it, lifo is
true anil even. E. Hough, in The Cur
rent. What Trains Curry.
The railway reporter of The Laramie
Boomerang was iu a reflective mood
tiie other day and in default of inci
dents threw oft' the following interest
ing bit of nothingness: "Thero is
nothing moro curious to tho closo ob
server than to watch tho trains as thoy
cross the continent over tho big roads
and see tho curiosites in tho way of
freight as well as tho variety and
character of tho passengers they carry.
Especially is this noticeable on tho
fast freights now running, and which
pass through Laramie in the evening.
Thero aro to be seen whole train-loads
cf oysters from Raltimore, consigned
to San Francisco linns, ono of ihoso
trains going out last night. A second
section took more oysters and several
ear-loads of eggs from Omaha for tho
west; a steam tiro engine for San Fran
cisco, ear after car of wagons, and
several coach-loads of emigrants.
Theso are but specimens of what is
carried west, and going east there aro
seen trains of wire, tea, honoy, and
silk, cars of lino horses and cattle,
now and then a ear of sea-lions, and
all such things. Thero is not a train
goos by that does not interest ono who
reads the labels on tlto doors as it
lies on the platform resting for its long
journey east or west. Tho passenger
trains, too, have among their loads
noticeable features, and now and then
an especial') distinguished party,
whom none but those living on tho
Pacific lines es-or havo an opportunity
to see. Generals, governors, senators,
now and then a president, and ono
king travels through hero every year
or two."
tiraut iiiul the Kentucky Ladles.
Tlto Kentucky women aro as en
thusiastic about horses as the men.
They unhesitatingly place tho horses
boforo themselves as tho groat attrac
tions of tho Stato. I remember hear
ing a conversation between General
Grant and a Kentucky girl at tho St.
Louis Merchants' Exehango in 1875,
when President Grant was visiting tho
St. Louis lair. A number of ladies
were introduced to tho President,
whereupon ho spoko in very high
terms of St. Louis, tiio fair, &c. "You
aro mistaken, Mr. President wo aro
not from St. Louis," laughingly said
ono of tho girls, "wo are from Ken
tucky, a very fine Slate, you know,
which possesses three things all mon
of tast must appreciate." Smilingh,
tho President asked hor what thoy
wero. Sho answered: "Wo havo tho
fastest horses, tho prettiest women
and the finest whisky in the world."
Tho President replied: "Your horses
aro certainly jutly renowned; I havo
somo on my farm near bore; yourself
and party" provo the correctness of
vour second observation, but whisk)
Is ono of tho things that requiro ago,
and 3'our men consume it so fast that
it rarely has a fair chanco to become
good." Tho girls thought that if
General Grant could not mako a long
speech ho w&s apt at repartee St.
Louis Qlobc-Dcmocrat.
Will Make tho Old Ruil-dog do.
An eighty-ton gun costs 10,075.
That sottles it. If thoy won't knock
oft' tho odd 75 on a purchaso liko
that wo aro going to worry along this
summer with the old bull-dog revol
ver, that's all. Still wo would havo
liked to try tho cftcct of a doso of
eighty-ton gun on tho 1885 crop of
spriug poets. Thus are tho editorial
yearniugs loft unsatisfied by tho cold
limitations of uurelonting povort).
Somerville Journal.