THE SOBEEN IN THE LUMBER-BOOM
Tc, here It J?, behind the box;
That puzzle wrought o neatly
That paradleo of paradox
We once knew so completely;
Ton sec 1H 'TIs the same, I swear,
Which stood that chill September
Beside jour Aunt I.avlnla's chair
The year when you remember?
Look, Laura; look ; wit must recall
This florid "fnlrlc boVcr,"
This wonderful "Swiss waterfall,"
And this ol 1 "leaning tower;"
And here's the "maiden of Cashmere,"
And here Is Bewick's starling,
And here's the dandy cuirassier
You thought was ''such a dnrllntrl"
Your poor, dear aunt, you knew her way;
She used to say this figure
Reminded her of Count d'Orsay
"In nil his youthful vigor."
And here's the "cot beside the hill
Wc chose for habitation
The day that but I doubt If still
You'd like the situation I
To damp by far. She little knew,
Your guileless Aunt I.nvlnla,
Those evenings when fhe slumbered through
"The Prince of Ahysslnln,"
That there were two beside her chair
Who both had quite decided
To sec things In a rosier air
Than Basselas provided I
All ! men wore stocks In Britain's land,
And maids short waists and tippets,
When this old-fnshloned screen was planned
From hoarded scraps and snippets.
Dut more, far more, I think to me,
Than those who llrst designed It,
In this hi eighteen soventy-thrco
I kissed you llrst behind It.
Austin Dobioit, In The Magazine of Art.
Saodoif's Revenge.
A SEQUEL TO MATHIAS SANDOIIP AND
DOCTOR AXTEKIR1T.
J3y Jules Verne,
Auraon op "jonuNnv to toe oentob
IV TOE RAItTII," " TltlP TO THE MOON,"
"AIIOUND THE WOULD IN EIOTinf
DAYS," " MICIIAKIi STnOOOFP,"
"TWENTY THOUSAND I.EAC1UES
UNDEIX THE BEA," ETO. , ETO.
Translation copyrighted ly O. TT. Uanna, isss.
CHAPTER I-COKTINUED.
"And in what country nro wo now?
Could you toll mo that, Point Poscado ?"
"I havo reason to bcliovo, Mr. Piorro,
that wo nro on an island, for tho sea sur
rounds tis."
"Undoubtedly. But in what part of
tlio Mediterranean ?"
" Ah 1 That's it 1 South, north, east,
or west," said Point Pescado, "that is
just what I do not know at all. After
that, it matters little- I What is oortain
is, that wo nro at Doctor Antokirtt's homo,
and that one is well fed, well clothed,
woll sheltered horo, without counting
tho consideration "
"Hut, at least, you know tho namo of
this island, whoso situation you do not
know ?" Piorro questioned.
"Tho namo of it? Oh, corlninly,"
answered Point Pescado. "Tho namo
of it is Antekutta 1"
Piorro Buthory Bought vainly to
remember any island of tho Mediter
ranean witli such a namo, and ho looked
at Point Pescado.
"l'es, Mr. Piorro, yes!" rospondod
Ihohonest follow. "Antekirttn- nothing
nt all ot longitudo and still less latithdo ;
tho Mediterranean. It is to this address
that my undo would writo to me, if I
had an uncle, but this fur Heaven has
domed mo that blessing. After all it is
not surprising that this island should bo
called Antekirttn, for it bolongs to Doctor
Antekirtt. Howovor, for mo to toll you
whethor tho Doctor took his namo from
tho island, or the island from tho Doctor,
would bo impossible, oven if I woro
general secretary of tho Geographical
Bocioty."
Nevertheless Piorro's oonvalosconeo
pursued its duo coursa None of tho
complications, ono. might have feared,
made nn appearance. With substantial,
yet judicious diet, the invalid recovered
his strength porooptibly from day to day.
The Doctor visited him often and con
versed with him upon all subjects sava
those in whioh ho was most intorestod.
And Pierre, not wishing to proyoko
promaturo conlldences, waited until it
should uliiaso him to givo them.
Point Peseudo had always faithfully
reported to tho Doctor, tho frogmonta of
conveiuation exchanged by himself and
hifl patient. Evidently tho incognito
which covered not only Mathias Bandorf,
but oven tho island he inhabitod, quito
engrossed Piorro Bathory. It was
equally evident that ho constantly
thought of Sava Toronthal, now so for
nwny from him, since all communication
Ixitwccn Antokirtta and tho rest of tho
European eontinont seemed broken on.
Hut tho timo approached when hoshould
bo strong enough to hear all.
Yes I To hear nil, and that day, liko
tho surgeon who operates, tho Doctor
won Id bo insonsiblo to tho cries of tho
patient
Several days slippod by. Tho young
man's wound was coniplotely healed.
Already ho could rise ami peat himself
nt tho window of his chamber. Tho
Mediterranean Bunshiuo camo to caress
liim there, tho quickening sea-breqzo
filled his lungs and gave him health and
vigor. In spite of all, ho felt himself
renowed. Then his eyes would faston
obstinately on tho limitless horizon
beyond which ho would lmvo gladly
pioroed, and reason was titill nick with
him. This vast extent of water around
tho unknown isle, was almost always
dewrtod. Homo coasters, Xolwcs or
Tartons or Polaoks would appear in tho
distance, but novor turn or voor about,
to come alongside. Novor any great
trnding-voasoL novor any of tho steam
ahips, whoso paths truvorso tho groat
European loko iu every direction.
Ouo had said truly that Antekirtta was
banished to tho oonflnes of tho world
Tho24th of Jul, tho Doctor announced
to Pierre Bathory, that upon tho follow
ing afternoon ho might toko a walk, and
offered to uooampnuy him in his first
outing-
j""' ll li
"TOU WISH TO KNOW
"Doctor," said Picrro, "if I havo
trongth enough to go out, I should havo
trcngth enough to listen to you. "
"To listen to me, Piorro? What do
-ou mean ?"
"I mean that you knowall my history,
ind I do not know yours 1"
Tho Doctor regarded him attentively,
lot ns friend but as physician who is
ibout to decide if ho shall apply stcol
ir llru to tho quick-flesh of tho patient.
Chen, seating himself near to him:
"Ton wish to know my history,
Piorro ? Then liston to mo 1"
CHAPTER H
"rABT AND PRESENT."
frri Hin Oref. 11m liinfrw ft
And
Jootor Antekirtt, which begins at tho
iioment when Count Matliias Snndorf
irccipifntcd himself into tho waters of
ho Adriatic.
"Through tho midst of this hail of
hot, witli which tho last dischargo of
lolieo agents oovorod mo, I passed safo
nd sound. Tho night was very dark.
Choy could not see mo. Tho current
arried mo out and I could not havo
eturned oven had I wished. I did not
visli it moreover. Ear better dio than
o taken again and thrown into por
taps slaughtered in tho donjon of Pisino.
Should 1 succumb, all was ended.
Should I Bueceed in saving myself, I
lould at least pass ns one dead.
"Wmirrlif. lmwrnr inmiwln inn "n
JB,,. .J.l1.. ...) ...VJ ...U.W.J w
ho work of justice, which I had sworn
Count Zathmar, to your fathor. and
myself, to accomplish, and which I
hall accomplish.'
"A work of justico?" ropeatcd Pierre,
vhoso oyos shown at this word so
iiilooked for.
Yes, Pierre, and this work you will
enow, for it is in order to associate you
villi myself in it, that I havo snatched
on, dead like mysoll, yet Jiving as
nysolf, from tho cemetery of Bagusa 1"
At these words. Pierre Bathory folt
limself carried backward llfteen years,
j, tlmtimn when his fathor fell on the
jlooo of arms of tho Pisino fortress.
"lleforo me," resumed the Doctor, ,
lav tho sea as far as tho Italian sea-
.ioard. Good swimmer as I was, I could
irvf itrittmwl lit frilVOCHO it. UllloSS PrO-
ridontially succored, either by grasping
ionic wreoueu uoisam or uy uiuih
rcssel perceiving me on board. I was
iostined to perisli. lintwneii ouo una
isked one's lue, ono is very strong io
lefend it, if possible.
"At llrst 1 had dived several timos to
tseapo their last snots, xnen, wnon
ertain 1 was no longer poreoivou, l
mi the snrface and dircoted
oiyself out to sea. My clothing troubled
no little, being light ,md llttiug closely
to tho body.
"It must havo beon naif-past nmo in
tho evening. According to my reckon-
'ng. I swam for more man an nour in a
ilireetion opposite from tho coast, thus
oiiwivhur mvself from ltoviguo whoso
lights disappeared ono by ono in tho
distonco, . .
"Whero was I going then, and wliat
was my hope? 1 had none, Pierre, but
I felt in mo a strength to resist, n tona-
oity, a Buperhuniiin. sustaining will.
was not only my aio wiuou x Buugiu,
nave, but my work in the future. And
1. if linv llsliiiicr bark
had passed, I would have dived to avoid
On this Austrian Benuoi.ru, iw
. i . t .. ..i sn n...i
many traitors nugni -i not ntu .(((,
ready to ilelivor mo up in oruer w
receive their premium, how many Car
penas for an honest Andrea Eerratol
"ltwasoveutlus, tnatnappouoiiai uio
d of tho llrst houv. A craft appeared
.lnriniwu nliiuwt unexneetedlv.
lie came from far out at sea and run
ar as if to touch land. J'eing already
ticued. 1 lay upon my back, but
instinctively, turned over ogatn, in
readiness to dive. A tlshing-bark
which lay to in ouo of tho Istrian porta
oonld not but suspect me.
"I was almost certain na to this.
One of tho sailors cried out iu n Damna
tion language to tack about
"Of a sudden I dove, and tho vessol,
boforo those in command could havo
soon mo, passed uIkivo my head.
"After n deep respiration, I breathed
freely and continued on my way west
ward. , ,
"The brcozo fell lighter, tho waves fell
with tho wind, and 1 was carried out to
... tt.n uiilii svnmini Stltire.
"Soiuotimes swimmi'ig, bometimes
floating, 1 kept on further and farther
for alwut another hour. I paw but the
object to attuin, and not the roud to
MY HISTORY-, riERRE."
reach it Fifty miles to cross tho
Adriatic 1 Yes I And I was willing to
swim them! Yesl I would swim them.
Ah 1 Piorro, you must go through such
trials boforo you know of what man is
capable, beforo you know what tho
human machino can do when nil its
mental and physical forces aro combined I
"Eor tho second hour I thus kept
afloat. Thnt part of tho Adriatic was
absolutely deserted. Tho last birds had
left it to regain their hollows in tho
rocks. Overhead tho gulls and mows
no longer circled in couples and uttered
their despairing screams.
"Although I felt no fatiguo my arms
became heavy, my legs seemed liko load.
My fingers began to open, and I found
it most dillioult to keep my hands
together. My head f It as if it woro a
shot on my shoulders, and I began to
loso tho power of keeping myself on tho
surface.
"A kind of hallucination soized on
mo. Tho guidauce of my thoughts
escaped mo. Strango associations of
ideas arose in my troubled brain. I
folt that I could no longer hoar or seo
properly, but I fancied that some dis
tance away from mo a noise was being
produced, and a light was approaching,
and I was right in its road. And that
proved to bo tho case.
"It must lmvo boon about midnight
when a dull, distant booming aroso in
tho east a booming that I could not
explain. A light Hashed through my
eyelids, which had shut in spito of all I
could do. I tried to raiso my head, nnd
I could not do so without looting myself
almost sink. Tlion I looked.
"I givo you all those details, Pierre,
becuuso it is necessary you should know
them, mid through them know mo as
woll 1"
"Thoro is no need of that Doctor,
none!'' answored tho young man. "Do
you think my mother has novor told mo
what sort of a man was Mathias Sandorf ?"
" She may havo known Mathias San
dorf, Pierre, but Doctor Antekirtt sho
does not know I And ho it is you must
know 1 Listen then 1 Hear mo out 1
"Tho noiso'Ihod heard was produced
by a vessol coming from tho east and
bound for tho Italian coast Tho light
was her white light hanging on her fore
stay which showed her to bo n steamer.
Her side lights I also saw, red at port
and green at starboard, and as I saw
them both togethor tho steamer must
havo been bearing straight down on ma
"That moment was a critical one. In
fact, tho chances woro that tho steamer
wua an Austrian bound outwards from
Trieste. To ask help from hor was to
put myself again in the power of tho
gondarnies of ltovigno. Iresolvod to do
nothing of tho kind, but to take advan
tage of another moaiis of safety that I
had thought of.
"Tho steamor was a fast one, olio
grow rapidly larger as sho neared mo.
and I Baw tho foam leaping oil wluto
from her Ikwb. In less than two min
utes sho would cut through tho plaoo
where I lay motionless.
"That tho steamer was an Austrian J.
had no doubt, Hut thoro was nothing
impossible in hor destination being
lliindisi and Utrauto, or nt least sno
might call there. If so sho would arrivo
in less than twenty-four hours.
"My decision was taken, audi waited.
Sure ot boing unseen in tho darkness I
kept myself in tho steamer's path, and
fortunately sho slowed slightly as sho
gently roso and fell with tho waves.
"At length the steamer reached mo,
hor bow some twenty feet from tho sea
towered above mo. 1 was wrapped in
tho foam as sho oleft tho sea, but I was
uot struck. 1 was grazed by tho long
iron hull, and 1 pushed myself away
from it with my hands as it passed mo.
This only lasted for n second or so.
Thou I found hor lines begin to curve in
for her stem, and nt tho risk of being
out up by tho tsorow I caught hold of
tho rudder.
"Fortunately tho steamer had n full
caigo, and her Bcrew was deep down and
did not etriko above tho water, clso I
Bhould not have been nblo to get out of
tho whirlpool or retain my hold of tho
support to which I had clung. Liko all
steamships sho had a pair of chains
hanging from her stern and fixed on to
the rudder, and I had seized ono of
these chains, pulled mysolf up to the
ring to which it hung, and thoro I nat
on the chain close to the stern post and
just r. few inches nbovo tho sen. 1 was
in comparative safety.
"Throe hours elapsed and day broke.
I reckoned 1 would havo to remain.
where I was for nnother twenty hours if
j tho steamor was going to call at Brindi'i
I or Otrnnto. What. I should havo to suf
! for most from would bo hunger and
thirst Tho important thing for me was
that I could not be seen from tho deck
nor oven from tho boathuii 'y tho stern
davits. Somo vessel meeting us might,
it is true, see mo nnd signal mo. But
very few thip met us that day, nnd they
passed too iar off for them to notico a
man hanging to tho rudder-chains.
"A scorching sun soon dried iry
clothes. Andre Ferrato's threo hun
dred florins woro in my belt Tlicy
mndo mo feel eafo onco I got to land.
Thcro I should havo nothing to fear.
In n foreign country Count Mathias San
dorf would havo nothing to fear from the
Aus rian police. There is no extradition
for political refugees. But It was not
enough that they should think m3 lifo
was saved. I wished them to think I
was dead. No ono should know that tho
last fugitivo from tho donjon of Pisino
had Fot foot on Italian soil.
" What I wished hnpponcd. Tho day
passed without adventure. Night came.
About ten o'clock in tho evening I saw a
light at regular intervals away to tho
southwest. It was tho lighthouso at
Brindisi. Two hours afterwards tho
steamer was just outsido tho harbor.
to hi: continlkd.
Three More than Four.
In many of the Southern States tho
negro farm hands work on what is
known as the share system. The land
owner furnishes tho land, mules and
arm implements and advances tho sup
plies. At the end o the crop season
tho laborer usually gets one-third of
the product, corn, cotton, etc. A farni
3r in Sunflower County, Miss., in rc-
jontracting tho first of tho present
,-ear with his laborers for tho vear 1880
found several of them who woro un
willing to remain with him for one-
third of what they produced. "How
nuch more do you want?" inquired tho
farmer.
'We wants a fori; dat's what Mister
Mitchell's gwino to gib lies ban's dis
rearh."
Tho fanner laughed and, calling to
liis wife, asked her to bring out a coup-
of applo pies sho had just baked,
and when tho pies were produced he
:tit ono of them into threo equal parts
md the other into four and invited tho
larkic.s to help thoinsclvoj, each to a
piece. It is needless to say that the
pie that had been cut nit i threo pieces
was Iho ono lirst attacko I.
Now," said tho tanner, pointing to
tho thirds, "that is what I propose to
givo you, and that," pointing to tho
fourths, "is what you say Mr. Mitchell
is going to givo you; which had you
ather havo?"
Tho darkies opancd their eyes and
stared at one another, when tho spokes
.nan exclaimed:
"Well! dat pio business do prove dat
a free is birger'n a fo'. Whar dat
contract, Marse Bob?"
The contract was produced and the
last ono of tlieni signed it. Detroit
Free Press.
Col. Forney as an Actor.
Following on tho heels of those thea
ters that 1 have mentioned conies that
which stood on Chestnut street between
North Queen and Prince streets, whore
tho disused foundry of Ilarberger &
McCully is now situated. Its entrance
was near tho northeast corner of the
uilding on Chestnut street. The stago
was at the west end of tho place and
was elevated live feet from the ground
lloor. It was in this old-tinio theater
that Col. John W. Forney, who after
ward played such a prominent part in
national journalism and polities, made
his bow to tho public as an actor.
And, by tho by, this reminds me of
nn liiteivstmg story ot I-ornev, tho
truth of which I can myself substanti
ate, for I was present at tho occurrence.
Tho Connor Dramatic association, of
which Fornev was a member, had long
been preparing to .present tho play of
illiain Tell." Cards of invitation
had been extended to the friends of tho
members, and on tho n ght of tho pro
posed presentation a largo and expect-
uit crowd were in attendance. Forney
assumed tho titlo role of tho piece nnd
as William toll was to i-lioot tho applo
from his son's head and defy tho tyrant
Gesler. It was understood in advance
that there was only to be a mock shoot
ing, tho boy to bo placed behind ono of
tho wings of tho stago hidden from tho
audience. After tho discharge of tho
bow an attendant was to rush upon tho
stago witli an applo pierced by nn ar
row. Young Forney in his excitement
shot tho arrow into tho audience. The
attondant, knowing nothing of this,
brought out tho applo nnd nrrow, ns
was his instruction, which brought down
tho house. The young actor's faeo was
sulVused with blushes, which becaino
tenfold deeper when n small boy picked
up a htray arrow, brought it to tho
stage and presented it to Forney with
tho piping exclamation: "Mister, here's
your arrow." Had it not been for this
untoward incident Mr. Forney might
lmvo won high hystrionio laurels, for it
seems to have ofl'eotually dampened his
Thespian ambition. Lancaster Intelli
gencer. Magdalen Miller, ot Greenville, la., Is M
years old, Is In vigorous health, ami has chowed
tobacco for seventy years. Tho lussoa con
voyed by tho record of this tluo old lady Is
marred by tho fact that m many people who
lmvo chewed tobacco havo not lived to tho ago
ot W. Thcro weius to ho uo moral to the caso
at all.
A colored woman. Miss Carrlo Brngg, Is edi
tor of The irglnl J.anttt, HiblUhed la I'o
tcrtburg, Ya., tho only nowaior Iu the uuloa
conducted by a calored wwuun.
THE DOCTOR'S STORY
FROM TIIE FRENCH OF GUT DE MAU
PASSAirr. Sho was a Hussion lady, the Countess
Mario Baranow, n very great lady, ex
quisitely linndsome, you knotf how
beautiful they seem to us, with their
fino noses, delicate mouths, eyes rather
clcso together nnd of indiscribablo
grayish blue, nnd that cold grace of
theirs, n littlo soverc. They havo
something nbout them nt onco wickod
nnd seductive, haughty nnd gentle, ten
der nnd harsh, which is very charming
to n Frenchman. But, nftcr nil, it
may bo only tho difference of raco nnd
typo which causes me to seo so much in
them.
nor physician had for several years
tried to induco her to settle in tho
south of France, ns ho observed that
she was threatened with consumption.
But sho obstinately refused to leave St.
Petersburg. Finally, last autumn, be
lieving her lifo ot stake, tho doctor
warned her husband, who immediately
ordered his wife to leave for Menton.
Sho took tho train, choosing to re
main all by herself in tho car, whilo her
servants occupied anothercoinpartmont.
Sho leaned out nt tho door, n littlo sad,
ns sho watched tho fields and villages
passing by feeling herself very isolat
cd, very lonely in that lifo of hers,
without children, almost without rel
atives, with n husband whoso lovo hnd
grown cold, nnd who was sending her
thus far away to another part of tho
world, without as much as offering to
accompany her just as ho would send
a sick patient to tho hospital.
At each station her servant Ivan reg
ularly came to tho door to find if his
mistress needed anything. Ho was nn
nged domestic, blindly devoted to her,
and ready to 'fulfill any order that sho
could possiblv givo him. Night camo
on, and tho train was rushing forward
nt full speed. She could not sleep, for
excess of nervousness. Suddenly tho
idea occurred to her to count tho money
her husband had placed in her hand nt
tho Inst moment, in gold coin of France.
Sho opened her little bog and emptied
tho shining moss of metal into her lap.
Just then a whifl" of cold nir smoto
her in the face. She lifted her head in
surprise. Tho door of tho railroad car
had just opened. Hastily tho Countess
Mario dropped her shawl over tho mon
ey lying in her lap and waited. A sec
ond later a man entered, bareheaded,
wounded in his hand, panting violently
and attired ir. evening full dress. Ho
closed tho door, sat down, gazed at his
neighbor with glittering eyes and com
menced to bind n handkerchief about
his bleeding wrist.
Tho young woman felt herself ready
to faint with fear. That man certainly
must hove scon her counting tho gold,
and he had como in only to rob and
murder her.
Ho kept his gazo upon her, still out
of breath as ho was, hi3 face working
strangely, as though ho were preparing
to leap upon her.
Then ho said shorply:
"Don't bo afraid, madam 1"
Sho could not speak; there was a
sound of buzzing in her ears, and sho
could hear her own heart, beat.
Ho spoko again. "I am not a crim
inal, madam."
Speechless with fear, sho could an
swer nothing, but in tho sudden move
ment of her start nt tho sound of his
voico hor knees coming together caused
tho gold to trickle down upon tho floor
piece by piece, ns tho water trickles
from a spout.
Tho man observed with surprise the
falling stream of gold pieces, and sud
denly bent down to pick them up.
Then, wild with fear, sho roso to hor
foot, dropping all her fortuno on tho
floor, and rushed toward tho entranco
to leap out upon tho track. But ho
comprehended what sho was going to
do, and turning, soized her iu his arms,
reseated hor by foreo, and grasping her
wrists, exclaimed :
"Listen to mo, madam. I nm not n
robbor; and tho proof is that I am go
ing to pick up all your nionoy and givo
it back to you. But I am a lost man
I nm n dead man if you do not aid mo
to pass tho frontier. I can tell you
nothing moro. In another hour wo
shall reach tho last llussian station ; in
ono hour and twenty minutes wo shall
crass tho frontier lino. If you do not
succor me, 1 am lost. And nevertheless,
madnni, 1 swear to you that I have not
killed anybody, stole anvthing, or done
ono dishonorablo act. This 1 swear to
you. But I cannot tell you anything
moro."
And, going down upon his knees ho
picked up overy coin to tho very last,
seeking tho gold pieces under tho
benches, and grasping after those
which had rolled into obscuro places.
Then, whon tho littlo leather bag was
full again, ho handed it to his neighbor
without a word, nnd rotired to n corner
of tho car, whero ho sat down. Noith
or of them mndo tho least movement.
Sho remained motionless and dumb,
still faint with terror, but gradually be
coming calm. As for him, ho made
not a gosturo, not a sign; ho remained
sitting erect and immobile, with oyes
looking straight beforo him, and so
pnlo that ho seemed to bo dead. From
time to time sho cast n quick sidoglanco
at him, which was as quickly turned
away. Ho was a man of nbout thirty,
very handsome, with all tho outward
npponi'anco ot a gentleman.
Tho train rushed ou through tho
darkness, Hinging out its piercing
ahriekes to the night, somotimos slack
ening its paco n niomont, only to start
oil' again under full steam. But ot
last its courso became steadily slow, it
whistled several times, and stopped
short.
Ivan appoared at tho door to recoivo
wdors.
Tho Couutosi Mario gnvo a final look
t hor strange traveling companion,
ind then said brusquely to hor servant :
"Ivan, thou will now return to tho
count ; I shall havo no luoro nood of
theo."
Stupuiled, tho mnn oponod his oyes
tuormously. Ho began to Btnmn&r
cut:
,4But-Yarino,
"No, thou sholt not come: I have
changed my mind; I prefer tho
shouldst remain in llussin. Here,
this is tho money to pay thy way.
Givo mo thy cap nnd cbak, quickly?"
Dumbfounded, tho old servant took
off his cap nnd cloak, oboying without
ft word accustomed ns lie" was to the
stlddoil whims nnd irresistible caprice
oi masters. And no went nwny with
tenrs in his eyos.
Again tho train started, makiug for
tho frontier.
Then the Countess Mario said to her
neighbor :
"These things nro for you, sir. Yon
oro now my servant, Ivon. I placo but
ono condition upon what I do namely,
thnt you novor speak to me, that yon do
not utter one singlo word, neither to
thank me, nor for any other cause
whatsoever."
Tho stranger bowed without speak
ing. Soon thoy stopped again; nnd uni
form officials entered tho train. The
countess showed them her papers, and
pointing to tho man seated in tho fur
ther end of tho car, said :
"This is my servant Ivan, and this is
his pass2)ort."
Tho train moved on.
For tlo rest of tho night they sa
alono together, without speaking.
At dawn, as they halted nt n German
station, tho stranger got out. Thon,
standing near tho window of tho car
door, he said :
"Pardon me, madam, for breaking
my promise, but ns I have deprived you
of your servant, it is just that I should
replaco him. Do you need anything?"
Sho replied, coldly :
'Go and tell my waiting maid to
come.
He did so, and disappeared.
But later on, when sho got out to take
somo refreshments, she saw him stand
ing at a distance, watching her. And
thoy arrived at Monton.
Tho doctor pnused nt this stage of the
storv. After n few moments, ho re
sumed :
Well, one dav, as I was receiving cli
ents in my ofiice, a line, tall man came
m, who said to me :
"Doctor, I como to ask you for news oi
tho Countess Mario Baranow. I am al
though sho does not know me a friend
of her husband.
I replied :
"Thero is no hopo for her, I regret
to say. Sho will nover return to Bus-
sia.
And all of a sudden tho man burst into
a possion of sobs; then ho rose, and stag
gered from tho room liko a drunken
man.
Tho somo evening I told tho Countess
that n stranger had called at my olliee
to inquire about her health. She
seemed to bo affected, and then told me
tho wholo story just as I told it to you.
And she added :
"That man, whom I do not know,
now follows mo everywhere, liko my
own shadow. I meet him every timo I
go out ; ho looks at mo in a strango way,
but nover speaks."
Sho paused thoroughly n moment,
nnd then exclaimed :
"Seo! 1 am willing to wager that he
is this moment beforo tho window."
Sho roso from her reclining chair,
wont to tho window, lifted tho curtain
nsido, and thoro, sure enough was the
man who had como to my ofiice sit
ting on a bench of tho public prome
nade, with eyes lixed on tho windows of
tho residence. Ho observed us, rose,
and walked away without onco turning
to look.
Then I becamo the witness of a verv
astonishing thing tho muto lovo of
thoso two beings, neither of whom knew
tho other.
Ho loved her with tho devotion of n
rescued animal grateful and dovoted
to tho death. Ho camo every day to
seo nio, witli tlio question, "iiow is
sho?" comprehending that I had di
vined his secret. And ho used to weep
fearfullv at seeiug her passing bv.
whiter nnd weaker every day.
Sho would say to mo:
"I only spoke onco to that singular
man, and it seems to mo as though I
had known him for twenty years."
And whenever thoy met sho returned
his saluto with a grave and tender
smile. I felt that sho was happy, all
lonely as she was, and knowing horself
doomed to die I know that sho felt
hoppy just at being loved in that
strango way, with such rospect and
such constanoy, with such romantic ex
aggeration, with such supremo devo
tion. And for all that, still obstinato
in hor exaltation, sho porsistently and
dosporatoly rofuscd to receive him, to
learn his namo, or to speak to him.
Sho would always say :
"No, no! it would spoil this strango
friendship. Wo must always remain
unknown to each othor."
As for him, ho was certainly Quixotic;
for ho novor tried to bring himself any
nearer to her. Ho had resolved to keep
to tho very end tho absurd promiso ho
had mado hor in tho railroad car.
Very often during hor long hours ot
weakness, sho would get up from her
reclining chair and peop through tho
curtains to see if he was thero under
hor window. And when sho had seen
him, always, sitting motionless on his
bench, sho would go back and lie down
with n smllo on hor lips.
Sho died at last ono morning about
10 o'clock. As I was leaving tho houso
I saw him hnstening to me, with agony
in his faeo ho already know all.
"I would liko to look at her for ouo
second," ho said, "in your presence"
I took his arm and re-ontored tho
house.
When ho found himself besido tho
denth-bed ho soized her hand nnd
kissed it with nn interminable kiss, then
he rushed nwny liko n mad man.
Tho doctor paused again, and added :
"This is certainly tho strangest rail
road ndvonturo I evor know. And I
must say it taught me what queer foow
men can be."
"Then n woman murmured in a half
audiblo voico:
"Thoso two pooplo woro notsoopji.sh
as vou tiling tnoy woro tnoy wore"
But sho cried so that sho could not
spoak. And as thoy changed the sub
jeot of conversation iu order to calm
her, uo one ovor Know want alio ind
been trying to sny. Nv Orleans
Tiuios-Democrnt.
1
V