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About The Oregon scout. (Union, Union County, Or.) 188?-1918 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 5, 1887)
STOLEN GLORIES. JIt dirllnc s clorlnns eyes I Aty darling's radiant amllol Barrel gleam from paradise, With tiiuj:bt o( earthly gullet Mirrored within those eyes Heaven's holiest love I ee. Ami in etch umilc'a sweet gulfte I read heaven's torlcl glee. Whence came these glorious cycsl Whence enmc this smllo so sweet! When from bright paradise Bbc trip)U with haby feet. A last fond rlance, with sIrIis, 5be gave Iter angel pilde, And then throuch earthly skies Her downward way she hied. And memories of tlioac eyes Forever llnpcr there; Kncti eartalv smile e'er dlca For heaTcu's, unaware. O maid with stolen eyes And faintly echoed smllo 1 Hon- sure of'jmradlso Wheu far Irum earthly Rulle And, when alovc earth's sklci Apaln jon wend tour way, The angel, In Mirprlse, "Loiy lost, hut found," will say. Karl Marble, in Jioslun Folio. A Stray. Tho red ray of the setting sun lengthened the shadows against the black deadened lilllf, as the workmen swnnncd out of the pit and dragged weary, stiffened limbs along the dif ferent paths leading to the habitations above. Very grotesque some of them were, with blackened faces, from which eyes gazed out with tho weary pathos one sees In the eyes of oxen, with bent figures mid stooped shoulders from work In rooms whero the roof wbh often not four feet from tho floor, where water lay lo juols and bred rheumatism In joints, warm ed by the sun all too seldom. The motley nature of the mining village was shown by the different dlalccti In which the conversations wero carried on, the broad slurred intonation of tho Kugllsh miner; the round, rollicking tones with tho note of a caress In it that Is nntlvo to tho land St. Pat rick IotuI; the soft decided voice of Scotland, anil, 43 a background for this flotsam nml jetsam Dint Is drifted to us by the ocean, was heard thfc sharp, slightly uasul voice of tho natlvu of our Middlo States. Hut different ai was their nationality, their in I mis seemed to run much In tho some groove. There was Rome dissatisfaction with tho rec ord of Uie da 'a work, and menaces omlnlous to the managers were exchanged with curses and clenching of black, hardened hands. Fragments of their conversation caino to n woman standing at tho top of tho rickety atops leading up the face of tho el I II above tho mines. ISack of her was a row of bare, tin painted bouses where tbo workmen lived; worno of the women wero about tho doors, slouchy ami dishevelled, calling out to ono an other and to tho children In coarse, shrill voices, which now and then a laugh and n joko with tho home coming workmen. Only the woman at tho steps stood alouo silent. A few nodded to her; only ono mun sioko to her in passing, while many looked at her In a way that mado her face llliuh and her teeth set. 8ho was hnndroiiicr than nnything thoy ever B.wr about tho pit's mouth, hut tho huMiamls, sons, and lovers knew better than to greet her before tbo eves of their women folks. Four years ago sho had learned Hint and Ignored them, men and women, ever since, only Mio could not but fceo the glances that needed no Interpretation to bring a Hush lo her brown check mid n cold ttarc of bravado Into her gray ejea. 'Inn one man who spoke tohcr was not a good fight to look at. 1 lo had partially washed tho coal dust from his face at the tank by the pit enough to show deep blue scars furrowed ill his face by u blust of Nmdcr. "(!ood cvciiln' to ye, Kb to," ho tald. as he reached the level whero she stood. "Hero Is tho lad; ye'd lictter watch him ubout these steps, it'll a bad place for little chaps," mid he swung from his shoulder u sturdy little yellow haired I my of lour years. "1 ain't scared," ho announced with a lisp. 'I want Dan to carry me, carry mo up." 'What'a the matter down" thcie," BBkcil Kate with a nod towards the pit. "Something wrongl" "Oh, yes; same old story, somo o' the men docked a half a car because a wvo bit o' slato hapiienod in, an the new cars are short weight they say. Tho men won't put up with much more, mid somo o' them lire muken ugly threats." "Who do they thrcatcnl" "Mlchty near all thii otllclals, tho now over seer young Hepburn, In particular." "Vt hy sol" "They think ho intent appeal for tticm to tho comicanj to huvo tho rules changed about tho weight inciiburfiucnta. Hut he's only n bit of a joungktcr hliiiM-lf, and hasn't much back bone, thiittch ho Is tho doctor's nephew, mi' they don't much llku tho Idea of a collego brcd younir mail over the in. Oiiihi' tho men as has worked In thu mine himself would suit them better- not that 1 blame them much though for tho doctor's sake thcre'd be many a man stand up for him," ho added, as ho wulkcd on to thu company boanllnir-hoiise. The woman, leading tho child, turned also from the steps towards tho liltlo cabin she called home, around tho iliipahitcd boards of which clsmlicrcd morning glories, while at the back could be seen lull sutiHowcrti and holly hocks that bordered tha little sqiiuro of u gar den whero a few sickly-looking vegetables wero coaxed Into existence, showing to tho curious that Its owner must nave. come, from a farm. Othcrwlsu how eiuno sho with it kuowl edeeof tho needs of her plants or a patience that would carry rich loam In baskets from tho woods In order to have a bit of green In the midst of tlm nil clay mid tho black coal dust around her! It was thu only attempt at u garden on the cliffs. Tenants have small encouragement to Improve, or cultivate ground belonging to coal companies, us under exist ng rules, they are, in many places, ojoctod on four days' notice, for the most paltry of porvoea Mono. As she parsed u window of thu company boardlug-hoiiso she beard n voice say! "Hello, Dan I had n nice chut with Kato out there I Ycrp'ttlng to be great friends." "Well, I shoul.l liopo Dauulli'tsohard upas to pick up friends among tramps ami sinus I" "That's enough said thu man called Dan. 'I'll not be lettln' man or woman speak against her when I'm In licuren. The doctor aaya I have to thunk her fcr tho sight o' my eves this minute. It was her nursiu' more than bis medicine as saved 'cm wheu 1 got burnt wllli tho powder. 1 tell vo Micro wasn't another wouixti In tho place would a looked at mo without grttlu' sick. Hut Kate I Why, she jest walked in and helped Doo lake cant of inaiuilflwna hnndsomo us u picture-book; an' hbe's done goo.1 turns to lots o( the boys, though some of thorn am too mean to speak up for her, an' she's got mom lenrulu' than most folks hero though sho Is only u ktrny " The girl walked on tohcr own door and sat down wearily on tho wooden step, while tho child K-auipered after u pet kitten. A s tray I That was all. , Four year slnco alio came, ilrst, a blg-oved girl ot seventeen, dusty mid foot-toro from long travel from where, tliey never knew-an t wheu ho sank fainting on it door step and was cairlcd limldo tbo one tavern In the place, there was much wonder Mining tho people us to who she could tw; and when the doctor laid her child In her arms uud asketl If there was any word ho could send for her to her husband or relatives she only looked at tho babe's pink tlowcr-llko f&co in a half-curious, balf-loiug way, us If In doubt whether it could bo Jims, and thru, drawing It t-hu', kho looked sinnuelr at tho doctor, and said: There la uo one." In a small place gossip mrmi spreads, u ml ere long tho communll i knew that thu tramp was it mother but uo wife a thing to bo shunued by the virtuous to bo pitied, after a fashion, but to bo left alone oho waj peuullesa and without friends. Tho doctor's voice was thi only kind ono she had heard since tho day thi child wa$ born, and ho looked on her pltylntr lr, perhaps helped lo It by the memorv of a llt tie daughter's grave over the hill, whose occu pant would have been this girl's azc had sh( lived. A sober man of forty years he was, kindly, Christian gentleman who hnd settled among them years ago, when the wife and ha br daughter had droimcd into their e tern a sleep while on n visit to this mountain of the Alleghaiilcs. Ho wa held In much rcsect bi tho people. Ills klndlv hauls had cased man a broken bone or crushed limb among them and he did what he could to soften the harsb judgment of the villagers towards thlsglrL and III best was little. Two weeks after coming ho ventured on th subject of her destination and Intentions. S far she said nothing except her name, on when asked, she said. "Kate." that was all The doctor found her as usual looking witt unseeing eyes across the hllK seemingly heed less of the yellow-haired, brown-eyed babo It her lap, for sho had been hi a sort of apathj ever bIiico lis birth. "I have come to have a talk with you Kate," said the doctor. "This little fellow li old enough now for you to take him home, wherever that Is, ana I have come to sco whai arrangmeuts can be made." "I havo no home now," she said, with I little break In her voice. "Hut there mut be somo one. Como now my girl, tell me what you can. I want to bi voiir friend. You need one. heaven knows There must he tome one tiio bov's father." "He Is nothing nothing to mo or to It tin. cowurdl" she burst out, with more Icciiiif than he had heard her express before. "Hut you muit have some one to take can of joiil How arc you to live f" "I did not want to live. Tney should hav( let me die In the street that day; they had tic rJgnt to toucn me!" "Hush I" s.ild Dr. Hepburn, sternly. "W should never nuestlou the decrees of heaven, Kvcry life has a use of Its own else It woulc not bo riven." She laughed harshly: "Use! What use h my life now, the life of a nameless outcast I" '"You have your child to live for." "Ah!" sho breathed, with a half sob In he throat, ''do you think I have not thought ot mm i now am no live iiirougu tuo siinuio o It when ho crows older and understands) Het tcr wo shoul.l both dfo now, now before hi grows asiinmeii oi ms tnoiiicr. unonigiittiii! thought came to mo as If some ono had whls jicred it lu my ear. It was dark but I sceinec to feel the presence of forms pointing at ui and whispering 'hamo.' I can't tell you hov terrible it was. Thu only way to escape It wai to die both of us. 1 cot upsoftly and lit thf candle. 1 did not think now 1 was to do It onlv In some way I was to end our lives. Ah how afraid I was of mnkliiira noise that would awaken him 1 I crept across to the lied so soft Iv. I lifted a billow. Its weight on a bnbv'i fuco would stop Its breathing so quickly; but as l bent over mo banc, i saw ir. wis noi asleep. It had been lying there quietly but iti eyes were wide open. It smiled up at me, am! for the llrst time reached towards mo its arms. Oh, how I knelt there and kissed ft and cried over It! That was tho first time I cried slnci this trouble came to me, and It seemed to cart thu dull, aching pain In my heart. Hut I lei tho candle liurn all that night. 1 was afuild tob.- In the daik for fear of that tcnir.tatlot coming again. Do you think It over will!' Her cheeks were quite flushed and her eyei wet as she clasped thu child close to her auc appealed to thu doctor. "Ood Ulcus me!" he ejaculated, springing tc Ills feet and walking buck and forth, thu tcan lu his on ii holiest, kindly eyes. "Ood ble.M inci What n scoundrel that man must bo!' Then In: sat. again beside her. "vuiere weio you going wiicn ou iook mi' Her face Hushed: "I wus looklner for him Ho said once that his bu'-iuess wus lu the cou! region. U hen no letters came I tried to line him. I walked from town to town, sometlmei fclcetiliiLT In the woods. I walked until I would get dizzy and drop with fatigue; but I had ne time to rest. Mv one thought was to Hnd hlir in time, but the coal fields aru m wide I nev cr knew how wide bcfoio!" "Pcihupsjcm can find him yet," ventured the doctor. ' We might advertise." "Now," she nnsHorcd. "No; It wns not foi myself only for the child, hut It Is too Intel'' "You must think of your fuluro. If you will not iro home, or Mud him, who will tula care of you and tho child 1" "I will. I can work." "Hut where, ami what nti" "Here; It Is as good a place as any other, there must be somu work for a woman here, enough to keep us and pay theto people. The people seem burled here, shut oil from tin rest of the world. That Is the best lor inc. anil 1 can woik at anything. Somu ouu wll glvu mo work, don'tyou think sol" "Ood bless mo! 1 hope so," he answered. "1 I'll try to fix It, but Its a weary place, child, and a dreary life for you here." ".My life would bo that any where, It doe not matter." And so It was settled. Sewing, housework, nursing, washing, anything In thu way ol work slio did well, anil did cheaply for nil) who would glvu her tho chance, but" sho inadc no friends and resented all overtures from the curious Thov knew no more of her unit now than they did the day she came among them. Kuto was tho onlv name they kuew her by. Her loy she called Vaul. "It was my father's name," sho said to the doctor, "llo Is dead. Thu disgrace cannot hurt him." Tho boy grew and thrived, but It wns al most as quiet as the mother, for It had uo iiluymates only a kitten and a few chickens. Thu mothers of other children resented thu si lence, so like prhhi In tills trump, mid called the clilldieii to their sides when the baby na tures would reach hnuds to each other all liti kiiovilui: to the social gulf between them, l'.vcn her kindness to the sick won her no hearts, for sho did nil so coldly though so well. Their sidelong, meaning glances when sho first met their faces with her child lu her arms hud closed forever nny sympathy between them. Thu child sho worshiped. Her moody, gray eyes would warm and thu closed mouth smllo oiilv for Itl tn. nnil once, when a fever among the children laid little l'uul low, tho doctor was startled by the wild grief of this girl who seldom spoke among them. "Hu quiet, Kate," ho said, putting her In n chair, "you must not glvo .vay llko this, tho chances nro that ho will recover, but should ho not we must U)w to that higher Will; bo sure what will be, will bo for tho best." "Tho best!" and sho laughed bitterly. "If ho wero to die to-nlglit you would try to con solo mo by Buying It was best. Don't vou know that this Is u punishment for that other time, wheu I did not want him I And now Just when wo havo grown to bo even thing to ouch other you tell mo it Is a merciful Ood who would part us I l'coplo should lovo noth ing If thev wish to bo happy. It brink's a curse always. How can jou understand I Others have husbands, homes, children, 1 havo only him only hlml" amUhc sunk beside the little bed lu a passion of sobs that wero stilled only by a nurcortle from tho doctor's hand. Hut little l'uul did not die, though tho doc tor wus anxious for many days and very thankful when ho could safely say all danger wus past. Kato did not say much, It was as It the feared to g.vc n voice to her joy lest the pout up emot.ous would be beyond her con trol. Hut her glad eves, us sho kissed her boy uinlYrcsscd tho doctor's bund, held in them more gratitude than wortU could express. "You have dono so much for mo," alio suld, "and mv life Is so useless, all 1 can do lu re turn M'Ciiis to little 1" "Tut. tutl If It wero my boy Hall, you would do us much If you could; bo a good girl, that Is all 1 shall expect In payment, and lu tour gratitude for your Uiy, return thanks onlv where they are due to the Giver of all life!" Ho had In all things been her friend, and, sitting on tho wooden step lu tho dcejionliig dusk Willi the iiiluers' words still lu her ears "a strin" sho droppc I her face In her bunds thinking; thinking of his goodness slnco that llrst day, and then she tut her memory wander back over the bard, Jylos toll umong these people where only ono "voice hud bfuii helpful uud Kind, buck over dusty roads where she bad drued tlrvd foot in it hopeless search, back to tho duvs when her clil's heart had beat w .irmly ui the gift of a lore to which sho reKiudeil with what she fancied was the last ing lovo of her life, and which she know now was only tho rosult ot a starvimr soul In it child's Ixiily, it weloomo ray ol light across tho unloved, moitotonniu level of hr lifo, but a ray that was to sure ami burn all the roo tints of youth Into a llflos mass ot ashes. Lately a knowledge had len creeping bit bv bit luto her heart, and illllug It w Ith a supreme contempt of self. Ah how vile she wns grow ing In her own eyes! How often, lutelv, had siie freed her mind from the fetters of thepsst and let her thoughts wander where thev would lu the sweet iastiircs of a longed-for present! How often slio had checked herself on the brink of wild hopes by muttering bitterly: "A tiamp a stray I A tiling lower III his thoughts than a lost dog. which no would shelter. A dog at least is faithful; I am not even that. A true woman's love should be the same al ways. Neglect, desertion, nothing should change thu thing she hud dreamed of ng an endless love." And now she knew she had not even that virtue to redeem herself, not even lasting lovo for her child's father. She had, In her thoughts, only loathing for him and for herself. Ah, how bad, bad he would thlnkhcr If ho knew her weakness, her faithlessness, In the one instance where a woman's faithfulness to a sin Is a virtue I Hut the man of whoso opinion sho thought was Dr. Hepburn, the kindly, calm-eyed friend, whoso life was filled by the memory of a gentle little woman, who slept In the same narrow green lied with their one child ho who had been faithful so many years. What would he think If ho knew the weakness nnd fickleness of her nature as sho hnd known it lately! And then her face crew hot ns she remembered when this knowledge had cnlncd on her, nnd how his helpful words and kind eyes had helped to verify It. Tho child, tired of play, had crept into her lap nnd cuddled down to rest with one brown, chubby h ind against her neck as sho stooped to kiss him, muttering: "I owe even your life to him, my darling, nnd there Is no" return wo can make. If he knew tho truth ho would think mv dreams a degradation to us both." Tho night closing In threw Its shadow over a woman lu whose mind had began the nntur al revulsion that follows the dispelled Illusions of youth; and the slow-gronlng scorn of self crept Into her heart, following close on thu steps of remorse, that laggard whose voice Is always, "too late, too lute 1" There was a ripple of excitement in the air, a vague expectancy through tho mining vil lage. The men had left oil work", and stood around In groups, smoking and talking, while awaiting the verdict, and the women gossiped and shook their heads over the probabc out growth of thu owner's visit to the mine. "My man says as how that car thoy come to the junction In must havu cost thousands, and hero Is us glad of two rooms and n bail roof a-top of them. It'll be no free country until our men get the cood of their work In stead o' them high-toned nobs as owns so miiny pits they don't get to see them once n year. My man says ns how thu time's a-comln when they'll have lo bend." "Or bu blowed," broke in n neighbor, with a laugh. "Oh, Mrs. Dugan," chimed In another. "It's ycrsolf has alwuys an answer on yer tongue, an' If what I hear Is true yer not far off thu mark. Some o' the boys havo been drlukcu and will stop nt notheii not oven dynamite." "An small wonder," answcied thu Dugan woman, "with the short weight an' a half car lost to yo If but n bit o' slate happens in as whoenn belli It thcru In the dark an' tho 'pluck mo' stotes, where we must buy or leave thu works, an' scarcu ever does a dollar come lu our door; It's all used for provisions us fast ns It's euiiied." "I hear It's quite a gang o' them come blir htigs, all o' them a-maken a round o' tho dig gens." It'll be a sorry round to thcin If them scales nn' somo o' tho rules aint changed afore night. Now you mind what I'm tellen ye!" And thus tho prophecies drifted from one to another, and a woman, with a basket of clothes on her arm uud a little yellow-haired child at her side, stopped short in tho black, dusty road, ns from the other side of a high board fence hnlf drunken curses came to her ears. "Ho quiet. Tom," admonished another voice, "nnd don't drink any more, or uiu'll glvo thu whole thing nwav. 1 am tick of It since I saw tho doctor with them, llo has boon mighty good to lots of us; but tho rest can burn for all we " "Let'em all burn. Doctor nn' young Hep burn ii io blg-huuH us much ns tho stockhold ers, with their Hue words an' their high an' nihility wnys. Yer nil n lot o' toadies to that cursed doctor. His word s law to all o' ye, an' d'ye sposu It would bo It ho was common worken still! like us No. It's thu learnln' uu' thu high-toned wny of his that vo knuckle to. an' I tell ye, dim, wo take it out o' them all. Hurra for equal rights!" "Hush Tom. Lay low here lu tho grass, ond taken sleep tilfyer sober enough lo keep n close bend. If the hovs that's In It hear you blow-In' llko this there'll bo tho devil to pay. Yer llkelv to bo found mlssin', an' don't you t'erget III" "Shut mil" growled the other. "Thev won't change tho rules. Won't they I Let iiiu alone! 1 know what I'm doln'. just us well us I know who put the nltro glycerine on the track by eutry number nine. It'll put nn cud to their slglitseeln'. It'll teach other stockholders to respect worklu' men's rights. Hurra!" And tho voice continued muttering threats and curses at moneyed men and uristo crats, while the woman stood motionless in the bare road, her face whitening, her eyes full of horror us tho meaning ot thu man's words dawned on her, and then, dropping tho clothes basket, sho lifted tho child quickly, rlasplnghlm so tight that hu cried out lu 'light ami surprise. Shu did not heed, but, turning, ran witli the swiftness of a hound back toward tho village. Sho heard a shout hrfilml her, but did not turn. Tho child's cry hnd told tho men of her presence. They wcru shouting at her to stop; but on she ran, with thuouu thought iipiHiimost lu her heart safety, his lifo deponus on tier speed. Oh, how slowly tho loud moved under her feet! Hut sho could tell ihut, despite her loud, she was gaining on her pursuers. Their vo ces ;rew fainter. Sho gained tho hilltop above tho mines. Thero was still a halt-mile of road to cover. Sho could sou tho groups of men iiround tho pit's mouth. Oh, how far uway it seemed I Could she sver reach itl Her breath camo In short gnsps; her head was filled with a buzzing that was maddening; sho could not tell If it was tho murmur of "fur-off; voices or only tho rush of riotous blood in her own veins. I'crlmps she was too late 1 Sho tried to cry out ',o tho peoplo below. Oh, wero they blind that iioy could not sco hcrl She reached the strag Hlig vlllagu street. Down Its length she ran, wild tlgtiro with streaming hair, and tho frightened child clasped close in her arms. Women nnd children scattered lu terror as sho passed. Nothing but u mad woman could ever look llko thnt. Down among the crowd she I pod, heedless of outstretched hands of men '.o stop her, heedless of thler word ot qucs ;lon, on, on, until sho dropped, blind and llzzv, at tho pit's mouth. Only for a moment tho lay so, while rough, kindly hands lifted ilto screaming child. Then sho staggered to tier feet. "Dr. Hepburn 1" sho gnsped. "Where " "llo has jus! gone duwu the shaft with the rlsltors. What's the matter!" It was the scar tnced mun, Dan, who answered her, holding tho child lu his arms. "Quick!" she gasped. "Tho cage! Tako ate down It. It Is lifo or death I" "All tight. Oct In. Do your quickest," ho laid to tho engineer. "I'll do It, Dan," said tho man turning In to tho oniilue-tiHirii. Good God What's this 1" "Whati" came from a dozen throats. "Tho iojh's ato cut with acid. Look here. It Is not tliree minutes slnco 1 left tho engine. Something Is u. Tho cage won't work!" A thrill of horror went over the crowd. Clearly tho plot wns not a general ono. All ivcre sullen and dlssatlsllcd, but only a few had been In tho horrible- conspiracy. To tho woman's scnsoii was carried tho thought, "too late!" when someone near her said; "Well, 010 6111?. s nro bit" "Tho stairs!" Sho bad not thought of that. "Whero aro thev I" sho asked. "Here," answered a man standing near tho black-looking apeiture. Sho turned wiftlv to Dan. "Ho good tomy hoy," she said, and, kissing the child, sho turned befoio tliov wero ilgutly uwaro of her InU'Utlon and plunged Into the depths of the narrow stairway, from inmung o innuing i iho sUgtrerod, fooling her way us best ho ' muKI In iho intense blackness, lalllugat times, glnt tho slimy, oozing walls, straining tier .yea in hopos of a kIouiii of lamp. Down, low n, down! Oh, would she over got to tho tottoml Hor breath wasgolng.it dizziness was coming t hor. Sho tried to stand meet, but sho stumbled gropingly against the wall, ltd feJt a slniUKo wmkuoss growing on hor. Oh, to tight It off until she could roach hlml to sllciicv for one moment that drip, drip, drip ho beard from the roof-could hear growing ! into a roaring torrent, nearer and nearer it 1 came. Another step and It would enirulf her. Down she staggered, her whole remaining strength collected In a wild scream as those black, phantom llko waves closed around her. A party of men just entering the car nt tho main entry, siopucii appalled at mat snricK. They looked at one another In questioning amazement. "Is the mine haunted 1" asked one of the visitors. "iuai certainly sounueu line notuing earthly." "Come," said young Hepburn, picking up a lamp; "th r : Is something wrong. That sounded fn tn the stairs. Come, Uncle!" And there, in tho bond of the stairs, they found her. Five steps moro would hnve brought her In sight of the lamps she had struggled so to reach. Blackened and wet from the dripping walls, she lay unconscious, and from her lips trickled a red stream that formed a pool on the black lloor. "This is serious, gentlemen. A broken blood-vessel," snhl the doctor, bending over her. "Hail, ring the bell for the cage. Wo must get her above-ground at once!" The bell was rung", but no answer returned. Tho wire hud bsen cut. Young Hepburn looked grave. "There Is something wrong, se riously wrong, here. We must return by the stairs" While he spoke they heard tho voices of men, who had followed Kate with lights, and In another minute tho two parties of men met In the narrow pasage with questioning wonder In their faces, and tho blackened, blood stained form between them. In a few min utes the cutting of tho wires was told, and the men slowly carried the unconscious form up tho dripping stnlrs, rollowcd by the party of visitors, who said little, but felt, In a vuguc way, that some dauger and mystery was lu tlm air. Up Into the light of day thev carried her while thu peoplo stood about awestruck ami fearful. I buy wiped the blacK lrom tne sun face, and watched engcrly the faint signs of life struggling back, until the heavy lids aulvered uud opened to sec Dr. Hepburn bond ing over her. A gasp for breath, and then she whispered: "You sate? I was In time." "In tlmul What do you meani" "The nltro-glyccrlne on the track by en try number nine. Mv lifo has been some use at last. Cull Jim Mason. Thu doctor retioutcd the name, and a man from the crowd came forward, his face white, and Ills mind sobered by the unexpected turn of tho plot hutched In the brains of a few drunken, desperate men. "Jim," she gasped, "I heard all. Once you snld you owed me n debt, l'ay It now." The sight of her face, with death In It, brought Tilin to his knees beside her, while great tears stood on his rough checks. "I'd a died before I'd a done a harm to you, Kate, after the kindness to my old moth er, as you teuded on her deathbed. What can I do?" "Promise no harm to the mines, they keep so many souls alive; no harm to the doctor." "I swear It by tho memory of me mother 1 I'll do no more such dirty work!" Shu tried to raise tho hand nearest to him. hut tho arm wns jKiwerless broken bv the fall. She struggled for breath, but could not speak further. A workman told lowly of her bursting among them saving It mount life or death to reach them. The visitors crowded near to sec tho face of this woman now that the block from the walls hud been wiped from her features. Among tho rest was a tall, handsome man of about thirty years, with blonde hair and brown eyes, who leaned over to gain sight of her. As ho did so his face was one of lioiror, us he ejaculated: "Kate I" Dr. Hepburn glanced up quickly. "You know her?" he asked. "II Why, no that is " "Hush! she Is trying to speak." That cry of "Kate" seemed to havo reached her. The grey eyes opened once moro. "How long have I to live!" sho whispered. "Vnt iitt lintii- l!ib. mc tmor fill. Is there anything I can do for you?" She looked assent. ".My boy." Thev brought the little fellow, nnd sho tried to look around ns If for someone else. "What Is itl" nsked the doctor. "The voice that said Kate." "She wants to sec you." And he mado way for tho tall gentleman, whoe eyes and hul'r wero the color or little l'uul's. 'He camu and stood silent beside her, his face very pale. She looked at him long, then turned her eves io Hepburn, and whispered: ".My boy Is mine none other's all mine. Will you take him! Teach him to forget the slinmo his mother. He has uo name " "llu shall havu mine, mv poor girl. Don't fret ubout his future. Hu shall bu us my son." "Your son," And she tried to smile. "Thnt is best your name. 1 have none you heari" nnd her eyes turned to the tall, pale gentlu mun "no name only Kate ever you hear?" "I hear," hu said, In a low voice. "Oo where I can't sou you out of my sight." And as hu stepped back the doctor held the child up to kiss her. A great calm was settling over her facu as he stooped to catch her last words. "It was for your sake to be of some use mv life for yours. You never guessed you would have thought mo bad but now Just at tho last, woulj you would you " and her eves told the storv. and her request to thu man who hud never dreamed of this uuasked for love "My ioor Kate, my poor Katc,"ho said, and pressed the wislied-for kiss on lips through which tho lust breath had Muttered. Ho lifted the child In his arms with n pity ing, protecting clasp. As ho rose upright his eyes met thoso of' the tall, palu gentleman. 1-or ouu Instant they gazed across tho dead woman Into each other's souls. There was no need of words, and In silence the death iingcl rung down tho eurtnin on thu last act of Thu Strny. Mary J-.'llis Jtytm, in the Current. Tho Nobleman mid tho Hrieklttyer. Mrs. Society 1 suppose yon never hour of your lati'ilUei', who eloped with thnt young bricklayer! Mrs. Olilfntn Yes, ho litis got rich, and, thoy aro living in Now York in lino style. "That is a comfort certainly. Has tho foreign nobleman who married your other daughter returned to his castle yet?" "Oh! no; ho is just in lovo with Amorica nnd says ho wouldn't think of going back to Kurope." "Indeed! Where havo thoy boon during tho last three or four years?" "Visiting with tho bricklayer." Omaha World. Ho was No Tell-Tale. Tito code of schoolboy honor outlaws a tell-tale, and there is uo meanness which high spirited boys moro thor oughly dospisi. When Salmon P. Chase, afterwards senator, governor of Ohio, secretary of tho treasury and chief jttstico of tho United State, was a boy, ho was at school at Cincinnati. Ono day sas the Cleveland Leader, thero was a lire made in ono of the rooms. The boys were called up and catechised as to its origin, All except Chase denied any knowledge of the af fair. When the question was put to him as to whether he kuew who had lighted tho lire ho roplied: "1 do." "Who was it?" "I will not toll." Tho professor grow angry. Tho pres ident was called in and Chase was aga n asked, llo again refused, saying: "Mr. President, 1 did not intend to insult Prof, Pluck, but 1 am not going to lie, 1 know who made tho lire, but 1 will leave the school boforo I will becomo a tell-tale." As ho said this his largo intellectual oyo looked sqtmroly into that of tho president, and tho latter fttllv appreci ated that he meant it. He said that he would oxuuso Chase this time, and dis missed him with a slight reprlmaud. Ill YEARS OLD. An Extraordinary disc of Toiiscylty Itcportcd front Vloiinn. The privilege of talking with a wom an 111 years old is not to be expected often in a lifetime, writes a Vienna cor respondent of The London Times, and one must therefore value such nn Inter view as I had this afternoon with Mag dalene Ponza, the oldest of tho Emper or Francis Joseph's subjects, who en tered her 112th year on Christmas cvo. Siie was born at Witt ngaii. Dohoinia. in 1775, when Maria Theresa sat en the Austrian throne. George III. had then been but fifteen years king of England. Louis XVI., who had ruled a little more than a twelvemonth in France, was still in the heydev of power, the independence of the United States of America had not yet been decided, Na poleon and Arthur Welluslcy were as yet but six years old. Magdalene Ponza retains full posses sion of her mental faculties. Unfortu nately she can only speak the Czech language, and she can neither read nor write. However, she answers ques tions briskly enough through the youngest of her surviving grandchild ren, liersclf a woman of Cl). Magda lene Ponza's age is authenticated by tho outdoor relief certificate of the Vi ennese municipality, which, with mag nifice'nt generosity, allows hor-lllorins and 40 kretttzcrs about Cs. Gd. a month. Tho venerable dame lost the last of her teeth thirty years ago, but she has an excellent appetite, oats meats minced, drinks a little beer daily, and hobbles about her room without much difi culty witli tho help of a stick. S.xt3 years of her life wero spent in her native village, more than thirty years in another village, and sho was past 90 when she camo to Vienna, seventeen years ago. All tho doctors who havo seen her pronounce hers to bo ono of the most extraordinary cases of long evity on record, for she complains of no ailments beyond a slight asthma. Her worn face, with its countless wrin kles, docs however, look preternatu rally old. Giving me her photograph, Magda lene Ponza scored her mark on it with a fairly steady hand, and remarked with a smile that her llrst portrait was tak en by a painter in her village ninety years ago This was before tho German emperor was born. The centenarian lias received a good many visits and presents since her last birthday, but one must regret that more has not been done for her through ollicial channels. She shares one hinglo poor room with her granddaughter and the hitter's hus band, who is ucdriddm with a spinal complaint. A woman who is perhaps the doyenne of all the women in Eu rope, and wiio has lived under six Aus trian sovereigns, deserves at least that her closing days should bo spent in comfort, and that she should have the satisfaction of feeling that the helpless husband of her granddaughter will be provided for when she is gone. An Applicant For Divorce. Lawyer Heattio has a widespread rep utation for being very successful in ob taining divorces for miss-fitting couples who do not pull tho domestic plow straight together down tho furrow of life. On Mondiu' last, a dapper-looking lit tle fellow, of dtidi.sh appearance, with his hair parted on the left-center of his head, havinr a corner-turned collar and a white neck-tie, hold ng in his hand a little ratan cane with an ivery sheep's foot for a head, and looking exactly as if his mother had fixed him up for a Sunday-school picn'c, callc I at Lawyer IJeattio's ollico and said ho do-ired to consult him about a "werrey impawteut matter." So ho seated himself anil said he wanted to apply for a divorce. Tho lawyer looked the liltlo fellow over in a sort of a compassionate man ner, and the following dialogue oc curred between the attorney and the dude: "How long havo you been married?'' "About six weeks." "Married only six weeks and want a divorce?" Yes sir." "How old aro yon?" "About twenty-two years." "How old is your wife?" "About seventeen years." "What has she boon doing?" "Oli, nothing, particular." "Has sho done nothing wrong?" "No sir, not particular." "Why do you desire a divorce, then?" "Oli, I havo all 1 want of hor; 1 havo no more use for her." "Was sho a respectable girl when you married her?" "Yes sir." "Is she a respectablo woman, now?" "Yos sir." "Has sho any brothors living?" "No sir." "Has sho a father living?" "Yes sir." "Does ho live in this city?" "Yos sir." "Will vou tell your wlfo's father to call at this office I want to seo him?" "Why, what do you want with him?" "1 am going to adviso him to blow your worthless brains out, ar d 1 will "stand between him and all harm." "Mr. Honor," said tho lawyer, ad dressing his clerk, "show this young fellow out, and if you kick him clear out into tho street, I will bo restousiblo for all damages." And tho dude shot out of tho ollico as if he had been fired out of a cannon. L'url l'rctzcl' s Weekly. He Folt His Importance. For years ho had been trying to got into politics, and ran tho full gamut of all tho tricks of tho trade, but for some reason wasn't successful. At last ho got so far as to bo mado justice of the peace, and tho lir.-t man that went to make an afiidavit lioforo him happened to bo a rough old neighbor who had known him all his da vs. The old man, who wus lacking in politeness as most of hi kind, sulked in and began to toll his storv without l ftinr his hat. "S r " nxolitluKHl the new juatWw. whp had ' been sw-l!ing with .i:ii"r:an-', "ir, 1 you shoo l iilw.ns rem o vur hat vlton mi i rO'i.c ' i' prise ui t tue and JoJ..i ii U i i.e. I Character in Hair. If wo might jndgo from tho "Penny Awful," and even from tho "Shilling Shocker." there is a moral fatality in hair, says an observer in CasscWs Fam ily Magazine. Tho dark-eyed woman with "wealth of raven locks" is a fiend of deep plots and machinations, bent upon tho destruction of tho heroine with the golden hair or we believe the approved form is now tho "gold head" and the violet eyes. About one thing the world has made up its mind, or, at least, tho world of superficial ob servers, who havo a sheep-liko tenden cy to keep together; and that ono thing is, that a strong-minded woman in fic tion ought to bo a brunette, and that a sensitive,' tender, genllo creature is to bo depicted as a blonde. This is on a par witli the old melodramas, whero tho heroine alwavs wore white, and camo on the stage to slow music. The hero ines of our hearts did not appear cross ing our life's seeno to slow music, did the) ? Nor were they gifted with sym pathy, tenderness and sweetness ac cording to tho color of their hair. Tho world of melodrama and of nine-tenths of our fiction is not the world wo live in. As a matter of fact, the real golden hair is a gift :i3 rare as tho voico of a prima donna, and the "wealth of ravon losks" goes often with the softest of na tures those sensitive and yet unselfish beings of whom wo might say that won derful word of praise that it took Mme. Stael's genius to invent "She was more a woman than all tlte rest of wo men." If the color is not to bo taken as an index, the habitual appearance is as a safe guide to least a lew points of char acter. Our faces carry with them tho story of our lives, though it be written in hieroglyphs unread; to some extent we ourselves havo made them what thev are; not the features, but the cx prc'ssion, is our making formuduncon sciottsly all our life. In just the same way, it is not the hair itself, but, so to say, the expression wo have given it, that tells the tale. White, black, or gray, brown, ruddy, j-ellow, ashen or flaxen what matter it? our hearts and our ways aro not colored to match. Curly or straiglit--how could wo help it? Hut our caro and our carefulness, our work and our troubles, have given it an appearance of its own, which is a part of our individuality; and therein are the secrets of character. Overworked Women. Prior to tho American Revolution every colonial farmhouse and every blacksmith's shop was a manufactory. For everything was litorlly manufactur ed that is, made by hand. The blacksmith hammered out axes, hoes, forks, spades, ploughshares, scythes and nails. A tailoress wont from house to house to make up the winter clothing, and was followed by the shoemaker. Tho farmor prepared the leather from skins which had lain in the vat for a year, and his wife mado ready the cloth. Spinning-wheels buzzed from morn ing till night. Skeins of woolen and linen yarn hung on tho walls of every house. Seated on the loom-scat, the best woman of the family plied .shuttle and treadles weaving blankets, sheets, table-cloths, towles, bed-curtains flan nels, and eloth for garments. livery woman in "the household man ufactured something. The aged grand mother spun llnx with the little wheel; the joungest daughter carded wool, and the oldest, if the men wero busy, halcheled llax. ' It was hand work that did it, and every hand did what it could best do. The women, whoso "work was never done," not only carded, spun and wove, but thoy milked the cows, mado butter, bread and cheese, soap and caudles, cooked tho food, did the washing, anil in harvest raked hay, pulled llax and du:r potatoes. Tho neighbor, who happened in for atv afternoon's gossip brought her work. The mother patched or tutted, as sho rested by tho fireside, or quartered ap ples for "thu children to "string" and hang in tho morning in festoons on tho sunny outside walls. All were busy alwavs busy. College Hoys. I live in a boarding house in which tliore aro several college students of various kinds, says a dyspeptic writer in The Philadelphia Call, and, after observation and exasperation, I am con strained to define a college as a place whero boys learn to row boats that would bo "no good in a storm and to smoke cigarettes. You can always tell a collego boy bv his conversation. Ho quotes too much classics for a sculler without knowing enough for a scholar. When quoting Latin he reminds mo of a child with a new toy. General educa tion is a good thing. That's why I am opposed to colleges. Tho boy who can go through collego without forgetting how to speak Engl sh and without learning how to bang his ha r is sttro to make his mark. Ho has a solid kernel about him somewhere. Somo colleges teach their boys how to play Greok comedies. If they would only turn out a few good American actors thoy would bo blessed by a long-suffering public I will put the boy who has a Knowledge of Webster against tho ono who knows all tho doad languages over buried everyday in tho week and let him rest on Sundays. Toadyism Ittiti Mad. Meanwhilo. could anything bo moro nauseous than tho abject adulation of tho princo ami princoss ot Wales in which that asinine jobber, Lord Hals bury, indulged at S.on collego last wottk? Th's groveling individual vow ed that "thoro wore no words of his which would adequately express tho gratitude and alleot on of tho company" for their royal highnesses, and then "ho wont on drivel ng about tho impossi bility of finding language "adequately to descr be the gratitudo which filled tho hearts of those present." Thoro Is toiuHhing utterly contemptible and dis gusting in suoh an fluorescence of sorvKitv. howl HaUbury ovlduntlv has a rhu,t appatito for toads. London JVwM.