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About The Oregon scout. (Union, Union County, Or.) 188?-1918 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 19, 1887)
THE FIACRE MYSTERY. A Paris Physician's Horrible Discovery. Trantla Ud. C'in cinnatl A'nquirer. CtlAI'TKIt II. At tlio doctor's f-ummons llio con eiorgo ran into the street bewildered sh.voring, ami buttoning Ills waistcoat as ho rati. Tierrr," cried the doctor, "madamo ins been taken ill in the carriage; nuick. licit) nic to remove her." Mon Dion! Monsieur lu doctor, is it scrums?" I can not tell. I hope not; but ontor the door on tlio other side, raiso nor in your arms-Ihore -that is right; now advunco take care softly let mo help voti. ami I'a-oal, lifting tlio supple mid Et II warm body of bis wife in Ins arms stag-rcied to the steps. Ho walked liko a man in a dream, not yet realiz ng what had happened. Tho blow had been so unexpected his heart felt as if squeezed in a v sc. Nevertheless, bo would snatch Christine from death there was 3d time and the liopo of resuscitating her the hope of tlio jibys oinn overpowered the agony of Uic liustianil. Shall I wait, monsieur lo doctor?" cried tho driver of the (mere. "Yes," answered Pascal; "wait; I shall have need cf you. Tho concierge hav ng already rung the bell, tho chambermaid was waiting at tlio door to receive them, bho utter ed a cry of terror as she saw tho stmngu procession, but her maslor unshod her sternly. "No nolso." said ho. "if you please, but light mo to vour mistress' chamber, ocn tho door, aud help me to undress tier. vlaciko ins nuiti:x upon thk heu, Pascal, still like a man in a dream. looked about the apartment. '1 he lire smoldered in the grate, ami a gentle warmth tilled tho room. A reading lamp, covered with a rose-colored shade, stood beside the bed Familiar perfumes were in the air. Upon the coverlet of tho lounge lay tho night dress, nn airy fabric of laeo and muslin. walling for the body of its mistress, aud that mistress "My God! My God! What docs it rooan?" groaned Pascal, hoarsely, and with a jesturo of despair he turned lo the task before him. "Waken Justin," ho said to the eon ciego standing d rectly upon tho threshold; ' tell him to start tho kitohon lire and to heat water and irons; and you. Pierre, take tho carriage which waits below and drive as fast as possi Llo to tho house of Dr. Audrit, 27 Huo d'Axlorg. Toll him to como to mo at onco without delay do you under stand?" 'Yes, monsieur lo doctor, perfectly, and I go immediately." A few minutes later tho furious roll ing of the liacre was hoard in the street, its wheels fairly bounding over tho frozen and irregular pavement. Tho time to act had came. Pascal approached tho bud anil stooped above bin wife, whom as yet ho had scarcely looked upon. Ho was lorrlliod at tho sight. The face was the color of wax, tliD nostrils pinohi ri, tho Hps discolored nud drawn, the oyes with dark circles buueath them and widoopeu in 11 glassy itan. "The appearance of Murium fright ens me," murmured the clinmbormniri tearfully. Paseal motioned her to bo Mlont. Placing Ids hand upon the breast he found that the heart had conned to beat. "Quick," ho cried, "make hasto and undress her;" and leaving the maid to divest her of her clothing, he ran to has cabinet to pre paid wlint was necessary. Then began AM AUD1CNT AND DKSl'KltATII STItUGOU", Pursued with an energy almost savage. Inhalations of ammonia, tinctures ami acids upon tho temples aud bands, violent revulsives upon tlio heart, hot irons lo the feet ami pit of the stom ach; in short, all that science could do in a similar case he did, trying thorn again and again, riotorinlno'd, persist ant, uudiHCouraged. Opening ho clenched teeth by tho aid of a dilator he poured into tlio mouth drop by drop a glassful of the strongest brandy. All his idiot Is wore In vain. Nol the slightest symptom of life could he produce, (lining his lipa lo that sllont'uionlh, the icy coldness of which fro.n him to the bono, as if ho would Mind his own soul into the hap less body, ho breathed long draughts of air into tho exhausted lungs, at the same time alternately pressing aud re leasing tho chest in "an ellbrl to re-establish respiration. To lind out tho re sult of this last elVort he held a mirror lo Christine's lips. The glass remain ed as clear as crystal. She was dead really dead and at last ho began to believe it. His strength gone and drenched with porsplrallnu from the fury with which (10 had pursued his work he fell into a chair by the side of the had, a prey to the bitterest grief, At this moment the rolling of tho (iacro was heard again; it sto pod before the door aud Dr. Audrit onlerori the room. One of the oldest members of the 1'ursuiu faculty anil a practitioner of coiiHtuinate sk .11, and had counseled and directed Pascal at the outset of Ids career, and still assisted him whenever necessary. Dr. Horsier hud for him a profound and respectful atVecilon. Ad vised o( tno situation by the eonolergo as they name along, Dr. Audrit silently pressed Pascal's iiand and then up proacheri tho bud; but after a br of ex uminaliou gave a discouraging gesture. Not satisfied with this, however, ho took tlio 1 ghl aud passed it repeatedly, closer aud closer, before the mes of the young woman; tho pupils did not con tract in tlio least. la tho mean I mo Pascal hat! boon telling him what lie had done, aud the failure of every ctlort. 1 know, 1 know," responded Dr. Audrit; "but sometimes those lethargies present, even In the most surprising way, all the characteristics of death, Nothing must bo neglected; have you tried incisions in the liottom of tho foot?" No." said Plsonl in a ohoaked voice, not that -" and turning bauk tho oov tr from tho bed h' iIuoIommI the two little tvvU white and perfect, and oolri as clilsuh'ri luiii bhi. Drawing h s in strument rusu from hU pooket hu took cutulancu aud opened it bui his heart failed h!m llio instrument foil front his fingers and ho began to sob liko 1 child. "Ah, well," said Dr. Audrit sadly, raising one of tho arms of tho body and letting it fall again; "it would 00 uso less any way; see " nml ho pointed tc tlio face, "llio discoloration of the flesh, the stit est Ind cation that death ha? taken place, has already commenced. In tho presence of these symptoms and after all you have done, 1 fear that wc must abandon hope. But Pascal, my dear boy. to what do you attributo the suddenness of her death? There rausj havo been something to indicate its ap proach." 'Madamo Borsier had a slight ten dency to amcmla," Pascal replied; "and to that I ascribed certain irregularities in the action of the heart. I have known It from the time of our niarriago. and hoped that I had arrested tho trouble by appropriate treatment. I wns de ceived, of course, but tho cause of this catastrophe I can not even conjecture." "Passing suddenly from a heated room to the cold of the outer air, and ills unusually cold th s ovening, proba bly caused a stoppage in tho circulation and a fooling of sull'ocation, which, for want of proper attention, ended in death, I am more inclined to think, however," continued Audrit, "that Madame Borsier succumbed to ono ol those mysterious seizures which science can neither name, prevent nor cure. 1 feel for you, my son, from tho bottom of my heart. To-morrow I w.ll return and relieve you of nil tho duties, which, sad as they are,- it is impossible tc avoid." Holding his pupil's hands for a mo ment in ids own, and with eyes full ol tears, the kindhcarted old doctor passed from the room. l'ascal was alone alono with his dead! Sho was lost to him forever, and it was this, frightful reality which ho had now to face. If he had only been near her when the circulation of tho blood slopped ho might have relieved her; but whero was she when the trouble be gan? In tho carriage doubtless; but, then, what was sho iloiiig there? Where had she been? What had she been doing? And the suspicion that had assailed him when he recognized his wife in tho lifeless traveler of tho liacro lore his heart anew. She had I old him sho would "wait for him reading by the lire," and hi stoid she had gouo out and returned but a littlo before tho hour whon she oxpectod him to arrive What mystery was concealed muter all liusr What odious and horrible treachery? A bitter, brutal jealousy began to rend him with its claws, ami ho asked his troubled heart if tho death itself of tho beloved ono was not a grief less cruel than the circumstances under which that death had occurred. Already It had begun to seem to him that this terriblo end was a punishment; a punishment, yes but a punishment for what? . Ashamed otthe readiness Willi which his jealous fury fastonod upon these wicked suppositions, Pascal tried Ic reason with himself. Her going out in tills way was, perhaps, not only inno cent, but accldenlial, aud could be easily and naturally explained. At any rate liu would investigate, inquire, ask everybody ho must know what ho had to expect. At this moment some ono fanned up on the door, ami Justin, the valet, en tered tho room. "Monsieur lo doctor," said ho, "lam very sorry, hut the coachman of the liacro sins that he can remain no longer unless you have need of him. Shall he go?" "No," ropliori tho doctor, "send him to me; show him to the salon, and thou riosi-onri and take care of the horse un til ho roturus." A momenl later the conehmau np. poured, awkward and embarrassed. I'ho salon whore the doctor awaited him, a hugo room, now but dimly light ed by a single tlaring candle, seemed terr.bly sad and luguhrious. "Iluply frankly to the questions which I wish to ask you," began Paseal, curt ly; "it will no worth your while. In tho lust place wnr.iti: did you taki: ur thk i.adv Whom you brought to this house to night F" "Upon the Boulevard llaussinanu, near tho Pr ntonips." "At what hourr "It must havo been eleven o'clock" "Was she alone, or accompanied by Home ono!" "A gentleman was witli her, sir; it was hu who signaled me to stop." At thoso wonts a frightful spasm con tracted Pascal's heart; his mouth be came nan-hod and rirv. Ho forced him self to go on with riilllotilty. "Did you see Ills loaturesi' would you know him again?" "l cannot toll, mil 1 uiiuk not. 111011- stour. Ho had tho collar of Ids coat turned up, aud tho shadow of his hat concealed bis eyes. Besides, I never thought of wishing to recogn s'.o him aira n. All 1 now relate to you seemed of no consequence then." But certainly you saw how they par- tod?" "Oh. yes; monsieur, 1 saw that. Sho just throw her arms around bis neck and kissed him, well, perhaps a dozen times. I said to myself'' "Enough!" oriod Paseal. "KuoughS" aud TO KKKl 1UI0M rilYlSO ALOUD In his agony hu buried his nails deep into the palms of his hands. "Here," sa d ho at last, in stilled tones; "here," are three louls for your trouble; but remember, if you an asked questions, that madame aud 1 were together in the carriage." "Precisely," criod the driver; "I ro member it you were, together in the earriago.' "But your uumbor coachman. Per haps 1 nmv need you. What is It?" 'G.'JL".. "Anil your name?" '.Antoino do I'Urbaino.Kuo Lovallols Porrot." Pascal made a nolo ot tho name and street, and signed for him to go. 'i'ho man departed, awkwardly bowing him self from the rum. yet well content wilh bin evening's work. CIIAl'Tim III. "And now for thu wait'ng maid.'' Hidil Paseal, rising aud tinging thu bell, his features, in spite of his ellbrls to Ik culm, distorted with tho doubts that rnoVri If 3 heart. "What can sho havo to nil me? What have I yet to hear?" Do von know. Julie." ho began, as the woman, in obedienco to bis sum mom, camo into tho room, "why madamo changed her mind after an nouncing her Intention not to go out this evening:1" "No, monsieur; that is, I onlv know this, that you bad scarcely gono when a courier brought madnmo a letter, After reading it sho called for her cloak and hat, and sent Justin for a carriage. 'Did sho say whoro sho was going?" "Oh, yes, monsieur; to her mother s, Madamo Dumarais." "Is her mother worse? Did sho send for her, do you think?" "I do not know, monsieur, but should say not, for Madamo Borsier seemed very happy after reading llio note. "WHAT 15KCAME OK THAT LETTHU?" "Madame threw it in the fire." Turning his eves in that direction. Pascal really puree veil, Iving withm the fonder, a scorched and blackened strip of paper, still crumpled into ball as when tossed from Christine's lingers but a few hours ago. There it lav. that kev to the a'oii'zinr mvstorv. What would iio not have gven to havo been ablo to decipher the characters on that charred and crumbling scrap! "Did you notice the handwriting? asked Dr. Borsier, avoiding the oyes of tho fenmic do chambrc. "Oh no, monsieur; I would not al low mvself!" cr cd tho girl indignantly. "Besides, I never saw it. Madame re ceived tho letter herself from tho hands of the courier. But Justin hoard ma damo order tho coachman to drive to tho Uuo ilu Hochor." After all, he thought to himself, she really began tho evening by going to tho house ot nor mother rsucn ruses weru familiar enough and, an hour later, to her rendezvous. Ho saw it all; there was really no other explana tion of her late return, almost mid night. Madame Dumarais, an invalid for vears, was never known to remain out of bed later than nlno o clock; and then tho carriage which was taken at eleven o'clock, at the entrance to the Uuo Trouchet, a point, as overy 011c know, far enough away from the Uuo an Kochcr; and that man, tho man in the overcoat whom she had embraced, shamelessly embraced in tho open street what more could ho want? IIo glared at the dead with menacing looks. "If thou art innocent," he criod, "speak and toll 1110 so." TO UK CONTINUED. Order And Neatness. Mothors, if you have any commlsora- tion for tlio futuro mothers of your blessed grand-children, if you would have those unborn darlings grow up in an ntniosphero of purity and domestic tranquility, tako your boys in band at once aud train them to such habits of neatness aud order, that those habits will become as second nature to thorn, as thoy do to your girls. In your laws of order, make no distinction on the score of sox. Touch your boys to lovo nontnoss for noatnoss' sake; teach them that it is not beneath their manly dignity to know tho pluco for each articlo, and put it there when done with it. Teach them that when making a chango of toilet, thoy must not loavo tho wash basin in lht mhlfllo if tlio rnnm flin Inwnl (lmirr over a chair, combs, brushes, soap anil Ll.iftL-tnn en-it tfiroit iuli2fritii1iii( nit' and oacTi discarded articlo of apparel occupying as many different places. Teach them the uso of the doom-mat; and, if thoy must indulge the man ly vices of chowing and smoking, in sist that they shall practice these vices with all tho delicacy that tho nature of tlio caso will admit. Otlensivo habits become doubly disgust'iig when indulg ed in a coarso and otlensivo manner. Teach vour bovs all this, and futuro duughter.s-ln-law will rise up and call you blessed; for it is likely that what a man learns to bo in his mother's house, he will coutinuo to be in tho house of his wife. Of course some of tho above applies to girls also, but girls with neat moth ers are apt to grow up the sumo, through tlio mediums of example and imitation, Mrs. 11, A. Chute, m Ht, Louis Magazine. Fire-Proof Dresses. This is how to mako your dress lire- proof. Chemicals galore have been isori from time to time to render fabrics incombustible, but one of tho most ellloaclous and least expensive is tungstato of soda, which may he most conveniently applied by mixing it with tho starch for dressing: Add ono part of tho tungstato to throe purls of good dry starch, nud uso the starch in the ordinal' v way. For fabrics which do not require starching riis-iolvo one (oiinil ot tungstato of soda in two gul ons of water, well saturate the fabric in the solution, and let it dry. It will not change t ho most delicate colors or atfect the quality of tho fabno in any way, and ironing will not in the least Interfere with tho elllcaey of tho pro cess. Muslins or silks so treated may bo hold in the tlamo of a candle or gas without catch ng lire, so thai although the portion 11 contact with the tlamo bv continuance may 00 cnarreu or oven destroyed, there is no danger of spread ing tho combustion. All Lovo is Madness. There is, perhaps, too much said of Mr. Lincoln's madness in connection with bis llrst lovo. it is hold by many worthy persons that lovo is a disease of the mind; and if Mr. Lincoln had th s disoaso In a form somewhat more viru lent than that which ordinary men suf fer, whv, what of it?" Where is the luniit.o more deaf to reason Hum the man in love? Indeed, matrimony is only a sort of insuno asylum, with the dilleronce that tho patient is not given bis freedom as soon as he is cured. Lou is vilte Co u rior-Jou vnul. The Umg and Short of It.. After all, the railroads do not care half so much about thu long hall and thu short haul as thoy do about making u big haul. Cincinnati inquirer. GOLD AND SILVER. Aloe? her fnllirr'a field tlior Mriwcd, All flecked with rowsll; s yellow, A little dahitr piM-haircd tuald, A sturdy tt-ye.sr fellow. And tln-rc hive's course tlievtwo began, (Alt, thorny path lor tn-adlncl) And vowed when they were mahl and man me town should Fee a weuulng. Their pililcn curls were blown aud blent, Thiougli wafts of fragrance treudlnir; "And oh I" they murmured, well content, " 'Twill be agolden u editing 1" 41 'TIs time," said lie, "to claim her vow," Ami forth he went and found her; llut she was crown a beauty now, And half the town was round her. "1 fee," says he, 'you don't want " Though teals nere rljie for shedding. "I'm glad our ees are good," says she Ah, wheie's that golden wedding! He thing iiwny, and left her there, Such heart-sore teur-dioos shedding, Anil goslns cried. In blank despair, "He's spoiled the rarest wedding 1" He sailed the seas, he beat the French, Two-score cood years he tarried. And then he thouglit, "That little wench 1 wonder II sne's married!" Next week it blurt old tar rolled past, Tho gabled High street treading, An ancient goslp crowed. "At last We're like to have the wedding 1" She'd waited for lilm fortv years The irrav their locks were threadlne: And some with smiles, and some with tears, Uelielil tlielr silver wedding, 1 rstnybridycn Oooil Words. AmongGrizzly Bears. My comrade, Red Pratt, and I were hunting elk and deer along tho base of the great white quartz cldls of the Medicine Bow mountains. Pratt was red-headed, rcd-whiskercd, red-eyed and red-shirtcd. He was a long, dang ling mountaineer, trapper, prospector ind hunter. Hough persons, who affected brevitv and frankness of speech, said that he was the mightiest liar in tho wholo ltocky Mountain re gion, whoro liars abound and frauds ind humbugs thrive. Other, and more polite, persons spoke of him as tlio mendacious one. But be this as it may, Pratt was a good comrade. IIo sl.irk sd no camp work. Anil though ho rvas not a good hunter, ho d:ri not re turn from unsuccessful hunts and latin to havo wounded numerous rjanio animals, nor did he send mo to hunt mythical bears, elk or deer which ho claimed to have seen. Around tho camp-lire, after supper had been eaten, nud wo lay reclining against logs and smoking sweet pipes and lazily watching the play of tho sparks. Pratt was a comrade beyond price. Then he would tako tho brako oil' his vivid imagination and riot in hunting tales, which almost invariably related to enormous bears, grizzly, sil ver-tipped and black. Onco only was ho guilty of inventing an animal, the beezlogum, which he located in a myth ical mountain chain in Arizona, but I strenuously objected to the introduc tion of tills animal within the charmed circle of our camp-lire and resolutely ruled It out, and in the most friendly manner advised Pratt lo stick to bears. The ovening on which I had kicked the beezleguni away from our camp lire. Pratt nretended to sulk for awhile. and then he looked reproachfully at tno for a few minutes, and said: "Tho boezlcguin story is a mighty interesting story, young fellow, but vou will never hear it. No," ho added, as ho saw that I had no intention to listen to it, no, not if you begged 1110 on bonded knees, would not tell it. But I will toll you about a bear 1 once mot." IIo spoke as though he had onco been in friendly and da ly intercourse with tho animal. 'One fall, some years ago," said Pratt, "I was hunting elk for market on Long's Peak, in Colorado. My camp was near tho edge of a high wall which overlooked a deep canon. This canon was about K(J yards across. Un tho op posite wall, which was almost bare of timber and not nearly so precipitous as the one I was above, there was a heavy gftnio trail which led up to thu main mount a 11. Along this trail many game animals traveled. One frosty morning I got out of my blankets, lit my pipe. ind walked to tho edgo ot the canon wall to smoko boforo brenkfast. While I was sitting on a rock 1 saw a largo bear shambling down tho trail on the opposito bluff. When ho was almost directly opposite mo ho stopped and reared up against a tree, then standing upright ho hung onto the treo with one fore paw and readied up and struck tho bark with tho claws of his frcopaw. I had while hunting seen several bears do this queer thing. And 1 hud seen dozens of tlio marks thev had made by scratching tho trees. But 1 did not know why they did it. After striking tho troo tho bear dropped on all fours, looked up at his mark, smiled, with alisfaction, pronubiv', and shambled along the trail and out of sight. Pres ently 1 saw another and larger boar walk slowly down the trad. hen ho camo to the tree which tho previous bear had scratched, he halted, looked quickly up at tho scratch, then he stood upright on nis mud legs, and with a free swinging blow ho scratched tho bark at least a foot higher than tho mark made by tho other bear. Then ho dropped to his four feet, looked at tentively at the marks for an instant. and coulidently swuggorcd down tho trail. "I now understood what tho bears wore up to. lhev were scratching their s:zo and presumably lighting weight on tho trees, so that all other bears could read it. Presently a littlo ono eared black bear came into view. lie, too, was bound down the trail. Tho little follow was walking slowly. lie frequently dropped his noso to tho tracks made by the other bears 10 smell ot them. Then ho would stop and sit up and look around tho country to soo if the other bears were In sight. Evi dently he was keeping his eves open. uifi Lie. 11 tMis go ug in t;i;i 11 I'li.iucu to gtab and chew him if watchfulness on nls part would protect him. When ho got to tho pine tree and saw tho marks that had been made by tho largo bears ho startod back as though he had boon menaced with a club. His heart stood still as ho conjured tho size aud feroc'ous appearanco of tho hours which had nreceded him. He recovered his nerve in a minute, then stood up and looked around tho country. Then ho timidly approached the troo and stood up to his extreme height and modestly stretched up his paw, but ho did not scratch the bark. He was discouraged. He sat on his haunches and looked at the marks, tirst hanging his head on ono side and then on tho other, so us to mako sum they wero really there, and not optical delusions. As ho sat wag- ly, I saw his tongue begin to loll a lit .i .... . -1 Li ne. 1 hen he smueu, snowing ins teeth nlninlv. He aroso to h s feet and walked up the hill to where a niuc polo was lying. Ho seized it with ids teeth and dragged it down the trail to the tree. He sat up. and, holding tho polo between bis forepaws. he scratched the treo about two feet higher than the point scratched by the largest bear Then ho threw the nolo into tlio canon and sat down in the tra 1 and rubbed his nose with his paw. That bear act ually laughed. Finally ho walked up the trail and disappeared. "What the largo bears did whon thoy returned to the tree and saw tho mark away above theirs I do not know, as I was not there, but I do know that I never saw them in that region again, and it is fair to assume that the little bear, which 1 frequently saw after ward, had frightened them out of tho mountains by making them believe that tho boss of all tho grizzlies was loung ing around that portion of the range." Pratt ceased to talk, and looked in quiringly at mo. I promptly expressed mv astonish ment at the sagacity dis played by tho small, one-eared black bear. Pratt smoked stoad.ly and look ed at me approvingly, as though to say "Hero is a hunting comrade for you. have at last found a man who believes that true story." So pleased was he that ho refilled his pipe, lighted it with a coal, raised his eyebrows inquiringly and murmured, "Beezleguni r I shook my head negatively and said smilingly. "Bears." Pratt took his pipe from his mouth, laid it on Ins knees, aud, bending for ward a 1 ttlc, said earnestly: "I will tell you two true stories about grizzly boars, rsow, understand, I moan tho real Sierra Nevada grizzly, not this bastard ltocky mounta n bear, but bears that weigh 1,'JUU pounds, and that will light as long as they can stand. In 1855 I was in California. The party I belonged to was washing golden gravel among the foot-hills around llio head of Dead Man s Gulch. 1 lie water failed early in the fall, and my party decided to enjoy life hunting jack rabbits for a few days boforo wo went on a prospect ing trip into the 1 highlands. We knew whore the littlo animals were plentiful. Wo loaded our pack animals with blan kets and provisions and kegs nice tive gallon kegs and started on the frolic. That afternoon we passed a bit of ground where jack rabbit signs wero plent ful. Wo camped about half a m le beyond, at the bank of a creek. 1 saw that my comrades were asleep. I detern neri lo kill a mess of jack rab bits for breakfast. I slipped on my boots, grasped a shot-gun aud left camp. When 1 arrived at tho rabbit ground I sat under a large snioolh trunked tree to wait for rabbits to come out to be shot. It was gray light, and I could not soo plainly in the brush. which stood quite thick on tho ground. Presently 1 saw what I thought was a rabbit sitting under some high bushes about forty yards from me. I blazed at it with both barrels, and was terror stricken to see an enormous and ex ceedingly angrv grizzly bear break out of the bushes. He sat up anil siiook his left paw as though it itched or smarted. When he broke cover I sprang behind the tree, threw my gun on the ground, and began to climb. Ile- fore the boar saw mo 1 was out of his roach. He rushed to tho tree, stood up, aud tried to get hold of me. How loudly he grunted! 1 got on a limb and sat there quite coinlortablo and abused the bear. He was greatly ex cited. He broke my gun. ho tore great pieces of bark from the tree, and loudly grunted his ilo-ire to kill me. Then ho sat down to starve mo out. Presently 1 hear voices singing a Spanish love song, and quick-moving and spurred heels beat out an accompaniment to tho song. Looking toward the trad I saw three Mexicans r.ding past. I called to them to aid me. They yelled at the bear, and ho walked oil". Tho Mexicans helped 1110 out of tho tree, and accompanied me to camp. I told mv story, and was laughed at. After breakfast my comrades aud I wont to the place where 1 met the bear, but ho had gono away. One of my comrades, aptly named Thomas, looked attentive ly at tho treo I had taken refuge in, and said: " 'This is the tree you wero in, is it? ' " 'Yes, I replied. " 'I don't bclievo that you wero in that tree,' ho said, 'and I will bet you a slug (50) that you cannot climb into it.' "I took that bot and lost it. After several attempts to climb it 1 took oil my boots and coat and mado 0110 last and desperate elfort. It was in vain. I might as well havo tried to climb the smoke-stack of a steamboat. 1 lost my gun, lost my hunt, lost a slug, and came near to losing my roputntion for truthfulness would havo lost it if tlio Mexicans had not assorted that thoy had found mo in tlio tree. That ended my bear-hunt ng for years. "The noxt b-ar 1 saw," said Pratt af ter a minute's silence, "camo very near killing mo, and tho narrow escape I made gave mo a distaste for bear hunt ing for sport. Ono day in tho fall of 'CO, my comrade and 1" thought wo had earned a rest, and wo doc ded to go bear hunting. Wo loaded a pack animal, took our ritlos, and started for the hills. Neither of us had ever shot a grjzzly bear. Wo know that they wero duuger ous animals to fool with, but that was all wo know. Tho noxt afternoon wo got into what wo thought was a likely boar country, as there wero plenty of boar signs. Wo made our camp, aud tho following morning startod on foot into tlio hills. Presently wo camo to a , point ofchapparal, which stretched hor izontally along a stoop hllside. Bolow it was a narrow brush-covored valloi, on tho other sido of winch was another ( steep, cbappurul covered thicket, j through wh'ch no man can force his way. Wc decided to separate, one walk ing above tho th cket. the other to walk along its lower edge. Tho hillsido was rough, steep and boulder-strewn. Af ter walking about a quarter of n mile I saw a well beaten bear trail, which led into tho chapparal, which was about fifty yards wide at this point. The bear frail formed a tunnel through thp chapparal, 1 kneeled down and looked through the tunuel and saw tho valloy close below. 1 stepped back up the h 11 to overlook tho th cket to see my companion. I could not soo him, but called to him, tolling of tho tunnel. Looking across tho valley 1 saw a largo grizzly bear sitting on tlm other hill side. Tho bear was about 250 yards from me. 1 was armed witli a heavy muzzle-loading nlle, and believed I could kill the bear. I rested my ritlo on a bowlder, took a long, careful, aim, and touched the hair trigger, Tho bear fell over. I yelled to my comrade that I was coining through the tunnel, and ran to its mouth. 1 dropped on my hands and knees, and, with niyrille in my hand, began to crawl through it 1 heard my comrade shout warningly to me, but I was too much excited to heed what he said, even if 1 understood the words. With my head bent down I crawled as fast as I could. I hoard a noise in tho valley ns though stones wero rolling down tho hill. I looked up and saw that the great bear was alive, and that he was approaching tho tunnel at full speed. It was evident that he had seen mo as I ran into the chapparal.and that ho was determined to catch mo. I then understood why my comrade had call ed me. Instantly I realized that I was going to bo killed in a horrible manner. I could not get through tho tunnel bo foro the bear entered its lowor mouth. I could not back out. I could not turn around. I had not tinio to load my rifle, and I had not sufficient room to fight effectively witli my knife. Nearer and nearer camo tho bear. My heart ceased to beat almost. I was in a regu lar Hunk. The bear was almost at the mouth of tho tunnel. I could sco blood trickling from a wound in his neck. His eyes were shining and his teeth glistening. In another instant ho would enter the tunnel. Just as his shadow darkened tho entrance 1 saw a puff of powder smoke shoot against his head and ho fell, and then, indistinctly, I heard the faint report of a rillo. It sounded as though it was a mile away. Directly I saw my comrade scat h'.nisulf on the bear and heard him call to me. I was too weak to answer him. I lay down in the tunnel to rest for nn in stant, and then crawled out into the daylight and sat on the bear alongside of my comrade and grasped his hand strongly. That was a good comrade. "Ah!" said Pratt, "ho was a man. When ho saw that the bear was not dead, and that ho was running for the tunnel, ho knew that I would bo killed if the bear caught mo in there. Thero was but ono thing for him to do ho had to kill the bear or get killed. 'He had but ono shot, as there wero no breech-loading guns in those days. He sank behind the bowlder close to tho mouth of the tunnel, cocked his r He, brought it to his shoulder and waited. When the bear, intent on catching me. ran into Irs rifle's sights he pulled the trigger. I-ortiinately the ball ontered the bear's car and killed him instantly. It does not sound liko a great feat, but not one man in a thousand hassulllciout nerve and devoted courage to do it." Pratt ceased to talk. The recollec tions of his old comrade trooped around him. Ho was affected. IIo turned away from me, arose, walked oil' to tho forest a few rods and attempted to whistle. I rolled my blankets around me and left him with his memories. Frank Wilkeson, i New York Sun. Four Lilies of Wisdom. The men of energy and pluck Have found thi- maxim wise It never pays to run for luck Uuless you advertise. Springjlrld Union. The Hot End of the Joke Here is a good story told of Roddy's cavalry: One day tho troopers were about to go into battle, dismounted, leaving every fourth man to hold hors es. Tho mon were drawn up to count from right to left. Of course, overy fourth man felt jolly as this is tho way the count went on: "One." "Two." "Three." "Bully." "One." "Two." "Three." "Bully." Gen. itoddv heard each fourth man call out "bully." His face Hushed. Whon all had called oil' ho said: "Numbers ono, two anil bully will go into tho light as dismounted cavalry. Number three will hold tho horses." There was a good many sick "bul lies that day. Atlanta t onstihttion. About Thimbles. The best thimbles arc mado in Franco. The thimble was first used on the thumb and was called the thumb boll. Tho first thimble ovor soon in Eng land was mado in Loudon nearly 200 vears ago. . A lady in Boston has a thimblo from il. ...!.-!, Ir. under which Washington stood when in 1775 ho took tho oath as coinmander-in-chiof. Tho queen of Sunn n uiimoio iiin form of a lotus bud, .1. i.....Di...u.. n.r. m'!tl flower. It is IIIU lOlllS IMUI1K - ---- thickly studded with diamonds so ar- ranged as to form her namo nuu mo dato of hor marriage. i..nHos in China are very nainiy auoui their thimbles. Some aro carved from lnr"o pearls, banded wan nno goiu, on whTch are engraved all sorts of fantas. tie ! figures, tho otclungs ot wnicn serve catch tho needle. to A Dil'.erence In Hens. A papor speaks ot an opal "as large as a small lion s egg.' 11 nas -ouauiy uover occurred to tho editor who makes this comparison that it sometimes hap pens that .1 small hen's ogg to larger than thgegg of a big hon. Xorrislown Herald, o