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