The Oregon scout., March 30, 1888, Image 7

HELEN LAKEMM;
on,
The Story of a Young Girl's Strug
gle With Adversity.
BT J01IK K. MTJ8ICK. '
Atrrnon or "Thk Darker of Bedroiid,"
"WALTEU BnOWNFIELD," Etc.
Copyright, lx, by A. X. KtUogg Xeavpaptr Oo.
"Excuse mo," lie said. There wns a
timid acceptance of the apology, and
the slight form drew back in the dark
part of the road for him to pass.
"It is so dark here!" said Warren.
Very dark, air. Stuart," responded
a voice, sweetly.
"I beg pardon, but is not this
Helen?"
It is, sir," was the timid response.
"Were you at church ?"
"Yes sir." .
"And are now on your way homo
alone ? "
"Yes sir, but I don't mind it. I am
not afraid and the walk is pleasant."
"But you shall not go alone, Helen;
I will be your escort."
"Oli, if you please, sir, I am not
afraid," the girl said, timidly. "The
moon shines brightly, and I do not
want to trouble you."
"Nonsense, Helen, it's no trouble to
me," lie said, laughing, and he took her
larin as if she were some great lady.
They walked on and began to talk
about the sermon. Warren could not
but contrast the depth of Helen's con
versation with the shallowness of Hallio
Arnold. As the timidity left her she
began to converse with a knowledge
surprising in a hired girl. Where had
she learned so much? was the question
our hero asked himself. As they came
out into a more open part of the road
the moon fell upon her upturned face.
Oh, how lovely it looked. The largo
blue eyes were dark and brilliant. Tlio
uneonfmed hair was ringlets of gold,
and the form, neatly, but not grandly,
attired, was beautiful.
They were just in the midst of an an
imated conversation upon the sermon
when the moon's rays revealed the real
loveliness of Helen Lakeman. Warren
Arnold never has forgotten, and wo are
assured lie never will forget, that moon
light walk. He may have had other
li'innv ninmont In 1n. lifn. Imt. this.
the lirst dawning of a pure love, was
the happiest moment of his existence.
He asked Helen why she did not go
to church in tho forenoon, and she
answered that having to get dinner she
did not have time. She only got an
opportunity to steal away and hear the
word of God after she had done her
day's work and put little Amos to bed.
"But why did you not go with
mother and sister in tho carriage ? "
She made no answer to this and War
ren bit his lip. There was room for
the minister, his wife, and even Peddler
1'etc, but this poor girl, who was an
angel rin earth, after toiling all day
Sunday, was compelled to walk a mile
and a half to church. The neglect of
his parents, however, had given him
the blessed privilege of Helen's com
pany, and he had discovered how pre
cious she was to him
We will not attempt to record their
conversation. It was not of love, but
love itself. Both knew it, both felt, yet
both struggled against it. The old
farm-house was reached too soon, and
he conducted Helen, much against
her desire, to the sitting-room, where
his parents and their visitors were.
Had a bomb-shell exploded in the
room the astonishment of air. and Mrs.
Stuart could not have been greater.
Warren was sure there was a frown of
anger on the face of his father, and a
look of pain spread over his mother's
features.
CHAPTUIt IV.
rEnnr.Ea rirre makks a iievei.atiok.
If Warren's parents felt any great
vexation, they did not evince it by
-words. In an instant tho look of sur
prise and pain had vanished from their
features.
"Sit in hero, Helen," said Mrs. 'Stu
art, "we are going 'to havo evening
prayer."
Helen, who was quick to perceive tho
change in tho features of her employ
ers, knew they were displeased, and
was in tho act of going to the kitchen.
"Warren, knowing that ho had done no
wrong, sat down upon tho old-fashioned
sofa, his whole soul aroused to
rebellion against his parents. Ho
possessed a proud, sensitive nature, and
tho very fact that his parents had neg
lected Helen Lakeman, and allowed
her to walk alone through tho dark for
est fo church, vexed and annoyed him.
But his mother spoke kindly to her,
and ho was somewhat mollified.
While Mr. Blaze was reading a chap
ter from the Bible, he watched tho faco
of Helen, so beautiful, so sweet and
earnest There was a heavenly piety
in it, which seemed to place a halo of
holy light about those golden curls.
She was opposite him, and as sho knelt
in prayer ho could but observo her.
The prayor of Mr. Blaze was earnest
and warm, hut Warren heard very lit
tle of it. When tho amen was pro
nounced and all arose to their feet,
Helen retired to her small room in the
rear of the kitchen.
Warren could not sloop that night.
Many others have been in a like condi
tion. A person may find sleop with
tho toothache, with a broken limb or
when differing tho most intense phys
ical pain, but whoever went to sleep
when harriwscd and annoyed with tho
doubts, fear and hopes of love, until
completely worn out. Thk now emo
tion had fturst upon Warren so sud
denly that ho was almost overwhelmed.
After tossing about upon ids bed for
sometimo, in his vain effort to woo the
drowsy god, ho aroso and crept softly
clown tne stair-way. lie went out Into
the moonlight, and his eyes involunta
rily turned toward the rear kitchen
where was the small apartment which
was Helen's sleeping room. He walked
down the wooded road, now so dear to
him by tho recent walk from church;
he sat down beneath a large oak tree
and strove to cool his healed brain.
This was tho weakest of follies, he
knew; but then wo aro weak creatures.
"Why am I so agitated, so annoyed
to-night?" he asked himself.
Had the question been asked Warren
Stuart : " Are you in love with this
hired girl?" he would undoubtedly
have answered : "No," though ho was
willing to admit that she was beautiful,
good as an angel, and possessed the
most lovcable qualities of any person
ho had ever met. Yet there was a cer
tain pride in his nature, which revolted
nt the idea of his marrying a hired girL.
This pride was not dead, and would
have to be overcome before ho could
be induced to propose marriage to
Helen ; but it was numbed and might
bo worn down by any sudden torrent of
feeling.
He returned to tho house and crept
soiuy up to ins room. 'Though be slept
but little that night, he was less- re.-U
less than before he took his moonlight
walk.
Tho next morning ho was feeling
dull and heavy. His brothers had long
tK'en up, and were feeding and curry
ing their hor.-es, while their breakfast
Wiis preparing. The minister am) his
wife were going to Newton that morn
ing and Warren was the persou selected
to take them.
"I guess if yer goin' to town to-day
I'll jist go 'long to take the train for
Chicago," said Peddler Peto ; "ye see
my stock's ninnin' low, an' I had bot
tor replenish jist a little."
The preacher and his wifo sat on
the rear seat. Peto, having asked pardon
and got the permission to light his pipe,
was enjoying asmoke during the morn
ing ride.
The road to Newton was through a
rich farming country. Sandy Fork
wsis the most fertile portion of the
State. On this delightful spring morn
ing every tiling seemed fresh and lovely.
The whistle of the plow-boy and songs
of the birds made the air melodious.
The fields, lately plowed, were black in
the richness of their soil, the winter
wheat and oats made them look like
green canvas paintings. No picture
could express tho loveliness df the
morning, for here nearly all tho senses
were permitted to drink in the glories
of nature s loveliness.
"This is a grand niornin'," said Pete,
who possessed not a little poetry in his
soul, yet without tho ability to express
it. "This is a lovely niornin'. Uo ye
know, Warren, what it 'minds mo of?"
" No," said Warren, whose mind had
boon occupied ever sinco they started.
Tho minister and his wifo were talking
and paying no attention to the men in
the front seat. Peto noticed this, and
leaning forward said, in a low tone :
" A certain little gal what works in a
gentleman's kitchen to get a livin' for
herself an' a crippled brother." The
shrewd peddler winked and lixed his
eyes on Warren.
Warren's faco turned red. Why had
tho peddler alluded to her ? Did he
observe the look of dismay upon tho
face of his parents when ho returned
from church with her the night before ?
"I'll tell ye, Warren," said tho ped
dler, in a low tone, "I don't blamo yo
one doggon bit providen' yer in ear
nest ; but lem mo tell ye somethin' if
ye go to breakin' that gal's heart, yer
meaner than a feller who peddles brass
earings or pizen medicine. She's a
good gal, Warren, with an ' all-wool '
heart there's no cotton chain or fillin'
about her she's no cheat an' as good
as gold."
Peto had a habit of rating peoplo as
he did his merchandise. Having spent
all his life in a certain trade it becanio
a part of his language, and a part of
himself.
Warren felt like a criminal ; he asked
himself in his own mind whether ho"
was a villian or not. Ho knew that ho
could not get his parents' consent to
his marriage with her, and ho had not
really obtained his own. Perhaps this
feeling was only sympathy and interest
in the poor girl.
"Pete," ho said, "who was it that
wronged this girl ? who robbed her of
her home, tho Plumber place ? "
"Why the man who owns it now
old Jim Arnold."
"How was it done?"
"Done, it was ono o' them steals
which is done in court. Yo see, when
Mr. Lakeman died, ho was but little
known. There was a security debt of
five hundred dollars against him, an'
old Jim Arnold ho bought it. Well, yo
sec, Arnold got a thief named Smith
administrator, a regular cheat, witli
'cotton chain an' too fillin';' then thoy
went to lawin' this five-hundred-dollar
claim, an1 spent all tho personal prop
erty doin' it. There warn't enough to
pay funeral oxponses an' doctor bill,
'though Mr. Lakeman wore well fixed
when ho died. After that was settled a
guardian was appointed for tho two
children, who, of course, were 'titled
to a homestead. Well, tho guardian
was off the same piece o' cloth as tho
administrator. Hero was fivo hundred
dollars to pay, and a farm an1 a piece
o1 raw land to pay it out of. Tho tow
Mnen Arnold, ho has tho homestead o'
tho children set off among tho breaks
an hills, not worth ten cents an aero,
an a farm worth fivo thousand dollars
sold. Ho bought it in at five hun
dred." "Why, how could this bo done?"
Warren asked.
"Yo see, Arnold owned tho lawyers in
it, an' tho probuto judge, too."
' Why was it not appealed to a high-
11 Kl lU.
" It was, an' there they found tli
rottenest goods in the whole pack; the
lower court might not a had any better
sense, but the otherjndge he was well
he was bought jist like a piece o' cal
ico, an' he's shoddy good at that. He
hold it all to be regular, an' dismissed
the appeal!' 'Not her lawyer tried to
take it the Supreme Court, but yo see
the administrator's lawyer an' the
guardians' lawyer, who were shoddy
goods, come in an' dismissed the whole
tiling."
"And those poor children were swin
dled?" "Yes; worse swindled than thoy'd a
been by a second-hand clothing Jew
merchant in Chatham street, New
York."
The remainder of the drive to town
was made in silence, and Warren re
turned alone. His mind was busy.
Tins girl then was not of low parent
age, though her occupation was hum
ble. Humble was it not noble? Ho
resolved to know more of Helen Lake
man. CHA1TRU V.
MRS. AIlNOI.l) DOKS 1IF.11 DUTY.
Plain, unassuming, modest Helen
Lakeman, to whom duty to her crippled
brother was more than all things else,
strove to crush out tlw image of War
ren Stuart from her heart, and also to
blot out the memory of that moonlight
walk to church. We all know how
hard it is to forget that which is pleas
ant to remember. In trying to reason
with herM'lf that she should forget
Warren, she was constantly bringing
his image before her mind. The pleas
paper, out spefit his time in talking
with Helen or amusing Amos. Tho
little cripple grew quite fond of him,
and used to call him frequently against
the protests of his sister, who blushed
profusely in spite of herself when War
ren came.
The afternoons wero usually em
ployed by Helen in mowing for airs.
Stuart, for she was "handy with the
noodle." Nearly every afternoon found
Warren thcro also, unless his father
and mother devised some plau to keep
him away.
Poor Helen sho was blamed; al
though sho did nothing to encourage
the young physician.
air. Stuart said ho thought when ho
sent Warren to college it would make
him know more than ordinary mortals,
but where a pretty faco was concerned
he was about as big a fool as any other
boy.
Deluded man, did ho suppose love
could bo educated out of the human
heart, and did ho suppose he could add
ono atom of wisdom to a lovo-sick
youth?
Warren's parents did not forbid his
frequent attentions to Helen in direct
words; they wero too wise for that; but
thoy did every thing they could to dis
courage them, and tried to find some
thing for him to do to keep him away
from the kitchen, air. Stuart grew
sullen, and even cross, to the little crip
pled boy whom lie had fondled and
petted before, airs. Stuart, good wom
an, was kind to both Helen and her
little brother. She know it was not tho
poor girl's fault.
Helen was quick to perceive that
Warren's manner toward her was caus
ing his parents uneasiness, und appre
ciated the fact that a hired girl for a
daughter-in-law fell far below the ambi
tion of tho Stuarts. Sho kept away
from church for two Sabbaths, and
when she went on the third, Warren,
who had set parental vigilance at defi
ance, overtook her and accompanied
iter to church against her protest. On
tho way homo sho sought to avoid con
versation with him, but as the' paused
at tho roar gate he caught her hand and
said :
"Helen, I love you, I can't help it;
I don't care if the whole world knows
it. Do you lovo me in return ? "
Sho cast a frightened, appealing
glance in his faco, full of mild entreaty,
and said : " Oil do not talk so, it is
it is wicked," and bursting into tears
broke away from him and ran to tho
kitchon.
"HKI.EN. I LOVE YOU!"
If Warren had tho opjosition of his
parents, ho had the sympathy of his
sweet, though mischievous, sister ltose.
Sho was quick to discern her brother's
fondness for Helen, and already know
ing her good qualities resolved in her
way to help them. Every young fellow
in love is almost sure to find a sympa
thetic friend in his sister.
There was another family in the
Sandy Fork neighborhood as much an
noyed as, if not more so, than the Stu
arts, over tho young doctor and tho
hired girl. It was tho Arnolds. Why
had ho not visited their houso more fre
quently sinco his return?
"I declare, ho hasn't been to see Hal
lie but once sinco ho came back," said
Mrs. Arnold, raising her head high in
order to look under her spectacles.
"He's taken up with that hired girl",
said Hallio, spitefully, "and I guess I
don't want him."
"Well, it's a strango thing to me,"
said airs. Arnold, holding a needle bo
foro hor, and trying to thrust a sharp
pointed thread through it, "that airs.
Stuart can't see what her sou is doing.
Mighty little uso for them to send a boy
through college if he's coinlu' back
homo to tn row himself away on a ilish-
usher."
"Let him marry her if he wants to,
nobody cares," said Hallio, who was
doing some tine embroidery work.
"Well, now, Hallio, that's not the
way to talk about these matters. If I
had a son and he was about to throw
himself away on some poor trash I'd
thank anybody to conic and tell mo in
time to prevent tho ruin, and I don't
know but what it's my duty to go at
once and warn airs. Stuart. You see,
ftiir eyes are always blinded to tho
faults of our own children."
" He had her to church last Sunday,"
said Hallio; adding to herself : " I'd
like to scratch her big blue eyes out."
"He didn't, did hoP" cried airs.
Arnold, looking in the air and holding
one hand up in horror.
"Yes. he did."
"Oh, now, Hallio, you must be jok
hi"?" ure of remembering Viaf pleasure was
always attended with pain. But Helen
had an all-powerful panacea to mental
troubles in ambitious work. There
was enough to keep her mind and
hands busy. Then all her hours of re
creation wefe spent with her afllictcd
brother. If she found herself dreaming
ambitious dreams in which Warren Stu
art was her hero, sho immediately ban
ished them from her mind, and applied
herself industriously to her household
duties. Warren frequently of an even
ing came to tho rear porch, with a book
or paper, for he said it was the coolest
place, being on the east side of tho L,
which formed tho kitchen ; but some
how Warren never read Ids book
"No, it'struo; Jim Davis told mo
so."
" Then its a lie. Jim only told you
that to aggravate you. Jim has been
trying to come to our houso for a long
time, and he thinks if ho could get
Warren Stuart out of tho way ho
conld."
" But I hoard it confirmed by others."
"Well, then, airs. Stuart don't know
it ; I know they know nothing about it.
It's my duty to go and tell them."
"Yes, and have them say you aro
meddling with other people's business."
said Halite, tears of indignation rising
in her eyes.
Hallio was in fact almost in despair.
She had struggled so long to get the
"best catch" in Sandy Fork in hornet,
and just as sho thought sho had suc
ceeded, to have him triumphantly led
away by a hired girl was too much.
"I don't care what thoy say," said
airs. Arnold, "I'm going to do my
duty if people don't thank mo for it
I havo a clear conscience."
airs. Arnold was sure that it was a
mere matter of duty. She Wiis not
actuated by any selfish notions, but
acted wholly from a sense of duty as a
neighbor. She was satisfied that that
liired girl was not as gooil as she ought
to be, and that she was silently playing
a deep game, though how sho became
satisfied on this oint wo do not know.
That afternoon she arrayed herself in
her dark-brown dress, changed her
steel-bowed spectacles for her gold
ones and put on her large, rounded
bonnet which she wore to "meetiu'."
airs. Stuart met hor at tho door, shook
hands with her and asked her in.
"I havo come to' spend tho after
noon," said airs. Arnold, with her
head high in the air, as if sho was try
ing to peep over or under hor spec
tacles, "and I've brought my knittiuir
too."
I HAVK COME TO Sl'KND THE AFTER
NOON."
"Well, I'm glad you havo," said
airs. Stuart, bringing her to tho sitting-room
and offering hor tho best
rocking chair.
airs. Arnold was tho high-toned gos
sip of tho neighborhood. Sho know all
about tho "first weddings" that wero
to "come oil" long boforo anybody
else. Sho did not mix up much with
scandal, leaving that for tho mother
Tantrums and GrundyS to attend to,
but sho was authority on dress and
rumor. It was no easy matter to
broach tho subject of her errand, and
.Mrs. Arnold found tho evening half
spent and it had not been alluded to.
It must bo done, and she began nerving
herself for tho task. airs. Arnold was
a woman of no little courage, but how
to speak to this quiet, self-possessed
yet confiding airs. Stuart, so as to make
her words effective, was a puzzle to her.
At hist sho did it. It was after a long
spell of trying to pick up a dropped
stitch, when she laid hor knitting in
her lap and elevating her noso in the
air so as to look under her spectacles,
sho started out :
"Do you know tho talk that is goin1
round about Warren P "
"No," answered airs. Stuart, in sur
prise. Tho two huties woro alono, and
airs. Arnold moved her chair up a little
nearer to hor neighbor and said :
"Peoplo say he's going to marry."
'aiarry marry who?" asked Mrs.
Stuart.
"Your hired girl." There was just
Hie least contempt in the answer.
"It'K false; I don't bollovo it," said
airs. Stuart, with indigimtton.
STORIES OF GRANT AND LEE.
A l'mnous Italic Ron. Leo' Supplj
Trl ii A l'li'co oT Marble.
Ono t)f tlio most famous relics of tlio re
bellion wns, until recently, In tho poscssioi,
of Mrs. Ord, but it Is now owned by Mr. Gun
tlier, u wealthy confectioner of Chicago. '1 lib
nrtlclo wns tho Identical table uioit which
Gens. Grant and Leo signed Umt famou
paper surrendering Leo's entire nrmy, niu.
virtually uniting tho grent civil war. it is n
very ordiunry pleco ot cabinet work, In-hip
uiailo of tlio cheapest mnterinls, but having it
marble top. There can bo no doubt but that
this is tho table used on that memorable oc
casion, us Mrs. Oiil had in her possession a
letter from Gen. U. 8. Grant to that ('fleet.
Until recently Mrs. Ord refused nil offers for
its pure aso, but finally sold it to Mr. Gun
tlier for $1,000, one-third of tho prico originally
asked.
"You cannot Imngiiio how 1 regretted to
jmrt with the tnlile," said Mrs. Ord, with con
sidemb o feeling. "Mrs. Grant wnntcd it, so
did Col. Fred Grunt anil many others, but
they would not pay tlio sum I asked. Gen.
Ord thought n great deal of tlio relic, nud
was always pleased to talk about iu Ilo was
present when the surrender was signed nt
Appomattox Court House, nlid knowing thne
its future value would Iw great, set it aside.
At the time of tlio surrender tliodlstinguishcd
party did not proceed to business until fully
half nn hour after thoy had mot. Thoy
smoked their cigars and chatted about their
families nnd other purely pnvnto mnttora.
Finally tlio conversation turned to tho war
nud tho causes of lxi's surrender.
"During this conversation Leo remarked to
Grant that ho wns unablo to account for tho
disappearance of his supply train. Had he
not have lost it Leo said that ho would not bo
in tlio situation lio then wns. Sheridan, who
stood nt tlio back of tho noted Confederate
general's chair, was perfectly nwnro of wbnt
hud K'como of tho supply trniu, for ho cap
tured it. Turning to Gen. Ord, ho gave n
mischievous wink, that, could Loo liavu seen
it, would have solved tho conundrum as to
tlio fato of his supplies.
"In ono corner of tho niarblo top of tho
tnlilo is n nick about nn inch long nnd proba
bly n quarter of nn inch deep. This wns
caused by tho hilt of Gen. Leo's sword strik
ing tho table when ho roso after signing tho
paper. Tho marhlo chip fell on" on the floor,
but Gen. Sheridan pieked it up nud put it in
his pocket. I do not know what became of
It."
Continuing, tho lndy sa'd that the tnblo Mrs.
Gen. Custer hns, and which sho claims wns
tlieoueupon which Loo's surrender wns signed,
was not tlio table it purported to be, although
it is ono of great historic value. It is tho ono
upon which Gen. Gibbon wrote tho order that
wns afterward signed by Grunt, announcing
Leo's surrender. Gen. Custer was present nt
tlio time, nnd, utter tho other parties hnd left
the room, seized tho tablo nnd handed it out
of tlio window, tolling ono of his men to take
:aro of it for hint. San Diego Union.
AVIiy tlio Soldiers Desert.
An ex-soldier wns telling his experiences a
few days ago. "Do you wont to know," ho
lsked, "why it is that so ninny solders desert
from tlio army? Nearly oiio-third of tho
lrnry deserts ovvry year, and there ore 12,000
;ourts martial every twelve mouths, nnd this,
remember, in an army which doesn't consist
Dt many moro than 30,000 men when tho
ranks uro prett full. Well, tho reason so
many desert is that thoy aro treated moro
like dogs than men no, not liko dogs, for I
would rather bean officer's dog than a musket
farrier nnd never receive nny consideration
whatever. Thut'.s why a better class of men
Joesu't joi'i the army. I don't kick on tho
pay tho common soldier gets $1U a mouth
Hint clothes nnd grub is moro tlinn many n
innu with a family to supiort gets but tho
things tho privnto puts up with aro too hard
to bear, nnd it's a wonder that fifty oillecrs
ain't shot every year by their men.
"Of course tlio oillcors will deny that thcro
Is any brutality in tho nrmy, but it's there nil
tho same, and tho men would rather a good
deal bo sent to tho military piison nt Fort
Leavenworth thou servo in tlio ranks that is
i good many of them. Why, a privnto
iursen't spenlc to his superior oillcer, a young
:ml just out of West Point, without permission.
1'heru's too much of thu English snobbery lit
our nrmy. Outside tho English our army is
tlio most cxclusivo aristocracy in tho world.
It's mostly mudu up of olllcers now, anyhow,
there being an oillcer for every eight men or
so, It's nearly us top heavy as tho navy and
jbout as useless. It supports a lot of lazy
loafers, and that's about all it's good for.
1'liero's good men in tho nrmy, of course, but
'.hero's nothing for them to do but draw their
pay. Perhaps you think I'm a Httlo bitter,
but then you must remember tunt I served
llvo years in tho runks which is worso thnu
fivo years iu Joilot any tlmo." Chicago
Tribune.
Ills Cortlflcutn of Deposit.
As queer things huppeu sometimes at the
banks as anywhere else. It was not long
go that a galootish looking fellow walked
into tho First National and usked for a
:crtlflcato of deoslt. Ho counted out his
nonoy nnd handed ft through tho window.
Tho teller took it, counted it, and throw it
into his box. Then taking his grent canvas
Mvered book, wherein uro entered tho siguu
;ures of tho thousands of eoplo who hold
jertillcutes of tho First National, ho throw it
irouiid und passed it through for tho galoot
to sign. Thu next instant, when tho teller
'ooked up, thu dujiosltor was half way down
tlio big banking room with that grent book
under his arm and making for tho door.
Thero wero tho money boxes to look out for
mil tho drawers to close, and tho clerk could
jet out in pursuit only by running down und
irouiid 100 feet of counters. Ho didn't try to
lo all these things. Ho helloed to tho near
jst customer ho saw outside, to run and slop
;hut fellow with tho great canvas covered
b"ok. That wus no dilllcult matter. Tlio
man wns making his way painfully and
ilowly down Dearborn street, ami cainu buck
iheerfully. Ho thought that that forty
pound book, ho said, was his cortlllcato of
deposit. Chicago Herald.
Homing I'Irohim nt ICoy Wot.
Mr. O'Dounell, of tho United States signal
I'Tvico, hos gono to Key West, Fin., for tho
purpose of establishing communication by
i eans of homing pigeons between that jwint
nnd the Wst India Islnds, for tbclbeuellt of
tlio signal service. Mr. O'Dounell will com
mence his experiments with about fifty young
birds. When properly trained ho will glvo
tho birds to captains of vessels, who will tako
them out to sea and liberate them. At first
ho will tako them out four or fivo niles,
gradually increasing tlio distance, until tho
West Indies aro reached. It will enable the
ilgnnl scrvico, it tho bird can bo successfully
trained, to give quicker and more definite and
reliable Information in regard to the preval
ence and character of storms and tho condi
tion of weather on tho soveral lslands.--Doi-tou
liudget.
riuiUliIng a Dude.
In a PitUburg theutrr, tho other night, a
citizen arose in his scut and violently hurled
a iotto at a dude who wns examining h'i
(tuo citizen') wife through an ojicra glass;
und tbereujiou throe or four hundred person
vigorously applaud!' thq husband. No
York Bun.
AZTECS AND TOLTECSL
BRIEF DESCRIPTION CP THE C4Yl
OF A BYGONE CIVILIZATION.
Ancient ltulus In Mexico nnd Centra!
Amcrlrn A Peoplo to Do Speculate
Over by Arclnrololnts nnd And Aiiii
qiiurlniia DUrnvurle of Traveler.
The light thrown on this ancient civiliza
tion of tho Toltocs In Moxico and Central
America by tho recent discoveries in Arizona,
Is of value iu establishing certain traditions
which have long lxen known and uxn which
many theories have been based. Tradition,
has nlwnys.ild that tho Toltecs, who proba
bly arrived in tho valo of Anahuuc somotimo
in tho Fourth century, camo from tho north,,
and this the present discoveries confirm.
That thoy took their civilization with them
instead of developing it in tho valley of
Mexico is also certain. I'erhnjis, too, tho
lestrtictlon of those cities of tho Salt Uivcr
valley may explain tho moro s tnblo character
of tho Tolteo ruins in Moxico and Yucatan,
and soino of thu peculiarities iu their con
struction. Tho ruins In tho vnlo of Anahuac and In
Yucatan and Honduras aro all characterized
by tho soma general features, nnd it has been
supposed that for the most part thoy wero
builded by tho Toltucs, nnd that tho Aztecs,
who drove out tlio Toltecs from Mexico, and
whoso king, Montezuma, was ronquorod by
Coitez, added but Httlo to tho Toltoc civiliza
tion which they found and conquered. It Is
interesting to note in this connection that
Dr. Daniel Wilson considers tlio mound
builders of tho Ohio valley and tho United
States tho probuliio ancestors of tho Aztecs,
and that modern discovery seems to reveal
many trnlts of tha mound builders in tho
Aztecs. If such wero tho case, it isovident
that either great progress was mndo by tho
mound builders boforo thoy could develop
tho civilization which Cortoz found In Mex
ico, or that that civilization was in largo
part thu work ot a race whom tho Aztecs
conquered nnd whoso civilization thoy added
to their own. From tho earth mounds of
tho Ohio vnlloy it is qulto a step to tho stono
palaces und temples nnd mounds bunked with
stono, with elaborately carved facades, which
are found in Moxico nnd Yucatan.
HU1NS OK YUCATAN.
The ruins of Yucatan are of particular in
terest. So ourly as l&il) nnd IS-tL Stovons and
Catherwood visited thesw ruins nud mndo
fine drawings of ninny of them. Other ex
plorers have followed, nud though our knowl
edge of them is still very incomplete, yet
"noiigh is known to mako it sure that at ono
mo a wonderful civilization existed amid
no tropical forests of Yucatan. Today vast
pyramidal mounds or terraces nro found, not
terminating iu a point, as did tho Egyptian,
but having on thoir summits platforms that
support ponderous structures of huwn stono,
which wore unquestionably erected, for pur
poses of a sacred character. Many of thosa
teoKilli wero ot earth, but tho greater part
w ero built of brick or stono. Pnlncos woro
ilso constructed on these mounds. At Palen
pie, in Chiapas, tho most southern provinco
of Moxico, ore ruins of a pnluco on tho top ot
i vast mound, whoso baso was 310 by SOO?
feet, and height 40 feet, and tho polneo on
tho summit SS!8 by ISO feet, and 25
feet high. Tho palace is ono story, with
fourteen doorways In front nnd rear, and.
jlevon at each end. Tho walls aro docorntal
ivith what Cathorwood pronounces admlr
blo stuccos, and tho water colors on tho
cement are much tho same as thu frescoes ot
indent Itnly.
In Honduras, tho ruins of Copan, tho dty
jf idols, nro of Interest. Great mouolithia.
itatuus of doities abound, tho most remark
iblo being twelve feet high and four foot
tqunro and curved elaborately with what aro
lupposcd to bo Toltec hieroglyphics, on ab
breviated und moro complex form of tho
Indian picture writing. The city is located
in tho banks of n river and wns surrounded
by vast walls, portions of which, from sixty
to ninety feet in height, remain standing.
At Uxmtil, iu Yucatan, vast ruins also
3xist. Cathorwood says thnt "In vast extent,
variety, and preservation thoy impressed
him at first glanco with tho same feelings of
ivonder nnd ndmiratlou ns did tho ruins of
Thobcs." Tho Casa do los Moujos or Housa
Nuns, is a rectangular building fXX) fees
iqunro nnd incloses a largo court. Each sldi
presenta different designs, and no less thnu
iixtcen diireront facades, nil richly decorated
md painted, existed nt tho time of Gather
wood's investigation. Tlio Teocallls, at Ux
tunl, Is on a vast pyramid 100 foot above tha
level ot tho plain, und IU front is most elabor
itely carved. "Mux" iu Cleveland Leader.
Clgnrotto Smoking. f
Cigarette smoking Is ono of the worst ot
bablts, physleully, that a boy can form. It
njuros thu heart and tho digestion, and ib
tends to check tho growth. It gives a lad
falso and silly notions, and ft docs not bring
aim into good company. Tho parent's duty
Is a simple one. Let him point out tho in
iuriousncKs of tho habit; let him laugh at it,
and if this is not enough, as it should bo with
iny right feoliug boy, thon let him forbid itr
tvith penalties, nnd do seasonably what is to
be done. I am not of thoso who think that
severe measures aro often necessary in tha
manugemout of children that receive a care
ful and airectionato training. But it hi
tomo cases nothing elso will do it is well to
consider that a switch in timo saves nlno.
Dr. Coun iu Harjier's Young 1'ooplo.
CniiKrcssiiinn'n lllorupliies.
Tho biographies furnished by members aro
lomotimes dcllclously funny. Ono man wroto
x voluminous sketch of himself, mentioned
that Iih was separated from his wifo, but it
(vox nil her fault, and gave a circumstantial,
iccuuut of his domostia infocilitius, asking;
bis follow members to tako his word for it
ill, Ho was surprised and disgusted that
It didn't coma out. Other members In
thoir first term got furlou with tho com
piler of tho directory for not cutting out
poi-tions thoy havo written in all coull
dtiiico, because thoy see tho screaming ab
surdity of it as soon as It is contrasted:
with thu modest biographies furnished by tha
leading nion in congress. Washington Cor.
boston Transcript.
Utile for tlio Huibund.
Kovor find fuult with your wifo boforo
others.
Ter contra, remember tho counsel of tha
good book: "Her husband shall pralso her
In thu gates." That is, before folks.
Hear all her burdens for her; even then
she'll boar moro than you do, iu spite of you.
If yon want her to submit to your judg
ment, never ask her to submit to your sel
fishness. A woman's llfo is modo up of Httlo things.
Mako her llfo happy by littlo courtesies.
Ijovo Is a wlfo's only wages. Don't scrimp
In your jy,
A Now Tannine Agent.
A now tanning uijeut, called pyrofusclne,
has lwn eutracted from coal dust by manna
of caustic soda. Tho tanning process is some
what complicated, but it is a aimed to bo SO
per cent, cheaper than tho bark process, and
10 to 210 K-r cent, cheaper than tho alum pro
was). Arkuuuiw Traveler, ,v ,
UOMTIXVKD,