ON ANOTHER ERRAND.
A Ludicrous Iiirl.lrut nr a Vermont
1'astnr's Knrly L,lf.
A Vermont Baptist minister who is
not too eruvo and dignified to enjoy n
good joke, even when it is on himself,
narrates a ludicrous incident of his
early life. Soon after being settled
over a now congregation, he ono day
received a note asking him to be at
iiomo that evening at eight o'clock.
The writer added that ho was intend
ing to bo married at that hour, and
would call at the parsonage-with hla
bride.
It was but a few minutes beforo
eight o'clock when tho door-bell rang,
and a moment later tho servant an
nounced Unit a young couple awaited
the minister in tho parlor.
Going down into the parlor, accom
panied by his wife, tho pastor found a
neatly-dressed, intelligent appearing1
young man and a bright-looking young
woman, who roso to rcceivo him.
'I am Mr. Homer." said tho young
man. "and this is Miss Cross."
Having another engagement for tho
evening, tho minister said, immediate
ly: "l received your note this morning,
and we will proceed with tho ceromony
at once. Please join your right hands."
In great bewilderment, which tho
minister mistook for natural embar
rassment, tho young couplo timidly
clasped hands, and tho ceromony was
about to begin when tho young man
said:
"I we what ceremony is it?"
"W hy, tho ceremony of marriage, of
course."
"O-o-o-h!" shrieked tho young lady,
withdrawing her hand, and covering
her face with a handkerchief.
"I don't understand this at all." said
the young man. sharply. "Wo came
horo simply as a committee from tho
Young People's Society of the Metho
dist church to ask you and your wife
to bo present at a public entertainment
we aro about to give, and "
It was now tho minister's turn to say
"O-o-o-h!" and ho said it in genuine
astonishment at the very moment that
tho maid ushered in tho young couplo
who had "matrimonial intentions."
The mistake evidently started the
first young couple into now lines of
thought, for, a year later, their own
pastor being ill, thoy called upon the
Baptist pastor, and did not protest that
ho was going too far when he asked
them to join hands. Youth's Compan
ion. THE CHIVALROUS KNIGHTS.
They Were Without Question tho Worst
IMllS 111 till! ltOX.
Tho chivalrous knights who came
over with tho Conquoror, tho nobles
who fought at Neville's Cross, and
Crccy, and Agincourt, wore, for the
most part, tho merciless tyratus of
their serfs and dopondonts. Sordid
rapacity kept pace with roekioss pro
fusion, and in tho arbitrary exercise of
their feudal rights thoy shrank from
no form of oppressivo cruelty. Their
brutalities would have disgraced a
Jonathan Wild, and thoir crimes would
seem scandalous in tho Newgate calen
dar. To do thorn justice, thoy wore as
hard on thoir equals as on their in
feriors, though, from a point of
perhaps egotistical punctilio, thoy
spared their equals the dishonor of
actual torture. The captive had
neither comfort nor mercy to oxpoct
till ho paid his ransom or was rescued
by his frionds. What stories of slow
misery in the very shadow of death
might be told by tho dungeons that may
still bo seen beneath the foundations of
such castles as Wark worth or Ken II
wortli! There the woll-nurtured knight,
liko Datnian do Lacy in "Tho Bo
trothed," shackled and ironed, al
though there was no possibility of es
cape, was doomed to solitary seclusion
on tho coarsest and scantiest food.
Fettered in the damp and tho darkness
among loathsome creeping things, he
drow breath with difficulty in tho foul
est air; and it was fortunato for him
that, liko tho cold-blooded toads, which
wero his fellow-prisoners, undeveloped
sensibilities saved him from insanity.
The only access to thoso loathsome
oubllottes was, as at Warkworth,
through tho trap-door oponing in the
roof. What nui3t have boon tho tone
of mind of tho chivalrous lord of the
castle who could feast and carouso in
tho banquet hall above stairs with such
horrors and such suffering beneath his
feot! But what between hard lighting,
freo feasting, and doop drinking, tho
nobles of tho mlddlo ages seem to have
kept consclonco at arm's length, as
thoy had become absolutoly indifforont
to tho sufferings of thoir fellow-crea-turos.
There woro raro oxcoptions to
provo tho rule. Somo princes and
woalthy noblos woro piously incllnod
and munificont Thoy gave llborally
in thoir lifo-timos and made magnifi
cent ecclesiastical foundations. Black
wood's Magazine
m m
IT New York's Woman Cobbler.
Tho only woman cobblor in tho Uni
ted States' is Mrs. Gill, who has a lit
tlo shop at No. 275 Mulberry street.
Now York, a locality that is far from
being fushionablo. A reporter who
visited it 3iiy& that it did not differ
from other cobbler stalls, except thai
it was oxtromoly tidy. Sho was born
beside tho last, hor father having been
a shoemaker of Northampton. Kngland,
and when sho was only fourteen years
of ago sho inado a pair of shoes for hor
jnothor, and when hor father came to
this country sho worked in New En
,A,land factories. Sho, however, got
tired of tho slaving of tho factory, and
when sho had saved up a little money,
opened up a llttlo shop. Of lato yean
she has not inado, but monded shoes,
and found that it could bodono quicker
and paid bettor. Chicago Shoo and !
Leather ltouord.
AUTOMATIC AIR BRAKES.
i Something Aliout thx Principles Oovern
Inc Its Application.
, Under tho middle of tho car tho or
dinary pull rod of the old hand brake
I is cut and two lovers aro inserted. Ono
lover is connected with tho brake cylin
der and tho other with tho piston,
which slides in that cylinder. When
air is admitted to tho cylinder tho
piston is drlvon out, and the brakes
are applied exactly as thoy would be
were the chains wound up by turning
tho hand wheels. Air is supplied to
the brnko cylinder from tho reservoir
to it, in which tho pressure is main
tained by tho action of an air com
pressing pump, placed on ono side of
the locomotive. The pump fills tho
main reservoir on the engine, and also
tho car reservoirs, by means of the
train pipe, which extends under all the
cars. When the brakes aro oil there is
full pressure of air in all of tho ear
reservoirs and train pipes. It is a re
duction of tho pressure in tho train
pipes which causes tho brakes to bo
applied. This fact must bo borno in
mind, for it is on this principle that
the automatic action of tho brakes do
ponds. If a train parts, or if tho air
leaks out of the train pipe, tho brake
goes on. This automatic principle is a
vital one in most safety appliances, and
it is secured in tho case of tho air
brako by ono of the most ingenious
liltlo devices that man over contrived
that is. tho triplo valve which is
placed in tho piping system between
tho brake cylinder and tho car reser
voir. This triplo valvo has passages
to tho brako cylinder, to the car reser
voir, to tho train pipe and to the at
mosphere. Which of these passages
are opon and which are closed depends
upon the position of a piston inside of
tho triplo valve, and tho position of
that piston is determined by tho differ
ence in air pressuro on either side of
it. Thus, when tho pressuro in the
train pipe is greater than that in the
car reservoir, tho triplo valvo piston
is forced over, say to tho left, a com
munication is opened from tho train
pipe to tho car reservoir, and tho air
pressuro in tho latter is restored from
tho main reservoir on tho locomotive.
At tho same timo a passage is opened
from tho brako cylinder to the atmos
phere, tho compressed air escapos, tho
brake piston is driven back by a spring
and the brakes aro released. II. G.
Prout, in Scribiier's Magazine.
A BARBARIC FASHION.
("rusrtiln AgiitiKt tht' I'll gun Cnstunin ol
M curing; Mourning Giiriiimitx.
A number of English women of high
standing in society havo begun a cru
sade against the mourning garments
which the customs of times com
pel them to wear. They aro not pio
neers in this undertaking. Several
times beforo assaults havo been made
upon tho pagan and barbaric faction
of loading women down with crepo and
sombre robes of black when death
overtakes any ono near or dear to
them. Thoir predecessors in the ad
vocacy of this reform have had little
success.
Why should a woman mako herself
hideous and miserable by means of
overwhelming veils and funeral trap
pings? O. suy tho dofendors of this
relic of barbarism, women wear mourn
ing because in thorn tho emotions of
sorrow aro stronger and deeper than
in men, and tho outward garb of woe
is the symbol of griof they feel within.
Here and thoro a woman of hysterical
bont may persuade herself that she is
grieving more becauso sho has on a
four-ply crepe veil and a bonnet the
shape, color and woight of a coal scut
tle, but if tho rule of socioty that a
woman must iudicato her grief by the
immensity and inkiuess of her clothes
wero abolished, wo boliovo tho great
majority of women would, gladly lly to
healthier and less hideous attire.
It is fashion, that silly and cruol
tyrant, that decrees tho weakor sex
shall bo tormonted with reminders of
thoir bereavements in their dress. No
matter how ugly, how harmful, or how
ridiculous a thing may bo, if fashion
says it is to be dono it is dono without
question or complaint by nine-tenths
of the women in tho civilized world.
So mourning will continue to bo worn
in its exaggerated form in spito of all
tho crusades tho minority of sensible
women may wage against it. If men
had to sharo tho pains and inconvon
lonces of mourning thero would bo a
radical roform at once. Men escape
almost scot froo, howovor, and women
alone must harvest tho aftermath of
death. Pittsburgh Dispatch.
A Table Made from Corpses.
In tho Patti Palaco at Florence is a
table which, for originality In tho mat
ter of conception and construction, is
probably without a rival. It was mado
by Giuseppe Sagatti, who passod sov
?ral years of his llfo In Its manufac
ture To tho casual obsorver It given
tho improssion of a curious mosaic of
marbles of different shades and colors,
for it looks liko a polished stone. In real
ity it is composed of human muscles and
viscera. No less than ono hundred hu
man bodlos woro used in its construction.
The table Is round and about a yard in
iiamotor, with a pedestal and four
3lawed feot. tho whole being formed of
petrified human remains. Tho orna
ments of tho pedestal aro mado from
the intestines; tho claws, from hearts,
livers and lungs, the natural colors of
which aro preserved. Tho table top is
instructed of muscles artistically ar
ranged, nnd it is bordered with upward
af ono hundred human oyes, tho effect
of which is said to bo startling. The
bodios woro obtained from hospitals and
potrHlod with mineral salts. St. Louis
Ucsubllui.
OVER AND OVER AGAINr
Over and over again
My duties wait for me,
Tucy ever couie In monotonous round
Hreakfast and dinner and tea.
Smoothing tho snow-whlto clothes.
Sweeping and dusting with cure
There is over somo task in my little homt
To brlchtcn it everywhere.
What may I claim for my duties' fee?
Are theso endless rounds of tasks to b
Naught but a dull monotony,
Over and over again?
Over and over again
Tho sun sinks low in tho west.
And always over nnd over nguln
Tho birds come back to tho nest.
Tho robin sings to his loving mate.
Close, close to mv cottage door,
Tho same glad song I have hoard him sins
For many a day before.
What does the robin say to me!
If the heart Is tuned to love's glad key.
No task can bo dull monotony,
Though over und over again.
Adn S. Sherwood. In Good Housekeeping.
MRS. MOLL'S AILMENTS.
Sho Was Finally Curod In a Vory
Livoly Manner.
Mrs. Robecca Moll was ono of thoso
unfortunate women who aro always
"allln'." Sho was uever freo from
n "misery" of somo kind and nover
know what it was to soo "a well day."
Her conversation chiefly roforred to.
the diseases sho was suffering from,
thoso she had had. and thoso sho ex
pected to havo. She always spoko in
a plaintive and dejected fittlo whino,
but at tho samo tlmo wished it to bo
understood that sho was quite rosignetl
to hor fate, Sho was suro that sho
had suffered from most of tho mala
dies common to humanity, and warm
ly resonted the idea that any ono had
had moro dlsoases than sho.
Sho loved to dwell upon tho many
times that "four doctors had glvon hor
up," and whon It was confidently sup
posed that "ovory breath would bo
hor last." It might, howovor, havo
puzzled hor to givo the oxact datos
of thoso trying occasions. Certainly
thoy had not been within the remom
branco of somo of hor frionds who had
known hor twonty-llvo years.
Thoso friends wero, indocd, some
what skeptical in regard to tho gonu
Inencss of Mrs. Hobocca Moll's mala
dies. Thoy doubted hor oft-ropoated
statement that sho had had tho small
pox, tho gonuino Asiatic cholora, tho
yellow fovor, a distinct shock of par
alysis and all tho fevers over heard
of. They did not boliovo that hor loft
lung was "clean gone," or that sho
evor recovered from a combined at
tack of typhoid fovor, diphtheria,
congestion of tho lungs and black
measles.
Ono roason for their doubts regard
ing this last statomont was that it was
proved that on the day following that
on which all theso diseases woro at
thoir height, Mrs. Moll had walked
threo milos to a quilting; but when
reminded of this fact sho said, calmly:
"Somo folks git over sicknoss quick
er'n others, and I'm ono of that kind."
It was not uncommon for Mrs. Moll
to be "breathing hor last" ono day,
and enjoying a cup of tea at tho house
of a neighbor a milo distant on tho
next. Tho easo and grace with which
sho took on and throw off disoaso was
a matter of surprise to hor frionds and
of satisfaction to horsolf.
Thoro was onoporson, howovor, who
had firm faith in tho genuinoness of
all Mrs. Moll's maladies, and that por
soii was hor pationt and affectlonato
husband, Mr. Pliny Moll.
"What my Becky has ondoored no
ono but mo and her knows, " ho often
said, earnestly. "Many an' a-many's
tho timo I've set by her sick bodsido
an' said to mysolf: 'Is sho a-breathin'
or ain't sho a-broathin'?' and 1'vo riz
to my foot thlnkin' I was a widow man
this time yes, sir. An' ag'in whon
sho's boon sottin' right in hor chair
I'vo looked at her an' said: 'You doad,
Becky Moll?' an' when she'd say, so
feoblo liko: 'I ain't quite. Pliny,' I'vo
said to myself: 'Well, it won't bo long
'foroyou will be, Becky Moll, If you
ain't bettor right forthwith an'
faster.' "
So good Mr. Moll boro in patienco
tho inconvonlonces to which Mrs.
Moll's many suddon and acuto attack3
and unending allings subjected him.
As thoy kept no sorvant, great domes
tic confusion rosulted whon, as was
froquontly the case, Mrs. Moll had to
bo almost carried to bed from tho
broakfast table, loaving Mr. Moll to
wash tho dishes and attond to other do
mestic duties. But Mr. Moll mado no
complaint Ho would go to work pn
tlontly and somotimos tearfully saying:
"Poor Becky! poor Becky! it's a sight
hardor on hor than it is on mo."
Ono day Mrs. Moll wont to bed, and
did not get up again as tho days and
weeks woro on.
"I shall novor got up ngaln. Pliny,"
she said to hor husband, "I'm dono
for. I don' scorn to havo tho first mlto
of stron'th, an' I'vo a kind of a fcolln'
of goneness all tho time. Thoro's
somethin' tho matter of my back an'
chlst an' it nin't long I'll bo a burdon
to you."
Old Dr. Philbrlck was callod. Ho
seemed unable to undorstand tho caio
of Mrs. Moll, but told hor anxious hus
band that ho'd "havo hor around in u
few days."
"No, you won't," said Mrs. Moll,
roaolutoly, as sho camo out of tho stu
por into which sho scorned to havo
fallen. "Pliny might as well bo mado
to understand tho truth, doctor, an' it
can't bo kept from we.'"
Doctor Philbrlck did not havo Mrs.
Moll around as ho jaodictcd. Ho
camo again and again, and scomod
at last to bo greatly puzzled ovor tho
case.
"Seems as though sho'd rooly ought
to git somo stron'th," aald Pliny to tho
doctor. "Her appotlto ain't failed
hor yet; sho cata moro'a 1 do'1
"Pliny Moll, that nin't sat" cried fiTs
wlfo, indignnn'.ly. During hor hus
band's nbsonco from tho room Mrs.
Moll had been telling tho doctor that
It gave her pain to swallow any thing
t all, nnd that sho didn't eat enough
to keep a bird alive.
An elderly rolatlvo o f Sir. Moll's
callod "Aunt 'Cindy" had by this
timo been installed a9 housokcoper
and nurse to Mrs. Moll, who steadily
grow worso and now gavo dally in
structions in to liow her funeral should
bo conducted and what Pliny should
do whon sho was gone. Theso details
always left Pliny very much dejected,
and ono day ho said, desperately and
tearfully:
"You shan't go 'long ns any thing
kin bo dono for you that ain't boon done.
An' there's got to bo a consultation
over you, Becky."
"It won't do no good," said Mrs.
Moll, firmly; "all tho doctors In crea
tion couldn't toll what's tho matter
of mo. It's ono of them cases tho
modlcal porfosslon ain't got up to yot,
and thoro ain't no cure for it."
Nevertheless, Mr. Moll determined
to havo a consultation, particularly as
old Dr. Philbrlck thought It advisable
to do so.
"i'vo dono all I can do, Mr. Moll,"
ho said; "I've bled her and blistered
her and poulticed hor, and given her
a great deal and a groat variety of
medicine, and yot sho Is no hotter. I
really think thoro should bo n consultation.-'
Dr. Philbrlck bolongcd to a class of
rural physicians fast becoming ox
tinct. Ho failed to keop pace with
tho age, and sneorod at all tho dto
covcrios of modern medical scienco.
His romedios woro mostly of his own
manufacture, and ho bled and blistered
his pntionts until nothing but thoir
iron constitutions and tho tonality
with which thoy clung to lifo kopt
them allvo through a course of his
treatment.
Dr. Poovy and Dr. Hobbson lived in
ndjoining villages. Thoy woro oldorly
doctors in full sympathy with tho
Phllbrick mothods of treatment, and
Mrs Moll's situation certainly seemed
dangerous whon theso threo wise
acres camo together in consultation
ovor hor case.
"You'vo blod hor, I reckon?" said
Dr. Poovy. while tying his horso In
front of Mr. Moll's houso.
"Yes, half a dozen tlmos." roplied
Dr. Philbrlck, who had como out of
tho houso to meet his conforreos.
"And bllstored hor?" asked Dr.
Hobbson, who had ridden up with Dr.
Pcovy.
"Yes, yes; timo and again," roplied
Dr. Philbrlck.
It was now Juno, nnd Mrs. Moll had
kopt hor bod steadily for so long a
tmo that even tho uncharitablo
noiglibors began to think that thoro
"reoly was something the matter of
Becky Moll," and great intorost was
folt in tho caso throughout tho neigh
borhood. Mrs. Moll seemed to enjoy tho pros
poet of a consultation ovor hor caso.
It was a distinction and privllogo sho
had novor yot oujoyed, ovon though
sho had lived "with one foot in tho
grave" most of hor life. But sho
was firm in tho conviction that tho
consultation would amount to nothing
eo far as hor recovery was concerned.
"It's mostly to please Pliny, poor
man, that I'vo consented to tho con
sultation," sho said. know that
forty dozon consultations wouldn't
euro me. i'vo had so many dlsoases
my systom Is all woro out and I ain't
a mlto o' stron'th left, I'vo ondoored
all ono poro human framo kin ondoor,
and I'm convlncod that I'vo got an in
curable complaint now. My grnnd
mothor's aunt lay in bod two years,
just as I'm doin', 'foro sho died, and
Pliny had a second cousin go off jist
as I'm goin', and nobody knowed
what ailded him. It runs in tho
family and thoro's no uso fightln'
ag'in it If I llvo through tho consul
tation it's 'bout all 1 expect to do."
Sho rocoivod tho threo doctors with
stoical calmness, and ropliod to all
their questions in a mook and feoblo
voico.
"Ploaeo put out your tonguo,
ma'am," said Dr. Pcovy, whllo Dr.
Hobbson folf hor pulse, with his oyos
fixed on his immense sllvor watch.
Then Mrs. Moll was put through
such ,v long catochlsm of questions,
and subjected to such a thumping of
tho chest and pounding of tfio back
that hor "foe bio Btron'th" was subject
ed to a sovoro strain. Tho examina
tion oS the patient lasted for a full
hour, and then tho trio of physicians
withdrew to consult togothor.
"Supposing wo walk out into tho
orchard, Brothor Poovy," suggested
Dr. Philbrlck. "I'm afraid tho mur
mur of our voices will mako tho pa
tient nervous, as sho's in tho next
room. It 'pears to mo liko a mighty
sorious caso."
"Sho doos soom to bo pretty bad of,"
acquiesced Dr. Poovy, as ho put on
his hat in accordance with Dr. Phil
brick's suggestion that tho consulta
tion be held In the coolnoss and still
ness of tho old orchard, a short dis
tance in tho roar of tho houso. No
soor.or wero tho doctors out of tho
houso than Mrs. Moll called Aunt
'Cindy. And Aunt 'Cindy appoarcd.
"Whoro's Pliny?" asked Mrs. Moll.
"I soo him goin' out toward tho
moddor lot whon tho doctors como,"
replied Aunt 'Cindy. "Ho scorned to
bo too worried and onoasy to stay in
tho houso whllo this horo powwow was
goin' on. He's boon liko a fish out of
water ovor sonco ho know it was goin'
to be."
"Poro man. poro man!" said Mrs.
Moll. "It'll bo hard on him to give
mo up, but he's got to do it. My
stron'th Is goTiT" faster and faster
very day. I wlsht you'd tell Pliny
I want him. and thor. I'd liko you to
mnko mo somo b'lled npplo dumplin's
and b'llo mo a plcco of cabbage. I'm
3o fagged out I've got to havo somo
thln' nourifhin' for dinner."
Thero stood in tho meadow lot a sol
itary oak tree, to tho shade of which
Pliny always wlthdrow when ho was
in tho mood for solitary reflection,
and ho always camo thither in his
hours of deepest dejection. He
seemed to find sympathy and strength
in the sho'tering arms of the oak tree,
and it had been told all the joys and
sorrows of his life.
Tho good man was almost beside
himself on this bright and peaceful
Juno day. Thero was something so
ominous in the presence of those three
grave and gloomy-faced doctors that
Mr. Moll could not stav under tho
same roof with them, and he had lied
to tho oak tree to remain thoro until
they had gone. Novor had ho been
moro depressed In regard to Mrs.
Moll.
"I'm afeerd they'll do hor no good,"
ho said, with his handkerchief to his
eyes as ho lay under tho branches of
the tree. "Nothing but a maraclo will
help Becky now, and tho ago of uiara
c'.es is gone. Poor Becky!" and llttlo
Mr. Moll was weeping softly in his red
cotton handkorchlof whon Aunt 'Cindy
found him.
Aunt 'Cindy was a woman of no llt
tlo force of character, and sho thought
that thero woro not many occasions
when a man was justified In giving
way to tears. Sho certainly did not
regard this as one of thoso raro occa
sions, thereforo sho said, sharply:
"Well. Pliny Moll, you ain't bellorin'P
What for? If thoro's any thing to cry
for 1 ain't seen it nor ylt heored It!"
"O 'Cindy!" was all Pliny said in
roply to this. "What do they say
'bout Becky. Has she lived through
it?"
"Well, sho's ahvo enough to want
cabbage and dumplin's for dinner, so
I reckon thoro's a Utile vitality left
Tho doctors aro powwowln1 out In tho
orchard, and Becky wants you."
Aunt 'Cindy had not como dlroctly
from tho houso to tho meadow. She
had stopped at tho barn to soo if sho
could find somo now-laid oggs for the
pudding sho intonded making for din
ner; then she had stopped to dig open
a hill of early potatoos to see if thoy
woro likely to bo largo enough for a
Fourth-of-.fuly dinner, eo that somo
llttlo time had elapsed since sho loft
tho houso.
"You'd hotter como right In," sho
continued to Mr. Moll, "and If I was
you, Pliny Moll, I'd for tho land's
sake!"
Aunt 'Cindy had suddenly thrown up
both arms, and sho clappod her hands
togothor as she cried out: "Tho house
is on lire, as suro as I'm a llvln'
woman!"
Mr. .Moll roso to hfs foot with a
hound, and ran madly after the fleeing
Aunt 'Cindy. Thoy mot tho doctors
at tho back gate, and all ran into tho
houo, Mr. Moll crying out:
"She'll bo scared and burned to
death! Git Bocky out first thing!
Wo'ro comln', Bocky! Keep ca'm
we'll save you!"
Tho wholo party rushod Into tho
front hall of tho houso, and there thoy
behold a singular and unexpected
sight It was Mrs. Moll half-way
down-stairs with a huge foathor-bod
on hor back!
"Becky Moll!" gasped hor amnzod
husband. "Why, Bocky. you'll"
"Now don't you loso your wits at a
time whon you need 'em tho most,
Pliny," said .Mrs. Moll, sharply. "I'll
manago this foathor-bod, and you go
up and bogin throwln' things out of
tho winders. Don't you forglt my
black silk dross. You doctors bettor
pull up tho carpets, and 'Cindy, you
git my gold band chany tea-sot out all
right I'll como back and 'tend to my
Bilvor spoons and forks soon as I got
this now feather-bed out. Fly around,
all of you! Thero uin't no tlmo to
loso!"
During tho noxt flftcon minutes no
ono "How around" fnstor than Mrs.
Becky Moll, notwithstanding tho fact
tli'it sho was still clad in a long, whlto
nightdress, with her feot thrust Into a
pair of Pliny's old carpet sllppors.
After carrying tho foathor-bod across
tho road, and pitching It ovor tho
fence of a fiold In front of tho houso,
sho ran back and personally dlroctod
tho moving of tho othor things in tho
burning houso.
"Got my winter cloak, Pliny," sho
shouted up tho stnlrs. "It's bran
now. and It's got to do mo flvo years
ylt! Hero, Dr. Philbrlck, you and
Dr. Poovy carry out tho parlor sofy!
'Cindy. 'Cindy, fly around! Got
ov'ry thing out of tho pantry!"
Whon tho nearest nolghbora arrived
tho wholo second story of tho houso
was in flames, and it was unsafe to
entor tho lower part. Mrs. Moll had
boon tho last to loavo. Sho camo
rushing out with a family holrloom
u big bluo-edgod plattor In ono hand
and a powtor toapot In tho othor. Car
rying them to a placo of safety, she
climbed ovor tho fence and dropped
down on tho feathur-bed, saying as she
did so:
"Pliny, bring mo a quilt or Homo
thing to throw over mo! I look Hcand'
lous! I'm afoord this' 11 givo mo an
nwlul back sot! Well. Dr. Philbrlck,
what do you make out is the matter
of me?"
"Thoro ain't nothing tho matter of
you. Bocky Moll; that's what thoro
ain't!" said Dr. Philbrlck. tartly, us
ho mopped tho perspiration from his
crimson brow. "Ain't tbut ho, Dr.
Pcovy?"
"Yet, it is," said Dr. Peovy, briefly,
a bo fathered uu his suddlo-bus.
that gal. llo an' tho kid took to oneh
othor right off an' tho kid's father was
suro glad to soo any ono that looked
liko n man, so they struck up an ac
quaintance an' Joo managed to pull
over to tho Lono Star station two or
threo tlmos a month. Joo used to toll
the boys 'bout tho kid, an' thoy laughed
to seo how much ho thought o' hor. an
ono or two of 'em ovon sneaked down
to tho Lono Star to seo tho gal an
talked as much about her as Joo did
after that
"Well, strangor, to saw off myynrn,
whon Joo went down to tho Lono Star
tho last timo ho saw a tough stato o
things. Tho sheep was gono nnd tho
dog with 'em, while insldo tho shack
the kid's father was stretched out on
tho floor, stone dead. Tho gal horsell
was snuggled up to him on Ills breast,
sound asloop. Of courso. Joo was just
a human boln' an' whon ho saw tho llt
tlo Innocent chit cuddled down by hor
dead pa ho probably split a fow tours
I don't know as anyone could blamo
him, do you? Joo just took tho llttlo
ono In his arms an' rodo ovor to Min
gorsvllle an' told Burton (Smith's
foreman) what had happened. Bur
ton sent swuo men up to the station
an' they burled tho kid's fathor whllo
Joo brought tho kid to tho ranch.
You can bet the P. K. boys mado n
mighty sight of fuss ovor hor. Sho
became a reg'lar pot, an' as I said bo
fore, was known all ovor tho country
as "Joe's kid."
"After a year or two tho old man
made up his mind to solid a drove of
likely bronchos 'cross country to soil
In the North Dakoty sottlomonts, nn
Joo was tho feller ho put in chargo o!
the herd. Would you boliovo It,
just as thoy woro startln' nothtn
would do but tho kid must go 'long,
too! Sho put hor arms 'round Joo'a
nock an' bogged so hard that Joo.
couldn't do nothln' but take hor. Tho
old man kicked a llttlo, but tho kid
generally did what sho wanted to in
that ranch an' so sho wont along.
Thoy had great times on that trip.
Tho kid was rldln' with Joo all tho
time. Thoy swam tho llttlo Missouri
together, chased bronchos nnd had
great rides, tho kid bavin' moro fun
than anybody.
"Well, thoy rounded up at Skytown
an' commenced sollln' out It didn't
tako vory long, for tho peoplo wanted
horses bnd, an' Joo sold tho cattlo
cheap an' broko 'oin, to boot. Whon
they had 'bout half tho herd loft a
chap camo along an' wanted to buy
tho toughost broncho In tho herd a
great big, handsome buckskin, tho
fiercest devil In tho lot always lod
tho hord whon It mado a break, an' it
any horso ovor jumped tho corral or
tore it down, or undo 'om any troublo,
you could lay heavy It was that big
buckskin. Joo was glad to sell tho
brute, though ho 'lowed ho'd havo n
tough tlmo broakln' him.
"Joo corralled all tho horsos, than
ho an' his partnor jumped In among 'om
swingin' tho ond of a lariat 'round
their heads to keop tho wild dovlla
from trompin' 'om. Ono o' tho boys
opened tho corral gato an' allowed
tho horsos to go through a fow at a
tlmo, whllo Joo switched his rope in
front of old buckskin nn' kopt him in,
an' when all tho horsos wore out but
him they shut the gato an' Joo bo
gnu tho broakln' act. Ho took hla
lariat an' got into tho pon whoro
buckskin was klckin' an' pawin' at u
groat rate, thon ho throw tho ropo
an' it sottlod ovor tho broncho's neck.
Joe drow It taut just bohlnd tho oars an'
tho othor two fellers hopped in an
got hold of tho ropo. Tho idoo was
to choke tho horso till ho was protty
weak, thon trip him up, tlo his loga
an' bailor him. Thoy got him down
all right an' Joo's partnor got hla
knee on tho broncho's neck. Joo
turned around to fix anotlior ropo
with which to haltor tho foot whon his
partnor callod out: 'Joo!' an' Joo
turned around an' saw tho kid stand
in' right by tho buckskin's lieols. Ho
dropped tho ropo and started towards
hor, but his partnor folt tho horso
begin to struggle and jumped from
his neck to got hor hlmsolf. This loft
old buckskin freo nn' he kicked out
with his hind legs and was on his foot
in a socond. His cruel hoofs struck
tho kid an' sho foil down without u
cy. Tho broncho jumped tho fonco
an' skurrlod off to join tho rest of tho
hord out on tho pralrlo. And Joot
I don't think any follor ovor took on
tho way ho did. Ho picked up tho
kid an' sho died in his arms. What a
sight sho was! Her yallor curls woro
all dabblod In blood that flowed from
an ugly wound In hor forohoad. Hor
bluo oyos woro half closod an' sho put
hor arms 'round Joo'b nock an' tried
to kiss him beforo sho died. Joo cried
liko a woman an' carried hor Into Sky
town In his nrms. Thoy mado u llttlo
coffin for hor an' Joo brought hor out
hero an' burled hor."
Tho rancher's volco grow husky and
somo moro toars coursod down hla
chook.
"That's about all thoro Is to thiB
story, Btrangor. 'Taint much of a
yarn, but Joo Hogor'a loved that llttlo
girl moro'n uny thing olso In tho world
an' I ought to know, causo I'm Joo
Hogors himself!"
Without anotlior word ho walked
hastily to his horso, mountod and gul
loped away. I watched him until ho
dlsappoarod bohlnd tho troos. Will
lam Wallace Cook, in Detroit Freo
Press.
- A London author has written
thirty novels in throo yoars. This
bouts tho rocord of any living man,
but tho writer's enormous labor has
brought him only $1,000.
A Homo girl sont a lottor to an
old llamo tho othor duy and tho unkind
inuti lit tho gus with It Homo (lix)
SuntiuuL