j if
V
AT THE OPEN GATE.
"When the twilight slrndcs wero gnthcrcd,
And the cvenlns star was bright,
Just between the hour of sunset
And tho darker hours of night,
Homewnrd coming from tho city,
From the city oomlng late,
Every evening who would meet me
Greet me at the open gate?
"When tho day's hard toll was over,
And I left the smoky town,
Left the hard-paved streets and clamor,
For my quiet country home;
Left all work and cares behind me,
Homeward taming tho' 'twas Into
Suro to mid there In tho gloaming
&ome one at tho open gate.
Standing whete the vines of summer
Climbed tho dear old-fashioned fence,
Eager listening for my footsteps,
Turning oft lu half suspense.
Ah, to me, tho sweetest pleasure
When, on coming homo so late,
I would find her watching, waiting,
Standing at the open gate.
Many a summer twilight found us
Lingering, whispering, soft and low;
Lovers still, tho' long united,
Mourning not some "Long ago."
Happy hours! the glad home-comlngl
Shi was there, e'en tho' 'twas lato;
Banish all the day's 111 humor I
Some one's at the open gate.
Many a year has gono since Mary,
In tho twilight, used to come
Down tho lane and through the shadows,
Watching for my coming home.
Some one elfea llttlo darling
Fair haired, blue eyed, now will wait,
Calling "I'apa; papa; hurry 1"
Swinging on the open gate.
Sometime somewhere I shall soo her,
I shall find my love agatn;
Bleeping not amongst the flowers,
Whcro so long her form has lain,
But beyond the twilight shadows,
Sure my darling there will watt,
"Watching for tho long homo-coming
Just Inside tho Heavenly Gate.
M. Edith Yost, In City and Country.
DIANA'S TRUE LOVE.
He Returned to Claim Her as Ho
Promised He Would.
1 often told Adam that our homo on
tho ltald mountain was exactly liko
living on a solitary island out at sea.
"We wore all surrounded with floating
wreaths of fog, which looked for all tho
world liko white-capped waves.
For weeks at a timo nohody camo near
us, hut I did not mind. Tho doctors
had told Adam that tho restoration of
bis health doponded on his living for a
tow years at this high altitude, and
what sort of a sister should I have, heen
to let him stay alono in tho little
brown cahin, where tho smoke from tho
charcoal pits asconded night and day, as
if the placo wero an oxtinct volcano,
and never had left oil bolching lire and
smoke?
We took turns, Adam and I, liko a
vigilanco committee. I worked all day
in tho littlo stone-walled garden, try
ing to make tho rose-bushes and the
hollyhocks boliovo they wero down in
torno sheltered valley, and singing
about my littlo odds and ends of house
work; and when tho sunset died av-ay
' on Hald crag, and tho whip-poor-wills
began to sing below us, Adam, who had
slept all day, sallied out to the char
coal pits to keep his lonely vigil for
we wero poor people, and had to earn
our living as best wo could.
And all wont very smooth until old
Uncle Pomp, tho colored man, suddenly
announced his intention of abandoning
tho charcoal business.
"I's gottin' old," said Undo Pomp,
'an' I ain't neidor a bald caglo nor yot
lizard to lib a-top o' do mountain no
longer. It's too dosprit lonesomo fur
ole l'omp!"
"Hut think what it is for us," rea
soned Adam.
"You's young folks," obstinately ut
tered Undo Pomp. "Tings is altoged
der different wid yous."
So wo wero left alone, which made
matters protty hard for Adam. Nobody
cared to como up liald mountain if they
could possibly mako a livelihood any
where else.
ISut ono evening just as I was gotting
ready to tako a chicken sandwich and a
pail of tea to tho charcoal pit for Adam's
suppor, a tall, red-shirtod man camo
swinging up tho stony path toward our
gate.
"Hoard you wanted help up this way,"
said he, taking off his cap and inclin
ing his head not ungracefully.
My heart leaped within me.
"Oh," cried 1, "wo do!"
"What sort of work is it?'
looking curiously around him.
ho said,
"Thoro
don't seom to be much chanco for farm
ing up here, and I haven't seen any mill
machinery nor shafts for oro."
"Tonding tho charcoal pit," I ox
plained. "Sit down and rest a little, and
I will show you where my brother is.
Will you havo a drink of tea and a
sandwich?"
Ho drank oagerly; he ate as if ho had
not tasted food for a week. I watched
him tho while. He was dark, strong
featured, slnistor-looklng, with a closo
ehaven face, yot I felt no sontlmont of
loar or aversion to him.
"Now," lie said, at last, "I am roady."
Ho tended tho liros that night whilo
Adam slopt.
"Can you board him, Dl?" said Adam.
"Why not? He'd be a much pleas
antor boarder than Undo Pomp, I'm
iuro," Hald I, laughing. "Seo thoso
beautiful red lilies ho has transplanted
bo carefully into my garden that thoy
haven't drooped a leaf Seo tho funny
little turtle ho broil' ;it from Hlack
Hrook for my aquarium! Oh, by the
way, no ono has told in- his name."
"It is rathur an unu-ual ono John
Smith," Adam answered.
"What brought him on top of Hald
mountain?"
"Ilowas out of work, and heard that
I ncoded a hand up here. Ho is very
bright and intelligent and has traveled
a good deal, I rather like tho follow."
John Smith remained a month with
os. He did a groat deal moro than his
share of tho work.
Tho squlro Isn't ovor strong," ho
k$1, nodding toward Adam, "and ho
'ou&ht to bo favored. Ho shall bo as long
as I am here."
It was in tho spring of tho year, and
John Smith helped mo with my llttlo
flower-garden. Ho brought homo raro
birds' eggs for my collection; ho evinced
a knowledge of plants that quite sur
prised mo on ono cccad.cn. when wo
i
unexpectedly camo across a rare orchid
in the woods.
"I should think you would bo a good
gardener, John," said I.
"1 was a gardener once. I had chargo
of a house full of Jamaica ferns and
looked after a forcing-house for early
peaches that brought ono dollar apieco
in the market."
"Why did you leave your' place?''
"Oh, for a variety of reasons. Look
here, Diana, you've set this lily too far
In the shade. Pring it forward a
little."
1 colored a UUle. I felt that perhaps
I had asked an impertinent question.
Put, after all, he did nt seem offended,
because ho worked long after dusk mak
ing tho border of wild violots for my
tlower-bed, so that tho newly-transplanted
roots shotild get the benefit of
the coming shower that muttered along
the west.
It was the very next day that Ralph
Maddox came up Paid mountain and
asked mo to marry him.
"Of course vou said 'yes!' " cried
Adam, when ho questioned mo about it
afterward.
"Of courso I said no'.'
Adam opened his eyes very wide.
"Why, I thought you liked Ralph
Maddox!" said he.
"Ono can't marry ovory man onfc
likes," said I. pettishly.
"Put wo aro poor, little sister, and
the Mnddoxcs havo tho llnest house in
tho village and it is a desolate sort of
lifo for you to live up hero on Paid
mountain."
"I never was so happy in my lifo as I
am on Paid mountain, now!" cried I.
Adam whistled.
"Thoro is no accounting for tastes,"
observed ho.
I sung merrily over my work as I got
tea that evening tho simple tea, at
which Adam was my llrst guest, John
Smith my last. For it was Adam's night
at tho charcoal pits. Tho fragranco of
tho tea, tho appotizing odor of tho wild
strawberry short-cake, the wallles that I
myself had baked how plainly 1 ro
momber it all! I was clearing oif tho
table; John sat on tho doorstep reading
the weekly paper.
"What aro you reading?" I asked, as
I stopped to give tho cat her saucer of
milk.
Ho laughed.
"It seems tho Paldvillo villagers have
had a dreadful panic," said he. "Thero's
a rumor that Mad Mortimer is sonic
whero in hiding in their midst. Think
of that!"
"Who is Mad Mortimer?" I asked.
"Haven't you heard of him? A fam
ous safe-crackor and forger ono of
thoso genteel highwaymen you road
about"
"I don't read about them."
"Well, that other folks read about
who mako polito speeches to tho ladies
whilo thoy pocket their silvor spoons
and cameo car-drops. Pah! Tho hum
bug there is in this world! 1 say, Pi!"
"Well?"
"If tho follow really wanted to hide
himself, where could ho do it hotter
than in just such a placo as this?" said
Smith. "Who over comes hero?"
"Woll, I hopo ho won't," said I.
"You'ro a plucky girl, Hi. I don't bo
liovo you'd bo afraid oven of Mad
Mortimer!"
"Yes, 1 should," I persisted.
"Remember, the devil isn't always as
black as he's painted."
"John, don't talk that way!"
"Di, put down that dish towol! Come
here!"
"Why?"
"I've got something to say to you.
I've boon a lying scoundrel all these
weeks. I am tho runaway scamp that
men would scotch as they would a
snake! I am Mad Mortimer. I toll you
.this becauso tho chaso is getting too hot
in my vicinity. 1 must go away."
I looked at him In surprise. Was I
dreaming?
"I'm not such a villain as folks would
boliovo," ho went on. "If I could ox
plain all, you would undorstand that
I'vo been moro sinned against than sin
ning, Di. Put there's no use in talking
about that. Good-byo, my girl! Toll
Adam how it was. Toll him to koop my
secret."
"John, you aro not going to leavo us?"
"Would you havo mo to stay to bo
hunted down as tho ferrets hunt a rat?"
I burst into tears.
In a moment he had mo clasped In his
arms.
"Dl! you don't mean to say that you
caro whether I livo or dio? Di, was it
becauso of this that you said 'No' to
Ralph Maddox?"
My brimming eyes must havo botrayod
tho secret that my lips rofused to frame,
for he drew ono short, quick broath, his
face glowed.
"My girl," said ho, "this is l'.ke a
aow lifo to mo. I'll mako myself
worthy to claim you yot seo if I do
not! Ono kiss do, my bravo girl! And
now, good-bye!"
So ho loft me.
This happened years ago. Tho noxt
spring a now mill proprietor bought tho
Allairo property and settled down at
Paldville.
Ho was dark, with a heavy black
board, softer than any silk, covering his
faco. I am not suro I should havo
known him m.ysolf had it not been for a
certain bright look a smile a trick of
utterance.
His father camo with him to inspect
tho purchase a fine, gray-haired gentle
man one Dr. Purgoyne, from New
York.
"We aro going to put up somo con
servatories for you, my dear," said ho.
"John tolls mo you liko flowers. John
is a great amateur gardener in his way
also. I feel a doal Vcr t0 leavo him
hero, now that ho has had tho good fort
une to win you for his wife. Ho has
boon wild in his day a llttlo wild but
ho always loved his old fathor, and ho
has had tho senso to chooso a wlfo liko
you. He'll do well now, I don't doubt."
And John camo up and placed a bluo
orchid In my hand.
"Your favorite color, Dl," said ho.
So j woro married, and, liko tho
pcoplo In children's story-books, "lived
happy ever aftor."
Tho only reforonco to my husband's
past history that I ever heard, outside
of our homo, was on ono summer oven-
mill hands gathering blackberries on
tho rocky side of Paid mountain, as our
pony carriage wound along tho steep
road--the pony carrtago that John al
ways allowed me to drive for myself.
"There's a queer story," snd ono to
the other, "that tho famous cracksman,
Mad Mortimer, once hid a month in this
very cave, behind these wild clematis
trails, that time tho New York detect
ives were hunting him for the Pigley
bank case. I wasn't living thoro then,
but I've often heard of it."
"So havo I," said tho other. "Put I
didn't know that was tho place. Plucky
fellow, wasn't he? Py tho way, how
did it all end? They treed him at last,
didn't they?"
"Not they. Camo pretty near it. up
in Maine, but ho gavo 'em tho slip, onco
for all."
"Oho them tho slip? How?"
"Didn't you never hear? Rode off a
precipice, forty feet high, with his load
ed revolver in his hand, just as thoy
woro chuckling to think of tho roward
thoy wero going to got. Pody novor was
recovered. And that was tho ond of
Mad Mortimer. Ho died as ho had lived
clear grit to tho end."
"Mamma, do stop Fox a minute!"
cried mv llttlo bov. breathlessly. "Lot
mo look at tho cavo whoro tho robbor
chief hid from his enemies. Only ono
minute, mamma!"
Presontly ho camo back, panting.
"Such a Jolly deep cave," said ho.
"Put I shouldn't think a man could hide
thoro a month, should you?"
"No," I answered, absently, "I should
not think ho could." Saturday Night.
HOUSTON'S MARRIAGE.
Tho
True History of l'loneer' Sep
aration from III Wife.
Tho lady of his choice was esteemed
a fit match for a man of Houston's high
position and brilliant prospects and tho
union at llrst seemed to bring tlio pair
all tho happiness that had boon pre
dicted for thorn. Put at tho end of thrco
months, tho fabric of fanio and happi
ness vanished. Tho brido suddenly re
turned to her parents; tho husband tho
samo day resigned his Governorship
and tho next morning was on his way to
rojoin his friends, tho Chorokees, in
Western Arkansas. No cause was as
signed for tho separation; and it was
not till thirty-flvo years later, when
husband and wifo wero in thoir graves,
that the mystery was explained. Thus
it was:
Houston, perceiving his young wlfo to
bo unhappy, often pressed to learn tho
reason. At longth, divining tho truth
by what ho know of his wifo's ante
nuptial experience, ho declared to her
his belief that her heart was still sot
upon a former lover and that sho did
not lovo her husband. Sho confessed
it, and said that sho had married in a
moment of pique against her lover and
had discovered tho mistako and tho
permanent feelings of herself and her
lover only when It was too lato. "It is
not too lato," said Houston, generously.
Ho renounced tho marriage that must
be without eithor lovo or happiness,
tolling his wlfo to got a divorce and
marry hor preference. Houston's ac
count of tho affair was verified at tho
tlmo by tho fact that soon aftor tho sep
aration tho wifo had taken his advico
and married hor former fiance.
During all tho intervening years
Houston had endured in silenco tho in
jurious theories which wero abundantly
volunteered by his political enemies.
Thoy ascribed both his matrimonial
finxcoamX his resort to Indian lifo to tho
innato depravity and savagory of his
nature; and thoy followed him into his
retirement with startling tales of his
unceasing debauchory nnd worso than
savage debasement. Tho world accept
ed and to this day mostly believes this
injurious veifion that went so long un
contradicted. Coloman 12. Pishop, in
Chautauquam
MILLIONS OF
DOLLARS.
Large Sums That Still Lie
Hidden in
I'lncer Mines.
For years tho feasibility of fluming
and washing tho beds of tho crooks near
Idaho City, believed to bo rich with tho
tailings of tho placer minlngof tho early
days, has been tho thomo of discussion
in ovorv mining camp in Idaho. At
longth a company of ablo and courage
ous men havo taken tho enterprise in
hand. George Alnslie, well known
throughout tho Territory, is ono of tho
company. At tho tlmo of tho discovery
of tho placers on Elk creek (Idaho City)
in 18(i:t, tho bed of tho crook, also of
Moore's creek, was thirty feet bolow tho
lovol of the town.
Now, owing to tho amount of tailings
deposited in tho creek from tho numer
ous placors around, tho bed has gradu
ally risen until it is lovol with tho town,
indeed, a littlo higher on tho west side,
for a loveo has been built to prevent tho
water oncroaching on tho town limits.
Now, whon it is rec llected that these
tailings woro mainly doposited thero In
tho balmy days of placer mining in this
camp, and at a timo whon no gold-saving
machines woro used but tho primltlvo
rocker and rough sluices, and that
claims that would not pay from sovon to
ton dollars a day to tlo man woro either
abandoned or sluicod oft to got bettor
pay-ground.
When wo consider how many tons of
qulcksllvor woro carried olf and whioh
now Ho doposltod with tho larger gold
In these tailings, it can bo no wonder to
say, nor does it seem extravagant to
assort, that there aro now millions of
dollars of gold-dust and quicksilver
lying in tho bed of tho Mooro and hlk
crooks. Wo shall watch with much in
terest tho progress of this grand ontor-
nrlso. Of Us complotest sucoess wo
havo little doubt. Poise City Statos
man.
The Jlalden's 1'rayer.
Young Miss Y llgus Whore aro you
j-olng, papa?
Itov. Mr. Wllgus To tho tomporanco
mooting. Wo intend to inaugurate a
movement to save tho young men of
tho country.
Young Miss WUgus Try and savo a
real nice one for mo, will you, papa,
dear? Kohoboth Sunday Herald.
Frodorlck E. Weathorly wrote the
famous "Nancy Loo" In an hour whilo
waiting for a oupll ho was tutoring.
Slmotlnt for Life.
An Indian correspondent writes:
'Our experienced nnd successful shi
karee, (.'apt. L. L. Fenton, superin
tendent ot surveys under tholtnjas
than court, lmd some rather exciting
sport in the (.ihir during the last hot
weather, and linished up with an ex
ceedingly narrow oeapo for his lifo.
A lion had been discovered lying down
tinder a banyan tree. Capt. Fenton
commenced to creep up within shot
under cover of tho jungle. Ho had
reached within sonic fifty yards when
a couple of samhar broke cover close
to nun and startled tlio lion, giving
Capt. Fenton only snap shots as it
broke- away, hall concealed by tlio un
derwood. Tlio shots, as was subse
cntlv discovered, took effect high up
on tlio shoulder. Tho lioness, fcrsu.'h
sho proved to he. ran into a lot of Se
poys somo distance to tho right, whcro
several shots were 11 red at her, ono
taking oU'eel in the stomach.
"On Capt. Fenton running up
very much out of breath, tho wounded
lioness v.iis pointed out to him sitting
under a tree somo sixty paces oil', anil
without waiting ho went forward at
onco to liuiih her, keeping his putty
walla with a second gun behind him.
lie was considerably blown with hard
running and heat, and so his aim vn',
not so true as iioirtl, and instead of hit
tins her iu the chest, r.s ho intended.
tho bullet struck her in tlio forearm,
tlio cfl'cct of which was to increaso her
rage to tho attacking point, and with
n roar sho camo straight for her tor
mentor. At this point in tho taniasha
tho puttywalla vanished, taking the
second gun with him, and in tho in
stant Capt. Fenton felt that his life do
lcnded on tho remaining barrel. As
tho beast approached to within twenty
paces ho fired at her head. Then,
without waiting; to seo if sho wero
stopped or not, no turned and ran for
his second gun, when tho puggle, who
had bolted to ono sido during tho
charge, came up to say thonnhnal was
dead. Tho shot was true enough this
time." London Standard.
Tho KU'Viitur Autocrat.
Ono of theso days somo scientific
man will win great fanio by explain
ing what effect continual locomotion
of an artificial order has upon tho hu
man mind. Everybody is familiar
with tho peculiarities ot tho men em
ployed on tho elevKXcil railroads, and
nearly every busine-wman is acquaint
ed with the nianr.rs of tho elevator
"boy." There is a striking similarity
between them. There is a resemblance
in their uniforms, in their habit ol
speaking a weird, strange language,
in their habitof showing a pugnacious
resistanco to tho stupid public, and in
thoir power of taking up moro room
than any other class of men on the
faco of tho earth. Thero is an elevator
man in one of tho towering down
town oilico buildings who is a shining
sample of his tribe. It is not likely
that he would mako his mark in any
ordinary walk of life, but us tho cap
tain of an elevator ho is a glowing
success. Ho is about 30 years old, and
has u guant framo and u dyspeptic
cast of leatures.
"Como now. cot a movo on; wot's
do use of plantin' versolf dcie? Yer
can't grow on marble."
In this way ho hurries his passen
gers in and out of tho elevator.
"Is Mr. Smith in this building?" you
ask.
"Fccflurumstcon," ho promptly an
swers.
"Whatl"
This remarks stirs all tho gall in his
system, and ho fixes you with his oye
and says with heaps of sarcasm:
"Fifth ilooi room sixteen. Did
ycr hear?"
This elevator man has adopted, with
a good deal of success, tho pleasant
habit of tho elevated brakcninn of lur
ing passengers into a mad rush by
keeping tho door of tho cur open until
tho passenger is about to step in it and
then banging tho door in a highly
humorous way. Now York Sun.
No DrntlntH N't'cdod Iu Labrador.
Littlo Miss Krarer, tho Esquimaux,
called on E. II. Whito, tho Lowiston
dentist, Tuesday, to havo her teeth
fixed. Sho tola in her own way to
Mr. While that probably sho was the
first Esquimaux that ho ever attended
professionally, and ho agreed. Sho re
marked this curious fact that only
sinco coming to civilization, where
dentists livo and thrive, had sho ever
needed tho attendance of one, and she
said naively: "Is thero anything con
taminating in tho profession?" Her
father lived to bo nearly 50 and never
had a decayed tooth. None of her fam
ily or friends wero over troubled. She
never heard of an Esquimaux who had
anything but sound teeth. Mr. White
found Miss Kraror's needs, from a
dental point of view, to bo quite as
great as thoso of any averago Ameri
can lady, all of it developed, she de
clared, since coining to America.
Lowiston Journal.
I Man ItmnortnlT
Upon this short question, "Is man
immortal or is ho not?" depends all
that is most interesting toman as a so
cial being ami us a rational and
accountable intelligence. If ho is des
tined to an external existence, an iin
meiiso importance must attach to all
his present affections, actions and pur
suits; and it must boa matter of infi
nite moment that they bo directed iu
such a channel as will tend to carry
him forward in safety to tho felicities
of a future world. Hut if his whole
existenco bo circumscribed within tho
circlo of a few Heeling years, man ap
pears an enigma, an inexplicuble phe
nomenon in the universe, human lifo
a mystery, tho world u bcono of con
fusion, virtue- a mere phantom, the
Creator a capricious being, and his
I dans and arrangements an inoxplica
lo maze. Dr. 'I nomas Dick.
After the Proposal.
"Before I go," ho said, in broken
tones, "I have one lust request to inulco
of you."
"Yes, Mr. Sampson," Raid sho.
"When you return my presents,
please propay tho express charges. I
cannot affoi-d to pay any moro on
your account." Harper's Bazar.
Calfornln TVHd Orapelneii,
A Nilc3 (Cal.) correspondent of Tlio
Rural Now Yorker writes: Tho Vitis
Californicn, which is being used for n
resistant stock on which to graft many
varieties, is ono of tho most picturesquo
nnd bcatttirul objects on tho California
river bottoms and in tho ravines.
Vory few writers havo spoken of it,
nnd very few tourists over get n
glimpso of tho grnpo in its native
haunts, becauso it is seldom seen in tho
cultivated valleys or near tho high
ways of travel." It grows on tho La
gunitas, tho Alameda, tho Sonoma
and the Sacramento, along the Sali
nas, San Joaquin and Russian rivers.
It is at its best in central and northern
California.
Ono of tho most beautiful exnmplcs
of wild grapo arbors in tho stato is to
bo seen along tho Rio Linda and Chico
Creek, on Gen. Bidwell's farm iu
B.ttto county. Here, for fifteen miles,
the trees on tho banks aro covered
with grapevines, in vast domes, spires,
arches, arbors and columns. These
magnificent vines creep (tin banks and
cover piles of stono and ledges of rock.
They cross from treo to treo in leafy
bridges. When in bloom they scent
tho air for miles.
In autumn, so abundant aro tho
small, purplo clusters that they seem
to color tlio wnolo torcst. Alter tno
leaves and fruit havo fallen, tho vines
aro still worth admiring study, for
they reveal their labyrinthino intrica
cies, and arc tho delight of artists and
photographers oven more than during
their leafy luxuriance in summer.
Tho vines seem to havo littlo choice
about tho trees they clamber over.
Tho sycamores and alders, whito oaks
nnd manlcs nro all loaded with wild
grapes that in a few years climb to tho
tops, and trail back in a thousand
graceful and llowing curves. In tho
Vaca valley somo of theso largo vines
havo been grafted to muscats nnd
black moroccos with cntiro success.
Queer Kolc In tho Hotel.
"Anions tho many queer experien
ces gained in a hotel," said tho clerk
of an uptown hostelry to a Washing
ton Post reporter, "aro thoso connected
with guests who aro subject to night
mare, which is more common than
many people suppose. It is not un
common for a night to dovelop soveral
cases of this kind. In tho stillness of
tho early morning hours heavy groans
or shrieks may bo heard sounding
aiong tho corridor. Tlio hall boy
wakes up, rubs his eyes and awaits to
sSo what is coining, and if ho is a now
one at tho business half exnects that a
murder is being committed.
"Wo had a case not long ago of a
gentleman here, who, during tlio mid
dle of tho night, began pounding on
his door, yelling at tho samo time,
'Let mo out, let mo out. Ilelpl Help?'
Tho hall boy rushed down to tlio
desk, and, with tho night clerk and
tho porter, hurried back to the room
whence camo tho cries of distress. All
was quiet. Thoy waited awhile, then
knocked. Tho subject of the night
maro camo to tho door feeling very
much crestfallen. Ho explained that
ho hatl eaten a too liberal supply ol
dovilcd crabs during the previous even
ing, and ho had dreamed that ho was
locked in ono of tho inunenso money
vaults of tho treasury, which ho had
seen during his visit to tho city. His
own cries lor help had caused him to
wake, buch cases, moro or less ox
citing, aro ot'almost nightly occurrence
1.1 a largo hotel, and aro usually great
er when tho social season is ut its
height.
I'umy l!iin Luck to Sallnrmcii.
If there is anything in tho nonular
superstition among sailors that "a cat
brings good luck, the voyago of tho
British steamship Mliana will bo
pleasant ono. A tino largo Maltese cat
went aboard tho vessel tho day before
sho sailed and composedly curled up
on tho heavily upholstered crimson
sofa in tlio officers saloon, and when
tho vessel sailed sho was a contented
passenger.
"She is an old traveler," said tho
steward, as ho stroked her soft fur.
"and this is not her first voyago. Cats
like a change, and thoy will visit first
ono vessel and then another in port
until thoy find one that suits tiiem
and they are a knowing animal, ami
seem to havo somo intuition when a
vessel is going to sail. Do I think u
cat brings luck? Oh, yes. It's good
luck to havo a cat como to you. Why,
that's not a superstition of sailors
alone. Did vou ever see a land lubber
that didn't believe it? That cat will
have tho best treatment on board; bo
bides, tlicros no end to tlio raw on
board, and tho cat will be useful as
well as lucky to us." Savannah News.
Habits of Fur Seals.
Tho seals of theso waters migrato
southward iu each year, and begin
to movo from the islands toward tho
closo of October. They proceed down
tho California coast, and aro absolute
ly unmolested on that journey, tho
stoimy weather, fogs and short days
not permitting a profitable hunting
during tho winterm onths. Towurd
May they return northward and
travel at the into of ten to twolvo miles
jcr hour, and their northwest journey
is thus accomplished iu a few days,
when they reach their breeding
grounds in tho Pribyloll' Islands, St.
Gcorgo and St. Paul, situated in lati
tude 00. passing for tlio most part bo
tweeu the Aleutian Islands. Uualaska
and Aluta, or between Alutau uml
Ultimate Cor. London Times.
Itepluntlni: of Teeth.
Few people appear to bo aware,
notes The Liverpool Mercury, that a
tooth can bo extracted, cleaned and
restored to its socket, and become
again a useful and natural instrument.
One Liverpool dentist, at least, is iu
tho habit of doing such a thing; and
it appears to surprise most people. A
gentleman in u large shipping office
had a tooth taken out, cleaned and ro
itorcd somo years ago, and it is at tho
present timo a good serviceable tooth.
This suggests tho question us to tho
possibility of extracting old teeth and
.nsortiug new ones! It would be a
boon to many, and is worth consider
ing by clever dentists.
LET THE BOYS SHOOTi
Olro Your Son a Onn 'Vritpn Ilo Under
taml Handling It.
By nil means let tho boys havo their
riflo and shotgun, furnish them a
reasonable amount of ammunition and
pay their licenso to shoot, if wo over
come to that protective measure How
else, can the bov learn to shoot? If I
had my way every boy and ovcry
girl should learn to shoot" even though.
they never killed alone a singlo head
of game. It is not tho extinguishing
of tho vital prineiplo of either bird or
beast for which men go afield, and tho
game butcher should never bo clawed
as a sportsman.
llio ntlo and revolver aro weapons
tho usoof which demand physical con
ditions never found in tho indolent.
ell'eminato or tho dissolute. Thoy aro
weapons for men and women not for
dolls of either sex. If overv boy and
girl were early taught tho uso and
abuso of firearms tho death rato from
accidents caused by carelessness would
bo reduced to a minimum; tlio num
ber of corner loafers cigaretto smok
ing, round shouldered, delicato boys
nnd girls alllicted with corseLs, nerya
tiro and headaches would deoroaso in
direct proportion to the increaso of re
cruits to tho army of thoso now enjoy
ing such sporL
And what is to hinder? Any ono of
a half dozen American manufacturers
makes rillessullicicntly light for ladies
and boys to use; prices are such that
any ono of moderate means can own
tho very best; accuracy is unsur
passed; and ammunition, that is tho
i.'2-calibcr cartridges, which aro plenty
largo enough for all ordinary range,
is very cheap. But, alius 1 ficklo fash
ion has decreed that tho girl child
shall bo a woman beforo reaching wo
manhood, and must never condesoend
to niinglo in manly sports unless the
thin veneer of fashioimblo polish
should bo marred. Fathers forget
thoy wero ever boys and wanted a gun ;
or, being without desiro that way,
compel their boys to think as they do,
or to uso weapons surreptitiously.
No! give tho boys n chance, and tha
girls too.
Ijet thoso parents who are not
sportsmen and aro blessed with chil
dren imbued with such instincts, take
the time and trouble to learn tho art
themselves and instruct their boys and
girls. My word for it, such children
will lovo you with a deeper intensity,
will spring to obey your commands
with a better graco, for has not their
father, their ideal of all that is good
and great, associated himself with
them in their play? And whcro is
thero a normal child who would not
rather nssoeiato with his father than
with any other companion?
You, who yourselves lovo tho gun,
do not, I beg you, think it a bora
to guide tho youngster in the
paths you lovo so well or think
it tiresome to initiato him in tho mys
teries of an art fascinating nliko to
young and old. Bear in mind your
own youth, and your heart would
havo gono out to any one who would
havo taken timo and troublo to holu
you bscotuo a good shot.
Our boys and girls aro to bo tho fa
thers ami mothers of other boys and
girls, and how can wo mold tho gen
eration of thoso who shall tako oui
places unless wo now stand sponsors
to the sports as well as to other edu
cational advantages, and where is there
to bo found a cleaner, moro scientific,
moro manly sport than riflo shootingl
Forest uml Stream,
A Historic "Wooden Ic.
A celebrated wooden leg has been
discovered in an old
Liun 4V,o 'V'
Vinccnnes shop,
smithy. Thero is
which was onco a snu
abundant ovidenco to provo that tho
relic in question is tho sham limb
which replaced tho leg which Gen.
Dfiuucsml lost in tho big wars of Na
poleon I. This rugged old warrior de
fended tho fortress of Vinccnnes
against the allied army, and is famous
for having said to tho invaders, when
summoned to give up tho placo:
"Bring mo back my leg which you
havo snot off and you shall havo my
keys." Tlio wooden leg now found
had been sent by Daumesnil to a Vin
ccnnes smith in order to be "shod," as
tho general expressed it. Beforo tho ar
ticle was sent back tho old warriot
died suddenly, and tho sham limb re
mained iu tno ancient smithy to the
present day. It is now in tho artillery
museum of the Hotel des Invalidcs
among many other martial and his?
torio bouvenirs. London Telegraph.
Early AVise.
" 'Ho made a fcoblo and impotent
gesture,'" read tho father of tho fam
ily from his newspaper; and then, see
ing that his children were listening, he
added, "Kitty, what is au 'impotent
gesture'?"
"I guess it's whon you snap youi
fingers iu somebody's faco," returned
Kitty, wisely.
Trulyan excellent illustration of an
impudent gesture.
It is tho same Kitty who is constant
ly asked by her younger brothers to
define hard words becauso sho is no vet
at a lass for au answer, and can al
ways find reasons, sometimes moro in?
genious than true,
"What is it to havo versatility 1"
asked Teddy ono day.
"It's to oo a poet," returned Kitty,
without hesitation. "To mako verses,
you know." Youth's Companion.
Death of the Dluner Hell.
Tlio dinner bell has long sinco suf
fered a decadence, and it is rarely now
that it bends its merry tinkle through
the corridors of aristocratic houses. It
lias been tho custom to havo meals an
nounced by the butler, or by neat
aproned and capped "Phyllises." But
ttio latcst is tho Japaneso gong. It is
a succession of thrco bronzo hemis
pheres, graduated sizes, connected by
chains. Tlio gong is suspended usu
ally in a convenient curve of tho stair
way: and, when dinner is served, tlio
family is musically summoned to the
banquet hall by strokes upon tho gang
with a small hammer. Ono artktia
wifo I know of lios succeeded in teach
ing her maid tho notes of tho sister's
call from "Dio Walkuro," and throe
times daily do tho Wagncriau tones
echo through tho house. Table Talk.