J'! goat?d by a Spell Jj
CIIAPTEn XXX.-Conllnoed.)
A few door farther down the corri
dor) In it chamber mora somber and
(loom- than any we hare visited, waa
Judith. She la lying bark listlessly. In
an easy rhalr, with her red ralr loosely
falling around her pallid, worn far.
The tears roll down her cheeks, at In'
ten alt. In large, heavy drops. 8ha Is
weeping orer the ashes of luve. oter
wrecked hopes, and a lost life. Heavily
orer her broods the spirit of the night.
bodlug of death.
As the night advances, the clonda
hate It all their own way, veiling the
sky with profound darkness; anil the
winds wax fiercer. The air la mint with
th alternate shrieks, and sobs of terri
tied nature. There Is hesvy rain, with
which the monster sports, dashing It. and
whirling It, and acatterlug It lu gusts.
and edille, and masses.
Heavy footsteps upon the carriage
drive-,, but the tempest absorbs every
aoaud Into Until. Over the gravel,
which stands out lightly from the black'
ness that encompaws it. moves a
large, dark, lumbering object. ' It Is a
man, bearing another, seemingly sense
less, upon his back. Slowly, staggering
and swaying at time under the weight
aud the wind, he advances to the hall
door. There he lays down his burden,
and seems to ponder for a moment. Then
ho walks cautiously round the house,
looking up at all the windows. There
Is a faint light lu two, but seemingly
mitted only by ulght tapers. All seem
to be sleeping.
He cautiously tries the windows upon
the ground Boor. All were securely fast
ened. In a corner of the building then
was a smaller window, like that of a
pantry. With his diamond ring he cut
out one of the panes of glass, put his
nrm through the cavity and with some
difficulty succeeded In reaching the fast
ening that secured the sash, lie raised
the window and crept through. lie took
a lantern and some matches from his
pocket and struck a light.
It was not a pantry he was in, but a
small bedroom. Passing out at the door,
lie found himself In the servants' offices.
He took off his boots and crept noise
lessly along the passage, until he reached
the corridor. He halted at Silas Cnrs
ton'a door and listened, with hla ear
to the keyhole. AH seemed quiet.
He ascended the stairs. As he reach
ed the first corridor he became sensible
of a strong, pungent odor and a misti
ness In the air. like smoke. He looked
about him for some cause and crept fur
ther along the corridor. Iteneath the
door, and through the keyhole of one
of the rooms, ahone a red glow.
Great heavens! had accident anticipat
ed bis intention? Was this fire? He
turned the handle of the door It was
not locked. His doubts were solved in
an instant. A body of hot, blinding
smoke rushed Into his face, nearly over
powering him. The room was In flames!
Hanging access the arm of a chnir was
the, body of a man, cither dead or in
sensible. Lost and awe-stricken, Rod
well stood helpless and transfixed, gat
ing upon the nwful sight.
At that moment Judith, hurrying out
of her room, appeared upon the scene.
. ,
Miles .away, a carriage containing an
old gentleman Is speeding furiously along
the Essex road. Upon the box are two
policemen.
On through the pelting rain and the
rushing wlnJ, beneath the shadows of
overhanging trees and along the open
road, the soaked, blinded driver, scarce
ly able to see a yard before him, gallops
the horses.
"Look, look!" cries a policeman, and
denly pointing ahead.
There Is a glare rising up iu the black
sky a wavering, red glare, that bright
ens and fades, fades and brightens.
The old gentleman within, who, spite
of the storm, is continually putting his.
bead out of the window to see what
lirogress Is being made, sees It, too.
"taster, faster, for heaven's sake!" he
cries. "Do you not see that fire? It
must be the Manor House; there is no
other house near."
What Is that dark object advancing
u swiftly towards them? A horse, gal
loping furiously, darts past like an ar
row, and is lost in the darkness.
"What Is that?" cries the old gentle
man, looking out of the window again.
Hut only the wind hears his voice.
The glare in the sky grows stronger,
nearer. Up rise showers of sparks, and
up rolls the nil smoke, and faster and
faster speed the horses, until they seem
running a race with the wind, match
lag themselres against the tempest,
Judith and Itodwell face one another
but only for an Instant. With a cry
of agony, she rushed towards her fath
er. The fire surrounds him now, scretn
lug him from all human help. The flames
and smoke drive her back with their
Kcorching breath. With wild fury, the
turns upon ItodwetL Recovered from
Ms momentary panic, he Is flying; but
ns be reaches the head of the stairs, she
Is upon him, with the grip of a tigress,
and calling wildly for help.
He struggles fiercely, twine his fin
ttcrs In her long hair, and with the
other hand rains heavy blows upon her
bead aud face; but still ahe holds on,
(ever ceasing her wild cries for help.
Other cries begin to mingle with hers,
' nnd the sounds of battering at doors.
The prisoners are aroused to a sens of
their danger, as well as the servants be
low. He will be detected, after all, and
through this wild cat of a woman, Sud
denly there Is a dull thud her voice Is
silenced he has hurled her over the
balusters,
VDown the stairs he springs. In the
li'all he meets the two terrified servants
la their night dresses, who scream and
run back. Quick as lightning he shoots
back the ponderous bolts of the door,
and the next moment Is flying along the
Kraveled drive, through the Iron gates
and out Into the highway, where he has
left his horse, tied to a tree. One bound
und ho la iu the saddle, barefooted and
bareheaded. One look behind a red
glare' li shining through the windows
und away be dashes through the daik
uets, and the rain, aM the howling wind.
On, on, over the open common, where
the tempest rages In unresisted fur
then under the swaying, groaning tux-,
plunging Into yet deeper darkness, Down,
down, down the speed redoubles, he la
rapidly descending, but whither? Ini
penetrable by sight as a wall nf Iron Is
the black gulf before him, He pulls th
rein with all his strength: but down,
down, down, still gtllops the horse with
awful rapidity. Crash! a low. project
ing branch has caught him across the
forehead, and dashes him from the mil
mal'a back; there Is a heavy plash, and
then a rushing sound the horse Is
.breasting the water; another moment, ha
la scrambling up the opposlto bank,
riderless.
Within the Manor limine the flames
arc spreading with frightful rapidity.
Judith lies in a motlonle heap, and
two hapless beings are locked within
their rooms; upon the chamber aUive.
the Are has already seised; upon th one
below It is rapidly advanrliig.
The fire Is consuming one side of
Clara's room It has fastened upon the
stairs no one can mount them. Who
can save her now?
riamcs dart above the roof, nnd
through the windows, and up Into the
black sky rise volume of lurid smoke,
chasing away the darkness and Illuminat
ing every object around with a fearful
radiance.
What new figure Is till come upon the
scene? A man who seems to have arisen
from the bowels of the earth. He looks
strange and bewildered. The women
catch sight of him, and, shrieking with a
new terror, fly away and corner upon
the sodden earth, under the dripping
branch of a tree. He sees an arm grasp
ing at a window frame. He goes to him.
"Unlock the door the key Is outside!"
cries a frantic voice within.
The stranger comprehends dashes
through the hall door, which stsnds
wide open. The flames rolling down the
stairs show him the key. He turns It.
As he does so. he sees a senseless woman
huddled at his feet. He does not recog
nise her. but quick as lightning he raises
her in his anus and bears her safely
out into the air. followed by Silas.
Only just In time the flames are al
ready licking the spot she laid upon.
"Is It Clara?" cries Silas, frantically.
They turn over the body and disclose
the death-like face of Judith.
'Where Is she oh. heaven, where Is
she? She has perished In the flames!"
exclaimed Silas.
A wild, piercing cry nf agony rises
above the roar of the elements. They
raise their eyes. Standing on the ex
treme edge of the window sill, with out
stretched arms, the Dames darting
around her. Is Clara.
A frightful scream bursts from Silas
lips; but his companion grasps his
hands, drags.him under the window, nnd
stretching out both their arms shenta
to her to jump. Just In time the flames
cling to her dress as she falls.
At that moment a carriage tears up
the drive two policemen spring from
the box, and an old gentleman jumps out,
nnd falls into the group.
CHAPTER XXXI.
A soft evening In June. The sky of a
deep, cloudless blue, save towards the
west, where the sun Is sinking Into a sea
of crimson light. Not a breath of air is
stirring the trees are motionless; not
the quiver of a leaf. There Is a buzz of
Insect life in the air, mingled with the
music of the birds. Upon n lawn, orer
which Is scattered numerous flower beds,
gay with bright colored blossoms, stretch
ing before a picturesque cottage covered
with roses, sit three men. One is young,
not more than tweuty: the second Is a
stout, florid, benevolent looking man;
the third Is thln-vlsaged, aad-looklng,
with Iron-grny hair. The three men
were I, Silas Morant, Mr. Jonathan Itod
well, and my father. My father was
speaking "What his ultimate Intentions
could hate been, I am at a loss to un
derstand. Probably to cast me. In my
Insensible state. Into the flame)."
"Which, it seems, after all, he did not
kindle," suid Mr. Jonathan, shuddering
at the remembrance.
"That is the most wonderful circum
stance of all. Chance, or destiny, or
whatever you please to call It, had actu
ally anticipated him. Porter must have
overthrown his lamp in n state nf stupor.
Judith lived long enough to tell how the
had seen Uie fire first In her father's
room, and he lying across the chair, dead
or insensible."
"I could not help pitying the unfortu
nate creature," tnld Mr. Jonathan, "in
spite of the evil she had wrought. She
at least deserved a better fate thnn to
perish by the brutal violence of the man
whom she loved so devotedly."
"1 have often thought," said my fath
er, "what a divine mercy It was that
only one of the telegrams fell Into that
wretched man's hands. It appears that
the lad bad put one In his pocket the
one addressed to you, Mr. Rodwell and
was holding the other In hit hand, when
he ran against his master, who snatched
It from him and forbade him to leave
the bouse. The lad said nothing about
the other, but watched hit opportunity
to leave the premises, and deliver It at
the oftlce. The delay, however, wi very
near proving fatal to more than one of
ut."
"That unhappy man," said Mr. Jona
than, "had telegraphed to say that he
would be with me that night. Hut I
felt half Inclined to start for Essex with
out waiting for hlra, and chance the con
dition of the house. Hut look! here are
two old friends of your coming this
way, fillos."
Such was the fact. Walking up th
pathway towards the house were Martha
Jennings and Joslan Cook,
I hastened to meet the good, kind crea
ture who had sheltered me, fed m nnd
clothed me when I wat houseless and
destitute. She wns dressed with un
usual smartness a white bonnet, a blue
tilk dress, and a bright-colored, or rath
er many-colored, shawl. Jostah was also
got up lu on unusual style; bright green
satin necktie, buff waistcoat and white
bat.
After a little conversation, the secret
came out; the worthy pair had been mar
ried that morning.
"Married!" I exclaimed! "why I had
not the least Idea that such a thing was
ever thought ofr
"No inoro had c, Master Silas, a
few weeks ago," answered Martha
blushing, "and, yuu know, you have not
seen US slue Christinas, So, as Joil
had kindly sent im an Invitation to coins
down and see you, I thought I would
tak the liberty to bring Joslah along
with uie, and make It a tort of marriage
trip."
"I am very much delighted t tee you
both, and you thill stay with us for
your honeymoon. I said, shaking a baud
of enrh. "Hut you might as well hat
United us to our wedding."
Martha laughed and blushed: nnd thru
my father and Mr. Jonathan ottered their
warm congratulations to th happy brld
and bridegroom.
"And are you still at the Corinthian,
Jcslah? I Inquired.
"No," In answered; "Martha hta per
suaded me to relinquish public life, nnd
her father has procure,! for inn an P'
polntmeut upon the railway as a porter."
A little time afterward, Martha came
to me with a radiant countenance. "Only
think," she Mid; "that dean good Mr.
Jonathan I going to set u up In bus!
ness for your sake! And, Master Silas
what did I u to say when you mad
surh a fuss about the little I could do
for you didn't I tell you you would be
rich some day. and what line things J oil
wnuM do for liier
"Hut I am not rirh. my good Martha.1
I said, smiling, "and It Is not I who hav
done till for you."
"Oh. but It's all the same, sir," the
said, with a very sly look.
Prently my father. Martha, and Jo
slah went Into the houe. Hut Mr.
Jouathan remained behind, and taking
my ami. strolled with me across th
lawn.
"Silas, my lad." he safid. lu a kind
voice, "the sight of that 'happy couple'
has set lue thluklug upon a subject I
have long had In my heurt! Although
I have never mentioned It. I know all
about you aud Clara. Mrs. Wilson told
me what she kjiew. and I have picked up
the rest here and there. I have waited,
however, until now. In the first place,
I wished to know you better, to Judge
nf your disposition; nnd. In the second
place, although the ties that Imund you
to that unhappy woman were of the
weakest, yet, after the dreadful circum
stance that attended her death, we were
compelled In decency to allow n certain
time to elapse Itefore the subject of love
aud marriage could be broached."
"Ah. sir." I nuwerrd mournfully,
"Clara has ceased to lore me. She will
never forgive the wicked weakness of
my couduct In gaining her love while
another claimed me as her husband."
"It was very culpable." answered Mr.
Jonathan, gravely; "and In nuy other
person I could never have pardoned It;
but your life, my mor hov. has been so
exceptional, that It would I hard to
Judge you by the rules of every-day
life."
'And you forgive me,, darling?" I
whispered as I held Clara In my arms.
I was never angry with you, she
answered, softly. "I only felt sad. and
that I wished to die."
She was mine mliie at last! Nothing
could stand between us now save death!
Oh, the bliss, the rapture of that mo
ment!
I am lying at her feet, with my head
resting against her, and my fnce upturn
cd toward hers, as I used to In the old
days. The cool air nf the soft summer's
night, laden with the perfume nf the clus
tering rose, steals through the open lat
tice. There la no light save that of
the moon, that stream through the win
dow, chequering the floor witli the shad
ows nf the overhanging leaves. On
broad beam glances over my darilnr't
head, making her golden hair glisten like
thread of gold, and falls full upon the
lortralt of her mother that hangs behind
her. She Is translating the rhapsodies
that fill the souls of both Into lore's own
language music. Oh. those wild, pas
sionate strains, how they thrill through
my soul! They tell all the story of our
love soft. melancholy, mysterious
then broken by sobs and walls swelling
Into horror and cries of agony then
melting Into n soft, dreamy harmony too
ecstatic for Joy. too hopeful for sadness
and so they die away Into the passion
ate silence of love.
(The end !
Older Thnn tho Chinese.
Older even than China, the oldest
existing tuition, are the cliff dwelling
of southwestern United Stntes, homes
of n race 'whose very nnnip bus per
ished from the eiirth. Explorers, puz
zling through the Man com and Cnan
Verde canyons of Arizona nnd New
Mexico, linve found tho houses of this
strange people In the wildest and moat
Inaccessible of the mountain side.
Did the cliff dwellers nntedute the
pyramid of Egypt? Were they nf
blood relation to the early Inhabitants
Ji the land where the Nile la god'
Somo students are prepnrcil lo answer
both question iifllriuntlvc ly and to
give wim t Is to them nbumlant proof.
The pottery from their long-wrecked
home suggest Egypt, and the few
Inscriptions found have similar aug
petitions. Mummies, tiodles wrapped
In cloth, featherx from the breast of
the turkey have been dug from burial
places among the cliffs, nnd. In bone
nnd hair much unlike the Indian nf to
day, there la a hint of resemblance, to
a more oriental type. If tho cliff
dweller left any descendant, how
ever remote, they nro doubtless the
Mokl and Zunl Indiana, who, mtcm
bllng them In habit and appearance,
aro their closest kinsmen. '
Nothing to Regret.
"All me," sighed the uplustcr ai abe
gave a backward glance at her waited
life. "I have selfishly lived alone all
these years and made no man happy!"
"Ob, ye you have," rejoined the
bachelor with the Ingrown hair, "Don't
you remember I proposed to you 20
year ago and you turned mo down?"
Unconscious Insult.
Mr. Homer Do havo some more of
the lco cream, Ml CJucstly!
Mis fiueatly Well, Just a little, a
you Insist; hut only n mouthful, mind.
Mr. Homer Jane, Oil MIku Guest
ly' plnte up again.
nU88IA'8 LAST STRONGHOLD.
Vladivostok, Auxlntt Which th Jitp
iitUse Will blinrtly Proceed,
It Is announced' authoritatively tlint
Japan la planning n land mid ton cam
paign against Vladivostok, llussla'a r
timltilug stronghold In tho East. Willi
the sickening fate of Port Arthur fresh
lu mind, tlila latest frank nnd direct
axuwiil of Hits Japanese Intention
come with a ahock.
Tim Impregnability of Port Arthur
was fur so long a mntter nf uncertain
ty and tho claim to that distinction
was disproved at such a fearful colt
that the world wilt hesitate to bellevo
that Russia has still In tier possession
a atrvughold whose claim to Impreg
nability It even mora plausible than
MlSTomCH AT VLAniYoaTOK.
waa that of the fallen Gibraltar. Yet,
according to the military wiseacre, es
pecially those who have Imd the ad
vantage of actual observation, Vlad
ivostok 1 strong where Port Arthur
waa strong nnd strong also when) that
fortress waa weak.
First and of great strategic Import
ance la the fact that Vladivostok can
not be Invested by a hostile force,
either by land or tea. during the long
and pitiless Siberian winter, it Is ai
safe from nil external molestation dur
ing lit protracted hibernation a Is the
threw In Its burrow. This natural de
fense confers Impregnability on the
port for several months In every year.
Biitsssi m ssk va sssss?0rV sW"rssT
VI.ADIVOSTOK. RUSSIA'S LAST EASTERN STRONGHOLD
The harbor. It appears. Is not a whit
less baffling In lis natural configura
tion than la that of Port Arthur. Vlad
ivostok Is situated on the gulf of Peter
tho Great, an arm of the Japan Sea.
The town Is built on tho alopes of a
high ridge forming n tapering penln-
aula Into an Irregular landlocked bay.
There are two narrow entrances to the
harbor, both Hanked by highlands
which bristle with batteries and forti
fication!. The entrances aro further
guarded by fort erected on an Island
at their mouths ami Innumerable Islet
Just outside on which lire many de
fensive works of various kinds. Sur
mounting the crett of the headlands,
which itrotch for miles In the east
ward and ore known as th Golden
Horn, arc continuous chains of earth
works nnd other defenses. The lofty
hills on the northwest protect the jiort
from the land side, and In the deep
water of the Golden Horn, which Is nt
least four mile In length and n mite In
width, the largest ships may ride safe
ly at anchor, free from the mennco of
attack and beyond the reach of the
wnnther.
I.Ike Port Arthur. Vladivostok con
slat of three portions. That nearest
the water li the military town, extend
ing along the harbor nnd given up al
most exclusively to storehouse, mili
tary quarter ind officer' residence.
On tho extreme north of tho harbor
are the ofllclnl buildings and the pri
vate dwelling of the government em
ployes and private citizen. Heyond
and higher itUI la the arsenal, strong
ly fortified. Tho population I about
18,000, excluding the military.
It It not likely that tho town could
be entered by an Invading force from
landward without a repetition of the
hard fighting that took place at Port
Arthur, The natural disposition of tho
hill at the rear of Vladivostok lint
made It possible to Interpose many
powerful scheme of defense ogalntt
the advance of an enemy, and tho Rus
sian engineer have been puzzling
their brain for forty year to make
approach from the rear practically Im
possible. There It nothing, however,
to prevent the Japaneie from com
pletely Investing the place. Once In
cloied within the circle formed by the
Japanese fleet and the land force,
there would be nothing to expect from
outside. Tbb Russian have no mean
of assembling or maintaining an army
ta that vicinity lufflclent to suggest
nny prospect of relief, as i l'ie
for nwhllo nt Port Art i " w nt
only bo it ilmplo iil ' i
Mice.
It It undoubtedly fact Hint Vladi
vostok Ik oven belter provided lo ant
tnlti n long blockade Hum wns run
Arthur. When Russia decided lo miiku
It tho tcrmluu of tho Traiisslbcrlun
road aim began to tmltd storehouse
and military depolt the like of which
waa unknown to Aula. ThU hoarding
of ilorot has never coated. To losu
Vladlvottok would bo Hussla'i crown
ing humiliation.
THE CURVED UALL.
It I tk Atmplir Which Causes
It liccsutrlc tthtxiU,
Almost any teuycai-old youugster
cau curv a ball, eveu though be doet
not know why he can do to ticepl
that th leather mutt b held In a cer
tain wty. Possibly a half doten of
th major league twlrlen know aome.
thing about th science of Ih curve,
but comparatively few underatiud why
they can produc their "bender;" Th
Scientific American glvei 111 follow
ing it the clentlflc explanation of the
matter:
"The pllcher In the field tella ui that
the ball curvea became he gives It
twist, but scientifically this will not
do. Why will the twist nuke the
curve? If a ball were thrown lu a cer
tain direction and If the force of gravi
tation wem not at work the ball would
continue on In i itrnlght line forever.
Some force of resistance Is then at
work when a ball Is made to deviate In
a curv from Its slralgut course. If a
feather Is dropped In a vadium lu an
exhausted receiver of an air pump It
will drop like n thot, but If It Is drop
ped opt In the air It will go down Ir
regularly and slowly, ihlftlng from
tld to tide. ,
"It It the attuoipltet which rautes
the ball to curve. Hearing In mind
that the atmosphere Is a compressible,
elastic git, we find thit when 111 ball
leaves the hand of th pitcher with a
rapid rotary motion It impinges upon
a continuous elastic cushion,' and this
moderate resists lire, or friction,
changes Ha course In the direction
which It given to the rotary motion
Take an outshoot of a right handed
pitcher, for Instance II Impresses
upon th ball a rapid centrifugal ro
tary motion to the left, and th ball
goes to th left because the atmos
phere, compressible aud flattie, Is
packed Into an elastic cushion Just
ahead of the ball by the swift forward
and rotary motion, and th friction,
which I very great In front of the bill,
steer It In the direction It It turning."
RISKS LIFE TO SAVE GOOSE.
Man Lowered Down an Old Mill
him ft TOO K.ct lie. p.
l-'roni Oxford, Warren county, N. J.,
comes the itory of Lewis Albert, an
engineer at the mines, says the New
York Herald, who, for the sake of n
goote' life, risked hit own for fully
forty minutes on Friday In a daring
mid sensational manner.
The goose got over the fence of III
coop, flapped Ita wings, flew over the
opening of the shaft, whic-u 1 700 feet
deep, fell Into the black hole and dis
appeared. On the following day person pass
ing the shaft heard sepulchral cries
proceeding trom some subterraneous
source. ICemple heard sounds .and
learned nf the goose' plight.
The old hoisting apparatus was ex
amined nnd found to lie useless and
the problem arose a lo bow the bird
wa to be rescued. One man lowered
n honk and line, to which was at
tached a worm, but the goose would
not bite.
Then Albert took a long rope and,
selecting a group of mlnen, he bade
them lower him Into the mine.
Albert got down about 200 feet nnd
a minute later thcro was a flerce honk
ing, followed by a signal to pull up
(Illicitly. Albert oon appeared with
the struggling bird In hi arm.
Only Misplaced,
Mr. Illxby was on a visit to Mr, Rob
Una, Ilk cousin, who resided In another
part of tho country, where mannera
and gpcech were different from thoaa
to which tho visitor had been accus
tomed, Ilolii eye and car, therefore,
were occupied with study and compari
sons. "There' one tiling I notice about
yon people here," observed Mr, Illxby.
"You don't seem to have, much line for
the Utter 'r.' Rack whero I came from
It ha a sound, a other letter bare,
but here It la practically a silent Utter,
Why U that?"
"I haven't the allghtert Idenr," re
plied Mr. Rollln, Innocently,
There 1 one thing, at leaat, that a
man can't be blamed fori the company
at the houM.
GOOD
iiSborttorie$!
- t Mill I
Charles lUtleli Ixtatuli, the author,
hi an extremely serloitt rait of coun
tenance, One day lie miide a call on
Henry Meyer at the Utter studio.
While they were chatting, entered
Ernest Haskell, th Illustrator, whose
general resemblance to ImmiiIs I niott
striking. Meyer gated at the two fr
a moment, and then exclaimed; "How
much you fellow look alike. Oh, t beg
your pardou both your pardons, t
mean."
The German Emperor, during ene f
hi forest cxcuralons, on the occasion
of the vltlt of the Czar of Riitila, wa
about to light hi cigar, but found b
had forgotten the knife that ho turd
In cut off the rud. The Cznr was no
better provided, so one of tile forest
keepers stepped forward and proitereil
his iiwii. The Emperor used It, and
then returned It, saying, Impressively:
"Take back your knife. It Is now an
historic relic."
A man who lias recently traveled In
Ireland says that In a poor little cot
tage of two rooms hn saw a married
couple and seven children. Hearing
n baby cry, ho Hiked In see It, nnd ex
plained that he tisik nil Interest In
liable, hnvlng nun nt home. The In
fant was produced for Inspection, nnd
the mother nskisl, proudly: "Is your
a big hi that, sir?" To which he re
plied: "I think It Is n little bigger."
Initntitly the Instincts of the mother
were roused, nnd, tossing her bend, shn
aatd: "Ho welt It might be; that' only
half of ours; the other half la with
God. We had twins."
The following Is n Chicago boy'
composition on "The Crocodile: liin
crocodile Is n large animal that Inhab
its the Nile and loves to go on tho
sandy beach to bask lu the suushlnn
nnd lay eggs. It looks some like a
dachshund, only there Is more of It t
the ends, nnd It Is bigger. There wn
n crocodile once Hint rsrnied from n
circus. It roamed o'er the country,
seeking In vnln for pig and smart
children to devour, and died of starva
tion In great anguish. You can ride on
the bark of a crocodile, but It Is morn
comfortable to use a saddle. It I
usually quiet, but li terrible when
routed. We all ought to be thankful
we are not a crocodile."
During Queen Victoria' reign one of
the solicitors of the queen who had
Jurisdiction overrnpltal ensrs, chanced
to be n man nnmcd Ilacon. Hy a cu
rious chance a man named Hogg wa
condemned to death under hla Jurisdic
tion. The day before the execution
Hogg sent for hi executioner. Hat-on.
The prisoner pleaded for Interference
In his case because nf bis claims nf re
lationship to Hncou. The solicitor, al
ways ready with n reply, answered:
"I have no proof of our relationship.
You are doubtless mtstnken. At nny
rate, the execution must tn';i' plnre, for
only In that way rnn matter be set
right. Hogg I not 1 In eon until It Is
dead." It Is said the prisoner laughed
In spite nf himself.
Womnii's Unrloslly.
"Woman' curiosity." said Mr.
Fletcher, "Is a quality of the mind be
yond nil human understanding."
"Ye?" mM Mr. I'leteber. "What
made you think of tiutt?"
Then, according lo the Now York
Preti, Mr. Klctcher gave this explana
tion of hi profound and highly orig
inal remark.
"Tim action of n woman I wtw
down-town to-day," he snld. "She fol
lowed n mnn ten block Just to road a
placard that wa fastened on hi back.
She apottod him at ,'lltli street. Tluit
wu n-nlly tho end of her trip, I feel
sure, from something she mild to an
other woman, w-ho wns too fat to Join
In Uie chase. Hut when slio might
lght of that naming nsl poster tied
to Uie man' back, her curiosity got
tho better of her, und alio set out after
him.
"lie led her quite n chase, ncros
town and down-town nnd luilf-wuy
bnck to tilth street, hut hu never
weakened. Shu tugged faithfully along
lu hi wnke,' and finally she got close
nough lo road that notice."
Mr. Fletcher reltiiiod n moment.
"What did It .iy?" nho naked.
"It advised her to get her teeth
pulled aomowheru on lllh nventin."
Mr. Fletcher thought again. "Where
were you nil the time shu was trying
to Dud that out?"
"Mo?" said Fletcher. "Oh, 1 vu
following tho woman. I wanted to ace
If she finally caught up with tho man."
lleunuae.
There wa a boy aud ho refuted
To rilu away from school,
Hecaute, he aald, this little man.
It wis against the rule
He hat no legs.
There was a woman, to they sty,
Who loved not war and strife;
She went her way and never spok
A cross word In hor life
Rut the wa dumb.
Another woman would refut
To gottlp to give ear,
And every tale of scandal ah
Htfuitd point blank to heir
Rut ilia wis deaf,
Thtr I a mm who never drink
Nor smokes nor chcwi nor iweira.
Hot doet he gamble In the leait
And ibum all sinful mares
I Ie' t paralyzed.
Diplomatic,
Bhe How old do you think I am?
Ho Really, I can't lay; but I'm turo
you don't look It
T