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The \^/lfe’s Secret, ij
OR A BITTER RECKONING ::
B y CH ARLO TTE M . BRAEM B
» * ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ I > » * > ►♦♦♦♦ H H H H I H * »
C H A P T E R X V .—{Continued.)
Every nerve In Pauline’s body was vl
beating, and a sense o f suffocation came
ever her. Had this man at last eeen
the advertisement or been told o f it?
Perhaps, too, he had been to those dread
ful people, Daws A Raven, and obtain
ed from them the Information that would
ruin her. She turned to Jack eagerly.
"D on ’t see them. Jack!” she said,
pleadingly. "Th ey will keep you all the
afternoon, and we are so comfortable ”
Jack f«dt that hia position was hardly
pleasant
I f they had asksd for him
he ought to go to them. But still he
admitted thkt Pauline's objection was
quite natural. H e could understand her
wish that he should not meet Ethel more
than was necessary.
,
“ Very well.” he acquiesced. “ Not at
home. Babette.'’
The Frenchwoman retraced her steps
down the long gallery, with a look of
dsep disappointment on her face. She
had expected so much from the appear
ance o f these people. She had built on
the abrupt termination o f this hateful
engagement through them, and now the
chance was lost, utterly lost. Just be
cause she could not bring about the de
sired Interview.
This disappointment, coming after her
morning's failure at Daws’ office, broke
down her spirit altogether, and fo r the
ffrst time she began to believe' that she
must resign herself to the inevitable—
that the marriage .pould not be prevent
ed. and she must be satisfied with the
poor revenge o f depriving Pauline of
her unlawful possessions. 8he clinched
her teeth With defeated rage as she en
tered the boudoir.
“ No. madame has not yet returned,”
she said, and.heiu the door for them to
pass out into the gallery.
But in that moment o f her utter de
spair the tide turned and carried her
on to speedy victory. She preceded Mr.
and Miss Mallett until they reached the
central hall, and then handed them over
to the footman.
She stood watching
them as they re-entered the hired car
riage. A s they drove off some one
plucked at her from behind. She turned
round in surprise to meet Mrs. Perkins,
whom she had passed la the corridor,
outside the boudoir, superintending the
arranging of fresh flowers in the window
stand. Th e housekeeper’s usually florid
face was quite pale, and she jerked out
her words in a curious, breathless way:
“ Who are those people you have just
shown out?”
“ Mr. and Mim Mallett.”
“They are nothing o f the kind! Th e
gentleman is Sir Geoffrey Mailing, Baro
net, brother of Sir Paul and uncle to
our present mistress, and the young lady;
is like enough to the family to be his
daughter.”
The Frenchwoman stood looking at
her with a gigantic triumph in her face
aa she muttered:
“ A t last— at last!"
- i
-
C H A P T E R X V I.
“ W ill Mr. Mallett call on Messrs.
D ew s A Raven, at their offices, 16 L e
man street. E. C., between 2 and 8
o’clock to-day? They have private in
formation of the greatest value to im
part to him.”
Ethel leaned over her father’s shoul
der and read the telegram.
“ W hat can It mean, papa? I t ’s very
mysterious. Shall you go? I wish you
would take me with you. I shall be in
such a stats o f excitement until you
come back.”
“ I could not think of taking you to a
place I know nothing of. my dear. It
might be Inconvenient to have you with
me.
“ Why, papa, I believe you are excited
and curious! It is the first time I ever
saw you so interested.”
“ Yes, I am curious. It strikes me as
odd that, after living an uneventful life
fo r the last twenty years, I should one
day break my vow as to never revisiting
Mallingford Park unless as its owner,
and the next day receive this curious
message. I dare say it is only a coinci
dence; but still it ia strange and I can’ t
help connecting the one event with the
other.”
Surely there was some strangely ex
hilarating quaijty in the atmosphere this
morning, for Ethel went about her busi
ness in a brisker manner than she had
lately. H er nerves were a little bit un
strung, too, for, when’ about 3 o’clock
there came a very decided rat-a-tat-tft
at the door, she was worked up to such
a state o f extreme expectation that she
almost shrieked aloud. She ran to her
usual post o f observation, the stair bead,
and was surprised, pleased, sorry, dis
turbed. all in a moment, at the sight of
Captain Pelting.
She was almost tempted to serfd him a
message to the effect that she could not
see him just then; but she had a horror
o f deception, and indeed she was really
glad to see him again. A few seconds
later she was shaking hands with him,
and her shyness had completely van
ished.
A fter the question as to sport there
was an awkward little pause, and Ethel
felt her heart quicken with dread. Shak
ing herself free from this feeling, she
turned to her visitor.
“ You have not asked why papa is not
at home,” she. remarked, with a deter
mination to avoid personal topics.
“ T e be sure! It is Saturday! I had
forgotten! And why is he not at home?”
“ I will show you why;” and
she
t fetched the telegram and gave it to him.
“ How mysterious!
Quite like an
avent In a novel! Has Mr. Mallett any
Idea as to wbat It means7”
“ Not a bit! I ’m expecting him home
soon, and then we shall hear all aboat
It.”
“ In which case I had better be off.
It may be privets family business, y o i
know.”
“ I don’ t think paps would mind your
knowing. H e looks upon you as a sin
cere friend. You are ths only one he
has cultivated within my memory.”
Poor Ethel!
She had unwittingly
brought down an avalanche upon her
self.
“ You see, he has a treasure beyond
price In his keeping, and he guards it
jealously.”
For a moment the drift of his remark
did not strike her; she concluded he was
alluding to the secret o f her father’s
birth, which she had thought
was
known only to Lord Summers. She was
surprised that he should know thB ve
ers t; but she said nothing, and quietly
awaited an explanation.
Palling was slightly disconcerted by
her unexpected silence and her Inquiring
gase. H e felt that he had committed
himself In some way, and honestly re
gretted that he had been so indiscreet,
but he felt that he had gone too far to
recede, and therefore went on reckless-'
ly.
“ Mr. Mallett is well aware that if a
man meets you often he must learn tb
love you.”
H e stopped abruptly after this, and
noticed ths quick flush that overspread
her face; then, impelled by an irresisti
ble impulse, he continued:
“ I know I ougnt not to say this to
you without first speaking to Mr. Mal
lett; but he has been so kind to me that
I have allowed myself to hope he would
not object to. me as a son-in-law, be
yond the one great- objection that ap
plies to every one— I should rob him of
you. Y et I would-not even do that en
tirely. H o should have his own rooms
in our home, and he could be with us as
often and as long as he liked. I would
make both so happy, if you would let
ms! I would cherish you so tenderly
and take such care o f you that r.n anx
ious thought should never come near
you, and ths trouble in your face which
I cannot help seeing sometimes should
die from sheer Inanition.”,.
H e paused, while Ethel sat quite still,
her hands pressed closely together in
her lap, the flush still burning in her
cheek. H e yearned to take her into his
arms and hold her there; but, reading
distress in her burning cheeks and avert
ed eyas, he determined not to press for
an answer to-day.
“ I ’m afraid I ’ ve worried and dis
tressed you. I ’ m very sorry.
I won’t
trouble you about it any more just now.
Tyy to think the best you eaa o f what
I have said, and let us go on for a time
as we have been, good friends."
He
rose from his seat, and held out his
hand to her.
Ethel was touched more than she
thought was possible by the unselfish
ness o f his words.
H e had made no
allusion to his own feelings or suffer
ings, yet she knew
ths suspense he
would undergo if matters were left as
they stood then.
She resolved to tell
him everything, and let him decide.
Don’t go for a few minutes, please.”
she besought him, nervously. “ I have
something I ought to tell you. I have
loved some ope else very dearly.”
H e looked gravely and pityingly at the
pretty flushed face; but there were no
signs o f surprise as he answered:
I guessed as much. Yon must for
give me for having played the spy; but
I loved you so dearly from the first mo
ment I saw you that I could not help
watching you, and I foufid it out.
I
know that whoever is to blame for the
breaking off of this previous engage
ment, it is not you; and, in spite of the
fact of your having promised in the
past to be the w ife of another, I am
longing to hear you repeat that promise
to me. I f you can bring yourself to do
it, I will try my best to deserve my great
happiness by my devotion to you."
Again the thought rose in Ethel’s
heart, “ I f I had only known this man
before I knew Jack!” A ll that she could
find words to say was: “ How good you
are!”
“ Nay, I am afraid there is no great
goodness, in me; but I would try to be
all goodness to you. W ill you let me
try r
Should she confess that she still suf
fered from the paugs oi slighted love?
There was a short struggle iu her mind
between pride and honesty. The latter
prevailed, and she rose from her seat,
and crossed to the fireplace. She held
the mantelboard firmly by one hand, and
then, regarding him steadily, she said,
without a pause or tremor:
“ You do not understand what It is I
want you to know. It is only very late
ly that m? engagement V ith some one
else was broken off— so lately, indeed,
that I hare not recovered from it. I
wish you tb bear this in mind— that I
am still sorry about it. A t the same
time I know yon have done me a great
honor, for I think you are true and hon
orable. and I believe that if I had time
to leave this sad memory behind me I
could honestly accept you, and bring not
only my gratitude, but my love to our
home; as things are just now I eel It
would not be right to say simply I would
be your w ife without letting you know
how It Is with me.
Poor Ethel! H er heart was laid bare
now, and she trembled violently. Pelting
came over to her and warmly took both
her hands In his.
“ My pearl among women!” he ex-
.eUtmed "M y pure, truthful, little love,"
H er hands trembTeiTTir titw firm clasp,
aa he led her to her father's armchair
and went down upon his knees, still hold
ing he? bands tightly.
“ Now, listen to me, my darling, and
when I say anything of which you dis
approve, stop me. I shall see^jrour fath
er and explain everything to him; 1
shall claim the privilege of dAing what
I can to make your life a little brighter
and pleasanter in the present. 1 shall
not talk of love to you in any way;
but I shall let you see a good deal of
me In one shape or another. I will give
you plenty of time to get over your pres
ent sorrow, -and I shall not look upon
you as my affianced in the meantime;
but one day, a few months hence, I shall
come again and ask the same qaeetion
that I have asked to-day, and you shall
answer ass aa truthfully as yon have
»»<> then ths matter «hall BOBBIE'S
be settled one wsy or the other.”
1
Ethel, blushing, mads no reply; and
the captain, leaniug-forward, his face
all aglow with feeling, kissed her with
a gentle, lingering kiss,
j ' "H eaven bless and keep you, my dar
ling!”
W ith these words ringing in her ears,
Ethel watched the captain as he hasten-
i ed from the room.
C H R ISTM AS
PRAYER.
...........
»*1 th# f toslly dear;
Dod b'ess mamma, papa, too;
Dod b’ ess 'Ittle sister Fan—
An' bring me a sled, nice an’ new
“ Dod b’ess all the chll'ren poor.
An’ make all the sick folks well;
An' dear Dod, p'ease don't forget
T o send a pony, big an* swell.
“ Dod be gracious to your lambs.
An’ keep sin out o f my life;
C H A P T E R X V II.
J
M r. Mallett, in evident Impatisffco.
walked up and down the confined spgco
"between Daws’ office table and ths door.
Daws had refused to say anything^n
the absence o f the lady for whom he-
was acting, snd whom he expected Mo
mentarily.
Th e door opened behind him; apd,
turning round, he saw Babette breath
less and flushed, unceremoniously enter
the room. H e recognised her at oncosts
the maid he had seen at Mallingferd
Park on the previous day, and he turned
a dusky red as the thought that ho bad
been entrapped Into some backstalr In
trigue against his niece passed through
his mind.
“ But l a m fortunate to find you hbre
still! I feared you would depart befbrs
my arrival.”
-
Mr. Mallett bowed slightly, and wait
ed for her to go on.
“ Ah, I see!” cried the woman— “ you
are o f the Mailing family” — he winged
— “ and you have amazement in your
heart that I, a mean domestic, should
dare to make an appointment with you!
But you will have more amassment
when I tell you why I do this. Do you
know your niece. Miss
Mating, very
well?”
Mr. Mallett drew himself up proudly.
“ I came here to receive information,
not tb answer questions. I f you h ive
brought me here thinking that i should Dod b’ess all my 'Ittle frlen's—
An' p’ease don't forget a fife.
* ■
help in gny scheme agaiust my niece,
yon are mistaken.
I f you have any “ An' Dod b’ess ole Santa Claus,
He is such a spreudld man!
news to impart which concerns me» I
tell him to not forget
will listen; if not, I will wish yon good An'
T q bring a gun, too. If he can.
afternoon.”
k
H e took hia hat from the table and “ An* a box of merbles, too.
An’ a lot of picture books—
turned to the door.
An' a toolchest full of tools,
“ But one moment! I have news to tell
W lf tacks, nails, screws, tnf hooka.
you— news that concerna yourself very
“
An’
dear Dod, some other lings
dearly. 'W h a t would you do If I were
To fill In corners wlf, you know.
to tell you that this woman who calls Ginger cakse an’ nuts as’ figs
An’ a lot o f candy, too.
herself your niece is no niece at all. that
the whole estate ia 'of right yours, that
“ An* I wouldn’ t mind some skstea,
your niece ia dead and buried?"
(I'll give my ole ones to some frieu’)
She watched him keenly; but beyond An’ I reckon dis Is all—
So
dood-nlght, dear Dod. amen.”
putting hia hand suddenly on the back
— Detroit Free Press.
o f a chair near him, he gave no sign of
surprise.
“ I should say that you labored under
a mistake.”
“ I am going to show you something
that will put you right on to the straight
track leading to thia woman’s downfall
and your restoration to what has been
yours ever since yonr brother’s death—
Mallingford Park.”
Mr. Mallett drew a deep breath, and
then asked, laconically:
“ And your price?”
A M E S ,” Bald Gerry Talbot sudden
Babette felt that there was a gleam
ly, looking up from the letter he
in the eyes watching her from behind
had just received, “ you needn't
the table, and, she looked at Daws in
mind about the rest. Th e dinner
stinctively.
H e mistook the look to
will not come off, after all.”
mean, “ You name the price,” and he
The decorated end of the big, sumptu
■aid, immediately:
_
ous studio looked oddly distasteful to
Gerry Talbot since the reading of Miss
“ One year’s rent roll.”
“ In other words, between eleven and Wakefield’s telegram, which had shat
twelve thousand pounds?*’ interrogated tered his enthusiastic plans. H e had in
vited her— and her brother and bis wife
Mr. Mallett.
Daws nodded hia head affirmatively. — to a Christmas studio dinner which he
“ Th e affair, so fa r aa I am concerned, meant to make aa featlve aa possible. O f
course, her rejection at the laat hour
ia ended.”
Babette glared for an instant at tbs had been a gentle invention prepared to
lawyer and muttered, “ You vainplre!” avert a greater disappointment, for he
Then turning to Mr. Mallett, she said, bad let her know unmistakably how It
in her best manner, “ He ia mistaken, waa with him, and he had been so hope
monsieur; the price arranged between us ful of success that he had selected a
waa five thousand pounds on ths day ring for her Christmas gift— a little gold
en circlet set with a clear white soli
you take possesaion.”
“ T o be conferred by deed of gift con taire.
ditionally beforehand,” put in the law
Th e streets were thronged with bust
yer.
•
*
“ Very good. I accept those terms on ling Christmas shoppers, glad of heart,
the understanding that the lady in ques with merry, expectant faces, and here
tion is proved to be an utter strauger and there a wistful one, too, looking on,
tu t not buying. Talbot noticed two lit
by blood.”
“ You will sign the undertaking before tle girls gazing wistfully Into a confec
you see our proof.” Daws said, raising tioner’» window.
“ Yea, Min, I would. I ’d do it fnat
the lid of his desk as he spoke, and
producing s ready-prepared document. thing,” said the taller of the two. “ Oh,
“ W e must have a disinterested witness my, wouldn’ t It be nice to be rich an’
to the signature, if you please.
Joe invite all your friends to a big turkey
an’ Ice cream dinner!”
Blake, come here!”
, ,
They were very poorly clad, thln-
A wretched lad sneaked
from the
featured
and ill-nourished, but not un
outer office into the room, watched Mr.
Mallett sign, put his own name to the pleasant to look at. Talbot was con-
scions, all at once, of an inexplicable
paper, and then shuffled out again.
“ Now we can proceed to business,” Impulse to gratify the child's wish.
“ So you would really like to give
chuckled Daws.
“ The next move is
your friends a Christmas dinner!” said
yours, Ma’ mselle Lestrange. It is plain
he, smiling down at her astonished eyes.
to be seen that the whole thing is dis
“ I have a great mind to let yon have
tasteful to Mr. Mallett. He is a man of
your wish.”
refinement, and this companionship on
“ Oh, dear me, M in!” gasped Lou. “ I
an equality with people so immeasurably
his inferiors grates most disagreeably can’t hardly believe it, can you? It
sounds Just like a make-believe thing.
on his sense of the fitness of tilings.”
W on’t Mis’ Posey be s'prised! An’
(To be continued.)
Jonas an’ Meg an’ Tom. Ob, won’ t they
be jest too pleased!”
W as G o eth e's H w eetn ea rt.
“ H ow many shall you invite?" Talbot
It Is a little difficult to realize that
asked gravely, taking out his notebook.
a sweetheart o f the poet Goethe waa
“ W ell, there’s Auqt K atie an’ Uncle
still livin g only six years ago; yet Tim an’ the baby. Mis’ Posey. Jonas
that such was the fact la recalled by Boggs, Meg an’ Pat Fooley— Min, can
a German w riter In T„ P .’s W eekly. you think of anyone else?”
“ Lame Betsy an’ Moll.”
H er name waa Ulrica von Levetzoff,
“ H ow many’s that?” asked Lou.
and at her death In 181)9 she was In
“ Tw elve, counting us three.”
her 90th year,
Goethe met her at
“ Don’ t you think it would be nice
Martenbad, being then 73. , H e fe ll
to have a little present beside each
seriously In love with the young gtrl plate?” asked Talbot.
and proposed fo r her hand, the grand
Both girls gasped, bat looked immense
duke o f Sage-W eim ar acting as bla In ly pleased.
term ediary.
“ Suppose you two go round with me
N atu rally enough Ulrica declined the and pick out what you consider suitable
offer, and Goethe did not press hia for each o f your guests, because I should
unit a fte r the first rebuff, N everthe not know what to select.”
When Lon appeared at the studio on
less, he could not dismiss the matter
the following morning she was a very
from hia mind, aa ia shown by a let different looking girl, and any one would
ter to a friend w ritten some consider have known by the pure Joy o f her
able tim e later. Ulrica herself never voice that aome great and festive event
married. She Is described as b a rin g was at hand. Talbot had finished the
been a woman
of
much
personal decorations which had been so harshly
interrupted by Mias W akefields mes
charm and o f strong charset#?.
sage. and the result was extremely grat
ifying. especially after Lou’a rapturous
H er F irs t Im pression.
“ Just to think,” remarked Mr. Stnbb, acclamations.
A t precisely 12 o’clock the bell rang
stirring bis coffee thoughtfully, “ o f the
for the first time to announce the ar
Russian battleship K n la z Potem kin
rival of Aunt K atie and Tim and the
cruising aronnd with a red flag at the baby, all polished and prinked to the
m ast!”
verge o f painfulness. Next came Mis
“ It was
rather unnsnal.” replied Posey, a little, faded.’ bowed, ancient
Mrs. Stnbb. “ Who cares to buy a bat woman In m aty Hack, with hmg gold
loops In bar wrinkled ears. la m e Betty
tleship at auction?”
thumped In on her crutches, closely fol
Th s vita lity o f seeds Is a constant lowed by Moll, In borrowed finery, of va
source o f astonishment to naturalists. rious sizes. Meg brought blind Jonas,
A pine forest when cleared aw ay la and a merry little wraith o f a man called
often follow ed by a dense growth o f Tom Doom.
Talbot shook bands all around with
oaks or birches, but where the seed
a “ Merry Christmas!” sfter which they
comee from la conjectural.
all took their pieces et the beautiful
• ■ ' ■”
table, tbs like o f which none o f (hat
humble party had ever looked upon. But
It wee a kindly madness that possessed
the host o f that bountiful dinner, for
his stories were of the pleasantest and
hia watchful care was unflagging. H ie
guests rewarded his efforts by s sponta
neous enjoyment o f all that waa set bo-
fore them. It waa good to see them
wait upon blind Jonaa, who could not
help himself, and upon lame Betty,
whose crippled hands mads difflcult ths
use o f knife snd fork.
Talbot rose to replenish a half-emptied
plats aa ths hall bell thrilled merrily.
There waa s pause; then Jamee’ quiet,
well-trained voice said: “ Yea, madam;
he la at dinner in the studio.”
The door awnng Inward. Talbot knew
that he wae not dreaming when she’
came toward him with
outstretched
handa and j ripple o f explanation of
which he heard not one word. Indeed,
to him one Isolated fact Oiled the world
— that ahe waa amlllng up at him with a
great promise in her eyes.
“ A little friend of mine wanted to
give her friends a Christmas dinner, and
I persuaded her to let me share it,” he
explained jauntily. - “ It baa been a great 1213— Fir*>t regular English Parliament
treat to me.”
assembled at Oxford.
Miss Wskefield read the whole truth
for herself aa she looked into the good, 1490— Perkiu Warbeck, pretender to the
throne of England, executed at
homely faces that reflected their host’s
Tyburn.
praises In every glance, s’be said noth
ing, but her eyea told what Talbot would 1538— Proclamation Issued by Henry
V I I I . , declaring Thomas Becket
have given all he possessed to hear from
her lips. Then Mr. Wakefield and hts
not a saint.
j
w ife ventured in, and Talbot bethought 1572— First Presbyterian meeting house
himself to ask if they had dined, which
in England opened.
they had not.’
1B21— The little ship
Fortune
from
Lon and Talbot made room for three
' " England arrived at Plymouth.
plates here and there, and aa there was
Mass.
a plenty o f crullers and turkey and icet
1044—
Henry
McMabone executed at
cream, all went well to the very end of
Tyburn for conspiring Irish mas
the function, when the eleven originally
sacre.
invited gznests rose and
made their
adieus with glad hearts and beaming 1050— Treaty of Llebau signed by
faces.
Charles X . and the Great Elector.
. Miss Wakefield stood before the grate 1099— Treaty of alliance signed betwesfa
while her brother and his w ife examined
Peter of Uussia and Augustus II.
a row o f pictures half hidden behind tb* — ■
7 of Poland.
holly wreaths.
1712— Duel between Duke of Hamilton
“ I was so sorry to disappoint you yes
and Lord Mohun. Both killed.
terday," the said, “ but poor Ted’a tele
gram was so urgent that we were afraid 1737— Queen Caroline s f England died.
he was worse, and hadn’t the heart to 1772— Three hundred cheat* of tea
refuse him. When I discovered that we
thrown overboard at Boston be
could take an early train home I made
cause o f tba duty Imposed by
up my mind to run in and wish you a
England.
Merry Christmas, anyway,, and to ws 1777— Articles of Confederation o f the
came, you see.”
United Statea agreed t o . .. .Am er
Talbot thought of the ring. H e had
ican Congress recalled Silas Deane
taken It from its hiding place. “ For a
from Paria and appointed John
long while I have wanted to aak you to
Adams....... passage of the Amer
accept this— and what goes with It,” hs
ica u forU On Delaware river by
said simply, holding the glittering baubls
the British. Fort Lee. N. J., on
toward her.
the Hudson, opposite upper New
A red glow crept Into her face. She
York City, captured by the Brit
made no audible answer, but when the
ish.
young couple at the other end o f the
THE WEEKLY
room sauntered toward them they were 1785— Sir David Wilkie. English paint
amiling.
er, born; died 1841.
1789— North Carolina ratified the Con
C H R I8 T M A 8 T R E E FIRES.
stitution of the United Statea.
1796— Catherine 11. (the Great), em
H o w th e D a n g e r o f P a r lo r C o n fla g ra
press o f Russia, died at 8t. P e
tio n s M a y Be M in im iz e d .
tersburg; born 1729.
Several accidents on Christmas eve
1767— Thurlow Weed born.
and day each year recall the fact, appar
ent only on that day,' that the Christ 1805— British and Russian foresa land
In Naples.
mas tree is quite as dangerous as it ia
pretty, and that the proud father per 1806— Napoleon issued g decree declar
sonating Santa Claus should take the
ing the British Isles iu a state o f
precaution to equip himself with asbes
blockade.
tos whiskers. About the usual number 1811— Great riots at Nottingham, Eng
o f fires are recorded iu the country each I
la n d .... John Bright, great Eng
year as a result of the infinmraable na
lish statesman, born.
ture of the Christmas tree and its dec-!
1818—
Battle o f Leipaic.
orations and their careless handling.
This warning always follows Christ 1815— Second Peace o f Paris.
mas just as the outcry against toy pis- ' 1816— Bell* o f Notre Dame, Parts, bap
tola is raised after the Fourth of July. I
tised.
O f course no rose is free from thorns, ' 1834— Melbeurne ministry dissolved.
and apparently no holiday can be ob-1
served in the conventional fashion with 1846— Cracow annexed to Austria.
out risk o f accident to the merry makers. 1848— Assassination of Count Rossi, first
minister to Piux IX . at Rome.
Sputtering caudles ou a Christmas tree
are a very real danger, and the same may 1849— Steamer Louisiana exploded at
be said o f the frees themselves, the I
New Orleans. Nearly 100 killed.
wreaths of evergreen and the mistletoe. j 1852— Laboe islands difficulty between
A fter a day or two they become dry and j
United States and Peru settled.
inflammable to a high degree, and in the '
1867—
R elief of Lucknow.
joy o f the celebration risks are run aud
precautions neglected, A tree thus load 1862— Gen. Sumner demanded surren
der of Fredericksburg, Va.
ed down with presents and decorations |
may become in an instant a torch capa 1864— Treaty of peace between Den
ble of starting a disastrous fire, as many
mark, Prussia and Austria rati
cities discovered the other day, to their
fie d .... Gen. Sherman began hia
great cost and to the serious discomfort
march to the sea.
o f their fire departments.
1866— First G. A. R. post Instituted at
By taking preventive measures thou
Decatur, 111.
sands of dollars will be saved every year.
1870—
Duke of Aosta elected King o f
Trees should be bought late ami kept |
Spain.
out doors until used. Iu the case o fj
fresh, green trees the risk will be min 1873— Encyclical letter laaued by Pin t
imized. Candles should not be too close I
IX . against Old Catholics.
together and should be constantly watch 1883— Standard time adopted in Statea
ed.
Above all, a wet blanket abould
east of the Rocky mountains.
be at hand, also a sponge ou a pole loug
Four standards adjusted to be an
enough to reach any point of the trees
hour apart and to differ by exact
or ceiling.
So, at least, say the firs
hours
from
Greenwich
were
fighters, who every year have their own
adopted. The divisions are east
Christmas spoiled by the neglect of these
ern time, central
time, Rock)
very obvious precautions.
mountain time and Pacific time,
being respectively 75 degrees, 00
O ld Id e a s A b ou t C hristm as.
degrees, 105 degrees and 120 de
Even as late as 1753 there was some
grees west of Greenwich.
doubt as to the exact date of Christmas, 1880— Chester Alnn Arthur, twenty-first
the old count bringing it to the 6th of
President of the United States,
January, the new count giving us ths
died in New York City; born 1880.
25th of December, which is “ the day ws
1888— Bear Admiral Charles II. Bald
celebrate.”
In Devonshire, England, It
win, Union naval veteran, died in
is believed that if the sun shines at noon
Netir York City; born there 18R2.
on Christmas day a plentiful crop may
1891— E x-K ing Milan o f
Servla
re
be looked for in the following year.
nounced all rights to the throne.
1893— Town of Kuchan, province o f
T h e T h o a g h t flil G iraffe.
Khorasaan, Persia, destroyed by
The absurd and long-legged giraffe
an earthquake; over 12,000 peo
Bald: “ Here Is a thought makes me laugh.
It we giraffes should
ple killed. •
Wear stockings, how could
1804— Jose Salvador, anarchist who
Old Santa Clans even fill half?”
threw bomb In Barcelona thea
ter and killed many persons, gar-
ORDERED
roied.
err.
1897— President M cKinley
signed the
treaty adopted by the Universal
Postal Congress... .Rev. George
Hendricks Houghton, rector o f
ths Church e f the Transfiguration
(ths Little Church Around the
Corner), died In New York, aged
77.
1898— Michigan State Supreme Court
|
declared boycotting Illegal.
1899— Admiral
Dewey, transferred to
hts w ife the Washington house
given film by the American people
. . . .Garrett A. Hobart, Vice Pres
ident of ths United States, died.
1901— Jams* J r Jeffries defeated Gus
Rnhlin in a battle for the world’s
pugilistic championship
at San
Francisco.
1903— A canal treaty with the new re
public of Panama signed at
Washington.
1904— Oving Edward V II. o f England ar
Ths New Ysar -You'll h ar« to mora
rived In Portugal on a visit to
on, old man.
K in g Carlos.