THE BABY'S SNEEZE.
Thunder nwvf rMv t mHtnlRtit
Like miiHkiMMof hornlle fiw.
Or niiviii down th distant Tullej
Ax ui clouild rMmuinf; tto
ItUuanl niay tlirn In Uo cmlars,
Ami Rita si Iticlr nU-tilfant roots;
Alurni tx'Iln oUiik tliroucb Ui bIrumm
la tlnm with die born (feat loot.
Evory force that fci potml
And voml with cumbrous) sound.
Star seek to rally Urn ilmper
Who drmms oo eucnautMl ground.
Vet all mum jrMd cos riraJ,
And Riant go down oo their kneca;
Th fon tltat nwcha as victor '
Is only a baby snoaaol
-J. B. Aides.
THE SOUDANESE SPY.
"Listen. Bruce, what's that?" Col. Cor
riston raised his hand with a gesture of
silence and looked at me intently. Then
we both dropped our cigars and rushed
out to the door of the embassy.
A gun shot plain and unmistakable,
had echoed through the night air and
we certainly had heard a faint cry.
Cut in the dreary street ail was quiet
and the solitary electric lamp reflected
no shadows save our own on the pave
ment of the British embassy, while the
palace across the way, with its coral
facades and massive carved gates, showed
no signs of life.
Then a gun went off, a drum be pan to
rattle loudly, arms clashed, hurrying
footsteps echoed on the stones, and shouts
were given and answered. I listened in
speechless astonishment, and then rushed
back for my cap and sword. It was best
to be prejKired, though what possible
ground for alarm existed I could not see.
Buakiin was protected by a line of sen
tries that extended a mile beyond the
town. No signal had come from the out
skirts, yet there was this turmoil in the
very midst of the European quarter.
As I hurried back to the door the great
palace gates swung open, and a squad
of Egyptian soldiers trooped out, their
swarthy faces shining under their crim
son caps. Close behind them, escorted
by several officers, came a tall, dignified
looking man. lie was bareheaded and
held an ur.sheathed sword in his hand,
I recognized him at first sight as Acb
med Bas, the Egyptian governor of Sua
kiin. He glanced up and down thp street
and then hurried across to the embassy.
"You are a British officer?" he said,
breathless with excitement
"CapL Dugdale. of the Ninth dragoons,
at your command, your excellency," I
said briefly.
"Thank you. I am in need of your
services. Ar Arab prisoner, a captured
spy of the Malidis. has made his escape.
Sly stupid soldiers are to blame. The
fellow has been gone some time now, and
it is important that he be retaken, for he
lias stolen valuable plans of the town and
fortifications. I fear my soldiers can do
little, but if your dragoons will scour the
plain"
"Your excellency," I interrupted,
"what you desire shall be done at once."
1 mounted my horse, waved a hasty
salute and galloped off down the narrow
street, leaving Achmed Ras and Carria
ton hobnobbing together on the steps of
the embassy, for Carriston was the Brit
ish ambassador at Suakim. The hot
blood was coursing madly through my
reins, for I had only been at Suakim a
week and the faintest touch of excite
ment was intensely welcome
I remoraliered, too, having seen this
scaped Aral' only a few days previous,
when he 'ro lieing led captive through
the street of the town, a great black
giant with muscular, brawny limbs and
his black locks dangling in curls down
his shoulders.
I spurred rapidly through the town,
crossed tU- peninsula to the main land,
where the troops were quartered side by
side with the native population, and
, soon tiie bugle call to arms was floating
out on the night air, and the jingling of
spurs and the trampling of hoofs was
heard on all sides. A few brief, concise
orders and we galloped out onto the desert
and scattered over the sandy plain.
Chances were in our.favor, for the moon
was coining up slowly, and the enemy's
outposts, where alone, the Arab would
find safety, were at that time three miles
beyond the town.
I gnlloixid straight across the plain,
closely attended by a solitary trooer, a
brave follow named Tom Fraser. I kept
as fur as risible in the direction I judged
the fugitive had taken and I hoped to
have the pleasure of capturing him my
self, for the trampling of my horso was
muffted by the drifted sand and would
not betray my approach until I should
be close upon him.
A mile and a half from the town by a
belt of deserted Intrcnchmenta, from
which the enemy had been driven a
month or so previous. As we approached
these we Blackened our speed and began
to look for a suitable crossing place.
The British shells had leveled them in
places and one of these points we soon
found, a break in the trench with a
gentle slope on either side. We rode
slowly down into the hollow, and as our
hot sa were commencing to ascend again
Eraser suddenly tugged fiercely at my
arm.
"Look, captain, look!" he whinnered
excitedly, and as I followed the rango of
bis outstretched hand I saw a sight that
made my heart leap. Off to the south
extended the trenches In 0110 unbroken
formation, their mounds of sand rigid
and exact, and outlined sharply in the
moonlight against the right hand wall of
earth was a swiftly moving shadow.
tTYen'aa wtf iookeu the specter va.TWUea.
round a curve, and we saw it no mur.
We thuiiuored on in silence, I clutched
thu reins tightly with one hand and with
the other I held my saber. The Arab
was unarmed ami 1 would take him
alive, I thought, and lend him lack in
triumph to Suakim, This nil passed
through my mind in an imtant and then
we galloped round the curve and saw
our prey in full view before us.
He was struggling along painfully and
limping as though one leg was hurt.
The moon shone full upon him, and to
my surprise 1 saw that he carried a greut
shield and one of those enormous double
edged" swortLfwhich these Arabs use
with such terrible effect. He had doubt
less found them in the trench.
We called on him to surrender, but he
nevor even turned until as we were close
upon him he suddenly whirled round in
desperation and confronted us menac
ingly. We drew our sabers and dashed
upon him.
Just here, extending full across the
trench, was a rugged depression, caused,
probably, by an exploding Bhell,
This we failed to see; and. while
Fraser's horse leaped it gallantly, luy
animal stumbled und fell, and down 1
went, partly beneath him.
I tried to rise, but my ankle was Wily
sprained, and with a cry of pain I dropped
down behind the horso. Then I forgot
everything in what I saw going on liefore
me. The Arab liad retreated against the
wall and wits fiercely keeping Fraser at
hay. Their swords clashed until the
sparks flew, and Fraser's heavy strokes
were intercepted by the Arab's leathern
shield.
They fought on in silence, and In the
moonlight 1 saw the Arab's terrible face,
the eyes sparkling with hatred, and the
white teeth clenched in deadly deter
mination. Clash after clash rang on the
night air.
Suddenly Fraser spurred on his horse
aud dealt a fearful blow at thu Arab's
exposed head, but quick as a flash the
great sword Hew up and the short 6aler
striking full und forcibly against the aw
ful edge, broke off close beside the hilt,
and lay shining on the sand at their feet.
What followed I can never forget. It
will haunt me to my dying day.
Fraser threw up his right hand, with
! the broken hilt. and with the left reached
for his revolver, and then, as I looked on,
stupid with horror, the Arab raised his
great sword aloft with Unit hands, and
with all the force of hisdesjieratestrength
he hurled it forward like u catapult.
The gleaming blade flashed thu moon
light from its edge and crushed with un
awful sound through oor Fraser's head,
cleaving its way through the skull and
between the shoulders and on down
through the back, until its point fairly
touched the rear of the saddle.
Split in twain from head to waist, the
poor fellow dropped to the ground with
out a cry, and his plunging steed trampled
over the body and Ihei. galloped in mad
fright down the trench.
Wholly engrossed in ibis awful scene,
I forgot my own peril and only realized
it fully wheu the Arab, bracing himself
against the wall of the trench, began to
drag hia sword out of Fraser's body.
With a shudder I reached for my pis
tol, and grew faint for an instant when
I remembered that it by under the horse
in the holster. 1 was wholly at the
Arab's mercy. The wretch was still
tugging at the sword and seemed unable
to loosen it. If only I had my pistol
how nicely I could bring turn down.
All at once 1 saw something glitter in
one of Fraser's outstretched hands, and
the sight of it gave me a thrill of hope.
It was his revolver, which ho had suc
ceeded in grasping just beforo the blow
felL
If I could reach it beforo the Arab
could cxtricato his sword 1 was saved.
If not Fraser's fat.' would be mine. I
gritted my teeth. teizeJ my tuiber (irmly
and rose erect The Arab saw me, and
with a savage imprecation to Allah he
threw himself on the sword with a ter
rible effort. Still it clung to Fraser's
body, and then as I leaped toward him,
forgetful of my Rprained ankle, and
flourished my saber fiercely, ho grabbud
up his shield and fell back a few yards,
keeping on the defensive. I uttered a
loud shout to intimidate him and then
bent over poor Fraser.
1 grasped the revolver, but the dead
man's hand was closed on it with a grip
like iron. I gave a strong pull and then
another, and just as the stiffened fingers
ioosond their clasp my injured ankje as
serted it::lfnud I fell heavily tooue side.
The wary Arab was watching his chance,
und beforo I could even turn ho leaped
on me tike a tiger and we rolled over on
the sand, sploshing through a pool of
Fraser's crimson life blood.
The Arab had clutched at my throat
but missed it, and clasping each other's
shoulders we floundered about the trench,
now one uppermost and now the other.
With clenched teeth and struggling for
breath we fought on bitterly, knowing
that one or tho other must die. I could
feel the Arab's hot breath upon my neck
and his huge brass earrings flapped
against my cheeks. I still held the pis
tol tightly in my left hand. If I could
only get a chance to use it. Very fool
ishly 1 relaxed my grasp a brief second,
and in that lightning like interval the
Arab seized the advantage and fastened
both his brawny hands firmly on my
throat.
In vain I struggled and strove to turn,
the bony fingers were pressing my wind
pipe and the hideous face was glaring
into mine with a mocking smile.
I wus choking, suffocating all sensu
woTteifving mo.
Must I die thus? It was horrible.
With a fearful effort, tho strength that
madness alone can give, 1 twisted the
Arab sideways. My loft arm wus free.
My bund still clutched the pistol. J
raised it with a jerk. I put tho muzxlo
to his car. With the lust atom of strength
1 pulled tho trigger, and as tho stunning
report echoed through tho trench with
thunderous reverberations everything
grew black and dim.
Attractad by the pistol shot they found
us there half an hour later still locked in
a close embrace. My uniform was sput
tered with the Arab's blood. Messengers
were sent to Suakim for stretchers, and
whilo waiting the body of my desjwrate
foe was buried where ho lay in the
trench, and beside him was laid my
horse, whose neck had broken in the
fall We marched mournfully back to
Suakim, and the next day poor Fraser
was bid to rest in the English cometery
on the shores of the Red sea. I've been
in many a skirmish with thu Arabs since,
but that night in the trenches outside
Suakim wus the closest call I ever had,
and as a living rememberance of it I
have kept that great two edged sword
which split Tom Fraser nearly iu half
before my very eyes. William Murray
Oraydon in Philadelphia Times.
"mm hateful GOBLnr
Nick Nickson was a woodchopper.
He had lived cloc? to the forest for
many years with his wife and children.
It was seldom Nick went to town or any
where else, lecause he had a great deal
of work to do to keep his family alive.
Wood hewing never was much of a pay
ing business, and Nick found it no letr.
But he never complained. He did the
best he could in the best manner, aud
for tho rest he trumed to a kind Provi
dence to assist him and his wife and
children.
Nick had now been going into the
woods for twenty-five years, and as he
was walking along this morning he was
thinking of that fact more than once.
"1 have worked very hard." he muttered
to himself as he stopped before a beauti
ful young oak tree ready to take off his
jacket und start operations. "1 have
worked very hard," he said ngain, "and
I think I ought to be (icnsionud off soon
But 1 don't think there is much chance,
Where should 1 get the money to keep
my folks ut home without work? But
there, it is no use growling now on the
day of my twenty-fifth anniversary in
the wood chopping lino. Providence hua
stood by me so long, und I don't think I
shall be forgotten in the future. Do
your duty with ull your might, with all
your strength, with all your ability, and
with an unwearying spirit of energy and
perseverance; that is my motto, and suc
cess is bound to follow som? tiuio or
other."
By this time Nick had taken his top
coat off and laid it and his hat down in
the long grass. Then he took his ax in
his hands, and after looking at the tree
from its base to its crown he gave the
first blow. Thick splinters flew in all
directions, and Nick dropped his ax and
jumped back from the tree.
, "What is the matter?" he said; "did I
not hear a noise somewhere like the
whining of a child?"
He stood and listened for a fow mo
ments, hut all seemed to be quiet Then
he resumed his task. Cut lie had only
made one more blow at the tree when he
was stopped again. This time he heard
these words: "Getinoout! Got me out!"
"Who is it that calls there?" Nick
asked, who was not in the least afraid.
"It is 1. the goblin of Blinkingdalel" a
thin voice replied.
"But where aro you to be found?"
"I am in tho oak you have been hew
ing at, and I hallooed out because 1 was
afraid you might kill me."
"Well, toll me where I ought to strike
in order to cxtricato you without doing
you any bodily harm," replied Nick
Nickson.
"The ax is too big and too sharp blto
gcther," now said the voice from tho
tree; "take your pocket knife and Etart
cutting the bark about, two feet from tho
ground. But Iks very careful or you will
hurt inc.
Nick now took his knife and ho began
cutting the bark. Piece by piece flew out,
until at last he, got to a hollow space,
When tho voice in the tree let out n shriek
that was so loud and terrible all thu trees
In the wood seemed to be shaken by it
"Now you have cut my l?ard. you old
villain of a woodchopper." cried tho
goblin. "Oh, I will kill you if you are
not careful."
Poor Nick trembled with fear, because
he had often heard of goblins and their
cruelty to people. But he soon realized
that he was yot master of the situation,
and he need not be afraid of the goblin.
"Look here. Mr. Goblin," said Nick,
"if you mean to kill me when you get
out, I think 1 will leave you where you
are and go home, Good-by."
"For gracious sake, don't do that, my
good man, so hallooed the goblin; "I did
not mean what I said then, but you did
hurt me, and no mistake. But be care
ful of my beard; it is very long, and it
hurts very much if you pull ouly one of
the hairs out Now I will tell you some
thing else. If you got me out without
doing me any more harm I will give you
a great reward, and make you tho rich
est man in the world."
"How did you get into that tree?"
asked Nick of the goblin.
"To tell you that would bo a very long
story to relate. Be it sufficient for you
to knjwjthat J , Jiavo been jn thattree
iweiitynvo yearsnuxiuy. nou have got!
mo out of my long imprisonment, and I
will give you a reward when the timo
comes." '
Willi the last word the goblin had
vanished.
"Well, but where is my reward?" cried
Nick. "It is ull very well to say I shall
have it when the time comes, but when
will that be? Oh, you moan little scamp
of a goblin, to gut me first to extricate
you from an oak tree, whero you were
buried for twenty -five years, and thon to
run awuy from me becauso you nre too
stingy to thank tue for It Ah! this is
un ungrateful, cruel world. Just when
I thought that I was to bo made rich,
too. Ah, welll never mind; lot me con
tinue at my work of wood chopping, but
I will be careful not to have any more to
do with goblins."
Nick now worked away with his ax in
a mad humor. lie struck the trunk of
tho oak with terrific force. It seemed to
satisfy his anger, becauso he imagined
every time the ax hit the tree ho was
hurting the little goblin. In a few mo
ments the roots of tho treeiy Iwrc, and
behold! what did Nick find? At the very
base of the ouk he saw a little black
ebony Imx. He picked it up und ho no
ticed there was no lock to it.
On the top was written the two words:
"Open me!" But tho words were s;ielled
backward, and when Nick looked at them
it read in Ids mind: "em nepO!" Nick
never hud been very sharp in book learn
ing, and it never struck him to try and
make some sense out of the words "em
nepO." Ho saw that he did not know
what it meant and he did not trouble any
more. When ho went home ho took the
Ikx along with him, thinking it would
make a toy for one of his children.
Arrived at his little cottage he found
one of his neighbors sitting on the door
step. Nick showed him the little black
box. told him where he found it aud re
luted to him his adventure with thu gob
lin 'I'll iH'iirhlmr wus a pretty shrewd
old man. and ' no sooner hail lie looknil
at tiie handwriting on the box when he
knew what it meant. Ho hnd read it
backward. But lie never said so to Nick.
When he went home he quietly put the
box in his pocket Nick did not notice
it. He was too honest himself to suppose
any one else a thief.
When the neighbor got into his cottage
he immediately got a chisel and a ham
mer and smashed the Ixix open. Inside
he found a piece of mper, which was
wrappd nround a tiny little silver key.
On the paper he rend these lines:
lit lli fotvul hy I tin bmok,
Whfiv tliti KilviT mnplc grow.
Yoti will Mud Mttle mxik
Thai until solid nilviir Hiram
These lines were signed, "Your Grute
ful Goblin."
The man ut once understood oil. lie
knew where the box came from, and he
knew that thu goblin who had been in
the oak had intended this for Nick.
"Nick is a fool," the man said lo himself.
"I am going to lift the treasure. Why
did he not keep the Uix for himself?"
He accordingly went into the forest
He found the little nook, just us he was
told, beside tho silver maplo tree, ex
amining tho ground, he noticed a tiny
keyhole. He hud Already put the key
into tho halo; he turned It around, and
he saw the shining silver in the nook,
when his hand was suddenly arrested by
the goblin.
"You ure not the man who liberated
mo from the oak tree!" said the little
man.
Tho thief thon had to confess that he
got hold of the box because his neighbor
Nick could not read backward.
"Well, you had no business to be a
thief, and you certainly had no right to
take thut box which did not belong to
you."
"I am sorry," replied the man; "if
you will forgive me I will go home and
tell Nickson nil about this stker treas
ure, and he can come and get it himself."
"No, thero is no necessity for that.
Anyhow, 1 do not believe you would
keep your word. But now that you have
found this silver treasure, take it aud
carry it to your home; it shall be yours."
Then the gollin vanished.
The limn at once ln-gsm to fill his pock
ets with silver. When they were filled
ho took his cap, then his handkerchief,
then he look olT bis coat and used it as a
bag. But when nil were filled ho could
not carry the load; it was too heavy. So
li- had to leave some behind, lie hurried
home and gave the silver to his wife,
I hen he took u wheelbarrow and return
ed to tho work by the brook. lie loaded
tho wheelbarrow to its utmost capacity
before ho left for homo. On his way to
his cottage, however, ho had to cross a
Hiii.'iU bridge which led over n stream,
and when ho was in the center of this
bridge the boards broke under him, and
the wheelbarrow, the silver and the man
fell down Into the deep. Tho load had
l?en too heavy. The man was too
greedy: ho wanted too much, and now
ho was drowned and he had nothing at
all. it was fortunute for his wife and
children thnt ho had brought some of
the treasure home, and they were saved
from starvation.
Now we will return to Nick Nickson,
thn woodchopper. Ho never missed the
little black box at all , Next morning he
returned to tho forest and worked away
at chopping down trees as hard as ever.
Sometimes ho would think about the
goblin, mid then Nick would murmurs
"The world is very ungrateful The next
goblin I find in n treo has to stay there
for all I care."
After ho hod chopiied down one tree
he was astonished to find again a little
black lioj the roots. He ph'kaj it u
rja'-'' W rnu wv Kp tueWO W UTuSCOUm,
be read ugaini "Open me." But thu
timo the writing was straight, and not
backward: o Nick read it at once, and,
of course, understood.
"Ojien yurl All right, that is easily
done." lie put the liox on tho ground,
took his ax, hit it one stroke und the box
was smnshod. Inside Nick found a piece
of paper wound around a beautiful
golden key of the finest workmanship.
Nick took the paper and, looking at it
close, ho saw that It contained tho fol
lowing verse:
At thoeiwtle on the mount
In t guidon trmumra,
Wlii'm golditn rod is often found
tt'altltifc for your iiieanura.
The slip of paper was signed i "The
Grateful Goblin." Nick looked at the
writing long and intently. "Well," he
said, at last, "I will at once go und find
out whether thut goblin has pluyed an
other trick on me. 1 might a well be
fooled twice as once."
He immediately ran toward the moun
tain, which stood not fur into the forest.
Arrived there he climbed up the steep
ascent, and when he got to tho walls of
the castle he walked all around until he
found the yellow golden rod growing
everywhere. Then he examined the
walk In a moment ho noticed n small
hole in the wall, which seemed to have
been made for his golden key. Putting
It in the hole and turning round was
done in a second. Nick already beheld
the glittering mass of shining gold before
him when the goblin appeared.
"So here you are, then." ho said to
Nick: "so you did not give the box away
this time. Why did you not keep the
other?"
Nick explained to the goblin thut he
did not know what the box contained.
"Why did you not open it?"
"I don't know."
"Well, your neighlwr did, though, and
he got a silver treusure. But 1 punished
him before he wus able to en joy it, and
he is now dead hi tho stream. Now,
look here. Nick, you fancied thut I did
not meau to give you your reward as
promised."
"Well, it looked like It, did It not?"
"Looked like it bus nothing to do with
it You should have trusted me, and
have a little patience. However, you
nre a pretty gins! fellow, Nick, and now
nere in ynur iieiisure. inj'iy ii wiui
your wife and children, live hug and lie
happy: good-by, and rcmeuiUir some
times the Grateful Goblin."
Nick was now alone with his treasure,
lie took h good lot h'-ine with lam, mid
lieaiiJ bin dear ones Ijvil hi i lie future
us happy n happy cull 1, -(finite Dem
ocrat. WILLIAM AT HOME.
I.lka Ilia iraiitlfitt-r lh Young
xror l.orH to l.Ws Simply.
A writer In the Berlin Tugoblatt
gives some interesting particulars con
cerning the home life of the Kinperlor,
William II. Like bis grandfather, the
Emperior loves to live simply, and,
when his habits aro not interfered
with by the presence of distinguished
gnestx ut the castle, hu rises at seven,
breakfasts at 7:110 and dines with the
Empress ut the unfashionable hour oi
one. His favorite relaxation is to play
with his children. , .
livery day be receives upon the
average about six hundred letters.
Theso ure brought to him on a salver
as they artve, and he opens those letters
which bear a hand-writing, a coat ol
arms or a postmark which Is known to
him or excites his curiosity. The rest
of the correspondence goes unopened
to the Civil Cabinet, the members ol
which deal with it as may be necessary.
The majority of the envelopes contain
begging letters or personal jietitions.
The Emperor has only one body sorv
ant ut a time in attendance upon him,
and this tnun shaves him, takes cure ol
his wardrobe, and affords him what as
sistance he requires while dressing.
Much of the Kmporor's timo is spent
in his private library, where he writes
much and rapidly. Evory new book
and every newspaper dealing with
military or naval subjects, whether It
be in German. French, Kusslun or En
glish, is aeon by him, und besides being
a regular bibliomaniac so far us re
gards books on strutoy and military
history, he Is un enthusiastic collector
of portraits and autographs of his more
celebrated contemporaries. Ho loave;i
thu education of his children entirely
to tho direction of tho Empress, who is
not only a strict disciplinarian, but also
extremely attentive to tho religious
training of tho young Princes. This
oho ut present herself undertakes. Tha
child roii have various masters nod
govornnesses who visit them; but thoy
have as yet no military governor, or
ovou any personal servants or attend
ants beyond such a nursery staff as
might be found In any well-to-do bour
geois family In Berlin. At the outset
of his reigu tho Emperor rendered him
self somewhat notorious by his readi
ness 'to spuuk in public. Curiously
enough hu has the reputation among
his personal friends of being one of
tho most silent of men, save on the
rare occasions when he throws off the
monarch and gives reign to his natural
high spirits. So much is this tho case
thut in his household tho saying Is:
"The Emueror never speaks; ho only
orders."
i i.iit; comer ola vnuron at Hook
Springs, Go., a flying squirrel has his
nest and on Sundays, every timo tho
congregation begins to sing, the squlr
rcl comes out to the edgo of his nest
and listens, returning when tbo elno
lag ceases.