EMBARRASSMENT,
Gatint wreosors wateb the wintry mat
ulKhts
The tumiawi tokw In tlm uutwanl Bloomi
KouKh mem are pmyliiK unto Uod to doom
A vessel uruuiilInK Willi the Menu's mlht.
Crowded anil I; mid In In supreme alrrla-ht
UlXIU the riLlUll slilli. u. ftiiiLl.lnff Lr.n.h
Vast bulpluxii tlin.nijs are teen where llght-
uiiiMi IIIUIO,
Beseecliluir Uml for milvutoKv lt,hl
Aud lio lu blithest heaven doth hear these
Offered by ovary soul with vnl
Who for blssontenee In dlstraotlou waits.
eMTiruiimi wy , uuiuon cares,
kwlts on the iiouiio of triumph and of fear,
Uplift! hie Judglnif hand, and-heeluteal
. anol H. Baltus.
A STKANGE PASSENGER.
When my packet ship, the Hermiono.
wm preparing to sail from Liverpool lor
rw iotk i was warned to take pre
cnntionn againnt receiving an passenger
a certain Mary Youngiion, who, while
nursing ner sick husbanda man con
siderably her senior had poisoned him
to death, laid hold of all the money and
valuables she could get and then had
made off. ft was thought that she
wonld try to leave England on some out-
- ward bound ship-most likely for Amer
ica, where she had friends and there
fore 1 sharply scrutinized the passen
gers, eight in number, who were brought
off to my vessel in a tender.
As they stepped aboard 1 was relieved
to perceive that none of them tallied
with the description 1 had obtained of
Miss Voungson, who, I was told, was a
Beautiful woman, over thirty-five years
of age, about 5 feet inches in height
and very sleuder, with brown hair, dark
eyes and a flear complexion. She had
been born and educated abroad, but her
father had been an Englishman and an
amateur actor, from whom she had In
herited a remarkable capacity for de
ceiving people as to her character.
Two of the female passengers who
now came aboard were married ladies,
and of dark complexion. There were also
two young women of about twenty-one!
one a Miss Lorton, plain and stout; the
outer, Miss Merwin, slender and tall,
apparently nut lens than 5 feet I
inches, with the most childish, innocent
looking face, for one of her age, that 1
ever saw. Hue bad brown hair and eyes,
mall, babylike features, and smooth,
glowing cheeks, which were constantly
dimpled with smiles. As she slightly
lifted her long skirt we saw that instead
of shoes or boots she wore ornamented
buskins of somo kind of soft leather,
which mode no noise when she walked.
Afterward we heard that she wore them
becouse she had lately sprained her feet
and could not yet bear harder leather.
From the first 1 could see that my son
Tom, a young man of twenty-five, and
ohiof officer, was greatly impressed by
this girl
He bad always liked tall women, and
anything "babyish" in their looks or
manners particularly pleased him. Btill,
was surprised at the end of one short
week after we sailed to learn that he
had actually proposed to her and been
accepted.
"She is so artless, so ingenuous, so
free from guile of any kind," said he,
"that you can read her heart at once!
We are to be married on coming back
to Liverpool at the house of her aunt,
who is expecting her. With her usual
childish fraukness she informed me that,
although having a small fortune in three
per cents, left to her by her futher, who
was a merchant, sbe is at present short
of cash which would hinder her from
purchasing, on landing, certain little
artioles she desired toward a weddinir
outfit. I was bo touched by her shy, in
fantile way, blended with timid distress
at having to tell me this, that I at once
' went to my room and procured the
t&.OOO United Btates bond, which yon
know 1 lately bought with my savings,
and gave it to her, telling her where she
could got it cashed, and bade her then
take out of it whatever she needed."
"Why, Tom, you don't say so?" 1 cried,
rather startled.
"Of course," he answered. "Why not?
We are engaged, and it ought to be the
same about money matters as if we wore
married."
He went below, aud I sat long in the
clear moonlight, thinking it over in as a
hasty, foolish piece of business, when
suddenly I was startled by the cry of the
lookout forward.
"Sail, hoi right ahead!"
The stranger a large ship put her
helm a-port, so I had no doubt she
would pass us safely enough; but as she
was going by, her helmsman raising his
wheel too soon, her bow swung off, and
her jibboom caught under my spanker
sheet, lifting the spar and snapping it off
with a crush.
There was noise and confusion as we
worked briskly to keep the two vessels
apart and prevent further damage, in
the midst of which several of the passen
gers cume running up, somewhat fright
ened, to tlud out what the matter was.
"It is nothing; we are all right now!"
I cried, to reassure them, as the other
ship Bwung clear of us.
Miss Merwiu had emerged from the
companionway after the others, and as I
looked toward her form, distinctly re
vealed by the moonlight and one of the
lanterns, I stood stock still in the utmost
astonishment, for, as true as 1 am a liv
ing mau, her stature now seemed at least
three inches shorter than 1 had hitherto
seen it
I was the only one who noticed her at
that time, and on meeting my gase she
drew back as quick as a flash and van
ished is the cabin.
The strange phenomenon 1 had wit
nessed for a moment almost took away
my breath. My whole mind was fixed
upon this one thing, and when my son
came up a few hours later to take the
deck I described the singular change I
naa noticed in miss merwm stature.
tie stared at me at first as i ! lie thought
me mad, then broke out into ,in incredu
lous laugh, saying that my .'yes or the
imperteot light must have deceived me.
1 knew better, however; but finding
I could not convince him 1 told him to
wait until the young lady should appear
at breakfast in the morning, when he
might see for himself.
Two hours later the second mate came
op to relieve Tom, who then went be
low. The officer, seeing me seated in a
reverie on the quarter deck, walked
amidships, where he stood looking care
lessly lorwara.
All at once, judge of my surprise
when, on raising my head, I beheld,
leaning against the rail near me, a per
son I had never seen before a slender,
middle aged man, of rather low stature,
with hair covering nearly every part of
the face excepting the eyes, which gut
tered like fireballs in the moonlight!
"Why, holloa) Whoarevou? Where
did you come from?" I cried.
"Pray don't excite yourself." he coolv
answered. "I am a detective, and got
aboard in the harbor through the con
nivance of one of your crew I am not
going to tell you which one who also
supplies me with food, I have been all
along in the stateroom next to MissMer
win's, with my carpetbag. Had you
looked in the room you would have seen
me, but you probably missed the kev. or
thought it was lost."
"That is true; but"
"Here is my warrant," he interrupted.
handing me a paper, which, on reading
n uy me lantern s ugnt, 1 peroeived was
a signed document, apparently from the
proper authorities, instruotinir John
Clews, the bearer, a detective, to con
oeal himself aboard the Hermione and
act as h might see fit in his endeavor to
detect the murderess, Miss Youngson.
who it was suspected was a passenger in
uisgnise aboard the vessel,
She is here," was his confident renlv
when I remarked that there must be
some mistake. "I have not watched
through the hole I bored in the partition
tor notning.
Why, man!" I cried, aghast, "she
cannot be the guilty one. She is inno-
oenoe itself as artless as a child. Be
sides, she is very tall and young, whereas
I have beentold that the murderess was
much shorter and nearly twice as old."
tie laughed in a way which to me was
indescribably disagreeable,
It ib not Miss Merwiu I allude to."
he said. " Yon will remember that the
stateroom of Miss Lorton iB also next to
mine,1
" What!" I exclaimed, almost as much
surprised as before, " you suspect that
stout young lady who r
I don't suspect," he interruDted i " I
know her to he the criminal."
"But she is young, plain and stout:
the accused woman was slender"
Bah!' he again interrupted. "Dis
guise! That will explain all. It is easy
for a woman of that kind to make her
self look younger and stouter than she
really is. Should we fall in with a good
Liverpool bound ship I shall arrest this
woman and take her on board of it with
me. 1 will go back to mv room now.
You may or may not see me again be
fore we sight a home bound craft."
With that he gtided like a shadow into
the cabin.
"Now, then, 1 had somethine to keen
me awake, to drive all thoughts of turn
ing in from my mind. So, after all, that
woman, that terrible murderess, was
aboard my ship!
I commenced to walk the deck in no
pleasant frame of mind, and the morn
ing light stole around me before I was
aware that the hour was so late.
When breakfast was ready in the cabin
Miss Merwin was absent from her ac
customed place at the table. During the
progress of the meal 1 looked more than
once at Miss Lorton the stout young
iouy wno. tne aetective had positively as
serted, was Mary Youngson, the poisoner.
The quiet dignity and composure of
her manner, the frank, honest expression
oi ner race, and its undeniable plainness.
seemed to me so natural, so real, that I
morveled how the detective contrived to
penetrate through so perfect a disguise.
Feeling tired out after breakfast
slept until near noon.
When 1 went on deck Tom was super
intending the repairing of the spanker
boom. ,
"It is very strange," he said to me un
easily, "Miss Merwin has not yet shown
herself."
The day wore on without our seeing
ner. Bven at supper time she did not
make hor appearance.
Tom looked pule and concerned. Final
ly he went and knocked at her door,
calling her name. There was no re
sponse. "I do not know what to make of it,"
he soid to. me on deck. "Oh, father!"
he added wildly, "is it possible she can
have suddenly died?"
"I don't think so," I answered; "she
seemed to be in good health" and then
thought to myself, ''Were it not that we
are where we are, and she a different
sort of person, I might suspect that she
had absconded with your money."
As night approaohed her non-appearance
excited general comment, and I
was advised to break open the door,
which was locked. 1 did so, and we
found her room empty. Her trunk Was
till there, but she was gone,
My son looked nt me as pale as death.
"my uod! what can have become of
nerr ne groaned. .
In fact, it certainly was a very necu
liar case, and coupled with my previous
observation of the strange shortening of apparent. She had feared, after I dis
the woman's stature it seemed to me to, covered the strange shortening of her
partake almost of the supernatural. stature, that I might suspect who she
"May she not have gone on deck last
night and fallen overboard'?" inquired
one or the passengers.
"Impossible!" 1 answered. "It was
clear moonlight. 1 was on deck all
night, and besides, I had good lookouts
posted about the ship. The thing could
not have happened unknown to us."
We looked to see if we might not find
a note or something explanatory, but in
Then I ordered a thorough search to
be made throughout the ship, This was
acme; out no, she was not to be found.
though every nook and corner was looked
into.
Then it occurred to me to speak to the
detective about it, and as soon as I could
do so unobserved I knocked at his door.
He cautiously opened it, but on seeing
who was there he invited me in.
I told him what had happened, not
even omitting to mention the sudden
change I had previously noticed in the
young lady's height As I proceeded I
observed that his keen eyes seemed to
grow larger, while the thick beard that
covered the face of this singular man
kept twitching, as if every hair was in
stinct with life. ,
Give me time," he said solemnly.
when I had finished, "and I will solve
this mystery. In a few days I may be
able to do it perhaps not for a week."
1 left him and went on deck. Tom
was there, looking so downcast and for
lorn that I resolved to acquaint him with
tne presence of the detective, and tell
him what he said, aud so, perhaps,
brighten bim up a little.
I did so, but my words had an effect I
had not expected. Reflecting a moment,
he cried out: "Father, I believe that man
iB a humbug! But whether he be a de
tective or not, I now suspect that he is a
thief and a murderer; that he knew of
Miss Merwin's having that 15,000 bond.
and that in order to possess himself of it
ne has tolled her and thrown her body
overboard!"
1 stared at him in amazement, and
told him I feared that his grief had dis
turbed his reason. How was it possible,
I asked him, that the man could have
got the body overboard without our
knowing it?
"He could have choked her to death,
carried her to one of the open cabin win
dows, and dropped her through that,"
he replied.
"Impossible," I answered, "without
the splosh being overheard by the man
at the wheel, or by some one on deck.
Besides, 1 doubt if he could have
squeesed the body through either of our
cabin windows, which, you know, are
very small.'
Tom, however, seemed to think it
could have been done, owing to Miss
Merwin being so slender, and in Bpite of
all my efforts, I oould not entirely rid
his mind of that horrible idea.
Days passed, for we had headwinds.
which kept us off our course; but as yet
the detective bad nothing to tell me,
though he said he soon might be able to
explain the whole affair.
A Btrauge affair enough. Never before
had I such an experience, or anything
approaching to it, in any craft I com
manded. The passengers were equally
puzzled; it was the talk of all aboard
the Bhip. As for Tom, he grew paler.
thinner, wilder every day. At last, one
afternoon, when we had entered St.
George's channel, he came up to me and
said, in a husky voice: "ItisasI thought!
Quick! I have something to show you!
Make no noise!"
I followed him. We both wore light
slippers, and without noise entered the
room Miss Merwin had occupied. He
pointed to a crevice, which he had evi
dently made lu the partition, and look
ing through it I saw the detective in the
next apartment, kneeling by his open
carpet bag, from which now protruded
the identical buskins I could not mis
take them which Miss Merwin hod
worn. Spread out before him he held a
$5,000 bond evidently the one which
my son had given to the young lady!
"You see," he whispered. "Was I not
right? He has murdered and robbed
her!"
Low as the whisper was the man evi
dently heard it, for he pushed the bus
kins, and after them the bond, hastily
down into the bag, which he then closed.
Before 1 could hinder him Tom rushed
out aud threw himself against the de
tective's door with a force which broke
the lock and admitted him into the room.
He flew at the man, clutched him and
shook hiin, when the fellow drew a dirk,
but in his futile struggles to use it for
I held his wrist and soon disarmed him
his beard fell off, showing it was a
false one, and at the eaiue time his shirt
bosom was torn away about the throat
Then both Tom aud I uttered a simulta
neous cry of surprise on perceiving that
this pretended detective was a woman
over thirty-five years of age or, in other
words, it was Miss Merwin herself de
prived of the oosmetios and other appli
ances which had, while in the natural
attire of her sex, mode her look so much
younger than she was. , '
The whole truth broke upon me at
once. This woman 1 suspected was in
reality Mary Youngson, the murderess,
for her face and height now answered to
the description I had of her, and we
found, while looking for my son's bond
in her carpet bag. some articles bearing
' her name, and others marked with that j
of her victim. In fact, afterward, while
Ul, she confessed to being Mary Young.
- ! son.
' Her motive in disguising herself was
really was; and besides, the ruBe would.
81,6 thought, enable her the better to
escape irom Tom and get off with his
,000. The mystery of her having as
j Miss Merwin looked so much taller than
she really was we found explained by
n buskins, which proved, like those
sometimes worn by actors on the stage,
' to 08 provided with very thick cork soles.
to give an appearance of elevation to the
stature,
On the night she so astonished me bv
the difference in her height she had, in
her hurry and alarm, come up in her
slippers, having forgotten to put on her
Dusains.
It is hardly necessary to sav that the
detective's warrant she had shown me
was forged, written by herself; nor
scarcely need it be mentioned that Tom
was now disgusted with this woman
and entirely cured of his infatuation,
Subsequently she died of a malignant
fever while being conveyed a prisoner
back to England thus escaping the pun
ishment she so richly merited for her
odious crime, although there were not
wanting those who stoutly maintained
that the charge had by no means been
conclusively brought home to her. How
ever, after occupying the publio mind
tor more than the proverbial nine davs.
the "Youngson Case," as it was called.
gave place to a fresher sensation. Ed
ward Herns in New York Press.
Finding Lout Bag-gage
It was on the Stormy division of the
(J. B. and Q. it happened, when Superin
tendent Dugan's jurisdiction embraced
that division. The east bound passen
ger train, thin called the Cannon Ball,
had on board five corpses, through
from Denver, in charge of the train
baggage man. It was in June, and the
weather was hot. The baggage man find
ing the atmosphere in the baggage car be
coming undesirable moved three boxes
containing a corpse each to the plat
form of his car outside, one on top of
the other.
As the train was nearing Ottumwa.
the baggage man upon looking out was
horrified to discover one of the boxes
missing. Surmising that one of the boxes
had slid off in rounding a curve, owing
to the high rate of speed the train hod
been running, he wired Superintendent
Dugau immediately upon arrival of the
train at Ottumwa, apprising him of the
loss. Dugan wired the section foreman
at Ottumwa as follows:
"Patrick McGann Look for corpse
lost off Cannon Ball three miles west of
Ottumwa and report condition of same
when found."
Patrick immediately started out with
the section gang, and found the box in
tact and brought the same to Ottumwa.
It was Beldom that Patrick received or
ders direct from the superintendent, the
roodmaster being his immediate supe
rior. Consequently Patrick concluded
the time to win promotion had arrived,
and after reading Dugan's telegram over
for the twentieth time wired his super
intendent as follows:
"Mishter Doosrun I hev found the
koropse, aud the koropse was ded."
The operator's expostulations were in
vain, and Patrick wonld permit no
change in the message, saying:
"I inusht obbcy the arders of Doo
gan." Astoria Examiner.
America's Natives Described.
This description of the natives us they
appeared to the English colonists in
Maryland was written in 1603:
They are very proper tall men of per
son; swarthy by nature, but much more
by art; painting themselves with colours
in oyle, like a darke red, which they doe
to keep the gnatts off. As for their "faces
they have other colours at times, as blew
from the nose upward aud red down
ward; somewhat contrariwise, in great
varietie and in very gastly manner.
They have no beards till they come to
be very old, and therefore draw from
each side of their iriouthes lines to their
eares to represent a beard. Their ap
parell generally is deere skyns and some
furre, which they wear like loose man
tels; aud yet under this, about their
middle, all women and men, at man's
estayte, were rounde aprons of skyns,
which keeps them decently covered, so
that, without any offense to chast eyes,
we may converse with them.
All the rest of their bodies are naked,
and at times some of the youngest sort
of both men aud women have just noth
ing to cover them. The natural wit of
this nation is very quick and will con
ceive a thing very readily. They excell
in smell and taste and have far sharper
sight than we. ' if these people were
onoe Christians (as by some signs we
have reason to think nothing hinders it
but want of language), it would be a
right virtuous and renowned nation,
A UeaX HoveUy,
Mrs. Duquesne X suppose yoo sing or
playl
Miss NewcomerOh, not I'm, not at all
musical.
lira Duquesne You recite, probaWyl
Miss Newcomer Oh, do, inUeedl
Mrs. Duquesne Well, toon, I eupposo you
paint plaques)
Miss Newcomer 3Io paint 1 1 couldn't paint
a fence,
airs. Duquesne (eagerly) Oh, you dear girl,
bow lovely t You must promise to come to
rary one of my reception. You'libosucha
aauaationl FittsUrg Bulletin,
THEORY AGAINST PRACTICE.
An Instance Where Rook Learning tvae
Defective;
"I'm bunged .up considerable," said a red
beaded young man as he stood at the foot of
Courtiandt street, waiting for the ferry, and
felt of the repairs which had been put
around on bis face En the way of courtplas
ter. "I'm busted pretty unanermously, but
I guess I can bold out till I strike Jersey."
"Been in a flghtl" asked a sympathetic by
stander. "Naw I didn't git started 'nough so you
could call it a light. I've been licked though
and 1 ain't tryitt' to dodge the issue."
"What gotyou intothe trouble"
"Edgereation, sir readin' when i orter
been in better business; b'lievfu' a lot of
blame fool truck Jes' 'cause it was in a hook."
"How was it!"
"W'y this way: You see I had one o' these
'ere gymnazerum books and read it. Says
the book tike this, you see: 'A man with his
waist bigger 'round than his chert ain't no
good physically.' That's what the book
claimed. He's li'ble to give out at the
critical moment, says the book. And if
he's fat went on the book, he's dead
sure to give out at the critical min
ute. He's short winded and bis muscles
is flabby, says t he book. He ain't no good on
arth, says the book awful certain, and no
man needn't be 'fraid to tackle him. He's a
Vnimbrance on the world, says the book, and
he ort to train and git down the size of his
waist and boom the dermensions of his chest
Yore some small man swats bim one and
walks on bim. This was the idea the book
held and I took it all in."
"Didn't the theory hold good in practloe!" -"1
ain't been able to see it In that light yet,
I come over from Jersey this morning feelin'
pretty O. Ew My dimensions are all right.
you can crack bickry nuts on my chest I
ain't short winded Nothing flabby 'boutmy
muscles. 1 don't give out at the critical mo
ment says t Alter a while 1 was up on
Bleecker street lookin' in a winder watchin' a
Frenchman cook pan cakes on an iron foot
stool, when 'long comes a policeman as big'l
a load o' bay. He tried to run on me by
tellin' me to move on. 1 sized him up. It
was a foot further Yound his waist than
'round his chest if it was an inch. He was
fat too. Consequently, ' says I to myself.
you're flabby and Bhort winded, and, 'bove
ah, you'll flunk at the critical moment, Then
says 1; 'Old boss, dry up or I'll mob youl1
He steps up and 1 sails in, dependin' on the
Critical moment for bim to cava"
"But he didn't do itf"
"Dont know, you see, I was- dead at the
critical momentsolcouldnt tell But 1 have
a sneakin' lowdovvn notion that he didn't I
eouldnt swear to nothin', but ita my 'pinion
that at the critical moment be was waikin
around on meand reachhV down and poundin'
me with a black club 'bout the size of a
bananner. He may have slumped at the
critical moment, but I'd sooner think that he
dancin on a blasted fool about mv size
durin' sev'ra! very critical moments. When
1 come to I put on my boots which he had
pounded ofTn me and went and bought court
plaster by the roll like wall paper. I am
now goiu home to burn up a green covered
doob oo physical development, and when 1
git my arm out of the sling I shall go to work
again and try to forgit some things that 1
have read. Good-by." New York Tribune.
Wnea Nellie's Hukband gut Down.
Mrs. Brown Tfill me Nellie, wasvour bus
band much embarrassed when be proposed to
youl
Mrs. Younghusband-Not nearly so much
as he was after too bills for our wedding re-
cep.iou came in. Boston Transcript,
One Who Didn't.
"Well, uncle, 1 suppose you got in your '
vote all right the other day," he said to Un
cle Beans, of the market brigade,
"No, sab, I didn't"
"What was the trouble!"
"Dar was sich a big crowd dat I reckoned
I would wait till de nej' day, an' when I
went ober agin de polls was dun gone an'
net up an to;ed away." Yankee Blade,
The Difference.
Customer Well, 1 guess I'll take these
pants,
Rubupaginstme Ya, mein frent, tree tol
lars is wery cheap. .
Customer (aghast) Three dollars! Why,
you bad them marked a dollar aud half in
the window.
Rubupaginstme -Och, yal dot means ein
toliar und feefty cents for von leg. New
York Sua
UseleM.
' "Can I Bee Mr. Basrffertvr inauirad tU
caller at the jaiL "Before he was arrested
ne owed me a little bill that be Dromiwd hn
would pay at this date, and he has always
been a man of his word. " "You can see him
If you will wait a few minutes," said the
turnitey. "jtus attorney is with him now."
The tailor shook bis head and Bighed deeply,
"There is no use in my waiting," he said.
Chicago Tribune.
Used to Horrors,
Dentist-The tooth you want extracted Is
very firmly set. Will you take gast
Patient No, 1 never take gas.
"Ever had tooth extracted before!"
"No, but i was best man at a wedding
once, and 1 took no gas then, Liacola
Journal , .
Diplomacy,
Mrs. O'Kay Vm going to Cutlet's, Hor
ice. Shall X order the Sunday dinner!
Mr. O'Kay-By aU mieauB, nol Just ask
ur it uw aioncni Dili is still due. Time,