I Secret of tbe Plundered S&fe
By EMILK
cnxrTErt i.
Th Fanvel Hank, Hue de rrovence. Is
n important Institution, and from its
larg staff, presouts the. appearance of
government oOee. In an old-fashioned
war the banker! dwelling is nnder the
am roof. Ilia private office is on the
first floor over the offices, and leads Into
his own apartments, which communicate
directly with the bank by eana of a
narrow staircase, openlug Into the room
occupied by the head cashier.
Thia cashroom Is reckoned proof
galnet ail attacks, able to stand a siege,
being sheathed in steel like an Ironclad.
A strong gat prevents a burglar coming
down through the fireplace. Clamped to
the wall is formidable cheat, calculated
to fill with longing the man whose wealth
may be comprised iu one little wallet.
This masterpiece of wrought-lron Is
eix feet by four and a half, with triple
ides, and divided iato separate fireproof
compartments. It is opened by a special
key, but this cannot be inserted into the
lock, or used, unless the five knobs on
which are the alphabetical letters, are
turned to form a word in combination.
This word is often changed, as usual In
uch cases. The banker and his chief
teller alone know it, and they alone have
a key in duplicate.
On a certain morning In February the
bank clerks were all busy in their de
partnieiita, at about ten o'clock, when
oue named Cavaillon suddenly raised the
waraing cry: .
"Here comes the cashier!"
Prosper Bertouiy, the head cashier of
the bank, was a tall, handsome man of
about thirty, with fair hair and large,
dark blue eyes, scrupulously neat and
dressed in the fashion.
"Ah, here you are"' cried Cavaillon.
"Some one haa just been asking for you."
"Who? The iron manufacturer, was it
notT Well, he will come bnck again.
Knowing that I would come late this
morning, 1 made all my arrangements
yesterday."
Frosper had unlocked his office door,
and, as he finished speaking, entered and
closed it behind him.
"Look: exclaimed one of the clerks,
"there is a man who sits up all night,
and doesn't feel like going to work early
In the morning. Did you notice how
tery pale he looked when he came in?"
A moment later the cashroom door
tiddenly opened, and the teller appeared
before them with tottering step and a
haggard look on his ashy face.
"Bobbed!" he gasped, hia horrified ex
l resslon, hollow voice and trembling lips
betraying such fearful Buffering that the
clerks jumped op from their desks and
ran toward him. They gathered round
ud begged him to explain.
"All the cash in the aafe has been
taken," aaid Bertomy, aa soon as he had
recovered; "three packets each of one
hundred thousand franc notes, and one of
fifty thousand all four done up in one
paper wrapper, tied and sealed."
With the swiftness of lightning the
news had spread, snd the main room ws
crowded with the Inquisitive. As Cavail
lon was about to run and tell the banker,
he arrived, having already been notified.
W. Andre Fauvel was man of fifty.
Inclined to stoutness, medium lu height,
gray haired, and with a slight stoop like
brain workers. The news hsd extremely
agitated him, for his usually florid face
was pale.
"What Is this I hear baa happened T
he said to the clerks, who respectfully
stood aside when he entered th room.
"Monsieur," began th cashier, "hav
ing, aa yon know, a payment to ninke
this morning, I yeaterday drew from th
Bank of Franc three hundred and fifty
thousand francs."
"Why yesterday, monsieur?" interrupt
ed the banker. "I think I have a hun
dred times ordered yon to wait until the
pay day."
"I know It, monsieur, and did wrong
to disobey you. But the evil is doc.
Yesterday evening I locked the money
op; it baa disappeared, and yet the safe
has not been broken open."
"Ton must be mad'." exclaimed M.
Fauvel: "speak! Who do yon pretend
to say opened th safe? Answer me.
No one but you and I know th secret
word. No one bnt yoo and I had keys."
"In other words, monsieur, I am the
only person who could have taken this
money."
"Unhappy wret.hr
Prosper drew himself to Ms full height,
and, looking XI. Fauvel aijuare in the
face, added:
"Or you!"
The bauker made a threatening ges
ture, and there Is no knowing what
would have happened if they hsd not
been interrupted by loud, angry voices at
the front door.
A man Insisted upou entering, and suc
ceeded In forcing his way lu. It was M.
de Claniernn, the Iron founder, who did
rot appear to observe anything nnususl.
He advanced, snd, without lifting his
bat, said In sn Impertinent tone:
"It is after ten o'clock, gentlemen. I
congratulate myself upon finding you In
at lust. I have been here one before
this morning, and now I am refused ad
mittance, and am compelled to force my
way In. I'.e so good ss to tell me wheth
er I can have my money."
M. Fanvel's flushed fare tnmd pale
with anger, ss be listened to this Inso
lence: yet he controlled himself,
"I would be obliged to you, monsieur,
for a short delay. This morning, this
very Instant, I find I have been robbed
of three hundred and fifty thousand
francs."
('lanieran bowed Ironically, and said:
"Khali 1 have to wait long?"
"Long enough for in to send to th
bank. Write and semi aa quickly a pos
sible, to th bank an order for three
hundred thousand francs. I-ct the mes
senger take a hack," he said to the
cashier, who trembled, as if trying to
hake off a terrible nightmare.
"It is useless to sen. I," he aald, In a
measured tone; "we owe (his gentleman
i i. .t- t t- .
in ret) iiiiuureu inniiKaiia I rn lies, am we
have less than one hundred thousand at
th bank."
"Oh, don t be alarmed, monsieur!"
aid the banker to M. d Clsmersn; "this
bouse has other resources. lie kind
enough to await until my return."
lie left th room, went up the narrow
ten leading to Lis office, and in few
GABORIAU
minute retnrned, holding in hia hand a
letter and a buudle of securities. i
"Here, quick. Couturier!" he said to
one of his clerks, "take my carriage,
waiting at the door, and go with thia
gentleman to Rothschild's. Hand him
thia letter and securities; in exchange you
will receive three hundred thousand
franca, which you will hand to this gen
tleman." Th Ironmaster waa visibly disappoint
ed; he seemed desirous of apologiiiug for
his impertinence,
"I assure you, monsieur, that I had no
intention of giving offense. Our rela
tions for some years have been such that
I hope "
"Enough, monaleur," Interrupted the
banker, "I desire no apologies. - Follow
my clerk; he will pay you;" and then
turning to hia clerks, who stood curious
ly looking ou, he said: "Gentlemen, be
good enough to resume your desks."
In an instant the room was cleared of
everyone except the clerks belonging
there, and they sat at their deska with
their noses almost touching the paper
before them, as if too absorbed In their
work to think of anything else.
"We must have an explanation," said
the banker to Prosper. "Let ua go into
your office."
The cashier mechanically obeyed with
out a word, and his chief followed him,
taking no precaution to close the door
after them.
"Now that we are alone. Prosper," he
said. "Pray, confide in me; it la jour
only chance of salvation. 1 am your em
ployer, it la true; but I am before all and
above all your friend your best and
trnest frieud. I cannot forget that In
this very room, fifteen yeara ago, you
were intrusted to me by your father; and
ever sine that day have 1 had cause to
congratulate myself on possessing so
faithful and efficient a clerk. Have I
not always been like a father to you?
Frora the first day my house has been
open to yoo; you wer treated aa a mem
ber of my family. Madeline and my
sons hiked upon you as a brother. But
you grew weary of this peaceful life.
One day, a year ago, you suddeuly began
to shun us Ah, do you think I am ignor
ant of the lite you have been leading
since you left my roof a year ago?"
The banker paused, aa if hoping for a
confessiou, which, however, did not
come.
"Come, Prosper, have courage, be
frank I will go upstairs, while yon will
look again in the safe; I am aure that
in yeur agitation you did not search
thoroughly. This evening I will return;
and I am confident that, during the day,
you will have found, if not the missing
sum, the greater portion of It; and to
morrow neither you nor I will remem
ber anything about this false alarm."
"Your geueroaity la useless, monsieur."
said Proaper, bitterly; "having taken
nothing, 1 can restore nothing. I have
searched carefully; the bank notea have
been stoten, snd by all that is sacred, not
by me."
"Wretch! Do you mean to aay that I
took th money? Ah, then." aald M.
Fauvel, nnabl to contain himself any
longer, "between you and me. Bertomy,
justice shsll decide. I hsve sent for
the commissary of police; he must be
waiting in my rooms. Shall I call him
down?"
"Do aa yoo wilL
Th banker was near th door, which
he opened, and after giving the cashier
last searching look, aaid to an office boy:
Anselme, ssk th commissary of no
lle to com."
cnAPTEtt n.
Th commissary soon made his appear
ance. He waa followed by a short man
dressed in black, slightly relieved by a
crumpled collar. The banker, scarcely
bowing, aald:
"Doubtless, monaienr. yon have been
apprised of the painful circumstance
which compels me to hav recourse to
your asslstsnce. An infamous and mys
terious robbery has been committed in
this offlce, from the aafe yon see open
there, of which my csshier alone pos
sesses the key and the word."
"Excuse me, monsieur," said the cash
ier to the commissary, in a low tone.
"Mr chief also has the word and the
key."
The commissary at one drew his own
conclusions. These two men accused
each other. From their own statements,
one or the other wss giiiltv.
"Well," he said, "a robbery has been
perpetrated, bnt by whom? Did the rob
lier enter from without?"
"I am certain he did not," aald Pros
per. "However," said the commissary, "we
must make sure of it," and turning to
ward his companion, he aald: ".M. Fan
ferlot, so If jou cannot discover traces
that esrsped the attention of these gen
tlemen." M. Fanferlut, nicknamed "The Ranir
rel," was Indebted to his prodigious ogil
Ity for this title, of which he as not a
little proud. Already, before the com
missary spoke to him. he had ferreted
everywhere; studied the doom, sounded
the partitions, examined the wicket, aud
stirred up tlis ashes In the fireplace.
I cannot Imagine," ssld he, "how sn
outsider could hsve effected sn entry
here." He ripened the door of the pri
vet staircase. "Where do thea stairs
lead to?" lis siked.
"To my privsis office." replied M. Fsu
Tel. "Follow m, gentlemen. And you
come, too, Prosper.
M. r suvel s of!lc consisted of two
rooms; the waiting room, sumptuously
furnished and beautifully decorated, and
the study where ho transacted business.
These two rooms had only three dotr
one opened on the private stairway, an
other into the banker's bedroom, and the
third Into the main vestibule. It waa
through this 1st door that the banker's
clients and visitors were admitted. M
Fanferlot examined the study at I
glance. He seemed puxxled like a man
who had flattered himself with the hope
of discovering some clew and had found
nothing.
"I.et ns see th adjoining room," hi
said, snd psased Into th waiting room
followed by the bauker and the commis
sary.
Prosper remained alon In th study
He wu sitting near the fireplace, ab
orbed In the most gloomy foreboding,
when the banker's chamber door sudden
ly opeued and a beautiful girl appeared
upon th threshold. Seeing Prosper in
th study, where probably she expected
to find her uncle alone, she could not re
frain from an exclamation of surprise.
"You, Prosper you!"
These word broke the spell. Th cash
ier dropped th white hand which he had
caught, and answered bitterly:
'"Yea, thia la Prosper, the companion
of VOtlF chililliiMi.laii,iii.'t.1 tt
the moat disgraceful theft: Prosper,
.hom .,., lm,. ,. ,,,, ,itiv,..
to Justice, and who, before th day ia
over, will be arrested aud throwu into
prison."
"Hood heaven! Frosper, what ar you
saying?"
"Alaa, mademoiselle!" answered Pros
per, "you will ouly too soon learn my
misfortune and my disgrace; then, ye,
then yon will applaud yourself for what
you have don. Your unci ia In th ad
joining room, with th commissary of
police and a detective. They will soou
return. 1 entreat you to retire that they
may not find you here."
As he apoke he gently pushed her
through the door and closed It upon her.
It waa time, for the next moment the
commissary and M. Fauvel entered. They
had visited the maiu entrance aud watt
ing room, and had heard uo'thlug of what
had passed In the study. But Fanfer
lot had heard for them.
"I understand the case now," said he,
to himself. "This young man loves the
young lady, who is really very pretty;
and, as he is handsome, I suppose his
love Is reciprocated. This love affair
vexes the banker, who, not knowing how
to get rid of the importunate lover by
fair means, haa to resort to foul otiea
and plans this imaginary robbery, which
ia very Ingenious."
Meauwhile, the search upstairs com
pleted, M. Fauvel and the commissary
returned to where Prosper was waiting.
The commissary, so calm when he first
came, now looked grave and perplexed
You see, gentlemen, he begun, "our
search has only confirmed our first sus
picion. What do you thiuk, M. Faufer-
lot?"
FHnferlot did not answer. Occupied
In studying the safe lock, he manifested
atgns of surprise. Evidently he had juat
made an Important discovery. M. Fau
vel, Prosper and the couimlsaary arose,
and surrounded him.
"Have you discovered any clew?" said
the banker, eagerly.
"I have merely convinced myself that
... .are nas oeen reeeui y openeu or
qui, i mnw noi wnicn, wun great vio-
lence and haste. Look at thia scratch
near the lock."
The commissary stooped down, and
carefully examined the ssfe; he saw a
alight scratch several Inches long that
had removed the outer coat of varnish.
"I see the serstch," said he; "but what
does thst prove?"
"Oh. nothing at all!" ssld Fanferlot.
"It is of no Importance."
Fanferlot said this, but it wss not his
real opinion. This scratch, undeniably
fresh, had for him a signification that es
csped the others. He said to himself:
"This confirms my suspicions. If the
cashier had atolen millions there was
no occasion for his being in a hurry;
whereas, the banker creeping down iu the
dead of the night, for fear of awakening
the porter In the anteroom, in order to
rob his own aafe, had every reason to
tremble, to hastily withdraw the key,
n hlrh, slipping along the lock, scratched
off the varnish."
Resolved alone to unravel the tangled
thread of this mystery, the detective de
termined to keep his conjectures to him
self, for the same reaaon he waa silent
as to the interview between Msdeline
and Prosper. He hastened to divert at
tention from the serstch upon the lock.
To conclude, he said, addressing the
commisssry, 1 am convinced that no one
outside of the bank could have obtained
access to this room. Those who opened
the ssfe kuew the word and possessed
the key."
That being the case," ssld the com
misssry, "I must request a few moments'
conversstlon with M. Fauvel."
(To b continued.
New Feate In Medicine.
The first principle of learning about
the progress of medicine and surgery
Is to accept wltb distrust all the Infor
mation that the newspapers give. It Is
almost Impossible to tell the tale of a
surgeon's hopes or physician's expec
tation so that It will convey to the lay
tnlnd the precise degree of Information
thnt la ready to be tiansmitted. When
the inrgi-on or the physician talks to
Ids mates, a at doctors' conventions,
his facts are understood and hi con
jectures are sifted In the light of tbu
experience of bis fellows, but we lay
men are apt to swallow whole the
tales we rend of medical discovery, nd
to tie disappointed when the expecta
tions we form are disappointed. The
pnpers have begun to disclose, for ex
ample, that experiments are going on
that look to the cure of Bright'! dis
ease by surgical operation on the. kid
neys, Kurgeons no longer stand on
much ceremony with the kidneys, but
ileal with them as ihey would with
eyes, or any of the duplex organs, tak
li.g one out when It Is hopcles-dy dis
ordered and making repairs on such as
are repairable. Tbey my one of the
new operations for Bright' dlscnse la
to peel off the outercoats of the kid
ney and leave fhem to work, you
may ay, In shirtsleeves. At any rate,
some of the surgeon do some kind of
operation w hich la said to cure the pa.
tlent though the whole proceeding la
still In the experimental etage, and
there has not been time yet to deter
mine w hether the cure Is permanent
Harper'a Weekly.
Artful Jane.
"Jane Hummers 1 an artful minx."
"What bus she done now?"
"Why, when Hint hnnilnome Mr.
Onblt rolled thorn the other night alio
bnl a pleew of dried mistletoe twlstr-d
Into the top of that high Ivory back
comb of her."
"Dhl she suppose he'd notice It?"
"Ye. Phe found out somewhere
Hint h was a botanist. " -OlevHsnd
Plain Dealer.
He only Is exempt front failures who
make no efforts. Wbatcly.
THE LIVING LANDMARK.
our swlrt passage through this
eoeuery
Of
Of life and death, more durable than we,
What landmark ao congenial aa a tree.
Repeating its green legend every spring,
Type of our brief but till rnewJ mor
tality.
Men's monuments, grown old, forget
their names
They should eternise, but the place
Where shining souls have pawed imhibea
a grace
Beyoud mere earth; some sweetuets of
their fame
Leaves lu the soil Its unextinguished
trace.
That penetrates our lives and heightens
them or shames.
James Hussell Lowell.
T
IE Will Iffl
WAMES LANNINU waa a niechan
fvjj lo, young, honest man, whose
highest ambltiou waa to gain a
comfortable home for himself and wife
to be thought well of by bla neigh
bors.. He had built himself a house,
ml there still remained upon It a
mortgage of live hundred dollars; but
Uils smu he hoped to pay lit few
years If ho ouly litid hit hculUi. He
had calculated, exactly how long It
would take hliu to cltMir off UiU Incum
brance, and ha went to work with his
eyes open.
One, evening Jnmes came home to bla
supper more thoughtful than usual.
Ills young wife noticed his niaunor.
and she Inquired its cause.
"What la It, James?" she kindly
asked. "Why. I never saw you look
so sober before."
"Well, I'll tell you. Hantinlt." re
turned the youug man. with a slight
hesitation la hia manner. "I have Just
boon thinking that I would buy a lot
tery ticket"
Hannah Lnnnlng did not answer Im
mediately. Hiie looked down and
mouthed the silken hair of her babo.
which wu chirping like a roblu In her
arms, ami me wwiues or tier band-
, fw,tur ,nt(We1 tliat WM
taking tlma to think.
"How much will it cost?" she asked,
at length, looking half timidly up into
her husband's face.
"Twenty dollars," returned James.
trying to assume a confidence which
he did not feel.
And have yon made up your mind
to buy Itr
Well. I think I ahall. What do you
think about Itr
'If you should ask my advice. I
ahould aay not to buy it"
"But why ao?"
"For nmny reasons." returned hi
wife, In a trembling tone.
She would not offend her husband.
and she shrank from giving him ad
vice which be might not follow.
"Di th first place," she aald. "I
think the whole science of lotteries la
a bad one; and then you have do
money to risk."
"But just look at the prise," aald
James, drawing a "scheme" frora hia
pocket "Here ts on prize of twenty
thousand dollars, another of ten thou
sand, another live thousand, and ao on.
Something telle me that If I buy a tick
et I ahall draw a large prize. And
then just think, Hannah, how easily I
could pay all up for my house, and
perhaps have a good handsome sum
left"
The young man apoke with much
earnestness and assurance; but he saw
that there waa a cloud upon his wife'
brow.
"It soems to me that the chance of
drawing a prize la very doubtful," aald
Hannah, aa she took the sen cm.
"Here are many thousand ticket to be
old."
The babe tried hard to snatch the
paper, and Hannah laid It aside.
"I think I shall run the risk," re
sumed James, glancing once more over
the paper, and resting with a nervous
longing upon the figures which repre
sented the higher price. "There' Bar
ocy; be drew about eight hundred dol
lars a year ago."
"Yes, I know It" aald Hannah, with
more warmth than she had before
manifested, "nnd what haa become of
the money? You know he has squan
dered It all away. Ah, James, money
Is of no use unless we couie honestly
by It"
. "Honestly T repeated the young
man., "Huroly, there Is nothing dis
honest In drawing a prize in a lot
tery?"
"I think there is," kindly but em
jihatically replied the wlfo. "All game
of hazard, where money Is at stake,
are dUhonest Were you to draw
prize of twenty thousand dollars, you
would rob a thousand men of twen
ty dollars each; or, at loast, you would
take from them money for which you
returned them no equivalent Is It not
gambling In every sense of the word?"
"Oh, no! You look upon the matter
In too strong a light"
"Perhaps I do; but yet ao It look
to me. What you may draw, 1101110 one
else must lose; and perhaps It may be
aome one who can afford the loss no
ictter than you can. I wouldn't buy
the ticket, James. )t ua live on the
products of our honest gains, and we
lml! be happier."
Junes I, mining was uneasy. He had
no answer for hia wlfe'a argument
at loast, no answer that could spring
from his moral convictions, and he hit
the matter drop. But the young man
could not drive the siren from hia
heart All the next day hia bead waa
run or -pnwa,' ana wjnio ne waa
at hia work he kept muttering to him
elf, 'Twenty thousand dollar," "Ten
thousand dollars," "Fiv thousand do)
lar," aud so on.
When he went home the next night i
He ws almost unhappy with the nerv
ous anxiety Into which he hsd thrown
himself. The tempter had graspod
him firmly, and whenever b thought
of the lottery he saw nothing but piles
of gold and sliver. In short, Jamoi
lAiutlng had mad up hia uBud that
he would buy the ticket H went to
th little box where he had already
one hundred and twenty dollar laid
up toward paying off the mortgage
from bla house. Th lock clicked with
a startling sound, and when he threw
txtck the cover he hoattatcxt. II looked
at his wife, aud he saw that ah was
rid.
"Oh, I'm sure I ahall draw a prise!"
he aald, with a faint, fading smile.
lie took four half eagle from the
box aud put tliom In hit pocket. Hia
wife aald nothing. 8he played with
her baby to hide her sadness, for she
dhl not wUh to say more on th sub
ject. She had seen that lltUe pile of
gold gradually accumulating, and both
li and ber husband had been happy
In anticipating th day when th pret
ty cottage would be all their own. Hut
when alie aaw those four piece of gold
taken away from the store, she felt
a foreshadowing of evil. Stio might
have spoken again against the move
ment, but she aaw that her hunbuud
waa sorely tender on the suhjoot, and
she let the affair go Into the hands of
fate.
A week claimed from the time that
Jnmea bought his ticket to the draw
lug of the lottery, and during that
time the young man had not a moment
of real enjoyment He was alternat
ing between hoim and fear, and there
fore his mind was constantly on the
stretch.
At length the day arrived. James
went to the otllce and found that the
drawing had taken place, and the Hat
of prizes had been made out He
seined the list and turned away, so
that those who stood around should
not co his face. He read the list
through and through, but he searched
for hU number In vain! It was not
there. He luul drawn a blank! He
left the otlb'o an unhappy man. Those
twenty dollars which he bad lost had
been th savings of two moutha of
hard labor, and he felt their loss most
keenly.
When he returned home that night
he told his wife that be had lost
She found no fault with hint. Khe
ouly kissed htm, and told him that
the lesson was a good one, even though
It had been dearly bought
But James Ijinntng was not satis
fled. lis brooded over his loss with
bitter spirit and at length the
thought cam to him that he might yet
draw a prize. He wWhed that he had
not bought th first ticket and he
thought that if he could only get hack
hia twenty dollar h would buy no
more; but he could not rest under his
loss. He was determined to make one
more trial, and he did so. Thl lime
he purchased a ticket without hi
wlfe'a knowledge. Th result waa the
same as before. He drew a blank!
Forty dollara!" waa a sentence that
dwelt fearfully upon th mechanic'
Ups.
"Oh, I must draw a price!" he aald
to himself. "I must make up what
I have lost Let me one do that and
I'll buy no more tlcke.."
Another twenty dollars waa taken
from the little bank, another ticket
waa bought another blank waa drawn.
At the end of thre month the little
bank waa empty, and Jamea Lanning
bad th last ticket In his pocket Ah
how earnestly be prayed that that last
ticket might draw a prise! He had
become pale and careworn, and bl
wife poor, confiding aoul thought he
only repined because he had loat twen
ty dollar. When abe would try and
cheer blm he would laugh, and try to
make the matter light
"Jamea," said his wife to him one
day It waa the day before that on
which the lottery waa to be drawn in
which he held the sixth ticket "Mr.
Howsn haa been here to-day after hi
soinl-nnnuiU Interest. I ttitd him that
you would aee hi in to-morrow."
"Yes, I will," aald James, In a fnlnt
voice. "Ye, to-morrow I ahall aoe
him."
Young lnnnlng thought of the lot
tery, and of the prize. Thl was hi
sixth trial, and he felt sure that b
ahould draw.
The morrow rame, and when Janie
Launlng returned to his home at night
he was penniless! All his golden vi
sions had farled away, and he was left
In darkness and misery.
"Jnmes, have you paid Mr. Itowae
bla interest yet ' 'asked Hannah.
The young man leaned hia head
upon hi hands and groaned aloud.
"For heaven a Bake, Jnmes, what
has happened?" cried the st-nrtliH wife.
springing to the ldo of her husband
and twining ber arm alxitit his neck.
The young man looked up with
wild, haggard expression. His Hp
were blood In, and his features were
all stricken with a diath-hun.
"What la it? Oh, what?" murmured
the wife.
"Go look In our box our llttlo
bank!" groaned the poor man.
Hannah hastened away, and when
alio returned she bore an empty bo
In her hand.
"Bobbed!" she gasped, and she san
tremblingly down by hor huaband
aide.
"Yes, Hannah," whimpered the bus
bnnd, "I hnve robbed you."
The stricken wife ga.ed upon her
husband with a vacant look, for at first
she did not comprehend; but aha re
membered bis bohalvlor for weeks
back; she remembered how be ha
murmured In hia !ecp of lotteries and
tickets, of blanks and prizes, and grad
ually the truth broke In upon hor
"I have dona It all, Hnntwih," hoamn
1 whispered the condemned man,
when he saw that his wife bad ri'ed
the truth. "All. all baa gone for lot.
tery tlcketa. The demon tempter lured
me; he held up glittering gold In bla
hand, but be gave me none of It. Oh,
do not chide me! You know not what
hav aufferwl what hour of agony
hav pa saw! and you know bow
cold 1 my biHirt now. Oh. my wife,
would to !od I bad listened to you!'
"Ah!" calmly whispered the faithful
wife, a she drew ber hand across ber
usbaud'a boated brow, "Mourn not
for what la bmt. I will not chide you.
It Is hard thus for you lo loo your
scanty earnings, but there might be
many calamines worse than that. Cour
age, James; we wilt soon forgot It.
And Mr. Hows will foroclos th
mortgage. You will tie Homeless."
murmured young 1-annlng In broken
eceuts.
"No; I will see thiut all la sofa In
that quarter," added Hannah.
At that moment the baby awoke.
and the gentle mother wu called to
care for It. On the next day, at noon.
Hannah (.aiming gave her huaband a
receipt for fifteen dollara front Mr.
Bowse.
"Here," said she, "Intercut la paid.
Now let us forget all that baa passed.
and commence again."
But how what has paid this?"
asked James, gazing first upon the re
elpt, and then upon hia wife.
"Never mind."
"Ah, but I must mind. Tell me,
Hamuli!."
"Well, I have sold my gold watch."
"Sold It!"
"But I can buy It lutek again. The
man will not part with It. If I want It
Hut I don't want it, Juuii'm, till we are
able. Perhaps I shall never want it.
You must not chide uie, for never did
I derive one lota of the pleasure from
Its possession that t now fctd lit llai
result of Its dlsponal."
James Lnnnlng clasped his wife to
his bosom, and he murmured a prayer,
and In thnt prayer there wa a pledge.
Two year passed away, and during
that time James tanning lost not a
single day from his work. He waa
1 punctual aa the tun, and the result
waa aa sure.
It waa late on Saturday evening
when he cam home. After aupper he
drew a paper from his pocket, and laid
It upou the table.
iliere, Hannah," aaid be, while a
noble pride beamed In every feature,
"ther la tuy mortgage. "I've paid It
every cent This house la ours; It la
our own house. I've bought It with
dollars, every one of which has been
honestly earned by the sweat of my
brow. I am happy now."
Hannah 1-antilng saw thnt her hus
band had opened bla anna, aud she sat
down upon bis knee aud laid ber head
upon his shoulder.
Oh, blessed moment!" she mur
mured.
Yea, It la a bleated moment" re
sponded her bsuband. "Do you re
member, HaniuiJi, the hour of bitter
ness that we saw two year ago "
The wife shuddered, but uiade no re
ply.
Ah," continued the young man. "1
have never forgotten that bitter les
son; and even now I tremble when 1
think how fatally I waa deceived by
the tempter that has lured ao many
thousands to destruction."
"But ita horror la lost In thl happy
moment," aald Hannah, looking up
with a smile.
"It'a terror may be lost" resumed
James, "but lta lesson must never b
forgotten. Ah, the luring lottery ticket
haa a dark aide a side which few ses
until they feel It"
"And ar not all IU aides dark?"
oftly aaked the wife. "If ther Is ny
brightness about It It la only the glnr
of the fatal Ignis fatuus which ran
only lead the wayward traveler Into
danger and disquiet"
"You are right, my dear wife. Too
were right at first Ah," be contin
ued, as he drew the faithful belng
more closely to his bosom, "If hus
bands would oftener obey the tender
dictate of the loving wife, there would
bo far less misery In the world than
thore la now." Waverley Magazine.
Japs learn Western Ways.
Japanese Journalism Is developing;
on Western lines and with surprising
rapidity. The events of the present
war are responsible for extras which
are sold on the sln-et In the American
fashion. The newsmen run bnreleggml
with a sort of napkin around the head
fiinl a small bell at the belt, which,
rings as they go.
When the war news la lively the
extras come out In a correspniiilliig'y
lively manner, one after the other, ami
tiro liberally patronized. The senaa
tlonnl reporter haa appeared there, ait
well aa the female Journalist, and
things are "whooped up" more than
Ihey used to be. On consequence of
thia Is that Journalism hern and there
begins to pny, where formerly It had
lo be eulmlillssed as a matter of patriot
ism and public: spirit There la an
English column In all the papers and
English Is studied In all the schools.
The country has (VN) newspapers In
all, and several of them hnve respect
ively a circulation exceeding 1(10,000
copies. Aa guides and directors of
public opinion they are perhaps not
Inferior to our own. Altogether Japan
ese JournallMtn. In Its Infancy, has
bright future before It and will likely
keep pace with the progress of U10
country It serves.
What lln Took. Join fort in.
The nrk had Just Iiinded.
"Thcro Is 0110 comfort, anyway,"
remarked Nonli, "there Isn't any old
salt loft to tell mn he was In worse
storm thirty yenrs ago."
With a thankful sigh he proeeodotl
to unship tils cargo. New York TrlU-una.