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LUKE MASON.
Thrilling and Bomantio Story
of tho Late Civil War.
BT JOHN n. MUSICK,
ACTH0B Or "BnOTHER AGAI3ST BROTHrt,"
"Hmik Laekuah," " Wamkb Bboto-
riSLD," "Uakkebop BEDroBD,"
akd Other Stories.
Copyrighted, ISSS.
CHAPTER IV. Cosrnrcin.
"I don't -want it," but the muzzle of her
pistol was lowered, and he came up quite
close, and leaned on tho Rate post. "Go on,
go on, you thievin' vagabond."
"Young-lady, I honor any person who de
fends their principles. I would not call a
Confederate a thief unless I knew he was
one."
"But you have plenty of theires in Lin
coln's abolition army."
"You speak too truly. There are thieves
and plunderers in our o wn little band. I was
forced to knock one down and bayonet an
other only yesterday to save the houso of a
Southern man from being burned. But I
am not a thief." Her eyes drooped, while a
faint flush swept over her pretty face.
Taking this as a favorable sign Luko con
tinued: "It is my determination to protect your
beme from destruction. Our men, half a
thousand strong, are coming; but I am
nblo to savo your house from being burned
and yourself from insults. Will you let
mol"
"Yes.f sho answered, faintly, i
"Then run down that flag, and carry it to
the house."
"Never 1 I will shoot tho first man who
touches it"
"Nobody shall touch it if you will tako It
down. If you don't, they will not only tako
it down, but burn your house, and I could
not promise to shield oven yourself from
"5EVEB1 I WILL 8300TTIIB TIBST SUN THAT
TOUCHES IT."
harm. Theso men are raw recruits, eomo
your acquaintances and personal encn. :3.
I want to save you from them if you will
let me."
By this timo sho was weeping, and ho
continued urging her, assuring her that she
did no violence to her principles ; and after
a stubborn resistanco she yielded to pru
dence, and with, her own hands ran down
tho flag and carried it in tho house.
Luke detailed Arkansaw Tom, Ned Cot
ton, Bill Snow and Corporal Max, who had
at their own request been transferred to
his company, to guard the house. Ho knew
they could be depended upon in such an
emergency, as he had seen them thoroughly
tried tne day before.
Tho pretty rebel, touched by tho almost
brotherly conduct of her enemy, asked his
name, and assured him that sho -would
never forget him.
Ho was strangely impressed by tho beau
tiful girl, and at parting felt as if ho was
taking leave of a sister, A sister! Ah!
what knew ho of the Iovo of a sister or
mother. A waif of tho flood, an unknown
foundling, tho mystery of whose life might
at any moment bo swallowed up in tho red
tide of war.
CHAPTER V.
miEKDS OB EKEMTES.
It was not until he had resumed his march
at tho head of his company that Captain
Mason began to blame himself for cot hav
ing asked tho namo of tho fair rebel who
had so strangely impressed him. The peo
plo at the house wero probably now comers,
for he had a few years beforo known almost
every one in this part of tho country. But
absence at college, and then in another
State, had permitted timo to work a won
drous change in tho old familiar land
marks. He was marching along with head
bowed, lost in painful reverie, oblivious to
tho heavy tread of two hundred feet behind
him, when a voice suddenly said:
"Massa, why didn't yo burn dat house?"
He looked up, and to his intense amaze
ment he saw tho negro, Blackhawk, bare
headed and bare-footed, tramping along at
his side. Blackhawk had an ocd way of dis
appearing and appearing when least ex
pected. He seemed to havo tho faculty of
being anywhero in a moment.
"Blackhawk, what aro yon doing here i"
he asked; "havo yoa run away from your
master!"
"No, sah; I jest thought Td foller ye;
tnebbe yo might need me."
"Do you know tho pecplo at that house,
'Blackhawk?" asked tho young Captain, fix
ing his keen blue eyes on tho negro. Black
hawk recoiled strangely, as if he had
suddenly been touched with a hot iron. Tho
Captain, nuzzled at his strangs demeanor,
repeated tho question.
"Yes, massa; I knows 'em," he said; "dey
Is all scccsh."
"What is their name!"
"Morgan, massa; dat gal's f adder an
brudder am boft in do rebel army, an'
'twould a sarved tun right to a bu'nt dere
house, but I'm glad yo didn't do it."
"Why?"
"Jcs cause I'm glad iou didn't. Some
body ortcr do 't an' some :un will, mebbe."
'Look here, you black rascal, if I hear of
you burning any houses I'll have you shot."
"Do good Lord bless you, massa, I won't,
'deed I won't."
Tho Captain walked on with his head
bowed trying to make oat the character of
the negro. He had bean the slavo of Mr.
Ncff for twenty years, and he had known
him ever since boyhood, bat there had al
ways seemed to be some deep mystery con
nected with him. Thero was something in
his nature unfathomable. When next ho
looked for Blackhawk ha had vanished.
As tho little army advanced their num
bers continued to hourly increase, nntilthey
had over a thousand men, with indifferent
arms and still mora indifferent discipline.
Cairo was forty miles away when they re
ceived information that Jeff Thompson,
with a force of rebels far superior to their
own, was between them and their haven
of safety. Colonel Richard Oglesby, with a
splendid Illinois regiment, was somewhere
in their neighborhood, but, despite every ef
fort made on the part of Colonel Smart, he
found it impossible to communicate with
him.
Among tho recruits received on tho march
were about two hundred mounted men,
whom they used as scouts and foragers.
Captain Henry Smart had been chosen
Colonel, but as yet no commissions had
been granted any of the officers, owing to
some disagreement between the Governor
and General Fremont Colonel Smart had
all the officers of the regiment summoned to
his headquarters one morning, and, with a
face that was very earnest, said:
"Boys, we're goin' to smell gunpowder
before the day is done. The rebels aro about
three miles from here ona farm, and waitin'
to cut us off."'
"How many are they in number?" one of
the officers asked.
'Don't know; but they're reported about
three thousand strong."
A silence ensued. Then one of tae officers
realizing that they wore in a poor condition
to fight such odds suggested that it might
be well to uiako a circuit around them. But
Colonel Smart shook his head and an
swered: "No, Two undertook that we'd have to
turn back, and we'd like as not meet Price
and McCullough. We've got to get to Cairo,
where General Grant and General Prentiss
are, and then we'll be able to whip all tho
rebels in tho country."
"You mean that wo must cut our way
through tno rebels sent to head us off!"
said Luke.
"That's it, Captain."
"The sooner wo get at it the better, for
they are reinforcing all tha time."
Tho others were of the same opinion, and
each officer was instructed to seo that his
men were in the best condition possiblo for
battle. A few minutes were given to the
inspection of guns, and to see that all were
supplied with ammunition, and the force
moved on, tho cavalry considerably in tho
advance.
It was a bright autumn morning. The
night had been slightly chilly, but as tho
sun roso the dew evaporated, and it grew
sultry.
Captain Mason, who was well in advance,
found himself descending a wooded slope,
while out on his left was a long, level
stretch of land, with vast corn and wheat
fields, cut up and broken by lanes and roads,
with hero and thero beautiful farm-houses.
They could only occasionally catch a glimpse
of tho valley below, for as they wound down
the ridge road, they were most of the timo
shut in by green walls of tall trees and
thick bushes. On either side of them tibe
ridge sunk away into deep rocky ravines,
tho sides of which were covered with such
a dense undergrowth that the bottom could
not bo seen.
The road at last made an abrupt turn
where tho ridge terminated and descended
into tho valley below. Just as Luko at tho
head of his company reached the-crest of
tho hill, distant shots beyond tho first farm
house in tho valley reached his cars.
Horsemen could be seen galloping up and
down the lanes, and for some timo it was
impossible to distinguish friend from foe.
Captain Mason drew his company up
along the line of the bluff abovo tho valley
so as to guard tho pass, and waited for the
Colonel, who camo galloping forward in
timo to meet the returning cavalry. The
cavalry reported that the enemy were
strongly posted beyond the first farm
house. .
Luke's company, with the cavalry, were
deployed as skirmishers, and ordered to ad
vance until they came upon the enemy.
After a few words of encouragement to
his men they descended to tho valley and
deployed.
Fences were thrown down, and through
tho fields, woods, pastures and meadows
they began to advance.
Luke halted in a cornfield below a houso
to reconnoiter. His forces extended on
either sido of him and but three or four
men were in sight The old farm-house on
his right had a peaceful, quiet and home
like look. The great dark-green stalks of
corn roso up on overy side, tha blades and
rich stalks forming a junglo impenetrable
to tho eye, Busy bees were drowsily hum
ming about from vino to vine, among the
corn or lighting on the heavy pods of full,
ripo beans. A snnflowcr turned its bold
face to tho king of light, and a shred of gold
upon the tall stalk marks where a butterfly
lingers unconscious of danger. The lambs
aro bleating in tho far-off pastures, and the
gentle lowing of cattle on tho distant hills
reaches the car of tho soldier, and seem
maddening when he contemplates what is
soon to follow.
Thero aro no signs of carnage, but every
thing betokens tho peace and repose of a
delightful Sabbath morn. Luke moves on
from the cornfield into a peach orchard.
The trees seem groaning under their bur
den of luscious fruit Ho could not resist
tho temptation to pick up one of tho great
ripe peaches which fell at his feet and cat
it
Their line, which is now visible some dis
tance either way, ho was glad to see was
unbroken. Tho hungry soldiers wero dc
vouring the peaches, many of them proba
bly taking their last meal.
A whito puff of smoko issued from the
fence below tho orchard. Tho enemy has
at last been found. Another, another, and
another shot rang out
"Steady, don't shoot until you seo your
man," cried tho Captain. The firing
seemed to como from a bunch of tall weeds
and grass down under tho hill. Steadily
tho line of skirmishers crawled forward,
straining their eyes for a sight of tho ene
my. A fifth shot, and tho bullet whizzing
through tho branches cf tho tree above
Luke's head brought down half a dozen
rosy-cheeked peaches and a shower of
leaves. Luko knew tho shot was aimed at
him.
"I seo tho skunk who shot at you, Cap,"
said Arkansaw Tom, who was but a few
feet on Luke's left; "shall I fix 'im?"
"Of course, Tom, if an enemy's in sight
try your skill."
Arkansaw took a step aside and laid bis
long riflo by tho side of a peach tree. A
moment later thero camo a sharp report,
followed by a yell from the tall grass
and rosin weeds, and a man sprang half
way to his feet and fell back kicking and
struggling.
Shot after shot rang along tho skirmish
lines, and tho bullets whistled like hail
among the trees.
" Lio low; keep close to the ground !" said
Luke.
Skirmishers soon learn that art The
firing became general, and in a few mo
ments the enemy began to fallback. That
uneasy dread which possessed every man
at first disappeared as tho enemy began to
fall back, and with wild yells tho skirmish
ers pressed on.
Fearing tho consequences of hurling a
skirmish line against a lino of battle, Luko
ordered a halt Not over one-half obeyed,
and tha ethers, with the cavalry, dashed
pell mell upon the enemy, whom they found
in solid phalanx in a field just beyond the
orchard fence. A volley like a thunderclap
shook tho earth, strewing the ground with
dead and dying men and horses. Tho sur
vivors fled, and Captain Mason had all he
could do to prevent a panic; but he at last
n-fii..
JftrJCftf.
ABKAXSAW TOOK A STEP ASIDE ASB UAISED
BIS BirLE.
checked the headlong flight of the most im
petuous, and the firing was resumed at long
range.
Crouching closo to the ground the skir
mishers crept to the fence and opened fire on
the rebels, who returned it, and bullets
whizzed like had about them.
"I swow, Cap'n, we can't stand this
long," said Arkansaw To ji, who was crouch
ing in a fence corner on Luke's left "We're
a fightin' the hull bilin' o' 'em."
The Captain was about to give the order
to fall back, when he heard the stentorian
voice of Colonel Smart in their rear shout:
"On the right by file into line, an' be gol
dinged quick about it 1"
Like veterans the new recruits wheeled
Boblyintoline and advanced to the fence
. a - a iVtAWvVl-" n '"ST- 2sW
-ydl $$!$ ft &
0r
mM. f .. ? -c i&
- 'Sjg-fe. ,
row. In a moment both lines of battlo were
wrapt in flame and smoke. Whistling
shots, dying groans, the cries of the
wounded and the shouts of tho combatants,
mingled with tho incessant rattle of small
arms, awed all peaceful sounds of nature to
silence.
Tho Union forces seemed roused to a
pitch of enthusiasm bordering unto frenzy.
Their only hope was to break through the
enemy's ranks and press on to Cairo. The
rebels, astounded and dismayed at tho vigor
ous assault from a force whoso numbers
they had all along underestimated, gave
way and began a retreat, which threatened
to bo a panic.
A small body of Confederate cavalry was
seen to turn off to the left and enter a
grove of trees about one mile from tho con
flict Captain Mason at once suggested to
ColonelSmart the plan of cutting them off,
and the Colonel falling into the idea de
tailed him at tho head of fifty mounted
men to do the work. Though Luke was an
infantryman it was an easy matter to
transfer him to tho cavalry, an extra borso
was all that was required.
Away they went at a gallop down a lane,
circling about awheatfield, coming up to
tho grovo where the Confederates had been
seen to enter. Without atiy precautions,
however, they plunged pell mell into the
wood, and soon came upon half a dozen
horsemen gathered about a wounded officer
who, unable to go further, was lying on the
ground. Another Confederate officer had
dismounted and was binding up his
wounds.
"Sitrrcndtcl" cried Luko, galloping for
ward with drawn sword.
"Ho!1 1 Ltike Mason," cried a familiar
voice, 's i; you who aro hounding us to
death?"
Luko drew rein and gazed upon the de
fiant face of tho brave young officer before
him. His troopers crowded forward, their
double-barreled shot-guns cocked, and
Luko began to fear that he would be power-
less to prevent an attack. It was Lillie's
brother, his best friend, what was ho to
do?
"Do wo meet as friends or foes?" Albert
Neff asked. "We aro but half a dozen who
have left the main body of tho army to care
for a wounded comrade, you aro fifty;
but if you say battle to the death, so shall
it be."
CHAPTEK VX.
ON TO BELMONT.
Captain Mason knew that if ho refused to
either make the half dozen Confederates
prisoners or shoot them down in their
tracks he would be censured. But with
his warm, sympathetic heart appealing for
the brother of tho girl dearer than life, he
determined to set military authority at de
fiance. "You onco had me in your power and
spared me," sa"d tho young Captain, after
t,n awkward silence of a few seconds. "I
would bo moro than a monster to refuse
you your liberty."
"Thank you, Luke. I don't ask this for
mvself."
The friends advanced and met half way
between their forces. Leaning from his
horso he grasped tho hand of bis friend, who
was standing on tho ground. Captain Mason
said:
"Albert, it will be all I can do to call
those men off, as their blood is up and they
are desperate. I shall do my best, though."
"Thank you, it is all you can da"
"This will bo tho last timo we can meet
as friends on tho field of carnage. Though
I shall not raiso my band against you my
self, the conflict is too desperate for ono to
screen tho other."
" I know it, Luke. God bless you, my
fnend, farewell"
"Ono moment beforo you go whero is
Lillici" asked Luke.
"At home, I suppose."
"Sho was not when wo came by, andl
wanted so much to sec her. If you most
her, tell her that for her sake her
brother's life shall ever bo safe. But longer
delay is dangerous, go fly while you can."
" Wo can not travel with him."
'Leave him, then."
"No, I would die before I did that"
"Who is ho?"
" Captain Jasper Morgan."
"The son of Colonel Morgan?"
"Yes."
"Was it Colonel Morgan whom we
fought?"
"It was."
"Farewell."
Again those friends, one standing in the
ranks of ono army and ono in another,
clasped hands, gazed for a moment into each
other's faces and parted.
"Have they surrendered," ono of tho
cavalry officers asked, as Luke came back
to his mounted men.
"No, it's only a detail to caro for the
wounded; let them go."
" And not mako prisonors of them?"
" Yes, it is best I will be responsible if
the order is wrong. To arms, right about."
Tho cavalrymen wheeled their horses
about and, with tho Captain at their head,
went thundering from the wood, down the
hill to tho valley below. Shots could be
heard a milo or so down tho valley, and
there being a probability of tho enemy cut
ting them off, he had them hasten with all
speed to tho main force.
As Luko dismounted from his horse near
whero tho fight had been hottest, he could
not but shudder. It was tho first glimpse
of carnage ho had ever had. The fence
over which the conflict had been was badly
shattered with bullets and buck-shot, and
in places was completely thrown down.
Lying on his back upon tho lately mown
meadow was a middle aged man in his shirt
sleeves, looltinr like a farmer in peaceful
slumber. A bullet had pierced his heart '
and his features wero not distorted or
unnatural. But a few rods away, at the
brink of tho horse-pond, lay a red-headed
boy of about seventeen summers, shot in
the head.
An old, white-haired man had fallen on
his face with his gun under him. Three
dead Confederates lay piled against the
fence. The Union dead, twelve in number,
lay scattered about in tho corn-field and
peach orchard beyond.
"Glad yer back," said the Colonel, coming
up to where Luko stood gaziug on tho
scene. "We can't wait hero long. We're
having the dead and wounded gathered up
and cared for, and we must be goin' or we'll
have twenty thousand Johnny rehs all
around us."
By the middle of the afternoon the little
army was again on tho road to Cairo. In
the hurry and confusion Captain Mason's
indulgence to his Confederate friend was
not reported.
The soldiers, angered at the resist
ance they had met became more op
pressive to tho people whose country
they were passing through. Houses
wero pillaged and burned, and the man of
civilization became a barbarian and a rob
ber. They were greatly aggravated by the
taunts of the Confederate women, who
waved rebel flags in their faces and cheered
"Jeff Davis ana the Southern Confeder
acy." At such times some forgot they were
gentlemen and gave insult for insult usual
ly leaving tho smoking ruins of a once
happy home as a terrible example of foolish
insolence.
Hundreds of frightened and oppressed
Union men were constantly flocking to them
for protection, aud next day after the fight
Colonel Smart had over a thousand unarmed
men, who had to be fed. Having no pro
vision train foraging became an absolute
necessity. Beiug in the enemy's country
some of these foraging expeditions were at
tended with great danger and many were
the ridiculous adventures.
I TO BS COSTISTED.l
At the Club.
A. It is wonderful how much some peo
ple can endure. Here is a case of a man
living two months with a ball in his head
without complaining.
B. That's nothing. At this season of
the year my wife hasn't got any thing but
balls in her head, and sho never complains.
She goes to one two or three times a week,
Texas Sittings.
BAD COMPANY.
Or. Talmaffft on the Evils of Im
proper Associations.
Bad IlesnU Sure to Follow Contact With
Sinful Persona Dangers of Too Much
leUeneis. and. Pleasure Compan
ions tBa Avoided.
In a recent sermon at Brooklyn, on tHe
labject of Evil Associations Dr. Taimage
took bis text from. Proverbs xlii. 20: "A
ximpanion. of fools shall be- destroyed."
Following is the sermon:
"May it please the court" said a con
ricted criminal, when asked If he bad any
Ihing to say before sentence of death was
sassed upon him; 'may it please the
.-ourt, had company has been my ruin. I
eceived the blessings of good parents and
n return promised to avoil all evil spo
liations. Had I kept my promise I should
lave been saved this shams and been free
,'rom the load of guilt that hangs about
ne like a vulture, threatening to drag me
:o Justice for crimes yet unrevealed. I,
who once moved In the first circles of
loclety and have been the guest of dls
:lnguished public men, am lost and all
through bad company."
This is but one of the thousand proofs
;bat the companion cf fools shall be de
itroyed. It is the invariable rule. There
Is a well man in tbo wards of a hospital
There there aro a hundred people sick
with ship fover and he will not be so apt
:o take the disease as a good man would
je apt to be smitten with moral distemper
f fchut up with iniquitous companions.
In olden times prisoners were herded to
gether in the same cell, but each one
learned tbo vices of all the culprits, so
' :hat' instead of being reformed by incar
eration, tho day of liberation turned
;hem out upon society beasts, not men.
We may in our places of business be
;onipeIled to talk and to mingle with bad
lien, but he who deliberately chooses to
issociate himself with vicious people is
jngaged in carrying on a courtship with
Delilah whose shears will clip off all the
ocks of his strength and he will be tripped
nto perdition. Sin is catching, is in
fectious, is epidemic. I will let you look
iver the millions of people now inhabiting
.be earth and I challenge you to show me
i good man who, after one year, has made
:boice and consorted wiih the wicked. A
thousand dollars reward for one such in
itance. I care not how strong your char
acter may be. Associate with gamblers,
you will be a gambler. Clan with tho
tmrglnrs and you will become a burglar.
Go among tho unclean nnd you will be
come unclean. Not appreciating the truth
of my ttxt, many a young man has been
destroyed. He wakes up some morning
in the great city and knows no one
except the persons into whose employ he
has ntered. As lio goes into the store all
the clerks mark him, measuro 'him and
disiuss him. The upright young men of
the store wish liim Well, but perhaps wait
tor a formal introduction, nnd even then
have some delicacy about inviting him into
their associations. But the bad young
men of the s.ore at the first opportunity
approach nnd offer their services. They
pttronize him. They profess to know all
about the town. Thoy will take him any
where he wishes to go if ho will pay the
xpenses. For if a good young man and
a lnd young man go to some place where
they ought not the good young man has
invariably to pay the charges. At the
moment the ticket is to be paid for or the
:hnmpagne settled for the bad young man
feels around in his pockets and says: 'I
hove forgotton my pjcketbjofc." In forty
sight hours after tue young man has en-
lend the store th bad fellows of the es
tablishment slop him on the shoulder fa
miliarly, and, at his stup dily in taking
certain illusions, sny: "My ycung friend,
you will have to bo broken in," and they
immediately proceed to break him in.
Young man, in the name of God, I warn
you to beware how you let a bad man talk
familiarly with you. If such an one slap
you on the shoulder familiarly turn
around and give him a withering look un
til tho wretch crouches in your presence.
There is no monstrosity of wickedness
that can stand unabashed under the
glance of purity and honor. God keeps
.he lightnings of Heaven in lih own scab
bard and no human arm can wield them;
but God gives to every young man a light
ning that he may use and that is ths light
ning cf an honest eye. Those who have
been close observers will not wonder why
I give warning to young men, and say,
"Beware of bad company."
First I warn you to shun the skeptic
the young man who puts bis Angers in his
vest and laughs at your old fashioned re
ligion and turns over to some mystery of
iho Bible and says: "Explain that, my
pious friend; explain that" And who
says: "Nobody shall scare me; I am not
afraid of the lu ute; I used to believe in
uch things, and so did my father and
mother, but I have got over it" Yes, he
has got over it; ' and if you sit iu his
company a little longer you will get over
it too. Without presenting one argu
ment against the Christian religion such
men will, by their jeers and scoffs
and caricatures, destroy your respect for
that religion which was the strength of
your father in his declining years and the
pillow of your old mother when she lay
dying. Alas 1 a time will come when that
blustering young infidel will have to die,
and then his diamond ring will flahno
splendor in the eyes of Death, as he stands
over the couch waiting for his soul. Those
beautiful locks will be uncombed upon the
pillow, and the dying man will say: "I
can not die I can not die." Death, stand
ing ready, beside the couch, says: "You
must die; you have only half a minute to
live; let me have it right nway your
soul." "No," say3 the young infidel,
"here are my gold rings, and these pict
ures; tako them all." 'No," says Death,
"what do I care for pictures your soul."
' Stand back," says the dyintr infidel. "I
will not stand back," says Death," "for
fou have only ten seconds now to live; I
want your soul." The dying man says:
"Don't breathe that cold uir into my face.
Yon crowd me too hard. It is getting
dark in the room. OGod!" 'Hush," says
Death, "you said there was no God"
"Pray for me," exclaims the expiring in
fidol. "Too late to pray," says Death;
but three more seconds to live, and I will
count them off one two three." He
has gone! Where? Where? Carry him
out out and bury him beside bis father
and mother, who died while holding fast
to the Christian religion. They died sing
ing; tut the young infidel only said:
"Don't breathe that cold a:r into my face.
You crowd me too hard. It is getting
dark in the room."
Again, I urge you to shun the compan
ionship of idlers. There are men hanging
around every store, and office, and shop
who have nothing to do, or act as if they
bad not. They are apt to come in when
the firm are away, and wish to engage
you in conversation while you are en
gaged in your regular employment Po
litely suggest to such persons that you
have no xime to give them during business
hours. Nothing would please them so
n ell as to have you renounce your occu
pation and associate with them. Muck of
the time they lounge around tha club
rooms or the doors of engine houses, or
utter the dining hour stand upon the steps
jf a fash onable hotel or an elegant res
aurant, wishiwg to give you the idea that
hat is the place where they dine. But
they do not dine there. They are sinking
down lower and lower, day by day.
Neither by day nor by night have any
thing to do with the idlers. Before you
admit a man into your acquaintance ask
him politely: "What do you do for a liv
ing?" If he says, "Nothing; I am a gen
tleman," look out for him. He may have
very soft hand and very faultless apr-a-
rel, and have a high-sounding family
name, but h s touch is death. Before you
know it you will. In bis presence- be
ashamed, of your work dress. Business
will become to you drudgery; and after
awhile you will lose your place.and after
ward your respectability; and. last of all
your soul. Idleness is next door to vil
lainy: Thieves, gamblers, burglars,
shop lifters and assassins are
made-from the class-who have nothing
to da When the police go to hunt up and
arrest a culprit they seldomgo to look In
among busy o'erks or in the busy carriage
factory, but they go among the idlers.
The play is going on.at.the theater, when
suddenly there is a scuffle in the top
gallery. What is it?- A policeman has
come in, and, leaning over, baa tapped on
the shoulder of a youngman, saying: "I'
want you, sir." He has not worked, dur
ing the day. but somehow has raked to
gether a shilling or two to get into ths top
gallery. He is an idler. The man on. his
right hand is an idler and the man on his
left hand is an idler.
Shrink back from idleness in yourself
and in others if you would maintain a
right position. Good old Ashbel Green at
more than eighty years of age was found
busy writing and some young-man said to
him: " hy do you keep busy? It is time
for you to rest" "I keep bu-y-tokeep
out of mischief." No man is stroug enough
to be idle.
Are you fond of pictures?1 If so I will
show you the works of an old master.
Here it Is: ''I went by the field of the
slothful and by the vineyard of the man
void of understanding; and lot. it was all
gi own over with thorns, and nettles had
covered the face thereof and the stone
wall was broken down. Then I saw and
considered well. 1 looked upon it and re
ceived instruction. Yet a little sleep, a
little slumber, a little folding of the hands
to sleep. So shall thy poverty come as one
that traveleth and thy want as an armed
man." I don't know of another sentence
in the Bible more explosive than that It
first hisses softly like the fuse of a can
non and at last bursts like a fifty-four
pounder. The old proverb was right:
"The devil tempts most men, but idlers
tempt the deviL"
A young man came to a man of ninety
years of age and said to him: "How hare
you made out to live so long and be so
well?" The old man took the youngster
to an orchard, and, pointing to some large
trees full of apples, said: "I planted these
trees when I was a boy, and do you
wonder that now I am permitted to gather
the fruit of them?" We gather in old age
whit wo planted in our youth. Sow to the
wind and we reap the whirlwind. Plant
in early life the right kind of a Christian
character, and you will eat luscious fruit
in old age, and gather these harvest apples
in eternity.
Again: I urge you to avoid the per
petual pleasure seeker. I believe in rec
reation and amusement I need it as
much as I need bread, and go to my daily
exercise with as conscientious a purpose
as 1 go to the Lord's Supper; and all per
sons of sanguine temperament must have
amu-ement and recreation. God would
not have made us with the capacity to
laugh if he had not intended us sometimes
to indulge it God bath hung in sky and
set in wave and printed on grass many a
rounde ay; but ho who chooses pita ure
seeking for his lifo work does not under
stand for what God made him. Our
amusement) are intended to help us in
sotno anient mission. The thunder cloud
lia h an edge exquisitely purpled, but
with Vi ice that jars ths earth, it declares:
'I go to water the green fields." The
wild flowers under the fence are gay, but
they say: 'We stand here to make a
bia'itiful edge for the wheat field and re
fresh the husbandmen in their nooning "
The s ream sparkles a-id foams and frolic i
a id says: "1 go to haptize the moss I
lave the snots on tho trout I slake tho
Jhlis: of the bird. I turn tho wheel of
the mill. 1 rock in my crys at cradle
niuckslia-.v and water lily." And at
whi.o the world p'ays, it works Look
out for tha man who always clays and
never works.
Von w-i I do well to avoid those whose
regular business it Is to play ball, skateor
goa-bonting. All these sports are grand
in their places. I never derived so much
advantage from any ministerial associa
tion as from a ministerial club that went
out to play hall every Saturday afternoon
in the outskirts of Philadelphia. These
recreations are grand to give us muscle
and spirits for our regular toil. I believe
in mutcular Christianity. A man is often
not so noar God with a weak stomach as
when he has a strong digestion. But
shun those who make it their life occupa
tion to sport There are young'men whoss
industry and usefulness have fallen over
board from the yacht on the Hud ion or
the Schuylkill. There are men whose busi
ness fell through the ice of the skating
pond nnd has never since been heard of.
There is a beauty in the gliding of a boat
in the song of skates, in the soaring of a
well-stiuck ball, and I never see one fly
but I involuntarily throw up my hands
and catch it; and, so far from laying an
Injunction upon ball p'aylng, or any other
Innocent sport I claim them alias belong
ing of right to those of us who toil in the
grand industries of church and state.
But the life business of pleasure seeking
always make in the end a criruiial or a
sot Grorgd Brummel was smiled upon
by all England and his life was gven to
pleasure. He danced with peeresses and
swung a round of mirth and wealth and
applause until exhausted of purse and
worn out of body and bankrupt of reputa
tion and ruined of soul he begged a
biscuit from a grocer and declared that be
thought a dog's life was better than a
min's.
Such men will crowd around yonr desk
or counter or work bench or seek to decoy
you off. They will want you to break out
in the midst of your busy day to take a
ride with them to Coney Island or to Cen
tral park. They will tell you of some peo
ple you must see; of some excurriin that
you must take; of some Sabhath day that
you ought to dishonor. They will tell you
of exquisite wines that you must take; if
costly operas that you must hear; of won
derful dancars that you must see; hut be
fore you accept their convoy or thtir com
panionship remember that while at the end
of a useful life you may be able to look
back to the kindness den, to bonorall
work accomplished, to poverty helped, to
a good name earned, to Christian influence
exerted, to a Saviour's cause advanced
these pleasure seekers on their deathbed
have nothing better to review than a torn
playbill, a ticket for the races, an empty
tankard ami the cast out rinds of a ca-rou-nl:
nnd as in the delirium of their
awful death they clutch the goblet and
pnss it to their lips, the dregs of the cup
falling upon their tongue will begin to hiss
and uncoil with the udders of an eternal
poison.
Cast these men out from your company.
Do not be intimate with thorn. Always be
polite. There is no demand that you ever
sacrifice politeness. A young man ac
costed a Christian Quaker with: ''O d
chap, how did you make all your money?"
The Quaker replied: "By dealing in an
article that thou mayest deal in if thou
wilt civility.'? Always be courteous, hut
at the same tim9 firm. Say no as if you
moant it Have It understood in store and
shop and street that you will not stand in
the companionship of the skeptic.tbe idler,
the pleasure seeker.
Rather than enter the companionship of
such, accept the invitation " to a better
feast The promises of God are the fruits.
The harps of Heaven are the music.
Clusters from the vineyards of God have
been pressed into the tankards. The sons
and daughters of the Lord Almighty are
the guests. While, standing at the ban
quet, to fill the cups and divide the clus
ters and command the harps and welcome
the guests, is a daughter of God on whose I
brow are the blossoms of paradise, and la
whose obeek Is the flush of celestial sum"
mer. Her name is Religion.
Her ways are ways ot pleasantness
And all her paths are peace..
Decide toon, young man,, on. what
direction you will take. There comes
such a moment of final decision why not
this? One evening I saw a man at the
street corner evidently doubting as to- r i i , . , ,.
what direction he had bettervtake, his bat I , T makin& melot fop a nmber, it
lifted high enough so you could see he had" u etter toiprepare several small ones,
an intelligent forehead, and he had a stoat i rather than one-large, unless, it', is- a
chest and a robust development Splendid.: baked omelet;, which is vory goodl if
youngman. Cultured young man. Hon-1 served and eaten immediately after
ored young man. Why did he stop there oookin".
while so many were going up and down? j T v
The fact is that every man has a good Beforo going shopping' make an
angel and a bad angel contending for the estimate of what you need, note where
mastery ot his spirit and there was a I you are going and just how much you
good angel and a bad angel struggling; can afford to spend. Salesmon like-to
with fnnr. vntino. mnn' anlll of tha ni-nai I ..
with that young man's soul at the corner
of the street "Come with me,',' said, the
good angel;- "1 will take you home;- I
will spread my wing over-your pillow;
Twill lovingly escort you all through life
under supernatural protection; I will bless
every cup you drink out of, every couch
you rest on, every doorway you enter; I
will consecrate your tears when you weep.
your sweat when you toil and at the last
I will hand over your grave to the bright
angel of a-Christian resurrection. In an
swer to your father's petition and your
mother's prayer L have been sent ot the
Lord out of Heaven to be your guardian
spirit ''Come with me," said the good
angel in a voice of unearthly symphony.
'No, no." said the bad-angel, "come
with me; I have something better to offer.
The wines I pour are from chalices of be
witching carousal. The dance lead is
over flbor tessellated with unrestrained
indulgences. There is no God to frown
on the temples of sin where I worship.
The skies are Italian. The paths Y tread
are through meadows daisied and prim
rosed. Come with me." The young man
hesitated at a time when hesitation was
ruin and the bad angel smote the good
angel until it departed, spreading wings-
through the starlight upward and away,
until a door flashed open in the sky and
forever the wings vanished. That was
the turning point In that young man's
history; for, the good angel flown,
be hesitated no longer, but started
on a pathway which is beautiful
at the opening, but blasted at the
last The bad angel, leading the
way, opened gate after gate, and at each
gate the roo i became rougher and tho sky
more lurid, and what was more peculiar,
as the gate slammedsbut it came to with
a jar that indicated that it would never
open. Passed ra"h portal, there was a
grinding of locks and a shoving of bolts:
and the scenery on either side the read
changed from gardens to deserts, and the
June air became a cutting December bast,
nnd tho brirht wings ot tli3 la 1 angel
turned to sackcloth, and the eyes of light
became hollow with hopeless griof, and
thi fountains, that rat ihe s art had tossed
with wine, poured forth bubbling tears and
foaming blood, and on the right side of
the road thero was a serpent, and the man
said to the bad angel : "What Is that ser
pent?" and the answer was: "That is the
serpent of stinging remorse." On the left
side the road there was a lion, and tho
man asked the bad angel: "What Is that
lion?" and the answer was: "That is the
lion of all devouring despair." A vulture
flew through the sky, and the man asked j
me dbu angei: nuai is mat vuuurer -
and the answer was: "That is the vult
ure waiting for the carcasses of the
"' Andthen ths man began to try to pnll off
of him the folds of something that had
wound him round and round, and he said
to the bad angel: "What is it that twists
me In this awful convolution?" and the
nnswerwas: "inatis tneworm tnatnever
dies!" And then the man said to the had
nngel: "What does all this moan? I keeping.
trusted In what you said at the corner of The British Medical Journal favors
the street that night; I trusted it all, cleansing tho stomach before moals by
a"1 h, y? "I- d77ilT drinking freely of water. Of this it
me?" Then the last deception fell off AA,. ,J .. ...
of the charmer, and It said: "I was sent 8ays: "It washes away tho mucus which
forth from the pit to destroy your soul; I is secreted during the intervals of re
watched my chance for many a long year; pose and favors peristalsis of tho whole
when you hesitated thatnighton the street alimentary tract Tho membrane thus
I gained mr triumph, now you are here, cieansed is in a mUch better condition
Ha! Ha! Y u are here. Come, now, let . , , , . , . .
us fill theso two chalices of fire and drink to ,C01V0 od ,whon, convrtd "to
to dirkness and woe and death. Hail I solublo compounds. Food coated with
Hnil!" , tenacious mucus matter must necessar
O, ycung man, will the good angel ily bo slow of digestion, and so espe
sent forth by Christ or the bad angel sent cmiiy in tho morning beforo breakfast
forth by sin get the victory over ycur
soul? Their wings are interlocked this
motmnt above you, contending for your
destiny, as above the Apennines eagle nnd
condor fight mid-sky. This hour may de
cide your destiny. God help you. To
hesitate is to diet
NEAPOLITAN IMAGES.
The Indescribable (iaudiness of the Ma
donnas Destined for Shops.
There aro whole streets devoted to
shops where images of the saints and
martyrs, Bambinos and Madonnas, are
mado and sold. The quantity of these
objects is so great that I should
think every worshiper in Naples must
possess at least a dozen. The tastes
and purses of all classes are consulted.
There are Madonnas of huge propor
tions, and little ones which may be
purchased for a few soldi. The colors
are nearly all glowing, the contrasts
are violent, tnd often shocking to one
whoso eyes have been artistically edu
cated. Tho southern Italian does not
understand the uso of color, although
the heavens and tho earth both supply
him with the most ample lessons in ex
quisite harmony and grouping. I
noticed one little shop in particular,
kept by a counterpart of Quilp, the
dwarf, who had piled in most appetiz
ing confusion in bis windows, saints
and contadini, brigands and martyrs,
beggars and apostles, fishermen and
monks. Bambinos and boatmen the
secular and the religious so inextricably
commingled as to form a most ludi
crous and picturesque whole. Another
window certainly contained a
thousand of these figures, and the
merry workers, seated on benches in
the open air, were busy with prepara
tion of others. Buyers at wholesale
and retail came and went Many
thousands of these images are sent
over sea to the constantly-growing
Italian colonies in the Argentine Re
public, and in other sections of the
two Americas. The gaudiness of the
Madonnas destined for shops and
dwellings is quite indescribable; bar
baric is not the word to express it, for
barbaric idols are often less gaudy.
But there is rarely any thing grotesque
in the religious figures; the artist is
reverent, by instinct, in the treatment
of his subject It is a trifle shocking,
however, to hear tho workmen en
gaged on these pious figures interlard
ing their conversation with the oaths
and ejaculations which are so com
mon, and are thought so little of, in
Naples. It is recorded of the great
Mercadante that he once used an ex
pression of this kind in presence of
the Queen of Naples, at a concert
given by her command, so unconscious
was he that a habit had become second
nature. Language is naked and un
adorned on the lips of the middle and
lower classes in the Neapolitan dis-' the colored ones. Decorator and Fur
trict. All the Year Bound. aishor.
USEFUL. AND- SUGGESTIVE:.
A little -pounded ice-laid i oh. the
back of tho nock will alloy-nausea-
In washingand hulling; them much',
of the piquant flavor which, distin
guishes the strawberries may be lost..
i if thev nro not nnrrfnllv hnnrilnri-
wait on a woman who. "knows lust
what sho'wants," and.If there aro any
bargains going- she usually gets them.
To free the head from scales, pro
cure from.a druggist an. ounce ot car
bonato of potassa, and take as much of"
it as will lio on a shilling- in the palm
of tho hand,, wash, into a froth. with a.
littlo water, and. rub into -tho roots of
tho hair. Repeat every.- morning as
long as-required.
Tho following recipe- for the ce
menting of wood and glass is said to
have the advantage over-many others
in that it doc3 not injure tho most
brightly-polished hard, woods: Mix to
gether sotno finely pulverized, well
dried, zinc-whito with, clear copal var
nish in such quantities-as to- produce a,
half liquid, preparation; spread this
over tho parts to be- contented, and it
will be found thatthoywill.be joined
firmly together.
Varnish made with alcohol will, get
dull and. spongy by- the evaporation, of
tho alcohol, which leaves- water ia the
varnish, as all commercial alcohol con
tains water- It is therefore advisable to
take a sheet of thiagelatine,. cut it into
strips and. put into- varnish;-, it will ab
sorb, in tho thin sheet most of tho
water,, nnd tho varnish can. be used
clear and bright till the last drop. The
gelatine will get quite soft- it can then
be taken out nnd dried and used again.
Fig Cake. One and ono-half cup
fuls of sugar; one-half cupful of but
ter, the whiter of four eggs, ona and
ono-half teaspoonfuls of baking-powder,
one cupful of milk two and ono
half cupfuls of flour. For filling, cut
one dozen figs into small pieces, barely
cover with water and lot them como
to a boil, then remove from the stove
immediately. Ilave ready tho whites
of four well-beaten eggs; add to those
tho figs and one cupful of sugar; mix
well and spread between the layers.
Egg Cutlot Cut half a dozen
hard boiled eggs into thin slices when
perfectly cold; dip each slice into beat
en egg, roll in bread-crumbs which
should bo seasonoJ with pepper, salt
aqd minced parsley. Slake th roo table
spoonfuls of butter or nice dripping hot
' fri fi f itriTifT-.Tinn nnrl frr tria aitrtna j-vf
e to a nSat brown' turnta each piece
"s soon as it 13 done on one sido; drain
from thefat. lay on a hot dish nnd pour
over them a cupful of broth or drawn
butter into which a raw ess has been
. , ,., , .,. , . j, ,,,
bcaten whll bOlltnghot-Goodllouse-
a good glass of water makes a hygionic
preparation for breakfast
Beginning Poultry Raising;
Wo admire tho young fancier who is
governed by taste, for it is a much bet
ter and safer way of beginning than by
picking up this or that breed merely
because some breeders havo lauded
them to the skies. Taste is usually ac
companied by fondness. for tho object
of choice, and every experienced fan
cier knows that a real love for the
birds one keeps is a great element to
success. Begin in spring or fall to
breed poultry, but be sure to begin
slowly, and learn by degrees the art of
mating, caring for and managing a
small flock before you launch headlong
into breeding on a largo scale. Make
tho keeping of poultry a secondary
pursuit in the beginning and until you
havo found it more agreeable, pleasur
able and better paying than the occu
pation you first followed. B -gin with
good breeding stock though you may
havo to pay a big price. Remember
that this is putting your money to big
interest After you have started, their
care or keeping will cost no more, or
not much more, than if tho samo num
ber of common fowls wero kept, and
the profits from the sale or use of the
eggs and their living product, for either
ornament or utility, is much greater
than that realized from tho best of the
common sorts. Michigan Homo Jour
nal. Useful Photograph Holders.
Another way to provide for tho ac
cumulation of photographs which comes
upon one unawares nowadays is to gild
a large willow or fancy rattan basket
and pile them helter-skelter into it
Large wooden bowls have been gilded
and decorated on the outer and inner
Tims with a Grocian border in colors,
and utilized for tho same purpose- Pho
tograph holders- with pockets in each
end are very convenient and not trou
blesome to make. Three or four of
different sizes and as many varieties of
material wilL not be in the way about
any house. Some very pretty inexpen
sive one3 seen were made of the heavy
twilled awning cloth, solid two-inch
stripes of dark bluo alternating with
whito the some width. The effect was
highly artistic, tho real material never
being suspected except upon close in
spection. The blue and whito Japa
nese crape, three-eighths of a yard wide,
is exceeding pretty and serviceable for
mall ones. A sheet of wadding filled
with perfume powder laid between the
lining and cover is a pleasing addition.
Narrow striped ticking may bo used
for these holders by crossing-stitching
velvet ribbon on the white stripes and
putting rows of briar stitch up and down
&v
v.i.'.. -3x4!
1 jyii- .T.ar.--" '
