Newspaper Page Text
The Ohio Democrat
illlEHSt & WHITE, Publishers,
LOOAN,
OHIO.
TOM.
ri, Tom's tlio best follow tlmt ever you
knows
Jiutllaton to till!
Wlion tlio old mill took lire, and tlio flooring
foil through,
And I with it, holpleas, tlioro, full In my
vlow,
What do yoa think my oyes saw througn the
tiro,
Tlmt cront along, crept Along, nlglicr and
litctlior,
Ilut Ilobln, ray bnfoy.boy, Inttftlilair to seo
Tlio shining I llo must imvu como there uttor
mn,
Toddlod nlnna from tlio eottnno without
Any one's mlsslnir him. Tlion whutn shout
Olil how 1 shouted:
men.
"for Heaven's inko,
Bnvo little Hoblni" Aunln nnd nsnln
They tried, but the Are hold thorn bask llko
n wall.
I could hear them go at It, nnd at It, nnd
call:
"Never mind. babv. sit still llko n man.
Wo'ro coming to get you us fast as wo can."
Thoy could not seo him, but I could; ho sat
Still nn n beam, his llttlo straw hat
Onrofnlly plucod by his side, and his cyos
Stared at the flatno with a baby's surprise,
Cntm nnd unconscious, as nenror It cropt.
Tlio roar of tlio llro up nbovo must have kopt
Tlio sound of his mothor's volco shrloklng'
his namo
From reaching the child. lint I hoard It. It
carao
Again nnd rnrnln O (Joit, what a cry?
Tlio axes went fust, I saw tlio sparks fly
wlicio tho men wonted llko tigers, nor
mtndod tho boat
That scorched thorn when, suddonly, thero
nttholrfoot ,
Tlio grout bourn loaned In they saw him
then, crash,
Down enmo tho walll Tho men mado n
dash
Jumpod to get out of tho wav and I thought
"All's up with poor llttlo Kobln" nnd
brought
Slowly tho nrm that wns least hurt to hide
Tho sight of the child thore, whan swltt, at
my sight,
Somo one rushed by, and went right through
tha llamo
Straight us a dart caught tho child and
then came
Back with him choking and crying, but
savodl
Oh, how tho men ravod,
cried, and hurruhodl Then
Shouted, nnd
tliov all
Rushed at tlio work again, lest tho buck wall
Whoio I was lying, awny from the fire,
Should fall In and bury me.
To soo Robin now, he's ns bright as a dlmo,
Deep In somo mischief, too, most of tho
tlmo;
Tom, It was, snved him. Now Isn't It truo,
Tom's tho host fallow that over you know?
Thorn's Robin uow soo, lio's strong as a
log
And thero comos Tom, ton
Yes, Tom wns our dog.
Constance Fcntmore Woolton.
JOHN CKINOLINE.
Tho
Life-Poem of a Man with
Frosalo Namo.
Ton years ago thoro wero two notable
things about John Crinolino; first, ,ho
Was heartily ashamod of his name, and,
second, ho had read an extraordinary
number of French books. I may add
that his favorito French author was Cha
teaubriand. Tlioso whoso knowlodgo of
this renowned writer is derived wholly
from a familiarity with tho toothsome
steak bearing his namo perhaps havo a
moro ngrcoablo impression of him than
his books would givo them. But John
Crinolino was such nn ail ml r or of Cha
teaubriand that ho had como to St. Malo,
on tho coast of Franco, that ho might
eco for himself tho houso in which tho
philosopher was born and stand on tho
deserted island whero his favorite au
thor found a lonely grave. And tlio
only reason wiiy ho now loiters in tlio
riace Chatenubriand, gazing at tlio an
tics of a pair of juvonilo tight-rope walk
ers, is that tlio tldo is in, tlio sea already
dashos against tho anoient walls of tho
town, and it is consequently impossible
to cross over the submerged sea diko
which at obb tido connects St. Malo with
tho littlo island of Grand-Boy, on whoso
outermost ledgo rest tlio remains of Cha
teaubriand. Besides, this is tho tlmo of tho harvest
moon, and John i3 porsuaded that if ho
would see the grnvo aright ho must vlow
it as Sir Waltorrocommondshis roadors
to view "fair Melrose." At first ho sat
after dejeuner smoking a cigarette un
der tho awning outsido tlio Hotel do
France nnd regarding with tranquil oyo
tho gracoful woman on tho superb black
horse. Her long riding habit clings to
her, as ttiat ."outmost wrappago nnd
overall" that Carlylo speaks of should,
cling to ovory porfect form, nnd tho
white plumo in her plush hat nods with
each capriolo of tlio hnndsomo beast.
Now and then sho dances back and
forth attending tho movements of two
children who aro walking wiros
stretched taut between poles perhaps
fifty feet apart nnd a dozen feet high.
John can only see from his distant point
of view that ono of those children hns
long yellowish hair, and that both aro
dressed in tinsel and tights. Somo
Frenchmen who sit near liim sipping
Chartreuse havo so many things to say
about tlio horsowomnn that presently
his curiosity is aroused nnd ho joins tho
spectators gathered in a circle around
tho wires.
Tho boy and girl havo ceased to act
In concert, but starting out from the
opposite end of their wires, aro walking
toward cacti other mono. A ueotie
browed man paces botweon ready to
loader assistance in caso of dlsastor.
Tho boy, alort and supple, his chcoks
ailamo witii tlio oxcroiso, trips lightly to
tlio miildlo of tils wire, nnd thoro, pois
ing himself for an instant, begins oscil
lating to and fro.
"Comme-ca, comme-ca!" ho cnc3, in
a. bantering tono to tho littlo girl, who
lias traveled hor wlro moro cautiously.
Sho pauses at his call and casts a timid,
beseeching glanco at tho beotlo-browed
man, who responds to it with a ilorco
grimnco, clonohing his lists. It is tho
opisodo of an instant and doubtless John
Crinolino is tho only ono who obsorves
it. At any rato tho effect it has upon
him is surprising. His eyes Hash and
ho elbows Ids way Impotuously to tho
inner edgo of tho crowd.
"Annottol" calls tlio handsomo horse
woman in a dcop warning tono, draw
ing roin abrent of tho child. Tho sound
of nor volco works a suddon chnngo in
tlio girl's attitude. A shiver runs
through tlio shapoly littlo limbs; sho
darts a trembling glance at tho boy
who is swinging gaily on his wire, and
then, with a piteous attempt at a smile,
bogtns slowly to rock horsolf. Tlio boy,
caporlng Hko a monkoy, shouts "Plus
vitol plus vltol" and tlio bootlo-browod
man, taking up tho words, roponts
them in u monaoing tono, looking up
savagely Into hor small, pallid face Jt
may no that thoy havo unnerved hor;
perhaps sho is blinded by tho tears that
gather to hor bright oyosj at any rato,
John Crinolino sees sho is falling, and,
with a vory wlokod oath on his lips,
springs forward Just In tlmo to snvo
her,
Cest damage," says tlio horsowom
nn coldly, "Merol Men, Monsieur."
For nnswor John Cr.inollno, still hold
ing tho llttlo tlnsol form In his arms,
glares up at tlio woman with suoh fury
tlmt sho blushes, Then jio turns to
moot Annetto's bluu eyes gazing with
wonder luto his.
"You caught mo, didn't youP I'm
awful much oblige. I am going to say
merct Men to you, but I know you
woron't French Boon's I heard you
swenr."
John unities nnd tondorly places her
on tier foot. Thou thn bocllo-browed
mnn, who until now, for reasons host
known to himself, hns kopt nstdo, ap
proaches can In hand, and Is so pro
fusoly thankful to John nnd so outrage
ously affectionate toward tho llttlo acro
bat 'that what also can John do but ad
just his lint boforo nil theso pooplo and
thou niodostly Blink away from thorn?
Nevertheless, ho tolls himself as ho
passes through tlio great porto, that had
thts Incident occurred in America ho
cortnlnly would not havo desisted In his
nttontlons townrds Annctto until ho had
rescued tho poor child from that Ama-
?nn iinil lirntn. ITnrn. linivnvni4. In RK
Malo ho Is a stranger in n strango lanit;
Knows aosoiutoiy noiiung nnout tno
laws regulating
Nonsense, interposes John Crinoline's
conscience Isn't this child likowiso a
stranger in a strango land? Sho heard
vou swonr; sho spoko to you In En
lish. Humbug, says John unflinch
ingly. But out on tho long curving nior,
strolling tho grnnlto docks, indeed nil
the afternoon until evening, when ho
stands on tlio ramparts watching tho
rod sun sink in tlio sen, John thinks of
Annctto. Ho irritably insists that it U
nono of his business, but away over in
tho West tlio clouds cunningly nrrango
thomsclvcs in tho form of a child with
yellow hair, and givo him tlio Ho direct.
Ho whtstles softly and remarks to him
self that this tiling is very amusing; that
ho doesn't proposo to bo browbeaten
Into making an nss of himself, even by
celestial phenomena.
A mild brcozo is blowing seaward and
tho tldo is fast ebbing. Stretches of
white, clean beach lay below him, on
which children aro at play. Adult
Fronchmcn, who will nover outgrow
their boyhood, stand kneo-dcop in tlio
quiet water or a ponu leu by tlio sea,
gleefully sailing their mininturo ships,
and a bovy of girls, chaperoned by their
pnrcnts, aro seeking tho shelter of tlio
rocks to disrobo for a bath. Tardy
blancllisscuses Issuo from tho town with
heaping baskots of linen, which thoy
spread upon tho beach, and the confused
murmur of their voices floats up with
tho rolling of the surf. A gondarmo
stands nt tho western bastion witli tho
torra-cotta tint of tho sky in ids face,
nnd of him John inquired when it will
bo possiblo for him to cross over tlio
diko to Grand-Boy. He has still a half
hour to wait beforo ho can stand by tho
tomb of his favorito French author. It
is enough time for another turn around
tho ramparts.
Tho day is dying. It is nearly dead,
and tho silver light of tho moon is on
tho water, when John, having looked
everywhere else around him, quite
naturally drops his oyes straight down
along tho grcnt granlto blocks of ttio
pier, and is shocked to find them resting
upon Annctto. Yes, thero sho is, hor
lips parted, smiling timidly up nt him;
ono hand against tho slimy green sea
weed that clings to tlio wall, nnd tho
other swinging a small papor parcol.
Of courso, sho is not clad in her tinsel
and tights, only in a shabby blno dress;
but tlio yellow hair is thore, and John
knows hor by it. Ho can discern a mild
appeal In hor eyes; sho looks as though
sho would speak to him; sho has held
hor pretty littlo head in that strained
upward position, so long indeed,
Heaven only knows how fong that ho
can seo her swallowing back what Ills
heart tolls him is a sob and yot, what
docs ho do?
"Bo carefult" ho calls to hor In a gra
cious tono; "you mav fall in. Tlioso
stones look slippory.,f
And tho next instant ho is walking rap
idly away toward the bench.
Wlion John descends tho paved road
way loading from tho mnin mito tlio last
nftorglow of sunset lias faded from tho
sky, nnd tho moon is shining full upon
tho seo. Ho crossos tho sea wall to
Grand-Boy. Tlio llttlo island looks
rather forbidding ns it lies In tho
shadow, sloping gently up from the still
water to whero it is crowned by tho
raggod ruins of tho ancient chateau. i
Tho nnth. faintlv dofincd in tho Brass 1
nnd stones, leads past theso ruins, thon
down n flight of stono steps, and sud
donly boforo John's oyos tlio tomb ap
pears, surrounded by Its iron railing,
through which gleams tho wasto of sea
lighted up by tho moon.
Ho Is instantly suro thoro is nowhoro
another such gravo as this. Perched
upon tho edgo of tlio island, horo lofty
and steep, whoro tlio salt spray can
bntho it when the waves run high, it is
so lonely, so simple, so grand. It is
only a small cylindrical cross carved
from a grnnito block, nnd it rests upon
tlio tomb, which is enclosed by n rusted
iron fonce, the four cornor posts boing
capped by iron pino cones. John ntonco
begins a minute inspection of tho gravo.
Ho has como to St. Malo for thisoxpross
purpose, you will roniembor. So ho
walks slowly around it, and in so doing
his oyo has to fall upon tho sea, tran
quilly surging nnd silvered ovorwitli
tlio light of ttio moon. Wlion ho is
prosontly conscious of this diversion ho
stubbornly turns to tlio irvavo ncrain nnd
trios to uiui nn inscription upon tno
tablet. Thero is nono visible. Ho
then plucks a dead crisp ttowei from
tho mutilated wreath of immortelles
that somo friend or pilgrim liko himself
has long ago hung around tlio shaft of
tho cross. Ho places this llowor in his
notobook and seats himself on tho grnn
ito rock with his limbs hanging over tho
odgo.
"What," ho dollboratoly says aloud,
"ls tlio mattor with mo?"
What, indeed? John Crinolino Is
something of a writor. As a vorsilior ho
is undoubtedly vory olovor, and it is
mainly duo to his bollof that tlio un
fortunate namo ho possossos will always
opornto against his litorary success that
ho is so sensitlvo on that point. His
frionds lament tlmt tills scribbling tal
ont of his is not in tho humorous lino,
whoro UIs namo would really bo an aid
to him. Ho has said witii a mournful
smllo: "Fancy nn odo on tho immor
tality of tho soul byJohn Crinolino."
It has boon usoloss to persuade him to
adopt n nom do plumo. Ho hns al
ready said; "Supposo my work should
succood in that way think of tho fun
thoro would bo whou I revealed myself
as J, Crinolino."
So ho has como horo prepared to
writo, bollovlng tho scono should put
him in a writing mood. Honco ho has
hnd tho forothought to bring a candlo
with him in order that ho may havo
light if noeossary to id down tho
creations of Ids fauey. Sitting thus on
a desolate Island by tho picturesque
gravo of a groat man, with tho wavos
softly lapping on tlio sands bolow, and
tho harvest moon nbovo shedding hor
ghostly light on tho soa cortnlnly such
a situation ought to provoko a first
class pooui. John Is right in his
promises. But ho can not center his
thoughts to.night, not, nt least, on
Chatoaubrhind. When ho looks up at
tho moon or down at Its radlanoo In
;. . . i .. & ..
tho water, straightway his bruin Is
ungovornnblo nnd ho must think of
Annette. Soh Is tlio woakness of
human flesh tho prido of intellect.
John, striving to lift litmsolf up into
tlio realm of fanoy, must tumblo back
to tlio common plnco consideration of
mi unknown child with yellow hair.
'Hang it!" ho says Indignantly.
"What Is tlio mattor with mo to-night."
Isn't a dead genius of moro conso
nuenco to him than ft live acrobat?
Apparently not. Ho springs to his
foot, thrusts tho note-book in his
pockot, lllngs tho candlo over tho cliff,
nnd turns to go, looking wistfully at
tho tomb. It is so peaceful, lying thero
with tlio waves sparkling up at it. Ho
Is loth to go, but ho ncknowlcdgos to
tho impulse; ho foots that tlio sympathy
for ttio living Is slrongor upon lilin to
night than his Interest in the dend. ovon
Chateaubriand. Tho sttalns of muslo
'hat nro now and tlion wafted to his
oars from tlio Casino sound vory ontlo
ing. Ho Is norvous; ho wants to bo
whoro thero Is llfo nnd dancing. So ho
turns from tho tomb and movos away.
As ho does so his oyos rest suddonly
on a childish form standing upon tho
top of tho flight of stono steps. Tho
moonlight is full upon hor nnd ho sees
it Is Annctto. llo is not mucli surprised;
sho has boon in his thoughts nil day, but
ho is irritated at sight of hor. It looks
so theatrical for hor to nppoar beforo
him in this fantastic stylo. Howondors
how long sho hns been standing up thoro
llko n ghost, gazing down upon htm.
Small wonder, however, that his brain
was intrnetabio. Beforo ho can net sho
lias tripped down tho step3 and fearless-
ly approached him.
"Whoso gravo is that?" sho asks in a
low, awe-struck voice.
"Chateaubriand's."
"A man?"
"Yes."
"Did you lovo him?"
"I nover saw him."
Why do you stay hero so long,
then?" How can ho answer tho child?
Ho docs not try, but follows tho Socratio
method.
"Why nre you hero?"
"Oh, sho says, ingonurmsly, "Ididn't
know thoro was a man buried up there.
J. just loiiowou you."
"Why?"
Ho asks It so coldly, almost angrily,
that her contldnnco in him and in' hor
solf is plainly weakened. Sho stands
upon ono foot twisting iter lltho body
uneasily about.
"I thought because you caught mo
you'd help me."
Hor voice trembles: tho paper parcol
slips from her fingers; ho can sco hor
littlo chin working convulsively, and
thon sho drops on tho granite rock and
hides her faco in her hands.
John is touched. Ho kneels, nnd,
taking ono of her willing hands in his,
says, soothingly:
"How could I help you?"
Sho looks nt him vory earnestly, ns ho
can seo witii tho moonlight on hor face,
and eagerly tolls him :
"Why, please don't let them get mo
again."
"Let whomP That ugly man and tho
woman on horseback?"
"Yes.
"Who aro thoy?"
"Madamo do Leonello ot Monsieur
Georges Picot that Is what thoy toll tho
pooplo thoy are; but sho's my aunt, and
i don't Know wiio no
is, ouly I hate
him."
John smiles. Sho looks nngolio with
tho moonbeams playing in hor yellow
hair; but sho can hato.
"Aro thoy vory cross to you?"
"Awful. Just look what ho did to
ino to-day for falling oft" tho wire. Sho
bares tier left arm ttiat ho may sco a
thick rod welt crossing tho flesh nbovo
tho elbow.
"Tho brutol" cries John angrily. An
nctto is evidently delighted to hear him
say so.
"That's nothing," sho boastinply
savs, "to tho cut she gave mo with hor
riding-whip. I ran away then, too, but
it was at Jorsoy, St. Hellers, and I
couldn't got oil' tho island; so they
caught mo."
"Whcro's vour mother, Anuotto?"
"Sho's doa'd."
"Your father?"
"He's dead, too."
'Were they Americans?"
"Mamma wasn't. Sho used to livo at
Orleans; but papa painted pictures in
Paris, and when ho died wo wero awfut
poor. Was you ovor in Paris? Was you
over in tho Kuo Mazct? Oh, ii was a very
funny littlo street. Papa used to tako
mo nnd mamma to St. Cloud and tho
Bois do Boulogne on Sundays. That
wns tho best fun of all. Mamma tensed
papa about his French and made him say
'ciusitlcuse' and 'feullet,'1 and words liko
that, and tticn papa teasod mamma and
mado her try to say things In English
llko 'threo hundred and thirty-thrco
thousand chestnuts," and then sho catted
him n raft?-koo.' "
John, now reclining upon tho rock
witli his head resting in his right hand,
looks calmly up at nor, quite forgetful
of tho gravo of tlio great man behind
him. Thoro is a faint French nccont in
Annotto's talk that is charming. Sho
sits cross-loggod, with her faco turned
full toward htm and sideways to tho
moon. At timosa strain of miisio floats
across tlio water, and Annctto always
pauses to listen.
"Thon your mother died, too," says
John, abruptly.
"Yes," sho ropoats, in a low tono;
"then sho died, too."
"And thon?"
"Then my aunt camo nnd took mo
away to' Poissy. It was awful nico ut
first. I used to go out in a boat on tho
rivor all by myself and get on tho
island and plov Paul and Virginia."
"Who playo'd Paul?"
I didn't havo any: he wanted to, but
I wouldn't lot him." Sho omphasizes
tlio personal pronoun witli groat dis
dain. "Who is ho?'
"Why, tlio boy who was walking tlio
othorwiro my cousin. I hato him I"
And yot sho lias silky yollow hair and
big bluo oyos. But then, John rollects,
tho poor littlo thing tins livod witli very
hateful pooplo; It is roally no woudor
sho can unto,
"You then loarnod to walk tho
wiroP"
"Yos, but it was an awful long tlmo
boforo 1 could. I was afraid. Wo
walked all tlio way to Rouon, and tlioro
sho mot Aim, and after that wo had a
horso that ono sho was on, Thon we
went to Havro, and Trouvlllo, and
Caen, and Granville, and Jorsoy, and
horo."
John llos silently gazing at hor.
"Now, you toll mo all about your-
BOlf."
Ho laughs,
"I liaVn't had half so many ad ven
tures as you. I'm only an Idlor."
"Dou'lyou ovor workP"
"Oh, yes, somottmos. Wlion I'm
homo in Amotion I writo things for
newspapers and magazines; but I don't
havo to,"
"You must havo loads of money!"
Ho feels uncomfortable ut tills re-
miulc.
"No, not 'lamia.' I have euougu to
llvo on,"
"T wish I hnd somo."
"What would you do?"
"I'd go to tho Consorvntolro of
slnnn. Oh. I lovo miisiol"
Mu
John lowers Ids oyes from her fnc
and looks oil towards nsolltury light on
shore. Ho is qulto remnrkablo in this
rospect It takes him so long to mnko
up his mind. Annette, seeing him so
thoughtful nnd silent, is fearful of dis
turbing htm, nnd quietly listens to tho
splash of tho wavos anil the
bursts of molody that como fitfully
from tlio Casino. John pondors so
long, however, that tho moon gels di
rectly ovorhend nnd Annette begins to
fool most lonoly nnd disconsolate Be
side, tills gravo in front of her is a
vory cheerless object to stnro at. Every
tlmo her oyo rests upon tlio granlta
cross her young llesh creeps, nnd then
tho chilly air from tho sea pierces hor
thin clothing nnd slio shivers. Finally
Annette can endure it no longer.
"Aro vou asleonP" sho asks.
Ho starts up suddenly and looks nt
her then at tlio moon, then hastily at
tils watch. It is now ncaror nino than
eight o'clock. Perhaps the gendnrmo
was mistaken.
"Conic," ho says anxiously, "wo must
go."
"Oh!" sho ploads on her knees, "you
won't tako mo back to them, will you?"
"No, no you shall go with mo.
Come." Ho hurries her up tho steps,
past tho ruins of tho chateau and down
tho grassy slopo. But beforo thoy havo
gono half way to tho bottom ho scos
that tho gendnrmo was not mistaken.
Thoro is no diko in vlow. Whero it
stretched toward tho beach thero Is now
only expnnso of whitc-cappod water
dancing merrily in tho moonlight. In-
deed, no beach is visible, either. Tho
waves aro leaping up against tho rocks,
and ovon tho great ramparts of St.
Malo.
John Ls vory much disgusted with
minsolf. Why tiui iio no tlioro urcnming
litmsolf nnd this poor child Into such a
predicament. Ho turns to her and says,
penitently:
"I'm sorry, Annette, but we'll have
to spend tho night hero; the sun's in."
"I don't care, I'm glad."
John does caro, but iio fools resigned
to sco iter so happy, and iiand in hand
thoy rotraco their way toward tho tomb.
Passing tho gloomy ruins Annette clings
to ids arm, and says, with a shudder:
"I thought first you'd gono and I was
going to liido in that door, but it was
so awful durk it scared mo."
Thero is a bed of soft, dried grass just
beyond, nnd horo John halts. Ho takos
oft Ids light overcoat nnd hands it to
her. Sho draws back, but ho easts it on
tho grass and says in a quiot tono: "I
want you to wrap this around you nnd
nnu no uown. xou must try to siecp,
Annette, for ns soon ns tho tido goes out
again wo will leavo for England."
8ho clasps her hands beforo her,
and could cry out from excoss of grat
itude. But she only smiles joyfully
and tho moonlight glistous on her whito
tcoth.
"Aro you afraid?" ho asks.
"You won't go away?"
"JNo, no."
She submissively loses hersolf In the
arms of tho great coat and cuddles upon
the grass. '
Now ho has determined wliat ho slinll
do, and promised her, ho feels relieved.
Nevertheless, ho realizes how serious
tlio alVuir is ho is abducting a child,'
ono, too, who is unquestionably of con
siderable pecuniary valuo to hor rela
tives. Ho smilos stubbornly, and lights
a cigarette; seating himself under tho
moon on ttio top stono stop, whero ho
can turn a shoulder and gaze upon An
nctto, or look straight ahead upon tho
sea, and let his eyes in passing rest
upon tlio tomb. It may bo sacriligious,
but there is now something so absurd
to John in tlio idea of his brooding ovor
tho gravo of Chateaubriand that ho
chuckles. Perhaps this poworful harvest
moon has turned his head us well as tlio
tide.
At any rate, Chateaubriand lias no
place in ids thoughts now. Ho is try
ing to dccjdo whether ho had bettor run
tho risk of takine: tho morning's
steamer from St. Malo to Jersey, or
take tho train to Calais direct. "Tho
moro ho thinks about it tho moro
serious tho chances of discovery on the
Jersey boat appear to him, and tlio
possibility of losing Annctto is very
unpleasant. Indeed, tlio mero idea so
alarms him that ho turns to look nt tier
moro than once, nnd each timo his
glanco encounters n pair of eyes shin
ing up nt him from tlio gnus out of tho
fouls of his overcoat. Annctto is
more nnxious than tic. Her oyos closo
quickly when thoy meet Ids, and sho
folgns to slcop, but hor yellow head
nover swerves from tlio nnglo nt which
she has adjusted it to watch him.
So tlio moon floats on until tho gravo
is in shadow. Tho t'do follows tho
moon and ttio waves tho tldo. John
shivers a llttlo, but is wido nwako, and
ho knows tha bright bluo eyes aro peer
ing furtively at him from ttio grass.
W
This all happened in tlio summer
time of 1878. It truly happoned, for
John Crinolino has told it to me. Of
course ho told it in much fewer words.
When ho hnd gono thus far In his
story I said to him:
"Well!"
"Well," said ho, "I have boon trying
to answer your question. This is tho
reason why I sail on tho Etruria noxt
Saturday."
"Bo plainer."
"I am going ovor to bring Annctto
away from school."
"What aro you going to do with
her?"
Ho looked mo steadily in tho face, and
I am suro I nover gazed on an honoster,
manlier ono ttinn his.
"Do you really think, old follow," ho
said, slio'U object to my namo? "I'vo
a inindto oliango It" Metallic Phillips,
in Philadelphia Press.
Queen Mary's Prayer-Book.
A curious and valuable prayer-book
has just boon sold iu London. It is the
llttlo volume which tho unfortunato
Mary Queon of Scots used at hor death
upon tho scaffold. Tho prayors aro tho
handiwork of somo raro fifteenth cen
tury scribo; thoy aro written in Latin
on yolluin. Tlio pages of tho missal
aro oxqutsltely illuminated with ologant
bordors of fruit, flowors and birds; thoy
nro also docoratod with tlilrty-flvo minia
tures by a Flomlsh nrtlst, pieces of
elaborato workmanship. Tho littlo
book still rests in tho original oak
boards; coyorod with silk now much
worn, in wliloh It was originally bouud.
Liverpool Mercury.
i '
Some of tho iron mnnufaoturors of
tho Lohlgh valloy havo bogun to mako
stroot-paving blocks from the blast
furnace slag. Somo pleasing littlo orna
ments of delicate tint nro already mado
from slag, and if it can bo put in dur
nblo block shapo tlioro seems to bo no
reason why it it should not bocomo a
I favorito building mutQi'lnl, 2VWa&rgA
Post.
ALL ABOUT ANTS.
Rome Ctirlmn fltnrlM About tlio Inliabt
tmifs of Their Nctts.
Mr. John 11. Smith, nssUtnnt curator
of Infects at tho National Museum, read
beforo thn Biological Society at Its Inst
meeting tin Interesting pnper on "Ants'
Nests nnd Their Inhabitants." Ants'
nests, the paper said, nro found every
where lu the woods, in tho Holds, under
the stone walls of cities and in houses;
not only on tlio ground, but In tho trees,
mid not only In thn trunks, but among
tlio leave.'. They are as varied In design
nnd general structuro ns nro tho locali
ties Inhabited, nndwhllosoinospcclesaro
content to tako advantage of a simple
cavity under a stono whero thoy rear
their young, otheir build great hills
full of intricate galleries, extending long
distances Into nnd under tlio ground.
Mr. Smith said that his object was not
to speak of the nests of tho ants so much
ns of tholr inhabitants. Theso nre, of
course, primarily the ants thomsclvcs,
nnd by disturbing n modornto-slzcd nest
of any 6f tlio larger species tho observer
will become speedily convinced that
tho population Is not a small
ono. But not ants nlono aro found
in these nests thoro is n vory distinct
fauna that lives witli, and, perhaps,
partly on ttio ants, and tho species of
which aro never- found olsowliere. In
Europe nests havo been found whero
tho Intruders or guests exceeded in num
bers tho nuts themselves. Tho number
of species known to inhabit such nests
in Europe reaches well into tho hun
dreds, over n hundred species having
been found in a single nest, wlillo in
America comparatively few spcoicsliavo
been found.
In ono interesting group described by
Mr. Smith insects which tlio nuts col
lect and caro for the aphides or
plant lice, ho said, played nn important
part. It is woll known, ho said, that
tho ants seek tho plant lico and lick the
sweet excretions, but it is less known,
perhaps, that they also collect and rear
sonic species, providing homes for
them. A yellow species of lasius, oc
curring commonly around Washington
nnd around Now York, woll illustrates
this group. Tho ants mnko thoir nests
under largo stones undcloso to tlio roots
of trees or shrubs. Thoy carefully exca
vate galleries around a root, or series of
roots, and then collect tlio winter cpg
of Pcmnhisrtis in larsrc numbers, not bv
hundreds, but by thousands, eggs that
no entomologist has yot suceeeucu in
finding. Theso aro carefully placed in
suitublo situations around tho cleaned
root, and the Pemphigus, when hatched,
find their food supply ready at baud and
in return aro expected to yield sweets
to tlio ants. Tho winged form of tills
species leaves the nost nnd provides for
u continuation of tlio race, and tho nuts
are then compelled to lay in a new sup
ply of eggs.
It would bo supposed that tlio ants
would bo very careful to keep out nil
enemies of these, their domestic animals;
but there is ono species that gets in and
remains in undisturbed. It is tlio lnrva
of a common "tndy-bird" Bracliya
cantlia ursinn. It secretes a waxy sub
stance that exudes in long strings,
and gives tlio insects tlio appear
anco of boing covered with cot
ton or hoar frost. This secretion
seems to be much moro palatable to tho
ants than that of tho Pemphigus, and
thoy unconcernedly soo tho "lady-bird"
feeding upon the former, apparently
concluding that tho flavor is improved
by passing through tlio latter. Somo
timos it happens that a desired species
of aphid will not livo underground, and
this compels tho nnts to adopt another
method. Thoy construct roads to tho
trees inhabited by the aphlds, and build
galleries around tho plant lice, cll'ect-
uiilly protecting and domosticatin
tiicm.
Another group, the third mentioned
by Mr. Smith, contains insects that aro
found in ttio ants' nest in tlio perfect
stage, and is thu most numerous. It
comprises species of many orders and
of widely divergent families. Most of
tlio species aro known in tho imago
state only, nnd it has long been, nnd is
still, a puzzlo to entomologists, whero
tho immatiiro states of those insects are
passed. A species docs not, except in
raro instances, inhabit tho nest of moro
than ono species of ant. On
tlio other hand, each species of ant has
its own peculiar fauna of guests, so that
it is impossible, with a series of guests
at hand, to tell exactly from what nut's
nest thoy wore obtained. Tlio only bon
clit that is known to bo derived by tho
nnts from any of tlio spocies is in tlio
shapo of a (probably) sweot secretion.
Prominent among tlioso aro tho species
of Cromastochiluo, most of thorn species
of immense size, as compared with that
of tho ants witli which they livo. These
insects havo a glandiferous surfaco at
tlio hind anglo of tho thorax, covered
with a thin plato, and several speci
mens havo been observed whoro this
plato has bcon gnawed off by tlio ants to
facilitate the getting at tho secretion of
tlio glands. Those species nro of largo
size, and whole sounds of ants have
been observed in tlio task of preventing
the icscapo oi an individual tnat nail ap
parently becomo tired of its qunrtors.
Washington Star.
PHYSIOLOGICAL JARGON.
Somo of tho Results of Tcnchlng tho Sci
ences to Little Hoys anil GlrlH.
Thoro aro intelligent men and women
who think that if boys and girls received
less schooling and moro training, wero
taught fewer of tho 'ologics and moro
of tho threo It's, thoy would bo bettor
fitted for thoir future work and station.
In tlio London elementary schools tho
children aro taught physiology and do
mestic economy. As thoy nro too
young to apprehend tlioso subjects, they
aro crammed with facts which thoy tiro
uuablo to "mark or inwardly dlgost."
'Tho result of their mental indigestion
comes out when the government In
spectors uxamino thorn. At an exam
ination two or three yonrs ngo tho chil
dren who nail stuulctt physiology woro
Askod to describe in writing tho pro
cesses of Indigestion. Ono of them did
it in this wiso:
"Food is digostod by tho notion of tho
lungs. Dlgoitlon Is brought on by tho
lungs having something tho matter
with them. Tho food then passes
through your windpipe to tho pores.
"Tho food Is nourished in the stom
ach. If you woro to cat any thing
hard, you would not bo nblo to digest It,
nnd tno consequence would bo you
would havo indlgostion.
"Tho gnll-bhuldor throws off julco
from tho food which passes through It.
Wo cnll tho kidneys tlio breiul-baskot,
beeauso It Is whoro all tho bread goes to.
Thoy lay up, concealed by tho heart."
Ono girl, in tho higher class, on boing
examined In domestic economy, thus
answers tho question, "Why do wo cook
our food?" "Thoir of five ways to cook
potatoes, wo siiouitt mo u wo oat our
lood raw." Anothor girl In tho same
lluss, In answering, tho samo quostlou,
wrote! "Tho function of food ls no its
proper work in tlio body. Its propel
work Is to well mnstlcato ttio food, and
it goes through without dropping, In
stend of being pushed down by tlio
skin."
A third pupil In domestic economy
wrote: "Food digested Is when wo put
tt Into our mouths, our tooth chows it,
nnd our tonguo roils It down into our
body. Wo should not oat so much bono
makliig foods as flesh-forming and
warmth-giving foods, for if wo do wo
would have too many bones, and that
would mnko us look funny."
Theso answers nro comical, but tho
lnugli turns Into a sigh when wo refloat
ttiat toacqiilro this physiological jargon,
tho children endured several montta of
cramming. Youth!1 a Companion.
SHY CHILDREN,
They Rlioulil Iln fitrpngtlicnrd to Hear
Their Misfortune mid to Over
come It.
Pity tho sufferings of shy children!
stand botweon theso littlo ones and tho
pcoplo who unthinkingly inflict pain
upon these tender souls. Why outrage
a child's faith in nature, human nnd
material, If ho lias such faith, or prevent
his ncquirlng it, by Inking ndvnntngo of
his shyness nnd want of solf-confidcncoP
Why fill htm with distrust, witli fear,
with terror? Why convert tlio world
that should bo beautiful to htm, into
ono thnt is to bo dreaded? If the person
who docs theso tilings is any tiling bhort
of n brute, ho is guilty of a serious of
fcn.so thnt no carelessness can excuse.
Courage and confidence should bo
stimulated in a child who is shy. Ho
should bo taught to believe that his cx
trcmo disgust is ill-founded, by showing
him tlio source of tits error. A happy
life will then bo opened to him, whore
nil before was desolate. But to inten
sify tills shyness is an easy mattor, and
many children havo been mado to suffer
tho pangs of a miserable existence
through scaring, terrifying nnd various
impositions upon their weak
ness. If a child is bashed at the
prcsonco of a stranger, confidence in
himself and tlio stranger also can bo
awakened by treating tlio child with
considerate regard for Ids feelings and
by a gentle pressure behind him that
shall forco him to overcome them. But
to expose tlio infirmity and laugh at it
in ridicule, incrcaso tlio pain and make
tho euro all tlio moro difficult, so that
tlio sufferer must undergo additional
pains when ho grows up and must over
come them tlio best ho may in his un
avoidable contact with tiio world.
What a gratifying tiling it must bo to
scaro n child to till Ids heart with hob
goblins, to pcoplo tlio darkness with
monsters, to manufacture surroundings
ttiat incossantly mennco harm. This
would bo amusement to ttio savago who
burns his captives at tho stake, but to
tho person living in tills nineteenth
century of civilization it should bo as re
pulsive as savngory itself. How pleas
ing an act it must bo to frighten a child
to death, as is now and then done, or to
scaro tho littlo ono till ho stands trans
fixed witli terror and trembling in
agony.
Strengthen shy children to bear tholr
misfortuno and to overcome it; do not
subject tlieni to ridlculo or fear. Thoy
can bo led out of tho manifold unliappi
ness arising from shyness, by strength
ening cacti cautious s"tcp until familiar
ity makes it permanent; and so, a littlo
at a ttnio, ttioy can bo advanced in con
tidenco and courage until they dare to
look about them without fear of failure
or harm. Tho impressions of childhood
aro often nlmost ineradicable; pcoplo
should tako care, then, that those im
pressions shall iio true, hopeful, giving
self-relianco nnd courage to tlioso who
need it. There can bo assault and bat
tery against tho feelings as well as
against tlio body, and tho former offense
is moro enduring and moro painful than
thn Litter. It is lust as inalienable a
right that one's feelings shall not bo out
raged as that his bodily liberty shall not
bo abridged, and tho shy child demands
immunity and protection from thoso
who outrage this right by making him a
victim of his shyness. Good Housekeep
ing. ERADICATING GARLIC.
An Experiment Which I Alleged to Havo
l'roveil Entirely .Successful.
In 1881 1 tried an experiment in erad
icating garlic, which has proved com
pletely successful. About two acres of
sloping pasture ground wns literally
covered with garlic; when fully headed,
but beforo tho seeds wero matured, I
took a scytho and moved it all down
close. to tho ground. Tho heads wero
allowed to Iio whero thoy fell. This
year not a single garlio ph.nt can bo
found in tho space mowed over, while it
is plentiful everywhere clso on my
farm, contaminating my milk and often
entailing heavy loss through rejection
by my wholosalo purchaser.
My reason for awaiting tho formation
ot ncaus uotore mowing was ino mint
hope that garlic, liko rye, might not
continue further growth if cut at that
stago of cxistenco.
lam aware that ono success liko this
by no means establishes a rulo; yet so
comploto nnd thorough has been tho
eradication within tlio spaco mowed,
that I shall givo tho mattor a most thor
ough test this summer by mowing over
tho wholo farm. I doubt whether this
courso will havo any good efl'cet upon
tlio pest in ground froshly plowed or
cultivated, though I am confident that
on pasturo or grass lands whoro tho
growth of othor vegetation may pro rent
tlio garlic from throwing up nuw shoots,
it will bo greatly clieoked. On my hinds
stirring tlio soil has tho tendenoy to givo
now and fresh impotus to botli garlio
and sassafras. Tho latter, particularly,
is checkod by pasturage and gives no
concern whatovor in grounds occupied
by stock. It appears to have no power
to uroa& turougu compact soui, ami yet
if I piow up a Nod it vigorously follows
after tho first crop. It hoped that garlio
might in degree, at least, partako ot tho
saino naturo. To my great surprise,
careful inspection now fails to find any
garlio on tno mowed ground, notwith
standing in 1884 it was most luxuriant
in growth and abundant in quantity, and
naturally I shall continue my oxpori
mont. Cor. Country Gentleman.
An Eastorn man who found himsolf
In nn Illinois village the othor week,
nsked of tho proprietor of tho hotel if
thero was n board ot trade In tho place.
"No, sir; and I don't think wo need
ono," was tho roply. "How nro price
adjusted?" "Woll, thu merchant over
thero on tho cornor pays nino cents lor
eggs and thirteen for butter, while I pay
twenty oonts a bushel for turnips nnd a
dollar n week for a hired gal. As wo
nover rlz nor fall, tho peonlo know
what to depend upon bettor than as If
wo htul n board," Wult Mixet News,
PITH AND POINT.
Tlio nnnouncemont that ono of tho
combatants In tlio recent prize-fight
wns almot killed will bo received with
gcnulno regret. Detroit Free Press.
Some ono boldly assorts tlmt tlio
American lion is not doing iter duty.
You would havo us botiovo tlat her son
is setting, would you? Yonkers States''
man.
"ltulo of tho office, sir, patients will
plcii'o pav before taking gas." "Why
not niter?" "It's awkward collecting
in easo of failure to rojtoro respiration."
Puck:
1 "Thts Is a vory healthy plncc,1 oh
Fcrvcd a lioardlng mistress. "Yes for
clileKeni," said a
boarder. "I hnvo
Peon hero for two yo
roars and h.tvon't
Sho took tho hint.
rvun t. i,.,.vi nij j..
Viucarjo Tribune.
Tho railway companies want to lay
their tracks with hardened sleepers.
One of tlio New Haven ministers says
his congregation has material enough
to set up n whole parallel road. Acw
Haven News.
"How long has Brown been mar
ried, Clinrtey?"' "Didn't know ho was
married at all. I donrt bollovo ho Is,
cither." "Yc, hQ is; I nqtlccd him
turn Palo wlion tho clock struck
eleven.'' N. Y. Sun.
According to tho New York Trib
une, the band in passing tho reviewing
stand where President Clovclnnd stood,
"burst into Mendolssnhn's Wedding
March," nnd tho crowd "burst into
cheers." If somebody would only
"burst into" theso cushy dailies it
would bo the burst thing yet. ISoslon
They tell of u boy in England who,
seeing "a great tent in which a
panorama of "Bunyan's Pilgrim Prog
ress' was being exhibited, wont to the
ticket taker and asked if Mr. Banyan
was in. Receiving a negative reply ha
remarked that ho' was sorry, as Mr.
Bunvnn was his father, and ended with
tlio query: "Of course you'll pass me
,in free?'
Amateur Actor (who has taken the
;part of Hamlet) "Well. Charlie, what
,was tlio verdict in regard to our enter
tainment last night?" Charlie "To Iw
.frank with you, old man, I heard soma
of tho audience say it wns deuced stu
:pid." Amateur Actor "Stupid! That
divine tragedy? Why, Charlie, Sliak
spearc never wrote a stupid thing in his
life." Harper's Iiasar.
I "Got anv eggs to-day, Mr. Cold
chceso?" "Yet. sir, plenty of them."
!"Aro thoy fresh?" "Fresh, sir. as tha
'flowers that ahem!" "Then I don'l
want any." "Don't want any?" "No,
sir. I'm going to a lecture to-night,
and I thought if I could run across
somo stalo eggs " "Stale, sir!
Thore ain't an egg in that barrel that
was laid tins year." Philadelphia Call.
Wo do not believe that a hen
scratches for a living. Sho scratches
for exercise. If you don't bolieye it.
watch a well-fed lien in her humblocago
at tho market. Sho will scratch on the
sheet-iron floor with all tlio vigor of a
gold digger, nnd affect to find tilings to
eat with all tho innocent assumption of
a man who slips on the ice, breaks both
legs and his back, nnd tries to look as
though ho hadn't fallen down. Bur
dcttc.
TALKING ABOUT HENS.
How n Doclilcil Caaliipss Sprniifr Up lie
twrrnTwo Olil Filriiiln.
A Rochester man named Muggs has
been out in the town of Wheatland vis
iting some friends who livo on a farm.
Mr. Muggs is not only a man of moro
than averago intelligence, but ho is
ulso of an inquiring turn of mind; and
wlillo ho was visiting on tho farm he
managod to pick up a good deal of in
formation by asking questions alum!
things. Ono of tlio first tilings that ex
cited Ills curiosity was a lien that was
on a nest under tho end of a lumber,
pile.
"This must bo a lien," said Muggs,
.confidently.
j "It is," Bii tlio tanner,
i "Sho seems to be taking
,casy," ventured Muggs.
lifo prctti
said tin
inline tno contrary.-
'farmer- "Sho is busy.'
ltn to Itiict "
i ' 'Laying an egg, probably, ' ' suggested
tMuggs.
, "Probnblv not," said the farmer,
."Sho is-setting."
. Then Muggs mado some patronizing
remark to the hen and reached down ti
stroke tho fur on her neck. Tho hott
was busy, but not too busy to keep anf
eyo on Muggs, and when his haiul
camo within reacli she- picked a small
!)icee of skin off from it. Muggs toolf
lis hand away with wonderful quick,
pess and put it into his pocket. Thou
Jio stood and contemplated tlio hen in
silence for several minutes. At lengtt
lie said:
"1 supposo hens seldom have hydro
phobia?"
i "Seldom," said the farmer.
! "But when they do havo it thoy
havo it pretty bad, don't thoy?" in
quired Muggs, with considerable
.anxiety.
"Oil, you needn't bo alarmod," said
tho farmer. "Tho hen is mad, but not
jin that way. Her fangs are not poison
ous."
"I supposo, now," said Muggs, "that
an industrious, persistent hen liko that
will hatch out a chicken every day, and
not feel it."
"Thero is a difference in lions," said
tho farmer. "Some lions sot harder
than others and hatch chickens faster.
I have got ono that hatched out a
brood of chickens last summer In ten
days. Sho nover stopped for Sundays
or logal holidays, but just kopt right
nt it. But it wasn't a vory good
job, because it was rushed too.
much. Nino of tlio chickens wero fool
ish nnd tho other four woro not any too
bright. You see, thoy woro not oxpeat
ing it, and thoy beomod to bo sort of
dazed couldn't understand how thoy
got horo so soon. Tliov would stand
around in a half-witted kind of way and1
try to figure it out, but thoy uovori
seemed to understand It at nil."
"I should think," said Muggs,.
thoughtfully, "that chicken hatehod so!
fast as that would bo apt to maturoj
quickly get old while thoy ar young,;
us It wore."
Exactly thov do," said uio.farmor.l
'You roinomuor that I bought a1
couple of spring chickens from you lnstj
lull," sain muggs, sun
more thouglit-
ftillv,
him.
If
mi idea
lnnl oeourreU toj
"Yes, I roniembor," said tho fnrmor,i
who was also beginning to havo ai
idoa. "What of it?"
"0, nothing; only I thought porhnps
thov belonged to tws brood that you
have boon speaking about. Wo brollod,
tlieni couple of days and thon gavo,
tlieni to my boy to out up Into boan-,
shooters."
A coolness, has slnco oxlsted botweon,
Muggs umltho fnrmor, Jociester Zftr-
aid,
