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LITTLE MISS MUFFET.
A TENNYSONIAN VERSION OF THE POPULAR
NURSERY RHYME.
IN STURDY ANGLO-SAXON.
f.lttlp Ml Miillut
Hat. nn a turret,
V.atina of curl anl whny;
There came a jr'eat apalor
Aral fat down besblo her,
Anil frightened MlM Mullet away I
AS AN ARTHURIAN IDYL.
Ppon a turfet of mnt soft and venlant moa.
Beneath the spretullns- brauoboa of au ancient
oak,
Mla Muffi't aat. and upward iraied
To where a linnet, perched and annjr,
And rocked biin ir ntly, to and fro.
Bort blew the broc.e
And mildly swayed the bough;
Ixmd nuns the bird.
And awoetlv dreamed the maid:
Dreamed briahlly of the days to come
The solden da .', with her lair future, blont
When urn' aohic wondrous stately kniaht
Of ourtreat Arthur'! "Table Hound; t
Una, brave a Lauiicelot, and
Hpotlcaa as tn pure Mr (Jalahad,
Phnuld come, and cmilna-. elnaiae her ,
i'or hla love, and In her name,
And for theaake of her fair eves, i '
phnuld domo-d knlshtly deeds.
And aa she dream1! mid anttiy ilg-hed,
Ptie pensivfllv besan to stir,
With tiny (fold "11 annon, - i
Wltbln an antl'tue d!h upon nor lap,
80111c ailow-whlte, milky cunn;
fctoft were thev. full ol cream and rich,
And tloated in mm-lnccnt wtvti;
An.l a the tlrr--d. ihe sullied,
I
I
Then irently tatsl them,
And aniihoir. ale. and idkhod no morn. !
I.ol bk alie ,,t nor hiu bored thoimht of Ill
Hearer and beaver el. there to her crept
A monster urn it and teirlMe,
Wleh huire, ini--,hap,-n body leaden eyes
Full many a loinr ,tiirl hairy ley, ,
And Bolt and ftlc.ilthc foot-tep.
Nearer still h 1111 Mis Mullet yet.
All unwlttinif his ilre.1,1 ueitftilHU-hiaHl,
Jnd eat b.TCttnl. and dream. I
Jllithe. on Ihe boiiah, the linnet aunsr I
AU terretrlnl natuie-t. sleeping, wrapt
Jn a most sweet tranquillity.
Closer "till the spider drew, and
Paused tumble her lltled up blB bead '
And (razed Into tier face.
Mia Mulfct then, hor consciousness allv
To bis dread eyea npoii her fixed,
Turned and beheld him.
Loud aerennled -ho. f riifhtenea and aman'd,
And stnihrhtwav -pnunr upon her feet; 1
And. lotting full ln r li-h and apoon,
Kbe shrlekllii turned and lied.
Dclmll Free 1'iwa.
A COLORADO EXPERIENCE.
One tempest-tossed night, weather,
bound nt 11 small hotel un the stage
ruble from Santa Fe, wo met n fellow
traveler in whom wo bccnnio greatly
interested, i no howling irnio anil elo
mental uproar intensified the cozy cheer
uf our auug lilllu pitilor, while the
clowine coal- In the trrato ' 'lini'
the spiiT exlmhitions sloninin(r . (mm
nn earthen mux lirewinir in iront,
out of which from time to time we re
plenished our rUoj.sea, stimulated con
vernation, and we were soon launched
upon aatream of Htiu tlinir adventure,
Anion"; othcr-t, my eoniiiinion, anilely
built, athletic fellow, narrated an ex.
periunoo of the previous mason, which
he said " nmde every hair stand on tip
too. ' '
"How?" we asked. "Yon wero in
great peril?"
"One of those imminent risks that
meet you tit every turn. Four o us
carno in the stii(ro from SanUi FeJ the
last of June, I think. A younjr lady
jroverness in tin ollicer's fainily-ner
escort, awouliuy merchant, rcputnlile,
with a oimninleo of honor dcscribiid 011
every line of his eiirntist face, iind niy
self, wero iicijiiaiiitiiiicesi the other was
the horsc-sliocr of the company, hound
for the stables nt Denver.
"The lady among tho twenties
was so happy in the thought of KOing
East and seeing her widowed mother
' was so interest iiir and full of life that
her joy rippled through our conversation
like a nierrv warble.
' You'd like 11 personal description?
"Well, rather tall and willowy, eyes
rut black ami full of sparkle as a frosty
night, and halt' commonly called red,
but with a glint of gold in lines mid
tlashos wherever tho sunlight glailued
across it. 1 saw it fully when she
.dropped her hat, and a stylish, nuat
affair it was, tou bill I have not come
to that yet.
"I'm sure yoii'ro aware of the
brigandage for which that route is
notud. .iJVliui-clous tales are told of, tho.
: robbers. 1 suxpert the nuiimtiuu-pasnes
. ! the Apoulnes iioiti mi more mystery
'of crjmit'tlmn do th rocky pnsss of
this fivsh continent. (Jfinstantly fiuing
' dangT, the pioneer acquires u nsrtlt
' hcHid that tits him for every fresh' en
connter of prril, howcvtir unusnnl. IThe
periodic robbing of stages has bcciimu
so much of a fact that the express aiuu
pnny will take no more risks, and specie
and trc-umri'S have to be taken ICaV. by
privatu parties. ;
" As a (government expert, I was well
knowu to the bankers of Santa Fe.
Thuy nevtH' hesitated to intrust mewith
large amount of guld, and this time
was no exception. o I was loailoL,
, partly by menus of an inner belt around
my waist, partly y a laise Dottom 1111
provised in hit Valise by gliiiiriiiiig
strong wmpmng-paper over the pre.
' cions pan-els nnd iiinnr lining o( the
bag. -I
" Tho day would hnvo been Intolenv
bio but for tho cool currents that sweiit
down the dei livitics, and through the
mountain ravines. Frequently daring
the day, up the steep ascents, wo would
vet oulauJ walk. It rested us and re.
. lie veil the tedium (if tho drive. The
lurly was most charming, rattling her
words like linn shot against our sallies
uf wit and wisdom, and turning Into
sport ami jest our serious feat's. Mho
became confidential, and told us, 'she
exneoted to return a madame, with a
military escort if she relumed at all
Her fiancee was a lieutenant, stationed
now in the Indian Territory; but when
lie received ills luriniign won, very
soon, perhaps then we might expect
to hear of weilillnir hells.'
'I would like to be a little rluher,'
he added, with a sigh, 'but wo must
take what tho good Ciod gives us, and
my treasure hiippeiis to bo not In gold!'
"'How much 01 a not ntivo your
aid the practical merchant. .
" She laughed merrily. 'Are you a
bandit In disguise?' thou added. Mho
fruits of my industry amount to the
Heavy weight of one thousand In gold!
"ion haven t it with your ho in
quired, so quickly and earnestly that I
was surprised.
'"Come, you aro aoemintod shrewd;
lust try and llud out. I will answer all
relevant questioning.
" tie iilunu'U aim stAiuniurotl au
apology, and she sal for a moment ou
ruuk that projected from the side uf
! the road aver the mountain edge. She
had gathered stray (lowers on her walk,
diving under bushes ami under rocks,
and was fastening them to her hat man
tin. A scarlet creeper ran round the
base of the rock down the side of the
mountain.
"Oh, thBt suits me; I must have It,'
ahe said, rising to her feet and drop
ping hat and flowers in the excitement.
Just-then a sudden eddy of wind came
twisting round the corner of a tissure.
and whirled them beyond hor power of
recovery, on a narrow ledge of perpen
dicular rock, jutting out and inaccessi
ble frotu the road. ,
"'How, now, what will you do?'
aid. half in sport at the possibility of
a bcreheaded companion for the rest of
the trip.
"To my surprise, she looked the Im
age of despair and grief; the color had
a
I
ided out of her rosy cheeks even her
ins wero ashy pale. Her hands were
clasped in the most agonizing express-
on, as she mutely ganert at tne slender
shape below, mocking her with airy
grace of blooms.
'"Uh, my friend, can t you recover
that hat for me? Do, in pitv, and I will
thank you to my dying dayP
" No mother appealing for a lost
child could have bcon more piteous,
while tears Btood in her eyes. I was
half angry that any woman could bo so
metamorphosed bv tho loss of the hat.
The merchant whistled, looked bowil
(lereil, but evidently didn't chooso to
risk his life. Tho driver and liorse
shoer camo to her rescue; they fas
tened a hook to the end of a coil of rope,
saving:
Don't fear, miss, nor look so anx
ious; wo'H rig something an' got ycr
hat.'
' The driver, stretched at full length,
with only his head and an nrm over the
precipice, and anchored firmly by tho
rest of tho party, threw his rope, har
poon fashion, with an unerring aim. It
caught on tho rim, the hat was drawn up
carefully and restored to the young girl,
who, iviui eMiiicnumjr coioi una id
ling eyes, thanked the men profusely.
They cut short her rhapsodies by jump
ing on the driver's box and telling us to
'pile 111.'
unco inside, sue saiti:
'As von are all my friends, I must
let you into tho secret ot my hat. All
the money I possess is hidden in the
lining quilted in and noman, not even
a highwayman, would ever suspect the
treasure " hidden in such a cell, now
would they?
e, ot course, praised ner ingenu
ity.
A good thousand, is it?' said the
merchant.
' Tho very sum, she replied.
It was about two o'clock in the
morning, vt e wero well out ot the
most formidable passes, driving briskly
toward Ihe Canadian fork. The full
moon lighted our way, making the
bushes and trees adjacent cast sharp,
decided shallows across the road, lhad
exchanged places with tne horso-shoer.
Inutile they were dozing; but 1 was
wakeful and alert. We beguiled tho
dreary hour by story telling. Suddenly
I saw something moving in tho shadow
of the road on beyond us.
"What is that?' I said.
"Tho driver looked, his eyes round
ing like the moon.
" 4 Nothing but a burro,' referring to
the pnek-inuTes that frequently strayed
down the mountain side. It disap
peared quickly in the shade, and from
thence, instantly, as if by magio, jumped
ont into the road two men. They wero
hidden in huge slouch sombreros and
army cloaks. The stoutest caught the
bridle ol the loaders; tho other, cover
ing us with his rillo, shouted, !
Jjon t stir, or you are aueati man:
' Advancing closer, and keeping us
within tho langcof his muzzle, ho cried
Pitch out the treasure-box,
quick!
Wo are in a hurry 1'
- " The driver began to slammer a re
ply, shaking as if ho had tin ague
stroke, but I hushed him with a whis-
l,,,r: ..
Mop, stop; let me taut to tne'jo
men! There is no treasure aboard to
night.' I said this coolly, at the same
time swavme niv body to and rro, dbck-
wanl anil forward, to get out of tho
rango of tho muzzle; the man was evi
dently very nervous, as well as very
near.
" As I intonded lie should, lie took mo
for an express messenger, and as
neither the driver nor messenger aro
supposed to possess any valuables, they
are seldom molested.
"None of vour nonsense!' ronllcd
the bandit. Hand out the treasure, or
you'll see trouble.'
"The man at the reins evidently en
joyed my endeavor to get out of range.
tor he squeaked in a uign laisuito voice
" 'Do them bar' Is look bigP'
" ' Yes,' I said, ochoing tho old joke
current among tho miners, "les, 1
can read all the advertisements on tho
wadding.' -"
He chuckled a rough chuckle.
" 'Conio, come, heave out the specie-
box, shouted tho man holding the rule.
"I insisted there was none.
"Hero, look nt the way-bill; if
there is any such thing aboard it will
bo among ihe items, ami I made a
niovo to got down, holding it in my
hand.
' Slay where you are, or I'll shoot
vou on (ho spot!'
"I throw him the way-bill. Ho
dropped his ritle and picked It up. pe
rusinif the Items iu the moonlight.
1'i'oliting by this action, I undertook to
slip my portenionnaio into mv boot,
nnd moved my hands round to get at
tho pocktit. The driver, misunder
standing the movement, whispered:
" ' Have you got one?' The man at
the reins noticed the conferring and
halloed ' nt us. Tho other instantly
raised his gun.
" 'None of that! Hands nn.1
'We threw up our hands, nnd he
aualn turned to tho way-bill. I did
manage, though, to secrete my money,
sliiuiiiiir it- into mv boot.
" ' Vou see there's no mention mado
of tho treasure, and if it was sunt it
would be noted on the bill. However,
you can get tin and Look in the box and
satisfy yourself.'
"Un hesitated but a moment, nnd
then lumped up and looked in tho
box: In dome so he kicked my valise
"'Open this!' ha said. I did so,
tnkliiir out carefully its contents and
letting him look inside; tho, wrapping-
paper duuoiveu nun. j
No,' he cried, 'there's no treasure
on this stage, but we've sworn to have
a hundred dollars to-night, and if we
can't nnd It In the Baggage Who s in
side?'
. " Two men and a lady. None of
them rich: one ia tho ltorse-shocr. eo-
iug to Denver to shod the company's
horses.' ' t
" ' We'll look out for 'om. Whatover
happens don't stir, on your peril, Wt
nay lind the nioucy on them, or in the
baggage.'
" I felt terribly for the young ' girl.
The perspiration stood in great beads
of agony all over my body.
"It was evident they wore sleeping.
The man rattled the door and mused
them. Presenting his gun he ordered
them out to bo searched. Thoy obeyed, i
half asleep. He placed them In a
row. ' Hands up,' lie said. Now for
your pockets!' Tho horse-shoor had
but two dollars In silver, the mer
chant's portemonnale showed but a
live, and the young lady's nothing but
hor papers and a little change. The
girl, 1 was sure, looked as if she would
swoon.
" ' You're a mean crowd, to have so
little with you,' said he, 'and I've a
mind to send you to Huaveu this very
light. A hundred dollar we must
have, so we'll, go for your baggage,'
This was Uttered with infinite disgust.
"The merchant then spoko, 'You'll
And nothing of account in our bag
gage, but if you will ask this young lady
for
a
up,
to
on
to
of
her hat, and carefully ip out the
lining, you will find something worth
your pains.'
"The girl turned toward him with
blaxing eyes, and uttored but the ono
word :
" ' Traitor.'
"There was no cscapo; the hat was
secured. After the lining was Tory
carefully ripped out it was returned
with thanks.
"'In luck, in luckt' said the high
wayman. 'Jump in all. I'm sorry for
your loss, miss, out wo aro bound to
tako whatever is sent us. Wo havo no
treasure, but this will do. Drive on!'
" ' I want tho way-bill!' I said, ex
citedly, for the snene we had just wit
nessed had increased my indignation to
fever-heat.
"Ho handed it to mo, but it fluttered
under the horses' feet, and again I de
manded it. Mechanically ho picked it
mounted tho wheel, and handed it
mo. Then touching his hat to the
lady, ho said:
" ' Hut for this lining you might have
been lying in yonder ditch. No treasure
board. Come this way next time
without it, nnd we'll finish your ac
counts. Drive on!'
" We gladly followed his advice, but
could not lind language vigorous enough
express our contempt for the mean
ness of the merchant. Tho driver
swore at him in Spanish, nnd the young
lady answered all attempts at consola
tion with hysterical sobs. Tho mer
chant nlonn preserved his cool equanim
ity of temper.
" Arriving nt Denver, ho begged very
earnestly of the young lady, with me as
her friend, to grant him a few moments
explanation. In n private parlor. He
was so in earnest that tho young girl
yielded a reluctant consent. He closed
the door and bolted it. which looked
strangely.
" 'Don't fear,' ho said, ns I fumbled
for mv revolver. Sitting in a chair
he pulled off his boot, and, from the
toe, pulled out a roll of greenbacks. Said
he: 'A lew days Drloro leavyig 1 was
lucky enough to find nn opportunity to
exchange my doubloons tor tnese. niy
poor child, let mo make restitution.
H ue are two thousand in bills for the
one thousand socured bv tho robbers
handing her that amount ' your lining
was a ( jodsend to mo ; if they had search
ed mo further they would have secured
twenty instead of one thousand. Con
cealed in my baggage are diamonds and
. .1. v .1 1 1 -...I
siones, which, 11 uicv iiau acutucu,
would have beggared me' Taking a
solitaire from his vest-lining, ho pre
sented that also for her acceptance. '1
should have explained ill the stage, but
" walls have ears," and why should I
trust the others with my secrets r
" Of courso, as it turned out, I was
highly pleased at tho sagacity of the
trentleman; the more so as I recollected
the responsibility of specie I, too, iiad
assumed.
X need not tell you that tho lady's
tenrs were transmuted Into rare smiles
and she was sent to hor home rejoicing.'
i'ructicat Farmer.
I
Comets and Meteors.
Professor Proctor delivorcd a lecture
in Hurshoy Music Hall yesterday after
noon upon " Comets and Meteors" t
subject which, ho remarked in open
ing, was ono of very great dimciiity, not
less to the astronomic students of to
day than to those of ancient times. It
was tme that science had discovered
many interesting facts regarding these
bodies, but this nad increased 1110 un-
ticultios connected with thoir study as
it had added to tho mysteries which
surround them.
The lecturer, whoso remarks woro il
lustrated by a number of large paint
ings, opened his allusions to cometary
peculiarities oy aescriDing 1110 success
fill efforts mado by Horschel to deline
the courso of tho comet of 1680 as that
which Newton had laid down for it,
Newton prcdiutod that this comet on
its reappearance would pass very near
Lite sun, nun 1110 rusuti suoweu 111111 10
be very correct, the body passing within
one hundred and sixty thousand miles
of the sun, the repulsive power of tho
latter overcoming its power of gravity.
Tho comet of the year 10K2 provided
Newton's pupil, Haliey, with an oppor
tunity to deal more tnorougiiiy wit 11
the question of gravity as all'ceting the
movements of comets, nnd, utter coll
sidering it thoroughly, ho predicted
that tho comet would reappear in the
ye,
lit
ear 1 M.'i'.), a dato long after his death
the meantime olhcr astronomical
mathematicians had to deal with the
subject, and they, realizing that the
force of the disturbini; inlliienccs of the
planets Jupiter and Saturn would de
lay tho comet s reappearance, place
tho dato of its return in 18,'i5. Three
sepanito calculations wore mado, and
tho comet reappeared within the time
covered by them. The question of
what formed tho tail of the comet
was treated nt considerable length
by the lecturer, who Indorsee
Ilerschol's theory thai it con
sisted . of clouds of vaporous
matter which the power of the sun
drove from tho head of the comet.
Other theories had boon formed, and
0110 by l'rofessor Tvndall, which tho
lecturer explained fully with familiar
illustration, that tho tail was a negative
shadow of the head of the comet, had
attracted a p-reat deal of attention
though it had not been received by as
tronomers as correct. Considerable
interest attached to the recent discov
ery that there is a connection between
comets and meteors bodies so small
that the astronomer Kepler was indig.
naut at tho suggestion that they were
lit subjects for astronomical scrutiny
Tho text-book from which the lecturer
studied when a boy distiosed of the
question of meteors in short order, but.
while the information it conveyed was
srtven In a confident manner, the only
comment to be made regarding it was
that It was all wrong. The periodicity
of the showers of meteors was referred
to, the great displays recurring nt an
Interval of from thirty-three to thirty
four years, thus showing that tho me
teors take about one-third of a century
to go round the sun. Astronomers de
clined to believe this at first, because
this period implied that the meteors
had an orbit, wnicii carrion tneiu twenty
times more distant from tho sun than
is the earth, but the discovery that the
ihowors of meteors are coincident with
the tracks of tho comets showed them
to be the repelled particles of those
bodies whose orbits they followed.
The lecturer stated a number of further
interesting facts and discoveries con
nected with w hat Humboldt described
as "pocket planets," and in his con
clusion again stated that, while a large
quantity of work had been accomplished
in this peculiar branch of astronomical
research, the field of study was, and
would probably remain, practically in
exhaustible. 'CAienyo Tribum:
The Congregationalists have in
London ilo churches, 70 of which re
port 10,'JOo worshipers. In England
nnd Wales they have 4. 248 churches
and stations, and 2,718 ministers.
A Very Quiet Game.
There are somo folks who think It
awful wicked for husband and wife to
sit down together of nn evening and
play cards, while others can't soo whore
the harm conies In.
" Why," said the Colonnl a few days
ago, when tho subject of card-playing
was under discussion, " does any 0110
protend that my wife and I can't play a
few games of eitchro without disputing
and arguing and getting mad over itP
Loafers cairt, perhaps, but we could
day for a thousand years and never
mve a word yes, wo could."
Tho others snook their heads in a du
bious way, nnd tho nettled .Colonel
walked straight to a stationer's and
bought tho nicest pack he could find.
That evening, when his wifo was ready
sit down to her fancy work, he pro
duced the cards nnd said:
"May, I was told to-day that you and
couldn't play cards without disputing-
una getting into a row. Uarling, draw
up hare," - ' t '
" Dearest, wo will not, have a vord of
dispute not one," she replied, as she
put away her work.
The Colonel shuffled away and dealt
and turned up a heart. !
" I order it up," she observed, as she
looked over her cards.
I was Eointrto take it up anyhow,"
f'rowlcd the Colonel, as his chin fell, nil
lis other cards being black.
Play to that, sho said, as sho put
down the joker."
ho evor heard of anybody leading
out in trumps!" ho exclaimed. " Why
don't you lead out with an ace?"
o, 1 can piny tins nand.
You can, eh? Well, I'll make it
the sickest piny you ever saw! Ha!
took all the tricks, ch? Well, I thought
I'd cneournso you a little, liivo mo
the cards it's my deal."
1 011 dealt hetorc."
No, I didn't!"
Why, yes you did! Wo have only
played one hand."
Well, go nncnu ano oeni an tne
time if you want to ! I'll make two
off your deal anyhow. What's trump?"
hho turned up a cmi). lie nau oniy
tho nine-snot, but he scratched his
head, puckered his mouth and seemed
to want to order it up. The bluff didn't
work. She took itup, and he led nn aco
of hearts.
No hearts, eh ! ho shouted, as sho
trumped it. " Refusing suit is a regu
lar loafer's trick ! I'll keep an eye on
you ! les, take it and that and mat
and nil of em 1 u s nugnty queer
where you got all those trumps !
Stocked the enrds on me, did yoc?"
Now, dear, 1 played ns fnir as
could bo, and mado two, and if I make
one on your deal I'll shunk you."
I'd llko to soo yon make one on my
deal!" he pulled. "I've been fooling
along to encourage you, but now I'm
going to beat you out of sight. Dia
monds are trumps."
She passed and he tooK it up on two
small trumps. He took the lirst trick,
she the next two, he tho fourth, and
when ho put out his last trump sho had
the joker.
Skunkod ! skunked: ' sue ex
claimed, as sho clapped hor hands in
le0'
' 1011 uiun t ioiiow sun 1
"Oh, yes I did."
" I know better! You refused spades!"
"But I hadn't any."
"You hadn't, ehP Why didn't you
have any? I never saw a hand yet with
out nt least one spndo in it r
" Why, husband, I know how to play
cards."
"And don't I? Wasn't I plnylng
euchre when you were learning to
walk ! I say you stocked the cards on
mo I"
" No, I didn't ! you aro apoor plnyor;
you don t Know how to icau 1'
"I 1 why, niaybol'm a fool
and myybe I don't know anything, and
so you can play alone and have all
triimns every time !"
Hu unshed back, trrabbod ills naper.
wheeled around to the gas, and it was
nearly thirty-six hours before ho smiled
again. Nevertheless, no one else ever
had a dispute over cards. Detroit Free
-
in
The Last Young Man from the Country.
Tho young man from the country who
traded oil' his watch and chain for a
horse yesterday, got a lesson that may
be of service hereafter to himself, how
ever doubtful it may be that it will
help any one else. Even old men from
tho town rarely profit by the experience
of others, and why then should we ex
pect such wisdom in young men from
the country?
This particular young man was ac
costed, strange to say, by a plausible
stranger. Tnoro was going to be a
horse sale of an extraordinary charno
ter; and there was going to bo sold a
certain marvelous horse. The plausi
blo stranger was a dealer, he said.
Were ho to bid for this choice bit of
hoi lollesh, the auctioneer would surely
"run up the price ou him." A happy
expedient had suggested itself. The
young man from the country should go
111 and bid for the home. Unsuspected,
ho might buy it for a song. Hence
would accrue much prolit and joy to
both parties concerned. Tho young
man listened with an ear of desire;
but although his spirit was willing his
pocket was weak. In brief, he had no
money nt all except enough to buy an
oyster stew and to take him home to
Sullivan County. But, as was pointed
out by his ingonlotis companion, he
had a good watch nnd chain. He oould
easily explain to the auctioneer that he
had to go down town to get his money
and could hand in his watch and chain
meanwhile as security. As soon as he
got the horse, for which he was to bid
to the extent of 160, he was to lead
him round tho corner a little way f mm
Lexington avenue and T wenty-second
street where h's friend would meet
and give him $200. To return and got
his watch and chain and clear $50 by
the operation would be but the work of
a momont, and yet a very nice morn
ing's operation.
Much charmed at entering a line of
business so easy nnd so profitable, the
vountr man from the country promptly
agreed. All went swimmingly. The
auctioneer was affability itself. In due
time the coveted steed was brought
into the arena, like the wild horse of
Mazoppa, struggling with the grooms
and displaying a noble tire and ngility.
(linger and other persuasions, artfully
exhibited, had done their work. The
bidding for this ornament of the turf
was more spirited than the young man
from the country expected, but pres
ently to his delight he found himself
named as the animal's purchaser.
Eagerly he repaired to the rendezvous
near Lexington avenue and Twenty
second street. But need we tell the
sequel? Is it requisite even to hint that
tho too persuasive horse-dealer had
"vanished like a vapor wreath that dims
the summer moon?" Docs the symme
try of our tale call for the revelation
I that the creature the young man from
country was lending, more like Ho
sinnntothan Bucephalus, would be dear
for a ten-dollar greenback? We trust
not; and thoreforo crnve permission to
leave these painful details to tho sym
pathizing reader's Imagination, nnd to
tho, we fear, non-sympathizing hearors
who will grin over tho story next week
Sullivan County around a winter's
lire. N. . Kvcning Pout.
The Gentleman Wins.
If you speak the right word nt tho
right time; if you nre careful to leave
people with a good impression; if you
do not trespass upon tho rights of
others; if you nlways think of others, as
well as yourself; if you do not put your
self unduly forward"; if you do not for
get the courtesies which belong to your
position you aro quite sure to accom
plish much in lifo, which others with
equal abilities fail to do. This is where
tho race is not to the swift nor the bat
tle to tho strong. It is whore you make
fieople feel that you nre unselfish, and
lonorable, and truthful, and sincere.
This is what society is looking for in
men, nnd it is astonishing how much
men nro able to win for self-respect,
nnd success, and usefulness, who pos
sess these qualities of gooil breeding
is almost the turning-point of suc
cess in practical life. People will not.
In tho long nm, havo about them per
sons who make themselves offensive,
and they yield position and influence
quickly and gracefully to persons who
make themselves useful in a genial way
This is the point whero friends are at
once most forgiving: and most exacting.
They will overlook great neglects if
they can be assured of tho loving heart
beyond tho outward sight; but the mo
ment you do rudo things in a mile
spirit, and show the personal coldness
or sollishness, the friendship is severed.
This is whv the best friends make the
bitterest enemies. It may be set dowu
as a rule that one can never nfford to
not be a gentleman. It is best to learn
this rule early and practice it late. It
is not well to say mean things of an
other, because in most cases you will
have to take it all back in bitterness of
heart when lie does you an unexpected
favor. It is not wise to treat any one
brusquely, because you cannot n.ways
judge a bud by the leathers he has on.
It is not well to looK down on any
body, because tho time may come when
hu will look down upon you. There is
a certain selfhood in every ono which
should bo respected. Wo have no
rinht to infringe upon it. It is not
morality, it is not mere conventional
rulo, it is not simply a social regula
tion; it is something m tho nature of
things that you should always show a
delicate regard for others. One who
did not fail hero was never known
utterly to fail elsewhere. JJoston
Herald.
The Arkansas Style.
Several days ago we published an
Item in regard to a couple of horso
thieves that had created something of
an excitement near Haddoxburg, a sta
tion on the Fort Smith Railroad. The
two horse-thieves, whose names wo are
unable to ascertain, came from Texas
to the neighborhood of Haddoxburg,
and during a stay of several months
were, from time to time, employed by
the planters as cotton-pickers. On the
occasion of the equestrian trouble the
two men attended a party given at tho
house of a gentleman who lives near
the station, where their laughing good
humor and " swing your partner"
ability brought them into notice. One
of them proved himself to be so " call
ingly" ellleient that ho was placed
upon the floor ns a prompter. While
he was thus discharging his duties, his
compauion was outside selecting part
ners from among the horses, and when
two suitable partners had been selected
he went back to the house and made a
sign which was' readily understood by
his companion. Pretty soon tho two
men strolled off togothor. Tho dance
continuod, but the two men did not
come back. Iheir absence, however,
did not create any suspicion until some
hours afterwards while a stir was being
mado for home, when ono man ex
claimed, so familiar to Kentucky, " Bill,
by gosh, my horse is gone! Bill, after
looking around, discovered that his
horse was also gone. Thou suspicion
pointed to tho two men from Texas;
and then tho excitement sprang up. If
you want to insult an Arkansas man,
steal his horse. It is nil right to step
out from a dance and scratch a bottle
from under a worm fence, but don't
stoal his horse. Several young men
mounted, so our Information goes, nnd
instituted pursuit, declaring that tho
men would not bo brought back alive.
After rilling rapidly for several hours,
they overtook the two men, and, with
out asking tiny questions, shot them
both dead. Little Hock Ark.) (Jazctte.
The Fire Laws of Japan.
The severity with which persons in
Japan are punished who have the mis
fortune to be burned out is stated as
follows: If the house is unoccupied and
is accidentally sot on tire, the person
through whose carelessness the lire is
started receives ten days' Imprisonment
with hard labor; if it is inhabited and
the lire be produced by the proprietor,
then he is punished with twenty days;
if the lire spreads to other houses the
sentence is forty days, and when any
body is killed thereby, one degree
heavier; but if the. person killed is a
relative of the lirst degree, the punish
ment is ono hundred days; if the house
belongs to tho Government, one hun
dred (lays; It a tomplo, from sixty days
to one year, but ten years are inllicted
if it happens to be one of the great
temples of Isle, or in the precincts of
the Imperial Palace. If a robber sets
fire unintentionally to a house, he is
punished with, at least, three years'
imprisonment with hard labor. Decap
itation awaits incendiaries, ten years'
penal servitude an attempt at arson;
the punishment being mitigated if the
would-be incendiary is a servant who
has just received a sharp rebuke, or if
the attempt be mado on nn uninhabited
dwelling. If a man sets tire to his own
houao, ninety days, but if the lire
spreads to houses in the neighborhood,
two years and a half; and penal servi
tude for life is inllicted if the offender
profits by the opportunity of the tiro to
purloin giiods or property. Scientific
American.
The Pope is said to have commis
sioned Father Ballerini, a Jesuit, to ex
amine the dispute between the Roman
Catholio Bishops In England and the
religious orders domiciled in that coun
try. The religious orders dispute the
claim of the Bishops to supremo author
ity in their diocese.
The Now York Onserver offers a
premium of one hundred dollars to stu
dents In theological seminaries for the
"best essay designed to counteract any
one of tne many forms of assault
upon Christianity by modern iutidel-itv.
"Coonskin."
A passenger-trnin which left Lansing
coming east last Monday had among
the iiassengers a plain-faoed, sensible
looking girl about twenty years of age,
nndathin-waisted, sickly-looking young
man a year or two oldor. No one
would have mistrusted that they were
eloping had not tho young man asked
the conductor if there was a clergyman
on the train. There was none, nml tho
young nmn explained to the passengers
around him that ho was In a bad lix.
Ho had come down from Bath Town
ship in n buggy, nnd ho was quite suro
that tho girl s father would tako the
other road down to Chicago Junction,
nnd there board tho Lansing train ami
raise a row. Ho was not much on a
row, but yet he loved the girl, and they
wero bound to mnrry.v If the old man
came alone ho thought ho could blufl
him off, but if his two big sons camo
along tho scale would be turned. He
thoreforo wanted to know of a mnn
wearing n red woolen shirt nnd coon-
skin cap if he would stand by him.
xou net l win: ' was tne nearty ro-
sponso. " 1 got my old gal by running
away with her, and I'll see you through
this If I never do any more good! You
wouldn t be worth a cent in a free tight.
and now vou co into the baertraere car
and let m run this affair alone. I want
to bo seated beside the gal when the
oid man comes in. '
When the whistle blew for the Juno
tion Coonskin changed places, nnd ns
the cars halted ho put his nrm around
Mary nnd took one ot her hands in his.
the old man and his two sons were on
hand, and they piled into tho car pell
mell. " Hero sho is!" cried the father, as
he caught sight of the girl, and the three
made a rush.
" Kun away with my !" began the
old man, but when ho saw tho stranger
oosidc ner no cnecKed nimseir.
" Want anything of us?" asked Coon
skin, as he looked up.
" Who aro you, sir?"
" I'm going to be your son-in-law in
less than an hour eh! darling?"
He gave Mary a squeeze, and Mary
looked happy.
"Come along, Mary conic right home
with me!" ordered the father.
"Let's mash tho villain!" added one
of tho sons.
" Put a head on him lot mo get at
him!" shouted tho other.
The father seized Mary nnd the sons
seized Coonskin.. 1 hen a red shirt tow
ered aloft, a pair of big lists began
working with a " pop!" "pop!" and as
fast as the trio got up they made for the
door. Coonskin followed, arms and feet
working like a trip-hammer, and when
the train moved off the father sat on a
box with a big woolen mitten held to
his noso, one of the sons was pulling
loose teeth from his jaw, and the other
boy was groping his way to a snow
bank.
"Now, then," said Coonskin, as the
exultant lover returned, " resumo yer
seat, take her little hand in yours, and
don t calkerlate you owe me anything.
"Say, lorn," said the girl, "1 m going
to kiss him tor tiiati'
" All right, sis."
"Wall, just as you feel," said Coon
skin. as he returned tho smack, " but 1
want it distinctly understood around
these parts that when I see true love
on its way front Lansing to Howell to
get spliced, I kin lick all the pursuing
dads in the State of Michigan!" Detroit
Free Press.
in
Spring Millinery.
FuiiTHEii importations of spring mil
linorv confirm the earliest advices,
Thuro will De very little change in tho
shapes of bonnets, and those of medium
sizes, neither very largo nor very
small, are most seen at present. I'oke
shapes of the moderate sizes are very
largely imported in all the various
braids, such as Tuscan, chip, lace straw,
English split straw, satin braids and
Leghorns. The creamy yellow Tuscan
braids and the lustrous satin straws
aro very handsome, and promise to be
the leading fabrics. Tho lace straws
aro open braids in beautiful lace-like
designs, and appear to be much strong
er than tho frail straw laces, formerly
used, sometimes tho brim only i
striped with this lace, while the crow
is of more solid braid, such as chip or
luscnn. A special novelty is tho casli
more eil'ects given to those new straw
by introducing colored threads in the
lace-like design; pale bluo, heliotropo,
and rod threads are very effective when
combined with the natural hue of the
straw. There aro also mottled effect
of color given to chip hats to match the
costume with which they are to be
worn, and sometimes two shades of
colored chip form alternate stripes all
around the bonnet; these aro excellent
for morning wear or for traveling bon
nets in two shades of brown, oeige,
lavender, gray or green. Black chip
bonnets have merely the crown of chip,
while the scoop brim and the curtain
are formed of straw lace, which is
heavily beaded with flue jet beads;
sometimes old gold straw is arranged in
stripes in the black chip bonnets.
The Marie Christine is the name given
to a dressy atl'air which is neither a
bonnet nor hat, but something between,
and is to be worn by young ladies on
dressy occasions, at Newport or Sara
toga. It has a prominent crown, with
a wide brim rolled back from the front,
and split in two from the edge to the
crown; this split is to come directly on
top of the head, and the crown is to be
placed quite far back on the head. The
llaring brim win oe iaceu wun a oncom
ing oolor and the crown Is to be
trimmed down one sido with a long
Morcutio plume, and down the other
with flowers. The yellow Tuscan braid
is most used for this Spanish head
dress, with Spanish lace strings, and
the new Spauitdi. yellow called Isabelle
will appear in the trimmings, combined
with red in the flowers, to complete the
national colors ot Spain. There are
other wide-brimmed round hats in va
rious shapes, recalling the Devonshire
and Pinafore styles of last season, and
young ladies who have valuable Leg
horn and chip hats left from last sum
mer will find them useful this year, as
they will readily lend themselves to all
that is new in the late importations.
Gypsy hats are very largely imported
in the most ooquettish shapes, to be
worn well back on the head, with the
sides tied down, and the front project
ing in poke shape. Then there are hats
with halo brims that frame the flee
and show oft' handsome hair, as they
are to be merely perched on the back
of the head; and there are turbans of
various shapes, to be worn low down in
front or far back on the head, accord
ing to the taste of tho wearer.
Kibboos will be much used for trim
ming bonnets, and for this purpose they
are shown in three widths, known to
dealers as Nos. 7, 12 and 21, and vary
ing from one and a half to three inches
in breadth. Satin ribbons are shown
in great variety, and are especially
handsome when double-faced in the
new way that makes the wrong side
xactly like the right, or rather does
away with a wrong side altogether, so
that tho ribbon may be turned nnd
twisted in nny fashion, which Is n de-
irablo thing, nnd withal economical,
making bows, loops nnd rosettes.
These double-faced satin ribbons nro
strewn with irregular dots of cashmere
colors on a contrasting ground; thus
the grounds are Japanese blue or
turquoise, heliotrope, red, brown or
black, dotted with creamy Isabelle pink
or maizo. Striped ribbons aro also
hown in two shades of satin, or else in
contrasting colors In most capricious
arrangements, such ns bronzo with
gold, or else sapphire blue with gold,
pink with oltio, garnet with cardinal, or
red with old gold. Tho new colors that
are developed in these importations are
Isabelle yellow tho historical Spanish
color pheasant brown, and new shades
that have purple for their base, and re
call the lilac, lavender, mauve, violet
and heliotropo tints. For millinery
purposes tho old-lashioned lute
string ribbons nro revived; these
aro of the smooth silks which
the French call tnll'etas. nnd aro
now shown with tnpo-like borders, or
with feathery edges, in many ol tno
styles used twenty years ago. They
nro very pretty in coachman's drab.
argent and pheasant brown similes.
Very soft satin duehesse or marvoilluso
ribbons havo changeablo colors through
tho center, with a border stripe of full
satin on the edges. Again, there are
nrmtiro-striped ribbons that are double-
faced, Ratin and gros grain, with the
stripe like a broken cord. The Oriental
figured ribbons come in new quaint
colors that nro more nearly modeled
niter tho Japanese than the cashmere
colors of winter. Very rich Gobelin
ribbons are shown that nnpenr to be
literal copies of stripes of old tapestries,
and there are polka-dotted and damasse
ribbons of endless variety that have but
one tiling in common, viz., the soft, plia-
bleness that makes them easily twisted
and turned into knots and bows. Ex
perienced milliners write from Paris of
the decided preference among design
ers for tho pheasant brown shades that
combine well with all shades of buff,
such as Tuscan nnd Isabelle, and of the
light purple tints, the soft silks for
trimming the crowns of bonnets come
in twilled lustrous fabrics known ns
satin duehesse, or as satin sublime, nnd
are represented in light cashmere com
binations as well as in the now plain
colors. Harper's lltxiar.
English in England and America.
Amonii home-keeping Yankees who
had never visited England, I was, I am
inclined to believe, somewhat excep
tional in my opportunities of observing
the speech of Englishmen, which began
when I was a boy, and went on increas
ing in frequency until I crossed the
ocean. There was, therefore, nothing
very new to me in the average speech
around me when I found myself among
my cousins in the old home, and nothing
at all now in the English that I heard
from the friends that I found there, and
from their neqtiaintnnces. How should
there bo? This, too, would seem a su-perflc-.is
remark, wero it it for the
common assumption and frequent nsser
tion that there is nn essential diU'erenee
between the language of the two peo
ples, duo in part to the preservation iu
this country of phrases and pronuncia
tions which are obsolete or obsolescent
in England, and in part to changes
which nave taken place hero, some of
which aro nttributed Heaven help us!
to tho influence of the aboriginal
" Indians" upon our habits of mind and
body! Many Yankees who speak with
unconscious freedom the language of
good American society must' have en
countered with amusement the compli
mentary expressions of surprise nt their
" pure English," with which thev were
favored in Englnnd. A friend of mine,
n lady, met one of these with a whim
sical and characteristic reply. She was
on both sides a Yankee of tho Yan
kees; but, her mother bore a name which
stands high among the historical pat
ronymics of England. Sho was ns fair,
golden-hnired, bluo-cyed, and buxom a
matron as yon would find in New En
gland; and being once where there were
many portraits of members of the fam
ily in question, her likeness to some of
them was so striking that it was re
marked upon. Nevertheless, a gentle
man, au officer in tho British army,
thought it necessary not only to compli
ment Iter upon her English, but to ask
her if sho was not peculiar In this re
spect among her countrywomen. "Oh,
yes," she immediately replied; "but
then 1 have had unusual advantages.
There was an English missionary sta
tioned near my tribe." His captain
ship subsided at onco into silence, nnd
seemed to bo revolving the matter in
his mind in n more or loss dazed fash
ion, which unbilled her great amuse
ment. hichard Grant While, in March
Atlantic.
Tennessee's Pictured Rock.
Not one hundred miles below Nash
ville is a curious spectacle, known as
the "Sun and Moon." It consists of a
painting upon an immense rock which
rises to nn altitude of several hundred
feet. As to who painted it is a mys
tery which I believe was never unrav
eled. Many think It was the work of
the red brother, centuries afro, per
haps. But there the sun and moon
shine out in all the freshness of new
paint. They are located midway the
cliff, and stand out in bold relief. As
to how any human being ever reached
the spot is a Question which. I believe,
has nevor been solved. It is supposed
that In those days they had not giant
ladders, and could not easily bavo
reached tho point from below. Tho
only natural rope of that time was a
wild grape-vine, of which Tennessee is
so prolific, and some Indian might
have been by this means let down over
the dizzy bluff, and when he hod fin
ished his work had again been let down
or pulled up. At any rate, these pict
ures are there on the everlasting rock,
and are likely to remain for future ages.
Cincinnati Commercial.
The London Telegraph on Sunday
school teachers: " As for these ladies
and gentlemen themselves, we believe
they, too, will admit that their labor
brings to them a rich harvest of per
sonal reward. Thoy learn iii the Sunday-school
not merely a habit of doing
good, of thinking about and caring fur
others, but a habit of ruling firmly yet
mildly, under the gentle scepter of
Christian love, natures that are weak
aud wayward, but in which there may
be dormant splendid capabilities. They
learn also to observe character and
read hearts, to exhort and persuade
with effect. Lastly, they form friend
ships, not only with each other but
with those under their affectionate
charge poor and lowly as they often
are the tender memories of which in
after years are cherished alike by the
teacher and the taught.'!
Ohio has a
1,043,320.
school population of
