The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

A CHANGED DECISlflN. ' CHAPTER. IL It eeem staken for granted that, according to the best authorities, and the highest, or us least the most prevalent fashions of taste, netting no“ he said of the hopes, the fears, the trials, successes, and disappointments of any heroes and heroines who may get mar- ried. Those who have been fortunate «rough to taste tne wedded bliss of real life, know how far this is asensible rule, and how far justified by the absence of all exciting episodes afterwards. However, we shall begin by adhering to this rule pretty closely, only indic sting the course of Rodbnry’s life for a few years after his marriage; and it is '5“ fair to his wife to start with the declar- ation that he was more happy with her than he expected to be. The love was wholly on 'the girl’s side. Rodbury had not for a long time the least idea of the love which slowed, and flamed too, in her heart. But he saw it at last, and, as a man would see, not as a woman, came gradually and logically to how and understand, that so long as he kept her love, and she knew or thought she had his, no pain, no sacrifice would be too at for her to suffer or make in his behalf. fter realising this, he seemed to know, even better than ucffll'e, that she had never had his love. Her earnestness and intensity almost frightened him ; and often, when he was away from her, he would picture her conduct in certain contingencies or trying positions, and the result of these reflections was rarely increased cheerfulness on his .part. ' Two children were born tothem, a girl and a boy- The girl was named Rose. Her moth- er had asked erbury if he would not like to have a secondname, after his mother; but he said : “ No. My mother's name was not so pretty as your own ; so let it be Rose only.” With the hey it was different, Mrs Rod- nury wished hisname to be “ Francis J ohn,” after her husband, her brother, and, as it appeared, her father ; but here Rodbury was unexpectedly firm. He was very grave for a while, more silent and thoughtful, in- deed than Ruse had ever known him for so long a time, and he would sit and watch the desiring child by the hour together, when this spell was upon him. One dayâ€"he was to start on their country round upon the next oneâ€"he came in and said he had reg- istered the boy, and his name was Cy- rus. It had struck him as being a wary pretty name, and he had been reminded of it by a tale he had recent- ly read. Rose was quite mortified at this, and shed a few tears of vexation at the idea of her beautiful boy being called by such an out- landish name. Whoever had heard of \Cyrus‘.’ Such an ugly, foreign-sounding name 1 Thus spake Rose; but the mischief was done. There was no doubt of that, for 'Sparle, whose chief failing was not that of placing implicit confidence in any one, went round to the registrar, with whom he had some acquaintance, and satisfied himself that :Rodbury’s statement was a true one, so far as it went. Sparie qualified it thus in his own mind, but and nothing openly : “ He must have had some reason for call- the boy Cyrus Launceston, and 'chr holdqu his tongue about the second "name." i'uuo rc fl acted Sparle. “ Well, I can hold my tongue as quiet as he can hold his. for a bit, anyhow. There is a place called Lauuceston somewhere ; I am sure I have heard the name ; perhaps he has some. thing to do with that place. Anyhow, I .ashall be likelier to find out if he does not know exactly what I suspect; so we shall use." This little vexation was soon get over ; and Rodbury and his wife parted good friends, when the former went off for his country round. Business was brisk upon ohis excursion, and there was increased gen- iaiity between the partners. A constant :source of conversation was little Cyrus, of \fwhom‘Spurle was quite as ready to talk as “was the father, and this was not feigned on ““ Uncle John's ” part, as he was really fond of both the children. If he had any other motive in so often turning the conversation to this topic, he always managed to conceal it under the interest he assuredly did take 'in the young ones. The tour was concluded, and so success- fully, that some plans for dividing the mound and working it more completely Were discussed as the pair returned to London in the best of tempers with each other. They parted at their usual rendezvous, the stable and warehouse, and, as was natural, Rodbnry wont straight-home, or nearly so. During the time he had been with Sparle, he had called, on returning to and ere leav- ing 1. radon, at a certain restaurantâ€"a “ coffee-shop " it was called in its neighbour frood, but modern taste prefers the foreign nameâ€"where, as he had arranged with his friend Mr. Ashwell, such letters of import- ance as it might for any reason be desirable to screen from too general a gaze were to be sent. Hitherto, these calls had been fruitless; but on this night the landlord said: "Yes" Mr. llodbury, there is a letter for you at dastzsnd any one would have thought you knew it was coming. for it has not beenhere .an hour.” Rodbury smiled at this, uttered some little fies: in re ly, then careleuly thrusting the onepen letter into his pocket, Walked nway with anything but the air of a man 'ho was expecting important news. This in- difi'erence only lasted until he was fairly out of sight of the shop: he then tore cpen and eagerly read the note. It was brief, and em- phatic: “Dsau Ronsunrâ€" Come to me at once; i have news of importance for you â€" news which changes everything. Do not de- b{.â€"-H.A. " 'his was all ; but there was quite enough in these few words to disturb the reader palpably. With knitted thoughtful brow, he went on until he was within a quarter of .a mile of his own home, then, just as he reached the corner of a street from which his smaller thorou hfare branched, he used, looked hesitating y down it for a see seconds, then, as though he had sudden- ly come to some decision, turned abruptly wound and at once struck (if in another diestion. As will be imagined, his way led him to his friend Ashwell’s, and on inquiry he found that gentleman was within. “ And never more glad to see any one in my life l" exclaimed Ashwell, after a few words of explanation; “ although 1 little expected so prompt an answer to my letter. You must have received it. friend Lioness- .312â€" a. Au exclamation and a warning shake of the head interrupted him here. “ Yes, I said Launceston, and I meant it,” continued Ashwell. " I directed the note to Mr. Rodbnry, and repeated the name in side, according to our agreement, bu: for the last time, I hope. Henceforth, you are again to be Cyrus Launcsstou to me and to the whole world." . " Why, whatâ€"what has happened 3" (said Rodbury; ‘and his face paled, then ‘ flushed, while his voice {altered as he spoke. “ Your grandfather is dead. I was sent for by his special request, when it was plain that his hours were numbered," replied Ash- well. “He is gone ; so you have no cause to fear ; and, moreover, he had completely for- given yon, as I can amply prove." “But even if he hadâ€"which I could hardly believe if any one else had told me," said his friendâ€"“ even if he had done so. there are others still more dangerous who knowâ€"who had proofs that ”â€" â€" “ Not a bit of it, my dear fellow," inter- ed Ashwell, as the other falter: d. " But had better tell you all about it; so, sit down thereâ€"take one of these cigarsâ€"and listen." Mr. Ashwell then entered on a summary of what had transpired of such importance to his friend; a pretty lengthy summary too, requiring the best part of an hour in its telling ; but a brief outline ol his narrative will serve our purpose. Herbert Ashwell and Cyrus Lauuceston had been playfellows, schooliellowr, and friends; while the latter, having once saved Ash- well's life at the imminent risk of his on u, had earned the never-failing gratitude of his chum, although he made light of the service himself. He was wont to say, with a little spice of truth. that as it was the only good deed he had ever done, it shone out more vividly with him than it would have done with any one else, Both Launceston’s parents died when he was young, leaving him to the care of his grandfather, a wealthy and in the main 8. kindly man, but crotchsty, hasty of temper, and tyrannical; notat all a model custodian for a youth, and such a youth. What judi- cious treatment and care might have done for Cyrus, it is impossible to say; heharl enough, as he owned, of the family gifts to need a great deal of both these essentials, and he got nothing of them. First, he querrelled with the old man, vio- lently, too, as such a pair would be likely-to quarrel ; then, as nothing was gained and much lost by this, the young fellow took to craft, and tried to hoodwink his harsh old relation. Unluckily, he got hold of a very had set ; such a young man as himself was sure to get hold of a had set ; on which the need for cunning and craft increased rapid- ly. In plain English, Cyrus was a sad young fellow, selfish in the extreme, dissi- pated â€"-cf course hypocriticalâ€"and was sowing worse grain all round than even the traditional wild-oat. Much detail of his behaviour is not re- quired hers ; but it turned out that his grandfather, who was fully fonrscoro years of age, and held him more closely under watch than the young man drearrt of, so knew of nearly all he would have concealed, among other things of his having given post- obits, bills payable at his grandfather's death, and discounted at a ruinous rate upon the chance of his being made heir to the old man’s property. At last there came an ex- plosion, premature on each side, it would seem, for Cyrus could not afford at this crisis to quarrel with the old man, who on his part, had be but waited for a day or two would have heard something well calculated to cause a breach between them, lzad all else been satisfactory. As it was, they parted after a stormy in- terview, in which, it was reported, the elder struck his grandson across the face with his cane so as to draw blood. 0n the next day his bankers advised him that he had slightly overdrawn his account. They had paid his cheque for a thousand pounds, but only out of courtesy to an old customer. This cheque was a forgery, and Cyrus Launceston the forger. The old man was furious. He paid the cheque, and so obtained possession of it ; but then he gave information to the police, and actually oil‘srsd a reward for the culprit’s apprehension. This was so trivial in amount, however, as to savour more of an insult than a stimulus. it was supposed that Cyrus would endeavour to make his escape to America ; and as he was not stopped at the ports, it was supposed also that he had succeeded. Ashwoll kept upon friendly terms with the old man, and by his counsel and by his unfailing advocacy of Cyrus, who, he always contended. had never had a chance to do well, had gradually soothed the grandfather, who, with advancing years and declining health, became gentler in his memories of the boy, as he termed him, and a severer critic of himself. He thought that Cyrus must be dead ; but Ash- well invariably asserted his conviction that he was not ; he had stronger grounds for this conviction than he chose to confide to the old man ; but thelatter was veryshrewd, and may have divined that Herbert knew more than he told. Be that as it may, when the old gentle- man died, it was found that the bulk of his property was left to his grandson, if claimed by him within seven years. The forged cheque had been destroyed in Ashwell's presence ; while the old man had written to the police, and had advised tue bank, that on reflection he saw it was probable that his grandson considered he had authority to sign in his name ; and so there was no ariéiiinality in the act for which he had e . " So, everything is plain sailing for you," concluded Ashwell, whose narrative, as rxay be supposed, did not include all the points herein detailed. “ You are worth a bun- dred thousand pounds as you stand there, besides the house and grounds. All is clear now. You can 0 and take possession fear- lessly. You will look out for a handsome wife, and settle down among the best of them. And then, you know, bygones will be by- " And is such a marriage to be the natural result of my change of fortune?" said Rod- bury, or Launceeton. “Is it in such a posi- tion I am to find my happiness? He spoke with apparent dificnlty, and ended with a short laugh, so harsh and s that Asb- wsll looked curiously at him for an instant are he spoke. “ You are a queer fellow, Cyrus," he .said ; “ but that you always were. Why do you pitch upon one harmless jestâ€"if you like to consider it soâ€"to the exclusion of everything else 2 When you come into your money, which practically you may do to- morrow, you will naturally think or set- tling. and then"â€" "No l Ishall not 1" abruptly interrupt- ed his friend. "I am married.“ “Married l” The surprise had evidently rendered Ashwell incapable of saying more for the moment : but recovering himself, he continued : “You are married, and have kept it from me! This was not friendly or wise, Cyrus. I should have been glad to know your wife ; I might have done more for you, and her”â€" “Aud the children,” again abruptly in- terrupted Rodbnry, as we shall continue to call him. “Yes, you may stare ; but it is true. I have been married long enough to have two children; and my wife belongs to the tribe of hawxers and cheap jacksâ€"or her friends do.” “By Jove l" muttered Ashwell. The quick ears of his visitor caught the exclamation, subdued though it was. “ I tell you, Herbert.” he went on, “that not- withstanding this, she is good enough for me, and is a true and devoted wife, accord- ing to her light. I looked upon myself as no better than a fugitive convict, so what did it matter how I fiung myself away. But- even that last sentiment is all humbug. I repeat that she was good enough for me. To keep up my character, I suppose, and to ensure my marriage being in keeping with the rest of my honourable life, I married her under a false name. To her I am Frank Rodbnry, and she is Mrs. Rodbnry.â€"Ycu might have expected this from meâ€"might you not?" "Sit down again," returned Ashwell; “talk calmly, and reasonably if you can, and tell me all about this strange business.” His friend complied ; and his narrative evi- dently had the greatest interest for Ashwell. Now, the latter was an honorable man, a gene- rous and devoted friend, as he had shown often enough. But he was, and had always been, under a sort of glamour or charm as re garded Cyrus, whom he r'ated far too highly, believed in him, as calculated to make a figure in the world if he could only get the chance ; and this admiration, this belief, ren- dered him an unsafe adviser when his friend’s interests were concerned ; per- verting his own honour and truth- fulness into something wearing a very different aspect. 0n the few occasions when, of late years, he had seen and conversed with Ashwell, Rodbury always left him the better for the interview ; but he did not do so on this night. If the counsel Ashwell had given, or rather the hinted suggestions he had made, for the time had hardly come for direct counsel on the subject, were such as would prompt an ungenerous line of conduct on Rodbnry’s part, fate played strangely and unexpectedly into his hands. Rodbury walked thoughtfully home- wards; in will be admitted that he had some food for thought; and his reverie was so absorbing that it was more by habit than observation that he reach- ed his house, but there he was suddenly aroused. He dwelt in a small back street, lined with six-roamed houses, decent and quiet enough places, and his, like most of the others, hold more than one family. He and Ross held four rooms, a man and his wife rented the other two, and all had hitherto gone on smoothly between them. The man was an omnibus conductorâ€"it must be seen that the social change likely to arise from Rodbnry’s succession to wealth was great and temptingâ€"so he was from home a great deal, and on this particular day, chance, or fate, brought about a quarrel between the two wives, on some mean and paltry ques- tion of washing or drying clothes, as far as could be made out. In his mood, a quarrel on such a basis was infinitely more gelling and painful to Ridbury then any outbreak arising from more important matters. “Why, Rose 1" he exclaimed, as he threw open the gate of his little garden and saw his wife standing in the passageleading from the street door, which was Wide open, her face flushed scarlet, while she was exchang- ing an “angry parle" with some shrill femi. nine voice in the upper part of the house. "Ba calm, Rise l” he continued. “Do not excite yourself. If Mrs Kilby has offended you. she shall leave." “Leave l Leave! screamed his wife; her tone was pitched for the benefit of her un- seen adversary. “I should think she should leave! She shall go before dinner-time to- morrow, and I will turn her out myself, if no one else will do it." “You i you lâ€"such a thing as you l ’ retort- ed the voice. “It is more than you dare do. I can show my receipts for rent : and you lay a finger on me, or touch anything of mine, and 1 will have you before the magistrateâ€"- a thing i dessay you are used to, madam.” “ Come in, Ross? D) you hear? Come in, I say 2 ’ cried Rodbnry, seizing his wife’s wrist. “You must not go on like this." But if he had not known it before, he was to learn now of how little avail are reason- ings and commands with aninfuriated woman It was many minutes are he could part the disputants, whose language grew hotter, as ” hits" on either side told; and when at last he got his wife into her own rooms, she was seized, as a matter of course, with a deeper- atg fit of crying hysterics. It was unfortunate that such a display should have occurred on this night. Rodbury had never before seen his wife at her worst ; he always knew she was capable of violent passion, but she had not shown it so openly. Twenty-four hours earlier he would have been ofi'ended, angry, no donbt,‘ but he would not have been so utterly disgusted and shocked as new. Rose was penitent on coming to herself, and begged her husband's pardon for the outbreak. He had not shown many lofty characteristics since his marriage, it is true; but for all that, the girl was fully aware that he had been once in a ve different sphere, and was not likely to to crate such a dis lay. She was very fond of him too; andt ° fact shone strongly through her penitence, her tears, and her promises of reformation. In some strange manner, all this, even her affection, contributed to hei hten the loath- ing with which Rodbury already regarded his home;hnt as he wasaman to whom deceit always came easily, be assumeda forgiving mood much earlier, as his wife naively owned,.than she had expected ; and she thought him the kindest and best tem- forgiveu also ; Rodbnry actually uttered some jssm about the skirmish, and so all was harmony in the household once more. . This was uficcuras gratifying, and his ex lpered man in the world. The-ledger was and for whom he always made excuses. He ' cellent temper, after so irritating an inci- dent, was, or ought to have been, tifying also ; but if Rose had some of the fiings of of a woman, she had a woman’s instinctive quickness and penetration as well, and a vague alarm took possession of her. She knew not what she dreaded;but she felt almost frightened when in her husband‘s presence. and although she had really been a good wife, hid never been so docile and watchful to anticipate his wishes as now. The time had almost come round for the firmâ€"Sparle and Rodbnryâ€"to make another start, and the latter grew gentler and fund- er of his children's company than was his wont. He had not been a very attentive father, and even in this change there was the vague something which was now ever present to Rose. She tried to laugh it OE, and spoke to her brother about it ; but the experiment did more harm than good, for she found that a kindred feeling was in the man's mind. ' "There’s a change come over him that I can’t make out," was his summingup ; “he keeps his affairs more to himself than he has any need to do ; but he has got something on his mini, I am sure." The very next day after this consultation took place, Rodbury announced with some abruptness that he should not be able to commence the journey with Spar-lo, whom he would join about a week later. To the strong remonstrances of his partner, he only replied that he had some important business to look after, and that if any loss ensued, he, Rod- bury, was willing to bear the whole of it. So perforce the matter was settled, Sparle mentioning in confidence to his sister that “if this was going to be the game, I shall not stand much of it; not but that I shall be glad to be away from him for a day or two." f Rodbury had not married his sistar, it is probable that Sparle would have preferred a dissolution of partnership, as he had never heartily liked the man. This course was, however, out of the ques- tion, and so Mr. Sparle started on his round alone ; feeling that there was something in the air which boded no increase of comfort to the circle. ('ro m: CONTINUED.) â€"_â€"-â€".â€"â€"-â€"â€" How they Travelled in Former Times. All great men kept messengers to carry letters and parcels ; Edward III. had twelve of them with a fixed salary; they “ received threepence a day when they were on the road, and four shillings and eightpence a year to buy shoes." Merchants, though not profes- sional travellers, were constantly journeying to different fairs, and such of them as were below the class of merchant princes like Whittington and Canynge were to be “ met about the roads almost as much as their poor- er brethren, the pedlars." At the same time, merchants travelled as much by boat as they could, both because they conveyed their goods more cheaply by water than they could by land, and also, no doubt, because they Tim AFRICAN outfits. Stanley Confirms the Exist. the Wen» deriul Akita Pig ) The explorer Stanley has bird an oppor- tunity. during his present journey in Africa, to outline ihe southern limit of thefauoxl Akka pigmies whom Sshweinfnrth was the first to study on their northern frontier. These little gypsies of the African forest are far more numerous on the route Stanley fol- lowed than in any other region where tl e] have been met. Along ‘200 miles of the upper Aruwimi he saw about 150 of their villages or camps hidden in the dense forests. Very few of them go south of the Aruwimi River. They call themselves the “'amhuttl, but they are identical with the Akka further north, of whom the latest accounts were written by Emln, and published last year. Stanley’s discovery that the Aruwimi limits the wanderings of these remarkable nomads on the south shows us that they are scattered over a territory about one-third larger than the State of New J srsey, Ssvsr~ al hundred MILES 0F D8533 FORES'IS separate them from the equally interesting Batwa dwarfs, who live south of the big northern bend of thelCongo. It is probable that the Akka equal or exceed the Batwa in number, though the latter are scattered over an area twice as large as that which the Akka inhabit. They may not have met or heard of each other for many generat’ons. but the numerous respects in which they are strikingly similiar seem to indicate that they had a common origin. Living among other tribes, they have not adopted the language cf their neighbors. Miny Batwa can speak Balolo. the most prevalent language in their territory, but no Balolo interpreter in the service of explorers has been able to con- v:rse with Batwa in their own language. They have shown themselves excessively timid or very ferocious in the presence of white men, and for this reason no Batwa vocabulary has yet been collected. When their language becomes . known it will be isteresting to observe whether the speech i f the Bitwa and the Akka afford additional proof that in some past age the two tribe were identical. T- e Akita had not attacked white men until they made the Stanley expedition a target for their poisoned arrows. They produced a very unfavorable impression upon Stanley who calls them “a venomous, cowardly, uni thievish race.” E n in says they are very PASSIONATE AND VINDICTIYE, and they become dangerous even to the tribes among whom they live if their requests are not granted. Both Akka and Batwa are usually lighter in color than the surround- ing peoples. Another striking iimilarity is that their woolly lnir usually grows in tufts. Von Francois saw Batwa with as many as forty tufts on their heads, all painted a fiery were safer from robbers on a river than they | red. Both are eager cannibals. An Aklia were on a road. Among foot passengers who shunned the public roads were outlaws and villains escaped from bond. The criminal law was severe, and many fugitives from jus tics took shelter in the forests, which at that period extended over vast districts. An ex tract from the ballad of the “Nut Brown Maid ” gives a melancholy picture of the out- law's amid brambles, mud, snow, frost, and rain. Neither man nor woman who had fled from the terrors of the law could claim its protection ; the life of either might be taken with impunity, for “ an outlaw and aweyve,” as Fleta says, “ bear wolves’ heads." During the latter part of the century es- caped villains formed no small part of the way-faring population. Some gain- ed their freedom by remaining unclaim- ed for a year and a .day in a free town, others wandered from place to place, and wherever they came, brought news to men of their own class as to how their brethren far- ed in different parts of the country. In France, wayfarers of this sort were few ; for there, during and after the English wars, the fugitive villein turned hrigand, and the pea- sants fled at the approach of an armed man. ._.__.â€"â€"â€" A Japanese Stabbing: Case. Karawa Sawataro, 34, native of Japan, a ship’s fireman, was brought up on remand charged with seriously wounding Snk Wake, another Japanese fireman, by stabbing him on the left side of‘the neck.â€"Prosecutor was now able to attend, and, having been sworn, in Chinese fashion, by the breaking of a saucer, said he was now staying in the Asiatic Home. On the lfizh ult. he was in a house in Limebouse-causeway with the prisoner and other shipmates. A quarrel took place between him and the prisoner, and the latter struck him in the face and knocked him to the ground. After that witness went and lay down on a bed. He afterwards got up, took a lamp glass, and struck the prisoner in the face with it. ,He again returned to the bedroom and lay down. The accused came in and commenced stabbing him with a knife. He tried to get off the bed, but was unable to do so. After some time he managed to raise himself, and fell to the floor. He had a deep out in the neck, and was afterwards taken to the hos- pitalâ€"Other evidence having been given, Mr. Corner, house-surgeon at the Poplar Hospital, said the prosecutor, when admitt- ed to the ' hospital, had a deep, incised wound on the left side of the neck, and also other injuries. He was now quite well. â€"Inspeotor Bridgman said be searched the room where the off :nce was committed, and found a piece of rag smothered with blood. The bed clothes were also blood-stained, and he picked up some pieces of broken glass. â€"-Sergeant C Price. 6 K, said be arrested the prisoner. The shirt he was wearing w a blood stained on both wristbands.-â€"Mr. Lnspington committed the prisoner for tria . She Was No Medical AJmanac. Aunt J erushy nailed the doctor as he was passing. She was “ kind 0’ sick all- overisn." “ Doctor, I'm troubled with a pain in my left breast," she said. “ Pleurisy," crisply replied the doctor “ I haven’t no appetite." ' " D yspspsis.’ “ My feet swell occasionally." “ Gout." " I’ve the backache a good dos ." “ Lumbago." “ l git dizzy spells." " Softening of the brain." That was too 'much for Aunt J erushy. " Oh, it is, eh 1' ’ she said. as she reached soften your brain l I’m no medical alman- ac I" found that he had escaped serious injury. for the rolling pin. "Take care I don't The doctor thanked his stars when he who long served Evin went home at lost because he said, he was tired of beef. "Here is most for us," was the exclamation Gren- fell sometimes heard as the Batwa arrovs rattled against the steel net work which covered his steamer. Both are remarkably expert as hunters, and their mission in life seems to be to provide larger people with game, feathers, and skins in exchange for vegetable produce. Their methods of hur- ting are the same. with the exception that while the Batwa use both the bow and spear the Akka, according to Emin, make exclu- sive use of the bow and arrow. Both are scattered over their countries in small com- munities, and often change their place of abode to go to fresh hunting grounds, Both intermarry to a considerable extent with surrounding tribes, and Tim Mixer) rnoosxx. are lighter in colour than the large tribes, and dwarfish, though considerably taller th: is the pure pigmies. who are from four feet three inches to four feet and a half in height. As the azoic rocks crop out here and there like little islands on the world's surface, showing the oldest geological formation of which we have knowledge, so these plgmy communities in Africa are regarded as ves- tiges of an ancient and inferior race who were nearly swept out of existence by in- coming wavss of stronger populations, leav- ing as testimony of their ancient prevalence only the vestiges we find in the Drko o, Abyssinla, the Obongo of the west coastr‘ the Akka of the north Congo, the Batwa of the south Congo, and the bushmen of South Africa. This is only a theory, supported, however by the fact that all our knowledge of them seems to point to their homoge- neity. Undoubtedly the strongest evidence favoring this theory is the fact that their languages. so far as we know them, are re‘ lated, and have no points of affinity with any of the other groups of African lan- gauges. ._.â€".â€".â€"â€"â€"-â€"- The Legal Status of Bohemian Oats Notes in Iowa. Two or three years ago a mania seemed to seize farmers in different parts of the West for speculatiu in Bohemian cats. The mania became so wi e spread and the threatened consequences so disastrous that the Twenty- second General Assembly of Iowa, followrng the example of Ohio and Michigan, enacted a law making Ithis form of speculation a criminal offense. The effect of the law has been to drive the agent: of these gambling concerns into other States. This law, how- ever, could not be retroactive and the inter- esting question is now before the courts in several districts of the State of the liability of the makers of this class of notes. The first case has been tried in Marshall county and a verdict given by the jury for the de- fendantâ€"that is, the maker of the note. The note was given by a Mr. Packer to Mr. E. C. J ohnstou, a farmer of Marshall county, but the active man in procuring the note was one Sherwood, the agent of the " Farmers‘ Field and Garden Seed Com- piny," of Michigan. Sherwood sold to Pack- er forty bushels of cats for 8600 "and gave the bond of the company toaell eighty bush- els of the crop at 8l5 per bushel. Sherwood then sold the note given to Johnson as payee, who was merely a stool igeon in the matter, to one 0. L. Blnford an Blnford tonne Mer- rill, who snes Packer for payment, and thus becomes the plaintiff in the case. The case was fully argued by able attorneys and given to the jury under instructions, the most important of which we publish for the benefit of the farmers who refused to take our ad. vice over two years ago and kee clear of rural gamblingâ€"[Live Stock an Western Farm Journal. A theatrical company _is charitable when it plays to a poor house. “Yi .