W» .,_.., _._ . _ - _________.._.~ __ ,..-....â€". . ..._ . -._...._________._.._.__â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"-â€" “Alone?"she asked scarce above a whis to madden him. And yet he was so help~\ " Very jolly day,†he said cheerqu per, her lips had ne white, her cheeks less, What could he do for her! Simply “Are you going far, Ethel!" I were pale, her whoI: face aeemedto have nothing! She was DcnniS'B wife. Indy-he “Into the townâ€"I suppose fora drive wn drawn and he rd in a moment, Oldest 0‘ friends cannot With reason or 3118- afterwanls,“ she answered. rawn and haggard and old. tice interfere between man and wife having In spite of herself the riehred roses began “Aloneâ€"of course not. Iâ€"but there, no better excuse than the facts that there to bloom out upon her pale cheeks, an a what’s the use of talking about that? I’m was a disparity of years between them and Ii \ht to steal into her eyes. Trevorlaughed A Thrilling Story of Romance and Adventure. , _ _.__â€"â€" seedy, out of sorts altogether, but I shall be that their dispositions were not congenial to “ envy you," he said, as he helped her - - -. ~ all ri ht after abi when I have t m ' well other- into the high dog-cart. "You know one m the worm' I take lt’ M“ to feel Ema: nervgs pulled "together a little." ‘ go 5 However, Major Dennis seemed to have I never “1mm to go for a ride or a drive so He laughed as he spoke and began to talk forgotten his sugge§ti0u and also in a men- ‘badly as when one is tied b the log hero. CHAPTER IX. J," a brute ; so he was much inclined to acce u“-‘ ~ I ‘25 _ . . b n l ’ ’ ’ the cxrstence of JackTrcvor, his Wife's o d .1} E . T l l; . . . . - . ' - ‘~ -‘ en t - his cod 3 irits at least I tth tso Sir 2" he adder to the \ia'or. “3:: 3:2;Klimt-“2?.Sifiiï¬iféih.3:E§.$°..’ltf; Perk“ “3.? 0â€?er “mm Elsi? Imt“.§f.’::’.€ilzgfg.:§“:-£.f‘é‘gï¬.133335 Miiioic’éï¬iéfcoinuainod time with a 333w“ man so." answered um to» g greater than thzic caused by deliberate sclï¬sh- \I 1. "‘3’ “pgâ€?! L 6‘ mimg ‘f’erï¬'qut y an: j Théf'wérémore than half way to nightlight disdainffd air of fretfulness one day: ‘f-BQAL With a great lau h. as he mounted into his =_ tic-<8. _ . I - “1Ԡ9‘10"“ " F0“? ‘3 ° 0‘63†' es’ ere it appeared however and the Major ly Dennis is getting positively bloatedthh place and took t e reins. ' 1" due “me 313105 DOmHS returned to “T9â€: Tm 0," three ’Cit('rs'i‘,l’d.t,f’}’.{ed. F°hFE urged the t1, at his best, 1,; forward wit.". ’ Jack Trevor stood watchin than until \ Chats.†Cm“? from. L‘m'lou' mac’.’â€â€™g la “me 0; M?“ in} Iulduaone m London so that thcggiliers alight not overfake them. “ Eh 3" saidJ the trap was out of Sight. ind. be M f hm“? “’ the "T’s? â€"’.5te".’u†gm†51ml“ Am} “11â€â€? tune m Bums heart there was By the time they pulled up at the portic'o Carlton repeaWd' his assertion. “ The not yet ncknowled ed to himself that his 9 P0331"1e and l’m‘gmg 1313 Wife 3' Pretty dm' mgmg 8' Wu" and ï¬erce tum’flt' A cry rose at-Highï¬igbt, Major. Dennis was in thewjfd. brute fired ofl two stale old chestnuts out of - - v - . - - feelings had altoget lel‘ chan towards his . moud broach as an offering. He proiessed up and would hardly be stifled, that her life est And mostboistemus spirks imaginable, . the Pink ’1‘“. this morning_mom “um - ld l f ll ‘ t h bel'cved that himself thoroughly glad to be home again was harder to bear than it- had been before, half the fellows shriede with delight ï¬e Egyéipsgâ€"iâ€"sfngesmgpuflyu aim shank! 0 but otherwise did- not, tell Ethel much of that the mockery of going on living like this though they had a†read them in punt I have 3,, a husbmni as the Major, he only his "lowmtms except to mention Gillan." “all beamâ€: 3' Very he†~t°.her’. that She years ago. However, Dennis shot them off felta continual sort of irritation whenever now and again some theatre to which he bud "0‘1,le 0mm “01‘ would cont-mu? 1t- with an air as ï¬lm had just, made ’em and he found himself in ‘Mnjor Dennis’s pres- bccn or some person whom he had seen in 3 Ct- Mfljor Ddllnls SYilOked Mid. Cllfltted as I said, ï¬x or seven idiots laughed.†iv , ". ence . he hardly manna that, his duty that, the Park orut Hurlinglxam or St. Anne’s. "‘?ml)li}<f¢{ltly 011. Without 1‘: SUSPMO“ “‘9‘†“And you didn‘t ‘3†asked Trevor, wait- duy heemed more irksome than ever. “‘6 “And how‘ have you got on, Ethel 2" he Q his one Sitting quietly sewing. at a bit of ing patiently for the end of the little arn. square more dull than usual, himself more asked. “Has Trevor been as good as his ï¬lmy MINI" «111d 1300“V°l‘k_b0Ҥ1de the lame “ I"-,â€"‘with supremeâ€"disgustâ€"“ I ! I weary. Word and looked after you ‘2†Where “‘0 181“? “09¢ “'33. “3de “my "Patel" wouldn’t have moved a muscle of my face if ' “ \Yell, I suppose I must be off." he said “YL‘S- I 11‘9"“ 9'53“ 8' 803d def-1 0f him!†out to What She ’Oo’md’ w’thout 3' “5pm†my life itself had depende‘i on my doing it: I as he turned on his heel with asigh that was hell, looking up sharply. but the color had not come back to his wife's lips and her face was pale and drawn still. The coach was but just behind, and Trevor jumped down in time to help Mrs. Dennis to the ground. “Are you not well ‘3†he asked “A little tired,†she whisperedback. “Come and speak to Mrs. Petre and then let,me get you a glasspf wine oinsome tea. \Vere you cold driving ‘2†she answered. “That's right. I want you to have a good time, my dear,†he said brusquely ;' “all I bargain for is that you don’t see too much of l him, you know.†> “I shall not do that.†“ I durcsay not for your amusementâ€"but you’ll have to be careful for your name,†with a careless laugh. “ Cosmo,†Ethel cried in an agonyâ€"â€" “don't you cure anything for meâ€"not even for my name, your name ‘5†“Of course I do, to be sure. I was aw- fully fond of you; when we were married, awfully so. Only a mancun’t go on living in paradise for ever, at leu’st not with the J sumc Eve, don’t you know-it stands to com- mon sense that he cannot.†“ Oh ! Cosmo.†“My dear girl,†said he good-lmmourcdly â€"“ isn’t. it much better to speak out plain- l ly? You never cured a. brass farming about. incâ€"probably if. you had I should never have married you â€"g:ul, I never wanted to marry any other woman, give you my word. But, as I say, one can't go on for ever and I don’t want to shut you uplikcu nun because I’m no longer‘ as mad about you as I was four years agoâ€"why, it wouldn’t be reason, and I hate unreasonable people, they’re so deuced unpleasant and inconscqucnt, don’t you know. Besides, Icon trust youâ€"that's the best of you proud, cold women, you make very poor sort of sweethearts but you make devilish good wivesâ€"one can always trust you.†Mrs. Dennis turned away with a. bitter smile upon her lips, and the Major went to dress for dinner quite satisï¬ed with hisl own generosity and magnanimity towards his wife. ’ ‘ “The host of you proud, cold women, you make very poor sort of sweethearts but you make devilish good wives â€â€"â€"sbc repeated under her breathâ€"“poor sort of sweetheart â€"-good wivesâ€"oh ! my God, if this man could only look into my heart and see just , what sort of a. sweetheart I could be to Some menâ€"to one man, at least. Oh ! Cosmo | Dennis, if only you knew what a bad ivife you have, bad, bad in every thought and wish if not in deed, if you only knew how little she is able to trust herself l†She was standing at the window looking out over the tall white margucritcs and the showy red geraniums, over the bit of garden. and the low paling against which the wall- flowers grew and the sweet peas were climb- ing over the row of huts opposite to the dis- tant sky beyond. She looked, in bertrail- in white ten-gown and with her shining go den head,likeamorguerite herself. How young and lovely she was still, in years but twenty-two, in looks a girl, and alas, in hopelessness and pain of heart, she felt like an old,old woman. She held her hands press- ed hard together then, her blue eyes were full of pain, her face was white and tired. “It is so hard to bear," she said in the same ‘iurt tone, under her breathâ€"“to live with him who has long ago grown tired of me, and to have that other oneâ€"â€"â€"nh l†she broke of? sharp and short for across the open space between her window and the opposrtc row of huts, she saw Jack Trevor walk quickly by. He looked at her window and sceinv her, saluted, with a gay gesture ' undo. bright smile. She forced her hand to reply and her lips into an answering smile, and then she drop ed back into the nearest chair, wishing wi dly that she were dead or that she had never been born into this world of mistakes and wenriness and suffer- mg. “I am safe enou h,†she told herself. “He cares nothing u )out incâ€"Cosmo may trust incâ€"I um J ack’s old friend and play- fellowâ€"â€"that is all.†She was still lying back in the big chair when Major Dennis returned, wearing even- ing clothes and a smart smoking jacket, a quite gorgeous velvet affair with collars and cuffs of superb embroidery. He turned him- self about for her inspection. “ I invested in a new smoking-jacket whilst I was up,†he told her, “pretty, isn’t it ’3" “Quito resplendent,†answered Ethel, her eyes still filled with Jack’s fair and cleanly beauty. “So I thonght,but Bennett, in Bond Street, you know, says it’ll soon tone down. Do you think it will ‘3†"llow should I know. Bennett must be a better judge than I." “\Ycll, I don’t know about that,†doubt~ fully. “lint he made it, didn’t he ‘2" She was try- ing hard to force herself to seem to be inter- ested in his new attire. “Yes. he made it. supplied the velvet, of course.†“And not the embroidery 2" “Oh '. the embroideryâ€"no, I got that elsewhere,†he replied rather awkwardly. Ethel rose from her chair, a somewhat- satiricul smilc curling her lips. “I see. l The new Eve gave you the embroidery."shc 3 said scornfully, yet very quietly. “ What a A that her exterior of ice covered in truth a very volcano of ï¬re, a mine which might ex- plode under his feet at any moment. “ By the bye, Ethel, is anything going on just now?†be asked suddenly, when it was getting towards bed-lime. “ There is aganlcn-p:.rty at Highfiight to-morrmv,†she answered, thinking pleas- antly of it because Jack Trevor would be thcrcâ€"“ and I believe we are all to be ask- ed to an informal supper afterwardsl†. ‘ “ 0h ! at Highfligbt ! Are you geing 2†“Yes, I have promised to go and-†with a laugh, “ I have got 0. new gown on pur- pose for it.†. “Really. “'cll, will the dogcurt do ‘to drive you over in ‘2'“ . “ Oh yes. perfectly,†she replied. Accordingly, the-following afternoon about 3 o’clock, thelllajor’s very high dogcart with its bright yellow wheels, came round to the little. gate. of their but. ..A rukish gray. was between the shafts, a. regular llycr, with satin coat and restless-heels. . He showed a, greatpbjeCLIOn to settling down at ï¬rst but after it"miniite or two liroirglit‘liini'self ‘ iuto' tlic‘posc of a statue his head well in air and his handsome feet extended as far as pos- sible. _ - , ‘ Mrs. Dennis did not keep him waiting very long, indeed as the Major opened the front door, she came out ofher bedroom. “ Hello, is that the new frock?†he asked â€"“ let’s have n. look at you. Tom my word’- it’s very prettyâ€"I feel quite proud of going outwithqyou." - - ‘ ' “I am highly honoured,â€~cried Ethel turn- .ng'borself aboutâ€"she was in high spirits. and his little compliment pleased her. It was certainly a pretty gown, plain and simple of soft creamy flannel with a. smart sailor hat. bound with a cream ribbon, on her fair heath Sheicarricd over her arm arcoat of stone coloured cloth with a. coaclunun’s cape or rather set of capes. “Is it cold.?â€sbe us 'ed. ‘ ' - * v "‘Cold, noâ€"you’ll be smothered if you wear that thing,†he answered. “I shall be smothered in dust if I don’t," she repliedâ€"“but I think it will be enough to keep me warm coming home. You know it is twice as cold in that high trap as it is in the Victoria. †' A prettier or more Winsome woman surely no man ever helped into a high dog-cart, and Major Dennis swung himself into his place beside her, feeling quite in a. glow of satis- faction. ’ ‘ ' ' “’Pon my word,†his thoughts ran, “there’s nothing like a. little outside interest and ' attention for smartening a. married woman up. \Vhy, I shall be falling in love over again if I don’t look out.†Mrs. Dennis cast a. glance towards the messâ€"yes, the coach was there already. The Major saw her look. “Would you rather ' have gone on the coach ‘2†be asked. “Oh ! I don’t care at all." “Because you couldn't have had the box seat and I’ve no idea of your sitting behind, don’t you know.†“Oh ! no. I like this much better,†she re lied. ‘hey swept through the gates as she spoke and once on a bit of open road the gray went like steam towards the town. “Don’t go through the town at this pace, will you Cosmo ‘2" she asked. Major Dennis laughedâ€"“I shall find my- sollf in the police-station if I dc,†he answer. or . “I wonder if you would mind stopping at Jefferson’s for a minuteâ€"only for a minute? I left my little scent bottle there to be re- charged.“ He raised no objection and when they reached the narrow High Street, pulled up the ray at the door of the Chemist’s shop. " 5 my little smelling-bottle rcudy?†Etth asked. “Yes, Ma’umâ€"" and away he ran into the shop again to get it. What happened next was all over in an instant and Ethel hardly knew how it came about, but just as the man returned with the neat little white parcel in his hand and gave it to Mrs. Dennis, the Major exclaimedâ€"- “Damnation†under his breath and gave the gray horse a. cut with the whip such as sent rim off a: a frantic gallop along the narrow street. Nor did be moderate his pace until they had got a good mile upon the road to- wards High-flight when with some difficulty his master pulled him up to a. walk. “ \Vhat was the matter ‘3†asked Ethel who had been holding on to the side of the trap , in sheer desperation, expecting every mo- ment to be dashed to the stones. “ Nothingâ€"nothingâ€"â€"I think something stung me,†and he put up his hand to his neck, as if to show that the mischief was there. “\\'as it a wasp? Does it hurt much now 2†she asked;shcbud never loved this man, she knew that be was tired of her, she guessed l He had been all along so sorry that, he;- that he went after other godsâ€"yet in one moment, she was all tendernesai for his sup- posed hurt. He looked down intober anxious eyes with a . ‘ in an undertone. ‘ tcntion of leaving the Service. More than “No, my coat is warm,†she answered, “but the horse bolted in the HighStreetund never stopped for more than a mile andâ€"â€" and †“And frightened you to deathâ€"Poor lit- tle woman! Really," he added, as he. slip- pctboff hereoat', “I ivo’nder‘the Major likes to drive suéfi'a brute.†" " ' “It wasn'tthe horse’s faultâ€"Cosmo touch- ed him with the whip and he won’t bear the whip at all." “Why he goes like the wind.†“He didn’t do it on purposeâ€"something startled him and he threw .out his. arm an â€".Oh, how do you do, Petre 2. Yl’hat avlpvcly day youhave foryo'nr party.†. | “So glad to see you," returned the hostess â€"â€"“And, Mrs. Dennis, you will stay on to supper,~,won’t you ‘2†d‘LYou‘urc very kindâ€"we shall be delight- e . “"And'you, Mr. Trevor ?" “ I‘IIEVB been hoping to be asked,†he said with a laugh. “ I shall be only too pleased.†Then other guests streamed in and their hostess’s attention was taken away from them. “ Come and have some tea,†said Jack tenderly. ‘ In truth be was somewhat frightened by her blanched face and drawn look. “ You must have been terribly frightened, Ethel,†be said, as he found her a seat. “ I wasâ€"but I shall be all right now,†she said tr ,ing tosmile. “As I told you the other uy, J uck, my nerves have all gone to pieces. ‘Cosmo says that his nerves have gone too, so we shall be a pleasant couple by and by.†He laughed asihe wont away at the idea. of anything being amiss with Major Dennis’s nerves; and in two minutes he came back with a glass of champagne and a plate of strawberries and cream. “Drink this and I’ll get you anotherâ€"it will pick you up better than anything else,†he said sitting down‘beside her. "‘I’m afraid my brains would go after my nerves,†she returned smilingâ€"but shc drank half the champagne and ate the straw- berries declaring herself better. “There,I have ï¬nished it all. No, not a drop more. Why, I should be mud to take moreâ€"I can only just manage this. Now, put my plate and glass do Wu and let us go out into the garden and see all the world.†J uck was nothing loth, and together they went out to see all the world, which very soon resolved itself into a dim but charming fernery where a most seductive rustic seat inwted them to rest awhile and study “all the world†in single specimens. “ Well,†said Jack easily, stretching his long legs out and speaking in a thoroughly happy and comfortable toneâ€"“ “fell, and what is the latest news, Ethel ?†“ The latest news, J uck,†she answeredâ€"- “ is that Major Dennis has more than a thought of what he calls ‘cutting the Service altogethcr.’ †J uck sat bolt upright in an instant. “ Cutting the Service,†he cchocdâ€"“ but why I thought he was so keen on soldier- m . - I‘ So did I 2†.a “ And what would you do? there would you live ?†“ I don’t know. He talks of travelling indeï¬nitely,†she answered. ‘ “ \Vithout you ‘2†lf‘i‘Ioâ€"I should have to go too,†she re- p [or . There was a moment’s dead silence, a moment during which a new idea. was born in Jack Trevor’s mind. “ And youâ€"you would be sorry to leave theâ€"the regiment '2†he asked in a. curiously strained voice. “ I,†she rcpeatc(lâ€"â€"“ Iâ€"-ves, I should be sorry," and then she turned her head aWuy, but not before Jack Trevor had seen that her eyes were ï¬lled with tears. CHAPTER X. MADEMOISFJLE VALERIE. “Evils anticipated are twice endured." A few days, however, went by and nothing more was said of Major Dennis’s possible in- once Jack Trevor thought of it, thought of it and dismissed the idea as a ridiculous one not worth troubling over. Yet he could not shut his eyes to the truth, that of late he had begun to regard his Major's wife in a new light». Up to the present time, that is to say during the few weeks that the Dcnniscs had been at Chcrtsey, he had looked upon her only as his old friend and pluyfcllow, as a new and charming interest in his existence ’ and had even spoken of her to Monty Carl- l tonâ€"and much to that young man’s disgust l â€"as the best chum he had ever had in all I his life. A I husband was not more congenial to her and ‘. he had felt the deepest connniscration for l the young healthy active nature that, from pitv to waste it down hereâ€"you will take it smile which but barely covered the fear l evidently been cramped and werpcd in every l {til-tile bloom oil~ it." . “ Not at allâ€"the bloom ought to be off,†, cried he, not sorry to ï¬nd she had accepted ‘ which still lingered in his. “ I’m afraid I ; way . frighten 'our \vits out of you every now and ; l'lnt nowâ€"now when he was forced to see i then, Et..el," be said with a rough sort of all too plainly that she had practically nol '» u ï¬eld-ofï¬cer. But now, as soon as he gets \Vhy I wouldn’t laugh at his jokes if they’d been new,-'and I certainl yoflldn’t condor: scend to even grin at any "a jokes that; were years old.†“ Noâ€"I suppose not,†commented Jack rather absentlyâ€"“ I am always find- ing myself wonderin why Dennis ever tries to make .u joke at 11.1%. It‘s not because he’s a genial sort'ofra’cbap or loves a joke a bit â€"be doesn’t VAS agench "rule, if you take notice,be either doesn’t see-a joke or else he laughs in the wrong place.†‘ ‘ “ I’ll tell you what it is," rejoined the other with perfect seriousn'esse“ as soon as I get my nmjority I shall retire.†“But why?†Trevor cried. ‘ ‘ Beéa‘use, â€-“-s’oléï¬1nly‘â€";â€"‘ faltho'ugh the Ser- - vice Frisian excellentncho‘olgfor a young‘fuan â€"tlmre’s nouebetterâ€"it plays‘*'»t, e ver‘ de- vil witlpa munover ï¬ve and thir‘ . ‘I’ora subclltern nothing can be’bctteriâ€"aymmg4 ster learns to think little'mof himsolf,f€d.r9- spéct place and rank, to be respectful to his superiors, and under the old sysrcm, when a man often went on till he was ï¬fty before he got a command, everything worked well enou h up to the very end. Amun 0t sca- sone and his place settled before he )ecumc over thirty he begins to look for his major- ity, nind a. precious ass be generally makes of himself, when he’s got it. How do you ac- count ;otherwise for nearly all ofï¬Ccrs *‘bver the rank of Major being such prosy old bores as they are '3" " ' ‘ ‘ “ I can’t account for it," J ack. answered~ smilin “,I Only know that it is 80." “1’1 tell you in a; word: Take a brute like Dennis for: instance. He’s a'seuior and' he has to be listened to whenever he chooses to speak. Let him tell over such drivclling rot in the form of a story and nine subcl- terns out of ten either listen with respectful attention or applaud him with uproarious laughter. They’ve got to practicallyâ€"it’s the right thing to do and they do it. ’Pon my soul, it would be a good thing for the Service at large if all senior ofï¬cers were forbidden to tell stories of any kind at the messtable.†“They couldn’t be forbidden to air their opinions,†laughed Trevor, f‘ and for my part I’d rather have Dennis’s stale chesnuts than his opinions, any day.†- “My faith, yes,†ejaculated Carlton promptly. , And they were troubled with a good many of Major Dennis’s stories during that week at the messâ€"he seemed as if he did not care to go outside the Fifteenth lines much, and he spent a good deal of his spare time in the ante-room. Not that he had much spare time, for the regiment was in camp for work, not for play, and neither officers nor men led an idle life by any means. Major Dennis for one, complained bitterly of the fearful amount of grind he had to put in (I am using his language now) and expressed an opinion more than once that the game was not worth the candle and that he should throw up the sponge and leave Her Majesty’s Service to take care of itself. “ But not till you» get the command, Cosmo,†Mrs. Dennis put in one day when he had been getting up a special subject for an instruction. †You know you have al- ways had an ambition to have a command.†“ Yesâ€"I knowâ€"but there's such a devil of a lot of school-master’s work now-a-days,†he answered. “ Oh ! you are tired. Change your clothes and go down to the town With me,†she urged. “ I want some stamps and books, and the walk will do us both good.†But the Major was not to be drawn out of his ill-temper. “ No, I can't walk down. I’ve been standing about in the sun all day. I’m as tired as a dog. I’ll drive you down if you like.†“ Yesâ€"if you’ll have the victorio,†she replied. “ I’d rather not go in the dog-cart if we have to stop at any shops.†“ Oh ! nonsenseâ€"nonsense. I hate being drivcn-â€"und I can’t drive the Victoria. Can’t you go without me ‘.‘" ‘“ No- -bcc.tnsc I know you’re bored to death here and want a change,†she answer- ed. “Besides-I dislike going about by myself. Do come, Cosmo.†“ You can take Trevor.†He spoke quite goml-naturcdly, but his wife started and her face whitcncd a little. “No, I want you to go with me,†she urged. “Do Cosmoâ€"do go. " be said, still with the same astonished IOok on his faceâ€"“but I do hateâ€"look here» I‘ll take the brown horse in the dog-cart, will [but do? He’s as quiet as an olulshccp, and will wait like a rock as long as you like.†“All right. I’ll go and get ready at once.†She was quite joyous at time having won her point, and was ready in her neat stone- ' almost the time of his father's death, had l coloured coat and white sailor but long be- fore tbc trap came round to the door. She Went out and looked at her flowers, picking off a leaf here and there, her heart in ( uitc a glow of gratitude. For in truth lulbcl almost u. groan. “ Hello, what’s that 2†and then he stooped down and picked up from the ground something lying almost at his foot. . It was a'lady’s visiting-card, a card with a mourning border and written upon it in a fine Italian hand-â€" ‘ ‘ .lladvmoiselle Valerie. †(To in: cox'rxxusn.) ____.._.â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"~_. Points in Sheep Feeding. There is a science in fattening sheep for best results which seems to be not under- stood or else ignored, says Galen \Vilson in Stockmnn and Farmer. In the ï¬rst place, instead of feeding four or ï¬ve months, seventy-five days is suffi- cient. They will take on all the flesh in the latter time that it is possible for mature sheep to do. Feeding sheep four or five months is on a par with feeding fowls a month to fatten them, when half the time is all that is necessary. . Feeders et intothis rut because \vetbcrs can be bong it cheaper in the fall; and then they have a crbp of wool in spring as well as a carcass 'of mutton. They forget that the wool is worth just as much on the sheep’s back as it is off, and good salesmen usually get the value of it, too. And then‘ mutton will bring more in spring than any other time. This used to_bo t 1c case more than it is now; but granting all these claims, just as much is gained by not commencing grain fcedin r until sixty or seventy-five days before so ling. There is a waste of nearly half the grain when sheep are fed ï¬ve months, as in the case of fowls that are fed a month. iv It must. be remem- bered, that a ninety or one hundred-pound \vether cannot be made to gain more than twelve to twenty pounds, no matter how lon fed. S iecpfceders would do better to step out of this rut and feed younger animals. The following well-authenticated data ought to be convincing : Sheep of the age of seven to ten months for each 100 pounds of digestible lnutcriul consumed made a gain of fourteen pounds live weight ; those ten to thirteen months of ago made a gain of twelve and one-half pounds ; those from thirteen to eighteen gained tenand seven-tenths pounds, and those from one and one-half to two years old made a. gain of five and four-tenths pounds. It is seen that it is far more pro- fitable to feed sheep of from seven to twelve months of age than to feed those that are elder. Lambs arc of quicker sale any time of the year than older sheep, and always bring better prices, Weight for weight. Lambs can be fed profitably all winter and sheep not. “fathom will be eliminated from the sheep trade ere long. There is more profit in ewes and lambs. If sheep feeders will try a. bunch of lambs and a. bunch of mature wethcrs next winter, keeping strict but separate accounts of all outgocs and in comes, they will abandon wcthcr feeding in the future and feed lambs instead. When Will the Earth be Full? Discussing the sub‘cct of future population and food supply, from a. geographical point of view, Mr. E. G. ltavenstcin, in 1). paper, at the British Association, estimated that the amount of available fertile or compara- tively fertile land was over 28,000,00 square miles. The poor lands or ateppca amounted to 14,000,000 square miles, and the bare deserts 4,180,000 squurcmilcs. Of all Africa we know very little. Even of China, an ancient empire, we were not at all certain ; and in those cases we could only go iby ana- logy. But he estimatch that the total population of the earth was 1468 millions. l'Iis estimate, so far as Africa was concerned, was a low one. From the most recent information available he Could not conscien- tiously give Africa more than l27.000.000, instead of the two, three, or four hundred mill ions that some had been (1 ioposcd to allow. Even 127,000,000 was it high estimate. It meant ll crsons to the square mile, and that was a nigh number. In North America it was only M, und in South America 5. Here in Europe itlwus 10!. Suppose this earth could sustain 5,903,000,000, the ques- tion was how long it would be before it earth would be full. He estimated that it would take exactly l°2 years, or until 2082 to ï¬ll it, und in the ten years which preced- ed that your there would have been added to the population 435,000,000 ; but he did not He looked a little surprisedâ€"and for the I think more new] be ;, tremendous fuss [mule mute" 0f that, “'9†he “"8â€: for "We" “0' l about this matter, as it won not likely we fore bud Ethel spoken to him in that tonc. : would see the duy when there was no room “Of course I’ll go, if you wish it so much," I on this can“, Bread and Kisses. Sheâ€"“Why dcfcr our marriage any long- er, Hcorgc '1" Hmâ€"‘W‘Vc must wait till my salary in ad- vanccd." “lint we might live on bread and klkfil‘fl.†“All right. 1'“ furnish the kisses if you skirmish around for the bread." A Lapsua. Teacherâ€"Jfow does the earth absorb the evidence of a new l".vcâ€"â€"-\vbich, by the ’ apology. “ Really, I'm awfully sorryâ€"-but hand in arranging the plan of their life, he 1 Dennis had come to that point in her life- wager? bye, he had not intended to let slip to terâ€" 9 the fact was I was startled and made a cut began to feel dnlfercntly towards her ! ‘ Hc . “’llcl‘l only this rough unsympathetic coarse- l pupil..g;,,me M 5 dog does, so quietly. l at the horse without thinking what I “us do- began to feel indignation as well as pity ! minded man, who made it no secret that he: Teacher .,,}{,,w',, um†I think on the whole that they got on ' lug-«and the brute resents being reminded He had gathered that if the Major chose to l was tired of her, served to stand betwccn’ Pupilâ€"Jim'an you heard of a lap of better than they had done for two years bc- ’ of the whip at all.†a throw up his commissmn and take to a 3 her and the temptation which comes sooner l can), 3 What do you suppose it laps with '1 fore the Major bud exchanged Into the 15th. j " Then you were not badly stung,†she ’ Wandering existence, Ethel would have no or later to most Women. In the old rerimcut Mrs. lennia had often crigd, . wcr to influence him otherwise and the; He came out 'ust 8,, we a, ,cart W “‘H‘: W ' ‘ J ’g "'3 The Oit Rejected. “You have no sisters, Mr. Cilley, have been dull nut in low spirits,~ she bud. been 5. “Xeâ€"o. more nothing ; a your or two ago very thought of her being dragged about 2 brought round, a noticeable figure enough, left a mod deal alone and Minor Dennis had I should never have noticed it. "l’cu my from one foreign hotel to another without a ‘ and as they passed through the little gate, navcr icon able to go away for a few days word I fancy my nerves are goingâ€"I shall child to comfort her, without a mother to ' Jack Trevor came by and stopped to speak f you 1'†or even a few hours without feeling more or have to cut the Service and travel for a stand by her, or a husband who would be to them. He was a fixture. in the camp,. “I never had until this summer," said , anything of acompanion to her, was enough being orderly officer for the day. ' less of a brute towards her. Now no man while.†lCllley. wily. “I've got seven now.’ - ..__.-..._. .__._.._ mu...- “Nana, en‘s...“