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. ..._... _..,._........,‘-,-...._......-, . V g}+++++++++++++++++++¢ i + -‘ ++++++++++++++++++++++ “Muriel, I want you» to be my wife. I love you, dearest, and have always loved you. Say that yOu will make me the happiest man in the world by putting your hand in mine and promising to marry me.” Muriel Carslake’s radiant eyes lit up with sudden enthusiasm. For a tong time she had hoped that Dick Armstrong would propose to her, for belt was very, very rich, and She. ' Muriel. was very, very poor. She cs- tecmcd the young man with much respect, but of love she had little to offer. Still, anything would be preferable to a life of poverty, the girl told herself time after time when Ell": pondered the question, and she therefore placed her tiny palm within Dick’s and whispered softly '. “Yes, Dic‘k, I will.” “My. own darling girl,” he cried, as he covered her face with passion- ate kisses, “Heaven bless you for speaking those dear words. And you really love me, then ?” “Of course I do," she-replied, in a. feeble toneâ€"a tone which would have proclaimed to any less simple fellow than Dick that she was merely playing a part; “of course I (10.)! “it seems so strange, dear, that a. saint like you should care for a stupid, humdrum fellow like me." “You are so good, so honest, _ so true," 'she replied, hurriedly ; “who could help liking you, Dick ?” “It is like your .sweet self to say that. Oh, Muriel, Muriel, I can hardly believe that I am awake. This happiness seems too good to be true, too-exquisite to last." There followed many more words in the same lover-like strain, and Muriel, who was by no means calâ€" lous at heart, began to feel various qualms of remorse. It was very wrong to deceive poor Dick, she re- flected, and to allow him to fancy that she loved him, when all the affection of her heart and soul had long since been given to his friend Jack Castleton, but, after all, what could she do ?‘ Jack was simply a humble clerk, earning a clerk’s wage, whereas Dick Armstrong’s income ran in five figures yearly, ‘ and every one of those figures meant much to Muriel Carslake. An or- phan. brought up in the home of a -l--nelative where poverty reigned suâ€" preme, she had come to loathe the 'mere thought of strait‘ened means with deadly aversion, and hence it had occurred that'sho- had accepted - Dick’s offer, and all that went with U that offer, with feverish alacrity. She tripped home and told her aunt of the episode, and received that lady’s congratulations with much composure. ' “You are a dear, sensible girl, Muriel." remarked Mrs. Vinnicombe, kissing her niece warmly, "and you deserve to be happy. I am glad you have put all that nonsense about young Castleton out of your head. Such romantic folly is right enough in a tlirechvolume novel, of course, but life isn’t a novel, and every girl should think of settlements rather than of sentiment.” “Poor Jack will be terribly unâ€" happy," remarked Muriel, in a low voice, “and, to tell the truth, so am I " “What. rubbish. both of you. will get over it long before til: wedding day. As for young Mr. Armstrong, - he is the best natured and kindest fellow I have ever met, and would have made an excellent husband even if he hadn’t a penny." “Yes,” assented Muriel, “he is the best man in the whole world, I think. and I only wish I could love him as he deserves to be loved. Ilut we can’t control our feelings in these affairs, more's the pity.” Then she went slowly to her room and wrote the following letter 2-- My Poor Dear Jack,â€"I have some news for you, which I hope you won’t take to heart more than you can help. This afternoon your friend Mr. Armstrong, asked me to be his wife, and, like the wicked mercenary girl that 1 am, I said “yes,” to him. You see, Jack, he is very rich, and the mere thought of a life of poverty is so horrid to me that I think it better to marry without love than without money. I know it is very hard on you, dear, but you must try and forgive me, and forget me as soon as you can. You and I have had some sweet times together, but, of course, we must put all those memories out of our heads now, and blot out the golden hours for ever and ever. It is hard, 1 know, but life is always hard. especially when love comes into it. Ah, why didn’t your uncle buy you that’ partnership in the bank which we used to fancy he Would do ? If he had done that, how different everything would have been ! Then you and I could have married months ago, and this sordid business would never have been en- tered into by me. If only you knew how I hate myself for what I have done and for the way in which I have deceived Loor Dick,,you* would, I’think, pity me with all your heart. As it is, I cannot ask ’for your pity, but only for your for- giveness. Good-bye, and God bless you. Your faithless but still loving Muriei. .» . ‘ And when the letter had been plac- ed in its envelope, stamped, and dis- patched, the writer of it flung her- self upon her couch and sobbed her fiery soul from her eyes. She had ;30m: to the parting of the ways, the has been asked to choose beâ€" tween love and money, and she had tion. Had he been possessed of clear- chosen the latter. But in the choice er vision, he told himself, he would she have guessed the truth, and the letâ€" : E wondered whether she would ever be ., Sacrificeâ€"«m there lay much bitterness, and happy again. I .. * * -X- * In “Great Scot, Armstrong, you’re wet through. There, sit down by the fire, man, and take off your coat. You shall have one of mine to wear. for the time being." ‘ "‘Thanks, Castleton, you’re awfully good. I meant to drive over to your lodgings, but couldn’t find a conveyance, and so I walked. Do you know, I hardly felt the rain at all, for I was burning to tell you some wonderful news.” “Well, slip on this jacket and make yourself comfortable first of all.” Dick Armstrong ' obeyed good- humoredly, and assumed the lounge coat which his chum extended to him. Then seating himself by the fire he stretched his legs towards the blaze and said, slowly : “Old chap, I am engaged to be married." Jack Castleton winced as the Words fell upon his ears. The news of the engagement had already been con- veyed to him by Muriel's letter, but naturally he gave no sign of know- ledge, but merely bowed his head, and said : “Indeed. You have my congratu- lations." “Thank you very much, old chap. The lady who is to be my wife is someone whom I think you know-â€" fiss Carslake." “Someone whom I think you know." Oh, the irony of the words â€"the bitter, soulâ€"searing irony. Lit- tle did goodâ€"hearted Dick Armstrong reek of the pain that he was causing his friend as he lay back in the deep chair and _spoke the careless words that had just quitted his lips. “Yes ; I know her very well in- deed.” > “Then you know the sweetest and best woman on earth. I don’t deâ€" serve her, Jack, I don’t, .Such a girl as Muriel might marry an earl, a duke, a prince, and yet confer distinction rather than re- ceive it. Don't you think so too ‘I” “I think so too.” “When we are married Jack, you must come and see us very often. We shall have a house in town, of course, but we shall live in Bayfield half the year, be a. welcome guest. You'll come, won't you, old chap ?" “Iâ€"Iâ€"yes, that is come.” - . His lips quivered as he spoke, and, to tell the truth, Jack Castlcton was undergoing an agonizing ordeal. His nature was honesty itself, and it agitated him beyond measure to be compelled to play a part and to al- low his best fricnd to go in ignorâ€" ance ofthe genuine condition of afâ€" fairs. ‘And yet what could he do ‘? What could he. say ? To tell poor Dick the truth would mean a heart- breaking blow to himâ€"and it Was better that he should linger in his fool’s paradise until the end. Dick continued to talk in happy tones, speaking with all the Joyous- ness of a. lover regarding the woman he lo'x ed. When at length the clock pointed‘ to six he rose to take his leave. “Good-bye, old chap,” he said, heartily ; “and many thanks to you for listening so patiently to my rhapsodies." “Good-bye,” returned the other man, grasping his chum’s hand ; “I’ll send over your- coat in the morning. It isn’t dry enough yet for you to wear.” , “Thanks very much. I suppose my wearing this jacket of yours won’t inconvenience you ‘?” “Not at all. It’s simply an old lounge coat that I ought to have thrown away long ago.” The young men parted at the door of Castleton's lodgings, and Dick slowly tramped away in the direc- tion of the comfortable apartments which he occupied at the “Red Lion”-â€"-at which hostelry he always stayed when in the little town of Baylleld. Arrived at the inn, he went straight to his room and, sitâ€" ting dowu in a, deep chair, put his hand to his pocket mechanically in order to extract his cigar-case. In the excitement of his present mood he had completely forgotten that he was wearing another man’s coat, and 10 ! instead of the cigar case his fingers closed upon a letter. He drew it forth, and before he could realize that the communication was not one of his own his amazed eyes had fallen upon a handwriting w :ich he knew and lovedâ€"the handwriting of Muriel Carslake. Merciful heavâ€" ens ! It began with the Words : “My poor dear Jack." Dick Armstrong was an honorable man, but for the life of him he could not refrain from reading every word which the letter, found by acciâ€". dent in his friend’s coat, contained. Whenhe had finished the perusal he read it again, and then again, the truth slowly sin’king into his agonizâ€" ed heart as the words penetrated his brain. Presently he rose and paced the room, trying to think out the situaâ€" tion. So Muriel did notcare .for him after all ; her heart belonged to another, and she had promised to marry him merely because 'she dreadâ€" ed ‘a, life of poverty. Her love was centered on hls‘banking account-not of course I’ll ing indeed, and he groanedfl in the" tortures of the terrible disillusion- ment. ’ He felt no resentmentâ€"no shadow of resentmentâ€"against the girl. Afâ€" ter all, she had never sought him out ; she had accepted his addresses with respect rather than with pasâ€" sionate ardour, and she had on no single of anything more than gentle affec- indeed and you will always. on himself. It was a bitter awaken? ter that lay upon his table would have never been written. As it was, he knew the truth now, and, knowing it, must be .guided by the new light that had come to him thus unexpectedly. He must at once cancel the engagement and tell Muriel that her freedom was restored to her. It would be impossible- quite impossibleâ€"to proceed with the marriage now that he knew the real feeling of her heart towards him. Impossible, doubly imposâ€" sible l ' A deep sob choked in Dick Arm- strong’s throat, and, burying his face in his hands, he shed the first tears that he had known since the early days of boyhood. So strong, so abiding, so steadfast was his love for Muriel that the new knowledge which had forced its way into his life crushed him to the earth with overwhelming weightâ€"with supreme bitterness. If death had come to him at that moment he would have welcomed the grey shadow [with open arms, for life seemed over for him for evermore â€"â€" his dream had worn to its endâ€"and nothing remain- ed but the dust and ashes of a hope that had sprung up in a day and withered in an hour. ' Presently, however, the agonizing mood passed, giving place to more gentle emotions. Life still remained to him to be lived out to the close ; it was a, coward's part to despair ; brave men met their sorrows, grap: pled with them like men and Won the guerdon of victory when the battle reached its end. And that was how Dick Armstrong found resignation in his hour of pain, pain which it is to be hoped few men suffer between the cradle and the grave, for it is more cruel than all physical suffering, more bitter than dissolution itself; He read Muriel’s letter once again, and this time his eyes lighted on the paragraph that ran thus : “Ah, why didn't your uncle ' buy you that partnership in the bank we used to fancy he would do, ? If he had done that, how different everyâ€" thing would have been !” Dick knew quite well to what partnership the girl thus referred. For a long time Mr. Felix Densmore, the presiding director of the local bank, had been anxious to secure a young and energetic partner who would bring into the business a capital of £5,000, but, so far, no candidate had offered himself for the enviable position. A strange light came into Dick’s blue eyes. He seemed in that mo- ment to soar far above earth and earth's sorrows, and to touch the heights of Heaven. A -wondrous thought warmed his soul, and, rising, he paced the room with feverish steps. “I'll do it," he rmurmured ; “I'll do it ; yes‘, I’ll do it." * i.‘ {- a if {- On the following morning Dick Armstrong went to London and drove to the office of his solicitor in Clifford’s Place. After a short delay he was ushered into Mr. Jennifer's room, the latter rising to greet him as he entered. “Aha, Mr. Armstrong," cried. the old man, in a genial tone ; "you are a rare visitor indeed. What can I have the pleasure of doing for you?" “I am leaving England almost di- rectly,” responded Dick, quietly ; and before I go I want you to effect a certain undertaking for me. I want you to negotiate the purchase of the junior partnership in Dens- more’s Bank at Bayfield, and to confer it upon a friend of mine. But understand this. He is not to know thatâ€"t11atâ€"-â€"-' ' “That you are his benefactor, e11 ?” interpolated the lawyer, with a sagacious smile. “Put it that Way if you will. There are certain private details connected with myself and him which would, I fear, stand in the way of his accepting the partnership if he knew that I was instrumental in bestowing the same upon him.” “I understand perfectly. Now be good enough to give me full details regarding this transaction, and it shall be carried out forthwith.” Dick obeyed, and half an hour later the affair had been settled. “Then I am simply to tell this Mr. Castleton,” remarked the solici- tor, “I am simply to tell him that he owes his good fortune to a friend?" “Yes, to a friend. Tell him also, Mr. Jennifer, that that friend, though far aWay, prays for his hap- piness, and for the happiness of the girl who, he hopes, will some day be hisâ€"his wife.” Then something choked in Dick Armstrong’s throat, and he turned and left the office without another word. Two nights later Muriel Carslake received a letter in Dick’s handâ€" writing that ran thus :â€" My Own Dear Sweetheart,â€"â€"I am quitting England for a long time, and I do not know when I shall reâ€" turn. I have learned your secret, and know that your heart belongs to another. I therefore give you back your freedom, and hope that you may be very happy with him you love. Do not think that I blame you for one instant. I love you too much to feel any bitterness against you, and although at first the blow was a heavy one, I hope that time may do much to soften my pain and to bring forgetfulness. There 'are betterthings in this world, Muriel, than getting one's own way, and if I have learned nothing else in my journey through life, I have learnt that. God knOWS best. He decides all things for good. Think of me occasion made protestations sometimes when I am far aWay. Think of me as one who, had he been privileged to become your husband, would have devoted his existence to making you happy, but who, as it is, can only remainâ€"Your sincere and devoted friend, Dick Armstrong. P.S.â€"I have kept the lock of hair you gave me. Do you mind ‘3 That was all. The letter was short, simple, and concise ; but in the writing of it a human heart had touched breaking point, and tears had watered every halting line. * ’fi * * * 1- Three months have sped into the past since Muriel read Dick Arm- strong's farewell letter. In a cerâ€" tain room‘ in an hotel in Melbourne a man sits with a home newspaper before him, glancing listlessly at its columns. Suddenly an exclamation escapes his lips, and he reads these words 2â€" ' CASTLETONâ€"CARSLAKEâ€"On the 2"th ult., at St. John's, Bayfield, Lines, John Castleton, junior fart- ner in Messrs. Densmore and Co.’s bank, to Muriel, only daughter of the late Francis Carslake, Esq, of that tOWn. He read the announcement again and again, till the words seemed to float before his eyes. All has hap- pened as he hoped it would happen. Jack has secured the partnership and Muriel has secured her love. All is wellâ€"exceptâ€"except what ? Except his own heart. There is an aching pain there'that refuses to be satisfied, and in his brain the image of a. certain sweet-faced girl remains back in his chair and shuts his eyes, whilst his thoughts speed across the mighty ocean and wing their way to home. “Iâ€"I hope they'll beâ€"happy.” he murmurs, .hoarsely. Afternoon merâ€"' ges into evening, and evening into night. The southern moon glancing through the windows illumines the figure of a man upon his knees, his hands. clasped in prayer. He is prayâ€" ing that some day he may be sufferâ€" ed to forget. , God grant he may !-â€"-London An- swers. ._ ___+.._..____ REWARDING ACEEVEMENT. How the British People Their Heroes. Within less than a week after the news reached London that peace had been declared in South Africa vthe King made Baron Kitchener a vis- count, and promoted him to a gen- eralship in the army ; and Parlia- ment, with only the Irish members dissenting, voted to him a- grant of a quarter of a million dollars with which to support his. new honors. Kitchener had previously received a grant of one hundred and fifty thou- sand dollars to maintain the baron- ial dignity which was conferred on him in recognition of his» achieve- ments in the Soudan. This is the English way of “crownâ€" ing" the national heroes. Lord Rob- erts is now an earl because of his brilliant service to .the empire in India. The first Duke of Wellington, a younger son of an earl, began life as plain Arthur Wellesley. was raised to the dukedom after the Peninsular campaign, and received in addition to the title two and a half million dollars in cash. John Churchill was created Duke of Marlborough for his military achievements, and after the victory at Blenheim the royal domain of Woodstock was given to him, and more than two million dollars was expended by the state in building up Blenheim Palace on it for his ocâ€" cupancy. . Alfred Tennyson was made a lord because of his literary achievements, and Macaulay was raised to the peerage as a reward for his services in the state of literature and stateâ€" craft. William Thomson is now Lord Kel- vin because he has made many valuable scientific discoveries. The list could be extended almost in- finitely. New peers are made every year, and their dcscentants inherit the titles conferred on their ances- tors for distinguished serviccs. ._.__+_.._._ GRAINS OF GOLD. You never lift up a life without being yourself lifted UD.â€"EnlCl‘SOll. To ease another’s heartache is to forget one’s ownâ€"Abraham Lincoln. "i'is far better to loxe and be poor, than be rich with an empty heart.â€"Lewis Morris. , It- is' ever true that he who does nothing for others does nothing for himselfâ€"Goethe. God doesn’t the outside ; he cares for what is in- Side.â€"Rev. M. Babcock. Fruitless is sorrow for having done amiss, if it issue not in a re- solution to do so no moreâ€"Bishop Horne. - The next time you are discouraged, just try encouraging some one else, and see if it will not cheer you.â€"J. R. Miller. Sin is never at a stay ; if we do not retreat from it, we shall advance. in it, and the farther on «we gosth‘e more we have to come l.m“k.â€"â€"Bar- row. . . Kind looks, kind words. kind acts and warm hand shakesâ€"these are secondary means of grace when men are in trouble, and are fighting their unseen battlesâ€"Dr. John Hall. + ' Fatherâ€""Well, what has been doing toâ€"day '2" Motherâ€""He cut off a piece of the cat’s tail, broke three windows, blackened the cook’s eye. and built a bonfire in the Tommy must he improving.” and will not be shut out. He leans- Treat care for what is onl THEY SHARE MUSQUlTUES, HAVE A WEOLESOME DREAL OF THE DRAGON FLY. Scientist Advocates Stringing thl Dear]. Inse’cts' on Wires ' Around Beds. A "scare Skeeter.” has been devis ed by a. German scientist to protect mankind from those irritating and dangerous pests of the sunmier. The mosquito is not generally credited with a timorous nature, but thch 15 one creature in Which it. lives in dreadâ€"the dragon fly or "mosquito hawk." The dragon fly is familiar to all. It is one of the most bcalr tiful of acquatic insects as in its graceful flight it sails through the air on iridescent wings. But beauty is not. the only attrb bute of the dragon fly. Mosquitoes are its favorite food. It has an immense appetite for them and as it is far swifter in (light it can make away with a great number in the course of a day, catching and tied vouring thcni on the wing. Unfor- tunately the dragon fly hunts only in sunlight, when mosquitoes are least annoying, and he never fre< quents the dark places! where most mosquitoes revel. A mosquito, however, seems to have as little discrimination as a crow. It fears its. enemy dead as much as when the enemy is living. The scientist’s method is to hang dead dragon flies" around the bed on wires in such' away that they shall look as lifelike as possible. He de' clares that no mosquito will pass or even approach the zone thus guarded. . DYNAMO ATTRACTS THEM. ‘ Another method of extermination has been suggested by Sir Hiram Maxim, the gun -maker and inventor. One evening last summer, when staying in New York, Sir Hiram nm ticed a. large number of mosguitoe: on a. box which contained a small dynamo for lighting purposes. 0:: investigation he found that the mo« tion of the dynamo produced a faint, high, musical note. He stop ped the machine and straightwag all the mosquitoes flew away, nor did they return while it was quies‘ cent.. But, in starting the machine again, he observed that the insects returned toward it, hesitated a mo- ment, and tlâ€"zen made straight for it. He further noticed that all the mosquitoes attracted were males.’ The females, which were equallyI numerous in the room, appeared to' take no notice of the sound, for the logo of the female. . The male mosquito, however, is dumb, and he has no cars. Recent investigation, however, revealed that he is possessed of organs which, for his needs, are even The male mosquito is endowed with joints with long, fine hairs. A Ger- man investigator has found that to a certain note, corresponding to the Song of the female, these hairs vi- brate violently; also these hairs vi- brate most. markedly when they are at right angles to the direction of the sound. Finally, if the sound is a little more to one side than the other of the male‘s antennae, the vibration will be greater on one antennae than the other. Hence all the insect has to do is to turn its head until it feels the vibration equally on .each antennae and fly straight on. Thus- the mosquito is better equip- ped for locating the direction of sound than perhaps any creature llv~ ing. In the case of the dynamo, Sir Hiram concluded that the sound produced was practically the note ol the female, and that consequently the males were attracted. It is true that the male mosquito is harmless. its mouth not being de~ veloped into the lances and spears of the female. I-lowcver, concludes Sir Hiram, anything which can work the segregation of the sexes renders the annihilation of the posts a simple matter. lN-SnIGTS' CHOICE OI!1 COLORS. A careful choice of raimcnt, too, may lessen Ono’s attractiveness in the eyes of the insects, which appeal to have pronounced partialities fox certain colors. ‘An" experiment re cently was made in England with a number of colored boxes which demonstrated that the mosquito pro l'ers navy blue beyond all other hues. Seventecncolored boxes were ar‘ ranged in a room where mosquitoe: were kept for seventeen days, tlii position of the boxes being change: each day. ,The total number of tin insects found in the various boxm were: Navy blue, 108; dark red, 90, reddish brown, 81: scarlet, 59; black, 49; slate color, 31; olivr green, 211; violet. 18; leaf green, 17, and pearl gray, 14. In India hospital qttendants (11‘! in the 'habit of hanging‘up black coats, which they find, 211'! I frequented by the mosqui- to to the exemption 01“ their white-colored selves and the pa ‘ ticnts. 111‘ Madagascar it has been found that more mosquitoes are tc he entounlered in black than liglu red soil, while another African trav eler ‘ found that he and his part: were more nearly immune when the} were light colored shoes and stock ings. Black dogs, again, are more bittel than yellow." For these reasons thl Tommy{surgeonâ€"general of the United State .army has recommended ihat in ma larial districts the troops be cloth ed always in khaki instead of th regulation blue, khaki color 21]] of the malaria carrying mosquito. cellar.” Fatherâ€"“Is that all ‘Plpearing to be the especial avcrsio: gift of song is the exclusive privi- inorc effective. ' remarkable antennae, which are cov-‘ ered over throughout their fourteen. "i I i 1 l 1 l I 1