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iiiittiiiiiitiiiiiiihittt n3 engagement period is iLt: u.- . impotent chapter in the 1mm." ‘4 ‘e girl's life. It is even of greater im- portance than the married state itself. for while the one stamps the twain with the seal of a hidden futurity which may be happy or otherwise, the other positively ties them down to a lot which is already known, and inevitable. The engagement time is the open pre- face to the uncut leaves of the book of matrimony. and it very often hap- pens that the preface is much more in- teresting than the book itself. Girls look with brightness and cheer- fulness to the day when they will Le- come engaged. It is the one event of their lives. They are enrapiured when in the due course of time their wtsh is fulfilled, and they" see sparkling on their finger the much-coveted en- gagement ring. But how do most girls regard their engagement? As the season of seri- we thought, or merely as a right to plunge headlong into what we may call a round of giddy frivolities‘l There are girls who go through their engagement time with hardly a breath of serious thought to cool down that enthusiasm which commands their every thought, word. and deed. No right- minded person. of course, would deny the newly-engaged girl all the joy and enthusiasm possible, but her delights should be tempered with judiciousness. There is something else to be thought of besides what their friends will think of their affianced husbands, what par- ticular style of finery they willin- dulge in. Oil} their wedding-’day, or of what their trottisseau will consist. All these are fine things in their way, but they do not form the backbone of the engagement time. They are flim- sical compared with the seriousness of the future which is dawning before them. Are they fully prepared to en:- ter the lists of matrimony sure of that success which is a si-nle qua non of a happy marriage? Is their education in. the stern reality 08 marriage as per~ feet as their idyllic dreams of wedâ€" lock? Does the modern engaged girl fully realize that she is about to be- come the wife of a man. of whom she knows in realityâ€"except in rare cases ~but very little? The engagement period is the time for consideration. and not a favorable cp- portunity for boosting. It is not to be inferred that we would prefer to see an engaged girl assume a melancholy countenance because she is engaged. but what we regret to see in the modern engaged girl is the cultiva- lion.- of a tetndericy toward an erron: cous interpretation of. the real mean- ing of her newlyâ€"acquired state. Uutsido shows seem to be the main. attraction. _She seldom tries to peer into that life which lies beyond the altar rail. _ . It is here where the crucial question mines in: Are modern engagements tests of love? Modern er gagements are modern social puzzles. It is not always love that induces H’ymen to tie the nuptial knot. There are other condiderations. “What is he?" concernedly asks the world of tho bride-elect. If she can satisfy Mammon that her future hus- band is a follower of Croesus. all is well; the World will ask! no more ques- lions. This may be a corruption of the mor- als of Society, bust it is patent to every t‘hristian on earth that when a maid- en or a man becomes engaged. the prin- cipal thought that strikes the average mind of t e average friend is: “How much is he ctr she marrying fl' . 'l‘he enga emant time. therefore, is, basing outr cgie on this rule, seldom ill test. of love. but we grant that it is not impossible for a couple who marry for position. “'cllltll. or other social masons, to let love in, as it were, at the door of marriage. 'l‘hese are the conclusions _of an ob- server who has had ulndephis eye the problems that. affect the middle classes mostly. and believes that the aim of the modern middleâ€"class girl is to se- cure the best match possible among her friends. She (practically rlets her heart be burtcre for amonghcr male friends, and it goes to_tho ugliest bidder. Her parents and friends look upon! her with the expectation of making a good match; but if she have regard for pure love, and marry contrary td the wishes of her friends, she may look in vain for any great amount of sympathy from them. The greater the match the greater is the opporttittuty given the modern. engaged girl and her friends for tho boasting of its superior quali- tins. A man regards his engagement dif- ferently. H2 doesn’t telegraph it to the world. He doesn't ROSHD about it with the man in the street. nor stop outsiders on the pavement to tell them aluut it. it is a very scriou~ matter with him; indeed. so very nervous is he Sitlllt‘l'lmt‘s over the business that. he has been known to lose courage and run away from it on the very morn- ing of the "settlement." ’l‘hls resume of the engagement time not Il\‘l‘lii.‘.ll_ in ‘ (my vindictive siirii. The desire lat to promote in tin- breast of the newlywnguged girl a ecu:va of.true propriety in relation to her enviable position. She ought not to make it too k‘llt‘ap..illlt rather lack upon it as a very distinguished honor and di 1in it with proper con- siderations. t us reflecting credit not Only upon herself, but also her itiflrlnccd husband. is “TF8 THE LIGHTS TURNED DOW'N. Do you notice any increase in your gas bills since your daughters are old enough to receive company. professor! You have recalled something. air. that b inexplicable to me. .'\\'e regard ma- thematics as a fixed science, and yet it is :i fact that I pay less for .213 than wlzen'the entire household usci to re. tlw (Niti'n'. it} ash-Latin: l l ‘lllii’lllll. llllllli MAJESTY THE QUEEN; 78 YEARS OLD MAY 24, 1897. (Engraved from a late photograph.) ONE DOIJJAR. 0R BNEU-ll‘IONLA. Railroad Presidentâ€"Hum! Seems to me the receipts from our chairâ€"oars are not as large as they might be. Superintendentâ€"No. ject to paying the dollar extra for such a short distance. ‘ President â€"Hem! While this . . damp, chilly, twindy wbathor continues, see The People 01" late uncle left it STth VaALUzliBLE. Eastern Youth, out \Vestâ€"I have call- ed to get you to help me locate lot 902 in this Villageâ€"I mean city. My g to me and I have come \Vest'to see about it. Pretty valuable by this time, I suppose? 'Real Estate Agent, looking over map. ~H‘uml It was valuable when youri that the brakemen on the ordinary c-alrsl undo bought it, [but the grade of the politely open all the doors for passan gers to get in and out- at every‘ statiqn, andâ€"and politely leave them open un-‘I til the train gets under full headwayil again. Politeness pays, you know. B RAK E VAN ME N SERVANTS PAGES AND UPPER SERVANTs DRESSER AND LADYS MAlDfJ MAios or Hortoa' Chili-5R- P F? INC E55 BEATRICE QUEENS Dassssas QUEEN 73 9% «mp r -â€"-â€"-â€"â€"--â€"â€"â€"oi~--- m .b N O Q 2 PRINCESS BEATRICE. PERSONAL 5ERVANTS. PRINCESSES SECRETARY AND MEDICAL 5TAFF IN DIAN ATTENDANTS DIRECTORS Qti’EENS Foo Roan BRAKE VAN ~.____â€"â€" ‘lT'E-‘lt‘l U. Di.\GR.-\M 01" THE TRAIN. streets has been changed and it is now 500 feet below the curb and full of water. Eh? \Vater? Good gracious! It can’t be of any use at all. .\Vell, I dunno. If you like frogs’ legs, you might get a. meal off it once in a while. AN ORIGINAL METHOD. .Delio. is so queer. In what way? When we go to get ice-cream- soda she stands out on the pavement) before the drug store fully half an) hour; she won't go in until she has made upl her mind what flavor to taken A- RAREâ€"C'EIANOE. VV’aiterâ€"Very sorry, sah, but we havâ€" en't any veal. Veal is mighty scarce dis time of year, an.’ we haven't had no veal fer a. week. can I bring you anything else, Bah? Guest, hastilyâ€"Yes; double order of chicken salad. 6â€".- IT BLADE NO DIFFIfllENCE. ' There had been a little family jar and she was sul‘kirng. You have no right to refuse me. she said. When I promisod to marry you I told you that I always wanted my own way, and you said that made no difference. \Vell, it doesn’t does it? he retorted. You don't get it. do you? i - Thus it. happened that she called him a mean thing. 1 2 [i l ,, ill 1'... . "a... ‘5; 4: ~l<â€"’,a< x 4‘ wâ€"aâ€"-â€"â€"â€"_â€"â€"â€"-â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"bâ€"__.______~._ mimics ill DESCRIPTION OF THE TRAIN IN Lilli WHICH SHE TRAVELS. Her Majesty's (‘nr Is at Palace on Wheels - Ailjiuimcnt ol‘uie Spring I’revrnts Joli or Jiir â€" The Queen‘s Luxurlouo (om- partiuenu - “but the. Engineer Says About l'recmitlou to Prevent Accident. The Sheffield Independent. giving a description of the railway train in which the Queen recently travelled when starting for the Continent. soys:â€"--“lts [length is exactly sixty feet. and it is 3carried on two six-wheel ‘bogies.’ The tillWllliillll.llllllllllll vibration from the springs bearing the wheels is practically nil. and a double precaution is taken by fastening thick strips of rubber where the springs and the frame join. Thus the sensation of travelling is rendered extremely enjoy- able. for his impossible to have the slightest jolt or jar anywhere. The body of the carriage is painted a rich lake color, and highly varnished; but in place of the familiar : L.N‘.\V.R..' and the accompanying ' Britannia' emblem on the panels there are skilfully painted replicasâ€"in goldâ€"of the Order of tho Garter. the Thistle. St. Patrick, and the Order of the Bath. headed. of course, by the Royal Arms. The upper part of the carriage is painted in flake white, and at each cornice is a carved and gild- ed lion’s head. while the springs are picked out in u CREAM LAND GOLD. The windows on both sides are broad and high, some of themâ€"at the sideâ€" being embossed with small orders. The entrance to Her Majesty's day compartâ€" ' ment is effected by means of collapsible steps. The floor is carpeted with a rich Axminster. the prevailing tints of which are blueâ€"to harmonise with the general ' tone ' of the rest of the com- partment; and the ceiling is upholster- ed with white silk. Biunning one length of the side is a delightfully comfortable lounge, upholstered with blue water- face silk, and the four chairs, made of satin wood, inlaid with tulip wood, are similarly covered. 'At the cornices the Royal Arms fiigure prominently. and the prevading blue tint is further em- phasised in the blinds and the curtains -â€"the former being composed of blue silk, and the latter of similar material, lined with cloth. Light is supplied by two large electric lamps depending from the roof, and two smaller ones at each end of the room, the shades to these being composed of fine yellow silk. Leading directly from this handsome room, is the Queen’s sleeping compart- ment. It affords a. striking contrast with its neighbor from the fact that the hangings and upholstering are of a much more subdued nature. the pro- vailing color being a dark green. To the left of the carriage, facing the enâ€" gine, is Her Majesty's bed, at the foot of which is the coach set apart for Prin- cess Henry of Battenberg. The two beds BIB UPHOLSTERED IN GREEN. the bedsteads themselves being heavily gilded ; while depending from brass rods fixed to the cornice are heavy curtains which can be drawn totally round both beds. Fixed in the centre of the roof is a large electric globe light, and in different; parts of the compartment are four smaller ones, each delicately shad- ed with silk texturo;. while in both rooms are electric bells communicating with the attendants. and with the guard at the rear of the train. The door of the sleeping compartment leads direct to the lavatory which is most el- aborately fitted up; and a further door brings one into the compartment con- structed for the use of the Queen's li “\‘ ll mung“; ll” «.mll iiiililllii’iilil tilil l A D . \\\| ‘ ., » ‘\\‘ . ' llmi. lli\,‘ _ . at. THE Qi'ElCV'S R}. lL‘V‘lY TRAIN. dressers. stored in brown silk tabsretto. an it is comfortably l. infi- ly fitted with Pullman lounges. it shall- e favorite blue is once more in evidence in the blinds. An electric gong; fixed in one corner. culls the dressers into Her thesiy’s bed-chamber. 'l‘hisoom- partiiient. is the last in the saloon. and the final one that remains to be describ- ed is that at the other end of the car- riage. it is a small square room com- municating with the rear door of the Queen's day ioniitirtinont. With a lounge seat for the four perennal scr- vaiits of Her Majesty." ENGINEER Oi“ 'l‘llE QUEEN'S TRAIN. “Everylxidy knows that extra care is exercised whenever Her Majesty fro- “‘13 by rail." remarked George Lash- am. familiarly known among railway men as the "Qlieen's driver." to the writer one day recently. “ but few ion- ple realize how thorough and comp eto are the premations taken to guard against any and every possible danger. Mr. Lashiim. it. may be explained. has driven the "royal special " over the London and Southwestern system for nearly forty years. and is therefore an authority on the subject. Quiteu'eceut- Iy. on his retirement from active sor- vice. he was presented by Her Mines- 13'. with a beautiful siIVer solver. elab- orately chased, and engraved With the royal arms." _ “ Before every journey." he eyplain- ed. “ no matter how short the distance “my be. the engine and tender attach- ed to the special are carefully exuuuued by the chief locomotive superintendent. A pilot engine precedes the train, all ordinary traffic is suspended. and the line for the whole distance is watched by relays of platelayers. To the driver are given the most explicit instructions as to speed, stoppages, etc., to disregard any one of which would be to court instant dismissal. PRINTED INSTRUCTIONS are iven to every official accompany- ing t e train. who is strictly forbidden to give any information respecting thl (arrangements. “It is wrong to suppose, as many do that the Queen's special slips along fast. er than any other train. ‘As a matter of fact, it is a standing order that the speed of the Queen's train is never to exueod forty miles an hour, and it is generally kept well within even that moderate limit. This latter regulation, however, applies only to Her Mainsty's special. The Prince of wales 11 ea to travel as rapidly as possnble._ and he generally has his destre gratified. If not. he invariable wants to know the reason why. _ " When any special danger is appro handed the ordinary precautions are re- doubled. For instance. during the dy- namite-scare in the jubilee year every piece of coal used in the fuirnace wal broken into little bits in the presence of an offical before being loaded on the tender. and the interior of the boil- er was carefully examined and scraped. The object was. of course. the s:iiiie_in both instancesâ€"to guard against the in- troduction of oxplostves." It is not initial. it appears, for mem- bers of the royal family to bestow ex- tra remuneration upon the drivers of their trains. Foreign potentate, how- ever, are more freeâ€"handed. 'l‘hus. Mr. Lasham recounts, with a good deal of satisfaction, that he invariably received from the Shah twenty pounds a trip. Next to that much be-fewelled autoorat in generosity was the ate Emperor Na- poleon, whom the. 'Queen's driver ' ofâ€" ten took from Chisolhurst to \Vindsor, and who was invariably "good" for a five-pound note. It was always deliv- ered, iiiclosed in a sealed envelope. by His Ma'csty's private secretary. This custom is widow, the Etiip‘rcss Eugen- ie. kept up until the death of the. Prince Imperial, when she ceased to charter “specials.” " ._. __._._._.-...._. _. LOVE AND LACElVO‘RK. Mario?- there by the window is sit‘ ing. Some glain’ty lacework is Marion knit) mg, Swift in and out the bright needles are flitting. As I sit here by her side. Marion's brows are ensunned in gold tresses. Marion's sweet; lips were formed for caresses. One daring wish now my fond heart confesses, But to with her as my bride. Over her hair drift the shadows aâ€"qul-. var. Softly the poplar trees rustle and shiv- or. Down for below gleams the blue of the river, Never was fairer June day. "Marion. sweetest, you know I adore you'll "\Vait but a moment, kind sir, I. im- plore you. This pattern is new. I mth knit one row more, you Are. sitting too much in my way." "Marion, listen! I've loved since [met you i. . . Never, while his lingers can i forgot. yOu ;Il " You'd put. your eyes out I’m sure. if l’d let. you! Of my needles beware if you please." " Never. sweetheart, will you find tru- or lover. If you cure for me I. fain would din- covci';" "l’url thru- rind knit. seven. slip one Illl‘i thread nvcrâ€"" \Vzts over so vhnriiiiiig :i. tease! "May, you shall bear mc, you slycat of “Shims! Here at your let-t. lay I all my lova's Filth-~94." “See. now. you'w mnle um. dmp one of my stitches! You're Very provoking today.” \Vas ever maiden so wilful before her? Yet the more wilful the more I allure her. Since ‘tis in vain I'll no longer implore ' her, Coldly my farewell I say. with pretty beguiling Marion looks u i, anger away from mt All my feignel wiling; " Nay, air. what hurry 3" she ask», sly? ly smiling. "See. now. the pattern is done." Rat-eat of blushes are o'er her cheek flitti . Lace work argotten. no longer she'- knitting. Close. side by side. at the window wo'm sitting , Marion's sweet heart is won. I.. 51. Montgomery. P