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3.: r- ;' Mwmmsan..~.-.-_.-. _ II - . em 1.2â€": \ hfi'm’flr“ 1â€",." g2”:- I... .. .. . . n...‘ : ,3...“ 'f!;;l¢’""‘~ " c019 )‘ofio’vQo’o‘o‘o‘o'c‘.’0‘0’0‘0’0"“0.0§ . . . 9 O 0 O 9 O O O 0 O A Telephone Romance . ‘ O o o o o c c o 90.0 M.¢$C:0Qo.¢‘o.o‘o.o‘ no“ go yuogvs I. It really had reached a crisis. I don’t remember anything like it in the whole course of my life. True when I was at Harrow I went through a term of great suspense, consequent upon the captain’s delay in filling the eleventh place in the team, but that really can’t compare with what I have experienced lately -- I~Ier nameâ€"the crisisâ€"is Irene, and her father is Sir Stuart Crowther. In view of the crisis, therefore, I decided to go and see Jack Collier. Jack was at I-Iarrow with me, and now practises law in the Inner Tem- ple; so I sallied forth. I say sallied, but, as a matter of fact, I took a hansom, as being more practicable. Once settled there- in, I leaned back, lit a cigarette, and began to think out my plan of campaign. , “Collier,” I reflected, as my cabâ€" the last link in a writhing chain that stretched from Trafalgar Square to Exeter Hallâ€"crawled slowly east- ward, “is a man of the law. What he Wants is a lucid statement of my case. The clearer the statement the easier will it be for him to weigh the matter, and pronounce a judicial, wellâ€"balanced opinion. Ithapsodies will simply confuse the issue, as they say in the House. “When I get to the TempleI shall greet Collier quietly. He will at Once see, from the gravity of my manner, that there is something up, and will lean back in his chair and give me his whole attention. Then I shall unfold my points one by one, and, finally, he will giVe me the best advice in his most lucid style. 011 that advice my further action in the matter, as the War Oflice says, will depend.” I say this is the kind of interview I anticipated, and fully intended to have, with Collier. As a matter of fact, his whole behavior was disapâ€" pointing. His face did not at once become grave on seeing my serious demeanour; on the contrary, he langhed, as soon as he saw me, and, with scarcely a greeting, asked me if I was “in it again.” “In what?” I said, rather lainely, I fear. “In the paternal hot water,” he replied, alluding. I imagine, to some buried controversy between myself and Lord Bravington. “I have reached a crisis,” I said, with dignity, "and have come to consult you as one man of the world would consult another on the best way ofâ€""« “What, not the old man time? Who is she then?” I stated my case with considerable eloquence, I fancy. “And the most wonderful thing about her,” I concluded, a little out of breath after a quarter of an hours talking, “is the way she enters into all my interests. I-Ier opinions, her ideals, her tastes are mine. The more we see of each other, the more we find that our outlook on life is the same. Ours is a union of hearts and souls. It’sâ€"” Collier started; I started. The calm of his room was broken by a strident clanging, which appeared to O 0.0‘ W o 0. 0‘ o ’0 0“ 9 .0 C O ' O ' .0‘0.6“0‘rf‘b 0 O I. O 0.! 0.6‘ this come from a corner near the firc‘ place. “It’s only my telephone," said Collier, laughing at my alarm. “You never told me you had one!” I said indignantly. To have my peroration spoiled by a. self-asserting telephone-bell, the very existence of which I had been unaware, was disconcerting. "It’s only just been laid on,” he explained, speaking of the thing as if it were the water supply or a fresh coat of paint. "You can hold on, too, if you like. My telephone's got a double receiver.” He led me across to the instrument of torture. It was one of those to which a kindly company provides two receivers, one for each car. You can really hear quite well by listeu~ ing at one, so that two persons can listen to the same speaker at the other end by holding one receiver each. “Are you there?” sang out Collier, applying one receiver to his car, while I gripped the other. "Is that Mr. Collier?’-’- replied a farâ€"away voice evasively. "It is. Who are you?” said Col- lier, still interrogativoly. “I am Goodwright,” voice. “Oh!” said 'Collier, surprised. “Oh!” I very. nearly said, , being reminded just in time, by a frown from Collier, that, telephonically speaking, I did not exist. - Goodwright was a mutual of ours, and one of our set. It was not likely that he would have anyâ€" thing to say to Collier that was not for me to hear, so I continued to listen. I mention this in my own defence, because the family motto is .“JConeste et recto.” . “I wanted to speak to you very particularly,” continued Goodwright; friend “and I couldn’t manage to come and see you, so I had to try .this way. It’s very private, though. You’re sure you haven’t got a client there?” “Not a sign of one," Collier truth- fully replied. "That’s all right, because it’s not professional. As I said before, it’s very personal. You have never pro- Aosed to a girl in your life, have said the - ‘for _a second you?" queties the voice of Goodâ€" wright anxiously. "My experiences in that direction”. replied Collier, evading the tion, "are not extensive."- “Well, but have you ever been on the point of it?” "I don’t complained the man of the law. am a man more questioning than questioned, as a rule, and changing roles don’t suit me.- I think it’s my turn now. . You want to know whethâ€" er I have ever proposed, and how I did it, so that you may profit by my experience? That’s pretty well the brief I am to. advise on, isn’t it?” “Well, it might be,” said Good- wright grudgingly. "Very well, then; now for a. few questions to be asked by counsel to clear up doubtful points. Number one, who is she?” “You do take the wind out of a. chap’s sails!” grumbled Goodwright. “Well, it’s Irene Crowther.” Something seemed the matter with Collier’s room. The ceiling whirled round in an alarming manner, the carpet appeared to be chasing the ceiling, the hum of traffic in the street below stopped suddenly. The telephone receiver, without any warn- ing, fell out of my hand. I sat down very suddenly in a handy chair, and waited for the room to become still again. Collier’s Voice, miles away now, went on monotonously. Some- where in a mist I could see him lookâ€" ing at meâ€"rather anxiously, I thought. ‘ By degrees the things in the room consented to settle down again, and the stupid buzzing in my head heâ€" came fainter. Mechanically I got up, and, in spite of Collier’s attempts to wave me off, resumed my hold of the receiver. “Well, I shall weary you if go on any longer singing her praises.” Goodwright’s voice was saying; “but I wanted you to know before anyone else what a lucky chap I am going heard Collier reply. "I feel confident, old chap. I don’t say so because of any particuâ€" lar attractions I may possess, you know; but, you see, our tastes and aspirations fit in so wonderfully. The more we see of each other, the more I feel that we were simply made for each other. It’s a union of souls, if ever thete was one!’1 II. Never did the light penetrate dark- ness quicker than Goodwright’s words clear my befogged brain. That this cardâ€"playing, race-going, Bond Street walking idiot Should use my very phrases, share my innermost thoughts! A union of souls between Irene and him! The idea. was sacri- loge. Down went the receiver. I dashed for my gloves and hat, with one idea in my head, and in another secâ€" ond I should have gone, when Colâ€" lier closed the conversation on the telephone rather hurriedly, and came towards me. “I am sorry, old chap! I would never have let you listen if I had known; but I never dreamt of this. Feeling better now?”- "I’m all right,” I said, buttoning my coat. -“I am going straight to her.”- “He’s going to speak to her to- night at the Penfolds’ dance,” said Collier commiseratingly. .. It struek me that he looked decid- edly troubledâ€"unnecessari1y so, I thought. Collier generally secs only the humorous side of any trouble of mine, but his face now expressed nothing but sympathy for a lost cause. It was very damping. "I’m not going out to order my coflin, man,” I reminded him; "alâ€" though, to.look at you, that’s all you appear to think I'm fit for.” to be!”- “Pretty confident, aren’t you?” 1‘ "Oh, you are looking all rightl’n’. he replied feebly. “Butâ€"-â€"” "Toâ€"night,” I said, interrupting him, as I stood with my hand on the door, "there are going to be proposals of, two ordinary men to the girl best Worth proposing to in the world. If one of ’em is rejected, he will. congratulate the other like a, man, go home, write a few letters, make a few arrangements, and start on the Quest of forgetfulness from Charing Cross to-morrow morning. On second thoughts, I can’t do anyâ€" thing this morning, so the only pressing problem is how to get through the intervening hours beâ€" tween now and toâ€"night.” I ran down the steps, and called a cab, Collier still watching me with the same troubled look on his face. I wasn’t sorry when my hansom had carried me out into Fleet Street, and the face of Irene, inviting, replaced the Visage of Collier, foreboding. III. 'Casting about for the best way of killing time, I decided to spend the afternoon at the club. I lunchcd there, and strolled into the smoking- room afterwards. In one of the corâ€" ners there was a figure obscured by ‘a newspaper. Every few minutes one of the hands that held the paper disappeared, and a head bent down and jerked up again, and a little snap” followed. It was Goodwright, pretending to read the paper, and looking at his watch every few minutes. He nodded when he saw me, talked at random for a few minutes, and then buried him- self in the paper again. “Doesn’t look particularly san- guine,” I thought. “Very creditable to his powers of (,liscrimination.” I called for a paper, and began reading it steadily through, includ- ing oven the Weather forecast and the City news. A soft step sounded at my side, and a deferential waiter stood by me. -"A gentleman has rung up on the ques- telephone, sir,” he said apologetical- ly, as if it was his fault. “Who does he want?! I asked, for the waiter’s glance wasa compre- like these inquiries,”[hensive_one, and seemed to take in “I both of us. “He asked for both of you, sir. He rang up, said he supposed both Mr. Goodwright and Mr. IIansell were at the club, and could he speak to them on the telephone. Mr. Col- lier is the gentleman’s name, sir.”- "What on earth does he mean? He can’t speak to both of us at once,”â€" said Goodwright. "The waiter must have made a mistake. He wanted either you or me, whichâ€" ever happened to be in. I’ll go down if you like.” He dropped his paper, and away. I accepted Goodwright’s explana- tion, and began reading again, but in a little more than a minute the waiter was back again. “The gentleman wants to speak to you as well, sir,” he said, with a, note of triumph in his tone. "The telephone has a double receiver.”- I dropped my paper on the floor, where it joined Goodwright’s, formâ€" ing a little heap, and followed the waiter to tho telephone. Goodwright was standing with one receiver to his ear, tapping his foot impatiently on the floor, and hold- ing out the other receiver for me to take. “Here you are,” he said. "It's Collier, and, for some unearthly rea- son, he wants to speak to both of us at the same time. Why he can't repeat his message I don’t know!" I grasped my receiver, and listen- ed. The slight, rustling sound that came through the wire told me that Collier was at the telephone at his end, and was whispering to someone standing by.« The situation was getting on my nerves. After all, Collier could not have any bad news for either of us. It was only his way of inviting us to a bachelorâ€"dinner. I came a little nearer to the machine, and shouts-:1 "Hallo, there!” while Goodwright, fired by my example, did the same. "Oh, yes! Ah, are you there?" was Collier’s reply. Even over the telephone I could tell that his voice was nervous and jerky. "Now, I do hope you two chaps won’t take it badly," began Collier’s voice; "but I’ve got something to tell you that you won’t much care to hear. It concerns you both, so I wanted to tell you together. You both of you did me the honor of making .a confidant of me this morn- mg.” I felt Goodwright looked at me accusingly, as if I had appropriated a special privilege of his. “It was about Miss Crowther" the voice Went on. Accusation left the face of Goodâ€" Wright in a hurry. Rage and con- tempt had a keen struggle for the vacant place, and the battle was drawn. “Well, after you left, Hansen, I thought over things, and then went up to Queen’s Gate and saw her.” "As advocate for both sides?” Goodwright queried sarcastically. "The fact is,” Collier went on nervously, ignoring the interruption, "Miss Crowthcr and I have been en- gaged for some weekS, but we Weren’t intending to announce it just yet.” went The hesitating voice ceased sudâ€" denly, after a few minutes; there was a sound of whispering at the other end, and then another voice spoke. - "Jack forgot to tell you,” it said, “but we want you to be the very first to contratulate us toâ€"night, and you are both to come early. I shall break it off with Jack if you don't. Promise me.” ,And we didâ€"London Answers. ..._....____+.__.._..... PERSONALLY CONDUCTED TOUR To California and Lewis and Clarke Exposition, Port- . land, Oregon. A personally conducted excursion to the Pacific coast via the Grand Trunk Railway System and connectâ€" ‘ing lines leaves Quebec July 5, and Montreal and Toronto July 6. The route will her-via Chicago, thence through Couucil Bluffs to Omaha, Denver and Colorado Springs. Stops will be made at each of these places and side trips taken to Manitou, Cripple Creek, Garden of the Gods, etc. From there the party will con» tinue through the famous scenic route of the Denver and Rio Grande. through the Royal Gorgé' to Salt Lake City, thence to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Mt. Shasta, Port- land. Oregon, Seattle, Spokane, and home through St. Paul and Minneaâ€" polis. The trip will occupy about thirty days, ten days being spenton the Pacific coast. The price for the round trip, in- cluding railroad fare, Pullman tour- ist sleeping cars, all meals in the (lining car, hotels, side trips, etc.. is $165.50 from Quebec, or $160.50 from' Montreal and $150.00 from Toronto. This first trip is designed as a vacation trip for teachers, al- though many who are not teachers will improve the opportunity of tak- ing the trip at the remarkably low price afTorded. For, full particulars address E. C. Bowler, General Agent and Conduc- tor, Room 308, Union Station, To- ronto. _______.+~â€"__â€"â€"-' The torch of truth wanes dim when the winds of opposition die. A WOMAN’S WIT. â€"._._ How She Saved Twenty Thousand Dollars From Robbers. A good illustration of the quick wit of a. woman appears in. the folâ€" lowing incident of the old coaching days of the far West. The man of the tale does not show off in the best of lights, and did not deserve his reâ€" ward. ’1‘he coach was on its way over a lonely road, and carried among its paSsen-gers a lady going to join her hush-and and a man travâ€" elling by himself. “I have one thousand dollars in my pocketbook,” confided the lone traveller to the lady, “and I feel very uneasy. Wonld you mind con- cealing it in your dress? If we are held up they are less likely to search you.” The lady consented, and hid the roll of bills. Toward evening the shout of "Throw up your hands!” brought the coach to a stands-till, and four men, masked and on horse- back, demanded, at the point of the pistol, that all money should be immediately given up. The lone traveller passed over\all his re- maining cash, consisting of a few dollars, and was Congratulating him- self on his escape when, to his herâ€" ror, he heard the lady say: “I have a thousand dollars here, but I suppose I must give them up,” and without further hesitation she handed over the precious pile of bank bills. ' The robbers rode off in high good humor, but as soon as they were gone the traveller let- loose his wrath". He abused the lady in no measured terms, and hardly stopped short of calling her a coward. The accused said little, but when the end of the journey was reached, she invited the angry man to her house. "I shall have to accept," he said sulkily. “I haven’t a cent in the world through your stupidity.” As he was dressing for dinner that night his host came to his room. “Here are the thousand dollars,” he said, “which my wife ventured to borrow. You see, she had twenty thousand dollars hid in her gown, and she thought if she gave up your thousand it would save further search. Thank you for the loan, which saved me a heaVy loss.” . I A GYPSY TRICK. â€". How They Disposed of a Broken- winded Horse. It is presumed that a day or so be- fore there could have been found in a gypsy camp not far away a brokenâ€" winded and weather-beaten plug of a horse worth perhaps six pounds in open market, says an English writer in Outing. Then began such a grooming, clipping, polishing and doctoring as must rank among the fine arts. Mane and tail were mirâ€" acles of braiding, intertwined with fresh straw and fetchineg berib- boned. Into the crowded village was led a mettlesome and shining steed, carefully escorted, too valuable, forâ€" sooth, to be put up for sale. After the horse. was tied near a popular public house, three or four rus'tics strolled up to the owner of the beast who looked to be all “liayseed.” They looked the “bargain” over, shook their heads in disappointment that no dickering was possible, and drifted into the taproom of the ‘ ‘pub . ’ ’ Presently other farmers Iricked up their ears and Wanted to see. the horse. And so it went on until the cleverly disguised gyps’ics who made up the original bunch of "rustics" had created a strong undercurrent of interest setting toâ€" ward the transform-ed “plug.” The first show of cash came from among those masquerading farmers, whose identity lurked only in the midnight eye and shifty glance with the true gypsy slant in the corner of it. And after hours of p-alaver, over many mugs of beer, it Was one of these “madeâ€"up” lâ€"Io-dges who closed the deal, bought the horse and paid for it in ostentatious sov- ereigns. The genuine farmer, for whom the bait was cast, could not withstand this evidence of a "rare bargain,” and was the more eager now that it had slipped out of his grasp. Therefore it was not long before the "fake" buyer was offered a bonus of one pound to let go of his purchase, held out for two pounds, and got it, and vanished as if on wings. .__.___.¢.â€"â€"â€"â€"_â€"â€". A NEW COAL-CUTTER. English miners are interested in a new compressed-air coal-cutter re- cently introduced by a Sheffield firm. The machine weighs only 150 pounds, and it is said that it can be used in seams so steep that the miner cannot stand upright, and so thin that he has to crawl on hands and knees. A piston carrying a pick, and governed by a valve movement, flashes to and fro with great speed, thepoint of the pick being gradually moved across the coal by means of a lever so that a continuous cut is made. u.â€" +â€"--â€"-â€"- . THE SPOILS OF WAR. The following animals and birds taken by our army from the Rus- sians at the front arrived at Shim- bashi, says the Tokio Times, and Were at once presented to the im- perial family. To the Emperor, two Manchoorian horses, one rabbit, one dog, one hawk and one quail; to the crowu prince and his sons, two (lonâ€" keys and two dogs. BRITAIN IS QUITE SAFE BALFOUR SI’EAKS 01? NA- TION’VS DEFENSIVE POWER. Courage and Foresight Needed to Protect Possessions in the East, Premier .Dalfour made a remarkable speech rcCently in the British House of Commons with reference to the work of the committee on national defence. With an openness seldom surpassed, he discussed the preparaâ€" tions which have been taken for £10- fonce of the coasts and the possibili- ties in case of invasion. “Assuming that our army was over seas and our organized fleets away from home,” he said, "our military advisers, including Lord. Roberts, think it would not be pos- sible to attempt an invasion of this country with fewer than 70,000: men. Lord Roberts thought an at- tempt to take London with even 70,- 000 would be folly. "With the fleet absent and the army away could 70,000 men be landed on these shores? Since the days of Wellington and Nelson great changes, all in favor of the defense, have taken place. We have railroads and wireless telegraph'y, torpedov boats and submarines. No admiral would View with serenity the disem- barkation of 70,000 men on a coast defended by torpedo-boats and sub~ marines. 'fLet the committee consider, then, whether it would be possible to land 70,000 troops on this island. “Suppose France wished to invade Our shores. It is estimated that ships of 250,000 tonnage Would be * required to transport 70,000 men. It, is no simple matter to collect that many transports. The nearest; IT‘rench' harbor is Cherbourfi, a bad harbor. Meanwhile, from the Faroe Islands to Gibraltar‘ we should be collecting cruisers, destroyers and submarines. IMPOSSIBLE TALK. "When the French fleet arrived the disembarkation of 70,000 men would not he eaSy if our fleet was off the coast between Dover and Ports- mouth. It would require 48 hours of fine weather. “How could the helpless trans- ports escape our torpedoâ€"boats leaving out of consideration our cruisers and torpedoes. The thing is impossible. It is not an enterâ€" prise a sane nation would under- take. No admiral in the British flee’o Would attempt a like task.” The premier added that submarine mines Were not much thought of by the committee as a means of defense. This did not refer to blockade mines. He believed civilized countries would check the sowing of mines in the waters of the world. Mr. Balfour said that as to colonial defence and having regard to the conditions in the sea power of other nations, the redistribution of the fleet and army was desirable. The committee Consequently proceeded on the broad line that the British fleet and army should be aVailable for the defence of the empire in. all parts of the world and should, as far as possible, be concentrated at the cen- tre of the empire from which it could be distributed as necessity arose. The committee had come to the conâ€" clusion that Jamaica and‘ Trinidad should be centres of great naval operations. COURAGE IS NEEDED. Regarding India, the progress of Russia toward the Afghan frontier and the construction of strategetic railways had compelled the govern- ment to consider in all seriousness what could be done by our great military neighbors in the East. No surprise or rush, however, was pos- sible. ‘ In an invasion of India any col- lision of great magnitude between. two powers must depend upon ral- pidity of railway construction. Rus- sia would be faced with almost In.“- s-uperablo difficulties. If Britain perâ€"- mitted the slow absorption of Af- ghanistan and allowed Russia’s straâ€" tegetic railways to creep closer and closer to a frontier wh'iclr Britain is bound to defend, then, this country would not only inevitably have to pay for its srupincn'ess by having to keep afoot an army for larger than could be contemplated with equ-ani- mity, but would sooner or later be faced with some of the greatest military problems which had ever confronted the British Government. Foresight and courage were the great needs. a”... A GOOD SHOT. An officer, while his regiment was stationed at Cawnpore, was for some time-in the hospital recovering from a 'lbng'“ illness, and by the doctor's orders was only allowed to eat dain- tics. One day, therefore, his chum went out to shoot a few waterâ€"fowl for him. He had no sport, however, but, not to disappoint his friend, he sent his native servant to the bazaar in the town to purchase a few birds, and to take them to the invalid, at the same time sending a note to the effect that he had managed to kill “the birds herewith.” Next morning he received a letter thanking him for the kind present and saying, “the fowls are excellent specimens, and are now walking about the garden." The native servant had taken live birds to the hospital, aver-r ._-’- V .- q‘ vyf'j"¢éx.i~r,é:- 'v“-. 1..- '-._,.v-.' ‘5," :v' ‘ 4.. ‘ ' Lâ€"uv" tilizésya...) V 1 2,“, ., ‘ g . than