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nrgparaAtaltf % VAN SLYKE, Editor Mtf PflblljJwr. MCHENRY, ILLINOIS.' j 'V ̂ 4 TO MI LOTS. BR FBAROIS B. SMITH. cirrent loaves the mountljip And joins the crystal tide A; * ,;W»t flows along in beauty £ A; Till it ineot.R the ocean wide And, love, when thou art aba The thought occurs to me 'That my heart's love is a torrant, f- And thy bocom Je its sea. S41"' ' t$:%>\' Th<* zephyr stirs the lifzht leaws ' % With a sweetly soothing »oitnd, • 4-V t And the red rose, in its blooming, ^ Sheds its perfume all urounil. • i " ,iAnd as 1 muse enraptured ' •"* j« . 7" ' my calm retreat. . i «?The south wind hcirta thy wldsper, u ! « And thy breath the perfume awsifc •> X see the ivy clinging " • ^ *< «•$$;' '• Around (he wiW»oo4 tree, 5 " r ,7'ifji's *And as I view its tendrils, , ThiR thought occurs to me: • 15 , . Thy white arms ore the ivy, ' ^urRO<1 by thy heart's deep spring, •'". i.1-. • 7tAnd my neck the wild wood monarch • - S"B .. 'Sound which they closely cling. • Fork Weekly. rlWr •» ESCAPE. A Ktrrow Escape from an Ignominious •„,W Death. 'K »* HKVTTUN H. IYZNS. cnmstanot'i, to «aj the least; and when him by the hand, 1 profusely thanked I recall ail the details of the event, I him again and again. A moment more am tmrpri«ed that I did not sooner com- j and the leader called out: prebend the situation in which I *M j "Time up! One! two! three!" As |)laoed. _ I the lost word fell from the lips of the We had gone some Ave or six miles at pleader, the rope suddenly beoame ty.t, this reckless pace, the hor?os keeping the same speed, up hill or down. «, Suddenly, upon gaining the summit f>f a hill, my companion, with a glance over his shoulder, gave utterance to an expression of surprise. I glanced hur­ riedly back, and as I did so "I descried a party of horsemen, comprising a dozen or more individuals, first appearing upon the crest of the jiill we had left in our rear. ^ Instantly the truth dawned upon my iuind: The horsemen were in pursuit Of the stolen team! What should I do ? If I remained in the ourriage, what Would be the result when overtaken by the horsemen ? Ah, too well I knew! Horse thieves, when captured ia that region, were dealt with summarily, and there was little mercy to be expected if taanght in such company, unless, indeed, the thief should prove magnanimous Enough to cl^ar me of all blame, which I very much doubted. As the truth of my perilous sitnation flashed upon me, I was for a moment completely dumbfounded; but, regain­ ing my self-possession, I sternly ad­ dressed the man beside me: * " You scoundrel! This is a stolen rig, is it not?" "You needn't guess again," coolly re­ plied the thief, and he now plied the whip more vigorously than ever, caus During the summer of 1884 I was ing the horses to leap forward with in- i > r ; 1 * tjanvassing for fruit trees for a celebrated : 4 £astern nursery. The territory over v which 1" had worked lay in the South- • western part of Missouri. Although the •country, generally speaking, is moun­ tainous in some portions, yet I found it 4a very good field for canvassing for nursery stock of all kinds. Having affected a successful canvass, and the season for delivering the stock r Slaving arrived, I now made preparatory arrangements to further that end by securing the services of some man and jg his team in each locality to haul And i! deliver the stock throughout the 4 vicinity in which he lived. In a remote part of the territory over : which I had canvassed, some fifteen miles from the railroad, lived a man by the name of James Pratt. While can- 2 v&ssing through that section I had r made arrangement with him to deliver all the stock which I had sold in the country contiguous to him; and having p,| now come to that part of the delivery, "7 I, one morning, found myself ready to «et out from the point on the railroad I where my stock had been shipped . kis place of residence, to acquaint him ©f that fact. There was a stage running through the eountry, which passed within about 3 two miles of Pratt's place, but as it did * not start until about ten o'clock in the : morning, 1 determined not to wait for "i it, and accordingly set out afoot. . iX That I regretted this rash proceeding, ) sthe reader will undoubtedly agree with ;: "M me, if he takes the trouble to peruse this short recital to the end. The -country was rough and hilly, and I |p|:. 4 -soon became aware that it would be a 4 long and tedious journey to make on ^ ' I foot Besides it was a warm day, " although in the month of October, and , the roads were dry and dusty, gf?; : I had not made more than four or five j,* - - miles of my trip, when I found I was a ' getting well warmed up, and I began •| [ } to feel considerably fatigued. I now V ' -saw what a blunder I had made in not "waiting for the stage, and was half ^ : tempted to sib down by the roadside -and wait for it to overtake me. ||Vr* I was about to seat myself upon a y , comfortable looking log which lay . f. alongside the road, when, glancing back, £^ descried in the distance a cloud of dust, from amidst which a moment later <Vct- " emerged a span of horses and carriage •'% , / ,r coming up the road at a lively pace. I r - gazed for some moments with curiosity ;*:'i at the approaching vehicle, for such (} ' • outfits as that were rarely seen in that part of the country. Then it 'tj-' suddenly occurred to me that here ^ *- might be a chance to get a ride. With I'/ ' this idea I leisurely resumed my jour- ney, that I might accept a ride in case , it were proffered. &•" ' I had but a few moments to wait, j v The team was coming on at a pace that ^ whowed them to be good travelers, and ' before I was fairly aware of it they were abreast of me. The next instant they C came to a stand, and the cheerful voice lp-„ of the oocupant of the carriage called li' V. "OUt*. tk"; ""Howdy, stranger? Have a ride?" j ^ ""With a grateful "thank yuu," I sprang I- " Into the carriage, and a moment if*." « later we were whirling along the duetv toad at a break-neck g pace that seemed much more cheerful to me than my fatiguing walk had been. Although I was somewhat struck by 'the uncouth appearance of my new friend, I dismissed it from my mind in a moment, for I felt so grateful for the exceeding good luck that had chanced to overtake me that I was not choice as to the source whence it came. He was shabbily dressed in a suit of clothes of the commonest material; and his pecul­ iar drawling, slangy way of expression was in fit keeping with his dress. His face seemed to huve an unusually anx­ ious expression upon it, and occasionally lie would glance back over his shoulder aa though fearful of som ething or some- tody in pursuit. He inquired of me where I was trav­ eling, and asked why I did not hire a tiorse or take the stage. 1 replied by etating substantially what the reader already knows. The horses he was driving were high •spirited animals, yet, at short intervals lie plied the whip vigorously, causing them to leap forward each time with in­ creased speed. And anon he would -cast that suspicious glance backward, 4ill at length I began to feel that some­ thing was wrong, and with gome anxiety I inquired: "Why do you keep looking back?" With a sinister smile and another .glance backward, he replied: "I'm looking for" some friends that I "wouldn't be surprised to see following aae." "There is little danger of their over- •aking you if you keep on at this pace." "I don't know about that,0 he re- joined with a dubious shako of the I observed that the horses began to «how signs of fatigue, and still he urged •hem forward as though life depended TOpon their utmost exertions. And such indeed, proved to be the incentive that •caused him to so cruelly urge the will- ing animals on. Ifc seems singular to me now, as I look Iwek and recall to memory the event, that my suspicions were not sooner aroused to the fact that the man was driving a stolen team. His ;«Bistrustful glance behind him, and his meager haste to get over the ground as as possible, were suspicious ei*-, *£•• . «£' ,--i ' * I? Xf\ creased speed. "Oh, you're in for it, ! so you needn't squeal!" "I'll phow you that I'm not in for it!" and the next instant I sprang from the carriage, turning a complete sommer- sault as I rolled upon the ground. As I gathered myself up I saw it would be useless to try to conceal my­ self, as the pursuing horsemen were in full view,"coming up the hill on a gal­ lop, and accordingly, I quietly awaited their approach. As they came up, the leader of the i>osse ordered three of the men to stop and take me in charge while the balance swept on like the wind after the retreating carriage. One of the three men ordered me to mount behind him on his horse. I un­ dertook to protest, but it was useless. Drawing a glistening revolver from his belt, the man again ordered me to mount behind him, and I obeyed with­ out another word. We followed on after the retreating cloud of dust, and in about half an hour we came up with the party, where they had overtaken the thief in the carriage. They were gathered in a group by the side of the road, evidently having some dispute as to the disposal of their prisoner. The majority ap­ peared to be *in favor of hanging the man to the limb of a tree at once, while a few thought it best to take him back to town and let tlie law deal him justice. "What's the use foolin' any more about it?" growled one of the crowd. "We caught him with the rig, and he's owned to it that he stole 'em. Why not stretch him up and be done with it? Thar'11 be no more trouble about it then." As these words fell from the lips of the man a number of others cried out: "That's the talk! Let's swing him! Her'ri the rope!" and a rope was flourished about by one of the men. "Here's a splendid limb on this tree to throw the rone over!" cried an­ other. At this juncture the leader of the party said: " * •• n- •. "Gentlemen, before we proceed further we will see what the other prisoner has to say for himself." The «crowd instantly turned their gaze upon me, and for a moment perfect silence reigned. Then from the lips of the other prisoner came these words: "Of course he's guilty! He helped me steal 'em!" I was dumb with astonishment. Up to this time I had hoped the man would tell the truth of the matter, although I had some misgivings on that score. " What have you to pay to that, young man ?" called out the feader. "Gentlemen," I answered, in as steady a voice as I could command, "I think I can prove to you that I am innocent." With that I produced a number of papers and letters, showing the nature of the business I had been engaged iu the preceding summer. The leader took them, and after looking them over a few moments, he observed: "There's no proof in these, young man, that you didn't help steal the horses! Have you no better proof to offer?" My heart sank within me. -I was obliged to confess that "I had not, but I asked that I might be permitted to tell my side of the story. Upon giving his consent, I related in as concise a manner as pos­ sible what the reader is already ac­ quainted with. I told it in such a sin­ cere, straightforward manner that I perceived with joy that I had won the sympathy of at least the leader and, I thought, a few of the rest of the party. That I might press the advantage that I had already gained, I continued: "If you will take me over to Mr. James Pratt's, who lives about two miles from here, I am sure he will cor­ roborate what I have said." "Well," resumed the leader, "we'll dispose of this other scoundrel first!" At this, shouts of "Hang him!" "Let's hang him to this tree!" "Yes, here's a boss limb!" emanated from all parts of the crowd, and immediately one end of a large rope. was thrown across the limb spoken of, and the other end was unceremoniously tied about the wretched man's neck. "Give him five minutes for prayer!" shouted a voice in the crowd. The leader now stepped forward and in a voice of command addressed „the prisoner: "If you have any request to make, out with it; and if not, commend your soul to God, for in five minutes more you will die;" The face of the doomed "inn assumed an ashen hue, and there was a perceptible trembling of his lips as he spoke: "I have a sister living "in mentioning a town in Missouri; "I wish you would send her this," and he pro­ duced a golden locket and gave it to the leader. Then sinking upon his knees, he tremblingly uttered an atmost unin­ telligible prayer. Upon rising to his feet he looked more calmly upon those around him as he said: J "Gentlemen, afore I die, I waiit ter right one wrong I've done to this 'ere gentleman," pointing to me^and that is that he is innocent. What he's told you air the truth. I am ashamed that I tried to bring him in as my pardner, and J hope God will for­ give me!" At this I sprang forward and. and the next instant the body of the thief was dangling in mid-air. Then turning to me, the leader observed: "Young man, you've had a mighty narrow escape! Be more careful in the futnro and choose better company!" After waiting some twenty minutes, until the swififing body lrad become nearly motiotlTess, the party mounted their horses--the leader driving the stolen outfit--and in a few minutes they had disappeared in a bend of the road I now proceeded on my way with a fervent feeling of thankfulness '-o God for my miraculous preservation from an ignominious death. Conquered at Last Geu. Wiloughby Cotton was a for men and the dangers of war, but a cross young bear gained an easy victory over him. He was a grand, dignified officer, warm-hearted, irascible, ready to resent any slight lack of respect. Soon after his return from an import­ ant Indian command a Mr. Quentin Dick greeted him by slapping him on the back and saying: "How are you, WiUoughbyf" The Gfeneral replied coolly: "Pretty well, Mr. Richard." " Richard! Why, you have forgotten; I am Dick!" exclaimed the too presum­ ing friend. "Yes, sir; but although you are famil­ iar enough- enough to call me Will- oughby, I am not familiar enough to call you Dick," said Gen. Cotton. The rebuke, if stern, was well de­ served. A friend of the General had two little bears. During tho day they were fastened to trees by long chains. It was a sure sign they were out of temper when they licked their paws. One morning. Gen. Cotton and a number of youug officers were looking at them. The little Bruins were evidently in very bad humor. Said Gen. Cotton; "Not any of you young fellows dare to unchain one of those bears." "Why, you are a great officer, and you won't do it," was the reply. "You mean 1 dare not," said Sir. Willoughby, very indignantly. "No!" we exclaimed. He took a short stick from the hands of one of us, and went to the bear. The little fellow licked his paws and looked more and more fierce. The General began to unwind the chain. We all chuckled with delight. No sooner was the chain all unwound and the bear free than he clasped the General's portly form in his arms. In vain did Sir Will­ oughby strike him over the head with his stick. All his breath was crushed out of him. We rushed to the rescue and bela­ bored the little animal. At last he let go his hold, and the general sank faint­ ing to the ground. We could not seize the chain. Off went .the bear through the flower-beds to the house, scattering a group of ladies who were on the ter­ race. He dashed through the hall door, dragging his chain after him. Down a wide gallery he rushed and plunged into a china closet with glass doors which stood at the end of it. Then came crash! crash! crash! The house­ hold gathered hastily to the rescue. At last the bear was secured, but not until the china closet had become a scfenejol dire disaster. Beneath tlie Grooming. Tom Marshall, the brilliant Kentucky lawyer, in an after-dinner speech, once told a story which has a significance for the readers of the Companion. "My father, like all Kentuckians," he said, "loved a good horse. When I was a little shaver of 8 he bade me choose a pony for myself. I took a fat, shiny fellow, short-winded and vicious. 'Ha, Tom,' he said, 'never choose a home by his coat. His groom gives him that. Look beneath it for the real animal.' I have since learned never to choose a friend, either man or horse, by his coat or his manners. I go beneath the grooming." Boys and girls are apt to jndge of each other and of adults by some facti­ tious accident which does not at all af­ fect the character. 'A teacher with a nose too small for her face sometimes loses,'for that reason much of her influence over lier more frivolous pupils; and a flaming head of hair has made the first year of school lonely and friendless for many a sensi­ tive boy. • Garlyle wrote a whole book to prove that rank, birth, even education, were but so many outer skins or "old clothes" beneath which we must look to find the real man. If we do not judge of the staying- power or temper of a horse by the satiny skin which is the result of careful grooming, why should we like this man or dislike that because of their clothes or the house in which they live or the social rank into which they were born ? In a family, too, we often find a girl censured and ridiculed because she is excitable and flighty, or a boy perpetu­ ally nagged and slighted because of his slowness and stupidity. A diseased nervous system or a slow-moving brain are qualities for the possession of which no man or woman is responsible. "It is not," says Madkm de Preyere, for the things which God has given me that I should be loved or hated, but foir my own1 use or abuse of them."-- Youth's Companion. The Knglith Diftputeli Box. There is one very complete and very convenient article in general use in En­ gland which has never been adopted by the people of the United States. It is the dispatch box, which English novel­ ists have rendered familiar to all read­ ers of fiction. Inquiry elicits the fact that the jewelers and notion dealers of New York, with the exception of a few of the more noted ones, are absolutely ignorant of this article. Several years ago William Waldorf Astor had one made to order by Tifl'any & Co. It is believed to be the first of its kmd ever manufactured in this coun­ try, TOd certainly was one of the hand­ somest ever made. It was covered with the finest Russia leather, aud was em­ bossed and otherwise decorated in original and attractive designs. It was also handsomely mounted with silver and gold. The dispatch box is a small hand trnnk about fourteen inches long, eight inches wide and four to six inches deep. It is intended to serve not only as a jewel box, but as a receptacle for sta­ tionery and toilet articles as well. It is conveniently divided into compart­ ments adapted to the accommodation of the various articles it is intended to contain, and is lined with velvet or satin, as the taste of the owner may sug­ gest. It has a flat top, upon which a silver or a gold plate, containing the - f w r n t f i i " -X . • r > t article is one that is oonducive to the great*^ convenience in travelling, its (points of superiority over the more generally used hand bag with its single compartment being very numerous. It is essentially a box for valuables, the English carrying in it their papers, and even money, ii^ addition W jewelry and stationery.--2^e Jewellers' Weekly. 1 Spreading IIIMH* In Hooka. ' We have on several occasions dis­ cussed the possibility of conveying in­ fection by means of books lent out by circulating libraries. That disease may be thus conveyed there can be no doubt, though this affords no real ground of objection to the loan system if ordinary precaution is observed. It is, therefore, tho more satisfactory to note that li­ brarians on their part are not inclined to neglect any due care in this particu­ lar. As an instance, we may now refer to the method pursued at one public es­ tablishment of this kind where lists of all the infected houses in the surround­ ing streets are received weekly. The occupants of such house3, if in receipt of books, are warned not to return them until effectually disinfected. * No doubt the Act for the Notification of Infectious Diseases would afford a useful assist­ ance to all such endeavors on the part of librarians to avoid any possible trans­ fer of contagion, and they would do well to avail themselves of its aid. It shonld be remembered^ however, that it does not cover every communicable dis­ ease, measles being a noteworthy ex­ ception. In order to secure still further the desired immunity, it is advisable thai each borrower be required, under suitable penalties, to guarantee the freedom of his household from infection at the time being, to report immediately the appearance of infectious diseases, and to arrange for disinfection of books on loan to him. We would further sug­ gest that the work of disinfection be carried out if possible at the library building itself. Its efficiency could then be assured.--Lancet. ; i fixerclse and Health. f fttarfltee, with both men and women, fa ft question of intelligence--a consid­ eration of kind and quality, rather than of degree. The subject has for women peculiar embarrassments and limita­ tions, particularly in the close house­ bound life of the city. In the country there are the natural morning duties, with open windows and flooding sun­ light; "the wall&to the depot or for the mail, quiet and calming; the long piazzas. In the city, nine women out of ten are victims to morning gown and slippers. A man's hat, coat and gloves hang in the^allway, always in readi­ ness. What would he say if boots, trousers and coat were to be changed, after an hour, before he could get out for a breath of air? While many women still follow the traditions of delicacy and helplessness that have for so many years enshrined and enfeebled their sex, yet they have come, all the same, to understand, through the efforts of many of their sis­ ters who must perforce be strong, that a poor physique puts a woman at pdds, and at the mercy of others when the stress of life comes. In the new creed to which women are giving allegiance it will come to be an article in time that weakness, unless inherited, is sin. The young woman of the future will fulfill the poet's ideal: "She gave him her hand; it was not a helpless one."-- Emma Moffat Tyng, in Harper's Bazar. A Hnman Microscope. John Helsopof Birmingham, England, is a lad whose powers of vision are marvelous. He is known as the living microscope," on account of being able to see the most minute ob­ jects clearly defined. In 1878 or 1879 he was attacked with some baffling eye trouble and came very near losing his sight forever. After the disease had reached its worst there was an instant and startling change for the better, which resulted in a complete cure of all trouble iu au incredibly short time. It was not a cure, however, that brought back the old eyesight like that pos­ sessed by the ordinary genus homo. When it returned it was with extraor­ dinary, increased powers of vision. To John Thomas the most minute plant louse was large as a rabbit, and the mosquito's bill was as large as an ax- handle. He could see and describe minute objects with startling clearness and precision. He was amazingly shocked upon repairing to the well to see the immense number of hideous creatures that were floating, fighting and wriggling about in the water. From that day to this water has never passed the lips of John Thomas Helsop. His drink consists of coffee, tea and milk, thoroughly boiled. The doctors say that the entire organization of the eye has undergone a structural change and that the cornea has become' ab­ normally enlarged. Bliort-Sighted-People. They were talking about near-sighted men. "Did you ever see old man Bower- sox ?" asked one. "Now, Bowersox was the nearest-sighted man I ever saw. He used to have the delirum tremens, and would have the biggest fights with boa-constrictors, green monkeys, pink rats and that sort of thing, that you ever heard tell of. One day he was having a life-and-death struggle with a whole menagerie, and it was taking a dozen of us to hold him. Somebody sent for his wife, and the minute she entered the room she yelled: " 'Take off his spectacles!' "We hadn't thought of that, but the minute we took 'em off old Bowersox heaved a sigh of relief and got well on the spot. Never saw a sna&e or a blamed thing after we took off his specs. Couldn't do it, you know." "That was a curious case," said an­ other, "but no more curious than the case of my old friend Brayfogle. Bray- fogle was a great dreamer. He used to say that it was his greatest delight to go to bed and dream of Ids childhood's happy home. But, do you know, gents, he couldn't see his childhood's happy home or any of his old folks unless he went to bed and slept with his glasses on."--N. Y. World. A Cat's Contempt of Court. The antics of a large black oat furn­ ished no end of amusement to the fre­ quenters of Judge Murray's civil court on Eighth Avenue recently. This par­ ticular cat is not different from any other feline, except that ho is looked upon as one of the attaches of the court. Thomas--that is his name--is allowed the freedom of the courtroom at all times. One of his favorite posi­ tions is on top of the rail which sep­ arates the counselors' inelosure from the rest of the courtroom. Thomas got into trouble one day recently by de­ signing to jump over the desk im­ mediately in front of Justice Murray. He was kept out of the courtroom for a while as punishment, but is now back agaiu.--New YmkJfc&M* •• 7r*r • ao, roR II Uttle song (or bed-time, i When, robed in gowns ot white. ;? AU sleepy little children /j?*.*••'v Set sail across the nit»ht " For that plonannt, pleasant coojttrjr '• '"Where the pretty dream-flowers blow, fTwixt the sunset and the sunrise, -t 7. "For the blumbor Islands, hot" Sfrhen the little onea Rot drowsf, ; jr |ad heavy lids droop down ' ; W *> |o hide blue eves and black eyajf'" Jray eyes and eyes of brown, ;i .$'• . I thousand boats lor Jjrean.laiM Ire waiting in a row, ' • ind th» ferrymen are calling, 7 ' 1 ; , "For tho Hluxnbur lalands, Jiol* ?hen the sleep little children , ill the boats along the shore. 7 " nd go sailing oft to 1 >renmUnra S77f:» nd tho dipping of the oar a the Sea of Kl<»ep makes musts hat the children only know 7 'hen they auswer lo ho boatman's "For the Slumber Islaada, Juki? . jib, take a kiss, my darlings, 7 * Bre you sail away from me 7 " v 7 , *Vlh the boat of dreams that's wSltiDflL : .'.'Co bear you o'er the semj,.' ;'7 7.<r ,7, Sake a kiss and give '^77 '•» ; 4I!,I thou away you go > 1 * J - , A Bail) ng into Dreamland,; "For tho fclamber glands, iMfSichol"*. RUINS OF RAUHENSTEIN, FROM TEUC FHENCH OF WXKK. VA- Last year I was at Baden with Mme. Selair and her part}', consisting of a collection of children marching under the orders pf an elderly governess, Mile. Charlotte Bergan, and a very legant young tutor, Mr. Rodolph Stein. , For two weeks we had been kept prisoners in the house, when one morn­ ing the sun came out brightly and it iras unanimously decided that pupils, preceptors and all must take a walk, •ries of joy greeted this proclamation; looks aud slates were thrown down, 3ats and parasols snatched up and away ve went. We climed the stony paths, scaled ithe rocks gathering "right and left handfuls of saxifrage and cyclamen, not Jmitting the obligatory exclamations of lelight over the beauty of the land- tcape. And so at last We arrived at the ruins if Rauhenstein. Half a turrent, an old srumbling wall, an ogive chapel win­ dow, a long-dried cistern--the whole covered with vines and shadowed by waving pine frees--that is all that is left of the old castle. Mme. Belair sat iown on the moss; the children went on gathering flowers; Mile. Char- otte was poking around the old stones m liopo of finding some forgotten treasure, and I was gazing over the hady valley and at the chain of oppo­ site hills where, in an indentation, stood the ruins of the castle of Rau- iieneck. As for Mr. Bodolph Stein, he wius seated at the foot of a pine with a ireamv air not usual to him and which bordered on the sulky. I asked him if he wore composing a poem or a novel. He replied that it was not impossible. A.s he constantly insists that he is the prosaic in person, this answer made us laugh, and we expressed doubts about his literary aptitudes v» hich piqued his canity. He maintained that nothing ft-as easier than to measure off verses, )r fabricate a tale; and that if lie cared to try he was quite sure he could suc- eed as well as this or that celebrity. Mme. Belair then declared, in a pleasant, joking way, that he would like to have proof of "this power. The handsome Rodolph announced himself ready to satisfy her, and even offered, hen and therei, to improvise a story on roy subject we might select With )ne accord we demanded a legend on he castles of Rauheneck and Rauhen- itein. Our young author bowed, requesting i quarter of an hour to prepare his plot. He drew out a note-book, usu- illy devoted to commdhplace mem­ oranda, rapidly traced an outline, and he fifteen minutes had not passed be­ fore he was ready to give us the follow- ng recital: O ye who listen! let loose the bridle jf your imagination, let it raise again hese fallen walls of Rauhenstein and liaulieneck, and picture their brilliant banners finttering in the breeze; let it people them with a crowd of varlets ind men-at-arms. Do you see them sow, those rival fortresses, facing each )ther with menacing men? Two haughty nobles lived in them, formerly riends, but later enemies. They loved he same woman--au old story. Love livides as many as it unites. The Sire de Rauhenstein had a son; he Sire de Rauheneck had a daughter. Sermann was like a young pine-tree; Lithiuia was like a tender flower. He aras handsome, she was lovely. One* day the young girl was walking done in the mountain paths--seeking ivhat? Eh! what do all voung girls leek in spring-time but flowers and Ireams? Chance, which usually arranges ;hings well, that day led Hermann on he lands of his father* foe; and there tie met the maiden. "Oh!" he exclaimed. "Ah I" she murmured. " Alas 1" they both sighed. They met again, and of tea--very >ften. Love makes rapid progress be- rween those who ought to hate each >ther, so sweet is fruit forbidden. Meanwhile A'nthon, the Chaplain, who lad the not easy mission of instructing he young chevalier, noticed that his jupil was even less attentive than was lis wont. The worthy ecclesiastic, urious to fathom the cause, watched, liscovered the meetings with the oretty chatelaine, and, full of zeal, ran •o warn the lord of Rauhenstein. About the same time Dame Hedwige, Liithinia's governess, perceived that ihis young person no longei delighted n her tapestry. Sometimes the work ell from her little white hands, and .he kept losing her needle. These iymptoms awoke the dame's wonder: >ut when one day Lithinia put in three stitches of violet wool when she ought •o have used green, that was enough. Dame Hedwidge did as had done the venerable Anthon, she watohed her lupil, saw her meet Hermann and flew o communicate her discovery to the Dount of Rauheneck. The two fathers, each in his own iastle, reflected profoundly, with wha^ result we shall see. On the morrow the Sire de Bauhen- itein, in gorgeous attire, mounted on lis finest horse and followed by a lumerous suite, descended from'his nanor. The same day, at the same hour, the 3ire de Rauheneck descended in like itate from his fortress, so that the two adversaries met on neutral ground. Each on perceiving the other had a 'mile on his lips as he courteously •aised his plumed cap and uncovered lis gray head. During this time the followers, who lad often had the pleasure of exohang- ng blows and sword thrusts, trembled *rith iittiignatwMt to find themselves to crossing nothing bat furious glutee*. Two squires aided their lords to dis­ mount. The rivals stepped forward • few paces, and--oh, marvel! each hel4 out a friendly hand to his sworn foe. Rauhenstein's soldiers were raging. #hey had heard from the house serv­ ants that their master had passed the whole night without sleep, striding up and down in his apartment, talking to himself and pronouncing the name of Rauheneck with fury. Consequently all these brave fellows expected a new outbreak of hostilities, and were looking forward to the fray. It was rather too disappointing to have the expedition end in a hand-clasp ! The old count must have lost his senses! j-• • - Thoughts as war-like had been agi­ tating the men-at-arms of R&ulieneck. Their master had also passed a sleep­ less night, and they were all eager to besiege Rauhenstein. The enemies stood facing each other. Evidently they had something to say; uut each hesitated to begin. t At last Rauhenstein made a sign to his chaplain, and, after liiaking many salutations, this reverend personage Bpoke: "Very high and redoubtable Seig­ nior," he said; "the very high and re­ doubtable Seignior, my lord, has thought that a feud of twenty years has lasted long enough, and--* But the chaplain of Rauheneck, to whom his lord had also . made a sign, was saying the same thing at the same time--it was a solo of two voices--"that a feud of twenty years has lasted long enough, and that the fires of discord ought to be extinguished and be buried under the ashes of forgetfulness. The occasion seems to him favorable--" - Sere came a divergence in the duet. One said: "The soli of Monseigneur loves your daughter." The other: "The daughter of Monseigneur is be­ loved by your son." T.hen the unison resumed: "Their wedding would end all strife." "Very high and powerful Seignior," said both counts at once,"you have forestalled my dearest wish!" Upon this they again grasped hands, and so the marriage of Hermann and Lithinia was decided. The first bounded for joy on hearing this happy result of his walks, and threw his books out of the window, de­ claring that it would be absurd for a marriageable chevalier to continue his studies. Lithinia also throw her tapestry into a corner and began to embroider a scarf for her betroiaed with the golden threads of her Lair. The wedding day arrived. Lithinia was charming; Hermann was radiant. For some reasons known to themselves alone the two fathers had decided that the festivities should not take place in either castle, and an obliging neighbor had put his mauor at their disposal. There all the bridal train met, and the rejoicings that followed the ceremony Were prolonged till midnight struck. "Come hither, my son," then said the Sire de Rauhensteiu, "at this* solemn moment I have some words fib say." And lie drew the youth into a recess. Come hither, my daughter," said De Rauheneck; "come to receive mv blessing." And he drew her into an other recess. "Hermann, you are too truly my son not to have guessed my projects. This pretended reconciliation, this marriage, are the prelude to my vengeance. Take this poniard and to-morrow let Rauhen­ eck lament for hi3 daughter!" "Take this dagger, and to-morrow let Rauhenstein mourn for his son!" was the end of Rauheneck's discourse. Children in those days were very re­ spectful. Hermann and Lithinia "bent submissive heads without daring to utter the faintest protest. The two fathers went back to the banqueting-hall. * * » » # * * On the morrow a bountiful breakfast brought the feasters again to the board. Suddenly Rauhenstein glared at his rival and exclaimed.: "My vengeance is accomplished!" "Andmine!" returned the other. "It is time for an explanation," said Rauhenstein with a cruel smile. "Do you know that your daughter is dead ?" "What do you mean, old madman? It is your son who is no more!" "That is not true!" "Ha! you insult me, do you? Then there!" And he threw the" contents of his cup in his adversary's face. Rauhensteiu replied in like fashion, only the cup followed the contents, and dashing against a bracket adorned with costly porcelain, sent the whole collec­ tion in fragments to the floor. The master of ceremonies, annoyed at this destruction of his china, inter­ fered sharply. The guests took sides, some for one, some for the other, and a general conflict followed. Blows show­ ered down. The chaplains shouted, preached, gesticulated, tried to calm the tumult with words of peace; in vain. The combat went on furiously, the two principal champions crying out: "Yes! your daughter is dead!" You mean your sonI" "No!" "Yes!" "I told him to stab her!" "She killed him!" "Yes!" "No!" And faster fell the blows. At last the door opened and there ap­ peared Hermann, le&ding Lithinia, lovely as the dawn. The stupefaction of the two fathers was so great that, exhausted as they were with the fighting, they were com­ pletely overcome and allowed them­ selves to be carried to bed. After a refreshing sleep they awoke in a better mood. The similitude of the projects formed by the rival counts proved the funda­ mental sympathy aud resemblance of their minds. Besides, the lady who had caused their enmity had, like them­ selves, grown old, and who breaks lances for silver hairs! They shook hands, this time sin­ cerely, and passed the rest of their lives in cordial amity. The vassals imitated their Blasters, and peace followed strife. <- But as all things terrestrial have their day, Rauhenstein and Rauheneck are now only melancholy ruins where poets come to dream. Such was Mr. Rodolph Stein's recital. We applauded him as he deserved. Mme. Belair eaid he really ought to publish it, and not forget to mention whether the obliging Seignior, who so gallantly lent his castle, was indemni­ fied for the loss of his china--a detail which, in this practical age, would not be without interest. He replied that he would think about it. But autumn winds soon came, carrying away the leaves and summer promises. Yellow October recalled us to Vienna. The gay season began, and all Mr. Stein's poetry evaporated in the rhythmio measures of the dance. He wrote nothing but billet-doux, and but tot faithful memory his story of the two old castles would have been lost to 'posterity. . • m- PLE-ASANTRIES. $ 1 (Called troca our exchange*.] A PLACE of pofce--the mail-box at the corner. CJTS are all sorts of colors in the day-time, but at night every one is sort of a yeller. A GOOD-NATCBBD spinster used to boast that she alwaya had two good be^ux--elbows. THE Chinese carry their devils with them wherever they go. They are great imp-porters. "JONES, what is your idea of the mil­ lennium?" "It Is always to have a friend at hand to lend me a tea without security." THE red flag is symbolical of revolu­ tion. Even the }>eacefal auctioneer flings it to the breeze while down our furniture. A MIND WANDEBEE--There, now, isn't that a shame? "What's the mat- tor?" "Why, I've forgotten to attend my class in memory culture." " WHY do you say that man can see onlyotit .of his left eye when it is his left eye that is gone?" "Well, isn't it his right eye that's left? YODNG GOSLIN--Mr. Books, I wish --er--that is, I desire--er--the hand of your daughter. Rock--What's the matter with the rest of her ? FIRST SALESLADY--Have you seen Mollie's new fellow? What does he look like? Second Saleslady--Oh ,t, he's jist a bargain counter afiair, that's V'.S all. "DID you have aiijr luck when went fishing Tuesday?" "Weill should smile; eight men with bills ... called at the house and three at the office." TOKMEKTTED HUSBAND (exasperated) --Women are all alike! My wife cries whenever she wants anvthiug, and my ; daughter wants something whenever" she cries. BIGBEE--Wonder what business that man is in. They say he is perfectly deaf. Carper--Oh, that's Jack Robin­ son; why, he receives complaints in a railway office. "MINA, l a m g e t t i n g j e a l o u s o f t h a t man over there." Waitress--Non­ sense, I scarcely spoke to him! "yea, I know, but you gave him larger dumplings than you did me." SIX-YEAR-OLD -- Grandpa, we have come to wish you many happy returns of your birthday. And mamma says if you give us each a gold dollar, we are not to lose it on our way home. FATHER--Clara, what game was that you were playing when I looked in the parlor last night. Clara--Hide and seek. Father--What was the kissing > for ? Ciara--Oh, that was the duty ou the hides. BENEVOLENT INDIVIDUAL--Beg par­ don, sir, but I am around collecting reading matter for the hospitals. Bnsy P e r s o n a g e -- O h , t h e y ' v e g o t p l e n t y o f ' reading matter, loads of it. IT-isn't a month since I sent, them a Sunday paper. ~ 7"""""" MRS. QCIVERFUL (sighing)--Seems to me, poor folks like us always have large families. Mr. Quiverful (who has just laid it' a fresh supply of shoes for Johnny, Dickie, Willie, Georgie, Jimmy and the rest)-- You mean, my dear, large families are always poor. CALLER--I supposed I would find your parents home this time of day. Both ont, are they? Small Boy-- Yes'm. Mother ain't got back yet from the women's every afternoon temper­ ance meeting, and pap's gone to Git»- sling's free lunch saloon to get his supper. - 4 Brigands with Noble Hearts. A correspondent, writing from N&ples, says: It is no wonder that brigandage still flourishes in such lands as Sicily, - vj and that the lowly who are too spiritless to become brigands hold a deep though secret sympathy for this class of the population. I am sure I should organ­ ize or become a member of such a band were I compelled to live.. in Sicily. They aue not murderous fellows, like their brethren of the Italian peninsula or of Spain. They simply courteously relieve you of your lighter belongings, such as coin and jewelry, wish you good voyage, and return to their mountain homes, bestowing gifts among the poor and at roadside chapels as they go. Balbino gave me his word for it that they are the noblest dispensers ol charity in the whole island, oftentimes succoring the deserted and starving. Between the lower class of landlords and the brigands the best of an under­ standing prevails, for without their custom inn-keeping away from the large cities would be a sorry vacation in Sicily. They are harbored in the little alberghettos as prized guests. Here they gain knowledge of the movement of parties worth plundering, and com­ municate the same to their comrades in different parts of the island. Even the carbineers who are occasionally de- : tailed as escorts to traveling parties are familiar with their faces and intentions, and preserve a discret siience to the au­ thorities, unless interfered with them­ selves. Schoolboy Wit. The head master of a large London school, to his utter astonishment, acci­ dentally found out that duriug prayers several of hi3 lower standard children innocently converted that clause of the Lord's prayer, "lead us not iuto tempta­ tion," into "lead us not into Thames Station!" The master could scarcely believe his eats, and in order to test whether the lads really understood the words in the inapposite sense in which they certainly repeated them, he asked one of them,-- "Where do we ask God not to lead as to, my boy?" "Into Thames Station, sir." The master stroked his chin and pre­ tended to fumble threateningly for his cane, as he incisively interrogated. "What Station, my boy, do you say?" _ # "Please, sir, Thames Station, sir," persisted the boy in quite an , injured tone, or as if piqued at the master's dis­ trust of his word. The schoolmaster gave it up. Yes, beyond a doubt, the lad thought that Thames Station was some horrible hell, where furious locomotives rushed whistling about at their own sweet will, waiting for the coming of unprayerful liitle boys and girls. The Real Philosophy of Phrenology. "This protuberance on the back of the head," said the phrenologist pro­ fessor, as he turned his young subjects towards the audience, "is tho bump of philoprogenitiveness. It proves iu the present case this boy has an extra­ ordinary love for his parents. Is it not true, my son ?" "Well, I liKe my mother, but I dont know about my daddy." "Why, how is that?" "Well, that bump . you're talking about is where he hit me yesterday with a haExal atua- ..... *•; 7.7 n: 'f7 & i