rage gee i ~TY tt eevee eperPePPY FF we we we OR, GERVASE RICKMAN'S -- AMBITION, +444 CHAPTER VI.--{Continued). Here John Nobbs, who was at the head of the away at a mighty sirloin, observed thal th parties had done better in the ma- trimonial lottery than if that wedding "Misself," said, "I! table, working steadily | H444444444444444444444 'mured in a brick building, she would affirm with. profow ° "Your nd gravity. Sibyl," Edward said, 'taking the boy from her arms, "will die when it pleases God, not before. And: if he does not. live to inherit Gledes- cursed his- ancestors centuries ago. It a. may be from his own fault or folly, in- "Ah, Master Nobbs, I. don't go with you," said Jacob Gale. "Mr. Gervase have a looked teo high. 'Tis agen na- ture for a man to look up to 'his wife. Lady Sharlett comes of one of the high- est vamilies in the land, and I war'nt she'll make en mind that." ud is Lady Sharlett," r. "She was, out in the gairden a godéd hour one day, and she took' no*more 'count-ef me*than if I'd a@ ben ao mallyshag." , Here the discussidin of Lady. Char- lotte's peculiarities*was cult short by the entrance of Mr. Rickman and Sibyl, ac- companied by Edward Annesley + and Alice, the latter carrying the. two-year old heir of Gledesworth, whose birffiday was being celebrated by a visit to Arden Manor, and a great drinking of healths ensued, accompanied by speech-making, in which Raysh Squire outdid himself, and the bridegroom endured a purga- tory of stammers, blushes, and break- downs. "I can not imagine," Sibyl remarked, when the ceremony was over and the family had left tho kitchen for the gar- den, where they disposed themselves on vafious seats "beneath the apple-trees, now in bloom, "why men, however sen- sible they may be, always look so fool- ish when being married." "Don't you think they have cause, Sibyl?" Edward asked; "that a secret consciousness of their own folly----" "Folly, indeed!' laughed -- Sibyl. "Now the brides would do well to look silly or else sad. Yet they never do. The shyest girl in the humblest class al- ways wears a subdued air of triumph at her marriage. Human beings certainly are the oddest creatures." Here Mr. Rickman expressed a wish, after a long dissertation concerning the gradual evolution of marriage rites from primitive times tii now, with some remarks upon such customs as the bride presenting the bridegroom with a whip| to be and the throwing of rice, to see this triumphant look upon Sibyl's face before Icng. "My dear papa, don't you think I look triumphant enough as it is?" she re plied. "I exult in freedom; let others . hug their chains. Besides, 1 have you to tyrannize over, so what do I want with a husband to plague?" She looked radiant enough, if not tri- umphant, as she stood beneath the crim- son apple blossoms, with the dappled sunlights dancing over her, tossing the laughing boy above her curly head, her dark eyes sparkling and the rich tints glowing in her cheeks. "Marriage," she would sometimes say, in answer lo such observations as this of Mr, Rickman's, "is not one of my foibles. I like my brother-men and cannot bring myself to And I -Bestdes, what in the world wauld peopie do if there were no old maids?" Edward and Alice kn2w that they would have been the poorer for her mar- . Tiage, though they often- wished it. Both were certain that she had conquered ness, and this certitude made their con-| p staft: intercourse with Sibyl vefy happy. 'Alice had wished not te live alt Gledes~ worth. She did not care for the stale and circumstance of the t house, and was oppressed by. its tradithons. She would rather have left the property with Paul, to be absorbed by his com- munity, or passed it on to the next bro- ther, but Edward soon convinced her that such schemes were impracticable, that responsibilities can ngt*be evaded, and finally that it was thei duty to live, as much as his military life permitted, at Gledesworth, which had now become a charming home, the resort of a wide circle of friends and kinsfolk. What with the provision for Paul's mother, and the slice taken out for the Dominican's, the Gledesworth estate was sc diminished that they were not 'over- burdened with riches, and had to use economy to meet the charges entailed by the possession of land. As to the heredi- tary curse, Annésley laughed that, to -- od A any a merry baitle of 4 w i upon the subject, ears ya yi up ject. The "Whanne ye lord ys mewed in Stonen celle, Gledesworthe thanne shall brake. pelle." be argued, proved, if anything, its own falsity, since Reginald Annesley's afflic- tion ought-to have broken the spell, which neverthéless continued. to work upon two successive heirs after him. But Siby! maintained that Paul has broker the spell in the Dominician con- vent, Very likely Reginald had been im- "great. city, deed, though -he is too-like his mother fo have' many faults. Poor Reuben's children, I grant you, may inherit a curse."-. And so he thought; will Ger- vase's, but theirs will be the curse of a crooked nature. rv Rickman was then actualy walking along the gray-green ridge 0 down hich "iol Sunt the Manor against the pale April sky. Business had called him unexpectedly to Meding- ton, leaving his carriage in the high-road, with instructions to wait at the Travel- er's Rest, he descended the slope and walked over the springy turl, looking down upon Arden and its familiar fields and trees, and upon the very garden where Alice and Sibyl were making cowslip-balls for the baby Annesiey. The changeable April day clouded over us he walked and gazed; the blush of vivid green died {rom the trees and copses; the plain darkened and the sha- dows in the hill-sides deepencd. The song-birds were silent; the melan- choly wail of a plover drew his atten- tion to a single bird, fluttering as if wounded before him, and trying in its simple, pathetic cunning to draw his altention away from the nest which that very cry betrayed. On the bleak March day when he waited on that down outside the Tre- veller's Rest for Alice, he had thought much of the omnipotence of human will, and purposed to mould mankind to his own ends. Then he was an obscure country lawyer, nursing an unsus- pected ambition in the depths of his heart- Now his name was in every one's mouth; he had climbed more than one step toward the height he intended to scale. The minister whose patronage had so early been his was now in office. He had approved himself to his party as a useful and almost indispensablo in- strument, particularly by the services he had rendered in the last 'general elec- tion which restored the "Liberals to power. His financial skill was beginning recognized, his name had weight ir financial society, which he affected. Fverything he touched turned to gold. By his marriage with Lady Charlotte he_ was connected with half the peerage and was son-in-law to a minister. Lady Charlotte, it is truce, was neither so young as she had _ been, ho beautiful as she might have been, nor was she well dowered. She was known to have a tongue and suspected of hav- ing a temper; but she was @ woman who knew the world both of politics and of society, and was the most useful wife e man in his position could ppssibly have. His ambition, great as it was, was being more rapidly gratified than even he had expected. He had gained the world, and lost his soul. But to-day he no longer believed in the omnipotence of will and energy. He looked down upon the roofs of Arden and thought of the severe check his will had received there; he thought, too, of tha unexpectedly favorable conjunction o? affairs for him in other respects, and acknowledged another power, which he called destiny. What would the first Napoleon have done, he - mused, in peaceful. England at this end of the the |-nineteenth- century? If-he lad' missed th: Crimea, andthe Mutiny, he might havé risen to be a half-pay officer; had been in time for those crises, he e 'might have been reckoned an exceljent general, nothing more. Beyond the m sea behind the hills rising before Rickman's eyes lay a country occupied hostile army and torn by revolution. Why had not des- tiny placed him there, where the hour was come, but not the man to rule it? An eager fancy could almost hear the far-off thunder of the war filfully raging beyond that little strip of sea, over whose quiet waters he actually heard the boom of English guns, fired only in peaceful practise, not at masses of living men. There, in the world's beautiful pleasufe city, an agony beyond all the agonies of war was slowly wearing itself out through these pleasant spring months, an agony then hidden within the walls. of Paris beleagured by her own children, and never fully to be known. Gervase Rickman gave a pass- ing thought to that tragedy and foresaw the flames and indiscriminate slaughter ia- which it was before long to terminate, when the Seine literally ran with blood shed by French hands, the tragedy of an unbridled mob swayed fitfully by one or two fanatics in possession of-a and "he wondered at the weakness of those who ought to have } . ruled. Though he still believed more in-men |i than in institutions, ahd-scorned weak- ness above. everything, he did. not believe as ho had 'done that day by 'the Travel- ler's Rest; his ambition had now risen from the vague of golden visions inlo the clearness of reality, and he could see how low was the highest summit with- nor | ing won not her love but her -bitter scorn. He looked. down upon. the Manor, where she was 60: frequent. a guest. that. he never. went: there: himself' a: FS intimation,' lest: hey without: | should - meet, as it- was tacitly under- stcod'they oould not, and he yearned for the old days to live again, that he might act differently. Since he was fated not to win her heart, which he saw clearly now was beyond human volition, he might still have been able to look in her face ahd see the old tender, Jook in, her eyes; and yet had h a mained true to his better self, he could never have succeeded as he was to suc- ceed when freed from scruples and rid of the importunities -of conscience. Ho would have lost the world and saved live: ~ « which "he still 'represented, "and, }:his~soul For some moments the old yearning returned with such force at the sight of the pleasant paths in which they had wandered together, that he thought he would have been content to remain all his life in that quiet spot, an-obscure country lawyer, with Alice by-his side, with his old father to care for and Sibyl to take pride in. now take great pride in Sibyl and her increasing lilerary repulation, but it would have been different if the dark shadow had not come between them. But Lady Charlotte, who had been his wife four months, did not like Arden. Mr. Rickman bored her, she was afraid of Sibyl, and looked down upon them a'l; he knew that she would rut them further asunder and himself further and ever further from his nobler nature. He leaned upon the gale by which he was standing with alice on that sum- mer evening, when he uttered those two fatal words, "quite right," and reviewed all that episode in his life, the inclina- tion first springing {from a_ sordid thought of Alice's fortune, then fostered by the charm: of her daily society, and strengthened by the strong purpose with which he pursued every aim, until it be- came a ruling passion, the frustration of which tore away ono half of his char- acter, He had played' skillfully and daringly, and he had lost through no folly, for who could dream that a man would rise from the dead to frustrate him? Will, skill; and fate were to him {he sole rulers of things human. He did not recognize that. nothing. can stand which is not bullts*upon the cternal foundations of truth and justice. Nevertheless, as he continued to gaze on the old paternal flekls in which he had passed his boyhood and youth, a vague regret for what might have been, had he been only true to himself, rose and mingled with the piercing sense of oss and moral humiliation, which never wholly Jefl him, and he turned from Arden and walked on. Now his face' as towards Gledesworth, which lay ur, -en behind the down, and he gave one jea- lous passionate thought to the life Alice was living there with Edward Annesley, who was now no more shunned or shadowed by the reproach of an un- proved accusation, and yet another thought to the strange death in life of Paul Annesley. And just then the toast guns boomed over the peaceful waters again, recall- ing his thoughts to 'he tragedy beyond the sea. The group iri the garden be- low heard the same low thunder, and Siby] made some jesting allusion to the Annesley gun, whicl had just been tri- umphantly tested at Shoeburyness ; and ward thought of the deadly earnest with which €rench cannon were being on the other side of that sunny sea. They did not know that, just then under the walls of: Paris, while some men wounded after a repulse were: be- ing-placed in an ambulante,.a shot from the fort behind them struck a friar who was in the act of lifting the last man, and killed him on tle spot. The wounded mar-groaned when his living support gaye way, but other hands raised him, and the ambulance moved away [rom the dangerous spot, leaving the dead nan behind in their haste. He was one d those Dominicans, who, from the first «ulbreak of the war. had been in the fidd with the French armiés, In disengaging the slain friar from. the.man he vas lifting, they had turned. him 'so that ne lay face upwards, hts arms outstreicied as in the restful slumber of youth, lis white dress stain- ed crimson over he breast, his eyes closed to tho' spring sunshine, his scar- red face wearing tle sweet and peaceful smile so often seenin the soldier killed in battle. , Thus Paul Annsley's troubled soul passed heroically ils rest. Though they cauld not know what h | wasshappening bewnd the sea, a vague sadness in keeping with 'thé "sudden overclouding of th spring day -- filled the hearts of thos to°-whem: the slain man had been dar, a sadness which passed like the clud itself. Even Gervase Rekman felt the pass- and shking off the . gentler his life, and . walking quickly over the anny turf where the scattered sheep wee feeding, he reached tue. sign-post benath which he was standing when Enward Annesiey came singing by yearsago. There his car- riage wes wailig by the Traveller's Not that he did not] > to-marry ; Jack, tho youngest Annesl id the The shadows lengthened 'an their pleasant the sin ; and*saw- ; d r bridegroom start. for-their new* home at the falling of the dusk. When she was silting by the hearth with her father that night she mused on {aa different ways in which human lives are ordered. As days of brilliant. sun- shine and blue skies are rare in Eng- land, so are lives of full and unclouded happiness in this world; but there are many sweet neutral-tinted days full of peace, in which plants grow and birds sing, and the clouds break away inlo soft glory at sunset. Sibyl's life was like one of these serene days; it was happy and: by no™means-~unfruitful, THE END. oo "DONALD." Pet Deer of the Famous Forty-Second Highlanders. A regimental pet or a company "mas- { cot" plays a worthy and wholesome part 'Inmarmy service. It provides an object on which the soldier can expend affec- tion and personal care, and binds the men in a common interest, In the long list of the various animals devoted to tho camp and barracks, "Donald," the deer, holds a gallant place. Mr. Archi- bald Forbes gives his history in "The Black Watch." Donald was adopled by the Royal Ihghlanders when they were ordered to Edinburgh Castle in 1836. He was a ycungster with tiny antlers, which did not have to be cut then, as they were later. When the regiment went to Glasgow, Donald marched with them. Soon he began to develop mischievous propensi- ties. He objected strongly to intruders when the company was exercising on Glasgow Green. n 1838 Donald discovered his true role. Without any: previous training he took his place at the head of the regi- ment, along side of the sergeant-major. Whether marching for exercise, out- marching in winter, or al. guard-mount- ing, Donald was never absent. He ac- companied the regiment on all garrison ficld-days, roaming off to feed while the manoeuvres were going on; -wandering sometimes a mile away, but always back at his post in time for the march, ex- cept on one occasion. He mistook his' regiment and trotted along ahead of the 79th. He presently discovered his error, and became uneasy and arrogant. When the company turned off to their barracks Donald re- fused to accompany them, and the colo- nel ordered six men to hand their mus- kets over to their comrades, and to es- cort the deer back to his-own Royal bri- gade. He never made a similar mistake. When the regiment was on guard duty at the c&stle Donald always went with it, making his way easily through the crowd in the streets. If any one inter- fered with him he gave chase, One sad day Donald's regiment went abroad, and the deer was handed over lo a new company. These successors did not undersland him. They did not give him litter for his bed or oats fof his fdinner, and he soom declared war against the whole regiment. A brigade trooper hardly dared cross the square if Donald was in sight. At last he be- came so ill-lempered it was decided to turn him loose-in a park, -His lordship who owned the state promised to lok well after Donald's comfort. Twenty-two years. later the lieulenant- oolonel of Donald's old regiment return- ed -to 'Glasgow, and-one of the first things he did was-to inquire after 'the company's deer. The story which was fold him was a melancholy one. From the day he was set free in the park he declined to have anything to do with man or beast. He became so flerce, and so many complaints were entered against him, that at the end of two years he was shot. _ THEY REMEDY DISEASE. Certain Occupations Practically Cure Some Kinds of Disease. "It is a curious thing," said a scien- tist to the writer recently, "but cerlain occupations are practically the remedies of certain diseases. . "Shepherds, enjoy remarkable health. The peculiar -odor noticeable about sheep seems to drive away disease. "The men and women who work among lavender, gathering it or dis- tilling it, seldom have neuralgia or ner- Yous headache. Lavender, moreover, is good for giving tone to the system. "Employes in breweries, finneries and printing-ink factories gre immune from consumptjon.. Turpentine 'works and rope works are a protection from rheu- matism. And, in conclusion, workers in copper mines need not fear typhoid." eet ania iain The population. of the United States wilt apparently be double ils present proportions by the year 1942. Fe - > 2 eke 2 Sie ts ow ans STARTING AN ORCHARD. The ground for an orchard stiduld t well. and deeply cultivated, and fre from weeds; well drained, if Soi) deaintng except sandy or light gravel- jy soils with a light subsoil. Such land may not require draining, but in and pulverized and enriched. Therefore preparation must be done during the Tesist the frost of next winter; ing may become successful in 'umn by protecting the trees so ee prevent the frost from heaving or ' placing them. Select young, healthy and vigorous trees, and from a reliable nurseryman, and, if possible, from a soil similar to that in which you intend to plant orchard, The different kinds of apples will depend upon your own choice andé the suilability of soil and climate. £ advise that the seleclion be made from: The distance apart should not be @ss than thirty feet, so as to allow the trees room fo spread their branc! and to form a low and spreading head. Close planting has a tendency to force trees to run up, and prevent the frult from obtaining its proper color from the sun, and making it more difficult to gather the fruit. At the distance of thirty feel apart it will require twenty- nine trees to the acre. Before planting the tree remove all bruises*and broken roots by cutting clean wilh a sharp. knife. Lay out your ground in straight lines, so that your trees will be in line each way and at equal distances, thirty feet apart. ORCHARD COVER CROPS, The value of a cover crop of some kind, in the orchard, is now pretly gen- erally recognized by all up-to-date fruit growers.. The most successful fruts growers give their orchards clean culli- vation from the early spring till about the middle or end of July, when tree growth should cease. A cover crop of some kind is then shown immediately! afler the last cultivation. Such a crop benefils the orchard by affording pro- tection to the roots if the ground is bare of snow in winter, in holding snow as an additional cover when it comes, in checking a late growth of trees in the' fall, in taking up plant food from the soil: which might otherwise be lost Ly leaching, and above all, by adding to the ferlilily and friability of the soil wherl the crop is turned under in the spring. . FARM NOTES. When a man wants to uso his horse, and has to chase him all over his farm im order to catch him, it is evident that eilher the man or the horse was not brought up right. Inthe rush of summer work, we often neglect the pouliry on the farm. The hens help themselves to the grain that is handy, eat more than they need, and the result is that a number suddenly dic of a prevent scum from forming on the, water. When the limne loses its strength, and scum begins to gather, wash out! the tank and renew the lime. Twice in! & season will suffice to keep the water pure and wholesome. The women folks of the family should sleer cicar of {he many face powders and washes that are made these days io make one look young. They are all frauds, and many of them worse than' that. The pure air and water of the furm, with the right kind of diet, will keep the complexion far more beauti- fa" than will any of the mixtures sold for this purpose, : It is impossible to urge foo strongly: upon the breeder who, would meet with the greatest measure of ~ success, the ractice of a rigid and judicious selec~ tion of both sire and dam, but more par ticularly of the sire, as it 'has often: been. said, and rightly, that he forms half of the herd. First, decide upon the type of animal you wish to produce; second, get your ideal well fixed in mind, iceobing it. constantly before you, and finally, breed so as to gain that ideal animal by selecting breeding~ani- mals that come-as near to: it as it ' possible to get. Any abnormal peculi-. atities of the animal organization con-, stituling disease, whether of structure; cr function, are Ifable to' be transmitted from parent to offspring. FOR ARMORIAL BEARINGS. There are sufficient..people in Eng-) land and Scotland paying an annual; tax imposed by the inland revenue up-! cn the use of armorig) bearings to pro-, duce a sum of $350,000 each year. The, great bulk of this sum is paid by the: people who care "not an atom either', about their family or their arms, but pay the tax regularly simply ; they 'have Carriages or plate heraldica! 1y decorated, 'The really old families o the realm, however, use armorial emb- lems for decorative purposes to an exe, tent.salmost incredible in the eyes of these familiar with them only on note paper, table silver and carriage panels- ----4 "A hog {s a four-legged animal dcesn't know better thar io act some human beings do. that like iy oe nce it, and moist soils are better for every case it should be well worked. " the old, tried and_reliable. kind, Pid poplexy. Sprinkling lime in a water tank willl