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- "Much better than the opera, I am sure,’f returned Casparr And as he spoke he tore the note which the boy had brought into wry small pieces, and rolled them up in his hand. Thursday, 8 o'clock, an). _ "l have just seen the doctor as be came from Madame Rachel's chamber. He says the woman is dying A TT J) "You are right, Caspar. I am pleased to see you thus, sensible. He who would become a, master of law must commence at the begin- ning. Let me also recommend to you‘Demosthenes and Euripides. I think Demosthenes' oration on the Trowa,' the grandest effort of ora- tory extant, I know it will please you.” _ And now, could those bits of pa- per have been re-arranged so as to Ttresent the same surface which had tirstpppeared to the eyes of Cas- par Hugo, they would give us the following: "Thank you, sir; but i am at pee- sent deep in Sallust and Cicero, 1n eparatory to taking up Wheaton; and I am deeply interested." “I have been inflieeed several times," smiled Caspar, in response; "but I don't choose to be inflicted to-night. A friend sends me word iha’g a tick.et is at my disposal.” "No business of mine need inter- tere," said the attorney. "I am free to admit that I do not care for these Italian operas. The music is entirely overshadowed by the_utter chaos qf song." The bog departed, and Caspar resumed is seat, remarking, as he did so: ' "It you see the man who gave on this, tell him that I shall not he able to accompany him. I have too much business on hand. He may give my ticket to some one else.” "I never heard (main my life," said Halford. At this juncture the door of the office was opened, and a boy looked in and inquired for Mr. Hugo, Cas- par answered to the call, and We- ceived a folded note from the hand of the messenger, and when he had opened the missive and glanced his ages over the contents, he said to t e lad: "Perhaps you are right, Hugo,” returned the old lawyer, evident- ly. pleased with the implied flattery. "Aud yet I would like to hear from the lady. She was very low yester- day. She must not sink without my seeing her.” "Touching that matter," Yen- tured Caspar, with deference, "f think Miss Christine had better 're- ly solely upon your judgment. If her appearance does not belie her, she will look to you for counsel and guidance." - "Yes. She spoke, not long since, of transferring some real estate in New Orleans. I might like to ob- tain her wishes in that respect for 'the guidance of Miss Christine." "I think," said Halford, "that, tor myself, the absence of the re- lease from the record would not Frevent me from accepting a deed tom the present proprietor. How- ever, I can explain the matter to my client, and he can do as he yleases. And there is another thing that has kept me anxious. In :fact, it has kept me awake half the mght.” "Yes," replied the attorney. "I have business on my hands that makes me anxious. I am not sat- hdied touching the title of the old Battery-march estate. As you are aware, we find by the records that the original assignor reserved a partial right to the property until certain conditions had been fulfill- ed. I have no doubt that those conditions were fulfilled long ago, and, in all possibility, the assignor gave a release of his claim; but said release is nowhere on record. I have no great fear of trouble, but still these things fret me. I like to see my work intact. I don't, like to find a link missing in my chain." "In this case,” suggester Cas- far, who understood the point at ssue, "I think the chain is simply a link short. I doubt if the miss- ing link is needed for strength, though for per-fectne-ss of proper- tions it [night be well to have it ins” "Anything particulary' queried 31.1.59 - - "l allude," pursued the old man, .after a, pause, "to Madame Ra- chel St. Clair. I must see her: again while her mind is clear.” The clerk looked up, but Trerltur, ed {10 tptker1 question. Casper On the self-same morning of tho "So," said he, "we dispose of the events last recorded, Claspar Hu- opera. And now, sir, suppose 1 go 1eaehed the offiee on Con/rt take a run out to Roxhury, and street at an earlv hour, and was find out how our lady is. I would ere long joined by Mr. Irartord.. I like very much to call upon a friend "You are early this mornlng, "I. that neighborhood, and may thus sir,” remarked the clerk, as his combine pleasure with business." employer took his seat. 5 Halford’s answer was prompt: "Yes," replied the attorney. "Il “I wish you would do so, Cas- have business .on my hands that par. And meantime I must iw out makes me anxmus. , am not sat- to the Middlesex registry and look hdied touching the title of the old up the titles to our Medford pro- Battery-march estate. As you are petty. See the doctor if you can, awarehvge fhod by the records that He was to call upon madame this the orlgipal asagnor reserved fl' morning. His opinion will be more I)??? r1si.slt.t.e,/.hr,r.oartp.fe,'t,1,ygt,,il reliable than reports of the house- .1, - - liits,.pt,t' to 1htl)ttgs; rolled'the bits of. paper CHAPTER X 0R, SAVED BY THE LOVE OF A WOMAN. “I have been out there, sir. am am happy to say that she is ir proving. J? “Improving I" V "She is reviving from her reiven "Yes, yes. I had no trouble Cambridge. Have you heard rm Madame Rachel?" It was almost one o'clock when Caspar struck into Court street h om Washington, having come up through Dock Square; and as he did so, he saw Mr. Halford com- ing in from the opposite direction. This he regarded as particularly fortunate. He waited until his em- ployer had gone up into the office, and immediately after he follewed, "Ah! You have returned.” Thr clerk spoke oheerily, and removed his hat before he sat down. Caspar Hugo had not suffered himself to reach the present emer- gency without preparation. Witn- iii a drawer of a brass-bound cas- ket lay a tiny pasteboard box. With- r, this box was a, folded paper. Within this paper was a grayish powder, which had been placed there a month before. Caspar knew, when he held the seemingly insignificant parcel in his hand, that he held an agent swift and terrible---a power beyond the reach of human skill to combat. Having selected two of his peaches, he pro- ceeded, with a small bit of wire, to puncture them deeply, and then to inject minute quantities of the powder. Having done this, he marked the fruit thus manipulated: and put it back into the bag, after which he descended from his ch- n. bers, and set forth on his return to the office. Caspar stopped at a fruit stall or: Washington street, and pur- chased a dozen fine peaches, which he took away ina paper bag. Thence he went directly to h1s chambers in the out-oi-the-way al- ley, where he proceeded to fix his fruit for the purpose it was de- signed to accomplish. _ Caspar Hugo believed that when his father undertook a work to the accomplishment of which his own wit and daring were alone neces- sary, the same might be oonsidef- ed as safely provided for; and hav- ing arranged for a future meeting, the two separated, both to return to the city, though by different routes. self, we need not fear their hing.” "Then you will take them your hands?" "I can find ready men; and since, when the work is done, they will be equally implicated with my- self, we need not fear their blah- "ft must not only be done quiet- ly," he. at length said, "but no trace of the work must be left. They must be missing and no sign of their fate made manifest." "Can you manage it y' "I must flnd help." "Can you find men who may be trusted?” "And you have come just in time, or I am greatly mistaken," re- turned AIexau-der. “I have just observed a commotion at the cot- tage. You had better go yourself and investigate. It will not do for me to be seen up there in this rig." "You are right," said Caspar. "Wait you here till I come back.” The son was gone but a short 'time, and when he returned, he was in a quiver of excitement. “She is dead!” "Are you sure T’ "Yes; I found out without being seen.” . 7 "Then," said Alexander, thoughtfully, "that means work.” “We havi/ no time to lose. If I will look to the lawyer, will you look to the two witnesses?" It was near ten o'clock when Cas- par Hugo reached the Brookside, and, at a place previously appoint- ed, he met his father. "I reeeive-d your note," he said, "and have now come tor further information." Caspar promised that; he would make careful inquiry; and without further delay he left the office,' and immediately afterward Mr. Hal- ford proceeded to Bowdoin Square, and took a car for Cambridge. hold.” into a pellet, and threw the pellet into the waste-bvaret. "Yes _The elder man paused and reflect upon In this connection we would only remark further, that Mr. Halford had on several occasions during the past year been attacked'by verti- go, for which he had called medical aid. On the present occasion, the physician, after listening to the story which the clerk had to tell, decided that death had resulted from apoplexy, It was to hiih a plain case. He did not deem it even necessary to make any particular local examination. The man might have. died on the way home, while in the hands of his friends, or he might have died after he reached his home. . Caspar was sure there was life apparent when they took him from the cab. The policeman could not dispute it; and, in the end, all unconscious of evil, the, physician gave a eenldieate of the; case as he understood it. i When they took their burden in- to the house they bore an inert and lifeless form. A physician was called: _but he aquld no nothing. "The sooner we get him home and call a physician the better, l sug- geited qaspar. The officec,pssieneed to this, and straightway the insensible Tan was borne down to the Cal); and, at Caspar's request, he, the ofheer, accompanied him to the lawyer's residence. " I "Not more than twenty minutes ago-ol' half an-hour, at most - he sent me to the post-office; and when I went away I left him-apparent- ly as well as ever. u I" Came back in fifteen minutes, andHotind him up- on the floor in convulsions. He spoke but a single coherent sen- tcnce, and that was to request that I would get a cab and carry him home." 11r, Ryle.r--'iWhy are Yt?2 d in', Mrs. Murphy? _ _ Mrs. Murphy~“Me b'y De omit/ home the day." Mr. Il.vle.v--"ar fought in u “It is a fit," said the policeman, with professional dignity and as- surance. They found the lawyer still upon the floor, and only slight spasms of the principal muscles marked the presencelof vitality. Caspar told his story hurriedly, but very clear- ly: Mr. Halford had been out to Cambridge, and had only returned a short time before. He made sure that the sufferer was beyond the power of speoch, and then, having dashed a pot of water over the head and shoulders, and stripped open the tit and shirt-bosom, he hastened out and called a cab from Court square, and also called a policeman to come to his assistance, The attorney nodded assent, and Caspar went out, carefully closing the door behind him. He was gone not more than fifteen minutes, and or. his return he found Mr. Hal- ford upon the floor in convulsions. great tunnt't 10d b'y ‘loiks "I Blink,” said the clerk, putting aside the paper bag, "that I WL run down to the post-office. The noon mail is distributed by this time." "Nor do I," said Halford, as he bit the second peach; and when he had finished it, Caspar offered him more; but he felt that he had eaten enough: ' f rather prefer these. I do not dis- like the flavor of the bitter-al- mond." 1 V "A pleasant fancy, certainly," nodded the attorney, as he took the proffered fruit. "Dick Swiveller was not a, wild conception. Only a few evenings since, I heard one of our staid old judges of the Su- perior Court, as he sipped a glass of Malmsey port, affirm, with judici- al gravity, that such must have been the nectar which Jupiter sip- ped. Pleasant fancies-pleasant fancies. Ah, my boy, this life of ours here below would be darker than it is if we had not a few fan- cies brighter than surrounding rea- lities. An excellent peach, I de- clare! only I prefer those with not so much of the bitter-almond taste.” "In these free-stones I have no- ticed that the flavor of the seed is more pungent and pervading than in those where the meat clings to the stone, though it would be rea- sonable to suppose that the Opp0- site would be the case. However, "They are the finest peaches ] have seen this year. They will re vive you after your walk. Upon my soul, I think I could live upon such fruit. I sometimes think the peach must have been the ambrosia or Olympus." Caspar nodded, and then openec the paper bag and took out a peach. He knew that the old law yer was fond of peaches, so he as. lected two of the fairest-looking and offered them, saying, as he d1c so: "I am glad of that-very glam There are a few items of her busi ness in the final arrangement 0. which it were well that she shouh exercise supervision. You can cop: the will this afternoon, and this ev ening, or to-morrow morning, 1 will take the original draft back to her." pro-stration, and the doctor inform. me that she is likely to live for sorm time." HIS MOTHER IS PRIDE Ril .11 (To be Continu tt YE I PC, h 17. 11.T <tanipr2d oh, to apprivtrolt ta] to man); I I will next give T few cases in which I have been caught napping and had to bear the brunt of the loss. The first instance occurred in my days of pupilage, when I was a. spectator rather than a sufferer. There was sad loss of ewes and lambs under able management, the cause being eventually traced to 1food. It happened in early spring in mild weather, which caused the‘ turnip greens to shoot and flower/ and the cause was, no doubt, tool succulent food, containing crudeI nitrogenous matter (omides), which! acted injuriously upon the sheep, upsetting their digestion and poi- soning the blood. The second case occurred to myself, and ie is Loit worthy that it happened during my first year of farming. The i,i,ac,i) vious tenant had allowed his hay to stand till it was too old, "crob- ably with the wish to secure as big a, block of hay for valuation as; possible. In the succeeding spring! the turnips ran, and the conse- quences were innutritious hay, and imperfectly developed green food The result was a rapid falling off in condition of the floek, which un-l fortunately was hidden from mei 1:5; an accident, which kept Inn on? my back. The result was the death of about sixty ewes and all their“ lambs, and it was long before the survivors recovered their normal; strength, The serious wider-tune was entirely due to errors in feed! I write entirely from personal experience, with some knowledge of sheep and science; but in such cases neither the one nor the other appears sufficient to stop the mortality, which, be it remarked, is not due to any specific outbreak such as rot, lung trouble, or gid, but seems to be due to a general upset of the digestive system. It is accompanied by diarrhoea, con- stipation, impaction; and death is followed by frothing of the mouth and enormous distension of the ab- domen. It may attack lambs, tegs, cr ewes, and appears to be at- tributable to errors of diet. In some cases death is sudden, a ewe falling down dead at the hay-crib. More often a shepherd leaves an- imals apparently in good health at, night, and finds one or two still} and blown up in the morning. The: 'master becomes almost afraid to visit his flock or to ask after them and is daily worried by bad news. Now the best thing he can do, un- der such difficult circumstances, is to shift his sheep on to entirely new ground and new food, and this measure is often eminently successful, so that the plague is stayed almost immediately. The problem is, however, by no means solved, for in the first instance it was not suspected that anything was Wrong in the general manage- ment. Hay, roots, cake, and daily outrun are all in accordance with good feeding; but for some reason, more or less occult, the particular food and situation appears to have upset the flock. The difficulty lies in foretelling the mischief, for nei- ther shepherd nor master antici- pated it, and it is scarcely likely that anything will be done till some- thing has happened. When, how- ever, the toscin sounds it is time to act promptly, and the treat- ment must be in the direction of change of food and situation. oF which lambing is the best cs- ample. The mysterious nature of these attacks has always been a ouzzle to fiockmasters, for sheep are hardy creatures when well, and the appearance of the flock may well warrant confidemee in their well being, Suddenly a death is reported, which causes no parti- cular surprise or alarm. If, how- ever, such a casualty is succeeded by others of a similar nature, a different feeling is aroused, and the owner and the shepherd are found in close consultation in order to find a, cause. Meanwhile the mischief continues, and ‘each morning, or seldomer, fresh deaths or cases are reported, and it soon appears that for some reason or other, the floek has been upset. Inquiries are instituted, perhaps in those columns, intestines are sent up to experts, veterinary as- s1stance is called in, all too often to little purpose. The mischief continues, until it appears to ex- haust itself, confidence is gradually restored, and the matter is attri- buted to those misfortunes which appear to be inseparably connected with the maintenance of a large herd of live stock. Everyone who has kept a large dock of sheep must have experienc- -:d what are called strokes of bad uck. These misfortunes may vccur at any time, but mostly happen at transitional periods of the year or in connection witn 4ome‘p1'1'sis in the annual history, EFFECT OF DIET ON SHEEP ”Heft 82.50, 'ed- . tune; bu Wr. Whose vel arjlray and Tc-loo-ooo In the" esr‘ape 'wi was} tlv, 'rseirry 000 It is true that Mr. E. P. yy,til)sl,i/l, a zinc , imam, familiarly known as “Old-two or thy Hytcl1/' got complete control of the! I wheat 131arket in 1888; and, by buyâ€"5 Addingto mg at Cir cents a bushel and se111ng{a Georgiar at 82.50, made an enormous {01"lfm'merly o tune; but when, two years later, lArphbishop (huge very shrewd men, Mr. yacr'vracticauvv" kay and Mr. Flood, cornered 9,- ( lag? is for i (100.000 lmahclx they were glad tn: V Whether they will succeed or not: is another matter, for these at- tempts at "cornering" are often at- tended with disastrous results. Reader: may remember how Mr. Joseph Leiter endeavored to estab- lish a wheat "corner" ten years ago, miscnlevlated, and on account of the slump in prices found himself vAth 35,000,000 bushels of wheat on hand, and lost 81,500,000 in a few hours- l And while Mr, Patten his been busy in the Chicago wheat "pit," Messrs. Ward and Evans, the bread kings of Pittsburg, have been inaugurating a new company, capi- talized at $8,000,000, which will pro- bably "corner" the bakery trade. This new company is said to have acquired large wheat areas in the West, and will be able to obtain its supplies without the intervention oi the middleman. In fact, the new combination from the wheat-fields to the bake-house, will make a strong fighe to control the whole Eastern market. j 1' go up, add that he was simply shrewd enough to take advantage of that circumstance. PITTSBURG BREAD KINGS. It is by this means that Mr. J. h. Patten, the celebrated Chicago financier, made profit at the rate of $500,000 a day recently, through "cornering" many million bushels of wheat. The consequence was that the "man in the street" had to pay more for his bread, although Mr. Patten maintains that it was the shortage of the crop and unfav- orable weather conditions which made the prices of Four and Theft "Corner" is merely another name for a trust or monopoly. Ono man, a firm, or a syndicate of firms ar- range their speculations with a view io controlling, the whole of a cer- tain commodity, such as meat, wheat, or cotton, for instance. If they succeed in obtaining this mo- nopoly, then they can create a scarcity which causes the prices to rise, and enables them to ultimate, iy sell out at huge profits. A Great Many Americans are Never Happy Unless They are Gambling.- a, capital “breed" of lambs. On an- other occasion, when roots were scarce and hay and water was al- ternative, the ewes became con- stipated, and when lambing time came many ewes were affected with hemorrahage and several died. This also was attributed to a heated condition of blood, owing to eating much clover hay (i.e., mixed clover and beets), without roots. It they had received mea- dow hay and a few white turnips the mischief would not have hap- pened. In this connection it may be remarked that the same course ot feeding might easily have 'prov- ed harmless, for these strokes of bad luck appear to be due to a icombination of circumstances. If lhowever, a sheep farmer has once experienced a, loss, and traced it to such causes as have been mention- ed, nothing will persuade him to repeat it. He will hear of others doing the same thing without evil consequence, but his mind is made up. I have known a flockmaster say that he would not allow his flock to walk over a field of swedes be- fore lambing, and, doubtless, no had got reason for his vow. Still, others do so, and think nothing of it, because they have not been bit- ten-but once bitten, twice shy. Food, no doubt, is a very princ1pal item in sheep amanagement, and 18 so important that it cannot be dis- missed in one short article. I tllfsrf.t'; fore, shall hope to give a few more‘ cases at a, future time, bearing up- on the vast importance of judici- ous feeding.--). W., in Live Stock Journal. FORTUNES IN “CORNERS” MILLIGNS WON AND LOST IN A SINGLE DAY. “as difficult to account for. It, however gradually become appar- ent that it was caused by a heat- ed state of blood, brought about by diet of clover hay, with an allow- ance of cotton cate-too albumin- ous in its character. There was no roots that year, and clover hay, cotton cake and water were too heating. All went (n for some weeks, but the heated. condition of the blood seemed to fly to the teats and spread to the udders, affect- ing the lambs as well. Both ewes and lambs, being above ordinary value, made this a serious matter, and was a great trial to the shep- hercl, who was in excellent spirits during thelambing time, and had nape 'with a toss of Si 1rseirentics Messrs. I Dyed t;)I0.00,()00 me rr IL' wheat; whilss ‘(1 Harper. in a w Chicago Exchange. LOSS Ff AND GAINS he 00.0 n Mr. Mac- j /,ralticlhivv"rhe whole AddingEo'n Iril 19s: WM 111; some Saxon painting on an ol and C01 'Saxon wall and part of a'Norma. in. "cor- ', piscina have been discovered durin $87 Ed-i-repairs at Stoke D'Aberno deal OHIOhurc-h. Surrey, while the eexto 500 Kneeling on the floor a married, woman named Mileham was found; dead at Yarrpouth, with her head) in a zine washing bath containing two or three gallonS of water. Addington Palace, near a Georgian structure , formerly one of the hon Facts About Beards--h Necessity in Biblical Times. Whether you wear a beard or not, you will be interested in fol- lowing the rather curious facts about the hirsute adornment. In Biblicaltim-es the beard was a nee- eessity, as its absence was consid- ered a sign of leprosy. Because Philip V. of Spain was unable to grow a beard the gentlemen of his court crucified their own in order, to save their sovereign embarrass-, ment. When Cicero was exiled the young men of Rome let their beards: grow as a sign of mourning. An iattempt was made to place a tax, 'on beards by Henry VIII. and; Queen Elizabeth of England, but public sentiment was so strongly against it that the attempt was dropped. During the reign of James I. it was quite the proper thing to trim the beard in fantas- tie shapes; even animals were so represented. While the priests of, the Roman Catholic Church do noe. wear beards, those of the Greek Church consider the beard a priest» ly necessity. The troublesome cus- tom of shaving came originally from, Egypt. The Greeks shaved after, they had been conquered by the Romans. And the Roman shaved: during the decline of the empire. In the present day some medical. authorities claim that the' beard is, unhealthy, since it catches germs which are kept alive by the warmth, cf the beard, while others contend! it is a protection to the throat from the diseases of the larynx. It was reported in 1906 that that waters of the Jordan had been' "cornered," a certain American! colonel having obtained from tlit, Turkish Government the exclusive concession to export the water of this famous river. Indeed, there seems no limit to "cornering" pro- pensities of the American f1nancr/ er ; and, amazing though it may seem a combine was actually formed two or three years ago, with a capital? of $500,000, to "corner" monkeys,i parrots, and all cage pets, PARROT AND MONKEY TRUST There are some amusing featuresf in the history of "corners," an!” some curious commercial erstzwpris-', es have been suggested of late) years. It is only two years ago; that a group of New York finarr/ ciers thought out a scheme tor, "cornering" the output of the‘ world's Bibles. They arranged that? all the great-printing and diltri-i, buting houses should combine, thus reducing the cos' of production, ad-i ministration, and distribution. to a,' minimum. An all-round increase of 40 per cent. in prices was to be im. troduced, an enormous profits were estimated. But people in England, refused to have anything to do with) the idea, and thus an amazing Am-. erican Scheme was brought to an end-at least, so far as interna- toonal business was concerned. I About the time that Mr, Leiter tried to "corner" the world's wheat supply, a. gigantic milk trust, with " capital of $12,000,000, furnished chiefly by British speculators, was projected in New York City, while about the same time a British-Arn-: erican Corporation obtained practi- cal control of the hsheries of the great Canadian lakes, thanks to a. trust with a capital of 85,000,000. Tho countless millions of fish dis, porting in the waters of these migh- ty lakes can only do so by permis- sion of those monopolists. V CURIOUS "CORNERS." , The modern history of steel and! oil, of course, provides some. of the; most striking examples of the pow-f er of trusts and combines, arid such men as Mr. Rockefeller and Nr/ Andrew Carnegie owe their milli-i, ons practically to the "cornering"! of the markers. _. In 1881 an attempt was made in Liverpool to "corner" cotton, tho looms in Lancashire being stopped by way of counter-action, The "corner" came to an end in a few days, Mr. Morris Ranger, a great; cottoin speculator, failing two years later and causing much disaster. This was the first of several cotton "corners" attempted in Liverpool during the 'eighties, all" of which proved unsuccessful. f An American syndicate some time ago created a "corner" in biscuits -capital $55,000,000! Between Salt Lake City on the west, Portland on the east, St. Paul on the north, and New Orleans on the south-an area» or several thousand square miles-s no person was able to eat a. bis-, cuit without paying tribute to this, commercial octupus. Gina have been discovered during Jain at Stoke D'Abernon urch, Surrey, while the sexton ' unearthed the bop oi a censer 1,000 A.D. in the churchyard. EGYPTIANS SHAVEI) FIRST. COTTON "C0RNERS." sale the homes of the Canterbury, and Croydon, lich was rman