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Call them n All the < , Darkly thro jj Toward j I oward the / And the * SURG CU^S. nw yulr'S (STORY ll\ C. E. Ctt/.M, u. d. ICurcrliflit, lSi>?. 1} C. K. Crnm.l V. O II G 1: nml "".y ';lv,;r".r; supper aiul stay ip tit*- ni^ld. It was a .lolly party ?li. Including Mr. nml Mrs. ZachaHatch. that encircled the table at tip* taut supper of the dying year. married brother, ISdward pMh. and his young wife liad promhp# he be home for the holiday, inHmMm I* come up from Rochester on flfce vramlug train. Their nonnppcurWM won the only cloud that hung ever U* Hatch homestead that night. Mm ia every reunion of old friends, it \rapU bo easier to tell what they didn't fibM what they did talk about, hut it when music was the subject aShtHtpg attention that Myrtle re*%hM# yeu went away I've lost my t#aa 1 eauuot sing for any length of tfeM lyltbout hecomiug hoarse.'' here," added John. "fIaa bhwuld try our i'rofessor DeWfMi'a proscription," advised George. ''WW<k ii' iu *#?aiaaHor result* jUAAtirefy from n person's breathJtow through his moutli, especially when *lM he suggest a remedy?" "la*. Ue says llint the host remedy to take a wide strip of isinglass jgkistsr aud to fasten the lips together with It and leave it on nil night. If j?u hay' * yard of the plaster and use ht *v*ry uight. before It's gone your mlxi i* ull right. It's sure death to iwwclajt toe." *t*4h yen ever try It?" was John's *'M0-0," admitted George, "but sevAMl *? the boys at college thought It oarwa their hoarseness, and sore threats, too. at times, and one thing is aorta ta?it will keep a person front aaarlag." I'Vn ,.1. ~ 1 --? - ? - y*cuDaiil t'Tt'UiUK fUJU)'eU U)' Ultf UatWriug has nothing to do with our titer?. Suffice It to say that an hour ?r so after the part}' rose from the tapper table the young men excused Nicmselves and left May and Myrtle te a* exchange of confidences while flhti? sat out for a stroll. Hardly had tea daer closed upon their ueimrliutf term* when Myrtle exclaimed: "May, J U*v? promised to slug at an enter* talumeat next week au<l have been ?r?u*21ug It for days. Suppose we buy aanaa af that plaster and use It to* at?ht" May Lad been thinking' of just the (tea* thing. ** ^reed, but we mustn't let the boys tuw anything about it," was the roMfMUM. ad, with considerable laughter at tea >>k*. as they conceived it, of testSag Professor Debeau's remedy with "a yard of pi. aster, jm.kakk." Ml the knowledge of their brothers, wraps were hurried ou. and the girls were soon on tbelr way to the nearest drug store. Having secured their treasure. Myrtle and May hurried back and wero aood In tlffc privacy of Myrtle's room. An hour or so later they decided, us May expressed it. to "muzzle theinaaItss" and retire Tor the night. May bad felt a tickling in Iter throat that was doubtless of an Imaginary or symJMKMa ? aqra and had deckled to of so fondly back. lead, lost days that r the Glass of Time. the Setting of the Su Shadow of the Valle Summer that is don try the cure herself. So oaeu .?;? -. generous strip of the plaster, moisten o<l and applied It and sat down, hands pressed tightly over uiouth, waiting for the plaster to dry. Jvaturally when the drying process was completed they found It Impossible to speak. Ho they had recourse to paper and pencil to describe their llrst sensations us mutes and were soon ready to pay their respects ait the shrine of Soniuos. While the young folks had been enjojlug themselves in the parlor Mr. and Mrs. Hatch had been In the sitting room, lie with his paper and she with her knitting. It was flic wife who looked up and said: "Zaoharinh. don't you think it would lie a pot id plan to get some ol' that piaster and see if it wouldn't help you swear oiT snoring for the New Year? It's dreadful! If you eotsld only hear yourself snore, you wouldn't stop at trouble or expense." "Perhaps?some time," replied Mr. Hatch. manlike, without taking his ?-yes ofT his paper. "Hilt don't you think you had better iry it tonight and start the New Year right?" persisted his wife. "You don't want Mr. and Miss Loveroy to go home and say that they couldn't sleep because von snored so loud." "I suppose so. Don't bother me. Send Myrtle after some if you like," replied the rather gouty tempered Mr. Hatch. "No; I believe 1 will go myself and not let the girls know anything abort it." And his good w ife laid down 1;<t work and started for the drug store. The druggist's surprise gave way to astonishment us Mrs. Hatch demauded i i Hi. "RDWABP, THEY'RE AM. CRAZY?" : of lilm a yard of isinglass plaster. lie ; concluded that homebody must be prct* I ty badly cut up over at tho Ilutcbes'. Jty 11 o'clock Mr. and Mrs. JJatcli were sleeping soundly, each with lips glued together, the wife fixing hers like her husband's when he complained I of the ludicrous figure he would cut | when the plaster hud been applied. Iu the meantime (J*uwc and John hod made the circuit of familiar -itreotj.', and neither had realized the lateness of the hour until George, to ascertain the time of night, had stepped to the window* of a well lighted store, noiie other than the drug store with ! which we are already acquainted. It was 11 o'clock. The druggist was preparing to close up for the night. , Hefore ins could do so John pushed j ids way into the store. "Walt till 1 get ' some plaster," he called out to his companion. "I'm going to try your plan;" then to the druggist, "A yard of plasI tor, please." | "That's the last roll I have," snM the tradesman in bewilderment as ho handed out the third yard of plaster , tie had sold to the llnteh family that .evening. He began ty think that some one was playing n joke on him, and after George and John had departed lie hurriedly closed Ills store. The hoys found the Hatch residence in darkness when they arrived there, except for one solitary light that shone dimly through the slatted windows of i mi; nii-i-|>iMK luuiii ul'cuimimi uy .nr. ana Mrs. I Intel). A sleepy housemaid admitted then), and they an silently as possible ascended to their rootn. No time wns lout in sticking their ' lips together, and a struggle with the I lamp followed, ending only when John turned the wick so low that the tlnmc i flickered n few times and then died out. Left in silence and darkness, the boys were soon^sloeplng soundly. All was quiet and still by midnight, for Mrs. Iiaiel) did not believe in young folks sitting up to watch out old years. Then Myrtle suddenly awoke with the terrifying thought that some one?a man, of course?was holding his hand j over her mouth. Then, remembering Afro events of the evening, she realized the cause of the peculiar sensation. But flic shock to her nerves remained. The assertion that her scare wns nil Imaginary. though repeated over and over to herself, failed to quiet them. There! It was somebody trying to get into the house! The front door bell rang loudly. Then some one began pounding on the door. Myrtle could bear It quite plainly. She sat upright and listened. Never before hud she been awake at night and nut heard her father snoring. She missed that reassuring snore very much. Could anything have happened to him? Or perhaps the house was on lire! Yes; Jt must be lire. She was sure that she studied smoke. Giving May a tremendous shake. Myrtle slipped out .of bod, threw on a dressing gown and hurried down to the front door, where the potiudiug slijl kept lip. In a moment she had the door open; but, instead of a stalwart fireman, in stepped her brother Mdward and bis wife. "Why, it's Myrtle!" cried Mdwnrd "The train was late, and we thought you weiv jijjver going ?'> ?'? >' "> " We're nearly froze^ and hungry as bears. And bow is inotbpj. everybody? Why, what's the uiutterV Wliv don't you speak V" For obvious reasons Myrtle remained silent. A moment later a second silent figure crept down the hallway and stood by Myrtle, and then Mr Hatch himself, hastily pulling o.i n few clothes as he came. "Oh, here's father! lie will explain, cried the amazed Edward us the th ru figure came groping sJJ.ept l.v the twilight of the long halL ''tbiud l?-uens, Eva. farmer's dumb loo! For hi the middle of theiial) stood the paler nal Hatch, uttering not one word o? welcome to Ids beloved son. A moment later Mrs. Hatch out::< down, visibly agitated and mutely waving her arms. Behind her eniue the two young men, one armed with a baseball bat and the other with a poker. But not one word did they speak. Isiugiass pluuter ho? very adhesive properties, and wheii oiie'n mouth bns been glued shut for three long hours one cannot he expected to carry on on extended conversation. For several minutes the strange group j gazed at one another. "Edward, they're all crazy! Lei'* go lienic, anywhere, but do not stay In this house!" cried Mrs. Hatch junior, with strong signs of hysteria. "Speak, somebody, can't you? For heaven's sake, wish us a happy New | Year!" <-iJcd Edward, taking his frightcuod wife in his arms. Hut not. a word did any duxh speak. Tile silent group shuffled sheepishly ' about". making weird and Inexplicable nigrs. which more and more convinced Edward that all the family of Hatch had suddenly departed with their several Mid individual senses. ".Mother! Fathep! Jlas it come to this? Will you turn yo??p o.yv.n son away frrns". your iloor at midnight withcut one word of welcome? Wiint Imvo I done? What lias happened? Can no one i?pei?tiV" "i answer to the last epiestiou had to be a distinct but inarticulate negative. Eva covered her face with her hand; and broke into sobs. "They have turned you away, Edward, botuse?because they think I have dishonored the name* of Hatch. Some one lm? told them a 1 tout?the?the?apple pies! Tell them. Edward, it was not my fault, not my fault! I?I?didn't mean?I?oh, I can't go on! i can't go on!" And again poor Eva broke inlo sobs. At tills point Myrtle slipped away ana cuinc down flairs again with o huge pair vi scissors iu her hands. Without one word of warnioK and before Edward could throw himself betwoen them she savagely r.tnbbe?) his father?at least so it seemed in the uncertain light?in tlie face with the murderous weapon. "Waved! Happy New Year everybody!" gasped Mr Hatch senior, catclij ing his son in ids arms and shaking his hands till they ached. "We're all glueu tip, my hoy, every one of us, glued up with the stickiest, most infernal sort of sticking plaster ever created. That's right. Myrtle. Cut your poor mother loose. She's always best at explaining." The welkin rang with Edward's laughter when Ids mother diij explain, with much gravity. Just how they came to he found iu such a predicament. and it took several gallons of hot water to wash away the traces of that Isinglass plaster. Hut there was a second suj per in the Hatch homestead that night, and, as every oqe coufessed, It was the jollier of the two. NEW YEAR'S AT THE WI11TE HOUSE. THE PRESIDENT'S ANN'JAL RECEPTION TO ALL CALLERS. Kti<inr(tc of Urti>?-pixy!ay l?y tlic Army r.ud Knvy oniecrs? Forrlifnryi In Tlirlr D/its of Sinto?llniiit linliI >'. JJ IZxirnsri!!uary. As compared to tlie brilliant court receptions of Humpe there Is very littlu In the social functions of o (II el til life in this dcmoeratie country which would be regarded r.s strikingly elaborate or Ror;;eotis. The nearest nj>(iroach to I !i?* European court functions is unquestionably the New Year':! j i IVception at the White House. In 1 paint oi brilliancy ami formal display it oversteps all the ft tibial eveuts at ?i ,, ti ,.f.?,it..i tin infs ii-'iv tlic c'.titf executive of the notion receives in state the vice president, the members of his olticin} household, tho chief Justice and the associate Justices of the supreme court of the t'ulted States, the foreign legations, senators i.i.t,I representatives lu congress, otlictirs of fl)u prtpy ami navy, otlieinls of lisp District of Columbia and such of hla fellow clllxeus as clioose to pa} their respects to thn president on that occasion. To the president it is no holiday task, as lie must go through the ordeal of shaking hands with 8,000 or 10,000 people. Although the New Yenr's reception begins an hour before noon, custom demands the wearing of afternoon flross. as tnero is iu tins country n?> officially1 prescribed court dress, there Is uotlilng In tile upparej of tlie diplomatic and civil officials of th'o government to distinguish them from other well groomed men on formal occasions. The officers of the army and navy, however, appear In full dress uniforms and present a brilliant en rnmpjtn't m'kint^y kkckivino callers. scrnble. One of the chief attractions of the day which the great throng gathered in the neighborhood of the 1 : capital lias an opportunity of seeing is 1 the display made by these oflicers on pliejr march to the White House, 'i he must plcturcsquo feature of the 1 president's New Year's receptipf} is the appearance of the foreign diplomatic corps in their gaudiest and best dress of state. They assemble in the red parlor of the White House, with the (Jean of the corps at their head. This distinction bft.a for a number of years falleu to Sir Julian V'auucefote, the British embassador, who will doubtless continue to hold tho place ns the OJUl'Bk 111 [JOUJl U1 C'UUlJUUUUa SUlVltT of any of the foreign representatives. 1 They form a brilliant procession as t|?ey proceed to the president's reception room, the embassadors being the tlrst in line, followed hy the ministers In order of seniority, each attended by his suit, including secretaries, attaches and such ladies of the legations as desire to attend. The South American d'l/lojnf?ts, In accordance with their own nocnliiir custom, ntmcnr In full evening dress, h is thp (pdoptnls who give the picture its gayest' cojqrlpg. The Chinese minister and his vast suit wenr varicolored gowns of rich nod costly fabrics, though the Japanese are not so showy In their stato attire. The Tpfks appear In their red fezzes and tho Koreans fp their Howerpot hats and are even more gqj-ge^us than the Chinese. After the distinguished and brilliant assembly of officials?state, judicial, diplomatic and legislative?has passed i through the reception room and recelv' ed tho president's New Year greeting an hour J* #>pluvlvp|y devoted to citizens, and tho chief exooucJyp receives and shakes hands In quite democratic fashion with as many of his fellow countrymen as onn reach him during the time allotted to the reception. Hvbbau. i them not so fondly I nee the stars shall nc the Hour Glass of tht 111 shall turn within J the Via i ears uia* r e the New Yearns brig TWO OFFICIAL CALLS. The Gentlemanly Way In IVhirh IUvnl Mnyorn Clturri nl \f:T Vrnr'e, For yenrs there been a bitter rivalry between the towns of Jubn IIII1 and I)og Creek, and such a thing as an official visit between town officials had not been dreamed of. Sometimes a Dog Creek man who went over to Juba Ilill got back alive, and Instances could be cited where a .Tuba Hill man had got out of Dog Creek Without being shot at. These were exr . i TTtET MET HAI.F WAV BETWEEN THE TOWNB. i ceptional cases, however, aud there was no guide to go by. When Pete Muhoney was elected mayor of Dog Creek, It was ou his pledge to make It still hotter for .Tuba Hill. That same fall Joe Drake was elected mayor of Juba HU1 on his pledge tbnt he would endeavor to wipe Dog Creek off the face of tbo earth. December was wearing Itself away aud both towns were whooping it up when , Mayor Mahonoy heard that Mayor ! Drake said he was uo gentleman. I "No gentleman, eh?" he said to some 1 of his closest friends. "Well, we'll see ! about that. New Year's dav will soon be liere, nud do you know what I'm going to do? I'm going to mount my mule and ride over to Jubn Ilill and call on Mayor Drake. I'll caii uu a geutlepmn should." At about Ibo same time Mayor Drake was told that Mayor Malioney did not consider him n gentleman, nud ho eat down and thought It over and then . said to his friends: j "I'll prove that Mayor Malioney Is n j })0S3 thief and a liar. On New Year's | day I'll ride over there as a gentleman, ' cull on him as a gentleman and let him ?e<? the difference between a scrub and j a man." It Is needless to add that both towns encouraged their respective mayors lu their plaus. When New Year's day came, both mounted their mules at about tbe samp hour and set out. and as a consequence they inet half way between the towns. Each had a following of about a hundred. As the two mayors came to a halt Mayor Mahoney graciously observed: "Will the gentleman from Juba 11111 return to Dog Creek with the other gentleman?:.' "The gentleman from Juba H1U was about to ask the other gentleman to accept of his hospitality," was the reply of Mayor Drake. "As a gentleman and knowing what belongs to good manners"? another gentleman and knowing all about etlquetfo"? "I must say that Dog Creek has tbe biggest graveyard." "But Juba H1U has the most saloons." "And that you are a duffer and a I liar!" i'And thfit you are a quitter and a sneak!" Then the respective mayors polled their respecure guns with a whoop. The respective gentlemen on either side followed suit, and for half an hour the most cheerful Industry prevailed, 'fhe gentlemanly shooting continued until everybody bft.4 run short of cartridges or got tired of dodging bujleta, and then Mayor Mahoney came out : from behind a tree and said: ! "The mayor of Dog Creek, who la still a gentleman and no hog, will now bid you a polite good day and retire." i Then Mayor Drake roee up from behind the stump which had sheltered him through the fray and'topMedi "The mayor of Juba Hill, who la also a gentleman and knowa when he's got enough, presenta bis compliments and best wishes and trusts that this auspicious beginning of the New Tear may strength?# the bond of love between the two towns, And then each side loaded up Its victims and returned home In a gentlemanly way. a. B, Lewis. , I vcr . His hand\ V un darkly W htest sand H 1 1 V L I > 1 yi h _ ? i - I QUAINT NEW YEAR CUSTOM*. THE DAY AND ITS OBSERVANCES fk MANY LANDS. loHetlwei a Mlicllai mi ?H waa* tloai Cmasiln ? < SaMgrilM J*lll(r-odd PeatlTUlM Ub China and Japan. JBvery nation has Its particular ftefgl days and holidays, some paying scat* er attention to ooe and wm* W spsOther, but nil peoples ou the tM? the earth who reckon time at at 4* some manner greet the New Year. We have so shuffled our edl?Ear that now the occurrence at tha tfeey Year on the 1st of January has last ttp slgnitlcauce. Among primitive i?Vms> however, the New Year Lnvart*M|r marked the opening of one af the ssS nral divisions of the seasons. .. Ond of the oldest of New Year Mtoiud Is that practiced by the AtUl^| Japan. For a thousand years tfcate people have stood still la their sAvfesatlon, following all their prUalSsa ^ customs and ceremonies. New & ** with them Is a season of merrysaaMNl which winds up with the great has* feast, called Omsla, In which a h*pi bear 1r sacrificed. Tn trl.orA niislotmne U m m? abaerved as a general holidayno many Presbyterians look U?bg iM observance as a specie* of aupasagk tion. New Year's day I* a Joyous ?*A and a strange way of celabratlug kkp dying of the old year has long baa* customary there. The last atgfcfc aft the year la called "Hogmenaya 9i0Ur and Is celebrated by drinking, abajfc*g and general festivities. The Chinese are notorial* far fondness for bolldaya, and tba Oafcjk^ tials muke the most of thl* wa?. ft are not content with dne day; but VMft a whole month to celebrate tha ** proacli of the New Year. Chins** Mfc terns, firecrackers, feasting and at paying up of old debts play tha apfl part In the ceremonies. A strange custom In many payip ?ftt Europe is that of huviug a mamb*a & the family, either the eldest or y*?Mw y geet, open the family Bible (it CftOdflfU and place his or her. finger at any<u?S on the open page without glancing*# it. The verse thus marked Is regard*! as n sort of text for the ensuing I* months. A very poetical old ceremony I* of the so called YIesse des Anlmaux, *r animals' mass, which lukos plac# %? New Year's eve In the French' dep*Jb? uicnt of tho Ovenncs. a country. lj* which tho celebration of the N?w Yagd almost entirely supersedes that S Christmas. This truly pastoral f?sliTg|b Is given In behalf of the herds af ft Mi* ft which constitute the chief wealth *? the hnrdy mountaineers, palota opratlinnv luurltia fiofila. a# ' saaa^*< aimm I V -?? "? * ??W* sheep and goats are driven to am tM space before tho church, laald# AM building Is gathered a crowd ?f MP wart men and women In fesUrn iy merit, each lioldlng a lighted <saM| wiiile the cure celebrates mass, pomp of fhP ?bpr}glue* pf ppf tN* : land have New Vear customs tha?S0Jk exceedingly interesting, notably t of the Moqui Indians, called So-y*4^li ! na. wtilch is a singular and elshnssjlW ' mythical drama, divided Into Uftf , parts, in wlijch offerings are mad* tf J pttigles of the great plume beaded Mj pent, the ehetny of the sun. This ifrjipfl | lowed by a sun dance In which the aUM fllct between the orb of day aad top inferior hostile gods is portrayad. Leonard Ktueuijhkh* A Problem of Ctnlarlcs, "?)|i, look liefore you leap I" he trief 'hut to hi* actna'-deiv ak*. j,' "go, no." (he little meld replle4? ' "For tbl* 1* leap year! feet** . ' | "?Ma rrtr youNe leap?d all ri?fct, ) Mf, And I am in a klaa, ' ' < I e . But 4(00) into 10(00) won't ma. I Tw'ra Icnm u? nOan ^ * / lu; i