Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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? CRUEL ilHEMVE The Secret of Dunraven Castle. BY ANNIE ASHMORE, ^trtbor of "Faithful Margaret," Etc., Eto CHAPTER IX?{Continued.) In those days, when the shadow of the future was slowly oversnreading my ky. I had one sweet consolation; then, | M now, my little UJva gave me the balm her pare affection, and her father's keart and mine could still meet in our love for her. At that time England was much vexed ? i?ml fflhofl TTOrA uy iiubiera qucsuuus, u>ai uivw ? ?uing her for help to conquer each other; Many conflicting claims were made Which it was difficult to judge between. At length it was decided to send a secret gent, accredited by the government, to the scene of trouble, to gather the real rights of the several claimants before jSngland should enter into the negotiations with either side. Lord inchcape was the choice of the cabinet; statecraft ?nd indomitable courage were requisites lor the de:icate mission, and in these my lord was deemed highly gifted. It was sadly significant of the distance which was daily widening between our spirits, that my lord at first made his arrangements for going on hts embassy *>y himself, and could hardly be got to .believe that his wife preferred to be by his side. . "You mistake the nature of the Journey,"l,he remonstrated; "I do not travel with pomp and ceremony as the envoy of a powerful nation; there are reasons why I should go as quietly and quickly as possible. I shall take no attendants, and I shall follow the obscurest routes. * "So much the better," I cried; "we shall be the more together, and I shall lie vonr onlv attendant, more loving and faithful than any you ever had before!" "Engelonde, I do not require this hard 4utyofvou" Ob. Ealeigb, my husband, were you Wind? "I must go with you?do not ?do not forbid me!" I prayed with bursting ieart "Why will you deem my wifely Jove self-sacrifice? I have no life apart torn yours. Do not forbid me to go ^ithyou." And my lord was silenced; lie permitted his child wife to creep *athln the closing fortress of his heartralmost to take her old place there?only for that shadow of doubt which ever hovered between. Yet even that half .victory was joy unspeakable for me; and as I saw myself included in his every plan, all heaven seemed opening before me?a heaven of hope where doubt would flee away forever. I was happy? ikappy! We confided our Ulva to the loving protection of her mother's kindred, the fltld Countess of Rothaye, and bade fare %ell to the stores 01 ?ngjana, ior me a Joijg farpwell. # And now I was my husband's constant companion, no otber came between us; he leaned on me?be looked deep into jny heart and almost recognized the only Image there to bo his. own; he must have come to txust me wholly very soon. Ah! I should have died then! We had reached that great Oriental city where he had arranged to leave me, the rest of his journey was through a hostile territory, and it would have been lolly for me to wish to hamper him with iny presence. Four persons had gone . 4rom our household ahead of us to pre^ ^are a residence for me; my lord and I ?ad Journeyed incognito, avoiding in every way the recognition of any one Who might Indentify our persons or rank, \jor great interests depended upon the seCfecy of the mission. f We found a pleasant residence in the uburbs of the city ready for us, and a modest household installed, all was appropriate to the style of well-to-do commoners, which was the disguise we had adopted. The four persons I refer to - > ? - -*T - * OJ V - L. L-.1 jrrere: mr. oonn eircumue, wuy uau ueeu my lord's traveling -tutor In his youth, and bis secretary since; he was now placed at the head of my establishment director in my lord's absence. ? The second was Kenmore, a coble old HighUnder and my lord's body servant; then came Mary, my maid, a simple, kind creature who loved me well; and Nathan, Mr. Sircombe's man, a shrewd fellow; like his master. 4 From the first moment that I had met Mr. Sircombe's cold, grudging eye when my lord presented him to his bride at Inchcape Fosse, I had never liked him; p[ felt rather than saw duplicity under ^hat Bmooth exterior, yet, as my lord placed great confidence in him I was ashamed of my dislike and never whispered it; so that my dear lord thoupht he pleased me well when he gave me his aecretary for a guardian in his absence, and I accepted him in silence, hoping that I might have no need of a faithful one. We found letters from England awaiting us which announced an important Amendment in the programme. Lord Inchcape was to have ? colleague to rtiare the dangers oi his mission, and an officer who had local knowledgr .of the territory in question, and who could fluid* the envoy by the shortest and afest route. This gentleman whose name was not mentioned, was to wait upon my lord Immediately upon his arrival. We were !n the garden, my lord and I, when the colleague caaoo; the splendor of the tropical verdure was unrolled around us; we were alone, we two, Btrolllng hand in hand among the roses; io sound was heard save our own low," loving voices; love, sweet as the incense ?f these surrounding blossoms, was in our hearts. It was the J&st moment that love Jived between us; already the feet that were to trample it dead were at the gate. A carriage rolled Into the court, a guard in blazing uniform rode about it. "Alas! my brother envoy is here," aid my husband, regretfully, "we must etart within the hour, sweet Engelonde, we must part!" You pressed your beloved lips to mine, my husband, for the iast- time?the last time! oh, ltaleifth! Through the scented alleys we heard him come?I lifted up mine eyes?my Veart stood still?it was Col. Accrington, ?nTT incnlt'r *? Irtvpr?TT1V husband's CE6 Sny. What Thought you of >our young rwife^ sudden sta'tand pallor? AlasI lor Engelondt. that hovoring doubt came closer then. On be came, tall, haughty, with bis coble air, his impassive countenance; nearer, nearer, his measured step trod upon my heart?feet of brass! -ja? J ooked up. -- ram? toji deaQ stop?the hueci ceatn tasVfcfl up"on his bronzed cheek. "You of all the teeming worldl" he groaned. I felt the shock that thrilled through jn; husband as | clup^, half sinking, tp - ? ni9 arm; ne Scanned et.cn conlelWifTace 1 with pitiless inquisition, but not a word. * "Yes, it is I, Col. Accrington," I re- 1 torted, stung into defiance by pain; "and why not I? Am I the first wife who has found her happiness in wander- ing the world over by her husband's * side?" * "Perhaps cot," replied he, demon prompted} "nor aro._yoii the last poor * mortal who will wander tne worm over j( in search of lost peace, as I have done, ^ in vain." My lord's brow darkened as the odious n picture rose before him of two sad hearts d roaming the world over in search of a balm that might heal the wounds of a n hopeless, an unlawful love. ^ I could not defend myself against the j unjust thought in that hated presence, ll ens) Vrnm mv windows T watched the two brother envoys pacing to and fro; I need not have feared that I Lord Inchcape would forget his duty to his country to demand private satisfac- r tion for personal injuries. They dis- s cussed business, coldly, courteously, * with the infernal fires of jealousy be- 8 tween them. . How changed was my wicked lover's c haughty beauty, how blurred by mental I strife, how marred by the triumph of ' evil! Yet I may judee him harshly; he t | had seen service among the barbarians ^ j since he lounged among us in silken 11 \ dalliance, and had borne peril and hardship bravely for England's sake; who * shall say that he had not been suffering a withering remorse and shame because t of his fall from honor? Ay, who shall c say, when suffering had not taught him mercy and he wittingly sowed misery * betwixt my lord and me! t Alone, I pondered how I might sav? b our happiness. We two, so united by t. truest love, sureiy wo tuuiu novo* us sundered by a mere mistake? Should I now confide that long withheld secret, a which had been the only disturber of I our peace, leaving my husband to deal t with the matter as he judged best? Ah! g how 1 longed to do that! How weary I ? was of standing in my own poor c strength! r But I dared not What madness, to ?] Bet two fierce men at enmity, on the eve ? of a mission which they must undertake " together! A revelation now would too a likely rupture the whole scheme; my lord would be less than human If he jj could Dostpone the punishment of his ? wife's insulter. ? Silcnce, at any cost! But, thought I, surely I may appeal ? to my husband's love, to trust me de- c spite appearances,?or to await expla- P nation until his return? And with this n hope I 6upDorted myself till he should J come to bid me farewell. I watched them part for the time, the || colonel strode to the gates, where his h cortege waited, my lord entered the a house. Slowly he ascended the marble 6tairs,?was he coming straight to his y unhappy Engelonde, to take her in loving '' arms, and tq win from her the truth with n generous forbearance? ' u Slowly, heavily he paced onwardpassed my chamber door?oh, love! was ? It well? and entering his private apart- n ment, locked it upon all the world, and j1 me. " Shut out. Judged, condemed, bereft1- P of even one chance of vindication. Was b, it well, my Lord Inchcape? In stupid misery I remained where I was, and the precious moments fled n awpy forever. The sound of the horses' hoofs, as Kenmore brought them to the Sl door, roused me at last. In 6udden panic I hurried to my husband's door, S( and knocked till, b against his will, he opened. He started back when he saw '' that It was his wife Who would not be denied, then led me in with cruel punc- ? tiliousness. ^ I threw myself at his feet. Ci "You have no cause In me for anger or sorrow. Oh, Raleigh, lift me to your heart again!" I pleaded. J5 "I have not accused you," said my lord, "Rise; that is not the attitude of a " guiltless wife." How austere; each C( word a morsel of ice! I wondered at It3 ? crualty. I had yet to learn that jealousy " is rrnel as the crave. P "I kneel for Justice, not for mercy," I b answered proudly; flook in my true eyes and say that you can doubt my loyal ~ love for you." He gazed into my eyes? * he was moved; what blight was on him that he could foster doubt even yet? n "Fain would I believe in your love for P me as much as you believe in it," said 1< he, "but I have seen you sinking under S the weary strife of your heart against t< honor. I am too old for you; you wish to t< be true to me, you are true to me, as I believe, in act and thought, but you are b dying of the struggle." - - j' "And you suspect my heart of stray- ^ Ipg from you to that man?" I cried de- 6; rlsively. Just then came a hurried knock, my maid Mary was seeking her mistress to j1. deliver a letter which she had been ofdered to place in my own hand; too ? simple to divine the intended secrecy of b Hie transaction, she had brought it to me thus. tl My lord handed me the letter with a n bitter sneer; It was from Colonel Ac- j, crington, I kney the hand at once, I ? was stricken dumb by the calamitous f, CUliJUIlWlllVU VI VliWumwvwMvww. B "Allow me to leave you, madam, to the perusal of your admirer's rhapsodies," taunted Lord Inchcape. I sprang 0 after him, I thrust the loathed thing in- j to hie hand. b "Open and read, and deal with the 0 writer a3 he merits," I implored, my ^ courage fainting under his unjust disdain. And then the.thought that I had ^ delivered up my lord to destruction / pierced my heart, and wrung a moan of c anguish from my lips. My lord's fierce g hand paused ere he had broken the v seal?he regarded me with a sardonio smile. "Yon repent of your candor?" ques- jj tloned he. ^ "Only for your dear sake!" I moaned. e "And partly for your friend's, eh?" mocked my cruel love; "ver7 wall, sec- q ond thoughts are often best. Should I f. read this billet-doux to-dav I should be q hampered with an affair of honor before we start upon our mission. Duty for- 0 bids the gratification of my private anf? g mosities until I return,* therefore I will ^ postpone that pleasure for the present." y He locked the letter within his desk and | t secured the kev. e The call of the bugle rang gayly, Ken- n more knocked, announcing tbe cortege s to be in waiting; my lord turned a long, r strange gaze upon his suspected wife, who stretched out her arms for one last T embrace in speechless agitation?but t stretched them forth in vain. -When I return?if you are worthy,* f muttered he. ? "Oh, God! you cannot leave me thus!" j I whispered. , But he could: he did leave me, with- j out a glance of love's relenting. 6 He was gone; my love. my lifo! Gone ? it/*U? ?!>(.. am nf V? o mncc onH tho nibll tliU 11 ^ 11 u ?JI1VC1 \Jl U?4Uvai>. uu>? v..w ? clash of arms, with the th>:nder of cav- ^ airy and the gay bugle call; gone with doubt, of his Engelondein his breast, and T a he ted rival by his side, whose dearest ^ desire it must be to see his death- s I fell forward oa iny face as one stricken to earth. e Two voices speaking by the door aroused me; believing me still uncon- ? scious, Mr. Sircombe, the director of my r household, was questioning my maid concerning the letter which had passed 1 between Colonel Accrington and La,dy . Inchcape. By the insidious form of his *j inquiries, I perceived with indignation 1 that Mr. Sircombe was quite ready to 1 suspect the worst of his bcnefactor'9 5 ' wtfe. I stirred, he retired: and tho ctr). 5 ill. unconBciouSv of the terrible. evil 9ha lad done me, waited upon mo affectionitely. Kenmore had accompanied his master. Afterwards I discovered that it was tfr. Sircomb's own man Nathan who lad been bribed by Colonel Accrington o carry a clandestine letter to me. That Jr. Sircombe had contrivi d that through he simplicity of my maid it should be lelivered to me in the presence of my ard. and that Mr. Sircombe's object in :uestioning the maid was to infuse oubts of her mistress' fidelity into her :iind, that I might be judged and con* emned by my household. Mr. Sircombe had never welcomed a aistress to his patron's house, his had iccn tho post of confidential adviser to ,ord Inehcape too long for him to give t upjrr^efuljy. . Klght fell, the first which had seen my ord sundered from me. In that lonely suburb perfect silence eigned; I lingered on the balcony out* ide my chamber windows hour by hour, leedless of the passage of the night, ibandonlne myself to my sorrow. While I watched and prayed there ame to me from afar the light beat of iorses' hoofs?I almost thought It fancy, or who could be coming to me out of he heart of the hot, sweet tropic night, chose golden moon shone on all I loved aany a long league away? But it was no fancy?on It came, I leard the shiver of harness, the clash of ,rmor; a horseman was ealloping owara me; through tho dense foliage i aught the blue glimmer of steel as he ode up to the gate. A dark pre-, entiment rooted me to tho spot I hought that the foes had fought, that ay lord was wounded or slain, and hat Kenmore had returned to tell tht ale. Clinging to the marble balustrade I waited th? coming of the messenger. Ic dismounted at the gate, and strode hrough the clustering shadows of the ardens; i siiook out my nanaKercmer m iad impatience, and he swerved and amo toward me. But It was not the ugged form of old Kenmore that burst rom the shadowy alleys into the lament. moonshine. It wa9 my wicked >ver, it was his face, worn and desperte, which looked ud at me. "Hush!" he murmured again, "and do ot taunt me?be more merciful. Why id you not answer my letter? Had you one 60 I wonld not have been goaded o this madness. iSio, madam, I have not eserted my post; I have but left tho amp where my Lord Inchcape sleeps in eace?I hope to return before I am lissed. Lady Inchcape, I cannot leave ou?it may be forever?without your argiveness. For that I sued you In my stter, for that I have ventured back ere to-night Ah, be kind for once, nd give me one gentle word!" In soft, imploring tone9 he spoke, and he haggard weariness of his upraised ice might have touchcd me but for the lemory of the suffering he had brought pon my lord. "There can be no kindness between ou and me; you have dared to write ie a clandestine letter. Well, listen to le; I have not read it. You have come i the depth of eight to pay me a comromising visit?you shall gain nothing y that but a disgraceful exposure. I hall call my household to protect ma rom the insulting presence of a midight intruder." "One such call and you are ruined!" lid he, fiercely. "Beware; you can urn my love to bate, and goad me on to 2ek revenge." "I defy you?do your worst!" I cried, arning away. " Do you indeed deliver up my Lord nchcapo to my vengeance?" exclaimed o laughing; "thanks, fair coquette, for arte blanche." But while I heard the menace in embling dread, his words were checked y the sound of galloping hoofs. "My >rd has waked," he went on with siidcn deadly calmness, "has missed his Dlleague?has permittsd jealous suspiion to enter his breast?has dwerted is post in his turn to enact tbft role of rlvate petective. tie is ocme?ne nnaa is mourning wife amusing herself with tie balcony scene a lc Romeo and Juliet -now for a sensation that will make the 'orld wonder!" Surely my reason must have forsaken lethatletpod there in that damning resence, to be discovered by a jealous )rd. Why did I not fly, call up Mr. ircombe, my maid, any one, rather than } cling to the fatal spot in a trance of srror at the meeting of the enemies? And it was my lord who sprang from is. steed, and burst through the scented angle to confront Colonel Accrington, ho with folded arms and a taunting mile awaited him under my balcony. Oh, my lord! my lord! had the throbings of my heart been words, you would ave known that you had no cause for lie fury which turned your wholesome lood to gall! But appearances were so lack?so black, and I could utter no wd. A mockery or two bandied between Kom o mnttnrpH nhra.<s??. ant? t.hev loved away together, the colonel wavag his hand in jaunty adieu to me; but <ord Inchcape had no single look or word sr his suspected wife. The shadows wallowed them up. Then my locked senses stirred. I fled o summon my lord's secretary; he pened to my loud knocking. He was ully dressed, as 1 had thought, and had v?n listening to all that was said, at his pen window: confusion and dismay were uprinted on his visage. "Mr. Sircombe," I 6aid, "you, who ave beard what passed between Colonel iccrington and me, know how little ause there Is lor my lord to be Jealous; o and give your testimony to him, you rill urevent bloodshed." He went out* but with tardy steps, esitating, biting his nails, his busy rain scheming as he went, his furtive yo scanning me. The clash of rapiers guided us to the ombatants but before we could reach bem one had fallen. It was my lord. ?he victor was wiping his blade. Kenmore raised his master's head upn his knee, I threw myself on the round beside him with outstretched ands. but a stern voice cried out, "not ou. Lady Inchcape," it was the sectary's. Kenmore heard the insult offer* d me, and uttered a bitter cry of indigation. Colonel Accrington sprang to uoport me, regardless of my loathing epulse. "It Is too late now for resistance," he whispered, "they all believe you guilty; hey drive you into my arms." "Away, craven," Icricd thrusting him rom me with superhuman strength, will you descend so far as even to act a ie? No one knowe my innocence so i-ell as you?will you deiffn to play a >art like this poor wretch?my lord's ecrctary. While they 6hrank scowled in hame tne nooie o!d lllgtiianaer rated lis broad bonnet, crying fervently: "Now God be praised, I know you are w, t? rrti 1 1 t lftCO 1 Q H tj ' " Q.Vl/1 tllDtt muukuu, lii y ic*?j . u>us? ?>mvu i6 turned and cursed my base tradncers, o that they skulked apart abashed. At this moment my lord openod hlfl iyes upon me with a stifled cry of vrath. "Retire, madam,'' said he sternly, 'what do you here? False heart, begone!" Chese cruel words awoke my crushed iplrit, honor forbade submission then. "My lord, as God hears me you do me oul wrong," 1 answered proudly. "My leart has never beat save for yon." I vaved forward Colonel Accrington. "As rou claim to be an honorable man, declare thQt/uthj" I urged. Jiut hj; oolj ' el . ' JjBhruKgefl His j8hoaiaer3 witn a motion c light appeal. "A base revenge, this, sii which brands you liar and coward." retorted. I detained the secretary, wh fain would have escaped. "You, wh have listened to every word that passe between that base man ar.d me, can giv back my lord his lost faith?dare no to withhold yonr testimony!" I said. He looked upon the ground with vj cant eye?he was mute. I heard my lord's insane burst c laughter, while the red blood gushe anew from his side; and then I fell dow smitten to the heart by love's cruelty an lust's revenge. My lord's wound was deep and dangei ous, for many weeks he lay in helples - suffering, incapable of defending his ic terests, and that was the time Colonc A AnrlnflftAn tn pnmnocQ V*iQ rnfr : JUgUVU Vvvu vv VVU1[/HV4 UIW AUiU He bad taken from my lord all th paper9 connected with the embassy, an< departed, accompanied by his ow servant, to accomplish the work whie bad been confided to Lord Inchcape. I was alike beyond the reach of soi row or shame, the shock of that nigb had thrown me into a languishing fevei in which for many sad days deliriui lu_red_and mocked me with visions of los nappmess; nut my lucid Intervals wer spent in humble prayer. I earnestly ea amined my great love to' see of wba blemish I migbt purify it, so that Go might have pity upon me and give m back my husband's. Alas! wherein wa9 I lacking, that got no deliverance at all? My lord recovered sufficiently totrave before I knew one face from anotherhe had received orders to return to Eng land instantly, and he obeyed. Mr. Six combe accompanied him?better wouii it have been I or me if he had never ot tained the ear of Inchape again, for m; destruction was now become necessar; to his tenure of office, and too well know that ho wielded a malign Influenc over my lord's mind with regard to th suspected wife Not till months had passed und m; health was restored, did I learn the ca lamfty which had befallen my Lori Inchcape through his fatal delusioi that night. Colonel Accrington ha< taken a foul revapge. his baseness to wards me was transcended far by th< incredible-treacnery with whlcb ne oe trayed Lora Inchape. Colonel Accrington had accomplished with briliiant success, the mission whicl had been confided to my lord, no had re turned to England to report his success and when questioned concerning the sin gular disappearance of his principa from the scene of action, had boldl; stated that Lord Inchape and he ha< started on tbo expedition together, tha Lord Inchape had turned back after i few hours' riding, on private business o his own, an,? that he had been left t proceed by himself. So, while honors and emolument were showered upon the successful en voy, the deserter from his post was sura moned before the Oriental commission t make his defense. What explanation had my lord t offer? My lord had no explanation to offer as his enemy well knew. The trutl would have blotted out his fault, an< blasted his adversary?but to tell th? truth would have been to smirch th reputation of his wife. "My lords," said he to his frownini conferrees,"honor compels me to silence I can only say that Richard Accringtoi and I have played a deadly game, an; that I have lost." [to be contihued. i CURIOUS FACTS. There are live States of the Germai F.mm'r# tlian T^Vinrli Island. Socratos was said to remember tin faces and names of all who attendee his discourses. When shad first made their appearance in California they were wortl 31.20 per pound. Jonabad Almanor, the farnou! linguist, could converse in twentyseven different languages. Beethoven could remember anj selection of music he had ever heart and reproduce most of it. TKa r>ro n f nf /"*1 a xr ^of.innr 1C pnm. mem throughout ttie torrid zone, anc is not unknown in Sweden, Norway, Finland and New Caledonia. Dead bodies, when taken as cargc on. a ship, are always described at either statuary or natural history specimens, owing chiefly to the superstition of sailors. Wheat can be grown in the Alps at an elevation of 3600 feet; in Brazil, at 5000; in the Caucasus, at 8000; in Abyssinia, at 10,000; in Peru and Bolivia, at 11,000. An acrobat in a Spokane (Wash.) theatre fell from a height, landing upon and sexiously injuring a spectator. The spectator sued the manager and received $800. The Duke of Cumberland, only son and heir of th& Jate King George ol Hanover, was born without a nose. He is a man of. singularly enlightened and progressive mind. Quebec has its name from an Algonquin word signifying "take care of the rock." There was a dangerous reef in the river opposite the place where the city was afterward built. American craft and ingenuity is appreciated even in South Africa. There is now in course of construction in New York City an immense passenger elevator which is to be placed in a sky-scraping building in Johnannisberg. Dutch military cycling volunteers have to pass a real examination before they are accepted for the maneuvers, but when passed they get five florins a day, lirst-class traveling fare, and are lodged as officers at the expense of the State. In the excavations in England on the oite of the supposed Roman villa one of the most interesting discoveries is the elaborate system of warming by heated air. In several places the arrangement of flues is in perfect condition. A Portland (Mo.) man years ago left ^r^rinrlv ir\ Viia firn unfiQ. ThpV iliO CWJ/W.J ?v? ? ,, divided it by lot, one getting valuable downtown property, the other uptown lots of less value. But the city grew, and now the second man's holdings are the most valuable. A man died recently near Lebanon, Penn., at ninety-two years of age. He had been the father of twenty-two children, rifteen of whom survived him. There were besides, at the time of his death, 110 grandchildren and ninety-sis great-grandchildren. The Ingham County (Michigan) Circuit Court concerned itself two days, Monday and Tuesday, in a litigation involving a calf, valued at &1S. Wednesday and Thursday the court settled a sheep case, where the difference between the parties was fiftj? cents. I r THE LATEST OUT. o ? RECENT WRINKLES ON THE d FACE OF DAME FASHION. e t Welcome Return of Buttons?Silk k* the Fabric for Early Season . Wear?Possible Forerunner of Hoopskirte. n THE -world seems to have gone wild on the subject of ornamentation, says the Washing-ton Star. There is no stone si too precious to imitate for every-day garniture, and silver is so common 0 &nrl so ahean that the charwoman ^ would be frowned upon in the swell jj West End scullery regions if she were to pinion her Bath bun headdress with - anything grosser than a silver dagger, t The new throat or collar buckles are \ not so barbarously wide as they were n for awhile, but (hey are longer and prettier. Some of them look like 6 crocheted silver wire, and are flexible. A few are set with brilliants, but ^ though these are really worn by some e people of unquestioned good taste in broad daylight over a tailor-made I gown, it is yet open to question whether it is quite proper. Bracelets II of heavy silver log chains, fastened ~ with a tiny padlock, are not new in conception, but are in design. They tl are not pretty either. i- The reign of fancy bodices seems to y be at its height. The bodice still has 7 a fancy for stopping at the waist line, B DAINTY COSTUME FOR H * hence new ideas in belts are brought f forward every day. A fine wire chain { belt, as flexible as ribbon almost, has ' a buckle of two hearts that overlap i ' and are set with turquoises. Another j I belt is of a thin blade of chased silver i \ with flat, square buckles, set in a 11 i carious oriental fashion with various t colored stones. Ribbon belts come to < j match all the exqaisite new shades of ? silk, and have dainty bows of ribbon 1 with small rhinestone buckles in the r centre. There are tiny rings of silver 1 I set with tiny stones, that may be < sewed on the belt to form a chain of brilliants through the centre, or to I stud it at intervals. Except on very brilliant occasions, these would look a little loud. Buttons seem to be returning to 1 ? favor, and they will be welcome, for 1 bad as dressmakers hate to make buttonholes, they would rather do it than submit to the constant growl about hooks that never stay fastened, and , eyes that elude the most skillful fingers. Some of the buttons are exquisite pieces of workmanship, and are 1 of filagree gold and silver. A few are set with real garnets and turquoises, and the most artistically expensive one6 aro painted ivory or stone china, set in quaintly wrought rims. The vests of tailor-made cowns that have fly-open coats are fastened from neck to lower edge with neat little buttons, ? generally of the same material as the dress. Large pearl buttons are a feature of j the modernized Eton suits, which are : with us dgain. There is just enough difference in the suit of the new gar- ? ments to make you wish that you had : ' ; waited till this season to buy. One J fancy in the jacket is to hook it to the ' vest dawn the sides, and not let it fly ' open, as it did last season. It will not . 1 be hard to accommodate the old style c to that feature, however. As for the ? sleeves, they can't get any bigger, for there is nothing to hold them out, except it be a wire cage. f I did hear of ' one young woman who utilized her big sleeves on a rainy, 3loppy day to stow c her packages in, and they might be I c made to Berve as market baskets, but i j: it is quite probable that they have I o reached the highest point of all their j u greatness, and will soon fall, like a I e bright exhalation in the evening, and I a no man see them more. My, but wo - ! i: I men will look funny then! o The fancy fronts which are so much ! li the vogue show many novelties for i <1 spring. Those made of the English j o eyelet embroidery and ribbous are | o among the latest. To a pink satin i c stock a blouse front of pale pink eye- j n let embroidery is fastened, which is t finished at the waist line by a broad hand of pink ribbon. Other novel- ' a ties are of eyelet insertion and band*? : t of ribbon. These fronts arc very c charming worn with jaunty little j 1 cloth jackets. Light silk fronts, in i u all the new shades, are stylish trimmed i v with coarse black lace insertion. Here is some French authority on c the use of crinoline: "The best dress- i t ' makers arc now using stiff interlining* | a with great moderation. There is a j li general tendency to discard its use : t altogether as u lining, employing the , f crinoline, moreen, haircloth or other ; fabric for an entirely separate underskirt. Some of the new silk skirts are A i made to carry out this idea, being i I faced with haircloth at the hem, and 1 trimmed very full around the bottom ! a with piped or corded silk frills, about 4 $ 1 v ~ - - - "Vt mi. three inches wide. Inexpensive skirts are also made of moreen or haircloth alone, some fashioned with a closely fitted yoke, with kilts or box plaits FANCY FRONT MADE OF RIBBON. joined to this yoke, that flare very much from the knees down, giving a like spreading effect to the dress skirt worn above it. . A few of these skirts are silk covered." It is thought among importers that these skirts are forerunners of hoop skirts. Silk will be the fabric of all fabrics for early season wear. Merchants quote enormous sales of the very light wash silks for summer wear, and of the darker ones for wear after Easter. Taffetas, so durable and light, will hold their own, but surah and gros grain will push it hard. There are some odd fancies in evening silks 11 vOOv-* OME ENTERTAINMENT. I shown, the "seersucker" silk, and jauffre crepe being the very latest, rhey are used principally for bodice3, nade up with lace and rich passemenirie. The cheap wash silks come in ;he most charming colors and certainly do launder remarkably well. They ire even illuminated now, and a few )f them have a curious cord woven in itripes which makes tnem quite rica ooking. Since the crusade against the thea;re and concert hat began all kinds of levices have been resorted to to sava CONCERT HAT.?. ;be appearance of going abroad bareleaded. Some of the jeweled affairs ;bat are used for this purpose are limply exquisite. One to be put tgainst a rabbit's ear bow of ribbon s of dead gold set with turquoises; he other is an aigrette on a pair of klercury wings of gold set wiih pearls. Che center pearl is set around with liamonds. Both of these ornaments ,re made to stand against a high ;notted coiffure. SMART COLLARS AND CAPES. Broad, deep collars or short capes if heavy lace are very handsome over lose-<fitting waists. They come at all rices, but are never very cheap. One if the new fashions is to have a collar aade with six points of lace. Around ach point is sewed, full, a finer lace, bout three inches in width. Tbe neck s finished with a folded chiffon collar, r ribbon, as is preferred. The colir, made in this fashion, is very ressv. It covers the front and back f the waist to the bust line and stands ut well over the full sleeve. These ollars can be made for much less loney than they can be bought for ia lie shops. Yokes of lace, with deep berthas ttached, are very smart little affairs a wear over a high cut waist or to over the neck and shoulders when a ow nut bodice is wore. They, too, re finished with a chiffon, satin or elvet ribbon collar. Lung, full, straight vest pieces of mnoa huh iu.cc iuwiuuu mu wreraely becoming. Tho chiffon is fall nd laid in line plaits. The piece of ice inserton goes between the folds of he chitt'on, and the whole thing hangs all over the waist line. A sheet of pen drawings by Michael LUgelo was discovered recently in a iondon auction room. Tho subjects rere sketches for holy lamilies and llegoricoj groups. The prize brought 1900 at auction. S.f'.y* w. i r - , . , , ' ... v - >K'' ?: SM i ^ ?-? Senator Hawley as a Singer. 4 "Calm and sedate," says the' Warfi- I; ington Poet, "appears Senator Haw- ley upon the floor of the Senate. When he speaks, his voice is pleasant, bnt it does not recall the Bounding brass or the tinkling cymbals. Very different is the Senator Hawley wbc? , joins in gleeful or patriotic song with < _ J his old comrades of the war. The^i) : he is an enthusiastic, fervent chorister. He swings his arms as he beats timetf " and from his throat pours forth a Ni-: i affara of melody. The air quiverrf with tuneful sounds and echoes with diapason notes. When he mounts up-j on a chair and sings 'My Country 'Ttf of Thee,' as he did the other night at the Loyal Legion banquet, it is a sigW ? and an occasion to stir the coldest heart But even this is as an ant to ? i ' ' ... I T7KITED STATES SENATOB HAWLEY. an elephant compared with his rendi- . ^ tion of 'Marching Through Georgia.* Then is the climax reached. The at-',1 moephere palpitates, the heart beatd tumultuously, an infections enthusi- ra| asm intoxicates the crowd. Senator \ , * Hawley as a singer beats the world."! ' And the Doctor Kicked Himself, -'jvv A very eminent physician had cured! ^ a little child from a dangerous illness.' , The thankful mother turned her stepai toward the house of her son's savior, i '/Doctor," said she, "there arfesomel^JH services which cannot be repaid. I5 ..1*4 did not know how to express my .grat^ j itude. I thought you wbuld,perhaps,: ,-v be so kind as to accept this purse, em-: v-? broidered by my own handst" .J. "Madam," replied the doctor,1 roughly, "medicine is no trivial af- . ^ fair, and our visits are only to be rewarded in money. Small presents serve to sustain friendship, but theft do not sustain our families. "But. doctor." said the ladv.. .<,$1 alarmed and wounded, "speak; tell; me the fee." $ "Four hundred dollars, madam." ; ;ji The lady opens the purse, takes out V five bank notes of $200 each, gives | two t o the doctor, puts the remain- v ^ ing three back in Lsr purse, bows i coldly and departs.?Amusing JourCycling on Railway Ties. 'M One of the curiosities in the bioyoll "~:!y line is an invention by a young Cali' 3 fornian named J. W. Ritchey. It if 7 ? a machine for pedaling along railway tracks, and the inventor claims for it CYCLING ON THE KAIL. m a speed of from twenty to twenty-flv* miles an hour. The means by which Ritchey has adapted the familiar roadi M ster to the gauge of a railway are atf ^ follows: He has attached a four-inch flanged wheel, shaped exactly like a large spool, to a rod in front of the hind wheel, and a similar one on an arm projecting about three feet in ^ r-.front. In addition to this an ei<?ht' '."1 een-inch wheel at the end of a rod so' arranged as not to interfere with the working of the pedals, runs on the other rail. In this way the machine is perfectly balanced, and all the rider has to do is to work the pedals in the usnal way. The inventor seems to . believe that before long semi-deserted passenger trains will be followed by. an endless procession of "bikes," oa which idle conductors and despairing news agents will gaze helplessly from the rear platform, but just how the objections of railway companies to such use of their tracks is to be over come is not vouchsafed. i ^ Business Aphorisms. Big debts come from big promises. **} Leaks in business are like gimlet holes in a barrel. Little ideas and big successes never go together. A careless merchant will have careless customers. A neat store and neatly printed stationery go together. .^5 If excuse had a money value, some men would be wealthy. Success is very coy and will remain only when treated well. Place your confidence upon actual cash and you don't misplace it. Some clerks cultivate their mustaches more carefully than tbey do business sense. -Shoe and Leather Facts. _ . A Napoleonic Mot. One night at a court ball in the TulIeries Napoleon III. was so attentive to a beautiful young woman as to excite comment among the other women. At last, in response a direct tribute to her beauty, she said : "Ah, but Your Majesty compliments j me too much." j "Row remarkable," he replied, with a twinkle in his eye, "that you should V say just what every other woman here ^ is thinking."?Detroit Free Press. j The Federal Government of Mexico j offers a bonus of four cents for every rubber tree planted. In addition to this, the State Government of Oaxaca offers one cent.