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"The i ===== OF Richard ==0! A VICTIM OF C1RCUM! *F?-vr- Xj. IF*_ CHAPTER XJI. ?l Continued. "My Dear Sir?I write this at the toedside of Sam.iei Fleetwood, whose confession I huve taken down from his own lips. The original of this confession, duly signed by Samuel Fleetwood, and witnesed by me, 1 retain, to deliver to the authorities. The document you will find herein is a faithful copy of 1 Uie same, which I made at the unhappy man's urgent request, who extracted from me the promise that I -would deliver it to you as soon as he was dead. Desiring to comply faithfully and ex actly with tne request, i write Explanatory lines, to provide for the Contingency of your not being at home Vhea 1 call. I have time to do this, is Samuel Fleetwood is still lingering, ind I cannot leave him until all is over, i ( cannot say that I am entirely satisfied with the confession, clear and explicit as it must be to all who read it. / My reason for dissatisfaction lies in the fact that, after the confession was drawn out, I asked the dying criminal to swear to its truth, and that he lightly refused, saying that surely the < words of a dying man would suffice. There must be strange contradictions in his nature. As one who has sat at many deathbeds, 1 should; have ex- i pec-ted that, having committed a crime so horrible, Samuel Fleetwood would i have been afraid to meet his Maker. It is not so. Unless 1 have gathered a ' false impression from Lis utterances, 1 be goes to bis account in a calm, reliant spirit, weighed down by no fears of the ( judgment of the Eternal Lord. You J will find also in the packet I leave ' for you a sealed letter from the criminal which be must already have prepared before be gave himself up to hu- i man justice, and successfully concealed from those who searched him in prison. It is, be says, for your eyes alone, and 1 have faithfully carried out his most earnest, nay, his solemn desire, by inclosing it herewith. Heaven have mercy upon all sinners!" . < This letter led me .to expect that 1 should find twoinclosures in the packet. : There was, however, but one, the head- < ing of which was, "Copy of Samuel Fleetwood's Confession." The sealed < Jetter was missing! Had the clergyman forgotten to put it in the packet, or bad I dropped it on the lawn? No, not the latter, because the packet was firmly tied round with T Vin/1 trw nnf bAfnrp T XlUlIig, H1J1V1J JL uuu IV vuv could open it, tbe knot being fast. However, 1 went out and looked, but ?iid not find it. There was another possible explanation: that Mile. Rosalie lad extracted it, with the idea that it contained some information which jwould be of value to her. Should I go ,io her and accuse .her of the theft? No, at would be useless; she would deny it, . ?nd I f-hould be no better off. 1 decided, after a little reflection, to read /the confession first, and then to .hasten to the clergyman's house and ask him for the missing document. I should have gone immediately bad it not been .that I was too anxious to read Samuel Fleetwood's confession. It ran as follows: : "I, Samuel Fleetwood, lately and for many years in tbe service of Richard Pardon, Esq., being on the point of <leatb and knowing that I have but a few hours to live, hereby confess that I, and I alone, murdered my master's uncle, Mr. Wilmot, who had come to pay my master a visit at Boscombe l?odge. No person but I am implicated in the dreadful deed, no person urged me to do it, no person but I am responsible for it. "I can plead nothing in extenuation, i 3t must have been tbe devil wbo put the idea into my bead of murdering and robbiug ipy master's dear friend. "I awoke in tbe middle of the night .with the awful purpose .in my mind. 1 'A voice whispered to me: 'Kill him! He bas five thousand pounds in a dispatch boi. The box lies at tbe head of bis bed. Tbe key is in bis pocket. He 4s an infirm man aud the deed can be easily aud swiftly done. Then, take the money and fly ' "I will make no pretense to account for this devilish prompting. Mr. Wilmot bad done me 110 wrong. I was not laboring under any sense of injustice from bis bands, or from tbe bands of tbe kind master and mistress in whose service I was employed. I bad hitherto enjoyed a good character. My master was a sood master; rny mistress was the sweetest lady on earth. Cheerfully, bad I been asked, would I have lain down my life for her. All that I can advance is that there are times jn the lives of tbe best and noblest of men?which title I do not arrogate to myself?ti ben they are afflicted and cverconae Dy wicKeu ana aevmsn temptation. "He ]ay asleep in his bed. 3 had in my pocket a thin piece of whipcord. Without arousing hiin from his slumbers, I managed to put this cord round his neck. With all my strength I pulled it tight and sat upon his limbs to prevent him from rising. It was noon accomplished. The poor gentleman was dead. "I searched in his pockets for the key of bis dispatch box and found it. I unlocked the box, tock out the money, locked the box again and replaced the key in the dead gentleman's pocket. Then I observed a ring upon his tinger.* I drew it off, and with the money and ring in my possession I fled from the bouse in which I had been treated with unvarying kindness and consideration. 'I succeeded jr. escaping unobserved, and before noon I was at a sufficient distance from Sevenoaks to believe myself safe. But I knew that when the murder was discovered, and it was # iound tiiat I bad fled, tlie police would w ...\:'V. ... . .. -f> \ ymn | Pardonj fo =5ft= it. 5TANT1AL EVIDENCE. V/ """"" CO A.RJE03ST. * 35SS35SjSB51SSi5SBjiiSS5B55 ^ be after me. I was therefore Tory care- w r"1 *"*' mrtvainoTitR nml kent mvself ^ I Ui JXA JLUJ U1V?VUJV>-VJ r . ? concealed during the (lay, and walked itfrom place 10 place in the night. I managed 'to! get hold of a newspaper in which I read an account of the mnr- """ dor and a description of my personal Pi appearance. It was a long account and it told everything about the robbery v< of the money and the ring. This made m me fearful of keeping these about me, ra and being one night on a bridge I tied h.r them in a pocket handkerchief, to ni which I attached some heavy stones; 111 then I threw the treasure into the river. ta From that night I have 110 clear remembrance of what occurred. I suffered great hardships from hunger and at often thought that I should die. At *a length, my life being a torture too great to bear, I determined to go back to to Sevenoaks and give myself into the y( hands of justice. "For all my sins 1 crave Divine for- CI giveness. w "I crave for forgivesness also of my G1 master and of my dear mistress and her daughter for having brought this distress upon their home. w or (Signed). "SAMUEL FLEETWOOD." Straightforward and fatally incrim- st inating as this confession could rot al fail to be to the minds of strangers, it es satisfied me less than it had satisfied 1 the clergyman who had taken it down P1 from Samuel Fleetwood's dying lips. r Certainly that portion of it was false which referred to his drawing the ring off the finger of the dying man, and his w having thrown it into the river. The ^ riug was in my pocket, and, from the moment I found it there, had never left my possession. I had hoped that tl] at rest. J? the confession would have set my conscience at rest. It had not done so. My thoughts became presently centered upon the sealed letter which was missing'from.the packet. It was for my eyes alone, Samuel Fleetwood had SI declared. Doubtless the clergyman had ^ it. I would proceed to his house and *c it T ru/inM nrnooGil tft ftis hOUSe at W once, and ask him for it. ^ He was at Lome when I arrived, and w did not keep me waiting a moment. I explained the object of my visit. He ^ expressed surprise, and said he was positive he had placed the sealed letter in his pocket. "I have the most distinct remembrance," he said, "of putting it there. sc The unhappy man Ret such importance Ie upon its reaching your .hands without delay tbat I was more than ordinarily " careful. As you opened the packet it s| must have dropped out. Most likely ri you will find it in your house." ^ 1 did not prolong the interview. Re turning to my house, I made another si search, with tbe same result The m letter was nowhere to be found. I ^ passed tbf evening in a miserable ai frame of mind. Until that letter was in my possession I could know no is peace. I determined to make stiil an- S1 other search after all my household a1 had retired to rest. I did not see Mile. Rosalie, and 1 inferred that she was 111 in her room, making preparations for 111 her departure on the morrow. To my wife and daughter I said nothing of the ^ confession, determining 1o leave the al disclosure till the following day, in the *r hope tbat I should succeed in finding tbe missintr document. ? y< SJ CHAPTER XIII. Tt was 1 o'clock in the morning, and I was in my study alone. My last search for Samuel Fleetwood's sealed m letter had proved fruitless. I was in despair, and yet I knew not what I had to fear. Absorbed in distressful mldatation, I did not hear a soft knocking at my study door, which was locked, and it was not till it was repeated several times, as I was presently informed, that it reached my ears. "It Is my wife," I thought; "she is uneasy that I am not abed." I opened tie door and saw? w Mile. Rosalie! ti' Without asking permission, she glid- a< ed into the room. cc "How dare you," I cried, "intrude m upon me at *uch an hour?" re "Speak low," she said, "for your own fc sake. I have knocked at your door several times; you must have been st busily engaged nor to have heard me." ec Therp was an insolent calmness in hi her voice; but, troubled as I was, I ej st ook oft' the dread which it inspired, tl ' 'If you do not instantly leave the w rc nu," I said, "I -will call my -wife, and h< your shameless character shall be er- to posed" co "Call her/' said Mile. Rosalie, "and se find yourself in prison within an hour 01 charged with the murder of Mr. Wil- T. mot!" I sank speechless into my chair. Mile, nl Rosalie stepped softly to the door and K turned the key. "For your sake," she said; "your life is in my hands." I gazed at her in silence; she inclined her head as though I had asked a question and she was answering it. 0* "Yes." she said, "it depends unon me ? whether you meet your fate upon the t)< gallows. Not at all a pleasant idea!" ^ "Speak plainly," I managed to gasp, jj1 "I have come here to do so, nnd have * chosen this hour in order that we shall , not be disturbed. After your treat- ( ment of me I do not know why I should wish to save you; but it may be worth my while. Besides, my nature fc is merciful. I would return good for 1D evil." "Go on," I said, "straight to the point." rt "It is my intention. Will you not in- ** vite me to be seated?" _ "I will not." "Ah! you will soon change your tune. I gave you a packet this evening which hr I rppnivod fmty? o rloro-vinan." th * 'You did." 1 said, and feared to add ( at fiorn tins packet there was a icument missing which might be of lportance to rue. "When I received it," she continued, eith the injunction to deliver it into >ur hands- directly you came home, thought 1 would first see what it ntained." "You infamous woman!" "I advise you to be polite. Therere, 1 went to my room and opened Shall I tell you what it contained?" 1 "I am listening 1o you." "It is most considerate of you, seeing at your life hangs upon a thread 1 bicli it is in my power to cut. It } ntained a letter addressed to you by } e clergyman. 1 read it with great j terest. It contained also a copy of iinuei jvjeevwouu * i?ie.e J. cnoiviJ* read that with greater interest. It >ntained also a private letter to you , om Samuel Fleetwood. I read that ( ith even greater interest?indeed, , ith ?o much intereet that I retained } 11 c "You stole it, then?'' "If y,ou choose to put it in those ords I am agreeable. I stole it. Mr. ardon, you are not a young man; r >u must have experiences and ad- c sntures; you must know something of 1 en and life. I am younger than you? ? ucb, very much younger?but I have t id my experiences and adventures, i id I know something, too, of men and s "e. Just now. judging from your agition, I am the clearer-headed of the 70, and I tell you that never did men and in such fearful danger as you do s ; this moment. A disgraceful, an in- r mous grave is yawning wide for * )u, and I alone can lead you from it o i safe ground. But you shall buy 1: >ur safety upon my terms." t ** * * *? Kaw rr?/-vw/l c n I looked neipjessiy arouuu, UCl TYUIUO I V irried conviction with them. She r ilfully misconstrued my distracted ize. "1 know -why you are. looking about, ou are a strong man; I am a weak c oman. Have you any intention of * >mmitting a second murder? Do not ? itertain it, I beg; weak as I am, I c tall be able to defend myself till I T arm the house. Then no power on c irth can save you from your fr^e. 1 was speaking of Samuel Fleetwood's t Tvate letter, and I told you that I s ttained it. What is more, I made a >py of it. The original is put safely ,vay; it is in the hands of one who ill use it if the need occurs. Samuel a leetwood did not murder Mr. Wilmot, s it he saw the deed done." "He saw it done?" I gasped. "Who, !* ien, is the murderer?" "What a question! Who is the mur- p ?rer? You! You, and no other mat!" s "You lie!" I cried. "You lie!" "I speak the truth, and you know it. iimuel Fleetwood's confession is a *' ilse confession, made not so much to ? tve you as to save your wife and ^ aughter from indelible infamy. I dd you I had read the confession hich, of course, you have also done. fbat do you think of that part of it hich speaks of the cord with ' hich the unfortunate gentleman wa9 rangled? Do you know anything of iat cord? Could you produce it if )u were forced to do so?-' It did not seem to me that a human ;ing was speaking. The words I heard >emed to be uttered by some remorse ^ ss devil. s "So much for the cord," she said There is another part of the confeeon which must have puzzled you?the ng, with its remarkable diamond 'hat do you think of the descriptioc * imuel Fleetwood gives in his confeson of having taken it off the dead | an's finger? What do you think o( ! le description he gives? Shall I haz> .( - - ? j ' ; <! a guess, and declare tnat you, auu n 3 other man, knows where that ring at this moment? Shall I hazard a Liens, and declare that, if you wer? si t this moment seized and searched ! ti le ring which proclaims you thief anc | urderer would be discovered? Obligi I e With an answer to that." I ' She paused, obviously with the inten 011 of giving me time to reflect. Bui . 1 power of logical thought had passed JI om mc. All I could say was: a "I must know more. Have you witfc ni the copy of the private letter yov c ly you made?" ii "I have it with me." "Will you let me read it?" k "I brought it for you to read. Invito u e to be seated." "Be seated." She laughed, and made me a mocking c, >eisauce; then, seating herself, handed e the following document: . From Samuel Fleetwood, dead, It n Richard Pardon, Esq., living: ^ . To be continued. D Reported on the Cow. I When an animal is killed on the rail- ^ nys it is the duty of the nearest sta- D on master to make a report of thf a ?cident to headquarters, so that th? C1 unpany may be prepared "with a state ent of facjs in case of action. This port is made on specially prepared c< >rms, furnished by the company. 11 On one occasion a newly installed ation master found himself confront [ with the necessity of making out 0 s first report. Although it was a ne"w cperience, he described the cow and si le circurastar. ?es accurately and al> n ent well down to the last line, whet t( ? discovered that he had neglected 1> i question the owner of the deceased h w concerning one important point II lemed safe, however, for him to rely f( i his own judgment, and he did it n he line was headed: "Disposition ol q mains." Underneath he wrote with ^ 1 earnestness: "Kind and gentle."? y ansas City Journal. Helping the Speed of Sliipo. It is said that Professor Carlo del a ungo, of Spezzia, Italy, who is an in- 0 ructor at the Royal College, has patJ ? 1 * +Via onnO/1 11 llt?U a SCiieuie iui jjiuiuuiins i"cr oi-rt^v | ships by lubricating their sides. His Sl ?Iief is that by pumping air into the M ator around a vessel he can reduce ie density of the fluid, and thus lessen ic friction. Some tests have already >en mads with the system at Leg)rn, and Professor del Lungo says at tbey were entirely satisfactory. a ther experiments on a more extensive v" ale are to take place in England dur- 11 g the present month. While the invention can be applied p, all ships, the author of it says that ^ can be carried to a still higher de 11 ee of efficiency by modifications in ,c e form of the vessels.?Tribune ^ armer. ^ o After an absence of 150 years sharks f< tve again made their appearance in p Baltic. Household j' pattersE Pork Cake. A One pound pork chopped fine, orn fiound raisins, three cups sugar, twc :ups milk, three eggs, five cups flow ;wo teaspoons soiln, and spice to taste CItrcn Cake. ( One cup butter, two cups sugar, f Lree cups flour, three eggs, one pound * aisins, one-half pound citron, one cup ' nilk, one teaspoon cream tartar, oneia.'f teaspoon soda, all kinds of spice. Lemon Ice. i Dissolve one-half box of gelatine in me cup of cold water, add four cups ] )f boiling water anc> stir until entirely l Unsolved. Add the strained juice of six lemons and one and one-half cups | if sugar and freeze. EggrlegB Indian Pmltflng. ' Scald one and one-half quarts of nilk, mix three-fourths cup cornmeal. , .nr. lovrri. tohiocnnnn flonr. nnp-half \ e'aspoon salt, one cup molasses. Pour r calded milk over the mixture, stii j horoughly, then add one cup cukl milk ] md one cup raisins; bake two hours, tirring frequently the first hour. * i Apple Siow. Sift enough stewed apple through a j trainer to make one cup. Add as i tiuch powdered sugar as needed to weeten and then the unbeaten whites j f two eggs. The apple and egg should r ie beaten in a good sized tapering 1 owl. Beat twenty minutes with an ' gg beater, then serru at once, piled oughly on a glass dish. Stenmert Molasses I'nddiny. Cream one cup of butter, add one ' up of molasses and stir until smooth, hen add one cup of milk and mix well. , lift a level teaspoon of soda with three i ups 01 sinea pastry suur uuu iiiii. j vitli the first mixture, then add one i up of seeded raisins rolled in flour. < 'our into a buttered mold and steam 1 bree hours. Serve "with a liquid auce. j Rice Griddle Cakes. Press one cup of coooked rice through , . vegetable ricer or beat it up with a \ teel kitchen fork, add one beaten egg \ nd one and one-half cups of miik, 1 lift one and one-half teaspoonB of bak* t ng powder -with one cup of sifted wastry flour and a pinch of salt and * tir into the first mixture. If not thick nough add a little more flour cautious- * j until the mixture is thick enough 1 o bake on the griddle. Make small . akes, using but a tablespoon of the j atter for each cake. i Small Sate Cakes. * { Cream one-third cup of butter tvi111 y wo-thirds cup of light brown sugar, ( dd two eggs unbeaten, and then beat 11 together until very light. Add one- 1 alf cup of milk and one and threenarters cup of flour, sifted with three * >vel teaspoons of baking powder. Add I t level teaspoon cf cinnamon and a few ratings of nutmeg. Stir in last half po^nd of dates, stoned and cut in mall pieces. Pour the batter into mall buttered tins, filling them about svo-tbirds full and bake. Cover with white icing. MINTS Fori TOE riOUSEKEEPEreJ It is easy to arrange that the patch ball be covered by the table decoraons. When blankets grow thin they houid be darned with wool of the ame color. J Alcohol is especially good for cleauig glass globes, drinking tumblers t nd windows. ] Sheets and pillow cases should be ( arefully folded when dry, then the J oning is made easy. When linen is well looked after and < ept in thorough repair its time of c sefulness is considerably lengthened. Turpentine is not good for window J lass because it must be washed off , irefully or it will leave a sticky film. t Varnish stains on glass, tiling, mar'" Ant Mtilr -roith nlrnhnl I lUy ca.) V.UIUC VUk WUOliJ If r ild paint stains "will also yield, peraps even more readily than when tur- ( entine is used. a The footplate of a sewing machine, "1 hicb is the metal plate under the ' eedle, should be taken off occasion- c liy, so that the fluff which has ac- ? mnulated under it may be removed. a A small boy has discovered that old i jrks cut into cubes or bricks may be t se<l as building material for miniature I istles and fortresses. These cork 1 ricks do not look unlike some kinds f stone. ' ? Never throw a sheet away because it ?j liows signs of growing thin down tlie liddle. Cut it in two and turn sides t ) the middle. The selvages should c sewn together and the raw edges r eiitmed. r There seems to be a fad at present J u* almost everything old fashioned. nd garden plants have not escaped, lumps of tall hollyhocks against the tone foundations of a modern country ouso make it look more homelike. t When a house is closed for any length f time there is always a certain c mount of dampness about the loouis. *J wing to the fact that tliey have not . cen regularly :.ired. Stoves and any J, on fixtures are then sure to become ^ :>mewhat rusty in spots, ltub them -;tli kerosene and there will be no ouble. T I) Mi ml H?n'? Kilncl Dnp. Edward Griffiths, a well-I;nown [ort Hampton blind musician, ran gainst a milk-float tlie other day. and lion asked where his trained dog was t ot to have given liiin the warning j. ark. he remarked that his faithful p nide was now as blind as himself, y he animal, however, found him after ie sounding of a certain note on his ? uneertina. Griffiths is quite an adept e s the training of dogs to lead the blind. 5 ut he prefers his old one to lead him ^ n his daily pilgrimage around the * iwn. The pair of them are equally ^ ell kuowu in Leicester.?Loudou Mail. I . HIE GREAT DESTROYER ;o,vie startling facts about the vice of intemperance; i Wife's Story?Trial of the Hmliand Foi Cruelly to Her Hr.d Mis Three Sinai] Chlldreu?iootl the Kom Tiger Feeclf Oil, an<l Yet lb Alwnj-s Hungry. Six years ago I cw.t Joseph Kenna, Be was a good-looking young fellow }ften 1 watched hiru pass down the itrcet on Lis ice-wagou. Every night ue came to see me. Money was notb uk to him then. He was making $12 a tveek. He bought me everything. ] ivas happy. "Oh," I used to say to him, "you'rf 00 good to me; 1 don't deserve it. Al! [ can do is to love you." 1 did Jove him with my whole soul 1 thought of him all day. Such a flnt fellow he was! After a year be asked me to marrj iim. I was the happiest woman on th( East Side. I was proud of Joe. Sc we were married, and for a short time :hings went. well. One night Joe came home late. ] bought he acted queer. He kissed me His breath smelled of beer: My heari urned sick. I felt what was coming True enough, 1 knew there would be nc est for me after that. Joe didn't saj nuch, ond I didn't scold him. The next day he told me he was sorry. I forgave him. I hoped onc< nore. In a few nights he came ir igain. It was midnight. "Where's linner?" lie yelled. His eyes wer< jloodshot and fierce. I was sitting uj 'or him. "Here it is. Joe. dear," I said. H< ;lared at me and swore a terrible oath rhen he dashed ihe dishes on the floor [ began to cry. "Shut up!" he shouted 'I'll choke you." I trembled with fear. He fell on thai ounge there and dropped to sleep. H nade my heart bleed to look at him. Oh, It was terrible! The next morn ng he went away and never spoke t< ne. It "was tlie first time. After that it got worse. Little Jo< [vas born. His father cursed at bin ivhen he cried, and threatened to kil lim. He never came, iu t[U late ai light. All the neighbors were afraic )f him. They wanted to help me, bo: hey were scared. For tive years night after night h< ;anie home drunk. He would slap m< sometimes and strike the children. Bu [ loved him in spite of it all. Little Joe was five and Julia tw< rears old when baby was born. She's hirteen months old now. From thai ime Joe went from bad to worse. H< ost his position on the ice wagon. H( ;ave us nothing to eat. "I wish you were all dead," he woulc jrowl. How he got liquor, I don't know; bm jet it he did. One cold night there wa? 10 fire in the stove. I was freezing. J uformofi mv nnp simwl round the baby f<Ut/|,VM. ?v md Julia huddled.up near me on th< led. Little Joe came in. His Land! >vere red -with cold. "Mamma," he cried, "here's a quar er a big man gave me." His fathei stood in the doorway. He saw th< juarter. "Give it here," he growled. "I won't," answered little Joe, run ling to me. His father picked up n chair and hii lie hoy?111?? own son. The quartei oiled 011 the floor. The little felloe lid not move. "You've killed my darling!" I cried Jo muttered out an oath and slunk out always had a heavy whip. Witt his he beat me and his little ones iVlien they cried he laughed. Pooi ittle dears! When they heard hin 'oming their faces would go all wbit( md they would tremble all over. Joe's clothes got all ragged. H< lidn't care. Whisky was all he want ?d. At last I got sick. 1 had to li< lown. I was trying to sleep on tb< iofii, not a month ago, when in stag jercd Joe. "Get. up." he roared, and struck mi vitli the butt of his whip. I sbrunt tway. "Stop hittiujr my mamma," 1 leard little Joe cry. He turned urounc md threw the boy oil the floor. Tber le struck the baby and stumbled out lly body was all black and blue when ie'd hit me. 1 was sore all over. ] lugged the poor baby. It kept Iookinj it tlie door and screaming. .Too didn't come back that evening. I kissed the children and tried to keep iwakc, but my eyelids were too beavy -.ittle Joe was crying for something tc >at. My head was dizzy. There was lothing in the room. I was faint. 1 ried to nurse baby in vain. Then I tried to get up. I was toe veak and sore. I looked at the picture if the Virgin there and prayed. I could not see clearly. 1 put mj land over one eye. All was dark. Mj ;up was full, but 1 hoped for the chil Iren. I told them to be good and hon ist and to love their poor mamma. For five days I lay on the bed. The roor children cried for food. Joe canu n once. "For God's sake, dear," I said 'light the flre and give the bairns iomething to eat." He scowled at me ind brok? a rocking chair on the floor, did not see him asain. Finally a man from some society ame in. 1-Ie took me and cared foV the hildren. The next thing I knew 1 was n Bellevue. Joe has gone now. I am sorry for lim. He meant to kill me. He tried o, but that was because he was drunk. ?erhaps he'll reform and bo good after io gets out of jail. Perhaps he'll be glad to see his bc.v nd girls growing up. I am praying le will. I must support them till they Ft big somehow. If only my eyesight would come back o me. This is the way n New York daily taper winds up the trial of it man for ruelty to his wife and three small hildren: "Yet. who cares; the rum iger must be led."'?The National Adocate. Tewpfranro Note*. ? - <1.. i;iieeriuuies? j* im- un^m ..x.. he heart; "strong drink'' withers it. Given a sufficient motive, a drunkard an redeem himself, even when he is last middle ;igc-. The sale of beer has fallen ofl greatly n India of late, owing, says an official eport. to "the spread of temperance irinciples in the army." The Tlev. Harvey Wood tells Ocean Jruve (hat druukenness among the romen of America has increased fifty or cent, within a lew years. For progress along local option lines, Iliuois heads the list, with nearly 700 ion-drinking communities. Sir Frederick Treves is authority lor iie statement that the use nt' alcohol as steadily decreased in the medical rcfession during the last twenty-five ears. The statistics of beer consumption, rliich are available for only seven ountrit'S, show a total consumption of .(504.000.000 gallons annually. in r.?n lormnny consumed 1,7S3,000,000, 1lic "niled Kingdom. 1.501,000,000: the ?lifted States, ] ,404.000,000: Austria, 02.000.(100; France, 2SO.OOO.OOO: ilun :rv 3S.250.000. and Italy. G.750.000. , I THE SUNDAY SCHOOI . | INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENT? FOR SEPTEMBER 17. Subject: Daniel ia Babylon, Dan. 1., 8-2( ?Golden Text, ')?n. I.. 8 ? Meiuorj [ Verne*, 10-17 ? Commentary ou ih? , Day's Temperance Lesson. I. The temptation. These young men were confronted with a powerful 1 temptation. A desire to obey the king's ] | commandment, love of popularity, appetite, a desire to succeed?these were ] _ strong attractions. Tbey were slaves in a strange land, and was it not neces- J i sary to fall in with the customs of the j people? They were tempted (1) to de that which was degrad'ng; (2) to dlsobey the law of their God; (3) to deny \ [ their religions and God and fall in with idolatrous worship. 1 [ II. The temptation resisted (v. 8). ; 8. "Purposed in his heart." He de- , cided what he would do and then took j [ the wisest possible way to accomplish ! it. At first he made only a simple re- " I quest. It was not political strategy; I ! his actions were not planned to catch the eyes of the king. The first emotion ^ of his heart was loyalty to God; this led to his resolution. Daniel did not ] trifle with God or his conscience. They ^ ' ] changed his name, bnt could not I I change his nature. "Would not defile ? I .himself." The Hebrew who ate wim- t out restriction at Nebuchadnezzar's ; table could not but defile himself. ^ "Nor with the wine.'' He feared the . ' | degradation which would follow from J, ' 'wine drinking. "He requested." Ob- j ' serve the courtesy, and yet he was inflexible. "The prince," etc. Ashpenaa (v. 3), chief chamberlain. III. The ten days' rest (vs. 9-16). 9. "Into favor." Ashpenaz saw that Daniel was a young man of integrity and noble, loving character. His persou f , was beautiful and doubtless his man- j ners were attractive. The best way t< r please others is to please God first. 1U j "I fear?the king." He does not post j tively refuse the favor which Daniel \ } seeks. This appeal by Ashpenaz was j very persuasive; and while Daniel did j ; I not wish to imperil the life of bis ben- j efactor, yet he felt that it wag safe tc do right and that God would delivej ? [. them. ] . 11. "Melzar." This is not a propel j name, but should be read "the melzar." the chief butler, or# steward, the on? I who had charge of their food. 12 t - "Prove." Test us; experiment for, a i [ short time and w^tch the result. "GiV? us pulse." A vegetable diet, witi s water Instead of wine. c ' 13. "Then?deal with thy servants.'- i [ These wor4s were spoken with quiel I confidence as to the result. A numbei i i of other boys besides these four werf i . undergoing the same training. A fail ? test, to place these young abstainer* beside those who partook of the roya! i t banquets, and see which company pre : J sented the most vigorous appearand. f f 14. "Ten days." This would afford > ample time to show the effect of : steady, good food on their health. ? * Daniel had strong faith in God, and b? i felt sure that'he and his companions- . : would present the best appearance 15. "Fairer and -fatter." The complex- ' ion was healthier and clearer. God t maan* +hot it n mnn -would be intern* perote he ?bould himself proclaim it tc the world. The glutton, the drunkard, t the debauchee, carry the stamp of theii deeds upon their features. A depraved r character corrupts the flesh that carries it. IV. Honored by God and man (vs. 17-20). 17. "God gave them knowl- / i edge," etc. 1. Through the highest < physical condition, which made their i minds clears 2. By imparting it to j i them directly, a6 the visions recorded ? later. 3. By giving His blessing to J their daily studies, aiding their minds i J by His Spirit, opening wider doors tc - knowledge through His providence. 4 j J By keeping them from those vices, < from conceit and selfishness, which i distort the judgment and dim the per- ^ ceptlon of truth. Whatever we may ] > give to God of faith, or work, or trust, .i : or love, or zeal, He gives back again ? with large interest, good measure, j I pressed down and shaken together aftd 3 1 running over?ten, twenty, thirty, sixty ) . or an hundred fold, in whatever we 1 i need most from Him. "In all learn- ; [ ing." "In science, astronomy, litera- > ; tuie, philosophy, the Chaldeans stood ? at this time at the head of the world. They had the beginnings of chemistry ) and even of the telescope." "In all < . visions." etc. God gave a double por- ^ ) tion to Daniel. He was endued with a j i prophetical spirit, by which he was en- . [ abled to converse with God and to re- >1 ceive the notices of divine things in : > dreams and visions. Visions were rev- j i elations to the prophets when awake, j and dreams when asleep. God thus 1 made one of the despisedcovenant f people e-Upse the Chaldean sages in - the very science on which they most j - prided themselves. So Joseph, in the i court of Pharaoh (Gen. 40:5; 41:1-8). i i 18. "End of the day6." After three, > years (v. 5), the time fixed for their p , training. 19. "King communed." * ; Talked with them, tested- their prog- > t ress, learning and talents, He put , them through a test examination. - "Be- i fore the king." "To be his personal a advisers and among the. leading officers u ( of the kingdom. All officers and serv- :< ; ants stood when in die presence of the ? monarch." 20. "' "en times better." V Probably a high court of learning was held, at which the king presided and 5 the nobles and sages of the land as- r sisted. These proposed difficult qnes- n tions, which the youths readily an- 1; 1 swereil and wore in turn allowed <to i | put questions which the sages could ? I not answer. They were better coun- a I selors and better informed than the b others. Daniel continued in Influence ? and authority, at different times, dur- s ing the whole of the seventy years of captivity. It is commonly believed that when the captives returned lie remained in Chaldea. probably detained a by his employment in the Persian em- h pire, and that he died in Babylon. d Volcano In Xovaiin. Ilarry Wheeler, liobert McClnre and George Wheeler, cattlemen, of Hum* s I boldt. have discovered an active vol- t j en no in Nevada. It is ! elching forth v | molten Java and the action is accom- c panied by distinct rumblli)? vcises, aj>- o parently deep in the earlii. For n o quarter of a mile ur more tiie lava lias o luade its way, burning sage brusli and filling up crevices, li is in Kye Patch, Humboldt Couuty. not for from tlie Southern Pacific Railroad. i a Monev. Btjrner'f Dejith In Jail. | Harry Sherman, .seventy years old, I of Hanover. Pa., who died in the York County jail, whore he was awaiting ^ sentence for burglary, was once aj wcalttij, but squandered his fortune. ^ He was at one time in tlie habit of C( amusing his friends by using ?10 and $20 notes as cigar lighters. ^ a XO orovr ui?qi irern. Yhe United States Bureau of For- I] cctrv /}oplnTV>c thnf thrt hinr trooc nf * ?~ ? "* SI California may be greatly multiplied. w In a bulletin it is said the trees seed e, freely, but that the seeds rurely ger- ..j minate except Tvhen tbey fall -where 0, the ground ins recently been burned ti over. _ ... n, Q^CMiIe, _ IN LOVE WITH JESUS. ily heart to Thee I give for ij% 0 Jesus, sweetest, best: ? /hy heart to me give Thou, I pray, < 0 Jest#, loveliest. )ur hearts alone Thon dost reqtrire, Jur hearts alone Thou do3t desire; kfake me love Thee as Thou dost .me, U Jesus, fount of charity. ^hatfor Thy grace can I repay God, Who for me wast bornf iVhat for Thy love before Thee lay, Man who didst goffer scorn? 'Thy heart," Thou sayest, "give Me here',? rake Thou my heart, 0 Jesus dear, 4ake me love Thee as Thoo didst me, 0 Jesus, Fount of charity. ^or me Thy heart is opened wide, That I may entrance-find, ^nd there my ovm life' within it hide ;. And dose in union bind. ?hou, Jesus blest, by love possest, Tiyself- didst give, that I might live; lake me Joye Thee as Thou dost me, . 0 Jesus. Fount of charity. lere is the heart's true bulwark found, ' And here is ^est secure, 4 * ^nd here is love's most certain ground And here salvation sure. _ iu:. T> 1. ~ U L U Jo CiVll* XtUCH, UUL'C 1 Cii l> 1UI HUp knd in this heart's protecting wall, lay I confide, ma71, abide, 0 Jesue, Saviour glorified. -Latin hymn of the ninth centary tr&Mr lated by the Rev. R. F. LittLedale.. Tht Best Tenloa. " In a Bible class recently tbe teacbei vrs telling of tbe various translation] if tbe Bible and their different excejences. He spoke of Jerome's Vulgate >f Luther's 'Jerman Bible, of our cwi <ing James version, and ot the Re deed Version, and how it was onrite Dh& class was mucfl interested, me of tbe young men that evefrtnj eas talking to a friend "about it. "I think I prefer tbe King Jamet erslonformy part.'* be said, "though if course, the . Revised is more scboJ rly." . , His friend smiled. "I prefei my mother's translation ol he Bible myself to any othei-version,' i a cald "Your mother's?" cried' the firs oung mail, thinking his companioi lad suddenly gone crazj ''What dt ou mean. Fred?' "1 mean that my mother has trass atdti the Bible into the language of [aily life for me ever since I was.oW nough to understand It," said Fred She translates it .straight, too, am ;ives it full meaning. 'There has nevej leen any obscurity about her version ler everyday life is a translation ol Jod's Word that a child can read, ant] hat St. Jerome could not better. What vor printed version of the Bible I may tudy, rfjy mother's is always the on< Hat clears up my difficulties." Happ^.;the young man whose motor's life is such a transcript?a "living pislle. known and read of all men." The Perfect Man, Do not dai^e to live without some lear intention toward which youi Ht ng shall be bent. Mean to be somei bing with all your might. Do V01 dd act to act and day to day in per ect thoughtlessness," "netver nskinjcS ourself whither the growing time ?ading. But at the same time, do n<jfl are to be so absorbed in your otvitB fe, so wrapped up in listening to onnd of your own hurrying, wheelsH bat all this vast pathetic music madtfl p of the mingled joy and sorrow ?? our fellowmen, shall not find out yqntB eart and claim it, and make yoq reS rice to give yourself np for them J Jid yet, all the while keep the upwarcfl rindows open. Do not dare to 'thinkH sat a child of God can worthily wcrkfl ut his career or. worthily serve God'sM ther children unless bo does both juH if. love and fear of God their Father* sure that ambition and charity wilB oth grow mean unless they are botlfl ispired and exalted by, religion. EnS rgj, love and faitn-rthese make th?fl prfeet man. And Christ, who is ~tl^| erfectness of ail of them, gives then? 11 three to any young man who. at tb?H ery outset of bis life, gives hlmsellH > Him. It there is any young mai? ho generously .wants to live a Whole? fe, wants to complete himself o>? very side, to him Christ the Lor?? rands ready to give these three?en? rgy. love and faith?and to train then? i him altogether till they make bin? tie perfect man.?Phillips Brooks H Power of tlie Peraonal Touch. Jfl I am not sure t)ut that we are mor? i need of those who can talk about re? gion than of those who can preael? bout it.?James Stalker. . H God's business is. not to. be don? rholesale. Christ's latest utterance? rere delivered to congregations of o?^| r two.?Dwight Ij. Moody. ? The longer I live the more I valu^B hose sermons where one man is <tta? sinister and oiie man is the congregs? ion; where there can be no doubt a?| a who is meant when the preacbe^E ays: "Thou art the man." ? Henr;?| Vard Beecher. H If the kingdom if ever to come t^l ur Lord?and conic it will?it neve? /ill *ome through a few ministers? missionaries or evangelists preacbin^J be gospel. It must come throug^B very one of you preaching it?in th|H hop and by the fireside, when walkin^B broad and when sitting in the cban^B er. You must all of you be alway? ndeavoriuf ?o "save some." -Charle?^ lourgeoa, Holy Simplicity of Mind. Efl Maintain a holy simplicity of min^J nA do not smotiler yourself with ost of cares, wishes or longings, ui?| er any pretext. Francis de Sales. . Xo Brrren Soil. H God has placed no being in a bari'^H oil. no one where lie may thi^f be elements of immortal Ufe, noi^fl rhere, through perfect fldfeflty to onditions. its Too;" reac^H ut to <>n)brace the earth, fird spmi^B ut branches and leaves to heal ai^H vershadow jt.?N. A. Staple*. 9fl Joy in it Sroacnce. Joy dut-s not hirpen. It is tde ine'^B table result of certain lines follow^H lii(l laws ooeyeu, hjiu mj h iu.?wi haracter.?Maltbie D. HiVoct. Mere Airbrake Freight Cars. [J The Interstate Commerce Commi(^B on is about to take steps to requir^J 1 railroads engaged in interstate cou^H leree to increase the minimum pei^H ?ntage of airbrakes used on freigfc^H ains to as great an extent as cond^H ons of equipment will permit. )muiission has become impresse^H ith the danger attending the oper^H on of freight trains in which an ii^H ifficient number of cars are equipp^M ith air brakes under control of tii^J lgineer. Recent accidents caused bH| Duckling" of freight trains have den^H astrated that such trains are not a^H tally under the control of the ^??? -