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lewis m. grist, proprietor, j A? independent <J!amilg |1eiuspaper: ,^o( the $romotion of the folitical, Social, Agricultural and Commercial interests of the ?outh. | terms?$2.00 a year in advance. VOL. 39. YOEKVILLE, S. C? WEDNESDAY. .J'THSTE , 1893. IsTO. 2(>. IIBM01 BY HOWAB [Copyrighted, 1W?, l?v P. Apploton A ( with tl SYNOPSIS. Chapters I and II.?Henry Bruce, a wealthy ranchninn in Texas, loses his horse while on a hunting trip and after rough experiences trying to ford rapids in Colorado river is helped across in a rowboat by a native nymph. Miss Cvn- ! thia Dallas'. Chapters III and IV?Cynthia guides the stranger to her father's ranch, where he finds a truo western welcome. Bruce and Cynthia meet causually and take a ?. morning stroll. Chapters V and VI.?Brace's partner in the Mesquite valley ranch, Phil Ker"iilno ill uoilrull llf tllP lost lllllltPr. ing birds the glad days came and went From twilight to twilight the sun smiled benignly down from out the cloudless blue, and the earth, tropical with flowers and verdure, accepted gratefully his benediction. It was early in May. The year's resurrection was complete. The prairie dogs bestirred themselves merrily about their noisy housekeeping and | chid the jocund season with their shrill clamor. And even the dismal violin j playing of the elder Dallas seemed to thrill at times with accents of joy. One day, as if in answer to the o'd man's invocation, the "Dallas range" | awoke to life and animation. Troops of cattle thundered through the little valley, driven on by bands of horsemen, and converging upon a large pen at us upper end. The air was full of the cries of lowing kine, the bleating of calves and the shouts of pursuing cowboys. The plain was picturesque with the evolutions of the outriders, goading the terror stricken bands and throwing the unerring lasso. The advance guard of the "spring roundups" had reached the dwelling of the elder Dallas. The busi- ; ^ ness of branding calves and "cutting out" the various owners' property had begun. In haste the aged cattle owner discarded his fiddle, resumed his knee boots, and mounting his sturdy cow pony joined the boisterous cavalcade. But the days passed drearily for Cynthia* She took no interest in the varied features of +he roundup. The bursts of speed between the rival horsemen, the exciting chase of some refractory steer, ! the skillful cast of the sinuous lariat, J the shock and triumph of each sharp en- ! counter?scenes familiar to her indeed, and in which she herself, mounted upon her fleet little cow pony, had often formed a conspicuous figure, compelling the admiration of these centaurs of the rein?these she witnessed with a listless j eye or did not regard at all. And if the exciting chase interested her not, cer- j tainly still less the more prosaic details of throwing and branding the unfortunate calves, the cries of the tortured cattle and the enumerating of the year's increase. In all of these interesting particulars the elder Dallas manifested a keen delight, exhibiting a skill in horsemanship I that those who were familiar with his usual rheumatic mode of progression conld scarcely credit. He brought home with him to dinner at odd times certain : of the "likeliest" of his companionslarge limbed, deep chested sons of the saddle?introducing them to his charming daughter with a paternal flourish and hopeful manner that gave place to a mystified wonder when he noted the apathy of Cynthia's greeting. He had anticipated no small degree of gratitude ? for the opportunity thus afforded of displaying her fascinations and had congratulated himself in advance upon the havoc she would accomplish in a com- > in unity where the very scarcity of the fair sex makes their advances irresistible. But all these air castles of the elder ' uauas were uooiueu to speeuy over- | throw. To one and all Cynthia preserved ,< a consistent attitude of calm indif^f" ence. The meal progressed in gp*^ S1" lence. The infrequent convers** 11 no lighter topic than the inci^11*3 the roundup, and when at itp^036^ the admiring Alcides sugc#^^: "^e ight bring out yer burf? shake it up for the bovs >fittle. Show 'em jes' natch'allyJs 1* a stunner ye are at pickin this accomplished performer polled with an excuse or instantwScaped to the seclusion of her own xifttlo room, whereupon the embarrassed cowmen were compelled to endure an onslaught upon the violin that should have caused the embowering live oaks to rise and mutiny. But Cynthia went her way and followed the dictates of her singular humor. Aulus and the fawn usually accompanied her in these lonely wanderings. Sometimes her listless footsteps sought i the piny shelter of her bower, where, swinging in her little hammock, she i noccarl 1 rmcr lmnra cfar>nrul in fVm ornmof. ic odors of the woods, watching the 6oft play of sunlight in the boughs above, her fancy captive and her thoughts ftdream. What secret she whispered in the ear of the sagacious hound that lay at her feet, with his devoted eyes fixed ever upon her face, what thoughts of hers may have been detected by the antelope that drowsed away the long hours thus consecrated to her woodland reveries, have never been divulged by these most worthy confidants. And if the grave pines that bent so reverently about their little devotee di vined aught of her disquietude tliey only grew the graver for the knowledge and dropped a cone now and then in their still depths? a woodland tear of sympathy. And at t such moments the river far below lifted a soft consolatory murmur that stole upon her silent musing. For I fear our little Cynthia was but learning the story which, if we are to believe the poets, the vast panorama of nature has been telling "since first the flight of years began." A sudden loneliness had come upon her in the midst of her pastimes and occupations. A strange voice whispered in her heart. The things which satisfied once had lost their charm somehow; the tones of her banjo were harsh and discordant: the fawn had less of grace; even her beloved Anlus was often stupid and unsatisfying. At times the preoccupied Miss Dallas turned her footsteps in quite another direction. She developed a fascination for a certain ledge of rocks upon the crest of a western divide. It was a bare, uninteresting spot, without shade or shelter, and, but for the prospect it afforded of the valley on either side, a poor place oprtainlv to nass one's time. Yet Cvii thia was much given to haunting this locality. A superficial observer might have surmised that she sought this lofty post of observation tlio more closely to note the varied maneuvers of the roundup in the plain below, but unfortunately for this theory the back of the fair observer was invariably turned upon this animated spectacle. Who shall say what disappointments were hers, thus occupied in spying out tho land? Who shall say how many times this self appointed Sister Anne loheld the cloud of dust upon the distant horizon disclose not the expected horsemen, accompanied by his wife, and Edith Stafford, an eastern bcllo visiting at the ranch, J who assumes to hold a claim in the atTee- | tions of Bruce. The party surprises Bruce | and Cynthia in the nymph's bower. Cyn- j thia tiuds that Bruce is dear to her, and she becomes jealous of Edith. Brueo [ promises to escort Cynthia to a "roundup" DUU U) UU glVOIl Iliiu a. Chapter VII.?Edith hears ot the i coining hall and insists that Bruce shall be her escort and break his engagement to escort Cynthia. CHAPTER VIII The gracious springtime lingered lovingly in tho valley of the Colorado. Nowhere had its advent been more welcome, nowhere more apparent its trans- j forming changes. Amid weeks of bril- , liant snulight and odorous breezes and fnnafnl irrmrnvisinP'of mfttinemock- ' mmmi ? - ? ID SEELY. '<?. Published by special arrangements ieni.] but the invariable liock of sheep, or how many times some roving mustang raised a tumultuous nutter in tnat nttio Dreasi that not a whole caballada of his wild eyed comrades might have caused by the maddest of their onsets? Yet even in this hopeless reconnoitering the days sped on and on, and the anticipated horseman never came. 1'ct even in this hopeless rcconiwlterlng the days sped on and on. I must not omit to mention a certain formality in dress which Miss Dallas began to affect about this time. It was in the direction of long trains and trailing habits. There was much mysterious rehearsal in the seclusion of her little room, a disposition to gather her skirts in one gloved hand and tiptoe about, avoiding intermediate objects with an acquired daintiness and grace. There were certain fastidious airs of manner which were deftly caught and quite as faithfully rehearsed in private. During " _ a; tnese ceremonies a Bman numg wiup, formerly presented to Cynthia by Mr. Buck Jerrold, was generally curried lightly in the right hand. A swift canter over the adjacent hills, attended by the same scrutiny of the remote horizon, invariably followed this painstaking performance. Such mysterious behavior was not without provoking the comment of other members of the household. "I should reckon yo' was practicin fo' the tight rope, wi' all yo' airs and graces, Mis' Cynthy," the ebony Amelia remonstrated. "Is there any private theatricals goin to come off down at San Marcus?" inquired the mystified Alcides, having through the open door caught a glimpse of his daughter attitudinizing. "I diiln't know, from thet thar high steppin, but you war posin fur the stony hearted princess thet refuses the poor but deservin young man in the play." To all this ingenious badinage Miss Dallas preserved an attitude of disdainful reticence, but she was manifestly unhappy and ill at ease. That joyous, light hearted gayety which once possessed her had taken wings. She sang no more, where once her glad voice challenged the mocking bird. She was as capricious as an April day. Peevish and fretful with her father for the most part, there were intervals of sudden tenderness when she overwhelmed him with kisses and caresses. Possibly at such moments a certain absent individual was ever present to her fancy whose name she never suffered to pass her lips. Philosophers aver that in matters of the heart there is a species of cold comfort in thus lavishing the affections by proxy. During this unsatisfactory period Cynthia's treatment of Mr. Buck Jerrold was most remarkable. This gentleman had hppn wont to visit her often, to pass hours in her society, to sit quietly by her side silent and thoughtful, smoking his pipe and noting her every word or action with areverence and admiration that was little short of worship. Formerly Miss Dallas had permitted this oppressive homage as if hers by a species of divine right, had laughed and chatted with him pleasantly, accepted his little gifts and keepsakes gratefully, sent him upon her errands with the air of conferring a vor and exerted her many fascinations in a way known only to tho se^All this had been most agreeable to Jerrold. With evident satisfaction ho basked in the sunshine of her favor. But a change came suddenly about. With the advent of the spring roundups came more free aent visits on the part of that gentleman and a strange waywardness in Cynthia* reception. She greeted him with parked embarrassment and restrict Tho former silence of his many*er was now eclipsed by her own taciturnity. Jerrold was often astounded at his eloquence in his efforts to entertain her, but Cynthia was at all times absent and distraught, and appeared to be haunted by a nervous dread that Mr. Jerrold was about to say something which it would give her great pain to hear. Upon the slightest pretext she would escape him and bury herself amid the solitudes of tho sympathetic pines. Here that strange trouble which made her heart ache would occasionally overflow her eyes, and there were tears shed in tho dim woods as little bidden as understood ?tears which the pines bemoaned and tho bluebirds and squirrels held sacred, Tr.V>io>, cnmoVinw Virrmcrht: thn linllll of relief to her who shed them. I do not think through it all that Miss Dallas was really conscious of being in love, only in a general way that she was bereaved and disappointed. The occurrences of the past few months had com to her in the light of r. revelation. She was suddenly aware of the existence of some one who possessed for her a peculiar sympathy; whose words awoke a responsive echo in her heart?some one immeasurably superior to the rough men bho usually encounten d. She could not explain the strange claim this hitherto unrealized being had upon her. She only knew thut it existed; that she longed for its influence; that she grieved when itwas denied. And thero was associated with this feeling, as there always is, one of pique and injury for the apparent neglect which .' he had suffered. How much this state of mind was alleviated when the obliging sheriff put into her hands the gui ;ar sent by Henry Bruce it is impossible to say. Certain it is that never instrument was the recipient of more tender treatment. Sh adorned it with ribbons, earned it about with her constantly and practiced assiduously upon it. About this time th > elder Dallas, recognizing a formidable rival, abandoned his own exertions upon the violin. He viewed the advent of the guitar with suspicion and commented upon it with cynicism. Apparently Inrecognized in the soft harmonies Cynthia's deft fingers struck front the strings a dangerous ally to sentiment. Alcides. as we have seen, was a foe to romance. "Yg wanter look out, Cyntliy, fur the poetry and nonsense thet thar tarnnl thing'll fill you chuck full of, ef ye once turn it loose on yer unguarded feelin'sj" he said gravely, surprising her once playing upcrt it with eyes that were wistful and far away. "It's a destroyer of the appetite, and gener'ly plumb full o' ousatisfactormess, oesiowmga giance upon the glistening strings that was full of foreboding. "I knew a girl once thet was thet led away by 0:10 of them jinglin critters thet she didn't donothin else but play an lie round, a-longin and a-yearnin, until by and by the sallow faced critter got herself clean bewitched. lie" family and friends could do notliin with her. She wouldn't eat nothin. Amlfin'ly she went into a gallopin consumption, and they buried her one very damp day in the arly spring." But in spite of this terrible example of the fascim tion of guitar playing Cynthia still jiersisted in her practicing. She endured with cheerfulness the sore fingers, tired wrists and other annoyances which this exacting instrument imposes upon its devotees. And she received no I end of encouragement in other ways. ' The mocking birds which fled aghast ! from tho shrieking violin sometimes favored her with imitative outbursts? that sincerest form of flattery. Perched on some tossing spray or flickering here and there in their odd "half mourning," | they produced snatches of her waltzes and fandangoes. There was a certain sentimental lizard with a speculative eye that would bask daily upon a sunny rock, i and from his rapt demeanor during her i performance was apparently enabled to obtain glimpses of tho infinite, hitherto : denied. And Aulus sympathized and } lent his quiet and dignified approval. And the fawn wa3 soothed into a dreamy lan1 guor that was fast becoming habitual So the days passed, and Cynthia.'s heart ! found much of consolation, and Mr. Buck Jerrold wondered at the change in liis dulcinea and had long conferences with the mystified Alcides, who was an- j noyed and fretful and made mysterious reference to the prevalence of malaria and the existence of "dumb ager"?tho inference being that his lovely daughter was suffering from tho maladies of a forward spring, until one day Mr. Jerrold surprised the old man with this query: "Ye don't reckon, then, thet the visit 1 of thet thar Henry Bruce hez hed anythin to do with this yer chango? It's my opinion thet's what's dono it." "Why, he wa' n't here more'n two days at tho furthest," remonstrated the father, staring at his questioner. "Thet's all right," returned Jerrold i meditatively, "but it don't take any great length of tiino with the proper person. I've bean told thar's been cases : where it was only a word or a look thet done tho biz'ness. Purvided thet's tho true state of the case," he added, stretching his huge limbs awkwardly, while a weary look crept suddenly into his eyes, : "purvided thet's it, and ho proves himself to boa better man nur I am, Cynthy must take her ch'ice. I lievn't got notliin ag'in him. He's a squaro sort of chap, J and a man ez is a man can stand bein beat by a straightforrard feller who is better fixed and better favored." Then came a letter from Henry Bruce to Cynthia, couched in delicate terms, wherein ho expressed regret that ho was unable to act as her escort to tho coming ball at San Marcus, but that courtesy necessitated that ho should accompany Miss Stafford. Cynthia perused this missive calmly, wept over it in private i and then acted with the perverseness of womankind. She did not change her attitude toward the deserving Mr. Jerrold. ! but she sat down and indited a long epistlo'to the neglectful and dangerous Captain Foraker, in which she reproached that gentleman for his lqng absence from her side, represented herself as languishj ing from lack of his attentions and in quired if he could spare time from his engrossing military duties to take her to the coming festivity, i And Captain Foraker, vafti, critical and complacent, read this letter carefully over his after dinner cigar, smiled superciliously, adjusted his officer's cap rakishly over his distracting curls, and i mounting his horse rodo over from the nost and passed tho afternoon with Cyn, rhia. That ho was received with a cordiality ho had no reason nor right to expect; that Cynthia flirted with him desperately and in a manner calculated to strike I despair into the heart of Buck Jerrold, i and that tho irate Alcides was moved ! several times in tho course of that event* I ful afternoon to cast longing glances in the direction of the "Silent Mary" may be readily imagined by the reader who has remarked the inconsistency of woman when dominated by pique. ! Small wonder that Captain Foraker | promised to go to the ball; that ho lis| tened cheerfully to Cynthia's plan to 1 visit Miss Bertha Maverick, tho fascinat! ing daughter of the villago blacksmith, and agreed to call for her at that lady's home on tho evening in question, and that ho rode back to his quarters with a self satisfied smile upon his supercilious features, curling his gray mustache and otherwise pluming himself upon the triumphc of the afternoon. That after his , departure Cynthia dismissed him utterly i from his mind, and that she hated Miss ' Stafford cordially and was conscious in her heart of hearts that Henry Bruce j was more fascinating than ever?are facts that will readily occur to her appreciative and discriminating sex, to whoso tender sympathies her present emotions are intrusted. CHAPTER IX. For weeks it had been apparent at San Marcus that a social event of unusual importance was impending. For weeks j a flutter of expectancy had disquieted I tho feminino heart, displaying itself in i animated gossip upon the street corners, in nti nlnrmintr tendency to induliro in afternoon calls and a reckless patronage of seamstress and milliner. There was I much promenading in the single business street of the little village, indulged in so aimlessly as to givo the observer the general impression of a rehearsal. But it was apparent that feminine curiosity culminated at tho river, whither, over the level plain, tho thoroughfare of San Marcus .ed, and to which locality the footsteps of the fair daughters were most persistently directed. Foremost among these lovely pedestrians was Miss Bertha Maverick, with an eye like the flash of a bayonet and a profile decidedly aquiline. She could bo seen on any pleasant afternoon, defying the admiration of the baffled sun with a parasol of pale pink and leading on, as it were, by this oriflammo of sentiment, the thronging cohorts of Texan coquetry. Three days of aimless pilgrimaging on the part of the San Marcus maidens, and all at once was seen tho method of this vernal madness. Occasional horsemen began to be met with 011 the dusty highway. By degrees the number of those was augmented to mounted squads and groups, until at last their proportions reached those of a generous cavalcade. Of course this irruption of eligible manhood was the occasion of much indiscriminate flirtation, and there were many glances given and exchanged that boded ill for the future peace of mind of tho parties concerned. Mischievous eyes challenged observation beneath dainty bonnets, and the tilted sunshade was eloquent of the warfare of Cupid. Need it be said that bronzed and bearded faces accepted these overtures with more than equal frankness, that the fluttering handkerchief in every instance received tho recognition of the raised sombrero, and that everywhere along this dangerously active highway there was a disposition on tho part of , either sex to halt frequently and look back? But once in town, these amorous advances of tho sterner sex gave rise to reckless outlay of capital and a remarkable solicitude in matter of dress. Tho barber was put into requisition, and the demand for "b'iled shirts" and "storo clothes" threatened to exceed tho limited supply of those articles. Meanwhile notes in very erratic handwriting were constantly flying about. Mr. Lariat, in conformance with a custom as absurd as unnecessary, was giving Miss Lone Star preliminary notice that he contemplated the pleasure of calling upon her, and the latter lady was responding that she would take pleasure in being at home in anticipation of that gratifying event. And so feminine vanity was flattered on tho one hand and tho manly breast disquieted for some days to come on the other by these rare opportunities for visiting, tho dearth of womanhood upon tho frontier rendering young manhood practically defenseless. And to facilitato this dangerous state of things the event of the ball approached, at which music and tho dance?those destroyers of philosophy?wcro to finish | matters and put the coup do grace to the general infatuation. Through tho foresight of Bruce and I Kernochan, the best room in the Half SC0111CU IU UUl'Ultril <1 yviiuai Luiiiiiigin tion. Mr. Ulysses Magindy himself was at present going about tho building and lighting these candles with a long pole, attended by a gang of small boys who restrained their uncomplimentary epithets in view of tho coming festivity. And scarcely had the last elevated dip commenced to contribute its greasy droppings to tho gratuitous shower that rained everywhere upon tho ballroom floor, when with laughter and merriment the guests began to arrive and take up their positions on tho hard wooden benches that were ranged at either end of the room. <hc teas accompanied by an elderly man, Of course an occasion so celebrated as f his crowning event of tho frontier sea son had attracted the widely scattered beauty of the region. Miss Cordelia I)elancey, tho "Wild Roso of San Saba,'' tho perfume of whoso attractions had been blown abroad by tho prairie breez' i as far east as San Marcus, was present to blossom anew and to excite even more fragrant fancies in the minds of her poetic admirers. Miss Flo' Brooks, clear eyed and bewitching, held out alluringly tho fascinations of her native town of Paint Rock. There were other humbler importations against whose staid medii ocrity these celebrated beauties flashed But I must mention 0110 incident of this afternoon walk. They had reached a point about half way between tho hotel and tho river when a familiar voice caused Bruce to raise his eyes. Cynthia stood before him. looking very pretty ' and engaging from tho becoming depths of a quaint poke bonnet. She was accompanied by an elderly man in the dress of an officer. Ho was nonchalantly puffing a cigar. Miss Bertha Maverick, | escorted by a cowman of athletic build and awkward gait, was just behind her. A quick color mounted to Cynthia's j cheek, and she bowed hurriedly to Bruce as she raised her eyes with a smilo : of coquetry to tho man at her side. A Way House had been engaged in ad- j vanco for Kate and Edith. For them selves the gentlemen accepted with good humor such primitive quarters as opportunity afforded. On the morning of the eventful daj they drove down to San Marcus in a light conveyance, reaching the little hostelry in time for dinner. Hero they registered in the small blank j book which answered for tho usual hotel register, and Miss Stafford noted with some merriment that an entry made by Phil Kernochan on Christmas day, two years previous, occurred only four pages back. Hero that lady's patrician nostrils wero saluted wun tuo ouor or Kerosene and frontier cookery, and after enduring tho stuffy atmosphere and rheumatic appointments of her bedroom she camo ' down to dinner with an amusement very similar to that with which luxurious peoplo enter upon tho enjoyment of a j picnic. Doubtless by tho timo sho had dis- , cussed this remarkable meal, eaten amid promiscuous society and overseered by ! the officious proprietor?who kept up a running fire of conversation with the , myrmidons of tho kitchen through a long slit in tho wainscot, and dealt his plates ( and appetizing dishes over the beads of his guests with great recklessness and liberality?tho novelty of Texan hotel lifo began to pall somewhat upon the young lady. I cannot say that Edith's appetite was improved, either by tho panoramic view of hotel cookery tho wainscot afforded, or by the gentleman opposite, who ate molasses on his pio and supplied a very ! wide mouth with a very largo knife, , and a general suggestion that the unnatural size of this aperture was duo to tho hazard attending tho experiment. Howbeit, tho meal was endured, and perhaps in dread of dyspeptic retribution Miss Stafford proposed to Henry Bruco to take her for a short stroll through tho , town. To this tho gentleman readily j assented, and passing tho long lino of vicious and kicking saddlo horses tethered in front of tho hotel they joined tho animated procession of strollers that idled through tho main street of San i Marcus. I leavo to tho imagination how much attention the fair northerner attracted, what admiring glances from under broad sombreros wero cast after her erect figure and graceful carriage, and with | what envious whispers of detraction the belles of tho villago remarked tho faultlessness of her fashionable walking dress. ! rapid mterciiango or nostuiues passed between the ladies in a discriminating survey of one another's costumes, which was more expressive than words. Miss Bertha Maverick, with supercilious eye; lids and defiant nestrils, re-enforced her i less aggressive companion. Bruce, who 1 was about to speak, noting at onco the t armed neutrality of all parties, raised ! his hat and passed on, but as he did so, he heard Miss Bertha Maverick remark I in a high, metallic voice: "Thet's the stuckup piece you was tell in mo about?eh. Cynthia? Well, cf 1 j reckoned I was so powerful fuaoluutin, 1 j wouldn't let every ono know it when ; ever I met 'em. The airs and graces of 1 thet fast-colored bruuetto is enough to i natch'ally paralyzo an 8-day kitchen j clock." With the first shadows of evening public curiosity began to bo attracted in the direction of a long, low structure, whose spacious outlines and shutterless windows showed black against the lightei sky. The building had been reared in tho interests of Erin by a prosperous Hibernian, who rejoiced in the classic name of Ulysses Magiiuly and consecrated his architectural efforts and poetic memories under the title of "Tara's hall," but tho cynical Texan youth were wanting in reverence for Ireland's legendary past. "Tarrier's hall" was the popular renderj ing of Mr. Magindy's poetic christening. Actuated by the same spirit of skepticism they pelted tho edifice with mud and stones, and sent vagrant tomato cans on voyages of discovery through its ancient litrhts. Externally it was apathetic i diagram of its owner's highly lacerated feelings. But there were occasions when the importance of Turner's hall impressed itself even upon this derisive public. During political meetings, religions revivals and temperance crusades the hand of the vandal was staid. Among such intervals of immunity was tho present. Tho very rabble that had been most active in bombardment now bestowed themselves in attempted renovation and repair. The spacious auditorium was swept and aired, the relics of barbarism wero removed, tho drafts from tho windows effectually sealed by tho intervention of cardboard, bits of carpet and cast offhats, and even tho redeeming touches of putty and varnish wero hero nnd thero attempted. And when feminine taste was added to the rude lmt practical efforts of men it was wonderful to noto tho transforming change?to seo how tho ravages of time and abuso yielded to a little well bestowed decoration. On this occasion the San Marcus maidens had employed tho garniture of hemlock boughs and gayly colored muslin with telling effect, and .tho tallow candles perched everywhere -l A. ii?i? ? ? as against a somber background. The local honors were sustained by Miss Ber tha Maverick and Miss Cynthia Dallas. But public interest in the San Marcus ball was better shown in the attendance of the men. There was a generous sprinkling of frontier celebrities. Mr Joe Treddlc was 011 hand, generously disguised in liquor, having accomplished the great feat in riding from San Marcus to San Saba on his bicycle?a distance of over 1200 miles?and finding it necessary to stimulate freely to overcome fatigue after tho exploit. "Kickapoo Dick" lent the occasion his frontier playfulness and humor. Mr. Josh Blunt was present, the truculent but unswerving satellite of Miss Flo' Brooks. Captain Jack Foraker, conspicuous among the bearded cowboys for his military bearing and complacent curling of his gray mustache, was devoted to Cynthia, but generally observant of the fair ones, as if he were under the im pression that he was giving the ladies a treat. And the elder Dallas, morbidly alive to the fact that Foraker was his daughter's escort, had placed the "Silent Mary" and Ins violin in his shaky carryall. driven down to Sun Marcus and put in an early appearance ou the scene of action. Stowing tho heavy goose gun carefully away behind the ballroom door, so that it might be available in case of emergency, he entered "Terrier's hall" with his trusty fiddle in a green baize bag beneath his arm and an eye biliously observant of tho festive scene. Not that he really had any intention of playing at the fete, but that, in his nervous anxiety, he took it along with him from a sense of loneliness and sympathy and perhaps, too, from force of habit. A certain aged violinist, renowned on the frontier for his music and erratic evolutions upon the floor whilo playing, had already opened tho ball. The waltz tortured by cowboy enthusiasts into something between a cancun and a Dutch "spiel," was exciting the laughter of Edith Stafford and Henry Bruce. "You see some strange steps here," remarked that gentleman to Judge Natchez, who was present. "At least they striko me as strange from their novelty, but 1 suppose you have become used to them." "Not at all." replied his honor, smiling ?the gentleman was descended from one of the first families of Virginia? "not at all, sir; I have passed a good 2C years on tho frontier, but there are soni" steps taken hero tonight which I think I can safely say I never expect to get used to." "Ab uno disce omnia," and 1 say no more about tho grotesque evolutions cut that night by slippered and booted feet. If Miss Stafford laughed, it was guardedly, for she feared to give offense, and whenever she could she disguised the cause of her merriment by gluncing at the fiddler, who collided with the dancers and moved about the ballroom like a musical rocket. But atone time gravity was out of the question. It was when Alcides Dallas? who had stood aloof in a corner of the room regarding tho proceedings with i malevolence and ill favor?all at once selected a large chair, and placing it gravely in tho center of tho floor seated him self with a deliberation that was unmistakable. Hero he removed his violin from the green baize bag, and without stopping to tune it entered into hearty and heartbreaking rivalry of the regular I musician. No pen can describe the order of dancing from that moment. The waltzing continued, interspersed by frequent lan' cers and quadrilles, but from the time I that Alcides began to support the local i fiddler the muse of melody fled the scene. "Isn't, tho floor just lovely?" remarked Mis Bertha Maverick to her escort after an intoxicating whirl in tho effort to keep time to the music. "Yes," returned Mr. Ludeling, "tho floor is well enough, hut the orchestra I paralyzes mo altogetlior. Let us walk out ui)on the gallery and get a chanco to think." And indeed tho more philosophical and those apparently beyond the influence of sound followed the suggestion. Even "Lampasas Jake," who was stone deaf, was seen to leave tho room abruptly. How far tho rumor that tho proprietor of tho Half Way House had broached a barrel of rye whisky in the neighboring wagon shed may have influenced this sudden exodus is a matter of conjecture. Certain it is that many of those who left returned with a peculiar light about tho eye and a disposition to friskiness in deportment. From this time forward it was no rarity to see men waltzing together and deriving no end of satisfaction from the . entertainment. There was also a tendency 011 the part of certain solitary dancers to seek some quiet comer of the ballroom and sing softly to themselves, with that enjoyment which only alcohol can inspire. It may have been that the sudden outbreak of tho elder Dallas was contagious, but bo that as it may his action at least afforded Edith tho pretext she required, for scarcely had the violin duet begun when she was asked to dance by Mr. Buck Jerrold. Hero was a quandary. The high born northerner hardly cared to extend this privilege to Mr. Jerrold. but she did not wish to hurt his feelings. So she fell back in condemnation of the orchestra. "Really, Mr. Jerrold," shesaid, smiling sweetly up into his face, "1 could not dance one step to such time as those fiddles are keeping. I have just refused Mr. Bruco here. Shall we not walk upon the porch?" And with this pretest she left the room on his arm. Bruce, abandoned thus to himself, found tho time drag wearily. Ho was not edified by Cynthia's behavior with Captain Foraker. Beyond a mere slight recognition, little conversation had passed between them. But throughout the evening she flirted with tho officer desperately and with an ostentation thut irritated Bruce. Tho captain accepted his fair companion's advances complacently. Ho waltzed a great deal, and it was noticeable left the ballroom at the end of every dance. By degrees the effect of these frequent 1 trips began to bo apparent in his manner and gestures. Ho did not confine his attentions to Cynthia, but was mildly play| ful and familiar with tho other ladies. Miss Dallas appeared a little annoyed at this, but attempted to disguiso it in coni versation with Miss Maverick and her escort. At last, during one of his most genial moments, Captain Foraker crossed the ballroom unsteadily to tho place where Edith was sitting. She had returned and was chatting with Mr. Jerrold. The i captain posed himself engagingly before Miss Stafford, and without the formality ! of an introduction requested tho favor of tho next dance. Miss Stafford raised her brown eyes in surprise, regarded the captain a moment and then turned coldi ly away. Temporarily disconcerted, the I gentleman described a half circle to the left, and coining back to the same point repeated his request. His gray mustache, elevated at an inebriated angle, I gavo liis countenance a droll expression "I do-shire favor of-f w-waltsh." re! peated tho captain in a very high*key. This was too much for Henry Bruce. Tho blood rushed to his face as he rose to his feet. j "You forget yourself, sir!" he said sternly. "The lady is not dancing, and if sho were /ou ure not in a condition to remember what etiquette demands." Captain Foraker gazed at Bruce in a dazed way. It was a ludicrous but crit1 ical moment. The nest a blow might have been struck and a scene followed. The moment passed. An imbecile smile spread itself over the officer's puffed face, as if the humor of his predicament asserted itself in spite of his drunken dis! couifiture. Ho turned 011 his heel and returned to his position at the opposite end of the room. A diversion was here afforded by the entrance of a singular figure. Ho was a | tall, lean, cadaverous man, with long, jet black hair, straggling beard, low | brows and piercing black eyes. Ho 1 tl strolled into tlio room with an impudent \\ I swagger, his slouch hat on tlio back of ( v I uis head, his ".lands in his pockets and ; h Lis pantaloons tucked into his boots. In b neglecting other details of his toilet ho ei had also omitted his ablutions, and his general appearance was disordered and j h unsavory. But none of these facts ap- tl j parently contributed to the general sen- t sation at his entrance. Tlio ladies stared; the men scowled; somo of the latter b ! swore, and others laughed; an audible murmur of astonishment went round g] | the room. ! E But the effect upon Alcides was most f< i peculiar. It put an instant stop to his j si music. He set down bow and fiddle and j a rose with nervous naste. Alter regard- ; ci ' ing the intruder a second with a glance in which rage and surprise struggled for j n , the mastery, ho took a few hasty steps in ! n the direction of the "Silent Mary," ap- 1 u j parently thought better of his resolve, ii 1 came back, and sweeping chair, violin and \ ? bow before him seated himself against h the opposite wall, tilting back and h j plunging his hands deep in his pockets j C ; with an expression of amazed resigna- ? tion. In this position ho remained, ap- i L i parently uncertain what he Bhould do ! 1 next. i d Meanwhile the uncleanly individual, j 1< after looking boldly about the room, | o ! sauntered over to a corner where certain i of the uninvited guests were standing ! ri polluting the atmosphere of the ballroom ' c with cheap cigars and generally absorbed i h in the incidents of the evening. The j t] manner in which the newcomer was re- d ceived by this group was not flattering, y j No one offered a word of greeting or tl even a sign of recognition. Apparently c i the entrance of Mr. Lemuel Wickson, jj the horse thief, upon the San Marcus j r festivities was regarded as an intrusion. | j There was a sudden stir near tho door, 1 h and Sheriff Mosely entered. He strode j b to the center of the ballroom with his j quick, nervous stride and cast a sharp f . glance in every direction. He was armed, ! : i and his manner was significant. For a j y ! second he stood quiet, his alert eyes I | glancing about. The next ho espied [ , Lemuel Wickson, and with a hurried : p gesture to his belt ho sprang forward. ; c A rush in that quarter on the part of | i ?he men immediately followed. The n ladies huddled together?a frightened c bevy?at the upper end of tho room. j i: | Lem Wickson awaited the approach of i Sheriff Mosely with composure. Beyond j m the slipping of his right hand carelessly beneath his coat ho did not change his j attitude. The sheriff did not stop until j he reached that quarter of the room, | when halting suddenly the formality of , ; a surly nod was exchanged. "Time's up, Lem," remarked Ike cool- j ly. "I want you." | . "What for?" demanded Mr. Wickson 11 ) gruffly, without moving a muscle. "In partickler on a warrant sworn j i ag'in you for horso stealin by Alcides 0 Dallas and Buck Jerrokl," replied Mr. j s Mosely, "but it orter happened some j n timo ago for hog stealin and gin'ral cuss- ; J edness." 11 "Not this evenin, Ike," replied Lem ' p incredulously, leaning against tho wall j and allowing ono hand to rest carelessly h on his hip "I reckon to put in my time v at this hyar ball tonight?dance with v tho gals and enjoy myself gen'rally." "Oh, ye do?" said the sheriff, his blue | o eyes taking on a sudden, hard glitter; j t i "well, 1 don't reckon that little divarsion >g lo take place if thar's any law in tho j v Lone Star. Wot's more, I'm the man to j prevent it." I ^ He mado a quick dash at his belt and (. a sudden spring forward. There was a j a rush and a scuffle, during which the fig- I f ures of both men whirled before the eyes ! ? of the spectators. A second later Lem | Wickson held tho sheriff by the throat, j t his right hand leveling upon him a large f; "Smith and Wesson." t The sheriff struggled frantically in his j ? grip, his hand plucking at his revolver, \\ which appeared to be caught. The rough f men looking on held their breath. It j chanced that Henry Brace was nearest i o to Wickson?tho brandished weapon at ; ;*j full cock within the reach of his arm. : Q With a sudden dart forward he grasped j the horso thief's wrist with his left hand, t and seizing the "barrel catch" between o tho finger and thumb of his right by a ^ quick, strong pull unshipped tho barrel, throwing tho cartridges all over tho n room It was an act sublime in its despcra- 0 tion and tho skill of its achievement. It 0 showed, moreover, a remarkablo knowledge of tho weapon. In a twinkling ? Bruce had closed until tho disarmed and | ^ astounded ruffian, and pinning him j c against tho opposito wall released the sheriff. j "Well done!" gasped tho nearly throt- Q tied Ike, glancing admiringly upon y Brace. He took a pair of handcuffs from his pocket and by a quick movement secured his prisoner. Then he turned upon ^ tho breathless crowd. "I don't mind sayin right here thot thet's about tho neatest trick I ever yet seen done, and ef Lem thar lied lied a 'colt's' my life wouldn't been worth a 0 i pecan. Doggono this old greasy belt!" ? ho exclaimed, glancing down where his * rovolver had slipped beyond tho hammer . in the worn leather, thereby making it difficult to draw; "doggono it! I hev 11 lied trouble with that holster afore, and now it nearly closed my record. I reck- 11 on I'd better make a requisition for a r new belt." _ j 0 ! "Give us yer hand, pardner," he said 0 tnwinrr nnromfirntn Hpnrv Bruce. U a6ttlllt miMIMfj WWWW *uw. w J "It does Iko Mosely good to feel the grip i c of a good man and true. If yer ever j wantin anythin very bad or needin any ^ help, I reckon yo know whar you kin get v it arter tonight. Yo kin count on the g sheriff of Oskaloo any time, and ez often ez you want to, for the last drop o' his t j blood. I don't know on the whole," ho ii udded, with a sudden change of manner, a ' "but what I might as well cement that 1 statement with a practical snifter." Ho took a flask of whisky from his ii pocket and extended it to Bruce. p The latter declined courteously. I li "Jos' ez you say," remarked Iko quiet- t ly, "but yer not actin ez sensiblo ez yc I did a minute ago, and yer losin a chance i to sp'ilo some mighty good liquor. 1 f] sampled this myself." "Well," ho said, pausing to take breath j; before testing the qualities of his flask, ], "here's the health of a man the county ( is proud of. I'm lookin at ye, pardner, L. along with the rest of the town of Oska- e loo." I He raised the flask to his lips and tossed off a draft with an accompanying v smack. With characteristic good will | (j he turned immediately to Wickson. v i "No hard feelin's, Lem," he said gen- j erously, "seein the lato on pleasantness is over. Ef yer feelin like tryin this stuff, - - ' ' * " *- ?- 11 I don't IUHUI I101U1I) it iur j? lugibwu; bencfit." He extended tho flask good liumoredly t to the latter's lips. But Mr. Wickson was not in tho humor for whisky and signified it by turning impatiently away. "All right," said Ike, restoring the flask to his pocket without pressing the s hospitality further upon the thronged s crowd, a few of whom woro an expres- li sion which mado it evident that refusal r 1 was extremely unlikely. "It's a sing'lar thing sometimes how li good licker goes hoggin. Not that it of- c ton occurs hero in Texas, but thet when li Jt dues it's worth while to take noto of p it I disremember heretofore in this f 1 "h efof A A' funta COUUirj' ?11J< SU^llucjiiraoiu oicni/ v> Good evenin, gentlemen. I trust I heven't j> materially interfered with tho festivi- v ties.'' t Ho turned on his heel, and with his i ), hand on the nrm of his prisoner left tho ballroom. ], Of course so exciting an occurrence as tho recent arrest was not without its ef- j, feet upon tho general gayety. After tho sheriff's departure it was a difficult matter to get the frightoned ladies in tliehu- ^ inor to resume dancing. Possibly this , j difficulty was materially increased by j the fact that tho fiddler was not to bo I found, but was at last discovered asleep 1 in an old carryall in tho shed, hard by 1 iio whisky cask already alluded to aud ith a glaSs of spirits in his hand. His iolin had fallen from his grasp during is recent alcoholic weakness and had een crushed by the bootheel of some othr follower of Bacchus. No one dared think of the elder Dallas 1 this emergency, but he too had fled le ballroom. Under these discouraglg circumstances the ladies lingered a ttlc, chatting with their escorts, and y and by began to go home. The clear round moon rode high and hone deeply down when Bruce and Idith departed. As they did so, the jrmer caught a glimpse of a figure (miking along beneath the bright light nd carrying a heavy gun. It was Alides Dallas. The singular movements of the old mn awakened his curiosity, and his eye lechanically followed him as he moved p the road. He appeared to be followlg some one and suspiciously noting his lovements. Glancing ahead Bruco beeld in one of the moonlit spaces of the 3vel road the figures of Cynthia and !aptain Foraker proceeding slowly. Miss tertha Maverick and the younger Mr. .udeling were some distanco behind, 'he captain was walking unsteadily and iscussing some question in a decidedly )ud tone of voice. Cynthia was endeavring to quiet him. Bruco could not repress a smile as he ealized that the entire party were unonsciously under the armed surveilinco of the suspicious Alcides. But hough in a measure amused he did not irect the attention of the fastidious oung lady at his side to the humor of ho incident. During the walk home he onversed but little, being occupied with is reflections. At length when they arived at the Hal f Way House, he surprised liss Stafford with the information that o intended taking a short ride or waik leforo retiring. "At this hour of the night?" exclaimed idith, who was a trifle piqued by his reent abstraction. "I should think, Hal. ou were absolutely daft." "Not in the least. Only bored with he noise and excitement of that pandenonium," Bruce replied as they passed ip the broad steps of the veranda. He bade her good night in the hallway ,nd turned away, leaving her gazing uriously after him as he went out again nto the moonlight. [TO UK CONTINUED NKXT WEEK.] JUisccllancous grading. NOTED BATTLES-FORCES ENGAGED. An "Old Veteran," of Alexandria, 'a., writing of the desparity of forces ii the noted battles of the Confederate air, says: It is a very interesting study, and ne that gives us "Old Confeds" great atisfaetion, to consider carefully the ggregnte forces of Confederate and federal armies engaged in some of the nost noted battles of the "Jate unileasantness." Take for example the seven days atlles around Richmond, in 18G2, rhen General Lee gained such gallant ictories over General McClellan. Since that memorable period Humerus discussions have taken place as to he numbers engaged, and many of the eneral officers, on both sides, differ ridely in their estimates. On the 26th day of June, 1862, the Lrmy of the Potomac, commanded by ieneral George B. McClellan, had an ggregnte force of 105,000 men present, it for duty. (See "McClellun's Reports ,nd Campaigns.") On the same date from official reurns of most of Lee's army, and a nir estimate of a few small commands, here were present for duty, thirtyline brigades of infantry, each with ts complement of artillery, divided as ollows: Longstreet, 9,051; D. IT. Hill, 10,i00 ; MeGruder, 13,000 ; Holmes ; 6,,73; Huger, 8,930; A. P. Hill, 13,(00; Whiting, 4,000; Lawtou, 3,500; ackson and Ewell, the Army of he Valley, 8,000; Stewart had about !,500 cavalry, and Pendleton had four inttalions of artillery in reserve, estionted at a high figure, about 1,500 nen. Add all these and we have a fraction ver 80,000 men, the aggregate strength f the Army of Northern Virginia. I think I am safe in saying, that at io other period during the war had Ieneral Lee a larger force under his omraand, present for duty. Take into consideration the fact that ,ee was the aggressor, and had at the inset not only a superior force to cope kith, but a well entrenched line of rorks, guarded by felled trees in front, o drive his enemy from, and one can asily understand the kind of fighting t required to accomplish such grand esults. Another important point is brought ut upon reflection?that in the battle if Gaines's Mills the second day's fight, rherc it required the hardest hits and he greatest number of charges by the nfantry, in most cases without support rom our artillery, we were contesting he flower of the Army of the Potoaac; Porter's division of the U. S. egulars, who stood their ground nobly nd fought most desperately. A victory ver such men, though dearly won, was . victory worthy the steel of Southern hivalry. The battles of the Wilderness, ipotsylvania and Cold Harbor, 1864, rere other instances of fighting against ;reat odds. General Grant's available force in hese battles, beginning from the movng from the Rapidan, May 3d, 1864, s per report of Secretary Stanton, was 41,150 officers and men. Besides, Grant had a force of 137,272 a the vicinity of Washington, the de>'irtini>iit. of Virginia and North Cnro ina and department of West Virginia o draw from in case of an emergency. General Lee's entire force, May 1st, N64, present for duty, was 52,62(5 oficers and men. What a contrast! The Federals were well clothed, well i'd and had every necessary equipixent lor field and camp service, while he Confederates not only lacked sufliient clothing, but had to live on stintd rations, and most of these of an inerior kind. Hut with all the odds the "Johnnies" re re the victors, and from the liapilan to the James river every battle ras in favor of the Southern arms, temarkable, but true, and the time is oming when the fullness of the uarvels of those days will be made to bine out upon the pages of history as right in truth as the golden lining of he Eastern sky. A PLEASANT PARABLE. A long time ago there lived a saint o holy that the angles marveled at his anctity, and came from heaven to see ? i 1 -- -1 1.. io\v any ono on can 11 couiu so cioseiy esemble them. They found nothing extraordinary in lis life; he kept simply on his way, unonsciously spreading the example of lis virtues as naturally as the stars ;ive light and the llowcrs give perume. Two words summed up his day?he ave and forgave; hut these words rere never 011 his lips; you only read hem in his smiles, in his amiability, in lis kindness, in his untiring charity. The angels said to(?od, "Lord, grant im the gift of miracles." "Willingly, replied our Lord; "ask liin what he wishes." And the angels said to the saint: "Wouldst thou have the gift of healig, so that when thy hands touch an nfirm body it shall he healed?" "So," replied the saint. "I would ather (iod alone would do it." Wouldst thou have thy words win back guilty souls and the erring hearts to (iod ?" i "No; that is a mission most* tin* ! worthy of a poor creature like me; I am satisfied to pray?I do not preach." Finally the angels said, "What wouldst thou have." "Well," said the saint, "let me do a great deal of good without knowing it." The angels consulted together for a ! while as to how this could he accomI plished; then they asked our Lord to grant that every time the saint's shadow fell at either side or behind him, so j that he could not see it, it should have the powgr of curing the sick, j consoling the afflicted and comforting the sorrowful. 1 Our Lord assented, and wherever the the saint's shadow fell thus the pathway bloomed, the parched earth was refreshed, the turbid streams became j pure and limpid, the dying llowers rcj vived; a fresh, healthy look came to the pale cheeks of the little children, and tears of joy to the eyes of sorrow ing mothers. ( Hut the saint kept simply on his way, 1 unconsciously spreading the example ol | his virtures as naturally as the stars i shed light, as the flowers give perfume ; and the people, respecting his 1 modesty, silently following him, never speaking to him about his miracles. They gradually forgot even his name, and spoke of him simply as "the holy shudow." j THE CHINAMAN IN THE HOUSEHOLD. 1 As servants the Chinese are very | capable in many respects, and very undesirable in others. They never gossip | about the affairs of a family that em1 ploys them. They learn whatever it I is desired they should know, acqiiiri ing skill with apparent ease by means of their wonderful power of imitation. They are perfectly willing to do every sort of household work, and the average servant will act as cook, chambermaid, launderer, and waiter all at once for one salary. They cannot bear to be ordered about by women. They will take any amount of scolding or fault finding from a man, and none from a woman. In two cases of which I heard the Chinese servants chased their misstrcsses out of their houses with axes. A very vexatious thing is that they never give warning when they are going to leave a place. I They suddenly announce, "Ale want j to go," and the utmost questioning is not likely to elicit any more than "Alt want to go: me tired." One lady in Victoria told me that she moved from one house to another, and employed a new servant, lie stayed an hour, The next one stayed a day. Puzzled and worried, she persuaded one whe j was about to leave her to tell her why lie \ u-ns dissatisfied. He took her to tilt sink in the kitchen, and showed hci I a, peculiar mark in chalk under the I sink. It was a notification by on< servant to all the others that the head of the. house was not kind or honest ir his dealing with his servants. She ex i plained that she had but just moved into the house, and the servant took otr his street apparel and remained with her. But he told her that whenever a Chinaman came to work in t new place he always looked througl all the pots and pans and kettles and cupboards for some piece of paper 01 ; mark of some kind left by preceding servants, and explaining the charactei of the house.?Julian ltalph, in Har per's Weekly. . The "Cursed Pecan Treks."? There are many mysterious things connected with the birth, death, burin! and final removal of the remains ol General Packenham, the British commander at New Orleans, which seldom ; find their way into print. "Hill's Al< ] bum of Biography," page Gl, says thai ; he was a "British general; place and i date of birth unknown," but this is u i flagrant mistake and hardly excusable ' in a work of such pretensions. Chambers does not even mention his name either in the Cvclonedia or "Book ol : Days." Appleton, volume 4, page (533 i gi.*es a sketch of the general's life, but 1 neglects to tell us about his queei i burial or the strange vicissitudes tc i which the remains were subjected ! After much research in out-of-the-waj j places I have come into possession oi | the following curious facts, which can not but be of interest: After the deatl: of General Packenham, at the battle o 1 New Orleans, January 8,1815, his vis ; cera were removed, preparatory tc ; shipping the body to England. The I whole mass of the bowels, including other internal organs, were wrapped , in cotton and buried in a box betweer ; two pecan trees, which although in ? ! nourishing condition at the time, nevei , after bore nuts, and were known fai : and wide as "the cursed pecan trees.' : The body was secretly shipped to Eug land in a cask of wine; and it is fur ther said that bibulous sailors on board the vessel, not knowing the ghastlj | contents of the keg, slyly raised the I hoops, bored holes through it and j sucked all the liquor out through | straws. More About Fruit Diet.?a specialist in skin diseases is authority for the following statements:. Pimples, eruptions, and similar skin diseases of the face that are not hered j itary may be cured in a very shorl ! time by a diet of laxative foods, varied according to the season. I advise ornamenting the table at each meal with what ever fruit is seasonable, and allowing the individual to be helped when j ever and as often as he or she may desire. This serving the fruit course al the end of the meal when the appetite if appeased to repletion is a great mis take. If I like eating an organge or a handful of dates, I do so, whether the souf has been served or not. When the dessert comes on, the chances are even j that I won't want any. That's iuy gain, not loss, for if I hadn't eaten the fruit, I should have taken a dish of iec { cream, which little more than cools the mouth, and 1 would have had nc room for the wholesome apple 01 orange. Chicken salads and patties cheese, pastry, and a number of othei popular and indigestible dishes, should i have their turn at the end of the meal, j The nearer the beginning such thing* j as fresh, ripe berries, juicy tropical fruits, asparagus, caulillower, onions j beets, mutton, rare juicy beef, spinach lettuce, squash, and stewed seed fruits such as figs, plums, prunes and cranberries are served the better. j l # t Thincs to Keep C'i.kak Of.?Keep clear of personalities in general conj versation. Talk of things, objects, thoughts. The smallest minds occupy themselves with personalities. Personalities must sometimes be talked, 1 because we must learn and find out men s cnaraciers iui ic^uiuiiui- uiijcum . i but it is to be with confidential persons. Do not needlessly report ill of others. There are times when we are compelled to say. liI do not think i Bouncer is a true and honest man but when there is no need to express I an opinion, let poor Bouncer swagger away. Others will take his measure, , no doubt, aad save you the trouble ol i analyzing him and instructing them ; and as far as possible dwell on the good side of human beings. There are family boards where a constant process ol ; depreciating, assigning motives, cutting up of character goes forward. They are not pleasant places. One who is healthv does not wish to dine at a dis J y seating table. There is evil enough in , man, God knows; hut it is not the mis; sion of every young man to detail and j report it. Keep the atmosphere as pure as possible, and fragrant with gentleness ; and charity. I -v-? Theory* About Bkk Stixos.?It is a fact not generally known that if one holds his breath wasps, bees and hornets can be handled with impunity, i The skin becomes sting-proof, and holding the insect by the feet and giving her full liberty of action ydu can see her drive her weapon against the impenetrable surface with a force which lifts her body at every stroke; but let the smallest qunnity of air escape from your lungs and the sting will penetrate at once. I have never seen an excep, tion to this in twenty-five years' obserservation. I have taught young ladies ?:?i- ? ?? Willi VCIJ Ul'llUllU UtUiUD iyj aoivinoii j their friends by the performance of this feat, and I saw one so severely 1 stung as to require the service of a physician, through laughing at a witty remark of her sister, forgetting that laughing required breath. For a theory in explanation I am led to believe that holding the breath partially closes t the pores in the skin. My experiences . in that direction have not been exact enough to be of any scientific value, ' I but I am satisfied that it very sensibly 1 affects the amount of insensible perspij ration.?Science. When tiik Would Falls to Pieces.?The leading English scientists, Jones, Hilton et al., are figuring on the probabilities of the earth finally collapsing as a result of the modern craze for tapping nature's great gas retorts. They argue that the earth is a huge balloon held up, in part at least by heat and internal gases, and that when nature's great gas main is eventually exhausted the earth's crust may break in and fall into millions of ' of fragments! Ugh. The very thought of such a calamity is startling. They argue that the steady belching , forth of millions of feet of gas every hour of the day and night is surely ' causing a great vacum somewhere ' not far beneath the surface, and that sooner or later the thin archway of earth-crust will give way. Then will ; occur the grand climax of all earthly calamities. i i Thn Longest Bridge in the ; World.?The longest trestle work in the world is the bridge over Lake , Pontchartrain. This lake is of great i extent, from three to fifteen feet deep, ! and is navigated by schooners and i other small craft, which carry lumber, i sand, brick, rosin and similar commodi ities from Mobile, and from the shores of the various streams that flow into . ! it.. i i- ~ r j 1. - * 1. rpi. ^ 4 1 | me iiiKu irum nit* uurui. x uc cuiuc t trestle is twenty-six miles in length, s | the actual bridge is seven miles loug, ? 1 with two large draws for vessels. The great work is built of timber, soaked in ! creosote to make it impervious to the ? j toredo, a marine borer which infests 1 the waters of the Gulf of Mexico, i liut this soaking renders the wood very . inflammable anil hence guards have to [ he stationed at frequent intervals on : the bridge to patrol and examine it I after every train. 1 The Jacksonville Times-Union 1 tells of a Florida town situated in "a i I solid tomato farm" of 4,000 acres, and ' | predicts that in time the farm will > j spread to 10,000 acres. The land is pe' culiarly adapted to the production of i that vegetable, and the growers expect to realize large profits. Referring to this the Macon Telegraph says "the | utilization of peculiar advantages ofsoil I and climate,abandonment of the all cot1 : ton practice, where possible, and diverf ; silication of crops will bring about a ] great change for the better in the South, i If the experience of the last three years has had the eil'ect of opening the < eyes of the Southern farmers to this 1 | fact, then the losses and suffering of i those years were not all in vain. We j believe the signs of a better time are plainly visible, anil that Southern agri, I culture has seen its worst days." Bfc?*Appropos of wedding presents \ the story goes that a lady whose purse did not corrcspoud with her so> | cial ambition, wished, like so many people, to buy a handsome gift with a ' very little money. In looking over the costly wares in a bric-a-brac shop she discovered what she recognized as a ' choice vase, lying broken in pieces in a j waste basket. After some bargaining, she purchased the shattered vase for a ' trifling sum, and ordered it packed and 5 sent with her card, taking for granted > that the recipient would suppose the ' shipper to blame for careless packing, 1 and that she would still have the credit J , of having sent a costly present. Her confusion may be imagined when some; time afterwards she made the discovery that the shippers had wrapped I every tiny piece in separate wrapj I Pi?gs. r BaF In the darkest hour through [ which a human soul can pass, what' ever else is doubtful, this at least is certain: If there he no God and no future state, yet even then, it is better to he generous than selfish, true than false, better to he brave than to he a coward. Blessed beyond all earthly blessedness is the man who, in the tempestuous darkness of the soul, " has dared to hold fast to those venera' hie landmarks. Thrice blessed is he : who, when all is drear and cheerless within and without, when his teachers terrify him and his friends shrink from j him, has obstinately clung to moral good. Thrice blessed, because his | nights shall pass into bright day.?F. ^ J \V. Robertson. In England 130,000 velocipedes _ I are turned out annually. In Coventry i 15,000 workmen arc employed in the , business. In France, where the machine first appeared, its use was limited . 1 through prejudice; people laughed at it. , ; Now there is an army of 300,000 pro[ prietary wheelmen in that country, [ without counting the immense number ' of amateurs who hire machines. In . 1S92 the Paris police authorities issued 12,000 licenses to wheelmen ; now the ' i number of volocipedists is estimated at I something over 30,000. In 1892-93 00,000 machines were sold, and it is believed that one-half of theni are I used in the city alone. - ( ! The well-known Epsieopalian clcrtrvman of Philadelphia,,I)r. MeCon nell, in n recent sermon said : "I have been instructed by my ecclesiastical superior to use a prayer to Almighty f iod, , to avert the cholera. Hut cholera is a dirt disease. It is, therefore, a preventable disease. To prevent cbolera you have only to remove dirt. If you leave dirt, you invite cholera. This city of Philadelphia is full of filth that no one ; ' is trying to remove. To let that tilth remain and pray to (iod to keep away the cholera is to trifie both with chole' ra and with Almighty (iod. While i that filth is allowed to remain I refuse to offer such prayers." i ' "Jason," said Mrs Calliper to her husband, as thev sat at dinner, "do , you think that thirteen is an unlucky f number?" "No, Cynthia," said Colonel Calliper, "I can't say that I do; and I dont believe that any of us would, if the subject were presented to us in f a proper light. Now, we, fortunately, ; are rich ; we don't need money ; but suppose we did, and that somebody i should offer us $1:1,000. Would we? would anybody, my dear?decline these thousands as unlucky because they numbered thirteen? No, Cyn1 thia, no we wouldn't?not to any large i J or appreciable extent."