Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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rii TRIWEKL DIINWNSOOt.C,ARL189 WHEN iGH H the rooms are bushed, the lights are low, [ sit and listen to the wind That comes from out the distant hill. It comes and oroons in anjundertone Of alien regions vast an lone, Df pleasures lost in a land unknown; Then steals away, and all is still. Tis good to listen to the wind When rooms are hushed and lights are low. POSTMISTRESS A By HAYDE! \HEN you come to think of it, Down ingville was a vil lage of magnificent distances, with al most a half-mile from the tannery to the sawnill, and with only scatter ing houses be tween. The school house and the two churches had each failed to establish a centre. Even the postofice stood alone, at at least a hundred yards from the nearest house, with a corner of Squire Pomerdy's wood-lot coming up alnost to its back door, as if refusing to ree ognize such a straggling place as a town atall. Mr. Blodgett was the postmaster, but he ran the village grist-mill which was far from everything else, of course-and seldom visited the office for a stay of any great length. So it happened that practically the entire work of the oflice fell upon his assis tant. She was Mabel Loomis, who lived with her mother a quarter of a mile up the road on the uncertain edge of the village. The work of the office, although not perhaps hard in one sense, was certainly wearing and exacting, and the hours were long-from six in the morning to seven in the evening, usu ally. Vacations and "days off" were few, and the salary was meagre enough; but Mabel never complained, and shedid tlie'work to the best of her ability. It as a beautiful September morn ing; had just finished puttiug up the six wenty-four mail, and the boy who carried it to the station had de parted. Only two or three persons had as yet been in, so Mabel was sur prised to see Mrs. Allison appear at the general delivery. "Why, good morning, Mabeli' she said. "You weren't looking for me aoearly, were you, now. Well, I'm going-to fake the train for Proctor's going up to see Libbie-and Ithought I'd drop in. Didn't know but I might have a postal or something from her, telling me to wait till next week." "No, there isn't anything for you," returned Mabel. "Well, I don't know, you know. You can't -tell. But I suppose this do' -n't seem early for you." 'To. I've been up an hour and a halt. "You don't tell me! Well, I think yon have to get up too early, that's what I think. Seems as if Blodgett might stir out and open the place him self, 'specially as you have to stay so late at night." "He comes in at noon, you know, and staf~s quite a while. Then, the work isn't hard." "Well, it may not be hard, but I should say that, its wearing, if I'm a judge. Sorting over letters and pounding them with that thing, and filling out money-orders and tearing them off.bias and . just so, and fixing the registered letters and selling stamps, and jumping up to this win dow for this body and that body and the other body that want their letters, - and forty other things-I declare "twould just pester the life out of me inuno time at. all." "Oh, I don't mind it," returned Mabel, cheerfully. "Well, I must be getting along," continued Mrs. Allison. "Are you going on the excursion next week?" "I'm afraid I can't get away," answered the girl. Mrs. Allison was rummaging in her hand-bag, and -her attention seemed distracted. i.."Seems as if. Blodgett ought to pay you more," she said. "Blodgett is no poor man, and his mill pays him right along. What I'd like, is to see you appointed postmaster yourself. You're - twenty-one now." "Oh, thank you," answered Mabel, with a rather sad smile, as Mrs. Alli son went out. Then she sat down in her chair by the deth, but the smile was all gone. "I'm afraid theie aren't many ex cursions for me this summer." she mused, somewhat ruefully. "I pre sume Mr. B!lgett would stay here that day if I asked him, but I know I couldn't afford to go. Besides, I haven't any dress to wear that's suita ble. I wish I could co- more." But there was no t~.ie for gloomy thoughts, for the boy was b>ack with a mail-bag, and .people were beginning to drop in more and more frequently. -She plunged earnestly into the work before fler, which, as work will always do-drove away the gloomy thoughts. But she was not .to be allowed to forget the excursion, as several of her girl friends who came to the office asked her if she was going. She an swered them as she had answered Mrs. Allison, and it made her a little angry to feel that her face flushed each time; for although none of them said what her first caller had said, she felt sure that they all thought it, She was ashamed of the feeling, but she could not help being disturbed. Other reasons made her feel 1:er lack of money much more than-this .excursion. Mabel's father had died five years before, leaving his family n wasI irnmaanan, War mather'n t ARE LOW. n When those we love have come and gone, 'Tis weary to be left behind To misssweet eyes w!ere late they shone, To look for what we may not find, Long-cherished forms that haunt the mind, - Soft voices that were once too kind; To live and miss them one by one is we;.ry work. dho'd stay behind When those we love have come and gone? --New York Times. T DOWNINGVILLE, E CARRUTH. health was not good, and there two younger sisters and a little brother who were still at school. It was a little after three o'clock on the afternoon of the same day that a stranger entered the Downingville postoffice. Mabel was alone. She noticed, as the man stepped up to the general delivery, that he was well dressed, and perhaps between twen t'-five and thirty years of age. Eis face was not a pleasant one, although it did not suggest a lack of intelli gence. He came close to the window and said: "Is there a registered letter for M. P. Morganstone here?" Such a letter had come on the latest mail, and Mabel had placed it in the t safe which stood in the corner. Sae answered him in the affirmative, when t he continued: "That is my name-M. P. Morgan stone. Please let me have it." "The rules require identification in t the case of registered letters, you know," answered Mabel. "Oh yes, I had forgotten. Well, I am a stranger here, but I can show you who I am all right." He searched his pockets, taking out a number of papers and old letters. Two of the latter he pushed through the window. "There you see, miss-'M. P. Moe ganstone, Watertown. Just give me the letter-it's very iaportant for .e to catch the up-train." "But I can't give out a registered letter on such identification. M:r. Blodgett, the postmaster, has instruct me not t> do so." Mabel's suspicions were beginning C to be slightly aroused by one thing about the man. Twice since coming up to the window he had glanced over his shoulder at the door. She knew, of course, that it was her duty to de liver the letter if he could fully con vince her that it belonged to him; but she determined to insist on identifica tion of the strictest kind, as a matter of protection to herself and her en. ployer. ' Why. see here, I've got lots of registered letters on less identific. tion than this, and at larger offices," the man said. "You're going beyond the rules." "No, I don't think I am. A post master is responsible for registered letters. If he delivers one to , the wrong person the rightful owner can hold him accountable. Mr. Blodgett is very particular. He has told me to deliver no such letters to strangers except on identification such as would be satisfactory at a bank. You inust know that there you would have to be vouched for by some one known per sonally to the bank people." o "I can describe the letter," went o the man, ignoring what she had said.t "Large, oblong envelope. From J. H. Smith, Riverside. Mailed this1 morning. Isn't that right?" "Yes, but I can't let you have it without proper identification." Mabel was becoming more suspicious .of the1 man every moment. His disappoint menti and worry over the situation? seemed to be bringing his true char acter to the surface, and his face and manner were rapidly growing less gentletaanly. I -"Why, I never saw anything like ~ this. Do you know I can make tron- ~ ble for you with the department for ~ holding~ back my letter? You knew : ~ am telling you the truth about who I J am, snd you have no right to delay. my mail." Mabel made no reply at all, but held her ground at the window.t "Now see here, miss, no foolish ness. I'm a business man and my time is worth money. I'm a contrac tor, and that letter contains papers valuable to me, but of no value to any one else. Plans and specifications of t a new factory I'm bidding for over at ~ Watertown. Give it to me and let me catch my train. It's a matter of e dollars and cents to me." L "I cannot do it," was all that Mabel ' said. The man by this time was growing ~ very red in the face. and was glanc- I ing more nervously than ever over his P shoulder. He hesitated a moment, and then, with a little forced laugh, went on in a quieter tone: "Of course maybe you're rirht ac- e cording to the strict rule. 1 don't e want you to get into any trouble on my account. I'll show you in an- r other way that I'm telling the truth. f I'm going to be in town again in about t; a week. I'll just deposit ten dollars p with you-you can give me a. receipt V and the letter, and if you find its all 1< right, as you will by that time, you yF can give me back the money." s "No, there is no rule authorizing 0 any such thing." n "I'll leave you fifty dollars. Don't a you see I wouldn't do that if I didn't ~ know it would be all right, and I'd get r my money back?" C "Perhaps not, but it would be an altogether irregular thing for me to do." "Why, you're unreasonable," cried 1tl the man, again beginning to losp his I self-control. He pulled e'. roll of'bills o from his pcket, and laid it down in si the window. "I'll make it a hundred n dollars, yes, two hundred," and he fi pushed in four fifty-dollar bills. "I'll ti miss a big contract if I don't get that 'a letter instantly. Give it to me! Never s minl a.bnt writin& a reipt fo ithe ioney-I'll trust you, even if you on't want to trust me." "I can't do it." "Here, take a ten for yourself and ive me the letter." ",No." "Take a fifty, then. Keep it-do rhat you please with it. I'll lose housands of doll,-- if I miss that con ract." Mabel only shook her head. "Take the whole two hundred dol ars! You can use it. Nobody will ver know. I'll never come back to >other you. Give me the letter!" and te pushed the money in so that it al nost felt to the floor. Mabel pushed it back, saying, "It fill do you no good to make me any uch offers. You cannot have the let er till you are properly identified." "I will have it," he fairly shouted, natching back the money anit hurry Ug around to the side toward the door hrough which access was had to the nterior, and which had, been left ajar >y the boy who had taken the mail ack. But Mabel was too quick for im, and pushed it shut in his face. The spring lock clicked, and she aught her breath with a feeling of re ief; but he threw himself against the loor heavily, shattering the catch and ending the door back on its hinges rith a crash, The edge just struck Ler forehead, and everything began to urn black before her eyes; but there tood the safe door open. She sprang oward it, knowing as she did so that he just missed the man's grasp. The heavy door went shut with a ull bump. With one hand'she turned he handle which threw the bolts, and ith the other spun round the com ination knob. Then the darkness ecame complete, and she remembered o more. The next thing she heard was a con used murmur of voices. Then she pened her eyes and saw that she was till in the postoffice, lying on the dis eibuting table. Doctor Roberts, the illago physician, was bending over er, and assuring her mother, who tood pale and frightened, that the atient was not in danger. Mr. Blod ett and two or three neighbors were Iso there. The voices came from a rowd of people in the outer room. "There," said the doctor, "you're oicg to be all right now. You can o home in my carriage. I'll go along." "Did-did he getthe letter?" asked Iabel, feebly. "No," answered Mr. Blodgett. "Never mind about the letter," said ie doctor. "We'll tell you about at to-morrow. We'll just take you ome now." They carried her outside to the easy arriage which was waiting. As she rove away she heard half the popula [on of the village, gathered at the lice in full force, set up a cry of Three cheers for Mabel!" and they -ere given with a will. Tha next afternoon she was able to it up at h.me. Mr. Blodgett came nd congratulated her on what she had one. He told her that after she had ecome unconscious the man had es aped by running across the field to e near-by woods, and that it now ppeared he had good reason for run ing away, since he was the accom lice of some burglars at Riverside ~ho had sent him a large sum of oney, stolen the night befere, in the atter, fearing immediate arrest them-' Lemselves. This had been estab shed by Riverside offcers who had rrested all the men, including the ne who had come to the offee, that iorning, and by a postoffce inspector rho had taken possession of the letter. A week later Mabel was back in the ffice. Mr. Blodgett said to her the st morning: "The folks here have been talking Le matter over, and have decided on iving you a slight reward in the hape of a purse of money in recog ition of what you did the other day. ome of them are coming in after a hle, and I thought i'd tell you so ou wouldn't be too much surprised." "They're very kind," said Mabel, 2stantly, "but I couldn't take any Lng. You please tell them so, and. top their coming. I didn't do any Lng more that day than my duty, ud I couldn't take any reward for iat; but you can thank them for me, lease." Mr. Blodgett went out, and she >ok up the old work. She heard no icre about the reward. But three weeks later a big official nelope came, addressed to her own anme. It was a letter, and the corn ~ission from the Postoffee Depart ent, appointing Mabel Loomis Post istress at Downingville, vice J. P. lodgett, resigned. - Youth's Comn anion. Undoubtedly. A well-known and genial-but illit rate-Irishman, -who once represent i one of the Melbourne divisions in ie Victorian parliament, invariably ad out speeches that were prepared >r him. On one occasion, in view of ie anticipated opposition, a speciaI aragraph was inserted in the speech hich the candidate read out as fol >ws: "I am quite aware that many of e are agin' me an' me politics. But trely we are all working for the good Ethe colony. It is only a detail that e opponents are marching one way ad meself another, but we must re tember that we are all sthrivin' to ach the same gaol!"-London Iranicle. Valuable Engravings. The most valuable engravings in ie world are the four impressions of :embrandt's portrait of a man leaning a a saber. The fourth was recently :d for $10,000. The original plate ade by Rembrandt was cut down rst to an octagonal oval and the pic ires from it sold for $130. Then it -as sliced off' still more and the prints TALES OF PLUCK A1ADVENLTURE.DI Valiant Fight of a Missionary. Details of the murder of the Rev. Mr. Fleming, an American missionary serving with the China Inland Mission, have just been received in a letter from a brother missionary at Chung King. A frenzied mob was not responsible for Mr. Fleming's death, but the deed was planned deliberately and with the connivance of some high officials. Mr. Fleming died L hero and under cir cumstances that would have appalled the bravest oo men. Single-handed and practically unarmed, he went to the aid of his native helper. He forght 100 men armed with heavy cavalry swords until he was hacked to pieces. He had a chance to escape, but his loyalty to the native mission ary was so great that lie would not embrace it. "Murders of foreigners by frenzied mobs we are, if I may say so, used l to," begins the missionary in writing regarding the Fleming case, "but it is something new to us to hear of such a cold-blooded and successful attempt as this. It augurs little for the safety of those who may be traveling in the interior. "The scene of the murder was out side the village of Tsungauchang, forty li from Paughi, on the Kuei yaugfu road. Mr. Fleming was bound on a mission tour to the interior when he learned of the illness of the Rev. Mr. Botton ht Panghai-a place con sistiug of two villages divided by a river and occupied by Chinese an. aborigines, respectively. Mr. Flem ing ielieved Mr. Botton and later went on another trip further inland. "On his -return he found the Chi nese village had been burned by rob bers. Until the first of November he noticed no hostijity toward himself. At that time a military official, Liu, arrived with a number of soldiers, surrounded the mission, and, after doing much damage, searched the house fer firearms. They found noth ing and finally wcut away. "Mr. Fleming then appealed to the military authorities', but was unable to gain an audience. Then he tried to escape to Kueiyang with the native evangelist and Dr. Pau, a schoolmas ter. They rode on a mission mule while the natives followed. They reached Tsunganchang about noon, and, as they i'ad noticed no one fol lowing them, rested for an hour. "They had no sooner resumed the main road for Kueiyang when they saw a large number of men following them, all heavily armed. Half a mile away from the village the evangelist was attacked, having fallen a little be hind the rest to see what the men wanted. Mr. Fleming at once dis mounted and went back to the evange list's aid. "Before the minister could reach the scene of trouble the leader's sword had been buried in the evangelist's head, killing him instantly. Mr. Flem ing never hesitated, but, dodging a blow from the leader's sword, closed with him. The men struggled for a minute, when the Chinaman's compan ions came at them with cries of 'Kill! Kill!' The ininister wrenched the sword loose and slashed valiantly at the yellow horde, all of whom were striking at him with knives and swords. He could not last long against such terrible odds. Finally he dropped, wounded in a dozen places. Then the fiends fell upon him in earn est. They hacked the body into shreds and later mutilated the body of the'evangelist. "Dr. Pan ran for his life and suc ceeded in escaping. After many ad ventures and narrow escapes he reached Kueiyang. "The miljtary officials, of course, have their story. It is that Liu offered Mr. Fleming an escort, which was re fused; consequently he was killed by the rebels. Mr. Fleming never met Lin and did not get his offer. Liu left the village secretly, and there are no rebels in the place." Remarkable Hunting ExploIt. The most remarkable hunting ex ploit of Caleb Weston, a famous Maine hunter, was perhaps his riding of a moose. With Reuben Gilman and Seth Brown -he was crust hunting in the woods about the head-waters of Sebec Lake. Near Buttermilk stream the three hunters, coming together from different directions, started a bull moose. Gilman got the first shot and missed. The moose turned and ran along the brink of the hollow that sloped down to the stream. His course was straight toward Weston, who, see ing that the moose was not coming to attack him, but only trying to get away, stepped to one side,jintending to shoot the animal behind the shoulder as he passed at close range. But the gunpowder had got damp and only the cap snapped when he tried to fire the gun. The moose, wallowing past him through the snow, was only two or three pacesi away, and, dropping the gun. Weston made a run and jumped astride the creature's back. The moose did not like the performance in the least, but in the deep snow he could not buck Weston off or get at him with his horns or fore feet, so he only plunged through the snow the harder. As he ran, moose-fashion, with his nose pointed ahead, the animal's ant ers, lying back to the shoulders, kept Weston from reaching his throat with a knife, and Seth Brown, who was waiting for a chance to shoot, did not dare to fire for fear of hitting Weston. Coming into .u open space where the snow had] -ptiy blown away before it crust m"~oose put on a: Spurt of speed i he ,ran under a 1-toppeda tree '1 'iwachinge off astern over the animal's tail. As he sat in the snow, with the snow shoes, fast to his feet, sticking up be fore him, as helpless as a man in the stocks to defend himself or to run, the moose, missing his weight, turned and then wheeled round to charge on him. It would have gone hard with Weston if Seth Brown, who was close at hand, had not fired a lucky bullet whic't broke the moose's shoulder. A second shot ended the animal's struggles, and Weston had got to the moose and cut his throat before Brown had time to come up. ..._ A Knight of the Fire Room. Dexter Wainwright-his name shall be first and last in this brief chroni cle-.-is a fireman of the second class on board the cruiser New York. With seven companions he was at work in the interior of one of the flagship's big boilers a few days ago, when some unknown person 'tampering with the connecting cocks opened a valve which admitted steam into the boiler. In a moment the workmen were enveloped in a cloud of scalding vapor. They made their way to a ladder, which led to a small manhole above, and scrambled out. Wainwright was slightly scalded, but emerged in safe ty. Five of his companions followed hiim. Two were missing. Thereupon Wainwright descended into the blind ing pit again, found the two men, who had fallen unconscious, and brought them out. Then, scalded from head to foot, ho fell io the deck, dying. It is a Eimple u.arrative of a day's work. It appears in the newpapers at no great length amid accounts of gi gantic financial corporations that are forming, criminals who are at liberty and rich and happy people who are enjoying the fruits of life. In a few hours Wainwright will probobly die and the world will spin merrily arcund and not stop to grieve for him. Had he fallen in battle the nation would have heard of it and mourned for him. But his lot in life was bumble, and in the tumult of life's af fairs his death will pass unnoticed perhaps, save for some brief press no tice. unknown. Yet if there be merit in inonuments, if in marble shafts there lies a useful reminder to future generations of an act of courage, of complete self-abne gation that shlone for the moment as a bright meteor flashes through the sky, then surely the world would be wise to erect one to the memory of Dexter Wainwright.-New York Journal. An Ice Yacht Runaway. Some years ago there was a runaway down at Shelter Island, in which a young Lwas left iythe boat with a gale blowing. She tried to throw the sheet loose, but it was frozen and her fingers were too cold, added to which the sheet had fouled the tiller, and she could not bring the boat up into the wind to stop its way, the sail be ivg so set that the boat continued run aing right along at a terrific rate of speed. Occupants of the other boats soon realized the position and made chase, gaining but slowly, one boat finally being far in the lead of. the others by the time the end of the island was left behind. Right in front lay the end of the ice, brokeu short by the action of the tide water, and there the breakers rolled in, throwing up the nhor ice, dashing it down, and then retreating, sucking it under the floe ad packing it up for another break. For some time it was a question as to whether the chasing boat would catch UI with the girl before she was carried ver the edge to certain death. But t last the boats came together for one brief second, the girl was snatched by strong arms to the pursuer's yacht, the sheet was eased off in a flash, and, spinning round in its own length, it was set right before the wind instead f reaching into it, just as the run way dashed over into the anchor ice. short, sharp crack gave notice of the parting of the ice beneath the very rnners of the now homeward bound saviour, and with a long stagger, hich only her speed enabled her to wvithstand, she dashed across the fast opening crack, safe, to be brought up into the wind at a distance, while the late runaway danced, a wreck, among the broken ice. It was one of the close calls of ice yachting which, thank goodness! very seldom occur-Wilf. P. Pond, in Frank Leslie's Popular onthly. ____ scaling a Precipice With a Corps. In rescuing the body of the master of the Flirt from a spot under the :liffs where it lay, a Dorsetshire (Eng land) fisherman and his father, and three policemen had a perilous adven ture at dusk. . H{aving placed the body of the rowned man on a stretcher they care fully made their way back in the dark ness, and had not proceeded,far before they found that the tide had hemmed them in, and so cut off their way to the beach. The only means of escape that was left them was to scale the un inviting cliff, which at this point rises to a height of between 400 and 500 There was not much time .for re lection, as the tide was still rising rapidly, so it was promptly decided to ake the venture. There was but a precarious foothold, and a slip might >recipitate them hundreds of feet upon the rocks beneath. The fisherman and his father, named Bartlett, acted as guides, and labori usly the party made their way up the race of the rock until about half the distance was covered, when it was found that if they were to proceed further they must abandon the corpse. After a long, laborious climb, in which the police joined themselves to gether by their belts, the summit was reached, but not without many slips and one or two hairbreadth escapes, every step being attended with the ut most uncertainty and danger. Parrots cost only fourteen cents wh i th America. ' NEWS AND NOTES 2 FOR WOMEN. g Accessories in the Tailor Costumes. White cloth vests, revers and other accessories impart an appearance of daintiness and distinction to the tailor costumes they decorate. The gowns so finished this spring are especially attractive. All the short natty ctats are very closely fitted in the back, and on many of the imported costumes the white cloth vest is double-breasted and fastened with handsome gold but tons, and the white revers are edged with a graduated design in narrow gold braid. Popular Newmarkets For Shopping. Long, close-fitting Newmarkets, that cover the wearer from neck to feet, are very popular for useful wear during the spring for shopping and traveling. They are double-breasted with revers collar, and are cut without crossing seams on the hips. Very light tan kersey is used for these wraps, with stitched edges for their finish and white pearl-button fasten inns. Other long shapes of checked cheviots have hoods or short English capes to complete them, and there are fawn-colored models with a pointed yoke of the cloth and a stitched belt at the back only. I A Becoming House Dress. A French house dress made of soft Henrietta cloth of magenta shade could be worn becomingly by a woman of almost any type. The blouse vest and petticoat are of beige vicuna, tucked and briar-stitched in lattice effects on the blouse front, awl simply briar-stitched at the hem of the petti coat. The oddly shaped cape-collar and revers are elaborately trimmed with beigo lace; loops of red satin rib bon showing here and there among the filmy meshes. The elbow sleeves are finished with a similar trimming of wider lace and ribbons. Around the n=eck is a pretty collar of black chenille embroidery and at the waist a chenille belt. Silk Gowns For Summer. No summer wardrobe will be co plete without one or two silk gowns, and this is a very good time to buy last year's patterns for one-half what 1 they were sold for last year or will be sold for later. The newest patterns 1 and designs are very expensive as yet, and will not come down in price until J midsummer. These silks are to. be found in glace foulards, surahs, and of course in taffetas; but these last come under the saie head as the 1 glace silks. It is-fJ6be the fashion for every woman who prides herself on possessing a thorough wardrobe to have at least one black silk in her outfit this year. These black silk gowns are made up with some con trasting color in the vest or introduced in the trimming. There are also the figured taffetas, rather heavier than the usual taffeta, somewhat between a gros grain and a taffetn. This wears well, and in some shops can be bought z as low as eighty-five cents a yard. Harper's Baz.. A Woman's Ileform in IliHuois. Illinois club women have under taken a crusade against the use of woman's face or figure for advertising . purposes. It is proposed that no I woman's face, in other words, shall be any man's fortune. This uniquei reform of the scandalized fair sex< bobbed up serenely at a recent meet ing of the Fourteenth Congressional District Federation of Women's Clubs, held at Lewistown. The peti tion-loving club women who were present compared advertising pic tures and promptly decided they were enough to drive the youth of America to corruption. Thereupon they drew. up a stringent set of resolutions, which have since been printed for the pur pose of distribution among the wom en's clubs of the State. After these "face and figure" resol2%>?ns are suf ficiently supported by feminine sig natures they will be turned over to their dear masculine friends-the lawmakers in the State Legislature with an earnest little prayer that there be issued a stern manifesto against the use of woman's likeness for commercial purposes. - Chicago Times-Herald.____ An Elaborate Cloth Skirt. Cloth skirts for spring costumes are, many of them, most elaborate. There is one design irn blue serge that is par ticularly effective and, of course, par- 1 ticularly expensive, as well. -The skirt is cut with a gored effect and is very flaring around the foot. Down the front breadth at either side go three or four lines of black braid. These lines of braid turn and go around'the skirt about a'quarter of a yard from the foot, and above the three lines of braid is a mass of braiding in narrow bla~ck sou tache and narrow black satin folds, making the entire sides of the skirt < covered with braid in an elaborate de sign. This skirt is one of the French 1 models; has not yet become common; is -ery handsome, but has the disad vantage that it cuts the .figure and makes a short person look shorter. For ordinary -everyday wear and a useful investment the bell skirt is still the favorite. b)ut it can be trimmed with lines of braid that start from the3 hem at the back of the skirt, extend ing up only a little distance; in front go the whole way as far as the .belt, bu u nto meet in a point. They mus no gostraight up and down, for that would give too square a look to the figure: instead they must be put n2 is such a way that they give the ef feet cf gores, or, rather, follow the lies ei the gores. A iusba'nd's Tste. 3iary R. Baldwin relates this sug gestive little incident in the Womau's Home Companion: "'Oh, my dear, where did you get that monstrosity?' whispered a mrn to the little wonn by his side as he g to a strap, and she to him, as th rode home together in a street-car. "The effect certainly was ridiculous -the wee sace with its timid e res eion under one of the largest of the new -styles of hats with its flaun reathers and obtrusive trimmings. the tears started to the eyes of the wvertopped little creature; then she recovered herself, and insisted i"at it was just the thing-the very latest of the fashions. It is not beneath the hought of the most intellectual wom in, nor does it compromise personal udependence and taste to 'consult the preference of a husband in the -hoice of modes and articles of dress, "There are husbands so constituted, 1 eo doubt, that it is gratifying to their Dride and sense of authority to re eive perfect dependence from the vife; but the reliance of an efficient voman who is able to think and act !or -herself is thoroughly appreciated y a broad-minded, generous-souled usband. If his wife has a refiaed rue taste he feels honored when she aye befere him her plans for the iouse-furnishing, or the gowning of ierself, and after the purchase, as he regards effects, he takes pride in the thought of having had a voice in the :hooking." Massage a Beauty Eestorer. The marriage of Adelina Patti will . nake the massage business more >opular than ever, for she first be ame acquainted- with her new hus >and by employing him in that line. t has become very extensivein Wash ngton and all the cities of the East, and in the West also, and is now re ;arded by rich and self-indulgent >eople as one of the necessaries of ife. The fasltonable physicians in 1hicago prescribe it as a cure for the ,rip, which leaves the patient weak Lnd enervated. Nothing seems to, ake the spirit out of a man so much, nd there is no inclination for the ex- - rcise that is absolutely necessay- for he recovery of strength. A new feature of the massage treat nent, as practiced in Chicago, is to estore youth and beauty in women rho are showing signs of age. A od-looking women dreads nothing ,o much as wrinkles, and a massuer here guarantees to remove them by ,n application of hot water and the ressure of her fingers upon the fesh. he operation requires a good deal of patience and sacrifice, however, be ause while under treatment the patient's face is swathed in bandages I hot water for several days and she an eat nothing but liquid food taken hrough a tube. There have been at east three successful operations of his kind. One lady in Washington. vh a year--ago sh'owe-d'-unmistakable igns of. age, blossomed out last fall n the fullness and bloom of "outh, r, as she said, sixteen years younger han when she left the city in the piing,--Chicago Record. Gossip. Miss Kitty Reed, the Speaker's andsome daughter, receives $1600 ,nually for her services as stenog apher to'the Speaker. Miss Frances E. Mason is President f the National Bauk in Limerick, I le. It was founded by her father, y. d. Mason, and its interests have beea bly promoted under her leadership. Miss Florence Caldwell, of Cleve and, Ohio, is said to be the only roman civil engineer in America. She s the daughter of yudge Caldwell, onie if the most prominent jurists in )hio. The mother of 3!. Jean de Resake~ Las built him a lovely home in the 3hmps Elysecs of Paris, where he .nd his wife may live. Mine. de eszke, senior, and her son Edouard nd his fadily will also take up their bode in the same house. The report of the Membership Comn nittee of the New England Historic lenealogical Society shows that forty romen were admitted to membership luring the past year, that being the irst year that the by-laws of the so- - iety have permitted their admission :o membershiip. - . Gleanings From the Shops.. Lisle hose in checks and large plaids. White tulle spotted with gold iequins. Neck clasps in green enamel clover eaf designs. Jeweled and enameled slides for soft ribbon belts. Hatpins in rich mosaio designs and inusually large heads. Gingham dresses for girls tsimmed rith lace or embroidery. Watch chains and fobs in comibina ions of gold and gun metal. Imported skirts showing large plaids >f green and red combined. Cloth suits for girls in smooth-faced materials trimmed with braid. Silk evening hose in conspicuous olors with silk-embroidered insteps. Beautiful organdies in designsijof lack, white and gray arranged 1n tripes or scrolls. Safety slides for the hair made of ortoise shell, silver or gold, plain or ewel studded. Superb embroideries on a satin ~round in combinations of pearl' beads, ewels and tinsel. - Embroideries of velvet, satin or nousseline outlined with small beads, equins or tinsel. Midseason toques of lace or richly mbroidered transpare'nt materials, lowers and sigiettes. Fine quality dotted swisses showing iarrow stripes in delicately colored >mpadour patterns. Misses' frns composed. entirely of" engthwise ro*s of shirring,.wi. 'ow satin ribbons betwee Readymnade piqu ands of open e mud gnimn of