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R?f. CHAPTER XIX. CONCLUSION. Pale as death sat the fair young ?euntes* fu ber dressing room. She Sid not tremble now, for every nerve $*ad become fixed in utter despair. "WiE yon not change your dre-. my mistress?" asked Zenobie in ?t -Sow, tremulous tone. "Xb, no," the maiden replied, and Tb&r voice sounded strangely even in 3xer own ear, it was soJow and hol? low. "Why should I dress for the sacrifice? The dumb beast mav suf fer garlands about its neck'before being led to the Heathen altar, but, alas, God has not given me a brute's -ignorance to help me now. No, no, Zenobie; I will not dress for the bride." ?: "But the duke expects it." "I care not. He cannot ask me to ?0 it. He may do all he wills, for I am helpless here, but he dare not ask." "Oh, my dear mistress & cried the faithful girl, throwing her arms about the neck of her mistress and weeping as she did so," "would to God that I could bear this for yon/' "I thank you all the same, my 4?st of friends," the countess re? plied, gazing gratefully up into her attendant's face. "But it matters not mach now. I shall not suffer long. My sorrow will soon cease." Zenobie looked inquiringly up, but she did not speak, "God will soon take rae home," the wretched maiden murmured aft? er a pause. T feel the chill hand upon my heart ,evcn now, and I fc?ow, that earth cannot -bind ny spirit long with such a curse upon -it?. c j **^2?enob?e had no mdre words of con? solation to offer, so she did all she could do. She drew the head of her mistress upon her bosom, and there ?he held it for along time. She heid it thus until the door of the apart? ment was opened and a female do? mestic entered. ??L?dy," the newcomer said, trem b?ing perceptibly while she spoke, ^iie duke bade me tell you he awaited your coming below in the nail;" ^.<*She stopped here and seemed to wait for an answer. But Rosalind did not speak. "What answer shall ? give him, lady?"^ "2Lt thjs the countess started up, but she sank back again without speakings <cTe?l him we will come," inter? posed Zenobie, who saw that the an? nouncement had taken the last pow? er of effort from her mistress. "Yes, yes," whispered the count? less as the messenger hesitated and gazed inquisitively into her face. And with this the woman left the apartment. "My dear mistress," spoke Zeno bie, now calling all hev power of self ^control to her aid, "all means of j ieip and escape we have tried -in j Tain. The time has come"-: "0 God, have mercy!" groaned the countess. -"and iwe. must meet it, since thereis no further hope. It will be better to ge down at once than to arouse the bad man's anger by more -delay. Were there the least glim? mer of hope, we would not go. But ibere is not. You know what I mean." * "? few moments Rosalind sat like t*ne dead. Then she started up, willi bei* hands clasped, and raised her -eyes toward heaven. She did not speak aloud, but her lips moved, and she surely uttered a prayer lo ^God, and it was none the less elo? quent because it was silent. Then -?e turned io lier companion. Her Ups were set . and colorless, ?nd a deathly look had overspread her whole face. "Zenobie," she said in a lone which bore no feeling more than ibe gliding of a cold, icy sound, "1 am ready. Once more, before thc last joy of earth departs from me, let rae bless thee and press thee to ^my bosom. I am pure now'?" ?She opened lier arms as she -spoke, and when she closed them again Ze? nobie was within their embrace. *lBless you, bless you ever! God -ieep and guide you to the end of ?2i?e and 'then receive you home to bimself ! Kiss me. There, I am ?ready now !" The broken hearted girl wiped the teat from h?reye, and in a moment more shewas.as cold and passionless before.' "*teaii On, Zenobie. I shall walk intbout^hein," Without looking around the Mos Sfes led the way to the hall. scow ^ U t-VAN?S COBS, Jr. i < .-.. . . , ,, 1*1 ?she could bear the beating of mistresses' frost. In the hali st the duke with some half dozen of own male attendants. He took handj? of the '?cauntess as she prbached him ?nd gazed earnei I into her face, bul ^e did not spe I He led her toward one of the An ? ing rooms, and irhen they ente there they found the numpbael priest already in waiting. Rosal ! came well- nigh fainting when ? saw this miserable rzllain readv his work. She knen- now that i priest was like the roaster. "You ' 'see, '?? my dear countes spoke the duke in a low, hypoeriti tone, "that we-have ali prepared, trust we shall ."have no, trouble 1 fore this hely ma-n/.' This last sentence wr.s f-po!;en a threatening -tone, but ii had effect upon Rosalind. She han heard thc words fye spoke. "Come, father/' said Olga, tui ing now to the priest. "We s ready/' Savotano moved forward a: mumbled a<Latin prayer. Then looked upon the twain before hi and directed them to kneel. "Xo, no, no!" gasped the fi countess, trembling for the iii time. "I cannot do that !" "Kneel !" hissed the duke betwei his clinched teeth, and as he spo! he grasped the maiden more firm by the arm and forced her dow She uttered a quick cry of pain she felt the unmerciful grip, bi she could not resist the strong ar of her"persecutor. ? "Xow go on!" the duke cried ; he held the maiden down. "Go o Savotano, and let thc business 1 done as soon as possible," "Hold!" It Wag a voice of thunder whic 6poke thus, and it came from tl door. The dilke started to his fee and he beheld Rune Neve!, the gui maker, approaching- the spot. Bi the youth came not alone.. Behin Him came the huge bulk of Vlad mir, the monk, and more still, bac of the monk came the widow, Clat di? Sevel, and the boy, Paul, an then there were, besides all this, heavy tramp of feet in the hall an the clang of steel. ^ . - "Hold ! Stop this accursed mock ery !" Ruric.shouted as he strode u the apartment. "Miserable dog!" gasped the duke mad anc\ frantic with rage. "Ho^ dare vou come hither ?" "Look ye, proud duke," the moni interposed, coming quickly forward "I am at the bottom of all this. . have come to stop this foul work !" Rosalind had started to her fee when she first heard Ruric's voice and now, as the monk spoke, a ra; of hope darted to her soul-, and with a quick bound, she reached he: lovers side, "Ruric, Ruric!" It was all shi could say, and, with a flood of tears she pillowed her iiead upon his bos om, am\ his stout arms were wounc fondlv about her. 'Tear not," he whispered, "for oh, Rosalind, thou art safe now." The mad duke saw the movement and, with a/bitter curse, he starfcec toward them. "XOTV, by the living gods," he shouted, with his fists clinched and his eyes flashing fire, "you liavc come to your death! What, ho. there! Without! Slaves, where are je?" In a moment more the side dooi was thrown open, and a dozen.of the duke's servants came rushing in. "Ha!".Olga cried. "You are.in time. S?ze these dogs! Kill them on the spot if they offer one act of resistance. At them now! Down with the dogs!" "Hold!" lt was Vladimir who spoke, and every arm dropped as i they heard that voice. It was dif? ferent from the voice they had heard the fat monk use.before... The duke started as though a thunderbolt liad burst at his feet. "Who art thou ?" he gasped, stag? gering farther back. "Olga, duke of Tula," spoke the monk in tones which sounded strange for him, because they were so different from those he had been wont to use, 4iI am thy master!" As he spoke he threw open the ?long black robe which enveloped his person and cast it upon the floor at his feet, and there it lay, a huge pile of wadding and stuffing! The vast rotundity of person was gone, and the strange man now stood in his own fair form. Iiis chin-that ' prominent chin-was no more hid? den, and he was but a small man not much larger than thc boy Paul, who stood near him. Xext he place*! .his hand to his head and tore a\ the tight skullcap, and the ria^ Jgrav hair came away with it, lea^ a cluster of glossy hair rioai down over the neck and shoulden "Grc?.t Cod of mercy/' gasped Totano, staggering back, "it is ?emperor!" "Aye/' cried Peter, turning darkly flashing eye upon the st gering duke, "I am your emper Paul, go and call the guard." The boy hastened from the p ace, and when lie returned he \ follov.-ed by a party of the Imper guard. "Mercy, mercy, sire!" gasped 1 duke, sinking down on his knees. But, the emperor answered h not. He only turned to his gara and bade them secure the duke a the foul priest. Rosalind Valdai gazed upon t transformed man until the stran truth worked its way to lier stru gling mind, and then she turn once more to Kuric. She gazed \ into his face, and she saw the ho smile which rested there. The jo ful truth came to her now, and, wi one long, low cry of frantic ho and bliss, she sank upon her not lover's bogoin. She could not spea She could only elinor closely ai O J. more close to her loved protecto and. with her head pillowed close 1 the heart thal bent for her, she we] away all thc grief of her open? soul. "Olga," spoke the emperor aft< the nobleman had been firm' bound, "your race *of iniquity run." "Xo,. no, sire!" the duke cried i humble, supplicating tones. "Sa not so! In this single thing I ma have "been wrong, but let my.ma< consuming love be some palliatio for my offense. Oh, you will nc crush me with public shame fe this! You will not cast from yo one who loves you well !" "Oh, miserable man," uttered Pc ter, with a look of utter contemp ?upon the base wretch, "add not pei jury; to your already accumulate' crimes! Hark ve, some month since I knew there was conspirac; in my capital, and I knew there wa much of evil, too, which was neve reported to me. I resolved to ferre it out, and to that end I meant ti mingle among my people withou their knowing me. So I had tha robe made and so stuffed and wad dec! that I could even hide my ch ii in the seeming fat. I assumed th< garb, and my own master at anni did not at first know me. Once ii awhile I made my page assume th< garb and be seen in it about th< city, and thus all thought of sus pecting mc was cut off. I have beei at the work, Olga, and I l^ave founc out all I sought. It was mere acci? dent that first threw me in the wa} of this young gunmaker, and it wai by accident, too, that I overheard the Count Damonoff and his com? panion discussing the subject oi their mission to the gunmaker^ shop. Of course I followed thal scheme up, and I should have snatched our fair young countess from your grasp ere this had I not been desirous of arriving at another point first. Perhaps you know that the Princess Sophia and the Minis? ter Gallitzin have -planned a grand overturn of my throne? Ah! You tremble! And now, my noble duke," the emperor continued in a deeper tone, "I have learned of your own guilt in that affair. Oh, you do love me, do you? But I know you now. Two of your tools are in my hands. They are named #Totma and Viska. Thev have, made a full confession, ti ' and I now know all your villainies. I know what you have, planned against this noble countess and against her noble lover. 1 know what you planned against the Count Damonoff, and I know, too, what you have planned against your em? peror. Xot a wQrd* sir! You are . the Duke of Tula"HO more. A more worthy man wears^he ducal coronet from this hour. Ruric Nevcl shall assume the station you have dis? graced, and I know he will ennoble it once more." As Peter ceased speaking he wav? ed his hand to his oi?icers, and they bore the prisoners from the room. The priest said not a word, but Olga ! cursed loudly and bitterly. When the dark villains had gone, Peter stepped forward and took Ros? alind's hand. There was a tear in his eye, and his nether lip trembled. "Fair cousin," he said in a low, soft tone, "I could not promise thee that thou shouldst not wed with the Duke of Tula, for 1 had even then planned that you should do that thing. But it will not be very hard, will it?'' The countess gazed up, and a murmur of thanks was upon her lips, but the gushing flood started .forth anew, and she could only look ihe joyful blessings she could not speak. Toter imprinted a kiss upon 'her. pure brow and then gave her hand t'? Ruric, and as Ixe did so he said, wi.th a warm smile: j . "You must be her guardian here j after, and should you tire of the du j ty your emperor will be ever ready j te grant her the asylum she needs." j?'* * . ? * * I A week liad passed away from the ?Jime of thc strange scene just re ! wilds of Siberia, "but let me say hero lie never reached the land of his banishment. His proud heart broke on the road, and he died, un? known arid uncared for. in n peas? ant's cot among thc rugged moun? tains of Uralia. He had hosted of the o??icer who guided him not to tc!! his station, and the peasants supposed they were burying a com? mon traveler when they laid away the mortal remains of Olga in the cold grave they had prepared. Savotano. the humpbacked priest, was executed as a common murder? er, while his companions in crime j were punished as their' various de ? grees of guilt demanded. And now comes the closing scene. ! Within the largest apartment of thc ducal palace were assembled a brilliant company, and the emperor himself was master of the ceremo? nies. Eurie Nevel, the gunmaker of Moscow, knelt at the emperor's feet, and Peter drew his sword and laid the glittering blade upon Ruric's shoulders, and as he did so he said: "Arise, Sn\Ruric, duke of Tula, and receive thy just titles and bond? ed instruments!" The youth arose, pale and trem? bling with the strange excitement of the moment, and then the emper- ? or. handed him a broad parchment j roll, with its heavy seals and vignette bearing the ams of the dukedom. "Now" cried Peter, whose brow was flushed with the joy he himself was making, "let the rest of, the work go on. Come, holy father, we need your help to perform the rest of the ceremony ? Eurie was ?pale no longer. As he felt the warm hand of Eosalind trembling within his own the rich blood mounted' to his brow and tem? ples, and in his dark eyes the strange love light danced like re? flected sunbeams. The word was spoken-the bond of union was made-and, after all, Eosalind Valdai had become Duch? ess of Tula. The widowed mother was the first to bless them, and the emperor came next* Then came Paul and Zenobie, hand in hand. \ "Aha!" spoke the happy duchess as she caught the new light of Ze nobie's eye and then turned to the glowing face of Paul. "You are playing at the game of love." "You will not object," whispered the fair girl, hiding her face upon the bosom of her mistress. "Xo, no; Zenobie." "And you, my master," spoke Paul, gazing eagerly into Rime's face, "you will not say nay." "?to, no, ray noble Paul. If you can win her, you have my consent.". But she was won already. But there was yet one, more to come. Conrad, Count Damonoff, somewhat pale and weak, but yet on the sure road to health, moved slow? ly forward and took the hand of the joyousJjride. Then he reached forth the otner hand and took the palm of Eurie, and as he thus held both their'hands he said: "My lord and lady, and, I must say, my best of friends, let this mo? ment atone for all of darkness be? tween us in the past. Be you happy both, and may God bless you. Let me be accounted among your friends, and let the future prove how grateful I can be." "Aye,'' cried <Ruric, grasping the count's hand more firmly, "let the future show how grateful we can all be for the blessings of this hour, and while we look to God for help we will not fail to remember in our prayers the author of our joys-our noble emperor, Peter of Russia." And so closed the scene as it should-with one long, loud shout j of "God bless our emperor!" Peter never forgot that moment. In the long years thereafter when he sometimes let the ciouds of pas? sion settle upon his soul he remem? bered that scene and that shout. It was one of the bright spots in the memory of his youth which he cher? ished ai ways. THE END. His One Topic of Conversation. Sir ,Walter Scott had a clever friend who was once utterly ba filed by a stranger in a stagecoach. The friend, who wished to converse, as? sailed the stranger on al! hands and at last expostulated. "I have talked to you, my friend," said he. "on all the ordinary subjects - literature, farming, merchandise, gaming, game laws, horse races, suits at law, politics .and swindling, blasphemy and philosophy. Is there any one subject that you will favor nie hy opeviug upon:** "Sir." said he in reply, "can you say anything clever about bend leather I'** Most people, like Sir Waller, would confess they would have been a> much nonplused as his acquaintance. Perhaps the man who \\;ts only interested in "bend leather" was past hope for conversational purposes. - Gentle? man's Magazine. . Be Sure of Your Yoke Fellow. A farmer was training a preco? cious bull calf for the work of an ox and injudiciously put his own head through the other end of the yoke. ICvidently the calf was not well pleased with his working mate, recognising the disparity of the spe? cies or iK'rhans .seeing an element ot humor in the situation, and at one? started on a wild dash down through the village. The farmer could not extricate himself, and balking was out of the question, therefore he kept to the pace of .the calf and roared to the denizens of the hamlet: "Here we come, darn our fool-! Head us off, some? body!"-Field and Stream. MANNERS IN BUSINESS. Brain? and Good Deportment n Win? ning Combination. The value of brains in business can? not be overestimated, of course; but neither can the value of manners. Don't make the error of supposing that brains are everything. You may have the best set of brains in the town, but if you haven't the manners of a gentle? man nolx>dy is going to appreciate . ou. Your manner is the outward in? dication of what you are within in the estimate of most people, and if the manner is disagreeable few will take the trouble to examine into you any further. The consensus of general opinion, is that the man who goes about with porcupine quills as bis manners basn't any brains worth bothering about. Did you never notice that the men who em? ploy large forces of intelligent people look at an applicant closely, ask a few seemingly unimportant questions and promptly employ or dismiss himV They don't sound his brain depth: they don't obtain his biography: they doift inquire into his social standing: they size him up from his -M ;nners, and if he is brass on the surface they don't look for gold within. The employer knows that if an appli? cant's manner strikes him favorably it will also favorably strike people with whom he comes in contact in his work. And nobody knows better than a big business man that a favorable first im? pression means half the sale. Feople are apt to think that if there is any place where manners are of little consequence it is in business, where cold calculation so largely takes the place of feeling. But the truth is that nowhere else are manners of such importance as in ev? eryday dealings. There is no capital and equipment any young man can have that will pay him better than good manners. There is no possible calling for which this does not better fit him. If he has brains the world owes him something, but unless he has good manners he will have a hard time collecting it-Kansas City World. A WHISTLER PICTURE. Th? Dramatic Manner of Ita Finish and an Anticlimax. Whistler was one day visited by a foreign artist, an old acquaintance, with whom Whistler had not as yet quarreled. He was received with gen? uine cordiality, and, artist-like, he ran round the studio looking at everything. One small picture seemed to charm him especially, and he said, "Now that is one of your good ones." "Don't look at it, dear boy," said Whistler airily, "it's not finished." "Finished!" said the visitor. "Why, it is the most carefully finished picture of yours that I have ever seen." "Don't look at it!" per? sisted Whistler. "You are doing in? justice to yourself, you are doing in? justice to my picture, and you are do? ing injustice to me!" The visitor looked bewildered, when Whistler, in a the? atrical tone, cried out: "Stop! I'll finish it now!" Then he procured a very small camel's hair brush, fixed it on a long and slender handle, mixed a little speck of paint on his palette, dipped the tip of his brush into it, and then, standiug off from his picture and with the action of a fencer with his rapier, he lunged forward and touched the picture in one spot with his pigment. I "Now it's finished," said he. "Now you i may look at it." This was all highly ' dramatic, and indeed very well acted, but, as in the case of some stage plays, the final act of Whistler's performance proved to be an anticlimax. The for? eign artist took his ler.ve, but, finding that lie had left his umbrella behind him, called for it next day. The serv? ant, recognizing him, told him that Mr. Whistler had gone out for the day. but invited him to go to the studio and seek his umbrella. He went there and found it, but also took the opportunity of having one more look at the picture which had been "finished" for his spe? cial benefit the day before, and then he saw that the little dab of wet paint which Whistler had so dramatically put on he had afterward scrupulously wiped off again!-Frederick Keppel in The Header., Two View* of the Bella. A clergyman on his way to church one Sunday morning pulled up to re b?ke an angler. "Don't you bear th* bells summoning you to church?" he asked. The fisherman put an inquiring hand to his ear. Encouraged, the cler? gyman repeated the question. But once again the fisherman asked for a repeti? tion, and then again, and even yet again. Hushing from overmuch bawl? ing, the parson was about to proceed on his way when the fisherman spoke. "Very sorry, guv'nor," he said, "but them bloom in' bells makes such an in? fernal clatter that 1 can't hear a won? ao v? landon Globe. Sufficient Cauae. Man-But why do you think thej ! are so certain to fall in love? I Ann-In the first place, their parents j hate each other: and, in the second, j neither of. them has a penny in th* ! world. -Smart Set. A Cha?are. "You certainly look better. You must have followed my ad?r?e and j had a rhange." : "Yes. doctor, sn 1 have." "Where did you po?" ! "I went !?> another nhvsician." _ ? i The maximum endurance of a 13 j Inch gun is 300 Brings; while the 6 . inch gun may Uo \im\ upward of ??.0DO i times without injury. Not a Member of the Grand Jury. "If we ratify that canal treaty what are yon going4 to do for something to talk about?" ' asked Senator Spooner of Senator Gorman. "Oh," said Gorman, "Providence will provide. " . "That," said Spooner, "reminds; me of the man out in Wisconsin who went to a revival and was pressed to repent. He wavered for a time and finally arose and said : " 'Friends, I want to repent and teU how had I have been, but I dassen.'t do it when the grand jury is in ses? sion. ' " 'The Lord will forgive,' the re? vivalist shouted. " 'Probably He will,' answered the sinner, 'but He ain't on that grand jury.' " -i -i ~*> i mmm Perfect Confidence. Where there nsed to be a feeling of un? easiness and worry in the household when a child shewed symptoms of croup, there is now perfect confidence. This is owing to the uniform success of Chamberlain's Gough Remedy in the treatment of thai disease. Mrs. M. I. Basford, of Pooles ville, Md., in speaking of her experience in the use of that remedy says: "I have a.. world of confidence in Chamberlain's Cough Remedy, for I have used it with perfect success. My child Garland is sub? ject to severe attacks of croup and it. al? ways gives him prompt relief." For sale by China's Drug Store. Would Have Walked Too. - They tell this story in the commis? sioner's office at Ellis island : Two Irish immigrants just arrived stood one morning on the government landing watching a dredger at work a few yards away. Presenlty a diver full rigged, crawled painfully from the channel slime up a ladder to the deck of the dredger. One of the Irish? men, very much surprised, turned to his companion and said : "Look at that mon ! Look at him ?' Begcrra, if I'd known the way over T I'd have walked too!"--New York Tribune. Better Than Gold. UI was troubled for several years with chronic indigestion and nervous debility,"' writes F. J. Green, of Lancaster, K. H. y "No remedy helped me until I began us? ing Electric Bitters, which did me more good than all the medicine 1 ever used. They have also kept my wife in excellent health for years. She says Electric Bit? ters are just splendid, for female troubles; that they are a grand tonic and invigora? te r for weak, run down women. No other medicine can take its place in our fam? ily." Try them. Only 50c. Satisfaction - guaranteed by J. F. W. DeLorme. Wilmington, N^bT^eb. 3.-S. Hillf* Terry, charged with the murder of his son-in-law, George Tate Bland, last September, committed suicide in his cell today, by slashing his throat with . a case knife that had been given h i in? to use with his meals. His trial was ^ in progress in the superior court. mt? % i - i Honored at Home. Bev. Parter Holmes, pastor of the First M. E. Church, South. Hickory, N. C., says:: "I have used Rydal e's Stomach Tablets for indigestion and regard them as a perfect remedy for this disease. I take pleasure in recommending them to all sufferers from indigestion." Use Rydale's Stomach . Tablets for your stomach trouble and yout ) will join Dr. Holmes in this strong en- - dorsemeni These tablets will digest the \ food your weak stomach, cannot, and thus nourish the body and prevent the partial: starvation, from which all dyspeptics eer? ier and which canses the loss of flesh and strength all dyspeptics experience. These tablets relieve all disagreeable symptoms at once. They will increase your strength, and flesh almost from the first cte j's as? - 'and will soon restore you to perfect health. ? All dealers. ? Norfolk, Va., Feb. 3.-A negro ans~ wering in some respects the *descirip tion cf the Roanoke assailant of Mr^ Shields, was captured beating his "Wey? en a Norfolk & Western train tonight^ near Suffolk by the train crew and. was brought here for safe keeping pending identification. CASTOR IA For Infants and Children. The Kind You Haye Always Boags! Bears, the Signature of Th* Pit. The new game, that, wherever itt* trodeucfld, has become at once more popular than Flinch ever- was. It has been on the market only sixty day* but has sold up in the thousands a?- ?1 ready. For sale by H. G. Osteen Co. How to Make Money. Agents of either BOX should today writ? Marsh Manufacturing Co., 538 Lafce Street, Chicago, fur OT ts and particular* of their handsome ALUMINUM CARD CASE with your name engraved on it and filled with 100 Calling or Business Cards. Ev? erybody orders them. Sample Case and 100 Cards, postpaid, 40c. This Case and 100 Card?? retail at 75 cents. Yon have only to show sample to secure an o^er* Send 40c. at once for case and 100 ca?d?, before some one get? ahead of yon. Sept 16-3m TRACE ?.'ARKS DESIGNS COPYRIGHTS ASL Anrone sending R sketch ?nd doserintlmi remr ? quickly us?-ert;?in our opinion ima wnether AA ?H invention ?? probably pntentaWe. CornmunV*. ^ lions strictly confidential- Handbook on Patents *' ?ent free. OMcst at-enr-y for securing patenta. Patent? taken tliroueh Munn a Co, receive' special notice, wit bout chares In the Scientific JSierican K Handsomely illns'rated weekly. ?arrest t?*, oulatio.i uf *->v iKientttlc Journal. TetMjf a, vear ; four months* ll. Sold by ail newsrtO#er? Brauen ?ffle* t?? F SU Wasbmeton, ~