Saturday Evening Mail, Volume 2, Number 45, Terre Haute, Vigo County, 4 May 1872 — Page 6

THE SPIRIT IDEAL.

[Posth unions poem, attributed to Edgar AP#i This poem was not published anUl many years after Mr Poes death. It to written In the style of hi* "Raven." whln fact will be readily recognized by all adm^«n ©f his poetry.] 'J*

JProra

the throne of lite eternal,"*

From the home of love supernal, Where angel feet make music over all ue •tarry floor,

Mortals, Thave come to meet you, Come with words of peace to greet yoo_ And to tell you of the gl«ry that is mlae forevermore.

Once before I found a mortal .• Waiting at the heavenly portal— waiting bat to eatcb some echo from that ever opening door

Then I seised hi* quickened being, And through all his Inward naming, a Caused my burning inspiration in a fiery flood to pour!

Now I come more meekly human,

With the weak lips of a woman Touched with flre from off the altar, not with burning as oi yore.

But in holy love ascending. With her chastened being blending, I would fill your souls with music from the bright celestial shore.

As one heart yearns for another, As a child turns la Its mother, UFrom the golden gate of glory turn 1te the earth once more, ""Where I drained the cup of sadness,

Where my sonl was stung to madness, 'And life's bitter burning billows swept my burdened being o'er.

.Here the harpies and the ravens, Human vampyrs, sordid cravens, Preyed upon my soul and substance till I writhed in anguish sore. "Life and 1 seemed tnen mlsmated,

For I felt accursed and fated, Xlke a restless, wrathful spirit wandering on the Stygian shore. gui

Tortured by a nameless yearning, Like a frost-flre, freezing, burning, Did the purple pulsing life-tide through its fevered channels pour.

Till the "golden bowl, life's token— Into shining shards was broken, ,And my chafed and chafing spirit leaped from out its prison door. *M "-Tint while living, striving, dying.

Never did my soul cease crying. "Ye who guide the fates and furies, give, oh! give me, I implore! •*a From the myriad hosts of nations,

From the countless constellations, One pure spirit that can love me—one that 1, too, oan adore!"

Through this fervent aspiration, Found rny fainting soul salvation, ''For from out Its blackened flre-crvpts did my quickened spirit soar

And my beautiful ideal— Not too saintly to be real— Dur^l more brightly on my vision than the fancy-tormed Lenore. A' .. /Mid the surging sens she found me, *»s »With the billows breaking round me.

And my saddened sinking spirit In her ilivs. arm* of love upbore, Like a lono one weak and weary, —.—Wandering In the midnight dreary,

On her sinless, saintly bosom, brought me

lo tliw

heavenly shore.

^f'sLIke the breath of blossoms blending, Like the prayer of saints ascending, 'Like the rainbow's soven-hued glory blend our souls forevermore.

Earthly love and lust enslaved me, Hut dl vlnosl luve hath saved me, "And I know now first and only how to love i»- and to adore.

O my mortal frioi ds and brothers We are each and all another's! And t^e soul that gives most freely from Its ... treasure Italh the more. "Would you lose your life you find It »®l4ml In giving love, you bind It, Like an amulet of safely to your heart for-'

evermore.

asift

IMli

1-:

[From the Lakeside Monthly.]

'Steve Boggins's Courtship.

s.s

pt POT,' ..a.,- Sir. M, 4ft Lf

Tf ih"

n. WILLIAMS.

About a year ago, business connected with a cortairi prospective line of railroad brought me to the little Tillage or hamlet of Gophorton. Not a notea locality by an moans, lying as it docs In tho very heart of a Louisiana pine forest, forty miles from any navigable stream, and more than that distance from any town. An unmitigated backwoods place, given to tar ana coal kilns (its principal sourcos of revenue,) to bad whisky and to drunken rows.

A traveller passing through the place would be very apt to wonder why there should be a Gopherton at all. As a general rule, the site of a town is chosen in view of somo real or fancied advantage but here the pines aro scrubbier and tho sand deeper than In any •pot within ten miles. The neighborhood Is sparse and poor, and unless It was for the benefit of Turkey Creek, which runs back of tho village, I am sure the liveliest Imagination would fall to see why the early settlers chose ••that locality. «. We have heard that the founder of «the placo was a a enterprising Yankee, *«who, noting the thirsty character of the neighborhood, set up a grog-shop on tho banks of the creek. Of course, ttln a short time he had a rival In trade. .Around tlioso two groggerles clustered blacksmith's shop to mend tho broken cart-wheels which overy drunken •uroo

WAS

aura to hting tojtfie anvil—a

fetor's oftloe, tho tenant otNrhich i^ado eufty living, and aboift a dbzen ir two tog houses ©f comport4 styte of —^Hectare. AJtoaethOT, plaoe •ft oouaideredoi sfnnotent Importance

And ft local lv.ibit^ion audi ft nsftte a tho fl*r\s|i map of 3U |. Itoolcnp ftty abode tuft tean pOUM

Ut a Irnld lrcm the yUlige. Tbf oo)ftnt*tV«rft in better clruufiostfth

luJltonr uftighbors, and «vetythlng Jtlli them hid a thriving, Cotnfortal* lddk. The Aid Yuan was «, shrewd, tenraUc fellow, who raised {X»uHry in N'ow Orlous market in large ftUftlitlUM, and made bettor com ttopa Jhd hftCl a finer stock than any on4 in the pine bottom*. U.i«

w"*»

ashVoall*d her, waa Worthy helpSaoh an eternal *nd

ner»l perpetual mol^u, mak# me »vl« t« recall it* Bat the old woman's gf»at««t rftensati«tt

W«3'U»

fasU and pc^lsU

r.» lonft Selves in tbf beat filled with tb® gaudi«fl Howled dell-all belougilll to dif-

wrpat

•»!•, bat all equaUy stunftlng

-4tv gener.'U effect—the accumalations of the wkolt period other lira, lerfully prewrml. \b of the pltoheni ware nowlte oops without handles bft^the* turned toward the walL

Kverj'^tftv. anned with feather dnster, tftodetly «nd revwjntlal-

to uie oneday ••ftll th#«ta red

•Ed yaR«r ^Bowert, and them rifeft r%httlatotey— u^JcaU IttoMtrMW tttftly."

toolf thWlbr*Afa ^al*

Wftft joang Aliow of aboftt atz ^tw«

People who live within the confine* of civil isation, keep their skeletons under lock and key. In the backwoods your hosts would think themselves aadlf deficient In hoepitallty ir they did not at once admit you into the "penetralia" of their troubles.

I had not been twenty-four houra in the Hoggins household when Mrs. B. remarked confidentially, "Youaee our 8teve ia libitlly sot upon Tilda Hay what lives t'other side Turkey Creek. She's monstrous poor *•», »na »int much acount nohow, I reckon, at real hard work.

She's

Jest a little snip of a

tiring, and bis Pa and mehaa sot our loot down on it forever and ever. Farmer Boggins growled," "No beggar's brat shall tech my substance, what I have toiled and moiled for. Steve will jest make his choice twixt this here farm and that thar gal."

Steve, whistling cheerily In the yard, heard enough of the above dialogue to finiah it that eveniqg when we went bird hunting. "The old man may talk, and the old woman may scold but jest look here" —baring his arm, as large and sinewy as a young giant's—"do you think a young feller with this bone and muscle is a goin' to squat down with his finger in his mouth, and give up the gal he loves and who's promised to hira, for a few dirty acres? No, sir-ree. I aint afeared of the hardest day's work that ever was laid off, I can make a livin' for Tilda without thankee to anybody. I reckon, though," (and his anger ended in a hearty laugh,) 'that I'll manage some way to get my gal and the farm too!"

About snnset the following eyening, 1 was sitting in the porch of the farmhouse, listening to the eternal monotone of the pines, which brought back sad memories of sea waves breaking on a low sandy beach, when my attention was suddenly attracted to the queer movements of Mrs. Boggins. The little woman (she was a small, dried-up specimen) was mounnted on a chair, peeriug towards the road, hardly visible from the house. The chair was not high enough, so she climbed on the banisters apparently with no better success, for she scrambled down, trotted to the smoke-house, a few yards off, and to my astonishment I next saw her standing on the roof, shading her eyes from the setting sun, and gazing intently towards Oopherton.

The farmer at that moment rode into the yard. "What on airth, Sairv. are you a doin'up thar?" he cried, in astonishment.

It's that dratted Steye!" she called out. "He's rede towards Turkey Creek, and I wanted to see ef he was a goin* to visit that gal. I see him a comln' back along that road, and I'll fix him when he gits here. TAat I will, forever and ever."

She slided down, and, very red and very angry, was standing on tho porch when Stevo rode up. He did not await the bursting of the storm which he saw in the two angry faces before him. He called out, in his loud cheery voice:

Dad, I'm goin' right of! to hitch up the carryall, to take you and Ma to Oopherton. Great doin's there to-night!" "Oopherton!" snarled the old man, divided between curiosity, and rage at his son's audacity, "I reckon it won't see me. I aint got the time, like some folks, to go gallivantin', with cotton a wasttn' in the field."

But you must go. There's a man goin' to lecture on sperits. He'll bring up ghosts to move tne tables, and write messages from dead folks. Folks says be sees 'em, too. Oh, he does lots of things, and makes you what he calls a mejim, and then the sperits will talk to you, too." "Do tell!" ejaculated the old woman, with open mouth, and eyes full of awed astonishment. The scolding she Intended giving Steve waa entirely forotten. Mr. Boggins, quite as muoh mprossed as his better naif, nevertheless asserted his manly superiority by an incredulous sniff, and a "Don't be a fool, old woman. Do you let that boy throw meal in your eyes that way?"

But, Mr. Boggins," I said, coming to Steve's assistance, "if you have really never heard anything of SpiritualIsm, I can assure you it's worth listening to. Why, it's wonderful. Every one is talking of it now-a-daya. You had better

RO.

It will give you some

thing to think of the rest of your lives. Boggins locked a little puzzled. If you say it aint a humbug, I'd like to go. In here we don't have a chance to near nothln' but then it aint olar to my mind that I ought to go. I'm a church member, and deal in* with 8perits is olean contrary to Bible teachin's."

There was a half-forgotten legend in Gopherton that thirty years back there had been a great Baptise revival at Turkey Creek. Whether the grace of the occasion had waned, or the circuit proachers had neglected the impecunious field, It is certain the "raeetin' bouse" was used much oftener for secular than for sacred purnoses. The community had originally oeen "Hard Shell Baptists," but after all theae years of neglect they were like Crustaceans that have shea tho original crust, and were not fitted with any other cov-

Mr. Boggins being somewhat more moral than his neighbors, and a sometluao Bible reader to boot, held on to aft imperfectly remembered creed. So when he said. "It's clean contrary to Bible teachin a, and Baptist teachin's too, I reckon,'' he looked appealingly to me, as much aa to aay, "Is it?"

Haviug little acquaintance with "Baptist teachln'a," I was not prepared to answer that portion of his question nor, with the exception of the "Witch or Endor," and a general warning against "blind leaders7 and a special one against "false prophets," could I remember a text or Scripture wbteh forbids a man to join a aplritual secmoe. So I told Mr. Bogglua and he. very willing to be believe, muttered: "Seein' aint beUeviu', by a long Jamp." la very short time we were ell Jogging in the carryall to Oopherton. Aa we passed oarta and nondescript vehioles travelling the same way, for the aaane otyect, Mrs. Boggina kept up a moving commentary on the people in thetn and their belongings.

Jeat look at that auiftleaa Ike Loomlot" aa we drove by aa old backless boggy. "See his gwula's, all tied up withroUen ropea! Sometfeln' or of" la forever breakin' about that man ud always will be, fo: •ray* baa, kod ever."

I telt like saying Boggis*' favorite ljoosais himself looked shift, Wblaky-bloated taesd, the bestial Inrt between man and the I 8»add—lv a Ughl rod-Awed woman, sod tat lira, bogglae ss they nodded

sodden*

ft link brut* arestlon. with tall sallow

thoy

What did

1st p«M for,

8t*vsf Wo had ths road, ond wo ought to keep Ik Aid what ia

TERKk-HA IfTE SATURDAY EVENING MAIL, MAI 4. i872.

lion Anne Ijooinis «6d Uier Carnea a ^bin' iri Jifckaon*a wftgon? Why didn't Maiy Anne ride in the bug-

Ask her yourself," iald Mr. Boggins irately. "What yon tarrifyin' yourself 'bout other folks'* business? I reckon ef you war Ike Loomls'a wife you wouldn't be so fond of ridin' longside the old wbisky barrel. He baa a bad habit, has Ike, of gettin* split by the roadside: and I reckon Mary Anne don't care 'bout jinin' him in a tumble."

It was nearly dark when we reached Gopherton. The "meetin' honae" Was dimly lighted by tallow dips, and filled to overflowing. We got a seat just behind our friends of the road, Mary A nne and Lizer—the former rejoicing in a cone-shaped straw hat and red ribbon*, only a hue lighter than her face the latter with a long calico sun-bon-net, which served alternately aa tan and pocket-handkerchief. By turns she fanned and mopped, and when excited would oast the bonnet on her head and tie it with a snap which threatened to dislocate her scrawny neck.

There was a little bustle, and the lecturer appeared on the platform. At a

f[lance

A nudge from Mary Anne, and a stage whisper in Lizer's ear: "I reckon ef he lived as close to Sim Bates's groggery as me, he wouldn't have asked that question." "Yes," continued the erator "the spirits have led me to you that you may learn to know them, and through them the great Evangel which is sent to bless the nations of the earth." '"Show 'em to us, Mister!" cried a lank, smutty-faced kiln-burner, who stood near the platform. "Jest show •em to us, and we'll belieye all you've got to say."

The speaker glared angrily at the dirty incredulous Thomas. It was his first experience of a Oopherton audience. Had he been here before, he would have known that these pine woods chaps were much given to interruptions ef that nature. In fact, a speech always merged into asocial conversation between speaker and hearers. They contended that in a free country one man had as much right te talk as another, and sometimes they have been known to out-talk the men who came to enlighten them on the issues of the day.

Just as the Spiritualist had taken up the thread of his broken discourse, there was a stir at the door, and Mary Anne, ribbons and all, bent forward to look. "Goodness sake*!" she cried aloud "ef thar aint my drotted old man. jest as drunk!" And she raised herself in her seat and shook her fist menacingly at the stupefied oaf who was balancing himself with difficulty on the threshold. He did not seem to heed her, but smiled cunningly, and moving his stick playfully forward, cried out:

I aint a bit afeared, Mary Anne!" She made a rush forward, flattening me up in my corner as she dashed on. Lizer, sun-bonnet and all, waa capsized on tne floor, where she snapped her bonnet strings two or three times before rising, and Mary Anne fairly plunged her way to the door, pounced upon the delinquent, and unresistingly dragged him back to her old seat. "x7ow you jest squat down thar!" she said, viciously pushing him down on a little stool at her feet, where he could see nothing but the tops of the benches. "I aint a goin' to lose the speechifvin' for you, and I aint a goin' to let you disturb the congregation, you drunken devil. Lizer, you jist help me keep him straight!

He seemed too far gone to make any other protest against nis situation than by lurching first against the lap of one woman and then againat the other. Each in turn would give bis head such a crack that I had a sympathetic headache for hours afterwards. The sharp snap of the bonnet strings was unnerving to listen to, and Lizer's face was fast presenting the appearance of a criminal who was undergoing the last penalty bf the law.

During this little interlude, the discourse from the platform went on, with a good many hitches from the inquisitive audiouce. Mr. and Mrs. Bogins sat silent and open-moutbed durng the discourse, and when the usual manifestations began, moved off to a front bench to get a nearer view. I had seen that King of Spiritualists, Home, float through an open window I had assisted to bind those clever charlatans, the Davenport Brothers, in their magic cabinet I had taken part In "seances" of every kind and degree and the edge of my curiosity about these spiritual marvels was somewhat worn away. So I amused myself in watching the motley crowd around me. Tables had been rapped and chairs moved. My friend Mr. Boggins, who made one of a magic circleTnad written a variety of communications Irom deceased inhabitants, of Oopherton. In fact, he was discovered to

a "powerful mejum," though,

watching htm closely, I thought a rather shaky one. A tall, awkward youtb, clad in walnut-dyed homespun, lounged through the crowd and took his seat among tne "mejums." "Is that my son ifamrny Loomis there?" cried Mary Anne at the top of her voice. "Does that old fool think I'm goin' to let my Tommy go and be conjured? For the Lord's sake, Lizer, stand on the edge of that stool and look and see if that really my Tommy. I daren't leave hold of this drunken fool to get up and

The obliging Lizer mounted and peered over. But the "drunken fool" had retftlned sense enough to enjoys joke, end aa Lizer raised herseiron tiptoe on his seat, he quietly slid off. Hf balance waa lost, there wss a kind of shooting forward, a loud scream, and before we had time to move, the bench oa which Steve and I were aitting waa cast with violence to the ground.

I hardly know how I extricated saysslf but In the midst of tho confoslon I beard distinctly the parting snap of Lizer'a bonnet atringa, as some pitying neighbors helpsd her to the door, and saw Mary Aane'a hat turned book part before, and her wrath/ Caos. ss she followed a very limp handle some men were conveying oat of the "meetin' bouse."

I wondered at the calmness of the Spiritualist daring this noisy Interlude. As soon as quiet was restored, his deep sonorous voics roastn emphatic tones: "You asked me just oow to show yon tho qdriia. I mm at least show

you their hanai^rorlf. ^You. saV ^that miserable toper carried oat of tho door. Probably you thiak Jt la by his own will that the poisonous draught is commended to his lips. No it lathe work of evil spirits. Invisible to your eyes, but real tangible beings, shape his will and hold the enp to his lips. They move the hand in murder they wss the tongue in scandal. Every bad thought is suggested by them in every evil act they have their portion. They are the real demoniac possession the Scriptures tell us of." "Hallelujah!" cried a voice in the Crowd. "TTien it wan't Lige Potter's fault he stole Widder Wilkins tin pail" "Shut up, you tarnation fool!"

Son't

I saw that he waa no shrewd

mposter, but one of those blind fanatics who throw themselves with mad enthusiasm into the wildest doctrines. Tall and thin, with a narrow forehead, and eyea full of gloomy fire, the man impressed me as a type of the old zealots who, through the torture ef the rack and the stake, upheld triumphant ly their own belief.

Without any preamble he plunged at once into his subject: ''Why should you be kept in ignorance of the great Truth of the Age because you are far from the world's thoroughfares? Moving on day after day, in the same miserable drudgery, has it ever occurred to you that there ia a world of spirits around you

rowled another. "I'll be dogoned .ef I b'lieve you or Lige Potter haa sperited away my jack-plane!"

In the twinkling ot an eye the two men clenched, and a scuffle ensued, in the midst of such a babel of sounds that the whole assembly seemed to be taking part in it. Steve toached my arm. "It'a goin' to be tree fight," he said, "aud I reckon you nor me aint got any interest in it. You git out as fast as you can, and I'll bring along the old folks."

I took his advice but by the time I reached the threshold something like order was being restored in the Pandemonium. The irrepressible lecturer stood natientlv waiting until hia voice could be beard.

I could not help thinking, as I looked back at him, that It was a pity his earnestness, patience, and power of will could not be brought to bear upon some ot the real issues of life. Face to face with a mysterious force of nature, which we have not yet learned to guide or understand, this man at once acceptedit as the means of solving the great problem ot life.

The "old folks," or Steve himself, wer6 very hard to dislodge, for at least half an hour elapsed before tbey made their appearance, I preferred the pleasant night outside, to the heat, noise, and pressure within, and the waiting did not seem very long to me. When at last they emerged with the rest of th* audience, they seemed atrangely silent and quiet. We rode on for some distance without a word beingexchanged, when suddenly the old farmer brought his hand down heavily upon the side of the vehicle. "I don't understand it," ho siid. "Somethin' seemed to hold my hand in a tight grip, and move it over the paper. I writ down things I never did think oi in my born days, Siiry."

Sairy" was too far gone in awed astonishment to do more than groan. But Boegins's natural shrewdness struggled nard against credulity. "It 'pears to me," he continued, "it's a mighty loose doctrine if you den't know where it's goin' to land you. Aint got no heft in it, as I oan see. The sperits don't give you no satisfaction no how."

Ano her acquiescing grunt from "Sairy." I b'lievea in it all," uttered Steve, in such a hollow, sepulchral tone that I turned and looked at his face, plainly visible in the moonlight. It was drawn down, aud his eyes upturned in a very queer manner.

Yes, I b'lieves In every word abcut the bad sperits holdln' a feller, and makin' him dp all kinds of wioked things. The man said, too, good sperits mout fight agin the bad, and conquer, and the good sperits of other people, ef they was nigh us, might help us. I reckon, Dad, you and Ma there aint got any good sperits, for you was jam up against me, and yet I jest felt like I would like to choke old man Washton." "Bakes alive!" cried his terrified mother. "O Steve, what's come to you A good, well-behavin' ole man like Tim Washton."

I don't know what's come to me. I reckon the devils got in when that conluror made me lay my hands on the table. I don't feel like myself!"

All thls Skid In^fM1 indescribably gloomy manner. The farmer looked at nis son uneasily, and the unhappy mother would have lifted up her voice and wept aloud if the jolting of the carryall had allowed it. As it was, she uttered one or two squeaks, and an unlimited quantity of "Merciful Heavens until we reached the farm.

I went immediately to my room, feeling somewhat uneasv about the young man. Spirltuallsih is given to unsettling the mind of its votaries, and here had I been instrumental in exposing this family to its influence. As Steve passed my door I called him in.

I am truly grieved to find," I bean, but was interrupted by a burst of aughter.

Yon don't tell me you b'lievea like the old folks!" he said. "Jest keep dark, and you'll see some fun,I reckon. I ain goin'to tell you the whys and the wherefores, but you'll find out." And putting his finger to his lips, he marched out, leaving me considerably relieveid.

About midnight I was awakened by a terrible fall In Steve's room, which vdjoined mine then a crash as if the house waa tumbling about my ears. I jumped up, and into aucb of my clothing as lay at hand, and running out of the room met the old couple on their way to the scene of action. As we opened the door, there aat Steve in the middle of the floor, overturned chairs and tables around him, and a large looking-glass shivered on the floor. "Gracious sakes ali^e!" cried Mrs. Boggins, rushing forward "my beat looking-glaaa, what I've bad for thirty year!" "What in thunder do you mean, Steve?" cried the irate farmer.

There aat the Destroyer, grim and stern,—nothing violent or maniacal about him,—fully oonadoua of the mischief he had done, but powerless In ths hands of an evil Fate. Quite an impressive tableau.

It's no use talkin'," beaaid, moornfnlly no use at all. Them sperits haa got hold on me, and I'm bound to best my braina out agin the wall ef tbey tell me to do it."

An swfal "Hon, boo!" from hia mother, and an "Ob, Steve, what kin we do?"

Hold my banda. von and Dad," be said, "when I feel

r«m

risin' In me.

Maybe you have getaome good sperits. Hold 'em now, right off!" Each seised bsnd. He wrenched from them, and running to tho bedstead, tore it apart and threw the posts on the floor.

Hia own blessed grandma's bedstead shouted Mrs. Boggins. "Ob! have I lived to see this? My own eon! and all tho flxln sad carpentering on them posts, and the qailts all quilted: and to have bad aperita a-teartn' and a-rondin'at hia innarda and my bedstead I Oh, Steve. Steve, my poor aafortlnate son!" And she fell on ft seat, overcome with grief,

Steve's strength bv this time. I reckon they're about done now he said dejectedly. "Maybe they'll oome back sometlo tbst time some aroand. I kla

waa aomewhat spent

re about done now," ly. "Maybe they'll lime, bat perhape by good spirits will be yoor bedstead,

Ma, gb6d as new but what's goin' to make me the man I waa Vl'U send for that eonfonnded spoilt man.to-monow«" growled the farmer. "Ef he put 'em In, I reckon he can put em ott." "He went away right after the lecture," said Steve.'

There'a old Mam Darley," said Mrs. B., joyfuUy. "Ef there's an angel on airth it'a tnat ooman. I'll aend for her fuat thing to-morrow. Ef anybody haa

Sam

it a good sperit In theee diggins, old Darley is that one." "Hem, hem!" and Steve did-not look as much pleased aa he onght to have been. "I nope she has but I'm mightily afeard ola Mam Darley'• aperit will be mostrous weak. She's very old, aint she?" "Nigh on to eighty year, I reckon. Ef she don't do we'll'try the whole settlement, Steve. Don't give np, my boy," said his father cheerily. Go to bed, and to-morrow we'll do somethin* for you." "Don't you think Steve is cracked?" he whispered to me aa we went out. "I'm afeard the boy ia regular crazy."

I dont know,""I answered evasively "but, Mr. Boggins, humor him if you wish a cure."

He shook his head ominously as be left me. Steve's "spirit" game hadn't imposed upon him, but serious fears aa to bis sanity were aroused.

Of course "Ole Mam Darly" was st the breakfast table next morning. Steve ate his meal moodily and in alienee, every now and then anawering the venerable "angel's" questions with a snarl. As he rose, hia mother and "Ole Marin Darly" rose too, and followed closely at nis heels.

You ain't a-goin' in the field," said Mrs. Boggins, "this blessed day." It was probably not Steve's programme to be followed about by two old women, so he turnd around like a baited bull. "What do you want me to do? Sit down aud twiddle my finders? I've got business in Gopherton this morning."

I'll do it for you," aaid his tatber coming up. "You ain't well, and you jest stay quiet in the house."

Steve had no resource, so enteriug the best room he threw himself sulkily on a couch.

Mrs. Boggins went cheerily about her morning's work, very much assisted by the mild twaddle ol her ancient visitor. I was seated on tho gallery, poring over a chart of the parish, and wonderfully bothered by the uames of certain localities, when a very pretty girl walked up a fragile-looking little creature enough, with a shy, depreciating look in her soft

^Boggins, who was sweeping

away cobwebs for dear life, with a yellow bandanna bound round her head, turned around sharply as she heard the girl's step.

Is that you, Tilda Ray she said coldly, not even offering her hand or ceasing' her work. "What's brought you up here so early this morning?"

The girl's face grew crimson at the tone. I came becauae mother had no one else to send," she said in a low voice. "She's done the quilt she was making for you, and says please send for It this

6V"

Ancf why on airth"—began Mrs. Boggins, when aloud oraah waa heard in the best room. "Oh Lordy!" she shrieked, dropping the broom and rushing to the place but befdre she reached it, another and another crash. She entered, followed by ua all and what a sight before her! One large pitcher lay shivered cups and saucers in fragments a flowered bowl was In the hands of Steve, which be held high above his head, and then threw down with violence. The cherished "chaney," the pride of Mrs. B's heart, was in a fair way of being totally demolished. Some ladies would have fainted, or had hysterics, in that venerable matrou'a poaition. She did neither. She gave an Indian whoop, a mad clutch at the top of her head, executed a kind of war dance, and backed right up against me, snapping her fingers. "The Lafayette pitcher!" she yelled (it had a picture of that venerable patriot on it): "the sunflower cups, (snap, snap,) and oh, great Masters! he's got bolt of Gineral Jackson mug! Oh,Mam Darley. take a holt and see if be won't op!" and the snapping other fingers, like castinets, kept time to her distracted ejaculations.

M.itn Darley, nothing loth, tottered forward but," as Steve had foretold, her "speret" was two weak for the emergency. The "Gineral Jackson" mug cauie down, nearly hitting her poor old head in Its descent. She got out of the the way in a hurry. Mrs. Boggins was at her wits' end, when her eye lighted on Tildy Ray, who had come in with the others and stood looking at her lover with fear and pained wonder in her soft eyes. "Come here," she cried, seizing her by the arm and dragging her forward. "Take holt of hia band, and see ef your sperit can help him any."

A miracle 1 At the girl's trembling touch, the young giant gently laid down the bowl he held, and passed bis hand over bis forehead lisce one awakening from a trance. "So I did all that,"—looking at the debris before him. "I'm sorry, Ma, bat it ws'nt my fault. When Mam Darley touched me, you aee, it seemed like somethin' told the rendin* sperit te git out."

It want Mam Darly,"aaid bis mother rather crossly. He pretended to recover his consciousness all at once, and looked at tbegirl beside him. "Oh, I see, 'twss Tilda. Well, it'a certain aa you atand thar, it'a Tilda Ray's sperit that can conquer all the devila in me!"

Mrs. Boggins received the communication somewhat austerely bnt I noticed her farewell to the girl waa much warmer thari her greeting. When she left, Steve subsided sgain into his moody melancholy. Aa soon as Boggins returned, there waa a long conference between the old couple which I saw that rascsl8tevs watching out or the corner Of his eys.

The result, as the former told me that night, was consent to the marriage of the loyers. ..

As fur tbst nonsense sbout sperits aad a boldift' of hands, that the ole ooman b'levee In, I know that's hlxh Betty Martin. But the boy is a-goin' crazy fur the gal,and he matt Jest hsve IMT —that's the up and down of the matter. It'twon't cost more to take her in the family than to keep Aim at a lonatlc 'sylum. It's either one or 'totber."

Knowing as I did that the farmer waa as thoroughly humbnggsd as his wife, though in a different manner yet 1 could not avoid congratulating Move oa the nee to which be had pat •pirltualiam.

I hay* heard of their marriage, and that the "Lafayette pitcher" ana

A rotnaptic California pair of runaway loVere took a fancy to be married on the "deep blueof the mighty ocean," regardless of tho rise, and nil of a palpitating bosotn under excitement. A steam tug waa chartered and so waa a clergyman, and so the twain went to aea ina tug, patting the"briny" between them and all personal pursuers. The San Francisco Chronicle gives the particulars of tying the sailors' knot:. "From the pleasant valley of Santa Clara Miss Mary E. Parr had been wooed by Mr. John E. Davis. Like Paul and Virginia. John had stuffed the gentle Mary's craw with ripe grapes and orab apples, borne her across the Coyote—a dangerous torrent, some inches in depth—and made himself, generally agreeable to the lovely rustic, and here was the result O'er the waters ot the dark blue sea, Our |houghts as boundless and our souls as free, bummed Mr. John Davis as the steamer cast off from the wharf and the blushing Mary gazed timidly yet confidently on the smoke-stack. And they were happy. Once, and only once, John thought he perceived a quiver in the ne.ghborhood of Mary's eyelid. He drew forth his handkerchief and whispered softly, "Don't weep, dearest!" She met his gase with a world of affection in her swimming eye, murmuring almost inaudlbly, "Only a smut, my soulremoving at the same time the foreign particle which bad been cast from the envioua amoke-stack. As Goat Island was left astern, the rolling swell of the ocean was felt. Rev. H. M. Henderson, who was to offloiate, atruggled down the batohway to g«t his toga, and the fair bride ana the gallant bridegroom otood side by side. The grand waves trembled along boistrously and clambered up the vessel's sides to get-a peep at the happy pair.. The clergyman reappeared, clinging to the bulwarks, and executing a brilliant balance feat with the Book of Common Prayer,and the runawaya joined hands.!

Aud be stood calm and quiet, and he spoke the fitting vows, but heard not fails own words, and all all things reeled" around him. Why did the bridegroom'a cheek grow pale, and what.. Boded that green hue on the downy, cheek of the angel who was to pledge her troth to him Why did the "native hue of resolution" on Mr. Henderson's lofty forehead become "sioklied o'er with the paleoaate of thought?" Was the vision of another love looming spectre-like before the Davis yonth Did the bride distrust him who had-, chartered the good steam tug Joe Rod-" mond, to celebrate these clandestine nuptials thereon

Will you, John Davis," said the clergyman, aolemnly, "take this woman to be your wedded wife?" "I will," faltered the groom, and hardly had the words escaped his lips than he was leaning over the side of, the steamer sobbing under the iufluence of the most powerful emotion and the discharge of a large load of sandwitchea be had taken in before his departure. The bride, oh! where was she? Her beautifully molded head 4 crowned with glowing tresses, lay in 1 in deep despair

In the lee souppers her

sweet lips were parted, aud sue suffered deeply and acutely. The napless clergyman had made a pillow of the Book of Common Prayer, and waa ohanting the burial service at sea with mournful cadence, only interrupted by powerful ana resonant spasms. "Come!" shouted Captain. White, hInching the waiatband of his pantaloons and turning the quid of tobaoco in hia mouth. "Come, my hearts ot I oak! Why, shiver my timbers snd .. douse my tarry top-lights! You're all on your beam ends. Heave up my hearties 'tis your watch on deok. ,/ Heave up and get spliced. Come, bear a hand!"

Again they stood up to the'soratoh, again they were prostrated. At last the trembling and unnerved clergyman made them man and wife, and the Joe Redmond returned to the city with the lately wedded and muoh seasick Mr. and Mrs. Davis.

We predict that it will take many months among the classic vineyards of StantaClara before the remambranoe of those lee scuppers and the 111 fated sand witches are obliterated.

MPUT

,'Oin-

erel Jacftson mug" have been replaced by olhsri quite as showy. Somebody says that a porcnmlon cap I* like death, because It's a debt o'-na-tnr. (i~

ME IN MY LITTLE BED" Recently, while a oountry editor was tiding on the cars oat West, he raanaged to exchangeaatcbels with' one of the fair sex. He says: Imagine our consternation, ana the double-distilled look of "you area villain" exhibited by our irate spouse, as on opening that cussed satchel she pulled out a 'what-do-you-call-'em" usually worn by the ladies "when slumbers chain haa bound them." There is no use. We are in for it. The devil hlmaelf couldn't explain this confounded mess to the satisfaction of our wife, with all his logio. The only hope we have is that •ome woman with a jealous husband is laxa listing in the possession of thst satchel of ours, with all ita wealth of one pair of long-logged pants, ond one hospitably inclined shirt. That shirt and pair of pants will make themalves at home, we'yo no donbtjust like their owner, snd that will flre Ms raging heart utnd thea won'tho give her Jesse? Bat to retarn. "Mr dear, it's all a mistake, I toll you.0 That's what we have been aaying for two hoars, and it don't haye the least effect Ob doftr!

A LEO END OF NORWAY—FOB AMERICAN MOTHERS. There is In Norway story of a girl who hud a horror of becoming a mother, and therefore the evening before her marriage, went to the water-mill .•? where the witch dwelt, to ask lor some 4. remedy which should prevent this, The witch gave her twelve seeds which she was to fling into the mill pool. This she did without thinking anything more about it but at each soed flung into the water there was heard a slight sigh it was a child's heart that broke each time. She became a wife but remained childless in old «ge remorse Aeized her.

Her hand was unstained with blood and yet she was a murderess, and endured agony ot mind as an infanticide.

One day she went into the church to pray for the removal of her guilt, she saw her twelve unborn sons standing before the altar, and tbelr whole race, and all their deacendanta, the number ot which waa so immense that they 1 filled all the aisles ol the church. And she knelt down to pray—she, the murdress of a wbole race The clergyman broke forth in anger against the woman's sin: "I will not grant thee absolution, snd God the Lord will be equslly unforgiving. Sooner shall roses spring up out of the flagstones than 1 forgive thee."

The night that she had this vision in the church, the clergyman dreamed the« same dream aa the woman, and when be awoke the flagstones had split, and twelve odoroua roses grew out of the spertures. These were the twelve sons of the childless wife. "Now is our.mother hsppy," said the clergyman, and aougbt for her in the church where abe lay aead before the altar.