Saturday Evening Mail, Volume 3, Number 14, Terre Haute, Vigo County, 5 October 1872 — Page 6

[From the Buffalo Courier.] %HE FORCE OF PREJUDICE.

BT FRA*K CMVK.

•"No doubt good Deacon Adams li somewhat ma bigoted That he's stubborn when he"gits an Idea

In his head"—

Although he says "by prejudice, no one ought tew be led/* ,y Aud he Is sternly orthodox, and very seldom strays Into strange tabernacles. "It's only them"

Tbel are Tost sheep of Israel thet in strange pastures graze."

One recent Sabbath morn the Unl versa lists' new btfll Attracted li* and fell haid lie, "I'll 1st drop In and see how tbeyv dispose of hell."

attentlon, as its tones arose

He thought it was the preacher's written sermon I hat he Heard, tInstead of extracts, simply, read from the sacred word,) And his pious soul was vexed at hearing doctrines so absurd. Buch heterodox sentiments aroused his wrath full high, And--as beneath his lowering brow, flashed threateningly his eye— •"8a lie!" he cried, "a miserable heterdox lie I"

Of .'11 the sermons I've yet hearn." *aid he, "this is tlie wuit!" And, swelling with a sense of most ineffable disgust, He left that place of worship, shaking off his leet its dust

If, in the sacred book, those very words he chanced to see, !loubtless with those same sentiments the deacon would agree "Tor the deacon Is not prejudiced He scorns the bare "idee

[Overland Monthly—October.]

Romance of Gopherton.

A

In 1863 Oopherton was outgrowing it» period olZ«cer-minlDg, roughs, vigilantes, gamblers, aud adventurers of every sort. It was, in lact, fast gaining a reputation for solid business prosperity, good living, piety, and handsome •women. It had so far progressed in uineteonth-century civilization that it boasted threo churches with paid initiators—one extremely "fashionable"— and dispensed entirely with the illrouiponsatod labors of home missionaries. Instead of those unseemly revels which tradition imputed to its earlier days, ladies' lunch-parties, church-les-tivals, and Sunday-school picnics wero among its fashionablo recreations.

Tho lath of May had been set apart fr one of theso latter. The weather was as bright and sparkling as only California May days can bo. (iophertou was all abloom with roses, fuchsias, geraniums, heliotropes, and tho thousand beautiful shrubs and plants that attain tholr highest perfection in the quick and tortile soil of thr foot-hills. Tho heights, which inclosed the little town as in an amphitheatre of green terraces, still woro the freshness oi spring in fresh verdure and gorgeous wild blooms. Overhead, the sky was one coruloan arch, without cloud or speck. As for temperature, never had a more delightful day dawned on the world ninco paradlso was forfeited. lly cloven o'clock the guy procession of omnibusses, carriages, wagons,, and vehicles of every sort, packed with all that was choice in tho way of youth, beauty, and provisions, was on its winding way out of town. Along the tortuous road among the hills it rattled, waking tho echoes in answer to many a merry shout and song halttug, ut last, about two miles from its point of departure, in pine grove, where the ground was as nearly level as tho ground auywhore about Oopherton was inellued to be—perhaps we khould havo said, disinclined to be, fciuce a disposition to inclination was the predominating one in this romantic region, and this particular spot was noarly ao exception.

As the carriages were speedily emptied of their inmates, Miss Marion Ilallev stood for a moment in the door ot hers, taking in the sceno, and thinking that it was almost a pity that tho holy stillness and poriect beauty and grandeur of the placo should be profaned by tho riotous merriment of ail that mis4«ollaueou8 crowd. For Miss I [alley was a poet in sentiment, albeit 6lie had never strung two rhyuios together in her life. It was this poetical sentiment which led her soon apart iroip the crowd, to a spot where the soft monotone ol the pines was uniuterruptod by its boisterous merriment. Her light loot tail on the grass returned uo sound her blue-muslin drees made no rustle. Only tho note of a wild bird, or the chirrup of a squirrel overhead broke in upon the low, pleasant murmur, so like that of tho distant sea.

Presently a new sound touched hor tonsclousness with a senso of wonder almost ot adright. Was it tho moan of a human voice? Tho pine-cone she was examining dropped out of her hand her lingers relaxed their hold of the young ferns and wild flowers. Again that moan! Miss iialley was genuinely terrified at the thought of what that sound might mean, and felt at first rather impelled to flight. Hut the heroic in her nature asserted itself on second-thought and she determined tirst to loam what there was to flee from. Accordingly she directed her steps slowly in the direction of the mysterious sound, listening meanwhile for its recurrence. When she had reached a clump of tti«wrum/ri-bushes, growing on the edge of a ravine, once more she heard the sound, this time unmistakably a human voice,^nd almost at her fWt, Pausing a moment to recover courage, she peered beyond the bostaes and there, right upon the •f a frightful precipice, dtscove stretched at full length, the form of a man.

An instant's observation showed her a well-drawed man then, a further glance, young man, and—when she was quite sure he did not observe her— a haudsmnc man and lastly, that this handsome, well-dressed young stranger was either 111 or Intoxicated. Now, tf there was one view which Misa H*ll,«y hated more than another, It wnsdrunkoiiniss and she certainly aoapecied the stronger of being In this condition, as the only Intelligible explanation of his being in the singular and danger* •ni position he was unconsciously n*v cvjpytne. Wiat ahoald abe dot She Hi bair-roitnled, sin*? he was drunk. It let him take his ebanoM, and roll

over the cliff if he would. But, upon further reflection, she concluded that such indifference was hardly humane, and besides, just then, another grievous moan escaped the brown-bearded lips, finding its way straight to the generous heart under tho cool-looking blue muslin, and the matter was decided in favor of philanthrophy.

Miss Iialley first spoke softly to the unconscious man, with the intention of gently arousing him. But finding that her voice had no other effect than to occasion more moaning and increasing restlessness, she next knelt by his side, placing her hand on his brow, which was burning aud finally consulted his pulse, which convinced her that, to whatever cause the man's illness might be owing, he was at that iLoment exceedingly ill and suffering. The situation was embarrassing. Alone she could not rescue hlru. If she left him, be might move so as to fall down the cliff. The more she looked at and pitied this helpless Adonis, the more tho trouble grew but fortunately, when ber indecision had grown unbearably painful the voices of the Sunday-school children were heard approaching the spot. Miss Halley called to them with all her strength of lung, and so as to arrest their attention. That once gained, the youngsters came rushing poll-mell, each more desirous than the others to be first on the ground. "O Miss Iialley!" tbey all exclaimed in a breath, "we have been looking everywhere for you. Lunch is all ready, and the swings aro put up, and the 'lancing-floor is put down and O, everything is so nice!" Then, as they came nearer, and beheld the lorm ol a man stretched on the earth and unconscious of his position, ,a sudden awe came over them, causing them to be verv quiet in their movements yet all were curious enough to gather about and &az3 upon the stranger, while whispers of "Who is it?" "Is heslck

1

lie stepped into the vestlbnle and found a

throng within, lit

•Idee" of no punlsh-

And, chatting at the ment tor sin, He sat down there and waited for the sermon to begin.

The preacher was invisible "from Adams' seat Ho Deacon Adams sat and grimly scrutinized his feet. And suffered with dyspepsia and corns and tiles und heat.

sacred volume read

Home passages, (confusing lo the deacon's smooth bald head,) ilut wall such an intonation that the.Ueacon was misled. ,v-

How did he come here?" and similar queries, buzzed about like bees, and stung Mi?s Iialley while they buzzed.

For with that singular sense of possession which the first perception of anything gives to all oi us, Miss Iialley hail already begun to look upon this poor, unconscious Adam as belonging to herself by right of discovery and here, almost'at the moment of her appropriation of him, she was called upon to abdicate in favor of anyone who might be physically better able to serve him than his Eve and also, to renounce her sovereignty in favor ot the public, who, she felt instinctively would never allow her to assert her ownership, without making her pay the penalty of slighting its opinion. It was with a pang, therefore, that she gave the children their orders, to "Go, tell Dr. Blair and sonio of the other gentlemen that a man is lying very ill, all alone on the ground and she would thank them to come and see what could be done lor him."

So, presently, the needed assistance came Dr. Blair made a professional examination of tho case, and the stranger was carefully placed in a wagon and sent to a hotel in town, to be treated forcongestive fevor. Of course, there was much talk, at the somewhat delayed lunch, about tho stranger, and conjectures as to his history and Miss Halley listened with well-assumed indifference to the comments of the masculine half ol the party, most of whom assumed that there must bo something wrong about the antecedents of a man found lying under a majizanila-bush, two miles lrom town—"gambler," "highwayman," "fugutive from justice," "dead broke," and similar opprobrius epithets boing smilingly brought forward to account for the circumstance.

Notwithstanding the cool-looking blue muslin and white straw-hat, Miss Halley found herself growing very warm and uncomfortable during this conversation. She felt is to be a sort of imputation upon herself, that she had rescued from peril, perhaps from death, a person of so little worth inasmuch, too, as sho felt herself guilty of having adopted this unworthy creature into her most pitying regard, not to say aflection, with so little question. Of all tho surmises uttered by these unsympathizing people, the one of "deadbroke" was the only one she could tolorate and sho thanked, from the bottom of hor heart, blunt old Mr. Hodgekiss, when ho spoke up, at last, after listening to all the gossip going on about the adventure of the day:

Young man—tall—light complected —long, light-brown beard—hau'some features—good clothes—waal, yes that's tho young feller that was into my store, yesterday, wanting a situation. Said ho was out of money, and would take'most anything to do that ho could git. Toid him I was sorry but I hadn't anything for him to take hold on—not jest yit. Hoped he'd find somethin' call around agin. I nover thought nothin' more about the feller, 'cause, you know, we have so many calls o' this kind—one every day of the week. Might havo let him done some thin* if I'd known his case was so pressin' but we can't discriminate—we can't discriminate."

This, then, was tho explanation. He was not criminal, nor a vagabond only uufortunalo, and ill. She hated those men for being so suspicious. She would get old Mr. Hodgekiss to be kind to him. And, the ourdeu off her mind, Miss Halley danced and swung laughed and sung, as gay as the gayest, all the bright May afternoon albeit there was a smothered sense ot anxiety underlying her gayety, which was as View to her as it was secretly oppressive. She could not say the day had not been a pleasant one yet never had a pleasant day in the woods left her feeling so wearv and dejected as this one had done. Never had she so nearly ownod that sho was "nervous."

Gopherton waa rather glad of the stranger's illness, because it furnished a toptd of talk. And Oopherton, feeling that it had no right to purchase its "sensations" at so serious a cost to a fellow-creature, was disposed to make accounts even by bestowing many kind attentions upon the sufferer. Accordingly it tell oat, that, when Mr. Walter Mason had convalesced sufficiently to real ire liis jxwition, he found himself surrounded with every comfort possible, aud by a large circle of sell-consti-tuted friends ana nurses, all eager to promote, not only bis recovery, but his future prosperity. In this light, therefore, his illuess might be considered stroke of fortune and piece of diplomacy equally.

Among the eatables and drinkables, the flowers and books, furnished for the invalid's nutrition, delectation, and amusement, perhaps those contributed by Miss Marlon Iialley were most seldom but as they were also the most choice, and as the story of his re-cue by that young lady had been often jestingly rv nested to nim, it was bat natural tuat Mr. Mason should strongly desire to m~ke her acquaintance at as early a dav he felt himself presentable.

Halley was cutting a nosegay of

the rarest flowers in her garden, one lovely June morning, when the light lovely June morning, wnen me ugnt wagon of old Mr. Hodgektn stopped at the gate, and his hearty old Toloe was heard wiling oat to tier: "Come and look at jour boy, Mlas

Marlon,

and

see what yon think of him

now. Don't look as be did when you found him under a manzanita-buab does he Misa Halley, Mr. Mason Mr. Mason, Miss Halley." And bo tbey were acquainted.

Now Marion had never quite lost hor sense of ownership but she had, of late, strivon womanfully against it, because she saw the romantic lolly of caring lor a man just because it has chanced that you have done him a service and although she would not be left out from the number of his friends, she had not allowed herself to be at all forward in bringing herself to his notice, as she might so easily have done. Therefore, when Mr. Hodgekiss reminded her, never so innocently, of tho first feeling she had had about him, the color rose strong in her cheeks, and her eyes avoided those of "her boy," in a way that made her indignant with herself, and rather formal with him.

Mr. Mason and 1 have just been round to see your father and he has promised to take him in tho bank," said Mr. Hodgekiss, after the introduction, in atone and with a manner as if he were conlerring a favor upon Marion by giving her such news but she only looked surprise, while Mr. Mason answered, smiling:

Mr. Hodgekiss has placed me under lasting obligations for two introductions this morning. With Miss Halloy's permission, I shall pay my respects to her at the earliest day possible." After which brief interchange of civilities, he was driven off, richer by the picture of a noble womanly face, and a handful of choice flowers from a fair womanly hand.

From being a clerk in the bank, Mr. Mason came to be a mamber ot the family at the Halley mansion a leader of the choir in the "fashionable" church, audits Sunday-school Superintendent. His popularity was unlimited. No social gathering was complete without him no undertaking acceptable without his sanction. Old ladies were motherly with him young ones pulled caps, and set all manner of prettilyartful little snares for him. In short, be was in as fair a way of being spoiled as any handsome, agreeable, and exemplary young man ever was.

But the strangest part of the affair, to observing eyes, was, that, in proportion as young Mason grew popular and successful everyway, his cheerfulness seemed to decline. Though friendly with every one, he was confidential with none. Though he must have known that his addresses would be well received in certain influential quarters, he paid court to none of the beauties ot Oopherton. Miss Halley herself—to whom Gossip had begun to assign him, because it could not assign him elsewhere—was extremely puzzled by his demeanor. She had "summered and wintered him," and never found any occasion to think otherwise than well of him. She enjoyed his handsome face opposite her at the table, bis pleasant ways, and line singing. She was forced to confess to herself that "her boy" (she had almost conquered that romance now) was a very delightful person for a friend, but not in the least what she had imagined a lover—her lover—must be. She could even be sorry for him sometimes, he seemed so sad and preoccupied, though she did not know how he demanded her sympathy. Perhaps, after all, it was only her imagination. Perhaps he was too much at figures. Perhaps he was homesick. Ah! who held the strings of his heart in the old home? Then Miss Halley mused again, and declared to herself that she was sorry for bim, but not tho least interested in him that is to say, not the least in love with him.

Summer lied winter followed and May came back once more. TTh® Sabbath school Superintendent decreed a picnic and once again, as in the previous years, the whole of respectable Oopherton turned out to eat, drink, dance, swing, and sing, among the whispering pinos. All these things had been done, and thoroughly enjoyed also, when, somehow—she never quite knew how it happened—Miss Halley had strayed away, as usual, to quieter places, and found hersolf standing, with Mr. Mason, upon the identical spot where sjie had found him the year before. When she perceived that this was the placo, she laughed a little, not to seem to think anything of it, and said, rather saucily: "I found a man under these bushes last year. An odd thing to find was it not

Do you keep what you find, Miss Halley?" asked Mason, quietly, but with a certain intensity of expression in his voice.

That is the children's rule," she answered, smiling "leastways, if no owner can be found. I have not advertised my 'find,' thinking if he had an owner he would return of himself."

And if he had no owner, would you keep him? Please answer me candidly, Miss Halley." "Ob, I don't know, I ain sure, It would depend upon his value, would n't it "'And you do aot value mc very highly—is that your answer

No of course, I value you—you know I do. I am quite certain I have shown it. But in this sense that you put it"—she added, blushing and faltering— ""iou dotiof? Miss Halley, I wish, instead of saving my life, *vou had tumbled me down this cliff. 1 was unconscious of my misery then. I shall always be unconscious of it now." \Vhy should you be miserable, Mr. Mason? I have never seen anyone with greater chances of happiness."

Because the one thing I covet I can not have. It is the old story, 'The desire of the moth lor the star.'

Ah, now you are not like 'my boy' whom I found under these bushes last year. He was a delightful fellow— cheerful and friendly always, and did not want to be rolled over a cliff. Fie, Mr. Mason! Let us go away directly, before something happens to us."

Miss Ha!iey was piqued that ber lover bad snatcbod at such words as could be construed into a refusal. Again she said to herself: "He is not my ideal of a lover. My lover must have ardor enough to press his suit I will never go half way." And still the resolution cost her something. She wss disappointed and a little bitter. Why had be spoken at all, if be did not mean to have it made clear? She was sure she should never accept him. He had surprised her, and hurt her pride he wss, in fact, altogether odicrus now.

These reflections, very mnch jumbled together, were passing through Miss Halley's mind while she beat the

S[r.

round with her parasol, waiting for Mason to move. Suddenly she turned back. He w»i standing dangerously near the brink of the precipice —so frightfully near that her terror overcame etenf otbor consideration. Pale and breathless, she stretched out her hand to bim,

Oome, for God's sake!'» "Say for my sake,' Marion," tie ahwe red, pale as she.

For say softs, Walter," ahe almost shrieked, and then bunt into tears, like any silly woman. la aa 1—**-• ks was at her side, his

arms around her. If she bad thought bim laoking in fervor and the lover's pride and tenacity of possession before, she revoked that opinion now. The change waa wonderful. He was so elate that he seemed to tread on sir, and bear her along with bim. His beauty, which had seemed to fade away lately, grew resplendent. Miss Halley, when her eyes were clear again, looked at him in a sort of delighted wonder.

I have found 'my boy' again," she said, with an attempt at gayety "the very same that he used to be. Oh,won? derful boy! never hide yourself any more."

Hold me close, darling. Never let go my hand, or I shall sink again into perdition. What did I say? Who talks of perdition, with my soul in paradise? Marion, you will cling tome always

I shall not promise, if you frighten me again as you did to-day," saitf Marlon, now as tired of hor lover's fervor as she had before been of his coldness.

I shall want to see how you bear your 'reverse of fortune,'" Did I frighten you into acceptance, Marion asked he, with quick jealousy.

Oh, I knew you wouldn't let yourself fall," she answered, laugh'ng and blushing, as she remembered her late resolves.

What more was said is not relevant to this story. All Gopherton heard the news next day of the engagement of Mr. Mason and Marion Halley who had been seen walking artn-in-arm with certain looks upon their faces which were easily interpreted. There were a few who "made remarks," but most people considered it a very good match for, though the money was all on the lady's side, the beauty, talent, agreeableness, and general popularity of the two were about equal and, while women acknowledged the fitness of each for the other, men said Mr. Halley had secured the ablest assistance which he could have in his business, and all agreed that it was a remarkably pleasant arrangement everyway.

As for the^oung couple, they lived through the summer in a garden of delights, literally and metaphorically. The rose-arbors of the Halley place could not but have witnessed many charming pages of romantic passion and tender sentiment for these two souls were truly as nearly in perfect unison as it ever falls to the lot of souls in the flesh to be, and the more intimate the acquaintance, the more they were delighted with each other. With mutual sentiments like these, their marriage would not be long deferred. In fact, it had been agreed upon that the ceremony should take place by the middle of September.

About the first of the month, when the bridal trousseau was engaging so much of Marion's attention that her lover was frequently half jealous of the finery, Gopherton had afresh sensatton, the diroct cause of whieh was the appearance in a San Francisco paper of tho following:

PERSONAL.—Walter

send his address to his anxious and devoted CAROLINE MASON. Social thunderbolts detonate always directly in inverse ratio to the size of the communities into which they fall. All Gopherton was in a state of lever: ish excitement three hours after the mail was distributed on this fateful morning all of it, except Marion and her little army of seamstresses, among whom she sat, fresh as a rose, her brown eyes fullof happy dreams, and her lovely cheek a tinge more rosy than its wont, toying with some dainty fabric which entered into the composition of that magically interesting thing —a happy bride's wedding-dress. It should be a picture, a poem, a ravishment, that dress. She wanted to look, O! so lovely, in his eyes. She longed to please him beyond anything he had ever imagined by ber loeks on their wedding-day. She meant he should be the happiest husband, as she knew she would be the happiest wife, in all the world.

The click of the garden-gate, and the sound of a rapid, well-known tread on the graveled walk broke in upon her dream, pleasantly enough, but with a little surprise for "her boy," as she still called him, in her secret thoughts, and sometimes audibly, beneath the rosebowers of the garden, was not used to appear at the house during the business hours of the day. Divining that his errand was to her, Marion ran down to meet him, and found him standing by thft great bay-window in the parlor with such a look upon his face as she had never seen there before.

O Walter she cried, with a vague alarm, ber thoughts reverting to her father, to a public calamity, to any possibility but the true one—"something has happened what is it "Have they not told you?" he inquired, hoarsely, without moving. "I have not heard anything. It it concerns me, Walter, please tell me at once," said Marion, pausing close bosido him, and feeling as much wonder as alarm at his strange manner, that was not even friendly.

Savagely, almost, he thrust the paper into her hand, with the "Personal" strongly marked, as it had been by some one who had laid it on bis desk at the bank. She read it over—twice, thrice—her color paling slowly, until the horrible meaning at last had reached her reluctant comprehension. "What is Caroline Mason to you?" sho asked, coldly—O, so coldly—as people ask and speak who have bad all the warmth and brightness of life suddenly extinguished furtbem,yetdonot care "to own It, preferring to "die and make no sign." "Nothing—everything. O God! O Marion How much better for us both if you had let me die! But you brought me back to life—you made life dear to me—and now

He reeled like a drunken man, catching Marion's band as he sank into the nearest seat. She withdrew her Angers from bis grasp, and stood looking down Into his upturned tortured face as calmly as a statue—really, for that moment, scarcely more salient. "Do you hato me, Marion, darling?" be asked, more softly, searching her cold eyes, with the eager, tormented soul in his. "I do not think," she snswered, returning the gaze steadily, "that I either hate or care lor you at all. You are a false man, Walter Mason a false coward, whom either to love or to hate were a condescension. Since you have no further news for me, I will bid you good-morning." When she had thus spoken, she turned to leave the room, with slow, proud steps, and a cheek as white as her dainty white morning dress. "It thst your parting, Marion Marlon, my love—my love—how can you bear this dreadful thing. I thought I should have killed you, as well as myself and yon do not even weep. Ob, then it is less bitter If you do not even cere."

Thst last word touched her. Hw frenzy was not, then, all for himself he was thinking of her, and bearing ber grief as well ashis own. With a sodden impulse she yielded to his detaining band—tor be had followed hw—

happy plans had been discussed between them almost daily of late. "Tell me all about it, Mr. Mason," she said, with evident effort to retain her composure, and only partial success, for the flood-gates were hard pressed by that touch of sympathy.

He withdrew from her slightly. He could not bear to make his confession and see her withdraw from him. With his hand ovor his eyes, not to see what her looks might be, and in a tone oi forced steadiness,.the recital was given. The too frequent story of breaking away from home restraints, ot evil associations in a city, of money squandered upon a worthless woman, who, not content with achieving his material ruin, had intimidated him—a mere boy—into conferring upon her a respecttheir able name, to hide mutual sins of disgust, despair, flight, poverty, illness ana—she kuew the rest, Then be sat waiting to hear the expression of her righteous indignation. "You have not yet explained your motive for silence on that subject," said Marion, still coldly, and with downcast eyes. "When I recovered from that illness, the past seemed like some horrible dream, which I could not bear to recall. I hoped never to hear of her again, now that she had exhausted all my means of gatifying her luxurious tastes. I did not doubt she would find other victims, aud trusted that her fears would

Erevent

Mason will please

her renewing our acquaintance.

loved you, Marion, and 1 could not biing myself to tell you anything so repulsive to your purity and I repented—oh, so bitterly—that I was not as sinless as yout own sweet self. I was a coward, Marion, but it was you who made me one. My sin has found me out my punishment is greater than 1 can bear." "I thank God, Mr. Mason, that you have escaped a greater sin, and I but her Marion's firmness broke down, aud only a convulsive movement of the lips indicated that she would have spoken. He stretched out his arms with the instinctive desire to shield her from the tempest he had brought upon her but, with a mighty effort, the.weakness of her heart was conquered, and she was able to command words in which to convey her final farewell, that was neither reproachful nor complaining. "Good-by, Mr. Mason," she said. "After what you have told me it is impossible that I should see you again under this roof. You will please explain to my father. The suddenness ol this news makes me feel as if the world were slippling out from under my feet." With the last word the world was gone from under her feet, and she had fainted.

The gossips of Gopherton were never very clear about what happened at the Halley mansion. Mr. Mason's place at the bank was vacant next day, and Dr. Blair's carriage stood at Mr. Halley's gate two hours every day for two weeks. Every man "found drowned" in the city papers was conjectured to be '|that wretched young Mason and suicide by shooting was earnestly sought for in the public prints. One anxious person went so far as to ride out to the picnic grounds, and to look for Mason's body under the now celebrated cliff, feeling sure that it would hereafter be knowu as "The Lover's Leap." But their scrutiny was never rewardod by certain discovery of his fate.

Six \Veeks alter tho above unhappy denouement, a close carriage, conveyed Miss Halley away from Gopherton, to Sacrament©, it was thought, where she t'..ok steamer for San Francisco and Now York. That was in 1804. Only the other day the announcement appeared in a city paper of the death of a child of three years, "daughter of Walter and Marion Mason." Upon this slender thread of circumstance.wo bang the presumptive evidence of events which probably have transpired: a chance meeting alter release from sinful bonds love stronger than wrong or time a union less joyous perhaps than their first youthful dream, but not less tender or true. All this we believe we aro warranted conjecturing the more so, as we remember hearing one lady telling another not long ago, in a street-car, that Mrs. Mason had a habit of calling Mr. Mason, "my boy," when sho addressed an aside to him, as she often did, and that ho seemed to like tho loolish natnelet. We truly believe this to our Walter Mason.

FOREIGN GOSSIPS

The experiment of driving ostriches before light buggies has beon successfully tried in Paris.

The increase in the number of lunatics is catfting considerable uneasiness throughout England.

The retail dry goods dealers of Berlin have resolvsd to employ only female clerks in their establishments.

The Italians are about to found a

Secided

enal colony beyond seas, and are unbetween Borneo and Abyssinia.

The Cracow Czar says that the voyage of the Grand Duke "Alexis has thus far cost his father the handsome sum of$500.000.

The Paris Figaro has now a circulation of of 120,000 copies, and yields M. do Villemessant. its proprietor, an annual income of 800,000 francs.

The lato war is said to have caused the death of 116,000 French soldiers, and according to the Augsburg.Gazette, not the Berlin Statiscal Bureau, or 200,000 German combatants.

Duvegier de Hauranno was very indignant at the report that he was engaged to Miss Nellie Grant, and assured the lady herself that he had given no occasion for such a rumor.

A green turtle, weighing 274 pounds, has been placed in one of the large tanks of the Brighton Aquarium, where he disports himself grandly with three comraies, loggerheads.

The Empress Elizabeth ol Austria has written te the Woman's Rights Club in Vienaa: "Ladies, take my advioe and keep away from politics. There is nothing but misery in It."

It is stated that a little potentate, the Pacha of Bosina, has imposed upon all red-haired persons in that State a special tax. One can scarce credit such a tyrannical exercise of petty authority.

The ex-Emperor and ex-Empress of the French are staying at Cpwes, in the Isle of Wight, where tbey do not meet, we are t"M. with the annoyanec they experienced from curious crowds at other places.

It is stated that

a

number of officials

of the English Postofflce intend to disgrace themselves by holding an "Indignation meeting," in consequence of the intention to employ forty young ladies in the Department.

A little more than a fortnight since, a Ud of 14 mounted the throne of Servia. Prinoe Milan Obrenovic has ^under his sovereignty a million and a half of very industrious people, and is the fourth bouse who has reigned in Senria* jr wp..

Liohtxino Strokes in Bbazil.—A#? remarkable case of lightning stroke occurred of late in the province of Rio Grande do Sul. Some men were jolify-. ingin a hotel during a thunder storm, and one called out in jest that he wish* ed a bolt would strike the house and" upset them all. His words were immediately followed by a tremendous report, and when the party recovered from their fright five men were lying senseless on the ground, one of whom, whose head had been against a wall, was dead. During the flash one was supping at a tablo was seen surrounded with flames. He was immediately stripped, and was found uninjured, and his inside clothing was all singed,„ the lining of a waistcoat pocket burned, and a gold chain melted that was1 in it with another. His shoes w(U9 also burned.—[New Terk Herald. ",I

The builders' strike in London has ended in a compromise. The men do not get their "nine hours and a nine-, pence," but tbey do get a stint of liftytwo and a half hours a week, which is better than nine hours, and £}^d an an hour, a baif penny more than they had before.

'hp:

V' f- 3'/'- "O A

1K" »,••'/i nuuiA ..S'.v-'avr Imi#

SATURDAY EVESfOO

ni Um n'l ..-i" r*rtf ,v rtr

MAIL

MS vlf

t'» .1

llirr

i&i'ni I fiii- •m'tn

For the Year 1872-3.

-v I 71! bit*

,"»!'(•» it

l-H '-qv t? «vi*i ilniti o-r 1 I'* '.13 .Tl'iV-J

I

., KEOl'LAR RATES. -i "H lit -Hi. 4*1*} |n«

The SATURDAY EVENING MAIL, an Independent Weekly Newspaper, will be mailed to subscribers at TWO DOLLARS a Year ONE DOLLAR for Six Months, and FIFTY CENTS for Three Mouths, uud to Clubs at the following rates: Three Copies, One Year $ 5 00 Five 00 Ten 1,! 00 Twenty 25 00

With One Copy extra to the getter up of a Club of Ten. or more. Mail and olllco

Subscriptions will, invaria­

bly, be cllscouthaled at expiration of time paid for. iif'l |, fl'" *i 5'

if ft A

CLUBBING WITH OTHER 1*ERI« ODI€ALS. We are enabled to offer extraordinary inducements in the way of clubbing with other periodicals. We will furnish theSATURDAY EVENING MAIL, PRICE $2.00 PER YEAR, with any of the periodicals enumerated below at greatly reduced rates. These periodicals will be sent direct from thcofllces of publication. Here is the list: -tr

SEMI-WEEKLY.

!0t

The Mall* ftiid Henil-Weekly N, Y. Tribune, price, IN.00 W 50 bttf. _____ di!#

I Jleoi* i*iJi WEEKLY PAPERS. Mail and the Indianapolis Jourm»l, price &2.00 S3 00 The Mall and the Indlaiiapolln Wen-

Unci, price J2.00 3 00 The Mall and the W. Y. Tribune, price fti.00 8 00 The Mall and the I

Newk, price tl/iO 2 75 The Mall and the Toledo Blade, price 82.00 3 00 The Mall and the Bf. Y. World, price 12.00 3 00 The Mail and tho N. Y. Mini, prlco 11.00 2 50 The Mall and tho Prairie Farmer. price 12.00 3 00 The Mail and the Western Rural, price S2.00 3 CO The Mall and the Chicago Advance, price t2,50 8 50 The Mall and the Chicago Interior, prlco I2.fi0 8 60 The Mall and the Chicago Republican, price SI.50 2 75 The Mall and Appleton'a Journal, price Sl.00 00 The Mad and the Rural Wew Yorker, price S3.00 8 75 The Mail and Hearth and Hoiue, price 18.00 8 75 Tne Mall and the Methodist, pilce

S2J3C 3 00 The Mail and Every ftaturday, price S6.00 5 50 The Mall and Harper'* Weekly, price $4.00 5 00 The Mail and flarpcr'a Baiar, price S1.00 5 00 'V/1 /l*r ft :i ,!!' MfiWv

U*

MONTHLIES.

The Mail and the American Agrl- y."' cnltnrlNt. price Si .50 S2 50 The Mall and ilodejr'BEady'dBooh, price S3.00 4 00 The Mail and the J*adle»' Own

Magazine, price SI 2 50 The Mail and the North Western Farmer, price SI .00

2

50

Tho Mail and the Little Corporal, price S1J50 3 00 The Mall and the Little Chief, price 75 cent*

Persona getting up clubs for the

2

25

The Mail and the Little Mower, price 75 cents 2 a The Mall and Mcrlbner'n Monthly, price, $3.00 00 The Mall and tho Atlantic Monthly, priceKOO. 60 The Mall andOor Young Folk«, prlc€ 12,00, 00 The Mall and Old and »fw, price $4. 4 60 The Mall and Overland Monthly, price, $4.00 ®0 The Mail and Harper's Mafrasine, price $J.G0 6 00 The Mall and Yonag Folks Rural 2 rw -rr. "i

CLtTBBIXG WlTliridiT^TY PA PERM We have made arrangements to furni*h the

Mail

with the following Newspapers,

published in the neighborhood of TerreHante, at very low rate*. Here la the list: The Mall and Sullivan Union J3 00 The Mall and RockviUe Newt 3 00 The Mall and Bratil Miner 8 00 The Mail and BowUng Green Archive*.... W The Mall and HarthaU Herald 3 00 The Mali and Hootier Stale 3 00 The Mall and Newport Transcript- 8 00 The Mall and Aurora Boreali* o* x- 'i?

Mail,and

desiring to obtain subscriptions for other periodicals on our list at the same time, win be famished a list of the prices at whleh such subscriptions can be taken separately^ by as, opop application to this office,

Addrssf, P. 8. WE8TFALU

Tetre-Haate,