Saturday Evening Mail, Volume 4, Number 40, Terre Haute, Vigo County, 4 April 1874 — Page 6

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I I

THE MAIL

A PAPER FOR THE PEOPLE.

4 QUARREL,

You Ml) ro« "girl^Of the pertbd," Bat why abould I ...__ If you don\ liko th# W awssw,

Orkh»l»lnmyl -f

I ttatnk they are V**~~ •P"*™5 Eiun-nethlol«»to?!. Then whv k!ioii|i1 I h«d tbtdall

Of prim folk* )lk« you You my tiufti I'm load, tint I'm sure I've lover* e«o, Who like Mil m?*» md my mmuv#**.

And don't thiak *~u®n Yet yon I b**e pror marry— ImoM have betru Bat how eonld I pw« ywi woald treat

Ho much like clilM There's M*ry~you alway* a» saying Hhe*» «wt*4 and nerene But I •OtouMnt want tokok like her.

Not lit to be **n.

No iccwiptwR, no Jewel*, no flounce#, No iris to h«r h»lr: When we go to asocial potty,

Im idle anywhere

You know she steal* off to a earner. And »lt* t' /e alone, Look* the vet»poke l» creation, W* tt. yoo know It

I danee arid I flirt With lot* of the Jolliwt follow*, And where lithe hurt? Now. Robert, letV settle the matter

I'm tlml to death

Of lYprottche* and carping* ana (tcoMlnft* A AVAfv lirpifcth If you think my wrene cousin Moo-

In more to yoar mind— .. You who hardly will treat her politely— Why, I am wndgned.

Just take her: she's ready and willing, ThatV plain to he seen— Just an plain a* that I, when I minded,

Can marry Kugene! Shell cook you moet beautiful dinner*, She'll nw«ep and she"11 du«t, And obey you In every trifle

When she find* that she must. Shell go to church with you, and sit there Prerlne and demare, And tell you the text and the sermon

Distinctly, I'm sure While I'm free to acknowledge I study Very often when there The tout Ions of drw^es and bonnets

And people* back hair. It's strange when a man finds a woman Heady-made to his sty ley With a calm, sweet and modest demeanor

And short of a smile. With hair lvlng smooth on her forcheao, Dress straight to her feet. With no outward adornlngs to make her

More primly complete. That he passes this exoellent crw«ture Most thoroughly by, And allows his Ikint heart to be smitten

a girl such as I.

Falls In love spite of slate pencil crimping Hplte of trinkets and bow*,— Palls In love with the droop of an eyelid

Or turn of a noee.

Then tries with what might he possesses To force her to be The model who milt* him precisely,

Most wonderful she. Now, Robert, one way or another Well settle this sham Take your model, who sfcan bemy model

Or me—as I am. --{"Mett," in Harper's Baxar,

AFTER DARK.

CHAPTER I

Some few autumns ago the rector of a little seaside parish sat conning his books in the quiet of his own study.

It was a wild October evening, the wind twirling and rushing up the short drive that lay between the front door of the house arvd the gate in the shrubbery which divided the grounds from the highroad. Dashes ofrain beat against the window and underlying all came the (hint monotonous break of the waves upon the shore some half mile distant.

Mr. Fergusson was putzled over his work, bothered by it in fcet finally, he Bfrofrht assistance of the inferior order of cieSion. to wit, his wife, who sat opposite to him, busily knitting children's socks. 'Kate!' he ejaculated in an injured tone. •Well, John?'

The knitting-needles kept going, though the piier thereof moved to her husband's side and stopped to glance at what troubled him. •These accounts are a frightful nuisance. I wish I bad never undertaken such apiece of business it's no end of work for me, and not half a dosen of the people will thank me lbr it after all.'

Mr. Fergusson perfectly revelled in all sorts of parish work. Clubs, schools, •feasts, fests and festivals'—nothing came amiss to him if he thought he saw his flock's welfkre farthered thereby hot he was a man who delighted la a good heartv grumble now and then, and his •wife,'understanding such moods well, always found it an excellent plan to treat the Isomoeopathical 1 so to-night she proceeded on her usual tactics.

Suppose you shut the books up, John, and let us chat for an hour. You'll be sure to make your headache, and then vou won't sleep properly if you go on. *The people won't be coming up for their money before Thursday or Friday, and this is only Monday.'

The people wiit be coming up for their monev, you most procrastinating woman,'* answered the husband. 'Suppose you were to help me now instead of going on with that eternal knitting: we might manage this between us, and have the gomip von are longing for aiter•wsuttt. Now, then, who Is Simon Oreen—the one on the Common And did be have his money out in April to buy a pig? So* we *hall get on per-

hflhi

knitting vanished, ttfwf the pair soon immcnM in club acwMmta, Mrs. Fergnsson's capital memory supplementing the rector's t*feer ««l«*slv kept accounts admirably. An hours work brought them to tb* end of their labors and Mr. Fergusson, on going to a large old feshionea desk, and drawing therefrom three canvas bags frdl bf gold and silver, had the sailafaction of finding the sum they contained tallied exactly with what was required to pay all the depositors in the stub their proper amount*.

I shall he giSd when we u«t rid of it,* he said, «s he replaced the liaga. 'I am so unused to having s«ch a sum £70 in the house that don't 4m! quito safe with it. It's t« be hoped we shall never l»e rich, Kate. I've been accustomed to £ttOaye»r k** W, I shrmld feel out of my element with a larger in

His wife laughed, bui riahed too thinking a liWp «mW easily dispose of Wwnewfcsi larger m«MW^ All the oaref xwnomy of the household small ever-r rring acts of self-denial,

might he they ftwyd «og*tWt toi««blyheavy bard»n Ibr every-day wear. But when tlie day was done and the two children we» "m1m®» and the hu% band she estcetWfl tie turn of mankind with her, ber iroubloa ly frwn her sh» wenfid gatlier

home, ao4 t'Sir i11 dren, ind what a terri'^ rowli n! waa eom^ on. •r. :lw ««, not Sarah to come S home to-nlgfctr asked the hoslxand.

Not till to-morrow. She wanted one I more ,» to see a sailor brother who S cotmiiB home. I thWfe If you doot nil, John, I shall not keep Sai*h Um§*tfen«auUn»k IOonittkewMai^

^TbenTmy dear, it* yonr duty 1to try «und Improve them. You took the girl out of charity don't give her up in a

not in a hurrr. indeed. It to

(iolt« two month* ilw# I J*! nwlinK a letter of mine, which I left open on the table and that's not a pleasant habit for a servant to hare, to ltT 1 talked to her friendly, but I believe she doe* the aamo sort of thing still, she has the chance.'

Then dont give her the chance, Kate. You never find me leaving letters about' ('Oh, John

or If I do they we

such as are not of tho least consequence. An a matter of oourse, servants are Inquisitive—woman servants particularly. Their mistrosaea are not naif osrolul enough In guarding against this natural curioaltv, and then all the balance folia on the servant. Women we so unreasonable

Disregarding the uncivil comment on her sex, Mra. Fergusson went on.

did not know so well when I engaged Sarah what a t»ad character her family bore on© brother lis* boon In prison twice.' .,

All the more reason for keeping thla eirl safe from evil influence. hope ahewtll be home to-morrow. Iet me see. she said her mother wa» ill when she went home on Saturday, uidii she. Ah I'll take her In hand invself when Mhewinea Uick! 1 &ncy ahe has the making of a good servant in her, in apite of little depots. You shouldn't be too hastv, Kate vou are a dear little aoul, but,'like all women, you judge too impulaively,

and-Who's

that, I wonder T'

A heavy step passed the window .followed by a nng at the liall bell. Mrs. FerirusKon oponod tho study door as June, their steady elder servant, passed down the stairs, candle In hand. •I've been sitting by Mlsi*Roai® ma'am nho bwiks feverishly Uko auc restless and I liked being with her bettor than settifi' all alone In the kitchen,

I wonder if that's Sarah come home «rht. InHtesd of to-morrow said her

to-night instead of to-morrow mistress. Ijaw, no ma'am, not likely, answered Jane 'but we'll soon see who it is and pulling away the chain trom the doorfshe opened it, disclosing mans figure without. He was dripping wet, and had to hold his hat on with one hand, or the wind would have carriod it far away the other hand he extended with a large damp envelope therein. A telegraft!' cried Jane, taking the missive from him and passing it on to her mistress, who in her turn carried it to her husband, and watched his faco anxiously as he opened Mid read it. A grave, perplexed look came over his features as he handed it back.

The message was from his brother at Ford ham, a place forty miles distant, and ran thus:

Come immediately—a third bad fit— my father anxiously expects you. No hdlp for it, Kate,' said Mr. Fercmsson, answering his wife's appealing look. 'So much may depend upon my seeing him once more, that I dare not choose but to go. How am I to get to the station, though, in time for the ten o'clock mail, I wonder? It's nearly nine now, and five miles on such a night as this would take me more than an hour to walk!'

And, as if to corroborate his words, the rain came pelting down, rattling against' the windows ana down the water-pipes by the corner of the house.

Walk you cannot, John, answered his wife, iliverted easily from her first feeling of personal vexation by the dilemma her husband was placed in. I know,' she added quickly—'the man who brought this message must go back past Mr. Holland's I will write a note, asking him to send Arnold and their dog-cart up for you. Anything is better than walking. I know he will do it for you.'

Mr. Holland was the cleigyman's church-warden and a very good friend in all p^H«h matters, and was always ready to dohis rector a service,even to the extent of sending out his horse and man on a wet night for a drive of ten miles. Mrs Fergusson wrote her note hurriedly, whue her husband spoke to the telegraph official, who promised to go to Mr. Hoi land's at once.

When he was gone, Jane stood looking blankly from master to mistress, and then she said dolefully, 'And please sirr what's to become of t»?'

Become of you! Why, yon will stop and take care of the house, to be sure,' said her master rather shortly. 'Just take my thickest greatcoat and air it by the kitchen lire, please and bring me back mv boots we shall have the horse op before I am ready If you don't look brisk.' Then, closing the study door upon himself and his wife, ho added, •But I don't half like leaving you at such a time, and with only one servant too, and all that money in the house. How awkwardly things happen sometimes

He was so heartily concerned, so evidently uneasy, that, as a matter of course, his wife cheered him up by assuming a bright courage that she was fer from feeling. She fetched his coat and helped him on with it, and even made liitn lake some supper—a hurried stand-up affair—but anything, she said, was better than going hungry, cm a journey then she found a big umbrella and winter glove# and a thick rug,which If thev got soaked with r«ln, oould come back In the dog-cart, and, all these preparations made, she lighted a candle Mid held out her hand. He understood the gesture.

Hiod bless them!' he said, and followed her up-stairs to where their children slept, to give their littlo sleeping feces a flurewell Was. „,

41Wt

Another moment and ho was gone, and Jane and her mistress looked two very lonely and deioiledfemafe* Indeed as they stood poering out into the darkttess, listening to the receding wheels.

Conic, Jane, this will never do, grid Ser mktnrn at last wiping some f«thdrop* iwd drops of another from her fin*?. 'Let us see that all the doors and windows are fest! then yob had bettor |W»t your rapper,and w» will make haste

*Jlat Jaoeiiked a grisvance oooasionallf/and l*lng all tile Mi ofae^ud, she l^tt tioynd to make the most of her pres-

courage and hope to meet the next d*jr fesfwwr once more knit- eat situation. She declared If It were Ung, cloeeto* her husband's oiiair, they not for leaving her mistress, rione, she talked of their parish, their c-lrarch, their would go then and there and fetch Mr. 'Sr't.

Allen, the schoolmaster, to come up and iroteet them during the night for on, awfrillett things ahe had readjn tU wper only the week before of lone houses being robbed, and the master beak and the maid's mouth tied up I At this her mistress began to laugh. •I do think, Jane, I must tie your mouth,or you will make me nerv ous, uet your supper, and come and tall me when you are ready for bed.'

Then she herself

re-entered

This Illness of herfether-ln-law would he relent at the last, and let her huttband ahare his property with his other children? Differences arising out of John Fergusson's marriage with a dowcriess woman, tormented by petty fiimily Jealousies, strengthened by the independent attitude the young man had assumedsuch differences had been, altar all, the heaviest grief of Mrs. Fergnsson's married life. And now die wondered and pondered on them, till the clock on the chimney-piece struck the hour of ten and startled her out of her meditations. •ThisIs the night,' she thought, 'for winding that time piece up,' and she sought among the ornameuts for the key. In her search she found (something she had not expected—thia letter, not In an envelope, slipped behind the timepiece, most likely, as soon as read:

DkabSib: The stun you name in your letter of the 6th that la, JE70, will be remitted to you in the form you request on Mondav, the 10th inst. The receipt of Mr. Hofi&nd will be quite sufficient,

We beg to remain yours obediently, WILUAU AMD FBKDK. Mathkks, Managers of tho Ford ham Savings Bank. •Oh, John, vou careless man!' murmured his wife: 'and vet you say you never leave anything about! This is the 10th, so that's been lying there three days, I suppose. I'm very glad Sarah has been out most of the time! •Ifyou please, 'm, I'm going up-stairs now as soon as I've cleared these things away,' said Jane, entering with a respectfully aggrieved air, 'ana glad I •shall be to get to bed for what with the night being so rough, and master

CHAPTER H.

It seemed to the mistress of the house that she had slept so long that morning must be near, when she awoke with an inexplicable feeling of fright—a feeling of something, or some one, near her.

What is it she cried, starting up in the bed, and instinctively catching the sleeping child in her arms.

No answer. ,. Only a distinct sound of breaching,and then a movement like a hand feeling along the wall—towards her.

She began to tremblp violently nothing but the presence of the child on her panting bosom saved her from feinting. 'Who is it?' she cried, her voice so shaking and hollow that it awakened Ruth, who clung to her, sleepy and scared*

This time she had answer/, We will do you no harm,' a voice spoke out of the darkness, 'if you give up that money you've got and then, before Mrs. Fergusson could muster courage and breath to speak, anther voice, out of the room apparently, added in a rough undertone, And tell her to look sharpe about it, too!'

Ttvo of them O God help me!' she whispered to herself, and Ruth began to break into screams and sobs.

Keep that brat quiet,' angrily muttered the voice on the landing,'and don't keep us here all night.'

Now surely If ever a woman was in a miserable plight, Mrs. Fergusson was that woman. Not a house nearer than the Hollands', a full quarter of a mile off no soul near to help her, for Jane, who worked hard by day, slept hard by night, and slept moreover in a queer little room at the very top of tho house all alone—worse than alone, utterly helpless, and a woman who oonfessed to the usual feminine sham of cowardice.

Still, she drew her breath, and there flashed from her heart a cry for help and then, for a few brief moments, she thought—thought with all her mind and soul—Was there any way for her out of this? ..

And her good reason told her there was none. •I'm a good tempered chap enough, but my mate's in a hurry aont provoke mm. Look alive, and tell us where to find the swag—money!'

She groaned and shook, and all her limbs turned cold as tho voice drew nearer and nearer and at the last words a heavy hand as laid upoa the bed. Then, ftirther to torment her, came the thought that once this money were gone there would be none to meet the people with—the people who bad saved it week by week, day by day, all the past year! Hoavv drops ran down hor shaking form her hands turned numb and hor lips clammy and cold, while the boating of her heart was like the quick tolHng of a bell—lottder, louder—till it deafened her rn imd W*v to make her speak,' growled the sooond voice 'here's moth

As he stood by their bed he beard the home coming up to the door—the half hour had passed too quickly but annother thought struck him at the last moment.

leave that money down stairs

att night, Kate? put it in niy dw«fliigroom «r «tay, pet it yonder'—sudhe pointed to a door partly overhung with a curtain—'that's the »fe|t room in the bmm. «oed-by, my dftriJng I will telegraph in the morning )n ume for tho postman to bring the fheawyft. If I "1 not hack to-morrow, get AUen and his wift? to sloop in th® noune. Ood Www yon, good-by!*

kid in this room.' Then in «me instant, a thin streak of light shot across the landing, and the nexfc— •Mother, mother% mothkr!' shrteked Rosin's voice and at tlwt soiuid Ruth redoubled her cries, and the unhapm mother sprang up, clasping one child, mad to protect another. •Silence, you fool!' her. speaking harshly fer the flfst time, ^You'Ut drive that fellow yonder to do theettW m^b^iX jou won't do fts tell you. Keep down, won't vou?'For she was struggling wildly to w«... mt floroM the room to Rose pass him, to get Acmm —Hosie. whose cries were sounding strangeiy stifled. 'Look here, Jf.vou

hand he turned on the light from^ a small lantern slung at his side. She lifted her eyes slowly, as fturlngwhom she might »«t there was Uttle enough visible of the burglar's flu*-* wide hat, a thick reddish beard, and a loose, rough ttinv "k®

Hush, hush,1 she murmured to IWtb. •Mother will send them away: don't

Mother look at hlmi' And she turfed the baby's lace towards herself then raising he* trembling voice. *Rosito, you ^r1s^g!'~But fUe JStanswerhe*. *0 my Ood!' she panted, and looked up wildly.

Mate,'said her captor, loud enough

£k5

"top

TERKE IIAUTE SATURDAY EVENING MAl3

tbe other man to

the study

and a&t down to collect her thoughts somewhat after the hurry and turmoil of the last half-hour.

hiB

gotn' off so suddint, I feel all queer like and as

I had the cold shivers runnin'

down the spine of my back.' When the servant left the room Mrs, Fergusson remembered her husbands injunction, took the bags of money from the desk, and carried them to the room he had desired, there locking them securelv in a small closet or safe.

This done, she went and stole her youngest born, Ruth, from her little cot and carried her off to her own bed. A lingering good-night over her darling Rosle, the six-year-old daughter, whose sweet tender young fece looked wonderftilly like her mother's, and soon Kate Fergusson was sleeping by her child, with her husband's likeness under her pillow, and a prayer for his quick return filling even her sleeping thoughts,

Here,

'A i' v«i

*1 "r"*

bear,

She seemed powerless now, and her very soul feinted within ber as she crept alter the tall dark figure over the landing into Roaie's room.

Toh, my child!' cried the poor woman and essayed to run to the little bed where lay the small figure, pinioned down by tbe heavy grasp of a taller, darker man than ber own captor.

Hands off, missus,'growled the toiler, while Rosie, uttering cries of mingled fright and jov, writhed and twisted like an eel to sup"Into her mother's anus.

Hands off, now Just put that other one in here along of thia one, and I'U take and turn the key on 'em both, while you take us yonder to what we're loo kin after.'

No choice again but to obey two passionate kisses and a low 'Ood keep you and between the two men she was marched from the room, followed by the children's pitiful cries, their wild frightened sobs*

As she passed out, 'May I?' she asked, catcliingat a shawl which hung over a chair. They assented shortly, and she wnipped it round her shivering figure, and prepared to take them to where their booty lny. She led them then down the first short flight of stairs to the door which, ss we have already said.wss partly overhung with a curtain. This door opened Into a room which had been used by Mr. Fergusson's predecessor as an oratory. The rectory had been built in tho time of the late rector, and built consequently very much to suit his taste andfencies. He had belonged to that particular party in the Church which holds that no house is fairly apportioned which does not contain its room for prayer and meditation—a room, moreover, as ecclesiastical in appearance and appointments as can well be devised. In Mr. Digby's time, then, this room had been lighted by one small lamp suspended from the celling, Its walls adorned with paintings of saints and holy wowomen. And in a deep recess, at the ftirther end, had been placed a small altar, upon which had stood a tall bright crucifix.

But now the room was bare and almost empty, the present holder of the living not holding exactly the same views which made such an apartment an apparent necessity to his reverend brother.

One more peculiarity of the room to note the doors—for there were two— fastened with a spring on being pushed to, and could only be reopened by a hand accustomed to the task, and they also were furnished with heavy bolts on the outside one door opened outhe landing the other, a smaller one, in one side of the recess at the ftirther end, led into a bed room which bad been Mr. Digby's, and whence he could go in and out of his fevorite oratory at any hour of the day or night, as it pleased him. He was a bachelor and a man of singular habits it was rarely indeed, during his lifetime, that those bolts were withdrawn to admit any one but himself, and neith* er friend nor servant ever vehtured there unasked.

the kitchen clock below struck

three, stood the strange trio—the muffled disguised men, the trembling white-faced woman.

But one of them carried a light, the other had left his lantern outside. •Now.' said the darker of the men, 'here's the room, you say we can finish this business pretty quick.' And he added with a rattling oath to his comrade, that they'd been kept too long by half already.

The small safe, let into the,wall, was directly before them below it four drawers reached down to the floor, in the lowest of these, at the back of it, Mr. Fergusson had laid the key.

She pointed silently to the drawer, which they at once dragged out, with too much strength, for'they jerked it quite out on the floor. ^One of them suddenly turned particular, about making a noise, and bade their unwilling helper •shut that door.' As she felt the spring catch securely beneath her hand there suddenlv flashed upon her a thought—a hope—a wav of escape for herself, away of saving vet that fatal money.

From tlie look the men had oast around the room Mrs. Fergusson was' sure they knew nothing of tneir whereabouts.

Shut that door' the man had said, and never so much as cast a look towards where was the other door, completely concealed in tho shadow ot the reoess!

Even' pulse beating wildly,she glanced furtively across the room through the hall, narrow, ohurch-llko window yonder she oould see the moon struggling through thick clouds, and she oould see her sight ouickened by the peril of the moment—sne could see a fkint thread of light on one side which told her that the ftirther door stood unlatched. •'(), Heaven help me and give me time!" she praved hut. her hand shook so that It could scarcely obey her swift thought. Another moment, and she in her exact position: the men stooping over tho keys, the lamp on tho floor, and the next she had flung her shawl over the lamp, darted across the floor, out Into the room beyond, and flung to the door with all her forpe.

Yet more to be done. She drew the bolts with frensied speed, above, below —that way was safe: then, with the passionate strength of the moment, she sped through the room, out on the landing to tbe curtained door, and made that fast from without, while the furious captives beat at it from within and then— Ah, then, poor thing, her fortitude forsook her, and thousand fears she had not counted on most cruelly beset her.

The frightful oaths and curses that reached her as she leaned panting by the wall filled her with horror the heavy blows npon tl»e panels filled her With dismay. They would escape vet her children—on them they womd wreak their vengenee. At tee •thought li«r cries and tears broke die. and I «hall haVe killed them!' she cried out and

then

'take your

band off that childVnaouth If you arent in a hurry to he strung up.' The strange muffled sound upon this broke out again into the old flryi *Oh» mother, mother I' •Now,'said tbe man, 'one good turn deserves another. You're plucky enough for a woman, but I caul waste all toe night talking to youand then he gave her a looktnat made her shiver from head to foot anew, •Bundle those two brats of yours into one bed, and come and get us what we want.

blindlv reaching

forth to feel her way back to their room, all sight, sense, sound, seemed suddenly to desert her. She slid down a few stairs, dinging to the rail then, losing her hold feU heavily on the atone floor of tbe hall below.

should be his own coarse of speech, settling how to he oould sert the propriety of tbe course he had pursued, bow fer and how much he should concede at such a moment to the wishes of his fkther.

The rain beat on tbe Windows as tbe train flew along in the. darkness, and presently a prolonged whistle tola him that they were approaching certain juntftkm where he would have to wait some ten minutes or so.

Two or three lamps on tbe platform by which they drew up showed some few

passengers and a oouple of sleepy porters. Another train had just come in from the opposite direction, from Fordham, now only fifteen miles distant: and some of its passengers had alighted and were making their way past the line of carriages.

Looking out upon his fellow-travelers, without much curiosity or interest Mr. Fergusson caught right of a flwe which he had littlo expected to see. Shouting to a porter to open the door of bis com* partment, he sprang out and grasped the arm of a man verv much like himself— in feet his own elcler brother,

(ieorge,' he exclaimed, 'were vou going for tue Is my fether worse 'What on earth do you mean, and wherever did you spring from?' was the answer be got, acoompanieU by a look of profound amazement.

Why, man alive, have you gone crazy that you stand staring at me so?' And George Fergussson checked a disposition to laugh at nis brother's bewildered ex-

Rint

ression only when he saw the pallor overspread his face.

O, (ieorge,' ho said, with a gasp, 'did you not telegraph to me this evening that my fether had had another fit.'

Most oertAinly I did not.' O, my wife, my wife!' said the clergyman and then he staggered up to a neap of luggage and sat down and hid his fece in bis nands. His brother saw the matter was serious so he let his own train pass on without resuming his journcv, and was soon in possession of all the explanation John Fergusson iv •Porter,' he asked, 'what time does the night-nudl go through to Wheeiboroughr 1:25. sir,* answered the rryin 'reach Wheelborough 2:16.'

The distance was flve-and-twenty miles the present time a quarter, or, bv tbe time tbe explanation was ended,halfpast eleven.

No help for it, John, we must wait for the down train we couldn't pick up a horse, nor yet a pair, that would be ready to start this time of night and get us to Wheelborough before a quarterpast two. Come, old fellow, cheer up it's no use taking for granted everything you dread.'

But George Fergusson thought in his own mind that matters looked black enough to justify an amount of fears, and fed hard work to find hopeful talk for the next two hours. Had ft not been for the manifest absurdity of the thing, his brother would have started for his home on foot oven to his excited restless mind the minutes dragged wearily along, while to his heavy heart every a a re a

George Fergusson explained the busiiness that was taking mm to London at that tima of night an affeir of some client, interesting to him, but mere empty words to nis brother. Then he tried family matters—anything to pass awav the time—in vain his brother's mind was filled with overwhelming anxiety, his eyes peering up the line fo catch the first glimpse of the approaching train.

At last, the shrill whistle, the glaring lights creeping nearer and nearer, the minute's stoppage, and then off again homewards—homewards!—and he began to dread the moment he longecPfor.

At Wheelborough more time would have been occupied in knocking up the hotel peopl6 and seeking a conveyance than would have been gained had they chanced to find a horse. So the two brothers struck out at once from the station on their five-mile walk and, as they left the ftirther outskirts of the town, tho church clock chimed half-past two o'clock.

George Fergusson oould barely keep up with his brother's rapid stride, and thought him balf-crasy with excitement when he saw him lightly leap a ditch, and start running across a broken piece a

For heaven's sake, man, stop,' he cried. *Wliat are you after?' A short cut!' shouted the other, and kept up running well for nearly threequarters of a mile.

The night had quieted, the ram had ceased, and gleams of moonlight showed them their way. Out on the road again, past tlie fourth milestone, past a cottage where a shrill cnckoo clock sang 'three then up along hill that took what little breath they had left out of them, through the sleeping village, and—

George,' cried the rector pointing to his own house, not a »tone'»-throw distant, 'look at that light!' And through the long narrow window of tho oratory a light shone plainly.

Good God. if we are too late!' The brothers scarcely knew how thev covered the short remaining distance. A blow at the hall window, and their united force at the shutters within, and they made good their entrance to see—Kate Fergusson lying senseless on the floor to hear the wailing and orying of children overhead Mad a strange sound of low voices whispering and hands cutting awav at woodwork,

Late indeed they were, but not too late. An outdoor beii, set clanging,soon called ready help from the village, while Jane, already rfciitsPd by Che sottuds, but too frightenad to venture from her room alone, buried iiemslf over her unoonscious mistress,

The rtiptives in the oratory fought like cats, and one of them gave George Fergusson a bite in the arm, the mark of which he will carry as long as he lives— that was 'Rough Dick/ •Gentleman Jim' turned sullen, and submitted to the force of numbers ulthe last with abetter grace.

When on their trial two months later, •Gentleman Jim." paid Mrs. Fergusson several compliments, and politely assured the judge before whom they were tried that he esteemed it no disgrace to have been 'trapped hj such a brick of a woman!' 1. .,

The gang io which the two thieves bokmged had received all their Information from Sarah's brother, who was a sort of hanger-on to their brotherhood, and to whom had been entrusted the_ sending of the lying telegram winch bad so,comfortably disposed of the master of tbe house. ..

All's well,'tfwy say, enta well and our tale is no exception to the proverb. It waa rather along getting weil, though, in the case of.Mrs. Fergusson still she was her own brave-hearted self

Mr. Fergusson had reached his nearest station in safety, had sent back the wraps his oarefui wife bad guarded him with and started by the ton o'clock train to Fordham: they had picked up the g^in by Christmas-time and—tAke note man who had taken tlie message to the of this, all wives-rnever did she show rectorv. and so saved him a heavy tramp her husband thejetier &ho had found back to Whoclbomugh. never did she tell him, or any one else,

Thoughts of his wife and his home, left that his one hit of ^ardeasness had probitnddenlv. flitted across the rectors ably supplied tho 'correct time' to the inmind now and then but for the most traders. nart he was tb'nking of the coming in- Rosie and Ruth were none the worse tertiewwith his djing fether, forliat for their fright, bat tart ta play 'rob* he wan dving there could be but littlo hers' with great spirit all through the doubt* winter find spring.

r-,*u»d comer of hla "™d[,'forT&

WlMi

tho elder

did not have a fit and Se, he did have a fit of another kind—of repentenoe for his prejudice against bis daughter-in-law •o ne made reparation by awry hantfsome increase to their tneom*. And a* for the Motor, after tba wild toy of having his wife safe again, he declares his 'courting days' have all returned.

A HAD STORY,

A tittle boy having heard a beontiftil story about a little Day and a hatchet, and how, because the Uttle boy would not tell a lie, lie, in time got to be President of tho United States, was very much impressed by it. Now, it so happened that on the hut day of March, hv was lust ten yearn old, and his father asked him what he would like to have for a birthday present. Very naturally, the boy's answer was, "A little hatchet, If your please, papa."

The fether bought him a littlo hatchet that very day, and the boy was so delighted that he actually took it to bed with him.

Karlv the next morning ha cot up, dressed himself, took his littlo natchct and went out into tho garden. There, ss luck would have it, tho first thing that caught his eye was his foiher's favorite chorrv tree.

44My

eyes I (exclaim

ed the littlo boy to himself,) what a time my fether would make if a fellow wen to cut that tree!"

It was a wicked thought for it led hitn into temptation. There waa tho treetall, straight and fair—standing invitingly before him, just tbe thing for a sharp little hateheL And there was the hatchet, strong, sharp and sWning—just the thing for a fevorite cherry tree. In another instant the swift strokes of an axe were heard in the still morning air, and. before longj small boy was seen running toward the house. His fetbor mot him at tho door.

My boy, what noise wan that 1 heard just now? Surely you have not been at mv fevorite cherry tree!"

Tbe boy stood proudly before bim, but with downoast eyes and flushing cheeks.

Father," he said, "I cannot toll a lie. That cherry tree is——" Say no more," said tho fether, extending his arms "you have done wrong my son and that was my favorite tree. But you have spoken the truth—I forgive you. Better to——"

This was too much. The boy rushed into his father's arms.

Father!" be whispered,MApril Fool! I have not touched toe cherry tree but I 'most chopped the old apple stump to pieces." "Youyoung rascal, you!" cried the fether, "do you mean to say you haven't chopped my cherry tree? 'April fool' your old fether!# will you? Takeoff your coat, sir!"

With a suppressed sob that little bov obeyed. Then, shotting his eyes, he felt his fether's band descend upon his shrinking form.

My son," said tbe fether, solemnly, as he stroked the little shoulder,

4it

is the

1st of April. Go thy way.—{St. Nicholas for ApriL YOUNG LADIES ESCORTS. [Correspondence St. Louis Globe.

Some lonely Maiden in New York i* sighing for an eeoort to tbe theatres. The dear thing proposes—in imitation of a St. Louis society, she savs—that an association of young men should be formed for the express purpose of serving ax escorts to stray waifs like herself. Thin a Christian girl, too, and must havo an escort who is religious, and she therefere insists that the young men must hi' members of the Young Men's Christian Association. Bat how is their fitne** in other respects to be insured By carefbl examination by respectable matrons, says the dear thing and tbe feet, of their membership should lie a sufficient evidence of their character. 8he thinks that thus a large number of deserving young clerks and poor young men could earn something every evening, besides enjoying all the amusements (as the lady would, of course, pay for the tickets.) Whether she would also provide for the cigars and drinks which the youth might indulge in during the intermissions, and whether the acquaintance, onoe begun, would be allowed to ripen into intimate friendship, the dear tning does not sav. At all events, I have no doubt thai hundred* ofour young men will jump—jump?— plunge at the Idea.

MARYS LAMli AMPLIFIED. Mary was tbe proprietress of a diminutive fncipient sheep, whose outer covering was a devoid of color as congealed atmospheric vapor, and to all localities to which Mary perambulated, her |rotmg Southdown was morally sure to

It tagged her to the dispensary or learning one diurnal section of time, which was contrary to all precedent, find excited the eachi nation or tho seminary attendants when they conceived the presence of a younginutton at the establishment of learniiig.

Consequently the preceptor expelled him from the interior, but he continued in the immediate vicinity, and continued in the neighborhood without fretAilneas until Mary onoe more became visible.

What caused this specimen of tha genus ovis to bestow so much affection on Marv?" the impetuous progeny vociferated.

Becauso Mary reciprocated the wool producer"* esteem, you understand," the tutor answered back.

1'! AN IMMENSE SPAN. [(Inofnnati Enquirer.] Nearly all tho distinguished men who took port in the violent political contest* of 1850-61, twenty-five years ago, are now

ton, Cbrwln, Bel!, Everett and Dickin son. This demonstrates what an iinmenoe and fetal span in human extetence is composed in two decades of years. Weseenardly a name now that figured in the great contents that we had Before the war.

Centaur JLlnlment. Tue w.. .it discovery of linage. U'ncrc Is no pain which the Centaur Liniment will not relieve, no swelling which it will uot «ubduj.*i and ljo lameness which it will not core. This fstfamw language, but It Is trne. It Is no nambus tbe rccipe is printed around «*cb boUJ».

A circular oontaiulug

Mklt rheum, ear-ac!" Ac.. tnc recipe

8«SES

rellevingatint

"&2.riUl«

wSbna

hundred1^doll»n» for sp»viii«£ eUalBed or J&tedlK r% and f'1 «b, and for screw-worm Kssbeei cent* la 1*° way. Wew V-rlfc a w^tute tor CMtor oii. It la tlie oily safo article in which is sure to regulate the b«w-Sn*nre-"Wind-colic and produce natmml 22^ It pleMfcnt to children need