St. Joseph County Independent, Volume 21, Number 26, Walkerton, St. Joseph County, 18 January 1896 — Page 7

r. | । DMu ^u\ fX- 'lkf}!:^ ?2^ pitfSVY'T I W” | wlSgl^

CHAPTER XXIII. (Continued.) A wild and piercing scream reached them at that moment, echoed by Cherubim*. who raised her head and let it tall heavily again, striking the table before her as if her brow were of wood. l’aul staggered as the wail rose again from outside, recovered himself and followed Hart who had dashed through the •door, and following his footsteps he staggered into the white draped room which Nousie had prepared with such loving care for the advent of her child. I Paul Hutched at the door as he grasped । the seem* in the shaded room. Nousie on her knees frantically clasping the white : form of her child extended on the bed. her face buried in her white bosom, while •all around over the pillow and coverlet | the poor girl's long black hair lay tossed. . She had evidently been seized by sonic terribly agonizing pain in whose 'hitches ; ■she had writhed and tossed, for her bared j arms lay apart, and her hedd and shoul-1 tiers were half over the side of the bed, where Nousie knelt. Bart was on the j ■other side rapidly making his examination. al the end of which he went round end whispered, to the stricken mother, who rose obediently, and like one in a dream helped him to compose the cramp <■<l and distorted limbs, before, with a ; despairing gesture, he signed to l’aul to j approach. l’aul reeled like a drunken man, and Glared wildly at his friend, then at the beautiful face upon the pillow, from ; which the distortion of pain had passed, j leaving it already calm and peaceful as it . she slept. , t I "Bart—no, no. not that not that?'; whispered Paul at last, hoarsely. "God help you. old fellow:" whispered Bart with a deprecating gesture, "1 inn do nothing. It is too late. "What?" cried Paul, fiercely. "And is ♦ his your boasted knowledge. Helpless, miserable pretender! Aube, Aube. :i y : darling! —gone —gone. God help me, what shall 1 do?" He thing himself on his knees by the bedside, and passionately kissed the soft, cold lips again and again, heedless of everything, as by all the terms of endear- ) ment he could command, he called upon her to come back to him. for he i*oukl not live alone, till his passionately uttered i words grew faint and husky, and he , turned round fiercely, for a hand was ; laid upon his head. lie laughed bitterly, then, as he gazed tip in Nousie’s wild face. "Well." he cried, "you have killed her. Are you happy now? You fetch'd her away from all who loved her, an I for trr.~. "But I loved her, too." groaned Nousie. ‘"my darling, whom I could have died to save. Have some pity on me." site wail- j rd. as she held up her clasped hands to ; her accuser. "Yes I loved her. too. Paul uttered a low hoarse cry and clasped the suffering woman in his arms. “Yes," he said. “I am mad. I do not blame you—her mother -for you loved , ' Ler. too." At that moment in regular dirge-like i mourning cadence came the wailing chorus of the blacks, sending a thrill through Bart, as he bent over Aube once more, touching her hands which lie telt it a sacrilege to lay upon the fast chilling form, and ending by taking those of the : mother and his friend, leading them to ■ either side of the couch, and joining them so that they lay theirs upon the half ; closed eyes once so full of sadness and . loving tenderness, to close them in the I darkness until the coming light. Ami once more the low moaning wail rose from without for the death of Nousie's child. CH APTS R XXIV. "I dare not tell him." muttered Bart a ■ few hours after, as he walked up and down the room, Aube's little nest; for' Paul had st* rnly refused to leave the chamber, and was now seated with his head bowed down and buried in his bands, just as he had been led there tenderly by Nousie. for only to her would he yield when it was whispered to him that he must go. "I dare not tell him," said Bart again to himself, “but if ever poor girl was poisoned that was her death. I must get him away from here, for the tragedy is nt an end." “Poor lad!" he mused. “The knot has been ent indeed. Bur in what away! Whose cursed hand gave her that? May it rot from the owner's limbs." He started, for there was a ghastly face looking up at him—a countenance that in its distortion he hardly knew. “Paul, old fellow," he said, gently, "had : we not better go?" "Bart!" came in a hoarse, fierce whisper, "they must have poisoned her." "What? Oh, who would have had the ‘ heart to do that?" “Poisoned her," continued Paul, "and you know it, but you will not tell me. Who could have done this where all seemed to love her? Oh, it is too hard to bear.” "You may be wrong in this." said Bar*, quietly, feeling startled, though at the way in which his friend had seemed to read his thoughts. "No, I am not wrong. She was poisoned. I feel it. This cursed land. Some <>ne must have been envious and hated Iter." “That we shall never know. But. Paul, <dd fellow, we can do no good here. Come away now. Let us go back." Paul shook his head sadly. "No,” he said. "You forgot. We are in this strange land where one lives today and is forgotten to-morrow. Not yet, Bart. I am going to see them lay my darling, my sweet, innocent darling, in her bridal bed. I'm not jealous, old fellow —not jealous of him. Death's own. To-night—to-night ?” "Ah. yes,” said Bart, sadly. "I had almost forgotten where we are. It will be to-night.” “Yes: her mother whispered it to me as she brought me from ths room. AV e

I know each other now it is too late.” I Paul's words were correct, for just nt sundown. amid wailing and tears. Aube's flower-covered bier was borne by half a dozen of the neighboring blacks, the white, statuesque figure, with its marble face upon the waning sunshine, to the burying ground, where a shallow grave was waiting, a priest standing close by. Paul followed, hand in hand with Nousie. and as they reached the grave tie raised his eyes. whi< h looked to his triend । as if th<’y blazed, for they had suddenly I encountered those of Saintone, standing ! there with his mother. But Paul's anger died out directly, for ho could see the man's face working with the hysterical passion of his Southern nature, ami as he stepped forward to take a last farewell of her who lay there he utterly broke down, and Paul gave a sigh of relief ns Saintone was led aw ay. "It was not he." thought Paul. "Ho loved her. too. It was not he." Then, as in a dreatn, he listened to i the priest, nnd stood there, stunned, till . the last sad rites were at an end. and it I seemed to him ns he saw the earth cover ; her from sight that his own life was nt an end as well. '"ho wails of the blacks rang in his ears, and the sun sank, the darkness was com ing on fast as Bart whispered to him: I "Come." In a dreamy way still, ns if he would i wake from it all soon, he was about to j follow, but a cold hand touched his. and a . piteous voice said to him in almost a I w hisper: "Don't leave mo yet, dear. I am so ■ lonely now." Bart drew back and gave up his idea I of taking Paul back to their place ns he j saw him gravely bend over Nousie, draw her arm through his. and. followed by a i group of weeping people, load her to her ' home, the young doctor coming almost । last. CHAPTER XXV. Paul Lowther looked so wild and strains cd that his friend trembled for the result. , There was something in the bereaved i lover's eyes which told of a despair be , yond words to portray; and longing for I this terrible day to mid. Bart endeavored [ to keep near his old companion, trying to j find something to say to him from time to ■ time, but owning to himself after any j I such effort that he had far better have 1 j left the sufferer to his silent grief. I It was strange how the great s .mov luul brought Nousie awl l’aul t'>getlw. The cabaret had soon gn-vn deserted, for the blacks had stolen one by one away, till all was dark ami silent without, while within hardly a word w is sjvoken. atul Paul sat holding Nousie s hand in his, their figures dimly visible to Bart, as they sat close by the open wini dow, at which, only a few hours before. ; Aube had stood tending the flowers tie I people around loved to bring for her ac- : ceptance. From time to time a groan or a sigh >Would come from the outer room, where Cherubiue was alone with her grief, un- ' heeded by all there, till, growing startled i by the woman's evident suffering. Bart । softly rose tint! crept out into the large. dark, deserted saloon, to where the black | servant half lay, apparently mad with i grief and agony. Ho said a few words to her and tried i to induce her to converse with him. bur . it was in vain, and feeling that nothing but time would avail aught, ho turned : away with n sigh, and was going back to • Aube's little room when he caught sight ! of a misty looking figure passing out of : the door into the veramhi. "Paul!" he said to himself, "going with out me." Ilis suspicions were aroused, and he fol lowed him quickly to stand in the veran da trying to pe'netrnte the darkness, and I make out whether Paul had gone down the road toward the town. He was not kept in suspense many mo ; meats for. all at once, a piercing shriek ! rang out as if from behind him. and sim ! ultaneously there was a flash of- light ; ami the report of a pistol. Bart rushed to the spot not half a dozmi yards away ami just opposite one of the end windows of the long common room. "1 wtts afraid of that.” muttered Bart, as ho rushed on. hearing the sharp click of the pistol as it was being cocked, and springing upon the indistinctly seen figure before him, he wrenched the pistol away. “You madman!" ho cried, furiously. "Is this my friend —the brother of that poor girl who is waiting in till love, ami trust ; for his return?” "For my return'." said Paul, ipiietl . , "why should 1 return? Why have you

taken that away?" | “Because yon are not tit to be trusted with it. Here', be a man and come ami seo what is wrong;" for a series of agoni ■ ' 1 ing screams came from within the house, i each more piercing than that which had made Paul Lowther start as he drew th' l ‘ trigger to end his weary life. Weak as a child now in his despair, he yielded to the firm grip upon his arm, and suffered himself to be led quickly into the I long room, where a light now gleamed, and as they entered it lit up the pallid. I startled face of Nousie, who was hurry ■ ing toward the end. There was no need to ask what was ■ J wrong, for there, just as site had fallen > i from her seat, lay Chorubino, writhing I and groveling on the floor, still uttering , ■ shrieks which rang through the place and » ! sent a shudder through Paid. “(rood heavens’" panted Bart. “What j have you done? Your bullet must have ■ ■ struck the poor creature.'’ i "No, no,” cried Paul, excitedly, ami ho t | clung now to his companion; “she shriek- • i ed as I tired, and my shot was aimed the . I other way.” 1 Nousie had gone down on her knees . speaking wildly to her old servant ami friend, and she looked up appealingly at - the two young men for help B “Isn't there trouble enough, man, ' whispered Bart, as the shrieks continued; ? I “are you no better than this poor bysterie. cal savage?”

Paul looked at him hopotessTy, and tnen his eyes fell upon the writhing woman. ‘’Let me come, Madame Dulau,' said Bart, quickly, after carefully placing the pistol in his owtf pocket. "Have you ever seen her like this be!ore : ' "No, no,” said Nousie, this new trouble rousing her from her despondent state. "What shall I gel you water - brandy I "Wait a moment, let's see. Hysterical fit, 1 suppose,” said Bart, trying with all a doctor's calmness to examine the woman's eves. "I don't know. Here, lain, man."’he continued, ns the poor creature writhed and shrieked horribly, "hold that hand for me. Kneel down. That's right. Bestir yourself, or we shall have some fresh catastrophe. “It is not hysteria. She has been drinking herself liiad to drown her sorrow. I suppose. What would it be, madam arrack?" ~ "Oh, no, no," cried Nousie. '^hc uouiu not touch anything of the kind. “In an ordinary way no. nuiibim; but now pah! you can smell her breath. Hold her firmly. l’aul, man, or she will half kill herself.” "Cherubim*, speak to me." cried Nousie. The answer was a wild shriek ot agony, ami the poor wretch heaved herselt up, so that it requircil all the strength of the two men during the terrible paroxysm to hold her down. “It is spirit!" muttered Bart to Paul. “A woman not used to it. Ah!" he cried, suddenly, “what's this she lias got clenched in her hand?” Ue dragged open the fingers which were contracted round n small glass phial, started up, held it to the light, and smelt it. “Poison." he said quickly, “without a doubt. Here. Madame DultlU. help me.” Ue gave her his instructions; the simplest of remedi* s was given, and the agonized cries am! struggles at last grew less terrible, and by degrees < cased, the woman lying utterly prostrate, apparently too weak even to breathe. She was sensible, though, and her eyes opened from time to time, to gaze imploringly nt her misiress. who knelt by her holding her hand. “Will she live'.'" said Nousie. at last. Bart was silent, for he was in doubt, the pulse was so feeble ami intermittent. "Don't let her die. too.” cried Nousie, piteously. "She nursed my darling when a babe. Cherubiue, my old friend, don’t h ave me now." The woman uttered a low cry of ngony, i nnd feebly clutched at h< r mistress' hand, I to lift it to her breast. "She loved you too," whispered Nousie, “and you loved lo r. She could not bear it, sir," sho continued. "Il was to die, and be with my darling who has gone.’ "No!" thundered Paul, whose whol« manner had changed since the discovery of the Httl ■ phhtl. ami who had been ■ struggling with the horrible suspicion ; w hi< !i had come like i flash to his darkened brain, and then brightened till nil seemed clear as day. “No. it was from renmr.se. Wretch! it was you who ladsOiled Aube." “Hush, man; she’s dying. I'm afraid. 1 ><m't charge her w ith that.” "It is true!" cried Paul, lion e|y. "Cherubiue!" shrieko 1 Nousie: nnd sho bent over the wretched woman's pnmdrawn face. “Yes." said the woman, in n strange, bourse whisper. "I gave it to her my j darling babe I loved so. uml took it. and I I am going to die." i "You, Cherubim !'< । . d Nomde. “No, । no; you could not kill our child ' \ es, she wh. q» 1< d, I ta v ■ U t ■ her.' 1 was obliged ; they mode me.” "What? Ah!" cried Nousi>, her eyt starting with horror. “Pnpnloi M imanloi told tin* the serpent's will obliged obliged "tSenie gave .von that?" u led Nousie, with frantic energy "Yes Gem laiair.e they made m< - I'll tell you gine it to our thirling ' “Yon killed my । liild." •• lid Nousie. in a voice that sounded unmiturtilly calm "No; not io kill. < ;<m • aid, to d < her good SH Ve her AII ll 11! Site shrieked aloud in her agony unco more, but Bart's simple ■ medy gave her • relief, nnd she lay still again, her voio« 1 s.muding weak* r ai d more hoarse ns sho ' spoke again, and now in a curious drow- ■ sy way. "It was Genie, missus. ' she whispered ns she gazed up piteously, "said it would i do her good save her. but it was poison; ■ ; it killed her. and 1 said it should kill mo, I too." , (To be continued I Freight tty Trolley Cars. A move Ims he ■ i made in Newark, N .1.. which is significant in view of the present changing condition of general freight service A bread bakery which । runs out fifty delivery wagons dally to । points within fourteen miles of the city finds that it can d > much of its freight delivery in a simpler and better and • cheaper way. Eighteen of its wagons are sent to Jersey City in the morning. ! loaded with hot bread, which is deliv- ( ered to the locked Imxes in front of the , grocery stores before the stores ara open. To save a drive of from fourteen , to twenty miles a day for each of ilirsq ; wagons, the firm has made a contract i with the local electric ear company to run trolley freight ears from the bakery ‘ to a new delivery depot in Jersey City. Tim ears will be run at an hour of the ’ night when they will not interfere in any way with passenger traffic. If the venture is successful the firm proposes

to run ears to mmo distant cities. On the other hand, the traction company is now seeking to make similar contracts with the brewers of the city, who now deliver large quantities of beer in Hudson ('utility and New York by wagons. It is but natural that the strongest pressure should bo brought against this intiovation, 1-ti. under its franchise the company has the right to run freight ears. Should the nigh; trolley freight service become general it will readily bo seen what an Important modification of city and suburban delivery traffic will follow. Western Lakes Grmvisig Smaller. Reports from the lake regions of .Minnesota and the Dakotas announce that the lakes in that section are not only greatly diminished in quantity, but some are disappearing entirely. This state of affairs is largely attributable to the deficiency in rainfall for the past ten years. They Write Most Letters in English. Two-thirds of all the letters which pass through the postoffices of the world are written by and sent to people who speak English. Diamonds have been found in fifteen og twenty different localities in (AU, L ruia.

all die together. I Peter hougaard kills his FAMILY AND HIMSELF. A Chi CaBO Dane, Goaded by ReverseH » ortuue, Turns on the Gas While *« AMfe and Children Slcep-Bnl-'■ide Is Added. P. t iY' 1 ^ Bcven “* Death. tivJ mJi ÜBU .‘ Ud killed himself, wife ami Thu c'' HU Ul Sunday night, the discovery was made by the polic . I,! " I pon forcing open the door of residmme they found the ole family asphyxiated. Hougaard had xlently waited nil all were asphvxiated. Ud then, turning on the remaining gas ts, calmly laid down ami wailed his own <h‘ath. Hougaard was a Dane living at 731 ‘ * ixty-first street. He w rote a letter to a ! friend telling him what he was going *o •o, saying ho vyas despondent and h<C spoke ot some diamonds which the police' "ould find by his side when they entered Hie house. The letter, which was written In Danish, was ree.ned by HougnardG friend Monday ,-iml he inom<tmtely in formed the police of its contents. When the police broke open the doors of the modest home the chill of death pervaded every room. A house dog. half dead w ith ! the fumes of escaping gas. dashed past | tin* officers and up the stairs to the bed ! chamber of Hans, the eldest child. And there he remained until beaten away by the officers of the coroner. Seven persons lay dead in the three rooms, I n,m every jet the gas was yet flooding the rooms, but its deadly work had long since been completed. In tile ' front room were found the bodies of I'eter Hougaard. his w ife and their " year oi l infant, the little form of which was mtied closely against that of its dead nmfa<’t. Hougaard s arms were crossed upon his breast am) his ia<e was peaceful in its last sleep. In an adjoining room was the body of Haus, the 11 year old sen. lb- had died without a struggle. Lock, d m ea« h other's arms in the rear mom were .hnnie, Olga and Mami, the beautiful'

' I j ; .14"^ lIX !V 1 * '\ FfTtR HOUGAARD c ‘ Mrs hoi/G-AAKD a THE li(E G \ MID I \ Mil Y.

Hmtgaanl prb. of nil ih. ».•>_!> ' h orlmod. Heath had . -m. in th. n ght silent, pniiih .4 and pitiless Peter Hmtgaard came t> Chicago from} Ih umark hw >r>i x . ~.. \ ma ..j . I uratioti. viiituic and ambition, he ua-at tHund Io I'huago. I).- was train.'l in tile business methods of his native < otni trv ami did not hesitate to throw his small fortune into the balance. He engaged in business, at fust with success. Emlxdd omul by hi* first victory. he plunged into s|« enlalhm and lost. How much he lost ami how he lost it m, one knows. It mnk< s tio differ* 1: is *, ,| Sbtjssi nnd that the rem tinder of hs h; tie fortune was stolen bv a swindler. Hougaard was peuniu His dream cf riches wa< rudely sw.pt away. But he x v s? - 1 1^ I ’ f fi rwr^n ' ..Ww- - d > if wuep.i ini: MiunEß wAs imi'iii nn, did not burden his wife with his troubles and hi' always seemed happy and cheerful. There.was yet food and warmth in the lit tie cottage, lie went bravely ahead in an attempt to .secure work, but it was denied him. His business reverses and the fa. ! that he was practically penniless and unable to find employment, so preyed on Hougaard’s mind that finally, s. > no other way of escape, he resolved on death. The police found little food in the house and not a cent of money, with the exception of some small Danish coins. FOUR OF A BOAT CREW MISSING. Mississippi River Steamer Sinks and Passengers Narrowly Escape. As the result of the sinking of the steamer Congo in the Mississippi river four people are missing and are supposed to have drowned. Two others were injured, but not seriously. The missing, whose names are unknown, tire rhe cap tain of the deck crew, a barber, the .ash hauler and a roustabout. The injured are James Hayes of Pittsburg, Pa., and W. I'. Brothers, of Clay City. 111. The boat sank so rapidly that there was no time to blow the distress sigua!. Many of the passengers were picked up more dead than alive. Tom Patrick and wile, of < )w ensboro, Ky.. were on their bridal trip. He heroically swam ashore with his- wife. An individual may smile and smile md still be a tempera nee advocate.

FORAKER ELECTED. Chosen to liepresent Ohio in the United States Senate. J. B. Foraker has been elected by the Ohio Legislature to succeed Calvin 8. Brice in the Semite of the Fnited States. 1 he Senate has thirty Republicans, one of whom. Senator Porter, was absent on account of sickness in his family. The six Democrats voted for Mr. Brice. The Populist, William F. Conley, of Mercer, tS t G XvT F ' .1. P. t oltVKElt. voted tor Mr. Groot. Gov. Bushnell and ex llov. McKinley were present. Foraker s name was presented by Senator John J. Sullivan, of Trumbull, and seconded by Senator .vdolph Rnemer. of Cincinnati. Senator Hisel] presented Mr. Brice’s I mime. In the house Foraker received the full Republicsn i ote. AN INTERNATIONAL BANK. Comptroller Eckels Speaks in Favor of a Great Project. Tile House Committee on Banking and ( urremy Monday considered tin* project for an international American bank, w hich was one of the recommendations of ; the pan American congress and was largely the idea of tlie late James G. Blaine. Among the would-be incorporators are ('orueiim- Bliss and Charles R. Flint, of New A oik: I'. Jefferson Coolidge, Andrew

< J. > < k-. -n. I I» A ■ mour and M M listen, of California. I i put- the ■ apTil sto> k at S - (KHi.oni autli' ri o s the bank,to act - '•■ (•:. ' > al .■•.:• ait of .my -overnnu'ut, S' it ■ o - . jp.ii ;•, or i nrpotai.oii, to handle bond . etc., but bars it from issu- : ■oo - t. . k nlaie as money in the I nit'd S: iti s. Comptruile:- Eckels addressed tho committee. stating that he favored the estab-L-om n’ of siu-h a bank under proper re<tn. : ou<. li would gve to the I nited S a; ■. he sod, cheaper exchange with S ntn Anu ra .in republics ami enable I |x.i;i r.ei 'u.ints ,md ma mil .i turers. All South Xmet'o jo exchange : s now handled throng,h London ami other Europium eenteis, ii.d a small saving in exchange oflen di termau d w ho slumld do the business of the । mil :i. Ihe Litermitumnl Bank. In* thougoi. 'ho dd not be permitted to issue eir ' i am in the I nite 1 States, and it should not be given an advantage over of ■ r banks under government control in . is, t -a,end decide to do all its business ■ I ’nit'd States.

WOODMAN'S DEFENSE PLAN. Ch icago Congressman Would Quickly Dispose of SIOO 000,000. i 'g r . S sman Woodman has introduced ■> n.c appropriating S limhhhijmh) to estnb-!i-a fortifications and other coast defenses .r tee -.a and lake ports of the I nited Stan s. His bill provide s for the < reation ol :i board of fortifications, consisting of - X m- mbers besides the Secretary of V, Two of the members sdia'd be ofiii-. of the army and the remaining four . i. c aiis. one being an engineer and one an attorney. The members '-hall receive -57.500 each per year. The bill provides ■ luat the board shall cause plans to be prepared for fortifications at each of thirty-four ports requiring protection and enumerated in the bill. It is provided > that the work of fortifying shall begin j immediately and that .^oJMMHNIt) of the । sum shall be available for use during the j fiscal year beginning .lune 3*l next. Ten million dollars shall be used during the year beginning .June 3(1, INPi, and a like sum during the following year, while in eadh succeeding year thereafter there shall be spent -STD HUM ft 10. By this provision the entire sum would be expended before .lune 30. 1!M>1. Decision Is Against Pullman. Judge Butler, in the 1 nited States Circuit Court at Philadelphia, rendered a decision in the ease of the Central Transportation Company against Pullman's Palace Car Company, dismissing the exceptions of the latter company to the awarding of $2.552,(Hm to the Central company. The Central Transportation Company was absorbed by the Pullman company in ISSS, and suit was instituted to recover payments to the amount of over OOO,OO<» alleged to bo due. Nebraska Farmers Desperate. Two hundred citizens of Boyd County, Nebraska, whose families were suffering from cold, invaded the Fort Randall military reservation, cut all the timber and the custodian of the garrison telegraphs that they will probably destroy and carry off the buildings.

THE SUNDAY SCHOOL. THOUGHTS WORTHY OF CALM REFLECTION. A Pleasant, Interesting, and Instructive Lesson, and Where It May Be Found- A Learned and Concise Review of the Same. Lesson for Jan. 19. Golden Text. Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the s'.n of the world.— John I : 29. This lesson is found in Luke S: 15 22, ami has I'm- its subject The Ministry of John tlie Baptist. Grand, brave, John the Baptist. Last of the prophets and first. Last nnd hence nearest to the Christ. Ready to point to the Christ ami then pass out of sight, humbly saying: “He must increase, but. I must decrease." In this he is a model for the preacher in all time. John peculiarly represents the Baptist position, as occupied from the first, which says tho man is naught, tho ( hiist is all. 1 hi* priest with his assumption of absolving graee calls attention to himself; the prea< her calls attention to the Christ. 'llie priest pvetemis by tho application ot water to imjiart Homethiiig to the candidate-, the true successor of John imparts nothing, lie simply administers an ordinance, obeys a command, ami, in so doing, points to “the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the worbl.'* Let John decrease, but let tin* order of John the Baptist increase. Lesson Hints. • There is a strange looking man standing by (he Jordan, a nmtley throng before him. He has just been telling them who and what they are. There is no mistaking his language. They are sinners needing repent ?me. And now John, who art tlmu? Art thou the Christ of whom we have heard? “1. nay. 1 am not the Christ, 1 am ju’t a voi 'o." Trinh, truth, but God give us anotlu r - ,w.i a voice! Did this voice ever falter? Thore are those that so interpret the language and query at Luke 7: ID; "Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?" To us it is not so much a suggestion of doubt as a plea for divulgenee. John has been shut away from men in prison darkness. He has not seen or heard what others have seen and heard. He feels that the time is drawing i^igh for his departure. He wants an authoritative declaration as from a master that his work is done. Chris! gives it full and plain. To John it is a kind of num* dimittis ami with a glad trust he stands ready when Herod's headsman comes. Win at and chaff. The coming of Christ, i ; to bring all things into revelation. ('hrist by his first coming made it plain, in spiritual wise, what is the wheat ami what is the chaff in human life. When he conics a si < end time it shall be to make all things plain and to separate forever the wheat from the chaff. The tire unquenchable has already started to burning, but the chaff is not yet burned up. i he Revision says. "With many other e’.imrtations, therefore, preached tin* I tidings unto the people." And the rendition is literally correct. The word nu nns to preach the gospel. Two things may strike us as strange: 1, that suen wonts as those in tlie verso just preceiling should be regarded as "exhortation” (literally, eneonragenienti. 2. that anything like this should be in 'hided in the good tidings of the gospel. The gospel is ciidently a very broad term and it may be well for us to consider whether wo have been giving it full scope and sweep. “Thou .art my beloved Son.” was the voice that broke through the vaulted skies as the w ater was cleft at Christ's baptism. Truly i tod loves obedience; and to many a soul since that day has tin* cleaving of tiio waves been the signal for a new cleaving of the heavens in spiritual discernment ami divine re-enforcement.

111 list rat ions. Just a voice and a huger that was all. But the voice spoke for Jesus, and the finger pointed to the Christ. A voice and a finger, humble instruments, what more are we? A voice and a finger, honor past telling. Rejoice, Christian, that you can be as much! God permits us to go beforu his divine Son as voices crying in flm wilderness of this world. He allows in to stand ■.. the way and point to the anpointed One saying. "Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.” How noblean occupation! Successors to the apostles? Some may dispute it. But followers of John the Baptist, that wo may be and that wo are. We can lift the voice, we can point tho linger, we can prepare the way for flm I amb of God. Rejoice. Christian, and let this lesson stir us to new activity at our lesser Jordans. Why did Christ choose a man rather than an angel to go before him? It is God’s way. His plan has always been seen Io be. as Acts It): 5. to “send men.” Angels would fain go forward with the gracious work, but God halts them part way, ns at Bethlehem, and in Joseph's garden, and puts all in the hands of men. Men must w arn men, men must call men. This lesson will do good according as some man or woman, some teacher or si holar is sent out by it to prepare the way for Jesus in he,-tris that need him. Note the holy confidence of Jolin. "0110 mightier than 1 cometh.” He said it wit i perfect assurance, even before his eyes had lighted upon the Christ. Indeed by faith through spiritual communion Jesus was with John already, though as yet tho spirit had not yet been given, openly an I dedaratively and with power, for that Jesus had not yet been glorified. Chrysostom used to say, "I have a pledge from Christ, have his note of hand, which ii my support, my refuge and haven; and though the world should rage, to this security 1 ding. ‘Lo. I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.’ " There wore two names in John's life; Christ and God. John brought to men tho thought of God and of the dominance of the Kingdom of heaven. Next Lesson—“ The Early Ministry of Jesus. Luke 4; 14-22. ‘•Remember that politeness always pays, my boy," said the benevolent old gentleman to the bootblack. "Mebbe, replied the practical boy. “hut I’d rather have a nickel than a ‘thank ye’ for blacking shoes.” Pittsburg ChronicleTelegraph. He who knows our frame, is just, merciful and compassionate, and full of sweet assurances, ami hope for all the language is, that lie remeinbereth we are dust. W hittier.