New York Clipper (Nov 1878)

TROU L. LEX}K & SON, \BOOK STORE] 333 BU8H 8T H MmnMiQtmxt, oau SATUEDAT, NOVEMBER 1878, (VOLTJMB I . JPrtoe S HAPE D. j fOB. THl' SSW TOM CtTTPKB, nDam tor on* who Is do moref withered and the J umhu faded, .elost their brightness or the shore— m armor lute to happy UHarhter, r a melancholy moan; that In the dim hereafter alioi and know thee as my own: .^£iass with looxUnrand persistence, yRSSSrn* are brightwith loredivine, JSSStXm, sonieHhere In the happy distance, gifKitniartsndrocognln thee mine. JjV^vLbosonssaroond your war are swaluna; IRSsiofjOT, oh. can yon, can yoa know JLTMhanCnesorroarbleueddweniDg ' ■gjaicijidassi and heart-break here belowr '. -uK<»r»am. and In my dream behold yon "■JBStsi In your fjrlnooo. and aa lair; .SlrSransa again I loudly fold tot. ^feirwaTowtolden-rlnted pair. ■Sdl Maal The pnt mould coldly prases •JLTsaiT Uriel, the heart that waa my own; Zk^deTkthtt iharea my fond caresses, ^aVJU IJHW the droarr winds make moan. ■ wanSasal of the 8ammar bath departed, Ps^STqmi of Aommn touch the land; SS SSS we wandered baupy-hearud, l SlUuUls>t together hand-ln-hand. JSHmm withered, and the flowers haTS faded, VJi«ht»*ooldJypnttedrearyahore; i» "!si lJilarJil -* sadly shaded. Wttos art gone fererer more. f {4WTHGATE MYSTERY, •J09T0 POB TBI Hf TOU GLTPCTB* It f A'LTJSB EDGAR MoCANK. ™™ As rear 18T8.] ■ipTgB TIL—NEWS TEOkt NOBTHQAIE JTrOT look so angry." Bali Bella pies > "I bone I have not done anything to ■ TOO* 0 Mara no right to be offended at anything _,Xfes Bella," said Joe. Then, summon- Jnige,he said. In a buret: "I only wish 31 should ask yon to stop all these aXD with Bavenswood," he continued, Emore excited. "One of these days yon ■»ny, I am thinking." hrihsi, pray? Ton puzzle me." ■D Idoatthiukso. Ton know what I lid enough. Ton are In love with him. iod you Imagine he Is In love with yoa; stzs Ions yoa will find ont differently." ttmyword," she said with a little cold lirfeing anger; "yon presume npon my iatnn.Hr. Butts. Still, It Is quite posst- haasu Its Umtt." totem, Bella," he answered, ahanging V "I oame here this morning to speak: it any oost. I have noticed a good " l lately. Charley Ravenswood does _ you, and I do. He does not oare Bplj but himself. Be 1b Tain and sel- aTft pleases his vanity to see yoa In love kg rat he grows tired ol everything In 3*111 of that; and 11 yoa are wise yon jjpgoorage farther." jgto lrSrxupt hlin^out oonld not He MBtteidry; ' ■ ~- ' ~ < '" • — kmiglve my plain taHi; but t lore you ■71 do—and have loved you for ever so riVmt daring to say a word about it I rot to see yoa nude to suffer by this I don't dislike him—quite the reverse ■inspects—butl lmownis character and ■ tt He was made in a strange mould tat from other people—and is just one ■ unconventional persons who oome h world foredoomed to be unhappy, i make others so. He may even fanoy returns this infatuation of yours; bat H-deeetved, and if you let it go on yon ■ that at the moment he perceives his BtowDl shrink from yon as If you were res otandinp now, very pale, agitated, ■ay. Several times she had essayed to IB speech without success. Bl* she cried at length. "I shall not *mother syllable of this Impertinence, •sot understand one word of what yon Hag about Of Mr. Bavenswood's ohar- jn now nothing, of mine a till less, and inUUons between us least of all. Ton ant had the shadow of a claim to ad i,rir—and—all yon have said Is an tn- I ifah you to go—to leave me—and ttpeaktome again." *, I suppose I have made a fool of my- ■answered, going to the door. "I did I before I oame In to act differently— ooDj and sensibly—but a man cant lajotrol bis feelings, particularly under ■ circumstances. But before 1 leave, aaadttb.I venture to offer my friend- si terrlee—you may have use for both ■J, tod I beg pardon It I have said any- tnltlng—and—and—good-morning, tapped on bis hat and retired, closing jr iter him very carefully, and when Wont In the garden-path he shook U bees were buzzing around his ■ looked about him like a man a good ■ad and confused. Wn to, his experience had upon him ■at ot the effect of an explosion. This what lasted,It seemed, more than ■Km, and he could hardly realize what ™ place. His Bella—his pretty, little 'wo he had admired, and, In fact, WjMped In secret for so long—whom [wnied to open his heart to and con- -*r»hom he had been preparing a "Ua touching set-speech In advance— What had happened? Waa it ■J* only recollect that he had seen on bending over her, and had lost and the love he had privately Wh each care—how had he at last FjJ' With trnculenceand iagp,' with **icd he hardly knew what aoonsa- I,* TfBar in his drink had not so •alter* thought poor Joe, In Emil- ■•• And very properly his extrusion •uiHgnominiouB—had followed, and |?wween him and that pretty girt "»», although sho did not know K, WWerythlng to him. there could be J? °n her side hatred and oontempt, oaslancboly, distance andunspeolt- ■ ntonbhmant at his extraordinary ? gd warning may, perhaps; be * »a knew, with the sure and subtle 'Womanhood, that the simple, hOn- admired and liked her; but ^■™J»lth any more serious feel- struck her as Iudlorons and p» Here, however, was a -new and In his character, quite apart iy and supernatural, and not at 1 5, M A ™ T the revelation. It was very E™«to?3 should dissolve; otherwise, .iS5 rons jealousy, and attendant j™Mle with what did not conoem Butts might become a very for- S255 0 - Sain tt is hard to breakup fi^on; and as Bella saw the ab- «Uow paas by the window, bewil-. ^euw to the soul, she oould not aw»— tegfe . t - He Intruded npon her i^«d next day she went to vfeit Si nfrl!^ sne bad. mentioned; and and quiet for a few weeks •S«S?r ware absolutely necessary. S»°*lng had yet been heard from i. r 355 truant f^nfatM t» 4jJJ» uke something more serious itlbT j?^ grave conjectures were kTLr.'°?ther he could haveactu- •JtoK,* 1 " 1 Umaslf, to summarily J2* ennui whioh was known to ™». or have become the vioUm K«i!!n^ l9n ? tb at rest One brought a letter in the oap- igSgT penmanship addressed to k iS™!-* letter explaining not inX, s 5 1 E°lent He regretteS tie tfirr ?•Partnre must have given; Iv5L Mrt , ou9 hod occurred to •V'SjJt which he oould not yet VttX to08e who felt any Interest ffK ™»1«IU- were aucS; or ouri- jnijrht rest Assured thathe. •-^though, he J^SSk^ulty. His own impru- «■ ulubky poattton; put Ume would extricate him, (tad. lie thought at a fu- ture day he would be able to fairy vindicate .himsfllf .Under the edreumstanoes he oould not expect Bhoda to hold herself to her en- gagement, and therefore.aha might consider herself, so far as he was concerned, perfect! free. HiBsroologleewereabJeotand nebeggeL that, notwithstanding his conduct, she might still try to think kindly of him; and heolosed with the assurance that his affection for her was still unaltered, and would end only with his life. ^ The same mall brought a fetter from the cap- tain's hand to his friend Bavenswood, whioh that gentleman showed freely to the curious at Potter's Bflliard-rooms and elsewhere. It was not written In low spirits, bat rather In a sort of good-humored defiance of fate and all her machinations. He had played the sooundrel, he supposed some people thought and-at the present stage his own mere words could hot be offered In defense;'but, as In Hiss Thur- low*s letter, he Indicated that time would show his onaracter In a better light and be his iusti floatlon. ' • ' Both these letters were dated from New York. He did not appear to be under the ne- cessity of keeping dark, at least; en the oon- trary, he spent most of his time in pnbilo places, parUonlarly the theatres, and the latter part of nls communication contained a great deal of the current theatrical gossip, soon as he thought might amuse his friend. Bavenswood, whose temper had not im- proved lately, sneered at the letter and spoke with anything but respect of its writer. "A poltroon, sir," he said to little Billy Glan- ders at the billiard-room, after the performance oh the night following the arrival of the mis- sive. "A gentleman would not have acted bo." . He addressed the crowd In general, rather than little Billy, and they heard him with great respect, as he lounged by the fire, splendid and proud and lU-humored. He did not often show himself there, and was usually taciturn enough. They agreed with htm. Deddlngton was a chivalrous plaoe, and Its people as of one famfly,-and tbey resented Ulas Thorlow's Injury with/honest warmth. Bavenswood talked a great deal that night, and In a way made t»imn»if agreeable.' It was late when he withdrew, and even then he did not go to his lodgings, bat rambled about the streets, quite alone, for half an hour, and then strnok off into the oountry, and I dont think there was a soul awake In the town when' he oame back. Mrs. Dobbles was so accustomed to bis whimsical comings and goings that hardly any noise he might have made could have awakened her. Bo when, about two or three o'clock—or who knows what time?—he let himself in with his latchkey and ascended to his room, he did not disturb her. Pale and fatigued he looked, in the light of his lamp, as he entered the room, and wearilv but kindly he spoke In answer to the greeting of his little dog: and so threw hlmseiflnto a ohalr before the fire and mused dismally. "Tired to death, curse it 1" he said, with a light thump on the table. "What a fool I have been I Do I know what I am doing? Was there ever such a mad piece of business in all the world 1" And so on. Incoherently, he soliloquized, with an sorts of tnterjeoUoaVand -sosistlme* verystrprrgInngnage. Andvatla»t-uphe-got and went over to the window where his desk stood, and from a locked compartment took a small vial with a curious stopper. ' Borne liquid quite white, like water, this vessel held, and he measured a quantity ot it bv a tea- spoon In a glass, and, qualifying It with water, drank it off. A solution of morphia, I sap- pose It was, whioh he had originally used for headache, and a good deal oftener, perhaps, of late for pain of another sort. The drug was quieting; and now, lazily, he undressed and got himself to bed. CHAPTER VUT.—AOOTDENT. Krs. Thurlow had formerly assisted her hus- band as writing-mistress In the early days of the "Academy for Toung Gentlemen," and was considered an eminent authority on penman- ship, and even professed, I believe, a know- ledge of the more abstruse science of autogra- ihy. as it la called, or judgment of the oharao- er by the handwriting. Bhe avowed that, as with some people, a face once seen Is never forgotten, so was handwriting by her. One afternoon, several days after the arrival of Captain Northgate's letter, Mrs. Thurlow, sitting with Rhoda, suddenly asked to see that composition again. The Doctor had gone out riding, his custom always In the afternoon, and the two ladies were quite alone. ' Rhoda produced the letter, and It was at- tentively read and commented on for the twen- tieth time, and Mrs. Thurlow, Inspecting It oare fully once more in sHenoe, said: "Written, yon see, in a great hurry, and not In his usual hand. I should hardly take the penmanship for Captain Northgate's"—she spoke of him as Cyril no more—"exoept for the cramped and straggling formation of his characters. Have you any other specimens of his writing?" - • In' the mnslo-book there was a song, the words of whioh he had oopled for Rhoda from the original in the hands of a young lady at the theatre. "A very marked difference, yon observe," pursued Mrs. Thurlow, comparing the two specimens, "but at the same time a general re- semblance. This letter Is written in a decid- edly tremulous hand—can't you detect a cer- tain agitation In the loops and ourves?" "I doubt notwithstanding, whether he was in a very violent state of agitation," laughed Rhoda. "Simply a shaklness of the nerves from bad hours and had habits of all kinds." "It cost him a pang to write this letter. Rhoda, and I shall never believe differently," retorted Mrs. Thurlow Impressively. "When a person writes a letter In a style of oallgraphy so very different from what is usually employ- ed that it is scarcely recognizable, I maintain that there Is decided mental agitation." "I dont know, I am sure: but It Is all over, and I am very glad," said Rhodaquietly. "Oh I here Is papa,'' and she rose as the old-fashion- ed vehiole, almost In the style of a doctor's gig.dtove up to the gate. "There -la someone with him, I think," said Mrs. Thurlow. peering ont curiously; "and what can your father mean? He Is tying the horse to the post'' Rhoda had gone to the other window, from which post of observation she saw Dr. Thur- low carefully descend from the gig, followed imm ediately by another' person—a ngure she recognized, with something like a shock—for It was aharles Bavenswood^ •■ - .• t- 'Who can It possibly be, dear?" Inquired Mrs. Thurlow, anxiously - inspecting the stranger. "How very distinguished-looking. If Doctor Thurlow expected anyone to' Sea, It is singular he did not Inform me." . ■ ' The two gentlemen came up the little gravel- ed walk, the Doctor In advanoe, and disappear- ed together tinder the hooded poroh, and a second afterwards were heard in the nalL They were in the room. Bhoda through a mist saw the tall form of' Ravenswood and his - singularly handsome face; and In her" ears sounded the confused murmur ot the Doctor's introduction—all like a dream. '' "Beally saved my life," she heard her father say more distinctly, as she gradually returned' to herself. "Old Darby, you know—safe and gentle as a house-dog,. I always thought—I should have trusted him anywhere—it Is really a nnftftmHintnft 1 "; I cant. Imagine what came over him. I never was bo frightened— my heart is beating yet I certainly owe Mr. Bavenswood my life. .. "The children In the road startled Mm," said Bavenswood in bis inexpressibly sweet and gen tig tones. "There was a boy beating a drum, juu ujayi remember." _ "ggadl-T T s V s uj , aa usual. In a reverie, and re- memW/nttrdng exoept that Old Darby, as sober as myself the Instant before, suddenly reared and bolted away with me, Jerking the reins out of my hand. An earthquake could hardly have been more sarprisiAg. So he told the story of the runaway more In detail, by whioh it appeared that-Bavanswood, opportunely In the neighborhood, had cour- ageously rushed Into the road and seized "Old Darby" just at the-point when that hitherto, faithful animal was about to toss his master out of the gig Jnto a ditch. .' :r dare say. nothing more serious than a good ghaklng>up and oonousslon would have fol- lowiad/had the horse succeeded, Bavenswood pooh-poohed his exploit. 'But Dootor Thur- Ten:, CJantia," ■' — ; ; :— - * Tbio of Burlesque A.ctresses. UZ21R WEBSTER. SI W.S.T.WSE TBRDB ClaAWOJCTt low, naturally timid, was confoundedly fright- ened, and looked upon his escape from a hor- rible death as simply miraculous. Mrs. Thurlow received the flrst mention ot Bavenswood's name a little stiffly; bnt, the story of the Doctor's misadventure having been related, she thanked his rescuer honestlv and warmly. In truth, it was impossible not to be Impressed with the actor's appearance— so handsome and highbred—and he so modest- ly deprecated all claims to any acknowledg- ment, and he spoke so gently and even sadly; and. In shortvery few minutes had slipped by before Mrs. Thurlow oame to the conclusion that he was, beyond all question, the most at- tractive person she had ever met She had al- ways entertained her own notions about theat- rical people—a mysterious tribe, like the gipsies —subjects for speculation, but not presentable or to be cultivated.' Bavenswood had shivered that theory. All this while Bhoda had not uttered a word, nor had she met the actor's glance, and yon would have said they had never been before aware of each other's existence. In the first shook of the surprise she was, perhaps, a little lrlghtened; but now a faint smile flickered across her face, and she began to perceive the humorous phase ot the situation. "Ton will stay to tea with us, Mr. Bavens- wood?" said Mrs. Thurlow hospitably. "I In- sist" He murmured something about duties at the theatre; but the lady pinned him closely, and he was obliged to admit that he was not to act that evening. Thus It happened that he re- mained and drank tea with the Doctor's family, and over that nectar made himself agreeable upon many subjects. It was hardly avlodnble that the unlucky toplo of Northgato should come np, although Bavenswood tried to elude Mrs. Thorlow's Inquiries with all the dexterity of which he was master. "You were very mtlroate with him, Xr. Ra- venswood, were yon not?"- • "He was, strictly speaking, more intimate with me," said he. "I thought I knew all his secrets, such as they were; but events have shown differently.". . He exhibited the Captain's letter, whioh Mrs. Thurlow examined curiously and commented on. Here, again, she avowed a discovery of a marked ohange in the absentee's handwriting, showing thathe was, as she vaguely expressed It, under olrcuinstances of great mental agita- tion. ■ "Under duress, you think?s. Inquired her guestoarelessly. .-'' ">" .»-<:■■«•■■ -•/ "I will hot say that Thare;lfl yary'j>robahly» "it, bnt he.Ifl »"™f"g "j ' at all, and—and—there was i no physical restraint . . She made quite a little v^IssertatibnTwltb: the f "' JJ? r fo ,^ a ^ which Bavenswood Ufltened, . ■•Which you had better with polite attention. But he was glad when- - - " m ™'. u 4 ""H they all returned to the < parlor again and the subject was dismissed! - - - - ** Ton oould haidly^falisjFia pleasanter even- ing for a group- BTV-qnlet .Dootor Thurlow was delighted with his guest—a kindred ailnd , he thought^-and, the toplo of the stage arising, would have monopolized him, had not Mrs. Thurlow protested. The. actor did not lose the opportunity to say a few graceful words In defense of his pro- fession. . :iL1<- ■■ "There Is maSfrjpreJudloe, of oburse,f re- marked Mrs. Thurlow, with a very distinct recollection of-her -own recent Impressions. "Very unjust prejudioe tn- many oases, I am sure.'' ' Rhoda sang,- and then played an accom- paniment for. Bavenswood, whose fine bari- tone made Its usual Impression; and than they performed a duet together.. , It would, I think, be difficult to estimate how muoh we of- modern soolety owe the Slano. If we are obliged to endure a good ealof aurioular torture.at the hands of gen- erally well-meaning but mistaken 1 performers upon this instrument, la there not here en- forced, as in so many other things; that jaw of compensation which keeps up the balance of existence and makes It endurable? Under the rumble and thunder of the bass pedal, what Important oonfldenoeB, otherwise impossible tn a crowded room, are successfully exchang- ed? Half the details of modern love-making are conducted over the keyboard. Two peo- ple oooupylng this point of vantage, be the throng never so great, are, while always under the general eye, as comfortably Isolated as they might be anywhere on earth: and so im- pressions are. made, understandings arrived at, quarrels compounded, and the whole busi- ness of courtship carried on. It is not to be supposed that . Bavenswood and Miss Thurlow, with their seonst between them, oould accept the accident of late whioh, contrary to anything that at least one of them had ever dreamed, had thus b r ooj tnt them to- gether, free to be friendly, without experienc- ing a wish to exobange vlewB Upon so ex- traordinary a circumstance, not-even a look had passed between them so fs*Aad.srt tholr formal introduction both, as w&Asflow, had loved like strangers: Now, howfcvex, the mo- ment had arrived when the constraint and un- certainty of the previous 8ltnatton-must,lnone way or another, be dissolved. -.• . "Ton have caused me a great deaji'of suffer- ing this evening," said Bfioda In a< low voice, while she played and he sang. "I'feel a con- tempt for mvself that I can hardly express. Could anything be more degrading than the rolel have been playing—pretending never to have seen you before?" "What could I do?" he said a moment later, when It was her turn to bear the burden of their performance. "It was your place to have recognized me—yon must allow that in justice. I did not wish to come; bnt your father in- sisted, and placed what he was pleased to con- sider hiSjObligatlon to me in saoh a light that to have refused would have been -simply In- sult Ton surely cannot think that I would willingly Inflict pain upon yon of any kind." "Well, you know at nest ot what hypocrisy I am capable. It is all very curious; and I suppose you remember what Isald the last time we saw each other—about removing poor papa's prejudices." v~ "I remember every word you Mgfar spoke to me, Miss Thurlow," said BaTenswood sin- cerely. A: - "Very little worth the trouble; fm afraid. But, regarding papa's prejudloef/Fthlnk they are effectually removed—manuna^ also—and, unless you dislike us all very muoh, this wilt not be your last visit here. We owe you papa's life." . ; ^ - "Whatnonsense 1 I assure you. he was In no danger. Bat If you vrill have meiahero, 'I must have patience to endure the load;', ft Is a good deal llko a dream to me-^ail thliv 'Ineveroould have Imagined myself standla&where I am; By this time I thought you wopld have' been Mrs. Northgate. . When we met' evening In the ohurohyard, 1 for the last time, and had most sentimental frame of l "While now you looku Ions."she said, gravely an<L_ "No," he answered Lperoel' not like his tone. "Honeste. ridiculous In my eyes, Misa not know howl felt that i yon were going to marry parted that ed it was ill Into a astidlou- dld never oudo was sorry Northgate, andmoresorry, that you werjf" giving to marry J stgreat deal more . _*^elf" she interrupted, laughing. "OarKefin Northgate appears 1 to have bebri'a good^deaVterrifled at the jirosr>eotbeiore him usoj&id lias left me In a very mortifying etra^t 1 JjsTrppoee all the young ladles in town Ma- rhkfing merry over my predicament WeU> ltv«UeBnt'^ matter; I shall be a happy-old maldJIiSjajj-and, attar a while, I may do ome laugfing-Talso in my turn. This Is the last veraeffBrttTit?" So the'song ended. ; " ,l r1! v'v '^ ' ; ' . .. CHAPTER IS.—aitr^nb.' It was quite eleven wheaJRayfihewood. bade good-night and withdrew fxfnifflijB hospitable old Doctor's cottage; time haUIMed by insen- sibly. The aotor was In better warltB than for a long time. Never had he spehln pleasanter evening. The Doctor hirnsaK.Bo, learned * genial, simple, most deUghtfnl ouedagoguee; his wife, so wise a matrou'and-vo ladylike; and Miss Thurlow—Rhoda—so XeautUu), so oharming, so near perfection iai everything. Ravenswood was, in faot, qafcWtrosy over his good luofc Everything lid, - dpm« -about so happUy-he had never daBmnd.-and now, how would It end? A shadow oxnesed him for a minute—sinister and nialtafasttt-^md in the starlight something almost ltte; a Boowl dis- torted his handsome features; bte-frlenus of a white ago would have been startled at that aspect, but it was only for a moment The one beautiful Image in his mind filled Iteo completely that nothing unrffiasaht oould in- trude there long. ; * .-, . . A little up the street he cUsoerned a figure oomlng towards him that he kuew^Xoe Butts Another time and in a .different mood he would haveavoided. poor Joe; but ndVhe was glad there not that amblguc^-«jr3t,of the other day to be smoothed over^diStJight? • ■■ 'Theychad not spoken ihuSrVand Joe was. ;. out — " -- -- -- .lorturnldg away; but Bawenss&ba hailed him S^SS^* 0 *'** «** ^onataly 1 ^ '•tSo^XS-^. as u.. ^.' '" nm-ooei noi rnnori8aseii.io someone, ine gooontflaof- the night-Tipou i ma j Joe ]' wa Ued out there some Una ago,and found -Where have you been and where are you going? How did the play go off to-night? And how was the house?" Joe sulked a little and replied dryly; but Ravenswood was not to bo put off ao. His own spirits were so exuberant toat he soon rallied the comedian Into good humor also, and In a minute or two that honest fellow dismissed his grudge and linked his arm In his companion's very amicably. "You must go with me to my rooms, Joe. I want someone to talk to. When did you hear from Bella?" Joe winced, and Bavenswood felt his own arm tremble; but he said quietly "Sue does-not write to-me. Of course, yon know we had a—a disagreement" '.'How.should I know? Tou dont imagine that she writes to me either,-Joe? Don't mind the disagreement: women love to keep up a mysterious, smouldering quarrel with a fellow they like. Ill read yon something from a book about that" Bavenswood let himself in -with a latoh-key, and they went up to his rooms together, where he answered the welcome ot his terrier, lighted a lamp and produced some refreshments. "They enjoy a lover's misery," he oontlnued, going to the bookcase and taking down a small volume. "Listen I it Is Hons Oruter who said this," and emlUog, a little sarcastic- ally It may be, he read: "I knew she loved me, for we never met without a quarrel. The morning she slapped my face filled the measure of my bliss, for then I saw that, she could not control her feel- ings for me. With women, love Is like the Idol worship of an Indian, tribe; at the mo- ment their hearts are bursting with devotion they like to cut and wound and maltreat their god. With them; this Is the ecstaoy of their passion." With the same sardonlo smilo on his hand- some face, he replaoed the book and came to the fire and aat down before it with his bonds In his pockets, and for some tune, while he mused thus, there was a silence. "Yes. women—girls, I mean, of oourse—are mysterious oreatures, Bavenswood," said Joe, who very dimly comprehended the metaphysics just read for nls benefit; "bnt so are men— some men, at least Now, I never understood jouquite.":. - ... ., i i'PWaB^asUiatlampligbtthere,air." /' "I alwayn .thought jou .rather .liked -JBeW joxo^t^^thc^^i^itM^^WLe her, ont af the same time wWnrng'sWv ~ "Bella? - Not I, Joseph) fTTffflijtit ■ ,„, L ,,,.i,„. way of friendship. There la another—not a being of earth, but A spirit afar ——" '. . r. And he sang a snatoh of song, wild and sacjk -addressed to an Ideal love. His mood ohangad- when he had finished, and he sald rather bit- terly: • "We. all .follow phantoms, Joe; and, by the way, that reminds me—how are your supernat- ural investigations progressing?''. , . The comedian rustled in his seat uncomfort- ably and smiled shyly. . ■ : - > - :"*on awlU-. think It ridiculous, of course. E^vsmsaroDdv" he said;. "bnt I really have had: some proof that there la foundation. for .some ofothes^ange stories told ot places." ■ i "Indeed?" ? ... : -iCLaat night, I assure you, after/the perform- ance I was not very sleepy, andil^vislted the neighborhood of-the hanntedtnilLon the Glade- water." • - Bavenswood' tod been poking the fire, and he stopped abruptly with a «ha¥p "Ah 1" "I was' there -atone; and;lt" was after twelve o'clocf.'andl «s»ureyod that I saw lights and figures.- -Toft'wBl think me a fool; but that old bnfldlnff fs haunted Just as they say." "Haunted by rats." - .. . .. "I swear I saw lights moving by the win- do ws, and twice heard a very strange, unearth- ly ory, and once the form of a man uame to the low door below, with a torch In his hand; and stood there for over a minute—jus I euoh a person as Dangerfleld Is described to have "Tou were frighteued, I suppose?'' • :.*,'I—well, of oourse,. I left a-little queer; there was not a soul about, and the' night was -very dark, andyooknow ttis the'most dismal' spot on earth.":- : Bavenswood returned the poker to its corner and leaned back; refleotlng; but he did hot seem to "be In' quite the'same good "humor. - , . "If.you really did see what. yon. describe,, and it was notalllmaglnRtion/'lie said, "there* Is only'one- explanation—you saw human beings—tramps ot rufflans Of some kind: J. hear that there' have been robber!ee abont here' of lata. ' I am surprised that the ownarof that mill -does - not- rent or lease it'to someone. ' I It by no means snob a ruin, aa I had been led to suppose, and a very little would put It in prop- er oendltion." ' ' "He oould never find a tenant" "No trouble on that score, believe me. It is just this—some clever rogues have a snug nest there, and keep up the bad reputation of the plaoe by that very old device of making noises atnlght and showing lighted Xet the owner psxta tenant there. otTthe" right sort, and.I ratter think your.ghoste,-Joe, wiU oeaae to show up." 4r r '■ ■■■ am. not the only one who has seen queer things there. A fellow driving past a- few nights ago saw—and he is'willing to swear it—; old Dangerfleld and tbeyoung officer himself." "What young -officer?" asked Ravenswood sharply, and Joe fancied that he looked rather paler than usual. "The British ofuoer who was murdered there —dont you recollect the story? His body, some eay, was buried In the cellar. A mur- dered man would not be likely to rest quietly in a grave like that" - . - "You are a fool, if you believe such stuff as that" said Bavenswood roughly. "It's'all a lie—a villainous lie," and he, not used to swear- ing; blurted out a round oath, such as consid- erably startled his companion- - "But this.fellow the other night—a farmer, you knowr'from the up-country—swears that he saw.the ghost of the officer—a pale, slight delicate young man—a tan ding near the mill In the moonlight". > . - .■:*..-» "It's not true, I tell yon,".retorted . Bavens- wood violently. "The Idea of a rational man like you believing any snoh rubbish 1 I dont know what to think of you. Butts." H e seemed to be In one of bis tempers, and struck the arm of his ohair violoosly. "There's no. use in getting angry about It" said Joe. "Borne people have a constitutional tendency towards the marvelous, as doctors will tell you, and I suppose I am one of them. I cant help believing that a murdered man will come back after death and denounce bis assassin. I would do it myself* . . "But It can't be done." "Well, why dont you go there some night and Investigate-far yourself?" "Not 11 I am not anxious to be knocked on the head for my money—or—or that kind of thing; and if you are wise yon will keep away too, my good fellow. Lots of dangerous char- acters about this neighborhood; they were speaking or It at Potters yesterday. I never bad the fancy of some people for prowling In strange places late at night" Joe smiled. "Some say differently, Ravenswood. The old woman, you know"—and he nodded upward— "what Is her name?—Mrs. Dobbles—says, you keep np bonis at all." _. "Curse that woman 1" and Ravenswood did onrse her vehemently. "Ill leave these lodg- ings—111 move' to-morrow. Tou never could' think of suoh lies as she Is constantly telling about me." He rose and began striding up and down the floor, raining anathemas upon his landlady, somnolent above, and peacefully unconscious of the dreadful things he Invoked upon her. Bnt the gust blew over presently, and he re- «•"■""* "»*M' -- , "Folry unworthy-oT ehudren7 Joe," he eatct "to believe In suoh stories/and yon wfU find yourself In a - very ' ridiculous position a lauffhin gj^tDoktor 'Bverybbdy-^lf yoa eontfariie to oherlsh suoh notions. I dont suppose any orlme ever took plaoe there; and if it did, I certainly dont believe the victim oould come back to tell ot It The time U when a man's brains are ont the man is dead, and that's the end of him. 1 ' A little longer they talked, and Joe told some of his beet authenticated ghost-stories, and related several out of Sir waiter Scott and other histories of this sort of lore. Ravens- wood listened—rather impatiently. It seemed— certainly he was not impressed. ' They parted kindly, and Bavenswood ac- companied his guest to the door with a light, and stood there for a minute or two .watching him until he had melted Into the distant shad- ows of the street "A good-natured little fool," soliloquized Ravenswood as he ran up the stairs again. "All fools are good-natured, they eay—and dangerous." He had a letter to write whioh might not be postponed, and, Immediately getting out-bis materials, he Indited-that composition,- whioh was brief and to the following effect: Mr Dear BzLiiA.—So far aU Is well. Every- thing has been accepted without question, and I have not bad the least Inquietude until this even- ing, and that only momentary. Joe Butts was here a little while ago, and told me something about Oladewater Mill being haunted—lights and people being seen there at night, etc Bat there is no real necessity. Lam sore, to- feel disturbed. The secret burled there will not be revealed. Who would have a motive to unearth It} Idle ouiioslty might do mischief; bnt I shall take effectual measures to prevent accident Suspicion there Is none, so accident is all that we need provide against What Is hidden from the light Is sate. Aa I have already several times directed, remain passive, and trust me as I trust you. Tou'seem lobe growing Impatient; bat that most be con- quered. - Walt only a little longer, and you shall be free., Devotedly yours, b. He sealed this la an envelope and locked It in his desk. Then he returned to his chair be- fore the fire, and dawn, found him there still, enjoying a waking dream, whioh he had begun to believe lately might, after all, hot be so Im- possible as It had once seemed. TO BE CONTINUED. A; NICE DISTINCTION.; } ■urieis fob mnv Toucurrav BY VaJ DYHB BBOWM. n -Too wonder. Uka myself, for esamnls. csn< THat s saxaoBT*. An.weU, ■ ■ H ware pvxaluw to UU- sitae If tbaebaian'eVthe^thln^^lsnM . . . . toeSreawosrnaae. Pnteld,, '. : Pdr eblna that's old. ■ Fu dUhss oaUandfab. la eatum ud W; , J • „ Vet topcioee joa should try, _ To eutsln to ms whv ToaUtoth.<JdS^t^^ifiaA-Bwir .;. iffffoM be a more waste- Is not m thatjhir 1 S5r^ S!,t Tb sttlb, the sloi Of tMsnnderpumttraoaL,*''" ' " :r And calmly philosophise over my bear. ', ' ..Bat It's Tnlcar, yoe think, - <■.'*' And this bsblt of drink ..... - TM feet or Its foflowers frejoeotly trlpa^i -• . But ah. my-dear air. Ton never can stir j ./.r. The depths or man's aoid CUI yoa're linHBleiart Us I Ttieaerooajb, wooden chairs, , ' Those rickety stairs, • . t ' This.qolte unmistakable odor of ebeese;. . - The tnnoh oa the shelf. Fat Hans there hlnueir— ......... To n may oall them an common and oheen If *w* sesss Yet lor me they possess ' T' '* ' A ohsrm nons the less DeUgsttal became It is hid from yoor ayes: * . And eyrruilna; here, ■ — : . . Iaanre yoo, isdear TomeastoBaas. I>oes that caiue ypa sarptfser ' Then whjt let me ask. Toe are happy to bask In society* sonshlne; yoo>re warmed by Its raya; Its shallow conceits. Its thin-coated chants- - ' 1 Au these yoa stand ready to honor and prabsx While yoa torn yonr n oes op At this earthenware cap. And alp yonr r hsmptane from costly em And an old oalna dish WoaMltshoekryea syoarnl If Hans thore shonld can yoa aa i If a man has the niind, " 1 be win and STRAY THOUGHTS BUNCHED, ■aiiiai) roa not s wwr oax curram,. BY CO XET, High-strung gentlemen—Texas horse-thieves. Mewttny on the high O'e—midnight cat-cauens. Isn't a iournaltaUo plagiarist a cllptomaniae ? A well-known aotor calls his horse a Hamlet- onlon. An empty champagne-bottle Is Hke an orphan, because It has lost Its pop. A country editor winds up an article on the oorn crop with the remark.- "We have on exhlbl Uorrlnoar aanatunv-a pair or esormons ears." . A' young criminal. In ]aU Utld a vtalxlnsr gospel iser_thathe had-peervbroaght np under spiritual lnflusnooa. The old man always kept a. jog toll pXt, one pi the hostile Indian gang, must have itUiAt name by fooling aroond a'yvTlow-jacksfs Johnny Flopflnger'e Sunday-school teacher jksked nun how he thought Jonah must have felt about the time the whale swallowed him, and the brilliant little Jack replied: "rguess he telt as IX •e was goln' to go^rp the spout" "Meet me by gaslight alone," sang a young «hap the other night beneath the window of his ■own Maria. And she popped her be* head ont and sang back: ."Now, yoi here, yon sugar-cured tenpln—I aim ter." • They were engaged In a feavo-tet* a evening twilight, talking ot the ohtl] that had passed, and Angelina anal marked: "Bow one thing brings „ , Oeawgel" 'lea,'' replied George; th> V-aabklng Up suddenly, "an emetlo, for instant.' «7. Ange- lina merely said It wns'grotrlng dsxk katHluip, and It waa time to ride home. " ' o. . - ib AitB sTanHS.—Somebody who . has been studying the habits of the albatroes, largest of the sea-btrds In the South Atlantic, has come to the conclusion that It feeds almost entirely on dead-nabyand Is a sort of marine vulture. When It la feeding on dead fish. It Is ao greedy that a gun discharged cannot make It fly. Like a wul- tureor raven. It seems to know when any creature Is dylng-or dead, and immense flocks of the birds wm gather when the carcase ot a sheep or beef or horse Is thrown overboard. They appear to be ahle-to kee-and -to scent carrion for miles, and when it is floa ting on. the ocean-they will oame. In piottds from every point ol the ootnpass. -They Spend, the'.greater, part ot the year tar from land, but-they-go to-barren and wellnlgh fnaei cesatble rocks to.brwoa. The . female, lsyau her soiled white egg on. the bare earth, the tommies orwo hatching «o close- together that Uteyaeem . to have one neat tecoromon- Tien they axejer- feotly lndnTerent to' Tfro pi o w rae' of 'man, at' -whom they merely snap when be Invades tnehr - sanctnary. The. male alDk^roe^ls. Texy. faljaixt^ ahartng wrttli th» fj>^.l^ ttllt labor Of lnaubatfofl. and- of .rearing the yonnr,,,which,^•ban. fairy fledged, puts on* to .sen with its parnitB, aird with them plays its pairt ef eeavengor'-of the ooean. Many asOlore are niU lw utwmi lloas about IdlUng the albatKSav,- - mlagarasT That shows his taste One, . „,, rfrrs-ast annnil Iiitsi nfulil isij ssul ' The distinction Is plsm: 1 Ton wan bom for enainrsnraa, - WhOa I was nnoMlDed tu beer In a am; Tet beer uvnot bad It a fellow eaa add The malt of eoateouaant. Ben, Bans, IU1 'era ant A LOV£R*S 8TBAXAGBM. ^ . ■ — . i .-r ■aiLLu, tea thb nv tokkt BT HUBERT H. DJDTAB. Isvdy Clara—Vere de Tere harnama ati>»titii have been, but It wasn't; It was Kreraham—Isulr Olara Xveiaham was a London belle ot threesea- aona, with the faoeot an old Spanlah or ItnlfaaTt tnasler's angel, and the figureo( a ereeksttttae. She was rich, immeneery rich, and no doubt woul d ha ve been happy If she had not been snoh a martyr to mod. Everything bored her. She had tried everything, and everything was «iih« Bhe had tried high art and high ohuroh, »*~e everything else high—of oourse she could do- nothing low—and It was all the amino. She thought she would write a novel, because all novels were so dull, and It wearied her'to lead them: bat when she had two or three chapaean maids who write society novels, and I'm sure I do nor know enough French to suit the popular Idea ot ou r conv ersation." r So she yawned, and for very wosttkwJB* - WM obliged to content herself with ortejangefew' new toilets, which were the en tj of aU barfem " friends, as she herself was the distraction of I male artiQafntanofs. "I wish tbey would not propose so ofl said to her cousin Miss Lvdla Lyls. "Theyall make the same faces and say theaame thing ii» ssi^ same way. lost aa they all drees their hair alike and patronize the same tailor. The Ideal n ever I did accept one, he should not be a tailor's lay-figure. When I marry, it will bo to Have a master." From which It may be Inferred that Lady fllaza was somewhat romantic, for all her languor. Of course there was an aspiring yeoman wbav'-T'' adored this Lady Olara who ahould havoFbeSs* ' named Tere de Vere. Only he wasn't aweawStnT but a barrister of good family, though poor- and his namewasfJharleeWlckham. Ho y -nnr1 hlfnassT alone In a conservatory one night with Lsjdr Olara, and he dropped on one knee made* proposal In proper novellstlo style. Lady CTJara yawned, and said she dtd not care abont prlTaSe theatricals, as a general thing—they were suoh a bore. :— "I do not like to see anyone I have a respect for make a fool ot himself," she said, when nar- rating the «l>«timM.iin« tn h.ri^tnn lfl» T yj-ft Charles did not despair. l}owevar. and when Lady Clara and all the wortdwent to Brighton he went too. r Lady Clara would persist in driving a patrol 1 unmanageable horses, and toe consequence was they ran away with her one day. and she would have been killed If Charles, at the risk of his own life, had not stopped them. He thought It well to strike while the Iron was hot, and again made an ofTer ot nls heart and hand. Lady darn antd she didn't believe In tntrodaolng tbeaxrloaleffects Into everyday life, and didn't^ Approve of marry- ing a hero to soft musto, wirhra tableau at the) whole company. It was a bore. Still our hero did not despair. "She wants a man who Is her master," he said, for Misa Lydla had basely betrayed this senti- ment ot Lady Clara's. "Well, she shall find one." . Bo he bided his time. Lady Clara was more bored at Brighton than in, Belgravla. She watched the nshlng.boatB ajo out to sea, and thought It would be a novelty to catch some flsh. Charles offered to row her out for that purpose, and she gractooaly accepted has offer. When they were abont a mile-from the ahore Lady Clara dropped her glove Into the water, and. as she darted forward to eatoh It, the boat which was a flat-bottomed one, capsized. The .next .thing Lady Olara knew she was sitting ot Ulebo4> torn ot the boat supported by Charles WloUiam'a arm. She felt vary uncomfortable, but mnninud her coolnoas In a moment. - - a "Thank you." she said. "I can art here with- out assistance." ', ,"• Charles at once removed his arm, shifted m> thai farther end ot the boat and nuxwad the -oars. which he had managed to pick up. f-n ' — The sun bad nearly set, and the tide wad Whota* rapidly and carrying them ont to sea., Lady Clara was very uneasy, but she tried. to'- hMe Lv Charles took a weed from his cigar-case. " '■ "Do you object?" he aaxed. "The wtnd* wm not let it annoy you." - , ■ '^T-. ; ehe algnuted tnat it would not aiu^y berCand Charles aat and smoked for the space of halt an hour, chatting gaylyall the time, until .-the sun sank out of sight Lady Clara waa atngn4arr*- silent. t f^eanttrol sunset I" skfd Charles. "Tee," said Lady OlarsT absently, drifting fnrthertrom theahorer'. "Tea," said Charles onetcfHUy.. 'rrhs wind and Ude are In our faTor, and we harve tea**tm than a mile since We qpset": 7 >■»■..; 'T7V« 'ady COaxa'e face grew paler.- 'Vii^'.sr-' ."It will, soon be ctarkV' she aalrt ..r*£M ; ana afraid no one will see na to rmm« n«; ••- "Mot the least chance," h» answered. "There Is quite h rage nowadays for crossing the Ailan- tlc In small craft We will lntrodaoe a novetrr. and cross on a boat bottom, up. We will be quite celebrated cha^^ersrwhen we reaoh Hew Yark." Hls fl-mnnlni »rinInQaafclsalmum exultation/sad the faat-s^^ertotptjSsfinHe so orercemelUdy - Clara that ehe befratfKKand, besides, tha^toat began to toss about ugK3Kry alarming way.. "^f®. 7011 a genUeTneTM^he sobbed. -a "Well, no,' T hesald coMty; "1 do cot think I am. I rehearse private' theatricals eometlfciaw. and occasionally lmnrovlce startling, iheahrioal effecta.. That is alt" .... <■ '- He could see Lady Clara's face flash aavradaa the last crimson siiuakln thasxyasshetarned to him. . » ■ - "O Charles I" she cried "I wile.. Ion must forgive me. for I loved you all the Oma," Of what followed Lady Clara haea-i fused remembrance to this day, he atonaie kiss, the embrace ot a strong plunge In the water, and then sitting drlppi "Arew* not ripping waa lion, whXh> ., In the boat, now in its proper position, Oaarles paned with all bis ml£ht tor the al Lady Olara is still as beautiful as ever, strange to say, to no longer tronbled-wlth awaat> r Perhaps she has notttme.-for her hnabandMsa member ot Parliament, and she.has' ~ " other charges, who,' for all their to require quite aa mnoh attention astbelrtt the ruing statesman . . .■■■-): m Vnsraa anirr is fixed tcirtte : 1BT0 at aM,M3 msti and 19i^r7 he— are Included the BepupUoan On«*v,— , 27,133: the gendarmerie. la^M.- aiuTJ^OII and 16,76o horse* in AigerJav^jniemanaiy huUgw* of ordinary reurutw atllS^S, ootaprialna'r roan-of the second' euirtlngftnt who hare to. I only from six to twelve monthsv .'. ; Boarow Is to be the next elty wl»; raaroad, •charier ha;" -fat:.