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. '**> *A- :
THE SWALLOW AT CBAIUENPTJTTOCH.
BY MKS. CARLYLE.
[CRrlyle’n wife, delicately reared, accom
plished and much admired, was condemned
to passed seven years, childless and in bitter
poverty, with him, mi rose, uncompanion
able, exacting, at Craigenputtoch, the dreari
est, loneliest spot in Scotland. There she
wrote and sent to Lord Jeffery these lines]:
To a Swallmv building under our Eaves.
Thou too hast traveled, little fluttering
thing—
Hast seen the world, and now thy weary
wing
Thou, too, must rest.
But much, my little bird, could’st thou but
tell,
I’d give to know why here thou llk’st so
well
To build thy nest.
For thou hast passed lair places in thy flight;
A world lay all beneath thee where to light;
And, strange thy taste,
Of all the varied scenes that met thine eye-
01 all the spots for building ’neath the sky—
To choose this waste.
Did fortune try thee? was thy little purse
Perchance run low, and thou, afraid ol
worse,
Felt here secure ?
Ah, no I thou noed’st not gold, thou happy
one 1
Thou know’st It not. Of all God’s creatures,
man
Alone is poor!
What was it then? some mystic turn ol
thought,
©aught under German eaves, and hither
brought,
Marring thine eye
For the world’s lovliness, till thou art grown
A sober thing that dost but mope and moan
Not knowing why?
iNay, If thy mind be sound, I need notask,
iSinoe here I see thee working at thy task
1 With wing and beak,
I A well-laid scheme doth that small head con
tain,
AAt which thou work’st, brave bird, with
might and main,
No more need’st seek.
In truth, I rather take it thou hast got
ply Instinct wise much sense about thy lot,
And hast small ca* - e
[Whether an Eden or a desert be
|Thy home so thou remain’st alive, and free
To skim the air.
|> 'id speed thee, pretty bird ; may thy small
nest
Llittle ones *11 In good time be blest.
"I love thee much;
yell thou managest that life of thine,
11! Oh, ask not wnat I do with mine!
Would I were suoh !
Mollie’s Match-Making.
A dainty parlor with numerous easy
ohairs—a glowing fire in the nickel
trimmed heater—a pretty little wo
man listening for the footsteps of the
lord and master. This charming pic
ture of domestic bliss John Acker
man fully appreciated as he stepped
into the room a few minutes later.
“Well, Mollie, what’s the news?”
“Oh, nothing, only supper has been
waiting half an hour. Come, let us
hurry and eat, I want to talk with
you.”
“I thought there was something on
rour mind; didn’t know but I was
>g«ket a lecture for being late.”
deserve one, for this is the
til^^^^^hall spend with you for
o whole
Mrs. John AckerBSHPfcied to frown,
Put failed completely.
In another half hour they were back
kin the parlor, and Mollie began—
“I think Tom is a fine fellow, and
there were never two brothers more
alike than you and he.”
“Thank you, my dear, I honor your
judgment.”
“And John, I have th# most bril
liant plan concerning him.”
“Do tell!” said John, with a move
ment toward his coat pocket, where
the evening paper lay in uncut soli
tude. -
Mollie observed the motion, and
promptly informed him that he should
not read a word until she was through
talking.
“I am going away to-morrow, and
then you may read the paper from the
time you enter the house until mid-
mifl^^vvith no one to bother you,”
she said.
Somehow, the vision of the little
parlor without Mollie’s lively chatJ^r
did not seem to strike favorably^#er-
haps this was why he tossed^^Taper
to the other^Ae ot and
•remised ^ perched
chair ai
[Amy is com
[long visit and
LiK It would be splendid
Id Tom WOQld lull in love with
fer? They could get married
set up housekeeping in a cottage
te this one across the street — it
F ould make me so happy 1”
John laughed long and heartl
“Match-making, by Jove!” h
fct last, “Miserable yourself, aud
else to be; Is that
“Don’t laugh, John, for I am in
earnest. I know they will like each
other, and I have set my heart on the
match : just think how nice it would
be to have Amy here; and Tom is
such a darling!”
John was laughing again by this
time, and it took considerable man
agement to reduoe him to order.
“I tell you what it is, Mollie, you
don’t want me to say a word of this to
Tom or Amy, or they will take a dis
like to each other.”
“I know it,” rejoined Mollie.
‘When I told Tom I was going to
visit Aunt Hetty I did not mention
Amy’s name and don’t think he
knows of her existenoe ; as for Amy, I
have been with her so little since I
was married that I am sure I never
spoke to her of Tom.”
“Well, see that you don’t do so now,;
you couldn’t mention his name with
out praising him to the skies, and she
would see through your plans at
once.”
Mollie departed the next morning,
leaving directions enouiib to distract a
man if he tried to remember half of
them.
“Don’t have Tom at the house when
we return,” was Mollie’s last injunc
tion. “Amy will be tired with her
journey and I want her to have a
chance to beautify a little before she
meets him.
When they reached the depot Mol
lie’s courage began to fall.
“I’m almost sorry to go, John,” she
said, “Suppose something should hap
pen to you while I am away ?”
“Nonsense, darling ! Go and have
a good time; and be sure to come back
in two weeks and bring Amy with
you.”
Mollie’s heart was so thoroughly in
her pet plan that she found it very
hard to refrain from all mention of
her adorable brother-in-law during
the two weeks that followed ; once she
did refer to the cozy party of four
which they would make and then was
obliged to turn it off on Jenny, the lit
tle maid of-all-work, as making the
fourth.
The day before Mollie was to return,
Aunt Hetty fell ill. Amy was obliged
to postpone her visit for a few days
at least. Mollie could go on as she had
intended, and she would follow as
soon as A mt Hetty could spare her.
“Amy will certainly come up next
week, she assured John ; “but I could
not wait another day.”
It was so pleasant to be at home once
more, and mistress of all she surveyed;
a note from Amy saying she would
come on the following Saturday set
her mind completely at rest. She was
really sorry to hear John say one
morning:
“I think we had better take that run
down to Camden’s to day. We must
go sometime this month, and of course
you won't want to go after your sister
comes.”
“John, you know we cannot stay
away all night: I gave Jenny leave of
absence until Friday and it won’t do
to leave the house alone.”
“I’ll get Tom to come and sleep
here.” 4
“Ther^S^PRree keys,” said she, as
they left the house. “You can give
one to Tom, aud I will leave one with
Mr. Gate’s next door. The house
might get on fire, and then it would
be better to have a key handy, so they
could get in house and bring out the
things.”
“Yes,” said John, sarcastically ; “or
I might hire a squad of policeman to
watch the house day and night.”
About eleven o’clock that evening
Miss Amy Arden alighted from an
express aud looked about the depot as
if expecting some one.
“They could not have received my
second postal,” she concluded, after
waiting nearly half an hour in the
ladies^ room. “Well,I can very easily
find flieir house.”
A hack soon deposited her in front
of the pretty cottage on Lake street;
all was dark and Amy pulled the bell
several times without hearing a sound
from within. Where could Mollie
and John have gone? Tuere was a
light in the next house, and Amy re
membered hearing her sister apeak of
her kl>d neighbor, Mrs. Gates; perhaps
ere spending the evying with
at any rate, she mlunt kuow of
hereabouts. Ami ran across
11 grass plot which separated
o cottages and rang the bell.
Mrs. Gates soon explained matters.
“You do look a little like Mrs. Ack
erman when you laugh,” she said in
conclusion, “so I suppose it’s all right
have the key ; but she wasn’t
“Well, I’ll give you the key, of
course ; but are you not afraid to stay
alone in the house ?”
“Oh, I’m not at all timid,” said
Amy.
“But there’s a gang of burglars about
the city,” urged Mrs. Gates. “But
you are welcome to come in and sleep
on our parlor sofa if you are afraid.”
“No, thank you,” said Amy. “I
will risk it for one night.”
She let herself into the deserted
house, not without some thrills of fear,
it must be confessed. How quiet
everything was! Oh, if Mollie was
only there! She took a survey of the
rooms, the kitchen last of all, when
she concluded to look for something to
eat. Hark ! what was that ? Only the
silver-toned clock striking the mid
night hour.
“That woman’s talk about burglars
has made me nervous,” she thought,
continuing her search for eatables.
Hark, again I Surely that was a key
turning in a lock ; then a door opened
and shut quietly, and there was foot
steps in the hall, Amy’s small stock of
courage went down to zero. Instinc
tively she grasped the poker lying on
the range near her. The next instant
the door opened, and a great broad-
shouldered man with blackened face
and hands stepped into the room.
Amy felt herselt growing white with
fear, but she raised her poker threaten
ingly; for a moment they stared at each
other in silence, then the man spoke.
“Who the who are you ?”
Amy tried to shriek for help, but
the sound died away in her throat;
she was too frightened to speak or
move.
Prosently he came toward her.
“Will you please lower the poker,
or else move away from the sink ? I
would like to come tliere and wash my
hand:),” he said looking very much
inclined to laugh.
Was ever such affrontery known be
fore? Still speechless, Amy moved
around toward what looked to be an
outside door.
“Don’t glare at me in that fright
ful way,” he went on, with a glance
into her terror-stricken eyes.
Then came a hearty laugh which re
assured Amy a very little. Certainly
this was a most extraordinary burglar,
or else there was some ridiculous mis
take. She would flee to Mrs. Gate’s
protection at all events, she thought,
dropping her weapon and tugging
away at the huge bolt with trembling
fingers.
By this time the young man had
finished his ablutions, aud presented
quite a different appearance.
“I am Mr. Ackerman’s brother,” he
said,politely ; “he asked me to remain
in his house to night, as a means of
protection in his absence.”
“Mr. Ackerman has no brother,”
contradicted Amy, stoutly.
“Are you sure of that?”
“Certamly I am. Mrs. Ackerman
has just made me a visit; she would
have mentioned him if such a person
existed.”
“Can it be that you are Aunt
Hetty?”
“Aunt Hetty, indeed.”
Amy was finding courage and voice
fast enough now.
“I beg your pardon,” said Tom :
“but Mollie told me she was going to
visit her Aunt Hettj 7 , and you said
she had been visiting you ; hence my
mistake.”
“I am Mrs. Ackerman’s sister.”
“Strange I never heard her speak of
you ! However, I am sorry I fright
ened you, M'ss—Miss Arden, and if
you will allow me I will explain mat
ters. I am bookkeeper at Bolton’s
hardware establishment—”
“You looked more like a bootblack,”
interrupted Amy.
“Or a burglar,” added Tom. “Well,
as I was saying, I am bookkeeper,
but there was a press of work in the
foundry to-night and as they happened
to be short of hands I offered to stay
and assist; this accounts for my late
arrival, also for my blackened face
and hands.”
He looked very much like indulging
in another hearty laugh, but restrained
himself at the sight of Amy’s whits,
distressed face.
“I am afraid I was rude,” she said,
‘‘but it wus such a shock to me ; I am
very tired and—”
Tom sprung to her side, or she would
have fallen from sheer exhaustion
lie helped her into the parlor, brought
wine and refreshments from M illie’s
generous store room, and they were
eflbn talking matters over quite calmly.
It was after two o’clock when Tom
proposed to go and ask Mrs. Gates to
to’come over for the rest of tlio night;
but Amy protested against this, saying
she was not afraid if he would remain
iu the house.
Mollie was almost beside herself
when she came home and found how
affairs had gone in her abscence; cry
ing oue minute over Amy’s fright,
laughing the next over Tom’s graphic
description of the fame, it was some
time before they settled down into
anything like quiet.
As the days and weeks went by,
Mollie could not determine whether
certain plans of h-rs were to
prosper or not. Tom spent all his
evenings with them, out he and Anay
were always on contrary slde3 ot every
question and they tantalized each
other so unmercifully that poor Mollie
sometimes despaired of their being
friends, not to mention a nearer rela
tion.
They were all together as usual, one
evening, and Tom for the hundredth
time was describing Amy’s appearance
on that memorable evening when she
so nearly brained him for a burglar.
“And little did I suspect then,” he
went on soberly, she would ever have
the privilege of brandishing the poker
over me for life.”
“Wnat do you mean ?” cried Mollie,
staring first at Tom’s solemn visage
and then at Amy’s flushed cheeks.
“Just what I said. Amy and I are
going to set up housekeeping in the
opposite cottage, where I suppose she
will continue to flourish all sorts of
murderous weapons at me.”
“John, darling, it’s coming about
exactly as we planned,” shouted Mol
lie, springing up in excitement.
Well, it did come about just as Mol
lie desired. Mrs. Amy even made
cardinal the predominating color in
her parlor, aud it harmonizes charm
ingly with the dark beauty of its mis
tress.
The sisters are inseparable, and as
happy as two mortals can ever expect
to be. Tom is something more than
bookkeeper in the Bolton hardware
business now, and he and John are
talking of buying two handsome prop
erties in the suburbs of the city. Mrs.
Mollie declares she would rather re
main in the little home ©n Lake
street,but what woman was ever proof
against a handsome establishment in
an aristocratic neighborhood? Not
our ambitious little Mollie, I am sure.
Western Gleanings.
The Jooose Side.
“Recent facts lead to the conclusion
that butter was invented by a Mr.
Strong, of ancient Greece.”
“Dwo vas shoost enough, budt dree
vas too blenty,” remarked Hans,
when his best girl asked him to take
her mother along to a dance.
“Why is a fool in high station like
a man in a balloon ?” “Because
everybody appears little to him, and
he appears little to everybody.”
Chio&go Poetry.
Over the meadows so fresh and green
Gallops the Lady Clarfi,
Out on the breeze, like a silvery sheen,
Floats her new back hair.
Fast goes her steed over hill and dale,
Wonderlul are his Jumps;
Look out my lady, your horse looks pale,
Soon he will have the thumps. /
Little your’e thinking, my lady proud—
Beautiful Lady Clare—
That soon in grief will your head be bowed
Bluffing on two small pair.
Green grows the Ivy on churchyard wall,
Soon will the flies be here;
Then will Lord Ronald, thy love, thy all.
Tackle the new bock beer.
A young man who went to the cir
cus, and stepped too near a monkey’s
cage, had his arm seized aud savagely
jerked by one of the monkeys. He
would have escaped safely if he had
not said: “It is merely a monkpy
wrench.”
A New Prophesy.
When lawyers fall to take a lee,
And Juries never disagree ;
When politicians are content,
And landlords don’t colleot their rent;
When parties smash all the maohlnes,
Aud Boston folks give up their beaus;
When naughty children all die young,
A ud girls are born without a tongue;
When ladles don’t take time to hop,
AmMbfflce-holders never flop;
When preachers cut their sermons short;
Aud all lolks to the churoh resort;
When back subscribers all have paid.
And editors have fortunes made;
Such happiness will sure portend
This world must soon come to an end,
N. Y. Express.
A skeptic at tv social party eugrossed
general attention bv an effort to prove
that human oeings have no souls
Seeing the company staring at him in
wonder and silence, be finally said to
a lady: “What do you think of mv
argument, madam?” She promptly
replied, “It appears to me, sir, that
you have been employing a good deal
of talent to prove yourself a beast.”
A lady who was singing last week
at a charity concert and the audience
insisted upon hearing her song the
second time. Her daughter, a little
child, was present and on being asked
afterwards how her mamma had sung,
replied: “Very badly, for they made
her do i^&JJUver again.”
Commercial.
Wool Prospect*.
The colonial wool sales in London
were brought to a close on the first of
April, and the cablegrams^Ry that all
desirable descriptions of staple closed
quite as bouyantly if not stronger than
they opened. The demand ran chiefly
on the finest wools. From the fact
that although the sales opened at a
time of considerable financial depres
sion on the continent prices were
fully maintained throughout, and that
of an offering of 300,000 bales of wool
American buyers only secured 1,200
bales, it seems a little strange that
markets on this side fail to respond to
the tone of the market across the At
lantic. At Liverpool the finer wools
exhibit much strength. Under the
auspices of fine spring weather—so
favorable to agricultural pursuits—
confidence is reviving in business cir
cles. In our leading American mar
kets the feeling is evidently languid, if
not depressed. Large sales were mado
few days ago in Philadelphia of
washed and unwashed quarter blood,
mongrel, and territorial wools at some
concession, but it is a little significant
that some shrewd buyers of that city
were in New York last week (accord
ing to the Economist) paying full if
not extreme prices for fine combing
wools. Some Australian wool has
been coming in, and one of the wool
circulars (just at hand) says it is now
offered on the Boston market at prices
that render it preferable to American
fleeces. Attention is called to the fact,
for the benefit of American wool
growers, that Australian wool is core-
fully and properly prepared for mar
ket, The fleeces are skirted and
lightly tied up with thin twine.
Complaint is made by Eastern wool
houses that the fine wool—some of it
at least—lately received from Ohio is
not thoroughly washed, that it is
heavily tied up with twine aud in
many cases stuffed. Such practices
will ruin the reputation of any section.
We commend to all readers who are
interested in wool, the following ex
tracts from the Economist.
“What is now wanted is good, well-
made goods, such as the wearer will
not be ashamed of after the first hard
shower. To make good goods, re
quires good wool. We therefore look
for an ample demand from now to
clip for all good, fine fleece, of which
quality we do not believe this country
can furnish any too much. We have
a good, cordial regard for fine Oh o,
Michigan and Wisconsin, not forget-
New York and Pennsylvania by any
means. In these States is grown a
great quality of wool which is fit to
make goods for kings’ garments—
railroad kings or telepraph kings, or
real estate kings, any sort of king.
How the world does love that name
king! That is why we use it here.
“What we mean is that out of our
best wools grown in our best States
we can make goods of good enough
finish lor anybody. It may be that
Australian makes a softer finish, but
not so strong, and even Australia now
has a bur which must seriously affect
the value of that sort of wool. No
wool can be got up any where freer
from objectionable things like burs,
seeds, eto., than that of our older
States, if we could only get it up in
better condition.
“We believe in getting up the wool
well, having it cleaned—washed so
that each year a man can sell his clip
by its general reputation with buyers.
Let buyers fight shy of heavy clips
year after year, and that will be the
best way to make that clip a lighter
one in good time.
“The wools most wanted for a few
years at least are the long stapled fine
wooi, half-blood to five-eighths blood,
and of length to comb, and they comb
shorter wool now than they once did
fine wool generally. With coarse
wool we fear demand will not be extra
good for some time to come; the I
coarser the worse the demand.”
The Gulf Stream and SardinesJ
At the French Academy of Sciences*
tlie other day, M. Blav’er, mining
engineer, called attention to the disap-(
pearanceof the sardine from the coasj
of Brlttauy, where it used to Irring
the fisherman 15,00u,(JU0f. a year. H^
attributed this to a change in tl
direction of the Gulf Stream, whk^
also accounted for the rntid wint
and early spring. M. Blanchard
marked that in England a committed
of engineers aud kydrographera were
studying the apparent change iu the^
Gulf Stream, and that Information
might* be obtalued from them. Fi
usually change their regular grounc
howemr. owing to the absenoe
abu^^^^pf foodo,