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Agm Httiind.
Her Flight to the False and Frivo
lous World.
T WAS a bright warm
moraine in April that two
| ladiooaat in a pretty sitting-
room in a little town way
down in Georgia. Tno
, younger of the two had a
Tory determined look, and
just the slightest suspicion
of a frown opon her pretty
face.
"Annt Flora, yon might
as well let me alone; I have
folly made np my mind to
lease this a toffy old town
and see something of the
world, and I shall stand by my decision.’
Certainly, if one needed more proof of
the tenth of her statement than the look
on her fees, the tone of her voice wonld
have been eulflelent. Bnt Annt Flora
heeded not the determined character of
either face or voloe. She had not Used
forty-seven years in the world, to know
nothing of the wickedness ot it, and she
well knew what the oonBcqnenoee wonld
be If her beaatiful niece should leave the
quiet security of her country homo for
the world.
“Agues, my darling, yon do not know
what yon are doing; yon do not know the
wickedness of this world. People say
that women do not have the temptations
that men do. Yon are beautiful and yon
will meet men who care not for the puri
ty and spotlessness of a woman’s heart
ABd soul. This is all trne of women who
"do dot have to depend upon themselves
for support and protection; how much
more, then, for a woman alone in the
world 1 There are thousands of men who
wonld look upon yon as a lion
looks upon his prey, or who would
think you his rightful preperity because
yon work for your living. Agnes, my
child, think well before you act.”
Agues made no reply, and her annt con
t'nued:
“1 nave never had wealth to give you;
but you always seemed happy with me.
Many girls wouid love such a home.”
“1 was hsppy os a child. I knew no
better than to oe content with my lot. I
am a woman new, and 1 have grown tired
of the scenes of mj baoyhood, childhood
and girlhood, for they have been the same
from the cradle up; and besides, who
v ishes to eat the bread of charity all her
lifer ’
‘ Hush! Agnef; that is wrong. Does c
child look upon a mother's loving care
and support as a charity? Had you been
my own fl-.sh and biood I could not have
loved you more cr guarded your life more
tenderly. Agnes, my child—listen tc m-:
Near twenty year.) .go, a mere girl put
you in tr y arms with these words: ‘i give
my little one to you, Fiore; love and
guard her always as I would co could 1
live, but I shall die ere the dogwood
b ossoies, and the poor little motherless
girl will have ouiy you.' Ag. es, it was
your mother—the sister I ail but wor
shipp d. Our moirnr died when she was
nut a babe, aLd 1 was the oniy mother
she had known; and she would die happy,
leaving her baby girl with me. Agnes, 1
nave bten true to that chargs for twenty
years—shall I give it up now, and It all
go for nothing? I am getting old, and I
need your sweet care aid society now,
and If you leave me you can never know
bow lonely the old home will be LiBten
to your fond old Auntie, darling a d give
up this wild scheme.”
• »•***
The sun is about to sink to rest, and all
is growing quiet within and around the
little village. Agms 1s walking up and
down the pretty, bright garden back of
the house, to which the earnest couver
satlon took place in the morning.
‘‘The idea of not beirg able to take care
of myself, no matter where I go! 1 think
1 shall go, if oniy to prove to her that I
am not the weak creature she thinks me.
Why. she talks as if men were wild ani
mals! Mow, I have always looked upoc
them very differently. But even should
they prove all Aunt Flora says, why need
it affect me?” And she drew herself
weightily up. “Agnes Mori and afraid of
' ’ So Agnes rea
soned and talked with herself.
Oh, Agnes, there will a day come to
you when you will look back upon this
soft spring evening and the little g trden
with the last rays of the setting sun fail
ing across tbe floweis and vines, and say
to yourself: “What a beautiful picture!
Why did I leave it, and what have 1
gained? ’
Early tbe next morning, almost before
the birds, Agnes is np. There is so much
to he done today— laces and ribbons to b-
preased and perfumed, trank to pack,
and some fond old nooks to visit for the
last time. Tnereisjost a little si-Mess
at the thought of leaving tbe old home,
more tnan s ,e would acknowledge to
herself.
At last all is done, and there is twenty
minutes to walk to the station. O.n
Alfred said he conld take ner just as welt
along with the trunk, but no, she would
walk. “It would be many days before
she wou d walk down the dear old lane,
m ay be.”
As Flora Helt stood in the doorway and
watched Agnes Moriand go down the
yard out into the lane and out of sight,
her heart was full, and she said: “Poor
deail how little she knows wnat sue is
doing! Bhe will get so weary of the great,
noiay city and the hard work, day after
day! I will go after her soon and bring
her back again to tbe sweet rest she is
leaving.”
But Flora s ckened and died ere the
rotes bad finished their blooming, and
Agnes Moriand was indeed alone!
• •*»**
The grass of two springs has waved
green above Aunt Flora’s bead, and the
garden is the same sweet little garden as
of old. The hyacinths and violets send a
sweet perfume through the air, and the
canary bird, as it aaings in the cage,
lends ont such a volume of music as
should make the world glad. But the
only occupant of the little cottage is old
Sarah, wno ti s knitting on the back
porch. She Is faithful to tbe promise
■be made Miss Flora, and all is in readt
ness, aa she waits day after day, for tbe
child that does not come—and why?
In a beautiful room on a well known
street in New Orleans sits a woman,
grown strangely old for one so young
in years. Deep remorse is written iu
every feature, and there is a certain bold,
reckless look in her face. It is a face one
can not easily forget—it is Agnes Mor
land’s—and as sue sits, her head resting
ii_’ -d, in the other she holds a brass
ket ■'* ' - 'ey her annt gave her. Should
shd* ct wish to return, either by night
or omf, she felt sure her child would n*sd
It some time.
“Shall I use it?” she * sks herself. She
can see the dear old home in all its quiet
sweetness. Sne almost kuows each n > w
erthat is in bloom. Bat, again,-she
asks herself the question: “Shah I use
the old brass key?”
If Agnes could have looked across the
great city into an elegantly furnished
room, the picture t hat w ould have met her
•ye would have settled the qutstion for
ever. The room is Urge ana airy. Four
windows, reaching to the floor, let iq a
breeze that gently stirs the real lace cur
SSr All to sweet, cool and .beautiful,
even to the little woman sitting by the
window which overlooks the lake of clear
blue water. She is serenely knitting
soma lace, and there is a falntsmile pUy-
Ing about the small shapely mouth.
Slowly the knitting falU to her Up, and
■be U listening Intently to something
A deer, sweet voice, that of a child, can
be distinctly beard down the long hau.
“How like some sweet, wild biro! and I
■Ml be proud of my child some day.
Tbo sweet voice sings on, while the
mother site lost in thought. to sne point-
Usuictures of the future or dreaming of
the oast? Either would be brightenough.
um. nest U a dream, all bright and hap
mr’andsho knows nothing of the storm
of grief that U fast gathering back of the
grJStrnr’ -1 - which separates the Pres
*^kewiddbs so cruel as to dlstnrbthe
await slumber of unconsciousness? Who
wonld roll back the curtain upon scenes
Ik., would turn the heart to Slone, make
SSsSSgof birds less sweet, the flowers
loss bright!
••I wou:d not live ilwsyl”
The child's sweet song U finished, and
___ 10U can hoar the patter of little
JETcoming down the halL A moment
moreand the childish figure is standing
within the door.
•To^pS^*^” 6 ’ Ethel; I
wJtowtatkeepeblmsoUte. Dinner
JTwaUIng tomedreadful bunnessen-
tfSEE”to me that pip* u
•Wfsj muck «f late. IakU teris_
hncreeslng and is he getting richer, yon
. “^eeTthat U what I euppooe. Bat this
is what I wish, that your tether did not
eare so much for riches, and than wa
would see more of him.”
The minute hand sllpa round tbo teoe
of the marble clock once mom, and Mrs.
Reyman and bar daughter still await the
arrival of Mr. Bgymaa.
At the earn# moment Ethel waa asking
for her tether ho was entering the room
where Agnes sat, her tees burled in her
hands. Uhl that she might have decided
before the tempter canuT
The devil U seen in all aorta of ooa-
tomee. He looked very hand sons aa he
walked np to Agnes. He was all the
wltle's eye oould wish, as regards drees.
Mr. Riyman’s tailor had sent him forth
faultless, from his feet to the wealth of
brown hair which shaded his eyes, very
much like some we have aeon beron.
Mrs. Ray man had always been proud of
Ethel’s tyes—they were so like her
tether's.
“Agnea,” said a voloe dose betide her—
a voloe low and soft. But she made no
answer; did not oven raise her head.
“Agned” again she heard, and this time
a hand waa gently laid upon her head.
Tne tees tnat was then lifted to Clclo
Reyman, puzzled him. Was it hate, or
loro, that te read? He oould not tell.
There waa a set, a determined look In her
eyes and around her mouth.
She slowly rose to her teet and stood a
moment looking tim loll In the tees.
Then potting out her hands to him oho
said: “Yes, it shall be as you asked.
Itistoo late! 1 am boundh.ana, foot and
soul to the devi.1 ’
He had expected this; but when the
answer came it surprised him not a little,
notwithstanding no glanced hastily at
his watch, and as ho Old so, an idea came
to bio.: “Agnes, In thirty minutes the
steamer leaves; can ycu be ready, my
darling? We wilt leave ail else acd tty—
be alone and happy!'*—for Cicile R <yman
loved Agnes Moriand!
As the steamer puffed up the clouds of
a teas and smoke It blew aside the cur
tain, and what, was then revealed to the
woman Cicle Ray man had promised to
love, cherish and protect? Crushed the
sweet spirit and broke the butting heart!
• ••*••
Two years have winged their wear;
fligbt, and iitll- Ethel is Bring with her
grandmother. Somelimsa there will a
sad, far away 1 ok come into the great
brown eyes. In the distance she sees her
mother's grave ana she has grown weary
wondering why her father does cot
cornel
Aud what of Agnes? The little cctt g -,
the home of e weet rest and polity, is sur
rounded by weeds and tall grass, and
when strangers ask of the place as they
pas. by, tne strange, sad story is told.
Ellen Beeo.
THE FOLISH EDIT.
POPULAR.
Disadvantages of Nut Being A1*W* In ltoail
Everything in One’s Own Paper.
A newspaper man who had worked for
some time < n New York papers, and then
had drifted from sight into the vague “out
west,” walked iu among hi.sq4-l associates
one night looking happy and prosperous.
“Hello, old man! Walked back to the
old shop, eh?” was the greeting he got.
“Not by any means,” he replied. “I’ve
come to New York to get a couple of hard
working and ambitious reporters to help
me on my paper, and I'll set them on their
feet at the same time.”
“Come off!” “Your paper!” “Well,
that’s good,” came iu chorus from his old
comrades.
“Perhaps you never heard of N ?” be
answered, mentioning a mining town in
the west. “I never did rnyseif till I went
there, so I'll not dwell on your ignorance.
But that's where I mold public opinion
now,” and he handed around his business
cards, where the familiar name of their old
friend looked a little strange with the
envied appendage “Manager and Editor
of The N Herald.”
“Congratulations, oid man!” “Struck
it rich, eh “Good" luck to you!” “How
long are you going to stay in the city?”
were fired at him all at once. lie smiled
his thanks for the first mentioned excla
mations, and replied to the last with em
phasis:
“Just as long as ever I can.”
“Ob! Ha, ha! It’s not all roses, then?”
“Well, it’s a fine thing being your own
boss, but great Scott, it's good to live in
New York, and ho one knows that so well
as the man who once did and now doesn’t.
“Besides, I sliali not return tiil I get a
telegram I expect today or to morrow.
And thereby hangs a rather good story.”
“Out with it!” “Ix-t’s hear it.”
“Well, my paper is bucked and owned by
a wealthy mining syndicate, which em
ploys thousands of Poles in its mines. I
run the pai>er for whatever profit there is
in it, so long as I don’t run it against tbe
interests of the syndicate. I thought the
paper would be more widely read among
the Polish working people if 1 got out an
edition iu the Polish tongue once a week,
and the idea was approved by my backers,
who were pleased with my enterprise and
push. How to get a Polish editor was the
difficulty. However, I procured one from
Chicago. lie entered into the scheme heart
and soul, and wrote prolifieally. By the
time I had gotten out three Polish editions
the demand for them among the Poles be
came spirited, and I Wits congratulating
myself when a note came from one of my
backers saying that 1 would better look
sharply after what my Polish editor was
saying in his editorials.
“I went out and secured an interpreter,
and found to my dismay that this editor
of mine wtts urging the men to strike, di
lating on their wrongs at the hands of the
mine owners, and even advocating setting
the mines on fire if t..eir demands were not
complied with.
“I exploded, but my Pole wouldn’t
‘crawl.’ He maintained that the people
wanted that sort of thing, and pointed to
the rapidly increasing sales of the paper. I
found him so entirely blind to reasons of
expediency and policy that I told him that
be ought to resigu. He promptly refused
to do so, aud expressed his firm purpose of
completing bis six months’ contract in my
employ or raising a riot among his coun
trymen and burning the office down. He
locked fit to do it, too, and I temporized.
“After consulting with my backers I re
solved to come east for a week or two. I
put the foreman of tbe mechanical part of
the shop iu charge of the whole business.
He is a big, fighting Irishman, who hates
foreigners,' and he has orders to discharge
tbe Polish editor while I am away. When
1 get a telegram that my Pole has cleared
out I am going back. Not before.”—New
York Tribune.
“The Kuril of Chickaluaugu.”
Gen. George H. Thomas is about as well
known by his soubriquet cf “The Rock of
Chickainauga” as “Stonewall” Jackson is
by the one that clings to him. No doubt
most people understand that “The Rock
of Chickainauga” as applied to Gen.
Thomas refers to his moral qualities, his
immovable firmness as a soldier, etc. But
it seems some Lave given it a literal inter
pretation'. Some time ago Miss Ransom,
the artist, painted an elaborate picture of
Gen. Thomas, intending to sell it to tbe
government. She represented Gen. Thomas
at the buttle of Cbickamauga. When the
painting was finished the lady invited sev
eral officers who served under the general
to visit her studio and give their judgment.
The astonishment of the visitors was great
when they found that the lady perched the
general upon a big bowlder.
In a gentle way they tried to explain to
Miss Ransom that she had misunderstood
the reference to “Tbe Rock of Cbicka-
rnauga.” They told her that Gen. Thomas
did not stand upon a rock. But the lady
insisted tbat she was right. She said she
had been to tbe battlefield of Chickamaaga
and bad seen the identical rock which the
general bad stood upon, and which she had
painted in the picture.—Indianapolis Jour
nal.
Dionysius Lardner Boursiquot is thi
name given in London announcements oi
the lated ramalist’s death, says Oakey Hall,
and this is probably tbe authoritative form
of tbe uame.
Robert Burdette, the humorist, has al
most abandoned writing for the uewspa
pers. Hcdevotes his time now to lecturing,
and says tbat be has become comparatively
a gentleman of leisure.
Alexei Piatschejew. the poor but famous
Russian poet who was sentenced to death
in 1843, partially pardoned by Nicholas and
restored to bis privilegea by Alexander H,
has become incredibly wealthy by the death
•f a kinsman.
THE YttlOH Off A WIGHT
Tor the Sunny Boon.
PA ry\ USING, I sized upon the glorious nRh t
iLXilrX ForiUtMwrui *u bathed ia til
As in the midnight sky she rode serene.
The silent world uaoonssious lay in s eep,
Except for watchen keeping vigils lone,
Or stealth; midnight marauders who creep,
In the dark shadows by tall objects thrown.
But tbe cold moon, in solitary state.
Calm and Indifferent rides her circling
throne
Nor caret she what the world has for it* late,
Content to thine if for herself alone!
“Fair moon! whose praises poets love to sing.
I grant that beautiful altho’ thou art
To thee faint adoration I can bring,-
To me thou eeemeat a queen without a
heart.”
Thus, in the moonlight, musing I remained
And much I wondered if the mom bad life.
Why ia our lore of other worlds restrained?
Such thoughts aa these throughout my brain
were rife.
If there are dwellers in that barren land.
Cheerless and bleak, sa science has revealed.
Do they live, work, a d die at God’s command?
Are we from them, aa they from os. con
cealed?
Weary at last I fell on sleep profound.
And, in obedience to the mind's behest,
No longer by tbe waking body bound.
My Bplrlt started on its lonesome quest.
And in an instant (thus the spirits' tligfat)
I stood upon a mountain of the moon
And looking round me In the chilling light,
I lister.ecjio the bleak wind’s mournful tuue,
As o’er the rugged hill tops o'er the plain.
It came and went, as ocean's ceaseless roll
Upon its barren beach, seeking In vain
Yet e'er endeavoring to approach its goal
To mine high vantage and supernal sight
All the weird moouland was to me revealed
But, vain anticipation of delight.
To me no pleasure did tbe fiower yield!
O'er a drear land my eager vid ju roams,
Yet not unpeopled as at first appeared
When I beheld uo clustering vii.age homes,
Nor mingled din of ci .ies great was heard.
No churcbly spire reared Its lofty height,
No chiming bell peeled out its cheering
sound
To call tbe dwellers in this land benight
To meet together in a mutual band.
No homely souDd of workmen's busy tool,
Noserca'ming engine, no, n.-r rattling train,
No tick monotonous of electric rule,
No jer, no scheming ol the human train
By which the plans co operative start
That, managed rigntly, benefit the just
Bat wnich, alas! in our world's busy mart
Olt are dt hosed to some infamous trust.
Silent, alone, here every spirit dwells
Clad in humanity's variable Irauie,
And each expression of tbt ir features tells
Tne lack ol mutuul sympathy we claim.
Myriads of beings throng this dreary laud,
Yet each of other see ns all unaware.
And though they pass no greeting, give no
hand,
Or smile or word or even curious staro
Kich mind seems in-ear.! turned upen itself,
Aud some go to end fro, with ceaseless tread,
And se-me aside count o’er their golden pell
And some sit down with bowed aud weary-
head.
I was bewildered, tiil among the crowd,
I saw a lace and figure that I knew,
A face alert and figure slightly bowed—
This from the scene the veil ofmysteiv threw.
Ljng had I xu wn him in hut earthly sphere,
As one who claimed a hundred millions his
A king 'moug men, who ruled, perhaps, hi fear
Seme thousands of his fellows. Sad it is
That one lone mortal made of common clay
Snould Lave within his grasp the power to
c.use
His peers, and more (in all save skill !o gain
That hoard of wealth that, if moie rigLteous
laws
Were ours, would scattered l e to ease the pain
And give- relief lo those waose b:e d he
f stoats )
To bend perforce unto his cruel will—
And cunning scheming, rill the nati- n feels
The tearful grinding of his Fortune's wheei.
His presence in this multitude, so sail,
Hid serve the gruesome secret o reveal—
The ruling passion that each mortal nad.
Intensified and fixed iu hour of death!
Hero came the absorbing power that hi i
(li not demolished with li.s mortal brtatb)
Whateve r virtues may in him have lived.
In him I saw the nature of them all,
\\ ho dwell alone among the teeming throng
Who eare for naught a: an save self, and e-aii
No man his neighbor aud who right uo
wrong.
These are the people—whom the world calls
cold,
But who, themselves ss ert the right to be
\\ hate’er they wish; and, feeling power grow
bold
In c eeds of selfishness and infamy!
Aud now apart they dwell forever more
Worse than one immured alone in jail;
Condemned to silent mining o'er and o er,
The weary brain will soon, discouraged, fail,
k en when the hope of iut- re liber y
Migct serve the laltering reason to restore.
Eut these condemned to endless misery.
Have no retreat behind, no hope before,
But up and down the gamut of the mind
One thought, the thought of self and se.fish
gains— ,
No warmth of love, or hope con entrance hud
Into tbt-6c scheming, never resting brains.
Weary, 1 turned me, shuddering from the
si-ht;
Shivering I wske me from my fearful dr> am
Low in the east the moon marked waning
night—
1 drew my curtain 'gainst tbe silvery gleam.
M. A ErnLEB
SOME SHOOTING DON'TS.
Don’t fraternize-ivith that brotliergun-
ner who is poi-jn-iuiilly changing the posi
tion of his gun when carrying it.
Don't ever swing the gun on game if by
doing so you pass points of danger. The
finger is usually on the trigger and may by
accident discharge the gun at the wrong
moment aud kill somebody.
Don't point the weapon—be it gun, rifle
or revolver—at any object except that at
which von aim for the purpose of hitting.
Every week's papers prove the necessity
for continual urging of this “save ail” ad
vice.
Don’t omit to keep a sharp watch on a
Companion who prides himself on being a
“snap shot." lie commonly fires at every
thing that moves and will bring yon down
one of these days if you keep his company.
Failing to bag you the best dog is the next
in danger.
Don't forget to always take a general
view of tiie locality before firing even at
the legitimate object. This will save a few
accidents if pursued by all shooters, and at
any rate, von will, perhaps, avoid shower
ing shot over a dear friend behind some
bush or hedge.
Don’t fire at a bird flying low unless all
is clear ill front beyond to at least 1200
yards (for a shot gun and alisolutely clear
for a rifle). Sir Ralph Payne Galway, in
“Letter to Young Shooters.” says he has
known a man's eye seriously damaged by
shot at 131 yards.
Don’t omit all possible precautions for
safety. Aim rather to be a safe, sagacious
gunner than a brilliant one. The one rep
utation you can keep as long as you can
carry a gun. and the other you cannot keep
to tlie end under any circumstances.
Choose, therefore, the most enduring.
Don't forget to extract your cartridges
when climbing fences, crossing rough
places and crawling through a hedge or
other ohstrue; ion. You can load again in
a second, and the precaution is far better
than the risk—you may fall or slip, and
the loaded gun is no respecter of persons.
Don't allow any obstruction, such as
snow, mud. etto clog the muzzle of your
gnu. Such obstructions are compressed
by the force of the powder instead of being
forced out in the form of a bolt. Look
through your barrels before loading for the
day’s shooting, and if you have a missfire
also look or blow through them.
Don’t carry the gun in your hand. The
far and away safest position is on your
shoulder, with the rib facing downward.
This position is, of course, for such times
os when you do not expect to use the gun
very often. At other times carry it on the
arm, muzzle ixiiutiug front. When stand
ing and waiting for birds or game rest the
butt against the right thigh, muzzles up.—
The Week's Sport.
Some Near Postage Stamps.
Philatelists will be interested in hearing
that both the new companies in South
Africa are in the field with specially de
signed postage and revenue stamps. Tbe
British East Africa company has started
with an issue ranging from the half anna
to five rupees, and bearing in each design
a crowned sun, with the motto ‘TJght
and Liberty” surrounded by a horseshoe
label, inscribed with the title of the com
pany. An issue is also in preparation for
the South Africa company, which is fol
lowing the precedent established some
years ago by the British North Borneo
company, some of whose earlier issues
(long since drawn from circulation) al
ready rank among the rarities in the stamp
collecting world.—Eugene Field in Chi
cago News.
A Good Rule.
Tom—We ul ways ought to look pleasant.
Jack—That’s so. We can’t tell who may
have a camera concealed about him ready
to catch you.—Enoch.
Tbe Demand For Books
IT IS SUPPLIED LARGELY BY THE
GREAT CIRCULATING LIBRARIES.
At Wonderful Work Accomplished by
Ike late Charles Edward Mudle la
YUlunl What Ben Fruukllu DM for
America—Horae Famous Libraries.
A dispatch from London announces
the death at the age of 72 of Mr. C. E.
Mudie, the founder of the largest and
Hunt famous circulating library in the
world. The event has removed from
London life one of its conspicuous fig-
ores, a man who for more than half a
century was the means of contributing
to the intellectual pleasure of the En
glish reading classes, and with whom dis
tinguished personages like Thackeray,
CHARLES EDWARD MUD IK.
(As he looked at the air«* of f»0. j
Dickens, D’lsraeli, Gladstone, Cobden,
Carlyle, Brig) it and other leaders of pub
lic opinion claimed more than a passing
acquaintance.
It must not be inferred, however, that
Mudie was the originator of the circu
lating library. The institution dates
hack to the Middle A ges, when we read
of stationers “who loaned hooks on
hire.” but he developed the idea and
brought the system to a degree of in
fection that even in America with all
our facilities we have not been able to
surpass.
It -was Mudie's own passion for books
that suggested the formation of his
library. Even as a laH lie was an om
nivorous reader, anil eagerly devoured
the contents of every volume that fell
into his hands, although works of his
tory, travel and philosophy engaged liis
special attention. How be was induced
to enlarge liis opportunities for obtain
ing hooks, and thus became the medium
of supplying others whose tastes were
similar to his own, is h-st told in his
own words:
“In 1840 the circulating libraries were
doing a flourishing trade, but dingy
places they were, aud the trash they
supplied was well suited to the tastes of
the Lydia Languishes anil Lady Slat
tern Loungers of tbe day. Seldom could
I get a book that I wished for, and I was
fain to buy what I wanted. The idea
suddenly struck me that many other
young men were in isimilar case with
myself. I had by thisitiine accumulated
a number of books, sd 1 determined to
launch out a library oi my own lines.”
With this plan in view Mr. Mudie
first placed his moilestcollect
window of a small ship in
square, now Southairi'
it the name of “Uudn
A number of literal
social circle was wide
once became patrons,
influence the en .'p:
widely known. His ]
heciuue a /vpetics -pT
literary folk, and \\
tastes of his patrons it:
ually increased. The E
the enterprising foun
The history of circulating libraries ia
in part a history of the intellectual prog
ress of a people. The first one of a pub
lic character was established in Rnglnnd
by Rev. Samuel Fan court, a diaxOTiring
minister of Salisbury, about the year
1740. In America Benjamin Franklin
maybe regarded as the progenitor of
this useful medium of thought, since as
early as 1732 he put in operation what he
describes as “the mother of all the North
American subscription libraries,” and it
exists today in the Philadelphia Library
company. To Philadelphia also belongs
tbe credit of having the first absolutely
public library from which books might
be borrowed under certain restrictions.
It was endowed in 1792. Since that time
similar libraries have been instituted in
all of the large cities of the United
States, while of private circulating li
braries the name is legion.
The public library of Boston is one
that occupies the first rank. Its organi
sation not only occupies the central
building, but several branches in subur
ban towns. The total daily book de
livery is upward of 4,000 volumes, and
the clerical force employed is 130 per
sons, of whom more than two-thirds are
women. In order to take books away
the applicant merely registers name and
address, whereupon a card is issued on
which his name is written, which serves
as his authority to borrow. For delin
quents wiio fail to return boobs at the
right time, or in good order, small pen
alties are exacted, but the loss is shown
to be of an iufinitesimul jiercentiige, a
fact that sjieaks highly for the character
of the applicants. An official table
showing tiie experience of tweuty-t'aree
of these libraries, many of which are
free to all the inhabitants of tbe towns
and cities in which they are located, in-
Redeeming Old Honey.
ROBERT GRAVES WRITES A LETTER
TELLING HOW IT IS DONE.
R«Bers and Hls Work and the
Work of His Expert, Quick Fingered
Young Women—What Fire, Quarrels,
Rats and Babies Can Do.
[Special Correspondence.!
Washington, Nov. 11.—A piteous appeal
was received at the redemption division of
the treasury department a few days ago.
It was from a poor girl who works in a
gotten mill in New Hampshire. By deny-
soove and away goes tbe money. Moay
years ago we censed to wonder at the stu
pidity of man in thus burning up hie
money, and have come to look upon it as a
part of tbe business. I say man, though
it must be owned woman is the chief sin
ner in this way. Some of these cases are
J very pitiful—cases of destruction of the
savings of a life of toil, of tiie purchase
price of homesteads, of the money received
for back pay pensioDs, and depended upon
to comfort the declining years of the own
ers. But it is very rarely we are able te
do anything in the way of relief.
“Another common cause of tiie destruc
tion of bunk notes is the baby. Rabiee
like to chew everything that falls in their
way, as every one knows. But they ap
pear to have an especial fondness for no
tional bank notes. If I had all the money
the babies of the country have masticated
in the past fifteen years I would be a rick
man. I could take you out in our count
ing room this minute and find you a tenor
^ISiiili# -f.
THE OLD PHILADELPHIA LIBRARY,
dicates that out of a total circulation of
6,747,340 volumes only 3.008 were lost
through borrowers, while 9.080 were
worn out iu honorable service, a lost
of two- tenths of 1 per cent
Other public libraries iu tbe United
States are modeled on the plan of that in
Boston, and many of them, like thos
Worcester, Mass.; Cincinnati, Chic
and St. Louis, including several in New
York, are open to Sunday readers.
It would occupy much space to de
scribe iu detail the various institutions,
and in fact they are so nearly alike that,
save in matte rs of wealth, size of colic
tion and architectural features, descrip
tion is unueces tv. Literature has n.
aristocracy, and whether it is the Astor.
the Mercantile, Cooper Union or Worn
en’a Library of New York, the Smith
sonian or Congressional in Washington
or the British Museum itself, the hum
blest and th:- highest enjoy an equal
privilege. It is only necessary to be r*
spec-table, and the intellectual treasure
of the world are at your command.
Naturally the diversity of books is
sued to readers varies according to tb
community. Cosmopolitan New Y'ork
absorbs almost everything. On list- east
side of the city the taste runs to novels
and light literature, with here and tl:
a grubber in deeper soil. On the west
aide the borrowers seem to prefer histo
ric, reminiscences and travels, while
Jthcre a large contingent of people
who, living by brain work, though uo'
strictly literary, endeavor to keep pace
is Sj. 5» V9»ith everything new or suggestive in
,, , - Vtl-o' a p \%e world of letters, from the last ri
of books finally began to the highest development of
tention of the gen-j „iWific exploration,
eray, it is sail.. \\.r-s jL ehrijn Y 1-^. eA rough estimate has placed the value
wnen he heard thatSby fife [£*2.
taken a large numlJ^JEegJ^j)': . States at *40,000,
“Esmond, wittily JteSHfe I cannot be more eloquent
the information «. tbe i demonstrating the inteUectnal tendency
evaus! referring to >♦ M«* the people.
bury a. Evans were 14^ If B fi ttbe C1 . (>ti Ffaax G. de Fontalve.
hshers. Dr. Livmgstof^ dy £ Unt , M it wa
plorer, frequent.y eon«*..fc., f- a Dog’s Nubic Act.
regard to the pubhcatErouuit Zireld* A bif , Newfoundland was going peaces
“Pniit thousands. jr TT7|irG ik ridge 1along when a cross grained cur began
and to Livingstone'ip ZHrG ^, M r 8'“‘capping at
“Travels in Central A
of the most popular be
Another good stcr-
Mudie's career
Lady Ashburton gav-_; __ rrich. v
was ,’S.
books thus jmblicly circulated in the
000. Figures
than these in
tion. Among her
whose name was then -i85(i—j ust becom
ing known. During tl evening lie found
himself standing neii Carlyle, who at
A BOOKWORM OF RANKLIN' S TIME,
once singled him oijand looking him
full iu the face sa in his brusquest
manner, with his laud Doric accent:
“So you're tbe ma. that divides tbe
sheep from the goats Ah!” he went on,
giving strong einp'feis to his words,
“it’s m awfu’ thinjto judge a man.
It’s a more- awfu’ tlif to judge a book,
for a book has a lifeieyond a life. But
it is with books as itl with men. Broad
is the road that leaih to destruction,
and many there beiiat go in thereat,
and narrow is the iy that leadeth to
life, and few thereIthat find it.” Mr.
Mudie held his grfd boldly enough
when thus attacked! the man who had
set himself np as a riser librorum. “In
my business I pro% to judge books
only from a coiniVciul standpoint,
though it is ever mi^ject to circulate
good books and not fl ones.”
An idea of the ^nitude to which
the bnsiuess has alined may be in
ferred from the * that since its
foundation nearly 1,000.000 volumes
have been purchasefor the use of sub
scribers. During aisy season the av
erage number of bks issued and re
issued is 100,000 ireek. Of popular
works an edition ofje or two thousand
is required to meet » demand. For in
stance. on the app ance of “Macau
lay’s History” 2,50 opies were put in
circulation; of “Li gstone’s Travels,”
3.000 copies; of “1 Is of the King,”
1.000 copies, and of eClintock s “Voy
age in Search of John Franklin,"
3.000 copies. Figi i like these illus
trate the literary 1 es of the people.
The variety of tas is likewise indi
cated by the librai ssues of works of
fiction. The dema for George Eliot’s
novels was sometl S enormous, and
scarcely less so is tl sger desire to read
everything that ha eceivt-d the stamp
of popularity on e * side of the At
lantic.
-jy jjj gB snapping at him and snarling savagely.
A J. b BateThis started one or two other dogs, who
W0RLD 9n> jyira, joined in the attack. The big dog took no
lier. Mrs. iotice until compelled to do so in self de-
l(/ n the woi a rt, Mrs. CV nse . Then he turned aud sent the crowd
Finob, N-jf persecutors flying in all directions, all
except the ringleader, who fell sprawling
in the middle of the street and was iiegili
ning to ge; the drubbing lie deserved when
things took a very unexpected turn.
A cable car came dashing down the hill,
with clanging bell, right upon tiie dogs.
Nobody is expected to warn dogs of dan
ger, and so the car was almost upon them
when a policeman cried, “Get out!”
The big dog saw the danger and sprang
aside, but his late assailant was on his
back and too much in dread of his punish
ment to see anything else. There he lay,
and iu a second more would be crushed.
The Newfoundland saw the situation,
and after he h.-ul partly turned away,
Bpraug back in front of the car, seized the
cur in his teeth and snatched him, still
whining and lagging for mercy, out of the
very jaws of death. He laid him in the
gutter, and then, as though further retali
ation had entirely escaped his mind, he
gave a good natured wag or two of his tail
and started on up the street, unconscious
that for less heroic deeds than his men
wear medals of honor. He was only a dog,
but he taught a lesson to all who stood by.
—Youth's Companion.
AN EXPERT COUNTER AT WORK,
tog herself many of the necessities and com
forts of life she had managed to save up $40.
With this she intended paying off the chat
tel mortgage on the furniture of the rooms
occupied by herself and mother—a mort
gage given to secure a loan to tide the lit
tle family over a period of sickness. Tiie
cavings—two SX) national bank notes—
were put away in an envelope.
On takin-' tiie envelope from its hiding
place the girl inserted her thumb and fore
finger and puiled out, as she supposed,
both of the bills. Then she threw the en
velope in the fire. But as ill luck would
have it oue of the bills was new and crisp.
The other was old and worn. After leav
ing the house she discovered that she had
I only the crisp Dili with her. Hastening
home she looked iu vain in the open grate.
The ashes of tiie envelope and its precious
contents had been scattered by the flames.
There was nothing left. Of course the girl
was distracted. Oa the advice of friends
■be wrote to the redemption division of tiie
treasury department. Her letter was
stained with tears, and it was with some
bitterness that she wrote: “The bank which
issued the bill is rich, aud I am poor, so
poor. I do not see why it should get richer
at my expense.”
“This is a sad case,” said Chief liogers,
of the national bank redemption divis
ion, “but of- course we could do nothing.
We have many such cases, and at times it
pains us deeply to be compelled to write to
the unfortunates that we are powerless to
help them. In tills case it is true that
the national bank which issued the lost
note will lie \ J ; richer by the accident,
and the girl will be poorer. But we
cannot compel the bank to reimburse her
on her statement, nor even on her affi
davit, even if it were supported by many
other affidavits, if tiie girl knew the
name of the bank which issued the note
perhaps the officials of the bank wouid
give her a new not .-. I have known that
to be done where the proof of destruction
was indisputable. But in this case the
poor girl did not know the name of the
bank which issued the note.”
“Suppose the girl had found the ashes
and sent them on. Could you have done
anything for her then?”
“All wouid depend upon the nature of
the a^ji. In i his case it is extremely im
probable tbat the .ashes could have been
rescued in legible form. There seems to
be a belief in tiie minds of many people
that no matter liow nearly destroyed
—f-.T
TIIE BABY AS A MONEY DESTROYER,
twenty dollar note which some cherub bat
chewed into pulp, and which one of our
young lady experts is trying to pick ten or
twenty dollars' worth of paper out of. It
is an every day occurrence. The pet pup
is still {mother fruitful source of destruc
tion. lie gets hold of a wallet, a package
of notes or a stray bill and lias a great deal
of fun with it, often at liN owner’s ex
pense. I have more than one- known a
two dollar dog to destroy two hundred
dollars’ worth of bank notes.
“\Ye once received lu re for redemption t
hundred dollar bill which Coal Oii Johnny
had twisted into a lighter for his cigar, and
which some shrewd fellow ha 1 torn front
his grasp just in the nick cf time. Luck
ily for the l atter fully three-fifths of the
note remained intact, and we redeemed it
at its full value. The law is, you know,
that where three-fifths of a not*: are pre
sented fail face value is to be paid; more
than two-fifths and less than three-fifths,
one-half far > value; less than two-fifths,
nothing. This protects us against over re
demption.
“Concerning this law a very good story
is told. Some years ago put t of a $l,00t
note was received here from a westerc
town. Though its ragged edge was very
irregular, we measured it up by oar gra
duated glass and found that ir v.-;is a little
less than three-fifths of a whole note, and
accordingly paid Mrs. II , who had sent
it to us, te00. In a few days along came
the remaining part of the sane- note. It
was a little more than two-fifths of tlit
whole, and so we sent Mr. II——. who had
presented it, a new note for 8T> 0.
“Not long afterward a friend sent me i
newspaper containing an account of the
divorce trial of Mr. il vs. Mrs. II -,
in which it appeared thatami ng linnicroui
other hostilities they had had a quarrel
over some money in which a 81,000 not*
had been torn in two. Chance had decreed
that man and wife should divide on even
terms, so far as this note was concerned,
though it is said Mrs. H lias never
ceased to complain of the in just i<v which
she thinks was (lonelier. In her opinion,
as she had about eleven-twentieths of tbt
note she should have received at least S5SC.
“Rats and mice are sometimes exceed
ingly luxurious in their nest making. Not
long ago we redeemed 8400 worth of notes
for a Texas man who for many years had
given up all idea of finding his missing
treasure.
It had lieen hidden away in what wai
supposed to lie a secure place, and nearly r
. quarter of a century later, in repairing tbt
i porch of the old house, was found doing
service as lining for the nest of a family of
The “Therapeutic” Smoking Pipe.
An improved form of smoking pipe has
been introduced in England to the notice
of the medical profession, primarily to
provide a means of combating the smoker’s
habit, and do away with the injurious ele
ments in it, to which its baneful effects are
due, by abstracting the noxious constitu
ents of tobacco smoke, whilst leaving the
aromatic principles unaffected. It is hoped
by this means to make it available for
daily use by delicate or invalid smokers, to
whom total prohibition would often be little
short of punishment Secondly, it is sug
gested that the pipe may be made useful
as a means of utilizing the habit of smok
ing as an adjunct to treatment by inhala
tion of volatile medicaments, so that the
vapor of the remedy employed may be
directed to the affected surfaces. Another
possible use of the pipe is that of an in
sufflator, for which its construction spe
cially fits it.—New York Commercial Ad
vertiser.
A Sagacious Robin. -
Mrs. Burwell, of Westfield, Conn., found
a helpless robin a year ago last summer,
which had fallen from its nest while learn
ing to fly. She placed ft in a cage and
raised it. This summer she released it,
thinking the bird would be happier at lib
erty. - The robin returned to Mrs. Bur-
well’s yard last week and flew upon her
finger. When spoken to be was willingly
token into the house, and there he gave
unmistakable expressions of delight at be
ing in his old home. After the excitement
had passed away the empty cage was
brought to the room, and straight into it
flew the robin. He bopped up to his perch
and there settled down in evident content
ment. He hadn’t forgotten where to look
for his food nor for what his bath was in
tended. It is believed that the bird didn’t
know what else to do when the cold
weather came.—New Haven Register.
Health brings happiness. Health can
be secured by taking Simmons Liver
Regulator.
JUSTICE BETWEEN MAN AND WIFE,
money may be by fire all they have to do
le to send the ashes on here and get new
notes. Once we actually received a tin
trait can half full of fine ashes from a
Montana ranchman, who wrote that he
had f 7 .OoOiu the can, and, while lie couldn’t
how we were going to verify his state
ment by the ashes, he supposed that was
affair, and that we knew our business.
Of course this was an absurd supposition
on his part. There are some- things that
are bevoml even the skill of our sharp
■yed, facile lingered young women.”
These young women do some wonderful
things, it is true. Time and again have
they taken unrecognizable wads .of paper—
mere pulp—and deftly, patiently, picked
out of it thousands of dollars of bank or
treasury notes sufficiently perfect to war
rant the department in issuing new notes
to their place.
'The chief trouble is,” added Chief Rog
ers, “that people are not satisfied to send
the remains of burned or drowned
money just as they recover it. They al
most invariably pick at tbe stuff them
selves through anxiety or curiosity, and
that way so injure the texture of the
notes or disarrange the charred remnants
that our experts are able to do less with the
Ituff than they could have done had the
damaged money been sent to them just as
found. The bankers understand t his bet
ter, and when their money is burned iu a
safe or vault they carefully remove and
ship the entire packages without disturb
ing them iu the least.
“Fire has such an effect on printed mat
ter as to bring out the impression of the
type more clearly even than it was in the
original, and when a package of notes that
heat has charred to a cinder are sent us
we have little difficulty in separating the
films with sharp knives made for the pur
pose, lifting one fragile sheet from another,
and identifying every note in the lot. The
same thing is true often of money that
Km gone through conflagrations in pocket-
books. I remember one instance in which
a pocket bock came to us that had been
through a lire iu which the house and all
its contents of furniture, etc., had been
destroyed, and of the trousers in the pock-
ots of which t he book rested not a vestige
was left. The pocketbook was of heavy
morocco, and it came to us an unrecog
nizable mass of charred material. One of
our young women experts picked off the
ashes of the pocketbook so deftly that she
had before her a little pile of charred bank
notes as pretty as anything you ever saw.
Every note iu the lot, amounting to some
six or seven hundred dollars, was saved.
“Waterlogged money if it. has not been
disturbed is easily handled. It is chiefly a
question of drying out. Money from
pocketbooks which farmers huve dropped
to pig pens and other filthy places and
foand a year or two later is not nice to
handle, nor is money that has gone through
•ewers in cities. Still, we have to take it
as it comes. Nor is money recovered from
the bodies of drowned men or that token
from graves a pleasant thing for our yonng
women to count, patch up and verify, but
we cannot be choosers.
“Aside from ordinary wear and tear, the
most prolific cause of destruction of cur
rency is the parlor stove. You would be
•nrprlsed to look over our correspondence
files and see the large number of cases
of this sort. The householder or his wife
has .some money which he or she is
afraid to put in bank. So it is secreted
to summer in the parlor stove, where bur
glars would never think of looking for it.
Fall comes, some one starts a fire in,the
LUXURIOUS MICE.
wealthy mice. Enough of the fragments
was recovered to enable one of our experts
to identify $400 of $700 which the mice had
made use of.
Chief Rogers is an enthusiast in hix
work, and though he has been nearly sev
enteen years in his present post he never
loses interest in the details anu complica
tions of his division, which is one of the
most admirable branches of the public ser
vice. Robert Graves.
A!LEVEL HEAD.
The Advantage of Presence of
Mind in an .Emergency.
Doling tie late strike on 1 te New Y’ork
Central Railroad, the militia were order
ed to be in readiness in case of a riot, t nt
they were not called rut.
In an interview. Gov. Hill said the
troops were net to be cal'ec upon except
in case of an emergency. The emergency
had not arisen, therefore they would not
be ordered out.” He rerr arked thatltl in
was the first great etrikejwith whichjhe
had had exnerier.ee. and hejdld notlpro-
pose to lese bis head; ttelonly point at
which there[bad tben been serious tronbie
was at! Syracuse, and there a deputy
sheriff had lost his head and precipitated
an encounter.
Tfce strike cortirned several weekt;
there waa riotous action at various points
alor g the road, bnt tbe civil authorities
were able to cope with it without calling
on the militia.
The test of a man's real ability comet
when an emergency arises which makes
a hasty evil on his good judgment and
discretion. Tbe man who retains bis
presence of mind, maintains bis equi
poise and exfrcisis sound discretion at
fcuch critical Junctures. Is to be relied on
and will be pnt to the front.
Men with level heads have the staying
qualities which do not falter in the face
of danger. Otis A. Cole, of Kinsman. O ,
June 10,1890, writes: “In the fall of 1888
I waa feeling very ill. I consulted a
doctor and he said I had Bright’s disease
of the kidneys and that he would not
stand in my shoes for the State of Ohio.
Bat ho did not lose courage or give up;
be says: “I saw the testimonial of Mr.
John Coleman, 100 Gregory St, New
Heven, Conn., and I wrote to him. In
dne time I received an answer, stating
tbat the testimonial he gave wee genuine
and not overdrawn in any particular. I
took a good many bottles of Warner a
8a*e Cue; have not taken any for one
year."
* Gov. Hill is accounted a very snccess-
ftU man; he ia cool and oalenlatlng and
belongs to the class that do not loan
their heeds when emergencies arise.
Plates in France are of white china, ex
ceedingly light, and consequently a large
pile can be carried in and ont at a time,
A new fashion in Paris puts metal boxes
on the tombs in all the cemeteries, tote
which friends of the deceased can drop
their cards through the slit at the tcp.
Coughs and colds kept off by'taking
Simmons Liver Regulator to regu' ate the
system.