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Dark Days Passed.
“Won’t you buy a bunch of flowers
f>r your lady ?”
The gentleman to whom this ques-
iion was addressed looked down into
ibe face of the speaker, a rpsy cheeked
boy of eight or nine summers. The
Ilittle fellow had a tiny basket on his
nn, fille<l with bouquets such as we
are wont to see in May or June. Flo
wers of the spring time, suggestive of the
bright and happy days of our childhood
when we were told by the teacher that
we might vote for our next May Queen.
Roses there were, white and pinkmoss
roses, wild roses, and snowdrops; lilacs
there were, too’, and all made up in
lovely bouquets that it needed but a
glance to know' that a most artistic
hand had arranged these chilkreu of the
spring.
“ But, my boy, it is the beginning of
September—where did you get these
lilies and roses from ?”
“They are not real flowers, sir, they
are artificial. Mother and auntie make
them.”
j The gentleman looked more astonish
ed than before, and after a keen look at
the lad, he asked :
“Where do you live, my boy ?”
“ Away outside the city, in a cottage.
We have real flowers, too. I have a
flower patch of my own, and mother
lets me plant just what I please. But,
w'on’t you buy a bunch of these, sir ?
They are only twenty-five cents, and
they w'on’t fade as soon as other
flowers.”
“Yes, I will buy two bunches of you,
if you bring me a bouquet out of
your garden to-morrow 7 . Here is a
half a dollar for these and another
half for the flowers you are to bring
to-morrow. Don’t fail; I shall expect
you at this hour, here in this saloon,
where I generally drink a cup of choco
late.”
The little fellow 7 thanked the man,
and was off in a moment.
Why had the man questioned the lad
so about his mother’s dwelling place ?
He could not account to himself for it.
He, who came and went every day,
and drank his chocolate in silence,
hardly looking up at any one, had actu
ally held a conversation of ten minutes
duration with a little boy. Soon after
he left the house, forgetting to empty
his cup. Well, that was something
new, amd the waiters noticed it and
commented upon it; for tli-fe gentleman
had been their regular customer every
day, for nearly a year, and they had
never kj*own him to speak to any one
before, except to order his customary
beverage, and after drinking it in
silence he w 7 ould lay his money down
and walk out as moodily as he had en
tered.
The next day after his conversation
with the boy, the man came a half hour
sooner than was his wont, and he
seemed exited. Every now and then
he glanced toward the door, as if his
life depended on the flowets that he
^was expecting. He had not long to
► for the little fellow had evidently
as anxious to bring them in time
i the gentleman to get them. After a
0 .ance at the beautiful bouquet, he
said, more to himself than to the child,
who seemed to be expecting a word of
praise for his quickness or beauty of his
pets.
“ I thought I was not mistaken. No
one knew how to arrant a bouquet
i like her. And the resemblance of this
[child ! My God ! could I, after all, have
[been deceived ? It cannot be ; I must
"have eertainty.” Rising hastily from his
chair, he grasped the astonished child
,by the hand and said: “Come, show 7
' me where your mother lives, my boy,
I must see her.”
“But mother never sees company,
sir. She only lets the old gardener
(come into our house to tend to the
, flowers.”
But 1 must see her.
your mother’s name ¥
bought of that before.”
■ Mrs. Norton, sir.”
l shade of disappointment flashed
rer the man’s face, but only for a
aoment.
“ J must see your mother, child, else
jur face, too, deceives me. ”
j The lad made no more objections. “If
like the shortest road home,” he
B we must go through the market
Jiere, and then the other streets
|ji be passed.”
ilk was quite long, aid espe-
to the gentleman^jnho jjfas
the
I 1 ,
Stop! What
I might have
could hardly be seen, so thickly was it j
covered by vines and creeping plants. ;
But one glance showed to an observer
that no unskillful’' hand had been at
work, and an uncommon mind mustbave
planned the whole, to make the small
place so complete a paradise. Opening
the gate, the child led the way up the
graveled walk toward the house. On
the portico, which was not only conceal
ed by vines, but two splendid chestnut
trees, he was received by a voice of sur
prise :
“ Why, Harvey ! back already ? and
your flowers you’ve brought back.
What has happened ¥”
“ Mother, dear, don’t be angry. The
gentleman who wanted my flowers said
he-must see you. Here he is.”
As he said this, the boy pointed to the
gentleman, who was just stepping on the
portico. He had stopped at the sound
of the voice^ and then reeled as if about
to faint; but, rallying himself, he walk
ed on until he confronted Harvey’s
mother. The lady looked at the gentle
man in surprise, and was about to turn
away ; but one more look and then a
cry, and she would have sunk to the
floor had not the strong arm of the jnan
caught her. But she did not faint; she
was only overcome for the moment.
“Harvey, dearest, it is you or I
dream ¥”
“ Yes, my beloved wife, it is I. After
a whole year’s search I have at last
found you, through what 1 know as- our
boy, whom I left as a babe.” After
mutual explanations, the gentleman
said : “Ah these were bad da ye, when I
had to leave you and our darling boy so
destitute through the failure of that
bank.”
“Did our creditors seize all ?
“ Yes, all; except our jewels.”
“But why did you let me mourn you
as dead all these years? Tell me that
first.”
“Darling, I wrote so often and never
received a reply. Not a word of en
couragement in these weary years of
turmoil and trial. You know I left for
China. I wrote from every port where
we stopped and with every returning
ship or steamer I sent you letters. After
my arrival at Pekin, I wrote to you
again to take heart, as I had the good
fortune to get a situation in an Amer
ican tea-house, and would, as I did
send you half of my salary which was
to be deposited semi-annually at the
bank of New Y’ork.”
“It must be there yet, then, fori
have never drawn any, nor heard a word
from you and mourned you as dead, as
you can see by my wearing widow’s^
weeds yet. AVhen I turned my jewels
into money, I labored hard, for more
than a year at a millinery store, sister
taking care of our boy. That was the
hardest of all, to be separated from him
so much. But I did it, and after I had
learned the art of flower making, I got
along very comfortably, for sister Ruth
assisted me so faithfully. At last I had
accumulated enough to lease this little
place which w r as at that time a perfect
wilderness and you see what four years
of patient toil have made of it. We
had ample time to make our artificia
flowers, and for more than a year,
Harvey has been in the habit of selling
them for us. Yesterday I arranged
some bunches as I used to (ft for you,
and gave them to Ilarvey to sell.”
“ And it has been the means of my
finding you ; fpr I had made inquiries
jor you everywhere, and no one knew of
your whereabouts. Thank the kind
Lord who aided me. We will purchase
his place, for I have ample means and
we will forget in our future happiness
the dark days that are past.”
Home Economies.
The Age of the Hippopotamus
Adhela, the female hippopotami!! of
the London Zoological Gardens, died on
December 1(5, after a life of twenty-
nine years in the gardens. Her mate
(Obaysch) died in 1877, alter twenty-
seven years spent in captivity. As both
were young when brought to' England,
and evidently died of old age, it is pro
bable that thirty yearn is the extreme
duration oftne life of this behemoth.
A lady dropped in on one of her
neighbors for an afternoon call. “IIow
is your daughter,” she inquired.
“Splendid. She has just got throq
the Normal schocd where she ciplj
cleurthroufch from ambitions
id then she t
Braised Turkey.—Truss the tur
key as for boiling; stuff it with either
sausage meat, forcemeat, potato or
chestnut stuffing. Line the bottom of
a braising pan with slices of bacon ; lay
the turkey on these, and place more
slices of bacon on the top of it. Put in
two carrots and two onions cut in slices,
and sweet herbs, parsley, bay leaf, a
clove of garlic, whole pepper and salt to
taste ; moisten with some stock. Lay a
round of buttered paper on the top, put,
on the lid and braise with a moderate
fire (under and above) for about four
hours; then serve with gravy strained
and freed from excess of fat.
Egyptian Kabobs.— Cut the lean
of a neck or loin of mutton into dice
about one inch square or larger. Have
some onions or tomatoes chopped to
gether, and rub on these pieces, allow
ing them to stand in the mixture two
hours. Then put about four pieces on-
a skewer (six skewers full make a dish),
stand them up in front of the fire or in
the oven, and turn as the meat becomes
brown, basting with the tomato juice,
and sprinkling with flour. Pour the
tomato juice and the gravy around the
kabobs when served. Make a broth of
the scraps and bones that are left in
preparing the kabobs.
Oyster Fritters.—Fifty small oys
ters, two eggs, one pint of flour, one
heaping teaspoonful of salt, one table
spoonful of salad oil, enough water with
the oyster liquor to make a scant half
pint. Drain and chop the oysters, add
the water and salt to the liquor. Pour
part of this on the flour, and when
smooth add the remainder. Add the
oil and eggs, first well beaten. Stir the
oysters into the batter. Drop small
spoonfulls of this into boiling fat, and
fry until brown. Drain and serve hot.
Saved by Sally.
Not long since a young man in Car-
son got married and started for Califor
nia with his young wife. As lie boarded
the train his father bade him good-by
and gave him the paternal blessing.
“My son,” said the aged sire, shak
ing with emotion, etc., “remember
these words if you never see me again :
Never go into a place where you 7 would
not take your wife.”
The couple settled in Mariposo coun
ty, and last week- the old man went
down to visit them. lie proposed a
bear hunt, and they were fortunate
enough to track a grizzly to his lair
among some of the bowlders in the
chaparral. As the two approached the
bear roused up and sent forth a growl
of defiance which shook the trees.
“Go in there and kill ’im,” said the
old man, excitedly.
The son held back, further acquain
tance with the bear seeming in some
respects undesirable.
“ Count me out,” he said.
“Have I crossed the seas and settled
in America to raise a coward ?” shout
ed the father, brandishing the gun.
“I but recollect your advice when I
left Carson,” was the reply. “How
can I forget your sage precepts. Didn’t
^ou tell me never to go where I couldn’t
take my wife V How would Sal look
there with that bear*?”
The old man clasped his dutiful son
to his bosom, and, as the bear issued
forth, exclaimed:
“Speaking of Sally, let us hasten
home; our prolonged absence might
cause her needless alarm.”
In about fifteen minutes they had
reached the ranch, the old man a little
ahead, and the distance was about four
miles.—Cavson (Nev.) Appeal.
Tho Man of Uniform Ways.
Tne Emperor William’s uniforms
comprise one of each of the regiments
of the guards and of the body regiments,
one each of Baden, Bavaria, Saxony,
Wurtemberg, four Russian uniforms,
and one each of his Austrian regiments
of the line and hussars. The civilian
suits are elegant and chiefly dark, al
though a light pair of trousers is now
now and then tolerated. The regular
head covering is the high silk hat. The
hunting suits are rarely renewed, on
the principle, probably, that the older
the better. Perhaps the most remark
able piece is the emperor’s brownish
gray lmvelock, which he wears in the
spring and fall in his drives, and with
which, though twenty-live years old, he
is not willing to part with. All his uni-
s and suits were made by a member
same family, whose predecessors
id tho young Prince Wj]^|
is first uniform
content^>f his
A Provident Englishman.
An affable though somewhat desic
cated American was on his way the
other day to the city of Boston. He
had, with that thrifty forethought of
his nation, secured a lower berth, and
was meditating upon the wisdom of
gathering his body behind the curtains
when he was accosted by an Englishman
in a tweed suit. The Englishman was
of an ample presence and had the air of
one who had been pastured on mutton
chops all his life.
. t
“You will excuse me,” said he of the
tweed suit, “but am I right in suppos
ing that you have the lower berth ?”
“You bet your life,” replied the
other.
“My sister,” said the owner of the
tweed suit, “has the upper berth, which
is. deuced awkward, you know. The
fact is,” added the Englishman, with
frank urbanity, “it’s unpleasant for
ladies to climb up past a man in a low 7 er
berth. Now, might I ask you, sir, to
do me the extreme favor of occupying
the upper berth and permuting my sis
ter to take yours ?”
The request was scarcely proffered
when the American, with the gallantry
of a genuine Yank, hastened to assure
his English acquaintance that nothing
could give him more pleasure than to be
of service to a lady.
On the following morning the Ameri
can was astonished to see a pairef tweed
legs emerge from a lower berth opposite
that which he had politely given up,
and the next moment the adipose upper
extremities of the Englishman.
“Say,” said the American, as an air
of grave disgust began to creep over his
astonished physiognomy, “didn’t you
ask.me to give up my low 7 er berth to
your sister?”
“Certainly, my dear fellow,” replied
the gentleman addressed, “hope you
slept will ?”
“And you had a lower berth ?”
“Of course.”
“And then you got me to give up
mine to your sister, sir ?”
“Why, my dear fellow,” said the
Englishman, in his turn, “you didn’t
expect I’d give up a lower berth to my
ow 7 n sister, did you ?”—Toronto News.
For our Better Halves.
Somebody has found a new use for the
rubber-cloth hooded garments. If glazed
on the inside, they make excellent fever-
proof suits, and may be worn by doctors,
nurses and other persons compelled to
enter the rooms of those sick with
contagious disease.
Silk muslin kerchiefs in white or
colors are made up for house -wear in
very simple styles. They are bordered
with a frill of lace, and have a small
velvet flower in one corner. Net squares
and scarfs have the flowers from Spanish
lace applied in the ends or comers.
Scarfs of Oriental lace almost a yard
wide and two yards long are shown for
summer wear. They have very deep
borders on the end of medalions or
flower designs set close together and
are sprigged over 7 nearly their whole
surface.
The Bazar patterns for summer
dresses indicate a decided lowering of
the standard of good taste, for every
one of them is made of flowered mate
rials, and two have birds in the design.
There is nothing very new about the
styles in'which tl;ey are made, although
in two the drapery is massed very high,
apparently puffed out by some stiff sub
stance, and in one model this arrage-
ment is carried to absurdity, the’ puff
being so large as to suggest that it is
meant for a child to sit upon while the/
wearer stands. As for sitting down
while arrayed in this way it is clearly
impossible.
Black illusion dresses are dotted with
pearl spangles, beetles’ wings or butter
flies, rather than with jet, by Ixmdon
dressmakers. The effect is better than
that seen when jet was worn by every
second woman in a ballroom.
The waist most in use for young girls’
ball dresses in Baris is crossed in froi
and at the back and haftj
by a rosette. It has
old fashion which
at all
Curious Facts.
A spring in St. Tammany parish,
Louisiana, pours forth clear,cold water
all day, but at sunset it suddenly goes
dry, discharging no water until the sun
rises again.
While sawing veneer from a wal
nut knot an Indianian discovered in the
twisted fibres of the wood a perfect pic
ture of a spaniel’s head. The lines are
as accurately drawn as if by the pencil
of an artist, and when framed this na
tural curiosity has all the semblance of
art.
One theatrical sham which has been
revealed by a florist is the remodelling
qf designs received by actors and actress
es. The material of a flower ship re
ceived in the first act appears in the
shape of a harp in the second, of an an
chor in the third, or of any other de
sign. And all the time the audience
is amazed at the extravagant profusion
of flowers.
The contrarieties of the Chinese,
as compared with us, have often been
commented on. The Rev. Selah Brown
writes about them as follows: We
shake hands as a salutation; a China
man shakes hands with himself. He
stands at a distance, and clasping both
together, he shakes them up and down
at you. We uncover the head as a mark
of respect; they keep their heads cov
ered, but take off their shoes for polite
ness. We shave the face; they shave head
and eyebrows. We cut our finger nails ;
they consider it aristocratic to have
nails from three to five inches long,
which they are obliged to protect in sil
ver cases. The Chinaman’s waistcoat
is outside his coat, and his drawers out
side his trousers. We blacken our shoes;
he whitens them. We have soup as a
first course at dinner, and dessert at last;
they have dessert at first and soup at
last. We want our wines ice cold; the
Chinese drink theirs scalding hot. We
bury in the earth; they on its surface.
With us, black clothing is a badge of
mourning ; with them, white garments
indicate the loss of friends. In that
land of opposites it is the old men who
fly kites, walk on shirts, and play the
shuttlecock, and, to keep up their odd
ways of doing things, they p'lay the latter
with their feet instead of ti, n ir handio
In China women do men’s work,’ kpd
men are the milliners, dressmakers ahd
washerwomen. With us the right hand
is the place of honor; with them it is
the left hand. In dating letters we place
the year last; they write it first. Thev
always speak of the mariner’s compass
(their own invention) as pointing to the
south. We pay our physicians when we
are sick ; they pay while they are well,
but as soon they get sick the pay stops..
Here men kill their enemies, a China
man gets revenge by killing himself.
We use a soft pillow; they a block of
wood. They launch ships sidewise,
ring bells from the outside, and j
ly turn their screws in the oppj
rection from ours.
Street Arab’s Hon(
“Sergeant,” saicla diminutivl
men of the street Arab, as he
officer wearing a Sergeant uniform}
the street about 10 o’clock last nigt
“can you send an officer to guard soi
property to-night?”
The urchin’s clothes were tattered,
face was dirty, and he w r as soaked wit?
rain, but there was a manly air about
kim for all that. The officer looked
somewhat astonished at the request com
ing from such a strange source, and said
kindly : “What do you want an bfficer
for, my boy?” •"*•«
“Because,” answered the child, and
tears filled his eyes, “ I was leaning
against a stere window on C%esthut‘
street, and I guess I pushed too hard,
and the glass broke, and I couldn’t make
anybody hear, so I started as fast
could to find, an officer, to keep anyl
from stealing the things in the wine
And, Sergeant, I have thirty-five
I made selling papers to-day. It
you that, don’t you think they \\
me go until I could make enouj
for the glass ? It is every
but I don’t wan^|^> to
“Keen \j
office