Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

1 VCL. XVIIL ATLANTA, GAv TUESDAY MUKN1NGK JUNE 15,1886 PBIOE FIVE CENTS STRAHAN. By Sidney Luikti Author of "As It TO Written," “Jin. Feleada,” Etc, [Copyrighted ISSS, by the Author. Btrahan, the deaf mute sculptor, ia famoai sow; but at the tine with whioh wo are con cerned, he wn atill struggling in obscurity. Bo lired and had bis studio in an abandoned ■table, whieh stood by itself, midway between Bintb and Tenth arenues, on Ninety-fourth street—a rickety, wooden structure, one stoiy high, hot to suffocation in summer, and in Winter justifying the traditional almlle; as cold as a barn. But the rent was low, and the light was gcod; and Strabau, considering everything, thanked his stars that ho had any roof at all, tinder which to steep and to do bis work; for like the better part of his fellow craftsmen, Siralian was poorer than a church moose. Toward dusk one Christmas Eve, Strahan sat among bla platter casts, prey to a swarm of blue devils—voracious parasites, that gnaw with peculiarly sharp teeth when the heart they are attacking happens to bo associated with an empty stomach. Strahan’a stomach was empty, and to was his pocket book. He bad made up his mind that he would have to go inpperlees to bed this Christmas Eve; and now, while the dusk deepened, he saQalone in bis studio, and mused upon many a cheerless theme. Of cmrse, era long It got dark; and then, in due time, the street lamp in front of Strahan's door was lighted. The light flared In through the window, and sported fantastically with the white paraphernalia of the sculptor’s trado;but Btrahan paid no hoed. In spirit he was far array, laboring through the slough of despond; Bis fleshy envelope remained where ho had left it, fixed and motionless, like its plaster neighbors. How long this state of things lasted, I do not know, nor does it matter. Long enough, I dare say, to chill the poor fellow's heart through, and long enough, certainly, to chill hts body through; for, by and by, he shuddered and got up and crossed over to his stove. But his stove was cold; the Are In it bad gone out. Finding which to be the case, Btrahan raised the lid of bis coal bln, and looked iu. There was just light enough ror him to see that his coal-bin was bare. Then be went to the door, opened It, and stepped in to tie street and waved his hands. But this time ho did more. Be pointed inpetiently toword the door. Btrahan took the bint. Outside, he cut covetous glance upon the grocer’s securely pad-locked coal box. If he that looketh upon another’s goods to Inst after them, bath ready committed robbery in his heart, Btrahan at that moment rank to the level of a pick 1 pocket. Back In his studio, he realised that the con- ditlon of affairs was now worse than grave. *’ was getting desperate. The wind kept fresh, ening, tbo oold Inter intensifying. Strabau had not a i enny in bis purse, nor an object in his pos- ■ J DUU; ggg UIO 11W nil VtywVfr IU UIS jrva* seulon which might be exchanged for money at the pawn shop. To the other grocers of the quarter, he was a stranger. Ho could expect no credit from them. Vet It behooved him to kindle a Are at once, and to keep it going at least till morning. Otherwise stood in His Lilith stood In the center of the floor, ahronded in damp cloths. Impulsively, he put out his band to caress her. Horror? The cloths were already beginning to congeal 1 He looked abont the room. What had he there, that night be converted into Are wood —a chair w,ui» unuw huu, these were all. His bedstead was of Iron. But quick of though, those were reduced to splin ters; and into ,tho stove they went. Btrahan applied a match, Presently a lusty Are was waking the echoes op the chimney. But this was merely a makeshift. Lilith's peril waanotaverted; she had obtained a short reprieve. An hour or two at the farthest, and the last of the embers would die and the cold come swooping down again upon her fleroer than before. But in an emergency to gain time it something. In this hour or two much might be accomplished. Within a eeupie of hours, if all went wall, Btrahan would be able lo reach the abode ef his old pupil, Walter El liott, borrow a dollar from him, get back home; and, recruited by coats purchased with ready money, dare the elements to do their worst. Elliott dwelt over in Bixty-tbird street, east of Lexingten avenue. Btrohan followed a diagonal courts across Central park. The full moon was set like a splendid topes in the dark vanlt of the sky. The naked twin of the trees,coated with leesparkltd diamond fashion “IT WAS COLD. The day had been mild—sky overoast, wind with likewarm moisture. But now the bad veered around into the northwest, and it - M .. ----- -fSiSU UUSUlUg USUI USNMJ, IU the unpaved railway the mud was freezing. ! lnt0 the street end stayed jpggfcyi atMMd there till hit observations of the weather were complete. After that, he returned in-doors. omplete. After that, he Toe condition of affairs were grave. A cold ■nap and an empty eoal-bin formed the most dlsastrouaofcomblnatlous. Not that Btrahan minded the cold much on his own aooount-he could move about and kesp warm. But his Lilith—aha upon whom be had lavished his thought, his lore, his strength, his skill, for a year part—the who was the food of his ambi tion, the fountain of his hone—to her, oold might mean nothing short or absoT __ absolute ruin. Bhe was it 111 in day—not yet quite ready to have her mold taken in plaster—and If the clay should freeze, as it surely would, in this reftlgitalor of a studio, unless there ares a Are, If the clay should freeze—! Btrahan did not allow the appalling notion to assume pslptbla shape. Ho picked up the tattered bushel- basket, which in his domestic equipment ride-awake bat, and set ont for the grocer shop. He already owrd the groeera snug sum for fuel; and it never occurred to him that that worthy might prove unwilling to add another grocer sat comfortably behind his counter, reading a Gorman newspaper and smoking a German pips. As the bell oval _ _ over tho dock tinkled at Strahan’s entrancei'the grocer lowered his newspaper, and glanced op. But when be saw who tho new comer was, aad recognized the fkmiliar outlines of the coal basket, hemmed his lips, knitted hit brows, shook his bead, and gesticulated deprecatlngly With hit hands. L Though the significance of this pantomime was Unmistakable, it failed of its effects. Btrahan, not to be dismayed, drewa pencil from bis pocket, took a scrap of wrapping paper from the counter, scribbled a word or two upon it, and banded the paper to the grocer. “Coals—please,” was what Strahan had writ ten. ■ The grocer in hit turn produced a pencil, Kpd wrote by way of rejoinder. “Got eany munny. .f Despite the absence of Interrsgition point, SBtraban construed this to be a question, and on s'le a tixn ia the negative. ■dypGn the grocer shook his head aad waved ■Pjpojou mean," wrote Btrahan, “that you wi : not trust me for a basket full r* ■She grocer nodded. r not T1 wrote Strshae. •tT.SH" wrote the grocer, alluding doubtless the amoant of Straban’a present s mre. ill rarely receive some money this week.” wrote Strahan, “and Ikea I’ll with you. You must let me have coals featrojad. iaht. or cite my work will hr a*e let ni have them.” HBiJhaa's eyes—eager as the eyes or dumb ere wont to be—devoured the grocer's fare, as the latter scanned this appeal. For a third Uat the grocer shook his haed trrea,coated with Irojperkltd diamond fashion in the wind. All tho nir shlmmerod with a frosty, mystio light. Tbo oold was plorolc and Btrahan wm thinly clad; hot ho walk briskly, and between exercise and excitement managed to keep tolerably warm. In lass than live and forty mlnntaa ho had palled Elliott’s bell. A maid answered it Btrahan fished a pad of paper from ont tho depths of hia pocket, and with stiffened fingi scrawled. “It Ur. Walter Elliott at home!” The meld read the qneetlon, eyed the dumb and shabby visitor with suspicious cariosity, and at length said, “Yes.” Btrahan watched her 11 pa, aad understood ‘Then,” ho wrote, “please say that Ur. Btrahan would like to seo him.” The maid left Btrahan standing in tho hall and went up stairs. By and by, coming back, the signalled to him to enter the parlor. Then, AfliMaf you havo hunted mo up. Am pari;, Will bo with you instda of ton minuter. Meanwhile, sit down and make yourself mon arch of oil yon anivey. W. E.” btrahan tat down, and tried to bapetlont. Ten minutes! And each of them infinitely jo nun to enter cue parior. men, haring 111 tho gas, she banded hip a note, and r Stahan: Many Xmas!' Delighted that ' ' * " ' m dressing for a counted! Whet if, when be regained hia studio, he should And that tho dreadful mischief had been wrought! The misgiving made hia flesh lienee it, by rising pnd creep. He strove to elienco peeing restless to and fro. It was qnlto twenty minutes before Elliott appeared, The pair shook hands. A sharp contrast tboy pretented; theonr "' “ vrn, In (pollen li picture of health, prosperity, and wall-bainx; the otheront at elbows, sallow, nnkompt,ill- I beard fed,with long,disheveled hair and tangled h they had been content notaries, and Elliott bad hired Btrahan to give ultr counaa war* In painting. Elll rich father, but dubious talents. Stahan had Ibsen n mistress; he had forsworn her, and espoused Lew. To'Btrahan Art was a wife, he brink of had remained faithfnl to har.no to the hrinL . starvation. True, KUIott had famished an esthetic atndio at the top of tho house, where bo etill dabbled with his paints on Sundays. On Boadnys Btrahan put by hia mndellng-toola, and raid walking sticks to tho crowd on Fifth avenue; " venue; thereby acquiring the wherewithal to any him through tbo week. Elliot, who bad learned to express himself meyintho _ mended, “Well, Btrahan, bow arc yon getting on!" “ Oh, so so,” was Strahan’s answer. “And yonl” “First rate," signed Elliott. “Bsastly cold ontsidr, isn’t It.” “Bitter," assented Strahan. “Well, tomorrow being Christmas, it's no more than we’re bound to expect. Hard at work, I enpgosc!” 'Yea. Hy Lilith ia nearly finished." My L . ‘Good I What are you going to havo her done marble?" in—hronse or i O, well, ebe'll esc after yon got rich. But why sit down? Sitting’s cheap as standing." "No, thank yon; I won’tait down. Tho fact lend me s dollar. “Kind enough! A dollar? Why, ‘ , if you want n, 111 coming in next week. One Will be ample, i yon can spare Ik” “Take this, anyhow.” sold Elliott, and thrust upon the applicant a A i Are dollar MU. When Strahan bsdo Elliott fiood-bye, which i permit, ho saw he did as by the clock on half-post nine—nearly an hoar and t quarter, he calculated, since he had left hia stadia. Dread at heavily upon bis heart, as ha panted bis march back. He ran till hia braeth gave out; (ben ho lapwd into a rapid walk. It was cold «r r. The mercury, hi guessed, had fallsu to tho neighborhood or aero. (Tho papers, next fallen to 40° below.) The moonlight seamed liken vaporized form of lee. Slrahan’e breath condauod and Wore opts his beard. Hia imagination acted as though be witched. Ghastly visions of Lilith in ruins kept hovering before him, and taming his blood to inter. These alternate with deaaling flsibcs <f lope, which, by the force of contrast only served to aggravate his mortal angnish. Btrahan bad got about half way through the idgin C Ik—ins trudging along ■ narrow foot-path, dged on either tide by lead so but hoe-when ba I teams aware that ha was not the only pe destrian abroad in thia quarter ef the world: heading Mm by a rod or two, ho could make out the foim of a woman, clad ia some tight-col ored stuff that flattered in tbs wind and caught a silvery letter bom tho moon. She, Uko him self, appeared to bo hastening onward at top speed. Hia interest followed in tho track of hb attention, and|he fell to speculating languidly i, andjfhe . . upon the ponlble nature of htstnvellng-com pan ion's errand. He wondarod with pastlvo Ho igry , noticed that, despite her baste, ehe advanced with oomewhat uncertain footstep#, as though tired and weak. Once, Indeed, ihe tottered, if on tbcfpoint of failing, b herself in time, and hurried torn in the path ahnt her from hie sight; and ■peedily, whatever passing fonclee she had aroused in hia mind, took themselves off. in hia mind, Bnt pretty soon, hr,too had reached tho turn in the rath, around which tho woman hid dis appeared. Mechanically, he raised his eyee, * - * - * --- -■ ' — 'obosi fought her figure. She was nowhere to He concluded that she had gained np and got lost to view among the ihsdows ahead. Orbed be unconsciously slackened hia own pace, and lagted behind? Now, be consciously quickened it# . Next instant his foot struck violently against an obstacle on the ground—something soft and clastic, that would bare felt like a mass of India-rubber, except for the strange, nneanny nnt darting np hia log. He lUUIg*JUUVVi| 1UI WUU DlIHUJqv, UUWUUT thrill whieh it sent darting np hia leg. He looked downward. There before him, obliquely serose the path, with the moon shining fall upon it, lay a woman's body; this was the ob stacle that bis foot had encountered—the wo- man, ho had po doubt, who, a moment since, had been the subject or hie Idle speculations. Bhe wit an old woman, with thin, gray hair, and a white, peaked bee, to whieh the moon- light lent a greenish tinge. Bhe wore an up' •casonble gown of faded yollow calico, and had no wrap. Her eyes, though wide opee, np. jjj... ■ and swooned. She was ly nnconicions. g spoctaclo. all of at a glance. And straightway there presented themselves for his lection the two horns of n maddening If ho should go abont hia business and leave that woman alone there in that unfrequented foot-path with the temperature such as it was, she would certainly freeze to death; and he would be morally as bad ns her murderer. If, on tho contrary, he should do what In common humanity ho felt bound to do—take her upon hia shoulders and bear her away to a ' * ' - l id - place of warmth and shelter—it ho thfluld do u ' ’••ef i« “his toot struck violently aoanst an OBJECT ON THE atOUND.” would o into min of would t from of tho lously i this, in the surely, all to his studio, ai his I.llitb. 1 mean to Bin lile life; It wi beauty that 1 wrought out Ihe blight o throw of hia would mean- tbat It would to him than 1 hia nostrils, b destruction o: flesh cot near — ___ This was the dllomma that stand him morel* icisly in the face, and woka a flares- deep tiring In in his breast. He begrudged even the &e that was needed for Its consideration, cry second wuprioeless to him now. And yet, bo had to choose—choose between hinder- ! ing I-Ilith and this unknown old woman, tell, he thought he bid made np hia mind. sir; It Ing all lesrer athto in tbs mdof The woman— was probably death could —her r, her ucsin couia not macs matter—anyoow, ner mishap was not bis fault—wherefore should ho *—Mir-*-’ ' —• ■" ‘ treat it u hit concern?—perhaps somebody would pau that way before It was too lata: perhaps—he threw out hia arm, as if to ward off his more human impalatL and tarn his back upon her, aad strode resolutely forward. But ha Old not go for. A few yards, and ha balled. His better instincts had revolted. There was a abort, bnt a mighty battle. Btra- hsn laced about. No; come what might, ha could not dnd it In him to yo away, and lea re bar to die there •Inna rimh ■ alone. Lilith's death-warrant was sealed, flo faced about, recovered in n breathing-space tbs distance he had gained, whipped off hia coat, id it does around tho old woman's body, itr tenderly In hia armnand started npon tho shortest cat ht knew of,out of tho psrk. His progress to slow. The wind blew a ila In hia teeth, and made It hard work to rathe. Tbo old woman was an awkward burden. He bad to atop every now and then, teehlftber position and get better purchase. Besides, cold, hanger, ana anxiety had told upon his physical resources; and ha was not a muscular fallow at his beat. HIs heart fall like a dead weight in his bosom. The pain had given place to numb ache. His mental focal lies, also, sc I Ills llth’s con- The pod; la- flfrh Mod few boon onld run Ho shod lice, also, ecru mind bed fed doom, until it sunken into a tcious of little wind rat bis el and he bad to But at last b cams out upon •boot. Ho 1m window. The saras ho do? All at ones t police station quickened bla ' be station-house. The hands of the station-bourn clock aiarked master toward sloven when Btrahan an tend. _.iey marked a quarter seat sierra before he got away. To begin with, the officer in charge contained an eternity in tale*raping for an ambnlanco; and then another eternity was wasted while ho required Btrahan to write ont a statement of exactly when, whan, and how, ho had Mien in with the woman, and to sub scribe and swear to it with dat solemnity. Bnt finally Etraben was free. Us did net tarry to Iran tho extant of the old woman’s • Inrlss. She was still ooeonaflons, whan ht Jt As bo cleared Ike etaiioo.henao vaatib zio a terrible hope sprang to life within him. He bad act been absent men than throe bounelt >• gather. Perhspe-pcrbipi, his fin had lasted longer than he had thought U would! Cortaln- Perbapa it was not yet toe late. He ran. Hope endowed Jhltn with fresh vigor. He ran ntbreak-nock speed np Eighth * ” * irth street. avenue. He turned Into Ninety-foui Yes—thank God!—the grocer’s (bop on the comer was Still open. Into tho grocer’s shop, likes mad mao,ho daahed. A few fainto gestures, a flattering five dollar bill—and again he was in ths street, now bearing a great bucketful of reel and kindling wood. Bnt before his studio door, ho halted and hesitated. Hope and courage suddenly for sook him. Hawse afraid to enter—afraid to lift tho curtain and confront tho troth. The proMbllfttaa had now reversed themselves In his mind. Three hours, three mortal Aonre I In that time what a vast tragedy tho cold had had leisure to enact. Uls eyesight penetrated the house, and beheld within the solid wall of , a scene of nameless havoc. Hat Ms hesitation was short-lived. It yielded to the stolidity of despair. Ho unlocked tho door and eroowd tbo threshold. At ha did to, a gust of wind extinguished tho flams In tho lamp-poet on the xtlnguii urbetom It was pitch dark Inside, and, as Strahan “ BUT NOW WHAT A TITlrUL WBBCK SIIB WA*! took (quick note, colder oven than without— rold In a mtreiggreasi re and assert!re way. Bnt he did not filter. He had resolved to face tho wont, whatever it might bo; and at onon he act abont doing to. lie scratched a match, waited forthaaniphnr to burn away, then lighted a candle, and " * n empty porter bottle. Ho it in tbo o&zzlc of au watched the flame leap" up,* die down, again ctiupgleujv ::ud become clear abdeteudy. Ho railed the m .dta aloft, fortified himself with a deep brqatsj i.irncJ around, and iookod at white cloths. He etretebed forth bis hand and placed it np her shonlder. The cloths were frozen as hard aa Iron. These most bo thawed out, lint or ail. He went to bis store, and felt of it. Tho Ore had evidently been dead a long while. Tho •tore waa stone-MM. Ho emptied into It tbo contents of hia backet, and touched the mass with hia candle flame. By and bya the bent began to tell. Lllith’a cerements began to molt. One by ono, ho (tripped her of thorn. At last she stood before him, unrolled. A enperb piece of work, indeed, eho was. of tho myth, and choaen to npreaont her at tha moment of her expulsion from Eden. Her opu lent hair flowed In wild disorder down her hack. Hsr wide open eye*, her parted lips, bar clenched lagan, her attitude at ones terrified and defiant,all combined toaxprasthedrapalr and ths fory of tho soomed and forsaken wo man. Paradise lay behind her, before her tho unknown world, from which tha shrank aghast. Her exquisitely modolod limbs were rigid with fear. AU the eeniuoasneat, all the Persian, had vanished from her foot; its bean ifnl futures ware eloquent of the woe, tho r that were burning In Bnt nnw, wbat a jdllful wreak the was 1 At tho touch of the cold, the had become a grim caricalorool herself. Tbeclaylnfreezinghad, of course, ezponded and contracted unequally. " sure at the corner of her month ........... likes sabre eat across heroheek, nod gave her the eemblanco of grotesque laughter. Another fissure, starting just above her breast, ran alg-zagdown her body, and disciosod tbs Iron snpporta within. A third encircled bar waist, like a girdle. Hero sad thei face had began to pool off in scales. Btrahan, for awn!!#, stood atoppSi at her with doll, smitten eyre. The bimnlf npon the floor, ana, dumb I firs roared in the etore. Tbealrofthe room grew warmer and warmer. Clay in thaw ing undergoes a process of dissolution. Pres ently, with a soft thud. Lilith flattened herself out npon the ground. In a letter written rams ton months later Siralian rayr. “At first I thought I should go mad. Weeks passed before I was able to begin ‘ tried egal again and again work, hut it was no use. Hr to get to it though mo back. My right hand had lost itet conning. I received soma money about this Urns, and mads up my mlad to ehaags my studio. I got eetlkd In n new ona toward tha and of March, and started over again. I'astess. My clay acted Ilka a thing possessed. I was getting drape rate, losing my self-respect. What a poor, Incompetent, worthiest thing I was, I thought. Bnt finally, late In April, I started tha flgnro again. This time my skiU trained to be born anew. Ever sines, 1 nave bean hard, very hard, at work, so that within six wicks mors I shall hare tbo clay modal finished and ready for tha caster. “Now, what teemsd lace than n year ago ■ to be ablei overwhelming calamity torus out t Ing; for the new flgnro It vastly better than its . predacasrar—abler, more toil pathetic. Bo. the eld woman was my bsnefoes trio, after all. 1 * Btrsban’s Lilith was exhibited ths following spring. It made him famous. Unappreciated Pine Art. From the Springfield Republican. Tha cartoonist who calls himself “Grimm," In the employ of James Gordon Bennett, ■prrad upon the pages of teal night’s New York gecnlog Telegram mow vulgarity In pf A GREAT AWAKENING, Ily JAMES FHANKUX FITTS. and other stories In Lippincott’s. Conti ^ utor of itoTies and poems to Harper’c Youth's Companion, Galaxy, etc. (Copyrighted IMS, by 8. s. McClure.) If the reader can conceive what hie emotions would be upon mooting face to face In a crowd ed street a man whoso faneral ho had attend ed seven yean before, ho will than be nblo to realise how I felt when I came suddenly npon Milton Bora in a for western city. I (topped abruptly, rooted to tho pavement, as It were, with tho shock. “Why, Milton!” I cried, holding forth my band. There was not a sign of recognition in hia face; indeed, there was that very faint earl of tbo lip, hardiynsneer, which Isoftenaoan when a person is sainted by mistake. Bnt it was imposilbla that I could make any mistake about thia man. Years before I had met Mm almost dally In onr eastern home, had fre quently transacted holiness with him—knew bed been my brother, and what e funeral seven yean before’ Hero attesdad his . bo stood, in hts own person, tho same as when I last saw Mm in Ufa, bearing not n trace of ago nor change. “Yon surely know mo, Milton,” I mid. “I am John Tanner.” This time there was a very dacldad sneer, “I don’t donbt that your acquaintance Is a very desirable one, Hr. Tanner, to those who . . ... hn , j uro mtifortuue are honored with not to bo of the number. Please stand aside, air.” I obeyed, In dumb amazement, and he walked on. Every word and motion gave me incrcaird nsinrance that hero was no mistake. Not only was the voles that of Milton Boss, bnt the manner ood substance of Ms apoach had that half saroastio dash for which be had been noted. I watched him as he strode off throogh tho crowd, and there was that peculiar " that I could have sworn to aoywhere; a gait weakness In tha right Mp causing tho step’ of " ‘ ‘ '' than tbo atop of tbo that foot to bo shorter left. My bntlncsa in thia town wai finished, and I was on my way to tha railroad station when this meeting occurred, ily resolution was at once taken to wait foranothcr train. Na- now! What will my Mrs. Boss Sly If you be tray me?” 1 looked at hips curiously. “I should Judge that you hadn't heard lately “I have never heard from there; I did not dare to nsmo tho place or make an Inquiry?” “Then you will bo Interested to know that the died three years seo.” The man jumped to hit foet and paced tho room liken crazy person, fnd actually shed trots of joy at the announcement. "May aha bo happier is heaven than Shg ever wo* with me on earth,” he raid, when Me excitement had somewhat calmed. “Threo gun ago, do yon ray? It Is not twoyoara since I met here the only woman that I evor loved. Tbo love and disappointment of twen ty years ago came back too powerfully to bo resitted. Bash as it was, wrong as I believed It, I married her. And now you tell me I hail appears. But you haven't told me yet bow you came to life.’’ “I’ll do it. First, though, how did things, my tfiklra, go on at 8 after—after—" “Yon mean after your death? Very prop erly Indeed. Your funeral was a particularly lino one, very well attended, and your old poster preached an oxcellentdlaoouras. T thick that ou my return I'll have to look np some of the nowspoprr obituaries and send them to - you, they would bo intonating reading. As for yonr bnsinras affairs, yon probably don’t need to have mo tell yon that they wore found in exultant shape. Yonr estate was reined at thirty thousaad dollars, If I remember rightly, with bnt little debt. To tell tho troth, yonr wife didn't seem to take your loss much to heart, and—” “I ece,” said Bose, with n bread smile, “she found coucolatlou elsewhere." “She married in barely a year after your funeral.” “Wall—ail right; bnt curiosity leads me to ask who the happy man was.” “You couldn't gueas.” "Of conrea not." "It was 'Squire Braden.” That Insignificant little whiffet! Whall Well, what won't a woman do)" Tho tension and stress under which Milton Boss bed suffered wore now gone, and ho to able to Join in tbo laugh that hu hut remark provoked. Then bo proceedsd to give me m brief account of tbo csoso and manner of hia dlrappraranee from S . With tho disguise that u bare gIren to the names of persons and places, tha wbols episode ia committed to print as Illustrating n phase of onr social life, which. Ifunplrosaot to contemplate is nono tho loss an existing fact. Milton Boss, aa wa know him In S—, was n eccentricity of tbo procoedlug. Bo I followod mj quondam and onco burloil friend down the alien, keeping him oaslly insight. Once letup- “■ ! had-the air of being prd a (cntlrman who I and, indicating tbo object of my pursuit, asked hint if bo could IcUmo that man's uanio. Ho could, certainly; that was Stanloy Iiobblas, the merchant. “Lives here?’’ • Oh, yr t." m “How long?" My Informant reflseted an instant, and said tbo time was rather more than six years. I continued tho pursuit. It led mo into a large drygoods establishment, over the hand- acme front of whieh was displayed In great gilt letters the name of Bobbins. Walking straight back to tbo olleo, I found tho pro- irietor alone. His fair forehead contracted nto a frown as he nr mo; and then ha did a thlngthataeemedtomo very significant. Ho closed the office door. “Sir, you are laboring under n very curious of wedlock bed brought him no children, but it was never suspected that tho pair did not enjoy an averacb sbaio of marftal felicity, Thosrr"** ‘ secret truth decorously veiled from tbo world In tbo skillful American fashion, was that tin so two, whom God was supposed to delation," bo mid. “Sir, I am not! You are long resident of i you, I to And , In tbestato of —. You wore burled there seven yean ago. How you got ont of ’Oar grave, and got ao uneh life ir —- ’ Jon’t know, and I hare tbo eorlosll out. How waa Ur’ Tha nan certainly had wonderful, amazing srlf-peaatanoa. I had adopedn tone and man' nor of cool (Monaco, hoping to throw Mm off bla guard; bat be orermstehad mo. His faoa wore an easy amlle, combined ofamosemtnt and irritation, and ho replied promptly to my “My daar Mr, pleas# remember that I am * busineea man, and bare not tbo time for any tsnimtional nonsense. Yon look liken person In posstnlonof his senses, nnd I nm willing to belicvo that It Is only yonr ssnl that hts tad yoa into annoying me shoal an toeldoatal lerenbtaneo. If yon bore no other business tore, I most wish yoa good morning.” nowprovoMnxIycoolbowia, to bo aural But I was not to bo thrown off tho scant by any snob dtvlco. I put my cud down on tho desk before him. “Mr. Bom,” I said, "there is my name; It It well enough known to yon without tho card. I shall leavs this town by tha flva o'clock train; in tha meant!ms I shall ba at tha G—■ boost. Yon'd better call than and esplaln Ibis resurrection to mo.” He flipped away tho card nnd took down a ledger. My hand 1 I was on tha door knob when ba twang his stool round sad faced me. don’t—that Is—yon won’t think It neccrauy lo telegraph or write to 8- I are yoa again?” ■poke in tbo worda! 1 said, “this masquerading hu ■Milton," . no far enough with ns. You Jdecelvtd. Spook out a man,aad explain yourealt" I aaw • rapid change in hia foca at ha opsn- id the door bimotif ~~ * * — I "can’t now, Uko Ud called oat: "Mr. Perkins, f eball be particularly engag ed for an hour. 1 moat not bo disturbed.” opportunity of releasing himself from bis hateful bonds, at tho price of tho sscrlfico of property, nsmo and life- long associations. Ho promptly solzcil it. Bring in Now York on « brief business visit, ho had occasion to be absent from Ml hotel over night. Tho papor nut morning' ' ' “ m account of t fire. Several, rein mi noici over nignt. 'J no paper miing brought (o him in Brooklyn an of the destruction of thlshouraby ' iveral guests had lost thalr lives; one of Identified, and probably could not bo, f nditlon, bnt It wu tool S nditlon, bnt It wu thought to bo that of a r. Bose, of B . For twenty-fonr boars thereafter that Individual aecluded himself and awaited oventa. Tbo press or tbo next morning stated tbxt the body bad been sent to 8 , u unquestionably that of Its link nsto citizen. Confident that he btd loft do In or abont the metropolis by which truth could bo known. Boat accepted tho •(Signed him, and bocamo practically and hurried to all bis past llfo. fortunate citizen, no doe In or about tho the truth could bo' Mo dead Neither my interest in this drama of roat lifs, nor Its own unities, would have been nt> tailed without my introduction to tbo present Milton’s Invitation to dine with him. na to (beautiful homo and Introduced took ■ arming, 1 drama, swing any lessons; yet ti •ay that bore waspoiltlvoi , if tbo thing aver existed. ded happiness, if the thing over existed. But I wonder what the lady tbouxbt when I Inad vertantly railed her hatband Mr. Boss. PURSUmo THE HMDS. General Ulles Has n Conflict with tho 11oolite. Washington, Juno U.—Tho war depart ment has received tha following telegram from General Miles dated at Caleb*etas, June': ’For thirty six days the hostile Apaches here ... hands and Is and two with Hie Mexican tnwpi ■^iSn^^thViniK the rmnra'lon wider clono control. Instead of jetting aaaliUnco wha^rjc^toytidweracw* ■jjalliiijlc; stole l|S malndcr In the Catu Deere haa been drlren Lebo. end Captain I throogh Pategoola ll»o troop* under cavalry, wits SO soldiers end Indian acogTOgtaag^ ' ';!»/..‘ 7 ._ [whom ibey C fomi7 aiiimed Hi. y have tit eiven no rest, an<l If not VHn toJay thej will be drlren Into Hoacra, Mexico. the door and ached me to tit down. . •lood before me, end said, in a defiant vole* that waa plainly assumed: “Yon an right, Mr. Tanner, I am MUton Boas. What then?” ’Nothing, in particular, only it strikes mo Imalnus here; but from t „ you've faced mo daw* for tho test half hoar, I should say yoa would make a capital actor.” His cool bravado i strain bad been loo great and bla braak-c chair and looked pltlfaily at ■ half bear, ’For tho tall half boor, John,” bo Slid, “I've hen suffering tbo tormooto of tbo damred. Yoa on tho drat person from 8 , or anywhere east, who bee come serose me since I dkapprarad. I have been schooling myself for years to play tho part that I hare been trying to ploy on yoa, and too hare seen " " i need to bo ‘ Culture or Sumac. From the Wesahlngtea I’ost We angled Ibotsome ot the heads or depart- meets at Washington hare adopted the admirable plan established by Mr. Everts when be was secre tary ofttate, ol requiring our diplomatic egenti •broad to report lo their government any reel’ connected with the trado, commerce andiproducM ofthe coontrtao to which they have been accred- led for lb# benefit and Information of our own etuntry. Our council at Palermo, Italy, In a tetter to Ms department, lays that tbo prevalent Ide* In Ibis country In regard to growing :-iclll*n su mac from tho Media erroneous. lie states that lit Hlcily ft Is never grown from tho seed, bnt always from tbo «— 1 Ibe divided roots ol tbo plants, memberofone/.r tho liras sumsc firms la ly, Mr. Robert Kaiser, writes: i“Tbe tuuao my failure. John, m# arretted? Give me ap to tho law?" 'Mr. Boas, this masquerading oat of tbo grave, whers you properly belong, is n more matter of curiosity to aw. I'm not (wars that agiTtl •t*-l it thrown i you’re committed any ertms, nnloav it is pun- sbabte for a dead nun to pretend to ba alive.’’ For heaven's soke. John, don’t jest with me of this wonderful narralire U