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Fate. With Sodom apples fill thy harvest bin; Barter heart-wealth for gold in Fashion’* mart; Traverse rough seas some distant port to win Without a chart Fray the fine cord of Love until it break; Launch thy pirogue before the storm abate; Tease the prone, sleeping Peril till it wake; Then rail at Fate. —[Danske Danbridge. ALMOST PERSUADED. A sultry evening had closed over the jreat city. Overhead, the stars shono faintly along the closo, narrow streets; ho gaslights flickered; overy doorstep, svery open casement in this densely populated quarter of the city was packed full of humanity, striving to get i breath of air. Lilly Germond had come home late from the store. She was tired and dispir ited; and the gentle little step-mother, to whom she always turned for sym pathy and tenderness, had gone to ipend a week at her brother’s farm on the Connecticut River. How strange and empty the little room looked, with the vacant rocking chair and work-basket so unwontedly tidy. “I wish she was back again,” Lilly lighed, as she dropped into a chair, and began listlessly to eat her supper, of a slice of baker’s bread broken into a bowl of sky-blue city milk. “I wonder why Uncle Mark didn’t ask mo, too! I luppose he thought I couldn’t leave the itore; but I could have got a few days vacation I am sure; or perhaps thoy had but one spare room, though I could lurely have slept with mother, just as I do hero.” Lilly Germond did not know how much good Uncle Mark Stevens dreaded ft meeting between his son Ben and "any feather-headed city girl,” as he expressed it "Ben is as good as gold,’* reasoned Mr. Stevens, talking the matter over With his wife; "and I don’t want any silly coquette playing with his feelings. If he’s to have a wife—as I s’pose it’s In tho nature of things ho should have some timo—let it be some sensible girl fts will be a real companion to him that you and me can take comfort with. But don’t ask Mary to bring that step daughter o’ hers here. She's no kin to us, anyway you can fix it, and it’ll only be exposing Ben to temptation and folly.” "It seems kind o’ hard though,” said Aunt Almira, "to separate mother and child.” “Mary’s my own sister,” said Mr. Stevens, “and Tm willin’ to give her country air and change of scene. But I don’t owe no duty to Mary’s step daughter, as I know of.” But when Mrs. Germond told them of Lilly’s sweet temper and patient toil, of her long days of work in the store, and her cheerful evenings of sewing for her mother, the hearts of both of these old people softened in some degreo. “Father,” said Mrs. Stevens to her husband, “Mary’s step-daughter must be different from what you and me s’posed. I almost wish—don’t you?— that we had asked her here, too?’’ “Bo do I,” said Uncle Mark. “Look here, Almira 1 Ben is going to take a load of cord-wood into town on Thurs day. S’po=e we tell him to go around by Bracken street and bring Mary’s step-daughter out for a surprise to her mother—eh 1” Kind Mrs. Stevens brightened all ever. “That will he a real nice plan,” said she. “And if Lilly is anything like what Mary says, I guess wo shan’t have no reason to regret it. It does seem too bad to think of anybody cooped up in the hot city such weather as this.” If tired, overworked Lilly Germond could have known all this how her heart would havo leaped up withiC herl But wo are not always aware how near the angel of deliverance is to us; and she was very rebellious in her heart this night. “It's all one wretched treadmill of toil and drudgery,” she murmured to herself, with never a prospect of change or recreation 1 One might as well be dead I” Just then, Arietta Wales, a bright young factory girl who boarded on the floor above, knocked at the door. “Ail alone, Lilly?” said she. “I thought as much. Well, I’ve got such a plan to propose to you 1 John Merton is going to take me to the Gleeful Soci ety’s ball tonight at Windford hall. And he’s got a ticket for an extra lady; and so, why can’t you go with us? ’ “II” Lilly Germond turned red and pale. “But—mother don’t approve of balls I” “Of course she don’t 1” retorted An etta, with a toss of her yellow, much befrizzed hair. “She’s old and pokey, and you are young and gay. Besides, •he’s only your step-mother, and you can’t expect her to feel for you as she would do if she were your own mother.” Lilly frowned a little, but she passed «u to the next objection. “I’ve got nothing to wear,” said she. “Yes, you have—that pretty white muslin with the ueedle-work flounces. Nothing can be prettier than that. And John does so want you to go. He’s got a friend coming—such a genteeL young man! Do come, Lilly! Think how much nicer it will be than sitting here in this stuffy hole, with Mrs. Booker’s baby crying next door, and old Mr. Farren playing the flute overhead.” "I promised mother not to go out any whore in tho evening while she wa3 gone,” hesitated Lilly. "What of that? Shell never know,” urged Arietta. "She surely can't ex pect you to mew yourself up here like a mouse in a trap, while she is enjoying herself. Old folks are so selfish!” Once more Lilly frowned. "My mother is not selfish,” said she. "Oh, woll we won’t argue about that,” Said Ariotta, coaxingly. "But there’s no reason you shouldn't soe a little life* once in a white, as long as I and John are along to keep you com pany!” "It would be nice,” said Lilly. *Tve almost a mind to go.” "Then make haste about it!” cried Arietta. “I’ll call lor you as I come down stairs. The earlier wo are there, the better chance wo have on the dan cing-floor.” Lilly wont into the back room after Arietta was gone. Mrs. Booker sat’ there) rocking her baby on her knee, and to her tho girl confided her desires. "I wouldn’t!’ said Mrs. Booker, shaking her head, sober’ 7. "Why not?” "That Gleeful Sot ty don’t bear the best ruputation, Lilly, ’ «>.;! 1 Mrs. Book er. "A lot of giddy girls auJ reckless young men that are bent on earning their living some way outsido of honest work. I don’t think your mother would like you to get into such com pany as that while she is gone.” "Thore’s always somo reason to keep mo from enjoying myself, so far as I can see! ’ bunt out poor Lilly. "Ari etta Wales is going, and I mean to go, tool” Mrs. Booker looked pityingly after her a 3 she flounced out of tho room. "Poor girl, it is sort 0’ hard upon herl” she pondered. "And she so young and pretty, too, and worked so steady all day! But that Gleeful So ciety—it ain’t what I should like a daughter of mine to get mixed up in. However, a willful girl will have her O wTi TtSj," Half an hour later there cams a soft "tap-tap” on the panels of Mrs. Book er’s door, and a brown, handsome face peeped in. "Bog pardon, ma’am,” said a cheery voice; "but is this Miss Garmond’s room? I’m her cousin Ban, and her mother has sent me to bring her out to tho country and make a little visit there.” * "And I'm her Uncle Stevens,” added a second voice, "and the team’s wait ing below, and there ain’t no time to lose.” _ a "Dear me, I'm so sorry!’’ crieu Mrs. Booker, starting to her feet; "but Lilly Germond has gone to a ball I” "A ball!” echoed Uncle Stevens. "Gone to a ball!’’ reiterated Ben in amazement. "With her mother away,” cried the old man, "and my sister telling me how quiet and steady she was! Come, Ban; I don’t know as we want no ball-going young ladies out at the old farm. I guess perhaps we’d better be starting for home.” “But wait a minute; perhaps she left some word,” said Mrs. Booker. “Her room is the next one beyond; I’ll go and see.” “I guess it ain’t worthwhile,” inflex ibly uttered Uncle Mark. Mrs. Booker knocked at the door of Mrs. Germond’s room, as a sort of forlorn hope. “Come ini” called a soft voice. And there sat Lilly at her sewing by the light of a shaded kerosene lamp. “You look surprised l” cried Lilly, laughing. “But you see I decided, after all, to take your good advice, Mrs. Booker.” “And I never was so glad of any thing in my life,” said Mrs. Booker. “My dear, here’s your uncle and cousin from the country, with a team, waitin’ to take you to your mother." Lilly uttered a cry of delight as she jumped up, and flung her sewing into tho corner of the room. “Really?” she cried “truly? or am I dreaming? Where are they?” Bho ran out into the hall, and was kissing Uncle Mark and shaking hands with Ben almost before they knew it. “So you didn’t go to the ball after all?” said the old man, his hard face softening as much under the blue joy ousness of her eyes as boncath the touch of her rosy young lips. “No,” said Lilly—although I was sorely tempted to forget mother’s good advice. But I never disobeyed her yet, and Tm not going to begin now. But it was so dull and lonesome here!” “Poor child! I should think so,” said Uncle Stevens, with a look into the dismal room. “But now put on your things —quick 1 The horses don’t like standing there knee-deep among ragged children.” Lilly was not long in packing her little bag; and when she ran to bid Mrs. Booker good-bye, she whispered: "It was your good advice that turned the scale. Thank you so much for it. How much I should have lost if I had gone to the balll” “She’s a nice girl,” said Uncle Mark to his wife that night, whon Lilly was asleep in the lavender-scented bedroom that looked out upon the river, "and I don’t wonder Mary’s proul of her. But I did feel sort of queer, just for a min ute when I thought she was a-larking round at balls with Mary knowin’ noth ing about it.” "Of course she wouldn’t do nothin’ of the sort!’ said Auat Almira reso lutely. "She didn’t, it seems,” said Uncle Mark. A week -afterward, Lilly hoard, through a letter from Mrs. Booker, that the ball of the Gleeful Socioty had been inexorably broken up by a detach ment of the police, in search of some counterfeiters who belonged to tho den, chief among whom were Arietta Wales’ beau, John Merton, and his friend who had been destined to escort her, Lilly Germond, on that particular night. And Lilly shuddered at the thought of tho risk she had so narrowly escaped. Out here all was so sweet, so fragrant, so peaceful; irf the city all was bustle, din, perpetual jostling. And Lilly’s cheeks took on a softer pink, and her heart beat a pulse or two faster than its ordinary pace, when she recalled tho way in which Bon had looked at her that morning when he had brought her a long, trailing spray of white-blos somed clematis. "You like the country?” said ho; "and us? —and you wouldn’t mind staying hero always?” "I should like it of all things,” Lilly had eagerly responded. And then, as hU eyos had rested a moment upon her, she had hidden her face among the clematis stars. An so she was murmuring to her self: "Perhaps! perhaps!” And Ben Stevens, out in the harvest field, was saying to himself, as he swung tho gleaming cradle to and fro: ! ‘‘Perhaps!’—[Saturday Night. Locomotite Engineers. The engineer whose humanity is not hardened has his feelings harrowed oc casionally by pedestrians who risk their lives on the track. Tramps and other careless persons are so numerous that the casual passenger in a locomotive cab generally cannot ride fifty miles without seeing what seems to him a hair-breadth escape, but whichis never theless treated by the engineer as a commonplace occurrence. These heed less wayfarors do, however, occasional ly carry their indifference to danger too far, and they are tossed in the air like feathers. Doubtless there aro thoso who, like tho fireman who talked with tho tender-hearty! young lady, rogret the killing of aftka chiefly "uecause it musses up the engine so;” but, taking the fraternity as a whole, warmth of heart and tenderness of feeling may bo called not only well-developed but prom inent traits of character. The great strike on the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy road last spring, which proved to havo been ill-advised, would havo been possible only in a body of men act uated by tho most loyal friendship. Undoubtedly a large conservative ele ment in the Brotherhood of Engineers belivad the movo injudicious, but they joined in it out of au intense spirit of fidelity to their brethren and leaders. [Scribner. An Escape from Cannibals. Mr. H. H. Johnstone, English consul at Old Calabar, Africa, took a trip up tho Cro3s liver to try and make treaties and settle quarrels among the natives that were injuring trade by their war fare. He had a most interesting time, more interesting than he would care to experience again. At a place called Ededema, he was pulled from his canoe by a mob of cannibals, slung on the shoulders of one of them and borne on a rapid trot to tho town. Thero he was placed in a hut with tho door open, while hundreds of savages continuous ly stared at him. Looking upward he saw arranged around the upper part of the clay walls a horrible array of at least « hundred skulls, while a smoked hu man ham hung from tho begrimed raf ters as an appropriate centre piece. His interpreters opportunely arriving, a friendly palaver resulted in his return to the canoe in the same manner in which he had been taken from it. —[New York Witness. Boy Bullfighters. It will, perhaps, be hardly credited that at San Sebastian, Spain, bullfights are arranged between child toreadors of 13, 14 and 15 years old, and bulls of 2 years. These small Spaniards, dressed in picturesque costumes, brave death for the sake of furnishing the crowds with an amusement, and actually prefer the dangerous life and applause they receive to working at any trade or go ing to school. It is a sickening specta cle witnessed by thousands of all nations, indeed, thero are far more French and English present at tho children’s bull fights than there are Spaniards. HIGHBINDERS. A Chinese Organization for Mur der and Blackmail. Crimes of the Hatchet Society in America. The Highbinders, whose atrocious murders and continual blackmailing operations have puzzled the police ot San Franeisco, St. Louis and Pittsburg, and whose operations in New York have so far been carried on with great skill and secrecy are an organization of Chinamen dating back to tho Tai Ping or long-hairod rebellion, which was entiroly subdued, it was thought, some thirty years ago in tho Flowery Kingdom. Toe Highbinders belong to the Triad Society, which has been compared in China to the Nihilists in Russia. On entering it tho Chinaman renounces all obliga tions to his family, his gods and his fellow-men. Thenceforth ho is the creature of his superiors in tho Order. Political conspiracy and tho raising of funds to bring about a restoration of tha Chinese dynasty in place of the Manchoo emperor now on the throne are or were the prime objects of the Highbinders through their parent order, the Triad Sckciety. Hence its close relationship to the Nihilists. But blackmail pure and simple, en forced with the scourge and the long knife, has long been the main object of the Highbinders in tho United States. Tho trial of six Chinamen in St. Louis for blackmail and murder a year or two since brought out this fact clearly. In St. Louis every Chinaman not affiliated with tho Triads was assessed 75 cents blackmail a week. The assassination % for which the six Highbinders were tried in St. Louis was peculiarly atro cious. The term Highbinder, as originally used in San Francisco, whoro it wa3 first heard in this country, meant thugs. Tho Triads were then supposed to be in the land of tho Celestials what the Thugs are or wero in India. But it was discovered shortly that whereas religion is the prime motive of Thuggism, pol itics started High bindery, which speed ily devoted itself to tho congenial task of blackmailing. By and by the High binders became known as the Hatchet Society, and murder for money was recognized as the chief object of its existence. Chinamen were romoved by the Hatchet Society in Sin Francisco at |6OO a head. The oath and the ritual of the Highbinders were demoniac in their ferocity. The cult came east to Denver, then moved on, murdering, to St. Louis, then to Pittsburg and then to New York. Iu New York its operations have been conducted with tho utmost secrecy and success. The case of tho six’Highbinders tried for tho murder of Low in St. Loui% called the attention of the entire country to the spread of this hideous order. The murder of Johnson grew out of his assisting tho police in breaking up the gambling business of the Chyo Goom, or Joe Gong, tho leader of the Chyo faction in St. Louis. Goom and his friends agreed to pay SOOO for the removal of Johnson. A distinguished member of tho n itchet Society in ‘Frisco, Ah Lung by name, and a High binder, who had served a torm in the San Quenta Penitentiary, was sent for to do tho removing, but, there being a hitch in the matter, he didn’t start in time, so that Chyo Chiagk, Quong Seng and others not 30 eminent in tho profession undertook the task. They found Johnson asleep in bed, chopped him almost to pieces and then stood the body on its head in a bucket of rice and locked it up in a closet. They sent Quong Seng aWay with sls, promising to send him more, but he was captured. He gave the police the entire story in tho case, and through fear at having violated tho oath of the Hatchet Socie ty and dread of their vengeance, he went crazy in jail. Joe Gong and Chy Chiagk were sentenced to death. The Chinese element in New York and Sin Franaisco has never since been quieted. Tho feeling in Mott street was such that the Highbinders were liable to be called at any time, the presence of Ah Luag, tho past Grand Highbinder, being an indication that the Hatchet Society is ready for business. Another case of Highbinding was that of Sing Lee, at Troy. A Chinaman at Montreal borrowed SSOO from another and Sing Lee was a witness. When a Chinaman borrows money it is with tho understanding that ho will pay it when he can, provided the one making the loan does not want to go home to China, Then he asks for the money, and the borrower must pay it back, or if he does not bo held responsible for what ever trouble may befall the lender through delaying or preventing his de pasture for hom?. The borrower in this instance refused to pay back tho money, and the lender entered suit for it in Montreal. The case was called, and Sing Lee was the most im portant witness. When the case was concluded Sing Lee went back home to Troy, N. Y. The lender wont tlioro and circulated pretty freely, giving the namo of a Chinaman known as a missionary, who was then in Ohio. 110 called on Sing Lee, on the day and at the hour Sing Lee was paving his rent. When the landlord left he attacked Sing Lee, killed him, stole all his money ($700), and then wrote on a piece of paper and pasted on the door outside a placard: “Mo go to New York. Back soon. Sing Lee.” As Sing Lee couldn’t write a word of English suspicion was aroused and the murder discovered. It was proven, in deed, that Sing Lee’s removal had been considered formally at a meeting of the Montreal branch of the Hatchet So cioty. When a Chinaman is found murdered the inference that he camo to his end by Highbinders is quite as readily drawn as that of Mafia responsibility for the assassination of Italians. Both the Mafia and the Highbinders are atro cious organizations, as as foreign in their aims and methods to American polity and nineteenth century society as it is possible for any bodies to be. [New York World. Apple Love. . Scotland and in England tho apple is a very popular divining medium in love matters. Part of this popularity is probably due to tho common notion that the tree of knowledge of good and evil was an apple tree. Horace men tions the use of apple pip 9 in love affairs. A lover would take a pip between the finger and thumb and shoot it up to tho ceiling, and if it struck it, his or her wish would be accomplished. Nowa days a maiden tests tlio fidelity of her beloved by putting a pip in the fire, at the same timo pronouncing bis name. If tho pip bursts with a report, it is a sign that he love 3 her; but should it burn silently, she is convinced of his want of true affection for her. This is often performed with nuts instead of pips. Gay’s Hobaelia experiments with tho pips by placing one on each cheek, one for Lubberkin, and tho other for Boobyclod; “But Boobyclod soon drops upon the ground, A certain token that his love’s unsound; While Lubberkin sticks firmly to the last.” Gay also mentions the very common amusement of paring an apple without breaking the peel and then throwing tho strip over the left shoulder, in order to see tho initial letter of the lover’s name formed by the shape tha paring takes upon the ground. This is oftcu one of the many divinations duly prac ticed on Halloween or All-Saints’ Eva. Another way at tho same season 19 for the curioua maiden to stand before a looking-glass combing her hair with one hand and eating an apple held in the other; the face of the future hus band will then be seen in the glass looking over her left shoulder. Mrs. Latham, in her "Sussex Superstitions,” gives another apple charm. Every per son present fastens an apple "on a string bung and twirled round before a hot fire. The owner of the apple that first falls off is declared to bo upon tho point of marriage; and as they fall suc cessively, the order in which the rest of tho party will attain to matrimonial honors is clearly indicated, single blessedness being the lot of tho one whose applo is tho last to drop.”— [Chamber’s Journal. Traveling on Ills Trunk. Gold watches that never keep time have long been a favorite means of se curing transportation; but tho American trunk is now coming into fashion as a medium of railroad communication. The padlock critic of tho Indianapolis (Ind.) Journal says: “Do you know that if a man has a heavy trunk ho can sometimes travel a long distance on a railroad without a ticket or any money? * said a young man yesterday, who had recently mad* his way back to Texas with but a few dollars. “Whoa I reached St. Louis I had but five cents in my pocket, and I did not know a man there I could ask for a loan. I went to the ticket agent and making known my condition, asked him how I could get to Indian apolis. *Havo you a trunk?’ he asked. I told him I had, and ha said ho would introduce me to tho conductor. When tho conductor came up I was intro duced, and he asked ma for my check to iny trunk, which I gave him, and he then gave me a smaller ticket, which he said would get my trunk in* Indian apolis. I asked him how much the trunk would cost me when I went to get it out, and he 3aid $7. Well, I got through all right, but when I presented tho ticket for the trunk it cost mo $9 instead of $7. I havo beea wondering ever since who got the money; but I didn’t care, for I was glad to get back to Indianapolis, even on those terms.” Sound Finance. Bagley —“Young Wiggins asked me to lend him a hundred thii morning, and I said I’d see about it. What do you think ? ’ Gigley—“l think it would be cheaper to give it to him. You won’t have to spend a- ything then in trying to collect the debt.” —[Judge. THE PEOPLE’S PARTY. PROTECTIVE, PROGRESSIVE, PROSPEROUS. Ofiß PLATFORM: We Pledge Ourselves io Favor of PROTECTION OF OUR CUSTOMERS From Overcharge and Misrepresentations. FREE TRADE FOR EVERY ONE, With the Merchant who does most for his Customers. PROHIBITION Of Monopolistic Rings, Inflated values and op pressive high prices. Buya9 you vote, intelligently. As candi dates for your patronage, we invite an examination of our business record in support of our tr\ r fair li uu* I litr ivt vivw.-y Wo promise for the future The Best in Quality, The Most in Quantity, And the Lowest Pricei TO ALL CUSTOMERS, without dis tinction of age or class, and our promise stands our enor mous stock of BARGAINS, which are being crowded upon us by our NEW YORK BUYER. Never Lave we been iu condition to offer our patrons such advantages as at this time. Our MILLINERY DEPARTMENT has no equal. Our Stock the Largest, Assortment the Best, and Prices tne Lowest. Our stock of DRESS GOODS Below the Lowest. Our Fancy Goods Department will save you a handsome profit. STAPLE GOODS DEPARTMENT stands at the head for a money saver to our customers. OUR SEWING MACHINE DEPARTMENT includes all the LEADING MACHINES IN THE COUNTRY, Starting in price at $5 and up. In this department wc Buy,Sell, Exchangeand Repair ANY AND ALL KINDS. Remember that FOUR DAYS in each week we give away different articles to our customers. Some days we give to every 10th purchaser and some days to every sth, and some days to all. Our patrons are well aware that we give BETTER VALUE FOR THE MONEY, Than any other house in CHATTANOOGA! Come along, and we will PROVE TO YOU That you can Save money hy making your Purchases of us. H. H. SOUDER.