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dim. “Jim baa a future front of him”— Tbut’e what tuey used to say of Jim, , #Vkr when young Jim was only tea Hoiawjjlcd with the wisest men, With wisest men he used to mix, ( And talk ofiaw and politics; And everybody said of Jim, 4 *He has a future front of him.” When Jim was twenty years of age, Ail costumed ready tor life’s stage, HC La 1 a perfect man’s physique, And knew philosophy and Greek; He’d delved In every misty tome Of Old Arabia aud Rome, And everybody said of Jim, “LAsbus a future front of him.” When Jim was thirty years of ago ’ He’d made a world-wide pilgrimage, •Infd walked and studied’nealh the trees <f£ German .universities, Aud.visited aad pondered on The sites of Thebes and Babylon; And everybody said of Jini, “He has a future front of him.” The heir to all earth’s heritage Was Jtm at forty years of age, The lore of at. the years was shut, Aud focused in his occiput; Arid people thought, so much he knew, “What wondrous things our Jim will do!” They more thau over said of Jim, “HC bus a future fiont of him.” At fifty years, though Jim was changed, , lie bad his knowledge well arranged. All tabulated, syntonized, And a uctoiuately synthesized, ‘Hieti eau was so well filled within ILc thought: “I’m ready to begiu,” Aud everybody said of Jim, “He has a future front of him.” At sixty—No more may be said— At sixty years poor Jim was dead. The preacher said that such as he Would shine to all eternity; In. Other worlds beyond the blue, There was great work for Jim to do; Aud o’er his bier ho said of Jim, i “He has a future front of him.” The great deeds we are going to do Shine ’gainst the vastness of the blue, lake sunset clouds of lurid light Against the background of the night; And so we climb the endless slope. ‘ Par up the crownless heights of hope, And,each one makes himself a Jim, And. rears a future front of him. AGATHA’S SAOHIFICE, Agatha, hovering over the conser¬ vatory treasures, flitting from shrub to 4hrub, from flower to flower, ut tewld a cry of delight, and darted through the gap left in a hedge of cac¬ tus by tlio removal of a box. This j^.f Agatha •ever stopped to think of that. Bcforo her, fenced in by a screen sf Cue wire, was a vining plant, which, left unprotected, had twined and intertwined its tendrils until it stood an impenetrable mass of foliage, covered now with budding clusters, a few of which towards the top had burs$ iuto early bloom. Glowing, tup-like blossoms grouped on slender, waving stems, and seeming to spill down streams of fragrance from their rosy hearts. Agatha held her breath Und. clapped her hands in silent ecs tasy. Philip Armstrong, coming slowly down (lie bordered path, caught a sight-of her through a break in tiie cactus hedge, and cried out in quick horror. He sprang forward, his face blanched deadly white, as hers was row- He caught her up, and bore hc r out where the marble basin of a foun¬ tain caught the falling spray, and trickled over in tiny ice-cold streams. t She’ was lying in his arms, still and senseless. He dashed the water In her face, and set about chafing her in a mannor which would have appeared cruelly rough but for the in tense anxiety hi’, face betrayed. He gave a sigh of relict when she opened her eyes languidly, and then, after a mo¬ ment, sat up, brushing the moisture from her eyes. “What is the matter?” she asked. “15id I faint? I never was so silly be¬ fore.” “For heaven’s sake, never let your bo caugut so again.” Tho danger past, Ids usual brusque returned. “Do you know what you were doing?” “No—what?” “Taking an express ticket to immor¬ tality, by the shortest aud easiest route.” “What do yon mean? Where was I? I remember now—the beautiful blossoms. It is a shame to keep them there entirely from view. I’m sure it •uust be your work. Mrs. Rcdbrooke Its not so selfish.” “Not so daring. The plant, Agatha, i« the deadliest poison. A drop of the secretion from its succulent leaves, or the direct inhalation of its perfume, will alike product) almost instant death. You owe your own safety to your distauce from the opou blos¬ soms.” She shuddered visibly. “Ami it is so lovelyl Is thoro noth¬ ing beautiful that docs not carry fatality with it, I wonder?" She regretted her thoughtless speech when she saw the sliado settle down upon his face. “There is no such thing as perfec¬ tion, you know; 60 that which seems to approach it nearest must conceal the greatest defect, to vindicate the rule. It was careless of my sister Alico not to Warn you from that corner.” “Oh, Mrs. Rcdbrooke did, but I forgot when I saw the blossoms. I shall not make excuses, for 1 mean to explore it any way. Att interdiction without the reason given is apt to arouse my natural Eve!” That was the beginning of their friendship. Before, Philip Armstrong had held himself aloof from all com¬ panionship— was gradually becoming enveloped in a crust of misanthropliy and prejudice, which nvght tarnish) hut could not corrode, (lie happy nat¬ ural faculties he possessed. Beguiled from his brusque eccentricity of man¬ ner and solitary habits, ho proved an agreeable as we 1 at an instructive' companion. Ilis was (lie old story of early love and betrayed faith; and be¬ cause one woman had played him false he decided that there were none true. Agatha, strong in her belief of hu¬ man goodness, imposed upon herself the task of showing him Ids error. An easy lesson to acknowledge vylien inculcated by such a teacher; but Pniiip was not prepared to yield up ids stronghold of years without a show of resistance. During his years of seclusion, Phil¬ ip had imbibed a love of chemistry, and filled up a little room with neces¬ sary apparatus for experimental re searches. Passing litis that tamo afternoon, Agatha saw him, with a h„ IIWIM innrr ov dc to hi ca E th dat .. ... um. lan umc i should jeopardize my own to insure their security.” “Is not your life precious?” she asked, reproachfully. 4 i Stinted and barren, how can it be? However, I have led you to over¬ estimate tiie danger. Only inexpe¬ rienced bands would create it here.” “Bearding tlio lion in bis den?” cried Mrs. lledbrooke, coming down the passage. “Agatha, I wonder at your temerity. Is he very formida¬ ble?” Laughing, she looked over Agatha's shoulder in her brother’s laboratory. “Go away, both cf you,” cried Philip. “I shall bo tempted to pro¬ voke an explosion, if the labors of science are to be thus interrupted. Alice, take charge of that young lady, if you don’t want the house demolished about, your ears.” “Come, then, rny dear. Mr. Mal¬ lard is in the parlor; ho will appre¬ ciate you.” “Oil, dear!” sighed Agatha, mov¬ ing away. “That beardless boy!” Philip, hearing her, stroked his own luxuriant hirsute growth with proud fondness, and, smiling, resumed his task. He went down, hours later, wearied and disappointed. “The antidote,” asked Agatha, “did you discover it?” “No; but I am sanguine still. Sim plq failure does not necessarily imply defeat.” Still the object of his search eluded him; but repeated failures only served to increase his resolution. Early and late, Agatha knew him to be in his laboratory, working with scarcely diminished zeal. Then, one day came when her little room did not witness his presence; neither did he appear within tiie family circle. Agatha wandered restlessly about until Mrs. Redbrooke came, atul changed her vague uneasiness into a settled, dull pain, which weighed heavily down upon her. “Oh, Agatha, my 6wcet friend,’> tiie lady began, “it is coming out like a romance—nlots. misunderstandings and the usual happy finale. I told you of Phil’s early disappointment, you remember. We all thought Flora Mucy trentod him very badly; but it appears that Hie poor girl was im¬ posed upon by somo ridiculous stories to his discredit, and was persuaded by false representa ions into her mar¬ riage with her cousin. It was her father’s doing, to keep the Macv es¬ tate unbrokon. But sho is a widow now, and lias written to Phil, explain¬ ing it all. Poor girl! To think of our blaming her so, when she lias really suffered most.” “lie has gone to her?” Agatha asked, constrainedly. “No. 11c is quiie overcome by the news; and lias locked himself in his bed-chamber. But I have planned a surprise for him. I am going for Flora without his knowledge. You shall pccompany mo if you wish, my dear.” Agatha pleaded an excuse and went away; while Mrs. Rcdbrooke, never knowing the mischief she had uncon¬ sciously wrought, proceeded ou her well intended mission. Philip, coining down in the dusk, paused at the door of the yet unlightcd parlor. “Agatha, are you there? I have found my antidote at last.” A figure that was not Agatha’s float¬ ed out of die dimmer shadows of tlio room, his hand was imprisoned in the clinging clasp of soft, white fingers, his pardon implored by a voice broken with tearful sobbing. “Ob, Phil, Phil! Can you forgive and forget. I have suffered so for my hasty judgment of you! If you, knew all, you would bear mo no ill-will—I explained my mistakes and my wrong¬ doing in such bitter remorse.” “Flora, is it yon? Don’t reproach yourself for what is irrevocably past. I forgave you when I thought you were more in fault than I now know you to have been.” That was all; and Flora Macy felt tj^e cliill of disappointment—knew the old relation between them d never be re-established, ; ut Agatha, on the stairs, seeing r figures dimly outlined there to ler in tlio waning light, broke out !i a dry sob, and fled away from sight which was torture to her. e caught tiie sound of her speed step* and followed after her, fear I»e knew not what. But lie lost her on the way, and, seeking vainly for a time, turned at length towards (he conservatory. The last rays of the fading western light fell upon the wide central aisle. Coming towards him, her face alight with glorious tenderness, her arms filled with clus¬ ters of the beautiful deadly flowers, was Agatha. She saw him standing there, struck motionless with horror, and sposo quietly, but with breath¬ less intensity. .“Ah, my love I It is fitting you should know my sacrifice. I could not live and see another woman blessed by your dear love, which I coveted. But I can die—oh, so gladly! —wishing you ail happiness with her! Sec!” She buried her face among the fra¬ grant blossoms. That broke the spell which held him. lie tore them away from her, flung them back into a far corner, and rushed away to his labora¬ tory. The antidote was there to his hand; and, despite her action, Agatha was saved. She did not know it, though, or realize the assurance of perfect happiness to which she awoke at last, until sho had passed days of torpor succeeded by weeks of fever, after which came complete convales¬ cence. When she could move about again, at her request, Philip took her to the spot where the dangerous plant had been. It was gone, and sweet-scent¬ ed mignonette grew there instead. “I could not trust it, even with my antidote,” lie declared. “But here you have all the fragrance without the bane.” Agatha was contented, though she know it would never have tempted her agaiti. A Patient Man. “No, Mr. Trotter,” she said firmly, “I repeat it a thousand times—no!” “Well, keep on,” he remarked, pleasantly; “Uiat’s only twice, and by the time you reach the six hundredth you’ll be glad to vary it with a ‘yes.’ Will you kindly begin?”—[Munsey’s Weekly. LAKE DWELLERS. Large Villages and Towns Built in the Water. The Inhabitants Keep Cattle tn Pens Beside Their Houses. Much attention was recently called to the region around Kotonou, on tlio Gulf of Guinea, near which place sev¬ eral hundred of the women warriors of the King of Dahomey were killed in battle by the French troops, One of tlio mod interesting features of this region is tlio largo native villages and towns that liavo been built in the water. The inhabitants many years too j. t ],j 8 mean80 f trying to escape frQm tho terrlble ra i, ls 0 f t h e King of D;ihomoy< Many hundreds of people wero actually driven by tiie powerful King iuto tiie water. It happens that the Dahomians aro very superstitious about travelling in canoes or crossing streams, and (he fugitives took advant¬ age of this fact to secure protection for thcraselrcs. On any good map one may see the “Denham waters’* near Kotonou. This is the home of these lake dwellers Tiie towns jiave each a population of from 200 or 300 souls to as many as thousands. Physically tlio people are fine and healthy specimens of Afri¬ cans and as a rule they are free from disease. Governor Moloney of Lagos says tlio houses are built upon piles or straight branches of hard wood three to six inches in diameter. Tlioy are driven into the bottom of the lake. Tlio upper ends are seemed by cross pieces, on which aro laid a bamboo flooring, two-thirds or one-half of which is covered in by a house. The uprights of the house are fixed first and secure 1 below the platform to tiie supporting piles. Tiie roof frame is next made on the platform, and is covered with grass or bamboo leaves, and raised to its position. The re¬ maining portion of flooring is used as a veranda. In the construction no nails are used. These natives are fishermen and also a pastoral people. It is a curious fact that they keep cattle in pens adjoining their houses built on piles over the water like their dwellings. Sometimes during the dry season tiie shallowness of tiie water admits of the cattle being allowed to wander cn terra firms; but fodder is brought in canoes to many less fortunate animals which are com¬ pelled to eke out their existence in these pens surrounded by water until such time as they are tethered and transported by canoe to the butcher. The present natives are still in dread of tlio Dahomians, but even if this fear no longer existed it is probable that tiie habit which they and their fathers before them have long follow¬ ed would lead them to prefer these aquatic residences. It is not known how many lake dwellers there are, but it is supposed there are at least 10,000 of them among the various tribes whose huts cover the Denham waters. Once in a while these tribes make war on one another, and they conduct their fighting in canoes, capable of holding two or three persons, and their weapons are guns, harpoons, spears and c’ubs. In some other parts of Africa, par¬ ticularly in the Congo basin, the habit of dwelling in huts sustained on piles in lakes or rivers is very largely fol¬ lowed. and perhaps a million or two of the people of Africa aro still per¬ petuating the phase of hfe of which we have relics in tiie remains of the lake dwellers of the prehistoric era— [New York Sun. The Kaiser as an Outfitter. Regulations have been just issued by the Kaiser as to how the officers of tho German Navy may and may not dress themselves. Among tiie need¬ less barbarity is an order that no of¬ ficer double back or round offtho cor¬ ners of his collars. Shirt fronts must be perfectly plain, hut while at sea he may wear an oilskin coat and “sou’¬ wester.” Tiie Kaiser should go into the “men’s furnishing” line of busi¬ ness; lie seems so well at home in the details.—[Saturday Review. Sorry for llitn. “Do you shave yourself?” asked Moodies of tiie barber. “Yes, sir,” returned the barber. “Well, you have my sympathy,” said Moodies- Kcmm liable Echoes. There are several very rcmnrkablo echoes in the world, at Woodstock and at the Sicilian cathedral of Gergonti, whero the confessions poured forth near the door to priestly cars wero heard by a man concealed behind the high altar at the opposite end. It is curious that 6uch a spot should have been accidentally chosen, for the oou fessional. The whispering gallery in St. Paul’s is another instance of the echo. Echoes are produced by the rcllcc tiou of the sound waves from a plane or even surface. A wall, or even a cloud, will produce echoes. Thunder is echoed from the clouds, The hills of Killarney contain an echo, and the bugle sounds are beautifully repeated, in the cases of ordinary echo, when tlie speaker wails for tlio answer, he must place himself opposite the rock. If lie stands at the side the echo will reply to another person in a corre¬ sponding place on the farther side, tor the voice then strikes the rock at an angle, and the angle of rciieotion is the same as in the case of light. But if it should liappon that there are a number of reflecting surfaces the echo will bo repeated over and over again, as at the lakes of Killarney. The Woodstock echo, already referred lo, and menlioned by several writers, repeats seventeen syllables by day and twenty by night. In Shipley (here is even a greater repetition. Whisper¬ ing galleries carry sound by means of the carved surface, Sir John Ilerschel mentions an echo in the Meuai suspen tion bridge. Tiie blow of a hammer on one of the main piers will prodace the sound from eacbjof-tlic crossbeams supporting thQ-road way and from the opposite pier 576 feet distant, as well as many other repetitious.— [Brook¬ lyn Citizen. Families in Heligoland. Tho women in Heligoland are, gen¬ erally speaking, small and gracefully formed and present a remarkable con¬ trast to their tall and strapping mates. The female loveliness is unfortunately somewhat transient, no doubt owing in large measure to the inferior fare and rough work with the nets. No idea of female suffrage is ever likely to enter a Jlehgolander’s head. His idea of tho relation of the sexes is the old one that the man is the head of the wife and that women, take them as you like, are an inferior order; they are kind and courteous to their women in all respects, but there is no doubt who is lord and bread winner. The patriarchal system has scarcely died out. Each lusty, broad-shouldered son, though he may have passed his twenty first birthday, is required to give ail or nearly all his earnings to his father so long as he lives in his father’s house. When he marries and takes np house for himself then only does the patria protestas come to an end. Heligolanders as a rale marry young; there are more women titan men, and it is not difficult to find a mate. Housekeeping is not an expensive job, and there is plenty of money to be earned if a man is intelligent and in¬ dustrious. It may be some time be¬ fore the vonng husband has a boat of his own, for a boat costs $125 (they are all built in the i-land), but he can always hire one, paying for its hire about 35 per cent, of the payment he himself charges.— [Chicago Herald. The Success of Woman’s Exchanges. Woman’s exchanges, as carried on in many cities outside of Now York, have been the means of many deserv¬ ing women making a comfortable living. Miss Susie Ilenwick writing in the Woman’s News, says that three women last year earned respectively these sums by furnishing supplies to tho exchange in Cincinnati: One woman earned $2400, another $1781 and the third $1554. The exchange furnishes a midday lunch for business men, and the articles supplied by women aro pic9, cakes, jellies, canned fruit and other edibles. Glimpse of a School in I ersia. Little hoys sit on tlio floor in a stooping position, in a Persian school, studying the Koran, increasingly rocking their bodies, and with loud and sing-song voices reading texts in the holy language of tho Prophet, of which they probably did not under" stand one word.— [Galignani Mes¬ senger. I