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THREADS OF LIFE.
I’m weaving my rags of carpet to-day,
And watching the warp as it fills in fast,
While my thoughts are broken like ends that
fray— Shuttle
fly in!
How first and last
The colors fling
Through the webbing of life like rags and
string!
Tight in the loom is the warping of Fate;
Ahl feed in the dark woof certain to
cleave—
Gray, when the years get lonely and lata.
Shuttle fly out I
Joyfully Scarlet weave V
and gay,
For youth when we sang with the birds at
play I
•Mingled for sorrow, and clear when the
heart
Wore with a passionate tenderness
through;
Yellow, when jealousy tore love apart.
Shuttle fly in I
Blue for the true
Wafted away,
And black when we knelt by the beautiful
clay!
Fill rags in the carpet with random rife,
Bright ones, and dark ones, knotted and
tied,
Typical checkers that vary in life*
Shuttle fly out!
White for the bride,
Black for the bier,
Warped and woven as life they appear!
—ihda B. Hays, in Independent.
TULA VELASQUEZ, ;
BY AD H. GIBSON.
Leo Gordon was a handsome young
Southerner, whose home was on the
balmy banks of the Pearl River. He
had served in the Confederacy Nvith all
the enthusiasm and confidence that char¬
acterized the most intrepid wearers of
the gray. It was not so much the dis-'
•comtiture he felt at the termination of
the civil struggle, as it was the spirit of
adventure which had led Leo to aban¬
don his Southern home and seek that
land of thrilling romance, Mexico. Leo
found Mexico then in a belligerent state.
the Immediately on his landing he joined
army of Juarez, who was fighting
against Maximilian.
Gordon, Many were the brave deeds of Leo
which won the respect and ad¬
miration of his comrades, and of the
great chief himself. But it is not of his.
services in that struggle that we intend"
to write; but of a certain adventure,
deeply rose-hued with romance, in which
Leo played an active part.
With several of his friends, who had
followed him from the United States,
cienda Leo went one night to the luxurious ha¬
of a very wealthy Mexican ran
chero, and asked the savage browed
master to grant them permission to pass
the night there.
With a few crusty words in a surly
voice the ranchero refused the request.
But the Americans persuaded, and on
their saying, at last, that they were de¬
termined to stay any way, he gruffly and
sullenly acquiesced to their lodging be¬
neath his roof.
The hacienda had a somewhat rambling,
used partially by the furnished ranchero’s wing that was not
long been abandoned family, but had
ago to the bats and
spiders. accommodation This wing was assigned to the
Americans. of,the half-dozen they advent¬
urous Here would
be wholly to themselves, save the stealthy
gnawing that broke the silence of those
unused roqms, and suggested a multi¬
tude of rats.
The moon was up and was filtering
her silvery beams over the breast of the
warm, delicious night. Leo was leaning
out of one of the long, narrow windows
of the wing, looking with sincere ad¬
miration at the ample and beautiful
flower gardens of his host. The flowers,
in the moon’s wealth of pellucid splendor,
with their rich perfumes tossed to him
ever and anon by the bland south
winds, carried the young southerner’s
mind to his home on the Pearl, with its
flower-bedecked walks and balmy nooks.
So lost was be in the memories which
the scene before him had evoked, that, at
first, he did not observe a beautiful Mexi¬
can girl cautiously approaching the win¬
dow fro«t which he leaned.
As she drew nearer, the young soldier
became aware of her presence.. She was
very handsome. Her form which was
plump, dark and was intelligent. richly clad. looked Her eyes were
She search
ingly at Leo, and as if satisfied with her
swift scrutiny, she raised one soft, dim¬
pled hand in warning and placed the fore
finger over her crimson lips to enjoin his
silence.
“This is mystery personified?” Leo ex¬
claimed, within himself.
But he preserved silence, and not a
movement of the graceful girl escaped
his vigilant eye. He did not even shift
his attitude, fearing he might arouse his
companions, the who were resting on the
couches of long apartment, and he
cared not to disturbed them. What
could be the meaning of the strange pro¬
cedure of the lovely Mexican girl?
As she stood with her finger over her
lips, der she glanced quickly over her shoul¬
to make sure that her movements
were not observed by other than the
young American. Assuring herself that
she had not been suspected and watched,
she glided up as close to the window as
she well could, and whispered in a musi¬
cal voice:
“Look, senor! I place this down here
for you. Get and read it as soon as I
am gone.”
And as she uttered these words, she
stopped bush. Then and placed a note under blossoms a rose¬
from the bush, plucking several if
should be to avert in that suspicion, she she
turned quickly seen quarter, without
and left him
her vouchsafing dark him another glance from
orbs.
Leo’s curiosity was deeply stirred.
Here was promise of romance and ad¬
venture, beyond the spectre of a doubt.
lost He gazed after the girl until she was
from view. He was fully satisfied
that the girl was a lady of considerable
refinement, but in some trouble from
which, no doubt, she hoped he might be
instrumental in effecting her release.
When they had ridden into the plaza
that evening, Leo Gordon had noticed
at the blinds of the casement, several
feminine forms and faces. But so care¬
fully had they concealed themselves,
that the Americans had caught but a
transient glimpse of them.
“I’m just in the right mood for an
adventure,” he uttered to himself. “I’ll
secure that note beneath the rose if the
old duenna herself rules the flower
garden.” which
He stepped softly to the door,
stood ajar, and passed out. He looked
about him circumspectly. Not a soul
was in sight. The night was lovely and
everything seemed to favor his plans.
With an elastic spring, Leo’s strong,
well-trained limbs carried him over the
fence which shut out the garden from
their quarters. Once over the fence Leo
sauntered nonchalantly towards the
bush where the note of mystery lay hid¬
den.
stooped, Feigning to admire the roses, he
and soon possessed himself of
the mysterious epistle. He was walking
leisurely back to his room with the deli¬
cately-scented note thrust in his breast,
when his dignified steps were vastly ac¬
celerated by a huge Mexican bloodhound
suddenly materializing among the bushes
at the other end of the garden, and
plunging headlong after him.
Leo felt that, perhaps, the eyes of the
Mexican beauty might be following him,
and would have fain preserved his dig¬
nity during the retreat. But he found
it expedient to change his will after one
red sweeping mouth glance into the capacious
of the canine monster that
had been so quick to resent an intrusion
on his master’s
Leo, for once, bade dignity a hasty
farewell and vaulted the fence in the
very face of his savage foe. He just
barely made bis escape, and that was all.
He congratulated himself, as be hastily
entered the wing of the hacienda, that
the Mexican dress he wore had no super¬
fluity of coat-tails to have suffered an in¬
glorious diminution in length.
Safe within the quarters which had
been assigned to him and his companions,
Leo broke the seal of the dainty little
note, and perused with eager eyes the
following finely-written lines:
Senors Americanos —This is penned yon
by an nobleness unfortunate maiden, who, believing in
your of soul, implores your help to
save her from a cruel fate.
My father, the ranchero, who reluctantly
permits you to pass the night here, intends to
force me to wed this night an officer in the
Army of Maximilian, a man whom I most
vehemently detest: but he holds some be the great
power over my father.and I am to vic¬
tim to annul t hat power •
The man 1 truly love is E! Capitan Eznaldo,
one of the bravest in the army of our chief,
Juarez. I desire to fly to the protection of
my lover, and I implore your aid that I may
do so.
The ceremony is to be held at ten o’clock
to-night, when that detested man, Colonel
Henrique Fernandez, will be here to claim
me.
He dare not venture within the lines of
Juarez except under cover of deep night.
The little chapel, which you may is easily the place see
from the wing which you occupy,
where the marriage rites are to be per¬
formed.
In writing this, good, brave Senors Ameri¬
canos, I appeal to your goodness of heart, to
save me from this living death, and in so do¬
ing you will ever receive the sincere prayers
of poor, unhappy Tula Velasquez.
P. S.—My trusty maid, Zela, will have
horses ready in the grove beyond the garden,
and we beg to fly under your protection to
that of my noble Eznaldo. Tula V.
Leo read the letter through several
times, then he said to himself.
“Tula Velasquez! And this girl who
appeals to us for assistance, is the very
same of whom I have heard my friend
Eznaldo speak so often in such lofty
praise. Verily, it is all so strange! But
lam willing to take any risk to protect
a lady from such an unwelcome fate as a
forced marriage. This is promise of
adventure,” and he aroused his sleeping
comrades and read Tula’s letter to them.
The party was composed of young men
of adventurous spirits, and most of them
knew the handsome Eznaldo in Juarez’s
army and were ready to engage in any
combat or undertaking, however daring,
if in so doing they couldserve that young
officer or the girl he loved.
Accordingly, they made all things
ready and waited for the hour often to
roll round.
Leo was on watch at the window, and
when, at last, he beheld the bridal-party
moving swiftly and as silently as spectres
towards the chapel, he gave the signal to
his companions to follow him. They filed
orderly out of the wing, and very soon
the wedding party was joined by six un¬
invited
The ranchero, who was leading the
the lovely door but unwilling chapel Tula, halted near
of the and looked over
his shoulder. Perhaps he detected the
tread of the Americans, though they had
arrived almost noiselessly.
At the same time, a tall, middle-aged,
grizzly bearded Mexican officer, Henrique
Fernandez, the would-be bridegroom,
who was a little in advance of the bride,
became aware of the American’s presence.
Fernandez was attended by two younger
officers, and all were dressed in the most
gorgeous uniforms. The party stopped.
manded Fernandez, in an imperious voice, de¬
:
“Don Velasquez, I particularly re¬
quested that this intrusion. ceremony should he
free from all Who are the
strangers?” the Senors Americanos,” replied
“It is
Velasquez: demanded. “Why are you here, senors?”
he
ping “Don boldly Velasquez,” before the replied Leo, step¬
forcing ranchero, “you
are cruelly whom your child to marry,
this night, one her soul detests,
while her heart is in the keeping of the
brave Eznaldo of Juarez’s army. It is to
save TulaVelasquez from the evil fate you
have selected for her, that we are here.”
With a glad cry, Tula Velasquez tore
herself away from her father’s side, and
rushed up to Leo, just as he struck the
revolver, which the Mexican officer had
leveled at him, from his hand.
the Quickly leveling Henrique his Fernandez, own revolver said: in
face of he
“You are my prisoner, Colonel Fernan¬
dez. Stir from your tracks at your
peril.” The Mexican officer knew that he
was
no match for the young American, and
one glance was sufficient to show him
that the least resistance would invite his
death. Buthehadnot been forbidden
to use his voice, so he called to Velas¬
quez, who, at first, was too dazed at the
very unexpected attack to move.
“Don Velasquez, inform call upon your ser¬
vants for help; my men with¬
out!”
The young officers who had accom¬
panied Fernandez, had all they could do
in a hand-to-hand struggle with two
robust Americans. However, the strug¬
gle was of short duration, and the Mexi¬
cans soon surrendered.
The ranchero gave a call for help,
which some of the men-servants quickly
answered.
A melee commenced. There was a
scene of confusion by the little chapel
door. Pistol shots rang out on the still
night air. The women in attendance
shrieked and fled through the garden.
In the height of it all, Leo, with he a
severe wound in his left arm, received
scarcely knew how r . cut his way out,
dragging Colonel Fernandez, a prisoner,
still with him. Tula Velasquez and
Zela, her maid, were near him, and the
other Americans came soon after, bring¬
ing the two officers that had been capt¬
ured.
“Here, through the garden to yon
grovel” shall find whispered there Tula for to Leo. “We
horses our escape.
Go not by the front entrance, as soldiers
left on the plaza by Colonel Fernandez
will again oppose us."
It required little time to reach the
grove pointed ont by Tula Velasquez.
As she had promised, they found their
horses ready for them. Zela, with the
assistance of her lover, one of the ran
chero’s servants, had attended to that
part. They soon mounted and started
briskly away through the grove, the
shouts of the Mexican soldiers, who were
trying to find their route of escape, ring¬
ing in their ears.
When at last their trail was discov¬
ered the Mexicans gave them a hot chase,
for a short distance. But they had the
prudence to relinquish the pursuit, as
they were being drawn toward Juarez’s
camp.
Leo and his companions dashed into
camp, where the lovely Tula was placed
under the care of Eznaldo, and the pris¬
oners surrendered to Juarez himself, who
found in Col. Fernandez a foe whom he
had long desired to capture.
Leo Gordon’s wound was so obstinate
in healing that he was compelled to leave
the service. Before he had quit Mexico,
however, he saw Tula Velasquez and
Eznaldo when happily made one. Three years
after, Leo returned to visit his
friends in Mexico, he met Eznaldo’s
handsome and accomplisbed sister, Val¬
letta. A love sprang up between them,
and they were soon married, Leo bring¬
ing his bride to dwell on the banks of the
Pearl.— Yankee Blade.
Pay of the World’s Statesmen.
The Deputies and Senators in France
receive 2of. a day; they are better Belgium paid
than in other countries. In
each member of the Chamber of Repre¬
sentatives gets 420f. a month during the
session. allowed 18f. In Denmark day. the deputies are
15c. per In Portugal
the Peers and the Deputies receive a
yearly stipend of 17G5f. In Sweden the
members of the Diet are paid 17(32f. for
a session lasting four months, but they
have to pay 13f. 75 c. a day in case of
absence; a capital idea.
In Switzerland the members of the
National Council have I2f. 50c. a day
paid out of the Federal Exchequer; the
members of the Councils of State receive
from 7f. 50c. to 12f. 50c. per day. In
the United States the representatives of
the States and the delegates receive
5200f per annum and an allowance of
If. per mile travelling expenses.
In Italy the Senators and Deputies are
not paid, but the they railways are entitled in the to King¬ free
passes on all
dom and to other advantages and priv¬
ileges. In Spain the members of the
Cortes are also unpaid but enjoy certain
immunities. In Greece the Senators get
500f. and the members of the Chamber
of Representatives 250f. In Germany
the representatives receive on an average
Ilf. 25c. In Austria the parliamentary
remuneration is, as in France, 25f. per
day. In Great Britain alone the mem¬
bers of Parliament receive no pay nor
are they entitled to any privilege.— La
Famille.
The Secret of the House.
On the Palisades, back of Hoboken,
stands a queer looking building, in the
center of a big hollow, just off a street,
and not more than 300 feet from the
bluff. mysterious Everything about the place is
looking, and a superstitious
stranger at once feel
that it was a haunted house, the scene of
some dark and bloody crime. People
are seen at times going in and coming
out of the house, and years ago this fact
and the general air of secrecy gave rise
to a rumor of a band of robbers, etc.
Then it distilled was whispered that whisky was
being there, the proprietors
neglecting the the formality of paying Indeed, trib¬
ute to did government. become so
strong this impression that
the revenue officials began to watch the
place. Finally they made a raid, but
their search proved fruitless, for nary a
drop of liquor could they find, nor hide
nor hair of anything bearing the remot¬
est resemblance to a still. But they
found who the people in the mysterious
house were and what they did for a liv¬
ing. The eldest in the party was a
Frenchman, and he had discovered a
method of growing mushrooms. It was
to his interest to preserve his secret,
hence the loneliness of the house and the
mysterious movements of its occupants.
To this day, winter and summer, mush¬
rooms are growu there and find their
way to the tables of hotels all over the
country .—New York Telegram.
A Philadelphia shoe house recently re¬
ceived an order for a pair of slippers from
a member of the japanese royal family,
the Princess Tamabe Kin. The order
was which accompanied traced by the a piece of of the paper royal on
was outline
foot, with the necessary measurements.
It calls for a No. 21 slipper.