FHE
PRESS,
VOLUME XX.
FRANKLIN. N. C. WEDNESDAY.. AUGUST 23, 1905.
.NUMBE1U4
FRANKLIN
;THE ROAD
Oh, th nnraery la lonelr, and tha (ardafl's
lull of nln.
And tlwn'a aolmdy at all who wants to
play.
Bat I think If I thonlil only m with all
my might and main
I could lean tola dreary country of To
day. Far It can't b far to crom It, alnca 1
cam myarlt laat night
Vf bn I nt to neep they brought ma
all the way
And Tomorrow'a very near, they aay It'a
almoat In our eight,
Bo 1 toon could coma ejaln to Yesterday.
AN AFFAIR
OF
:' HONOR.
When I was last In Paris, I bad a
letter of Introduction to the Countess
da Clalrmont, who lived In a venerable
mansion In the Faubourg 8t. Germain,
near the ancient abbey church. I found
her to be an aged lady of a very old
family, a vesy devout churchgoer, and
a bigoted legitimist, believing In
"divine right" and the Count de Cham-
bord. and fully expecting that he and
hit white flag would rule the destinies
of France, when Orleanlsts, Bonapart-
Jets and Republicans would be for
gotten. Apart from dogma and politics
she was, however, a vory charming and
Interesting person. Bhe had evidently
been very handsome In her youth, and
even In her old age retained a little
coquetry and much spirit. At the re
cltal of some deed of daring and hero-
Ism her black eyes would flash and
sparkle, and her lips tremble with emo
tion. It was like going back to a past
century to alt In her dim drawing
room, with its quaint old furniture,
rich and religiously preserved, hung
With portraits of her ancestors, and
bear her talk of warriors, priests and
nobles, whose bones were long since
dust, whose miters and swords had de
cayed, and whose moldy and moth
eaten banners, waring In church and
chapel, are but tattered rags, with the
blaaonry illegible.
One day I was looking at the portrait
Of a lady so lovely, with a sweat and
melancholy beauty, that even the dis
figuring costume of the previous cen
tury, especially the abominable high
head-dress, could not mar its effect, for
you looked only on the fac3 and forgot
the accessories. It was from the pencil
of Madame LebrUn, the favorite artist
of Marie Antoinette, who has left the
euch touching souvenirs of the unhappy
queen.
'That lady, I am sure, had a story,"
.Va katlHal
for
-- Jul
looks AS a reduced copy of Mai
Lebrori's charming picture.
, "And the lady was- " '
"Pardon me," said the old countess
"I will tell you her story at full length.
It Is an old family history, but It is
thought to have some of the elements
of romance. Perhaps It may be of fu
ture use to you as a story-teller In
your own country. So arm yourself
with patience, cousin, and bear with an
Old woman's garrulity."
The old lady called me "cousin," be
cause at some far-away period there
wa a matrimonial auience between
our families, long and long before my
grandfather emigrated to America.
I will not attempt to relate the nar
rative In the language of my hostess,
but condense It and tell It In my own
way, ... .
The original of Madame Lebrun's
picture, then, was Vlctorlne de Gran
tier, wife of Hector de Grantier, a gen
tleman of wealth and family. The
marriage was an exception to the gen
eral rule of French marriages, being
a love mated. The parents of the lady
had permitted her to choose a husband
lor nerseir; ana inouga among uer
wianv Biilfrtra were name more cllalble
In point of fortune and opportunities
for rising In the world than Hector,
be gave him her hand because she
could bestow her heart with it-
De Grantier waa handsome, gentle
and warm-hearted. He had no vices,
nd but little ambition. He was a poet
and a painter, though not a profes
sional one, and he waa In easy circum
stances, although not reckoned a man
of wealth.
, Never was there a- happier couple,
and when the bride's father and
another, who died within a few days
of each other, left the world almost
Band In hand, the certainty of leaving
their daughter the partner or a man de
voted to her, heart and soul, soothed
' their last moments.
There was a shade of melancholy in
Vlotorlne's nature, and she often
thought to herself that her married
Ufa waa too happy that ft was like a
bright summer day, so perfect, so full
of sunshine, so heavenly, that weather
Beers, pronounce It too lovely to laat,
and regard it with shaking heads, as
the precursor of a devastating storm.
nd the storm that wrecked the hap
piness of Vlctorlne waa near at hand.
'Among her rejected suitors was a wild,
bold man, named Raoul Maltravera, an
assign in the' royal navy, of a very dis
tinguished family high In power at
court, who might well look forward to
the prospect of seeing the broad pen
nant of an admiral float over his own
quarter-deck. But, with all the qual
ities of a noble race, he was stained
with many rices. He waa a gamester,
a duelist and a libertine; prodigal with
his gold, cruel with his aword, false In
bis loves, and fatal In hla bates. '
Although hla rejection was couched
In the most respectful terms. It roused
his worst passions, and he swore to
wreak a deadly vengeance on the rival
who prospered where be had failed.
The band be could not win himself
should never be clasped in wedlock by
another's. In this temper of mind be
went to sea.
" It must be borne In mind that this
project of vengeance was a secret
locked In his own heart, to be dtvnlged
In action, not In words, Therefore,
when, some months affjf the marriage,
the ensign returned from his cruise,
ithe Incident did not owe any alant
nicn
Mime
I
TO YESTERDAY.
Oyer there my heat la Bulling, all alone
upon the pood . .,
I nut hnrry back before aha Mows
astray ;
And arhutua flowera are trailing la the
plraaant flelda bryona.
With the other Utile, lorely .Howera of
May, . : .
And the treee are white with bloaaoma, and
tne air la brlsbt wtta aong
And the children all are happy there and
Oh, I "want to go to And them bow, and
you may come along,
If you'll show me, please, the road to
leaterday.
Caroline HcCormlck, In llarpcr'a.
By
Francis A. Durivsge.
In the breast of Madame Vlctorlne de
Grantier.
One morning when sherwoko up she
missed her husband from her side, but
this caused her no surprise, for he was
In the habit of rising without disturb
ing her, dressing and then taking a
ride on horseback. But he always re
turned to breakfast, which was served
punctually at eleven o'clock In the
forenoon. When, therefore, It came to
ne nearly noon, and be did not make
his appearance, she was naturally un
easy. His horse was very spirited, and
might possibly have thrown him, sho
tnought. But on Inquiry, it appeared
that the animal was In his stall, and
that Monsieur de Grantier had left the
house on foot
Madame do Grantier ordered the
breakfast things removed, after mak
ing a slight repast, and then took up
a book to while away tbo time until
her husband's return. At one o'clock
visiter was announced Capt. Paul
Boau regard, an officer in the French
guards. He was an Intimate friend of
De Grantier, as well as of the lady
and scarcely a day passed without their
seeing him.
My husband! Have you seen any
ming ot Dim 7 sho asked.
'I have been with him all the morn
Ing, madams."
"Where 1b he? Why did he not re
turn with you? How has he been en
gaged?"
Capt. Beauregard replied to the last
question:
"In an affair of honor, madame,"
"A duel?"
res; and be has been wounded. I
thought It beet to prepare yon for the
accident."
He is dead!" shrieked the unhappy
lady, as she fell back In convulsions.
for she bad read the terrible truth In
the captain's face.
Beauryrd rang the feci) t!Xl feft her
her iiald, while he went
5cr room. It was agony bit
as the pangs of death to listen to
ber walls, and sobs, and shrieks: but
in an hour, Florette, the waiting maid,
pale, frightened, with swollen eyes, for
sho, too, had been weeping bitterly,
came to say that Madame de Grantier
was calmer, and desired to speak with
e captain.
The officer found the lady white as
arble, but strangely quiet and col
lected.
"Hector Is dead?" she balf asked
half asserted.
Her friend drooped his eyes. The
unswer was sufficient.
"Now tell how this happened," said
the lady. "Hector was kind, and geptle,
and courteous. He had no enemy
how could he have, for he never
wronged a human being."
"That did not prevent his having an
enemy a mortal foe who last night
publicly Insulted him, even struck blm,
and thus forced a challenge from your
husband."
"Ay, honor compelled Hector to draw
the sword. But the name of that vil
lain the murderer?"
"Raoul Maltravera."
"He! The man whose hand I re
jected! Oh! Mypoor, dear "murdered
Hector! Why did we ever meet? Fatal
was (he hour in which you saw and
loved me! Often have your Hps told
me that I bad made you the happiest
of men. Little did you dream that I
would give you .death as well as love."
"I Implore you, madame," said the
captain, "not to view this tragedy In
that light. An unforeseen calamity has
fallen on you, and my heart bleeds at
sight of your distress. But I can do
more than pity; I can and will avenge
Hector. Raoul Maltravera dies by my
hand!"
"Hold!" cried the widow, wltb sud
den and startling energy. "I forbid
you to espouse this quarrel. I bavo
my own purpose of vengeance, and no
man, not even you, shl be permitted
to stand between me and my predes
tined victim. He baa robbed me of
more than life, bnt I will punish blm.
I was a fond, weajk, gentle, loving,
happy girl. They who know me hence
forth will know me as a tigress thirst
ing fof human blood. But no word of
this to others. Be my friend In this
extremity, and as you were bis true
and loyal friend to the last moment, I
wish yon to conduct the funeral rites.
Tou see bow calm I am when I can
apeak these words without convul
sions." When Vlctorlne was alone with her
liwfl , ih. A A AnlluiMt n MR.
dend, she had a wild outburst of pas
sionate grief, but It rapidly gave way
to a calmness so stern that It would
have appalled an observer bad there
been witnesses in the chamber of
death.'..- --.
- "Hector de Grantier," she said, ad
dressing the cold clay, "If my Creator
spare my life, your son, whom your
eye were never to behold, shall be
your avenger. I will rear blm strong,
valiant, skilful, and teach blm to Took
for no happiness, no rent, no employ
meat, nntll be has slain the man who
has robbed yon of life, me of a hus
band, and himself of a father."
Two month after tbe funeral the
friend of the family were apprised
that the widowed lady was the mother
of a daughter! Shortly after this
event, she retired wltb her Infant child
to an estate In Brittany.
' Sixteen years passed away, and. then
Vlctorlne de Granthier, still wearing a
widow's weeds, again resume! her resi
dence in Paris. She lived In a fash
ionable quarter, but In great privacy,
receiving only relatives, making no bc
fth
m
qualntancea. Her daughter, named
Claudlne, had grown up a beautiful
girl, the picture of health a bright
cower to bloom In the almost conven
tional gloom of her mother's house.
The only frequent visitor waa the
ysung Chevalier de Hauterllle, a cousin
of Claudlne, and, strange to say, a per
feet Image of the girl the same height,
features and complexion. The gossips
of the neighborhood said they were
born for each other,' and predicted a
marriage between the oarties. But the
servants of the family asserted that the
old lady would never, for some reason
of her own, probably that of nearness
of blood, permit the alliance, and that
the young people rarely If ever met
It was observed that whenever Claud
lne had gone to church, the chevalier
was sure to make his appearance, and
when he was In the drawing room she
was always absent. Whether this was
arranged by the mother, or whether
tuls young woman and this young man,
so strangely alike, cherished an antip
athy equally strange, was a mystery
like almost everything else in that
mysterioua household.
Had the widow, foiled In her plan
of vengeance by the sox of her off
spring, forgotten or forgiven Raoul
Maltravera? No one knew, but no one
ever heard her pronounce his name.
Meanwhile Raoul Maltravera had
left the sea, not being particularly fond
of the music of heavy guns, for, though
brave enough on tho duel ground, be
cause ho was tho best blade in France,
and always sure of victory, he was
really a poltroon. He had married a
very beautiful heiress, and lived In
great splendor. He had more than one
affair of honor after his marriage,
with, In each case, a fatal result to hlB
antagonist.
One day the Chevalier de Hautwlile
made a morning call on Madame de
Grantier. He found her In her boudoir,
which was draped with black, and
lighted with wax tapers.
"You know this Is a sad anniver
sary," she said. Then she added, with
a sharp rook of inquiry: "Raoul Mal
travera?" "Dead," was tho reply. '
"Come to my heart!" crlod Vlctorlne.
claudlne, you have avenged uui'
father!"
"Claudlne!" I exclaimed. In utter
astonishment, when the old countess
had come to this point of her narrative.
'Yes," she replied; "the Chevalier de
Hautevllle and Claudlne de Grantier
were one and the same person. Madame
de Grantier had reared her daughter
like a man, and trained her to arms
in the Bolltude of her old provincial
manor house, where a wohdrously
skilled professor of tbo sword, an Ital
ian, gave her lessons dally. You must
not think too harshly ot the memory
of Vlctorlne de Grantier. I am now
positively certain that the death of
her husband turned her brain, and that
during "airEer years" of widdwhj
was a monomaniac That she Insplr,
her daughter with her fanatical idei
vongeance Is natural the mother.
for no other purpose.'
But what became of Claudlne
."She Is still living at an advanced
ago, a widow," replied the countess,
"Doubtless harrowed by remorse for
having shed human blood?'
It caused her great suffering for
years, but the clergy whom sbe con
sulted told her that the circumstances
absolved her from all mora) guilt. She
was an Irresponsible agent of her
mother ber judgment deliberately per
verted by one. who herself had lost
tbe power of reason. Yet were many
hours of bitter sorrow and penitence,
passed by that unhappy woman. And
now let me show you a sad relic,"
Tho old lady rose, walked to. an
ebony cabinet, and unlocking it, took
out a long, old-fashioned rapier' and
bade me draw It. I examined the blade
and remarked that It was covered with
rust.
These darker stains are the life-
blood of a man," said tbe old lady with
a heavy sigh "for that was the aword
with which I killed Raoul Maltravera."
You!" I cried.
Yes; for, before I becamotCountess
de Clalrmont, I was Claudlne'de Gran
tier. "-New York Weekly.
QUAINT AND CURIOUS.
A bolt of lightning which struck the
barn of Joseph Jaggard, at Almones-
son, Pa., recently, tore a hole through
the roof, passing through the haymow
nnd out the side .of the building.
Neither the building nor the hay was
set afire.
The man who built a house and for
got to put In the stairs has been over
shadowed by the Swansea Corporation.
They are building a Are brigade sta
tion and have Just discovered that they
have forgotten to " provide for the
horses! London Builders' Journal.
One of the greatest curiosities among
the domesticated animals of Ceylon la
a breed of cattle known to the boolo
gist as the "sacred running oxen."
They are the dwarfs of the whole ox
family, the largest specimen ot the
species never exceeding thirty inches
In height.
The Swiss town of Zurich has taken
a step toward the municipalization of
medicine, and puts a poll tax on all
the population over sixteen 'year of
age sufficient to make up an Income of
tinViWlA , ,1... .liuUiua 1fVm'jIa.
flWWV w ynj tin UUVIUI o. ,ui lj uuv-
tors will get 12.500 each, and for this
sum they must give all needed atten
tion to all cltltens of the commune,
young or old. 'n-,;,V;;;V'::r,-..,. I
Near the Tonga Island. In the. Pa
cific, some time ago a fish net was sunk
twenty-three thousand feet below the
surface. . That I the deepest haul ever
made. It took a whole day to sink the
net and raise It Life was fotfnd even
i at that depth, over four mile, whore
tb temperature was Just above treat
ing, and tbe pressure nine thousand
pound to the square inch.
A woman waa arrested in Part foi
shoplifting not long ago, and It was
noticed that she carried a bright look'
Ing King Charles spaniel on her arm.
The police happened to examine the
pup rather carefully, and . were sur
prised to And that It was trained to
help the woman at her trade. The dog
was schooled to snatch a piece of lace
In Its mouth and then bide It head
under iUi woman' arm
JU III
r r
FACTS ABOUT NOB WAY.
CAU8E8 WHICH LED -8EPAP.ATION
FROM
UP TO IT8
SWEDEN.
History of the Union Now Broken
Norway to Be an Independent Na
tion for the First Time In ' More
Than Five Centuries.
If the Norwegians hold to their ac
tion, Norway will be an Independent
nation for the first time In more than
five centuries. In 1376, when the crown
of the little Norse kingdom tell to a
Danish ruler, she passed under the
sway of that country and was only a
Danish province, although an unruly
and independent one, until 1814, when
she was passed over to Sweden.
The differences between the two little
nations have a vital basts. The Nor
wegians, living in a rough, mountain
ous country, with long seacoast and
deep bays, are by nature sailors and
mountaineers; tbe Swedes, Inhabiting
tho fertllo part of the peninsula, aro
farmers and city dwellers. They differ
in language, and to a certain degree in
blood. Tho Norwegians are democratic
by instinct; they were governed by a
national assembly from viking times,
and maintained It through the five cen
turies of their subjugation. The Swedes
are more conservative. The national
feeling of Norway, encouraged by an
artivo liberal party, has been growing
for a century.
Tho causes of the crisis go far back
Into the past. Late In the fourteenth
century, Margaret of Norway, a re
markable figuro in Scandinavian his
tory, made her son Olaf king of both
Norway and Denmark. Albert, a weak
king, was on the throne of Sweden.
Margaret sent an army against him,
besieged him In Stockholm and seized
his throne. She had her grandnephew
Eric crowned king of the threo king
doms in 1397. Through a stormy cen
tury Sweden, although often in rebel
lion, was a vassal of Denmark and
Norway. The power of this dual king
dom was gradually vested in Denmark.
When, In 1523, tho Swedish patriot
Gustavus Vara organized a successful
rebellion, Norway remained under
Danish control.
Under tho dynasty founded by Gus
tavus Vara Sweden became the great
power of northern Europe. Gustavus
Adolphu was the champion of Protes
tantism In Europe. Charles XII.. who
died In 1718, dofeated a coalition of
Denmark, Poland and Russia. Ho
reached too far, however, and before
bis death had lost noarly all the Swe
dish territory on the mainland. In
the beginning of tbe nineteenth cen
tury Finland, long a Swedish depen
dency, went with the rest, and Swedei
was a third-class power.
It was In the reign of Charlos XIII.,
who yielded up Finland to Russia, thai
the Swedish Diet passed one of thrfj
t curious actsSL-asslon in hi
ry. it was the tgautmrnmnpo!
wars.
Napoleon's most serious rival In
Franco was Jean Bernadotte, a mar
shal of the empire. The son of a eoun
try lawyer, Bernadotte had risen from
the ranks to be the second soldier of
the Grand Army. He was made Minis.
ter of War during Napoleon's absence
in Egypt, and In that capacity ho re
organized the army. Napoleon feared
him more than any other man in
France.
Swedish noblemen taking part In tho
Napoleonio wars had encountered this
Bernadotte. His ability, personality
and ambition made a great impression
upon them. His rivalry with Napoleon
was a matter of common knowledge.
Charles XIII. was childless. The suc
cession became a matter of concern to
the Diet. The collateral branches of
the royal line had no strong candidate.
A coalition of nobles startled Europe
by proposing Bernadotte, a Frenchman
who had never even seen Sweden, as
Crown Prince and successor to the
throne. They won their point Ber
nadotte accepted, and became at once
virtual ruler of Sweden. He silenced
those Swedes who feared that be would
hand them over to Napoleon by Join
ing a coalition against France.
Wltb the help ot England, Berna
dotte forced Denmark, In 1814, to hand
over Norway to Sweden. In return,
Sweden ceded parts of Pomerani, her
last possessions on the mainland, to
Denmark. Norway's Diet formally re
fused to submit to the change of rulo.
Bernadotte led an Invasion at once,
and conquered Norway with very little
trouble.
When, In 1818, Bernadotte came to
the throne as Charles XIV., he estab
lished the union of tbe two countries.
Each kept Its old code of laws, with a
few slight modifications to make the
Joints fit. Each kept It national as
sembly, with power to legislate tor Its
own territory, subject to royal veto.
Both were represented In the Cabinet.
From the very first Norway wa In
dependent and aullen. A Btrong liberal
party arose. In wfile there grew up an
undercurrent of sentiment for indepen
dence. As tb Nationalist In Ireland
bav tried to create national feeling by
encouraging tbe study ot Celtic, so cer
tain liberal tried to wake a literary
language of tbe Norse, dialect by the
peasants, modified Danish being the
official and literary tongue ot Norway.
Norwegian legislation has always been
more liberal than that of Sweden. Nor
way had a constitutional government
from the first Sweden gained Us full
constitution only In i860. In, Norway
all adult male and all adult females
having an Income ot more than too
kroner are K voter. . In Sweden the
franchise i so limited by property
Qualification that tbe proportion ot
elector 1 amail.
Tbe fight was carried on In the last
half of tbe nineteenth century over
several minor Issues. . The Norwegian,
thrBVgh their liberal majority, again
and again refused to vote adequate
fund for the army and navy. They
tried to replace tbe regular military
establishment by a militia on which
they could depend in case of actual
separation, railing in this, tbey opened,
In 1890, the agitation for a separate
Minister of ForelxnAffalr for Nor
way, with a separate consular service.
They bad some reason above the gen
eral desire to create incuon, ior nor- w
way to a free trade country and Swe
den ha protection.
Oscar II.. the present king, called.
tbe ablest crowned ruler ot Europe,
has had his hands full with the. Nor
weglans. He managed to keep thf
jfTj
peace until this year, when, during an
abdication made necessary by hi age
and Illness, the Norwegian Storthing
passed the bill creating a separate con
sular service. The king returned to
his throne. The Norwegian Council of
Ministers presented tbe bill for his Big
nature. He. vetoed It, a he wa ex
pected to do. The Ministers resigned,
as they, were expected to da Tbe king
asked them to reconsider, making It
plain that there was no Immediate way
of forming a new Ministry. They re
fused. Neither would they sign a pro
tocol of the proceedings; and this re
fusal, by the peculiar constitution ot
Sweden and Norway, made the king'
veto void. At this point In the affair
all Scandinavia understood that the
break had practically come.
Norwegians of New York rather in-
cllno to tho opinion that In asking for
"a Prince of the house of Bernadotte"
the Norwegians have their eye on
Oscar, the king's second son, who had
to renounce his right to the dual
throne when he married for love a
commoner, a woman of patrician
though not of noble blood. He has
always beou popular In both kingdoms.
Bernadotte married a descendant of
the old Swedish dynasty, who had also
a Btratn of old Norwegian royalty In
her veins. The children of Oscar and
his wife thus unite three royal lines
with plain Scandinavian. This and the
poetic justice of giving a crown to a
man who renounced a crown for love
is Bald to appeal to the literary men
and sontlmeutallsts, who are strong In
the Norwegian movement for separa
tion. New York Sun.
FIREPROOF THEATRE CURTAINS,
Germany Using Iron for Their Con
struction.
In America the opinion prevails that
the best kind of curtain to prevent tbe
spread of Or a. from the stage ot a
theatre to the auditorium is one made
of asbestos. Tho material is flexible
and comparatively light, and offers
great resistance to flames. Germany
was awakened to the wisdom of Inter
posing a similar barrier In the eame
place years before Chicago's unfortu
nate experience startled the world. It
appears from a consular report that
Iron curtains are In service in almost
all largo German theatres.
Criticising their use, an expert
writes to tho Health Engineer, ques
tioning tho dependence to be placed
in working them, as so far no perfect
contrivance has been invented. Hy
draulic, electric and manual power
have been employed, but experience
at almost every theatre shows that
from unknown causes, the curtain on
many occasions falls to move. After
he Iroquois theatre fire In Chicago
tno police authorities In Frankfort.
Germany, ordered the Iron curtains to
be lowered once or twice .during inter-
lssions in performances, expecting
ater assurance ot their working
propwuxjn case of danger.
The onfer may be reassuring, but
the cxperlenceNle fresh in the public
mind where theTlxnn curtain at the
Berlin Opera Housowas lowered and
could not bo raised again, so that tbe
performance had to be Wjandonet).
Is also questioned whether
noise created by the lowering
curtain docs not tend to alarm
audience.
It has been proposed to make obliga
tory the possession of two Iron cur
tains to make more nearly certain
that ono at least will work In a crisis
Should both be used, all the better.
Tbe expense for these curtains would
probably be less than for .the Increase
in the number ot theatre firemen late
ly demanded by the police. Where
the construction ot tbe theatre make
It Impossible to Install a second Iron
curtain, an asbestos curtain with an
Iron filling should be added. This
Idea has been-advanced by Fire Di
rector Reichel, of Hanover, and It 1
hoped will be acted upon In the con
structlon of new theatres.
Tho expert propose that there be
a space of 39 to 58 Inches between
the two curtain, and supplied with
strong ventilators at the top, so that
smoke and poisonous gases cannot pen
etrate to the auditorium. This space
would also be of great service to tbe
firemen In fighting flames.
Th Critic and the Lady.
Talleyrand, the noted Frenchman,
possessed wit of so high an order that
It has stood well the test ot time, and
bis Jokes are still good. The author
of "Juniper Hall" give two of his
sayings to Madame de StaeL
Ho waa a great admirer of Madame
Recamler and Madame de Stael, the
one for her beauty, the other for hor
wit Madame de Stael asked him one
day, If bo found himself wltb both of
them In the sea on a plank, and could
only save one, which It would be, to
which be replied: .
"Ah! Madame de Btael know to
many thing doubtless she know
how to swim."
When "Oelphine" appeared, It was
aid tbat Madame de-Stael bad- de
scribed herself a Delphlne, and that
Talleyrand won the original ot Mad
ame de Vernon. ' .-...'
Meeting the authores toon after
ward, Talleyrand remarked. In hi
most gentle tone of voice:
I hear tbat both yon and I appear
in your new book, but disguised as
woinen." "
Slnbad'a Alleged Prototype,
The story of Slnbad the Sailor I
believed to owe a good deal to the
legend of 8t Brendan, the Kerry-
Saint whose day I May 16. Accord
ing to tbe legend, St Brendan sailed
the ocean for seven. year In search
of the Island that had once been
Adanjy iMen, During that time he reg
ularly revisited tbe Island of Sheep,
where the sheep are a large a ox
en; the -Island of Bird, that are real
ly fallen angels, and another Island,
which is teally a big fish named Jas
con trying to get his tall Into hi
mouth. St Brendan used to encamp
on the fish on Easter day, and go on
to the bird on Easter Monday, He
found the Eden island at last, but no
one baa seen It since, though It ap
peared on 17th-contury maps and In
an 18-century treaty between Spain
and Portugal. Probably Irish monk
took this legend with them to the
east In the -ninth century.-London
Chronicle. ( ,
THE PULPIT.
AN ELOQUENT SUNDAY SERMON BY
THE RtV. CHARLES a AMES.
fnl.Jrcl: Tho dory of Blinpla licetltnri
Costou, Muss. -Tho' following helpful
sermon was delivered Sirmlay by the
icv. i mines u. Ames. It is entitled
"The (ilory of Simple Hrctltudo." nml
was iiieaclied rrom tbe text, "Weaned
nro llicy that hunger ami thirst after
righteousness, for they shall bo filled."
-Malt. v. (I. ' .
"l'.lssed nre Ihey Hint hunger and
ibli'st after righteousness, for they
shall be tilled." The iiinu who says
thnt lins n claim on the reverent ami
grateful attention of nil mankind. He
gives voire lo Hie universal reason
and roiisch-nce; he Inspires tbe highest
ond holiest hope. Heaven and earth
limy pass away, but the words that
Rive life are themselves Immortal.
Mke Hie utterances of . the sibyl (hey
are "simple, unadorned, iiiiperfinned.
and rp.irhhig through the ages, because
of God."
Here is one sign of truth. It affects
US like :i nail of Hie neriuiiiieiir nnlnr
of things: it tn sill of one shift" with
the word mid ivllli our own proper
nature. It has Hie rlnir nf rwiliiv.
Like sunlight It carries Its own erl.
deuce; and to the sane mind It rec
ommends itself as sunlight does to Hie
hcnllby e.vr; bnt It Is concealed from
our crossness by lis own aliunllrliv
und transparency. Who realizes this
splendid miracle of the common day?
In the same way wc have become loo
familiar with some of the most ob
vious ami Important nsprcts of spirit
ual truth. These Hcatltiulrs of Jesus
may seem to lie worn smooth. Wc have
heard Iheni from our Intimacy: Ibelr
force and beauty appeal to un respond
ing hearts.
If we could have stood, one day long
go, amoug Hie Syrian peasants, on the
slope of n bill in t;alllee, nml listened
lo these sayings as they fell fresh and
clear tut as newly minted gold from
me iivinn lips of the new prophet,
perhaps we, tno, should have been
"astonished at the iloclrlue," we should
have "wondered at the gracious words
that proceeded out of Ills mouth."
Did It not seem as if Nature herself
had at Inst found a voice, mid as If
that voice were sneaklnar stmMir n
her children, saying clearly and clH-er-lly,
yet soberly and solemnly, what all
men vaguely think nr feel, but can
rarely put Into words?
let these He.ilitudes are remnrltnhtx
for what they do nnt fny. The sen
tences of Jesus seldom ' rim In Hie
grooves of old commonplace. He does
noi sir mere, like the scrilw of the
synagogue, complacently reciting. In
tones Hint make nieii sleepy, the vir
tues and piety of a dead' ancestry,
as if It were enough to have Abraham
for a fnllier and Mnsra for n law
giver. He pronounces no blcsslne on
religious respectability, derorous con
fornilty. doctrinal soundness loyalty to
the standard, fidelity to the tradition.
or even diligence lo tho routine of ob
servance ami devotion. Any priest J;
me miuieiice must nave felt
siigui was put upon his grerf
u mo spraner bad
honor. The temple,
saereu books
respect, v
their I
expect ing
world's vnlcnr 1
"Hlessed are Hie nrnanorTt
I'll" 4l, A..III ..
' iiiin.iivu aim tue CX
able." Hut no. The Una tli.t A,
III blessing made theui shrink as If M
tad uttered a curse. Every world fell
like n blow on (heir Idols. The vir
tues which had strutted so proudlv
before (lod and man began to unmask
f' ,"'y vices as He went on to say:
Blessed are the men ot linmhi. ninH
the men of good will, the merciful, the
pure in nearr, lea. messed sre thev
wno Hunger and tblrst for righteous
ness. so that for the sake of helug
right they dnre and hear all losses
and pains, and wlllinglv let their
mines ne cast out ns evil."
No comfort here for the elf-rlgh'-cous,
tho self-snllsfiVd, Iheelf-wllled
the self-seek lug. But scattered through
the company were men mid women
who nit their cmplinesii and poverty,
who took no credit for Ihelr anccstr'v.
their accomplishments or their social
standing, who hardly dared so much as
to lift up their eyes to heaven. Yet. as
tbey listened, all the world above.
Around, within, seemed to change.
The awful Jehovah, whom thev had
thought of ns throned afar In t'hrfal
eiiliig majesty, seemed n smiling
lather who wished His children to In
near Him and lo be ns perfect as Him
self They drew In deeper draughts
of the country air; their very emptiness
seemed to make so much more room
for (lod and goodness. Their cry of
inwnrd need changed Into childlike
trust.
Here was Indeed a messenger of
good tiding. Hero was a doctrine
as worthy nf man as It was worthy of
God. And does not all Hie best
thought of our own time still travel
this way? Has the weary senrch of
mankind through tbe nm tnnnn ...
thing better than righteousness
which Is rooted In sonthlp to ibe
highest, and which blossom. ....
lce to the lowest? Has not our clear
est conception of the divine ever been
an expansion and idealisation of the
best qualities ot the human? Tho n
fact which we most certnluly know
is our own existence; and Hist fact. If
we loon ueep enough and honestly
enough, we shall Cud tln revcbl!
ana witness or uoa. r or. when man
ba rightly reverenced the decrees ot
conscience, he has heard the Voice;
when be brj really made acquaintance
with bis own nature, he baa wen tbe
race. .. S.: ..;
There are times when I feel entlrelv
atlsfled with this inward proof ol
realities. There are high moment
when theiv I ne?d of no other evi
dence cf God than the act Hist 1 am
alive. And there are times when th'
sight of n goad man, rr something seer
In lh faoe of a -h:id. or some stir ii
Nature Hint tifficls me Ilk" a fnitl-
trr'ivr 'Hi t ., ...
a nee. Along wltb this fooling comet
always tbe perception that goodness 1
what lam made for. Not even a vote
out Of the aky could tell me more
Plainly that the Holy Betug will tbat
, too, should be holy. Along with
the reproof comes tbe encouragement,
and along with the hunger for right
eousness conies tbe promise tbat tbo
hunger shall be satisfied. ' ,,
To suppose the Creator Indifferent to
Ibe moral character and welfare ot Hi
creatures is essential atheism; but,
If not IndlffereBf. He must have pro
vided nil needed helps to virtue. He
must have given His creature llglut
to find the right way and strength to
walk Ju that way. But, even if lie
Hu
of
llPV
raTffJw
IhaK
were Indifferent we cannot afford io
Se sot for our highest Interest Is to be
found lu seeking (he completeness of
our own being lu and the harmony or
.'Igbtuess of our relations with all other
beings and with tbe laws and forces
of the pniverie in which we find our
place. Everything, worth having or
worth desiring Is involved In charac
ter. In being simply and soundly right.
The world comes right when the man
romes right. What It Is to each one
f us depends on wbnt we are mid how
we take It We male our own hells,
wo can make our own heavens.
"When Hie soul to sin liath died,
Trno and brautlful and sound
Then all rnrth is sanctified,
Up.iprlugs paradise around." -
A rough-cast man rose lu a country
.tieetlng-house to cell bis experience:
"It was In the north country, when
Hie snow lay deep on tbe ground, tbat
I ho Lord God found out Jonathan
Hlncklry and converted his soul. And
the leafless trees gave prnise to God."
Is there one among us who might not
report lo himself something like this
happy convert's slory? Who lias not
at some time felt sure of Ills place In
the great order, and seen all the world
Irradiated with a light which really
shone from within the mind?
If n man has lost bis faith In God
and still holds fast his own integrity,
well for the man. Hut, In this very
concern to be trno lo the highest law
be knows, he is unconsciously n wor
sblpor. Blessed Is Hie man who hun
gers mid thirsts for righteousness, for
already he holds lu his soul the richest
of nil treasures. We who believe In
(lod need not be seriously troubled
about the fate or state of honest non
liclievers, for we may count their very
honesty as n sign of the real presence
and the finest Inspiration.
Once accept the principle of duty,
and all life becomes an honorable dis
cipline and a steady advance. There
Is no higher rank on earth or In heaven
(ban the rauk ot personal goodness;
and lie who loves It. seeks It, and
practices it for Its own sake Is surelv
moving, however slowly, toward the
perfect life.
Here also is the cure, and the only
cure, for our restlessness and self-
dlssatisfactlon. "No man can serve
two masters." But be who falls
heartily In love with virtue is no
longer distracted by n divided allegi
ance. He has nothing else to do but
to occupy himself with learning and
doing what is right and reasonable.
Having settled the central principle
aud lending purpose of his life, every
step onward and upwnrd makes Iho
next easier; and Hie law of bablt con
tinually operates to confirm this deep
hearted choice. He Is no longer driven
by tbe lash of conscience; he Is no
more a servant, but a son. nisi the
Father's bouse Is his happy home.
Here too Is the secret of victory
over our trials and depressions. When
shall we half reallno the grandeur and
glory of simple rectitude Let me
again repeat a tale of real life. Years
ago, and far away, I knew n woman
of most fine aud excellent qualities
whose deeply shadowed life was like
a long crucifixion and martyrdom. In
one ot bet letters sbe sald"My youth
is gonCjiriThope Is desrlij heart
gen
he long!
wrong. 1:
sweetenea wi im so
that rlsMCCllArrSfrTecomesv one form
ef Benevolence. The right Is always
the good. Hence the ethical passion
kindled from the heart of Jesus has
flamed out In abhorrence of wrong
and evil, and has lent support and
vigor to every movement for reform
and welfare. "It is a spurious virtue
that can contentedly see vice thriving
by its side." Tbe gospel Is no gospel
If it does not turn the hearts of men
toward eac'i otbrr ns well as toward
God. It is no gospel If It doej not unite
all believers In wise, well-consniTed,
and earnest movements for the chans-
do noc I'einy.
To-day Is a good time lo mend yout
life where It has need of it. Take the
step Into your Father service. I)o It
lu genuine honesty nml faith. Don't
quibble with your doubts. Don't mis
trust yourself. Don't forg-it that Jesuj
Is looking ou. Don't wait any longer.
The door is open. You etui enter. You
can do It now.' To-morrow may be too
late. Rev. I. Mtuch Chambers.
OLD MEN WITH YOUNO WIVES.
Propensity ef the Times, a Noted by
Insurance Agent.
"Strange statistics," said an Insur
ance agent "are collected In my busi
ness. 1 bav been recently collecting
statistics a to th comparative ages
of husbands and wives.
."This Is what X bav found: . I have
found that tb more time a man
Etrrlea, the younger, In comparison
with himself, be wants his .wife to be.
For Instance, his first wife, on tbe
average, I four year younger than
he. HI second I tap. HI third to
twenty or thirty. '
"What do these statistic prove?
Do they prove that, a a man gains
In year and experience, be find that
it 1 but for .many reason to be al
most as old as bl wife's father or
do they only prove that a men ap
proach old age they are mora foolish
than tbey were In youth?
"Old X. need 70. with a th'd wi
oi it, said on thl bead th otheV
iav: Too Mat mm a Ctrl ian
young. The younger she 1 the longer
hell keep her health and strength
and beauty, aturtbermore, tb older
yon are the mora respect shell bav
for yon. Shell reverence yon and
obey you ss tb would her own father
or grandfather.'' :
: "Young wive rejuvenate old hu- L
band'' the Insurance agent ended.
"They make these old fellow dree
younger, talk younger and feel young
er. Youth 1 contagious, like th
croup, -.v..
"A young wife i believed to pro
long an old husband's lite. It a man
ot 70. Insured In my company, should
marry a girl of 20, I'd consider him
a better risk by I per cent tbsn he bad
been before."
JBBBl I
no.
OXMS OWNED BY THE SULTAN.
In Valu More Than Sufficient to Pay
th National Debt of th Country.
A party of American tourists saw
the Jewels in tbo Sultan's treasury
recently. The royal jjirone ot. Persia,
captured by the Turks In 1514, about
half the size of an ordinary bedstead,
and the footstool accompanying it,
were covered with beaten fine gold,
and the entire surface of each waa
thickly studded with precious Jewels,
chiefly diamonds, 'emeralds and sap
phires. There were also somd pearls,
rubles and other minor precious
stones. The estimated value of this
throne and accompaniments alone 1
t?n nnn nnn
ine tumans, omciai parapnernaiiB
and arms of the former Sultan are
also there, glittering fitb enormous
precious Jewels of every kind in every
part. The throne of S'elman II. Is
also there, resplendent with the most
valuable of precious Jewels. '
There Is also a writing desk ii.
secretary of ordinary size of the same
character, and hundreds on hundreds
of other minor objects, or public aud
private character, made of the finest v
tnatorlals, most perfectly, and decorat
ed In every part with tho same kind
and quality of most precious jewels,
from a finger ring and a pipe to a
saddle, sword and scepter.
For example, there are many cot- !
fee, tea and other drinking sets made
of gold, porcelain and a variety of
arlety of ;. '
I in form.
other lino materials, beautiful
style and workmanship, whoso decora
tive figures are worked out in, e
profusion of the most precious Jew
els, diamonds, sapphires, emeralds and
rubles, tho edges oJ the cups, mugs or
tankards, tig the case may be, being
embossed with diamonds In such a
manner as to make thom complete
circles of glittering splendor.
To enumerate all the priceless ob
jects which the Suitan's treasury con
tains would require a small Hbraryof
books. Suffice to say thafbtrf party
of tourists was of the opinion, ex
pressed then and there, while viewing
the treasury's contents, tbat what we
saw with our own eyes was of suffi
cient value, in dollars and cents, to
pay off tho entire Turkish debt, and
that such an exhibition of splendor
was a sad commentary on the general
status of tho people there, a largo part
of whom lived in abject squalor and
want close to the very doors of the
treasury.
Oriental Bplendor as experienced
and Illustrated by the Sultan of Tur
key Is no myth, but a distressing real
ity indulged in at the expense of bis
wretched people. Wherever he I
there are the same lavish and expen
sive luxury and splendor. His palace
and all they contain are of the same
costly character, constructed of the
finest jiaferlals, of most beautiful
UTBHll ii ii t l Jl i
day passe but the cruel competition
of life waxes florcer and hotter. New
lands, new markets, must be found
tho social pressure In the older na
tions demand It as a prime nocessltj.
Therefore comes it that states are no
longer "engines moving slowly." ; On :
the contrary, they move very rapid
ly; and as all the fat lands of the
earth have already been appropriated, :
future trouble seems not improbable.
John Bull, early in the field, worked.;,
hard painting the map red, and now
It is not possible to got far away
from one or other on his frontiers..,
Tbo British colossus has many imlta
torB; but these started in the game
late, when most of the prizes had
been won. "Story of the Congo Free
State," by Henry Wellington Wack,
Japanese Goldfish Farms.
Although tho goldfish occur In a
wild state in Japan, it is probable that
China some 400 years ago furnished
the stock from which the wonderful
varieties of Japanese goldfish : have
been bred. It Is reported that in
feudal days, even when famine wa
abroad In the land and many people
were Starving, the trade In goldfish
was flourishing. The demand at present
appear to be withouJij-jitand
the output shown- -lubstantiaithT-crease
each year, ' Many - thousand
people make a living by growing gold
fish for market, and hundreds ot pol
lers carry the fish through the streets
and along the country roads In wooden
tubs suspended from a shoulder bar.";
The -leading goldfish centre Is Kore
yama, near tbe ancient capital of Nara.
Here are-350 Independent breeding
establishments, whose yearly product
runs tar Into the millions. One farm
which I visited waa started 140 years
ago. At first it was conducted merely
for the pleasure of tbe owner, but it
eventually became a commercial en
terprise and I now very profitable.
National Geographical Magazine.
. Antiquity of Chesting.
False weight were found In the
ruins of the eldest city that has yet
been exhumed, v And false weights
twill probably be consumed When the
Wrtn, drops Into the sun and the
Ipeaven are roiled together like a
scroll Ancient records and ancient,
stntuto book tre full of evidence that,
every new practical device -trom enp
ItaMstlo and labor monopolies, seen t
rebnte and majority owner swind
ling', minority owners, down to .adul
teration and crooked scales was f
millan to our ancestors of the il;ii i
ot Iran before the migrations. V.
I theold inhabitant; virtue U t
newfomW, the immigrant, rec i
with relftctanee and compelled to (
for aver Inch ot ground he En.'
Reaucr l'ERzlne.
v