u Z/i Wm~‘—o¢. mus :amcv-‘mmmam r - than their uncivilized brothers the wilderness.” And now leaving the pair to watch and wait, l we will explain how it came about that the sen- tinels were posted to guard the old shed and so prevent the fugitives from escaping. “Then the young man had overcome Daddy Blazes and bound him hand and foot, he fan— cied that he had made a tolerany good job of it and that the old man was so secured that he would remain a prisoner until some one came to his rescue. But the Lightweight had committed the com— mon error of underrating his antagonist. Daddy Blazes was an abler man than Hugh Strong suspected. The moment that the young man disappear- , the denizens of ~ ed through the secret door Daddy Blazes set out fires himself from the bonds that hampered First he essayed to burst his fetters by main strength, but after a few moments of violent exertion he became satisfied that he was not equal to the task. Then a brilliant idea occurred to him as he surveyed the cloth strips which fettered him. A wild animal would speedin gnaw its way through such bonds, and why could he not do the same? The thought was a good one, and he at once proceeded to carry the project into execution. The old man possessed a good set of teeth, and soon the tightly-knotted bonds began to give wa . It did not take long for him to release his hands, and then the rest was easy, for after his hands were free it was not a difficult job to re- move the bonds that confined his ankles. He rose to his feet a free man once again. It had only taken him about five minutes to accomplish this, and that was all the start that the fugitive had. “ It will take him some time to find his way out, and the chance is good that I can intercept him,” Daddy Blazes cried in malicious glee, as he ran t) the stairway and began to ascend. Although the cellar was plunged in darkness by the removal of the lantern which Hugh Strong had carried off with him, yet from long fiuaintapce With the place the old man had no ' culty in finding his way. . The secret spring which fastened the trap yielded readily to the touch of his experienced fin ers. ' e gained the main floor and then hurried from the house to a neighboring shanty which served as a sort of headquarters for the mem— bers of the gang. There were ve of the rufiians there when a: old man entered playing cards and drinking r. Briefly the old man explained. what he wanted. “There is a police spy in the old shed, who will be apt to attempt to escape the moment he gets a good chance,” he said. “But as he is in pmssion of some impor~ taut secrets, he must not be allowed to get out of the settlement alive,” he continued. There was an ominous growl from the lips of the ruffians at this, and one and all began to hunt for their weapons. “ We want to do the trick quietly: you know,” Daddy Blazes continued. “ It may be possible that the police are some- where in the neighborhood, and we mustn’t alarm them if we can help it.” The rufllans shook their heads and scowled; all of them had been in the fight when the Tombs lawyer and his police escort had been handled so roughly, and that skirmish had whetted their a petite so that they were quite read for more un in the same line. “ our of you watchthe shed,” Daddy Blazes - “SM ‘ O , pomestohunthim outofhiishole.” - yufllans deserted their cards and beer and hastened immediately to carry out the orders of the old man. And so it hap ned that when the fu 'tives looked through t e cracks in the old she , the foamd the place surrounded by watchers on all s1 es. The delay of the Lightweight, caused by his encounter with the irl, had given time to the sentinels to assume t eir itions. But now that Daddy lazes had cut off the escape of the spy, he was somewhat at a loss to know what move it would be best to make next. The spy was entrapped and yet he was not. True, the shed was surrounded, but the daring adventurer who had been bold enough to pene— trate into the heart of Shantyville alone— single-handed, and beard Daddy Blazes in his den, ssessed both his liberty and his weapons, and rom the experience that the chief of the outlaw settlement already had of the intruder, he felt sure that the spy would not hesitate to use his arms if he was attacked, and the chances were good that if an attempt was made to capture him in his lair, he would make a most des rate resistance. He he the advantage of the shelter of the shed, and it was plain it would require a des- perate struggle to dislodge him. Daddy Blazes pondered this matter over in his mind while waiting for the gang to as— semble. He had sent out word for the men to come quietly to the shanty, dropping into it one by one so as not to attract attention. The shanty where the men had been directed to assemble, although only about a hundred feet from the shed which sheltered the fugitives, was hidden from it by a huge mass of rock cropping out of the earth, so that the gathering of the “ warriors ” could not be discovered by the man whom the designed to attack. Daddy lazes was a firm believer in the wise saying of the ancient Greek: “ When the lion’s skin falls short eke it out with the fox’s.” In this case the lion’s skin was most decided- ly short. He did not dare to venture to storm the cita- del occu )ied by the spy although his force was twenty one. He felt that the adventurer would offer a desperate resistance, and such a struggle would be apt to cost the lives of half a dozen of his men; that is. if they had courage enough to con— tinue the fight after discovering what a partic— ularly warm reception the besieged had in store for them. And on this point Daddy Blazes felt extreme- ly doubtful. _ That the gang, rendered confident by their number, would assail the shed and endeavor to get the adventurer out of it, the old man felt sure, but that they would persist .in the attack if the spy showed vigorous fight he was not so certain. . Strategy must be used. So after the gang were assembled the old man explained his plan to them. “ Boys, I want you to uietly sneak out and surround the shed on a] sides, being careful, you know, to keep out of sight. “Be sure that you don’t let this cursed spy get his eyes on any of you, for if you do the game is up. “The follow is armed, of course, and when he finds that he is cornered will be apt to make a desperate fight. “ Now, it will not do for us to let the spy get off with whole bones, for he is the only man that ever succeeded in penetrating into our strong- hold, and we must make an example of him.” “ es, yes!” cried the rest in chorus. “Kill him l” “ Well, if we do not kill him, we must do him up so that he will never dare to trouble us again. “Now be off, boys, to your holes, and when you hear me ell go for your man.” The gang 0 yed the injunction,andwhen the coast was clear Daddy Blazes came forth. CHAPTER XXXVII. A PARLEY. HUGH STRONG was looking through one of the cracks of the front wall of the shanty when Daddy Blazes made his appearance around the corner of the rock which had previously con- cealed him from sight. ’ “ Oho! the cat is out of the bag now!” ex- claimed the Lightweight, the moment he caught sight of the old man. ' " This explains the mystery.” The girl had hastened to his side the moment he spoke. “ It is the old scoundrel who had melocked up in the cellar,” the young man said. He had previously given the girl a brief ac— count of his adventures,not goin deeply though into the why and wherefore of his visit to Dad- dy Blazes’s stronghold; merely stating that he was in search of information. “ I thought I had tied him so that he would, stay tied for some time. “ In fact, I calculated to go back there as soon as I explored these passages, but the old rascal has been too smart for me. “ I can understand now though about these men being placed on the watch. “ The old scoundrel expected that I would at- tempt to escape by the way of this shed, and he means to head me off.” “ He is coming toward us,” the girl observed. “ Yes; what is he up to?” Hugh remarked,re- fiectively. “ He must suspect that I am here or else he would not have posted his sentinels to cut off my retreat. “ Of course he has no idea that you are here.” “ Perhaps he wishes to avoid a difficulty and comes to make some proposal to you,” the girl sug ested. “ should not be surprised if you have hit upon the truth,” the Lightweight replied. “ The fact is that so long as I am inside this shed am not in so tight a place as one would 1 me. “ cannot very well get out, but neither can my foes get in, so lon as my weapons remain in working order and have plenty of ammuni- tion. “ It is possible that the aged rascal has re- flected upon this point, he is a long-headed old scoundrel, and he has come to the conclusion be— fore resorting to force of arms to try what his tongue will do.” Daddy Blazes came straight to the shed, but halted when he was within about twenty feet of it. In obedience to Hugh’s instructions the ' 1 had retreated to the opposite side of the sheglsro as to keep watch there against a surprise while the young man conversed with Daddy Blazes. As will be seen by this the Lightweight did not put much faith in the old man. As we have said Daddy Blazes came to a halt about twenty feet from the house, sat down upon a rock, and pitching his voice so it would just about reach to the shed, said: “ Well, young man, are you there?” “ Yes, I’m here, all of me,” Hugh answered, immediately. “ You thought you had me in a pretty tight place a while ago,” Daddy Blazes observed, with achuckle, “ but, as you see, I have got out of it.” ' “ Yes, yes; there’s an old saying that Satan always stands by his own,” Hugh rejoined. “ And you, my adventuring 'young friend, , harmonious battle you are in a pretty tight place now.” “ I don’t really see how you make that out,” the Lightweigtl‘i: replied, immediately. “ Ah, yes, t t’s right 1” and the old man nod- ded approvingly. . “"th is the right wa to talk. Never admit that yonare ina tightp . e. Blusterand brag you. Why, don’t you know that’you are sur- rounded by my gang, and that all 1 have to do is to give the signal of alarm and the to ughest crow that there is in all this big city will go for cu?” y “ Oh, boshl” cried the Lightweight, con- temptuousl)" “ Your tough crowd is a set of cowardly cut-throats, who would run like rab— bits if they found themselves opposed by any- thing like an equal force. “I am armed—well armed, and I am not at all afraid to use In weapons, and thanks to the protection afford by the walls of this shed, I can bid defiance to a small army.” “ Yes, yes, you crow loud now; but when my gang make their rush I fancy you will be apt to change your tune.” “ If you believe that why don’t you try it on?” the other asked. “ Oh, come now; I am really not as bad as you think mei" Daddy Blazes exclaimed. “No doubt you sup ose I am eager and anx- ious to shed your bl , but it isn’t so, although you are the best man that ever get after me, but now this little affair is ended as far as I am concerned. “ Black Bud is off, and with the start he has the chances are a hundred to one against his be— ing caught. “John is an old friend of mine, and if I am noted for any one thing in this world it is for sticking to my friends when they get into trou- ble.” “ A very good trait indeed,” the Lightweight remarked. “ Oh, yes, as I told you, I am a pretty decent sort of fellow when you come to know me, al- though some folks do give me a hard name.” “It is the fate of man to be misunderstood and reviled,” Hugh remarked, philosophically. “ Well, to come to the point at once without further waste of words, if I understand your game, Black Bud was the man you was after.” “ Yes, you are right there.” “ I suppose you understand by this time that Black Bud is no fool, and is not the kind of man to stop fooling around in New York after so close a call as he got last night.” “ I should imagine that it was his policy to get out, unless he has some other hiding-place which he considers to be secure from dis— covery.” . . “ There isn’t such another den as mine in the city l” the old man declared. “ And you can bet your life that after you was smart enough to catch on to his hiding- lace he wasn’t idiot enough to fool around New York, after he succeeded in getting away from on. , y “ He has a good start, and by this time he is so far away that neither you nor any other spy stands any chance to catch him.” “ “hall, that is a good thing for Black Bud, I should remark.” “ Now then, I hope you understand that all the interest I had in this matter was to help a friend out of a bad scrape, and that job being accomplished I am ready to wash my hands of the whole affair.” . “ Yes, I see—very natural under the Circum- stances.” “ Now, I don’t hear you any ill will on account of the little difficulty that we had, and I hope that you haven’t any hard feelings against me.” “ Oh, no, none at all,” the Lightweight re- lied. p “ And as far as I am concerned I am willing to cry quits.” “ A very laudable spirit, I am sure,” Hugh re- sponded,with a slight touch of sarcasm percepti- ble in his voice. “ You got the best of it at the first, then you succeeded in turning the tables, but new again the advantage is on my side, but I do not feelat all disposed to take advantage of it.” “ Well, I am very much obliged of course, althou h I must say I don’t think you have got so muc the best of it just now, as you seem to imagine.” . “ Oh, I don’t blame you for putting the best possible face on the matter, but you are in a tight place for all that, and what you think is of no consequence ; your opinion cannot change the facts in the case. “ But now what I was going to say was this: I am satisfied if you are, and if you have a mind to call the thing square and give me your word that I shall not be bothered b the police for the share I had in aiding John Buddock to esca , you are free to depart.” “ suppose you think you are making me a pretg liberal offer?” Hugh remarked. “ ost certainly I do.” . “ You think you have me in a trap from which it Will be impossible for me to esca ?” “ I don’t think anything about it,” the old man exclaimed. _“ I know that you are in a trap from which it Will be impossible for you to escape. . “ You are surrounded by my gang on all Sides, and if they once go for you, you will be a lucky man to escape with your life; anyway you Will get a beatng that will lay you up so that you will not be any good to yourself or any one else for six months at least.” “Oh, no, no, not at all,” the Lightweight ex~ claimed. I “ You are not stating the case fairly. “ You have me surrounded; that is true enough I can readily believe, but if I can’t get out neither can your gang get in. “ I am fully armed and shall not hesitate to use my weapons if I am attacked, and if your ruflians dare to attack me here, they will be apt to pay dearly for their rashness.” “ Oh, there isn’t any use totalk to such a blind fool as you are,” Daddy Blazes exclaimed. in a rage. “ You want to}? be killed :fithatfifis plain enou h l” “ I o I don’t. I am just as careful of my premous person as any man you can find on top of the footstool, and that is why I don’t feel any dISPOSltlon to walk into this trap which you have laid so cunni gly. “ Don’t try to pliay me for a fool, Daddy Blazes, for you wi only have your trouble for your ains. “ ou are anxious to et me out of this house because you know I w' handle your men so roughly, if they dare to attack me here, that they will soon be sick of the job. “ Your game is to get me out of this, and then your cut-throats will be able to get a chance at me, but I see your trick and it will not work.” Daddy Blazes rose to his feet, his face con- vulsed with rage. “ You will have it,” he cried, “ you will not be warned.” “ I will not be tricked l” Hugh retorted. “ Your blood be on your own head then! I’ll have you out of that, and without giving you a chance to strike a blow too. “ I will either explode a mine under you and blow the shed to atoms, or else I will set it on fire and roast you alive 1” (To be continued—commenced in No. 175.) Rich Women. THE United States is fast outranking other countries in the number of very rich women. The American heiress has become one of the characters of European travel, and at this date there is not a city of any considerable size in the United States which has not one or more women whose checks are good for any sum from $1,000 to $1,000,000. New York City has two-score of ladies who are worth $1,000,000 or more in their own right. Philadelphia can show, perhaps, half as many, and Washington, Baltimore, Bos- ton and Chicago are not far behind in their quota of heiresses. Most of these money queens are fine business women, and some of them have a '11s for making money. l‘heroieo young :1er Tennessee, MisaSt. ‘ id of ‘ ' which have costtl,3m,000to ' both who inherited one-third of‘John W. rett’s $37,000,000, was her father’s confiden- tial score while he was President of the Bal- timore and bio Railroad and she has advised him on many occasions. Mark Hopkins’s widow, whois building the million-dollar residence at Great Barrington, Mass, is perfectly able to manage her $30,000,000, and she can drive a bargain with as much tact as could her hus- band. She has a broad grasp of financial mat- ters, and knows the value of stocks as well as Jay Gould. Speaking of Wall street, the sharpest business woman connected with it is Hettie Green, who is perhaps the richest woman in New York. She is over forty years old, and she numbers her fortune by as many millions as there are years in her life. Her mother was somewhat of an heiress, and her father had increased the family pile to 39,000000 at the time of his death. This fortune Hettie, as the only child, inherited, and she at once Went to work to in— crease it. Much of her fortune was invested in ships; but these she considered dangerous, and sold them and placed the proceeds/in good in- terest—paying mortgages. She bought these mortgages in small towns all over England, traveling about and investigating the securities for herself. Shortly after her father’s death a maiden aunt of hers died and left her $4,000,000 more. The $13,000,000 that Hettie Green thus inherit— ed she had increased by careful speculation to about $20,000,000 at the time she married E. H. Green, of New York. Mr. Green was worth $700,000. and it is said that Mrs. Green had an ante—nuptial contract with him whereby he agreed to pay all of the household expenses and to leave her property of $20,000,000 and more in her own name. After her wedding she kept up her business work, and through her husband got into Wall street speculation. She did the specu- lation herself, however, and made while her husband lost. She could buy large blocks of stock, and could bull and bear the market as she thought best. She has made money right along, and is now said to be worth forty odd millions. She is very economical withal, and though her income must be several million a year her total household ex enses are not over $50,000. She rides down roadway in a car, carrying per- hapsa thousand dollars in her reticule, and she used to walk toparties through thesncw, pulling woolen stockings 0V er her shoes to keep her feet dry and save buying rubbers. When she got to places of entertainment she would pull off her socks and hang them on the hat—rack to dry. She kept her securities and silver at John Cis— co’s bank, and the bankers say she came peri- odically to the bank with a box of whiting and polished her silver herself. When Cisco failed not long ago it took two cabs to carry away the plate, and the securities which Mrs. Green had on deposit were found, to be over $25,000,000. Hettie Green has two children, a boy and a gli‘rl. The girl is 13 and the boy 14 years old. he boy is an invalid, but his mother says she in- tends to make him the richest man in America. If she keeps on piling up money at her present rate she will pro ably succeed. New York has a number of rich widows. Mrs. Josephine Ayer is the relict of the pill doctor, who made a fortune in patent medi- cines and left her about $5,000,000. Mrs. Mar- tin Bates was left by her husband $1,500,000, which he made in dry-goods, and a Mrs. James Brown, who lives in a fine house on Park ave- nue and 27th street, received from her hus— band’s estate about $4,000,000 which he ac- cumulated as a banker. Mrs. W. E. Dodge is worth $4,000,000, much of the income of which she sends to the heathen. Mrs. Robert Goelet is worth 83,000,000, made in hardware, and Mrs. John C. Green, the widow of the Prince- ton College patron, is worth 810,000,000. Mrs. A. T. Stewart has an estate worth $30,000,000. Mrs. John Minturn is another wealthy New York widow. She is worth $2,000,000. and her father was an Aspinwall. Governor Morgan’s widow is worth several millions. Clarkson N. Potter’s widow has an immense income from his estate, and Mrs. Edwin Stevens, who owns “ Castle Point ” at Hoboken, is one of the rich- est widows in America, and counts her wealth by tens of millions. - or cheap suit of clothes, and Hattie , f ’ " I’lhalrwith $700,000de get alongl on Mrs. Paran Stevens’s husband made $6,000,- 000 in hotels, and he has left her the Victoria and a share in the Fifth Avenue; and Mrs. Marshall 0. Roberts, the eight millionaire widow of a mining king, was talked of while Mr. Arthur was in the White House as the rospective wife of the President. But at ashington we have few rich widows. Mrs. Craig Wadsworth of New York has a fine home on Massachusetts avenue, and she is said to be worth a million. Mrs. Alexander Ray is the widow of a millionaire miller whose flour is well known over the United States, and Mrs. Myers, whose husband was chief of the sig- nal service some time before he died, is worth at least $1,000,000. Mrs. Admiral Dahl en, who wrote a much criticised book on ash- ington society a year or so ago, has several flue houses in the fashionable part of Wash- ington; and Mrs. John 0. Evans, the widow of the late president of the Mutual Union Tele- graph ompany, owns a great deal of VVashing— ton real estate and has a good income. Philadelphia’s wealthiest widow is Mrs. John May Barton, who is worth $8,000,000, which she inherited from her father, Dr. John Rush. Tom Scott’s widow is worth $3,000,000, which her husband left her from his railroad speculations, and the widow of M. W. Baldwin, the locomo- tive builder, is estimated as owning $2,000,000 worth of this world’s goods. Henry Diston, the saw manufacturer, left nearly $1,000,000 to his wife, and the Quaker City has a half-dozen more rich widows whose bank-books register ac- counts as large as the wealth of Croesus. Rich single women are numerous. Miss J es- sie Biggs, of Washington, inherited a fortune from her father the noted banker. I have spoken before of Miss Garrett, whose a e is be- tween thirty and forty, and a Philadelp is man tells me that the banker Drexel’s three daugh— ters will get $6,000,000 apiece from his estate. Another rich Philadelphia girl is Miss Helen Eben, who is worth a million, and who boasts of being an accomplished horsewoman. Miss lVinthrop, With Puritan and Knicker— bocker ancestors, is said to be the loveliest and richest girl at the Hub—which is saying a good deal, for Miss Pauline Root, with $3,000,000 in her own right, and a head as severely beautiful as the marble Clytie, is also Boston born and Boston bred. The richest single woman in the country is Catharine Wolfe. She has an income estimated at half a million a year, and she owns real estate all over New York. Her father, Peter Wolfe, married Peter Lorillard’s sister, and with her got a dowry of a million dollars. His wife died soon, and he married another of the Lorillard sisters, and with her get another million. In a short time she died also, and Wolfe, after specu- lating awhile With his two millions and more, died himself, and his property came to his daughter Catharine. She has invested it well from year to year, and now, at the age of fifty, she thinks too much of it to permit any man to aid her in spending it. She fears, it is said, for- tune-hunters, and it may be that it has brou ht more misery than happiness into her life. n— other rich single woman of New York is Miss Sarah Hitchcock, who is worth $12,000,000 She has her money largely invested in real estate and is fond of society. Many of these money queens have hobbies, and most of them, when on get at them, you will find to be very or inary people for all their wealth. Hettie Green, for instance, would not, it is said, make good the $800,000 which her husband owed to the Ciscos, and I’ll war- rant you it hurts her as much to spend a dollar for luxuries as it does you or me. It is said she married her husband—who, by the way, is a very nice fellow—because he happened to send her a‘ tailor’s bill receipted instead of a valen- tine, by a mistake of the envelope. The bill Spits of clothes he could not be ve ex- travagant. 'Hence she married him. Mrs. ark Hopkins’s hobbies are fine houses and blooded horses. She has a magnificent residence on Nobs Hill in San Francisco, and the one she is now building in Massachusetts is to be a master— iece. She has a fine stud of horses at Great Barrington, and she drives a team of spanking trotters every afternoon, holding the reins her- self. Most of these rich women dress very plainly. Miss Garrett never wears loud clothes, and Mrs. Stewart goes on the streets in poorer gar- ments than are worn by some of her servants. None of them seem to enjoy their wealth to any great extent, and the most of them have more wrinkles than roses. Casual Mention. A PUK\VANA, Dak., hotel advertises as among its attractions a “ cyclone cellar,” with an easy slide into it in case of danger. “ MCer and milk parties ” are very popular in religious circles in St. Louis. All present fasten bibs around their necks and then proceed to eat as much mush and milk as they can. SAN FRANCISCO housekeepers are exercised over the discovery that a large proportion of the milk sold in that city is made from a mixture of nitrate of potash, glycerine and other chemi- cals. IT is becoming a somewhat common practice in a few English churches to give an oratorio or a part of an oratorio at the second service in- stead of a sermon. Some of the Church papers vigorously attack the practice. “ THE Pilgrim’s Progress ” has been published in Canton in Chinese characters, and illustrated by Chinese artists. All the characters are Chinese. The scene is laid in China, and Apoll- yon is as fine a specimen of a Chinese dragon as one could wish to see. THERE is no such word as diamond known in the trade for that article. The word used for diamonds is bort. It is a Dutch word. The rough diamond looks like a piece of alum with a little glazing about it. It is harder on the out- side than within, and seems to have a core like a knot in a piece. of wood, which is softer than the outer circles of the wood. JOHN BRIDGMAN was bitten on the right tem— ple by a skunk while prospecting in Texas. He went to Dallas, and a so-called madstone was applied and clung to the wound five hours be— fore it dropped off. The Waco Eraminer says he was in that city a few days ago suffering from the wound, and looking for another mad- stone. The bite of a skunk is thought danger- ous. A STEER was killed by a Virginia City but« cher the other day, whose teeth, the Enterprise says, were completely incrusted with gold and silver bullion. The animal came from a ranch on Carson river, and it is thought the metal ac- cumulated on his teeth while he was drinking the river water, which is impregnated With the tailings from the mills reducing Comstock ores. IN England they draw a distinction between legitimate and illegitimate “ mashers.” It seems that the legitimate “ masher ” is “ a gen- tleman of birth and breeding,” and that he sim- ply “mashes ” for the fun of the thing, never going beyond the limits of propriety. More- over he nevcr does his “ mashing ” on the street corner, and he smokes the very best brand of cigars. Benighted Americans will be sur rised to hear that “mashing” has become a egiti— mate profession. A “FLOWER CONCERT ” was given at Concord, Mass, the other evening. A screen, painted to represent a scene in a flower garden, stood on the stage, and before it were potted plants in profusion. Some of the painted flowers were very large, and in the center of each big flower was an opening, skillfully concealed by a mov- able cover. Behind the screen stood the sing- ers, and their faces appeared in the center of the flowers. The singing flowers were a rose, a dahlia, a sunflower, a daffodil, a pansy, a lily, Five Beautiful Poems. ———‘.>— THE SECOND PLACE. BY SUSAN MARK SPALDING. Unto my loved ones have 1 given all The tireless service of my willing hands, The strength of swuft feet running to their call, Each pulse of this strong heart whose love com- mands The busy brain unto their use: each grace, Each gift, the flower and fruit of life to me They give with gracious hearts and tenderly The second place. Such joy as my glad service may dispense They spend to make some brighter life more blest, The grief that comes despite the frail defense; They seek to soothe upon a dearer breast. Love vails his deepest glories from my face, I dimly dream how fair the light may be Beyond the shade, where I hold longingly rl‘he second place, ‘ And yet ‘tls sWeet to know that though I make No soul’s supremest bliss, no life shall lie Buried and desolated for my sake, Nor any heart be broken when I die. And sweet it is to see my little s ace Grow wider hour by hour; an gratefully I thank the tender fate that granted me The second place. h" ‘ :0: HIS SHIPS. BY MRS. WHITON STONE. I closed a draWer with a sudden pang today, For ’neath the thing I sought there lay a toy, Carven and cut and chipprd in childish way— Too sacred to destroy. A wooden hammer, that with mimic nails Had builded tiny ships (launched forth anon), And kept afloat with breth on snowy sails Till narrow shores were won. How little then I knew those ships that went, Slender and gay, across the shallow seas, Were but the pastime of an angel, sent To teach love’s mysteries. For to the rapture of eternal calms, Lifted on noiseless wings, he went away, Bearing white lilies in his folded palms, Resting from childish play. N ow. sculptured on a marble’s base, they show He sleeps. unconscious of my soul’s lament, While on the Spring’s warm bosom still they grow, Smiling as when he went. And could he wander back'to earth awhile, Crossing the golden threshold, granted leave, Heaven would itself be lone wi'hout his smile, And, hush! he, too, might grieve. '—Boston Transcript. :0! EVERYDAY WORK. Great deeds are trumpeted, loud bells are rung, And men turn round to see; The high peaks echo the paeans sung O’er some great victory. And yet great deeds are few. The mightiest men Find opportunities but now and then. Shall one sit idle through long days of peace, Waiting for walls to scale? Or lie in port until some Golden Fleece Lures him to face the ale.’ There’s work enough, w y idly, then, delay! His work counus most who labors every day. A torrent sweeps down the mountain’s brow With foam and flash and roar; Anon its strength is spent, where is it now? Its one shert day is o’er. . But the clear stream that through the meadow own All the long summer on its mission goes. Better the steady flow; the torrent’s dash Soon leaves its rent track The light we love is not the lig thing-flash From out a midnight sky, But the sweet sunshine. whose unfailing ray From its calm throne of blue lights every day. The sweetest lives are those to duty wed, Whose deeds, both great and small, Are close-knit strands of an unbroken thread, Where love ennobles all. The world may sound no trumpets, ring no bells; The Book of Life the shining record tells. —lee critic. 20' THE BABY’S PRAYER. BY ALICE M. EDDY. She knelt with her Scht hands folded, Her fair little head bowed low, While dead vines tapped at the window And the air was thick with snow. Without, earth dumb with winter; Within. hearts dumb with care; And up through the leaden Silence Rose softly the baby’s prayer. ” Bless all whom I love, dear Father, And help me be good," she said; Then, stirred by a sudden fancy, She lifted the shining head. Did she catch on the frozen maple Some hint of the April green, Or the breath of the woooland blossoms The drifts of the snow between? ‘ The beautiful trees," she whispered, “ Where the orioles used to sing; They are tired of the cold. while winter; Oh. help them to grow in spring: And the flowers that I loved to gather, Lord, bring them again in May; The dear little violets, sleeping Down deep in the ground to-day.” Ah, earth may be chill with snowflakes, And hearts may be cold with care, But wastes of a frozen silence Are crossed by the baby’s prayer; And lips that were dumb with Sorrow In jubilant hope may sing; For when earth is wrapped in winter, In the heart of the Lord ‘tis spring. 302 SOMETIME. BY MISS MAY RILEY SMITH. Sometime, when all life‘s lessons have been learned, And sun and stars forevermore have set, The things which our weak judgment here has spurned. The things o’er which we grieved with lashes wet, Will flash before us, out of life’s dark night, As stars shine most in deeper tints of blue; And we shall see how all God's plans are right, And how what seemed reproof was love most true And .we shall see how, while we frown and sigh, God’s plans go on as best for you and me; flow, when we called, he heeded not our cry, Because his wisdom to the end could see. And even as wise parents disallow Too much of sweet to craving babyhood, So God, perhaps, is keeping from us now Life's sweetest things, because it seemeth good. And if, sometimes. commingled with life‘s wine, We find the wormwood, and rebel and shrink, Be sure a wiser hand than yours or mine Pours out this potion for our lips to drink. And if SOIUC friend we love is lying low. Where human kisses cannot reach his face, Oll. do not blame the loving Father so, But wear your sorrow with obedient grace. And you shall shortly know that lengthened breath Is not the sweetest gift God sends his friend, And that. sometimes the Sable pall of death Conceals the fairest been his love can send. If we could push ajar the gates of life, And stand within and all God’s workings see, We could interpret all this doubt and strife, And for each mystery could find a key. But not to-day. Then be content, poor heartl God’s plans like lilies pure and white unfold. We must not tear the close-shut leaves apart, Time will reveal the calyxes of gold. And if, through patient toil. we reach the land Where tired Feet. with sandals loosed, may rest, When we shall clearly see and understand. a tulip, a daisy, and a buttercup. I think that we will say, “God knew the best!” _ —— — V‘ A _ , , _- _. . ., U. wWT‘tw‘. .. " 1 . - 1, ..