Ruby's Reward.

Jf M*S"» )KGIESHELDON-

• «The Forsaken Bride," Dowdy, etc.

CHAPTER XLIL MADAM HOWLAND'S STORY. ~.,» burst from Walter's lips' ii Larded his companion as if he bad suddenly lost her senses. beenimpOSSiblefOrinefcO l^ohard-hoarted toward my own A blood" returned Madame How Tin filing tones, as the tears over her pale face. "Ibis too "TL however, and it would be but you should turn with Efrom me, now tlmt I have revealed — Jl, you But listen, my boy, and story beforeyou ju(! ge fet "S younger days I was a Balti- J^^d<hoiress- My^l"B '* 2 Southerner, owning two or three 'iiand m an yS laves,andlinherited tbimtheprideof birth and statxon. 'Tffhen I was eighteen years of age, I VfLbert Richardson. Ho also was ><! asd occupied a high position in y'• «V brought up as we had been, f we should li[ n E poverty and labour as things 1"f w£K shunned. We had been ttHtS%^on by his position "SJLSS* rafcher thf£ rwpect him SKinsic worth. We had one son, bJT« Maw* Walter, and you can, per £ Sine something of my astonish ed emotion when, on the morning of ® Sdent, yon told me your nanie was ■f^T&riMD. Something in your XS^d ra efromthom,t, and '%m told me your name I knew what JJJL yon strongly resembled your S remembered now that she had Jml » eood deal agitated ab the time, Vie had attributed it to her sufferings Itethanto any mental disturbance. *L son," madam continued, "was '■■-» brieht and prpmising, and we gave Serer? advantage, and built our fondest JUpod him. But before he reached his i Senth year.his father died. Perhaps, ftfcd-Kwd, I could never have found it 1 hmyiearb to turn him against him as I flitter but before he was twenty, I had SnteOlajor Howland, a distinguished rafcn, a graduate from West Point, Sanative of niy own State. Ho was an Mm the strongest sense.of the y and could" tolerate nothing of ■inism,' as he termed everything that £edoi labour or trade. He soon be a3B% fond of my handsome son, %*^ innumerable favours upon him, !(il spared no expense br pains to make his tboroujfh and complete. You it was a great blow to our stations wlicn, after leaving college, ato insisted upon perfecting himself in japrofession, and declared his intention Urns North for > that purpose. We §iE lave much preferred him to settle mtoas a' gentleman' and assist his step- Wb in the care of his large estate, which »i have been his after his husband's vi^ not to mention my own valuable I spty. But he was resolute, and we I ij consented, reasoning that it could do I fait harm to see something of the world ; ■ mtffittled a handsome income upon him, rile Wfc us for New York ciby, where his Bsfedhim to take up mechanical engin i "ill Tent well until he wrote us that he girl whom he had learned [a'snii and Sskcd us to be prepared to re «Braa daughter at no distant day. Sows was like a thunderbolt to us both. !,Ii kd never thought of such a contin ■jny-whis,marrying a Northern girl—wo Hsetocr hppeg.iipon the daughter of a fied States Senator. She was not a MM girl; bather position was ifre \paWle, and the union would have been iMstdeairable one. Major Howland im ; ssiateiyinßtitutedinquiries about Walter's ■ iMed bride, and found, to our grief and fß^tothehad already committed him i'to'a poor girl, ivho was a clerk in a tai The major was furiously, angry at 'Wwovery, and declared if Walter mar oilier, he should never cross his threshold Im", _ : . MtersHpsopenedj as if he would havo . #ai, whue:;hiß eyes blazed and his "WeMrapressed the utmost scorn afe witatetnent.; -'. ~ ■ fecteiftdhimself, however, and madam Riffled;1..; ; ,-.,.":■■... '-, wjiink fchafe; ifc was very hard and she/said, deprecatingly, " but "fflanher that it was owing more to educa "» man unfeeling heart I tried to husrand—tried to pre «»ponhinj to go to New York andsee i^pnfgirl^she might not be so un jW«Jniagined. Bub he would not, I Tibiae to take any measures toward iff* a 'conciliation, and I was forced Ir^ -Walter was warned of the con- JW«>.TOch would, follow his marriage he believed would disgrace a*!?. 5; to return im- T*?l *' us., In reply, he wrote a noble W7 .' PleatJing his cause mo3t iSil'^ 1 inclosin^ a picture of his which made me almost fc J? T? her as a daughter. But the h^ °? hadno influence; upon my sS|¥'« makehimmore obstinate « h 2W Wid so much that my «%5w, touched and m? heart <i«j mlnfe . faad also expressed lJfgW; yarding politics in his SLy aade Major Howland ex »Wl ""W. ■ ,He had decidedly * tt w ™me'home while the country 484 "*&*■ thab if fcbe l| $3' Wt»n»Cience would nob allow »"ns against the Union, for him to re- W2;lr Was' Thi» was the last labeott/^"?^ forMally discarded, VfcJ* B»PPed,: and his name no *&, t& 'T d in our house- War I andT coi™try into a state ■ *• V»i^ t revei'heard from my son I put his affairs in I *>N ia»' kof his fortune upon 1 ?^l* ."5 s? fely and comfortably ■^Hy^-tnm''gavel himself, and Iffi^SP rf hi«PlioP^ty, to the S^toltTl I need,not/go into de i fPent himself and his all 1 tte*aCElT enstted,-and:afcthe end I fl Woyjfeonly to die. After i where I re ffl £*ka£rJ em> and then came to M f?!'tiJy' wllich ha 6 been my H^' B S2alter. looking up with a Br^M; thafc is the reason ' M ■' '-'.'!'.'ja"?TOr received the news m ifSivi h My mother musfc H ■4*"aow;3^J ;ilt^ore." II :<r^ r gI;'ayboy^f orinferring that MH^fetasnT ■wwv-.. You .-do not |v>: \Z n as r lmve appeared. § J^CT *c letter. If I had I H &.% :Lf Mre<i it. I must have M l£>WSm^ 80n' for mY heart H husband's death. II 1 been co!d and ii 'W : S •if 6 reconciled to my IS m£<i>tw ofil "^ even ta receive la w'%^.. vpoverfcyand toi1 ' Ik esence' would be a IS ;,; ■ °I * age, I was rich.

I could surround them with every luxury, and I resolved that I would atone for my former harshness and pride. But I could obtain no trace of either my son or his wife, and I feared, remembering the views that he had expressed regarding the Union, that lie might have joined the Union army and have perished in the war. But' ib seems from your account thab he and your mother had died from overwork and exposure, and you had become the care of a stranger. I have led a lonely life since then, though I have tried to do some good with the wealth which I would have so gladly lavished upon my children. It has been no atonement, for there can be none for tho mother who coldly discards the offspring that God has given her, though, for my son's sake, I have done what I could for others. Bub the moment srou5 rou uttered your name in my presence I knew thab you

were my son's son."

Walter lifted grave, questioning eyes to his companion's face as she made this stateraont. She flushed slightly as she met his glance. " You wonder," she said, reading his thought, "why. I did not at once claim you as my grandson. I will frankly con fess that something of my old pride of race revived, as the knowledge was forced upon me, and I dreaded to commit myself until I had tried your character. I wanted to be sure that you were worthy of my love and of the name you bear. This is why I have urged you to come here so much ; why 1 have asked you questions which, no | doubt, you have thought very presuming from an entire stranger. But, my dear boy, I find you a true and noble man ; one whom I can honour and feel proud to own as my grandson, if you allow me thab privilege. I came very near revealing my self on the day of your arrest, and it was only by a mighty effort that I restrained myself. It was a great blow to me. even though you bore it so bravely and ap peared so innocent. When Mr Conant came to Chester, he called here and re lieved my mind, asserting thab he could trust you under any circumstances, and then I confided everything to him, under a promise of secrecy, and commissioned him to spare no expense for you, but see that you had the very best counsel retained for your trial. •' And now, my dear boy," the old lady said, in conclusion, as she laid her hand upon Walter's arm and leaned forward to look more closely into' his face, " can you forgive all the injury and injustice toward your parents of which I have been guilty ? I have Buffered for it in the lonely years that I have spent in my desolate home, and tenfold since i discovered thab you are my grandson, and realised how much I have missed in not having had you to comfort and cheer me during these long years. Will you try to forgot it all, Walter, and bo to me in my old age what I know your father would have been—a kind and loving son, a staff and comfort."

Her voice had grown husky and trom ling j there were tears in hor eyes and a wistful appealing expression upon her aged face.

At first, during her recital, there had been., a struggle in Walter's mind—a con flict between resentment for the treatment which his father and mother had received at the hands of one who ought to have shown them only tender consideration, and sympathy and pity for this lonely old lady who was suing so humbly for his forgive ness and affection. Pride, too, stbbd like a giant in the way. Ifc seemed almost dis loyal in him to be willing to drop thus into the lap of luxury, to have benefits heaped upon mm by the hand that had withheld even the necessaries of life from those whom he had so dearly loved.

If she had been poor and suffering, he would have yielded to hor entreaties at once, and gladly given her what care and comfort ho could. But he recoiled from taking any stop which would seem as if he had been influenced by her wealth or posi tion.

Madam Howland could not fail to read something of all this in his expressive face.

" Walter, do you shut your heart against me?" she pleaded. " I know I have done wrong, and now let me atone, as far as I can, for the wretched past, by loving and caring for you; by smoothing your path and helping you on in tho world, and, when I am done with ib, all that I have will be yours." ■ . Walter lifted his eye—they were full of tears, for her tone had moved him—and Eiaid, with flushed cheeks, yec in a tone thafc had a ring of pride in it: "That is just whafc troubles me and makes me hesitate. If you were poor it would be comparatively easy, for then I should not appear. to be seeking my own preferment, or to be acting from selfish motives ; if you were poor I would gladly care for you, love you, and strive to make your future smooth and peaceful."

" Oh, my boy, I am poor—so poor that my old heart is sbarving for love and sym pabhy. Wealth will not purchase such things, and my future will be dark indeed, nowthstlbave found you, if you will not come to me and bo the staff of my old ago. Don't let your pride keep you from me, Walter—l am afraid you are tinctured with something of my own spirit, bub do nob yield to it. What is my wealth to me ex cept as I can share it with you 1 I have no one else to leave it to, and I shall feel sure that it will be wisely dispensed by your hands. I long for you, I have allowed myself to learn to love you very dearly during the little while I have known you, and I cannot give you up. My son, you will not break your grandmother's heart.' He was deeply touched, and yet he was not quite i-eady to yield even now. " I could not bear to be opposed in my chosen profession; I am going to be an architect and builder, and I cannot give up the opportunity to make a name for myself," lie said decidedly. ' " No one shall oppose you—that kind ot pride died out of my heart long ago, and I honour our self-made men—you shall do whatever you like; I will not lay even a straw in your way," returned Madam How land, eagerly, her face lighting with some thing of hope and joy as she saw that ho was yielding. , " But—grandmother— "Oh, my son, my son," cried the old lady, tremulously, and almost weeping afc the sound of the name she had so longed to hear; for to her it was the sign of entire capitulabion. He smiled, for it had escaped him almost unawares. Hp had been repeating to him self* "She is my father's mother—she is my grandmother," and now he had_said it, aud it seemed to cement the bond be tween them. , He laid his hand gently on her arm and spoke almost fondly. . "I was going to tell you something more- I do not wish to conceal any thins from you. I, too, like my poor father, who gave you such grave offence, am be trothed to a poor girl—a teacher in the public schools." ... ~ " Then marry her as soon as you like, if she is worthy, and God bless you both ! madam returned, heartily. ' Then she leaned forward and pressed her trembling lips to his forehead, asking, tenderly: " Have I won my son ? "Indeed, you have, grandmother-you have captured me most effectively Walter answered, trying to speak lightly to hide his own emotion, while he returned her caress with real affection. . "Thank Heayen !" she said, fervently. " I know 1 can never make up the past to you, bub I will do what I can for your "And from that day it was known that Walter Richardson was the child of a_son from whom Madam Howland had been separated by the war, and that from hence forth he was to be regarded as her heir. They did not deem it best to go *nto

details, and as this explanation of their new relations appeared to be satisfactory to madam's friends, it was not needful to re peat the sad story of the past, while the young man was ab once received by them with a cordiality that was very gratifying to his new-found relative.

CHAPTER XLIII.

ruby's disappearance discovered.

Madam Rowland insisted that Walter should " come home " at once—there must be no more living in an ordinary boarding house—and, of course, the change could not be otherwise than a pleasant one for him.

These words, "come home," spoken in his grandmother's tremulously tender tones, were almost the sweetest that had greeted his ears since the going out of his fair young mother's life had left; him home less and an orphan, while the fond woman spared no pains to make life attractive and delightful to him.

She was recovering but slowly, from her injuries, and she informed Walter that he would have to be hands for her until she was able to use her own.

Ifc was both touching and amusing to see how she loved to have him wait upon her, and the many little devices which she em ployed to make him do so and keep him near her, while he was always ready and eager to bestow every care and attention upon her. She manifested a great deal of interest in his work, carefully looking over all his plans, and driving out every pleasant day to see how his building was progressing, while their evenings were passed in talking over the past, in reading, or playing chess or backgammon. But as time passed, and Walter received no tidings of or from Ruby, he began to feel both anxious and "disturbed. "Twice every week he had written to her believ ing her to be at Redville, but no answer had come to his letters.

At last ho wrote to Mr Conant inquiring if he knew anything regarding Miss Gor don's movements, and thab gentleman re plied that both Mrs and Miss Gordon had gone to Harrisburg, called thither by the sudden and fatal illness of the elder lady's sister.

This news relieved his mind somewhat, although it did not satisfy him. He thought it very strange that Ruby had not written to tell him of the change'" in her plans and give him her address. Still, she might have done so, and hor lebter mis carried, and he kept hoping that each day would bring him some message from her. But none came, and hi.3 anxiety in creased, though he tried to reassure himself with the reflection that he would soon see her, for she would be obliged to be prosent at his trial, which was now drawing very near.

The day at last arrived, and, as he en terecjl, tho court-room in company with Mr Conant and his counsel, ho glanced anxiously round for his loved one.

Mrs Gordon was sitting by horself near a window, und dressed in fresh mourning ; but Ruby was not visible. Edmund Carpenter was seabed at a table in earnest conversation with the counsel for the prosecution. He had looked up, and nodded pleasantly to Mrs Gordon as she entered the room, and then resumed what he was saying to the lawyer. Presently the door opened again, and Mr Ruggles entered, and Walter's face grew ghastly white as ho saw that he also was alone.

"Mr Conant;, will you kindly ask Mrs Gordon whore Miss Gordon is ?' he asked his friend, unable to endure the sus pense another moment. . . . The gentleman arose to comply jusfc as Mrs Gordon herself espied Mr Ruggles, and started up to greet him, asking eagerly why Ruby had not come with him. The man turned and looked at her in amaxemenfc.

" Well, mann, thai) strikes me as a rather queer question," he answered, giving her a searching look. " How could she come with mo when she has been with you in Harrisburg all these weeks f" '• Been with me. .'" repeated Mrs Gordon, srith a dazed look. " What do you mean ?"

Mr Ruggles'a face lost much of its natural ruddy glow at this inquiry, for he savv that her astonishment was genuine. " I—l h^pe, niarm, that it's all right, but 7 haven't seen Miss "Ruby since about two hours after you left Forestvale to go to your sister. Then she wanted to go to Redville. and urged me to take her home with me that afternoon, in spite of the rain ; but she sent me word later that she decided it was best to join you in Harrisburg ; so, of course, I had to go back without her, which, I'm free to say, was a great disap pointment to both mother and me." Mrs Gordon involuntarily turned her white, Startled face towards Edmund Car-^ penter, instinctively feeling that he might be able to explain this mystery. She had supposed Ruby safe at Redville during all this time, although she had wondered ab nob hearing from her. She had written once, but the letter had never been sent, having been overlooked in the worry and excitement of her sister's illness, and she had found plenty in that home of sorrow to fill both heart and hands, to the exclusion of all else; for the invalid had been-a fearful sufferer, lingering upon the borders of the grave for weeks, and had only been released by death a few days before the trial. Mrs Gordon had confidently ex pected to meet Ruby upon her return to Philadelphia, ondithad been a particularly pleasant prospect, for remorse had been busy in her heart, condemning her for the i part which she had taken against her. . Edmnnd.Carpenter saw her turn toward him after Mr Ruggles had concluded, and he knew well enough what was in her mind; but he appeared to be perfectly ab ease, and wore an unconcerned air which baffled her completely. • „ , . '_', , ■ " And / have not seen Ruby since I bade her good-bye in Mr Carpenter's house on the morning when I was sd suddenly sum moned to my sister," she said, in a tremb ling tone, as she turned again to Mr Rugglos. , . "Then Heaven help us all!—something dreadful musfc have happened to her," re turned Mr Ruggles, greatly agitated. Jusfc then Edmund Carpenter arose, and approaching them, shook hands with his uncle and Mrs Gordon in a cordial manner; then asked, in a natural, off-hand way : " Where is Miss Ruby ?—she ought to be here to-day. Was she not able to come with you?" xi. a Mrs Gordon's heart, sank, for she argued at once that he could know nothing re garding her young sister's sbrange dis appearance. , His question had entirely deceived her; bub Mr Ruggles regarded the young man keenly, while Mr Conanb, who had stood silently by during the above conversation, was very sure bhab the wily plobter knew much more more than anyone else of this mysterious matter. He appeared greatly surprised, however, when the facts were stated to him, and related in turn thafc he had parted from Ruby soon after Mr Ruggles had left, as he had urgent business in town ; and thab he had been somewhab surprised to learn from his coachman, upon his reburn, thab she had changed her mind at the last moment and gone to Harrisburg. "Who took the message to Mrs Rugglea ? asked Mra Gordon.

"Thomas." , • i "What was her reason for changing her vll^ Thafc it seemed too bad to desert you when you were in trouble, and she thought; she might be of some help and comfort it she should go to you." • This.waslike Ruby and sounded roason ablo, and yet Mrs Gordon was not? gabisned.

She knew how determined Edmund had been to win Ruby, while, remembering his strange manner and his eager questions regarding the broken desk, ifc suddenly flashed upon her fchab that might have had something to do with this inexplicable affair.

" And you have not seen her since ?" she asked, regarding him earnestly. " No, I have not seen her since that day," the man answered, and truthfully, for Ruby's precautions against intruders had been successful, and the moment she heard his step outside her door she had taken re fuge in her chamber and locked herself in.

Walter had drawn near during the con versation ; he was so anxious he could nofc wait patiently, and his face was absolutely colourless as he listened, while in his hearb he was confident thafc Edmund Carpenter had been guilty of foul play in Ruby's dis appearance.

" I believe you know the truth," he cried, turning upon him with blazing eyes ; " bub if any evil has befallen Miss Gordon you shall answer for it."

" To whom ?" sneered the young man, with a malicious smile. "I do not doubt you would be glad to constitute yourself Miss Gordon's champion in the future, as you have tried to do in the past; but there is a possibility, you know, that you may not have the opportunity." Walter quivered in every nerve afc this cruel thrust, but he felt that ib would be unwise to retort, and turning abruptly away, he said, in a low, despairing tone, to Mr Conant:

" Whafc shall we do ? Tho suspense is maddening, and I fully believe that this rascal is at the bottom of it all."

Mr Conanfc linked his arm within the young man's, and led him away to a seat. He knew ifc would nob do to have any con fusion in tho court-room, for a case was being tried that had been pub over from the day before, and already the group thafc had gathered around Mrs Gordon had attracted attention.

" I am pretty sure of that myself," said Mr Conant, " bub it will nofc do to make a scene here. Wo will, however, see whafc can be done as soon as this affair is settled."

Mr Conant's face was very grave as he concluded. He did not appear very hopeful regarding his young friend's case. If it was a plot to ruin him, as both Walter and his counsel seemed to think, he feared that proof sufficient to convict him mig-hfc be brought against him; he did not believe thafc a man like Edmund Carpenter would go to work blindly, and he thought he must have felt pretty sure of his position in order to have caused his arrest.

As the hours went by, and they still had to wait for the othw case, Mrs Gordon's anxiety increased, and more than once she begged Mr Ruggles to go out and do some thing to find her ; but he could nob be per suaded to leave the court-room, troubled as his own heart was on account of the young girl, until he knew how Walter's trial was to be conducted.

But it was so late in the afternoon before his case was called that it was thought best to put it over until tho next day, and thus the anxious witnesses were released until the following morning at ten. Then Mr Rup-glea, Mr Conant, and Walter met to discuss ways and means to find Ruby, and, after a brief consultation, separated, each to pursue the course laid out for him.

Mrs Gordon passed a most wretched night. She was thoroughly frightened about her young sister, and began to realise something of the enormity of her own conduct towards her. in having lent herself to a plot to ruin her happiness and a young man's honour.

Ruby's goodness, her unvarying sweetness and gentleness came up before her in con trast to her own^ harshness, her selfishness and intrigue, arid sho bitterly repented of the wrong she had done her. She resolved that she would make an end of her own duplicity afc once, and confess the plot that had been laid to ruin Walter.

Sho had seen Madam Howland that day, and learned of the change in his prospects; she had seen how the noble woman loved him and depended upon him; how kind and devoted ho was to hoi, and Bhe was de termined that tho young man's fair fame should not be sullied—the truth should be told, and he should be honourably acquitted; she would do that much to atone for the past, whether Ruby was ever rostorod to her or. not. During the weeks that had elapsed since Ruby's abduction Edmund Carpenter had been very busy. He had been getting his affairs into a condition to enable him to flee from the country at a momont's warning. He had put all his real estate into the hands of a broker, and ib had been sold at a price that exceeded his expectations. He had given notice ab the various banks where ho had money deposited that he should wish to draw upon them at a certain date, and he had also disposed of all shares and stocks which he had owned. Thus his property had all, or nearly all, been turned into money ; he had even negotiated for a pas sage abroad, and had resolved to sail the week following Walter's trial. He had nofc a doubt bub that he would ruin his enemy ; he meant to wait to wit ness his downfall; then he would release Ruby, or cause her to be released, upon the day that he sailed, and she might do her very worst with the will that she had found ; while Walter Richardson would never get one penny of his father's money ; while he would spend some years in travelling and pleasure, and finally settle comfortably in some foreign land when he tired of sight seeing, i It had all been very nicely planned, and thus far very satisfactorily executed ; and the young man was in a most excellent mood with himself as he saw his*' victim so apparently helpless before him, although he had been somewhat disappointed; at the delay in the trial, and. be was confident that the morrow would bring the shameful downfall he had so long anticipated. He had not been out of the court-room an hour, however, before he became aware that he was being shadowed by a detective, and knew that Mr Ruggles and Mr Conant had begun their work of trying to ascertain Ruby's whereabouts. Bub this only amused him ; ib simply added romance to the affair. It was not necessary for him to co near the young girl; she would be well cared for if he did not enter the house where she was confined for a week or even a month ; and, knowing that, he took a sorb of fiend ish delight in doubling and turning upon his pursuer, and led thafc much-tried official a dance which he never forgot, and all to no purpose. ... {To be Continued.) ,

Remember This.

If you are sick Hop Bitters will surely aid Nature in making you well when all else fails. If you are costive or dyspeptic, or are suner ine from any other of the numerous diseases of the stomach or bowels.it is your own fault if you remain ill, for Hop Bitters isasovoreißn remedy in all such complaints. If you are nervous use Hop Bitters. _ If vouliave rough, pimply, or sallowskm, bad breath, pains end aches, and feol miserable generally. Hop Bitters will give you fair skm, rich blood, and sweetest breath and health. That Door, bedridden, invalid, wife, sister, ■mother,, or daughter can be made the picture S health, by American Co.'s Hop Bitters cost- Sw but a trifle. Will you let them sufter? In short, they cure all diseases of the atoinaoh, bowels-blood, liver, nerves, kidneyß, BrightV disease. £600 will be paid for a case they will noSe or^elp. Drugtfsts and chemists keep lL Prosecute the Swiridlersl!

If when you call for Amenoan Hop Bitters (vcearecn twi-a of Hops on tke white label and m Soiled name Mourn iv theboltle) tba vendor hands out anything but American Hop Bitters, refuse it. and shun that vondor as you would a viner • andif ho has taken your money torMuy //miff 'else indict him for the fraud and sue him for damages "for the swindle, and we wUl"pay yen* IJberallyior the conviction. • < ■ - ■■■• ■.

THE HAWAIIA VOLCANO.

KILAUEA, VERY ACTIVE.

Professor Dana's Visit to the Crater.

Professor Dana, of Yale College, spent a week, from August 12th to August 19th, in a thorough study of the volcano of Kilauea, which he visited just forty-seven years before, while connected with the United States exploring expedition under Commo dore Wilkes.

After the famed collapse of Halemanmau, the 7th of March, 1886, surveys were made by. the Government survey officers, first in April, when the crater was entirely empty, theve being no fire and no smoke, and next in October, when the fire had returned and the crater had begun to manifest consider able activity. These surveys have been carefully mapped, and Professor Dana now takes with him new maps and diagrams. Mr Emerson, one of fche party named above, was interviewed by a representative of the "Gazette," and the following interesting facts elicited :

Very great changes have taken place in the volcano since 1840. At that time it was described as a lake of fire 1,000 feet in diameter. In general, the bottom of the crater has risen several hundred feet, as it were, filling up. The present activity, thoughconsiderable, is slight compared with whab ib was forty seven years ago^ Afc the present; time the volcano is, however, quite active. Two lakes of fire are easily visible, and there are evidences that two others .exist. The great est activity is found in a little lake situated in the western side of Halemanmau. This fiery lake is estimated to be about 175 by 150 feet in diameter. The depth of the lake below where the party stood looking down into it seemed to be about 150 feet. This is the main lake to which visitors resort. There are other smaller lakes which are of less interest. The party visited ib in the daytime, and saw the molten matter in the cauldron always in motion. Ib was seemingly pour ing in from somo unknown source. This lake is close by tho base of a great shattered cone, the centre of which is seemingly the source of all the fiery lakes, greafc and small, situated about it. The explorers were not able to look down into this cone. Tho cone was so covered with sulphurous vapours that it would be very risky to go on it, although a stick stuck by a native showed' that ib was nofc absolutely inaccessible. The natives stated thab Mr Severin had been on the cone taking photographs. The current seemed to have a southwesterly set from the central cone. Ifc would dash against fche cavernous sides of the lake into which the party were looking, the spray, consisting of molten lava, dashing up at times some fifteen feet high, but much less than when seen by Mr Emerson some fcwenfcy years ago, and very much less than when seen by Professor Dana forty-seven years ago. There were five or six of these jets in different parts of the lake, and it was noticed that all the activity was near the margin. On Thursday, the 18th, a member of the party visited the lako by night. The sight was very much more impressive than by day. Ifc was very brilliant. The mpst re markable thing noticed in addition to whafc had been seen by day was that afc various points around the edge of the lake, all saw flames shooting up with colours suggestive of the presence of sulphur. The existence of these flames has been ques tioned by persons interested in the vol cano ; and many have positively denied their existence. This time there was no mistaking their presence, the question seems to have arisen out of the fact that they are not invariably to be seen. Some of this idfentical'party had gone down a few evenings previous, bufc failed fco see the flames, and concluded that none were to be seen. The others who went down on the date above named returned without any doubfc of their being actual flames. The flames are produced by ignited gases.

THE END OF THE WORLD.

STARTLING EVENTS TO HAPPEN

SOON.

A Cardinal as Antichrist.

The Rev. M. Baxter, a clergyman of the of England, recently delivered three lectures on prophetic events in Hope Hall, Liverpool. He said that the last day of this age would be at 3 o'clock on Thursday, 11th April, 1901. He claimed to be the discoverer of the last day, but he did not expect much credit from people for discovering it. (Laughter.) The people of this generation did not believe if} was a discovery at all. Time, however, would •show to them that what he said was true. . Before then England would become separ ated legislatively, if not entirely, from Ire land, India and its colonies. England would shortly be in the waters of deep trouble, and Would become part of the ten kingdomed confederacy. Antichrist would be a Napo leon, and he would rise not later than 1892 or 1893, about eight or nine years before the end of the age. Napoleon, as Antichrist, would first be King of Syria for two or three years before reviving the Napoleon dynasty over France and Europe. It was probable that Lucien Bonaparte, who was now a cardinal, would be the Antichrist. Next year, or the year after, vould witness a tre mendous war between France and Germany. Germany would be conquered t>y France and driven altogether acrosstheßhine. Luxem burg, Belgium, and the Prussian Rhine provinces world be annexed to France. France would be the great leader in the ten-kingdomed confederacy, and England would be more or less subjugated to her. -What a sad downfall for England, especi ally when one recollected the saying that one beef-eating Englishman was. equal to three frog-eating Frenchmen ! (Laughter.) In the war between France and Germany tens of thousands of the fine men in those countries would be slain in battle. Many A young man in England who had never1 ' handled anything more formidable than a steel pen or a cricket bat would in the next few years have to hundle a musket and a sword and smell powder. (Laughter.) The young men and young women before him in ten years' time would be cut off, and so would the more elderly people. It would not make much difference to people who were 50. or 60 years of age, for in the natural order of things they could not expect to live more than 10 years longer. To young people, however, thedifferencewasenormous, for in place of having 40 or 50 years to live on this earth, they had only got at the outside 10 years. Many of them would be m cludedinbhe bloodshed shortly about to take place. He predicted that a universal war would rage from October, 1896, to August, 1897, and that then would come the three and a half years of great tribulation, orthe period of the last Antichrist's persecution. He stated that rmllionsof Christians would every where be beheaded for refusing during that period to worship Antichrist or his image, i'he lecturer gave the date March, to October, 1896, when 144,000 watchful Christians would ascend from earth to heaven. The descent pf Christ at the battle of Armageddon to destroy Antichrist and to begin the Millennium he fixed upont as 11th April,, 1901. The lectures were illus trated by a number of diagrams depicting horns, beasts, and symbolical figures men tioned in Daniel and Revelation. Thelec tui-er challenged any minister or individual f to show that he had made any mistake in i the facts he had mentioned, and added that ; |o comprehend these things his hearers must ; take; the; eye-glasses of Daniel, the? .spectacles of Revelation, and the telescopes (of Isaiah and Ezekiel; • ; - , • .

PERILS OF THE SEA.

WEECK ""OP THE BABQUE STAR OF

SCOTIA.

Life - on Falkland Islands.

One of the crew of the Belfast barque Star of Scotia has arrived at Liverpool, and has given some very thrilling details of the wreck of that vessel on the Falkland Islands, and the loss of eight lives. Of the men drowned one was mate of the vessel. The bodies of two others were found on the beach with nearly all their flesh eafcen off by wild and ferocious birds. According to the account of the seaman who arrived at Liverpool, and whose name is Martin Olesen, it appears that the Star of Scotia was bound from San Francisco to Queens town, and had on board a cargo of wheat. She was manned by a crew of twenty-two, and got ashore on the rocks at Bull Point, about 100, miles from Port Stanley, Falk land Isle 3.

Ib was about half-past 11 at night when fche vessel struck, and the crew remained on board until daylight. A heavy surf was breaking on the island. The captain, wibh a majority of the crew, got away in one boat, and the second boat was in charge of Fraser, the mate. The captain told the men not to bring their effects, but to save their lives and then go off to the ship again for their clothes. The captain's boat was first to reach the shore, but the mate's boat was tossed on to the beach by the heavy surf, and in it were the semi-unconscious forms of two of the crew, an Englishman and a Scotchman' named Davis and Drum mond. The mate was also in the boat, but the poor fellow had just breathed "his last. Davis and Drummond recovered,and gave an account of their shocking sufferings during the short time that had elapsed since they had abandoned their vessel. While making their way to shore the boat was capsized and all the occupants were thrown into the water. Some of the men managed to cling to the upturned craft, which afterwards righted. Some of the poor fellows never reached shore again, bufc were drowned. While making once more for the shore the boat was again capsized, and this happened no less than seven times, until fchere 'were only three men left, the mate. Drummond and Davis. Some of them had clung to the capsized boat, bufc their strength had failed them, and bo coming exhausted they had to loosen their hold and perish in the water. To add to the men's suffering the water was intensely cold, and it was only owing to their robust constitutions that the two men (Davis and Drummond) saved their lives. They saw their. comrades drown, but could not afford them the slightest aid. When the shipwrecked men landed the island was covered with snow and the place was bitterly cold. They, however, found shelter in the hut of some herdsmen and were kindly treated. The herdsmen also rode 100 miles to inform the authorities of the disaster. , ' . . ,

THE ENGLISH ARISTOCRACY.

A Common place Crowd,

The other day-I had an opportunity of see ing within a \ circumscribed space and at short range, a representative crowd made up of the families of the highest rank hi Great Britain.. This was On board the Euphrates, a snowy-white troop-ship, as signed, during the recent naval review at Portsmouth, to the House of Lords and the families of the Peers. It was through the favour of an official friend that.,l, had tickets for the ship. I was surprised to find how few really fine-looking, dis tinguished [ peopterthere • were to be; found in this most representative group. Shad no means of judging their mental accomplish ments, and so am obliged to confine my criticisms of them to their physical appear ance. The Lord Chancellor, who wa3 one of the higfnest dignitaries on board, is a venerable-looking old man, with a strong, positive character in his ugly irregular featured face. He is round-shouldered and has a very bad figure, and, with a heavy, slouching walk, is anything but graceful. The Lord Chamberlain, the Earl of Latham, is tall, with a very slim, spare figure. His head,is "very small. Not even: the extreme length of his greab beard could take away the insignificance of his appear ance' occasioned by, the smallness ; of his head. He wore a rough black suit. His coat was a ehort sac. His hat was a square-topped Derby. Viscount Cross, who is the Queen's most confidential friend, was a perfect picture of the amiable rural Methodist parson. He wore gold-bowed spectacles, and walked about with his hands in the pockets of his loose-fitting brown bweed suit. He wore an old whibe straw hat, knocked out of shape by many seasons' wear, crowded well down upon the back of his venerable head. He was accompanied by two daughters, who were well dressed but very plain looking. The best-looking man on board was the Marquis of Bute. Tie was stout, with square shoulders and figure indicative of sbrength and vigour. He was a greafc favourite with the ladies, and touch sought after. The majority of the men appeared to be worn out. There was a lack of vitality in all of their movements. They had the weary, worn and drawn faces of men who have spent years in high living, late dining, wakeful nights, studying the baccarat table, or some other form of noble amusement.

There were a great many old,women in the party, and they far exceeded in ugliness the men. There are more ugly old women in England, probably, than in; any other country on the globe; Indeed, it is rare to see a good-looking old woman in Eng land, and.the higher their rank the uglier they appear. If you chance to see a par ticularly old lady you may venture to as sume that she is at least a duchess without any danger of making a mistake. The youngest women of the party were very plain. ~ There could not have been over three or four on board who?could be passed as good-looking in New York. This would hardly include the Dowager , Duchess of Monfcrose, otherwise known as "Mr Manton." The belle of the ship was the daughter of a Scotch laird. She was tall and straight, a regular-featured brunette, but her com plexion was'"too highly coloured and she lacked the easy air and graceful manner which are common with women of southern latitudes.

The people on board this boat were Very quiet. There was no unseemly levity at any time. There were perfect decorum and dignity from one end of the ship to the other. Ido not think I heard from the beginning to the close of the day a laugh. They sat about on the decks silent aiid observantj-and only showed signs of anima tion when the royal yachts ' were near. There was as much excitement then among these people to see the "Queen as there was shown in the streets of London when she paraded oil the Jubilee (Jays. There was the same curiosity, the same eageir dispute about her persdnal appear ance^:. lam told that the Queen is as much an object of; curiosity with; the higher official families as she can possibly fee with the pepiple. 'With the exception of the Lord Coahfiellor and the Marquis of Bute, i there; w,as MotCa single man in this entire collection,, of Peers who would attract at tention among strangers, yet it 'would have been difficult to find anywhere, a more civil, polite, well-mannered collec tion of people. — Special correspondent "New York World."

A Chinaman lately found a 151b gold nugget at Lpng's Creek (NS.W.) when on his way to an hotel for a bottle of Old Tom. It is said that Old Tom has since become immensei^J^ulftr ip. $&t locality. : ..■ y

AMUSING BREACH OF PROMISE CASE.

"A Mean Despicable Seuuadrel." i "■it'i -i At Birmingham Assizes, in August last, aa action was heard in which Miss Ellen Sophia Idiens, daughter of an hotelkeeper at Bath,; sought to recover from David Swain,j draughtsman, of Birmingham, damagesj laid at £500 for breach of promise tomarry.l The defence set up to the statement wasj that the promise had been naturally re-, scinded, and that a sufficient time had nofej elapsed to permit of its fulfilment. A mass) of correspondence was put in in support o£j plaintiffs case. Defendant, who became] engaged to Miss Idiens in 1885, usually ad-; dressed her in his letters as " My darlingj cherub," and signed himself " Your own; darling Dave." In one letter he wrote—j " You must cheer up, my sweet cherub. Ij have been singing a song, 'The Distant; Shore,' which makes one think of you.; The chorus is, ' Cheer up, dear love.'! ;You shall have the remainder in song."! lln another letter he wrote— :| | "Arthur and I will have to smoke thai same brand of tobacco while you and Kitty j are away, and the brand will be * Love lies; dreaming,' but we shall try to. manage."! In another—" Don't forget the medicine—' three times a day. I take mine every day,j and shall be more regular now I am alone—; i.e., a friendly pipe, alone man's friend, thej bachelor's companion. Ah 1 Nell." In yet another he said—" I spent a very pleasant day at Tom's last Sunday under the cir cumstances. Not having you with me in, the afternoon, we all went to the cemetery." (Laughter.) Again he wrote—"l am look ing forward to my visit to Birmingham where my cherub acts the part of the magnet to the needle." And in the same letter—"l am sure I thoroughly enjoyed myself, and I think you did as regards myj company; but my regret is that Ij can't go round the lane to-night with| my Ducky. But I have the sweett consolation that there is a good time in store, for us." Acknowledging the receipt of the; plaintiff 'i photographs, he wrote :—"The( photograph serves me to fondly gaze onithei one I love, and it brings into my mind sucb.! pleasant reminiscences of the past, and'of j your loving embraces, that it quite fills me; with enlivenment." (Laughter.) In thej early part of 1886 defendant's letters became! less affectionate in tone, and in ' September] he wrote a letter in which he plainly inti-; mated his desire to break the engagement, I and said—-"Myaffections have been trifled; with until the very last germ has become j extinct by a gradual but not less continuous i and ever increasing in rapidity succession of I events, each calculated to this end. I fall] from that high state of happiness which isrj known to men who love, as I once did, into one of like indifference to yourself and utter despair. Yes, a blighted hope that! knows no hope beyond that it may; extricate itself from the unwelcome! and unhealthy environments in which' it vainly struggles for life, but w'ierethe law of death alone predominates and reigns j supreme." In this letter which was appro-i priately signed "yours miserably," he said] he was convinced from the frequent un pleasantness which iad occurred that they; would noiget on well together in life. The* plaintiff was very angry at this letter, andj closed the correspondence with a letter ia whibh she charged the defendant with I having changed his feelings because he had'j I found she was not so well off as he antici- j pated, and concluded— r " I now consider! I you a maari, despicable scoundrel.— Ellen: \ S. Idiens." The plaintiff, an attractive-! looking young lady, gave evidence of thej courtship and promise to marry, a promise which she was always willing to complete, j Counsel for the defence argued that the i?e.-j scji^sion of the promise was mutually made,] but his Lordship I said there; .^pas, not a tittle: of evidence to show that, and the jury> fouid for the plaintiff, with £75 damages.

EXPERIMENTS IN HYPNOTISM.

Some Strange Theories.

Dk, Luys, ot Paris, has made a communica tion to the Academy of Medicine which has produced a most startling effect on the scientists who heard it; The subject of tha s communication was on the action, both at a distance and by direct,contact, of certain; medicated or fermented substances on' hypnotic subjects. These experiments showed, to the satisfaction of the, Academy, that persons in the hypnotic state may be affected by poisonous substances which dq\ not penetrate or even touch their bodies.' This, joined to the fact that no trace of the fictitious world in which the hypnotised; subject has been wandering remains wheni the real consciousness is restored, em phasises the danger pointed out by Dr.! Bronardel, of the Academy. ■'.

Ifc is added that the influence gained by the hypnotic operator remains after the' subject awakes from the trance. The ex-, tent of this influence is stated by Dr. Luy a to be excessive. He says that hypnofciov subjects are at .first gently drawn to a cer-j tain thing, and then the drawing becomes an irresistible impulse. They are at.first* as if tempted, and then as if possessed. They can no. more help themselves than a' man on the verge pf Niagara Falls in a boat could help going over. Conceding the genuineness of Dr. Luys's i experiments, nothing more strange: has ever been shown in the domain of psychology; than this possession of the mind and will' of one person by another. We are all', familiar with the phenomena of mesmerism, but no such absolute surrender of the will of one human being to that of another was ever told outside the realm of1 fiction.

If this force exists, A as claimed by I»r. Luy?, it must have always existed, and ifca existence throws a new light on the storifes of demoniacal;possession.and w-itchcrafi, which we ha/ye been accustomed,to treat as pure fables. It would nob account for old women riding through the air on broomsticks, butf it would, in a measure, for mysterious* ill nesses and death Where the unhappy vic tim claimed to; be possessed and hag ridden. ■"" *

Assuming that.,there is such a powerful and mysterious force, it is the duty of science to study and examine it, to determine its conditiohsatid limitations,-and, as far as possible, :to guard against its misuse. If we can, fancy a human being of strong will, but malevolent nature, gifted with this power; of producing the hypnotic condition in others, it will be seen at once what* tremendous engine. of evil and destructioa ifc might become. His victims would be ir resistibly impelled to all sorts of cruelty and violence, while he, the master-iiend, would be wholly free from even the suspi cion of wrong-doing. As was saifi by mem bers of the Academy, great sblciai respon sibility isinvolyed in this matter, and, from a legal point of view, great danger, : The Academy-will name a commission to make thorough inquiry into these hypnotic phenomena, and the result of their investi gations will be looked for with great in terest. ".. ' ,;"" ■ ~V:''.' A'"' lf\ ' %':'

Any Cord Wil l Do.

t)R. Jogeph Parker writes in the Lbndon v Pally News" : Iq some religious denomiur ations there is, as; you know, greater liberty of speech than in others. Allow me to illustrate this. A .i'oxy was taking parb (strange as it may in a prayer meeting, and. in Jus .intercessions he ex pressed anxiety for the union of Tories an<i Unionists. ''Lord,*' said 1 he " may they all hang ■. together"--^ Amen," iiiten-upfced another. "Lord, let them all hang to gether"—"Not, Lord," said the firsfr speaker, "in the sgnse whicli the word means, but let them hang together int accord and concord." "Auy cord will do, Lordj any cord will do," continued th^; Radical interrupter. What may CQipe of ijj I do not know, but probably the wor|& wiU tear something about it later.

the -Auckland evening ~ star, - Saturday, ocTOTEßys^ im: