THE AUCKLAND EVENING STAR, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1887.

rStrpPLEMEKT,

Ruby's Reward.

j,y;SOtS GEOBGIE SHELDON*

t «The Forsaken "Bride, 5* powdy, etc.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

««»K*B APPEAL OPOSraBSCEMS. T !fih be surmised that Edmund BfDh-K«nS the arrest of Walter. «*£rt of the fact of Mrs ?,£ he had taken active measures ** Insion of the guilty party, e^ery much disturbed that she robbed in bis house. £ Imposed to know that IZu slept in the house on that tiUequently his name wunot men- Srconnectiodwith the affair until SreceivedJlrsGordon'snote, stating ~ «■* and the suspicion which it **TZ Ithemusthavecommitted ftSSrt immediately-caused a "rtfoSawert to be issued.. *f Kay morning, Ruby, in spite commands and even threats, to consult with Mr rlr^Ser lover's trouble and Cooant regard j, t comfort him ftS SThWa doubt of his ,1 possible, o o{ remarks to if rs j 'betrayed, believed that suspicion utm thrown upon him with the hope ffJJKnfto break her engage tSS^unhappyframeofmind, .fftwmed a/if everything conspired JtfEand she did nob know whom to te hid not yet heard anything from Mr Sve Walter while he was in such 15Ue would stay where she could Ji occasionally and cheer him as much tSSreceived her very kindly "Donotvorry, my dear Miss Gordon, lesaiialmoat tenderly, as he ooked into „pate,aniionsface, "for it will come out Am We know that Mr Richardson is .bove doing any snch contemptible deed, ffldiWieve it is only a matter of personal die that has caused his arrest." "But circumstantial evidence, you know, petimes convicts a person," said Ruby, still looting distressed. "Tree; trat hardly in such a case as this. Unless tie stolen property is found in his possession, or it can be proved beyond a Lht that he took it, no sentence can be cas-ed upon him. the stigma will remain, unless the italcnlpritcan be found, for suspicion will ill rest upon him," returned Ruby, de tatedly. ". "Hieremaybe a doubt in the minds of me," Mr Sonant replied ; " but no one ¥J» las ever, known Walter will for a went believe him guilty of so despicable %m." "Cu'l go to see him ?" Ruby asked, tat tie flushed scarlet as she made the rcptl "!fcs you, my dear young lady ! of cmjramay; and your presence will do m ttftitried yoflng friend a World of flul'te: He feds the blow keenly, bat if kkii that you still have faith in him, it illltetltifroriderfully."' Mr Coaant said, he would accompany her, aid tkj would go at once ; and a half low later found them in Walter's pre sence, ';

WhenMr Conanb appeared at the door of bis room his face lighted with pleasure, biUteDthati gentleman stepped outside atd Bnbywmt forward, his pale face grew oimm mtl mingled emotions, and he Mi oot, in a voice in which both pain and pkwre were mingled: "Ruby! you ftere!" "Yea, Walter," she said, going to his fide, as Mr Conant slipped out of the room unobserved and closed the door. " Did yon j™ I would remain away when you are nmdi double!" ''Bat I thought your were in Redville," Watered, as he took both her hands; in to, bowing his face upon them, while hot wn spang..to.his eyes; for it was in «ly humiliating to his proud spirit to we to see him there with the stigma of a to resting upon him. "I have not heard from Mr Ruggles," Helooked up, surprised; then he grew "There is something wrong in that," he Nut. "Ihalel> J e Pra to think so, too," Ruby 5S' adding: "but I am glad now «1 have been detained, and I should XX »ny circumstances while y°u Wufff me inn ocent, dear, or you •ftt ?" Walterquesfcione{f,in i^l youare ianocenfc > Walter. STy y°ur own confession would $^H" aty''lßheanswered ' C!lr 8 T almoßfc beyond en- ClflM Bhould Bee »n such a tfSAff v g oi r Baid)Wifcha "»«SS -PM6 cannothar* y°u so adle. ■ f|ce» With a "cheering JfSS^g!" he returned, feMLSIf T anis^ inSh ? r'tp'hi m - Zt 1 wrb*lly oughtto take fan* J2. )» 6 snch fa*thful ad dMrConanfchave proved fcfe nl nl loßec°^ge. Walter. 6 sbuyou catffiob be convicted !>«.T Bo i!l T tty k found in your i^ • * someone can prove that you I*** ! <S!iv la? raid that there •J. Walter replied, thought »^S? mea^" Ruby inquired in f^aSSl^ofavileplotto S<ndR rate? 3 'andifthatis 80- !^ afraid fc^>C e £ aboubits •i^sSrllv By man to win !er, d Li°^° fc believe he would "« !a%abL^ any Buch thing. " tT y oufc his OT'n« L ''£^ h»ha V »T ter. ! L B tpthedif-; TOtu« easily have

the house that night and Jiave taken any thing he wished, and no one would ever think of suspecting him; while the storm favoured his movements." " Have you 'told Mr Conant this?" Ruby, asked, looking greatly troubled. "Yes, and the lawyer also, whom he brought with him ; but they still claim that the missing property must be found, or my agency proved, before I can be convicted. As soon as we had talked this over I

thought it was possible that the missing articles might have been put into some of imy pockets, for I remembered that I had found my coat lying upon the floor of my room, when I was sure that I had hung it upon the back of a chair. But Mr Conant went to Chester last evening and brought away everything belonging to me, and we could find nothing, though we searched my clothing thoroughly." "When will the—trial take place?" Ruby inquired, with a shiver of dread. 111 have not been examined yet, and my lawyer will plead for time to work up me defence ; unless—conclusive proof should be forthcoming at the examination." " But you surely will not have to remain here all that time !" cried Ruby, in dismay. "No; Mr Conant will arrange for my liberty; he will give bonds for me." Walter then related his adventure in con nection with Madam Howland, and men tioned his subsequent visits to her, her ap parent interest in him, and her offer to give him bonds to any amount for him to secure his release.

At the end of an hour Mr Conant returned, and informed Walter that he was to go before the court for examination at two o'clock, and then Ruby arose to leave, promising bo see him again at the earliest opportunity. She, however, did not go directly home. She repaired to Mr Conant's office, where she wrote a long letter to Mr Ruggles, telling him of Walter's trouble and of her previous letter to him asking permission to go to Redville to spend the summer. She stated, though, that she had changed her mind, and would remain where she was until after Walter's affair was settled, when she should be glad to come to them if they would have her.

This letter was posted with her own hands, and she was confident that she would soon get a reply to it. Then she went home, and set herself to watch her sister, and Edmund Carpenter also whenever he should be present himself there, hoping that she mighb geb some clue to the pilot which she believed had been laid to ruin her lover.

Walter's examination came off as ap pointed, but as the evidence against him was not deemed sufficient to warrant con viction without further investigation, his case was deferred for a few weeks, and he was held in bonds for his appearance. Mr Conanb became his bondsman, and the young man was immediately released from custody.

It was his wish to return at once to his work in Chester, and Mr Conant, knowing that he could nob trust his business so well to anyone else, decided that this would be best, and the next morning found him once more among his workmen, and attending to his duties as faithfully as if there was no trouble or anxiety upon his mind. Mr Ruggles answered Ruby's letter in person two days after it was written. He came at dusk, and found his young friend sitting alone upon the verandah, musing sadly upon her troubles and her need of the strong help and tender care of her brother.

Mrs Gordon was upstairs in her own room. She kept out of Ruby's way as much as possible, for she felt very uncom fortable in her presence, knowing how deeply she had wronged and was still pronging' her;" for she continued to play the invalid, since she feared, flow thafc Walter was released, that Ruby would again insist upon going to Redvilw. . She espied Mtßuggl&s'sdumpyvawkward figure coming up the avenue, and she was sure that Ruby must have written a second time secretly—she had taken care that her first letter should never reach him—and he had now come to her at her request. Ruby sprang up to meet him with a glad cry, and clung to his hand as if realising that at tlast she had found a true friend and in him lay all the power to protect her. "Oh, Mr Ruggles ! how good of you ! I was looking for a letter, but I did not think that you would come," she cried, with almost a sob of relief.

" Bless you, Miss Ruby ! did you think I'd let the grass grow under my feet when you were in trouble ? And if there's any thing that money or good will can do for you and that fine young chap of ours, why, I and my puise are both at.your service," he answered, heartily.

Tears sprang to the young girl's eyes. It was such a relief to have someone to rely upon in the midst of her perplexities that for a moment she was overcome. But she rallied and looked up at him with a smile, as she repeated : " It is. very good of you, and I appreciate your kindness more than I can tell you." Then she added, in a lower tone : "If you are not too tired, will you come and walk with me a little while ? I want very much to talk with you alone, without the fear of being overheard, and—l should not feel safe anywhere about this house.?' He gave her a keen glance, and nodded his head once or twice as if he under stood that something was very wrong. He had felt so from ' the moment of receiving her letter, and he had dropped every thing at once, though ho was very busy, to come to her. " Tired ! not a bit; and if I was, I'd be •willing to travel miles to see that anxious look go out of your face," he said, kindly ; adding: " Come, I know the lay of the land about here, for I used to come here often in brother Ralph's day—though I must confess that I was kind o'nonplused when I found out that you were summering here—and I'll take you where there'll be no danger of anybody hearing.what you've got to^tell me." ' iO.fiH :>-

He arose and led the way around back of the house into a little lane leading down to the river, and then told Ruby to open all her heart to him and keep nothing back.

And the yp«°g girf did Siß he requested. She began with Edmund Carpenter's fond ness for her, telling of his proposals of marriage to her, his jealousy of Walter, of his threats regarding him, and finally of the trickery that had been employed by him and her sister to get her to come to Forest vale to spend the summer.

CHAPTER XXXV.

B.TJBY GAINS A CUTE,

"Htm! I've imagined that Edmund meant to marry you from the first," Mr Ruggles remarked, reflectively, aa Ruby concluded her recital; "but I'd about a s soon think of chaining you to a wild beast, for he'd break your heart in less than a year with his tyranny and selfishness."

Mr Ruggles invited Ruby to go with him to Redville, but she declined, thinking it best to remain near Walter, and decided to seek a boarding-house in the city. They conversed somewhat longer, and then turned their steps back to the house. It was quite dark when they reached the mansion, and Ruby invited Mr Ruggles co come in and rest a while before returning to the city. He seemed very willing to do so, but upon enterine the parlour they found Edmund Carpenter and Mrs Gordon there, engaged evidently in a confidential con versation. •

Mr Carpenter, however, arose with alac rity and greeted his relative with great ap parent cordiality—inquired after his wife, hiß coat-mines, and would have made him self very sociable indeed. . But Mr Ruggles was altogether too out epokjen and straightforward to endure that/

kind of talk long, when his heart; was burn ing with indignation for Walter's wrongs, and he immediately tackled his half-nephew upon the subject in a way to make th< young man feel that he might become an antagonist who was likely to make his plans somewhat difficult to carry out. "So you had Walter taken up for stealing Mrs Gordon's trinkets and money, eh ?" Mi Ruggles began, by way of opening his battery, while his small, keen eyes searched Edmund Carpenter's face eagerly. "How could I do otherwise?" he de manded, flushing at the attack. " We tried every other means that we could think of first to discover them, and no clue could be obtained, while surely his sleeping here that night and then going away so stealthily before light in the morn ing looked extremely suspicious." "You are mistaken, Mr Carpenter," Ruby interposed with dignity. "Mr Richardson did not leave ' stealthily;' he told both Mrs Coxon and me that he should be obliged to go away very early in order to catch his train." "It was a mean thing to do, Edmund, when you've known for years that there wasn't an honester lad in the State. In fact, you have treated the boy very shabbily ever since your father died, and I believe a day of reckoning will yet come for you." " What am I to understand by that?" de manded Mr Carpenter, frowning darkly. " Your own conscience ought to answer that question better than I can," replied Mr Ruggles, gravely. " I would like to ask if you expect to prove this thefb against Walter, or whether you have only had him arrested to vent your spleen against him and make him a mark for public scandal ?" " That's a sensible question surely for a man of your years," retorted Mr Carpenter, with a contemptuous laugh. " However, I can simply say that that remains to be seen." " Well, I can t9ll you that there shall be no stone left unturned to save the boy. I know he is innocent. You know it too; and if there is any way of unearthing the plot that I'm pretty sure you've laid for him, you may be pretty sure it'll be done." Having delivered himself of these ener getic remarks, Mr Ruggles turned and left the room, followed by Ruby, his desire for rest having evaporated with his indig nation. " I guess I'd better clear out now," he said, wiping the perspiration from his flushed face. "If I should stay much longer I'm afraid I should let out raore'n be good for any of us. I sha'n't go back home, though, for two or three days, and I'll see you again before then." Ruby accompanied him to the door, where she shook bands with him and bade him " good-night," and then she sped up stairs to her own room. She eat down by an open window to calm herself, for she was fearfully excited, and every pulse was throbbing painfully. But the night was very warm, and she could not seem to breathe, while she w*s so nervous that she felt as if she could not keep still; as if she must get out of that hated house and away from the sound of those murmuring voices below, which ,to her excited imagination, seemed to be plot ting still further mischief against her. She started up at last, and, throwing a long dark circular around her to protect her from the dew, she stolo_ softly down the back stair-way, out of a side door into the grounds. . The night was very dark and still. It was one of .- those evenings in mid summer when one feels almost awed by the oppressive gloom, and sultriness and silence. The young girl wandered aimlessly about for awhile until she began to weary, yet was still'unwilling to go in, arid finally sat down upon a rustic seat that had Been built, around a mammoth . oak that stood about half way down the avenue. She must have sab th«re nearly tthalf' hour, when she heard voices and steps coming toward her from the direction of the house. She slid around behind the tree, slinking close to the huge trunk, and wrapping her dark circular tightly about her, hoping thus to "escape observation, for sho haa recognised the voices as belonging to Mrs Gordon .and Edmund Carpenter, and she had no desire to encounter either of them again that evening. Nearer and nearer they came, and, to her ismay, finally stopped directly under the shadow of the very tree where she was sitting, and not six feet from her. To increase her fear, Edmund Carpenter threw himself upon the seat, and now only the trunk of the oak was between them.

"That old fool thought I was going to expose my hand, 1 suppose," he sneered; "but he'll find that it will take more money than he has, or than he will ever hope to have.to get that young beggar out of the clutches of the law. He will go to State prison in spite of fate, for— th-n diamonds will be found upon his person, and that will be proof positive of his guilt." " That will ruin him, of coarse," said Mrs Gordon, although she uttered a sigh as sho spoke; " bufc maybe, they will discover them before the trial."

"I do not believe that. Of course, sus pecting as they do that it is a plot, they must have searched everything long bofore this, and if they found anything, we should doubtless have heard from them; they would wish to temporise, and have the suit withdrawn. I made thorough work of my business, I can assure you, only Conant was too quick for us in one thing. He secured the suit Walter wore that night, and ito is going to be rather ticklish business getting hold of it again without exciting their sus picions." " It will break Ruby's hearb if they prova him guilty," said Mrs Gordon, in a low tone that nad something of fear and regret in it.

" Hearts don't break so easily!" her cbnv panion retorted ; " but I hope ehe does norb play the'faithful heroine—; wait until hu servos his ,■ sentence, out land then njarrj him."

"She will not. She would never many anyono whom ehe believed dishonourable." "Then you begin to fear my cause ia rather unpromising.?" said Mr Carpenter, moodily. "I amr-afraid so. She believes the very worst of you, evidently."

" We shall see," retorted the man, be tween his teeth;; and Ruby caught her breath at his tone, though she never stirred, but listened with all her powers, hoping to learn more of the plot that bad been con trived to ruin her low,

She had already learned enough, she be lieved, to save him ; but, oh ! if she could only gain something more tangible to help her to bring the author of its to justice ! "You will hold on to that bill," he cobi tinued, after a pause. "Of course it will not do to use it at present, since you gave the number of it to the detective. I didn't suspect you were clever enough to do that." " I always take the number of large bills like that, unless I am going to use them immediately. But I shall nev«r dare to spend this one now. I wish you had never given it back to me," said Mrs Gordon, in a troubled tone. ■ " Oh, that will be all right; keep it until you go out of the State some time, and then it will be easy enough to get rid df it. I'm only sorry I couldn't tack it onto him some where that night, but it was very late before I got around, and there was no time to make a neat job of it, so I had to keep it. But they will take it for granted, when they find the diamonds, that he stole the money too." "I hope nothing will happen to the atones. My husband gave thorn to me on my birthday, and they are very valuable be sides," remarked Mrs Gordon anxiously. " They are safe enough ; a tailor couldn't • have made a neater job than 1 did, and the beggar, might wear them about for months with perfect safety, and never suspect he

had them on.'* And the man chuckled villainously over his cleverness. "You might at least have given me another bill and kept the one you took your self," remarked Mrs Gordon, in an unsatis fied tone.

" Well, I might, but it did not occur to me. However, you can send it to me by mail to-morrow, and I will return you a cheque for the amount," Edmund Carpen ter replied obligingly. " I wish you had not told me anything about ib," his companion continued. "I would rather have lost the money. I feel almost as guilty as if I had stolen something myself." "You do not suppose I am so green as to imagine you did not suspect there was some trickery about the affair?" was Mr Carpenter's sarcastic rejoinder. " Well, of course, I thought of it, but I would rather not have known. Ido not see how you managed to get into my room wibhout disturbing me.

"That was easy enough. The French window that opens out upon the balcony was nob fastened. Your bureau is so near it, ib was no effort to step in, open the drawer and help myself to what I wanted, and then crawl down the lattice the same way I came up. Had I known that your door was unlocked, I could have made easier work of it, but I feared to arouse you by passing through." " You might as well have asked me for the stones and money outright, without taking all that trouble, as to make me an unwilling accomplice at this late day, by telling me all about ib." " I thought you were as anxious to eet this young out of the way as I am," retorted Edmund Carpenter, angrily. "I am, ,1 don'b wanb Ruby to marry him, and was willing to do all I could to help on your cause, but I do nob like the idea of committing crime to accomplish it.'

Mr Carpenter swore an angry oath. " You are very squeamish all at once," he said, "and I was a precious fool to tell you anything about it; but that old man exasperated me so to-night that I ripped it out before I thought. I hope you don't in tend to turn State's evidence," he con cluded, with some anxiety.

"You need not fear," Mrs Gordon re turned, coldly; " torture would not draw the confession from me; still, lam very uncomfortable in possessing the know 4 ledge."

' ' Then we are all right. I'd do the same thing again to get rid of that fool, who has been an eyesore to mo all my life. I warned him he would come to harm if he didn't keep out of my path. I believe I would have had clear sailing with Ruby but for him."

Ruby, in her place of concealment, was growing very nervous as she lisbened bo all this, and her email hands were so tightly clenched in trying to control her shaking limbs and almost chattering teeth, that it seemed as if they would never open again, and it was with a feeling of intense relief that she finally h?ard Edmund Carpenter rise from his seat, and say : " Well, it is time I was on my way to the city. I wish I hadn't let the cat out, Esbelle, since you feel it so keenly, but I'll »x>ako ib as easy for you at the trial as I can."

Mrs Gordon shivered. The thought of going before a court of justice to tesbify against the young man whom hitherto she had been so eager to ruin, had now become a torture to her.

" Shall I accompany you back to the house ?" her companion asked, as she stood irresolute.

c< No, I will walk a little farther down the avenue with you—l do not feel like going in just yet," she answered. The two turned away and passed on toward the great gate? while Ruby, as soon as she dared to do so, sped, light as a fairy, over the velvet turf back to the houge, sprang iip the stairs, to her room, and was apparently sleeping the ileep of the in nocent, when, fifteen minutes later, Mrs Gorden stopped to listen an instant at her door before passing on to her own chamber.

(To be Continued.)

The Langworthy Case.

The Langworthy case (says the Birmingham Post) is practically at anend.and at as happy an end as could have been anticipated for so sad a story. The misohief which had been accomplished could not be undone. The deep wrong which had been inflicted upon Mrs Langworthy and her child was beyond the possibility of redress. Neither justice nor public opinion can give back to her all that she has lost. Short of this, all that could well be done has been done, and Mrs Langworthy's trumph is complete. Langworthy has been compelled to pay into court bis wife's taxed costs, and all tho arrears of alimony, which amounted to no less than £4,500. The alimony will of course continue at the rate of £1,200 a year, nntil the decree for the dissolution of the marriage is made abso lute. Then the amount to be paid by Langw-orbhy for the maintenance of the child has been fixed. Mrs Langworthy is to receive on that account £100 a year from the granting of the decree nisi two years ago until the decree is made absolute. After the decree is made absolute, an allowance of £500 a year is to be paid, in monthly instalments. Only one point re mains to be settled. Mrs Langworthy has obtained a judgment against her husband for damages for breach of promise of mar riage. Langworthy had proved a little too much. He had ( proved that he had not legally, married, the lady who be lieved herself to be his wife, and there fore had broken his undoubted promise to do so. In that action the damages are not yet fixed. Mrs Langworthy lays them at £28,600—a sum sufficient to purchase her an annuity of the same amount as .the alimony fixed by the Court, and though she will scarcely obtain ■so phenomenal an amount, the verdict will certainly be a very heavy oije. Tb»s the etory will end, in the punishment of the wrong-doer, and in all possible restitution to the victim. Of Langworthy it is only necessary to say that every step in, these long proceedings has served but to more freely reveal his infinite meanness. Public support has done much ; and thedetermination and resource of Mrs Langwprthy's lawyers have done more ; but the chief credit undoubtedly belongs to the "Pall Mall Gazette." We will not stop to inquire whether the methods which that paper has pursued with regard to the Langwortby case are capable of general application, without causing great mischief. It is enough to say that they have been applied to this case with a success that has amply justified their use. With great courage and at tremendous risk, the " Pall Mall Gazette" has honoured itself by procuring the redress of a very grievous wrong. -

An Underground Sensation.

Some sewer workmen mefc with a strange adventure while ab work in one of the labyrinths of the subterranean passages of Paris lately. As they were busily engaged in cleaning out that part under the Boulevard de La Villette they suddenly heard loud and prolonged sounds of hissing. The foreman of fche gang thought that the strange noise was caused by evil doers, who were probably hiding m the sewers from the police. He took up his shovel and marched boldly towards the spot whence the Bounds proceeded. After hav ing proceeded a considerable distance he saw by the dim light of the sewer lamps an'enormouß boa constrictor coiled around one of the water ducts, with its head pro truding towards .him. He immediately stunned the reptile with a vigorous blow from bis shovel^and his workmen having come up the wholp party set to work until they killed it. It had escaped from a neigh bouring circus.

UNIQUE WARFARE.

The Old and Young Men of a Congo

Basin Tribe at Odds.

DR Wolf, the explorer of the Sankuru river, has just told some curious facts about the Baluba tribe, who are becoming distinguished among all the millions of the Congo basin for their eagerness to ac cept from the whites all the ways of living and the information that they think will benefit or improve them. Long before the whites knew them they were regarded by the neighbouring tribes as a most re markable people, and they are keeping up the reputation. Until within the past fifteen years the Baluba kept themselves strictly separate from their neighbours. They had no inter course whatever with any other tribe. This is very unusual, for the tribes through out; Africa, if not quarrelling with their neighbours, generally have many com mereial dealings with them, and even.in time of war the women of the hostile tribes sometimes mingle in perfect unity ex changing their commodities. The young men among the Baluba finally decided that it would be better for their tribe to cultivate relations with their neighbours and open the country to traders with other tribes. They had the support of their chief, but the old men and grey-beards of the tribe set their faces sternly against the innovation. With the conservatism of old age they declared that such a step would ruin the tribe. As long as they lived, they said, they would never consent that the Baluba should mix with other people. Each side was determined to have its way, and the quarrel grew more and more bitter, until finally it resulted in civil war. It was one of the most remarkable wars ever waged, for on one side were ranged the old men, the fathers and counsellors of bhe tribe, while on the other side fought the youth and lusty, strength of the Baluba. The sons were pitted against their elders, but in this case as in obners bhab might be mentioned, conservatism was simply unpro- Igressive narrow-mindedness, and wisdom was with the younger party. The struggle was short and furious. Ib resulted in the complete overthrow of the old men. The hatred engendered by this unnatural war was so intense that the van quished were nearly exterminated. Almost all bhe old men were killed or were bhrown with their women into bhe Lulua. Then bhe young men opened their doors to com merce.

The " Sun " has recently told how many of these Baluba are adopting the dress of the whites and are fashioning their buildings on the model of those ab Lulua burg station. Dr. Wolf says they possess qualities that render them adept pupils in learning the arts of civilisation. It is these people who deoided a few years ago that drunkenness was a crime and a disgrace, and who at once adopted the most energetic prohibitory measures. The stimulant used by the bibulous members of the tribe was palm wine. The tribe attacked the evil at its roots by cutting down all the palm trees in the country, and the Baluba are to-day remarkable for their temperance habits.

Evolution in Girls' Names.

In a recent communication to the Bangor "Historical Magazine," Joseph William son, of Belfast, has given a list of marriages in Belfast town from 1774 to 1814 "in clusive. The names of most of them are familiar to-day. We find John, James, Charles, Jacob, Henry, William, etc., oc curring again and again. It is interesting to observe the names of the women. Among them are Jarah, Deborah, Lois, Keziah, Priscilla, Barsheba, Theodat4, Neraasa, Grizol, Raechel, Phoebe, Wealthy, Love, Charity, Temperance. The 112 girls used but forty-five Chris- Man names among them. Polly, Betsy, Sally, Jane, Susannah, Nanny, Abigail, and Mehitable, very popular names among our grandmothers, have been pub away, like the old ball dresses and high-heeled slippers that figured in society iv the days of General Knox, To-day,distinguished by such names as Annie, Alice, Mabel, Jennie and Grace, the beauty transmitted from other generations continues its perpetual sway. Another thing noticeable is the dis appearance of such quaint names as Wealthy, Love, Charity and Temperance. They have gone with the Pollies and Sallies. De light alone among the names of 1887 is left to suggest that a trace of the old Puritan sentiment yet survives. In this evolution of names those of to-day are more refined and delicate sounds when spoken, and theretoro more fitting to the young ladies of 1887, who are admitted, of course, to have added the refinement of the present to the inherited beauty of the past.

OLD VIRGINIA NEGROES.

Stories Illustrating the Coloured

Man's Character.

The father of General E ,of Virginia, had a body servant who was an inveterate toper. His master tried every means in his power to break him of drinking. Per suasion was useless, advice wasted, and whipping but temporary in effect. Sam had been to a dance, and imbibed freely and returned home at break of day, and at breakfast was rather' the worse for wear. His master thought to try the effect of frightening him by apparently reading from the morning paper the death of a drunkard in R

"Spontaneous combustion! Horrible death of a drunkard! Last night Michael McGinnis was in a beastly state of intoxi cation ; he retired to his room, and in blow ing but the candle his breath caught fire. He was entirely consumed, and nothing left of him but the ashes of his shoes.' . Sam stood with "fives agdg and hands raised. '"Fore Gord, 'fore Gord, Marse John, dis nigger neber blow put a candle ez long ez he lib, sauah !" Colonel H ,of Virginia, had some ne groes quarrying rock with old Uncle Ned as foreman. One morning the Colonel rode over to the quarry, and, after the usual good morning, said : " Well, Ned, how are we getting along V " Dar 'ijiß agin. We!—how's we gittin' erlong ? Marse Chawles, I's er quarrym' dis here rock. You 'minds me uy er passel cr coons ez wenter huntin' deer in de swamp. Long Sam — you 'members him — Marse Tom's Sam ?—well, Sam he wuz boss er de batch, an' arfter dey done set up. deir pine knot torches, an' wuz er waitin' in de brush, Sam he spied sumpin' er moyin', an' he up wid's gun, an' bimb J sumpin' drapped, an' one er de boys sez, 'Ump! ain't we iuckly? dar's one'a'ready: we's got one, shuah.' An' Sam he tuned round he did. an* sez, sez he, • Not so much we, ef yer please—l kilt dat ar deer.' An' dey all went ter help skin it, an' lo an behold ! It was Marse Torm's pet colt, out er der grey mar' what he fotch from Richmun, an' bam he looked kinder skeert, he did, an' sez, sez he: ' Boys, ain't we jes played- !' 'An' ebry one uvem answered,' Not so much we, ef yer please; you done kill dat colt. An' Marse Chawles, I's er-quarryin' dis here rock, ah' we's gettin' along only middlin'.1' It was this same Uncle Ned who was ao costed by the writer upon return from col lege (and after the days of reconstruction] with "Good morning, Uncle Ned—good morning." " G'long, chile, g'long; yer mustn't talk dat way ter me now. I's no kin o1 yourn; I's yer ekal, now, I is, 'cordin' ter de fifteen* commandment. Glong!" And who, later, upon being urged to fin ish a^bit of ploughing before sundown said: " G'iong; wats de use er hurrying so ; dafs erriudder day tor-morrow dat ain't eb^n been tetched yit!" /

AMERICAN TRAIN ROBBERY.

TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS

CAPTURED.

Cool Methods of tbe Thieves.

A despatch from Tuscon under date August 11 says.- "The west-bound express was stopped last night at 10.30 o'clock thirty miles east of Tuscon, in the same place where it was robbed before. The engineer saw a red-light signal, put on the air brakes, but did not stop. Instantly a volley of shots was fired into the cab, doing no damage. The tobbers had thrown open the switch on the old track. The engine ran in and the rails spread, turning the engine over and throwing the engineer and fireman down an embark ment fifty feet, but they received no injury. As the train's speei slacked the robbers fared several shots, one of which entered the express car and to the sleepers. Brake man Zabriskie, not knowing the cause of the sudden stoppage of the train, stepped down from one of the cars. A bullet whistled past his ear and he remounted. The greatest consternation followed, and several passengers who stuck their heads out to see what was going on were ordered to take them in.

Mr Gratton, United States mail mes senger, was ordered down from his car- The robbers, after trying to persuade Wells, Fargo and Co.'s messenger to open the door oi the express car, and not suc ceeding, proceeded to blow it open. Grat ton was lifted through the hole made by the explosion, and prevailed upon Smith, the messenger, who was inclined to hold his position by force, to come out. As he did so he was hit over the head. by one of the masked men with a revolver, who ex claimed : "You —, you won't play us any more tricks by hiding the money in the stove." The robbers then proceeded to rifle the car, keeping the two or three parsons found in and about it with their hands above their heads.

A. L. Gault of Wells.Fargo & Co., was in the express car with Smith, but thought it folly to try to make a fight with the robbers, who threatened to blow the car to atoms. The robbers are supposed to be four in number. While two were working the express car the others could be seen on the bank above. One man was lying down in plain view of the sleeping - car window,and another short stout man, armed with a Winchester rifle, stood guard on him. The leader of the band was sta tioned near the west end of the sleeping car, and had but little to say. Some of the others, however, talked loud and very freely, and were evidently desirous of being heard. They seemed to be familiar with the names of the several train men, directed considerable abuse against Con ductor Gillespie; and swore they would kill him if the opportunity offered. On the cessation of the shooting one of the robbers said they were after money and not blood, and that they did not want to kill anybody if they could help it. Neither the United States mail nor the passengers were molested. The robbers were fully half an hour in rifling the express car. It is admitted by the officers, as well as Wells, Fargo & Co., that $3,000 was taken. It is generally believed that the amount is near §20,000, or more. _

Five hundred yards north of the robbery was found a sack containing 1,000 Mexican silver dollars left by the robbers. They were trailed two and a half miles farther north. Here they seemed to have divided the plunder. A number of gold coin sacks and coin paper packages had been opened, which indicated that a large sum of gold had been taken. Considerable currency is also believed to have been taken. It is certain they had all,they could carry,.w^ich is the reason they did not rob the mail car. Sheriff Shibell and posse started on the trail at daylight, well mounted. The robbers were on foot at the place where the money was opened. They divided, two going north and two south. The posse in pursuit also divided. There is no doubt it is the same party who robbed the train last April. A squad of fifteen of the Fourth United States Cavalry, with four days' rations, is also in pursuit. Three thousand dollars reward is offered for the arrest and conviction of each concerned in the robbery. A good many of the passengers wanted to fire on the robbers, one man saying he had a bead on one of them, but Conductor Gilles pie told him not to do so because it would endanger the lives of all of them. The train contained a large number of passengers and the great wonder is that many lives were nofc lost. When the robbers left they book a south-.easterly dhection and passed about four miles* south of Benson. As the ground was quite wet they left a pretty plain trail, ond there is reason to believe that they will be captured. One man has been arrested on suspicion, and he tells a very crooked story.

A NARROW ESCAPE.

A New Yokk telegram'of August 24 says. —Professor T. S. Baldwin had a narrow escape from death yesterday at Rockaway beach, 4,000 people went to see him drop 5,000 feet from a balloon. Instead of rising the balloon stretched out horizontally,and, with the aid of a stiff east wind, came down among the crowd. The balloon was righted, the car taken off, arid the Professor made a fresh start, clinging to the iron ring at the bottom of the gaß-.bag.; Some fifty yards to the west of the starting-point stood a telegraph pole and six wires, and toward these the wind sent the air-ship at a high rate of speed. The,crowd saw the danger and became excited. The balloon struck the wires and broke them like threads, the point of contact being but a short distance from the Professor's head. The recoil tnrew the balloon downward. Baldwin jumped to the ground, grabbed a rope and yelled for help to hold it. The crowd rushed to his assistance and the big sphere was dragged to its ■• anchorage again;" After several more attempts to rise the Professor gave it up. '.. ' -

Boom for Doubt.

Billy Bliven has worn an eighteen-caret high-polish bald head for the last five; years or more, notwithstanding the fact that he is still a comparatively young man. It is said that his baldness is due to the menta exertion involved in trying to remember just what he tolls each of his acquaintances relative to the number of goods he has sold, so that he will not be in danger of telling, the wrong story to the wrong person. The other evening he met a near friend in. the hotel, and Billy straightway became confi dential. "Charley," said he, " did you over have much experience in love afiairs ?" "No, replied Charley, promptly, "I am a travelling man, and never have time for that sort of thing. Are you in at that sort of trouble?" "I don't know—that is, I know lam, but I don't know whether she is or not." " What is the situation ?" "Well, you see it is just this way. She has been taking painting lessons, and she wanted to paint me a hat band. I told he hat bands were 'way out of style, but she insisted and I gave in." "I'm sure that sounds favourable enough." , " Wait till you hear the whole story. She painted the hat band, and after I had duly complimented it, she sewed it into my hat. When I gob back to the hotel I discovered, or father my friends discovered; that that band wasn't dry when it wa3 loosely basted into my low-orowned chapeau. When I went and looked into the mirror I found the top of my head artistically frescoed with B. B. daintily interwoven with lilies of the valley and forget-me-nots, and I've.had to wear a skull-cap ever since. Nowj Charley do you think that girl really lovea me ?"

A STORY OF THUS SEA.

Castaways Rescued on the Atlantic

The German vessel Mathilde, which arrived at Falmouth on August 27, brought the seven passengers and six seamen of the burned Atlantic steamer City of Montreal who were in the boat supposed to have been lost. They were picked up at sea by the Mathilde. The correspondent of the " World " boarded the Mathilde and found the occupants of the boat so long missing well and hearty. Still their faces were pinched with the sufferings they had undergone, and one and all, passengers and seamen alike, were possessed with a great longing to feel firm land under them once again.

"After we had made our little boat ride somewhat jauntier by transferring our surplusage of two passengers to one of tho other boats, I looked around, and on count ing the crew found that they were thirteen all told." Thus spoke Patrick Hughes, the fireman, on my asking him for his story of the sea. "There's no luck in odd num bers," continued Hughes, no matter what Rory O'More may say, and least of all is there luck in the number thirteen. Soon after the hurry and excitement of leaving: the burning ship had subsided we began looking about us, and then we perceived that our boat was alone, that none of the others were in sight. Knowing that we were in the much travelled tract, just at this season of the year, of westward-bound vessels, we did not feel very down hearted at fitst; indeed, we formed a pool to go to the namer of the company whose ship should pick us up. In the pool each man put his jackknife scarfpin or whatever he had valuable about him. As things turned out, nobody wins the pool, which, by the way, during those four long days and nights of suffering and anxiety which follow weed quite forget. " Hour followed hour and morning came after night and still no ship or steamer came insight. We grew anxious, worried and apprehensive. On our own boat, how ever, so suddenly had we embarked, there was not a single signal rocket, so we had to content ourcelves with quietly holding our hands and waiting to be seen. As still no sail appeared, we began to grow more anxious, and horrible stories of starvation. ' at sea, which all seemed to have on their tongue's end, became vivid in our memories. Fortunately, after looking in our stern locker, we found that there was enough bread and meat on board for1 six days at least. We had one keg of water with us, but when our thirst became almost madden» ing, we opened it and found that not only was the keg but one-third full, but that the ' water was nauseating. But even this was treasured and economised, well know-, ing that upon its holding out de pended the chances of our deliverance. "A wind soon came on, blowing hard from the southwest, and the seas com menced running higher, slopping over into the boat and threatening to upset us every i minute. We then held a meeting and elected Charles Riddle, able seaman, Gap tain of our boat. I have been in close > places before, but I never thought Davy Jones's locker so very near as on the first < night out in the little cockleshell, and with the water tumbling in streams. over our gunwales. Finally we improvised some bailers, and some of us were hard at it all > the night, turn and turn about, and that's ■ how we kept afloat. It was a straggle for * life. No one thought anything about the bailing. Indeed, those of us who were not bailing, getting worried, as water in ; the boat seemed to rise, fell to chucking it,. out with our hats and hands.

"All that night there was not a sight of a sail, but when the next day came, as the >: morning mist rolled away, there wag %» steamer way down on the horizon. She was miles and miles beyond resign of human voice> but that did not prevent us from calling and waving like mad, waving our* hats and attaching our coat to boat hooka and waving.them aloft; but all proved in vain. Gradually the dark speck faded away in the distance, leaving us aione on the ocean. The weather became fine, however, and so we did not lose hope. "Thenext day at sunrise there was an other vessel in sight. She too, however, did not see us, and slowly steamed out of our view. About four o'clock on Saturday morning I was awakened from a doze by hearing one of the bailers shout out: • Tosa your tins overboard, boys ; now we are all right, sure.' I rubbed my eyes and looked about. Straight ahead of us rose a dark I mass, with here and there a light, lying low in the water. 'A tramp steamer,' we shouted, and never was a tramp so welcomed. We got our oars and pulled to ward her with a will. She never moved. 'It mu6t be a cable vessel mending tjio wires,' somebody suggested. We gob closer and closer ; at last she veered a little, and as a great blaze of light flashed up be fore our eyes, we saw that it was the City of Montreal still burning. Faint with our exertions and with our great disappoint ment, we dropped the oars and let the boat drift,as we were now suffering terribly from thirst.

"Toward evening we tried to board our vessel for the purpose of trying to get some more water, but her plates were too hot, and at last we gave up the' attempt. list less we stayed by her all Sunday, and oa Monday came the Mathilde, and our,deliver* ance from death by thirst."

The Duke of Hamilton.

Who could have thought it ? Th© Duke of Hamilton was once the unavowed object of the affection of a romantic girl of fourteen who dreamt about him, and him only, for nearly five years. She never confided, her dream to anyone, and we should not now be aware of it if she had not jotted it down in a note-book, which she kept under lock and key. The fair- dreamer was, perhatwj taken all in all, the most variously and highly gifted Russian of her sex and period—thelate Mary Bashkii'eefF. She wrote as she painted, and painted as she saw and felt. But as love is blind, I suppose the Duke of Hamilton, who was the object of her silent worship,; was evolved out of her inner consciousness. The day on which she awoke from love's first dream she saw him after a long ab sence in the Champs Elyse'es, driving with a lady. His hair, she noticed for the first time, was the colour of unalloyed copper, in its highest state of brightness; the whiskers, curled and coppery also, t ex tended half-way down the cheek and half* way across it from the ear; they were neatly curled; the complexion was rubi cund; thefigure—which was always "full"— had run greatly into flesh, and the whole ducal person had an expression of good feeding and creature comfort which caused the dreamer to laugh heartily ab her dream. Her next passion was the poor painter, Bastien Lepage, who was as small as the Duke of Hamilton was bulky, and whose outer man appeared to be composed of a large square forehead, arid a pair of watchful hazel, eyes, which were always smiling. Soon after he and she becama acquainted she was seized ynjeh. the gallop ing consumption which carried her off, and he with internal cancer. His brother used to carry him up and down three flights of stairs to visit her, and both " sympathisers " —for they were never lovers—asod to sit in easy-chairs, looking at each other, and too weak to speak. She was the first to deparb for the silent land. Her journal is singu larly original and interesting.



A Rattlesnake's Bite. — The quick venom of the rat lesnake has not killed so many people as the moro insidious bat deadly poisons round In the air of foul rooms. The aeration of the body by the lungs beoomes Impossible some times, and the failing health, growing weakness, and loss of appetite are harbingers of approach ing death. For such cases Hop Bitters are the, potent and all-powerful remedy to griyo *U fevers out of the system, purifying the blood, and giving a new and happy tease at Ufa. Go* ROntune.