THE AUCKLAND EVENING STAR, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1887.

[SUPPLEMENT.

Ruby's Reward.

BIJIESOEOROIESHELDOH.

i "The Forsaken Bride," inthor oi T.h » « That •'Brownies inumpn, Dowdy," etc. •

CHAPTER XXXVI.

vn , T MAKES AXOTHER IMPORTANT *m DISCOVERY.

TfIEBB was not much restful sleep fo Ilthabnight. She lay thinking, and ij, to decide what course she ought to gall through tbe long, weary hours seemed as if they would never end i bring the welcome dawn She wondered if it would do to go to v-telle tell her what she had overheard, demand tbat she confess the plot, and •ronerate Walter. Then she remembered what she had bold MnLd Carpenter-that " torture would Sraw the confession from her;" she and gSpUce would,of course, deny all Sedge of any such conversation, while wm have on-yher own *or . to plo^ mi they would be two against one._ If 1 dared search among her sisters things WM bill, and could find ib, she would uEome tangible proof of what she had wd • but she shrank from doing anybhing nfthekind, while she doubted if Estelle- L W as evidently very much troubled to to it in her possession—would allow ib bo te away from her person a momenb until Iconid transfer it to Mr Carpenter. She resolved at last that she would wait and see if she mailed a letter to him in bhe Borning. X she did, she would go direcbly jo jlr Conant, toll him whab she had toned, and if ho took prompb and decisive measures, the bill might be discovered on Rtatmd Carpenter's person, and bhus bhe Jt of the whole transaction would be tßDsferred to him. ' _ She was on the alerb the next morning, indwhen Thomas came in to take the mail she saw Estelle give him three letters. She lis in the upper hall, looking over the titers, and then she waited until Mrs Gordon went back into the library, when she darted lightly downstairs, and flew oub ofdobrsalfcertheman. "Thomas, Thomas, are you going wibh out my letter f she called oub, in her bri»ht, cheery way, that had made every servant in the house her faithful friend. "Ho indeed, miss," he said, turning back as Ruby came up to him holding out a note that she had written to her friend Florence Partridge, "bub I bhoughb likely the letters were all here."

"Ifo wonder," said Ruby, glancing at fae in his hand, "for you have three already. I wonder who has been so favoured by my sister;" and, standing on tiptoe, she perched her head daintily on one side, like a bird, and tried to read the superscription. The man was entirely unsuspicious of §c importance of the mail that morning, and obligingly slipped bhe letters through hJAgerS for her to read the addresses. Yes, there was one for Edmund Carpenter ■mi; them, and a flush of excitement dyed tfciajr girl's cheek as she read his name, b shewas sure it contained the stolen bill. 01, if she could but get possession of ib ! Skmerely.glanced at it, however, then _ her own upon the others, while she _,I»htly, and with a smile,

.'„ ?'____ you bring back as many, lb-; I haven't had a lebter for nearly a rat...,,■„■..., ( . "it'sno faui,t of mine, miss; ye ahpuld TOBMWiaydayif I could bring it ye," the man returned, as he touched his hat and waited away. Ruby sped back to her room, hastily tesed herself for going out, and then wntdwnto the library, where Mrs Gor don was reading the morning paper. "Estelle, I am going to . town, to be measured for my new lawn. Have you any wads you would like me to do for you ?" * asked, trying to appear at her ease tagh her heart was fluttering like a frpened.biid's.

.' Oh,dear;d wish you held told me you intended going, and I would have gone ™> you," Mrs Gordon returned, looking jMjmntad, for she was bobh nervous and *presed, and would have been glad bo P way from her thoughts. w havealways said you did .not care ?f. fln l .™h warm days," Ruby replied, aashtngslightly. ."It is no matter now," said Mrs Gordon, ™ aweary sigh. „ But d J Corner's, if. you hr ? e a mind, and «some more of the floss." _____* ,¥ in fromher work-basket as handheld ifc out to her. «% took.it, and hastened from the S'ai g som3fchin&about having to .She had been afraid thab her sisber would 0^ toMr Conanb's office * as she reached the ciby, bub here "S2l atth, e ?enfcl^an had gone C t;r nSult. wifch Mf P-iehardson -?*£. f angeß m t}ienew buildings, ShSrotre,lurntiU evening. B' tiwS^ at|he7 ould Kave «et some dm,lnd F ar Pertfcer and had t rSSc n eaSheSlloUldtakethafc b&Xtvi F ne feebly to Mr -Seret * had **** th^ght to ask PPill?' th6refor« -A6- H LtWerl^ to A. anything by J* od. . -Lbe moi *ow, when she fife a w nothe.V effort to see Mr MrG^ on's floss-she *° her oi-essmaker's fk^Si ' t0 Waitwith whafc M^PPy^ia Hb °nfc the house- Kettoss L^^posSL l' avoidin X her sister getting dtI»VM7- she sbould befcray of £ abhorrence that had taken J^fi&ft* Ranged, bhe sky **&■':'* -? gloomy and dismal • **erewasiaw &^»& had a cheerful od flWwofk> tlS r6pai.r?d' the f°™er feSe&^/ith evident -.ff: haira3 rf about to leave yourself, g*{,an said > ™th G-£>* W ~U_refcreafc ™bher ***_*?'**- sach a 'i n Urnin ° to Mrs %tI thSu ionfowe, home at-imation ... the lady re- £ Waa l,P°n •"-T^l im L o Parlour~the table JIW A_- . beatyou with plea

" No, I am bhoroughly warm, indeed bhe room has been gebting rabher close, and I shall be glad of better air," Mrs Gordon answered, and then they went away, leaving Ruby in solitary possession of the library 1 and the pleasanb fire, much bo her relief. She had only been prebending bo read before Edmund Carpenber came in, bub now bhe book dropped from her hands and she fell into a fib of broubled musing. Pre sently, Timothy, a handsome maltese cat of which she had grown very fond and made a great pet since coming back to Foresbvale, came purring to her side ; then, as she pub oub her hand' bo smoobh his soft, fur, ho made a low, satisfied noise, gave a leap and settled himself cozily in her lap. She put her arms aboub him wibh a sense of comfort, and somehow did nob feel quibe so lonely or friendless with him there. She sat thus for a long time, until the fire burned low and bhe charring embers dropped aparb and, one by one, went out. The house was very still, and she could nob hear a sound, save now and then a low, brief " check " from the obher room, where bhe chess-players were absorbed in bhe game, and bhe gentle ticking of the marble clock on bhe manbel above her. Suddenly she was startled by a strange sensation upon her foot, and, glancing down, sho espied a tiny mouse perched upon the toe of her slipper. She started involunbarily, and bhe frightened little fellow sprang down, and flew over bhe carpet, disappearing behind the great, old-fashioned writing-desk on bhe opposibe side of the room. " Timothy, wake up !" Ruby said, arous ing the cab from his comfbrtable nap. " There's a prize for you here, if you will look sharp." She put him down upon the floor ; then, rising, wenb over bo bhe desk bo rouse his mouseship from his hiding-place, and give bhe cab a chance bo cabch ib. The desk was a cumbersome piece of furnibure, bub ib was upon rollers, and, by exerting her sbrength, Ruby succeeded in pushing ib a libcle way oub from bhe side of the house. This gave her a chance bo squeeze in be hind bhe desk, and, bracing her knee againsb bhe back of ib and her shoulders against the wall, she gave a vigorous push, and ib rolled oub still farther. Bub bhe panel againsb which her knee was braced suddenly gave way, and slipped down oub of sight into bhe desk. The poor lifctle mouse, however, had been frighbened from his place of concealmenb, and Timothy,-now all alerb, capbured him in bhe twinkling of an eye, and, growling out his satisfaction, bore him in triumph to the mat before tho grate, where he per formed all sorts of graceful antics with his squeaking victim. Ruby looked a trifle dismayed over the mischief that she had wrought, and reach ing forward inbo the aperture, she drew forbh bhe broken panel with a view to seeing how it could be replaced. As she did so, her hand came in contact with a paper which appeared •to have slipped down behind a drawer. She drew this oub also, and found ib bo be an official-looking envelope, covered with dust and cobwebs, and conbaining quite a bulky document. There was something written on the back. Brushing the dusb from it, she held ib bo ward bhe lighb, and read : . Last Will and Testament

RALPH CARPENTER,

Ocb 15th, 18—.

All the colour faded instantly from the young girl's face, and a wild, startled look came into her blue eyes as she compre hended the significance of bhose words. She knew ab once that she had found the missing wUl> over which —or, rather, over the absence of which-"-there had been so., much speculation and comment. But how had it come to be there, wedged between the baok of the desk and a drawer or compartmenb? Could ib have slipped bhere by accidenb, or had ib been helped into its hiding place by a pair of guilty hands ? Whab should she do wibh ib now bhab she had found ib ? Should she call Edmund Carpenber and deliver ib inbo his possession, Or should she keep her own counsel until she could confer wibh bhe genbleman who had been Mr Ralph Carpenber's lawyer ? lb would seem bhab Edmund had bhe besb righb to the document, arid she would not have hesibabed a momenb had she be lieved him bo be an honourable man. The facb that a will existed proved to her that Mr Ralph Carpenter had be queathed a share of his property to Walter, and knowing how Edmund hated him, how he begrudged him even a home, not to men tion his recent persecution, made her feel that bhe man mighb even now do somebhing desperabe bo prevenb him from coming inbo his share of bhe properby. Somebhing seemed bo bell her bhab ib would nob be safe bo give ib to him—that he might in a moment of passion, and reckless of consequences, destroy it before anyone could ascertain ibs contents, and then the wrong that had been done would never be righted. These thoughts, and many others, passed through her mind as she stood there hold ing that sacred document in her hand, her eyes riveted upon those thrilling words, " Last Will and Testament," etc. "What shall I do?" she said, over and over, to herself, while she kept glancing boward bhe door, as if fearful some one would enber before she could decide bhe im porbanb question. At lasb she lifted her head with solute air. "I do nob dare bo give ib to him to night," she murmured. " I will conceal it somewhere, then I will call him and tell him I have broken his desk. If he knows of anything about this having been hidden there, he will betray some anxiety and con sciousness when he discovers the. mischief I have done. If he does not;* I shall feel sure that he is innocent of having concealed it, and I will give it to him, trusting to his sense of justice or fear of the law to do what is right. But where shall I hide it?" she added, looking anxious and perplexed. Her eyes wandered around bhe room in search of some s£ife place, until jb finally fell upon a picbure hanging over the man tel. Tho thin' board which protected the canvas on the back had become warped a little on one side, and stood oub a brifle from bhe frame. She defbly slipped bhe envelope bebween this and the canvas, pressed the board tightly back into place, and fastened it there with a stout pin ; she then went back bo her chair, brembling like a leaf, and bried bo calm her excited nerves some what before attempting the next acb in bhe bhrilling drama.

CHAPTER XXXVII.

ME CAEPENTEE's SUSPICIONS.

At last Ruby arose with an air of deter mination, and proceeding directly to the parlour, approached the ches3 players, who appeared to be wholly absorbed in their game and entirely unconscious that any thing unusual had been transpiring in the adjoining room. She stood looking down upon the board for several moments without speaking, and hardly knowing how to broach the subject on her mind.

"Is anything the matter, Miss Ruby ?" Edmund Carpenter asked, glancing up at her with some surprise, for it was an un heard-of thing for her to come inbo his pre sence volunbarily ; while something in her manner impressed him strangely. " Finish your game—l see you are nearly through—then I will tell you," she answered, without lifting her eyes from the board.

She drew back a trifle, but continued to watch the game, her eyes fixed, as if fascin

abed, upon the white, shapely hand of Mrs Gordon's antagonist, as it made its wary moves, while she wondered if ib could have been guilby of bhe crime of bampering wibh his fabher's will.

" Check !" murmured Mr Carpenber, as he bore down upon Mrs Gordon's king wibh his knights. " Check 1" was repeabed, as a bishop swepb diagonally across bhe board and con fronted the much-tried monarch. ■ He rebreabed again behind a pawn when Mr Carpenber marched his queen forward and book bhe inoffensive pawn wibh a victorious " Checkmate 1" and the game was done.

Mrs Gordon looked up wibh a sigh. "Well, you are bhe mosb successful player ib was ever my privilege bo meeb. I call myself prebby good ab chess, bub you checkmate me two out of every three trames," she said, viewing bhe man w'isbfully, as if she would like bo try again. Mr Carpenter laughed. " I am usually successful in all games ;" he answered, lighbly, as he began bo gabher up bhe pieces and put them back into the box;" indeed.l seldom fail in anybhing bhab I really seb aboub doing.

" Now, Miss Ruby, command me, I am most happy to be ab your service," he added, looking up ab bhe young girl, while bobh his face and tone softened inbo somebhing of benderness as he spoke. She thought his boastful words had sounded very egotisbical, and she could nob help saying bo herself bhab albhough lie mighb nave been always successful hibherbo, she believed his luck was on bhe verge of changing, and all because of a tiny mouse. Bub sho simply remarked :

"Mr Carpenber, I have broken your desk."

"Broken my desk? Well, I do nob believe yon can have done any very greab damage to that cumbersomo old thing ; so bhere is no need to look so serious over it. How did ib happen?" he asked, indifferently, as he deposibed bhe lasb pawn in bhe box and slipped bhe cover over ib.

'' A little mouse ran behind it, and I at tempted to move it out so that bhe cab could cabcn him," she explained. •- Ib was nob an easy bhing bo do, and in bracing myself bebween bhe wall and the desk, I broke a panel oub of bhe back of ib. lam very sorry

Bub Ruby did nob have a chance bo finish her senbence.

Edmund Carpenter sprang quickly to his feet when she said she had " broken a panel oub of bhe back of it," and, wibh a hurried bread, passed inbo bhe library.

Ho went directly behind the door, dropped upon his knees, and peered into the aperture where the panel had been, with a face which Ruby, who had quickly followed him, was sure woro a very anxious look.

He inserted his hand and felt all about, but only drew out the panel that had fallen within.

" Did the mouse get in here ?" he asked. "Oh, no, he only ran behind the desk, and Timothy caught him almost imme diately after I had moved it out."

" Did—did you find anything in here, Miss Ruby ?" Edmund Carpenter inquired, feeling about once more in the hole. Ruby's heart leaped ab the question. He never would have asked it, she thought, if ho had not known something about the will being there, while his anxious, flurried manner condemned him in her opinion.

How could she answer him ?

For an instant her lips wore powerless to move. She could not tell a falsehood. She would not give up the will. Thon she said, wibh apparenb surprise: "Why! what. shoidd I find, Mr Carpenber? Have you losb anybhing down bhere ?" "No, no; of course nob. Only—some times, in these old desks, valuable papers slip out ef sight, and are lost for years,' he answered-, hurriedly, and turning away from her to hide the flush on his face.

" Now I am confidenb bhab he knew some thing about ib," Ruby bhoughb, wibh a rapidly-beating hearb. Bub she said quibe calmly, and as if she were willing bo be helpful: "Let me go and ask Mrs Coxon for a small lamp so that you can examine the place more thoroughly. Perhaps you may find something." Ho turned and looked at hor sharply, almost threateningly. The almost uncon scious emphasis, which she had pub upon bhe pronoun made him suspecb her. She saw ib. and gazed sbeadily back ab him. " Oh, no ; pray do nob brouble yourself," he said, afber a momenb, "and do not worry aboub bhe desk. There is no special damage done bo it. The glue had become old and the panel warped, so that it is not strange ibgave way when you pressed againsb ib." Still, as if not satisfied even yot, he reached down again into the hole and felt all aboub very carefully. He knew ib was bhe very place where bhe will oughb bo be unless someone had re moved it, and he was growing very much disturbed not to find any traces of it; but ho only drew forth some cobwebs and dust, at which he looked exceedingly disgusted and annoyed. He arose, pushed the desk back bo ibs place, and then sab down by bhe grabe, looking moody and thoughtful. Ruby picked up her book, seated herself by the table, and began to read again, hoping he would soon take his leave, and then, after Esbelle should rebire, sho could regain possession of bhe imporbanb docu ment. But Mr Carpenber evidently was in no hurry to go. He soon began to talk to Mrs Gordon, and kept her engaged in conversa tion for some time ; but Ruby was sure, though she did nob once look up abhim, that he was. watching her intently. The clock struck ten, then the half hour, and still the master of Forestvale sat on. Ruby began to.grow very nervous, and wished now that "she had concealed "the will about her person; then she could have slipped quietly up to her room and felt perfectly safe about ib. Ab lasb it occurred, to her that, if she made the first move, the others would soon follow, and then, after the house was quiet, she could slip softly downstairs again and secure her treasure. So, with a half-suppressed yawn, she laid down her book, and, rising, excused her self and bade her companions good-night. "Good-night, Miss Ruby," Edmund Carpenber responded, his keen eyes search ing her face eagerly ; " bub I shall doubt less be here to greet you in the morning, for it is raining so hard I do nob inbend to return to town to-night. Pleasant dreams and a refreshing sleep to you." Ruby merely bowed in reply as she passed from the room ; but there was some thing in his tone that gave her a feeling of uneasiness. " He suspects me," she thought, as she slowly mounted the stairs, while she reasoned that if he knew the will had been there in the interior of that desk and could not be found now, he must be sure that she had discovered and concealed it; and she knew that she should not dare go down to the library for ib while he remained in bhe house. When she awoke in bhe morning it was still raining, and, being darker than usual, she had slept later than she was in the habit of doing. " I wonder if he has gone yet?" was her first thought, as she glanced at her clock and found that it was nearly eight. She arose and dressed, occupying more time than was her custom, so that if Ed mund Carpenter had Dot gone, he might have plenty of time to bake his deparbure before she wenb down. Ab last she sbole quietly down stairs, and thought she would just glance into the library before passing on to the dining room. But, as she turned the handle to the door, it resisted her efforts— ib was looked.

For a moment her heart stood still, and she was sure now that ib was bo be " dia mond cub diamond;" bub wibh a resolute sebbing of her little chin, she told herself bhab she would nob yield one inch of her vantage ground until she was convinced that justice would be done. She went on to the dining-room, where she found Mrs Gordon dawdling over a late breakfasb, and looking as gloomy as bhe weather, while there were evidences that someone else had broken fast bhere that

morning. "Is Mr Carpenber here yeb?" she asked, as she bade her sisber good-morning. "Yes; he said he had some imporbanb writing to do to-day, and begged the ex clusive use of the library, which, being his own, one couldn't well refuse, though it's the coziesb room in bhe house on such a day as this. Whab a dreary morning !" Mrs Gordon concluded, with a regretful sigh, as she viewed the descending torrenbs with out.

" Yes ; and I am sorry enough, for I in bended to go to town again this morning. I wonder if Thomas wouldn't bake me as ib is ?" Ruby said, wistfully. "Of course nob, in such a pouring rain. Whab can you be thinking of ? It would be very imprudent, and you've nothing of im portance to take you there." "I wanted to go very much," Ruby answered, with a grave, preoccupied air, and wondering how she could manage to see Mr Conanb, or Mr Ruggles, or someone whom she could brusb.

" Ah, good-morning, Miss Ruby," said a voice behind her, and in a faintly sarcastic tone, she thought. "I regret your disap pointment, but perhaps / could execute your commissions, if you would intrusb bhem bo me, as I shall be going bo bhe ciby by and-bye." Ruby flushed slighbly, bub she replied composedly, as sho helped herself bo a slice of toasb :

"Thanks, Mr Carpenber; bub I am afraid bhat my dressmaker would nob ac cepb you as my substitute." "Oh, then it is merely the making of a dress thab makes you so anxious to get into town. I imagined that ib mighb be some bhing of vibal importance, you seemed so much in earnesb aboub bhe matter. But surely, Miss Ruby, you can curb your vanity for a day or two, rather than brave such a storm."

"Cerbainly, the dress can wait, and I can waib also," she answered, indift'erenbly. "Did you wish _ for anybhing in the library vory particularly as you came down," the man pursued, coming nearer, where he could look more fully into her face. " I regret that you were fastened out. I could not find it in my heart to lock any door againsb you." "Surely, Mr Carpenber does nob need to apologise for acting as he pleases in nis own house, under any circumstances," Ruby said, coldly, add ing, " Estelle usually goes there to read after breakfast, so it was nabural bhat I should peep in bo find her on my way down. "

'• Ah, bhab was ib bhen," he reburned, blandly, bub wibh a peculiar smile.

He had spenb the long nighb in the library. He had searched every nook and cranny of thab quainb, old-fashioned desk, and knew bhab his father's will was no longer bhere. He knew, also, bhab ib could never have geb away without hands, and he was satis fied that Ruby Gordon had the document iri her possession, or had concealed ib in some place where she could geb ib when ever she wanted it.

She had noticed that she watched him closely when he was upon his knees behind ib, searching in that aperture bo find bhe long-hidden documenb.

He was furious with himself afterward for having bebrayed so much anxiety In her presence —he mighb have waited until everyone was in bed, for he could see that she was arguing that he must hav6 been an agent in its concealment from that very fact, while her eagerness to get to town on this stormy morning proved to him that she had something of more importance than drossmaking in her mind.

But she was very cunning and plucky. The more ho betrayed his suspicions, the more cool and self-possessed she became, and he admired her accordingly. He was determined, all the same, that he would extort the truth from her before the day was out. He was a desperate man, and ready for desperate measures. She had not seen fit to make any reply to his last remark, but went on quietly with her breakfast, and an awkward pause fol lowed. It was broken by the entrance of a ser vant, who handed Mrs Gordon a telegram. She broke the seal in an agitated manner, and read it with a blanching face. " What is it, Estelle," Ruby asked, ob serving ib. •* My sisber Emma is very ill—dying, bhey fear—and bhey have senb for me to come to Harrisburg immediately," Mrs Gordon re plied in trembling bones. "You will go?" " Of course, I musb, in spibe of bhe sborm ; bub—whab will you do, Ruby ? Will you come wibh me ?" Ruby looked thoughtful. She did not wish to go to Harrisburg. She would not sbay bhere ab Foresbvale anobher twenty-four hours, and there seemed to be only one thing for her to do. " Mr Carpenber, do you know where Mr Ruggles stops when he is in bhe ciby ?" she asked, burning bo Edmund before replying to her sisber. A peculiar lighb flashed inbo bhe young man' 3 eyes as he mentioned a house wibh which she was nob familiar. " Will you allow Thomas bo take a note to him for me when he carries Estelle to bhe sbabion ?" she asked. "Cerbainly," he replied, heartily. " Thomas is ab your service in any way." . "Then I will go bo Redville, Esbelle," Ruby said, speaking bo Mrs Gordon. " I will write him to come for me to-day, and if he' is not ready to return I will go and spend the intervening time with Florence. Now come and I will help you get off, for, of course, you wish to start as soon as pos sible." She pushed back her plabe and arose as she spoke, and preceded her sisber from bhe room, Edmund Carpenber's eyes following her wibh a sinisber, briumphanb expression. (To be Continued.)

United States Law Against Blasphemy.

A mas named Reynolds, who was defended by Colonel Bob Ingersoll, has just been fined £5 and £15 costs in New Jersey for blasphemy under the statute of 1664 against blasphemy. This is the statute : " X any person shall wilfully blaspheme the holy name of God by denying, cursing, or con tumaciously reproaching His being or Providence, or by cursing or contumaciously reproaching Jesus Christ, or the Holy Ghost, or the Christian religion, or the Holy Word of God—that is, the books •of the Old and New Testaments—or by pro fane scoffing at or exposing them, or any of them, to contempt and ridicule, then every person so offending shall, on conviction thereof, be punished by a fine not exceed ing £40, or imprisonment at hard labour not exceeding twelve months, or both." The Judge said that, although bhe sbabube did originabe in colonial days, ib was re enacted in 1844, and allowed to remain when the statutes were revised in 1874, and ever since the indictment the Legislature had met, and bhere was nob even a sugges tion to repeal it.

How to Get Sick.—Expose yourself day and night, sit too much without exercise, work too hard without rest, doctor all the time, take all the vile" nostrums and imitations: adver iaed, and then you will want to know

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

(From Que Special Correspondent.)

"Cuss the Cass Case"—The Cause of Con servative Defeats-Two Irish Stories- Irish Juries and Lord o'Hagan*s Act—A Vis-a-vis at Dublin Castle—Death of R. H. Hutton—lVlr Donald Crawford About to Marry Again—Dilke's Decision-End of the Clayton - Cecil Partnership — Keview of Pieces Produced— History of a Literary Partnership—Bes ant and Bice —Profits of " Ready-Money Mortiboy "— Literary Notes, etc.

London, July 29,

Cuss the Cass Case.

"Cuss bhe Cass case; ib has done us irreparable mischief," cry the Conserva tives. And unquestionably bhey are righb. Recenb Liberal vicbories musb be abbributed almosb entirely bo popular indignation on bhe subjecb. If Lord Salisbury had prompbly sacrificed bhe offending Home Secrebary, bhe Governmenb's false sbep mighb ab leasb have partially been re trieved. But he either didn't choose or wasn't able to do so, and this fact, com bined with Mr W. H. Smibh's questionable conducb on the nighb bhe Governmenb were defeated, has given rise to the damaging impression that Mr Matbhew3 may, after all, only have acbed in accordance wibh pre concerted arrangemenb. The Home Secrebary does nob (oubwardly ab any rabe) grieve much over his faux pas. He objects, however, says " Abkis," bo bhe House being called a Cas-ino, and declined bo smile when bhe Under-Secrebary for bhe Colonies (in answer bo his colleague's lamenb on the damaging effect of the incident) wittily summed up bhe situation by saying " TotUlasse, tout passe, toutcass-e."

Small jokes on the affair, many of them I regret to say somewhat Cerulean, abound. Marlborough-strceb, for example, is now known as the Court of Cass-assin, whilst poor Mr Newton—bub no, I will not inflicb any more bad puns upon your unoffending readers.

A Famous Eone-Sottor.

Mr R. H. Hutbon, bhe famous " bone setter," who died suddenly the other day through tho fatal mischance of taking a bottle of "black drop" (a strong prepara tion of opium) insbead of " black draughb," will bo much missed. Though ignored by the medical profession proper, he was ex traordinarily clever ab dealing wibh sprains, fractures, strained sinews, &c, and cured many cases pronounced hopeless by able surgeons. Patients camo to him from all parts of the world, and he seldom failed to afford immediate relief. Wibh dogs and horses he was as capable as with human beings. Theimmediatecurehe workedonthe famous greyhound, Miss Glendyne, when her case was pronounced hopeless, created an immense sensation, and more than one thoroughbred now running, bears witness to his skill with horses.

Tho Dillio Case.

Mr Donald Crawford is aboub bo enber bhe bonds of wedlock once again. Leb us hope his second choice may be luckier than his first. Tho fair 'Nia, by-the-way, does not seem at all crushed by her misfortunes. She and Mrs Ashton Dilko aro frequently to be seen at tho theatres, and if appearances go for anything the divorcee is at least as frisky as ever. The Dilke case will not be re opened. Sir Charles' has convinced all for whose good opinion ho cares of his inno cence, and a new trial (it ia feared) would do bub libble good. Ab bhe National Liberal Club banquet tbe. other evening Mr Gladstone asked a barrister who had lately reburned from Ireland whether he bhoughb Lord O'Hagan's Acb had maberially improved bhe characber of "Irish juries." " Nob much, I'm afraid," was the reply. "I abtended a trial at Cork the other day, and when bhe usher cried oub, ' Genblemen of bhe jury, bake your places,' seven of bhem rualked into the prisoner's dock. The same worthy recounted a bona fide experience at a Dublin Castle ball. The music for a set of Lancers had sbruck up, and Mr A (as I shall call him) and his parbner were looking aboub for an Irish M.P. (Mr O'Brien) and his cousin, who were bo dance opposite them. At last A "spotbed" bhe pair, and called qub bo O'Brien, " You are our vis-a-vis, I believe ?" To his asbonishmenb, bhe Irish man gob red in bhe face, and roared, rabher bhan said, " I'm yer wh-a-a-b ?" " I said," responded Mr A. , in mild surprise, and speaking very distincbl'y, " bhab I believed you were our vis-a-vis." "Oh ! am I?" responded O'Brien, wrabhfully. " Thin I'll bell you whab. Yer all bhab, and a d d big blackguard besides." The Clayton-Cecil partnership has come to an end, and the old-fashioned Court Theatre in Sloane Square finally closed its doors. The building is at once to be pulled down, but Mr Clayton has arranged for the erection of a larger and more comfortable house in the same localiby. Thanks bo Mr Pinero chiefly, bhe management of Messrs Claybon and Cecil has been a financial success. Ib began badly in 1881 wibh "Comrades" and "The Recbor," bobh of which failed. Then came Godfrey's " The Millionaire" and a glimpse of prosperity, bub ib didn't lasblong. "Devotion," "Young Mrs Winthrop," and " The Opal Ring" all collapsed wibhin a few weeks of one anobher, and ib was almosb in despair bhe parbners ab lengbh abandoned comedy proper for bhe semi-farcical ' * Magisbrate." Then the tide turned. "The Magistrate," a play requir ing only a small company, and bub libble mounting, made a-big-hit, and ran well into two years. The equally success-' ful " Schoolmistress " followed, and finally "Dandy Dick," which has still plenty of life left, and is to be revived in the autumn at Toole's. Autumn novelties will include the new melodrama "Pleasure" at Drury Lane; Sims and Petbib's long-promised play ab bhe Adelphi; a revival of " The Colonel" ab bhe Comedy Theabre ; " Theodora " ab bhe Princess's; " The Midsummer Night's Dream" at the Haymarket and Collier's new comic opera to succeed the still popular "Dorobhy"ab bhe Prince of Whiles. In bhe preface bo bhe handsome new library edition of "Ready-Money Morti** boy," Mr Walber Besanb gives an inberesb ing accounb of his parbnership wibh bhe late James Rice. It seems the two men (both unknown to fame at the time) met casually soon after Rice had purchased that unlucky periodical "Once a Week." Be sanb became a conbributor of articles and verses to the periodical, and used to con verse a good deal wibh bhe edibor. Ib was nob, however, bill bhe pair had known one another a couple of years that they thought of collaborating on a novel, and then the suggestion came not from Besant, bub from Rice. The labter had a greab notion that a good sbory mighb be worked oub from bhe idea of bhe reburn of bhe prodigal son, nob penitenb, bub hard ened, crafby, and resolved to play upon his father's foibles. This character, much modified, became Dick Mortiboy, and the novel was eventually published anony mously on commission under the title of " Ready - money Mortiboy." It was from the first most favourably received and an indubitable success, yet became known so slowly that the profits only amounted to £70. Aspiring authors are invited to reflect upon this fact. With "My Little Girl" Messrs Besant and Rice were rather more forbunabe financially, bub "This Son of Vulcan" (one of bheir mosb realistic novels, all bhe characbers being taken from life) fell flat. The work, how ever, which practically clinched the part

ners' reputation as novelists of the first class was "The Golden Butberfly," a de lighbful sbory, which prompbly book bhe reading world by sborm. "The Monks of Thelema" (for which I don'b care nearly so much) followed.and bhen again a sbriking success was scored wibh " The Chaplain of the Fleet." "By Celeas Arbour " and "The Seamy Side" were the last of the long stories in which Besanb and Rice collaborated. They are neither of them up to the other novels I have mentioned, though far above the ordinary volume average. Mr Besant is modestly reticent as to the nature of the literary parbnership bebwixb himself and Rice. Judging from various inbernal evidences, I should say bhab bhe labber confined himself mainly bo suggesb ing original characbers, evolving and sbrengbhening plobs, and generally fortify ing Besanb's work. Since Rice's death Mr Besanb has nob painted any characters equal in originaliby to Gilead P. Beck or Phillis in the " Golden Butterfly," or to the inimitable Chaplain of bhe Fleet I should say, too, bhab bhe monomaniac in "Wibh Harp and Crown," and the rascally Scotch dominie in " My Libble Girl," owed bheir exisbence bo his imagination in the first in stance. Mr Besant, I feel certain, wrote all the partners' novels. It was not a case of one doing this chapter and the obher bhab. The charm of his sbyle is unmistakable, and one recognises ib as clearly in " Ready- Money Mortiboy " or " The Golden Bubter fly"as in "Children of Gibeon," or even "The World Wenb Very W Tell Then." Rice, as one can tell from his "History of the Turf," had no sbyle to boast of. The veteran Marquis of Winchester, who died the other day, has left a volume of autobiographical reminiscences (said to be of extraordinary interest) ready for the press. His. Lordship's memory was a phenomenal one, and as a raconteur he stood facile princeps even at the Travellers' Club. In his boyhood Lord Winchesber once walked from Edinburgh bo Perbh, and so clear headed was he ab 86 bhab he could bell you bhe name of every inn he passed on bhe road. This is bhe sort of man whose recollections are sure bo be mosb valuable. Beware of "The Sbrange Adventures of Lucy Smibh," by Mr F. C. Phillips (bhe aubhor of "Asln a Looking Glass "). -Ib is an improbable and unwholesome story, with a singularly nasty notion for back bone. On the other hand, I can recom mend Mrs Oliphanb's "The Son of His Fabher," jusb oub in library form. The aubhor describes, in bhe harrowing mebhod she so well undersbands, bhe sufferings en dured by a high-souled, honourable son bhrough bhe misdoings of a disrepubable father. Longman'shave just added Mrsoliphant's "Madam" and "In Trusb," and Jas. Payn's " Luck of bhe Darrells," to their unequalled shilling series. For excellence alike of substance, type, and binding, these books are incomparable at the price. Those two capital Anglo-Indian tales, "Proper Pride" and " Pretty Miss Neville," are also out in cheap form (2s), and Henry James's " Princess Cassamassima " can now be obtained for six shillings.

Death of a Miser.

In Paris bhe race of misers flourish vigorously The French are a pre-eminenbly bhrifby people, and ib is no uncommon bhing bo see men wearing bhe garb of beggars depositing large sums of money from time to time in the National Savings bank, or rushing: in haste to subscribe to new loans. The faces of such people are as pale and attenu ated as those of starving paupers; their ragged clothes hang loosely and limp around their ragged shrunken shanks ; they shiver without fire during the winter in cheerless garrets, down the chimneys of which sweep the icy gusts of December ; and yet their names are inscribed in many bankers' books and their loathsome counterpanes cover many a heap of gold. That this is no exaggeration may be proved by the annals of the Prefecture of Police. The latest Parisian, Daniel Dancer, has just died, leaving a forbune of 1,000,000, or £40,000 sberling, behind him. The PeVe Denizot, as he was called, lived in an old house —No. 10, Rue de Brosses, in the Quartier dcs Archives. He was the laughing stock of all the neighbours and the street-boys as he hobbled along in his mendicant's rags. He lived all alone, and used to make his own soup, driving hard bargains with butchers for bits of offal which almost dogs would refuse. He succumbed alone and unattended recently to an atback of apoplexy. The disbricb inspector of police come to verify the death, having been summoned by. the neighbours, and he had just drawn up his report and was e-oing away when he knocked over a rickety old table, out of which several rouleaux of gold fell on the floor. Surprised beyond measure, the officer poked about the wrebched abode, and found in divers and sunday hiding-places sums of gold and silver amounting in bhe aggregate to £4,000 sterling. With these were numerous securities and bonds, which en abled the authorities to make a tolerably acsurabe esbimabe of the value of Pere Denizot's succession, bhe heirs, assigns, and execubors of which will be bhe Sbate, as the old worshipper of Mammon seems to have had neither chick nor child to claim a part of his golden heritage.

German Clerks in England.

In view of currenb discussions upon the way in which German clerks are ousting Englishmen in England, ib may be useful to give some particulars as to the pay of these clerks in their own country. Wibh few exceptions, commercial salaries are much lower in Germany bhan in England. In some large commercial bowns, like Ham burg, Berlin, and Leipsic, bhey are higher bhan elsewhere, bub we bake the case of the average provincial town, and a cashier in a fairly importanb house, who would geb £300 in England, would geb from £150 bo £175 in Germany; £200 is considered a high salary. A manager who has been from fifteen to twenty years in a house is well paid at £250 to £300. The usual clerks' salaries range from £50 to £100. Bankers, as a rule, pay betber salaries bhan merchanbs or manufacburers.

Of course, money goes much further in Germany than with us. Single clerks can live comfortably on £90 in large bowns, and very well indeed in provincial bowns. A married clerk can live on £125 bo £150, and will be able to put something by every year. Mr Carl Meyer, of the firm of Messrs Rutchill and Co,, who recenbly gave some evidence on bhis subjecb for one of the commitbees, says bhab Germans live on aboub two-bhird3 of what English clerks spend. Speaking roughly, a fair average clerk who earns in England £140 bo £200 a year would receive £100 bo £150 in Germany; and, whereas an English clerk seldom saves anybhing, the average German clerk, how ever .small his salary may be, manages to put by something each year. Living in England for this class of men is from 30 to 50 per cent dearer than in Germany, speak ing of provincial towns in both countries. But then with us there are not many foreign clerks in the provincial towns. They come first to London and remain there, and there is a substantial difference between the extra cost of living and the extra pay they receive. They gain con siderably from the pocket point of view, though not so much as many imagine, from their transference to England. In the Government offices the salaries are from 50 to 100 per cent higher here than in Germany,

LADIES' GOSSIP.

NOT I!

I know of a sweet little nook by a stilo, But I won't say where! Yet it was delicious to dream awhile,

In the show there ! Pleasant to rest where the winds are low. Whore the dove makes moan and the blue-bells

blow, With the merriest maid in the world to woo, But I won't say—who!

We lingered long in that nook so green, But I won't say when! Though the merle wots well of the spot I mean, For he saw us then! I drew from the beck a " forget-me-not:" As she took it I said—but I won't say what! And a glad gleam shot through her soft blue eye, But I won't say—why! Not I! Not I!

An impossibiliby—an ugly baby.

The greabesb wag ever known: A woman's iongue.

A coquette is like a war veteran—she goes through many engagements.

The best thing in ladies' purses this season —and some of them are simply elegant—is money.

A young widow never knows how much or how little, she loved her departed old husband until the will is read.

A Michigan woman kicked a bear to death a few days ago, and now her husband never contradicts anything she says.

A fashionable young lady says she always enjoys the voyage because she makes the acquaintance of so many swells.

Husbands who leave property to their widows under the odious condition that they do not marry again might as well not die at all.

A recenb writer speaks of "green verdure," and a lover who is tied to his mistress's [eyebrow has written a poem entitled " Her Azure Eyes of Blue."

Ib is said that a woman wears the same bonnet that she wore thirty-five years ago. She is the wife of a farmer, and not an editor, as may ab firsb be supposed. J

"Is all my luggage in bhe van ?" said a lady bo a railway porber. "Yes, madam." "Have • I left "nothing behind?" "No, madame ; not even so much as a copper."

A woman recently lost the use of her jaw, and the doctors say that she has worn oub the muscle bhab acbs as a hinge. We somehow wonder bhab bhis does nob occur of tener..

A lady says ib is no worse to encircle a lady's waisb wibh your arm in a ballroom bhan hug your friend's sister on the back stairs. "No worse," exclaims a Boston editor ; " why, it's not as good."

A very wealthy young woman questions her confessor. "Is ib a sin, father," she asks, "to take pleasure in having people call me beautiful ?" " Certainly.my child, ib is always wicked bo encourage false hood/

A new bracelet, outwardly of a most chaste, innocent and beautiful design, bub inwardly a ravening wolf, has just been invented, and thrown on the market. It has a wickedlittle secret spring that reaches out and nips a fellow by the cuff the mo ment he touches it, and holds him there untd " pa " can come into the parlour, and, gazing sternly upon the affectionate and perturbed tableau, l demand of the young man what are his 'intentions.

-* In Armenia the bride is not allowed to speak in the presence of the husband's mother." A legend exists that in England there are times when the husband is nob allowed to speak in the absence of his wife's mother.

Wife: "Got a dollar?" Husband: " Where's the last dolLar I gave you ?" "Gone." "I thought I told you to make it go as far as you could." "I did." "Dosen't look like it." "Well I did; I sent it to the Fiji Island heathen."

"Are you any relation to my sister?" He blushed and stammered until, the young lady, baking piby on him, solved bhe mabber by saying, "No: bub I'd like to be; wouldn't you, Alfred ?" Cards will soon be out.

A brooklet and a pretty maid o'er mossy stones went tripping. And then the pretty maiden said, "I'm awful 'fraid of slipping. The saucy brooklet laughed aloud, as it ran o'er a boulder. And whispered, " She'd have surely slipped if he'd been here to hold her."

" Will you trust me, Fanny ?" he cried, passionabely grasping her hand. " Wibh all my soul, wibh all myself," she whispered, nesbling on his manly bosom. " Would bo heaven you were my bailor," he murmured, and tenderly he took her in his arms.

Two ladies paid a handsome cabman a shilling for bhe distance they had" ridden, which just skinned bhe inside of bhe legal bwo miles. They paid him wibh one four penny bib, bwo threepenny pieces, and one penny, and two halfpence. • Cabby, a pa tient and mild-spoken man, looked at bhe coins, and then in a bland voice put this question, " How long might you have been saving up for this little treat ?"

A wriber in a periodical lets, out a secret regarding bhe way in which young women read novels :—lb was. in a horse car, bhab place in which bhe experiences are varied enough to make a man cosmopolitan if he will study them. Two girls are talking of whab they read, "Oh, I choose a novel easily enough," one said. "I go to the cir culating library and look at the last chap ters. If I find the rain softly and sadly drooping over one or two lonely graves I don't talte ib; bub if bhe morning sun is glimmering over bridle robes of whibe satin I know ib is all righb, and bake ib and sbarb bo buy caramels to eat while I read ib."

A Murderer Discovered by a Dream.

A young gentleman in the city of Dublin dreamed one night that his sister, who had recently been married, and lived at some small distance, had been murdered. Waking up, ib gave him some uneasiness, bub finding ib was only a dream he wenb to sleep again, when he dreamed the earne thing. He then got up, dressed himself, and went to the apartments of an old lady, and with great agitation told his dream. She smiled at him, and said she wondered that a gentleman of his understanding should be troubled about a dream, and bade him go to bed again. He did so, fell asleep, and for the third time dreamed that his sister had been murdered. Thereupon he arose, dressed himself quickly, and hastened to his sister's house, where he found that her husband, after a religious dispute, had cut and mangled her barbar ously. She just lived to utter a few wor s*■ to her brother, and then expired of he wounds. Subsequently the husband wa* captured, and hanged for the crime.



If you should happen to meet a well dressed gentleman, you may depend upon it he patronises Woollams, the tailor, ab Sydenham House, Greyer .et^ADYf ,] .