A Heart's Bitterness.

B. BERTHA M. CLAY, Author of "For Another's Sin," "A Fnir Mystery," &o.

CHAPTER XXXII,

" HE IS THE ON- LOVE OF MY L1F15."

"Comk!' saiel Lady Burton, in response to Violet's faint knock. Sho was lying on her sofa, resting, and when tho door swune opon, and showed tho little Counters of Leigh, pale as a snow drop, clad in white, dark nervous rings undor hor sweot brown oyes, tho motherly arms of hor friend wore hold out to hor, and Violet with a cry sprang forward, and hid her face on thobosom of tho one who truly loved her. Lady Burton softly stroked tho silken hair, murmuring : " My darling, my dear littlo girl, what is _rieving you ?" With shi inking shamo and eonsitivo Self scorn, Violet had been hiding hor miserable story in hor heart, and wearing 6miles and cheerfulness, ovon in hor saddest hours, until sho had docoivod Lady Burton herself. The hour for reserve was passed; hor womanly sonse told her that safety now lay in this friend and counsellor ; but hor only answer for n timo was wretchedly Eobbing in Lady Burton's arms. "What is it?" said Lady Burton, caressingly. " What has troubled tho lo\ _ly littlo chatolaine of tho Towers ? Have titles, and fortuno, aud happiness oppressed you, Violet!" "Happiness I Oh, Lady Burton, lamthe most misorablo woman in tho world I Who could bo so wretched as I am ?" " Doar child, how littlo, it seems to mo, you know of sorrow I What can I do for you, my darling ?' 11 You cau go awflj I Oh, go, ploaso go ! Loavc the Towers this day, this hour !" " Violet! Have I grieved you in any way that you wish mo to leave you ?" " You ? Oh, no, Lady Burton : you only in all tho world havo seemed liko a real mothor to me. But you must go. Co, nnd take Lord Koith with you. Lot ma novor see him again I Nevor ! never I" Lady Burton startod. " Violet, what doos this mean? How has my boy angered you ? I am sura any causo of grievance must on hia part be unintentional. Ho is most delicate and chivalrous in all his feelings toward women. If he has offended you, lot mediate betwoon yon. I want to sco you two friends. I could not havo hato batween my son and this little girl that I love." " Hato I Oh, Lady tlurton, are you so blind ? Cannot you sco that it is not hato between ua - but love I But thank God that you havo not seen, that you do not know, for then 1 am sure, no ono will guossthiß terrible eocrct of wasted and embittored hearts Lady Burton, take him away, I boseech you I I cannot endure the torture of hia presence. He is tho ono love of my life I And, oh, lam marrieel to anothor—to love Ken noth is a sin." Lady Burton turned deadly palo. She took Violet by tho shouldors, and held her back, scrutinising tho white tear-wot faca. " What I" she cried, " has my son, whom I havo i-ared to be tho soul of honour, come to his friend's house and employed his time in making love to his friend's wife?" "No, no I Do not blame him, it is not Kenneth, it is all my fault—not his—only mine." "I do not understand. My poor child, what is this ? - have you given your heart so easily—in these less than three weeks ? ' " Do not look at mo so, Laely Burton. Help me, pity me. It is not in those weeks only that 1 have scon him. But four years ago —four yoars I for six happy weeks, as never wero lived anywhere else out of heaven. I knew him in Lincolnshire, and wo loved, and promised each other to bo true - and we were parted—and my grand mother camo between, and mado me think him false Oh, Lady Burton, how wealth and faithless iv Kennoth was my heart ! I did not see him again until 1 was married I And I found he had loved mo, and hoped for me, all that time. And then it was too late I" What I This that Lady Burton had most desired —the honest lovo of Kennoth and Violet—had beon, had ended in utter dark ness ; they had loved but to part and bo miserable. She folded the sobbing girl to her breast, and in the safe shelter of her arms Violet breathed out all the miserable story. She hid nothing ; her struggles, hor pain, her hußband's unlovingness, nnd the times that Keith had saved hor, going to Homburg to bring home her husband ; and that very day saving her from a death which some timos she passionately desired. 'It must end," sho moaned. " You re member how I said, I should always do my duty ?' And you yourself told me on that fatal marriage day, that whon all was lost save honour, ono must live for honour. I am Lord Leigh's wife, and I must' ba a faithful wife until I die. And Lady Bur ton, how can I pray to Cod 'deliver mo from temptation' when I daily live in temptation ?" " You ore right, my own, swoot, noblo love ;wo will go. I will spare you this at leaßt—the presence of the man you lovo. Oh, how wrong it was for him to come here."

'' Do not blame him, Lady Burton. From what Lord Leigh wroto he feared I waß ill and unhappy, aud he could not stay away; he wanted to help me; to have you help me—but tho beet help is for him to stay away I When I see how much better, and handsomer, and kin der he is than —than anyone else ; how can I help loving him more ? and I must not, I will not do that," said Violet, ingenuously, lifting hor innocent, childlike brown eyes to Lady Burton's face. " My darling, I honour aud love you for this frank confidence, I shall devote my self to trying to help and comfort you both."

"Yes, think of him," said-Violet simply. "I would far rather be unhappy, than have him unhappy, and you do not know how sad hia heart is. He really loves mo for myself, Lady Burton. Is it not strange, whon so few can do that ?"

" Who could help loving you, sweetest and beat of girls ?" said Lady Burton, draw ing her arm closer, as she thought of all she had loat in this charming creature. " It ia a comfort to me, in all my sorrow," said Violot, weeping, " to know that I havo been loved by a good man liko Kenneth ; it makes mo fool moro sure of myself, and I am resolved always to try to be good and noblo, so ho shall feel ho was not mistaken in me. But Lady Burton, do you think I must livo yoars and years, so unhappily ? Will I livo to suffer as long aa you and my mother did? It seems that I am not so foarfully strong that sorrow will not bo able to kill mo quickly." " Dear Violot, noither grief nor joy kill the young quickly. It is the old, those whoEe natural springs of life and vigour are weakened, that die of the pressure of heart ache—and you so young and fair I Who can sympathise with you so woll as 1 can ? I havo lived through a most unhappy marriage; but I found comfort in doing my duty, and my child camo to console me and to" givo me something sweet to live for." , , "But I shall never have that comfort, 1 fear," said Violet. " I'm doomed not to be best loved where I can love." "Do not think that, dear. Your inno cent life, your kindness, may be an inspira tion to your husband ; you may save bim from evil ways, and win his love; and you know we are apt to love where we are bene fited. When my Kenneth's father, on his death-bed, called mo to him, and thanked me for all I had been to him, and said he had learned to appreciate and love me, then I felt repaid for what I had suffered." " That can never be for me," said Violet, " for Lord Leigh not only does not love me, but he does love someone oleo. I have heard her spoken of as a wonderful beauty. She lives near here. He wanted her invited here. Only think of that I Her name is Miss Ambrose."

"Miss Ambrose?" cried Lady Burton with a start.

"Yea. Do you know hei?" Lady Burton was silent. Violet insisted. " Tell me—have you ever seen her ?" " Yes, I have," "said Lady Burton, re luctantly. " And—what wa3 she like?" asked Violet, timidly. "My dear, she ia heavenly fair. She looks like a good aDgel. lam sure she would bo no source of danger or sorrow to you. She could never luro any man from duty, for if faces mean anything, hers means the noblest of minds, the purest of lives, tho sweetest of natures."

" That only shows how hopeless it is for me to expect to win enough of love or grati

tude to have any influence. I must go through life lonely as I am. Oh, say that it will not last long !" " Dear, that will be aa heaven wills I" " After to day I may never soe you again much," said Violet ; "lot mo tell you how I love you, and how I wieh I had been more under your guidance." " But surely we will meet, as ever. You must bo in London next season ; you must be presented at Court—that belongs to your position ; and I am to present your friend, Grace, when your aunt, the Countess Mon treseor, presents you. You must take your place in tho world, as here at the Towers, valiantly, if you moan to fight your battle well to tho end You are young ; these new and changing scenes will holp you." '■ 1 don't look forward at all," said Violot. " I only take up day by day. And if I am in London, I shall meot—Kennoth." "Not often ; nnd, bolieve me, you need fear no more from him. He shall holp you bury a lovo that fate haa said must die. (live us until to-morrow morning to leave. Whon tho lcttors coins this ovening, I will announce an immediate departure, and no comment will bo excited."

CHAPTER XXXIII.

THK MOTTO OF THE KEITHS.

V iolkt had gone back to hor room, to try and rest her aching head, and calm hor wildly beating hoart, and drive away tho trace* of toars, so that sho might quietly meot hor friends at dinnor. After a littlo time given to grief and musing on tho blighted 10%-o of hor son and Violet, Lady Burton went to Konnoth's room. Tho young man was sitting by his table, his head bent on his hands. His mothor started as ho lifted his face, and sho saw how white and haggard it was. " Mothor, I was just coming to your room." " You wantcel mo, my doar?" "I wished to ask you to finish your visit hero alono, for I must Icavo to-night, or to- | morrow morning. Holp me to go away without comment." His mother looked fitodly at him. Ho took hor hand, and drew hor toward the tablo near which ho sat. Ovor it was spread a whito Bilk kerchief. It waa aa if ono had thore hiddon their dead, and sat down to weep besido the lifoloss clay. Ho draw away tho handkerchief. Thoro on tho tablo lay a littlo shenf of notes, tied with n pink ribbon, that had bound a young girl's hair, a curl of soft brown. Lady Burton would havo recognised ono of Violet's silken rings anywhere. A photo graph of Violot, looking almost as now, in a white dress with a full waist, and her hair over hor shoulders : a few trinkets. Kennoth Koith laid his head on his mother's arm, and said, simply ; " Mothor, I am making the gravo of my only love." " You lovo Violet I My son, she haa been with mc and told mo all." " Blossings on hor truo heart ! You know tho whole ?" " Yos; I know that until now "ou and sho havo bcon innocent sufferers—wronged, unhappy, wronging nono. But henceforth, my son, if you moot, except in the most casual and formal way, you wrong a sworn faith, and tempt yoursolves to siu." "I am going. I thought I could school mysolf—that I could holp her, and yot bo strong, and ob, it was co very sweat to soo hor, and hear her voico ! But I soo I must go. Wo neither of ua can endure this. Oh, mothor, what might havo been !" '•My dearest boy, to unite you and Violot was tho choice hope of my heart. I looked forward to your return, when sho was woman grown, hoping you would meet nnd love, and tho nows of her marriago was n deep griof to mo." " Oh, mother, what might havo beon, if I had trusted you more, and told you all; but it was a false shame that kept mo silent. I thought sho had jilted mo." His mother silontly passed hor hand over hi? head.

"Sho has told you all-how wo met in Lincolnshire ?' said Kennoth. " Soo, mothor, thero are tho littlo notos she wroto mo in thoso blessed days, tiod with the ribbon that bound hor lovely hair tho day sho found ma slcoping in tho wood. This eilvor bracelot, of India work, I took from hor pratty, dimpled wrist, and this little ring sha gavo me when I left hor ; but sho would tako none from me, for fear someone ahould find it. Poor child, neither eho nor I noticed that it was a fatal, changeful opal, liko our fate i This photograph sho gavo me in those days, and this brown curl from her doar littlo head. I shall burn tho letters, the ribbon, and this crumpled glovo. You will give her back tho bracelet and the rin". But the picture and the curl I can neither find it in my hoart to roturn, de stroy, nor keep. You must take them, mother, until the day when this grief dies out of my heart, if it ovor does." " Somo day—some day," said his mother, softly, prayinc in ber heart that the ill starred lovo might fade, and a happier affection tako its place, so that the noble houso of Koith might not end in lonely gloom. , "I think, mother, if wo had not mot again, since thosa eaily years," said Keith, '.' sho might havo remained my sweetest memory, and Bhe might never have learned how much she cared for mo, how great was her capacity for loving. But whon I saw her in Paris—alono, lonely, and so swoot, trusting, loving, child-Hko - nvy love awoko to a ton fold passion. I have lived an agony of adoration for hor, and indignation at him who ia so unworthy the care of such a treasure." . , "Unworthy, I foar," Bighed Lady

lurton. ....,_,., " Mothor, he will simply break her heart. He i 3 acute to conceal hia sins, but ho is now whero sin has so much the mastery that it ia rampant, and will break forth pub licly. He ia intensely selfish : anything that ho taicht call lovo, would only be an im mense ogotism. He is most mercenary ;ho married"Violet for hor fortune, and now that he has it he cares nothing for her. In him is neither pity, sympathy, nor protec tion Ho is a gambler, a man with whom play is a master-passion, who must livo on excitement If you could have seen him as I found bim at Homburg I Haggard, reli eved dishevelled, trembling, half mad, his whole soul on that green table. If I had told him thia ancestral home and its treasures had perished in flame, that his name was dishonoured, his fortune ruined, his wife a corpse, I doubt if he would havo _iven it a thought while he watched that „l,enl I And that was the man, his soul on fire bis breath hot with brandy, that I 'must drag to his hotel, sober with soda water and baths, tone up with tonics, pay his dishonourable debts, feed him withl/eda fivc* and so bring him back as sole friend, n-ote-tor. guardian, the husband of my LeeUnuoceV, child like Violet I" Lady Burton drew ber son s hoad to her breast, and her tears fell on his hair liko

"My son," said Lady Burton, at last, " the motto of the Keiths is Veritas Vincit —Truth Conquers. This includes all honour A noble fidolity to virtue shall taico the sting from this most unhappy love, md bring you, in some way whioh now I cannot see, to assured peace. To-morrow you and I leave horo together. 1 cannot abandon you in your Borrow ; and to Violet I should only be a reminder of lost lovo. I will take these treasures that you commit to me, and lay them away as sacred memorials of ono dead. And you aro nghs to burn these other mementoes. Keith gathered urj the letters, ribbon, and clove, and a faded wild rose or two, and lavln- them on his hearth, lit them, kneei ng, grimly watching until they were con sums-, as one would kneel by an altar of eEI" Kenneth," said tho mother, " Violet, in n^rlitinn to othei grief, has the belief that „.r husband loves -bother. That very Miss Ambrose Haviland we met in the wood. " P uch a divine creature could not have loved Tjeigh.' , "Only when very young, and. miscon reivin- bis character. He ia good-looking and plausible. But it seems to me that in that eirl will somehow be help aud comfort for Violet. I feel inclined to go and call on her, on some excuse, and see where our way WI» You "cannot, she has gene. I met old Adam to-day, going to some poor family, whom ho told ma Miss Ambrose or Havi land, had put in his care. He said she had left here for ever." " Gone I Then you may be sure its from Leigh's importunities." "No doubt. Curse— " Son >" his mother laid her hand on hiß mouth. " Whatever you suffer, keep your self free from evil." Great waa the sorrow expressed at the Towers, when Lady Burton announced, that evening, that she and Lord Koitn must ' leave the next morning. Lady Burton was loved by all ; Lsigb had found Keith moat convenient as an escort to his wife ; Mrs Ainslie beheld the ruin of her dream of engaging Anna to a peer even bofore tho dear girl had come out. She poured forth her chagrin to \ lolet: "Why can't you make him stay, lor Anna's sake ? Think how I laboured to secure a good match, like Leigh, for you mv love. If Keith goes, Anna will be left entirely to the escort of Captain n o re, and

thoy are too much together now ; he has no title, and scarcely nine hundred a year. I see Anna begins to liko his society. If thero is more of it, I shall tako her homo." "My dear aunt, I beg you, never curse your daughters with a loveless marriage better bury them. Lot them marry for love, or stay single," said Violet. Shortly aftor breakfast, next day, the party at the Towers gathered on the terrace to "speedthe parting guests," Keith and hia mothor. Lord Leigh had said good-by at the breakfast table, pleading a pa»sing engagement. Violet bore up bravely to hies her friond Lady Burton, and give hor little quivering hand to Keith. Both were deadly pale. They felt that they parted finally. " Violet," said Kenneth, in a whisper, " I ask only ono thing : If you are in any trouble, co-.e to mo aa to a brother. Do you promiso ?' "I shall como," said Violet, lifting hor Bweet eyoa. They wero gono. Around Violet Leigh . the summer day grew dark. To hide from overy oyo she fled into tho park, to a littlo hidden covert that sho loved. Sho lay there, hor face buried in the greon moss. Some ono, hurrying madly along, almost trod on her prostrate form, yet did not see hor. It was Lord Leigh, blind with wrath and passion, coming from Rose Lodge, where he had been infuriated to find Edna _one, leaving no address. Ten minutes lator, a stop that had no sound camo over tho mosses, and a hand touched the shouldor of the prostrate Violot. It was Helon Hopo. (To be Continued.)

TWO KEYS: OR Margaret Houghton's Heroism.

By MRS GEORGIE SHELDON, Author of "Brownio'B Triumph," "The For _»'t«- Brldo," " Audrey's Uocoinoonso," &o.

CHAPTER XXIX. IN THE LONELY HOUSE. Left alone, Margaret quietly slipped into tho alley. Sho glided on noiscloaely to that third door, mounted tho stops and stood within the narrow porch. Sho drew forth her koys.

"What if they should not fit, aftor all I" waa the sudden doubt that assailed hor.

Sho drew off the mitten from hor right hand and thrust it into her pockoc; then feeling with liar trembling lingers for tho keyhole, sho insorted tho largest key in it, reasoning that that one would most: pro bably unlock the outer door. Breathlessly she attempted to turn it; Oh, how much deponded upon that littlo piece of steel. It was a supremo moment But joy, it moved I Tho bolt slid back without a sound, and she knew that it must have boen woll oiled by somo one who had bom there before hor. It was then the work of but n moment to turn tho handle, op6n the :.loor, stop inside, and close it again behind her. Sheproducedawax candloandmntcho^and struck a light, carefully returning tho burnt match to her pscket afterward—thero must bo no ovidenco of any kind to betray her visit thero. Sho had not made tho slightest sound in so doing, which convinced her that tho hingos had beon well oiled also. Sho did not rolock it; she had not courage enough to do that and fasten horself from all tho world with sho knew not what; besides, sho had told Annetto to search for her thoro if she did not roturn in an hour. An involuntary shivor passed over hor as sho found horself in that blackness of dark ness, an uncanny dampness in the atmos phere, a close, mouldy smell greeting her nostrils, and lor a momont sho waa half temptcel to open the door again and fly from tho weird placo. But sho resolutely conquered tho feeling ; she would nevor relinquish her purpose aftor pursuing it thus far. Sho listened intently for an instant, but not a sound was to be hoard anywhere in the building. Shading her candle with her mantle, bo as to conceal the light aa much as possible, sho looked about her. Sho found herself in quite a large room — its walla and ceiling covered with dust, mould, and cobwobß—having two windows looking out into tho alley from which she had just entered. There was noothor door in the room except ing thooutor one, but in the rear of it there was a (light of stairs loading into tho next story With noiseless tread Margaret crossed the floor and asconded these. At tho top there was a narrow landing, and beyond, a door partially op?ned. She crossed the landing, pushed the door wide open, and found horeolf in a small room, bare and empty, and having only ono small window, set rather high in tho wall.

Dust lay thick on the floor here also, but thoro wero numerous, tracea of footstepa all about, showing that some ono had beon in tho habit of coming and going very re cently. Tho walls were covered with a papor that had once been handsome, but was now fall ing off in places, and badly defaced with age an I mildew. Oo her loft, as she entered, there was another door. This was shut. She put forth her hand to open it, but a strange feeling came over her and made her pause in the act, whilo ber heart began to beat almost audibly. Something seemed to tell her that be yond that door she would make a discovery —that she had reached the end of her journey, and that somo tangible clue to the mystery in which Bhe was so deeply in terested would lie within her reach when Bbo should paaa that threshold. She summoned all her courage, grasped the door knob and turned it. Tho door resisted hor effort—it was locked I A momentary feeling of dismay was dis pelled by remembering that she had another key. Softly, as if fearing some one would over bear her, though cot a sound, aave what she had made horeolf, had she heard since entering the building, she inserted the key in the lock and turned it.

How well her keys had beon mado I She had found no difficulty whatever in using them, and this lock, also, readily slid back with perfect ease. But oven now sho hositatod. Her success thus far almost awed hor. Sho had followed Arthur Aspinall to his lair, as overy step that she had token went to prove. Now it only remained to be seen what it contained. Perhaps it was only a place which he had hired to store some purchasea that he had made during hia travels abroad until he should be ready to go home ; perhaps, aftor all, ehe would find nothing but common trunks or cases and boxes. But no ; she felt sure that could not be al', elso ho would not have deemed it necesfary to assume a diaguiae in going and coming to and from the place. Suddenly ehe remembered that ring of queer-looking keys that she had seen in the d rawer of tho little ebony tablo in his room She had heard ot skeleton keys, but she had never seen any ; now she felt sure that they were such. How ill at ease be had been when she took them up to examioo them I How he had evaded her questions and tried to deceive her regarding them I Ah ! he was a rogue, deeply dyed !-ehe believed that he waa a thief and a robber I He did not have such cunning implements in his possession for nothing ; thoy wero ueed for entering places whero valuables were deposited, and doubtless this room bo fore which she now stood waa the repository of ill gotten gains ; and, joy 1 she believed she should find there that gold which, she became more and more confident, he and no other bad taken from tho safe of Louis Dun bar's office. She had been told that the alley led through to the Rue Caatiglione, where the office was; how easy to bring his spoils thither, and then from time to time come to help himsolf from them as he had need whilo no one would suspect the bold thiet in that disguise of the modest old geot'e man.

Her courage revived, ber nstvea grew more calm : the heating of hor heart became more regular and Batumi, and with moro of confidence than ehe had yet experienced since coming forth upon an errand, she a^ain put forth her hand to open that door, "le the act she dropped her candle upon the floor.

Tho Bound startled her almost as much as the sudden firing of a heavy cannon would havo dono, for it awakenod all tho ochoos within that empty building, and to her sen sitive oars it seamed as if a thousand wickod elves and sprites were laughing and mock ing at her fears. Fortunately the light waa not ex tinguished, and she had not the added terror of being in darkness, and stooping, sho recovered it almost immediately. It seomed as if a ton. weight had sud denly fallen somewhere in the building, or, horrible thought, perhaps soma ono had entered bolow, and finding the place un locked and its treasures endangered, had, in hia fear and haste, swung to tha door will a loud bang, and thus sho would have to face an unforeseen danger. But, no ; on soeond thought it could not havo beon tho shutting of a door—tho sound had boen too mufllad lor that. What was it ? Sho stood and listened, never moving, ' scarcely breathing, her palo face looking 1 k_ a mask|of moulded wax beneath her dark hat and sombre veil. There was no sound of footstepa bolow or on the stairs ; nothing was Btirring any where, and she was convinced that no ono had followed hor. Thore was no movement within the room she waß about to enter, so sho reasoned tho sound eoulc not como from thore. She at length decided that somo heavy substance must have fallensomewhoro noar—perhaps in the building adjoining. Hertorror and excitement began to abate, nnd once more she begnn to brentho freely. Tho door before hor was unlocked ; a single movement, and sho could know what was within. She turned tho handle, and gontly pushed the eloor opon a littlo way. To hor astonishment sho saw a dim light inside the room, as from a gas-jot turnod low. Thore was an old and fadod carpet upon the floor. To the loft thoro was anothor door, but thia waa boltod both at tho top and bottom, while noarly opposite where sho was standing thoro was a window, but it waß guarded by hoavy shutters. But, hoavens! what was that othor sound? Her heart sprang to her throat, thon foil like a dead weight upon hor bosom, while ehe stood absolutely paralysed with foar, and fooling os if every drop of blood in hor body had boen congealed. There was n death-like stillness every where ; but whnt did that dimly burning light moan ? Sho oponed tho door a littlo farther. Still no movement. Now alio could sco more of tho room, though not tho whole, nnd thore scorned to bo something liko a fence or iron g'nting reaching from floor to ceiling, that parti tioned off a portion of tho room, and inside this sho could just soo what lookod liko tho eido of a hugo iron safe. Tho eight of this excited hor curiosity, whilo sho had an idea that tho safo might contain tho treasure sho was Booking. Forgetting all else now in hor eagorness, she boldly swung tho door wido opon aud eteppod into tho room. Aa sho did ao thore responded through it a cry which sho novcr forgot.

CIIAPTEU XXX

THE UION CAU„

At that fenrful sound tho caudle that Mar garet carried dropped a soeond time from her norvoless lingers, and was extinguished aa it fell. She staggered weakly against tho wall, and stared blankly before hor with failing senses. When sho had swung that door open tho whole of tho room was revealed to her, and sho saw that ono eornor waß inclosed by a sort of iron fonco liko a cago, perhaps to protect tho safe before montionod. But standing within thia inclosuro, hia white faca pro;sod closo against tho iron bars, there was a man ! His dark oyos had aw ild, anxious look in thorn, nnd ho scarcely seemed to broatho, so oagerly had ho boon watching for tho ap poaranco of tho poison whom ho had heard without. His hair was long and dishevelled, his faca haggard and worn, his linen soiled and rumplod, and hia whole appearance da noting nogloct. Aa that door had beon slowly opened ho had stood broathloss, immovable ; thon, as Margaret's faco and form camo into sight ho had thrown up his hands and uttered tho startled cry which had so unnorved tho young girl. Standing thore and looking before her, it Boemed for awhile as if sho wero dying. There waa a roaring in hor oars, hor sight failed her, and sho felt aa if all lifo and sonse woro slipping away from hor. Than sho suddenly heard, aa if in a dream, yot strangely real and life-like, an earnost.'thrilling voico calling : " Margaret ! Margaret I you must not faint—do you hoar me? House yourself, my darling; listen—listen !" She raised her falling eyes with a ho'plcss look. She saw that figure in tho dim light, with ita arms outstrelchod, hia manner so eager, almost frenzied, and recognisod it, whilo a wan smile flitted ovor her colourlo-s lips ; still, she could not move from tho spot whore she stood. It wai har lovor—she know him. It was Louia Dunbar in the flesh.

Still she could only soo him dimly—there Beoraod a veil botweon him and hor. Sho only heard hia voice faintly—tho sound seamed far away. Then all at onco her limbs failed hor ; sho sank upon hor knoos to the floor, and hor hoad dropped upon a chair that stood noar.

She knew that she was faint and almest unconscious, yot she tiied by all tho forco of hor will to rally bar failing onergics in obodiouco to his eager call. " Margie, my white lily, rouso yoursolf," he pleaded. "Do you not soe that lam a prUoner—that I am locked behind theao cruel bers ? If you faint I cannot get to ycu to do anything for you. For Heaven's sako, and tho lovo you bear me, call back your strength and como to me." Ah, yes, sho would, sho must ; she would not faint, for so much depended upon her. If she should lie thoro unconscious, the hour she had allowed horself would go by, Annetto would come for her, and not find ing her, would doubtloss create a feaiful excitement looking for her. Bat—oh, it seemed almost beyond her power to do anything to break tho spell that was upon her—she was so bcaumbod, so utterly strongthlo s. Sho exerted horself, and wearily raised her head from tbo chair. Sho remembered to have heard that rubbing ;was good for re storing tbe circulation, and sho began feebly to chafe her hands and arms. Even the effort helped her ; she began to breathe mora freely, that terrible sound in her ears grew loss, and sho could soo moro distinctly. That loved voice did not sound quite so far away, for Lcuis kept talking to her, encoura^inf her to persist in hor efforts, though bemoaning the cruel fate that kept him from hor.

Every moment she waa improving ; now Bhe could sco him quito plainly, and she lifted up her face to him and smiled upon him.

Tho sight of that sweet, fond smile un nerved him, and, strong man though ho was, ho leaned his head against the iron bars and a groat sob escaped him. That did more for her than all else.

Her heart gavo a bound that set all her pulses beating once mere, and sent the blood coui-cing naturally in its channels. " Louis - Louis !" sho murmured. " Yes, my darling, it is I Oh, this dreadful cage I" he cried, almost franti cally, and, grasping the bars with his hands, he shook it desperatoly. It was useless, however ; he could barely stir it. •' Did you think some terrible thing had happened to me?" he went on. "Did you believe that I was dead ? Ab, I can hardly credit the evidence of my senses—l can hardly realise that it ia really you whom I ccc, and not a delusion of my own brain. How did you get hero, Margaret I What providence directed your footsteps thither, and how dared you come alone at such an hour ? Oh, dearest, have you not strength to come to mo ? Come and sit in this chair close beside me, and let me put my hands betwoon these bars and take youra. I will wiraa them ; I will chafe them for you and that will impar tnew strength Margaret helped herßelf to her feet by the aid"of tho chair beside hor, and tottared to the one he had indicated, and sank wearily into it. Louis threw himself upon bis knees, thrust his hands forth from tho cage, and, grasping bers, began to rub them as vigor ously as circumstances would permit. " These dear hands I how icy cold thay are," he paid, tenderly, "and howl have longed for a touch of them during these endless weeks. Ah, I cannot understand at all how you of all people should coma to me in this extremity. Are you better, dear? But wait-how stupid ot me—l hive some water here." . Ho darted to a tiny table on whicn there stood a pitcher and glass, also a plato con taining some bread and meat. He poured out somo water and brought it to her.

"Drink, dear," he said, "thon bathe your face and head with it." j She obeyed him, and was immediately ■ refreshed ; thero was oven a promise of ; colour in her hitherto colourless lips. j "This was just what I needed," she said, ' returning the glass to him and lcoking up S at him with hor old fond smile. ] " Oh, Louis, is it really you ?" sho added, in a trembling voico ; "how can I boar the joy of it 1" Sho could Bay no moro, but, dropping hor face upon her hands, sobbed like a child. Ho put forth his hand again and laid it tenderly on hor bowed head. " My poor darling," he murmured, " what a hard trial this must havo boen for you." Margaret raised her head and dashed tho toars from her lashes. "I can never tell you Aorohard," she said, then asked : " Bat, Louis, havo you the timo with you?" " Yea—the wretch had the grace to loavo me my watch," he replied, drawing it foi t'-i " Who ? Arthur Aspinwall ?' " Yos. How came you to suspect him ?" " You Ehall know by and by—but the timo, pleaso?" " Twenty minutes past eight." " Ah I" I have only a half hour then, for it must have boon nearly eight whon I reached hero; but the first thing to con sider is how to got you out of this place," Margaret returned, whilo sho viowod tho strong bare, between them, with dismay. "It you havo a key to fit that padlock on tho coiner I can bo freo in loss than two minutes." Louis answered, directing hor attention to tho fastening. "I have not, unless the keys that unlocked tho doors of this building will do it." Sho wont to got them—having lot thorn in tho door, ,but ho knew instantly that thoy would bo of no uso. " No, neithor of them will fit," ho said, gloomily. "What Bhall we do then?" blio asked, growing palo, and looking doeply distressed, for sho could woll sco thoro waa no othor way of getting outexcopt that of unlocking tho gato. Each of thoso maasivo bars extended from floor to celling, into which they wero om boddod, while a strong band of iron braced them about midway. Louis thought a fow momonts, thon Baid : " Wo can do nothing to night, dear, that is vory evidont ; I must remain hero at least another day, or until you can biing mo tho moans of release. 1, "But I can go and tell papa, he will notify tho police, and you can thus bo libaratod immediately," Margaret said, eagerly. Again her lovor was silent for several moments. "No, dear," ho nt longth returned. "I havo ronsona for thinking that such a pro ceeding would not bo beat. I will not stop to toll you now how I happon to bo con fined horo ; thero will not bo time for that if you must go in half an hour; but, of course, you know that when I disappeared a largo amount of money also disappeared with mo " " Yes." " What docs Iho world bolievo about it ? Do peoplo think that I absconded with it ?" Louis anxiously nsked. " Somo do," Margaret was forced to ad mit, " but thoso who know you best bolievo that thoro was foul play, and that your lather had some hand in it."

"Tho foulest in tho world, though they aro mistaken as to its author," Louis said, his face crowing dark and etorn. "But nover mind that now," ho went on ; "what I wanted to toll you was, I bslieve that money is concealed somowhero in this building." "In thia safe?" interrupted Margarot eagerly. " Oh, no ; it would never havo done to havo put it insido this coop with mo; the wretch was too cunning for that, for ho could not got at it without coming in con tact with mo. But I am confident, by hia movemonts whon ho conies horo, that it is not vory far off, and, Margaret, if peoplo bo liovo that / am tho thief 1 can nover show my faco until I am able to restore it to tho company." " But perhaps you nover can do thai," said tho young girl, anxiouely. "linusl, tho money was in my keeping, I am rosponeiblo for it," Louis said, with decision. " Lot mo go for papa," Margaret pleaded; " ho can at, least havo Arthur arrested, and ho cou'.tl bo mado lo confess iho whole plot." " I am afraid that cannot be easily dono, for ho is mado of pretty resolute stuff, as I can truthfully bear witness. I havo an idea, however, that by using a littlo strategy I can accomplUh what I wish, and when I appoar in tho world again I can restore the treasure that was iv my keeping." Margaret looked greatly distressed. " Louis, I cannot bear the thought of your remaining hero another hour; you havo suli'ored enough already -you are very thin and haggard," sho said, gazing_ wist fully into his faco. "I know it, doar," ho returned, smiling, "but I am no longer dostituto of hopo, and I shall soon build up again. Now listen to what I havo to propose, for much still do ponds upon you. Tho first thing i havo to do is to got outside of thia wretched cage " "Yes, but how?' Margaret asked. " It will bo comparatively easy n<nv," he' answered ; " you havo tho keys to tho doors of this building, nnd can como and go at your pleasure." " I am crazy to know how you obtained thetn —but never mind that now. lam going to toll yon, thaugh," he said, smiling, "to go homo like a po >d girl, and sleep to night tho sleop of tho just. To-morrow po to somo hardware shop and purchase a thin tile and saw, suitable for cutting iron ; and to-morrow evening, at this hour, b ing i hem with mo, togethor with some black beeswax." "Oh, you aro going to cut out some of thoao bars !" said Margaret, beginuing to comprehend bis plan,

" Yea ; and aa it may tako mo some timo to do it, I Bhall need the wax to hold them in place until I havo room onouph to get out, so aa to avoid suspicion of my scheme if Aspinwall should come in upon mo before I am through. Ouco pivo ma an outlet from this place, and I can tako my orn lime to search for tho monay. You Fhall came to me every day to cheer mo with the Bight of your doar faco, and to loam how lam progressing. Let ma onr-o dis cover where that treasure is concealed, then you shail notify Mr Bouvhton —ho can in form tho police, who will of courso immedi ately arrest Aspinwall. and my vindication will"be- eomploto On the other hand, if ho should havo tlu slightest suspicion that my placo of concoalment had been discovered, ho would decamp with hia ill-gotten gains before any ono could movo in the matter, and thoso forty thousand dollars-would be lost for over."

" That is true ; bu' at-tho same timo I shall be very anxious until you oro freo," said Margaret. " Your lifo is in his hands whilo you aro horo ; thero ia no knowing what hia wicked schomes may bo." "I have expected that he would adopt oxtrema measures bofore this. lam confid ent, however, that ho does not want to stain hia handa with blood ; ho doubtless hope 3to find somo other way of disposing of me, but I believe he will let well enough alono for tho present. No one, ho believe?, suspects that I am here ; no one haa any iden that he had anything to do with tho robbery, so until he begins to think of leaving Paris, I bolieve ho will keep me a prisoner in thia place. One thing, how ever, puzzles mo," Louis continued, looking perplexed, "and that is how ho cams to know that there was such a largo sura of money in my safe. No one besides myself and the cashier knew anything about it until I mentioned it to you that evening."

'That waa how ha discovered It," Mar garot said, eagerly ; and thon she gave her reasons for believing that Arthur was con cealed behind the curtains in tho parlour on the nicht of his disappearance.

"It wasn't the money alone that mado him follow mo, I am sure," Louia replied, when she concluded; "it was a deeper scheme than that."

" Do you think so?" " Yes, Margarot, he has loved you for years, and he baa been my mortal foe ever since he knew that wo loved each other. Of course he heard all our plana that night, and it must have made him desperate, while my speaking of the monoy gave him the very opportunity he desired, Ho meant to make it'appear that I had absconded with it, thus getting rid of ma disgracing me for ever in your sight and the world's, and giving him a chance to win you for himself by and by." "I Ihink so, toa," Margaret replied, thoueh a bright fiu.-h stained her cheek at the acknowledgment. " And I foar such a belief would havo preva'led - that i--, that you had taken the money and fled-if papa had not i xo'air.ed lo the detectives that you could have m object in so doing, since wo were engaged, and it would ruin all your prospects, and you would forfeit more than treble the amount by such an act. Con

se quently they settled upon the other theory that your father had something to do with it—that there had beon foul play." "They havo been diligently looking fo him, I suppose ?" Louis asked. " Yea; but aa they nre without ndesenp tion of him, it ia not strange that they have tailed to find him," " I imagine he is frightened, and keeps himself securely concealed," said Louiß. "I only hope he haa taken my advice and returned to America. It was a bold and cunning scheme, though, on the part of Aspinwall." " Tell me about it, Louia," Margarot pleaded.

( To be Continued.)

Circumstantial Evidence.

How It Almost Caused tho Lynching of

an Innooont Man.

In tho oarly days when the greater part of tbo mouoy in circulation consisted of notes issued by State banks, tha people of our State seldom accepted notes usued by banks in anothor State, and a good doal of business waa done by men exchanging the notes, charging a small commission for so doing, jußt as a man wanting to travel in Europe has his monoy exchanged to that of the country in which he is going to travel. John Burnßide3 loft Pittsburg for Wheeling, intending to cross tho river and buy some land he heard was for salo in Ohio. Whon he got to Whoeling ho had his Pennsylvania monoy exchanged for that of Ohio at ono of the banks, and he then creased the river and went to tho houso of his brother-in-law, a considerable distance away. Having in vestigated tho land ho thought of buying, ho roturnod to hia brother-in-law's p'aco, and said ho would liko to havo gone back to Pcnnslylvania by another route, but would havo to go to Wheoliug to got hia money changed. The brother-in law said ho had a good deal of Pennsylvania money, which had gradually accumulated by his having fre quently exchanged small quantities f r travellers. He made tho exchange, receiv ing tho idontical packages of Ohio money given by the bank at Wheeling. Burnsidea bought a horse and intended riding homo across the country. "Have you got any weapons?" said his brother-in-law.

"No," said Burnsides, "I never carry any arms." " Well, your road ia a lonoly one, bo tako this pistol. It may como handy. You can Bend it back with somo traveller after you got into a more thickly -Bottled country." Tho ravolvor had tho owner's name cut on tho handle. Burnsides started, and the next day travellers reported tho finding of hia dead body. Examination showed that there had boon a strttgglo, and in searching tho bushes near the spot the pistol waa found. The owner's namo being cut on it, Burnsides' brother-in-law was arrested. Tha packages of Ohio money were found, and tho?e woro positively identified by the bank officers at Wheeling. There was not tho slightest doubt entertained 88 to the prisoner's guilt, and he was locked up in gaol to await his trial, although the trial soomod so plain that thore was some talk of lynching him Tho Court did not meot till somo months after that, but before Ihe trial came off the authorities re ceived, from some obscure town in Indiana, tho confession of a man who had just died of consumption that ho had killed Burnsides. In thia case there were only a few links in the chain of circumstance, but they were very strong, and undoubtedly would have convicted tho poor man but for that confession.

The First Lion Tamer.

I iiememiikh the first time a man ovor went into a lion's den. It was back in IS2S — bofore Van Amburgh's time. It waa down in Now Orleans. -His name was Lano, and ho had chargo of a lion and lionosa named Ajix and Nanco. Ono day Ajax took sick, and Lano determined to go into the cage nnel physic and nurso him, satisfi d that tho lion was too tick to do him much injury should ho sock to attack him, Ajax showod such an appreciation of his kindncsa that ho insisted on licking Lano's hand with his tongue and rubbing his hoad against hia kneos. I forgot to say that before going into the cago Lane had Nanco partitioned oil' in one end of the cogo. While sho seemed to understand what Lane waa doing for hor uaato and appreciated tho kindness aa highly aa ho did, Nanco would try to got at Lano to lick his handa and paw him. Ono day ho decided to go into the caga without Bhutting her off ;o horself. As he expected, sho was as affectionato as sho could bo, and joined Ajax in his demon strations of kindness and affection.

REMARKABLE SURGERY.

Tho Use of a Severod Thumb Fully

Restored.

Tun reunion of aovorcd digits ia a subjoct th'it ha* provoked a considerable amount of di-cus-ion, especially in journals dovotod to medical and Burgical matters. Keforringto a ca^o of Dr. Souther, in tha Boston " Mcdi ca! and Surgical Journal," IT. J. J. Mor rissoy, of this city, reports tho following : 'A young man had tha misfortune to have hia thumb amputated by a hay cutter a* cloanly as if it wero dono by tho keenest knifo. Fully recognising tho importance of Iho thumb, as the uinu was a onutor, I approximated tho parts as closolv as possible, yet with littlo hope ot obtaining a good result. I aftorwards ad justed a splint aud tho healing procesa took placo immediately. In the courso of a month ho was able to roturn to his work, and now, somo eight months later, he has tho perfect usa of his thumb I confess that I did not bono for such a gratifying result, and it was only as a sott of exporimc-nt that I first joined tho dissevered parts." Tho patient abovo referred to is a printer employed by tho Calhoun Printing Com pany, "and ho is ablo to do his,work aa well aa ho diil before ho met with tho accident referred to. Thus it seems that a man may havo a finger amputated and still, by skil ful surgery, have tho severed digit reunited and recover its full uso.

DISTRESS IN LONDON.

Poverty Anions tho Working Classes

of Enfilan-.

On all hands it i 3 agreed that never haa ' greater distress prevailed in London than at present. It is not only among tho unskilled working class, and there seems to bo no prospoct of employment for them in tho cominc; winter. Foremen who have been in constant omphiymont in the earns firm for fifteen or twenty years have been turned off owing to bad times, during the past few weeks. By tha river siclo and in the vicinity of tho docks the crowds of unemployed are daily growing greater. Hunger "and want have driven them almost to desoeration. If somo stops aro not taken to relieve tho distress, the consequences during tho coming month aro likely to be terrible in every sense of the word. AH the thousands who are now eleeping in the opon air will be driven to seeking ehsltcr when the cold weather sots in, and the workhouses and charitable institutions which are available are totally inade quate in number. Tbe socialist lead ers are taking advantage of n'l this distress to press for the adoption of sevoral measures, ono of which at least is worthy of special mention. It ia that ono free meal a day in the local board schools be granted to all children who desiro to partake of it It appears from a report published by the " Daily Telegraph " that over 30 per cent, of the children who compulsorily attended Echool last winter wero there without hav ing any food.

Improved Locomotives.

Much interest haa been excited among en gineers by tho constrnjtion, under the direction of the Russian Government, of a special typo for the Transcaspian Railway, and built bo aa to meet two difficulties, viz., the waterloss character of a large Eection of the line, and tho insignificant ordinary traffic. To meet the former tho locomotive car is provided with tanks containing suffi cent water to last seventy miles ; and, as tho waterless Btretch from Michaelovsk to Kazantchik is about fifty milea in length, thia supply is amply sufficient under any contingencies that may occur. With re gard to the second difficulty, the locomotive i 3 constructed with a car connected to it, and capable of conveying eigbtv passengers. The locomotive car is warmed by tho ex haust steam from the engine, by whioh ar ranu'emont an important economy in the consumption of fuel results.

Small boy (at polo grounds): "Please take mo in, mister." Mister: " What's the matter with looking through a knot hole ?" Boy : "The knot holes oro all occupied by policemen,

REMINISCENCES OF THE FIRST NAPOLEON.

MEMOIRS OF A MAID OF HONOUR

TO THE EMPRESS.

Interesting Anecdotes.

(FKOM OUK LOSDON 03BRESPONBENT.)

London, October 22nd. One of tho most important book 3of the present season ia unquestionably a transla tion of the " Memoirs of Mdme. la Generals Durand " recently published in Paris, and j_ist issued over here by Sampson, Low, I Marston and Co. Mdme. Durand was bed- 5 chamber woman to the Empress Marie I Louise, and her diaries contain much new g and interesting matter with reference to I tho first Napoleon and his consort during j tho four or five years previous to his down- I fall. I append several extracts

A Portrait ot Marie-Louise. Having got rid of Josephine by_ divorce, Napolean found a successor to her in Marie- Louise of Austria, who is thus described by Mdme. Durand:

Marie-Louisa was then eighteen years and a half old; Bhe had a majestic figure, a noblo carriago, a great deal of freshness and bloom, fair hair, which was not insipid, blue eyes, but they had animation in them, hands and feat which might have served as models for a Bculptor. She was, perhaps, a littlo too stout-a defect she soon got rid of in Franco. Such were the personal ad vantages which wero first romarked in her. Nothing could be more gracious, more amiable than hor face, whon she was quite at ease, either in her private life or in the socioty of those persons with whom she was. particularly intimate; but in public, and especially on hor firat arrival in France, hor timidity gavo her aD embarrassed air which, many peoplo mistook for haughtineßß. Sho had been very carefully educated, her tastos were simple, hor mind was cultivated, No woman could havo suited Napolean hotter. Personal Habits of Napoleon. When Napoleon married Princess Marie- Louise he was forty-one yoars of age, and here is an account of his personal habits. In camp, and during his early campaigns, Napoleon feared no fatigue, braved the worst weathor, elopt under a wretched tent, and aeemed to forget all care for his person. In hia palace he bathed almost every day, rubbad his who'o body over with oau de Cologne, and sometimes changed his linen several times in the day. His favourite costume was that of tho mounted Chasseurs do la Garde. When travelling he did not caro what sort of lodging he had, provided that no ray of light could get into hia bedroom ;he could not bear evon a night-lamp. His tablo was supplied with the dainteat dishes, but he never touched thorn. His favourite fare waa grilled breast of muttou, or a roast fowl with lentils or haricot beans. He waa very particu lar about the quality of bread, and he drank nono but the best wine, and very littlo of it, it has beon stated that ho drank eight or ten cups of coffee daiiy; but this is v fablo to be discarded with so many others. He took a small cup of coffee aftor his breakfast, and tho same after his dinner. He ate very fast and rose the moment he had done, without troubling himself as to whether thoso who wero admitted to his taolo had had time to dmo. It has also been asserted that he took the greatest precaution against poison ; this, too, is a puro falsehood He spoke in a loud voice, and when he was in a merry mood his neala of lautrhter could be heard fr.:m afar He was fond of singing, although he bad a bad voice, and never could sing an air in tune. Tho Emperor's Love ol Fun. Napoleon waa merry - familiar in private life ; fond of pulling ears and punching checks, as Marshal Duroc, Bortheir, Savary, and several of his aidcß de-camp had reason to know. I havo Eoen him, when present at the Empress's toilot, tease and plague her, pinching her neck and cheek. If she waa vexod ho took hor in hia arms, kissed hor, called hor grosso bete, and peace was mado. Ono day he came into one of the salons, and there he found Mademoiselle M sitting with hor back to the door. He made a sign to tho ladies opposite to him to keep silence, and, coming gontly behind hor, he popped his bands over her eyes. The only person aho knew who could venture oh such a familiarity with her waa M. Bourdier, a respoctableold gentleman, and first physician to the Empress ;so she never doubted that the intruder waß ha. "Have done, M. Bourdier," she cried; "do you think 1 don't recognise your big ugly hands ?' (The Emporor's hands were beautiful.) "Big ugly hands,'' said the Emperor, restoring the use of her sight to her, "you are hard 11 pleaso I" The poor girl was so confused that she ran out of tho room. The Baby King of Borne. When Mario-Louise bore a son, who was designated King of Rome, the Emperor was highly pleased, and took great interest in the child, a frolic with whom always put him into good humour. Persons who came at such times to solicit favours wero pretty auro to be graciously received. M. V , a man of real talent, who was at once highly informed and very poor, asked for an appointmont, but having no patron, throe or four petitions which ho presented never reached the hand* of tbe Empsrof. Worn out, iniDatient, and daily growing poorer, he devised a stratagem which would have been worthy of a courtier ofLoui3 XIV. Necessity frequently in spires happy thoughts; he drew up with great care a little placet, which he addressed to " His Majesty, the Kiog of Rome." He only asked for a place worth one hundred louis; thia waa a very modest request. Full of the hope of success, he went to M. D.—, a very superior officer, who waa aide de camp to tha Emperor, stated hi 3 dis tressful case, and showed him tho placet. l_ j) ) whose kindness was equal to his valour, led tbo petitioner into the presence of Napoleon. His Majeaty took the paper and remarked the superscription with evi dent pleasure aa well as surprise "Sure,' said the applicant, "that is a petition for hia Majaity tha King of Roma " " Very well, then," said tho Emperor, "let it be taken to it 3 address " _ The Kin_ of Rome was then sixmonthsolrl A Chamberlain was ordered to concluct the petitioner into the presence of his baby Majesty. M. V , seeing that fortune smiled"upm him, was equal to the occasion. He presented himself before the cradle cf tho Kini;. and after ho had made a profound nnd respectful roverenco, ho unfolded the papor and read its contents, in a loud and distinct voicp. Tho infant King having uttered Borne inarticulate sounds, M, V— and tho Chamberlain again saluted his Majesty and returned to tho Emperor, who a<-ked with tho greatest seriousness what answer they bad obtained. "Sire," said the Chamborlain, "Mb Majesty, the Kitig of Rome, made no reply." " Very well, said Napaloon, "silence give 3 consent Shortly afterwards M. V was appointed to a post in a departmental administration with a salary of 6000fr. Smuggling by Court -.-dies. In 1811, Napoleon and M&rie-Louiso visited Holland and Belgiua. At Brussels, by the Emperor's desire, the Empres3 pur chased 150,000 fr. worth of lace, in order to revive the national industry. The introduction of English merchandise ict) France was thon B'rictly forbidden ; all tbe prohibited wares that were seized were burned without mercy. The result was that every one was trying to procure soma of them. Belgium was still full of English wares, carefully hidden, and all tho ladies in the suite of the Empress made large purchases. Marie Louise was not behind either. Several vehicles were laden with those prizes, not without fear, leet the Emperor should be informed of the. fact, and should have them all soized on arriving in France. The moment of de parture coma, and the Rhine was passed and Coblenze reached. Fifteen vehicles bearing the arms of the Emperor, and composing tho first "service." or the ad vance guard, if I may use that expression, arrived simultaneously at the gates of the town. The officials were uncertain as to what they ought to do; some wanted to stop and search tha vehicles, others were ' adverse to doing so, alleging that respect was due to everything belonging to the 1 Emperor. The latter counsels prevailed. 1 The vehicles entered freely; and. having passed the first line of the French Customs, ' they brought their cargo of prohibited ■ merchandise to safe haven at Paris. It is > quite certain that if they had been stopped . aud confiscated. Napoleon, far from taking •it ill. would have laughed heartily, and • would probablr have rewarded the indivi - dual who had been courageous enough to J do bis duty. Napoleon's Attempt to Commit Suicide. 3 Three days after the Act of Abdication a waa signed at Fountainebleau, a thrilling " incident occurred. Mdme. Durand de -7 ecribed the commotion in the palace, but says that; " the profoundest obscurity has

always veiled the mysteries of that night What occurred, however, is explained in tho following " communication note "inser ted in the book : —

At the period ot the retreat from Mos cow, Napoleon had secured means to avoid falling alivo into tho hands of hie enemies in case of accidont. He had procured through hia surgeon Yvan a sachet, which ho woro round hia neck during the time that the danger lasted. Somo said this was opium ; others insisted that it was a prep. aration compounded by tha celebrated Cab a'nis, and tha sama with which Condorcet, the deputy, had destroyed himself. What ever it was, Napoleon had preserved this sachet in one of the secret drawers of a travelling case, which he always took on hia campaigns Tha nrghtat Fountaineb leau he bethought him that the moment to have recourse to this terrible expedient had arrived. One of the valets, whose bed waa placed behind his half-opened door, had heard him rise, and seen him stir something into a coffee cup, drink it, and lie down again. In a short time violent pains in the stomach and bowels forced from Napoleon the admission that he was dying. Then the man took upon himself to send for those who were most istimate with the Emperor. Yvan was not forgotten, and when ho learned what had happened and heard Napoleon complain that the action of the poison was not sufficiently rapid, he lost his head and rushed away from Fon taincbloau. After a long swoon, followed by a profuse perspiration, the pains ceased and the alarming symptoms disappeared, either because the dose had beon insuffi cient, or because the poison had lost its ef fect through time.. It is said that Napo leon, astoniahod to find himsolf alive, re flected for a fow moments, and then ex claimed, " God doea not will it to be," and yielding himself into the hands of Provi dence, who had just saved his life, resigned himsolf to his new destinies. Disappointed Virtue In a chapter devoted to Eomo features of Napoleon's character the following passage occurs: — Tho Emperor was very roaervod with ladies of the household, most of whom were of a staid age. Among the younger ladies there was one who had some personal attrac tions, aud whose head was filled with all the tales to which I have ju3t alluded ; so that her virtue was in a continual state of alarm. She meditated day and night upon her means of defence, prepared her speeches, and was resolutely determined to resist every kind of seduction, all sentiment, and violence. With each day she expected the advent of tbe moment at which Bhe would havo to summon up all her resources. She hardly dared to sleep ; at length she made up hor mind to impart her fears to one of her companions. This lady, who understood the true state of affairs, begged her to calm herself, and to wait for tne attack before troubling herself about the defence. Aa a matter of fact the Emperor took no notice either of her or of the others, and she soon learned to laugh at her own terrors.

Capital Punishment in China.

It Depends Often on an Officer's Whim and May ho Met by Proxy.

In China capital punishment ofton depends upon the whim of the officer of the law. Here is an instance : Pen Ta Ren, the real admiral of the Yangtze district, waß passing up that river, and chanced to overhear a quarrel botweon a boatman and a soldier over the matter of two cash—tbe price of ferriage across a small stream. The ad miral t ok in the situation. Tho soldier had been ferried over tho stream, and then refused to pay the poor ferryman. There was a principle involved. A large number of soldiers were looking on, and apparently enjoying the ferryman's rage at the loss of his wages. An example waa needed, and the " Groat Man," aa hia name signifies, who was in cognito, being on a tour of personal inspec tion, ordered the soldier to be beheaded, which was done on the spot. Wilfuli murder, piracy and confirmed thieves fall under tho beheadsman's az; Infanticide, however, ia not included as murder. The parent, by Chinese law, hiß the right of life over his own child ; hence the practice of female infanticide. Adultery falls under the life penalty at the will of the aggrieved party. Thus, a husband, detecting his wife in adultery, can go to the magistrate nnd de mand tho capital punishment of one or both parties to the crime, or he may take the lives of the offenders himself find not be amanable if he can prove the fact. If, how ever, he fails to substantiate the crime alleged, ho is held guilty of murder and punished accordingly. fapital punishment can be met by proxy and the law be satisfied. It is not uncom mon, therefore, when a man of money is sentenced to death that he can, by the usa of money, secure a stay of proceedings long enough to obtain a substitute. This i 3 done by making an offer of one, two or more hundred "taels" (ounces of silver, about £25 in our standard) for a substitute. Some impecunious family, often having 200 or 300 male membera, as tho patriarchal plan of domestic economy prevails, will agree among themselves that they will fur nish a substitute for tbo proffered sum. Lot ia then cast to determine the victim, and the doomed man accepts his fate with stoi cal indifference upon the ultra predestina tion theory that hia time has come, else the lot would not have fallen to him individu ally. He accordingly presents himself to the court, and the convicted man diea by proxy, while the family of the deceased en joy tho proceeds of the arrangement.

A WOMAN'S SUFFERINGS.

Captured hy Achcenese Pirates and

Held for Ransom,

Tub Achsen correspondent of the Sura baya "Courant" gives the following par ticulars of i ha sufferings endured by the unforturate Mrs Hansen, whose husband was butchered on the steamer Hok Canton by a band of pirates : From the moment that Tunku Dmar got to know that an ex pedition was on the way to Rigas to res cue the captives, the poor lady suffered from the severest fatigue. She had to as cend almost inaccessible mountains, often to march along from early morning to late in the evening, sometimes far into the night, until her feet were swollen or deeply cut, with hardly any clothing on, and more over with the most dismal future before her eyes. So long as Tunku Umar was with the band she waa comparatively well off. She was always treated by him with some kind of respect. But, as soon aa he waß absent, which of'cn happened, her powers of endurance were fully put to the test. Six European deserters who formed part of the band aroused hor fears mate rially. Oftentimes she dreaded these fel lows from tbo civilised world moro thfh the marauders by profession. Her de scription of the bloodshed on board the Hok Canton and the fearful struggle be tween her husband and the Aoheenese is heartrending; for instance—how her bus band received an additional wound on the head when in her arm?, and, when dying, being terribly anxious about tbo approach ing future of his young and handsome wife under circumstancea so trying to her en durance.

The most shocking part of her story is this: She standa out in sajing with th 6 utmost conviction that the whole affair had been planned beforehand, and that others than Acbeenese wero concerned in it So convinced 13 she of this that it cannot be talked out of her mind. In private she gives the names, but I may not do ro. Should she have gooa grounds for her opinion, and should it bo proved once for all that Tunku Umar had an accomplice who has been brought up in more civilised lands, no punishment can be too great for auch a criminal. Id such a case the death penalty is none too heavy. For euch a fellow executioners in abundance can be found. All her clothing was successively taken from her, nnd the rings from her fingers aa well Whon at last she became ill in consequence of these privations close to the Dutch lines, and asked for some medicines to be brought from a neighbouring fort, all the answer | she got was that this would not do, for the Blandas, or Dutch, would certainly put poison in tho medicine in order to get rid of the whole troublesome affair. At length somebody hit upon tho idea of sending a messenger to Oleh-leh to Mr Tolson. When it was told that be was an Englishman, some one was immediately sent thither who, besides drinks such as champagne and brandy, etc., brought the indispensable medicines. This is all over now, but for her, not. Every thifiz she has gone through ia so deeply engraven on her .memory that ehe hardly dares to close her ey£3 lor fear of fearful visions. '■■'■.

Bee culture ie an important industrj in France. The Minister of Agriculture reports that there nte now 1,971,865 hive 3 in operation, which last year produced honey worth 14,945,835 francs and wax valued at 8,755,290 france.

TABLE TALK.

Social, Theatrical, Sporting, and

Literary Brevities.

(From Our London Correspondent..)

London, November 4th,

After seeming to draw for about a fort night, "Sister Mary"collapsed, and will be taken off the boards of the Comedy Theatre at the end of next week. Thi. is a great disappointment to Miss Lingard, who had looked forward to a run of at leas, a twelvemonth. The latest " Jubilee " rumour sets forth that all places of entertainment are to bo thrown open free during the festive week. There were Bimilar gratis shows at tho thno of the Queen's coronation, and in connection with one of them a good story ia tpld. Naturally all sorts of queer people got into the best places at those entertainments. At the opera, for example, a butcher's wifo atrayod into a privnte box during the pro duction of "Don P_Bquale." AU went well till the famous quartette in the second act, when, to the amazement oE the house, vigorous hisses proceeded from the box in question. The manage ment in alarm sent round to know what was the matter. They, found the butcher's lady furious. "It's a shame, it is," Bhe cried vehemently," "and the Queen 3hall know of it, if I tells her myself. She said we were to come in for nothing and to see it all, and you're a cutting it short, you know you are I Look at them four a singing all nt once to get it over quicker I I'm as hamed of you !" Baring Brothers have made a cool mil lion out of the Guinness "boom." Thoy bought the brewery business for five mil lions hefore converting it into a company. The rush for shares was simply unprece dented. To quote "Dagonet," " uaaoy people grew thin beeauso they couldn't get sto-it," Christie Murray's illness will prevent his completing the three-volume Dovel that was to run through " Good Words" next year. A tale hy Mr W. E. Norris, entitled "Major or Minor," takes its place, and Mr William Westall (author of "The Phantom City" and "Two Pinches of Snuff"), who is coming to tho front fast, suoplios the other eorial, "Her Two Millions, the Story of a Fortune." The defeats of The Cob (second in the Ceearowitch) and Carlton (third in the Cambridgeshire) made a difference to tbe Manton stable of £100,000. "Mr Manton" (the Dowager Duchess of Montrose) alone stood St. Mirin for the Cambridge, _8 he had been beaten two lengths by Carlton in the home trial. " St. Mirin," quoth she, " succumbed two lengths when ridden by a Btable. boy. If Archer's services in the saddle don't chance those two lengths into a length to the good, he is over-rated." The champion jockey agreed with Her Grace, and backed his mount to win £15,000. His chagrin over the head defeat was, however, much modified when he remembered that his chum, Arthur Cooper, captured, a big stake by Sailor Prince's victory. The Duchess thought St. Mirin had won by at least half a length (it looked so from the Stand side), and when Sailor Prince's number went up, her "goings on" were

" tremenjous." Pinero'a comedy, "The Hobby Horse, at the St. James's Theatre, is a big bit. Several persons are in treaty for the Aus tralasian rights. _ The Christmas number of " All the Year Round " will, as per usual, take the form of a atory by Walter Besant, this time entitled " The Holy Rose." The first edition of Besant's " Children of Gibeon " was Bold out on the day of publication. It is-the finest novel he has written for many years. Apropos of the great literary quarrel be tween Mr John Churton Collins,' of the " Quarterly Review," and Mr Gosse, the Professor of English Literature at Cam bridge, the following doggerel verso is going about:

John Ohurton C illlna loudly thunders That Gosjo'b book is full of blundera. And Gosas aa plainly as ho can Hints Collins lano gentleman. Tho world amused beholds the two And tbinkßboth charges nearly true.

The emasculated edition of "Josephine Vendue par ses Scaurs," brought out last Thursday at the Opera Comique as " Our Diva," is nearly as dull as the BoufTe's Parisian success ia sparkling and full of fun. All the Biblicalelement has—no doubt rightly enough—been eliminated, but the result is deadly depressing:"" Madame Jacob and Josephine Benjamine have dis appeared, and Madame Dubois, Caroline and Fifine seem but indifferent substitutes. Young Potiphar Pasha, who in the Paris version resolves never to marry because of the deplorable behaviour of his notorious ancestress, now becomes Abdallah, a very commonplace personage, and the fat care taker of Pharaoh's seraglio, "whose antics cause so much laughter in Paris, has boen eliminated altogether. Though David Christie Murray has so far been unable to complete the long story he hoped would be his masterpiece, he ia busy on a shorter work, "Old Blazer's Hero, How he Was Made, Unmade, and Remade." The scene ia in the Black Country, " Old Blazer " being a coalmine, so called from the number of times it haa been on fire. „-,,,. , "Mime." Anderson, refreshed,let ub hope, by her long rest, will open next March, at the Gaiety for a prolonged season. All thought of '.be colonial trip seems to have been given up. . ; , , ~ •The sensation scene of "A Dark Secret, just produced at the Standard Theatre, rep resents Henley Regatta, the river being real water,|upon which real boats, real steam l.uncbea, and real swans flit backwards 'and forwards. One sees the finish for the •' diamond sculls," and the whole business calminatcs with a ahower of real rain. The stage Of the "Standard" ia one of the lar gest in the world. Such a leviathan piece of realism could not be attempted else where. . , A new morning paper of short pars" on the plan of the phenome : _ally successful " Petit Journal " 'in Paris made its appearance On Mon day last, the title being "The Journal.' Anew Sunday paper in "opposition to the " Referee " also came out last week. It is nailed " The Judge." Mr Hasalm, late MP for Bolton, promises a halfpenny morning paper early next.yea-, when the " Daily Telegraph " will publish an evening edition and Sir •. harles Dilke launch his journalistic venture There is aleo'talk- of a daily paper managed, edited, and printed wholly by women. '.<.• ' _<■ On Wednesday the case wasre-tned before another jury, which found for the plaintiff, damages only £5 and costs. ~ Patti Baug three sings at the Albert Hall concert laßt week, for which she received £750. Nicolini is usually " thrown in" gratis on such occasions. •

POPULATION OF BERLIN.

Thousands of Peoplo. Who Are, Living

Underground.

The growth cf Berlin is the subject of a statistical communication made by M. Raffalovich to the "Journal dcs Debats," and it ia certainly worthy of a place among the most striking features-of contemporary hiatoiy. During ,the last sixty six years the inhabitants of the German capital have increased from

162 000 to nearly 1,500.000, a leap from 633^900 having b.en made since 1864 -so that the population has considerably more than doubled during tha last two and twenty years. And during the last five-alone nearly 130,000 immigrants have helped to swell the total. Meanwhile activity in building ia by no meanß in proportion. While in Paris 2,501 new houses were built in 1883, with its slowly increasing popula tion, only'3o6 gives the number in Berlin for the earne year—the latest for which statistics u'-der this head are given. : The result is that overcrowding is a signal feature in Berlin, no fewer than 100,000 persons living underground, and only two per cent, of all dwellings being to let at the beginning of the;preaent year. Three or four years ago there was a caso of a single house being inhabited by 487 per sons, including 170 children, divided into 11 separate households ; and-though since then sanitation has improved, things eeem to be but little better. Meanwhile, rent is necessarily high; absorbing more than 25 per cent, of a" workman's "wages. Alto gether, from one cause or another, Berlin appeatß to be the grand, type of. an over crowded city,'especially as .the efforts of the municipality are mainly directed to-the preserc-tion of open epaces. , Per haps it i? Uwte'y owing to %&»that,.de- I spite all circ-tt-tances, the' Health of Ber lin continues to'improve—to this, and to the plentiful supply of water. The efforts of the many philanthropic societies, on the I one hand, appears to have had inapprec__We results, by reason of their __Dugi_e*e-l__e : character; atifbTalhaving an'obvio-fftppH- I cation elsewhere.

THE AUCKLAND EVENING STAR, SATURDAY, JANUARY 15, 1887

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