1899-11-11 — Page 5

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, SATURDAY NOVEMBER 11, 1899.

THE EARTHQUAKE AND TIDAL | week. "A man is obliged to be mercenary, WAVE ON THE SOUTH COAST whether woman is or not. When do you and

Fellows start?"

OF OPRAM

The following is the Java Bode's account of the recent earthquake and tidal wave on the South Coast of the Island of Ceram:

a

Tomorrow. We, shall be back in four months."

"Bring your ideal with you.”

The die half-serious and half-jaking conversa. tion changed into an earnest discussion about fish, flies, fishing-tackle, caipping dress, and accoutrements. How far their imaginary wives were creations of vague unrest, smoke, and moonshire, or embodiments of convictions, they were not probably themselves able to deter mine. Men have much fewer convictions than they think they have, for in these days of rapid change there is no time for anything but opinions.

The next morning Joha Earle met Will Van Alston on the shady side of Broadway, with a creel at his back anil a fishing-line in his hand. "You are a pleasant sight, Will, in this heat and tumult" said John, "you make me think of dewy, dripping mornings, and cool, unplant-

places. Where is Jim?"

In the clear still night of 29th and goth September last at about 140 am, we were awoke from our sleep. by a heavy horizontal earthquake in the direction-N- E. and S. W. which lasted about one minute. A half an hour later the water streamed forcibly into the Bay of Amboina, without however submerging the land. The tidal wave only stopped at 2 a.m. There was title dainags ar Amboiuh. The Pastholder at Amaliei was slightly wounded, but other officials escaped. The pr vinces Pauloby, Samasceroo, and Makariki are entirely laid waste. The fonner had

two population of about 1,700 souls, of whom only about 40 remala alive. The beach was strewn will corpses in Elphpoetih Bay the tidal wave must have been some metres high,ed as it went over some fairly high trees, sweeping all before it, so that the coast now is a mud pool. A lot of people from Saparoth who were there for the sago harvest lost their lives. Those who escaped have dreadful stories to tell. One man said bodies had been found without heads and the suspicion exists that they were behend- ed after death by the Head-hunting Hill Alfur ese another said a body had been found on the top of a Sago palm and a third had stories to tell of bodies swallowed by sharks,

Great lumps of stone came out of the sea with the tidal wave.

At Hatacsoea over 1000 are killed and 40 wounded. The bulk of the people have led to safer region's.

There is a panic amongst the people on account of the hill tribes.

The Post-holder Moorrees was inland at the time of the earthquake, and owes his life to that fact. He repons scenting sulphur, fames both at sea and on land on and abuit anth September. Other details go to show that the combined sea and earthquake was very wisie- spread, but that the greatest damage was in and about Elpappetik Bay,

WEI-HAI-WEL

The following history, says the. Globe,' is in- structive, if exceedingly irritating-Some time ago Mr. Frederic Rhodes completed a pur- chase of land within the British territory of Wei-hai-Wei, for the purpose of conducting mining operations. As permission to undertake such operations was refused him by the Vice- Admimi, Mr. Rhodes appealed to the Foreign

Office, and forwarded.at the same time an ap plication for mining rights to the Admiralty. To this he received a reply that, as it has been decided to grant to mining rights of any kind in the territory for the present," the Ad. miralty could not grant his request. Yet since their lordships arrived at this deicsion, the Commissioner of Wei-hai-Wei has given Pure mission to the German named Jürgens toʻmine for a coal deposit. Now, as far as military or naval considerations are concerned, there can not possibly be objection to the one process which does not apply the other, nd it is nothing short of scandalous that a German should be able to obtain privileges on British territory permanent officials of no other nation in the world would be guilty of such a disregard of the interests of their own people.

Gone with the traps and the man to the steamer. I had to get another dropper and a surplus reel. Better come along, John."

No, you tempter. I hope you will find your ideal, and I wish you all the good things in the ald angler's greeting-you know it,

"Yes, I know it and Will's brisk footsteps involuntarily set themselves to the breezy jingle:--

Shower's and chiads and winds, All things right and right,

(All things wel ogel penjur? Feniter seð and white,

Park al wil zit hijire Midges Love in fit g

Made of plower hackle,

With a candy win

And a cobweb tackle b With your rod aqul cert,

Flink of every leather That can fill your creek

Wish you glorious weather," etc. Now it may be good for some men to be driven into the wilderness! for, relief from enforced courtesies, they grow sweet of heart: but the rule is not a universal one. Thus, though Jim Fellows forgot his cynicism in painting grassy dels and hits of water and yellow sunsets, Will, even at first, was tired of the monotony of their life, and had spasmodic impulses to run back to New York for a sparkt- ing draught of society.

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dining rooms and French, bonnets until John and Will's return produced the usual regrets and anticipations...

"Of course you are, and there is no remedy I know of "except cutting of the head. What are you going to do?"

"Ask. Miss Sellers, 1 suppose.”

As they drove away Mary Booked com. "All right; but I shall go nway to inorrow.placently down at her Parisian costmine. 1 When 'lovely woman wants my friend, I hope fijak, "Will," she said, "Thad the pleasure of I know enough to beat a graceful retreat,"

TROOPS DEPART· A SKETCH.

*If we never had come up here, Jim?" said showing your friend's wife how a woinian ought everything that has been offered, froin suprised softly, "Hip, pip, hoo-ray! Hip, pip, Aco-ray !!

Will, with a sigh."

Jim whistled a stave, and then mockingly saith-

Now if this child-had been at home,

Standing upon dry groend,

Ten hand pounds to que penty He had not then been drushed.

to dress herself,"

I hope you know all about those bronzes 1 saw you examining: because John says his wife is a connoisseur in such matters."

I am sure I do not know what I said about

1 thens; it is a matter of indifference to me, Will, what women think about my intelligence, but These 'ifs of life, Will, illustrate, supose, am scitsitive as to what they think about my Artemus Word's doctrine of the cussedness of does Mrs. Earle dress?" things in general."

"Well, what would you do, Jim?”

In nature it takes an ounce to balance an I suppose it is the same in love. Go and ask Miss Sellers what to do."

ounce.

This advice was quite in keeping with Will's inclination; he took it, and Miss Sellers ad- vised him to remain at Cedarville for the rest

"Now, Will, don't pretend that you did not see that straight up and down overskin, and that pleated waist!"

"I was looking at her face."

"Oh! What was it like ?” "Now, Mary don't pretend that you did not see those white intelligent brows, and those suft, clear grey eyes."

handkerchiefs: fluttering,, square of moldiers at fare part of steamer, waving, their red and black caps and shouting."". “Any messager for good old Kroofer?. Look out for what you see about us the papers. Don't cry, old, gel, till I come back." The wharf replies And another of the same! Hip, pip--"A churning of the water below. As the big white" steamer with its voyagers shoulder to shoulder- at the side moves awkwardly, the string band, which had apparently sobbed itself 10 sleep, suddenly awakes, and, the better for its nap starts. The crowd on the wharfside, thankful, for this, seizes the cue, and those whose voices are not choked hum in a subdued way to the air:

"[BY W. PETT RIDGE]. The huge white steamer has been resting at the wharfside with two sets of gangways down to the shore, accepting with casy appetite horses in boxes swung round by the groaning Crane and dropped well into the ship's stomach, to the smallest kit bag thrown up from the wharf and caught smartly by mid- affo on board. The hardest work seems me over, and two or three hundred men in clay coloured uniforms, top-loots, and black and scarlet caps 'lounge on the wharf borrowing tobacco from each other and smoking metal capped pipes. A dock policeman keeps back the crowd, repelling it with pathetic argument. "I'll only go and get me into a jolly row," nges the dock policeman, "if I do let you through. You don't want to see me go and get into a jolly row? Very well, then. Do I thick The clay-coloured square stands up, red- there'll be much of a war? Well" (with judicial faced with pleasure, as the steamer goes slowly air "rere may be and there may not be and demurely out of the docks. Others, pas- A train from London, picking its way ginsengers and the officers lean over; woman folk

on the wharf intending to wave their handker chiefs find that these are urgently demanded by their eyes. A flag up at the steerage end,

"May your citl be ever faithful, may suar heart be ever true. Oh, Tommy, Tammy Atkins, here's your country's love to

you."

Upon my word, Will, I did not, I saw bergerly and slowly down from the station, arrives eye-glasses.".

at the other side of the large warehouse, and Will laughed, "John thinks that she is nervous friends, who are on heard seeing voy- splendid,"

agers depart, isten down the gangways She is John's wife; that is all right. affrightedly in order to avoid being taken to suppose you are not accountable for Jen's Tenerife; but a man with his handfull of blue tastes and Mary looked up so bewitchingly documents that inspire confidence feassures that Wilf forgot all other women in admiration them, and they return, to be followed at once by a line of passengers enveloped in wraps and set out with band baggage. In this line come officers; metal-covered pipes go at once into packets, the men in clay-coloured "uniforms Stand erect.

of the summer. Before the summer was over, Miss Sellers bad promised to tell Will what to do during the rest of his life. In fact, she had promised to marry him in two months.

Will would hear of no longer delay. They neither of them wanted a grand wedding, and Mary's simple trousseau could be easily prepared, especially as she was going, to her aunt's to make the preparations, For Aunt Martha Sellers had taken the greatest interest in theof his wife, whole affair, and insisted that her niece should be married from her house. Will approved. At that time of year it would be more convenient; besides Mrs. Sellers intended buying all Mary's things.

She bought very splendid things. Poor Mary made her le complaint to Will privately but they both agreed it would be Unkind and ungrateful to find fault with Aunt Martha's gen- Crosity. So one set of finery after another came home, and the whole fashionable world was talking of Mary Seller's trousseau. Mary ako began to tiress very richly: but she looked so bewitching in her pale silks, and wore them with such a pretty, deprecating air, that Will could not avoid the double fascination that bound him. Neither was he above feeling pleased with the compliments everywhere given Miss Seller's beauty and Miss Seller's grace. fal toilets.

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The other pair were presently strolling slowly up Broadway discussing the merits of two dinner services, Mrs. Earte indlining to an old- fashioned style of indigo blue and white, and John hankering after a pretty French set, adorned with marvellous bénquets and plenty of purple and gold.

Your tastes, John dear, want subduing a little," said Mrs. Earle, “they are too Frenchy

and shoppy."

"Perhaps they are, Adelaide. Now I liked the way in which Will Van Alston's wife dresses herself. I have been wondering, ever since I saw her, how you would look in such a suit."

My dear John, could you ever imagine your wife nuking a peacock's tail with her train as that wonum did? Doves cannot be peacocks, John.". And Adelaide lifted her fair calor face After three or four weeks of woods and hills

in such a way that Jobs found at the easiest these impulses became stronger and stronger, The aunt having managed the trousseau to thing in the world to say "he was glad of it."

"It was all very well for fin, who made busi her liking, easily arranged the white satin and John's home was just such a one as a woman ness out of purple patches and running becks, print lace, the bridesmaids, and the wedding like Adelaide would preside over; a handsome without table-cloths, and water without ice, band Will looked forward now to that as the and repose. Luxurious chairs, suggestive to put up with insects and showers, and meals

breakfast. As for the European tour, Mary dwelling, pervaded by an atmosphere of order

he was tired of getting wet, and the trout were ensiest way of escaping from all the formal pictures, pleasant lights, nothing small, visiting and fashionable courtesies they would nothing in the way, no flowers that would bait"-in fact. Will was bored.

otherwise be compelled to accept. Indeed, make a fitter, no birds thy would sing amid the busy preparations for their wedding whether you want them or not no aquari m it had been the lovers' chief consolation to retire or ferneries, no pers or obligations of to the library and plan little tours England any kind. Her table was faultless, her servants and Scotland, where no one would know any-soft-footed and low-voiced; the whole house thing about them, and they could live entirely went like a noiseless piece of perfect machinery for each other.

guided by a master-Band.

not plentiful, and he never could hit the right He was admitting this very plainly to himself one afternoon. They had just aule a fresh

camp, and he not caught a fish all day; Will wondered if Jim considered the fishing as

much as the painting advantages of their

location.

lightly on to a rack nearly opposite in him Suddenly a le gare stepped He laid his rod gently on the ground and watched her perhaps he had not read Mr. fall in love with a woman by the water-side"; Stoddart advice to bachelor anglers, "Never there are situations in which every looks an angel."

woman

Will, in the cosy library, and in his folin hardly knew how unconsciously he had enthusiasm, had forgotten such a small affair as imbibed its spirit. He was much calmer in his seasons; however, he said "they could go to nanners, and superficial observers thought pro the south of Europe first," and Mery heartilybably he was less happy. But john knew, after agreed to that arrangement. So it was, after a hard day's business, low great was the charm all. Paris that the newly married couple went. of his still, peaceful home; "how delicious the Will somehow had proposed it and Mary made quiet, orderly dinner-table; how restful the a point of always doing what Will proposed pleasant lounge in the library afterward, where, arrived there in a very gay season, when while he smoked, Adelaide read at intervals

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"Yes, sir" (with a salute), "everything on board, sis."

"Nothing," says one of the officers definitely, "nothing must be left to the list moment."

"No, sir."

Arrival of the special train excites the white steamer, to some extent, out of its lethargy. Its officials stand at the top of the gangway to recive agitated patrons, and bend all their efforts in the alirection of assuring them that there is abso. futely no need for hurry.

Am 1. right, Mr. Baggage Master, for Waterloo? Um for Waterion. Am I on the right boat for Waterloo ? Quick!"

"Oh, Tonyny, Tommy Atkins, you're a good fun heart and

hand You're a credit--"

"Oh, Tommy, Tommy Atkins, you're a good 'un heart and hand, You're a credit-"

Gazette

KINGS AND QUEENS OF SLUMDON.

MONEY-MAKING AMONG GRINDING POVERTY.

Nearly every small town, as hordes of local quidmncs know to their eternal sorrow, has its king or its queen-a man or woman who rules the roost by virtue of possessions rather than of birth or brains. It is just the same with regard to stems. Thus there is a great royal family of plebeian blood. While, however, its members are in essentials all alike, the titular sovereigos of human warrens are vastly more intere ting than those exalted personages whom Jocal boards reverence, and parish councillors speak of with bated breath.

In the provinces the evolution of a slam queen can, as a rule, easily be traced, A woman takes a four-roomed house at a rental of Sir, responds the Haggage Master in the about 45, per week, füinishes it for a £5.note, tones of one reasoning with a child, "you're and lets the rooms for 3d. per night. As money just come from Waterloo,"

in advance is ber tixed rule, she contracts no When I say Waterloo," explains the pas-bad debus, but regularly draws 25. 8d. per day senger fractiously, of course I mean Cape from her lodgers. Every week, therefore, she Town. How stupid you are!"

converts 45, plus the interest on 5, into 185. 8d. Presently the house next door to that which she lets out in "furnished apartments" -"drums" initiated call them is yacant; so she becomes the tenant of that, and subleta it precisely in the same way as the first tene- ment. This goes on till she has ten, twenty, thirty cottages, and then, lo la queen is made. One such ruler whom the writer knows has a whole street of houses, containing in the aggre- gate one hundred and fifty, and owns a huckster's shop in addition. She is in receipt of a hand- some income. A second speculator in "drums, notwithstanding that she is a wealthy woman, used until recently to goon: "griddling" (singing, in the streets) as regularly as a mechanic gdes

to work.

which are refused to a British subject. The with the liveliest interest this sister of the angle. The was full of New Yorkers. Many of them amusing or interesting paragraphs from the clean-shaven manager, alert old voyagers spot," for instance, can trace her turning point

(Published by Arrangement.) "THE TOWN AND COUNTRY MOUSE.!

BY

AMELIA Ë. BARR. (Author of "Jan Vedder's Wife" "Friend (Olivia," zic) [COPYRIGHT.]

Two young men sat at an open window smoking. They had had a good gallop, an excellent dinner, and were lazily enjoying their cigars, and watching the moonlight flooded avenue. Out of these elements arose through some law of evolution, a vague, restless sense of f wants, which Will Van Alston expressed by. a complaint-

"There is no romance left in life now, john." John Earle thought a moment, blew the #make leisurely away, and answered--

If he had read, he did not bead, but watched She had a lithe, graceful figure, and it was clad in white flannel, inade jaunilly short, and looped up with bows of black velvet. Her feet were shod in stout English walking boots, and she carried a rod that bent almost to her hand. Her face he could not for it was quite straded by a deep sundown. Before he could decide what to do, there was a sound of crashing brashwood, and a gentleman joined her. He was evidently her father, and Will now deter mined to retrace his steps a little, cross the stream above, and jen them..

In half an hour he had made his intraduction, and seen the young lady lift with a clever jerk a splendid fish of more than two pounds weight. Reckless creature," she said, with a low kaigh; "it just came to see what the matter was."

I have been throwing my line for three hours," said Will, and I could not get a fish to look at my bait."

"Let me see it,"

Will exhibited his fly. She shook her head. and pointed to the bushes. They are full of those very flies; use for bait the flies not there. There is a great deal of human nature in fish nature," and she pushes back her sundown and looked Will pleasantly in the face.

"Pretty near right, Will; in every, American Utopia there is something business like." Such eyes They took Will captive at once.

"No love's young dream, John.'

He was only too glad to receive a lesson from "We live too late in the day, Will,"

such an expert. The animation of her face and "And there are no girls who will dream it the poise of her figure, as she kept constantly : with you."

throwing in her line and pulling it out was a "All too wide awake, now."

succession of charms. It was not Will's way of fishing, but he was glad it was hers, and all his objections were soon silenced by her

"I would like to find a little girl who would marry me for myself, without caring for a fine house, a grand trousseau, and a wedding tour."

"Did you ever tell any nice girl that?" "I said something like it to Amelia Schom berg, at Newport, last summer."

"And?"

"She laughed, and answered that the world knew better what we wanted than we did our selves, and that on most points it was more than an even chance the world was right."

"Well, I don't object to a woman wanting everything she can get that is natural. What I dislike is their knowing everything. They have all of them theories, or missions, or something or other, and it takes a fellow no and of review-reading to keep up with those little Vassar graduates !a

"One does not mind that much, if—" "Oh

yes, one does. When I say something about the lovely moon to a pretty girl, and she quotes Proctor in reply, sentiment is put of the question; one feels swindled, somehow."

"Well, of course, it would be nicer to hear her quote Tennyson ม

Not at all; I would a great deal rather she would look pretty, and say, 'Yes, I think so, too. I am going to look for a wife who can't act like a star, and sing like a prima donna, and who never had an idea that she could lec ture, or write for the newspapers. I shall only ask her to be pretty, stylish, good-hearted, and a thorough believer in John:Earle

"You will find girls by the dozen to, fill that bill, John. My Idea is a far rarer creature; and yet I only want a good, simple girl, who has some illusions? left".

"Where are you going this summer?" "With Jim Fellows, sketching, fishing, and camping among the Catskills

"Then you won't find your ideal this same mor; country girls are as far removed from sweet simplicity as possible. Of all women they love money and show the most."."

Someilmes, John Earle, you are mistaken. Where are you going?"

"Not fat. I shall have to be in the city

success,

Haman nature again," she said; "not one of those graylings had any intention of biting; they came to look at-to, tamper with-to nibble at danger. What a temptation that is, even to men and women, too."

Will certainly thought so. He had sense and experience enough to know that he was in danger; but did he wish to avoid it? On the contrary, he was wondering how to insure a return to it. He could think of no better way than that of asking his new acquaintances to walls round by their camp and see Jim's pictures.

Then Mr. Sellers asked the young man to come and have a cup of tea at the Manse; and the tea, and the evening that followed it, were so charming that it was easy, to foresee it would be the precedent for many other charming evening. Indeed, before very long Will began to go to the Manse as soon as Jim began to paint in the morning. Sometimes Mary Sellers and he went fishing, though more frequetly he followed about the garden, helping her to pick fruit, or sat by her side while she sewed-in short, behaved as all lovers have behaved from the begining of the world.

It was really wanderful too-at least Will said so to Jim--how exactly Mary's and his sentiment, so ras Mary. He could be happy ideas about life coincided. He was full of with Mary in a cottage, ao could Mary with him. He liked Tennyson, so did Mary. He thought fashionable society a hollow mockery, so did Mary, etc., clc,

l'aris

knew Will, some of them had met Mary the previous winter. The bride became a reigning favourite, every one called' on her, she was invited to court, her gowns were copied, her sayings repeated, her beauty and elegance were on every one's tongue.

Will was not insensible to such homage; it pleased him to see his wife's sayings and go- chronicted in the daily papers he desired Mary to be worthy of her fame. He found himself studying what modes and colours were most becoming to her, ordering jewels and costumes and urging her to attend balls and dinners. Mary always found Will irresistible; her docility was not the least of her charms. Thus the spent a very gay winter in Paris, and slowly moved.n rthward by way of the German baths. Somehow it seemed impossible for them to find any seclusion; Mary laid it to Will's popularity, and Will insisted that it was Mary's beauty; but they generally compromised on their mutual good-nature and willingness to oblige people.

It was actually August before they reached Ambleside. Now, al last, they would be able to have a simple, natural life. Mary looked over the gray waters with dismay; she was get- ting very tired of fine scenery. Will was tired too, only he did not have the courage to say so. Mary liazarded a disparaging remark, Will endorsed it. "Lakes and woods and moun tains, and small country inns; was it worth while spending money and fatiguing one's self for them?" Mary asked. Will seriously doubted if it were. Mary said she "must admit she did not like Europe outside of its great cities." Will "rather thought she was right; it was slow." Suddenly Will said, "Let us go back to New York." Mary answered, joyfully, that “it was her native air, and that she was homesick away from it."

book which she had in her hand.

Not less interesting were the little discussions arising out of these provocative passagess, John's literary tastes were being gradually educated in the most charming of methods; for any mah will enjoy the company of great thinkers if he may make their acquaintance through the medium of a lovely woman who has tact enough to know when to introduce and when to dismiss them.

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They went linle out, and as the winter ad vanced, the cosy library, with its lounge and cigar, its beautiful mistress, and new books, grew more and more in favour with John. Will thought marrying had quite ruined John, and Mary said he did look wretchedly; but John himself knew how sweet and deep and strong was the source of his happines a happiness which he felt instinctively the world would not comprehend, and about which, therefore, he wisely held his piece.

As time passed on, the old friends, without any real diminution of kind feeling, drifted farther apart. Mr and Mrs. Earle knew through the newspapers that Mr. and Mrs. Van Alston were, acknowledged leaders of fashionable society; and that Mary, in a short visit to Washington, had made a sensation that must have been highly flattering to those of her friends who coveted for her the stars and orders of fashionable fame. These notices Adelaide generally read in just such a tone and manner that john unconsciously got the habit of responding to them, " Poor Wilp

Quiet hourying to and fro of the soldiers with baggage from one trup-deck to the other, or dinary first-class voyagers, with all their per turbacion, taking cate to step out of the way in order not to impede urgent work of importance to the country. Only one old ladly interferes, and she, aiming at a young soldier bay with a cardboard box marked "Cerise," asks him in a private, confidential way whether he thinks there is going to be touch of a war. The sol dier boy, fresh from a short, fierte interview with a sergeant, says that if she don't keep her bonnet-box out of his eye there most certainly will be way, and plenty of it, to. A sample of every kind of man and woman in the stream of passengers searching for their cabins: white. faced Salvation Army men and women, Spanish priests, North-country families with children, a theatrical company of twenty in charge of their

in naval caps, for whom the steamer has no secrets and who shake hands quite coolly with the captain. Dividing the second-class from the third-class travellers, a hundred military horses, each in his own box, stand looking down rather mournfully at the empty zinc pails fixed in front of them, chewing bits of hanging rope, with one eye closed in order to help

then to think that this is nutritious fodder; a few of then inclined to kick, with a view of making their escape and swimming for the shore, are being soothed by their soldier valets with specious reassuring words "Good old horse. You're all right. You're going for a nice little sea-trip, that's what you are. This is better than Aldershot, old chap. Buck up!"-and are induced to regain something like com- placency. A few of the horses are consulting each others nones, seriously. Will there be much of a war?

Lunch downstairs now of several tourses served by white gloved waiters with tables for officers and their friends, which are rather quiet, thoughtful tables, compensated for, by the vivacity of those occupied by the theatrical company, where everybody toasts everybody, and one young woman, in a hat decorated with a feather from nearly every known bird, declares (optimistically) that she doesn't believe there will be much of a war after all. From up on deck comes faintly the sound of a small siring orchestra, which appears to be taking less cheerful views, being indeed, rather a whimper ing sort of band, and playing a section of gay music as though trying to cheer itself, but not succeeding in doing so.

But there are exceptions to the rule that slum queens owe their position to sub-lening. The despotic sovereign of a northern black

in life to the acquisition of a small business, At the present time she owns five or six shops, as well as a lodging-house and a beerhouse. Two of the shops are not of the usual slum order. They are situated in business thorough. fares and given up to millinery This circums tance is probably without a parallel.

Anoth remarkable queen who has not risen to eminence on 'drums" is certala blind woman. She owns three large lodging-houses, which she rules with a rod of iron. Sightless as she is, she is more than a match for the strongest of her patrons who makes himself disagreeable, provided she can once get hold

of him.

On one occasion a big navvy almost mono." polised the kitchen fire in the smallest of her houses. Lodger after lodger entered the place, dripping wet, only to have to take a back seat. At last the landlady came in. Immediately somebody complained to her of the navigator's selfishness, she went up to the man, and he could realise her intentions, she had him fast at arm's length and was pushing him with irresistible force towards the door. Through the passage he went without a stop, to be shot down the steps as if from a catapult, followed by fourpence he had paid shortly before for his bed.

Among the kings of Slumdom there are also some singular personalities. Only a few years back one of the best known of these men in the Midlands had simply a small house. Now he has two of the finest fourpenny hotels in the three kingdoms, municipal" undertakings <not excepted, as well as a number of houses let out in "drums."

Poor Will" was, however, doing exceedingly well, and regarded himself as an object of envy to all his acquaintances; Mary, in the A hot-faced soldier comes down into the beginning of their married life, had marked out dining-room hurriedly; immediately an abiru. Some features of his large establishments are the end she meant hint to attain to, and all her sive departure of the officers from their tables worthy of the sincerest form of admiration.. In social successes had been but so many well- to make swift passage upstairs to the smoke- the ordinary lodging-house every man is his considered steps toward it. When they were room, where they seat themselves around a own clothes horse. Here there is a huge iron If Will had any lurking sense of disappoint-on their wedding tour she had said, one night, table and sign papers with energy. The last rack at the back of the fireplace, and on this ment in the failure of his dream, he had no after a brilliant court reception, Will, you special has come from town; the crane swing. wet attire can be expeditiously and thoroughly time to be conscious of it. Mary introduced must go into politics; you have the air of a ing unwieldy sets of trunks and cases labelled dried-a blessing indeed after a long tramp in the subject of house-keeping; "in their own foreign minister, and you are a born diplomat with large blue letters from A to Z groans and the rain. Special attention is paid, Also, to home they would find that retirement and peace Will was not the man to dispute any of Mary's they had vainly sought for in Europe." Then opinions; he liked this idea, and cultivated it

complains more than ever. A trumpet-call on the sleeping side of the houses. Every morn Lit.

and London folk snatching a farewelling, at eight o'clock, the king himself, accom. they discussed everything in French, German, The result was that one day John Earle embrace, rush pell-mell down the two gangways, panied by the princes, or, in other words, his and English households that seemed worthy of brought his wife an illustrated paper in which knocking over late arrivals in their anxiety not sons, rouses the lodgers, opens the windows, incorporation into the Sellers' homestead; and Will's handsonie face, and Will presenting to be taken out through the Bay, returning and makes the beds. This is practically the Will, who, was something of an artist, sketched his credentials to Bis Majesty made the once more rather shaniefacedly to their friends only active part they take in working the interiors" and styles of furnishing, every one most prominent pictures. Perhaps neither on board to say their good-byes over again. places, except, of course, receiving the four- of which Mary declared to be "just lovely." John nor his wife took the interest in the news

Officers up and down on first-class deck direct- pences from travellers." Lastly, a man who, Of course there was nobody in town when that they might have done under ordinary citing their men: the men rushing to obey orders taken ill, is removed from one of the "modela they arrived in New York. Mary's aunt was

cumstances; but just at the same time a very

to the workhouse and there dies, is never at Saratoga, and Will's friends were here, there, important personage arrived at the Earle man-

buried by the parish. The kindly landlord and everywhere. They took rooms at an hotel, sion-no less a personage, indeed, than John's

defrays the cost of giving him decent inter- and now really began to enjoy each other's eldest son; and henceforward the nursery had, society. No one interfered with their time, in its degree and way, a charm-as great as the there were no calls to make or retum, no trains library. What did John care for kings or to catch; no routes to decide on, no foreign courts? There was a little autocrat in the customs to submit to. Life in New York'is a crádle of the Earle house that outruled them well-regulated institution. Will and Mary fell all with him. naturally and easily into its pace,

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ment.

Other slum kings there are who have a mono poly of the lodging-house accommodation in their several towns, Every travelier" who stops in a certain cathedral city, for instance, is obliged to do one of things-either go to the casual ward or patronise a certain man," who owns all the fourpenny hotels in the place, tu another town where a similar state of things exists a wayfarer's choice is further restricted, inasmuch as he stands little chance of getting. bed unless he purchases his odds and ends

of groceries and provisions from a shop run " by the man who owns all the lodging houses in the place.

before the command is completed, and having to be recalled to hear the finish. A solid square of the clay-coloured youngsters up at the forepart of the steamer, their work finished, are talking cheerfully to friends on the quay, who aim farewell gifts to them in the shape of cigars and packets of tobacco, gifts which sometimes fall into the intervening water to join untidy Jetsam in the docks, but are now Besides, during Adelaide's confinement to and again secured by one of the soldiers. A They remained at the hotel during the decora- her room, John had also discovered a secret of last small case is carried up the second-class tion and furnishing of their house. It was to which he was a little vain-his wife was a gangway bearing the words, "Keep away from be ready for occupancy in November, and infamous writer. Under her non de plume, she the boilers, as though this were the last the meantime it supplied them with a never had been for three years a favourite with him. injunction of his fond the trumpet calls ceasing source ofinterest. One day they went Her stories had charmed away many a pleasant again, a bell rings insistently, and the second- Jim smiled. He had noticed that all Mary's to Sypher's to try and match a queer bit of evening, and from her graver articles he had class gangway is unlashed and swing down to dresses were very stylishly and becomingly bronze that Mary had picked up in Paris. A taken his opinions on a good many social the wharfside, Now the farewells are serious, made, and that she seemed to have a very clergerileman and lady were in conversation with questions. He could not help laughing when A tall old mother stands on ifp-toe to kiss and idea of what fashionable society endorsed. Will a clerk in the shadow of a great Chinese screen. he remembered how often he had quoted Mrs, to kiss again, her taller brown-faced officer son

On the other hand, numbers of Slumdom's thought she was natural enough. Mary had an

It was John Earle and his bride, Will took Earle against Mr. Earle in their evening ("My dear dearest boy". Men shake hands kings prefer to have something of everything. aunt in New York, a wealthy widow, and Mary

in at a glance her characteristica-a fair, in- discussions.

quietly ("Good-bye, old chap. Be careful" rather than everything of something. An extra had frequently stayed with her: that, of course, tellectual face, and the air of one used to being" Some year have passed away since Will and Sudden excitement furnished by Miss ordinary specimen of this class is a wealthy man only made Mary's simple tastes the more de-

in authority. Mary looked at her dress--rich John drew in imagination the bachelor pictures Feather Hat of the theatrical company, who who has innumerable irons in the fire, He lightful; it showed that she was

Will's simple little appears from below to break peace. Where owns a beer-house, a common lodging house a the seductions of the gas world proof against material, but out of style. Both comments of their future rives

were instantaneous; the two friends clasped country girl" is the star of a European Court, is her trunk? Where on earth is her trunk? grocery shop, a broker's shop, a; coal yard; he By-and-by Jim got bored, and proposed to hands, and the ladies looked into each other's dances with princes, and entertains royal dukes Where is the manager? Where is the lets trucks and piano organs out on hire; be moye camp further into the mountains. Will

faces, and bowed to their inroduction.

and who only wanted a fashionable, captain? Where for goodness gracious sake is

has on the road, in the summer months, a set John was amazed, pointed out the advantages of the

Then John and Will walked away, ostensibly knownothing wife, is now so proud of the her trunk? She has just found that it is not of fine hobby horses; he advances money on Then you won't find your iden), either. adjacent village, the exquisite scenery, the fine to examine some antique Vases, but really to clever Mira, Earle that generally his first remark in her cabin, and she has not seen it descend pension papers and other unpawnable securi Girls who go to the Branch and to nice little fishing, &c., and declared that he had never exchange a few congratulations. Mrs. Vab to a friend is, "Have you seen my wife's article into the hold. Where then Clean-shaventies; he is an athletes' "backer," or financier j.......... places on the Hudson read everything and been so happy in his life.

Alston and Mrs Earle talked-abou-dwarf in the Review?" or "Have you read Mrs, manager zwives weir comforting words. Miss and, fastly, he is upen to buy anything under know everything. You' had better get up some Jim thought it likely, but begged Will to bronces, and examined each other's toilettes. Earle's story in-Magazine i

Feather Hat was furnished (says the manager) the sun, big or little. social science and theology, read the last new consider that though the world revolved in

Both felt that they were under a battery of Evidently Athella Schomberg's theory has a with two labela, ono maiked "hold," the other Some years ago he electrified even his friends novels and poems, study a part in ball a dozen | licaven for lovers, for ordinary mortals It re

criticism, but both stood hre without the quiver principle of truth in some power or unter markere sin is only question is which, by putting-a-small-mangerie. They all favourite tragedies, and the tenor's fole involved in void, or ennui.

of an eyelash.

··beiter" what we want than we know of those two did Miss Feather Hat affix. predicted he would lose heavily by the “If she thinks I mind her Frenchified ways," "ourselves. Mary's ambition has made a clever "Why, to make sure," cries Miss Feater Hat, transaction. But be held on to it for only thought Mrs. Earle, she is vastly mistaken" diplomat out of an idle young man, and John "I put both on, and now how do you think't about a month, during which time he exhibited "If she thinks she snubs ma with her eye. | Earle has received lu his wife's society such a ¦ can dance, especially if there is much of a war, it at a number of fairs in the district. Then he glasses, and her know-everything airs, she is a noble, elevated, and refined education that without

sold it for only a little less than he had given,: very ignorant young person," thought Mru: Van | ho'in quite a match now for any... Vassar All friends off and first-class gangway down. for it. The net result was a gain of something Alston. But they clietted away about English | graduate.”

| Wharf crowded" by friends to the very edge, I like L120 from the deal.

occasionally, and the rest of the time T'shall share between the Branch and my sister's little place on the Hudson

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Faust and Mignon and the Bohemian Girl For lovers 1" The remark set Will thinking. It will be a great deal nicer trailing a line and Jim let him think during the whole session down a trout-stream--you had better come of a cigar. When it was finished, he said,

"Can'ts brother Dick is going to Europe,

"I belleve you are right' Jim. I must be and I must wall Into the office once or twica in love.

al

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