Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, December 20, 1873, Page 11

! -THE CHICAGO DAILY TRIBUNE: SATURDAY, Sod DECE MBER 20, 1873--SUPPL TENT. A MONTE-FLAT PASTORAL. Uow Old Man Plunkett Wont Ifome, Brot Harte's Last Story. From Seribner's for Januury, I think wo nll loved him, Liven afior ho mis mennged tho affairs of tho Awmity Diteh Com- pouy, wocomminorated him, although most of us wore stockholders and loat hoavily, I remom- Dbor that tho blackemith went so fur ns to sny that * Tham chinps a put that respoustbllity on tho '0ld man ougltor ba lynchad.” But tho blnokemith was not n stocicholder, snd the expression was looked upon as tho ox- ousable extravaganca of & large sywmpathizing noture, that, whon combined with o powor- ful framo, was unworlhy of notleo. At lonst that was the way thoy put it. Yot I think thoro waa a gonoral fooling of rogrot thab this mis- fortune wonld intorfero with tho old mau's long- cherished plan of “ooiNe mous.” ¥ Tadood for tho laat ton yonrs he had been * going home.” Tlo was golng home after o six mauthy’ sojonrn at Monto Flat. o wus going homo aftor the first rains. 1o was going lLiomo whon the ralus woro over. o was golng Lhome whon ho ind out the timber on Buckeye Hill, whon {horo was pasture on Dow's Flat, whon lio struck pay-dlrt on Eurcka Hill, whon tho Amity Company pald its first dividend, when the olection was over, whon he bLad recelved on suswer from lis wife, And so tho yoars rolled by, the epring rains camo ond wont, tho woods of Buckoye IHill woro Iovol with the ground, tho pasturo on Dow's Flat grow soro and dry, Eurcla Iill yielded its boy-ditt and swamped its owner, tho first divi- dends of tho Amity Company wero made from the nsaosamonts of stockholdors, thero woro new county oficers at Monto Flat, his wifo's anawer had chianged into a peraistont question, and atill old man Plunkott remained, It is only falr to say that ho hnd modo BEVERAL DISTINGT EASAYS TOWARDS GOING. Tivo yoars boforo ho had biddon good-bye to Jlonto Lill with muck effusion and bhand-shaking. But he nover got any furthor than the noxt town. Hore ho was iudueod to trade tho sorrel colt ho was riding for & bay maro—n transaction that at ouco oponed to Iy lively famey » vista of vest and succassful futuro speculation. A fow days after, Abner Doan of Angel's received o lettor from bim stating that ho wns golig to Yisalin to buy horacs, am satisfied,” wroto Plunkott; with that olevated rhotoric for which bis corraspondonco was romarkable, #I am satisfled thot wo ure ot Inst doveloping the roal resourcos of Californin, 'I'ha world will yot look to Dow's_Fint as thoe great stock-raising routre. In view of tho intcrests in- 7olved, I have doforrad my dopartura for u month.” It was iwo befora” ho ogain rofurn- d to us, penniless. Six months lator he wus agnin onnbled to atart for the Enstorn States, and this timo got as far na San Francisco, I bave before mo o laltoer which 1 received a fow daya after his arvival, from which I give un ex- Tact: fou know, my doar boy, that I have slwaya bolieved that gambling,ns it is absurdly sallod, ia sl in its infancy in Calitornia, I aave always mainlsinod that a porfect system might be invouted bx which tho game of poker may be mado to yiold a certain percentage to tho Iutelligons playor. I am notat liberty ot pres- ent to discloss the systew, but before leaving this ¢ity I intend to potfoct it.” Mo scems to have done o, and returnod to Monie Flat with two dollors nnd thirty-soven conts, thoe absolute romaindor of his eapital after such perfection, It was not t111 1868 thal ho appenred to JAVE FINALLY SUCCEEDED o goiug home. o left us by tho overland route—n routo which ho declared would give groat opportunity for the discovery of unde- Yolopod reaources. His lnst lattor was dated Virginin City. 1o was abscnt three yoms, At the close of a vory hot day in midsummer ho alighted from the Wingdam stago with Lair and board powdorod with dust and age. ‘Thoro wns o certain shynoss nbout his_grooting, quita dif- forent from his usual frank volubility that did not, howover, impross us ns any accession of character, Xor somo days ho wae reserved ro- garding his vecent visit, contenting himesif with nsworting, with moro or loss nggressivoncss, that ho bad ‘“always enid Bo wos going homo and now lie had” been there.” Later he grow more communicative, and -~ spole freely and critically of tho mauners und customs of Now York and Boston, com- wented on the socinl changes in tho years of hiy nbsenco, and, I remomber, was yery hard upon wlhint ke deomed tho follies incidental to a high stato of civilization, Btill later he dm‘i:){ al- Inded to tho moral laxity of tho ligher planes of Linstorn socioty, but 1t was not long before ho completely tore away tio veil and revealed tha naked wickedness of New Yorle socinl lifo in o way I even now shudder to recall. Vinous in- toxication, 1t appanred, was o common habit of tho first Jadics of the clty; immoralities which Lo scarcely dared namo wore dafly practiced by the reflucd of both sexes ; nigyardliness and veed woro the common vices of tho rich, T havo always neserted,” Lo continued * that corruption mwst exist whore luxury and riches are ramyfant, and eapital 18 not used to dovelop tho natural vesources of the country, Thapk you— I WILL TARE MINE WITHOUT SUGAR." It is pousiblo that somo of these painful de- tails cropt into the local journals, I remombor an cditorial in the Monto Ilat Monifor, entitled *"Ihe Effcte Enst,” in which tha fatal decndenco of Now York and Now England wus elaborately statad, and Culifornin offered ng o moans of - ural ualvation. * Perhaps.” snid the Aonilor, *“wo might add that Calaveras County offors suparior {nducemonts to tho Eastorn visilor with capitn) ator he spoke-of his family, The deughtor ho tad lefs o child had grown into beau. tiful womsuhood; the son was slready taller and lorger than his fathor, eud, in & vplayful trial of strongth, *tho young rascal,” added Plankott, with a voice brolou with patornal prido and humorous objur- sntion, had twico thrown biy doting parent to he ground. But it was of his daughter he chiolly spoke, Perlians embotdencd Ly tho ovi- dent intercst which masouline Monte Tlat held in fomiuine beauty, he expatiated at some length on_her vuious charms and sccomplishmeuts, end finally FRODUCED TIER PHOTOGRAPI,— that of & vary protty girl,—to their infimte poril. But his aecount of his firab wmeeting with hor was go peeuliar that I must fain give it aftor his own mothods, which were, porhaps, somo sltdos lows précieo aud ologast thau Lis' writion stylo: “You aeo, boys, It'a alwaya bosn my opiuion that a man oughter bo ablo to tell bis own flesh and blood hy isstivet, IUs tou years siuco I'd soon my Molindy, and sho “was then only 7, and. about s high, _So, when I went to Now York, what did T do7 Did f go struight to my houso and ask for my wifo and daughter, like other folks? No, wir! I rigged wysolf up 8s o Fnddlur, By 8 peddler, sir,.und I.yung the bel. When the servant eame to the door, 1 wanted—dou't you peo—to show the Jodics some trinkets, 'Chen thore was a voico over the banister, says, *Don't want auything—sond him away.’' *Bomo nica laces, mw'am, smuggled,’ I says, looking up. “Got out, you wrowh,' ways sle. I know tho voice, boys, it was my wife, Bure as a gun,—thuy wusn't any metinot thar. ‘May bo the young Indies want somethin,’ I said,” ‘Did you hear mol " unys sho, and with that slio Jumps forward, 5 AND I LEFL, I’ ton yoars, boys, since I'vo scen the old wo- iy, but somehow, when sho fetehed that leap, Luforally left.” e hud been standing beeido tho bar,—his usual attitnde,—when Le mado this specch, but al this point he Luif-fucod hiy uuditors with a look thut wag very offcctive, Iudeed, a fow who baod axhibited soio signs of skepticiuin uud lacic of interost at ouce gweumed an appearinco of intease gratification uud cuviosity ss he wont on. ““Wall, by hinngin' round there for a day or two, I found ont ut 1asl it was to Lo Molindy's birthday noxt wool, aud that sho was gom' to bavo a Digg party. I tell yo what, boys, it waren't no slouch of n recoption.” The wholo liouss wus blogmin' with flowers, and blazin' with lights, and there was 1o end of sorvanta und plats ang refreshients and fixin's—" “Unclo Joe,” “Wall2? #¥heo did they got (ho money 2" Pluukott faced Dis luterlocutor with a sovere plance, “'T always anid,” ho roplied wsloyly, * thut whon I wout homo I'd sendvon aloud of i 4 pnarr rou $10,000, L eYwaya eaid that, didn'6 {7 Eu? And Teald I wag 'uini'?'[aomo—uud L'vo bosu homo—leven's “Eltugr thore was somothing irresistibly don- ¢lusive in this loglo, ox clve tho desixe to Loar \ {he remaindor of Plunkott's atory waa strongor; but thoro was no more iutorruplion, i re good-hnmor quickly returned, and, with a slight chueklo, ho went on, T went to the bigglst jewelry aliop In town, and I bought o peir of diamond ~enr-rings and put thom in_my pockot, anl wont to tho houso, ‘What namo?' snys the chnp who oponad the door, and he looked like n orass hotwoon n restanrant watter and a paraon, +Hkeowicks,’ #ald I, 1lo tnken mo in and protty soon my wifa comos sallin’ into the parlor and spys s ¢ Txeuno mo, hut I don't think 1 recognizoe the.nnme.” Lo was mighty polite, for T hod on o tod wig and sido-whislkors, ~* A friond of your hiuwband's from California, ma'am, with n prou- ent for your dnitghtor, Misy ——," and I mndo a3 I had forgot tho namo, But of o sudden a voico enld, {THACA 100 TIIN,' and {n walked Molindy. *It's plagin’ it too low down, futher, to protond you don’t know yomr dnughter’s name—nin't it, now? Ilow ave you, old man # And with thut sho toars off my wig and whinkers, and throws her arma eround my neck,—instinot, sir, puro instinet 1" Emboldonod by tho “Inughter which foltowed Dbiy description ot tho fllial uttorances of Melin- «n, ho aguin reponted hor specch, with moro or Ioss claboration, Joining in with, and_indeed of- ton leuding, tho' bilayity that nccomprnied 1t, and returning to it with ‘moro or less incoheron~ oy, Roveral times during the ovoning, And go ab varions thines, and at varfous placos, —but ehiefly inbar-rooms,—did this Ulysues of Moute Flat recount the story of his wanderings. Thore were several discropancios in his state- mout, thero way somotimes considerable prolixi- ty of dotall, thoro wag occasionsl change of chnructer and sconory, thero was onca or twico anabsoluto changeiu the donouomont, but always tho fact of his UAVING VISITED U8 WIFE AND CHILDIEN romainod. OF course in a skoptical community like ihat of Monte Tlal,—n communiy accustomed to great expectation and small reall- zation,—n community wheroin, to uso the local disleet, *thoy got the color and struck Laid- pon,” moro requontly than sny other mining camp,—in such u community tho fullest cradones was not givon to old mon Plunkett's facts, 'Lhore was only on axcoplion $o the gencral unbolisl— Ienry York, of S8audy Bar. Iv was ho who was alweys nn altentive listenor; it was his sennt purke that had often furnished Ilunkett with menns to pursuo his unprolitable speculations; it waa to him that the charms of Melinda- wore more frequently rohearsed; it was ho that iad horrowed hor photograph—and it was he_ that, sitting alone in bis cabin ono night, kissed thal photograph until bis honest, handsome fuco glowed ngain in the firelight, AT WAS DUSTY IN MONTE FLAT, ‘Tho ruing of tho long, dry seasos wore crum- bling overywhero ; everywhore the dyiug sum- meor ad sirewn ite rad ashos a foot docp or ox- linled its Jast breath in a rod cloud avovo tho troubled bighways. Tho aldurs and cottonwood that marked tho line of thoe water-courses wore grimy with dust, and looked as if they might have taken root in the opon air ; tho filcnmmg stones of tho parched wator-courses thomsolve wore as dry bones in tho valloy of death, The dusty sunsot at times painted the flanks of tho distant hills a dull coppery huio ; on other days there was an odd, indefinablo earthquake Lollow ou the voleavic coues of the further const spursj agnin an acrid, resinous smoke from the burning wood on re0 11ill, smarted the o, cs and chioked tho free broath of Moute Flat, or & tlorco wind, driving every- thing—including the shriveled summer like n cnrled leaf—Dbotore it, swept down the flanks of tho Sierras aud.chased tho inbabitants to the dooia of their cabins, and shook its red flst in at their windows. And on'socl a night as this,— tho dust having, in somo way, choked the wheols of materinl progress in Mouto Flat,—mont of the inhnbitants wore gathored listlesly In the gildod bar-room of the Moquelumno Iotel, spitting 8- lontly at the red-hot stove that tomperod tho mouutain winda to the shoru lambs of AMonto Tlat, and waiting for tho rain, Every mothod Imown to the Flat of boguiling the timo until the advont of this long-looked-for phenomenon had beon tried, It is truo the moth- ods wera 1ot mauy—boing limited chietly to that form of popular facelin known as PRACTICAL JOKING § and even this lad assumod tho serlousness of o busivess pursuit. Tommy Roy, who Lad spent two hours in l]igimg a diteh in front of Lig own door,—~into whick o fow filonds casunlly dropped duting tho ovening,—looked ounuye and diseatisfied; tho four prominent citizens, who, dinguised’ a8 foot-pads, lnd stoppod thé County ‘Lreasnrer ou the Wingdam rond, wero Jnded Trom thoir playful efforts next morning ; tho principal physician and lewyer of Monto Tlat, who bad entered into an unhullowed cons spirocy to compel tho Buoriff of Calaveras nnd hls posso to orvo & writ of ojootment om a grizzly bear, feobly disguised under the nome of “one Major Ursus,” who launted the groves of “Heavytiee Ifill, wore an expression of rosiguod ieariuess. Lven the cditor of the Monto Ilat Moni- tor, who had (hat morniug writton a glowiug ac- count of a battle with the Wipneck Indians for tho bonolit of Eastoru rosdors—ovon he looked grave nud worn, When, at last, Abuer Dean of ngol's, whio had beeu on a visit lo 8pn Fran- cisco, walked into the room, ho was, of course, victimized in tho usual way by ono or two ap- parontly honest questions which_onded in iis answering them, and thon falling into the trap of asking suothor to his uttor and compleie shemo aud mortification—but that wuy all, Nobody laughed, and Abner, althangh a victim, did not loso Lis good Lumor, Ho turned quiaily ou his tormentors and kaid, *¢ I'vo got something better than that— YOM KNOW OLD MAN PLUNKETT? " Everybody simultancously spat at tho atove and nodded his Liead. “Yon know he wont home three yenrs ago?” Two or threo changed the position of thoir loga frowm the backs of dilforent chaiiy, and ouo mun said_*Yes," * Had o ool time Liome " Evorybody Jooked caufionsly at the man who bod aaid *yes,” and he, accopting tho responni- Dility with" o Taiut-boartod smilo, said ** yos,"” spain, aud breathed bard, ‘Saw his wifo and cluld,—purty gal?” snid Abuer, cautiously. “Yes," anawared the man, doggedly. *Suw her plotograph, perbaps 7" coutinued Abner Doav, quictly. The man looked hopelossly around for sup- port, Two or three who Lad beon sit- tiug near him and ovidently oncouraging him with a look of interost, now shamelessly abandoned Lim and Jooked anothor way. Houry York flushed a little aud voiled his brown oyes, Tho mun hesitated, aud then with a sickly smilo ihat was intonded to convey tho fact that ho was porfectly sware of the objcct of this questioning, aud Was only hunioring it from abstract good foeling, roturned “yos," BRain. “Seut homo—Iet's suo,—-elo‘(l(}fl. wasn't it 7" Abner Dean wenton, “You,"” reiferated the man, with the same smilo, Well, I thought so,” said Abuer quielly, **but the fact is, you see, that UE NEVER WENT HOME AT ALL— nary time.” Tiverybody starcd at Abuer in genniuo sur- prigo and intorest, as with provoking calmness and o half-lazy mauner Lo swout on, “You sico thar was a mau down in 'Frisco og knowed him and saw lhim in So- nora during the whole of that three years, 1la was herding shoop or tending catilo, or spelilat- ing all (hat time, and hadu't ared cent. Well it ‘mounts to this—ihat 'ar Plunkett afn't been east of the Rocky Mountalns since "49." i I'ho laugls which Abnor Dean Lad the right to coufldontly oxpact came, bub it was itter and surdobic, " Tthink fndignation was n{mureut in tho minds of Liy loarera, It was folt, for the first {imo, thnt that there wus o limit Lo practical Jjoking, A decoption carried on’ for n year, compromising tho sngacity of Monto Flat, was desorving Do soverest roprobation, Of coureo, nobody led believed Phlunkett—but thon tho supposition that it might Do Lelioved in adju~ cont eamps thut thoy had boiievod Lim was gall and Ditternces, Tho lawyor thought that an judictment lor obiaming mouney under false retoliscs mlfim bo found, the physician hud long puspeeted lim of Insanity, and was not cor- tnin Lot that he ought to bo conflued. Tho four prominent werchants thonght thot the business intorasts of Jlonto I'lat doutandod that some- thing vhould Lo dove. In tho midat of an ex- cited wnd angry diseussion the door slowly opened and old man Plunkott staggered Luto tho room, HE HAD GHANGED PITIPULLY in tho lagt six menthe, Ilis hoir was a dusly ollowish gray, iiko the chimigal on the lanks of Hoavvtrea THIl 3 hin facy was waxen whilo und Dlue and puily under the oyes; his etothes wero soiled uml shubby—streaked in front with the stuing of hurviod lunoluons onten standing, and finfTy bohind with the wool and i of hurriedly extomporlzed cauchies, In obedlonco to that odd Iaw that the mote scedy and sollod & maw's "gar- monts become thio lews doos ho seow juclined to part with thom, oveu during {hat portion of tho wonty-four hours whon thoy are deonied lazal cagontial, Plumkett's clothes bad gradually takon on tho uppeurance of & kind of bark or an onlgrowth from within for whick thelr pussessor was ot ontiroly responsiblo, Llowbell us Lo en- tered tho raom ho altempted to butlon Lis cout over a dirty shirt sud passed hls fiugors, sfter the mwanner of wome auimul, ovor his cracker- strown beard—in 1ecoguition of u clounly publio sontiment, But even ws Lo did eo the wesk smile faded from his 1ips, and hla land, after fumbllug simlessly sxound o bute ton, dropped holplessly at his slde. Tor, 8 ho loaned hin buck ngainst tho bar and faced the group, ho for tho firat timo hocame nware that ovory oyo but one was fixed upon him. i quick norvous apprehonsion at ouco leaped to tho truth, 118 MISERANLE HECRET WAS OUT and abroad in the very air about him, Asn last rosort s glanced despiriugly at ITonry York, 3\1! his flushed face was turned toward the win- 0w, No word was spoken. As {ho bar-keopor sllontly swung a deeantor and glass boforo him, hio ook a oracker from a dishi and mumbled f with affected uncomcern. 1lo lingorad over hia Mquor until its poloncy sliffencd his relnxod sinaws, and dulled the norvous edgo of his ap- preliousion, and thon he suddenly faced around, 1t don't 1ok as if we wero goln' to ov any rnin much aforo Christmas,” ho eald, with dofiaut caso. : No one made nui- roply. ** Just like this in '62° and agaln in '60. It's always beon my opluion that thoso dry eensons come rog'lar, I'vo snid it aforo. 1 say it ngam, It's jist an I said about “""'F homo you Luow," ho added with desporate rocklossnes, “Phar's o man, sald Abner Dean, lzlly, * oz 80z you nover went homo, 'Thar's n man 0z oz you'vo been threo yoars in Sonora. There's a wen ez goz you haint scen your wifo and daughtor stuco ™49, Thnr's nnian a4 B0z you'vo ‘been playin’ this enmp for six months,” Thoto was s doad silenco. Thon a voico sald, quite a8 quiotly: YemIAT MAN pis. It was not tho old man's volco, Evorybody turnod a8 flenry York slowly rose, siretching out hin elx feot of lougth, nud, biushing sway the ashes that had fallen from his pips upon his broast, deliborately placed himself bosido Plun- lml!, and faced the othors, *That man ain't here," continued Abner Doan, with listless indifforonco of voico aud a geutlo prooccupntion of manuer as his carolessly Showod lla right hand to ost on bin bip Hont bis rovolvor, ~** That man ain't hore, but if 1'ny cnlied |:,p‘<'m to make good what ho snys, why I'm ou hand. All roso as the two mon,—perhaps tho lonst oxtornnlly agitated of thom all,—upproched oach other, Tho lnwyor steppod in botiveen thom. “ Porhapa thore's some mistako here. Yorlk, do you knotw that tho old man has been liome 7 4 You" How do you know it 2" York turncd his clenr, honest, frank cves on bis questioner snd without a tremor told the only diract aud unmitigated lo of his lifo: ** DEQAUSE I'VE SEEN IIM THERE The answer was conclusive. It was known that York hnd beon visiting in tho East during tho old mau's absence, ‘Iho colloquy had di- vorted attention from Ilunkott, wha, pale aud DLreathless, woa staring nt his unoxpocted de- Jivorer, As ho twmed sgain towards his tor- mentors thoro was somothing In thoe oxpression of his eyo that causod thoss that woro noarest to him to fall back, and sont oa strango, indofinablo thrill through the boldast . and most reckless, As ' ho mado a stop forward the physicinu nlinost uncon- scionsly raised his hand wilh & warning gesture, and old man Plunkett, with his eyes lixed upon the red-hot stove, and an oud wmnilo playing ubout hin mouth, bogan's 5 “Yos—of courso you did. Who says you did'n'? X said I was goin' home, and V'VE DBERN NOME, Haven't 12 M{l God! 1 havo. Wbo says T've been lyin' 2 'Who says I'm dronmin'? Iwit true —why don't you speak? It is lrue after all, You say you saw me thero, why doun't you spoak agoin? Sayl Bayl—isittrne? 10w going now, Omy God—it's going ngain. It going now. Save mo!” and with = flerce cry, Lo fell forward in a it upon tho Noor. 2 When the old man regained his senscs he found himso!f in York's cabiu. A fickering fira of pino boughs lit up the rude rafters and letl upon a phio- toraph tastofully framed with fir concs andlung above thn bLrush whereon helay, It was tho portrait of o young girl. It was fho fivst object to moot thie 6ld maw's gaza, and 1t brought with it & flush of such painful consviousuoss, that ho statod sud glancod quickly around. But his oyon only oncounterod thows of York—clear, gray, onitical, aud pationt, aud thoy foll again. ““foll me, old mun,” said York, not unkindly, Dut with the same cold, cleor tano in his voico thiat hia oyo betruyod s moment ago, * teil me, 18 TITAT A L1t T00 P" and ko pointod to the pictare. T'he old man closed L3 eyos and did not reply. Two hours bofora the question would have stung him into rome evasion or bravado. But thio rovelution contained iu the question, as well a4 the tono of York'u voice, was to him now, in Lin pitinblo condition, & relief. It was plnin ovon to bis confused biain that York had lied whon he hind endoraed hus story in the bar-room, it was clear to him now that Lo hud not been homo—that ho wos not, as lio had bhegun to fear, going mad, It wos such o rolief that with charactoristio weaknous his former recklessness and _oxtravagauce relmned, 1lo legan to ohyklo—Tinaily to laugh prontiouely. York, with Lis oyes still fixod on_ the old man, withdrew the hand with which o Lad tskon his, “Dide’t we fool 'em nicely, eh, Yorkf'? Hal n; lie! ‘o biggest thiug over yob played in this campl & always: aud Y4 pley ‘em all somo day, and T hayo P PLAYED 'EX FOR BIX MONTIS. Ain’t it rich—ain't it tho richest thing you ever sced 7 Did you sco Abner's face when Do spoko ‘bout that mau o sead me in Sonora ?—warn't it good na the miustrels? O it's too much!" and Striking bis log with tho pnlm of his hund Lo al- most threw himaelf from™ the bed in a prroxysm of laughter—n paroxysm thut novoribioless up- peared to bo hinlf real aud holf afccte: “Jg that photograph Lior's ?” satd Y vaice, nftor o uliPut pAUBe. N “Hor's? No! It one of {ho San Francitco actrossos, ho! ho! Don't you see—I boughl it for two bits in ane of the ook storen, I naver thonght they'd swallur that too! but thay did] Ohy.but tho old man played "om this time, didu't lie—eh " aud he poercd curiously in York's 0, “Yon, aud NE PLAYED ME T00," #aid York, looking steadily in the old man's oyo. “Yeu, of course,” intorposed Plunkott, Lasti- “but you know, Yorky, you got out of it You've sold ‘em too,” Wo've both got ‘em on o gtring no! ou tnd mo,—got to suicl together now. You'did it woll, Yorky, you did it woll. Why when you Baid_you'd seou mo in Yorl City, I'm d—d if T gidu't—-" “ Didn't what ?" said Yerk, gently, for tlo old man had stopped with & pule faco and wandoring oyo. Y on i * You sy when I snld T bad seen you In Now York you thought—" : “you LD ) sald the old man flereely, “I didu't say I thonght suything, Whot uro you trying to go back on mo for? Lu?" ILe hauds wore trombling as he rose muttering from tho bed sud made Lijs woy toward the Loearth, “Qimme somo whicky,” Lo smd presently, wgud dry up, You oughier treat anyway. Thein fellows oughter treated Just night. DLy hookoy I'd mado "em—only I fell sick,” York pinced tho liquor and o tin cap on tho tablo besido him, and going to the door turned his Dack upon hie guest and looked out on tho night. Although it was clear moonlight the familisr prospect never to him seomed so dreary, ‘Ihe dead waeto of tho broad, Wingdam highway never scened so monotonous—kco liko the dayi that ho had passed and wore to come to him—i like the old man in its suggestion of going some timo uud wover gotting there. e turved, mil going up to Plunkett put bis hand upon ks shoulder nnd said, " J **I wuut you to angwor ono question faidy end squarely " i Y ‘The liquor seemad to bave warmod the torjid bload fu the cold maan's veina und koflened dis nacesbity, for tho faco ko turnod up to York vas mellowed in its iugged outlito, and nore thoughtrul in its expression, as he wald : “Go on, my boy."” ' MAYE YOU A WIFE AND—DAUGHTER?" ¢ Bofore God I havel" Tiia two men wero silent for & moment ; botl gazing at tuofire. Thou Piunkect began rulbing Lis knoon slowly, Yoo “Tho wife, if it has come to that, afw't much,” ho began cautiously, *boing | lite tlo on tho sboulder, you kuow, and wijthy', 50 to spouk, » lieral Californin iducd- tion,~which mal you know, & bad com- binatlon, Its alwayvs been my opinion thiy thoro aln't any worso, Why, sho's us. seady Wi her tongun as Almer Dean la with hin revolvg, ouly withi the differenco that she shoots frop priue ciple, a8 sho_calls it, and tho consequuce ik, shio™ always luyin’ foy you. It's tha offo Lust, my boy, that's ruinin’ hor—{t'a thom idas she gols In Now York und Duaton that's mde hor and me whut woare, 1 don't mind h¢ lsvin' "am if khe dldn't shoot, Dut havin’ tha propen- Hity, thom principles oughtn't to bo lylg round looyo no amwre'n fireaimis,” H 10T YOUR pAuGuTEL ? " Bald York, | The old man's hands went up t¢ his eyes Lore, and thon both hands and leed drop- ped forward on tho tablo, * [on’t sy anything 'bout ler, my boy, donl ssk mo now—""With ono hand concoality Llg eyos ho fumbled about. with the or In hig pockots for his handkerohlef-but vaiuly, Porbapa it waa owiog to this fet that hore- ressed bis teavs, for whou ho regoved Hln hand Yrum Lis oyos thoy wore gquitelry. Thon he Zound ia volee, <in alow i et 1. “8he'a s benutiful girl, beawdful—though I way it, aud you shall see bor, my_boy, you shall oo hor, suro. 1'vo got things ‘abont fixed now, 1 shall bave my plan for rediicin’ ores porfectod in n day or two, and I've got proposala from all tho smoltin’ works heres” horo hw astily wro- duced & buudio of papors that foll upon the floor, *and ['n goln' to sond for 'em. L'vé got tho papors hiero as_will give me $10,000 iu tho noxt month,” he nddod, a4 ho ntrovo 4 collect tho valuablo documents_ngain, ** I'll have 'om hero by Christmas, it Ihive, aud you shall oat your Christmus diuner with me, York, my boy,— you shall, sure.” 2 ‘With his tongue now fairly loosened by lMauor and the suggestivo vantness of his prospeets, ho rawbled on more or Joss jncoherently, claborat~ g and amplifying bis plans,—oucasionslly syon spauking of thom sy already nccomplished,— untll tha moon rode high iu the hicavens, and Yorlc lod hlm again to his gouch, Iers lio lay for somo timo muttering to himsolf, until at last ho eank Into & heavy !)our. ‘When Yotk bnd entisfied himself of the fact, ho gontly took down_the picturo and frame, and, going to the hoarth, ) TOSYED THEM ON THE DYING EMUEUS, and eat doww to sea thom burn, Tho fir-cones leaped instantly intaflames; thon the foatures thal had ontrauced San Frauclaco audiences nightly flashedup and passed away,—ny such thinga sre apt to pass,—and evou the eynical amilo on York's lips faded too. And then thero camo & supplomontal and unoxpected flash as tho embers foll together, and by its light York saw a paper upon tho floor. It wae oua that ad fatlon from tho old man's pocket, As ho picked it up listlessly, a photograph slipped from ity folds. It was the portrait of a youug girl, and onits roverss was written, in & scrawling Suml, U MELINDA TO FATHER" Tt was at bost n cheap pieture, but ah me! I fnar even.tho deft graciousness of the highess art could not have sofiened tho rlfld avgulari- tios of that youthfal iguro, lts uoll-complacent vulgarity, its cheap finory, its expreasionloys fil- favor, York did not Jook at It the second timo. Llg turned 10 the lotter for reliof, It was misspolied, it was unpunctuated it was almont illegiblo, it wan frotful in tono and solflsh in sentimont. 1t was mot, I fear, oven original in tho story of ita woes. It was tho harsh recltal of povorty, of suspicion, of moan mankeslufty and compromises, of low, peins and lower longings, of sorrow, that wore dograding, of a grlef that was pitinblo, Yotiit was uincero in n cortain kind of vaguo yearning for tho pr ouco of the degraded man to whoin it was writ- ton,—un uffection that was more hike a confused instinct than n sontiment. York fotded it agnm carofully and placed it boneath tho old “man’s pillew. Then lo roturned to bis soat by the fire. A emilo that lind been playing upon his face, doap- oning the curves belind lis moustacho and gradually overtunniug his clesr brown oyes, presontly faded away. It was last Lo go from his oyoy, aud it loft thero,—oddly enough to thono who did not know hitu,— A TEAR. 116 snt thera for a loug Limo. loaning forward, i hend upon s hands, The wind that had boen striviug ‘with tho, canvas roof all at ouce lifted its_cdgos and a moonbenm slippad Buddenly in, and lay Yor 2 moment liio n shining blade upon his shoulder. And knighted by its touch, straitway plain Henry York uroso,—aus- Luined, ligh-puiposed and salf-roliant, TUE RAINS HTAD COME AT LAST, There was already a visiblo greouness on the slopes of Hosvytron Hill, aud tho long, white track of tho Wingdam rosd was Fu!t in outlying pools and ponds o Lundred rods from Monto Flat. The spent water-courses, whoso whito bones had been sinuously trailed over tho flat, liko the vertcbric of somo” forgot- ten Saurian, wera full again; tho dry bones moved onco more in the valley, and thero was joy in tho ditehes, and a pardonable oxtrava- co in the columns of the Monto Fint Monitor, vor bofora in tho history of the country bus tho yiold beeu po sntlslactory, Our contompo- rary of tho Miltaida Leacon, Who yestorday faco- tlously alluded to tho fact (?) that our best eiti- z2us woro leaving town, in “* dug-outs,’ on ac- count of tho flood, will be glad to” hear that our distingulshod follow-fownsman, Mr. Honry York, now ou o visit to his velatives in the Tiaet, lately 160k with Lim, 1o his *dug-out,’ the modest sum of &U0,000, tho resnlt of one woel's clean- up. Wo can _imagine," contivued the sprightly journal, **that mno _ such mie- fortuno {8 likely to overtnke Hillsido this geason. And yot wo “believe tho Zeacon man wants o raflrond.” A fow jonrmals broko out into pootry, ‘Thio operator at Simpson's Orossing Lologruplhied to tha 'Sacramento Uni- verse: **All day the low clouds bavo shaok their aracred lullucss down.” A Ban PFrancleco ourual Inpéed inté noble verse, thinly disguised 18 edliovial prose: “Iiojolco, tho gontle rain hna come, the bright and pourly rain, which scatters blflu!lnglfl on the lills, aud sifts them o'er the plain. Rojoico,” ‘ete, Indecd, thero was only uua to whom tho rain hiad not brought blezsing, an g THAT WAH PLUNRETT. In some mysteriois eud durksomo way, it had {ne torfored with musnzmunnu of his ney mathod of reducing oros, nnd thrown tho advont of that in- vention_bacl anothor sonson. It had brought Lim down t #ut babitual sont in the bar-raom, whore, to heedleny and inattentive cars, ho sat and dikcoursod of the East and his family, No one disturbed hi; Indeed, it was rumor- od thatsomo funds Iind beon lodpod with the landlord, by & person or persous unknown, whoreby his few wants were provided for, Iiis mania,—for that was the charitable construotion which Monte Flat put upon his econduct,~—was indulged,.evon to the exlent of Monte Flat’s ac- cepting his invitation to dino with Lis family an Cliristions Dag—an_ invitation cxtondod frankly {0 overy ona with whom the old man drank or talled,” Lut ono day. to evorybody's astonlele o, hie bursé iuto the bar-room, holding su opoen Jotter in his hand. It read ns follown : ‘' B READY TO MEET YOUR FAMILY ot the now cottngo ou Honvytreo ITill on Christ- mag-Day. Luvilo whal friends you choogo, * Hexny Yonr." Tho lotter wus handed round i silence. Tho old man, with u look altarnating botweou hope gni faar, guzed in the facos of the group., 'L'he dogtor louked up eignificantly sllor o pause. “It'sa forgery, evidontly,” ho enid, in a low voico; “ ho's cunning enough to concelve it— they always ara—but you'll tind he'll fail in ox- enting it.” Wateh his Taco! Old man,” he sald suddonly, in a loud, peromptory tone, * this is n trick—a forgory—and you know it. Answer mo equarely, and look mo in tho oye. Isu't it 07" ‘Iho_oyes of Plunkett stared o moment, and then dropped weukly, Thon, with a feebler #milo, he snid: *“You're tao many for me, boys, The Doc'w right. The little game's up, You can taze the old muu's hat;" and eo, tottering, trembling, and chuckling, he dropped into silonco and his nceustomed saat, DBut the next day bo scomed 1o have forgotton this episode, and Uallod au libly s over of the approachivg fos- tivil And go the days and weoka passod until Chirlst- mas,~—n bright,” cloar duy, warmed with south winds, and” joyous with the resurrection of epringing grassos,—broke upon Monto Flat. And theu there wos a sudden _commotion in the hotel bar-room, and Abner Dean stoud besido tho old man's chait, und shook him out of elum- ]):cr to Lig feot, “ Rouso up, old man; York 1 oro, : WITIC YOUR WIFE AND DAUGHTEM, at tho cottage ou Ileuvytree. Come, old men, Iloro, boys, give bim & life;" aud In auokher momint « dozon strong and willing hands had ralued (ho old man and boro him ju triumph to the streot, up Lho stecp grado of Houvytres U1, and doposited him, straggling and “con- funcd, in tho porch of o littl coltazo, At tho #amo lnstant, two womon rushed forward, but wore veatrained by a gosturo from Henry York, “Tho old man was struggling to his foct. With an offort, at lnt, ho stood oract, trombling, lis oyo fised, a giuy pallor on his cheok, and a deop reasonanco i1n iy voleo, ‘*11"8 ALL A TRICK, AND A LIE!" Thoy afn't no flosh und blood or kin o wmine, It ain't my wife, no child, Mf daugh- ter's s besutiful giil,—s boautiful gixl,~d'yo nhear? Bho's in Now York, with her mothor, and I'm galnq}ln toteh hier liere, Isnid I'd go home, and I've been homo—d'yo honr ne ?—1I' been homa I It's o moan triek you'ro playin’ on thoold man. Let mo_go, d'ye hear? Ieop them womon off mo| Lot mogo! I'm goiug— 1'31 GoING uom:‘!" His Liands wero Uirown up convulsively In the alr, and, balf tursing round, be foll sideways on the poreh, and o to the ground, ’.l‘lxa[\; gluxnd khu up burriedly; bué too late. Ho bad gouo e, + ‘T'he Shah London, It cout the City of London $03,147 to mako a fool of Itself over the Bhah of Yersin, or about tho sume sum Boole compelled Now York to Fny for o certmin notorious Japancse 1eception, whicly, by the way, was really the cradle of our ing-lroublos, 1lad tho Parlan Lumbug. boon in fact, as in namo, tho “ King of Kings,” it is Aoubtful If London would huve beon sny moro luvish of monay In recolving him, It must bo borue in mind Lhat the figures we aro about to i:lva beleng sololy to a slugle ontortainment, nsting ouly & few hours, W'ho clerieal work cost 1,000 816,000 went to buildors for tomporary carpentory ; ynsfittora laid pipe to tho value of §5,080; plumbiors ditto, $200; puvors bad o Job costing $200; tlovists blostomed and bloomogd to the oxtont of $3.000; decoratora gb- sorbed §0,024; $060 wont for Alatuary relrestuncuts ‘ate up $8,878; tho “wines cnlt 92,730, and eodi-wator 388} obiua and glnen cont 81,017 mora than $1,100 went for musio In two hours 3 printin nndl(lhogrnph(ng cont $2,004, the ndmiusion tickota nlone coating $1,008," For nwnings £4,302 woro spout; for ropairing couking np]mmtun—Snothnn said sbout digestive apparatun)—=2042; glovea and searls for commitieo men, 2202, (and this ftem brings Lo fond recolloction thosa featfully col- orod gloves Boole amd his Aldermon \voro on tho Japanesa ocnn«lun?; a photogravhier who took u pleture of tho tublo, ot 2460, and abont £4,000 moro wont for unmonitionablo Incidentals, It is worth rocording in o roparate paragraph that Aldorman McGoorge, who socms to have baon Chafrman of tho Commitéeo who fivaatod all this monoy in the Porslan frand, was roward- ed for his repors theroanent by a volo of thanks, for ungrossing which gratitudo upon vellum an nlmrnmlntlnu of 2125 was duly made. Take it altogothier, tho nffair was n pieca of most oxcel- lout fooling. e AN OLD-YEAR SONG. A8 tlrough the forent, dlmarrayed Iy chill Novembor, lito 1 sirnyod, ‘Alonely minatrel of tio wood Was suging to the olitudes 1 loved thy musfv, thin 1 eaid, When o'cr thy pocels tho leaves wora spread § Buweol war thy song, bul mweoter uow Thy carol on the leaflesa bough, Sing, little bird | thy not whall cheor "o saduess of the dying year, When violots pranked the burf with bluo Aud morning fliod their cupe with dow, Ty slonder volco with rippilug trill Tu budding April bowers would ull, Nor paew ita joyous tones mway When April roundod futo Muy : Ty life abnl ol 1o secoud dawn,— lug, littlo bird | tho spring Is gone, Aud I remomber—well-a-day l— Thy full-blown sunimer rodudelay, A8 whon behind o brotdered screen’, Boma holy maiden sings unscon ¢ With answering nolen the woodland rung, Aud every troe-top found A tougue, How dogp th siadal to groves Low fair] Bing, littls bird ! the woods nre bare, But now the summer's chiunt s dono Aud mute the choral antiphon ; Than birds have left tho slitverlig pines To it among tho trellised vins, Or fan thie sir with scentod plumes. Amnd the love-sick orauge-blooms, Aud tliough art hory alou,—alont,— Bing, lttlo bird ! tho reai bave flown, The snow haa eapped yon distant hill, At morn the running brook wht sl From driven hords thie clouds that e Ao Iiko the smoko of encrifizo, Erelong the frozon sod aall mock Tho plowshare, chunged 1o stublorn rack, fho brawliug atreams shiall foon bo dumb,— Bing, 1iltlo bird 1 tho frosta have come, Faat, fast tho lengthoning shadows creep, songless fowis avo half asleop, e afr grows ebill, tho satting pun My leave theo exo thy sony ix datio, "The puse that warins thy breswt geow cold, Ty secret dia with thoe, untold : “Iire Nugering sunsot will i bright,— Siug, 1ittle bira ! ftwill s00n o night, —Otiver Wendell Hulmes in the Atlantio for January, HUMOR. "Tha child who criod for an hour did not get A cynical Indly, rather inclinod to flirt, says ‘most nion ar0 like s cold, very casily caught, but very hard to got 1d of. —Xollogg's (Loulsiana) Metropolitnns passod & hon-roost in’ Grant Parish without xobbing it. It woa too high for thom. —T'ho little boy, at his firat concert, innocent- ly aslked, when tho soprano®way called bacl, o \ylml‘u tle mattor, muthor 7 Didn't she do it right 2" —If it wasn't for tho 10-cont stamp ocra- sionally found in a paper of tobaceo, nconsidera- blo portion of - tho citizena of Duluth would starye.— Cineinnati Commercial, “ What fs yoor nune, little girl?" & Min- nio.” “MNinnio what? " % Minnie Don't, mamma calls mo.* —It is romarked that wood will last much lnr]\gcr it leit for the womon folls to snw and split, . —Out Wost, whero women aro runming for offico, the nowspapers whose candidates liave beon elected no louger placo dofiant roosters at the hoad of their colunng, A modess hen broods ovor the glad tidings of eclection, —*Tho evidence shows that he sot up_ with Tor night aftor night, nnd they squoze hands and talked soft, and I think sho ought to have about 1853 damngos," was the charge of s Kausas Judgn £o a jury in o brench of proiise case, . —1{o bald it way too cold to zot_up, and sho anid it wasn't her place to kindlo fives, and sho wouldn't, aud they both lay abed thiriy-odd houra 1 Portland, M. ° Sho, peetty Lungry by that time, thought hotier of it. —iVe cannot bo too careful how wo play with tho English langunge. Ono day, recontly, o marriod lady of Gonosco, whila: ndmiring tho falls from tho Erie Dailrond bridge, rematked : “Isn't that G nice ¢ —Dlintress (to now servant girl from the coun- try)—* Now, Elizs, mako haste and dross your- aelf, and munko your hair tidy, bofore your ‘mns- tor comes home." Seevant girl—* Yos'm, Whero shall I tind the comb, mum " —A fair young creature, with n penchant for cards, thus addrosses an eplatle to lier maveulino friend: *Como mid play youcur with mo this ovening.” And he got mad, nnd snid o * grada- ato” who bad such spells as that was no right bower for him. —Tho Detrolt Free Press relates the follow- ing curious colncidenco: I drenmed the ofher night," suid Bijal, us ho helped His Honor inwo his, ovorcont, *that I askea Lo borrow G0 conts of you, and that you landed it oul.” *Curious ooincidonco," replied His Ifonor, ng he buttoned his cont. I hud the samo dream, except that I told you I would £ge you hung frst,"™ —A portly gontloman crowded himself into n sent in n lorde-car, next toa young man, who remarked, ““You wouldn't bo 80 anxions Lo have that gont it you know that I had just gotten over the smull-pox.” “‘'I'hat’s nothing,” was tho re- plv; *this is tho first tHimo that 1 bavo boen out sinco baving it mysolf.” Iho young man started for tho front platform. —Grandpapn's Grummar.—* I say, Grandpa, T eall it very unfair] You know my little sister, Eva? Woll, when she goos out, overybody alivaya comoa up aud saya how protty eho is, and nobody never comes up and says how protiy I am 1" “Yau're too old for such “open ilattery, my dear! ‘Thoy eny it to e, instead 1" % Q) come, Grandps, you'ro not pretty !" l —1nferior Creature—** You musl mnke all your avrangenients, madam, to do this and do that, without ever consuiting me! Do you for- {;lot, matun, that I nn your husband,—the hus. und_whom you promised to *love, honor, and obey?'™ " Buperior Crontura (ongagingly)— “1all, woll, littlo man, it's no good bomys cross about that, T promised, of course ; but you Inow I nover meant it [" —Wiilo on the Peninsula during the War, an ofticor camo across a privato bolonging to ouo of tho most pradatory companies of the Itish brig- ade, with the lifoless bodies of a goose and a hien tiod together by the legs, dangling from bhis muslet. * Whoro did you stoal tliose, yon rase cal 7" #Faith, I was murching along with Colar- Horgt. Maguire, and tho goose—bad cess to it— camo ont and hissed the “Amorican fln;i;" “Dut on, the lion, sir; howabout her /" “'The Dloss ¥o, was in bad company, and laying oggs for the ribbels,” ~2ho Territorial Enterprise, of Virginia City, Nov., i authority for tho following inoldent ¢ “Mi, Van Cott, the fat, fair, sud powerful proncher, has beon reviving tho Mothodists of Novada, and many who woroe not Mothodists, Blis goes around among tho congregation urging all who hovo not dono soto join the heavenly onmp, Lust Bunday avouing shio opproachod a Cornish miner, vho soomed to bo much jm- prosed, and laying her hand on his shoulder, sald ; * My friond, aro yon a laborer in tho vine- {nm of tho Lord # *No, mum,’ ho roplied, ooking up ut his fair questionor, ' *1bo woriin i ’es Bavago lower lovol,"" —— GIVE ME THE LOWEST PLACE, Glve mo tho lowest placo; not that I dare Ask for that lowost place, but Thou Liast dlsd That L uight 1iva and +haro Thy glory by Thy side, Glye mo tho lowest placo; or it for mo Thut loweat Plul:u too Ligh, make one more low Whero T may kit and sse My God, and lova Theo so, —Christing Rosaetli, o e A Feculinr Muviers . Tho Dritish papors aro aghast av » murder of a puenlisr charactor rocently committed ia Lon- don, ‘L'wo respectablo and sobor nien, ons of thom s tallor, long mutual frionds, sat n o tave ern of an evonlug and, tho eonvorsacion taking & motaphysical turn, Lecame fnvolved In an In- quiry as £o tho goat of lifo, ono placing it In the brain, the other in the heart, The luquhty be- came n digeunsiou, tho disenselon a disputo, the dispute a porsousl quarrel, and the personal quarrel resultod thus, according to tho anto- mortam statement of ove of the partios: ** Ho swora ho would throw mo ovar if I ropealed tho statement that tho seat of life was in the heart, Ivopeafod it, whon ho caught me around the nook, put his foot behind me, and throw mo honvily on my back, falllug ou my stomach, 1 folt vory mueh burt at the cimo. We wora pro- l viously hail friends, and boro no {ll-will to oue anather,” And before {he doctor could rend over to him Lis confussion, the champlon of the Ligast & tho seat of lifo was dead, THREE FRENCH MARRIAGES. | Frov Linpincott's Magazine for Janvary, Twny prosent yostorday at a wedding-mass in the Churchof 8t. 'Mhomns d'Aquin in tho Fuu- bourg Bt. Gormain. In tho square beforo tho chiurel Jadlos in legant costuine woro doscond- ing from thoir earriages and mounting the steps, whero a rich carpot wns lald for thom, as ono would goo in Now York on aslmilar occagion. At tho door stoad two. vergers in white hose aud searlot breochos, with blue cont, gold-embrold- ored baldrle, and the plcturcaque throa-cornered hat trimmed with light-gray ostrich foathers, At lougth the bridsl party enterad, preceded by the vergors with thoir glittoring halberds, ‘The bride was leaning on the arm of bor father, whilo the bridegroom conducted the mother, They were attended by several bridesmaids and groomemen, aud followed by o loug tealn of relativos and friondy, I'nssingup the main aisle, thoy touk their seats in the inclosed spaco bo- foro tho high altar, tho bride and bridegroom in tho contre, apart from the rest, in chairs of crimson velvet and gold, rich cnough for thrones, Thero was & profusion of white lowors around the altar, but they were all ortificinl, a8’ scoms to bo always tho caso lu Tranca an such occasfons, Though thoy aro axquisito Imitations, ono would prefor to have roal flowers ab one's wedding, Moro show than sweotness in & bad omen, The ofticiating priest and Lis nsslstants woro whilo robes; with laco which would have mado tho deapnir of & Duchess, The brida looked vory pracaful in & whito gown porfectly plain, with the tulle vell floating to her foot and orange-blogsoms gleamiug out from her dark ringlets. ‘Tho coromony was long and fm- prosuive, In ono part of it tho priest presentod o the bride and bridegroom Yho plecos do swasiomn "—that Is, silver medals about the aizo of o duilnr boarfug the names of the youug conple, with tho dato of their marrings and ap- proprinte emblems. A littlo Inter they advanced toward tho allar, whon the priest presonted to them two golden paterw, which thay raverantly Lissed, and, roturning to their seals, two of tho groomamon held above their heads u long whito mantlo of cloth of eilver with fringes of gold, whilo the pricat wont on with the sorvice, ‘During the offertory the vergers passod through the assembly with their monotonous chant, ** Pour les pauvres, 8'il voua plait" (* For the paor, if you pleags”), cach followed by n groomeman and 4 bridesmald, who neld out'tho small crimuon velvet bag to receive tho offerings, I would rathor have taken putt in the charge at DBalaklaya than do this mysclf, but the porfect ‘engo and graco of thovo young French girls mado it eharming, . At the closo of thamasa tho bridal party passed around the altar into the sacristy, whion thoy ro- coived tho consratulations of thelr friends, af- torward returning through the grand aislo of tho chureh n the same ordor ns thoy had ontered, oxcopt that tho brido losuod on the arm of her husdand, w organ pouled forth oxultingly (ho *Wedding- March " of Mondelssohn. Aswocame out of tho church, my friend, Medamo Lofort, said to me, * You lLave scen what is vory raro in I'rance, n marriage of love and Incliuation, & 'Americain, It is tho only. ouo I bave over kaown.” “ And your own, Madame ?" sald I, “Miuo bas boen o happy marriage, but I was not ncquainted with Al Lofort when I was mar- ried to him, The fivst time L over saw lim wus an tho day of rojolcing at tho birth of the Princo Imperlal, Ho was presonted to me in the Chumps-Elysces, but I was engronsed with tho Beono around me, and did not niuch observe him, ¢ How did you lile M. Lofort ?' aslked my mothor on tho way home. ‘I do not know: I scarcaly looked at him.' ¢Dut, my danghter, your father lins gelectod him for your husband, e will dina with w3 to-morrow, and unless ho is vory Qimgroeable to you— 3. Lefort was a hund- sowe man: Le iy o still, you know, and he wan much hundsomer then. - Ha pleased me, but I never spoke ten words to him till after we wera married, which was just a month from tho dny I firat saw him ; and all the time we ware g0 busy, my mother and ¥, with prepara~ tions for the wedding that I bad not ' n momont to thinl. Ile sent mo tho most boautiful flowers ovary day, and for wy_evrleille: de mariage ho gnve mo dinmonds and an Indis shawl warch cost 5,000 franes. 1le was in & stato to commit folliea thien," suid Madunmte with u little il “Iavas bowildered with nll this now splendor, for French -girls: ave always dressed in tho simplont way—not ab all as” m your country, whota Migs lins evorything as nandy a3 Mammn ~—ulk they nover goiuto the siroet without a chaperose. Iwas full of Jifo aud longed for oxcitoment : my motlior was nn invalid and wont ot vory #oldow, ko thal marrlage was like su open door 0 freedom,” *“ But I do not #oe haw yon daved,"” 0L, aw to thut, T was thoughtloss enonglt, and_ bosides L never expeeted anyLiung at, Bugone way very good toTuo. ¢ wit by wo had our little Clarics, wo foll in love » ach other by degrees, and wo have beel are ns happy lolpod to mals T think marriagos 0 us anywhern else,” [ throo tast winter, and they have all boou happy.” + Do tatl mo shout thom,” snid I, ~~wign tho greatost pléasire, this ovening er dinnar.” "Tho girls wi wnid L (Pho gi mens of Anserican undeyr my eate tomporanly,) Accordwgly, when the {uinps wore lighted (for thote is uo gas in Froueh purlors) we drew. our chairs around the tablo to Lewy the story of tho three marriaged. **You rentembor,” bogan Madamo, * tho fab Colonel who dined with™ us lost Sunday ? i wifo is my causin, and a your ago she was not Madame do Courvolles,” “But tho little boy ?" said Alice with s naive surprise in hor blue oyes, 0L, the Colousl wag & widowar," sald Mad- ame langhing. My cousin lived with her father in o conntry town, Sho was the youngest child. Ier mothor had beou dead many yoars ; ber brothors and istors woie married ; sho had boen neled in marringo, but she did not Jike to lanya bor fathor, and he would have beov 5o dos- olato without hor that be had not the heart to urge it. My uncle died about two yesrs ngos hiw proporty was divided among his childran, Paulivo bad’ & moderate incomo, which would nol permit ber to live in the stylo to which sha was sccustomed. Blo wroto mo & vory sad let- tor, Inmenting hor father's death and hor own Joneliness and desolation, Bha asked ma to find hor a 100m und board in Patjs, in o convent or in some q‘lliul famnly, I wrote that I would do all 1 couldt for Ler.” ‘But, my dear cousin,’ [ added, *why do you not think of marriage? It will be very disagreeabls to you, who Lave so long been the mistresy of & handwomo establish- mout, to live in the way you propose. Forious- ly, marringe is the only solution of all your fnrplnxltleu.' T lind not long to wait for a roply, Puuline wrote that sho would willingly marry, but sha was now 86 years old, her dowry wns not oxcossive, and she foared it would be impossiblo to make an advantageous marriage. ¢ Diftienlt,’ 1 wrote iu roply, * bitt not impossible, Como to Darig, mako mo a lttlo visit, and wo will see.’ Now I had in my mind my friend_Col. de Cour- colics, whoso wifo had baen dead sbout a year and o half, To often cama to eoc me, aud al- ways bowailed hia lonoliness and the unlappy condition of his childron (lic had but two, o girl and boy) without o mothor. Tt occurrod to me that two sorrows rightly mingled might make ouo 1oy; aud the noxt timo hocalled and enterod on Lis usual monologuo I mterpolated tho quos- tion, * Why don't you marry ngain, Colovel # It is tho only thing that can make you forget your sorrow.’ koow it,' eald e, ‘but thero is mno lady,' ‘Pardon me, Colonel, I havo a cousin who is just my ago, Sho has ro- cumlg lost hor falhor; ‘sho has o dowry of 60,000 franca, and sho in coming to.spoud & fow weoks with mo,” ¢ I shall bo delightod to meot your charming cousin, Madame,’ *In duo time Pauline urnived. After tho firat grooting and coudolencesgworo over, L snid, *T'auline, I think I havo found s busband for you—Col, do Courcelles, liave been no- quainted witih bim many years; he hasa fluo position, and ho was vory indulgent to his wifo ; who was very happy with hiw. 1lo will dino with us on Sutmeay, and vou will liave an nrnm’t\mny to sea him, I hava snid nothing to him about it; you may fecl cumipletoly at your ease,' " {3ty Amorican rendors, who havo been brought up, I lsopa, with o sfrict regard for truth, will doubticsa bo shocked at tho Madame's want of veraeity, I was not sorry Lo seowmy young Dos- tonians oxchange n glance of surprise, which Madanie did not obsorve, and would not lmve underatood if sho hal observed it Itonch- mon appear to regud & llo a3 o hing iunocent in ituslf,—ono which mry bo “oven highly meritoriovs, and which becomes erimivgl only under coertain ol cuwstances, doriviag ita tmoral characler cutivoly from the molives that prompt It.) “On Sunday the Coloriel cane, Olarlce was at sehaol then, and there wore only four of ns,— AL Lefort and T, my cousin kud tho Colonel, who #at opposite her, “Thoy looked at esch other furtivoly from timo to time, und, when their oson of! likn o hear the story, too," s woro toar charmivg spoci- youny womanhood who waro L met, drapped thom instantly on thelr plates in tho most comical munuer, “Diuner oyer, I took ny cousin aside: *What do you_think of hum ¢ _"Ho s too fat,’ sald Pauline,” *TFat? Youthink 1 A0? Theideal!' ¢Oh, Madumo, how conld you ? Ha i1 tmmonsa!’ said my-iunocont Panline, with & loole of distress, ‘Only considor what & flne position ho bas,’ said I, ‘and such un oxcellpn! manl If you could only soo how well g looks on horsoback at tho head of his regimaont !’ Lntor in tho ovenlng 1 hind an opportunity sponk to the Coloucl. ‘Woll?' sud I or« rogatively, *Madame, your cousin is chorming, but sho 18 rathor too tall.’ The huge Colone. hnd n glant's ponchiaut for littlo womoi. *Iherc is no otenalon for you to go any furthor,' nnid 1 ‘1 have not mantioned it to my cousin. of ll.:‘numu,' 1 shonld like to eull to-morruw,’ #aid c. ** In six weoks Pauling wan Madamo do Cour- collos, Lt up to the wedding-duy she continuet Lo Any pitoaunty, * If hio were onlynot o fat (124 “Thut Is not romantic at wll," #aid Lily. + But thoy ara vory happy,” sald Madznic, B ‘l'lfluaml't sbe think ho iy too fut now 2" aalked allo, ‘*1 daro say shie would be vory indignant if you wore to say k0," laughod Madamo, . **Now for marringe Numbor 2," said Helen, * A short timo beforo my conslu’s_mariingo,” contitned Madame, “my frieud, M. Auvor, ealled on mos *'Lhat i n strmigo Iden of yours, to murry your cousin to that great fat Colonal,’ suid ho, *1bevoa friond who would suit. her much bottor, I am sure) ‘It is rather dnto for that mow; elo is to bo married in ton days.' ‘Ilow voxatious!' geid M. Auber. * Liut, Monieur, I bnve o sistor-in-law, & young widow, several yoars younger and far haudsomer thau my cousin. Your frioud might bo ploased with hor' *I wilsh I could weo hor. ¢ Nothing casior. Dino with us tho dayafter tos morrow, you and Madame Auber, and I will in- vito Julla to maok you,! Ay sstor s ronlly vers beautiful, and M. Auber could nob restrain bis admiration : ¢ Oh, Madnmo, sho isadorable! It my friond can please hor, he isa man to Lo on- viod, Lobus sco: to-duy Is ‘Tuowday., Wall, Thureday, if you and yoar sister and M. Leforl will dino ith us, my friond will bo thor: ' huraday oaine, the diuner, and the guosts. I bad told iy sister what was in contomplation, snd wo woro naturally a littla omious tv seo M. Vernon, 1Io was o good-looking mau, sbout 5t yearn of ago, * Oh, »Madamo, wasn't ho bald?” nsked Alicn, - “}V'ull. bo was a littlo, on tho top of hip hond." y * I hinto bald mon, How old was slio?" “A little undor 80, I should not think sho would have married bimn i sho was 80 beautitul,” 5 * Woll, my dear, o had & fino sociel position and a larie fortuno, hotel in Paris, houso in tho country, elogant enrrisgo, and sorvants in livory. It wad n proat tomptation, and then sho was not very young, you kuow, Woll, dinnexr was over, and wo had roturned to tho parlor, ML Auber seomed restloas sud fidgoty, for ho i of o very Impotiont temperament. ¢ Madame Lofort,’ suid 1, riging, *I should, like to show you & mmt!ufi by Paunl “belaroclio in tho nest room.’ Il seen tho puinting hundreds of timas, but I fol- lowed without o word. ‘Vornoa, wouldu't you liko to eo it, too ' waid AL, Aubor. No sosuor was the door closed than bo asked fu his onger way, “Well, Mndame, what does your sisier think of my freud?® *But, Mousicur, how should 1 know? I have not had an odmm'luui!y to_speak to nor, ok, it would Lo mora suitable to know if. Vernou's impression flrat.” Ob, Iunw that inan instant,’ eaid ML Auber. *Thoro js no uecod of agling him, He iy on- chanted.! *'Lruly, she is the most boautiful croa- ture I ever saw,’ said M. Vernon, *Far too young aud lovoly for me, Xam afraid,’ ‘That romalny to b seen,’ said Lis friend. ‘sl hor, Madame, —just as well pow as any time,’ *But M, V non must go away.’ *Cortainly, Madawe ;' Le oponed tho door into tho parlor. *Como, then, Julic, dou't you wish to soa thin beautiful painting ? Have you no tusto for tho arts 7' Sko came, *M. Auber wishes to know bow you nre pleased with his friond.” ‘e is very well,’ sald she coolly—*rather old.' ‘Oh, Mudame, s tuat all you con say foronoof the hest matches in Tranco?’ ‘I donot know that I have zuy objec~ tion,’ she added, *Thou, Madume, wo will con- sider the affyr settled,” “Larly the next morning M. Vernon ealled to ask my husband to nccompeny bim to tho house of Julie's mothor, und after {he usual compli- ments of presentation ba immediately asked tha hond of Lor daughtor. In threo weeks I had the ploasure of boing present at the wedding.” * Oh, bow_dreadful!” cried the girls in a chorus. * No Jove-wal » " No walky by moonlight I Sa progzic]” * Bverytling hur- ried up uo, just fike n parcel of guoda Lought sud delivered.” ! *\Why, how long ara botrothals in your coun- tey 2 asked Madama, “ Tywo or theee yenrs generally, Seldom less than one yoar when the parties are young.” * I should baye clianged my mind tires o1 four times in o year,” suid M. Lefort, looking up from the book which hie had beon reading all the tine, appurently. *And I mino Jve times,” said Madame. “How, than ? Aro not such long engagewents ofton broken ?" slio inquired. ** O, novar,” said Balle, with fervor. “ But, my child,” interrapted I, { am afrald you are mistaken theve ; I havo kuown a groat any brolen in niy time.” 1 “And do thesa youug lovers sco each othor ofton during this long interval 2" “Yory ofton, Madamo, if they happen to liva noar eachi othor.” “Dut always In the presence of the young Iady’s mnother, I suppose?” “Noj itis very comnion fora younglady to receivo hor botrothed alone,"” *Ob. shocking!"” and Mademe looked rigid with satouishment. “DBut if tho engagemont woro broken, she would nover fnd a husband aftor such au intimaoy " “'Chat would make no difference,” I rejoiued, “unless o girl wore engnged wix or soven years, and the man broke his engagement theu, ad somatimes happen. Sho would bavo lost her fresh young boauty, aud her heart might bo sa sou on the faithless lover thas no other could aver taka Lis place.” Ah," paid Madame, *our young girls aro at leust savod from all puius of tiic heart.” “*And they are kept from indocorous flh‘lhlf! and manouvers to attrace attention, too," said I, with & glanco at my young Americans,—not that they necded tho hiut patticularly, however. “They flirt_enough alterward,” gaid Delle epiritedly. * Don't you remomber the odious Madame I\, with hor yellow cayls, and the young ofticer at tho Grand Hotel ? I never saw auy such flnting in Amerien.” * Don't tulk, girls,” suid Emily. “Iwant to Liear about the third marringe.” “Well," resumed Madawme, *‘Ifclt o good doal of complaconcy lu my success, and it formod a subject of conversation at the next recoption. ‘I am disgusted,’ suid Madamo Bolval, ‘ILuve boen trying all wintor to briug sbout & marrisge Dbetiveon two of my friénds, and it has failed nt Inst. I will nover try again if I live a thousand yonrs.” ‘Lam ready o try ngain to-morrow.’ * Piny be 80 kind a8 to give me some asslstance, then,’ said Madamo C., wifo of tho Minister of Marine, * I am looking for u suitable wifo yor Euile, as I am very dostrous that heshould mar- ry. Youngmon are oxposed to go many temptas tions in Paris—actrosses and grisottos, and all that Lind of thmg—onough to drive t molbor distracted. Emile will bo 25 next month.,’ " “ I uhould think he wasold enoogh to find 2 wife for himself,” \\'IIIBEM‘M Alice. His galary is 12,000 fraucs, which is not bad for & young man, and his fathor will do _somo. thing mote for him whon e marries. ‘I know a girl that will enit him oxactly,’ cried Madamo Tolyal, engarly, forgetting, 1ike Rip Vau Winklo, that slio hnd ** woro off " (Thia_is an intorpolas tion, I am afraid the Fronch ladios hnd not the pleasure of boing acquainted with Monsiour Van Winkle), *Tho Administrator of the Lyons Railway bas & daughter almost 19, tho moat ami- ablo, tho most lovoly, and ler father will give her 100,000 frauca,’ ~ *‘Lhat is vory ressonablo,’ eald Maaanmo C. ¢ I shall bo undor overlasting obligations to you if you will speak to him of our{:]ou.' “With the greateat pleasuro in tue world.! “Madame Belval had an intorview with the Administrator of Railways, e would malte ins quirics about tho young man. Tho reswlt wos satisfactory, and in a weolk the fricuds of both familics, Including M. Lofort and myself, ro- colvad aw invitation to o soirco at Aladamo Dol- val's, whero thao tiwo young people would moet for tho first tUme, I was vory embarssing for thom in tho Iwcsmxcu of 80 muny obsorvers. Madomolselle Theroso was lovely, With long fair curls and that dellento blond benuty which i so rara in Franco, I pitiod the poor child, oho was 80 dintrossod at the thought of belnz on ox- hil»itllulll. and looked palo and then flughod altor- uately." “1am glad I am not s Fronch givl," sald elen, “Aud the young man was scatcely loas api- tatad. Thoy hardly daved to laok at vach other, and woro us silent as deaf mutes tho wholo ovening, The noxt day bis futhor made s foymal domand of 3, Thouve! for tho hand of his danghitor,” *1in father! and the younir man bad uothing ta do with it ?” axclaimed BDello, amazed, ‘o nfavringos aro nlwaye artangol by the paronts with us," suid Madame, **3, Thouvel gave an alirmative auswor, aud the maringy took placo shortly atter, aa {s usual in Frauce,"” + Aud shall you bo murried In (hat way, Clar- feo? * askod Alico compagsionately of Madame's protty youug daughter. ~+v Jow olso? 1am not golug to America,” Mauy B, Dram,