Evening Star Newspaper, August 3, 1895, Page 14

14 THE EVENING STAR, SATURDAY, AUGUST 8, 1895-TWENTY PAGES. $1,000! SIDNEY YENSIE. REWARD! $1,000! GEORGE CARSON. The Post Office Department will pay the sum of FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS reward, each, for the arrest and conviction, in any United States Court, of Sidney Yennie and George Carson, on the charge of post office robbery. STORIES OF CRIME Uncle Sam’s Mail Seems to Have his Attractions for Thieves, SOME NOTABLE POSTAL ROBBERIES Adepts in Deeds of Darkness Plan to Plunder Post Offices. KEEN DETECTIVE WORK (Copyrighted, 1895, by Frank G. Carpenter.) HE RECORDS OF the Post Office De- partment of the United States are blotted with crime. More than one hun- << dred postmasters go wrong every year. Over one thousand arrested for trying in some way or other to piifer from the mails, and on the average more than two post offices are robbed every day year in and year out’ Last yeur there was an increase of 35 per cent in post office burglaries, there being 426 more such crimes during that time than the year preceding, and within the past ten years there has been an in- crease of 247 per cent in postal robberies. ‘The indications are that the present year will break the record, and that it will show more burglaries than any in our history. Mail Rebbing a Science. ‘The robbing of post offices is now reduced a science. It is known that there are in the country a class of professional burglars who devote themselves to robbing post of- fices. They are experts in their line, and their stealings equal fortunes. They have their fences through whom they get rid of the stamps they steal, and everything con- fected with them seems to be systematical- ly organized. They operate in all parts of the country, though the headquarters of one of the biggest gangs seem to be in New York. During the past two or thre2 years they have become bolder than ever. The Post Office Department has for some time known of their existence, and the in- spectors are working night and day to wipe them out. Two years ago the matter was taken up by Congress and an appropria- tion of $10,000 was made to be used by the Post Office Department in the shape of re- wards for the arrest and detection of such robbers. Last year this appropriation was increased to $25,000, and the result is that the department now has standing rewards for noted postal burglars. They are now sending bills announcing such rewards to the different detective offices of the coun- try, and two which were lately issued He before me as I write. One of these bills offers $2,000 for the captur> of the three great post office bur- glars—Killcr:n, Russell and Allen—who es- caped from the Ludlow street jail in New York on the 4th of last July, and the other offers $1,009 for the arrest and conviction of Sidney Yennie and George Carson, two other celzbrated post office thieves. Post Office Inspectors. ‘These circulars are signed M. D. Wheeler, chief P. O. inspector. The inspectors may be called Uncle Sam’s postal detectives. There are about one hundred of them, and they are scattered all over the country. They have charge of all crimes connect- ed with the post office, and may be order- ed by the Postmaster General to go to any part of the country at a moment's notice. A number of them are on duty along the line between the United States and Cana- da, and they are especially busy just now in keeping track of the robberies in the western states and territories. Every day or so there Is a telegram from Oklahoma or the Indian territory asking for the de- tection of some tew post office crime. The Inspectors are under the charge of Mr. M. D. Wheeler, who directs them from the Post Office Department here. Tha men who rob Uncle Sam's post offices are among the most dangerous of our criminal classes. They are usually men of more than ordinary intelligence, and they seem to be adepts in the art of getting out of Uncle Sam's jalls. There ts a man now in the penitentiary at Joliets Ill., who held up five men. and succeeded in making his escape after he had been ar- rested by the postal inspectors. This man’s name is Le Roy Harris. He was formerly in the employ of the New York post office. About a year ago he got possession of some money order and postal note blanks of a Connecticut post office. With these, by means of forgery, he succeeded In obtain- ing about $3,400 from the post office funds. He sent his bogus money orders all over the country. The inspectors soon discov- ered his fraud, and within six weeks after the theft of the blanks they had arrested bim. He was taken at Buffalo, N. Y., and was brought before a United States com- missioner, While that officer was issuing the necessary papers Harris drew his re- volver, made the five men in the room hold up their hands, and escaped. He was cap- tured, however, the same night at a little town in Canada, and was sent to jail. The Escape of the Letter Box Thieves. Last year the department had great trouble with a gang of letter box thieves, & number of whom escaped after being arrested. This gang made a specialty of breaking open street letter boxes. They carried on their work in different parts of the country. About a year ago the in- be gh got on their track and arrested the three who were considered the chiefs of the gang. One of these was a man named Stratton, who was caught in Col- orado, and who is serving a twenty-one years’ sentence in the penitentiary at Canyon City. He escaped four months after he was captured, but was retaken, and is again In prison. Two others of this gang who were arrested also escaped, but they were both retaken. The Case of Rabe Burrows. Of all the desperate post office robbers who have broken jail, however, the de- partment has no more remarkable case than that of Rube Burrows. This man vas a famous train robber and burglar. He had been engaged in a number of post office robberies and he ended his career through an attempt to rob a mail train in Mississippi in 1889. He had two confed- erates, and the three men entered the train by way of the engine. They covered the engineer and fireman with their pistols and then made their way back to the mail ear. They took all of the registered pack- ages and succeeded in making their es- Pp The Post Office Department offered $1, for the arrest of Burrows. The rail- roads also offered rewards, and a man named Carter finally captured him. He was taken to Alabama and was put into a ‘ilage jail. Carter had gone off to slee} t the hotel. He left a white man an negroes to guard Burrows. During the night white man went off into a cabin persons are annually | to sleep, leaving the two negroes alone. Burrows had a little canvas bag with him at the time of his capture. He asked these negroes to get this for him, saying that it contained some crackers and he was hun- . They did this. Burrows at once put two hands into the bag, and, notwith- tanding the handcuffs cn his wrists, pulled out two pistols. With these he covered the negroes. He made them go and bind and gag the white man, and then made one of the negroes bind the other. The unkound negro he compelled to lead him to the room in the hotel where *Carter was sleeping. He made him knock at the docr and say to Carter that he was wanted at the jail. The result was Carter opened the door and found himself facing the cold steel of Burrows’ revolvers. He «did not flinch, however, but pulled his pistol and began firing. A number of shots were exchanged, and Burrows was killed. Car- ter received several wounds, but he recoy- ered and got his reward. Big Stamp Robberies. One of the biggest robberies of stamps that the department has ever known was that which occurred here last fall at the bureau of engraving and printing. The governmeat up until within a short time has been having the stamps made by the American Bank Note Company of New York. It cost the government 7 cents a thousand. Now Uncle Sam makes his own stamps, and saves $100,000 a year by doing so. Last October, however, it was found that two of the employes of the bureau had been stealing stamps by the thousand. The officers woke up one morning to find 90,000 2-cent stamps missing, and it was discov- ered that these men had sent out short ackages to the various post offices and had sold the stamps they stole. There were two women mixed up in the ease, and just before discovery the men took a satchel filled with stamps and ran off with the girls to New York. They returned within a day or so and went back to work. They denied the'r crime upog being ar- rested, but were convicted, and are now serving out their sentences in the peni- tentiary. A big stamp robbery occurred at Minne- apolis nine years ago. The thieves stole 800,000 stamps. They did it at night, breaking into the post office and crawling through the stamp window. The stamps were locked up in the safe, but the burg- lars opened it with a diamond drill. The value of their steal was about fourteen thousand dollars. They took their booty to Chicago and tried to dispose of it there through some men who acted as postage stamp fences. They had still four thou- sand dollars’ worth of stamps left when they were discovered, arrested and sent to prison. The gang of burglars in New York do not seem to have this trouble in disposing of their stamps. A vast amount of stamps come into the big cities in the transmission of small sums through the mails. The merchants sell them through brokers at a small discount, and millions of stamps are disposed of in this way. It is estimated that New York uses $3,000,000 worth of postage which she does not buy of the government. There is no way of detect- ing a stolen stamp, and the postage stamp fences thus have little trouble in getting rid of the amounts they buy from the rob- bers. Some Southern Robberies. The officials of the Post Office Depart- ment tell me that robberies and defalca- tions are most common during hard times. Just about the time of the panic there were @ great many post office burglaries, and the robberies were most in those sec- tions where the times were the hardest. A number of arrests were lately made in South Carolina, and not a few in “Texas. It is now about a year since Gen. Maxwell got a telegram describing the robbery of the mail stage on its way from Robert Lee to Ballinger, Tex. The stage was stop- ped by two masked men, and the register- ed mail stolen. In this mail it was stated that there was a letter containing $3,100 of money order funds, which had been sent from the post oftice at Robert Lee. Gen. Maxwell handed the case over to Mr. Wheeler. An inspector was at once put to work, and it was found that the assistant postmaster, one of the postal clerks and the stage driver had conspired with W. F. Buchanan, the president of a bank at Rob- ert Lee, to steal this $3,100 from Uncle Sam. The postal clerk and the stage driver, the night before the robbery, slip- ped out of town with the three registered letters in their hands. Two of these they had taken from the maHs. One contained $5 and the other $2. The third letter con- tained nothing, but it was labeled to con- tain $3,100, and the register account at the post office was manipulated to show that it had been recetved. These two men took these letters to the point where they de- cided that they would swear the robbery occurred. They tore up the two bona fide registered letters, and took the money, leaving the envelopes on the ground. They tore also the bogus $3,100 envelope, which contained nothing, and then went back to town. The next morning the stage driver left with the mail. As soon as he got to this point he cut open the mail pouch. When he arrived at the next post office he told how he had been held up and the mail pouch cut and rifled. The idea was that the government wovld pay. back the $3,100 suppesed to have been stolen. Uncle Sam’s Inspectors, however, discovered the fraud, and all of the parties to the conspiracy were convicted. FRANK G. CARPENTER. > The Bicycle Mania. From the Buffalo Express. “Ts your sister at home, Johnny? “No, sir. She hasn’t returned from the academy yet.” “What academy?” “Why, haven’t you heard that she’s an instructress at the bicycle school—teaches the women to ride and sells them bloomers and things?” Vell, are your father and mother in?” “No, sir, They're out in the park on their tandem tricycle.” “Your brother Bob is traveling, tsn’t he.” “Yep. He's with one of the big racing teams. I tell you, he’s a cracker-jack! Wins a bushel of diamonds and gold cups every week.” “And where are the twins?” “They've got Rover, our dog, out in the barn, and are teaching him to ride the ew quadricycle which has just been invented for household pets.” But how does it happen that yqu are not riding a wheel, too?" “Sprained my ankle in training for the road race.” Put to Ignoble Use. From Tid-Bits. A lady who kept one of those curly Pecdle dogs lost her pet, and called upon a detective to find it. ‘The next day the officer came with the dog, which was very wet and dirty. The lady was over- Joyed, and asked forty silly questions, among others: “Where did you find the dear darliag?" “Why, marm,” sald the officer, “a fellow bed him tied to a pole and was washing windows with him.” —_—_+e+_____ Made Him Smile. From the Biston Transcript. Fogg—“It always makes me smile to read Wood's jokes. Figg—‘Smile? I should say th calculated to drive a man to d n't that what I said are well IF YOU LACK ENERGY Take Horsford’s Acid Phosphate. Stains Gh ace rates : is @ medicine, a beverage, THE WAGER OF THE MARQUIS DE MEROSAILLES, —__+—__—_ BY ANTHONY HOPE, Author of ‘The Prisoner of Zenda,” “The Dolly Dialogues,” ete. ee Copyright, 1895, by A. H. Hawkins. In the year 1634, as spring came, there errived at Strelsau a French nobleman cf high rank and great possessions and en- dowed with many accomplishments. He came to visit Prince Rudolf, whose ac- quaintance he had made while the princs was at Paris in the course of his travels. King Henry received M. de Merosailles—for such was his name—most graciously, and sent a guard of honor to conduct him to the castle of Zenda, where the prince was then staying in company with his sister Osra. There the marquis on his arrival was greeted with much joy by Prince Rudolf, who found his sojourn in the coun- try sémewhat irksome, and was glad of the society of a friend with whom he could talk and sport and play at cards. All these things he did with M. de Merosailles, ani ® great friendship arose between the young men, so that they spoke very freely to one another at all times, and most of all when they had drunk their wine and sat to- gether in the evening in Prince Rudolf’s chamber that looked across the moat to- ward the gardens; for the new chateau that mew stands on the site of these gurdens was not then built. And one night M. de Merosailles made bold to ask the prince how it fell out that his sister, the princess, a lady of such great beauty, seemed sad and showéd no pleasure in the society of any gentlemen, but treated all alike with coldness and disdain. Prince Rudolf, laugh- ing. answered that girls were strange crea- tures, end that he had ceased to trouble his head about them—of his heart he said rothing—and he finished by exclaiming: “On my honor, I doubt if she so much as Knows you are here, for she has not looked at you once since your arrival!” And he smiled maliciously, for he knew that the marquis was not accustomed to be neglect- ed by ladies, and would take it ill that even a princess should be unconkcious of his presence. In this he calculated rightly, for M. de Merosailles was greatly vexed, eng) twisting his glass in his fingers, he “If she were not a princess and your sister, sir, I would engage to make her look at me.” “I am not hurt by her looking at you,” rejoined the prince, for that evening he was very merry. “A look 1s no great thing.” And the marquis, being also very merry and knowing that Rudolf had less regard for his dignity than a prince should have, threw out carelessly: ‘A kiss is more, sir.’” “It is a great deal more," laughed the prince, tugging his mustache. “Are you ready for a wager, sir?” asked M. de Merosailles, leaning across the table toward him. “I'll lay you a thousand crowns to a hun- dred that you do not gain a kiss, using what means you will save force.’ “I'll take the wager, sir,” cried the mar- quis, “‘but it shall be three, not one.” “Have a care,” said the prince. “Don’t go too near the flame, my lord! There are sume wings in Strelsau singed at that candle.” “Indeed the light is very bright,” assent- ed the marquis courteously. “That risk I must run, though, if I am to win my wager. It is to be three then, and by what means I will, save force?” “Even so,” said Rudolf, and he laughed again. For he thought the wager harm- less, since by no means could M. de Mero- sailles win so much as one kiss from the Princess Osra, and the wager stood at three. But he did not think how he wronged his sister by using her name lightly, being in all such matters a man of careless mind. But the marquis, having made his wager, set himself steadily to win it, for he brought forth the choicest clothes from his wardrobe, and ornaments, and _per- fumes, and he laid fine presents at the princess’ feet, and he waylaid her wherever she went, and was profuse of glances, sighs and hints, and he wrote sonnets as fine gentlemen used in those days, and lyrics ani pastorals, wherein she figured urder charming names. ‘These he bribed the princess’ waiting women to leave in their mistress’ chamber. Moreover, he Iccked now sorrowful, now passionate, and he ate nothing at dinner, but drank his wine in wild gulps as though he sought to banish sadness. So that, in a word, there was no device in Cupld’s armory that the Marquis de Merosailles did not practice in the endeavor to win a look from the Princess Osra. But no look czme and he got nothing from her but cold civility. Yet she had looked at him when he looked not—for princesses are much like other maidens—and thought him a very pretty gentleman, and was highly amused by his extravagance. Yet she did not believe it to witness any true de- yotion to her, but thought it mere gal- lantry. ‘Then one day M. de Merosailles, having tried all else that he could think of, took to his bed. He sent for a physician and paid him a high fee to find the seeds of a rapid and fatal disease in him; and he made his body servant whiten his face and darken the room; and he groaned very pitifully, saying that he was sick and that he was glad of it; for death would be bet- ter far than the continued disdain of the Princess Gsra. And all this, being told by the marquis’ servants to the princess’ wait- ing women, reached Osra’s cars and caused her much perturbation. For she now per- ceived that the passion of the marquis was real and deep, and she became very sorry for him; and the longer the face of the rascally physician grew, the more sad the Erincess became; and she walked up and dcwn, bewailing the terrible effects of her beauty, wishing that she were not so fair and mourning very tenderly for the sad plight of the unhappy marquis. Through all Prince Rudolf looked on, but was bound by his wager not to undecelve her; more- over, he found much entertainment In the matter, and swore that it was worth three times a thousand crowns. At last the marquis sent, by the mouth of the physician, a very humble and pitiful message to the princess, in which he spoke of himself as near to death, hinted at the cruel cause of his condition, and prayed her of her compassion to visit him in his chamber and speak a word of comfort, or at least Iet him look on her face; for the brightness of her eyes, he sald, might cure even what it had caused. Deceived by this appeal, Princess Osra agreed to go; moved by some strange im- pulse, she put on her loveliest gown, dress- ed her hair most splendidly, and came into his chamber looking like a goddess. There lay the marguis, white as a ghost and languid, on his pillows, and they were left, as they thought, alone. Then Osra sat down and began to talk very gently and kindly to him, glancing only at the madness which brought him to his sad state, and imploring him to summon his resolution and conquer his sickness for his friends’ sake at home in France, and for the sake of her brother, who loved him. “There is nokcdy who loves me,” said the marquis, petulantly, and when Qsra cried out at this, he went on, “For the love, of those whom I do not love is noth- ing to me, and the only soul alive I love—” There he stopped, but his eyes, fixed on Osra’s face, ended the sentence for him. And she blushed and looked away. Then, thinkicg the moment had come, he burst suddenly into a flood of protestations and self-reproach, cursing himself for a fool and a presumptuous man, pitifully craving her pardon, and declaring that he did not deserve her kindness, and yet that he could not live without it, and that anyhow, he would be dead scon and thus cease to trouble her. But she, being thus passion- ately assailed, showed such sweet tender- ness and compassion and pity that M. de Merosailles came very near to forgetting that he was playing a comedy and threw himself into his part with eagerness, re- doubling his vehemence and feeling now full half of what he sald. For the princess was to his eyes far more beautiful in her softer mood. Yet he remembered his wager and at last, when she was nearly in tears and ready, as it seemed, to do any- thing to give him comfort, he cried des- perately: “Ah, leave me, leave me! Leave me to die alone! For pity’s sake, before you go, and before I die, give me your forgiveness, and let your lips touch my forehead in token of it. And then I shall die in peace.” At that the princess blushed still more, and her eyes were dim and shone, for she was very deeply touched at his misery and at the sad prospect of the death of so gal- Jant a gentleman for love. Thus she could scarcely speak for emotion, and the mar- quis, seeing her emotion, was himself much affected, and she rose from her chair and bent over him and ,,hispered comfort to him. Then she leant down and very lightly touched his fore! with her lips; and he felt her eyelashes, t! were wet with her tears, brush the skin. of his forshew; and then she sobbed and gpvered her face with her hands. Indeed, state seemed to her most pitiful. we Thus M. de Merosailles had won one of his three kisses; yet,,strange to tell, there ‘%as no triumph in fim, but he now per- celved the baseness of his device; and the sweet kindness of the princess, working to- gether with the gragt beauty of her soft- ened manner, so affected him that he thought no more of his wager, and could Tot endure to carry; gn his deception; and nothing would servb"his turn but to con- fess to the princess what he had done, and humble himself in thg dust before her and entreat her to pardon him and let him find forgiveness. ‘Therefote, impelled by these feelings, after he H#@“lain still a few mo- ments listening to’ the’ princess’ weeping, he leaped suddenly out of bed, showing himself fully clothed under the bed gown waich he now eagerly tore off, and he rubbed all the white he could from his cheeks; and then he fell on his knees be- fore the princess, crying to her that he had played the meanest trick on her, and he Was a scoundrel and no gentleman, and yet that unless she forgave him, he should in very truth die. Nay, he would not con- sent to Hve unless he could win her pardon for his deceit. And in all this he was now most absolutely in earnest, wondering only how he had not been as passionately en- amored of her from the first as he had feigned himself to be. For a man in love can never conceive himself out of it, nor he that is out of it in it; for if he can, he is half way to the one or the other, however Little he may know it. At first the princess sat as though she were turned to stone; but when he had finished his confession and she understood the trick that had been played upon her, and how not only her Kiss but also her tears had been won from her by fraud, and waen she thought, as she did, that the marquis was playing another trick upon her, and that there was no more truth nor honesty in his present protestations than in those which went before, she fell into great shame and into a great rage; and her eyes flashed like the eyes of her father himself,as she rose to her feet and looked down on M. de Merosailles as he knelt im- ploring her. Now her face turned pale from red, and she tef her lips and she drew her gown close round her, lest his touch should defile it (so the unhappy gen- tleman understood the gesture) and she daintily picked her steps round him lest by chance she should happen to come in con- tact with so foul a thing; thus she walked toward the door, and, having reached it, she turned and said to him: “Your death may blot out the insult—nothing less,” and with her head held high and her whole air full of scorn, she swept out of the room, leaving the marquis on his knees. Then he started up to follow her, but dared not; and he fiting himself on the bed in a par- oxysm of shame and vexation, and now of love, and he cried out aloud; “Then my death shall blot it out, since nothing else will serve!”’ For he was in a very desperate mood. For a long while he lay there, and then, having risen, dressed himself in a somber suit of black, and buckled his sword by his side, and put on his riding boots, and, summoning his servant, bade him saddie his horse. “For,” said he to himself, * will ride into the forest and there kill my- self; and perhaps when I am dead, the princess will forgive and will believe in my love and grieve a little for me.” Now, as he went from his chamber to cross the moat by the drawbridge, he en- countered Prince Rudolf returning from hawking; they met full in the center of the bridge, and the prince, seeing M. de Merosailles dressed &M in black from the feather in his cap®to ‘his boots, called out mockingly, “‘Who!ds ‘to be buried today, my lcrd, and whither “do you ride to the funeral? It cannot ‘bes yourself, for I see that you are méatWeljusly recovered of your sickness!’ 9" * “But it Is myself,""*answered the mar- quis, coming neat?an@ speaking low that the servants and the’falconers might not overhear. “And If ria, sir, to my own funeral.” not “The jest is stilP'afdét then?” asked the prirce. “Yet I do n@t see my sister at the window to watch’ you go and IF war- rant you have made no way with your wager yet.” bed * “A thovsand carpe my wager,” cried the marquis. “Yes, I Have made way with the accursed thing and that is why I now go to my death.” 14 “What, has she kissed you?” cried the prince, with a merry‘&stonished laugh. “Yes, sir, she has kissed me ondé dnd therefore I go to die.” - “I have heard many a better reason then,” answered the prince. By now the prince had dismounted and he stood by M. de Merosailles in the middle of the bridge, and heard from hini how the trick had prospered. At this he was much tickled, and, alas! he was even more iverted when the penitence of the mar- quis was revealed to him, and was most of all moved to merriment when it appear- ed that the marquis, having gone too near the candle, had been caught by its flame and was so terribly singed and scorched that he could not bear to live. And while they talked on the bridge, the princess locked out on them from a lofty narrow window, but neither of them saw her. Now when the prince had done laughing, he put his arm through his friend's and bade him not to be a fcol but ccme in and toast the princess’ kiss in a draught of wine. “For,” he said, “though you wil! naver get the other two, yet it is a brave exploit to have got one.” But the marquis shook his head, and his alr was so resolute and so full of sorrow that not only was Rudolf alarmed for this reason, but Princess Osra_ also, at the window, wondered what ailed him and why he wore such a long face, and she now noticed that he was dressed all in black and that his horse waited for him across the bridge. “Not,” said she, “that I care what be- comes of the impudent rogue!” Yet she did not leave the window, but watched very intently to see what M. de Merosailles would do. For a long while he talked with Rudolf on the bridge, Rudolf seeming more serious than he was wont to be, and at last the marquis bent to kiss the prince's hand, and the prince raised him-and kissed him on either cheek, and then the marquis went and mounted his horse and rode off slowly and unattended into the glades of the for- est cf Zenda; but the prince, with a shrug of his shculders and a frown on his brow, entered under the portcullis and disappear- ed from nis sister’s view. Upon this the princess, assuming an air of great carelessness, waiked down from the rcom where she was and faced her brother, sitting still In his boots and drink- ing wine, and she said: “M. de Merosailtes has taken his leave 'M. then “Even so, madame,” rejoined Rudolf. Then she broke into a fierce attack on the marquis, and on her brother also, for @ man, said she, is known by his friends, and what a man must Rudolf be to have a friend like the Marquis de Merosailles! “Most brothers,” she said in fiery tem per, “would make him answer for what he has done with his life. But you laugh, uay, I daresay you had a hand in it.” As to this last charge the prince had the discretion to say nothing; he chose rather to answer the first part of what she said, and, shrugging his shoulders again, rejoin ed, “The fool saves me the trouble, for he has gone off to kill himself.”” “To kill himself®’ ste said, half incredu- lous, but also half believing, because of the marquis’ gloomy looks and black clothes. “To kill himself,’ repeated Rudolf. ‘For, in the first place, e angry and he can- not live, and, in thé seéond, he has behaved like a rogue, so he cannot live, and, in the third place, you are sq lovely, sister, that he cannot live, and, in the first, second and third places, he ts a fool, so he cannot live.” And the ptince' finished his flagon of wine with every sign of ill-humor in his manner. y “He is well dead,’ she cried. “Oh, as you please,” said he. “He is not the first brave man who has died on your account;” and he rosé and strode out of the room very suplily;:for he had a great friendship for M. de Merosailles and had no patience with men who let love make dead bones of them. i The Princess Osra, being thus left alone, sat for a little while in deep thought. There rose before her mind the picture of M. de Merosailles riding mournfully through the gloom of the forest to his death; and al- though his conduct had been ail and more than all that she had called it, yet it seem- ed hard that he should die for it. Moreover, if he now in truth felt what he had before feigned, the present truth was an atone- ment for the past treachery; and she said to herself that she covld not sleep quietly that night if the marquis killed himself In the forest. Presently she wandered slowly up to her chamber and looked in the mirror and murmured low, “Poor fellow!” And then with sudden speed she attired herself for riding, and commanded her horse to be saddled, and darted down the stairs and across the bridge and mounted, and, forbid- ding any one to accompany her, rode away Into the forest, following the tracks of the hoofs of M. de MeroSailles’ horse. It was then late afternoon, and the slanting rays of the sun,striking through the tree-trunks, reddened her face as she rode along, spur- ring her horse and following hard on the track of the forlorn gentleman. But what she intended to do if she came up with him, she did not think. When she had ridden an hour or more, she saw his horse tethered to a trunk; and there was a ring of trees and bushes near, encircling an open grassy spot. Herself dis- mounting id fastening her horse by the marquis’ horse, she stole up and saw M. de Merosailles sitting on the ground, his drawn sword lying beside him; and his back was toward her. She held her breath and waited for a few moments. Then he took up the sword and felt the point and also the edge of it, and sighed deeply; and the princess thought that this sorrowful mood became him better than any she hail seen him in before. Then he rose to his feet, and took his sword by the blade beneath the hilt and turned the point of it toward his heart. And Osra, fearing that the deed would be done immediately, called out eagerly, “My lord, my lord!” and M. de Merosailles turned around with a great start. When he saw her, he stood in astonishment, his hand siill holding the dlade of the sword. And, standing just on the other side of the trees, she said, “Is your offense against me to be cursed ‘by adding an offense against heaven. and the church?” And she looked on him with great severity; yet her cheek was flushed, and after a while she did not meet his glance. “How came you here, madam?" he asked, in wonder. “I heard,” she said, “that you meditated eae sin, and I rode after you to for- “Can you forbid what you' cause?” he asked. “I am not the cause of it,” she said, “but your own trickery.” “It is true. I am not worthy to live,” cried the marquis, smiting the hilt of his sword to the ground. “I pray you, madame, leave me alone to die, for I cannot tear my- self from the world, so long as I see your face.” And as he spoke he knelt on one pee as though he were doing homage to er. The princess caught at a bough of the tree under which she stood, and pulled the bough down so that its leaves half hid her face, and the marquis saw little more than her eyes from among the foliage. And, thus being better able to speak to him, she said, softly: “And dare you die unforgiven?” “I had prayed for forgiveness before you found me, madame,” said he. “Of heaven, my lord?” “Of heaven, madame. dare to ask it.”” The bough swayed up and down; and now Osra’s gleaming hair, and nowy her cheek, and always her eyes, were seen through th: leaves. And presently the marquis heard a voice asking: “Dees heaven forgive unasked?” ‘Andeed, no,” said he, wondering. “And,” ‘said she, “are we poor mortals kinder than heaven?” he marauts rose and took a step or two tow where the bough swayed up and down, and then knelt again. “A great sinner,” said he, “cannot believe himself forgiven. “Then he wrongs the power of whom he seeks forgiveness, for forgiveness is di- vine.” “Then I will ask it, and if I obtain it I shall die happy.” Again the bough swayed, and Osra said: “Nay; if you will die you may-die unfor- given.” M. de Merosailles, hearing these words, sprang to his feet and came toward the bough until he was so close that he touched the green leaves; and through them the eyes of Osra gleamed; and the sun's rays struck on her eyes, and they danced in the sun; and her cheeks were reddened by the same or some other cause. And the even- ing was very still, and there seemed no sounds in the forest. “I cannot believe that you forgive; the crime is so great,” said he. “It was great; yet I forgive.” “I cannot believe it,” said he again, and he looked at the point of his sword, and then he looked through the leaves at the princess. “I can do no more than say that if you will live I will forgive. And we will for- get.” “By heaven, no," he whispered. “If I must forget to be forgiven then I will re- member and be unforgiven.” The faintest laugh reached him from among the foliage. “Then I will forget, and you shall be for- given,” said she. The Marquis put up his hand and held a leaf aside, and he said again: “I cannot believe myself forgiven. Is there no other token of forgiveness?” “Pray, my lord, do not put the ‘eaves aside.” “I still.must die, unless I have sure war- rant of forgiveness.” “Ah, you try to make me think that!" “By heavens it is true!’ and again he pointed his sword at his heart, and he swcre on his honor that unless she gave him a token he would kill himself. “Oh,” said the princess, with great petu- lance, “I wish I had not come!” “Thea, I should have been dead by row —dead, unforgiven.” “But you will still die!” - Yes, I must still die, unless——" “Sheathe your sword, my lord. The sun strikes it and it dazzles my eyes."”" “That cannot be; for your eyes are bright- er than sun and sword together.” “Then I must shade them with the leaves.” “Yes, shade them with the leaves,” he whispered. ‘‘Madame, is there no token of forgiveness? An absolute silence followed for a little while. Then Osra said: “Why did you swear on your honor?” “Because it is an oath that I cannot break.” “Indeed, I wish that I had not come,” sighed Princess Osra. Again came silence. The bough was pressed down for an instant; then it sway- ed swiftly up again; and its leaves brushed the cheek of M. de Merosailles, And he laughed loud and joyfully. “Something touched my cheek,” said he. “It must have been a leaf,” said Princess Osra. “Ah, a leaf!" “TI think s said Princess Osra. “Then it was a leaf of the tree of life,” said M. de Merosailles. “I wish some one would set me on my horse,” said Osra. “That you may ride back to the castle— alone?” “Yes, unless you would relieve my broth- er’s anxiety.” “It would be courteous to do that much,” said the Marouis. So they mounted and rode back throush the forest. In an hour the princess had come, and in the space of something over two hours they returned; yet dvring all this time they spoke hardly a word; and al- though the sun was now set, yet the glow remained on the face and in the eyes of Princess Osra; while M. de Merosailles, be- ing forgiven, rode with a smile on his lips. But when they came to the castle, Prince Rudolf ran out to meet them. and he cried almost before he reached them: “Hasten! hasten! There is not a moment to lose, if the marquis values life or lib- erty!” And when he came to them, he told them that a waiting woman had been false to M. de Merosailles, and, after taking his money, had hid herself in his chamber and seen the first kiss that the princess gave him, and having made some pretext to gain a holiday, had gone to the king, who was hunting near, and betrayed the whole matter to him. “And one of my gentlemen,” he continued. “has ridden here to tell me. In an hour the guards will be here, and if tho king catches you, my lord, you will hang as sure as I live.” The princess turned very pale, but M. de Merosailles said, haughtily: “I ask your pardon, sir, but the king dares not hang me, for I am a gentleman and a subject of the king of France.” “Man, man!’ cried Rudolf. “The lon will hang you first and think of all that afterward! Come, now, it is dusk. You shall dress yourself as my groom, and I will ride to the frontier, and you shall rida behind me and thus you may get safe I canrst have you hanged over such For of heaven I what you call a trifle, sir,” said the mar- quis, with a bow to Osra. “Then have the trifle and life, too,” said Rudolf, decisively. ‘Come in with me, and I will giye you your livery. When the prince and M. de Merosailles came out again on the drawbridge, tha evening had fallen, and it was dark; and their horses stood at the end of the bridge, and by the horses stood the princess. “Quick!” said she. “For a peasant who came in, bringing a load of wood, saw a troop of men coming over the hill, and he says they are the king’s guard.” “Mount, man!” cried the prince to M. de Merosailles,-who was now dressed as a groom. haps they will not dare to stop m But the marquis hesitated a little, for he 6id not like to run away, and the princess ran a little way forward, and, shading her eyes with her hand, cried, “See there! I see the gleam of steel in the dark. They have reached the top of the hill and are riding down.” Then Prince Rudolf sprang on his horse, calling again to M. de Merosailles: “Quick! quick! Your life hangs on it!” Then at last the marquis, though he was most reluctant to depart, was about to spring on his horse, when the princess turned and glided back swiftly to them. And let it be remembered that evening had fallen thick and black—she came to her brother and put out her hand, and grasped his hand, and said, “My lord, I forgive your wrong, and I thank you for your courtesy, and I wish you farewell.” Prince Rudolf, astonished, gazed at her without speaking. But she, moving very quic®iy in spite of the darkness, ran to where M. de Merosailles was about to spring on his horse, and she flung one arm lightly about his neck, and she said: ‘Farewell, dear brother—God preserve you. See that no comes to my good friend, M. de Merosailles.” And she kissed him lghtly on the cheek. Then she sud- denly gave a loud cry of dismay, exclaim- ing, “Alas, what have I done? Ah, what have I done?” And she hid her face in her two hands. é ince Rudolf burst into a loud, short laugh, yet he sald nothing to his sister, but egain urged the marquis to mount his horse. And the marquis, who was in a sad tumult of triumph and of woe, leaped up, and they rode out, and, tarning their faces toward the forest, set spurs to their horses and vanished at breakneck speed into the glades. And no sooner were they gone than the troopers of the king’s guard clattered at a canter up to the end of the bridge where the Princess Osra stood. But when their captain saw the princess he arom rein, “What is your errand, sir?’ she most coldly and haughty. mae Madame,” said the captain, “we are ordered to bring the Marquis de Mero- sailles, alive or dead, into the king's pres- ence, and we have information that he is in the castle, unless, indeed, he were one of the horsemen who rode away just now.” “Fhe horsemen you saw were my brothe the prince, and his groom!” said Osra. “But if you think that M. de Merosalilles is WOMAN'S EWEMY Peritonitis Seldom Spares Ita Vio- tim, : When It Does She is but a Wreck=- Physicians Have Long Been Power- less—The Experience a Balti- ore Woman, From the Heruld, Baltimore, Md. Mrs. J. P. Grove, a married lady with grand- children, tives st 417 Pinkney place, Baltimore. She would easily pass for a woman of half her age, and owes her present state of good health and probably her life to the use of Dr. Williams’ = Pink Pills. called at the house a few days ago and was informed that Mrs. Grove had gone out for a walk and would soon be back. The scribe was ushered into the parlor to await her arrival. ‘The room gave every evidence of refinement and the care and attention of a good housewife. Choice books lay around giving proof of the intelligence of the family, and the walls were decorated with many rare articles of virtu and bric-a-brac from South America, Japan and other countries, When Mrs. Grove was announced the reporter was as- tonished to find her such a young looking and healthy woman. Sie is well educated, and is a fluent talker and interesting to listen to. She, however, declined at first to speak of the results she had experienced from taking the Pink Pills as, she said, she did not like to have her name appear in print anyway. “However,” she added, after some little hesitation, ‘the pills did me so much good that I might be doing wrong by not letting some other sufferer know what they did for me.” Then she said, “Dr. Williams’ Pink Pills are certainly all the proprietors represent them to be. I never had such relief from any other medicine. A short time ago I had an attack of peritonitis which left me in such a prostrated and nervous condition that I despaired of recovery. I could neither sleep, eat or read with any degree of peace or satisfaction, and Jife was absolutely a burden. Having beard that others had been cured of the same troubles by. Dr. Williams’ Pink Pills, I secured several boxes and began to take them. As if by mazic I at once began to improve. They cured me, and row I have no symptoms of nervousness or of the disease which £0 prostrated me. Now that’s -nough,” said Mrs. Grove, in reply to another question. She walked to the door as lightly as a youog girl and, with a Pleasant good-morning to the reporter, disappeared Within the portals of her happy home with a little grandchild clinging to her skirts. Dr. Williams’ Pink Pills contain, fn a vondensed form, all the elements necessary to give new life and richness to the blood and restoze shattered nerves. Pink Pills are suid by all dealers, or will be sent post paid on receipt of price (G0 cents a box, or six boxes for $2.50—they are never sold in bulk or by the 100), by addressing Dr. Williams’ Medicine Company, Schenectady, N, X. in the castle, pray search the castle from keep to cellar; and, if you find him, carry him to my father according to your orders.” Then the troopers dismounted in great haste and ransacked the castle from keep to cellar, and they found the clothes of the marquis and the white powder with which he had whitened his face, but the marquis they did not tind. And the captain came again, to the princess, who still stood at the of the bridge, and said: ‘Madame, he is not in the castle.” 's he not?” said she, and she turned away, and walking to the middle of the bridge, looked down into the water of the moat. S ~ “Was it in truth the prince’s groom who rode with him, madame?” asked the cap- tain, following fier. “In truth, sir, it was so dark,” answered the princess, “that I could not mysell clearly distinguish the man’s face.’” “One was the prince, for I saw you em- brace him, madame.”” “You do well to conclude that was my brother,” said Osra, smiling a little. “And to the other, madame, you gave your hand.” “And now I give it to you,” said she with haughty Insolence. “And if to my father’s servant, why not to my brother's?” And she held out her hand that he might kiss it, and turned away from him and looked down into the water again, “But we found M. de Merosailles’ clothes in the castle!” persisted the captain. “He may well have left something of his in the castle,” said the princess. s will ride after them,” cried the cap- tain, “I doubt if you will catch them,” smiled the princess; for by now, the pair had been gone half an hour and the frontier was but ten miles from the castle, and they could not be overtaken. Yet the captain rede off with his men and pursued ull he met Prince Rudolf returning alone, having seen M. de Merosailles safe on his way. And Rudolf had paid the sum of 1,000 crowns to the marquis, so that the fugitive was well provided for his journey, and, traveling with many relays of horses, made —_— his escape from the clutches of King lenry. But the Princess Osra stayed a long time logking down at the water in the moat. And sometimes she sigh2d and then again she frowned, and, although nobody was there and it was very dark into the bar- gain, more than once she blushed. And, at last she turned to go into the castle. And —— went she murmured softly to her- self: ‘Why I kissed him the first time I know; it was tn pity; and why I kissed him the second time I know; it was in forgiveness. But why I kissed him the third time, or what that kiss meant,” said Osra, “heaven knows.” And she went in with a smile on her lips. ——_— +20 —____ The Poor Not Growing Poorer. Justice Brown in the Forum. While it .s entirely true that the business methods of the past thirty years have tended to increase enormously the fortunes of a few, and thus to widen the gulf be- tween the very rich and the very poor, It is wholly untrue that the poor as a class are either absolutely or relatively poorer than before. Indeed, the number of small but comfortable homes in every part of the country, as well as the reports of savings banks and building and insurance associa- tions, prove incontestably that the poor have shared in the prosperity of the rich, and that the average standard of comfort was never higher than at present. Indeed, the average workingman of today iives better and possesses more of the comforts of life than the average noble of six hun- dred years ago. The sins of wealth, though many and grievous, have not generally been aimed directly at the oppression of the poor. —_—_-e-+____ An Astuvished Sluggard. From the Indianapolis Journal. “Why,” asked Dismal Dawson, leaning over the fence, “why do you keep on dig- gin’ when the boss ain’t round?” ‘Because I really like the job,” «ald the new farmhand.” “Got @ real likin’ fer work?” ~- “Sure.” “You'd orter take treatment.” = From Truth, Little Feet. Two little feet so small that both may nestle In one caressing hand. ‘Two tender feet upon the untried border Of life’s mysterious land. Dimpted and soft, and pink as peach-tree blossoms In April's fragrant dars— How can they walk among the briery tangles Edging the world's rough ways? These white-rose feet the doubtful future Must bear a woman's load, Alas! since woman has the beaviest burden, Aud walks the baidest road, Love, for a while, will make the path before them All dainty, smooth and fair— Will pull the poisonous brambles, letting only The roses blossom there. watchful eyes are shrouded Away from sight of men, And these dear feet are left without her guiding, Who shall direct them then? How will they be allured, betrayed, deluded, Poor little untaught feet! Into what dreary mazes will they wander, What dangers will they meet? Will they go stumbling blindly In the darkness tee et oan ae Or find the upland slopes of peace uty, Whose sunlight never fades? Will they go tolling up Ambition's summit, ‘common world above? Or in some nameless vale securely sheltered, Walk side by side with love? Some feet there be which walk life's track un- wounded, ed, ich find but ple: Some hearts there be to w A round of happy day But they are few. Far more there are whoavander Vithont a hope or friend— Who find their journey full of pains and losses And long to reach the end. But when the mothe: Prof.—‘“T'll take them home to the chi dren to keep them quiet.” ut Ways; h this life is only How shall it be with her, the tender stranger, Falr-faced and gentie-eyed, Before whose unsustained feet ‘the world’s rude way Stretches so strange and wide? Ah! who may read the future? For our darling We crave all blessings sweet— And pray that He who feeds the crying ravens ill guide the baby’s feet. —FLORENCE PERCY. ———__+e-—_____ Iron and Prosperity. From the Boston Post. The iron industry lies so near the founda- tion of commercial prosperity that great significance attaches to the rapid and steady increase of activity in that business at the great producing centers. This in- crease is most notable. For the first time in many years the mills at Pittsburg are running through the hot season; the manufacturers cannot af- ford to stop. During the past fortnight mills that have been idle for two years have been leased and will be put in opera- tion. And it is estimated that there are More men at work in the steel, iron and tin trades than at any time since the panic, earning larger wages and assured of steady employment into next year. All this is made possible by the increase in the price of steel billets, on which wages and business are based. And this increase is caused by the larger demand for iron in {ts structural and commercial forms for use in other industries. The country is building more, is manufacturing more, is extending old enterprises and undertuk- ing new ones, and the flush times in the iron business only reflect the prosperity growing up all over the land. He Knew His Mother. From the Youth's Companion. Mrs. Williams is a widow with three boys, whem she has brought up with great firmness. It is one of her rules that obe- dience to her commands, must come ime mediately, and explanation, if at all, at her leisure. “Freddy,” said she, a short time ago, to her youngest boy, aged seven, “I am go- ing to do something in a few days about which I want to talk to you a little.” “Yes'm,” responded Freddy, meekly. ‘I am intending to marry Dr. Morse next week on Monday,” said his mother, and then she paused for a moment. “Yes'm,” said Freddy again, and then he asded, with a look of awe on his small face: “I 8’ rr. Morse won't know anything about it till the time comes, will he, mother?” “Gracious, I have dropped my precious volume!”* “Not so bad. I am approaching our dear lttle Harlem flat.” “I must descend, and by a little care I shall be landed right in front of my own window.” were 80 slow I have decided to use here- efter this little invention of my own.”