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) .n.m!n!H. ) ALL RIGHTS RESER VED.] I GREAT TRIALS. ———<- ) 1 No. 3.-Earl Ferrew and the Murder of Mr. Johnson. paut i. The family of Ferrers was of ancient descent, and prided itself on the fact that one of their ancestors came to England with the Conqueror. Whatever charm that may have had for those who lived in former times, .itifi to be feared it is no recommendation to- day. In the words of that amming writer, Gilbert it Beckett "Those famiiies who are in the habit of boasting that their ancestors came in with the Conqueror would scarcely be proud of the fact if they were aware that the companions of William comprised nearly .11 the roguery and vagabondism of Kurope." Whether the Norman members of the Ferrers family belonged to that category or not is un- known. Let us hope such was not the case; but, however that may be, the family pros- pered. A baronetcy was secured in 1611, and after waiting 100 years ennoblement came in the shape of aii eai-idoiii in 1711. The first earl was Sir Robert Shirley, the grandson of the sister and heir of Robert Devereux, last Earl of Fssex of that line, the celebrated Republican general, and son of the distin- guished courtier of the reign of Elizabeth. The family seat of the Ferrers was at Stanton, near Asbby-de-la-Zouch, in Leices- tershire, and it was there that the tragic story which i> to be related took place. JL?vyrence Shirley, fourth Earl of Ferrers, was feggfi in August, 1720. He seems to have been of a low and brutal nature; education end culture appear to have had no softening effect upon him. His language, even in a day when coarse language was tolerated, was filthy and gross, and his violence knew no bounds. Attempts have been made to palliate his con- duct on the lame excuse that he was insane, but the real truth is that he was a ruffian of the lowest type, and had he not, by an acci- dent of birth, been a peer of the realm, he would have sunk to the dregs of society. In- deed, looking at his whole career as it is spread out before us for inspection, he can only be summed up as a scoundrel without one redeeming feature in his character. When his brother and sister required pay- ment of the portions of the property to whi-h they were entitled they were unable to ob- tain possession without having recourse to legal proceedings against the earl, and a man who would behave thus at the outset of life to his own flesh and blood could not be expected to be particular in his dealings with others. On the 16th of September, 1752, the earl married Mary Meredith, youngest daughter of Amos Meredith, Esq., son and heir of Sir William Meredith, Bart., of Hanbury. The young countess was mild and gentle; in fact., the exact opposite in every respect to the earl, and from the commencement of their married life he treated her unreasonably and brutally. His words and conduct were alike reprehensible, and, to add to his cup of iniquity, be spent his time with a mistress, who passed by the name of Mrs. Clifford, and by her he had four daughters. In those days matrimonial grievances were not adjusted with the speed and economy of our time. Parliament^Jiad to be consulted, instead of the Divorce Court, and we cannot but smile to think how the Lords and Com- mons of England could waste their time in settling domestic squabbles, instead of estab- lishing a court for that purpose, as was done so late as 1857. Countess Ferrers and her family found it impossible to make the earl either behave like a gentleman or listen to reason, and consequently, after about eight years of suffering, she appealed to < Parliament, and an Act was passed in 1758 granting her a separation from her tyrannical husband. The Act for separation necessitated the appointment of a reoeiver of the rents of the estates, and the question arose as to the < best person for that unpleasant and, at the same time, very important post. There was a man in the earl's service named 1 John Johnson. He was steward, and had been with the family from a youth of sixteen. ] His conduct had always been highly satis- < factory, and he was known and esteemed for his truth and honesty. He was trusted by the family, and deserved their confidence. When the question of the receiver was niooted the earl at once suggested that Johnson I should be appointed to the vacant office. The anxiety of the earl to procure the promotion of a faithful servant at the first blush looks like a generous appreciation on his part of ] the other's services, but the truth is that the earl was so utterly lost to all sense of right < and wrong that another motive must be < Bought instead of generosity, ( No sooner was Johnson's appointment con- I firmed than the earl began operations. < He proposed that Johnson should betray his < trust and assist him in plundering the estate. < But such conduot was so foreign to the whole < tenour of Johnson's honest life that he < turned a deaf ear to the tempter. t The earl argued, persuaded, promised, but all was in vain. Johnson was < determined to act honestly to all parties concerned. The master became exasperated the servant continued resolute. The earl's I evil nature was now all turned in one direc- ] tion, and that was to revenge himself on i Johnson. That feeling became an over- N mastering passion, possessing him night and day. t Johnson was in possession of a farm on the estate, which the earl had promised him before II his appointment as receiver. Earl Ferrers v now conceived the idea that he could ruin 1 him or bring him to his terms if he turned £ him out of the farm, and he accordingly gave Johnson notice to quit his holding, but to his c lordship's deep disgust he then found that the t trustees of the estate had granted Johnson a < Jease of the farm, and that his notice to quit 1 was only waste paper. This added fuel to the i Jury of the earl, who cursed and raged like a t nadman, because he instinctively felt that jonest Johnson and others had the laugh v igainat him. An evil mind brings forth evil i fruit, and he began to conjure up all sorts of d wrongs of which Johnson had been guilty, a and soon brought himself to believe that he t had joined his family foes, had worked with a the Merediths, and had, in addition, been p instrumental in bringing about the Act of y Parliament by which the countess had obtained her happy release. The more he brooded on 0 his imaginary wrongs the more phantom- c like they arose around him, and he at last induced himself to believe i that Johnson bad entered into a conspiracv f with two gentlemen, named Burslem and i Curzon, to prevent him obtaining a contract I for certain coal mines which he was very t anxious to seoure. s The earl determined to bear with his c troublesome receiver no longer. He thought t the matter out and resolved to remove the 3 object of his hatred by simply murdering him. I This deoision arrived at, it only remained to r work out the details. Some serpents beslaver f their prey before crushing and devouring it, I and such was the course adopted by the earl. b For months he had been harsh and extremely b offensive in his bearing :towards Johnson, v so much so, indeed, that the steward took d good oare not to trust himself s. in his master's power. When, however, n the murder scheme was ripe for exeoution t< all was ohanged-the earl's manner became b pleasant, even condescending to Johnson the S1 I angel of darkness for the time being assumed the guise of an angel of light. On Sunday, the 13th of January, 1760, the earl saw Johnson, and was exceptionally affable to him. He told him that he should like to look at his accounts; that there was no hurry; he should be rather busy the beo,iniiitig of the week, and that he would, therefore, appoint the following Friday, at three o'clock, for the meeting. Johnson promised to attend his lordship at the time appointed, and it is quite evident, from subse- quent events, that the unfortunate man had not the slightest suspicion of impending danger. Friday came, and his lordship seemed busier than usual. For some reason or the other Earl Ferrers was anxious to get as many people out of the house as possible. His mistress, Mrs. Clifford, whom he had brought home and established in the place of the young countess, he told to walk to her father's, about two miles distant, and to take her four children with her, and not to return until five or half-past. Mrs. Clifford had but to obey the tyrant's orders, and. accordingly, left the house at about two o'clock with the four children. There were only two male domestics, and both these the earl sent on errands which would keep them away all the afternoon. By this arrangement, on the arrival of Johnson at three o'clock, the hour appointed, there were only three maids left in the hou-e. Punctually at that time the obedient steward knocked at the hall door it was opened, and as he entered he saw the earl, who told him to go into the still- room for a minute. Johnson did so. After a little delay his lordship came to the door and asked him to go into the parlour. Earl Ferrel's walked in, and Johnson followed. Directly both men were in the room the earl closed the door and locked it. A cold, shivering dread crept over Johnson, the foreboding of coming danger. The earl gave him no time to recover himself, but set about the accomplishment of his fell design at once. "Johnson," he said, "you have been a villain to me, and if you don't sign a paper confessing your villainy, I'll shoot you." Johnson in his bewilderment stammered out some sort of refusal. Down upon your letiees shouted the ruffian, and ask my pardon. If you have any- thing to say, say it quickly. Your time has come and you must die." Whatever Johnson might have said would have been of no avail. Ferrers had him in his clutches for the purpose of murdering him, and nothing would or could alter his purpose. He did not wait for poor Johnson to recover from his fright, but without another moment's delay he pulled a pistol from his pocket and fired. Johnson, however, was not killed, as his assailant had intended, 'I lie wounded man staggered across the room, and made for the locked door. The shouts of the earl, the report of the pistol, and the cry of agony of Johnson naturally brought the three female servants to the spot. The earl un- locked the door, and Johnson stumbled into the hall, bleeding profusely from a wound in his aide. The girls gathered round the wounded man, and Ferrers, realising what he had done and the danger of his position, told them to assist Johnson upstairs and put him in bed. Johnson asked that his dootor, Mr. Kirkland, should be sent for. Ferrers acceded to this request, and on his own account sent to Johnson's house to inform his children that their father had been shot and that they had better come and see him. In great alarm Johnson's eldest daughter at once started to see her father, and when she reached Stanton the first person she met in the hall was the earl, and he, with a malignity quite his own, informed the terrified girl that he had shot her father, and that he had done so on purpose and quite deliberately. Dr. Kirkland was from home on his after- noon round when Johnson's messenger arrived, and it was two hours before the doctor reached his patient. During those two hours of terrible suffering the maids had done all they could for the wounded man, but it can be easily imagined that that was not much. When Dr. Kirkland arrived the earl had a conversation with him. He explained that, in his opinion, Johnson was a villain, and that he had intentionally shot him, and went on to say that he did not want to be arrested until he knew whether Johnson would die or not, and added, as a sort of warning to the doctor, that if anyone dared to attempt to make him a prisoner be would shoot him without hesitation. Dr. Kirkland appears to have been a man of great tact and presence of mind; he knew Ferrers of old, and con- sidered it best, under present circumstances, to flatter his pride. He, therefore, assured his lordship tnat he need be under no appre hension that anyone would be so rash as to meddle with so aristocratic a personage as himself. This calmed the excitement of the earl, and he told Kirkland to see Johnson at once. Half from fear that the man might die and so jeopardise his noble neck, and half from a morbid desire to behold the sufferings of his supposed enemy, he accompanied the doctor to Johnson's chamber. Ivirkland examined the wound, and found the ball had entered a little below thn ribs on the left side, and that it waslodged in the abdomen. The doo- tor was about toprobe the wound, when Ferrers cooliy remarked You need not be at that trouble; pass your instrument downwards, When I shot the pistol I directed it that way." Dr. Kirkland expressed his regret that he could not extract the ball, This threw Ferrers into a great fright a ball remaining in the body, he thought, meant the death of his victim; and that, in turn, meant his own. The doctor, however, explained that a ball in the body did not necessarily involve death, and that he had known many instances where balls had not been extracted and the people were no worse in consequence. Indeed, if it had been needed, no doubt the doctor would have gone so far as to say that a bullet in the body was rather an advantage than otherwise. His object was clear-he did not want to alarm the earl, otherwise he would have effected his 1 escape, with the great advantage of several hours' start of his pursuers. The doctor's 1 intention was to keep him dallying about until his capture was assured. A a the evening advanced Johnson grew visibly worse, and Ferrers' anxiety increased in proportion; but Dr. Kirkland, with the design of detaining the would-be murderer, assured him that there was nothing serious the matter, and that, after all, it was a very trivial affair. This bold assurance put Ferrers at his ease, and he invited the < wily doctor to supper. The earl, believing as he did the assurances < of the doctor, became less cautious and more confidential. "I believe," said Ferrers, Johnson is more frightened than hurt; my ] intention was to have shot him dead, but ) finding that he did not fall at the first shot I < intended to have shot him again but the pain he complained of made me forbear then nature did take place in opposition to the re- solution I had formed. I desire you to take care of him, for it would be cruel not to give t him ease now I have spared his life. When you speak of this afterwards do not say (though I desire he may be cured of his pain) that I I repented of what I had done. I am not sorry for it; it was not done without consideration; I own it was premeditated. I had some time before charged the pistol for the purpose, z being determined to kill him, for he is a villain, and deserves death but, as he is not dead, I desire you will not suffer my being seized, for if he dies I will go and surrender s mvself to the House of Lords. I have enough k to justify the action they will not excuse me, but it will satisfy my own conscience; but be sure you don't go ;I- -■nine without 13 letting me see you, that- I may know if he is I likely to recover or not. I will get up at any time-at four o'clock in the morning, if neces- Kirkland assured his lordship that all his sary. ¡ orders should be strictly obeyed, and that he might be quite certain that he would be in- formed of any fatal symptoms should they appear, and, having lulled the earl into a feel- ing of security, he repaired to Johnson's bed- side, and, to his unspeakable relief, found his friend and patient betted. The doctor joined the earl at supper. The favourable report given him made the earl quite jovial but he could not resist the temptation of discussing about Johnson's condition. I am astonished," he said, that the ball should remain in his body. I made a trial with the same pistol, and the ball pierced through a board one and a half inch thick. I am astonished it did not pass through his body. I took good aim, and I held the pistol in this manner"—and, suiting the action to the word, Ferrers showed Kirkland how he bad pointed the weapon. "Johnson," he added, has been a villain he was in the interest of my enemies he joined those who injured me, and had taken my estate away by Act of Par- liament, and he has colluded with Mr. Curzon and Mr. Burslem respecting a ooal contract. Aliuding to his attempted oppression in respect of the farm he said, I have long wanted to drive Johnson out of the farm if he recovers, he will go back to Cheshire, where be came from." Kirkland replied that he probably would, mentally adding that he would not be likely to stay in the same neighbourhood as Earl Ferrers. Just as supper finished i)lrs.. Cliff oi-d came into the room and proposed that Johnson should be taken to his own house. This reasonable suggestion was received with an outburst of fury by Ferrers, who flatly refused to sanction anything of the kind, declaring that he withheld his consent, not because he thought Johnson might be hurt by his remo- val, but because be liked to keep him under his own roof, as he knew it plagued and harassed the sufferer. Again the earl and Kirkland went* up to see Johnson. To the doctor's experienced eye the end was clearly approaching; even Ferrers saw the change, and once more became uneasy about his own safety; but the doctor quickly dispelled his misgiving and got him away from the dying man. Ferrers asked Kirkland to join him over a bottle of wine, to which he readily assented, not because he wanted to drink with the fiend, but in order that he might be kept from Johnson and that the few hours remaining to the poor fellow might be passed in peace. It was now nearly twelve o'clock, and Ferrers's demon nature, inflamed by drink, began to show itself in all its hideousness. He rushed up to Johnson's room, flinging the door open, and advanced to the bed where was stretched his trembling victim, with the dews of death on his pale face. Ferrers abused the dying man, and threatened to drag him off his bed and dash him on the floor. Human language fails to describe his inhuman and cowardly conduct. He renewed his demand that Johnson should confess before all present that he was a villain. Kirkland, who was prepared for any emergency, stepped behind the murderer and motioned Johnson to accede to his oppressor's demand. He did so, and, in a feeble, faltering aocent, said: I do confess I am a villain." l'errers was immensely pleased by this public confession, and he seemed to feel that he bad carried bis point and accomplished all he desired. Turning to the doctor, he said Mr. Kirkland, may I rely upon you; are you sure there is no danger ?" There is not the slightest," said Kirk- land. May I go to bed in safety ?" inquired Ferrers. Yes, your lordship may," replied the doctor. The earl waited to say no more, but strode out of the apartment and went to his room. Johnson no sooner heard the door close than, turning to Kirkland, he implored him to get him by any means out of the house to his own home. 'The doctor was very desirous that this should be done, not only on account of his patient, but for his own safety as well, for he dreaded that if Johnson died whilst he remained there Ferrers would suspect his plan of delay, and perhaps shoot him, as he had Johnson. Kirkland crept downstairs and quietly passed out of the house. It was a relief to breathe the air outside, away from the morally-contaminated atfnosphere of Stanton. He hurried on to The Lount (the name of Johnson's house). Late as it was the village was still on tiptoe waiting for intelligence about the attempted murder. Kirkland called the neighbours together. He wanted volun- teers ready to accompany him back to Stanton to bring Johnson to Lount, so that he might die in peace at home on his own bed. The doctor was frank with the men who volun- teered they must clearly understand that they carried their lives in their hands Ferrers, who had shot one man, would not hesitate to shoot another, or even half a dozen, if it suited his purpose or his passion. His warning was unheeded: there was a duty to be done, and, like true Englishmen, seven of them set out to do it, regardless of consequences. A strange sight was to be seen that dark winter's night: the doctor leading his little band of seven, all armed to the teeth, bent upon an errand of mercy; but determined that no obstacle or danger should interfere with the attainment of their purpose. When Stanton was reached the door was noiselessly opened, and Kirkland, followed by his companions, grasping their pistols, glided up the dimly-lighted staircase, like conspira- tors, to Johnson's room. He was carefully lifted from the bed, wrapped in blankets, placed in a large armchair, and gently borne from the room down the stairs and out of the house by four of his neighbours, whilst three others, with their fingers on the triggers of their pistols, acted as a guard, prepared to meet Earl Ferrers on his own terms, shot For shot, should he venture to interfere or mole-it them. ( To be concluded next week,)

A Brother's Deception. Death Revealed a Secret Which Had Kept Two Hearts Asunder. "I shall never consent to your appearing in public, not even at a church concert," said Harvey Bond, decidedly. A dramatic reader is only another name for an actress, and the members of the Bond family have always been respectable." But, my dear brother, you know well that it is necessary for me to earn my bread. I do not like to go out to service: I never could stand behind a counter. I know nothing of stenography or type-writing. I have nothing but my voice, and it is a good one, everyone agrees. The girls in Prof. Lyon's class are perfectly respectable. I am the poorest one of them all, but they have been very kind to me, and I should dislike to leave them." "1 have come all this distance to offer you abetter and more fitting employment." Hester was silent. The doing of house- work in a hut in the pineries of Michigan d:d not seem very attractive to her, and then how could she tell this masterful brother of hers that Prof. Lyon had been paying her marked attention for nearly a year, and that she had accepted him with a little feeling in her heart, together with a great deal of affection, that some time she might not be dependent upon relatives for a home and maintenance. But Harvey Bond was destined to know this, for that very afternoon Bert Lyon crime out to Aunt Martha's suburban home on his wheel, and made them all merry with his wit for more than a hour. He made a most dis- agreeable impression upon Harvey Bond, however, principally because he was young and handsome, and appeared so charmed with Hester's pretty face. A monkey on a wire," growled the dis- satisfied brother as the young man darted away upon his bicycle. "Professor Lyon is one of our best friends," reproved Aunt Martha, who felt very well satisfied with her niece's matrimonial pros- pect 8. Harvey made no reply; it was his purpose to take Hester back with him to the wilds of Michigan, and be did not intend to be cheated out of it by any oue; certainly not Aunt Martha or Professor Lyon. The days went on, each bringing with it Professor Lyon, and causing Harvey Bond more and more uneasiness as his visit to his aunt and sister drew nearer to a close. Not once would he listen to any of the selections which his sister had studied so attentively. If you would but listen your prejudice would leave you," said Professor Lyon one evening. Simply to Thy Cross I cling'is one of her finest efforts; she renders it per- fectly. Surely no one could take exception to that." "No dramatic recitations for me said Harvey Bond coldly. detest all theatrical peformances and performers, and I may add that I detest to have my sister associate with any person of that class." This was certainly to the point, as Professor Lyon ould not help understanding,yet, when he took his leave a short time after, he was as pleasant as ever, promissng Hester to bring her a new song the following day. This disregard of his wishes was more aggravating to Harvey Bond than anything else could have been. It goaded him on to a deed of which he might well have been ashamed, shielded though be felt himself to be by the mantle of perfection. I must return home even now," he said to his aunt and sister. "I suppose I nius t give up all hope that Hester will return with me ?" "I think so," replied Hester, lancillg rather timidly at her aunt, as if she expected help from that quarter. I should dislike very much to part with Hester," remarked Aunt Martha. "Still, one can realise that you must be lonely away out there in the woods alone. It is, of course, lonely," assented Harvey. "But I have reason to think that Hester will reconsider her dec sion when I tell her some- thing which has occurred in this very room this evening. I have a certain knowledge that Professor Lyon, as you call him, is a scoundrel." Hester turned pale, while Aunt Martha ex- claimed sharply "Whatis that you say, Nephew Harvey ? A scoundrel ? Why, what has there occurred in this room which could convince you of such a thing as that P" Well," replied Harvey, deliberately, I thought this evening that I would test him. I bad noticed before this that he had the sneak-thief look. 1 laid my good watch—you remember the watch, Hester—the one with a diamond in the case, on the little table here, and then I watched him. True to his instinct, when he thought no one was observing him, he pocketed the watch, and has taken it away with him." Impossible exclaimed Hester. If that is true, Nephew Harvey, the man shall never enter my doora again,"decided Aunt Martha, who was somewhat easily influenced. "It is true," replied Harvey Bond, slowly and cruelly. "In the morning I shall put the case in the hands of the police." "Brother," exclaimed Hester, springing to her feet, her fane as white as marble, you will break my heart if you do this thing. I will go with you to Michigan or anywhere if you will not take any action in the matter." "No, Harvey," pleaded Aunt Martha, be- ginning to weep, don't do anything about it. He bad been just like a son to me, only a little higher. Only think of it, Hester-Professor Lyon a common thief And Harvey Bond,with eyes which glittered with satisfaction, after much entreaty from Aunt Martha and many tears from Hester, gave the promise that Professor Lyon should not be molested, provided Hester saw him no more, and would go to the pineries for the winter. Of We will spend the summer season in some of the lake cities if you like," he said to Hester, but daring the winter I must be at the head of my lumbermen; and indeed life is not so doll, for nearly every man has some woman relative there, and it is a brother's privilege to provide a home for his sister." With a pain at her heart she felt would never be entirely stilled, Hester went with Harvey to the pineries, where she was in- stalled housekeeper in a little cottage, which had long needed a mistress, and that need, if she had only thought of it, was the selfish motive which had been at the bottom of Har- tley's antipathy to Burt Lyon. It was early in November when the brother ind sister reached the pineries, where the braoing air, the singing trees, and the carpet )f the dead pine needles under their feet, all iad their charm for Hester. Although the gaining of her former life, embracing her Iramatic reading, was of course a thing which she was expected to forget, often when her )rother was away gathering his lumbermen ;ogether for the winter's work in the forest she amused herself by going out under the Tagrant pines and listening to their music, md sometimes reoiting as she walked along. One day she bad wandered further than isual, when suddenly she was joined by two i arge dogs, which trotted along sociably yet thyly, with great red tongues lolling from be- ;wen their white teeth. Hester was not a cowardly girl, and she ex- ended a caressing hand towards one of the mn j no stretch of the imagination could tave made them respectable canines. The larger of the two turned upon her with. snarl which frightened her, and brought to her mind instantly a certain piece which.she had once studied, portraying the ravings of II madman. She fixed her eyes on the red-green ones of the animal, and began to a recite the piece in her most frenzied manner. The brute shrank back, his brush tightly down, and with his companion slunk out of sight in the underbrush as she finished with the blood-curdling shriek- Woe to the daughters and sons of men! Woe to them all when I roam again! Amused at her success, she laughingly pursued her way homeward, unmolested noW by either animals or men. She said nothing to her brother of the occurrence, fearing that that he would blame her for exhibiting her accomplishment eveO to the brutes of the forest. Business was not to begin in real earnest io the pineries until December, but Harvey one day put his axe over his shoulder, telling Hester that he was about to fell a giant hem- lock which she herself had visited, and which was about two miles from their cottage. I shall be back at noon," were his parting words. But when the little clock on the shelf struck twelve be was not there, nor at one, nor at two, nor at three, and then Hester ^lecided to go and look for him. She found him at the foot of a tree about a mile from their cot. whither he had dragged himself. He had cut his foot badly, and had been obliged to sit down on account of weak- ness caused by loss of blood. It is a fortunate tting for me that yon came," he said. You must go back and get men to carry me home." She hastened to the lumbermen's cabins but the men were away. and it was nearly dark before she could return to Harvey with two stout bearers and one of the lumbermen's wives. Just as they stepped into tho opening the darkness seemed to fall over them like a mantle, arnd from far off in the wood came along, low how! of hunger and despair. Wolves said one of the men. We must hurry." They turned the light of their lanterns upon the bed of moss where Harvey Bond bad lain when Hester had left him. He was not there, but his torn garments and the few blood-stained bones gleaming in the lantern light told of the fierce fury of the carnivorous beasts that had attacked him. He sold his life dearly," said one of the men. "See, here is his axe, with the handle broken, and here, too, are the bones of a half- dozen wolves which he must have killed before they overpowered him." It was an awful shock to Hester Bond. She understood now the nature of the animals that had joined her in the forest. But there was something more. The lumberman's wife came to her, saying See, here is the watch, that I have jnst picked up." She took it in her hand. It was the gold watch with the diamond in the case which Harvey Bond had accused Bert Lyon of stealing Everthing was clear to Hester now. She made no revelations to anyone, but, after her brother's remains were buried, she returned to Aunt Martha. One day she showed the watch to her, saying: See, Aunt Martha, here is the watch that brother Harvey told us Bert Lyon had stolen." He found it, then P" cried Aunt Martha, in great relief. The older lady, who had been as ice to Pro- fessor Lyon for some time, welcomed him most heartily when he called upon Hester, and there were no more obstacles in the way of the young couple who bad been so cruelly parted. The story in its entirety was not told until long after Hester was the happy wife of Pro- fessor Lyon. when together they reflected upon the futility of the wickedness of which Harvey Bond bad been guilty when he was, as he thought, gaining his end,-Waurlel' Magx-ine,

A FOBGETFTTL PAIR. Alice: When you go out will you remind me that I must get some gloves ? Maud: Yes, if you remember to remind me to remind you. A DIFFERENCE. He I am very fondjof you. She How well our tastes agree. He: What, are you fond of me P She Ob, no. Of myself. ONLY THE WEALTHY ('AN Do IT. Boggs: Aren't you going to buy a new overcoat this winter ? Silsby: No; I bought one last summer when they were cheap. Boggs What are you going to do with your superfluous cash now, then ? Silsby: I am now ou my way to buy canoe for next summer. PROVIDENCE THE I AST RESORT. The recent utterances of Boston clergymen in reference to the statement of Mr. Moody that the steamer Spree was saved by prayer re-calls an incident that happened many years ago on the steamer running to Prince Edward Island from Halifax (says the Toronto News]. There were a large number of clergymen on board going to a church synod. The wea- ther became so rough that the gravest anxiety was felt by all on boal d as to the safety of the boat. When the storm was at its worst one of the clergymen approached the captain and asked him if the danger was very great. My dear sir," was the answer, "all we can do is to put our trust in Providence." Good heavens said the parson in the greatest dismay, has it come to that?" JOKE ON THE SECRETARY. The Mayor's secretary, Mr. Conwell, has less confidence in the wonderful inventions of the nineteenth century than he had formerly, and all on account of a scurvy trick which was played upon him a few days ago (says the Chicago Post). Secretary Conwell regated hIS friends one morning with the story that he had just enjoyed a conversation with a friend in far-away Cincinnati. This friend, who is » Chicago man, had left in a few days before to go to the Ohio metropolis, and that morningt on reaching the Mayor's office, Conwell had been called to the telephone. There he re- cognised the familiar voice of his friend. Where are you ? said the secretary. "I am at Cincinnati." You don't tell me Do you mean to say you can talk over that distance by wire ? "I certainly do. Can't you hear me plainly F As well as if you were only a block away- This is wonderful." Then followed an interesting conversation, and finally the man at Cincinnati rang off- The secretary told everybody about his long- distance talk and dilated on the wonders of the telephone, until someone told him there was no communication between Chicago and the city on the Ohio River. The secretary went to the telephone and asked the girl at the Central to tell him with whom he had been talking. She told biv2o The telephone he had been in communication with was located across the street from the City Hall. Everybody oonnected with the affair, except the girl at the Central, smoked at the private secretary's expense.