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The II wllcai ' At Littluton Station lived little Lena Flteh, Wuo uimdwl lue depot aud landed the switch A ijay heartoa fallow, with dark, wavy hair A novice to grie/ and mrauner to care. Bis boms warn a haven of MBBlae and Joy, With hii hapi'V young wife aud hie bright little Twas Isle on a midsummer, mild afternoon ; The train from Topeka wa due very eoon. L.OUJ nti|>i- 1 from tbe station and sidetracked a freixbt . Tbeu. tuviUK a tew idle moments to wait, He twilled the bnkeuiau of falling ia love Witb trad-headed curl at the station above, And said, iu ooucluiion. " Let marriage alone Till the fur.i on your lip to a moustache has arown." He laughed a load laugh. He looked carelessly back- He saw his bo j-baby creep on tothe track I Tueu came through tbe cut, with a crash and a roar, The tram from Topeka. Iu ten moments more The chiM would be cruelly mangled and crushed 'Keatb tbe wheeliof Uie traiu. To tbe iwitch- bar be ruabed ; When tbe terrible thought through him suddenly thrillvd : Too train will be wrecked, tud the paaHugort killed!" -''- M Par out of his reach ut his beautiful child,, Who called out bil name and in innocence miled. Lin luoaened bil (rip trow the switch, and J stepped back: He shouted in terror, " Oet off from the track ! " Then, playfully plyiut; each plump little baud. Tbe baby crept an. ami rolled down lu tbe aaod, As past !aat>d tbe train with a blaa andabound And swept out of sight with a thundering sound, "God't hand helped uiy biby," said lltlle Ixina Pitch, - Beoause I was trutty an J true at tbe switch ! ' J. Ball, t* Cfcicoyo Tribune. PHYLLIS. BI THE DUCHII8. Author of -Molly Bawn,' "Tbe Baby," "Airy Fairy Lilian," etc , etc. Still admirable aa be is, I bave no desire (or him to grow demonstrative 10 eoon axaiu ; therefore ooutiuue ttte conversation hastily. " Were yon never iu love before?" I aak, without motive. It occurs to me that like a flash a faint obangt oroaaes hii face. " All men have fancies be answers, and something tells me be it evading a strict replj. I don't mean a fancy ; I mean a real attachment. Did you ever auk any woman exoept me to be your wife?" " Why .'" be asks, with an attempt at laughter tbat ends in dismal failure beneath my remorseless eye. ' Will you throw me over if I say, ' Yes ?' " " No, of course not. Bat I think yon might have told me before. Here have you been pretending all along yon never loved any one but me, and now 1 discover acci- dentally tbat long before you knew me yon bad broken your heart over dozens of women." " I had not," angrily. " Why do you misconstrue my words ? " " Oh, of oourve you bad." ' I really wish, Pbylhs, you would not give yourself tbe babit of contradicting people so rudely. I tell yon I bad not." Well, yon were madly in lovs with one, at all events." I say, viciously. " I oould aee that by your eyes when I asked yon tbe question." " 1( a man commits a folly onoe in bis life, be is not to be eternally condemned for it, I suppose'. 1 ' " I never said it was a folly to love any one , I only suggested it was deceitful of yon not to bave told me about it before. I bate secrets of any kind." My com- panion winces visibly. " There, don't be uneasy," I slay, loftily. " I bave no desire to pry mto any of your affairs." We pace up and down in uncomfortable silenoe. At length : I see yc u are angry, Phyllis," he says. " Ob, Jear. no. Why should suoh an insignificant thing tbat does not affect me in any way make me angry ?" "My darling child, I tuiuk yon are ; and, oh, 1'hylliH. for wbat ? For a hateful pas- sion tbat is dead and buried this many a year, and bore no faintest resemblance to tbe deep true affection 1 feel for you. Am I tbe worse in your eyes because I once when I was; a boy fancied my heart was lost? Be reasonable, and be kind to me. Yon have been anything but that all this morning " " Was she dark, or fair ?" I ask, in a milder tone, not noticing, bowever, tbe hand he bolds out to me. " Dark abominably dark." "And tall?" " Detestably so." " Ton need not abuse ber now," I say, reprovingly. " Yon loved ber once." " I did not," he oriel witb some excite- ment. " I oould never have loved her. It was a mad, boyi*h infatuation. Let us forget ner, Phyllis ; the subject is bateful to me. Ob, my darling, my pet, no one ever really crept into my heart except you yon small, cold, ornel, little child." I am softened. I make up my mind I will not be cold during the remainder of nnr day, so I slip my ungloved band into uis, and bring myself close up to Lu side. " I will forgive yon tbii time," I whinper ; but, Marmaduke, promise me that never in tbe future will you oonoeal anything from me." "I promise I swear," Bays my be- trothed, eagerly and I receive, and graciously return tbe kiss of reoonoili atiou he lays upon tu j lips. CHATTER IV. We are unmistakably and most remark ably late, but tbat i* scarcely a matte* for wonder, considering the animal we drove and the vehicle in which we journeyed. When Mr. Carrington asked me a week ago if a garden party at Strangetnore would give me any pleasure so little are we accustomed to gayetiei of any kind my spirits roae to fever height, and I told him without any hesitation nothing on earth he oould do for me would Decision me greater delight than his ordering and regulating a fett in whiob I might beir a part. After ward*, wben I fully understood tbe oonse qnences of my raah words, how heartily did I repent them 1 As we are all folly alive to the fact tbat to face tbe hall-door at Htrangemore and tbe assembled county In oar shandrydan is more than we can endure, we enter tbe grounds by a back way ; and having given Brewtter strict orders to reaob tbe yard without being seen, and if seen, to answer no moon vemenl questions, we alight, and shaking out our trains, proceed towards tbe gardens. My dress m composed of simple batiste but is a wonderful mingaling of palest piuk and blue impossible to describe, my bat is a'no pink and blue, my gloves delicately tinted. Marmaduke's earrings and locket aud bracelets and ring are scattered all over my person ; aud altogether I flatter myself, I am looking as well as it is possible for Phyllis Veruoa to look. Dora is in a ravishing costume, of which blue silk forms tbe principal (art, and has put on a half-pouting, jutt-awakeued ex pression, that makes her appear a lovely grown up-baby. Mamma is looking as she always looks in uiy eyee, perfectly beautiful. She and Dora march in front, while Billy and I bring up tbe rear. To my excited imagination it seems as if all the world were met together on the croquet lawn. I say, " Ob, Billy 7" in an exhilarated tone, acd give bis arm a squeeze ; but, as the dear fellow thinks it necessary to be morose on the occasion, he takes it badly, and tells me angnly to moderate my transport*, or people will say I have never been at any entertainment before whiob if people did say it would be unusually near the truth. Presently Marmaduke, seeing ue. comes quiokly up, and, having welcomed mother and I) jra, offers me his arm with the air of a proprietor, and carries me away from my family. I feel as though treading on air, and am delioiously far from shyness of any descrip- tion. Before we bave gone very far my conversational powers assert themselves. " Marmaduke, don't you thick I am look- ing very moe '.'" I say naively " Very, darling. You always look tbat." Thin general praise disappoints me. Whatever an infatuated person may bave ohotteu to consider me iu tbe time past, am satisfied tbat at the preneut moment I really am worthy of admiration. ' But you oauuot have seen my dress," I persist ; " it came all tbe way from Lon- don ; and i.v all think it so pretty. Look at it, Marmaduke." He turns his head willingly in my direc- tion, but his gaze gets little farther than my face. ' It is oharming," be BSVH. with enthusi- n. "That pale green suits you tremen- dou!y." "Pale-green:" and I am all faintest azure. I break into a merry laugh, and give him an imperceptible shake. " Qreeu, you ridiculous boy ! Why, there is not a particle of green about me. I am nothing but pink and blue. Do look at me again. Marmaduke, or I shall die of cha- grin." " Well, it was tbe bine I meant," declares my lover, composedly, "Then, come with me to the other side, Phyllis ; I want to introduce you to Lady Alicia Slate-Gore." ' Lady Alicia !" I gasp, aweetruck. ' Is is the duke here '.'" ' No ; be is in Scotland. Lady Alicia came by herself. Bhe U an old friend of mine, darling, and I am very fond of ber. I want yon, therefore, to' be particular!) charming to ber." " How can you expect me to be that under the circumstances?" I ask, lightly, glancing up at him from under my lavhes witb a sudden and altogether new touch of coquetry born of the hour and my gay attire. " How can I be amiable, when yon tell me in tbat bare-faced fashion of your adoration for ber ? Of course I shall be desperately jealous and desperately disa- greeable during the entire interview." Marmaduke's face betrays the intense delight all men feel when receiving flattery rom tbe beloved one. Perhaps, indeed, he appears a trifle sillier than the generality o( them, incense coming from me being so totally unexpected. I know by bis eyes he weuld give anything to kiss me, were it not 'or shame sake and tbe gaping crowd. " I* your Lady Alicia very terrific ?" I ask, fearfully, and then almost before be iss time to answer my question, we are itanding before a tall, beuevolent-ljoking woman of forty -live, witb a hooked nose, and a scarlet feather in ber bonnet, and I am bowing and smirking to Lady Alicia Blate-Oore. She is more than civil she is radiant. iue taps me on tbe cheek with her fan, and calls me " my dear," and aeks me a hun- dred questions in a breath. She tap* Mar- maduke on tbe arm and auks him what he means by making love to a child who ought to be in the nursery dreaming fairy tales. At this Marmaduke laughs, and says 1 am older than I look for which I am grateful to him. " Old I" says my lady, with a rapid oird- like glanoe at me. " Tbe world will soon be upside down. Am 1 to consider four- teen old?" ' Pbyllis will soon be nineteen," says Marmaduke ; for which 1 feel still more grateful, as it was only two months ago I attained my eighteenth year. ' Indeed ! indeed ! You should give your friends your receipt, child. You bave stolen a good live years from Father Time, and juiit when you least want it. Now, if yon oould only give us old people a written prescrip- tion," etc., etc. Marmaduke leaves us to go and receive some other guests, and ber ladyship still chatters on to me ; while I, catching the infection of ber spirits, chatter back again to her, until she declares me vastly amus- ing, and is persuaded Marmaduke has gained a prize in tbe life-lottery. Then Bobby He Vere oomes up, little later, aud addresses me in his usual florid style; no does fat Mr. Haatings; and pre- sently Lady Alicia appears again, bringing with her a tall, gaunt man with a priokly heard, who, she nays, is desirous of being introduced. lie is probably a well-inteutioned person, but be is very deaf, and has evidently mis- taken the whole affair. For example, after a moment or two he electrifies me by Raying " You are fortunate, Mrs. Carrington, iu having so magnificent a day for your fett." I culor painfully, stammer a good deal and finally explain, rather lamely. I am not yet Mrs. Carrington, and tbat my pro- per name is Vernon. Upon which he too is covered with contusion and makes a burried and very unintelligible apology. " Beg pardon, I'm sure. Quite under- stood from Lady Alicia most awkward - inexcusably so. Only arrived at tbe castle late last night, and am a stranger to every one here. Fray pardon me." I pnt an end to bis misery by smiling and asking him If be would liks to walk about a little an invitation he accepts with effusion. There an daw little colored tents Boat tered all over the place. Bands are play- ing ; so are fountain* ; and flowers are everywhere. I drink iced Moselle and eat strawberries, and am supremely happy. My emaciated cavalier escorts me hither and thither, acd does all he knows to enter- tain me. After an hour or so he leaves me, ouly shortly to return again, and it becomes evident he is bent on studying human nature iu a new form as he listens with every appearance of the gravest inter- est to tbe ceaseless babble that il JWB from my lip*. The day wears on, and I see hardly any- thing of Marmaduke ; il is already half- past five, aud in another hour my joy must end. I stand at tbe door of a tent, framed ia by blue aud white oanvas, with a crimson strawberry on its way to my lips, and am vaguely wondering at my lover's absence, wben I see him coming towards me, by degrees, and with that guilty air that dis- tinguishes most men when endeavoring secretly to achieve some cherished design. He looks slightly bored, but brightens as his eye* meets mine and hurries bis foot- steps. As he draws nearer I address to him some oommonplMje remark, upon which tbe two or three ml n who have been amusing me my gaunAgootupamon included sheer off from me though I had the plague " being tboMghly understood on all sides tbat in jft~ they behold tbe "coming (jueen" of Straugemore. Their defection, however, disconcerts me not at all. I am too glad, too utterly gay on this glorious afternoon to let any trifles annoy me. Did you miss me '.'" asked Marmaduke, tenderly. Hardly. Yon see, I bad scarcely time bave been enjoying myself no much. It lias been a delicious day altogether. Have you enjoyed it, Marmaduke?" No. 1 was away from you." There is a world of reproach in his tone. True; 1 bad forgotten that," 1 say, wickedly. Then, " To tell the truth, Duke, I was just beginning to wonder bad you forgotten uiy existence. How dii you manage to keep awav from me for so long ?" What unbearable conceit ! I oould not oome to you a mon-eut sooner. If I bad to get through so mud bard work every day as wa* put upon me this afternoon, 1 leheve I should die of a decline. D ju't you feel as if you bated all these people, Pbyl- is? I do." " No, indeed ; I bear them nothing but K o J will. Tb*y have all helped by their presence to make up tbe sum of my enjoy- ment." I am so glad tbe day has been a success to you at least. Are you looking at tbat old turret, darling ? There is such a beau tiful view of the gardens from one of those windows?" Tbu* last suggestively. " Is there .'" 1 answer, with careless udiffereuoe. Then, good-naturedly, " I think I would like to see it." Would you?" much gratified. "The* oome witb me. ' In his heart I know he is rejoiced at the >rospeot of a tttt-t tfte alone with me 'ejoioed, too, at ths chance of getting rid 'or a while of all the turmoil aud elegant bustle of tbe crowd. 1 go witb him down tbe garden path, through the shrubberies, up tbe stone steps, and mm Ja> large ball, past immodest eta- od^fp interminable stairs, until we tbe autall round chamber of which M speaks. I run to tbe window and look down eagerly upon tbe brilliant scene below ; ind certainly wbat meets my eyes rewards me for tbe treadmill work I bave undergone for tbe purpose. Beneath me lie the gardens, a mass of (rowing color, while far beyond them as be eye can reach stretches tbe wood in all is green snd bronze and brown-tinged [lory. Upon tbe right spreads the park soft and verdant. Below me tbe gayly- robed guesUt pass ceaselessly to and fro, and rbe sound of their rippflng laughter climbs up tbe old ivy covered walls and enters tbe window where 1 stand. Ob, how lovely it is !" I cry delight- edly. "Ob, I am so glad I came! How r away they all appear, and how small !" Marmaduke is watohing me witb open content : be never seems to tire of my many raptures. Suddenly I lean forward aud, -with Hushed cheeks, follow tbe movement of one of the guesta, who hitherto has been unnoticed by me. Surely ," I cry, witb considerable excitement, " that is Bir Mark Gore." Marmakuke stare*. " Sir Mark is here," be nays. " Do you know him '.'" " Of course I do," I answer, gayly, cran- ing my neck farther ont of tbe window, the letter to watch my new-old acquaintance ; that is, a little. Wbat a handsome man B is t llow odd he should be here to-day I" " I don't see the oddness of it," rather coldly. " I bave known him intimately for many years, llow did you become ac'i'isitited witb him, Pbyllis?" Ob," I say, laughing, "our first meeting waa a very romantic affair almost as romantic as my second interview with you." I say this with a glanoe half shy, half merry ; but Mr. Carrington does not seem as much alive to my drollery as usual. " Billy and I had ridden into Canton I on the old white pony, you know and just a* we oejVie to tbe middle of the lligh street, Madge shied at a dead sbeep, my saddle turned, and but for Sir Ma'k (ore, .who happened to be passing at tbe moment, I would certainly have fallen off. lie rushed to the rescue, caught me in his arms, and deposited me safely on tbe ground. Was it not near being a tragedy ? Afterwards he was even condescending enough to tighten the girths himself, though ll.lly was as well able, and to speed us on our homeward journey. Was it not well tbat he wa* there ?" " Very well, indeed. And was that all yon aawof him? ' " Oh, dear, no ; we became great friends after tbat. I found him wonderfully good- natured and kind." An I speak I am ignorant of the faot that Bir Mark ban tbe reputation of beicg tbe fastest man about town. " I bave no doubt yon did," says my betrothed, sarcastically. " And where did you meet him again ?" " At a bsztar, a week later. He got Mrs. Leslie, witb whom b* was staying, to intro- duce him to me. Aud then be called with tbe Leslie*, and I think took a fancy to Dora, as he was continually coming to Summsrlea* after that. Not that be ever came to the point, you know ; he did not propose to her or that ; whiob disappointed tu all very muob, as Mr. Leslie told mamma he was enormously rioh and a good match." " You seem to think a great deal of a good match," says Marmaduke, very bit- terly. " Are you so extremely fond of money ?" " Awfully," I say, witb charming oandor. ' Wbat can there be better than a lot of it ? I shall have plenty wben 1 marry you, Marmaduke, shall I not?" ' As much as ever you want," replies be ; but there ia no warmth in bis tones. " Don't make rash promises. Perhaps I shall want ever so much. Do you know I never bad more than two pound* all together at a time in my life, and that only ouoe ? My godfather gave it to me the year before last, and it took Billy and me a whole week to decide how we should rpend it." "Well?" absently. " Well" utterly unabashed" finally wedivided it into four half.overeigns. With one we bought a present for mother, and were going to do tbe same for Dora, only she said she would rather have the money itself than anything we oould select. Then Billy bought a puppy he bad been longing for for a month with the third, besides a lot of white rats odious little things witb no hair on their tails and a squirrel ; and and that's all," I wind up abruptly. " What did you do with ths other half- sovereign?" asks 'Duke, more from want of something to say than from any over- powering curiosity. " Oh, nothing nothing," I answer, feel- ing slightly confused, I don't know why. I cannot remember, it is so long ago." " Only tbe year before last, by your own account, and I know your memory to be excellent. Come, tell me what yon did with it." As he groats obstinate, so do I, and there- fore answeivitb gay evattion. " Wbat would I do with it but one thing? of course I bought a present for my sweet- heart." Burely aome capricious spirit inhabits this room. For the second time sine* we enteied it Marmaduke's countenance lowers. " Why, wbat is the matter now '.'" I ask, impatiently. "What are you looking so cross about '.'" "lam not cross," indignantly. "Wbat is there to make me so? There is no ra son wny yon should not bave.innumer- able sweethearts as well as every other woman." " Oh '." I say ; and his last speech having made me aware that tbe word " sweet- heart" has been tbe cause of all the ill tem- per, I go on wickedly, " why, none indeed . and this particular one of whom 1 speak was suoh a darling ! So good to me, too. he was I never received an unkind word or a cross look from him. Ab I I shall never forget him." You are right there. No virtue is as admirable as sincerity. I wonder how you oould bring yourself to reitign so desirabU a lover." " I didn't resign him. Circumstances over which we bad no control arose, and separated k-is lot from mine." Here I sigh heavily, and oast my syes upon the ground with suoh despairing languor as would bavs dons credit to an Amanda or a Dora. " If I am to be considered one of tbe oiroumstajioee 1 in this matter," saya my lover botly, " I may tell yon at once I do not at all envy the position. I bave no desire to ooaie between you and your affec- tions." "You do not," I return, mildly; and, but that when a man is jealous hs loees all reasoning aud perceptive faculties, he might see that I am crimson with suppressed laughter. Hail you never appeared on tbe scene, still a marriage between us would have been impossible." " Wbat is bis name ?" auks 'Duke, abruptly. " I would rather not tell you." " I itiHiMt upon knowing. I think I have every right to ask." " Ob, why ? If I promised him to keep tbe matter secret, surely you would not ask me to break my faith ?" "Once engaged to me, I object to your keeping faith with any other man." " Well, it is all gone and past now," I murmur, sadly. "Why rake up the old ashes ? Let us forget it." " Forget it!" cries Marmaduke, savagely. " How eaejy you find it to forget ! And you, wham I thought so innocent a child you, who told me you never bad a lover until I came to Stracgemore I 1 cannot so readily forget what yon have now told me. It mad- dens me to think anothei man has been making love to you, has held your hands, has looked into your eyee, has has Phyllis" almost fiercely" tell me the truth ; did he ever kiss yon ?" My back ii turned to him, but I am viii- bly shaking. I wonder exceedingly why he does not notice it ; but perhaps be does, and puts it down to deep emotion. "No," I say in a smothered tone, " It never went so far as tbat." " Then why not tell me bis name ?" " Because I cannot." " Will not you mean. Very good ; I will not ask you again. I think we had better return to tbe grounds." He moves a step or two away in ths direction of the door. Turning, I burst into a perfect peal of laughter, and laugh until the old room eohoes sgiin. "Ob, Marmaduke," I cry holding out to him my hands, " oome back to me, and I will tell you all. It was old Tanner, your head gardener, I meant tbe whole time. lie used to give me all your fruit and flowers before he went to Amerioa ; and I bought him an ear-trumpet with my ten shilling*, and oh 1 oh I oh 1" " Pbyllis, Pbyllis !" ories my lover, with reproachful tenderness, and. catching me in bis arms, presses upon my lipe kisses many and paisionate, as punishment for my wrong doing. "How could you do it, darling? How oould you make me so miserable for even a few minutes?" " I oould not help it. Yon looked so angry and tbe idea came into my head. And all about old Tanner ! Oh I There there, please don't make me laugh again." Friendly intercourse being thus once more restored, and it being neoeesarv we should now return to the guests, I msiks a bet with him, in which adosenpairof gloves count at high an three kisses, and race him down all the stairs, through land, ings and rooms and corridors, until I arrive breathless but triumphant at ths ball-door. Hers we pause ft ushed and panting, to recover our equanimity, before marching out together oalm and decorous to mingle agaim among our friends. Most of them are standing draped and shawled, ouly waiting to bid farewell to their host Almost on tbe steps we oome In contact with Bir Mark Qore. " M-M V'eruon," he exclaims, witb a start of surprise, " you here ! Bow have I missed seeing yon all day? Carrington, wben you bring so many people together you should at least give them printed pro- grammes with all their names inscribed, to let them know whom to seek and whom to avoid. Miss Pbyllis, bow can I tell yon how glad I am to see yon again .'" Don't be toe glad," says 'Dake, direct- ing a tender smile at me as I stand beaming piukily upon Bir Mark, "or 1 shall be jealous." " How! is it indeed so!" Bir Mark ask*, addressing me. He too has only reached the neighborhood within the last few boars, and knows nothing of wbat has been going on of late in our quiet village. Yes, it is indeed so." 1 return, with an assumption of saucioees, thougb my cheeks are flaming. Then, half shyly, " Will you not congratulate me?" "No, I shall COB- giatulate Carrington," replies be, shortly, and after a few more words of the moat commonplace description, leave* us. Mother is on bsr feet, and ha* assnmed an important expreasion. Bhe has sent Billy in quest of Dora. Marmaduke crosses over to her, whispers, and expostulates for a moment or two, until at length mother sinks back again upon ber seat with a resigned smile, snd sends Billy off a second time witb a message to firewater to betake himself and tbe fossil back to Susnmerleaa with all possible speed. And so it oomes to paas that wben the lawns are again empty Mr. Carrington drives u* all, through tbe still and dewey evening, to our home, where be remains to dine and spend tbe rest of this eventful day. CHAPTER XVI. 1 1 is a fortnight later, wben the poet ooming in one morning brings to Dora an invitation from our aunts, the Misses Ver- uou, to go and stay with them for an indefi- nite period. These two old ladies named respectively Aunt Martha and Priscilla are maiden mters of my father's aud are, if possible, more disagreeable than be. Being rioh. bowever, they are powerful, and we have been brought up to understand how inad- visable it would be to offend or annoy them in any way. Dora receives and reads her letter with an unmoved countenance, saying nothing either for or against the proposition it con- tains, so tbat breakfast goes on smoothly. Bo does luncheon ; but an hour afterwards, as I happen to be passing through the hall, I hear high words issuing from the library, with now and then between them a disjointed sob, tbat I know proceeds from Dora. I steal noiseleenlv to tbe hall door and, open- ing it, find refuge in the outer air. As evening falls, bowever, I am warned of tbe approach of dinner-hour, and, return- ing to tbe boose, am safely up tbe stairs, when Billy comes to meet me, uis face full of indignant information. It is a beastly shame," be says, in a subdued whisper, " and 1 would not submit to it if I were yon. When luncheon wa* over, Dora went to papa and told him she would not go to aunt Martha ; and when papa raged and insisted, she bepan to blub- ber as usual, and said if you were to take ber place it would do just as well ; and of course papa jumped at the idea, knowing it would be diiagreeable. *nd says you >kall go." "What!" cry I, furious at this new piece of injustice " I shall, shall I? He'll see!" I turn from my brother with an ominous expression of my lips, aud move towards my bedroom door. The action means, Not words, but deed*." "That's right," says Billy, following close in the character of a backer up, and openly delighted at tbe prospect of a scrim- mage. " Fight it out. I would give the governor plenty of cheek if I were you ; be wants it badly. Its a shame that's wbat it is ; and yon engaged and all ! And wbat will Mr. Carrington *ay? Do yon know" mysteriously " It is my opinion Mies Dora thinks she oould get inside you, if yon were once out of the way ? Bhe was always a sneak ; so I would not give in on any account. But" dee- pondingly you will never have tbe pluck to go through with it when it oome* to the point. I know yon won't." " I will," I return, gazing back at him witb a stern determination in my eyes. In this defiant mood 1 dress and go down- stairs. All through dinner Dora is more than usually agreeable. She smiles continu- ally, and converses gayly iu her pretty, low-toned elegant way. " Nothing is said on tbe subject of aunt Martba until it is time for us to retire to the drawing room, and I ant almost begin- ning to fear tbe battle will be postponed, when papa, turning to me, says, carelessly, and at though it were a matter of no importance : " As Dora dislikes tbe idea of going to your aunts, Phyllis, at this time of year, we have decided on sending you for a month iu her place." " But I dialike the idea too," I reply a* calmly as rage will let me. 'That is to be regretted, as I will not bave your aunts offended. You are the youngest, aud must give way." " But tbe invitation was not sent to me. " Tbat will make little difference, and a sufficient excuse can be offered for Dora. As your marriage does not come off nntil late in tbe autumn, there is no reason why yon should remain at home all the summer." " This is some of your underhand work," I say, with suppressed anger, addressing Dora. (To bs continued IIIXIII >!> fll II. , . They arrested a young man in Quinoy, Illinois, tbe other day for having five wives, and during his trial it was discovered tbat be was engaged to about a dozen other girls. As tbe prisoner stood up to receive his sentence, the Judge remarked : " Prisoner, it is hard to discover wbat motive oould have actuated you to conduct yourself in this outrageous manner." " Nothing mysterious about It, your Honor," was tbs oalm reply. " I W a* simply making a corner on the marriage- able girls in tbu county." He got fifteen years. A 5-year-old oat, of Oalnsville, Oa., ha* given birth to*7 kittens at different tig