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Flesherton Advance, 30 Jun 1892, p. 2

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THE BITTER END. A TALE OF TWO LIVES. with all the nohlome of bis order, and a pro- j found contempt of fear In any shape. Dualh _., I stared him in the face, but I.e. was equal to There was. d^silenc. between the two. , t , lh<!re ^ , hlu , it L, rifAPTKH XXVIU. MXIXK WITH TUB UA i.fLI.H. men after the recognition. Urd Alc*sUm mo( . c doubtfu , ,., had stepped back a pace or two, and wa. , ut< , a A . u leaning -gainst a fragment of rock with a ; b .. u i not , m dazed look in hu face. Neillson had risen i | )(J ^j ,j el | y slowiy and with dithcully lo hi. feet, and i. ,. . ii t i i ni not airuiii was standing quile still, breathing burd, and with his eye. fixed upon the wide ex- panse of scv It was a strange meeting, not devoid of a certain dramatic interest. But the tirat sentence which passed between ' li.ein was a common-place > m-. tanner he might have been was, he was quite calm, do with you, Nei!!on," It is a hard Ihing, lull die. Say your prayers, man, if you know any." A dull, lethargic composure seemed tn creep over the two men. They stood knee- j deep in the cruel green sea, which came ing about them, ever creeping upward. . You have beeu ill," Lord Alceslon laid lowly. Tli-- man laughed a itrange, hollow, litll* laugb, which, low though it wan, wan caught up and echod back from thu tlitfn with giini ' tt " Ay, 1 have been ill," he answered, look and they gazed with dull eyes over the blank sea. After a while L rd Clanavuu mused himself as though with an effort.. " When the Ma corner to my neck, Noill. son," heaaid, quietl), "I am going to.wim- The village U lound the western promon- tory, I suppose?" ill. he answered, look- .i y . V,,, wer<H , y ci i lMn , in a choking mg down at himself curiou.ly. ToJ ., ,, ul clmllol Uie breaker ,. .. clothes, once black, now stained and LorJ Clanavon looUea ' al tbe ]OI|K U ne of .1 with tea water and wet sand. hung I .,,,,, . lblnK w . VO s. and sighed. about him m loo.-, empty folds. There | .. , lmt ," lie said. " But it is w, re hollow. n ,,d,rneath In. cheek bone. bard u j witfc ^ an effort , and deep black In,,, under hi. rest e... un- l(lhaUt L ,, len to ,. $j e illson. In a naturally bri K l,. . . H. A continual tremor ' fcw . , haU | w th be in another stemed to hav, u,d hold of his shrunken .,,,, j ( , not b)ame mjm , ,, ut ou fori,,. und his t,,eth,ng came with great kllow , hllt it U through J you that we are in d.thculty. His appcawnce was very much u , u po,,,^,,." the aj>prrance of a man who has risen from bis death lied. " Ay, I have been ill," he repeated, sud denly turning round and facing tl.e other. .. i.i . w . I know it," Neillson groaned. Lord Clanavou put ins hand on his shoulder kindly. " I am not blaming you, , -, . . i Neillson. You fled here thoughtlessly, I ' \\ by have you come here. Lord AIc..ton ? | k ,, ow , on , m(ution U|jl ^ mutt { m IVhy could you not have let me die in goln({ ^ Mk J ou .f avor .'. " You want me to tell you " " Ay, I should die easier if I knew." "Come oulside, Lord Bernard. Its-ill " I came, not in search of you," was tbe miner. " I came to go through some of - , , " , , . . v uinu iii.iaiui, i*<jru i>riii.iiii. tv aiy fathers paper,, and discovered that | uke ome /ew minutM , ,. you ., some one was living in secrecy in my own , f we c , jmb ^ t k , t M ^ , . , lUle house. Had I not the ngnt to know who i on .. er " it was? How came you here?" gj Alceston, stronger by '" "-" - X f*min<* nf.uii>u it , ! Ix.l.m*. I . . i yot came because it was a safe hiding- place. " " How wa* it that Mrs. Smith has shel- tered you'" ^he is my mother. Mother, will do a great deal to save their sons from the gal- lows, vou know. Besides, she had instruc- tions from the countess." Lord Clauavon shuddered " Y our mother " he repeated. " Ay ; she is my mother." " Km her name is Smith." - mine. The earl always called me Ison Uoause it had been the n.me of far than his companion, and a trsined athlete, clambered easily to the summit of a slippery boulder. Then, stooping down, be dragged Neillmm up to his side, and wailed patiently while he recovered his breath. There they stood in the dreary twilight, wi Ii the tall cliffs frowning around them, and the sea-gulls .bricking above their heads, while iwlov the cruel, hungry sea was sweeping iu, creeping higher and higli er at every nx.ment. Lord Alceslon, find- ing In- companion was shaking and trend, ling with the cold and agitation, pasted hi* arm around him and held him .. .._ ... ., ,. trong arm around him and held him up. t servant ar.-l he couldu t get out of r,,,.,,'),.. held his breath and stooped using it Hint w many years ai/o. The L head lo hear from those white trembling lips the itory of his father's murder. CHArTKRXXIX. A I. KAMA or DXATII. Let me give you one more chance, Lord using it That was many years ago. The luine l>a* IH-C..II.C my own. " Neillson," said l^rd Alceston, slowly, " it I had known that it wa* you who were occupying that secict . l.aml,.i I might have gone away and left you in pr.ve. I ssy I might ; whether I should have done so or - -, not I cannot tell, liut now that we have Bernard, "said Neillson, speaking rapidly, '" face and alone," he glanced '"" '" a ' uw tremulous tone. " I/el me n.ii: d with a slight shudder, as though for swear U> you here, ou the threshold of the first time aware of the dreariness of the death, l.y every hope I have of another surrounding., " you shall tell me about world, that it will I* better for you if you that night. | let me carry m v secret with me untold into " May Cod sesl my lips forever if I do !" , tn * K ri ve which awaits us. You will die a . i ii .1 Neillion, passionately. "Oh, be wise, i happirr man and so shall I." 1 I'i.inawm! I have been a faithful j " You have paused your word Neillson, M i vani - Uithful to death," he added m a and I claim it," wa the firm, unliesitatiug lower tone, "for I stand even now upon the answer. "Speak. I am waiting, tho tune the money for ; debt owing to him. Then I ventured to remonstrate with him, and very nearly got dikininsed. " It was out- night when we were at the Villa d' AiiKoville. The count ami my master hail hern playing cards nil the even- ing, and were sitting at a little round tablo close to the win. low, which was gpen. They hail finished, when my mas- ter saw me tiulling about '.lie gar- den and ca:led me in. " 'Ne.llsjn, be said, 'I wish you to listen to what I am going to say to the Count d'Augeville. ' "The count looked up, startled. Niy master went on quitu calmly. " 'You liuld me your del. tor for to-night's play lo the amouutof twelve thousand francs, I believeV " 'That is the amuunt,' the count said. "'Ami you have won during the last month about one hundred and twenty thou- sand franca from me?' "The count frowned. 'I don't remember the amour!,' he saiil, huu^htily. -i.. Mil- men don't talk alioutsucli things afterward. " 'The hundred and twenty thousand francs I have paid," my master continued. This twelve thousand I shall not pay.' "'And why the devil not!' cried the count, springing up. " ' Because the odds are scarcely fair. In return for the lesron which you have just ed to get anywhere near him. My lord stood his ground quite carelessly, smiling all the time, as though he were a fencing- master, indulging a pupil with a little, loose play and parrying every thrust with ridicu- lous ease. The count tried him every way in carte, in tierce, hi cercle, in octave, in seconde, but it was all the same. My lord was always liis superior, aud if be hsxl chosen he could bave run the count tbrcugh time after time with the simplest repass ; but hu never ouoe attempted it. " They had been engaged nearly half an hour before the end cams, and very unex- ).. .ted it was to all of us. The count was lenrmg very loosely, and my lord, to vary a little, drtw back, and with a powerful iLngoucl Mint the count's sword a do/en yards into the air. The count somehow lost his balance and fell forward. My lord being used to the most correct fencing, had brought his sword into line again immedi A Ku. -l.iu I II Ir ..f I i r. Every reader of Hawthorne U familiar with that weird, pathetic "twice-told" tale " Dr. Heidegger's Kxperiraent." That curi- ous old study, " festooned with cobwebs ami besprinkled with antique dust," its skeleton in the closet, its wonderful mirror, its blackietter quartos aud parchment-cov- ered duodecimos, its portrait of a young laily in the faded magnificence of half a century ago, and the book of magic, which when once a chambermaid had lifted it " merely to brush away the dust, the skele- ton had rattle. 1 in its closet the picture of the young lady had stepped upon the floor, and several ghostly faces had peeped forth from thu mirror ; while the bra/en head of Hippocrates frowned, and said , ' Forbear!' " In such a study and with such a wonderful man as Dr. Heidegger all things are pos- sible, anil the reader finds himself t following the Doctor', experiment on ately he had concluded the flangor.et . 2*boQH^ Colonel Kilhrew. Mr. the count fell right upon it before he could w j Wvcherly. draw back. " \Ve heard the .word enter hil body, and almost at once it came out at his back dripping with blood. My lord drew it back and leaned over the count, who fell heavily backward without .ingle cry. " 'Hi- has only himself to blame for this.' my lord sud, wiping his sword on the grass, and for the tirst time turning pale. given mo, Count d'Augeville, permit in- to | 'I would have .pared him if I could. I never saw'any one die so quickly. He jnst drew himself up once, clutched at the air with his fingers, and then 1*11 back ilca.l. liut the most awful part was to to come. While they were all galhered around him a tall, while figure glided down from the steps and across the grass toward tin-in. I oni Bernard, death is close upon us, but even now the memory of that girl's face makes me shudder more than the thought of ihose hungry waves below. It was awful. She threw herself down on the grass by his side and wound her arms around him. But she knew directly lhat he wa* dead. " They all fell back and stood silent. My pale and ds/.erf. Kven now lie did not lord for the first time appeared to he agitat Kive yon one. Centlemeu do not play poker with marked -nrds.' "As he spoke he snatched at the pack winch was lying betweem them on the talile and pu*cd them to m. " 'Kxamm* those cards, Neillon," heaaid coolly. You observe where each one is marked at the right-hand corner ?' " I saw it at once, and told him so. Then he passed them on to the two other gentle- men, who had advanced from the other end of the room. They both looked at them and shrugged their shoulders. The fact that they were marked card* was undeni- able. The count had been sitting quite stUl, ng r r he thrwboU of death. I can say no more. <iu may believe me a murderer if you will. up.iii.l throw im into the Ii i omineiiced at once. His voice was weuk anil l.ioken with agitation, but in Lord You may take tea if y<. ii will. I will not resist. I cou'd Al.eslons ears it drowned thu wild, ou- tlet if I would. Hut I will i.ll you noth- ward rush and liackward motion of theangry ) n g- " I waves aud rang out above the screech of the "What if I have you arrested a. my dragged pebbles and the weird criei of the '* murderer? There i* a warrant out aglli-t yi.ii. ' " Then if 1 lived so long I should prol.al.ly be hanged," he answered. "I am no chol.tr, my lord, but I rememlwr two lines of Shakespeare, which struck me once : '. V :"' "'"}'""'" 8" 'land upon Ihenhore. s\M I. id Ihr main FWi bate hi- n.u.il I,, .,,.(, MIX. hut; sea gull.. He heanl nothing hill that faltering voice, pouring out an >!! i..t<l, iliHi-oiinx teil ntory of winch he fast gather- ed up llielhnads. 1 1 seemed in those few minute., which hu looked upon a. hit last on earth, alinmt as though bis intelli gsiuce and perceptions wrre (jim-kened and inli-iiMlied a* Ihoniih cvi-rMlnng which L.jril elm, AM. n, you may aa well go .tund . '"' v " u> '"''' every I., i and in, l,l.-i"t, stood >n that rock ami cry out in the wavn. to oul '" *'o!'ler lorn, and his mind wa gift p. in. further as bid me tell you anything '''' '" "dded all-nil tl.at night ! " w.iitf.ne in his shaking voice i spoke of a resolution which no words onld (hake. Lord Alceston turned round without another word. L"t , fc ,,, ( r , )ln tins f dace, "he said, with a shudder. " How am* y 1.11 to know of that pawage " ' i in the rrrl. I never thought t<> l>e l.ligod lo me it, though -to |,av to creep alwii: the l.wels of the earth like a In ni. , rat." They stooped down snd enter. .1 the cave. P.IWITS of reception and comprehension. And this is the story to w I.i h lie listened : "I was eir.-n^ed l.y Mr. llruduell to be your fatlier'a fi.nfj.lciitial nrrvaiit just be- fore he ntarled for a brief ( 'ontincntiil tour. lit w tlien only twenty onn yers old, but he was an orjilun, al your lordnliip knows, mi. I his own master. " \\'. iravrlleil alxnit fur Home time in a j leisurely IIIUIM-I, slaying longest in Paris and at a litlle village up among the S .u . mountains. Ktccplfur I'aris, your faiher apeak a word, and my master went on : "'Under these circumstances, Count d'Augeville, I shall not remain under your roof. I have to inform you that your laughter Cecile was married tome last week at the Protestant church at Nice. I am sorry lhat I have not a copy of the ceitifi- cale wiih me, but you will find t lie entry in the book if you care to go and look for it. I intend my wife to leave this house with me to-night.' "Suddenly we heard the sound of trailing dra|.ei :ei befiind, and Mile. Marie swept up to the little group, her face white with pas- lion, ami her great eyes gleaming Ilk* fire in the iiioonli.'lit " " ' It i. false, mon p>rt ." she cried, falling on her knees before him. ' H* is Iwue, per- lidious, a traitor. Ocjle is not married to lutii. If she leaves this 1i1ttse with him to- night she will go to her ruin. You will not let her go, father, wicked man lhat he is. He put these cards on th* table himself. I saw him do it.' " His daughter's words seemed to give thu count in-ill courage. He sprang to his feet, shaking with anger. ed, and, dropping his sword, covered his face with his hands. Suddenly she turned round upon him, the moonlight Hooding down upon her beautiful golden hair and irory-mtrble face " ' You !' she cried. was it you ?' ' You ! My God, with the vase of water from the fa- mous Fountain of Youth thai Ponce De Leon .1 id not find, with ail interest that de- spile incredulity approaches the pathetic in view of the history of medicine and elix- irs of youth. It was reserved for our scien- tific, skeptical tin de siecle time to witness the strong hold upon the imagination this old idea of perpetual youth still has. Dr. Brown Scipiard's famous elixir of life did not lack believer* in its efficacy, Kochine had it* day as a cure for the dread disease consumption, and now the wonderful vital- n. e, the Russian elixir of youth, has follow- ed in the long list of exploded wonders and panaceas from disease and age. The story of vitaline reads much as if it were a leaf out of the history of the Middle Age* in- stead of from a country only a short hour'* distance from the seat* of old world civil- ization it this age of progress aud enlight- enment. As the story goes a civil engineer named (Jatchkowsky went to Turkestan to work on the Transcaspian Railroad, and in the course of his travels on th* border of Thibet he came upon a hilherto unknown country "where fragment* of forgotten people dwelt," a people who never fell ill and never grew old. Prom them the Russian engineer learned the secret of the elixir, which, injected into their veins, kept them always young and imper- vious to disease. Returning to Ruwia Catch- " He moved outof the shade of the cypress 1 kowsky began to manufacture thiselixir.and tree under which he had been standing and stretched out hi* arm* imploringly to her. But she waved him away. "'Out of my sight ! she cried wildly. 'Away, away! Never come near me again. Never! Murderous coward, to kill au old man !' "'Cecile,' he cried, 'It was his own fault ! Ask them if it wa* not. Yon arc my wife, lemember.' " She laughed ; an awful laugh it was. 1 ' May liod'sdirse rest forever upon me," she died, ' if 1 smile into your face a.-ain, much more lei you touch mv fingers. I hire to come near me and I will kill you. Away! Out of my sight, monster ! Wre'.ch ! If men will not punish you in this world may ' do so in the next !' Then she fell on You are a liar, Alcexton !' he cried, passionately. ' You shall give ue satisfac- tion for this, snd at once.' " My maMer stood up, quietly. " ' I shall no i right you,' he said, ' be- cause, in the ijrsl |>lac, you are my wife's father ; and in the next, you are a common iln.'f, unworthy to cross swords with an Knglish nolilcman.' "How he did it I ilon'l know, but some- how Count .I'Auguville Inn Ivit a wine-glass which hit in v in. inter ..M the forehead. I saw the Mood streaming down his foruhead, but he scarcely seemed to m>tire it. "'You rascal !' screamed the count. 'I am noble, too, und you shall tivht me !' "My master hesitaUil for a moment; then he touched his forehead lightly. '"After thi.,' he said, 'I rescind my word.. I am at your service when and where you please. ' "Now; this moment !' cried the count. 'The moon is full, and U is at, light as day. M. .1 \i in mile will be your second. Victor, you will Dtanil l.y me in this?' he sunl to thu other man, who.-tc name I have forgot- ten " My master lifted the curtain and look- ed oiiuidu. It was, a* the count hod said, as liifht as day. "'.\iy.niwi!!,' he naid, carelessly. 'M. d'Aimaiiilf. uill you honor me?' " M. Yii'toraml (omit d'An^i ville whis- pered together for a moment or two ; then the latter came to my master and M. d' Armande. j her knees again by her father's side, and my lord went away. " (TO BK CONTISrKD.) At I. H.mr. Jlesl r.,.|.l. Miss. a time when Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians, Anglicans and ot her denomin- ations arc engaged in legislation tor their own governance it is opportune for the cen- sus report, showing the state of religion in the country, to come to hand. Taking the flumes as a whole, it is found that through the entire Dominion the asitaiiitjredients were costly, and its prepara- tion exceedingly difficult, of course those who wished to try il* virtue* were compelled to pay handscmely. Notwithstanding tb* high price of this elixir of youth, Uatchkow- sky soon found his office thronged with pa- tients, and "(irund Duk;s snd Miniters of State, geneials of the army, millionaire*, bankers, diplomats, cabmen, cooks, peasant* aud beggars" cam* to beseech the fortunate Catchkowsky for an injection of youth into their vein.. The Czar himself is said to have become a believer in its efficacy, but soon the wonderful "vitaline" failed to do all that was claimed for it. One of the patient*, (icneral (iresnvr, died, and another, (ieneral Barau<iff, was reported as dying and th* erstwhile popularity of " vitaline. " sudden- ly diopped. <iatchkowsky was arrested und to save himself from the serious consequenc es of his hoax declared lhat his story about the immortal Asiatics v.-:is a pure invention and by chemical analysis the wonderful " vitaline " was found to be nothing nor* th in Ixirax sud glycerine. Klixir of life, Kochine, vitaline, and possibly others might lie added to the list of exploded short rem- edies to health and long life. Yet as long a* disease and death remain in the world w long will there be remedies and specifics of j the kind named, and the Dr. Heidegger* will go on eiperimenting with those who out the entire Dominion the Protestant* have increased since 18X1 by :I1U,NI, while ' ttre iu **arch of panaceas for the inevitable ' and draught* in in the Fountain of Youth. Truth )ms a deeper pathosoften than fiction, and tho imagination still refuses to Us the Roman Catholics have grown by l9><,.Vv!. The greatest advance among the Protest- ants has been made by the Methodists, and next to them stand the Presbyterians, with the Church of England closely following. B-.il these three greal churches retain their relative positions. That is to say, the proportion of their membership to the entire population is not less than it was ten year* ago. The strength of the various l.o, lies, however, has varied in the different provinces. Thus, while the chained to necessity. far Mr. liuini-. Alt America, Canada included, will sym- pathize with ex Secieta.-y Blame in th* gieat affliction which has fallen upon him in the death last, week of his son, Kmmons. This sudden liereavement, following cloxelv me in in i* ni. pin" iu< in. lorn, wii.ic me Presbyterians and the Church of Kngland the '" ' h " eldeiV on ' lker . n<l h " bave gained vastly in Ontario and the Wesl. I d h .ter. Mrs. Coppmger, will be a ter have lost iu the Kast. The R they have lost ill the Kast. The Koman Catholics have incicawd by I'.',,V>I in the Maritime Provinces, and the Methodists by 4,.'is.'> ; i.nt the AajcliOBM have lost ti/>l and the I'resbyluriani li,.*>4S. No doubt the ex- planation ot the changes in the relative atrength in the various provinces is lhat the I'resliyterians and tlie Anglicans are moving west, while the Kn:an Catholics aud thu Then l.oih xtarl. d and a look of horror ' x'e'nrd to cart! very littlo foi CIUPH, ami we flaihrd n. d, Neillson 's white face. 11 ' ' "led " Listen !" His voice wa* well ni K li dr.. wind m the wild rosr of nulling water and its heavy splash- ' the rock hewn sides of the pas- > While tll.-y t..od tlieie it torrent of Kn . n M-H ilreake.il with white came loam ing oul of the entrance, to the secret way, ar.i le.n bed lo their feet, " My lord -Lord It-rnard I" cried Neill- on, wringing hi* hands. " I am a murder- er i,.,w indeed. Fool, idiot, thai 1 wa* to keep you here." "What has happened What does this ran? " lie , ri. .1. " The se.i is around us. It floods the a. nt iwsiugeai e.ery tide, and U has done so now We cannot get t*i-k." " And line does the tide reach her* ! ' cried Lord Alcestnn. Neilln.in pointed to the dripping roof. I I . .an is submerged," he answered, bitterly. lx.nl Alceston ruthcd outside. Already *" l '' ''"" ' ''"' ' w en with him the long wnves . i . lolling to within a few ""''i.'ely VUIMI him speak to a woman, except yards uf the cave's mouth, snd the salt , when ho had been ol/aged. Now lie s. Tin, I spray was dashed in showers into his face as he iti.oil thure. .i|ient most of our time in out ot the -way pi t. PS. Chance led us to a small water- ing place on the French coasts, within a short distance of Nice. My matter liked the place, and we took up our quarters for some time at the hot. 1. "It wo* here, at the casino, that your father met the Count d'Aiii{c\ ille. The count was of good family, and had very pleasant manners. A blight acquaintance, Mgn m the must casual way, grew into in timacy. Alas! Alas! Alas! "Soon your father began to visit at the count's villa. It was a nice place, right away from the town, and finely situated close to the cliffs. The count was a widow- ei, with two daughters. To sum him up at once, be was also a scoundrel and a gam- bler. "Tlin daughters wero (wins, lioth beauti- ful and Wondci fully alike. From the mo- ment of hit introduction to them a h u,j. seemed to coma over my mnler. During had " M.,i.sienr the Count,' ho said, ' has no Inciting i.mtoli at hand, but several rapiers. ] Methodist* are stationary. Has l.orj Alcesu.n any objection to tight ' The most significant feature of the with these weapons * ' " ' Not the slightest,' my master answer He looked wildly around. The cliils on either sida stood far out into th. sea, and nowhere on their smooth per prii.li -uUr sides, Hldning with wet, was there tbu leant chanov of arcending oven a fw feet. U'lnle I. e stood thcro gazing ln.|ie Icssly around, a groat UHVC .nine U.umiin out fio.n tin. m. mill of th.- cave behind and II., v.id aioiind I. nil ulmo.it to bis kneos. ))!i],jini;' unli wel and l.realhleu, Ncillion rtatiguicd out to his title, sol.bmg aud cry- ISM, "llh, I.nr.] Rcrnard ! Lord Iternard," he cried, " I havr l.ronyht you here to dio. tin ( I >rive me I" I I A 1 iton was pule, and t here wai a sad, wi.t/nl look m hia l.limoyos. Kill tints was i iu luii face, iff wits lomelhing of a **'~aingr.f a Christian, and - . .ii,i|dcteiy bewitched. He was alna\s in. ..-, either inlnij: m walking on thu cliils or drivli.g into llie town with one of them. "I'c. K; and Marie wore their names. They wno both in love with him, I m Mire. Which ho preferred I could not tell at that tune. When lie sent bouquets und presents lie gen < rally t.cni to both of them, and be was with one as often as the other. Of couise there was a good dual of gosuip about them in tho town, but Miss Cecile's name was genornlly mentioned. Mis.s Marie had au- olher ndmiror, to whom she wus generally supposed to be engaged, and whom she after- .1 I married. " While this was going on in the daytime my master was loting largu siiinn of money 1 eing i heali'd out of (hem, in fact, every nicht !>) ('unlit d' Aii:..i'ville. Onoo I re mm.lx-r he-uad to jj - .o Kng.'aud lo raiao ed. I saw a savaxo gli-am of joy flash into ('mint d'Angeville's face. No doubt he thought that lieiaiiae my master wan an Kiigliithn..iii h'Moiild net fence. Hut I knew better, and was glad of the choice. 1 knew that my muster was the m >st brilliant swordsman I had ever leen. One nexer knows what may ba|i|H.n with piatols ; but with swords 1 felt sure that my master must win. They opened the windows and trooped down the l.roa.l, white steps on lo the lawn. M y master wan the last to go, and as he was i|iut''ng the room Mllu Mario laid hold of his arm and whispered something imploring- ly Iu his ear. He shock her off and turned away without a word. I shall never forget her face. If a look could have slain him he would have been a dead man. "It was a strange scene on that little plot of grass I don't Oiink I ever saw a stranger one. The whole garden was heavy with the scent of Mowers and creepers, mingled with the aromatie perfuino from tho nlnntation of nine trues which bordered thu ginunda anil sloped downward to tho sea, K.very- thing WHS aa light aud clear as day, only tli"te was tho deci. midnight stillness and the starlit sky. The figures ou the lawn, with their drawn swords Hashing coldly in llie moonlight, seemed like a party of devil, breaking into 1'aradise. The count's face wa* drawn and distorted with rage, and the other two tecn.ed agitated too. Only my master stood there quite calm, with ins shirt-sleeve, rolled up, loaning n|>i.n his sword, aud with au odd smile upon hia lips. I went to him and nsktd if he had any- thing lo say to me. He only laughed. " 'If we fence till ilaylight,' he said, 'the count will never touch me. 1 never felt in better form.' " I have Heen one or two duoU, but I never saw another one like that. The count w. nt at my master like a fur)-, but lie nsvvr seem- cen- sus calculation is that to be derived from tl.e figures for <juebc. In this province in the yer IS,'U there were 140,417 Pro- testants and H'J.TII Roman Catholics. One fourth of the population was then Protestant. In 1S.*>1 the figures stood thus : Protestant, 143,407 ; Koman Catholics, 741, V>t. Onesixth of the population was then Protestant. In Issl there were l.su,:tnu i'rotestants and 1,17", 7 IS Roman Catholics. Then one-seventh of thu population was Prot -slant. In IS'>I the Protestants number MMi.tMUl and the Roman Calholu-1 I, -111 .IHl'.l. Now only cue eight of the people is Protestant In the eastern part of the provinces the I'rotestants. are really disappearing. Take Quelwc county as au example. 1 here were I ,< >.'!"> Anglicans there in IhSl, l.ut there are only 87 4 in the county now. 1 M the city of Quebec the falling off is more marked. There, in Istil, there weic 41,477 Roman Catholics and i),li2 Pi i.ti-staiiu. Now while tho Roman Catho- lics have increased to 5X,.V>4, or by 17,000, the ProtestacU have decreased to 4,536, or l.y ... 100, The Church of England has lost .'I.'.'KI members in tho thirty years, tho Pres- hytoriaus 1)14, and the Methodists .VJ5. Thus the city is gradually Incoming exclusively French and Catholic. In the Eastern Town- ships, settled just a hundred years ago as a 1'iotit.tant district, the same process is observable. Mistisquoi had 7,455 Catho- lics in 1801 aud 11,13.1 Protestants. Now the figures are reversed there are 10,140 Catholics and S,40.'t I'rotestants. The same story is told of Drome. The 2,540 Cttho- will rible blow. Kmmons Blaine was a young man ot much promise. He had excellent natural abilities, and his business training had been thorough. Since the death ol Walker Klaine, the second son had been more than ever the center of his father'i hopes and pride, and his brilliant prospect* i of a u.xeful and successful career wvr* 1 doubtless doubly gratifying to the states- man whose domestic life had been so heavi- ly clouded l.y death and by the wayward- ness of bis youngest boy. Circumstances make tho fate of Kmmons lilnnie peculiarly trying to hil father, inasmuch as the ex- citement and labors attending the Minnea- polis convention, when the young man worked early and late from filial loyalty am! affection, are lielieved to have had much to do with his untimely end. Henceforth all political driving and ambition will prob- ably be repugnant, in a new seme, to the )>ereaved statesman for whose sake millions of Americans will feel the loss of Enunous Blaine as a personal sorrow. An enterprising electrician in Indians some time ago constructed an electrical tricycle, the description of which brought letters of inquiry from all parts ot the world. '1 he machine was worked by storage batter ies carried under the seat, and which guvt enough current for an eight hours' run. Whether the machine turned out to be im- practicable in tho form then adopted, 01 whether its inventor hesitated to undertake its commercial exploitation, is not recorded, but the public, at all events, fits heard nu more of the Indiana maclr le. Auothei inventor, however, is ambitious to be tin tirst to claim the invention of a commercially practicable electric tricycle, and has patent- ed a machine which relies for motive powei also on the storage battery. The singular point in its constru?tion, how. ver, is that the storage batteries are carried around the circumference of the wheel, preferably close to the lire. MH! there can bt> any number ol cells, a,-. !;, to the power required. Il is claiim.il : at in this way the weight of th* lies of 1861 have grown to 4,9X8 in 1S91, i storage turneries is more equally distribut- while the 10, 192 Protestants have decreased to !', 7- 1. It would take too many figures to go over all the counties included in the townships ; but summarizing for eight counties, it appears that the 50.6.S7 Calho lies of 1861 have grown to KiTi.l 111 m 1891, whil. the ol,3!Mi Protestants hav* increas- rd only to 61,829, which mans that they uavc lost. ed, and in sucli a manner as to cimse th* minimum interference with th* efficient running uf the machine, while at the sains time affording a simple and easy method ol construction. The cells ate connected by wires to insulated sleeves that carry the current to a motor in the axle of the wheel, win. h gives the motive power to the I machine.

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