ever been my besetting trouble. Of late, however, the wheel of fortune has taken a new turn with Dick Vandine. The freakish, fickle goddess is smiling, where formerly she frowned. My prospects grow brilliant. I now have a plan for you, Polly. After the holidays, which are, as you know, close at hand, I am going to take you from Cats' Tavern and send you to school-in fact, I have already engaged board and tuition for you at the best young lady's seminary in the State." I was speechless. He did not wait for an answer, but added, simply: "I have long had this project in mind, but could never execute it till now. I feel as if I had a perfect right to lead you into pleasanter paths. Thus far you have had a hard life, you brave little thing! You shall be educated for a teacher, or something of that sort, and to soothe your pride, of which you have an inordinate supply, I will say that years hence-ten, twenty, fifty, may be, when I am poor and old, and you rich and still young, you can, if you like, repay me. Now get some flesh on your bones, and some color in your cheeks, Polly, and look forward confidently to better days." The next moment I heard him descending the stairs. I dropped on the floor by the fuel basket, buried my face in my old dress, and cried and cried till I was exhausted. To go to school-to become a teacher! Ambition awoke within me. Life of a sudden teemed with possibilities. Ah, it was too good to believe ! Days passed. He did not speak to me again-indeed he was seldom at the inn, except to eat and to sleep; but he left books for me in the living-room, and Mercy Poole began to treat me as a guest, rather than a servant. It was plain that he had told her of his plans concerning me. Meanwhile happiness reigned up at Greylock Woods. News reached the inn of all that was transpiring there. With unspeakable joy I heard that Miss Greylock had regained both her health and her English lover, and that she was to marry Sir Gervase, and sail at once for the Old World. "Thank God!" I thought, as I lay upon my bed in the silent night-watches, when the storms were whistling around the inn, "her happiness is now secure! She is an innocent participator in a great fraud. Once the wife of Sir Gervase, no harm can reach her, for he loves her he will shield her through all the future. Though I may never see her more, it will be blessed for me to know that she is happy with the man she loves across the sea." One morning my sister-no! I must not call her thatthe heiress of the Woods and Sir Gervase, her lover, appeared at the inn in a splendid sledge, with prancing horses and jingling bells, and asked for me. I hurried to the sleeping-room. Miss Greylock, wrapped in furs, and looking so bright and lovely that I held my breath as I gazed at her, rushed forward and kissed me on both cheeks. Then, still holding my hands, she turned, with tears in her eyes, to the baronet. at the ceremony. Sir Gervase knows how positive my wishes are upon this point." And the baronet, with a quiet smile, answered: "I do, indeed! And I am sure your good little friend, to whom you owe so much, will not refuse this contribution to our joy. If she disappoints you, she disappoints me, also!" Then Miss Greylock put her gloved hand coaxingly on my shoulder, and said: "Ah, you will come to the church to see me married, will you not, Polly? Think how sincerely I must desire it, when I bring the baronet to urge you in person! I assure you," laughing, "I have favored no other friend in like manner. As she stood there in her beauty and happiness, with her future stretching out so bright before her, how I longed to take her in my arms, as I used to do when we were poor little street vagrants, and hold her close to my full, faithful heart! She was my sister, and I loved her tenderly, and she would never, never know it! The secret must live and die in my own breast. "I will come to see you married, Miss Greylock, and thank you," I faltered, "and I wish you and Sir Gervase joy-much joy !" They remained at the inn but a few moments. After their departure a box, marked with my name, arrived from Greylock Woods. I opened it, and found a dress of shining silken stuff, an elegant mantle, a Paris hat, fine lace, gloves, ribbons, and last of all, a little note from Miss Greylock, begging me, for her sake, to accept the gifts, and wear them at her approaching wedding. Meroy Poole shrugged her shoulders. Dr. Vandine made himself conspicuous by his utter silence. Alas! I knew only too well that there was another besides myself who would long remember the fair, fatal face of Sir Gervase Greylock's bride. One bitter night the doctor was called to visit a sick fisherman in an outlying district-of Blackport-a lonely place, among frozen creeks and marshes. He had been in the saddle all day, and was just ready to seat himself at supper when the summons came. "Never mind," he said, as he promptly arose from the untasted meal, and struggled into his overcoat; "it is evidently a bad case. I cannot delay. But keep the tea in a warm corner, Miss Poole; I will return in an nour. And off he hurried through the cold and darkness. One hour passed, but he did not appear. Another and another came and went, but brought no doctor. Mercy Poole put the cats in their baskets, and then betook herself to her own bed. "Doubtless the doctor found the man so sick, that he concluded to stay with him through the night," were her last words to me; 66 you'd better bolt the doors and go up-stairs yourself, Polly." By scratching the frost from the window I could see that snow was whirling madly outside. The wind tore in great gusts around the inn, and set the old signboard creaking over the door. On the beach the high wintry "Gervase," she said, "this is the good, brave girl who tides roared. It was a fearful night, and as I looked out risked her own life to save mine." That he was noble in every sense of the word I could not doubt. He took my hands from Miss Greylock, pressed them kindly, and thanked me with a simple earnestness that went to my heart. "My dear Polly," said Ethel Greylock, with a bright color in her oval cheek, "I am here this morning, to beg, as a particular favor to myself, that you will attend my wedding. Oh, you must not look so astonished! My happiness would not be complete if you were not present into the storm and darkness, somehow I could not accept Mercy Poole's explanation of the doctor's prolonged absence. A premonition of evil assailed me. I strained my eyes to catch some sign of his approach, but in vain. Blackport streets were now deserted, the lights had gone out in the houses. It was nearly midnight, and only wind and snow moved in the town. I dressed myself in my warmest garments, and lighted a lantern. By this time everybody in the inn was fast asleep. Softly I stepped out of the weather-beaten door, ind, through the clamorous night, started off to find Dr. Vandine. The wind cut like a knife, the snow flew in blinding. clouds. Being slender and not over strong, I could not at first make much headway against the tempest. It snatched away my breath, it beat and buffeted me, it blew me about like a weathercock. But my resolution increased as my body grew weak. I clutched my lantern and struggled along. The town was soon left behind me-the road became a vague gray track, which the snow was fast blotting out. In the near darkness roared the sea. All around were dreary creeks and lonesome marshes, solitude and bitter silence, with not so much as a light anywhere to relieve the gloom. Presently I stopped in the whirling snow, filled with sudden shame and consternation. What would he think of me? What right had I to sally forth like this, in search of him, because he had failed to return to Cats' Tavern at the appointed time? Was I bold, unmaidenly? I was about to turn back discomfited, when I heard a loud tramp, and a horse dashed by me in the darkness, and disappeared in the direction of the town. My heart leaped into my throat. The lantern had shone full upon the animal-I recognized him as the property of Dr. Vandine, and he was riderless. Fear gave me fresh strength. I flew forward like a wild creature, lifting my voice, and shouting his name as I went on. "Oh, Dr. Vandine," I cried, "it is I-Polly! Do you hear me can you answer? Are you anywhere near ?" But there was no answer. I crossed a bridge that spanned an arm of the creek, and on the other side, at a sharp curve in the way, I found him stretched on the snow, the thick flakes falling fast upon him, his white face upturned to the midnight sky. I put down my lantern and knelt by his side. He lay like one dead. I called his name, but he was past replying. Fortunately in the pocket of his coat I found a little flask of brandy. I took his head on my lap-how heavy and helpless it was !-and forced a few drops of the fiery liquor between his lips. Then I drew the gloves from his icy hands, and chafed them in my own. At last he opened his eyes in a bewildered way, and, by the lantern light, looked straight up into my bending face. "Great God !" he groaned; "is it you, Polly?" "Yes," I answered, as steadily as I could. you to rise ?" "Can I help Strong men carried Dr. Vandine home to Cats' Tavern, and the inmates of the house arose from their slumbers to minister to his pressing needs. "He has sustained a compound fracture of the leg," said Mercy Poole, dryly; "I wonder what disaster we may look for next, Polly ?" Ah, I never dreamed of the one that was waiting, even then, at the door! (To be continued.) ODORS. A KNOWLEDGE of perfumes reaches to remote antiquity. The Jews made use of them in the time of Moses. They were used by the Greeks in the time of the wise but rigorous Solon. Their use was carried to excess by the Romans; and finally, in our times, they appear to have arrived at their utmost perfection and delicacy. It has been reserved also for the present day to use them in the greatest profusion. But if the perfumes that are everywhere found, and can be extracted by certain means, may be used with safety, this cannot be said in every case of the odors that are naturally exhaled by flowers, leaves or fruits. Their action on the economy in a limited space, and especially during the night in a closed chamber, deserves to be noticed. It manifests itself by serious disorder, headache, syncope, and even by asphyxia if their action is prolonged. In nervous persons numbness may occur in all the members, convulsions and loss of voice, but in general only somnolence, accompanied by retardation of the action of the heart. This state is often associated with well-marked dimness of vision. Among the flowers that are most deleterious are the lily, hyacinth, narcissus, crocus, rose, carnation, honeysuckle, jasmine, violet, elder, etc. In addition to the danger caused by their smell, should be mentioned their action on the air. During the night, flowers actively produce carbonic acid, which is injurious to health. Magendie even cites a case of death caused by a large bouquet of lilies which the sufferer, a previously healthy woman, had slept with in her bedAmong the more dangerous plants may be mentioned the walnut, baytree, and hemp. The action of these is well-known, the latter producing a sort of drunk room. enness. EARLY AMERICAN EAST INDIAMEN. THE credit of opening India, China, and, indeed, the He made an attempt to lift himself up, but fell help- entire East to American commerce is due to Elias H. lessly back. "My horse stumbled and fell with me-fell upon me," he gasped; "I had concluded that I must lie here and freeze to death. What brought you to my help, poor child ?" "I feared something was wrong," I faltered, "because you did not come back to the inn, as you promised, and so I set forth to seek you." "Heaven bless you, Polly! And now what is to be done?—I cannot move-every bone in my body seems fractured. A few rods back-on the road-you'll find a house-" His voice failed. Overpowered with the intense cold and the pain of his injuries, he fell back unconscious. The house of which he spoke was a half-mile beyond the bridge. Before many minutes I was beating on the door, and calling loudly for help. Luckily for the injured man, who lay perishing in that wild midnight. help was there. Derby, a Salem merchant, born in the port in 1739. This gentleman possessed a courage and enterprise that no obstacle could daunt, and he determined to enter the rich field then monopolized by the English and Dutch East India Companies. Accordingly, in 1784, he dispatched the ship Grand Turk, under Captain Jonathan Ingersoll, to the Cape of Good Hope on a mercantile reconnissance, to discover the needs and capacity of the Eastern market. She returned in less than a year with the information sought, was quickly reloaded, and on the 28th of November, 1785, cleared for the Isle of France, with instructions to proceed thence to Canton by way of Batavia. The ship was laden with native products-fish, flour, provisions, tobacco, spirits and made a successful voyage, returning in June, 1787, with a cargo of teas, silks, and nankeens; the first vessel from New England, if not from America, to enter into competition with the incorporated companies of the Old World. Her success seems to have electrified the merchants of Salem, Boston, and New | tented herself with boring a hole in each of the rosy lobes York, and an eager rivalry for the trade of the Orient ensued, with the result that when Mr. Derby's ship Astrea entered Canton two years later she found fifteen American vessels there taking in cargo, four of them belonging to our merchant, however, who had not been slow in improving his advantages as pioneer. This was not the only pioneer work that he did. His bark Light Horse, in 1784, first opened American trade with Russia. In 1788, his ship Atlantic first displayed the American flag at Surat, Calcutta, and Bombay. Another did the same in Siam; the third was the first to open trade with Mocha. In 1790, it is said, his vessels brought into Salem, 728,871 pounds of tea, these ventures being among the first in the tea trade. THE POOR PRIEST AND THE DOCTOR. DUPUYTREU was a famous surgeon, but brusque and unpolished. One day as he re-entered his house, he found installed in the anteroom an old priest who had long been awaiting his return. "What do you want with me ?" growled Dupuytreu. "I wish you to look at this," meekly replied the priest, taking off an old woolen cravat, which revealed upon the nape of his neck a hideous tumor. Dupuytreu looked at it. "You'll have to die of that," he coclly remarked. "Thanks, doctor," simply replied the priest, replacing his cravat; "I am much indebted to you for warning me, as I can prepare myself as well as my poor parishioners, who love me very much." The surgeon, who was never astonished at great things, looked upon this priest, who received his death-sentence unmoved, with amazement, and added: "Come tomorrow at eight to the Hotel Dieu and ask for me." The priest was prompt. The surgeon procured for him a special room in the hospital, and in a month's time the man came out cured. When leaving he took out of a bag thirty francs in small change. "It is all I can offer you, doctor," he said; "I came here on foot in order to save this." of her ears. The legend does not inform us whether Abraham afterward felt it incumbent upon him to mitigate the smart of these little wounds by the gift of a costly pair of earrings, or whether Hagar procured the trinkets for herself. The fact remains, however, that the Turkish women, all of whom wear earrings from their seventh year, derive the use of these jewels from Hagar, who is held in veneration as the mother of Ishmael, tha founder of their race." PATENT TO WEAR A NIGHTCAP. AGNES STRICKLAND, in her "Lives of the Queens of England," in giving an account of the rewards bestowed by Queen Mary upon her friends, after her accession, says: "The Queen's gratitude took a very odd form in the case of the Earl of Sussex. The latter was a valetudinarian, and had a great fear of uncovering his head. Considering, therefore, that the colds he dreaded respected no person, he petitioned Queen Mary for leave to wear his nightcap in her royal presence. The Queen, in her abundant grace, not only gave him leave to wear one, but two nightcaps, if he pleased. His patent for this privilege is, perhaps, unique in royal annals: 'Know ye, that we do give to our well-beloved and trusty cousin and counselor, Henry, Earl of Sussex, Viscount Fitzwater, and Lord of Egremont and Purnell, license and pardon to wear his cap, coif or nightcap, or any two of them, at his pleasure, as well in our presence as in the presence of any other person or persons within this realm, or any other place in our dominions wheresoever, during his life; and these, our letters, shall be his sufficient warrant in his behalf.' The Queen's seal, with the Garter above it, is affixed to this singular grant." HOW THEY TELEGRAPH CHINESE. TELEGRAPHING Chinese cannot be done in the same manner as in any other tongue. Owing to the peculiarity of the Chinese characters, each of which represents a word, the Danish Telegraph Company (the Great North The doctor looked at the money, smiled, and drawing aern), working the new Chinese lines, has adopted the folhandful of gold from his pocket, put it in the bag along with the thirty francs, saying, "It is for your poor," and the priest went away. Some years later, the celebrated doctor, feeling death to be near, bethought himself of the good curé, and wrote to him. He came only just in time, and Dupuytreu, receiving from him the last consolations, died in his arms. 66 THE ORIGIN OF EARRINGS. ACCORDING to the Moslem creed, the reason why every Mohammedan lady considers it her duty to wear earrings is attributed to the following curious legend: Sarah, tradition tells us, was so jealous of the preference shown by Abraham to Hagar that she took a solemn vow that she would give herself no rest until she had mutilated the fair face of her hated rival and bondmaid. Abraham, who had knowledge of his wife's intention, did his utmost to pacify his embittered spouse, but long in vain. At length, however, she relented, and decided to forego her plan for revenge. But how was she to fulfill the terms of the vow she had entered into? After mature reflection she saw her way out of the difficulty. Instead of disfiguring the lovely features of her bondmaid, she con lowing device: There are from 5,000 to 6,000 characters, or words, in ordinary Chinese language, and the company have provided a wooden block or type for each of these. On one end of this block the character is cut or stamped out, and on the other end is a number representing the character. The operator receives the message in numbers, and takes the block of each number transmitted and stamps with the other end the proper Chinese character on the message form. Thus a Chinese message sent in figures is translated into Chinese characters again, and forwarded to its destination. The sending operator, of course, requires to know the numerical equivalent of the characters, or have them found for him. A FARM in the town of Eliot, Maine, has been the home of nine generations of one family, having been handed down from father to son for nearly 250 years. The first house was built of bricks imported from the old country, but in 1736 it was so shaken by an earthquake that it was torn down and the present structure built of heavy timber. Upward of seventy-five childron have been born and brought up there, and it is recorded that only one unmarried person has ever died in it, except one child that was accidentally killed. |