The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

'__.â€".~uâ€"~..â€"im._ . WOLF N THE Fair A BOMESTIC STORY WITH A MORAL. (‘ll.»\l"l'l’.lt Ylt. S'rui: know How. To 'riii: of the gloomy March eveningdeepened, Alida lighted the lamp and won then a little surprised to hear a l at. the door. No piesentiment of .a'ou'ole crossed her mind ; she merely thought. thatone of her neighbors on the. low floors had stepped up to borrow some- thing. “ ‘ome in," she cried. as she adjusted the. aha. . of the lamp. ,.'\ l'tll, thin, pale woman entered, carry» 4 elith that was partly hidden b ' I thin awl, their only outer protection against the. chill winds whieh had been blustering all day. quiringlv and kindly, t“.pt‘.\'lliig an appeal for charity. The woman sank into a chair ‘Lflif exhausted and lived her dark hollow .53. is on Mrs. (lstrom. Nae appeared eon- sumed by a terrible euriosity. Alida wondered at the strange eliill of ap- ie shadn‘a s . ,. tottk l 11 prehension with which she encountered this : grim. It was no intent, so searching, yet so utterly devoid of a trace of goodwill. She began gently, “Can I do anything for you?" For I} Ill‘llllCllC 01‘ [\YU lt‘llgt'l' lllt'lT‘ \‘HlH Ilt’) response other than the roll}, questioning. serutiny, as if, instead of a sweet "tan, something monstroust unnatural was ,iresent. .\t last, in slow, icy iitteranee, iron:- the words, “ So you are lit “ Is the woman insaii" thought. Alida. "\Ylt)‘ does she. look at me so? Oh, that l.Yilson would come 1 I’m sorry for you, my good Woman,” she began, kindly. ” You are labouring under some. mistake. My hus- hand" “ .l’t Hr husband !" eielaimed the stranger with an iiideseribable aeeent of scorn and reproach. 'i‘eplied Alida with quiet dignity. husband will be home soon and he will prot t me. You have no right to en mi my rooms and aei. as you do. If you “a arc siek and in trouble, I and my husband ‘ “ l'ltf:l"(’. tell me, miss how he beeanie ‘t/mhi‘ husband Y" “ lly lawful iirixriage, by my pastor." “ 'rY'e'll soon see how I'r/Ii'fil/ it was," re plied the woman, with it ill ter laugh. “I'd like you to tell me how often a man can be u at ried law fully." " What do you mean ‘1"erisid x lida, with .2. sudden flash in her blue eyes. 'l'lieii, asif reproarhing herself. she. added kindly, “ l’ardon me. I see you are not well. You do not realize. what you are saying or where you are. 'l'ake a seat nearer the fire, and when \lr. (lstroiu comes from his work he I Luke you to your friends." All the while she was peaking the wor lllll'll ie'nirded her with zii Ird stony gaze; thin I't died, eoldly tlll’l di. .iiely, ” You liar. that tiile grated on ere nroir , inisn" neither lll Lllt’ nor i xy-y .“ilida'u ears 34‘ I drank. Ido know “hat. I am saying,’ and where I am. You are playiiw a bold game you lime been deceived, and very y deceived too. They say some women we so eager to get married that they ask no paestions, but. jump at the first chance. Whether deteived or deeeiviiig, it doesn't matter now lint you and he shall learn ttld there 1 law in the land which will itee‘. an honest woman in her sacred his. You needn't look so shrieked and bewildered. You aienot a young, giddy r‘, if I may judge from your fat-e. What r-l e could you input when you took up ‘ l'l! a stranger you knew nothing about? 3 lo you know that likene, " and she drew 'i out her bosom a daguerreotype. Alida waved it way (Ls she said indignant «_'\'. “ I won't believe ill of my husband. .I ,. " No, \liss," interrupted the woman, siernlv, “ you are right for nine. You '\\Hll'l'Ilith(‘tl believe ill of your husband, Idl you'll have to believe ill of l/Il'llt . 'I'liere's .io use of your putting on sueli airs any longer. .nay have been, if you have a spank of hen- ::~.ty you’ll be open to proof, If you and he ‘rv to brazen it out the law \\ ill open both your eyes. hook at that likeness. look at. " e-w litters; and] have other proof and \‘i'itiiesses which can't be disputed. 'l'he name of the man you are living with is not. Wilson (latrom. lli: irtnie is llnm‘y Fe. ' l am Mrs. Ferguson. and I have my ha age eerlifieate, and what! are ioizig to faint? \Yell. lean wait till you \er and till he eomes," and .sht- coolly =.a."; down again. W't Alida had glanced at the proofs whieli the woman had thrust into her hands, then «.ti-iggered back to a lounge that stood in: r. 4he might have fainted, but at llldl. awful ‘uolnent she heard a familiar stepon the She was faring the door; the ter» ‘ihle. stranger sat at one side, with her back towards it. iI':;. M'hen (lstrom entered he first. saw Lida “ lle hastened towards ‘ looking pale and ill. her ex :laiming, “\Yhy Lida, dear, what is the tnitt.e ’ Are. Yousiek 1" Instine .ively sh . sprang to l is arms, t‘l')‘ .og, “Oh, thank (lod I you’ve come. iway this awful woman." “ Yes. llenry Ferguson, it's Vt you should take me away from a plaee like this." As the man who had ealled son llstroin heard that voice he trembled like an aspen ; his clasp of Alida relaxed, his arms dropped to his side and, ashe sunk into a chair and covered his face with his hands, he groaned, “ Lost." “ Found out, you ineau,"was the Woman's ‘eplij. Step by step, with horrorstrieken eyes, ‘llidn. retreated from the man to whose pro» teetioii and embrace she had flown. “'l'hcn it’s true 1’" she. said in a horse whisper. He was speeellle “‘ You are wilfully blind now, miss, if you don‘t see it's true,” was the st‘anger's hit- "ng e imrent. i’aying no heed to her, Alida’s eye rested an the man whom she believed to be her husband. She took an irresolute step to wards him. “Speak, \\'ilson," she eried. I gave you my whole faith, and no one shall distroy it. but yourself. Speak, ex olain, show me that. there's some hoirihle mistake." “ l1llli|,"txlllll.ll(‘lllll]l, lifting lllr blood. ms face. “ii you knew all the eirenm ,tiiiiees" ‘Sheshall know them 1" halt shricked Alida looked at the stranger in- - faced \vo» .1 No matter how rash and silly you ‘ )‘(ill ' Take ' {NUDITY i himself \Yll». the woman, as if at last stung by fury. “ I see that you both hope to get through this affair with a little high tragtdy, then escape and eome together again in some other hid. l there alone until they secininountains which 2 ing plaee As for this ereat‘ure, she can go where she. pleas s, after hearing the truth ; but you, Henry Ferguson, have got to do your duty by me and your child or go to pri on, Let me tell you, miss, that this man .was also married to me by a minister. l have. my certificate and can produce. witnesses. ,’I'here‘s one little point you'll do web to eon lsider," she continued in bittersareasni, “he . married me first. I suppose you are not. so young and innocent as not to know \\ her this fact. plaev ‘j/otl. llo courted and won me as other girls are courted and married. ‘vyon. 'I'lien, when I lost my rosy cheeks ;when I became l; and feeble from child- ;‘bearing, he desttted me and left me almost 51)'\'II]1‘I('N“\. You needn't think you will have lio take my word for this I have. proof .enougli. And now, Henry lt'erguson, I've a few words for you and then you must take. ,your choice. You can't escape. ,l and my throther have tracked you here, You can't rileave these rooms vs ithont going to prison. You'd be taken at. the door. lhit I give you , one. more chance. If you will promise. be- . fore tlod to do your duty by me and your geliild, I'll forgive you as far as a wronged “woman eni t V will take. proceedings against you. \Vliat this woman will do .I don't know. If she prosecutes you. and you are true to me, I'll stand by you, but I won't stand another false step or a false. word from you.'7 Ferguson had again sunk into his eliair, ‘ buried his face in his hands and sat trem- k‘bliiig and speechless. Never for an instant 'liad Alida taken her eyes from him; and vnow with a long wailing cry, she exclaimed, “ 'l'liank tiod. thank Hod [mother's dead.” ‘ This was now her best consolation. She rushed into her liml»eliiiiiilit>i'. and a moment later came out, wearing her hat and eloak j li'ergusoii started up and was about to spe .. o. k, but slit: silent-ed him by a. gesture, and her tones were. sad and stern as she said, “ .\lr. Ferguson, from your own manner more. truly than from this woman, 1 learn the truth. You took advantage of my misforâ€" tunes, my sorrow and friendlessness to de- ceive me. You know how false are your wife's words about. my eagerness to be de- ceived and married. lint. you have nothing to fear from me. I shall not prosecute you, as she suggests, and I eharge you before (lOII to do your duty by your wife and child and never to speak to me again." 'l'uriiing, she hastened toward the door. “ \Yhei'e are you going 2’" claimed, seekiii;.’,r to intercept her. She waved him off. “I don't, knov she replied. “ I've no i right, to ltt‘ here.‘ and she fled d m'n the stairway and out. into the darkness. 'l".e ehild had not wakened. that it had not looked upon sueh a scene ' even in utter ignorance of its meaning. It was well tillAl’l'lC l. YIII.»~lltlla‘litil'T'S YIriV» M.\'i'in.\io.\\'. of Iloleroft was indeed very lonely ashe drove through the. bare. March fields and leafless woods on his way to town. 'l'he sky had elouded again, like his prospects, and he had the dreary sense of' desolation _\vliicli overwhelms a quiet, doinmtie man lwlio ft els that his home and all to “llll‘ll he elings is, slipping from him. His hard enough at best and he had a hitter sense of being imposed upon and wronged by Lemuel Weeks. It was now enouin that the widow and her daughter had been an intolerable burden to his neigh- bor who had taken advantage of his need and indueed him to assume the burden , throuin false represetitations. To a man of lioleroft's simple, straightforward nature, any phase of trii ' was intensely l't'pllg‘v nant, and the fact that. he had been over» reached in a matter relating topiis dearest hopes gallcd him to the quick. He poss ‘ted the strong, common sense of his ela. : !IIIS wife had been like him in this i‘espett and her influence had intensified the trait. Queer people w itli abnormal manners ev cited his intense aa’ersion. 'l'lie itahle view that he would take of Mumps n “as that her mind such had was lililizllildltit‘tl, that it was an im- possibility for her to see any Hllll'll‘l't or duty in a sensible 'ht or its right. proportions illereourse, so prtjudieial to her own in- tert ts, and her inet-ss‘nit Il‘itl stilted talk. \vert proof to his mind of a certain degree of insanity, and he had heard that people in this eondi . on often united to their unnatu- lral ways a wonderful degree of eunnin”. , iler child was almost as uncanny as herself and gave him a shivering sense of d eom- fort whenever he caught her small, greenish oyesfixed upon him. “ Yet she'll be the only one. who'll earn her salt. I don't see how I'm going to stand \lrs. to for three months, or else sell out and clear out. " lly the time he reached town, a eold rain had set in. He went at once to the intellir , genee elliee, but could obtain no girl for Mrs. Mumpson to “ superintend,” nor any certain promise of one. lle did not much eare for he felt that the new plan was not going to work. Having bartered all his ‘_ eggs for groceries. he sold the old stove and thought a new one, then drew from the. ', bank a little ready money. Since. his butter was so inferior, he fork it to his friend Tom \\ utterly, the keeper of the poor house. Prosperous 'l'om shipped his old friend on the back and said, “ Y an look awfully glum and ehopfallen, Jim. (‘ome, now, don't pitch, and turpentine, I know your luek’s been hard, but you made it a sight harder by being so set in all your ways. You think there's no place to live on God's earth but I wouldn‘t take as a gift. \‘l'liy man alive, there's a dozen thin , ytill (‘IUI tlII'll ytflll' nth: r men do, l’b'k out. a smart, handy woman that r an make butter yaller as gold, and not. sueh limpsey slimsy, ghostly look ing stutl as you've brought me. lleiii' it's you, I'll take it and givr- you as inn; h for if.‘ '11s l'd pay for better. but you eaii't run your old tant'li in this fanliion.” “ l know it, 'i'oin. ' replied llnleroit, i‘ to fully. “ I'm all at sea ; but, as you say,. I'm set in I)‘ ' ways iiiid l'd rather live on _ : He promised me all that he ever promised ' give. Neither I or my brother . Ferguson ex- , lot was ‘ evident ' most ehar~‘ as she , Lem; 71 don't, indeed, but suppose I’ll have look at the world as if it were made. of tar, ' that old uprand.lown-hill farm of yours that ' hand to : but. if you will stay there, do as‘ bread and milk and keep my farm than make money anywhere else. I guess I’ll have to give it all up, though, and pullout, but it's like. rooting up one of the old ()rLkH in the meadow lot. been fooled into one of the Worst scrapes I've got. into yet.” “ 1 me how it is," said Tom, heartily and , eomplacently, “you want a practical fore- l sightt d man to talk straight at you for an hour or two and clear up the. fog you're in. l You study and brood over little tliiiie‘s out you can't. get over nohow, when, if you'd .‘ l . i take one good ,',11 up out, they’d be. behind you. l bite with me, and then We'll light our pipes land untangle this snarl. .\'o latte-king out. l I ean do you iuore good than all the preach- , ing you ever heard. u lley, there, 1 shouting to one of the paupcrs who was dc< tailid for such work, “take this team to ‘lvlll' barn and fed 'ciii. utlome in, come in, 1 old filler. You'll find that 'I'om \Vattcrly l allns has a snack and a good word for an l ‘,Ul|l lilil'l lloleroft was easily persuaded, for he felt i the need of rlieer, and he looked up to 'I'oiu ‘ very sa ' eions, practical man. No he said, “ Perhaps you can see further into a millstone than I can, and if you ean show me a way out of my dilliculties you ll be a :f'l'll :id sure enough." " Why of course l can. Your dillieulties are all here and there," toi‘ehing his bullet i h ‘ad and the region of his heart. “ 'I'liei‘c i lain't. no great dillicnlties in fact, but, after ;you've brooded out. there. a week or two alone, you think your eaught as fast as if'l you were in a bear-trap. -~lle.re, Angy," ad- " dre ng his wife, “ I've coaxed llolcroft to take 511') ier with iii-i. You can burr ' it u i i n . ‘/ 4 l l i la little, can't you Mrs. \\'atterly gave their guest a cold, limp hand and a rather frigid welcome. lint this did not discoueert him. “ It's only her way," he had always thought. “ Hlic look it'ter her husband's interests as ; iniuc did for me, and she don’t talk him to death." This thought, in the main, summed up l Mrs. “'atterly's best traits. She. was a v commonplace, narrow, selfish woman, whose character is not worth sketeliing. 'I'oiu stood a little in fear of her, and was usually 3 careful not to impose evtra tasks, but since ‘ she helped him to save and get ahead, be regarded her as a model wife. Ilolcroft shared in his opinion and sighed deeply as he sat down to supper. “ Ah, 'I'om," lie. said, “you’re a luek y man. You've got a wife that keeps everything indoors up to the mark, and gives you a chance to at» tend to your own proper business. 'I'hat's the way it was with mine. I never knew what a lop-sided, helpless creature a man, was until Iwas left alone. You and I were ,' lucky in getting the women we did, but when my partner left me, she took all the luck with her. 'I'liat ain't the worst. She , took what's more than luck and money and l everything. ,I seemed to lose with her my ‘ 'it and interes n most things. It'll seem oolisliness to you, but I can’t. take comfort in anything muoa except working that old farm that l'veworked and played on even since. J can remember anything. You’re not. one. of those fools, 'I'oin, that have to learn friiin their own experience. 'l'ake a bit. from mine, and be good to your wife while you ean I'd give all I'm \’\'(Il'lrll~~l know that aint much Wifl could say some things to my wife and do some things for her that I didn't do." n Iloleroft spoke in the simplicity of a full and reiiioi‘seful heart, but be unconsriously propitiated Mrs, ‘vVatterly in no small dc- , pree. Indeed, she felt that, he had quite res ' paid her for his eiitertainment, and the . usually t turn woman seconded his re» marks with great einphasi '. “ \Yell now. Angy," said 'I'om, “if you averaged up husbands in these parts I gu .ss' ‘ you’d find you were fariugrather better than ‘ host \i'oinenfolks. I let you take the hit in your teeth and go your own jog mostly. ‘ i Now, own up, don't I?" “ that wasn't my meaning. exactly 'l'oni," l resumed Iloleroft. “ You and I could well ‘ afford to let our wives take their own jog, , ‘ for the ' alwr 's jogged steady and faithful ‘ and didn't need. any urging and guiding. ' liuteven a. dumb eritter likes a good word l now and then and a little patting on the} . back. It doesn't. cost us anything and doesl ' them a sight of good. llut we kind of let l the elianees slip by and forget about itl ' until like enough it's too late." “ \Vrll, replied 'l'om, with : deprccatory [ look at his wife, “ ,\ngy don't take to pet» l .tin' \ery much. She thinks it ‘r kind of I foolishness for such niiddleraged people asi ‘\\("i‘t‘ getting to be." i, ' " .\ husband can show his consideration I ‘ without. lil:ii'iie_‘~,‘iiig."’ remaiked Mrs. \‘v'af terl_ ‘lully. “ When a man takes on in that \i , you may he sure he wants some . thing mire. to pay for it." l, ' After a little thought, 'llo' roft. said, “I . tuess it's a good \\a_\ to pay for it between : m i husband and wife." . “ Look her ‘, .lim, since your so well up . on the matrimonial question, why in thunder don't you marry again '3 That would settle all your tlllllt‘llllit ,"’ and 'l‘om looked at , his friend with a sort of wonder that he' should hesitate to take this practical, sen» sible course. “ It's \‘t‘1.‘ easy for you to say, ‘ \Vhy don't you marry again 1" If you were. in my .‘ place you'd see that there are things in the way of marrying for the sake of having a good buttcraiuikcr and all that kind of ; thing." “ Mr. \Vatterly wouldn't be long in eom- fortingr himself," remarked nis wife. “IIis adviee to you makes the course he’d take mighty clear." “ Now, .Aiigy,” said Tom, reproaehfully. “' \Ycll." be added, with a grin, “you're f'ormvarned. So you’ve only to Lake care of yourself and not give me a chance." “ The trouble is," lIoIei-oft resumed, “I don't see how an honest man is going to (ttililv fort himself unless it. all comes about in some natural sort of way. .I suppose there are people who can marry ove ‘ and over again, l just as easy as the ' 11 roll off alog. It ain't l i l l E l l ;f«>i' me to judge ‘em, and] don'tunder» lstand how they do it. You are a very i practical man, Tom, but just you put your- l self in my shoes and see what you’d do. In ‘ theiirst plaee, I don't know of a woman in the World that I'd think of iiiari‘ying. That‘s saying nothing against the wo- men, there's lots too good for me, but l ‘(ltiil'l know em and I can’t go round and hunt. 'en up. Even it I eoiild, with my The fact. is, Tom, I've - Now, you ve got to stay and take a i l , and wishing that the woman who sat on the Ilill," ' ,thought a good deal about it myself, but, ‘ thing different. , no use of trying to put any one in her place. . over, you find he can't, except at a big loss. , erof't looked dubioust at the woman's heavy ‘fiifl'llS'E'Ela' “now the 'l‘enniei' and Disposi- i rounded . tion. why. a‘..l.\\znd ways, lwoahln't. feel half so ierveu: farting out on a l>( to“ hunt. Iik re-‘s ‘dilli 'nliy right at. the llt"t_'lllllli:__f. Hiippos it w ll: be V‘illing to i:-n'l at an old marry, there in a hundred she'd look .' . lilltniitl y l t l fellow like in l. , posing she woald, suppose she looked me 1 square in the eyes and said, ‘Ho you truly I Won“. a wife 1" what in thunder would I say i then ‘.’ I don't want a wif ., I want a house keel er, a l»lit.lel'»ilittk(’.l‘, one that would look after my interests as if they were her i own ; and if l‘OUIv’l hire. a woman, that‘ would (in what l wish, I'd never think of marrying. loan't tell a woman that l love. . her when I don't. If .I went. to a minister. Willi a woman, I'd be deceiving him, and de airing her and perjuring myself promis- euoii~ly. lizi irried once (recording to law and gospel an t I was married through and through, and I can't do the. thing over again : iii any way that would seem like marrying I at all. rI'ho idea. of me sitting by the fire. ‘ l l l t'otlier side of the stove was my first wife 3 ' Yetl couldn't help doing this any more. than breathing. I‘lveii if thee was any chance of iiiy'nuceeeding I can't see any thing square or honest in my going out and hunting up a wife as a mere matter of husi- ‘ ne. ' I know other people do it and I've when it comes to the point 0} acting I find I l can't do it." i The two men how withdrew from the table to the ti dc and lighted their pipes. l Mrs. \Vatterly stepped out? for a moment, and 'l'om, looking over his shoulder to make sure she was out of earshot, said under his ‘ breath, “ But suppose you found a woman that you could love and obey, and all that?" “ (lb, of course, that would make every I wouldn't begin with a lie then, and I know enough of my wife to i feel sure that she wouldn't be a sort of dog in the manger after she \\ as dead. She was i one of those good souls that if she could i speak her mind this minute she would say, ‘James, what's best and right for you [.4 licstand right..' lint it’s just beeausc she was such a good wife that I know there's \\'here on earth could I find anybody, and how could we get aecquainted so that wed know any thing about each other? No. I must just scratch along for a. short time as things are and be on the lookout to sell or l rentfl7 'l'om smoked meditativer for a few min- iitt" and then remarked, “ I git that's your best way out." “ It ain't an easy way, either," said Hol- eroft. “ Finding a purchaser or tenant for a farm like mine is almost an hard as find ing 1‘. wife. Then, as I feel, leaving my place. is next to leaving the world." 'I'oni shook his head rut-fully and admit ted, “ I declare, .lim, when a felleremnesto think it; all over, your are. in a bad fiv, espe- cially as you feel. I thought [could talk you over into practical, commonsense in 11’) time. It's easy enough, when one don't know all the bearin's of a e: 'e, to think eai‘elesrdy, ‘(lh, he ain't as bad off as he thinks be. He. can do this, and that and the t'otlu thing.’ lint when you come to look it all l Of course, you can give. away your farm on which you were doing well and getting ahead, thouin how you did it, I don't. H‘t‘. You'd have to give. it away if you for. ed U. l sale, and where on earth you'll iind a tenant. . who'll pay anything worth considering but there's no use of eroakiug. I could help you, old teller. lly jogl li c I can. 'I'here's an old Woman here who s right smart and handy when she can't get her bottle filled. I believe she'd be glad to go with you, for she don't like our hoard and lodging over much." “ Do you think she'd go tonight 1’" “ Oh. yes, guess so. ;\ little cold water'll be agood change for he . ’ Mrs. \Yigg'n-z was seen, and. fz‘eling that any change. would be for the better, readily agreed to go for very moderate rages. llol» form and heavier face, but felt that it. was the best he could do. Squee/ing .\lrs. \\'at~ terly'seold, limp hand in a way that. would have thawed a liimp of ice, he said “good- . by :" and then declaring that he would rather do his own harue sing for a night. ride, he went out into the storm. 'I'oui put. on his rubber coat and went to the barn with his 1 friend, towards whom be cherished honest; )od-will. ' “ Ily jocks l" he eiaeulated, svinprnhe eally, “ but you have hard lines, .liin. \\ l' in thunder would I do with two such widdy women to look after my house u D( ('i‘o llli t'o.\"ri.\' r ice.) .0â€" FENGER-NAEL l3” new Ham’s. “on 01‘ People. He who has white spots on his nails is‘ fond of the soei ,i of ladies, but, is fickle in his attaelunents. He who keeps them well the tip is a. proud man. ilel whose nails are detached from the finger at. the further extremities , and ‘.’l1t‘ll(itll show- iugalai‘ger proportion of the finger than usual, ought never to get. married, as it Would be a wonder if he were. master in his own house, for short nails hetoken pa tienee, goodnature, and, above all, resigna- tion under severe. trials. Nails which remain long after being eut 3 level with the finger end are a sign of generv i osity. 'I'ransparcnt nails with light red mark a cheerful, gentle, and amiablcdis- position. Lovers with transparent nails l usually carry their passion the verge of 3 madness. If you come across a man with ,‘ long and pointed nails you may take it for , granted that he is either a player of the, guitar, a tailor, or an attorney. l lie who keeps his nails somewhat long,l round, and tipped with black is a I‘UniIâ€"uitie poet Any one having the nail of his left thumb all streaked, as though it had been Another difficulty; sup- r I respondentwrite. ‘ lioulang ‘ ing the gros ‘ men. . hold themselvc imilitaiy 'TllE WAR can. il_iITl.,‘..\'tlllli'f~ l’ttl‘l'IAILITY Wrru '1‘]er I'I‘Itw‘ rI,i-: Movi-‘ui a or Fin-2s: ii 'l‘nooi-u I\' ALHIICI .r:i.i-:ss A’J’I‘At'K ow (Iran/w “our: h. an -n!.“â€""l'Il(‘r Post's l’aris cin . n“ A deceptive calm fol- low ed your reeent article referring to (ten. , but he is no v more powerful than ever. I’IVV‘II his former opponents are turningr toward him as the rising' sun, find- ing it iii-possible to struggle agaiiirt the I.o\no.\‘, Fe .growing popularity of a man who is regard- ' ed by the nrrsses as a long-expected liliera tor. The whole. country is anxious for ‘ re vanelie.' and is arming silently, but with ‘evidcnt belief that the hour is coming." .\S<.-\Il.lf\'tl IVILIiM A..\ \VUM l1.\'. The Post adds an extract. from an article in the Paris Fifi/amt), signed by Selioll, imput~ t iiiiaiorality to German wov This will raise a storm of indignant protest. in Germany. .0“ ARILAVt ll-l\’l\' roi: llitinax, Feb. 'l'hc Munieh riff/cumin! Zena/Hy announces that the railway commis- sion will hold a conference on the 14th inst. at \Yiesbaden to consider arrangements in the eventh the. mobiliyn tion of the. troops. Willll.ll’..‘.'l‘ltl\. '22). liXt‘I'I'INH .\'Ii\\'.\ Fill)“ Aimiiitus. Advices front Algiers, published in the [Crimth/ioto, have caused much excite- nient here. The despatehes say a number of generals and Shilll'rtlillc‘t ' have left Alger a. . to assume commands in France ; that four ,battalioiis of the Twelfth Army corps staâ€" tioned in Algeria have been ordered to hold themselves in readiness to embark, and that preparations are being made at the different ,ports to expedite the shipment of troops. 'I‘erritorial troops, the desputehes s'ty, are to take the place of battalions leaving AI geria. Ai's’rulA riteicn To STRIKE 'i‘iii-‘. I’lis'l‘ll, 'It'C'lt. ‘2.“ â€"â€"'l'he lluda l’esth Jour- nal urges ustri to attaek Russia before the latter has completed her preparations on the lower llaunbc. It says 2 “ \‘v'ar is inevitable, and it is better to begin fighting before the Balkan States have. been {usr sianized. Austria Would thus secure an id; lianee with H, rvia and Bulgaria, giving her ltK),tl(lU additional troops. 'i'iii'. i‘i l.o\no\', l< FIRST BLOW. .iw; I.\' iiz'riiitsin‘iie. eh. 27>. News from St. Peters- burg says :7 Fears of a European war prc» \‘ail. It is announced thet, (leruiaii colon» ists in the Caucasus have been notified to in readiness to return to tlcrmaiiy and join the reserves. :x'l'. crummy AI.AI\’L\11.\"Y\‘. I’Ains, Feb, 25.7 Mctz advu is say Ger- man otlicials have done. their best to spread alarm. llirector ,Kries set. the example by buying a quantity of provisions. The town was immediately inundated with peasants offering enormous quantities of corn, poul- . try and potatoes at, ridiculously low prices. Hundreds of labourers havebeen engaged to strengthen the forts. tllllilthtTOIlY MILI’I'NRY 'lt‘lm liii‘ssiux, Feb. l3. r'l'lie Ministry will probably make the adoption of obligatory ice. a Cabinet question. minnn'u Aimin lt isanuouneed that. all the forts in Bel gium along the frontier of France have 2‘“ ecived complete war armament. l’repara tions have been carried to the evtent.of mobilizing thetroops. lying Leopold will he eommander-iii~ehief of the llelgian forces, with tlen. lhialmout chief of staff. 'I'll(’(,'(|l‘.11t(ifIt'lnaltlt'i's,ltl‘titllt’l'l‘flliti King, will eommand the first army corps and Gen. Yondersinissen the second. 11S M(i\'li.'\lli.\"l'“'- (1F tll‘llllilfi N 'l‘lltitil’S 'l'herc is a constant movement. of troops between .\'let7.and ports on the frontier of liuxeiuburg. l.o\i>o\‘, Feb. ill.» l’aris papers continue to publiin details of the movements of Ger- man troops in Alsace, vouehing for the ac~ eura y of their statements, l‘ltht'll IlISMA’IIt'Iv ILEYII’AVS 'rur. siTi‘ATnm. The I’m! says that in reply to an enquiry by tit-puty I‘lynern in the liaiidtag, as to * whether war was probable, l’i‘ince Bismarck said: “ You know quite as mueh as I do. \Yo live in a state. ofpeace; but look at the Freneh preparations, at the. building of bmraeks; at the position of lien. lion- Iuiiger: at the constantoutcry of the French Patriotic I.e llt‘ duiing sixteen years, and then eonsidei what we liaveto fear from France." 'l'lit‘. I’m-t reeo»mends the tier mans who desire to know the position of the Freiieli frontier to :sludy the map prepare. at \\'urtemlnirg by .‘. 'or 'l'ioltseh and pub lished at Stuttgart, \Iliit‘ll shows that be tween l’ai‘is and the eastern frontier the troops of the. line, combined with the present rest'rves, form an effective force of (300,000 men, nhich force ean he tripled in a few ila 's. itt’sixrlss’ AT A s'rlsns'rii.i.. :\ leading manufacturer at l‘llhcrfcld do elares that business is at a standstill there owing to the fears of a French attack upon ‘ Hermany. s'rincxe'riiimixt: niinz. Martino, Feb. ‘26. A large number of men are employed in strengthening the for- tifications of (ladiz. mar ear. in a molar. The Wolf and His ‘VIU'M Described by “in “ Free Press " Mun. 'l'liere are three or four countries in thin world not inhabited by wolves, but it may he truthfully said that they do not amount to much. The wolf was probably created stained with snuff, is sure to he a sehool- 3 soon after main, and is one of the first ani- master. Thick nails indicate obstiuaey and illrnature. lle whose nails are dirty all over is a recluse, a philosopher, a composi- tor, or a dyer. A man with yellow nails is one who indulges in every species of Vice, that of smoking being the most predomi- inant. Be careful not to confound with these such as are in the habit of peeling their oranges without a knife. The owner of very round and Mnoolll nails is oft). peaceable and eoneiliatory disposi He who has the nail of his right thumb slightly notched is a regular glutt/on, even nibbling at himself, as, when having nothing callable at hand, he falls to biting . iuals mentioned after the world got her , axle greased and get the Word to go. In his lwild state his sole object is to get three. ' square meals a day, and he isn’t a bit pars tieular whether he lunches on an old mule or a young Countess. “'hen (leiiiestitzitted , he can he taught. several tricks, one of tyhich is eating up the family baby at the first Cp~ portnnity. 'I'lie wolf is not brave as the lion, but he manages to get in his work for 367) days in the year just the same, and it is a cold day when anything good to eat gets away from him. 'l'her : are more volvcsin Russia. than in any other country. This is l arise Ill» own fingernails. And. lastly, he who keeps his. nailsirregularly cut is hasty and determined. Men who have not the pa- tieiiee to rut their nails properly generally come to g l; most of lllt‘lllt‘i'lllinll. suicide or get married. \Ye ndxiae the fair st. .9 to ‘ found a llll't', sensible wenrni. sue'n its i keep their Lynx on the trail.’\ of ititafilltlmrl one husbands if they are, to 1o“1,,1‘_,.,< },,,,,,,1,,,. in their wedded life. l the (lzar never gets time to go gunning for anything but Nllllll‘~ Sometimes, when alloped oysters an. lobster salad are scarce, the wolves wil band togethrr and pursue ; .h ghing party. If they 'an't be driven off the oeeup: ' of the ti ,gh throw each other out. (L4 otici'iugs, and 11' one. is lucky to escape the newspapers eall him a, ' hero and the (. ‘ 'es him a medal. l