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CHAPTER. XVIII.â€"â€"(Coxri.voi:o.) “ Not unconditionally. You will find a paper in my desk telling you what I should like you to do. It is quite informal; you can disregard it completely if you like," said the dying man, with a. faint, pathetic smile, which .1 leaping flame illnmined and stamped for over on Sebastian’s brain ; “ it has ":0 legal force, but it expresses my wishes, and I do not think that you will disregard them." “ No never, never ‘.” exclaimed Sebastian. “ I should never ask you to do what was unreasonable, I hope,” said Sir Roland pleasantly, though his voice was growing faint. “ I thank you, my boyâ€" my son â€"Sebastian. I should not deprive you of any portion of my earnings, were it not for setting right what has been. in my opinion, a. great wrong." There was a silence ; he relinquished Se- bastian’s hand and turned his head on the pillow as if to sleep, but his mind was still busy with the subject, for after the lapse of some moments he said, rather absently :â€" ' “The Neaves have left Woodbury. You might find out what has become of them by inquiry in the town. They must have left friends behind. Henry ,Wyatt ran away with Alice NeaVe.” There was another long silence. Sebas- tian took a. seat alitlie bedside, and thought over his uncle’s communication. It did not seem to him that there would be much difficulty in tracing his missing cousin. The loss of the moneyidid not affect him at all. His mind rapidly diverged to other subjects, where Nina and Sir Roland held the prominent places. He was almost startled when his uncle spoke again. “ It is a pity,” he said, “ that I must go hence before I have finished my book. I have been at work on it for some years now.” " Is it not nearly done?" “ Very nearly. I have named you my literary executor, Sebastian. Will you see that it is brought out ‘2” “ Most certainly. ” “ I have not tied you down to time. Do it when you have leisure, Not for a year or two, perhaps. And thenâ€"there is another little matter-you will find a mass of paper relative to my own life and experi- ences: there is indeed an autobiography, which may not be without interest to the world. But these I leave in your hands, Sebastian. There are certain views that I should like to have indicated, but it is evi- dent that my hand will not accomplish the work I had mapped out. I leave it to you. ’ “ If it is not exactly in my line,’ said Sebastian hesitatingly, “ if I feel that it is beyond meâ€"” . “Then choose someone else to do it. I do not want to tie your life down to mine, dear boy. Only the private papers the autobiographyâ€"they must remain in your hands. If you do not put them into shape let no one else." Sebastian felt an unaccustomed thickness in his throat as he replied. What he said he neVer exactly knew, for at that moment a sudden faintness attacked the invalid and all further thought of anything but remedies and stimulants was impossible. The fainting-fit lasted for some time and left Sir Roland exceedingly feeble. His eye still brightened with a smile when Se- bastien drew near, but he was too weak to speak. Once or twice the flame of life leaped up; it wavered, flickered, sank again, and then went out forever. Sebastian grieved for Sir Roland as not many sons grieve for their fathers. Stephen Malet sorrowed with him, and Kersham Manor was a house of mourning for many a day. The young man turned to Nine for com- fort. Those who knew Nina best feared that he would not find it, for she was not of an unselfish nature, and sorrow soon wearied her. But they were mistaken. In youth, in love-time, a girl’s nature has wonderful plasticity. Itvgave him an odd sensation, however, to meet Esther Denison and to find that she was grieving like himself for Sir Roland's death. She had often been asked to Kersham 1 Manor in order to read or write for Sir' Roland ; and these hours had become dear Ind valuable to her. Meeting Nina on the lame afternoon he became unpleasantly conscious of the fact that she did not feel with him, that she did not understand his love and admiration for Sir Roland as Esther showed that she had done. But this sensation could not last long in the presence of Nina’s physical attraction. He had been obliged to intimate to Esther that his uncle desired Mrs. Denison still to receive the sum that he had paid yearly ever since James Dcnison’s death: and he had not been able to understand the rush of color to he}: face, and the momentary silence which had followed his words. In a minute or two Esther recovered herself, and thank- ed him quietly. It was hard for her to feel herself dependent upon his bounty. But she had no right to refuse a gift for her mother, until she herself could lift that mother above the need of gifts. To that end she labored night and day. She had evenings and half-holidays to herself, when she worked with her pen. She had Written stories and poems almost from babyhood, and it had lately occurred to her that writing mightâ€"in timeâ€"he made “ top'iy.” She did not find a ready market for her wares. She could not de- ludc herself with the idea that she was a heaven-sent genius when so large a pile of manuscripts "declined with thanks” ac- cumulated in her desk. But she earned a pound here, a. pound there, by children’s stories,or short and rather sensational tales; and no money~droppcd into her mother’s lap as soon as gainedâ€"was ever half so sweet to her. Sir Roland left his thirty thousand pounds to Sebastian. And not until after the will was read did Sebastian reverently investi- gate the nature of the papers that his uncle had left behind, and seek to understand exactly what he was required to do. He found a bundle of papers addressed to himself in the desk which Sir Roland gener ally used. These he opened slowly, with trembling fingers, like one who is expecting a message from the dead. First came the letter from Henry \Vyatt o’t' which Sir Roland had spoken, the hand- writing was good, and Sebastian thought seine of the sentences not badly turned. The date and address were legibly written firsu, then came the letter: “ Mr DEAR ROLAND: You have no doubt do not chronicle my movements (save in r 1 police reports now and then) as they mt- yours in your more active days. I suppose you are now permanently located at her- sham. I laugh to myself sometimes when I think of the contrast between us. If you saw me in the dens which I inhabit. where what you and such as you call vice reigns, triumphs, and runs riot, you would laugh too. A contrast to the peaceful precuicts of vour Manor House, indeed l ‘y‘ I have not sunk to this level without a. struggle. You know well enough that I have been handicapped in life through no fault of my own. If you are as rich as report declares you to be, you will not miss a sum sufficient to set me on my feet again. I will not whine and cringe for it : you owe me something, and I merely ask for what I consider mine. Send your enclosure to the address given above 2 I expect to be here for Some time, as I am ill and not dis- posed to moveâ€"Your cousin, " HENRY lVY.\TT. ” The dates were somewhat surprising. The letter had been written on the thirteenth of November, but not dispitched (as the envelope testified) until the tWentyâ€"ninth. Sir Roland’s letter had been sent on the first of December, and returned to him on the seventh. By that time he was prostrated by illness, and had been able to do nothing more in the way of inquiry. But he had pet}- ciled a few lines on a. sheet of paper to this effect: “ lcharge my dear boy Sebastian to find this man Henry \Vyatt, and to give him one-third of the money that I have left. For Sebastian will have enough, and Henry has been wrongfully deprived of what was due to him. Flat justitia. Sebastian knows my wishes.â€"â€"R.. M. " Sir Roland had been curiously free from the taint of selfishness or worldliness. He had lived in a region where these lower vices could not touch him. “ Les defauts dc ses qualites” were not altogether want- ing. He had a slightly exaggerated disdain for the love of money, and was completely unable to understand the minds of persons who loved it. It is not therefore to be wondered at that Sebastian should feel little concern at the loss of a. third of his fortune or that he should also be a trifle slack in going to work to find his cousin, Henry Wyatt. In his spare hours he plunged eagerly into the autobiographical papers which his uncle had left behind, and began to arrange and annotate them. He would have to return to his post in early spring; and he was anxious to “fix his mari‘iagetday. But. Mrs. La Touche was too prudent to let it be settled yet. She said that it would look like disrespect to dear Sir Roland’s mem- ory. So Sebastian went back to Russia ,in ,March. Before his departure he saw Sir Roland’s solicitor, and consulted him as to the best means of finding Henry Wyatt. The solicitor, Mr. Golburn, a man very learned in the law, pointed out to him that be had better proceed cautiously, that he was not legally bound to give away any of the money at all, that if he founl \Vystt to be a man of had character it would be better to pay him an allowance instead of handing over ten thousand pounds for him to make ducks and drakes of. Mr. Colburn was an honest man. He put advertisements into the leading daily papers stating that Henry Wyatt, formerly of Kersham Manor, would, by applying to Messrs. Colburn and Horsley, hear of some- thing to his advantage. But no Henry Wyatt appeared. Parish registers ware consulted, but no record of his death was found. Of a ne’er~do-weel like Henry Wyatt nothing could be predicted with safety. “ The odd thing is that a fortnight should have elapsed between the writing and the posting of his letter,” Mr. Col- burn wrote to Sebastian. “ A great many things may have happened in that time. I senta young man to Manchester to make inquiries ; but he failed to ascertain any- thing of importance. Wyatt was known in the neighborhood, and so was a young woman who lived with himâ€"«whether his daughter or his wife doos not appear. They left the neighborhood suddenly to- ward the end of November, and have not been seen or heard of since. Mr. \Vyatt was a man of drunken habits and dissipated. life. It is quite pos- sible that he has some to a sudden and violent end. All we can do now is to continue advertising, if you do not object to the expense, and wait to see whether- my answer is received.” Sebastian replied, “Continue 3llV8l‘llS‘ ing, he may tiiin up yet.” S.) Mr.Colh1rn Went on advertising. Amau like Sebas- tian Malet must not always be consulted. He must not continue to reserve that sum of ten thousand pounds for ever. And Mr. I C(‘Illlul‘ll was morally convinced that Henry Wyatt was dead. CHAPl‘lll’ XIX. i.\' TllliEAClifillOUSD. Eslhrr's mother had long been a. c0nfirm~ ed invalid. She had visions of returning health and strength for tlicp'itient, which the doctor knowto be hopeless. A visit from Mrs. Fairbairn, armed with tracts forpeoplc “near death,” distressed and offended her almost as much as it did Esther. “ I am not going to die yet,” she said to her (laughter, in rather an injured lone. It was pathetic to see how she clung to the world she was leaving. She did not say much about her feelings, but she dropâ€" ped sword or two new and then which Esther afterwards remembered and inter- preted aright as the long-suppressed yearn- ings of the woman for joy and freedom and dominance. It was spring when she died. The leaves were young upon the trees, the priinroses stu ldiiig the copses, the birds nesting in tho boughs, while Esther sat for the last few days and nights watching the life die out of the love-lit eyes and the strange white change creep over the thin features. Let us turn our eyes from Esther’s grief. Her loss is such a common one, and is a cepted with such slight sorrow,such com- monplace resignation, by ordinary sons and daughters, that her despair may seem ex- aggerated to those who expect to findo‘thers suliering only us they have suffered, in a decent,well-regulated manner for a specified time. Her temptation at this time lay in think- ing, as the young so often think, that the zest of life was over. There was nothing that she would ever care for again. In this a Esther hoped that they might resume guide her with wisdom, she did atliing- that she afterwards regretted. Sheacceptrd Mrs. La Touche’s invitation to become the children's reeiilcnt governess, gave up thr lonely little house at liennet‘s Green, and went to live at the Dower House. “I would not on any account say so to the poor girl," said Mrs. La. Touche, mak» ing a. virtue of lierreticonco, "but her moth- er‘s death was really quiet providential. She would always have been a drag on poor Miss Denison ; and Ishould have had to get :1 resident governess for the children sooner or later, so that, really, things fit into each other exceedingly Well. I am sure Miss Dcnison ought to be thankful for her mother's release.” Mrs. La. Touche thought herself very meritorious for the pains she took to “keepup llCl‘ position." It was all for her daughters‘ sake, she said ; and perhaps it was. lint wliutsort of a life would she herself have led had she been deprived of her pretty house, her flowers, her dil. ettnntc music and painting, hcr light and lavish skimming oi the latest reviews, the amenities of social life and triumphs of success. Nina. bad When been at _ Esther rind . school together, the younger girl had shown some taste for various of her lighter studies them tOgether. “ If you can find time to read with Nina a little, I shall be pleased. Esther used to Wonder 9. little whether Mrs. La Touche thought her destitute of all the tastes and aptitudes of other girls of her age, when she conversed with her so glibly about the children's studies and about nothing else. Common report speaks of private gov- ernesses as poor, persecuted creatures ; and common report as usual, lies. Esther was “ well treated ”in every sense of the word ; she had all the luxuries of life en- joyeil by her pupils, a pleasant house to live iiiâ€"«much larger and finer than she had ever occupied before : site was treated with reapect and consideration, and she received fair, if not large, pay for her services. Esther had rather drifted into this life than chosen it involuntarily, and was per- haps one of the persons least fitted to en. dure it. She was sensitive and proud : she had, like her father, a highly strung ner- vous organization ; and she had a thirst for knowledge and for experience which made her impatient of restraint. In such circumstances a. vigorous nature must find food for itself. The turn given to Esther’s thoughts by her mother’s death led her to religion. But her parents would have been shocked by the sort of religious teaching that attacked her. Mr. \Vi'ight, the Curate, was a strong High Churchman. He was delighted to find in Estlicr a promising subject for his minis~ trations. Mrs. La Touche was quite con- tent that Miss Danison should attend a class at Mr. Wright’s house on Saturday afternoons (oh, the blessed chance of get- ting into somebody elsc’s house for even one hour of a. half-holiday l), and here she went through a course of “ instruction,” which resulted in her turning into an ardent Churchwoman with Rituallstic leaning. Possibly this fact shows how hard pressed she was for interests. â€"â€"-â€"â€"-â€"â€"â€"â€"~â€"~â€"-â€"â€"â€"â€"~â€"-â€"â€"â€"sâ€"â€"â€"_~â€"â€" CHAPI‘ER. XX A SILENT LIFE. ”lynt‘ochrczi sollst duâ€"sollst ontbc‘nren." GOETIIE. When Sebastian came home in the fol- lowing spring for his marriage ho was struck With the change in Esther‘s appear- ance. He questioned Nina when he was alone withiher. “ What have you been doing to Esther ?” “ Doing to her l” said Nina, rather pet- tishly. “ I don’t know that we have done anything. And, Sebastian. momma. does not like her to be called ‘l‘lsther’ now. Do call her Miss Dcnison.” Sebastian laughed alittle. “ She looks like a. shadow of herself. She has lost all her color and has black marks under her eyes.” “ How closely you must have observed her ‘2” said Nina. " I did not know that men took such notice of girls’ looksâ€"” “ My dour Nina, the change is too evi- dent to pass iinremarked by any of i\’.iss Denisou‘s friends. I always considered myself Estlier'sfricnd ; and surely you do so too ‘1" “ Of course, Sebastian; I was always ‘sther‘s friend at school, and I am_ her friend still, I know she does not look well ; but it’s all her own fault.” ' “ Why ‘Z’l “ My dear boy," said Nina, “ don’t you know that this is Lent, and that Esther has become-a violent Rituclist? The conse- quence is, that she starves herself and goes to church at every spare moment. Mam- ma is extremely angry, but she can not do anything to stop it.” Sebastian was surprised at this informa- tion, but still no more, not quite liking the Lone. in \i club it Was conveyed to him. He took an early opportunity of speak- ing to Esther himself; but it was not easy to liml a time when Mrs. La Touche and Nina were not by. His opportunity came on a. Sunday morning, when he walked out between eight and'iiine o’clock to look at his uncle’s grave in the Kei'sliani church- yard. Many of the graves were decorated with flowers which had been brought on the previous night ', Sebasdnu wondered to see some of the flowers so fresh and bright ; they did not look as if they had lain in the open air alluight, Then it dawned upon him that service was already going on ;he heard the hum of r. voice through the half- open door of the church, and remembered that a bell had rung at eight o’clock. Ho did not enter ; these early functions were novelties to him in Kcrsham. But he tried to subdue the crunching sound of his boots on theloose gravel of the paths, as he walked to the shady corner where he knew tliathc should find his uncle’s grave. There were flowers on italreadyâ€"primroses woven skillfully into the form of a cross, \Vlio had been laying flowers on his uncle’s grave ? On glancing round he saw another cross, the counterpart of the one besides him, and his quick eyes told him that it lay in the shadow ofa scone which bore the names of James and Margaret Denison. Then it was Esther who had brought them both 2' She had not forgotten Sir Roland in her own sorrow. It was but a. moment’s doubt. His whole being revolted from the idea of treachery, ordisloyalty to Nina. He loved Nina passion ~ ately ; there was no doubt of that. And ________.___.â€"â€"â€"â€" losisiglzt ofme completely. Tlienesrspspersl fit of (ivpi'ession, and having nobody m‘Esther was his friend. He turned and saw her coming toward .lllll over the shining grass. She did not see him. She had just left the church with the other Worshipers; two little books Were clasped in her iingloved hand. She saw him before she reached the grave, mod the sight caused her to stop short for one brief moment. She neither blushed nor uttered an exclamation ,- indeed she turned even paler than she had been before. The sight of the cross of primrmies gave him courage. “ You laidit here ‘3" he said, coming to her side. Esther bowed her head. “ I brought one for my mother and one for him." “ It was good of you,” said Sebastian. “ Very good.” “ Oh no, no ! You forget: I knew him a. little, and I loved him. He will always stand lo me as the type of a. great man; the noblest and greatest man that I ever knew. ” “ And tome too,” Sebastian responded simply. ” Will you come with me to my mother’s grave too ?” she said. He followed her in silence, and in silence they stood beside the stone on which was recorded Margaret Denison's name. A great tear fell from Esther’s eyes as she knelt down to rearrange some flowers that had been blown aside by the morning breeze. Sebastian saw it, and as they turned away, he said impulsively: “ Don’t grieve. “ “ I don’t,” said Esther, witha tre‘nulous smile. “ For her sake I am glad.” They did not speak again until they near- ed the churchyard gate, and then Sebastian asked, “How often do you bring flowers here ‘2" “ Every Sunday morning.” “ Have you any difficulty in getting them? For I could speak to the gardener at my uncle‘s, and he would always supply you.” , “ Thank you, butâ€"I don’t know if you will understand the feeling~â€"-it seems as though it would be spoiled for me if I had the floWers given by any one else. That is why I often get wild-flowers only. But I forgot~perhaps you would like him to have your ll )wers ; but thenâ€"then you must get somebody else to make the cross." “ I want no one but you to make it Esther. Do as you please, I only want to make things easier for you," said Sebastian: “Oh, it was very wrong of me to say that,” she cried. “It was all my self-Will, my self-indulgence. Please forgive me. I shall be glad of the flowers ; I am very much obliged to you.” “ No, I would much rather see your wild ' flowcrs,Esther,and he would haveliked them more. My offer was a. blunder; forget it. I thank you a thousand times for what you have done. VViieri I am out of England I shall be glad to iemcmbcr it. My uncle was father, brother, teacher, playmate, to me, all in one.” “ Now tell me,” he said, “what makes you look so ill and pale? Nina puts it down to your High Churchism, as she. calls it. I hope you are taking care of yourself?” “ Yes,” she answered meekly. “ You do not work too hard? You are happy 1'" “ I like teaching,” she said at last. “ I am sure that bright days will come for you at last,” he said. “ Don’t think that I am unhappy,” said Esther, “ Why should I be? I have every- l thing I need; far more than I deserve. If I am unhappy, it is â€"-it isâ€"my own fault.” The hot tears started to her eyes. “ I am not so doleiul as I look," she said. “ Please believe that lam happy. And When Ifalter I find great help and comfort in words” like thoseâ€"words that I was reading just now.” She slid a little book into his hand; i it lay open at a. marked page, which he glanced down. “I have very often said unto thee, and now again I say the same, forsake thyself, resign thyself, and thou shalt have much inward peace. Give all for all ; ask far nothing, require back noth~ ing thou shalt be free in heart, and darkness shall not tread thee down. . Then shalt thou be rid of all vain fancies, senseless perturbations and super- fluous cares. Then also immoderate fear shall leave thee, and inordinate love shall die." He gave her back the book. “ Is that} your rule of life '1” he said, with a. curioual smile. ' lhther was late for breakfast, and Mrs Lo. Touche, being annoyed, spoke of the uudesirability of these early services and a . the folly of people who attend them. Nina had seen Sebastian walking with Esther‘ through the village, and made several snup- - pish and disagreeable comments upon the . fact. Esther could not answer Mrs. La.i Touche, and disdained to reply to Nina; but the hot, and angry blood mounted to her brow, and she asked herself Whethér she could long continue to live in a. house , with companions who were so uncongenial ’ to her. And when the angry moments was over, she tool; herself sharply to task‘ and told herself that she was unworthy of any good thing, of any love, or any joy ; if she were not a base Worldly creature, how could the exquisite peace of that morning’s communion have been disturbed by any- thing so small as the words of Mrs Ls. Touche and her daughter '? This considera- tion made her more irritable than ever : for futigueand hunger, as well as the excite- ment of her talk with Sebastian, were tell- ing upon her nerves ; and she had several sharp speeches with which to reproach her- self befoie the day was over. (To BE cox'rixi‘i-zn.) A Royal Bnlnirinlicr. King Lobengula has the reputation of being a remarkably good band at making athunderstorm, and to this he gives way to no man. I remember one day in Juneâ€" the month in the whole year in which you least expect rainâ€"some natives had brought a large python into camp, and were singing some of their ruin songs. It is sudden death to any native in Metabcleland who, if he sees a python, does not by some means or other manage to secure it and bring it in alive. The King took possession of the reptile, and said he must go and make rain. I laughed at this, and said I did not thin k he could do so, to which the King replied : “ You will see.” The python was skinned alive, its liver taken out and cooked, and the usual rain-making rites performed. Curiously enough, just before sundown the sky clouded over, and soon afterwards one of the heaviest thunderstorms I had ever seen broke over the place. Next morning the King asked me if a. white man could lmsue a thunderstorm like that? I said : E“ No, King: if we could get you down laniong the farmers in the Karon we could lguui‘siitce you a fortune.” l liar sunninnEnunt o til A PrOposltlon 10 Build nTunncl under the Irish Sea. Among the other startling propositions is one to shorten the sea. distance between New York and Europe by means of a tun- nel connecting Ireland with Great Britain. Several years ago plans were drawn for a canal to connect Ireland and Scotland. The distance is about twenty-one miles, 959 cost would be $30,000,0(O or $35,000,(‘;00 and the number of years the Work would take would be about six. This is another of the propositions which have been revived during the last few weeks, and it is strengthened or bolstered up by the phil- osophical suggestions as to the improved relations that would exist between England and Ireland if railroad connection were possible between the two countries. The canal across Scotland, which has been from time to time talked about, has been restored to a live subject by the completion of the great English canal. One of these propositions is to connect the Firths of Moray and Lorn, making use of the chain of lakes in the way. Another is to con- nect Glasgow and Edinburgh by a canal which would also connect the two oceans; few hills intervene and there is so much water already in the way that it is thought probable the project would not be expensive, But it remains to be seen how much traffic could be obtained for canals of this character, and whether there would be any possibility of aZrevenue sufficient to justify the expendi- ture. Few, if any, of these projects are likely to lead to any active work, though some of them are quite as simple and easy as the Suez Canal, the Fourth Bridge or the Man- chester Canal, all of which were once de- nounced as the outcome of crazy intellect and Wild fanaticism. Under any circum- stances the succesgful completion of a. task so generally denounced as impossible is almost inevitably the forerunner of gigantic enterprises likely to make or lose immense sums of money for their projectors. CIIRBEH‘ 'i-zwornrou. news. The haulage problem is one which has re- ceived the careful attention of mine owners at all time. For years mules were used in the mines for hauling, and in some cases are still used ; rope cables replaced mules in many places, and now we have the elec- tric locomotive taking the place of both. A model electric plant for this purpose has lately been installed at Rock Springs,VVyo. ' The economy attained by the use of the electric locomotive is shown by the fact that by its aid it is reported that thirty cars were run from the loading point- to the end of the track, a distance of about 600 fact, there dumped and returned to mine in twenty minutes. To those persons whose sole idea. of elec- troplating is connected with the plating of silver services and kindred articles it may be a surprise to learn that the same princi- ple has been applied to the plating of the bulls of vessels with copper. Vessels with iron bottoms are easily fouled, causing an immense loss of efficiency, as a. vessel cov- ered with barnacles, etc., will take twice as much coal to run it at a. given speed as when the bottom is clean. It has been found that a difference of electrical potential of 11-2 volts and a current of 7 1-2 amperes per square foot are so ffieient for a. deposition of copper electrically, and by the improved methods which are now available a. vessel 400 feet long and having a. draught of twenty feet can be coated with its 5,5(‘0 pounds of protecting copper in a week’s time. Not be content with placing the elec- tric lightinginour streets, buildings and almost every other imaginable place, the electrical engineer is now about to under- take the lighting of the ocean highway. It is proposed in France to light up the course usually taken by transatlantic vessels be- tween Newfoundland and Ireland, the means to be employed being ten large lightships anchored about 120 miles apart, these ships to be connected to the shore and to each each other by electric cables. The. last number of the Scientific Ameri- can tells young men how to become electri- cal engineers. It says that an educated mechanical engineer can become an electri- lcal engineer with a. few months of study. The electrical station of the day is based for its successful operation largely on econo- my in the generation and utilization of steam, as the student must make up his mind to acquire the fullest knowledge of steam engineering and practice. When he feels that he is a thorough mechanical and steam engineer it will be time for him to think of completing his education by special attention to the electrical branches. As for higher mathematics in practical work, little more than elementary algebra is necessary. His last and graduating course will be an experience in the actual labors of an elec- trical station. It has been found by a continued series of experiments that magnetized iron will lose more by electrolytic action than iron not so influenced. The difierence is said to average about 3 per cent. under the condi- tions of the experiments. SOUTH AFRICA. Di srovery or Reefs of Goldâ€"Km: Laban- gulu Prepared to Surrender. A London specihl says :â€"A despatch from Cape Town says tint ulthough‘reefs of gold are visible near Buluwayo. late the head- quarters of the Matcbele King Lobengula, but now in possession of the forces of the British South Africa Companymo prospect- ing is allowed. The forces at Fort Salis- bury are being disbanded, and the breaking up of the forces at the other forts is com- mencing. The remainder of the campaign against the Matabele will be carried on by the Matabeleland police force, which is now being organized. Despatchcs from Fort Victoria say Lo- beiigula has sent a letter to Major Goold Adams concerning the termination of the Matabele war. The King admits that he is willing to discuss the terms of his sur- render. His young Matabele warriors, however, are still anxious to fight, and he feels that he may not be able to restrain them. Major Goold Adams expressed strong hopes that a. settlement Will be reached without further hostilities. -â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"‘°â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"- More copies of the Bible have been ~ald in the past twenty-rive years than of any kother book published.