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~ - may; it. [1888 ’8 till Bil. " 'Twas from Kathleen‘s eyes he flew, Eyes of most unholy blue l” Gerald Griffin. dismayed to the Mrs. Basset verge of tears. "I never thought you’d take it so hard, sir," she said. Mr. Alexander Freer looked around the well-kept dining room and then at the tempting breakfast set before him, He knew that never was meal of his inâ€" trusted to the ignorance of lhx ordin- ary servant. It was Mrs. Basset who had made that goldenrbrown and fraâ€" grant coffee. It was her plump bands which had broiled the Whitefish and arranged it in its crisp little bed of watercress ard sliced lemon. It \\ as she who had become flushud in the pre- paration of that enticing toast. No, Mrs. Basset ’had never failed in conâ€" sideration of his comfort. They had got on so smoothly together -â€" a monthly acknowledgmentl But all was to be changed now. In fancy he saw across that pleasant table anew \\'ilS face confronting himâ€"the face of a woman. And all the idea of that vision, materializing intn flesh, his frown deepened. "How long have 1 boarded with you, Mrs. Basset 7“ "Seven years come September, sir " "Quite right. During that time you have occasionally accommodated men who wished to board here, but. never .women. I understood that no woman was to be received here. For the last year I have been the only boarder and the solitude has been delightful.‘ Now, this womanâ€"” He removed part of the whitefish to his plate in an ominous silence. His landlady, generously propor- tioned, broad of girth, rosy of cheek and ordinarily placid of brow, gazed at him in mental perturbation, That handsome, ascetic countenance, with its scholarly air; that noble head under its th-utch of wavy brown hair; that reserve charm of manner which set him apart from men of less spiritual personalityâ€"she had come to know well and to admire the possessor of these. When he had not been. at his club or delving in the libraries he had been content at home, surrounded by his books, his etchings, his rare collec. tion of marine aquarelles. Quiet, self-centered, not [prone to find fault â€"an ideal boarder, truly. "I’m that sorry!" The emotion in her voice was genuine. "When she wrote and asked me to let her come I said yes right off. Once, sir, a long way back, before John and me were married, I was in service with Miss Je-annette’s mother. They were rich folks then and held their heads high. All that’s changed now, It’s me and John that have done well and got money out. Her parents are dead. She supports herself. She teaches school-night school. She wouldn’t be here in the evenings at all." A school teacher! Again Mr. Freer looked across the table. Again his mental vision dicerned a vis-a-vis. This time the individual opposite took definite shape. ll‘all, prim, angular, sallow, with spectacles astride a beak- like nose and grim lips forcing smiles of antique coquetry. He shuddered, “She attends clubs, I suppose," he ventured. . "She is president of one and secre. tary of another. She is bright." .He groaned. His opportunities to study the progress of women had been limited. To him, as to many who should be more liberally informed, a club woman meant necessarily an in- different mother or domestic slattern, "I shouldn‘t wonder,” he hazarded drearily, "if she. were versed in the ologies.” Mrs. Basset fell to plaiting the edge of her immaculate apron. published a book on chemistry, which "She‘sl _. . . lous critic-ism. thoughtâ€"Seeing you were staying in, n sirâ€"â€" " Yes. That's all right." "But it’s Thursday, and Delia in going out. The new housemaid was to come at 3. Ithought if it wouldn‘t be asking too muchâ€"4f you‘d let her in when she ringsâ€"" " Certainly. Any directions ?" “No. She won’t need to do any- thing till I get back. Thank you, sir." She took her portly person away, and Alexander Freer went back tohis book. He left his door wide that: he might hear the ring. 11:: (lid hear it an hour after Deli-1‘s crackling skirts on the stairs had indicated her festive departure. He went. down. opened the door. The girl in the vestibule wore a trim black gown, a tan jacket, and an audacious little spring hat. She had ripplilng rcddidi hair and the milk white :kin that goes with it, a scarlet nlulllh, and eyes of forgetâ€"me-not blue. Something singularly youthful and fragile about the slight form, somotlhling lonely in the lifted eyes, appealed to him. Like Becket. Freer " spoke to a noble as though he were a. churl, and to a churl as though he Were a noble I” Now he addressed the girl with the delicate courtesy women of his own class, so admiired in him. "Mrs. Basset was obliged to go out," he explained. " The cock is also absent. You are the new housemaid, I believe. Come in. Mrs. Basset de- sired me to mention there would be no ' task for you until her return." For a moment she regarded him blavnkly. Then her lips droo-ped. “1 am sorry," she said, advancing. She took off her hat and jacket and hung them up. ".I could do a good deal if I knew what was to be done. I dis- ‘like being idle." To do! Haidn’t he been staring off ‘and on since his Late breakfast at the . dusty books on his topmost shelves? Had he nut been cherishing a secret ' tle voice from the ladder. .cnce that followed they heard the hall plan of flight? But he could not pack l his precious possessions himself. He dreaded the indifference wlth which professional packers would squeeze his adored volumes into soap boxes. Nor, might be ask the aid of Mrs. Basset. He could not: tell her of his intended ‘ departure until all was in readiness. and thenâ€"an extra month's rent would simplify matters. He was not definite as to his future abode. A bo- teJ would do for the present. At any rate he must escape from the new boarderâ€"the school teacher who be- longed to clubs and who had written a book on chemistry! ‘ ‘I wonder," he cried in somewhat a volcanic fashion; "if you would be good enough 'to lhelp me pack my books and etchings. CI have a collec- tion, too, of first proof engravings. You look as though you could do the work satisfactorily. iI can bring my packing boxes cult of the basement. {I am going to change my quarters. \Ve would have a. few hours before Mrs. Basset gets home,” he went on, hastily. “.1 shall be glad to pay well for the assistance." He broke off breathless, and stood looking inquir- ingly at her. The milk white skin grew pink un- der his glance. For a moment; she did not reply. "I will help you,” she consented. Somewhere in the kibchen regions she found and donned a big blue check apron. She presented herself at the first. room of his suite, her sleeves rolled up, a soft old cloth in one hand, a feather duster in the. other. The womanâ€"hater watched her as She worked with anxiety that finally merged in complacency. How well she knew how to handle a book! The way she opened each, gave it a little sharp closing gesture to dislodge the dust, wiped iit flickineg all over, and laid it gently down satisfied even his jeal- As she prepared the has gone into its tenth edition,” she I bum“ for pawkmg he “owed [hem admitted humbly. "Just as I supposed!" Mr. Freer gulped down his coffee, took up his paper, and rose. " When is she toâ€"to honor us with her presence?" Mrs. Bassel‘s guilty conscience shrank like that of Eugene Arum when she encountered the penetrating eyes piercing her perjured soul. “Notâ€"not. before toâ€"morrow af .r- noon, sir !" He muttered something about twenty-four hours of grace, and want off to his big, beautiful front room. wherein were gathered together his accumulation of literary and artistic treasures. An hour later he openedi his doolr In response to a. tentative ’ knock. “(I’d like to as}: you a favor l 111'. Freer, sir," began Mrs. Basset. "I’ve just got a telephone messagei that my sister, who lives on the west. Side. has come down with pneumonia. ‘ She’s the only sister I‘ve got. and I'm l ‘ lworried to know how bad she Il .oxcited over his away in a lined box. He grew quite taskâ€"almost hilar- ious. “I feel like a criminal!" he told her, laughing. “I know how men feel who go off leaving their board bill unpaid. I tried to tell Mrs. Bas- rei this morning that I would leave, but I lacked the courage. The dear It will be many a day before 1 find a place that suits me as this does." "\Vhy are you leaving then I" asked. From her perch on top of the little library ladder she was handing him down a first edition of the ltubaiyat as she Spuke. " You may not think mine the best of reasons. I am leaving Mrs. Basset is to receive boarderâ€"a woman 7“ soul ! she because another ] lcontrntedly. of a confidante, "She supports he?- sclf. you know, teaches school, and even writesâ€"books on abstruse sub- jr‘CfS.” "Dear! Dear!" ejaculated the pret~ ty housemaid. Sympithy is sweet. If any one had told Alexander Freer that mornim.r he would have been glad of its gift from a housema id he. would have been incredulous. But here he was hug- ging it to his flattered soul, and fish- ing for more. He told her how he had never known a real home sinrc his mother died when he was a boy of 10. After that there Were schools and colleges. Then travel, hotels and boarding houses. "liq-1‘9," he concluded, “I've been comfortably an- chored for sevon years, with leisure for my own interests and pursuits, and quite secure from interruption. But now I must give it up. I never can face that gaunt creature in spec- tat'lvs, who will talk pedantically to me across the table three times a day 3" “Does she wear spectacles 3" de- manded a demure voice. Freer lifted his head out of the parking case. "I'm sure she does. They all doâ€"the clever ones. She might. expect me to take her to lec- tures. She might induce me to take up municipal reform. She" â€" the sweat of fear breaking out on his. foreheadâ€"“might give me worsted slippersâ€"or a birthday edition ofl poemsâ€"she might l” | "That's so!" assented a solemn litâ€"l In the sil-‘l clock strike. l "Four!" Freer exclaimed. "So latel Mrs. Basset may be back any minute} â€"H;irk! Isn't that she now 2" He? stumbled to his feet, looking like at detected schoolboy. "There! One box is ready, anyhow. You must let‘ me thank you, Missâ€"Missâ€"” ‘ "Jean," she prompted. "Miss Jeanâ€"and take this." There was a sound of the door, which h'ld been opened with .i latchkey, swing- ing shut again. A heavy step came up the stairs. You are welcome. but I can't take any money. Basset l” And there, indeed, was that worthy woman, leaning against the open door and staring in wild astonishment at the Scene presented. The packing casesâ€"the heaped up booksâ€"the con- founded owner of the shapely sylph on the ladder. "Jeanette!" she cried. "My dearl \Vhat does this mean i" l "I did not intend coming until to- marrow.” descended from her elevated seat and was greeting her friend warmly. "I changed my mind at the last minute â€"and came. Now I’m going to change it againâ€"«and go away." "Mr. Freer," pleaded the embar- rassed landlady, "what is all this about ?" "My blunder, madam!” he cried re- Here is Mrs. l latterâ€"the‘ M s; Jeanette \Vallacl had ‘ ing of the \Voman's club. An um- brella was raised as she stepped out. and a familiar figure walked beside, her through the rain. ‘ "This is rash!" she cried. "It is .ilmost as bid as taking me to let'- tures! But I haven't given you worsted slippch yetâ€"nor a birthday edition of poems!" Alexander ll‘reer hold the umbrella lowerâ€"lcant closer. "No, but the-re is a gift I‘d dearly love to have, little Jeanâ€"and only you can give it to me!" "0!" said Jean softly. The rain came down in a deluge: On either side of them people were) coming and going. llut [freer only loaned nearerâ€"spoke with more earn- passion. Andâ€"why not? For sure there wasâ€" est Nothing to frighten a man away, 01in a (‘hmk like a strawberry bedâ€" Only a I‘inglet’s gold astray, And :1 mouth like a baby‘s, dewy- red!" ~â€"+___._. . CRITICISBI. The habit of dcprerialcry criticism IS a mental pit fall which has serious consequences. Though ('rilicmm. which is merely a detailed examinaâ€" tion and review, implying a precise knowledge and keen ln>lghl, r-omlnn- ed with an exact judgment and perâ€" fect mental balance, is not harsh and of a censorious character, yet the term has come to be applied al- most entirely to adverse judgment. As such, critictsm is an evil habit. How easy it is (/0 see with acrilical eye. only the evidence of weakne-s and folly and not what is best in [he natures, actions, and dress of our friendsl By passwer permitting the rynicrl side of character to gain the upper hand we cultivate a state of mind which. beginning with a caviling captiousness, ends at last in the depths of an allâ€"pervading pessi- mism. This pessimistic regard of life grows on us, so that finally all the good points of a toilette, a picture,a character utterly overwhelmed with the magnified immensity of the blemishes, the unfinished details, and l the unavoidable defects. l By allowing this faultâ€"finding act of harsh judgment to grow into a habit and by giving free rein to the tendency to put. the worst .struction on oihers‘ words and deeds, we will at length find our cup! of life goverâ€"flowing 'wtth gall and bitter- Iness; and yet quite within our reach lay unlimited happiness. For, a large and broad nature which finds lthe total of the greatness that is in vevery character and looks not per- lSlSlently for the evil that has been in all but One, is also the outgrowth of habit, and can be cultivated to a. considerable extent by all. We all undoubtedly inherit certain funda- mental prinriples of character, never- theless, in d-f.'e.ent h nds th A deve'op- ment ofthis endowment wrll often :itâ€" always are COD- morsefully. "‘l‘ookthis young lady for the housemaid and asked her to help me pick my books. I beg her par- don, I’m sure l" "Butâ€"picking! Were you going to leave? 0, Mr. Freer! And all on ac- count ofâ€"â€"-" "Of me!" cried Jeanette, gaily. "But I shan't be your boarder, Mrs. Basset. Mr. Freer will stay." Whereat Mr. Freer immediately de- veloped a most extraordinary contra- divtorincss. "Not unless you do!" he declared stubbornly. A saucy smile came spirkling his way. "I might. expect you to take me to lectures,” she said. “You‘re not a gaunt creature with a hooked nose," he retorted irrele- v.intly. "But," the dimples coming and go- ,ing. "what about municipil reform?" "l'll risk thtt," he said decisively. She knit her slim, dark brows. "To be talked to pendantically across the table three times a day," she pro t'eeded gravely. “Is what Ishould enjoy above all things!" he proclaimed heroically. With his hiir rumpled. his cheek flushed and that new, eager light of interest in his eyes, he appeared ten years younger than the precise and self-sufficient gentleman who had frowned over the broiled Whitefish that morning. Good Mrs. BtSSt-f looked helplessly from one to the other. "Settle it between you." she cried. then bursting out laughing: "'th new housemaid is t'I‘OsS-Pyerrl and DOI'k-Ulll'kt‘(l._\1l'. Freer. I should have tulll you!" "'l h - t's all right I" commented Freer "Now, I'm going to un- " Yes 5" Clearly she expected him to ‘ pick these books ant put. them back so y more. "I understand she is one of those [where they belong." It was pouring rain one afternoon appalling creatures they call new wo- 8 (‘UUDlP 0f months liter when Jean- mcn." he went on, unconsciously glad etle \Vallace came forth from a meet- tain quite opposite results. We are the controllers, to what extent we will, of this development of character, for in so far as we rule ourselves, to that extent will we control the growth of our natures. It is doubtless a, heavy dram on ones Christian charity and forbear- ance to acquiesce in praise and com- mendation which we know is misâ€" plared or uncalled for. It. requires ()Ull‘klleSS of Ihoughl and self-cantro. to give an as'Sent “tll'h will appear entirely spontaneous; but though tllf‘ ficult, it Is necessary to guard the tongue from speaking lll, even though the ill be merely truth-telling. The term "frank criticism" is used by many to cover up nICely what is in reality an evidence of lack of breed- and fellow-kindness. In some cases this delightful frankness amounts alâ€" most to a brutal disregard of othgrs feelings. "Evil speaking would be a more correct description. Evil sped;ng is the result of unrestraiir ed criticism. hirsh judgment, and enkus jealousy. Unfortunately. however, it is not entirely a mental habit; but we can exercrse at least a certain control over innate lenden ties of this character which we find in our natures. ' __(,__ (£001) Al’I’lC’l‘l'l‘lh‘ PREFERRED, Mrs. Skinner.â€"I'm glad to hear you say you have such a good appetite. Mr. Newboarder.â€"â€"Landladies gener- ally fear a. good appetite. Mrs. Skinner.-â€"I don’t. “’hcn amau has a good appetite he can eat al- most anything. JUST \YHA'I‘ SHE MEANT. I don’t think he's a man of much discernment, said the girl in blue‘ Why, he proposed to me .only last evening, return-wt the girl in pink. Yes; I Said he wasn‘t a man cfl much discernment, repeated the girl i in blue. | 1 CITADEL OF THE TRANSVAAL. .4 The Dlslrtcl. Where the Boers Arc- Expect- ed to Withstand the British. A correspondent at Lorenzo Marques gives a graphic description of the district north of Lydenburg in the Transvaal where it is reported great pmparations are being made to carry on the resistance to the British. Ths centre of the district is at 0hrigstad, about thirty miles north of Ly on. burg. The Olirigsta-d Luager so called because it is the oldest ‘und strongest position taken up byl the Byers of the first trek going north from (‘ape Colony and Natal. From sixty to a hundred years back the Transvaal was inhabited in dis- tricts by Basutos who were raided by the Zulus and other tribes. The Boer immigrants took advantage of this condition of things and established themselves in the country against all comers. \Vhen hard pressed by large impis of natives the Boers retreated to Ohrigstad Valley, where the posi- tions are iinpregnable if well defend- cud, being a series of volcanic forti- fications, interminable kopjes ex- tending for miles. Inside these na. tiiral defences in a beautiful and ‘fertile valley about seventyâ€"five miles Square, protected on the east by the Drakcnsherg and on the north and east by the broad and. deep Oliphant's River with Forts Oliphant and “'eber, ‘From the south the valley narrows to Lyideubut‘g, the only gate, the transâ€" port station for which is at. Nelsprint ion the railway from Pretoria to lDelagoa Bay. l Six or eight thousand Boers or even l fewer with artillery could defy the whole Britile army now in South Africa for an indefinite period. No ‘army. no matter how many thousand ‘in number, could climb those giant ‘riidges or pass the multitudinous death 'traps of boulder-built kopjes intersect- ed with dougas. The force inside the ‘natural citadel would be safe so long as ammunition and food lasted. Three ‘beautiful rivers, the Blyvde, Ohrigstad {and S‘teelport, run into the Oliphant’s [River and are fed by hundreds of fsprings and rrvu‘cts. The nature and laspect of the valley is that of one con:- tinuous garden capable of irrigation ,from streams in all directions. The soil is alluvial, producing with the present primitive methods of cultivaa tion, grain, forage, tobacco,, and al- moat anything require-d, and the hill sides afford excellent pastu-rage for horses, cattle and sheep, summer and winter. i The valley is even now fairly popuv- lated by Bull's and wellâ€"toâ€"zlo natives, l l l all of whom have fruit gardens. The lnatural 2r:l\'antuge~ for a defending 3force cannot be overstimate-rl. The 1length of the resistance would depend ion the supplies of food and amvmunli- jtion, and to stop those it would be inet-essal‘y for the British Government :to obtain possession of Koomatiport, which VVULllld require some fighting. _..__ A SILENT RHINOCEROS. (II-â€" A Hunter‘s lixperlcnre in the Wlldi of . Africa. Still-hunting at night in Africa has its drawbacks and surprises. These are sometimes in the form of snakes, sometimes of larger things. \Vhat it was that surprised Mr. C. V. A. Post during a night hunt in Somlliland, is told by himself. He was stalking? oryx, a kind of antelope. \Ve could not see more than ten feet before us, he says. I tiptoed, in my tennis shoes, over the stony ground the oryx. Not a. sound was heat rd. Suddenly, on turn- Lng a bush, I became aware of an en- ormous head and born within three toward feet of my face. I hid literallv walked into a big rhinoceros, which stood rigid. My shikari, \\ ho thl my rifle, seemed pe- trified. I gave a glance each way, and backed out slowly and noiselessly, and got behind the bush. As I turned to take my rifle, I saw lb‘ shilkair farthu' back, bt-hind anâ€" nth-’1' bush. pointing at th: “rhino.” I turned llU'k and there was the great be :51 advan“ ng tow.:rd me without a] sound. it was now my turn to run. \Vhen I reached my servant, I took the riflq and prom-riled to look for the rhinoâ€" reros. “'0 could find it nowhere. Hearing two oryx close by, [started to Slnlk lhrm. v. lit-n my shikari again stopped. His face was-us white as if [1- bid St't‘ll a ghist. Ho piloted and \\h..\p.|red. ‘l‘here, \\ It bin ‘1 few yards, stood lhs rhino’wu‘os which lcould not find a moment lwtore. l was unceremoni- oust dragged iron) the sth by my xh'k iri. who was su1)-.i'.\1iti<;us. “Leave him I" he implored. “It am dc debilâ€" you no kill him I" With much p rsu s On I got th men to go back. .is l winded to sh.“ the animal. I found him standing \-.i h hi: side towird me. I levelled my big rier and was on th-- point of pulling the trigger, when h- give one wrig- glc of h‘s huge form and vanish '11 in the jungle. That was too mu:‘h for my men. They ran for their lives. I am not superstitious, but it was 3. cu: )UH fact that during all that ad- rwnture not a sound was made by the rhinoceros: not even :r stone rolled unrlvr his feet as he lax-Vt‘ll. And in the morning we could find no trac'u. “