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l‘ o ,6; ~ 0:. s 9:0 .0? $.10 \ 0:. ‘ 02m 0:. s {a 0:. § {9‘ .zo ‘ {on {0 s 0:. g 920‘»QO 0:05 0:: Q ~§§ {c 9 {Mb '5‘ o 0‘. 9;. , . é o} 0‘. g 55. g .‘2. § 0:. '°’ e .9 0R. -: 0' ‘1 3. A SECRET REVEALED ‘5’ Q: CHAPTER XXVIII.â€"(Continued.) “Oh, my lady, oh, madam, see this! It is like a flcecy cloud with the stars shining through it! And! this one of mouse silkâ€"is it silk?â€" it is like cobweb! And here is 0110 in black lace with puppiesâ€"11nd this -â€"nnd this!" And her voice rose to a pitch of ecstacy. "Marion is getting excited. Now. Madge, clear, which will you try on first?" “The plainest and simplest. That black one will do if the poppies are taken out." “That is nonsense, Marion, slip it on!" Madge stood up, and between thcm they put on the dress, and Marion clasped her hands in speechless nd‘ miration. "Oh, madam, oh, Miss Irene, it is the very thing! If you would look in the glass, madamâ€""- “Yes, it will do." “Yes, I think you are right," said Irene. “Very well, then, put the rest back, Marion." "But you, my-lady,” said Marion in accents of disappointment; “you have not chosen one of yours yet." "Oh, I!” said Irene carelessly. "It ,does not matter; why should it?" 'And she sighed; then, as ll‘fadge star- ed at her, she colored and forced a laugh. "If I must put one on, I ‘will try the mauve," she said. “Like dear. “you. Madge dear, I want somethingiedv Whereas She k“ 'very simple; and it is the think.” She put it on, and decided at once .that it would do. Above the faint (color of the gossamerâ€"like silk her fair face and neck shone like ivory. “With your set of pearls, Miss Irene," exclaimed Marionâ€""and oh, my lady, your hair looks like gold itself against it!” "It; is a good thing we are either of us inclined to be vain," said Irene, with a Smile. “Take it oli', Marion.“ “Yes, Miss. One moment. There ought to be a ribbon here, but I do not see it. What: a pity! Oh, wait, plainest Miss, do please!" she ran on. "I saw a piece just the same color among Mrs. Landon’s things. It was in the imperial when I unpacked it.” ' She ran to a drawer at the bottom of the wardrobe. and turned over the things; and the two girls stood beside her in their finery looking on. “What; is that, Madge, dear?” and Irene pointed to the small paper , parcel which Royce had noticed when Madge was packing up in London. -. Madge blushed. y , “I will show you,’ she said in a low voice. "It is not here, madam; I think I must have taken it to my room with some other things of the sort. I’ll run and see,” said Marion. ’ As soon as she had left the room Madge took up the parcel, held it in her hand for a moment, then cut the string and broke the wax seal. “Sec,” she said in a low voice, "they are Royce’s. I found them the night he was hurt on the moor." She looked at them with loving tenâ€" derness. “They are the greatest treasure her eyes to Irene. “Will you think me ungrateful if I say that I would rather lose all the grand things ma- dam gave me the other day than these? See, there is his watch, and therb" _‘ She stopped, for Irene, who had slid her arm around Madge's neck and put her face against hers sym- pathetically, suddenly started back. “My locket!” broke from her lips. Madge’s hand closed over the things, and she turned white as she looked up at Irene, as she stood with trembling lips and heaving bosom. “Yours?” said Madge almost inau- dibly. “Yours! Iâ€"~I thought it was his own. 1â€"" She ceased and held out the locket. “Take it,” she said hoarsely, with a, dazed expression in her eyes. as if the shadow of a great sorrow were creeping over her. “Take itâ€"I do not want it." Irene fought hard to regain her composure. She put Madge's hand back, forced a laugh. “My dear Madge.” she said. “Why â€"â€"why should I? I gave it to Royce â€"when? oh long ago. Why shouldn‘t I give it to him? Myâ€"my brother! Don't look so scared, Madge." She laughed again. "And even if I cared for it, do you think I would rob you of it? It belongs to you ’asâ€"as he does! Hush, the girl is coming back!" Madge sat with the packet in her hand while Marion fussed about; and she still held it when Irene and the maid had gone, and sheâ€"Madgeâ€" was alone. An awful suspicion was down upon her.’ Little incidents which she had not notich at the time of their occurrence flashed upon her memory. Why had Irene turned white at the sight of the. locket if it had meant nothing when she gave it? and bearing Come i flIrene and M‘arion had insisted not. I have," she said, lifting! if she were. pushing the miserable .suspiciou from her. ".\'o, no; I will not ’ believe it I" of desperation she thrust the pocket out of llcl‘ sight. CllAl’Tl-TR XXIX. It. was the nirht of the, bull. Inâ€" jvitations had been sent. out freely, and guests were exptcted from and near; there had not been such a gathering of the county families and l resident. gentry for yours. ; Madge, as Marion dressed her, iti'icd to remember the names of isome of the people Irene had told iher about; but she felt confused and bewildered, for she knew that the whole affair would prove a fresh orâ€" deal, for her. - Irene had taught her one or two square. dances, and the new waltz, ‘and had been astonished at Madgc‘s iquickness rind aptitude. She. assurâ€" !ed her that she would dance as well las any one in the room; too well, éindced. for most: of the young counâ€" ltry squires. who were more ‘in the hunting field than the. ballâ€" ;room. But Madge was doubtful. A "1nistake which one of their own pco- ‘plc might make would pass unnotic- iher part would attract attention, and be the subject of remark. "Nearly ready, Madge?” said iRoyce, from the adjoining room. “It‘lay I come in?" He stood still as he entered, and gazed at her with wondering admir- ,ation. The dress of black lace, i‘e- ,llieved by the scarlet poppies, which upon remaining, harmonized perfectly with Madge’s rich loveliness, and she look- ,ed superb as she stood before him, holding a bouquet of faint, yellow blossoms. "My word!” he exclaimed at last. “This is war paint with a venâ€" geance!" “Do I look so like a savage?" she Smurmured with a smile. He put out. his hand to draw her to him, but Marion uttered a cry of alarm. “Oh, please don't Muster Royce! You’ll crush her so!” Then, abashed at her temerity, .she flew from the room. . - “Marion regards you as a work of art, still wet and untouchable. But you do look a tremendous swell, ,‘Mhdge, in that dress, and with lmadam’s diamonds! By George, they never looked so well! I suppose it‘s l no use asking you for the first, or ‘any dance?” he added ruefully. “Why not?” "Why not?” 1 “Oh, because husband and wife ‘are not supposed to dance. together, unless it’s the last galop, and only then on sufferance.” “I am always learning thing's. Are ,you sorry, Royce?” and she put her lhand on his arm. l “Sorry!” he said. "I'd like to dance all the time with you?" “Never mind,” she said; then with averted eyes she added: “You will be able to dance with Irene, Noyce?” "Oh, yes,” he replied, fastening ‘his sleeve-links. “We are not husâ€" band and wife, you know.” “No,” she said in a low “Roycc~â€"â€"” “Well?” he responded, looking up quickly, for there was a touch of anxiety ’in her tone. “You will keep near me as much |as you can, to-night; that will not [be a breach of etiquette, will it? ' “Of course I will" he replied; "I shall have to trot about a great ,deal, but I will be with you as much Ias I can; though it strikes me rather forcibly that you will not be lonely" and he looked at her from tip to toe significantly. "You had iilcnty of company the other day, and I fancy it will be the same here." "If all the world were round and you were absent I should feel lonely, Jack.” She called him «lurk now and again, in moments like the present, when her great love for him ,l‘cvealed itself. | A knock came to the door, 'Irene said: “Are. you ready, Madge, dear?" voice. Inc, and I Royce fled, and Madge opened the *door. "I am going down to the hull- : .. . . . ' iroom to see if everything is right," 'said Irene; then she stopped and ut- gtered an exclamation of (lcligut and ; admiration. "0h, Madge! You lookâ€"â€"" "No one will want to even g‘ance ,iu my dircCLion while you are ii--:i:‘," ‘snid Madge with SWi'OL gr' 1y. l“You look like one of those delicate illowers in the conservatory." ,appropl'iatc. In the softlv ,‘faintly-colored dress, Irene drapil looked snid at last. “It is I he loves; it. is 1! He never loved her, never! .lle‘is my Royce!" And in a kind! for i at home. ew any blunder on- . u . o . . . 0:0 5 v ‘6 fix 0:. s Q. s o:o a 9:¢§ ~:oso:o§-:o 2»,- Q»... A- fio to 0:1 43.:. a .z. 5.1. 4.3.:9 ‘4. a 0:: a; 0:0 9 o; 0' w , | i l I parquet 'luwn INIliT‘ll'fl until it \\'.s smooth ns' l from Olympus! 5 she .Why did Royce always avoid talkingHmt unlike one of the fairyâ€"like exo-. about Irene? Why did Irene always refuse. to accompany them when they went out together? These and similar questions crowdâ€" ed upon her, and seemed to stifle her. . She rose and stretched out her hands, panting as if for air, and as: tics which fill one with a kind lwoudering admirationâ€"and fear; for [one cold breath slays. them. of‘ pine.) W startled Madge into a cry of wonâ€" der and delight. She had hitherto only seen it, partially Slll'\)|llltll in calico coverings; but now it shone, in all its proper splendor of gilded carvii , nirl Veintiun iziirrol‘s re.- fli‘f‘lll innumerable wax candles, lwhich revealed the exquisite loamy of the “nth-nu panels, which run of intci‘uils round tll.‘ \mt room. The floor of olive and ll‘ilii hurl gloss, I‘clli-z'liiig dinin the rich (lec- oi’iitions and costly mnuines. llowir the. broad stairs, which led directly In this lllil'Llllili'.lll with «in Iliiii ranged stutwly pulins und t f‘v-i'iis, their fronds and leaves forming u. delicate contrast to the ril'h splendor of their surround- ing: (lllf‘ of the nute~rooms le.l (lilt'l'lly to tile fernâ€"house, from which the choice sporiimns hud been taken; and in the mimic tropical forest :1 Iliilzlll iiici-s.~':iiitly poured a iill of crystal \\1llv‘l' from ln-r upturned vase of Currant marble. 'l‘he form-1w gl‘l'wi lighted by Japanese lllLlX'l‘llS only, so that if the eves grew wearied by the liar/ling: ball-room, their owners could rest them in this shadowy L\"'1- light. At one end of the, hullâ€"room was the gallery for the bandâ€"one of the lust in London. In the centre of the front of this gallery “as :i larger x. i it“ p..le Finis... ~-â€"--,4 lllSllASl-IS or iviugi'r 'rniaics. Thu l1flt'l\ flunk pl'inm', sour fit'l!lltllil_‘.' se n on including \\?ld L lll‘l'f! s, (“WNW lick. .ii'c produccd ll,» n, f‘lll‘ guru llliiiiig ih.» :. mum-r fl‘is fungu‘ ;ln*.il's (un- Lind «if :\,l.)l‘l‘, llil~i 'Il l--l\‘ umfer or fully spiiu; ziim‘li‘". '| home s; o. 0-; are carried by ' lit" . l l‘.\.i:(l unit glow \xliw'i- they ind luv- ‘oinllu loilgnunt. 'lh.ii' yl‘udili on plums out I'll irritates the tiriâ€" \\lll(‘ll shill und split the lurk, exposing thiir iii- which Lifer sooty i'i‘ics liliu< ,lci‘ior, ,llziclx. ‘ 'ihc only sulisfiitlm'y irratnunt is .pi‘evi'nfiue. 'lhn l;l< thod generally ri-(‘omnicndid is to cut out. and burn ‘all knots found during wintci‘ and ,‘en'rly spline, and again dining N415" land Jinn. ’lliis requirts biu. littlc ‘time. ll'ild (berries and plum liens tin fcll‘O rows which are ini‘cstcd (town and bui‘ur‘il. til i \ 1! becomes *4 l‘t't'll should be cut l'cur blight. or 1.re blight is due to shield bearing the Landon coat of '1 “I” )_, I, 1N1 “huh Wh‘ on_ arms. liming on ‘flt‘ll side of it a (‘ "u H '. 0“}‘8 tattered ling torn from some awn-nt‘ “mu [,0 ml” 1'55"“ 0' l“““- ul “1“ foo by (me of the (hunlflndflom anti quince (rm-s, and l)l‘(l'llll.ct‘.(i the. Landons. Ilunk, wealth, the [.ridc or throw“ “V “limb li’ilVC-‘i SN‘H 111 “10 place, all declared themselch loudly â€"perhzips too loudly for modern tasteâ€"in the. whole scene. and It. was little wonder that Madge should stand dumb stricken in their midst. Irene took it all quite naturally, but she was pl ‘flSt‘d by Madgc‘s sur- ipl‘ise and delight. "it will be brighter still when the room is filled with handsome tiri'ss'osi, and the. band is playing," she said. “A fitting setting for your triumph toâ€"nighf, dear," she. added. “My triumph!" snid Madge shaking her head. Irene smiled. “You will see. Why, dear, will not be a more. beautiful in the room toâ€"night than wife!" “Then you must stay away from it!" said Madge fervently. "If I were a man shc.vstop1)ticl suddenâ€" ly, for the countess had entered from there woman lioyce's a doorway behind them. Sh.) was dressed in her favorite gray satin, and wore the family diamonds and pl‘lCClOSS family lace. She looked at the two girls critically. "You have both very pretty (Fiess es,” she said. “Yours is well cliosrei Irene, and yours too, Madge,” she added. "I am glad you like it madam. "No one could help liking it. It becomes you remarkably well. \J'uno to me." Madge came forward, and the C'IllIl‘ tess slightly altered the arrangement of the diamonds wreath in her Emir. "That is better,” she said. “You wear your diamonds well, chilt." Moved by a sudden impulse, Madge took her hand and kissed it. "I am overpaid for my compliâ€" ment." “Have I offended her?” said Madge. “No, no! How sweetly you did it, dear! Why, a heart. of stone could not have resisted it! I should have flung my arms round her neck, crushed her lace, and perhaps anâ€" noyed her, but you did just the right thing," “For the first time!" They poke almost in whispers, for footmeu'in tine livery \Vcre coming in and oufl. irene drew Madge. to one of the windows, and moved, the curtain aside and showed her the drive. It was lined with vai'iycolored lamps; Tand grooms stood in a cluster ready to receive the carriages. “It is like a scene in ‘The Arabian Nights,” said Madge, dreamily. A voice muttering what sounded like oaths made them start, and inâ€" stinctively they looked at each other before they came out from the cur- tain which had concealed them. It was Seymour. He was pacing up and down with a letter in his hand, his face. lined with care and trouble. He started slightly as he saw them; then his face cleared, and crushing the letter into his pocket he came forward bowing with eVag- gerated reverence. “Venus and Helen of Troy!" he said. "I salute you! You look as if you had both just floated down Irene, dear, I want you to give me. the first dance." “0h, ask Madge." "Madge will perhaps spare me one. I know it is too much to ask, but I want. you to give me the second, dear.” “Very Well," she said, her coldnessl contrasting markedly with his affec- tionate ardor. lle took her ball programme and wrote his mine; not only for the. second but two others. Ircnc seemed about. to remonstrate, but she said nothing, and he wrote his name for one on )Iudge’s card. “I dare not ask you more," he said, "for every man in the room will want. to dance with the [lady of the Poppies!" llis compliments always made .‘i ridge fcfl as if she wanted to get ;out of the sound of his voice, and turned away from him with inâ€" And indeed the simile was not inâ€"‘ toll-‘0 .L'TIWIU- "llnrk!" said Irene, "there are the first carriages!" 'l‘he countess went and took beside the door ready to ceiVe her guests: the famous London band filed info the gallery and her l‘ih l They went downstairs. The groupgan to tune up their instrument ’hall, usually so dimly lighted, wasi the rattle and roll of the hea‘sy ibrilliant with candelabra, wliichichariots in which country people 'shed around that soft light “hichldclight to make their state visits gas cmot alte . to. The ballâ€"rooin~ were heard more distinctly in the lieâ€" ‘ lcnrlv port of the gl‘UlVlll‘T scason. Inâ€" sects are said to be the prinui'ial ,(ilsSUlPdllleOl‘S of this blight, bi'i:ili:~‘u ifhuy have been seen feeding upon 11-0 exuded juices of a'i’ectcd tl‘ccS, and also Visiting the flowers or wounds through which cnt'mnce is believed to be gainid. Speaking of this iblight, I'rof'. W. ll. Alwood, former- ,ly of the Virginia experiment sta- tion, says: For many years we relied upon cutting out the infected parts as scon as discovered. oust dine, and esfecially if the trees are carefully gone over rdtcl‘ growth ceases in the fall and every bit; of blight wood taken out, the disease is greatly checked. This work is exceedineg laborious, and I have had the blight steadily proâ€" gress in spite of just such efforts. About four years ago it occurred to me to try stimulation with a view of rendering the. tissues resistant. This was attempted in 1901 on a couple thousand trees, with good re- sults, and was repeated and other trees included in 1902 and 1903. Thus far the etlect has been remarkâ€" able. Trces which had been literalâ€" ly Cut to pieces in removing blight wood were saved. Two trees in the experiment on which the blight had extended to the trunk, so as to leave scarcely have lived through If this is! rigorâ€" any live tissue, the last two years against all exâ€" pectations. All trees where blight had not extended to the trunk were saved. Since beginning this treatâ€" ment, no cutting of blight wood has been allowed, except that here and there an entirely dead limb has been removed. The treatment has been by use of acid phosphate, 14- per cent, two parts, iniui'iate of potash, 50 per cent. one part, mixed and applied freely over the soil about the trees. From five to 15 pounds have been used, according to size and condition of trees treated. We make the application before the buds push, and work it into the soil, but further than this. leave the trees wholly uncultivated. CARE OF THE ORCHARD. Some of my neighbors have a great deal of trouble with their or- chards, writes Mr. Henry Flater. Some winterâ€"kill, others suffer on ac- count of‘ Wet seasons, others are hurt by droutli, while many trees are de- stroyed by rabbits and meadow mice in the winter. This last injury is most; severe, where there is a heavy snowfall or where grmfers use heavy coverings of straw around their young trees. One of my neighbors drive, joined to the voices of the grooms calling to each other; the richly apparelled footmen moved to and fro, ushering in the guests, whose names were handed in from the stately servant who stood at. the foot of the magnificent staircase to his fellow standing like a marshal at the top. Erect as an empress, with a proud smile on her face, the countess re- ceived her guests in the fashion of the old and ceremonious school. Her how, the few wellâ€"chosen words with iwhich she greeted each newcomer, {were perfect and worthy of the Georgian era. Some of the young people who were lstnying as guests of her guests were lquito awed by her stateliness and iold world grace. which oflered [so great a contrast to our modern lfreeâ€"nind-ensyâ€"and, alas, ungrateful â€"mode. : Seymour led off the ball with the 1 latest iin full swing. Guests still kept: ar- ‘riving, i endless stream as it scent icd; and the countess still stood at. her post of duty, with the gracious smile 'll‘l the oldâ€"world l-ow. i According to strict etiriuette Madge ought to have stood by her .e and helped to l'(‘Ct‘l\'(‘ tlu- guests, for was 'sho not the wife of the countms' son ,â€";i (laughter of the house) Inf she ‘sat apart looking on and almost, ,hiddcn behind a group of young country Squires who could not pluck leourage up to join in the first few Edam-es, and who, so to speak,v.‘antâ€" 'ed warming up. I (’i‘o be Continued.) bride. and soon dancing was: l imanv apparently motivelcss -â€"-â€"â€"-â€"â€"q lost his whole Orchard a, few years ago by allowing sod to grow aroum‘. his trees and mulching with light :rfi'nw unnure which had been used for budding the horses. Seven years ago this spring I ill :nfi ll Loon apple, pear, lunch and ilum ll‘vf’s. l'p to the present. time i have not lon‘. ;\ slip-1e tree. from any of “he causes mentioned above. l have nll sorts of loud and condiâ€" tions in n‘._\' Ul'l’ll'dl't, ‘sonie being some low, some “ct. some dry, $011le cluy r'oil cud .«ouie llll\('l\. All my trees are lli.ilill].'. To overcome the adverse conditions in wet seasons, l have tileâ€"druiiml befwvcn each row of trees. l culiivntc from four tr. six lilil‘h‘ cuch sinson with on ex- twn‘:ir n illilll disk and springâ€"tooth hairoiv. l hour it. on runners to loop it from jumping and bouncing and hurling the trees uhn harrowv lll';‘ (low to them. I have levers on. inch so that l can burrow deeply or shallowly .lllll keep my orchard free from all pros; and weeds. My aim is nit to allow enough grass to grow in which a rabbit or mouse can hidn 'lhe cost. of cultivating is not as much as one might think. (inc mun and a team will hnri'ow about ten at rrs per (1.3:. My puni‘h crop consists of quantity and quality, and prices at. least double wlnn an orchard is handled in this way and kept in a profitable lli‘alilh' condition. I alwavs trim my peach fixes in March. ,I use commercial l'i-i'lili/ci's and wood ash cs. i use no barnyard manure of any kind in young orchards. I usual‘ ly get from 2.“; to 7.”) cents {or bushel more for my fruit on the local mnrkcls than some of my nfiglibors who do not 1, 'e their or- chal‘ds extra attention. HORSE ’ ‘A LK. The collar is a thing a horse must wear all day, when at work. Not onlv that, he must pull against that collar all the time. while doing his Work; so it should fit the shoulders as perfectly as possible. It is easy to make a, horse's sh'oul ders sore in a very short time if ht is compelled to Wear a poorlyâ€"fitting collar. The experiment of feeding molasse. to horses has been found to be eco- nomical and very effective in man) cases. For the morning feed for heavy work horses, give one quart of mo lassv's, diluter with three quarts of water, mixed 'ith one quart of oat» meal and two quarts of wheat bran, and from five to six pounds of cut hay. At noon give. i’our quarts of oats. At night give. the same ra- tion as in the morning, With the adâ€" dition of a. little l01g hay in {ht manger. This ration is sufficient for heavy draft horses at heavv work. It is equally good for driving horses. They do not fag out on a long drive, and have plenty of energy, with coats sleek and bright. Horses out of condition always gain rapidâ€" 1y on this diet, as it. seems to havi an especially good effect on the di- gestion. It will make inferior hay more palatable. The. floor in the stall for a white or gray horsr.I should be made 0' 2x1 slats, placed about one inch apart. These spaces can be kept clean with a, still broom, or with a scraper made the. right size and at- tached to an old hoe handle. â€"â€"â€"+â€".â€" HUMAN SACRIFICES . An Atrocious Case Recently ported From India. It is commonly supposed that, ex- cept among a few savage tribes, sysr tcxnatic human sacrifice disappeared Re long ago from India. Duringr the governor-«generalship of Lord Hardâ€" ingc a special act was passed to enable the government; to stamp out this custom among the aboriginal Khomos; and he boasted that human sacrifice was practically suppressed: during his term of office. Neverthe- less, a peculiarly atrocious case was reported recently, but. a sapient naâ€" tive jury in Bengal declined to bring in a verdict of murder on the ground that the victim might have cons-an- ed to his own iinniolation. And now the Indian mail brings news of what looks like another case. A petty chief in Orissa IS said to have vowed to make offerings of human blood if his wife reco\‘ered from an attack of smallpox. She did recover, and at the same time a number of men Iiiystcriously dis-appeared, who were reported killed by tigers. There is a rumor, however, that they were sacâ€" rificed by the. chief, and an oflicial inquiry has been ordered into the matter. Ritual murder committed in the performance of a vow is thought to lif‘ the explanation of crimes. Sir Alfred Lyall. in a recent paper, mentions, as an example of the sacri- fico of a willing victim, the story of the commander rf an army who turan the tide of battle by having himself beheaded in front of his troops. in ordrz‘ to pi'opiliate thi- god of war. lie suggests that this i,- fhi- on'v instance on record «if it gin-Ara! who won on action l)',' losing hi< bend at a critical 1110.11! nf, ¢__. PRACTICAL ICliIT(7.\'l‘I!).\'. Employer (to applicant for ‘llll‘l(~ Sliiii;â€""ll'iii! I bolii-ve you know nothing about fire shipping l)‘1$ll‘i(‘“$?' Applicant (with ['uivt-rrity educa- tion)â€"".\‘otliing, Sir. beyond the voy. ages of lilysses and Aeneas."