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THE BONDAGER. s -^ i I I A NORTMUMHERLAMJ SKliTQH O*. TlllRTV. YEARS \i;i>. "My iMirn, I feel kind ..o'troubkil like, for tlui preacher IXKiy, lio^V«)ti telliti' us an luuun guh'- tnlu â- "•we oloseu li> jirny, and wors is llwl Miiall •md that full o' tntius iittulioly loultl manage it oiii gaii," auid Betty lieid Bigl.od as she strctelicd her poor old feet in front o£ iho finr Lhat Sunday afternoon, and looked wistfully towurda her i^uiit mirtdle-aK'.'d daug'hter. ap- p«alin|{ for a little ligtit on tier pro- lileni. The latter was standing at llic palin deul table, putting paper uovurs ua some half-dozen jam-pots, and did not answer imniedialely, for Jane's fInger^« were coarsened liy field-work, and tier taslt was in lier eyes a dellivale one. Poo"- a» they were, she bad nmu- aged to make "a lx>iliu" of that de- licious apple jelly whit^h can alone l* made from tlie wild cral), or "serab" aa it is locally called, and proud she was of its garnet-like clearness. As she pre.ised duwu the last cover, however, uhe ^<poke: "I dinet keu auKht aliout closets, though may he's the J.ord wUl heur us; whether or no. I mind I did ask him to 5ic:id us a good crop when I waj> planiin' them taiics, ajid sure enough never had we iho likes on't; but I dee like to see you man get into the pulpit ; he always ha.s that nice an' white shirt breast, and >i.ia coat is that fine and black and ihiny, it looks gae fittin,' and eh, bui ne dotis thump the good book fair won- derful," and with this exposition of her views of preaching Jaae returnctt to her task. Sunday afternoon thoug^b it was, she felt no burden on liier conscience by reason of it:s mundane character- rather, indeed, unconsciously prided herself l)ecaufle it was a "nice tidy job. and she cbuld do it in a clean white apron." The function had almost a sort of sanctity about it and partook of a religious character. Sunday was principally marked to Jiune by tiie fact that sh<! could weai' a white apron all day, instead of tbu coarse sacking wrapper projwr to field- work. Jane wrought the "nondage" on Iho farm wliere her brother wa« "hind." and worked from 6 a.m. to C p. m., for the hojidEome sum of fifteen-pence, and when the weather wasn't too rough, Jane was wonderfully con- tented too. and no more thought of questioning the rigntness of it tlian she did that of the hours of rising and the setting of the sun itoeir. Jane could neither reaa nor write, and was not clever enough to have found out for herself that if everybocly left off working twelve hours and only worked eight, poverty would be no more, and the pure stream of na- tional prosperity would forthwith run whereevcr dire<;ted, even uphill if the pipes wore laid on proper ijocialistie principles I Ah I well, the world moves and we with it. and if CunUmionunt must needs di£ to give bixth to Progress, so let it be. Perhaps no human lM^ing bu^ a right to lie contented with so little a.H poor Jane possessed. Her life had kinowin no great joy. not even the IxlosMouiing tjuie of youthful love, for "virtue" is too often a very stern and almost .sordid thing below a certain level of inlvlle<aual cultureâ€" either it means a prudint and loo often loveless marriage, or a life of old maidenhood unsoftened and unsweet- ened by aaiy recollection of the happy pairing time whiiih ought by rights to come to all. Love im its higher uijiucts is a plant that necsds culture for us development, needs something of leisure, somelhing of freedom from lower aires, if a majt or woman hasn't breau and chtM-se, he or she thinks of bru;id and cheese first 9.nd compani*nship second,â€" needs, too, a touch of soli-consciousness and a m'.unG of indiviuualily- "I must Ik; I" â€" before there comes any wish for mental union. In fact, ujind must cxisct before it can unite itself to mind. "Love" to Jane meant ruin and shame, oh shtt had hccm it in some of her girl companions, while her view of mujrcage was ex])reascU naively enough wthen siie^kiiig of that of Ui comparatively wealthy woman: "What caJI_ had s'lu', t<j muiry '( .She'd plenty Autimtn wore on and winter came, and a terrilily severe one it was. Snow fell heavily Very early, apjl lay for weeks on the outl/irijf fifrihs Where food grew eOftfCt^ Jw . DUau. WUl iittsMt, tfnd !x was difricult to get freish sup- plies in ttie |>lock<;d condition of the roads. -. â-  'i'Uerfe \«ns no field woi^ i%nper, but] Jan* licid lo hulp in fuddariitg the cat- tle atd hfifdinif the sheep, and many a weary pjunge she had with Imck- l<>a(l3 of liay or aprouia full of cut tur ing up the Ktrugttle and the strange SKtujt; of I)eacj^ ; and again that far-off riiJigLng-^^vaH it rtuUyrbells? And ^as if a warning! Folks did bavjo .them . whiku* I â- .--â- -•• â- - ^ .- . "Then through a!l her fainting senses came again the ll^ought of Dan, and nerved ner for aiioth<'r effort. She must B(:e hU canny face agabiâ€" ninst know how bo wasâ€" and upborne by her intensity of love, the tired woman managed the la.st mile or two almost iu a state of trance. She grew uncou- of nips, while her limbs ached and her acious of all that surrounded her .finc*r.s grei»»' Ix'iiumbed. the cold, the darkness, and even of her Hut tlie worst w;is yet to come. Dan I own body, and seemed to herself tabe the stalwart, Dan the lieautiful, Dan "the maii-l-ody," took cold. Uow, no one kiie.w, and wioii V.e lay ga/<ping for l<reath and groaning as the sharp cut- ting pain of pleuri.sy darted through his imdy. There was murtb of the baby sti.ll in already pressnt wbere her loved one lay. "He IS easier now. and I'll try and come again to-morrow," said the doc- tor, who had remained longer than usual at the cottage, fighting D<'ath with his own hamls for the old mother the big. strong man, and he was all l""^ far from an efficient nurse unuseif to eUfforing, "and as' night fell j Kven as he spoke the latch was lifted the pain grow worse. i ""'' Jaue enuTed. Her eyes were Thfi iie«re-->t mt'dicjil man lived seven ; setâ€" her lijis drawn aor.«s her teeth. miles aivay, tuid the roads were barely I and she looked tall and straight and piissable, -while teleg!:iph-wire3 were j white as one already dead, yet her pal- possessor; and he was conscious of tha things as far removrd. They kept jid I ip.s tried to form a question. Tried. K , hundreds of leal-hearted early hours at the farm, and the lights hut tried m vain. I " •" b were all out, and Dm, "Uoiin?' Dan," BRMSK COLUMBIA GOLD A- TITLED INVESTOR'S VIEWS ON MINERS' PROSPECTS. From Ibr ItrnwIuK'Kooni nf <ivlllznltau lo a Mliirr'n LlTe-A MH-ifcInK 4'uulraHt Krtwrru Anieriran and f'MiiHdluit VUr nl llic 1l)ne<-K«sriIan<r>i l"r«>p<<-l«. When Sir Charles Ross stepiied out) of the drawing-room of civilization it was to step into th« woollen shirt, and the c^arsp laggings of the unconvention- al west. iSir Charles mighi have Ijeen content with the drawing-room of life, for it was furnished with all softness and ease. Batnagown Castle, in the north of Scotland, confessed him lord and master. He might have cast a prideful eye over *ven hundred thou- sand acri'S, of which he was the sole inipht die liefore the morning. I tbe doctor soid. answering that pa- .MeiiTiwbile Uipy did whal they could, thetic appeal; but even as he spoke he and if tha remedies were not of the laid the woman on tbe low trestle lied l>eKl. they were, at all event.s, nuuicr- ; and tried to feel th<! puLseless wrist, ous enough, beginning with "pepper- j The hours passed, and the woman mint watei-s," and en.luiif with a din- lay apparently unconsciousâ€" though the ner-plate heated in the oven ami laid doctor was stUl m tbe little home try- where the piMJi was worst. 'n?.evci-y means h<>. knew to keep the Still no relief came, and the strong ; ebbing lifeâ€" for iX'ath, great Death, young fellow turned his ch.^.;k to the I was hovering near. . ^ , pillow and wept like a child. I Morning broke, and Dan lay sleep- "Kh. my man, my Ijonnv man, diuna, ' mg like a child, hi* breathing peaceful. now dinna. Ill gan to Horton mysel, : and bus hot and feverish forehead but ye shall hae a bottle fiae the doc- ; coo! and moist; but Jane's face hxikcd tor," and Jane tock her thin, old shawl (strangely grey in that early light of and her woollen bonnet Irom the peg dawn. Then her eyes unclosed and liehind the door and stepped out in(o her lips murmured one word ju-sl the night. audible to the doctor, as he stooped r. u ... , ti r„>.„iover her. "Dan!" Dare she waken them at the farm ; ..^^.^^ ,^.y, ,,ull ibrongh now, my and ask the master to send? 1'"" - woman," he an.swcred ; but his voici •Yes. there is hopeâ€" hope assuredly," Highlanders, who recognized him as there was nobody to go, for Dan and she were the only workpeople that, lived neor. for Jim the plough-boy had gone to his mother's "buryin'," and the larmor was getting an old man him- self, and not too kindly either, it must lie confessed. "Sally?" No. Sally might like a good-looking chap like I>aii well enough to fetch and carry for her. but catch her turning out of her warm l)ed to do aught for him." thought Jane, comforting herself amid her suffering with the thought that no one could love D.in as she did. and maybe she wasn't far wrong. Any- how, she ne<!deil all her love belore the night was over. The woman was very tired to start with, for she had tried to do both Dan's work and her own, "so lhat the poor Ijeasta should not want their mejit," and in her cjiro for them had well-nigh forgotten food for hei-self. Her dothes were thiiu and worn, and her shoe.s were heavy, yet far from water-tight, and the roads she had to travel alternated between bits that were hard and frost-buund, but c<im- paratively pas.sable where the wind had swept them olear. and others inches thick of snow, where it lay in the hollows, and the air was k(H>n and cold, and {litiless as that of Dante's "Inferno" itself. It was weJI on to tea o'clock when she started, and the night was dark save for tlie stars, and the gleam of the unsmircbed icy snow. Such a night in the country is the acme of loneline,ss. The world itself aeemcd dead and the wind alone left to mourn. Not a sound of bird nor beast to break the stiJlness; and the solitary wayfarer may travel miles without meeting another human crea- ture. Jane was prosaic encmgh. and yet weird now thoughts came to her in that night's walk. Strange, she hardJ^v knew what the night was like till tli»n, for all ner forty years of country life, for she had been wont to go to bed at sundown, and. weary and sleepy, Imd never thought of riKing to look from her win- dow at midnight storms or midnight CAlra. How far off the sky seemed, and how- big the dark, Ihreate.ning clouds that told of more tiiow ycjt to come. Did Ciod live v.p there, and would Danâ€" her Danâ€" (have to go nil the way up there by himself? And would (iod ken who be was. and not l)e bard on him, for he'd never h.id much s<'hoolin'» And mayln^ l>an would forget his manners, as he usud to do w lu'.n he met the parish priest, and not think to pull his forelocks till she minded him wbat the Quality looked for. Ood was. in Jane's mind, not .so very unlike the "priest." only liiggiT anil older; and, m her heart, she tliought, kinder, for "He had b<^ard her when she prayed for a good crop o'tali«vs, and tliat was good of him, seein' lie'd such a lot o' tnimgs lo mind, and .-ae many folks .spoakiu' to him that ciiuld make 'grand ^irayers.' Kh ! Would he luppen to listoai if she asked hlui to tspare IMu ? t>ne nioioeiit she knelt lieneath the to keej) herstdf I" and api)urently folly j st»u-8 in the piercing cold, and all her obuld no farther go im Janu's maiden ^"ul went out in a ciy for ludp to the mind. I'oiwer slie knew so little but yel felt But Ihougih joy bad heem unborn, her; was gcwd. life had tteld one great i)aMsioii ; a love Then a little more hop<'ful, a little had a quiver in it that surprised him- .S(.'lf. A smile~a gleam of joy â€" "Eh, God did hear then, bless him, and heaven maun be uearer than I thought, the music is that sweet." Then there was silence, and another soul was free from earthly bondage torevermore. Isabella Weddle. deep as that of sex, lender and s»ilf- denying as lliut of mothcrbuoil il.self. JSver siince the day uilu'ii, a girl of eiight. her baby brother lia<l been given her to hold and to nurst-, "Wor IJian" had meant all the world to Jane. And a Ixmny child he !had lieen â€" sturdy and strong, and " wilful as a lad Imirn should l>e," and a heavy weight for poor underfed Jane to carry in his petlicjoat days, when, their mother working in tlws firldn, the little girl had to bo nurse a.iid housekeeper and cook, and carry dininers to the field-workers, with the chubby yuungsle'r jiut ride her book, or slung in a shawl so as to leave bo rhandti free for bnsin and for Itaskot. Uow proud she was of him, too, ko proud she forgot his Hveight, forgot even that he hurt her when his hard little fists beat her shoulders or tugged at her luiir, as he cried, "Jenny do fatiter-Dan 'ants lo itwot," aaid th« tired, willing steed tried to trot forth- with. Di^,n was a man now, and a strong, ud-looking cliap, too; and though ho stronger, even as it svemeil, in body, she went on her way. It was slow work ut Ixsst, and the drifted finow was toilsome ; the woman's breath came in short, bard gasps at times, and there was a sound in her ears like church Ixlls far away, and she wondered what it imvinl. Once or twice she atagjjered, but never for one moment thought of re- linguLshing her purpose. At last whf reaclwil the village and roused the man slu^ sought. "It's Dan â€"wor Dan â€" ye maun louie. for he's gae bad," slie soblwd, and leaned again.st tlie (Ioor-p(>ot u.s she spoke; and the dcK'tor, weary tlioiigh ho was, looked tmce in'" 'h«' woman's face and knew it was no light case that had brought her there. "i'lMir .soul â€" piMr soul ; sit down a bit and rest. You are not fit to w.ilk back." he said. Hut June had done her work and turned to go. "Ye'll ride your mare, doctor: she'll travel faster wanlin' the gig, for the snow's gae thick in i)Uvoes and barely passable," and the wisdom of her id not lieeji in a hurry about it, he ! <'V" »â- â- .*'/ stopped his offer of a seat by was doling a bit of courting on his owni "f i*MO' account at last, and Jane had his sup- ""^-Ic into the nighit the woman went, peii to keep wailing wliile the milk- and the darkness was deeper, and the niAid at the farm took longer In fill | eoUl more pitiless. No .sound, no hu- hiw' calls in the byre than sJiV waail IB'^" li>ol*ieps, only by and by the di)c- wont to do, an<I Ijw old ifiother liy ita tor pivased her oA his horse an. spoke tofcle muttftied lb herself I hit "l>an I a kmdJy word, but did not wait her Itlioul'l h»e more s?ns<* than let his] reply, and, in<leed, Bh<* had no voice hkBty-puddin' ..spoil for all the lapses t<>•1ns^vcr. ... ^ ,, , , ^t ever were made," and that "no I Once or twice slje stumbled, and flN would c.imo'o' suotia fly-.by-the- 1 «nc;^ she fell ajid lay a monient or two ' .^ ... _ .frfj; ., . _ â- â€¢ ' 1 in. ikiiMAfiii r«ui. Oh. the relief of giv- .sijly WIS like to be.' bl/si^ful HE COMPiiOMISEb. How a .Wurh-.4biixr<l .linn *trtll«t Wllb Ihr KnIlmiKl f'onipiin.t. The railroad .superintendent was very l>usy. and when the pale man with rag- ged w hiskera limped in with one arm in a sling, patches of court plaster all over his face and a bandage tied around his head, be looked up iuu>atiently and said : " Well, what is it ?" " I've pot a damage suit for ^50.000 against your road," said the pale man. "but before filing it I thought I'd come and see if you'd like lo settle it out of court. I'm ruined for life and there ain't a jury in the state that would cut it down more'n half." The superintendent wheeled round in his chair and his manner chinged. " Come in. sir," be said, " and take a seat. At what place on our road were you hurt ?" " Three miles from here', where she curves. I don't sleep any of nights and I guess I'm injured internally. One of my arms may have to come off. and my spine's getting weaker every day." The superintendent congratulated himself that the man had fallen inti) bis hands before the lawyers had got- ten hold of him, and his hand began' to wander towards bis check l)Ook on bis desk. "Its getting worse." said the pale man. " 1 don't "sw no rest night or day." " How wen- ymi hurt ?" " Well, it wa.s this way. I was t ramp- in' down this way lookin' for work, and 1 laid down on the track a while to n-st and dropped oft to sleep. That was 3 o'clock in I h>' afterno;in and the fast e.xpre.ss wius due to come along at 3.3I>. " "Did the cowvatcher strike you?" "No, it wasn't the cowcatcher. That's where my ilamage suit romes in. You see, your train wtvs two hours Iwhind srlir<!ule time, and I woke up almut t o'clock and- went over to a farmhouse to ask for some gnib. There was a red-headed widow ninning the place, and she t(Hik a shinr lo me, and 1 t<iok a shine lo her. .-Mionl three weeks later 1 marrieil her. Talk iiliout row- catrlicrs. colonel I cowcalcliers iiin'l in it with lhat woman. Ymi see. the fix she's got me in. If voiir train had lieen on time I'd have U'en killed nice and easy and never got into this trouble. Wtiat'll you offer for a coniproinisf ?" Thi- HuiierintendenI felt relieved suf- ficiently to hand out half a dollar, and thi' [lale man accepted it. " It's below my figures." h«' said, "bu' we'll call it sqiian'. I'll get a pint of whisky with this, and if that old cow- catchi'r iiins against me when I go home to-niglit she'll think she's jump- ed the track, collided with a giav,! train ami went through a forty-foot tit>8tle. You may consider my suit against your road withdrawn, sir." THK SULTAN AND ELirTRICirY. The .Sultan seems to have a curious mingled liking for and a dn-ad of idec- 1 licit y., Some years ago he caus«Ml to be erected in the grounds of Yildiz Kiosk, a small theativ lighted by in- candascent lamps. One <lay, he saw the workmen trenching the walls in order to bury the wires leading from the engine-room lo the theatre, and slopped the work, insisting that the wires should all l« placed in sight on poles, as he feai^'d that otherwise I hey might lie used to produce an e.\pli>- sionl He has .-ilso an electrical lioat on a small lake, an Kiiglish dog-carl driven by eleclrhrity, and a tiny electri- cal tram-car, upholstered in satin and gold which run lo a circle. It is said that he has never yet ventured inside any of these vehicles; and also that he has forbidden the use of telephones in Constantinople, lest murderous conspir- acies shfmld Ix" devised over the wires. IN DbSCUTISK. Do vou like cabliapef Well, I never .e^t. it, but I smoke it souK'tinies. ' ; . head of the clan, who had not changed with the years, and who were as unso- phisticated as if the miracles of steam and telegraphy had never been. But then Sir Charles was only twen- ty-two; he loved the adventurous and the unknown; he bad been the pride of the Cambridge University crew; he had thrown the shoulder stone and run in the half-mile; and, in fine, was » sidendid young fellow, who stood six feet, and felt it in his blood and bones tliat he should have a period of rough- ing it. So he came out to British Columbia a-htmting. Th!>t was about four years ago. He -said farewell to his dressing case, and with woollen shirt, and rough leggings, and a stout little pony, not forgetting a plentiful supply of {lork and lieans, HE STARTED FOR THE WILD. And it was while engaged in shoot- ing things that be turned to mining. He met a mining expert, and tbe result was that he examined the prospectiut in a certain claim. 'Ihis claim to-day IS known as the 'Centre Star' minei close to th" 'War Eagle.' It bos passed the experimental stage. It is as cer- tain as anything can l)e certain that it will speedily poj- handsome dividends. Sir Charles put a considerable amount of money into it; so did, subsequently, a few friends. No shares are offered for sale to-day. The business is a close, corporation. Pity you could not see Sir Charles as typifying, in bis dress, the uncon- ventional west. "Tlie fact is," he said lo a reporter in Montreal tbe other day, iu tbe course of some talk, "that I was thinking of getting my photograph taken in my coarse suit; but I will confess to you" (laughing heartily) "that 1 was too ashamed to have the business done. Houghing it is all very well for a while, and particularly when you do it, for pleasure, and not from compulsion; but I ciui tell you thut it gets aliltU* tiresouii! now and then. Vou feel, af- ter a few- months ol i», that you would like to g.H iKick to civilization. Per iiistunce, you lutve to dis<.'ard all no-' tiuns of refinement. You wear a coarse woollen shirt and leggings. You take with you upon your trips pork and beans, and a pot of treacle us a siiecial luxury. ViiU ruma> out at night on tbn ground, wrajiping your blankets almut. }ou. if you are long out your clothes will get ragged and dirty. 1 remem- l)>'r entering Vancouver once with ONE SLEEVE IN MY SHIHr. my boots full of boles and a fonnight's beurd oil my face. 1 was thoroughly di.-repatalil ', and felt it. 1 luip.> Tani not tmieal. you know, i can rough it, and um gong back lo the business nuw- lor about liirvH' yejirs, with, of course, a holiday i. :iw and then thrown in; but (with a l.ltle grimace) "you can have loo much of it." " I'her.- :^ no social life in Rossland yet, of c*iur.-*e?" ".\ut an atom. The miners all dress alike, of course, and 1 dress like the uiiiiers, when 1 am iu town. When we g<i out upon lung trips to th.- hills w- • have ti tak" ixji-liu'k for evety- tliiiig. Call It free and lieallhful liut liin g.viil thing: of civilizatiooi laste. good whi'Ji you rvturn." "Could you give a word of advice to IK'opl,' in the east as to making invest- nu'ints?" "Well, the liest advice, 1 think is to severely iuve.stigale all elaims and pros- pectuses put forward by inierested par- ties. Th.-rs' is no doul>i in Ih^ world thnt (her.' isn splendid mining field iu British Columbia, but on the other h.-iud, there are not a few- swindling affairs. Can the Si'duciive prosjiectus be made g^xid? That is t h â-  question (or tlu" invAsloT. Wj-ll, if you cannot go your.self to make investigation, you can eng.igi' a rei>utablp lawyer in Rossland 11 do the business for you. Thut is th' liest way. l''or instance, we saw some time ago a. prosi>ectus issued by an east-.'rn firm which sd forth that rich veins had l«'en discovered in a cer- tain property. We all laughed at it. It WHS a lie, pure and simple. But, curi- iously emnigli. after th- issues of tbe prospectus, RICUNKSS WAS ACTUALLY STRUCK. This was an accident. The intention was to deceive. Agai.a a certoin offer was made tti ine touching u cer- tain property. '1'^ mining machin- ery was suid to Ik! new-. It was sectmd hand, as a mattenr of fact. Now second- hand mining machinea-y may lie as gooil as new, or il iiuty Ih< absolutely worthless. These are sajnivles. te sure of the meiii who are engaged in iho business, aaid moke rijrid enquir- ies. All men are not mining experts, anil doubijtes not a few moii are im- posed i^ion who issu^ these flaring stttteuvnts in all honesty." "The miners are a singularly quiet set of fellows. Not that they are an- gels, by any means. On tto other side of the lime, not a few ot thv""!!! had cut up the devil. When Ihey cross to Brit- ish territory, they s-eni to imbilH- .i wholesome respect for the British f!a|f. This miist he it, for we have no f.irc* at all. Well, in Rossland. we liave Mr. Kirkup, and lue assistant, Mr. Houston, but'they never go armed; they use no threats; tney go im and out, aUi} yet, "becaii.se they repccsent law in th»ir pvrsons, they keep a population of ov«r six thousand people, drawn from all quarters ot the world, in order. It ia not so on the other side. Tba miners there sometimes fire free. That is lo say, they carry guns, and pop them off before you can a.ay winking." Sir Charles says this with a delici- ous sort of coolness, all the more zest- ful from the vision which, iiia wnrdd conjures up'. "Dfi you ever carry arms yourself, Sir Charles?" "Certainly not, and especially when r am on the oiher side of tha line. "How is that?" "Well, I consider it a tempting of Providence. On the other side it ia morally certain that the "other fel- low" will shoot firat if he suaptx-ts you have a gun. If you have no gun, you will probably ge* along quieter." "What aljout Rosshujd itself? 'Will it l>ecome all thit is claimi'd for it â€" a great centre of jopiulationt" "Well, it is claimed thit. it -will be- come a seoMid Butte, Montana. Cer- tainly, I think it will exprience great development in tha course of a few years. Already the population gravi- tates towards it. A great deal of business is transacted in it. Some of the people are beginning to bring their WTV^ES AND FAMILIESs so that we may exp<;ct a social life in "As a steady diet. Sir Charles, what the place liefore long." do you think of pork, beans and tre- acle?'' "Weil, can 'go it,' you know, but perhaps after a few months it becomes a little monotonous. At thie same time, after a little holiday six.-nt at my own home, I come lack to iit without misgiving. Il is not the food so much as the absence of other comforts. On« does not mind cooking his food; but perhaps .'i. shave now and then, or a liath, would be desirable. I say nothing about shreds and patches, for these we must expect out west." "i suppose it feels good to get home, Sir Charles, and experience the de- lights of fresh lin-enf" Oh, yes, but at home I do not wear this kind of dress''â€" pointing to his tvi-eed morning suitâ€" "I wear Highland costume." "And so the steam and the telegraph haven't spoiled the picturesque at Bal- nagown?'* "Not a bit of it." "-\nd your jieople have still their sim- ple ways, still render homage, to the head of the clan?" "Yes, 1 obs-rve no change in these regards. I hiul some pictures taken showing the Highland costume, when- X was at home. Some are coming out, and I will manage to let you have one.' "Thanks. I wish you bad had your- self photographed that day you enter- ed Vancouver with one sk:eve in your shirt and vour trousers and boots full of holes, and that I could have had a copy." , . "Not for the world," was the laugh- ing reply. RAILROAD PROGRESS. rbr WuaUrrrnl Advunre Whlrh lias Take* Plate Sl«re the Early l»«yii. I'roliably few l',eople at thi^ present time can realize wiiiit a quaint and curious line the Liverpool and Man- chester Railway was in its early days, or how totally diffeieut were all it» appointments from those to which we are now- m-customed. s.iys tihe Railway World. Yet travelers were vastly pleased with it. and thought thnt to pay five or six shillings to go thirty mile.s in an hour and a half was the perfection nf. cheapness and speed. They went into ec^tacies alioul thi- delight I of jingling along over a jiirring stone block road, in compartments about us commodious as London tour wheeled cabs or in seiui-oiien ohars-a-bane, where they ievume. blinded with sparks and ran considerable risk ot lieing set on fire. Every time the train stopped tiie passengers were bumped against (•a;-.u other, screw couplings l>eing un- known till lb3'>; but tjiey seem to have borne it all coinplaceutly. The first da.is vehicles were painted yellow, and bore such names as Queen Adelaide, MarquLs <if Stafford, rreisurer, and l)e- i^litch. lieing usually eight feet long. u|.ou a liaae of only si.\ feel, they pit^-h- c'l ui) and down considerably as they ran. '\\< the second cla,ss coaches there were Wk'-X!. rtxifs or awnings, but of- ten no siiles and no doors ; th^ color of these airy i-onveyances was Ul.l'E OR PINK. Aliout two and a h ilf tons wa« the average weight of all the coaches, some more, .-tome leas, buf all were couBiruet- cd in the lightest and w»"ake»t lujnner, bv builders who had l>y no means g'rasped the difference in viorking con- ditions between ro»iii and rail traction. The (iuard sat on the root of the List tvacii. or of one filtwl with a brake, and was exposed to r.iin and snow, heat and cold, dust and s(>irks. in a bar- 1 arous manner. Tis mode of Ireiting a man s>i important to th«i safety of ti!;" tr.iiii wa..i u.suil on niiwt lines in th"» c^.uiilry tdl nearly 1850. and wis but one of the many ways in which the earlv railway men ct>ii';e<l lih.i-^ stage lOvic'h svslein without considering how I essentially diifereui it was. 'Pho first ' cia,-is were " inside " pas.sengers. Ihe sei-ond v\ ere " outside " w iio must e.\- pecl a taste of bid w-aather. The third were incoivsiderable "stage waggon" piKiple, who were contemptuously hitch- ed on anyhow. Even as bite as ibe seventies, 'might lie seen an inscription over the gate.vay of an iinpcu-lint I.on- ilon teriiiinus: "Eiiiraui-e tor h«,irse«, dogs, and third-class p.issengers. " a"qi^>N's device. All official cablegraius for Her Maj- esty are addressed "tiuoen, Ix)udon," and are invarial>ly couched in secret language. The liueon usually signs her piivate family messages, "V. R. I." She si'ldom telegraphs in plain lan^- ujige, but ui9es one of her word or ci- pher codes, compilo<l so as to defy de- tection. Her Majesty has private ci- phers with hej- pfincipal AmIxIsaadorB, the Viceroy of ln<lia, the Giwernor- iicneral ot Canada and with any Gener- al abroad on iv'tive service, . )»â-  ^ !<»»*?»â-