The Writing on the Wall.

By Thotna* C. Harbaugh

Bract Durlva

i in the neigh*

the homo of hi* »nce*ton>. He wa* a bachelor, very tall, ami dark of feature. He had been abroad 10 year*, and as 1. a. young physician, had but lately settled In the adjoining town. I had never seen him. 1 had heard, however, that he bad visited many countries, civilised gnd savage, and had concluded that, he was tired of roughing it and glad for a chance to" 1 settle down beneath the roof of his fathers. , His old acquaintances did hot see much of hits after he came home. He nodded toThis former friends, or passed them by without so much as a bow. Not long after his coming home we learned that he was courting Annie Kimball, the 'prettiest girl of the neighborhood, already engaged, as we believed, to Steve Morgan, a young man of steady habits, but without a tithe of the wealth possessed by Brant Durtvage. Old Kimball. Annie's father, was dissipated, and. Just then, financlally embarrassed, and the truth is that he ■old his child to Brant Dnrlvage, forcing her to break her angagement with young Morgan, who denounced the bargain In bluer language whenever . he could find anybody to listen to him. At times he swore tfyu np would "get - even" with the man who had come be^ tween him and Annie. For several weeks matters drifted along quietly. If Durivage heard of

Jorgan's aid not

won. the wedding day had been set, and Annie had become resigned to the fate from which there seemed no escape. Steve Morgan had given up his trade, but not His daily habit of cursing Brant Durivage. He had lost flesh, and his eyes had a wolflsh. vengeful look. In common with oth era. I fully expected a tragedy of some kind, and I went so far as to share my opinion wiin the constable, who nodded approvingly. The tragedy came, but not In the mariner expected. At ten o'clock on the night before the day set apart for the wedding a man whom I knew to be Brant Durivage'* factotum, threw open my ottce door, and rushirig in. startled me with the intelligence that his master had Just been shot. Thinking Immediately of Steve Morgan. I promised to repair to the house at once, and In a short Ume 11 creased the threshold for the first time. I was conducted to an upper room, where 1 found tUe dark-faced man lying unconscious on a bed. having been cAmeJ to hiiVhamber by a , servant who, standing by me, said a^at Durivage had ben shot through tae open window of the library, which was on the ground floor. "I pulled this out of the wound." continued the man, taking an arrow from the table, "but I'Ai afraid there's ^a bit of It left. He's shot under the left shoulder and and from behind; a bad wound. I'm Ah Inking." And the servant shook his head. I fell at once to examining my pa tlent, and discovered that while the barb had- not gone deep enough to touch a vital organ, the wound was dangerous, especially ir me shaft had been poisoned. I found also that the servant was right about a piece of the arraw head remaining .n the hurt, for . I removed it with my forceps and laid It alongside the weapon on the table. Meantime the' people attached to the estate were looking for the •rho had attempted Durivagaw'' The' town consta-ie had been summoned and the town Itself was already In an uproar. I remained with Durivage until 1 could leave him to the care of a nurse, and with arrow -and the detached head, 1 went Back to my office. 1 was clear to mo lhat the shaft had come from some

e person pe%- / lfre>

like it The shgft jproper was a light reed, very straight and hard. One end bad been cut off transversely and the other notched in ortier to receive ,lbe bow string. Next came a piece of bone nearly three inches in length. One end of It bad been passed Into the split, or open end. of the shaft, while the* other end of the bone was slipped a short piece of reed, over Which. In turn, a strong wrapping of Intestine bad been placed. All this formed a socket for the true head of ti* arrow, the none merely giving the shaft proper weight. 1 saw this much by the light of my office lamp; but I saw more. The "head" was the piece I bad extracted from the Wound. It was of Ivory, and I now saw that\ It had been attached to the bone afelgbt In such a manner as to looeeri Itself whrn anyone attempted to pall h from the . victim's body. Under tne microscope ( saw that the head of the alngular shaft had been coated with a substance resembling glue, but which 1 decided was some deadly poison. It Was bitter an nauseating when applied Co the tongue, and I had no doubt that ltd virus was r then spreading itself through out Brant Durivage's system. 1 went back to the estate again before daylight, and found my patient raving In delirium. ■ I administered opiate after opiate, and a long time • passed before the medlcinef prodnesd the slightest effect. Tho servants . said be bad not spoken rationally

' Tbs next morning Sters Morgan

was arreoted on susldon. This dll not astonish me after what the pigheaded constable.had said the night before. Nobody believed the young man guilty, though be did not ex|

Kh be did not exprcsi r Durivage. and after discharged. He was

ic-arlng he was discharged. He was

strangely non-committal during the examination. and when It was over he came Into my office and took a chair.

"Doctor." said he. leaning toward

.me with a smile, "they didn't ask me

to toll what 1 Saw. did they?" / “I believe they die not. Stevi

answered, wondering w

"I saw the man that did it!"

teve." 1

knew.

I looked’ strangely at him. wonder Ing If he was not loelug h!s wits. "I saw him. but not till after tho shot.” Steve went on. "I was up ts the house last night." 1 went there to ask Brant Durivage to listen to me for a mluute. though I don't expect he'd have done It. Just as I was cu terlng the garden, for I knew I would And him in the library with the window up. 1 heard a sharp cry, and the next moment there passed a little mem carrying m one hand a box. This Is as true as gospel, doctor! He never saw me though 1 could have touched him while ho was passing; but 1 would not because I thought he had finished Durivage. Morgan then went on and describ’d' the man with a minuteness that astonished me. He did It so well 1, thought I could see him before me, and at the end of his story he declared his Intention of repeating his adven tore to no one else, not even In the interests of Justice. "Tf he gets well, he’ll marry Annie, - ' said Morgan, savagely, "and if he dies, let him rot without being avenged!” / Pwatcned Durivage closely for ten days. I could see that the secret poison was at work, and the case was a queer study that opened up to me a new field for Investigation. During those ten days the wounded toan seemed to suffer a thousand deaths. On the afternoon of the eleventh day I was hurried over to the house by the butler, who said that Durivage was writing on the wall before his cot. At the foot of the stair we wero met by the nurse, who with blanched face cried that ail was over. Bounding up the flight two steps at a time, I rushed Into the bedroom and found Durivage lying on hla face on the floor. "You should have teen and heard Him," said the frightened servant. “He awoke and called at the top erf his voice for a pencil. I ran and got him one, thrusting it into his hand when I came back. As his fingers closed on it he laughed like a fiend, and rising In bed, wrote what you see on the wall yonder, and then fell back and writhed till he pitched out upon the floor. Before this I was at the cot and with burning eyes was looking—nay staring—at the writing on the wall. "K’AA—K'AA—K'AA." Here was another mystery. "What did he say after-that?" 1 asked, turning to the two servants, while I pointed to the writing on the

wall.

"He pronounced three times something that sounded like 'klle'. or 'Kala haetiwe.' " was' the nurse's* answer.

I spoken words. They wereAll “Greek" to me. but I felt that their were connected with the awful death Brant Durivage had died. During the next few days there ran through my mind nothing but "K'aa, K’aa, K'aa." I had the nurse repeat "Kala haetiwe" until I had mastered it, and until I left the Shropshire village and located lo I-ondon. an event In my career which took place a year later. 1 did not let the singular words escape me. Daring this period Steve Morgan did not go back to. Annie. He wrote me that he would pot do so until the mystery conected with' Durivage's death

would riwver. come and bring the two young b^rils together. One evening I^waa calieJ to attend * man who . ‘had been run ewer by a butcher's csirt near the' Strand. He had been carried to his lodgings nearby. and lay bloody and gasping on a pallet of dingy rag*. The moment I saw the man a strange thrill took possession dt me, and 1 recalled Steve Morgan's description of the owner of the poisoned arrow/ When I had dressed the wounds made by the heavy wheels of the cart, and had my patient sitting up, with a hot drink before him and his king dark fingers encircling the Slast. 1 asked him who and what he was. “I'm a Bushman." said he with a chuckle, and then, seeing the took of disbelief that I exhibited, he went on: "You don't think so? I can prove it.

Look here."

He leaned toward his pallet, and to my utter astonishment took from beneath the pillow of rags a bow and two arrows I could mot repress a cry of amarement. and did not try. The dark-faced little man' was holding the arrows toward me. and I could see that they were exactly like the one which had killed Brant Dnrlvage. "I had three, but I tost one some time ago," continued my patient "Where did I lose It? Never, mind that, doctor. I could go back to the spot, but I will not. Ho, ha He knew what h was all the time. My little arrow* are more dangerous than

ik. I i 1 all y

your life. The marurn tree grows nowhere but among the Bojesmen, the little men of South Africa. It looks like your elm. but It has many thorns. Its leaves are the homes of the grub that builds booed* like the silkworm. When we want poison for our arrows Wb take a grub between thumb and finger, qnd make It shed Its greenish fluids upon, the Ivory head of the shaft. That I* all. The marurn grub 1* death. How doe* the victim lie. eh? He writhe* in agony. He becomes * giant In his madness. He has few lucid Intervals. It U terrible, ho,

ho!"

- I was holding one of the arrows In my hands. "Wh*t do you call your poison?" I asked, looking up into his face, which had the leer of a fiend Incarnate. "If'aa, answered the little man. with a laugh. Some people call It N’gwa, but K'aa Is its name.” I was calm now. "And Its antidote?" 1 said. "We seldom tell that It has one." grinned the stranger. "But I'll tell you. doctor. The antidote Is 'Kala haetiwe.' the product of a small plant that In our country beau little starshaped flowers." The man on the pallet allowed hi* gaze to wander from my face to the arrows. He seemed to be rejoicing In spirit over some stirring event. "Your lost arrow Is In my office," I said, fixing my eyes on the man. “I took the Ivory bead /com Brant Durlvago*s back. I now know why he wrote 'K'aa. K'aa!' on the wall and died crying 'Kala haetiwe.'" The man from South Africa fell £ack. and regarded me with .gaping

luth.

him that 1? he took Mina .away from me. I'd follow him all oier the world with my arrow tipped with K'aa. He would not take my warning, and I was forced to keep my word. Did he die hard, doctor?" The next day I wrote Steve Morgan down In Shropshire all about my startling discovery, and when I sent an officer to look after my patient he was found to have gasheA his throat with one of his own arrows, and In an hour was dead. In course of time, I am pleased to relate. Steve and Annie became man «^d wife, but I am told that for marfr year* on the wall of a certain room in Shropshire was to be seen this singular thrilling la-

QUAINT AND CURIOUS.

A man should weigh 26 pounds fot every foot of his height. Mozart holds the record of hsvlos written 624 compositions. A New York assemblyman has introduced in the legislature a hill making It a mlsdsmcanor to “flirt on a public thoroughfare." Ilf 1862 the speed record on a high bicycle was 20 miles In an hour and 12 minutes. Behind a motor pacer a rider ha* recently covered 40 mile* In an hour. The akin of the muskox, which is a denizen of the "Barren Grounds" and the Arctic region of Canada, has taken the place of that of the extinct buffalo for sleigh robe* It varies In price from $60 to as low as $6 for a poor article. An Immense geyser has been discovered In Rotomahona, New Zealand. It cover* an area an acre In extent and constantly throws columns of water to vast heights, some of them ascending 300 feet, with clonds of steam Valch go much higher. The Iowa supreme court has again fixed the limit of value that may be placed on a man's leg at $8000. In a similar case some year* ago the Iowa

should be cut down to $8000. The telephone exchange of CIceland. O.. has Instituted an Information bureau, from which subscribers may ask and receive whatever knowledge they wish that can be supplied from A large reference library. During the six months of its operation K is said to have demonstrated its value and to be a pattern that might be followed in

other cities.

SCven miles west of ConneUsviUen Pa., a portion of an Indian mound has been uncovered and - Innumerable Interesting relics have been found. A baby's remains had a necklace of beads made out of curiously wrou^it deer born* Strangely-shaped pipes,' many arrow heads, sandstone' wheels, which

> have 1

e aborigines for the making o

ells and

of stone

Implements; marine shells and mas* other trinkets were also found.

Ths XroaeMt Slams arch BrlSce.

The work upon the great stone arch bridge whicn Is being erected by the Pennsylvania railroad across ths Susquehanna river at BockrlUe, about dvo

miles above Harrisburg, i nearing completion. The

work of the bridge, consisting ot

at dvo ipldJy

the contractors are now putting the asphalt covering over the arches. When thleYs completed the work of filling. In, grading and ballasting win

Work qpon this, the

arch railroad bridge in the world, was begun Jess than two years ago.—

fQR.WoMAH’sf Sancrlomn Dachau* New Hainc. The Duke of Marlborough’s new house In Curton street. London, Is perceptibly “taking form.” and the iron pillars and girders of the frame look like a huge skeleton. A feature of tho Interior Is to be the marble ball and staircase winding round It, with pretty galleries. The bouse will not be very lofty, considering Its sire, but standing alone and among smaller buildings. It will bo very light and airy. The- alte was a present to the Duchess Consuelo from her father, Mr. Vanderbilt. Bald Battens. Decidedly we are going back to the use of bold buttons, but only as decorative elements in tailors' as well as dressmakers' gowns. On some of the prettiest velveteen and corduroy suits large wood button molds covered with Intensely gay brocade have advantageously appeared. Tho buttons are as big as a half dollar, are slightly convex In form, and the bit of brocade that covers each mold shows a very Frenchy basket of flowers, a blossom wheathed shepherd's pipe and tambourine bons. There Is no gainsaying the charm of these or the brilliancy of those that have velvet rims and cut steel or stress centres. Again wo hear tho title Valois applied to these, and If a gay bit of brocade is used In the decoration of a dark" gown a set of brocade buttons completes the color study, without adding greatly to the expense.—Chicago Record-Herald.

brain, and In nothing does she show It more than In the ways that suggest themselves to her of earning money." said a woman recently. “I was told the other day of a girt, anxious to turn an honest penny, who announced that any one giving her the name and address of an engaged girl would receive three pence? When she bad collected a goodly number of name* of prospective brides she took them to various shops, drapers, shoemakers, ladle*' outfitters, milliners and *o on, and bargained for so much for each address. The shop people gave her a certain sum—how much I do not know —and then dispatched their catalogues to the future wife, who, I doubt not. wa* extremely astonished at the publicity her engagement enjoyed. Whether the venture was a lasting success I have not ascertained, but of the originality of the idea there can be no question."—New York Tribuna

Groat Haa'a Tlaws on Woman. Remember, woman is most perfect when most womanly.—Gladstone. He that would have fine guest* let him have a fine wife.—Ben Johdaon. Disguise our bondage as we will, 'Us woman, woman, rules us stiil.— Moore. Kindness In woman, not their beauteous looks, shall win my love.— Shakespeare. Oil and water—woman and a secret —are hostile propertiea.—Bulwer

world. It will be allowed, 1* a beautiful woman.—Macaulay. If the heart of a man is depressed with cares, the mist is dispelled when a woman appear*—Gray. Lovely woman, that caused our cares can every care beguile.—Bere*ford. He is a fool who thinks by force or skill, to turn the current of a worn-, on's will.—Samuel Tuke.' Raptured man quits each doting sage, O woman, for thy lovelier page. —Moore. Earth has nothing more tender than a pious woman's heart.—Luther.

Tka Charm of Tooth.

There Is a Charm of youth and happiness that carries a certain amount of thoughtfulness for a time.

Yet this charm Is only a passing one, and soon fails to win consideration If It Is not accompanied by . a certain dignity of poise and wisdom and tact, which youth. ai well as age. may possesb. The old saying, "beauty Is only 'akin deep,” U dally proved by the superior charm which genuine beauty of character exerts on the most trivial minded of Individuals. No young woman oan afford to be bluff and (Careless In her treatment of the world. In the 'old days of the Colonial Ume* manual work was more necessary than exact culture, but they have passed. The maker of doughnuts and dumplings was a more Important factor in the society of a 100 yean ago than the skilful teacher or worker in any akllled field of today. Women did not have time to be properly educated. Their energies were limited to their homes. All this Is changed. The world demands of any one who would reap Us rewards of success a great deal of Intelligence, and also unselfishness. If demands good manners. which have their root In unselfishness and thought fer other*. A wise young woman who expects to in any vocation does not ex-

a because of her She alms to be

or Wfan M * urnaj uU w te to

tactful and thoughtful that she 1* Invaluable or she may be to thought less that every one lu the house Is relieved when she takes her depar-

ture.

One of the greatest clement* #$' success which a young woman can Is the power of effacing her

powi

c*wn personality In her work. In other rde, the power of doing her work quickly and so well that the workis forgotten in the perfection of her work. The aid her helpful hand has given, the tact and care she has txerdaej, make her Invaluable. She manages to make herself useful and agreeable to young and old. It Is the numberless thoughtful things she has don* which a careless woman might have neglected to do, which ha* been the greatest value of her work, as well a* her skilled knowledge. When one sees a hurried crowd of schoolgirls possessed of tho radiant charm of youth, tyjt full of carelessness and slangy and coarse In their language, as the youth of tho beginning of the 20th century often arc. one becomes thoughtful. No one wishes a young person to be anything but happy, but there is a certain Joyousness which Is possessed of a sweet seriousness of manner. A well bred, refined woman, trained for any work, succeeds far better today than a coarse, loud woman In any position In life. Tiff time has gone by when exuberant youth will be accepted as An eacuse for bad manner*.—New York Tribune.

Women and rorfamo*. “Wood violet? Fifty cents an ounce. Than’: you. Anything else? Now. I knew that girl would ask for violet before she spoke a word. Why? Well. I can't explain it exactly, only when one has sold perfumes as long as I have she anticipates her customers' tastes at a single glance. Sometimes I get the tip from tho woman's gown or her carriage or her general appearance. but almost Invariably I can lay my hard on the right bottle of perfume or sachet before tho woman ask

for It"

The clerk paused suddenly, rested her slender well-kept hand on a bottle of high-priced toilet water and cast \ significant glance Jn the direction of a young woman who was bearing down upon the perfume counter. The new customer wore a stylish golf skirt and a chic Fedora, and had Just finished a glass of milk and rlchy at the soda counter. When she had carried off her purchase’ which, sure enough, proved to be the bottle of toilet water, the clerk remarked: "I was right you aee. That tort of a girl, well-groomed, tailor-made, and given to athletic*, like* toilet water In her daily bath. She'd use bay rum like her brother, cnly It is a trifle too masculine. “White violet Is the moat popular of all extracts. It fcs'partlculariv the favorite of the woman who dresses In gray. I have one customer who affects the mo*t stunning gray frocks, cloth, tilk and velvet in winter, exquisite lawns and dimities in summer, and almost as strong in her passion for violet. Just she buys gray stocking* glove* and purse* to match her gowns, so she baa every toilet accessory In violet. It perfumes her ammonia water, her face and tooth powder*. She buy* violet extract, soap [uantities of

yon can detect Just the faintest most Illusive of perfumes. Why? Because she understands the art of using them. "Then take the woman who wears a great deal of purple, heliotrope or any of the blending tint* and she will use heliotrope extract which la heavier and more lasting than violet. The rosebud girt, ahe of peachy cheeks and baby blue eye* goes la for white rote, crab apple blossom or' lilies of the valley, odor* that aiW delicate. “The ahowy women, particularly those who wear diamonds and\»vertrimmed gowns when they shop of mornings, select the heaviest per-

THE MYSTIC KINSHIP. Kot ■ thins that live* sad moves But the mystic kinship proves , In the deep, the bine above. All the mid-air ways along— Hsrk.' the same eternal song binging on the Ups ol Love. Pori of stream and twirl of leaf— Tnsre the roles of Joy and grief, Lore's divine, undying art. Waving grass end swaying tree, Bwlnglng of the star and Mia— 'Tt* the beating o! thy heart. —Thomas Bardy. HUMOROUS. Sllllctts—All the world's a stag* Cynicua—And all the men and women merely kicker* Blobbs—How did your friend, the weather prophet, lose all bis money? Blobbs—Betting on his own predic-

tions.

Nell—She's so deceitful! Don't you think so? Belle—Well. I certainly hate to have to listen to her "voice of conscience." Mrs. Muggins—Mr* Bjones Is always having trouble with her servants. Mrs. Bugglns—yes: thqy either refuse to stay or refuse to go. Mr. Bolts—I think, my dear. I have at last found the key to success. Mrs. Bolts—Well, just as like as not you'll not be able to find the keyhole. "Her little boy nas such a manly way about him.” "Yes. I noticed when I was there the other day that he found fault with what they had to eat" “There is always room at the top," ! said the Good Adviser. "Indeed, yes.'’ answered the Unfortunate Person, “bat the elevator Is not always running” Hook—Bjones is the most melancholy fellow I know. Nye—That's right. He proposed to a girl once by asking her how she would like to be bis widow. “la be a golf enthusiast?" “Oh. no. He pretends to be. but he Isn't." “How do you know?" "Why. he gives up plajing when the thermometer gets down to aero." “He never washes his hand*" '‘Nonsense!” "No; it's a fact" "Then he's a crank, eh?" Not at all. He says it would take too long. He employs 200 in his mill." Tommy—Pop, a husband and wife are one, aren't they? • Tommy's Pop— So we are told, my son. Tommy— Then It doesn't always take two to make a quarrel, does it? Con. C. Ted bore—Really. I'm getting to be very absent-minded of late. Ml si Kostlque—I can hardly believe that. Xn absent-minded man Is one who forgets himself. Is he not? Photographer—Look pleasant, general. Remember this picture Is for yonr friend* The General—A soldier should have no friends, sir. This picture Is for my enemies to look at. Teacher—Why were you not at school yesterday? Willie Green—It was my birthday. Teacher—I don't stay home on my birthday. Willie Green—Well, I guess you've got used

to ’em.

Mias Upton—Did yolT^fl him that I was not at home? New Servant—Yes, mum; but he didn’t seem to believe me, bein’ as I'm a stranger. Mebby you'd better go. down and tell his yourself, mum. “This Is tough luck," said Ham, mournfully, as he leaned out over the side of the ark. "What’s wrong now?" queried Shem. "Why, all this wator to fish in,” repUel Ham. “and only two flshin' worms on board."

fumes, like franglpannl. Whenever an ever-dressed'.woman approaches me I can safely gamble on her ordering

strongest perfume In sloes'.

Only old-fashioned people inquire for lavender now. There's one whitehaired southern woman who buys It regularly, and I'd lore to peep Into her

linen cloaeL"—New York Sun.

1 flowers to be Strings of pearls nearly two Indies in length are festooned below larger and beautifully Jewelled , ornament* In negligees and Mouse waist* as well as In under petticoat* tilk* with th/- small figures in the weave makeup moat attractively. Colonial slippers, with the small toe. the high heel and the square buckle of gold, silver of dull Jet, continue la favor for home wear. Such pretty thing* as there are la hat pit** In the flower designs—sv^eet peas, plnka, all kinds\o! flowers in the soft French gray or with the rosegold finish. . A pretty hat of black ik trimmed with two big cluster* of white Tideta with a Uttle of the green foliage. The hat -ti of velvet and the crown has ■mall Inlets of cream lace. Small pendants in the deep bronze gold are of Egyptian design and show a beautiful combination of stone* In one of there is a beautiful, deep-col-ored topaz, and rererai pendants —

THE VANISHING LOBSTER.

Xa Eplta mt All KWorts ih. Daartb Still Contloues. The annual report of a dearth In lobster fisheries has made Its appearance reinforced by the United States fish commissioner who reports that each year It becomes more difficult to obtain lobster eggs along the New England coast. This decrease is most noticeable south of Cape Cod. Measures for the protection or O&tenklBly^ " designed for the protection of lobster fisheries are an established feature of annual legislation on the North Atlantic seaboafd. In' 1899 the Mala* ! legislature reduced the penalty for ths taking of "short lobsters” from $5 to $1 and New York diminished the penalty in the same year. In 1900 Massachusetts adopted a law prohibiting lobster* from belnj caught In the waters withia or adjacent to that state by any one ffirt having been a resident of It for one year, and tho same legislature made it unlawful to sell, or to 'have on hand, a lobster of loss than 10 1-2 Inches long. Virginia adopted a law authorising the board of flshesies, on petition of 60 citizens, to lay off shoals or rocks for crabbing grouhds, and South Carolina adopted a .statute for regulating the catch, sain export and canning of clams, oysters - and lobsters. The two states whicn have adopted the most comprehensive and stringent methods for the regulation of deep water fisheries are Maryland and Ngsr Jersey. Massachusetts and Vlrglal’a have followed, while New York and Connecticut have fewer, though New York la the great lobster

States and probably of Although 60,000.000 lobster eggs were planted in New England water, the lobster dearth still continues in consequence of a constantly enlarging demand. High prices are the rale and recourse has been had to the waters of the Pacific coast as a source ot additional supply and the propagation of lobsters there is said to have been attended thus far with great'success.

times go of coal has 10.000 la three year*