MOTTO FOR EVERY DAY.
= . “The World is wide
! In time and tide.
’ And God is guide.
So do not. hurry.
“That man is blest
Who does his best
And leaves the res .
So do not worry."
MISS DOBB’S anon.
BY ELLA M. KENNEDY.
Miss Abigail Dobbs, or Aunt Abby.
as her doting relatives called her, ha-i
several peculiarities, chief of which,
and the one that caused her friends
the most annoyance, was her extreme
changeablcncss. Nevertheless the en-
tire Dobbs family adored her, for she
had. besides her peculiarities. a large
bank account, and each fond relative
secretly considered himself her special
favorite and prospective heir, though
all loudly disclaimed any thought of
such a thing. Thus matters had stood
for years, and at the time my story
Opens, Miss Abigail Dobbs had just
turned fifty.
"She is safe beyond the matrimonial
age now,” said Mrs. Nathan Dobbs to
her husband, as they sat on the piazza
one pleasant afternoon. "One never
feels secure before that.”
Mrs. Nathan Dobbs considered her
husband’s heirship an absolute certain-
ty, and with good reason, for hadn’t
Miss Abigail once hinted as much?
But alas for human expectations!
Mrs. Dobbs had scarcely finished im-
parting this pleasant information to
Nathan when the postman came up the
walk with a letter.
“It’s from Aunt Abby,” she ex-
claimed, looking at the address.
Opening the letter she glanced hastily
through its contents, then, beginning
again, perused it more slowly, look-
ing very much puzzled. She had read
it three times when Nathan’s patience
gave out.
"Well,” he exclaimed, “is is Greek?”
“It might as well be, for all I can
make out of it,” said his wife.
“Listen:—
“ ‘My dear Emeline:—As this is to
be the week of the Grand Army En-
campment, I thought I would take ad-
vantage of the occasion and make you
a little visit. I shall bring Major F.
with me; he is a little odd, and in-
clined to think every stranger his one
emy; but I know you will like him, he
is such an amiable fellow in the main.
I must stop over at Cousin Jane‘s on
the way up, and as it is better for the
major to see as few new faces as pos-
sible, I will just send him right
through, and Nathan can meet him at
the depot. I shall come on the first
train in the morning, but don’t on any
account let Major F. get out of your
sight until I come. No one knows what
might happen if you did. He will be
on the train that arrives in Boston at
fivethirty this afternoon.’ '
“ ‘Your affectionate Aunt Abigail.’ ”‘
“Now what do you think of that?”
exclaimed Mrs. Dobbs.
“Oh," replied Nathan slowly, “it is
Sim-e new freak she has taken; this
major seems to be a singular person.”
“Singular! Why, he must be half
crazy! And she has forgotten to men-
tion his name! I wonder how under
the canopy she expects we're going to
find him! It isn’t any one belonging to
to the family that I knew of; who can
he be, anyway?”
Nathan silently shook his head.
It was the first day of the Grand
Army encampment: Regiments from
' all parts of the country had been pour-
ing into the city all day, and there was
bustle everywhere. When Mr. Dobbs
reached the depot the five-thirty train
had arrived, and its passengers were
hurrying out into the streets. Mr.
Dobbs looked sharply at the strangers,
but seeing nobody that he thought
would answer for “Major 1“.” he
sought the conductor. That personage
knew nothing of the major, and Nathan
lingered in the waiting-room until it
was empty, save for a few war-veterans.
He approached one of these, and care-
fully explained his mission. The sol-
dier shook his head, he knew nothing
of the strange major. Seeing a veteran
standing in the doorway who looked
as if he might be a personage of some
importance. Mr. Dobbs went to him
and repeated his question.
“Why, yes,” replied the veteran.
“Th-ere was a stranger with Colonel
Blank—at very remarkable man, too.
Let me see.” he added thoughtfully;
“his name was Major "tart-sworn}.
Yes, that was it—hlajor Farnsworth.
There they are now,” he added. as two
men entered the room. "The tail one is
the major."
Mr. Dobbs
strangers.
"Major Farnsworth, I believe,’ he
said. bowing to one of them, a tail, dig-
nified man. Dobbs quickly explained
his errand. The major looked puz-
hastcned toward the
7
7.10.1.
"Dobbs, Dobbs,” he repeated
thoughtfully. “It must be some old
school friend that I can‘t recailfor the
moment; you see I have been :1 my
for several years, and 1 did not lint-[w
that I had any freinds living in this
part of the country.”
“The idiot!” thought Mr. Dobbs, in
great disgust. “He has forgotten
where he started from this morning,
no wonder Aunt Abby said he was
odd.”
“But I assure you,” added the ma-
jor pleasantly, “that I will gladly ac-
cept your generous invitation.”
As they walked toward home Mr.
Dobbs was both surprised and pleased
by the major’s genial and brilliant
conversation. He was evidently a man
of education, and had travelled exten-
sively; he was odd only at intervals,
it seemed.
' "w E E k- LY at...“ i. E
“An uncommonly intelligent man,"
Mr. Dobbs said to his Wife when they
were alone. '
rs. Dobbs was not so easily
pleased. . '
“He does seem very agreeable,” she
admitted, “But you can’t trust these
queer people. Why, he might take a
fit any minute and do something ter-
rible, thinking we were his enemies.
Do be on your guard, Nathan.”
After a consultation the host and
hostess concluded that under the cir-
cumstances it would be wise to keep
watch for the first part of the night at
least.
“Why, he might get up and murder
us all in our beds!” ‘ declared Mrs.
Dobbs. =
They quickly laid their plans. Mr.
Dobbs sat on the top stair of the land
ing in the hall near the door of the ma-
jor’s room. ' Mrs. Dobbs sat in a rock-
ing-chair at the end of the hall, where
she could watch her husband and be
ready to scream at the first sign of
alarm. Even Bridget was called from
her snug bed and placed on guard half
way down the stairs, so that she could
be called upon in case of necessity.
Thus the long hours dragged slowly
on until midnight; there was not a
sound to break the stillness save the
ticking of the clock in the sitting-room
below. Bridget's head nodded and
sank lower and lower; presently she
paid the penalty of sleeping at her post
by rolling down the stairs and landing
with a shriek and thud in the hall be-
low. Master and mistress hastened to
her side, and to add to their confusion
and alarm the major's surprised face
appeared at the landing above.
“Has anything happened?" he
asked quickly.
“Bridget has fallen down stairs,” rc-
plied Mr. Dobbs. “No harm done.”
The major disamyeared.
“Odd people thesei" he remarked, as
he closed and locked the door after
him.
aridget, who, save for a thump on
the head and a good shaking up, was
not hurt, was hurried off to bed, and
Mr. and Mrs. Dobbs retired to the sit-
ting-room. where they alternately lis-
tened, and dozed; but nothing further
happened to disturb the peace and
quietude of the house.
Breakfast was barely under way the
next morning when Miss Abigail’s
smiling face appeared at the door.
“Aunt Abby at last!” exclaimed Mrs.
Dobbs, with an expression of intense
relief. “I am so glad you have come!”
"Why, Emeline!” said Miss Abigail
quickly. “You look dreadful! “'hat
is the matter?”
“We didn’t sleep a. wink last night,”
answered Mrs. Dobbs, “on account of
H
“On account of the major!" inter-
rupted Miss Abigail. “What a pity!
You see I changed my mind and took
him with me, after all, and—”
“Took who with you?” broke in Mrs.
Dobbs with such sharpness that Miss
Abigail stared.
WOT CHER!
Knock’d ’em
in the Old Kent ROad.
“Why, Major R,” she answered
meekly. “His name is Fleetfoot, but I
call him F. for short. Here he is,” she
added, pointing to a lop-cared, bow-
legged poodle under her arm, which
nobody had noticed. .
Mr. and Mrs. Dobbs gazed at each
other in silence.
“A fine blunder!” said Mr. Dobbs.
Mrs. Dobbs laughed hysterically.
while her husband explained the situa-
tion fully to his mystified relative.
“As if I would have a real major,
brass buttons and all, following me
about,” saidaliss Abigail, in great dis-
gust, when he had finished.
Of course the situation had to be im-
mediately explained to Major Far-us-
worth, and Mr. Dobbs hastened away
to make the explanation.
“So thataccounts for last night’s
doings.” said the major, laughing. “I
confess I felt a little uneasy myself
part of the time.”
Mr. Dobbs then invited him most
cordially, to remain with them during
the encampment, and the invitation
was accepted.
The week that followed was a very
enjoyable one; everybody was
charmed with the genial major. Even
Bridget forgave him her cracked skull.
Mrs. Dobbs was especially happy, for
never before had Aunt Abby bestowed
such marked favor upon her.
The week drew to a close. On the
afternoon of the last day Miss Abigail,
looking as smiling as a May morning,
came into the sitting-room where Mrs.
Dobbs was busy with her plants.
“Sit down a minute, Emeline,” she
said. “I have something very import-
ant to say to you.”
“You know that I have always
thought a great deal of yOu and Na-
than, Emeline,” continued Miss Abi-
, gail.
“And we have always thought the
world of you, Aunt Abby,” she said
warmly.
“I know it, Emeline, so I thought I
would tell you right away; of course
the others need not know until the last
thing.”
“Of course not," echoed Mrs. Dobbs.
beside herself with joy. “ I wouldn’t
mention it for the world.”
“Well.” continued Miss Abigail slow-
ly, after a moment’s pause in which
Mrs. Dobbs reached the highest degree
of certainty, “in three months from to
day Major/Fai'nsworth and I are to
be marriet .” .
Mrs. Dobbs's face was a blank; she
caught the arm of the sofa for sup-
port.
"I—I-wish you much happiness, I
am sure,” she gasped.
“I knew'you would be pleased,” said
Miss Abigail, as she hurried out to
meet the major, who was coming up
the path.
"Why. if a piece of the sky had fal-
len I shouldn’t have been more taken
aback,” Mrs. Dobbs said to Nathan af-
terwards. “And to think it"all came
about through Aunt Abby’s change-
ableuess!”
he, “I ’ave some news to te
GA/ ET Ir
OLD EMREROR ANDREW EMPEROR.
How William the Grandfather Has Been
Made to Contradlct Ina Grandson.
The last “Bismarck Year Booklf
sheds a rather peculiar light upon the
young Emperor’s speech about the men
who were “mere instruments" in the
hands of his grandfather when Ger-
many was unified. It contains several
letters, hitherto unpublished, from
Emperor William I. to his Chancellor.
If these letters she-w anything they
show the fulness of gratitude felt by
the monarch toward the man who had
made him great. Again and again the
old man manifested his thankfulness
to Bismarck, his confidence in him.
and his modesty in yielding to him all
the credit for the achievements that
made the present empire a possibility.
The farewell'wczrds in some of the
letters are: “(led be with you. Your
\Villiam;” “Your truly devoted W'il-
“11111;” “Your thankful king, William;”
“Your truly devoted a" ' thankful Wil-
liam.” In a birthday letter written on
April 1, 1881, the Emperor apologizes
for not offering congratulations in per-
son; he was ill, otherwise he would
have called to see the man “whose
creative genius” had evolved and car-
ried out “so many vast plans." Writ-
ing in 1882 the old man spoke of the
labor rescripts, the prototype of the
young Emperor’s labor rescripts, as
“Bismarck’s own exclusive work.” In
1888 he referred to Bismarck as the
one “who wrought out and gutded the
mighty events that led to the glorious
-peace” of Frankfort.
In every letter the old Emperor in.
quired after Bis -.:.,rck’s health, not
perfunctorily, but with an earnest so-
licitude and affection which are pa-
thetic in their simple honesty. It is
doubtful if' the contrast between the
modest honesty of the grandfather and
the pompous presumption of the
grandson could be marked more clearly
than it is by the publication of these
letters immediately after William II’s
last speech.
It Meant Something.
“Now,” said the fussy old gentleman
putting one of the biggest berries in
his mouth and picking up another,
"what is the sense of having that sign
read ‘fresh strawberries for sale’?
Don’t you see that ‘fresh strawberries’
would be enough? Don’t you suppose
everybody knows they are for sale?”
“I dunno,” answer 5-. the grocer;
"some folks seen:- to think I'm givin’
them away,” and then the old gentle-
man put the berry hack in the box——
Indianapolis Journal.
Costly-Laces.
Laces can be made to represent large
sums of money. The Astors have been
credited with owning lace worth
about $3,000,000, and the Yanderbilts
value theirs at $4,000,000. The Pope
is said to be content with $5.000 rep-
resented inlace. and the Princess of
Wales can boast of $250,000 worth
Your rich
In'~nett'er Business.
“Why did I cease to be an agitator,
a socialist and an advocate of utopian
.deas?" echoed the man of afiairsto a
former friend who is still Working on
the problem of making this an. ideal
World.
"I'll tell you just as frankly as I
can. While I was sentimentalizing
about the masses and grinding out hu-
manitarian cant wherever I could get '
an audience, I made the startling dis-
covery that I was not making my own
home as much of a heaven on earth
as it might be. I was neglectingmy
household in an elfort to reclaim the
world. '
“But such sacrifices must be made
in the great cause.”
"Not a bit“ of it. Our first duty is
to those akin to us. What awakened
me was a wife working night and day
to get along on scanty means, one little
one staying at home from school be-
cause he had no shoes, another wear-
ing clothes that excited ridicule of oth-
er children, the coal bln empty and a
very short allowance in the larder. I
concluded then and there that the rest
of the world would have to get along
the best it could until I had created
Some sunshine in my own home. I’ve
been kept very busy in this new line
of work. finding some time, however,
to aiford relief where immediate re-
lief was needed.”
The visiting agitator looked much
paler than when he had entered and
went out chewing his mustache.—
Detroit Free Press. .
Prepared for It;
Family Physician (solemnly)-—“Your
wife is a very sick woman—do you
want to know the worst?”
Husband (who has been there be-
fore)-—"Oertaini:~r. certainly-«tell me
the worst—is it Long Itiranch, Sarato-
ga, Richfield Springs, or Europe?"
Premonitory Symptoms. ‘
“How still they ar ,” remarked Mrs.
Fogg. apropos of the young couple in
the next room.
"Yes,” replied Mr. F., “it reminds
me of my army days. It was always
wonderfully quiet just previous to an
”on Transcript.
, , n "n
engagement. ~no-st
So Like Him.
Fenelon who had often teased Rich-
elieu ineffectuelly for a charitab e sub-
scription, was one day telling him that
m had just seen his picture.
"And did you ask it for a subscrip-
ion '2" asked Richelieu sneea'ing‘ry.
“No. I saw there was no chance,”
said Fénélon; “it was so like you.”
“Did I understand you to say that
you didn’t have any company in the
kitchen while I was out, Katie?”
“Yis, mum; that’s what I said.”
“But I smell the tobacco from a pipe
ill through the house." '
“Yis, mum; the policeman was in
for half an hour, mum; but we were
11 the parlor."-Yonkens Statesman.
un - cle Tom of Cam - int-well, Popp'd oft
locl - gcr woukl ’ave ’ad a fit,
\I' hen 1*." y
a. bit, Thought our
old Dutch knows 'ow to do
what cv - or he was want-e1 to,
woke the al - ley up
might ’ave been a four - in-’and, My
to do . Just
the grand, First 5 3
Still 1
> >
show'd ’im that ’c'd ’ave
\Vritten and Sung by ALBERT CH EVALIER.
. ' Composed by CHAS. INGLE. D > >
week
says
I. Last
2. Some
3. When we
4. Ev - ry
z’z'l/ ready. > >
0
r3 - cent, which it ain't a. so Lcav- ing you ’is lit - tle don - key shay." , “\Vot
rfls - sus, who’s a real wit, Says “I ’atcs a Bus bc - cause its low.
bows, and then she waves ’cr ’an'd, Call - in’ out we‘re go - in’ for a blow!
sha'n‘t for-get that row - dy crew ’01 - lcr - in' “\"v'oa! stea-dy! Ned - dy, \Voa!
Cher!"
mm». {Wranw-ueet v-vr - :7
1 . 6‘-
down our al - Icy comes a toff, Nice old geez ~ er with a nas ~ ty cough, Sees "‘ I
nas - ty things a -bout the moke, One cove thinks 15 log 15' real - 1y brokc,Thats :3“ ii? 7!
starts the bles - sed don - kcy stops, He won't move, so out I quick - 1y 'ops, Pals IT )-
eve - nin’ on the stroke of five, Me and mis - sus takes a lit - tle drive, You'd
> > - ' > ":9, '
'0' '0'
all the neigh-bors cried, "\Vho're yer goin‘ to mect,BilZ? Have you bought the street,Bill?" Laugh! ~ I
i . A"
———- a
o—' ..
if it
V
V ..
______\__
O
Mis -sus, take 'is top - per diff- Ig- a. ve - ry gen - tie-man ~ y way!
cn - vy cos we‘re car-ridge folk, Like the tofis a3 rides in Rot - ten Row!
whackin 'izn, when down he drops, Some-one says he was ~ n't made to go.
”\Von-dcr—ful they're 51.1 a- Ive," ll
“Ma'am,” says
Straight! it
Lor', it
soon
you saw that lit - tle don - Loy go. 1
> >
thought I should ‘ave died, ' Knock’d ’em in the old Kent Road!
' >
>
3' it, 1r
Copyright, 1397, Muszcal News Co.
\\
' l’l’ot Cheri—2.
Norwalk Chronicler