RUSSIAN NAVAL FEAT.

Waikato Times, Volume 88, Issue 13432, 10 March 1917, Page 1 (Supplement)

RUSSIAN NAVAL FEAT.

The exploit of the Russian submarine Tuilen, meaning "seal." which captured and brought to port the Turkish armed transport, Rodosto, of 6000 tons, was only briefly mentioned in the official bulletin. The following further particulars are now available. The was lying, submersed, off Kevken, about sixty miles east of the entrance to the Bosphorus, when:" the approach of the Turkish vessel was noted. The Russian submarine promptly moved to get between the enemy craft and j the shore, and, coming to the surface, opened fire at a distance of about a mile.-' The Rodosto, which carried heavier guns > than the submarine, returned the fire. The Tuilen, however, made better prac- ..., tice. and soon set the navigating bridge of the Rodosto on fire, pierced her steam '. . pipr>s. and damaged her steering gear. The Rodosto, being thus reduced to help- , lessness. the submarine approached and batiered the enemy ship at close range, iftrrwards running in and rescuing from ;he pieces of wreckage in the water a lumber of men. Among these were the ieutenant in command of the Rodosto, the senior engineer, and the officer of the watch, all Germans. Apparentlv the German officers had deserted the "ship without attempting to piench the fire caused by the Russian tuns. The Tuilen put a >prize crew on ioard, extinguished the flames, and repaird the damages sufficiently to enable the •apture to be navigated. After forty tours' precarious passage the prize crew the Rodosto safely into harbour t Sevastopol, escorted by the submarine. [Tie gallant conduct of the Russian budnarine speaks for itself, and the comnander has been awarded the Cross of St. ?eorge for his daring exploit. But the beiaviour of the German officers seems to remire some explanation. The circum-.. tanc?s were precisely those in which Rusia.n sailors, like the British, always sink heir ship and-take their chances of life, vhich are generally exceedingly small. „ fet the German officers of this transport vere all three found floating on wreckage dongside the ship, which afterwards made .. i sirccessful voyage of over three hundred nile? to the Russian naval base in the ilack Sea. Of the shocking gunnery dis,]av made by the enemy nothing need be j lid. as it is no novelty. But one would ike to know just how the German offi- . , *ra got into the water. Their ■ duty, vlieu they found themselves unable, in ,pite of superior armament, to cope with jj he artillery mounted on the submarine, „, vas obviously to sink their ship. Under he present circumstances it was a very. .M aluable prize, apart from what may have >een on board, a point on which we are- \<- riven no information. -J ' Presumably there were enough Turks onward to resent the destruction of the -t hip. and the key to the whole story W" loubtless that when affairs got desperate | be hated German officers were flung overloard by the Turks themselves or took to • he water of their own accord to escape a . vorse fate. Moreover, the crews of subnarines are not calculated on a scale-to iffoid spar© prize crews for working 6000on ships hundreds of miles into a home >ort. While the highest eulogy u due to he submarine crew for their very bola md successful attempt to take a big amp >y using only the weakest part of subnarine armament against the superior arillery of the enemy, the most instructive ... iart of the exploit is that the submarine rew put out the fire raging aboard the. 3j Rodosto. repaired the damages, and reach«il a home port safely under escort of the iiibmarine. Nothing like this has been g lone anywhere before since submarines g ook an active part in warfare.

..ir uta.r U.I upon the hrsl nIU pM] 1 immediately succeeding ihe> flyleaf of ,; this neat msset-elad volume, marks the beginning of :i new and —what I trust

W) ,jh£ shall prove—a congenial enterprise. • 'this, therefore, is in the nature of a „ dedication, none the less significant be- • cause privately conducted. 1 am to-day ■"."'inaugurating a diary or, as some would - say, a journal of my daily life. For long I have contemplated such an undertaking, bin in the press o! ' oilier matters delayed making a start, as so often one will. Procrastination -

. ah, what ;> graceless rogue are von! But upon the eve ol yesterday, shortly bo- ,- fore evensong, us I was passing adown the main street ol' this quaint and quiet viH&ge of Lover's Leap, situate in the western part ol the state of New Jer,'.sey, 1 chanced to pause before the shop •- of the Messrs Bumpass- Brothers, a iuc-i----y ehandisiug establishment for the pur- ""■ veying of stationery, sweetmeats, souve"."nirs, ami such like commodities and •much iu favor among the student body ol our beloved Fernhridge Semitiary for ■ Voung Ladies In the show window, - displayed in company with other ar- ' tieles ot varied character and description, I beheld this book, which seemed so exactly suit< d and devised to my purposes. Without delay, therefore, f ■• entered in and from Mr Selini Bumpass, ! the younger member of this firm ot „' tradeworthy tradesmen, I procured it at -••• a. cosi of ninety cents, and lure and v ...now 1 devote you, little bookling, to your future usages. • - 1 count this an auspicious occasion, ushering, as it does, into the placid ......currents of my existence what at once Khali be a now pleasure and a new duty. i Nightly when the toils of the hour are done and darkno-s has drawn her cur- ■ - -tains about the world 1, seated in the \,j, cloistered seclusion of my rooms, shall enter herein a more or less complete "... summary ol the events ot tlie day that is done. .! ...."When this volume is quite tilled up '_. 1 shall purchase yet another, and thus '.' '.it shall be in the years to come that in • leisure moments 1 may take down from ~ my shelves one of my accumulated store of diaries and, opening it at random. refresh the wearied faculties with "' memories of bygone events, past trials, half-forgotten triumphs, et cetera, et •" cetera. In fancy I behold myself, with the light of retrospection beaming in '_••--• my eye, glancing upjfroin the written ".'" leaf and to myself murmuring: "Fibble. upon such a date in the long ago you did thus and so, you visited this' '" or that spot of interest, you had profitable converse with such and such a '' person." flow inspiring the prospect; how profitable may be the outcome ot "", the labor required ! . -'„ With this brief foreword I now put 7' "you aside, little diary, meaning to seek '■ your company again ere the hour of retiring has arrived. So be of good '« cheer and grow not impatient through ""< the long hours, for anon I shall return. ...- • Ten-forty-live p.m. of even date: to • ' wit, April the third.—True to my pror " at brou. It augurs well that 1 should •"'-•have launched this undertaking upon :* ""this particular day. For scarce had 1 •"• left my study this morning .-when an occurrence came to pass which 1 deem "■ -•••to have been of more than passing interest and proper, therefore, 10 he set -'•• forth in some amplitude of detail. At "! faculty meeting, following chapel, our principal and president, Miss Waddlctori, announced to us that a new member had been added to our little band. Continuing in this strain she explained that a young person, until now a. stranger to us all. had been engaged for ■' the position of athletic instructor made vacant by the recent and regrettable' -"■ -•resignation ol Miss Eleanor .Scuppers. ...... With these words she presented Miss ■"• Scuppers' successor in the person of a Miss Hiklcgarde Hamiu. Mutual jntro- • ■•• duct ions follow* d. During the ceremonial 1 had abundant opportunity to observe this Miss ... ...Hamm with a polite Inn searching "» - scrutiny. 1 cannot deny that she is rather of a personable aspect, but, in all charity and forbearance of final judgment, 1 foresee she may prove a " ■ *• discordant factor, a disturbing element in our little circle. I go farther than that. If 1 may permit myself to indulge in language verging almost upon the indelicate, when employed with •• • reference to the other -or gentler sex, "... she has about her a certain air of hoydenish and robustious buoyancy which, '.. . 1 fear me, will but ill conform to flip traditions of dear Ferubridgo and the soothed uid refining spirit ever maintained' by tho instructor body of our -•• beloved seminary. > Subconsciously 1 felt wincingly the grasp of her hand as 1 exchanged with her the customary salutations the while .;.. J murmured a few words of perfunctory welcome. Her clasp was almost mascu- _. . line in its firmness and pressure—much more vehement than the one which I myself exert upon occasions of greeting. But since l n as occupant of the chair oi astronomy and ancient and modern history, shall probably be thrown in direct contact with our new co-worker but ...little. T anticipate no personal embarrassments, albeit I shall endeavor to hold her at a- ilistanec, ever and always maintaining between us a barrier of courteous aloofness. It is tiie effect upon our institution as :i whole that I regard with forebodings. In a brief perioel of speech with Mis.-' Primleigh, our mathematics teacher, which ensued in a corridor subsequent ■to Miss Hamm's induction into llio faculty, I gathered that Miss Primleigh, who is of a most discerning turn of mind, shared with me these apprchon- ... sions-. Also I gleaned from Miss Prini- *-- leigh certain .salient '.'aets concerning our youthful confrere. It would seem ■Miss Hamm is a person of independent means. Being quite completely orphaned ji« a, direct consequence ol the d uh .... of both of her immediate pareuts, she resides in the household of her uncle, a „.,.. Mr Hector Hamm, who recently moved into the community from the .state of ."'.'...".Maryland. Likewise being addicted to ¥ physical exertions in their more ardent .' !. Minis, she has associated herself with lis rather lor the opportunity o'. : exercising .. her ta«tts in this direction than for the sake of anv financial honorarium or, as some would put it, remuneration of ■•- • salary. At least, such was Mips Primleich's inform:.lion, she volunteering J '— the added statement that In her opinion Miss Hamm w ; h a forward piece. From - the inflection oi' Mis s Primleigh's voice at this juncture, coupled with her man- - ner, F mi constrained to believe tin's term of designation is- not to lie fnken '■••• as implying a compliment, but. nn tie -., contrary, the approximate reverse. April the Seventh.—A certain salu-

briousness was to-day manifest in the air. indicative of the passing of winter and the on-coming of spring. After ■ ■ some cogitation o-' the subjeet, I derided this morniiu; upon arising to doff my heavier nuclei-vestments—that is, union suitings—for garments of a hss irksome woiirht and texture. This I did. f 1 recall nothing else of importance transpiring upon this date which is -•-. worthy of beiivj; recorded, exept that, ..: in the course of a short, walk this afternoon, lea me upon a half unfolded specimen of Viola cucullatn—or, to us,, the vulgar appellation, common blue violet pushing its way through the leafy __ .mold and mildew of the winter's ae- — cumulation. I made this discovery in , a spinner, or copse, near a s ;)l .,]| |. rl!

some half mile to tho eastward ni Fcrn- .< bridge's precinct-. 1 nin aware thai tlio ' resident populace hereabouts- eustomnr- - ily refer in this <*pnt :is th ■ wet woods back of Whitney's IJng. Iml 1 infinitely prefer the English phrasooWv as more euphonious ;ind at tho Mine time more. ■portic. With ;ill duo gentleness ! up- '."*" rooted Viola cticullatJi from its place in tho boscage and. alter it had boon -.iita'bly pressed. 1 mean to add it to my collection oj the flora indigenous to ihe *<oil of Western New Jersey, not because of it- rarity, for it is. poor thiiiir, but a common tender bnrhimier of the budding year which has come diivtly to my attention. 1 .shall botanize ex- •■ tensivelv this y<*Jir. For with in to botanize is one of the dearest putMiits. amounting to a veritably passion. April the Eighth.—Blank : no entries. ••• ■ April the Tenth. — It is illnes.s an'' not a disinclination to pursue mv self-ap-pointed task of preserving this reposir*"wry of my thoughts and deeds which for the miM two days has Uent me from you, friend diary. As a consequence of venturing abroad upon the ceventli inufant without mv heavy undergarments ■ 'and likewise without galoshes, 1 having been deceived into committing these in- -.' .discretions by a false and f reachcons '.. .mildness of atmospheric conditions lead- — ing to the assumption that the'vernal , season had come or ; was impending—a ,

nig to rid myself of the.se impairiiioius by recourse to a great variety of panaceas applied both internally ana oxtprnally. Xol until the present moment have I felt qualified, either mentally or bodily, to address myself to the labor oi literary composition. Indeed what with trying thi< vaunted cure or that now a gargle, now a foot baih in wat r heated well nigh to boiling, now :i hut lemonade, ami again a holii-, a

loriori or a liniment—-1 have had no i nnr- lor u i oven if ><> inelim d. I am struck hy the fact ill.il V. li.-il Oil;' is ill (il .! cold practically e\ery nti with whom one eonies in <•(>ritaoe lias a |'i r ri licviii;.; one of on< '> <ympt<>ins. Saive a member in ilu 1 laculty tht>e i«,i days l):u ha* pr< scrib d iliis or thai lhin<i, each in inni. i Moiling tlio virtues, of hiT own riiiH'd\ and at tin same time Vigorously ilirn iiij; l Ih' merits oi all other* ■.vliai-o: vcr. I'd a\oid showiiej; iavoni i; i.-ni and to ;;uard against ijiviiii; offense in any ciunricr, for such i> my nature, J have'.'aitlifullv endeavoured 10 act»jit the advice ami obey the injtinclioti oi i .nil ami ,\.i\ well ivi-dier. with one i■M-epi ii,:i. f shall reter to thai ex-

ccpiion in another moment. To-nijilu I am grciilv improved, altliouuli weakened. In fact I should almost entirely he my former sel l were it noi far a blistered condition of the throat, a pronounced tenderness of the fen, ami ijiliamod area 01 the cutaneous covering ot the- bosom —the first duo, 1 think, to swallowing an overhot lemonade, the second to the constancy with which J reported to foot bathing, while the third indubitably may he :r-;: ihod to tlie after effects of an oil r!' great potency and prmiouncod odor which Miss Waddlcton with her own hands hostowcd upon me and with which I annointed that particular portion of my Riiuiomv at half-hour intervals.

To-night these quarters are quite oppresively 'violent of the commingled scents of drugs, unguents and oint. ments But in view of the sharpness. of the evening, I shall for iho time forbear to air my chambers. Xor, as 1 do now most solemnly pledge myself, shall I atiain vrtuurr forth unless suitably fortified and safeguarded against the uncertainties oC our northern climate, until the springtime is well advanced and a reasonable continuation of balmv conditions is assured.

The exception to which I referred in a. preceding paragraph was none other than Miss Haram, ilie newest member of our faculty. Actuated, I hope, by kindh motives, '■he called this afcernoon, finding mo in dressing gown and slippers, prone upon die conch in my stud\, at my side a table laden with bottles and in ray hand an atomiser, with which, :it every convenient pause in ilto conversation, 1 assiduously sprayed the more remote roccsse.s o! the throat and the nose. T'pon entering she was good enough to inquire regaling my progress toward recovery aifrl 1, replying, launched upon a somewhat lengthy description of the nature of the malady, meaning in time to come to an enumeration of the various succeeding stages of convalescence. In the mid't of this she cut me 'short with the brusque and abrupt remark that it I threw all the medicines' out of the window and put on my things and went for a long walk J should 'feci ft lot belter iu less than no time at all —such substantially being her language a« 1 recall it. Between inhalations of the fluid contents of the atomiser I replied, (stating in effect that the fact of my having taken a walk was responsible in no small measure for my present depicted state. Naturally I made no mention oi n certain contributory factor—namoJy, the unwise and hasty stop taken by me with regard to undergarments. I went on to sa v that in no event, even though so inclined —a thing in itself inconceivable —"would 1 harbor the impulse to cast from my casements the accumulation of vials, pill boxes, et cetera with which i had been provided by my friends, s : nce inevitably the result: would be to litter the lawn without, thereby distracting fvpm the kempt and seemly fisp;ct of our beloved institution, of which we who have learned to venerate and cherish Fernbridge Seminary are just so proud. Upon this point I spoke with special firmness. Perhaps it was the manner o:' my administeiing this gentle but deserved rebuke — ov possiblv the word-: in which I couched my feelings;—at any rat" 1 , she endeavoured to conceal the discomforturo she must have felt beneath an outburst of laughter ere she withdrew, leaving me to welcome wilitudo and my throat douche, How different, was the attitude o f Miss Primleigh when ; !io came to offer her ministrations—ail sympathy, all understanding, all 'Solicitude! Ir is to Miss Primleigh that 1 stand at this hour indebted for the loan oi the atomiser. She assures me that sir has ever found it most efficacious, and I, too, have found it so. although I admit o use of it tends to produce a tickling sensation upon the membranes already made sensitive by other applications. " April the Eleventh.—Am entirely restore i to normal well-being except for a stoppage oi the upppcr nasal region which, a't time-, proves annoying—l might even say vexatious, The inflammation of the thro#t having subsided, I derived much conr'ort this pfterroon from imbibing tea ; being the first time in the scope of a half a week, when tea had had its proper zest and flavor. April the Twelfth.—Returned to clas-s-room duties, taking up, in the history course, the life and works of Marcus Aurelius. a character for whom I have every regard and respect, for did he not. in an age of licentiousness and loose living, deport himself with such rectitude as to entitle him to the encomiums and the plaudits of all rightthinking persons- forever thereafter? Otherwise, nothing noteworthy upon this day and date. April the Thirteenth.—l went abroad to-day for thy first time since my recent indisposition, taking the precaution first to muflle well myself as to throat, wrists and' pedal extremities. For my associate in the pleasures of pedestrianism T had Miss Primleigh, from who.se company I have ever derived a certain calm and philosophic enjoyment. In a way, one might .say Miss Primleigh is almost purely intellect. The qualities of her mind shine forth, .as it were, through her earthly tenement: rendering her in sooth it most admirable companion. In the progress of our peregrinations over hill and vale, I pothered several desirable specimens for my botanical collection. Miss Primleigh,'whose- turn of thought even in her lighter moments is essentially mathematical, as befitting one of her chosen calling in life, .spent some time pleasantly and I dare say profitably, in ealcullp.tiing by mental arithmetic the number of cubic vards of earth in the hillock known as Pott's ftidge. A delightful and congenial outing was jointly shared. . Sauntering slowly along; we had wended our meandering course homeward, or perhaps I should say schoolward, and had readied a .small byway known locally as Locust Lane, when there came to our ears a sonnd o." joyous voices and, a clattering of nimble hoofs mingling together. Almost instanilv a merry cavalcade swept into view around a turn in the path. It was composed of a number, perhaps six in all. of our vounuj lady students, taking lesson in horseback 'riding under the tutelage of .Miss Hainm, the young person previously mentioned "in these chronicles. She —I speak with reference to Mi«s Hamm—led the precession, mounted upon mettlesome steed ami attired in a costume including a •shon coat, boots, and bifurcated mrments of a close' fitting nature. Her hair, beneath a. stiff hat such as I myself customarily wear, was braided in heavy coil-. V, might be exacted, she rode, as the saying goes, astride! evincing great adeptness for this form of exercise, which has been described to me as being healthful in the extreme although I should denominate it as bordering upon the dangerous, unless the equine one chooses for one's use wrv- mure docile than f.o frequently appear- to be the case. As the party dashed b v lis with appropriate salutations, to which I replied in kind. I was suddenlv impressed bv a

grace of movement —or, .shall 7 call it iniuviv abandon?—in Mi«. s Hamm's bnirincr. asp ct and general demeanour. To the eesui.l eve tho effect of this was far from h : :ing displeasing I way about to venture is much to Miss Primleigh and had. in fact, cleared my throat as a preliminary to makinc the statement, when she broke in. speaking in a tone of severity. I quote her:

thousand years old you'll never see "me. wearing such clothes r" I nooded in a noncommittal fashion; not caring at the moment to take issue with .Miss Primleigh. Arguments I abhor. I.' die chose to misinterpret my sentiments, so be it thou. 1 shall, however, add here that while my own opinion in the matter was not absolutely in accord with the burden of Miss Primleigh's criticisms, there was one point brought by her in her remarks upon which I could noi conscientiously tak< ksue with her. To paiaphra-se her own word, I belie ve 1 should iiol care ever to CM.!, Mi-s Primleigh costumed as MiVs ilanini «;,-. In confidence, 1 may contide in my diary that I do not believe tiie lorjm.r v. aulu appear k 111 - - l>est advMiitage u. Mich habiliments as I have briefly touched upon, she being of a .-<jiiie>'.h.iT angulai physical conformation, although not until now do 1 recall having been cognisant of ibis fact. To-night, sitting here, the picture of Miss I latum upon horseback persists in the retina of my brain as far front an

inseemly vision. One is moved to woner that a circumstance so trivial should inger in one's mind. l!ow truly has it )oi-n said that the vagaries ol the bullae, imagination are past divining.

April the seventeenth. —Shortly after hive p.m. ot this day, following the linnissal d"; my class in astronomy. 1 iceidenially stepped into the gymna--inrn hall. I cannot account for so (long, unless it be upon the ground that m\ thoughts «till riewlt upon those heavenly bodies with whose wonders 1 had been for hours .concerned to the

exclusion ol all other considerations

ol whatsoever nature. In this state of absent-mindedness 1 discovered myself standing outside the door of the large loom devoted to physical exercises. My hand. obeying a mechanical impulse, turned the knob: pausing upon the threshold I beheld the spectacle of Miss Ha mm, directing a group of juniors in

dumb-bell manipulation, all present — instructor and students alike —being costumed in the prescribed uniform of loose blouses and those garments technically known, I believe, as bloomers. The sight of so many young persons, their faces intent, their minds engrossed with each succeeding evolution or gesticulation, their bodies swaying in uni: on. was an agreeable one. Entirely in a subconscious way I observed thai Miss Ha nun's hair was not plaited up and confined to the head with ribands, pins or other appliances in vogue among her s,x. but depended in loose and luxuriant masses about her i'aee; I remarked its color —a chestnut brown—and a tmdency upon its part to form into ringlets when uneonfined. the resultant effect being somewhat attractive. "At the moment of my entrance her side- fare was presented to me; a piquant and comely prolile I should term it, without professing in the least to have judgment in such matters. Presently discovering that an intruder had appeared upon the scene, she paused in her work of directing her class and turning toward me inquired whether there was anything 1 desired. Having no excuse to account for my presence, I stated that I had mistaken the door .and briefly begging her pardon lor having interrupted her, I withdrew. Later I found myself striving with a vague and unaccountable desire to return and witness more of the dumb-bell evolutions. April the Eighteenth.—A strange lassitude besets me. I first discerned it this forenoon soon after the burden of the -school day was taken up. A marked disinclination for the prescribed routine df classroom and study hall appears to be one of the most- pronouncpd manifestations.. lam strangely distraught; preoccupied with truant -and. Avandering thoughts having no bearing upon the task in hand. _ Seeking to throw off these distractions, I quite casually dropped into the gvmnasium. It was empty. Upon finding it so, a small sense as of disappointment me. I then went for a waljc, trusting to the soft and gentle influences of out-of-doors to dispel the meaningless vaporings. which beset my consciousness. My wandering feet" automatically carried me to Locust Lane, where for some time T lingered in idle-

ness. • The class in horseback did not pass, as once before. Presumably our young equestriennes, if abroad, ' had taken some other direction In pensive thought not untinctured with a fleeting depression, I returned at dusk, hoping with book-, to cure myself of my bewilderments . An hour agone I took up a volume of Tasso. Than Tas?o in the original, 1 know oil no writer whoAe works are bettor fitted for perusal during an hour of relaxation. But Tasso was dull tonight. Tho printed page was before my eyes, but my thoughts sped off in tangents to dwell upon the birds, the trees, the flowers. The thought of flowers suggested my botanical collection and to it I turned. rFut it. too, had lost its zest.

11 must be that this mental preoccupation has a physical s:d\ Beyond preadventure the lassitude of spring is upon me. I shall take a tonic compounded according to a formula popular for many generations in my family and much favored by my sole surviving relative, Great Aunt Paulina, now residing at an advanced age. but with faculties unimpaired, in the city of Hartford. Connecticut, Haply I have a bottle of this sovereign concoction by mc, Great. Aunt Paulina having sent it by parcel post no longer than a week "ago. I shall take it as designated "by her in the letter accompanying the timely gift—a large desert-spoonful three times daily before meals. April the Twentv-first,—Have been taking my tonic regularly but apparently without deriving beneficial results. Its especial purpose is for thinning the blood. Assuredly though, if my blood has b:-en appreciably thinned my mental attitude remains unchanged. Perversely I continue to be the subject of contradictory and conflicting moods impossible to understand and difficult to describe Certainly I have never been in this state before. Query: Can it be I am on the verge of a serious disorder? Temporary exaltation succeeds to melancholy, and vice versa. On two separate occasions to-day I was aware of this phenomenon— a passing sense of exuberance and cheerfulness, shortly afterwards followed by a morbid and gloom-tinged longing for 1 know not what-.

Th:s serves to remind me that twice to-day I had conversations of brief duration with Miss Hamm. The first meeting was by chance, vco merely exchanging commonnlaces touching upon our respective field* of activityhero at Fernbridge; but th" se-ond eventuated through deliberate intent on my part. With premeditation I put myself in her path. My motive for so doing was, I trust, based upon selfishness entirely. I had formed an early and perhaps hasty estimate of this young laly'.s nature. I wished either to convince myself absolutely upon these points or to disabuse mv mind of all prejudice. I am giad I took this step. For I am constrained now to admit that my first impression of Miss Hamm's personality may have don- 1 her an injustice. With what care should one guard oneself against o'erreadv appraisals of the characters of one's fellow beings! It is not to be gainsaid that Miss Hamm lmds to our institution a picturesoueness of outward aspect as well as a liaht-heartedness and a buoyancy << viewpoint which heretofore have be.-ii

quite li>cking among our instructor corps. Despite a pronounced tendency betrayed by li-rr to give to serious subjects a perplexing light and roguish twist, an inclination, as it were, to make chaff, to banter, to indulge in idle whimsicalities. I think I discern in ln-r indubitable qualities of mind which properly guided and directed by some

older person having her best interests a. heart, may b? productive in time of development and expansion into higher realms of thought. I felt within me a desire to assist in the blossoming forth of what I plainly discover to hj? this young person's real self. I shall not count "as wasted the hours I may devote to this altruistic and disinterested endeavour. My payment shnll be th:> consciousness of a dutv weU net formed—that and nothin" more. Indeed, at jhis moment, a s I indite this pledge, speculation as to its outcome engender* in me an unlifting of the spirit which bodes well ior the future Ifruitage of my ambition. In such a mood was I when, shortly having quitted the company of Miss

of deep e«|turo and profound utental at- r tainmonts, but. during the last few days 1 have several times detected myself m s the act. of wishing that she were not o quite so .statistical in her point oi view and that her thoughts upon occasion j might take a lighter trend than .-.ho <• i \ itu-os. 1 have even lound niysoli de- j siring that to the eye she might present .c a plumper aspect, so to speak. For, in } all charity, it is not- to he denied tliaf j Miss Pfimleigli is what the world is . pleased to call angular—painfully angular, I am afraid. Only to-rhry 1 novieed | that her feet Ave re large, or at least the ; •shoes she wore lent a suggestion as of , largeness. One owes it to oneself to , make the hesi ol one'.s personal nppeuj- | a nee: this reflection came as I was turning from Miss I'rimleigh. I'ossibK ] it is because she failed to do so that I have !:ound her company, in a measure, . palling upon n;e here of late. Or can it be that spiritually 1 am outgrowing , Miss I'rimleigh r 1 know not. I do hut ■state the actual fact. Vet a I Way-. I shall esteem her most highly. To-night a sense of loneliness, a desire for the companionship of my kind, as>.iils nie. I can only opine that my blood i.s rot thinning with the desired celerity. i-;g:nning to-morrow 1 shall take n large tahlospooniul of the tonic hefii-iv ineais in«t ad of a desseri-spoon-ti.l.

A telephone was to-dav installed in my study. Heretofore r'< rnbridge has been connected whh the outer world: only by a single telephone placed in the reception hall of our main building, but now. by Miss Waddleton's direction, each member of the Vacuity will hereafter enjoy the use of ii separate instrument. Thus, without the surrender of its traditions, does Fernbridgc 1-eep abreast of the movements oi this workaday world.

1 think of nothing eke of moment. I seek repose. April the Twenty-second.—A most annoying incident has marred tho day. As I'think back upon it, adding deduction to deduction, superimposing surmise upon suspicion and suspicion in turn upon premise and fact, I am forced against my will to conclude that, forgetting the dignity due to my position, some person or persons unknown made a partially successful attempt to enact a practical joke oi; the most unpardonable character, having for a chosen victim none other than myself. I say partially successful, because at the moment when the plot approached its climax, a subtle inner sen.se warned me f have a care and 1 refused to proceed farther, thus robbing th« perpetrator or perpetrators of the anticipated laugh at my expense.

I set down the history of the entire affair. On yesterday, as I have stated, a telephone was duly installed within the precincts of my 'study. This forenoon I chanced to mention the matter to Miss Hamm whom, by a coincidence, 1. encountered as she was entering tin. seminary grounds. Indeed as I recall, I spoke upon the topic to a number of poisons, including fellow instructors and students, remarking upon the added opportunities thus afforded for broadened intercourse through the medium of a device which has grown Avellnigh indispensable to the conduct of our daily affairs'. Some one —Miss Hamm as I remember, although it may have been another—wa.s moved in this connection to ask me whether the inspection department of the local exchange had made the customary tests of the instrument in my study, to which I replied in the negative. But at five o'clock or thereabouts, as I sat here enjoying the refreshing solace of tea and basking in the mild spring air wafted to me through my opened windows, the telephone bell rang. Arising promptly, 1 went to where the instrument is affixed to thr: wall and responded to the call in conventional manner by placing the receiver to my ear, applying my lips to the transmitter and uttering toe word "Halloa !'' Over the wire then a female voice spoke, inquiring if this was Doctor Fibble. Upon my stating that such was the case, the voice said. "Doctor, this is the inspection department. We wish to test your telephone. Will you be so kind as to help us." To which I responded: "Willingly, if it lies within my power to render such assistance." "Thank you," said the other. "Are you ready to begin?" "Quite ready," I said. "Very welt then," bade th« voice. "Kindly stand back two feet from the mouthpiece and say coo-coo three times, with n rising inflection on the final coocoo." The request appeared reasonable: accordingly I complied. "Splendid." praised the unknown when Iliad concluded. "Now put your mouth close, up to the transmitter and do the same thing all over again, but slightly louder" sooner requested than done. "Now stand two feet to the left of the phone and repeat." 1 repeated. "Xow two feet to the right, please." Once more I obeyed . Then came this message: "Doctor, have you a chair handv?" I said a chair was at the moment within arm's length of me. "Excellent," said the person who professed to be in charge of the test. "Please draw the chair close up to the wall, climb up.on it, and, standing on tiptoe, -say coo-coo clearly and distinctly and keep on saying it until I call out 'enough'." Marvelling that such a prolonged'test should be deemed necessary , I nevertheless obliged by acting as instructed, I had repeated the word for what seemed to me an interminable space of time and was rapidly becoming wearied by the exertion of maintaining the position required when the voice said "Enough." I lest no time in dismounting to terra firma or rather the fioo<"Thank you so much," stated the unknown. "Just one more little test, doctor, and we'll be through. Have you a good singing voice?" In proper modesty, but with a due regard for tho truth, Fadmitted that although I never enjoyed the advantages oi. vocal culture, friends had more than once commented upon the quality of my r.n'ce when uplifted in song. "I sing tenor," I amplified, for as yet I suspected nothing ( "Very well then," bade the stranger; "are you holding the receiver to vour ear?" "lam." / "Keep it there. And now stand on your head and sing Just as I am WTith--o'it One Plea "

.1 started back astounded. Instantly I divined in a lightning flash of intuition, that apparently an effort was br-ing made to perpetrate n hoax. In the same moment I arrived at the definite conclusion that the obiect of the hoax could be none other than myself. For a fleeting period mv natural indignation was such that language almost faded me.

s>irult{«pecusly T became r.w.re of a sot nd a s of suppressed laughter outside my study window. Releasing my hold upon the receiver which, until then, mechanically I had retained in mv grr.-p. I <tepp?d to ray casement and peered out. first looking this way, then that. No one wa,s in sight; I must have fancied T heard something. When I had in paft recovered myself T lost no time in- calling up the manager oi the exchange, my intent being fco explain ihe entire circumstance* to him, w.-tli a view to demanding condign punishment of the person in his inspection department, vh/iever she mi eh 1 , be who with wilful design hudr'sougbt to debar■■ the orgnnisation of his office to p»rposes cf ill-timed merry-making. He cur me -short to say he had no «uch testing department whatsoever From his tone 1 am impelled, to accept his statement as a truthful one, all of which hut served to confirm my susoicions'without in the least explaining, the nivstery wftich at this hour remains un--s>olv<hl. I am nuzzled.—nay more. 1 am net+led', and did I hot possess the power o f h-ilding my emotions under a nigh perfect control, 1 would n-o .-o *ai as to say that I was outright irritated. April the Twenty-third.—My earlier suspicions stand confirmed IVxtav, -is I was passing through a corridor of the main.building I twice heard the word 'coo-coo'' repeated in a sibilant undertone. Spinning round upon my heel. I detected a group of our seniors who with difficulty stifled their merriment: [>nd T saw, too. Miss Hamm. her face illumined bv a smile, with one hand upraised, as though in gentle admonition

r'ernbridgc I wonder whether Miss Hamm herself could have been a victim of such outrageous imposition. Hotanised tiiis afternoon alone, feeling .strongly the desire tor congenial «■ o 11pa:i:onshij». Why d.ie- this longing so infrequently beset me when I ■go forth to commit no with -Nature in her geirler moodsr 1 know not, unless it be t!ie influence oi the vernal sea•Oll. ""'(•iiroJ several desirable, specimens. | liouitniiii; through the gloaming f felt a de-ire to indulge in poetic composition. and did in '.act compose several well-balanced lines, bein ,r , finally l>alked hy an inability to recall a word which would rhyme with a certain female name. I had in mind. in its entirety a disappointing day. albeit- not- without its moment's ol what 1 may term a .softly soothing melancholy. April the Twenty-sixth.—Word came this morning thai -Miss Harnm was routined 10 hei home in an ailing condition. As a member ol the faculty and h'-cause ol the interest I took in the prospective floYolopmem of this young woman's character. 1 felt it my bonnden duty to send her a short note expressing my regret that -he should be indisposed, and my sincere hope that she may soon he restored to her customary health. Did so. Upon finishing the note, an impulse to accompany it with a small nosegay culled from my window box came upon me. Obeyed thp impulse, note and nosegay being despatched by special messenger to the home of her uncle

April the Twenty-Seventh— Miss Hamm still absent from her post and no answer forthcoming from my note oi vestordav.

Altogether a dismal and dispiriting clay, several members of my history class evinced great stupidity during the lession periods. To-night a threat a rain in the fumament, with clouds of gathering and murky twilight hving of a nature rrere or 105.%- sensitive to atmos-tl.orie imluet.Ofs, 1 feei a corresponding gloominess April the Twenty-Eighth.—A line of thanks in Miss Hamm's handwriting rrceved. .-hori but c.eiched nttiactively, motbocglu Was particularly struck by onc-linc- phrsse: "So very good of von v. thin- of me!"

Weather clearing and promising! April the Thirtieth.—Mis? Hamm returned to her work- betimes te-day. a

slight but becoming pallor in her

Took occasion to congratulate her upon so speedy a recovery > incident-

ally ex' hanging w-.th hci con neiit ur.an contcmporat.eos events, not only within the scope of our seminary Ui'e but in the great world at large. Rarely, if ever, d< I recall a more beautiful sunset than the one of cur; nt date. Merely to behold the orb of day

descending beyond the western horizon in all its magnificence of prismaticcoloring wa; sufficient to awaken within one's bosom the desire to burst into song. Am reminded that the morrow will be May Day when, 'n the olden days in Meriie England, the happy populace were wont to frolic about the May pole, to indulge in ncnis dances, to witness mi i.'ineries Mid mystery plays-. How great th- pity '•.hat sifh nleas.n; cu-stoins should have fallen into disuse! 1 would thev were wheel here at Fernbridge.* Fain would I have lent my energies and talents to such an undertaking. At least so do I feel at this in-nient.

11.3 h p m. —Having i.risen Iron my couch to jot- down several rhythmic lines which came to me subsequent to retirement, a continuation in spirit and theme of the versos which 1 began some days age lic.veve - . the wurk still remains incomplete, for after pondering I am unable to find a word rhyming to the word with which I had intended to conclude the composition. How euphonious to tho ear and yet hew tri'snal is the rrme llildegrade 1 I in ngine that the difficulty of ■suitablyrhyming it is the very reason Iror my having choset it May the Seventh. —To-dny at faculty meeting Mis.-. Primleigh evinced toward me 8 marked coolness of demeanour and shenress of speech, for which 1 am totally unable to account. I cannot recall having giv.cn "•Tenec. bv either word or deed. Indeed, for a fortnight past I. have been so e!iLjr-T-ssi><l with other matters that barely have i spoken ten words to Miss Primleigh. To-night reread A Dream of Fair Women by the late Lord Tennyson, finding everywhere in it new beauties, new meanings which upon the. occasion of earlier rcadii.gs had entirely escaped Found opportunity this afternoon to pny another of my little visit; to the l ympasium. hall. Complimented Miss Hamm upin tho .indubitable progress made by her disciples. I find these smal: casual visits upon various departments of our work form agreeable, intuhides in the monotony of the day. Her hair is not chestnut brown; T was

wrong tl ere. It is of e rHi, gold-n----reddish tint a shade to which ,1 am quite partial, especially when observed in conjunction with large ba«el eyes, a? in oresent instance.

May the Eighth —To-night, being minded to seek relaxation in literature, I picked up my Tasso, but. soon tiring a the work, I'exchanged it for Shakespere's Romeo and Juliet. I am gratified I made this second choice, for from ir has sprung an inspiration which may prove fruitful. Hardly had I op"ned the latter volume when the idea, darting forth, -so to speak, from the typed nago found congenial lodgment in my intelligence. It is our custom, upon the occasion of our annual commencement in June, to present a .«cene selected from the realms of classic drama, with members of faculty and of the student body enactjng the characters. I'jast year* by mine own suggestion, we presented an act of one of tho-oki Greek tragedies. I, as sponsor for the conception, rehearsing the nerformers beforehand and upon the final day personally superintendinp- the performance; stage managing it, as the cant term runs. Although I <,ave groH pains and care to the production, it did not orove in all essential regards an unqualified success. The audience. made ud of friends and patrons of Fcrnbridge and of townspeople, manifested toward the last a regrettable lack of. interest. Some betrayed inypatience. some fitfullv slumbered in their seats, some even laughed- outright at period-s fraught with solemn meaning. One

could but feel that one's efforts went

unappreciated. But scarce an hour aeo. as I read sundry immortal passages of the Bard, I said to myself: "Whv not offer this year, as our

dramatic piece de resistance, the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet Happy'thought■! Why not. indeed? And now tentatively to east it."

As one well qualified for the nart T

naturally pictured myself as Romeo. clad appropriately in doublet, hose, and feathered cap, but without my glasses. Casting about in my mind for n. suitable Juliet, the name of Miss Hamm occurred to me.

Readinp; from the book, 1 proceeded to enact this most touching scene, alternately speaking in my cwn vnic" as Romeo and then imparting- to Juliet's lipps a more dulcet tone and a soften°d inflection such as mv copartner iu the rendition would employ. Carried awav bv the beauty of tho thought, I hid, Progressed "s far as those exquisite lines—Juliet's I'ne-s in this instance:

Oh. swear not by the moon, the inconstant moon, That monthly changes in hot circled

orb. Lest that thy love prove likewise vari-

able—when I became cognisint that for some moments past an insistent rapping ngain«t the outer door of my rooms had been in progress, and' then a= I to a pause I heard through the kevhole th? voice of Miss ■ Tapper, pur matron, inquiring whether, anything serious was rmtter.

"I thought I heard somebody carrying on in there as though they mightbe roving or something," she added in her inept fashion of speech. M"fh ouuoved, T answered with some bidding her kindly tn be cone. She withdrew grumbling as *he went. When T had assured myself bv a glance nut of my door, that she had entirely departed, I undertook to proceed with; the scene, but as a consequence of this untoward interruption was quite out of spirit with the thing.

subject* of compliment.. Finished the- bottle of Great Aunt Paulina's blood tonic this evening. Shall not have the- prescription renewed as originally contemplated. Diverting thoughts appear to be succeeding where hubs and simples tailed. May the .Ninth.—'lhis forenoon upon my broaching tin- topic of our prospective co-appvaranee m the annual ontorttiinmeu:, subject, of course, to .Miss Waddleton's appioval, 1 found, as 1 had anticipated would be the case, thai Mks Hamm was quite thoroughly in accord with the proposition. However, at the outset she misunderstood one point. Plainly it was her idea that she. in medieval masculine attiiv, was lo essay the role W.' Romro. She asked who was le be Juliet to h t Kom-o. When I had corrected her in this eir,.r, explaining the proj>o.sed bestowal oi the roles—she as Juliet upon ilie balcony 1 as Rome upon ilie stage below—she seemed quite overcome with gratilienli'iii. managing, however, in part to cloak her I eel jugs beneath smil»t> and laughter

1 tiiei voiced the suggestion that 1 should I'e veiy L'linl indeed to eall upon her s«tm> evening in the near future at her h.ome, there to outline tlio plan* more I'iilly. He.ised that she should so freely welcome this advance upon my part, I was moved to suggosi tlie present evening, as a suitable time for calling. But she) it appeared, had an engagement this evening, and no tlieii fixed upon to-morrow evening ai eight o'clock. To-night I iind myself looking forward 'with pleasurable anticipation, not unmixed with impatience, to this hour twenty-four hours hence. 1 shall wear a new suit which this day, by a t'orainate chance, came from my tailor. It is oi a light gray tone, a deviation >.rom the black which uniformly I have worn for some years past. Before retiring. I again rehearse the balcony scene, but this time in a low key to preclude eavesdropping. I wonder what the nature of Miss Hamm's engagement for the current evening may b?? May the Tenth. —The hour is eleven and 1 have just returned from a visit of several hours' duration to the borne of Miss Hamm's uncle, of which domicile ■she seems to he the light and the joy. Excluding herself —and this I would l'p the last to do —the only member of the household, save and except. domestic servants, is her uncle and guardian, Mr Hector Hamm, a widower by reason oi death's ravages, and a retired business man dr apparent affluent circumstances. This gentleman, it developed, is much given to the sports of the chase. His study, into which I was first introduced upon arriving at his domicile shortly before seven-forty-five, abounds in trophies of hi,s marksmanship, the walls upon every hand being adorned with the stuffed forms and mounted heads of birds and animals, testifying not only to his prowess afield but to the art- preservative as exercised by tlw skilled taxidermist. Miss Hamm, in her quaint way, spoke oi the uncle as an old dear, but accused him of wasting all hismoney in buying new firearms, it would appear that no .sooner does he behold an advertisement touching upon a new and improved variety of fowling piece than he M actuated by a desire- to become its possesioi. Strange fancy! Mr Hamm is likewise the owner of a number of members of the canine kingdom, all of them, I should assume, being docile beasts and well meaning enough, but with an unpleasant habit of sniffing at the calves of the legs of strangers the while they emit low, ominous, growling sounds. Possibly detecting in me some natural apprehension consequent npon the stealthy approach of one of these pets, Mr Hamm hastened to inform me that they rarely bit anyone unless they took an instinctive dislike to him at the moj ment of meeting.. As I drew my limbs well under me, since it seemed it was my legs which especially aggravated the creature, meanwhile uttering such soothing remarks as "Good doggie" and "Nice old Ponto," I could scarce refrain from remarking that if one felt the desire for the. presence of dumb creatures about one, why did not one choose a cat, of which at least it may be said that its habits are restful and its customary mien without menace to ■ the humans with whom it may be thrown in contact? i Presently the uncle withdrew from our society, to my relief, taking with him his pack, whereupon Miss Hamm • and I repaired to the parlor adjacent, ■ where a most delightful evening was had. Miss Hamm's conversation, even though marked by a levity not at all I times in keeping with the nature of the subject under discussion, is, I find, 1 sprightly and diverting in the extreme. All in all, time passed most swiftly. A suitable hour of departure had arrived before I remembered that I had altogether failed to bring up the topic which was the occasion for my visitto wit, our prospective part in "the com- . mencement entertainment. Accordingly I arranged to call again to-morrow evening. i May the Sixteenth.—According to my custom of late I spent.the evening at the residence of Mr Hamm, the time being devoted to the pleasures of conversation, riddles, anagrams—at which I am adept—interchange of views upon current events, et cetera, et cetera. Reviewing recent events here in my study as the hour of midnight draw's on apace. I own franklv to an everdeepening interest in' this voung woman. There are moments when I feel strangely drawn to her; moments when her society exhilarates me as does nothing else. How marvellous, how incomprehensible are the workings of the manifestations of the human imagination! S? I }?J der tne differences in our modes of life, our fashions of speech, our habits! I re/er of course to Miss Hamm and myself. lam sedentary in nature and utterly without sentimental leanings—l use the word sentimental in its most respectful sense—toward members of the opposite sex; lam wedded to my profession, devoted to the life of a scholar, while she, upon the other hand, is ardfcnt and exuberant in temperament, frolicsome, blithe, at times almost frivolous in conversation, given to all forms of outdoor sport, filled with youthful dreams. Consider, too, the disparity in our respective ages, she being, as I am informed by her in a burst of youthful confidence.' still in her twenty-second year, while I shall be forty upon my next birthdav,' come Michaelmas. L Yet, despite all this, 'the fact remains that frequently I feel a longing, amounting almost to a learning, for her company. Cndoubtedly the explanation lies in my increasing desire , to develop, by precept, by proverb and by admonition, the higher side of her nature. Moreover, it is to me evident that this intercourse must prove mutually helpful. Quite aside from the beneficial results to her, I mvself derive, from these friendly and purely altruistic endeavors of mine, a glow of intense satisfaction. How true it is that a worthy deed ofttimes carries with it its own reward! May the Seventeenth.—l have decided to take up horseback ridiug. Miss Hamm is fond of horseback riding. However, I have not informed her of the decision at which I have arrived. It is my intention to proseiute mv lessons in private at the establishment of the village liveryman and then, when I havfe fully mastered the art I shUl some day appear before her, properly accoutred and attired bestriding a mettlesome charger. I picture her astonishment and her delight at thus beholding me in my new role of a finished and adept equestrian. In order to con-

fee. a pleasant surprise upon one's friends I feel that I would go larther even than this. Indeed, a desire to do valiant and heroic deeds, to rescue imperilled ones from burning buildings or from floods, to perform acts of foolhardiness and daring upon the field of carnage, has often stirred within me here of late. I struggle with these impulses, which heretofore have been foreign to my being, yet at the same time* swould welcome opportunity to vent thorn. However, all things in their proper order and one thing at a time. I shall begin by becoming an accomplished horseman. In anticipation, of such an achievement I feel, as it were, youthful—in fact, almost boyish. After nil, what

Miss Waddleton vetoed my plans for the rendition of the balcony scene at commencement next month, let I do not count as wasted tho time "spent in private rehearsals of the role of Romeo, but have, on the contrary, derived much joy from repeated conning of the speeches attributed to him by the Hard. At a time not far distant Lear was my favorite among Shakspere's plays. Now 1 marvel that 1 should ever have preferred any of his works to Romeo and Juliet. May the Twenty-second.—Alter inflection extending over a period of lays I have abandoned my perhaps o'erhasty intention of taking up horseback riding, my preliminary experiences in that direction having been rather disagreeable as to the physical side. Even now, forty-eight hours after the initial lesson. I am still much bruised about the limbs and elsewhere and, because of a certain corporeal stiffness .hie to repeated jarrings, 1 walk with painful difficulty.

Either I shall acquire the rudiments of this accomplishment from standard works upon the subject, or 1 shall hate my time- until I may avail myself of t.ie services of an animal of a more docile nature than those available at the local liveryman's. His horses, it. would appear, are subject to queer vagaries of conduct when under saddle, betraying an idiosyncrasy as to movement and a pronounced tendency to break into rapid gait without the approval or indeed the consent of the rider.

My thoughts recur to tho recreation of botanising. which for a period lost some of its savor for me. At least hotany is fraught with no personal discomforts.

Called as usual this evening. Nightly I our acquaintance ripens toward a perfect mutual understanding. This has indeed been a lovely spring! May the Twenty-third.—lt is with a sensation of more than passing annoyance that I record the events of this evening. At 7.15, immediately after tea, I set forth for the Hamm residence, carrying under my arm a book of verses intended for bestowal upon the young chatelaine of that happy home, and much buoyed and uplifted by prospects of a period of agreeable divertisement spent in her society. But such was not to be.

To begin with, the uncle consumed much valuable time in an interminable dissertation upon the merits of a new fowling piece which he contemplates, purchasing. One was thoroughly wearied of the subject before he had tho good taste to depart to his own special domain in the room adjoining the parlor. Thereafter for a few minutes all passed well. Miss Hamm accepted the gift of the book with expressions of deep gratitude. Her mood was one of whimsicality, into the spirit of which I found myself entering with hearty accord. Being a most capable mimic, she! gave a spirited and lifelike imitation of Miss Primleigh in the act of reprimanding a delinquent student. One could not well restrain one's laughter at the aptitude with which she reproduced Miss Primleigh's severity of expression and somewhat acid quality of voice. One gathered also, from chance remarks let fall, that Miss Primleigh had lately treated Miss Hamm with marked aversion bordering upon actual discourtesy. How anyone, thrown in contact with her, could regard Miss Hamm with any feelings save those of admiration and respect is quite beyond my comprehension. However, I contented myself by saying that Miss Primleigh had likewise, displayed a coolness to me for some weeks past. "I wonder," I said., continuing in this strain, "why this should Tjo and why she should likewise single you out as a recipient of her disapproval —or let us say her disfavor?" "Can't you guess?" said Miss Hamm with an arch expression and a peculiar inflection in her words. Puzzled, I shook my head. At this juncture another interruption occurred. A caller in the person of a Mr Pomeroy was announced by the maid-servant. I heard Miss Hamm refer to this l person on divers preceding occasions and from the outset had taken a dislike to the sound of his name. It would appear that he resides in the city of Baltimore, Maryland, and that he knew Miss Hamm and her uncle ere their removal to these parts. It would appear also that lie arrived here this afternoon with the avowed intention of remaining several days in our peaceful community—why, though, I know not, unless it be that perversely he would inflict himself Upon a young lady who conceivably cannot possibly be interested in his society or in the idle vaporings of his callow mind. Almost immediately this Mr Pomeroy was ushered into our presence. Hi's appearance, his demeanor, his entire ensemble were such as to confirm in me the prejudice engendered against him e'en before I beheld him in the flesh. His dress was of an extravagant and exaggerated style, and his overly effusive manner of greeting Miss Hamm extremely distasteful, whTle his attitude toward me was one of flamboyant familiarity; altogether I should say a young man of forward tendencies, shallow, flippant, utterly lacking, in the deeper and finer sensibilities which ever distinguish those of the tme culture, and utterly disregardful of the Proper and ordained conventionalities. In conversation he is addicted to vain follies and meaningless witticisms, and his laughter, in which he is prone to indulge without due cause so far as I can note, has a most grating sound upon the ear. In short, I do not caro for this young man; freely and franklv 1 confess it here.

I had meant to stay on until he had betaken himself away, heing minded to have a few words in private with Miss Hamm touching upon Miss Primleigh's peculiar and) inexplicable attitude toward us, but since he persisted' in remaining on and on, I, liaving a proper regard for the proprieties, was constrained shortly after eleven o'clock to depart. As I was upon tho ooint of going, he halted me, saying in effect:— "Doctor,' you're a college professor— I want to ask you a scientific question and see if you can give mo a scientific answer."

' "Pray proceed," I said, smiling gent-ly-in Miss Hamm's direction. "Whv," he said, "is a mouse that spins?"

He then paused 1 as though awaitin? my reply, and when I confessed myself unable to hazard an answer, or oven to understand so peculiar a problem, he with a greaf discordant guffaw said: "Why, the higher, the fewer!"

Upon coming here I cogitated the matter deeply, hut I am as yet far from a solution. Why is a mouse that spins? And what does it spin? Patently the query is incomplete. And what possible bearing can comparative altitude as-.contrasted with the comparative infrequency of a species have upon the peculiarities of a mouse addicted to spinning? I shall now to bed, dismissing all thought of a certain boorish individual -from my mind.

Mav the Twenty-fourth.—He lingers on—the person Pomeroy. It developed this forenoon that he succeeded in extorting from Miss Hamm a oromise to permit him to call this evening. I can only assume that through gr>odness of heart and a desire to avoid woundmg anyone she again consented to receive him at her home.

This afternoon, in thoughtful mood not untinged with vague repinings, my footsteps carried .me. unwittingly as it were, to that beetling promontory from which our peaceful himet derives its name. For long I stooft upon the crest of that craggy eminence wherefrom. so tradition tells us, a noble young chieftain of the aborigines who once populated this locality, being despairful of winning the hand of a fair maid of n neighboring, but hostile tribe, flung himself in suicidal frenzy ndown the cliff to be dashed into minute fragments upon the cruel rocks belovr. Meditating upon the fate of this illstarred red-man, I communed' with mine own inner consciousness. I asked: myself the question: "Pid vou, Fibble, emulate the example of that despondent Indian youth and lean beadtonz from this peak, who in all this careless world other than your Great Aunt Pauline would bemoan vour piteous end? Who would come to ulace with reverent, sorrowing hands the tribute of a floral design such as a Broken

vance of me a couplewalking together and apparently engaged in eiigrossong conversation. A second glance served to inform me that one of the pair was Miss Hamm and the other the insufferable Pomeroy. In a fit of petulance for which I am unable to account, unless it bo due to my displeasure that he should continuo to"pros« his unwelcome attentions upon a young woman so immeasurably his superior, 1 dashed my eyeglasses upon the earth, thereby breaking tho right lens. Vet I count the damage as naught, nor do 1 rogret giving way to so violent an exhibition of temper. To-night, finding the seclusion of my study dispiriting. I went forth upon a long and purposeless walk beneath the stars. Through chance I found myself, at or about eleven o'clock, in the vicinity of Mr Hector Hamm's place of j residence. Aimlessly lingering here in the*shadow of the trees, I soon espied Pomeroy issuing from the gate of the residence and making off, whistling gayly as he went. "He disappeared in the darkness, still whistling in a loud and vulgar manner. I could almost wish he might be choked by his own whistling. As for myself, 1 never do so.

in this mood 1 have returned here to pen these lines. I fear me I shall sleep but ill the night, for distracting and gloomy thoughts race through my brain. 1 feel myself not to be myself. I wonder whv':

May the 25th—The odious Pomeroy has hetaken himself hence. Quite by '[. accident I happened to drop into our local hostelry, the Briggs House, this morning and ascertained by a purely cursory glance at the register that he had paid his account and departed. I • may only add that I trust he sees his - way clear to remain away indefinitely or, better still, permanently. This 4s Sunday and I shall be engaged ' with our services. But upon to-mor-row night, when it is my intention to resume my friendly visits to the Hamm home, I mean to take an important step. For long I have cogitated it, and my mind is now firmly made up. As yet I have not fully memorised the language in which I shall frame my request, but I have convinced myself that our acquaintanceship has now ad- . vanced to a point where the liberty I' would take is amply justified. I shall formally ask Miss Hamm that in our hours of private communion together, if not in public, she call me Roscoe, while in return I mean, with her consent, to address her as Hildegarde. None need know of this excepting • ourselves. It will be, as I conceive, a secret between us, a bond a tie, as it were.

Good-night, small russet-clad confidante. Prithee be of good cheer! When uext we meet perchance I may have happy news for vou. May the 26th.—No entry. May the 27th—No entry. May the 28th—A terrible, a hideous, an inconceivable catastrophe has descended upon the devoted head of Fibble !

With a fevered, tremulous hand, with one leg— to wit, the right one—enclosed in a plaster cast, with a soul racked ) by remorse, by vain regrets and by direst apprehensions, I pen the abovo words. My brain seethes with in* coherent thoughts, mv verv frame quivers with suffering and with fright ful forebodings. 'Tis with the utmost difficulty that I. manage to inscribe these piteous lines. Yet inscribe them I must and shall. Should the wmt befall should) the dread hand of vip- * lence strike me down ere I have sue- "" ceeded in fleemg this perilous spot, this confession shall remain behind, a testimonial, to tell the world and her that I perished a martyr upon the altars of unrequited affection and to explain the innate purity of my motives, however far I may have fallen, in one rash moment of uncontrollable impulse, from the lofty pinnacles of honor. Though , I lie weltering in my gore, my lips forever closed, my hand forever stifled; the record shall endure to show that I. the disgraced and the deceased Fibn*o, would beg, from the confines & the silent tomb, forgiveness for my criminal indiscretion. I shall write all I Ms tear-- descending as I write bedWtjS sheet, and beneath my swimming, 'fgjm< i the 'lines waver, but 'in haste I write •' on, lest the slayer find me before my final task be done. We wore alone together: Ntfe were side by side. Upon a couch we sat in close juxtaposition. The hour was approximately nine-thirty; the time, fggo nights agone. I bent toward her, halfwhispering my words. "With all .the fervor of which I am capable I told her I had a request to make of her;, told her that compliance with this request would have a bearing upon all «»|r future communions, bringing us nearer to each other, forming a link between us. My executors will understand, after a perusal of the paragraphs .immediately preceding, that I meant to ask hor to call me Roscoe and in return to vouchsafe to me the boon and the j privilege of calling her Hildegarde; < Bending her head she said, with that simple directness so characteristic of her, "Go right ahead." Suddenly I found her hand intertwined in mine. I do not attempt to explain this phenomenon ; indeed, I was not conscious of having sought to encompass her hand within my own; I merely state it a verity. Her fingers pressed against mine—or so to me it seemed. * "Go right ahead, doctor," she repeated; "I'm listening." The touch of her hand' laid a spell upon me. Instantaneously all my force* of sejf-reserve were swept away. With the startling abruptness of a bolt'from the blue, realisation of a thing which I had never before suspected came upon me, and for the first time 1 knewW that for Hildegarde Hamm I entertained a sentiment deeper than that of mere friendship—yes, far, far deeper. I knew that I cared for her; in short. I knew that I loved 1 her. Madness was upon me; a delicious, an all-consuming fire burned within me. I forgot that I was a guest beneath her roof, enjoying the hospitality of her be-. loved and revered relative. the mede of respect I owed to her, for- f got the responsibilities imposed upon me. I forgot all else except that I, . Roscoe T. Fibble, loved! Hildegarde • Hamm. . jj . 1 became as the caveman; who kg - brute force, would win his mate. I obeyed a primeval impulse. Without a word of warning, without excuse, wi&out prefatory remark of any nature whatsoever, I acted: I kissed her. To be exact, I kissed i at her. For, in this moment fraught with ] such consequences to all concerned, she •' averted her head to.yet a greater angle. ] The implant of the osculation was ■ destined for her cheek. It reached her i tip of her nose only;

I do not plead this circumstance itt * partial extenuation. The intent hid I been plain, the deed was s 1- had practically kissed her. fc She leaped;to her feet, as Ito mine. S Her eyes, alight with an inscrutable m expression, looked into mine; fer il cheeks became diffused with the erim- 'A soned glow of righteous indignation; I her form was convulsed; she quivered '1 from head to feet. For a moment this I " scene endured. Then ere my lips, but '* lately contracted for the chaste but w hidden salute, could frame the first stammered syllable of an apology, she buried her ensanguined face in. .bar hands, and hysteria assailed her-r* fcyi. * i teria so acute and so violent that not ' tears but an outburst of resembling- - laughter—laughter wild, starring and * most distressing to hear—came mm • her. She dashed from the room. ' " ;! My heart paused in its quick beating ' In one mad moment of indiacrotiutf 1 had destroyed her confidence in me had brought down in crashing ruins my hopes, my dreams, my new-found '-jiy. I felt that I must go hence—that I must quit that domicile Fbrevefc'and the sooner the better. / With my brans in a whirl I looked about me for wfiwfc I and my umbrella. ' ' • | . A loud and a compelling. Voice spoke • behind me. I faced about.- Jnt" f .file'r doorway through.which she hadjtfbj fled stood, a fearsome- apparition. was her. uncle, that matf so given' fa> " carnage among the beasts' «f •' the field, that unerring, that Wafting marksman. He was in his shirt bis arms bared to his elbow*. UnonjUaV face was a fixed grin of demoniacMmirl mination—the look of one *fcll