until it was humored him, and the habit of having his own way had grown upon him. Whenever he wanted a position he just went in and talked it, and it was only natural when he decided to resign from the Herald press staff and "OS" it for a while, he did not hesitate in letting his resignation from the Herald precede his employment as a railroader.

The fates were always kind to Guy, and fortune seemed to ever swing his way. Perhaps he was born under a lucky star,

Even as to looks nature had been kind to Guy, for his was a handsome face; and his shape, strong and manly, like the model of a Greek statue.

He had longed for peace and quiet because it was opposite to that which made him dissatisfied with the city. The green sloping hills, the roaring brook, the budding and blooming flowers did not appeal to him. His artistic tastes were as yet undeveloped. But there is a time when a subtle something takes possession over one

and causes their hearts to beat faster, the blood to course swifter, the thoughts to expand, and grow wider and wider, and higher and higher, until at last they reach to empyrean heights and they see with the eyes of Newton, feel with the feelings of Emerson and love with the passion of Romeo.

Little did Guy think, as he stood regretting he had left the city, that this subtle something would enter his being and Marion would seem to him as Paradise. Nor would he have believed, had he been told, that it was pure love that possessed this miraculous power.

Virginia Lee was the only daughter of a Boston magnate who summered in his beautiful mansion a short distance from Marion, and as regular as No. 13 pulled into the

her pink cheeks and disarranged her wavy brown hair.

There were times when the trains were late, and Virginia consulted the operator as to their probable arrival. This was the beginning.

Guy, who had always thought himself love-proof, could hold out no longer. He was at last struck with Cupid's dart and he surrendered unconditionally. He silently prayed each night for the train to be late. Thirty minutes' delay was an elysian bliss; an hour late he was in heaven.

His ability as a talker now stood him in good stead. At first Virginia couldn't get away from the telegraph window, then later, she didn't want to. Somehow, to her, the hours didn't seem to drag when the train was late. She began coming earlier, and

village, Virginia was there to meet her father.

Her age was twenty-one; mild and beautiful was she, as a wild summer rose; as willowy and graceful as the lily; as pure and gentle as the May zephyr which fanned

unconsciously wished the train might be a little behind time. Guy fervently echoed her wish.

One clear, beautiful night the fates had again favored Guy-the train was several hours late. The moon had not yet risen,

for once he was silent. He could think of no subject but the commonplace. "Good heavens," he thought, "but I'm stupid. I'll have to begin at the beginning to learn how to win her love."

"Begin at the beginning-" the words gave him the keynote. An idea entered his mind and developed itself. He would talk about the beginning of creation. He saw where there was a chance to bring up a subject from down in his heart in an easy, natural way.

Guy began, after a long silence and a sigh, as if talking to himself: "How inadequate, Miss Lee, is man's mind to comprehend the workings of Nature. How infinite this universe, and how apparently in

imagined herself back at Wellesley listening to one of the professors, as Guy went familiarly along from the archoezoic to the psychozozoic eras, and from the earlier forms of life to the descent of man. Science was Virginia's favorite study, and Guy grew in her estimation as he proceeded, branching off from time to time to comment on art, architecture and ethics of the mediæval and present time.

They had continued to walk up and down, up and down, and now stopping at the end of the platform, Guy waved his hand up at the heavens and said, "Miss Lee, you might consider this as a transition from the sublime to the ridiculous, but I hope not. Forget for the moment what you know of as

tronomy and hear me through. A new philosophy is dawning upon me. You know the Saracen tribes had their star of worship. I, too, have mine. Look at the stars twinkling so merrily; they each represent a life upon earth. The nebulæ of new stars is forming and new souls are being born. When a life ceases to exist, it's star ceases to shine and travels through space as a dark star. Some are greater than others, so, too, are some lives.

"There's an affinity which causes these stars to travel in pairs. Astronomy says they are twin stars, and most all stars has its twin, though not discernable with the naked eye. My new philosophy says they are soul mates as decreed by Nature.

"You have your star and I have mine. Intuition, instinct, or something points me

ing to my new philosophy, because I love you and want you for my wife."

Guy placed his arm around Virginia's waist, drawing her to him, and repeated, "I love you, my darling, I love you."

Virginia looked up in Guy's face and knew she was indeed Guy's affinity, and murmured, faintly, "Guy, dear, I am a convert to your new philosophy."

GEORGE CLARK.

"AS SURE AS SCROGGINS' HOSS." HE origin of the expression, "As big a fool as Thompson's colt" had been under discussion.

"The offset of that story," said one of the party, "was 'As sure as Scroggins' hoss.' Never heard of it? Well, it was still run

out mine and yours is close beside it, which means, Virginia, darling, you are my affinity according to the laws of gravitation which holds these stars together, and according to Nature, which has decreed it so, and accord

ning in northwest Missouri when I left there in 1876.

"A railroad had been constructed between St. Joe and Savannah in the early days. It covered a distance of about twenty

five miles. There was one train a day each way, and it was made up of a combination caboose, a freight car and, of course, an engine.

"There was no roundhouse at Savannah; nothing but a turntable, a switch and a station. When the train arrived there the engine was turned around, run down on the switch and backed up to the caboose and freight car. The train did not leave until the afternoon, so that the crew frequently went to town, about a mile distant, enjoyed themselves and returned in time to take out the train.

"Railroads were a novelty in that section. A farmer named Scroggins lived near town. One day he drove to the station with some produce to ship to St. Joe. When he got to the station no one was about to take his stuff, and he hitched his horse to the end of the freight car while he went to town to hunt for the conductor. He did not know, or if he did he forgot, when the train left.

"When he failed to find the conductor he returned to the station. but the train was gone. Ditto Scroggins' horse and wagon and produce. When the train pulled out it took Scroggins' outfit with it. That was what a man who saw the incident told Scroggins.

"The old farmer said nothing, but started down the track. He picked up here and there a wagon spoke, a hub, a tire and occasionally a busted pumpkin, a smashed cabbage head and the scatterment of eggs and butter. But no signs of the hoss, except here and there a bit of harness. When Scroggins arrived at his farm-house he fond his hoss standing at the gate, safe and sound. The hoss could not talk, so Scroggins never knew where the train and the animal parted company.

"From that time on whenever a man spoke of anything being dead certain he said:

his protest.

"I am in favor of unions," said he, "but I am against allowing any set of men to run my business."

"But we have no intention of running your business" said the men. "We are organizing to protect ourselves."

"I will protect you," said the manufacturer. "I want free men in my factory. I want no slaves to a walking delegate. Be free men! Stand upon your Americanism. The laborer should be free in all things."

But still the men insisted upon unionizing, and finally the manufacturer said:

"Drop this union talk and I will increase wages 10 per cent."

This appealed to the employes more forcibly than unionism, and talk of organization was dropped. A few months later wages were reduced 20 per cent and a month later another reduction of 20 per cent took place.

"We will not stand for it," said the employes.

But the manufacturer gave vent to a loud laugh and asked:

"What are you going to do about it? You have no means of taking concerted action."

"Alas, we listened to your palaver about 'free labor,'" said the employes.

"Yes," retorted the manufacturer. "By 'free labor' I meant labor that I was free to use or abuse as I saw fit."

Moral: The wise man will study the subtleties of our language.