62 
JAN. 24 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
“ I can’t see to do any more,” said Bessie, pre¬ 
sently. “ But I may come again to-morrow, mayn’t 
I, Mra. Weddell t« 
“And IV—and 17” queried the rest. 
“Lor’ love ye all!” cried their gr.itlfled hostess, 
“ come as often as ye Ilko. It do’s a body good to 
see your merry looks! and I’ll tap my elder wine 
to-morrow, see it 1 don’t!” 
“But I hope we shall not disturb your lodger,” 
observed Katrine, gravely 
“Of course we shan’t,” said Madge, rolling up 
the ball ol worsted and st leking It ou ibe top of the 
knitting-pins, “lie’s deal; fanatical, chronica); 
such people always are.” 
“ Of course he is,” assented Brenda. “ We may 
come and go as often as we choose, but he’ll never 
know It ” 
“I’m glad of that,” cried Bessie. "•* It gives one 
such a comfortable feeling; but. still tt shall not 
make us unmindful or the poor dear old bachelor. 
His Is a peculiar case, and we’ll pity If we can’t, 
relieve him.” 
“ Oh ! yes, be shall have our pity,” said everyone 
In chorus, and away they rustled, enjoining Mrs. 
Weddell to be ready ror them on the morrow. 
“ It's Impossible to read or write with such a lot 
of talking in the house,” Mr. Dieppe told his land¬ 
lady ou the morrow, *• if your visitors are comlug 
again, 1 shall have to carry uiy book and papers 
upstairs.” 
Lor’ uow, l thought them pretty young things' 
voices had such a pleasant scum! 1” she declared. 
“ But shall l tell 'em you’re not deaf?” 
“ By no means Have 1 not forbidden you to 
mention my name to anyone j” 
So the writing Implements were transported to 
the bed-chamber, but as It did not boast or a fire¬ 
place, it was so intensely cold that Hie writer’s 
bands were soon benumbed; and just after Ka¬ 
trine and her friend were to be descried coming 
towards the cottage, ne crept down-stairs on tip-toe 
to warm himself In the parlor. 
How musical those gay j oung voices sounded, 
and how mtccUous were those rippling peals ot 
laughter! But he must not listen; It was mean, it 
was dishonorable: he would retreat again to his 
chamber. 
However, It was not his fault that. Mrs, Weddell's 
sash-door lilted so badly that he knew he could 
not pass it without being overheard; nor was It 
any fault or bis that although he carefully re¬ 
treated to the furthermost eud of the tiny room, 
aud endeavored to absorb himself In a translation 
from Lhi Herman, stray sentences would reach 
him every now and then, and distract him from 
Ids book. 
Bessie’s sketch was progressing favorably, and 
he could hear her Menus criticising aud admiring 
It. 
“ When this la finished. I think I shall commence 
a fancy portrait ol Mrs. Weddell s Invalid,” the 
artlot observed. 
“ Pour dear old gentleman, don't make fun of 
him,” cried Bienda, pathetically. “When people 
are very old, and ugly, and Ill-tempered, one 
mustn't be too hard upon them. By-(he-bye, 1 
have brought him something to comfort his gouty’ 
feet,” and she produced a pair ol gaudy carpet 
slippers of majestic dimensions. “ Present them 
to him, Mrs. Weddell, as from yourselt. Mine 1 b 
the sort or benevolence that prefers to shelter It¬ 
self behind some one else. If the pantaujtes 
shouldn't be large enough let me know.” 
••And I have thought of the patient sufferer as 
well as you,” said Madge, holding up a hideously 
ugly wadded traveling cap. with lappets for the 
ears. “ Make him tie these strings under his poor 
dear chin, Mra. Weddell, to keep the draughts 
away. He might like to sleep In it ” 
“ Aud here are a pair ol scarlet muffelees for his 
wrists,” added Bessie handing her a pair that 
would have fitted Daniel Lambert; “and, let me 
know, If you please, whether he suiters with cold 
feet. 11 so, i’ll line one of my muff-boxes with 
flannal, and send It down lor him to put them in.” 
“ inquire whether he wears glasses,” said 
Brenda. “For we have a huge pair oi goggles at 
home i.huL belonged to my great.-grandfather, 
which we will )end him w ith pleasure.” 
“ And if he would like to be read to,” chimed in 
Madge, “you can mention that I 'tn used to read¬ 
ing to a deal person through an ear trumpet, and 
rather like It.” 
“ And oh! Mrs. Weddell, li you should have any 
reason to think he has caught cold. If you only 
hear him cried Bessie, *• do send lor me to 
make hUn some gruel. I’ve taken lessons at a cook- 
lug class, ami novel had any opportunity of put¬ 
ting my acquirements tutu practice, it would be 
such an opening for me li i were permitted to 
nurse up a chronical! I should so enjoy It!” 
“ What Isa chronicalV” asked Flossy, wonder- 
ingly. 
“It's a mysterious ailment, my child,” she was 
assured. ** only the Invalid himself could properly 
explain the nature ol It. Don't stop to ask any 
more questions, or we shall not be home before the 
dresslug-bell rings.” 
Away limy all trooped, laughing and chat tering 
as before, promising Mrs. Weddell a water-color 
copy ot her own apple iace In the course of a day 
or two. 
Have you betrayed me to these giggling dam¬ 
sels?” demanded her lodger, stalking Into the 
kitchen, and kicking across It the gouty slippers. 
“ Wnat do 1 mean ? Why that, with the excep¬ 
tion or Miss Wyilis, who seems endowed with more 
good sense and feeling than her companions, they 
are making a Jest ol me.” 
“Lot'snow, I thought it was very good-natured 
of ’em I But differing people has differing opin¬ 
ions ; and old Master Mascall would be glad or the 
cap and the shoes If you raly don’t want ’em.’, 
“Iff don’t! Take iliemoutof my sight j They 
represent gratuitous Insults.” 
Yet, when he had stalked back to his own room, 
and was soothing his ruffled temper with a pipe, 
Mrs. Weddell was stained by hearing him burst 
Into a peal of laughter. 
on the morrow his tormentors invaded the cot- 
Ijut, it wfdj only tor a lew minutes. TMQ 
ice on the great pond was reported to be quite 
strong enough for skating. George WylUs and a 
couple of his friends had gone Into the village to 
get runners fixed in a chair for the convenience of 
Mrs. Tresham, the good-humored matron, who, 
with her daughters, had accompanied Katrine to 
the Hall; and the young ladles, with their skates, 
had agreed to meet thorn on the ice. 
*■ Wish us a pleasant time, Mrs. Weddell,” 
cried Bessie. “If your poor dear lodger would 
like a turn on the pond, wrap him up well tn a 
few blankets, a nd we’ll combine to push him about 
In our sledge.” 
“ Better keep him beside the fire,” advised 
Brenda, aDd let 61m amuse himself with these;” 
and she handed Mrs. Weddell a box of bronchial 
troches. 
“Ah! that reminds me,” cried Madge, diving 
into her pocket. “ He might like to try the homoe¬ 
opathic treatment; so I’ve brought him my case. 
Tbe globules got mixed up when 1 let Flossy play 
at keeping a doctor’s shop; but I don t suppose it 
will signify which he swallows.” 
“Good-bye!” Flossy called back to the old 
woman. “ We shall come and see yon to-morrow, 
because it’s Christmas Eve.” 
But long before the usual hour for ihelr visit 
Mrs Weddell's lodger mounted Ids bicycle and 
rode away ; nor did ho return till darkness had 
settled down upon the earth. He must have rid¬ 
den Into the town; for amongst Flossy’s Christmas 
gifts next morning she found a beautiful doll, 
which had arrived by carrier, addressed to Miss 
Florence Evclegh. 
Mrs Weddell was busy making her plum-pud¬ 
ding when the young man went through the 
kitchen; but she suspended her work to listen to 
the exclamation of surprise he uttered on entering 
his room. 
Falrj’ hands had been at work there, adorning 
It with holly and Ivy. Beside his writing-desk 
there stood a vase of exotic ferns and Christmas 
roses, and on the mantel-piece Bessie at the last 
oment had placed one of her own clever sketches. 
It represented Faith, Hope, and Charity ; but each 
ot the angelic sisters wore the sweet, spiritual 
face of Kairtne. 
The young man gated at It long, then walked 
away, and brushed bis hand across his eyes; but 
he came back to press his lips reverently to the 
picture, and was carefully transferring it to his 
pocket-book when a rush of hurried feet passed 
the window, and the hasty opening of Mrs. Wed¬ 
dell's door was followed by a fall. He ran Into the 
kitchen, to find the original of the sketch lying at 
the feet of the terrified old woman. 
CHAPTER IV. 
HOW THE SIEGE WAS KAI8ED. 
“ It was very foolish of me to faint,” Katrine 
murmured, when the cares lavished on her had 
brought back her senses. “Pray let me go home 
at once, or they will miss me and be uneasy.” 
“ But deary me, you are not lit to go alone, rnls- 
ste!” cried Mrs. Weddell; "howjcanie you to he out 
at this time ?” 
The explanation was promptly given. A ser¬ 
vant to whom a letter ol' importance had been en¬ 
trusted had forgotten to post It and Katrine had 
discovered the omission while she was dressing 
for dinner. 
“I knew some poor friends of ours would have 
hut a sorry Christmas If they did not receive the 
cheque my brother had Inclosed," she added; 
“ and 1 knew he would be angry with the man 
for his carelessness, so I thought, f would run 
down to the post office, myself; but there were a 
couple of men, 1 think they had been drinking,” 
and she shuddered aud grew pale again at the 
recollection, “ and when they would have seized 
me I was so alarmed that I ran here. 
“ 1 must hasten home,” she said again, with an 
apprehensive glance At the mght. 
“But not alone," said Mrs. Weddell’s lodger, 
coming forward. “If Miss Wyllls will accept my 
escort, I shall be happy to walk with her to her 
own door.” 
With a bow and ablush Katrine assented, hut 
ere they left the cottage he turned to speak to 
Mrs. Weddell. 
“ If a trap comes here before I return, give the 
driver my portmanteau, and tell him I will follow 
od foot.” 
-Going to leave me!” sljp gasped; “and so 
sudden like. Lor’, Mr. Dippy 1” 
“I have been here too long,” he responded 
sternly, and followed Ka trine. 
He soon discovered that she was trembling so 
much that In common courtesy he must beg her 
to accept his arm. 
“ Perhaps 1 ought to Introduce myself,” he 
added; “hut as our acquaintance begins and 
ends to-night, It Is scarcely worth while.” 
“ Then you are leaving this part of the coun¬ 
try?” said the young girt timidly. “ We also pro¬ 
pose returning to the home my brother has made 
for hhnseli In Canada, as soon as the Christmas 
holidays are over. We are afraid that the hope 
that brought us to England will not be realised.” 
“1 thought, that Is, 1 fancied Mr. Wyllls Intend¬ 
ed to take up his abode at the HaU,” was the re¬ 
mark this elicited. 
“No, no; be has never dreamed of doing so,’’ 
Katrine eagerly responded. “ llow could he ? the 
house Is not his.” 
“ Not!” her companion repeated, with a start. 
“ Allow me.to explain," she cried, almost breath¬ 
less with emotion. “I will be as brief as I can.” 
And without giving him time to reply, she went 
on: 
"Many years ago our great-aunt, Mrs. Wyllls, 
adopted the son of one ot her nephews, and lav¬ 
ished upon him all her affection That she loved 
Bertram Kvelegh dearly, 1 don’t suppose even be 
would deny; but It is also certain that she brooked 
no rival In his affec lons and quarrelled with him 
violently when he Insisted on providing for his 
orphan step-sister, a preLty child, for whom she 
conceived an unreasonable dislike.” 
“Unreasonable, United?” the young man mur- 
f&ured. 
“In her fury Mrs. Wyllls drove Bertram from 
her presence, and destroyed the will she had made 
In his favor; hut soon after this she was seized at 
Florence with an Illness that proved fatal, and my 
brother and 1, who were touring In Italy and stay¬ 
ing near that city, were sent for. You are listen¬ 
ing?” 
“Most needfully.” 
“You may have heard a cruel report that has 
been widely spread, to the effect that Mrs. Wyllls 
In her last moments was prevailed upon to exe¬ 
cute a Dew will, bequeathing to my brother all 
that she possessed." 
“1 have heard and believed It,” he admitted, 
“ though I also know it was scarcely necessary to 
press the dying woman to do this, as Mr. George 
Wyllls was the heir-at-law already.” 
“Then now you must.hear and believe me,” ex¬ 
claimed Katrine, impetuously. “Our aunt, made 
no such will; nay, more In her last moments she 
bitterly regretted her treatment of her adopted 
son.” 
Katrine could feel t he arm ou which she leaned 
tremble even more than she did. 
“ Poor aunt died In my presence,” she added, 
softly, “soothed by George's solemn promise to 
And Bertram Kvelegh, and put him in possession 
of the property she always Intended for him. Her 
last thoughts was or her boy—ah! you cannot 
think how grieved we were that our mes¬ 
sengers could not find him I—her last words were 
an entreaty that I would some day tell him how 
truly she had loved him in spite of her Injustice.” 
The hand of the fair speaker was raised to the 
lips of her companion, hut he did not, nay, he could 
not speak; his heart was too filll Only a few hours 
ago he had been oppressed with the sense of Ids 
gnawing poverty, and the dependence upon him of 
the little sister for whose sake he had offended his 
capricious kinswoman, only a few hours ago - poor, 
friendless, and weighed down with a rankling con¬ 
sciousness of theunrair t reat ment to which he had 
been subjected—he had resolved to quit England 
forever; and now Katrine’s melodious voice told 
him that all he hod relinquished was his own once 
more. 
But they had reached the grounds of the Hall, 
and Katrine was turning towards a side door. He 
must leave her, yet he could not do so without 
making one effort to put Into words the conflict¬ 
ing emotions that swayed him. 
“ My sweet cousin, wbat must you have thought 
of me—” 
Before he could get any further the door flew 
operand a group appeared at It,. Katrine had 
just been missed; every one was anxious about 
her, and her brother George sprang forward to 
clasp her In his arms, and exclaim, at the sight of 
her companion: 
“Bertram Kvelegh! Then it was your face 
Katrine beheld at the Cottage the first time we 
came here. She recognized It as soon as she saw 
the photograph Flossy wears in a locket." 
“ Is tiffs the f aai u ileal Invalid?” queried Brenda, 
saucily. “Oh! do Introduce me! I am so anx¬ 
ious to know if he appreciated my gllr." 
“ And mine; and mine,”cried Madge and Bessie, 
sweeping him low curtsies, •* Has his chronic ail¬ 
ment been benefited by them ?" 
•It's not Mr. Chronical; It's my own dear 
brother Bertram!” exclaimed Flossy, springing 
Into his embrace. " 1 am so glad.” 
“ Welcome to your own house,” cried George 
Wyllls, shaking his hand heartily, “ It’s not cus¬ 
tomary for the guests to arrive before the host.; 
but never mind. Here you are at last. The king 
has got his alu again, hip. hurrah 1” 
“ But are you In earnest ? Do you really propose 
to act so generously by me as to give up all V ’ Ber¬ 
tram demanded, with quivering lips. 
“My dear fellow,” was the laughing reply, 
“there’s no generosity In giving up what was 
never mine. Booh! 1 have Inherited au ample 
Income from my father, so 1 need not grudge you 
yours. We hare only been holding possession- 
Kittens and T— till we could rind out where you 
had hid yourself. She declared you were at the 
cottage, and persisted In her opinion, even after 
we had tried the experiment or taking Flossy 
there to see whether her voice would bring you 
out ot biding.” 
•* It did nearly; bnt 1 thought it would be cruel 
to rob the child of her new friends.” 
“ And we had Dearly lost lilm to-night, George,” 
murmured Katrine. •* He was going away.” 
“Going away? Why?” asked Mr. Wyllls, 
bluntly. 
Bertram Evelegh reddened, and looked at Kat¬ 
rine, who, by some strange sympathy, colored yet 
more vividly and drooped her lustrous eyes. 
“ 1 will answer that, question to my cousin Kat¬ 
rine some other time, it she will let me.” 
George Wyllls smiled, and then sighed. He be¬ 
gan to understand the state of affairs, and to 
dlvlue that Bertram Evelegh would not value his 
recovered fortune unless he received a yet more 
precious gift with it. But hfs own heart was cap¬ 
tive to Brenda Tresham. He knew he should not 
return to his Canadian borne alone, and so It was 
In his most cheerful umtss he responded: 
“ We’ll postpone all questions and answers till 
Christmas is over, and go back to the dining-room 
and drink a long life and a happy one to the owner 
of the Hall.” 
“And finish the evening with a dance,”said 
Brenda. 
*• But ere we go,” cried Bessie, “ I should like to 
hear that LUe brave damsels who besieged the her¬ 
mit knight are awarded the palm ot victory.” 
" You confess that you were actuated by malice 
prepense . v ” queried tbe young man. 
•• Yes, and no!” cried Madge, “When Katrine’s 
attempt to turn you autof your fortress and satisfy 
herself that you were Mr. Kvelegh proved a fail¬ 
ure. we Insisted on being permitted to try what 
we could do. We hoped to exasperate you Into a 
sorue!’’ 
** What would you have done if you had proved 
successful v” asked the amused Bertram. 
“ Fled,” said Brenda, theatrically, “ and }eft pat¬ 
riae to face the foe r 
“Pray do not call rne that any longer!” he 
pleaded. “I am so ashamed of my churlishness 
that you may Inflict on me any penance you can 
devise*” 
“Shall we take him at his word, and make him 
wear our cap and slippers?” asked Madge, with a 
grave air. 
“Thank goodness, you cannot do that!” he 
laughed, “ for they have already changed hands. 
For one gilt 1 found on my mantel-piece to-night 
I can never be sufficiently grateful. 1 should have 
carried tt with me wherever 1 wandered ” 
He looked at Bessie, who curtseyed and smiled 
very prettily at. this allusion lo her sketch. 
“ After all,” said Brenda, “ wo cannot do better 
than leave Mr. Kvelegh’s punishment lo Katrine. 
It was she who commenced the siege.” 
“Agreed." whispered Bertram, as he led the 
blushing Katrine towards the dining-room. “I 
wish for nothing better than to place my fate In 
such gentle bauds. It will be the happiest moment 
of my life when I may be allowed to dedicate my 
future to tin-dear llttlecousln by whom I am proud 
to own myself ‘Faiklt Conqukked.’ " 
-- 
“ THE EYE-OPENER. ” 
The Past-master General transmitted to the 
House of Representatives last Monday a report 
In relation to the use or the mails by agents and 
originators ot fraudulent schemes, Including In 
the report, an outline of the various methods em¬ 
ployed to obtain money fraudulently through the 
malls. There arc six different classes of swind¬ 
ling schemes referred to In the report, of which 
the lottery companies organized, or professing to 
have been organized, by State authority, are first, 
considered. First comes the • Kentucky state 
Lottery,” and parties connected with it operating 
In Louisville, Covington, Newport and Frank¬ 
fort, Ky. Its owners are now said to be. Simons 
& Dickinson of this city and Murray, France & 
Co., of st. Louis, the latter being the managers 
of the lottery. The statement In Its circulars 
“ that the holders of prizes are secured by ample 
bonds deposited with tbe State by the lottery 
managers,” is declared to be false, and the whole 
concern, claiming to operate on an old “grant” 
away back In iS39, Is In effect pronounced rotten. 
The Commonwealth Distribution company 
claiming to act under the •• Frankfort grant” ts of 
the same stripe, having been declared illegal by 
Chancellor Mcnzles, of Ky, and no one being re¬ 
sponsible for tbe prizes, except the tricky lottery 
managers, other lottery companies mentioned 
are;—The Wyoming Lottery and Cheyenne Lot¬ 
tery Companies, the Grand Distribution Company 
of Victoria, Canada, and the New Brunswick 
Grand Gift Soiree of si. Stephens, N. u., “oper¬ 
ated by one J. M. Potior, one of tbe most, per¬ 
sistent, Ingenious ubiquitous persons Using the 
malls for the purpose of deceiving and defrauding 
the public by means or gift enterprises, schemes 
and devices.” The Kentucky flush Distribution 
Co., the Louisiana Htato Lottery and the Arizona 
Lottery have also been subject to Investigation by 
tbe department. The drawings or the Canadian 
and the New Brunswick companies taking place 
outside of the l ulled States, no aetlou could he 
taken by the department In the matter of the re¬ 
turn of registered letters and the non-payment 
of money-orders. 
The next, case mentioned ts that of Edgar W. 
Jones, alias the Union i’ubltsldng Company, 
alias the Magnetic Watch Company of Ashland 
Mass., and having several other aliases under 
which he sent through the malls In lsio so.ooo 
circulars and advertisements ot obscene hooks 
and a “Genuine Swiss Magnetic Timekeeper,” 
which was In fact, a brass compass or no value. 
For months the complaints or parents, teachers 
etc., from all parts of the count ry tn regard to the 
vile documents sent by Jones to their children 
were piling up on the hands ot the Post-master 
General, until, through the exertions of Mr. 
Anthony Comstock, Jones was Indicted and his 
business broken up. The next ease Is that of H. 
I). P. Allen, alias The National Banking Com¬ 
pany. of T9 Nassau street New York This so- 
called company, with flaming circulars offered to 
sell what they called “bonds” on the Havana, 
Kentucky and Louisiana lot teries at hair the regu¬ 
lar rates for tickets, aud to add extra prizes to 
the drawings. They claim to be able to do this 
because t hey pay no percentages to agents and 
do business economically. They are character¬ 
ized as bad frauds. 
The Texas Girt concert Association, of Denison, 
Texas, ts spoken of as “ One or t he most successful 
swindles disclosed by the* department records ’* 
Its receipts were about *100,000. The report of 
Special Agent Kgerton on the case, dated “St. 
Loute, Sep. IS, isT8," which slates that the man¬ 
agers of the concern divided the day's receipts 
among themselves every evening, and that, tags 
repiesentlng unsold numbers were placed In the 
wheel at the drawhig, and the prizes announced 
lor them, thus enabling the managers to manipu¬ 
late the cash at their pleasure. The agent stated 
that ten Indictments were pending against the 
concern. “The Kansas Land Company.” doing 
business at Topeka, Kan., belonged to the same 
class as the Denver Land Company. This concern 
advertised to give away “ Kansas Homes” for *2 
each, but as It was started about the lime of the 
exposure of the Denver Land company's Bwlndle, 
It was frustrated almost at. its Inception by tbe 
prompt and energetic aetlou ot the Post office 
officials. Various arrests and seizures are detailed 
In the case of Max Burger, alias Borges <K Co, 
alias Wachsuniu & Co., bankers. No. At Nassau 
street, this city. The names were used to cover 
the sale of tickets In the Royal Ha vana, the Ducal 
Brunswick-Luneberg. the Free City of Hamburg, 
the Louisiana and the Kentucky lotteries and the 
Commonwealth Distribution Company. 
Swindling land companies also receive attention; 
First comes that arrant fraud the Denver I .and 
company, exposed by us more than once, in ad¬ 
dition to the “put and call” swindles exposed 
hert; last..week under the head •• a (Specimen 
