pitch roof. Mr. Bogart cautioned me to move with care, so as not to disturb the inmates of the houses beneath us. I was soon in position to see the bright light streaming up from the tenement to which I had been decoyed by the villains. "That's the house," said I, pointing to the light. become very enthusiastic in the business upon which we were engaged. Though he did not say so, I was satisfied that he was convinced of the truth of my statement. "What shall I do?" I asked, rather puzzled by the tactics of the detective. "Do whatever they wish you to do; but don't let them know that you have been off "Did you come up through that scuttle?" | the roof since you escaped." he asked. "Why not?" "No, I came up over the top of the luthern window." "I cannot stop to explain now; only I don't think these rascals have taken all this trouble "Impossible!" exclaimed he, glancing at with you for fifty or a hundred dollars; and the window. "It is true; and I suppose I shall have to go in that way," I continued; and I explained minutely how I had made my exit from the chamber. they mean to use you as a cat's-paw for something else." "Lead on. We will examine the house," Gracewood." said Mr. Bogart. "No matter now," said he, impatiently. "Go down, and give them all the rope they want." | "I haven't heard about the note. On a nearer approach to the roof of the gambling-house, I discovered that the glass scuttle was open, and I concluded that Lynch and Blair had been upon the roof in search of me. When I reached the opening I found a ladder conveniently placed for my descent, if | had told me the whole story before now, I I chose to avail myself of its aid. I looked | should have known better what to do." down into the entry, where the gas-light still We retreated a few paces from the skylight, blazed cheerfully. The door of Lynch's room and I told him all about the note and the object was open, and I could distinctly hear the voices of Lynch. I assured him that Mr. Rockwood of my late captors. was the legal heir of the property. "They took me into that front room," I whispered to my doubting companion. "This looks a little as though your story was true," said Mr. Bogart. "Will you follow me down this ladder?" "No, not yet. I wish to get a little better idea of what these fellows mean. Are you afraid of them?" "No; not a bit," I answered, raising the poker which I had picked up where I left it on the roof. "Will you go down alone?" he asked. "Yes, if you desire it." "I will keep the run of you, and see what is done. If you get into trouble with them, just whistle as loud as you can, and I will join you." "But suppose they take away the ladder?" Then I will go down as I came up, and enter the house by the front door. Don't be afraid of anything." "I'm not afraid." "I will be near you. I want to know what these fellows mean to do. If they close the door, I will go down the ladder into the entry." "The note is of no consequence then," said Mr. Bogart. "Give it to them, but don't indorse it, and I will see that it is returned to you. We have them now. They can't escape us. Now, go down, and let them have their own way, but with some show of opposition." I descended the ladder, and stood before the open door of the chamber, when I saw Lynch, with his feet on the table, smoking. Morgan Blair sat opposite him. They discovered me as soon as I landed in the hall, and made haste to place themselves between me and the stairs, in order to cut off my escape. As I did not wish to escape, I gave them no trouble in this direction, but entered the chamber. [TO BE CONTINUED.] JULIUS CÆSAR was so very exact in the management of his domestic affairs that he once threw a baker into prison for serving him with a finer sort of bread than his guests. THE tops of the Himalaya Mountains. "the highest spots below the moon," are said, by travellers, to be visible in clear weather, from Patna, a distance of two hun Suddenly my companion appeared to have dred miles. THE LITTLE JENNIE. BY MRS. SARA E. BROWN. HERE is a great deal said in the world about strength of character and the power of the will; but there seems to be but very few who know what it means, or who think that they could show strength of character in the little pleasures and duties of every-day life. It was a sense of this power that made the little girl "Hope," in Mrs. Whitney's very interesting book," Hitherto," run quickly home with her little companion, when she was urged by the kind-hearted sea captain to come on board and see the wonders of his ship, as she very much desired to do; but she had been trusted with the care of her little friend, and allowed to go out, but was told not to stop anywhere; and so she had power of will enough to resist the temptation by running away from it as fast as she could. Many persons form habits in childhood which they allow to grow with their growth and strengthen with their years, till they have | become so deeply rooted that they are with the greatest difficulty, if ever, overcome. I mean those little personal tricks and habits we so often see in people, such as biting the nails, pulling the ear, biting the lips, sucking the thumb or finger. I once knew a young lady, who, though twenty-six years old, when she was reading, or thinking busily, or was nervous and troubled about anything, would scratch a little place behind her ear till it bled; and she declared she could not break herself of it. I also knew a little girl of eight years, named Jennie, who broke herself of sucking her finger, by the force of her will. Would you like to know about her, and how she did it? When she was a tiny little baby, her mother was weak and sick; so the nurse used to feed little Jennie with a spoon. Sometimes she was hungry before the food was prepared, and cried; then the nurse would put the little one's forefinger in the baby mouth till the milk was warmed and ready for her. In this way she was taught, while very young, to suck her finger, and continued to do so when she grew older, till she was often very much ashamed of it; and the finger became almost withered, and drawn out to quite a point. Her father and mother feared the finger would be useless to her all her life, for she would never use it for any other purpose. When tired, or at leisure, wherever she was, into her mouth the finger would go, and she could not go to sleep without it. She was a dear, good, sweet-tempered little girl, with large, bright, black eyes, plump red cheeks, and a cunning little mouth, that she puckered up very bewitchingly when she held it up to be kissed; and her face was as round as an apple, and shone with happy, innocent fun. She had fine, soft, brown hair, that usually tumbled all about her neck and face in charming confusion, though after her mother had combed and arranged her curls, Jennie would try very hard to sit still till they were dry, if they were not too long about it. Every one who saw or knew her loved her dearly, and regretted very much this unfortunate habit. When she was about eight years. old her father and mother, and other friends, began seriously to try to break her of this bad practice. They promised all manner of pretty things, and bought her many presents to induce her to leave it off; and dear Jennie was talked to, scolded, threatened, ridiculed, and coaxed in turn by every member of the family. The children at school teased her about it, laughed at and made sport of her; but, in all her trials, the finger was a comforter, and she could not give it up, though at times she did try real hard, but in vain, for a long while. Her mother used to tie up the hand in a large muffler when she went to bed; but, some way or other, in her sleep, she would pull it off, and the loved finger would find its way to her mouth. One evening, after Jennie had been in bed more than two hours, with her hand securely muffled, her mother heard a low, suppressed sobbing, and going up to the chamber, found the little girl crying as though her heart would break; but the muffler was not disturbed. To her mother's tender inquiry why she was crying, she sobbed out, “ O, mamma, I can't go to sleep, I want to suck my finger so, and I know I mustn't!" Her mother soothed her, and finally took. off the wrappers for that night, so that the poor, tired, nervous child might go to sleep. Often when the mother went to see if her darling was snugly tucked up, she would find› the naughty finger lying close to the red lips,. as if waiting permission to slip into the rosy mouth. Sometimes, when she went to sleep, Jennie would put the offending hand under her pillow, and lay her head firmly upon it, determined to keep it there. One evening her father took her upon his knee, and told her if she would break herself of sucking her finger, he would buy her a handsome dress, which she very much desired. The garden also contained a magnificent vineyard, ever fruitful; and, while some of the clusters were purpling in the mellow light, others were being pressed by the vintagers, and the rich wine flowed pure as honey. She looked very serious for a moment or two, | forth. Pear grew old after pear, apple after and then promised to try, for she wanted to apple, and fig after fig. have the dress, and please her parents and kind friends, as well as rid herself of a very mortifying habit. That night, when little red cheeks went to bed, she requested to have her finger tied up in a cloth wet with a very bitter medicine so bitter that if by chance it got into her mouth the taste would wake her up. She persevered for two or three weeks, often lying awake a greater part of the night to keep guard over herself. The final success of all this struggle and patient perseverance was achieved at last by lying with the hand under her back, and determining, before she allowed herself to go to sleep, to keep it in its position. Night after night the dear child dreamed of her privation, and woke herself up crying for the loss of the indulgence she so bravely denied herself; but, with a persistence which characterizes her still, she kept to her decision, and conquered the habit. Now and then, when questioned about it, and remarks were made of how hard it was for her, she would answer, in a firm, confident tone, and with a glad, clear look, "Yes, it is pretty hard; but I've made up my mind to do it, and I will;" and she did. The habit is entirely overcome, and there is no recurrence of it now. It is possible that some of my young friends who will read this have some troublesome habit of this kind that they would like to be free from, and the example of little Jennie, and the strength of character, and exercise of will power she has shown, may be of help to them in their efforts. TALES OF ANCIENT DAYS. ONE MAIDENS. BY CARL CARSON. Then there were flowers, of innumerable kinds and hues, and the passing zephyrs were perfumed with the odors. Fountains continually sent up their sparkling streams; and the birds, laving their wings in the cool waters, sang the more melodiously, without ceasing. It was a heaven almost, for happiness knew no sorrow, and pleasure alone filled the minds of those who dwelt there. There is a charming story connected with these gardens. When Jupiter, king of the gods (according to ancient mythology), chose Juno to be his eternal spouse and queen, all the other gods and goddesses brought gifts, fitting to themselves, and bestowed them upon the fortunate bride. Thus Juno received very many wedding gifts, and prized them highly. The present of the Goddess of Earth pleased her more than any of the rest. It consisted of a single branch, having golden apples growing on it. Juno so admired them that she begged the goddess to plant them in her gardens, to which request the latter agreed. Now, these gardens of Juno were no other than the far-famed gardens of the Hesperides. It seems that the heavenly goddess knew full well the temptations to which men are liable, and accordingly she feared for the safety of the apples; therefore she appointed as keepers of the fruit three young and beautiful maidens Ægle, Erythea, and Hespera, daughters of Hesperis and Atlas. She gave them a home in the gardens, there to abide so long as they remained faithful to their duty. But, as in the case of our mother Eve, the fruit was too tempting; and, although strictly forbidden, they often plundered the apples and ate of them. Juno, becoming aware of this, was angry, and immediately sent a large serThis mon NE of the most beautiful gardens of antiquity was that known as the gardens of the Hesperides, supposed to have been sit-pent to guard the precious fruit. uated upon the islands of the same name, off the coast of Europe. It was an earthly paradise, surrounded on all sides by an evergreen hedge. There flourished tall trees of every kind - pears, pomegranates, plums, and apples, with an abundance of figs and olives. Of these the fruits never perished, but lasted through all the seasons; and, while the warm sun ripened the fruits, the gentle west winds, entering the gardens, caused others to bud ster had a hundred heads, and was never known to sleep. For many years after the fruit remained untouched. No one dared to pluck the apples, until the hero Hercules entered upon the task. Among the twelve labors imposed upon the hero by the king Eurystheus, was one both great and difficult, namely, to bring to the king some of the golden fruit. Hercules, having found Nereus, a sea-god, inquired of him where they were to be found. "Go to | tion "knocked himself down," in auctioneer the Hesperides," said the old man, "and parlance, as the most unfortunate fellow in there, among the richest fruit, thou shalt spy the world. the apples. But beware! for maidens watch them, and a hundred-headed, sleepless serpent, deadly opposes." When quite a baby, both his parents died, leaving him under the guardianship of an old uncle, who, being a bachelor of the most retiHercules immediately set out upon the cent nature, felt greatly alarmed at the precajourney. On the way he met Prometheus,rious charge given to him. Nevertheless, fast chained to the barren rock. because of under the fostering care of Mrs. Martha, the an offence which he had offered to the gods, said old uncle's housekeeper, Harry thrived and a vulture was continually preying upon prosperously, passed through all the various his liver. Hercules shot the bird, and, out of states of babyhood and little-boyhood, and gratitude, Prometheus warned the hero not to when he had reached the mature age of ten go himself to take the apples, but to send years was sent to that "highly desirable Atlas, and, in the mean time, to support the scholastic establishment for young gentleheavens in his stead. men, Virgil House Academy." Here he made excellent progress; translated one of Aristophanes' comedies ere he could count his years in the teens; was always spoken of by his teachers as a clever boy, while his schoolmates unanimously voted him, in their own phraseology, a “real brick," and described Upon being asked, Atlas consented to the proposition, and Hercules supported the heavens upon his shoulders. In swift haste Atlas went to the gardens, and, by dint of artifice, brought back three of the apples. He showed them to Hercules, saying, “Behold the apples! Continue to support the heavens, and I my-him as in the mysterious state of being "up self will carry the fruit to the king." At the suggestion of Prometheus, Hercules feigned assent, but begged Atlas to hold them a moment, until he had made a pad to put on his head. Atlas, not aware of the deceit, threw down the apples, and resumed his old position. Hercules, like a sly dog, replied, "Continue to support the heavens, and I myself will carry the fruit to the king;" and he picked up the apples, and went his way. | to snuff." In play hours he was a dreadful boy though, always in some mischief or scrape; and I feel doubtful whether I am doing a judicious thing in introducing him to such irreproachable models of propriety as the readers of O. O.'s Mag; but then he had a few redeeming points, which will perhaps tone down his failings. Anything cowardly or false he abhorred, and often, at the risk of receiving a thrashing himself, he defended the little "fags" from the tyrannies of the older boys; and, though of small stature, he generally came off the victor. One day, however, news arrived from home which prematurely ended his school days. He was playing base ball in the "close," an adjoining piece of land, when an ominous looking telegraph was brought to Virgil House, addressed to Master Harry Thompson. As he read it he turned pale. "Come home by the first train. Your uncle is dead." An hour or two afterwards Harry was ensconced in a railway car, dashing onward to his uncle's residence at Mayville. He could barely realize his loss; it was a dream; ay, a dream, a grim dream; nothing more. He was stunned; his heart deadened; until, gazing into the fixed face of his only friend, he stood face to face with death and stern, unshrinking reality. That good old creature, Mrs. Martha, cried, and hugged Harry warmly, like the silly thing she was. "It's all through that varmint feller, Mr. Ephraims," she said. "I just told the old haven, and by the first train left for that seaport, a distance of sixty miles. gentleman, from the beginning, as he were a reg'ler bad lot, comin' here with the Colarady Siver Mining humbug! I could tell in a mo- As ninety-nine boys out of a hundred would ment he were a sarpent, though true enough have done, Harry determined on going to sea. his limbs were sartinly a credit to the parties Summing up his personal wealth in the car, as got them up. Ah, only to think how suddin' | he found it consisted of a light heart, a clear things go! There, it was only yesterday your conscience, a willing hand, and a five-dollar uncle was speaking to me, and asking me to bill carefully folded in a corner of his waistkeep the household expenses down as much coat pocket. With these Harry felt he might as possible, saying how his finnayshull affairs fight against the world, and — perhaps conwas not over prosperously succeedin'. Them quer it. But, before he had been long in finnayshull affairs is vexatious, and I seed plain town, the unmistakable truth that the difficulty enough, all along, them were ruining him in of going to sea lies in getting a ship dawned both constitootion and health. Well, this upon him. None the less was it evident a morning, as usual, I attended to getting the five-dollar bill would not last forever, even breakfast ready, and waited for your uncle to though the proverbial additional day was not come down. But, as he don't appear to be reckoned. Neither did the peculiar desiracomin', I goes up and taps at his door. No bility of the possession of a willing hand answer comes; so I taps again, and again; demonstrate itself when no employment could and at last, as it looked suspicious, I gave the be found; and the most buoyant heart was door a kick with my foot, and peeps in. I got certainly very liable to be dimmed when day such a turn as I never can forget if I live till after day was passed in the wretched little doomsday. There was the poor old gentle-building which in Fairhaven faintly apoloman lying dead, with his face uncovered. He | gized for a shipping-office, without any likelihad died from an apoplectic fit." hood of an engagement appearing. That fickle lady, Fortune, frowned on Harry; and the world frowned. A sad story of Mr. Thompson's successive failures in some commercial speculations was brought to light. It appeared that he had invested the whole of his property in mining company, which was but a bubble.. A Mr. Ephraims, the secretary, had, by a series of false representations, obtained mortgages from him on all his estates, even the house in which he lived being sacrificed to the same man, A few days after Mr. Thompson was buried this Mr. Ephraims came with a lawyer to take possession. One day he became greatly elated by being spoken to by a seedy old gentleman with a | tarnished gold band around a greasy cap. He shook Harry most heartily by the hand, affirming he saw by "the cut of his jib" that such a strapping young fellow would become a sailor, and saying he would ship him the very next day. How could Harry then deny the gentle insinuation of the appropriateness of "a glass of rum all round"? With his last dollar he defrayed the expense of the following order, given at the bar of the "Three Jolly Fishermen," by the seedy old gentle"Two glasses of rum, hot; a squeeze of lemon, and the leas'est morsel of sugar. Thank you; your health, Mr. Thompson. May we have a pleasant voyage together, and many of 'em." But they hadn't. "I am very sorry, my poor boy," he said to Harry, "but I'm afraid we shall be compelled to send you to the poorhouse; since of course you are aware the late respected Mr. Thomp-man: son, your uncle, died without making any provision for you. Ah me! a sad job, my poor boy." May be it was a spirit of misanthropy that took Harry on to the landing-stage the cold evening we find him parading, careless of wind and rain. His boarding house - terms $2.50 per week — had no attractions for him; but surely it was preferable to the outside cold. Harry's face turned alternately crimson and white as he listened to this charitable speech. He knew perfectly well that this Ephraims had so cleverly swindled his uncle that no charge of criminality could be raised. For a moment he glanced hesitatingly at an ornament that lay on a table temptingly near, half inclined to hurl it at the beau idéal of prim respectability, in unquestionable broadcloth attire, The time is six o'clock, post meridiem; who expressed such condescending sympathy. month, December. The day has been very Checking himself, however, he placed his cap stormy, and the sky is partially obscured by on his head, and without passing words, dark, heavy rain clouds, which hang forerushed impetuously out of the house. At the bodingly overhead. In the west, towards railway depot he purchased a ticket for Fair-he harbor mouth, a fiery crimson sun is |