Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1902-09-13

L sected picture puzzle, whose queer
est concave contours have correspond
ingly queer convex contours to fit
them, making altogether perfect SYM
metrical whole?
This question has been variously an
swered by philosophers of ancient
times and theologians Of the present
day. 1t is variously answered by our
selves at different periods, according
to the mood that governs us and the
circumstances that surround us.
So much by way of preface.
/ Once there was man from Fall
| River, who thought it deep and
| damnable sin to travel on Sunday. To
avoid committing this sin, he altered
| his original plan of going up to Chicou
| tint on the Saturday boat. and went
up on Thursday instead, so as to come
down the Saguenay on Friday, trans
act some necessary business at Quebec
OH Saturday, and spend the Sabbath,
as he called 1t, at the hotel, where he
passed restful, happy day in finding
fault with his food, sending his steak
! back to be a little more cooked so
many times that the little kitchen maid
from Beaufort lost her opportunity to
go to 3 o'clock vespers, to the discom
fort of her conscience and the disap-
pointment of her second cousin, who
had come all the way from st. Anne to
escort her.
In Kankakee there lived n boy who
was passionately fond Of two things
mechanics and going to sea. The last
was purely theoretical taste. He had
never seen the sea, and only once ION
occasion Of Sunday-school excursion
to Rock Island) had he seen a vessel of
any kind.
Our boy got chance in a machine
shop at Marquette. earned money, and
what Is better, saved it. The white
winged vessels that skinned over the
waters of Lake Superior revived his
dormant passion for adventure, and
when his vacation came he took a trip
through the lakes and down the st.
Lawrence. He called 1t going TO sea.
But what can you expect from West.
ern boy?
At Quebec lie met the Fall River man
In the office of the hotel. 1t was
Wednesday, and to a group of men he
was describing the voyage up the Sag
uenay that he meant to make the next
day. in manner as glowingly realistic
| ho I'M 10 hn hot
When he paused for breath the group
had melted away, the boy alone re-
manned, his cOntemplative gray eyes
fixed upon the narrator.
"What is the matter with my going,
too?" he said in his artless, boyish
fashion.
The Fall River man would be
charmed. And so the next day, "good
and early" as the boy said, they set
out together for Chicoutimi, the boy
asking countless questions, the man
framing elaborate answers. And each
was happy because he was doing the
thing he liked best to do.
For six years n quiet little Yankee
woman Of Eastport Me-, had been en-
gagged to an officer in her Majesty's
Navy whom she had met at ball al
Halifax. At the time of this story
Lieutenant CrOwninsheld was on leave
Of absence, visiting an aunt in Chica
go; his little fiancee was spending the
summer with an aunt at Caconna or
the lower st. Lawrence. A slight mis-
| cfp,,
them. The Lieutenant was piquet
when they parted.
y they had seen each other the next
day, kind word, tender glance
would have ended the trouble Mt once
But letters are poor things; instead
Of bringing these lovers together, they
seemed to widen the breach, and aftel
time Crowninshield realized tina
heroic measures must be adopted or III
would lose his little love altogether.
Accordingly he smoked pipe o.
cogitatiOn, and then penned the follow
ing:
dearest Mary.-Why risk our happi
ness for trife? Let us drop the mat
ter. And to prevent its coming III
again, let us be married at once, SD.
next week at Caconna. If you write
you will find fifty reasons for delay
So just telegraph one word. "Come,
IL you want me. If I do not hear from
you by Saturday, shall leave for Van
couver, where I shall apply to be ex
changed into the North Pacific Squad
ron. DevOtedly. JACK.
address, Hotel Corvette, Chicago"
"There," said he, folding the lette
and knocking the ashes out Of his pipe
II think that will produce the desire
effect"
Il 1t did.
Women like masterful man.
This letter was put into Mary's han
on the landing at Caconna. just as sh
was setting out with friend for
trip up the Saguenay. She read 1t O
the deck Of the steamer.
Dear old jack" said she, musingly
che is quite right. We have both bee
very silly. will telegraph from Oh
coutimi." And she pressed the letter t
her lips again and again. This wanto
waste Of tenderness was put to an en-
by the letter itself slipping from he
hand and falling into the water.
"Never mindv' said she, resignedly
at is written herev at the same tim
putting her hand over the spot wher
the chief organ Of circulation is Il
Gated.
The sun was sinking in the west n
, the boat swung out from the long pie
at Riviere du Loup. All the glorifie
tints Of fanciful nature were taken O
, a matter Of course by the little woma
, leaning over the rail. Why shouldn
nature put on holiday attire? Wash
, that ugly quarrel at an end and WASH
, Jack coming on next week to make ht