opeless agony. Stepping back, he gave the maiden one glance of
wildest love, followed by another of bitterest despair; and sank
helpless into his chair.

[Illustration.]

The maiden leaned, pale and trembling, against a pillar; but hearing the
approach of intruders, she recovered herself with an effort.

"Farewell," she whispered. "I know! I know! There _is_ a Mrs. P.!"--and
she was gone.

Mr. P. arose and slipped out into the night, shaken by a secret
struggle. He laid upon the sand and kicked up his heels.

_There isn't any_ Mrs. P.!

Mr. P. does not wish to sweep his hand rudely o'er the tender chords of
any heart, but he wants it known that he is neither to be snapped up by
sharks in the sea, or by young women at watering places.

* * * * *

A DOG'S TALE.

Dogmatic.

I am only a dog, I admit; but do you suppose dogs have no feeling? I
guess if you were kicked out of every door-way you ran into, and driven
away from every meat stand or grocery you happened to smell around, you
would think you had feelings.

When I see some dogs riding in carriages, looking so grandly out of the
windows, or others walking along proudly by the side of their owners, I
have a feeling of dislike for the very thought of liberty!

I sometimes go with the crowd to a lecture-room, and listen to the
speeches about freedom and liberty, the hatred of bondage, and all that
sort of thing. I get my tail up, and wish I could tell them what liberty
really is. There is nothing worse in the world than this running around
loose, with no one to look after you, and no one for you to look after;
no one to notice you when you wag your tail, and to have no occasion for
so doing. You go out and you come in, and nobody cares. If you never
come back, no one troubles himself about you.

Every day I hear men reading in the papers about some lucky dogs having
strayed, or having been stolen, a large reward being offered for their
recovery: and I envy each lost dog! I wonder who would advertise for me
if I got lost! Alas! no one. They would not give me a bone to bring me
back, or to keep me from drowning myself. But every boy in the street
thinks he has a right to throw stones at me; and tie tin-kettles to my
tail; and chase me when I have had the good luck to find a bone; and to
set big dogs upon me to worry me when I am faint from hunger and haven't
much pluck; and worse than all, chase me and cry "Ki-yi," when I am