ree from foreign
entanglements during the long and bitter struggle. He, too, was
eulogized by the minister, and it rendered the occasion doubly
mournful.

Since that time two other presidents have been mercilessly slain by
the hand of an assassin, and although the shock to the country was
terrible, it never seemed as if the grief was as deep and universal
as when the bullet fired by John Wilkes Booth pierced the temple of
Abraham Lincoln.

AN ALLEGORICAL HOROSCOPE

* * * * *

IN TWO CHAPTERS.

* * * * *

CHAPTER I.--AN OPTIMISTIC FORECAST.

As the sun was gently receding in the western horizon on a beautiful
summer evening nearly a century ago, a solitary voyageur might have
been seen slowly ascending the sinuous stream that stretches from the
North Star State to the Gulf of Mexico. He was on a mission of peace
and good will to the red men of the distant forest. On nearing the
shore of what is now a great city the lonely voyageur was amazed
on discovering that the pale face of the white man had many years
preceded him. "What, ho!" he muttered to himself; "methinks I see a
paleface toying with a dusky maiden. I will have speech with him." On
approaching near where the two were engaged in some weird incantation
the voyageur overheard the dusky maiden impart a strange message to
the paleface by her side. "From the stars I see in the firmament, the
fixed stars that predominate in the configuration, I deduce the future
destiny of man. 'Tis with thee. O Robert, to live always. This elixer
which I now do administer to thee has been known to our people for
countless generations. The possession of it will enable thee to
conquer all thine enemies. Thou now beholdest, O Robert, the ground
upon which some day a great city will be erected. Thou art destined to
become the mighty chief of this great metropolis. Thy reign will be
long and uninterrupted. Thou wert born when the conjunction of the
planets did augur a life of perfect beatitude. As the years roll
away the inhabitants of the city will multiply with great rapidity.
Questions of great import regarding the welfare of the people will
often come before thee for adjustment. To be successful In thy calling
thou must never be guilty of having decided convictions on any
subject, as thy friends will sometimes be pitted against each other in
the advocacy of their various schemes. Thou must not antagonize eit