,
no brain that conceived with greater splendor the glory of the nation
than his, no American patriotism more true, brighter, broader, deeper,
more abounding than his; and all was shattered at a stroke by a
creature like a crawling serpent with a deadly sting.

All over the land the flags flew at half mast, and the woful news was
told: "The President is shot!" The man had fallen who, when Lincoln
was murdered, spoke the memorable words from the Treasury building, on
the spot where Washington was inaugurated: "The President is dead--but
God reigns and the Republic lives." There were nearly three months of
torture reserved for the second martyred President, and he bore
them with marvellous fortitude; and then, on a September night, the
throbbing of the bells from Scotland to California told, that the dark
curtain of death had fallen on the tragic drama of the Presidency of
Garfield.

THE VICTORY OF THE GRAND DUKE OF MITTENHEIM.

THE LAST ROMANCE OF THE PRINCESS OSRA.

BY ANTHONY HOPE,

Author of "The Prisoner of Zenda," "The Dolly Dialogues," etc.

King Rudolf, being in the worst of humors, had declared in the
presence of all the court that women were born to plague men and for
no other purpose whatsoever under heaven. Hearing this discourteous
speech, the Princess Osra rose, and said that, for her part, she would
go walking alone by the river outside the city gates, where she
would at least be assailed by no more reproaches. For since she was
irrevocably determined to live and die unmarried, of what use or
benefit was it to trouble her with embassies, courtings, or proposals,
either from the Grand Duke of Mittenheim or anybody else? She was
utterly weary of this matter of love--and her mood would be unchanged,
though this new suitor were as exalted as the King of France, as rich
as Croesus himself, and as handsome as the god Apollo. She did not
desire a husband, and there was an end of it. Thus she went out, while
the queen sighed, and the king fumed, and the courtiers and
ladies said to one another that these dissensions made life very
uncomfortable at Strelsau, the ladies further adding that he would
be a bold man who married Osra, although doubtless she was not
ill-looking.

To the banks of the river outside the walls then Osra went; and as she
went she seemed to be thinking of nothing at all in the world, least
of all of whom she might chance to meet there on the banks of the
river, where in those b