been led in a proper manner, and have not fought as they were accustomed to fight, so the contest has been unequal in every respect. With more discipline, more firmness, and good generals, the French could have accomplished much towards beating back their foes. But the great leader did not come forward, and the result is before us. But let us turn to Stettin. The engraving on page 318 is a correct view of this handsome and strongly fortified town, so noted for its commerce, the capital of the province of Pomerania. It is the principal port of importation in Prussia, with a population of between thirty and forty thousand inhabitants. It is admirably situated. The Oder, which flows through the centre of the Prussian dominions, is navigable as far as Ratisbon, near the extreme southern boundary of Prussian Silesia; and is united by means of canals, with the Vistula, the Elbe, the Spree, etc. Stettin is, consequently, the principal emporium of some very extensive and flourishing countries; and not only the port of Frankfort-on-the-Oder, Breslau, etc., but also of Berlin. From the latter to Stettin there is a railway. Stettin is a free port; that is, a port into and from which goods may be imported and reexported free of duty. If goods brought through the Sound be imported into Stettin, and entered for home consumption in the Prussian States, they are charged with two and a half per cent less duty than if they had been imported through any other channel. The town is one of the strongest fortresses in Prussia. It stands on an eminence on the left bank of the Oder, about thirty-six miles from its mouth. The citadel and forts are remarkable for the solidity of their construction; there are five large gates, eight postern, several government offices, a palace, formerly the residence of the Pomeranian dukes, a fine library, barracks, hospital, theatre and several institutions. The manufactures are woollens, linen, cotton, leather, hats, sailcloth, etc. Boats and ships are built here, and the anchors for all the ships of the Prussian States are manufactured here. The trade is very considerable, it being the chief port for the manufactures and produce of Silesia, and for the importation of all kinds of foreign goods. The principal exports are corn, especially wheat, spirits, rape-seed, spelter, timber, etc. What Prussia now wants is Hamburg, so that she can command seaports and extend her commerce; and Hamburg she is bound to have at no distant day. CIRCASSIANS MANUFACTURING ARMOR. But little is known of Circassia in this country. It has always been noted as a region where beautiful girls were reared and educated for the slave markets of Constantinople and Egypt; and even the conquest of the country by Russia, after years of savage warfare, has not entirely stopped the trade. A chief will not allow his daughter to wed a member of his tribe, yet the same official will not hesitate to sell the girl to traders, who buy for the Turkish market. It is said the females like the idea of being disposed of to rich pachas. We have our doubts on that point. Arts, manufactures and commerce are at the lowest ebb among the Circassians. The doctors are simply conjurers or saints, who profess to cure diseases by charms and the roughest applications of actual cautery. Their success may be surmised from the fact that, notwithstanding the length and inveteracy of the war with the Russians, very few instances of maimed Circassian warriors are to be met with-to be wounded among these people is generally to die. Of artificers and skilled mechanics, there are only cutlers, armorers and goldsmiths; who, however, exhibit great ingenuity in the construction and decoration of the warriors' arms. A view of the interior of one of their armor-manufactories is given on the next page. The art of preparing gunpowder has been known for ages in the Caucasus, and the abundance of saltpetre renders the inhabitants independent of other countries for this important element of warfare; their mode of manufacture is, however, very primitive. The women are the great manufacturers of clothes, which may be said to be the only manufacture which these people possess. They formerly traded with Persia and Turkey for their chain and other armor, and with Tartar tribes northward for salt; the equivalents on their part being their children and cattle. The Russians have annihilated both trades; and this is said to be one great cause of the hatred entertained against them by the Circassians. L A LEAP IN THE DARK. CHAPTER XV. BY FRANCES M. SCHOOLCRAFT. PART FOURTH. EONORE went out to Bohmerwald to see the cottage spoken of by Louis. Mrs. Moore went with her, and the agent met them there. He was an exceedingly pert and dapper little man, who looked as if he had mistaken his vocation in not being a dancing-master. When they came in sight he was actually dancing a mild double shuffle on the veranda, and he greeted them with an efflorescence of becks, and nods, and wreathed smiles, and proceeded to show them the house. With great agility he skipped up the stairs, opened the doors, and descanted on the neatness and elegance of the place in very voluble phrases. The cottage was pretty, although quite small, and not in the very best of repair; but Leonore was not inclined to be critical. Mrs. Moore, however, was very severe in pointing out all the shortcomings of the place, to which the agent only hemmed and hawed, and went on. All at once he paused, and a frown darkened his brow as he looked into a room. Mrs. Moore pounced upon him. "Very likely, or maybe only somebody did it to make folks wonder and ask questions. This room will have to be papered, Mr. Kitts." Mr. Kitts took it upon his head that it should be, and declaimed eloquently against the unknown intruder who had made such an expense necessary. Leonore determined that they would take the house, which, although nearly the last in the street, yet had human neighborhood on all sides, while at the same time it was rendered sufficiently private by the extent of the ground around it. The partial furniture and the low rent were also advantages to be considered, as Mrs. Moore argued, and Leonore readily admitted. On her return she gave such an account to her mother as made Mrs. Hamilton childishly impatient to be gone. Leonore placed no obstacle in the way, and Mrs. Moore exerted herself and wrought miracles. Virginia had left the house; she had gone on a visit, Mrs. Moore said. The newspapers regretted the illness of the lovely and bewitching Jinny Moore, and Jinny "There has some one been living here," Moore herself, her eyes red with crying, sat she said. "I see there has, ma'am; I see there has," said he, looking at the straw scattered in a corner, as if an animal had couched there, and the scribbled walls. Leonore glanced at the wall nearest her. It was covered with short sentences written in a large bold hand, with charcoal and pencil. They were arranged under each other, and consisted of such disjointed phrases as these: "It will come. The curse is coming. It is growing out of his grave. For times, and time, and half a time. There is blood on his head, there is blood on his head. To and fro on the earth. No rest, no rest, no rest. It is eating my heart away." Leonore shuddered as she read, and she said to Mrs. Moore: "Some poor maniac must have written these." Mrs. Moore glanced at them carelessly. alone by herself. The list of passengers in the steamer for Havre had the names of "F. Creighton, and Mrs. F. Creighton." The poor little star was quenched in tears, but she did not denounce Frank. He might be even a greater villain than he seemed, she thought, but she would not be the one to call him so. So they went upon their bridal tour undisturbed. The day before Leonore intended to leave Mrs. Moore, there was a great excitement in the neighborhood. The house adjoining Mrs. Moore's had been robbed. This house belonged to Mr. John Creighton, and was occupied by him. He was absent at the time of the robbery, and it was not discovered until his return. The lower part of the house had not been molested. The upper part was separated by a door which Mr. [Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1870, by THOMES & TALBOT, Bo ton, Mass, in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, Washington.] Creighton always locked when he went away, and which he found locked on his return. The rooms had been thoroughly examined, and many articles of value left while many were taken. Joe Hackett, the steward or janitor of the house, had been arrested for being concerned in the robbery, it appearing impossible that the thieves could have entered without his knowledge, and a reward had been offered for the apprehension of any accomplice, or the recovery of the stolen property. Mrs. Moore was reading this in the paper, and making her mental comment on it, when the bell rang, and Mr. John Creighton himself was ushered into her sanctum. She arose and curtsied with her usual grave decorum of manner, and her equally habitual sharp and stealthy glance of observation. Mr. Creighton was very urbane and condescending. Mrs. Moore was almost one of the Creighton-Spencer family, she had lived in it so long before she retired to this place. Had Mrs. Moore heard of his misfortune? She had. Mrs. Moore must say she was not much surprised, knowing what she did of old Joe. No, she corrected Mr. Creighton, she did not mean to say that she thought Joe knew of the robbery. He might or might not; that was not what she meant; she meant that the house might be robbed and he never know it. She had seen him in that state, and the hall-door left unlocked. Mr. Creighton frowned, and wanted to know why he wasn't told of this before. "It wasn't for me to tell," said Mrs. Moore, indifferent to his displeasure. "I told you once, Mr. John, what I thought of one of your people, and what were your words, sir? Were they not that you hired your servants to please yourself and not to please me? or to that effect? It wasn't likely I was going to put myself in the way of being told again I was not minding my own business, Mr. John. Not being in the enjoyment of your confidence, I couldn't know but what it was your orders that Joe should get affected by liquor and lay asleep with the house wide open." Mr. John Creighton affected to laugh, but evidently was in no laughing mood. "Did you hear no noise in here, Mrs. Moore ?" "Law, no! and if I had I should never have thought twice about it, for I have often heard noises there o' nights; and you know once I spoke of it, and you said it was a retork blowing up in your laborrowtary; and if I had heard ever such a noise I should thought the retorks had caught fire again." John Creighton laughed again, and relapsed into silence. Mrs. Moore took up the conversation. "So Mr. Francis and Miss Alicia did make a match ?" "Yes," said Mr. Creighton. "How long had he been home?" "Only a day or two. He came home only to get married, and has gone again." "I never thought that would ever come off," said Mrs. Moore. "However, money is a great temptation, no doubt." Certainly; and a temptation no one ever prays not to be led into." "I don't think you know much about praying, Mr. John," said Mrs. Moore, biting off a thread. "I always thought Mr. Frank cared less for money than most men; but then he was only a boy, and Heaven only knows what wickedness he may have learned in Parry. Pray, Mr. Creighton, do you know what he had to do with a couple of ladies named Hamilton ?" "Hamilton? Hamilton ?" repeated Mr. Creighton. "You do not mean General Hamilton's family ?" "No, I don't;" and Mrs. Moore told what she did mean. "O yes, I think I know," said Mr. Creighton. "He knew a young man named Hamilton in France, who asked him to find some relations of his in New York, and deliver some letters, etc., etc. Are they lodging here?" "At present they are," said Mrs. Moore. Mr. Creighton wondered if they would see him. Mrs. Moore explained that the elder lady was quite an invalid and seldom saw anybody, and that Miss Hamilton was very retiring. "But she saw Frank? Then I think she will see me. Will you be good enough, Mrs. Moore, to go to the young lady and give her my compliments, and say I have some additional news about her relative, Mr. Hamilton ?" Mrs. Moore went and returned. "She will see you, sir," she said, stiffly; "but I'm sure her relative, Mr. Hamilton, can't be good for much, for she looked more scared than pleased to hear his name." "An effect relatives often produce. on each other, Mrs. Moore, as you need not be told." Mrs. Moore showed him to the parlor where Leonore sat, and returned to her own |