Assyrian History.

Nineveh a supplication of a hundred days and nights to the gods was ordered bv the king . There the fragrament stops , but it was clearly the beginning of the end . The Babylonians and Bledes closed round Ninevehand on the breaking down of the

, wall by an extraordinary inundation of the Tigris , the spoilers entered , and the last king of Assyria fired his palace and burned himself in his lair .

The Duvenger Curse.

THE DUVENGER CURSE .

BLLA J . CLYDE . SUCH a sleepy little town ; not a vehicle in the streets , but our own ; the very trees seemed slumbering , so still were their

branches , and at all the windows were curious faces watching us . " All this must seem very strange to you , " said Josie . " But it is a pleasant strange , " rejoined Isabel .

" Do you think so 1 " asked Josie ; " I was afraid it would be stupid for you ; though of course , as I have been used to it all my life , I like it . It is an old French town , you know , so it is different from anything else in the United States . John

says he feels as though he had crossed water when he comes here . " " So you are married after all , " said I . " I can ' t realize it ; you are just the same

as when you belonged to our quartette at school . " " Why shouldn ' t I be the same ? " she asked . " I don ' t intend to be banished from the quartette because I play a duet now . " " Just like youJosie" said Nip . "Tell

, , us about your marriage ; wasn't it romantic 1 " " Oh , there isn't much to tell , " answered Josie . " John had heard , as all visitors here do , of the strange legend about our house . Not many people come to this

place , but those who do always want to see the house and Blarie Duveuger ' s room ; and so John came , and then he prolonged his visit and came again ; and the result is I am married satisfactoril y to myself and my parents , which is somewhat rare 1 find . "

" Josie Fairfax is not half as pretty a name as Josie Duvenger , " said Nip . " What ' s in a name ? " exclaimed Josie . " John is splendid , and so is his brother James . He is here with us , and I intend one of you shall learn to like the name of Fairfax as well as I do . "

" What a match-maker ! " said I ; but I repented my words the moment after , for a shadow crossed her face . " Louis and his wife are comiug in a day or two , " she said , looking at Nip . Nip turned upon her a pair of wide

open blue eyes . " You don't care now , " said Josie ,. " that ' s all over . " " Of course it is , " laughed Nip . "Don ' t blame yourself any more , our hearts were only slightly affected . —they are healed by

this time . " " There is another gentleman coining , " Josie went on , " BIr . Maurice Hathaway . " Isabel's cheeks grew red . Nip looked at her saucily , and I exclaimed , " Good !" " Why ? " asked Josie , surprised .

" Oh , because Isabel knows him , " said Nip , " and we want the same privilege . Is this the house ? " " Yes , here we are ! " answered Josie . And we looked with wonder at the queer , massive building , as we passed up the drive . The doors were thrown open , and in the hall stood Blons . and BIme .

Duvenger ; also their widowed daughter , BIme . LeFevre , and Josie ' s husband , John Fairfax . The introductions over , we were shown to our apartments , three rooms opening into one another , and Josie left us with tho words :

" Now , girls , lie down and rest j'ourselves before you do anything- else ; there will be time enough afterwards for one of our long school girl talks . " Bfy room was the middle one . The furniture was heavy and richly carved ;

on the wall hung paintings , and the great canopied bedstead had real thread lace curtains , yellow with time . I threw myself on the bed and looked around when

Nip came in . " Do let me look at your room ; it is just as queer as mine—only mine is more gorgeous ; my walls are pink and blue panels , and yours , buff and black ; everything is faded and old and elegant . " Here Isabel came in , brushing her long back hair .