Newspaper Page Text
(Rood horses are cheaper iu some
parts of the West now than dogs in the
East.
Professor McCook of Trinity Col¬
lege, has been closely studying Amer
ean tramps, and finds them enviably
able-bodied.
The French population returns for
1893 show an excess of births over
deaths of 7,140, whereas in the three
previous years the deaths exceeded
the births by 38,446, 10,505 and 20,
041 respectively.
The Japan Diet lias authorized a
loan of $15,000,000 to Korea. A little
government that can carry on a big
war and , loan , money at the , same time
isn’t exactly au object of pity, thinks
'
the St, Louis Star-Sayings.
George T. Angell of the American
Humane Society of Boston is agitat¬
ing in favor of a system of govern¬
ment inspection of persons supposed
to be dead in order that the fact may
be definitely established before the
funeral.
Business methods prevail in South
Africa. Instead of each man’s raiding
for himself, the plunder taken from
Jjo Bengula’s Matabeles was turned
over to a committee, which now an¬
nounces in the Bulawayo papers that
it has finished its work and has dis¬
tributed $210 among the victors.
The New England Homestead says:
—The decrease in human consumption
has been very marked during the past
ten or twenty years. The doctors at¬
tribute this to better modes of life.
Now the vets have the nerve to say
that this gratifying decrease would
have been far larger but for bovine
consumption—a position that utterly
begs the question! Less killing, less
injecting, less yawp from vets, less
officiousness from the whole gang of
inspectors, less expense for fancy
salaries, loss lying by the daily papers
—more common-sense, more educa¬
tion of farmers upon the dangers of
ill-ventilated stables and want of exer¬
cise by cows, more prevention, more
sanitation: these are the needs of the
dairy.
The New York Mail and Express
notes that “the college man in busi¬
ness has at last found a defender and
an eloquent and able one, too.
At the dinner of the Williams
Alumni recently our honored towns¬
man, J. Edward Simmons, spoke
for him and declared his belief that
the time has come when the training
-of a college to a young man is a potent
factor in the forming of his business
character. He presented as proof 'of
the advantages of a university educa¬
tion tlio success of such men as Chaun
cey M. .Depew, Edward King, Bray
ton Ives, John Crosby Arown, John
Clailiu, Frederick Tappen and Robert
M. Gallaway, and he declared that the
supremacy of this country as a pro¬
ducer is largely due to the brains and
energy of the college man in business.
There is no doubt that the drift of
sentiment is strongly iu favor of Mr.
Simmons’ contention. Not only is a
young man in business benefitted by
the knowledge obtained at a universi¬
ty, but lie also finds a decided advan¬
tage in the discipline and social fea¬
tures of a college career.”
Hypnotism is rather a dangerous
iking to play with. At, a young peo¬
ple’s party at Rockford, Ill., the other
evening the conversation turned on
the subject, and one of the young
men said that he could hypnotize any¬
body in the room. A young woman
offered herself as a subject. In a
minute he had her unconscious, but
when he attempted to restore her he
found he was powerless to do so. The
guests became alarmed, shook her,
threw could water in her face and
shouted frantically, “Right, right,”
but she would not come “right”
FiuailV another amateur hypnotist
happened in and brought her out of
her trance. Another lady a night or
two ago, at a dance given by the
Rockford Ritles, was thrown into a
mesmeric condition. She was seized
with giddiness and created quite a
scene before she could be brought
out. South side young men have a
hypnotist club, but their practices
have become so dangerous that the
council will probably be called on to
pass au ordinance imposing a heavy
fine for exerting this power.
■■ A Will Laois
OK, THE
|
j
BY LEON LEWIS.
CHAPTER V.
VERT 3TRANGELV REFRIENDED.
How the shadow lifted from Elfie’s
face at her encounter with her uncle’s
ex-cashier!
i “On, Mr. Wynans!” she cried, after a
j single instant of wild incredulity. “How
S ! ad I am to see you! Where did you
SweV"^, Ir om yo„r
uncle’s store,” replied Perry, shaking
hands warmly. “Accept my arm, pleaso,
and we’ll take a little walk. I’ve some¬
thing to say to you.”
Elfie complied without hesitation, as
without question, her sweet, glowing
face attesting her joy at meeting him,
and they sauntered away together.
How sudden it seemed to her, his re¬
appearance in her life, and at such a
moment! And how suddenly, too, with
his arrival, had the whole aspect of the
world itself changed for her!
“Why, I didn’t see yon in the store!”
she murmured, archly, radiant with her
new gladness, which she did not seek to
conceal.
“I none the less saw you there, ” re¬
sponded Perry. “My desk was close be¬
side your uncle’s office, so that I saw
you when you came in and when you
went out. ”
“Did you heard all uncle said to me?”
“Not all—no, but enough to give me a
just idea of what he was saying and do¬
ing. ”
“Then you heard him tell mo-”
“Yes, tlio .heartless monster! Need I
say how deeply I was grieved and
shocked by his conduct?”
Elfie locked up with tho gratitude
these declarations were so well calculat¬
ed to awaken, as also with the keen re¬
lief the new situation of affairs had given
her.
“You are very kind, Mr. Wynans,”
were the simple words which escaped
her, but with what tender joyousness
were they uttered!
“You can never know how impatiently
I have waited to see you again, ” con¬
tinued Perry. “Since I first went to
Ingleheim, almost three years ago, to
talk with your father about his lands on
the Musselshell, I have had the extreme
happiness of being acquainted with you,
but our meetings have been alike too
few and too brief, you were away so
much—at school, at- your bookseller’s,
and o'sewhere.”
How snyly and sweetly Elfio looked up
again into his face.
“I am glad you comprehend why I
have not seen more of you,” she said
with delightful frankness, “I can
never tell you how much I have prized
your acquaintance. ”
“Many thanks for the assurance, Elfie.
I became quite intimate with your
parents very soon after my first visit to
Ingleheim, and I cannot err in saying
that they valued and esteemed mo as
highly as I did them.”
“How often they have said as much,”
exclaimed Elfie. “I shall never forget
how warmly mamma spoke of you the
day before she died, and how grateful
she was for your last visit. For myself,
how can I ever forget what a consola¬
tion it was to me to see you at the
furneral? Your kindness and sympathy
on that occasion went to my heart.”
“lam glad of that, Elfie,” returned
Perry, “for it was from my heart that
they came. As to what has since taken
place, our mutual friend, Mr. Bush, the
house agent, has kept me posted. He
wrote me yesterday that you would call
upon your uncle to day, or I should
have come to Ingleheim to see you. ”
Elfie bowed gratefully, her eyes shin¬
ing like stars through a mist of tears.
“1 hope you realize, Elfie, how often I
have been in Ingleheim and how much I
have strolled around its hills and val¬
leys with your father, and especially
how much I admired and loved him. As
an outcome of that friendship, I have
now some very important and surprising
facts to communicate to you. If you
will step into Jackson’s, a popular
restaurant for ladies and gentlemen in
the next block, we'll call for a few re¬
freshments and I'll tell you a number of
things I want you to know.”
“Certainly,” returned Elfie.
Little more was said until they had
seated themselves in the restaurant in
question and given their orders, and
then Perry resumed:
“About ten years ago your Uncle
Hiram visited your parents at Ingle¬
heim. and it was on that occasion that
your father and uncle sent ten thousand
dollars to Montana, to your uncle Jerry,
in consequence of the latter’s represen¬
tations, to invest in wild lands on the
Musselshell River. ”
“I remember the transaction.” re¬
turned Elfie. “I also remember that
Uncle Jerry’s investment turned out a
very poor one. ”
“So he reported, Elfie,” pursued Wy¬
nans, “but 1 at length became suspicious
that he was not acting in good faith.
This suspicion eventually became so
strong that 1 availed myself of a sum¬
mer vacation to pay a secret visit to the
Musselshell about three years ago, and
with the most astonishing results. Not
to k ep you in suspense, 1 hasten to say
that ‘Unde Jerry’ ha 1 been lying from
the very date of the purchase. The
lands were well worth all they cost, if
only as a range for cattle. But gold had
been found on them in paying quanti¬
ties, and certain old prospectors prophe¬
sied great discoveries. I came back with
the idea that the property was far more
valuable than ‘Uncle Jerry’ pretended,
and I lest no time in buying it ”
“Did father know, when he sold you
his half-inter st, all you had learned
by your secret visit to Montana?” asked
Elfie.
_ “He did,” replied Perry. “He was my
friend, and I was obliged to tell him.
He coranrehended perfectly what he was
selling. Realizing that he was stricken
with death, and that your uncles would
not hesitate to rob you. El tie, and know¬
ing that it takes a strong hand to hold
its own in the wilds of Montana, he
deeded me the lands, with the under¬
standing that I would hold them as a
sacred trust for you, and that you should
share with me any good which might
come of them. ”
“Hut you didn’t tell Uncle Hiram--"
“Certainly not,” answered Perry. “I
was under no obligations to do so. He
a-iked me nn Questions, and I dion t even
tell him I had been to Montana. He
deemed himself smart, and thought
he was unloading upon me a property
which was practically worthless. I was
not his friend, nor in his confidence, nor
in any way his debtor. ”
“I see,” breathed Elfie. “So we are
now the joint owners of that entire
Musselshell property?”
“Yes, Elfie, as you will see by a letter
your mother wrote you a month ago,”
declared Wynans, drawing a handful of
valuable papers from his pocket and
proceeding to detach from them the
missive in question. “Read this.”
Starting in glad surprise, as she recog¬
nized her mother’s handwriting, Elfie
pressed the letter repeatedly to her lips,
and then broke the seal and read as fol¬
lows:
Mr Darling Daughter —Mr. Wynans
says your uncles will not do anything for
you after I am gone, but it is only right
that you should apply to them, especially
to your uncle Hiram. Your father furnish¬
ed him with the capital which gave him hia
first start as a merchant. Should he prove
a broken reed to lean upon, such will not
he tho case with Perry Wynans. We have
not known this dear friend long, but we
have known him intimately. He is honest,
kindly, and generous—all things good and
noble, llow much it comforts me to know
that I leave you such a friend and protect¬
or, is only known to that God in whose
bosom I shall soon be at rest from my trials.
Trust this man, darling, as you would trust
me. The Musselshell lands it seems are be¬
coming very valuable, and Perry—I call
him so because he seems like a son to me—
will give you half they produce. Consult
with him whenever you need advice, and
remember that my last blessing will always
rest upon you both. Heaven be with you
both now and ever. Mother.
Elfie bad not read this epistle without
many a pause, as also with emotions
which found repeated expression in tears.
It seemed to her almost like a message
from another world.
“This letter confirms all you have told
me, Mr. Wynans,” she said at length,
handing it to him and inviting him by a
gesture to read it. “You will see how
much mamma thought of you. ”
Perry read the letter in silence, tears
gathering in his eyes.
“She was only too appreciative of the
little I have done, or could do,” he said,
handing the letter back to Elfie, who
again pressed it to her lips and secured
it tenderly in her bosom. “At the mo¬
ment it was written I was not as fully
enlightened about the Musselshell prop¬
erty as I am now, but enough had be¬
come known to render it certain that we
were'on the road to fortune.”
Elfie looked so pleased at this assur¬
ance that he hastened to add:
“The reports I have received during
the past week from the Musselshell read
like a fairy talo. I hardly dare give you
their substance, and so will let you look
them over for yourself in the conrso of
the evening or to-morrow. It is enough
to say that wo have on our land two of
richest gold mines which have ever
been found in America.”
With what intensity the girl’s glances
came back to his face!
“How nice!” she murmured, with the
sweet simplicity of her years. “And how
like a fairy tale, as you say! I suppose
will not remain in Uncle Hiram's
service a moment longer?”
“No, Elfie. In fact, I am not going
to the store. 1 left a brief note on
desk to that effect. I remained un- j
to-day merely on your account. My i
was that your undo would refuse to I
anything for you, and I deemed it my j
at to the resume my acquaintance where uncle’s with j
very point your ;
ended. ” ,
“How good of you! Oh, if I hadn’t j
met you at that sad, gloomy moment! |
was quite in despair. And now that j
have quit uncle’s service and be has j
me off?” j
“We’ll go to Montana together, if you
well of the suggestion,” declared
“No father was ever kinder to a
than I will be to you, should
desire to bear me company to these
mines.”
Effie sighed with a gladness that was
intense for utterance.
“Oh, it has been the dream of my life
go out to the mountains and valleys
the great West!”
“I foresaw how you would welcome
proposition, ” said Perry, “and so I
engaged a life-long friend of your
mother and yourself to go out there with
ss—in fact, your dear old nurse, Mrs.
Rankle.”
“Really? How delightful! Where is
she?”
“She’s at hotel waiting _ _ for us.”
my
“How thoughtful you are. I don't;
know what mamma and I would have
done without dear Mrs. Rankle.”
“You will go with me to Montana,
then?”
“As if I could refuse!” exclaimed
Elfie.
“I think wo shall be able to start this
very afternoon,” announced Wynans. <
“The truth is, your Uncle Jerry is still j
in in possession possession of of our our lands lands and and mines, mines, and and j i
is robbing us of a fortune daily, so that
I am resolved to put in an appearance :
there at the earliest moment possib.o ”
“And . . shall , „ wo say anything . . to TT Lncle ,
Hiram about our intentions?”
“Certainly not, Elfie. What is ‘Uncle
XT Hiram . , to you? _ But he 11 not be far _ _ be- > j
hind us, I think. He is in danger of
failing and losing everything lie has in i
the world, and his intention is to start
for Montana this very day. He lias
realized all the cash be couid by all sorts j
of shifts and expedients many of them
grossly dishonest—aud is going to run
away, taking his son aud daughter with
him ”
we ma 7 see ad in Mon
tana?” I
“It’s only too probable. But when
you do he will be the ‘beggar’ and you
will be rolling in your millions. ”
How Elfie’s heart fluttered at the
thought! What a trifB prophetess she
had been in warning Hiram Skidder of
such a change in their respective situa¬
tions! thank
“And for all this I have to you,
Mr. Wynans,” she murmured, her eyes
misty with her exquisite joy; “you who,
until to-day, have been so rarely an
hour in my presence! You have toiled
and thought for me while t slept! Sureiy
it is the hand of God which has brought
us together, and is leading me out of my
desolat on to a path wherein I shall find
radiance and sunshine forever!”
With a smilo as gentle as his speech
and mien had been, Perry arose with
her, offering her his arm again, and they
went forth to their destiny together.
CHAPTER VX.
A SINGULAR ENCOUNTER.
The silence to whic l we left Elfie and
Wynans was broken by the latter with
the inquiry: in Ingle
“How have you left things
heim? Are you expected there to night?”
“Oh, no,” replied E fie. “I have left
the place definitely, storing my furni¬
ture with Mr. Rush, who will keep it
safe until further orders. ”
she reflect d a few moments ear¬
nestly, and then added:
“I was so sure Uncle Hiram would asK
me to remain a few days at least with
cousin Hilda that I brought with me a
trunk, in which I have placed all my
personal effects ”
“Where is that trunk now?”
“At the Kansas City, Harrison street, ”
“That is just as it should be,” com¬
mented Perry. “We shall start from
th re on our journey, and need only ex¬
change one check ior another.”
They walked on a little while in si
len e. and then Perry asked:
“D > you wish to go anywhere? Would
you like to make a call or go shopping?”
The all girl sighed deeply.
“In this great city,” she replied, “I
haven’t a single friend, Mr. Wynans,
save yourself, and ccnsequently no calls
to make, nowhere to go.”
“Then we will go direct to the quiet
little hotel on Madison street, where I
have long had my quarters,” proposed
Wynans. “We shall have barely time to
get our supper and lay in a few supplies
before it will be time to drive to the sta
tion. ”
They proceeded to the hotel in ques¬
tion.
“I will show you to the ladies’ parlor,”
remarked Wynans, as tho couple reached
the entrance of the hotel. “If we should
encounter Mrs. Long, the landlady, I
will mention that you are waiting for a
train, and will only be here to supper.”
The room was tenantless at the mo-,
ment they reacneo it, ana tney sat down
near an open window looking out upon
the street.
“Here are three thousand dollars,
Elfie,” remarked Wynans, producing a
wad of bills, “which I would like you to
conceal under your corset or in some
other safe place on your person. I have
retained in my own hands something
more than a thousand, which will doubt¬
less be ample, to take us to our destina¬
tion. Here, also, is a will I made eleven
months ago in your favor, giving you all
the real and personal property of which
I may be possessed at the moment of my
death. Take good care of this also. ”
Elfie concealed the will and the money
in her bosom with an air which attested
how deeply she was touched by these
evidences of her companion’s kindness
and confidence.
“Of course we are not going to a track¬
less wilderness,” continued Wynans,
smiling. “We can get almost everything
we need in the principal towns of Mon¬
tana The only drawback is that prices
are exceptionally high in the more inac
cessib e quarters. For these and other
reasons I have tilled two large trunks
with all sorts of supplies for the house¬
hold, including whole pieces of sheeting,
muslin, dress goods, cloakings, flannels
and linen. I selected them with especial
reference to you, Elfie, and have no
doubt you will be pleased with them.”
Elfie could not help thinking, as she
expressed her thanks, what a wonderful
man Perry was, and the tender, admir
i n g look in her eyes deepened,
“There is one very important point I
would like to impress upon you,” con Un¬
aed Wynans. “We are going to a neigh
borhood whore our lives, for a time at
least, would not be worth a pinch of
salt if our identity should by any means
be discovered. Your ‘other uncle,’ Jerry
Skidder, is in fu.l possession of my
mines, and has given out that they are
entirely his own—a position ho has been
able to take through the fact that I
have not yet placed my deeds on record
at Lewistown, the capital of Fergus
County. Until I have secured some sort
of footing in Montana, we must be very
wary. From all I hear of your uncle
and the crew around him, they’d snuff
us out at the first intimation of our pres
ence as quickly as one can extinguish a
candle.”
Elfie assented gravely. She compre¬
hended only too well the perilous nature
of the expedition in which she was about
to embark,
“It is essential, therefore,” proceeded
Wynans, “for us to keep our identities
carefully concealed. You had better ad
dress me as ‘brother’, when you have
occasion to call my attentionbefove ama
one, and I will address you as ‘my dear'
and‘sistor. ’ We had bettor give out—
any occasion arising—that we are going
to Lewistown, and we’ll call ourselves
‘Doctor Dolliger and sister.’ We ... can ____
add that we are going to Montana to set
tie on a ranen we have purchased.”
Receiving Eltie’s approval, he excused
himself for a moment, proceeding to the
office,
When he came back, she hastened to
meet him, seeing that he had a tele
uraiu.
“It’s from Mrs. Rankle,” he said.
« S he cannot be hero till four o'clock,
probably she missed the train, or is
otherwise detained ”
“The interval is not a long one,” re
marked Elfie, returning the telegram,
-Don't let me detain you, Mr. Wynans,
jf yon have anything to do, or any fare
we u calls to make, 1 can amuse myself
j n your absence ”
“I packed up definitely this morning, ”
] ie replied, “and am all ready for de
parture, now that yon have joined me.
Didn’t your mother tell you, not long
before she died, that you were to see me,
j n case vour visit to your uncle should
no t be satisfactory?"
“I was to see you lfi any case »7"
dared El fie. “Mamma often said th
was not to lose sight of n ati
knew would befriend you, ;ig U®
you me, the ' 0f Cca
sion arising.” '
A step resounded on the affiaop
staircase at this moment, and nt
of singular a v 0 ,
woman striding into the parlor, appearance ca ho!
wi.li her wJ 1
tossed aloft inquiringly. She U not
without beauty of a vigorous, original
type, but she was rudely u n q even
wiidly rustic in both garb and manners
“Have you stten my pa, miss?” s j le h!" ¥
manded, in a voice as strident as
walk, as she halted near the couple M
“No, miss,” replid Elfie. “But we have 0
only been here a few moments. ”
“Well, I think it’s a shame that he
don’t return and give me a chance to see
something before dark. I’m so tired of
being shut up here like a bear j n a
trap. ”
“Who is your pa?” a^ked Wynans
with the kindly intention of interesting
the fair stranger, and so shortening her
interval of waiting.
“He’s Jerem'ah Skidder, of Mussel
shell, Montana,” was the reply, “ an q j
am Daisy, his only daughter!”
What a surprise for Elfie!
This rustic creature was her own
cousin!
Ere another word could be said, how
ever, a series of rapid and heavy f oot
.
steps resounded in the stairway, and
Daisy bounded toward the door, exclaim¬
ing:
“Oh, I'm so g ad! Here he is!”
CHAPTER VIE
THE PLANS OF THE SKIDDERS.
Darting through the doorway, Daisy
Skidder caught the newcomer by tho
hand and literally dragged him into tho
parlor.
“You haven’t showed up a minute too
soon, pa,” she assured him. “I should
have had a fit and stepped into it, if you
had delayed coming another minute.
But what is the matter, pa? Are you
sick?”
“That infernal brother of mine has
robbed me of two hundred thousand dol¬
lars,” growled Jerry Skidder, with such
deep internal convulsions that his voice
seemed to be ground out of his throat.
“I'm sorry I didn’t shoot him dead in his
tracks.
“Hush, pa, this is a public parlor,”
enjoined Daisy, placing her hand over
his mouth. “They’ll hear you. ”
“Well, I don't care who hears me!
It’s true,” blurted out Jerry, dropping
into a chair, and glaring at Wynans and
Elfie from behind the figure of his
daughter. “But bless my soul! I’ll pul
him where he won't get out till the ants
carry him through the keyhole!”
“How did he rob you?” asked Daisy,
comprehending by long experience that
the only way to silence him was to give
vent to his wrath.
“How?” roared Jerry. “I bought the
Musselshell mines for §200,000, and ho
pretended to give me a deed of them,
but ho told me, after I had parted with
ray money, that he sold them three years
ago to a man named Perry Wynans, and
the deed he gave me turned out to be a
deed of a bit of wild land in Idaho, curse
him!”
“A fine brother, I should think!” com¬
mented Daisy, with the air of being up¬
set by her father’s revelations “Why
didn’t you take back your money?”
“He had slipped it into his desk.”
“Then why didn’t you take other
measures?”
“I couldn’t do a thing, child! ®He had
given me a deed for my money, and he
would have been quito willing to go into
court and swear that the money was
paid for the Idaho land, on account of
its being supposed to be a gold field. ”
“But about the other half interest, pa
—that of Uncle Charles Tower?”
“Oh, Tower and his wife are both dead,
after selling their interest to tho Perry
Wynans aforesaid!” wailed Jerry. “You
see what luck I’ve had hv this t.rin tn
town! It’s enough to drive a man crazy!”
Drawing a capacious flask from one of
his numerous pockets, he sheltered him¬
self behind Daisy, and proceeded to
cheer and console himself with about
“three fingers” of “mountain dew” all the
way from Montana.
“Then you didn't go to Ingleheim, as
talked, pa?” queried Daisy.
“No. Why should I waste my time in
any such way?” retorted Jerry. “To bo
sure, Tower left a girl named Elfie—so
named by that sister of mine, her moth¬
er, who was one of the most romantic
creatures I ever knew—but the title was
never in Elfie, and so we have nothing
to fear or hope from her, and that’s a
sufficient reason why I didn’t go near
her ”
“But this Perry Wynans,” said Daisy,
who seemed to have a faculty for follow¬
ing the subject in hand, “who and what
is he?”
“I only know that he has been a book¬
keeper or cashier in Hiram’s employ for
a number of years,” replied Jerry.
“You didn’t see him, I suppose?”
“No, I couldn’t, for the reason that he
leaves for Montana to-day, according to
Hiram. ”
The statement seemed to give Daisy a
suggestion.
“Can he have heard what the property
is worth?” she asked.
“Of course he has.”
“Then he'll never bo fool enough to
sell it?”
“Never. ”
“Did you learn from uncle Hiram
what sort of a man this Perry Wynans
is, and whether he is married or single?”
“No, Daisy. And what has all that to
do with the Musselshell mines?”
“Perhaps nothing, and perhaps a great
deal,” declared Daisy, with a smirk of
self-conceit. “If he starts for Montana
to-day he can’t get there any quicker
than we shall, can he?”
“Certainly not ”
“If he comes to the Musselshell,” pur¬
sued Daisy, with the air of scheming
aloud, “we shall be aware of the fact as
soon as anyone, and can make our ar¬
rangements according. If ho is inclined
to be civil I may be able to hook on to
him and become Mrs. Wynans, thus
conciliating all our interests.”
[to BE CONTINUED.]
One, although advanced in years,
ma ^ Dot , alwa J 8 dude his juniors, un¬
less he desist in vicious example to his
fellows.