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! the scahdal of sigma.
BY WYLLARD.
••Two thousand a year U not a great
Income.’' said Lady Jane, Ironically,
••Still. It reacues dear Noel from abso
lute want It waa ao nice of bia god
mother—always a most nnassnmlng
nerson, too; Indeed, I mistook ber for
the dressmaker on one occasion when
she came to calLand I am afraid sbe
slipped of my visiting list quite a
year ago.”
' "That la a pity, alnce the whole fam
ily are inclined to canonist her now!”
said Signs dryly. “However, she docs
not seem to have borne, malice, as sbe
has promoted Noel to the position of
an eligible.”
“Hardly. eligible, my dear! Two
thousand goea such a very little way
unless one Jives In Bayswater or tbe
country. Poor Noel I”
••ob, I did not mean among us!” said
Signs, with'a laughing sneer and a
glance out of the window at the re
spectable Sloane street trees, decorous
ly dusty though just In bud. “But
possibly aome young person In the
tboui
lay tnki
igh It
means Bays-
uow, even
water!”
Lady Jane glanced rather uneasily
at Slgna’s straight young back, which
was all that presented Itself to her to
help out Slgna's meaning. And Lady
Jane was often at a loss to know
whether Slgna was In earnest or Iron
ical. She was beginning to think,
with despair, that when ber youngest
daughter talked sense—the sense of
Sloane street and the duchess. It
meant revolt and would end In Slgna
doing some dreaded and unconvention
al thing, such aa wanting to take up
a profession or refusing a really sound
offer, for Instance. Sometimes—since
his god mother had behaved In snch a
really laudable manner—she thought
with a sigh, that even two thousand a
year and Bayswatar would be better
than an awful scandal, of wblch she
lived In terror. It Slgna mnst marry
a poor man, better Noel, who was,
somehow, so satisfactory to all tbo
family, than one of those younger sons
with whom the girl delighted to
warm men and women Into laughing,
applauding humnn beings, not above
joining in that last swinging chorus
of the others, and one could seeeta
seemed no more a drawing room in
I ont street, but the • cotton-llelds of
Louisiana. Lady Bloomfield's own
high cackle rose high above the
voices of the others and one
could see the men drawing breath to
demand an encore, eveu as she rose,
flushed with the excitement of her
success, from the piano, and she
heard, nil across the room the mana
ger ask who she was. Two minutes
later, someone brought him over aud
introduced him. and they stood by the
instrument, talking quickly and earn
estly—so deep in conversation. Indeed,
‘hat Sljrnn would not be Interrupted
to slug again. It was only when she
looked past his broad back that she
caught sight of Verney,nonchalant,
eyeglass in eye, evidently not at all
upset by her reekless Interpretation of
the notorious negro melody.
“Yes, of course I will!" said Slgna
to the manager. “I should like It.”
and she nodded to Verney over Ills
shoulder. Her smile was brilliant
naif London was in the stalls of the
Bacchante on the great lament night,
and tile boxes were taken by select
parties who tlmught the auditorium
a little public for the light of their
presence. I was tickled to sec the
duchess levelling her glasses at Poppy
le Mnreliant when that young lady
danced the conger-ccl-dance In alii
of the charity, and admired the toler
ance of her attitude. Lady Jane was
In Hie box, and Sir Wilfred and
sister, the one who married Into the
state; hut Slgna herself was not pres
ent, and, when I went round to pay
my respects In her grace, I learned
that she had pleaded a headache and
stayed at home. The causc.I thought,
was not far to seek, ns Slgna would
have persisted that she hnd lumbago
If It would have saved her accom
panying 11 party of which the duchess
innde one.
Batsburg had tacitly promised the
* SHALL I COME TOO, SIQNA."
frighten ber chaperons.
Lady Jane Is a dear, good soul, but
sbe Is accustomed to be unwise In ber
management of Signs. She allowed
her new uppronl of Noel to be read In
the growing maternity of ber manner.
Hitherto «be had been cousinly in her
treatment of him—sbe was not bis
aunt or that might have been her atti
tude—and when things looked very
black In the matrimonial market sbe
comforted henelf aloud with his ad
vantages. Slgna bated tbe obvious.
Her temper had been decldely unect-
talu since Captain Verney had come
Into what ahe henceforth etyled his
“Bayswater Income,” and she sallied
forth this very afternoon in a mood
that was ripe for mischief.
She found it at Lady Bloomfield's
afternoon crush where the Bohemian
element was mingling with tbe severe
ly social, and everybody waa discuss
ing the great “Benefit night” at the
Bacchante Theatre of Varieties In old
of tbe War Fund. Tbe Bacchante is
a very superior mntlc ball, and that
lent a seat to the way in which every
one was buying tickets—in aid of tbe
charity!
There was a fat man in a long frock-
coat standing in the centra of tbo
group of the smartest women present
when Slgna arrived. He was Bats
burg, the proprietor of the Bacchante
and the originator of itae benefit, but
Signs hardly'glanced at him. There
was no doubtttbat sbe was in a very
bad mood Indeed, and her eyes, roam
ing about for some evil deed to prove
this, did not alight upon Batsburg, as
the special mean* arranged by tbe
Powers of Darkneaa to help ber. It
waa not with any thought of the fat
man and hla'glossy curia In ber mind
that ahe sat down at the piano
and volunteered a' song. There had
been music going on all of that after
noon; but 8igna*a performance was
entirely different, and everj-one listen
ed, and indeed, crowded in from the
other rooms to bear. Sbe baa a
singularly dear voice, strong'enough
tp fin a concert-room, and trained by
Da Capri. : He'never thought that bl*
excellent training would go to help
Slgna to give Lady Bloomfield's
Wests a treat such aa that perform
ance of "Hy’ar there! Clear the road
lor Lisbeth.”
They were a noisy audience when
Slgna's staging bad suddenly trans
formed them from well-dressed lake-
house a sensation that night, and we
were all a little eager; it had not been
announced mi the boards, but hod
floated round society through the pri
vate channels, and we kept asking
each other who was this new star of
Batsburg? The programme was ns
good as could he, hut the performers
were old acquaintances; ond while
wo stormed the stage with applause
after each Item, oil felt that Batsburg
owed us a new sensation yet It came
iietween numbers 0 and 10—an “extra
turn” which was merely slipped upon
the notice I Kurd. The lund struck
up a new air, a catchy thing that no
ono had heard, and yet, I believe, we
all tried to hum It uud then Into the
centre of the wide strip of stage left
hnre In front of tbe back-cloth a littl®
ragged London gnmln came swinging
bis impudent dirty face turned to the
audience with the sang frold of his In
imitable breed. He stood still a min
ute, and then cooly looking us over, he
began to shy personalities at our
comments that made the victim shout
claim him a success.
There was no doubt about his
reality—be was a true arab, apparent
ly brought straight out of the streets,
without a dab of paint on bim that
could be discerned, and supremely
jaunty and Insolent Probably, be
was one of the boys who sold bogus
programmes at the side door» of the
ball, or, for a few stray coppers, rang
versions of tbe songs to be heard In
side, and Batsburg had primed him up
to recognize the front rows of the au
dience and discourse on their private
affairs and was getting quite personal
when ono concluded that the
urchin bad been coached by someone
who did know. Batsburg had been
among these people for weeks in con
nection with tbe benefit and, though,
bis use of bis knowledge might be in
doubtful taste, there was no denying
that it caught on—the stalls roared aa
each stinging remark, pointed by one
grimy forefinger came clcerly across
tbe footlights through the jannty
music.
Suddenly the boy began to dance a
kind of doable-shuffle end, to the air
which the band ft!U played softly,
broke into a song, introducing the
nnmefl of people in front of nun.
His voice was a swset, true toy's
voice, but marred by that awful East
End accent and it rang through the
theatre load and Krone. Tome
who was
mey and Mrs.
Bncebridge of the <
•jgftff between Noel —
Chiltren Hundreds, almost spruug up
right in his teat
“By Jove!" he laid. “Ita Signal”
The house did not recognize her all
« °“ ce “d the boxes apparently not
“I ? Ten tbs awful presence
of the duchesa and the appalling
' le S"i nc “ whl <d» loomed in tbe
* future could not restrain tbe
“Oh. They laughed at every wicked
point in the song and when be was
off the stage they yelled to nave him
bock again. It sounded aa If the
whole hull were one confused, Imper
ious demand, and though they did not
call her by name, It was obvious that
Slgna was recognised. I wondered
what she would do, and almost held
my breath when tbe small ragged
figure returned for a brief moment,
but only just in sight at the wings.
There was a growing terror in Slgna's
eyes—an expression most alien to
them. Either the passing of the ex
citement, or the realization of ber
own daring, or else that clamoring
audience, was terrifying her. Sbe
bowed hastily and pattered off, in
spite of the cries to her to sing
again. I feared the demand waa too
strong, and tout they would force her
to come back, and I turned to ‘look-
round for Verney. But he bid dis
appeared, and lie was not In the
dnehess box, though I looked there
with fear and trembling. Her grace
was still sitting, calm and smiling,
at tbe front of the box; there wae
something ominous In her tacit refu
sal to recognize what everyone knew.
Lady Jane's face was like a mask; I
thought Lady Leamington was cry
ing. but I could not see ber plainly.
Tbe next turn fell flat though tbero
wns a gallant effort to appland and
curry It through. But so many of
the men had vanished that it.looked
as if a wind had swept the stalls
bare. It wns fatally easy to get be
hind. .They were waiting for Signs.
I sat out two turns; then I followed
Verney. He bad, ns I suspected, left
his place before Slgna bad made her
bow, and was waiting for ber be
hind. By the time I got round, tbe
wings seemed to be full of men, chat
tering in excited voice*, and at a
little distance stood Verney, cool and
lunquid, talking to Batsburg. I heard
the manager say, sulkily, “At the
slde-door-yes, there is a way round,”
and I went then and there In the di
rection indicated because I wanted
to see the end of the comedy. There
was n hrnglmm waiting there; I
stood unnoticed on the pavement un-
tlll they came out—Indeed' it was I
who opened toe carriage-door. Slgna
hnd changed ber clothes rapidly, and
slipped away from her dressing-room
while the men were still awaiting her
III tbe wings. But sbe was crying
bitterly, uud it so much surprised
me that I felt the whole scene a little
unreal. Verney put her Into the
carriage, hesitated, (tad stood With
one foot on the step.
“Shall I come, too, SlgbfiT" be said.
Her voice came ont of the dark-
ness, muffled.
•T am frightened. Noel!”
“At last?" he said, quietly. “Well,
I am not.”
“I thought It would be fun to scan
dalize you!”
“Do yon mean that I waa tbe cans*
tols time?"
"How dare you have two thousand
•i year)", said Slgna Irrcvantly. Nei
ther of them noticed me.
“So you thought you would fling
yobr Independence of my opinion at
me once for all. and sea if I could tie
■cared away, eh?”
“Something like that”
“Well, you cannot Nothing could.
I am going to take tbe onus of the
affair on myself from this time forth
however, and tackle tbe family."
“Will yon stand by me, Noel7’ Sig
ns must really have bad a fright to
say that!
There shall be no occasion. They
shall not dare to refer to It Union
Is strength—It la you and I together
now.” , • |.
He Jumped Into the carriage, and
I closed tbe door and told tbe coach
man “nome,” because by that time
they were past thinking of anything
but themselves. Lady Jane confeaeed
afterwards that tbe engagement was
tbe greatest relief sbe had ever
known. She bad feared that It would
never come off. 'because It appears
that owing to ber blundering and
excellent intentions, sbe bad routed
a breach between them wblch Slgna
would not give Verney a chance to
lieaL Batsburg was an angel—a fat
angel—In the disguise of a frock coat
and bis Benefit waa tbe medicine that
killed or cured.
Tbe amusing part of It la tbat tbs
Duchess has Ignored tbe whole affair,
and as sbe bas declined to acknowl
edge what everyone knowa-tbat Slg
na was tbe eensatkm of the great
War-Fund Benefit—sbe will bave to
go-to tbe wedding, on wblcb occasion
Slgna will make ber bow and retire
from ber war with right and proper
behavior—for tbe present
Practice Said to Acconnt for Japs’
Hardihood.
The NIchl-NIchl, a prominent Jap
anese paper, In commenting on the re
markable health of the Japanese sol
dier bl the field attributes not a small
degree of bis endurance and Immunity
from disease to his habit of drinking
about a gallon of water every day of
hla life. The statement was verified
by an attache of the Jtpanese treaty
commission who studied medicine st
Harvard and practiced at home.
“Tbe Japanese soldier la not per
mltted to drink much water on tbe
march. He merely wets hla lips, rin
ses bis mouth, and takes a small
swallow now and then. Bnt In camp
he drinks freely. A quart immediate
ly on rising, more after breakfast; and
several quarts during the evening. Of
course It Is largely habit He has not
studied tbe system's requirements
Qttiek Wit a Strong Factor.
Some of tbe noblemen of Europe oi
their preeent poeltlons and stations <
honor to the pretence of mind and fore
thought of tbelr ancestor* during sx-
tremely critical moments. A hiccough,
for Instance, Is the can** of the Kin-
tkys' princely rank In Austria. It
seems that during the midst of s
great court function at Vienna the Em
press Marla Theresa bad tbe misfor
tune to hiccough ao violently as to
cause, not only benelf, bnt ber court,
great embarrassment In tbe midst of
ber bewilderment young Count Klmky
stepped forward, and with a most
clever assumption of intense mortifica
tion and humiliation, asked ber pardon
for bis breach of good manners. Tbs
young
stowed with high court booocs and
decoration*
Another story fa told bow tbe Em
peror Napolcpn III when out banting
one day, being* very poor marksman,
fired at a pheasant but instead Ut
General Masaena, destroying tbe tight
of oat of bis eyes. No on* could doubt
who bad fired the shot bnt General
Uassena turned round and soundly be
rated General Bertbler, who bedtoen
Standing behind him, which castigation
Bertbler at one* accepted and appeared
overcome with remorse. Napoleon waa
gretefolto both for ttw.shielding Um.
and overwhelmed them both with
difnitj#
A TYPICAL JAP -BOLDIEB.
from the physician’* standpoint.. All
be knows about It Is tbat be Is thirsty
and drinks to satisfy that thirst”
Americans Ua* Too Little.
“Tour people," he went on, "neglect
their needs as a role, In respect to
both water and al
drink enough and do _
I would not say they are unclean; tt
J* only that they are less particular In
tbelr cleanliness. It to a difference In
the point of view. The Japanese
think a dally bath the very least at
tention to the body. Many bathe sev-
eral time* a day—a simple sponging,
cleansing the pores and . flying the
soul a chance to breathe. And tbe
sir hath to equally a habit My peo
ple cannot at first live In the close
American bouses. They crave the
freedom and perfect ventlllstlon of
their bamboo cottages. Drinking and
bathing are national traits. We be
lieve tbat cleanliness of the Internal
tissues to aa necessary to health and
comfort as cleanliness of the skin.
Tbe waste materials of the body are
often poisonous. Their retention Is
the cause of many sleepless nights,
headaches rheumatic pains fits of indl-
geston. Water In abundance, Inside
and out, to necessary to every human
being.”
Wash Inside And Oat,
The Ntchl-Nlchl discourses' farther
on the subject, stating In a naive way
the benefit of free Indulgence In na
ture's drink:
‘jHealtb to a gift of the gods, and
tbe way to health lies through tbe do-
la of cleanliness. As we wash our
linen ao abonld do wash onr bodies
Inside and out Water to the sweetener
life. Is Its free ns* yon shall be as
sweet and pttro a* a mountain brook;
as strong as the lion of tba sea; aa
broad aa the wind-swept rice fields.
Von than bold Jour tread In the star*
and your Ilf* shall be aa peaceful aa
a summer day.”
Wre largest pin factory In tbe world
to not a* bas been «tried. In tbs
United States bnt In Birmingham.
Eng. where are 870000.000 an mann-
jfactnred every working day. All the
other pin factories In England torn
out about ID‘000‘000,
Bow to Become Disease Proof.
It has already been suggested that
tbe appendix abonld be removed from
every infant as a routine measure. Bnt
tfrit Is clearly Insufficient, sin tbe
British Medical Journal Tbe surgery
of the future mnst Include far more
than this. Tire tonsils and turbinate
bone* of tbe nose most be cot ont. be-
rotrejMIheyjirey barber germ*- What
Lane rolls tbe “human
. it to the Ian
mnst be removed along wl .
able part of the upper portion of tbe
alimentary canal, because it won't be
needed wnen we begin to Ure on U.
Bcrthelot’s tabloids and pills. The
too readily decaying teeth will l
polled out In early life and tbe gen
B f store variety Inserted. The fallln
in eye will D* anticipated b.
. ctacles In early youth. Deficient
moral sense and degeneracy will be
treated by ventilation of tbe brain and
removal of the offending areas.
Thus protected against tbe perils of
civilization, the man in the coming
centuries wm be able hi bis journey
through life to defy tbo countless ene
mies that seek to rob him of bealtb-
FRONTIER HOSPITALITY.
The Prairie-Dog said to the Basin.
“VourhomoUmy hole, prithee mak<
ni ulc the Owl too,
And 'twixt ua end you
A rattling good game we will ahake.”
DOES
HURT
Make the trial yourself—leave pfE
Coffee 10 days and use
P 0 ST U M
FOOD COFFEE
In its place.
That’s the only way to find out.
Postum is a sure rebuilder and when you cut out the
coffee and use Postum instead, you get -a taste of
health, for the aches and ails begin to leave.
You may THINK you know, bnt you don’t
until after the trial. - Remember
“There’s a Reason.”
Grt th. lttlW.book. “Tb. Rrad lo WiStrCW ta wdrite
THE RACYOLE SPROOKETS
Like No. 2 Grindstone are Hung Between the Bearings
Which Stone will Turn Easier?
The Recycle Rides Further with one-quartur less work
MIAMI OYCLE & MFC. CO.
MIDDLETOWN. OHIO.
OLDSMOBILES ™ ECM!
for 1905 TOAT G0ES
Highest Workmanship. Lowest Prices.
Cars for Immediate Delivery.
Olds Motor Works
DETROIT, MICH.