Newspaper Page Text
V
w ,,th«n». Esl. »M4 I C«BK«lIdated witb the
• (•aide, Bet. I8»T J Athene Bauer, Bet. tl
1888.
ANNOUNCEMENT.
Wo take pleasure in saying to onr
weekly subscribers that in a lew
weeks we hope to have greatly im
proved the Weekly Banner, making
it a news, local, literay^and tamily
Say! Were any of yon boys ever daft on a girl,
Aiid continually moping ind sighing;
Mad as a wasp if she smilcil on your chum.
If she frowned on yourself, almost crying?
paper,
in which there will be a
variety—something to enit every
member of the family. We respect
fully ask the aid of our friends in
the way of news or literary contri.
buttons.
TltOOPS IN IDAHO.
Over Three Car Loads of Men Arrest
ed -The Strikers’ Presence Still
Felt- One Thousand Men at
Seat of War.
Si-okane, Wash., July 16.—Review
advices from Couer d’Alene district
state that the military have arrested
Jack Wallace nt Cataldo. He is sus-
jk eted of being the ringleader of the
Mission massacre.
The troubled district has been closed
to travel and nobody permitted to go in
without a military passport.
General Carlin has 1,000 troops undoa
his eommand and has called on all mem
bers of the miiier's union to come in auc
surrender.
Notwithstanding the presence of tbe^
troops, ttie strikers continue to mak<
their presence felt. Newspaper corres-
ixjiideiits are particularly objectionable
to them.
A special has just been received by
Tiie Review which says that three cal
loads of men. besides President O’Brien
the secretary of the miners’ union, and
twentytfive other members of that body,
were arrested.
Coroner Sims and the provost guard
were taking the men iu right along dur
ing the evening. Several citizens were
also placed in custody, including Roberl
Nell and Walter Jones, who were for-
tu « ly members of the union.
It is reported that all members of the
mrfon arq to be locked up. If this is
true. It means the arrest of over one
thousand men.
QUIET tN IDAHO.
LOVE’S YOUNG DREAM.
Sayl Did a lump ever come in your throat
When to say something sweet you were try
ing;
When the words wouldn’t come and your face
turned red.
And you wished yourself far away flying?
Say! Did your knees knock together
chills,
_ A ® jou carried her books home from school?
cay! Did you drop ’em and skip off alone.
And leave her? I was that kind of fooh
—Lytton Wharncliffe Pilley in New York Sun.
THE MISSING MAN.
The vMlneH Arc in the Hands of the Co-
ion Miners.
Wallace, July 16.—The situation re
mains ipyiet. All miners have gone
heme to the various mines. The Poor-
imm and Tiger mines, which have been
deserted since Monday, have started up
again; also the Mammoth and Custer
mines. Work .V. the Morning and Hun
ter mines tvas also resumed. A ripple
of excitement was created among the
remaining miners when it learned that
the Granisc mine force had not left. A
delegation of miners started at once in
the darkness for the mines, four miles
from Wallace, and brought the non
union men down. They were ordered
out Couer d’Alene.
The miners claim that Dolasmutt nnd
MaeAuloy agreed to discharge the men,
and had not done so. These are the last
non-union men in Couer d’Alene. The
report that twelve men were killed on
the Fourth of July Creek created great
indignation The As3ociat«d Press cor
respondent telegraphed to Mission twice,
mol got an answer twice that nothing
was known of it there. The coroner
went down to Mission on a special train
ami returned at midnight. He told th<
Correspondent that he could learn noth
ing about the killing. A message from
Conor d'Alene stated that one of th*
men reported killed, J. H. Ward, had
arrived. Nothing further could b*
learned.
_ The inspection of the life saving sta-i
tion was finished, and 1 was compli
menting the captain upon the efficiency"
of his crew when it suddenly occurred
to me that one of thorn, whom 1 had es
pecially remarked at my last visit, was
missing.
What has become of the man you
used to call Harry?” I inquired. “Ht*
was the strongest and handsomest fel
low 1 over saw—quick as a cat and light
on his feet as a feather. Has he left
yon?”
The captain looked at me aghast.
“What! Haven’t you heard about it?”
he faltered. “No? Well, it’s quite a
story. If you’ve plenty of time I’ll tell
you about it.”
I had plenty of time and wanted to
hear the story, so we sat down near the
door, and the captain began:
“I suppose you recollect that long,
fierce southeast gale we had last winter,
don’t you? Well, it blew from the south
east for two days, with heavy squalls of
mow. It was bitter cold. Everything
was covered with ice and snow, and tho
worst sea that I havo heard of began
tumbling up on the rocks.
“On the morning of the third day the
clouds began to break away and the
wind died down to a light gale. Almost
all of the schooners in the roads got un
der way and started f-xr Harchy harbor.
Some of the smaller ones had to put
back, the sea being too heavy, but the
larger ones kept on, and I suppose they
made a good run of it, as the wind was
fair.
“That night it started in to blow as
if it was possessed to blow the earth <ttt
its foundation. At 10 o’clock it began
snowing. The flakes were about as-big
as • fifty cent piece, making it impossi
ble to recognize anything over five feet
away. The snow fell until about 12,1
think. After that it slowly began to
clear up and the wind came in $usts of
diminished strength. At daylight it
blowing a moderate southerly
breeze and the sky was clear. Wo
searched the shore and sea for signs of a
wreck, but could not find any.
1 was just going to pnt the glass
could 1 grasped the steering oar and
tried to steady her. When the wave
had passed ns wc found ourselves about
two-thirds of the distance toward the
beach and between the two reefs.
“Our oars, except the steering one.
were broken. Before we could get the
spare set out the next wave was close
astern. We were forced to drop every
thing and hold on for life. I had my
feet jammed in the straps and laid her
fair so that the wave would be broken on
the stern. It broke, however, just be
fore it reached ns, and in a mass of
foam.. Our boat was filled with water
and we were thrown on the beach.
“Fortunately no one was hurt and
the boat was not injured. The sudden
ness of it all, for it happened in a very
short time, rather dazed ns, but we
were thankful for having landed so
easily.
“We bailed the boat out and soon had
her ready for launching again. But
now came the question, How can we get
her off? We could not row, as the
blades of the oars would not catch on
tho rocks. They slipped over the slimy
surface and gave ns no purchase. We
could not remain indecisive, as the tide
was rising and the beach would soon be
covered. We placed the -shipwrecked
crew in the boat- and endeavored to
launch her, using the oars to pole her
off; but the water soon deepened aud
we were thrown back on the beach
Three times we launched the boat, and
each time we were thrown back on the
beach.
“By this time we were wet through
and through. Our clothes were frozen
and stiff as boards. We were dis
couraged, cold and exhausted. It was
evident that the sea must go down be
fore we could launch our boat and get
away. But the tide was rising. The
small beach would soon be covered and
we should have to retreat up the cliffs
and leave the boat, our only means of
escape, to be dashed to pieces on tho
rocks. What were we to do? Here we
were on a bare rock which was covered
with snow, without a fire or any means
I.oto and Dentil once Ceased their strife
At tho Tavern of Man's Life.
Called for wine, and threw, alas!
Each his quiver un the grass.
When tho bout was o’er they found
Mingled arrows strewed the ground.
Hastily they gathered then
Each the loves and lives of men.
Ah', the fateful dawu deceived!
Mingled arrows each one sheavod;
Death's dread armory was stored
With the shafts he most abhorred;
Love's light quiver gfoaned beneath
Venom headed darts of death.
Thus it was they wrought our woe
At the Tavern long ago.
Tell roe, do our masters know.
Loosing blindly as they fly.
Old men love while young men die?
—Rudyard Kipling.
CALLED BY A GHOST.
away when my eye caught tho waving « SO mehow aggravated me. 1 walked
"I wsg prostrated with *. severe bil'ous
e< mp'aiiil,” wiit*s Erastus Southworih.of
Until, Me. “After vainly tryinga numbei
' f nnudi-B, 1 was finally induced to tak
Ayer’s Pills I bad scarcely taken two
In x» s wlun 1 was completely cured.”
A Novel ItHtnugo Suit.
Yoi’nqstown, O , July 16—A novel
damage suit has been commenced here
by Wm. Hull against the Pennsylvania
company. Hull was employed with
other section men near East Palestine
and stepped off the track to avoid n
train. An Italian near him was not
quick enough, aud when struck by the
train was hurled agaiust Hull, knocking
him down, breaking four ribs and mash
ing his shoulder. The Italian escaped
with a few bruises. Hull wants a $10,
000 verdict to repair his injuries.
A Karmtrr Trust,
Lebanon, Ind., July 16.—The farm
ers in this county have perfected an or
ganization by which the threshing of this
year’s wheat crop is to be let by contract
through a committee appointed, who
will also make sales for sea-board de
livery. They expect to realize better
prices on account of being able to fill
linger sales.
Hugh Fay Reported Head.
Sew York, JttJy 16.— It was reported
here that Hugh Fay, the well known
comedian, died of hemorrhage on the'
steamer Wisconsin, which sailed for
Liverpool July 2. He had been in poor
health for some time, and was oa *
wedding trip. The Barry and Fay com
hiuation was very successful, financially.
A Frightful Accident,
New Orleans, July 16.—The Picay
tme’s Fort Worth, Texas, special says
A f r jghtfnl accident occurred at a grav-
Pit on tho Cotton Belt road. A work
train had been side-tracked there and
** Ten workmen placed their banks un
‘kr this car to sleep. Daring the uight
* freight train backed in and moved the
®»r. The whole sevenwere frightfully
®“»filed. Three will die.
‘Wanted, sir—a patient.”'
It was in the early days of my profes
sional career when patients were scarce;
and though 1 was in the act of sitting
down to my chop, 1 hurried instantly
into my surgery.
I entered briskly;' but no sooner did 1
catch sight of the figure standing lean
ing against the counter than 1 started
back with a strange feeling ef horror,
Never shall I forget the ghastliness of
that face—the white horror stamped up
on every feature—the agony which
seemed to sink the very eyes beneath
the contracted brows; it was awful to
me to behold, accustomed as 1 was to
scenes of terror.
‘Yon seek advice,” 1 began, with
3ome hesitation.
‘No; I am not ill.”
“Yon require then’
‘Hush!” he interrupted, approaching
more nearly and dropping his already
low murmur to a mere whisper. “1 be
lieve yon are not rich. Would yon be
willing to earn a thousand pounds?
‘1 should be thankful, if 1 could do
go honestly,” 1 replied with dignity.
‘What is the service required of me?’
A peculiar look of intense horror
passed over the white face before me,
of warming our almost frozen bodies. | but the blue-black lips answered firmly.
Nothing but death in a horrible form | «Xo attend a deathbed."
was before us.
“The cold was intense, and we were I
becoming numb. In order to warm onr
blood I served out a big drink of whisky-
all around. This seemed to start our ]
blood moving once more, but it failed to I
raise onr spirits. 1 thought of my wife |
and babies at home. Wliai would they
<li when I was gone? I thought, too, of
Jbe warm fire, the dry clothes and the
comfortable bed at the station. 1 roused
myself,-for it would not do to give up.
"We must get off, but nobody could think j
of any way.
“As 1 thought, 1 became very much J
worked up, and looked around for some j
o ie on whom to vent my rage. I saw
Harry sitting in a crevice of the cliff,
calmly puffing away at his pipe. This |
of something on Darning’s island. As
soon as tho glass was brought to bear 1
saw three c. four nun running bromRl
there. I suppose thiey were trying to
keep themselves from freezing. There’s
the island off there—the one that is al
most round.
“The island rises about twenty feet
out of the water. The cliffs are almost
straight up and down, with twenty-one
fathoms of water at their base. But cm
the southern side there is a small beach,
which is bare at low water. From this
beach are projected two reefs that are
awash at low tide. They form natural
jetties, and they are about fifteen feet
apart and parallel to each other. They
extend out from the beach in a south
ern direction for about two hundred
feet.
I had the crew called, and every
thing was soon ready for starting. Wo
decided that the only safe way for us to
get the men off from tho island would
be for ns to go as close as possible and.
lying there, shoot the life line to them
and haul them through the surf to th**
boat. It was a rough way, but as then*
was no other feasible plan we made
our preparations for its execution. The
only place on which a boat conld land
on tho island was on that small beach,
and to get there we would have to go
between those jetties, and even in line
weather it was a risky job with such a
large boat. With the sea then running
it was not to be thonght of.
As soon as I had seen every arrange
ment completed and the gear in place,
we ran the boat ont of the honse and
succeeded in launching her without
taking a drop of water on board. We
had a long, tedious pull. »t was like
walking in deep, loose sand. When we
arrived at the island we pulled around
it once, looking for the most favorable
position for ns to work from. We de
cided that the month of the jetties
would be the best place. So taking onr
station there we boated the two bow
oars, and Harry uncovered the gun and
got her ready for use, while Bill looked
ont for the line.
The-noise was simply deafening, and
the sea was a moss of froth and foam,
ns the waves dashed themselves on the
reefs. Seeing a big wave coming, and
looking as if it was about to break, 1
sung ont, ‘Stem all!’ bat owing to the
noise they did not hear me, and seeing
me working as if for dear life at the
steering oar, they gave a stroke ahead
so that the wave would break astern
of us.
“That stroke carried ns between the
reefs, and in Hie next instant the wave
was upon us. Its light green and semi
transparent sides towered high, above ns,
While the foam on its crest ovferhung
the boat, threatening to swamp us. The
spectacle was so awe inspiring that we
were unable to move, but sat in onr
places with onr eyes fixed on this al
most irresistible mass. Each second
was like an age. Would the boat never
rise? She started to rise so suddenly
that she was almost perpendicular be
fore we could realize it,.and we were
thrown in a confused heap agamri tho
forward bulkhead. We were now afraid
that she would be thrown end ever end,
and for a few seconds we hung m that
awful position, hurried along at an m-
over to him, and asked him if he was
going to rit there like a blooming idiot
nd uot uo anythiug to help save him
self and the rest of us.
He stood np and his face turned
pale, for I said a great deal more than I
have told you about, but let that pass.
He looked me all over. 1 thonght he
was going to strike me. Then, walking
toward the boat, he said, as he passed me.
I’ll get you out of this scrapie, bat’— Ho
was going to say something more, but
evidently changed his mind. On reach
ing the boat he made a bowline on the
end of the line, aud throwing it over his
head and right arm started for the reef.
Before reaching it he turned aud said,
Jerry, when I get out there and wav
my hand, launch your boat aud wary
her ont with this line.’
Without another word he begafl
crawling out on the reef. We thought
each wave would sweep him off. But
after each one had passed over him wc
would see him craw-1 ont a little farther.
“A thousand poundsto attend a death
bed! Where am i to go, then—whose
is it?"
Mine.”
The voice in which this was said
sounded so hollow and distant that in
voluntarily 1 shrank hack. “Yours!
What nonsense! You are not a dying
man. _ Yon are pale, but you appear
perfectly healthy. Yon’
Hush!” lie interrupted; “I know all
this. You cannot be more convinced
of my physical health than I am myself
yet I know that before the clock tolls
the first hour after midnight I shall be a
dead man.”
“But”
He shuddered slightly; but stretching
out his hand commandingly,' motioned
me to be silent. “I am bnt too well in
formed of what 1 affirm,” he said quiet
ly; “1 have recei'--il a mysterious sum
mons from tho utmd. No mortal aid
can avail me. I do not come either to
seek your advice or to argue the matter
with you, bnt simply to buy your serv
ices. 1 offer you £1,000 to pass tho
night in my chamber and witness the
jeene which takes place.”
The words, strange as they w-ere, were
tpoken calmly enough, bnt an expres
non of such wild horror again passed
>ver the stranger’s face that in spite of
the immense fee 1 hesitated to answer.
He placed before me a parchment
locument, and following the indication
of that white, muscular hand I read the
words, “And to Mr. Frederick Read, of
14 High street, Alton, I bequeath the
sum of £1,000 for certain services ren
dered to me.”
1 havo had that will .drawn np with
in the last twenty-fonr hours, and 1
signed it an hour ago in the presence of
competent witnesses. I am prepared,
ferual fires
Slowly and steadily he crawled to the I y 0n ggg. Now do yon accepit my offer or
outer point and signaled. Then, throw | no t?”
ing himself on his face, he dug his hands
and feet iu the crevices and braced him
self for the strain. The tide had risen j
and he was now under water almost all
the time.
We lannched the boat and the first
time we tried we warped her ont far I
enough to use our oars, bnt it took time |
to do it
When wo got to Harry we tried to |
draw him to the boat, bnt we conld not
move him. We shouted and told him I
to let go, but he did not move. It was
not until we pulled on him sideways |
that we got him to the boat.
“The fact was—he was dead.”—Lieu
tenant J. H. Scott, D. S. R. M., in i
Romance.
The Spelling of a Few Words.
We Americans like to assimilate onr
words and to make them onr own, while
the British have rather a fondness for
foreign phrases. A London journalist
recently held np to public obloquy as an I gnmmons. Come, come; for mercy’s
“ignorant Americanism” the word pro- | gate, let us hasten!”
gram, although ho would have found il
set down in Professor Skeat’s “Etymo-
My answer was to walk across the
room and take down my hat, and then
lock the door of the surgery communi
cating with the house.
It was a dark, icy cold night, and
somehow the courage and determination
which the sight of my own name in con
nection with a thousand pounds had
given me flagged considerable as 1 found
myself hurried along through the silent
darkness by a man whose deathbed I
was about to attend.
He was grimly silent, bnt as his hand
touched mine, in spite of the frost, it
felt like a burning coal.
On we went—tramp, tramp, tlirough
the snow—on, on, till even I grew weary,
and at length on my appalled ear struck
the chimes of a church clock, while close
at hand 1 distinguished the snowy hil
locks of a churchyard.
“Eleven,” groaned the doomed man.
Gracious God! but two hours more
and that ghost messenger will bring the
logical Dictionary,” “Programme was |
taken from the French, so a recent
writer reminds ns, ‘and in violation of |
analogy, seeing that, when it was im-
There was but a short road separating
ns now from a wall which surrounded a
large mansion, and along this we has
tened until we reached a small door.
Passing through this we stealthily as
cended the private staircase to asplen-
ported into English, we had already ana- furnished apartment
un, oryptogram, diagram, epigram. |
•J ” The logical form program is not
grain,
etc.’" _ _
common even in America, and British
writers seem to prefer the French form,
if British speakers still give a French I
pronunciation to charade, which in
America has long since been accepted
frankly as an English word. So w<
find Mr. Andrew Lang, in his “Anglinp
Sketches,” referring to the asphalte.
sorely in our language the word
either asplialtum or asphalt.—Brandei
Matthews in Harper's.
The Uglit oa tho Me of Pharos.
The most famous lighthouse of an
tiqnity stood on. the-Isle of Pharos, ofl
'the city of Alexandria, in. Egypt It
was one of the seven wonders of the
world, and was putnp during the reign
of Ptolemy Philadelphia After stand-
, ing up 1,600 years it was destroyed by
an earthquake. It is understood to
credible"”speed, “Then slowly the wave have befnever 500 feet higb.-Wash-
. . ~ m. ennn as 1 * imrinn Star. !
began to pass under ns, and as soon ington Star.
All was intensely silent, however,
through the honse. My companion
glanced at the clock on the mantel
shelf and sank into a large chair by the
side of the fire with a shudder. “Only
an hour and a half longer,” he mut
tered. “Great heaven! I thonght I had
more fortitude. This horror unmans
me.”
I put my band on his wrist, for there
was now a fever in his sunken eyes
which checked the superstitious chill
which had been gathering over me and
mndft me hope that after all my first
suspicion was correct and that my pa
tient was but the victim of some fearful
hallucination, and, watching my oppor
tunity, slipped a sleeping powder which
1 had managed to pnt in my pocket be
fore leaving the surgery into the tum
bler of claret that stood beside him.
It was with sincere satisfaction I saw
film drink the wine and then stretch
frimmif on the laxnrion8 bed.
thought l, as the clock struck
12, and instead of a groan the deep
breathing of the sleeper sounded through
the room, “you won’t receive any sum
mons tonight, and I may make myself
comfortable.”
Noiselessly 1 replenished the fire,
poured myself ont a large glass of wine,
and, drawing the curtain so that the fire
light shoald not disturb the sleepier, 1
pnt myself in a position to follow his ex
ample. How long 1 slept 1 know not,
bnt suddenly I aroused with a start and
a thrill of horror.
Something—what, I knew not—seem
ed near, something nameless, but unut
terably awful.
The fire emitted a faint blue glow,
just sufficient to enable me to see that
the room was exactly the same as when
I fell asleep, but that the long hand of
the clock wanted but five minutes of
the mysterious hour which was to be
the death moment of the “summoned”
man!
The silence was intense.
I could not even hear a breath from
the bed, and 1 was about to rise and ap-
proach, when again that awful horror
seized me, and at the same moment my
eye fell up»on the mirror opposite the
door, nnd I saw an awful shape—ghastly
mockery of what had been humanity!
It stood there in visible deqth clothes;
bnt the awful face was ghastly with cor
ruption, and the sunken eyes gleamed
with a green, glassy glare w^ich seemed
a veritable blast from the infer
below.
I saw that horrid shape move slowly
toward the bed. What was the awful
scene enacted there 1 know not. I heard
nothing except a low, stifled, agonized
groan, and I saw the shadow of that
ghastly messenger bending over the bed.
For an instant the shadow of a claw
like hand, from which the third finger
was missing, appeared extended over
the doomed man’s head, and then, as the
riock struck one clear silvery stroke, it
fell, and a wild shriek rang through the
room.
I am not given to fainting, but I cer
tainly confess that the next ten minutes
of my existence was a cold blank, and
even when 1 did manage to stagger to
my feet I gazed around, vainly endeav
oring to understand the chilly horror
which still possessed me.
Thank God! the room was rid af that
awful presence. I saw that; so, gulping
down some wine, 1 lighted a wax taper
and staggered toward the bud.
Bnt one glance was sufficient.
Even as 1 gazed the expression of the
face seemed to change, the blackness
faded into a deathly whiteness, the con
vulsed features relaxed and, oven as if
the victim of that dread apparition still
lived, a sad, solemn smile stole over the
pale lips.
I was intensely horrified, but still 1
retained sufficient self consciousness to
bo struck professionally by such a phe
nomenon.
Again I scrutinized tho dead face, and
even the throat and chest; bnt with the
exception of a tiny pimple on one tem
ple beneath a cluster of hair not a mark
appeared.
As noiselessly as 1 1 conld I made my
way out of the house. No ono met me
on the private staircase; the little door
opening into the road was easily unfast
ened, and thankful indeed was I to feel
again the fresh wintry air as I hurried
along the road by the churchyard.
There was a magnificent funeral soon
in that churchyard; and it was said that
the widow of the buried man was in
consolable; and then rumors got abroad
of a horrible apparition which had lieeu
seen on the night of tho death; and it
was whispered the young .widow was
terrified and insisted npxm leaving her
splendid mansion.
I was too trustified with the whole
affair to risk my reputation by saying
what 1 knew, and I should have allowed
my share in it to be forever buried in ob
livion had 1 not suddeuly lierfrd that the
widow, objecting to many of the le gacies
in the last will of her husband, intended
to dispute it on the score of ins inity,
and then there gradually arose the
rumor of his belief in having received a
mysterious summons.
On this 1 went to the lawyer and sent
a message to the lady that, as the last
person who had attended her husband,
I undertook to prove his sanity, and
besought her to grant me an interview.
The same evening l received an invita
tion to go to the mansion.
1 was ushered into a splendid room,
and there, standing before the fire, was
the t *ost dazzlingly beautiful young
creat 1 had ever seen.
She was very small, but exquisitely
made. Had it not been for tho dignity
of her carriage I should have believed
her a mere child.
I come on a strange errand,” I be
gan, and then I started, for 1 happened
to glanctfrfull into her eyes, and from
them down to the small right hand
grasping the chair. The wedding ring
was on that hand.
1 conclude yon are the Mr. Read
who requested permission to tell me
some absurd ghost story, and .whom my
late husband mentions here,” And as
she spoke she stretched out her left
hand toward something—but what
knew not, for my eyes were fixed on
that hand.
Horror! White and delicate ifc might
be, but it was shaped like a claw, and
the third finger was missing!
One sentenco was enough offer that.
“Madam, all I can tell yon is that the
ghost who summoned yonr hnsband was
marked by a singular deformity. The
third finger of the left hand was miss
ing,” I said sternly; and the next instant
I had left that beautiful sinful pre
That will was never disputed,
next morning, too, I received a cheek
for a thousand pounds; and the next
news I heard of the widow was that she
had herself seen the awful apparation
and had left the mansion immediately.
—A B. in New York News.
On); tho anointed e;e
Sous in common things.
Gleam of wave and tint of sky.
Heavenly blossomings.
To the hearts where Pght-has birth
Nothing can be drear;
Budding through tho bloom of earth.
Heaven is always near.
—Lucy Larcom in Boston Woman’s Journal.
A GENUINE HERO.
lyl
Rata Transmit Disease.
I have reason to believe that the rat is
a transmitter of some of the most dan
gerous diseases which afflict humanity
diseases that have for ages baffled the
skill of the ablest scientists in the world.
—Dr. S. E. Weber’s Lecture.
A sky of opal and gold, a deep trel-
lised veranda, a novel, and a hammock
slang at the most comfortable of angles.
With these conditions it was scarcely
strange that Halcyon Hartford swayed
delightfully between dreamland and the
real world that June afternoon, with
the fleecy gold of her hair, all guiltless
of pin or comb, and the bell sleeves, fall
ing enchantingly away from her round
white arms, while one trim slippered
foot hung from the edge of the ham
mock.
“Halcyon! Halcyon! Where aro you?”
It was one of those exasperating voices
which, once having been sweet, had now
a vibrant jar to its tones, painfully akin
to shrillness.
Halcyon frowned a little and raised
herself on one elbow.
“Oh, Aunt Hal, don’t scream so! 1
was just in a dream of delight.”
"“Well, yon should have answered
then!”
Aunt Hal came ont of the wide, shady
hall with an effusive swing of her drap
eries and seated herself in a bamboo
chair close to the hammock.
She was comically like her niece—at
least as much as a woman of thirty-
eight conld be like a maid of eighteen.
There was the same yellow luxuriance
hair, bnt harsher, drier and suggest
ive of dye; the same pink and white
complexion, artificially heightened; sim
ilar features, cruelly sharpened by the
inexorable hand of time, and teeth just
one degree too white and regular to be
real.
The white dress she wore was painful
tryjljK. and she was compelled to n?<
gold rimmed eye glasses as she held up
lettd*.to the view of her niece.
Wfiat has happened?” drowsily de
manded the latter, lifting a pair of bine
eyes, ffringecLivith dark lashes.
“The strangest thing!”
“Another offer of marriage?” hazarded
Halcyon, settling on the nnlikeliest
thing which could, in her opinion, hap-
pe'n.
'How did you guess?” with a little ex
ultant cackle. “Exactly. The dear,
foolish - lad—and he so much younger
than II Why, he couldn’t have been
twenty-one when he went to Bombay,
and 1 was at least thirty then”
“Thirty-five, Aunt Hal," said Hal
cyon, the merciless.
Was it as much as that? Well, he
seemed desperately in love then, though
of course I never took any notice of the
child. But 1 suppose in that country of
blackamoors one can’t help thinking
about all the women one has ever known
at home, and he has written mo two or
three letters”
“Has he?”
Halcy on sat straight np in the ham
mock now. Her blue eyes glowed. The
heat had brought a flush to her cheek
which all Aunt Hal’s carmine saucers
could not rival.
But I never told you,” said the elder
beauty, “because 1 rememliered that
there was a sort of boy and girl affait
between you and Charlie Blessen when
yon Were at boarding school, and I
thonght yon would be nettled. And
here’s the proposal at last, dear—with
his photograph inclosed.
“Let me see it."
What a brave, good face it was
slightly older and sterner than she had
looked upon when the Avancanian sailed
away three years ago, but yet so strong
and manly!
She laughed hysterically.
“Shall yon accept him?”
Aunt Hal nibbled coquettishly at the
edge of the envelope; the new false teeth
gleamed in a smile.
“1—thinly—1—shall!”
“And yon fourteen years older than
he is!”
People don’t think about such things
as they used to do,” reasoned Miss Hart
ford, the elder. “Eros is immortal, yon
know.”
Halcyon sank back into the hammock
and reopened her book.
“Yon must do as yon please, of
course,” said she. “After that quota
tion about Eros, 1 have not a suggestion
to offer.”
“Jea’.ous, poor darling!” thonght Aunt
Hal, with a thrill of pity. And she
said:
Well,, of course one can’t help those
things happening to one, and yonr time
will come soon, dear, never fear.”
It’s a good thing,” she added to her
self, ‘'she does not know anything about
dear old Judge Flos troy. There’s a dif
ference in age, if yon please, and the
old pet is so infatuated about me! An
old man’s darling or a young man’s
slawe»-which?”
Wh$e Halcyon thonglit.on her ride:
“The silly goose! He has done it now!
He has been making love to Aunt Hal,
thinking he was courting me. Oh, I
thought he knew her name was the
same as mine. Didn’t she stand god
mother to me at St. Chrysoline’s and
give me a coral and bells and an em
broidered christening robe? And now
he has actually proposed to her! Well,
if he is the man I take him to bo, he'll
stand by his colors, cost him what it may.
A m^n who conld walk up to the can
non’s month at Bey-Idonna sorely won’t
Bhrink, even fgom Aunt Hal. And I’d
rather know that he was a true hero th-
than have a poltroon for my hnsband!”
And Halcyon turned her face toward,
the pillow and cried great Bparkling
tears like dewdrops.
Beg pardon; I’d orter said colonel, I do
suppose,” said the old cab driver at the
station, whom Charlie Blossou had re
membered ever since he was a child.
Well, I declare I shouldn't hardly have
knowed ye! And come home to be mar
ried, eh?”
Blesson bit his lips, bnt he laughed
carelessly. Jonas Hopper was a privi
leged individual, like the court jesters
of old.
How did yon know, Hopper?”
Oh, I dunno. Miss Hartford, she’s
been gettin ready to be married this
long time,” said Jonas, hoisting tho
colonel’s luggage on the back of the
wagon. “And dressmakers and milli
ners they will talk, yon know, though
I'm told Miss Hal took great pains to
ludo it.”
Did she?" (Aside: “The darling!”)
“Aud a lino woman she is, colonel,"
officiously added Jonas, as he pushed in
the last iron clamped trunk. “A very
fine woman, considerin her age. I won
der she ain’t married long ago.”
Colonel Blesson opened his sleepy black
ayes wide.
Why, man, who in the world are you
talking about?”
Why, Miss Hal Hartford, tobe sure.”
‘Miss Halcyon or Miss Halliana?”
‘There ain’t no Miss Halliana,” said
Jonas. “They’re both the same name,
but we calls the aunt Miss Hal and the
niece Miss Halcyon. My daughter, she’s
lady’s maid there, and I'd orter know, if
any one does.”
And which of them is it that is go
ing to be married?” breathlessly qneried
Blesson.
Why, the old nn, in course! Beg
pardon!” hurriedly added Jonas, “I
mean Miss Hal. Polly, she tells me
there’s twenty-four different gownds or
dered, let alone the jackets and parasols
and ten button kid gloves fit to make
your hair stand on end.”
“And Miss Halcyon—the young lady,”
cried the colonel; “she is engaged too?”
“Not as any one knows on. That
all, colonel? Got your telescope bag?
Then we’d better be niovin.”
Colonel Blesson pondered seriously all
the way np to Hartford Cedars, oblivions
)f Jonas’ incessant streams of talk.
Could it be possible? No; that was ntter
nonsense! And yet”
He strained uis eyes as he approached
the house. Surely golden haired Hal
cyon would be there, smiling, to meet
him!
But no. In her place stood a middle-
aged charmer, rouged and powdered,
with hair gleaming meretriciously and
teeth just a size too large for a thin
lipped mouth.
In oue hand she held his love-breath
ing letter, in the other his photograph.
And daring that second her heart sank
like lead.
He did not know—ah, how much
more difficult would it have been to
itear had he known!—that Halcyon
Hartford’s eyes were surreptitiously
watching him from tho honeysuckle
urlanded casement beyond. ',
Dear Charles,” the elderly damsel
said, “you aro here at last!”
..He set his teeth, drew one kmg breath
and allowed her to slip a caressing hand
through his arm and lead him into the
bouse, muttering some hoarse acknowl
edgment of her coquettish smiles.
“I’ve brought this upon myself,” he
thonght, “and 1 must endure it. The
lady is not to blame—no, she is not to
blame.”
“He is a hero,” nalcyqn thonght;
yes, a hero.”
And then she burst into a passion of
tears and ran up stairs to her room.
Bnt now I’ve got you fairly here,”
lisped Aunt Hal, more determinedly
youthful than ever. “I'm really afraid,
dearest Charles, that I here’s a great dis
appointment in store for you.”
“Eh?” *
The young man had sat down in a
rather listless manner. Annt Hal held
onto his hand, still all teeth and smiles.
And I may as well tell you at once,”
said she, “that I’m already engaged to
Judge Flostroy, of the superior court.
Of course, if I had known of yonr at
tachment in time, there’s no saying”——
Oh, pray don’t let me interfere with
any existing arrangements,” said Bles
son, jumping np eagerly. “Perhaps un
der the circumstances yon will let me
have my photograph back.”
Just then there came a ring at the
door below as the maid announced:
“Judge Flostroy, miss, if yon please.”
Before the slow and ponderotu steps
of the approaching visitor could reach
the room Annt Hal had thrust the photo
graph into Blesson’s hand.
A-hem-ml” sonorously coughed the
luminary of the superior court.
Aunt Hal tripped smilingly forward.
“Glad to see yon, judge,” she cooed.
“This is my old playmate, Colonel Bles
son, just arrived from India. I dare
say, colonel, you’ll find Halcyon some
where abont the house.”
Disposed of in short order,” mattered
Colonel Blesson. “Great heavens! what
have I done to deserve such lack?”
Two hours afterward the young lovers
sat on the veranda watching the evening
stars rise over the hills, while the judge's
basso profnndo voice still rolled in the
sitting room like distant thunder.
Bat wasn’t it a narrow escape?”
gasped the young colonel, holding the
girl’s slim hands in his.
“Would you really have married her?”
Halcyon asked.
“As a gentleman there was no escape
for me, under the circumstances.”
“But would yon really havq married jial
her?”
“Yes, I would!” with sternly set teeth
and knitted brows.
“Then I’ll marry yon, Colonel Bles
son,” whispered Halcyon, “because you <:'§(
are a genuine hero, and because,” with
an arch glance, “I really think yora need
a wife to take charge of you.”
“After the episode of today.” sail Col
onel Blesson, “I really think I do.”—
New York Evening Sun.
Singer’s Rise In Life.
• Singer, living in a loft over a stable
on the Bowery in New York, with no
money and little to eat, was next met iu
• • • » » Paris luxuriously enjoying an income
‘So you’re back again, lieutenant? of $1,400 a day.—Cliautauquan.
• • '
- * •
A --i -j,
>
