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THE CLAYTON TRIBUNE. CLAYTON, GEORGIA.
^Isolated
QNTINENT
Wi ROMANCE OFTHETtiTUK
VGfiifORVATH
and DEAN HOARD
COPYRIGHT.1913"BYW.Q.GHAPMAN INTHt UNITED 3TATE3 AND GREAT BRITAIN *>
8YNOPSI8.
For ilfty years the continent of North
America had been loolated from the rest
of tho world by the use of Z-rays. a won
derful invention of Hannibal Pruaont.
The Invention had saved the country
from foreign Invasion, and the continent
had been united under one government
with Prudent as president. For half a
century peace ana prosperity reigned in
this part of the world. The story opens
with President Prudent critically ill. His
death Is hastened by the receipt of a
message from Count von Werdenstcln or
Germany that ho has at last succeeded in
penetrating the rays. Dying, ho warns
Ills daughter Astra that this means a for
eign invasion. He tells her to hurry to
the Island of Clrynith, but dies before he
tan tell the location of the place. Astra
Is nominated for the presidency by the
continental party.
CHAPTER III.
Tho Ring.
Thursday afternoon at four o’clock
tho clay abodo of the man whose death
was mourned by the continent re
turned to ashes. The mournful pro
cession started toward the cremato
rium from the chapel of the Crystal
Palace. Ourdens had been devastated
to furnish flowers; the streets were
carpeted with blooms. Immediately
following the coffin rode his only rela
tive, the daughter of Hannibal Pru
dent, In an open carriage.
Her pale face spoke of sleepless
nights and many tears, but her eyes
now were dry, her classic face calm
and her carriage like that of a queen.
And a queen she was, not by tho right
of birth or inheritance, but by the
divine might that Inhabited her superb
body.
Astra’s mind was dazed from the
loss of sleep and the pomp of the fu
neral ceremony, and her nerves were
well-nigh exhausted by the time she
arrived at her crystal home. As she
slowly mounted the steps her loss over
whelmed her; she had not- fully real
ized it before. Sh'e went at once 'to
her boudoir, locked the door and,
throwing herself on a couch, sobbed
bitterly. Her mind reverted to the
past when the great man she had lost
had played with the little girl of five
years—with her; he was an old man
even then; but oh, how dearly she had
loved him.
Her meditations were terminated ab
ruptly by the entrance of old John,
Some Strange Power Had Cast Its
Spell Over Her While She 8tudled
the Man.
who brought the card of Napoleon Edi
son. "I promised to receive him, did
I not?"
"Indeed, madam,” bowed the serv
ant.
She thought for a moment.
"Tuko him to my father’s library; 1
will see bim there.”
When Napoleon EdUon entered the
room he found Astra sitting before the
broad desk. He stopped before her
with a low bow.
“I have the honor to greet you, Miss
Prudent."
The girl looked into the face of the
tall, handsome man and saw In his
large gray eyes an Immeasurable cour
age. The strong, well-shaped nose
curved over a pleasant mouth that
softened the stern expression of the
eyes. The high, broad forehead was
shaded by dark brown hair. The broad
Bhouldefs and the sinewy, muscular
form all gave evidence of strength,
endurance and energy.
The girl did not anewer-tor a few sec
onds; some strange power had cast Its
spell over her while she studied this
man. She recognized him as the man
who had talked so prophetically at the
continentalists’ meeting In the old Hip
podrome.
’Good evening, Mr. Edison,” she said
at last In her low, pleasant voice. Tho
man thought It the sweetest voice he
had ever heard. Then she added:
’’Will you kindly be seated?"
The young man sat down without
speaking, and Astra asked: "You
wished to see me; may 1 ask you, sir,
why?”
The expressive face of the young
man showed a shade of disappoint
ment as he replied quickly;
“I was under the Impression that
you expected me, madam, but It seems
that 1 have been misled. However, 1
can tell my mission In a few words.”
He rested his eyes on the girl’s face
and seemed still expectant, but the
calm, beautiful face did not change.
He continued:
"The main object of my call Is this.”
He took a small jewel box from his
pocket, and, opening It, placed it on
the desk before Astra. Resting on the
purple pad In the box was a sparkling
white object, a small ring in the form
of a spiral; one piece of scroll woven
Into a shape that formed the letter
“A” to take the place of the jewel.
No Jewel decorated the ring; the
material it was made of was more bril
liant than diamonds; it sparkled in all
tho colors of the rainbow,- notwith
standing its smooth surface.
Astra could not repress an exclama
tion of surprise: “Ah, how beautiful!"
She leaned over the desk, admiring
the weaving colors.
Edison smiled slightly and waited un
til tho girl was ready to turn from the
dazzling ring to him. She took the
rjng In her hand sjid saw that It wub
as transparent, clear and colorless ns
crystal; jvlthout that sparkling effect
It would have been invisible.
She slowly laid it down again and
looked questioningly at tho man sit
ting before her. She did not know
that while she was admiring the ring
his eyes had rested on her yearningly,
expressing love and admiration. Or
was it adoration?
He smiled strangely at her and said:
“If I read your questioning gaze aright,
vou want to know the meaning of
my gift, a gift that I have brought
from afar for the daughter of Hanni
bal Prudent.” He placed a peculiar
accent on the last four words.
"I thank you, sir, very much,” she
replied.
"It 1b a present for you, and through
you to the whole American continent.
Astra’s face expressed surprise.
"I will have to be more explicit,
will have to tell you more about It.
May I abk you to let me have the ring
for a moment?"
She handed It to Edison with a gra
cious movement of her slender band.
He took It from her, and, grasping It
(irmly with both hands, he pulled it
apart; it yielded like rubber and
jumped back to its former size when
he released It. Then he let It drop
on the polished desk; it sounded like
glass.
“What do you think of that. Miss
Prudent?"
“It Is wonderful."
"Indeed It is, and more: It carries
the solution of aerial navigation, mak
ing the aerial crafts as safe as your
chair. It makes war on land or sea
absolutely impossible. It strikes the
word ‘distance’ from the dictionary.
What do you think of It?"
Astra’s face took on an expression
full of faith and thankfulness; her eyes
seemed to look far up to the power
that moves worlds and creates new
stars.
"You—you have come to our aid;
peace and happiness will still reign
over our continent. God has sent you
to me in this trying moment."
Tear drops trembled on her long eye
lashes like drops of dew on a (lower.
When the moment of enthuetam bad
passed they sat again calmly opposite
to each other. This time Astra spoke:
“My dear Mr. Edison! You have
not proved what you claim can be
done, but the way you said it con
vinced me that you have the power to
do It. In other words, I trust you and
believe In you implicitly. Women
know' much by instinct, and my intui
tion has never led me astray.
“I recognized you at once ns the man
who spoke at the Conttnentallste'
meeting, trying to encourage the
manses and give them heart to brave
approaching events. ' ’
“As you know, the Continentalists
have nominated me because 1 was the
daughter of the man who made this
continent what It Is today. Now that
I have found a man who promises ns
great things ae you do 1 shall not ac
cept this nomination, but will Insist
upon you as a candidate.”
Napoleon Edison shook his head
with a smile.
“Miss Prudent, I appreciate what
you say, but none must know about
our present conversation. I have done
nothing but give you a Jewel. The
other things remain to be proyed.”
Astra looked thoughtfully at the
visitor and seemed to agree.
"Besides,” continued Edison, "It Is
absolutely necessary that no one shall
know what I can do. You will be
elected and Inaugurated the 4th of
March this coming year. This Is the
15th of September. The Isolator now
existing will last until the coming
summer and you will hear from me
between now and then; Indeed, you
can depend on me when the crucial
moment arrives. If you will permit
mo I w'ill report whenever I can; that
will not be often. 1 will supply you
with Information from time to time
as to what Is going on on the other
side, and suggestions that you can use,
If you desire, for defense, should it
prove necessary.”
Edison stopped for a second, bit his
lip thoughtfully, then rose.
“I have finished my duty for the
present. You don’t know. Miss Pru
dent, how much I appreciate the fact
that you look upon my intentions with
approval, intuitively knowing that
they are noble and the outgrowth of
your father's teachings. I am sorry I
came too late to tell him the good
news—that war is destined to lose its
foothold throughout the world.”
“I hope It will cease forever,” Inter
rupted Miss Prudent.
“The element that ring Is made of
will drive It fr?*n land and from sea,
but carries It Into the air."
“But if no one know: the secret?"
“There are no secrets, Miss Pru
dent; there are many things we don’t
know yet, but there are no secrets.
Nature is an open hook to those who
can read and understand.”
“Again you are right, Mr. Edison.”
“Then, with your permission, I will
go. I hope that the service I am of
fering to our continent will be accept
ed us freely as 1 am offering it.”
"I can assure vou of that, as the
nominee for the presidential chair.”
She offered her hand again and Napo
leon Edison kissed it reverently. He
bowed once more and started toward
the door. Miss Prudent hesitated a
moment—a questiqj^was on her lips—
but as she hesitateu it was too late;
the visitor was gone.
“Cirynith—Clrynith!" she sighed,
more than uttered, and looked at the
chair that had a short moment ago
held that splendid man.
It seemed to her as though the
stranger had carried away something
—something?—w}-,pt? She did not
know. She sat down before the desk
and taking the ring in her hand looked
at it, and finally she slipped It on her
Anger. It fitted perfectly.
Then she looked at it more closely
and saw some small tracings on It.
She could not distinguish the UneB
with her unaided eyes, so took a mag
nifying glass and examined it curious
ly. A cry of joy left her lips as she
deciphered the strange word “Ciry-
iilth.”
By some coincidence Napoleon Edi
son, emerging from the portal, again
encountered the man he had met three
days before; the only difference was
that this time he was leaving and Am-
brosio Hale was coming.
The tall man with those ferret-like
eyes, fox nose and brittle mustache
was evidently surprised. As he passed
the porter's gate he asked who the
stranger was. Tho porter could not
remember, but It was a name that
made him think of Napoleon; whether
It was Bonaparte or Caesar he could
not recall.
Mr. Hale was received In the green
room.
Astra had a peculiar dislike for that
color, not in nature, but In furnish
ings and clothing, and generally re
ceived people ehe did not like In the
green room. That room had a de
pressing effect on her mentality, and
the people who visited her there soon
left.
“I have come this time, my dear As
tra, to congratulate you. I wanted to
be the first. You are nominated by
the continentalists, and there is no
doubt but you will be elected; there
Is hardly any opposition on the sec-
tionists' part. Whom could they put
up against you, my dear Astra?’’
He pressed the hand of the girl
warmly. He knew that he had to win
her love or ho would never reach the
goal he was longing for.
“I wish you would consider me your
very best friend, my dear. Consult me
any time you please. Your wisdom
and judgment is great. The whole
continent Is looking at you as the
deliverer; still, once in a while the
word of an experienced statesman will
help.”
"Indeed, Mr. Hale, I assure you that
If I ever need your kindly offered help
I will call on you.”
The Intimate conversation did not
last long, ae other visitors arrived and
spollod Ambroslo Hale’s ardently
longed for opportunity.
Before Astra fell asleep, she kissed
the glittering ring on which the word
Clrynith was faintly engraved.
That evening Napoleon Edison,
companled by his short friend, sat in
a compartment of the fourteen-hour
Frisco limited, flying toward the West;
the train that was shot through the
tube by compreesed uir was so porfect
that not a rumble' .ras heard, or a
quiver felt.
Napoleon Eldison bent over an out
spread plan showing an object of pe
culiar construction. His companion
watched him for a while, then fell
asleep. Edison looked at tho fat
man’s nodding head, and turned the
light lower, so that It fell only on his
blueprints.
He sat studying those lines that ran
straight, curved and oblique; they
formed a picture that was not intend
ed—the outline®, the details of a se
rene, strong face—Astra’s.
The train shot steadily toward the
Golden Gate.
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
CUSTOM IS CENTURIES OLD
Slipper Thrown Today After Newly
Married Couples Had its Origin in
the Far East.
According to a French historian the
custom of throwing the slipper after
the newly married couple originated
In the far east, thousand^fcuid thou
sands of years ago,* and' from there
spread all over the world.
It Is still practiced In the oriental
countries, but has developed Into more
an act of renunciation. A fathe* for
Instance, who woulo renounce’ his son,
would do so by taking off his shoe,
and If he were u^r enough, strike
him with It, or if |ie were too far
away, throw It after* him.
In the Roman da"^ the loosing of
a shoe from a foot tuas the legal form
of a renunclatlon^and came orig
inally from the
Stories are
lections of
made at the
and woman,
they were
with them’
the same
are carried
No
It Is a p
ly on the
gent of
tom of "one
for women.”
Ufe migh
a dull,
But it
,ular folk lore,
in Egypt of col-
I sandals being
of a rich man
vehicle In which
y fairly deluged
done in much
h such frolics
days.
tinder such
n of costume,
it b« worth
a with cos-
FOR SUCCESS WITH POULTRY
Practical Way of Building Up Laying
Strain of Hens Is to Breed Those
With Best Records.
Trap nests are the best guide-posts
to success. They point out the hens
that are doing good work, and expose
tho drones. They not only tell you
how many eggs each Individual hen
laying In a year, but they also point
out the color of the shell and the
shape of the egg.
The time Is near at hand when hens
will be sold on their egg records, and
prices governed accordingly.
It is an eccepted fact that the only
way to build up a laying strain of
hens Is to breed from those giving the
best records, says tho Farm Journal.
By annually picking out the best of
the flock, it is possible each year to
Increase the average of the flock.
In line with the introduction of
trap nesting came the question of the
laying henB giving a better percent
age of fertile eggB, as well as receiv
ing an extra allowance of feed. It Is
more difficult to overfatten a lien
that is doing steady laying than It
tumes today Is that they are too much
alike. Instead of designing a dress
that Is becoming to her own dimen
sions, proportions and other endow
ments of nature, the average woman
accepts the fashion of the hour, what
ever it may be—large sleeves, small
hips, no waist or whatever the fash
ion may decree.
What Is needed Is not more stand
ardization, but more Individuality In
dress. A declaration of Independence
is the crying feminine need of the
hour—not a uniform designed by any
board of economists.—New York
Tribune.
St. Edmund’s Chapel.
Antiquaries will hear with pleasure
of the decision of local enthusiasts to
protest the poor remains on the high
est point of Hunstanton cliff of St
Edmund's Chapel. Here, according to
legand, the fourteen-year-old King Ed
mund landed on Christmas day, over
one thousand years ago, from Saxony.
Near the churchyard is a huge mound,
believed to be a harrow. Hunstanton
8t. Edmund's, however, as we khow It.
Is of modern growth, born with the
railway fifty years ago. One of the
moat Btrtklng links with the past lies
In the ownership of the ground, which
Is held by the same family of Le
Strange which owned It at the Norman
conquest.—London Chronicle.
Trap Nests.
is one that is not laying. It remained
for a man by the name of Albert
Angell, Jr., to strlko the proper idea
In this direction.
Briefly stated, this system consists
of a house and yard divided into two
unequal parts. One side is large
enough for 12 hens, and the smaller
side is for the cock. In the house are
trap nests with two openings. Every
night the henB are put in the larger
house. The cock stays permanently
In his own quarters. Every hen that
lays an egg or enters a trap nest
goes out Into the apartment with the
male. Wnen night comes, the laying
hens are all with tho male and they
then are returned to their own side of
tho house and yard, to go through the
same process each day. In the morn
ing the male bird Is alone. The trap
nest is made by Blniply fashioning
two light doors, using one-inch mesh
wire netting. The door to the neBt
which the hen enters to lay is hinged
from the Inside, and is pushed open
by tho Jien, and closes belling her.
The door In the rear of the nest open
ing out into the cock’s yard, Is hinged
from the outside. When the hen en
ters the cock’s pen she can not re
turn, as will readily be seen. These
doors, or gates, are light, and work
easily, and should be the size of the
entrance of the next box and hinged
to the top.
The Illustration, a popular make of
trap nests, Buch as is used on many of
the large poultry farms. A shows
trap nest turned to open nest.
B shows nest closed after hen
has entered. C shows trap set.
When a hen Is through laying Bhe
will stick her head out of the nest
and cackle, and should then be re
leased.
On the leg of each hen Is placed
an aluminum band on which is stamp
ed a number. Upon opening the door
of the trap the hen Is picked up and
her number ascertained. ThiB Is then
written on the egg, and at night a
record is made of these numbers.
Double Pay.
Tim—Did you get anything for your
vote.
Bill—A suffragette gimme a kiss?
and me wife see her do it and giiaaee
a black eye.
The busier the hens the better they
will be.
* • *
Guineas are In great demand. Why
not buy a few?
• • •
Never expose fowls In blustery,
snowy weather.
* • •
Sunshine should have a large place
In the ration of eveiy hen.
« * *
The age of vigor and' productive
ness in a duck is about double that of
the hen. Ducks have been successful
ly bred up until seven years of age.