Newspaper Page Text
VOL. Vi[.
IN THE CHINA SEA
A NARRATIVE OF ADVENTURE.
By SEWARD W. HOPKINS.
(Copyright 1899 by Robert Bonner’s Sons.)
CHAPTER V.
[CONTINUED.]
When the two Chinamen reached
tie ledge leading around the edge ol
tie inlet to the pit, the girl gave a
quick movement and wrsnehed her
self away from them. She would
bave plunged into the sea had they
not caught her quickly. She screamed
and seemed to be beside herself. 1
caught sight of her face, and in spite
of her disheveled hair and tear
stained features, I saw at a glance
that she was very beautiful.
My first impulse was to discover
myself aud rush to her assistance,
But upon reflection I decided that it
would be an unwise move. Even
though she were to be murdered I
could not help her. I would simply
meet with a similar fate for interfer
ing. These men were armed. It
be remembered that I was without
coat or shoes. I had no weapons of
any kind. I would be a forlorn
antagonist for half a dozen armed
men.
When the uniformed mandarin
reached tho well and had gone down
a few stops, he discovered the open
door. Although I had found the way
to open the doors in the mysterious
island, I did not know how to clo3e
them. The big Chinaman made a
great ado aad gave some sharp com¬
mands. There were evident prepara¬
tions for a fight. He went down iutc
the cavern with his sword drawn.
They remained inside about half au
hour. My position on the rock begau
to get wearisome, but the sailors on
the yacht were very watchful, aud I
dared not move about. An ugly
lookiug fellow sat in the bow with a
rifle across his knee. There was
little chance for speculation as to my
probable fate if that fellow discovered
me.
After a half hour, I again heard
voices in the well.
The big Chinaman and his servants
appeared. 1 heard the great rock
swing back into place. The girl was
not with them.
Now there was, indeed, a real
motive for remaining undiscovered.
My heart even made too much noise
in beating. I almost held my breath,
so great was my fear of being dis¬
covered.
The visitors descended the com¬
panion-ladder. It was taken down
from the iron rings. Poles were put
jut, and the yacht pushed out of the
stone gate. The sails were raised,
»nd the vessel moved quickly away in
ike direction whence she had come.
I remained concealed for what
seemed to me an interminable time. I
did not dare move from my hiding
place until the yacht had got far
enough away to preclude discovery. I
followed the vessel with anathemas for
going so slowly.
At last I could venture forth. I
leaped from the ledge into the pit and
ran down the stone steps. I knelt
down and touched the hidden spring.
Again the mysterious island was
opened to rue, and I entered. It was
hut short work for me to get to the
garden, and here I looked for the girl
that I knew must be inside the island
somewhere.
She was not in the garden.
I went into the temple. She was
not there.
But in the treasure-room I found
her. She was kneeling on the floor
by a large divan. Her fafie was buried
in her hands. She was weeping; she
was also praying.
She seemed to be in a delirium of
grief and fear.
I approached her scftly. She could
not hear my footsteps on the thick
rugs.
Bending over her, I touched her
lightly on the shoulder.
With a scream of horror she jumped
to her feet and bounded away from
me.
“You need not fear me,” I said.
“I will help you if I can, but I will
do you no harm."
“You!” she cried in a hoarse voice.
“And who are you that you are here
alive and yet will help me?”
“Why, I don’t see anything remark¬
able about that. I couldn’t help you
if I were dead.”
“No. But don’t you understand?
None can live here save those who are
familiars of Cha Fong; and his friends
would not help me.”
“I do not know Cha Fong,” I re¬
plied. he is “I the have never seen him, un¬
less amiable person with the
big sword who bronght you here. ”
Her face grew pale. She trembled
violently.
“Yes, that is he—that is Cha Fong,”
she said.
“And what is he going to do with
you?” A look I asked. of into her
misery came face,
and she sobbed convulsively.
“The worst he can do. He says I
a m to b ? tag wife.”---... _______
THE RECORD.
DEVOTED TO THE INTEREST OF JOHNSON COUNTY AND MIDDLE OEOBOIA.
VVRIGHTSV1I.LE.GA.. THURSDAY, JANUARY 11. 1900.
“Well, now, look here,” T said with
authority. “Cheer up and come sit
here and tell me your story, aud I will
tell you mine. It may give you more
confidence if I tell you mine first.”
She came aud sat down near me,
and her tearful face, pale and beauti
fa), rested upon her hand as I told
her the story of my mishaps and tho
chance that brought me hero. She
listened intently, often with wonder
<n her eyes. When I had finished she
had become more calm aud war able
to talk connectedly.
"Now,” I said, “tell me your story,
and let us see if there is any way out
of this scrape.”
8be shook her head sadly,
“1 do not think there is,” she said,
“but it is some relief to find a friend,
I am an English girl. My name is
Grace Arnold. My father is John
Arnold, a niorohant of Hong Kong,
My schooldays were spent in England:
my mother died there. After bet
death, not more than half a year ago,
I came to Hong Kong to my father.
There I met many of the most impor¬
tant residents, native and European.
Among those that I saw occasionally
was Cha Fong. I hated him and
feared him. He has a very bad name.
He is regarded as the most cruel aud
heartless of all the wealthy young
men of China, none of whom are free
from crime. I had been in the habit
of going horseback-ridiug, aceompau
ied by two Chinese servants. Yester¬
day, while riding iu the suburbs,
was seized, bound aud thrown into
carriage. I was taken to the
aud put aboard that yacht. I
shut up iu a stateroom aloue, and
mained alone there all night. In the
morning we set sail for this place.
When I was bound again and taken on
deck, what was my surprise to learn
that my captor was Cha Fong.
knew then the fate that was in store
for me. I tried to wrench myself
away from the men who carried me
aud throw myself into the sea. The
fact that I am safe aud unharmed this
minute is due to Cha Fong’s discov¬
ery that someone had been here. He
was much enraged, aud after a
search, he sailed away to meet some
one—I judged from his talk-—some¬
one who shared with him the secrets
of the island, and whom he suspects
of coining here without his permis¬
sion, and leaving the island open.
He speaks English very well. I think
I recognize tile plane as the Island oi
the Temple of Su Foo. It is spoken
of in hushed whispers by the Euro
peau residents of Hong Kong, but no
native ever admits that he knows any¬
thing about it. There is an order
called Su Foo, the god of which is an
idol. This idol must receive, at
stated intervals, a sacrifice iu the
shape of a young woman, who is put
to death in its arms, after becoming
the bride of the priest of the order.”
“Then this Cha Fong is, no doubt,
a priest of Su Foo, and you are an
iutended sacrifice for that huge idol
iu the temple?”
“I fear so,” she replied, sobbing
again. ‘I would rather you would
kill me now, before Cha Fong re¬
turns.”
“No,”I said; that does not seem to
be necessary. Of course, there is nc
positive proof that Cha Fong is the
murderous villain we think he is, ex¬
cept the fact that he abducted you.”
“But that is a plain enough fact,”
she said.
“Very trie. Grant, then, that the
worst is true. Your plight and the
temple here seem to indicate the truth
of the rumors about Cha Fong and the
Su Foo. Now, putting the crimes oi
the one and the exactions of the othei
together, we have a combination thal
is decidedly against us.”
Miss Arnold turned very white and
leaned against the back of her chan
for support.
“Then,” I continued, hastily, “as
everything seems to point to murder¬
ous purposes on the part of those whe
have us in their power, our predica¬
ment provides ample warrant for any
act on our part toward the salvation oi
ourselves. What I am getting at, Miss
Arnold, is this: You want Tne to kill
you to prevent your falling again iutc
the hands of Oha Fong. My own way
to prevent that would be to kill Cha
Fong.”
My lovely fellow-prisoner gasped a1
the audacious suggestion.
“But he is armed—he has armed
men with him. What can we do—we
two unfortunates?” She was very
pale.
“I wish there was some liquor of
tome kiud here,” I said. “I am afraid
pou will faint.”
She smiled in rather a deprecatory
way.
“I am not going to faint,” she re¬
plied: “but if you want liquor, I saw
Oha Fong drinking some that he got
in there.” She pointed to the alcove
where stood the bed.
‘To there!” I exclaimed. “Why, j
thoroughly searched that place, but
could find nothiug iu tho way of li¬
quor.”
“Nevertheless, when Cha Fong and
his two companions were looking for
you, or for whomsoever the intrudei
here might be, I saw them with bot¬
tles and glasses. That was before the
cords that bound me were cut, so I
could not get a good look at them.”
“Now that is very strange,” I said;
“yet it is quite possiblo that there is
a part of this infernal place that I have
not seen. I will look again, and, per
haps, we may And something more to
our advantage. Even a good- club
would be of service. I could creep up
behind Cha Fong and knock him down.
I suppose I might cut one in the gar¬
den with my pocket-knife—a piece of
palm-tree would answer. But I’ll look
for that liquor first.”
I went behind the bronze screen
and searched high and low for soma
kiud of receptacle that looked as il
it might hold liquor. I saw nothing.
I was about to give up the search.
wiien, as i was turning to 'eave the
apartment, I accidentally kicked up a
large, heavy rug that was spread on
the floor. Under it I saw a panel in
the floor in which was fastened an
iron ring. I took hold of the ring and
pulled. It took all iiy strength to
move the panel, bat at last it came up.
I found an opening iu the floor about
three feet square., There were some
steps leading downward.
I uttered a shout of joy aud called
Miss Arnold, She came running
toward me.
“I have found something,” I said,
“but whether it is a cellar or a store¬
house, I can’t tell. I am going
down.”
I descended the steps.
The place in which I now found
myself was but dimly lightod. There
|iad been no attempt at ornamenta¬
tion; it was simply a huge cavern in
the rock. This cavern was strewn
with various kinds of material, look¬
ing like packages taken from wrecks
or, perhaps, stolen along the coast.
Roll upon roll of the finest silk and
linen was piled up on one side. Cases
of the choicest pottery stood un¬
packed, many of the delicate pieces
broken. Other tilings were there in
plenty, but I did not take time to ex¬
amine them. I found two things.
One would of itself have repaid me
for the search, for it was what I had
Mine after. I found liquors, wines
and cordials, iu bottles and casks.
But the other discovery meant much
more to me than the liquor. It meant,
perhaps, rescue—life. It was a large
sabinet, in which wero various
weapons of war aud of the chase.
Guns, pistols, knives were packed
away in good order. This was, no
doubt, Cha Fong’s armory.
Miss Arnold’s astonishment was so
great that I laughed at her wide
opened eyes when she saw me emerge
from the hole in the floor, carrying a
bottle of wine, a Martini-Henry rifle,
an English navy revolver, a long
huntiug-knife aud a bag of car
tridges.
“I am well fixed, you see,” I said,
laughing, as I deposited my spoils on
the floor.
“Now, then,” I said, .“I am going
to get ready to meet Mr. Cha Fong,
Do you know what time he intends to
return?”
“Not accurately. But he expected
to be back to-night, for he said, wheu
he cut the cords that bound me help¬
less: ‘Now you can walk, hut you
cannot escape from here. You will
be my bride to-night. ) J>
“Ah, exactly! Now what kind of a
bridesmaid do you think: this will
make?” I asked, caressing theVifle.
“I would turn it against myself, if I
thought you could not conquer,” she
said. “I am not afraid to die.”
“Well, I doubt if there is a Su Foo
wedding here to-night,” I said grim
lv. “And as for killing yourself, don’t
think of it. At any rate, don’t do it
till I am dead and all hope is lost.
When we get ready for business, you
take the pistol, which I will load for
you, and go down into that’ chamber
under the floor. I will replace the
rug so no one ean tell it had been
moved. Then I shall get inside of
that idol in the temple, aud await de¬
velopments. Whatever seems best to
do I shall do. If, after a long enough
time, I do not come and let you out,
by a great effort you can push up that
trap-door. If Cha Fong is still mas¬
ter of the situation, you must try to
shoot him. If you don't succeed in
that—why--”
“I understand,” she said, in a low
voice.
I loaded the pistol, which was five
barreled, of large caliber, and also the
rifle, which was a repeater.
Miss Arnold sat and watched me in
silence. Now and then a tear would
show itself in her eye, but she brushed
it away. She was trying to be brave,
poor girl, with horrors before her of
which she could only imagine the ex¬
tent.
I had not told her why I had
left America. We had had but little
time for talking; and when I explained
my presence in the island I began my
story from the accident on board the
City of Rio de Janiero. So when I
had loaded the firearms I told her the
story of Annie Ralston. She listened
eagerly witn clasped bands and pale
face.
“She is my sister in misfortune,”
she said, when I had finished. “T’- >-e
is no doubt that Annie Ralston is tile
victim of another Cha Fong—or per*
haps the same. I know that the Su
Foo has agents in all parts of the
world, to choose and obtain the most
beautiful girls for sacrifices to the
idol.”
“No so much to the idol as to his
worshipers, I fancy,” I said. “My
own impression is that the sacifice to
the idol is nothing more than a plan
to get rid of their victims. If dona
under the cover of religious fanatic¬
ism it would no doubt be more diffi¬
cult to obtain proof of the actual mur¬
derers or the co-operation of the Gov¬
ernment iu bringing about their pun¬
ishment.”
“Perhaps so,” she said simply.
“If my friends, Ralston aud Langs¬
ton, have succeeded in getting on land,
they probably met the Ketoto at Shang¬
hai or will meet her to-day, in which
case Annie is safe. We have only
ourselves to think of—and that seems
to he about enough just now. We
had better eat some of that idol’s
rioe," I said after a pause. “Your
prospective husband and executioner
may drop iu any minute, and wo want
to be ready for him. I am hungry,
and a hungry mail is not a good
fighter. Iu that respect he is different
from a hungry bear.”
“I am ready to follow your direc¬
tions,” said Miss Arnold.
“Have you a watch?” I asked.
“Yes. You may take it.”
She pulled from tho bosom of her
dress a pretty little jeweled watch and
handed it to me.
[to be continued.]
For th; Coiffure.
Bewildering are (lie ornaments for
the hair presented this season iu all
the up-to-date shops. Women not only
wear jeweled combs and plus in the
bail- with evening costumes, but they
also wear them with cloth street skirts.
A late fancy is to pin the stray locks
that will tall down on the neck with a
bar pin several inches long, studded
with small diamonds, pearls, tur¬
quoises, rubles or sapphires. Bonnets
and hats are also held in place by
jeweled c-cmbs aud hairpins. Novel
-shapes in combs, tiaras, pins, studded
with semi-preclous stones, are much
iu vogue. Fine cut steel is used for
tin- same purpose, and lialr ornaments
in turquoise shell, amber or gold,
with brilliants, or enriched with
ver, are very effective. Butterflies iu
jet, jewels and steel are worn
evening costumes, iu fact, a woman
with her lialr without some ornament
does not look completely gowned.
The Greek, Pysche, Merode, Japa¬
nese and' pompadour coiffures each
calls for ornaments of a different style,
and character, just as the coif dW
pugac requires the high Spanish comb,
and the more trying Greek style, with
tresses laid iu straight severity, de¬
mands the fillet ot pearls or slender
bands of gold. The ornaments for tho
stately pompadour coiffure are
most brilliant and elaborate.
little Empire bowkuots of gold or
ver densely studded with Irish
monds, are plentifully used with
rolled and waved Marie
coiffure, the hair being arranged at
back, near the top of the head, in
large bowl; not.
Gyration.
‘‘The French have n folding bicycle.”
‘‘Is that so? Well, the American
wheel doubles up often enough to suit
me.”—Indianapolis Journal.
Three Papers a Week
FOR ABOUT THE
PRICE OF ONE.
This paper and the Atlanta
Twicer Week Journal for
..$ 1 . 25 ..
Here you get the news of
the world and all your local
news while it is fresh, paying
very little [more than one
paper costs. Either paper
is well worth $-.00, but by
special arrangement we are
enabled to put in both of
them, giving three papers a
week for this low price. You
cannot equal this anywhere is
else, and this combination
the best premium for those
who want a great paper and
a home paper. Take tlfflse
and you will keep up with
the times.
Besides general news, the
Twice-a-Week Journal has
much agricultural special matter
and other articles of
interest to farmers. It has
? *ul« r trib.u r bys r
Jones, Mrs. W. II. Tel ton
John Temple Graves, rlon.
C. H. Jordan and other dis
tiugui8hed writers.
Call at this office and leave your
subscriptions for both papers. You can
g*t a sample copy of either paper here
on
GOOD ROADS NOTES,
Politic* and the Hoads.
There are some farmers who declare
that the more a farmer keeps out of
politics the better; but to improve the
roaus, like all reforms, one must go
into politics. We can do but little
without the aid of public officials.
Elect a road boss with an eye for
benefiting tho roads. Don’t look at
the man’s politics, but help put in a
mau who is interested iu good roads;
one with whom you have talked and
know he will spare no effort on his
part to do his whole duty. A mau
who will see that a day’s work on the
road is a day’s work; who will give no
mau credit for work not performed.
Use all your influence to elect him,
and when elected stand by him in
every way you can.
There is not enough work put on
the roads. There would be no more
of a kick on workiug four days out of
a year than there is working two. If
we must have the road tax worked
out, let us have enough. Far better
results would come from the tax be¬
ing paid, aud the workmen being
hired. It would give tho overseer
more chance to follow his own ideas
aud get the full amount of work for
the money. Besides, with this
method, the roads would be worked
iu the right season, whereas now, the
time when the farmer usually signifies
to the overseer that he is ready to bo
“warned out” happens to be just the
season when the roadbed should not
be disturbed. The overseer is in all
probability a farmer himself and
knows how it would put a mau out. to
be called on during the rushing sea¬
son, so waits to the detriment of the
road, until a leisure time comes.
There is much talk of gravel, rock,
macadamized and other road beds.
Experiments with steel rails have been
quite successful; yet every man knows
that though all this may como with
the future, for decades to como the
farmer must depend on a dirt road.
In consideration of this, ho should
study the problem of road building,
and endeavor to make tho most of the
advantages at hand. Good roads only
como with united public effort. In
terost yourself aud strive to enthuse
others. Every convert may enthuse
others. Your effort alone may get
your neighbors to thinking, which
means half the battle. The public,
once interested, and success will
come. Let us improve our roads!—
>T. L. Irwin, in Farm, Field aud Fire¬
side,
' Broail Tire*.
Broad tires are better than narrow
ones in every respect. On a smooth
road a broad-tired wagon will mu just
as easy as a narrow-tired one, aud on
roads a little muddy a great deal easier.
The narrow tire will make a rut more
or less deep, while the broad tire will
flatten out and pack the ground, and
so make a better road.
Out in the fields, also, the broad
tire is superior. A narrow one cuts
down deep if the ground is soft, and
leaves a rut to run over with the mower
or binder. It also cuts deep enough
to kill out whatever grain may be
planted in the field. The wider tire,
while cutting iu some, does not go
nearly so deep, and the grain may be
simply mashed aud is likely to rise up
aud grow.
Iu countries where there is a great
deal of snow the people wear wide
snowshoes to keep them from sinking
iuto the snow. The same principle
may be applied to wagon tires. The
wider they are the less they will sink.
Of course, tires must not be too wide.
If they are they are liable to be heavy
and clumsy. From four to six iuches
is wide enough for general purposes.
So, summing up,we have this; Wide
tires are better than narrow ones be¬
cause they keep the roads in better
condition, do not cut up the fields so
much, are not so liable to kill out a
crop, run just as easy on smooth roads
aud a great deal easier on bad ground.
—Pierre Van Sickle, in Farmer’s Ad¬
vocate.
The Highways of Europe.
There are, it is estimated, 300,000
miles of highway roads iu the United
States, about twenty per cent, of the
roads of all the world. Great Britain
has 120,000 miles of roadways, and
these are some of the best iu the
world. Germany has 275,000 miles
of roads, aud some of them are as poor
as tho roadways of a great country can
be. France, whioh has taken an en¬
lightened view of the good roads ques¬
tion for many years and has spent by
governmental or local authority more
thau $1,000,000,000 on highways, has
a road mileage of 330,000, more than
any other country. Russia, with an
enormous area, has only 70,000 miles
of roadways, while Italy, a smaller
country, has 55,000. Wide tires for
heavy loads are prescribed in all these
countries.
A F “ v " Hte computation.
.
<Z
roa ds is this. There are approximate¬
though the number is steadily on
the decline, 14,000,000 horses in the
United States (there were 15,000,000
by the census of 1890), and there are
about 2,000,000 mules, principally in
the South, the annual cost of fodder
for these animals being $1,500,000,000.
On fine stone roads one horse can
NO. 4'!
haul as much as three horses can
haul over the average dirt road of this
country. .
Anil-lint Paragraph*.
Twenty years ago Egypt had hardly
a single good road. During the laat
six years over 1000 miles of good roads
lia\e been built.
For every dollar invested in good
roads in Cuba hundreds of dollars will
be returned within a twelvemonth af
ter completion.
All the Eastern and many of tho
Western divisions of the L. A. W.
will have good roads and cycle path
bills introduced into the Legislatures
this winter, An added factor of
strength in the fight for the passage
of these bills will be the support ot
the farmers.
Iu the most thoroughly developed
commonwealths of tho United States
we have iu recent yeurs been com¬
pelled to recognize the substantial
blessings and benefits that result from
the construction and maintenance ol
the best roads that modern engineer¬
ing sciouce can supply.
MEN OF MICHTY FEET.
If They Were Not Giants They Were
Uncommonly Large on the Ground.
Was the great West inhabited by a
race of giants in prehistoric days? R.
B. Laird, who was iu Kansas City
yesterday, claims to have new evi¬
dence that it was. He is a New Eng¬
land geologist who has spent many
months iu making investigations in
the canons, table lands and gorges of
Arizona. He left for the East Iasi
night with his evidence, iu the shape
of a voluminous typewritten manu¬
script carefully put away iu a hand
bag. He declined to make public the
full purport of tho document.
Mr. Laird makes no boast of having
had a hand in the investigation, but
says the discoveries were made by a
guide who has been a resident ol
Williams, A. T., for many years, and
who has been in every nook and crauuy
of the mountains in that district. Tbc
claim that there existed in prehistoric
times a race of giants is old, but proofs
are not found every day. Iu this case
they were found in the shape of im¬
mense footprints which have become
hardened in the limestone formations
of the district.
To substantiate his statements Mr.
Laird carries with him several photo¬
graphs, showing by comparison with
the foot of a miner the relative size ot
the giant’s foot. Some idea of its
great size can be gaiued wheu it is
seen that the depression in the rock
strata caused by tho great toe is more
thau twice as large as the miner’s foot.
The fact that animals in prehistoric
periods were of such immense size is
advanced as an argument that man
was also abnormally large. Laird is
a firm believer iu this theory.—Kan
sas City Journal.
The Champion Fox Story.
The “sporting” editor of Tit-Bits is
responsible for the following hunting
story:
One of the most remarkableof hunt¬
ing experiences is that of tho “phati
tom fox” which for many mouths
puzzled and baffled the hunters ol
Madison County, Kentucky. Week
after week the fox was hunted, anil
after running the hounds almost tc
death, its trail was lost in a “blur
grass” pasture in the Poor Nick
neighborhood.
The news of this strange disappear¬
ance came to the ears of a famous
blind fox-hunter, called Johnson,
who, in spite of his lack of sight, is
one of the most daring and successful
riders to hounds in tho world. He
follows the hounds alone among the
Kentucky cliffs, going at a gallop
over ground where the bravest hunts¬
men dare scarcely follow him. He
knows every nook and cranny in the
cliffs, aud when he comes to a special¬
ly dangerous point he dismounts,
takes hold of his horse’s tail, and the
animal takes him safely through.
A built was arranged for Johnson’s
benefit, and the phanton fox was
started on his last run. After chas¬
ing him from 8 o’clock till midnight,
he reached the pasture, and again all
trace of him was suddenly aud mys¬
teriously lost.
Johnson, mounted on a magnificent
horse, led the chase throughout; and
on reaching the pasture heard the
tinkling of bells, aud was told that a
flock of sheep was grazing iu the pas¬
ture. “That explains the mystery,”
at ouce said the blind man. “You
will find the fox on the back of one ol
those sheep.”
And they did—according to the
above-mentioned sporting editor.
Thi* Centro of Population.
“Census experts estimate,” says
the Chicago Post, “that the centre of
population will be found next year to
be in Indiana, close to tho Illinois
line, at a point not far removed from
the town of Vincennes. The last cen
sus showed the population centre to
be between Columbus, Ind., and Cin¬
cinnati. Tho increase in the popula¬
tion iu Georgia, Texas, the Indian
Territory, Oklahoma, New Mexico and
Arizona during the last ten years has
been sufficient, it is thought, to offset
any increase in the Northwest and to
possibly pull the centre somewhat to
the south of the 1890 parallel, The
wealth centre is thought to be in th?
neighborhood of Sandusky Ohio.”