I
. ' ;,tI'
A'
CHAPTER XX.
8vn Gold Raedo.
D WATCHED her Lands as tbey
deftly cut and fashioned some
( dry reeds. The nlr grew warm
'as the flun climbed to the zenith,
And IlezeKiah flung aside her coat
Rie breeze caught the ends of her tie
and snapped them behind her. She
was wholly absorbed in ber task, and
no boy could have managed a pocket
knife better. The first reed ehe made
a trifle longer than her hand, The
succeeding ones she trimmed to gradu
ated lessening lengths, till seven In all
had been cut, and then she notched
tbeni.
"Seven," she murmured, luying them
neatly In order on her knee. "1 re
member the right number by a poem
I read the other day In an old maga
zine." She reached down and plucked sev
eral long leaves of tough grass with
which she began to bind tho reeds to
gether, repeating:
"Seven gold reeds grew tall and slim
Close by the river's beaded brim.
Syrnlx, the naiad, flitted past; .
Pan, the goat hoofed, followed fast
"It will be easier," said Uezekiah, "If
you hold the pipes while I tie them."
I found this propinquity wholly
agreeable. It was pleasant to sit on a
log beside Hezeklah. It seemed no far
cry to tho storied Mediterranean and
Pan and dryads and naiads, as Owe
kiah bound her reeds to the music of
couplets.. There was no self conscious
ness in her recitation. : She seemed to
be telling of something that she bnd
seen herself an hour ago.
"He ipread hit arm to clasp her there
Just as she vanished Into air
And to his boeom, warm and rough,
Drew the gold reeds close enough.
"I don't remember the rest," she
broke off. "But there! That's a pipe
fit for any shepherd."
She put it to her lips and blew. 1
ihnll not pretend that the result was
melodious. She whistled much better
without the reeds, but the sight of her,
sitting on the fallen tree beside the
lake, beating time with her foot, her
head thrown back, her eyes half closed
In a mockery of rapture at the shrill,
wheezy uncertainties and ineptitudes
Ehe evoked, thrilled me with new and
wonderful longings. A heart, a spirit
like hers would never grow old. She
was next of kin to all the elusive, fugi
tive company of the elf world. And on
such a pipe as she had strung together
beside that pond to this dny Sicilian
shepherd boys whistle themselves into
tune with Theocritus!
"Take it," she said. "I can't tell
you more than I have, and yet it is all
there, Chimneys. Head the riddle of
the reeds if you can."
I took the pipe and turned it over
carefully in my hands, but I fear my
thoughts were rather of the hands
that had fashioned it, the fingers that
had danced nimbly upon tho stops.
"There are seven reeds seven," she
affirmed.
She amused herself by skipping peb
bles over tho surface of tho water
wtiile I pondered, and I deliberated
long, for one did not like to blunder
before Uezekiah. Then I Jumped up
and called to ber.
"One, two, three, four, five, six
seven! Not until the seventh man of
fers himself shall Cecilia have a hus
band. Is that the answer?"
For a moment Uezekiah watched the
widening ripples made by the casting
of her last pebble. Then she came
back and resumed her seat
i "You have done well, Chimney Man,
and now I'll not make you guess any
more, though I found It all out for my
self. When Aunt Octavia gave that
memorandum book to Cecilia I knew it
must have something to do with the
seventh man. You know I love all
Aunt Octavia's nonsense because it's
tho kind of foolishness I like myself,
and tho idea of n pretty little note
book to write down proposals in was
precisely the sort of thing that would
Lave occurred to my aunt. And it was
in the bargain, too, that she herself
should not in any way interfcro or try
to influence the courso of events. It
should bo the seventh suitor, willy
nilly. And I sunpect she's been a little
scared too."
"Sho hns indeed! She was almost
remly to throw tho whole scheme over
last night. Your naughtiness had got
on her nerves."
"You missed the target that time.
Aiuit Oof a via loyosrnjr Jjn'ightiness,
1 tie bsene
of the
Seven Suitors
By
MEREDITH NICHOLSON
Copyright, 1910, by Meredith Nlcholtoa
and I think she has really been arraio
Sir rumpkln Wiggins would catch me.
Now, I didn't roam my aunt's house
Just for fun. I was doing my best to
keep Cecilia from getting into soma
scrape about that seventh suitor plan.
I found out by chance how to get into
Hopefleld and about the hidden stair
way and tho old rooms tucked away
there. Papa really discovered that.
A carpenter in Katonah who worked
on the house helped to build papa's
bungalow, and he told us how that
ruin came to be there. Tbnt dys
pepsla cure man, who also immortal
ized himself by Inventing the rlblesi
umbrella, was very superstitious. II
believed that if he built an entirely
new house he would die. So he had
his architect build around and retain
those two rooms and that stairway ol
a house that bad been on tho ground
almost since the Revolution. Mr. rep
perton, the architect, humored him.
but hid tho remains of the relic as far
out of sight as possible."
"Trust Pep for that! And he did II
neatly!"
"Yes; but it didn't save the umbrella
man. He died anyhow or maybe his
pies killed him. Tapa was so curious
"I wish, Hezekiah, that you would sta
caught!"
about it that he took me with him on
night Just before Aunt Octavia move
here, and he and 1 found the room
and the stair and the secret spring b3
which, if you know just where to poki
the wall in the fourth floor hall yoi
can disappear as mysteriously as yot
please."
"But how on earth did you darker
tho halls so easily? You nearly gavi
mo heart disease doing that!"
"Oh. that was n mere matter of I
young lady In haste! When I fount
how easily I could pass you on th
stair it became a fascinating game, an
it was no end of fun to see just hovi
long It would take you to catch me."
"I wish, He.eklah. that you wouk
stay caughtl"
"Be very, very careful, sir! We'n
talking business now. There's another
ordeal for you before you dare become
sentimental."
"Then hasten. Let us be after it."
"Things are in a serious predicament,
I can tell you. I was frightened when
I looked Into that notebook. I didn't
like to do that, but I had to assist
Providence a little. Five men have al
ready got their quietus."
"Then why don't they clear out and
stop their nonsense?" 1
"Oh, it's their pride, I suppose, and
every man probably thinks that when
Cecilia has seen a little more of him in
particular, in contrast with the others,
he will win her favor. They're afraid
of one another, those men. That's the
reason they've been herding together
so. close since the first day you came.
Mr. Wiggins was taking it for granted
that he was tho wholo thing just like
the man! and those others forced him
to Join In some arrangement .by which
they were to hang together. These
calls in a bunch came from that, as
though any one of them wouldn't take
advantage of the others if lie saw a
chance! Some of this I got from Wig
gy himself, the rest I Just guessed."
"But you may not know that they
sent a delegation after me into town
to warn me off the grass."
"That was Mr. Dick. lie never saw
me when Cecilia was around, and he
was terribly snippy sometimes and
supercilious, .but I'm polng. togct even
with liim. 1 ve about uinicrlluod t.Iin
for number six," she concluded with
the manner of a queen who, about t
give her chief executioner his orders
for the day, glances calmly over the list
of victims.
"That's a good Idea. Dick is insuf
ferable. I hope you haven't counted
wrong."
"As we were saying, about the note
book," she resumed, "the fifth man has
already boon respectfully declined.
The dates of the proposals are written
in the notebook, so I learned from the
book that Mr. Ormsby, Mr. Arbnthnot
and Mr. Gorso had proposed on the
steamer. Professor Hume, you know.
tried his luck at Hopefleld, and Lord
Arrowood must have stopped Cecilia as
she was riding to the statiou on my
bicycle yesterday morning. His goose
is cooked."
"He stopped to tell papa goodby and
spoke very highly of you. Papa and
you are the only gentlemen he met in
America. But now we come to Mr.
Wiggins."
"We do; and why in the name of all
that Is beautiful and good hasn't he
tried his luck?"
"Because, knowing Cecilia's admlra
tlon for him," replied nezeklah de
murely, "I have kept him so diverted
that he hasn't been able to bring him
self to the scratch."
"You didn't want him to blunder in
as the first, fourth or sixth man?"
Hezeklah gravely nodded her pretty
head. '
"And while yon were engaged in this
sisterly labor, Cecilia has been afraid
that you were seriously Interested In
him!"
"That is like Cecilia. She's fine, and
wouldn't cause me trouble for any
thing;" and there was no doubt of
Hezekiah's sincerity.
"But now that I see the light and un
derstand all this, how can we make
sure that Wiggy will be on the spot at
the right moment? While we sit here
he may be tho sixth man! I might
take care of Wiggy by asking Cecilia
to marry me, being careful to have him
appear Johnny on the spot when I had
been duly declined."
"Uni! I shouldn't take any chances if
I were you," she replied, feigning to
look at an imaginary bird in a tree top,
"for If you had counted wrong and
were really the seventh man she would
have to accept you!"
"Hezeklah!"
"Oh, I really didn't mean what you
thought I meant. We don't ueed to
discuss It any more. That's the ordeal
I've arranged for you," she answered,
and set her lips sternly.
"But, my dear Uezekiah, by what,
means can this be effected? I don't
dare tell him the combination he's
playing against or sit on him until bis
hour strikes."
"Certainly not; you mustn't tell him
or anybody else. You know the plan;
but you're not supposed to, and no
body must know I've meddled. Mean
while Cecilia must expose herself to
proposals at all times. Aunt Octavia's
heart would bo broken if she thought
Providence had been tampered with.
She likes Wiggy well enough, except
that his ancestors were nil Tories, and
he can't be a Son of the Revolution."
Khe rose and pointed lo her coat.
"Drop it into the boat for me, Chim
neys. We meet In funny places, don't
we? Papa expects tue for luncheon,
and I must row back and get my bi
cycle. You? No. you can't go along:
you've got n lot of thinking to do. and
you'd better be doing it."
A few minutes later, as I swung
along the highway toward tho Pros
cott Arms, I saw Cecilia Ilollister rid
lug toward me at a lively gallop.
She crossed the bridge without check
ing her horse, and then, with n hurried
glance over her shoulder, she pointed
with her crop to a byway.
I hurried after her and found her
waiting for me In a quiet lane. She had
dismounted and seemed greatly dis
turbed ns I addressed her.
"I hadn't expected to meet you. 1
thought you rode off with your aunt to
ward Mount KIsco."
"We did, but on our way homo Aunt
Octavia stopped to call on a friend, and
as I didn't feel I n mood for visits thU
morning. I rode on alone. I-was walk
ing my horse in the road beyond Bed
ford, Just after I left Aunt Octavia,
when who should ride up beside mo but
Mr. Wiggins. He had evidently been
following me."
She expected me to express surprise,
and with the Information that Ileze-
slah had Just imparted fresh in my
mind I dare sny she was not disap
pointed in the effect of her words. I
was thinking rapidly and fearfully. It
my friend had Bought her in the high
way and offered himself in some fresh
accession of ardor he might even now
bo a rejected and hopeless man; but 1
was unwilling to believe that this bad
happened. ,
"Won't you tell me what happened
In the road when Hartley rode up be-
lde you?"
' "Oh, nothing happened; really,, noth
ing! Nothing could have happened for
the excellent reason that I ran away
from him. It wasn't what he did or
said, it was the fear of what ho might
ay I"
"If it had been Mr. Dick who had
Joined you In exactly the same way in
the highway, you would not have
minded in tho least, Miss Holllster.
Isn't that the truth?"
I To no Continued.)
Lame back is usually caused by
rheumatism of the muscles of the
back, for which you will find
nothing better than Chamberlain's
Liniment. For sale by F. G. Fricke
Co.
FOREST ROSE The best flour
on the market. Give it a trial.
iii puotshiih
F
Items of Interest to Old and New
Residents of City Which Were
New Forty Years Ago.
The bridge back of Dr. Schild
kuecht's office has got the
chronic lifts since the circus
mail went for it, and needs medi
cal attendance.
Win. Stadelmann, esq., return
ed from Franklin, on the Repub
lican, Monday, looking as fresh
and new as if lie had just been
ground over and come out another
man.
The
C, H.
of the
& Q. have
boat "Vice
taken
Presi
char
go
dent," and will transfer cars for
$5.00 each, instead of the form
er price, $10. Quite a necessary
reduction and one that will be
very much appreciated.
Died In this city at 3 o'clock
m., Saturday, July 12, 1873,
Mrs. Lucinda Hillings, wife of S
Hillings, aged i8 years, 9
months and 5 days.
The funeral services took place
at the family residence at
o'clock p. m. on Sunday, Julv 13,
1873.
We learn (hat the lire depart
inent of I his place has determined
lo organize a hook and ladder
company. All persons desirious
of joining this company can hand
in (heir names to either of the
following persons: John A. Mae
Murphy, president; Frank Stadt-
er, second assistant; William Ie
ille, or James Grace. Next Wed
nesday there will he a meeting at
I he engine house. Turn out. boys.
A man by the name of Harper
claims to own several lots and
things ' around Plallsmouth,
among the rest the lot Henry
Hoeck's furniture store stands on,
and last week he warned Henry off
the premises. Hoeck got dis Dutch
up and told Harper he was play
ing on the wrong string, and he
might go to a Warmer climate
than 102 degrees in the shade, and
so the matter rests, until the
judge shall Harp'em all into courl,
we expect.
llesser's picnic passed off with
great eclal. Just as everybody
was dry and dusty and willing for
a little moisture a heavenly
shower descended and cooled and
watered everyone so that all went
home delighted. One man to
win i ii i we addressed Hie inquiry,
"What kind of a lime did you
have a I- the picnic?" replied, "Nice
nine, moisi ami pleasant, very
moist and pleasant," which hi
name was Hilly Holihs, and an
other lold us that Prof. d'Alle
mamt could not possibly have
made a dry speech, because of the
shower. Oursclf and wife, the
doig and Hiillerfy's two black
horses, started to come, but got
scared at the big clouds and turn
ed hack, dive us another chance
llesser.
A workman in the machine
shops named Patrick F.agan, drop
ped down dead from heart disease
on Saturday evening last. He had
gone home from his work and was
milking the cow when he tumbled
off the stool dead. His funeral
on Monday was largely attended
Frank While, sr., left for Crete
on Tuesday, where he has Ihe
contract of moving somo build
ings. He will be absent several
weeks.
Mr. Stadelniann's bakery build
ing on the corner of Main and
Sixth street is nenring comple
tion, arid when 'finished 'Mr. S.
will he possessor of one of the
best finished buildings in lown. :
We call attention' to the new
law ' firm ' of Smith '& Windhairi,
jusl opened in this town. Their
card will hu found in next week's
paper. Mr. Smith has been long
and favorably known lo our peo
ple as a partner of Mr. Marquett.
Mr. Windham is a graduate of
the Michigan University Law
School, and a young man of much
promise.
We had quile an alarm of fire
on Tuesday evening. The chan
delier in Solomon & Nathan's
store broke down, mid the oil fly
ing out for a few moments it
looked ns if we should have quite
a decent conflagration. A large
crowd gathered at once, and we
are happy and proud to slate
that the Mabcock and all the boys
ill YEARS
were on hand mstanter. Before
they were needed, however, a few
blankets had smothered the in
cipient blaze.
Union Fire Company met in
Firemen's hall last evening for
the purpose of electing officers for
thi' ensuing year. A gayer, bet
ter natured or jollier set of fel-
ows never came together. With
their red shirts and new hals
cocked a la mode on their true
firemen's head, they looked the
image of the lads .that do and
hire.
The preliminary business of
the meeting over, the ballot for
otlicers took place, resulting' as
follows ;
Chief Engineer J. V. John
son.
Assistant Engineer Henry
Curtis.
President John A. McMurphy.
Secretary A. d'Allemaud.
T r ea s tire r 1 1 . Newman.
Otlicers of the engine company:
Foreman Frank S t ad t e r .
First Assistant Foreman Wm.
Neville.
Second Assistant Foreman
F. J. Metteer. :
Officers of the hook and ladder
company:
Foreman P. D. Hates.
First . Assistant Foreman
King.
Second Assistant Foreman
A. Despaine.
A finance committee for both
companies was then appointed,
consisting of Dr. Livingston, Fred
Stadelmann and Henry Heck for
the engine company, and V.
Shryock, King and Slinchcomb for
the hook and ladder company.
Our fire department is now
fully organized, and they are a
line body of men that the city may
ie proud to acknowledge.
One of the H. & M. 11. II. boats
dropped her apron in the river
last week, and two cars tumbled
out of her lap into the river.
George Fickler will move up in
the building next the court hones,
formerly occupied by Morrison &
Shannon. W'e bespeak a good
trade for George in his new
quarters.
Mr. Samuel Thomas will ship
fourteen head of pure blood cat
tle to the state fair next week for
exhibition. They are line animals
and no doubt will draw a prize of
some magnitude.
The bridge on Vine street be
tween Sixth and Seventh is being
laken up and a substantial one
put in in its stead. Robinson's
clown said he was afraid lo risk
the elephant on the old one, hut
we imagine this one will be suf
ficient to support him if he gels
around in this section of the
country again.
Gen. King, in command at
Omaha Harracks, has been visit
ing our (own as a guest of Chap
lain Wright. On Tuesday ho
was taken out to Duke's addition
by Caplain Hennelt ami pur
chased sixteen lots.
These lots are sold on such
reasonable terms that no person
need be without a home, and as
an investment they even attract
Ihe attention of strangers.
A new company has been form
ed in l'lal tsmoiil h for the purpose
of buying ami dealing in grain
and other produce. They pro
pose 'to erect a warehouse on Ihe
siding, south of Culler it While's
Sure drop, variable
8 I1AAIMS I
Oorn
vtP fill
WHILE THEY LAST!
Plattsmouth, Nebraska
present building, and to transact
business on a large and whole
some basis, paying fair rales for
all grain, and doing business on
the square, generally.
The officers of the company
are: K. G. Dovey, president; E.
T. Duke, treasurer. Directors, E.
G. Dovey, J. V. Buttery, D.
Sehnasse, K. It. Guthman and E.
T. Duke.
Their warehouse is under way,
and the company expects to be
ready for business by the 10th or
15th of the present month.
CONDITIONS HAVE GREATLY
II
Last week The Ledger reluct
antly referred to the need of some
reforms in this village, par
ticularly as to conduct and
language on the streets, and
while we do not pose as dictator,
hero or reformer, we nre greatly
pleased lo note that there has
been some improvement along
the lines we suggested. We are
also pleased to observe that no
body appeared to take our re
marks as a personal rebuke, and
it does seem that we dropped
some few words that placed tho
matter in proper light. We
sincerely hope that it may never
agau be necessary for us to
criticise the conduct of anyone
and thai peace and harmony may
reign supreme.
The practice of using profane,
and obscene language anywhere
is not, just the proper thing, but
perhaps often results from sud
den anger or impulse, but it was
profane and vulgar language on
the streets in the hearing of
ladies and children that we pro
tested against, and it is gratify
ing to notice the improvement,
and hope it will be permanent,
and praise is due those who have
given the matter serious thought
and acted accordingly. Union
Ledger.
For the Weak and Nervous.
Tired-out, weak, nervous men
and women would feel ambitious,
energetic, full of life and always
' ave a good appetite, if they would
do the sensible thing for health
lake "Electric Hitlers. Nothing
better for tho stomach, liver or
kidneys. Thousands say they owe
their lives to this wonderful home
remedy. Mrs. O. Rhinevault, of
Vestal Center, N. Y., says: "I re
gard Electric Hitlers as one of the
greatest of gifts. I can never for
get what it has done for me." Get
a bottle yourself and see what a
difference it will uiako In your
health. Only 50c and 1.00
25c. Recommended by F. G.
Fricke Si Co.
Some Fine Sign.
The firm of C. E. Wesoott's
Sons, who are tho agents in
lMallsmouth for tho Muusing un
derwear, have secured 150 feet on
the inside of Ihe base ball fence
and have placed a sign for this
excellent make of underwor there.
The sign can he seen well from
the Hiirliuglon depot, and all
trains, as well as on the hall
grounds, and it, certainly is a
sign to bo proud of. The letters
on the sign are some seven feel
wide.
Don't forget the Katholoky
Sokol dance on Thursday night,
May 20 the night, before Decora
tion day.
IN
edge drop, high wheel
Planters!
V ' 'yt , ",