p
1
SYNOPSIS.
The Ktory Is told by Nicholas Trlt < t. Ute
rlilcr , Beimtor John Galliinm , offered lliu
pint folio of necrutary of Htutc In Tyler'H
cabinet. Is told by Dr. Ward ( bat blH tlmo
IH nliort. Cnlboun declares that lie Is not
ready to die. unit If ho accepts Tylur'H of
fer It means that Texas and Oregon must
lie added to Ibu Union. Ho plaim to learn
the Intentions of KiiKhind with regard to
Mexico through lliironcsa Von Hitneorot
H | > y anil reputed mistress of the KiiBllsli
fiinhtiHsadnr , raltenliain. NldjnlaH IH wont
tu brliiK the Imrone.ss to Cnlliiiun'n apart
ments and IIIHHCH | a tti < ; elhiK with hl.s
wveelheart. Kllzabotll Churchill. While
ncarcbliiK for the baroness' IIOUHO a rar-
rliiKii daHlicH up mid Nicholas Is Invited to
enter. The occupant IH the haroncna , who
nays nbo IH bHnic pmmird. The purmiora
iiro Bhaltcn off. Nicholas la Invllud Into
the ! ) Otinf and delivers Calhoitn'H rncKRaKc.
) Iu noted thai the baroness has lost a
( dipper , Nicholas li lven the remaining
[ dipper IIH a pledge that shn will toll Oal-
lioiin everything. Mo Rives her as secur
ity an Indian trinket bo Intended for
Kllzahoth. Kllzahcth's father consents to
Nicholas * proposal for her hand.
CHAPTER VII. Continued.
It was not now to mo , of course ,
this pageant , although it never lacked
of Interest There were In the throng
representatives of all America as it
> vas then , a strange , crutlo blending of
refinement and vulgarity , of case and
poverty , of luxury and thrift.
A certain air of gloom at this tlmo
hung over official Washington , for the
minds of all wcro still oppressed by
Iho memory of that fatal accident
the explosion of the great cannon
"Peacemaker" on board the war ves-
nol Princeton which had killed Mr.
Upshur , our secretary of state , with
others , and had , at ono blow , como so
uear to depriving this government of
Its head and liln official family ; the
number of prominent lives thus ended
or endangered being appalling to con
template. It wan this accident which
Imd called Mr. Calhoun forward nt a
national juncture of the most extreme
delicacy anS the utmost Importance.
In opltc of the general mourning ,
howuvor , the informal receptions at
the White IIouso were not wholly dis
continued , and the administration , tin-
oottled as It was , and fronted by the
gravest of diplomatic problems , made
Buch show of dignity and oven cheer
fulness as it might.
I considered It my duty to pass In
the long procession and to shako the
hand of Mr. Tyler. That done , 1 gazed
about the .great room , carefully scan
ning the different little groups which
were accustomed to form aftpr tlio
ceremonial part of the visit was over.
I saw many whom I know. I forgot
thorn ; for In a far corner , where a
flood of light came through the trail
ing vines that shielded the outer win
dow , my anxious eyes discovered the
object of my quest Elizabeth.
It seemed to mo I had never known
her so fair as she was that morning In
the great east room of the White
IIouso. Elizabeth was rather taller
than the average woman , and of that
Bplondld southern figure , slender but
Btrong , which makes perhaps the best
representative of our American beau
ty. She was very bravely arrayed to
day In her best pink-flowered lawn ,
made wldo and full , as was the custom
of the time , but not so clumsily gath
ered at the waist as some , and so
nerving not wholly to conceal her
natural comeliness of figure. Her bon-
uet she had removed. I could see the
X fitmllght on the ripples of her brown
lialr , and the shadows which lay
above her eyes as she turned to face
me , and the slow pink which crept
into' her cheeks.
Dignified always , and reserved , was
Elizabeth Churchill. Dut now I hope
it was not wholly conceit which led
nio to feel that perhaps the warmth ,
the glow of the air , caught while ri
ding under the open sky , the sight of
the many budding roses of our city ,
the scant of the blossoms which even
then came through the lattice the
meeting oven with myself , so lately
returned something at least of this
laid caused an awakening in her girl's
heart Something , I say , I do not
know what , gave her greeting to me
moro warmth than was usual with
her. My own heart , ongor enough to
break boijnds , answered In kind. Wo
Htood blushing like children ns our
hands touched forgotten In that as-
Bomblago of Washington's pomp and
circumstance.
"How do you do ? " was all I could
find to say. And "How do you do ? "
was all I could catch for answer , al
though I saw , in a fleeting way , a
gllmpso of a dimple hid in Elizabeth's
cheek. She never showed It savn
when pleased. I have never seen a
dimple llko that of Elizabeth's.
Absorbed , wo almost forgot Aunt
Dotty Jennlngf. stout , radiant , snub-
nosed , arch-browed and curious , Eliz
abeth's chaperon. On the whole , I
was glad Aunt Hetty Jennings was
thero.
"Aunt Dotty , " said 1 , as I took her
band ; "Aunt Dotty , huvo we told you ,
Elizabeth and I ? "
I saw Elizabeth straighten in per
plexity , doubt or horror , but I went on.
"Yea , Elizabeth and I "
"You dear children ! " gurgled Aunt
Dotty.
"Congratulate us both I" I demanded
and I put Elizabeth's hand , covered
with my own , Into the short and chubby -
by .fingers of that estimable lady ,
FIGHT
BYJEMERWN HOUGH
AVT1IOTC , OF THE MffWlfiflPPI BUBBLE
IUUJTRATION51 by MAGNUT G.KETINER _
COPVRIOHT -
"Nicholas , " She Said , "Come To-Nlght. "
Whenever Elizabeth attempted to open
her lips I opened mlno before , and I
so overwhelmed dear Aunt Detty Jen
nings with protestations of my regard
for her , my interest In her family , her
other nieces , her chickens , her kit
tens , her homo I so quieted all her
questions by assertions and demands
and exclamations , and declarations
that Mr. Daniel Churchill had given
his consent , that I swear for the mo
ment oven Elizabeth believed that
what I had said was indeed true. At
least , I can testify she made no for
mal denial , although the dimple was
now frightened out of sight.
Admirable Aunt Detty Jennings !
She forestalled every assertion I made ,
herself bubbling and blushing in sheer
delight. Nor did she lack In charity.
Tapping mo with her fan lightly , she
exclaimed : "You rogue ! I know
that you two want to bo alone ; that
Is what you want. Now I am going
away just down the room. You will
ride homo with us after a time , 1 am
sure ? "
Adorable Aunt Dotty Jennings !
Elizabeth and I looked at her com
fortable back fur some moments before -
fore I turned , laughing , to look Eliza
beth in the eyes.
"You had no right " began she ,
her face growing pink.
"Every right ! " said I , ami managed
to find a place for our two hands un
der cover of the wldo flounces of her
figured lawn as wo stood , both blush-
lug. "I have every right 1 have
truly Just scon your father. I have
Just como from him. "
She looked at mo intently , glowing ,
happily.
" 1 could not wait any longer , " I went
on. "Within a week I am going to
have an office of my own. Let us wait
no longer. I have waited long enough.
Now "
I babbled on , and she listened. It
was strange place enough for a be
trothal , but there nt least I said the
words which bound me ; ami In the
look Elizabeth gave mo I saw her an
swer. Her eyes were wldo and
straight and solemn. She did not
smile.
As wo stood , with small opportunity
and perhaps less Inclination for much
conversation , my eyes chanced to turn
toward the main entrance door ofthe
east room. I saw , pushing through , a
certain page , n young boy of good
family , who was employed by Mr. Cal
houn as messenger. He knew mo
perfectly well , as ho did almost everyone
ono else in Washington , and with pre
cocious intelligence his gaze picked
mo out in all that throng.
"Is It for mo ? " I asked , as ho extended -
tended his missive.
"Yes , " ho nodded. "Mr. Calhoun
told mo to find you and to give you
this at once. "
I turned to Elizabeth. "If you will
pardon mo ? " I said. She made way
for me to pass to a curtained window ,
nud there , turning my back and using
such secrecy as I could , I broke the
shal.
shal.Tho
The message was brief. To bo equal
ly brief I may say simply that It
nuked mo to bo ready to start for
Canada that night on business con-
uucted with the department of atatot
Of reason or explanations It gave
none.
I turned to Elizabeth and held out
the message from my chief. She
looked at It. Her eyes widened.
"Nicholas ! " she exclaimed.
"Elizabeth , " said I , turning to her
swiftly , "I will agree to nothing which
will send mo away from you again.
Listen , then " I raised K hand as she
would have spoken. "Go home with
your Aunt Detty as soon as you can.
Tell your father that to-night at six I
shall bo there. Do ready ! "
"What do you mean ? " she panted.
I saw her throat ffutter.
"I mean that we must be married
to-night before I go. Defore eight
o'clock I must bo on the train.1'
"When will you be back ? " she whis
pered.
"How can I tell ? When 1 go , my
wife shall wait there at Elmhurst , In
stead of my sweetheart. "
She turned away from mo , contem
plative. She , too , was young. Ardor
appealed to her. Life stood before
her , beckoning , ns to me. What could
the girl do or say ?
I placed her hand on my arm. We
started toward the door , Intending to
pick up Aunt Jennings on our way.
As we advanced , a group before us
broke apart. I stood aside to make
way for a gentleman whom I did not
recognize. On his arm there leaned
a woman , n beautiful woman , clad in
a costume of flounced and rippling vel
vet of royal blue which made her the
I most striking figure In the great room.
Hers was a personality not easily to
ho overlooked in any company , her
face ono not readily to ho equalled.
It was the Daroness Helena von Hltz !
We met face to faro. I presume it
would have been too much to ask even
of her to suppress the sudden flash of
recognition which she showed. At first
she did not see that 1 was accom
panied. She bent to mo , as though
to adjust her gown , and , without a
change in the expression of her face ,
spoke to me In an undertone no one
else could hear.
"Walt ! " she murmured. "There Is
to bo n meeting " She had time for
no more as she- swept by.
Alas , that mere moments should
spell ruin as well as happiness ! This
now woman whom I had wooed and
found , this now Elizabeth whoso hand
lay on my arm. saw what no ono else
would have HCOH that little Hash of
recognition on the face of Helena von
lUtz ! She heard a whisper pass.
Moreover , with a woman's uncanny
facility in detail , she took in every
item of the other's costume. For my
self , I could sco nothing of that cos
tume now save one object a barbaric
brooch of double shells and beaded
fastenings , which clasped the light
laces nt her throat.
The baroness had perhaps slept as
llttlu as 1 the night before. If 1
showed the ravages of loss of sloop
no more than she , I was fortunate.
She was radiant , ns she passed for
ward with bur escort for place In the
line which had not yet dwindled away.
"You seem to know that lady , " said
Elizabeth to mo gently.
"Did I so scum ? " 1 answered. "It Is
professional of all to mllu In the east
room at u , reception , " said 1.
"Then you do not know the lady ? "
"Indeed , no. Why should I , my
dear girl ? " Ah , how hot my face
was !
"I do not know , " said Elizabeth.
"Only , In a way she resembles a cer
tain lady of whom we have heard
rather moro than enough hero In
Washington. "
"Put aside silly gossip , Elizabeth. "
1 said. "And , please , do not quarrel
with me , now that I am so happy. To
night "
"Nicholas , " she said , leaning Just a
llttlo forward and locking her hands
moro deeply In my 'arm , "don't you
know the little brooch you were going
to bring me an Indian thing you
said it should be my my wedding
present ? Don't you remember that ?
Now , 1 was thinking "
I stood blushing red as though de
tected In the utmost villainy. And the
girl nt my side saw that written on
my face which now , within the very
moment , It had become her right to
question ! I turned to her suddenly.
"Elizabeth , " said I , "you shall have
your little brooch to-night , if you will
promise me now to be ready and wait
ing for mo at six. I will have the
license. "
It seemed to me that this now self
of Elizabeth's warmer , yielding ,
adorable was slowly going away from
me again , and that her old self , none
the less sweet , none the less alluring ,
but more logical and questioning , had
taken its old place again. She put
both her hands on my arm now and
looked mo fairly In the face , where
the color still proclaimed some sort
of guilt on my part , although my heart
was clean and innocent as hers. '
"Nicholas , " she said , "come to
night. Drlng me my little jewel and
bring "
"The minister ! If I do that , Eliza
beth , you will marry me then ? "
"Yes ! " she whispered softly.
Amid all the din and babble of that
motley throng I heard the word , low
as It was. I have never heard a voice
like Elizabeth's.
An instant later , I knew not quite
how , her hand was away from my
arm , in that of Aunt Detty , and they
were passing toward the main door ,
leaving me standing with joy and
doubt mingled in my mind.
( TO BE CONTINUED. )
HELPED SENATOR TO VICTORY
Political Opponents Made Mistake
When They Raked Up a Story
They Thought Would Hurt.
Senator Chamberlain o. Washington ,
who recsntly made his first extended
speech in congress , on conservation ,
has reminded an old friend 01 Cham
berlain's own experiments In censer
vation.
"When Chamberlain was running I
the senate , " said this friend , "the op
position went over his rcccvd with a
line tooth comb to find something in
jurious to him. One day one of the
strikers rushed in and announced that
he had it.
Chamberlain was president of a
bank when ho was a young man ; It
busted and was a horrible wreck.
'Dig it up quick , " announced the
campaign manager.
The story was looked up and was
true. The bank had failed , and
there were almost no assets.
They were just ready to put out the
story when an old friend of Chamber
lain's came along and advised against
it. "Won't do you any good , " he in
sisted. "Take my word for it. "
Dut the campaign managers had to
do something , and so the story of the
busted bank was given out and got
duo publicity in all the anti-Chamber-
lain papers. Next day the Chamberlain
committee gave outa statement signed
by all the directors and a lot of depos
itors of the bank. It said :
"It is true that Mr. Chamberlain
was president of the bank when It
failed. At that tlmo 1.3 was a man of
some property. He had - never been
actively connected with the bank
management , and when ho learned
that it was closed and hopelessly in
solvent ho turned over his entire prop
erty and personally paid nil depos
itors. "
Whereupon the anti-Chamberlain
people started hunting for a new roor
back , and when election day came the
man whoso bank had failed ingloriously -
ly was triumphantly elected senator.
Our Lack In Humor.
Artomus Ward said that a comic
paper was no worse for having a
joke in It now and then , and his words
have ever slnco been quoted as em
bodying the gospel of wit and humor.
The great form of American mirth
Is the joke. "It Is to laugh" that's our
creed in a sentence. Misplaced cap
itals , awkward spelling , impossible
grammar , intlulto incongruity of situa
tion , endless wordplay , grotesquery of
action and character , heightened by
pictures equally funny , these are the
things that mnko us laugh. Wo are
quick to catch the point of a cartoon ,
to enjoy the exaggeration of a carica
ture. Dut to smile at the mock-seri
ous , to bo amused by satire , Is a ro-
llnement as yet beyond us.
NEBRASKA IN DRIEF.
'
'News Notes of Interest from Various
Sections.
S The Midwest Life.
On December 1st of this year The
Midwest Llfo had written as much
Insurance as It did In the year 1909.
The gain over last year , therefore ,
will bo the amount placed in Decem
ber. The Midwest Llfo now has over
two and one-half millions of Insurance
in force on the lives of Nebraska men
and women and an income amounting
to one hundred thousand dollars a
year. This has been accomplished In
less than five years. When solicited
by an agent of an eastern company
for life Insurance stop and think the
situation over. Weigh the advantages
and disadvantages of the transaction.
Sen If it does not appeal to you as a
rational business proposition to pat
ronize n Nebraska company. You
know the reason why. The money
stays in Nebraska not only in good
times , but in panics am\ financial de
pressions as well. The Midwest Lifo
issues all the standard forms of life
insurance policies at reasonable rates.
Call or write the homo oilice , 119
South Tenth street , Lincoln , for" an
agency , or a sample policy.
In the office of the Gooch Grain
company in York , the operator whb
receives by telegraph the grain ,
stock and market quotations Is blind.
Ho lias been blind for ten years and
although deprived of his sight , he
goes to and from his place of bus
iness , to the poatofllce and business
houses and makes his purchases ,
walking about the business and resi
dence streets unaccompanied.
There was filed in Madison county
the will of .1. A. DeWolf , a wealthy
farmer , which contains a unique pro
vision. It requires that his executors
shall give a surety bond. Ordinarily
the man who makes the will names
Home personal friends or business as
sociates or relatives as executors ,
without bond , and then the probate
court has to offend these trusted
friends by requiring bond. ,
Superintendent C. N. Abbott of the
institute for the blind at Nebraska
City , who retires on the appointment
of the new superintendent , R. C. King ,
has announced his candidacy for
county superintendent , which will be
left vacant by Mr. King resigning to
take his new position. Prof. Charles
K. Morse of the Auburn public school
is also n candidate.
Columbus police are working on the
mystery of the death of Miss Flor
ence Duer , aged 19 , daughter of a re
spectable farmer living southwest of
the city , and have in custody Frank
Cloves Welker , aged 30 , a teacher In
a business college here , and a farm
hand by the name of Levi Cordray.
The girl's body was found in a va
cant lot , frozen.
That York citizens are prosperous
And most liberal was in evidence
when the Methodists of that city ded
icated the new church annex costing
$5,000 free of debt. The large , new
tihurch building was filled with mem
bers of the church whoJn a few min
utes , subscribed over $7,000 , which
was more than enough to pay for Im
provements. '
The appointment of Dr. William
Kern as superintendent and 'George
. ames as steward of the state asylum
at Ingleside has met with popular fa
vor In Hastings. Dr. Kern was made
superintendent of the Institution
early In 1901 and retained the place
through the administrations of Gover
nors Dietrich , Savage , Mickey and
Sheldon.
William Dill of Lincoln , a 17-year-
old boy , tried to commit suicide by
shooting himself through the head.
He gavens his reason for the act
that his father was mean to him.
The parents declared that the boy
panic homo under the influence of
liquor and was severely reproved by
his father.
For assault on the night watchman
at Falrbury , Dill Brock paid a $100
'
fine. <
C. H. Alclrich's selection of Dr. Dos-
trom of MInden 113 state veternarlan
has met with favor all over Kearney
county , where he has practiced for
twenty years. He has done much
original investigation along PIO line
of diseases peculiar to that , , pRrt of
the country , especially the corn stalks
disease.
For the burglary of the Pope Dros.
hardware store at Red Cloud , Den
Grant is in the Omaha city ja'l. T' o
goods were found in Ills possession ,
he has confessed and the Red Cloud
authorities will taka charge of him.
Judge William Hayward of Nebras
ka City left with his wife and son ,
for china to spend the winter. It Is
Intimated that ho has gone there to
look the country over with a view of
accepting a consularshlp.
Some tlmo since , Miss Emma /le-
barth filed suit for $15,000 damages
against Krcd Ditfleld o Presser for
an alleged breach of promise , but
Ditfleld has fled and cannot bo found.
The late poultry show at Omaha
was the most successful thus far held.
Next year it Is proposed to largely
expand the exhibit.
The Duller county corn show and
Industrial school exhibit was held in
the court house nt David City. The
entries were more numerous than in
any previous year and more than 100
prizes were awarded. The attendance
was n record breaker.
The first election In Adams county
was held at Juniata December 12 ,
1871 , pursuant to H proclamation Is
sued by Acting Governor William H.
James , for the purpose of electing
county officers and selecting a county
seat ! There were twenty-nine votes
cast ut thin election and Juniata was
chosen nt tuu county seat
THE CENSUS
OF CANADA
ITS GROWTH IN TEN YF.AR3
PAST ,
A census of tlio Dominion of Canada
will bo made during 1911. It will
show that during the past dccado a
remarkable development has taken
place , and , when compared with the
population , a greater percentage of In
crease In Industries of all kinds than
haa ever been shown by any country.
Commerce , mining , agriculture and
railways have made a steady march
onward. The population will bo con-
elderably over 8,000,000. Thousands
of miles of railway lines have been
construction since the last census was
taken ten years ago. This construc
tion was made necessary by the openIng -
Ing up of the now agricultural dis
tricts In Western Canada , In which
there have been pouring year after
year an Increasing number of settlers ,
until the present year will witness
settlement of over 300,000 , or a trifle
less than one-third of the Immigration
to the United States during the same
period with Its 92,000,000 of popula
tion. Even with these hundreds of
thousands of newcomers , the great
majority of whom go upon the land ,
there Is still available room for hun
dreds of thousands additional. The
census figures will therefore show a
great a vast Increase In the num
ber of farms undqr occupation , as \vo\\ \ \
as In the output of the farms. When
the figures of the splendid Immigra
tion are added to the natural Increase ,
the total will surprise even the most
optimistic. To the excellent growth
that the western portion of Canada
will show may largely bo attributed
the commercial and Industrial growth
of the eastern portion of Canada. All
Canada Is being upbullded , and In this
transformation there Is taking part
the people from many countries , but
only from those countries that pro *
duce the strong and vigorous. As
eomo evidence of the growth of the
Western portion of Canada , In agricul
tural Industry , It Is Instructive to
point out that over 100,000 homesteads -
steads of 1GO acres each have been
transferred to actual settlers In the
past two years. This means 25,000
equaro miles of territory , and then ,
when Is added the 40,000 ICO-acro pre
emption blocks ; there Is an additional
10,000 square miles , or a total of 35-
000 square miles a territory as largo
as the State of Indiana , and settled
within two years. Reduced to the
producing capacity Imperative on the
cultivation restriction of CO acres of
cultivation on each IGO-acro home
stead within three years , there will
bo within a year and a half from now
upwards of 5,000,000 additional acres
from this one source added to the en
tire producing area of the Provinces
of Manitoba , Saskatchewan and Al
berta.
In 1901 , at the tlmo of the last
census of Canada , successful agricul
ture In the Provinces of Monltoba ,
Saskatchewan and Alberta was au
experiment to many. There were
skeptics who could not believe that
It was possible 10 grow thirty , forty
and even fifty bushels of wheat to the
acre , or that as high as ono hundred
and thirty bushels of oats to the aero
could bo grown. The skeptics are not
to bo found today. The evidence of
the hundreds of thousands of farmers
Is too overwhelming. Not only have
the lands of western Canada proven
their worth In the matter of raising
all the smaller field grains , but for
mixed farming , and for cattle raising
there Is no better country anywhere.
The cllmato Is perfectly adapted to all
these pursuits as well as admirable
for health. The Dominion government
literature , descriptive of the country ,
Is what all that are Interested should
read. Send'for a copy to the nearest
Canadian government representative.
PROOF POSITIVE
ny This is a good place for fish !
Angler What can you catch hciv. '
Doy I don't know , but it must bo
a great place for fish , because I nev
er seen any of them leave It. Com.o
Cuts.
Ill-Mannered Chicken.
Little Robert , 3 years of age , went
vlth his grandmother to tlio chicken
park to see her feed the chickens.
AVhon the little ones jumped upon thu
water dish and dipped their bills into
the water , ho cried : "Oh , grand
mother , they are putting their feet on
the table. "
Cured.
"Your son used to be so round-
shouldered. How did you get him
cured of It ? He seems to bo BO straight
now. "
"He has become an aviation enthu
siast , and spends most of his tlmo
watching the bird-men. "
Aromatic Spirits.
Mrs. Tarr Sistah Lobstock has Jest
got a dlvo'co film her husban' .
Mrs. Wombat Don' say ? How
much ammonia did do cou't done grant
her ? Puck.
The man who forgets that ho was
once a boy la almost aa ecnrco as the
woman who denies that she la still a
Klrl.