V
A
An American Nabob
A Remrkble Story of Love Gold 2xnd t
Adventvire t
By ST GEORGE RATHBORNE
Copyright by Street Smith New Yorlt
CHAPTKR r
JACK FROM BOHEMIA
Famous old Big Ben had boomed
out the hour of 3 one afternoon in
May when Jack Overton who had
recently shaken off the dust of the Bo
hemian Latin quarter in Paris de
bouched from one of the numerous
courts branching out from the Strand
London and strolled along this great
thoroughfare
Overton was a man of possibly
twenty five His form was well built
and athletic his countenance while
not wholly handsome worthy of deep
study an expert at physiognomy
would have gloried in reading the po
tential features so plainly marked
and his verdict must have been that
while the young man had not yet
awakened to the resistless and domi
nant power that slumbered within his
grasp the force of circumstances
would sooner or later bring it to the
fore
For some time he had drifted along
in his studies a faint gleam of suc
cess had begun to brighten the eastern
skies there was a promise of his lat
est picture being accepted for the
Salon when his future could be look
ed upon as assured
It was at this critical juncture in
his affairs when a little more resolute
work would have landed him well on
the road to success that fortune and
a woman brought about a crisis
which threatened his bark with dis
aster
This accounted for the eagerness
with which he scrutinized the inmates
of the various vehicles moving hither
and thither along the Strand Final
ly his kindling gaze Avas glued upon a
dashing equipage evidently headed
toward Rotten Row and particularly
upon the beautiful woman who sat
there nonchalantly holding a lace
trimmed parasol above her dainty
head and occasionally addressing
some word to her elderly gentleman
companion whose bronzed face and
air of distinction marked him as a
traveler or man of note in Her Ma
jestys colonial empire
Jack held his breath and gritted his
teeth as he looked He loved aye
worshiped this radiant creature He
a poor unknown artist dared to
raise his eyes to such a beautiful bird
of fashion
Why not who had a right one half
so strong Time was when he knew
Fedora as a modest little English
girl with a passionate desire to study
art when he had given innumerable
opportunities to stand between her
and insult to soften the rough places
for her dainty feet to assist her in
the work she had chosen while his
own lay neglected in his garret studio
Yes they had become such great
friends in Bohemia that it ripened
into love though on Jacks part he
fairly adored the girl from the hour
they first met
Thus vows were exchanged and for
months they drifted along in a fools
paradise Then Jack poor fellow in
sisted on endeavoring to open com
munications between Fedora and the
grim old English grandfather who
had exiled his daughter for marrying
against his august will
The negotiations succeeded all too
well and one day there came a dolor
ous scene when Jack and his betrothed
separated she to go to her new
English home he to work feverishly
on the great picture that was to make
such a sensation in the Salon the
face of Fedora created by a hand in
spired by the divine passion and
bring him the fame and fortune which
he longed to lay at her feet
At last it was finished all but a
few touches He had for some time
been on the verge of distraction
Stray rumors that Fedora had forgot
ten him He faithful to death him
self believed steadfastly in the wo
man he loved and indignantly chased
all satanic doubts headlong from his
mind Still they crept back in spite
oLhim and when existence finally be
came unendurable away from the at
mosphere she breathed he had
brought his treasured canvas to Lon
don
Never had he suspected the full ex
tentof her radiant beauty and her
queenly manner until the moment his
eyes fell upon her in the vehicle that
rolled toward Rotton Row Could
such a prize be for him
Then came a revulsion of feeling
She belonged to him she had again
and again vowed no power on earth
but death could take her from him
More than that did he not owe her
his life There had been a fire and
Jack overcome in his sleep by smoke
might have perished but that some
girl dared death to run in and drag
iiim to the open air They told him
it was Fedora and although she had
always in her modesty appeared con
fused when he spoke of the subject
yet he never doubted
At this day Overton had not learned
what a mighty influence Moloch had
upon the average human heart nor
the winning power of Gold The time
was coming when he would discover
these things through bitter experience
that would warp his nature and
change his disposition
It was his desire to notice what
effect his presence might have upon
the beautiful girl in the landau
When her wandering gaze suddenly
fell upon him she gave a perceptible
start and the color left her cheeks
only to immediately return and as
the vehicle passed he was quick to
discover the card which she had dex
trously tossed out apparently unseen
by her escort flutter to the asphalt
CHAPTER IX
THE MEETING ON THE STRAND
Jack lost not a second in capturing
the bit of pasteboard It was simply
a carte de visite and gave the address
of her grandfathers city house
Overton made up his mind that
come what would that night should
see him at the address she had given
to hear from her own lips his doom
Until that had been pronounced he
could not and would not believe that
she meant to cast him aside
As he swung down the crowded
Strand he was suddenly aware of a
gentle pull at his sleeve a modest lit
tle jerk entirely lacking the assur
ances that might suggest a bold seek
er after alms
Oh Mr Jack said a quick voice
in accents of eagerness
An when Overton looked down
from his six feet and saw the girls
rosy face half shrouded in a blue hood
ho experienced such genuine pleasure
that the haunted devil-may-care ex
pression gave way to a glow of sin
cere satisfaction as he caught the
hand she had laid on his own and
squeezed it in his own broad palm
If he hurt her the girl gave no sign
Bless me Mazette this is a pleas
ure now Fancy our meeting in the
crowded streets of London How do
you get on Has fortune looked your
way I hope and trust those divine
little miniature portraits on ivory
bring you in a fair income among
these people of your blood
Thus he chattered on Mazette
looked up to the long legged big
hearted American as a prince of men
Secretly she adored him but no one
ever knew that his face was the
shrine at which the modest child of
nature worshipped for like most
girls of the present day Mazette re
fused to wear her heart upon her
sleeve for daws to peck at
What brings you here Mr Jack
she asked
Overton winced as he remembered
the nature of his hasty jump from
Paris Then he made up his mind
to unburden his soul and having re
solved to make the plunge he started
in with an impetuosity that startled
his demure little companion
If Jack had been able to look under
that blue hood while he poured out
his passionate story he might have
received something of a shock Most
certainly poor Mazette was experienc
ing one
It is hard to give advice Mr Jack
She has not thrown you over yet
she said
You know Fedora so well you
should be able to judge what she will
do whether or not the glitter of gold
would tempt her to give up the man
to whom she swore deathless fealty
Tell me truly little friend although
I would bless you for words of com
fort still I only desire to know what
you believe the truth even if it kill
me
You must be calm Mr Jack Even
though you lost Fedora there are
other things in the world worth living
for she began slowly painfully
He uttered a hollow groan
Ah money is very powerful Mr
Jack It makes the strongest weak
You must not think too harshly of her
if the temptation proves irresistible
Already you fear the worst he
exclaimed God help me if it proves
to be so You would never condemn
the man you loved Mazette sell him
for filthy lucre
Thanks for your good opinion No
one may ever know how strong they
are until the temptation has come
she replied steadily but deep down in
her heart the little artist girl was
saying over and over again Not
for all the gold in the world nor for
precious stones would 1 sell his love
if it were only mine
Mazette adroitly changed the con
versation and endeavored to cheer
him up
You must be sure to drop in to
see us very soon and take tea with
aunty she said at length as they
were about to separate
I promise you he replied quickly
God bless you for a true hearted com
rade and may you in the years to
come never know the agony of mind
and heart that threatens me now
I shall endeavor to avoid that by
never allowing myself to fall in love
she replied a little hysterically of
fering him her hand
What your left hand Mazette
Pardon me did I hurt the other brute
that I am No then surely you have
been in an accident since last I saw
you else why should your arm hang
so helplessly at your side Tell me
is it not so with anxious solicitude
that was not at all affected
The girl looked either vexed or
frightened
It is nothing Long ago I had an
accident and when I use the arm
steadily I feel it Of late I have been
unusually industrious That is all
believe me Mr Jack You will come
soon as she moved off
Surely was his reply
As Mazette hurried on her heart
throbbing with conflicting emotions
she was saying to herself almost hys
terically He must never never
know what a weak little fool I am or
why this poor arm sometimes hangs
useless at my side That is my secret
and it shall die with me But r fear
Fedora is lost to him forever that
gold has won her heart
CIIAPTKK III
DECLINED WITH THANKS
Somehow Overton felt better after
this little chat with the miniature
painter True in her candor and
knowledge of Fedoras weakness she
had not been able to give him much
encouragement In fact she seemed
to accept it as a settled fact that the
girl he loved would sacrifice him on
the altar of Mammon but the very
contact with such a cheery nature as
that of Mazette was bound to exert a
helpful influence upon him
He was standing at the corner of
Chancery Lane debating the moment
ous question as to where he should
bestow the favor of his patronage for
supper when he was given something
of a staggering shock for there with
in ten feet of him seated in a hansom
and evidently trying to attract his at
tention was the identical bronzed
and bearded gentleman whom he had
seen some hours before at Fedoras
side in the handsome turnout bound
for Rotten Row
In this distinguished personage
Overton at once and instinctively rec
ognized the rival whom he had to
meet on uneven terms
The gentleman had now a fair look
at his face and immediately jumped
out of his cab
Pardon me said he in a deep
voice that somehow grated on Jacks
ears perhaps because he had already
conceived a deadly feeling of enmity
toward the other Pardon me but
I believe I have the honor of ad
dressing Mr John Overton late of the
Latin Quartier Paris
Overton answered stiffly That
happens to be my name sir
Allow me to introduce myself
Overton looked at the card and de
iberately looked at the inscription
Captain Maurice Stanton Livermore
The Horseguards
It was a name known far and wide
a name that had been carried to re
mote places in the Dark Continent a
name mentioned with especial honor
in descriptions of English operations
on the borders of India where only
valor counts and men carve oue repu
tations with the sword in a desperate
duel with savage tribes
Jack knew it well The name is
not unfamiliar to me In what way
can I be of service to you sir he
said with an effort at diffidence
not
You are an artist if I mistake
Yes I aim to be
I am greatly interested in art
and desire to have some commissions
executed Having heard you favor
ably mentioned I would like you to
join me at dinner where we can
doubtless find an opportunity to reach
an agreement
It was on the tip of Jacks tongue
to coldly decline the invitation Prul
dence policy if you will checked his
disdainful tongue in time
I accept your invitation sir with
out in any way committing myself to
any policy you may suggest or com
promising myself in the least he
said quietly
The other looked grimly pleased
They walked along together as well
as the crowded condition of the street
would permit until finally they reach
ed a notable restaurant into which
the strangely matched couple plunged
As Overton sat there in the cozy
room with Captain Liver
more somehow he was reminded of a
man whom the irony of fortune had
seated above a volcano or a powder
magazine liable to explode at any
moment
To be continued
BUCKEYE ANIMADVERSIONS
Iu an Indianapolis Plan to Mnke Ilfe
Sweeter
The young women of the Indianap
olis telephone exchange are to be given
the benefits of voice culture A prom
inent elocutionist has been engaged
and all the sharp voices will be filed
down and all the rough voices will be
planed off and if there is any dignity
and sweetness in a voice it will be
drawn to the surface It is a nice
scheme but it will take some time
The average Hoosier voice is far from
being of the liquid velvet order and
the elocutionary improver will find his
hands full for some time to come Of
course the hours for vocal practice will
have to be snatched from the regular
hours of duty and the Indianapolis
subscriber who calls up exchange
may be expected at any time to hear
somebody shrieking I am not mad
I am not mad A good deal startled
he will probably hastily remark
Hello central you have given me
the insane asylum And then the girl
will explain that shes only getting let
ter perfect in The Maniac And very
likely some other subscriber will be
told that the curfew shall not ring to
night and perhaps hell vigorously ask
the curfew to ring off And may be
an incensed patron of the line who
earnestly inquires what the girl means
by not answering his call will be told
to wake and call me early call me
early mother dear In short therell
be a good deal doing in that Indianap
olis call shop before all the voices that
need it are cultured into proper vocal
shape Cleveland Plain Dealer
Womans function is a guiding not
a determining one John Ruskin
In mythology no god falls in love
with Minerva A mannish woman only
attracts a feminine mas
DEEPLY SOLICITOUS
FREE TRADERS WORRYING ABOUT
AMERICAN PATRIOTISM
Hecuuso Wo Are Prospering So Well
Under Protection Thoy Argue Tbut
Iove of Country Is Dying Oat Aiuoiij
the People of the United States
This Is the caption of the last article
sent out by the Free Trade League over
the signature of Prof John Bascom of
Williams College The two words pro
tection and patriotism ccrtaiijly go
well together and are closely related
But says Prof Bascom protection as
developed in the United States is pro
foundly opposed to patriotism And
yet he does not prove it or even at
tempt to He tells us that it begets
personal strife but does not tell us
wheein personal strife and ambition
become inimical to patriotism Con
tinuing the professor says
The little kernel of sound theory
that may in the beginning have lain at
the bottom of protection was shorty
lost sight of in a greedy struggle be
tween ever increasing claimants to re
tain old and win new advantages
It is encouraging to see an old time
free trader admitting that there was
ever even a kernel of sound theory in
the principle of protection though it
has been lost sight ol in the struggle
for advantage Does the professor
mean to say that the strife to excel is
unpatriotic Would he have our in
ventors stop thinking our miners stop
digging our farmers stop planting our
mechanics stop fabricating and so
cease to retain and gain advantages
not only among themselves but over
the peoples of other countries Does
he want us to go back to the habks of
the aborigines and live the lives of
savages He complains because we
have set no limits to individual enter
prise Why should we set a limit to
ambition to attainment and accom
plishment And then he complains
again because the policy of private
thrift which gained such a foothold in
protection has spread everywhere
If the professor is preaching social
ism or anarchy that is one thing but
if he is preaching free trade because it
would do away with competition aud
destroy commercial advantages tliaz is
another He concludes his little piece
as follows
Patriotism cannot thrive in the
we have provided for it If
we would restore and strengthen love
of country we must get back to the
prosperity of the masses of men the
people and the nation as the true aim
of government
Does the professor question our love
of country Was he awake during the
Spanish war when millions were an
gry only because they could not fight
for the Stars and Stripes Did he not
for months see Old Glory waving from
every flagstaff from every building
and from every house Who is there
outside the little band of American
Cobdenites that does not think wc
could lick any country on earth or
if needs be all of them put together
Dees not the professor see any other
paper but the Springfield Republican
As for getting back to the prosper
ity of the masses of men back
where Brck to 1837 or to 1857 or to
1895 90 When have the masses of
men the people and the nation been
so prosperous as they are to day
It seems incredible that a man of
average enlightenment could put forth
such twaddle as this paper of Prof
Bascoras It is not worth noticing ex
cept to show to what pitiable ends the
Free Trade League is obliged to go to
get matter to send out to the few coun
try papers that will print its stuff
Surely the free trade issue in the Unit
ed States is at a low ebb indeed when
it must depend on such argument for
support Prof Bascom knows no more
about patriotism than he does about
protection He knows no more about
the ambitions and national characteris
tics of the people of the United States
than he does about the uncivilized
tribes of darkest Africa or else for
the sake of his pet theory he would Co
away with an exertion and all lalor
of mind or bod He should study the
strenuous life of his countrymen from
the president down to the urchin with
his bundle of extras He should take
a progressive daily or weekly paper
and read the current history of his
country Or be might take the pivi
dents message by installments and
gather a few ideas concerning the prog
ress and achievements of our institu
tions He should get a little American
flag and count the stripes and then the
stars He should get a portrait of Wash
ington and of McKinley and little by
little study the lives of our other great
men It may be a hopeless case but
it would seem as if even Prof Bascom
might be injected with a little Ameri
can spirit and patriotism
One Sided IJeciprooity
To illustrate one sided reciprocity let
us name Canada Canada wants free
access to our markets and in return
will cheerfully give us free access to
hers Canada has 5000000 people the
United States has S0000000 Her peo
ple can buy of us provided Great Brit
ain does not demand her trade one
sixteenth of what we would naturally
buy of her Though her soil is Ameri
can and she controls a great deal of the
North American continent the wage
paid by her for labor are 20 to 50 1 or
cent lower man in the United States
She would of course fill our markets
with cheap goods to compete with bet
ti r paid American labor Such a condi
tion would undoubtedly help Camdian
immigration of which there has been
practically none for half a century It
is better for the United States to at-
tract this Immigration to her own
states and territories where despite
the fact that we have sixteen times as
many people as Canada on a smaller
area there is yet room with only a
small fraction of our magnificent re
sources developed New Haven Palla
dluiu
A Kcuitounhtu Ili ductlou
Unreconciled to the gloomy pros
pect for wide open reciprocity the
Chicago Evening Post plaintively
asks Are there no industries which
are sufficiently established to stand n
reasonable reduction of duty It
may be there are such but if so what
of it A reasonable reduction of
duty would amount to nothing in tha
estimation of foreign competitors It
must be such a reduction as will ren
der the duty non Protective What
they clamor for and what the Post
seems to think they should have is
an unreasonable reduction of tariff
duties a foolish destructive reduc
tion one that will enable them to
break Into this market and undersell
domestic producers such a reduction
as would either close our mills and
factories or else lower the American
standard of wages and of living and
thus diminish the purchasing capac
ity and the consuming power of our
wage earners That is what the for
eigners want Is it what the Chicago
Evening Post wants
ArgumentH Ilnscd on MlHlnforination
Some wonderful information finds
its way into low tariff newspapers
The Boston Transcript for Instance
which apparently wants reciprocity
with Canada after reflecting on the
motives of Senator Burrows and
others who do not agree with it prints
this surprising information which
was sent to it all the way from Wash
ington In the Dingley tariff the
duty on logs was made double that
carried by the McKinley tariff of only
ten years ago Logs were on the
free list in the McKinley tariff and are
also on the free list in the Dingley
tariff If the advocates of reciprocity
with Canada were to base their argu
ments on facts instead of such won
derful misinformation as that about
the duty on logs they would cease to
talk on the subject Philadelphia
Press
The Cuban Carrying Trade
Lately the Tribune made the admir
able suggestion that any reductions in
the duties between this country and
Cuba should be confined to such com
modities as were carried under either
the American or the Cuban flag
Cuban vessels to be built in the
United States This proposition im
mediately meets with opposition from
the Munson line whose ships are
greatly Norwegian that sail under
temporary charters The prompt op
position of this line seems to have
killed the Tribunes proposition and
this foreign line that neither employs
American sailors nor repairs or out
fits its ships in American ports seem
to be dictating the maritime policy
of this country
A Stuhborn Fact
That reciprocity convention was a
cruel disappointment to the tariff re
formers They are now up against the
fact that the end of protection is not
yet in sight and as Sam Jones says a
fact cannot be gotten over nor around
rt must be camped by and sot up
with Clyde N C Journal
What It Cleans
If the Republican party proposes a
measure you may bet your boots it
means more prosperity at home and
more business abroad Blackfoot
Idaho Mail
Good Idea
Representative Babcock might bettei
employ his unquestioned ability in
fighting for a horizontal reduction in
the price of coal Brooklyn Standard
Union
Touching
The Eastern tariff reformers are al
agreed that the duty should be taken
off of Western hides Such dnanimity
is quite touching Kansas City Jour
nal
Information for Prospective Uridi s
Except in the case of a prospective
bride who occupies a high social po
sition it is not usual to make any for
mal announcement ot the engagement
of a lady The members of her fami
ly impart the news to her friends as
they happen to meet them If it is j
desired to inform friends at a dis
tance the mother being dead a girls
father lister or brother may write the
informal announcement or to inti
mate friends and relatives the girl may
write herself Invitations to the wed
dings would be issued in the name ol
the brides father It is usual to wear
a veil with a white wedding gown but
if for any reason it seems more de
sirable a hat may be substituted A
bride is at perfect liberty to decide
the details of her own costume All
the arrangements for the wedding
should be made to suit the conveniencs
and comfort of the contracting par
ties first of all regardless of fashiol
or custom Montreal Herald and Star
Noted Men Do Xot Dot the i
Having just looked critically over
200 autographs of noted men I am
ready to assert and maintain that the
dotlet over the i is sadly neglected
Even our late lamented president was
cruel in this respect He did usually
dot the i in McKinley but rarely
squandered a speck of ink on the twe
is in William It was going baci
too far New York Press
CURIOUS CHIMNEYS
DenlRuor and Ilulldert Who Had Vivid
Tmaslimtlon
In the neighborhood of Stamford
ntreet in the southeast of London
there Is a chimnoy shaped after tin
likeness of a huge cotlln It is made uc
of dark colorod bricks and presents
an appearance which is gloomy to the
point of depression This quaint erec
tion curiously enough Is well nlgli
unnoticed by the inhabitants of the
district many of whom arc quite
unaware of its presence iu their midst
A small music hall hi a southern city
of France is decorated with a chimney
shaped to resemble a man The figure
is attired in frock coat and silk hat
while a huge metal tube painted
brown and representing a cigar re
poses in the lips of the queer appa
ratus From this cigar the smoke
issues in great black clouds and so
realistic is the whole contrivance when
regarded from the street below that at
first sight the spectator is led to believe
that a fashionably attired gentleman
is enjoying a weed on the theater roof
Curious chunmys abound In all quar
ters of the globe In several American
cities it Is no uncommon occurrence to
encounter wine flasks the base of the
erections bein swathed in straw-colored
woodwork to resemble the baskets
wherein such flasks usually recline
Perhaps however one of the most pe
culiar chimneys in the world is that
which is to be seen in a Roumanian
township and which is known by the
name Death Funnel It represents a
skeleton some fifty feet iu height ami
is built throughout of gun metal The
shaft is conveyed upward through the
spine of the figure and the smoke is
sues from the apex of the skull Veri
tably a ghastly chimney and one
would have imagined that the eccen
tric millionaire who thus adorned his
roof top might have hit upon some less
gruesome means ot enhancing his repu
tation for extravagant whimsicality
ORIGIN OF TALK TURKEY
ICotort ot an Indian Whom a Whitu
Man Was Trying to Ovurreach
A man who listened to some spell
binder every evening for three weeks
during the recent municipal campaign
according to the New York Times said
the other day
Campaign orators do not always
have time or occasion to explain ex
pressions used in driving home argu
guments They must necessarily de
pend upon their audiences to see the
point through apt applications of sucr
expressions I have in mind one to
talk turkey repeatedly used Tht
story of its origin is as follows
Two men an Indian and a white
man agreed to hunt together for a day
and to divide the spoils When the
time came there was no difficulty in ap
portioning the smaller birds and ani
mals one of a kind to each At last
they reached the last pair a crow and
a turkey
Now says the white man with a
great show of fairness you may have
the crow and Ill take the turkey or Ill
take the turkey and you may have the
crow
Huh says the Indian why you
no talk turkey to me
Sho Read the Signal
A romantic story is told in London
about Lord Kevlins second marriage
In the early 70s he then Sir William
Thomson was in Wst India waters
on board his schooner yacht the Lalla
Rookh As a recreation lie took up
the question of simplifying the method
of signals at sea He had been talking
of it at the dinner table of a friend in
Madeira and the only apprehension
that seemed able to grasp it was that
of his hosts daughter a lady he great
ly but silently admired
I quite understan S it Sir William
she said
Are you sure he questioned half
doubtfully If I sent you a signal
from my yacht do you think you could
read it and could answer me
Well I would try she responded
I believe I could succeed in making it
out
The signal was sent and she did
succeed in making it out and in trans
mitting the reply The question was
Will you marry me and the an
swer was Yes
Adventure with Rattlesnake
Fred Harris an express messenger
on the Illinois Central had an experi
ence which he does not care to repeat
He was on train No 22 and just after
leaving Centralia HI settled back into
his chair and dropped into a doze He
was awakened shortly by a tickling
under his chin and drowsily opened his
eyes to discovered the coils of an
enormous snake lying across his breast
its restless head waving under his chin
It is hardly necessary to state that Mr
Harris made all former records for in
stantaneous and lightning moves In
that car look like six counterfeit nick
els He also awoke to the fact that
while one snake is bad several are
worse in a geometrical proportion and
he was scon on a pile of baggage sur
veying a den of rattlesnakes The rep
tilos were a consignment from Tampa
Fta to Chicago and had made their
escape while Mr Harris slept
Spread by Ships
The common cockroach has spread
throughout the civilized world by
means of ships This disagreeable bug
and goes on ships almost as
freely as the rats The two live to
gether amicably and they monopolize
the holds of the ships which carry
icodstuffs
Decoration of the playroom may well
be largely left to the youthful occu
pant
V
