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CHAPTER XV Continued
In an alcove partially formed by a
bay window stood an easel uphold
ing a large frame The light struck
the canvas in such a way that Blake
lld not recognize the subject until
squarely in front of it
It was a portrait of Jessie Cardon
not the Jessie Carden drawn by the
San Francisco artist from the faded
tintype but the Jessie Carden of later
years whose faco and figure had tak
en on the perfect grace of woman
hood
Amazed and lost in thought Blake
did not hear Arthur Morris as he ap
proached and stood back of him He
Hushed when Morris toucned him on
the shoulder
By Jove that portrait must have
great attraction for you laughed
Morris Youve been staring at it
five minutes A box at the opera you
cannot tell her name
Done said Blake Thats a por
trait of Miss Carden Miss Jessie
Carden of Boston
An expression of dumb surprise
swept across the face of Arthur Mor
ris With half opened mouth and star
ing eyes lie gazed at James Blake
Well Ill be Well of all
things He sank into a chair and
laughed feebly I say old fellow
you took me off my feet How the
devil did you guess that name
Nothing wonderful about it
said Blake who by this time had per
fected his course I met Miss Car
den years ago and I at once recog
nized the portrait
You met her Where
In the country near Hingham
Massachusetts
How When By Jove old fel
low this beats me What were you
doing in Hingham
I Hved on a farm near there re
plied Blake Morris leaned forward
For an instant fear had possession of
him Who was this man who lived
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on a farm near Hingham and who
was once acquainted with Jessie Car
den Was he John Burt
From the time I was thirteen un
til I ran away from home Blake con
tinued with nonchalance and confi
dent mendacity I lived on a farm
about three miles from the old Bish
op mansion Miss Carden used to
visit there in the summer seasons
and I saw her frequently The last
time I saw her she cankered past our
house with a friend of mine That re
minds me dear old John I must look
him up when I go to Rocky Woods
Blake threw back his head and re
flectively exhaled a wreath of cigar
smoke
Does this explain the mystery I
dont see anything wonderful about it
except that you have her portrait and
that is probably easily explained Im
not prying into your affairs old
man
Not at all not at all Rammohun
brandy and two bottles of soda or
dered Morris mopping his forehead
By Jove this is remarkable You
speak of a friend of yours John you
call him what was his last name
Burt
Where is he now Morris leaned
eagerly forward his face gray and his
lower lip twitching
Sure I dont know He was with
his grandfather on the old Burt farm
in Reeky Woods when I left Massa
chusetts Why Do you know John
Eurt
Confound it man he shot me
exclaimed Morris springing to his
feet and pacing up and down the
rcom He shot me I tell you and all
but put me out for good And he did
It on account of the girl whose por
trait you re admiring The blasted
cad was crazy jealous over Miss Car
den who had been so foolish as to tol
erate his company He picked a quar
rel with me in a tavern and shot me
through the left lung Laid me up
for three months That old desperado
of a grandfather of his nearly killed
two officers and aided him to escape
He has not been heard of since
Blake plied Morris with questions
The latter took large draughts of
brandy and recited the successive
chapters which led to the tragedy
Except that he made himself the he
ro cf the tale his account agreed with
that told by John Burt Blake par
took sparingly of the brandy but Mor
ris fed his aroused hate and recollec
ti6n with the fiery fluid
According to Morris he was madly
in love with Jesise Carden from the
moment he saw her Before he re
covered from his wound she was sent
abroad by Gen Carden to complete
her education In Paris and Berlin
Two years later Gen Carden failed
in business his private fortune being
wiped out In the crash Jessie came
back from Europe and remained a
year with the Bishops Arthur had
induced his father to place Gen Car
den In a salaried postlon with the
Morris bank in New York and he
peisuaded Gen Carden to accept a
loan sufficient to defray Jes
sies expenses In a second
trip abroad She was in Paris but
had completed her studies and would
return in a few weeks He was en
gaged to the dear girl but the date
of the wedding had not been set
Ive told you moren any man liv
ing half sobbed Morris as he leaned
on James Blakes shoulder
Tears stood in his inflamed eyes
and trickled down his red blotched
cheeks
Youll keep my secret wont you
old chap he pleaded maudlinly
Youre the bes frien Ive got in the
world People dont like me they
dont know me You know me Blake
old fel dont you Im senmental
thats what makes me cry By Jove
youll be my bes man at weddin
bes man at my weddin wont you
He lurched into a chair The train
ed and alert Rammohun appeared
deftly undressed him and solemnly
conveyed him to an inner room
Poor John sighed Blake a few
minutes later as the Indian servant
showed him his room and softly closed
the door Poor John Loves a tough
proposition and Im afraid Johns on
a dead card He has waited too
long
CHAPTER XVI
Bad News
When Blake arrived in Hingham
he felt like a stranger in a foreign
land His parents were dead and his
relatives scattered The village look-
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ed smaller than when he was a boy
He felt himself in a living graveyard
Securing an open carriage and a
driver from a livery stable he rode
through the quiet streets and out into
the country Drive to Thomas Bish
ops house he ordered
The drawn and dust covered shut
ters of the old mansion told their own
story From a passing farmer Blake
learned that the Bishops had moved
to New York months before Half an
hour later he knocked on Peter Burts
door
As avboy Blake stood in awe and
fear of the strange old man but the
years had obliterated this feeling His
knock sounded hollow on the great
oaken door and he wondered if the
aged recluse yet lived Mrs Jasper
the housekeeper opened the door and
Blake at once recognized her
How do you do Mrs Jasper My
name is Blake James Blake I lived
near here when I was a boy Dont
you
Little Jimmy Blake Well of all
things I never would have known
ye Come right in Mr Blake
Is Mr Burt here
but I dont know if hell see
ye she said hesitatingly wiping her
hands on her apron He dont see
nobody ye know
Tell him who I am and say Im
from California said Blake who
could think of no other Introduction
They stood in the old fashioned par
lor where Peter Burt had bound the
officers the night John Burt left
Rocky Woods As Mrs Jasper hesi
tated the door leading to the sitting
room opened and Peter Burt entered
Blake could not see that he had
changed a whit Age had not rav
ished the strong face nor robbed the
massive figure of its strength He ad
vanced to the center of the room his
eyes fixed searchingly on the face of
his visitor
What have you to say to me
Blake Be seated sir
Blake took a seat in an antique
rocker and shifted his legs uneasily
Where is John
John John I dont
Do not lie to me Blake Tell me
what you know of my grandson
He is in California sir exclaim
ed James Blake When these words
were uttered he felt a sensation of
relief which was positively exhilarat
ing He is alive and well John is
rich Mr Burt He is a millionaire
many times over
A grave smile lighted the features
of Peter Burt He closed his eyes and
lay back in the chair
Go on tell me about it he said
as Blake paused
i For an hour or more the head of to
j firm of James Blake Company re
cited tho history of John Burts ca
reer in California and the result of
the recent speculative campaign In
New York Once in a while the old
man asked a question but ho made
no comment until the narrative was
ended
Your heart dominates your judg
ment but that is a trait and not a
fault he said as he arose and of
fered his hand to James Blake God
gives us emotions and faculties from
them we must develop character Do
not charge yourself with a broken
promise to John He has kept his
pact I send him my blessing Say
to him that I am strong and well and
happy Say to him that his future
field of work is in New York city
Peter Burt stood in the doorway
and watched until the carriage disap
peared beyond the old graveyard
Im glad thats ended said Blake
to himself I wonder what I told the
old man Everything I guess Im
nearing a crisis am I Well Im
used to crises and guess I can stand
one more Whos coming His face
looks familiar Its Sam Rounds
Stop driver Hollo Sam How are
you
Seated in a stylish road cart behind
a rangy high stepping trotter was one
of the companions of Blakes boy
hood Sam checked his horse and
with a puzzled grin looked into the
speakers face
Haou de ye dew he drawled
slackening tHe lines Yer face looks
fee miliar like on yer voice dont
sound strange like either I believe
I knew ye Its Jim Blake Haou
air ye Jim Well well well Whod
a thunk it whod a thunk it
Sam reached across and shook
hands with a vigor which nearly
pulled Blake out of his carriage
Air ye the James Blake Ive been
readin erbout Theone thats been
givin them New York sharps a whirl
in stocks asked Sam
Blake smiled and nodded his head
Is that so Well well well Say
Im plumb glad to hear it and Sams
smiling face showed it Aint never
hearn of John Burt have ye No
Well hell turn up on top some day
an dont ye fergit Sam Rounds al
ters said so Where be ye goin to
Jim
Im going back to New York to
night replied Blake From there
I return to San Francisco but expeel
to make New York my home
Is that so Im livin in New
York now said Sam handing Blake
his card Moved there several years
ago Mother an I are here on a
visJt fer a few days Ive been do
in fairly middlin well in New York
Jim When you write me be shore
an put Hon before my name and
Sam laughed until the rocks re echoed
his merriment
How is that asked Blake gazing
blankly at the card
Read what it says insisted Sam
Im alderman of my deestrict an
have just been re elected tew a sec
ond term Fact
I congratulate you Sam said
Blake heartily
Sorry ye havent time tew wait
over an go back with us Sam said
But if ye are goin tew locate in
New York Ill see lots of ye
I certainly will look you up when
Im in New York said Blake My
regards to your mother and say Im
sorry I didnt have time to call on
her Are you married Sam
Nop but I has hopes laughed
Sam gathering up the lines Good
bye Jim good bye an more luck ter
ye
Same to you Sam good bye
Ten days later James Blake ar
rived in San Francisco He drove to
Johns apartment and was greeted by
him in the old study room Blake sat
where he looked at the portrait of
Jessie Carden His heart sank with
in him
To be continued
Luxuries of Russian Peasant
The Russian peasant even if the
bread he eats is black has a bonne
bouche to add to his meal much
sought by epicures in the western
world the wild mushrooms which
grow thousands upon thousands on
the steppes of Russia At any time a
full ami savory meal is provided with
the addition of sausage and onions
even a mushroom alone often con
tents -them for a meal with their
coarse rye bread The poorest laborer
has also a luxurious drink always
available from the ever present sam
ovar and the tea they drink would be
the envy of any American connoisseur
of that beverage for the best of
Chinas tea is found in Russia and all
classes enjoy its quality and frag
ranee Never is the water allowed to
stand on the tea over a few moments
so none of the poisonous tannin is
extracted and a delightful mildl
stimulating straw colored drink is
the result
Some Customs of Spain
Writing of Spanish customs Israe1
Zangwill says To call one anothei
by our surnames in Spain would be
wanting in friendly courtesy indeed
for the most part we are ignorant oi
them A very grave and reverend se
nor might be addressed by his sur
name and his surname alone but
even he were better adressed by his
Christian name preceded by Don
Senor Don is reserved for letters
and then the honor costs you 5 cen
timos That the Portuguese are not
to be confounded with the Spaniards
is most lucidly learned from their
methods of address for so far from
addressing a young lady as Juanita or
Isabella I should have to say her ex
cellency Here in our palacio the
very waiter has been heard to give
the order Fried eggs for Isabella
And Isabella is a very stylish
demoiselle
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How Shellfish Talk
Many seamen will tell of curious
clicking sounds heard on calm nights
at sea and the origin of the noise
seems so altogether unaccountable
that it has often created some alarm
among superstitious fishermen
A distinguished naturalist made a
careful study of the sounds on many
occasions and found that it was not
a sustained note but made up of a
multitude of tiny ones each clear and
distinct in itself and ranging from
a high treble to a bass When the
ear was applied to the gunwale of the
boat the sound grew more intense
and in some places as the boat
moved on it could not be heard at
all
On other occasions the sounds re
sembled the tolling of bells the boom
ing of guns and the noise of an
Aeolian harp
For a long time he was unable to
trace the cause but at length discov
ered that the sounds were made by the
shellfish hundreds of them opening
their shells and closing them with
sharp snaps The noise partly muf
fled by the water sounded indescrib
ably weird He was finally led to the
conclusion that as the snellfish made
the sounds they probably had some
meaning and that the clicks might
possibly be a warning of danger when
the shallow water was disturbed by
the boat
Sky High Orchestra This
Every boy or girl who has lost any
pigeons to the hawks should know
this little trick the Chinese play on
the raiders of their pigeon flocks
A missionary in China writes
Walking near Peking one day I heard
a long drawn whistling in the air
Looking up I saw a flock of pigeons
overhead What I exclaimed do
Chinese pigeons whistle
There was a Chinaman passing
and I asked him about it He took
from his dress a set of small bamboos
joined with fine wires as in the ac
companying sketch and handed them
to me It weighed only a few penny
weights
That is what makes the whist
ling said he We tie these to the
backs of carrier pigeons looping the
strings around the roots of the wings
When the pigeon is flying the wind
rushes into the bamboos and makes
them whistle This scares away the
hawks- so that the pigeon can bring
its message safely Sometimes there
is only one bamboo whistle but if
there are more they are assorted so
as to make a harsh sound when blown
all at one time
The little bamboo whistles must be
made with care in order not to put
too heavy a weight on the pigeons
but no American boy need be afraid
to try to do what a Chinaman can do
Besides keeping off the robber hawks
every owner of pigeons can have a
sky high orchestra
Tale of a Mirror
Dear girls and boys did you ever
think of the stories treasured in that
large mirror of which you have to be
so careful Would you ever suspect
from its shining appearance that the
great glass has grown old by looking
and reflecting
All kinds of pictures have been set
within its frame many cf your own
some laughing and bright others
pouting and sad The peculiar thing
about a mirror is that it always gives
you back exactly what you bring to it
There would be the boys and girls
diding down the baluster and father
hurrying out to save the chandelier
there you would all be around the ui
ano singing My Country Tis of
Thee and there oh there is your
birthday party Oh look at the chil
drens gay clothes and see the pretty
decorations Can you see farther
back there in the corner where
mothers great grandmamma looked
when she was little And her cousin
Jack in his pink satin clothes bowing
before the pretty little lady Their
games were stately in those days No
romping for them
Little Nellie dancing up to examine
her new dresses never guesses what
sad picture might have been there be
fore hers and how her fresh beauty
would brighten it How the old mir
ror must feel like coming from the
wall and taking a turn with that
round eyed little maid It surely must
love the little folks even better than
the grown up people for they do not
take it so many cares
Blowing a Penny
This seems hard to do but boys
who have done it say it is easy
Place a penny in the bottom of a
wine or mousse glass cover it with a
dollar and then without touching
either coin blow the penny out of
the glass while the dollar remains
in it
To do this blow sharply on the
side of the dollar which is next to
you Your breath will cause it to
tilt over as though it were on an
axis
Keep on blowing and a current of
air will bo produced which will sweep
up the penny and hurl it out of the
glass
Try tho trick and see what success
you have with it
A Spool Gun Easily Made
Here is a gun that can be made In
a few minutes Get two rubber bands
and a good sized spool from which the
it
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The Gun and Arrow
thread has been taken Fasten one
rubber upon the spool by binding it
tightly with the other The arrow is
any thin stick that will slide easily
through the spool The best arrows
are made of dowels which are three
feet long and one fourth inch thick
These may be purchased at any hard
ware store at a cost of one cent each
Sharpen one end of the arrow and
cut a niche in the other
To use place the arrow in the spool
put the rubber in the niche and pull
both rubber and arrow out as far as
possible If the spool is held in the
left hand and the rubber is strong
enough it will shoot the arrow fully
fifty feet away
Worms Our Priends
After you have read this little ac
count about worms go out and look
at some of the little things but treat
them kindly
Worms are not precisely blind but
they can only see well enough to tell
the difference between light and dark
ness
They have however a wonderful
sense of touch They can hardly smell
at all and are quite deaf They
breathe through their skins having
no lungs
They can crawl backward and for
ward and curl up into any position
If by accident a worm is cut into
several pieces it does not necessarily
die because it is so made that each
pmm
Pcce can go on living independently
of the others But the pieces always
do their best to find each other and
come together again
A worms working year lasts only
about six months because it cannot
burrow through tho earth while the
ground is frozen
In these six months the worms will
turn over an average of ten tons of
soil to an acre Think of that
Stones twigs leaves and shells will
be thoroughly chewed up and mixed
with it
Then the larger worms do still
more They burrow down to a great
er depth than the smaller worms and
dig canals for tho rain and moisture
to flow through down to the roots of
tho plants and trees
So altogether you see boys and
girls the worms are our good friends
helping to make the earth green and
beautiful and productive for our bone
fit
Plant Vas Suffocated
A New Hampshire man had a very
choice fern which he kept In his store
and fearing that it would be hurt by
frost during an excessive cold snap
last winter he placed it in a tight
showcase with a small lighted lamp
in one corner of the case When ho
came to the store in tho morning ho
found his fern ruined not by the frost
but by the burning out of all the oxy
gen in the air in the case The plant
had simply suffocated
Bottle for a Rain Gauge
Any boy can make a rain gauge and
measure the amount of a rainfall for
himself
The simplest form of gauge con
sists of a funnel with a definite area
say 12 inches the neck of which fits
in a bottle The rain that falls into
the funnel runs down into the bottle
of course and the quantity is meas
ured by means of a graduated glass
Any boy can measure the rainfall
for himself Having provided the fun
nel and the bottle tho metal cylin
der outside is not essential let him
fit them as described and then put
them rn a level open place away
from trees and buildings with tho
mouth of the funnel about a foot from
the ground The bottle should be
fastened in position to avoid being
overturned by the wind and should
rest perfectly level
- i win
The Home Made Gauge
When the measure is to be taken
the water should be poured into a
graduated glass and the number of
cubic inches calculated which will
give the amount to the area of the
top of the funnel
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A KITCHEN RANGE TO PUT UP
This diagram represents a kitchen
range though you would not perhaps
suspect it A very little cutting and a
little more folding will produce it in
perfect condition so that it can be put
into a dolls kitchen If you follow the
instructions you will find that there
is not enough trouble to be worth
mentioning about making it
Cut around outline Then fold under
and paste to the under part of the
top of the range the parts AAA
Close the front by pasting the flaps
B B to the sides Then fold so that
the flaps C paste under the letters C
on the sides
Paste the double sides together and
paste the flaps D D to the top
Paste E E under the rim of the
range and the work is done