Nebraska Newspapers

    THE OMAITA DAILY J5EE: TUT USD AY, NOVKMHEl? 1, 1000
A Day of Retribution.
fCopyrlght, by Martha McCulloch-Wn-Hams-;
At Jut the wagoa was loaded. The trunk
came Id front for a teat. Th two feather 1
b?ds were Just behind It with the safe flt j
on top of thetn and the drop-leaf table snug
against the tailboard Bedstead chain, a 1
new cradle, a candlestand and many bags
miscellaneous superstructure, crazy-iookine:. i
Jlrsmr Dawioa could tauiter.
ih. in w K,n.. ,L w-K. ,..
knee, and the broody 'hen with her elates I
of ergs In the basket at her feet. The ben
had died the summer before. ' She had stolen ,
her nest, but Mn. Damn could not bear
to leave her. any more than to tend her,
robbed of her eggs, along with the other
fowls which went the day before
Jimmy gulped hard as he turned the key
la the lock The house was old and ram
hackle, but he had been bora la it, aad
had thought to lire and die there. A
tortoise shell eat came to rub against bis
legs, mewing plaintively aad look In? up In
hit face He stooped and stroked the
rreature until It purred loudly and made as
i.Anh i a.M in-t.i, lain hi. mr-m M :
Hr.r s..v v..iiiv .vin. -vn nn tii.
tens' You cant go' It does look mean to! human. Whea he heard what had hap-!1"
eav ou but it's the worst sort o' luck tolpened he would at least agree to let the
move 'cats aad walnuts: The good Lord Dawsons stay the year through, working
knows my luck is bad enough already."
"Superstitious k Jimmy1 I'm rather ! be a good teaaat. Maybe by aex: Christ
glad of It. 1 shall take Mittens straight up mas Ellen would be strong again. It might
to the house we need another mouser." be, also, Abshtre would releat so far as
Mr Absnlre satd. romlng around tae corner . to keep thea on uattl they themselves
of the house, then with a laugh, slightly rhese to go. He must have somebody to
forced. "Maybe you win't sell Mltteas j work the laad it was worthless without.
that rna be bad luck, too but you'll give
this to Mrs Dawson, with my compliments
for the baby."
He held out a sliver dollar. Dawson made
no motion to take 1'. He looked down at
Abshlre ntth smouldering eye until the
man quailed. Abshlre was short, stocky,
ruddy, with rlo clipped reddish hair and
beard. Dawson, lean. dark, muscular.
towered a head above hUa. and bad lank,
sun-Dteacnen locks uiowiog an er iar .
collar or nis rusty coat.
"Keep your money-now you've tot it.
Mr. Abshlre." he ald sloly at last. "It ,
won t ever be named bet een-t us again. ,
now i re cot my quittance ta tun. tiut
remember this I owe ye a day In harvest.
i li pay u som- lime a ioa; aay i
Abshlre laughed Indolently. "You dis
appoint me, Dawson. ' he said. "I had
thought you too much a man to sulk or
whine over paying an honest debt."
"You thoucbt right I ain't whlala","
Jimmy said, clambering up beside his wife.
"You know I didn't know It was your money
I borrowed aad you want In' my place "
"Certainly! The house obstructs our
view," Abshlre said.
Dawson's eyes blazed. "The first o' us
Daw5on. got the laad from the Injun." he
said. "I wanted .to pa. It oa to chlldrea
o' mine Jest as It come to me"
Mrs. Dawson laid a slleaclne band on his
arm. He shook It off. but Just then the
baby began to cry. ai thcugh pinched with
cold, for all the mother's cuddling "Poor
little mtte!" he mutttred, touching the
clumsy hooded head. "To think I must
take you five miles In the teeth o' this wind
and then Into a cold house!"
He started up the mules and soon had
... ... ..... " - . "".ion
"Z.f.L If" I?,, t"m
cried fitfully, though his wife did her bst
to hush H, It bad been ailing all week.
He almost wished he had pocketed his
pride aad begged Abshlre to let him wait
his moving until the weather was milder, i
nut mild days are not plenty la midwinter- 1
least of alt whea the cold has strengthened
to b freeilng new year. He had stayed
oer the day Itself If he moved thea he
would be moving until the next Christmas
and moving once was, to his mind, sufficient
for a lifetime.
"I wish you'd got us a place tn the fall."
bis wife said at last, not reproachfully, but
with a soft platntlveness Infinitely harder
to bear. Jimmy sighed deeply. He could
not tell the truth that he had humbled
himself before Abshlre. hoping against
hope to stay on in his home and in the
end redeem It. Ellen would never have
done that. She was fier proud, for all her
soft ways.
"Hadn't we better turn In here at the
doctor's?" he asked as the wagoa caae op
posite a big gate, standing generously wide.
Mrs. Dawson shook her hear. "Do you
think there's time?" she asked. "It's past
II now and everything to do when we get
there. Baby's asleep still, I wish the
doctor "
The words ended In a scream. She had
uncovered the tiny face cautiously, to find
It pinched and blue, the little lips gasping.
Dawson understood her Inarticulate cry.
A tura ot the wrist sent the mules through
the gate, a cut of the whip set thea Into
a dead run up the ragged drive. But It
was a limp and lifeless little body that
Mrs. Dawson laid ta Dr. Wharton's arms.
"The Lord gave, the Lord hath taken
away." the kind doctor said reverently,
cradling the dead baby on one arm, and
with the other pushing its distracted
mother into a seat at the fireside. Mrs.
Wharton bent over her and put her arms
about her,, sobbing la silent sympathy. She
bad lost a baby Just the year before and
knew better than to mock this grief v th
spoken comfort.
Dawson cowered miserably at the c'Ler
side ot the fire, through a leaden halt-hour
Thea he got up and took his dead child la
his arms, saying as he pressed his rough
cheek to its waxen face: "And I have Kot
to bury you. little one, all by -our.elf.
Abshlre owns the graveyard he says he
don't want any more Dawson oa his lt-ad.
alive or dead."
"Abshtre Is a fiend or a fool or both"
Dr. Wharton began, but stopped short,
staring at Mrs. Dawson. She bad risen,
her eyes dry and burning. "We must go.
Jim." she said la a high, harsh voice.
"Give me the baby' It it so sound asleep
It mm! K trtftt Cmjihlnf. mlf, . t , V,
the hen. It was little Jim's you knoa."
this apologetically to the Whartoas. "It's
It's the most we have got left of blm.
Always, when he fell asleep oa the floor,
his pullet would go aad perch on his shoul
der and stay quiet till he waked "
Jim took his wife tn his arms, heedless
ef other eyes. "Ellen!" he said; EUeal
Wife! You you better stay here with Mrs.
Wharton. I'll go on and see about
things."
"You must stay!" Dr. Wharton .aid. He
saw that the poor creature was mil'e out
ot her mlad. T.est aad quiet might br'cg
back her reasoa. With Infinite sympathetic
patas she was coaxed to swallow a sleep
tag draught and sit easily in the chlmsey
corner, bugging the ded child close to ter
breast. To humor and soothe her the hen
was brought In and set where she could
touch the basket with her foot. Jimmy
stood bock ot her. his big hands fetdliiw?
her hair with clumsy teaderaess. fT-senily
her head fell back, her arms relaxed, the
little white ta-e dropped so the firing
daylight touched it
Ellen did not stir as Mrs. Wharton took
It away. You'll let us bury It beside our
little one." she said to Jimmy, In a hushed
whisper. He nodded apathetically. His
one thought now was Ellen. He was of a
slow, fond, devoted nature. He loved his
wife much as he hirl lnrei hti hnme !
- ..... .... .
had never loved anybody else He had
ct ne rati n mse:: a s'ut
fe'.tow rears old. H could aot conceive
,h;s Mf Be lIwt JBe
B?Bt aeTtr awake
Lord. Lord; Ta)u, B niktf . t0 4
hr 4... e supplied. -I hain't got
a hom l0 k ntr ,a. j.d Ure t0
b(r wS8e 0,ks m Bt Bf
mean.
C il4i 1 h ah... W.... i. I $ k.
I take her back among the old.
familiar
herself.
surroundings, ibe would awake
yard gate, the mules
roopla their heads patiently aad edg.nj
away from (he wind. He was alone with
vt0 ,the b"wf th? b?U8!'
w'th Us,'f r''t through the door, out to
i the waroa and threw of! the upper load
TLea he got a blaaket or two, went back,
auaed Ellen la them, bore her out dead
asleep aad laid her geatly oa the billowy
feather teds. In a minute the wagon ws
out on the road, headed for the old home,
the mules golag at the swift, cheery trot
of beasts chilled aad eager for the com
fort of woated stalls.
Jimmy's mind was made up. He would
break la the door, make a fire and leave
Kllen tesid it. while he west In a&eak
with AlMbire. After all Abshtre must be !
the place oa shares. Jimmy knew he ccu.d
And I'll work for hla better'n ever I did
for myself," Jimmy thought, "If only he 11
gimme leate to show"
The house stood around the shoulder of
tho hill, at the head of the valley through
hlch the mill stream ran. It aj the fall
la the stream that had tempted Jimmy to
his loss. It was in plain sight from his
house dcor. aad he had thought ever slsee
ae was a mil toy goiag tea miies wttn ats
grllt wjat a pity 1
waj the water power,"
waj B0. taraesscl and made to serve it.
aelgabors. Abshlre's big new house stoc-J
WBle hundred yards higher up the valley,
Th, Dawjoa homestead, broad, low, ram-
I biiag. did shut it a ay from at least halt the
j prospect dowa stream. The alley opeaed
oa, broaJ .-iliac Tilt,, fceiow lhe nttie
rocky rise oa which It was built.
By the road Jimmy was traveling you
came almost upon the house before you saw
It. The sua had left the valley, but It waj
still full of drear winter daylight. Jimmy
. i
shut his eyes a moment, recalling how I
must look. He knew every aspect by heart,
He had never
re- h.. nitfh m. it.. .
it Mn-rt in hmrf .-ifk pn.n v i
away from
had roomed
over every foot of It. bench aad 1
level aad bill slope, or sat in his rough
porch, watching it grow greea la sprtag sun
shine, or Uugh Into summer leafage, or
rustle with fat harvests In the red aad
russet time. He had watched through the
rala aad the fine weather, la the saow, at
dawn, at dark.
There as no need to open his eyes until
he came to the gate. The mules would keep
the road of their own motion besides he
could drive there if it were black dark and
himself stone blind. They must bo coming !
to the blc rock caw. The road m. . ,
turn there-he drew a little on lhe I
tciu, uu ciuwcj iv ,cei ice wagon
swing without the least Jar.
Suddenly the mules snorted, stopping la
their tracks. Jimmy was almost pitched
i upon their backs
V , , ce ecras3Dlea Pngni
he ,b' a ""Wing. S ncrtse-a hot
He stared a minute, uacompreheadlag, then
fell back, moaning and covcriag his eyes.
Flames leaped, licking, darting, from ever7
window of his house. The roof was smok:ng
furiously. In another minute the fire would
break through. Men were kindling ether
fires in the outhouses. Abshlre wa;ched
them, his bands in his pockets, a taint grati
fied smile about his lips.
The mules backed and trembled and even
reared a little, but Jimmy drove them re
Uatlessly forward. The road was so narrow
he must drive Into the lot before he could
tura. Abshlre stood at the gate of It. Ha
started at tlrht of Jljnmr. "Toff nv
thins? " he asked. "I hope it was nothing
of consequence. You see, I'm about aaktcg !
a clean sweep "
Pillars of fire shot up from the house,
painting all the dull valley with their own
scarlet glow. They were so fierce the wind
scarce could bend thea even at the tip. and
make of thea Caatcg banners In the sky.
The house was tlnder-dry and burned with a
roar 11V th.sf ft fi,'-fl.in Tf mtnul
Ellen's numbed senses. She struggled up to ,
her knees, looking wildly about her. then
with a scream leaped to the ground aad I
darted toward the door? shrleklag: "My I
baby! My baby! Have you left It there to
bura?"
Jimmy held her. struggling and panting.
"The baby died and she went out of her
head." he said to Abshlre dully. "I fetched
her back I thought it might help her and
that maybe you"
"It was foolish, and perfectly useless,"
Abshlre said, irritably. "See here, Dawson,
caa't you understand! You this bouse
was In my way. I determined to buy and
burn it as soon as I began building. You
caa easily find & better one, you have still
some money."
"Excuse my comln. Mr. Abshlre!" Jimmy
said, lifting his wife Into the wagon as
he spoke: "It was foolish. I ought to
a-knowa you could not b made to see
there's things In this world money can't
either buy or do."
The roof tell la cs he spoke, sending
showers of sparks and Caalng brands far
around. One of the brands fell upon Daw- for subtlety. He was all for making deals
son's bare hand, burning it slightly. Aa- w"n. the Allison men. Allison divided about
other struek Abshlre oa the cheek, but ' equally with Abshire the vote of the moua
glanced off harmless. Ellen bad grown ' tains and the midland. Abshlre knew that
quiet, looking about her with frightened i his hope and his fear lay ia the Cummin
eyes. She gazed at Abshtre vacantly, then following the rough, hardy fellows from
said, as though speaking to something un- the river counties. They were almost a unit
1 een "You say, he shall be burned yet
m.d witn ore o: c.s own mamng
It was onlv a mad woman's ravine. But
long after the wagoa had rumbled out 'of
sight, when all the fires had suak to glia -
mering banks of coals. Abshlre, walking
home at the head ot his hired men. shivered
as though stricken with deadly cold.
Abshire was Just Jlaay Dawson's age
27 but he had made the greater part of his
big fortune. H waj cot a native. He had
been drawn to the county by the mineral
riches of a district lying something deeper
in the bills. He had bought the lands for a
song, then set up mlnt-s and furnaces upoa
them. Mysterious transactions, vaguely
spukeu ot as deals, had taken them oft his
hands, leading hla a clear million., magnifi
cently Invested. Then he had decided to go
la tor the lite of a country gentleman. He
owned already all the land at the bead ot th
valley. There he built a big gray stone
bouse, sheltered, yet airy made green lawns
about lt, and set orchards and gardens and
.vineyards. A ring fence ran round It all,
but he was gracious anybody was welcome
to go through his gates and along his well
kept private roads.
Indeed, he was gracious to everybody.
j when once he was rid of the Dawsons.
j They did not prove troublesome evea sj a
' memory. He heard vaguely that they had
rnnn mr Same said Hllen hi I
.
come back to herself, others that she was
still nigaty. aii agieea mat jimay wouia
'ake rri: j-- l f h--J .i e she
was to'. 4ic.cn- .'. 4 wr'u h bat her ; i
care for. Ahh.re listened wl h fit tly the
proper degree oi sympathy The sneakers
decide he could net hr anything on hu
conscience bt never made the least effort to
changs the conversion. The truth was ho
was bent on proving to himself that he had
nL In that, as in most other things. h
bad groat success.
Still, wha he began playing at polities,
he kept rather out of tight. Me sa4 the
party sl&te, naming judges, confreasmon
and such like, ed pulled the wires whereby
his puppets thouid pat them through. Plate
honors for himself to put aside. The lead
ers decided la their Inner minds that he
was either very disinterested or very ambi
tious. It might be he played for the
game, not the stakes. It might be, alto, he
aimed at the higheet things, so did aot Ma
to make himself cheap aad hackneyed it a
holder of thoee lees exalted.
He waa a bachelor. His mother and a
bevy of orphan aleces kept house for him.
It aa opa house the year round and
came easily to be the center of things to
cial aad things political la that part of the ;
country. He had 9ne parties Indoors for
his specially c boa en friends and barbecues,
lawa daaces aad so oa tor his frleads aai
the county beside.
Something momentous happened at one
of the laa daaces. Abshtre proposed to
Margaret Wyeth. She looked up at him,
colortag falatiy. aad said with the least
hard breath: "I will marry you hea
you are goernor ef the state." Then she
raa away. She was proud aad ambitious
m're ambitious for him thaa even for he
sh wanted hia to show the world
t "iaat a man he truly was. Thea. too. she
1 1""4 toT Jttlntlon. She had been merely
rich all her life
All that was la August, a year before
convention time. Electloa came two
months later, but the voting was a mere
formality. Two weeks after the lawn party
the county raper farthest away from the
gray house speat a columa la proving
Mr. Abshlre's fitness to be governor. The
cut week, two other remote county week
lies, lookln
Abshlre the
various and
of Major
Abshlre as among near political poteattali
ties. Followed an impressive silence. Ab
shire knew seed must have time to germi
nate. He knew every move ta the game.
" u" cue lo a'aT- lo oeprecaie. even
u-iiiii-i, uaui a very mile wsiie
before the delegates were chosea.
He played it almost too fine. His previ
ous coasisteat aloofaets misled a good
Diany of the soveretgas Into believing he
meant what he said. Two other possible
governors did not believe, but chose gladly
to profit by the faith of the rank and ale.
The convention opeaed with the prettiest
possible three-coraered fight before It. No
candidate had evea a majority, though the
ocly-origlaal-dle-ia-the-last-dltch Abehlre
men had a shade the best of It,
To make matters worse, the two-thirds
ru" was sca.ceiy less sacred ana blnJiag
uPoa aost oi ta delegates than the con -
u ' , i
ru I
twas pity, and pity 'twas, 'twas true. Ah
cu u i.euicaauis aaa louna ai
out, almost as toon as tney awoice to a
cnaA . . V. a .1... r-. ....... - , i.
v. . ..-i.... .v in.
the word majority. The man who named
it would be hooted, and the man whose
partisan he was understood to be assur
edly would suffer tn votes.
After the ntaty-first ballot the ballots
had aot varied by ten either way the cos-
vectl03 adjourned to meet again at 12 next
uay. it was arter midnight. Two days haJ
developed no advantage for any man of the
' three. The assembly had beea reasonably
temperate and equable until the last three ,
ballots. Edged words and wrangling thea !
had showed tha; tempers began to fray ,
under the long strain. The leaders felt tho I
situation critical. Their majority la the ,
state was so swollen and riotous It would!
cot take much to rend the party in twain.
"Argument is a waste of breath! We have
proved that fiat." Llsket, Abihlre's cam
paign manager, burst out to the conclave In
Abshlre's room, after adjournment. "It
remains to try well, h re a, influence.
We must somehow clinch things before this
time tomorrow morning or have the very
deuce aad all to pay."
"Tell us news, Llsk If you can t keep
silence." Martin said, yawalag as he spoke.
Martla presumed oa the fact ot heading the
Abshlre delegation first Instructed. Llsket
swore at hla and added: "News! If it
comes to news of a split, I Judge you'll stay
ome from congress this time."
"Llkely-and I should hate Ilk
e poison to
miss $5,000 a year, tar-earned in the sweat
of my ears." Martin said traaqullly "But
somehow I can't be afraid, when Abehlre sits
there sailing like a graven image, never
opealag his mouth."
"Sllenco is golden," Abshlre said. Llsket
whistled. Martin laughed explosively:
"Abshlre! Abshire!" he said. "What aa
011 ls Io" ,to ob: ere I"ou h,ave
fceca P'Plng aad we swearing ourselves
ulM"e "lU6 ia ua'
reasonable beads!'
Abshlre laughed, a low, chuckling laugh,
but satd with a deprecating wave of the
bacd:
"Really, I have said nothing. You all
know that trite old proverb. Of course I
aa In this fight to stay and win. I looked
oer the ground as soon as I came. A dead
lock or a dlsagreeaent would. It appeared
to ae, be equally detrimental to the party.
Naturally I hnvi dsce what I could to pre
vent either"
"How? How? How? Thai's what I want
to know," Martin broke In. Llsket frowned.
Abshlre yawned slightly, as he said:
"Go to bed! Tell all the toys to do like
wise and to be very tde aw ike toward 12
o'clock today."
After he had dismissed thea he sat by
the p?fa wlcdow. smokinz and thiskicz
deeplv. It was well be had held to his re-
serves tb.-ou:hout the campaign. Subtle
i '"" ' net-led aad Llsket had no genius
-more, they had an open, child-ttke entau-
s.jjm xor taetr man. .viore strictly speak-
ing It was enthusiasm for their leader-that
slouching fello-v Dow. who had prutiexlly
1 forced Cumata's candidacy,
J Abshire hat en Doss only eace. and then
i half a block away. For many reasens he
I did not wish a nearer view, it would be
ruinous to meet the maa and talk with him
face to face. He bad fouad out. though, that
i Doss was desperately poor tha: he had a
! sickly wife to whom he was imndly devoted.
It was said he would gle his soul for the
chance of curing her. Hers was an obscure
rervous malady, for which complete chan'
of air. scene aad environment might work
wonders. Recalling Margaret Wyeth. Ab
shire felt w.thin himself a thrill of irtuous
sympathy, as he reCeeted that he bad raado
it possible for this unkaowa woman to re
gain health aad happiness.
He took Margaret s picture from his breut
pocket and looked at It, his eye suddenly
soft. She bad made hla ic.- lever twice
over by setting herelf thus to spur his nat
ural ambition. Intuitively he felt that lova
was the root ef her aspiration. He put out
tne lights, nung himself, full dressed
UDOa
tne wi ana ten asleep, his last conscious
tnougnt. Margaret win be there to see my
triumph."
Margaret was sacng the very first who
climbed lno the gallery she had ben
. . . . . - . . . - e - J " u.'i u-tu
here before The place had Indeel a fas-
( cmsnoa ror aer, wni:a tie; betrayed to her
g jaio tae zuture, saw captain i ' . . ' -'-" Hi Bkrrj eaRraTiDR. maklnc th m.f ci,,-
. . . . lura.ei inuiim no- mm imiu uv . in, nn, ntflo r ...... a . . . . i . . i
comiagaaa. A forta.ght later ?' c" . r1' .-""1 03e . Worth3f ao& la r. for the 1 ao re en era r'r. ,h: wv
sundry sheets made mtntloa OTlir'. va"..u'.."K1 1 ! utlftil. but one which will ef , ,h. " , " Z7'
Abshlre. Colonel Absh.re, Judge i ""'," e, .... ,1 ' . fJiloa once showered oa hug. j moWD TshTbV w. ,7 rTl
fa'her Major
A veran cf
Y (ho ef hfr hear"
3' . ...... f jf. .
ferred to nl at hi la-ith'.tr s eitow ra;h-r
than mingl la V turmoil of the Soor
He knew many ine delestates. aad en
tertained Uaraarei with Hquaut scraps of
inside political history, thowth he f
tpetted her Ittnoreat ecthulasm far too
much to even Intinut that there va ever
crocked worV
H m m' He s new the tank fellow la
the gray snit." he had said upon the nrat
day. as the river county men riled In. After
a little he had added: "New but a man
to be reckoned with. If you notice, (here
has not b-n a minute since he took hU seat
that he has uct had a knot of men around
him.'' ,
Marparet had tooled, and sbsddered
faintly. She had caught the man's eye. svd
dealy lifted. His face was mild and mel
ancholy, but the eye hd a gleam like the
lambent SicVers she had seeti upon molten
steel, when Abshlre played guide to her
through the big turaace.
"I can't make the fellow out." her father
went on "His face Is old ja at the least
T a the walk aad the muscle of. say J
li. He's the worst dressed man la the Cum- ,
mm crowu. yet tneir leaner. :cr an taat. aac; ragged "poor" such works of art as
This rough fellow came in oa the minute these adorned the walls of ninety-alne out
as the third day's session opeaed. By time cf every hundred houses. It was depress
the chair tad dene rapping for order he , Ing from an artistic point of view, but
was on nis feet speaking, cot cuentiy, out ,
with a subtle feeling in his words that
caught the assembly Instantly aad made It
hushed and breathless.
"Honorable Mister Chairman." he began.
"I uk it tsar ain't no man on this floor
who felt that be com here free. His people
na,i seat aim to say wno tney wanieu tor i
governor and he was bound to say what come to be eae of the lost arts la a few
they told him. as long as there was aa? f years all its followers will have passed
ehasee o' getting it for 'em. Now It has, away and the good eagravlacs now extant
done been showed that all the people cala'tiwtu evea more dlstiactly become merelv
have their way-seeing that some wants one interesting subject for the tollector rather
ccan aan some aawsner. ctmeooir bm ei
can only do what he caa do' 1
"Rizht as a trivet! " "Go It. Carter ;
county!" "A Daniel come to Judgment
came aoerolngly from all about. The
was the first time he tad ever spoicea to
aar coasiderable body of men. He did not '
look at the chalrms
him. She sat almost
the lambent ltghtnlag
ta his eyes
"Such being the case," he weat on,
"Judge Cummin has asked me to withdraw
his name"
Cheers from the Abshlre men shook the
root. Allison s supporters sat ten secoads
in stunned silence, thea added their cheers j
to the babel of hurrahs. The river Ben
were hurrahing, too not over heartily, but
eaough to show they were not sore. Those
aearest the speaker smiled almost grimly.
He was holding up his hand imploring si-
lence. When it came he went on, every
wcrd vibrant with tense emotion "Our ,
,.,, .. . hnr
,. ivh.rr,! t th. ri,.n rl,.. ?.r.!
back of him. "have satd they'd vote as I
might choose fcr 'em. I choose that they i
sha vote each maa lcc0rdln' to his con
science. I am going to vote for Mr. Ab-
cgaln the cheers were deafening
tai.e
and prolonged 'becaEie I'll get Jl.MO for
my vote, and I haveBOt a mighty pressln'
need o' money." " I
Stunned silence; th'e'a pandemonium. A
few Abshlre hotheads charged upon the
river section, but were flung back whence'
they came. The chafraaa spltatered his '
gavel In vala poundings. In the midst of It
two Allison men alaot forced Abshlre's !
accuser upon the rostrum.
"This is a thing that cannot be allowed
to stand upon anybody s bare word." one of
tCea said. "Show ycur proof If proof you
nave!"
7h9 accuser opened a worn aad faded
DOcketbook and took out a crlso and rust
n,,,. half sheet of rinr. It was a note to
ling half sheet of paper.
the president of Abshlre's city bank, dated j
the day before, and running:
"Dear Thwalte Pay to the bearer, for
my use, 11,000, this shall be receipt for the
same. Oblige, yo.rs burriMlv.
"WILLIAM SPENCER ABSHIRE. '
As It was read aloud, aald a storm of
hisses, another vaper came out ot the old
pocketbook a somewhat bulky paper.'
worn with 'many handlings, and beginning
to yellow. Its owner unfolded It, saying as
he thrust It under the other man s eye,
"It's ten years since I saw Mr. Abshire,
but. I couldn't doubt his name when I saw
It. I've had that by ae all these years, to ',
aake ae remember It."
Sklaalng the mazes of legal verbiage
the Allison aan saw that he held a receipt
In full froa William Spencer Abshlre for
the amount of a mortgage loan made to
James Dawson. As be read Jlaay mur-.
mured, a little apologetically, "You see, I
sir. Daws is Just part of my name but no
body down our way ever calls me by the ,
whole of It." j
"I see many things," the other man said
under cover of the cries and curses and
confused angry voices. "Mr. Chairman. I '
move an adjournment until 3 o'clock." ,
"No, no! Allison, Allison! Allison by ac
clamation!" was shouted all about. Whea
the chairman put the motion there was a
tempest of aes. Jlaay Dawson alone,
with folded arms, and eyes full of fierce
satisfaction, satd:
"No' I vote for Abshlre. I aa bound to
pay hla hla vhat I owe."
nniDuus tvniLi: xov iv.iit.
New Structure l'ut lu Place In Twenty
.Minute..
Between S and 9 o'clock yesterday mom
lug, relates the Syracuse (N. Y.) Press,
there was cutte a novel experiment In brtdzs
building at the East Creek station on the t
New York Central railroad, about eight J
I cait of LltlIe Fal1'- rhe bridge 1
No- 5 anl lt ls tui!t to carrr off 2004 I
water wnea tne tast t-anaua cree is irozea
or the channel ls choked.
The old bridge was seventy-five feet long
and sixty feet wide, containing four tracks.
Ia order cot to delay trafSc more than was
absolutely necessary the new bridge, which
Is a through plate girder bridge ot steel,
was constructed by the side of the old one.
8010 bridges were at an elevatloa of ten
; "-s
i ;ni 0010 oriages were piaceu oa car
trucks under which rails were laid. A
powerful locomotive was placed on the regu
lar track and attached to heavy chains fas
tened to both bridges. These chains were
passed areuad pulleys to give the bridge a
sidewtse motion. 'When everything was in
rcadiae3 the locomotive was stared. As
the old bridge was moved to the south the
new bridge, which weighs ZiC tons, took its
place. Th old bridge was left by the sld
ot the tracks, where lt will be taken apart
and removed at leisure. The new bridge
having been put in place west Into use at
once
So quickly was the change made that th
passenger tracks of the road were blocked
but twenty minutes. The work was done
ualer the directtoa ot Clifford Lewis, Jr .
who Is pocttfex maxlmus on this divisloa of
the Central. This Is the first time a bridge
has tn-cn removed aad replacM in this way
on this road and the operation was decid
ed I v satisfactory and successful.
nixnmrrU't Iron .lerve.
Was
the result of his splendid health.
Indomitable will and tremendous
energy
are -oi to be found where stomach, liver.
, kidseys and bowels are out of order If t
rou want these Qualities and the sL-ei
j u . 4MV mt , iuc U 1 1 -
'hey bring " Pr King's New Life PHIi. ,
( Only Zi. at Khn fc Co s drug iters.
, creaaea me raoTfuuou aae as smc u rr.n h nr rot nt....... -r. . . 4 . . .
a. but straight ahead of . t0 note-lhe dcllcacr of th. ,h- -..l , - . f." " "B0
opposite, so could see of ,at COBDOiitl:a. " ola:
STEEL EXGRAYlSr, A LOST ART
to take Its pla e the sadness Is there. A The war he worked it was qu"--
a Batter of fact, steel engraving has pa.s4 genious. At about the middle of hi pr
A Rar ae To ? T- -Tn- A-- W ", something a satisfactory gram he wti'.ild 'undertake to shift a a -'
10n?)" laa wW'Pt A7riJ "7 and far more cheap has been discovered, nonball from one tllk bat to another T e
PcOtograpfiT. , Photography is a cood eoough substitute hats re placed at opposite ends .f a
, for the inferior work which was so fa- long table, aad while the trick was .1
I miliar .,-., n , ... Tk. urnrrMi it,. uhm . h ... ...t
FEW ODD mi FOR OLD ENGRAVERS
.Notable Mirrlmcin of the Arl thnt
Arr II Isch l i'rlinl llr ululluti
U rotinht lir the Drtrlnp.
nirnt of I'hutDKrnpli .
Twcno ave ears ago, or even less fr
back iato the days when Art was not
spelled wh a capital letter, says the New
Ycrfc Tribune, so telf-respecttag citltea
would hare ventured to lanto his friends
Into a ' parlor" aot adorned with spec!
tteas of the alleged art of more or less
incompetent steel engravers. "The Pil
grim's Progress." "The Guardian Angel.'
dlmlautlre aad Irritating chlldrea oSertng
Kaves of bread to preposterously grateful
iris reeble imitation testified to (he su
premacy of the noble art of steel eneravlnr.
of which the masters were aa inspired few.
The ecgraved atrocities have vaauhed from
the walls aad along with thea the truly
beautiful specimens of the art have rrowa
io d less aai less highly prized, except
t,y ice connoisseur. Steel engravlnz has
lean tor the admiratloa of the many
oor un.it inn i tv. ., j
OBe ,nr J.".' "I" . ao
'"- tus'"u pictures oi ambitious sue
t aad rnA ha t i ....u . . . . . I
leftArer tn. j.(i. . , .
r - - - " suvu u. laem s are
es. It IS
rutllc the figure rather t-an the dMin t
. banknat- i. Vf " -! ,!'?. "i
wnose pride in his art remalas although
tae glory of it has gone forever.
ItlRlirat Ilevrlopinrn t In .tinei-ira.
This braach of earravicg has reached a
higher developaeat in America than aay
-ere else. The delicacy of the work H
sometimes extreme and gites an idea of
the standing of the artist in the days when
his skill was put to higher uses. The old
a a?e growing fewer every year. For
the special professloa of baaknote ecgrav-
youag mea are being trained to take
their places, but for the broader work, as
it used to b carried on thr will v, nn
successors The old encravers are the lt
of their ancient guild and with them the (
art o: steel engraving as it relates to
rge pictures will die.
But. narrow as is their field, it Is In
terestlng to find that these otd artists rec
ognlie one another's work by the minute
details of the banknote or stock certificate.
Much of It ts done by geometric lathe la
the hands ot apprentices, but the touch of
the true artist Is perceptible to his brother,
Just as It Is possible to detect la a moment
the style cf a palater.
There is always Infinite pathos about the
Idea of the world's losing anything beau-
troncer thaa ever 1 inr.i- -ri.h . ' arniia oniy cae is iiviar today an I
iiReiy, w.,a loving care py some old man he has aUalaed a creat a?e. This (a the
King Solomon Had
A Great Reputation for Wisdom
One of his wipe remarks was "Of making many books there is no end." He had never
seen the making of a great dictionary. It is like the making of many books and seems to
have no end. In niakinir the
Standard Dictionary
an army of the brainiest and smartest men of the world was employed and a million dollars
spent. Take the BEST PRODUCT OF THE BEST BRAINS and the result must be satis
factory. But with all this expenditure of man and mind and money
The Standard Dictionary is Offered for
Only $7.00
There are so many points of superiority in The Standard Dictionary, aside from its mar
velously low price, that one can scarcely enumerate them. Some one has said there are in
THE STANDARD 4i dictionaries in one. Each topic is the work of a specialist.
Satisfactory to students and scholars because so complete, containing 300,000 words,
nearly three times as mauy as the old stand-by, Webster's Dictionary. The book stands in
high favor among the wise men on both sides of the Atlantic, and that fact alone establishes
its success. Here are some opinions from the press of Europe:
The Freeman's Journal . Dublin.
Ireland: "For scholarly accuracy and
exceptional fulness ... it stands un
rivalled. ... Of other existing dl:
tloaarles with which we are acquaint
ed, we know of none that can be com
pared with the Standard."
The Belfast Age, Belfast, Ireland.
" . . it were difficult to praise this
splendid dictionary too highly. It ts
a work for which all who speak the
English language aay be Justly grateful."
THE STANDARD DICTIONARY has a great many attractive features. It is not feas
ible to enumerate all at this time. For instance, so many words are in constant dispute.
Such words have been referred to f0 leading philologists and their opinions atkeu as final.
The matter of spelling is also diflicult to adjust. In the Standard that ha Ix-en settled
conservatively, yet accurately.
The quotations are gems, illustrating to a nicety the use of the words.
The illustrations are numerous, in fact it is a work that will be attractive to children on
this account and consequently all the more valuable as an educator.
No home library where
there are school children
should be without the Stan
dard Dictionary.
College men generally agree
as to the excellence of the work.
Here are some expressions con
center the work by college
professors:
For $7.00. Examine the Book.
Megeath Stationery Co.
1309 Fartiam Street.
VZTtXt
U does net mat!r
re ha come something!
rage tor etching also helped to overthrow la th- audience tn the rote of a spetu -.
steel engraving from Its position of se-1 would suddenly raise a shout of 'I. if t
eurlty. but the downfall was brought about cleth!' Hilts would stop in apparent ,
chiefly by the Invention of photography, fusion, and after a wordy altercation u
The (date engraved by really good work- J ing which the other would insist ca : 3
ers cost a large tuns of money and an point, he would snatch up the cover ar.gr
amount of time disproportionate even to and disclose a bey in th act of pass'-.g a
the high price. Muller speat six years Inj canaoaball through a trap In the Uble t
perfecting his "5lstiae Madonna." aad the 'New are you satisled' he would exciai
price paid for It rewarded his time at s letting the cloth drop again You ouch"
less rate than that ot an ordinary dry' nave sense enough to know that etc y
goods clerk of today. trick has Its mechanism.'
Such werVs were. Indeed, a labor ot lore ' "t'P to that point it seemed to be a
and to them thre attached a sentimental j victory for the Interrupter, and the a
Interest that can never cling around the I dlenee weld generally howl In derisic i
photograph which has driven the engraving 'At that Illltx would pretend to get tunot.
from the field. An ordinary photographer 1 "1'H do that trick, anyhow. Just to p o
that l.. a man with no special artistic In- 'you!' he would exclaim, and. on taking a
j splratloa caa produce the beautiful work
hhm ib me piace oi taose once
hoaored copies of great pictures. Of course
steel engravings are still bought aad sold
and still hang la the houses of artistic
people, but those who buy are la the mala
collectors. The general public ao longer
looks at the old-time favorites. To take
up some volume of a good art Journal of
tweaty-flve ears ago and compare It with
recent Issues Is to meet a forcible re-
minder of the way la which taste has
cnnce quarter of a century ago
tne pages o: suca volumes were filled 'Hth
steel engravincs aad nothlag else, while
now dashing color effects, daring "studies"
la character, fill pace after page.
l'oxlttuii In the Art WnrlU.
The rosttlon In the art world of the
: ' " " " h
! ,Br u "'r Interest la their aanaer
i t .. -.i.
I ine engravers tor wntcn art lovers seek
i mull K Ihnu wA f ,k, , H. . I ,k.
1 .Tv , .
of JCM. rw sreat works
the artist
Oermaa. fid ward Maadel "Whea I die."
he has said, "there will be no mor "
Mandela "Charles I." "Madoaaa of the
Skies.' Van Dyck" aad the rest are la
the true maaner of the old engravers.
But. although the old line easravlag has
passed, a few artists are devotisg them
seUes to a klad of engraving on steel
which follows after the old masters, while
It does cot Imitate exactly. Sherbora, la
I t-aSiM- on or tae known workers.
io
pJtes l0T , 'inv nr";n5. I"
p.iu. iuvii3iic steel eaKravcr, wi;a nis
""R r!te. the
modem world has no
lace
ItlJtin-JI.VDi: INTUIlllll'TIO.NS.
An
ltrfrctle Trick Employed ot
Alonr in rolltlca! Sprnklnsr.
"That dodge of ready-made Interruptions
Isn't confined to politics." said a theatrical
manager to a New Orleans Times reporter.
"It has been used on the stage with great
success. Old man Blitz, the conjurer I
mean the Blitz whose right name was
Schwartzaann used to carry around a
fellow whose sole duty was to expose his
tricks. The scheme proved a hit and was
Th Irish Times, Dublin, Ireland
" . . It win be recognized. w have
every reason to say, aot aloes
throughout ths aerlcan continent,
but In all Kcgltsh-speaktng parts ot
the Old World, also as an authority
from its fulness, discrimination, va
riety and ample erudition. It Is a
monument of Aaerlcan learning and
industry . From ' publication f
the Standard Dtetio.. .-y Aacrtca may
date a new period of the country's his
tory "
Prof. R. A. Todd, Coluabla- "I aa exceedingly pleased with Its fulness, conden
sation, accuracy and completeness. Its mechanical execution is a delight to th artis
tic sense "
President Bashford of Ohio Weslyan- "After a comparison of aany words I aa quit
convinced that the Standard surpasses the Century Dictionary In careful and accurate
defialtloa of words and in Us illutratlons, as well as the number of words defined."
Later I say more emphatically thin ever before that lt Is the best dictionary la th
English language, and 1 want It ter constant reference."
Prof. DuSeld of Princeton- "It will be conspicuous among the enduring monu
ments of Intellectual life at tf.e close of the ISth century. . For eompreheaslveneia
of vocabulary, accuracy in definition. Judicious arrangement of material. Instructive 11
luitratioa and admirable typogrsphy, it Is superior to any other work of It class, and
ere long will supersede thea and be recognised as The Standard Dictionary."
resily one of the foun latinns of I
fatr.e and fortune
couple of glass vases, he would place f e
'op m raiting mem ciear oi iro
table. Then he would lift the cloth, act,
behold' the boy had vanished Into th a
WHh. the cover still elevated sr. l he .1
1 1" Plce by pins the feat of shifting the ta t
. "ould triumphantly performed, ant.
' neediest to say. the spectators would she
themselves black in the face The tri
nothing but a piece of clever palmlrff
aa the disappearance of the bogus uj
ierat was effected by a simple arrange
raent of Inclined mirrors but. all the sace.
It was a very effective piece of wck aLd
never failed to make a profound Imprv3
slon on the audlece. Bllti had a doi:o
variations of the Interruption s-hcn.i
some much bttter than the on- I hae i -scribed.
al. while they would be a f "o
too obvious for the up-to-date theaters -of
the present, they aever missed fire la t'.o
unsophisticated early days.
Fake Interruptions in a slelght-of ha i
or conjuring performance have the daut
advantag- of giving eclat to the tri(k ail
Intimidating any real sceptics la tbeh , e
who might otherwise prove troubles!?
After a man hears some other fellcw g
badly worsted la an encounter wttb t -magician
he will hesitate to put In an cr
himself, no matter bow certain he raiy
that he sees through the Illusion la bs
younger dys Herrmann used rsdy-n,a e
Interruption to some slight extcn'. L '
afterward discarded them as being t03
daagerous. As far as he ever went was
get aa usher to call out: 'He's iot f p
his sleeve!' or 'Look uadr that box'
course, the article la question woulda' -
there, aad Herrmann would get a rour j
applause, while the usher retired, aj-a
ently crestfallen."
The prologue to "The Burgomaster
with sixty-five people la the cast, at
Press c.'ub benefit Friday afternoon. Guv
Luders. composer of the music, wt! d re
the combined orchestras.
rifr rrnn l.ikr Hntc.
ChU-ago Post "Marry In haate
know." sh remarked significantly, dee--ing
It unnecessar-, tu complete the -tloti.
"Why, it was a rhunh wedding. w..-
It?' he asked
"Of course, but''
"Thn I don't .ee wher the haste crrti'i
In When I stood up before a whole -gregtlon
and felt urojnd for the ring 't
seemed to me the ceremony took a gnod x
hour? "
A I'nnuiy .Medicine lir.t.
Ninety-nine cases of a hundred Caseare s
Candy Cathartic will cure the ailments ct
the family The hundredth time call the
docfr Druggists. ICc. 25c.
The Liverpool Daily Post. Liverpool
"It ls an Implement that will b- of
vast service to thoee who cultivate
the literary arts on either side of the
Atlantic. It ts a monument to Amer
ican iadustry. no Ices thaa the grat
White City by Lake Mkhigan itha lata
Chicago World s Fair