Nebraska Newspapers

    DAKOTA COUNTY HERALD; DAKOTA CITY, NEBRASKA.
WielAPSL of
DWnWOTWOKffl
gT ISABEL GORDON CURTIS
Author jf "TKeVonar jrom WoJverrions"
ILLUSTRATIONS fr ILL$VORTn YOUKG-
copyright; m dy f.c dr'owne sco.
CHAPTER XXVI Continued.
Across tho pale facu of the Invalid
swtpt a wavo of scarlet; then he .be
gan to talk slowly and hesitatingly.
1 was In a Southern academy tho llrst
time It happened 1 must have been
feeventeon or thereabouts. Prizes were
to be given for a public oration and
peoplo were coming from everywhere
to hear us. Tim governor was to ad
dress ub My father was a lawyer, ono
of the big lawyers of the state Ho
went to" this school when ho was a
boy, and he had carried off tho oration
prize. His heart was set on my win
ning It. I tolled and tolled over that
speech; it was about the death of
Julius Caesar. I can remember, as I
lay awake nights staring out Into the
darkness, how tho speech camo throb
bing in my brain. I could never write,
though, as I declaimed It to myself in
tho still dormitory. I used to go out
into the woods and try to write. One
day I gave up. I sat huddled against
a stono wall which ran down the hill,
dividing a pasturo from the forest.
There was a tall pine over my head
and tho crows woro calling from tho
top of it. I can Bee the place yet."
Enoch lifted his eyes and turned
to meet tho steady glanco of tho man
who sat beside tho bed.
"Do you want to hear the story
out?" he asked bluntly.
"Yes If you are bound to tell It."
"It Isn't an easy task to set tho
stark-naked soul of man before anoth
er's gaze," especially when It's a man's
own soul; but I've been over this,
Btep by step,, during tUeso bedridden
days, and I'll feel better when lt'B out
of my system."
"Are you suro?" Merry spoke gent
ly. "Yes, suro." Tho reflective tone had
gone from Enoch's voice. It was em
phatic. "Out there in tho sunshine,"
he continued, "I realized what defeat
meant. I know my oration was mere
ly a babble of senseless words; there
was not a throb In It. IJesldes, I knew
that I could not make it better. Sud
denly, on tho quiet hlllBlde, I heard
a voice close beside mo."
There was a long pause, Wentworth
turned bis eyes from Merry and stared
out at tho window. A trumpet vine
climbed over tho back of tho Waverly
tome-
"What's the Use of Raklno Up Old
1 Memories?"
Place house and ono scarlet blossom
hung vivid between him and tho sun
shine. "Say, old fellow," said Merry in a
low voice, "you and I aro friends,
closer friends than wo ever were.
What's tho uso of raking up old mem
ories if they hurt. The story of some
thing: you did whdn you wero in swad
dling clothes doesn't count. Drop it!"
"It does count," answered Went
worth stolidly. "I tell you it does
count It is tho only thing that ex
plains what I did when you called my
bluff. I have lain horo I've had days
and nights with nothing to do but to
think and to analyzo things. Why,
old man, I haven't had a chance like
this for years before. Lot mo tell you
my story; it's Interesting even if it
isn't much to my credit."
"All right, have your own way."
"1 sat there in tho shadow of tho
wall listening. It was young David
Hobs practising his oration, Dave
came of what tho niggers callod 'po'
whlto trash," but ho had ambition and
genius and was working his way
through school like a man. Uu had
chosen the death of Caesar, as I had.
I crouched there, scarcely breathing;
I was afraid ho would hear mo und
stop. His speech was great! As I
sat looking out over the volley I could
see tho Itoman warrior while ho stood
thero in tho Senate, down and out,
hooted at and reviled, yet haughty and
defiant, facing the enemies who had
onco been his friends. I began to
sob, as a boy does In n shamed, huBky,
choked fashion. Suddenly a thought
amo to me. 1 leaped over tho wall
And hold before Davo a now twenty
dollar gold-piece father had given me
that rnornlhfl It bought his oration."
Wontworth paused as if in an em
barrassment of shame. Merry watchod
hlm in silence.
''I feel oven now tho reluctant
grip with which Davo held on to thoso
-sheets of blurred foolscap. I never
gavo a thought to what I bad done.
JBrery moment for twenty-four hours
vu needed to commit Davo's speoch
to Memory. My father, proud and hap
yt, gave rm another twenty-dollar
' WM
vmZZ
UHr
Tru r
goldploco. I carried It to Davo. Ho
refused it. turning his back on me
with nngry scorn. Twonty years later
I mot him again. Ho had gone to
congress and was blasting his way
upwards toward famo. I was assigned
to interview him. He rememberod mo
instnntly. For a moment ho stared at
mo from head to foot, then ho turned
away without a word and never
touched the hand I offered him. My
Uod! how that hurt!" A shiver wont
through the man's body.
"That happened twcnty-livo years
ago," said Morry hesitatingly. "You
can't lay up a boyhood sin against a
mnn. Ho changes he's almoBt an
other human being."
"No, ho Isn't," answered Wentworth
doggedly. "I want to show you that
the psychological fellow was in the
right. That was my first fall from
grace; but thero was a second lesion.
It was worse, worse even than than
what 1 did to you, Merry. 1 was out
In tho Halknn mountains where tho
blamed barbarian Turks go tearing at
each other's throats once in so often.
Tho world looked on, waiting for a
story of war. I had nono to tell, noth
ing happened but a skirmish or two
onco In a while. There was nothing
a man could mako into a story. It
was a wretched campaign. Young
Forsyth, of tho Tribune, and I hung
together through it for months, living
llko stray dogs, sick to death of our
Job, and ready to throw it up at any
moment. Ono morning at daybreak
wo were nwakened by shooting. Wo
scrambled from tho cave whoro wo
had slept and looked down into the
valley. Wo wore In the very heart of
a battle, nnd these savages wero climb
ing over tho rocks with their cutlasses
Hashing. They shrieked like maniacs,
tho bullets went flying about our
heads. I crept back to tho hole among
tho rocks where we had spent the
night. 1 couldn't seo what was hap
pening; I didn't want to see. Death
shrieks echoed all around and above
me. It was tho most hellish din of
battle I ever listened to. I had turned
coward. 1 lay thero with every tooth
in my head chattering. A nice con
fession for a man to make, eh?" asked
Wentworth with a grim srallo.
Merry half roso then dropped back
Into his chair. "Hold on, Enoch, I
swear you're not fit for this eort of
thing! Your tomporaturo w'ill go up,
then tho nurse "
"Damn tho nurse. I'm fit enough;
keep still. I want to finish my story.
Forsyth, tho intrepid young fool, went
creeping along tho face of tho cliff.
He had never seen a battle before I
called to him to He low, but he never
heeded mo. Through a crevice In tho
rock I saw him stretch his head over
tho chnsm and crone bis neck, then
plungo down and b5gln to write as if
he were mad. Once I sneaked out
and tried to drag him in beside mo.
Hu fought llko a wildcat, so I went
back to shelter. Tho bullets pinged on
tho rocks nil around mo. Suddenly 1
heard n low, gurgling, awful cry nnd
Eomobody called my name in a hoarBo
shout It was Forsyth. I crept out.
Ho Btood on a cliff above me, clutch
ing at his throat, thon ho toppled and
fell. Ho came plunging down over tho
rocks until ho reached my feet Ho
was dead, stark dead, when I pulled
him Into tho cave. His notebook was
clutched bo tight in his hand that I
toro u corner from ono pago as I took
It from his fingers. 1 burled him right
thero.
"After a little while tho battle fiz
zled down to a stray Bhot or two. That
night under tho gleam of a sputtering
little torch I read Forsyth's story. It
was tremendous perfectly tremen
dousperfectly tremendous! It read
like inspired stuff. I had never
dreamed tho fellow had such a vocab
ulary. AiJ ho lay thoro closo beside
me, aBleop under tho damp, warm,
soft earth. I had a fit of tho horrors.
I put out my light, Btuffed tho pages
of writing in my pocket, then wont
doubling and twisting down thoso wild
mountains, dodging the enomy'H camp
ilreB and their Infernal bullets, until
I reached tho mlsorablo little town in
tho valley wo two men had our
hondquarters. I hurried to tho tele
graph office to send out Forsyth's Btory
to tho Tribune, with tho news of his
death. I was waiting to got tho wire
whon somebody handed me a cable.
I lookod at It half-dazed. It camo from
my own papor, crazy bocauso I had
sent them no Btory; they wero hungry
as vultures for news. As soon as I
could get a wire I sent out Forsyth's
story."
"Under his name?" asked Merry
quietly.
"No." Enoch lifted his head, lookpd
at hla friend with guilt and shnmo in
his eyes, thon ho turned away. "No,
I signed my own name to it 1 Bent
It to my own papor, I wired the news
of Forsyth's denth to the Tribune"
Neither of tho men snoko for somo
minutes. When Morry turned, Went
worth luy staring at him with a pray
er for pity, comprehension, nnd for
glvenoss in his oyes.
"I want you to understand ono
thing." pleaded the older man. "Whon
you called my bluff that morning nnd
I wrote thnt bond, I was Innocent of
any thought of Injury to you. 1 don't
know what was In my mind. It was
nothing in the world but nn Idle fancy.
1 told you so at tho time. 1 did not
dream that you could write a play. If
anyono had told me you woro capablo
of turning out 'The House of Ester
brook' I should havo lauKhed at him.
Thon that day, when you came and
read tho manusorlpt I had Just givon
up all hope, as I did with tho oration
on CacBar, I had been tolling for
years and years on u play. Thore
was ono it had seemed to mo llko a
great plot but I had begun to roallzo
that labor doos not moan everything.
You want inspiration, or genius or art
or something, and I didn't havo It."
Enoch paused, wrinkling his eyes as
it In an attempt to remember some
thing. "I was trying to think of
something Ellon Terry wrote on the
back of a photograph sho onco gave
me. It ran like this;
" 'When am I to bo an actress? Well,
after fifteen years' labor, perhaps, La
bor! Why, I thought It was all lnsplr
atlon. No, labor and urt are tho
'endatton; inspiration a result.'
"Terry wasn't altogether right La
bor alone won't land tho prize You've
proved that, Hoy."
"I don't know," said Merry vaguely.
"I do." Tho man's pale face flushed.
"When you dropped In on me, eagor
aB a young victor for a laurel wreath,
1 know ns surely ob If a Judgo hod
paBscd sentence on me thnt my years
and years of toll meant nothing but
wasto papor. Then, suddenly, as tempt
ation had clutched at mo twico before
In my life, came a ravenous desire for
fame the fame that another man hnd
labored for nnd "
"I understand," cried Merry. Thon
was a thrill of compassion in his voice.
"Now, dear old man, let's forget It.
Tho ono thing I can novor forgot Ib
that you have raked mo from tho
depths moro than onco. I might have
been worso than dead today If It
hadn't been for you.'
"You novor descended to tho depths
I did," said Wentworth abruptly.
"Sin my variety of it or yours Is
nothing but tho dlffcrenco in a man'B
taste. His palate dictates what ho will
eat. There is a moral palate, and if
you go on slaking your nppotlte,
there's a weakening of the moral tis
sue Isn't that what your psycholo
gists call it? If it had not been for
you, Enoch, I might havo been worse
than dead today." Merry uttered tho
laBt sentence in an undertone. "I havo
a feeling, though, that 1 can never go
so low again, becauso "
Ho sat silent for a minute. Went
worth's eyes wero fixed upon him llko
nn Insistent question. "Because
Enoch," ho went on in a steady voice,
"because Dorcas has promised to be
my wife"
"Oh I" cried Wentworth quickly.
"Oh, thank God for that!"
CHAPTER XXVII.
Behind the Curtain.
It was a wet night in October. A
lino of carriages moved slowly over
tho shining asphalt to tho door of the
Gotham. Grant Oswald stood in a
corner of tho foyer watching tho
throng pour in.
"This beatB your first night in Lon
don, doesn't it?" queried a newspaper
man who stood beside him.
"Yes," acceded tho Englishman.
"Tho first night or any other night"
"Wentworth's oscapo from death was
a great ad if you look at It that way.
He had a close call."
"Yes." Oswald spoko absently.
That morning ho hnd arrived from
London. Although ho was the least
curious of men, ho felt as if the peo
plo from whom he had parted four
months ago woro living In a difforent
ntmosphero. Defore tho ship docked
ho had discovered a group waiting to
weloomo him. Dorcas was there, her
beautiful face glowing with happiness.
Ho watchod her untie a gray scarf
from hor hat and wave it Morry
stood bosldo her, but tho girl's band
wns clasped Inside her brother's arm.
Wontworth was wan and thin. Across
his templo gleamed a wldo red scar.
Morry lifted his hat when ho caught
sight of Oswald and the wind tossed
down, almost into his eyes, tho wavy
lock of long fair hair which proclaimed
his calling. Allco Volk stood In tho
group, with Julio Jumping impatiently
boslde hor. Little Robin clasped her
hand, whilo ho searched for the ship
with his sightless eyes.
With a courteous "Good night" Os
wald left tho man and walked Into the
theater, whoro a gay, chattering crowd
streamed past him. Tho throng was
so doiiBO that ho was pushed into a
corner. Whon tho overture began ho
moved toward tho rail and took his
placo among a group of mon who had
not been ab!o to buy Boats. Ho found
SIngloton, of tho Times, at his elbow.
"Hullo," said tho young editor heart
ily. "I'm glad to seo you back and
glad you'vo como back to such a
house. Why, ifs one of tho blggost I
ovor saw in Now York. You fellows
must bo raking in the shekels."
"It does look that way," Oswald
smllod. "I don't know how long it
will hold out The play has already
gono far boyond my expectations."
"It ought to last through sovornl
seasons. Generally a drama that pulls
at the hoart strings has a clutch on
tho purso strings of the public. Be
sides, you'vo a groat card In your Miss
Wentworth, to say nothing of Morry.
She's out of sight Why, 1'vo run In,
heaven knows how often, for that
third act. I can't think of any big
actress who could got as much out
of that situation as Dorcas Wentworth
does. Thero aro minutos whon it
doesn't seem as if the girl were act
ing Bho lives tho character from start
to flalBh. Sho is not playing 'Cor
delia.' Bho 1b 'Cordelia.' I told you
Oswald she is a wonder. I hnvo boon
following tho drama as a critic for
years, and ono gets to bo hardoned,
tho emotions aro not suscoptlblo to
tho appeals of the average player, but
in this sceno particularly Miss Wont
worth grips mo In a most wonderful
way. Sho is so stmplo nnd slncoro in
her methods that ono cannot roallzo
that sho is acting a part Sho Is
grent."
"I bollevo you aro right," acknowl
edged Oswald.
Boforo tho third act began tho
house Bottled down to that silence
which mouns Intense anticipation.
Whon tho curtain fell, tho applause
roso to a deafening clamor. Ono play
er after anothor appenred to tako an
encore. Last of all camo Dorcas. Sho
stood on tho stage alone, smiling nnd
bowing. Hor faco waB radiantly hap
py. Whon tho curtain dropped, tho
applause bogun again. Wontworth ap
peared, leading Merry by tho hand.
Tho faco of tho older man lookod pal
lid and tho red scar cut llvldly across
his forehead. A stillness fell upon
tho houBo. It eeomod to Oswald ns
if tho people waited intently for Bomo
unusual ovent.
Thoro was a totiBonoBs in the quiet
tuut prevailed in tho nudliinco that
seomed to forecast Bomothlng dra
matic It equaled in Intensity tho in
terest with which tho most tolling cli
maxes of tho play had been rocolved.
Tho very air of tho two mon standing
side by side in the center of tho stago
seemed to promise a sensation,
Enoch Wentworth ralaod bis hand
with a KOBturo which was strangely
drnmatlc for n man who was neither
an actor nor an orator. Llko a flash
Oswald remomberod a day whon be
sat watching a prisoner at the bar.
Tho man had been condomned to
death; a moment later, with a stifled
cry of torror, ho stretched out his
arm for mercy nnd sympathy.
"Ladles and gontlemon," Wont
worth began, In a volco which was
low, but so morvelously distinct that
each syllablo carried to tho farthest
seat In tho house, "this Is not a curtain
speech you havo not called mo be
fore tho footlights tonight; it is an
explanation. It Is a confession."
Enoch paused as if mustorlng
strength to go through nn ordeal. Ho
felt tho curious scrutiny of a thou
sand eycB. "It is a confession," ho re
peated slowly, "a confession which has
been long delayed "
Ho never finished his sontence.
Merry stepped forward and laid his
hand upon the man's nrm with a cling-
mm I
m
jL, -v
Oswald Was Watching the Throngs
Pour In.
lng grasp which was full of affection,
even whtlo it pushed Wontworth aside
"Allow me." Then ho laughed.
"Good poople, ono and nil, who havo
so long been frlendB of mlno, this Is
my confession, late In the day, as my
friend Wentworth suggests, but it is
mine. Ho was simply breaking the
news to you that I wrote 'The Houso
of Estorbrook.' "
Ho hesitated for a moment, then
Enoch touched his arm as if in pro
test. Merry smiled and gently put
him aside. A whisper of startled sur
prise ran through the houso, followed
by a moment of hush, then applause.
It subsided slowly. During the tu
mult men and women who kept their
eyes upon the stage saw Wentworth
turn as if pleading vehomently. Merry
answered with a few decisive wordB,
then ho stepped down to the foot
lights. "Wo hnvo Baved this confession,
ladles and gentlemen," he began grave
ly, "not to create a sensation or to
furthor advertise tho play, but each
one of you must realize how tho pub
lic distrusts a Jack-of-all-trados. Many
of you doubted tho ability of a Morry
Andrew to touch human emotion ever
bo lightly, nnd camo that llrst night
with eager curiosity to Bee him in tho
character of 'John Estorbrook.' How
much moro would you have hesitated
if you had known that this same Merry
Andrew was tho author of tho play?
Henco tho secret, to docolvo you until
nn ljonest, verdict had been rendered.
Tonight 1 release my friend Enoch
Wontworth from tho role ho has car
ried for ten months. I also wish, be
fore you, to acknowledge a largo in
debtedness to him. For years he has
been tho truest friend a man ovor
had. Ho has believed in me, encour
aged me, and to his untiring labor yau
aro Indebted for much of tho perfoct
dotall which haB carried 'The House
of Eastabrook' to success. He has
helped mo In the dark hours when
success in my profession seemed to
bo something I could never achieve.
When I have been dragged down by
tho devils of despair his was tho hand
that lifted mo up and with kindly
deods nnd encouraging words has kept
mo striving fc-r tho place which at last
seems to bo not entirely out of reach.
I need not speak of his last great proof
of his frlondshlp for mo, you all know
how ho almost lost his llfo in saving
mo from almost certain denth. Good
pooplo, I owo much to Euoch Wont
worth, and it is a great pleasure to
acknowledge it in this public manner."
Tho audience saw Wontworth stare
as if in utter amazement when Merry
began his confession. Then his eyes
grew misty, and when tho young actor
turned to him with an affectionate
smile, he gripped tho hand held out
to him as a man does whon ho can
not put love or grntltude into words.
Across the footlights men and women
realized vaguely, through tho strange
human Insight wo call intuition, that
anothor drama was being played bo-
foro their oyes; a llfe-and-blood drama,
whero the feelings of Btrong mon were
deeply Btlrrod.
"Good Lord!" Bald SIngloton.
Oswald turned with a Btart ns if he
had been aroused from sloop. Tho
newspaper mnn stood at his elbow
with a look of blank astoulshmont in
his oyes. It passed quickly, however;
he was a trained newspaper man, all
his news Instincts wero aroused, ho
was on tho track of a Btory. Here was
something he must get to the bottom
of. Ho scented n mystery nnd was im
mediately on tho alort for anything
that might give him n clow to stnrt on,
HIb pnpor must havo this big Btory,
It wns big. ho was sure of that. Ho
turned suddenly to tho man at his
stdo.
"What's back of all thnt?" ho aBked.
"I can understand thnt Morry wroto
tho play, I've known Enoch Went
worth for years, and I wns never so
Btnggered in my llfo as the first night
whon I saw 'Tho Houso of Estor
brook.' I went to tho offlce afterwards
to writo my stuff and I sat for ton
minutes dumb, stupid trying to flg
uro out how Wontworth, the Enoch
Wentworth I know, oould hare writ
Hi
fBfrft&MfFz! i ii
IKlualr 1
ten it How long have you known
thUT"
"I have known It," answered Os
wald quietly, "Just as long as you
hove."
"Then I'm right," cried Singleton.
"I knew Merry was lying whon he
stood thero on tho stago giving us
that bluff about Wentworth carrying
tho secret for him. Merry wrote It all
right I might have guessed it long
ago. I say, do you know there's a
devil of a big story back of nil that?"
Oswald's faco grow stern.
"You eeo I know both of the men
so well," went on Singleton eagerly.
"Why, they were a regular David and
Jonathan pair over since I met them
first. Enoch wns rorovor setting Merry
on his pins. Tho nctor would go off,
Heaven knows whero, throw over n
part, and drop off tho edge of the
world. I don-'t bollevo ho dissipated
exactly; ho simply tossed his money
away nnd went downhill. Wentworth
would hunt him up and drag him back
where he belonged. Ho straightened
up suddenly when ho began to play
'John Esterbrook.' You can't even
pull him into a poker game now 1
guoss I took tho winnings nt the last
gnme ho stood in for. That night I
had a great mind to hand the money
back to hm. Wo Bald 'Good-by' about
daylight. He looked pessimistic end
glum. No, he wasn't glum elthe-;
Merry never gets glum. He had a
down-and-c t, don't-glvc-n-damn c
presslon that morning. I can see htn
yet. , Suddenly he disappeared again
When he came back Wentworth and
ho cut each other dead. That Paget
woman affair began, then Wentworth
saved Merry's llfo. Why, It's n tre
mendods story!"
Oswald turned nbruptly. Somethlne
In his quiet gaze made Singleton bhlft
his eyes with a start of guilt "1 wan
to say a word to you," tho English
man's volco was storn, "and I want
you to repeat what I say to every man
In your fraternity. Thero may be a
big Btory somewhere behind this I
cannot tell. If there Is, lr an enmity
or a misunderstanding did exist, If
thero was n wrong done, or If anythlui,
lies behind these two men which wc
do not comprehend, leave it to them
They have buried it. Don't tun.
ghiul," ho pleaded, "and dig it up
simply to mako a curious, heartless
world buy your paper for a day or
two. I am told thero Is a bond be
tween newspaper men, like a warm
hearted brotherhood. Wentworth be
longed to that brotherhood; he does
yet remember that"
Singleton stretched out his hand
with an lmpulslvo gesture. "Thank
you, Mr. Oswald. You're a good deal
of a man. I never knew you before.
We all need a Jog on tho elbow once
in a while. A newspaper man grows
a buzzard when a story is in the air
Ho forgets how tho other follow feels
I'll pass tho word around I can prom
ise you that not a man among us wilt
do anything but take Merry's word for
it His confession is a big story lu
Itself."
"Thank you." said Oswald with a
cordiality which few men had seen
in the dignified Englishman.
Ho stood talking with a group who
gathered about him at tho close of
the play, eager as Singleton had been
to discuss Merry's dramatic confes
sion, when an usher interrupted them.
"Mr. Oswald, you're wanted back of
the scenes," said the boy.
Under the whlto glare of electricity
a little group stood on tho half-dismantled
stage. Tho people in the cast
were there property men, tho call
boy, electricians, ushers, and the
humblest employo of tho house. Tho
actors ptill woro their stago garb and
make-up. Dorcas' hand was linked in
hor brother's arm. For a moment Os
wald stood watching her. Her faco
was flushed, her eyes shone, she
seemed transfigured by happiness.
Merry stretched out a welcoming
hand to Oswald "We've been waiting
Merry Stretched Out a Wolcomlng
Hand.
for you, Oswuld, to round out our
circle," ho cried gaily. "I had a Scotch
grandmother. When sho reached the
western wilderness and built a home
Bho mado her husband carve over tho
chimnoy-pleco: 'Wo'ro a' Bibb tao ane
nnlethor here' Once, when 1 was a
little boy, she explained It to mo I
understood. Tho English language
won't trnnalato thoso wofdB, but they
moan that there's nobody horo but the
boat of friends. Because we are a'
sibb tre ono anlther horo tonight I
want to break a secret to you. It Is
a more wonderful secret than the news
I gave to ttie audience"
Morry lookod about him with a
quick, boyish smilo. "I used to say I
could not mako a curtain speech to
savo my llfo. Tonight 1 fool as if I
wero blossoming out. I Boom cnpable
of speeches bohlnd tho curtain as well
as lu front 1 suppobo hnpplneBs makes
nn orator nf a man." He laughed Joy
ously. "But to my secret This dear
lady, whom you all love and honor,
haB promised to bo my wlfo."
He held out his hands to Dorcas and
caught hers, thon ho drew her into
his armB as if thoy stood alone Id
some empty corner of the world.
TUB END.
"ytrmmrmi
Back to
the Bible
?
Application ol Ihe Scriptures to
he World Today as Seen by Eml- i
nent Men in Various Walks o! Life !
" IIIJJ.IJ.IL.JI11JIUI1UUJII
(Copyright, 1914. by Joseph U. Howies)
AN ANCIENT LITERARY ERA DIS
COVERED. (By MELVIN GKOVn KYLE, D. D
LU D Egyptologist, Member Archae
ological Institute of America, Author of
"The Deciding Voice of the Monuments
In Biblical Criticism;" President Board
of Foreign Missions, United Presbyter
ian Church.)
"The true man of science Is also a
man of faith. He, rs well as the Chris
tian believer, walks In the light of tho
evidence of many thing unseen, and
satisfies his mind with the substance
of many things hoped for." Q. Freder
ick Wright, LU D., F. Q. 8. A.
Sho was a woman with a basket
probably not a prepossessing woman,
but who can say
what a veiled wom
an may be? The
basket was a very
ugly, dirty, mis
shapen basket
Tho woman's
work wbb usually
very dusty and
disagreeable, but
this time she filled
her basket with
some clean, hard,
flat cakes of dried
mud and went
away to her village
to beat them into
dust and scatter
the dust as ferti
lizer over her
beds of leeks and
onions and other things good to eat
How many of theso tablets she had al
ready pulverized and grown into
onions, no one will ever know. This
time a man saw her basket load and
felt a curiosity about theso queer lit
tle cakes of clay. Ho bought them all
for a trifle and showed them to an
Egyptian who bought and sold antiqui
ties, and he bought them for another
trifle. He could not Imagine what they
might be, but thought they surely
were something. Ho went to an Amer
ican friend, the Reverend Cbauncy
Murch. He saw at a glance that the
mud cakes wero tablets covered with
the wedge-shaped writing of the Baby
lonians and Assyrians, he could not
read the writing, but ho know that
such tablets found in Egypt must be
Important and at onco give infdrma
tlon to the world of scholars. In a few
weeks the enterpriso of museum au
thorities, the cupidity of native an
tiquity dealers and even international
Jealousies wero stirred up over these
little bits of clay to an amazing de
gree. After some unseemly squab
bling, In which some of tho tablets
were broken up by the natives in order
to distribute their value around
among themselves, the whole lot was
divided for tho most part between the
British museum, the Berlin museum
and tho Cairo museum, with a few
scattered elsewhere.
All this time no one had read the
tablets, but expectation concerning
them wns not disappointed. Thus was
brought to the world of Bible studentB
the Tel-el-Amarna tablets, tho most
important discovery for the land of tho
Book since the beginning of archaeo
logical research thore. These tablets
tell us more about the ancient political
geography of Canaan than all other
sources put together; thoy havo made
known to us that the old Canaanlto
language was in reality Hebrew, or
the Hebrew, Canannlte; that the peas
ant speech of that day was practically
Identical with the peasant speech of
the land now; that the official lan
guage of Canaan then was the Baby
lonian and the method of writing, the
wedge-shaped writing called cunei
form; that, though Canaan waB then
a province of Egypt, so great was the
Babylonian Influence in the land that
official correspondence with the Egyp
tian imperial government was in the
Babylonian tongue and method of
writing; that thus early, 160 years be
fore the time of Moses, there was
great literary advancement among
even the peoplo of Canaan, with a
wide diffusion of education among all
classes; and, last of all, that there was
ruling at Jerusalem a line of kings
with titles strangely like the title of
Melchizedek, "without father and with
out mother."
Such was tho discovery of the Tel-el-Amarna
tablets. It was the open
ing of a door into another and much
older ancient literary world In Bible
lands.
THINKING THROUGH THE UNI
VERSE. (By FLETCHER HOMAN, A. M., D. D
President of Willamette University, Sa
lem, Oregon.)
"Peruse the works of our philoso
phers: with all their pomp of diction,
how mean, how contemptible are they,
compared with the Scriptures. Is It
posstblo that n book at once so simple
and sublime should be merely tho work
of man?" Jean Jacques Rousseau,
fumous French agnostic philosopher.
Each man Individually, and men col
lectively, need grent breadth of pur
pose. Somo mon have within them the
desire for all around glimpses of
knowledgo. Tho world especially needs
such mon tills day, for humanity is be
coming one industrially, ono socially,
aud will ultimately become one rallg-
No Proverb to Quids Him.
Sho "A provorb says that fruit is
gold In the morning and lead at night,
meaning that it's bad for ono in tho
evening, I suppose" Ho ."That's
right! Look at the trouble Adam got
into by entlng an apple after Eve"
Boston Transcript.
Truo Greatness.
He only is a great man who can
neglect the applause of tho multitude,
and enjoy himself Independent of Its
favor. 8toele.
I
-n -n--if.m9-
. , .
lously, Tho education of our day rccog
trizes these existing conditions and
seeks every aid to bring the race into
unity.
No one book has had such a domin
ating influence In this direction aB the
Bible. When many million volumes
of n single book are published every
year and scattered ovor the wide
world, it must bo becauso of tho tre-
menuous influence and power that tho
book possesses. Tho Biblo hns a world
wldo vision. Tho God of tho universe
nnd tho God of inilnlto power, tho God
of eternity, tho God of inilnlto love and
wisdom, tho God who "so loved the
world," is tho God of tho Bible.
No man can rend this groat book
without getting these visions and pur
poses that are there inwrought with
not only world activity, but universal
and eternal activity. This In Itself
compels men to think big thoughts,
form big Ideas, generate universal
Ideals applicable to all humanity.
Tho inspirational power of thinking
that ranges through the universe is
ono of tho finest educational influence
that can possibly como into the lives
of men. No mnn of intellectual ability
or of wide sympathy or great force,
in any lino can read the Bible with
out beHg enriched, broadened, awak
ened to the meaning of llfo.
The Bible arouses a man not only
to think about his personal life, but
kindlos with enlivening power his ap
preciation of his relation to society.
Tho thoughtful reader of tho Bible re
ceives lessons in integrity, in legisla
tion and government, in industrial
betterment In social service of the
highest order, in sacrifices for the ele
vation of social institutions.
Service is tho keynote of the Scrip
tures. In tho twentieth coutury it Is
likewise the keynote of education. It
is impossible fpr the educated man to
get an understanding of the finest
ideals In connection with social serv
ice and governmental purity without
a careful study of tho ideals of the
Blble Consequently, no education la
complete without tho Scriptures.
EDUCATION IN GREAT PRINCI
PLES. (By CHARLES F. THWINCt, LU D.,
President of Western Reserve Univer
sity, Cleveland.)
"The Bible Is better worth reading
twenty times than any other book Is
worth reading once." Albert S. Cook,
Ph. D., LL. D., professor of English
language and literature, Yale Univer
sity. The college seeks to train men in.
the great principles, intellectual and
moral. It does not
seek to make law
yers, or doctors,
or clergymen, or
editors, or archi
tects, or manufac
turers. It does
seek to create
and to discipline
powers of intel
lect, of will, ol
conscience, which
may bo applied in
and adjusted tc
whatever special
calling the stu
dent may finally
select It is not
a professional
school. It Is a
preparation for a.
professional school. It Is both life?
and a preparation for life.
But there are two things which,,
among and above all others, tho col
lege does emphaslzo: Tho student is,,
first, to bo able to reason, and, second,,
ho is to bo clean and honest in char
acter. The Bible is likewise concerned
wlth principles. It calls no man to a
particular form of service. It lays
down no arbitrary standards of holi
ness. It numbers among Its dlsciple3
humble folk, dwelling in the obscure
alleys of small provincial towns, as.
well as the great ones found in tho
capltal cities. But the Biblo does de
mand that to whatever form of service
one is devoted he shall bear thinking
and thoughtfulness, a sense of faith
fulness and a good will. Whatever
else one may have, or whatever one
may lack, theso offerings and forces
are absolutely essential.
That theso great intellectual and
moral principles shall be applied in
and fitted to every taBk and condi
tion, personal and public, is tho de
mand of both the BJble and of modern
education.
(Copyright. 1914. by Joseph B. Bowles.)
Warm-Weather Story.
Returning from a fishing trip at
night, Alexander McCarey, who lives
in a Connersyllle suburb, saw twtf
whlto figures moving across a grassy
common. He halted, thinking of ghost
stories half forgotten, and dropped be
hind a clump of willow. The figures
moved nearer. McCarey peeped from.
hls hiding place and saw two girls,,
clad in garments which, he says, wore
thinner than the thinnest mist. They
sat on a little mound of stones, within,
ten feet of him and discussed the heat
of tho night, which was uncommonly
high.
McCarey listened and watched, be
ing, he said, quite unable to get away.
Presently one of the damsels re
marked: "Say, Dora, what if some
man would come along here and
catch us!"
"Oh, gee! I never thought of that
exclaimed tho othor. McCarey saw a
flutter of whlto toward a big, dark
bungalow a hundred yards away, and
realized that the nymphs were gone.
Vacation Time Coming.
Met a mnn going down tho street
the other day with a French diction
ary, a book of familiar quotations and
an encyclopedia. Said ho waB expect
ing his daughter homo from tho board
ing school. Philadelphia Telegraph.
Domesticated Canaries.
Thore are 12 distinct breeds of ca
naries. About D00 years ago a Span
ish sou captain brought from the
Canary islands some insignificant lit
tie greenish birds which were called
canary birds, and from these have
boon evolved the 12 species or varle,
ties of canaries known to the breeder
of today.
For ArtUU.
An artist should bo fit for the best
society and keep out of It Ruxkln.
-i
-