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About Dakota County herald. (Dakota City, Neb.) 1891-1965 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 29, 1914)
DAKOTA COUNTY HERALD; DAKOTA CITY, NEBRASKA. Ik. ji l The Last Shot nr FREDERICK PALMER (Copyright. 1914, by Charles Scrlbner'i Sons) 8YNOPai3. At their homo on tho frontier between the Drowns and Grays Martn Qalland and her mother, entertaining Colonel Wester ling of the Grays. Fee Captain' Lnnstron, staff Intelligence olllcer of the Brownx, Injured by a fait In his aeroplane. Ten years later Wcsterllng, nominal vice but real chief of staff, reinforces South L Tlr, meditates on war, and speculates on tho comparative ages of himself and Mar ta, who Is visiting In the Gray capital. Westerllng calls on Marta. Bho tells him of her leaching children tho follies of war and martial patriotism, bees him to pre vent mir while ho Is chief of staff, and predicts .that If he makes war against the Browns he will not win. On tho march with the B3d of the Drowns Private Btrun sky anarchist, decries war and played out patriotism and Is placed under arrest Colonel Lnnstron evcrhearlng, begs him off. CHAPTER IV Continued. Thon lmpulso broke through the restraint that Boomed to chnractorlzo the Lanstron of thirty-live. Tho Lan Btron of twenty-five, who had mot catastrophe because ho was "wool gathering," asserted himself. Ho put his hand on Stransky's shouldor. It was a strong though slim hand that looked as If it had boon trained to do the work of two hands In the process of Its ownor's own transformation. Thustho old sergeant had seen a gen eralMmonstrato with a bravo votoran who Trad been guilty of bad conduct In Africa. The old colonel gasped at such a subversion of tho dignity of rank. Ho saw the army going to tho dovll. But young Dollarmo, watching with eager curiosity, was sensiblo of no familiarity in tho act. It ull depended on how such a thing waB done, ho was thinking. "Wo all havo minutes when wo are more or less anarchists," Bald Lan Btron In tho human appeal of ono man to another. "But wo don't want to bo Judged by one of thoso minutes. I got a band mashed up for a mlstako that took only a Bocond. Think this over tonight before you act. Then, if you arc of the same opinion, go to tho col onel and tell him bo. Como, why not?" "All right, sir, you'ro oo decent about It!" grumblod Stransky, taking his placo in tho ranks. Hep-hep-hep I Tho regiment started on its way, with Orandfather Fragtnl keeping at hlB grandson's side. "Makes mo feel young again, but It's darned solemn besldo tho Hussars, with their horses' bite a-JIngllng. Times have cortainly changed officers' hands in their pockets, saying 'If you don't mind' to a man that'B Insulted tho flag! Kicking ain't good enough for that traitor! Ought to hang him yea, sir, hang and draw him!" Lanstron watched tho marching col umn for a time. "Hep-hep-hep 1 It's the brown of tho infantry that counts in tho end," ho mused. "I liked that walt-oyed giant. Ho's nil man I" Then his livening glanco swopt the heavens Inquiringly. A speck in the blue, far away In the realms of atmos pheric Infinity, kept growing in size until it took tho form of tho wlngB with which man files, Tho piano vol planed down with steady swiftness, till Us racing shadow lay large over tho landscape for a few seconds before H roso again with beautiful ease and 'precision. "Bully for you, Etzel!" Lanstron thought, as ho started back to tho aeroplane station. "You belong In tho corps4 Wo shall not let you return to your regiment for a while. You'vo a c6ol head and you'd charge a church tower lfthat wero tho orders." J CHAPTER V. A Sunday Morning Call. As a boy, Arthur LanBtron bad per cisted in being an exception to tbo in fluences of both heredity nnd environ ment, Though his father and both grandfathers wore officers who be lieved theirs to be tbtT-truo gentle man's profession, ho had preferred any kind of mechanical toy to arrang ing tho most gayly painted tin sol dlors In formntmn on tho nursery floor; and he would rather read about tbo wonders of natural hlntory and electricity than tho campaigns of Na poleon and Frederick tho Great and my Lord Nelson. Left to his own choice, he would miss tho parado of tho garrlsdn for inspection by an ex cellency In ordor to ask questions of a man wiping tho oil off his hands with cotton-waste, who was far more enter taining to him than tho most spick-and-span ramrod of a sergeant. Upon being told ono day that ho was to go to the military school the follow ing autumn, he broke out In open re bellion. "I d,on't want to go to tho army!" ho said. " "Why!" asked his father, thinking that when tho boy had to glvo his rea sons he would soon bo argued out ot the heresy. , "It's drilling a few hours a day, then nothing to do," Arthur replied. "All your work waits on war and you don't know that there will ever bo any war. It waits on something nobody wants to happen. Now, It you manufacture something, why, you soo wool romo out cloth, steel como out an automo bile. It you build a brldgo you soo It rising little by little. Yoi're getting your results every day; you see your wlstnkcs and your successes, You're making something, creating some thing; thoro's something going on all tho while that Isn't guesswork. I think that's what I want to say. You , won't order ma to bo a soldier, will youT" The father, loath to dcyrthle, called In the assistance of an ablo pleader then, Eugene Partow, lately become chief of ulaff of the Drowns, who was an old frkd of Om Lanstron family. Partow turned the balance, on tho side of filial enaction. Ho kept watch of tho boy, I'Ut without favoring him with Innu seo results, had to earn thorn. Ho real ised in practice tho truth of Partow'a saying that thero was nothing ho had over learned but what could bo of setv Ico to him bb an officer. "Finding enough work to do 7" Par tow would ask with a chucklo when they met In theso days; for ho had mado Lanstron both chief of Intelli gence and chief aeroetatlc officer. Young Colonel Lnnstron's was tho duty of gaining tho socrots of tho Gray staff and keeping thoso of the Brown and organizing up-tothe-moment effi ciency in the now forces of tho air. Ho had remarked truly enough that tho injury to his loft hand served aB a better reminder against tho folly of wool-gathering than a string, ovon a largo red string, tied around his lin ger. Thanks to skillful surgery, tho fingers, Incapablo of spreading much, wero yet serviceable and had a firm grip of tho wheel as ho roso from tho aoroplano station on tho Sunday morn ing after Marta's return homo for a flight to La Tlr. lie knew tho pattern weaving under his feet as ono knowB that of his own garden from art overlooking window. Every detail of tho staff map, ravines, roads, buildings, battery positions, was stitched together In tho flowing reality of actual vielon. No whito posts wero necessary to tell him where tho boundary between tho two nations lay. Tho line was drawn in his brain. Now that Lanstron was tho organ izer of tho aviation corps his own flights wore rare. Mostly thoy wero mado to La Tlr. His visits to Marta wore his holidays. All tho time that sho was absent on her Journey around tho world they had corresponded. Her letters, bo roveallng of herself and her peculiar angles of observation, formed a bundle sacredly presorvod. Her mother's Joking reference about her girlish resolution not to marry a sol dier often recurred to him. Thero, ho Bomotlmos thought, was tho real ob staclo to his great deslro. When ho alighted from tho piano he thrust his left hand Into his blouse pocket. Ho always carried It thoro, as If It were literally sown In placo. In moments of emotion tho scarred nerves would twitch ns tho telltalo of hie sensitiveness; and this was some thing ho would conceal from othors no matter how conscious ho was of it him self. Ho found tho Qalland veranda deserted. In response to his ring a maid ciuno to tho open door. Her faco was sad, with a beauty that had prematurely faded. But it lighted pleasurably In recognition. Her hair was thick and tawny, lying low over the brow; her eyes wero a softly luminous brown and her full line sensi tive and yielding. Lanstron, an inti mate of tho Qalland household, know hor story well and tho part that Marta had played In it. Somo four years previously, when a baby was In prospect for Mlnnn, who woro no wcddlftg ring, Mrs. Galland had been IncllnedHo send tho maid to an Institution, "whoro thoy will tako good caro of hor, my dear. That's what such institutions are for. It is quito ecandalous for hor and for us never happened in our family before!" Marta arched hor eyebrows. "Wo don't know!" she exclaimed softly. "How can you think such a thing, lot alono saying it you, n Qalland I" her mother gasped In Indignation. "That Is, If wo go far back," said Marta. "At all events, wo havo no precedent, bo lot's establish ono by keeping hor." "But for her own sako! Sho will havo to Uvo with hor shame I" Mrs. Qalland objected. "Let her begin afrosh In tho city. Wo shall give her a good recommendation, for she is really an excellent servant. Yes, sho will readily find a placo among strangers." "Still, sho doesn't want to go, and it would bo cruel to send hor away." "Cruel! Why, Marta, do you think I would bo cruel? Oh, vory well, then wo will let her stay!'' "Both aro away at church. Mrs. Qal land ought to be hero any minute, but Mlsa Qalland will bo later becauso ot hor children's class," saldMinna. "Will you wait on tho veranda?" Ho waB saying that ho would stroll in tho garden when childish footsteps wore hoard In the hall, and after a curly head had nestled against tho that tho world thinks sho ought to bo cnlled Maggie." Proceeding lolsuroly along tho main path of tho first terrace, Lanstron fol lowed It past tho rear of tho houso to tho old towor. Long ago the moat that surrounded tho cnstlo had been filled in. Tho green of rown of grapo vinos lay againnt tho background of a mat of Ivy on the ancient stone walls, which had been cut awny from tho loopholos set with window glass. The door was open, showing a room that hnd been clased in by a ceiling of boards from tho walls to tho circular stairway that ran aloft from tho dungeons. On tho floor of flags woro choap rugs. A num ber of seed and nursery catalogues woro piled on a round tablo covered with a brown cloth. "Hello!" Lanetron called softly. "Hollo I" ho called louder and yet louder. Itocelvlng no answer, ho retraced his stops and seated himself on tho second tcrraco in a secluded spot In tho shadow of tho first terrace wall, where ho could seo anyono coming up tho main flight of stops from tho road. When Marta walked sho usually camo from town by that way. At length tho sound of a slow stop from another di rection broko on his car. Somo ono was approaching along tho path that ran at his foot Around tho corner of the wall, In his workman's Sunday clothes of black, but wearing Ills old straw hat, appeared Feller, tho gar dener. Ho paused to examine a roso bush nnd Lanstron regarded him thoughtfully. As ha turned awny ho looked up, nnd a glnnco of doflnito and unfalter ing recognition was exchanged bo twoen tho two men. Thoy had tho garden to themselves. "Gustavo I" Lanstron exclaimed un der his breath. "Lannyl" exclaimed the gardener, turning ovor a branch of tho roso bUBh. Ho seemed unwilling to risk talking openly with Lanstron. "You look the good workman in his Sunday best to a Tl" said Lanstron. "Being stono-doaf," returned Feller, with a trace of drollery In his voice, "I hear vory well i.t times. Toll mo" his whisper was quivering vlth eagerness "shall wo light? Shall wo fight?" "Wo nro nearer to It than wo havo ever been In our time," Lanstron re plied. The hat still shadod Feller's face, his stoop was unchanged, but tho branch In his hand ehook. "Honest?" ho exclaimed. "Oh, tho chance ot It! The chanco of it!" "Gustavo!" Lanstron's voice, still low, came In a gust of sympathy, and A Speck In the Blue Far Away. angor, in laughing mockery, In mili tant seriousness, but never before Ilka this. Tho pain nnd indignation in her eyes camo not from tho sheer hurt of a wound but from the hurt ot its source. It was as if ho hnd learned by tho signal of its loss that ho had a deeper hold on her than ho had lul ized. "Yes, I havo a bono to pick with you," sho said, recovering a grim sort of fellowship. "A big bonol If you'ro half a friend you'll glvo mo tho very marrow of it' "I am ready!" ho answered moro pa thetically than philosophically. "There's not tlmo now; after lunch eon, when mother is taking her nap," sho concluded as thoy camo to tho last step and saw Mrs. Qalland on tho voranda. Ater luncheon Mrs. Qalland kept bat tling with her nods until naturo was vlotorious and sho fell fast asleep. Marta, grown restless with impatience suggested to Lanstron that they stroll in tho garden, and they took tho path past tho bouse toward tho castlo towor, stopping in an arbor with high hedges on either sldo around a statuo of Mercury. "Now!" exclaimed Mnrta narrowly. "It was you, Lanny, who recommend ed Feller to ue as a gardener, compe tent though deaf! I havo proved him to be a man of most sensitive hearing. I didn't lot him know that ho was dis covered. You brought him here you, Lanny, you are the ono to explain." "True, ho Is not deaf I" LanBtron re plied. "Ho 1b a spy?" sho nsked. "Yes, a spy. You cau put things in a bright light, Marta!" Ho found words coming with difficulty In faco of tho pain and disillusion of hor set look. "Using somo man as a pawn; setting him as a spy in tho garden where you havo boon tho welcomo friend!" sho exclaimed. "A spy on what on my mother, on Minna, on mo, on the flow ers, as a part of this monstrous gnmo of trickery and lies that you nro play lng?!' Thoro was no trace of anger in her tone. It was that of ono mortally hurt. Anger would have boon eaBler to bear than tho measuring, penetrating won der that found him guilty of such a horrible part. Those eyes would have confused Partow himself with the steady, welling intensity of their gaze. She did not seo how his left hand was twitching and how he stilled its move ment by pressing it ugalnet tho bench. "You will tako Feller with you when you got" sho said, rising." Lanstron dropped his head in a kind of shaking throb of his whole body and raised a face white with appeal. "Marta!" Ho was speaking to a pro file, very sensitive and yet like ivory. "I'vo no excuse for such an abuse of hospitality except the obsession of a loathsomo work that some man must do and I was soto do. My God, Marta! I cease to be natural and human. I am a machine. I keep thinking, what It war comes and somo error of mine lot tho enemy know whero to strike tho blow of victory; or If there were infor mation I might have gained and failed to gain that would havo given us tho victory if, becauso I had not done my part, thousands ot lives of our soldiers wero sacrificed needlessly!" At that Bho turned on him quickly, her faco softening. "You do think of that tho lives 7" "Yes, why shouldn't I?" "Of thoso on your sldo!" eho ex claimed, turning away. "Yes, of those first," he replied. "And, Marta, I did not tell you why Feller was hero becauco ho did not want mo to." word "you wanted him nore tor our plans! And why? You haven't an swered that fret. What purpose of tho war game does ho servo in ouf gar den?" His look pleaded for patience, whllo he tried to smile, which was rather dif ficult in faco of her attitude.- "Not altogether In tho garden; part ly In the tower," ho replied. "You aro to bo in tho whole secret andMn such a way as to make my temptation clear, 1 hope. First, I think you ought to see the setting. Lot us go In." Impelled by a curiosity that Lan stron's manner accentuated, she en tered tho room. Apparently Lanstron wns familiar with tho premises. Pass ing through tho sitting-room into tho room adjoining, whoro Feller stored his tools, ho opened a door that gave on to tho' circular stone steps leading down into tho dungeon tunnel. "I think wo had better have a light," ho said, and when he had fetched one from tho bedchamber he descended the stops, asking her to follow. They wero in a passage bIx feet in holght nnd about three feet broad, which seemed to lead on indefinitely into clammy darkness. Tho dewy walls sparkled In fantastic and ghostly iridescence under the rays from tho lantorn. Tho dank air lay moist against their faces. "This is far enough." Ho paused and raised tho lantern. With Its light full In her face, she blinked. "There, at tho height of your chin!" She noted a metal button painted gray, set at tho side of one of tho stones of the wall, which looked un real. Shp struck tho stone with her knuckles and It gave'out the sound of hollow wood, which was followed, as an echo, by a little laugh from Lan stron. Pressing tho button, a panel door flow open, revealing a tolophono mouthpiece and receiver set in the recess. "Like a detective play!" wero the first words that sprang to her lips. "Well?" As sho faced around hor eyes glittered In tho lantern rays, v4rtLAJ7?3ein OF rW-T n - TOhFMMJi iiri.'x - ji tefoormjm tha- nrirs Cx'imi iAj JHWim-fl p Pet Cat, Saved From Chloroform, Tries Suicide NEW YORK. It is little wonder that Minnlo, tho pot cat at tho Staten Island ferry houso In Manhattan, attempted to commit sulcldo. For two days sho had moro than any cat could -bear without being driven to dis Four of her most intimate cat friends who had long been hor com panions wero taken from hor, and she was left to bemoan her lot alono. Minnie had a narrow escape herself, and it was only becauso of tho tears of atrong-honrted men around tho ferry houso that sho was allowed to remain behind when tho othors went. Minnie's history is interesting. Tho story ofhow she oscapod being chloroformed along with hor asso For moro than twelve years sho has been a (te o-ow f) elates is equally interesting familiar character around tho ferry house. It is known that sho Is tho mother of at least 397 cats. Frank Wolf, who has chargo of tho restaurant in tho ferry houso. has kept track of them, j and has tho number of each litter written on tho wall. Consequently, it is safo to say, as a friend of Minnie remarked, that moro than half tho cats around tlje Battery can claim her as kin and break her will In a pinch. I For somo time there has been a complaint against the largo number of ( cats around tho ferry house. The Society for tho Prevention of Cruelty to I AnlraalB was notified and asked to romovo somo of tho fellnos. A wagon , from that institution backed up thero, and thore was a wild scamper -to , round up tho cats. All of thorn wero taken after an interesting chase. Min nie was tho last to fall into tho hands of tho sooiety agents, i "You don't dare take hor away," cried Mr. Wolf, as ho dropped a plate ' of beans on tho counter and hurried after tho agent. i . Three other men, one from tho candy stand, ono from tho boiler room, nnd tho third a relief man in ticket chopping, followed in his wake. They 1 lost no tlmo convincing tho agent that Minnie ''really belonged," and that they would answer for her If ho would leave her 'behind. Thoy wero willing to put up a one-thousand-dollar peace bond for her. i Minnie was loft behind. Lato in tho afternoon she became disconsolate ' and deliberately dived off tho ferry slip Into the bay, intent upon drowning ' herself. But "Larrv" Hnnlon. nctlnc superintendent of fore-leu. Hnw lmr. nri "Well, havo you any other little tricks ' fished her out with a long pole. CHAPTER VI. A Crisis Within a Crisis. Following tho path to tho tower leisurely, thoy had reached tho towor. Feller's door was open. Marta looked Into tho room, finding in the neat ar rangement of its furniture a now sig nificance Ho was absent, for it was tho dinner hour. "On my recommendation you took him," Lanstron said. 'Yes, on yours, Lanny, on a friend's! You" sho put a cold emphasis on the tho pocket which concealed his hand gave a norvous twitch aa if it held Bomethlng allvo and distinct from his own being. "Tho trial wears on you I Do you wnnt to go?" "Nol" Feller shot back irritably. "No! ho repeated reeolutoly. "I don't want to go! L.mean to bo gamu I " Ho shitted his gaze from tho bush which ho still pretondod to oxamtno and suddenly broko oft with: "Miss Galland la coming!" Lanstron started toward the stops that Marta was ascending. Sho moved lolsurely, yet with a certain springy energy that suggested that sho might havo como on tho run without being out ot breath or Booming to havo made an effort. "Hollo, stranger!" she called as sho saw him, and quickened her paco. "Hollo, pedagogue!" ho responded. to show me? Aro you a slclght-of-hand artist, too, Lanny? Are you going to tako a machine gun out of your hat?" "That is the whole bag," he an swered. "I thought you'd rather see It than have it described to you." "Having seen it, let us go!" she said, in a manner that Implied further reck oning to come. "If out of a thousand possible source's one source succeeds, then the cost and pains of the other nine hun dred and ninety-nine aro moro than re paid," he was saying urgently, the sol dier uppermost in him. "Some of the best service we have had has been ab surd In Its simplicity and its audacity. In time of war more than one battle has been decided ,by a thing that was a trifle in itself. No matter what your preparation, you can never remove the element of chance. An hour gained in information about your enemy's plans may turn the tide In your favor. A Chinese peasant spy, because ho hap pened to bo intoxicated, was able to give tho Japanese warning in time for Kurokl to make full dispositions for receiving tho Russian attack In force at the Sha-ho. There are many other Incidents of like nature In history. So is is my duty to neglect no possible method, however absurd." By this tlmo hofas at tho head of tho steps. Standing to one sldo, bo of fered his hand to assist Marta. But she seemed not to see It. Her aspect was that of downright antagonism. "However absurd! Yes, it is absurd to think that you can mako me a party to any of your plans, for " She broko off abruptly with staring eyes, as if sho had seen an apparition. Lanstron turned and through the door of the toolroom saw Feller enter ing tho sitting-room. Ho was not the bent, deferential gardener. His fea tures wero hard-sot, a lighting rage burning In his eyes, his sinews taut as if about to spring upon an adver sary. When ho recognized the In truders ho turned limp, his head dropped, hiding his face with his hat brim, and he steadied himself by rest ing a hand on tho table edge. (TO BE CONTINUED.) Minnie is now kept inside tho candy stand until sho overcomes her sui cide mania. He Met a Charming Girl From His Old Home Town r NDIANAPOLIS. He is a fellow who lixes to talk about his "old homo Tho result Is that all of his i Jrxx J5. i Know talking about his old friends and neighbors, business associates in Indianapolis aro familiar with names and scenes in his "old homo town." The other day a rather comely woman of middle years met him in front of the courthouse. Ho is seen and known in that neighborhood. She asked if he was tho real estate agent who had promised to meet her thore. "No, I'm not a real estate man," ho replied polltoly, "but I know most of the boys and may be able to find him for you. I will go and bring him to you in a minute or two." "Never mind, thank you," she said with a friendly smile. "I'll Just wait. I'm used to waiting for real estate men. They're always late. There was. one, Doug Chalmers, in my old homo totvn at Taskerburg. He was always late." "Taskerburg!" he exclaimed with ddllght. "That's my old homo town, and I know Doug very well. How long have you been away from there?" "Only a few wees. I married again and moved up here. I'm ono ot the Beaver girls from Jackson township." "I know your pa well." They talked on foi several minutes. She grew tired of waiting for tho rcal estate man and said sho had to do tame shopping. Being a stranger in town sho didn't know much about the tores, sho said. He volunteered to go with her. At the shirtwaist counter she proceeded to buy a waist valued at ?5. Sho looked-In her pureo und, to hor amazement, had only somo small change. Sho had left her other pocketbook at homo. Yes, he would lend her 5 anfl sho would meet him in front of the Traction Terminal building at 3 o'clock and return the money. She lived at North Dela ware street, she said. That afternoon he waited. Sho did not come. Then, ho went to tho North Delaware street nddress. It was a church. . I III". 1 f -t, u. .JSM& I f I TAKE YOUR (4J XvL V J MIRROR FOR DAINTY WOMAN! OVERSIGHT THAT WAS FATAL As thoy shook hands thoy swung mother's skirts its owner, reminded of I tl'olr nrmB bn?k, and torth llko a Iatt tho Importance of manners in the world whero .tho stork had loft her, mado a curtosy. Lanstron shook a small hand which must havo lately been on intimate terms with sugar or Jam. "How do you do, flying soldlor man?" chirruped Clarissa Eileen. It was ovl dont'that Bho held Lanstron In high favor. "Lot mo hoar you say your narao," said Lanstron. Clarissa Eileen was triumphant. Sho had been waiting for days, with the revelation when ho should mako that old request. Now sho enunciated It with every vowol and consonant cor rectly and primly uttered; Indeed, Bho repeated It four or flvo tltnos In proof of comploto mastery. "A pretty namo. I'vo often wondered how you camo to glvo It to hor," Bald Lanstron to Minna. "You do llko It I" oxclalmod Minna with girlish eagerness. "I gave hor tho most beautiful namo I could think of becauBo" aho laid hor hand caress lngl on tho child's head and a madonna-like radlanco stole Into her faco "because sho might at least have a beautltul name when" the dull blase ot a recollection now burning In her eyes "when there wasn't much proa- pect of many beautiful things coming , Ytwng Laaatrou, who wants) to I lato bar lite; though I know, ot oourM, of romping children for a moment. "Wo had a grand session ot tho school this morning, the largest class ovorl" sho Bald. "And tho points wo scored oft you soldlore! You'll find disarmament already in progress when you return to headquarters. Wo'ro Ir resistible, or at least," she added, with a flash ot intensity, "wo'ro going to bo some day," "So you put on your warpaint!" "It must bo tho pollen from the hy drangeas!" Sho flicked her handker chief from hor bolt and passed it to him. "Show that you know how to bo usoful!" Ho performed tho task with delib erate care. "HoavenB! You oven havo somo on your ear and somo on your hair; but I'll leave It on your hair; It's rather bo coming. Thero you aro I" ho concluded. "Off my hair, loot" "Very woll. I always oboy ordors." "I oughtn't to havo askod you to do It at all!" sho exclaimed with a sud den change ot. manner aa thoy started up to tho house. "But a habit ot friendship, a habit ot liking to bellovo In ono'e friends, was uppormost. I forgot. I oughtn't even to have Bhaken bands with you I" "Marta! What now, Marts'" he aaked. He had known her la reproach, la May Be Held In the Mouth, Leaving Both Hands Free to Arrange the Back Hair, At last a woman may have both hands freo to arrnngo her back hair as sho looks In a mirror. This is made possible now by tho Invention ot a mir ror which can be held in tho mouth, thus reflecting tho back of the head from tho main mirror ot tho dressing table. It Is tbo invention of a Frenchman. Who has given so much thought to the elegancies of woman's toilet as the French? This now mirror is broad, so as to glvo a good general vlow sldewlse, and, being fixed pn a curved bar, stands woll out from tho faco, so that there is no strain on tho eyes. At tho bottom of the curved bar la tho "blto," not too largo for dainty mouthB and covered with batting, so as to bo enBlly held without harming tho teeth. Even tho hygienic side of tbo usoof this mirror hns been considered, for a number ot thick onvelopcs Just fitting ovor tho "blto" como with tho mirror, so that you may lend it to your friend and neither sho nor you fear any contagion. Llght-Flngered Gentleman Might Have Got Away ,Wlth the Coat But for One Thing. A follow Btole a coat hanging In front of a clothing Btore tho other aft ternoon. But tho proprietor was on tho Job, and before tho thief was half a block away ho had the police and most ot tho neighbors on hls trail. Tho poor follow who had taken tho coat was really coatless before the crime. And as he ran ho struggled into the abstracted article, which fit ted him pretty well, all things consid ered. And when he wns apprehended, about four bloqks from tho starting point, ho protested his innocence stoutly. "What d'yo mean I stole the coat?' he said. "I'vo had this coat all sum mer. Why, I ain't had It off my back for a week!" "You ain't, ain't you?" sneered tho policeman. "An' havo you woro that thoro coat hanger lnsldo it acrost yer shoulders all that tlmo?" Saying that tho arm of the law grasped tho Iron hook projecting above tho collar, dragged tho victim to tho cornor and coiled tho wagon. Policeman's Badge of Authority, In equipment tho policeman varies from a walking arsenal, such as tho Jericho pollcomen, to tho clubless pa trolman ot ono or two American cities. Tho club, however, la recognized as tho policeman's badgo ot authority. In Darjeellng tho policeman carrloa a reed polo about six feet long. In Seville tho night pollco are armed with long spears, such as the knights of old used. Deceptive Weights. Hero Is a good trick to play upon the follow who "knows It all." Ho will bo surprised when shown that ho Is wrong. "Inflate a largo empty paper bag and tlo It up airtight. Place the bag on tho palm ot ono hand, and Into the palm ot tho other hand tako such a quantity of coin or other Hiatal as vill seem to equal tho bag in weight. If tho observer does not know of the Illusion or Buspect It, tho paper bag will bo found to weigh teu to twenty times as much as tho metal with which it was matched Story of Woo's First Shave Didn't Fool Landis CHICAGO. Tho nhavlng party of a Chinese infant was described to Fed oral Judgo Laudis by friends of Woo Pon, a blinking citizen of tho now republic, who does not want to return to his native land. Tho witnesses said Woo's father,. gN YT Wo Gms Gon' nad 'asued the in vitations one month after Woo was born, In tho tenth year ot the reign of Kwangsu (1884) at Folsom, Cal. As tho g-uests crowded around Papa Woo ci led, "You're next," In Chinese, and, grabbing his offspring by tho ears, carefully shaved all or the baby's head except where the queue ought to grow. That story, they figured, should bo sufficient proof that Woo was a, natlve-born American. But Judgo Iandis was thinking of a poem: "For ways that aro dark And trickB tht.t are vain Tho heathen Chinee Is peculiar." ( So he took a hand In tho crest-examination. "Lot tho bailiff tako your hat," said tho Judge. Woo Pon, who was on tho witness stand, might not understand the language of the lawyers, thought tho Judgo, but surely he would know a. common word like that If ho had lived for thirty years In the United States. But Woo Pon did not understand. "AVJiat is your Chinese word for 'yes'?" demanded the Judge. Again thoro was no answer u-itil the interpreter repeated the question. Then Woo Pon said ho did not know. Judge Landis laughed, leaned far over and shook his finger at Woo Pon. "I don't blamo him or his countrymen for trying to put it over on me. If I was in his place I'd do the Bwue thing. But It is my business to keep from being fooled," said tho Judge. "An order of deportation will bo entered. And I suggest that the United States attorney Investigate this case in view of that shaving story." Suicide Prevented by an Elusive Collar Button LOS ANGELES. Ralston Wilkes for weeks had not been in good health. His distress so preyed upon him that it caused dissension between him and his wife. Mr. Wilkes thought that ill health, an unhappy homo, and aa ancrv wife woro too great afflictions for a man to stand, and ho notified his most intlmato friends that ho In tended to kill himself. Such news ho forwarded to Mrs. Wilkes, who was In Hollywood, housed by relatives. As soon as sho received tho alarm sho notified tho pollco and tho pollco wont to tho Wilkes residence, No. 1453 North Coronado Btreet, and questioned tho man. Ho said ho felt very bad in deed, that ho was consumed by a fever that the doctors had been unable to break, and was depressed. not perspire. Ad his threats wero not sufficiently active to warrant arrest, tho police loft him thore. The next morning Mr. Wilkes, who is a carpenter, arose early and prepared tbo poison that was to cause bis death. Then he began to don his best clothes, but his collar button fell and Bklll-. fully concealed Itself. Wilkes made a determined search, crawling all over tho floor and moving tho furniture. Suddenly along his forehead there popped beads ot perspiration. Almost at once his wholo body was drenched. Ho felt relieved, and when he had cooled ho felt bo good that ho was singing when tho detectives reached thore. They bad been notified to go to him again, for he had warned hl wife by a message that he would be dead by 10 o'clock. Instead, both went to one ot the beaches. Ufi. F He could '