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About Dakota County herald. (Dakota City, Neb.) 1891-1965 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 10, 1914)
'Jf MXfW'. -M"WwwwlfjswJ -c DAKOTA COUNTY HERALD; DAKOTA CITY, NEBRASKA. The Last Shot BY FREDERICK PALMER J 10 (Copyright, 1914, by Cbarlei Scnbner'a bona) SYNOPSIS. At their homo on the frontier between the Drown and Grayn Mnrta anllnnd anil her mother, entertaining Colonel Wester IIiir pt tho Grays, co Cnptaln Latntron of the Browns Injured by a fall In his aeroplane. Ten yearB later. WestcrlinK. nominal vlre but real chief of staff, re-enforces South La Tlr and meditates on war. He calls on Marta, who Is vHltlnK n tlio Gray capital. Sho tells him of her toacli lnjr children the follies of war and rmir tlal patriotism, and begs him to prevent war while he Is chief of stuff. On tho march with the CM of tho Drowns Pri vate Stransky, anarchist, Is placed unarr arrest Colonel Lanstron bess him on Lanstron calls on Mnrta at her home, 110 talks with Teller, tho Rnrdener MarU tells Lanstron tlmt she believes Feller to be a spy. Lanstron confesses It is irur. Lanstron shows Marta a telephone wmen Feller has concealed In a secret Pa"al under the tower for use to benefit to Browns In war emergencies. Lanstron ui o dares his love for Marta. Wester In and the Gray premier plan to use a trivial in ternational afTalr to foment warlike pa triotism In nrmy and people and strike be fore declaring war I'artow, Brown cnier. of staff, and Lanstron, made vice, " the trouble, and tho Brown defenses. lar tow reveals his plan3 to Lanstron. me Gray army crosses tho border lino ana at tack. The Browns check them. Artil lery, Infantry, aeroplanes and dlrlBinies enlace. Stransky. rising to make tne anarchist speech of his life, draws the Gray artillery fire. Nicked by a shrapnel splinter he goes Berserk and fiRlits ail a man." Marta has her first Bllmpso of war In Its modem, cold, solentlflc. mur ' derous brutality. The Browns fall back to the Oalland house. Stransky forages. CHAPTER XI Continued. She was nt tho door of hor mother's room, which was llko an antique shop. Old plates lay on top of old tables, with vases on tho floor under tho tables. Surrounded by her treasures, Mrs. Galland waited tho attack; not as a soldier awaits It, but as that ven erable Roman senator of tho story faced the barbarous Gauls neither disputing tho power of their speare nor yielding tho self-respect of his own mind and soul. Sho had lain down in hor wrapper for the night, and tho light from a single candle sho still favored candles revealed her features calm and philosophical among tho pil lows. Yet tho magic of war, reaching deep into hidden emotions, had hor also under Kb spell. Her voice was at once more tender and vital. "Marta, I sco that you aro all on wires!" . ' "Yes; Jangling wires, every one, Jangling every second out of tune,1' Marta acquiesced. "Marta, my father" her father had boen a premier of tho Drowns "al ways said that you may enjoy tho lux ury of fussing over llttlo things, for they don't count much one way or an other; but about big things you must never fuss or you will not bo worthy of big things. Marta, you cannot stop l railroad train with your hands. This Is not tho first war on earth and wo are not the first women who over thought that war was wrong. Each of us has bis work to do and you will have yours. It does no good to tiro yourself out and fly to pieces, even it you do know eo much and have been around the world." She smiled as a woman of sixty, who has a secret heart-break that sho had never given her husband a son, may smile at a daughter who is both son and daughter to her, and her plump hand, all curves like her plump face and her plump body, spread open In appeal. v Marta, who, in tho breeding of hor generation, felt sentiment as more or less of a luro from logic, dropped be side tho bed In a sudden burst of son tlmont and gathered tho plump hand In hers and kissed it. "Mother, you aro wondorfull" sho said, ''Mother, you aro great!" After a time, her ear becoming ac customed to the firing as a city dwel ler's to the distant roar of city traf fic, Mrs, Galland slept. But Murta could not follow her advice. If, tran siently at least, sho had found some thing ofthe peace of tho confessional, iEo Vigor of youth was In hor arteries; and youth cannot help remaining awake under some conditions. Sho tiptoed across tho hall into her own room and seated herself by tho win dow. Tho symbol of what tho ear had heard the oyo saw war, working in tones of tho landscape by day with smokeless powder; war, rovcaled by Its tongues of flame at night. Ugly bursts of flro from the higher hills spread to the heavens llko an aurora borealls and broko their messengers In sheets of flame over the lower hills tho batteries of tho Drowns sprin kling death about tho heads of the gunners of tho Grays ernplaclug their batteries. Staccato flashes from a single point counted so many bullets from an automatic, which directed by the beams of the search-lightB. found .their targets in sections of advancing Infantry. Hill crests, set off with flashes running back and forth, do marked infantry lines of tho Drowns assisting tho automatics. Thero were lulls between the crashes of the small arms and, tho heavy, throaty speech of tho guns; lulls that seemed to say that both sides had paused for a breathing .spell; lulls that allowed tho battle in the distance to bo heard In its porva isive undertone. In ono of them, when even tho undertone had ceased for a -fow seconds, Marta caught faintly tho groans of a wounded man ono of the crew of a Gray dlrlglblo burned by an explosion and brought In his agony softly to earth by a billowing piece of envelope which acted as a parachute. Fighting proceeded In La Tlr lu stages of ferocity and blank silence. (The upper part of tho town, which tho Browns etlll held, was in dark ness; the lower part, where tho Grays were, was Illuminated. "Another ono of Lanny's plans!" thought Marta. "He would have them work in th'j light, wbllo we flro out pt obscurity!" Soon all the town was In darkness, (or the Gn.ys had cut the wire In the ialn sondult shortly after she had heard tho groans of tho woundod man. Thero tho automatics broko out In a mnd storm, voicing their feelings at getting a company In cIobo order In a streot for tho space of a mlnuto, be fore thoso who escaped could plaster themselves against doorways or ilnd cover In alloys. Thou sllenco from tho automatics and a cheer from the Drowns that rasped out Its triumph like tho rubbing together of cteel files. From tho lino of defense, that in cluded tho first tcrraco of tho Galland grounds as tho anglo of a redoubt, not a shot, not n sound; Bllcnco on the part of officers and men as profound as Mrs. Galland's slumber, whllo one of the Browns' search-lights, llko some great witch's slow-turning eye in a nnrrow radius, covered tho lower ter races and the road. Marta gavo Intermittent glances at tho garden; tho glances of a guardian. Sho happened to he looking in that direction when figures sprang across tho road, crouching, running with tho short, quick stops of no body move ment accompanying that of tho legs. Tho search-light caught them In mer ciless sllliouetto and the automatic and tho rifles from behind "tho sand bags on the first terrace let go. Some of tho figures dropped and lay In the road and Bho knew that sho had seen men hit for tho first time. Others, she thought, got safely to the cover of the gutter on the garden side. Of thoso on tho road, some were still and some sho saw were moving slowly back on their stomachs to safety. Now the search-light laid Us beam steadily on tho road. Again silence. From the upper tcrraco camo a great volco, llko that of tho guns, from a human throat: "Why didn't wo level thoso ter races? They'll creep up from ono to tho other!" It wne Stransky. In answer was another volco Del larmo's. "Perhaps thero wasn't tlmo to do everything. If thoy get as far as the llrst terrnco well, In case of a crlBls, wo have hand-grenades. But, God knows, I hope wo shall not havo to use them." After nn Interval, moro figures mado a rush across tho road. Thoy, too, in Straneky's words, paid a price for seeing tho garden. But the flashes from tho rifles and tho automatic pro vided a target for a Gray battery. Tho bluo spark that files from an overhead trolley or a third rail, multiplied a hundredfold, broko In Marta's face. It was dazzling, blinding as a bolt of lightning a few feet distant, with tho thunder crash at tho same second, followed by tho thrashing hum of bul lets and fragments against tho sldo of the house. "I know that thie must como!" something within hor said. If sho had not been prepared for It by tho events of tho last twelve hours sho would havo Jumped to hor foot with an exclamation of natural shock and horror. As it was, sho felt a convul sive, nervous thrill without rising from her sent. A pause. The next shell burst in lino with the first, out by tho llnden-troce; n third abovo the veranda. "We'vo got that rango, all right!" thought the Gray battery commander, who had Judged tho djstanco by tho staff map. This was all ho wanted to know for tho presont. Ho would let looso nt tho proper tlmo to support tho Infantry attack, when thoro were enough driblets across tho road to mako a charge. Tho drlblots kept on coming, and, ono by ono, tho number of dead on tho roud was augmontod. Marta was diverted from this proc ess of killing by piecemeal by a moro theatric spectacle. A brigado com mander of tho Grays had ticked an order over tho wires and it had gone from battery to battery. Not only many fleld-gunfl, which aro the ter riers of tho artillery, but some guns of pge caliber, tho mastiffs, In a suddon outburst started a havoc of tumbling walls and cornices in the upper part of tho town. Then an explosion greater than any from tho shells shot n hemisphere of light heavenward, revettMng a shadowy body flying ovorhend, and an instant later tho heavens were Illuminated by a vast clrclo of llamo as tho dlrlglblo that had dropped tho dynamite ro colved Its death-blow. But nlready tho Brown Infantry was withdrawing from tho town, destroying buildings thnt would glvo cover for tho attack In tho morning as thoy went. Two or three hours after midnight fell a sl lenco which was to last until dawn. The combatants rested on their arms, Browwt saying to Grays, "Wo shall be ready for the morrow 1" and Grays replying: "So shall we!" Marta, at her window, her eyes fol lowing tho movement! of tho display, now hero, now thero, found hersolt thinking of many thlngB, as in the intermissions between tho acts of a drama, Sho wondored If tho groan ing, wounded man woro crying for water or if ho were wishing that some ono at homo were near him. Sho thought of her talk with Lanstron and how fomlnluo and feeblo It must have sounded to a mind working in tho In exorable processes of tho clash of millions of men. Sho saw his left hand twitching In hie pocket, his right hand gripping it to hold It still, on tlmt aftomoon when, for tho first time, Bho had understood his Injury in tho aeropluno accident as tho tal isman of his feelings his controlled feelings! Always his controlled feel ings I She saw Westorliug, so conscious of his strength, directing his chess men In a death struggle against Par tow. And ho was coming to this house as his headquarters when the final test of the strength of tho Titans waa made. She hoped that her mother waa still sleeping; and alio had second when she was startled by her own calmness. Again, tho faces of the children in her school were as cloar as in life. Sho breathed her gratltudo that the procession In which they moved to tho rear was hours ago out of tho theater of danger. In tho simplicity of big things, hor duty was to teach thorn, n future generation, no lees than Feller's duty was the pursuing shadow of his conscience. Sho should seo war, alive, naked, bloody, and sho would toll her children what sho had I seen as a warning. Sltonce, except an occasional rifle i shot sllenco and tho darkness before dawn which would, sho know, concen trate tho lightnings around tho house. Sho glanced into hor mother's room and marveled as at a miracle to And her Bleoplng. Then sho stolo down stairs and opened the outer door of tho dining-room. A stop or two brought hor to tho edge of tho ve randa. There she paused and leaned against ono of tho stono pillars. Dol larmo himself was in a half-recllnlng position, his back to a tree, He seemed to bo nodding. Except for a fow on watch over tho sandbags, his men were stretched on tho earth, mov ing restlessly nt Intervals, either in an effort to sleep or waking suddenly after a spell of harassed unconsciousness. CHAPTER XII. Hand to Hand. With tho first sign of dawn thero was a movement of shadowy forms taking position in nnswer to low spoken commands. Tho search-light yielded Its vigil to tho Wide-spread beam out of the cast, and tho detail of tho setting whoro Marta was to watch tho play of ono of man's pas sions, which ho "dares not permit the tender flesh of woman to share, grew aHnaiWll &iicvjB7lrraaaaH aBJfflMft?alBR bHHHH aWW ufltsffifSflgA HH HH 'siBarTyvw lBawiHWaaHaBBiBJ EB KJtWBJEaMaB ssssssXZSffSff ft W&tM&FwP .stsiWftfisiBBSBsssssssssl The Searchlight Caught Them In Mer ciless Silhouette. distinct. Bayonets wero Uxod on tho rifles thnt lay along tho parapet of sand-bags In front of the row of brown shoulders. Back of them in the yard was a section of Infantry in reaervo, also with bayonets fixed, ready to fill tho placo of any who fell out of line, a doctor and stretchers to care for tho wounded, and a detachment of en gineers to mend any bronchos made In tho breastwork by shell flro. Tho gunner of tho automatic sight ed his barrel, slightly adjusted Its elovatlon, nnd swung It back and forth to make suro that It worked smoothly, whllo his assistant eaw that tho fresh belts of cartridges which woro to feed It wero within easy reach. In straw hat and bluo blouso, shuf fling with his old man's walk, Feller camo along tho path from tho gate. Ho was In retreat from tho enticing picture of tho regiment of flold-guns In front of tho castlo that was ready for action. As tho Infantry had never interested him, he would bo safo from temptation In the yard. "This is no placo for you I" said one of tho engineers. "No, and don't waste any time, ei ther, old man!" said another. "Back to your bulbs!" Feller did not even hear thorn. For tho moment he was actually deaf. "Flro!" said Dollarmo's whistle. "Thur-r-r!" wont tho automatic In Boulloss. mechanical ropotltlon, Its tapo spinning through the cyllndor, whllo tho rifles spoko with thohuman Irregularity of steel-tipped flngera pounding at random on a drumhead. All along the lino facing La Tlr tho volumo of flro spread until It was llko the concert of a mighty loom. Tho Gray batteries having tried out their range by tho flashes of tho au tomatic tho previous evening, were making tho most of tho occasion. "Uk-ung-n-ng!" tho breaking Jackets whipped out their grists. Tho re serves, the hospital-corps men and tho englnoera hugged tho breastwork for covor. Tho leaves cllppod from tho trees by bullets wero blown asldo with the hurrlcano breaths of shrapnel bursts; bullets whistled so near Marta that sho heard their shrillness above ovory other sound, She was amazed that tho houses still remained stand ingthat anyone was allvo. But sho had a glimpse of Dellarmo maintain ing his set smile and another of Fel ler, who had cropt up behind the au tomatic, making impatient "como-onl come-on I what-ls-the-mattor-wlth-you ?" gestures In the direction of tho bat torles in front of the castle. "Thur-oosh thur-eoshl" Afl tho welcome noto swopt ovorhend ho waved his hands up and down lu mad rapture and then peeped over the breastwork to ascertain It tho prac tice woro good. The Brown batteries had boen a little slow In coming Into aotlon, but they soon broko the pre cision of the opposing fire. Now shells coming frequently fall short or went wide. The air cleared. Then a chance shell, striking at tho one point which the man who fired It six thousand yards away would have chosen as his bull'a-y obscured Fel ler and the automatic nnd Its gunners In tne havoc of explosion. Feller must havo been killed. Tho duBt settled; she saw Dellarmo making frantic ges tures as ho looked at his men. They wero keeping up their fuslllado with unflinching rapidity. Through the breach loft In tho breastwork sho hnd glimpses, as the dust was finally dis sipated, of gray figures, bayonets fixed, pressing together ns they came on flercoly toward tho opening. Tho Browns lot go tho full blast of their magazines. Had that chanco shell turnod tho scales? Would tho Grays get Into the breastwork? All Marta's faculties and emotions woro frozen In her staro of suspense at tho breach. Then her heart leaped, n cry In n gust of short breaths broko from her lips as the Drowns lot go a rasping, explosive, demoniacal cheer. Tho first nttack had been checked! After triumph, terror, falntness, nnd a closing of her eyes, she opened them to see Foliar, with his old straw hat brim torn and crownloss now still on his head, rise from tho debris and shako himself llko a dog coming ashoro from n swim. While the engi neers hastened to repair the breach ho assisted Stransky, who had also been knocked down by tho concus sion, to lift tho overturned automatic off tho gunner. The doctor, putting a hand on tho gunnor's heart, shook his head, and two hospital-corps men re moved tho body to mako room for tho engineers. For onco Dollarmo's cheery smile deserted him. There was no one left to man the automatic, so vital In tho defense, and even If somebody could bo found tho gun was probably out of commission. As ho started toward it his smile, already summoned back, was shot with surprise at sight of the gun In placo and a stranger In bluo blouso, whlto hair showing through a crownloss straw hat, trying out the mechanism with knowing Angers. Del larmo stared. Feller, unconscious of everything but the gun, righted the cartridge band, swung the barrel back and forth, and then fired a shot. "You you seem to know rapid flrersl" Dellarme exclaimed In blank Incomprehension. "Yesslrl" Feller raised his finger, whether In salute as a soldier or as a gardenor touching his hat It was bard to say. "But how where?" gasped Del larmo. This tlmo tho movement of tho fin ger was undoubtedly In salute, In per fect, swift, military saluto, with head thrown back and shoulders stiff. Fel ler tho gardener was dead and burled without ceremony. "Lanstron's class, school for offi cers, sir. Stood ono In ballistics, prize medallist control of gun-flre. Yes, sir, I know something about rapld-flrors," Feller replied, and fired a few more shots. "A little high, a little low right, my lady, right!" Stransky was back In his place next to tho automatic and firing whenever a head appeared. He rolled his eyes In a characteristic squint of scrutiny toward tho now recruit. "Beats spraying rose-bushes for bugs, eh, old man?" ho asked. "Yee, a lead solution is best for gray bugs!" Feller remarked pun gently, and their glances meeting, thoy saw In each other's eyes tho Joy of hell. "A pair of anarchists!" exclaimed Stransky, grinning, and tried a shot for another head. A.o u. in answer to prayer, a gun ner had come out of tho earth. Suf ficient to the need was tho fact. It was not for Dellarme to ask question! of a prlze-modalllat graduato of tht schpol for officers In a blue blouso and crownless straw hat. His expert sun vey assured him that boforo anothel rush tho enemy hnd certain prepara tions to mako. Ho might glvo bit fighting smllo a recess and permit himself a fow minutes' relaxation. Looking around to ascertain whal damage had been done to tho houe and grounds, ho becamo aware ol Marta's presonco for tho first tlmo. "Miss Galland, you you weren't thero during tho fighting?" he cried as ho ran toward her. "Yes," sho said rather faintly. "If I had known that I should have been scared to death!" "But I was safe bohlnd tho pillar," Bho explained. "Miss Galland, you'ro Buch a good soldlor please and I'm sure you hnvo not had your breakfast, and all good soldiers never neglect thor ratlonB, not at tho beginning of a war! Miss Galland, please " Yes, as ho meant It, pleaBo be a good fellow. Sho could not resist smiling at the charming manner of his plea. She felt weak and strange a little dizzy. Be sides, her mother's voice now came from tho doorway and then her moth er's hand was pressing her arm. "Mnrta, if you remain out here, I shall!" announced Mrs. Galland. "I was JUBt coming In." Dellarme, his cap held before htm In tho Jaunty fashion of officers, bowed, his face beaming his happiness at her decision. "Cornel" Mrs. Galland slipped her hand Into Marta's. "Two women can't fight both armies. Come! I prescribe hot coffeo. It is waiting; and, do you know, I find a meal in the kitchen very cozy." Being human and not a heroine fed on lotos blossoms, and being exhaust ed and also hungry, when she was seated at table, with Minna adroitly urging hor, Marta ate with the relish of llttlo Peterkln in the Bhell crater munching biscuits from his haversack, but the movement of tho minute hand on the clock-face became uncanny nnd merciless to her eye In its deliberate regularity. Dellarmo had been told to hold on until noon, sho knew. Wad ho still smiling? Was Feller still happy In playing a stream of lead from tho automatic? Was tho second charge of the Grays, which must have como to closo quarters when tho guns went silent, going to succeed? Mrs. Galland had settled down con scientiously to play solitaire, a favor ite pastime of hers; but she failed to win, ns she complained to Marta, becauso of her stupid way this morn ing of missing tho combination cards. After a long Intermission came an othor outburst from Dellarme's men, which sho Interpreted as the responoe to another rush by the Grays; and this yelping of tho demon was not that of tho hound after the hare, as In the valley, but of tho haro with his back to the wall. When It was over thero was no cheer. What did this mean? Without warning to her mother she bolted out of tho kitchen. Mrs. Galland sprang up to follow, but Minna barred the way. "One Is enough!" sho said firmly, and Mrs. Galland dropped back into hor chair. In tho front rooms Mnrta found havoc beyond her imagination. A por tion of the celling hnd been blown out by a shell entering at an up-stalrs win dow; tho hardwood floors were lit tered with plaster and window-glass and ripped Into splinters in places. (TO BE CONTINUED.) TflTiTE mSmmNk mmrr',)Lj-x 'M'nnrn. m.imib. inst h x twiS T TTTF si 5 W . , tmsv m c - O Residents of Detroit Lay in Their Winter Fuel rETROIT. Al Jennings, tho James brothers, tho Daltons and other train a- robbers, whoso deeds made them tho heroes of many hair raising stories, havo Imitators among boys In tho western part of tho city who for effective measures cannot bo out classed. Stones aro their weapons. Later on snowballs will bo used. Selecting a careful placo of ambush, tho boya wait for a frolght train to como by. Tho crow Is treated to a shower ot missiles. Back comes a fuslllado of coal, heaved by engineer, fireman and brakeman. "Hurrah!" shouted the boys and begin to gather In the coal, After sev eral repetitions enough coal has been gathered to supply heat for a llttlo homo which would otherwise bo cold. With tho approach of winter weather the annual fight of tho railroads against coal thieves begins In earnest. Each year tho railroads In Dotrolt lose thousands of dollars In stolen coal. Women and children aro tho prin cipal offenders. Nearly every morning now thero aro women brought Into court, caught taking coal from railroad cars. Recently a mother and hor four children were brought Into court for stealing coal. To frighten her, the judgo threatened to send tho two oldest to Jail for a year. "How would you llko that?" he askod. "Go ahead," was tho answer. "Thero are too many home anyway." Another woman and two children wero brought In on the same charge and found guilty. They protested they had no money to pay a ten-dollar One. Tho Judgo wasn't satisfied and ordered the woman held. In a fow minutes ono of the children camo In with tho money. "If you'ro so hoggish about It, you can have It," sho told tho court. "Dealing with coal thieves Is a tremendous problem for tho railroads,"" said a railroad chief of detectives. "Tho annual loss throughout tho country runs Into millions of dollars. Detroit contributes Its share to tho total. X havo known women to empty an entire carload of coal In a morning." g SIMPLE ENGLISH NOT NEEDED HARD LINES FOR NOVELIST Cub Reporter Got Something of a Jolt in His Interview With Educated Chinaman. Two San Francisco reporters were assigned to call on Chinamen and In terview them on an Immigration meas ure pending In congress. Ono of the reporters was a cub and an Easterner, whllo tho other, an experienced man, assumed tho management of tho as signment "Gates," ho said, after thoy had In vaded several Chlneso shops without any Important result, "yonder 1b a tea-Btoro. Beat It over by thero and talk to tho boss about Chlneso voting. I'll go In next door. Remember to use tho very simplest English you got." , Tho cub went insldo tho tea-shop and thus addressed tho proprietor: "John, how? Mo mo Telegraph, John! Nowspnpo savvy, John? Nowspapo print things. Un'Btnn'? Wo want know whnt John think about Chinaman vote all same Mollcan man. What John think Chinaman vote, see? Savvy. John? Vote? What think? Tho Chinaman listened to all this with profound gravity and then re plied: "The question of granting tho right ot suffrago to Chlneso citizens who havo como to the United Statos with tbo avowed Intention ot making this country tbolr permanent home Is one that has occupied tbo attention of thoughtful mon of all parties tor years, and It may In tlmo become ot para mount Importance. At present, how ever, It seems to mo that thero Is no exigency requiring an expression of opinion from mo upon this subject You will pleaso excuse mo," Tho cub went outsldo and leaned against a lamp-poBt to rest and ro covor from a sudden falntness. His follow reporter had purposely Bteored htm against ono ot tho beat educated Chinamen In tho United States. Story of How Hawthorne Waa Discreet Ited by Ignorant Lawyer as a Witness, ; J. Van Vetchen Olcott, treasurer ot tho American Peace and Arbitration league, said to a Now York reporter: "Tho advocatos of war think to bI lonco ub with tho claim that human nature is too evil, too savage, to rise abovo rapine and wholesalo mur der. Well, thoy aro ns silly In that as tho lawyer who cross-examined Hawthorne. "Hawthorne was called up ns a wit neBB In a criminal case in Salom, and tho cross-examining lawyer for the derenso said to him: "'You aro a novelist, I believe?' '"Yes, sir.' "'What was your last Novair "'"The Marblo Faun."' The Marble Pawn," eh? And Is thore a word of truth in "The Marble Pawn," ray man?" " 'It but It,' stammered Hawthorne 'It Is a "work of fiction.' "'Never mind that.' thundered the lawyer. 'Never mind that. Answer my question, yes or no! Is there a word of truth In this "Marble Pawn," or whatever you call It?' "'Er no,' said Hawthorne. ' 'Very good,' said the lawyer 'You admit there's not a word of truth In tho whole long 400-page book.' Ho glanced triumphantly at the Jury 'That will do, sir. You may step down We have no furthor use for you In this court, sir.'" Even the President Had to Be Announced There NEW YORK. President Wilson wound up a recent . week-end In New York with a final Haroun-al-Raschld experience, over which ho laughed: heartily. En route to tho station tho president dr.cided to pay a brief visit to Mrs Anna Wilson Howe, his sister, who has apartments at Eightieth street and Columbus avenuo. Miss Anderson, one of tho proprietors of tho apartment house, has had diffi culty In Impressing upon the elevator boys that no callers shall be taken 11T1 Until IIiav liavn fli-af tinnn w 1 M.fc. v.-tj,, UM.VI ...Ob uwu tin- . nounced to tho guests. Miss Ander- i! son roDroved W. Hlcclns. a West In- E dia boy, saying: "Understand now, Hlggins, no ono is to be taken up until they havo been announced first no one, understand, not oven tho president of tho United) States." When two distinguished-looking gentlemen, followed by several alert young men, entered and walked directly to tho elovator, Hlggins promptly Intercepted them. "De rulo Is for to announce all gemmen fust," he said. "Very well," replied tho taller of tho two men. "Just say to Mrs. Howe that Mr. Wilson 1b calling." Hlggins turned towurd tho telephone when 'one ot tho young men halted' him. "It's all right, boy," ho said, "this Is tho president of tho United States.'- "Don't make up dlffrunce, boss," ho said. "Miss Anderson say oven the. president of the United States got to be announced fust." Tho president burst Into a hearty laugh, In which he was Joined by Colonel House, his companion. "That is peifectly right, my boy," he said. I11'W& .WU4Sk!K ffiMPT i2S fP il. 1 1 Ji Morning Light Strongest. Tho morning light Is from ten to thirty per cont strongor than that of tho afternoon, varying with the season. Tho light-transmitting properties of different Kinds of glass vary greatly. Thus tho loss ot light from glass as compared with outdoor light ranges all tho way from thirteen to thirty-nix per cent or moro. Tho practloo ot lapping the panes causes an averago loss ot light of about eleven per cent. The transmission ot light naturally In creases as the angle ot the root more nearly coincides with a right angle to thj sob's rays- How Many Shots Will Be Fired? Tho numbor of roundB that will be flred during an ordinary battla can only bo Imagined. Wo have data from the Russo-Japaneso war showing that at Ljaopan ono battory Hrud 2,600 rounds In one day, while nuother tired 3,304 rounds, making for each gun about 413 rounds In ono day. This was not an uncommon occurrence, and It shows the oxpenBe Involved In car rying on a modern war. The most common projectile of the three-Inch caliber Is tho shrapnel, which Is In Itself a gun, arranged by tlmo fuses so that at the desired noight It will bo made to burst, shoot ing forward out of a shell 250 load balls, each offectlvo to kill a man. Chicago Midget Is a Bit Rough When Drinking CHICAGO. Paul Paulus Is little but, as tho saying Is, Oh, my! Whem Paul was arraigned beforo (or moro properly beneath) Judgo TorrIson ho was completely concealed from tho Judge's eye by the left leg of a fat bailiff. "Paul Paulus!" called the court, Impatient "Paul Paulus! Wheto Is tho defendant?" "Here, sir," said Paul. Tho fat bailiff choso that moment to shift his position and Paul, drawn down to his full height of two feot elevon, stood revealed. Judge Tor rlson blinked. At his side towered Charles H. Merzer, a v210 pounder, who used to be sheriff in Salt Lake City. Merzer now has a restaurant at 2150 North Clark streot. "This man, your honor," said Merzer, "camo Into my restaurant last night and started a disturbance. Ho smashed my watch, scared my customers, and threatened to clean out tho place." "Why didn't you plpk him up and set him outside?" asked tho court. "I did thnt," answered tho restaurant man. "I was trying It when he broko my watch. It took mo nearly two hours to do it. He's strong and as tough a customer as I over mot." Judgo Torrlson called on tho defendant "I guess it's Just about tho way this man says," said Paul sheepishly, "When I'm not drinking I'm as peaceful as anybody else, but I guess I got a little rough when I havo a few." Paul, after paying a ono-doljar fine and promising to havo Merzor's watcb repaired reached up and grasped the hand of his late adversary. "No hard feelings on ray part, old chap," ho said. "I hope you won't think it's my habit to play the bully." For China 8tand. Whan ono haB a china umbrella stand It Is a wise plan to place a sponge In the bottom ot tho Jar to keep It from being cracked or broken. The spongo not only prevents It from being broken, but alio absorbs thw water which drips from the umbrelU Christmas Present Factory in Denver Is Busy rvi JL Christmas presents manufactured In tho nation. No factory in the United States will manufacture Christmas produce of greater valuo than will the government in Denver this fall. So great Is tho rush for Undo Sam's Christmas gifts that ho has been at work for some tlmo prepar ing them and will continue to work i until tho holidays, Tho particular gift to which ho Is turning his energies Is money. Al ways beforo Christmas thore 1b a de mand from all parts of tho nation for gold coins for presents, and tho Den ver mint has been selected to supply tho ontlro output for the mlddlo West, East and South. Ono million dollars' worth of $2.60 gold pieces aro now being coined at tho mint Theso are distinctively Christmas coins. Always boforo tho holi days thero Is a heavy demand for them. And after ChrlBtmas thoy drift back; to tho banks and subtrcasurieB and only a few remain In circulation. Tho order Is tho second In that denomination which tho Denver mint has filled and tho local mint will bo tho only ono this year to coin gold in this denomination. The coins aro tho most difficult to handle ot all thoso turned out by the government. They nro smaller than pennies, yet their valuo la so high that great pains must be taken with them. Aftor tho 400,000 pieces in the order havo been coined thoy will be sold V to banks and Individuals and shipped to subtreasurlcs to supply the Christ mas demand. Tho mint will also coin $5, $10 and $20 gold pieces before tho holidays. ; "SUL 5J& i" . .r 6 A tf.