I MRS. HAROLD STAGG. it
Vw Copjrlcht, 1890 na !S9t by
CHAPTER IV. (Continued.)
For tho next three hours a steady
stream of festively clad women and
swallow-tall-coated men swept past tho
spot whero Mrs. Stags had statlonod
nersolf to receive. Eleanor stood at
her side, a trifle In tho background,
courtesying low when hor aunt cour
tested in muto acknowledgment of tho
announcements mado by tho ushers In
attendanco as to who was who. Bo
fore this bowllderlng ordeal was prop
rly at an end, a youth Invited hor
to waltz; thereupon, having received
a smiling nod of permission from hor
aunt, sho went away with him to tho
ballroom, which was already possessed
by whirling coupled. Succcsslvo part
ners claimed hor, and with each now
trial hor confidence Increased. Soon
sho was flying over tho smooth floor
as blithely ns any, flushed with tri
umph, radiant, panting, Indifferently
conscious that her dress was torn,
scarcely hearing what was Bald to
hor and scarcely knowing what sho
said. Then It was supper time, and
sho had a chanco to sit down and try
to comprehend tho gala scene, whllo
moro youths flitted about hor like
moths, hardly introduced beforo they
woro gone, yet sometimes returning
lor a moment as tnousu not unwilling
to becorao fascinated.
Tho german was led by Eleanor and
a young man experienced In such mat
tors, and daylight was poeplng through
tho windows before tho last polka had
como to a closo, eliciting a melodra- j
matlc sigh from tho half-hundred
dancers who still remained on tho
floor, nnd stopped now only at tho
command of obdurate parents. Fif
teen minutes later, Emma and Eleanor
wcro sitting on a sofa sipping hot
bouillon by daylight, amid tho dobrls
of tho ball room. Harold had slipped
away to bed, but tho two women pre
ferred to talk tho party over bo
foro retiring. Eleanor's cheeks
wcro still flushed with excite
ment, and sho seemed as
loath to separate herself from tho
mass of bouquots and german knick
knacks in hor lap, or pendant from her
norson. ns a hnm from hnr plilolcnlilil-
dies.
"Well, my dear," said Emma, with a
contented emtio that lapsed into a
yawn as sho leaned back against tho
cushions, "what did you think of It?"
"Oh, I had a gorgeous timo, and I'm
bo sorry it's over. I enjoyed every
minute, and I shall never forgot your
kindness, Aunt Emma yours and
Undo Harold's."
"This is only a beginning of many
similar times, I mean. As you get to
know moro pooplo you will enjoy your
solf still moro. I must say, though,
you woro decidedly a belle. How many
favors?"
"Sixteen in all; and I felt before
hand that if I sot oven two I should bo
fortunate. Aren't they lovely?" sho
added, burying her faco in a bunch of
rcses, and holding It out for inspec
tion. Emma smiled cogltatively.
"Who gavo thorn to you?" sho
asked.
"I'vo been trying to remember.
There wero several from men I didn't
know the names of. Mr. Mooro gavo
mo a boquot, so did Mr. Pago; and ono
of tho plumes was from Mr. Warren
Then I think a Mr. Porter or Cotter
I couldn't inaKo out tho namo exactly-"
"Alec Trotter, probably."
"Oh, yes; 1 remember ono of tho otlv
era called htm 'Alec' Well, ho gavo
mo a boquot"
"Ho's a great swell, but ho won't bo
flattered when I tell him that you
called him 'Portor and 'Cotter.' Tho
Trottora think thoro Is no namo to
conjuro with but theirs."
"Oh! you mustn't lot him know,
Aunt Emma."
"You foolish child! Toll mo, how
did you get along with Mr. Pago?"
"Very well, I think. Ho talked to mo
at suppor and soveral t!mo3 In tho ger
man. Ho danceB beautifully."
"Owen Pago Is a very nice follow,'
said Emma, unequivocally.
"It's a pretty namo. Thoro was i
cobblor at homo named Owen Glynn,
nnd I used to think that If I ovor wroto
a novel I would namo tho horo after
him; but Owen Pago Is moro arlsto
V'
cratlc."
"Ho Is named titer his grandfather,
who died two or threo years ago,
loavlng a groat deal of money. His
mother and his fathor aro dead, and
ho and his two sisters they woro
both hero to-night camo In for tho
whole of It. La3t wlntor ho was In
Europe, but I fancy ho moans to de
vote himself to going about at homo
this year."
Such was Eleanor's introduction
Into society, and, as hor aunt had fore
told, tho ball at tho Stagg's wbb but
tho first of a series of entertainments
at which sho appeared during tho sea'
son. Emma know well that nothing
but eternal vigilance would save he
from becoming merely ono of tho maBS
of girls who wont to party after party
to danco with tho stupid or awkward
men. Thanks to tho instruction bo
stowed on hor, she did not offend by
peculiarities, and was oven extremely
presentable; but though pretty and
plnuant-looklng, sho was not much
moro so than tho average, and she
was undeniably quiet dull oven, Mrs
SUgg belloved In hor heart of hearts
It was only reasonable to expect that
after tho glamor of tho ball was ovor
she would sink Into obscurity. Why
not? Sho wan Harold Stagg's niece,
l but ho had children of his own, and
- might well hevo moro; no ono know
anything about her except this, and
Robert Bonner's Sons. $
really thoro was nothing clso to say.
So tho clover woman argued, and ac
cordingly folt consclontlous reasons
for continuing strenuously hor good
work In behalf of her young relative
Sho had started to do hor best for
Eleanor, and sho would contlnus to
tho end without faltering. Not that
sho found it irksomo or chafed under
It; on tho contrary, it rather Interest
ed her; but sho novor disguised from
horsolf for a moment tho difficulties
of tho situation.
CHAPTER V.
And so to begin with, sho carried
Eleanor everywhere day after day
and night nfter night. Thoy lived In
a perpetual whirl of luncheons, teas,
lnnor parties, receptions and gcr
mans, waltzing into tho small hours,
There was so much moro credit duo
to Mrs. Stagg for her aelf-sacrlflco and
devotion from tho fact that, though
sho put on such a rcsoluto front, sho
folt secretly from tho first by no
means confident that h'cr efforts could
provo successful. If, as sho said to
horsolf on moro than ono occasion,
Eleanor wero only full of animal spir
its ono of the saucy or rollicking
kind who amused men by saying what
ever camo into their heads tho
cnancos woro that, with bo much back
ing, sho would get along. But would
anyono troublo himself to bo moro
thnn decently civil to a young woman
without prospects, who was pensivo
and rotirlng, and, though possibly In
tellectual, so far as book-learning
went, without tho faculty of ontor-
talnlng peoplo in general society?
Emma wa3 apt to sigh whenovor sho
thought of tho outlook. Theroforo
Bho saw with foollngs which closely
resembled emotion tho evident liking
which Owen Pago was boglnnlng to
display for Eleanor's company. Sho
had been gratified on the night of tho
ball by his showing tho child somo at
tention, but tho Idea that It was moro
than tho ordinary politeness which a
gentleman Is apt to show at tho coming-out
party of a pretty girl never
occurred to hor, though naturally she
was pleased at It, and had mado a
point of letting Eleanor understand
that ho was tho dcslrablo kind of man
to know. When, at each of tho noxt
few parties, bo again spoko to her,
Emma supposed that he had felt pity
at seeing her deserted, comparatively
speaking, In splto of tho ball; for,
though sho had not been absolutoly
without partners, thero had been no
repetition for her of tho triumphs of
the first evening.
Tho assumption that ho dancod and
talked to hor out of charity seemed,
howovor, improbablo, In tho faco of his
contlnuo to do so; and Emma,
though sho did not daro to framo'any
extrtvagant hypothesis, could not re
frain from asking herself what it
meant Why should a man llko Owen
Pago devoto hlmsolf to Eleanor unless
he wcro moro or less fasclnatod by
hor? To bo sure, ho might simply bo
flirting; but, no, ho would scarcely bo
cruol enough to try deliberately to on
gago tho affections of a simple-mind
ed, slmplo-mannored girl solely for
tho gratification of his own vanity;
for thoro was so much hlghor gamo.
Thoro could bo no doubt that ho was
attracted by her; otherwise, why did
ho novor lot an entertainment pass
without seeking her out.' Not that his
attentions wero particularly ardont or
oxcluslvo, but thoy woro unremitting,
Eleanor was ono of tho girls ho ul-
ways danced with nnd talked to. It
might mean absolutoly nothing; nlno
chances out of ton It did. But oven
granting that ho woro amusing himself
at her oxpenso, his constant attend
ance on her must necessarily glvo hor
prestige; and thero was, of courso, tho
btro possibility a possibility which
stirred tho blood In Emma a volns
whenovor sho thought of It, though
she promptly dismissed It as out of
tho question that ho might bo falling
In lovo with her. Stranger things had
happened, and In affairs of tho heart
It waa frequently tho unexpected
which did happen. King Cophotua
married a beggarmald, and why not
Owen Pago, Eleanor? Not a soul
could Bay that sho would nt mako him
a thoroughly sultablo wlfo.
Whllo thus pondering and avoiding
promaturo elation, Emma took caro
not to let tho grass grow under her
feet In connection with tho matter.
She know enough not to frighten off
the possible lover by indecently fro
quent Invitations to the houso, or by
seeming to tako particular notlco of
hla attontlons, but she kept hor eyes
constantly open and lost advantage of
no opportunity of throwing them to
gothor. Though, to toll tho truth
thero was llttlo need, as it appeared
of intervontlcn or diplomacy on her
part; tho young millionaire himself
continued to seek ovcry opportunity
afforded for continuing tho acqualn
tanco. Ho callo don Eleanor, ho toolt
her out on hla coach, ho gavo her u
theater party, and ono day ho sent her
a basket of magnlflcont roses without
thero scorning to bo any oxcuse for It
This last ovort act fairly took Emma's
breath away, and that ovonlng, whon
sho found an opportunity to speak to
Harold alone, sho remarked:
"Do you know, my dear, thnt I am
roally beginning to think that Ownn
Pago Is Borlously attentlvo to Elcan
or."
"Why don't you say something?
sho exclaimed, with Impatience, as hor
husband continued to smoko placidly
"Do you rcnllzo what that means? I
don't half daro acknowledge It my
self, but I verily bollovo ho Is scrl
ously smitten. Ho scarcely takes hi
eyes off her, and you saw tho suporb
baskot ho sent this morning. My dear,
do you reallzo what It moans?"
"I realize that I admire your superb
coolness In picking out about the rich
est young man In Now York as a hus
band for your damsel," ho said, remov
ing his cigar with cn amused emtio.
"Only tho beat Is good enough for
you, ha, ha!"
"You aro crazy, Harold. Do you
Imagiuo that I over In my sober
senses would havo conceived for a mo
ment that thoro was tho sllghtost
chanco in that direction? Of courso,
If I had, I would havo mado tho most
oi it, as any woman would. I don't
protond to bo superior In vlrtuo to tho
rest of my sex, but do glvo mo credit
for a llttlo common sense. Why
should Owon Pago, who has tho pick
of half a dozen cities to chooso from,
If ho is matrimonially inclined, dovoto
himself to a girl llko Eleanor? Very
likely It means absolutely nothing; I
have tried to shut my eyes to it and
porsuado myself that such Is tho caso,
but facta aro facts, my dear. And tho
most difficult part of all for mo to
mako out," sho added, In a confiden
tial whisper, "Is what ho finds In hor."
"I don't seo why Eleanor Isn't all
right," Harold replied, stoutly, after a
moment
"Well, so sho is, of courso; I'm not
saying nnythlng against tho child,
especially in vlow of tho fact that ho
seems to bo In lovo with her; but you
must understand what I mean. It it
woren't that sho's your nleco, do you
supposo you'd ovor glvo hor n second
thought, If you wero Introduced to hor,
beyond agreeing that sno waa a rath
er pretty, woll-drcssed llttlo girl, with
sufficiently good manners and not
much snap. Tho manners and tho
dressing aro mine, though thoy count
Just tho same, and I'd havo done mj
best for Eleanor if she'd been n great
deal worso than sho waa, but there's
no uso in trying to mnko her out any
thing superior to tho common run, for
Bho Isn't. Compare hor with a dozon
girls ono could mention and sho would
bo nowhere. You know It as well as
I; and becauso wo aro fond of her,
thero Is no use In refusing to recog
nize tho truth. If Owen Pago offers
himself to hor, It will bo a marvelous
InBtanco of good fortune."
"Don't count your chickens," ro-
marked her husband, somewhat dog
gedly.
"That Is precisely what I am avoid
ing doing; but surely you'll ugrco that
she'd bo very lucky."
"Oh, Pago Is a good fellow enough,
and ho has stacks of money, If that's
what you want."
Emma looked painfully Into dis
tance; then, with a wrltho of hor
nock, said with dignity:
"Ono would think, from your tono,
I wero a merconary marriage-monger,
I 'want nothing. I havo brought out
Eleanor Just as I would my own daugh-
ter, and under far greater difficulties, rive, in rcsponso to tho alarm woro
If, within tho noxt flvo yeara, sho flnmos roaring from tho rear windows
woro to marry any respoctablo young of tho building. Faces, whlto with tor
man of our acquaintance, wo ought to ror, wcro appearing nt tho front win
feel very grateful, and yet, whon, in dows of tho upper story. From tho
hor very first season, a man whom sides of tho ill-fated building men
ovorybody considers charming, nnd
who would bo ablo to glvo her all that
money .can buy, dollborately pays hof
marked attention, and saves hor, if
nothing else, from having a horrid
timo whorovor sho goos, you, Harold
Stagg, get up on a high horso and
mako disagrocablo Insinuations."
"Now, chorub, you know I was only
fooling. You wero bearing Eleanor In
tho market, so I thought I'd havo a
drive at tho othor fellow, to get n rise
out of you. Como, now, I'll agreo it'a
an ideal match; and If It over comoa
to pass, I'll seo that you got all the
credit for it."
"Which is precisely what I shall not
deserve, goosoy-poosoy," said Emma,
whoso good humor waa restored, loan-
Ing ovor hor Hcge'B chair and dallylnj
with his short curls.
(To bo contlnuo.)
The Musical Russians.
Russian people aro natu:,.l tnua)
clans. Accordingly every nusslan
ymtth as a rule takes to playing on
somo one of tho national instruments
Ono of thoso is a curious three-
stringed guitar called a "balalaika."
Anothor Is tho square, old-fashioned
concertina or accordion, known aa the
"ngarmouka," which Is greatly loved
throughout tho land by tho mujlka.
Taking his Instrument In tils hand,
young Ivan or Stepan goes courting on
tho long winter nights. If not ho Is
apt to spend far too much of his time
In tho "kabak" or "traktlr," and if he
Imbibes too freely of vodka ho Is apt,
after belnc turned out late at night Bwlng, both of whom aro dead, ro
to bo found by tho pollco lying in tho colvod a telegram early In tho oven'
snow with htn agarmouka under hit
arm.
Aborigines of Japan.
Llttlo Is hoard of tho aborigines oi
Jnpan, at ono timo a savago tribo, now
occupying tho northern portion of the
empire, and numbering about 17,000.
Their modo of living is wild, hunting.
and fishing being their chief occupa
tions. They livo in rude huts contain
ing two windows, ono for ordinary
uso, and tho other resorvod for the
entranco oi tho gods. Wonion aro n
scarcity In the tribe, thero being eight
men to ovcry woman, henco wlfo steal
ing is a common offense Anyono ac
cused of this offense is tried In a rath
er barbarous way, having to lift n
stono out of boiling wator. If not
guilty It is supposed the man will hi
unharmed.
China's Naval Resources.
China has still 90 ships In hor floet.
Thoso vary from first-class crulscre
to small tug boats, Sho has no bat
tloshlps.
lilt's a mighty good think fcr folks
what's always growlln' at do world dat
do world's too busy tor talk back at
'em.
HOW GUESTS OF CHICAGO HOTEL
if'
Imprisoned In a llro-trap hotel,
fourteen men wcro suffocated at day
break on tho morning of December 4
at Chicago. Only twenty minutes
elapsed after tho alarm was sounded
until tho flames woro extinguished,
but in that time fourteen guests of
tho overcrowded Lincoln hotel, 17C
Madison strct, blindly groping In tho
dense smoke, had perished In tho nar
row hallway and closet-llkc bedrooms
of the top floor.
Oodles Waltlna to bo
In tho sixty dlmlnutlvo rooms of
tho hotel 125 persons wero crowded
when tho flames broke out. Only
fourteen of them wero residents of
Chicago. Tho others wero stockmen
and farmers attracted horo by tho
livo stock show or railway mall clerks
and traveling men who could not sc-
euro accommodations at other hotels.
All tho spaco possible was utilized.
Even tho hallway closets contained
cots on which men wcro asleep,
though there was not enough room In
those Improvised bedroonm for a
chair In addition to tho cot. In ono
room on tho top floor tho window of
which opened to tho only llro cscapo
on tho building, was a bed and a cat,
an offcctlvo barrlor, In tho darkness
and amoko, to this means of oscapo.
With almost tho first burst of tlamo
tho fuses on tho electric switchboards
burned out, stopping tho elovators
and leaving tho building In total dark
ncss,
Boforo tho flro department could ar-
and women, shivering and half clad,
woro leaping or sliding to tho roofs
of the adjoining buildings,
Tho cries of tho men Imprisonod
on tho top floors could bo heard abovo
tho clattor of tho flro engines nnd tho
roar of tho flames. Tho proprietor of
tho hotel asserts that ho started to
mount to tho endangored men and
lead them to tho windows where
thoy could safely reach tho roofu on
cither sldo of tho hotel, but thnt ho
waa stopped by tho firemen. At that
time, ho declares, nil could havo been
saved If somo ono familiar with tho
upper floor had been allowed to show
them tho way to tho windows. Tho
firemen contradict tnls, and say no
one could havo reached tho fourth
floor through tho rapidly Increasing
volumes of smoko. When flro-lnsur-anco
patrol, No. C, arlvcd, Its mom
bora started up tho stairs from tho
offico to tho third floor to rcscuu tho
men, whoso crleB wcro rapidly becom
ing weaker, but their captain refused
to permit thorn to faco almost certain
suffocation, and ordered them to re
turn.
Tho escapee of some of tho occu-
pants of tho rooms woro llttlo short
of miraculous. Six men, a woman
and a llttlo boy, saved themselves by
Jumping to tho roof of a restaurant,
adjoining tho hotol on tho west. Four
mall clerks, who said thoy had a pro
I monition of danger, arose at 4:30
o'clock, dressed,- and left tho hotel
3. II. Foster, another mall clerk, who
occupied tho room with Coroy and
Ing that his wlfo was 111 and hurried
away from tho hotol to hor bedside,
leaving his valise with his fellow
clerks.
room with Coroy
and Ewlng, was
nearly an hour late in arivlng
In
Scenes Inside
Itoom on fourth door, whers two men
wore founil eurrocatoU In bud.
DIED IN SMOKE
Chicago that morning and slept In his
mall car. Philip Koch of Janosvlllc,
Wis., Bavod himself by sliding to tho
ground by means of a ropo mado from
strips of his bod shoot. W. J. Thom
as, anothor mall clerk, climbed to a
window on tho fourth floor and was
rescued by flromen Jimt as ho was
II. 0. McMnntora of Minneapolis, a
mall clerk who usually occupied tho
about to drop from exhaustion.
Olaf Oldorf climbed downward
Conveyed to the Morgue.
from floor to floor by meann of tho
Iron shutters beforo tho flames had
begun to break through tho rear win
dows. H. C. Hamilton, whllo groping
for tho flro oscapo entered a room
whero a man was kneollng In prayer.
Ho disregarded tho man'a admonition
to glvo up hope, but continued his
search for tho flro oscapo and Bavod
Mother and Qon Saved from Flro.
Fred Bhcpnrd. Mrs. J. Slicpnrd.
himself. H. E. Jott of St. Paul waa
awakened by tho screams of a woman
and, with four other half-clad mon
ran Into tho street and was given ref
ugo in a saloon. Tho samo screnms
awoko Edward Davonport and J. N.
WoBtorland of Chicago. Thoy wcro
mcmborn of tho party that was saved
by Jumping to tho roof of tho restaur
ant. John W. HIgga of Lansing, Mich.,
escaped from tho upper floor with tho
ye
1H
Arrangement of Hall and
loss of only his coat and vest ana
collar.
"If It had not boon for tho shouts
of thoso who had already found tho
stalra, I would never havo gotten out
alive," ho said. "Tho building was in
absoluto darkness, bo dense that a
person could seo nothing. To add to
this tho smoko was bo thick that
breathing waa almost lmposslblo and
tho screaming and confusion of per
sons running wildly back and forth in
Lincoln Hotel, Showing Where Lives
Kntranco to nlovator shaft nt rear of
fourth Hour, Croa.i murku ahaft.
AND FLAMES
tho hall mado it tmpossiblo for anyono
to keep hla senses.
"Tho smell of smoko was strong in
my room when tho noiso awoko mo.
It must havo boon flltorlng through
tho cracks of tho door, for somo timo.
I was partly dressed and attempted to
find tho electric light bulb. It had
Btomcd Just ovor my head whon I
went to bod in tho ovonlng, but in my
excitement it might as well havo been
in tho clouds. I mado a frantic
plungo for tho door, which 1 romora
bercd thnt I had boltod. I could not
find tho bolt, nnd in tho darkness
and excitement imnglned that ray end
had surely como. Then I tried ngatn
for tho electric light. I gavo a gasp
of relief as my hnnd struck it Tho
current was still on nt that Timo, and
I found tho bolt which held mo n
prlBonor In my room.
"As I oponud tho door a blinding
cloud of amoko rolled into tho room.
Tho narrow hallway soomod to bo full
of shouting and struggling mon. It
was ImpoBlblo to distinguish them.
As I stopped from my room tho light
bohlud mo fllckorod a moment nnd
disappeared. I suposo It waa whon
tho fuses burned out. My room waa
at tho head of tho atalrway, or I
would novor havo found It. I heard
soma ono shout, 'Hero they arc!' Im
mediately thero was a despairing
chorus from nil Bldea of 'Whero?
Whoro. Thoso of us that could
groped in tho direction from which
had como tho cry of hope.
"As each man found tho stairs ho
would glvo a shout of oncourngomont
to those further down tho hall and
trying to follow him. Tho amoko was
rapidly becoming heavier and moro
stilling. Below us could bo heard tho
roar of tho flames from tho rear. No
ono lingered longor thnn necessary
aftor llndliu; tho way to posslblo
safety."
Mcnntlmo tho firemen nnd aovcrnl
patrolmen had again started to climb
tho stairs in tho hopo of reaching the
upper floors. Dotcctlvo Sergeants An
dorson and Ellsworth managed to
reach tho top of tho building. In n
corner near tho head of tho stairway
they found Mrs. Minn Bolder, hor 11
year-old daughtor Cora, and Mrs. Goo.
Clott and hor 9-yoar-old boh. Remov
ing their overcoats, which thoy throw
over tho nhlvorlng women, tho two do
toctlvca carrlod them down tho atalrB
to a placo of Bafoty in nn adjoining
building.
Mrs. Juno Shophord of Cairo, 111.,
who was occupying a room on tho
fourth floor with her 10-year-old son
Fred, was uwakonod by tho smoko.
Rushing to tho door, sho opened it,
only to find tho hallway filled with
flamcfl. Scroamlng, sho slammed tho
door and Btnrtod toward tho window.
Her son grasped hor clothing ' nnd
clung fast until tho two woro rescued
by tho flromon.
Mrs. Shepherd's screams awakoncd
sovoral porsoua In tho rooms adjoining
hor own, and doubtless saved tholr
lives.
Aged Statesman In Good Health.
John Blgolow, a former United
Stntos minister to France, has entered
Rooms on Fourth Floor.
upon his eighty-fifth year apparently
In tho best of health. Ho was halo
and hearty at a recont family gather
ing at hla homo in Gramorcy Park.
Mr. Blgolow was born at Maiden, N.
Y on Nov. 29, 1817.
Air In Southern China.
In southorn China tho air la no hu
mid In summer that, despite tho In
tenso heat, clothes cannot bo dried In
tho open nlr.
Wero Lost.
WW
Scenes on top floor. Crosses show nar
row window through which cucapes woro
tnnile nnd mot In hallway whero tUre
todies were found.
' 'int.
1 J- X
