04H
For
Business
Reasons
By McCulloch Williams
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(Copyright, 1912, by Associated Lltorary
Prcaa.)
"If you really cared nbout mo "
Elinor began, breaking oil thero In a
choking sob.
William, her husband, frowned heav
ily, and said sarcastically, "Of course
I don't care you aro only my wlfo
for whom I spend my dayB tolling and
grubbing and from whom I get In
return "
"I try I You know I try over so
hard!" Elinor flashed out. "But your
your m-mothcr won't let mo
have a minute's pcaco."
"Won't oh? I really hadn't noticed
It," William retorted, still sarcastic.
"I Bupposo tho real root of tho matter
Is you want mo to leavo her. Under
stand I shall not do It! That's flat.
You married me with your eyes open
'knowing all she had dona for mo
that I was her only child besides, I
told you outright I would nover leavo
her lonely. You agreed anything to
Kot mo. Now you want to get away
from your bnrgaln."
"Do you want to got away from your
bargain?" Elinor BBked, Buddonly
calm, sparks at tho bottom of her
loyes drying them magically.
William did not answer only Bmlled
provoklngly After a littlo Bho went
on, still clearly, "If you do I will
tako myself away as soon as wo have
gono over tho accounts. I want to
leave things straight."
"Really, Elinor this Is too ridicu
lous. With tho Travora expoctlng us
to dinner and tho theator afterward,"
William began ho waB not smiling
any more, but still his voice- was hard.
Elinor's head wont up. "You do
not answer," sho said. "I tako Hllenco
for consent As to tho Trovers, you
can make my ozcubos say you camo
to tell thorn I was Indisposed."
Tho door opened without any pre
liminary knocking. Mrs. AIsop, tho
elder, camo through it saying with.
A frown, "William, you should bo
resting you can havo fifteen minutes
before It Is tlmo to dross. Elinor nev
er thinks of auch things but If you
aro to go on doing yourself Justice you
must tako caro of yourself. And to
.night I want you to bo your best aolf.
Tho chief Justice, who Is to bo at
the Trovers', In an old beau of mine"
"Suppose you go In my placo I am
staying nt homo. And I can help you
dress," 'Elinor said, hor voloo studi
ously commonplaco.
Hor mothor-In-law stared at her.
"Not going I" sho echoed. "I tako
your placet I know you wero poorly
bred, but must say I novor dreamed
you could bo Ignorant enough to think
of Btioh a thing." -
"Say 'kindness' for 'Ignorance' moth
er," William Interposed. "Elinor Is
Impulsive and very generous. Of
coureo, hor suggestion Is Impossible
But I know sho thought only of. giv
ing you pleasure tho ploanure of meet
ing an old friend."
"It will bo much groator pleasure
(o havo him boo my Bon and his wlfo
at their best, among tho boEt pcoplo."
Mrs. Alsop' said proudly. "Ab for
James Dwlght, I don't caro a pin
oxoopt to havo him seo I mndo no mis
tako In refusing him. Ho will bo
bound to seo it you aro so much your
father's son."
The clock striking tho half hour,
mode her hurry off with a voxod ex
olnmatlon. Ab tho door shut behind hor William
wont up to his wifo, laid a hand upon
her arm and said, not very easily:
H'You aro vory angry. Elinor thn f
(know. And it is In your nowr tn
itatto a deep rovengo. Unless you co
tonight. I cannot. That win mn
tho loss of Trover's good will and
(good word, which Just now aro vitally
'important to mo. Ho and his wlfo
"count on us to liven their party. Tho
sotherB aro rich, but heavy and wild
'to bo amused.
"Wo aro not paupera thanka to my
.mother. Sho savod my ' fathor'a es
tate, you. knqw. But one can't stansl
still, you know that without telling.
I have Invested more than I ought to
havo.rjsked lu a deal that Trover can
mako successful. Knowing that you
iiuiBt decide I throw rayseir on your
mercy," ,
"On my Justice, you mean," Elinor
said lifelessly. "Therefore I will go.
It shall novor bo truo that I added
to tho harm I did you In marrying you
the wreck of your fortune"
''Come, now, lot's klsa and be
friends," Alsop said, trying to take
her in his arms.
Hhc eluded him. turned to hor toilet
table, and began pulling tho plus from
hor hair, saying over hor shouldor!
"As 1 am. Btaylng only Tor busluess
renaons, and so long as they aro Im
portant, thero scorns to bo no occasion
for us over to quarrel aguln."
Sho wna tho llfo of tho party that
night, so blithely brilliant, so clflnly
fascinating, Alsop was umnzod. He
know sho could bo bo, but heretofore
Bho hud been either too Indolent or
loo indifferent to show off. AH the
Trover guests mado much of hor be
fore the homo-gojng sho had mnny
engagements, tentative, to bo sure, but
certnln to materialize.
Even tho great chief Justice was
quite taken off his feet. "Toll your
mother 1 thought her the most fasci
nating of women until I met tho
dnughtcr you have given her," ho fcJd
to Alsop as thoy shook hands,
"Como and tell her so yoursolf, sir,'
Alsop answered. But tho older man
held up his hands with a face of comic
dismay.
If Elinor heard or saw tho byplay
rho mado no sign. In tho car as thoy
whirled homo alio sat Inert amid ber
wraps, answering with commonplace
quiet whatovcr Alsop had to say.
There was no rebound In her sho did
not even admit how stupid she had
found tho rich folk. Hor husband was
all taken aback sho had always been
as responsive na a harp-string and as
vivid as a summer day.
In his heart ho cursod roundly tho
root of trouble tho littlo lamo dog
sho had found nnd fetched home, only
to havo It sent by his mother straight
to tho pound. This waH tho sensible
thing, of courso but tho furry Inno
cent, hungry nnd friendless, had gono
straight Into Elinor's heart Sho had
beggod to kcop It only until It waa
well, and 8ho could find a homo for it.
Hor mother-in-law had been Inexor
able), with tho result of sending her
Into stormy tears. Throughout the
next six weeks of dry-eyed calm on
her part, William Alsop thought ho
would welcomo anything that would
bring back tho tearo.
Sho kept going, going, from her
lato rising to hor later lying down.
Tho house sho had let Blip Into older
hands, giving ovor oven tho account
books which had boon her special
pride. Business drove Alsop as hard
as Elinor drove Jioraelf In tho name
of pleasure. Sho helped him Indubi
tably, Trnvor stuck at nothing In his
behalf. "Wnnt to mako some pretty
monoy for tho pretty child to throw
away," ho said sometimes, with a
chuckle. Trover's word had weight,
especially when his money wont be
hind. It After a feverish campaign,
Alsop caught breath. to And himself
rlchor by n quarter of a million.
Ho stnrted homo early, but moved
by a queer Impulso stopped at a fa
mous Jeweler's shop. It had suddenly
como to him that Elinor loved pearls.
Ho would buy hor a string, tho hand
Boraeat ho could And, oven though the
cost might bo half bis recent gains.
Ho was no Judgo of such things, but
tho shop Imprint wbb a guarantee
besides, it employed tho boat of all
experts. Alsop had a nodding ac
quaintance with tho oxport Moving
among bowllderlng counters In search
of him, ho camo In view of a couplo
standing faco to faco. Tho woman's
back was to him tho man ho recog
nized as nn olderly bachelor banker,
enormously rich, with tho namo of bo
Ing also enormously unscrupulous. Ho
wbb smiling down at tho woman, and
saying persuasively, "It you will but
permit what happiness for mo. Any
thing here or in tho wholo world.
You lovo pearls "
Alsop mado almost a leap for the
pair something familiar In tho out
lino of throat and shoulders, In tho
silken chestnut hair, told him who waa
listening. But ho was man enough,
gentleman enough, to carry off things
well. "I boo my wlfo haB been con
fessing hor pet Bins to you, Mr. Vor
tress," ho said, stepping botweon them.
"Aro you a Judgo of pearls? How
lucky! My business hero Is to buy
her a Btrlng." '
"Not now somo other day," Elinor
murmured composedly, turning to go.
Alsop walked possessively beside
her, put her Into her cnb and himself
followed her.
Not until they had mado tho round
of tho park did hq speak. Thon, lift
ing his haggard faco from tho hands
that had hidden It, he asked, miser
ably: "Elinor, how far has thlB gono?
How long havo you known Vortrcss?
How dared ho offer you "
Trovers presented him I havo tol
erated him for business roaaonB," Eli
nor Bald coldly. "As to his offer
pleaso understand I did not accept
You seo I am still foolish. Ho told
mo you had won out as you don't
need mo any longer, I am going away
In tho morning."
"Elinor! Darling! I noed you as
novor before. I lovo you, love, lovo,
lovo you better than all tho world!
Try to forgive me I know I wna bru
tal," Alsop panted. "Only say you
shall havo whatever you want even
If It should bo a hundred dogs.''
Elinor sat trembling, hor oyes hu
mid. "I I don't want any dog now,"
sho murmured. "I ought to go away
but truly I cannot I want my hus
band!" Alsop could not spcnlr.
' " ' ' IMM I I I II I I II .l -I,, Ml i . . , , - . . . . I I I I I I I I I
Vfe Kind of Beasts?
4
Found Out What Hit Him.
Before Horaco Wobb became a
clown ho wna a clrpus "leapor." Ho
held tho record for a dpublo turn leap
over six elephants. Ono night ho was
standing at tho top of tho run ready to
make a dash (pr tho springboard. The
six elephants wero lined up and ready.
He started down tho run and wna
half way along whon he suddenly folt
something hit him on tho calf of the
leg, It rattled him so that ho mado a
mlsstop and landed with a sprawl on
top of tho middle elophnnt lie got n
flno shaking up. To couldn't Imagine
what had hit him and puzzled ovor It
tho rest of the day without corning to
any conclusion.
Tho next day he met a fellow on the
street whom ho had known In his
homo town Tho fellow wns tickled
to seo Wobb and said:
"I saw you at tlio bIiow last night,
Horaco, and I tried to natch your eyo
Just as you wero about to hop-skip
thoso elophanta. I did everything I
could to attract your attention. I oven
throw my progrnmmo nt you. I rolTed
It irp like a ball, and thought I hit you
on tho leg. You novor noticed It."
Proved.
ShQ Horo's a moan man says wom
en aro naturally dishonest.
Ho 'Well, now, can you dony that
you women aro always robbing us
of our hoarts, our poace of mind and
our aolMmportanco?"
LL big gamo hunters aro divid
ed In their opinions aa to
which is tho most dangeroua
animal to hunt in Africa.
Somo select tho lion, othorB
tho buffalo, others again tho
rhinoceros, whllo tho greater
majority namo tho elephant
It Is purely a matter of which
animal, In tho hunter's own
experience, has been tho most
dangerous.
Personally, as tho result of
many years' cxperlenco 1th
big game In Africa, I choso tho
elephant as tho most danger
ous. Perhaps I havo been un
duly fortunate In encounters with the lion, and
that alono makes him appear anything but tho
"king of beasts" that ho is so popularly supposed
to bo.
I havo Invariably experienced tho greatest dan
ger In hunting where elephants wore concerned.
With lions I havo nover had any serious trouble.
In fact I havo rather a sneaking contempt for
them, for they aro harmless except when thoy
nro wounded nnd followed Into tho long grass, or
In tho caso of a lioness with cubs. So great a
contempt havo tho men In East Africa for thom
that they hnvo now tnken to hunting thom on
horseback, riding them down and shooting them
with revolvers.
I shall endeavor to show why tho hunters of
! Africa look so lightly upon these tnwny beasts
of tho Jungle. I must confess, unless I be mis
understood, that lions may bo as dangerous and
even moro so than other nnlmnls of the plains or
forests, under certain circumstances, but It has
never ben my lot to experience any groat dan
ger from them. This Is primarily duo to an In
born caution begot as tho result of seven years'
hunting In tho wilderness of troplcnt Africa.
At times there aro marucaters at large, but for
tho most part they aro lions that have tasted
blood or that aro too old to hunt their natural
prey, tho zebras.
Man-oaters aro a rarity rather than otherwise
In East Africa and Uganda. In fact I know of
only ono caso where a white man has been eat
on by a Hon during tho whole seven years of my
residence) In East Africa. Tho story of this is
dreadful enough In Us pitiless detail, but there
Is a touch of humor in tho story, notwithstand
ing. I was stationed at a small outlying government
post early In 1904, when a native came in ono
day nnd reported that a white man, who had
been prospecting for land, bad disappeared and
left his caravan of porters nlmost starving somo
days 'march away from my post. I hastened out
to search for tho man nnd to rollovo tho porters
from tholr predicament.
On my arrival at tho camp I found that tho
portors had no Idea what had become of their
master. At first I suspected foul play, but later
camo to the conclusion that tho man had fallen
a victim to a prowling beast of tho Jungles. I
Instituted a close search and evontually found
tho head and Bhoulders of the poor follow.
Ho had been oaten by a Hon. of that there
could bo no mistake, Judging by tho remains.
Tho remnants of tho body were In a bad state
of dccomposltloon and I had them placed In a
packlng-caso for burial. On my way to tho grave
to perform tho burial service I was nlmost over
come with laughter, despite tho sad- occasion,
by observing on tho packing-case coffin tho ston
died words, "Kcop in a cool plnce," "Stow away
from tho bollors." The packlng-caso had been
used to Bhlp cans of butter to East Africa, henco
tho painted signs.
Tho natives occasionally fall victims to tho
depredations of lions, but tho white man rarely
docs for somo unknown reason. Eyen then tho
deaths aro moro often duo to gangrene setting
In whoro men havo been mauled and rarely from
nctual direct killing.
I remombor well my first meeting with1 a lion.
I wbb coming homo from a dinner party late at
night In Nairobi, tho capital of East Africa, and
had decided to Inspect ono of my military guards
on tho government railway buildings. When I
hnd approached near enough to tho sentry to
hear what was going on, I was surprised to hoar
him bnnglng tho corrugated Iron wall of tho
building with the butt end of his Mnrtlnl-Honrl
rlflo. Ho waa shouting "Shoo! shoo!" at tho top
of his volco.
I ran toward him to discover what was the
matter.
"Why aro you making this noise, 'you fool?"
I cried.
"I Hon, sir, very near, eating a zobra." ho re
plied. I ran forward and thore, sure enough, was a
big black-nmned Hon, In tho bright moonlight,
eating a zebra within fifty yards of tho sentry.
Ho hnd evidently chased tho zebra into the
township, killed it and was now happily taking
his supper. Ho paid not tho slightest attention
to tho sentry's noise, but kept on tearing great
masses of flesh from the zebra's carcass, purring
loudly all tho tlmo Hko a huge cat.
My sympathy was with tho sentry, for he daro
not leave his post and he daro not fire at tho
Hoon, for ho was uncertain as to tho accuracy of
his old weapon, which hnd boon condemned for
many yoara by tho government and was now
totally unfit for use.
Telling tho sentry to tnko advautago of the
safety offered him at the top of a near-by lamp
post, I hastened to my house to got my sporting
rifle. In order to do this I had to pass within
ono hundred yardB of tho Hon, who paid no atten
tion to mo at all. I hurried back to tho spot
with my trusty rifle and fired at tho lion, badly
wounding It He dashed off Into the plains be
hind tho town, emitting angry roars as he went
I decided to follow him for a tlmo nt least, but
nfter a tiring chnso he outdistanced mo and I
was forced to return to bed.
Next morning I rode out into the plains and
seurched for him. I soon picked up his spoor
and In two hours had killed my first Hon within
a few miles of Nairobi township. He was a very
flno specimen and well worthy of my Initial ef
fort In ll'on-huntlng. 1 was Justly proud of my
achievement, but had to submit to a consider
able amount of good-natured chaff from my
brother officials for being so keen as to hunt my
first Hon by moonlight in tho streets of the town.
On nnothor occasion a young Hon cub was
found by a party of us under tho raised floor of
tho corrugated-Iron postofllco building In tho
main streot of Nairobi. It had apparently como
Into town with Its mother to view it by night
and hnd probably been frightened by something
Jl fluntprs Talp of
7 T 7 ?"" '
the Lion as1 tip rinds
him -Dangprous and
Contpmpti
W. Robert foran.
COPYPIORT "Z" MDOOUW CO.
KU
lSiJK
fy
It often happens
and taken refueo nn. . OSf
dor the postofllco. Any
way, whatever tho
causo of Its arrival,
tho fact remains that
It waB very easily
caught and adopted by
tho postmaster. It
grow Into a fine-sized
Hon before It took
somo silly, childish,
Hon complaint and
went tho wny of all or
us. The gamo warden
of the country had
two young lion cubs
In his garden and
used them as pets.
They wero tho two
most playful young
sters Imaginable and
spent tholr spare mo
monta stalking any
one who might be call
ing on tho owner. I
remember taking a lit
tlo girl to see them on
ono occasion. Tho two
cubs Immediately bo
gan to stalk he'r In a
most realistic manner,
much to her embar
rassment They dlnrt
after a short time in captivity
this way.
A party of us went out one Sunday nfter llona
and adopted the novel method of riding them
down on pony-bnek. Wo had not been out long
before we "put up" a big tawny fellow and Imme
diately gave chase. Thero wero four of us In
the party nnd we soon rounded the Hon up In
flno shape. While ono of us fired at him In tho
open plain with a revolver, wounding him badly,
ho came to bay. clawing up tho earth In liugo
patches with his claws anfl emitting terrifying
roars.
Wo closed in upon him from all Bides, having
much ado In getting our ponies to face tho un
usual situation. One man rode in close nnd fired
at him with a revolver. Tho Hon was wounded
mortally for the second time, but sprang sav
agely at him and seized him by tho leg. Wo
were horrified to seo tho Hon drag him off his
pony to tho ground and redo forwnrd to the res
cue. Wo killed the Hon over his body and so
saved his life, but unfortunately our efforts wore
unavailing, for. after living through an ngony
of torture for a week or more, he died from gan
grene poisoning.
That It the first and only case whoro the hunt
ers havo suffered from this new and invigorating
form of sport. It beats plg-stlcklng as an excit
ing form of Bport and is Infinitely moro enervat
ing thnn shooting lions by approved methods of
hunting. There Is something In tho wild ride
nnd tho attendant risk which is altogether fascl
natlng nnd Irreslstiblo for most men who havo
onco tried this mothod of llon-huntlng.
Quito a number of lions have fallen victims
In tho field ns tho result of this new plan of at
tack. In fact, tho gamo warden has no less than
four lions to his credit from this mothod of kllI-
Ing alone, to say nothing of tho numbers which
havo fallen to his rlflo by the accepted form of
slaying.
' I was In tho Sotlk country one day, trailing
out to inspect a detachment of my force, who
wore on outpost duty. I was alone, about an
hour's march ahead of my porters and eBcort and,
It being very hot, I decided to sit and rest until
my caravan camo up with mo. J. saw a large and
ahady bush a Bhort distance from my trail and
decided that this would be a very suitable spot
to rest! I went over to It and threw myself un
der Its welcome shade. Then I took a satisfy
ing drink from ray water-bottlo and filled my
plpo. I must have sat thero for over an hour,
smoking and thinking of what I should do when
I reached London for my six months' holiday,
which was within measurable distance.
I thought of no danger and smoked and built
castles In tho air. In do courso my portors
hove In sight nnd as they approached they began
to sing lustily. Suddenly from behind me some
thing big moved. There wns an Instant's bwIbIi
ing of the grass and the cracking of twigs nnd
then, lo and bohold, a big black-maned Hon bound
ed away from tho other side of tho bush! I was
too astonished to flro and could only Btare after
It, open-mouthed with nstonlshment
I do not know to this day what had really
happened, but I suspect that the Hon had been
asleep In the Bhade on tho other sldo of the bush,
as unaware of my presence as I wbb of his. It
was certainly a reraarkablo experience and a
laughable one, although. In all conscience. It
might havo ended very differently. My native
porters and sorvants wero firmly convinced thnt
I hnd the evil eye and therefore the Hon would not
nttack me Nothing could shako tholr faith In my
power over tho "king of beasts." If I had known
of tho proximity of this wonderfully flno speci
men, I should certnlnly not have sat down nnd
smoked so unconcernedly bpslde the thorn-bush.
At Muhoronl station In tho Nyando vnlley,
near Lake Victoria, In tho latter part of 1901 I
was taking a stroll out from tho camp when tho
sun hnd cooled off In tho evening I knew that
no lions wero over seen In this vicinity and so
did not bother to take a gun with me. My sport
ing littlo fox-terrier, "Micky Doolan," kept me
company .
I turned my footsteps toward n small stream
about a mllo and a half from tho camp. On nr
rival at tho banks of tho nlmost drled-up river,
I stood for a whllo watching a young reed buck
gamboling with Its mother. Micky Doolan chased
Imnglnary rats with deep coutont Suddenly the
wWfrMmE3Tmr:m
long grass on tho opposite bank moved apart and
a graceful young lioness stepped out Into tho
open! I was considerably taken aback, for I had
no means of offense or defense; moreover, she
was less than a stone's throw away from me.
I looked at her and she looked at me. Then
as quietly as sho had come, she departed. My
dog had run loward me meanwhile and caught
a glimpse of the lioness disappearing In tho long
grass. Ho dashed after her, and I had much ado
to recall him. Tho lioness crashed off at a gal
lop Into the plains and that was tho last I saw
of her. It wns certainly a littlo upsetting and
quite spoiled my afternoon's stroll. Needless to
say I returned to my camp and next time I took
a stroll I curried my gun with me. It Is strango
that the lioness should have been in these parts,
for nover before had ono been seen In that neigh
borhood. However, a few days' later I left Muhoronl to
run Into KIsumu forty miles away. I traveled
by a hand-propelled trolley on tho railway. Tho
trl-weekly passenger train from tho coast to tho
lako had preceded me by a bare fifteen minutes.
Less than three miles out or Muhoronl station,
as wo wero descending n dip in tho railway, I
noticed something on the track. We wero ap
proaching it at a high rate of speed nnd I could
not at first mako out what It was. Suddenly,
when only about sixty yards away, two young
lionesses got up slowly from the track, where
they wero lazily stretching themselves, and
climbed the bank beside the track!
I had only a Bhotgun and did not daro fire at
them, for I had only small bird-shot with me and
only two shells In all. I shouted to my native
trolley boyB to make the machine travel at Its
highest speed and they stuck to their work Hko
heroes. Wo dashed past tho two lionesses and
began our ascent of the rise Luckily the two
cats did not attempt to follow or attack us.
As far as 1 know, these aro tho only two occa
sions on which lions have been seen In thla sec
tion 'of the country.
But all my many encounters havo. not been so
easy as those. On some occasions they havo
shown fight in a, most determined manner. One
in particular gave me some very anxious mo
ments. I was out hunting meat and picked up
the fresh trail of a lion. I decided to follow and
In duo courso came up with him. Ho was a
fine, unmaned specimen and a full-grown one.
T cast envious eyes upon his hide and decided,
como what might, to add him to my trophies.
Thon began a hard stalk. Tho Hon would dash
off at a great speed and then disappear In the
long grass. I would follow as fast as I could, and
on reaching tho spot where I had last seen him
would advance with great caution. Then no
would spring out and dash off again. This was
repeated several times and It tired me and so I
lost patlqnce. I esayed a long shot and hit him..
Ho disappeared In" the long grass with a roar of
pain and anger.
I advanced carefully, keeping a watchful eyo
for possible developments. I could seo and hoar
where be was, but could not get him to como out
Into tho open. I knew that It wns supremo folly
to follow him Into the Ions grass In fnct It was
courting certain death. 1 decided to burn him
out My porters nnd myself set fire to the long
gras3 nnd then I stood ready to kill as the blu
beast dashed for safety.
Suddenly with a mighty roar ho camo bound.
Ing in hugo leaps toward mo. I fired straight at
his chest and raked him through the entire
length of his body. I flred a second shot nnd still
he camo on, although ho was mortally wounded
My gun bearer handed me my second gun and r
fired ngaln quickly, this tlmo killing him in,
huge body foil with a crash almost nt my toot
and I was able to breathe again freely it hV.i
boon a very exciting few minutes and at ono fim
It lobked as If tho lion might win. The sSn
was ruined ns far as being a good specimen J,
concerned, for ray shots had seriously damnZi
It However, he made a bully tronhv nn,. ,
i wa
quite pleased with tho results of my ahon ,,
I had followed him into the long grass Ishoul
most certainly havo been badly mauled ,
I must have died either from shock or from
Nearly
uiurv man ..,.- .
died at the hands of a Hon haa done o n8 the
rr-Riilt of follow nv a tit.,..ij ., . " "" '00
foolishly. " "m ,nt0
cover
'
nWuiitf''tr
ttrvizirmwj -jr- -.
