INTERNATIONAL PRESS ASSOCIATION.. :'-r P CHAPTER XVH —fCoSTisuiD.^ To go to Edinburgh would, take her too far from her beloved dead, while the thought of living with Miss Heth erington at Annandale Castle positively appalled her. She said ‘‘No.” The lady of the Castle received the refusal kindly, saying, that although Marjorie could not take up her resi dence at the Castle, she must not alto gether avoid it. “Come when you wish, my bairn,” concluded the old lady. “You’ll aye be welcome. We are both lonely women now, and must comfort one another.” During the first few days, however, Marjorie did not go. She sat at home during the day, and in ;tho dusk of the evening, when she believed no one would see her, she went forth to visit the churchyard and cry beside her fos ter-father’s grave. At length, how ever, she remembered the old lady’s kindly words, and putting on her bon net and a thick veil, she one morning set out on a visit to Annandale Cas tle. Marjorie had not seen Miss Hether Ington since that day she came down to the funeral; when, therefore, she was shown into the lady’s presence, she al most uttered a frightened cry. There sat the grim mistress of the Castle in state, but looking as worn and faded ns her faded surroundings. Her face was pinched and worn, as if with heart eating grief or mortal disease. She received the girl fondly, yet with some thing of her old imperious manner, and during the interview she renewed the offer of protection. But Marjorie, after looking at the dreary room and its strange mistress, gave a most decided negative. She remained with Miss Hethering ton only a short time, and when she left the Castle, her mind was so full of solicitude that she walked along ut terly oblivious to everything about her. Suddenly she started and uttered a glad cry of surprise. A man had touched her on the shoulder, and, lifting her eyes, she beheld her lover. The Frenchman was dressed as she had last seen him, ,in plain black; his face was pale and troubled. Marjorie, feeling that new sense of desolation upon her,'drew near to his side. "Ah, monsieur,” she said, “you have come—at last.” Caussldiere did not embrace her, but held her hands and patted them fondly, while Marjorie, feeling comforted by his very presence, allowed her tears to flow unrestrainedly. He let her cry for a time, then he placed her hand upon his arm and walked with her slowly in the direction of the manse. “My Marjorie,” he said, “my own dear love! this has been a sore trial to you, but you have borne it bravely. I have seen you suffer, and I have suf fered, too.” “You have seen, monsieur?” “Yes, Marjorie. Did you think be cause I was silent I had forgotten? Ah, no, my love. 1 have watched over you always. I have seen you go forth at night and cry as if your little heart would break. But I have said noth ing, because I thought ‘Such grief is sacred. I must watch and wait,’ and I have waited.” “Ye3, monsieur.” "But today, Marjorie, when I saw you come,from the Castle with your face all troubled—ah, so troubled, my Mar jorie!—I thought, ‘I can wait no longer; my little one needs me; she will tell' me her grief, and now In her hour of need I will help her.’ So I have come, Marjorie, and my little one will con fide all her sorrows to me.” Then the child in her helplessness clung to him; for he loved her and sympathized with her; and she told him the full extent of her own desola tion. The Frenchman listened atten tively while she spoke. When she ceased he clasped her hands more fer vently than before, and said: “Marjorie, come to my home!” She started add drew her hands away. She knew what more he would say, and it seemed to her sacrilege, when the clergyman had been so re cently laid to his grave. The French man, gathering from her face the state of her mind, continued prosaically “I know It is not a time to talk of love, Majorie; but it is a time to talk of marriage! When you were in Edinburgh, you gave me your promise, and you said you loved me. I ask you now, fulfill your promise; let us be come man and wife!” "You wish me to marry you now, monsieur?” “Ah, yes, Marjorie.” “Although I-am a penniless, friend less, homeless lass?” “What is that to me, my dear? I love you, and I wish you to be my wife!” “You are very good.” “Marjorie?" “Yes.” “Tell me, when will you make me the happiest man alive?” Marjorie looked at her black dress, and her eyes filled with tears. “I do not know—I can not tell,” she aaid. “Not yet.” “En bien!—but It must not be long delayed. The decrees of destiny hurry us onward. You will soon be thrust from the manse, as you say, while I must return to France.” “You are going away!” _ "Most assuredly I must soon go. Mj future Is brightening before me, and I am glad—thank heaven!—there are few dark clouds looming ahead to sad den our existence, my child. The ty rant who desecrates France will one day fall; meantime his advisers have persuaded him to pardon many politi cal offenders, myself amongst them. So I shall see France again! God is good! When He restores me to my country he will give me also my wife. Put your little hand in mine and say, ‘Leon, I trust you with all my heart.’ Say it, my child, and, believe me, your faith shall not be misplaced.” He held forth his hand to her, and Marjorie, tremblingly raising her ayes to his face, said In broken accents, “I do trust you.” So a second time the troth was plighted, and whether for good or ill, Marjorie’s fate was sealed. f H* PTEK XVIII. HE day following her final promise to Caussidiere, Marjo rie received intima tion that the new minister was com ing without delay to take possession of the living. Her informant was Sol omon Muckleback tt, whose funereal despair was tempered with a certain lofty scorn. „ On the following Saturday arrived the new minister, prepared to ofllciate for the first time in the parish. He was a youngish man, with red hair and beard, and very pink complexion; but. hi3 manners were unassuming and good natured. His wife and family, he explained, were about to follow him in about ten days; and in the meantime his furniture and other chattels were coming on by train. Shown over the manse by Solomon, he expressed no little astoiishment at finding only two or three rooms furnished, and those » VI J VUi C1J1 . “Mr. Lorraine never married?” he in quired, as they passed from room to room. “The meenister was a wise man,” re plied Solomon, ambiguously. “He lived and he dee’d in single sanctity, ac cording to the holy commandments of the Apostle Paul.” “Just so,” said Mr. Freeland, with a smile. “Well, I shall find the manse small enough for my belongings. Mis tress Freeland has been used to a large house, and we shall 'need every room. The chamber facing the river, up stairs, will make an excellent nursery.” “My ain bedroom!” muttered Solo mon. “Weel, weel, I’m better out of the house.” At the service on the following day there was a large attendance to wel come the new minister. Solomon occu pied his usual place as precentor, and his face, as Mr. Freeland officiated above him, was a study in its expres sion of mingled scorn, humiliation and despair. But the minister had a reso nant voice, and a manner of thumping the cushion which carried conviction to the hearts of all unprejudiced observ ers. The general verdict upon him, when the service was'over, was that he was the right man in the right place, and “a grand preacher.” The congregation slowly cleared away, while Majorie, lingering behind, walked sadly to the grave of her old foster-father, and stood looking upon it through fastly-falling tears. So rapt was she in her own sorrow that she did not hear a footstep behind her, and not till Caussidiere had come up and taken her by the hand was she aware of his presence. “So the change has come at last, my Marjorie,” he said; “was I not right? This place is no longer a home for you.” “Monsieur!” “Call me Leon. Shall we not be man But Marjorie only sobbed. “He was so good. He was my first, my only friend!" “Peace be with him,” returned the Frenchman, tenderly. “He loved you dearly, mlgnonne, and I knew his only wish would be to see you happy. Look what I hold in my hand. A charm—a talisman—parbleu, it is like the won derful lamp of Aladdin, which will car ry us, as soon as you will, hundreds of miles away.” As he spoke he drew forth a folded paper and smilingly held it before her. “What is it, monsieur?” she asked, perplexed. “No; you must call me Leon—then I will tell you.” “What is it—Leon?” “The special hcsnse, Marjorie, which permits us to marry when and where we will.” Marjorie started and trembled, then she looked wildly at the grave. “Not yet,” she murmured. “Do not ask me yet.” He glanced round—no one was near— so with a quick movement he drew her to him, and kissed her fondly on the lips. “You have no home now,” he cried; “strangers come to displace you, to trrn you out into the cold world. But y u have one who loves you a thou Sfc id times better for your sorrow and yc'tr poverty—ah. yes, I know you are po r!—and who will be your loving protector till the end.” She looked at him In wander. Ah, ho*' good and kind he was! Knowing her miserable birth, seeing her friend less and almost cast away, he would still >e beside her, to comfort and cher ish 1. sr with his deep affection. If she had »ver doubted his sincerity, could she dcubt it now? * • • * * • Hair an hour later Caussidiere was walking rapidly in the direction of Annandile Castle He looked supreme ly self-ratisfled and happy, and humm ed a ligvt French air sb he went. Arriving at the door, he knocked, and the serving-woman appeared in an swer to the summons. “Miss Hetherlngton, if you please.” “You canna see her,” was the sharp reply. "What’s your business?” “Give her this card, if you please, and tell her I must see her without delay.” After some hesitation the woman har ried the card away, first shutting the door unceremoniously in the visitor’s face. Presently the door opened again, and the woman beckoned him in. He followed her along the gloomy lobbies, and up stairs, till they reached the desolate boudoir which he had en tered on a former occasion. The woman knocked. ‘ Come in,” said the voice of her mis tress. > Caussidiere entered the chamber, and found Miss Hetherlngton, wrapped in an old-fashioned morning gown, seated in an arm-chair at her escri toire. Parchments, loose papers and packets of old letters lay scattered be fore her. She wheeled her chair sharp ly round as he entered, and fixed her eyes upon the Frenchman’s face. She looked inexpressibly wild and ghastly, but her features wore an expression of indomitable resolution. Caussidiere bowed politely, then, turning softly, he closed the door. “What brings you here?” demanded the lady of the Castle. “X wish to see you, my lady,” he re turned. “First, let me trust that you are better, and apologize for having disturbed you on such a day.” Miss Hetherlngton knitted her brows and pointed with trembling forefinger to a chair. “Sit down” she said. Caussidiere obeyed her, and sat down, hat in hand. There was a pause, broken at last by the lady’s querulous voice. “Weel, speak! Have you lost your tongue, man? What’s your will with Caussidiere replied with extreme suavity: “I am anxious, my lady, that all mis understanding should cease between us. To prove my sincerity, I will give you a piece of news. I have asked Miss Annan to marry me, and with your consent she is quite willing.” “What!” cried Miss Hetherlngton, half rising from her chair, and then sinking back with a gasp and a moan. “Have ye dared?” Caussidiere gently Inclined his head. “And Marjorie—she has dared to ac cept ye, without warning me?” “Pardon me, she is not aware that you have any right to be consulted. I, however, who acknowledge your right, have come in her name to solicit your kind approbation.” “And what do you threaten, man, if I say ‘no no—a hundred times no?’ ” Caussidiere shrugged his shouldersi “Parbleu, I threaten nothing; I am a gentleman, as I have told you.' But should you put obstacles in my way, it may be unpleasant for all concerned.-” Miss Hetherlngton rose to her feet, livid with rage, and shook her extend ed hands in her tormentor’s face. “It’s weel for you I’m no a man! If I were a man, ye would never pass that door again living! I defy ye—I scorn ye! Ye coward, to come here and mo lest a sick woman!” She tottered as she spoke, and fell back into her chair. (TO BE CONTINUED.) A PRETTY SCREEN. One Which Can Be Eaatlj and Inez pensively Slade at Home. Soft pine wood panels of the desired size are cut by a carpenter and are then covered by stretching velours, denim or any plain colored, durable material tightly across one side, tack ed into place, and the reverse side cov ered with any good lining for the part of the screen not intended to show, says the Philadelphia Times. The next step In the process is to cut stiff brown paper panels the size of the wooden ones, and on them draw in charcoal a simple outline, conventional pattern. If one is not original enough to do this alone, ask some friend to draw one, or copy some good design from an art magazine. The center panel should be the most prominent, while the side ones each have the same design, re versed to suit the branches of the screen and in its main features har monizing with the center one. When this is done, lay the paper on the panel, tack it in place and along each line of the pattern tack in gently upholstery nails, arranged carefully at equal dis tances. These should be indicated by pencil marks if one has not a correct eye. When this Is done the paper is torn out from beneath the nails, consequent ly too tough paper should not be used, and each nail is then carefully driven home with a hammer until it sinks in to the body of the material itself, giv ing a very rich metallic effect,’ for slight cost and little ingenuity. This style of screen is particularly well suit ed to dining rooms or halls, and may be made almost as effective without a framework, using the plain wooden panels hinged together after the work on them is completed. Artificial habits are born tyrants. * ARTIFICIAL FLOWERS. Something About the War In Which They Are Slade. The ancient Egyptians made artificial flowers of horn shavings, stained in various colors, and leaves of painted linen have been found in tombs at Thebes. From a remote period the Chinese have used the pith of a cer tain kind of bamboo for making flow ers. Crassus, one of the Roman tri umvirs, was the first in Rome to have them made of gold and silver. During! .the middle ages flowers made of metal] satin, silk, wax and paper were usees in the Roman Catholic Church with! symbolical significations; on festal oc-j casions they were worn merely for or-( nament. In 1782 Seguin, a botanist? and chemist, began the manufacture ot flowers in Paris, employing parchmeni} for the flowers and bristles for the stems. His work was so perfect and artistic that the Jealousy of some oij the leading painters was aroused. From that time the manufacture of artificial flowers steadily grew and developed in France, and to-day the French excel in .them. The art was Introduced into England during the French revolution by refugees who made use of it as a means of subsistence. It has been suc cessfully naturalized in the United States. Knives of various sizes and shapes, stamps, goffering-irons of dif ferent kinds, moulds called velners, and agate or glass burnishers, are the chief tools made use of in the manu facture. The leaves and the petals are usually made of silk or cambric, the material to be shaped is folded several times, laid upon a leaden table, and a, stamp is driven through it. Goffering irons are made use of to hollow the petals; veiners, as the name implies, are used to vein the leaves, and the burnishers are employed to give th^ petals a polished appearance. Thq stamens and pistils are formed of wire covered with silk; the stalk is made o$ wire coated with a green material, and; is llxed to the stems and pistils, around which are attached the petals and, lastly, the calyx. Buds are made' of cotton or glass balls covered wlth( silk or cambric. The florists’ fingers, guided by skill and taste, have much to do with the beauty of the flowers produced; great ingenuity to often dis played even in a cheap sprig consist ing of several materials well put to-' gether and arranged. French whole sale houses engaged in the manufacture of artificial flowers have each some special branch: thus, one makes only roses, another wild flowers, a third leaves, etc. The best and most expen sive flowers are hand-painted. Dftuger of Another Famine;* The provisioning of thoBe Russian provinces which have been most af fected by this year’s mad harvest is becoming a question of Increasing dif ficulty. The assembles or aemstvos are now deliberating on the special and urgent measures to be taken for saving the population of the threatened dis tricts from a repetition of the terrible sufferings which they underwent in the last famine. There is general agreement as to the necessity of lend ing the peasants corn bought with the special funds at the disposal of each of the provinces affected, but as the needs of the peasants greatly exceed these resources the assemblies have all decided to ask the government for very large loans of monefr. Bulcldallj Minded Animal*. Herring and other fishes have sought death by rushing ashore in my riads, regiments of ants by deliberate ly walking into streams, swarms of rats by migrating in the face of their deadly foes, and even butterflies by flying in immense clouds straight out to sea. It would be Interesting to learn the causes of this apparent wholesale and deliberate self-destruc tion. NEW THINGS. A bottle-washing machine recently patented has a rotary brush mounted on the end of a hollow shaft with per forations through which water flows to cleanse the bottle as the brush re volves and loosens the dirt. Clotheslines which need no pins to fasten the clothes are being made of wire links with the ends of the wire lying parallel with the side of the link to form spring clamps Into which the cloth is forced to hold It fast. A Washington man has patented a boat which has the rear end submerged with the seat overhanging an open well, the front of the boat being raised above the water line, the advantage being that the boat is not easily rock ed. A new combined spring pedal and toe clip consists of a steel plate riveted to; the pedal shaft with teeth at the rear, edge to grip a cleat in the shoe sole and the front portion elongated and curved over at the end to form a toe clip. To Indicate that the contents have been tempered with or that it has been refilled a new bottle has a double neck forming a chamber, in which is placed a paper or other material which will change color as soon as the liquid touches it. A New York man has patented a reversible street car, in which a turn table is mounted on the truck to sup port the car, which is turned by a crank on the front platform geared to a circular toothed track inside the turntable. Two Pennsylvanians have patented a fruit picker, consisting of a pole with a steel loop at the top, having the upper edge sharpened and bent inward to cut the fruit from the limb. A loose ly woven tube made of cords is attach ed to the under side of the loop and extends down to the lower end of the pole to break the fall of the fruit THE IOWA MURDERER NOVAK IS CONVICTED IN THE SECOND DECREE. The Man Who Wa» Followed Thousand* of Mile*, Being Arrested In Alaska. •» (nuvloted of Mardor—Compromise Verdlet Agreed’Upon After Long Oe llberntlon. _ i Hie Sin round Him Oat. VINTON, la., Nqv. 24.—At 11 o'clock last night the jury in the Novak trial, after having been out nearly twelve hours, returned a verdict of guilty of murder in the second degree and rec ommended that the penalty be ten years at hard labor in the state peni tentiary. The defendant showed no emotion when he heard the verdict and said: "I will have to stand it, but I am in nocent of the things charged against me." Novak's counsel stated that on ap Novak’s counsel stated that an ap peal would be taken to the supreme court for the reason that the record was full of errors. They stated, how ever, that they considered it a victory. It is understood that the verdict Is a compromise one, that the two men stood out for acquittal, and that it must either be the verdict rendered or none, and so it was decided to return the one they did. Nothing outside of a death chamber was as solemn as the little court room this morning during the clos ing hours of the trial of Frank A, Novak. Interest was intense. It was shortly after 9 o'clock when the.day’s proceeding opened in the usual man ner. The prisoner was in his place. His wife sat near. The court room was crowded. The Jury took its place and Mr. Boies resumed the closing argument. Perhaps few men are bet ter equipped by nature to Impress their fellows as being absolutely in earnest, absolutely fair, than he. That he believes the defendant guilty has been evident from the first. The Jury was puzzled, and while it paid the strictest attention to every word spoken, it was impossible to read the thoughts of any. The prisoner sat almoBt directly in front of the Jury. He was wejl dress ed. His linen was Immaculate; he was clean shaven and had almost perfect control of his will. For the first live minutes he seemed somewhat nervous. The deliberate but terrible arraign ment of the attorney had its effect. His face flushed and he trembled. But it was but for a moment or two, and then he regained perfect mastery. He met the impassioned gaze of the lawyer without flinching. When the argument was commenc ed Mrs. Novak looked at her husband, and there was love and pity in her glance. She, too, nerved herself for the ordeal and after the few first mo ments she apepared to be no more interested than others in the room. It was almost 10:30 when Mr. Boles closed his argument—a masterly one. There was no delay. Judge Burnham at once began the instructions to the Jury. The instructions were fair and comprehensive. At 11:10 the reading of the instructions were finished and the Jury retired to its room to delib erate upon a verdict. XfW Plan of llrmn M«»n, CHICAGO, Nov. 24.—The Post’s Washington special says: From mem bers of the democratic national com mittee who are now in the city, it is learned that a plan is on foot to in augurate a new departure next time in the methods of nominating a candi date for the presidency. The scheme Is briefly this: The democratic state conventions will be held as usual in 1900 for tho purpose of electing dele gates to the national convention and doing the usual part toward keeping up the machinery of the party. The convention will order the delegates to meet at once, and Instruct the national committee to re-adopt the Chicago .platform In Its entirety and without changing it in the minutest particular. The delegates will further be instructed to direct the national committee to cast the votes of the state delegations for Mr. Bryan and to authorize that gentleman to name his own running mate. Unanimous assent to this scheme is not expected, but an overwhelming majority is anticipated, and the result will be that there will be no national democratic convention. This proceed ing is yet three years distant and many things may happen, but there is no question about the intention of the Bryanites to force the re-nomination of the Nebraskan in the manner that has been outlined above. Fix Value of Kama* Pacific. WASHINGTON, Nov. 23.—E. Ellery Anderson of New York and Oliver W. Mink of Boston, receivers of the Union Pacific railway, had a two-hour con sultation with Attorney General Mc Kenna today. They came at the Invi tation of the attorney general to give him such Information as they po sessed bearing on the value of the Kansas Pacific road, which is to be sold December 15. He questioned them at length on the value and equipment of the road, Us earnings and income and they gave him all the data which they had. This Information will be used by the attorney general in ar riving at a definite conclusion as to the value of the property with a view to the protection of the government’s Interests. The Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Taul road advanced Its freight rates from Iowa points to Minneapolis and St. Paul. Slajrrr of an Kdltor Kxhoneratcd. WACO, Tex., Nov. 24.—At the hear ing in the case of Colonel G. B. Cer ald, who was wounded and who shot and killed the Harris brothers—one an editor—In a controversy arising out of the Brann-Baylor trouble, it was shown that Colonel Gerald did not draw his weapon until he himself was under »ross-flre from the Harris broth ers, and that the shooting was In self defense. He was exonerated by the court. The Omaha commercial club will make an effort ta double Its member ship. 9‘ FRIENDS OF CUBA. Alien and Co- Worker* leads an AddrMV to th«* I’nblle. NEW YORK, Nov. 24.—-The follow Ing address from the Cuban league of the United States has been given to • v® 'J-X' ’ f. "VV; the press: To the members of the Cuban league of the United States: The Cuban prob lem, which so Ions has rested as a blight upon the consciences of our peo ple, approaches its solution. Inde pendence for the suffering patriots now within our timely action, rounds out their years of trial, with deserved recompense. This great consumma tion the American people should forthwith demand from their political representatives. The cowardice of wealth seducing our officials to inac tion white murder has been done, the insincerity of rulers inventing Special pleas to cover their treachery to na tional duty, the open and unnecessary Interference with the legal commerce of the country aa an set of grace to brutal Spain and making us her ally against those following our hlstorle teaching, have all run their course to the wounding of national pride, and to oar utterly exhausted patience. But time, and the Cuban sword, have brought the crisis which foreruns a. final cure In Cuban Independence. This Is the hour of American opportunity. Effective work can be done, which, If well done .will go far to excuse our past neglect. Congress is the objective ipolnt. Cuba should be put on equal terms with Spain regarding supplies from out burdened magazines. Flour, cattle, horses and' arms from American soil, by night and day, go in a steady rush to the Cuban shores far the Sup* port of the forces of monarchist Spain? none of these can go hence to feed the starving patriots of republican Cuba. The soldiers we have thds fed use the life we give them to erase from the earth an entire population by deeds of horror whose recitals freeze the heart of the civilized world. Unmoved we have so far heard the wall of the vic tims or have furnished new blades for Spanish hands to Insure the work of Cuban decimation. Belligerent rights to Cuba will quickly change this brutal panorama. The senate has already ordered its ver dict for such rights, and the lower house should respond before the new year comes In. The Cuban league of the United States now calls upon its entire family of five hundred branches to unite as one voice In a demand upon their congressional representatives to vote this way. All other organized friends and also Individuals, of whom there are hundreds of thousands sympathis ing with Cuba, are urged to the same activity. Following belligerent rights, independence Is assured. Be not de ceived by the ignorance or the hypoc risy of those who argue against this remedy. There are other cures, but belligerent rights la now the most available and the moat effective. This will enable Cuba to draw support from us, as Spain has done and on equal terms. Our neutrality laws cover bel ligerents with the same shield. Cun ning sympathizers with Spanish bar barity affect to see danger to Cuba It* this, but the facts and the laws ex pose their insincerity. With the grant of belligerency from ns, American gen erosity and patriotism would croVfd Cuba with hillocks of munitions of war for the patriots and for the otter destruction of her oppressors. 1 • fv;iC Cftfinrilnn Prloin. DES MOINES, la., Nov. 24.—A Klon dike company has been incorporated here with Auditor of State McCarthy and National Republican Committee man Cummins among the incorpora tors. It is said the company has a plan for securing valuable concessions from the Canadian government. ' ''j! • || i Cabinet A-*na fur a Wpddltt(. WASHINGTON, Nov. 24.—The eab inet held a very short meeting yester day,as the president and several of its members attended the wedding of Mr. Harlan, son of Justice Harlan, and Miss Noble. The time of the meeting was taken up with matters from the several departments. President Mc Kinley informed the cabinet that h|» message was practically completed, but he did not read any portion of it to them. It ia probable that the mes sage will be considered at tfeft nett meeting. *