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About The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 31, 1901)
B ■■ iibi iiiiiu ja—MB Ti i ■! ■ 11 in i ■in1 tr w wm 1 The Diamond Bracelet By MRS. HENRY WOOD. Author of East Lynne, Etc. CHAPTER I. The afternoon of a hot June day was drawing towards evening, and the great world of London—for It was the height of the season—was beginning to think of dinner. In a well-furnished dressing room, the windows being open for air, the blinds drawn down to ex clude the sun, stood a lady whose maid was giving the touch to her rich attire. It was Lady Sarah Hope. “What bracelets, my lady?” asked the maid, taking a small bunch of keys from her pocket. “None, now; it is so very hot, Alice,” added Lady Sarah, turning to a young lady who was leaning back on the sofa, "have them ready displayed for me when I come up, and I will decide then.” “I have them ready, Lady Sarah?” t returned Miss Seaton. L “If you will be so kind. Hughes, give the key to Miss Seaton.” Lady Sarah left the room, and then the maid, Hughes, began taking one of the small keys off the ring. “I have got leave to go out, miss,” she explain ed, “and am going directly. My moth er is not well, and wants to see me. This is the key, miss.” As Miss Seaton took it, Lady Sarah reappeared at the door. “Alice, you may as well bring the jewel box down to the back drawing room. I shall not care to come up here after dinner; we shall be late as it is.” “What’s that about a jewel box?” in quired a pretty looking girl, who had come from another apartment. “Lady Sarah wishes me to bring her bracelets down to the drawing room, that she may choose which to put on. It was too hot to dine in them,” “Are you not coming in to dinner to day. Alice?” “No. I walked out, and it has tired me, as usual. I have had some tea in stead.” i would noi ue yuu iui an me world, Alice! To possess so little capa bility for enjoying life. No, not even for you, Alice.” “Yet if you were as I am, weak in health and strength, your lot would have been so smoothed to you that you . would not repine at or regret it.” ' “You mean I should be content,” laughed the young lady.” “Well, there is nothing like contentment, the sages >■ tell us. One of my detestable school room copies used to be “Contentment is happiness.’ ” “I can hear the dinner being taken in,” said Alice; “you will be laie in the dining room.” As Lady Francis Cfcenevix turned away to fly down the stairs, her light, rounded form, her elastic step, all tell ing of health and enjoyment, presented a marked contrast to that of Alice Sea ton. Alice’s face was indeed strangely beautiful; almost too refined and deli cate for the wear and tear of common life; but her figure was weak and stooping and her gait feeble. Of ex ceedingly good family, she had sud denly been thrown from her natural position of wealth and comfort to com parative poverty, and had found refuge as "companion” to Lady Sarah Hope. Colonel Hope was a thin, spare man, with sharp brown eyes and sharp fea tures, looking so shrunk and short, that he must have been smuggled into the army under weight, unless he had since been growing downwards. No stranger could have believed him at ease in his circumstances, any more than they could have believed him a colonel who had seen hard service in India, for his clothes were frequently threadbare. A black ribbon supplied the place of gold chain, as guard to his watch, and a blue, tin-looking thing of a galvanized ring did duty for an other ring on his finger. Yet he was rich; of fabulous riche6, people said; but he was of a close disposition, es pecially as regarded his personal out lay. In his home and to his wife he was liberal. They had been married several years, but had no children, and his large property was not entailed; it was believed that his nephew, Ger ard Hope, would inherit it, but some dispute had recently occurred, and Gerard had been turned from the house. Lady Francis Chenevix, the sister of Lady Sarah, but considerably younger, had been paying them an eight months’ visit in the country, and had now come up to town with them. Alice Seaton lay on the sofa for half an hour, and then, taking the bracelet box in her hands, descended to the drawing rooms. It was intensely hot; a sultry, breathless heat, and Alice threw open the back windows, which, in truth made it hotter, for the sun gleamed right thwart the leads which stretched themselves beyond the win dow, over the out buildings at the back of the row of houses. She sat down near the back window and began to put out some of the bracelets on the table before it. They were rare and rich; of plain gold, of silver, of pearl, of precious stones. One of them was of gold links, studded with diamonds. It was very valuable, and had been the present of Colonel Hope to his wife on her recent birth day. Another diamond bracelet was there, but it was not so beautiful or so costly as this. When her task was done. Miss Seaton passed into the front drawing room, and threw up one of its large windows. Still there was no air in the room. As she stood at it a handsome young man, tall and powerful, who was walking on the op posite side of the street, caught her eye. He nodded, hesitated, and then crossed the street as if to enter. “It is Gerard!” uttered Alice, under her breath. "Can he be coming here?” She walked away from the window hastily, and sat down by the bedecked table in the other room. "Just as I supposed!” exclaimed Gerard Hope, entering, and advancing to Alice with stealthy steps. “When I saw you at the window, the thought struck me that you were alone here, and they at dinner. Thomas happened to be airing himself at the door, so I crossed and asked him, and came up. How are you, Alice?” “Have you come to dinner?” inquir ed Alice, speaking at random, and angry at her own agitation. “I come to dinner!” repeated Mr. Hope. “Why, you know they’d as soon sit down with the hangman.” “Indeed, I know nothing about it. I was in hopes you and the Colonel might be reconciled. Why did you come in? Thomas will tell.” “No, he won’t. I told him not. Alice, the idea of your never coming up til! June! Some whim of Lady Sarah’s I suppose. Two or three times a week for the last month have I been march ing past this house, wondering when it was going to show signs of life. Is Francis here still?” “Oh, yes; she is going to remain here some time.” “To make up for—Alice, was it not a shame to turn me out?” “I was extremely sorry for what happened, Mr. Hope, but I knew noth ing of the details. Lady Sarah .said you had displeased the Colonel, and after that she never mentioned your name.” “What a show of smart things you have got here, Alice! Are you going to set up a bazaar?”, “They are Lady Sarah’s bracelets.” "So they are, I see! This is a gem,” added Mr. Hope, taking up the fine diamond bracelet already mentioned. I don’t remember this one.” "It is new. The Colonel has just given it to her.” wnat am u cost: “Do you think I am likely to know? I question if Lady Sarah heard it her self.” “It never cost a farthing less than 200 guineas,” mused Mr. Hope, turning the bracelet In various directions, that its rich diamonds might give out their gleaming light. “I wish it was mine.” "What should you do with it?” laughed Alice. “Spout It.” “I do not understand,” returned Alice. She really did not. “I beg your pardon, Alice. T was thinking of the colloquial lingo famil iarly applied to such transactions, in stead of to whom I was talking. I meant to raise money upon it.” “Oh, Mr. Hope!” "Alice, that’s twice you have called me ‘Mr. Hope.’ I thought I was Ger ard’ to you before I went away.” “Time has elapsed since, and you seem like a stranger again,” returned Alice, a flush rising to her sensitive face. “But you spoke of raising money. I hope you are not in tempo rary embarrassment.” “A jolly good thing for me if it turns out only temporary,” he rejoin ed. “Look at my position! Debts hanging over my head—for you may be sure, Alice, all young men, with a limited allowance and large expecta tions, contract them—and thrust out of my uncle’s home with the loose cash I had in my pockets, and my clothes sent after me.” “Has the Colonel stopped your al lowance?” CHAPTER II. Mr. Hope laid down the bracelet from whence he had taken it, before he replied. "He stopped it then, and I have not had a shilling since, except from my own resources. I first went upon tick; then I disposed of my watch and chain, and all ray other little matters of value; and now I am upon tick again.” “Upon what?” uttered Alice. “You don't understand these free terms, Alice,” he said, looking fondly at her, “and I hope you may never have occasion. Frances would, she has lived in their atmosphere.” “Yes, I know what an embarrassed man the Earl is, if you allude to that. But I am grieved to hear about your self. Is the Colonel implacable? What was the cause of the quarrel?” “You know I was to be his heir. Even if children had come to him, he had undertaken amply to provide for me. Last Christmas he suddenly sent for me, and told me it was his pleasure and Lady Sarah’s that I should take up my abode with them. So I did, glad to get into such good quarters, and stopped there, like an innocent, unsuspicious lamb, till—when was it, Alice?—April. Then the plot came out. They had fixed upon a wife for me, and I was to hold myself in readi ness to marry her at any given mo ment." “Who was it?" inquired Alice, in a low tone, as she bent her head over the bracelets. “Never mind," said Mr. Hope, “i£ wasn’t you. I said I would not have her, and they both, he and Lady Sa rah. pulled me and my taste to pieces, and assured me I was a monster of in gratitude. It provoked me into con fessing that I liked somebody else bet ter, and the Col n?l turned me out.” Alice looked her sorrow, but she did not express it. “And since then I have been having a fight with my creditors, putting them off with fair words and promises. But they have grown incredulous, and it has come to dodging. In favor with my uncle and his acknowledged heir, they would have given me unlimited time and credit, but the breach is known, and it makes all the difference. With the value of that at my disposal” —nodding at the bracelet—"I should stop some pressing trifles and go on again for awhile. So you see, Alice, a diamond bracelet may be of use even to a gentleman, should some genial fortune drop such into his hands.” “I sympathize with you very much,” said Alice, “and I wish I had it in my power to aid you.” “Thank you for your kind wishes; I know they are genuine. . When my uncle sees the name of Gerard Hope figuring in the Insolvent list, or among the outlays, he—Hark! can they be coming up from dinner?” “Scarcely yet,” said Alice, starting up simultaneously with himself, and listening. “But they will not sit long today because they are going to the opera. Gerard, they must not find you here.” “And get you turned out as well as myself! No! not if I can help it. Alice”—suddenly laying his hands upon her shoulders, and gazing down Into her eyes—“do you know who it was I had learned to love, instead of —of the other?” She gasped for breath, and her color went and came. “No—no; do not tell me, Gerard.” “Why, no, I had better not under present circumstances, but when the good time comes—for all their high roped indignation must and will blow over—then I will! and here’s the pledge of it.” He bent his head, took one long, earnest kiss from her lips, and was gone. Agitated almost to sickness, tremb ling and confused, Alice stole to look after him, terrified lest he might not escape unseen. She crept partly down stairs, so as to obtain sight of the hall door and make sure that he got out in safety. As he drew it open, there stood a lady Just about to knock. She said something to him and he waved his hand toward the staircase. Alice saw that the visitor was her sis ter, a lady well married and moving In the fashionable world. She met her and took her into the front drawing room. “I cannot stay to sit down, Alice; I must make haste back to dress, for I am engaged to three or four places to night. Neither do I wish to horrify Lady Sarah with a visit at this unto ward hour. I had a request to make to you and thought to catch you be fore you went in to dinner.” “They are alone and are dining earlier than usual. 1 was too tired to appear. What can I do for you?” “In one word—I am in pressing need for a little money. Can you lend It me?” “I wish I could,” returned Alice; “I am so very sorry. I sent all I had to poor mamma the day before we came to town. It was only £25.” “That would have been of no use to me; I want more. I thought if you had been misering up your salary you might have had a hundred pounds or so by you.” Alice shook her head. “I should be a long while saving up a hundred pounds, even if dear mam ma had no wants. But I send to her what I can spare. Do not be in such a hurry,” continued Alice, as her sis ter was moving to the door. "At least wait one minute till I fetch you a let ter I received from mamma this morn ing in answer to mine. You will like to read it, for it is full of news about the old place. You can take it home with you.” (To be continued.) TRIMMED HAT FOR “MERIKY.” America Too Big for an English Woman and She Returned. • One day a stout person penetrated from the laundry to the drawing-room door, hastily pulling down the sleeves over her scarlet muscular arms. "If you please, Missus,” she said, “doost’a think th’ young lady as Is so clever at. trimmin’ th’ats a’d be so kind as to trim me oop one? A’ ’ardly like to ask, but hoo’s that kind a’ thowt a’d try.” The young lady, a visitor In the house, was greatly taken with the idea, and the dolly tub was left to It self for a time while Eliza expounded her views, which were definite, as to choice among the prevailing fashions. When the work of art was completed she expressed high satisfaction. “A’ wanted to luik well wen a’ goes over there to my son and ’Is family, d’yo’ see’?’ “Over where, Eliza?” “Why, over at 'Merlky, Missus; a’m going to see un just now. A’ meant to las’ year, but a’ couldna save quite enough for th’ passage money; now wi’ yo’ washin’ all winter that’s a’ right, so a’m goin’ over in th’ Teutonic week after next to ’ave a look round at them aw’. There’s my sister’s ’usband out too since last Barnaby, and my nee bour as well. While work’s been slack in town, folks thowt they’d try th’ other side.” So Eliza tried the other side, too, but not finding it to her liking, returned to Milltown and reap peared at the washtub with as little in the way of travelers’ tales as any one who ever left her native land.—Nine teenth Century. Reform* in Old lUexIoo. President Diaz is said to be consid ering plans to check the trusts in .Mex ico. One of the greatest of these is the great Mexican lottery, with draw ings once a month in the City of Mex ico. Does Diaz contemplate any inter ference with that?—St. Louis Star. FREE TRADE SPIRIT. DESPICABLE FALSEHOODS RESORTED TO BY COBDENITES. Their Industrious Efforts to Make It Appear That President McKinley Had Decided to Abandon the Policy of Protection. On the day that President McKinley was shot the Toledo, O., Bee published the following in reference to the Presi dent’s speech at Buffalo. The down right falsehoods of it are well matched by the detestably mean spirit of it: “To advocate reciprocity is to admit everything that was ever claimed for free trade. It simply means an appli cation of the principle on the install ment plan. And we are glad to see this deathbed repentance of the man who played his way to the Presidency on one string, and that sting Protec tion. He can no longer make intelli gent people believe that we can build a stone wall around this country and live isolated from the remainder of the world. Besides that, his patrons, the trusts, need the foreign as well as the domestic market now, and McKinley must hedge." Reciprocity Is not free trade by in stallments, unless reciprocity is to de part from what the Republican party has officially described it to be and what has been wrought into treaties during the last dozen years. The Blaine, McKinley and Dlngley recip rocity, as expressed in the acts of 1890 and 1897, indorsed by Republican na tional conventions and confirmed by Republican senates, doe3 not remove duties from articles on which Protec tion is needed. The duties given up are those previously levied on non competitive products and not re quired for revenue. The term "free trade” as generally used does not mean the absence of all duties on imports, but the absence of protection. Reciprocity is not hostile to Protection, but is, as the Iowa Re publicans recently put It, “the com plement to Protection." In advocating reciprocity, therefore, the President was not pulishing a "deathbed repent ance,” as the Bee so delicately puts it, but was enforcing a method which was incorporated in the law of 1890 which bears his name. The effort of the Bee was to de grade and besmirch the President by making it appear that he had changed his politics, and that he had done so because he could no longer deceive the people with protection ideas. Some what similar is the strain piped forth in many other Democratic or anti-pro tection papers in respect to the speech, though none other, so far noted, is so vulgar in its misrepresentation. It is such lying and coarse vituperation of men bearing the great burdens of the state that nerve the arm of ignorance to the point of assassination. PROTECTION AND PRIOES. Fifty years ago 90 per cent of all the carpets consumed in this country were imported from abroad. Today, accord ing to Mr. George McNeir, secretary for W. & J. Sloane, 90 per cent of the car pets consumed in this country are made in the United States. The amount of capital invested in the car pet industry has increased from $4, 000,000 in 1850 to $60,000,000 in 1901, and the yearly output of carpets has increased from $6,000,000 to $75,000,000, Some 45,000 persons are now. employed in the carpet mills. According to Mr. McNeir, too, “the wonderful growth in this Industry is due more largely to the protection afforded by tariff legis lation than to all other causes com bined." The growth of the industry, furthermore, has been accompanied by a material reduction in prices. Twen ty-five years ago Wilton carpets sold for $3.25 per yard; now they sell for less than two-thirds of that amount. Twenty-five years ago Moquette car pets sold for $2 per yard; now they sell for less than half of that amount. The history of the carpet industry affords a very good illustration of what the protective tariff policy has done for this country. Through it both produc er and consumer have been benefited. Capital has found opportunity for in vestment with good returns, labor has found employment at good wages, and, at the same time, the consumer has had the advantage of decreased cost of production and a consequent lower ing of prices. UNITED STATES AND RUSSIA. Thera is every indication, officially and unofficially, that Russia is not seeking a commercial war with the United States, and that so far from combining with Germany or other Eu ropean governments in a tariff war against us, she wishes to be on terms of the best commercial amity with us. We know this has been her policy for three-quarters of a century, and there is no reason that a trifling sugar tariff question should disturb it. There is no hostility either on the part of the Russian government or tile Russian people against the American govern ment or people. Gen. F. D. Grant, just home from a trip through Russia, provides some facts that will probably astonish many whose opinions have been carelessly formed, and will serve to confirm the more conscientious judgment of others. So far from finding in the czar's do main any sentiment favorable to Euro pean commercial combination against the United States, General Grant found a distinctly friendly feeling among the upper and middle classes, a.nd a aanse of genuine regret that any tariff dis pute, with its possibility of damaging consequences, should have arisen be tween the two countries. He reports also the visible evidences of remark able material and nodal progress there since his last visit to Russia in 1872. —Chicago (III.) Journal. BARLEY AS AN ILLUSTRATION. A free trade organ says: ‘‘General Grosvenor Is still talking about barley; if there were no tariff to exclude this grain our barley g:owers, he says, would starve to death." That is a fair specimen of free trade argument. General Grosvenor never Bald a word about our barley growers starving to death under any circumstances. But he did say that before the pas sage of the McKinley bill in 1890 over 11,000.000 bushels of barley, worth nearly $7,000,000, were Imported from Canada in one year, while in recent years the imports have not exceeded 200,000 bushels. As the price of bar ley has been lower since the exclusion of the Canadian product no one was harmed by the tariff on barley. If the tariff were removed the imports from Canada would be much larger now than before, owing to greater area available for cultivation. General Grosvenor says that it would be su preme folly to remove the tariff and put millions of dollars in the pockets of Canadian farmers at the expense of our farmers, and any sensible man who understands the question will agree with him. Gen. Grosvenor merely used the bar ley question to illustrate the beneficent effects of the protective tariff. As we exported in the fiscal year 1900 barley to the extent of 23,661,062 bushels, and Representative Babcock advocates the removal of the tariff on all articles ex ported, under his proposition barley would go on the free list, solely to the benefit of the Canadians. Gen. Gros venor pointed out the extreme folly of such a course, and his argument to that effect is sound and unimpeach able.—Philadelphia Press. SOMETHING DOING. “Something doing” becomes more than a mere slang phrase under Ding ley law conditions. There is "some thing doing” for the hundreds of thou sands of workmen who have continu ous employment in place of Idleness; “something doing” for the manufactur ers, who see a balance on the right side of the ledger; “something doing” for the railroads and the employes of the railroads in the handling of many more tons of freight dally than ever before in their history; "something doing” for the farmers In performing the task of feeding the mil lions of prosperous, happy, clamorous industrial workers. In short, there Is not only “something doing,” in con trast to the "nothing doing” in Wilson law days, but there is more than some thing; there is a very great deal doing all along the Industrial line. FEELING QUITE COMFORTABLE. WHY HE WORRIES NOW. The position of secretary of the treasury is no sinecure. Under Demo cratic free trade the secretary Isn’t able to sleep nights for thinking about the deficit which in those circum stances Is sure to grow bigger and big ger as the months go by. Under Re publican protection the secretary has his worries, too, for he has to worry about the increasing surplus which the protection policy always piles up In the national treasury. That is what Is said to be troubling Secretary Gage now. There is a choice between the two situations, though, and whenever Secretary Gage feels more than ordi narily troubled about the surplus which Is accumulating he has only to think of the days of Cleveland free trade and the condition of the treasury under the Wilson law, and It will make him thankful for his mercies. Do Yon Want It t In the campaign of 1892 one of the Democratic walls was that some Amer ican manufacturers sold goods cheaper in Europe than at home. Then the Democrats got In. How did they cure the discrimination referred to? By re ducing the tariff so that foreign man ufacturers could undersell our own In this market. Then American factories closed and hundreds of thousands of men went without work. The Demo crats make the same wail now and want to repeat the remedy. What do the workers say to it? Why Not ? If the country were suffering today for lack of work and money the anti tariff men would hold the Dingley act responsible for It, wouldn’t they? As the opposite is the case why not give the Dingley act some of the credit for it? Be fair about it. Conundrum. How much better off would a work man be if he could save $5.70 a year by the removal of the duty on raw sugar and, by similar changes in his own business, find himself obliged to work for $1.75 a day instead of $2.50? Circumventing- the Hessian Fly. From a recent bulletin on the Hea lian fly Issued by the Kansas Experi ment station we take the following: Concerning the value of burning the itubble, and thus destroying the con tained pupae of the fly, opinion li somewhat divided. If done at once ifter harvesting, especially in fleldt where the header was used, this meth od is certainly effective, If practiced by che neighborhood In general. But by turning, not only are the pupae of th« fly destroyed, but the contained para ittes as well, whose aid Is the more mportant factor, after all. In the sub jugation of the ,pest. Moreover, th» ournlng of the stubble, in the oplniot jf some wheat growers, robs the soli #f Important physical, If not manuriai constituents, which Bhould be Incor porated by plowing under and not de itroyed by burning. Early plowing ol :he stubble ground, as soon as possibly ifter harvest, If the ground be com pacted afterward by harrowing or roll ing, will serve the same end with lest loss in this respect. Considered in all relations, where one method alone is followed, it is beBt, in the writer's opinion, to depend upon late sowing. The adult insect flies and lays eggs according to season earlier or later in summer or fall, but cannot withstand the frost; and wheal appearing after the first white frosl of the season will be free from attack. This fact is confirmed by the present year’s experience of correspondents ol the Kansas station. Early sown areas, on the other hand, will sometimes be found so badly infested, through the massing of the insects thereon, that the wintering of the plant will be a matter of doubt. Against the spring brood, which weakens the stalk and lightens the grain, little can be done except by means to limit the winter brood of lar vae. The thorough destruction of vol unteer wheat, accompanied by late seeding, through their reductirn of the numbers of insects wintering over, are the most practical means. Owing to the situation of the larvae in the crown of the plant, there is little possibility of valuable results from pasturing the wheat during fall and winter. Where fields are pastured early, chance eggs may be destroyed before hatching, hut the advantage thus gained will be Blight, if any. Science In Planting Corn. At the Illinois State Fair last week we noticed one modern corn planter that was in charge of a man who had sufficient information on the science oi corn planting to know how a machine of that kind should work and also knew how to impart his information. In one discussion with a bystander he quoted the words of a speaker at the Peoria corn carnival last year, in which he said, "The corn you bring here to exhibit is not the corn that grew on stalks where several stalks stand together in a hill; it is from stalks that stand one or two in a hill; then why not have more hills of corn and fewer stalks in a hill?” There is in this remark much truth, but also an element of error. The science of corn planting is one that requires much careful study. The proximity of stalks has very much to do with the yield oi corn, both seed and stalk. The corn planters now on the mar ket are perfected to such an extent that they will drop as many kernels In a place as Is necessary; and this place* the solution of the problem largely in tho bands of the man doing the plant ing. Some of the machines will drop two kernels in one place and three in the next and continue the alternation Indefinitely. This arrangement Is very good for rich ground. International lln Stock Exposition. Great progress is being made in th« preparations for the second Interna tional Live Stock Exposition, to bs held in Chicago, November 30th to De cember 7th. One of the most Important features that will interest the live stock people of the country is the series of sales ta be given during the exposition. From December 2d to 6th there will be sales of pure-bred cattle which proihise to Include the very best types that have ever been raised. Equally Important are the sales which are being arranged for the other divisions of the great ex position, and this will form an im portant chapter in the history of the animal Industry of the world. In making a special bid for the ex hibition of car lots of cattle, sheep and swine, the management of the ex position has stirred up the transporta tion lines to an unusual degree and special provisions are made for the handling and care of this branch oi the exposition. Efforts are being made to secure the beet plan for dem onstrating not only the maintenance of the highest standard of prices, bui also the benefits directly derived by the growers and breeders from th« sacrifices they may have made at some earlier time in order to advance tha breeding and standard of live stock. Wouldn't Insist on Justice. “My lawyer,” said the colored pris oner to the judge, “hez axed fer Jus tice, but I wish you’d des gimme ten years en call it square!”—Atlanta Con stitution. The orange tree is very fruitful; a single tree will produce 20,000 oranges fit for use. A good lemon tree will produce 8,000 lemons. The United States consumes annual ly 1,257,000,000 gallons of coffee, which amounts to over $125,000,000. The cost of the beverages consumed yearly by the United States amounts to nnor« than enough to manage the affairs of a nation.
