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About The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965 | View Entire Issue (April 26, 1917)
t he Man Who Forgot A NOVEL By JAMES HAY, JR. GARDEN CITY NEW YORK DOUBLEDAY, PAGE & COMPANY 1915 CHAPTER XX (Continued). Like all the rest, lie was travel ling toward the House of Happi ness — the great, palace about which all had heard and toward which all turned their laces with a longing that was quite beyond the power df words to express. For it was a gorgeous palace, with many rooms, some of marble, some of purple porphyry, some of light green,jade, and some of rare, red dish alabaster all of them lighted from above through a roof that was one unbroken sheet of gold beatgri so fine that the sunlight muno through it iri softened yellow splerickrr. But tiie strange tiling was that, although the House of Happiness seemed a very short, distance away, the Happy Highway was long. 'Die House of Happiness should have been reached within an hour, but there were those who had traveled the Happy Highway for years and years. Tips, however, did not worry the young man. He was beautiful, and he was young, and his smile played always upon his face until it seemed that magic brushes had painted upon his lips the picture of perfect dreams. And this was no surprising thing, for all along the highway, which was a deep, yellow carpet of asphodel, hun dreds upon hundreds of people vied with each other to do him service. All his wishes were gratified, and the hours were, for him, fairies of plenty flashing past him on jewelled wings. "I saw yesterday a young girl whose hair was like a rain of stars, he said once,“and the snow of her breast was lovelier than the snow of the breast of any other young girl. Why can 1 not have the pricclr ;s jewels to hang about her neck jewels to pay her for the kiss she gave me when 1 passed And immediately a great strong man eame up to the edge ot' the highway and spoke to him. Over the edges of the stranger’s hands, which he held in the shape of a bowl, jewels of red and green and blue am! dazzling white flowed, a cascade of colour. “All these,” the strong man said, “are for you - to pay the young girl for the kiss she gave you.” And the young man’s smile has brighter than it had ever been. Its loveliness was not marred, even the slightest, bit, when the bent old man, who had long, snowy hair and an expression that was like a blessing, pointed out that the House of Happiness was still a long way off. “I heard a woman sing sweetly this morning,” he said on another day. “hut she was far away, and the distance spoiled the perfection of her voice. Why cannot some woman sing to me here in the shade of this linden tree?” And immediately a woman with ryes that were deeper than many seas eame and sang to him. Be hind her won three maidens who followed the air of her song on queer, stringed instruments the like of which he had never seen but which laughed with joy and sobbed in sorrow, so that, even if the woman had not sung, he would have been moved greatly by the music. But the woman's singing was sweeter than that of night ingales and mockingbirds, and, as he looked at her, ho fancied that her teeth were the edges of a crys tal hell against which her tongue rang like a clapper made of one great red ruby. “1 like to sing for those who like to listen,” she told him, “and I will conn again to sing to you here in tin shade of this linden tree.” And his smile wore a new beauty because it had in it the softnes> of dreams. Its radiance was not dimmed, even the slightest bit when the old man pointed out that the House of Happiness seemed a. far off as cvi r. “The work! is so big and ib loveliness so wide,” the younj. man said later on, “that 1 hart not time to see it all. Surely there are wonderful pictures the have been made. Why cannot sec the great pictures men havi made?” And immedi.. a man, whose I . . - 16 | eyes held in their depths lights so j elusive and mysterious that no j body could read even a few of ; ill cm, brought him pictures of | mountains wrapped in shadows , like purple velvet, of hillsides gay lm the royal splendor of October’s I green and gold, of lovers, bare Iarmed and with mouths that were to each other like honey, of a woman whose smile had shone through many centuries, of men going in their gorgeous strengt.h to battle and death. ' These pictures,” the man said, “were made by the great dream ers of the world, so that all other men, less fortunate, might he able to see from afar how splendid it is to dream. And, if you call me, I shall come again and show you more of the great pictures men have made.” And the young man’s smile was more radiant than ever because he hail been led into the company of dreamers. Its beauty was not disturbed, even the slightest hit, when the bent old mam suggested that ho still was far from the House of Happiness. The perfume of the flowers about rue,” he said one day, “is exquisite, but surely there are sweeter fragrances to he found. Cannot my senses be wooed by a perfume surpassing all these?” There came up swiftly from one of the fields a little woman who was of great age, and she carried very carefully in her hand a tear jar like those that were fashioned centuries ago for Hie women of China. And she removed its stopper and held it close to the young man’s nostrils. The sweet ness of it was ineffable, so over powering that for a moment he nearly swooned away. “This,” she said, “is the breath of a flower that bloomed a thous and thousand years ago. Few of 1 he sons of men ever knew of it. ii was grown by the priests ot a forgotten religion, in a walled garden, for the pleasure of a ‘king’s daughter. But on the Happy Highway it is possible to lint! all tin sc things. When she was gone, the young man smiled again, anti his joy was so great that he sighed aftt ;■ lie had smiled. But he did not sigh when the limit old man pointed tint that the House of Happiness wai yet a long way oil. “Women have been kind to me," he said on another da\, "and their arms have been warm about me, and they have sung to me by day and by night all' the songs that stir the souls of men. But surely there must be in ibis per led world one perfeet woman. Why have 1 not found her? And lo! there came to him be side the fountain at which he sat a woman whose walk was like the beginnings of music. Her hair was softer and blacker than the soft, .black reaches of the night, and her breast, which stormed lu multuonsly because of him, was lairer than any ever uncurtained bv the reverent hand of sculpture. Her robe fell about her loosely, and her long black lashes half hid her eyes, as if she awaited but a word from him to lift them and let him read all the sweet secrets of heV surrendering soul. He kissed her that day and for many days and mam nights there alter, and they made songs togeth er, sitting by tile fountain. (Ireat visions came to them unhidden, and he was king and she was j queen of the land where dreams i come tine. NS hen she left him, lie was smil ing, and, still smiling, he bent ovei the fountain to drink of the deba table waters. And the untroubled surlaee of the waters was a mil row, which showed him the exact picture of his smile. .lie started back, affrighted, ties porately eager to disbelieve what , lie had seen. But at last he looked again. And lie knew that his eye ; did not deceive him. Ills smile wu twister!. t It was no longer a heautifu : j smile. In laet. he told himself • . there was hi ii some little thin-. ■Jwhich made it hideous, eu1irt-l\ t different from any of the smile. 1 he hail seen on the faces of tin ■ thous..lids who travelled the Hap py Highway. .- A young girl, holding a rose V ! its stem hot ween her teeth, stopped land looked at him. "Tell me,” he said anxiously, j "is my smile hideous?” The young girl looked at him a long moment, and her eyes were | troubled. “It is not like anything I havr | seen on the Happy Highway,” she answered, and turned from him. The bent old man was regarding him steadfastly. j “Why is rny smile hideous?" asked the young man wringing his ■ hands in anguish. " It is a message from the House | of Happiness,” the old man said j with an earnestness that barely escaped being sadness, “the writ ing from the ruler of the House i of Hapiness. Sooner or later it comes to everybody on the Happy Highway. “The man bearing the jewels for the young girl who kissed you ;.s yon passed- you failed to note, perhaps, that his shoes were dusty and his hands knotted and scarred. "The woman who sang to you you did not read the story in her deep, deep eyes—the shadows of the longings and sorrows that had shaken her and bruised her that she might at last put her soul into a song. “And he who pleased you with pictures you did not see that he was thin and tremulous with weakness because of hunger and suffering. The makers of pictures starve and sutler and die so that they may leave behind them the glory they have in their hearts. “And the tear jar with its w<$n derfui perfume—you have not learned that flowers are the spirits of dead loves and lonely ■women's tears. , "But the woman who came to you at the fountain and made songs with you she gave you her self, all her visions, all her dreams. And yet, you gave her nothing, and you let her go. The sintering and the sears of all these things were as nothing to the woe you brought to her and the sear you put upon her soul.’’ "But what does it all mean?" asked the young man, heartbroken and astonished. n moans, said tlie bent old man, .“that sill may reach the Happy Highway, but that the only stall which will support any one to the House of Happiness is kindly service. You will observe that the blessed palace is far away. All these pilgrims served you, and you have served none. Tii^y are rewarded. Look!” The young man looked, and he was amazed by what he saw. f ar down the Happy Highway, almost w ithin the shadow of the House ol Happiness, were those who had served him and been kind to him lh«' strong man through whose tin gers jewels ran like a flood of color in the sloping sunlight, the winging woman followed by the three girls with their strange, at ringed instruments, and she who had kissed him many day's and many nights and made songs with him by t he fountain. Ami the Vouug man stood and thought tor a great, great while alter the bent old man had left i him. The long mauve shadow s fell j longer and longer across the Han | py Highway. And the one bird who sang at that hour made her song one lingering, plaintive note. Tile House of 1 lappine was swul ! lowed up in the distance. “I must render service to oth ers, ’ the young man said softly “ 1 have taken every i !iiug and giv en nothing. I must make somebody happy. I must hurry to the House if ! lappiness. \nd he wept bitterly. Then, suddenly, even while lie hruslmd away his tiers, he found that he was running, light footed, along the deep, yellow carpet of asphodel and that he could see I again the lovely gold roof of the ! 1 louse of 1 lappiness! (tn the end of liis story there ! was in the room absolute silence ! save for the whimpering of the flames. He sat, his elbows on his ! knees, his hands hanging free. his eyes busy with the changing lights of the tire. After a little while he j could he;n‘ her quick, sharp breath j ing, and then the silk of her gown stirring against the silk of the j cushions as she moved. Her two hands elosed over his. . and she was whispering, her lips close to his ear. The fragrance ot her hair was all about him. “It will he so!” she breathed, strangely exalted. “It will be so !' i lie bent his head and kissed hot ; i hands. ij “Even when the man may no* , Kiss the woman he loves.” he said I 'f 1 : voice also a whisper, a whispm II curiously colored wiili forced lev i-jity, “the jester i my touch tin j hand of the princess your roya , highness! 'chapter XXI. - — - | On the following morning t Washington newspaper priutet the flat and unqualified announce ] ment of the engagement of f.ititli Mallon to John Smith. The story was put up in great detail. It re j cited the “widespread interest” , that must be felt in such news be cause of the fact that the agita tor's great demonstration was but nine days off. Reference was , made to the breach between Smith , and Senator Mallon, and, in a slightly veiled way, the intimation was carried that the marriage of . woman socially as prominent as | Miss Mallon to a man of whose j standing in “Society” so little was known was, to say the least, a sensation. The article dwelt on the “interest she has shown for! .--o long in the Smith propaganda,” i ami referred to the fact that, soon ! after she had met him, site had i '•'■ased serving at her entertain- | mentis alcoholic drinks of any kind — “a fact that caused in the world ot society quite as much comment i as was the case when the score- I (ary of state inaugurated grape; juice as the drink of diplomats in Washington.” Edith’s first knowlelge of the announcement came from her lather. A little late for breakfast, ; she entered the dining room with ! hurried step, a faint smile on her ' lips, and in her eyes a reflection of j the still look of wonder she hail | had when John Smith had finished ; his story for her the night before. ! She realized at once that her j lather was angry, more infuriated j than she ever had seen him. lie half rose from bis chair and J held out the open newspaper J across the table toward her. She ! was astounded to see that there,j was .vindictiveness in his face. Ilis i (bin features each seemed drawn, lighter and finer than was natural, i There was a little white line across I the bridge of liis nose. As lie i stared at her his eyelids were half I lowered, as il' involuntarily he sought to hide some of his anger. ! " Why, father!” she exclaimed, taking the paper from his quiver- | ing hand. “You look as if you | hated me!” "Read that!” he exploded,, j pointing wildly toward a column ! | on the page in front of her. Her eyes fell on the headlines ■ concerning herself and John I.'•smith, h or a short moment she I looked at them, trying to under j stand them. When their full sig i nifiearipe came to her, she let the | paper slide from her hand to the I (able. ’' t Mi ' !i'' said softly. She was a little pale! “Now,” t lie senator supple mented, .'hat have you to sav about that ? What can* you sav?” Sim took her seat at the table I and looked at him over the ehis “iered ros. s. She was a little afraid, j bait not ol him. Their rioted tiirough her brain the thought that tile printed words she lud seen we >• about a great man and * hat, in some way, they might hurt him, might weaken him with ail those who follow his leader snip. Sim did not know whv the thought came to her, hut it" did, like a premonition. She had not begun to think of in rself. Hie NMiator's impatience grew under her groping gaze. “Well! lie said fit reely, “what i an I say about it ? ’ I would sin anything if f i were you, lallier, she suggested . her voire low. almost supplicating! ! L He frowno ' more dark ly. "'Aliy.' lie demanded eon-' temptuouslv. 'In the first place, it isn't true, of course.” She put out her hand to fix his ounce. “I can't understand you!” he protested roughly. “Here is the1 published statement in a news paper that you are going to marrv this man! And you sit there, en tirely ealin, utterly indifferent, and say vmi wouldti t say an\ tliing about it !’’ “1 wouldn't, really.” She poured out the-coffee. Her mind was busy with wondering | how the agitator could he hurt by i ihi' story. She even wondered why she thought he could he hurt-, i "Why, the tiling's absurd, I ridiculous!' her father went on. It makes a laughing si oek of you land of am! i forbid him the house, end here -omes the story of your ; eiigagi unit to him! My daugh ter engaged to this wild-mouthed, idioti< up., ranee agitator- this street < orner hlouliard this , i*. 1. ! ! <i K» ! . She, in her turn, was indignant ; and distressed by the injustice of what'lie said. "lie's mulling of the sort.,” she said steadily, "lie's a man who has realized lie greatest truth in | life that we get from the world 1 exactly as much as we give to the . world. “He's crazy that's what.he is! He's mad! Just because you let . liku • o'ne in at the front door, lie’s i going to marry you !’’ j (Continued Niixt Weei.) |W. L. DOUGLAS THE SHOE THAT HOLDS ITS SHAPE” $3 $3.50 $4 $4.50 $5 $S $7 & $8 aJSVMH.. Save Money by Wearing W„ L. Douglas shoes. For sale by over9000 shoe dealers. The Best Known Shoes in the World. \V7 L. Douglas name and the retail price is stamped on the bat ■ ” tom of all shoes at the factory. The value is guaranteed and | the wearer protected against high prices for inferior shoes. The retail prices are the same everywhere. 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Douglas Shoe Co., __ _ 185 Spark St., Brockton, Mass. Canada's liberal Offer of Wheat Land to Settlers : open to you—to every farmer or farmer’s son - ^ . „„ who is anxious to establish for wTflg sWM himself a happy home and If hM prosperity. Canada’s hearty EaiJpjsiiK invitation this year is more attractive than ever. Wheat is much higher but }j§||f|pi|glSp§P her fertile farm land just as cheap, and in the provinces of Manitoba, Saskat chewan and Alberta If 1 GO Acre Homesteads Are Actually Free to Settlers )/*i and Other Land Sold at from $15 to $20 per Acre (w ‘/t ' The great demand for Canadian Wheat will tifj keep up the price. Where a farmer can get near $2 for wheat and raise 20 to 45 bushels to 3$ V: wvte" the acre he is bound to moke money - that’s gStKsi/gV \ cix what you can expect in Western Canada. Won- MKjbjw/P‘i sSfAiS detful yields also of Oats, Barley and Flax. jSWjffe® '-cj Mixed Farming in Western Canada is fullv as ffiSKW'lC profitable an industry as grain raising. ■Saw Th" excellent grasses, foil of nutrltlor.are the only ffi/WllUnlSL#- TsT i'-»u(1 required cither fur beef or dairy purposes Bfll/Atlri Good schools, churches,markets convenient, c lunate HftjiTauvV>V. _j_iVT excellent. There Is an unusual demand for farm !»/• wlv\\ T-'Of ^ labor to replan* the many young men who have BrAVi|nvn% fwL vo;ur»to«red ft.; the war. Write for literature .and MmpjjiAlUvS.~ particular; as to reduced railway rates to riupt. of ufnWft\mKvA Immigration, Ottawa, Can., or to HMV\wwi!iA t.* * M. J. Johnstone, Drawer 197, Watertown, S. D.r gf//.vf yJ> W. V. Bcruiett, Room 4, Bee Building., Omaha, Neb., ns/1I ,AlAu* and R. A. Garrett. 311 Jackson Street, St. Paul, Minn. SfS[}‘ Canadian Government Agents_\ AN ANCIENT JAPANESE ART Embroidery Made in Flowery Kingdom for Centuries Before Country Was Opened to World. Japanese embroidery, now so popu lar in tliis country, is one of the oldest arts of the mikado’s people. For cen turies before the country was opened to foreign intercourse heavily embroid ered silk kimonos, screens, and other articles were made by professional embroidery experts, principally in Kyoto. This same profession con tinues today, having been handed down from father to son for many gen erations. For this reason the center of the country’s art-embroidery indus try is at Kyoto, although cheaper em broideries, principally for export, are produced in large quantities in other part of the Kobe district. The majority of the workers in Kyo to are men, who produce the finer grades of embroidery, it is essentially a household industry, and is usually conducted in small shops, where from three to ten apprentices and skilled embroidery are employed. The men received from 10 to To cents gold per day. The women, however, are able to earn from in to 00 cents gold per day, depending upon their ability and diligence. The manufacture of hand-made lace is a comparatively new industry in Japan, as lace .was not used by the Japanese before the advent of foreign ers. The Industry is sim in its in fancy, and the output is small. Takes a Strong Wind, Too. 1 Jr. <leorge '1'. MucCoy of Columbus recalls that when the Xnanisli-Aineri ean war broke out. in April. ISPS, two Irishmen were at work on a new • 1 vement. being laid on \Vaslt ingion street, lie wax watching them j .vie ii one slopped handling his pick and glanced up at the courthouse tower, whore a llag was waving, j “What's the use of pulling a flag up there?" (he man questioned. "The wind | will whip ii to pieces." ; “Yes. hut the*wind's the only tiling ! that can whip it," was the other’s | quick reply. Indian polls News. j While a mini’s .v,ill tut i ■ law. iii the case *>f a married mail the law i> ; seldom enforced. i Satan is the father of lies and ^ matrimony ; . the ueelier of excuses. i mmwsMmwwm The Man Hire Up. “Hello, hello, is this the tiro depart ment?'' asked an excited voice on the telephone. “No, madam,” answered the manager of an employment agency, whose phono j hell had been rung by mistake. “This is tiie hire department.” FOR SKIN TROUBLES That Itch. Burn, Torture and Disfig ure Use Cuticura—Trial Free. The Soap to cleanse and purify, the I Ointment to soothe and heal. They J usually afford immediate relief in itch ing, burning eczemas, pimples, dandruff and mosjt baby skin troubles. They also tend to prevent little skin trou i bles becoming great if used daily. Free sample each by mail with Book. Address postcard, Cuticura, I?ept. L, Boston. Sold everywhere.—Adv. Whistlerian Malice. “Whistler always brought a spirit : of fun with him,” says the late Lord 1 Uedesdale in iiis memories; and the j incident that follows appears to con I firm his lordship’s words: There came a day when, to my great j regret. Whistler made up his mind to j leave the old house in which he had 1 lived for 14 years and to build the "What House,” in Tite street, mainly prompted, lie told me, by (lie wish to j show what lie could achieve in dec oration. E. W. Godwin was the arcli 1 iteci. and it was not long before they . quarreled over the work, in ebmmemo i ration of which Whistler caused a stone to be inserted in the front of the house, engraved with the words: “Except tin' Lord build the house, ihey labor in vaijj that build it. .E. W. Godwin, F. S. A„ built this house.” The stone has long since disap peared. Godwin died in ISSti, and in lNx.s Whistler married his widow—. a quaint ending to an artistic feud. Admirable Precaution. “When I cat in public i always go i where there is a free lunch.” “Economy?” "No. i haven’t an ear for music. I want in eat standing up. so as 40 is* in pi* ;p< ;• position in case somebody starts 'The Star-Spangled Banner."’ Took No Chances. "Have any trouble with your car during tin winter?” "No; 1 pat it sway last fall until spring.” i! THOUSANDS ]| | UPON TH©S l| I HEALTHY BftfS & G || I!. GnSftEfeek-fef free 11 I AND CREAM EVERY jf 1 CORNING BECAUSE S® | WJSE MOTHERS KNOW I | "There’s a Reason” !.|