SPURNED
By NELLIE CRAVEY GILLMORE
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sit of Vfi.ua on the 3,1 of 'A (Vfl lfrJW V
June. 179fi. was an object JUfWTO V C Q'
JR! of Interest to all the &P5ffi!Hti "
jg -JO learned. The Koya. Acad- yAftWMM I M ) , MfffllwtN I 0
f-'.l emy of Sciences proposed VmAYMUIIX ft I 'll l W'' V V 7IaA I ' K N ' '
7 Iff ' " r n Mm V 1
'HE observation of the trail-
I sit of Venus on the "d of
June, 1790, was an object
of Interest to all the
learned. The Itoyal Acad
emy of Sciences proposed
to the king, Louis XV., to
make the necessary outlay to send to
California for this purpose. The late
II. L'Abbe Chappe undertook this voy
age with a courage worthy of his zeal
for the progress of science. I was se
lected to accompany him and wo set sail for Mex
ico In the month of September, 17C8.
After a perilous voyage of about 3,000 leagues,
we arrived In Mexico on Easter day, 17G9. Time
was passing; we stopped but eight days to re
fresh ourselves. The viceroy procured us mules
and provisions, and we undertook to perform by
land a part of the remainder of our travels, which
was about 300 leagues. Amid lofty mountains,
dreadful precipices and arid deserts, we encoun
tered new dangers every day. We failed from
fear a thousand times. We were also oppressed
by the excessive heat, which left us hardly
strength enough to drag ourselves. A thousand
Insects of every species gave us no rest by day or
night, and we had constantly to be on our guard
against the very ferocious beasts with which the
country is covered. Moreover, we lacked the nec
essaries of life, for the provisions that we got in
Mexico had been spoiled by the heat. We were
obliged to live on wild cattle and whatever fruits
we could find here and there. We made our halts
near some river or spring, that we might slake
the burning thirst with which we were constantly
consumed; to find one It was often necessary to
march a whole day's Journey.
Arrived In the evening In some valley, or on
the side of some hill, we would endeavor to take
upon the ground (et a la bello etoille), the repose
which our cruel fatigue rendered so necessary.
When scarcely asleep we were often aroused by
a storm, and then by the Impetuous torrents that
came down upon us from the heights of the moun
tains. Many a dark night we had to save our
selves and our equipage, fearful at every step of
tumbling down some of the precipices.
After running a thousand risks we arrived at
last at the port of San Klas, on the Pacific ocean;
thence we embarked for California on a brigan
tine which the viceroy of Mexico had had pre
pared. The Pacific ocean, although very tran
quil, Is not the less dangerous on account of the
(vigies) with which it Is filled.
The great calm which prevailed at that time
caused us to despair of arriving in time to accom
plish the object of our voyage. After six weeks'
sailing, during which we made but l!io leagues,
on the greatest breadth of the sea, the shortness
of the time caused us to risk a hazardous exploit.
The part of California near which we found our
selves was the port of San Jose so dangerous
that no one had ever landed there. The access to
It Is guarded by the incessant waves that break
Impetuously against the rocks.
The Spanish astronomers who wei of our com
pany wished to wait for a favorable wind to land
at Cape St. Lucas, which was distant but ten
, leagues. The landing there is indeed less danger
ous, but we did not follow their advice because
We were pressed to arrive at the place of our des
tination; we resolved to attempt to disembark at
the first land we shou)d discover,
' ' VTWWHne'pev gentlemen were yet deliberating,
four Indian sailors and myself let down the long
boat; we took with us half of the instruments. I
agreed with the Abbe Chappe that if we per
ished he might find other means to land else
where with the rest, which would be sufficient for
making his observations. I embarked then In
the long boat with my four sailors, steering di
rectly for the coast; the nearer we approached it
the more we were sensible of the difficulty of
landing.
We were constantly thrown back by the accu
mulated waves, and our boat threatened all the
while to ship water. When on the point of losing
courage, one of the sailors discovered, at a dis
tance, the mouth of an unknown river. This dis
covery animated us; we reached the coast by this
mouth but with great difficulty. I sent back the
long boat for the Abbe Chappe and the Spanish
astronomers, who arrived safely enough.
Arrived on the peninsula the twenty-first of
May, 1769, 13 days befofc the epoch of the tran
sit of Venus. We found no (azlle a pouvolr nous
mettre a lablr), the inclemency of the weather.
The savages that repaired to us said that a con
tagion was prevailing in this country which rav
aged it completely. The Interpreter who trans
lated this added that they Bald that in order to
withdraw ourselves from the influence of this ter
rible mnlady, it was necessary to remove some
hundred or more leagues farther to the north.
The means of undertaking this new Journey,
broken down with fatigue ns we were; we had
neither horses nor carriers to transport our bag
gage; It was Impossible to march on foot, and we
shrank from a Journey through a desert. All these
reasons decided us to occupy ourselves with no
business but that which had brought us.
We labored to construct an observatory, which
was ready the twenty-eighth day of May, six days
before the epoch when we would have need of It.
We made our observations oh the third of June,
w ith the greatest exactness.
The contagion mado new progress every day;
a general sorrow reigned In all this pnrt of Cali
fornia; we were not long without participating In
It In a distressing manner. This dreadful malady
came upon us six or seven days after the observa
tion. We were wholly without succor; we could
not be useful to one another, because we were at
tacked almost all at once.
The little medicine that we had brought from
France was useless, from want of knowing how
to apply it.
Nevertheless, the abbe, all sick as he was, con
tinued his observations all tho time. After ob
serving an eclipse of the moon, he at last yield
ed to his fatntness, the delirium of his disease left
htm but little time to examine himself; he died
the first of August, 1769. We were all dying (I
and the companions of our voyage), when I had
the sorrow to close his eyelids.
Our situation and our want of strength Induced
us in this case to bury him without much cere
mony. I devoted some moments to regret for the
loss I had suffered, and in the height of a disease
from which I did not expect to recover, I took the
precaution to collect all tho papers relating to the
object of i ho voyage. I placed them In a casket
with an address to (he viceroy of Mexico. I
earnestly begged some Indian chlefH who were
about nie to make this casket safe in case we
should all die, and to transmit it to the vessel
which ought to arrive In the month of September
to take us. My Intention in this was to secure to
my country this valuable depot. I remained in
my condition of sickness, pain and wretchedness
until the twenty-ninth of September.
At last tho captain of the vessel arrived; he
had landed at the island of Ceralvo, which is situ
ated some 30 leagues from San Jose. My Joy was
so much the greater in seeing him that he pressed
me to quit the fearful place where M. L'Abbe
"happe and all the rest had dlod. We were car
ried to Ceralvo. I forgot to say that this cruel
contagion had taken from us the chaplain and
nearly all the persons that formed our little com
pany. Although sick and oppressed with grief, I was
compelled to undertake the perilous route which
I had followed In coming, sometimes upon mules,
sometimes upon the backs of the Indians, when it
was necessary to cross the streams. With hII
this trouble, I reached Mexico tho twenty-third
day of November, 17K9.
There I was received by monsieur the marquis
of Croix, the viceroy of that country, with a com
passion worthy of that good patriot. He had had
the kindness to send to meet me a carriage and
his physician. Arrived at the capital of Mexico,
and having paid my respects to the viceroy I was
lodged by his orders at the expense of the city.
When I left Mexico the marquis de Croix rec
ommended me cordially to the commander of
the Spanish fleet, In which I embarked. We land
ed at Cadlj the twenty-first of July, 1770. The
court was at the Escurlal. I had myself taken
thither, and presented myself to the marquis d'Os
sun, then French ambassador in Spain. He re
ceived me with marks of kindness and consider
ation, nnd gave orders to show me w hatever they
have to show strangers In this royal house.
Ho caused me to dispatch In advance of the
party, the strictest orders through the minister of
customs, that at no pnss on my route must 'jo
searched either myself or the chests in which
were the observations which I bore.
I did not arrive In Paris till the fifth of tho fol
lowing December. I sent to the Academy the ob
servations that we made in California. This so
ciety expressed tho greatest satisfaction with my
zeal and my services. They presented me to the
king, and to all his ministers. They solicited for
me a recommendation of my labors. His majesty,
Louis XV. granted me a small pension of SOOf,
The government is too equitable to leave me in
want In the flower of my age, afflicted with the
evils which I have incurred for the service, and
indispensably obliged to have a servant to lead
me. I hope, then, from his Justice and from his
goodness, that ho will grant me an increase of the
pension sufficient to enable me to accomplish with
decency tho rest of my public career.
(Oipyrlglit, ty Dully Btory i'ub. Co.)
The woman paused, breathless, at
tho entrance of the familiar office
building. Three years? It seemed
either yesterday -or an eternity!
Poising herself determinedly, she
passed on through the lobby and
touched tho elevator bell. Her face
was very white now, In contrast to its
accustomed warm pink, and tho set
expression about, the lips Imparted to
It the look, rather of 39 than 29.
In less than two minutes she found
herself seated in the little box-like
aniemotn to wait her turn. Nothing
was changed except, perhaps, a trifle
or so in the furnishings -new things
duplicating us far as possible the old.
The cluck, the book cases, the pictures
were tint same. Looking at them wur
like opening nn old wound, and she
kept her eyes resolutely on the hands
crossed In her lap.
Finally the door at her left opened
nnd a boggard faced man emerged. He
picked up his bat from the table In
the center of tin room and passed out.
The doctor glanced toward the
woman nnd nodded; the next Instant,
their eyes locked, lie pronounced her
name In a formal tone, and she rose
automatically and went Into his pri
vate ofllce.
Dr. Drury pulled up a chair and mo
tioned her to be seated.
Without a word she sank down, pull
ing nervously at her glove-fingers.
"And what ran 1 do for you to day,
Mrs. PellMiii?" His Inflection was
courteous, professional, to a degree.
"It's the same old thing Jack," she
said, with a little incaught breath.
Her eyes evaded his keen gaze.
Tho doctor's brows went up (he bar
est trifle. Ho looked at. her with a
puzzled interrogation. "Pardon me,
but with hundreds of patients coming
and going continually"
"Yon -have forgotten!" The tone
breathi'd subtlo reproach.
Dr. Drury cleared his throat to hide
his annoyance. Ho tinned away
In the Tragic Abandon of Despair.
briefly, and drew down the dark green
shade over the open window. "Neu
rasthenia?" he questioned meditative
ly. The woman gavo a little sigh and
laid her hand over her heart with an
expressive gesture.
"Too much coffee, eh?"
"I never touch It." She bit her lip
hard, an Incipient frown drawing her
black brows closer together.
"Go west away from this enervat
ing climate.'
"I've boen west east north ev
erywhere, only to come back again
and again. I can't stay away that
Is the thing." She dashed the mist
from her eyes with a furtive forefinger.
Dr. Drury regarded his patient with
quizzical gaze. "I'm afraid, Mrs. Pel
ham." he remarked presently, "that
you have allowed yourself to become
morbid. Have you tried occupa
tion?" She laughed softly. "There's noth
ing I haven't tried, nothing. I I'm
starving!" she broke out In sudden
passion, "can't you look at mo and see
that?'' She covered her face with her
hands and drew long, spasmodic
breaths.
"Doubtless you need a tonic, my
dear madam," and he began scribbling
hastily across a prescription blank.
The woman watched him in silenee,
her faco depicting a variety of strango,
panoramic emotions. Her next wnnin
were calculated to precipitate a crisis.
"There s no use beating about tho
bush any longer. Jack. You already
know what's the matter with me
don t you? And notwithstanding your
simulated Indifference. I can see vnn
remember. You can you look Into
my eyes. John Drury and denv that von
still love me?" She had risen, and
was standing very close to him, her
pink, palpitant cheek JiiBt Krazlnir tha
rough black of his coatsleeve.
Very palntaklngly, and without i
word, Dr. Drury laid aside his tablet
nnd pencil and shrugged.
"Don't be a fool, Dolly." His ton;
was admirably modulated, but thi)
barely perceptible twitching of his up
per lip revealed a transient weakness
to his companion.
She laid a trembling row of finger
tips on his arm. Ho remained im
movable, and she caught his hand In
her hot palms, crushing It convulsive
ly. "Jack!" The word wus half
whisper, half caress.
Ho shook off her fingers brutally.
"I thought we had sellled all this,
years ago. Didn't I say enough then?
or aro wo to repeat the scene?" HiH
eyes searched her shrinking faco mer
cilessly. ,
Presently she began to speak again,
in a low, broken voice.
"I, too, thought that It was over
then," she said, "but it could't be,
dear. I've found that out. I cannot
forget, (lod alone will ever know
what those three years were to nio.
Hell itself can hold no greater tor
tures "
"Stop!" Ho turned blazing eyes up
on the pleading woman; his fact?
flamed with dull crimson. Hut even
ns she looked up, a softer light mado
Its transient passage across his fea
tures and his eyes fell away from hers.
Her hands dropped listlessly to her
sides, and her slender body shook from
head to foot.
Tho clock on tho mantel ticked audi
bly. A mlnuto passed, two three.
At last the woman lifted her eyes.
Tho doctor stood with folded arms,
his gazo on tho floor. Without look
ing up ho said: "Several patients aro
waiting for me. Wo do no good by
prolonging this Interview, flood after
noon." He started toward tho door,
but the woman Interrupted him with
a llttlo low cry of pain.
"Jack Jack!" tho word brokn
hoarsely from her whlto lips, "you
can not mean that this Is tho end?
that that-() my Cod!" she crumpled
down on tho floor and flung her arms
about his knees in tho tragic abandon
of despair.
An instant tho man stood like stone;
then suddenly his powerful fraino
shook under a torrent of emotion, and
he lifted her In his nrins, staining her
to him In a passionate embrace. 1 1 in
Hps swept her hair, her eyes, her
mouth with burning kisses. At last
he released her, whlto and trembling,
and she staggered against the wall for
support.
When their eyes met finally, all the
old slavish devotion had como bacu
to tho mau's. "Wo can't stay on here,"
he said huskily, "I I'm married now,
you know. In a week I can get my
affairs into shnpe, and we can go away
anywhere you say."
Tho woman contemplated him a sec
ond In baffled silence. Then swiftly
like a fork of lightning, rage and dis
appointment flashed athwart her quiv
ering face.
"You Tool!" sho shrieked, "when 1
was so near It, to be defeated at last.
I hate hate hate you, do you under
stand? Do you think after that day
three years ago 1 could ever think of
you again except to despise?
"Shall I tell you why 1 came here
today?" she hurried on, gaspingly,
"It was because I heard that you had
grown famous, grown to be a great
man. That you had married a beau
tiful girl, and were happy your
nnme In everybody's mouth, your opin
ion valued above all others' .... per
haps you have heard of Lynnette Mac
Farlane, famous on two continents ai
one of the leading woman sculptors!
. . . . I want to be world-famous! And
had I succeeded in my quest to day. 1
would have been .... 'Spurned hai
been offered a place in the great In
ternational contest .... the figurei
are complete Just one little expres
sion lacking In the man's face, elud
ing me persistently .... I came a
thousand miles to get it, and you have
failed me!" Tho woman paused,
her breath all gone. Her faco wai
lined and pallid, and she beat hei
hands together In tho passion of hei
defeat.
The man stood watching her stun
Idly. His tongue moved, but made nn
sound. He put out his hand blindly;
It fell limp at his side.
"Dolly!" His Hps framed tho word
at length In a dull monotone: hla
eyes sought mutely to kindle some an
swering spark In hers.
Hut with an ejaculation of disgust
tho woman wheeled and swept past
him to the door.
Wiping Out Mosaultoes.
The war against mosquitoes in
Greater New York and Jersey has
proved an eye-opening, heart felt, sur
prising success. There are places in
Groiiter New York where three yean
ago a herd of cattle vfould stampede
In terror from mosquitoes, wherr
cows had to be milked in a cloud ol
damp, burning straw, where the pesti
would settle and form a gray film ovei
the stomachs of poor old 'horses,
where these pests were bo thick as to
trouble a hunter seeing the sights
along his gun barrel. To-day in some
of those very same places there ar
not only few, but no mosquitoes, a
blessing in comfort and real estate
values that is simply unspeakable.
New York TresB.