l lie bieee
of the
Seven Suitors
i a
By
MEREDITH NICHOLSON
W
EZEK1AH bade Wiggins ex
change horses with her, and
while lie was readjusting the
saddle girths I explained to
Hezekiah the situation at Hopefleld
md told her of Dick's scamper across
the fields.
"There's no use fooling 'with this'
thing any more. I'll take Wiggy to
the, house and lock him up until I've
been numbered six. It's safest."
"Not much It Isn't I don't Intend
that Cecilia shall hare the pleasure of
ref Bslag you." y .. .': '-' .-.
I'd like to know why not. It's only
to fill the gap.!f - ' - - f
"On. said Heieklah, "that would be
an embarrassment to me all the rest of
my life. Listen carefully. Take Wiggy
In by the back way and giro him a
picture book to- look at Leave Cecilia
alone' on the terrace when you're all
ready and see what happens. If Dick's
on Ids way to the house he's going to
do something, and he must feel the
edge of my displeasure. I owe him a
few on general principles '
"What does all this mean? lea say
there's nothing wrong at the house?"
began Wiggins as we left Hezekiah
and started toward Hopefleld.
"Nothing whatever the matter. Ev
erything perfectly all right, but you've
got to keep mum now and do what I
tell you. I've worked hard for you, old
man, and when It's all over I'm going
to Bend you a bill for professional serv
ices. Come."
I urged my horse to his utmost, and
Wiggins rode steadily beside me. The
fright Orton had given him had done
my friend good, and I felt that I was
dealing with a live man at last.
"I'll tell you all about this after we
have a good night cigar tonight"
We rode direct to the stable, and I
took Wiggins to my room by the back
stairs and bade him help himself to my
raiment He was perfectly tractable,
and I was glad to see that he trusted
Implicitly to my guidance.
I met Miss Octavla In the lower hall.
She was just In from the kennels.
"I hope, Arnold, that you have not
been without entertainment. By the
way, If you should by any chance see
Hezekiah you will kindly Intimate to
ber that If she returns that mare she
borrowed this morning in reasonably
good condition I will overlook her in
discretion In taking it from the stable
without permission."
She did not wait for a reply, but
continued ou to her room, and I went
direct to the terrace. Cecilia and Pep
perton were just going into the house
to look up a book or piece of music
which they had been discussing. Ce
cilia was making herself Interesting, as
she so well knew how to do, and she
seemed In no wise anxious.
"We had forgotten tea," she said.
"Aunt Octavia has just ordered it."
"She and Mr. Pepperton may have
their tea. I believe the air outside will
do you good for n little longer so If
you don't mind. I'epperton. Miss Hoi
lifter will resume her promenade
alone."
Pen has told me since that he
thought me quite mad that afternoon
I bnde Cecilia patrol the long terrace
slowly. She turned up the collar of
the covert coat and obeyed, laughing a
little nervously, but asking no ques
t'ons. The scene could not have been
more charmingly set. The great house
loomed darkly behind her; beneath lay
the garden, over which the dusk wan
stealing goldenly.
She paused suddenly as I watched
from the window and I stepped out to
see what bid attracted her ttttenllou.
There Into the garden from .its farthest
entrance filed the six suitors who had
previously come to sit beneath the
windows ol their stricken lady. Hav
ing failed to visit their wrath upon
the perfidious Dick they had changed
their clothes a ad returned to Hope
field. If Hezekiah had not expressly
commanded me not to become the
sixth man, I should have offered my
self on the spot nnd waited only un
til Cecilia had made the inevitable an
swer before summoning Wiggins tr
end the whole affair. Such, however.
was not to be the order. of events.
The procession, headed by Orrasby,
wns within a few yards of the terrace.
Cecilia, apparently unconscious of their
proximity, continued her promenade.
In a moment she must recognize them,
ask them Into the house, give them
tea and otherwise destroy my hope of
securing hsr happiness before the
day's end.
A chorus of yelps and barks, as of
degs suddenly released, greeted my
ear. The oncoming suitors heard It.
too, and the line wabbled uncertainly.
Then round the house swept mastiffs,
hounds, terriers a collection of prize
winners such as few kennels ever
boasted loping gayly In unwonted
freedom toward unknown and forbid
den pastures.
The vanguard of fox terriers leaped
down into the garden, with the rest of
the pack nt their heels. Happy dogs,
to find grown men ready for n gam
fcolL.Fonr of the suitor found on
oT" the proHr" exits into'the road: two
leaped t lie lox hedire on the other side
without fhaking a leaf. i
I rfiti round the hoc.se, stumblimr .
through the re:ir guard of the truant!
lTttruw 'iti.1 ii:iotm Hu kennel inns
ter. who had tallied the stable nu1, '
and was in hot pursuit
"Soiaebody turned Vim out turned
'em out!" hi shouted nnd swept pro
fanely by. The gate of the kennel
yard stood open. A familiar figure,
running low, paused and then sprint
ed nimbly along the paddock fence. A
white sweater was distinguishable for
moment on a stone wall, then it fol
lowed a pair of enchanted heels Into
oblivion.
Time had been passing swiftly, and
the shadows were deepening. I re
traced my steps toward the terrace,
hearing the cries of pursued and pur
suers growing fainter. I had not yet
gained n position from which I could
see Cecilia, when a man appeared
some distance ahead of me. walking
guardedly in one of the garden plots.
He came uncertainly, pausing to
glance about, yet evidently led toward
the terrace by a detlnlte purpose. All
ma.v be fair In love and war. but 1
confess to a feeling of pity for John
Stewart Dick as I watched him slowly
advancing to his fate. He was going
boldly now, and I felt a sudden liking
for blm, nor can I believe that he was
other than a manly fellow with sound
brains and a good heart. 1 '
I reasoned ns I marked his approach
to the terrace that he had been loiter
ing In the neighborhood, probably
watching Cecilia and Pepperton. and
when the architect retired he had as
sumed that the sixth man bad spoken.
The appearance of his- former com
rades of the inn had doubtless dis
turbed hlmas It had me; then, thanks
to the resourceful Hezekiah,' they had
been routed, and the coast was clear.
I watched him draw nearer to Cecilia
as I have watched deer go down to a
lake to drink. He would speak now. I
was confident of It. and 1 stole round
to the side entrance and sent word to
Wiggins to go to the drawing room nnd
wait for me.
Miss Octavia and Toppertou still lin
gered over their teacups. The row
made by the fugitives from her kennels
had not, it seemed, penetrated to the
library, and Miss Octavia bade me Join
the talk, which had to do, I remember,
with some project for a national hall
of fame that had incurred her charac
teristic displeasure. A hall of immor
tal rascals in pillories she thought far
likelier to please the masses.
In fifteen minutes I saw Cecilia cross
ing the hall. She stopped where I
could see her quite plainly and thrust
her hand into the pocket of her coat.
Out flashed the silver notebook. She
made a swift notation with the pencil
that now, 1 knew, wrote the fate of the
sixth man.
I went out and spoke to her and
walked beside her to the drawing room
door, where Hartley Wiggins was wait
ing. miss uctavin nau risen when I re
turned to the library, and.it was time
to dress for dinner.
"Just a moment. Miss Holllster.
Something of great Interest is about to
occur." Aud I made excuses for de
taining her for perhaps Ave minutes
not more.
"You have never yet deceived me.
Arnold Ames, und such is my contt-i
dence in you that if you tell me that
something Interesting will soon occur l
have no reason to doubt yiti. It, Is
worth remembering, however, that fowl
is not Improved by prolonged roast
ing." I heard Wiggins laugh in the hall,
and Miss Octavia raised her head.
Then Cecilia came Into the room and
walked tlliectly to her aunt.
"Aunt Octavia. t.ere Js the .Ucle sll
ver notebook you gave me in ParR
have just written Mr. Wiggins' name lit
it. and as 1 have no further use for the
book. I return it with my love ar.f
thanks."
Without a word Miss Octavia turned
to the wall and pressed the button
twice.
"William." she said as the butler up
pea red. "you may serve Oriana 'Id,
and be careful not to freeze ;t to death;
and the hour for dinner is changed tt
S. Arnold, you may tourself drive to
tiooseberry bungalow tar my brother
ex
"William," the said, "yon may aervt
. Oriana W
" sJ
snd niece They ilfne with rue
night"
Hw.cki.th and I hi. lit our bungalow In
the orchard where on that October aft-
w - "oa 1 found her munehln,,' red ap-
pie on the stone wall. She Is the most
scrupulous of housewives and only uow
took me to task for scattering the
hearth with fragments of the notes
from which this narrative has been
written. She has just been reading
these last pages with meditative brown
eyes and uot without occasionally
reaching for the pen and retouching
some sentence In which, she says, soot
from my chlmuey doctoring days has
clogged the Ink. Cecilia and Wiggins
live at Hopefleld across the fields. Miss
Octavia Insisted on this, for the reason
that the sword of Hartley's great
grandfather, found In the chest under
the old house, gives him inalienable
rights to the premises. Miss Octavia
aud her brother Hassford are traveling
abroad and enjoying those mild adven
tures to which they are both tempera
mentally Inclined.
My name Is' joined to Feppertou's on
his office door. Pepperton proposed
this arrangement, with so many as
surances of faith in me that I could
not refuse him; but I knew well
enough that Miss Octavia had first put
it into his head. So while I have call
ed myself a chimney doctor In these
pages, I am again an architect.
"You ought to say something more
boutJheAsolando," Hezekiah has Just
a Democratic minority organization o,
forty or more representatives" will at
tempt to upset the president's fret
wool program. It is expected that the
administration will be sustained by a
large majority.
Senate leaders have pledged to the
president their support of the sugar
and wool provisions as finally accept
cd In the house. Senator Myers ol
Montana, who has been counted on by
some of the nntl-free wool forces a?
their ally, has Informed members ol
the finance committee and has stated
publicly that he favors the free woo
program and will uphold the presl
dent's course as to this schedule.
The full Democratic membership ol
the house resumed consideration ol
the tariff behind closed doors today
Republican members of the house
ways and menns committee who had
no part In prennrln? the Underwood
bill, are row 'vorklnr on substitute
cotton nnd wool schedules.
Alaskan rn'Iroad legislation, which
also Is to 1 the suliiect of annt
henrin?s. vi'l he nressed for enrlv nr.
tlon. P'rntor P'ttninn. chairman o
the territories -rnnniltte. V.-U1 sttemnt
to have m Alaskan envornment rail
road hil' ins'-rt thro""h the senate
before ---iclon U taken nn.
murmured at my shoulder. "Every
body will ask whether we ever went
back there."
"Of course we go back there. Heze
kiah, every time yon come to town
and can get hold of me."
"You'd better explain that Aunt Oc
tavia started the tea room and still
owns it and makes money out of It.
though she rarelv goes there, but
sends Freda, t' e maid, to collect the
profits. And 1 won't do any harm to
say that wlic met you there that
day. she dc-aled at owe that von
would be a proper husband for me.
Any one who reads your book will
want to know that."
Hezekiah Is always right. So hcr
endeth the chronicle.
THE FND.
FORMER PLATTSMOUTH BQY
IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS
The following item from Hie
Omaha Ilee of this mni'iiinu will
lie ut nnicii interest, to the older
residents of this city, as Colonel
loi'i'inylon was reared in this
city ami married hero, lint n
moved Willi Ins lamily many years
aii In the western part of the
slate:
Colonel At Dominion, former
ly of r.hadron, now head of
prisons in the Philippines' visit
ing Mayor James G. Dalilman, de
clared in favor of a workhouse
for prisoners and' believes all
prisoners should be taught some
useful trade.
Colonel Dorrington called on
the mayor alontf with (lould Dietz
anil the three discussed prison
reforms at length. Colonel Dor
rington says he has charge of
about 10,000 prisoners in the
Philippines and all of them are
taught some trade, which sends
them out of prison able to earn
an honest living'.
After a visit at Lincoln Colonel
Ihirrington will leave for Wash
ington. He is on his vacation,
part of which was spent at his
old home in Chadrou.
Daughter at Baugman Home.
From Tuesday's Daily.
This morning at the home of
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Haughinan,
who reside ou the Dovey section,
west oi tins city, a line new
daughter made her apeparance at
an early hour. The liMIe lady is
of the regulation weight and the
delighted parents think she is
just the sweetest little Kirl that
has made her appearance for
some lime.
The New Laureate.
With aiknowioilnmrtit to A. C Swln-
burtuvj
Now who shall sIiik for IJritnln
As KiikIIsIi laureate,
In rhythmic words, tlanie written.
To bravely trve the stato
And bid her doff the ermine
Of nestling moths and vermin,
Ilrr kliiKly Kitrb of lies.
Cast It asldo forever,
From dark tradition sever
Her soul and bid It rls'
No weaklinK bard, time serving,
Who'll, basely bidden, write
False tributes, uiuUs..rvlng,
HUnd, groping In the night;
To praise In rlmo disjointed
Borne ruler oil anointed,
A ghost with tinseled head.
And sing of royal wassail
While thrall and aerf and vassal
Still vainly strive for bread.
But one with Milton's lyre,
With pen to pierce each wrong.
With Swinburne to Inspire
His red blood beats of song.
With rude but fearless diction
Destroy the purple Iletlon
' Of medieval night,
All ancient falsehoods scorning
And hall the newer morning
Of min'i diviner right.
Richard tlnthlcum In New York World.
EX-PRESIDENT'S. DOUBLE
WILL LECTURE 0 RUM.
Retired Pittebwrgh Police ;)4n U
TelK on DrinK vu, ;
What to do "Wish the double of our
x-presldents bus been determined In
the case of Thomas J, Morley, retired
police sergeant of Pittsburgh, who
looks so much like William II. Taft
that when Mr. Taft saw him the for
mer president fairly gasped in aston
ishment.
Tom will descant on the ravages of
the demon rum. He will lecture to
railroad men under the auspices of the
Pittsburgh and Lake Erie railroad in
connection with the nation wide "safe
ty first" campaign.
"I wrestled with drunks more than
twenty years in tho big police station
In Pittsburgh," said Morley, "aud uow
I am going to wrestle with the evil it
self." Morley is built for wrestling.
He is physically und mentally fitted
for it.
"If ever a man had experience with
drink, either ns its devotee or nn ob
server, I think I am that man. I have
attended funerals of my former pals
und associate who died from the ef
fects of strong drink. About fifteen
years ugo I was almost down as a re
sult of it, but I made up my mind that
devotion to drink and neglect of family
were mistakes and beneath a real man,
o I cut tbem out."
Morley is more than fifty years old,
possesses n good stage appearance, has
a deep voice und in addition to a good
memory bits a natural knack of "put
ting across" what he has to say.
General Manager Yoho of the Pitts
burgh and Lake Erie heard In a round
about way of Morley's ambition nnd
realized the power for good a man like
Morley would be to a corporation.
As a result, through L. II. Turner
superintendent of motive power of the
road. Tom Morley will make his debut
on the temperance platform before
several hundred of the road's employ
ees In Oroveton, O., In the near future
COURTHOUSE HID OLD PAPERS
Find Documents Signed by Presidents
Jackson, Arthur and Grant.
Valuable papers, which have lain In
a closet In the Greeley (Colo.) court
house for years apparently forgotten,
were unearthed the other day by Coun
ty Clerk .1. E. Snook, the very exist
ence of which had been entirely un
known in the past decade. Included
in the lot were a number of land pat
ents for which the owners have been
invited to call.
One was issued to Jeremiah Wil
liams, a corporal in Captain Chun's
company in the war of 1S12, in ex
change for scrip which he got for
services. The patent was signed by
Andrew Jackson on Oct. 1, is:',7.
Another was granted to Elizabeth
Cochran on Oct. HO, 1871. This patent
was Issued while U. S. Grant was
president of the United States.
Land patents were also Issued to
James Itussell and to Samuel Itoberts
In 187D.
President Chester A. Arthur signed
the patent granted to Michael Carey,
and there is also one for John Ben
son signed by the same hand.
CARDS IN CAPITOL PILLAR.
Deck Buried Eighty-one Years Ago la
Found at Jefferson City.
A deck of playing curds excellently
preserved was taken from between
two of the stones used In the construc
tion of pillars which decorated the en
trance of the old state eupltol at Jeffer
son, Mo., which wag destroyed by fire
some time ago.
The pillar were constructed of
sandstone blocks eighty-one years ago.
The cards were found in a hole made
to holst the heavy stones into place.
There was no nme or writing upon
the cards.
8uffragista to Storm Resorti.
Tho strenuous suffragists will carry
their war to the summer resorts In the
mountains and by the senshore. Sev
eral hundred "equal suffrage" orators
will stump the pleasure resorts of the
country during the summer months
from liar Harbor to the Pacific coast.
Next fall the suffragist clans will
gather In Wnshlugton and make reody
fr an attack on the house.
ILIUM
TIE II OF
t
Vast Army of Correspondents
Engaged In Collecting
Important Facts.
w
HEN the department of agrl-1
culture sends out its monthly
report with tbe latest crop
news in It few people realize
that more than 130,000 reporters have
had a part In gathering the facts there
in set forth. Everybody knows about
the crop reports, but not everybody
knows how they are collected and how
the estimates are reached.
For Instance, when the department
says that tne average conaiuon oi
winter wheat on April 1 was 91.6 per
cent of a normal against 80.8 on April
1. 1912. what Is tho basis of the per
centage? Is some previous year! taken
s the base and the percentage fig
ured from that? And, If so, how Is the
basic year selected? " '
H Isn't. The , percentage doean t
tman any comparison with any other
yeaf. The percentage is based on what
the people In tb vicinage expect of
their land. A farmer can tell pretty
well what tho yield ought to be. If
be knows that It ought to produce
twenty-five bushols and be does not
look this year for more than twenty
bushels he reports that he estimates 80
pet cent.
And It is tho farmer, generally speak
ing, who furnishes the Information on
which the bureau of statistics of the
agricultural department makes its es
timates. Most of the 130,000 reporters
are not paid. They are classified as ''vol
untary correspondents," which means
that they furnish the Information
about their respective regions without
getting a cent for It. The only thing
they get out of it Is thnt they receive
the publications of the department of
agriculture without hnvlng to write
and ask for them.
The Department's Staff.
In each county which hns any agri
cultural Importance there Is a cor
respondent of the department, who has
several assistants who can be called
In If necessary. He furnishes a re
port for the county. In addition there
Is a correspondent In each township.'
They do not furnish their reports to
the county correspondent, but send
them in directly to the department of
agriculture, which checks up the esti
mates If there Is a disagreement and
figures out from the different reports
the estimate for the state.
In addition tho department has what
It calls "field agents," who travel over
several states at n time and report
what they observe, and It has state
correspondents, who conduct their
work Independently of the "voluntary
correspondents" who are reporting di
rectly to Washington.
The voluntary correspondents are
subdivided ns county corresondents.
township correspondents, Individual
fanners and special cotton correspond
ents. Tho number f counties of agri
cultural Importance In the ITnlted
States Is approximately 2.SOO. The
correspondent selected by the depart
liient In each of these counties Is cho
sen with special referenco to his quali
fications, and each Is expected to se
cure data from his several assistants
In different parts of the county, and
also to supplement these with Informa
tion obtained from his own observation
and knowledge.
Many Special Reports.
Hesldes these county correspondents.
with their assistants, and the township
correspondents (the latter numbering
32,0001, nt the end of the growing sea
son reports are received from-a large
number of Individual farmers and
planters on the results of their own
Individual farming operations during
the year. Valuable data are also se
cured from 30.000 mills and elevators.
As for the correspondents employed
by the department, the special field
service consists of twenty traveling
agents, each of whom covers a sepa
rate group of states. These agents,
who are chosen for their statistical
training ami practical knowledge of
crops, travel systematically over the
districts assigned to them. It Is their
business to question the best Informed
persons In each nelghlorhool which
they vlslt-fanners, country mer
chants, Implement dealers nnd others
and to collect Information in every
way. Their reports are rendered
monthly, sometimes by mail and some
times by telegraph, and If conditions
require more frequent reports they are
made.
States Gather Statistics.
Each of the state statistical agents
reports for his state as n whole and
maintains a corps of correspondents
entirely Independent of those reporting
directly to the department at Wash
ington. The state statistical corre
spondents report monthly to the state
agent on schedules furnished them.
The reports are then tabulated and
weighed according to tho relative prod
uct or area of the given crop In each
county represented and are summar
ized by tho state agent, who coordi
nates and analyzes them In the light
of his personal knowledge of condi
tions and from them prepares his re
ports to the department.
The spvelnl lists of voluntary corre
spondents, outside of the county and
township correspondents, are widely
varied. The "individual farmers." as
I
13010 PEOPLE!
Of Vital Importance to Busi-
ness Welfare of the
Nation.
,
they are listed ut the department, sup
ply Information at harvest time re
garding yields. Then there are what
are culled "special price" correspoud
dents. who report concerning the
prices received by farmers for their
products.
How Figures Are Obtained.
When all the separate Independent
tabulations and computations of re
ports received from the voluntary cor
respondents are received, they are
brought together by states and, In con
junction with the reports from the de
partment's salaried Held agents and
state statistical agents, form the basis ,
of each of tbe monthly reports Issued '
by tbe bureau of statistics. ' The divi
sion of domestic crop reports tabula ten
and computes the results of all the re- -porta
received from thavarlou classea
of voluntary correspondents.
Despite the fact that these voluntary
correspondents receive no pay, 1 they
seem to like the work, to Judge by the
length of time they stick to It. An In
quiry made In .January, 1912, showed
that of the entire list of county corre
spondents 88 per cent had served more
than one year, 67 per cent more than
two years, 42 per cent more than six
years, 21 per cent more than eleven
years, 4 per cent more than twenty-six
years and 1 per cent more than thirty
six years. Tho average length of serv
ice of all the county correspondents
was about seven years.
The department considers this sta
bility of service as evidence of a high
standard of quality. It believes that
carelesH or indifferent farmers would
not take the pains to report, month
after month and year after year, with
out being paid.
How Reports Are Handled.
AH the reports of the state statis
tical agents and special field agents
are sent directly to the secretary of
agriculture. He retains in bis posses
sion those of tho reports which deal
with certalu crops of a highly specula
tive character corn, wheat, oats and
cotton and does not turn them over to
the bureau of statistics until the morn
ing of the day when the bureau Is to
issue its report. But the reports on
other crops are delivered by him to
the bureau as soon as he receives them,
to enable their tabulation long enough
in advance of the preparation of each
crop report to render them ready fur
use when they are needed. The pre
caution in the case of the speculative
crops was adopted as a result of the
"cotton leak" scandal of some years
ago. when advance Information got out
to Interested parties.
The reports of the voluntary corre
spondeuts are tabulated nnd computed
and the results turned over to the chief
of the bureau of statistics to be tabu,
lated In connection with the report
of the state and special field agents.
Precautious Against leakage.
When the monthly crop estimates
are tlnally made additional precau
tions are taken against leakage. The
crop reporting board, which does the
11 tin 1 work, consists of live members,
with the chief of the bureau as chair
man, and Its personnel Is changed
each mouth. The meetings nre held In
the ollice of Thief Victor H. Olmsted,
and the doors are locked aud nil the
telephones disconnected.
It may be said that, after all and de
spite the numerous correspondents who
check one another tip, the reports on
crops Issued by the bureau of statis
tics cannot be mathematically exact
since they are gathered from the con
clusions of fanners, interviews with
merchants, etc. This Is true. The re
ports do not purport to be other than
estimates. They are not the results of
actual enumeration, as are tliu figures
reported decennially by the census bu
reau. Rut, while they may not be exactly
accurate, as no estimate can be, they
are given as the best available data
and represent the fullest information
at the time they nre made.
Tho government has been doing the
work of collecting agricultural statis
tics for fifty years, but the present
brond scope of the work Is a matter of
only a few years. Mt was widened
Into Its present large Held under Secre
tary Wilson and multiplied many times
In size and efficiency in the last six or
Beven years. ,
l .
ANTS TO TEACH CHILDREN.
Will Be Kept In Cage In Cleveland
School Playground.
Clevelnnd' school officials who are
urging the chlldrea to "swat the fly"
are also having ants collected for use
as playground apparatus In the public
school yards. The ants are to bo caged
in the playgrounds and placed where
the children can watch them. The ob
ject of this move Is to give the pupils
on opportunity to glean n bit of natural
history nnd absorb habits of Industry
through the good example set by the
ants.
Dr. K. A. Puterson, chief school med
ical Inspector, first suggested the plan,
and the corps of fly chasers In the
schools at once got busy trnpplug th
elusive atid hustling ants.