THE RAILROADS
Some Astonishing Fact Mad Public an
Eaormoui Rise In Freight Darings
th Year
The annual report of the interstate
commerce commission has just been
published. The report covers the
twelve months ending June 30, 1901,
and among the interesting facts shown
is one bearing upon cost of transpor
tation. The summary states that ton
age carried for the year decreased
over 12,000,000 tons and still the gross
receipts from operation increased over
$101,000,000, disprovm:::" ):s claim that
there has been a general reduction in
freight rates.
The number of railways in the hands
of receivers was forty-five, a net de
crease of seven as compared with the
corresponding date of the year previ
ous. The capital stock represented by
the railways in the charge of receivers
was $49,473,257, funded debt $54,748,
662 and current liabilities $14,183,230.
These figures show a decrease in capi
tal stock represented as compared with
1900 of $58,618,598 and in funded debt
of $52,644,360.
The total single track railway mile
age in the United States was 197,237
miles, this mileage having increased
during the year 3,892 miles.
The operated single track mileage,
in respect to which detailed returns
were made, was 195,571 miles, this
mileage including 5,606 miles of line
on which track privileges were grant
ed. Including tracks of all kinds, the
aggregate length of railway mileage
was 265,368 miles, an increase of 6,
582 miles.
There were 39,584 locomotives in the
service of the railways, which was
1.921 more than were in use the pre
ceding year. The total number of cars
of all classes in the service of the rail
ways on the date stated was 1,550,833,
there having been an increase of 99,
995 in rolling stock of this class.
The number of persons in the em
ployment of the railways of the United
States was 1,071,169, or an average of
548 employes per 100 miles of line. As
compared with June 30, 1900, the num
ber of employee increased 53,516.
The amount of railway capital out
standing was $11,688,177,991. This
amount, on a mileage basis, represents
a capitalization of $61,528 per mile of
line. Of the total capital stated $5,
806,597.104 existed in the form of stock,
of which $4,175,439,721 was common
stock and $1,331,157,383 preferred
stock. The amount which existed in
the form, of funded debt was $5,881,
f.80,887. The amount of current liabil
ities, which is not included in the
foregoing figures, was $620,403,419, or
$3,266 per mile of line.
The number of passengers carried
was 607.278,121. showing an increase
for the year of 30,412,891.
Tiie numler of tons of freight car
ried during the year was 1,089,226,440,
a decrease of 12.453.79S being shown.
The gross earnings from the operation
of the railways in the United States
were $1,588,526,037. being $101,481,223
more than for the fiscal year of 1900.
Th" operating expenses were $1,030,
397.270. having increased in compari
son with the year preceding $68,968,
759. Trie total number of casualties to
persons on account of railway acci
dents was 61,794, the number of per
sons killed having been 8,455 and the
number injured 53,339. Of railway
employes, 2,675 were killed and 41,142
were injured. The number of pas
sengers killed during the year was
282. and the number injured 4.988. The
number . of persons other than em
ployes and passengers killed was 5,
498, and injured 7,209.
every week from now until election
day. Set the question In a little
larger type each week, even ; if you
have to spread it: over three columns
toward the last.: Keep asking it in-a
little louder tone week after week
and bye and bye everybody will be
asking it. - . . : .'
A Growing Question
The "growing question" idea, if not
an invention of Editor Metcalfe of the
Omaha World-Herald, has on many oc
casions been used by him with telling
effect. The constant repetition of a
question, each time in type a little
larger than the time before, finally at
tracts public attention to such an ex
tent that it must be answered or the
silent one will suffer.
In this campaign the republican
candidates for congress are badly
handicapped in Nebraska because of
the Fowler bill. The branch bank fea
ture especially is repugnant to Ne
braska bankers, and some of them are
thoroughly frightened. Others still
have confidence that the bill will nev
er pass but those who are better in
formed know that it will. Every repub
lican candidate for congress in this
state is silent as the tomb as to what
he will do when the bill comes up for
passage. It is said that Mr. Burkett
when he first came home, with the at
mosphere of Washington clinging to
his garments in chunks, confidentially
told a Lincoln banker that "you have
no idea what a sentiment there is in
favor of the Fowler bill" and the
banker abruptly told him that the sen
timent. here is the other way and that
it might be necessary to get some
other man for congress from this dis
trict. Since that time Mr. Burkett
has discreetly kept his mouth shut
about the Fowler bill.
Every republican candidate for con
gress is making a campaign of false
pretences on this question. He dare
not say he favors the bill for . that,
would mean the antagonism of every
banker in the state. He dare not de
nounce the bill for that would be de
nouncing a party measure that was in
troduced by the whole committee. So
he attempts the silent act.
It is up to the populist and demo
cratic papers of the state to make
these gentlemen talk on -this subject
It can be done by using the "growing
question" idea. Already the Lincoln
Daily Post .has begun it. . We quote:
A GROWING QUESTION.
MR. BURKETT. DO YOU FAVOR
THE ENACTMENT INTO LAW OF
THE FOWLER CURRENCY BILL?
The Fowler currency bill embodies
all the iniquitous features of the old
wildcat banking plan. It provides for
bank notes Issued on bank assets, for
branch banks, for retirement of the
greenbacks, and for making silver
dollars redeemable In gold on demand
of the holder. It is the foundation
stone of a bankers' trust. The Fowler
bill has been recommended for passage
by the republican majority of the
house committee on banking and cur
rency. Answer this above question, Mr.
Burkett.'
The whole paragraph should be run
at the head f of the editorial columns
Barry ys Kinkaid
Gen. P. H. Barry, populist-democratic
nominee for congress in the
Sixth district, has issued the following
challenge to Judge M. P. Kinkaid, his
republican opponent:
Greeley, Neb., Aug. 25ri902 Hon.
Moses P. Kinkaid, p'Neill, Neb. My
Dear Judge: In view of the fact that
we are both aspiring to represent the
Sixth congressional district of Ne
braska in congress, I suggest that we
arrange a series of joint debates
throughout the district, the places and
dates to be mutually agreed upon.
I believe a discussion of the politi
cal Issues now claiming the attention
of the American people, as enumer
ated in the platform of the respective
parties to which we belong, in all
candor and fairness would be of inter
est to a very large number of our
people, and I also believe that in this
way we could ..meet face to face more
of the voters of the district than in
any other.
Therefore I trust that you may see
fit to accept this challenge in the
friendly spirit In which it is tendered.
I am, very sincerely yours,
P. H. BARRY.
The Omaha Auditorium
Omaha will within a few months
have one of the finest and best
equipped Auditoriums in the country,
and as a .result that city is already
planning to secure national conven
tions and other large gatherings which
will, directly and indirectly, benefit the
entire trans-Mississippi country.
Through the Omaha Auditorium
company, the officers of which are
prominent business men who serve
without pay, the citizens of Omaha
have donated and taken stock in the
company , to the amount of $175,000.
To provide. fund3 for completing and
furnishing the Auditorium the com
pany has two projects on hand, in
both of which people get the worth of
their money and at the same time help
the Auditorium. The first is the
Musical Festival, which opens August
21 and closes September 17, fifty-four
concerts being given by the Royal
Italian band, the largest and most
noted musical organization now in this
country. Cavaliere Emilio Rivela
came from Italy this spring to take the
leadership of the band, which has cre
ated a musical sensation wherever it
has appeared.
The second project, which is al
ready attracting a great deal of atten
tion all over the country," is called
"the Auditorium stock contest" Tick
ets entitling the purchaser to one
share of common stock in the Omaha
Auditorium Co. are sold for 25 cents
each, and with each ticket the pur
chaser receives two guessing slips.
There are 1001 regular prizes, the 700
cash prizes being headed by a $5,000
prize in gold, and the 300 other prizes
by a $3, $00 house and lot. The prizes
will be distributed to the 1001 per
sons making the 1001 closest estimates
on the total number of votes cast for
all candidates for governor of New
York next November. Special cash
prizes are awarded every two weeks
to persons making the closest esti
mates on the amount of the Omaha
bank clearings on the 1st and 16th days
of each month. In order that all may
have the same chance to win prizes
the Omaha Auditorium Co., Omaha,
Neb., is furnishing free on application
full Information and figures regarding
the number of votes cast during the
past ten years in New York state,
and the amount on previous dates of
the Omaha bank clearings.
Morgan Wilt Settle the Strike.
Seven men can end the strike and
J. P. Morgan' Is their ruler. New
York World, August 24.
O! why should the people shed lachry
: mose tears,
When Morgan will settle the strike?
He scuttled for home when republican
fears
Said, "Morgan must settle the
strike." "
He's been buccaneering for nautical
"stuff," .
Got "liners" and "coalers" and mud
scows enough
To play a new role in a salt-water
.bluff, ,
No! Morgan won't settle the strike.
With tide-water coal at twelve dol
lars a ton,
Old Morgan don't settle the strike;
He says the high prices have only be
gun, So, Morgan won't settle the strike.
With Ted at his elbow and Knox at
his back.
He'll stretch the consumer upon his
trust rack, '
A round billion steal before changing
his tack,
Then Morgan wiir settle the strike.
The poor may implore while the coal
baron grins,
For Morgan to settle the strike,
When h freezes over and skating
begins,
Then Morgan will settle the strike;
But when the freeze comes and the
marching gets nice,
And every coal user is pinched by the
price,
We'll fight the d robbers right there
on the ice,
And the people will settle the strike!
C.
Gouverneur, N. Y., Aug. 26.
"Maupin's Way of Thinking"
Will M. Maupin, in addition to writ
ing his "Whether Common or Not"
page in Mr. Bryan's Commoner, finds
time to furnish The Alliance Herald a
couple of columns of political notes
under the heading, "Maupin's Way of
Thinking," written in his inimitable
style. His habit of standing'up for
Nebraska and Nebraska newspaper
men led him to throw a number of
undeserved bouquets at the associate
editor of The Independent last week
which we quote with the warning,
"Cum grano sails."
The fusionists honored the newspa
per profession when they nominated
Charley De France for auditor of pub
lic accounts. De France is one of the
real newspaper men of the state. He
has "rolled," "pulled press," set type,
made up forms, written locals and
ground out editorials in fact, has ex
perienced all the trials and worries of
country newspaper existence. He is
one of the bhoys. He is an expert ac
countant, has been admitted to the
bar and knows more about the state
house than any republican official now
occupying an office in it. If the tax
payers of Nebraska do not elect Char
ley De France to the office of auditor
it will be because they don't care a
tinker's dam about getting good men to
transact their business for them.
That Debate
Mike Harrington, and J. N. Baldwin
will discuss the railroad taxation
problem. That is, they will hold join
debates if Mr. Baldwin will acept the
challenge that has been sent him by
the fusion committees to take the
stump and defend the corporation in
terests. We held to the opinion that
Mr. Baldwin will have business else
where and will not find It convenient
to accommodate the redoubtable
Mike. N. J. Ludl, In Wahoo Democrat.
Representative Ollis
J. A. Ollis Jr. Is a thoroughly rep
resentative citizen of Valley county, a
good farmer and business ' man, and
made an admirable record in the leg
islature and should bo re-elected with
an increased majority. Jason L. Claf
lin, in Ord Journal.
Ohio State Journal:
"But. father," replied the erring son,
"you know every young fellow has to
sow hie wild oats.'V v v. : , ,
; "Yea," answered the father, "but you
ought to knew whea you have a big
enough , crop in. ' .; ,;r?
A Question of Pedigree
At the Tecumseh chautauqua, Mr.
Mickey apologized for the name his
mother gave him and said he wasn't
Irish, but a cross between the Welsh
and Scotch. Central Farmer.
This paper had been led by the
statements of the Omaha Bee to be
lieve that Mr. Mickey was a cross be
tween the Union Pacific and the Bur
lington. But, good Lord, we don't
know anything about pedigrees and
anybody can fool us. W. J. Waite, in
Exeter Enterprise.
"I'm Mickey by name, but not by
nature," declared the "farmer" candi
date some three weeks after Baldwin's
conference had chosen him. And now
there is another cross cross Irish
men who don't relish the contemptuous
manner in which Mickey disavowed
any kinship with the men of the Emer
ald Isle.
With the Paragraphers.
Houston Post: Smith would doubt
less like to give orders to kill and burn
every president over 10 years of age.
Columbus Press: Judge Jackson has
enjoined the miners from doing al
most everything except slaving for the
coal trust and breathing.
Pittsburg Dispatch: It is now given
out that General Smith did not issue
that "kill-and-burn" order, but mere
ly hinted it. Which defense is worse
than" the indictment.
New York Life: It is officially re
ported that the Filipinos are learn
ing to love our institutions. Is this
another exemplification of the old say
ing that "many waters cannot quench
love?"
Memphis News: The Littlefield anti
trust bill will either be so bad for the
trusts that the g. o. p. Campaign man
ager will say to the magnates, give us
the campaign funds and we will not
pass it, or it will be so favorable to
the trusts that the manager will say
give us the money and we will pass it.
It has not yet been discovered whether
the policy will be blackmail or sell out.
Rock Island Argus: The adminis
tration mouthpiece, the Philadelphia
Press, in its editorial correspondence,
says that the president and Attorney
General Knox are proceeding against
the trusts in their own way. They are
trying to bring down their game with
blank cartridges and the game has got
ten so accustomed to it that they sit
still and allow themselves to be shot
at.
County Conventions
The populists and the democrats of
Lancaster county will hold their con
vention to nominate, county officers on
September 12. They will convene at
1 o'clock p. m .at the Auditorium in
the city of Lincoln. The delegates
are the same persons that represented
the different precincts at the conven
tion oh June 14 this year.
Could Not See Them.
There is a citizen of New York, says
an exchange, who decided .to treat
himself to a horse and a runabout.
In every case he insisted upon know
ing the attitude of the prospective
purchase in relation to automobiles.
"I don't want my neck broken daily,"
he would say.
There was a horse that suited him.
"I can warrant him on the automo
bile question," said the Jersey farmer
who owned him. "I will guarantee
that he will pass a dozen an hour, all
day long, and never look at one of
them."
"Will you give me a written state
ment to that effect?"
"I will."
The sale was made. For once a Jer
sey farmer had told the truth in a
horse trade. The horse was blind.
Before and After.
"You say you have good grounds for
a divorce, madam? What are they?"
"Well, before marrying me my hus
band made as many promises as a re
publican platform."
"Yes?"
"And after our marriage he acted
like a republican administration
elected on the platform."
Being well posted the attorney in
stantly realized that hlg client had a
good case.
The Wrooar Connection.
The bill clerk and the telephone
girl wore engaged. Sitting In front
of - the fireplace, they fell to talking
about the .happy time when they would
be ens, .-,".. -
From one little detail to another the
talk: finally drifted to the subject of
Renting the firsa in the morning. On
this point the young man was decided.
He stated it as his emphatic opinion
that it was a wife's place to get tip and
start the fires, and let her poor hard
working husband rest :
After this declaration there -was si
lence for the space of about three
quarters of a second. Then the tele
phone girl thrust out the finger en
circled by her engagement ring and
murmured sweetly, but firmly: ."Ring
off, please. You have got connected
with the wrong numbe?." Exchange.
Items of Interest
Many severe cases of burn3 from
celluloid have been reported.
The demand for American good? is
increasing throughout Canada.
JIvery one of the large automobile
factories is far behind its orders.
A Londoner, has perfected a method
of manufacturing paper stockings.
Methodism has gained in New York
city nearly 47 per cent since 1875.
The transfer system is not used by
any etreet railway in Great Britain.
About 70 per cent of the population
of the Klondike Is from the United
States.
Mrs. Ann Elizabeth Walsh of Brook
lyn has given nearly $800,000 to Cath
olic charities.
A beetle one-third the size of a horse
would be able to pull against more
than a dozen horses.
The state of New Jersey, is about to
build a sanitarium for indigent suf
ferers from consumption.
One of the public playgrounds in
Kansas City is to be fitted with a
shower bath for children.
Two torpedo boats of the imperial
German navy will always be stationed
in future on the Rhine.
Seventy pounds profit was made on
the first week's working of the Yar
mouth municipal electric tramways.
Wakes time is a fair vhich occurs
every year in each of the groups of
English towns which form the Pot
teries.
Lord Acton, who died recently In
London, had the finest private library
in England, consisting of over 60,000
volumes.
The dairy business Is increasing rap
idly in New Zealand, and the govern
ment is doing all in its power to
boost the trade. "
The Berlin de Hifsch school fund in
Galacia maintains . 50 schools. The
number of teachers amounts to 247.
and there are 6,634 pupils.
Military spectators present at the
review of the Argentine army are re
ported to have said that the evolutions
and appearance "of the troops were
worthy of the- best organized armies
in Eurppe. .... , c ,
Thirty thousand dollars was paid re
cently for a bronze statute of Hercules
at the concluding sale of the Bardini
collection in London. The total
amount realized by the entire collec
tion was $228,640. ,
7 The native clematis can scarcely be
v:.lued too highly. A fairly hardy per
ennial, it will thrive and bloom gen
erously under much more trying con
ditions than those usually considered
necessary for its1 success.
Brain Leak.
The true standard of morality knows
no sex.
A trust in subjection will be worth
two in New Jersey.
Modern love laughs at locksmiths,
but not at goldsmiths.
Giving the swag to charity makes
robbery none the less a crime.
Heaven is nearest the home where
happy children laugh and play.
Better be preparing for tomorrow
than regretting yesterday. . .
The greater the obstacles sur
mounted the better the Christian.
Reading maketh a full man, but not
all the full men you see are readers.
Some men excuse their wickedness
by carefully training their conscience.
The money-changers were not driv
en from the temple by a writ of in
junction. The man who prepares for death
misses much that is enjoyed , by the
man who prepares to live.
The difference Lbetween foresight
and hindsight 13 the difference be
tween rejoicings and regrets.
It is fortunate for humanity that it
will be judged by-Its intentions and
efforts', and not by its achievements.
The man who moans loudest about
"disreputable politics" is usually the
man who is too negligent to attend the
primaries.
- Some men are like unconflned gun
powder, easily ignited, go up in a puff
of smoke and leave no trace save a
disfiguring mark.
Some men believe that, they could
have made a better world than the
Creator,,but it's a good thing for the
rest of us that they were not given an
opportunity to try. ,
. - Will M. Maupin.
- Ao English Joke.
London Answers prints the following,-which
may be accepted as a fair
sample of English humor:
A Chapham young lady recently, on
Inspecting her drawing room, found
the furniture and ornaments covered
thickly with dust, and evidently they
had not been touched that day.
. "Mary!" she called the servant,
"you haven't dusted the room this
morning, have you?"
"No ma'am, I haven't; I am just
decomposing
"Decomposing! What on earth do
you mean?"
"WTelI, ma'am, I am just returning to
dust,"
No Doubt of Identity.
One morning a banker stepped into
his office, says the New Yorker, and
most effusively greeted his bookkeep
er, who had entered his service Just
twenty-five years before, at the same
time handing him a closed envelope
with the remark:
"This is to serve you as a memento
of the present occasion."
The grateful recipient did not ven
ture at first to open the envelope, un
til encouraged to do so by a nod and a
smile from his employer. And what
do you think it contained? The bank
er's photograph that, and nothing
more. The bookkeeper was dumb for
the moment.
"Well, what do you think of it?"
his principal inquired.
"It's just like you," was the reply.
First Prayers.
William E. Chandler and Henry W.
Blair, the New Hampshire statesmen,
were bitter enemies for a time, but
have become reconciled in a measure
since the former's defeat for re-election
to the United States senate, says
the Philadelphia Times. Meeting re
cently, Chandler said to Blair:
"I'm not feeling well this morning.
Awful pain in my back lumbago or
something, I fear."
"Too bad!" said Blair, sympathetic
ally. "When did it come on?"
"Last night," replied Chandler, "just
as I kneeled down to say my prayers."
"Too bad!" said Blair again. "Must
be awful discouraging to have such a
thing happen the first time you ever
tried it."
A Marked nan.
"There goes the most prominent
man in our city."
"Indeed? Has he built a library or
endowed a college?"
"Neither. He is the only man in
town who has not been decorated by
the kaiser for favors shown to Prince
Henry while here."
The Siqueret.
A bachelor in Mozambique
For a life partner long did sique.
He, while unwed,
Bore high his head
He's married now, and very mique.
A Little Fable.
While walking down a public high
way an Humble Citizen was set upon
by a band of Arrogant Trust's, severely
beaten and all of his personal effects
divorced from his pockets.
"Why am I thus beaten and
robbed?" wailed the Humble Citizen.
"What have I done to deserve this
treatment?"
But the Arrogant Trusts were so
busy dividing the swag that they did
not deign to make reply.
"Have I not always defended you
against unjust attacks? Have I not
Insisted that you were the natural re
sult' of industrial evolution? Have I
not always voted in your interests
and yielded to no man in my defense
of the system whereby you have
waxed fat?"
But the Arrogant Trusts had not yet
completed the division of the swag
and replied by Haughty Silence. '
"I insist," continued the Humble
Citizen, "that I am not deserving of
this treatment."
"O, come off!" ejaculated one of the
Arrogant Trusts, growing impatient
at the importunities' of the Humble
Citizen. "You've been such an easy
mark all these years that you've no
right to make a Holler at this Stag3
of the Game."
Moral: It's your own fault.
. A Sad Gaea,
"I hear, that Bently has been ad
Judged insane. .What la his' mania?"
"O.the poor fellow actuallj came
to believe that trusts were really or
ganized for . the purpose of reducing
prices to the consumer."
A Chapter on Boy.
Many bad boys would be good boys
if given as much attention as the
average hunting dog or trotting horse.
Boys will be boys; and they will be
gentlemen, too, if properly taught.
There are as many ways of training
boys properly as there are boys.
Boys who are led thrive better than
boys who are driven.
It is useless to expect manly boys if
we have no manly fathers.
The man who cannot remember that
he was once a boy is a very poor hand
at Interesting boys.
Boys follow example better than
they do precept.
Wanted to Know.
"Johnnie," remarked the mother as
she prepared to run across the street
to a neighbor's, "I am going away for
an hour or two. While I am gone
you must not get Into the pantry. Ndw
heed my Injunction."
"Mamma," replied Johnnie, who
happened to be - close reader of the
dally papera,-"ia this a Philander Knox
sort of injunction, or do you really
mean it." -
Realism vs. Romanticism.
BY F. H. LANCASTER.
Copyright, 1SCC, by Dally Story Pub. Co.)
They were sltUng , a the gallery in
the twilight and the discussion bega
by the Woman Who Wrote taking ex
ception xto the ' extravagant praise be
stowed upon a modern book.
"It is rot tr.: not possible. If a
human woman had attempted to live
through kuch a rles of sensation
she would have died of heart failure
in a week; or, been sent to an asylum
for the insane." , .
The Newspaper Man cut in dryly:
"Realism will - never appreciate ro
manticism." "I wish to goodness that I could un
derstand what, is meant by realism
and romanticism," announced the
Green Girl. . ..
"Why, the difference Is Just this,"
responded the Woman Who Wrote.
"Realism deals with what would
probably happen every-day flesh and
blood. Romanticism with impossible
creations of nerve and fury. For in
stance: . "i'?...
"Once upon a time there was a man
and a woman in a gaudy little garden
and life looked glad.; But as the sun
hastened to its setting the glow of
their gladness began to dim, for to
the man sunset meant return to camp,
and to the woman, making hot bis
cuit for supper. So they watched the
setting sun and their words were few
er as their, eyes grew wistful. For
this is ever so in life, novelist to the
contrary, notwithstanding. A full
heart makes not a ready tongue.
"Then into the garden came the
maiden aunt of ; the woman, and she
made obeisance to the man andNfcald
to him In pleasant,, erery-day, un
grammatical talk, that fhe would be
much pleased to have him make a
third at their teatable. Let any man
who has learned to prize the presence
of one woman above all others say j
what was in the heart of the man as
he followed the old maid and the
Proof,
"What makes yeu think Dulwltte is
devoid of a sense of humor?"
" "He can't see the joke in. the asser
tion that the tariff should be revised
by its friend-'
The bread knife was in the left hand
of the man and his right arm was
about the woman's shoulder,
woman into the dining-room that
smelled of new bread and sad salmon.
"'We will not bother about biscuit
to-night, Polly, if you will slice some
cold bread,' spake the aunt. But the
man interfered, declaring himself to
be familiar with the weapons, and
laying hold upon the bread knife, at
tacked the loaf valorously. . Where
upon the old maid went to the pantry
for the tea. The door latch clicked
in closing and the bread-knife was in
the left hand of the man and his right
arm was about the shoulders of the
woman. His breath raised her hair,
and then that happened which will al
ways happen when any ordinary man
and woman whose hearts have gene
into each otherJe keeping, chance to
find themselves alone together and
safe from the eyes of others. For the
space of a moment, heaven hung over
the breadboard, then a loose plank
squeaked and the woman began to lay
places for six and the man cut slices
of a thickness to beat the band. '
The man's hand touched the wom
an's intentionally as he passed plate
and platter. Marvel not, ye mortals
of mundane flesh and blood,, that the
tea .drank that night was a nectar
compared to which the ambrosia of
the gods was but as milk and water.
For all that . I have told is very, true
and has come to pass many hundreds
of times, and if the world holds will
come many hundreds of times more.
At last they said good-night in the
moonlight And if there be any among
you who have not counted the mo
ments by the delicious quiver of a
heart beat against your own, I shall
not strive to picture to you that pleas
ant parting, for no words could make
it plain; and if there be those among
you who have, neither will t expend
energy u pon useless endeavor, for you
know that no words may do it justice.
So for the sunshine. The shadow
came next day with Jtiis letter. "My
own dear Polly, The Indians are up
and we have been . ordered against
them." Do not condemn him for
breaking it so rudely. His heart was
hurting him too badly to think I of
finesse. It is ever so with an ordl
nary man, pain makes him Impatient.
Well, the woman felt troubled;' be
cause she missed him, and because all
at once she could think of him only
as of a still, white, face upturned to
the moon. She went to the machine
and made a couple of shirt waists with
tucked fronts and Insertion as per or
der, then she read the newspaper to
keep from going Into the garden. She
did not care to talk about it sym
pathy jupsets one's self -control. But
the hurt in her heart grew worse as
the day died and when the time came
for tea, she felt as though the ,food
was choking her beforehand. .
The eyes of the woman grew warm
with tears as she ; looked upon tie
bred knife and thought of those
treat, clumsy slices, but she assented as
a matter of course.. Her fingers closed
over the horn-handle and that haunt
ing, upturned face left her. She saw
him again beneath the hanging lamp,
Ills eyes aglow with mixed up love and
mischief. Ah! how good to be able
to think of him once more as her dear
bad boy.
When the house -was still, she car
ried the knife to her room and cov
ered its handle with tears and kisses.
Trouble not yourself with idle ques
tionings, whether the man came back
from the wars or no; for when a man
has won such love from a woman that
she kisses handles for his sake, he has
seen his Austerlltz; let him beware
lest he live too long and so Took upon
his Waterloo."
"That's realism." . ;l
"In all save one particular," com
mented the Newspaper Man.
The Woman Who Wrote spoke hur
riedly, "Now for romanticism:
'.'It was a wild, dark night, dark as
death. The rain poured down in cease
less torrents: the wind tore the thousand-year-old
monarchs from the for
est and lashed the sea into a raging
mass of inky waters. Against it all,
in tha. very teeth of the storm, the
man held on his way. Heedless of the
howl and roar, heedless of the jagged
lightning that leaped from the lower
ing heavens. Deaf, blind, lost to con
sciousnss of aught save the sting of
wounded, pride and the. fierce resent
ment of an outraged love. None save,
gods or devils would have braved such
a night, but he What was beat of
rain and lash of wind? What was
this wild storm without, compared to
the fiercer one raging, within? The
rage of passion that sent the blood
seething through his veins, and beat
in hi3 brain like hammers.
"The crimson curtains with their
satin fringlngs swept to the floor.
shutting out the storm and the night.
They could not shut out the wind that
howled and shrieked like a thousand
fiends in torment. Genevieve Treval-
lion crouched over her fife, her great.
violet eyes staring in dense terror at
the flames. For hours she had sat
there cowering unden-a sense of im
pending doom; suffering the agony of
a hundred deaths. No torture devised
by man so intense so agonizing as
that of undefined fear. She clenched
her hand until the blood sprang from
her tender palm and dyed her perfect
nails; low moanings broke from her
palid Hps. 'He would not come, he
would not come, and to-morrow would
be too late, too late. Oh, God; the
bitterness , of a luxury that deteata
love4 .
- "The man fought on, not knowing
that he fought Over rage and resent
ment a desire had come to him, more
blinding than the blue flare of the
lightning. The desire to be with her,
to breathe the intoxicating perfume of
er hair, to feel the wild beating of
her heart on his, to crush her lips be
neath kisses strong as eternity, eager
as life. His foot sunk into deepening
water and a stream of heaven's blue
fire -showed him the bridge a mass
of broken timbers heaped upon the
farther shore. Before him, wild,
wicked, water, but not hell a-gape,
would have stopped him now. Into
the- raging water, beating against it
defying it, his magnificent muscles
strained like whipcords, his face
Blanched, his lips numb.
1 Nj.
The door burst open, Genevieve Tre
valion cprang to her feet
"The door burst open, Genevieve
Trevallion sprang to her feet. The
man stood before her. His grand
eyes, black and passionate as the
night, burned into hers. His breath
came in hoarse, gasping sobs. Pallid,
spent, unkempt as the storm, he stood
before her. Wet as a drowned rati"
"Ah, how outrageous!"1 ,
"But he was wet," she protested.
"Bother; if we cannot escape prosaie
details let's have tea.".
As the Woman Who Wrote arose to
follow the others, the Newspaper Man
stopped her.
"Did you really kiss that knife's
handle?"
"What knife?"
"The one I cut ham with that
night" '' '
"Why, you crank, you and I have
never been anything to each other."
'Don't be too sure of that Remem
ber the damage I did to your mother's
china. If you hadn't been as cold as
an iceberg yoa would have been bet
ter posted on realism. When your
own heart is going like a butx-saw
you. can't feel the beat of . ' anotfc er
against it See T This is realism.
