WATCH THE KITCHEN.
In Many Kitchen Mors Food Is
Wasted Than Eaten.
Thre are many women who think It
beneath their dignity to enter the kitch
en, and look w ith contempt upon the urt
of cooking. Hut they forget that by rieg
lectlng this most lmHrlant duty they
injure their own health as well as that
Of their own family.
Our kitchens, instead of being buch
dark dreary dungeons at) we often iinj
them, would then be light, airy and well
Ventilated, In place of the elephantine
range r coal-healer, with ovens lhat
will neither bake nor roast unless the
wind blows to suit their capricious tem
per, we would huve a range or sua
Stove ready at all times. Then there
would be fewer clashes between mis
tress and cook.
I am ashamed to notice the cooking
Utensils in some kitchens. A few rusty
Old tins, an iron pot. a frying pan and
dishpan constitute the cooking Imple
ments in the ordinary kitchen.
There Is no country in which the wo
men pay so little attention to their
kitchen affairs as here In America. All
the money Is spent in the drawing room.
There strangers can admire and en.y
ine en eel.
It would seem that the very last tiling
an architect thinks of when planning a
house is the kitchen. Then he puts It
in some obscure corner for which he
can find no other use. This Is most
evident In the fanning; of our apart
ment nouses.
ruveryining is ror show with some;
whatever they do In the culinary line it
must be in the way of pink teas, chry
santhemum luncheons or daisy suppers.
On such humbug a great deal of valua
ble time and money Is wasted, which, if
applied In the right way, would be a
aource of comfort and happiness.
jh many nousenoids there is more
rood wasted or thrown away than Is
eaten. Remains of meat, vegetables,
stale bread and cake ought to be util
ized aaa made Into appetizing and pal
atable dishes.
Garb-age Is a great source for generat
ing germs of disease. It should either he
burned up or kept in covered recepta
cles, which should be thoroughly
oieanea at least twice a week with soda
and hat water. The cellar should be
Tenuiaiea every day and whitewashed
twice a year.
The kitchen Is the laboratory where
e 'aed for the family is prepared, and
the cek Is the chemist, In whose hands
me Health and happiness of the whol
famUr He yes. even life and death are
element upon her.
! many Kitchens the cook has to
wotk part or the day by gaslight, there
being ventilation nor sunshine, and no
utlet for the poisonous gases. Organic
TKfrara ot various kinds necessarily de
velop In every occupied dwelling from
me daily culinary operations. The efflu
via la harmless at first, but Is subject to
rapid decomposition and then becomes
iireneiy dangerous.
DANGERS OF DANCING.
The Young Man who was Killed by
His Waltz Partner.
A lett for ministers of the Gospel who
are disposed to rail against the waltz
a one of the cog wheels In the machin
ery manipulated by Satan, Is furnished
by the death of Edward Mackin, of No.
11T Matt street. Mackln's demise was
due to Injuries received at a ball In
Webster hall recently. In the course
ef a waltz :-klns partner an un
known youg woman, whose weight Is
approximated by those who saw her at
18 pounds slipped and fell on Mackin.
He was taken home unconscious. Buf
feting from internal Injuries.
It was the ball of the Independent
club that proved fatal to Mackin. He
clcmed up his news stand In Mott street
early, put on his best clothes and took
his mother and sister to Webster Hall,
In East Eleventh street. There was a
big orchestra and a big crowd. All the
Et Side candidates were there making
votes, and Mackin, because of his po
sition as a dealer In newspapers In
Mott street, was a young man of con
siderable Importance.
About midnight Mackin, who had been
dancing every time the orchestra played,
was suddenly Impressed by the graceful
movements of a lady in a brown dress,
who towered high above the other danc
ers on the floor. Despite her height and
girth, she was light on her fet. Mackin
hunted up Johnnie Dowllng, one of the
floor managers.
Edward Mackin was a small man
very small compared with the unknown
big lady In brown, and he said to him
self as he made his way to her side, that
If he secured the pleasure of a waltz
with her It would be "along with her"
for sure.
Once around the hall they cirri- d, spin
ning round and round, the big lady In
brown, with her eyes staring straight
ahead, fairly lifting the slight Mackin
from the floor. Half way round they
went, and Mackin became dizzy. He
missed a step. His partner slipped and
down they fell. Upon them piled Albert
Hanover and Asrnes Sullivan and four
other couples. The other dancers guid
ed themselves skillfully past the strug
gling mass on th" floor, while the hail
rang with peals of laughter at the dls
ter which had come to Andrew Mack
in and the big lady In brown.
When the four other couples regained
their footing, Albert Hanover and
Agnes Sullivan got tip, angry and be
draggled. Albert Hanover assisted the
lady In brown to her feet, and her ap
pearance, upright, was greeted with a
shout. T'.ut Andrew Mackin did not
rise. His face was white and there was
a line of reddish froth on his lips. The
music stopped and Andrew Mackin was
carried awny carried away to his home
to die, while the big woman In brown
disappeared.
His old mother and his pretty sister
presided at the wake last night and told,
between sobs, about Edward's fatal
dance with the big woman In brown.
Trained Nurses.
According to the superintendent ol
one of the largest schools for trained
nurses in New York, their occupation If
not the easiest work !n the world. It
requires almost an IcVsl woman to
make a good nurs.. She must not only
have all the qualities that go to mali
up the good woman, but she must havf
In addition the fpecial qualities thai
are neeessaiy fot the nurse She must.
In the first place, have perfect self-control
and patience There Is much thai
Is disheartening about i. jrslng the sick.
The man or woman who Is suffering
from disease Is a tran formed being.
Pick folk lose control of themselves, und
do and say things which they cannot M
held responsible for. Particularly ll
this so In the ras- of the very poor tl
say nothing: of the depraved classes,
who are often treated In great hos
pltals. A nutse must always be cheer
ful, alw sympathetic, capable ol
mentally putting herself In her patient !
place. Under her pleasant exterior s
must also have a will of Iron that conv
pels the obedience of her charges.
Women who have been teachers tnakl
the best nurses, and In fact a large per
centage of the nurses have been teach
ers. A curious fact Is that there art
few New York girls among the trained
nurses serving in New York hospitals
Most of them are from the country ot
mailer cities. One reason for this, ol
course, Is that many girls born and
raised In New York do not possess
the physical standard required ol
trained una.
WHAT ELECTIONS COST.
trane How Cheap N, Y Poli
ticians Can Run a Campaign.
New York, Nov. 16 Judge Hubert A.
Van V'yck, mayor-tit t, has filed lus
certificate of election expenses in the
county clerk s otlice. Jt Is sworn to be
fore a notary public In Kings county,
ll sets forth that the campaign cost
Jude Van Wyck Just I15S.75. The ma
jor portion of this sum was paid to J.
P. Potts, stt nographer In Part IV of the
city court for stenographic and cler
ical work. The remainder was spent In
paying tor photographB and newsp.-j,er
notices.
Statements of expenses of other can
didates who ran for office at the late
election were filed as follows:
Justice Charles H. Van Brunt, re
elected to the supreme court, swears his
candidacy did not cost him anything.
There was no opposition to him.
Frank M'Cabe, defeated republic an
candidate for the assembly In the thirty-first
district, spent f2W for mti.-iie.
postage, drinks, ciyars and contribution
to campaign fund.
P. Tecutnseh Sherman, who was the
republican candidate for alderman in
the twenty-fifth district, spent il'j.'M for
printing and distribution.
Benjamin E. Hall, citizens' union can
didate for county clerk, spent $lG.r.O for
contribution to campaign fund, postage,
and expense of notary in obtaining sig
natures to petition on Independent nom
ination. Charles K. Manierre, the prohibition
candidate for Justice of the supreme
court, spent XWISM, which was a con
tribution to the treasurer of the party
organization for campaign expenses.
F. A. Kenzler, republican candidate
for alderman In the twenty-eighth dis
trict, spent $29.60 for printing and one
electro-photo made.
James J. Smith, Tammany candidate
ror alderman In the twelfth riiuteict
spent ?134, contributed to Tammany for
pruning ana distribution.
. ti . . .
naiicM j. i-arxer. wno ran ror alder
man in the twenty-ninth district, spent
-' ror printing, postage and contrlbu
tlon to campaign fund.
1 homas F. Woods, who ran for alder
man In the twentieth district, spent
$!7.80 for printing, messengers, postage
aim cu nire.
Harry C. Hart, Tammany candidate
ror councilman In the third district.
spent $3S6 for advertising, printing and
contribution to Tammany campaign
iuna,
Thomas Smith, who ran for the ns-
sembly in the fifteenth district, spent
lio.au ror printing, cab hire, car fare,
stationery and contribution to campaign
iuna.
Itobert Muh, who ran for alderman In
the fifteenth district, spent $129 for cab
nire, car rare, printing and stationery
Thomas Fltzpatrlck. the citizens' un
ion candidate for alderman In the eighth
uisirict, spent K9 ror printing.
William O. Verplanck. the citizens
union and national democracy candidate
ror alderman In the twenty-first dis
trict, spent $3fi!).r.2 for orintlnsr. mes
sengers ana contribution to campaign
iuna or tne district.
Jacob Kahn, republican candidate for
assembly In the twenty-second district,
spent j.hi ror printing, cab hire, car
fare and contribution to campaign fund
or tne district.
Michael Ledwlth. Tammany candidate
ror assembly in the twenty-second Jis-
trict, spent $429.50 for printing, distri
bution and contribution to campaign
iuna.
Charles Shoreood. republican candl
date for alderman in the twenty-second
district, spent $122 for printing and dis
tribution.
Thomas H. Kason. who ran for Justice
or the city court, swears that he con
tributed only $1 toward campaign ex
penses, but he omits stating on what
ticket he ran.
A KANSAS FAMILY.
A Family of TwelveAll at School
and ail Working for a Living.
Topeka, Nov. 16. Away out on the
prairies of western Kansas, where the
hard times have been painfully felt.
there lives at the little town of Lincoln
Centre a family of father, mother and
ten children, all of whom are attending
school and all earning their bread by
their labor.
Thomas M. Strange Is 45 years old. He
Is an ordained minister of the Christian
church, and Is attending Lincoln college
for the purpose of obtaining a higher
education for his work. Mrs. Strange Is
also attending the college, as are l he
two oldest children. They are all in the
Junior year. Each morning they go to
the college and sit together In the reci
tation rooms, and they usually have
their lessons well prepared. The re
maining children go to school at Lincoln
Centre.
There Is a romance connected with
the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Strange.
Tom Strange was a farmer, 21 year of
age and poor. He was the oldest of six
boys. He fell In love with his cousin.
Miss Sarah Bird, aged 15 years. The
two decided to marry, but the laws of
Kansas forbid marriage between first
cousins. So they set off In an ox cart
from their home In central Kansas and
went to 1'leasant Hill, Mo. It was a
ong and weary Journey. They were
married there on August 5, 1X71, and re
turned home In the ox cart. From that
time on Tom Strange worked the harder
and in spare moments studied with the
intention of entering the ministry. He
was licensed to preach In 1SS0 and or
dained In 1X83. Mrs. Strange also stud
ied for the ministry and hus been or
dained. She seldom misses an appoint
ment by her husband, and In many ways
lends him valuable assistance.
To this couple have been born fifteen
children. Ten are living and are with
their parents. The youngest is a girl of
8 years, the oldest a son of 21. While
Mr. Strange and the boys are planting,
cultivating and harvesting the products
from the ten-acre patch about their
home, Mrs. Strange and the girls take
In sewing and washing, and thus do
their share toward supporting the fam
ily. Each member of the family has
his particular work to do, and It la al
ways done promptly and well.
The Retired Burglar.
"I don't think I was ever very much
scared," said the retired burglar, "but
I have been as much scared by slight,
little things, that wens of no real ac
count, as by anything else. For In
Blance, by the scratching of a rat, start
ing up suddenly and runn'ng around
the wall. I was never more disturbed
than I was once by the absolute still
ness of u room that I was In. It was
(lead and oppressive; and 1 couldn't ac
count for It.
"I swung my lamp around, and aw
the usual things that you might expect
to see In such a room it was a dinimj
room Including a clock on the mantel.
It was a pendulum clock, one of the
kind that has a little clear space In the
lower part of the glass front, through
which you ran see the pendulum as it
swings back and forth. The lamp sim
ply swept across the fare of the clock,
as I swung it around, but an instant
later I realized that I had seen no pen
dulum swinging back and forth behind
that clear place, It wasn't swinging.
The clock had stopped.
I set my lamp on the shelf, and opened
the door of the clock and started up the
pendulum, and then I heard the regular
ticking of the clock. And that was all
that was wanted. But what a relief It
was to hear It. I could sort out the
poons now with a cheerful spirit
THE MISSING PRINGE.
Adventure of a Modern Detective.
By Arthur Griffiths.
The firm of Black & Brlghtsmlth wsa
good enough to express its great and
grateful appreciation of my help In the
case of the Escondida mine. It promised
me other work of the same kind, plenty
if I cared to take it up, and soon scut
to ask whether I could undertake a con
fidential mission to Algeria.
It was to convey a considerable sum
of money in specie to the town of IJ s
kra. a health resort of growing popular
ity, situated in the far-off desert, al
most on the confines of the great Sa
hara. "The money Is to be paid over In ex
change for a certain compromising doc
ument, one that closely affects the char.
acter and honr of a great family. Will
you go?" said Harry Brlghtsmlth.
I expressed my readiness, but aske
why the sum could not be paid by
check.
"The demand Is for gold. In any case,
we wish to secure the papers in full ac
quittance, and this can best can on.y
be done by the hand of a thoroughly
trustworthy agent, some one who will
if necessary, give and take at one and
the same time."
"If necessary?" I Inquired, catchin
at the .'it implied.
"We l..ne no absolute certainty, Mac,
case Is bona 2de and not trumped up
for the extortion of blackmail. This i
another and still stronger reason fo
our application to you. If you can only
find that there has been any foul play
anywhere, you will earn the eternal
gratitude of his highness, as well as a
handsome douceur. Wait, let me tell
you the whole story.
"You have heard of the Medeas? Thev
were once a reigning house, and may
some day come to the throne again
Meanwhile, Prince Caslmir de Medes
lives In great retirement on the Thames,
and his eldest son. Stanislaus, who has
come to man's estate, has been sent
around the world to complete his educa
tion, with a Cook ticket, in eighty days,
Prince Stanislaus Is said to be
lively youth, fond of horses, sport
amusement, the fair sex all that makes
life enjoyable at 22. He has cost his
highness a good deal of money at times,
but his father has paid without a mur
muruntil now. The present demand
that on which we seek your co-operation
Is for the liquidation of a gambling
debt Incurred under peculiar Indeed, as
it is alleged, disgraceful circumstanced.
The young prince has been accused of
a flagrant attempt to correct fortune
"In plain English, of cheating at
cards."
"Nothing less. And on the surface the
case seems perfectly clear. The charge
of cheating Is supported by his own con
fesslor., owning up in sd many words,
signed bv his own hand, and duly at
tested. We have the notarial, authen
ticated copy In our hands. Here It is.
Hut first read the letter that accoin
panled it."
It was dated from the Hotel des Zi-baus-Biskra,
and, translated, ran as
follows:
"Your Highness: It Is our inexpress
ibly painful task to bring to your high
ness' notice the deliberately dishonest
and disgraceful conduct of your son,
Prince Stanislaus de Medea. He has
been caught cheating at baccarat; in
the act; flagrantly. This deplorable af
fair occurred at the Cercle el Salahin,
to which the prince was readily admit
ted on account of his rank and gentle
manly character.
"Last night, when engaged In
friendly game, he took the bank with
capital of 2,000, francs, advanced liim
without question by the gerant of the
club. Up to that point he had lost
steadily, but now the luck turned. It
became phenomenal. At every deal the
prince won; he cleared the table. For
growing suspicion In the minds of sev
eral players that all was not well, we
set ourselves to watch the prince.
myself was chosen to stand behind him
and at a given moment, a signal being
made, to seize and hold his hands.
"I did so, and, Immediately a pack of
cards, concealed somewhere within his
paletot, fell to the ground. It was a pack
made up chiefly of threes and sixes. If
your highness is acquainted with the
game of baccarat the importance rf
these numbers will need no explana
tion.
"Play was stopped, and two of us
were deputed to draw up a proces-ver
bal describing the occurrence.
Of course, the Prince s gains were
declared null and void, and he was
called upon to make restitution, also to
pay his previous losses and the advance
made by the gerant. These amounted
in all to 7,507 francs, and, as he had no
funds, I discharged the debt, taking his
acknowledgment.
"We also prepared for your son s sig
nature a confession of his misconduct,
a copy of whic h, duly certified by a no
tary, is now inclosed. The original will
be surrendered to your son or to any
person you may name on one condition:
that you hand over in exchange a sum
of 35,000 francs, to be applied to the re
lief of the poor Arabs In this oasis.
"We think that your highness will see
the wisdom of meeting us fairly and
promptly. It can hardly be your wish
that a Prince de Medea, the direct heir
to your ancient name and future holder
of the high fortune that may some day
return to your noble house, should be
exposed as a cheat, branded as a black
guard, throughout the civilized world.
It Is only out of consideration to your
highness that we spare him the Igno
miny he so richly merits.
Conc eiving that your highness wou!d
wish to avoid all publicity, we consent
to receive the moneys claimed In gold.
If your highness' representative will
meet ours In Algiers on the 23d ot No
vember at midday in the Jardln Ma
rengo, near the Esplanade liabel Oned,
the exchange can be completed. Let
him seat himself on the seventh bench
from the main entrance and wear a
white hat. Unless he Is alone no steps
Will be taken to meet him.
"The slightest suspicion of bad faith
or your failure to comply with the con
ditions given on the date fixed will
cause the absolute rupture of all nego
tiations, and the proces-verbal, the con
fession, with full particulars, shall be
published In the press of every capital
of Europe.
"We are. with profound respect and
the assurance of our deep and abiding
sympathy, your highness' servants,
"PHILLIDOIt I)E FIVAS,
"A NATO LB MIRABEL.''
The confession, which was full and
explicit, bore the Prince's signature, the
attestation of the witnesses thereto, and
the words "cople conforme," with the
seal and signature of the notary pub
lic, "La Ramie (Paul), Place de la Sa
hnra, P.lskra."
"Do you believe In all this?" I at once
asked the partners, Black and Bright
smith. "It rings rather false," said ITarry,
but the facts are precise, and Prince
Caslmir, who Is our client, takes the
very gloomiest view of the situation.
He has heard nothing from his son for
some weeks months. Indeed, and ex
cept for the letters of credit that have
turned up regularly at least, until fclx
weeks ago has had no Idea of Ms
whereabouts. We rather think he dis
trusts his son. or, at least. Is so furi
ously angry at the scandal, that; he will
not look at the case calmly."
"What Is he like, this young prince?
Good sort? Dad lot? Which?"
"Frankly, I am on his side. Black
here" (Black was a tall chap, preter
naturally and prematurely grave, with
slow voice, and drooping eyelids, "has
ueen rather against hlrn."
'No, no; not quite that." protected
Black; "but 1 have thought him too
frivolous and fond of pleasure. Not
sufficiently alive to the obligation of
norm-use oblige.
'Well, anyhow, there is an element
oi ooubt," 1 said. "It seems highly irn
probable that a young prince, Just out
or riis teens, is a professional Greek
skilled in dirty tricks with the cards.
That, on the face of it, first.' Then the
fact that Prince Casimlr has heard
nothing direct from his son no appeal,
no apology, no attempted exculpation.
This rather tells in the lad's favor, I
mink, if r am asked. I should skv.
'Don't pay not, at least, till the story is
verinea.
"His highness will not run the risk
He insists u.pon the money being sent
out, and every stipulation fulfilled to
the letter. Jt drives him wild the idea
or a .Medea posted as a cheat through
Europe, answered Brlghtsmlth.
I cion t say refuse. But, at least, be
certain that the case is clear. There
should be time to settle that question
ueiween now and November 2.i. I should
like to look into it, on the spot, at once."
"At Biskra?"
"Certainly. There is time, I believe,
for me to pay a visit to Biskra and
make inquiries, to hear all about this
De Fivas and Mirabel and the rest.
Above all. to see the young prince and
hear his own version."
"He has given it here," said old Black,
hitting the confession with his knuck
les as it lay upon the table.
"He is said to have given it there.
That may be a forgery. The signature,
the official stamp of the notary, both
might have been obtained by some ne
farious dodge. The young prince may
be under coercion."
"My dear Major Macnaghten-Innes,"
broke in Black, impatiently for one so
sedate and stolid, "in my experience,
an ounce of fact is worth a shipload of
conjecture. I think that the safest
course is to send the money exchange
it for the confession. Let us carry out
the contract. That, moreover, In fact, is
what our client wishes silent compli
ance and no risk."
Brlghtsmlth, having fuller confidence
In my skill, took my view, and after
much debate it was decided that Prince
Casimlr should be consulted. He came
up to Gresham street, a rather limp old
gentleman, to whom this was a crown
ing bitterness in a life of disappoint
ment, and we had some difficulty In
persuading him to the bolder course. It
was the money that settled it. He was
not rich, and would have been glad to
save the 1,300 blackmail.
Having arranged that the sum in
question should await my orders at
Cook's bank in Algiers, I left London for
Biskra on November 2, and, taking the
most expeditious route, that via Mar
seilles and Philipville, reached the des
ert town on the evening of the third
day, November 5. Allowing three clear
days for the return Journey to Algiers,
where, if my inquiry failed, I muat be
on the eveninjr of November 22, I had
Just sixteen days before me.
Biskra owns several hotels, but I
chose that which had been named in
the letter from MM. de Fivas and Mira
bel, believing I should be safest in the
heart of the enemy's country. As I had
my guns with me, and proposed to call
upon both the French commandant and
the kaid, or Arab Governor, as an Eng
lish sportsman, eager to hunt all kinds
of game, I hoped to escape importunate
curiosity. In support of this character
I rode out twice with the kaid's falcons
and spent a night In the desert under
the Aures Mountains after.
At the same time I prosecuted my in
quiries with the utmost caution. If it
got wind that an agent from Prince Cas
imlr was in Biskra, my mission might
ran at tne very outset, and the worst
would happen. I was satisfied the firBt
day to walk through the Place de ia
Sahara, where I did actually find the
brass plate of "La Ramie, Notary," at
the door of his office or etude. I ascer
tained, too, that a club called the "Cer
cle el Salahin" existed, and that it was
not difficult to gain admission to it.
But as yet I could hear of no "De
Fivas," no "Mirabel." There were no
such persons residing at the Hotel des
Zlbaus, the very place from which they
wrote making the demands! Of course,
people might, and do, make use of un
address that is borrowed, yet there was
comfort in the thought that these high
toned gentlemen were not persons very
well known.
Again, I could not find that any prince,
certainly no Prince Stanislaus de Me
dea, had recently sojourned in Biskra.
This was also satisfactory, so far as it
went; yet I could not set much store by
It, for princes of all categories have a
fondness for Incognito, and there might
be good reasons why Prince Stanislaus
should pass under a smaller and an as
sumed name. I had his photograph with
me, reputed a good likeness, and I al
ways carried it about with me, hoping
that I might run up against the orig
inal In some odd corner. But not only
did I never meet him, but I could hear
of no one answering hia description at
any of the hotels.
My first substantial move was made
when I was admitted as a member of
the El Salahin club. I at once exam
ined the list, but looked in vain for the
names, "De Fivas" and "Mirabel." They
were not members, that was clear.
This, to my mind, knocked the bottom
out of the whole story. If a gambling
scandal had occurred in the club it
would surely have been dealt with by
the members, not outsiders; certainly
not by such outsiders, shadowy, ob
scure personages, of whom, after five
days inquiry, I could hear nothing in
l!is,kra. But there was still stronger
reason to doubt the story. Now that
1 was a member, I was in a position to
ask, cautiously about the case.
No one had heard of it at all. It was
pure invention. There had been nocheat
Ing, no Prince Stanislaus in the club.
This conclusion relieved me of all anx
iety with respect to the negotiations.
The blackmailers were not to be greatly
dreaded. There plot was thin and com
monplace. Their threats might be dis
regarded, and the money must assured
ly not be paid.
But I found myself in the presence of
much more serious question. It was
perfectly clear to me that something
had happened to the young prince No !
plot of this kind could have been set
on foot without his being actively or
passively concerned In It. He was a
party to It, whether as victim or tool or :
prime mover. For a moment I wondered
whether It was the last. Had this young ,
neapegraee thus sought to mulct a fath- !
er not too liberal with his supplies?
No, I could not bring myself to believe
this quite. It was much more likely
that he had fallen a prey to some artful
villains who by some means or other
had recognized him in Biskra, penelrat- ;
ed his Incognito, and turned their
knowledge to their own nefarious ends,
This Implied foul play of the worst 1
kind. They might even hnve made I the prince at least.' when in custody
awny with him In this far-off, semi-bar-1 they cannot carry out their programme,
barons land. At least, they could hold They will not be silenced by the pay
hlm sequestered somewhere, a prisoner, j ments thev demand, but they ennnot
until they had achieved their purpose, well communicate with the press."
the extortion of hush money for a social Thi neum in o ml.ni.r
offence that existed only in their own
evil minds.
I saw now that It was my duty to ap-
ply to the authorities. The police at
Biskra were semi-military in character
and under the orders of the command
ant, a colonel of Bpahls, Baron d'Hau
Irlne, whose acquaintance I had al
ready made.
He was a striking personage In his
way; tall, of commanding presence, a
soldier before everything, a military
dandy In ths best sense, always spick
and span. In the whitest of shirt cuffs,
the smartest and most perfect-fit ting
uniform. He was also a man of tne
world. Consigned now by the chances
of a military service to this remote but
important post, he kept himself abr-ast
of all that went on In Paris, indeed, in
Europe. For the English he expressed
a warm and genuine liking, based on
pleasant days spent, and pleasant
frendships made when military attache
to the French embassy in London.
Now he received me with great cor
diality; but when he had heard my
whole story he shook his head with
grave disapproval and said: "You
should have taken me into your confi
dence sooner, my dear comrade. We
are late; we have lost valuable time.
If this young prince has whose father
I knew in Vienna, and his mother, she
was a Princess de Gauffremont if he
has really been here, and if he has fallen
among thieves in the way you suggest,
I fear the thing has gone too far. lie is
probably beyond our help."
"Killed? Murdered?" I asked bluntly.
He shrugged his shoulders.
"It is a poor confession to make, but
out here, in these wilds, such things
nave ueen. strange things. The strang
est is, perhaps, this story. Frankly,
Monsieur, I hardly credit it. It fails at
the very beginning. We do not even
know that Prince Stanislaus has even
been in Biskra. I question that, even."
"Should you have known?"
"As a matter of course I think he
would have come to me; I think he
would have allowed me to show him
some attention. In any case, the hotel
registers you know our French system?
would certainly have told me. No
Prince de Medea has been recorded
among the arrivals at Biskra, believe
me; I should have heard."
"But if he was incognito, for reasons
of his own?"
"We will have the registers. Let us
see if there is any one like him on the
lists. But you tell me you have yourself
inquired at the hotels. I tear this will
lead us no further."
The lists vrere brought out, but, as the
Baron prophesied, they told us nothing.
"No," he said. "I see only one spot of
firm ground anywhere, a point from
which possibly we may travel in the
right direction."
"The notary public?"
"Exactly. M. La Ramie is a real,
tangible fact the only notary public in
Biskra. I know him personally a little,
by reputation still better, as an honor
able, straightforward functionary, who
would hardly lend himself to any
thing underhand. French notaries, as
a rule, bear a deservedly high charac
ter. We had better see M. La Ramie.
He can. at least, tell you the truth
about the confession. A record of the
copy, made and attested, will be kept
in his office, if it ever was made, which
I doubt."
We went down without delav to the
Place de la Sahara and were shown in
at once. All doors opened before the
commandant of the garrison.
M. La Kamie, an aged man. who was
in slippers and wore a black skull cap,
was most courteous and obliging, pre
pared to give us any information in his
power. But he knew nothing of a con
fession made by Prince Stanislaus de
Medea. Nothing of the sort had been
brought to his etude: he had never
heard of De Fivas or Mirabel.
Then I laid the copy before him. ask
ing if that was not his office seal, his
signature.
"The seal. yes. The signature, no. The
first has been stolen, I know by whom;
me second rorged undoubtedly forged,
by the same coquln, voleur, escroc, sac
ripant, faineant." The staid old notary
grew purple with rage as he rolled out
abusive epithets, then paled suddenly
wnn anotner emotion, alarm ana mis
giving. "He will ruin me yet, disgrace
me utterly, for who shall say where his
abstractions, his misuse of my confl
uence win cease?
"Was he one of your clerks?" asked
the colonel.
"My first clerk, Picpus, whom I drove
out of my etude some two months back
for flagrant misconduct. Liar, rogue,
thief, gambler, Greek, he wasted his
substance and mine in every low hell,
at the roulette tables in the market
place, in the dancing dens of the Ouled
Nail."
"What became of him?"
"I heard that he had gone down to
the coast, to Algiers or to Constantine,
and again that he was lurking some
where near. He was seen at Sidi Oklia,
drunk in the bazaar and covered with
flies. Another said he had gone on to
Touggourt, and meant to go over to
the" . TV$i0
"I do not believe myself that he has
left Biskra neither he nor his fast
friend and companion, the croupier of
the Cercle el Salahin."
"Delia Croce?" asked Baron d'Hau
trine, and I also pricked up my ears
at the mention of the club. We had
struck another clue.
"This Delia Croce," my friend the
colonel told me as we walked away from
the notary's, is probably at the bottom
of this business. He was once in a good
position, had money and, I believe, rank
Delia Croce is not his real name but
he lost it all at play. When he was bank
rupt in cash, and almost in char
acter he was brought out here this
last season to keep him from starvation.
I heard of him, 1 never saw him, for, as
you will understand. I do not frequent
those places; heard of him as a man
with a history, a man who had been in
good, in the best, society, knew men and
cities, but had sunk into a mere adven
turer, a vaurien and chevalier d'indus
trie. It is possible that he knew the
prince by sight, had met him or heard
of him in Europe, and when he came up
here If he ever came
"Which is as good as proved," I put in.
"Not to my satisfaction. You stick
to your point, however; it is like you
English. But you will explain why no
one, none ot us. at any rate, has met
him or heard of him? Biskra is a small
place. Why are there no traces of
him?"
"That Is the darkest part of the busi
ness to my mind."
"You shall not say, monsieur, that we
have not tried out best to clear up that.
There shall be no imputation of foul
play undetected where I command. Im-
mediate search shall be made through
the district a complete battue. Your
Prince Charmant must be very securely
hidden if he escapes our people. He
shall be found, whether alive or dead."
He was not found, nevertheless. But
a day or two later the Baron sent for me
and said thoy had laid hands upon the
two rogues, Picpus and Delia Croce.
"They are both in Algiers, known to
and Identified by the police. No doubt
they await your arrival with the great
prize, for which they have angled bo
cleverly. Now we shall arrest them. I
am writing to beg that this be done at
once, for by interrogating they may be
got to confess what they have done with
soni which dld not extend beyond lay-
tno. Unrft and nplltrallvino- a iIauah at
tempt at extortion. But I could not rent
satisfied with that I had still to fulfill
a duty to my employer. I must unravel
the more serious mystery of the prince's
disappearance.
So I prepared to return without delay
to Algiers and assist, so far as I might
be permitted, In the examination of the
conspirators.
Their luck interposed In my favor,
tnd In no profession does the actio af
blind chance go further than in that of
the detective. The strange fact baa
been proved time and again, and might
be Illustrated by many examples.
The very day before that fixed for my
depurtu-e I was wandering aimlessly
through the little town of Biskra, when
chance the detective's good fortune,
rather took me Into an Arab caravan
serai on the outskirts, near where the
road comes in from Touggourt and El
Wayia, the furthest confines of the
French territory.
It was of the same character as those
I had seen in the far east, a great
square inclosure. the centre filled with
refuse and garbage, among which stood
the camels, horses and other animaia
while on the four sides were low doors
opening upon the travelers' rooms.
A little at one side was a new arrival
one of those old-fashioned hooded vana
seldom seen out of France, and only
there in out-of-the-way districts remote
from ianaii and larsre wns. The
are used by quack doctors, cheap jacks,
wandering photographers, and the like.
The proprietors of the van seemed to
combine all those callings with that of
horse dealer, for a number of promis
ing looking colts stood around tethered
by their fetlocks, and an old man in
blue blouse and sabots was giving them
water. Suddenly I saw him look to
ward the back of the van, give a low
shrill whistle, and whisper:
"Gare! La patronne. Et patitlet
patita!"
Following the direction of the signal
I saw two young people flying apart
with a haste that showed they were
doing wrong. It was the old, old story.
Love was not running smoothly, and
the chief obstacle was. no doubt, this
stalwart female in the man's red beret
who had just entered the caravanserai.
I drew near amused as I saw the
youth snatch up a water bucket, the
girl hurriedly resume her task of shred
ding cabbages in the pot-a-feu, while
the woman mistress or mother, prob
ably both called one an idle vagabond
and the other a shameless minx.
Then I caught the lad's face and was
held instantly spellbound.
It was undoubtedly Stanislaus de Me
dea. For all his ragged, dusty clothes, hia
illkept locks and grimy face, I recog
nized him beyond question as the orig
inal of the photograph I now held in
my hand.
"Surely, it is time, prince," I said
accosting him at once in English "time
that this masquerade should end; I
come from your father, he fears that
you are dead; he almost wishes it, fer
by some mad folly you have nearly
brought an indelible stain on an ancient
name."
He had meant, I saw clearly, to deny
his identity, but as I went on his eyes
filled with tears, and he stammered out:
"I do not understand. I have done
nothing very wrong. I love her to dis
traction "
Then I led him straight out of the in
closure, and. much to the surprise ef
all who met us thus arm-in-arm. took
the princely stable boy to my hotel, and
heard all he had to tell.
There was nothing very new in hia
story. He had been wandering up from
the coast incognito, meaning to seek ad
venture in the furthest limits, when he
had fallen in with these vagabond trav
elers and had been attracted by the
pretty Yvette, who had laughed him to
scorn, then dragged him at her tall, a
hopeless and lovesick youth, prepared
to play any part, accept any rough and
ignoble work, only to be near her and
press his still unrequited suit.
Delia Croce must have seen aim
when passing through Biskra. Prince
Stanislaus remembered the man, had
met him one day in the bazaar, and
had difficulty in shaking him off.
Out of this the whole plot had grown.
It originated, no doubt, with Delia
Croce, but it must have been aided and
developed by the notary's clerk.
But my task was not quite ended yet
I had extreme difficulty in weaning the
prince from his inamorata. He refused
at first, point blank, to leave the van.
It was not until I took those good folk
true Bohemians, yet in their way, hon
orable, fair-dealing Biscayans Into my
confidence that I succeeded in getting
him away.
The mother, with her strong, harsh
voice, clinched the matter at once.
"He could not marry her. That would
not be suitable. Anything else mercl,
monsieur; trop d'honneur!"
I believe Yvette eventually married a
pay sergeant in the Zouaves, and was
handsomely dowered by Prince Casimlr.
As for Prince Stanislaus, he went
down like a lamb to Algiers, where I left
him to bear witness against the rogues
who had tried to ruin him, and I re
turned home.
AMERICAN BACON IN ENGLAND.
Why It Brings Such a Low Price
Across the Water.
Washington, Nov. 1G. It his annual
report, which will be published in "Com
mercial Relations of the United States,"
for this year, Consul Lathrop of Bristol
again calls attention to the low price
of American bacon in the markets of
the United Kingdom, as compared with
the prices obtained for English,, Cana
dian and Danish bacon. His report waa
dated September 21, and he says:
"At the present moment, when the fin
est grades of English bacon are quoted
at from 15 to 17 cents a pound (whole
sale), and Canadian or Danish at about
11 to 14 cents. United States bacon Is
selling at from 6Vi to 8 cents. These
differences are constant. Our highest
prices do not even touch the lowest
quotations for Canadian and Danish;
they are half the English. In other
words, we are not getting by close on
half what we might get for this great
product of the west. The reasons for
this are worth consideration; it may
pay to stop and ask why, year after
year, we are content to rest at the bot
tom of the market."
The reason for the disparity in price,
Mr. Lathrop said, Is that "we have dis
regarded entirely the taste of the con
sumer, and we find depreciated values
our deserved punishment." Bacon,
bring a good price In the English mar
ket, and while it may suit the large
packer to sell his surplus at a low price
for eport, there is a steady demand
abroad for a different quality at a high
er price. The consul adds:
"I am appealing to the man who can
see a profit in selling his bacon in Eng
land at 12 cents a pound (as many Cana
dians have done), while his fellow
countrymen are sutlsfled with 8 cents.
He would have to begin at the begin
ning; that is to say, he must change the
type of hog. He would find the import
ing of some Tomworths the best way
of doing this. Some boars of this lean
und sweet-fleshed breed would rapidly
effect a change In the hog in a district,
and the new type could be fixed by care
In feeding, the main thing being not to
feed corn. No corn fed pig will make
bacon satisfactory to the English con
sumer. Firm flesh, firm fat in limited
quantity, cannot be obtained from corn.
Once the deslied type is obtained, the
curing Is an easy matter. The singed
side would probably be found to be the
most satisfactory cut for the market;
and It should be sent forward In borax,
not in salt. A packer who will take tht
trouble thus to study the English mar
ket, and will patiently and carefully try
to meet Its requirements, will find that
's brand la speedily established, and
:at dealers will be eager for hia wart
t lemuneratlvs prices."
