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Looting of China.
BY CLARENCE L. BEALMEAR.
Copyright, 1901, by Dally Story Pub. Co..)
Wun Sock leaned over the hearth
and drew with his how a melancholy
tune out of an old violin. Again and
again he drew the bow across the In
atrument, holding a particularly deep
note, bending forward slightly and
looking intently at a spot on the
hearth. The room was dimly lighted
by a tallow dip. Weird enough were
the surroundings the figures of drag
ons on the walls. Joss perched on a
ahelf, the" giant shadows cast by the
flickering light without the accom
paniment of unearthly music. Tweuty
minutes, half an hour, forty minutes,
and then, with an exclamation of Chi
nese disgust, he laid the violin down,
took up a large cork from the shelf,
fitted It In a hole In the hearth and
blew out the tallow dip, and, after a
few puffs at the resistless pipe, threw
himself on his cot and slept.
A few minutes later Chip In opened
the door of the little Join, and tiptoed
softly In. Lighting the tallow dip and
seeing the violin lying there, he began
where Wun Sock left off, first taking
the cork out of the hole In the hearth.
Chip In drew forth the same monoto
nous tune, even more dismally than
his predecessor. Twenty minutes, half
and hour, forty minutes, and then,
with an execration, he repeated Wun
Sock's actions, thrqwlng himself on
the cot next to his worthy contempor
ary, while- that gentleman emitted a
snort which may have signified gross
displeasure at the confusion aroused
by Chip In, or Intense confusion at
some hallucination superinduced by
the pipe.
While Wun Sock was muttering in
coherent monosyllables to himself. In
. atalkel Sip Oln, and, judging from his
wavering gait and the reverse position
of his hat, be had been a partaker of
the cup that Inebriates but does not
inevitably cheer. He made big way
From the hole emerged an object
unsteadily over the hearth by the light
of the street lamp, and looked about In
a bleared sort of way, accidentally
touching the violin with his hand. In
tuitively recalling a forgotten Injunc
tion, ha took up the Instrument Long
ha drew the bow across the strings and
long he held the monotonous tone with
Autumn Ccaocs
Rustling, quivering downward,
Bronte, and ruby, and gold.
Drifting over the forest paths,
Lying fold on fold.
Leaves that wore In springtime
A dainty emerald dress,
That vagrant aummer breezes
Swayed with faint caress.
I watch them floating slowly
Through the autumn hours.
In tender flty fluttering
Over the dying flowers.
Oh, leaves, whose fresh, young beauty
Durst bravely forth In May,
That now, with age grown yellow,
Drift down in'death today.
Your life Is done and over
In esch calm country lane
Falls, through the quiet hours,
A gold and crimson rain;
For, with faint touch caressing,
October's sun still weaves
His burning, brilliant splendor
Into tha dying leaves.
Templa More.
the tenacious bow, playing, however,
with somewhat more feeling than the
others. The light from the street
lamps shone dimly through the little
square panes of glass to the hole In
the hearth. Sip watched closely with
only the aid of this. The violin con
tlnued to wail and moan. Then from
the hole emerged an object, moving al
most lndiscernlbly, first Its head, then
neck, and finally writhing its whole
form out upon the hearth, standing
erect and almost touching Sip Gin with
Its nose-ra cobra of immense size. Sip
continued to draw the bow as imper
ceptibly as possible. Suddenly, with
a movement as quick as the flash of a
sabre, he dropped both bow and violin
and grabbed the reptile Just behind the
head. With a shriek he awoke Wun
Sock and Chip In, while the struggles
of the Infuriated monster, together
with Sip's already too unsteady head,
nearly carried that gentleman off his
balance. A light being produced, he
regained his equilibrium, while his
compartlots uttered exclamations of
Intense gratification at the victorious
although somewhat Inebriated Sip.
In his rage the serpent's head was
flattened out, resembling a hood, on
tho back of which were the spectacle
like marks, and the brownish-olive
form wriggled In a desperate effort to
escape. Quickly It was thrust into a
box, and while It was venting Its rage
on the Interior Sip pulled himself to
gether and adjusted bis disheveled rai
ment. The rest of the night they sat
up to discuss a conspiracy.
Wun Sock conducted a prosperous
laundry near the barracks, his busi
ness having increased with the Influx
of the Americans. Sip Gin was an
all-around sport, who spent most of his
time and money In the gambling joint
which Is at present the scene of this
narrative, and of which Chip In was
said to bo the sole proprietor. Wun
Sock had by artful competition forced
Hop HI, a rival laundry man, to the
wall, for which piece of mercantile
courtesy he Incurred that Celestial's
unmitigated enmity. Hop having mi
grated to Bombay, returned the com
pliment In the form of this cobra, neat
ly ensconced In a box, which Wun
Sock, in delight and Ignorance of Its
contents, took around to Chip In's to
open before that heathen's usually ad
miring eyes. Upon forcing the lid tho
serpent made a pass at him, and but
for the tool with which be opened tho
box, and which ho still held in bis
hand, the result would surely have
been fatal to Wun Sock. In the ex
citement, during which they all re
treated, the cobra made good his es
cape, taking refuge In the hole In the
hearth, which they promptly stopped
up with a cork.
Knowing the power of music to
charm these reptiles, a violin was pro
cured, and for. six nights tbey met at
the Joint and vainly extended an In
vitation to the cobra to emerge from
the hearth and be again Immured
within the walls of bis box. It re
mained, however, for Sip Gin, Inspired
to sentiments of tenderness by the In
fluence of a soothing liquid, to draw
the bow with sufficient witchery to
charm the otherwise Indomitable crea
ture and coax blm from his lair. Once
out, it wae a one-shot victory, a shoot-or-he-ahot
chance, and Sip had drunk
just enough to give him a rarktess
abandon and steady nerve to complete
the feat with glory.
With such a potent agency of death
In tbelr possession and a means where
by to deal an everlasting blow to the
enemy, or which a Chinese is never
entirely without, these Celestials im
mediately bethought how to use this
deputy of the devil to the best advan
tage. Each recited big list of those
whom he would be pleased to annlhl
late, but It was difficult to select the
most eligible.
Lam Chop, the restaurateur, Just
then happened in and was let Into the
secret. He smiled to himself. Wun
Sock with five enemies, Chip In with
seven. Sip Gin with three, while he
Lam cuop, nao oniy one an enemy
who had spoken evil of him to all his
race Chin Lip, the barber. "But be
not vindictive,," said Lara Chop, as he
rubbed his sleeve across bis face to
hide a smile. "Let your enemies live
and list to the chance of a lifetime.
The government of Uncle Sam will
give i,yuu ror Agmnaido, dead or
alive." Lam Chop knew his hiding
place and his disguise. "Think of
5,000 of Uncle Sam's big dollars, that
buy ten times as much as our brass
money! Back to China we can go and
live like Li Hung Chang."
Great was the idea, but how was It
to be executed? Lam Chop would tell
them. On the night of the full moon
Wun Sock was to carry his venomous
burden, boxed neatly, with the lid
merely latched, to a deserted hut on
the outskirts of Manila. There Aguln-
aldo took refuge after nightfall and
slipped out early every morning dis
guised as a coolie. He would see the
box and naturally open It; death
would result and the reward be sure
to follow.
Wun Sock on the day appointed has
tened to do the bidding of Lam Chop,
At sunset he went to the house, de-
posited the box In a conspicuous place
and "decamped. Next morning three
Chinamen could be seen walking along
the road leading to the outskirts. Lam
Chop did not appear at the hour ap-
pointed to bring the body of Aguln
aldo to the government of Uncle Sam;
so, after waiting half an hour, the
three decided to go without him. As
they approached the hut their counte
nances beamed with anticipation. Wun
Sock pushed open the door slowly and
peeped In. There Aggy lay stretched
out on the floor. . The box open and
empty. Sip Gin then took a peep, and
lastly Chip In. Making sure the cobra
had escaped, tbey filed in and turned
the body over, when ' all fell back
aghast. It was Chin Lip, tbe barber!
After their consternation subsided
they rifled his pockets and filed out
A nice trick Lam Chop had played
on them! He, who had said "Be not
vindictive and let your enemies live,
had used their weapon for his own
ends. It galled their Chinese souls.
However, they would make Lam Chop
pay f.r his little trick. Tbey looked
for him, but he was not to be found.
He had vanished. The accumulated
wealth of Wun Sock, Chip In and Sip
Gin had been detached from Its hiding
places and had gone along, too. He
had sold his restaurant tbe day pre
vious to a mutual friend, who reported
that Lam Chop laughed so loud and
so long that It was only by chance that
' It was Chin Lip, the barber.
he caught his parting words, which,
referring to his victims, were, "Three
muchce gullible fools!"
House Ventilation In Bombay.
Most of the new houses in Borabaj
have a fine show of windows on th
outside, but no corresponding opening
to allow a current of air to past
through. The mean annual tempera
ture Is 79.13 degrees Fahrenheit, ami
the mean relative humidity 77 per cent
The mean annual range of tcmperatur
Is 46.9 degrees, but there are periodi
during the rains when the dlurna!
range of temperature does not exceed
2 degrees, and, unless there is wind
ventilation Is practically stopped, be
cause the outer air and that In th
buildings are reduced to nearly on
temperature. With the thermometei
at 82 to 84 degrees, and the air heav
ily charged with moisture, the surplui
boat of the human body escapes tot
slowly, and much discomfort ensues
As It 1s not possible to dry tbe air Id
an ordinary house, tho usual remedy 1
to produce a current by means of t
punkah, and although tho Influence o,
this Is very local, it has been found
that In tho worst Bombay weathei
life Is made tolerable In Its current
The chief drawback of the punkah li
the ptinkuhwalla. He is dirty, unre
liable, CKpeclally at night, and hli
work, counting day and night, cost!
24 rupees per month (or a single pun
kah. Collier's Magazine.
You might as well talk to an echi
a to a person who always agrees wltl
you.
The Diamond Bracelet
By MRS. HENRY WOOD,
Author of Eut Lynn, Etc.
CHAPTER VII. Continued.)
"Madam," said the officer "you must
be aware that in an investigation of
this nature, we are compelled to put
questions which we do not expect to
be answered in the affirmative. Colonel
Hope will understand what I mean
when I say that we call them 'feelers.'
I did not expect to hear that Miss
Seaton had been on familiar terms
with your servants (though it might
have been), but that question, being
disposed of, will lead me to another.
I suspect that some one did enter the
room and make free with the bracelet,
and that Miss Seaton must have been
cognizant of It. If a common thief, or
an absolute stranger, she would have
been the first to give the alarm; if
not on too familiar terms with the
servants she would be as little likely
to screen them. So we come to the
question who could it have been?"
"May I inquire why you suspect Miss
Seaton?" coldly demanded Lady Sarah,
Entirely from her manner; from
the agitation she displays."
"Most young ladles, particularly In
our class of life, would betray agita
tion at being brought face to face with
a police officer," urged Lady Sarah.
My lady," he returned, we are
keen, experienced men; and we should
not be fit for the office we hold If we
ivere not. We generally do find lady
'Fitnesses betray uneasiness, when first
exposed to our questions, but In a very
short time, often in a few moments:
It wears oft, and they grow gradually
easy. It wag not so with Miss Seaton.
Her agitation excessive at first, In
creased visibly, and it ended as you
saw. I did not think It agitation of
guilt, but I did think it that of con
scious fear. And look at the related
facta; that she laid the bracelets there,
never left them, no one came In, and
yet the most valuable one vanished.
We have many extraordinary tales
brought before us, but not quite so
extraordinary as that."
CHAPTER VIII.
The Colonel nodded approbation;
Lady Sarah began to feel uncomforta
ble.
"I should like to know whether any
one called whilst you were at dinner,"
mused the officer. "Can I see the man
who attends to the hall door?"
"Thomas attends to that," said the
Colonel, ringing the bell. "There is a
side door, but that is only for the ser
vants and tradespeople."
I heard Thomas say that Sir George
Danvers called while you were at din
ner," observed Lady Sarah. "No one
else. And Sir George did not go up
stairs." The detective smiled.
"If he had, my lady, It would have
made the case no clearer."
No," laughed Lady Sarah, "poor
old Sir George would be puzzled what
to do with a diamond bracelet."
"Will you tell me," said the officer,
wheeling sharply around upon Thomas
when he entered, "who It was that
called here yesterday evening while
your master was at dinner? I do not
mean Sir George Danvers; the other
one.
Thomas visibly hesitated; and that
was sufficient for the lynx-eyed officer.
"Nobody called but Sir George, sir,"
he presently said.
The detective stood before the man
staring him full In the face with a look
if amusement.
Think again, my man," quoth he.
Take your time. There was some one
ise."
The Colonel fell Into an explosion;
reproaching tbe unfortunate Thomas
with having eaten his bread for five
years, to turn around upon the house
and its master at last, and act the
part of a deceitful, conniving wretch,
and let In that swindler
"He's not a swindler, sir," Inter
rupted Thomas.-
Oh, no, not a swindler," roared the
Colonel, "he only steals diamond
bracelets."
No more than I steal 'em, sir."
again spoke Thomas. "He's not capa
ble, sir. It was Mr. Gerard."
The Colonel was struck speechless-
his rage vanished and down he sat In
a chair, staring at Thomas. Lady
Sarah colored with surprise.
"Now, my man," cried the offlner.
why could you not have said it was
Mr. Gerard?"
"Because Mr. Gerard asked me not
to say he had been, sir; he is not
friendly here just now, and I promised
him I would not. And I'm sorry to
have had to break my word."
'Who Is Mr. Gerard, pray?"
'He is my nephew," Interposed the
checkmated Colonel. "Gerard Hope."
"But ns ThomflH says', he Is no
swindler," remarked Lady Sarah; "he
Is no thief. You may go, Thomas."
"No, sir," stormed tho Colonel,
"fetch Miss Seaton here first. I'll
come to the bottom of this. If he has
done It lady Sarah, I will bring him
to trial, though he Is Gerard Hope."
Alice came bark leaning on the
arm of Lady Frances Chenevlx; the
latter having been dying with curios
ity to come In bntorc.
"So the mystery Is out, ma'am," be
gan the Colonel to Miss Seaton; "It
appears this gentleman was right and
that somebody did come In; and that
somebody the rebellious Mr. Gerard
Hope."
Alice was prepared for this, for
Thomas had told her Mr. Gerard's visit
waa known; an! she wag not no agi
tated as before. It was the fear of lta
being found out, the having to conceal
it, which had troubled her.
"It Is not possible that Gerard can
have taken the bracelet," uttered Lady
Sarah.
"No, it is not possible," replied Al
ice. "And that is why I was unwilling
to mention big having come up."
"What did he come for?" thun
dered the Colonel.
"It was not an intentional visit. I
believe he only followed the impulse
of the moment. He saw me at the
front window, and Thomas, it appears
was at the door, and he ran up."
"I think you might have said so,
Alice," observed Lady Sarah, in a stiff
tone.
"Knowing he had been forbidden the
house, I did not wish to bring him un
der the Colonel's displeasure," was all
the excuse Alice could offer. "It was
not my place to inform against him."
"I presume he approached suffi
ciently near the bracelets to touch
them, had he wished?" observed the
offlcer, who, of course, had now made
up his mind upon the business and
upon the thief.
"Ye 8," returned Alice, wishing she
could have said no,
"Did you notice the bracelet there
after he wag gone?"
"I cannot say I did. I followed
him from the room when he left, and
then I went into the front room, so
that I had no opportunity of observ
ing." "The doubt is solved," was the
mental comment of the detective offl
cer. The Colonel, hot and hasty, sent
several servants various wavs in
search of Gerard Hope, and he was
speedily found and brought. A tall
and powerful young man, very good
looking. Take him Into custody, officer!'
was the Colonel's Impetuous command.
"Hands off, Mr. Officer if you are
an officer!" cried Gerard, in the first
shock of surprise, as he glanced at
the gentlemanly appearance of the
other, who wore plain clothes, "you
shall not touch me unless you can
show legal authority. This is a shame
ful trick. Colonel excuse me but as
I owe nothing to you, I do not see that
you have any such power over me."
The group would have made a fine
study; especially Gerard; his head
thrown back in defiance, and looking
angrily at everybody.
'Did you hear me?" cried the Col
onel.
"I must do my duty," said the police
officer, approaching Gerard; "and for
authority you need not suppose I
should act, If without It."
'Allow me to understand, first," re
marked Gerard, haughtily, eluding the
offlcer. "What is it for? What is the
sum total?"
"Two hundred and fifty pounds!"
growled the colonel. "But if you are
thinking to compromise it In that way,
young sir, you will find yourself mis
taken." "Oh, no fear," retorted Gerard. "I
have nof tw" hundred and fifty pence.
Let me see; it must be Dobbs. A hun
dred and sixty how on earth do they
slide the express up? I did it, sir, to
oblige a friend."
"The duece you did!" exchoed the
colonel, who but little understood the
speech, except the last sentence. "If
ever I saw such a cool villain in all my
experience!"
"He was awful hard up," went on
Gerard, "as bad as I am now, and I did
it. I don t deny having done such
things on my own account, but from
this particular one I did not benefit a
shilling.
CHAPTER IX.
His cool assurance and his words
struck them with consternation.
uodus said he'd take car.) I should
be put to no inconvenienve and this
comes of it! That's trusting your
friend. He vowed to me, this very
week, that be had provided for the
bill."
"He thinks it only an affair of debt,"
screamed Lady Frances Chenevix. "Oh,
Gerard! what a relief! We thought
you were confessing."
"You are not arrested for debt, sir,"
cried the officer, "but for felony,"
"For felony!" uttered Gerard Hope.
"Oh, indeed. Could you not make it
murder?" he added, sarcastically.
"Off with him to Marlborough street,
officer!" cried the exasperated colonel,
"and I'll go with you and prefer the
charge. Ha scoffs at it, does he?"
"Yes, that I do," answered Gerard,
"for whatever pitfalls I may have got
into in the way of debt and careless
ness, I havo not gone into crime."
tou are accused, sir," said the offi
cer, "of stealing a diamond bracelet."
"Hey!" uttered Gerard, a flauh of
intelligence rising to his face as he
glanced at Alice. "I might have
guessed It was the bracelet affair, If I
had had my recollection about me."
"Oh, oh," triumphed the colonel in
sneering Jocularity, "so you expected
It was the bracelet, did you? We shall
have It all out presently."
"I heard of the bracelet's disappear
ance," said Mr. Hope. "I met Miss
Seaton when she was out this morning
and she told me It was gone."
"Better make no admissions," whis
pered the officer In his ear. "They
may be ured against you."
"Whatever admissions I may make,
you are at liberty to use them, for they
are truth," haughtily returned Gerard.
"Is it possible that you do suspect me i
of taking the bracelet, or Is thli a
Joke?"
"Allow me to explain," panted Alice,
stepping forward. "I I did not ac-
cuse you, Mr. Hope; I would not have
mentioned your name in connection
with it, because I am sure you are In
nocent; but when It was discovered
that you had been here I could not
deny it"
"The charging me with having takes
it is absurdly preposterous'" exclaimed
Gerard, looking first at his uncle and
then at the officer. "Who accuses
me?"
"I do," said the colonel.
"Then I am very sorry It Is not
somebody else Instead of you, sir."
"Explain. Why?"
"Because they would get a kindly
horsewhipping.
"Gerard' interrupted Lady Sarah,
"do not treat it in that light way. If
you did take it say so and you shall
be forgiven. I am sure you must have
been put to it terribly hard; only con
fess it and tbe matter shall be hushed
up."
"No, it sha'n't, my lady!" cried the
colonel. "I will not have him encour
agedI mean felony compounded."
"It shall," returned Lady Sarah, "it
shall indeed. The bracelet was mine,
and I have a right to do as I please.
Believe me, Gerard, I will put up with
the loss without a murmur, only con
fess, and let the worry be done with."
Gerard Hope looked at her; little
trace of shame was there in his coun
tenance. "Lady Sarah," he asked. In a
deep tone, "can you indeed deem me
capable cf taking your bracelet?"
"The bracelet was there, sir, and It
went, and you can't deny it!" uttered
the colonel.
"It was there, fast enough," an
swered Gerard. "I held it in my hand
for two or three minutes, and was
talking to Miss Seaton about it. I
was wishing it was mine, and saying
what I should do with it."
"Oh, Mr. Hope, pray say no more."
involuntarily interrupted Alice. "You
Will make appearances worse."
"What do you want to screen him
for?" Impetuously broke out the col
onel, turning upon Alice. "Let him
say what he was going to say."
"I do not know why I should not
say it," Gerard Hope answered, in, it
must be thought, a spirit of bravado
or recklessness, which he disdained to
check. "I said I should spout it"
"You'll send off to every pawnshop
In the metropolis, before the night's
over, Mr. Offlcer!" cried the choking
colonel, breathless with rage. "This
beats brass."
"But I did not take It any more for
having said that," put in Gerard, in a
graver tone. "The remark might have
been made by any one, from a duke
downwards, if reduced to his last
shifts, as I am. I said if it were mine;
I did not say I would steal to do it.
Nor did I."
"I saw him put it down again," said
Alice Seaton, in a calm, steady voice
"Allow me to speak a word, colonel,"
resumed Lady Sarah, interrupting
something her husband was about to
say. "Gerard, I cannot believe you
guilty; but consider the circumstances.
The bracelet was there; you acknowl
edge it; Miss Seaton left the apart
ment when you did, and went into the
front room; yet when I came up from
dinner, it was there no longer."
The colonel would speak. "So it lies
between you and Miss Seaton," he put
in. "Perhaps you would like to make
believe she appropriated it."
"No," answered Gerard, with flash
ing eye. "She cannot be doubted. I
would rather take the guilt upon my
self than allow her to be suspected.
Believe me, Lady Sarah, we are both
innocent." :
(To be continued.)
POUND FOOLISHNESS.
ot Always Economy to
Bay in Large
Quantities.
One of the commonest forms of
pound foolishness is countenanced by
many high authorities. This Is the
purchase of certain household prce
visions in large quantities. Few wri
ters on domestic topics fail to lay
stress upon the economy of buying
groceries in bulk. That sugar and
flour, potatoes and apples should be
bought by the half or whole barrel,
cereals by the case, butter by the tub,
and other things in like proportion, is
one of the early precepts In the "Young
Housekeeper's Complete Guide to Do
mestic Economy." The ignorant young
things buy the provisions first and the
experience afterward. The flour
grows musty, the cereals develop wee
vils, the potatoes and apples rot long
before they can be eaten, and the
cook exercises a lavishness In the use
of butter and sugar she would never
show were they bought In such limited,
amounts that the housekeeper could
hold close watch over them. Eve,
after these events the young mlstresv
feels as if she were absolutely reck
less and no manager at all when she
so far departs from household law as
to buy food in small quantities. Inde
pendent. Kvldciue to the Contrary.
"Do you think that a man Is always
better off for a college education?"
"No," answered the housewife, rather
sharply. "This morning I asked a
man who came around with a wagon
whether he hud any nice fresh eggs.
He merely looked at mo reproachfully
and said: "Madam, might I be permit
ted to observe that fresh eggs are al
ways nice eggs, and nice eggs are al
ways fresh?" Washington Star.
Long Fnopgh for Any On.
Teacher How many of my scholars
can remember the longest sentence
they ever read? Billy Please, mum, I
can. icacher wnatr la there only
one? Well, William, you may tell the
rest of the scholars tbe longest aen-
tence you ever read. Billy Imprison
ment for life. Stray Btorlea.
Losers are alwayi In the wrong. )
'hi"