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About The Loup City northwestern. (Loup City, Neb.) 189?-1917 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 20, 1901)
The Diamond Bracelet By MRS. HENRY WOOD. Author of Ea.st Lynne, Etc. CHAPTER XI—(Continued ) "Even than my love; Alice, you like me more than you admit. Unsay your words, my dearest, and give me hope.” “Do not vex me,” she resumed, In a pained tone; “do not seek to turn me from my duty. I—I, though I scarcely like to speak of these sacred things, Gerard, I have put my hand on the plough; even you cannot turn me back ** "Tell me one thing. Gerard; it will be safe. Was the dispute about Fran- j ces Chenevix?” I He contracted his brow, and nodded. "And you could refuse her! You must learn to love her, for she would make you a good wife.” “Much chance there is now of my ; inaklng a wife of any one.” j “Oh, this will blow over In time; I ft feel it will. Meanwhile-” “Meanwhile you destroy every hope ful feeling I thought to take to cheer me in my exile!” was his impatient Interruption. “I love you alone, Alice, j I have loved you for months, truly, fer- j vently, and I know you must have : seen It.” “Love me still, Gerard,’ she so.tly answered, “but not with the love you should give to one of earth, the love you Will give to Francos Chenevix. Think of me as one rapidly going, soon to be gone.” “Oh, not yet!” he cried in an Im ploring tone, as if It were as she willed. “Not Just yet; I hope to see you re turn from exile. Let us say farewell while we are alone ” She spoke the last words hurriedly, for footsteps were heard. Gerard snatched her to him, and laid his face upon hers.” j “What cover did you say the book had?” demanded Frances Chenevix of Gerard, who was then leaning back on the sofa, apparently waiting for her. “A mottled? I cannot see any thing like it.” “No? I am sorry to have given you the trouble. Fanny. It has gone, per haps. amongst the 'has beens.’ ” "Listen.” said Alice, removing her hand from before her face, “that was a carriage stopped. Can they be come j homo?” Frances and Gerard flew into the next room, whence the street could bo seen. A carriage had stopped, but not at their house. “It is too early for them yet.” said Gerard. “I am sorry things go so cross just now, with you, Gerard,” whispered Lady Frances. “You will be very dull over there.” “Ay; fit to hang myself, if you knew all. And the bracelet may turn up, and Lady Sarah be sporting it on her arm again and I never know that the cloud is off for me. No chance that any of you will be at the trouble of writing to a fellow'.” “I will,” said Lady Frances. “Wheth er the bracelet turns up or not, I will write you sometimes, if you like, Ger ard, and give you all the news.” “You are a good girl, Fanny," re turned he, in a brighter accent, “and I will send you my address as soon as I have got one. You are not to turn proud, mind, and be ofT the bargain, if you And it’s offensive.” Frances laughed. “Take care of yourself. Gerard.” So Gerard Hope got clear oft Into exile. Did he pay his expenses with the proceeds of the diamond bracelet? CHAPTER XIT. The stately rooms of one of the finest houses in London were open for the reception of evening guests. Wax lights, looking innumerable when re flected from the mirrors, shed their rays on the gilded decorations, on the fine paintings, and on the gorgeous dresses of the ladies; tne enlivening strains of the band invited to the dance and the rare exotics emitted a sweet perfume. It was the West End residence of a famed and wealthy city merchant of lofty standing; his young wife was an earl’s daughter and the admission to the house of Mr. and Mrs. Lady Adcla Netherleigh was coveted by the gay world. “There’s a mishap!"almost screamed a pretty looking girl. She had dropped her handkerchief and stooped for it, and her partner stooped also; in his hurry he put his foot upon her thin, white dress, she rose at the same mo ment and the bottom of her skirt was torn half off. “Quite Impossible that I can finish the quadrille,” quoth she to him. half In amusement, half provoked at the misfortune. “You must find another partner, and I w'ill go and get this re paired.” She went upstairs; by some neglect, the lady’s maid was not in attendance, and too impatient to ring and wait for her, down she flew to the house keeper’s parlor. She was quite at home in the house, for she was the sis ter of it3 mistress. She had gathered the damaged dregs up in her arms, but her white petticoat fell in rich folds around her. “Just look what an object that stupid-” And there stopped the young lady; for instead of the house keeper and lady’s maid, whom she ex pected to meet, nobody was in the room but a gentleman—a tall hand some man. She looked thunderstruck; and then slowly advancing and star r jug at him as if not believing her own eyes. “My goodness, Gerard! Well, I should just as soon have expected to meet the dead here." “How are you. Lady Frances?" he said, holding out his hand with hesita tion. “Lady Frances! I am much obliged to you for your formality. Lady Francos returns her thanks to Mr. Hope for his polite Inquiries,” con tinued she in a tone of pique, and hon oring him with a swimming ceremony of courtesy. Ho caught her hand. “Forgive me, Fanny, but our positions are altered— at least mine us; and how did 1 know that you were not?” “You are an ungrateful—raven,” cried she. “to croak like that. After getting me to write you no end of let ters and all the news about everybody, beginning ‘My dear Gerard,’ and end ing 'Your affectionate Fanny,’ and be ing as good to you as a sister, you meet mo with ‘My Lady Frances!’ Now, don’t squeeze my hand to atoms. What on earth have you come to Eng land for?” “I could not stop there.” he returned with emotion; “I was fretting away my heartstrings. So I took my resolu tion and came back; guess in what way, Frances, and what to do.” “How should 1 know? To call me ‘Lady Frances,’ perhaps.” “As a clerk; a clerk to earn my bread. That’s what I am now. Very consistent, is it not, for one in my po sition to address familiarly Lady Frances Chenevlx?” “You never spoke a grain of sense in your live, Gerard,” she exclaimed, peevishly. “What do you mean?” “Mr. Netherleigh has taken me into his counting house.” “Mr. Netherleigh!” she echoed in surprise. “What, with that—that-” “That crime hanging over me. Speak up, Frances.” “No; I was going to say that doubt. I don’t believe you guilty; you know that, Gerard." “I am in his house, Frances, and I came up here tonight from the city to bring a note from his partner. I de clined any of the reception rooms, not caring to meet old acquaintances, and the servants put me into this.” "But you had a mountain of debts in England, Gerard, and were afraid of arrest.” “I have managed that; they are go ing to let me square up by install ments. Has the bracelet never been hoard of?” “Oh, that’s gone for good; melted down in a caHron, as the Colonel calls it, and the diamonds reset. It remains a mystery of the past, and is never ex pected to be solved.” “And they will suspect me! What is the matter with your dress?” “Matter enough,” answered she, let ting it down, and turning round for his inspection. “I came here to get it repaired. My great booby of a part ner did it for me.” “Fanny, how is Alice Seaton?” “You have cause to ask for her. She is dying.” “Dying!” repeated Mr. Hope in a hushed, shocked tone. “I do not mean actually dying this night, or going to die tomorrow; but she is dying by slow degrees, there is no doubt. It way be weeks off yet; I cannot tell.” “Where is she?’’ "Curious to say. she is where you left her—at I^ady Sarah Hope’s. Alice could not bear the house after the loss of the bracelet, for she was so obstin ate and foolish as to persist that the servants must suspect her even if Lady Sarah did not. She felt, and this | spring Lady Sarah saw her, and was so shocked at the change in her, the I extent to which she had wasted away, S that she brought her to town by main force, and we and the doctors are try ! ing to nurse her up. It seems of no i use.” “Are you also staying at Colonel j Hope’s again?” “I invited myself there a week or two ago to be with Alice. It is pleas anter, too, than being at home.” “I suppose the Hopes are her to night?” “My sister is. I do not think your uncle has come yet.” “Does he ever speak of me less re sentfully?” “Not he; I think his storming over it has only made his suspicions strong ! er. Not a week passes but he begins j again about that detestable bracelet, j He is unalterably persuaded that you took it and nobody must dare put in a word in your defense.” “And does your sister honor me j with the same belief?” demanded Mr. ! Hope bitterly. “Lady Sarah is silent on the point j to me; I think she scarcely know's what to believe. You see I tell you all freely, Gerard.” CHAPTER XIII. Before another word could be spok j en Mr. Netherleigh entered. An aris tocratic man, with a noble counte nance. He bore a sealed note for Mr. | Hope to deliver in the city. "Why, Fanny!” he exclaimed to his sister-in-law, “you here?” “Yes; look at the sight they have made me,” replied she, shaking down , her dress for his benefit, as she had ' previously done for Mr. Hope. “I am ! waiting for some one of the damsels to mend it for me. I suppose Mr. I Hope’s presence has scared them | away. Won't mamma be In a fit of rag® when she gees tt, for It was new tonight* Gerardl Hope shoolt hands with Lady Frances, and Mr. Netherleigh, who had a word of direction to give him, walked with him into the hall. As they stood there, who should enter hut Colonel Hope, Gerard’» uncle. He started back when he saw Gerard. “C—a—can I believe my senses?” stuttered he. “Mr. Netherleigh, is ha one of your guests?” ‘‘He is here on business,” was the merchant's reply. “Pass on, Colonel.” “No, sir, I will not pass on,” cried the enraged Colonel, who had not rightly caught the word business. “Or if I do pas* on, it will only be to warn your guests to take care of their jew elry. "No, *ir," he added, turning to Ills nephew, “you can come back, can you, when the proceeds of your theft is spent! You have been starring it in Calais, I hear; how long did the bracelet last you to live upon?” “Sir,” answered Gerard, with a pale face, "it has been starving rather than starring. I asserted my innocence at the time. Colonel Hope, and I repeat it now.” "Innocence!" iroulcally repeated the Colonel, turning to all sides of the hall, as if he took delight in parading the details of the unfortunate past. “The trinkets were spread on a table in Lady Sarah's own house. You came stealthily into it—after being forbid den it for another fault—went stealth ily into the room, and the next min ute the diamond bracelet was missing. It was owing to my confounded folly in listening to a parcel of women that I did not bring you to trial at the time; I have only onee regretted not doing it, and that has been ever since. A little wholesome correction at the penitentiary might have made an hon est man of you. Good-night, Mr. Neth erleigh! If you encourage him in your house, you don’t have me.” Now another gentleman had entered and heard this; some servants also heard it. Colonel Hope, who firmly believed in his nephew’s guilt, turned off peppery and indignant; and Ger ard, giving vent to sundry unnephew like expletives, strode after him. Tho Colonel made a dash into a street cab and Gerard walked towards the city. Lady Frances Chenevix, her dress right again, at least to appearance, was sitting to get her breath after a whirling waltz. Next to her sat a lady who had also been whirling. Frances did not know her. "You are quite exhausted; we kept it up too long,” said the cavalier In attendance on the stranger. ‘‘What can I get for you?" ‘My fan; there It is. Thank you. Nothing else.” "What an old creature to dance herself down!” thought Frances. ‘‘She’s 40, if she’s a day.” The lady opened her fan and pro ceeded to use It, the diamonds of hei rich bracelet gleamed right in the eyes of Lady Frances Chenevix. Frances looked at it and started, she strained her eyes and looked again; she bent nearer to it and became agitated with her emotion. If her recollection did not piay her false, that was the lost bracelet. She discerned her sister, Lady Adela Netherleigh, and glided up to her. ‘‘Adela, who is that lady?” she asked pointing to the stranger. "I don’t know who she is," replied Lady Adela, carelessly. "I did not catch the name. They came with the Cadogans.” ‘‘The idea of your having people in your house that you don’t know!" in dignantly spoke Frances, who was working herself into a fever. "Where’s Sarah, do you know that?” "In the card room, glued to the whist table.” Lady Sarah, however, had unglued herself, for Frances only turned from Lady Adela to encourage her. "I do believe your lost bracelet is in the room," she whispered in agita tion. “I think I have seen it.” ‘‘Impossible!’ responded Lady Sarah Hope. (To be continued.) KICKING A BILL OUT. Document Actually Kicked Out of Hon*e of Common*. Sir John Knight, a stout old Tory member for Bristol, who in the year 1693 proposed to kick a bill out of tho house of commons, got Into sad trou ble. It was a measure for the natural ization of foreign Protestants, and Sir John, in the course of a violent invec tive, exclaimed: “Let us first kick the bill out of the house, and then let us kick the foreigners out of the king dom,” this observation being aimed at William’s Dutchmen, if not at the king himself. But what Sir John only pro posed to do with this bill the commons actually did with another obnoxious measure in 1770, says Good Words. The peers had presumed to alter a money bill by striking out a provision which offered a bounty upon the ex portation of corn. The commons, in dignant at the treatment of their depu tation, who had been contumaciously ejected from the peers’ chamber, and further incensed by the fact that on another occasion Burke had been kept waiting three hours at the door of the upper house with a bill sent up by the commons, took the present opportunity to show in emphatic manner that there was at least one privilege on which t*ey would not allow the peers to en croach. The amendment was promptly rejected, and with it the bill. The speaker tossed the document over the table, and members of both parties, as they went out, kicked it toward the door. A Machias, Me., house which was built in 1765 is receiving its third coat of shingles. MISLEADING FIGURES HAVEMEYER LITERARY BUREAU GET TING IN ITS WORK. Crafty Attempt of the Trn*t Magimte to Prevent Fact* Hearing t'pon the Question of Protection for the Domes tic Sugar Industry. No. 91 Wall Street. New York, October 19, 1901.—Dear Sir As a good deal has recently appeared Ip print regarding Iho consumption of sugar In this country, the various sources from which It Is ob tained. the amount of duty paid thereon, etc., the following facts and figures will, we believe, be of Interest to your read ers ; The total consumption of sugar In the United States last year was 2,219,847 tons, and, based on the average Increase of 6.34 per cent during the past 19 years, the consumption this year should be 2,300,685 tons. Of this quantity l.OoO.OOO tons in round figures will come from American sources, say Louisiana being able to pro duce 350,000 tons. United States beet fac tories 150,IKK*, Hawaii 350,000 and Porto Rico 150,000, all being free of duty, leav ing 1,360,585 tons to come from other | sources and on which duty Is paid. The average duty assessed is $26 per ton, or a total of $48,981,060. The price of all the sugar consumed, however. being en hanced to the extent of the duty of $36 per ton. or a total of $84,981,060, It Is evi dent that $36,000,000 additional Is paid by the people In order to provide the gov ernment with 48 millions for revenue, of which the government Is not now In need. If the duty Is taken off Cuba sugar the benefit of 8i millions goes to the peo ple. On October 8 the quotation for Cuba centrifugal sugar, 96 degrees test, free on board Cuba, was 1.96 cents per pound; duty on same amounts to 1.685 cents— equivalent to 86 per cent ad vuloretn. Yours truly. WILLETT & GRAY, Hugar Statisticians. Publishers of the “Weekly Statistical Sugar Trade Journal.” Judging by the liberal apace given by numerous newspapers to the mis leading circular issued by the statis ticians of (he Sugar Trust, it seems possible to deceive all the people all the time, although Mr. Lincoln thought otherwise. Not many years ago Willett & Gray in their sugar trade paper were earnest advocates of the tariff on sugar and the develop ment of the beet sugar Industry in the United States. Now they appear be fore the public as sponsors of a most Wilson bill will convince thinking men that the addition of 1262.000,000 to the nation’s bonded debt at that time would have been avoided if sugar had continued paying Its share of the running expenses. "Remove duty and the whole $S4, 981,060 accrue to the public,” says this defender of the people. If any one is tempted by this sophistry he is referred to the records of sugar quo tations recently ruling and those pre vailing during the unfortunate years of free sugar. Muscovado fair refining averaged a quarter of a cent lower in those gloomy days than at present, and the difference on refined was a shade more. This is not the "1.685 cents” quoted in the circular. More over, it must not be overlooked that the whole range of prices was much lower in the dark days of free trade, owing to idle mills and unemployed workmen who could ill afford to have sugar in their tea or coffee. There was no such demand as at present and consequently prices would have been lower, irrespective of the tariff. When such a mendacious collection of misinformation is widely distribut ed it is natural that the reader should seek the reason for its existence. The quest is not difficult. Within a short time the beet sugar producers have begun to seek markets beyond the im mediate vicinity of the refineries. This has brought them into competi tion with the large eastern refineries of Imported raw sugar, and the result has been lower prices to consumers and Icsb profit for the American Sugar Refining Company and the large in dependent plants. Since beet growing is siill in its infancy and would com pete with the bounty supported prod uct of the old world, removal of the tariff would retard its development and perhaps completely annihilate an industry in which millions aro invested and thousands find employ ment. Has not the history of steel making, tin plate manufacture, tex tile spinning, etc., been such as to emphasize the wisdom of helping the growth of another national Industry? That low prices will follow has been proved in all the other industries, and recent price cutting at Missouri River points show that beet sugar growers are already cheapening the cost to UNCLE SAM’S THANKSGIVING BILL OF FARE. remarkable collection of figures, evl- I dently designed to Impress the people of the nation that they are being robbed by the duty on raw sugar, md It is obviously hoped that con stituents will instruct their represen tatives in congress to remove the ob jectionable duty. Starting with the proposition that the people pay the full duty, not only on imported sugar, but all produced in this country, it is shown that in order to secure less than $49,000,000 of rev enue the consumers are mulcted to the extent of about $85,000,000. In other words, domestic beet and cane growers receive $3G a ton as a bonus, and the home crop for the current year is placed at a million tons. To any one familiar with the facts this gross exaggeration as to the domestic crop would stamp the circular as un worthy of attention. Of IiOulsiana cane the yield is placed at a new high record of 350,000 tons, and the Hawa iian output as much more, which is even more of a stretch, while both Porto Rico cane and the United States bqet crops are suddenly enlarged by nearly 100 per cent. The total consumption of the coun (xy is placed at 140,000 tons more than high record last year, an estimate that is not indorsed by the recognized shortage of fruit, which must seri ously curtail the amount used in pre serving. But the allowance of only $48,981,060 revenue to the government is perhaps the most absurd feature of this collection of absurdities. For the i last three years the tariff on sugar has yielded an annual return of over $60,000,000, and even if there was no other consideration, this enormous source of Income could not be surren dered by the nation without some equivalent increase. A glance at the ■ deficit during the operation of the consumers, though the domestic yield is hut a fraction of the total consump tion. If In the course of time it can become possible to keep at home the $100,000,000 annually Bent abroad to pay for sugar, no one questions the desirability of attaining that end. Perhaps the most unreasonable sug gestion of the lot is that the people would secure the benefit of the rev enue lost to the government. If the large refiners could secure all the raw material from abroad and had no com petition from home producers there would be no limit to the prices they might charge, unless the duty was also removed from refined sugar, but for most obvious reasons this idea is not advocated. If the domestic grow ers are to be driven out of business why not go a stop further and abolish the refineries, so that all foreign re finers might compete in this market? Cheapness might then be attained, but the keen business man knows that cheapness is not the first desideratum. Should Not Bt Forgotten. Our foreign trade both in imports and exports is quite satisfactory, and while we are congratulating the coun try on its great trade expansion, it must not be forgotten that all this is being accomplished under the opera tions of the protective tariff laws so much denounced and abused )/y the free traders.—Allentown (Pa.) Regis ter. Veritable Hubei of Karcc. The Russian empire contains more than sixty-five independent racial groups. It is a veritable Tower of Ba bel. Even with liie omission Siberia and Central Asia there remain in Rus sia. in Europe and the Caucasus, alone <6 different peoples. OTPBKIAS cleaning, of the ' “T^v oast Pig.—In the first place, 1 1 never roast a pig over live weeks old , and three , weeks is the better age. Do not trust to the butcher's but go over every part body and give a thor ough cleaning. Roll up the ears in greased cloths, to prevent their burning; stuff the pig with stale bread dressing seasoned with pepper, pow dered sage and butter. In stuffing the pig leave room for the bread to swell, and sew up neatly. Skewer the foro legs forward; the hind legs backward. Rub all over with butter, dredge with (lower that has been seasoned with salt and popper. Place a piece of wood between the teeth and stand on the rack in a dripping pan. Roast in a moderate oven, basting every 15 min nutes with melted butter, to which a little boiling water has been added. The time for roasting will vary from 2l4 to 1 hours, according to the sizo of the pig. The ears should be unwrap ped the last three-quarters of an hour. To serve, stand the pig In a large platter with a garland of cress or something green around the edge. Put a wreath of parsley around the neck and something In the mouth—a lemon, or apple, a bit of cauliflower or any thing effective. The dishes comple raental to roast pig aro apple sauce, turnips and sweet potatoes. Plum Pudding.—The best plum pud ding being the worst indigestive con sequences. I offer a modified recipe, which 1 can vouch for as "perfectly de licious.” Three-fourth cupful of mo lasses, one cupful of brown sugar, one cupful of finely chopped suet, three cupfuls of bread crumbs, two cupfuls of flour, one cupful of sweet milk, one cupful of mixed raisins, citron and cur rants chopped, one teaspoonful of soda. Sift the sugar Into the molasses and add tho milk and suet. Mix the soda evenly through the flour and add the fruit to it. tossing It about to insure It being coated, then put Into the wet mixture, adding last of all the bread crumbs. Boll or steam in molds for three hours. This pudding may be made a week before using, one being careful to reheat thoroughly the day It is used. .lust, before serving pour some brandy over the pudding and set It on the fire, so that It will be enveloped in a blue flame when placed on the table. THE CHRISTMAS GIRL. (In three agenj THE DOLL AOE. TII12 GOLFING AGE, THR DIAMOND AGE.