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\n American Nabob.1
A Rema.rka.ble Story of Love, Gold and
Adventure.
Bv ST. GEORGE RATHBORNE
Copyright. by Street & smith, New York.
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
CHATTER III.—(Contlnarrt.)
A3 the dinner progressed Captain
Livermore exerted himself to Interest
his companion. Finally they reached
the wine.
Livermore prided himself on his as
surance under the most trying con
ditions. but he had run across a man
well worthy of his steel.
"You are naturally curious to know
the nature of my business with you,
Mr. Overton?” he asked.
“A little, I confess,” cautiously,
?arelesBly.
“Would you accept a commission at
almost your own price, to sail for
Cape Town and Bombay to spend a
year or two painting certain subjects
l would list for you?” came the com
placent query.
Jack felt his blood fairly boil. He
realized that the man of wealth was
nlainly offering him a bribe to lake
himself out of the country.
Why?
There could be but one reason.
Whether he had won Fedora's consent
to marry him or not he feared the ar
tist, knowing the girl loved him.
“When would it be necessary to
start?” he asked.|
“A steamer sails in the morning. I
would spend the evening with you,
so that all preparations could be
made? Do you accept?” eagerly.
“On the contrary, I decline the of
•er."
"Milt—the terms you have not
heard—”
“Nor do I wish to, since all the
wealth of which you may be possess
ed. through dealings in ivory, and the
manipulation of mines, could not
tempt me to leave London before I
have seen her.”
The two men looked at each other
across the snowy damask. The Cap
tain, seeing no yielding in the pale
face of the artist, assumed a sneering
manner.
“Come, Overton, don’t be a fool.
You look like a man of sense, who has
read the ways of the world. Surely
you cannot blame me for losing my
heart to the girl. While she is yet
unmarried you hold no mortgage upon
her. I am genuinely sorry for you,
and would make it as easy as possible,
believe me. Athousand pounds a
year, and do what work you please,
only never cross my path again. Few
men but who would jump at such a
glorious chance to see the world.”
“Then I am not one of them.”
coldly.
“You refuse?” biting his mustache
with evident surprise and chagrin.
"Positively.”
“Think it over. You will regret
such folly.”
“Never, while V have the perception
left to distinguish between right and
wrong, or to resent an insult.”
“Do you know, I am unable to be
lieve you mean what you say. In
cooler moments you will change your
mind.”
“Then, under such conditions, it
would be wise for me to settle the
matter once for all. You are a man
of the world. Captain Livermore, and
must understand the full meaning of
such a compliment," saying which
Jack deliberatelyy dashed the rub
ruby contents of his wine glass in
in the face of the great African trav
eler.
CHAPTER IV.
Just As In the Days of Chivalry.
Captain Livermore turned a trifle
red in the face at the deliberate na
ture of the insult, then the color re
ceded, leaving him almost white. He
looked across the table to the artist,
and there seemed a dancing devil in
each of his cold, gray eyes as he said
deliberately:
“You are right. Overton. This world
is much too small for both of us. Con
sider yourself challenged. N'o man
not a coward would allow such a base
insult to pass unnoticed. 1 will fight,
and I give you fair warning, sir, I
shall do my level best to kill you on
the field. If you can't be induced to
emigrate, perhaps there may be an
other way to get rid of you just as
thoroughly.”
"Ah! you seem particularly anxious
that I should be gotten out of the
way. Possibly, in spite of your brave
front, you are not quite so certain of
your purchase as you might be."
The sneer doubtless went home,
for Livermore half arose from his
chair, only to sink back again upon
second thought.
As the challenged party, sir, you
have the choice of weapons. What
shall it be?
“We will call it pistols. The
time at sunrise tomorrow. That is all,
I believe," said Jack, rising to ills feet.
“That is all, l believe?"
“I have nothing more to say.”
“Sir, 1 bid you good evening/*
“And you, sir, the same.”
Turning on his heel. Jack walked
out of the cafe, and was glad once
more to inhale the fresh air of the
street, for he believed there was poi
son for him in the same atmosphere
that the famous African explorer
breathed.
Overton really never knew how he
passed the time between his parting
from Livermore and the later hour
when he found himself in front of the
building to which he had been direct
ed by the card tossed from Fedora’s
carriage as she rolled past him down
the Strand.
Evidently some social function was
in progress within the mansion that
overlooked the park, for he could
see numerous figures through the long
windows, and quite a few vehicles
came and went.
This fact might have embarrassed
some men, but Overton had enough
assurance to carry him through, and,
besides, he knew it would be utterly
impossible for him to live another day
in this horrible state of suspense. The
worst must be known ere another hour
had elapsed, so that he might go forth
to meet his adversary at break of day,
knowing just what lay before him,
and fully committed to the policy that
must govern the rest of his life.
t'HAPTKR V.
Fedora.
Overtoil made up his mind to enter
the London mansion of Fedora’s pa
ternal ancestors unannounced. He
watched his chance to slip in with a
party alighting from a carriage, and,
strange to relate, was successful in
accomplishing his end.
A little survey showed him the con
servatory, where the perfume of many
exotics filled the air. Here was a
place in which he might linger until
such time as Fedora proved accessible.
While he watched and waited, alter
nately laughing in a reckless way at
the audacity of his expectations, and
presently sullenly grinding his teeth
at seeing Livermore bending over Fe
dora, w’ith a look of ownership in his
manner, Overton found his opportun
ity.
The girl, in playing hostess in her
grandfather's house, had occasion to
pass into the conservatory in order to
pluck a handful of flowers for some
purpose. Fearful lest this one chance
be snatched from his grasp by the ap
pearance perhaps of the hated Afri
can hero, who haunted Fedora’s foot
steps, Jack summoned his resolution
to the fore, and determined to put his
fate to the test.
When he uttered her name, coupled
with a little Italian term of endear
ment which he had been wont to use
so tenderly during tfiose happy days
in the paradise of Bohemia, Fedora
startled and almost cried out.
He was instantly at her side, his
eyes fixed upon hers with an eager
glow.
Fedora knew how to master her own
feelings all too well, and in the past
had been accustomed to controlling
Jack as the electrical engineer with
his finger on the button manipulates
the massive machinery.
"My poor Jack, how* did you come
here? I hoped to see you quietly to
morrow’, but never dreamed of to
night when—the house is so full and
w'e are in danger of interruptions.”
"To-morrow would have been too
late. 1 have a positive engagement for
the morning that may call me out of
England suddenly, and it was abso
lutely necessary that I see you to
night, else you may be certain T should
never have gone to the trouble to seek
an interview in this absurd manner.
“Well?” she said, impatiently, tap
ping the toe of her dainty boot on the
floor.
Overton still remained master of
himself.
"Are you happy, Fedora?” he asked
coldly.
“Although there are a few things
that give me cause for grief, still r can
truthfully answer, yes.’
Her eyes were lowered—the sense
of shame and guilt was so heavy upon
this radiant creature that she could
not meet the stern, accusing glance of
the orbs that had wearied themselves
many a time in her service.
“I am to understand, theu, that it is
your desire to break your solemn en
gagement with me—that from this
time I pass out of your life forever—
for God's sake at least be frank with
me. Fedora—have you seriously con
sidered this step in all that it means—
how often I have called you my own
wife, and that our vows were ratified
in the sight of heaven?"
"I have considered every point,”
slowly.
“And your decision?”
She looked up at him—defiance
struggled with the old love that could
never be entirely crushed in her heart.
“Oh, Jack! be merciful—I could not
give up all these beautiful things that
a woman's heart holds dear, and go
back to that life again, even for you!”
“Tell me, have you ceased to love
me. Fedora?" he demanded in an im
perious way she had never known him
to show before.
“Sometimes I think so, and then I
discover it is not true, and that I
shall always love you. Jack; but I
shrink from poverty—my devotion Is
pitiful and weak compared with yours
—I could never endure that again.”
“But you need not—all I ask is that
you remain faithful and wait—by the
power with which my love endows me
I swear to wrest honor and wealth
from the world, aye, to even your
heart's content. Can you not enjoy
your present position and still bid me
hope?”
It was his last appeal—the yearning
cry of a soul that stands on the brink.
She shook her head sadly.
“I have considered all that, my
poor Jack, but it would not be dealing
honestly with grandpa, who is so very
t> Au.J, and who loves me so. It wevtfM
be better for you to forget me. I ar|
not worthy of such love as you hav«
given me. being, after all, only a weak
girl. Forgive me, Jack, oh, forgivs
me, if I have wounded your noble
heart. You are angry with me, I know.
Jack. Alasl what else can 1 do—you
must forgive me!”
He shook her hand from his arm—
the flash of diamonds dazzled him.
“I shall never do that—all my life
wfas at your feet—you trampled on the
holiest emotions a man can feel—you
have made me bitter and cynical to
ward your sex. T feel as though I
stood upon a new made grave, wherein.
I had laid all my bright hopes and
my heart. Go back to your guests—to
him. I shall quietly leave this house,
and you will never again see the Jack
Overton you knew. Another will
some day take his place and avenge
his bitter wrongs. And so, good-bye."
Her eyes followed his every step.
He was going, and forever. He had
spoken of a fresh made grave as
though it were a funeral—well, the de
cision she had given him rang the
death knell of his hopes. It is always
so solemn to even think of death—
perhaps he had some desperate resolu
tion in view—involuntarily, racked by
this old and still strong regard, she
stretched out her hands after him In
a sudden impulse that was dead almost
as soon as it was born.
“Oh, Jack! forgive— return!’’
It was but a whisper, and as the
music had struck up again, he heard
It not.
Her arms dropped to her sides, for
Jack had passed out of sight. And
Fedora, who was after all only a wo
man, with woman’s weakness, sighed
deeply as she said:
"Yes, it is best—I could never be
happy again away from this bright
existence, for which I was fitted by
nature. He will perhaps find one more
worthy. We must forget—as he says,
bury the past forever. Poor old Jack
—heaven be kind to you, and heaven
be merciful to such a weak girl as
Fedora Thorpe!"
CHAPTER VI.
Tempting Fate.
The birds in the hedges were greet
ing the first peep of dawn on that fatal
May morning when a four wheeler
rolled along an obscure road lying out
side of London far beyond the borders
of St. John's Wood. In the vehicle
were Jack Overton and his dearest
friend, Donald McGregor.
It had been apparently a rare stroke
of luck that threw him in the way of
the Scottish ex-soldier within an
hour after rushing from the house
that sheltered Fedora. When he heard
Jack’s story his honest heart was all
aglow with sympathy and righteous
indignation.
Besides the old martial spirit was
awakened, and he immediately took
the whole matter in hand, to that from
the hour when his striking personality
was injected into the game Overton
hardly dared breathe without his
august permission.
Presently they drew up and the
driver announced the fact of their ar
rival.
They alighted, and after a short
walk reached a large opening or
glade.
A more ideal place for the peculiar
business about to engross their atten
tion could not very well have been
found—Nature seems to supply the
opportunity when man desires to en
gage in any extraordinary feat.
Voices announced the arrival of the
other party, and presently they
bustled upon the scene, three in num
ber, Livermore, his second—whom the
McGregor seemed to know very well,
since he shook hands heartily with the
military looking gentleman—and a
surgeon.
(To be continued.)
COLLAR AIDS THE DOCTOR.
Canies Woman to Take Cold, and So
Bring* Him Patients.
“Yes, I know. Another cold,” said
the doctor. “I do not know what med
ical men would do if it were not for
you women.” And he turned to the
creature of furs and wraps, smiled one
of his appreciative smiles and contin
ued: “Remove your boa. please. Do
you realize that the high collars that
women wear around their necks are
responsible for nearly all the colds
that your sex gets? It is so. Winter
and summer alike you will insist upon
wrapping up your delicate necks in
high silk, velvet, cloth, linen or chif
fon covering. It is be not this, why
it is a yard or more of ribbon tightly
drawn about the neck, and naturally
the neck gets tender and oversensi
tive from the fancy bandages and
swathing that are forever about it.
With the first draught there is a
cough. My advice to you as a friend
and physician is to go straight home,
and when you cure this cold throw
away your ribbons and other neck
traps. Leave the neck bare. Never
mind what the othc'’ wiman does. You
will find your health much improved
if you give your neck a chance to get
acquainted with the natural order of
things. My advice does not apply to
you alone. It is intended for all
women who wear ehokey neck stuff
and endanger their health by forever
catching cold. You may not like my
frankness now. but if you follow my
advice you will bless me inside of six
months and your colds will be few and
far between in the bargain.-—New
York Sun.
A token of American Influence If
Manila i» the adoption of an ordinance
prohibiting smoking in theaters dur
ing performances.
Money makes the mare go and we
men make the money go.
Free-trade meats.
METEOROLOGICAL VAGARIES OF THE
AMERICAN COBDENITES.
While Treating of They Neg
lect to Kecoril the Terrible Kdl|ite
Which the IttrifT Reformer* Drought
on us froiu I Stf .1 to 181)«.
A copy of the Free Trade Almanac
for 1902 has been received by the
American Economist, beaming the im
print, "Issued by the American Free
Trade League, 602-1! Tremont Building,
Boston, Mass., U. S. A. Price, Five
Cents.” Cheap enough, one would
say at first thought, and yet dear
enough would be the second thought
when one considers the cause in pro
pagation of which tlie Almanac is
put forth. For example, we find:
"Its object shall be to free our
irade. our industries and our people
from all tariff taxes except those im
posed for revenue only.
"Its method shell be to enlist con
science, Intelligence and patriotism
against the system called protection,
which at the dictation of organized
wealth taxes the whole American peo
ple for the benefit of the few.”
Five eent3 is a good deal of money
to pay for that sort of thing! But
thpre is a liberal discount for cash and
large quantities. If you should hap
pen to want 100, you may have them
at 2 cents apiece. At that price no
family need suffer for lack of the Free
Trade Almanac. These are protection
times, it must be remembered, and
nearly everybody nowadays can scrape
’ 2 cents together. It was not so, how
ever, in free trade times of recent
memory. In those days there were
vast numbers of people who had lost
they- jobs and didn't have 2 cents to
buy bread, much less a Free Trade Al
manac. Commercially, the outlook
for this publication is better than it
would have been four to eight years
ago. Whether the enterprise will win
Its share of the general prosperity
which its promoters had no hand in
bringing about is another question.
Be that as it may, the Free Trade
Almanac is before the people, and Its
publishers are prepared to pu3h It.
eclipse of 189S-97, when the mn of
prosperity was for nearly four years
invlslhle behind a heavy bank of tar
iff reform clouds, and only emerged
when the skies were cleared by the
advent of McKinley ar.d protection.
Strange omission! Important as the
publication may be considered by vir
tue of the ,)!eas in behalf of industrial
anl commercial devastations by a
score or less of gifted contributors, it
cannot be commended as an ail around
economic almanac. It may hove its
uses, but not, we repeat, as an al
manac.
To Kill tlir IinliMtrv.
Petitions are being circulated in the
Eastern States asking Congress to
abolish the duty on raw sugar. The
petition is sent out ostensibly by the
National Pure Food Association, which
lias its headquarters In New York. It
is also being circulated by agents of
the United States Export Association.
The same men are officers of both
these associations, F. B. Thurber be
ing president.
Under the thin disguise of these two
associations, this movement is known
to be in the interest of the American
Sugar Company, which has rerently
increased its stock to the extent of fif
teen million dollars for the purpose of
purchasing Cuban sugar plantations
in the expectation that free sugar will
be possible. With the duty on raw
sugar abolished the Havemeyer com
pany would have no difficulty in ruin
ing Its most active competitors, the
American beet sugar factories, and
that done, the Havemeyers would have
control of the markets of this coun
try. With the beet sugar industries—
which are increasing rapidly—out of
existence, the Havemeyer company
could charge whatever it saw fit for
sugar, and the pipe dream It is now
putting forth of a saving of millions
to consumers would vanish into thin
air and the profits would go to its
stockholders.—Helena (Mont.) Record.
l)lfl tip pointed Free-Traders.
The Reciprocity Convention did not
indorse a single one of the pending
treaties. These treaties, particularly
that with France, were carefully de
bated, but it is the undeniable truth
THREE THINGS WE NEED M 3RE THAN RECIPROCITY.
They tell us that they have come up
from small beginnings and that they
are now in flourishing shape. The or
ganization first saw the light in 1834
and was christened the Massachusetts
Tariff Reform League. In 1888 it
burst the bonds of statehood and be
came the New England Tariff Reform
League. Next it broke the shackles
of tariff reform, and in 1894 blazoned
forth as the New England Free Trade
League. Last November it hail grown
so bold as to defy all local limitations,
and it now calls Itself the American
Free Trade League. Under this title
it may claim a practically unlimited
jurisdiction in the Western hemi
sphere. It may hope for an Esquimau
member from Cape Columbia in the
far north, and we are quite certain it
would not reject a cash contribution
from Terra del Fuego. There is room
for the organization to grow—any
where outside of the United States.
According to the Almanac:
“The membership of the League now
numbers over a thousand, represent
ing forty states and Canada, and in
cluding a number of manufacturers,
many business and professional
men, and over thirty college profes
sors and teachers of economics, Presi
dent Charles W. Eliot of Harvard, Dr.
William G. Sumner of Yale, and many
others. A more intelligent, patriotic
body of men cannot be found. No
sordid greed of gain briugs them to
gether, but the desire and hope of
serving their country and redeeming
her from the errors and oppressions
of 'Protection,* and setting her upon
the true path of justice, sound econo
mics, and world-wide commercial su
premacy. Besides the annual dues,
many of them zealously and gener
ously aid the cause by voice, pen and
money. Last year $5,656 was thus
contributed, twenty-four articles writ
ten by members and others without
pay, and 240,000 pamphlets sent broad
cast over the country.”
As an almanac pure and simple we
cannot conscientiously indorse the
publication. It contains, to be sure,
some meteorological matter of inter
est, but it leaves out much informa
tion that should have place In a work
of this character. For example, wa
are told that:
“There will be five eclipses in 1902.
three of the sun and two of the moon,
four of which will be invisible in the
United 8tates.”
But not a word about the terrible
that the more they were discussed tho
less disposed the delegates were to re
quest their ratification. The adjourn
ment of the Reciprocity Convention
without any action whatever with re
gard to these treaties probably seals
thoir fate. Nothing is likely to be done
by Congress this w’inter beyond the au
thorizing of a commission to investi
gate the whole question of reciprocity.
The real friends of reciprocity—and
they are, as a rule, not free traders —
will welcome the verdict of the Wash
ington convention as making more
surely for the establishment of a gen
eral reciprocity policy than any off
hand indorsement of this or that
especial treaty, the nature of which
is not yet fully understood. The con
vention nas done its work well. Its
officers and members are to be con
gratulated. And not the least proof of
their wisdom and patriotism is the
fact that the free trade organs of this
country are gnashing their teeth and
fairly howling in rage at the outcome
of the conference. This of itself is
very satisfactory proof that that out
come is just what the American peo
ple would desire.—Boston Journal.
Tvro String* to Ills Bow.
Congressman Babcock occupies the
fortunate position of a man who has
two strings to his bow. The two oh
jects of legislation nearest to his heart
are the Temoval of the tariff on steel
products and the reduction of the in
ternal revenue tax on beer. There are
those in Washington unkind enough tc
intimate that tho latter comes first and
that the Wisconsin congressman would
be glad to compromize the steel duty
with a cut on the beverage which
makes Milwaukee famous.
However that may be. It Is evident
that there is an element in Congress
which proposes to oppose tariff reduc
tion by internal revenue reduction
They want to remove the war taxes
and then preserve the tariff because of
the demands for revenue. Beer is now
paying a tax of $1.60 per barrel. Be
fore the war revenue act was passed It
was an even dollar. That figure was
doubled up, and the drop was made to
the present figure by the amendment
of last winter. The brewers want th*
old tax restored, and Congressman
Babcock is with them. He therefor*
stands to win whatever happens. 11
he can’t get the tariff revised he can at
least get the beer tax reduced.—Wi
nona (Minn.) Harald.
Profit In flogs.
Mr. John Cowfe of Des Moines.
Iowa, in a paper read before the Kan
sas State Board of Agriculture, gave
the results of forty years’ experience
as a hog-raiser. It contained much
valuable instruction, from which we
glean the following:
“I have been in the hog industry
lor the average human life time. I
went, into the ousiness to make money,
and I have made it, and out of the
hog. I have stayed in the hog busi
ness because there was money in it.
I started with a pair at $1.25 apiece.
I afterward sold hogs dressed at $1.75
per hundred pounds. But I got away
fiom that style of hog.
“Years after that first experience. I
stood in the Chicago market and had
the proud satisfaction of selling four
carloads of hogs of my own raising,
every one of them, and received for
them $5,375. When that check was
cashed there was not a mortgage left
on the home, and there has not been
one on it since. You see I owe to the
hog the greater part of my worldly
possessions. For twenty years my an
nual sales averaged over $3,000. When
tne children grew up and had to be
sent away to school, and when the
w’heat crop failed, as it does sometimes
with us in Iowa, my main reliance to
foot the bills was the hog, and he
never yet failed me.
"I wish to speak to you plainly in
rogard to breeding and feeding hogs
in the manner that has been most
profitable to me. What I say in re
gard to this animal is not theory, but
is personal experience, at close range.
“The first requirement ia the hog In
dustry is a good hog house. There
is too much risk from loss unless you
have proper shelter for both brood
sows and young hogs.
"Another important thing is the pas
ture.
"All the leading breeds are good
enough for me.
"I never lose a sow In farrowing—
not one.
“You are no hog man unless you are
on good terms with your sows.
“It requires brains to make good
hogs.
“1 have my pigs come along In May.
after we are sure of good weather.
Then I let them run in the pasture
the whole summer, and they grow to
ne long. lank, big-boned and big-mus
cled fellows. No fat on them yet. The
following September we commence
fattening them. In February they
weigh 400 lbs.
“There 1b nothing that will fatten
hogs better than ear corn and water.
"With shoats it is entirely different.
Oats and shorts makes an ideal feed
for young shoats.
“The hog Is the cleanest domestic
animal we have, if properly cared for.
“I never had hog cholera on my
farm, but they had it all around me
of late years.
“After 1 have my hogs fattened, t
would not drive them to market, but
haul them. Then I would have my
cars well bedded; ride with them my
self; go with them to Chicago; stay
with them in the yards, water, feed
and stay by them until they cross the
scales. Stay right with them.
“There is money in the hog business
if It is properly conducted. There is
no money in it If It is ot properly
conducted. There is no reason why
science cannot be employed in feed
ing hogs any more than in the con
struction of a railway bridge. You
have to think.. You have to experi
ment. Every man Is the architect of
his own fortune. Liet him get up and
bustle, and do some thinking, get ac
tion on himself, aud lucu will follow
him.
“I have made a success in swine
raising. True, too. 1 have fed cat
tle all my life, aud raised horses all
my life. We used to raise a great deal
of wheat. I lost money raising wheat,
but I never lost money raising hogs—
never did. The hog has always been
the one 1 could fall back on.”
Trouble with Dark*.
From the Farmers’ Review: What is
the matter with my ducks? I had fifty
Pekin ducks. They were all right In
the summer. About one month age
they began to give out in their legs.
Their wings droop and they cannot
walk. They eat all right, but after a
time they die. I have lost five and
think that another will die. The last
one that died had some fever and a
low quack. I have fed mostly corn
but am feeding bran and beef meal
in the morning and corn at night. I
keep the ducks in part of the hen
house, on the ground floor.—Fred King,
Lake County. Illinois. * • * Will
some of our duck raisers throw some
light on the problem? We believe the
trouble was due to the excessive feed
ing of corn, and now that the feed has
been changed the trouble should disap
pear.
A Southern Dairy.
To the Farmers’ Review: Having
lost my right hand In a shredder, I
will be obliged to sell my dairy out
fit and a herd of dairy Shorthorns,
that l have worked for years to col
lect by careful selection. As to the
cost of feeding a herd of this kind
I cannot certainly answer at present.
I am feeding corn fodder with corn in
it, but it was purposely planted very
thick with the object of giving a great
weight of stalks and little grain. In
combination with this I feed a mash
composed of two parts bran and one
part shorts. As to the prices being
paid for good cows: In ordinary
years I count spring cows to cost
$28.50 per head and fall milkers $32.00
per head.—L. M. Swanzey, Stephenson
County Illinois.
The K>Ve of home is the beginning
of true patriotism.—Ram's Horn.
Moot of us make our Incomes go so
far that we never see them again.