The Loup City northwestern. (Loup City, Neb.) 189?-1917, January 31, 1902, Image 3
n ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦>♦♦♦* ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦ ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦»♦»+»♦»♦ \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.