A WARRIOR BOLD.
4
WWWWNVNAA^W^
4
By ST. GEORGE HATHBORNE. .
Author of “Little Miss Millions,” “The Spider's Web,” “Miss '■
Caprice,” “Dr. Jack's Widow,” Etc., Etc. •*
4
[Copyright, 1901. by Street and Smith, New York.] j
■Stuart replied in the negative. His
artist soul had feasted on the treas
ures which lay littered about the
courtyard of the onetime palace; but
the musty dungeons he had but hast
ily surveyed, being naturally averse
to the contemplation of such horrors.
"Oh. 1 am glad of that," said Arte
mus, eagerly, "for you will be better
i. prepared to accompany me to those
% same dungeons now."
“The deuce!” exclaimed Charlie.
> taken aback; but. not in the least dis
V. concerted, the other went on:
"Tell me, have you heard the story
or rumor that is circulated here and
there through certain circles about a
■ modern man in the Iron Mask sup
jfr posed to be incarcerated in the Steen
dungeons?”
"I remember hearing some little
; talk about such a thing, but really
% never pursued the subject.”
“Brielly, then, it has long been
whispered that there was recently,
and may still continue to he, a secret
prisoner confined in a lonely dungeon
under yonder massive pile of ma
Konry—a man whose lace is forever
hidden behind an iron mask that is
secured by a padlock. I have reached
the conclusion that this man of mys
tery might be some troublesome heir
to the German throne, or else a son
of Louis Napoleon. Think for a
minute what wonderful poss’Idlities
this vista opens to the dramatist! It
is quite enough to inspire the dullest
mind! And I am resolved to explore
hose ancient dungeons personally, as
no one has ever done before, with the
secretly avowed purpose of learning
whether I may found my great drama
upon a truth, or the mere fabric of a
Dutch legend. And you wHl accom
pany me, my boy, out of pure philan
thropy, to share in the exhilaration of
success”—touching a suspicious bot
tlelike package he carried under his
left arm—“or to support me in case of
exasperating failure."
■Charlie Stuart could not say him
nay; he really had nothing on foot
whereby to kill time, and Artemus
was such a jolly and original dog that
it were worth something to have
the pleasure of his society for a apace
at time.
So, hesitating, h» fell.
And, thus sauntering down the
street of the Steen, the two friends
arrived in the shadow of the great
building whose history stretched back
centuries into the dim past.
Together they entered, like other
pilgrims desirous of gazing upon the
art treasures which lay within those
ancient walls.
Charlie had seen all these before,
and cast but a casual glance around,
being more deeply interested in the
actions of his confederate.
An old dame with her wide cap
started toward them, but one glance
from Artemus’ eyes seemed -to bring
about a decided change in her inten
tions, for she stood still, and then
backed away.
It was a signal victory, or, as Arte
mus expressed it, a “howling suc
cess;" nevertheless, his companion
was still fain to believe the magic of
gold had more to do with the old
lady's sudden blindness than the ex
i ertiou of rare hypnotic powers on the
[ part of the proud wizard.
Content to follow the other’s lead,
Charlie soon found himself in that
apartment Where several tall brass
candlesticks stood upon an antique
table, to be used in exploring thu
mysteries below.
Artemus motioned that he shouid
straightway possess himself of one, in
order that their candles might have a
proper receptacle, and Charlie, having
enlisted for the war, come weal, come
woe, took up the nearest of the lot,
which was in itself a treasure of art.
Nervously Artemus tried several
keys in rapid succession, muttering to
himself the while in a way peculiar to
him. At. last came a little subdued
screech that announced success on
the part of the chattering idiot at his
side. They were evidently in for it,
since the ponderous door opened be
fore them.
Charlie was not the one to hold
back, so he stepped beyond the portal
and went down.
Immediately the door closed, and
the clang of it was unlike any sound
ho could ever remember hearing.
That creaking, rusty key turned in
the lock.
"Now,” said Artemus, in a shrill
voice, pregnant with eager anticipa
tion, “now we are in control, and the
devil dungeons of the Steen must
yield up their ghastly secrets to a
master.”
Down the venerable stairs they
wended their way. Could those same
steps have been gifted with the power
of speech, what strange and startling
tales they might have given forth, of
human misery, of historical person
ages and deeds that would have made
the bravest cheeks pale. But they
weie mute. The dread secrets of the
dim past would ever be safe in their
keeping.
"Hark!”
Artemus uttered this word in a
shrill whisper, and at the same time
clutched his companion's arm. Their
surroundings were so eerie that it was
not wonderful that his vivid imagina
tion seized upon the slightest pretext
to arouse the ghosts that had lain
here for long centuries.
"What you hear is only the gur
gling of the river Sheldt beneath our
feet. At the foot of the worn stone
staircase we descended there is a
trap in the solid stone, through
which opening many a wretched
condemned man met his fate. Yes, it
was only the fretful flood you heard
crying peevishly for more victims.”
Charlie’s calm manner quite re
assured the other.
"Perhaps you are right; but it
sounded wonderfully like a human
voice calling for help."
Thus in tiers the dungeons lay. each
individual one seeming to surpass its
predecessors in awful associations.
Ijong had they been at their task.
The regular routine pursued by tour
ist and guide had been done; but
there were other dark passages to ex
plore, gloomy as the river Styx—
passages that the ordinary voyager
never saw. but which Artemus was
bound to investigate; for if perchance
there was a grain of truth In the
story he had heard, surely the prison
er of the Iron Mask must be found
in such an unused quarter.
Charlie began to feel a bit anxious.
He was about ready to confess that
for one he had quite enough of it,
and only figured on how he might
manage to curb this insatiate ambi
tion on the part of his companion.
The task was taken from his hands,
however, and In a most unexpected
manner.
Artemus was eagerly urging him on
to "fresh fields and pastures new,”
while Charlie held the other In check,
fearful lest they fall into some hor
rible pit. with rusty spikes at the bot
tom, such as they had discovered in
one dungeon, when, suddenly, with
out warning, tnere came to their ears
a sound so strange in this uncanny re
gion, so utterly out of sympathy
with their surroundings, that both
men stood still, as though paralyzed
—and the sound was as of a woman
weeping!
CHAPTER II.
What They Found.
There were those who knew Prince
Charlie well who had reason to be
Here he had passed through Bcme nn
pleasant experience with lovely wo
man—been deceived, perhaps jilted.
Although always gallant toward
the fair sex, he seemed to be ever on
his guard, as though quite determined
no mortal who wore petticoats should
have a second opportunity to play
battledore and shuttlecock with his
heart.
But this was something entirely out
of the common run; and as he stood
there listening, to make sure there
could be no mistake, he felt an elec
tric thrill pervade his whole being,
such as he never before experienced.
Charlie determined to go forward.
He was surprised at himself for the
peculiar resolution that urged him
on. It seemed as though he were
being dragged forward by some inex
orable fate, whether he would or not.
And the sound of sobbing still con
tinued, stealing along the gaunt pas
sageways. The darkness beyond was
apparently as fearfully dense as that
which descended upon poor, plague
stricken Egypt at the time Pharaoh
declined to let the children of Israel
go.
As Charlie advanced lie noted that
the sound, which had erstwhile reach
ed their hearing but faintly, grew
more distinct. Thus he was present
ly able to place the sobbing, and, still
advancing, he began to discern the
dim outlines of a figure upon ..he
ground.
As he drew closer he saw that this
was'a girl in a long cloak, and that
she had hidden her face in her handB,
as though to shut out the ghostly fig
ures conjured up by the gloom.
One thing was very sure—when Ar
temus, in the earlier stages of their
exploration, declared he heard a faint
shout, it had not been the gurgle 01!
the greedy Sheldt gliding under
neath the crypts and corridors, is
he (Charlie) had so confidently de
clared, but in all probability, this lost
explorer calling for nelp.
Well, thank God they had found
her, and were in a position to ren
der her the assistance she craved.
After all, it had not been such a wild
goose chase as he had believed when
yielding to the importunities of hts
adventurous comrade.
They advanced closer still.
As yet the disttesse : one was not
aware of their presence, or the blessed
answer to her prayers.
Her attitude of abandon was most
effective, and Charlie could not but
think what a charming picture she
made there, overwhelmed, not by
grief, but the terror of her situation.
It was not intentional on Artemus'
part, but some sudden chill draught
caused him to give a vociferous
sneeze.
This was instantly followed by a
little shriek as the girl's hands fed
from her face, and she turned a pair
of very large and very startled eyes
upon the two comrades.
It was, of course, Charlie's boundea
duty to immediately speak and reas
sure the alarmed fraulien that they
were flesh and blood like herself, an 1
not spirits of the olden martyrs who
had met deaths of torture in these
dungeons; but for the life of him, an-i
perhaps for the first time in the
course of his whole experience, Ire
could not say a word.
For the soft light of his waxei
taper fell full upon the face that had
until now been hidden behind the girl's
bands—a face that, tear-marked
it was, and more or less begrimed
from contact with foul walls during
her groping in the dark, electrified
him with its peculiar charm of
beauty, and started his traitor hear-;
to beating as it had not done these
many moons, since he had quitted the.
presence of another fair woman, with
bitterness against the whole sex rag
ing in his bosom.
(To be continued.)
Costume for a Uriila.
The slender, girlish bride who de
sires softness and llufliness in her wed
ding gown and yet has a penchant for
smart Ixmis Quinze effects will choose
a draped skirt of embroidered mousse,
line de soie, its deep double flounces
being festooned across the bottom in
a charming and graceful manner and
caught at intervals with clusters of
orange blossoms. Her coat may be of
handsome brocade and it will be sim
ply ornamented with a fichu of em
broidered mousseline.
Green the Prevailing Color
Green is the color of the spring and
it appears in all shades. Mercerized
gingham, German linen or French
chambray are ten times its durability.
Silk ginghams, striped or figured, to
be made in combination with plain
gingham, are effective, and are made
up by fashionable modistes with all
the elaboration of foulard costumes,
and such toilettes are considered in
perfectly good form for afternoon teas
or for church.
Corded Itrtlliantlne.
A charming white fabric for shirt
waist suits, also very light weight, is
corded brilliantine. It is striped, a
triple-cord stripe, alternating with an
inch-wide ’Stripe composed of satiny
serpentine bayadere stripes. This is
lots of description for a really simple
effect, but nothing less would tell the
story. This costs 45 cents per yard
and has the glossy quality which
makes brilliantine popular.
To Study Ancient I.ulce lia*ln.
An expedition to Lake Eyre, the
great depression in Central Australia,
which is below sea level, in charge of
Prof. J. W. Gregory, it is announced,
has recently left Melbourne with the
object of studying the physical his
tory of the lake basin and the collec
tion of fossils, especially of extinct
vertebrates.
POSSIBLE MILLIONS.
SUGAR TRUST HAS ANTICIPATED
TARIFF CONCESSIONS.
I
- !
Lang Ago Have-meyer Lnl«l 111* I*lan. for (
lCi-at.r.lng Inonunti) front* Tlir»ii£ti .
the Krdortlou of Uittle* on Cob.it
iUw Sugar.
In the annual report of the Ameri
can Sugar Refining company for the '
year ending Dec. 31. 1901, may be
found a statement whose significance
should not escape general notice. It
is, perhaps, too much to expect of the
sympathy and reciprocity zealots that
they ■will direct attention to the
state of things disclosed in this an
nual report of the sugar trust. To do
so would not be likely to help the
cause of “Cuban relief.” It would be
more likely to hurt than help, for it
would be certain to concentrate public
thought upon the fact that the sympa
thetic uproar is being artfully fo
mented by the sugar trust “for busi
ness reasons,” and that if Mr. Have
meyer's benevolent organization suc
ceeds in putting through its scheme
of tariff reduction on Cuban raw sugar
"there's millions in it." From the
sworn annual statement of the sugar
trust it appears that on the 31st day
of last December the assets of $122.
551,777—an increase of $12.3S0.198 over
the assets of the preceding year—in
cluded the following item:
Sugar, raw. unmanufactured, etc.
1901. 1900. Decrease.
$12,249,640 $22,488,790 $10,240,150
Commenting upon this showing, the
New York Journal of Commerce, a
hot gospeller for "Cuban relief," is
frank enough to say:
"The item of sugar, raw, unmanu
factured, etc., is given at $12,248,640,
a decrease of $10,240,150. From this it
would seem that the company has
been carrying a smaller amount of
raw sugar than usual at this season,
a move than finds explanation in (he
anticipated reduction in duties on Cu
ban sugar by congress."
Nearly three months have elapsed
since the annual report was filed.
During that time the sympathy up
roar has been In full blast, and Im
ports of Cuban raw sugar have
dwindled to practically nothing.
Vriting from Havana under date of
March 13, Mr. Charles M. Feppo', who
represents a syndicate of sympathetic
newspapers, states that “the ship
ments of sugar last week from the
port of Havana amounted to six
sacks”—that is 4,920 pounds, scarcely
enough to keep the sugar trust refin
eries busy for one minute. So it may
be safely assumed that, at this rate of
shipment, there is precious little raw
and unmanufactured sugar remaining
on the 28th of March out of the $12.
248,640 worth which the sugar trust
had on hand on the 31st day of De
cember. Compared to the quantity
on hand a year ago to-day it is prob
able that the present stock would
show a shrinkage of fully $20,000,000.
On that sum alone the sugar trust
would make $4,000,000 outright
through the proposed tariff reduction
of 20 per cent. When the total duih
of unshipped Cuban sugar is reckoned
on the same basis it will be seen that
the sugar trust's grab out of the sym
pathy fund becomes a much bigge”
thing than merely $4,000,000. It is
conservatively stated at $15,000,000.
It was in December, 1901, Just prior
to the making up of its annual report,
and fully three months before the pub
lication of that report, that the sugar
trust's literary bureau started the
Cuban sympathy uproar in the shape
of the Willett & Cray circular setting
forth the enormous saving that would
be realized by the American consumer
if congress would reduce or remove
the duty on raw sugar from Cuba.
Since then Mr. Havemeyer has public
ly stated that the price of refined sug
ar to the American consumer would
not be in the least degree affected by
the reduction or removal of tariff du
ties on Cuban raw sugar. He did not
see fit to add that, the price of refined
sugar would not be reduced unless the
sugar trust should at any time decide
to repeat its tactics of last fall and
put in force a heavy cut In price for
the purpose of giving beet sugar pro
duction a black eye. As we have said,
three months have elapsed between
the close of the sugar trust's year 1901
and the publication of the sugar trust’s
annual report for that year. It was a
long time to hold back the report, but
it was time well spent. During that in
terval the sympathy uproar has
reached a volume which it could not
havo reached if the real interest of
the sugar trust lad been made mani
fest at the outset.
Sympathy and Sugar.
There is method in the campaign of
the sugar trust for a reduction of
Cuban sugar duties. The plea is kept
at the front that “we must do some
thing for Cuba.” Great chunks of sym
pathy are lying around Washington.
The fact that reduction in sugar duties
will redound to the benefit of the trust
and not to Cuban planters, or to the
people of the United States who con
sume sugar, is kept in the background.
The trust is playing to add millions to
its annual income by keeping “Cuban
sympathy" ringing in the ear of Con
gress. Mr. Oxnard, who is managing
the campaign of the beet sugar pro
ducers. is exposing the game of the
trust. He is credited with the state
ment that lie would not object to a 20
per cent, or even a 25 per cent, reduc
tion in the Cuban tariff if the same
would inure to the benefit of the Cuban
planters, and not place more dollars
in the pockets of the trust.
The men who have put millions Into
beet sugar plants in the West and the
growers of the sugar beets by which
those factories are maintained are en
titled to sympathy and encouragement
before the Cuban planters. Sympathy,
like charity, begins at home, in the
present instance the sympathy ex
pressed is the merest, pretense. The
trust is after dollars.—Denver News.
(Diitt mitl Mret Kug;tr.
We are going to make our own
sugar in this country, don't you doubt
it, and make it from the beet, the
soil for whose production may be
found almost everywhere. Last year
the output in the United States was
185,000 tons, an increase of 108,000
tons over 1900. Forty two factories
were in operation last year, with nine
in course of construction. Factories
have been established in nineteen
states. This is one of the most prom
ising young industries in the country,
and one of the most important, and it
is no sin to guard its development here
as we did that of iron, steel, tin plate
and scores of other industries that are
now- the glory of the nation and its
strength. In truth, beet sugar produc
tion is the most promising new indus
try on a large scale the country has
in sight, and there is force in the plea
that if Cuba wants free admission to
tlie markets of the United States, let
her come in and be part of the United
States and take pot luck with us. The
grave, the singular, the almost unac
countable mistake Cuba made was in
not asking immediate annexation. And
there will he friction and dissatisfac
tion without end, one ground or an
other, till it does occur.—Oswego
Times.
Avert or Deplore,
The Boston Journal scolds Con
gressman Thayer for offering a reso
lution looking toward an investigation
of the relation of the sugar trust to the
proposed scheme of tariff reductions
for Cuban ‘‘relief.” It says that the
resolution “was a piece of transparent
demagoguery, discreditable to him and
to the Democracy of New England, of
which he is the leading representa
tive.” Our Boston friend, usually
sound on economic questions, herein
shows a disposition to let its zeal run
away with its discretion. Why not
investigate first and legislate after
ward? Some day the relation of the
sugar trust to this Cuban sympathy
uproar is going to be made known,
it is more than suspected now. Scan
dalous relationships between the sugar
trust and sugar tariffs have not been
so unheard of in the past as to jus
tify anybody in pooh-poohing the Idea
at this time. It is better to avert a
scandal than to deplore it.
Would Scuttle the Ship.
A Question anil it Reckoning.
We already buy from Cuba nearly
twice as much as we sell her. We
shall buy still more under the scheme
of relief-reciprocity, and very likely
shall sell more of certain articles, but
the trade balance against us will re
main and probably be larger than
ever. In any event, will the increased
volume of our sales to Cuba operate as
compensation to the domestic interests
which are called upon to make all sac
rifices? Will the American sugar and
tobacco growers and the American
cigar makers be able to trace to their
own pockets enough of the profits on
increased Cuban trade to make good
their direct losses through reduced
tariff duties? This question is to be
asked, this reckoning is going to be
made. Is the Republican party ready
with an answer that will meet this
question? Is It provided with a solu
tion that will satisfy the reckoning?
A Warning.
The fact that a clear majority of the
Republican members of the House of
Representatives are decided opponents
to sacrificing our domestic sugar and
tobacco interests for the benefit either
of the sugar trust or of a foreign na
tion should be a warning to Repub
lican leaders as to what they may ex
pect should the scheme succeed. Weak
kneed congressmen may be won over
by executive pressure. The masses of
the people cannot be thus won over
and they cannot be fooled. If they
are betrayed, they will remember who
betrayed them.—San Francisco Chron
icle.
A Curlom V)lslin<'tt»n<
The free trade papers pronounce un
constitutional the proposition to repay
some of the duty charged on Cuban
sugar. But they Insist that it is per
fectly proper to refrain from collecting
the duty. The distinction as to effect
between the two methods is not very
marked.—Lowell Courier.
How to SatUfjr Them.
Free traders are assailing the pro
posed concession of 20 per cent, on
Cuban importations. The only wry to
satisfy the champions of a souphouse
tariff like that identified with the last
Democratic administration is to knock
off the other 80 per cent. also.—Tion
esta (Pa.) Republican.
JACK WILSON’S ONCE GREAT GRAFT
Way of the Plate Indian Who Startea
the Uhmt Ilanre.
“Jack Wilson, the famous Piute fti
dian who started the ghost dance
craze among the Indians all over the
United States a few years ago, lives
in Mason Valley. Nevada,'' said an
official of the Indian bureau the othei
day.
“He does not have the influence
among the Indians now that he had
ten years ago, although he Is more
than the ordinary Indian intellectu
ally. His success as an apostle was
due to his superior intelligence, com
bined with low cunning and an utter
lack of conscience. To secure the In
fluence and power he wielded over his
followers in the early days of his
notoriety he resorted to numerous
tricks and deceptions.
“On one occasion when he had been
lecturing on the new religion he told
his audience that on the next day he
would make ice from the river and
invited all to see him perform a mir
acle. It being August he knew that
to make them believe he had made
ice would give him greater prestige.
He selected a point below a bend In
the river, and after securing a trusty
accomplice, who took from a neigh
boring icehouse a generous lump, and
deposited it In the current above the
bend, Wilson, with wild gestures
and weird incantations, plared him
self at a convenient point where he
lifted the floating ice from the water
when It reached him from above,
and thus made the Piutes believe he
had supernatural power. By such
trickery he made his associates be
lieve that the ghost dance would
drive the white man away from this
country and bring back the buffalo.”
EXPERIENCE MEETING ANECDOTE
ISisliop LTse<l a I.out Child to Point a
Christhm moral.
It had been an experience meeting.
Ten thousand people were assembled
in the great auditorium by the sea
There had been the handshake, the
waving of handkerchiefs, the hymn
the prayer, the word which told the
spiritual history of many a soul.
The bishop stood upon the plat
form In the act of pronouncing the
benediction. Emotion was at its.
height: it seemed as if a spiritual
wave had crept over the multitude
wrapping it in a divine caress.
At that, moment a little child was
passed up to the platform and the
Idshop took it in his arms. ‘Txast
child," were the whispered words.
The baby put Its dimpled arms around
the bishop’s neck and laid its head
upon his shoulder, its yellow curls
mingling with his gray hair.
“Lost child," said the bishop, In his
deep, sympathetic voice, "does anyone
in the audience know this baby oi
to whom it belongs? Will the father
and mother come and claim it?''
There was silence and the baby
nestled closer, and the women who sat
near said "Oh!"
Then a man was seen making his
way to the altar; it was the baby's
father. Instantly the child stretched
out Its arras to go to him. Then, as
he gave it up. the bishop said:
"There are 10,000 lost souls In
Ocean Grove. The Father’s arms are
waiting to receive them. So, go to
your Father’s outstretched arms as
does this little child.”—Detroit Free
Press.
HE COMPLIMENTED THE CZARINA.
Lord Tennyson Record* » Kitlici
Humorous Kxperlcnce.
Lord Tennyson once told Captalr
McCabe the following story as one re
suit of his defective eyesight: "Hallam
and I went with Mr. Gladstone as Sii
Donald Currie's guests on a cruise ir.
the Pembroke Castle among the He
brides and thence on to Denmark.
While lying in the harbor of Copen
liagen we were invited to dine at
Kredensborg with the king and queen
of Denmark, and the next day the
whole royal party came on board to
luncheon. There were the king and
queen, the princess, the czar and
czarina and their attendant ladies
and gentlemen. After luncheon the
princess asked me to read one of my
poems and some one fetched the book.
1 sat on a sofa in the smoking room
next the princess and another lady
came and sat beside me on the other
side. The czar stood up just in front
of me. When I had finished reading,
this lady said something very civil
and I thought she was Andrew Clark’s
daughter, so i patted her on the shoul
der very affectionately and said. My
dear girl, that’s very kind of you. very
kind.’ 1 heard the czar chuckling
mightily to himself, so I looked more
nearly at her, and God bless me! it was
the czarina herself. I fancy that was
the first time that august lady had
been patted on the back and called a
dear girl’ since she had left the nurs
ery.”
Tho Lack of a Greenhorn.
Down on the Wenham golf course, a
few weeks ago a new member was
playing around the links for the first
lime. It was really hi3 first serious
efTort to play golf. He made a pretty
good strlke-ofT from an elevated tee
across a valley to the top of a hill
about seventy-five yards beyond.
Thinking to have a little practice
across the valley, he struck his ball
back toward the green beside the tee
whence he had previously struck off
The ball sailed gracefully over the
hill, and to his inexpressible surprise,
the player heard it go "kerchunk”
into the hole on the green. He had
struck a ball seventy-five yards and
landed it in the hole. Probably few
players ever did such a thing, and thK
player says he does not expect ever
to do It again if he plays golf for a
quarter of a century. It was "the luci;
of a greenhorn.”—Boston Herald.
