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About The Loup City northwestern. (Loup City, Neb.) 189?-1917 | View Entire Issue (May 30, 1902)
A WARRIOR BOLD. By ST. QEORQB TtATHIJOIiXE, Author of "Little Min Million!“The Spider'e Web," "Dr. Jack’» Jlidoto’," "Ifiu Caprice,” etc. Copyright. 1901. SUMtand Smith, Now York. CHAFTEK VI. Captain Brand, of the Hespasia. ^he young girl heard her companion »Ake this declaration with an interest she did not attempt to conceal. “Many times that thought has come to me, but I dismissed it as unworthy. He brought several things my father had with him when he went away, and he resembled the only picture I had of my father—that is. in a general way. You could not expect very much after his cruel years of hardship in the desert. Besides, he knew all about our family matters, the quarrel with mamma's people on account of her marriage, and many little things con nected with the past,” “I shall devote myself to the task of discovering the truth. Heaven alone knows who he is, or how he came into possession of the facts he has uspJ to such advantage; but 1 Intend to sat isfy my curiosity in that respect, at any cost.” “Something tells me you will suc ceed,” she said eagerly, so that Char lie flushed with pleasure. “Thanks for your faith in me. It will go a great way toward assisting me. Of course, you would be gratified should I find the means to expose him as an imposter?” “So long as I still believe him to be what he claims, I cannot find it in my heart to turn against him. He has told me so many awful stories of the cruelties practiced upon them that 1 sometimes feel as though possibly his mind had been a little affected, and that he could hardly be held account able for his actions.” Charlie seized upon a slender cue, quick as a flash to discover a vulner able point. “Ah!" he said, eagerly; "you speak of their suffering among the Arabs! Then he had a companion in exile, I Imagine.” “Oh, yes—three at first; but later on there was only one left.” “And the name—do you remember “Yes. It was hli mate, Ben Hazen.” "Ah! that is a substantial point from which to work. Our friend. If an Imposter, may be very cunning; but I doubt if he has been able to cover his tracks so that we may not learn something of Ben Hazen's past: Ship ping books and shipping masters may tell the story of identification if all else fails. By the way, what does he say became of Ben Hazen?” “He was shot while defending a wretched woman slave against her in human master, and died of his wounds.” "Well, the incident may be true enough; but the chances are that it was your own father who gave up his life in this chivalrous fashion, and that what papers he had hidden on his person he confided to his fellow prisoner in the hope that at some day he might escape and carry the news to those he loved in old England.” Arline heard him with both wonder and delight. Her confidence had apparently gone out to him in the start, and now she felt it growing he was so earnest, so positive that his logic seemed to have the faculty of convincing others. “There is one thing I meant to ask; you gave me the wrong card by a singular accident, but at the same time intimated that you were known by an other name than Arline Brand at the hotel.” yes; 1 snouia nave explained. When my aunt adopted me I assumed her name of Wallis; and as her title was hereditary, and could descend to the next of kin after her demise, I be came Lady Arline Wallis. As such I have been sometimes known.” Charlie cringed somehow, at this. It seemed to raise a wall between them—wealth and title. What few or dinary young Englishmen dare aspire to win a bride from behind such ram pat U? Never before had Charlie Stuart wished for fame and fortune as now; nothing could be too grand to lay at the feet of such a royal princess. And while he was thus battling with his thoughts, she suddenly caught his arm. “He Is out yonder! I heard his laugh! Now, come to the door, Mr. Stuart, and take your first look at Captain Brand of the Hespasia, be fore you meet him face to face.” Nothing loth Charlie followed her to the door, whence they could look Into the office of the hotel. Several men were in sight; but al most Instinctively his gaze settled upon one who seemed to command general attention; and no sooner had Charlie clapped his eyes on this re markable individual than he uttered a little ejaculation of surprise and pleasure. Possibly he had seen this same lo quacious Captain Brand of the Hespa sia under other and more exciting c*r cumstances. “Tell me,” he said quietly, to the girl who was hovering over his shoul der, “have you given him any particu lars as to how you chanced to escape from the Steen dungeons?” “Only that just in the nick of time I was discovered by some tourists who had come down to see the awful place for themselves.” “My name was not mentioned?” “To the best of my recollection, not at all.” “Good! Then, if I meet the ogre, you can introduce me as one of your friends.” "I trust such is only the truth," shy ly. "An old, old friend, let us say. for whom you have always entertained feelings of profound respect." “It shall be as you say. I am sure you have some motive in this action.” “I certainly have. Truth to tell, I believe I have seen this gentleman be fore, under other conditions. I shall know to a certainty after I have been in his society a while. At any rate, there is reason to hope for the best.” "Shall we go out and meet him?” asked Arline. “Yes, indeed. The Fates have decid ed that Captain Brand and I shall come together for a trial of strength, and it might just as well take place now as later. I am ready.” So they went out. The ex-sailor quickly Bighted them and "bore down with all sails set.” as he would have nautically expressed it. Charlie played his part well. He met the captain in a blult, friendly manner, just as a young man might wish to receive the father of a lovely girl he admired. Plainly Captain Brand found no es pecial reason for alarm. «e set out co oe even more joviai and debonair than usual, with the idea of creating a good impression on his daughter’s old friend, whom he wished to study at close range. When he set out to entertain. Cap tain Brand of the Hespasia was a howling success, relating the most as tonishing incidents connected with his long captivity in the desert, his perils on the sea. and the deep fountain of love for wife and child that had sus tained him through all his trials. Charlie was no mean actor himself, thanks to the splendid control which he was able to exercise over his facial muscles. Although he now had not the least doubt as to the fellow being a fraud of the first water, Charlie felt that he owed It to Arline’s respect for filial af fection to prove this fact. This was the task he cut out for himself. He laid his little trap. Captain Brand was so much engag ed with his flow of oratory and the charming of this friend of the family that he did not notice the pit so deftly dug. Thus, almost without an effort. Charlie had him admit that he knew considerable about Valparaiso, In Chili, and had been there, in the course of his wanderings, many years ago. In Charlie’s mind this settled the matter. He was confident he knew with whom he had to deal, and when the time came he would be ready to dare all in defying the adventurer. While they sat thus, speaking of the sights of Antwerp, there came a messenger from the hotel office inquir ing for Mr. Charlie Stuart, whom a gentleman uutside desired to see. As he went, directed by the clerk, to the spot where he would find the gentleman who had asked for an im mediate interview on serious business, he was making up his mind to tell Peterhoff the whole story and enlist his favorable consideration for Arline, so that when the denoument came the doughty captain could be taken care of. Judge of his surprise, then, when, upon coming upon the party who wished to see him, he found it was no other than Artemus Barnaby. with his honest face clouded with an air of the darkest mystery. It did not require much prophetic skill on Charlie’s part to tell that his erratic friend had news of some im portance for him. He pressed a forefinger on his lips to Indicate dead silence, when he found that Charlie had recognized him. Charlie stood there waiting while the other crept on his tiptoes to the corner, in the regular orthodox stage fashion, and looked this way and that, to assure himself that there could be no eavesdroppers near. Then he approached his friend, his warning finger still on his lips. Reaching the other, he placed his lips close to Charlie’s ear, and solemn ly said: l ut3 luasi is l icai . “I see it is," said Charlie, aloud. “What I am about to disclose to you, will give you a cruel shock, my boy." "Shock away then, only make haste.” “I am about to make a disclosure that will. I regret to say, knock away the foundations of your belief in hu manity." “Ah: that’s a serious thing indeed. Does this disclosure concern the world at large or one individual specimen of mankind?" “One shining light.” "Then fire away, and be hanged to you.” Artemus assumed a look of extreme gravity, although Charlie was sure he heard a chuckle. "You have met the father of the young lady of the Steen dungeons. The hotel clerk has been entertaining me with a wonderful story of his return to life and civilisation. It reads like a romance, and would find a worthy niche in my notebook, only, my dear boy, it is so very ancient, a veritable stage chestnut, as it were. "But let that pass. I imagine this Captain Brand is a character worth knowing, something unique, I could hear him out yonder, and the dulcet tones of his voice were soothing enough to conjure with.” “Yes.” remarked Charlie, "he is a wonderful man, and could charm most people by the quaint manner of his speech." Artemus again bent forward. "Beware of Captain Brand!” he whispered, and then sprang back to note the stunning effect of his an nouncement. But Charlie, though Interested, ».*■ fused to be stunned. # “Why, what has he done?" "He is a bold, bad man!" Charlie was inclined to say ‘■Amen!" to that, but he kept his own counsel as yet. seeking more light. “See here! You have known this wonderful modern Baron Munchausen at some past date?” he said. Artemus nodded. “It would be impossible that two such men could ever exist Yes, I knew him.” “Where?" "In New York.” “When?" uei me see, scratcning ms neaa. as a comedian must always do when desirous of arousing memory. “Ah! yes, just a little more than two years ago.” “But at that time he swears he was in the heart of Africa, a prisoner at Dahomey.” “Well—he lies," coolly. Charlie liked that. It was so fresh and original, at the same time so very emphatic. "Who was he when you knew him?” he asked, determined to get down to the facts now. “A fourth-rate actor, on his uppers half of the time. One of these howl ing barnstormers, a heavy villain of the piece, at home in ‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin’ or ‘Ten Nights in a Barroom.' He was the joke of the season on the Rialto, in Gotham. I even thought se riously of utilizing him in my great play as the seedy actor who carries the mysterious secret with him through five acts, but when he found there was a chance of him being im mortalized, his price for sittings went away up. and I discovered something better than Hamfatter.” "Good Heavens! was that his name?” “Certainly not. That’s what they call all heavy tragedians of the barn storming variety. Let me see," plac ing a finger alongside his nose, a la Irving, “now I have it—bend your head lower, for that fellow has keen ears—it was Frederick Davenport Ma cauley.” "Indeed! Very suggestive, consider ing his occupation in life. What a man he is, to be sure; capable of hav ing so many names, and filling such various stations in life. Why, when 1 knew him, four or five years ago, he was called Captain Nathaniel Hedge.” “What! you knew him, then?” “I saw him—that is, I am almost dead certain it is the same man; and I expect to prove it presently.” “Where was this?” “In South America.” “In Valparaiso?” "Come, what makes you ask that?” in surprise. “I remember him talking of being concerned in a little war scare that oc curred down there—he has always been the same boaster, you know.” “Well, that seems to prove the iden tity. I never in all my life heard of so stupendous a rascal.” “Say what was he doing down in Santiago, or was it Valparaiso?” “The latter, on the coast, the most enterprising city along the Pacific, south of San Francisco. What was he doing? Well, about the last I saw of him, he was dancing a Scottish horn pipe.” “Yes, he has his merry moments when the liquor is in.” “But this was a unique affair—before an audience that must have numbered thousands.” “God! that would spur even so poor an actor to do his best.” “And Captain Nathaniel did his very best. If, as you say, he has been an actor, as well as a miner, sea captain, coffee planter, speculator, and Heaven knows what not. he certainly had the chance of his life to bring out bravos. However, I don’t think he took half as much interest in the affair as some of the rest of us did.” “He didn’t, e;i? I never knew he was acquainted with modesty. How was that?” asked Artemus, eagerly. “Well,” said Charlie, dryly, “you see, he was being hung!” (To be continued.) UNIQUE FISHING DONE IN JAPAN Black Cormorant* Thara Taka tba Placa of Rod and Lin*. “At the farmhouse, commodious and hospitable, likewise clean and charm ing, after the fashion of Japan, we send for the boy who brings our fish ing tackle. “They came waddling Into the yard, the three birds with which we are to do our fishing. Black cormorants they are, each with a white spot be hind its eye. and a hoarse voice, come of standing in the water, with which it says y'eagh whenever a stranger makes a friendly overture. The cor morants answer to the name of Ou, which In Japanese is something like t the only word the cormorants can say. The boy puts them In a box together and we set off across the drifted grav el to the Tamagawa. Arrived at the stream, the boy takes the three cor morants out of the box and adjusts their fishing harness. This consists of a tight ring about the bottom of the neck, of a loop under each wing, and a directing line. “Two other boys take a low net. They drag it down the stream, driving the little fishes and all the rest before it. The boy with the cormorants goes in advance. The three birds are eager as pointer dogs, and apparently full of perfect enjoyment. To the right and left they plunge with lightning strokes, each dip bringing up a shin ing fish. When the bird’s neck is full of fishes down to the level of the shoulders the boy draws him in, grabs him by the leg and shakes him uncere moniously over a basket until all the fishes have flopped out.—Outing. HEROES OR THE RAIL Sublime Bravery of Two Western Trainmen Saves a Passenger Train and Many Lives. [ From Victor, Col., comes a story of such a remarkable combination of heroism, coolness and judgment that it la a matter of regret that there does not exist a national board of award to decorate the central figure* In recog nition of their worth as men of nervo and grit. At Eclipse, on the Florence and Cripple Creek Railroad, away up in the dangerous part of the moun tains, where tracks seem to cling by some miraculous means to the steep, rugged slopes, a loaded freight car broke from a train, with Urakeman Lund on top. He applied the brake, but the chain broke and down the In cline he went at a frightful speed, yet bravely staying at his post, with almost certain death ahead. A sub urban passenger train was due to leave Anaconda at about the same time. Conductor Blondy. on an engine, sped in pursuit of the runaway car. As he passed Eclipse station like a streak of lightning he hurled a mes sage, wrapped around a piece of coal, through the window to the operator. It was caught and flashed to Anacon da just in time to stop the passenger train, and the engine, with the fear less conductor in the cab, whirled on in the pursuit of life and death. Those who have traveled in the mountains of Colorado can imagine the deadly peril as the freight car and engine rounded treacherous curves with speed undiminished, riding on one track at times, now apparently go ing over the side into some canyon, now rearing and threatening to hound up the hillside at some sharp change in the roadbed. The serpentine track was followed with a fierce determina tion. Just four seconds before Ana conda would have been reached the freight car wras overtaken. Leaping through the window and climbing around to the pilot. Conductor Blondy made a hazardous coupling at full speed. The air brakes were applied. The runaway was brought to a stop. The brakeman remained at his post. The conductor resumed his engine. The car was taken back up the hill. Those who sat In the passenger coaches at Anaconda probably never knew how near they were to death. The conduc tor and brakeman? Well, they knew —yes, but it was a part of their daily existence. They recognized a duty, they had the nerve to perform it, they had the presence of mind and the grit and the brawn to make it a suc cess. It was a thrilling incident. It should be handed down to posterity as an example of what is possible with a man who Is equal to the occasion. SAW SEA SERPENT Captain of Veaael Arriving at deorgla Port Telia a Remarkable Story. A monstrous sea serpent, vicious and awful looking, was the sight that brought fright to the crew of the schooner Samuel B. Hubbard only a few days ago. says the Atlanta Con stitution. This vessel, of which Capt. Mehaffey is master, has Just arrived In port from New York. Her com mander, who is well known to all of the north Atlantic ports, vouches for the authenticity of the story, and the facts are corroborated by his first mate, Mr. Coverdale. Capt. Mehaffey says: "It was on the 23d instant. In north latitude 34 degrees 41 minutes, and west longitude 76 degrees 10 minutes. The ship was lying becalmed about 13 noon, when the chief mate called my attention to something In the water Just abeam, a quarter of a mile off. A long, slim object, moving from side to side, and coming toward us with such great rapidity that it looked like an old thresher at work. It very quick ly worked under our quarter, and In the clear water we saw the queerest fish out. As it lay quiet within fifteen feet of the vessel It appeared to be about thirty feet long by three feet in circumference. A smooth body, showing no fins but the dorsals, three of them, one short, one, say, about a foot long, near the head. Then half way down the body a long, tail-Ilke fin about seven feet long and about five inches wide, and near the tail a small hind fin. The tail was unlike a fish, ending at a point, without a fin. The body was a deep pink color to the middle, and darkening to a light brown at the tail. “The head was fully three feet long, the mouth close to the top. The eyes were large and close to the top of the head. We had a good look at the fel low, as he stayed by fully liaif an hour. Then the mate got a shotgun and as the fish lay with half of his upper body exposed, sent a charge of small shot In. It evidently hurt him, for he leaped out of the water half hiB length and sounded like a whale. It came to the surface in a few' seconds, and if it kept up the gait it started with, the serpent is near the western coast of Africa by this time. He makes no friend who never makes a foe. SA^AAA/VVVVVVVVWV>A^VSAAA^AA Sioux Falls Divorce Colony Novel Community That Has Brought Prosperity to Mercharts of the Dakota City. The Sioux Falls divorce colony la growing into quite massive propor tions. It is estimated that at the pres ent time in the neighborhood of 300 females and males, who have attach ments to them in the shape of hus bands and wives, are either in the city sojourning or are paying for room rent here, while enjoying the luxuries of the far East, says the Sioux Falls Journal. Some of the divorcees are going on the theory that so long as they pay room rent and claim their residence as Sioux Falls, they are exempt from living here during the seven months necessary to get the decree of separation from uncongenial spouse. There are all grades, kinds, colors and degrees of divorcees here; from the kind that are compelled to work for a living in order to make both ends meet to the aristocratic German count and prominent citizens of New York, the latter generally preferring to re main In New York to residing here. Then there is a prominent coach for a famous football team who is repre sented in eastern papers as visiting occasionally at Sioux Falls to look after some patients he has there. Among the male seekers for divorce THE TROUBLES OF ARMLESS MEN Tkrw Woti That Ciwt Them the tirtatHt Annoyance. Three common incidents of every day life worry men without arms more than many of the graver questions of existence. In the first place, the arm less man seldom finds any one w'ia can put his hat on so that it feels com fortable, scarcely no one is able to adjust his glasses, and, lastly, he ex periences great difficulty in getting his shoes laced in such a way that his nerves are not set going. •‘They’re small things to complain about,” said one armless man, “but they worry me more than even the fact that I have no arms. My wife has made a careful and conscientious study of my peculiarities with reference to my hat, my glasses, and the lacing of my shoes, yet even she does not give satisfaction, and as for strangers, they are simply unbearable. ‘‘When my hat is set on my head it never seems to touch the right spot. It is either too far down over my eyes or too far back, or else, if tie posi tion happens to be somewhere near correct, the hat sets too lightly or is there are some that certainly need to be caged. It would undoubtedly be a disagreeable experience for them if they should be riding out in the coun try and meet some farmer lad who was out hunting. The farmer lad would be justified In thinking he saw some new species of something and took a shot at it. Then there are the divorcees, nearly all of whom are good-looking. Some are quiet and demure sort of in dividuals, and have their brothers (?) with them, while there are others who are trying to turn the heads of some of the traveling men and gay members of this city, who are apparently suc ceeding In pretty good shape. The divorce colony as a whole la a pretty good thing for the merchants of this city. They are all money spend ers, and those who have the coin want the best going. They are naturally a restless lot, having nothing in particu lar with which to Interest themselves during their sojourn here, and are naturally ready to do anything that will pass the time, which accounts for some of them getting reputations for giddiness. Even rough men can be gentle when they meet a real woman. pushed down on to my ears. I always wear a 'stiff’ hat, so I can butt my head against the wall and adjust my top piece to my own satisfaction. “My glasses cause me even more worry than my hat. I've tried all kinds and styles with the same result. I'm now wearing old-fashioned spec tacles, so I can by rubbing the bridge against the sharp corner of a door or the bottom of a table adjust them at least half way correctly. “My strangest trouble is with my shoes, and they cause me the most worry because I have not yet been able to remedy the annoyance caused by them. My wife usually laces them In the morning, and frequently she is compelled to make two or three trials bafore she gets them properly drawn together. If they are a bit too tight or a bit too loose, they set my nerves on edge, and make my life miserable. I don’t know whether I’m a crank or not. Sometimes I think I am, but of this much I am sure--I can't help It.-’ Those who are in the habit of mak ing capital out of the mlsfortuneg of others will And themselves with a lot of worthless assets *«oner or later. CR0S3-EYED MAN MADE TROUBLE How Ills Visional Oefect Discomfited t Lecturer. "I have faced a thousand audi ences. '■ said a well-known lecturar the other day, “add I have never been able to shake off my nervousness of the first 10 minutes. Scores and scores of times I have wasted to run away as the moment approached for me to step out and be introduced, and doz ens and dozens of times I have had close escapes from breaking down after making a fair beginning. The merest trifle will sometimes put a lec turer clean out. “The flattest failure I ever made was In a town in Ohio. I had been speaking for 10 minutes when a cross eyed man came in and took a front seat. He at once crossed his legs, folded his arms and looked me full in the face. I tried not to see him, but in spite of myself I found my glance wandering in his direction, and he soon began to Irritate me. I got to wondering if his children w'ere also cross-eyed—which eye he saw the best with—why he didn't hate them straightened, and I felt myself getting tangled tip. I fought against the in fluence and wont on all right for 10 minutes, and then I noticed that the cross-eyed man had a pimple on his nose. 1 thought I saw him trying to look at it, and I Just stopped dead still in my lecture to watch him. For two minutes the audience was as silent as so many dead people, but then they caught on and began to laugh, and for another two minutes the hall was in an uproar. "I hadn't meant to call attention to the man’s misfortune, of course, but his feelings were not at all hurt. It appeared that he had bought a new neck-tie at a bargain that day, and as I stood there like a stupid he rose up and bowed to me and said: “ Thankee, sir. If you want one too I can tell you where they are sold for 17 cents apiece, and they are the big gest bargains in Ohio!’ “Then we had a hearty laugh all around, and I found my lost wits and went ahead again, and 1 do believe that was the most enthusiastic audi ence of the year. MONKEY IN UNITED STATES ARMY Tnulj-Thlrd Regiment HMOot Un harmed by Mullets. Fritz, the mascot of company H, 23d regulars, and veteran of the Philippine war, Is known to the boys of the com pany as "comrade,” and to them he is away above the average of his kind. Fritz enjoys the rare distinction of being the only one of twelve monkeys able to stand the long ocean voyage from Manila. Frank J. Knoffkey is the owner, and the soldier has never gone into an engagement since April 14, 1900, when Fritz was brought Into camp, without the faithful monkey either on his shoulders or trudlng along close by his side. Fritz has been on every island in the Sulu archipel ago, nnd suffered without a murmur the long and trying campaign. When Knoffkey lay wounded on tha Held on Cebu island, his comrades In uniform pressed on, but his comrade Fritz nestled close to his side and guarded him through the watches of the night. On the regiment's forced march across Latey island, Fritz divided his time between walking and riding on the shoulder of the men all along th© line. It was on this occasion that he came near losing his life, at the hands of several wild monkeys, because he had no tall. A monkey loses his social standing in the Philippines when he is minus a tail. Fritz escaped from his indignant relatives only by leaping to the shoulders of his master. Morphine Floods Increasing. At least 10,000 persons In this coun try are victims of morphine and 10 per cent of American physicians are slaves to opium In some form, according to a statement adopted by the Medical News. All recent estimates, the same authority asserts moreover, indicate that the use of morphine not only as a drug to allay pain, but also as an intoxicant, is daily becoming an in creasing evil. A physician recently said: "The demand for morphine in the drug stores is increasing at an alarm ing rate. Traffic In the drug is re stricted by law, but the law is practi cally ineffectual. Any morphine fiend who needs a supply knows how to ob tain it, and does obtain it readily enough and apparently one user of the drug makes many more, "Before long there is sure to be a cry for increased restriction. What is needed, however, is not so much a new law, but the stricter enforcement of the present one and vigorous prosecu tion of those who connive at the illicit traffic In the stuff.” _ ... . American Ulr:» Win. The number of American girls who are now holding important positions in French opera has caused no little discontent among the Paris public. Not that there is any personal preju dice against Americans, but simply because it is considered that French artists should have the first showing where engagements at their national theaters are concerned. Yet it is un questionable that voices are beginning to be scarce In France, whereas Am erica is advancing steadily as the country for good material which re quires only classical training abroad to develop all the qualities necessary for operatic success. Artlfleal Indian. The manufacture of artificial Indigo was started in Germany thirty-five years ago, with less than forty work men all told. It now employs over 6.000 men, and has a stafT of 148 scien tific chemists. ^