Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The Loup City northwestern. (Loup City, Neb.) 189?-1917 | View Entire Issue (July 11, 1907)
CHAPTER XVII.—Continued. “It you were asking that service of Ernest Haddon it is possible that he might do it. But if you are asking Ernest Haddon to stoop to dishonor— :o masquerade in a character to which he has no right—” “Ernest Haddon will still do that service.” We faced each other. Our eyes met in defiance. Will beat against will; an aggressive purpose against stubborn resistance. Again I saw those beautiful lips curve in a cruel smile; the eyes burn with a baneful light. Was she so confident of her prey? Did she think that I should fall so easy a victim to her basilisk smile? If so, she erred woefully. Her beauty left me absolutely unmoved. Rather it repelled. The savage nature of the tigress showed too plainly in that ^nstant. “But at least you will listen to my plan?” “Yes,” I replied slowly, gazing thoughtfully at the flickering logs, “I will listen to your plan. Like your self, I have gone too far to retreat. But remember, when you have told me all, the armed truce may be fol lowed by open warfare.” “Do you always give warning to your victims before you trap them?” she demanded, both contemptuous and ■curious. “When I am a guest at their houses, madam.” The door opened. Dr. Starva shuf fled stealthily into the room. She met his distrustful glance with perfect sangfroid. “And our visitor, this brave Captain Forbes?” she demanded lightly. “Is he as persistent as at Vitznau?” “Bah, he annoys me, this brave cap tain.” sneered Starva. “He comes again to ask foolish questions. But I answer him; yes, I answer him this time. For to-night, at least, we shall have peace.” Not without trepidation I thought of the shuffling feet and the shout. Dr. Starva. when crossed, would not be nice in surmounting an obstacle. Either he thought me beneath con tempt or a great fool. I could have wished that I were armed in this Cas tle of Happiness. A few hours ago the atmosphere of the Middle Ages had clung to it and had enchanted me. But if its inmates resorted to the violent methods of that period I might be less fascinated. Dr. Starva again seated himself at his instrument. Madame de Varnier accompanied him as if nothing un usual had happened. I looked thoughtfully at this danger ous couple. The morrow promised much. The three of us were at cross purposes. Each was playing his des perate game. Which of us was to conquer? It was not long before the little con cert came to an end.. The enthusiasm of Dr. Starva was not proof against the emotions of the past hour. Can dles were rung for. I bade them both a quiet good night, and followed the lackey' who preceded me to my cham ber. I welcomed the hours of sleep. To morrow my nerves would need to be steady. But the surprises of the day were to be followed by still another. On my pillow was a folded piece of paper. It was a message; I could not doubt that. But when I had read it I was completely mystified in two par ticulars: Who had placed the message on my pillow? Did the sender really believe that I was Sir Mortimer? “If Sir Mortimer Brett will call at the Grand hotel to-morrow at ten for Mr. Robinson Lock£, Sir Mortimer will receive news of importance.” That was the message. CHAPTER XVIII. The Mysterious Signal. So Locke, as well as Forbes, had traced us to Alterhoffen! Was their arrival here, so soon after ourselves, merely a coincidence? Or could they have traveled together? Locke had certainly given me to understand that he had never seen Sir Mortimer or his mother and sister. Nor had I reason to suppose that he knew the king's messenger—at least two days ago. If it were true that he had met none of these people previous to my leaving Lucerne, if it were true that he did not know them even now—what could have brought Locke hither? One of three things might have hap pened : Locke may have been keeping a vig ilant watch on the movements of the Countess Sr—-hoff. Captain Forbes might have traced us here yesterday and have joined fortes with Locke. Or Locke may have been watching me, rather than Madame de Varnier, and have posted after me, rather than after herself and her companion. It required little imagination to rea son out the affair. Two days ago he had seen me con versing on apparently intimate terms with the Countess Sarahoff. a noto rious adventuress. He came to my hotel to warn me against her; I had received his warnings lightly enough. That very evening I dined with the woman; I took the boat for Vitznau, if not in her company, in the company of Dr. Starva, whom he must have often seen with her at Lucerene. The knowledge of these facts would bring him to the scene at Vitznau. And then? The most startling dis coveries might be his. Say that he had actually traced me as far as Vitznau. He would have made inquiries yesterday for Ernest Haddon. From whom else could he make these inquiries but the con cierge? And he would learn—what? The mysterious secret that It was not really Ernest Haddon who had come to the hotel, but Sir Mortimer Brett, passing under the name of Ernest Haddon. Yes; the concierge would tell him the truth, according to his lights. An old newspaper man like Locke would be satisfied with no vague evasions. If Locke, then, had made certain that I had entered the hotel the even ing before, that I had occupied the suite of Sir Mortimer Brett, the truth would flash on him. He would then be forced to one or two conclusions: either that I was a great fool to be so guileless a victim, or that I was a much more cunning rogue than he had thought. But the note I had found so strange ly on my pillow had given no inkling of his suspicions, if he had any. That was to be expected. If Sir Mortimer, or rather myself, failed to keep the appointment, he would draw his own conclusions. And having drawn them, what would be his course of action? He would storm the chateau for the truth. If, as seemed most likely, he had joined forces with Captain Forbes, he would realize the need of immedi ate action. What with interviews between my self and Madame de Varnier, Locke, and Forbes, the day promised to be exciting. There might, I thought with infinite dread, be yet another inter view. For if Forbes and Locke had succeeded in tracing us to Alterhoffen why should not Helena Brett and her mother? I looked at my watch. I had slept soundly, lulled to sleep by the temptu read curiously. I turned to Sir Morti mer Brett. “Sir Mortimer Brett, K.G.M.G.; C.B.; M.A., All Souls College, Oxford, 1879. Competitive examination and clerk of F. O., May 31, 1880. 3d Sec. Mad., 1883. Precis Writer to the late Marquis of Salisbury. Sec. State for Foreign AfTalrs, 1886. Transferred St. Petersburg, 2d Sec., 1886. Allowance for knowledge of Russian, May, 1887. Charge d’affaires, Jan., 1888. Trans ferred Constantinople. Allowance for Turkish granted. Consul General, 1902." I read the list of Sir Mortimer’s honors with a strange catching of the breath. His progress in his profession' had been extraordinary. That he was a zealous and ambitious diplomat was proven by the ohe fact that twice his salary had been increased because he had mastered two of the most difficult languages In the world. That fact also proved that he owed his promotion not so much to influence at Court as to his own determination. He was a student as well as a diplomatist. It gave me a distinct shock that such a man should be so weak as to succumb to the beauty of a clever adventuress. Again I read at random: “The flag to be used by His Maj esty’s Diplomatic Seryants, whether on shore or embarked on boats or other vessels, is the Union, with the Royal Arms in the center thereof, sur rounded by a green garland—” My eyes skipped down the page. The uniform of the consul general was fully described. The cocked hat was to be without binding—the fan or back part eleven Inches, the cockade plain bullion-gold tassels, edging of black ostrich feather—I skipped that, too. I was not interested in millinery. Rut presently my eye wandered to this paragraph. I began to read it not without uneasiness: “Official Act of Parliament to pre vent a Disclosure of Documents and Information: Any person found guilty of a breach of official trust; of pur loining or obtaining under false pre tenses papers of State, and found guilty of the same, shall be convicted of high treason. Any person interfer ing with His Majesty’s Diplomatic Servants in their official business, either by the giving of false informa tion, the assuming of any of their pre rogatives or rights—” She Looked About Vaguely, 1 ous little stream below. It was now ten o’clock. The sun was shining brightly into my room. I could see the mountains rosy-hued in the morn ing light. My door was rapped gently, then pushed open. The servant who had ushered me to my chamber entered with coffee. There was none so likely to have brought the note as he. I was tempted to test the suspicion. It might be convenient to avail myself of his services, if my suspicion were true. But I decided to make no allusion to it. For the present I had no need of the man, and if he were ignorant of the existence of the note J should risk much by making him the wiser. “I am anxious to see Madame de Varnier,'' I said, raising myself on my elbow to pour out my coffee. “Is she up yet?” “Madam never rises until after her second breakfast,” replied the man. “But Dr. Starva has asked me to say that he is at your Excellency's dis posal.” “He is very good,” I yawned, and dismissed him. Now that Madame de Varnier was not to be seen for the present, I wished I might have slept longer. It was too late to keep the doubtful ap pointment with Locke, even had I wished. But I did not wish to keep it. First of all must come Madame de Varnier’s stor'Jr. Afterwards, events must shape their course as they would. But it was impossible to sleep again; the glare of the light was unendur able. The mdse of the river Aare seemed to rise in a steady ciescendo. I dressed leisurely, for I was deter mined not to leave the chateau until I had seen Madame de Varnier. And yet L had no desire for the company of Dr. Starva. I looked about for a book or magazine to beguile the hours be fore luncheon. Half a dozen awaited my perusal, most of them yelloV-backed French novels. One book, however, was in English. “The Foreign Office List and Diplomatic and 'Consular Handbook,” I ■ hen Toward the Chateau Walls. I have never learned the awful fate of a person guilty of these misdemean ors. The book slipped from my hand. Above the clamor of the stream be low- I had heard a faint shout. Twice it was repeated. Alarmed, I went to the window and looked down. At first I thought some one had fallen into the river. But the shout had not come from below. I could be sure of this, because on the opposite side of the Aare was a narrow esplanade. Benches were placed at intervals, and there were beds of flowers to break the monotony of the gravel walk. The esplanade was deserted but for one per son, a woman, and she was seated, her parasol shielding her from the sun and from my view. Again I heard the shout, and still again. I listened, breathless. But the • rfl Now Dive for Sponges Old System of Hooking Abandoned on Florida Coast. The practicability of the method now being employed extensively in the sponge industry in procuring this prod uct, says the Tarpon Springs (Fla.) News, is no longer in doubt, and a large percentage of the Tar pon Springs vessels are changing from the old method of hooking to the new one of diving, and in order to successfully accomplish desired results with the'diving method it was thought necessary to employ Greeks, who are accustomed to the work, as it seemed doubtful whether many of those who have followed the hooking process would care to don the helmet and leaden shoes and pull sponge with from 30 to CO feet of wa ter overhead. But recent experiments by a few have demonstrated that a little practice and confidence, together mysterious cry was no longer re peated. Puzzled, I stood at the window, lean ing far out, but I could discover Bign of no person at such of the windows as 1 could command. My glance fell idly to the woman sunning herself on the opposite bank. And as I looked, a tjny shaft of light arrested my atten tion. It was scarcely larger than my hand, but it seemed endowed with elfish in telligence. For it moved, it danced. And always in the direction of the woman with the parasol. Now it crawled slowly along the graveled walk in a direct line from .the river bank toward her. Now it burned, a shining mark, motionless. Then it darted about in circles, and always close to the woman as if to en gage her attention. A minute, five minutes passed, while I watched the eccentric gyrations of this extraordi narily intelligent shaft of light. Over and over its antics were repeated. The woman’s parasol was tilted care lessly back for a moment. The nar row beam of light seized its oppor tunity. It played fantastically on the dress of the woman. Now at last she had seen it. It flashed upward toward her face. She looked about vaguely, then toward the chateau walls. Now I had seen her face. It was Helena Brett. I struck my forehead, impatient at my stupidity. It was Captain Forbes who had shouted. He had seen Helena Brett; he had vainly attempted to make her hear. But the roaring river had drowned his cry. That I bad heard it, proved that he was nearer to me than to her. Yes; in this chateau, and a prisoner. He was signaling that fact to her. Every schoolboy knows the trick. The reflection of the sun’s rays on a mir ror will carry a tolerable distance. But now that he had attracted her attention, would she look up and see him? If by chance that were possible, would she understand? Fascinated, I saw the little beam of light tell it% story eloquently and in geniously. CHAPTER XIX '• H The Startling Message. She had looked up, only to be blind ed by the dancing flame. She held her hands before her eyes. The flame per sistently annoyed her. She moved from her seat. It pursued her. Again she looked up; and even from this height I could see that she was frowning in her anger and annoyance. She seated herself at another bench. But she could not shake off her tor mentor. It no longer beat on her fafce and person; it moved steadly toward her, then traveled along the path of the promenade; trespassed into the garden of a cottage; shot by the cot tage itself; halted at a huge wooden signboard, on which was inscribed a long advertisement in French pro claiming the exalted merits of a Swiss chocolate. It zigzagged tremulously across the signboard. It paused at a capital let ter I. Helena had watched it curiously un til it disappeared into the garden. Then she had lost interest in its move ments, and had once more scanned anxiously the chateau opposite. Patiently and persistently the little beam of light repeated its antics. Again it moved, swiftly this time, to the signboard. And now she turned in her seat and watched it until it again paused at the letter I. Twice the mirror was flashed on the billboard; twice it pased at the letter I. It disappeared, to reappear at A. From A it darted swiftly to M. An other pause and again it vanished. Once more it pointed to A; once more it vanished. When it climbed the signboard again, it wandered vaguely about as if seeking a letter. After some hesi tation the mirror’s reflection fell on P. Thence it shot to R. Again it hes itated, but it last settled on I. Once more it selected S. Thence in quick succession came O, N, E, R. “I AM A PRISONER,” it had spelled. But while Helena ana I were still staring at the board, the shaft of light darted in feverish haste from letter to letter until it had spelled another word: “F-OR-B-E-S.” The king’s messenger had been an English officer, and one of the first military duties a boy learns at Sand hurst or Woolwich is heliographing. When, therefore, Captain Forbes had seen Helena across the river and had realized the futility of his shouting, being a man of wit and resource he had told of the imprisonment in this happy method. He bad flashed his message success fully. Helena understood. She looked upward toward the chateau, nodded excitedly, and again eagerly watched the signboard. She was not to be dis appointed. The message was not quite complete. These two words were added; “G-E-T H-E-L-P.” Helena made a gesture of compre hension, and walked rapidly in the di rection of the village. (TO BE CONTINUED.) with a good physical condition, are all that is needed to become a diver. Al ready a' number of our native spongers have become proficient in this line, and the probabilities are that in the near future a large percentage of the catch will be obtained in this manner. Mistaken Grief. "Alexander wept because there were no more worlds for him to conquer,” said the hero worshipper. “Yes," answered the skeptic, "bat in so doing he did not display great valor bo much as a limited knowl-« edge of geography.” Secret of Jewish Success. Isaac Seligman, the well-known New York banker and philanthropist, was asked several days ago why Jaws in variably succeed, and his reply was: “My |>eople keep their heads, work hard jind spend their spare time la TO CLEAN THE KETTLE. Pumice or Manicure Stone la the Proper Agent to Employ. Every housewife knows what a trouble it is to get burnt kettles clean; and cleanly, fastidious women realize how almost impossible it is to have clean food on account of the slovenly way most servants “wash” kettles. When food has burnt on the bottom of kettles it will not “wash” off, but it will soak up soapsuds, and grease, etc., and that dried and again soaked out and into the next food cooker^ in the vessel is not exactly de lightful in flavor and certainly is far from healthful. The housewife who really has the good of her family at heart should insist on sanitary dish washing as well as sanitary plumbing. How to get it? Procure a bit of pum ice stone—manicure stone from a drug store is best, but a rough stone from a marble yard will do. Rub the Inside of all kettles and frying pans thoroughly with it; then wash, and they will be perfectly clean, and it will take less time to make them so than usually is spent in scraping, which according to usual methods takes off about half, and leaves half of the undesirable hardened food to be cooked up in the next dish. HINT8 ON BOILING RICE. Nutritious and Appetizing Dish Should Be Given Care. A hint on boiling rice: Put a table spoonful of butter in rice while cook ing. Time to cook, one hour. Take one teacup unbroken rice, pick out all broken grains and wash in cold water, pouring oft the water several times to get rid of loose starch: Put the rice into the upper part of a gran ite double boiler, measure over it three cups cold water and one level teaspoon salt. Set the boiler with rice and cold water directly over the hottest part of the range, having a good fire, so that it may boil quickly, stirring the rice every few minutes to keep it from sticking to the bottom and burning. Let the rice boil rapidly for 15 or 20 minutes or until the water is about to be absorbed, then stir in one tablespoonful rounding of good butter and set the pot in low er half of double boiler, with enough boiling water in it so it will not spat ter on the range. Set where the water will keep boiling for another 20 minutes. The rice will be white, puffy and each grain separate. It will taste good, for all the nutriment is in it, and everybody will ask for more. Try This Meat Pie. A new meat pie appeared on a cer tain dinner table the other night which staggered even the man of the house, who is past authority on epicurean dishes. As a rule, in that household the meat pie is made of left overs from former meals, but this one contained an entirely un known filling. Not until a piece of gr<*en meat was discovered did the truth begin to dawn. Some weeks before, in a raid on a wholesale grocery of which he has the entree, he discovered some canned Mexican turtle meat, had several tins sent home and speedily forgot them. But his wife, in looking over the assort ment, accumulated from similar trips, discovered them, and the pie was the result of her quandary as to the use to put them to. Turtle never served a tastier purpose, according to the guests at the table that night Meat Pie with Tomatoes. Use about a pound of meat, left from a roast, or fresh meat (beef is best); cut in chunks and boil until tender; season with salt and pepper. Boil meat down until enough broth is left to moisteq meat well; thicken with flour as for stew. One-half hour before meat is done put in a good sized onion, sliced. Cook one-half can of tomatoes seasoned with salt, but ter, and a pinch of red pepper. Put meat in two quart basin, then the tomatoes. Have ready a rich biscuit crust made of one and one-half small coffee cups of flour, one heaping tea spoon baking powder mixed well with flour, one heaping tablespoon of short ening and a good pinch of salt. Moist en with milk into a soft dough as for biscuits. , Place crust on top of mix ture. Prick crust several times with a fork to let steam out while baking. Cooking Potatoes. If you are camping out or picnick ing, there is no better way than to “roas’ in de san’,” and eat them with ham gravy. Ordinarily we bake them unpeeled, of course, i*itil they are wrinkled and soft. To steam or boil them is wast ing God’s good gifts. Eat them with butter or gyavy. The soft, sweet, yel low varieties are best for baking. The white, dry kind,, for frying or making custard. To fry them, pare and slice .rather thin, dropping the slices in salted water or in boiling lard, turn ing frequently until well done. Serve hot. Lavender Linen. Lavender linen when combined with white linen and lace is very be coming to those who can wear this delicate color. A pretty dress of this color was made in a jumper suit with all edges piped with white linen. The front and back part of the waist, in stead of being closed .with straps run ning from side to side, was fastened together with plain panels, the froftt one being joined at the bust line and buttoned to the jumper straps with three white pearl buttons on each sidfe/ The back was of a similar de sign* This was worn over a white guimpe, the full, short lace sleeves be ing capped with white piped Chinese sleeves. The skirt was nine-gored with no trimming. 8new Balls. Take one and one-half cups, sugaf, one-half cup butter, three-fourths cup sweet milk, two and one-half cups floor, two teaspoons baking powder, four whites of eggs, one teaspoon va hilln; bake In deep flat tin. The fol lowing day cut In two inch' squares; cut off the upper and under part and corners, leasing It white and round. Take each piece on a fork and frost en all sides. Then rbO in cocoanut These cakes not only are delicious, bat are attractive. EDUCATIONAL l REDEMPTION Pop FILIPINOS jRRirmsy cschooz, IcSZjmD QF'J$£gZ20cS g£qrg£ mzzim E&tfTig Probably the greatest work which the United States is doing in the Philippines is that which is being ac complished by the small army of edu cators which were sent to the islands as soon as possible after the latter had come under control of the Amer ican government. It is still a long and hard road ahead before anything like what it is hoped to accomplish is realized, but what has already been done for the educational redemption of the Filipinos is the strongest kind of a guarantee of this country’s abil ity to perfect that which it has begun. And certainly there is not any more Inspiring spectacle than that of this conglomeration of orientals imbibing western civilization and the English language through American channels. Perhaps there is no one better quali fied to tell of the progress of educa tion in the archipelago than George William Beattie, superintendent of the Philippine Normal school at Manila. Mr. Beattie went out. as division su perintendent of schools for the island of Negros, after. having served for many years as county superintendent of schools and earlier as treasurer of San Bernardino county. In view of the chaotic conditions which existed in the islands this combined business and educational experience was of especial value. Having set things to rights in Negros, he was called to his present post in Manila. “In establishing a school, system,” Mr. Beattie explained, “the change from Spanish to English was trifling in comparison with other issues. It was necessary to decide whether to continue the Spanish practice of giv ing instruction in the native languages or to employ a common tongue. In settling this question the attitude of the Filipinos themselves was consid ered. They realize their isolation from the rest of the world, commer cially as well as intellectually, and also the lack of that national unity which has become so conspicuous in at least one neighboring oriental na tion. They know that English is the language of commerce, and that by learning it they can open the door to the world’s markets. They know that, so long as the Tagalog of Manila has nothing in common, so far as language is concerned, with the Ilocano of northern Luzon or the Visayan of the soutnern islands, they can never be come a nation. They know, too, that their native languages are without a literature and they often refer to En glish as ‘Shakespeare’s tongue.’ Fur thermore, the Filipinos crave social recognition, and therefore desire the language of their acquired mother country, be it Spain or America. These considerations made the think ing natives insist that instruction in the schools be given in English; and the government willingly acceded be cause of the difficulty of supplying text-books in the various dialects and of preparing Americans to teach in the native tongues. The adoption of English in the schools gives entire satisfaction to the people, notwith standing the belief of some American teachers that the Filipino’s choice would prove suicidal. “The Filipinos are very eager for education. I think I can safely say that nothing the American govern ment is doing for the Philippines is more appreciated by the natives than the effort that is being made to edu cate them. Whatever differences there may be between Filipinos and Amer icans regarding matters of govern mental policy, there is no opposition to the schools. I fear, however, that not all the Filipinos know what the word education means. To the masses it is a vague something, like inde pendence or Aladdin’s lamp, that is supposed to cure all ills and open all doors of opportunity—just how or why they know not. They observe that rich and powerful nations have abun dant educational facilities, and they are convinced in their own minds that through general enlightenment their national aspirations may be realized. It is pathetic to see the frankness with which Filipinos admit their pres ent helplessness—ascribing it to ignor ance. “As students, Filipinos are faithful and industrious. It is more neces sary to restrain than to stimulate the advanced students, as they are in con stant danger of overworking. They submit readily to authority, and dis cipline in the school is a simple prob lem. “When the American public schools were first opened the young people filled them to overflowing and the adults crowded the night schools, the dominant thought being to acquire a knowledge of the English language. The element of novelty was doubtless an important factor also. The schools possessed all the attractions of a new toy. , Soon, however, many adults found that English could not be ac quired by a few weeks’ attendance at night school, and they dropped out. Some of the children ceased to be amused by school exercises and failed to attend, while others stopped in or der to assist their parents once more in their various agricultural opera tions. In some cases forces hostile to the public schools, with their purely secular education, became effective and school attendance accordingly di minished. “The Philippine commission has planned from the first to give the schools a better teaching force than the provisional one they found neces sary to use, and in its first legislation establishing a public school system it made provision for a Normal school in Manila for training native teachers. This school was opened in 1901, under the leadership of Dr. Bryan, formerly of the faculty of Indiana university. The school organized advanced classes of students who had received instruc , tion in Spanish schools and since 1903 has graduated classes of from 12 to 18 members. “It is safe to say that no other phase of education attracts so much attention or excites more sympathetic interest -among the Filipinos at pres ent than the various forms of indus trial work that have been incorporated into their sphool' system. At first, Spanish ideals concerning the dignity of manual labor constituted serious obstacles, but practical opposition of this kind no longer requires consider ation. “The academic work of the course approximately parallels that of the ordinary American high school, En glish taking the place usually alloted to foreign languages. History is mod ified to meet the needs of the situa tion by making Philippine and co lonial history preliminary in that line. Science is given unusual prominence, the laboratories for physics, chemis try, botany and zoology being well equipped. “Probably no other feature of the school offers such opportunities and has furnished such results as has the dormitory for young women. A ma jority of the women students live in this home with one of the American teachers. Coming from all parts of the islands, with different languages and customs, they here use a common language and learn the essentials of American social customs. Being rep resentatives of the best Filipino fami lies, on returning to their homes they become social leaders, spread their new-found ideas widely and become potent factors in introducing Ameri can ideals among their people. “Although the Normal school was established for the purpose of train ing native teachers, its superior equip ment has made it necessary to throw open its doors to students looking to ward other lines of work than teach ing. There are in the school at pres ent classes of students preparing for work in schools of law, medicine and engineering; and for reasons of econ omy the nautical school glasses re ceive their shore instruction at the same institution. • “In short, in the Normal school to day may be found in embryo the Uni versity of the Philippines.” ORIGIN OF‘STRAWBERRIES. Blind King of Hungary First Culti vated Them. Where Eperies, the picturesque Hungarian town, is now surrounded by beautiful gardens and fruited fields, there was at the time of King Bela II. nothing but thick wilder ness. Once this blind and unhappy sovereign was traveling in his .realm. It was a hot, sultry summer day, and while searching for a shady spot in which to rest be became lost Deadly tired in consequence .of, l$is long wandering, he aske<\ his attend ants for a drink of water. ’ They seat ed him on the soft green grass in, the cool shade of big old trees, and then the cavaliers separated to hunt for a refreshing spring. Meanwhile the king wanted to find oat more about his resting place and began to .grope about Mm with ,his hands. Thus he discovered straw berries growing aik about him, says the NAr York Herald. He ate them, so, partly quenching his thirst, he waited patiently for U» gentlemen. ?’ **<<•'> r r •• ,,/i;1 After a short time they returned, some with empty cups, some with pearly spring water. The king them said to his attend ants: “Have the trees cut down around this place where my hands found the refreshing strawberries. Here shall arise a town whose name shall be Eperies (strawberry) in re membrance of this day, for all time.” As the king commanded so it was. The wilderness was cleared and in its place is a town whose arms carry the strawberry even to-day. Wise Old Noah. Noah was looking at his famous col lection of living wild beasts. “I could write a lot of stories about the animals," he said, “that would put the whole collection of nature fakers on the ragged edge, but what would be the use? I’d get a call down from the White House as sure as fate.” Sternly resisting the temptation to mix in, he ordered Ham to change the course of the vessel two points to starboard and went baek to his cabin to take a nap. I - . . ;'j. •..!
