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CHAPTER XXXV!.—Continued.
"Hut their .release will be the most
effectual way of spreading the news.”
"On the contrary, they cannot make
it known without exposing them
selves. If they do that, Ferdinand will
see to it that their respective sov
ereigns quitely but effectually remove
them. Each of them is so well known
that they may be arrested at any
time. Ferdinand shrewdly makes
them hostages, as it were. The three
certainly will exert their great influ
ence to cheek the rebellion they them
selves have fostered. As for Gornjl and
Gortschakcff, before they are released
from the hospital the crisis will have
passed.” *
"And are we left to account for
the deaths of Sta-va and Bratinau as
best we may?” I questioned anx
iously.
"If you remember, I told you at
Lucerne that I am an old newspaper
man. It is impossible to hide the
fact that an attack has been made
on Prince Ferdinand here to-night.
But an attack by his own countrymen
that has proved a disastrous failure
is quite a different thing from a de
liberate gathering here of representa
tives of each of the Balkan States.
Ferdinand has taken my advice to
post in hot haste to Sofia. I shall
see to it that this night’s work does
not get into the papers until 24 hours
have passed. By that time he will
have shown himself safe and sound in
Sofia. The episode of the death-mask
will have proved a complete fiasco.
My story will make Prince Ferdinand
a hero triumphant over his foes and
not a weak king who was lured here
unwittingly by his mistress to his
doom.”
"There still remains Jacques.”
"Oh, Jacques,” said Locke, with
contempt. "He was only a tool of
Starva's and a stupid tool at that.
It. was he who was to lower the flag
at half-mast, it seems—to give the
signal to the conspirators who were
watching in the village. But wrhen
he rushed to the chamber window to
lower the flag he found both rope and
fastenings wrenched away. He sup
posed that the gale had done this, but
seeing the flag at half-mast, the rope
being caught in the pulley, he said
nothing about the matter to Starva.
1 suspect that you were responsible
lor the lowering of the flag, and not
the gale.”
night’s eplsoae would have been
averted had the dispatch you gave
Haddon fallen into Starva’s hands, in
stead of-into the fountain?”
“My chief at Downing street would
retire me, and with no pension, if he
knew that l were going to divulge
state secrets. However, I am going
to tell you.
"This dispatch you have returned
to me, I happen to know, authorized
Sir Mortimer Brett to meet in confer
ence the men who so very nearly
snuffed out Ferdinand’s life an hour
ago. I am referring now to the dis
patch which I gave you at Vitznau,
Haddon. He was to assure these rep
resentatives of the various states that
England realized that a harmonious
confederation could alone permanent
ly allay the present discontent in the
Peninsula. Had Starva seen this dis
patch it is not likely that he would
have had recourse to violence.”
“Do you mean to tell me,” ex
claimed Locke, incredulously, 'that
your ministers of the foreign office
cherish so Utopian a scheme? Are
the various kings to abdicate because
England nods?”
“I am telling you nothing of the
sort,” chuckled Forbes. “You Amer
icans are infants when it comes to
the intricacies of diplomacy. Secret
agents and spies at Sofia had warned
the government of the intended upris
ing. It was necessary that England
should know more of the conspira
tors. Therefore. Sir Mortimer was in
structed to profess a sympathy tor
"1 needed the rope," I said, short
ly, too impatient to make further ex
planation. “And now for my last
question: What the devil did you
mean when you said that you had
promoted me? And why this haste
that I leave Alterhoffen?”
"Are you so anxious then that it
he known that you have been imper
sonating the British ambassador?”
•Scarcely,” I said, uneasily,
"And, my dear fellow, Kuhn and
the rest think that it was Sir Morti
mer who came to the rescue of
Prince Ferdinand, and not Mr. Ern
est Haddon, an American tourist.”
"But why do you allow them to
think this?"
"Haddon, at times you are singu
larly dense. If these men believe
that the British ambassador has been
killed by one of their number while
tietending Ferdinand, do you not see
that this will keep them even more si
lent regarding their share in this
night’s tragedy? For if England’s am
bassador were really murdered, you
may be sure that she would not rest
until she had brought the assassins to
justice.”
“You are right, Locke; I must leave
Alterhoffen at once.”
the cause which, ot course, was not
sincere. This dispatch Sir Mortimer
or myself were to allow to be stolen
if necessary. Its contents were ex
plained to me before I left London,
that I might repeat verbally the mes
sage, should the dispatch not reach
him.”
“Since you have already betrayed
your government’s confidence,” said
Locke, jocularly, “tell us the purport
of the second dispatch.”
“I will read it to you since the
seals are broken,” agreed Forbes after
a moment's hesitation.
“To His Excellency, etc.—Sir: The
same messenger Who gives you this
dispatch will deliver you another
which authorizes you to treat with
the committee of the various states
of the Balkans, who have for their
aim a confederation of these states.
You will use the aforementioned dis
patch at your discretion. It is need
less to say that neither this ministry
nor the other powers can for an in
stant sanction a scheme so impos
sible. But it has come to our knowl
edge that a dangerous conspiracy ex
ists to overthrow the rulers of the va
rious states. To check this conspir
acy it may be well for you to tempo
rize. If you think it expedient, per
mit the dispatch mentioned to fall
into the hands of this committee.
Capt Forbes will follow the same
course if necessary. He has full in
structions to exercise his discretion
in this matter.
“It is not without surprise that the
ministry has learned of your promise
to Ferdinand regarding England’s sup
port of his project, namely, the
threatened invasion of Macedonia.
Fortunatetly, the ministry is con
vinced that some such move as you
sanction is expedient to free Mace
donia from the atrocities of Turkish
misrule that have shocked Europe so
long. His majesty’s ministry there
fore is inclined to overlook in this
instance any undue bias you have
shown in espousing Macedonia’s
cause.
“If you are convinced that the finan
cier of New York city whom you have
named is sincere in his offer to give
Prince Ferdinand financial support,
you are authorized td tell him that
his majesty’s ministers are heartily
In favor of Prince Ferdinand’s inva
sion, and will exert every influence to
insure him-unrestHcted action. More
over, the foreign office is in full ac
cord with your vilewa as to the sum
of money indispensable to Ferdinand's
project
CHAPTER XXXVII.
The Second Dispatch.
I was about to go to Helena in the
music room to bid her good-by, when
Oapt. Forbes returned from his er
rand.
Well, that's settled,” he cried, join
ing us. "And do you agree with
l,ocke and myself that it is wise that
you should leave Alterhoffeu before
daybreak ?”
•Perfectly.”
He heard my decision with evident
relief.
‘‘You will accept my apology for
mistrusing you, Haddon, and I hope
we shall be friends,” said he offering
me his hand with a winning smile.
"But you must confess you gave me
ample grounds for being a little wary
of yon. Before long we shall meet,
and 1 shall hope to hear your reasons
for going into this extraordinary ad
venture. In the meanwhile, may I
trouble you for the dispatch I gave
to you in the hotel at Vitznau, or did
it fall into Starva’s hand that night?”
"To prevent that I dropped it from
the window into a disused fountain in
the garden below.”
"Where I found it,” interrupted
Locke. “Here it is, and please ob
serve that the seals are unbroken.”
"Frankly, Forbes,” I said, “I
thought you rather an idiot to give me
an important dispatch that night. You
must have seen that I was more or
less in Starva’s power, and that he
was likely to gain possession of the
papers.”
‘Had that dispatch fallen into his
hands,” replied Forbes, “it is quite
jwssible that Ferdinand w-ould have
been saved his bad half hour. Do you
remember I told you, my pseudo-am
bassador (and you acted the part re
markably well, let me tell you), that
I carried two dispatches for Sir Mor
timer, and that I gave you the one
of lesser importance?”
“YeB. And the second dispatch?
Was ' jt stolen from you by Starva
when he trapped you in the tower?”
Forbes podded. “I took the liberty
of talcing It from him just now.”
“And may a humble American con
sul ask,” drawled Locke, “how to
"But while his majesty's govern
ment agrees with you that lofty prin
ciples actuate Bulgaria, it realizes
with yourself that lofty principles are
not sufficient to insure the success of
Ferdinand's cause.
"In conclusion, we hasten to as
sure you of our fullest sympathy in
your endeavor to help an oppressed
people gain their liberty; and that it
is not without satisfaction we find
ourselves enabled to further your per
sonal wishes and ambitions in this
matter. Nor need you have anxiety,
that your own interests will run coun
ter to those of England. We view
with concern the precarious state of
your health; but we trust that it will
not prove an obstacle to your contem
plated meeting of the financier in
conference at AlterhofTen at the
chateau of Prince Ferdinand's secret
agent. With renewed expressions of
our complete confidence in you,
“Believe me, sir. etc."
••HaddonY said Locke, not a little
crestfallen. “1 was ruefully wide of
the mark in my conjectures concern
ing Sir Mortimer's relations with the
Countess Sarahoff. I told you that
morning at Lucerne that I was, be
hind the scenes. I confess myself the
veriest amateur."
Never has writing thrilled me as
did that dispatch. A great, light was
dawning on me. I clutched the pa
per. I held it with a trembling hand.
"Forbes,” 1 cried, hoarsely, “once,
though quite unwillingly, I tricked
you out of the dispatch Locke just
returned to you. But now I ask you
to. give me for half an hour the dis
patch you have just read. It means
everything to Sir Mortimer’s sister.
Man, there has been more deviltry
in this Castle of Ides that you are
aware of. The honor of Sir Morti
mer himself is at stake. This dis
patch will help to save it. Give me
the paper that I may show it to Miss
Brett.”
"I have been too much astonished at
the events of the past 24 hours to
wonder at your request. Take your
dispatch, but you will return it in
tact?”
"You need have no l'ear as to that.
But I have still another request;
“Our Happiness,” She Said, Shyly, “We Share with Others."
the papers you saw me take from the
safe, which Madame .. de Varnier
wrestled from me—they belong to
Miss Brett.”
He hesitated.
“On my honor, they concern no one
but her. What! Do you still mis
trust me?”
“No. my dear fellow.”
He placed the packet in my hand.
I entered the music room to bring
to Helena tidings of great joy.
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
Tidings of Great Joy.
She stood at the open window look
ing out on the mountains in the far
distance. They were phantoms of
despair beckoning to her in the moon
light. They had brought suffering to
her as well as to myself; for had I
not gone to Lucerne, and told her the
story of my cowardice, perhaps she
would have been spared the knowl
edge of her brother’s disgrace.
“Dear,” I said gently, “do you re
member the little beacon that shone
long after the lights on Pilatus and
Woman's First Act of Philanthropy
Decidedly a Failure.
A lady who was recently appointed
a visitor to a hospital for children,
fearing that poor children failed to re
ceive the same attention bestowed on
those of richer parents, paid her first
visit to the institution, intending to
effect a change. In a ward she found
a tiny hoy quite alonA. He informed
her that there was another boy in the
wards, but that he was being examined
before a clinic. The lady looked
around her for evidences of neglect on
the part of the attendants. A suit
of clothes lay huddled on a chair.
Folding them in an orderly manner,
she said:
“Surely, my dear, these trousers are
too long for you by several inches.”
“Yes’m,” replied the boy.
“A sin and a shame,” cried Bhe, and
took a “companion” ‘from her has
She sat down and cut off the legs of
the garment and hemmed the edges.
fe: ■ h
.. , tv. ia$3
Rigi had flickered out? That little
light put heart into me then. It tells
you to hope now.”
"There is no light on the mountains
over there to-night.”
"It may burn thuogh you do not see
it. The packet 1 took from the safe,
have you destroyed it?”
“I was about to do so as you en;
tered. Here it is.”
"Capt. F'orbes has just given me the
second packet—the one that Madame t
de Varnier took from me forcibly. It'
is possible that its contents concern
your brother. May I open it?”
“Yes," she said listlessly.
I tore open the packet with delib
eration, though heavens knows my
fingers trembled. I spread the paper
on the piano where I had shown
Madame de Varnier the death-mask
the evening before. I read them one
after the other. The proof was ab
solute. Sir Mortimer’s honor could
no longer be questioned. Fools we
had been and blind. i
“Helena.” I said, mastering my emo
tion with an effort “it is as I
thought; these papers throw a flood
of light on the letters and notes of
your brother that we have so harshly
misunderstood.”
She came swiftly to my side.
"Harshly misunderstood!” she repeat
ed with blanched Ups.
I was sorting carefully the papers
Helena had just given me, the letters
supposed to have been written by the
committee of freedom, and to which
Sir Mortimer's comments were pin
ned. I laughed aloud when I saw
that these letters, supposed to be the
originals were typewritten, as were
the copies.
Now I understood why Madame de
Varnier had refused to let me see
what she called the original papers.
It was not so much that she feared I
should destroy them; she knew that
the fact of their being typewritten
would at once awaken my suspicion.
“Did it not occur to you as being
rather suspicious that these letters
were written on a typewriter?"
“At first it did,” replied Helena,
searching my face wonderingly.
“But she quieted my doubts by ex
plaining to me that the letters were
typed to prevent the possibility of
their being traced.”
“The ingenious Madame de Var
niqr!”
Helena did not speak; her agitation
was too great for words. She watch
ed me. at once bewildered and eager,
while I read the contents of both
packets carefully once more. When
I had read them, 1 sorted them no
less carefully. For ten minutes there
was silence betw’een us.
“Helena," I said with a deep sigh,
when I had finished my task, “once
to-night I said this was a Castle of
Lies, but I did not realize until now
how surely I spoke the truth. These
letters are forgeries.”
'•Impossible,” she murmured, wring
ing her hands in anguish. “I know
my brother's writing too well.”
“Follow me carefully, and you will
see that I speak the truth. I do not
question your brother's handwriting.
But listen first of all to this dispatch
which was taken from Capt. Forbes
when he was trapped in the tower.
Tell me if any of the expressions in
it are familiar to you.”
“Yes, yes," she cried eagerly, when
I had finished. ‘Lofty principles actu
ate Bulgaria, but lofty principles are
not sufficient to insure success;' ‘You
need have no anxiety that your own
interests will run counter to those of
England;’ the references to the loan,
to my brother’s indiscretion, to his
ambitions—all these appear in my
brother's notes in connection with the
letters of the committee of freedom.”
“Xow read these letters—the con
tents of the second packet. They
were written to your brothgr by
Prince Ferdinand himself, and deal
with the loan to be floated by the
banker to finance Ferdinand’s inva
sion of Macedonia. The notes and
comments of your brother have refer
ence. not to these typewritten letters,
which were never written by any com
mittee of freedom, which were never
received by Sir Mortimer, but are
the cunning fabrications of that wom
an—but to these letters of Ferdinand.
Look, you can see the pins pierced
each of Ferdinand’s letters. As I
place your brother’s notes on the re
spective letters to which they have
reference, the pin marks fit precise
ly. You may still cherish proudly the
motto of your house: ‘Honor, my
Sword!”'
“Ernest, if this be true—’’
“It is true,” I said firmly, and I
drew her to me. "I must leave Alter
hofTen to-night, Helena. It must not
be known that I have been mistaken
for your brother. I am going to find
Madame de Varnier. When I return
to you I shall bring with me her writ
ten confession. And when I return,
sweetheart? You Bretts, you have
told me, are a proud race. Disgrace
you would bear alone. But your hap
piness?”
“Our happiness.” she said shyly,
“we share with others.”
(The End.)
-~ ,,r,,,,,r,*1,**MM>^*^****M"***>,****>>**a*>*^-*r * *ri*n~m~r»—m~ ~»~rmfMyia-finruvuuui
Was Love’s Labor Lost
“Now," she said, triumphantly,
when the task was complete, “they
will fit you better.”
“The other boy’s taller than me,”
replied the child. “They belong to
him.”
Bell Warns Florists of Danger.
An electric bell tinkled sharply be
side the florist’s desk. “Frost!” he
said, and ran hatless to the green
houses. “The fires had sunk," the
florist explained on his return. “The
watchman had fallen asleep. But for
my frost bell I’d have lost hundreds
of dollars. Frost bells are now pretty
generally used by florists and fruit
growers,” he went on. “An electrical
contrivance is connected with a ther
mometer and when the mercury falls
to a certain point—you regulate this
danger point to suit yourself—a bell
rings a warning in your house or of
fice. Many a crop of winter fruit and
flowers has been saved In the past
.years or two by the clever little frost
*11”
■
SENATOR PARIS GIBSON, MONTANA
FIGHTS FOR JUSTICE.
MAN’S HOBBY IS RIGHTING OTH
ERS’ WRONGS.
Colonel Robertson of London, Eng
land, Has Devoted His Life to
Helping Those Unjustly Dealt
With by the Law.
London.—“Righting other people’s
wrongs," is a hobby pursued by few.
Such, however, has been the favorite
pursuit of Colonel P. F. Robertson
for the past thirty years.
A reporter sat with Colonel Robert
son as he opened his morning corres
pondence which lay in a heap on the
table before him. As he glanced
| through the letters he made a passing
comment on several typical cases.
One man alleged that after a five
minutes’ trial he had been wrongfully
convicted under the betting laws. The
complaint was drawn up in a formal
style, but a postscript gave a touch
of pathos. “As a result of this my 1
whole life has been ruined."
Another, from a woman, asserted
that the evidence of her witnesses !
had been ignored.
“I could mention hundreds of in-'
stances far more pathetic,” said Col- j
onel Robertson. “The present condi
tlon of affairs is scandalous. Hitherto,"
he explained, “I have steadily refused
an interview, as I d(> not wish to pose •
as a philanthropist. But I am begin
ning to think that too much publicity
cannot be given to the disgraceful
proceedings in English legal life. I
take no credit- for what I have done.
The work fascinates me.
“Let me give you a few examples of
cases brought to me for remedy. An
instance from Ireland. Husband ill,
out of work; wife nursing him and a
young baby at the same time. The
family are poverty stricken. One child
aged 12, tempted by a professional
mendicant, begins to beg. There is a
|M>lice court sequel. The child is re
leased, but the mother—absolutely in
nocent—is sent to jail for three
months with hard labor.
"When I told the Lord Lieutenant,
he went straight from London to
Mountjoy Prison and ordered the wo
man's release. That was just before
Christmas, and she enjoyed her hum
ble dinner at home.
"Another case. A respectable boy,
an assistant in a chemist’s shop in
Dublin chased by a bigger boy, and
throws a stone. JA'indow broken
That boy was sent to the reformatory
for five years. There's justice for you!
1 obtained his release. »
"The latest case I have taken up is
one in which a woman was charged
on two trumped-up cases which were
both dismissed in a few minutes. She
lias, however, received an account for
$U50 from her solicitors and when she
demanded details they were refused.
We shall see if a letter from me will
have any effect."
Paris Congress of Maimed.
Paris.—A congress of maimed per
sons in poor circumstances has taken
place in Paris, the object being to at
tract popular sympathy in their be
half and to protect themselves against
imposters, shamming infirmities, who
go begging through the streets.
It was a singular sight to witness
this assemblage of men, some with
one leg and others with none, some
with no arms, others blind or deprived
of the use of their limbs: all discuss
ing seriously matters of moment to
them.
During the week most of the maimed
who come from various parts of the
country have been seen everywhere
in Paris. They are carrying on an
active campaign canvassing for the
sympathy of the public and also try
ing to obtain permission from the gov
ernment to form themselves into a
syndicate for the protection of their
interests.
WOULDST LIVE LONG?
FOLLOW ADVICE OF GRANDMOTH
ER SHIREY.
"Don’t Worry, Never Treasure Up
Trouble, and Live Out of Doors,”
Says Woman Approaching Her
Century Mark.
Birdsboro, Pa.—Last Sunday was
Grandmother Sallie «Shirey’s 95th
birthday, and the people from this
district gathered by the hundreds at
the Shirey home in honor of the event.
The house in which Grandmother Shir
ey has lived for many years is located
half way up Monocacy Hill, and com
mands a view up and down the valley
for twenty miles. Mrs. Shirey received
her many guests with all the ease and
grace of a woman of 50. Her hearing
and eyesight are excellent and her
memory is unimpaired by age.
“Don’t worry, never treasure up
troubles and live out of doors,” is the
way she explains the secret of long
life. “Worry is death,” she said,
“Work is life,” she continued as she
contentedly smoked her pipe. “I’ve
used tobacco for 70 years. It has
never hurt me, but. on the contrary,
I have positively enjoyed it. It is such
a comfort.”
Many of the visitors brought gifts
with them, and Mrs. Shirey was high
ly pleased. She sang some of the
songs of her girlhood days, danced a
hornpipe and entertained all with
reminiscences of her youth.
She recalls well when her grand
fathers and her father told her of
their personal experiences in the War
of the Revolution, and there is hardly
a historical incident of 80 years ago
of which she cannot speak intelligent
ly
The grounds surrounding the ola
home were filled with teams all day,
and the many visitors passed through
the house in a steady stream. The
entire neighborhood took a holiday.
Mrs. Shirey was born a farmer's
daughter and became a farmer’s wife
In her time she did everything on the
farm that men performed, and a store
keeper in a nearby village says that no
Big Bears Halt Trains.
Allentown, Pa.—Many bears have
been seen in the North Mountain re
gion during the last month, and pas
sengers on the Lehigh Valley’s Bow
man’s Creek branch trains hav.e had
the pleasure of gazing at seywal of
the animals. In each instance only
In Praise of Baseball.
Pennsylvania Minister Compares It
With Christian Life.
Pittsburg, Pa.—‘The Rev. Dr. S. Ed
ward Young, pastor of the Second
Presbyterian church, preached a base
ball sermon to a big congregation one
Sunday evening recently. For several
days the sermon had been advertised
extensively by illustrations of a pitch
er clutching a ball ready to curve it.
“St. Paul,” he said, “watched the
great Olympian ghmes and wrote of
them. He was enthused with the
games and were he alive would not
only be a true rooter, but he could
give points to the editors of the sport
ing pages of the papers to-day.
"Our nearest approach to the old
Olympian games is baseball. Base
ball is the pastime of 50,000,000 Amer
icans. It was played by the federal
and confederate soldiers during the
civil war and carried by them to every
hamlet of the United States: It is
played on a thousand fields, and the
game is admired by thousands of peo
“Of all the sports baseball is freeset
from crookedness and gambling, from
rowdyism and drunkenness. Baseball
gives you the true idea of life. Chris
tian life is a contest. Opposition, gen
eralship, dash and victory thrill
through it. Some are disabled, some
lose heart and head, many break the
rules and are put oft the field. Chris
tian living is good team work. A base
ball nine wins out not by the spectac
ular performance of one brilliant play
er so much as by the combined under
standing and the sacrificing of one
player to another.”
Ruling 8plrit Strong In Death.
Francois de Malherbe, called the fa
ther of French lyric poetry, had one
ruling passion, purity of diction. To
his confessor, who was piously striv
ing to comfort his fleeting hours by
presenting the Joys of Heaven, in
floundering, trite and vulgar phrases,
he exclaimed angrily: "Hold your
tongue, stupid; your wretched style
makes me out of conceit with Heav
enly Joys."
i • • v *• \ ■ -•
He’s Very Much Alive.
Burlington, Vt.—“Bead! I’m the
livest dead man you ever saw!" said
Merritt Fireing, an ice cream dealer,
when friends called to inquire of his
family particulars of h.s reported
death in the river. News spread rap
idly that the young man had bee.*
found drowned by a party of fisher
men and his body taken to the
morgue. Relatives rushed there to
claim it, while acquaintances hurried
to his home to offer condolences to
the supposedly stricken family. Fire
ing believes the rumor was started by
jokers with a poor sense of humor.
Wire Burns Mother and Girl.
Berwick, Pa.—Going down cellar at
her home here, Mrs. Isaac Vought
touched a fallen live electric light
wire, screamed and fell to the floor,
unconscious.
Her daughter, Florence, * rushed
down to her aid, and she, too, touch
ed the wire and fell, but quickly re
covered.
Then Mr. Vought ran down cellar
and managed to release %nd revive
his wife, who still clutched the wire
and was shockingly burned. -
• . - - ^ ' :V".’
IN THE GARDEN OF THE GODS, COLORADO
No more magnificent acenery is found in the world than in this far-famed
spot, and it is visited annually by thousands of tourists.
one brings to his store better butter think it is a very healthy game.”
than that made by Mrs. Shirey. Two of Mrs. Shirey has been a widow 47
her sons, Nathaniel and Emanuel, live years. Five generations of her family
with her. She does all the household were present at her birthday party,
work and assists in much of the out- The venerable woman talked of
door labor on the place. She walks present and past events. The old
•four to six miles without fatigue, and time days when the battalion drilled
is a great advocate of outdoor exercise constitute one of the bright pages in
in all forms. “Were I a min of twenty her memory. “My! How we did
today,” she said, “I’d play baseball. I dance!” she remarked.
i the excessive tooting of the engine and rang the bell, until finally the
whistle frightened them oft the rail- monster Bruin" ambled slowly from
road tracks. the track, clambered up the steep
The other afternoon, while a pas- bank and made his way into a near
senger train was bound for Wilkes- by apple orchard. Engineer Miller
barre. Engineer Miller noticed a mon- claims that the bear was the largest
ster black bear on the track ahead he ever saw, and must have weighed
of the engine. He blew the whistle about 500 pounds.
